Category: Science

MIL-OSI Analysis: Zohran Mamdani’s last name reflects centuries of intercontinental trade, migration and cultural exchange

Source: The Conversation – USA (3) – By Iqbal Akhtar, Associate Professor of Religious Studies, Florida International University

Zohran Mamdani takes photos with union members during a campaign rally at the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council headquarters in New York on July 2, 2025. AP Photo/Richard Drew

When Zohran Mamdani announced his candidacy for mayor of New York City, political observers noted his progressive platform and legislative record. But understanding the Democratic candidate’s background requires examining the rich cultural tapestry woven into his very surname: Mamdani.

He takes the name from his father, Mahmood Mamdani, a prominent academic who was raised in Uganda and whose work focuses on postcolonial Uganda. I studied the history of the Khoja community for my doctoral work and have helped develop Khoja studies as an academic discipline. The Mamdani surname tells a story of migration, resilience and community-building that spans centuries and continents.

The Khoja history

Mamdanis in Uganda belong to the Khoja community, a South Asian Muslim merchant caste, that shaped economic development across the western Indian Ocean for centuries.

The name originates from greater Sindh, a region in South Asia that today includes southeastern Pakistan and Kachchh in western India.

Its etymology is twofold. Mām is an honorific title in Kachchhi and Gujarati languages, meaning kindness, courage and pride. Māmadō is a local version of the name Muhammad that often appeared in surnames in Hindu castes that converted to Islam, such as the Memons.

The Khoja were categorized by the British in the early 19th century as “Hindoo Mussalman” because their traditions spanned both religions.

Over time, the Khoja came to be identified only as Muslim and then primarily as Shiite Muslim. Today, the majority of Khoja are Ismaili: a branch of Shiite Islam that follows the Aga Khan as their living imam.

The Mamdani family, however, is part of the Twelver community of Khoja, whose Twelfth Imam is believed to be hidden from the world and only emerges in times of crisis. Twelvers believe he will help usher in an age of peace during end times.

Around the late 18th century, the Khoja helped export textiles, manufactured goods, spices and gems from the Indian subcontinent to Arabia and East Africa. Through this Western Indian Ocean trading network, they imported timber, ivory, minerals and cloves, among other goods.

Khoja family firms were built on kinship networks and trust. They built networks of shops, communal housing and warehouses, and extended credit for thousands of miles, from Zanzibar in Tanzania to Bombay – now Mumbai – on the western coast of India.

Cousins and brothers would send money and goods across the ocean with only a letter. The precarious nature of trade in this period meant that families also served as insurance for each other. In times of wealth, it was shared; in times of disaster, help was available.

Khoja contributions in Africa

The Khoja became instrumental in building the commercial infrastructure of eastern, central and southern Africa. But the Khoja contribution to the development of Africa extended far beyond trade.

In the absence of colonial investment in public infrastructure, they helped build institutions that formed the foundation of the modern nation-states that emerged after colonization. The institutions both facilitated trade and established permanent communities.

For example, the first dispensary and public school in Zanzibar were constructed by a Khoja magnate, Tharia Topan, who made his wealth through the ivory and clove trades. Topan eventually became so prominent that he was knighted by Queen Victoria in 1890 for his service to the British Empire in helping to end slavery in East Africa.

The Khoja community continues to invest in East Africa. The most famous example is the Aga Khan Development Network, whose hospitals and schools operate in 30 countries. In places such as Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, they are considered the best.

Khoja in Uganda

Like in other parts of Africa, the Khoja settled in Uganda as a liaison business community to develop a market to serve both African and European needs. The linguistic and cultural knowledge, developed over centuries, helped facilitate business despite the challenges of colonization.

Ugandan President Idi Amin and his wife, Sarah, in Rome on Sept. 10, 1975.
AP Photo

However, in 1972, Ugandan dictator Idi Amin expelled all Asians – approximately 80,000 – forcing families like the Mamdanis into exile. These included indentured laborers, who were brought in to help build the railroad and farm during the British colonial period, and free traders, like the Mamdani family.

Amin saw them all as the same and famously said: “Asians came to Uganda to build the railway. The railway is finished. They must leave now.”

The experience was a bitter one. Families lost everything, and many left with only the clothes on their backs.

Mahmood Mamdani, who came from a Khoja merchant family, was 26 when he was exiled. Yet, unlike most Ugandan Asians, he chose to go back. At Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda’s capital, Mamdani set up the Institute for Social Research, which helped to provide rigorous social science training to Ugandan researchers trying to improve their society.

While the earlier generations of the Khoja tended to choose business or adjacent professions, such as accounting, the subsequent generations – particularly those educated in the West – embraced the knowledge economy as professionals, academics and nonprofit leaders.

Several of Mahmood Mamdani’s generation of Khoja academics conducted path-breaking work on Afro-Asian solidarity – a way of thinking about the world beyond colonial categories, such as the category of religion as a separate domain from the secular. These scholars, such as Tanzania’s Issa Shivji and Abdul Sheriff, worked on creating solidarity among the newly independent states of the Global South.

Mahmood Mamdani is known for his influential post-9/11 academic work, “Good Muslim, Bad Muslim,” which examined how Muslim identities are stereotyped. He argued that these identities are complex and varied, shaped by accumulated history and present experiences.

Interfaith identity

The Khoja community – known globally as the Khoja Shia Ithnasheri Muslim Community – has developed strong transnational connections. Today, they are concentrated in the United Kingdom, Canada, United States and France. However, Khoja can be found in almost any country in the world. In 2013, I met members of the community in Hong Kong.

The Khoja community plays an important role in interfaith dialogue and global development initiatives. A prominent Ismaili Khoja, Eboo Patel, the founder of Interfaith America, has dedicated his life to pluralism and mutual understanding through building up civil society.

Zohran Mamdani’s mother, acclaimed filmmaker Mira Nair, is Hindu by birth. This interfaith marriage exemplifies the flexibility, diversity and tolerance of Khoja Islam, which has historically navigated between Hindu and Islamic traditions.

Whether Mamdani’s policies prove practical remains to be seen, but his background offers something valuable: a deep understanding of how communities build resilience across generations and geographies.

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

– ref. Zohran Mamdani’s last name reflects centuries of intercontinental trade, migration and cultural exchange – https://theconversation.com/zohran-mamdanis-last-name-reflects-centuries-of-intercontinental-trade-migration-and-cultural-exchange-259967

MIL OSI Analysis –

July 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Analysis: Zohran Mamdani’s last name reflects centuries of intercontinental trade, migration and cultural exchange

Source: The Conversation – USA (3) – By Iqbal Akhtar, Associate Professor of Religious Studies, Florida International University

Zohran Mamdani takes photos with union members during a campaign rally at the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council headquarters in New York on July 2, 2025. AP Photo/Richard Drew

When Zohran Mamdani announced his candidacy for mayor of New York City, political observers noted his progressive platform and legislative record. But understanding the Democratic candidate’s background requires examining the rich cultural tapestry woven into his very surname: Mamdani.

He takes the name from his father, Mahmood Mamdani, a prominent academic who was raised in Uganda and whose work focuses on postcolonial Uganda. I studied the history of the Khoja community for my doctoral work and have helped develop Khoja studies as an academic discipline. The Mamdani surname tells a story of migration, resilience and community-building that spans centuries and continents.

The Khoja history

Mamdanis in Uganda belong to the Khoja community, a South Asian Muslim merchant caste, that shaped economic development across the western Indian Ocean for centuries.

The name originates from greater Sindh, a region in South Asia that today includes southeastern Pakistan and Kachchh in western India.

Its etymology is twofold. Mām is an honorific title in Kachchhi and Gujarati languages, meaning kindness, courage and pride. Māmadō is a local version of the name Muhammad that often appeared in surnames in Hindu castes that converted to Islam, such as the Memons.

The Khoja were categorized by the British in the early 19th century as “Hindoo Mussalman” because their traditions spanned both religions.

Over time, the Khoja came to be identified only as Muslim and then primarily as Shiite Muslim. Today, the majority of Khoja are Ismaili: a branch of Shiite Islam that follows the Aga Khan as their living imam.

The Mamdani family, however, is part of the Twelver community of Khoja, whose Twelfth Imam is believed to be hidden from the world and only emerges in times of crisis. Twelvers believe he will help usher in an age of peace during end times.

Around the late 18th century, the Khoja helped export textiles, manufactured goods, spices and gems from the Indian subcontinent to Arabia and East Africa. Through this Western Indian Ocean trading network, they imported timber, ivory, minerals and cloves, among other goods.

Khoja family firms were built on kinship networks and trust. They built networks of shops, communal housing and warehouses, and extended credit for thousands of miles, from Zanzibar in Tanzania to Bombay – now Mumbai – on the western coast of India.

Cousins and brothers would send money and goods across the ocean with only a letter. The precarious nature of trade in this period meant that families also served as insurance for each other. In times of wealth, it was shared; in times of disaster, help was available.

Khoja contributions in Africa

The Khoja became instrumental in building the commercial infrastructure of eastern, central and southern Africa. But the Khoja contribution to the development of Africa extended far beyond trade.

In the absence of colonial investment in public infrastructure, they helped build institutions that formed the foundation of the modern nation-states that emerged after colonization. The institutions both facilitated trade and established permanent communities.

For example, the first dispensary and public school in Zanzibar were constructed by a Khoja magnate, Tharia Topan, who made his wealth through the ivory and clove trades. Topan eventually became so prominent that he was knighted by Queen Victoria in 1890 for his service to the British Empire in helping to end slavery in East Africa.

The Khoja community continues to invest in East Africa. The most famous example is the Aga Khan Development Network, whose hospitals and schools operate in 30 countries. In places such as Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, they are considered the best.

Khoja in Uganda

Like in other parts of Africa, the Khoja settled in Uganda as a liaison business community to develop a market to serve both African and European needs. The linguistic and cultural knowledge, developed over centuries, helped facilitate business despite the challenges of colonization.

Ugandan President Idi Amin and his wife, Sarah, in Rome on Sept. 10, 1975.
AP Photo

However, in 1972, Ugandan dictator Idi Amin expelled all Asians – approximately 80,000 – forcing families like the Mamdanis into exile. These included indentured laborers, who were brought in to help build the railroad and farm during the British colonial period, and free traders, like the Mamdani family.

Amin saw them all as the same and famously said: “Asians came to Uganda to build the railway. The railway is finished. They must leave now.”

The experience was a bitter one. Families lost everything, and many left with only the clothes on their backs.

Mahmood Mamdani, who came from a Khoja merchant family, was 26 when he was exiled. Yet, unlike most Ugandan Asians, he chose to go back. At Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda’s capital, Mamdani set up the Institute for Social Research, which helped to provide rigorous social science training to Ugandan researchers trying to improve their society.

While the earlier generations of the Khoja tended to choose business or adjacent professions, such as accounting, the subsequent generations – particularly those educated in the West – embraced the knowledge economy as professionals, academics and nonprofit leaders.

Several of Mahmood Mamdani’s generation of Khoja academics conducted path-breaking work on Afro-Asian solidarity – a way of thinking about the world beyond colonial categories, such as the category of religion as a separate domain from the secular. These scholars, such as Tanzania’s Issa Shivji and Abdul Sheriff, worked on creating solidarity among the newly independent states of the Global South.

Mahmood Mamdani is known for his influential post-9/11 academic work, “Good Muslim, Bad Muslim,” which examined how Muslim identities are stereotyped. He argued that these identities are complex and varied, shaped by accumulated history and present experiences.

Interfaith identity

The Khoja community – known globally as the Khoja Shia Ithnasheri Muslim Community – has developed strong transnational connections. Today, they are concentrated in the United Kingdom, Canada, United States and France. However, Khoja can be found in almost any country in the world. In 2013, I met members of the community in Hong Kong.

The Khoja community plays an important role in interfaith dialogue and global development initiatives. A prominent Ismaili Khoja, Eboo Patel, the founder of Interfaith America, has dedicated his life to pluralism and mutual understanding through building up civil society.

Zohran Mamdani’s mother, acclaimed filmmaker Mira Nair, is Hindu by birth. This interfaith marriage exemplifies the flexibility, diversity and tolerance of Khoja Islam, which has historically navigated between Hindu and Islamic traditions.

Whether Mamdani’s policies prove practical remains to be seen, but his background offers something valuable: a deep understanding of how communities build resilience across generations and geographies.

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

– ref. Zohran Mamdani’s last name reflects centuries of intercontinental trade, migration and cultural exchange – https://theconversation.com/zohran-mamdanis-last-name-reflects-centuries-of-intercontinental-trade-migration-and-cultural-exchange-259967

MIL OSI Analysis –

July 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Analysis: Who was the first pirate?

Source: The Conversation – USA (2) – By Brandon Prins, Professor of Political Science, University of Tennessee

Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to curiouskidsus@theconversation.com.

Who was the first pirate? – Yandel R., age 11, Lakewood Ranch, Florida

When most people imagine a pirate, they picture actor Johnny Depp playing the mad but likable swashbuckler Jack Sparrow, captain of the sailing ship the Black Pearl.

Depp’s pirate portrayal was inspired by seafaring bandits in older make-believe tales, such as Long John Silver in “Treasure Island,” Captain Hook in “Peter Pan,” or sailor Edmond Dantès in “The Count of Monte Cristo.”

A 1915 edition of ‘Treasure Island’ illustrated Long John Silver with iconic pirate features.
Louis Rhead/Historica Graphica Collection/Heritage Images via Getty Images

Pirates in these stories were mischievous but also glamorous, courageous and mostly kindhearted. They wore flashy costumes. They had missing limbs, like Captain Cook’s iron hook for a left hand and Long John Silver’s wooden peg leg. They buried treasure chests of gold and silver, forced enemies to walk the plank and had talking parrots as shipboard companions. They flew the Jolly Roger skull and crossbones flag from the ship’s mast to frighten enemies. The new Netflix series “One Piece,” which is based on a Japanese comic book, continues this popular depiction of pirates.

While fun, these portrayals of pirates are mostly invented.

I’m a political scientist who studies modern-day commerce raiding: robbing of private cargo vessels on the high seas. I’m interested in where it happens in the world, who does it and what can be done to stop it. My research finds today’s pirates to be less like swashbuckling Jack Sparrow and more like regular old thieves.

Pirates in the ancient world

Since pirates have been around for as long as people have moved things by boat, it is hard to pin down the very first pirate.

Ancient Egyptians tied bundles of reeds together to form watertight boats.
Werner Forman/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

But archaeological evidence shows that boatbuilding goes all the way back to the ancient Egyptians, who used boats made from papyrus reeds as early as 6,000 years ago. These vessels likely carried valuable goods up and down the Nile River, and where valuable goods can be found, you can usually find thieves too. In fact, researchers know that pirates – basically just thieves on the water – targeted these river boats, because Egyptian pharaohs left records grumbling about pirates and their widespread pillaging.

By 3,500 years ago, thieves were using sailing vessels to raid coastal towns and villages in and around the Nile Delta, as well as the Aegean and Adriatic basins. Attacking ships far from land on the high seas and stealing the cargo was a logical next step in the tactics of seafaring raiders.

As trade increased across the Mediterranean Sea, boats carrying valuable cargo, such as pottery, silk, glass, spices and metals, became the targets of ancient pirates. Given the worth of these goods, pirate attacks became widespread across the ancient Mediterranean Sea. With money from the Roman senate and strong effort by a military leader named Pompey, the Roman navy worked hard to stop the pirates – and for a while it did.

The earliest named pirate?

The first mention of a pirate by name may have been in a Greek history book written in the fifth century BCE by an ancient historian named Herodotus.

He briefly describes the adventures of a naval commander by the name of Dionysius who was from Ionia, which is in modern-day Turkey. Dionysius set up a pirate base on the island of Sicily that allowed him and his fellow pirates to plunder ships that happened to sail past.

Pirates of the Caribbean

While Dionysius may have been the first recorded pirate, the most famous pirates lived during the 17th and 18th centuries, which came to be known as the golden age of sea piracy.

This was the heyday of pirates such as Blackbeard, also known as Edward Teach; William Kidd; Henry Morgan; Calico Jack; and Anne Bonny. They plundered Spanish treasure ships in the Caribbean, known as the Spanish Main, that were carrying silver from the mines in Bolivia back to the king of Spain.

Islands such as Jamaica, Tortuga and the Bahamas, as well the North Carolina coast, all became notable pirate havens. Port Royal, on the island of Jamaica, in particular, was a notorious pirate refuge. It was ideally positioned for preying upon Spanish galleons sailing across the Atlantic from ports in Panama and Venezuela. Johnny Depp’s character, Jack Sparrow, swashbuckled around a fictionalized Port Royal in the first “Pirates of the Caribbean” film.

Each dot represents a maritime pirate attack that happened between 1995 and 2023.
Brandon Prins

21st-century pirates

The 2013 Hollywood movie “Captain Phillips,” starring Tom Hanks, drew attention back to real-world pirates and piracy. The movie was based on a real-life 2009 attack by Somali pirates on a ship named the MV Maersk Alabama, which was carrying food to Kenya. The 500-foot-long vessel and its crew were rescued by the U.S. Navy.

To better understand 21st-century piracy, my research team compiled data on all pirate attacks from 1995 to the present day. We found three main piracy hot spots: the Gulf of Aden near Somalia, the Strait of Malacca in Southeast Asia and the Gulf of Guinea off the coast of West Africa. All three locations experience the conditions that attract pirates: ship traffic, valuable cargo and weak governments.

Why become a pirate?

People become pirates for many reasons, not the least of which is to escape poverty and enslavement. Others just want adventure and to travel the world. These are the same motivations that drove commerce raiding in the ancient world, during the golden age of piracy, and even today.

While we may never know the first pirate, just like we will never know the very first thief, historical evidence shows that sea-raiding has been around since the very first boats traversed the world’s waterways. Despite efforts to end piracy, my research shows that the conditions that produce ship looting remain and will likely always exist.

Hello, curious kids! Do you have a question you’d like an expert to answer? Ask an adult to send your question to CuriousKidsUS@theconversation.com. Please tell us your name, age and the city where you live.

And since curiosity has no age limit – adults, let us know what you’re wondering, too. We won’t be able to answer every question, but we will do our best.

Brandon Prins received funding from the U.S. Department of Defense, Office of Naval Research, through the Minerva Initiative, awards #N00014-21-1-2030 and #N00014-14-1-0050.

– ref. Who was the first pirate? – https://theconversation.com/who-was-the-first-pirate-256314

MIL OSI Analysis –

July 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Songshan Lake: A Microcosm of China’s Innovation Ecosystem

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

GUANGZHOU, July 14 (Xinhua) — The area around Songshan Lake in southern China’s Guangdong Province exudes youthful energy. Just two decades ago, it was a quiet orchard, but now it is home to a thriving innovation hub. These days, it is not harvesting fruits, but ideas.

The 103 square kilometer high-tech zone is home to more than 17,000 market players, including seven national manufacturing champions and 770 national high-tech enterprises. Each is contributing to the rise of next-generation technologies, from connected vehicles and robotics to intelligent engineering, biomedicine, and advanced materials and energy.

The rapid growth of enterprises is facilitated by the innovative ecosystem of Songshan Lake, which is home to six universities and 18 provincial-level new R&D institutions. It is also home to several key scientific facilities, including the China Spallation Neutron Source and an advanced attosecond laser infrastructure currently under construction.

The evolution of ePropulsion, co-founded by Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) alumnus Pan Zongliang and three of his classmates, is a vivid illustration of this dynamic ecosystem.

In 2012, recognizing the significant potential in marine renewable energy, they formed a startup team dedicated to research and development in marine electric propulsion systems. By 2014, they had completed the prototype of their first electric outboard motor. However, the process of turning this innovation into a market-ready product was fraught with challenges. The industrialization process proved to be a complex undertaking that required considerable effort and resources to manage.

Fortunately, HKUST professor Li Zexiang founded the XbotPark robotics base in Songshan Lake area in 2014. He also facilitated the relocation of ePropulsion’s five-person staff to Songshan Lake, providing them with valuable assistance.

“As a marine renewable energy company, we needed a water area to test our products,” explained Pan Zongliang, co-founder and COO of ePropulsion. The Songshan Lake Administrative Committee provided the team with a key asset: a special dock for conducting water tests. “It was a huge support,” Pan Zongliang recalled.

In addition to political support, Songshan Lake’s strategic location allows XbotPark companies to take advantage of the supply chain advantages of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

According to the director of the XbotPark robotics base, teams working in this environment often say: “If you can imagine it, you can build it.” “Finding suppliers for good ideas can usually be completed in about thirty minutes,” he says.

ePropulsion currently operates from a manufacturing facility in Dongguan, Guangdong Province, southern China, where Lake Songshanhu is located. The product range includes a wide range of overhead electric systems from 500 to 1000 kW, as well as overhead drives, embedded systems, batteries and control systems, which are sold worldwide.

“Our main market is Europe and the United States, and our small and medium-sized electric outboard motors ranked first in the world in terms of shipment volume last year,” Pan Zongliang said. “The domestic market share is also growing as the new energy boat sector expands in China,” he added.

Their eco-friendly propulsion systems now power boats at events such as SailGP and the America’s Cup, as well as on scenic waters across China, including Donghu Lake in Wuhan, West Lake in Hangzhou and the Lijiang River in Guilin.

According to XbotPark, it has helped create more than 80 startups in the field of robotics and intelligent equipment, of which six are included in the list of unicorn companies whose estimated value has grown to a billion US dollars in a short period of time. At the same time, their survival rate has exceeded 80%. The total value of the leading companies in the base is $ 10 billion.

Nearby, at the Guangdong Institute of Intelligent Robotics (GIRI), another industrial park near Songshan Lake, a bright yellow robot maneuvers in a test tank, rising and falling with the agility of a fish. This intelligent underwater inspection robot, developed by BlueDiveBot, conducts comprehensive inspections with no blind spots.

“Underwater robots can perform equipment maintenance, garbage collection, water quality monitoring and emergency response, overcoming human limitations and safety risks,” said Hu Gangyi, CEO of BlueDiveBot.

Incubated by GIRI and founded in 2023, BlueDiveBot has established a collaborative innovation platform integrating industry, education, research and application for advanced underwater equipment. The company has mastered a number of advanced technologies in the field of unmanned underwater intelligent systems, some of which are the first of their kind in the country.

“The well-developed industrial chain in Dongguan and surrounding areas accelerates the commercialization of our R&D,” Hu Gangyi said. “We have quickly achieved the expansion of production capacity and significant growth in market sales.”

Since its establishment in August 2015, GIRI has focused its R&D and commercialization efforts on key robotics components such as high-power lasers, sensors and machine vision systems, in addition to its core products that include industrial robots, high-end intelligent equipment, unmanned autonomous systems and industrial big data.

GIRI Deputy Director Zhou Xiaoxiao compares prototype technologies to an “unripe green apple.” In order to become a “ripe red apple,” the technology must undergo a process of refinement, she says, and this transformation is necessary for the technology to become the basis for producing a wide range of products, including both “apple jam” and “apple juice.”

Further development of innovation was supported by Songshan Lake High-tech Zone’s partnership with Huawei Cloud to build the “Developer Village” in April 2022. It meets the digitalization needs of enterprises through deep integration and joint innovation between various developer organizations, promoting digital innovation and industrial upgrading. Currently, 29 companies are located there.

“The Songshan Lake High-Tech Zone has carried out cutting-edge basic research,” concluded Wang Qianqian, deputy director of the Songshan Lake Science, Technology and Innovation Bureau. “Based on the results of basic research, we have built a complete innovation chain from pioneering research to commercialization and industrial development.” -0-

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

.

MIL OSI Russia News –

July 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: China’s Digital Smart Manufacturing to Benefit Industrial Transformation in SCO Countries

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

TIANJIN, July 14 (Xinhua) — Umar Suleimanov, a student from Tajikistan who chose the Chinese name Wu Mofan, actively gestures with his hands in front of a video camera, showing various configurations of his wrist and fingers, and a bionic robotic arm installed nearby, equipped with tens of hundreds of multi-dimensional tactile sensors, instantly repeats these movements as a mirror image.

All this took place at the recent Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Forum on Digital Economy in the northern Chinese city of Tianjin and attracted the attention of many guests from SCO countries.

“I learned that these bionic arms can sense mechanical information, sense temperatures, and differentiate between materials and textures. They can be applied to industrial production on a large scale, and can greatly improve the production efficiency of factories through data collection, algorithm integration, and other technological systems,” said Wu Mofan, a student at Tianjin Nankai University. He hopes that China’s digital smart manufacturing solutions and products can be spread to more countries to promote local development.

The development of digital economy is a strategic direction in the new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation. With the promotion of targeted policies and guidelines, iterative approach in technology, huge market demand and other driving factors, China has shown impressive achievements in industrial upgrading through the development of digital manufacturing.

According to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People’s Republic of China, there are currently more than 30,000 smart factories with basic automation, over 230 smart factories with full digitalization of production, and about 421 national-level smart manufacturing demonstration factories in China. In the first quarter of 2025, the operating revenue of China’s digital sector reached 8.5 trillion yuan (about 1.19 trillion US dollars), growing 9.4 percent year on year.

“I am very impressed that more and more AI and robotics projects are being implemented in various industrial scenarios in China. In this regard, China has made very impressive progress,” said Mehmet Bozkurt, a senior expert at the Turkish Center for Asia-Pacific Studies.

Pan Yuanyuan, deputy director of the International Investment Department at the Institute of World Economy and Politics under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, attributes the rapid development of China’s digital economy to its huge population, strong market demand, and rich application scenarios. “China’s achievements and accumulated experience in the digital economy are useful for countries seeking development,” she said.

China has repeatedly reaffirmed its determination not only to digitalize its own industry, but also to assist other SCO countries in modernizing their production by exporting more and more digital technologies.

Among the significant projects of cooperation between China and other SCO countries in the digital economy, Song Xianrong, a responsible official for international cooperation at the State Data Administration of the People’s Republic of China, highlighted the smart railway project in Mongolia with the participation of a Chinese enterprise, thanks to which the volume of coal production in areas located along the railway increased by 3-4 times, and the cost of transporting each ton of coal decreased from 32 to 15 US dollars, and the cost of operation and maintenance of the railway fell by 50 percent.

Another striking example of such cooperation was a joint project between the Tianjin Design and Research Institute of the Cement Industry and the oil and gas company SOUTH-OIL of Kazakhstan, in which Chinese technologies and standards for digital intelligence were introduced into the production scenario in one of the modern industrial parks in the south of Kazakhstan.

“China provides impressive intellectual solutions in the process of digital transformation of energy and industry,” said Gulnaziya Almakhanova, head of the International Relations Department at Korkyt Ata Kyzylorda University in Kazakhstan. “We hope that China will be able to share successful experience and solutions with other members of the SCO family so that more countries can benefit from this wave of technological revolution.”

As it became known, at the SCO Forum on Digital Economy-2025 in Tianjin, a ceremony was held to sign documents in 12 projects of cooperation on the digital economy between China, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Egypt and other countries. These projects are related to such areas as cross-border e-commerce and the construction of “smart” cities. -0-

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

.

MIL OSI Russia News –

July 15, 2025
BIS urges use of certified helmets: A life-saving call for two-wheeler riders

Source: Government of India

Source: Government of India (4)

In a strong push for road safety, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and the Department of Consumer Affairs have launched a nationwide campaign urging two-wheeler riders to use only BIS-certified helmets. The initiative, themed “Helmet – More Than Just a Shell. Choose Smart. Ride Safe,” highlights the critical importance of wearing scientifically tested and approved head protection, especially in a country where two-wheelers account for nearly 45% of road accident deaths.

Modern helmets, though commonplace today, trace their legacy to ancient headgear used for protection in battle and harsh environments. Yet despite advances in design and technology, helmet usage in India is still driven more by fear of penalties than genuine concern for safety. Many riders don helmets only near police checkpoints, often opting for low-cost, uncertified versions that offer little to no real protection.

According to the World Health Organisation, wearing a proper helmet can reduce the risk of death by six times and brain injury by up to 74%. However, thousands of substandard helmets -often with fake ISI marks – continue to flood roadside markets. These counterfeit products fail key safety checks and can shatter or slip off in accidents, providing a false sense of security that can prove fatal.

Under a Quality Control Order in effect since 2021, only helmets conforming to IS 4151:2015 and certified by BIS are legally permitted for use by two-wheeler riders. As of June 2025, 176 manufacturers across India are licensed to produce BIS-certified helmets. These helmets undergo rigorous testing for impact absorption, strap strength, visibility, sound penetration, and durability in extreme conditions.

To combat the menace of fake helmets, BIS has intensified enforcement. In 2024–25 alone, it carried out over 30 raids, seizing more than 2,500 non-compliant helmets from illegal manufacturers in Delhi and over 500 from retail points across 17 locations. Legal action against offenders is underway. Meanwhile, District Magistrates and police departments have been instructed to take action against the sale of non-certified helmets, and awareness drives are being conducted in cities like Chennai through public roadshows and free distribution campaigns.

BIS is also stepping up consumer outreach. Tools like the BIS Care App now allow riders to verify certification details and report suspicious products. Campaigns such as “Quality Connect,” led by local volunteers called Manak Mitras, are actively engaging with communities to raise awareness about helmet safety and the risks of uncertified gear.

As India’s roads grow busier and accidents more frequent, the message is clear: helmets are not just accessories – they are life-saving equipment. Choosing a BIS-certified helmet is not about avoiding fines, but about valuing life. In the critical moments of an accident, it’s not the look of the helmet that matters, but the science behind it. The difference between a certified and a counterfeit helmet is not just a label – it’s the difference between life and death.

July 14, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Using a radio telescope on the “roof of the world,” astronomers have begun searching for traces of the Big Bang

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

BEIJING, July 14 (Xinhua) — Astronomers have begun searching for traces of the Big Bang using a radio telescope installed at an altitude of 5,250 meters above sea level in southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region.

The AliCPT-1 radio telescope has captured the first images of the Moon and Jupiter at 150 GHz, marking a key step toward probing primordial gravitational waves, the Institute of High Energy Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IHEP CAS) announced on Sunday.

Gravitational waves are faint whispers from the dawn of time that may hold the key to explaining how the universe came into being.

Imagine the universe at birth; primordial gravitational waves would be its very first cry. Born from quantum fluctuations in spacetime during the inflationary stage, primordial gravitational waves are thought to be the most pristine ripples ever recorded in the universe.

In this regard, probing primordial gravitational waves is important for testing the Big Bang theory, the quantum theory of gravity.

“If we successfully detect primordial gravitational waves, we will be able to see the Universe at the very first moment of its existence,” said Xinmin Zhang, the principal investigator of the AliCPT-1 project and a senior researcher at the IHEP.

“At the same time, it could lead to breakthroughs in cutting-edge technologies such as cryogenic superconducting detectors and cryogenic readout electronics, bringing cosmology into an era of unprecedented precision,” the scientist added.

The construction of the radio telescope took eight years. The project involved 16 research institutions, including the National Astronomical Observatory of the ANC and Stanford University in the United States.

According to the results of the study, the list of areas on Earth suitable for probing primary gravity waves includes only Antarctica, the Atacama Desert in Chile, the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau and Greenland, said project leader Liu Congzhan.

Obtaining images of the Moon and Jupiter is just the beginning. The AliCPT-1 radio telescope fills a gap in China and, together with devices in Antarctica and Chile, forms a global network, said IHEP researcher Li Hong of the ANC. -0-

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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MIL OSI Russia News –

July 14, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Demystifying the Link Between Major Depression and Alzheimer’s Disease

Source: US State of Connecticut

Over 7 million people in the United States live with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia (ADRD). Some risk factors for ADRD, like genetics, can’t be controlled, but others can be treated. One of the most prevalent is depression (known clinically as major depressive disorder, or MDD). Between 11.1% and 14.7% of ADRD cases – affecting roughly one million individuals in the US – are attributable to MDD.

Now, researchers at the UConn Center on Aging have uncovered a variety of mechanisms linking these conditions, giving at-risk individuals and health care providers a greater understanding of how the disease may be prevented and mitigated.

“We’ve known for a long time that depression is one of the most relevant, potentially preventable risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease,” says Breno Diniz, MD, Ph.D., associate professor of psychiatry at UConn Health and the Center on Aging, who has devoted his research career to tackling this issue. “However, we didn’t know why.”

Diniz’s latest publication, in the journal Nature Mental Health, has uncovered two key factors linking these diseases: proteostasis, or how the body synthesizes and metabolizes proteins; and dysregulation of inflammatory responses.

“Depression is a disease that is bigger than a depressed mood,” Diniz says. “It has consequences that are silent, that may appear many years later.”

The Power in the Proteins

Diniz’s research team identified a series of protein markers in the body that seemed to increase the risk of ADRD for everyone – patients both with and without a history of MDD. These markers are related to general processes in the body that tend to change with age, such as inflammation, cell division, and apoptosis (the destruction and removal of damaged cells from the body).

But in patients with MDD, the researchers found a unique change in the process of proteostasis. This change increased inflammation in the brain, which in turn increased the risk of developing ADRD.

“What we have here is a causal effect,” says Diniz, explaining that these two factors – changes in proteostasis and an increase in neuroinflammation – “seem to work together, synergistically, to increase the risk of dementia.”

Using this insight, the team developed a Proteomic Risk Score that can be used to assess the risk for an individual patient with depression developing ADRD. This unique tool evaluates multiple proteins and offers “a more concrete way of looking at the risk of dementia in these individuals,” says Diniz.

To the research team’s surprise, the newly developed tool was a better predictor of ADRD risk than any previous model. It was more effective than models which evaluate the classic risk factors for ADRD, both in the general population and among those with depression – signaling hope for early detection and prevention.

“It’s a very robust model,” says Diniz, “and it has concrete clinical applications.”

The Proteomic Risk Score tool will help clinicians and patients holistically examine their ADRD risk factors, and it may also enable researchers to better select human subjects for ADRD intervention and prevention efforts.

Breaking it Down

In this study, Diniz and his co-authors used a combination of proteomic and genomic approaches to analyze data available from the United Kingdom Biobank, specifically tracking ADRD outcomes among middle-aged adults with depression.

Proteomics is the study of the proteins that are created by cells in the body. And genomics – the study of someone’s entire set of DNA – is a natural complement to proteomics, since DNA determines which proteins are produced by cells. Combining these two analytical approaches is called proteogenomics, and it can give researchers a deeper insight into complex biological processes and how they are related to different pathologies.

“Every molecular layer – from genes to epigenetics, RNA, and proteins – conveys different biological information, and they can have different roles in … creating prediction models,” explains Diniz. “Their combination makes the models more powerful, and brings them a step closer to precision geroscience.” This is a major goal of the UConn Pepper Center, led by the paper’s co-authors George Kuchel, MD, and Richard Fortinsky, Ph.D.

To enable this multifaceted analysis, Diniz partnered with other researchers across departments at UConn and UConn Health, including Kuchel; Fortinsky; Zhiduo Chen, Ph.D.; David C. Steffens, MD; and Chia-Ling Kuo, Ph.D. The research team also included scientists from the University of Exeter (UK) and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, Canada.

Depression’s ‘Silent Consequences’

This research emphasizes the profound interconnection between mind and body, especially the long-term health impacts of untreated mental illness. For those outside the scientific community, Diniz hopes this work will spur people to take their mental health just as seriously as their physical health.

“It’s extremely important to seek help,” Diniz urges. “Not only when you’re 50 or older – anytime in your life. Lots of studies in the past decade have shown that any depressive episode throughout the lifespan, even in your 20s, can increase the risk of dementia later on. So, it’s very important to seek help, and it’s very important to treat – and try to reach full remission of – the depressive episode.”

Fortunately, he notes, many of the lifestyle recommendations which have been shown to improve depressive symptoms – like exercise and not smoking – also improve other health outcomes, so treating depression does not need to occur in isolation.

Offering patients and health care providers tools like the Proteomic Risk Score and a more holistic understanding of health, this research joins a growing body of literature dedicated to preventing many cases of ADRD before it’s too late.

This work was supported by the NIA grant P30AG067988 (UConn Pepper Center, PIs: Kuchel and Fortinsky).

MIL OSI USA News –

July 14, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Demystifying the Link Between Major Depression and Alzheimer’s Disease

Source: US State of Connecticut

Over 7 million people in the United States live with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia (ADRD). Some risk factors for ADRD, like genetics, can’t be controlled, but others can be treated. One of the most prevalent is depression (known clinically as major depressive disorder, or MDD). Between 11.1% and 14.7% of ADRD cases – affecting roughly one million individuals in the US – are attributable to MDD.

Now, researchers at the UConn Center on Aging have uncovered a variety of mechanisms linking these conditions, giving at-risk individuals and health care providers a greater understanding of how the disease may be prevented and mitigated.

“We’ve known for a long time that depression is one of the most relevant, potentially preventable risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease,” says Breno Diniz, MD, Ph.D., associate professor of psychiatry at UConn Health and the Center on Aging, who has devoted his research career to tackling this issue. “However, we didn’t know why.”

Diniz’s latest publication, in the journal Nature Mental Health, has uncovered two key factors linking these diseases: proteostasis, or how the body synthesizes and metabolizes proteins; and dysregulation of inflammatory responses.

“Depression is a disease that is bigger than a depressed mood,” Diniz says. “It has consequences that are silent, that may appear many years later.”

The Power in the Proteins

Diniz’s research team identified a series of protein markers in the body that seemed to increase the risk of ADRD for everyone – patients both with and without a history of MDD. These markers are related to general processes in the body that tend to change with age, such as inflammation, cell division, and apoptosis (the destruction and removal of damaged cells from the body).

But in patients with MDD, the researchers found a unique change in the process of proteostasis. This change increased inflammation in the brain, which in turn increased the risk of developing ADRD.

“What we have here is a causal effect,” says Diniz, explaining that these two factors – changes in proteostasis and an increase in neuroinflammation – “seem to work together, synergistically, to increase the risk of dementia.”

Using this insight, the team developed a Proteomic Risk Score that can be used to assess the risk for an individual patient with depression developing ADRD. This unique tool evaluates multiple proteins and offers “a more concrete way of looking at the risk of dementia in these individuals,” says Diniz.

To the research team’s surprise, the newly developed tool was a better predictor of ADRD risk than any previous model. It was more effective than models which evaluate the classic risk factors for ADRD, both in the general population and among those with depression – signaling hope for early detection and prevention.

“It’s a very robust model,” says Diniz, “and it has concrete clinical applications.”

The Proteomic Risk Score tool will help clinicians and patients holistically examine their ADRD risk factors, and it may also enable researchers to better select human subjects for ADRD intervention and prevention efforts.

Breaking it Down

In this study, Diniz and his co-authors used a combination of proteomic and genomic approaches to analyze data available from the United Kingdom Biobank, specifically tracking ADRD outcomes among middle-aged adults with depression.

Proteomics is the study of the proteins that are created by cells in the body. And genomics – the study of someone’s entire set of DNA – is a natural complement to proteomics, since DNA determines which proteins are produced by cells. Combining these two analytical approaches is called proteogenomics, and it can give researchers a deeper insight into complex biological processes and how they are related to different pathologies.

“Every molecular layer – from genes to epigenetics, RNA, and proteins – conveys different biological information, and they can have different roles in … creating prediction models,” explains Diniz. “Their combination makes the models more powerful, and brings them a step closer to precision geroscience.” This is a major goal of the UConn Pepper Center, led by the paper’s co-authors George Kuchel, MD, and Richard Fortinsky, Ph.D.

To enable this multifaceted analysis, Diniz partnered with other researchers across departments at UConn and UConn Health, including Kuchel; Fortinsky; Zhiduo Chen, Ph.D.; David C. Steffens, MD; and Chia-Ling Kuo, Ph.D. The research team also included scientists from the University of Exeter (UK) and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, Canada.

Depression’s ‘Silent Consequences’

This research emphasizes the profound interconnection between mind and body, especially the long-term health impacts of untreated mental illness. For those outside the scientific community, Diniz hopes this work will spur people to take their mental health just as seriously as their physical health.

“It’s extremely important to seek help,” Diniz urges. “Not only when you’re 50 or older – anytime in your life. Lots of studies in the past decade have shown that any depressive episode throughout the lifespan, even in your 20s, can increase the risk of dementia later on. So, it’s very important to seek help, and it’s very important to treat – and try to reach full remission of – the depressive episode.”

Fortunately, he notes, many of the lifestyle recommendations which have been shown to improve depressive symptoms – like exercise and not smoking – also improve other health outcomes, so treating depression does not need to occur in isolation.

Offering patients and health care providers tools like the Proteomic Risk Score and a more holistic understanding of health, this research joins a growing body of literature dedicated to preventing many cases of ADRD before it’s too late.

This work was supported by the NIA grant P30AG067988 (UConn Pepper Center, PIs: Kuchel and Fortinsky).

MIL OSI USA News –

July 14, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: World Health Organization (WHO) recommends injectable lenacapavir for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) prevention

Source: APO

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The World Health Organization (WHO) released today new guidelines recommending the use of injectable lenacapavir (LEN) twice a year as an additional pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) option for HIV prevention, in a landmark policy action that could help reshape the global HIV response. The guidelines are being issued at the 13th International AIDS Society Conference (IAS 2025) on HIV Science, in Kigali, Rwanda.

LEN, the first twice-yearly injectable PrEP product, offers a highly effective, long-acting alternative to daily oral pills and other shorter-acting options. With just two doses per year, LEN is a transformative step forward in protecting people at risk of HIV – particularly those who face challenges with daily adherence, stigma, or access to health care.

“While an HIV vaccine remains elusive, lenacapavir is the next best thing: a long-acting antiretroviral shown in trials to prevent almost all HIV infections among those at risk,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “The launch of WHO’s new guidelines, alongside the FDA’s recent approval, marks a critical step forward in expanding access to this powerful tool. WHO is committed to working with countries and partners to ensure this innovation reaches communities as quickly and safely as possible.”

The new guidelines come at a critical moment as HIV prevention efforts stagnate with 1.3 million new HIV infections occurring in 2024 – with disproportionate impact among key and priority populations, including sex workers, men who have sex with men, transgender people, people who inject drugs, people in prisons, and children and adolescents. WHO’s recommendation on LEN signals a decisive move to expand and diversify HIV prevention, giving people more options to take control over their health with choices that fit their lives.

Simplified testing: a major barrier removed

As part of these guidelines, WHO has recommended a public health approach to HIV testing using HIV rapid tests to support delivery of long-acting injectable PrEP, including LEN and cabotegravir (CAB-LA). The simplified testing recommendation removes a major access barrier by eliminating complex, costly procedures and enabling community-based delivery of long-acting PrEP through pharmacies, clinics, and tele-health.

Next steps: call for implementation

LEN joins other WHO-recommended PrEP options, including daily oral PrEP, injectable cabotegravir and the dapivirine vaginal ring, as part of a growing arsenal of tools to end the HIV epidemic. While access to LEN outside clinical trials remains limited at the moment, WHO urges governments, donors and global health partners to begin rolling out LEN immediately within national combination HIV prevention programmes – while collecting essential data on uptake, adherence and real-world impact.

Additional WHO recommendations at IAS 2025

For the first time, WHO’s treatment guidelines include a clear recommendation for the use of long-acting injectable cabotegravir and rilpivirine (CAB/RPV) as an alternative switching option for antiretroviral therapy (ART) for adults and adolescents who have achieved full viral suppression on oral ART and do not have active hepatitis B infection. This approach is designed to support people living with HIV facing adherence challenges to oral regimens.

Updated guidelines on service delivery integration include recommendations to integrate HIV services with noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as hypertension and diabetes, as well as mental health care for depression, anxiety and alcohol use disorders into HIV services, alongside interventions to support ART adherence. Additionally, new guidelines on management of asymptomatic STIs recommend screening of gonorrhoea and/or chlamydia in key and priority populations.

For people living with HIV who have mpox and are either ART naive or have experienced prolonged ART interruption, rapid initiation of ART is strongly recommended. Additionally, early HIV testing is advised for individuals presenting with suspected or confirmed mpox infection. WHO’s standard operating procedures further emphasize HIV and syphilis testing for all individuals with suspected or confirmed mpox.

In response to the broader challenges facing HIV programmes, WHO has also issued new operational guidance on sustaining priority HIV services in a changing funding landscape. The guidance aims to provide a stepwise framework to help countries prioritize services, assess risks, monitor disruptions, and adapt systems to protect health outcomes and preserve progress.

“We have the tools and the knowledge to end AIDS as a public health problem,” said Dr Meg Doherty, Director of WHO’s Department of Global HIV, Hepatitis and STI Programmes and incoming Director of Science, Research, Evidence and Quality for Health. “What we need now is bold implementation of these recommendations, grounded in equity and powered by communities.”

HIV remains a major global public health issue. By the end of 2024, an estimated 40.8 million people were living with HIV with an estimated 65% in the WHO African Region. Approximately 630 000 people died from HIV-related causes globally, and an estimated 1.3 million people acquired HIV, including 120 000 children. Access to ART continues to expand, with 31.6 million people receiving treatment in 2024, up from 30.3 million in 2023.

At a time of reduced funding for HIV and health, WHO’s new and updated guidelines offer practical, evidence-based strategies to sustain momentum. By expanding prevention and treatment options, simplifying service delivery and promoting integration with broader health services, they support more efficient, equitable, and resilient HIV responses. Now is the moment for bold implementation to ensure these gains translate into real-world impact.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO).

MIL OSI Africa –

July 14, 2025
MIL-OSI: Exoben Opens Private Investment Round to Power the Future — One Project, One Continent, One Breakthrough at a Time

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

Wilmington, Delaware, July 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Something big is unfolding quietly, not in Silicon Valley or Wall Street, but between the gold-rich hills of Ghana and the research labs of Texas. And now, the doors are open for U.S. investors to step in and take part in a bold movement that’s already in motion.

Exoben

Exoben Inc., a Delaware-based energy and mining company, has launched its new private investment round to accelerate projects that could change how two continents, and eventually the world, build their clean energy future. It’s not a startup with vague promises. It’s a company that’s already building: gold operations are underway, solar grids are being installed, and battery technologies are progressing in real labs with real scientists.

At the center of it all is a simple but powerful idea: what if African resources and American innovation could come together, not just to build wealth, but to build a better system?

“We’re not looking for people to just invest in Exoben. We’re inviting them to believe in a new story,” said Kofi Akomeah, the company’s founder and CEO. “This story is about fairness, about possibility, and about putting capital where it can do more than multiply, it can matter.”

A Vision That’s Already in Motion

Exoben’s work spans two continents. In Ghana, the company is preparing to recover hundreds of thousands of ounces of gold from surface stockpiles using modern, responsible mining techniques. In parallel, it’s also gearing up to reprocess over 20 million tonnes of historic mine material, turning environmental liabilities into economic assets.

Meanwhile, on both sides of the Atlantic, Exoben’s scientists are developing a new generation of energy storage systems. Its lithium battery design targets EV ranges of up to 1,500 kilometers per charge, a milestone that could shift the entire electric mobility industry. The company’s sodium battery line, built for affordability and durability, is aimed at homes, rural clinics, and off-grid villages that still rely on candles and diesel.

These are not far-off goals. They are engineering projects with physical infrastructure, real R&D sites in Ghana and Texas, and deployment strategies already in motion.

Exoben is also rolling out solar energy systems, starting with 1,000 homes in rural Ghana, with a target to reach two million in the years ahead. EV charging stations are under development in cities that have never had them before.

The message is simple: the future is not waiting. And neither is Exoben.

“I’ve spent over two decades in the technology world,” Akomeah added. “What I’ve seen is that Africa doesn’t need charity, it needs partners. And the U.S. doesn’t need to compete with the continent; it can grow with it. That’s what Exoben is doing. We’re creating a platform that brings the best of both worlds together.”

Why Investors Are Paying Attention

What makes this opportunity different isn’t just the scale or the speed, it’s the heart. Exoben has combined real-world resources, secured concessions, and advanced science with a leadership team that’s deeply committed to doing things right. It’s not only about revenue projections (though they are strong), but also about impact, the kind that shapes markets, builds lives, and creates jobs where they’re needed most.

Preferred shares are being offered at $1.50. Participation is limited to accredited investors under U.S. securities law and international equivalents. All applicants will go through a screening process to ensure alignment with the company’s mission and standards.

“We’re offering more than shares,” Akomeah said. “We’re offering a chance to be remembered for backing something that changed the course of how we power the world, from the ground up.”

About Exoben Inc.

Exoben Inc. is an energy, mining, and technology company headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, with key operations in Ghana. It is focused on responsible gold production, next-generation batteries, solar energy systems, and electric vehicle infrastructure. The company’s mission is to bridge global innovation with African opportunity to deliver sustainable solutions that work for people, for communities, and for the planet.

Media & Investor Inquiries

Exoben Media Relations
press@exoben.com
www.exoben.com/investors
Wilmington, Delaware | Accra, Ghana

The MIL Network –

July 14, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: “Sometimes you have to prove your competence a little more than a man would have to,” says Veronika Zolotova, a RUDN University graduate who reached the semi-finals of the construction leadership competition

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: Peoples’Friendship University of Russia –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

Veronika Zolotova graduated from the RUDN University Agrarian and Technological Institute in 2020 in the field of “Land Management and Cadastres”. Now she is a project manager for the department for the construction of educational facilities in the autonomous non-profit organization “Development of Social Infrastructure” (ANO “RSI”). This year, Veronika reached the semi-finals of the All-Russian competition of managers “Leaders of the Construction Industry”, organized with the support of the Ministry of Construction of Russia. Veronika talks about who inspired her to go into construction, what the industry is living today and what it means to be a modern leader in an interview.

When you are a child, the field of “Land Management and Cadastre” cannot be called a dream profession. Everyone wants to become astronauts, doctors, teachers. How did you come to the profession?

Since childhood, I imagined myself in different professions. But one thing has always remained unchanged – the desire to be part of something great, significant, to leave a mark on history. Over time, I realized that the best way to make this dream come true is to work in the construction industry. In the field thanks to which cities are created before our eyes, the space of the future is formed. I was inspired by my godfather, who worked as a surveyor. His stories about the profession were filled with passion and meaning. Then, for the first time, I became truly interested in this field – and that is how I came to choose the direction of “Land Management and Cadastre”.

One of the facets of student life is exams and tests, preparation for which often makes students nervous. What was the most difficult subject during your studies?

It’s been a while since I graduated from university. Each exam was exciting and difficult in its own way, especially at the beginning. But one subject from my first year has remained especially vivid in my memory: soil science. At that time, it seemed incredibly difficult, almost incomprehensible. It’s funny, but many subjects have faded from memory over time, but soil science has not. Apparently, it was precisely because of its complexity and depth that it was so firmly imprinted in my mind.

Which teacher are you most grateful to?

⁠I am sincerely grateful to all the teachers of our university — everyone who generously shared their knowledge, experience and warmth with us. All of them are true masters of their craft, devoted to their profession and their students. I would like to express special gratitude to two teachers who played a key role in my professional path. An amazing teacher and expert in his field — Anton Aleksandrovich Poddubsky. He taught geodesy and a number of other disciplines, thanks to which I discovered this science from a completely new, deep and fascinating side.

Mikhail Vyacheslavovich Aleshin not only taught classes on the theory of errors and mathematical processing of geodetic measurements, methods of decoding and other specialized subjects, but also became my scientific supervisor when writing my diploma thesis. His approach, exactingness and support became a real intellectual challenge for me and an important school of professional growth.

Thanks to such teachers, studying became not just a mandatory stage, but a real inspiration and a confident step into a future profession.

The most vivid memory from my studies at RUDN University…

The defense of my diploma sank deep into my soul. The fear was almost paralyzing, it is impossible to put into words. Tears, sleepless nights, anxiety to the point of trembling… But I coped. I coped largely thanks to the support of the teachers, who believed in us even when we ourselves doubted. And the joy when I heard: “The defense was successful” was truly immeasurable. It was as if I had flown to seventh heaven from happiness. I still keep in my archives videos where my classmates and I are crying from stress, and then, beaming with joy, we leave the defense – winners.

Already in your first year you started working in the construction industry. What projects did you manage to work on?

My career path began as an assistant surveyor in one of the largest construction companies in Moscow. I learned from professionals, gained experience, and gradually moved on to independent work. Over time, I became a full-fledged surveyor, and was involved in both office and field work. At that time, I was lucky enough to be part of large-scale projects, including the Rudnevo electric depot, Zaryadye Park, and the construction of the metro. This experience not only strengthened my professional skills, but also taught me responsibility, discipline, and the ability to work in a team under real production tasks.

When you are an applicant, “Land Management and Cadastres” sounds like something mysterious and enigmatic. In what areas can graduates of this program work today?

This is a multidisciplinary specialty, and you can develop along a variety of tracks.

Firstly, it is geodesy – work on construction sites, support of engineering surveys, creation of digital terrain models. Demand for surveyors is consistently high, especially in large infrastructure projects.

Secondly, cadastral activities – registration of land plots, work in cadastral chambers, preparation of technical documentation. This area requires attention to detail and a good understanding of the legislation.

Thirdly, land and legal relations. Here, specialists who understand the regulatory framework, can support transactions, participate in land use issues and dispute resolution are in demand.

In addition, areas related to the digitalization of the cadastre are developing – GIS systems, work with spatial data, automation of accounting processes. This is an excellent option for those who want to keep up with technology. The specialty provides a broad base and flexibility – you can choose both a technical direction and a legal one, or combine both. The main thing is not to be afraid to study further and look for your niche.

Where did you find yourself?

As a project manager. Today, I supervise objects from the conception stage to the moment of their transfer to the balance sheet — I control all stages: from surveys and design to registration of rights and commissioning. This requires a comprehensive approach, knowledge of several areas at once — and it was Land Management and Cadastres that gave me this foundation. So I am sure: this specialty has broad prospects, and success depends on how you yourself reveal its potential.

What principles do you follow in your work?

First of all, responsibility. If I accept a task, I will definitely bring it to a result, while focusing on the level of quality that I would like to receive. There is no place for negligence in the construction industry – even a small mistake can result in serious technical or financial consequences.

The second important principle is respect for people. Regardless of the position and role – be it a contractor, a customer, a colleague or a subordinate – I believe it is important to build communication on mutual respect. This helps to find a common language and quickly resolve even the most difficult issues.

The third principle is a friendly atmosphere in the team. We have warm, almost family-like relationships in our team: we support each other, we can talk not only about work, but also share personal moments. Such an environment increases trust and makes working together easier and more productive.

It is this foundation that gives a sustainable result. This is not about beautiful words – it is about how to work effectively, especially in conditions of limited time, resources and high responsibility. In our field, the winner is not the one who is louder, but the one who knows how to build a process, hears the team and is responsible for the result.

You are a finalist in the “Leaders of the Construction Industry” competition. What does participation in this competition mean to you?

For me, this is a big and very important stage in my professional development. The competition program is aimed at identifying promising managers who have experience in senior positions in the construction or housing and utilities sector. For the final, we are developing our own projects. I will not reveal all the cards yet. But I will say one thing: my project addresses current challenges in the construction industry and offers solutions aimed at achieving sustainable development goals. Now I am focusing on the final!

Daily work often becomes routine. What inspires you and allows you to maintain energy and move forward?

In any job, especially management, there is a place for routine – documents, meetings, process coordination. But I am always inspired by one thought: the result of your work is something tangible and long-lasting. When an object is completed, put into operation and begins to benefit the city and people – this is a real feeling of satisfaction. The pleasure of understanding that you have invested effort, experience, time and done something really useful for this world. The thought charges even in the most difficult moments.

And to replenish my energy, I have my own “recipe for a perfect weekend”: a trip to the countryside with friends in tents. We have an amazing team of 19 people, and we are all from the construction industry: surveyors, designers, architects, estimators, designers, project managers… In general, the list can go on and on. We met at one of the professional events, and then became real friends – our families are friends, we support each other both at work and in life. We even have our own name – “Go? Go!” This is about the fact that we are always “for” any activity: hiking, climbing, running, lectures, master classes, parties. This team is my source of energy and inspiration. With such people around you, you feel that you can move mountains – both literally and professionally.

Is it difficult to be a girl in the construction industry – a stereotype or prejudice that still exists today?

This stereotype, unfortunately, still exists – although not in such an open form as before. Sometimes you have to prove your competence a little more than a man would have to in the same position. But personally, I don’t make a problem out of it – I do my job well, consistently and for the result. And this is what ultimately builds trust and respect.

Construction is not about gender, but about responsibility, knowledge of processes, the ability to build communication and bring a project to completion. And every year there are more and more women like me in the industry – strong, smart, professional.

If I encounter bias, I try not to waste energy on arguments. It is much more effective to show in action that you are competent and reliable. And when you have more than one successfully completed project under your belt, the opinion of skeptics changes on its own.

If you had the opportunity to go back to your first year, what would you tell yourself then?

I would tell myself: don’t be afraid to be active, ask more questions, try yourself and don’t put off important steps “for later”. University is not only about lectures and tests, it is a time when you can form yourself as a professional, build connections, participate in projects, and most importantly – learn to take initiative. I would advise not to be afraid of mistakes. Because it is through them that a real understanding of the profession and self-confidence comes. A mistake is not a failure, but an experience, if you draw conclusions.

And, probably, the main advice: everything will work out if you do your job with interest and are truly involved.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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MIL OSI Russia News –

July 14, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: David Robie condemns ‘callous’ health legacy of French, US nuclear bomb tests in Pacific

Report by Dr David Robie – Café Pacific. –

A journalist who was on the Rainbow Warrior voyage to Rongelap last night condemned France for its “callous” attack of an environmental ship, saying “we haven’t forgotten, or forgiven this outrage”.

David Robie, the author of Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage and Legacy of the Rainbow Warrior, said at the launch that the consequences of almost 300 US and French nuclear tests – many of them “dirty bombs” — were still impacting on indigenous Pacific peoples 40 years after the bombing of the ship.

French saboteurs had killed “our shipmate Fernando Pereira” on 10 July 1985 in what the New Zealand prime minister at the time, David Lange, called a “sordid act of international state-backed terrorism”.

Although relations with France had perhaps mellowed over time, four decades ago there was a lot of hostility towards the country, Dr Robie said.

“And that act of mindless sabotage still rankles very deeply in our psyche,” he said at the launch in Auckland Central’s Ellen Melville Centre on the anniversary of July 10.

About 100 people gathered in the centre’s Pioneer Women’s Hall for the book launch as Dr Robie reflected on the case of state terrorism after Greenpeace earlier in the day held a memorial ceremony on board Rainbow Warrior III.

“One of the celebrated French newspapers, Le Monde, played a critical role in the investigation into the Rainbow Warrior affair — what I brand as ‘Blundergate’, in view of all the follies of the bumbling DGSE spy team,” he said.

Plantu cartoon
“And one of the cartoons in that newspaper, by Plantu, who is a sort of French equivalent to Michael Leunig, caught my eye.

“You will notice it in the background slide show behind me. It shows François Mitterrand, the president of the French republic at the time, dressed in a frogman’s wetsuit lecturing to school children during a history lesson.

“President Mitterrand says, in French, ‘At that time, only presidents had the right to carry out terrorism!’

Tahitian advocate Ena Manurevia . . . the background Plantu cartoon is the one mentioned by the author. Image: Asia Pacific Report

He noticed that in the Mitterrand cartoon there was a “classmate” sitting in the back of the room with a moustache. This was none other than Edwy Plenel, the police reporter for Le Monde at the time, who scooped the world with hard evidence of Mitterrand and the French government’s role at the highest level in the Rainbow Warrior sabotage.

Dr Robie said that Plenel now published the investigative website Mediapart, which had played a key role in 2015 revealing the identity of the bomber that night, “the man who had planted the limpet mines on the Rainbow Warrior — sinking a peace and environmental ship, and killing Fernando Pereira.”

Jean-Luc Kister, a retired French colonel and DGSE secret agent, had confessed to his role and “apologised”, claiming the sabotage operation was “disproportionate and a mistake”.

“Was he sincere? Was it a genuine attempt to come to terms with his conscience. Who knows?” Dr Robie said, adding that he was unconvinced.

Hilari Anderson (right on stage), one of the speakers, with Del Abcede and MC Antony Phillips (obscured) . . . the background image shows Helen Clark meeting Fernando Pereira’s daughter Marelle in 2005. Image: Greenpeace

French perspective
Dr Robie said he had asked Plenel for his reflections from a French perspective 40 years on. Plenel cited three main take ways.

“First, the vital necessity of independent journalism. Independent of all powers, whether state, economic or ideological. Journalism that serves the public interest, the right to know, and factual truths.

“Impactful journalism whose revelations restore confidence in democracy, in the possibility of improving it, and in the usefulness of counterbalancing powers, particularly journalism.”

Secondly, this attack had been carried out by France in an “allied country”, New Zealand, against a civil society organisation. This demonstrated that “the thirst for power is a downfall that leads nations astray when they succumb to it.

“Nuclear weapons epitomise this madness, this catastrophe of power.”

[embedded content]
Eyes of Fire 10 years ago . . . same author, same publisher. Video: Pacific Media Centre

Finally, Plenel expressed the “infinite sadness” for a French citizen that after his revelations in Le Monde — which led to the resignations of the defence minister and the head of the secret services — nothing else happened.

“Nothing at all. No parliamentary inquiry, no questioning of François Mitterrand about his responsibility, no institutional reform of the absolute power of the president in a French republic that is, in reality, an elective monarchy.”

‘Elective monarchy’ trend
Dr Robie compared the French outcome with the rapid trend in US today, “a president who thinks he is a monarch, a king – another elective monarchy.”

He also bemoaned that “catastrophe of power” that “reigns everywhere today – from the horrendous Israeli genocide in Gaza to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, from Trump to Putin to Netanyahu, and so many others.”

The continuous Gaza massacres were a shameful indictment of the West that had allowed it to happen for more than 21 months.

Dr Robie thanked many collaborators for their help and support, including drama teacher Hilari Anderson, an original crew member of the Rainbow Warrior, and photographer John Miller, “who have been with me all the way on this waka journey”.

He thanked his wife, Del, and family members for their unstinting “patience and support”, and also publisher Tony Murrow of Little Island Press.

Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage and Legacy of the Rainbow Warrior . . . published 10 July 2025. Image: David Robie/Little Island Press

Launching the book, Greenpeace Aotearoa programme director Niamh O’Flynn said one thing that had stood out for her was how the legacy of the Rainbow Warrior had continued despite the attempt by the French government to shut it down 40 years ago.

“We said then that ‘you can’t sink a rainbow’, and we went on to prove it.

“When the Rainbow Warrior was bombed in Auckland harbour, it was getting ready to set sail to Moruroa Atoll, to enter the test exclusion zone and confront French nuclear testing head-on.”

So threatened
The French government had felt so threatened by that action that it had engaged in a state-sanctioned terror attack to prevent the mission from going ahead.

“But we rebuilt, and the Rainbow Warrior II carried on with that mission, travelling to Moruroa three times before the French finally stopped nuclear testing in the Pacific.

“That spirit and tenacity is what makes Greenpeace and what makes the Rainbow Warrior so special to everyone who has sailed on her,” she said.

“It was the final voyage of the Rainbow Warrior to Rongelap before the bombing that is the focus of David Robie’s book, and in many ways, it was an incredibly unique experience for Greenpeace — not just here in Aotearoa, but internationally.

“And of course David was a key part in that.”

O’Flynn said that as someone who had not even been born yet when the Rainbow Warrior was bombed, “I am so grateful that the generation of nuclear-free activists took the time to pass on their knowledge and to build our organisation into what it is today.

“Just as David has by writing down his story and leaving us with such a rich legacy.”

Greenpeace Aotearoa programme director Niamh O’Flynn . . . “That spirit and tenacity is what makes Greenpeace and what makes the Rainbow Warrior so special to everyone who has sailed on her.” Image: APR

Other speakers
Among other speakers at the book launch were teacher Hilari Anderson, publisher Tony Murrow of Little Island Press, Ena Manuireva, a Mangarevian scholar and cultural adviser, and MC Antony Phillips of Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga.

Anderson spoke of the Warrior’s early campaigns and acknowledged the crews of 1978 and 1985.

“I have been reflecting what these first and last crews of the original Rainbow Warrior had in common, realising that both gave their collective, mostly youthful energy — to transformation.

“This has involved the bonding of crews by working hands-on together. Touching surfaces, by hammer and paint, created a physical connection to this beloved boat.”

She paid special tribute to two powerful women, Denise Bell, who tracked down the marine research vessel in Aberdeen that became the Rainbow Warrior, and the indomitable Susi Newborn, who “contributed to naming the ship and mustering a crew”.

Manuireva spoke about his nuclear colonial experience and that of his family as natives of Mangareva atoll, about 400 km from Muroroa atoll, where France conducted most of its 30 years of tests ending in 1995.

He also spoke of Tahitian leader Oscar Temaru’s pioneering role in the Nuclear-Free and Independent Pacific (NFIP) movement, and played haunting Tahitian songs on his guitar.

This article was first published on Café Pacific.

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

July 14, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Chief Training Officer Teresa Sindelar Touches the Future of Human Spaceflight

Source: NASA

Teresa Sindelar always knew she wanted to be a part of human spaceflight, but she was unsure how to make that dream a reality until a chance encounter with former NASA astronaut Tom Stafford when she was 11 years old.
The pair met in a local jewelry shop near Sindelar’s Nebraska home, where Gen. Stafford was signing autographs. In addition to his photo, Gen. Stafford gave Sindelar a valuable tip – she should check out the Kansas Cosmosphere, a space museum in Hutchinson, Kansas. “I proceeded to attend every camp the Cosmosphere offered as a student, interned during college, and worked there full time while earning my graduate degree,” Sindelar said.

She discovered a passion for teaching and mentoring young students through her work in the museum’s education department and a stint as a high school science teacher. When she began looking for opportunities at NASA, she sought a position that melded instruction with technical work. “I like pouring into others and watching them grow,” she said.
Today, Sindelar is a chief training officer (CTO) within the Flight Operations Directorate at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Along with her fellow CTOs, Sindelar oversees the correct and complete training of NASA astronauts, crew members representing international partners, and all flight controllers. “I put the pieces together,” she said. “It is my job to make sure instructors, schedulers, outside partners, facility managers, and others are all in sync.” She added that CTOs have a unique position because they see the big picture of a training flow and understand the long-term training goals and objectives.

“I get to do a lot of cool things and go to a lot of cool places,” she said, noting that the training facilities at Johnson and other NASA centers, as well as facilities managed by international partners, are top-notch. While she does enjoy watching astronauts work through problems and learn new systems, she has a special fondness for flight controller training and mentoring young professionals. “What fills my cup the most is seeing a brand-new employee right out of college blossom into a confident flight controller, do their job well, and make our missions better,” she said. “I like knowing that I had something to do with that.”
Sindelar has been part of the Johnson team since 2010 and worked as an educator in what was then called the center’s Office of Education and as a crew training instructor in the Space Medicine Operations Directorate before becoming a CTO. In March 2025, Sindelar received a Space Flight Awareness Program Honoree Award for her outstanding leadership in the Private Astronaut Mission (PAM) program, which is an important component of NASA’s strategy for enabling a robust and competitive commercial economy in low Earth orbit. As the lead CTO for the third PAM, Axiom Mission 3, Sindelar managed training while identifying critical inefficiencies, enhancing mission safety and performance. She spearheaded a key stakeholder retreat to streamline operations, reorganized training resources for improved accessibility, and implemented efficiency improvements that optimized mission support. Sindelar’s work was recognized during an award ceremony at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and she got to attend the launch of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 mission as a special guest.
In her 15 years with the agency, she has learned the importance of leading by example. “My team needs to see that I meet the bar I set,” she said. “Leading is about motivating your people so they are committed, not just compliant.”

Keeping a team motivated and on track is particularly important to training success and safety. “We only get a matter of months to train astronauts to do the most hazardous activities that humans have done, or to train flight controllers who literally have the mission and the lives of astronauts in their hands,” Sindelar said, adding that they cannot afford to have an unfocused or indifferent team.
Sindelar observed that Johnson’s training team is acutely aware of their responsibilities. “We live and work in the same communities as the crew members,” she said. “We see them at school functions, at the grocery store, at the park. We know their families are counting on us to bring their loved ones home safely.”
She has also learned that her voice matters. “When I was a young professional, I just never felt I could be influential, but the only person holding me back was me,” she said. “I had to learn to trust in my own instincts. That was definitely outside of my comfort zone.” She credits her mentors with helping her build confidence and knowing when and how to speak up. “I have had many giants of the spaceflight community mold and shape me in my career, from my counselors at the Cosmosphere all the way to flight directors and astronauts,” she said. “It is my privilege to learn from them, and I am grateful to each of them.”
Outside of work, Sindelar uses her voice in a different way – as part of her church choir. She also plays piano, stating that she is as passionate about music and volunteerism as she is about human spaceflight. She is a member of the Friendswood Volunteer Fire Department, as well, serving on its rehab team and as the department’s chaplain

As NASA prepares to return humans to the Moon and journey on to Mars, Sindelar hopes she has taught the next generation of explorers enough so they can show the world the wonders of the universe. “This next generation will see and do things my generation never even thought of,” she said, adding that it is time for them to start leading. “Use your voice. Take care of each other along the way. Reach out and help the next one in line.”
Sindelar keeps a reminder of that important message on her desk: the picture Gen. Stafford signed all those years ago.

MIL OSI USA News –

July 14, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Advances in NASA Imaging Changed How World Sees Mars

Source: NASA

Sixty years ago, NASA’s Mariner 4 captured groundbreaking views of the Red Planet, leading to a steady stream of advances in the cameras used to study other worlds.
In 1965, NASA’s Mariner 4 mission brought Mars into American living rooms, where TV sets showed fuzzy black-and-white images of a cratered landscape. The spacecraft took 21 complete pictures — the first ever captured of another planet — as it flew by as close as 6,118 miles (9,846 kilometers) above the surface.
The mission team couldn’t wait to see what the camera aboard the spacecraft would return. When the actual images were delayed, they went so far as to create a color-by-numbers image, assigning hues to specific values in the data.
Their handiwork wasn’t far off, and the barren landscape Mariner 4 captured ignited the imaginations of future scientists and engineers who would go on to work on a succession of missions, each revealing Mars in a way it had never been seen before.
Millions of Mars images have been taken since then, many of which are captivating in their own way. The images that follow highlight some of the “firsts” in the way the agency has used imaging to help unlock the secrets of Mars.
Viking 1 Sets Foot on Mars
July 20, 1976

Viking 1 became the first spacecraft to touch down on Mars on July 20, 1976. The first high-resolution image it sent to Earth captured a dry, rocky landscape that dashed any hope among scientists of discovering life on the surface. But the crisp images that followed from the lander’s 360-degree cylindrical scan camera underscored the scientific value of seeing Mars from the ground and generated excitement for a more ambitious visit: a robotic spacecraft that could drive across this alien world.
Portrait of Mars by Viking 1 Orbiter
1980

When the twin Viking landers arrived at Mars, each descended from an orbiter that used cameras to map Mars in a way Earth-based telescopes couldn’t. They began capturing images before the landers even touched down, continuing until 1980. That year, the Viking 1 orbiter captured images that were later stitched into a defining portrait of Valles Marineris — the “Grand Canyon of Mars.”
Sojourner Starts to Explore
July 5, 1997

By the time NASA returned to the Martian surface in 1997 with the Pathfinder lander and its microwave-oven-size Sojourner rover, much had changed on Earth since Mariner 4’s images beamed to TV viewers: Now, the internet was bringing around-the-clock news to personal computers, allowing a young generation of space fans to witness the tentative first steps of a new form of planetary exploration. The panoramic images from the ground were the first since Viking and, as part of NASA’s “faster, better, cheaper” initiative, offered more detail and a comparatively lower cost.
Opportunity Spots Passing Dust Devil
March 31, 2016

In 2004, NASA’s golf-cart-size twin rovers Spirit and Opportunity set down on the Red Planet, beginning a new phase of Martian exploration. Equipped with both mast-mounted panoramic and arm-mounted microscopic imagers, the roving spacecraft let scientists, engineers, and the world discover new terrain each day. They captured colorful views of Martian vistas and revealed details of pebble-size “blueberries.” Mars was beginning to feel less like an unfamiliar world than a place with recognizable landmarks.
MRO’s HiRISE Views Victoria Crater
July 18, 2009

Since Viking, a series of increasingly advanced orbiters have arrived at Mars with new science tools and cameras. Using increasingly sophisticated imagers, they have mapped the planet’s hills and valleys, identified significant minerals, and found buried glaciers. A camera that has been in operation aboard NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter since 2006, the High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) frequently captures individual dunes, boulders, and craters, as with this picture of Victoria Crater, revealing features that had been blurry in previous images. The camera has also identified landing sites and places where future rovers (perhaps even astronauts) could explore.
Curiosity, Perseverance Bring More Cameras and Color
Aug. 5, 2012 and Feb. 18, 2021

Both Curiosity and Perseverance arrived at Mars (in 2012 and 2021, respectively) loaded with cameras that pack millions of pixels into their images and peer farther into the distance than Spirit or Opportunity ever could. They also feature upgraded arm-mounted cameras for studying fine details like sand particles and rock textures. Perseverance took a step beyond Curiosity in several ways, including with high-speed cameras that showed its parachute deploying and its rocket-powered jetpack flying away during entry, descent, and landing on Mars. Another advance can be seen in each vehicle’s hazard-avoidance cameras, which help rover drivers spot rocks they might bump into. As seen in the first images each rover sent back, Curiosity’s black-and-white cameras were upgraded to color and higher resolution for Perseverance, providing clearer views of the surface.
Ingenuity Spots Perseverance at Belva Crater
Aug. 22, 2023

Just as Pathfinder brought the tiny Sojourner rover to Mars, NASA’s next-generation Perseverance rover carried the Ingenuity helicopter. Along with proving flight in Mars’ thin air was possible, Ingenuity used a commercial, off-the-shelf color camera to take aerial views over the course of 72 flights. During one of those flights, Ingenuity even spotted Perseverance in the distance — another first on the Red Planet. Future Mars helicopters might be able to scout paths ahead and find scientifically interesting sites for robots and astronauts alike.
More About These Missions
NASA JPL, which is managed for the agency by Caltech in Pasadena, California, built Mariner 4, the Viking 1 and 2 orbiters, Pathfinder, Sojourner, Spirit and Opportunity, Curiosity, Perseverance, and Ingenuity. It continues to operate Curiosity and Perseverance.
Lockheed Martin Space in Denver built MRO and supports its operations, while JPL manages the mission. The University of Arizona, in Tucson, operates HiRISE, which was built by BAE Systems, in Boulder, Colorado.
The Viking 1 and 2 landers were built by Martin Marietta; the Viking program was managed by NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. JPL led operations for the Viking landers and orbiters.
News Media Contacts
Andrew GoodJet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.818-393-2433andrew.c.good@jpl.nasa.gov
Karen Fox / Molly WasserNASA Headquarters, Washington202-358-1600karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / molly.l.wasser@nasa.gov
2025-088

MIL OSI USA News –

July 14, 2025
MIL-OSI NGOs: 29 human rights wins to be proud of

Source: Amnesty International –

Over the past six months, the headlines have been dominated by stories of fear, division and hatred. However, activists around the world are working away to ensure hope prevails. Here are some of the human rights wins we can be proud of from January to June 2025.

January

Afghanistan

In 2023, Amnesty International released a report on the Taliban’s war on women. Following its findings, the International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor filed a request for arrest warrants against the Taliban’s Supreme Leader and their Chief Justice, citing crimes against humanity.

The request charges the Taliban’s Supreme Leader and their Chief Justice for gender persecution against women, girls, and LGBTI people since their return to power in August 2021. Although the warrants are still subject to the approval of ICC judges these are the first public arrest warrants sought by the ICC in Afghanistan since the country became a member of the court in 2003.

Cameroon

Dorgelesse Nguessan was released on 16 January after spending more than four years in prison for participating in a protest. The hairdresser and single mother had never been politically active yet joined a protest after growing concerned about the high cost of living. She was charged with insurrection, tried by a military court and sentenced to five years in prison on 7 December 2021.

I thank those who directly or indirectly work for your organization and contributed to my release.

Dorgelesse Nguessan

Dorgelesse was part of Amnesty International’s 2022 Write for Rights campaign, where thousands of supporters called for her release. Amnesty also provided short-term relief support to assist Dorgelesse and her family through the difficult moments of her detention. On 16 January, the Court of Appeal reduced her sentence.

“I thank you for all the efforts you have devoted as I was arbitrarily detained,” said Dorgelesse. “I thank those who directly or indirectly work for your organization and contributed to my release.”

Chile

On 2 January, two police [Carabineros] officers were sentenced to prison for shooting activist Renzo Inostroza and blinding him in one eye. The court concluded that their actions violated both Chile’s national regulations and international obligations. This conviction set a judicial precedent in the struggle to ensure the Chilean justice system pursues criminal responsibility for the unlawful actions of the Carabineros. This conviction follows Amnesty’s landmark Eyes on Chile report, which analyzed patterns and individual cases of police violence during the social unrest that broke out in Chile in October 2019. Renzo’s case was part of the report.

Saudi Arabia

From January to February, Amnesty successfully campaigned for the release of several human rights defenders in Saudi Arabia. On 7 January, human rights defender and former prisoner of conscience, Mohammed al-Qahtani, was conditionally released after spending 12 years in prison for his human rights work. On 13 February, 47-year-old teacher Asaad bin Nasser al-Ghamdi was released from prison following an unfair trial before the notorious Specialized Criminal Court (SCC). Asaad was arrested in 2022 and initially sentenced to 20 years in prison for social media posts criticizing the government’s Vision 2030 programme. On 10 February 2025, Leeds University PhD student and mother of two, Salma al-Shehab, was released from prison after completing a four-year prison term following an unfair trial before the SCC. Following a grossly unfair trial, the SCC had convicted Salma al-Shehab of terrorism-related offences for publishing tweets in support of women’s rights.

USA

The United States sanctioned a number of companies involved in the transfer of weapons into Sudan and Darfur. These sanctions follow Amnesty’s innovative briefing, published in July 2024, that combined business trade data and video analysis to show how the constant import of foreign-manufactured arms into Sudan was fuelling relentless civilian suffering.

Amnesty International members long campaigned for the release of Native American activist Leonard Peltier and most recently called on President Biden to grant Leonard Peltier clemency on humanitarian grounds and as a matter of justice.

USA

Leonard Peltier, a Native American activist, was imprisoned for nearly 50 years in the USA for a crime he maintains he did not commit. There were serious concerns about the fairness of his trial and conviction. Tribal Nations, Nobel Peace Laureates, former FBI agents, numerous others, and even the former U.S. Attorney, James Reynolds, whose office handled the prosecution, have called for Leonard Peltier’s release. Amnesty International members had long campaigned for his release, and most recently called on President Biden to grant Leonard Peltier clemency on humanitarian grounds and as a matter of justice. In the final hour of his presidency, former President Biden commuted Peltier’s life sentence to home confinement. Amnesty recently offered him short-term relief support as he works to rebuild his life after his release.

February

Algeria

Thanks to sustained advocacy work from Amnesty International Algeria and several national women’s rights organizations, Algeria’s president Abdelmadjid Tebboune announced a series of concrete measures to combat violence against women – moving from commitment to action.

The Ministry of Solidarity has since launched a national toll-free helpline, available 24/7 across the country, enabling victims to report abuse, be referred to appropriate support services, and receive emergency assistance when in danger. It is already proving effective. A Guide for Women Victims of Violence has been published in Arabic and English and is currently being distributed nationwide. New legal measures, including the possibility of issuing an immediate restraining order against perpetrators of violence, have also been announced.

Benin

Thousands of Beninese families living in coastal areas have been living an endless nightmare, victims of forced evictions orchestrated in the name of tourism development. However, in February the authorities issued a public call for people awaiting proper compensation to come forward so their case can be followed up. The National Agency for Land and Property’s direct also asked Amnesty International for a list of people who have not received appropriate reparations.

The move follows the release of an Amnesty International report on forced evictions in Benin in December 2023 and a subsequent campaign calling for proper compensation for those who have been unfairly evicted, which proved vital in securing this positive outcome.

China

Idris Hasan, an ethnic Uyghur man detained in Morocco for three-and-a-half years and at risk of extradition to China, was finally freed in February

Thank you all very much. Without your help, we could not have saved my husband.

Zaynura Hasan

Amnesty International had been campaigning for his freedom since he was initially detained in July 2021. Zaynura Hasan, Idris’ wife, thanked the organization for the relentless support.

“Thank you all very much. Without your help, we could not have saved my husband.”

Serbia

Recent research by Amnesty International’s Security Lab and European Regional Office documented how Serbian police and intelligence authorities are using advanced phone spyware alongside mobile phone forensic products to unlawfully target journalists, environmental activists and other individuals in a covert surveillance campaign.

In a significant human rights win, Cellebrite (a company specialising in digital intelligence and forensics) announced it will stop the use of its digital forensic equipment for some of its customers in Serbia as a direct result of Amnesty’s research. Simultaneously, Serbia’s Prosecutor for High Technological Crime, the Ombudsman and Data Protection Commissioner started separate investigations based on the research findings.

Senegal

In a positive step forward, the Senegalese government invited Amnesty International to provide support and assistance for people who have been arrested for participating in protests, as well as former detainees.

Since 2021, Amnesty International has denounced the unlawful use of force by security forces during protests, compiled a list of those who have been killed, and condemned the arbitrary detention of hundreds of people for having called for or participated in protests. According to figures gathered by Amnesty International and other civil society organizations, at least 65 people were killed, the majority by firearms, with at least 1,000 wounded. A further 2,000 people were arrested.

Amnesty International continues to call for the repeal of the amnesty law adopted by the former government, for justice and reparation for the victims and their family members.

Taner Kılıç, a refugee rights lawyer and former Chair of Amnesty International’s Türkiye section, was finally acquitted after nearly eight years of judicial proceedings.

Türkiye

Taner Kılıç, a refugee rights lawyer and former Chair of Amnesty International’s Türkiye section, was finally acquitted after nearly eight years of judicial proceedings.

Arrested in June 2017 and imprisoned for over 14 months, he was unjustly convicted in 2020 despite no credible evidence. He faced more than six years in prison for “membership of a terrorist organization”. Amnesty provided relief support to him and his family as they navigated the difficulty of his imprisonment.

Reflecting on the case, Taner said: “This nightmare that has gone on for almost eight years is finally over… The only thing I was sure of throughout this process was that I was right and innocent, and the support from all over the world gave me strength. I thank each and every one who stood up for me.”

March

In a landmark ruling, Brazilian actor Juan Darthés was found guilty for the rape of Argentinian actress Thelma Fardin. Amnesty provided legal and psychosocial support to Thelma.

Latin America

In a landmark ruling for women’s rights in Latin America, a Brazilian court convicted actor Juan Darthés of sexual violence against Argentine actress Thelma Fardin, who accused him in 2018 of abusing her when she was 16. Amnesty provided support for transport related costs, and psychosocial support for Thelma throughout her case. The sentence sets an important precedent for sexual violence cases in the region.

After a five-year legal battle across three countries, Thelma stated: “Today I can look my 16-year-old self in the eye and say we did it.”

Philippines

Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was arrested by police on the basis of an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity.

Thousands of people, mostly from poor and marginalized communities, were unlawfully killed by the police – or by armed individuals suspected to have links to the police – during Duterte’s so-called “war on drugs”. Amnesty has been calling for his arrest for a number of years and described it as “a long-awaited and monumental step for justice”. He is now due to stand trial at the ICC.

Sierra Leone

Hawa Hunt, a reality TV star, was freed from detention on 4 March and cleared of all the cybercrime related charges against her. She was arrested on live television in December 2024 and charged with insulting the President and First Lady in a social media video.

Amnesty International called on authorities to release her and to ensure her rights were upheld.

Her daughter Alicia said: “In one of the very few phone calls I was able to have with my mother as she was in jail, I told her how Amnesty International spoke up for her. She and our whole family were very touched by the support. We believe it played a very key role in her being released.”

Since May 1995, the Saturday Mothers have held peaceful weekly protests demanding justice for relatives forcibly disappeared in the eighties and nineties.

Türkiye

Since May 1995, the Saturday Mothers have held regular peaceful protests at Galatasaray Square every Saturday, demanding justice for relatives forcibly disappeared in the eighties and nineties. Their 700th vigil on 25 August 2018 was banned and violently dispersed by police using tear gas and water cannons.

Forty-six people were detained and later released, but in 2020, they were prosecuted for “attending illegal meetings and marches without weapons and not dispersing despite warnings”.

Thanks to the determination of the Saturday Mothers and their supporters – including Amnesty International who provided legal aid – all were acquitted in March 2025.

USA

On March 17, US immigration authorities detained Alberto, the father of a Venezuelan family of four, separating him from his wife and two children. Despite the family having pending asylum applications, he was charged with “illegal” entry to the United States. His case was an example of the Trump administration’s use of a provision of immigration law to target individuals and families that have been in the United States for years, rather than recent arrivals at the US-Mexico border. On April 21, 2025, Alberto was granted bond and released from ICE detention, following calls from Amnesty International and reunited with his wife and two children.

May

Chile

Romario Veloz was shot and killed by an army captain during social unrest in La Serena, Chile, in 2019. The police officer who shot Romario Veloz was imprisoned in May 2025 – setting a precedent in cases of human rights violations committed by state agents. Despite the victory, widespread impunity for police violence continues. Romario was also part of Amnesty’s Eyes on Chile investigation (2020). Amnesty provided support to Romario’s young child, helping her access education as well as covering the legal expenses for the family’s quest to seek justice.

Alongside the report, Amnesty was part of the Advisory Unit for Police Reform, wrote letters to the Chilean president and gave numerous media interviews on police violence. Amnesty Chile’s relentless campaigning paid off and helped to stop the implementation of the use of tasers by Chilean police forces.

Côte d’Ivoire

On 7 May, Ghislain Duggary Assy, Communications Secretary of the Movement of Teachers for the Dignity Dynamic union, was provisionally released pending his trial, due to international pressure from Amnesty International. A month earlier, he had been sentenced to two years’ imprisonment solely for having called for strike action in primary and secondary schools.

Amnesty International condemned the flagrant violation of workers’ rights, in particular the right to strike and freedom of association and will continue to call for his unconditional release.

Greece

Two years ago, the Pylos shipwreck led to the death of more than 600 people. Now, 17 Greek coastguard officers face charges in connection with it, including causing a shipwreck, exposure to danger and failure to provide assistance. These developments may pave the way towards accountability for the worst shipwreck in the Mediterranean in recent years.

Amnesty has been calling for justice through sustained advocacy and campaigning.

Türkiye

Afghan asylum seeker Tabriz Saifi is blind due to chronic diabetes and relies on dialysis three times a week. However, his international protection application was rejected by the Turkish authorities on 28 February, which meant he no longer had access to life-saving healthcare. Amnesty International immediately launched an urgent action, calling for the decision to be reversed.

On 2 May, his family was informed that the decision had been reversed and that his asylum seeker status had been reinstated, along with full access to free healthcare.

June

Girls and women support the right to abortion in Argentina.

Argentina

An Argentine private health insurer was fined over $4,000 USD for denying a legal abortion to a woman whose pregnancy posed serious health risks — a clear violation of the country’s reproductive rights law.

Amnesty International Argentina provided legal advice and stressed that rulings like this reinforce the need to guarantee access to legal abortion as a right, not an exception subject to individual or institutional discretion.

Council of Europe

Following sustained advocacy by Amnesty International and the Omega Research Foundation, the Council of Europe’s Steering Committee for Human Rights (CDDH) adopted a report on measures against the trade in goods used for death penalty, torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

Georgia

After months of public pressure, protests and legal action, the Georgian Ministry of Justice announced it would end the humiliating practice of fully stripping detainees during body searches.

The decision followed a lawsuit from the Public Defender in February, a report from Amnesty International condemning the practice as degrading and unlawful, as well as a video featuring Georgian artist and activist Kristina Botkoveli, who was subjected to a forced strip search, harassment, and threats after participating in protests.

Following calls from Amnesty International and other organizations, the revised Sámi Parliament Act has now been approved by the Finnish parliament.

Finland

The Sámi are a group of Indigenous people that come from the region of Sápmi, which stretches across the northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland and the Kola peninsula in Russia.

For a number of years, they have been subjected to human rights violations. However, following calls from Amnesty International and other organizations, the revised Sámi Parliament Act has now been approved by the Finnish parliament.

The amended Act strengthens Indigenous Sámi people’s right to self-determination and improves the way in which the Sámi Parliament operates. It also corrects human rights violations highlighted by international human rights treaty bodies.

Hungary

On 28 June, Budapest Pride proceeded despite restrictive anti-Pride laws and police targeting the march. Around 200,000 people, including over 280 Amnesty International activists and staff from Hungary and 22 other countries, peacefully demanded equality and assembly rights. This was Budapest’s largest Pride in 30 years, symbolizing strong public resistance to discrimination and highlighting the resilience of Hungary’s LGBTI community. Amnesty’s Let Pride March campaign helped raise awareness, mobilize activists, and urged police to respect peaceful protest. With over 120,000 global actions supporting the event – it demonstrated that solidarity can overcome oppression, though challenges for LGBTI rights in Hungary persist.

Activists and speakers – including King Okabi of the Ogale community – call for an end to Shell’s pollution of the Niger Delta and compensation outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, on day one of the Ogale and Bille communities vs Shell trial, 13 February 2025.

Nigeria/UK

After a decade-long fight for justice, a UK court ruled that Shell can be held liable for the oil spills and leaks it has failed to clean up in the Niger Delta – regardless of how long ago they happened.

The judgement is an important step towards justice for communities in the Niger Delta and a vital opportunity to make Shell pay for the devastating pollution it has caused to the Ogale and Bille communities’ lands.

In parallel with this decision, the Nigerian government also pardoned the Ogoni Nine. The group of activists, led by Ken Saro-Wiwa, Nigerian author and campaigner, were executed 30 years ago by a government that wanted to hide the crimes of Shell and other oil companies that were destroying the lives and livelihoods of tens of thousands of people across the Niger Delta.

Amnesty has been supporting and campaigning for justice for the Ogoni Nine for years and documenting the destruction Shell has left behind through a series of powerful reports. While these are positive outcomes, much more needs to be done to ensure justice is achieved for communities in the Niger Delta, including holding Shell and other oil companies to account for the damage they have done and continue to do – and Amnesty will be there every step of the way!

Ukraine

On 24 June, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Secretary General of the Council of Europe Alain Berset signed an agreement establishing a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression Against Ukraine in Strasbourg, following calls from Amnesty International and others. It is hoped this will help hold perpetrators of the crime of aggression accountable.

Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist and student organizer who recently graduated from Columbia University, was targeted for his role in student protests at Columbia University.

USA

On March 9, US immigration authorities unlawfully arrested and arbitrarily detained Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist, lawful permanent resident of the USA, and student organizer who recently graduated from Columbia University. Mahmoud was targeted for his role in student protests at Columbia University, where he was exercising his rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. He was not charged with a crime yet was held in a detention centre, told that his permanent residency status was “revoked”, and placed in deportation proceedings. Amnesty International demanded that authorities release Mahmoud immediately and respect his rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and due process. After 104 days in a Louisiana immigration detention centre, Mahmoud Khalil was released on bail in June 21, however he’s still facing threats of deportation by US authorities. He has since filed a $20 million USD lawsuit against the Trump administration.

MIL OSI NGO –

July 14, 2025
MIL-OSI Analysis: Cleaner air in east Asia has driven recent acceleration in global warming – new study

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Laura Wilcox, Professor, National Centre for Atmospheric Science, University of Reading

A traffic jam in Beijing in China, where air pollution has drastically reduced. Hung Chung Chih/Shutterstock

Global warming has picked up pace since around 2010, leading to the recent string of record warm years. Why this is happening is still unclear, and among the biggest questions in climate science today. Our new study reveals that reductions in air pollution – particularly in China and east Asia – are a key reason for this faster warming.

Cleanup of sulphur emissions from global shipping has been implicated in past research. But that cleanup only began in 2020, so it’s considered too weak to explain the full extent of this acceleration. Nasa researchers have suggested that changes in clouds could play a role, either through reductions in cloud cover in the tropics or over the North Pacific.

One factor that has not been well quantified, however, is the effect of monumental efforts by countries in east Asia, notably China, to combat air pollution and improve public health through strict air quality policies. There has already been a 75% reduction in east Asian sulphur dioxide emissions since around 2013, and that cleanup effort picked up pace just as global warming began accelerating.

Our study addresses the link between east Asian air quality improvements and global temperature, building on the efforts of eight teams of climate modellers across the world.

We have found that polluted air may have been masking the full effects of global warming. Cleaner air could now be revealing more of the human-induced global warming from greenhouse gases.

In addition to causing millions of premature deaths, air pollution shields the Earth from sunlight and therefore cools the surface. There has been so much air pollution that it has held human-induced warming in check by up to 0.5°C over the last century.

With the cleanup of air pollution, something that’s vital for human health, this artificial sunshade is removed. Since greenhouse gas emissions have kept on increasing, the result is that the Earth’s surface is warming faster than ever before.

Modelling the cleanup

Our team used 160 computer simulations from eight global climate models. This enabled us to better quantify the effects that east Asian air pollution has on global temperature and rainfall patterns. We simulated a cleanup of pollution similar to what has happened in the real world since 2010. We found an extra global warming of around 0.07°C.

While this is a small number compared with the full global warming of around 1.3°C since 1850, it is still enough to explain the recent acceleration in global warming when we take away year-to-year swings in temperature from natural cycles such as El Niño, a climate phenomenon in the Pacific that affects weather patterns globally.

Thick smog influences the effect of greenhouse gases.
Shaun Robinson/Shutterstock

Based on long-term trends, we would have expected around 0.23°C of warming since 2010. However, we actually measured around 0.33°C. While the additional 0.1°C can largely be explained by the east Asian air pollution cleanup, other factors include the change in shipping emissions and the recent accelerated increase in methane concentrations in the atmosphere.

Air pollution causes cooling by reflecting sunlight or by changing the properties of clouds so they reflect more sunlight. The cleanup in east Asian air pollution influences global temperatures because it reduces the shading effect of the pollution over east Asia itself. It also means less pollution is blown across the north Pacific, causing clouds in the east Pacific to reflect less sunlight.

The pattern of these changes across the North Pacific simulated in our models matches that seen in satellite observations. Our models and temperature observations also show relatively strong warming over the North Pacific, downwind from east Asia.

The main source of global warming is still greenhouse gas emissions, and a cleanup of air pollution was both necessary and overdue. This did not cause the additional warming but rather, removed an artificial cooling that has for a time helped shield us from some of the extreme weather and other well-established consequences of climate change.

Global warming will continue for decades. Indeed, our past and future emissions of greenhouse gases will affect the climate for centuries. However, air pollution is quickly removed from the atmosphere, and the recent acceleration in global warming from this particular unmasking may therefore be short-lived.

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

Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 45,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

Laura Wilcox receives funding from the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), the Research Council of Norway, the Clean Air Fund, and Horizon Europe.

Bjørn H. Samset receives funding from the Research Council of Norway, the Clean Air Fund, and Horizon Europe.

– ref. Cleaner air in east Asia has driven recent acceleration in global warming – new study – https://theconversation.com/cleaner-air-in-east-asia-has-driven-recent-acceleration-in-global-warming-new-study-260601

MIL OSI Analysis –

July 14, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Yandex Education student camp on natural language processing has started at Novosibirsk State University

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: Novosibirsk State University –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

Today, the Yandex Education student camp on NLP (Natural Language Processing) started at the Novosibirsk State University. It is attended by 100 students from IT departments of universities from all over the country. In two weeks, the participants will master key approaches to text processing, as well as work with large language models BERT, GPT and YandexGPT (used for content analysis and generation) in practice. At the end of the student camp, students will defend team projects that they can add to their own portfolios. Participants will teach artificial intelligence to structure information, find contradictions in texts, search for data in complex documents where text, tables and graphs are mixed, and also improve the reasoning skills of language models.

Minister of Digital Development and Communications of the Novosibirsk Region Sergey Tsukar emphasized: The Novosibirsk Region, as the capital of IT personnel, always supports the holding of various educational events on digital topics and is happy to host IT students from all over the country.

— In the Novosibirsk Region, 10 universities and 14 colleges train IT specialists. NSU is our reliable partner. The guys had a chance to study at one of the best universities — world-class and at one of the leading scientific centers of Russia — Akademgorodok. This is a unique opportunity — to get concentrated, fundamental knowledge in the field of artificial intelligence in two weeks, which usually takes months to study. Artificial intelligence is no longer just a trend, it is our reality today. I thank Yandex for such relevant, interesting, free educational projects, — noted Sergey Tsukar.

NSU has been cooperating with Yandex for many years. Based on Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics of NSU A master’s program was opened with the support of the School of Data Analysis – “Applied Machine Learning and Big Data”. Many graduates of the program work in large IT companies.

— It is an honor for us that such an event is held at Novosibirsk University. The student camp is an intensive course in IT areas, which is held by Yandex Education together with the leading universities of our country. Of course, our university, which is located in the very center of Akademgorodok, is one of such universities. I hope that these two weeks will be truly intensive for you, there will be intense work. There was a very big competition for the student camp, the best were selected. You will leave here not only with new acquaintances, friends, new impressions, but also with new knowledge. You will be taught by experts from Yandex and our university. I think this will help you in your professional career, and in some time, I am sure, we will be proud of many of you, — said the rector of NSU, academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Mikhail Fedoruk.

The first week of the student camp is devoted to getting acquainted with key approaches to NLP. Participants will understand the architecture of transformers (models that use the attention mechanism for fast learning), study methods of adaptation and interpretation of models, and master the tasks of classification, generation and error tolerance. They will also study advanced technologies: attention mechanisms, autoregressive models, multimodality and RAG (Retrieval Augmented Generation). In the second week, students will focus on practice: they will work with data analysis and the final defense of a project that solves real problems at the intersection of science and industry.

Kirill Barannikov, Head of Strategic Development of Higher Education at Yandex Education, notes:

— We focus on new formats of education, and student camps are one of them. Full-time intensive programs are open to students from all over Russia. They provide not only relevant knowledge, access to big tech technologies, but also the opportunity to meet practicing industry experts and teachers from the country’s strongest universities. In addition, in two weeks, participants have time to put together a full-fledged project for their portfolio and immerse themselves in a new socio-cultural environment – the city and university where the student camp is taking place. Almost 1,200 students from 200 universities applied for the NLP program at NSU – the competition was about 12 people per place. The selected participants will study natural language processing technologies, which are used today in various fields: from developing voice assistants to analyzing big data.

More information about the student camp

Reference:

Yandex Education student camps are two-week intensive courses in mathematics, IT and artificial intelligence, which are held at leading Russian universities in a face-to-face format. Participating students come to the university for two weeks to immerse themselves in an educational program on a specific topic and create a team project for their own portfolio.

Experts from Yandex, SHAD and the host university participate in creating content for student camps. The creators of the program include both practicing specialists and theorists with experience in teaching.

The project is designed for 3rd-4th year undergraduate students who are already studying computer science at the university and have a base in programming and mathematics. Junior students can also participate in the selection if their knowledge allows them to master the program.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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MIL OSI Russia News –

July 14, 2025
MIL-OSI China: World’s first smart high-speed rail stuns global experts in Beijing

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

More than 270 delegates from over 20 countries, regions and international organizations praised China’s Beijing-Zhangjiakou High-Speed Railway, the world’s first smart high-speed railway operating at 350 kmh, after riding the line on July 11.

Representatives from various countries, regions and international organizations ride the CR400BF-GS Fuxing train in Beijing, July 11, 2025. [Photo provided to China.org.cn]

“Extremely smooth!” said Iñigo Aguas Ardaiz from France. “I didn’t feel at all that the speed had reached 350 kmh! The riding experience is comfortable and easy, and this technology is a masterpiece.”

Ali Abdollahi, a representative from Iran, praised the service quality: “Everything is so comfortable, and the carriages are clean and tidy. I think China has the most advanced high-speed railway system in the world, which is really amazing!”

The China Academy of Railway Sciences and China Railway Beijing Group organized the technical visit for officials from the International Union of Railways (UIC), foreign diplomats, business executives and journalists.

A guest films inside the CR400BF-GS Fuxing train in Beijing, July 11, 2025. [Photo provided to China.org.cn]

The Beijing-Zhangjiakou High-Speed Railway is the world’s first high-speed railway to fully integrate smart technology into its construction, equipment and daily operations. The railway uses advanced technologies, including big data analysis, artificial intelligence and China’s Beidou Satellite Navigation System, throughout the entire line.

The railway’s Fuxing trains feature automatic driving capabilities that reduce energy consumption by 7.77% per train, according to the operators.

The 174-kilometer line passes through major engineering projects such as the Juyongguan Great Wall Tunnel and crosses the Guanting Reservoir Grand Bridge. The engineering works illustrate China’s capabilities in smart railway construction across challenging landscapes.

Since opening in 2019, the Beijing-Zhangjiakou High-Speed Railway has carried more than 67 million passengers, according to operator data. The improved transport capacity and services have strongly promoted the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

The line connects to Taizicheng Station in Zhangjiakou, which served as a transportation hub during the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. Visiting representatives said they were impressed by the station’s facilities and operation systems.

After touring the “Winter Olympics Eye” landmark — a distinctive feature at the Taizicheng Station — and a cultural exhibition hall, international delegates said they appreciated features including tunnel engineering and dispatching systems.

Guests film scenery from a CR400BF-GS Fuxing train traveling from Qinghe Railway Station in Beijing to Taizicheng Station in Zhangjiakou, July 11, 2025. [Photo provided to China.org.cn]

International representatives traveled on a CR400BF-GS Fuxing train from Qinghe Railway Station in Beijing to Taizicheng Station. During the journey, they viewed presentations about China’s high-speed rail network and the Beijing-Zhangjiakou line. Train specialists and conductors also briefed the delegates on the railway’s equipment, construction and operations.

MIL OSI China News –

July 14, 2025
MIL-OSI China: UAE minister’s China visit boosts climate, agriculture ties

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

Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak, the UAE’s minister of climate change and environment, concluded a high-level visit to China from July 7-10, the UAE Embassy in Beijing said, as the two countries seek to deepen cooperation on climate action, sustainable agriculture and food security.

UAE Ambassador to China Hussein Ibrahim Al Hammadi (R) and UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak (L) pose for photo in Beijing, July 7, 2025. [Photo Provided to China.org.cn]

Al Dahak described UAE-China relations as “a comprehensive and interconnected strategic partnership and a unique model for successful cooperation across various fields and projects.”

She said the UAE views China as an important partner and hopes to combine China’s agricultural innovation capabilities with the UAE’s National Food Security Strategy 2051 to boost food production in both countries while expanding climate cooperation and people-to-people exchanges.

UAE Ambassador to China Hussain bin Ibrahim Al Hammadi said the visit “opens a new chapter for cooperation between the two countries in climate, agriculture and other fields, reflecting the vision of leaders of both countries to build a prosperous future.”

Representatives from China and the UAE pose for a group photo at the UAE-China Friendship Forest of Date Palm in Wenchang, Hainan province, July 10, 2025. [Photo Provided to China.org.cn]

A key part of the delegation’s itinerary was a visit to the UAE-China Friendship Forest of Date Palm in Wenchang, south China’s Hainan province. The project, launched by UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during his 2019 visit to China, aims to plant 100,000 date palm seedlings.

Two phases of planting have been completed so far, totaling 25,000 seedlings. The remaining 75,000 will be planted in two phases in 2026 and 2028.

The delegation also visited institutions including the Beijing Tongzhou International Seed Industry Science and Technology Centre, Tsinghua University and the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences to exchange views on seed science, the circular economy and the transfer of sustainable agricultural technologies.

Meetings on air pollution control and solid waste management were conducted with the Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, alongside discussions on data transparency with the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs. Some members also visited technology firm Inspur Group to explore tech-based environmental solutions.

The delegation comprised senior officials from the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, agricultural institution heads and university experts.

The embassy said the visit reflects the UAE’s comprehensive determination to deepen cooperation with China at the government, academic and private sector levels.

MIL OSI China News –

July 14, 2025

MIL-OSI Europe: Text adopted – Future of the EU biotechnology and biomanufacturing sector: leveraging research, boosting innovation and enhancing competitiveness – P10_TA(2025)0165 – Thursday, 10 July 2025 – Strasbourg

Source: European Parliament

The European Parliament,

– having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), in particular Articles 9, 151, 152, 153(1) and (2) thereof, as well as Articles 173 and 179 thereof, which concern EU industrial policy and research and refer to, among other things, the competitiveness of the Union’s industry and the strengthening of the Union’s scientific and technological bases,

– having regard to the Treaty on European Union, in particular Article 5(3) thereof and Protocol No 2 thereto on the application of the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality,

– having regard to the Commission communication of 20 March 2024 entitled ‘Building the future with nature: Boosting Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing in the EU’ (COM(2024)0137),

– having regard to the report by Mario Draghi of 9 September 2024 entitled ‘The future of European competitiveness’,

– having regard to the Commission communication of 29 January 2025 entitled ‘A Competitiveness Compass for the EU’ (COM(2025)0030),

– having regard to the Commission communication of 26 February 2025 entitled ‘The Clean Industrial Deal: A joint roadmap for competitiveness and decarbonisation’ (COM(2025)0085),

– having regard to the Commission communication of 11 December 2019 entitled ‘The European Green Deal’ (COM(2019)0640),

– having regard to the report by Enrico Letta of 10 April 2024 entitled ‘Much more than a market’,

– having regard to the Commission communication of 19 February 2025 entitled ‘A Vision for Agriculture and Food – Shaping together an attractive farming and agri-food sector for future generations’ (COM(2025)0075),

– having regard to Rule 55 and Rule 148(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

– having regard to the report of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (A10-0123/2025),

A. whereas the EU biotechnology and biomanufacturing sector has been recognised as one of 10 strategic technology sectors for Europe’s competitiveness, economic security and sustainability; whereas the sector is characterised by very high productivity, growth and employment, and delivers globally competitive, cutting-edge solutions in healthcare, life sciences, industrial production and transformation, sustainable biomanufacturing, energy and food security; whereas biotechnology and biomanufacturing are important enablers of the bioeconomy at large; whereas biotechnology and biomanufacturing can help enhance the EU’s strategic autonomy, resilience and circularity by reducing industry’s dependency on fossil-based input and other external dependencies in various sectors; whereas the biotechnology and biomanufacturing sector still faces regulatory and financial obstacles and an incomplete internal market; whereas the Commission is expected to present an EU biotech act, an updated EU bioeconomy strategy, an EU life sciences strategy, an EU innovation act and an EU circular economy act;

B. whereas according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), biotechnology is defined as the application of science and technology to living organisms, as well as parts, products and models thereof, to alter living or non-living materials for the production of knowledge, goods and services; whereas biomanufacturing is not clearly defined and the Commission should therefore propose such a definition; whereas a definition of biomanufacturing should be future-proof, open to scientific and technological developments, and technology neutral, so as to broadly encompass the use of biotechnology or other technologies for the production of bio-based material products and solutions including, but not limited to, chemical, mechanical or thermal processes;

C. whereas the biotech and biomanufacturing industries have led the development and deployment of breakthrough innovations in healthcare, such as mRNA-based vaccines; whereas biotechnology processes can be used to manufacture active pharmaceutical ingredients and key manufacturing inputs for medicines;

D. whereas the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of having robust raw material value chains and manufacturing capabilities within Europe, to ensure security of supply of critical products and to mitigate shortages, for example of essential medicines;

E. whereas artificial intelligence (AI) can help drive biotechnology innovation – e.g. in personalised medicine and drug discovery – resulting in health and environmental benefits; whereas the use of AI in biotechnology can also present ethical challenges and risks, related to the protection of private data, which need to be addressed in order to maintain public trust and acceptance;

F. whereas biotechnology is applied in various aspects of animal and plant-based agriculture and also indirectly, through its use in activities such as waste management;

G. whereas biotechnology can strengthen the resilience of forests and, in the case of biomanufacturing, the forest sector can offer sustainably produced, renewable and recyclable raw materials that can be used in high-value innovative products, materials and applications;

H. whereas the EU is a global leader in research and biomanufacturing capacity, yet its potential remains unexploited due to the lack of a sufficiently coordinated policy framework that enables the efficient scaling up of innovation, the attraction of investment and the commercialisation of new technologies; whereas the ‘one in, one out’ approach ensures that all burdens introduced by Commission initiatives are considered, and administrative burdens are offset by removing burdens of equivalent value in the same policy area at EU or Member State level; whereas Parliament has called for the EU’s research budget to be doubled; whereas EU private investment in research, development and innovation is lagging behind other major economies; whereas promoting investment in pioneering demo and commercial production plants can accelerate the commercialisation of EU innovation in the bio-based industries;

I. whereas urgent, coherent and consistent action needs to be taken during the next few years to make the EU a world leader in biotechnology, biomanufacturing and life sciences effecting a bold level of change, in accordance with due process and supported by competitiveness checks and adequate funding;

J. whereas lengthy and complex authorisation procedures, particularly concerning approval times, represent a competitive disadvantage for EU operators and drive project developers out of the EU, and hinder industrial deployment and growth;

K. whereas current EU regulatory frameworks do not cater precisely to the specificities of bio-based products; whereas the existing regulatory authorisation processes for biotech products needs to be urgently addressed to ensure that the EU remains globally competitive; whereas an effective regulatory framework for conducting clinical research is essential for the competitiveness of the most innovation-intensive aspects of the EU’s pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors; whereas the Commission should take account of the regulatory frameworks of non-EU countries leading in the biotechnology and biomanufacturing sector, in the context of existing and future EU legislation covering the industry, to ensure compatibility without lowering existing EU safety and environmental standards;

L. whereas the EU’s biotechnology and biomanufacturing investment and venture capital ecosystem remains fragmented; whereas high energy prices, regulatory burdens, barriers, and a lack of available key feedstock, raw materials and components are limiting the ability of start-ups and other small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to scale up, and limit large-scale deployment; whereas EU biomanufacturing capacity and supply chain resilience, including the availability of feedstock, are essential to reduce dependence on non-EU actors; whereas effective global supply chains – including strategic partnerships with reliable global actors – are also important to secure stable access to critical resources, avoid supply disruptions and foster continuous innovation in essential technologies;

M. whereas bio-based feedstocks, such as sustainably sourced biomass, recycled waste and CO2 captured from biogenic sources, could be used as alternative feedstocks for the manufacturing of, for example, polymers, plastics, solvents, paints, detergents, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, thereby contributing to EU emission reduction, resource efficiency and strategic autonomy; whereas the EU could further incentivise market demand and market uptake for sustainable bio-based products and materials;

N. whereas it is vital to increase the use of sustainable bio-based raw materials as part of the means of reaching the EU’s 2050 climate targets; whereas biotechnology has the potential to transform the refinery and chemical industry towards biomanufacturing, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions, in line with the EU’s climate objectives;

O. whereas biotechnology and biomanufacturing are regulated across many different regulatory frameworks; whereas current EU regulatory frameworks for biotechnology and biomanufacturing are inconsistent across sectors, creating legal uncertainty and slowing market access for innovative solutions; whereas the lengthy authorisation processes, particularly concerning approval times, need to be urgently addressed and improved, while maintaining a risk- and science-based approach, to compete with corresponding time frames outside the EU; whereas the use of regulatory sandboxes should be expanded to ensure that emerging technologies have a clear development pathway; whereas new EU-wide regulation in the form of an EU biotech act should be duly justified based on examples of concrete gaps and shortcomings in current legislation and implementation, focusing on the specificities of the industry;

P. whereas a coherent, robust and future-proof intellectual property (IP) framework is essential, ideally resulting in economic, environmental and societal benefits;

Q. whereas public awareness in the EU of biotechnology and biomanufactured products should be further strengthened, in order to boost public acceptance; whereas the ethical aspects of biotechnology should be considered; whereas stakeholder consultation plays a crucial role in shaping responsible and ethical biotechnology policies; whereas civil society can play an essential role in ensuring public trust;

R. whereas the engineering of DNA and organisms is increasingly carried out in automated biofoundries, which produce a wealth of data and improved designs and knowledge of biological functions;

S. whereas the EU’s regulatory framework needs to adequately address evolving risks, opportunities and responsibilities associated with the handling, trade and synthesis of biological material, particularly in the context of synthetic biology; whereas existing biosecurity gaps need to be addressed by the EU and through international cooperation;

Criteria for a comprehensive EU biotech act

1. Emphasises the growth potential of the European biotechnology and biomanufacturing sector and the need for the EU to remain world-leading in this field; underlines the commitment to the principles of better regulation and lawmaking, simplification and administrative burden reduction; underlines that the simplification of EU legislation must not endanger any of the fundamental rights of citizens, workers and businesses or risk regulatory uncertainty; believes that any simplification proposal should not be rushed and proposed without proper consideration, consultation and impact assessments; therefore asks the Commission, if it proposes a new EU-wide regulation in the form of an EU biotech act, to address concrete gaps and shortcomings in current legislation and implementation, and to present legislation that can be revised, simplified, streamlined, repealed and which reduces bureaucratic burdens, focusing on the specificities of the industry and maintaining relevant safety and security standards; asks that an EU biotech act adopt a comprehensive cross-sectoral scope and that it be accompanied by an impact and cost assessment, competitiveness checks as well as a comprehensive assessment by the Regulatory Scrutiny Board, taking due consideration of the impact on SMEs, start-ups and scale-ups, as well as the interaction with other relevant legislative and non-legislative initiatives, including proposals currently undergoing the co-legislative procedure;

2. Recalls that according to the OECD, biotechnology is defined as the application of science and technology to living organisms, as well as parts, products and models thereof, to alter living or non-living materials for the production of knowledge, goods and services; notes, however, that biomanufacturing is not clearly defined and calls on the Commission to propose such a definition;

3. Recommends streamlining and harmonising existing and upcoming initiatives relating to biotechnology and biomanufacturing, with the objective of strengthening the biotechnology and biomanufacturing industry through clear industrial and research and development (R & D) competences;

4. Urges the Commission to ensure coherence and consistency across all initiatives and legislative measures that may affect biotechnology and biomanufacturing innovations and companies, especially start-ups and scale-ups;

5. Calls on the Commission to ensure that any future relevant legislative initiatives have a broad enough scope to capture the width of the biotechnology and biomanufacturing industry and its full range of applications; recommends facilitating a fast and efficient uptake of biotechnology and biomanufacturing through clear regulatory frameworks;

6. Calls on the Commission to implement measures within its structures in order to ensure coordination, coherence and complementarity across its relevant directorates-general, and to enable more efficient scale-up and commercialisation of research, development and innovation results; highlights the importance of efforts to improve policy coherence and coordination at national level;

7. Calls on the Commission to take account of regulatory frameworks of non-EU countries leading in the biotechnology and biomanufacturing sector, in the context of existing and future EU legislation covering the industry, to ensure compatibility, where possible and without compromising consumer safety, and a level playing field for EU biotech companies competing internationally, and to learn from best practices from outside the EU without lowering existing EU standards;

8. Calls on the Commission to present a report on the implementation of current legislation in the field of biotechnology and biomanufacturing, including identifying potential gaps and regulatory barriers hampering the growth of the industries applying these technologies and manufacturing processes, including barriers to improving the EU’s self-sufficiency in key feedstocks, raw materials and components; recalls the precautionary principle laid down in Article 191 TFEU; urges the Commission to share with Parliament the preliminary findings of its study on regulatory burden, in this regard, and the potential need to review legislation related to biotechnology and biomanufacturing; calls for a simplification of current requirements for the sector across regulatory frameworks to enable faster approval procedures and market access, while maintaining a risk- and science-based approach and avoiding regulatory uncertainty;

9. Welcomes the recently launched Biotech and Biomanufacturing Hub; requests that the Commission provide further guidance to EU biotechnology and biomanufacturing companies and the Member States with regard to the Net-Zero Industry Act(1) and the new Clean Industrial Deal in terms of permitting and financing, and to consider the creation of supporting hubs, in order to improve guidance and advice to companies navigating through the regulatory framework;

10. Calls on the Commission to urgently streamline, simplify and shorten the time required for authorisation procedures, particularly approval time frames, for biotechnology materials and products throughout their manufacturing- and life-cycles, and to facilitate the market uptake of bio-based solutions, including the provision of pre-authorisation guidance, while maintaining a risk- and science-based approach, particularly in the context of its regular review of EU agencies such as the European Food Safety Authority, the European Medicines Agency and the European Chemicals Agency; calls on the Commission to ensure that the relevant EU agencies are adequately resourced, to enhance their capacity for conducting authorisation procedures in a timely manner;

11. Calls on the Commission to consider the possibility of a simplified approvals procedure for biotechnology products that have already been approved by trusted regulatory bodies in like-minded countries with EU-equivalent standards;

12. Calls on the Commission to consider simplifying labelling practices, such as the use of QR codes, and ensure fair market conditions between biotechnology and other products, such as marketing and advertising, without compromising consumer safety or access to relevant consumer information;

13. Recalls that harmonised, predictable, future-proof and internationally competitive IP and data protection rules for biotechnology and biomanufacturing patents are essential for the development of the industry, resilient supply chains and sustainable economic growth; underlines the importance of improving IP protection rules by longer terms for patented technologies to strengthen the EU’s competitiveness, foster innovation and the EU’s strategic autonomy, protect cutting-edge technologies, reward long-term investments, and support high-risk research; considers that a coherent, robust and future-proof IP framework is essential; welcomes, in this regard, the EU’s recently established unitary patent system;

14. Calls for a common clinical trials framework with streamlined approval procedures across the Member States to minimise administrative burdens and delays, and which allows for the use of real-world evidence for biotechnology therapies; asks the Commission to present the current situation in this regard, as well as potential improvements; calls for the swift implementation of the Clinical Trials Regulation(2) and the use of the EU’s Clinical Trials Information System;

15. Underlines the strategic importance for the EU of a strong biotechnology ecosystem to support R & D, manufacturing, and patient access to innovative medicines; points out that biotechnology processes can be used to manufacture active pharmaceutical ingredients and key manufacturing inputs for both off-patent and innovative medicines;

16. Recommends using the next generation of regulatory sandboxes to assess the specific impacts and possibilities of emerging biotechnology and biomanufacturing applications, ensuring that new technologies can be trialled in a controlled but flexible and future-proof regulatory environment; stresses the importance of ensuring that EU policy takes account of technological and scientific developments to safeguard the EU’s global competitiveness;

17. Recommends developing a strategy to support biotechnology and biomanufacturing companies transitioning from the regulatory sandbox regime to full market access; requests that the strategy include, but not be limited to, support mechanisms, regulatory assistance and guidance on compliance with EU legislation;

The need to promote the advantages and specificities of the biotechnology and biomanufacturing industry

18. Underlines that effectively scaling up biotechnology and biomanufacturing in the EU hinges on a robust, competitive and circular bioeconomy; calls on the Commission to present an updated bioeconomy strategy, which takes account of current challenges and reinforces the bioeconomy’s industrial dimension and its links to biotechnology and biomanufacturing, incentivising the development and production of sustainable, innovative, high-value added bio-based materials, products and solutions, to contribute to EU competitiveness and strategic autonomy;

19. Acknowledges the important role biomass plays in biomanufacturing; recalls, in this regard, the importance of adopting an approach open to different sustainable biomass technologies grounded in robust analysis, and with the aim of enhancing feedstock access and use, as well as harnessing international supply chains, while aiming to avoid unintended environmental externalities;

20. Underlines the need to account for the specificities of biogenic carbon, bio-based products and processes, and to differentiate them from petrochemical and fossil-based products, in the context of EU and national chemical, materials and environmental legislation;

21. Points out that essential components, such as enzymes, lactic acid bacteria and other microorganisms, run the risk of being prohibited or unduly disincentivised by EU regulations primarily designed for petrochemical and synthetic substances, such as the REACH Regulation(3);

22. Is concerned that the European Investment Bank (EIB)’s interpretation of sustainability criteria under the EIB Group Paris alignment framework may result in access to funding for bio-based materials and projects being denied; asks the Commission to examine relevant definitions accordingly and encourage biotechnology- and biomanufacturing-friendly interpretations; calls on the EIB to propose de-risking instruments for biotechnology and biomanufacturing, in order to raise capital; calls, moreover, on the EIB to improve outreach, advisory support and information on financing instruments and opportunities for eligible biotechnology and biomanufacturing projects, in particular SMEs, start-ups and scale-ups;

23. Underlines the benefit and contribution of bio-based products and processes to the EU’s CO2 reduction objectives, which, given the potential of these products to increase sustainability and lower the EU’s environmental footprint, need to be reflected in respective life cycle assessments, information for consumers and public procurement;

24. Considers that, in order to accelerate the substitution of fossil-based feedstocks, the market demand and market uptake of sustainable bio-based products could be further incentivised in the EU; considers that bio-based feedstocks, such as sustainably sourced biomass, recycled waste and CO2 captured from biogenic sources, could be used as alternative feedstocks for the manufacturing of various products, contributing to the EU’s emissions reduction, resource efficiency and strategic autonomy; in this context, recalls the commitment in the EU’s Competitiveness Compass to develop policies to reward early movers; considers that coherent and adequate sustainability criteria should be ensured for biomass;

25. Underlines the importance of upholding the EU’s high standards of food and consumer safety and the potential of biotechnology applications when assessing biotechnology applications in food and feed to protect consumer health, assess impact on circularity and sustainability, and to consider social, ethical, economic, environmental and cultural aspects of food innovation; calls on the Commission to identify smooth routes to market for safe applications of biotechnology in food products, while reiterating that such biotechnology applications need to be properly examined, prior to any future authorisation and subsequent placing on the EU market, including gathering toxicological information and clinical and pre-clinical studies where relevant, and ensuring traceability;

26. Underlines that biosecurity risks, including bioethical considerations, must be addressed in conjunction with biotechnology and biomanufacturing innovation, ensuring responsible access to and use of synthetic biology tools, genetic editing technologies and biological materials; calls for the establishment of an EU biosecurity registry for synthetic DNA, benchtop synthesis equipment and genetic engineering tools, improving transparency and risk-assessment mechanisms, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, such as industry and civil society, and while ensuring sensitive data is adequately protected; stresses the importance of EU strategic autonomy in biotechnology supply chains, ensuring that critical biomanufacturing inputs and expertise remain within Europe; calls for stronger international cooperation on biosecurity standards, including mandatory international screening standards, ensuring that EU-based biotechnology and biomanufacturing companies benefit from global best practice while maintaining competitiveness;

27. Urges the Commission to conduct a study on biological materials and to present an updated communication and an action plan on chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear risks, in particular regarding bioterrorism and bio-risks;

Horizontal issues

28. Underlines the importance for supply chain security of ensuring a sufficient, stable and competitive supply of feedstock, raw materials and essential components, such as sustainable biomass and enzymes for biotechnology and biomanufacturing companies; calls for potential risks, gaps and dependencies to be closely monitored while safeguarding company-sensitive data and the functioning of the internal market;

29. Stresses the importance of developing EU raw material value chains and manufacturing, and enhancing self-sufficiency where possible, while also fostering strategic partnerships and cooperation with like-minded non-EU countries to secure resilient and diversified access to critical inputs of biotechnology and biomanufacturing industries in the EU;

30. Stresses that, in an increasingly tense geopolitical context, biotechnology and biomanufacturing should be fully leveraged to strengthen the EU’s strategic autonomy, enhance food security and reduce dependence on non-EU countries; highlights the need to stimulate market demand and uptake of bio-based products to boost the growth, competitiveness and sustainability of the EU biotechnology and biomanufacturing sector;

31. Notes that the scale-up and commercialisation of research results remains a major challenge in the EU, and stresses the need to improve knowledge and technology transfer between academia and industry to ensure that EU-funded biotechnology and biomanufacturing research leads to commercial applications and industrial deployment; highlights the importance of strengthening public-private collaboration and supporting universities and research institutions with high levels of technology transfer, spin-offs, and start-up creation, for example by applying the CERN model of building start-up studios within research institutions; calls for strategic investments in shared EU infrastructure – such as pilot facilities, biobanks or innovation accelerators – to support the scale-up of prototypes and the market uptake of innovative biotechnology and biomanufacturing solutions; underlines that innovation cannot solely take place for short-term economic benefit, and that biotechnology and biomanufacturing innovation should be driven through a bottom-up approach under a standalone and long-term framework programme; calls on the Commission to facilitate the creation of world-leading research hubs for biotechnology and biomanufacturing to drive innovation and collaboration between academia, industry and venture capital; emphasises the need for robust physical testing facilities in the biotechnology and biomanufacturing sector to drive innovation and facilitate the production and market access for SMEs and start-ups;

32. Stresses the need to ensure access to affordable energy for biotechnology and biomanufacturing operators, given the high energy intensity of large-scale biological production processes; underlines the importance of facilitating the authorisation and validation of large industrial plants, such as bioreactors, which are essential for scale-up but also face significant construction and operating risks; welcomes the latest revision of the Renewable Energy Directive(4) and its provisions to simplify permitting procedures, and calls on the Member States to swiftly implement relevant measures to support the deployment of biotechnology and biomanufacturing infrastructure;

33. Underlines the need for a skilled and diverse European workforce in the biotechnology and biomanufacturing sector and for the promotion of entrepreneurial skills, in close collaboration with industry and research institutions; calls for increased investment in biotechnology and biomanufacturing education and targeted professional training, including in but not limited to areas such as regulatory compliance, quality assurance and process engineering; supports the development of competence centres and public-private training initiatives across all Member States to enable upskilling, reskilling and lifelong learning to safeguard the attractiveness of the biotechnology and biomanufacturing industry; highlights the importance of adapting educational curricula to the evolving needs of the sector, and of promoting science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects, with a particular focus on attracting more girls and women into biotechnology and biomanufacturing careers; encourages more public awareness about career opportunities in the field to attract talent from non-EU countries and suggests exploring the potential for transatlantic cooperation; welcomes the recently launched Choose Europe for Science pilot scheme to attract top non-EU researchers, scientists and academics to Europe;

34. Calls for the urgent completion of the capital markets union to attract institutional investors to the biotechnology and biomanufacturing industry, including venture capital, pension funds and private equity; underlines that the sector is characterised by high levels of risk and that reducing the cost of failure in the EU is necessary for attracting large-scale capital investment; calls for dedicated support to ensure that biotechnology and biomanufacturing SMEs, start-ups and scale-ups can access sufficient funding and compete globally; stresses that cross-border investment barriers must be reduced to facilitate investment in biotechnology and biomanufacturing scale-ups;

35. Notes that public-private partnerships and mission-driven EU investment strategies, such as the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking, are essential for de-risking biotechnology and biomanufacturing innovation and for increasing the likelihood that IP and industrial capacity remain in Europe; urges EU investment instruments, such as the InvestEU programme, to be strengthened to support biotechnology and biomanufacturing projects considered as high-risk from an investment perspective; underlines that the sector is characterised by a high concentration of SMEs, which face disproportionate barriers in accessing capital despite being critical drivers of innovation; supports the exploration of a biotechnology Important Project of Common European Interest to facilitate industrial deployment and first-mover investments in bio-based chemicals, materials, and products and solutions;

36. Notes that public awareness of biotechnology and biomanufactured products in the EU should be further strengthened to boost public acceptance; recommends engaging with citizens and civil society organisations to communicate the characteristics, benefits and implications of the growing presence of biotechnology-based products and services in the European market;

Future-proof research and innovation

37. Regrets that European private investment in research, development and innovation is lagging behind other major economies and that the scale-up and commercialisation of research results remain a major challenge in Europe; highlights the fact that European and national public systems for R & D funding remain complex and insufficiently coordinated, resulting in duplications and inefficiencies; calls for an EU-wide approach to coordinating public investment in R & D for biotechnology and biomanufacturing, with the dual objective of closing excellence and innovation gaps and accelerating commercialisation; underlines the importance of strengthening European collaboration, pooling knowledge and resources, and leveraging public funding with private investment; recalls the key role of framework programmes such as Horizon Europe in fostering scientific excellence, innovation and technical development and calls for targeted investment in strategic biotechnology and biomanufacturing subfields, such as industrial, environmental, marine, health and agri-food biotechnology;

38. Reiterates the call to double the EU’s research budget and to reach the target of 3 % of EU gross domestic product being devoted to R & D by 2030;

39. Notes the growing role of synthetic biology, bioinformatics, data and game-changing AI-driven biotechnology and biomanufacturing research; calls on the Commission to integrate biotechnology and biomanufacturing innovation into the EU digital and AI strategies, ensuring interoperability between biotechnology and biomanufacturing data infrastructure and AI-driven discovery platforms; notes that AI capabilities are dependent on the efficient use of data; considers that the creation of industrial data spaces for biotechnology and biomanufacturing is important for efficient data sharing;

40. Acknowledges that, while AI systems and quantum computing can significantly speed up research and lead to new innovations, enabling better computational designs of biological systems, they can also increase the risk of biological threats; underlines, therefore, the need to apply a risk-based approach to the use of AI in scientific research and manufacturing;

41. Considers that the ethical use of AI, bioinformatics and synthetic biology is crucial for building trust and for society at large to benefit from these technologies; underlines the need to safeguard data privacy, data security, transparency and human oversight of the use of AI systems in the health biotechnology sector;

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42. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and the Commission.

(1)	Regulation (EU) 2024/1735 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 on establishing a framework of measures for strengthening Europe’s net-zero technology manufacturing ecosystem and amending Regulation (EU) 2018/1724 (OJ L, 2024/1735, 28.6.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1735/oj).
(2)	Regulation (EU) No 536/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014 on clinical trials on medicinal products for human use, and repealing Directive 2001/20/EC (OJ L 158, 27.5.2014, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2014/536/oj).
(3)	Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2006 concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH), establishing a European Chemicals Agency, amending Directive 1999/45/EC and repealing Council Regulation (EEC) No 793/93 and Commission Regulation (EC) No 1488/94 as well as Council Directive 76/769/EEC and Commission Directives 91/155/EEC, 93/67/EEC, 93/105/EC and 2000/21/EC (OJ L 396, 30.12.2006, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2006/1907/oj).
(4)	Directive (EU) 2023/2413 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 October 2023 amending Directive (EU) 2018/2001, Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 and Directive 98/70/EC as regards the promotion of energy from renewable sources, and repealing Council Directive (EU) 2015/652 (OJ L, 2023/2413, 31.10.2023, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2023/2413/oj).

MIL OSI Europe News –

July 14, 2025

MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Diplomacy in the digital age: Foreign Secretary’s speech, July 2025

Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

Speech

Diplomacy in the digital age: Foreign Secretary’s speech, July 2025

Foreign Secretary David Lammy delivered a speech on diplomacy in the digital age whilst in Singapore.

It’s great to be here today.

As you have heard, I recently marked 25 years as a member of Parliament and this week one year as Foreign Secretary. It’s a pleasure to visit your great country following your sixtieth birthday as a nation.

Whenever I’ve come to Singapore and the wider ASEAN region, I’m struck by the innovative spirit, the creativity and the optimism.

Sixty years ago, Prime Minister Harold Wilson talked of the “white heat of technology” transforming British society and industry. Today, the whole world is being radically reconfigured by technology, but nowhere faster, or more successfully, than here.

I’m particularly pleased to be here after my second ASEAN foreign ministers meeting in Malaysia. In Laos last year, I promised to reconnect Britain to the Indo-Pacific and that is well underway.

In just over a year, I’ve made 5 visits spanning 10 countries to the region. I’ve no doubt this will rise during my time in this job.

The Indo-Pacific matters to the UK. ASEAN will be the world’s fastest-growing economic bloc over the next decade. Your investments into Britain like Malaysian firm SMD Semiconductor’s new R&D hub in Wales, your market of 700 million consumers are a huge part of our growth ambitions.

Over the past year, we have been delivering on our promise to bring our economies closer together. Our CPTPP membership now ratified, our free trade agreement with India now signed our Industrial and Trade Strategies now published all speak to a hugely ambitious future for Britain in the Indo-Pacific.

But we want to go much further.  We’re working with ASEAN on their Power Grid and economic resilience.  We support CPTPP widening, deepening, and starting dialogues with trading blocs like ASEAN and the EU. 

We are exploring other agreements, too, like a deeper FTA with South Korea or accession to the Digital Economic Partnership Agreement which Singapore co-founded. Today’s ‘digital trade’ will tomorrow simply be ‘trade’, and Britain is committed to making it faster, cheaper and easier.

As you in Singapore know very well this region is the crucible for global security. Partner countries like Britain must stand up for an open, stable and rules-based international system because our region’s security and your region’s security are inextricably linked.

Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine drove market turbulence in Asia. Any major supply chain disruption in Asia could push prices up in Britain. If we have learnt one lesson over the past decade, it is that economic security does not respect borders.

That is why Britain’s new National Security Strategy recommitted to the vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific region. Our Carrier Strike Group recently sailed through your waters – a deployment involving 12 other nations.

We’re deepening our many regional security partnerships including AUKUS and the Five Power Defence Arrangements.

HMS Prince of Wales, as we’ve heard, is participating in Exercise Bersama Lima in September and the Malaysian chair kindly invited me to the ASEAN Regional Forum just yesterday, where I underlined British support for ASEAN centrality and our growing cooperation against transnational crime and illicit finance.

In Singapore, you have proven over generations that it is not size which determines success it is strategic clarity. This is true of technology more than any other area. Singapore has shown what’s possible when digital innovation is matched with long-term thinking and national purpose.

Back in 1981, when most of us were still working out what a computer was, your leaders set up a National Computerisation Committee. In 2014, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong launched the whole-of-government Smart Nation initiative. Then in 2019, Teo Chee Hean unveiled a National AI Strategy.

Each time, your leaders were ahead of the game. Each time there was a broader lesson. Singapore didn’t get ahead by throwing money at the private sector and hoping for the best.

Instead, you built serious public capability like SingPass, thanks to deep technical expertise inside government and investments in areas like compute and data infrastructure.

Starting in this job, I said that Britain needed to do more listening and less lecturing. A huge part of my trip this week has been to listen and, I hope, learn lessons on how we can pursue a similarly long-term strategy embracing technology. That vision must include specific focus on the intersection of AI and diplomacy.

This is not yet a staple of foreign ministry and foreign ministers’ discussions at least in my experience. But I believe that unless we lift our heads above the rat-race of crises and summits and examine the longer-term trends reshaping our world we will be boiled like the proverbial frog.

AI is not just the next rung in the technological ladder. It will deliver a paradigm shift in the distribution and exercise of power. It will redefine how nations project influence how threats emerge and how we defend ourselves. It will therefore transform how diplomacy is conducted.

As Prime Minister Wong said earlier this year: “The once-rising tide of global cooperation that defined the past decades is giving way to one of growing competition and distrust.  As a result, the world is becoming more fragmented and disorderly”.

There is much evidence of emerging technology catalysing the deterioration of both domestic and international norms. AI is at the spearhead of hybrid threats like disinformation. It is not enough for responsible states to complain about others’ reckless behaviour.

If we do not invest in gaining technological edge then our influence will inevitably decline. So today I want to outline a more hopeful vision of a sovereign, AI-enabled foreign policy.

I am proud of the role British diplomacy played at the Bletchley AI Safety Summit, our creation of the AI Security Institute, our plans for a new counter-hybrid taskforce in the FCDO to ready us for this new age.

I’m pleased also to see our work with Singapore in areas such as Responsible AI in the Military Realm and with ASEAN on AI for development.

But there has been little discussion between Britain and partners in the Indo-Pacific and beyond on how to use AI and advanced technology to make our diplomacy more effective.

I am determined to address this gap as Foreign Secretary, bringing AI to the centre of the FCDO’s policy machine. Like most foreign ministries, too many Foreign Office practices have changed little over the past half century. But the old levers of government – briefings, memos, lengthy debates on drafting – are too slow and cumbersome for the pace of modern statecraft.

In an age of ever-accelerating speed and complexity we need the tools to match. Let me be clear: AI will obviously not solve foreign policy. It will not eliminate risk, nor remove the need for careful human judgement and the ability of people to build trusting relationships, as I have been doing with ASEAN partners this week.

Diplomacy in 2025 needs machine speed and a human touch. It can help us to make better decisions amidst rising uncertainty. It can improve our ability to detect early signals of crisis, to simulate the likely effects of policy choices and to respond with speed and confidence.

Imagine for a moment an AI-powered unit at the heart of a foreign ministry. That could catalyse patterns of military movement, energy flows, and online narratives, model how a diplomatic crisis in one part of the world will have ripple effects elsewhere, red-team our response to a crisis – attacking our own policies before others can. Or flag emerging risks that human analysts might miss, especially when they emerge in grey zones favoured by adversaries.

These capabilities are not science fiction. They are already being employed. The United States’ DARPA and KAIROS projects already simulate complex political developments and anticipate conflict escalation. Estonia’s STRATCOM Centre uses AI-enabled systems to detect disinformation campaigns in real time.

Of course, Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry uses predictive analytics to flag risks to critical supply chains.

The question before us is not whether AI will shape foreign policy. It is who will shape it, and how.

In the British Foreign Office, this government is investing £290 million in reforming our Department, helping to equip our teams with the capabilities and technologies that the modern era demands.

But outside of the United States and China, no country has the scale to deliver all the capabilities we need independently.

My call today is therefore for more collaboration, more AI diplomacy within a perimeter of values. I want partners such as Britain and Singapore to align standards, share tools and develop models that reflect our shared principles.

Deep bilateral partnerships will be at the core of Britain’s approach. For us, our special relationship with the United States will remain foundational rooted in particular on our deep security links.

With the European Union, we can pursue AI cooperation through the prism of foreign policy and security, not just regulation, and I will be discussing this with Kaja Kallas as part of our recently agreed Security and Defence Partnership.

With India through the ‘Technology Security Initiative’ we agreed last year, we will focus collaboration more sharply in critical and emerging technologies.

And with other Indo-Pacific partners I hope that we can build on initiatives like the UK-ASEAN AI Innovation Summit later this year and extend cooperation to AI-enabled foreign policy.

I said that you in Singapore have shown the power of long-term thinking. The importance of a long-term vision, and I hope we can apply that same approach to breaking down the silos between foreign policy and technology.

We live in a volatile world. Technology is reshaping our societies, making power more diffuse. Nations like Britain and Singapore need to equip ourselves with the tools to navigate these shifts and that means fusing AI and diplomacy, focusing on a long view of change and doubling down on our shared interests.

Thank you.

Updates to this page

Published 12 July 2025

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

July 14, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Candidates for the title of “Ambassadors of Russian Education and Science” have been approved

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

A key meeting of the Council of the Consortium of Educational and Scientific Organizations was held, dedicated to the approval of candidates for the honorary title of “Ambassador of Russian Education and Science”. In February 2023, an agreement was signed on the consortium for the implementation of the “Ambassadors of Russian Education and Science” program, among its participants is the Polytechnic University. The session considered 21 submissions from 12 Russian universities. The Polytechnic nominated Liu Wei (China) and Issa Togo (Mali).

The activities of both candidates have been promoting Russian education abroad for decades. Secretary General of the Institute of Russia at Tsinghua University Liu Wei has been overseeing scientific and technical cooperation with the Russian Federation since 2002. Dozens of projects have been implemented under her leadership, including Russian-Chinese dialogues on innovation, the creation of Russian language testing centers, and youth competitions.

A 1985 graduate of the Leningrad Polytechnic Institute, associate professor at SPbPU and Honorary Consul of Mali in St. Petersburg, Issa Togo coordinates academic ties with African universities, participates in the reform of higher education in Mali and heads a large-scale hydroelectric project.

The consortium council unanimously approved the candidates, sending the documents for final approval to the Russian Ministry of Education and Science. If successful, Liu Wei and Issa Togo will join the ranks of 24 current ambassadors from 22 countries.

“Liu Wei and Issa Togo are not just allies, but living bridges between cultures. Their dedication to education is the polytechnic spirit in action: when a graduate, wherever he is, continues to carry the banner of his alma mater. We are proud that it is our candidates who set the tone in promoting Russian values abroad. Their recognition is an investment in the future, where science and education know no boundaries,” commented Dmitry Arsenyev, Vice-Rector for International Affairs at SPbPU.

Under the program “Ambassadors of Russian Education and Science”, which unites 44 universities of the country, since 2023, 24 experts from Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America have been awarded the title. Polytechnic University is traditionally among the most active participants in the initiative.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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MIL OSI Russia News –

July 14, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: Seychelles represented at the 47th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union

Source: APO

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Ambassador Selby Pillay represented Mr Sylvestre Radegonde, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Tourism of the Republic of Seychelles, at the 47th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea from 10th to 11th July 2025.

The 47th Ordinary Session was conducted under the theme: “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through reparations”. It adopted the African Union Commission budget for 2026, assessed the implementation of the Agenda 2063, considered the roadmap on the theme of the year 2026, and endorsed decisions on critical issues affecting the African Continent.

During the discussions on the roadmap of the theme for the year 2026: “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063”, Ambassador Pillay recognised the inseparable linkage between water and other factors such as health, agriculture, and climate resilience. He further underscored that “Seychelles, as a Small Island Developing State, will always be a strong advocate for environment sustainability and climate change, due to its vulnerabilities mainly from the devasting effects of climate change”.

The Ordinary Session further witnessed the election of Professor Gaspard Banyankimbona from Burundi as the new African Union Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (ESTI) and Mrs Francisca Tatchouop Belobe from Equatorial Guinea as the new Commissioner for Economic Development, Trade, Tourism, Industry and Minerals (ETTIM). This completes the election and appointment process of the Senior Leadership of the African Union Commission, a process which started in February 2025.

Ambassador Pillay was accompanied by Mrs Patricia Ilunga, Second Secretary at the Embassy of Seychelles in Addis Ababa.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Tourism, Republic of Seychelles.

MIL OSI Africa –

July 14, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: Condolences on passing of former Nigeria President Buhari

Source: Government of South Africa

Monday, July 14, 2025

President Cyril Ramaphosa has offered his condolences to the government and nation of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, following the passing of the West African nation’s former President Muhammadu Buhari.

Buhari passed away at a London clinic at the age of 82.

“As South Africa, we stand with the nation of Nigeria in your mourning. President Buhari led Nigeria as a patriot and a champion not only of the best attributes of his nation during his leadership, but of the future that awaited his great country,” President Ramaphosa said.

The President reflected on the work the two of them undertook.

“I had the privilege of working closely with President Buhari on building relations between our country and sharing numerous reciprocal visits – including during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“These engagements were dedicated to intensifying cooperation in areas such as arts and culture, education, agriculture, trade and investment, mining, defence, immigration and science and technology.

“President Buhari’s leadership brought our two nations closer together and as we did so, this partnership contributed to Africa’s collective growth and development. This is a legacy on which we will continue to build,” President Ramaphosa said. – SAnews.gov.za

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MIL OSI Africa –

July 14, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: CSIR’s Dr Tenza seconded to the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation

Source: Government of South Africa

The Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Professor Blade Nzimande, has announced the secondment of Dr Kenny Tenza from the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to the Department of Science, Technology, and Innovation (DSTI).

Tenza has taken on the role of Acting Deputy Director-General for Technology Innovation, effective 1 July 2025. This secondment will last for 12 months.

The Minister highlighted Tenza’s qualifications, referring to him as an accomplished academic and a highly decorated scientist.

He emphasised Tenza’s extensive knowledge of the technology innovation field and noted that he has held prominent positions in leading scientific organisations both in the country and worldwide.

In his current position as the Business Development and Commercialisation Executive at the CSIR’s Advanced Chemistry and Life Sciences Division, he oversees the commercialisation of proprietary intellectual property in the agriculture, food, chemicals, and health industries.

Nzimande said that Tenza is making a significant contribution to the re-industrialisation of South Africa through innovations in science.

“Dr Tenza also possesses a unique blend of executive leadership skills, which includes strategic leadership, culture change management, strategy development and implementation, financial sustainability, capability development, performance, operations, and governance.”

The Minister believes that Tenza’s experience and expertise will be essential in driving the department’s efforts to reposition their technology innovation instruments and programmes.

“I also wish to urge the staff in the department and from our entities to support Dr Tenza in his new role.” – SAnews.gov.za

MIL OSI Africa –

July 14, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Chinese and Foreign Experts Discuss Sustainable Development of the SCO in Shanghai

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

SHANGHAI, July 14 (Xinhua) — The SCO Think Tank Forum 2025, themed “Promoting Sustainable Development Guided by the Shanghai Spirit,” was held from Saturday to Sunday at the SCO Center for International Legal Training and Cooperation (China) based at the Shanghai University of Political Science and Law.

Nearly 100 experts and scholars from leading universities and think tanks in China and abroad attended the forum. They held in-depth exchanges of views on the issues of “SCO and the Transformation of the Global Governance System,” “SCO’s Own Construction and Reform,” “Striving for Sustainable Common Security,” “Inclusiveness, Win-Win, Mutually Beneficial Cooperation, and Striving for Common Prosperity,” “Searching for Universal Values in the Diversity of Civilizations,” and “Development Prospects for the SCO.”

Rector of Shanghai University of Political Science and Law, Director of the Office of the Center for International Legal Training and Cooperation of the SCO /China/ Liu Xiaohong noted that over the past 20 years, guided by the “Shanghai Spirit”, the SCO has achieved significant success in regional security, economic cooperation and humanitarian exchanges and serves as an important example of a new type of regional cooperation mechanism. She also expressed hope that the forum will give new impetus to regional cooperation.

According to Sun Zhuangzhi, Director of the Institute of Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), the launch of the “SCO Year of Sustainable Development” within the framework of China’s rotating chairmanship of the SCO will contribute to the development of global governance in a more just and rational direction and will make the SCO’s contribution to promoting peace and development throughout the world.

Speaking at the event, former SCO Secretary-General Vladimir Norov suggested that SCO think tanks focus on priority tasks, including aligning national strategies for transport infrastructure development, developing a unified mechanism for monitoring carbon emissions with the involvement of national environmental agencies, and expanding research into SCO humanitarian diplomacy, which, he said, not only reflect the realities of the current geopolitical and economic context, but also outline a concrete agenda that can transform the SCO from a platform of declarations into a mechanism for practical solutions.

The forum was jointly organized by the Shanghai University of Political Science and Law, the SCO Center for International Legal Training and Cooperation (China), the China Institute of International Studies (CIIS) and the China Center for SCO Studies. -0-

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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MIL OSI Russia News –

July 14, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Holy Mass in the Pontifical Parish of San Tommaso da Villanova in Castel Gandolfo

Source: The Holy See

Holy Mass in the Pontifical Parish of San Tommaso da Villanova in Castel Gandolfo, 13.07.2025
At 10.00 this morning, fifteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time, the Holy Father Leo XIV presided over Holy Mass in the Pontifical Parish of San Tommaso da Villanova in Castel Gandolfo.
The following is the homily delivered by the Pope during the Eucharistic Celebration, after the proclamation of the Gospel:

Brothers and sisters,
I have the joy of celebrating this Eucharist with you. I greet all those present, the parish community, the priests, and His Eminence, the Bishop of the Diocese, and the civil and military authorities.
In this Sunday’s Gospel, we have heard one of Jesus’ most beautiful and moving parables. We all know the parable of the Good Samaritan (Lk 10:25-37).
That parable constantly challenges us to think about our own lives. It troubles our dormant or distracted consciences, and warns us about the risk of a complacent faith that is satisfied with the outward observance of the law but incapable of feeling and acting with the same merciful compassion as God.
The parable is really about compassion. True, the Gospel story speaks of the compassion that moved the Samaritan to act, but it first speaks of how others regarded the wounded man lying on the roadside after being attacked by robbers. We are told that a priest and a Levite “saw him and passed by” (v. 32). Of the Samaritan, however, the Gospel says, “he saw him and had compassion on him” (v. 33).
Dear brothers and sisters, how we look at others is what counts, because it shows what is in our hearts. We can look and walk by, or we can look and be moved with compassion. There is a kind of seeing that is superficial, distracted and hasty, a way of seeing while pretending not to see. We can see without being touched or challenged by the sight. Then too, there is seeing with the eyes of the heart, looking more closely, empathizing with the other, sharing his or her experience, letting ourselves be touched and challenged. This way of seeing calls into question the way we live our life and the responsibility we feel towards others.
The parable speaks to us first about God’s way of seeing us, so that we in turn can learn how to see situations and people with his eyes, so full of love and compassion. The Good Samaritan is really a figure of Jesus, the eternal Son whom the Father sent into our history precisely because he regarded humanity with compassion and did not walk by. Like the man in the Gospel who was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, humanity was descending to the depths of death; in our own day too, we have to confront the darkness of evil, suffering, poverty and the riddle of death. Yet God has looked upon us with compassion; he wanted to walk our same path and come down among us. In Jesus, the Good Samaritan, he came to heal our wounds and to pour out upon us the balm of his love and mercy.
Pope Francis, who often reminded us that God is mercy and compassion, once referred to Jesus as “the compassion of the Father toward us” (Angelus, 14 July 2029). Saint Augustine tells us that, as the Good Samaritan who came to our aid, Jesus “wanted to be known as our neighbor. Indeed, the Lord Jesus Christ makes us realize that he is the one who cared for the half-dead man beaten by robbers and left on the side of the road (De Doctrina Christiana, I, 30.33).
We can understand, then, why this parable is so challenging for each of us. If Christ shows us the face of a compassionate God, then to believe in him and to be his disciples means allowing ourselves to be changed and to take on his same feelings. It means learning to have a heart that is moved, eyes that see and do not look away, hands that help others and soothe their wounds, shoulders that bear the burden of those in need.
In today’s first reading, we hear the words of Moses, who tells us that obeying the Lord’s commandments and turning our minds and hearts to him does not involve multiplying outward acts, but rather looking to our own hearts and discovering that there God has written his law of love. If we realize deep down that Christ, the Good Samaritan, loves us and cares for us, we too will be moved to love in the same way and to become compassionate as he is. Once we are healed and loved by Christ, we too can become witnesses of his love and compassion in our world.
Brothers and sisters, today we need this “revolution of love.” Today, the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Jericho is the road travelled by all those who descend into sin, suffering and poverty. It is the road travelled by all those weighed down by troubles or hurt by life. The road travelled by all who fall down, lose their bearings and hit rock bottom. The road travelled by all those peoples that are stripped, robbed and pillaged, victims of tyrannical political systems, of an economy that forces them into poverty, and of wars that kill their dreams and their very lives.
What do we do? Do we look and walk by, or do we open our hearts to others, like the Samaritan? Are we content at times merely to do our duty, or to regard as our neighbor only those who are part of our group, who think like us, who share our same nationality or religion? Jesus overturns this way of thinking by presenting us with a Samaritan, a foreigner or heretic, who acts as a neighbor to that wounded man. And he asks us to do the same.
The Samaritan, wrote Benedict XVI, “does not ask how far his obligations of solidarity extend. Nor does he ask about the merits required for eternal life. Something else happens: his heart is wrenched open… If the question had been ‘Is the Samaritan my neighbor, too?’ the answer would have been a pretty clear-cut no, given the situation at the time. But Jesus now turns the whole matter on its head: the Samaritan, the foreigner, makes himself the neighbor and shows me that I have to learn to be a neighbor deep within and that I already have the answer in myself. I have to become like someone in love, someone whose heart is open to being shaken up by another’s need” (Jesus of Nazareth, 197).
Looking without walking by, halting the frantic pace of our lives, allowing the lives of others, whoever they may be, with their needs and troubles, to touch our heart. That is what makes us neighbors to one another, what generates true fraternity and breaks down walls and barriers. In the end, love prevails, and proves more powerful than evil and death.
Dear friends, let us look to Christ, the Good Samaritan. Let us listen again today to his voice. For he says to each of us, “Go and do likewise” (v. 37).
_____________________
Words of the Holy Father at the end of Holy Mass
At this moment, I would like to present a small gift to the Parish Priest of this pontifical parish, in memory of our celebration today. The paten and chalice with which we celebrate the Eucharist are instruments of communion, and they can be an invitation to all of us to live in communion, and truly to promote this fraternity, this communion that we live in Jesus Christ.

MIL OSI Europe News –

July 14, 2025
MIL-OSI: Himax and Rabboni Join Forces to Launch World’s First Scalable Multi-Scenario Endpoint AI Sensing System – bboni Ai Enabling Real-Time AI Inference on Wearable Devices
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

TAINAN, Taiwan and HSINCHU, Taiwan, July 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Himax Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: HIMX) (“Himax” or “Company”), a leading supplier and fabless manufacturer of display drivers and other semiconductor products, and Rabboni Co., Ltd. (“Rabboni”), a Taiwan-based company integrating next-generation semiconductor sensing and edge computing to enable smart living, smart sensing and wearable devices, today jointly announced the unveiling of bboni Ai, the world’s first multi-scenario endpoint AI sensing system. bboni Ai integrates Rabboni’s high-precision IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) motion sensors with Himax’s ultralow power WiseEye2 AI processor, opening a new chapter for real-time endpoint AI inference for wearable devices and accelerating the transition of AI from concept to real-world implementation.

WiseEye2 AI processor features a high-performance architecture built on Cortex-M55 cores and is equipped with the Ethos-U55 AI inference engine. It supports always-on sensing, dynamic voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS), and a multi-level power management structure. The design empowers dynamic adjustments in core voltage and frequency based on the scenarios of wearable devices, enabling data collection, event triggering, and endpoint AI inference at ultralow power consumption of just a few milliwatts. This architecture significantly reduces reliance on cloud transmission, effectively lowering latency and power consumption. It also enhances real-time responsiveness and data privacy, delivering a commercially viable endpoint AI solution for devices requiring long-hour operation. Notably, WiseEye™ AI can also collaborate with cloud-based large language models (LLMs), further enhancing the device’s ability to perceive, understand, and interact with complex real -world scenarios.

bboni Ai Brings AI to the Endpoint: On-Device AI Processing. No Cloud Needed

Featuring integrated motion sensing capability and ultralow power AI powered by Himax’s WiseEye2 AI processor, the bboni Ai system enables real-time motion analysis, posture recognition, and behavior interpretation directly on the endpoint device, eliminating the need for cloud computing. With low-latency, high-efficiency, and privacy-preserving on-device AI, bboni Ai delivers a truly scalable and deployable endpoint AI solution. bboni Ai not only enhances system stability but also meets the stringent requirements for data immediacy and security in applications such as healthcare and education.

bboni Ai Transforms Everyday Life Across Diverse Wearable Applications: Demonstrates broad real-world readiness across multiple use cases
- Smart Healthcare: Supports WHO’s ICOPE (Integrated Care for Older People) framework, facilitating seniors to monitor physical function and rehabilitation progress at home, reducing the cost of care
- Sports Technology: Real-time detection of user movements and behavior, providing instant motion feedback, optimizing training postures through AI analysis, improving training efficiency and reducing the risk of injury
- Education and Interaction: Enables hands-on STEM and AI education by leveraging motion sensing and behavior analysis to foster interdisciplinary learning and innovation, cultivating the next generation of talent
Powered by Taiwan–Based Team with bboni Ai Developer Program to Launch in July 2025

To accelerate the development of innovative AI applications, Himax will officially launch the bboni Ai Developer Program in late-July 2025. This initiative will provide a complete set of APIs and SDKs, inviting developers, academic institutions, and corporate partners jointly to create a robust and commercial-ready endpoint AI ecosystem, advancing Taiwan’s AI technology around the globe.

“The bboni Ai system was entirely developed by a Taiwanese team, integrating key technologies such as semiconductor design, sensor technology, AI algorithms, and software-hardware integration, showcasing Taiwan’s technical strength in smart sensing and endpoint AI,” said Richard Chiang, Chairman of Rabboni.

“WiseEye’s ultralow power and always-on sensing capabilities make it a perfect fit for power-constrained endpoint devices, especially wearable applications in smart care, interactive education, and health monitoring that require long-hour operation,” said Mark Chen, Vice President of Smart Sensing Business at Himax. “Himax is excited to collaborate with Rabboni to integrate our respective technological strengths and bring AI out of the conceptual stage and into everyday life, enabling truly meaningful smart applications.”

About Rabboni Co., Ltd.

Rabboni Co., Ltd., originating from Silicon Instruments Co., Ltd. founded in 2009, is dedicated to integrating next-generation semiconductor sensing and edge computing to build the foundation of smart living. The company empowers professionals across various service domains to achieve digital and AI transformation, thereby enhancing their value-added services. For years, Rabboni has supported National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) in university social responsibility (USR) programs and MIT-collaborated science outreach projects, as well as medical research initiatives. Through these efforts, Rabboni has developed interdisciplinary platform technologies and established a comprehensive industry chain for smart sensing and wearable technologies.

Rabboni also introduced the TEA Innovation Service Platform, inspired by the concept: “Technology x Experts x Aids = Brew better futures.” In collaboration with Himax’s engineering team, Rabboni successfully completed the development of the bboni Ai platform. An Endpoint AI Startup Competition will soon be co-hosted by Himax, Rabboni, and NYCU, featuring the world’s tiniest and ultralow power bboni Ai system.

About Himax Technologies, Inc.

Himax Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: HIMX) is a leading global fabless semiconductor solution provider dedicated to display imaging processing technologies. The Company’s display driver ICs and timing controllers have been adopted at scale across multiple industries worldwide including TVs, PC monitors, laptops, mobile phones, tablets, automotive, ePaper devices, industrial displays, among others. As the global market share leader in automotive display technology, the Company offers innovative and comprehensive automotive IC solutions, including traditional driver ICs, advanced in-cell Touch and Display Driver Integration (TDDI), local dimming timing controllers (Local Dimming Tcon), Large Touch and Display Driver Integration (LTDI) and OLED display technologies. Himax is also a pioneer in tinyML visual-AI and optical technology related fields. The Company’s industry-leading WiseEye^TM Ultralow Power AI Sensing technology which incorporates Himax proprietary ultralow power AI processor, always-on CMOS image sensor, and CNN-based AI algorithm has been widely deployed in consumer electronics and AIoT related applications. Himax optics technologies, such as diffractive wafer level optics, LCoS microdisplays and 3D sensing solutions, are critical for facilitating emerging AR/VR/metaverse technologies. Additionally, Himax designs and provides touch controllers, OLED ICs, LED ICs, EPD ICs, power management ICs, and CMOS image sensors for diverse display application coverage. Founded in 2001 and headquartered in Tainan, Taiwan, Himax currently employs around 2,200 people from three Taiwan-based offices in Tainan, Hsinchu and Taipei and country offices in China, Korea, Japan, Germany, and the US. Himax has 2,609 patents granted and 370 patents pending approval worldwide as of June 30, 2025.

http://www.himax.com.tw

Forward Looking Statements

Factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those described in this conference call include, but are not limited to, the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on the Company’s business; general business and economic conditions and the state of the semiconductor industry; market acceptance and competitiveness of the driver and non-driver products developed by the Company; demand for end-use applications products; reliance on a small group of principal customers; the uncertainty of continued success in technological innovations; our ability to develop and protect our intellectual property; pricing pressures including declines in average selling prices; changes in customer order patterns; changes in estimated full-year effective tax rate; shortage in supply of key components; changes in environmental laws and regulations; changes in export license regulated by Export Administration Regulations (EAR); exchange rate fluctuations; regulatory approvals for further investments in our subsidiaries; our ability to collect accounts receivable and manage inventory and other risks described from time to time in the Company’s SEC filings, including those risks identified in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in its Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2024 filed with the SEC, as may be amended.

Company Contacts:

Karen Tiao, Head of IR/PR
Himax Technologies, Inc.
Tel: +886-2-2370-3999
Fax: +886-2-2314-0877
Email: hx_ir@himax.com.tw
www.himax.com.tw

Mark Schwalenberg, Director
Investor Relations – US Representative
MZ North America
Tel: +1-312-261-6430
Email: HIMX@mzgroup.us
www.mzgroup.us

The MIL Network –
July 14, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Magnitude 7.0 earthquake hits Indonesia’s Tanimbar Islands – GFZ

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

HONG KONG, July 14 (Xinhua) — A 7.0-magnitude earthquake jolted Indonesia’s Tanimbar Islands at 05:49 GMT on Monday, the German Research Center for Geosciences (GFZ) said.

According to preliminary data, the epicenter was located at a point with coordinates of 6.35 degrees south latitude and 131.35 degrees east longitude. The hypocenter was located at a depth of 10.0 km. –0–

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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MIL OSI Russia News –

July 14, 2025

Category: Science

The Khoja history

Khoja contributions in Africa

Khoja in Uganda

Interfaith identity

The Khoja history

Khoja contributions in Africa

Khoja in Uganda

Interfaith identity

Pirates in the ancient world

The earliest named pirate?

Pirates of the Caribbean

21st-century pirates

Why become a pirate?

The Power in the Proteins

Breaking it Down

Depression’s ‘Silent Consequences’

The Power in the Proteins

Breaking it Down

Depression’s ‘Silent Consequences’

Simplified testing: a major barrier removed

Next steps: call for implementation

Additional WHO recommendations at IAS 2025

When you are a child, the field of “Land Management and Cadastre” cannot be called a dream profession. Everyone wants to become astronauts, doctors, teachers. How did you come to the profession?

One of the facets of student life is exams and tests, preparation for which often makes students nervous. What was the most difficult subject during your studies?

Which teacher are you most grateful to?

Already in your first year you started working in the construction industry. What projects did you manage to work on?

Where did you find yourself?

What principles do you follow in your work?

You are a finalist in the “Leaders of the Construction Industry” competition. What does participation in this competition mean to you?

Daily work often becomes routine. What inspires you and allows you to maintain energy and move forward?

Is it difficult to be a girl in the construction industry – a stereotype or prejudice that still exists today?

If you had the opportunity to go back to your first year, what would you tell yourself then?

January

Afghanistan

Cameroon

Chile

Saudi Arabia

USA

USA

February

Algeria

Benin

China

Serbia

Senegal

Türkiye

March

Latin America

Philippines

Sierra Leone

Türkiye

USA

May

Chile

Côte d’Ivoire

Greece

Türkiye

June

Argentina

Council of Europe

Georgia

Finland

Hungary

Nigeria/UK

Ukraine

USA

Modelling the cleanup

Diplomacy in the digital age: Foreign Secretary’s speech, July 2025

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