NewzIntel.com

Category: Science

  • MIL-OSI China: China innovates carbon footprint assessment

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    Chinese scientists have developed a carbon footprint assessment system which spatializes a carbon footprint by integrating a geographic information system (GIS) into a full life cycle assessment (LCA). This comes as the country has advanced efforts to establish a carbon footprint management program that is both tailored to national conditions and aligned with international standards.

    Software for the GIS-LCA system was released at a seminar focusing on the construction of a carbon footprint management system. The seminar was held in Beijing on Sept. 26, 2024. [Photo courtesy of the Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences]
    Software for this GIS-LCA system was released Thursday at a seminar in Beijing that gathered representatives from relevant government departments, academia, companies and industrial associations.
    During his speech at the seminar, Xie Kechang, academician and former vice president of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, expressed how current international standards do not account for variations in carbon footprints of products that are the same but produced in different locations. He went on to add that this limitation does not suit China’s national conditions well. Xie offered guidance to the team who developed this new carbon footprint assessment system.
    Tian Yajun, chief scientist of the Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and leader of the team who developed this new system, also emphasized the significance of accuracy in carbon footprint calculation, stating that “an accurate and reliable carbon footprint is one of the important foundations for promoting the green and low-carbon transformation of the economy and society.”

    Tian Yajun, chief scientist of the Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and leader of the team developing the GIS-LCA system, spoke during the seminar held in Beijing on Sept. 26, 2024. [Photo courtesy of the Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology at the CAS]
    Both academics highlighted that the integration of GIS with LCA addresses this limitation and enhances assessment accuracy.
    According to Tian, also head of the Extended Energy Big Data and Strategy Research Center at the Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology at the CAS, this carbon footprint assessment system, built on a decade’s worth of accumulated big data, can model real-world scenarios, planning the actual paths of carbon footprints while supporting visualization in the form of flow charts.
    He added that this system can be applied in a wide variety of contexts and by a diverse array of institutions, including products, services, supply chains, companies, industrial parks, industries and governments.
    With this GIS-LCA system, Yueqing city in Zhejiang province has developed China’s first carbon footprint calculation model for local industrial clusters. It has also created a carbon footprint roadmap for electrical product supply chains. On this basis, the model has identified key points and provided plans for carbon reduction.
    In addition, the city has developed the country’s first spatialized, high-resolution background dataset for the electrical industry, as well as has established a public carbon footprint service platform that integrates products, supply chains, industries, businesses, certification bodies and the government.
    “The technology that integrates geographic information with carbon footprint assessment provides an open exploration for establishing the country’s carbon footprint management system, and a good start for us to promote a science-based, standardized and internationally recognized carbon footprint management,” said Xia Yingxian, director general for the Department of Climate Change of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE).
    According to an action plan released in June by the MEE in collaboration with 14 other government departments, China aims to preliminarily establish a carbon footprint management program with national guidelines for calculating product carbon footprints as well as calculation rules and standards for approximately 100 key products by 2027, with the intent to expand this system to include calculation rules and standards for approximately 200 key products by 2030.
    The national guidelines GB/T24067-2024, titled Greenhouse gases—Carbon footprint of products—Requirements and guidelines for qualifications, are scheduled to take effect on Oct. 1.
    Looking ahead, Tian said that he and his team look forward to developing their GIS-LCA system into an important component of China’s carbon footprint management program, and even part of international rules.
    Xia said that the MEE will collaborate with other government departments to motivate stakeholders across society to step up scientific theoretical research; establish calculation standards through pilot efforts in key regions, industries and companies; encourage collaboration in developing a national emission factor database of product carbon footprints; create diverse application scenarios; and advance international and mutual recognition of the standards.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Polytechnic University took part in the large-scale forum “Microelectronics 2024”

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

    The forum “Microelectronics” was held for the tenth time on the federal territory “Sirius”. A key information event in the world of electronic technologies. During its existence, this platform has become one of the most important events of the professional community, thanks to business and scientific programs. The plenary session of the forum was attended by the director of the Institute of Computer Science and Cybersecurity of SPbPU Dmitry Zegzhda.

    Welcoming the forum participants, Russian President Vladimir Putin noted: The electronics industry is one of the key, strategic sectors of the modern economy. The defense capability and security of our country, its industrial and scientific potential, the state of infrastructure, the financial sector, and the quality of life of citizens largely depend on its development.

    At the plenary session dedicated to trusted software and hardware complexes and ECB for critical information infrastructure facilities, information security issues were also discussed. The report “Promising methods of research and assessment of cyber resilience of trusted hardware and software systems for critical information infrastructure facilities” was presented by the director of the SPbPU ISC Dmitry Zegzhda.

    Dmitry Petrovich outlined the paradigm according to which, in his opinion, cyber-resilience of microelectronics should develop: The requirements of trust [there] are more stringent than the requirements of reliability; microelectronics should not only function without failures and be resistant to cyber-influences, but, most importantly, its reaction to external signals should be predictable.

    The key goal of the Microelectronics forum is a comprehensive solution to current issues of development, production and application of domestic electronic component base and highly integrated electronic modules, as well as promoting the development of domestic microelectronics.

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

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    https://vvv.spbstu.ru/media/nevs/science_and_innovations/polytech-became-participant-of-the-large-scale-forum-microelectronics-2024/

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: We invite you to the II Eurasian Marketing Conference “Marketing of Economic Growth”

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

    The State University of Management invites you to take part in the II Eurasian Marketing Conference “Marketing of Economic Growth”, which will be held on November 29-30, 2024 at the State University of Management.

    The aim of the conference is to discuss the impact of marketing on economic growth in the context of destabilization of political, market and social processes.

    The topics of the plenary discussion cover the main areas:

    — The role of Russian marketing in overcoming the negative impact of economic sanctions; — Marketing technologies for developing vacant market niches; — Successes and problems of using digital technologies to accelerate sales; — Reasons for the slow development of B2B marketing; — Acceleration of the implementation of high-tech solutions to achieve import independence based on marketing models, technologies and tools; — New industries and areas of activity for marketers.

    The conference will include the following sections:

    Section 1. Marketing in Greater Eurasia: experience and trends; Section 2. Marketing of innovative products: conquering market niches; Section 3. Development of industrial marketing; Section 4. New digital marketing solutions; Section 5. Loyalty and gamification in marketing; Section 6. Personalization in marketing: finding relevant buyers; Section 7. Marketing technologies in retail and marketplaces; Section 8. Design and capitalization of sustainable brands; Section 9. Development of advertising and PR technologies.

    Conference format: mixed. Participation in the conference is free. To participate in the conference, you must register before October 15, 2024.

    The conference articles will be published in a collection and submitted to the Russian Science Citation Index. The best articles will be published in a monograph by decision of the organizing committee. Details and particulars in the information letter.

    All additional information can be found in the information letter or on the official website of the conference.

    II EURASIAN MARKETING CONFERENCE

    Subscribe to the tg channel “Our State University” Announcement date: 09/27/2024

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

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    We invite you to the II Eurasian Marketing Conference “Marketing of Economic Growth”

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: ECB Consumer Expectations Survey results – August 2024

    Source: European Central Bank

    27 September 2024

    Compared with July 2024:

    • median consumer inflation perceptions over the previous 12 months and consumer inflation expectations for the next 12 months both declined, as did median inflation expectations for three years ahead;
    • expectations for nominal income growth over the next 12 months increased, while expectations for spending growth over the next 12 months remained unchanged;
    • expectations for economic growth over the next 12 months became less negative, while the expected unemployment rate in 12 months’ time decreased;
    • expectations for growth in the price of homes over the next 12 months increased slightly, while expectations for mortgage interest rates 12 months ahead remained unchanged.

    Inflation

    The median rate of perceived inflation over the previous 12 months declined further in August to 3.9%, from 4.1% in July. Perceptions of past inflation have thus declined by 4.5 percentage points since their peak of 8.4% in September 2023. Meanwhile, inflation expectations at the one-year and three-year horizons remained below the perceived past inflation rate. Median expectations for inflation over the next 12 months edged down to 2.7%, from 2.8% previously, and stood at their lowest level since September 2021. Median expectations for inflation three years ahead edged down by 0.1 percentage points in August to 2.3%, back to their June level. Uncertainty about inflation expectations over the next 12 months remained unchanged at its lowest level since February 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine. While the broad evolution of inflation perceptions and expectations remained relatively closely aligned across income groups, expectations for lower income quintiles were slightly above those for higher income quintiles. Younger respondents (aged 18-34) continued to report lower inflation perceptions and expectations than older respondents (those aged 35-54 and 55-70). (Inflation results)

    Income and consumption

    Consumer nominal income growth expectations increased to 1.2%, from 1.1% in June. The increase in income expectations was mainly driven by the lowest two quintiles. Perceptions of nominal spending growth over the previous 12 months decreased further to 5.2%, from 5.4% in July and 5.8% in June. The latest datapoint continues a sustained decline which started in March 2023. Expectations for nominal spending growth over the next 12 months remained stable at 3.2%. Nominal spending expectations are at their lowest level since February 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine. (Income and consumption results)

    Economic growth and labour market

    Economic growth expectations for the next 12 months became less negative, standing at -0.9%, compared with -1.0% in July. Meanwhile, expectations for the unemployment rate 12 months ahead decreased to 10.4%, from 10.6% in July, their lowest level since the start of the series. Consumers continued to expect the future unemployment rate to be only slightly higher than the perceived current unemployment rate (10.0%), implying a broadly stable labour market. The lowest income quintile continued to report the highest expected and perceived unemployment rate, as well as the lowest economic growth expectations. (Economic growth and labour market results)

    Housing and credit access

    In August consumers expected the price of their home to increase by 2.7% over the next 12 months, which was slightly higher than in July (2.6%). Households in the lowest income quintile continued to expect higher growth in house prices than those in the highest income quintile (3.2% and 2.5% respectively). Expectations for mortgage interest rates 12 months ahead remained stable at 4.8%. As in previous months, the lowest income households expected the highest mortgage interest rates 12 months ahead (5.5%). The net percentage of households reporting a tightening (relative to those reporting an easing) in access to credit over the previous 12 months increased marginally, as did the net percentage of those expecting a tightening over the next 12 months. Nevertheless, both indicators remained close to levels last seen in the second quarter of 2022. (Housing and credit access results)

    The release of the CES results for September is scheduled for 25 October 2024.

    For media queries, please contact: Eszter Miltényi-Torstensson, Tel: +49 171 769 5305

    Notes

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: “Science in Faces” in Novosibirsk: Heroes Among Us

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –

    On October 1, the Novosibirsk State University will open the exhibition “Science in Faces” – a gallery of portraits of outstanding Russian scientists, engineers, authors of innovative developments, and laureates of the Russian Presidential Prize in Science and Innovation for Young Scientists.

    In 2024, the heroine of the Science in Faces project was a graduate Faculty of Natural Sciences of NSU, head of the gene immunotherapy group at the M.M. Shemyakin and Yu.A. Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Irina Alekseenko is the developer of a non-viral gene therapy drug for the treatment of cancer.

    The drug for the treatment of solid tumors, developed by Irina Alekseenko’s team, was the first in Russia to receive permission to conduct a clinical trial. The first phase of the study involved patients for whom traditional treatment methods had been exhausted, with a number of patients showing positive dynamics and stabilization of the disease, and none of the patients had serious adverse events associated with the drug.

    Irina Alekseenko will talk about the development and research during the events scientific and production forum of NSU “Golden Valley”, which will take place October 31-November 1. She will be a speaker in the section “Medicine and Pharmaceutical Industry” and will also hold a meeting with university students.

    Among the heroes of the exhibition are also young Novosibirsk scientists: Ekaterina Grizanova, PhD in Biology, leading research fellow at the Novosibirsk State Agrarian University; Sergey Pavlushin, PhD in Biology, senior research fellow at the Laboratory of Ecological Physiology at the Institute of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, who have been awarded the Russian Presidential Prize in different years; and Sergey Adonin, Doctor of Chemical Sciences, leading research fellow at the A.V. Nikolaev Institute of Inorganic Chemistry of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

    The exhibition “Science in Faces” will be available for visiting in the educational building (1 Pirogova St.), in the lobby of the second floor until November 1. The exposition will include portraits of participants in all three seasons of the project – authors of innovative developments and scientific achievements in the field of medicine and biotechnology, IT technologies, transport, metallurgy, space industry, mining and petrochemistry, agriculture, nuclear industry and others. In particular, the heroes of the third season were the authors of a bioprinter for “growing” tissues from cellular material, units of spacecraft of the federal project “SPHERE”, domestic AURUS cars, the Russian neural network Kandinsky, catalysts for petrochemistry and other developments.

    In the fall of 2024, the Science in Faces exhibition will be presented at the sites of the largest Russian universities in the country’s regions, and in a number of universities, the project’s heroes will give live lectures and talk about their scientific achievements, the development of Russian science, and career prospects for young scientists in various fields.

    Portraits of key representatives of Russian science and technology sector can be seen in universities of Novosibirsk, Kazan, St. Petersburg, Arkhangelsk, Vladivostok, Nizhny Novgorod, Perm, Tyumen, Ufa, Samara, Berdyansk. In November, the exhibition will be presented at the IV Congress of Young Scientists on the federal territory “Sirius”.

    The exhibition “Science in Faces” is part of the “Science Nearby” initiative of the Decade of Science and Technology, declared by the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation. The exhibition is held with the grant support of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation and with the support of the Coordinating Council for Youth Affairs in the Scientific and Educational Spheres of the Council under the President of the Russian Federation for Science and Education. The project partner is SIBUR.

    Information about the project heroes is available on the Decade of Science and Technology website:https://science.rf.

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

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    http://vvv.nsu.ru/n/media/nevs/atmosphere/science-in-faces-in-Novosibirsk-heroes-among-us/

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Olympic Games and other major events: participation in the process

    MIL OSI Translation. Government of the Republic of France statements from French to English –

    Source: Switzerland – Department of Foreign Affairs in French

    Federal Council

    Bern, 27.09.2024 – In Switzerland, we have the legal basis and the necessary instruments to enable the population to participate in the planning and organisation of the Olympic Games and other major events. This is the conclusion of the report drawn up in response to the postulate of the Committee for Science, Education and Culture NC (21.3022) “Olympic Games and other major events. Participation in the process”. The Federal Council approved the report in question at its meeting on 27 September 2024.

    The Swiss population has sufficient opportunities to participate in the planning and organisation of the Olympic Games and other major events. There is therefore no need to adapt the existing legal framework to ensure greater involvement of the population and Parliament. This is the conclusion reached by the Federal Council in its report in response to the postulate of the Committee on Science, Education and Culture CN (21.3022) “Olympic Games and other major events. Participation in the process”. The report in question concerns the participation of the population and Parliament in the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games only. However, the conclusions reached can also be applied to other major events that are not necessarily in the sporting sphere.

    Decisive involvement of the local population

    The challenge of planning and organising the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games is primarily faced by the host regions and localities in Switzerland. It is therefore very important that the local and regional population can be involved in the process.

    All cantons already have an effective instrument in place with the financial referendum, which allows the population to express their views. Other tools (such as the consultative vote) ensure the participation of those directly affected in the municipalities and regions.

    Sufficiently solid existing legal bases

    At the level of the Confederation, the Federal Assembly makes decisions on expenditure. It is not possible to launch a financial referendum here. However, Parliament could, by means of a decision of principle or planning decision (Art. 28 of the Parliament Act), define general conditions – for example concerning financing, sustainability objectives, etc. – that would have to be taken into account in the future when planning and organising Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Switzerland. If Parliament also validates the scope of such a decision, it would then be subject to an optional referendum.

    All other essential conditions are already regulated in the existing legal bases, which also apply to the support and organisation of the Olympic Games. The Federal Council therefore concludes in its report that there is no need to establish new legal bases.

    Address for sending questions

    Communication OFSPO 41 58 467 61 33info@baspo.admin.ch

    Author

    Federal Councilhttps://www.admin.ch/gov/fr/accueil.html

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI Global: The Conversation Writers Prize, in partnership with The Curtis Brown Group and Faber

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jo Adetunji, Editor

    The Conversation

    Are you an academic keen to develop a writing career? Do you have a book idea that has the potential to be a nonfiction bestseller?

    The Conversation Insights, in partnership with talent agency The Curtis Brown Group and book publisher Faber, is looking for the best longform article and nonfiction book idea aimed at a general audience from our community of academics.

    If you are an expert in your field who wants to develop your writing career for a wider audience, enter your 2,000-word story for a chance to win £1,000, online publication of your article on The Conversation’s website, and mentorship for developing a nonfiction book from a literary agent from Curtis Brown and a Faber book editor.

    As part of your submission, we’d also like you to include an idea for a trade nonfiction book on your article subject. Please pitch your proposed book idea in 350 words or less and explain why you’re the right person to write this book.

    Submissions should be in the following areas: History, Arts + Culture, Business + Economy, Education, Environment, Health, Politics + Society, Science + Technology or World.

    To enter, please email your 2,000-word article, plus the following information, to writersprize@theconversation.com:

    Name

    Institution

    Country

    Email

    Telephone no.

    Your book idea [max 350 words]
    Please provide a brief summary of a trade nonfiction book idea based on your article. Tell us why this topic deserves a deeper dive and why it would appeal to an audience of non-academic readers.

    About you [max 100 words]
    Tell us a little about you – your current role, your area of expertise and any relevant research to your book idea. Why would you be the right author for this book?

    Please disclose any conflicts of interest that should be mentioned in relation to your article or book idea.

    Terms & Conditions[Pdf] – please read carefully.

    You can read more about what we’re looking for here [Pdf].

    – ref. The Conversation Writers Prize, in partnership with The Curtis Brown Group and Faber – https://theconversation.com/the-conversation-writers-prize-in-partnership-with-the-curtis-brown-group-and-faber-238806

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI: MOBIA Technology Innovations Proudly Earns a Place on The Globe and Mail’s Sixth Annual Ranking of Canada’s Top Growing Companies

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DARTMOUTH, Nova Scotia, Sept. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — MOBIA Technology Innovations is delighted to announce it has ranked No. 274 in the 2024 Report on Business magazine’s ranking of Canada’s Top Growing Companies.

    Canada’s Top Growing Companies ranks Canadian companies on three-year revenue growth. MOBIA earned its place on the list for a fourth year in a row with three-year growth of 140%.

    MOBIA’s passion for creating value for customers fuels innovation and drives the company to push the limits of what’s possible, creating custom technology solutions to solve complex business problems. Added to its deep technical bench, this focus on innovation has helped MOBIA achieve growth during a time of economic uncertainty. “The rise of new technologies, like artificial intelligence, machine learning, and automation, has opened a whole new world of opportunities for our customers,” said Mike Reeves, President at MOBIA. “But the evolution of these technologies creates its share of challenges, too. As a company, we’re committed to being the partner they can lean on to execute complex business transformations that create competitive advantage in shifting markets.”

    Canada’s Top Growing Companies is an editorial ranking that was launched in 2019 to celebrate the achievements of innovative businesses in Canada. To qualify for this voluntary program, companies had to complete an in-depth application process and fulfill revenue requirements. In total, 416 companies earned a spot on this year’s ranking.

    The full list of 2024 winners along with editorial coverage is published in the October issue of Report on Business magazine.

    “Our annual ranking of Canada’s Top Growing Companies reflects the sector-spanning ingenuity of this country’s entrepreneurs and corporate leaders,” says Dawn Calleja, Editor of Report on Business magazine. “And we think it’s important to tell their stories, to help inspire the next generation of up-and-comers across the country.”

    “The Globe and Mail congratulates this year’s Canada’s Top Growing Companies’ winners for achieving exceptional growth and resilience in facing business challenges,” says Andrew Saunders, CEO of The Globe and Mail. “It is a testament to dedication, strategic vision, and innovative drive.”

    ABOUT THE GLOBE AND MAIL

    The Globe and Mail is Canada’s foremost news media company, leading the national discussion and causing policy change through brave and independent journalism since 1844. With our award-winning coverage of business, politics and national affairs, The Globe and Mail newspaper reaches 6.2 million readers every week in our print or digital formats, and Report on Business magazine reaches 2.9 million readers in print and digital every issue. Our investment in innovative data science means that as the world continues to change, so does The Globe. The Globe and Mail is owned by Woodbridge, the investment arm of the Thomson family.

    ABOUT MOBIA
    MOBIA is a leading expert in business transformation and innovative enterprise technology systems. With hundreds of customers across North America, MOBIA partners with organizations of all sizes, across all verticals to transform the way they work. Focused on people, processes, technology, and culture, MOBIA helps businesses reach their full potential. MOBIA is proud to be recognized as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies and Canada’s Top Growing Companies. To learn more, visit Mobia.io

    To learn more about MOBIA contact Nicole Murphy at nicole.murphy@mobia.io.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The second summit of Slavic universities took place at the Polytechnic University

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

    On September 26, the Polytechnic University hosted the second summit of Slavic universities “Slavic Horizon-2024”. The event was organized by the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation and Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University.

    The summit was attended by delegations from four Slavic universities: Russian-Armenian, Belarusian-Russian, Kyrgyz-Russian and Russian-Tajik, as well as representatives of Russian universities involved in the project.

    The plenary session was opened by the Vice-Rector for Educational Activities of SPbPU Lyudmila Pankova: It was not for nothing that we called the event a discussion platform, we discuss all aspects of education – from teaching methods to interaction with employers. Collaboration with the second summit of Slavic universities “Slavic Horizon-2024” will allow us to expand the boundaries and transfer the best educational practices.

    Dean of the Physics and Technology Faculty of Tomsk State University Yulia Ryzhikh presented in her report a new image of the higher education system using the TSU case as an example.

    Today, the system of higher education in the Russian Federation is undergoing significant changes. And it is very important to understand in what context we should build further cooperation in order to ensure the quality of the educational process, – emphasized Yulia Nikolaevna.

    Svetlana Barabantseva, Head of the Department for Working with Young Talents at Severstal, and Zoya Makarovskaya, Chairperson of the Union of Higher Education Methodologists, also spoke.

    Vice-Rector for International Affairs of SPbPU Dmitry Arsenyev opened the topic of the global presence of Russian education in the world space and presented in his report the approaches and tools that the Polytechnic University is implementing.

    At the session “Expanding the Russian Presence in the Global World,” colleagues from Slavic universities spoke about their experience of educational cooperation with Russian universities.

    We have been meeting for the second year at the Saint Petersburg Polytechnic University, which is our strategic partner in the development of educational, scientific and educational processes. The presence of such a platform gives us the opportunity to communicate with the management of other Russian universities, with the administration and our curators from the Polytechnic University, to develop common points of view, to form platforms and, in general, a common view on the development of Slavic universities, – believes Natalia Vologina, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs at BRU.

    Vice-Rector for International and Scientific-Innovative Activities of KRSU Viktor Denisenko noted the steps towards modernization in the educational process that were taken with the participation of the Polytechnic this year.

    Director of the Center for Social and Cultural Adaptation and Intercultural Communication of the Russian Language Institute of RUDN University Maria Alimova spoke about joint work in the field of support and promotion of the Russian language with Slavic universities, events and programs being implemented.

    Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs of RAU Marina Khachatryan shared her experience in implementing educational programs with Russian universities, including the Polytechnic University.

    The international experience of educational cooperation was presented by the consortium “Russian-African Network University” represented by the Deputy Director of the International Cooperation Department of SPbPU and Secretary of RAFU Alla Mazina.

    At the summit, SPbPU and KRSU signed an agreement on nine network educational programs in the following areas: infocommunication technologies and communication systems, electronics and nanoelectronics, instrument making, electric power engineering, mechanics, architectural environment design, software engineering, construction, and technosphere safety.

    The main thing in the “Slavic Universities” project is to support our partners in developing a development program based on the experience of the Polytechnic University, in focusing on its acceleration, so that they become leaders in their countries, models of quality education, noted Dmitry Arsenyev.

    The business part of the day ended with a seminar for heads of development programs, where each university presented the current status of their implementation.

    The Slavic Summit is a unique format that was created a year ago and has proven to be very effective. “Slavic Universities”, each in its own country, with its own specifics, are united by a common task set by the relevant ministries and leaders of the countries. In solving these tasks, they face similar problems. The summit provides an opportunity for an open discussion that helps find solutions to common problems, share unique specifics and national characteristics, understand what mechanisms can work, and how to apply experience and ideas in different countries. We plan to continue this format of interaction, as it allows synchronization and gives a powerful impetus for development for the next year, – summed up the head of the Slavic Universities project office, deputy head of the International Cooperation Department Nikita Golovin.

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

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    https://www.spbstu.ru/media/news/international_activities/v-politekhe-sostoyalsya-vtoroy-summit-slavyanskikh-universitetov/

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Oxford City Council response to planning inspectors’ findings on its draft Local Plan 2040

    Source: City of Oxford

    Oxford City Council’s plans to tackle Oxford’s housing crisis face a setback as planning inspectors have recommended the withdrawal of its draft Local Plan 2040.

    The Council submitted the plan for public examination by the Planning Inspectorate (PINS) in March. Inspectors then held an initial set of public hearings in June to decide whether the Local Plan 2040 satisfies national planning policy and other legal requirements. 

    The urgent need for homes

    The PINS has accepted the Council’s approach to maximising the number of new homes that can be built within city boundaries by 2040, with 481 a year proposed. 

    However, inspectors have rejected the Council’s assessment that 1,322 homes a year are needed in total, with 841 of these needing to be built outside Oxford’s boundaries. 

    Oxfordshire’s thriving life science and technology sectors mean the county has been one of the few hotspots in a stagnating UK economy for some time. Economic growth creates the need for more homes than allowed for in the National Planning Policy Framework’s (NPPF) default ‘standard method’ for calculating how many homes are needed. 

    Inspectors had previously agreed Oxfordshire’s exceptional circumstances justified the need for more homes. Oxford’s existing Local Plan 2036 and those of its neighbouring districts are based on this foundation and the districts have already agreed to build 14,300 homes to meet Oxford’s needs. 

    The Local Plan 2040 takes a similar approach in using job and population growth forecasts to assess how many homes are needed. The inspectors have now U-turned and said there are no exceptional circumstances justifying the need for more homes, even despite continued strong economic growth.  

    This means the Council would need to use the standard method calculation of 762 homes a year. 

    This is not enough to meet the need for new homes, even if economic factors are disregarded. The need for affordable housing alone would require 700 new homes a year.  

    Oxford is one of the least affordable places to live in the UK, with average house prices more than 12 times household earnings and more than 3,300 households on the waiting list for council housing. 

    The PINS U-turn also flies in the face of the new Labour government’s intention to set new mandatory housing targets requiring a 59% increase in the number of homes to be delivered in Oxfordshire – an extra 1,900 a year countywide. 

    Duty to cooperate

    Despite a long history of collaborative working with stakeholders and neighbouring councils on planning issues affecting Oxfordshire, the PINS has also concluded the council failed to meet its ‘duty to cooperate’ in preparing the Local Plan 2040.  

    This finding relates to a single five-month period in 2022 after the collapse of the Oxfordshire Plan 2050 that involved all five district councils. In this period, the Council was working with Cherwell District Council to commission the HENA as a joint evidence base for their respective plans.  

    Oxfordshire’s other districts declined the invitation to take part in this project. However, they were offered the opportunity to engage with the findings of the work. 

    While the Council strongly disputes the inspectors’ findings as it is confident it engaged appropriately with neighbouring councils, the NPPF provides no mechanism to appeal them. 

    The Council is currently considering its options. However, any amendment to the Local Plan 2040 would mean the need for further public consultation and delay any implementation of the plan.   

    Comment 

    “We are alarmed and extremely disappointed by the recommendation to withdraw our Local Plan 2040 from public examination.  

    “The planning inspectors have failed to grasp the seriousness of Oxford’s housing crisis and the number of new homes we need to tackle this crisis – and don’t appear to have heeded the clear message from government which requires all councils to up their housing delivery ambitions.  

    “The logical outcome of the inspectors’ conclusions will be a delay to proactively planning for the homes we need. The reality is that while the City Council are builders, there are others elsewhere who are blockers. Waiting for a situation where all councils in Oxfordshire are agreed on housing numbers and cross-boundary matters is just not realistic. That’s why the government is planning the reintroduction of mandatory housing delivery targets.” 

    “Our approach hasn’t changed. Yet the PINS now says there are no exceptional circumstances and we should now use the current ‘standard method’ – already rejected by the new government – for working out how many homes we need. This would mean fewer homes being built, and far fewer than we actually need. 

    “The current standard method is not fit for purpose and flies in the face of the government’s policy intention to overhaul a broken national planning system and deliver 1.5 million homes. The current standard method does not even take account of population increases that have already happened in Oxford and across Oxfordshire recorded in the census. Using this discredited method to calculate how many homes we need would make the city’s housing crisis worse.  

    “Oxford City Council also disputes the finding it has not met the duty to cooperate. We have a longstanding history of working collaboratively with neighbouring councils and other stakeholders on planning issues affecting Oxfordshire – including during the preparation of this plan.  

    “The duty to cooperate is not a duty to agree. Nor should it be a charter for those who object the loudest to be able to block the building of desperately needed homes.” 

    Councillor Susan Brown, Leader of Oxford City Council

    The inspectors’ recommendation (PDF), the Council’s response (PDF) and a summary briefing note are on the Council’s website. 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Inaugurated High-Performance Computing (HPC) System tailored for Weather and Climate Research

    Source: Government of India

    Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Inaugurated High-Performance Computing (HPC) System tailored for Weather and Climate Research

    The New HPC Systems named ‘Arka’ and ‘Arunika’ – Reflecting their Connection to Surya, the Primary Energy Source for the Earth System

    Posted On: 27 SEP 2024 1:42PM by PIB Delhi

    The Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi has inaugurated the High-Performance Computing (HPC) system – tailored for weather and climate research, acquired by the Ministry of Earth Sciences.

    The ambitious project represents an investment of ₹850 crore, marking a significant leap in India’s computational capabilities for more reliable and accurate weather and climate forecasting particularly extreme events. Located at two key sites—the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) at Pune and the National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF) at Noida.

    The IITM system is equipped with an impressive capacity of 11.77 Peta FLOPS and 33 petabytes of storage, while the NCMRWF facility features 8.24 Peta FLOPS with 24 petabytes of storage. Additionally, there is a dedicated standalone system for Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning applications with a capacity of 1.9 Peta FLOPS.

    With this augmentation, the Ministry of Earth Sciences will enhance its total computing power to 22 Peta FLOPS, a substantial increase from the previous capacity of 6.8 Peta FLOPS.

    In keeping with tradition, these state-of-the-art systems have been named after celestial entities connected to the sun. Previous systems were named Aditya, Bhaskara, Pratyush, and Mihir. The new HPC systems are aptly named ‘Arka’ and ‘Arunika,’ reflecting their connection to Surya—the sun, the primary energy source for the Earth system.

    The enhanced computational framework will enable the development of sophisticated models leveraging advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, thereby significantly improving the last-mile services rendered to various stakeholders.

    The enhanced computational capabilities provided by the HPC System will allow the Ministry of Earth Sciences to further improve existing data assimilation capabilities and refine physics and dynamics of its global weather prediction models at higher horizontal resolution. Furthermore, regional models will achieve finer resolutions of 1 km or less over select Indian domains. These high-resolution models will significantly enhance the accuracy and lead time of predictions related to tropical cyclones, heavy precipitation, thunderstorms, hailstorms, heat waves, droughts, and other extreme weather phenomena.

    Leveraging these advanced HPC Systems, the Ministry of Earth Sciences aims to significantly improve the precision and reliability of weather forecasts, ensuring better preparedness and response to the challenges posed by climate variability and extreme weather events.

    *****

    AG

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Health Ministry Releases Revised Operational Guidelines and Training Manual of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Union Health Ministry Releases Revised Operational Guidelines and Training Manual of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

    India has taken the lead in recognising NAFLD as a major Non-Communicable Disease: Union Health Secretary

    “NAFLD is rapidly emerging as a major public health concern, closely linked with metabolic disorders such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases”

    “The release of these documents will provide a framework for health workers at all levels, from community health workers to medical officers”

    Posted On: 27 SEP 2024 12:21PM by PIB Delhi

    The Union Health Ministry released the revised Operational Guidelines and Training Module of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, here today. These documents are designed to improve patient care and outcomes related to NAFLD through informed, evidence-based practices.

    Addressing the session, Shri Apurva Chandra, Union Health Secretary said that “India has taken the lead in recognising NAFLD as a major NCD”. He said, “NAFLD is rapidly emerging as a major public health concern, closely linked with metabolic disorders such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Out of 10, one to three people can have NAFLD which highlights the impact of the disease.”

    Shri Chandra highlighted that “the release of revised operational guidelines and training modules reflects the importance being given by the Union Health Ministry to curb the disease.” He said these documents will provide a framework for health workers at all levels, from community health workers to medical officers. He also emphasized the importance of continuum of care for people who have been diagnosed with NCDs and underlined the need for lifestyle modification for reducing the prevalence of NAFLD.

    Speaking on the occasion, Smt. Punya Salila Srivastava, Officer on Special Duty, Union Health Ministry said that “these guidelines need to reach the grassroot level workers so that the disease is detected early and the burden of NAFLD is reduced.” She said that the release of training module is a significant addition to India’s efforts to build capacities amongst Healthcare professionals to tackle the rising burden of NCDs in India.

    Dr S K Sarin, Director, Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS) said that the release of the two documents is a momentous step whose results will be reflected in the next few years. He noted that many non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer are linked to liver health, underscoring the importance of maintaining a healthy liver.

    Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) are accounting for more than 66% of death in the country. NCDs are strongly associated and causally linked with major behaviour risk factors such as tobacco use (smoking & smokeless), alcohol use, poor dietary habits, insufficient physical activity, and air pollution.

    Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Diseases (NAFLD) is emerging as an important cause of liver disease in India. It could be assuming a silent epidemic with community prevalence ranging from 9% to 32%, depending on age, gender, area of residence and socioeconomic status. In other words, we are saying that out of 10 persons 1 to 3 persons will be having Fatty liver or related disease.

    India contributes high numbers for NCDs globally and one of the core causes of metabolic diseases is in liver. Realizing the growing burden and urgent need to address it, India became the first country to integrate the NAFLD in the National Programme for Prevention and Control of NCDs in 2021.

    Considering the recent evidence-based interventions in the field of NAFLD, there was a dire need to revise the guidelines with updated information for prevention, control and management to equip the medical care providers and help in prevention and control of NAFLD.  

    The guidelines focus on health promotion and early detection which are important for ensuring that patients with NAFLD receive timely and appropriate care. It also advocates for a multidisciplinary approach, integrating the efforts of healthcare providers from various discipline to offer a holistic care to individual affected by NAFLD.

    The effective management of NAFLD requires not only a sound understanding of the disease condition but also a capacity to implement evidence-based interventions at all level of healthcare. The Training Module for NAFLD is developed to complement Operational Guidelines and help in building capacity of healthcare professionals with knowledge and skills necessary to identify, manage, prevent NAFLD particularly at primary level. The module covers a wide range of topic including epidemiology, risk factors, screening, diagnostic protocol and standardized treatment guidelines. It also reinforces the importance of early detection, patient education, lifestyle modification and integrated care strategies to improve health outcomes.

    Shri Jaideep Kumar Mishra, Addl. Secy and Financial Adviser, Health Ministry; Smt. L S Changsan, Addl. Secy, Health Ministry; Smt. Latha Ganpathy, Joint Secretary, Health Ministry and senior officers from the Union Health Ministry were present in the meeting. Representatives from all 36 States/UTs, development partners and experts from WHO, ILBS, AIIMS, CMC Vellore, JIPMER, SGPGIMS, PGIMER and RML Hospital also joined the meeting virtually.

    ******

    MV

    HFW/ Release of NAFLD Guidelines/27th September 2024/2

     

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Africa – Huawei Advocates for Strong Collaboration Between Governments

    Nairobi, September 27, 2024

    Huawei Advocates for Strong Collaboration Between Governments, Private Sector and Academia to Drive Innovation Leveraging Konza and Local Universities.

    Huawei has called for deeper collaboration between governments, the private sector and academia as a key strategy to drive innovation, foster economic growth, and create sustainable development solutions.

    Speaking at a Round Table on Partnerships for Development Through Science Parks and Areas of Innovation, on the sideline of the 41st IASP World Conference between September 24-27 2024 in Nairobi, Adam Lane, Director of Government Affairs and Policy at Huawei Kenya emphasized the importance of partnerships in leveraging cutting-edge technologies to address pressing local, regional and global challenges.

    “In the last 5 years we have worked closely with Konza in providing infrastructure and training for Jitume Labs as well as funding research into how to enhance their effectiveness; we also plan to support events to bring more partners on board to Jitume. We are collaborating with Machakos University to set-up an IoT Lab and contributing content for the Bachelors in IoT and Cloud Computing as well as supporting innovation competitions and hackathons with universities and TVETs across the country. Through these partnerships we can unlock the full potential of digital transformation” Mr. Lane said.

    Collective expertise

    Mr. Lane said leveraging the collective expertise of governments, businesses, and academic and research institutions will create innovative ecosystems that support digital transformation and foster environments where innovation thrives.

    He noted that through collaboration, governments, academic institutions and businesses can jointly solve complex challenges and harness new opportunities in areas like smart cities, connectivity, and digital inclusion.

    “Huawei has partnered with Konza Technopolis and Machakos University amongst others because we believe that the collective expertise of governments, businesses, and academic institutions can create a powerful engine for sustainable innovation,” Lane said.  

    He said that while Huawei embraces partnerships that bring greater impacts, the Company also recommends focusing on one’s strengths and niche areas; highlighting an ongoing program using AI for special needs as one example.

    “At Huawei, we believe that technology can be a force for good. We are committed to collaborating with governments, academia and industry leaders to develop innovative solutions that address the unique needs of communities around us as we strive to create a brighter future for all,” Mr. Lane noted.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Newsom announces appointments 9.26.24

    Source: US State of California 2

    Sep 26, 2024

    SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:

    Shelly Guyer, of San Francisco, has been appointed to the California Volunteers Commission. Guyer was Chief Sustainability Officer at Invitae Corporation from 2021 to 2022 and Chief Financial Officer there from 2017 to 2021. She was Chief Financial Officer at Veracyte Inc. from 2013 to 2016. Guyer was Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President of Finance and Administration at iRhythm Technologies Inc. from 2008 to 2012. She was Vice President of Business Development and Investor Relations at Nuvelo Inc. from 2006 to 2007. Guyer held several roles at JPMorgan Securities/Hambrecht & Quist from 1988 to 2006, including Associate, Vice President and Principal. She was a Science Associate and Consultant at the Environmental Defense Fund from 1982 to 1986. Guyer is a Board Member of NGM Bio Holdings Inc. and the Penney Family Fund. She is a Trustee Emerita at Phillips Academy. She earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of California, Berkeley and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Politics from Princeton University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Guyer is a Democrat.

    Jeffrey Hoffman, of Long Beach, has been reappointed to the California Volunteers Commission, where he has served since 2005. Hoffman has been a Founding Leader at The Conference Board since 2014 and President of Jeff Hoffman & Associates since 2010. He held several positions with The Walt Disney Company from 1978 to 2010, including Vice President, Disney Worldwide Outreach from 2001 to 2010, Director of The Disney University and Corporate Human Resources from 1985 to 2001, and several roles in Disneyland Theme Park Operations from 1978 to 1985. Hoffman is a member of the Board of Directors at Points of Light, a Founding Chair at the California Volunteers Fund, a member of the Board of Advisors at the Center on Philanthropy and Public Policy at the University of Southern California, and Vice Chair of the Queen Mary Land Development Task Force, City of Long Beach. Hoffman earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Pepperdine University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Relations, Cinema and Television from the University of Southern California. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Hoffman is a Republican.

    Sean Varner, of Riverside, has been appointed to the California Volunteers Commission. Varner has been a Managing Partner at Varner & Brandt LLP since 2006. He is a Board Member of the Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital Foundation, the First Tee of the Inland Empire, the National Orange Show, and the Riverside ExCITE Business Incubator and Accelerator. He is Vice-President of the Monday Morning Group. Varner is a member of the University of California Board of Regents Selection Advisory Committee, the University of California, Riverside Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on Intercollegiate Athletics, the Young Presidents’ Organization and the Inland Empire Community Foundation – Policy and Advocacy Committee. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the Pepperdine School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and International Relations from the University of California, Los Angeles. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Varner is a Republican. 

    Helio Brasil, of Ripon, has been appointed to the 2nd District Agricultural Association, San Joaquin County Fair Board of Directors. Brasil has been Superintendent of the Keyes Union School District since 2017. Brasil is a member of the Small School Districts’ Association, California Association of School Administrators and the Advisory Commission on Charter Schools at the State Board of Education. He earned a Doctor of Education and a Master of Education degree from St. Mary’s College and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from California State University, Stanislaus. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Brasil is a Democrat. 
     
    Lisa Fox-Evans, of Stockton, has been appointed to the 2nd District Agricultural Association, San Joaquin County Fair Board of Directors. Evans has been Senior Office Administrator at the San Joaquin County Hospital since 2012. Evans has been Executive Director at Angela’s Team Empire Inc. since 2018. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Evans is a Democrat.

    Amy Raymondo, of Orland, has been appointed to the 42nd District Agricultural Association, Glenn County Fair Board of Directors. Raymondo has been an RCM Senior Manager and Client Executive at Veradigm since 2019. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Raymondo is a Republican.

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    Sep 26, 2024

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Mashatile undertakes working visits to Ireland and the UK

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Deputy President Paul Mashatile is today undertaking a working visit to Ireland to reinforce South Africa’s historic and warm bilateral relations with the nation. 

    The Deputy President is expected to meet his Irish counterpart, Prime Minister Simon Harris, to reaffirm the strong political and diplomatic ties between the two countries.

    According to the Presidency, South Africa and Ireland established diplomatic relations over 30 years ago and relations between both nations encompass a broad spectrum of cooperation, such as trade and investment, education, science and innovation and gender equality. 

    “Ireland’s developmental programmes have greatly assisted many initiatives in South Africa since 1994, and the partnership continues to this day,” the statement read. 

    During the visit, the Deputy President will participate in the South Africa-Ireland Trade and Investment Round Table with Irish companies that are already invested in or intend to invest in South Africa. 

    He is also expected to deliver remarks at the Irish Tech Challenge South Africa, established to support innovation and entrepreneurship by fostering connections between the South African and Irish tech ecosystems.

    The Deputy President will be accompanied to Ireland by the Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition Andrew Whitfield. 

    Once he wraps up his Ireland visit, the country’s second-in-command will then proceed to the United Kingdom from Saturday, 29 September to Friday, 4 October 2024. 

    “The visit will focus on showcasing South Africa as an investment destination of choice and strive to identify and create new trade opportunities for South African businesses, especially small and medium enterprises.” 

    The island nation is also one of South Africa’s most significant bilateral partners in the northern hemisphere, particularly in trade, investment, skills development, science, innovation, the Just Energy Transition and tourism, among others. 

    The Deputy President is expected to engage selected investors and trade partners invited in cooperation with economic partners in the United Kingdom and deliver a lecture at School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) University in London, focusing on South Africa’s forthcoming Presidency of the G20. 

    “The Deputy President will also pay a courtesy call on the Duke of Edinburgh, and meet the Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Angela Rayner.” 

    He will be accompanied by the International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola, Minister in the Presidency responsible for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Maropene Ramokgopa, Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson, Small Business Development Minister Stella Ndabeni Abrahams and some of the Deputy Ministers from various departments. – SAnews.gov.za
     

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: President Lai presides over first meeting of Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience Committee

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan

    President Lai presides over first meeting of Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience Committee
    President Lai presides over first meeting of Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience Committee
    2024-09-26

    On the afternoon of September 26, President Lai Ching-te presided over the first meeting of the Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience Committee. As the committee’s convener, the president presented committee members with their letters of appointment, and explained that in order to build up our whole-of-society defense resilience, we will actively engage in comprehensive preparation to make our nation stronger and our people more confident. The president stated that we will enhance Taiwan’s response capabilities and expand cooperation between the public and private sectors. He stated that he looks forward to working together with everyone to establish a platform through which we can communicate and coordinate on our national resilience strategy, fostering a national consensus, and strengthening resilience throughout Taiwan in national defense, economic livelihoods, disaster prevention, and democracy.
    President Lai stated that a more resilient Taiwan will contribute more to global democracy, peace, and prosperity. He emphasized that as our society becomes better prepared, our nation grows more secure; and as Taiwan shows more determination to defend itself, the international community will feel more at ease. He expressed hope that we will engage in wide-ranging discussions and build a fortress of unity, making Taiwan a cornerstone for ensuring regional stability and democratic sustainability.
    A translation of President Lai’s opening statement follows:
    In order to consolidate forces from various sectors to strategize on national development, at the end of my first month in office, I announced that the Presidential Office will establish three committees in response to three major global issues: climate change, health promotion, and social resilience. Last month we convened the first meetings for two of those committees – the National Climate Change Committee and the Healthy Taiwan Promotion Committee.
    Today, we are convening the first meeting for the Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience Committee. I want to thank our three deputy conveners and all advisors and committee members for their joint commitment. I also want to thank our fellow citizens and friends for following the committee’s proceedings online.
    Climate change, large-scale natural disasters, and the threat to democracy posed by expanding authoritarianism are all challenges not just for Taiwan, but for the entire world. The operations and goals of these three committees are interrelated, and they are closely connected by the issue of national resilience. We intend to build up a more resilient Taiwan, proactively deal with challenges, and bring Taiwan into deeper cooperation with the international community.
    When former President Tsai Ing-wen was in office, the government took stock of resources in the public and private sectors in order to lay a solid foundation on which to build up our social resilience. Now, we will continue forward, from stocktaking to validation. This will entail three principles for whole-of-society defense resilience.
    The first principle is “preparedness through vigilance.” We will actively engage in comprehensive preparation to make our nation stronger and our people more confident. That way, in a disaster or emergency, the government and the public can quickly leverage their respective strengths and maintain the normal operation of society.
    The second principle is “enhanced response, fearlessness in action.” We will expand the training and utilization of civilian forces, and enhance our strategic material preparation and critical supply distribution. We will also improve the readiness of our social welfare, medical care, and evacuation facilities, and ensure the protection of information, transportation, and financial networks. All of this will enhance Taiwan’s response capabilities.
    The third principle is “orderly execution, methodical action.” At all levels of government, from central to local, we will conduct extensive validation and drilling, and we will expand connections with civil society groups and societal forces so that we can all work together, in a systematic and professional manner, to identify problems, propose solutions, and follow through with implementation. This is how we will resolve problems.
    The work involved in whole-of-society defense resilience is diverse and complex. Accordingly, this committee needs members from the public and private sectors who can work together in coordination. The members must be guided by practical experience, have interdisciplinary expertise, span different generations, and constitute a balance between the genders. These were the factors we took into consideration when we invited representatives from industry, government agencies, academia, and research institutions to serve as the four advisors and 23 members who make up this committee. Of the total committee membership, 67.7 percent are not government officials, and 32.3 percent are women. 
    First, I want to thank the committee advisors who have taken on that important responsibility. With us today we have Master Jing Yao (淨耀) of the Buddhist Association of the Republic of China; Huoh Shoou-yeh (霍守業), chairman of the Institute for National Defense and Security Research; and Lin Ming-hsiung (林敏雄), chairman of Chuan Lian Enterprise Co. I thank each of you for your participation, and look forward to seeing you provide the committee with broadly considered, professional views on such matters as civilian force preparedness, strategic frameworks, and supply distribution.
    I also want to introduce committee members who are here today. We have with us Wang Pao-tzong (王寶宗), chairman of the Holy Glory Temple; Chen Hsin-liang (陳信良), general secretary of the General Assembly Executive Committee of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan; and Yen Po-wen (顏博文), CEO of the Tzu Chi Charity Foundation. I thank you all for your commitment and for giving us all the opportunity to learn how religious groups engage in disaster preparedness and relief efforts.
    Let me also thank James Liao (廖英熙), president of the National Defense Education Association; Enoch Wu (吳怡農), founder of the Forward Alliance; Hsiau Ya-wen (蕭雅文), honorary chairperson of the Taiwan Development Association for Disaster Medical Team; Liu Wen (劉文), chairperson of the Kuma Civil Defense Education Association; and Tseng Po-yu (曾柏瑜), consultant at Doublethink Lab. You have all been long involved in civil defense education, emergency medicine, and other fields, so I am quite confident that you will help the committee to better understand civilian force training and utilization.
    Let me also introduce Tu Wen-ling (杜文苓), distinguished professor in the Department of Public Administration at National Chengchi University, and Hsiao Hsu-chun (蕭旭君), associate professor of Computer Science and Information Engineering at National Taiwan University. I thank both of you for generously contributing your expertise to make Taiwan’s energy and critical infrastructure operations more robust.
    Also, I want to thank Wu Jong-shinn (吳宗信), director general of the Taiwan Space Agency; Kenny Huang (黃勝雄), chairman of the Taiwan Network Information Center; and Dai Chen-yu (戴辰宇), board member of the Association of Hackers in Taiwan. Your involvement will contribute immensely to the protection of information, transportation, and financial networks in Taiwan.
    Among our committee members we have the following six government representatives: Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄); Minister of Economic Affairs Kuo Jyh-huei (郭智輝), who could not attend today’s meeting; Minister of Transportation and Communications Chen Shih-kai (陳世凱); Minister of Agriculture Chen Junne-jih (陳駿季); Minister of Health and Welfare Chiu Tai-yuan (邱泰源); and Minister of Ocean Affairs Council Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲). The committee has two executive secretaries, namely Chi Lien-cheng (季連成), minister without portfolio of the Executive Yuan, and Ministe
    r of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳).
    In addition, one member who will be joining us shortly is Bob Hung (洪偉淦), general manager of Trend Micro Taiwan. I also want to introduce one advisor and three committee members who could not attend today. They are, respectively, Robert Tsao (曹興誠), founder of United Microelectronics Corporation; Kuo Chia-yo (郭家佑), president of the Taiwan Digital Diplomacy Association; Liu Yu-hsi (劉玉晳), associate professor in the Department of Communications Management at Shih-Hsin University; and Tina Lin (林雅芳), managing director of sales and operations at Google Taiwan. I also thank them for participating in this committee’s operations and for contributing their valuable advice at today’s proceedings in written form.
    Last Saturday marked the 25th anniversary of the major earthquake that struck Taiwan on September 21, 1999. For the past 25 years, we have worked continuously to improve Taiwan’s disaster preparedness and relief capabilities. Today, our purpose in building up whole-of-society defense resilience is to enable each and every individual to realize, when an emergency arises, where to best make a contribution and how to protect themselves, contribute to society, or deter an approaching enemy. We want to enable all our citizens to feel utterly confident in the continuity and future of Taiwan’s society.
    Today, in this first meeting of the committee, the National Security Council (NSC) will brief us on the topic of “Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience: Planning and Challenges.” The NSC will familiarize all of us here, as well as our citizens and friends watching online, with the concepts and operations involved in whole-of-society defense resilience, the associated challenges and goals, and the progress we have made toward achieving our tasks.
    I have said before that a sudden natural disaster is like an acute cold, while climate change is more like a chronic disease. What whole-of-society defense resilience addresses is both the chronic and the acute. In addition to national disasters and emergencies, Taiwan has also been dealing for a long time with the challenges of gray-zone aggression and cognitive warfare.
    Located in the first island chain, Taiwan stands on the frontline of the democratic world. As such, we have always endeavored to safeguard regional peace and stability. I firmly believe that a more resilient Taiwan will contribute more to global democracy, peace, and prosperity.
    I also believe that when Taiwan is properly prepared and shows determination, our like-minded partners from around the world will be more willing to help Taiwan, jointly respond to all kinds of challenges, and work in concert to mitigate risks.
    As the people of Taiwan become more united, our nation grows more stable. As our society becomes better prepared, our nation grows more secure. And as Taiwan shows more determination to defend itself, the international community will feel more at ease.
    And so, I want to thank all of you once again for taking on the major task of enhancing our whole-of-society defense resilience. I look forward to working together with everyone, as we continue to observe global conditions, to establish a platform through which we can communicate and coordinate on our national resilience strategy, thereby fostering a nationwide consensus and strengthening resilience throughout Taiwan in national defense, economic livelihoods, disaster prevention, and democracy.
    Moving forward, let us engage in wide-ranging discussions, build a fortress of unity, and further empower our whole-of-society defense resilience, making Taiwan a cornerstone for ensuring regional stability and democratic sustainability. Thank you.
    Following his statement, President Lai presented letters of appointment to the committee members and heard a report from NSC Deputy Secretary-General Hsu Szu-chien (徐斯儉) on the topic of “Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience: Planning and Challenges.” Afterward, President Lai exchanged views with the committee members regarding the content of the report and the Rules of Procedure for Meetings of the Office of the President Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience Committee.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI China: CBAS unveils new report on leveraging Big Earth Data for UN sustainable development goals

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    The International Research Center of Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals (CBAS) held a press conference in Beijing on Sept. 25 to introduce the Big Earth Data in Support of the Sustainable Development Goals Report (2024). During the event, experts such as Professor Guo Huadong, director-general of CBAS, presented key insights from this report and highlighted the center’s efforts to advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

    Professor Guo Huadong, director-general of the International Research Center of Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals (CBAS), briefs attendees at a press conference in Beijing for the research center’s 2024 report, Sept. 25, 2024. [Photo provided to China.org.cn]
    This year’s report includes a quantitative assessment of seven SDGs at the global level and 227 SDG indicators within China. The assessment was generated by using multi-source satellite remote sensing data and AI algorithms.
    China has promoted the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development through scientific and technological innovation. Leveraging Big Earth Data, the country has shown great potential in monitoring and evaluating these goals. China’s endeavors have offered valuable contributions to promoting sustainable development both domestically and globally.
    “Continued innovation, especially in science and technology, will further accelerate progress toward achieving SDGs,” stated Professor Guo. 

    The cover of the Big Earth Data in Support of the Sustainable Development Goals Report (2024). [Photo by Liao Jiaxin/ China.org.cn]
    The 2024 report highlights that China has already accomplished 126 indicators ahead of schedule, representing 55.5% of the targets set in the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The report underscores how China has made significant contributions to industrial energy conservation and emission reduction, the development of renewable energy as well as ecological restoration. Notably, the report also breaks new ground in forecasting future climate impacts in urban areas under different socioeconomic and emission scenarios. 
    This year’s report also encourages the strengthening of data sharing to boost global progress on sustainable development. It highlights the advantages of China’s Sustainable Development Science Satellite 1 (SDGSAT-1) in monitoring indicators for SDGs. To date, data collected by this satellite has been utilized by more than 100 countries.

    Professor Guo Huadong, director-general of CBAS, introduces the research center’s 2024 report, Sept. 25, 2024. [Photo provided to China.org.cn]
    As the world faces challenges in achieving the goals put forward in the UN’s 2030 Agenda, the Big Earth Data in Support of the Sustainable Development Goals Report (2024) represents yet another valuable endeavor by Chinese scientists in promoting scientific research and accelerating global sustainable development. As Professor Guo noted: “Our work provides policymakers with precise, data-driven insights on key indicators, enabling them to develop evidence-based policies and allocate resources effectively. It also offers powerful tools for tracking SDG progress and evaluating the impact of these policies.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Co-Chairs’ Press Release 7th ASEAN-Pacific Alliance Ministerial Meeting

    Source: ASEAN

    New York, 25 September 2024 – ASEAN and the Pacific Alliance welcomed the Ministerial Meeting between the two regional mechanisms during the 7th ASEAN-Pacific Alliance Ministerial Meeting, held on 25 September 2024 on the sidelines of the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York City, USA. The Meeting was co-chaired by H.E. Enrique A. Manalo, Secretary for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Philippines, and H.E. Alberto van Klaveren, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Chile and was the first high level in-person interaction between ASEAN and the Pacific Alliance after their last Ministerial Meeting in September 2019.
    Acknowledging global challenges including post-pandemic economic recovery, climate change and disruptive technologies, the Ministers stressed the importance of continued inter-regional cooperation in mutually beneficial areas for the peoples of the two regions. In particular, the Ministers emphasised the importance of promoting free trade, digital economy, and people-to-people exchange. They also expressed continued support to the Micro, Small and Medium sized Enterprises (MSMEs) as a vital driving force of the economies of both regions.
    The Ministers reviewed the progress of the implementation of the ASEAN-Pacific Alliance (PA) Work Plan (2021-2025), following its adoption in November 2021, and underscored the need to further enhance ASEAN-Pacific Alliance cooperation in the areas of mutual interest, as may be mutually agreed, including trade and investment, digital economy, MSMEs, tourism, education and cultural exchange, people-to-people engagement, science and technology, and sustainable development. The Ministers also took special note of the virtual forum held on 26 June 2024, under the working theme “Mainstreaming Gender Equality: Sharing best practices between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Pacific Alliance”, where both regional blocs reviewed the importance of sex disaggregated data to push forward women’s economic empowerment, and shared the efforts made to mainstreaming the gender perspective in our regions, including the main regional strategies on inclusive trade.
    The Ministers updated the ASEAN-Pacific Alliance Framework Agreement for Cooperation (FAC), adopted in September 2016, by endorsing the addendum to formally acknowledge that the National Coordinators of the Pacific Alliance subsumed the role of the Group of External Relations of the Pacific Alliance since July 2019. Both sides shared the relevance of institutionalizing the changes by revisiting the FAC periodically.
    The Ministers noted the recent developments in ASEAN and the Pacific Alliance, including the 57th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and Related Meetings in July 2024, the upcoming 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits and Related Summits in October 2024 and the Pacific Alliance Presidential Summit next December in Chile, and the progress on the accession process of Costa Rica as a PA member and Singapore as a PA-associated state.

    The post Co-Chairs’ Press Release 7th ASEAN-Pacific Alliance Ministerial Meeting appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Security: NATO’s scientific cooperation with Azerbaijan

    Source: NATO

    On 25 and 26 September, a team from the NATO Science for Peace and Security (SPS) Programme was in Baku, Azerbaijan to review practical scientific cooperation and kick off a new research project focused on protecting critical infrastructure from cyber-attacks.

    Through the new project, contributors will develop a cyber platform that will allow organizations to train staff, test new technologies, and assess processes under pressure from simulated cyber-attacks. Over the next two years, the National Institute for Research and Development in Informatics – ICI Bucharest (Romania) and the Special Communication and Information Security State Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan will work together to bring this initiative to life. The aim is to help cyber defence teams better understand the vulnerabilities of Operational Technology systems so they can be better protected. These systems are the backbone of critical infrastructure such as power grids, water treatment plants, and transportation systems. 

    While in Baku, the NATO team also organized an Information Day at ADA University. It focused on NATO’s scientific cooperation activities involving Azerbaijan, and on encouraging new ideas involving the local research community. Over 40 participants from academia, as well as from Azerbaijan’s Ministries of Foreign Affairs and of Defence participated in the event.

    NATO’s SPS Programme has a history of cooperation with Azerbaijan. Over the years, this has included activities focused on neutralising toxic rocket fuel left behind from Soviet times, securing energy infrastructure against seismic hazards, protecting cyber networks, and developing sensors for the detection of landmines and explosives. 

    Through its activities, the SPS Programme provides opportunities for academics, experts and officials in Azerbaijan, as well as other partner countries, to develop proposals for innovative scientific projects to be implemented with peers in NATO countries. Through these activities, participants exchange knowledge on security-related topics and build relationships that expand international scientific networks. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Creator of tool to protect DV victims wins national award

    Source: United Kingdom National Police Chiefs Council

    Stacey Rothwell, Network Director for the Eastern Region Innovation has been working on Rapid Video Response (RVR.)

    The creator of an innovative tool to tackle domestic abuse and protect victims has won a national award for her work.

    Stacey Rothwell, Network Director for the Eastern Region Innovation was instrumental in the development and roll out of Rapid Video Response (RVR) – a secure technology which gives domestic violence victims video-based officer response in as little as three minutes.

    In the pilot area of Kent, the tool has significantly increased victim satisfaction and reduced anxiety, while from a policing perspective it has led to an increase in arrests and cut down on investigation time. 

    RVR has been given the seal of approval from the national VAWG Taskforce, who will oversee its national roll out, under the leadership of Assistant Chief Constable Sam Millar and Deputy Chief Constable Louisa Rolfe.

    The technology aims to put victims at the forefront and offer them a consistent service and a more efficient response. It also wants policing to measure performance based on victim satisfaction levels, and encourage further reporting of Domestic Abuse.

    Praising Stacey’s work, Professor Paul Taylor, Chief Scientific Adviser said:

    “Few examples in the public sector so crisply capture the value of science-led innovation than Rapid Video Response (RVR).

    “It uses secure technology to give domestic violence victims an immediate video-based officer response rather than a delayed physical response. By doing so, RVR reduces policing’s response time from around 33 hours to just three minutes.

    “This massively increases trust and confidence in policing, and for victims, it reduces anxiety. RVR improves evidence collection, reduces the length of primary investigations by around 40 per cent and has increased arrests by around 50 per cent. It also has the potential to save forces money in transportation and other costs.”

    He added: “The idea of RVR may seem obvious, yet Stacey deserves credit for her breakthrough because she recognised the problem and stepped up to lead a solution.

    “She undertook two randomised-control trials in Kent Police, with support of the Chief Officers, to show the value of RVR and the absence of negative consequences and then developed a blueprint to across the Eastern region initially. 

    “RVR has helped tens of thousands of women and girls suffering from domestic violence. With overseas forces expressing interest, this innovation is on course to be an international success.”

    Comments from the judges echoed Professor Taylor, stating Stacey’s work was a worthy winner due to ‘the efficient and rigorous process’ which was undertaken as well as the ‘significant impact’ made not only to the area of research, but to people’s lives.

    Stacey’s hard work and determination was recognised at the Government Science and Engineering (GSE) Awards, held at the Science Museum in South Kensington on September 18, where she took home the Innovation Award.

    The category recognises those who utilise and embed innovation within their ways of working in the public sector.

    If you would like to learn more about RVR you can read a detailed case study here and also watch a short video about the innovative tool.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: African Development Bank pledges more support for Angola’s rapidly reforming economy

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    LUANDA, Angola, September 27, 2024/APO Group/ —

    In recent talks between Angola’s President João Manuel Lourenço and African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) head Dr Akinwumi Adesina, the two leaders discussed a wide range of measures introduced by the Angolan government to rapidly transform the economy.

    The reforms include diversifying away from oil, promoting private sector, tackling the country’s debt burden, reduce poverty, achieving food and energy security, and creating youth employment. The leaders met on Friday 20 September, in the Angolan capital Luanda.

    Terming the reforms as bold, Adesina told President Lourenço, “What you have done to reduce public debt is impressive. You moved from 119% of GDP in 2020, to an expected 58% of GDP this year below, despite significant external shocks.” 

    He also pointed to the positive outlook of the country’s economic performance saying, “even though your GDP growth is estimated at 2.7% this year, it is projected to rise to 4.3% in 2025 because of the structural reforms and diversification agenda you are implementing.”

    Stressing the importance of maintaining the momentum for reform, Adesina announced that the African Development Bank will support Angola’s request for a two-year budget support operation of about $160 million for 2024, with a second tranche scheduled for 2025.

    President Lourenço said in addition to promoting a private sector driven economy and diversifying away from the oil sector, his government is working to create decent jobs for youth. He has made human capital and skills development one of the three pillars of his government’s National Development Plan 2023-2027. 

    Angola has one of the world’s fastest growing populations, with half of its 35 million people being youth. 40% of its youth are unemployed. About 550,000 new workers join the labor force every year, requiring a concerted effort to created decent jobs at comparable pace.

    President Lourenço welcomed the Bank’s offer to work with his government to design and co-finance a comprehensive initiative to avail capital to young entrepreneurs as the Youth Entrepreneurship Investment Banks which the Bank has successfully helped to establish in countries such as Liberia and Ethiopia.

    The Bank recently approved $124 million for a youth project in Angola, locally known as CRESCER, which brings together the financial sector and the entrepreneurial associations to find tailored solutions for young entrepreneurs.

    On agriculture, the Angolan leader and the Bank Group president agreed that with 35 million hectares of fertile land and water supply, the country should transform its sector to achieve food security and create jobs for youth and women.

    “Angola has no business spending $2 billion per annum importing food. It should and can be totally self-sufficient and even become a net exporter,” said Adesina.

    The African Development Bank has a portfolio of $212 million currently invested in the sector and is finalising a further investment of around to step up agricultural production in the easter region of Angola. $100 million. The Bank pledged to help Angola scale up fertiliser use and domestic production, and work with the country towards the establishment of Special Agriculture Processing Zones operating in 11 other African countries.

    In addition to agriculture, “Angola is sitting on a gold mine of clean hydro energy,” said Adesina, “you have 1.5GW of unused clean hydro energy and by 2027 you will have 3.5GW. With investment from the private sector, the country can provide power solution to Zambia, Namibia and South Africa.”

    Angola is working to attract significant private sector investment and will present projects worth nearly $2 billion at this year’s Africa Investment Forum, to be held in Morocco’s city of Rabat from 4 to 6 December.  

    Adesina thanked Angola for its support for the Bank, including the General Capital Increase and the Bank’s campaign for rechanneling of the IMF’s Special Drawing Rights through multilateral development banks. Angola is also one of the few regional contributors to the Bank’s concessional window, the African Development Fund, having provided about 6.5 million Euros to each of the Fund’s last three replenishments.

    During his visit, the Bank Group president also met with Angola’s Finance Minister Vera Daves De Sousa and the Minister for Planning Victor Hugo Guilherme. He later toured the Bank’s $90 million funded Luanda Science and Technology Park.

    Adesina was accompanied by the Director General for Southern Africa Region Leila Mokaddem, the Country Manager for Angola and Sao Tomé Principe Pietro Toigo, the Executive Director for Angola, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe João Luis Ngimbi and Modibo Toure, Bank Group President’s Special Envoy for Shareholder Relations in Africa.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hubble Captures Steller Nurseries in a Majestic Spiral

    Source: NASA

    2 min read

    This image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope features the spiral galaxy IC 1954, located 45 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Horologium. It sports a glowing bar in its core, majestically winding spiral arms, and clouds of dark dust across it. Numerous glowing, pink spots across the disc of the galaxy are H-alpha regions that offer astronomers a view of star-forming nebulae, which are prominent emitters of red, H-alpha light. Some astronomers theorize that the galaxy’s ‘bar’ is actually an energetic star-forming region that just happens to lie over the galactic center.

    The data featured in this image come from a program that extends the cooperation among multiple observatories: Hubble, the infrared James Webb Space Telescope, and the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array, a ground-based radio telescope. By surveying IC 1954 and over 50 other nearby galaxies in radio, infrared, optical, and ultraviolet light, astronomers aim to fully trace and reconstruct the path matter takes through stars, mapping the interstellar gas and dust in each galaxy. Hubble’s observing capabilities form an important part of this survey: it can capture younger stars and star clusters when they are brightest at ultraviolet and optical wavelengths, and its H-alpha filter effectively tracks emission from nebulae. The resulting dataset will form a treasure trove of research on the evolution of stars in galaxies, which Webb can build upon as it continues its science operations into the future.
    Download this image

    Media Contact:

    Claire AndreoliNASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MDclaire.andreoli@nasa.gov

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: At Visit to Dodd Center, Former Members of Congress Discuss Bridging Divides – and Issue a Call to Action

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    By all appearances, the two former longtime members of the U.S. House of Representatives who visited UConn Storrs on Thursday morning could not have been more different.

    The first, a Latino woman from Orange County, California.

    The second, a white man from southeast Michigan.

    The first, a Democrat who won her seat in Congress by defeating a long-serving Republican by less than 1,000 votes in 1997.

    The second, a Republican from a swing district who worked as a congressional staffer and a member of Ronald Reagan’s administration before his own election in 1987.

    But on the stage of the Konover Auditorium at The Dodd Center for Human Rights – before a crowd of mostly UConn students – it wasn’t the differences between former Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-CA, 1997-2017) and Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI, 1987-2023) that were on display.

    It was, instead, the similarities that they share after two long careers in public service.

    In a comfortable conversation moderated by NBC Connecticut reporter and anchor Amber Diaz ’11 (CLAS) and punctuated by anecdotes from their own personal lives and experiences, Sanchez and Upton talked about the challenges in bridging divides at a time when politics feel increasingly polarized, and misinformation is rampant.

    “Sadly, today, it’s different from when I was in the Congress even a year ago,” said Upton.

    Both Sanchez and Upton stressed the importance of listening to other viewpoints, of being an educated voter, and electing leaders – regardless of political affiliation – who believe in and uphold democratic institutions.

    “People come and go, personalities come and go, but institutions are the mainstay of what makes us a good society,” said Sanchez.

    Former members of Congress Fred Upton and Loretta Sanchez participate in a discussion with NBC CT anchor and reporter Amber Diaz ’11 (CLAS) during Congress to Campus at the Dodd Center on Sept. 26, 2024. (Sydney Herdle/UConn Photo)

    They also discussed what it means to “meet people where they are” – something that feels even more relevant at a time of political division.

    “When people come to the Congress, when people come to positions of power at the city or state level, they come with their own baggage,” Sanchez said. “They come with their own history, what their experiences are. Everybody has a story. Everybody can be an interesting person. You just have to take the time to listen to who they are, and if you take that time, then I believe you can find common ground.”

    “Finding out about other people’s districts, what they cared about – whether it’s energy policy or health policy, whether you could help them, whether they be a Republican or Democrat, being able to go to the other side of the aisle and being able to have a conversation with them, talk about amendments – that’s, to me, how you meet people where they’re at,” said Upton. “And that’s how things ought to get done.”

    Sanchez and Upton visited UConn through Congress to Campus – the flagship program of the nonprofit organization FMC, a bipartisan, voluntary alliance of former U.S. Senators and Representatives who advocate for representative democracy at home and abroad.

    Congress to Campus offers a unique civic educational experience by engaging honest dialogue with bipartisan teams of former members of Congress, congressional staff, and American diplomats. Sessions have been held on 183 campuses in 43 states and seven countries, reaching more than 57,000 students in the last 10 years alone.

    “Today’s conversation is important, because it is a reminder of what our discourse can be,” said Nick Lanza, ’25 (CLAS), the director of external affairs for UConn’s Undergraduate Student Government. “That we can have civil discussions. That we can debate different opinions, without getting personal. Today is about a better way forward.”

    The need for civic participation is crucial every year, UConn’s President Radenka Maric said in her welcoming remarks before the discussion. But this year, in the midst of a presidential election, participation feels especially urgent.

    “We live in a time when Americans seem divided in an almost unprecedented way,” she said. “Across social media and the traditional news media, there is no shortage of angry, aggrieved voices denouncing there fellow Americans on the other side of the ideological divide.

    “And yet, as the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace recently found, in reality, there is more common ground among Americans on policy issues than many people believe,” Maric continued.

    James Waller – the inaugural Christopher J. Dodd Chair in Human Rights Practice at UConn and director of Dodd Human Rights Impact Programs, which hosted the Congress to Campus event – said it’s true that democracy is on the ballot in the U.S. this year.

    “But, in truth, democracy is always on the ballot,” Waller said. “Every federal election, every state election, every local election, every election at every level asks us the collective question of who we aspire to be.

    “True democracy is never absolutely sure of itself. In other words, true democracy is always interrogating itself. It’s always asking itself hard questions,” Waller said. “Indeed, the biggest threat to democracy is when it becomes so sure of itself that it stops asking those hard questions, when we take it so much for granted that we stop actively nurturing and sustaining our democratic institutions, when we take it so much for granted that we choose not to exercise our right to vote, that we choose not to civically engaged because we feel so powerless and things feel so distant from us.”

    But Upton and Sanchez also had an overarching message for the students in attendance: Your action is needed.

    “We’re really here to tell the young people in the room run for office, work on campaigns, get involved locally,” Sanchez said. “We need you. We need you to decide that public service is really worth it and bring your ideas. Bring your new energy. Help us to solve the issues that are affecting your lives every day.”

    UConn President Radenka Maric gives opening remarks during Congress to Campus at the Dodd Center on Sept. 26, 2024. (Sydney Herdle/UConn Photo)

    “You’re our future, and you’ve got to be part of it,” said Upton. “Because if we’re going to turn this ship around, it starts with you.”

    That call to action is also what Diaz, who studied journalism and English as an undergrad at UConn, hopes that students will take away from the event.

    “I really hope that they took away the power of a vote and that they will get involved, because it’s very, very imperative that they get involved,” Diaz said. “And I hope they get involved in politics, because honestly, nowadays, people turn off the TV. Or they turn off the radio. They don’t want to hear it. Or it’s the other extreme, and they want to argue about it.

    “I really hope that people start researching, and getting more information, and really come out and vote, because it’s in their hands. The power is in their hands.”

    The Congress to Campus event was co-sponsored by UConn’s Gladstein Family Human Rights Institute, School of Public Policy, Department of Political Science, Undergraduate Student Government, Department of Residential Life, Community Outreach, Office of Outreach and Engagement, and the Nancy A. Humphreys Institute for Political Social Work. It was supported by Citizen Travelers, the nonpartisan civic engagement initiative of Travelers.

    The outreach and engagement arm of human rights at UConn, Dodd Human Rights Impact works to develop and support programs and initiatives that seek to directly impact local and global communities by helping them meet their human rights challenges.

    For more information about Dodd Impact, visit humanrights.uconn.edu/dodd-impact-programs.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: UConn at the UN

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    Three UConn student leaders recently traveled to United Nations (UN) Headquarters in New York City to participate in international discussions on the future of multilateralism and international cooperation. The event covered topics including sustainable development, international science cooperation, science diplomacy, and other urgent global solutions, as part of the Summit of the Future Action Days.

    “Attending the Summit of the Future at the United Nations was an inspiring and insightful experience that deepened my passion for environmental science and international relations,” says Eliana Raes ’25 (CAHNR), an environmental science major concentrating in global change. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to see how young voices are driving global sustainability efforts and shaping a brighter future for all!”

    The Action Days were part of the Summit of the Future, a world gathering to agree and launch the Pact for the Future. The Pact for the Future is a landmark, forward-looking global declaration meant to address sustainable development; international peace and security; science and technology; youth and future generations; and transforming global governance.

    Last week, countries gathered in New York to adopt the Pact, as well as to push progress on the Pact’s priorities and other urgent global issues through meetings of the UN General Assembly. UConn support for the student to attend was provided by the Office of Global Affairs, the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR), and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS).

    “Attending the Summit of the Future Action Days […] allowed me to acquire a different perspective of how we should combat our world’s issues, especially related to the environment and sustainability. All the speakers and panelists were so knowledgeable and contributed to such thought-provoking conversations,” says Judith Otunnu ’27 (CLAS), also an environmental sciences major.

    While at the Summit, the students joined discussions with stakeholders from around the world on important issues central to UConn’s mission, as well as CAHNR’s strategic vision, particularly around the themes of a Sustainable Future for All, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), strategic foresight, and research synthesis, sharing, and support.

    “It was inspiring to personally witness the work that can happen when people get together with such ambitious goals. It was especially energizing to be part of the work that the UN is doing to include youth in decision making on climate action,” says Alice Sztabinski ’27 (CAHNR), an environmental sciences and art major.

    “As a campus community, we are incredibly proud of these students, both as individuals and for the way they represented UConn on the world stage at a pivotal moment for international cooperation on science and sustainable development,” says Meg Boyle, assistant professor in residence in the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment.

    This work relates to CAHNR’s Strategic Vision area focused Fostering Sustainable Landscapes.

    Follow UConn CAHNR on social media

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Investigations into deaths of native species in Northumberland

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The Environment Agency is investigating the deaths of endangered native white clawed crayfish.

    An image of a Crayfish.

    Around 70 crayfish from the internationally important River Wansbeck population – one of the last remaining strongholds of the species – have been found dead.

    Testing has already ruled out the listed diseases white spot syndrome virus as well as crayfish plague, and water quality testing has ruled out pollution.

    Further testing is being carried out by the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) on crayfish taken from affected locations to understand if an infectious aquatic animal disease has caused the deaths.

    An Environment Agency officer surveying for Crayfish.

    All evidence presently points to the mortalities only affecting white clawed crayfish. As such, it is unlikely to cause a risk to humans, pets or other wildlife.

    People are now being urged to play their part to help limit the spread of any potential infection to currently unaffected areas.  

    The Environment Agency – supported by other members of the Northumberland Crayfish Partnership – is working to minimise the impact on the crayfish population. 

    The public and especially river users are being urged to follow advice to prevent any potential infection from spreading across the catchment, and to other nearby catchments such as the Tyne and Blyth, which also have healthy populations of the native species.  

    Public urged to check, clean, dry

    Sarah Jennings, Environment Agency Area Environment Manager, said:  

    The Wansbeck is such a great home for the white clawed crayfish, which play a really important role in the river’s ecosystem. It’s one of the most abundant populations of the species in Europe, estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands or more.

    Everyone has a part to play to limit the spread of any infection which may be affecting them. Advice includes thoroughly cleaning boots and equipment and anything else that has been in or around the river and its tributaries. 

    If you see any crayfish, alive or dead, leave it where it is and report it immediately to the Environment Agency.

    Over the past five years since its launch, the Northumberland Crayfish Partnership, which includes the Environment Agency, Northumberland Rivers Trust, Northumberland Wildlife Trust, Northumberland Zoo and the National Trust, has already done a significant amount of work to safeguard the future of this population. 

    This includes creating secure breeding areas and safe ‘ark’ sites across Northumberland to support conservation efforts and ensure the crayfish survives into the future.  

    Field surveys are currently being carried out by Environment Agency officers to understand the extent of the deaths across the catchment.  

    The Environment Agency is calling on people to play their part by making sure they Check, Clean and Dry to prevent the spread of any infection.  

    • Check clothing and equipment for mud, aquatic animals or plant material. Remove anything found and leave it at the site.  

    • Clean everything thoroughly as soon as possible, paying attention to areas that are damp or hard to access and using hot water if possible. 

    • Dry everything for as long as possible before using elsewhere. Waterbourne diseases can remain on damp footwear and equipment for 48 hours.  

    Rosie Hails, National Trust Director of Science and Nature said:  

    We are saddened to hear of the recent deaths of native white clawed crayfish in the River Wansbeck in Northumberland. The river flows through the Wallington estate cared for by the National Trust, where we’ve been undertaking a significant conservation project to protect the species, which has included the creation of two ‘Ark’ sites since 2022.

    Whilst we wait to hear the cause of these deaths and the impact on the population, the work that has been undertaken alongside other organisations in the Northumberland Crayfish Partnership has put us in a strong position to react and respond effectively.

    We will continue to work closely with the Environment Agency and partners to help limit the spread of infection and safeguard the future of this vital crayfish population. We ask that anyone visiting the Wallington estate follows the CHECK-CLEAN-DRY set of principles if you have been in water.

    More information on check, clean, dry can be found on the invasive non-native species website.

    If people see any crayfish, alive or dead, leave it where it is and report it immediately to the Environment Agency on 0800 807060.

    It is illegal to handle or remove crayfish from the water without the correct licences.

    Updates to this page

    Published 27 September 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: PROTEC and GE Vernova Celebrate Inaugural Next Engineers: Engineering Academy class

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, September 27, 2024/APO Group/ —

    Next Engineers, a global college-and career-readiness programme working to increase the diversity of young people in engineering, celebrated the graduation of its first-ever Engineering Academy learners in Johannesburg, South Africa on Friday, September 27. The graduation ceremony marked the programme’s contribution towards bridging the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) skills gap in the country through exposing learners to hands-on engineering experiences and career pathways.  

    The 37 learners from 15 high schools across Johannesburg who completed the programme, many of whom plan to study towards an engineering-related qualification at university or technical higher learning institutions, were joined by their families at University of Witwatersrand, Sturrock Park Sports Hall, to celebrate their achievements. Launched in 2022, PROTEC, University of Witwatersrand, and Kutitiva Foundation are the educational partners for the local Next Engineers programme, and local GE Vernova engineers and employees actively engage with Academy participants through hands-on, skill-based volunteering.  

    “We are proud to see our first cohort of learners graduating and wish them all a successful learning trajectory in the next stage of their education journey,” said Matsi Eseu, South Africa HR Director for GE Vernova. “At GE Vernova, we believe education is a significant driver of economic inclusion and it’s inspiring to see the positive impact the Next Engineers programme is having, not just in empowering tomorrow’s engineers who will solve society’s most pressing challenges but also in increasing the diversity of young people, particularly females, in the engineering sector. We extend our gratitude to all those involved in the Engineering Academy.” 

    Learners who complete the Engineering Academy program and enroll in a qualified engineering or engineering-related degree programme receive financial aid to support them as they continue on their paths to becoming engineers.

    Balan Moodley, CEO of PROTEC, said, “I extend my heartfelt congratulations to each and every graduate in this programme.  Their commitment and hard work inspire us all, and I have every confidence they will continue to make a positive impact in the field of engineering and beyond. I also want to express my sincere gratitude to GE Vernova in Johannesburg for their unwavering support and partnership throughout this journey. Together, we have laid the groundwork for a brighter future in engineering, and I am excited to see the continued success of Next Engineers in empowering young minds.”

    The Next Engineers: Engineering Academy is a transformative learning experience designed for learners aged 15 to 18. Through a rigorous curriculum, immersive design challenges, and career coaching, participants learn to think and act like engineers.

    Key programme highlights:

    • Dedication: The Engineering Academy spans three years, with learners dedicating 220 hours outside of regular school hours to participate.
    • Design challenges: In small teams, learners tackle increasingly complex design challenges, mastering the engineering design process.
    • Foundational skills: Beyond technical knowledge, learners develop essential skills such as communication, teamwork, persistence, time management, and presentation abilities.
    • Education and career exploration: Workshops and activities prepare learners for their next steps, including university campus tours and interactions with company volunteers.
    • Scholarships: Learners who complete the program and enroll in post-secondary engineering degree programs receive partial scholarships. Next Engineers anticipates granting at least $2 million in scholarships to the inaugural classes of Engineering Academy learners worldwide.

    Johannesburg, South Africa, was among the first four locations to launch Next Engineers, with a $2.5 million (R44.6 million) investment from the GE Foundation in 2021. To date, Next Engineers, which also includes programming for learners in grades 8-12, has reached more than 3,500 learners across Johannesburg.

    STEM training and education, such as Next Engineers, is helping to solve global challenges while also lifting up communities through economic opportunities. Next Engineers is not the only way GE Vernova in South Africa has committed to supporting the next generation of STEM talent. GE Vernova’s South Africa External Bursary Programme has offered comprehensive bursaries to the tune of $5.4 million (R95.6 million) to support over 648 beneficiaries pursuing a Bachelor of Science, Commerce or Arts qualification from 2020 to date. The bursaries are aimed at alleviating the financial strain of tertiary students and covers the tuition, accommodation, textbook costs, and a monthly stipend over the period of study.

    For more information about Next Engineers and the Engineering Academy, visit http://apo-opa.co/3BmFfKp.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Dr. Leslie Loew Named 2025 Biophysical Society Fellow

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    The Biophysical Society announced Leslie M. Loew, R.D. Berlin Center for Cell Analysis and Modeling, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, is named a 2025 Biophysical Society Fellow for inventing fluorescent sensors of membrane potential and leadership in the development of computational cell biology.

    The Biophysical Society, founded in 1958, is a professional, scientific society established to lead an innovative global community working at the interface of the physical and life sciences, across all levels of complexity, and to foster the dissemination of that knowledge.

    The Society promotes growth in this expanding field through its Annual Meeting, publications, and outreach activities. Its 7,000 members are located throughout the world, where they teach and conduct research in colleges, universities, laboratories, government agencies, and industry.

    This award honors the Society’s distinguished members who have demonstrated excellence in science and contributed to the expansion of the field of biophysics. The Fellows will be honored at the Biophysical Society’s 69th Annual Meeting, being held in Los Angeles, California from February 15-19, 2025.

    “The Biophysical Society Annual Meeting is where I discuss science every year and its flagship publication, The Biophysical Journal, is where I send most of my scientific papers. So I am truly honored to receive this recognition by my peers in the BPS,” says Loew.

    Loew is Professor of Cell Biology, Boehringer-Ingelheim Chair in Cell Science and University of Connecticut Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor at the UConn School of Medicine. Throughout his career his work has focused on quantitative mechanistic investigation of cell and tissue biology. He is known for inventing biophysical methods to investigate these systems, including both microscope imaging technologies and fluorescent sensors. Loew pioneered the synthesis of fluorescent dyes to probe the electrical activity of cells and tissue. For the last 25 years he has been leading the UConn team that develops the “Virtual Cell”, comprehensive software to model and simulate cell biology with 26,000 registered users worldwide.

    During his 40 year career at UConn he has been awarded research grants amounting to approximately $70M. He established the Richard D. Berlin Center for Cell Analysis and Modeling (CCAM) in 1994 to consolidate research in new optical, photonic, image processing and computational techniques for the investigation of the behavior of living cells.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Breathing may introduce microplastics to the brain – new study

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Michael Richardson, Professor of Animal Development, Leiden University

    Small plastic particles are everywhere: in the soil where our food is grown, in the water we drink and in the air we breathe. They got there from the plastic we throw away, which ends up in landfill sites, rivers and seas. There the plastic waste slowly breaks down, releasing tiny particles called microplastics and even tinier nanoplastics into the environment.

    Microplastics are also increasingly being found throughout the human body. We are not sure how they got there, though there are three probable routes. We may ingest microplastics when we eat and drink, or breathe them into our lungs, or absorb them through our skin. Another route has recently been suggested, whereby microplastics get up our noses and from there into our brains.

    For a long time, it was thought that the human brain existed in splendid isolation from the rest of the body. The so-called blood-brain barrier, a special layer of cells, protects the brain from all manner of pathogens and harmful substances. However, we now know that the blood-brain barrier can be breached because small plastic particles have been found in the human brain.

    New research has suggested that the blood-brain barrier has at least one vulnerable spot where microplastics may be able to get into the brain. This potential entry point was suggested by researchers at the Freie Universität Berlin and the University of São Paulo. It is in the nose, where there are special nerves, the olfactory nerves, that detect smells.

    The olfactory nerves run from the inside of the nose, through the skull, and then directly into part of the brain called the olfactory bulb. The researchers suggest that microparticles breathed into the nose may somehow get transported along the olfactory nerves and into the brain.

    The researchers came to their conclusions by analysing tissue samples from residents of São Paulo who had died and undergone routine coroners’ autopsies. They removed the olfactory bulbs from these brains and analysed them using a variety of techniques.

    Eight out of the 15 brains studied had microplastics in their olfactory bulbs. However, these eight samples had only 16 microplastic particles between them, which is perhaps some comfort.

    Those 16 plastic particles included fragments, spheres and fibres, and were made of polypropylene, nylon and other plastics. Some of the fibres could have come from clothing. This makes sense because laundering clothes made from synthetic fibres is a significant source of microplastics in the environment.

    Some of our small plastic particles are missing

    The new study is just one of many that has reported the presence of small plastic particles in the human body. Most of these studies are about microplastics, which are particles up to five millimetres in size. Very few studies have looked for nanoplastics in the human body.

    Nanoplastics are less than one-thousandth of a millimetre in size – so tiny that it is difficult to detect them without special equipment, and few scientists have easy access to this equipment.

    The reason nanoplastics are important is that, unlike microplastics, they are well-documented to be harmful to living cells. This is because nanoplastics are small enough to get inside cells. Once inside, they can kill the cell.

    Nanoplastics have been shown to kill cells in animal embryos. This can lead to birth defects in animals if the embryo is exposed to a high dose of nanoparticles.

    Fortunately, there is no evidence that humans have suffered any great increase in birth defects in recent years. Maybe the placenta is able to stop microplastics and nanoplastics from reaching the foetus.

    We need to know much more about the presence of microplastics – and especially nanoplastics – in the human body. And we need to know how they get there in the first place.

    This makes the new Berlin-São Paulo study so interesting. It suggests a potential entry point, from the nose into the brain. This leaves us with the question: what potential risks are posed to our health by microplastics and nanoplastics? The jury is out, but perhaps feeling a little more nervous than before.

    Michael Richardson receives funding from the Netherlands Scientific Organization (NWO) of the Netherlands Government.

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

    – ref. Breathing may introduce microplastics to the brain – new study – https://theconversation.com/breathing-may-introduce-microplastics-to-the-brain-new-study-239347

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Fyre Festival II: why people give fraudsters a second chance

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Daniel Read, Professor of Behavioural Science, Warwick Business School, University of Warwick

    The Fyre music festival and its well-publicised failure are widely seen as a mixture of incompetence and fraud, embodied in Billy McFarland, its chief architect. People paid thousands of dollars for what was advertised as a luxury music festival but they were served simple cheese sandwiches and the entertainment was cancelled. McFarland spent almost four years in prison for fraud.

    But now McFarland is out and promoting Fyre Festival II. He claims that he has already sold 100 tickets at the early bird price of £499.

    Why would anyone give the Fyre Festival a second chance? Research shows that people’s mental shortcuts can give them confidence in someone who has let them down before.

    Prices for Fyre Festival II range from US$1,400 and $1.1 million (£1,050 and £824,000). Nothing specific has yet been offered, other than an indefinite location (a private island off the Caribbean coast of Mexico), some activities including scuba diving with McFarland himself, and an approximate date (April, 2025).

    McFarland’s former business partner Andy King has said that Fyre Festival II raises “a lot of red flags.”. Yet even King, who lost US$1 million on the original Fyre Festival, admitted he met McFarland for Fyre Festival II talks before becoming wary.

    There is little research on this topic, but I found some help in The Big Con, written in 1940 by David Maurer, a professor of linguistics who dedicated his career to studying the language and culture of those leading a criminal lifestyle, including con artists.

    The Big Con was the inspiration for the 1973 Paul Newman movie The Sting. You may remember that (spoilers) Newman and Robert Redford and his team fleece Robert Shaw using a con in which the mark is persuaded that he can bet on horse races after they are run because of a delay in messages received by a betting shop.

    A central factor is ambiguity. It is hard to be certain from accounts of Fyre Festival whether McFarland set out to be a con man, or is simply a persuasive person who took on more than he could handle. Perhaps McFarland has learned his lessons and will not make the same mistakes. In The Big Con, the grifters tried to make their marks unsure whether they were really being scammed, even after the money changed hands. In The Sting, Robert Shaw’s character never learns that he was conned.

    Maurer documents many cases of marks coming back for more, convinced that the original failure was due to bad luck that won’t be repeated. A typical example comes from a con artist named the Big Alabama Kid, who tells Maurer about a mark they had conned out of US$50,000 in Miami. After he had lost all his money in a gambling con they offered him a chance to try again. But he did not return.

    Three months later, “who should come in smiling but Mr. Bates with a lot of apologies for keeping me waiting so long. He said that his banker had tried to tell him that this deal was a swindle, and wouldn’t let him have his money. So he waited until things had cooled off at home and the banker had forgotten all about it. Then he went to the bank, drew out his money, and caught the first train for the south.”

    Giving the right impression

    It is sometimes hard to persuade even the victims of a con that they are victims.

    Another factor is confidence, both on the part of the grifter and the mark. People often follow the confidence heuristic (or mental shortcut) when judging whether to believe others. The confidence heuristic is that people are confident when they believe they are right, and this confidence makes them persuasive. Such an ability to exude confidence is one of the key skills that all con men must have.

    The mark also has to be confident. That is, to be able to rely on their own ability to discern a good opportunity when they see it. Maurer finds the mark is typically someone who has achieved high social status, and sees themselves as having “some inherent superiority, especially as regards matters of sound judgment in finance and investment … as a person of vision and even of genius”.

    It is not hard to see the potential Fyre Festival attendee or investor here, someone who has money to spare, and who hopes to discover the new Burning Man or invest in it.

    Scarcity, time pressure and the fear of missing out are also powerful psychological motivators likely to make people susceptible to being conned – especially if the essence of the con is that the opportunity is one time only. If we think something is difficult to get, we want it more.

    This is what US psychologist Robert Cialdini refers to as the scarcity principle, and is a motivation that emerges early in life. A 2018 study I co-authored found children as young as six preferred scarce goods compared to abundant ones.

    Maurer’s studies of con artists showed that they carefully craft the set up so that the mark has an exclusive one time only opportunity to make his big score.

    McFarland claims to have 5,000 unique requests for tickets, but only 3,000 slots available. If you go to the Fyre Festival website you cannot buy tickets. Applicants receive the message “Thank you for your application. If approved, the FYRE concierge will be in touch.”

    I am currently in the queue for one of these tickets, and so far the concierge has not been in touch. Will I be lucky enough to be one of the chosen few?

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

    – ref. Fyre Festival II: why people give fraudsters a second chance – https://theconversation.com/fyre-festival-ii-why-people-give-fraudsters-a-second-chance-239013

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The biological marvels of the seabed are being mined to create commercial products – here are the risks

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Erik Zhivkoplias, Researcher in Marine Governance, Stockholm University

    Thousands of genes from deep-sea marine life are being used to create new commercial products ranging from pharmaceuticals to cosmetics. Genes are segments of DNA that provide instructions for making other molecules that are essential for the structure and function of living organisms.

    In a paper we recently published with other colleagues, we investigated how bioprospecting – the search and discovery of potential products from animals, plants and microbes – could serve as a less destructive alternative to deep-sea mining.

    Notably, all of the largest companies using marine genes have sourced them from deep-sea organisms in some capacity. Deep-sea animals possess unique genes that allow them to live in an environment unlike anything else on Earth, with its intense cold, crushing pressure and total darkness.

    What are these organisms? Most are microbes that have evolved over millions of years to thrive in extreme conditions. Among the most uniquely adapted are those found around hydrothermal vents, where mineral-rich seawater, superheated by magma, erupts from cracks in the ocean floor.

    Deep-sea enzymes, a type of molecule encoded by the genes of organisms that live in extreme environments, are stable in conditions that other enzymes often cannot function. Their ability to catalyse chemical reactions under high pressure and a wide range of temperatures makes them commercially valuable for making industrial and consumer products, including drugs, food, detergents and biofuels.

    Bioprospecting in the deep sea

    One remarkable example involves the bacteria that live in very salty habitats. This microbe was isolated from marine sediments collected at a depth of 1,050 meters near the Iheya ridge, 130 kilometers offshore from Iheya Island, Japan.

    Deep-sea shrimp in the dark depths of the Pacific Ocean.
    NOAA

    One of its enzymes has been shown to enhance the conversion of farm waste into glucose by helping break down cellulose into easily degradable pulp. This is a crucial step for converting biomass into ethanol, a renewable biofuel.

    Another enzyme extracted from a bacterium that exists under extremely high temperatures has been found to be highly efficient in completely removing lactose from milk.

    Some organisms contribute to multiple inventions, like a deep-sea worm collected at a depth of 2,625 meters from a hydrothermal vent on the East Pacific Rise, about 600 km off the Mexican coast. The worm hosted a bacterium that produces a molecule that was used to develop a skin cream, as it helps make skin less susceptible to damage from the sun and pollution. The unusual ability of this bacterium to live at temperatures above 100°C also made it a model organism for overcoming overheating in small satellites in Earth’s orbit.

    This is just a few examples among over 16,000 proteins derived from deep-sea species and used in technology, catalogued in this database.

    The potential for innovation from deep-sea species has not been fully explored. As of 2024, only a quarter of the seabed has been mapped and most deep-sea species remain undiscovered.

    The dangers of mining

    But the essential role of deep-sea life in the functioning of Earth’s systems may be far greater than previously understood.

    Researchers recently discovered an unusually high concentration of oxygen on the seafloor in the Pacific Ocean, referred to as “dark oxygen”. This oxygen may be being produced by electrolysis – when an electric current separates water into hydrogen and oxygen.

    Where might an electrical charge be generated at the bottom of the ocean? Perhaps on the surfaces of polymetallic nodules, rock-like formations composed of lots of different metals which can create differences in electrical potential when interacting with seawater. The formation of these metals is influenced by the activity of microbes living on them, which in turn affects the chemical properties of the surrounding environment. The production of dark oxygen could be vital for the respiration of other species living in the ocean where there is no sunlight.

    Unfortunately, deep-sea ecosystems are under threat from seabed mining for minerals. Polymetallic nodules are considered potential resources for manganese, nickel, and rare earth elements – materials used to make electronics and computers. The Clarion-Clipperton Zone, a Pacific region where dark oxygen was recently discovered, has already been divided into 16 mining claims.

    Nodules on the seabed.
    Abramax/Wikipedia, CC BY-SA

    Researchers and campaigners have warned that deep-sea mining could severely damage marine ecosystems and have highlighted the lack of scientific consensus on the long-term consequences of these operations. Once disturbed, the evolutionary history these ecosystems represent could be lost forever.

    The International Seabed Authority oversees the management of mining activities in international waters. Although it has not yet authorised any commercial mining, it has faced criticism for allegedly dismissing environmental concerns. The recent election of the new ISA secretary-general, Leticia Carvalho, offers an opportunity to safeguard vital areas of the world’s oceans, crucial for both nature and human wellbeing.

    We must rethink the true value of the deep sea and consider what losing it may mean for the rest of the world.


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

    Get our award-winning 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 35,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    Erik Zhivkoplias receives funding from Formas research grant 2020-01048.

    Robert Blasiak receives funding from Formas research grant 2020-01048.

    – ref. The biological marvels of the seabed are being mined to create commercial products – here are the risks – https://theconversation.com/the-biological-marvels-of-the-seabed-are-being-mined-to-create-commercial-products-here-are-the-risks-237174

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –