Category: Universities

MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to unpublished conference abstract in which scientists propose a new approach for classifying processed foods

Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

June 3, 2025

A conference abstract presented at the annual conference of the American Society for Nutrition looks at a new approach for classifying processed foods.

Prof Martin Warren, Chief Scientific Officer and Group Leader, the Quadram Institute, said:

“Refining the definition of processed food is key to improving scientific precision as the current NOVA categories, especially “ultra-processed foods” (UPFs), are too broad and vague, grouping diverse foods together based on processing techniques rather than nutritional composition or health outcomes. Clearly, more precise definitions would allow for more appropriate research on diet and health outcomes.

“This also has implications for policy and regulation, as governments and organizations use NOVA to shape food labelling laws as well as dietary guidelines.

“Currently, there is a mismatch with nutrient profiling with some foods classified as UPFs being nutritionally adequate or even beneficial (e.g., some plant-based alternatives, fortified foods). A refined system could integrate both processing level and nutritional quality, enabling more balanced assessments.

“It’s difficult to tell about the quality of this abstract without more detailed analysis of the paper – but the general description and approach seems logical and robust.

“A step in the right direction but there is a lot of work to do with encouraging people to address the need to adopt the five-a-day recommendation, which has such clear health benefits.”

Prof Eileen Gibney, Professor in the School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin (UCD), said:

“This is an interesting piece of work.

“It attempts to address some of the criticisms of the current dialogue around the topic of ultra processed foods. As the authors state some of the issues raised in relation to the current definitions used in the UPF discussion is that you can have two distinctly different foods – a sweet or ‘candy’ bar (e.g. chocolates / sweets) in the same category as a fortified sugar-free whole grain breakfast cereal. This makes it complicated to use the concept of UPF in nutritional guidance, and nutritional advice. You can’t ask individuals to simply remove all UPF from a diet, as this leaves little choice for the consumer, and would be incredibly hard for people to follow. What we need to do is to understand which processed foods to minimise, and those that are in fact beneficial in a diet.

“The work presented here looks more closely at the ingredients, determining which are processed and not, as well as their known impact on health, it then considers how much added sugar the food contains, and how the combined ingredients impact on health, penalising foods with ingredients which have evidence for increased risk of disease.

“Essentially this scoring system aims to consider the level of processing (by considering the ingredients within the foods), but also considers evidence that links those ingredients with health outcomes. This more nuanced evidenced based approach appears to then discriminate foods that have been processed for benefit (e.g. sugar free fortified breakfast cereal) versus those that do not give any nutritional or health benefit e.g. a chocolate bar.

“This differentiation is important as it means that we are not simply considering the ‘presence of processing’ in a food, as the existing categorization does, but using an evidence based approach, informed by scientific evidence that demonstrates if a processing step, and/or ingredient actually impacts health. Evidence based approaches to the provision of nutritional advice is really important, and underpins our approach to public health. It will be important that this scoring system is updated as and when new evidence is available.”

Prof Helen Roche, Full Professor of Nutrigenomics (Nutrition and ‘Omics’), Director Of Academic Centre – Conway Institute School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science, University College Dublin (UCD), said:

“It is an example of nice research which advances the ways we can enhance and improve classification of healthy versus unhealthy foods, based on sound, systematic science, to better inform the consumer. It is very difficult to distinguish processed from non-processed food and their potential impact on health. Take for example lasagne, if you make it yourself at home versus a highly processed version, which by virtue of inferior ingredients and extensive food processing – the end products are very different in terms of nutritional quality. The new classification system proposed WISEcode UPF has the potential to more accurately classify processed versus non-processed foods – which when presented in an app might help support consumers choice towards more healthy food options.”

Prof Alexandra Johnstone, Theme Lead for Nutrition, Obesity and Disease, Rowett Institute, University of Aberdeen, said:

“The press release and abstract are very brief and do not allow for this novel research to be assessed for quality or rigor. The experienced US-based research group present a novel scoring system to classify foods and ingredients according to processing and evidence of impact on health, in comparison to the existing NOVA scale which is commonly used to classify UPF. There is very limited description on the validation of the tool and no perspective on limitations of the dataset. For example, this is being presented at a US nutrition meeting and the trademark terms look to be only relevant for the US food system; it is not clear if this is transferrable in other countries. Prior to a peer-review publication, it is difficult to comment further on the translation of the data.”

Dr Amanda Avery, Associate Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Nottingham, said:

“The NOVA system for classifying foods as ultra-processed or not has served us well since it was first introduced in 2009. But it is time to look for an update given that we know that not all ultra-processed foods are equal and some can contribute to a healthy diet. Also given the ever-increasing number of manufactured food products and increasing level of processing.

“It is unsurprising that AI has been used to create an app with a scoring system using an assessment of ingredients weighted based on current scientific knowledge of the associated health risks, the percentage of calories that come from added sugars, and considerations for ingredients with known health concerns (such as high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, and salt). Without further information, one assumes that there is also consideration of the positive health benefits of wholegrains providing dietary fibre.

“This scoring system was applied to a large number of foods and many different food ingredients were considered. The USA-based scientists found that the proposed scoring system was better able to differentiate between foods classified as ultra-processed compared to using the NOVA criteria. As one would expect, and hope, there was less differentiation between those foods that are minimally processed.

“It is unlikely that there will ever be a perfect system that accounts for all the nuances that weigh up the risks and benefits of processed food and health. Food manufacturers continue to process food to develop products that are safe and appealing without always considering the wider health impact and of course the health impact is very dependent on how often and how many ultra-processed foods are included in an individual diet. If included occasionally as part of an overall healthy and nutritionally balanced diet, the health risks will be considerably reduced.

“Sadly, whilst such an app may be able to influence healthier food choices, people’s food choices are influenced by a number of factors. Having a greater awareness of the level of processing and ingredients included in a product may not influence choice for everyone. Price for many has a huge influence on the food choices they make, and sadly ultra-processed foods often remain the cheaper option. One exception is that instore brands can often have a better nutritional profile compared to the equivalent branded product and such technology may provide consumers with a greater awareness of this – which is great.

“The abstract being presented is very much describing the development of the app. There does not seem to be any robust evaluation of the use of the app that demonstrates conclusive evidence of the value of the app in improving consumer food choice or the wider health benefits. It would also be good to know if the ability for consumers to be able to compare similar products changes food manufacturing practices to reduce the level of processing and use of artificial ingredients.

“The app has been developed in the USA and whilst a large number of foods and ingredients have been used as part of the development, there are differences in the foods that are available in the UK.”

Abstract title: ‘Ultra-Processed Foods Are Not All Alike: A Novel, Objective Approach to Differentiate Among Processed Foods Including Those Classified As NOVA 4’ by Richard Black et al. It will be presented at the NUTRITION 2025 conference, and is under embargo until 15:00 UK time on Tuesday 3 June 2025.

There is no paper.

Declared interests

Prof Martin Warren: “The Quadram Institute is a UK science national capability strategically supported by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, and also receives funding from other government agencies, national and international charities, and limited funding from industry (six per cent of total funding in 2022/23 came from industry).

Martin’s not got any interests to declare.”

Prof Eileen Gibney: “Eileen R. Gibney is a Professor of Nutrition in University College Dublin, and Director of the UCD Institute of Food and Health. Over the last 5 years she has received research funding through the following; Enterprise Ireland for Technology Centre – Food for Health Ireland (www.fhi.ie) project, co-funded with core partners Carbery, Kerry, Tirlan, Dairygold & Bord Bia; Research Ireland for the Insight Centre for Data Analytics and Co-Centre for Sustainable Food Systems; Horizon Europe most recently in projects such as FNSCloud, PLANEAT and MarieCurie CareerFIT; PhD studentship funding from Société des Produits Nestlé, Switzerland; UCD Foundation and McCarrick Family has provided funding for PhD studentship.

A travel bursary including Registration, Accommodation and Honorarium for attendance and speaking at the Nestle International Nutrition Symposium 2025, was provided by Société des Produits Nestlé, Switzerland.

Eileen R Gibney has completed consultancy work for the following; Société des Produits Nestlé, Switzerland; Irish Advertising Standards Agency, Food Safety Authority of Ireland. No personal payment was received, all payments were made into a research fund through Consult UCD.”

Prof Helen Roche: “I have no conflict of interest with respect to the study I commented on.”

Prof Alexandra Johnstone: “AJ holds voluntary roles within the UK Nutrition Society, Association for the Study of Obesity and British Nutrition Foundation.

FIO Food Grant

https://www.abdn.ac.uk/rowett/research/fio-food/

DIO Food Grant

https://www.abdn.ac.uk/rowett/research/dio-food/.”

Dr Amanda Avery: “Besides my academic position at the University of Nottingham, I also hold a position at Slimming World as Consultant dietitian in the Nutrition, Research & Health Policy team.

I have no other conflicts of interest to declare.”

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

June 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: We asked over 8,700 people in 6 countries to think about future generations in decision-making, and this is what we found

Source: The Conversation – USA – By Stylianos Syropoulos, Assistant Professor of Psychology, Arizona State University

Shifting the public’s perspective toward greater concern for future generations could result in more support for climate change policies, among others. Artur Debat/Moment via Getty Images

People often prioritize the well-being of family, friends and neighbors, as they feel a closeness emotionally and share the same temporal context. But they overlook how people born decades or centuries from now may suffer as a result of today’s failures to address major global risks such as climate change, future pandemics and unregulated artificial intelligence.

Our new research, published in the British Journal of Social Psychology, shows that brief, low-cost psychological interventions can help individuals adopt a more expansive moral perspective to include future generations.

We conducted three online studies with over 8,700 participants to examine whether prompting people to consider the long-term consequences of their actions could shift moral priorities beyond the present.

In one of two interventions, participants imagined themselves serving on a government committee responsible for protecting future generations. Their task was to ensure that new legislation accounted not only for immediate needs but also for long-term impacts; they were asked to write a speech communicating these goals to the American public. This exercise highlighted institutional responsibility and the role of collective action across time.

In the second intervention, participants engaged with a more personal thought experiment adapted from philosopher William MacAskill’s book “What We Owe the Future,” which explores our moral responsibility toward humanity’s long-term future.

The impact of actions over time.

Here, they read a scenario about a hiker who comes across broken glass on a remote trail – glass that may one day injure an unknown child. Should the hiker clean it up, even though no one is watching and the child may not appear for decades? After reflecting on this story, participants were asked to write about what they themselves could do to help make the future better for others.

Moral concern for both intervention and control participants was assessed using the Moral Expansiveness Scale. We asked participants to rate how much moral concern they felt for a wide range of issues. These included concern for future generations, alongside family and friends, strangers, marginalized groups such as LGBTQ+ people, animals and the natural environment.

Why it matters

Although these exercises differed, one emphasizing collective responsibility and the other individual, both led to the same outcome: Participants randomly assigned to an intervention condition expressed significantly greater moral concern for future generations than those assigned to a control condition who completed neither exercise.

This effect held across cultural contexts and across six diverse countries – the U.S., Argentina, South Africa, the Philippines, the U.K. and Australia – and persisted even when participants were required to make trade-offs in a zero-sum version of the Moral Expansiveness Scale. In this version of the task, they distributed a fixed number of “moral concern points” across competing groups, compelling them to weigh the moral importance of future generations against that of present-day entities like family members, strangers, nature and others.

What’s especially intriguing, however, is that the elevated concern for future generations among intervention participants did not come at the expense of concern for other socially distant entities or those viewed as marginalized.

What changed was how participants prioritized their moral concern: They placed slightly less emphasis on family and friends – groups that people typically prioritize most, even when they may be least in need of moral protection.

In contrast, concern increased for distant others, both living today and in the future.

What’s next

This perspective, encouraged by the interventions, could perhaps help lay the groundwork for more durable public support for addressing long-term challenges.

In future work, we hope to explore whether these interventions can inspire real-world action. This could include increased support for climate policies, voting for leaders who prioritize long-term investments like sustainable infrastructure and pandemic preparedness, or donating to causes that benefit future generations.

But how might these interventions be integrated into everyday life? One promising approach is to embed them into settings where such reflections already occur, such as schools, civic education programs or public awareness campaigns.

To assess their real-world potential, we plan to examine the durability of these effects. We want to see whether deploying them in such contexts can meaningfully inspire long-term shifts in attitudes and – importantly – behavior.

For example, brief storytelling exercises or classroom role-plays, like imagining oneself as a future-focused policymaker, could be incorporated into high school or college curricula to shape students’ values, goals and even career trajectories. Similarly, community workshops, online media or social campaigns could adapt these scenarios to foster long-term thinking in broader populations.

When people reflect on how their actions today shape the future, they may be more likely to back solutions to present-day issues like poverty and inequality, knowing these problems can have ripple effects for generations to come. They may also become more motivated to confront emerging risks, such as unregulated artificial intelligence or future pandemics, before those risks escalate.

The Research Brief is a short take on interesting academic work.

The research relevant to this article was funded by the John Templeton Foundation and APA Division 48.

The research relevant to this article was funded by the John Templeton Foundation and APA Division 48.

– ref. We asked over 8,700 people in 6 countries to think about future generations in decision-making, and this is what we found – https://theconversation.com/we-asked-over-8-700-people-in-6-countries-to-think-about-future-generations-in-decision-making-and-this-is-what-we-found-256767

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

June 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Peace has long been elusive in rural Colombia – Black women’s community groups try to bring it closer each day

Source: The Conversation – USA – By Tania Lizarazo, Associate Professor of Latin American Studies and Global Studies, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Local activists known as ‘comisionadas’ pose with women from Tanguí, Chocó, Colombia, at the end of a workshop in 2013. Tania Lizarazo

It’s been almost nine years since Colombia celebrated a landmark peace agreement between one guerrilla group and the government, and three years since President Gustavo Petro vowed “total peace.” But in reality, the country’s decades-long internal conflict continues – making it one of the oldest in the world.

Violence surged in early 2025, the most intense uptick in years. Fighting between two armed guerrilla groups in the northeastern Catatumbo region killed dozens of people and displaced tens of thousands more. Since the largest armed group – the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known as FARC – signed the 2016 peace accord, more than 400 signatories have been killed. Meanwhile, more than 1,200 social leaders and human rights defenders have been assassinated.

We often define peace as the absence of war. The problem with thinking about peace and war as an all-or-nothing binary, however, is that it obscures the violence that takes place in “peaceful times.” For Colombians, that paradox is nothing new. In many communities most affected by the violence, thinking about a “post-conflict era” feels utopian.

As a Colombian researcher who has collaborated with Afro-Colombian leaders for over a decade, I have noticed that emphasizing peace talks and accords erases the historical violence that is still present, especially for racial minorities. Colombia has the largest Black population in Spanish-speaking Latin America. In Chocó – a region on the Pacific coast where I conducted my research – Afro-Colombians form a majority.

Communities there are contending not only with the contemporary conflict, but also ongoing challenges from the legacies of slavery, colonialism and extractive industries. Many residents, particularly women, work together every day to try to bring peace and justice within reach.

Signs in the office of COCOMACIA, a Black women’s organization, say ‘option for life’ and ‘peace, we all build it.’
Tania Lizarazo

Rights vs. reality

Colombia has been mired in war for over six decades, as legal and illegal armed groups across the political spectrum fight for territories and resources. The conflict is estimated to have killed around 450,000 people and displaced around 7 million.

Black and Indigenous communities have disproportionately suffered the brunt of the war – especially in rural areas, where their lives and territories have been threatened by armed groups and companies alike. In Chocó Department, the site of my research, the region’s remoteness and biodiversity have attracted illegal groups and practices like drug trafficking, as well as mining and other types of resource extraction that threaten traditional livelihoods. Mercury from industrial mining poses an additional danger to people’s health and the environment.

Andres Magallan carries an urn with the remains of Ivan Mejia, who was murdered by right-wing paramilitary guerrillas years before, in Santa Maria, Chocó, Colombia, in 2010.
Raul Arboleda/AFP via Getty Images

Black rural communities in the Pacific lowlands, where most of Chocó is located, have a legal right to collective ownership of their territories and to be consulted about development plans. In reality, land grabs and targeted killings over illegal crops, mining and other extractive practices have become the norm here, as is true throughout rural Colombia.

The conflict has intensified racism and gender hierarchies, with Black women, particularly activists, especially vulnerable. Vice President Francia Márquez Mina, for example – who has won awards for her activism against illegal mining – survived an attack near her home in the nearby department of Cauca in 2019. She and her family have received other threats on their lives since then.

Building solidarity

Even in “postconflict” times, peace is a challenging task. It requires social change that does not happen overnight. Rather, it is the accumulation of tiny sparks in people’s daily commitments.

In my book “Postconflict Utopias: Everyday Survival in Chocó, Colombia,” I write about how Black women’s organizations care for their territories and communities. The “comisionadas,” for example, belong to one of the largest such groups in Colombia, called COCOMACIA. These women travel the Atrato River and its tributaries to lead workshops about the organization, as well as territorial rights and women’s rights.

Comisionadas next to a poster with information about a landmark law against domestic violence, on July 7, 2012. María del Socorro Mosquera Pérez sits on the left.
Tania Lizarazo

Everyone in the community is welcome to participate in dialogues about issues such as women’s political participation, land ownership and related legislation. Comisionada María del Socorro Mosquera Pérez, for example, wrote a song to share the importance of Law 1257, a landmark 2008 law against violence and discrimination against women.

In her story for the research project that I discuss in my book, “Mujeres Pacíficas,” comisionada Rubiela Cuesta Córdoba says it best: “The best legacy that one leaves to family and friends is resistance.”

One focus of these women’s groups’ work is the Atrato River itself. Since 2016, the same year of the peace accords, Colombian courts have recognized the river as a legal person, with rights to protection, conservation, maintenance and restoration.

Students paint a mural in Quibdó, Chocó, Colombia, which says ‘Somos Atrato’: We are the Atrato River.
Jan Sochor/Getty Images

The river is a source of food and transportation between many basin communities where potable water, electricity and other amenities are scarce. But it is also intertwined with politics and spirituality. Pilgrimages like “Atratiando,” a trip along the river and its tributaries that has taken place multiple times since 1999, highlight that there is no life without the river. Participants travel through areas where paramilitaries and guerrillas are active, showing solidarity with vulnerable communities.

COCOMACIA’s comisionadas are part of many other organizations – highlighting how survival is not only intertwined with lands and rivers, but other regions and countries. The struggle for women’s rights has led the comisionadas to collaborate with other organizations, creating wider networks of care. These include La Red Departamental de Mujeres Chocoanas, a feminist coalition of women’s organizations in Chocó; La Ruta Pacífica de las Mujeres, a feminist movement of 300 organizations from across Colombia; and Women in Black, an anti-militarism network with members in over 150 countries.

Their solidarity is a reminder that peace and justice are a collaborative, everyday effort. As Justa Germania Mena Córdoba, leader of the comisionadas at the time, told me in 2012: “One cannot change the world by herself.”

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

– ref. Peace has long been elusive in rural Colombia – Black women’s community groups try to bring it closer each day – https://theconversation.com/peace-has-long-been-elusive-in-rural-colombia-black-womens-community-groups-try-to-bring-it-closer-each-day-219550

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

June 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Is methylene blue really a brain booster? A pharmacologist explains the science

Source: The Conversation – USA – By Lorne J. Hofseth, Professor and Associate Dean for Research, College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina

This vibrantly colored chemical was originally created for use as a fabric dye. Kittisak Kaewchalun via iStock/Getty Images Plus

The internet is abuzz with tributes to a liquid chemical called methylene blue that is being sold as a health supplement.

Over the past five or 10 years, methylene blue has come to be touted online as a so-called nootropic agent – a substance that enhances cognitive function. Vendors claim that it amps up brain energy, improves memory, boosts focus and dispels brain fog, among other supposed benefits.

Health influencers, such as podcaster Joe Rogan, have sung its praises. In February 2025, shortly before he was confirmed as health and human services secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appeared in a video squirting a blue liquid widely presumed to be methylene blue into a glass – though he never verbally endorsed the substance.

As a researcher studying inflammation and cancer, I investigate how dyes affect human health. Claims about methylene blue are alluring, and it’s easy to buy into its promise. But so far, evidence supporting its health benefits is scant, and there are some serious risks to using the substance outside of medical practice.

What is methylene blue?

Methylene blue was first synthesized in the 19th century by scientists at the German chemical company BASF.
Museo di Chimica dell’Università di Genova via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

Methylene blue is a synthetic dye that exists as a dark green powder and takes on a deep blue color when dissolved in water. My work and that of others suggest that many synthetic dyes widely used in foods and medicines can trigger potentially harmful immune system reactions in the body. But unlike commonly used food dyes – one of which was recently banned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration – methylene blue is not derived from petroleum, also known as crude oil. Instead, it comes from a different family of dyes, which isn’t thought to have these health concerns.

Methylene blue was first synthesized in 1876 as a dye for textiles and was valued for its intense color and ability to bind well to fabrics. Soon after, German physician Paul Ehrlich discovered its ability to stain biological tissues and to kill the parasite that causes malaria — making it one of the first synthetic drugs used in medicine.

The chemical didn’t gain widespread use as a malaria treatment because it was no more effective than quinine, the standard therapy at the time. But in the 1930s, the dye found a new use in testing the safety of raw or unpasteurized milk. If its blue color faded quickly, the milk was contaminated with bacteria, but if it remained blue, the milk was considered relatively clean.

This safety test now is largely obsolete. But it works thanks to methylene blue’s chemical superpower, which is that its molecules can swap electrons with other molecules, like a tiny battery charger.

How do doctors use it today?

That same chemical superpower enables some of methylene blue’s medical uses. Most significantly, doctors use it to treat a rare blood disorder called methemoglobinemia, in which hemoglobin, an iron-rich protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen, takes on a different form that can’t do the job. Methylene blue restores hemoglobin’s function by transferring an electron.

Doctors also sometimes use methylene blue to treat the effects of carbon monoxide poisoning, septic shock or toxicities from drugs such as chemotherapy. It is also used as a surgical dye to highlight specific tissues such as lymph nodes, or to identify where tissue is leaky and therefore may be damaged.

How does methylene blue affect the brain?

Methylene blue can enter the brain by crossing the protective tissue barrier that surrounds it. Researchers have also found that the chemical can protect and support mitochondria, cell structures that are often described as the powerhouses of the cell. Methylene blue may help mitochondria generate energy for cells to use. For these reasons, researchers are studying methylene blue’s effect on the brain.

So far, most of what’s known about the substance’s effects on the brain comes from studies in rats and in cells grown in a lab dish – not in people. For example, researchers have found that methylene blue may improve learning, boost memory and protect brain cells in rats with a condition that mimics Alzheimer’s disease.

Studies in rodents have also found that methylene blue can protect the brain from damage from brain injury. Other studies showed that methylene blue is useful in treating ischemic stroke in rats. However, no research to date has examined whether it protects peoples’ brains from traumatic brain injury or stroke.

A handful of clinical trials have investigated the effects of methylene blue in treating aspects of Alzheimer’s disease in people, but a 2023 review of these trials notes that their results have been mixed and not conclusive. A small study of 26 people found that a single low dose of the chemical boosted memory by about 7% and increased brain activity during thinking tasks. Another study by the same researchers found that methylene blue changed how different parts of the brain connected, though it didn’t improve thinking skills.

Although some studies in people have shown hints that methylene blue may be beneficial for some brain-related issues, such as pain management and neuropsychiatric disorders, such studies to date have been small. This suggests that while there may be patient circumstances where methylene blue is beneficial, researchers have not yet pinned down what those are.

Is methylene blue safe?

Methylene blue is generally safe when used under medical supervision. However, the chemical has some serious risks.

For one thing, it can interact with widely used medications. Methylene blue inhibits a molecule called monoamine oxidase, whose job is to break down an important brain chemical, serotonin. Many commonly used medications for treating anxiety and depression target serotonin. Taking the supplement along with these medicines can cause a condition called serotonin syndrome, which can lead to agitation, confusion, high fever, rapid heart rate, muscle stiffness and, in severe cases, seizures or even death.

In people with a rare genetic deficiency of an enzyme called G6PD, methylene blue can cause a dangerous condition in which red blood cells break down too quickly. At high doses, the chemical can also raise blood pressure or cause heart problems. Also, it’s considered unsafe for pregnant or breastfeeding women because it may harm the fetus or baby.

Overall, while scientists have found hints of some fascinating properties of methylene blue, much larger, longer trials are needed to know if it truly works, what the right dose is and how safe it is over time.

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

– ref. Is methylene blue really a brain booster? A pharmacologist explains the science – https://theconversation.com/is-methylene-blue-really-a-brain-booster-a-pharmacologist-explains-the-science-257159

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

June 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: A bottlenose dolphin? Or Tursiops truncatus? Why biologists give organisms those strange, unpronounceable names

Source: The Conversation – USA – By Nicholas Green, Assistant Professor of Biology, Kennesaw State University

The system of scientific naming began in the 1700s. Westend61 via Getty Images

Most people would call it a “field mouse,” but a scientist would ask, “Was it Peromyscus maniculatus? Or Peromyscus leucopus?”

Scientists use a system of complicated-sounding names to refer to everyday creatures, a practice heavily lampooned in the Warner Bros. cartoons featuring the Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote – or, respectively, Accelleratii incredibus and Carnivorous vulgaris.

As a biologist, I use these seemingly odd names myself and help my students learn them. For most people it’s a huge effort, like learning a second language. That’s because it is.

A chimpanzee, otherwise known as Pan troglodytes.
guenter guni/E+ via Getty Images

Humans, skunks and maple trees

The science of naming and classifying organisms is called taxonomy. Scientists do this so they can be as precise as possible when discussing living things.

The first word in an organism’s name is its genus, which is a group of related species, such as Panthera for lions, tigers and leopards.

The second word is the specific name identifying the species, usually defined as a population that can reproduce only with each other, such as Panthera leo for lion.

Every two-word combination must be unique. Called binomial nomenclature, this naming system was popularized by Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in the 1700s. So, humans are Homo sapiens, the red maple Acer rubrum, garlic Allium sativum, and the eastern spotted skunk Spilogale putorius.

Today, biologists maintain huge databases containing the taxonomic names of plants, animals, fungi and other organisms. For instance, one of these databases – the Open Tree of Life project – includes over 2.3 million species.

The scientist who discovers a species usually names it by publishing a formal description in a peer-reviewed journal. From there, the name makes its way into the databases. From then on, scientists always use that name for the organism, even if it turns out to be misleading. For example, many fossils were originally given names containing the Greek root “saur,” which means lizard – even though paleontologists later realized dinosaurs were not lizards.

The archosaur group includes dinosaurs and also today’s birds and crocodiles.
Orla/iStock via Getty Images Plus

Snobbery isn’t the issue

To most people, these names sound inscrutable. Particularly nowadays, as science becomes more open and accessible to everyone, such arcane vocabulary can come across as old-fashioned and elitist.

Given the current backlash against “elites” and “experts” in every field, that’s a serious charge. But in a roundabout way, this seemingly exclusive practice is really a story of inclusiveness.

As modern science began taking shape in Europe during the 1600s, scientists had a problem. They wanted to read and be read by others, but language got in the way. French scientists couldn’t read Swedish, Swedes couldn’t read Italian, and Italians couldn’t read German.

Also, writing about plants and animals posed a particular challenge: Many species had common names that could vary from place to place, and some common names might apply to multiple species. Scientists needed a way to be precise and consistent when referring to species, so that everyone could understand each other.

To sidestep the language issue, scientists of the era mostly published their work in classical Latin. Back then, everyone learned it – at least every European man wealthy enough to attend school and become a scientist. Others published in classical Greek, also widely taught. By sticking with these more universally known languages, early scientists made sure that science was accessible to as many of their peers as possible.

By the late 1700s and 1800s, translation services were broadly available, so naturalists such as Georges Cuvier could write in his native French, and Charles Darwin in his native English. Today, English has become the de facto language for science, so most scientists publish in English regardless of their native tongue.

So why continue to use Latin and Greek names today? Taxonomists do it partly out of tradition, but partly because the terminology is still useful. Even without seeing a photo of the animal, a biologist might work out that Geomys bursarius – “earth-mouse with a pouch” – was a pocket gopher. Or that Reithrodontomys fulvescens – “groove-toothed mouse that is yellow” – is a yellow mouse with grooves on its incisors.

A two-minute, how-to-do-it lesson.

What’s in a name?

Although taxonomists still largely adhere to the naming principles of Linnaeus, new scientific names are more and more frequently derived from non-European languages. For example, a chicken-size dinosaur discovered and named in China is called Yi qi, meaning “strange wing” in Mandarin.

Some of the more recent names are touched by whimsy, with a few honoring politicians and celebrities. Etheostoma obama is a spangled darter named after the 44th U.S. president; the Swift twisted-claw millipede – Nannaria swiftae – is named after pop star Taylor Swift.

With so much of Earth’s biodiversity yet to be discovered and named, remember that names are just names. What we call these species often reflects our own values and perspectives.

In the future, another language – or no language at all – might rise to dominance. Artificial intelligence may act as a universal translator. This possibility would let everyone publish and read science in their own language. Predicting how technology will change our relationship with terminology is challenging, but the need for precise scientific language, including the names of species, will never go away.

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

– ref. A bottlenose dolphin? Or Tursiops truncatus? Why biologists give organisms those strange, unpronounceable names – https://theconversation.com/a-bottlenose-dolphin-or-tursiops-truncatus-why-biologists-give-organisms-those-strange-unpronounceable-names-252265

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

June 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: It’s miller moth season in Colorado – an entomologist explains why they’re important and where they’re headed

Source: The Conversation – USA – By Ryan St Laurent, Assistant Professor of Biology, University of Colorado Boulder

It is spring on the Front Range of Colorado, which means before long the region will receive an influx of many, many moths.

Colorado is home to thousands of species of moths, many of which are hatching out from a winter of hibernation, known as diapause.

Moths are known to swarm porch, stadium and street lights at night. Each summer, Denver is visited by miller moths as they make their trek to the mountains.
Fairfax Media/GettyImages

At night, porch lights, stadium lights and street lamps are regularly visited by moths, a collective term for most of the nocturnal members of the insect order called Lepidoptera. Butterflies are also part of this order, but they are mostly diurnal, or active during the day. Butterflies are actually just a subset of moths, so all butterflies are moths, but not all moths are butterflies.

The Front Range lies on the path of a springtime migration of a particularly familiar species of moth, usually referred to in this part of the country, including Colorado and neighboring states, as “miller moths.” Miller moth caterpillars are often called the “army cutworm,” a whimsical name referring to the caterpillars’ tendency to reach large numbers that march across fields and roads to find food. Both the moths and their caterpillars are rather drab and brown in color, though the moths are variable in patterning.

‘Miller moth’ is the common name for a moth species that migrates from southeastern Colorado to the Front Range to forage for food.
Chuck Harp, Colorado State University

Many people find miller moths to be a nuisance, and the caterpillars can be a pest. But miller moths are a native species to Colorado and play important roles across the plains and up into the high country.

I am an assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology as well as the curator of the entomology collection at the University of Colorado’s Natural History Museum in Boulder. I study moths from around the world. I have a particular fascination for the large moth group known as Noctuoidea, the superfamily to which miller moths and their relatives belong.

As an entomologist, I crisscross the state looking for moths for my ongoing evolutionary, classification and life history studies. During miller moth migrations, they may swarm my moth traps, which are made up of a bright light in front of a white sheet. The crush of miller moths makes finding the less common species that I am looking for all the more challenging in a sea of dusty brown.

To spot and trap moths, entomologists set up bright lights in front of a white background.
Ryan St. Laurent

What makes miller moths so unique?

In temperate regions like most of North America, most moth species hibernate in the cold winter months. During this time, they are in a dormant pupal stage. Some species spin cocoons. They then hatch into adult moths, mate, lay eggs, and those caterpillars grow during the spring and summer. Come fall, the cycle starts over.

While miller moths also have a hibernation period, it is not like that of most moths. Miller moths instead spend their winters on the plains of eastern Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, Nebraska and nearby states as partially grown caterpillars, rather than a pupa, having gotten a head start on feeding in the late summer. This puts the caterpillars at an advantage. As soon as the weather warms and low-lying crops like wheat and alfalfa produce new, nutrient-rich foliage during the early spring, the caterpillars are right there ready to feast and may cause serious damage to the crops in outbreak years.

Pupation then occurs later in the spring, and unlike in most Lepidoptera, the adult moths hatch without an extended pupal diapause, and instead begin to migrate west. They travel more than 100 miles (roughly 160 kilometers) toward higher elevations to seek out flowering plants, feeding on nectar and pollinating as they go.

Miller moths migrate to the Rocky Mountains to forage for food. In this video, courtesy of Ecologist Adrian Carper, thousands of moths flutter around trees in the mountains.

This migration is where folks on the Front Range become all too familiar with these weary travelers, who seek out narrow spaces to rest, often crawling into gaps in cars and homes. Inside a home, miller moths don’t feed, reproduce or lay eggs. Sudden agitation of the resting moths may cause them to fly about to seek out a new spot to hide – that is, if your house cat doesn’t see them first. If they do make their way inside, they can be easily swept into a cup or jar and let outside.

People on the Front Range experience a second run-in with these moths after they finish their summer of feeding in the mountains and head back to the plains to lay their eggs in the fields from August to September.

The call of the night

The importance of pollinators is familiar to many Coloradans. The state offers many resources and groups to help create spaces to attract butterflies and bees, including an initiative that designated Interstate Highway 76 as the “Colorado Pollinator Highway”.

But pollination does not stop when the sun goes down. In fact, moths make up the largest percentage of pollinators in terms of number of species globally – more than bees and butterflies combined. But scientists have yet to figure out which plants miller moths pollinate.

Despite the importance of moths as pollinators to agriculture and ecology, by comparison to bees, for example, we know exceedingly little about nocturnal pollinators. Of the thousands of moth species in Colorado, many hundreds remain unknown to science. One of the reasons scientists study moths is to literally shed a light on these insects in the environment to see what they are doing.

My work aims to understand what certain moths eat in their caterpillar stage, but other researchers, and my colleague Dr. Julian Resasco, at the University of Colorado Boulder, study what plants the adults are feeding on as they pollinate.

Colorado moths

Moths are among the primary airborne insects at night, playing a significant, and perhaps leading, role in insect-feeding bat diets. During their migration to the mountains, there are so many miller moths that they are a substantial protein- and fat-rich meal for animals as large as bears.

Considering that we still know so little about moths, it’s important to realize that light pollution, habitat loss and agricultural chemicals are all impacting moth numbers, resulting in annual declines in these insects globally.

So, the next time you see a miller moth in Colorado, or any moth at a light anywhere on Earth, remember that it’s working the night shift. Turn out that light so it can go about its way.

Ryan St Laurent receives funding from the National Science Foundation (no active grants). Some scientific publications referenced in this article were coauthored by Ryan or by his other collaborators.

– ref. It’s miller moth season in Colorado – an entomologist explains why they’re important and where they’re headed – https://theconversation.com/its-miller-moth-season-in-colorado-an-entomologist-explains-why-theyre-important-and-where-theyre-headed-256660

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

June 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Uncertainty at NASA − Trump withdraws his nominee for administrator while the agency faces a steep proposed budget cut

Source: The Conversation – USA – By Wendy Whitman Cobb, Professor of Strategy and Security Studies, Air University

The vehicle assembly building at the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Fla. AP Photo/Marta Lavandier

Over the past several days, NASA’s ambitious space exploration plans have experienced major setbacks. First, on May 30, 2025, newly released budget documents revealed the extent of the significant budget and personnel cuts proposed by the Trump administration. Then, just a day later, President Donald Trump withdrew the nomination of Jared Isaacman to be NASA administrator just days before an expected confirmation vote.

From my perspective as a space policy expert, these events signal problems ahead for a space agency that now faces stiff competition in space exploration from the commercial sector. Without a leader and facing a fight over its budget, NASA faces an uncertain future, both in the months ahead and longer term.

Budget problems

When the Trump administration released a preview of its budget proposal in early May, it was clear that NASA was facing significant cuts.

After receiving US$24.9 billion for 2025, the president’s proposal would allot NASA $18.8 billion in 2026. After accounting for inflation, this amount would represent NASA’s smallest budget since 1961.

Space science programs are one of the largest targets of the proposed budget cuts, seeing an almost 50% reduction, to just $3.9 billion. Specific programs targeted for elimination include the Mars Sample Return mission, the currently operating Mars Odyssey and MAVEN missions around Mars, and several missions to Venus.

Several ongoing and proposed astrophysics programs, including the Chandra X-Ray Observatory, would also end if the proposed budget passes.

NASA’s human spaceflight programs also face potential cuts. The budget proposes canceling the Space Launch System, the Orion crew vehicle and the Lunar Gateway following the Artemis III mission.

Artemis III, planned for 2027, would be the first crewed flight back to the lunar surface since 1972. The mission would use the Space Launch System rocket and Orion crew vehicle to get there. The proposed Lunar Gateway, a mini-space station in lunar orbit, would be abandoned entirely.

Instead, the budget proposes to establish a Commercial Moon to Mars program. Under this initiative, NASA would utilize commercial systems such as Blue Origin’s New Glenn and SpaceX’s Starship to put Americans on the Moon and Mars.

Several Mars missions, including the Mars Sample Return, MAVEN and Mars Odyssey, would be canceled under the proposed budget. It would instead establish a program to work with commercial partners to put humans on the red planet.
NASA, ESA, Zolt G. Levay (STScI)

A smaller budget also means a smaller NASA workforce. The budget proposal suggests that the number of NASA employees would be reduced by one-third, from more than 17,000 to 11,853.

Advocates for space science and exploration have criticized the cuts. The Planetary Society has stated that these cuts to space science represent an “extinction level event” that would all but end NASA’s ability to perform meaningful science.

Democrats in Congress were also quick to push back on the proposed cuts, arguing that they would hamper the U.S.’s ability to carry out its missions.

The budget documents released so far are just proposals. Congress must make the final decisions on how much money NASA gets and which programs are funded. While this might be good news for NASA funding, my research has shown that Congress rarely appropriates more money for NASA than the president requests.

Leadership challenges

The release of the president’s proposed budget was followed with the news that the president would withdraw his nomination of Jared Isaacman to be NASA’s administrator.

Jared Isaacman, the former nominee for NASA administrator, is a businessman who has been to space on several commercial flights.
AP Photo/John Raoux, File

In a Truth Social post, Trump wrote, “After a thorough review of prior associations, I am hereby withdrawing the nomination of Jared Isaacman to head NASA. I will soon announce a new Nominee who will be Mission aligned, and put America First in Space.”

Like the budget proposal, news of Isaacman’s withdrawal has also hit the space community hard. Following his nomination, Isaacman won the support of many in the space industry and in government. His confirmation hearing in April was largely uncontentious, with support from both Republicans and Democrats.

NASA will now need to wait for the president to make a new choice for NASA administrator. That person will then need to go through the same process as Isaacman, with a hearing in the Senate and several votes.

Given the amount of time it takes for nominations to make their way through the Senate, NASA is likely to face several more months without a confirmed administrator. This absence will come while many of its programs will be fighting for money and their existence.

The months ahead

Like many federal agencies right now, NASA faces a tumultuous future. Budgetary and leadership challenges might be the immediate problem, but NASA’s long-term future is potentially rocky as well.

Since its founding, NASA’s mission has been largely centered on sending humans to space.

If that role shifts to commercial companies, NASA will need to grapple with what its identity and mission is going forward.

History provides some insight. One of NASA’s forerunners, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, or NACA, largely focused on advanced research and development of aeronautical technologies. For instance, NACA researched things such as proper engine placement on airliners as well as advances that helped air flow more efficiently over those engines.

A new NASA that’s more similar to NACA might continue research into nuclear engines or other advanced space technology that may contribute to the work commercial space companies are already doing.

Choices made by the Trump administration and Congress in the coming months will likely shape what NASA will look like in the years to come. Until then, NASA, like many government organizations, faces a period of uncertainty about its future.

Wendy N. Whitman Cobb is affiliated with the US School of Advanced Air and Space Studies. Her views are her own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Defense or any of its components.

– ref. Uncertainty at NASA − Trump withdraws his nominee for administrator while the agency faces a steep proposed budget cut – https://theconversation.com/uncertainty-at-nasa-trump-withdraws-his-nominee-for-administrator-while-the-agency-faces-a-steep-proposed-budget-cut-258032

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

June 4, 2025

MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Supporting Gaelic’s growth

Source: Scottish Government

Funding for schools and cultural projects.

A new Gaelic primary school is set to open in Glasgow next year after a £2 million investment from the Scottish Government.

The funding will complete the refurbishment and extension of the former St James’ Primary School building to establish Bun-sgoil Ghàidhlig a’ Challtainn (Calton Gaelic Primary School) which will become the city’s fourth Gaelic language primary.

Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic Kate Forbes announced the investment as part of a £2.4 million package to support Gaelic schools and cultural initiatives across Scotland.

The funding will also support:

the construction of a second classroom at West Primary School in Paisley
the expansion of two Gaelic cultural centres in the Highlands
cultural events through An Comunn Gàidhealach who will host this year’s Royal National Mòd in Lochaber

On a visit to the site of the new school, Ms Forbes said:

“This school will build on the encouraging surge we have seen in the number of Gaelic speakers and learners in Glasgow and support the language’s growth into the future.

“Gaelic medium education enriches communities and offers good value for money by providing better grade averages across all qualification levels despite costs being no greater than average.

“To support Gaelic’s growth across Scotland, we are providing an additional £5.7 million for Gaelic initiatives this year. We are also progressing the Scottish Languages Bill which, if passed by MSPs, will introduce measures to strengthen the provision of Gaelic education.”

The new school, with space for 416 pupils, will be managed by Glasgow City Council. It meets a growing demand for Gaelic primary education in the city. Census figures published last year show a 45% increase in the number of people with some Gaelic skills in Glasgow compared to 2011.

Alison Richardson, headteacher of Bun-sgoil Ghàidhlig a’ Challtainn, said:

“With Gaelic medium education continuing to flourish in Glasgow, our pupils and parents are excited and proud to be moving Bun-sgoil Ghàidhlig a’ Challtainn into its very own repurposed school located in the East End.

“We look forward to supporting Gaelic’s growth in the Calton area, where many spoke it in the past, and for the school to become a real focal point and asset to the local community.”

Background

Projects benefiting from Scottish Government Gaelic Capital Fund allocations for 2024-25 are listed below.

Project	Capital allocated	Summary
Bun-sgoil Ghàidhlig a’ Challtainn (Calton Gaelic Primary School)	£2,000,000.00	Refurbishment and extension of the former St James’ Primary School building.
West Primary School, Paisley	£43,000.00	Construction of a second classroom.
Broadford Primary School, Skye	£60,630.00	Upgrade to Games Hall.
Calder Glen High School, East Kilbride	£51,935.00	Construction of a bothy with computing, cooking and gardening space and provision of laptops, speakers, desks and other equipment.
Greenfaulds High School, Cumbernauld	£38,772.50	Equipment to allow more children from across North Lanarkshire to attend classes virtually.
Whitehills Primary School, Forfar	£5,748.36	Chromebooks, tablet cases and a replacement smartboard.
Inverclyde Academy, Greenock	£2907.00	Installation of bilingual signage throughout the school.
Feasibility study on establishing a Gaelic secondary school in Stornoway	£30,800.00	Study to explore the feasibility of establishing Gaelic secondary provision.
An Comunn Gàidhealach	£65,600.00	Delivery of this year’s Royal National Mòd.
The University of Edinburgh’s Opening the Well Crowdsourcing Gaelic Transcription project	£17,305.00	Transcription of Gaelic audio recordings, which will be added to a free online archive of Gaelic folklore and historical materials.
Ionad Thròndairnis (The Trotternish Centre)	£75,000.00	Extension of a Gaelic cultural centre in Skye.
Co-Chomann Dualchas Shrath Naruinn (Strathnairn Heritage Association	£40,000.00	Establishment of a Gaelic heritage centre in the former Dunlichity Church building.
Fèis Ghasaigh	£36,469.00	Delivery of a two-day Gaelic music event in South Uist.

Glasgow is home to the third largest number of children and young people in Gaelic Medium Education in Scotland with 740 primary pupils in 2023. Census statistics show that 17,380 people in Glasgow had some Gaelic skills 2022, an increase of 7,911 people from 2011.

Glasgow City Council has provided £17.6 million towards works at Bun-sgoil Ghàidhlig a’ Challtainn, within an overall project budget of £23.8 million. The works are supported by the Scottish Government’s £2 billion Learning Estate Investment Programme which is delivered in partnership with local authorities. Nine school projects included in the programme will open in 2025-26.

A’ cumail taic ri fàs na Gàidhlig

Maoineachadh do sgoiltean agus pròiseactan cultarail.

Tha bun-sgoil Ghàidhlig ùr gu bhith a’ fosgladh ann an Glaschu an ath-bhliadhna às dèidh tasgadh-airgid luach £2 millean bho Riaghaltas na h-Alba.

Leis a’ mhaoineachadh, thèid crìoch a chur air ath-uidheamachadh agus leudachadh an t-seann togalaich air làrach Bun-sgoil Naoimh Sheumais airson Bun-sgoil Ghàidhlig a’ Challtainn a stèidheachadh, ’s i gu bhith na ceathramh bun-sgoil Ghàidhlig sa bhaile.

Dh’fhoillsich an Leas-Phrìomh Mhinistear agus Rùnaire a’ Chaibineit airson na h-Eaconamaidh agus na Gàidhlig, Ceit Fhoirbeis, an tasgadh-airgid mar phàirt de phacaid luach £2.4 millean a chumas taic ri sgoiltean agus iomairtean cultarail Gàidhlig air feadh Alba.

Cumaidh am maoineachadh cuideachd taic ri:

togail dàrna seòmar-teagaisg aig Bun-sgoil an Iar ann am Pàislig
leudachadh air dà ionad cultair Gàidhlig air a’ Ghàidhealtachd
tachartasan cultarail tron Chomunn Ghàidhealach a chumas am Mòd Rìoghail Nàiseanta ann an Loch Abar am-bliadhna

Air turas do làrach na sgoile ùr, thuirt a’ Bh-uas. Fhoirbeis:

“Togaidh an sgoil seo air an àrdachadh bhrosnachail a chunnacas ann an àireamh luchd-labhairt agus luchd-ionnsachaidh na Gàidhlig ann an Glaschu, ’s i a’ cur taic ri fàs a’ chànain san àm ri teachd.

“Tha foghlam tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig a’ cur beairteas ri coimhearsnachdan agus tha deagh luach an airgid na lùib, ’s comharran cuibheasach nas fheàrr gan toirt do sgoilearan thar gach ìre teisteanais gun cosgaisean a bhith nas àirde na tha iad sa chumantas.

“Gus taic a chumail ri fàs na Gàidhlig air feadh Alba, tha sinn a’ toirt £5.7 millean a bharrachd do dh’iomairtean Gàidhlig am-bliadhna. Tha sinn cuideachd a’ toirt air adhart Bile nan Cànan Albannach, agus ma ghabhas na BPA rithe, bheir i a-steach ceumannan gus solarachadh foghlam Gàidhlig a neartachadh.”

Thèid an sgoil ùr, far am bi àite do 416 sgoilear, a stiùireadh le Comhairle Baile Ghlaschu. Tha i a’ coileanadh iarrtas a tha a’ sìor-fhàs air foghlam Gàidhlig bun-sgoile anns a’ bhaile. Tha figearan a’ chunntais-shluaigh a chaidh fhoillseachadh an-uiridh a’ sealltainn àrdachadh de 45% ann an àireamh nan daoine le beagan sgilean Gàidhlig ann an Glaschu an taca ri 2011.

Thuirt Alison Richardson, ceannard Bun-sgoil Ghàidhlig a’ Challtainn:

“Le foghlam tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig a’ sìor-shoirbheachadh ann an Glaschu, tha na sgoilearan agus pàrantan againn air bhioran agus moiteil gum bi Bun-sgoil Ghàidhlig a’ Challtainn a’ gluasad a-steach dhan sgoil ath-leasaichte aice fhèin, ’s i suidhichte ann an Ceann an Ear a’ bhaile.

“Tha sinn a’ dèanamh fiughair ri taic a chumail ri fàs na Gàidhlig ann an sgìre a’ Challtainn, far an robh mòran ga bruidhinn san àm a dh’fhalbh, agus ri an sgoil a bhith aig fìor theas-meadhan na coimhearsnachd ionadail agus na buannachd dhi.”

Cùl-fhiosrachadh

Tha pròiseactan a gheibh buannachd bho chuibhreannan Maoin Chalpa na Gàidhlig le Riaghaltas na h-Alba ann an 2024-25 air an liostadh gu h-ìosal.

Pròiseact	Calpa air a shònrachadh	Geàrr-chunntas
Bun-sgoil Ghàidhlig a’ Challtainn	£2,000,000.00	Ath-uidheamachadh agus leudachadh an t-seann togalaich air làrach Bun-sgoil Naoimh Sheumais.
Bun-sgoil an Iar, Pàislig	£43,000.00	Togail dàrna seòmar-teagaisg.
Bun-sgoil an Àth Leathainn, an t-Eilean Sgitheanach	£60,630.00	Ath-nuadhachadh air Talla nan Geamaichean.
Àrd-sgoil Ghlinn Challdair, Cille Bhrìghde an Ear	£51,935.00	Togail bothain le àite airson coimpiutaireachd, còcaireachd agus gàirnealaireachd, agus solarachadh laptopaichean, labhradairean, deasgan agus uidheamachd eile.
Àrd-sgoil Greenfaulds, Comar nan Allt	£38,772.50	Uidheamachd a leigeas le tuilleadh cloinne bho air feadh Siorrachd Lannraig a Tuath clasaichean a fhrithealadh air astar.
Bun-sgoil Whitehills, Farfar	£5,748.36	Laptopaichean Chromebook, còmhdaichean tablaid agus bòrd-glic ùr.
Acadamaidh Inbhir Chluaidh, Grianaig	£2907.00	Cur suas shoidhnichean dà-chànanach air feadh na sgoile.
Sgrùdadh iomchaidheachd air stèidheachadh àrd-sgoil Ghàidhlig ann an Steòrnabhagh	£30,800.00	Sgrùdadh a rannsaicheas iomchaidheachd an lùib foghlam Gàidhlig àrd-sgoile a stèidheachadh.
An Comunn Gàidhealach	£65,600.00	Lìbhrigeadh Mòd Rìoghail Nàiseanta na bliadhna seo.
Pròiseact Opening the Well: Crowdsourcing Gaelic Transcription le Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann	£17,305.00	Tar-sgrìobhadh de chlàraidhean claisneachd Gàidhlig a thèid a chur ri tasglann an-asgaidh, air-loidhne de bheul-aithris na Gàidhlig agus stuth eachdraidheil.
Ionad Thròndairnis	£75,000.00	Leudachadh air ionad cultar na Gàidhlig san Eilean Sgitheanach.
Co-Chomann Dualchas Shrath Naruinn	£40,000.00	Stèidheachadh ionad dualchas na Gàidhlig ann an seann togalach Eaglais Dhùn Fhlichididh.
Fèis Ghasaigh	£36,469.00	Lìbhrigeadh de thachartas-ciùil Gàidhlig thairis air dà latha ann an Uibhist a Deas.

Tha baile Ghlaschu na dhachaigh dhan treas àireamh as motha de chloinn agus daoine òga a th’ ann am Foghlam tro Mheadhan na Gàidhlig ann an Alba, ’s 740 sgoilear ann am bun-sgoiltean ann an 2023. Tha staitistigean a’ chunntais-shluaigh a’ sealltainn gun robh beagan sgilean Gàidhlig aig 17,380 duine ann an Glaschu ann an 2022, àrdachadh de 7,911 duine bho 2011.

Tha Comhairle Baile Ghlaschu air £17.6 millean a thoirt do dh’obraichean aig Bun-sgoil Ghàidhlig a’ Challtainn, taobh a-staigh buidseat-pròiseict iomlan de £23.8 millean. Tha na h-obraichean a’ faighinn taic bho Phrògram Tasgaidh na h-Oighreachd Ionnsachaidh (luach £2 billean) le Riaghaltas na h-Alba a thèid a lìbhrigeadh ann an com-pàirteachas ri ùghdarrasan ionadail. Fosglaidh naoi pròiseactan-sgoile a tha nam pàirt dhen phrògram ann an 2025-26.

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

June 4, 2025

MIL-Evening Report: Fiji coup culture and political meddling in media education gets airing

Pacific Media Watch

Taieri MP Ingrid Leary reflected on her years in Fiji as a television journalist and media educator at a Fiji Centre function in Auckland celebrating Fourth Estate values and independence at the weekend.

It was a reunion with former journalism professor David Robie — they had worked together as a team at the University of the South Pacific amid media and political controversy leading up to the George Speight coup in May 2000.

Leary was the guest speaker at a gathering of human rights activists, development advocates, academics and journalists hosted at the Whānau Community Centre and Hub, the umbrella base for the Fiji Centre and Asia Pacific Media Network.

She said she was delighted to meet “special people in David’s life” and to be speaking to a diverse group sharing “similar values of courage, freedom of expression, truth and tino rangatiratanga”.

“I want to start this talanoa on Friday, 19 May 2000 — 13 years almost to the day of the first recognised military coup in Fiji in 1987 — when failed businessman George Speight tore off his balaclava to reveal his identity.

She pointed out that there had actually been another “coup” 100 years earlier by Ratu Cakobau.

“Speight had seized Parliament holding the elected government at gunpoint, including the politician mother, Lavinia Padarath, of one of my best friends — Anna Padarath.

Hostage-taking report
“Within minutes, the news of the hostage-taking was flashed on Radio Fiji’s 10 am bulletin by a student journalist on secondment there — Tamani Nair. He was a student of David Robie’s.”

Nair had been dispatched to Parliament to find out what was happening and reported from a cassava patch.

“Fiji TV was trashed . . . and transmission pulled for 48 hours.

“The university shut down — including the student radio facilities, and journalism programme website — to avoid a similar fate, but the journalism school was able to keep broadcasting and publishing via a parallel website set up at the University of Technology Sydney.

“The pictures were harrowing, showing street protests turning violent and the barbaric behaviour of Speight’s henchmen towards dissenters.

“Thus began three months of heroic journalism by David’s student team — including through a period of martial law that began 10 days later and saw some of the most restrictive levels of censorship ever experienced in the South Pacific.”

Leary paid tribute to some some of the “brave satire” produced by senior Fiji Times reporters filling paper with “non-news” (such as haircuts, drinking kava) as act of defiance.

“My friend Anna Padarath returned from doing her masters in law in Australia on a scholarship to be closer to her Mum, whose hostage days within Parliament Grounds stretched into weeks and then months.

Whanau Community Centre and Hub co-founder Nik Naidu speaking at the Asia Pacific Media Network event at the weekend. Image: Khairiah A. Rahman/APMN

Invisible consequences
“Anna would never return to her studies — one of the many invisible consequences of this profoundly destructive era in Fiji’s complex history.

“Happily, she did go on to carve an incredible career as a women’s rights advocate.”

“Meanwhile David’s so-called ‘barefoot student journalists’ — who snuck into Parliament the back way by bushtrack — were having their stories read and broadcast globally.

“And those too shaken to even put their hands to keyboards on Day 1 emerged as journalism leaders who would go on to win prizes for their coverage.”

Speight was sentenced to life in prison, but was pardoned in 2024.

Taeri MP Ingrid Leary speaking at the Whānau Community Centre and Hub. Image: Nik Naidu/APMN

Leary said that was just one chapter in the remarkable career of David Robie who had been an editor, news director, foreign news editor and freelance writer with a number of different agencies and news organisations — including Agence France-Presse, Rand Daily Mail, The Auckland Star, Insight Magazine, and New Outlook Magazine — “a family member to some, friend to many, mentor to most”.

Reflecting on working with Dr Robie at USP, which she joined as television lecturer from Fiji Television, she said:

“At the time, being a younger person, I thought he was a little but crazy, because he was communicating with people all around the world when digital media was in its infancy in Fiji, always on email, always getting up on online platforms, and I didn’t appreciate the power of online media at the time.

“And it was incredible to watch.”

Ahead of his time
She said he was an innovator and ahead of his time.

Dr Robie viewed journalism as a tool for empowerment, aiming to provide communities with the information they needed to make informed decisions.

“We all know that David has been a champion of social justice and for decolonisation, and for the values of an independent Fourth Estate.”

She said she appreciated the freedom to develop independent media as an educator, adding that one of her highlights was producing the groundbreaking documentary Maire about Maire Bopp Du Pont, who was a student journalist at USP and advocate for the Pacific community living with HIV/AIDs community.

She later became a nuclear-free Pacific parliamentarian in Pape’ete.

Leary presented Dr Robie with a “speaking stick” carved from an apricot tree branch by the husband of a Labour stalwart based in Cromwell — the event doubled as his 80th birthday.

In response, Dr Robie said the occasion was a “golden opportunity” to thank many people who had encouraged and supported him over many years.

Massive upheaval
“We must have done something right,” he said about USP, “because in 2000, the year of George Speight’s coup, our students covered the massive upheaval which made headlines around the world when Mahendra Chaudhry’s Labour-led coalition government was held at gunpoint for 56 days.

“The students courageously covered the coup with their website Pacific Journalism Online and their newspaper Wansolwara — “One Ocean”. They won six Ossie Awards – unprecedented for a single university — in Australia that year and a standing ovation.”

He said there was a video on YouTube of their exploits called Frontline Reporters and one of the students, Christine Gounder, wrote an article for a Commonwealth Press Union magazine entitled, “From trainees to professionals. And all it took was a coup”.

Dr Robie said this Fiji experience was still one of the most standout experiences he had had as a journalist and educator.

Along with similar coverage of the 1997 Sandline mercenary crisis by his students at the University of Papua New Guinea.

He made some comments about the 1985 Rainbow Warrior voyage to Rongelap in the Marshall islands and the subsequent bombing by French secret agents in Auckland.

But he added “you can read all about this adventure in my new book” being published in a few weeks.

Taieri MP Ingrid Leary (right) with Dr David Robie and his wife Del Abcede at the Fiji Centre function. Image: Camille Nakhid

Biggest 21st century crisis
Dr Robie said the profession of journalism, truth telling and holding power to account, was vitally important to a healthy democracy.

Although media did not succeed in telling people what to think, it did play a vital role in what to think about. However, the media world was undergoing massive change and fragmentation.

“And public trust is declining in the face of fake news and disinformation,” he said

“I think we are at a crossroads in society, both locally and globally. Both journalism and democracy are under an unprecedented threat in my lifetime.

“When more than 230 journalists can be killed in 19 months in Gaza and there is barely a bleep from the global community, there is something savagely wrong.

“The Gazan journalists won the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize collectively last year with the judges saying, “As humanity, we have a huge debt to their courage and commitment to freedom of expression.”

“The carnage and genocide in Gaza is deeply disturbing, especially the failure of the world to act decisively to stop it. The fact that Israel can kill with impunity at least 54,000 people, mostly women and children, destroy hospitals and starve people to death and crush a people’s right to live is deeply shocking.

“This is the biggest crisis of the 21st century. We see this relentless slaughter go on livestreamed day after day and yet our media and politicians behave as if this is just ‘normal’. It is shameful, horrendous. Have we lost our humanity?

“Gaza has been our test. And we have failed.”

Other speakers included Whānau Hub co-founder Nik Naidu, one of the anti-coup Coalition for Democracy in Fiji (CDF) stalwarts; the Heritage New Zealand’s Antony Phillips; and Multimedia Investments and Evening Report director Selwyn Manning.

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

June 4, 2025
MIL-OSI: Payscale Partners with Pearl Meyer to Deliver Trusted Compensation Data to Payscale Customers

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

SEATTLE, June 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Payscale Inc., the leading compensation data technology company, today announced a strategic partnership with Pearl Meyer, the leading executive compensation and leadership consulting firm. This collaboration addresses the need for executive salary data, empowering organizations to make confident pay decisions.

Traditional salary data is an important element of a compensation data approach, with Payscale’s 2025 Compensation Best Practices Report revealing 70% of organizations with more than 750 employees rely on traditional salary survey data to inform their pay decisions.

Pearl Meyer’s top-tier executive compensation data is integrated directly into Payscale’s compensation management solutions, offering an unparalleled buying experience. The powerful combination of Payscale’s innovative technology with Pearl Meyer’s robust compensation data enhances the customer’s ability to price executive leadership jobs accurately and confidently.

“Payscale customers now have all the data and insights they need in one place to create executive compensation strategies or price a leadership role,” Payscale CEO Chris Hays said. “This high-quality data fills information gaps for our customers and helps them recruit and retain the best leaders out there.”

Payscale’s partner ecosystem includes some of the most trusted names in compensation data. Best-in-class executive compensation data from Pearl Meyer provides robust executive and employee compensation data coverage for Payscale customers. Paired with Payscale’s compensation data technology, users can confidently price jobs with trusted data.

“We believe when organizations can build, develop, and reward great leadership teams that it drives long-term success,” said Rebecca Toman, vice president of the Survey Business Unit at Pearl Meyer. “Our collaboration with Payscale provides clients with a seamless data platform experience, combining our robust and trusted dataset with Payscale’s innovative technology to uncover insights that help organizations make better pay decisions.”

Learn more about Payscale’s partnerships at www.payscale.com/marketplace.

About Pearl Meyer

Pearl Meyer is the leading advisor to boards and senior management helping organizations build, develop, and reward great leadership teams that drive long-term success. Our strategy-driven compensation and leadership consulting services act as powerful catalysts for value creation and competitive advantage by addressing the critical links between people and outcomes. Our clients stand at the forefront of their industries and range from emerging high-growth, not-for-profit, and private organizations to the Fortune 500.

To learn more, visit www.pearlmeyer.com.

About Payscale

Payscale stands at the forefront of compensation data technology, pioneering an innovative approach that harnesses advanced AI and up-to-date and reliable market data to align employee and employer expectations. With its suite of solutions—Payfactors, Marketpay, and Paycycle—Payscale empowers 65% of Fortune 500 companies to make strategic compensation decisions. Organizations like Panasonic, ZoomInfo, Chipotle, AccentCare, University of Washington, American Airlines, and Rite Aid rely on its unique combination of actionable data and insights, experienced compensation services, and scalable software to drive business success. By partnering with Payscale, businesses can make confident compensation decisions that fuel growth for both their organization and their people.

Create confidence in your compensation. Payscale.

To learn more, visit www.payscale.com.

Contact: Press@Payscale.com

The MIL Network –

June 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Prospects of “smart transport” discussed at Polytechnic University

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

The Polytechnic University hosted another seminar on artificial intelligence, where participants discussed expanding the capabilities of passenger transport in St. Petersburg.

Pavel Polyakov, Head of the Information Technology and Intelligent Systems Department at Gorelectrotrans, spoke about the new functional capabilities of the rolling stock and transport infrastructure of the city. Pavel Sergeevich noted what intelligent systems the city transport is already equipped with and what else will be added. He spoke in detail about the driver monitoring camera, the active safety and driver assistance system (ASDS), which use AI technologies. Today, the company operates 302 tram cars with the ASDS system.

Pavel Polyakov emphasized that smart transport should be trained in basic skills of work in real conditions at specialized testing grounds, and all systems should have information exchange and the possibility of mutual integration. Currently, such a tram is being tested at the testing ground on the territory of “Shavrovo”, where RFID tags, V2X equipment, and traffic lights are installed. After the adoption of the relevant resolution of the government of St. Petersburg, this rolling stock will go on city routes.

Even when switching to unmanned mode, we will not abandon human participation in the movement. Our main task is to ensure the safety of passengers and improve the quality of services provided, – noted Pavel Polyakov.

Deputy Head of the Computer Technology, Communications and Communications Service of Gorelektrotrans Andrey Sokolov spoke about the development of methods that will allow an objective assessment of the degree of reliability of a particular system and the level of trust in them.

Everyone is waiting for certain approaches, requirements and restrictions before implementing systems in practice. And here we are already talking about trusting and explanatory artificial intelligence, which will provide justifications for why this or that decision was made, – commented the moderator of the seminar, head of the laboratory “Industrial systems of streaming data processing” of SPbPU Marina Bolsunovskaya.

Associate Professor of the Higher School of Management of the Institute of Metallurgy and Metallurgy Dmitry Plotnikov noted that the regulatory framework is lagging far behind the technology, and outlined the interdisciplinary tasks in the development of ground unmanned vehicles. He emphasized that it is necessary to conduct a lot of tests and accumulate data that will form the basis of standards. Dmitry Plotnikov spoke about unmanned vehicles that were developed at SPbPU, about the prospects for the implementation of AI systems in transport.

The participants discussed the possibility of trial operation of the Polytechnic University’s development in the GET — a control system for unmanned cargo transport based on the Gazelle e-NN vehicle. They also considered the advantages of virtual modeling of road situations instead of real tests. Dmitry Plotnikov emphasized that virtual modeling will not completely replace real tests, since it is impossible to virtually foresee all physical processes. Marina Bolsunovskaya believes that at the first stage, virtual modeling can be carried out and then confirmed by full-scale tests. They are important, since not all real-world objects have been analyzed and fully described.

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

MIL OSI Russia News –

June 4, 2025
MIL-OSI: 3D Systems’ Additive Manufacturing Solutions Enable Pioneering Research on Advanced Thermal Control Systems for Next Generation Space Missions
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
- 3D Systems’ applications expertise, technologies foundational to research projects led by Penn State, Arizona State & NASA Glenn Research Center
- Additive manufacturing enabling novel titanium and nitinol passive heat pipes for space applications with 50% reduced weight enabling more efficient thermal management
- Researchers advance state-of-the-art for thermal management of CubeSats with projected 6× greater deployed-to-stowed-area ratio with one of the first additively manufactured shape memory alloy (nitinol) radiators
- 3D Systems’ solutions accelerating the adoption of additive manufacturing use in space applications — a total addressable market anticipated to reach nearly $4 billion by 2030
ROCK HILL, S.C., June 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, 3D Systems (NYSE: DDD) announced the Company is collaborating with researchers from Penn State University and Arizona State University on two projects sponsored by the National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA) intended to enable ground-breaking alternatives to current thermal management solutions. Severe temperature fluctuations in space can damage sensitive spacecraft components, resulting in mission failure. By combining deep applications expertise with 3D Systems’ leading additive manufacturing (AM) solutions comprising Direct Metal Printing (DMP) technology and tailored materials and Oqton’s 3DXpert ^® software, the teams are engineering sophisticated thermal management solutions for the demands of next-generation satellites and space exploration. The project led by researchers with Penn State University, Arizona State University, and the NASA Glenn Research Center¹ in collaboration with 3D Systems’ Application Innovation Group (AIG) has resulted in processes to build embedded high-temperature passive heat pipes in heat rejection radiators that are additively manufactured in titanium. These heat pipe radiators are 50% lighter per area with increased operating temperatures compared with current state-of-the-art radiators, allowing them to radiate heat more efficiently for high power systems. Additionally, a project led by researchers at Penn State University and NASA Glenn Research Center² with 3D Systems’ AIG yielded a process to additively manufacture one of the first functional parts using nickel titanium (nitinol) shape memory alloys that can be passively actuated and deployed when heated. This passive shape memory alloy (SMA) radiator is projected to yield a deployed-to-stowed area ratio that is 6× larger than currently available solutions, enabling future high-power communications and science missions in restricted CubeSat volume. When deployed on spacecraft, such as satellites, these radiators can raise operating power levels and reduce thermal stress on sensitive components, preventing failures and prolonging satellite lifespan.

Traditionally, heat pipes have been manufactured with complex processes to form porous internal wick structures that passively circulate fluid for efficient heat transfer. Using Oqton’s 3DXpert^® software, the Penn State/Arizona State/NASA Glenn/3D Systems project team embedded an integral porous network within the walls of the heat pipes, avoiding subsequent manufacturing steps and resulting variability. Monolithic heat pipe radiators were manufactured in titanium and nitinol on 3D Systems’ DMP technology. The titanium-water heat pipe radiator prototypes were successfully operated at temperatures of 230°C and weigh 50% less (3 kg/m² versus over 6 kg/m²), meeting NASA goals for heat transfer efficiency and reduced cost to launch for space-based applications.

The Penn State/NASA Glenn/3D Systems team is also pushing the boundaries of what is possible with metal AM by developing a process to 3D print passively deployed radiators with shape memory alloys. The chemistry of these materials can be tuned to change shape with application of heat. SMAs can withstand repeated deformation cycles without fatigue and exhibit excellent stress recovery. The team again used 3DXpert to design the deployable spoke structure of the radiator. This was then 3D printed in nitinol (NiTi), a nickel-titanium shape memory alloy, using 3D Systems’ DMP technology. When affixed to a spacecraft such as a satellite, this device can be passively actuated and deployed when heated by fluid inside, thus removing the need for motors or other conventional actuation in space. The passive shape memory alloy radiator developed by the team offers transformative advances with projected deployed-to-stowed area ratio that is 6× larger than what is currently considered state-of-the-art (12× versus 2×) and 70% lighter (<6 kg/m² versus 19 kg/m²).

“Our long-standing R&D partnership with 3D Systems has enabled pioneering research for the use of 3D printing for aerospace applications,” said Alex Rattner, associate professor, The Pennsylvania State University. “The collective expertise in both aerospace engineering and additive manufacturing is allowing us to explore advanced design strategies that are pushing the boundaries of what is considered state-of-the-art. When we complement this with the software capabilities of 3DXpert as well as the low oxygen environment in 3D Systems’ DMP platform, we are able to produce novel parts in exotic materials that enable dramatically improved performance.”

“3D Systems has decades of leadership developing additive manufacturing solutions to transform the aerospace industry,” said Dr. Mike Shepard, vice president, aerospace & defense, 3D Systems. “Thermal management in the space environment is an ideal application for our DMP technology. These latest projects, in collaboration with the teams at Penn State, Arizona State, and NASA Glenn Research Center, demonstrate the potential of our DMP technology to create lightweight, functional parts that advance the state-of-the-art in thermal management for spacecraft applications. Thermal management is an extremely common engineering challenge and the DMP process can deliver solutions that are effective for many industries including aerospace, automotive, and high-performance computing/AI datacenters.”

According to Research and Markets³, the global market for additive manufacturing in the aerospace industry was estimated at $1.2 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach $3.8 billion by 2030. Additive manufacturing is making a significant impact by enabling the production of airworthy parts with reduced weight and improved performance. In the last decade alone, 3D Systems has worked alongside aerospace industry leaders to produce more than 2,000 structural titanium or aluminum alloy components for space flight, and over 200 critical passive RF flight parts. There are currently more than 15 satellites in orbit with 3D Systems-produced flight hardware on board. For more information, please visit the Company’s website.

Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements made in this release that are not statements of historical or current facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the company to be materially different from historical results or from any future results or projections expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In many cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terms such as “believes,” “belief,” “expects,” “may,” “will,” “estimates,” “intends,” “anticipates” or “plans” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements are based upon management’s beliefs, assumptions, and current expectations and may include comments as to the company’s beliefs and expectations as to future events and trends affecting its business and are necessarily subject to uncertainties, many of which are outside the control of the company. The factors described under the headings “Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors” in the company’s periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as other factors, could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected or predicted in forward-looking statements. Although management believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not, and should not be relied upon as a guarantee of future performance or results, nor will they necessarily prove to be accurate indications of the times at which such performance or results will be achieved. The forward-looking statements included are made only as of the date of the statement. 3D Systems undertakes no obligation to update or review any forward-looking statements made by management or on its behalf, whether as a result of future developments, subsequent events or circumstances or otherwise, except as required by law.

About 3D Systems
For nearly 40 years, Chuck Hull’s curiosity and desire to improve the way products were designed and manufactured gave birth to 3D printing, 3D Systems, and the additive manufacturing industry. Since then, that same spark continues to ignite the 3D Systems team as we work side-by-side with our customers to change the way industries innovate. As a full-service solutions partner, we deliver industry-leading 3D printing technologies, materials and software to high-value markets such as medical and dental; aerospace, space and defense; transportation and motorsports; AI infrastructure; and durable goods. Each application-specific solution is powered by the expertise and passion of our employees who endeavor to achieve our shared goal of Transforming Manufacturing for a Better Future. More information on the company is available at www.3dsystems.com.

Investor Contact: investor.relations@3dsystems.com
Media Contact: press@3dsystems.com

¹ NASA STMD 80NSSC22K0260 (https://tfaws.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/TFAWS2024-PT-3.pdf)

² NASA 80NSSC23M0234 (https://govtribe.com/award/federal-contract-award/cooperative-agreement-80nssc23m0234)

³ Revolutionizing Aerospace: How Additive Manufacturing is Set to Transform the Industry by 2030 (January 2025).

The MIL Network –
June 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Austen and Turner: A Country House Encounter captures the spirit of two great geniuses, born 250 years ago

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Oksana Hubina, Research Fellow, English literature, University of Leeds

Self-Portrait by J.M.W Turner (1799) and an engraving of Austen by William Home Lizars (1869). Wiki Commons, CC BY-SA

Harewood House, with its impressive history and classic English beauty, is a magnificent place to visit in Leeds, west Yorkshire. The house frequently hosts remarkable exhibitions and cultural events devoted to art, poetry and history.

This time, its doors are open for a new exhibition Austen and Turner: A Country House Encounter, which marks the 250th anniversaries of the landscape painter J.M.W. Turner and the novelist Jane Austen.

The anniversaries have presented an opportunity for the co-curators of Harewood House Trust and the Centre for Eighteenth Century Studies at the University of York to unite the incredible works of two outstanding personalities of the Regency era.

Their masterpieces reflect their common engagement with the cultural and societal significance of British country houses and their landscapes. Though the pair seem to have never met, the expressiveness of Turner’s paintings are complemented by the literary richness of Austen’s manuscripts.

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The exhibition creatively highlights the common threads within Austen and Turner’s work through shared themes. The first is Austen Meets Turner, which explores how Austen and Turner’s interests and experiences intersected in the country estates that inspired their works.

I was especially struck by Harewood House from the North East (1797). Turner captured the magnificent building with such softness and light. The painting makes the landscape feel peaceful and alive, showing his ability to transform a real place into something almost dreamlike.

It highlights the grandeur of the landed aristocracy of the time, symbolising wealth, influence and a strong social hierarchy that was rooted in land ownership. Austen also used houses as symbols of status and wealth in her novels. Pemberley in Pride and Prejudice (1813), for example, reflects the class, riches and style of the love interest, Mr Darcy.

Another theme that attracted my attention was Encounters with Austen and Turner, located at the heart of the Harewood House library. Here, among the letters is another of his well-known paintings, Harewood Castle from the South East (1798). A visit to the exhibition can be complemented by a short walk to the real castle ruins in the Harewood grounds.

You just cannot take your eyes off this painting. Turner captures the ruin bathed in soft, natural light, blending the architectural detail of the castle with the surrounding pastoral landscape. His delicate use of colour and atmospheric perspective evokes a sense of romantic nostalgia, highlighting the harmony between human history and nature – a key feature of his style.

Objects of genius

The theme Interior Worlds deserves special attention. It is especially engaging because it offers the opportunity to feel the presence of Austen and Turner through the very objects that once made them famous.

Turner’s travelling watercolour box from 1842, for example, was made by the artist using two cards attached to a linen cloth. It was designed to hold a new kind of watercolour block, variations of which are still manufactured today.

Another such item is the original handwritten version of Austen’s unfinished novel Sanditon, penned during the last months of her life in 1817.

A first edition of Sense and Sensibility is also on show, with a fascinating explanation of the history behind its creation. Originally titled Elinor and Marianne and written in 1795, it was intended to be a novel in letters. But Austen later revised the text, and the version as we know it was published anonymously in 1811.

Finally, a collection of period costumes from Austen adaptations makes this exhibition truly memorable. An impressive collection of costumes from Sense and Sensibility (1995), Pride and Prejudice (1995) and Emma (2020) are on display.

Each garment reflects the elegance and social nuance of the Regency era, bringing Austen’s characters vividly to life. The craftsmanship and historical detail in the costumes evoke a sense of timeless charm that deepen the viewer’s connection to the novels.

This incredible exhibition is sure to move everyone who really wishes to engage with the high art and experience the historical spirit of the Regency era.

Oksana Hubina works at the School of English, University of Leeds. She receives funding from the British Academy in the field of the humanities.

– ref. Austen and Turner: A Country House Encounter captures the spirit of two great geniuses, born 250 years ago – https://theconversation.com/austen-and-turner-a-country-house-encounter-captures-the-spirit-of-two-great-geniuses-born-250-years-ago-257492

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

June 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Why climate professionals are often held to unrealistic standards

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Maddie Sinclair, PhD Candidate, School of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow

r.classen/Shutterstock

Climate professionals, people who work in roles which address climate change, are often criticised for what they eat or how they travel. Criticism of lifestyle choices by colleagues, family members or even strangers can be demotivating. Worse, it can hinder efforts towards building a sustainable future.

As more people start working in sustainability, both in traditional sectors such as climate researchers or public health professionals and within other workspaces where sustainability is embedded into an existing role, this type of criticism is in danger of becoming more familiar.

Climate change affects everyone, whether we like to admit it or not. It can be overwhelming to know how best to act on all the advice about living more sustainably. In fact, increased knowledge about what is necessary for a sustainable lifestyle can be paralysing, and prevent someone from taking action.

Of course, many of us do want to live more sustainably. But some people may feel restricted by the efforts and costs of taking these extra steps to change multiple aspects of our busy daily lives.

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Instead of revamping our own lifestyles, it can be easier to challenge those recommending these changes to our behaviour, to see if they are following their own rules.

Climate professionals know which choices are best for the environment. But when you see one of them flying to a UN climate summit, drinking from a plastic water bottle or caught red-handed eating a beef burger, how do you feel? Confused? Vindicated? Perhaps, relief? If the very people who are advising us how to live sustainably aren’t practising what they preach, does this absolve us of responsibility to act?

Whether intentional or not, holding climate professionals to unrealistic standards is a tactic which delays effective climate action. It slows down climate action by redirecting responsibility and foregrounding low-impact solutions.

Calling out the failure of climate professionals can emphasise the difficulties of sustainable living and reinforce the idea that slowing down climate change is impossible. You may think that these imperfections are a reflection on their hypocrisy and limits the integrity of their work. In reality, it’s an indication that we are all people operating in a broken system, no matter our expertise.

Criticising climate scientists doesn’t tackle the root of the problem.
Sklo Studio/Shutterstock

Recent research from the World Resource Institute think tank into sustainable dietary, energy and transport choices stresses the importance of systemic change.

The report found that a system in which governments and businesses support and normalise sustainable behaviour would be far more effective than the weight of individuals taking action alone. And so, as a society, we need to value the work of those advocating for systems change, rather than scrutinising their lifestyle choices.

Ultimately, rich nations, wealthy people and fossil fuel companies are disproportionately to blame for climate change. However, their preferred narrative concerning the importance of individual action, rather than system change, prevails.

And this is nothing new. BP popularised the concept of a carbon footprint over 20 years ago. This displaced responsibility for environmental impact from large organisations and systems and towards citizens.

While people tend to view the impact of climate change as relevant to them, they may not be able to envisage a greener future. This is because people tend to focus on immediate effects rather than longer term outcomes. Short-term environmental policies can fuel this short-term thinking, preventing us from conceptualising a future that recovers from climate change.

Quick climate dictionary: the meaning of a carbon footprint.

Change from within the system

It’s easier to blame climate professionals for not sticking to their own advice, than to think about change at a higher level. But climate professionals must be part of the system to change the system, much to their frustration.

In fact, climate researchers like us actually fly more than researchers in other fields, because structural factors such as limited funding, accessibility of locations and professional pressures matter more than individual attitudes for reducing flights. How can we expect all the necessary voices to be at the table during international climate conferences if flying is the only feasible way for many to attend?

Some climate professionals do lead very impressive sustainable lifestyles. We should celebrate these efforts. But we need to dispel the expectation that all climate professionals have the resources to act the same within a broken system.

Read more:
Quick climate dictionary: what actually is a carbon footprint?

Remember, climate professionals are working towards a system which empowers all citizens to choose these sustainable lifestyles, including their own. For instance, some researchers are studying the positive climate impact of protected cycle lanes, producing evidence in support of their construction in cities worldwide.

Imagine if public transport and active travel were the most obvious choice for everyone. If you wanted to drive, then you would have to meticulously plan a route incorporating private transport lanes, or be prepared to adapt if they don’t exist. Which would you choose?

Climate professionals are experiencing a whole spectrum of emotions related to climate change, including feeling stuck between what they say and what they do. Focusing on their personal behaviour risks discrediting and devaluing important climate-focused work.

This can detract from valuable conversations about the urgent need for wider systemic change. The next time you speak to a climate professional, try not to catch them out. Instead, ask about their work and its influence on changing the system – we guarantee they will be more receptive.

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

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

The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Why climate professionals are often held to unrealistic standards – https://theconversation.com/why-climate-professionals-are-often-held-to-unrealistic-standards-253859

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

June 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Fewer men are choosing to become vets – ‘male flight’ could be the reason

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Hamish Morrin, Veterinary Lecturer in Clinical Communication Skills, University of Central Lancashire

ZoranOrcik/Shutterstock

If you take your dog, cat or fish to see a vet in the UK, the person who treats them is likely to be a woman. According to the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, 61% of current UK vets are female. University admissions are even more skewed. Among vets who had recently qualified, nearly 80% were female.

This wasn’t always the case. In the 1930s, when James Herriot – author of books including All Creatures Great and Small and for many the iconic British vet – was practising, almost all vets were male.

The women’s liberation movement of the 60s and 70s saw an influx of female vet students. You might expect a levelling of the playing field to lead to a profession now equally split between genders, but that isn’t so.

I teach veterinary clinical communication skills to veterinary students. My research relates to developing communication strategies that are effective across a wide range of cultures and social groups. However, vets are not very culturally diverse: as well as the majority being female, nearly all are heterosexual and white.

This can limit their experience and understanding of different perspectives. As part of a wider piece of research into student experience of communication, I have reviewed the history of veterinary demographics, with some surprising results.

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Historically, vets worked mainly in farms with large animals, for which clients perceived physical strength to be crucial. Increasing pet ownership means most vets now work with small animals.

This change in focus has altered society’s perception of veterinary work from “practical” to “caring”, and it has been suggested that this has discouraged boys from considering the profession. Veterinary salaries have also stagnated for some time, which may make the job less attractive to men.

In the past, much more veterinary work took place with large animals on farms.
Dusan Petkovic/Shutterstock

There is very little research to support any of these theories, but the most relevant and largest study available comes from the US in 2010. When applications to vet schools across the country from the 1960s to early 2000s were reviewed, one factor predicted student choice: the more female students there were, the less likely males were to apply.

This is an understudied sociological phenomenon called “male flight” or “gender flight”. It seems that, in some professions at least, men lose interest once the number of women rises above 60%.

Another study of UK workplaces found the same thing when modelling various reasons for gender disparities. Men not choosing professions such as pharmacy and accountancy due to increased female presence was the best explanation.

These findings are concerning when connected with a UK study from 2018 called Drawing the Future. Thirteen thousand UK school children aged between seven and 11 were asked to draw pictures of their dream job. Researchers found that – perhaps unsurprisingly – dream jobs were strongly gendered, and that this happens from a young age.

“Vet” was third overall, a very popular job choice. But when you split that by gender, it was the second most popular job for girls, but only ninth for boys. This very much matches the gender balance of vet school applicants, so we can hypothesise that attitudes to being a vet are set early in life.

Need for diversity

Most diversity initiatives aim to reduce barriers for underrepresented groups. The veterinary profession isn’t nearly as diverse as it could be – only around 4% of vets come from Black and ethnic minority backgrounds, compared to 18% of people in the UK population overall.

Various reasons for this have been suggested, including lack of representation and financial barriers. But we actually don’t know why this is; applications to veterinary medicine by non-white students are lower than for other degrees.

But in the case of gender, boys can become vets. They simply don’t want to.

There’s value of diversity in general within the veterinary profession. Vets don’t just work in clinics with pets: they also play a key public health role preventing disease in animal populations and ensuring the health and welfare of farm animals.

There are many animal charities that rely on vets to help support the human-animal bond, such as rescuing and rehoming animals, working with pets belonging to homeless people, or caring for the pets of people fleeing domestic violence. This means working with people from all over the UK, from all backgrounds.

Many studies of stress in the veterinary profession identify difficulties with communication as a key problem. Indeed, communication is highlighted as a key skill for veterinary students by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and many studies of veterinary education. But there lies a challenge common to homogeneous professions. Learning to communicate effectively with others is more difficult when there is less diversity.

This issue of gender flight has broader social implications. When men leave a profession due to increased numbers of women, wages tend to stagnate, which is a serious issue for students who frequently leave their five-year vet degrees with substantial debt.

One place to start might be looking at how young children view vets – and what might make it a profession to choose as a result of personal ability and preference, rather than social pressure.

Hamish Morrin 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. Fewer men are choosing to become vets – ‘male flight’ could be the reason – https://theconversation.com/fewer-men-are-choosing-to-become-vets-male-flight-could-be-the-reason-254827

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

June 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Five geoengineering trials the UK is funding to combat global warming

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Robert Chris, Honorary Associate, Geography, The Open University

graphicwithart / shutterstock

The UK government recently announced plans to fund five small-scale trials related to geoengineering. It’s the first time a state research funding body has put serious money into what’s known as solar radiation management, or SRM, which seeks to cool the planet by reflecting more of the Sun’s energy back into space.

It’s easy to see why countries have been so hesitant to proceed with projects of this nature: SRM is highly controversial, even among scientists.

Deliberately altering the atmosphere, a shared global resource, is fraught with ethical, geopolitical and practical problems. It is and always has been a crazy idea.

However, many consider the failure to control carbon emissions means not intervening in this way is an even crazier idea. They consider it necessary to avert the collapse of ecosystems and society. Perhaps solar geoengineering is the price we must pay for our wholly inadequate climate change response to date.

The good news is that SRM may be able to deliver some progress relatively quickly. Earth has become slightly less reflective over the past few decades. That’s mostly thanks to reduced cloud cover (warmer oceans cause clouds above them to evaporate), but also thanks to less snow and ice, and a significant reduction in nasty-but-reflective shipping fuel pollutants.

By my calculations (based on data from US climate scientist James Hansen), this reduction in the reflectivity of Earth has caused as much warming as the 750 gigatonnes of CO₂ emitted since 2005. And while it will take decades to achieve significant global cooling through decarbonisation, it can be achieved relatively quickly by small increases in reflectivity.

Of the 21 projects being funded by Aria, the UK government’s Advanced Research and Invention Agency, five are likely to involve small-scale outdoor experiments. They account for about half the £57 million programme.

Three of the projects concern brightening clouds over the ocean, one explores a method of refreezing the Arctic and the fifth looks at a specific detail of injecting reflective aerosols into the stratosphere.

The other projects concern how to govern these technologies and model and monitor their effects. They could also yield insights vital for securing the public and governmental support necessary if these technologies are ever to be deployed on a much larger scale.

Marine cloud brightening

Marine cloud brightening seeks to make clouds over the ocean more reflective. This is done by turning seawater into an aerosol spray and allowing air currents to loft salt crystals into the clouds, where they enhance the creation of reflective water droplets.

Clouds above the ocean could become a key battleground in the fight against climate change.
G_O_S / shutterstock

The greatest challenge with this method is making enough seawater mist in which the droplets are of a uniform size, about 1 micron in diameter. The Reflect project led by the University of Manchester has received £6.1 million to explore “the technical feasibility and optimal methods” for generating these droplets.

A team from the University of Reading has developed a process using drones to fire electric charges through fog to alter the size of its water droplets. Their Brightspark project has been awarded £2 million to determine whether this process would be viable and safe if applied to clouds. A second phase involving small-scale testing in the UK is contingent on further approval by Aria.

Daniel Harrison, an oceanographer at Southern Cross University in Australia, has been researching marine cloud brightening for several years for the limited purpose of protecting the corals of the Great Barrier Reef. Preliminary results are positive.

His previous work will be extended to assess if, and how, marine cloud brightening could work safely and effectively, but still only as a regional intermittent intervention to protect coral from marine heatwaves.

This will also be a two-phase project (£1 million and £5 million respectively) in which the research will initially deal with modelling and spray design. Subject to further approvals, it will then test the newfound knowledge over the Great Barrier Reef.

Read more:
Could ‘marine cloud brightening’ reduce coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef?

The remaining two projects are both from teams led by the Centre for Climate Repair at Cambridge University (I’m an associate researcher of the centre but I have no involvement in either of these projects).

Arctic refreezing

Engineer Shaun Fitzgerald has been awarded £9.9 million to extend an existing research project to examine the feasibility of thickening Arctic sea ice by pumping seawater from below the ice on to the surface, where it freezes. The idea is to increase the extent and thickness of sea ice in winter so that it endures longer through the summer.

Thicker, longer-lasting sea ice may help keep global warming in check.
Mozgova / shutterstock

Read more:
Arctic ice is vanishing – our bold experiment is trying to protect it

The project also includes modelling to assess the impact this would have on a range of climate phenomena. Most significantly, this includes the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation, an ocean current that some fear is in imminent danger of weakening sufficiently to bring Siberian winters to north-west Europe.

Stratospheric aerosol injection

The final project being funded looks at the injection of aerosols into the stratosphere – higher than clouds – where they would reflect a little of the Sun’s energy back to space.

Many regard this as the form of geoengineering most likely to happen. It is the most studied, as it replicates the natural cooling effect of certain big volcanic eruptions that put massive amounts of sulphate-based aerosols into the stratosphere. Scaling it to be climatically significant is thought to be relatively straightforward, and would probably be the cheapest cooling option.

One significant concern is the health and environmental impact of these aerosols as they fall back to the planet’s surface. Hugh Hunt, also an engineering professor at Cambridge, has been awarded £5.5 million to examine a range of alternative aerosol compounds. The plan is to send tiny samples into the stratosphere in specially designed gondolas attached to balloons. The gondolas will later be recovered, so that the effect of the stratosphere on the samples can be examined. Nothing will be released into the atmosphere.

A small step towards something much bigger

Aria is treading a fine line with this programme.

On the one hand, the organisation recognises that further interventions might be needed to mitigate the harm from the continuing failure to phase out fossil fuels. On the other, it recognises how controversial such interventions are. It is clearly anxious not to provoke a public furore that could undermine the research effort.

In isolation, it is unlikely that this programme will fill any knowledge gaps that might encourage policymakers to push climate intervention up the international agenda. What it could demonstrate, however, is that with appropriate controls in place, it is safe to test these options.

Perhaps the next funding round will support bigger outdoor experiments. These would help determine which technologies can eventually become the safe and effective climate interventions we desperately need.

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

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

Robert Chris 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. Five geoengineering trials the UK is funding to combat global warming – https://theconversation.com/five-geoengineering-trials-the-uk-is-funding-to-combat-global-warming-256515

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

June 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Social media’s push for the perfect muscular body is fuelling a new form of disordered eating — and young men are most at risk

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Alison Fixsen, Senior Lecturer Psychology, University of Westminster

Young men are most likely to follow eating habits consistent with Mode. Elkhophoto/ Shutterstock

From celebrities and influencers to everyday people, social media is full of content that showcases perfectly toned, muscular bodies – and how to achieve them. Having a muscular physique is no longer confined to elite athletes and body builders – it has become a widely popular aspiration.

But alongside the rising popularity of this kind of content has been an increase in the pressure that both men and women are feeling to achieve a more athletic, muscular physique. This seemingly healthy trend has coincided with the detection of a new form of disordered eating.

Muscularity oriented disordered eating (Mode) refers to a set of disordered eating habits driven by an excessive focus on lean muscle gain. This includes excessive consumption of protein supplements and drinks, rigid diet patterns, meticulous tracking of macronutrients (protein, carbs and fat in food) and frequent muscle checking.

Unlike eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia, Mode is specifically related to muscularity and predominantly affects young men. But, as with other forms of disordered eating, Mode can disrupt daily life, harm social relationships and diminish emotional wellbeing.

Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

Social media plays a significant and multifaceted role in Mode. While social media can sometimes offer helpful health and fitness information, social media algorithms also amplify content of extreme or visually striking bodies that garner attention.

Platforms such as Instagram and TikTok are saturated with “fitspiration” content. Posed shots and before and after photos suggest that “fitspiration” content may be about appearance rather than health. These highly curated depictions of idealised, muscular bodies not only reinforce unrealistic body ideals, they can also foster dissatisfaction with body image, increase muscle fixation and lead to disordered forms of eating.

Read more:
Body dysmorphic disorder: what to know about this mental health condition

Many social media influencers also promote unattainable body standards, unsustainable lifestyles and extreme eating habits. These include the daily use of protein supplements, rigorous tracking of macronutrients, extreme workouts and the use of drugs (including anabolic steroids) to enhance performance.

Some influencers even partner with fitness supplement companies, becoming the image for a specific brand or food product. This can incentivise social media users to purchase those products and follow similar dietary habits without seeking professional advice or examining the risks.

While not every fitness enthusiast is at risk of developing Mode, this intense preoccupation with muscle growth is growing. According to one 2019 study, 22% of males and 5% of females aged 18–20 reported engaging in behaviour consistent with Mode.

College students may be particularly at risk of Mode due to their high use of social media and because they’re often in control of their diet for the first time.

Mode has been closely associated with preoccupation with body image, which is known to be linked with unhealthy, body-changing behaviours.

Obsessively tracking protein intake, consuming supplements and following a rigid diet are all associated with Mode.
George Rudy/ Shutterstock

Several other factors have also been associated with Mode. These include exercising specifically to gain weight, perceiving oneself as underweight, having a lower body mass index (BMI), practising weightlifting and using anabolic steroids. Among males, alcohol consumption is linked to Mode, while depressive symptoms were a notable factor for females.

Mode has also been reported at comparable rates in many countries around the world – including the United States, Canada and Iran.

Risk of harm

There are many physical and mental harms that may be associated with Mode.

For instance, the condition is associated with a variety of disordered eating patterns. Fixation on muscle development can trigger or exacerbate eating disorders, notably binge eating. Orthorexia nervosa – a pathological and potentially harmful focus on “healthy eating” – is also frequently recorded in fitness communities.

While women were once the main audience for the health food market, health supplements and protein products are increasingly targeted at men.

According to a US study, more than 80% of male college students reported using whey protein powders or shakes, and more than 50% used the supplement creatine monohydrate to increase muscle mass and strength. Alarmingly, 82% of anabolic-androgenic steroid users in the study were also from this demographic. Steroid use is associated with serious side effects, including mood swings and sexual dysfunction.

Over-consumption of protein products can be harmful to health. While it’s true your body needs more protein when you are more active, not all muscle-building products are necessarily healthy. Protein shakes, for example, can be highly processed.

Some products contain artificial sweeteners and thickeners. They may also contain potentially harmful chemicals such as heavy metals (including lead and aluminium).

Over-consumption of protein products has also been linked to gut and metabolic disturbances. It’s important that protein shakes and bars aren’t used as replacements for natural protein sources, such as pulses, meat, fish or dairy foods.

On a social and emotional level, Mode is associated with disruptions to daily life and social isolation, with the person prioritising diet and fitness plans over work, school and relationships. In one study, male bodybuilders who followed an extreme, muscle-focused diet reported they felt guilty and disappointed in themselves if they deviated from their lifestyle – with their dietary needs affecting their work.

Women with Mode have reported significant levels of depression and anxiety, and were more likely to feel socially isolated.

Read more:
Body image issues are rising in men – research suggests techniques to improve it

Recognising Mode as a legitimate public health concern is essential for cultivating a more inclusive and healthy fitness culture. While continuing to support efforts to exercise more and stay healthy, schools, colleges, gyms and fitness instructors should be mindful of the potential for Mode among people who are excessively focused on their physical appearance or over-frequenting the gym.

More work needs to be done to identify Mode risk factors and prevent further escalation. The fitness industry should also be held to greater account for the products and lifestyles they promote.

Alison Fixsen 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. Social media’s push for the perfect muscular body is fuelling a new form of disordered eating — and young men are most at risk – https://theconversation.com/social-medias-push-for-the-perfect-muscular-body-is-fuelling-a-new-form-of-disordered-eating-and-young-men-are-most-at-risk-254157

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

June 4, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Autocrats don’t act like Hitler or Stalin anymore − instead of governing with violence, they use manipulation

Source: The Conversation – USA – By Daniel Treisman, Professor of Political Science, University of California, Los Angeles

Autocrats today tend to govern by manipulation of the public, among other tactics, rather than solely using violence. Nanzeeba Ibnat/iStock/Getty Images Plus

President Donald Trump’s critics often accuse him of harboring authoritarian ambitions. Journalists and scholars have drawn parallels between his leadership style and that of strongmen abroad. Some Democrats warn that the U.S. is sliding toward autocracy – a system in which one leader holds unchecked power.

Others counter that labeling Trump an autocrat is alarmist. After all, he hasn’t suspended the Constitution, forced school children to memorize his sayings or executed his rivals, as dictators such as Augusto Pinochet, Mao Zedong and Saddam Hussein once did.

But modern autocrats don’t always resemble their 20th-century predecessors.

Instead, they project a polished image, avoid overt violence and speak the language of democracy. They wear suits, hold elections and talk about the will of the people. Rather than terrorizing citizens, many use media control and messaging to shape public opinion and promote nationalist narratives. Many gain power not through military coups but at the ballot box.

The softer power of today’s autocrats

In the early 2000s, political scientist Andreas Schedler coined the term “electoral authoritarianism” to describe regimes that hold elections without real competition. Scholars Steven Levitsky and Lucan Way use another phrase, “competitive authoritarianism,” for systems in which opposition parties exist but leaders undermine them through censorship, electoral fraud or legal manipulation.

In my own work with economist Sergei Guriev, we explore a broader strategy that modern autocrats use to gain and maintain power. We call this “informational autocracy” or “spin dictatorship.”

These leaders don’t rely on violent repression. Instead, they craft the illusion that they are competent, democratic defenders of the nation – protecting it from foreign threats or internal enemies who seek to undermine its culture or steal its wealth.

President Donald Trump appears at an Air Force base in Doha, Qatar, on May 15, 2025.
Win McNamee/Getty Images

Hungary’s democratic facade

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán exemplifies this approach. He first served from 1998 to 2002, returned to power in 2010 and has since won three more elections – in 2014, 2018 and 2022 – after campaigns that international observers criticized as “intimidating and xenophobic.”

Orbán has preserved the formal structures of democracy – courts, a parliament and regular elections – but has systematically hollowed them out.

In his first two years he packed Hungary’s constitutional court, which reviews laws for constitutionality, with loyalists, forced judges off the bench by mandating a lower retirement age and rewrote the constitution to limit judicial review of his actions. He also tightened government control over independent media.

To boost his image, Orbán funneled state advertising funds to friendly news outlets. In 2016, an ally bought Hungary’s largest opposition newspaper – then shut it down.

Orbán has also targeted advocacy groups and universities. The Central European University, which was registered in both Budapest and the U.S., was once a symbol of the new democratic Hungary. But a law penalizing foreign-accredited institutions forced it to relocate to Vienna in 2020.

Yet Orbán has mostly avoided violence. Journalists are harassed rather than jailed or killed. Critics are discredited for their beliefs but not abducted. His appeal rests on a narrative that Hungary is under siege – by immigrants, liberal elites and foreign influences – and that only he can defend its sovereignty and Christian identity. That message resonates with older, rural, conservative voters, even as it alienates younger, urban populations.

A global shift in autocrats

In recent decades, variants of spin dictatorship have appeared in Singapore, Malaysia, Kazakhstan, Russia, Ecuador and Venezuela. Leaders such as Hugo Chávez and the early Vladimir Putin consolidated power and marginalized opposition with minimal violence.

Data confirm this trend. Drawing from human rights reports, historical records and local media, my colleague Sergei Guriev and I found that the global incidence of political killings and imprisonments by autocrats dropped significantly from the 1980s to the 2010s.

Why? In an interconnected world, overt repression has costs. Attacking journalists and dissidents can prompt foreign governments to impose economic sanctions and discourage international companies from investing. Curbing free expression risks stifling scientific and technological innovation – something even autocrats need in modern, knowledge-based economies.

Still, when crises erupt, even spin dictators often revert to more traditional tactics. Russia’s Putin has cracked down violently on
protesters and jailed opposition leaders. Meanwhile, more brutal regimes such as those in North Korea and China continue to rule by spreading fear, combining mass incarceration with advanced surveillance technologies.

But overall, spin is replacing terror.

America too?

Most experts, myself included, agree that the U.S. remains a democracy.

Yet some of Trump’s tactics resemble those of informational autocrats. He has attacked the press, defied court rulings and pressured universities to curtail academic independence and limit international admissions. His admiration for strongmen such as Putin, China’s Xi Jinping and El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele alarms observers. At the same time, Trump routinely denigrates democratic allies and international institutions such as the United Nations and NATO.

Some experts say democracy depends on politicians’ self restraint. But a system that survives only if leaders choose to respect its limits is not much of a system at all.
What matters more is whether the press, judiciary, nonprofit organizations, professional associations, churches, unions, universities and citizens have the power – and the will – to hold leaders accountable.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán delivers a speech at a hotel in Madrid on Feb. 8, 2025.
Thomas Coex/AFP via Getty Images

Preserving democracy in the US

Wealthy democracies such as the U.S., Canada and many Western European countries benefit from robust institutions such as newspapers, universities, courts and advocacy groups that act as checks on government.

Such institutions help explain why populists such as Italy’s Silvio Berlusconi or Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu, although accused of bending electoral rules and threatening judicial independence, have not dismantled democracy outright in their countries.

In the U.S., the Constitution provides another layer of protection. Amending it requires a two-thirds majority in both houses of Congress and ratification by three-quarters of the states – a far steeper hurdle than in Hungary, where Orbán needed only a two-thirds parliamentary majority to rewrite the constitution.

Of course, even the U.S. Constitution can be undermined if a president defies the Supreme Court. But doing so risks igniting a constitutional crisis and alienating key supporters.

That doesn’t mean American democracy is safe from erosion. But its institutional foundations are older, deeper and more decentralized than those of many newer democracies. Its federal structure, with overlapping jurisdictions and multiple veto points, makes it harder for any one leader to dominate.

Still, the global rise of spin dictatorships should sharpen awareness of what is happening in the U.S. Around the world, autocrats have learned to control their citizens by faking democracy. Understanding their techniques may help Americans to preserve the real thing.

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

– ref. Autocrats don’t act like Hitler or Stalin anymore − instead of governing with violence, they use manipulation – https://theconversation.com/autocrats-dont-act-like-hitler-or-stalin-anymore-instead-of-governing-with-violence-they-use-manipulation-256665

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

June 4, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Governor Green Welcomes New State Fire Marshal

Source: US State of Hawaii

Governor Green Welcomes New State Fire Marshal

Posted on Jun 2, 2025 in Featured, Latest Department News, Newsroom, Office of the Governor Press Releases

STATE OF HAWAIʻI
KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI

JOSH GREEN, M.D.
GOVERNOR
KE KIAʻĀINA

GOVERNOR GREEN WELCOMES NEW STATE FIRE MARSHAL
The Position was Abolished Nearly 46 Years Ago

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 2, 2025

HONOLULU — Governor Josh Green, M.D., today announced the appointment of Dori Booth as Hawai‘i’s new State Fire Marshal, reviving a critical public safety position that has been vacant for nearly 46 years. The original Office of the State Fire Marshal was abolished by Act 241 of the 1978 Session Laws of Hawaiʻi, with its responsibilities devolved to the counties as of July 1, 1979.

This appointment marks a historic return to a centralized approach to statewide fire protection — one that was strongly recommended by independent wildfire investigation reports following the devastating 2023 Maui wildfires.

“Dori Booth steps into this role at a moment of incredible urgency — and with a mission that’s nothing short of transformative,” said Governor Green. “We are rebuilding an entire fire safety infrastructure at the state level, and Dori is at the center of it. She’ll need to navigate the complex division of responsibilities between the counties and the state, set up a new operational structure, and immediately implement top-priority reforms to protect our communities. It may sound like bureaucracy — but the goal is simple: save lives, protect property and keep Hawai‘i safe.”

Fire Marshal Booth has familiarized herself with the wildfires investigation reports by the Fire Safety Research Institute and will be leading the charge on executing the 10 priorities identified in the Phase II report.

“It’s an honor to step into this role at such a critical time for Hawaiʻi,” Booth said. “The lessons from the Maui wildfires are still fresh, and our responsibility is clear: We must do everything in our power to prevent future tragedies. That means stronger coordination, smarter planning, and a relentless focus on community safety. And when wildfires or other disasters cannot be prevented, we must be resilient — to protect Hawaiʻi’s most precious resources: its people, history, culture and places of deep significance. I’m committed to working with community members, county, state and federal partners — as well as our first responders — to build a fire protection system that reflects the strength and resilience of Hawaiʻi’s people.”

Booth brings more than two decades of leadership in fire safety and public service. Prior to her appointment, she served as Division Chief of Community Risk Reduction for the Sedona Fire District, and previously rose to Deputy Fire Marshal with the Phoenix Fire Department. In these roles, she led major fire prevention programs, high-risk inspections, hazardous materials response, and public safety planning for large venues and airports. A U.S. Army veteran, Booth served in Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan, where she specialized in civil-military operations and infrastructure stability. Her service earned her the Bronze Star Medal and Combat Action Badge.

She holds a Master’s degree in Public Safety Leadership Administration and a Bachelor’s in Sustainable Tourism Development and Management, both from Arizona State University. Booth also serves in a national leadership role with the International Code Council, chairing the Fire Sprinkler Exam Development Committee.

“The Fire Marshal will have a very important role in protecting our communities,” said Department of Law Enforcement Director Mike Lambert. “The Department of Law Enforcement looks forward to helping Dori be successful and we are honored that we have been entrusted to work with her side by side to keep Hawai‘i among the safest states in the nation.”

The fire marshal position was initially recreated by the 2024 Legislature in order to address the post-Maui wildfires third-party investigation reports initiated by the Department of the Attorney General, recommending a prioritized list of action items of changes to be made to improve Hawai‘i’s response to wildfires for the state and all counties. The 2024 legislation was amended in the most recent session to, among other changes, place the office of the State Fire Marshal under the Department of Law Enforcement.

A headshot of Dori Booth can be found here.
Additional photos, courtesy the Office of the Governor, can be found here.

# # #

Media Contacts:
Erika Engle
Press Secretary
Office of the Governor, State of Hawai‘i
Office: 808-586-0120
Email: [email protected]

Makana McClellan
Director of Communications
Office of the Governor, State of Hawaiʻi
Cell: 808-265-0083
Email: [email protected]

MIL OSI USA News –

June 4, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Dame Vera Baird DBE KC appointed as Interim Chair of the CCRC
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

News story

Dame Vera Baird DBE KC appointed as Interim Chair of the CCRC

Dame Vera Baird DBE KC has been appointed as the Interim Chair of the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC).
His Majesty the King, on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, has approved the appointment of Dame Vera Baird DBE KC as the Interim Chair of the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC). The appointment will commence on 9 June 2025 and will end on 8 December 2026. The CCRC Chair role has been vacant since Helen Pitcher’s resignation on 14 January 2025.

The Lord Chancellor has requested that Dame Vera carry out a thorough review of the operation of the CCRC, to increase public confidence in the organisation and the important work it undertakes investigating potential miscarriages of justice.

In order to bring stability to the organisation at this crucial time it was important to ensure that the post holder was an exceptional individual with sound knowledge and experience of examining the criminal justice system and a strong track record of leadership.

The CCRC

The CCRC was established by the Criminal Appeal Act 1995 and commenced operation in 1997. The CCRC considers – on application – cases in England, Wales and Northern Ireland where a miscarriage of justice is alleged or suspected. The CCRC decides if there is any new evidence or new argument which raises a real possibility that an appeal court would quash a conviction or reduce a sentence.

The appointment of the CCRC Chair is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments and this appointment complies with the Cabinet Office Governance Code on Public Appointments.

Appointments of CCRC Commissioners are made by His Majesty the King on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, who receives advice from the Lord Chancellor.

Biography

Dame Vera Baird DBE KC’s biography is as follows:

Member of the Women’s Justice Board

Visiting Professor in Practice at the Mannheim Centre, London School of Economics

Honorary Fellow of St Hilda’s College Oxford

Hon Professor of Law at Exeter and Newcastle Universities

Hon Doctorates at Northumbria and Loughborough Universities

Former Victims Commissioner for England and Wales (2019-22)

DBE for Services to Women and Equalities 2017

Police and Crime Commissioner for Northumbria (2012-19)

Chair of Association of Police and Crime Commissioners 2016

Association of PCCs’ National lead for Supporting Victims (2012-19)

Solicitor General for England and Wales (2007-2010)

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Ministry of Justice (2006-7)

Member of Parliament for Redcar 2001-2010

Former Practising Criminal Barrister and QC

Author of many articles, chapters & reports, most recently The Baird Review into Greater Manchester Police.

Patron of Respect, Operation Encompass and Board Member of Revolving Doors

Dame Vera Baird DBE KC has declared the following political activity on behalf of the Labour Party: public speaking, Chair of the Women’s Branch Horney and Friern Barnet Constituency (HFBC), member of the HFBC Fabian Society, member of the Labour Women’s Network and campaigning in elections.

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Published 3 June 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
June 4, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Recent Graduate Named to Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange

Source: US State of Connecticut

Julian Cote-Dorado ’24 (CLAS) has been accepted into the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) for Young Professionals for the 2025-26 academic year. The fellowship annually provides 65 American and 65 German young professionals the opportunity to spend one year in each other’s countries, studying, interning, and living with hosts as part of a cultural immersion program.

Cote-Dorado graduated from UConn with a degree in political science and minors in economics and German. The Mansfield native grew up in the UConn community and graduated from E.O. Smith High School.

He is interested in pursuing a career in international relations and diplomacy.

“I love to travel meeting people, and I am very interested in different languages,” says Cote-Dorado. “My dream is to work in foreign affairs or diplomacy.”

For Americans, the CBYX program consists of three phases: two months of intensive German language training, one semester of classes, and a three-to-five-month-long internship. CBYX is sponsored in the United States by the Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

“I met Julian last fall at a German language club coffee hour,” says Tim Beaucage, an Honors Program advisor and STEM Scholar coordinator, who advised Cote-Dorado on his application for the CBYX program. “It is a great opportunity for the UConn community to gather and have the opportunity to practice their German language skills. Julian really impressed me with his German speaking and understanding ability. For someone who has only been learning the language in college, his level is outstanding. I could tell he was really passionate about languages, and he speaks several very well himself.

“I am so excited and happy for Julian to participate in the CBYX program,” Beaucage continues. “I am sure that he will walk away with not only superior German language skills, but many life-changing experiences and future opportunities as well.”

Cote-Dorado studied at Heidelberg University in Germany during his junior year as part of UConn’s bilateral exchange program. During his time there, he spent six weeks teaching English to Chinese high school graduates.

“That was my first foray into Germany, and I ended up really liking it,” says Cote-Dorado. “I am really looking forward to improving my German when I go back there and would like to get as close to fluent as possible.”

He adds, “The fellowship will give me a foothold in Europe for a possible career there. It’s a very interesting time to be in Germany as the country has taken on a stronger leadership role in international security in Europe.”

Cote-Dorado was also recently named a finalist for the Fulbright US Student Program as well, but has opted for the CBYX fellowship.

He was an intern at the U.S. Department of State in the fall of 2023, which included a trip with a delegation to Moldova for a multilateral nuclear security exercise. Cote-Dorado was also an intern in the Connecticut State Senate in the spring of 2024.

“Being in Hartford was interesting because I didn’t know much about state politics beforehand,” says Cote-Dorado. “I got to see not only how the legislative process works, but also how senators and representatives engage with each other. Connecticut is a small state, and they all know each other at the Capitol. It was interesting to see how committed they are to representing their citizens. They do it because they really care.”

MIL OSI USA News –

June 3, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Young Dung Reinvigorates Old Mice

Source: US State of Connecticut

There’s no magic pill for youth, but there might be a magic poo. Or rather a medicinal one, University of Connecticut researchers report in mSystems on May 30. They found that giving old mice fecal transplants from younger mice can reduce symptoms of aging.

Harvesting youth from the young to rejuvenate the elderly has been a theme in popular culture for quite some time. There have even been some experiments in mice showing that blood from a young animal can improve the health of an old one. But scientists are a long way from being able to replicate those successes in humans.

Now there might be a different way. UConn School of Medicine microbiome researcher Yanjiao Zhou and aging researcher Ming Xu have shown that supplementing old mice with the microbiomes of young mice can make them act younger, at least temporarily.

The microbiome refers to the ecosystem in the guts of the mice. The researchers gave old mice fecal transplants from young mice (yes, it’s exactly what you’d think) and measured common markers of aging. Old mice who received the fecal transplants displayed fewer anxious behaviors, lower levels of inflammation, improved mitochondrial function (meaning their cells were more efficient with energy) and increased grip strength. Mice receiving the young microbiome also lost more weight, had an improved metabolic profile, and improved behavior.

The old mice in the experiment were 18 months old, approximately equivalent to humans 60 to 65 years old. They received fecal transplants from young adult mice about 6 to 8 weeks old. The researchers continued giving the aged mice fecal transplants twice a week for two months, and the anti-aging effects continued as long as the transplants did. Whether they would continue if the experiment went on longer with even older mice is unknown.

The researchers are working on identifying the bacteria responsible for the anti-aging effects, and perhaps developing a probiotic that can benefit older humans.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 3, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: GPDRR 2025 highlights: Monday 2 June 2025

Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

The 8th Global Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction 2025 (GPDRR2025) began with preparatory events on Monday, 2 June, ahead of the upcoming official programme with highlevel meetings from 4-6 June in Geneva, Switzerland. GPDRR 2025 is organized by the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and hosted by the Government of Switzerland. Two parallel events took place on Monday: the Third Stakeholder Forum and the Global Early Warning for All (EW4All) MultiStakeholder Forum.

Third Stakeholder Forum

Opening

The Third Stakeholder Forum opened with statements by the Governments of Switzerland and Indonesia and senior UN leaders under the theme “United for Resilience.” Speakers highlighted progress on the Bali Agenda for Resilience, an outcome of the 7th Global Platform in 2022, and the opportunities for inclusive disaster risk reduction (DRR).

Mirjam Macchi, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, appreciated stakeholders’ solidarity around the evacuation and assistance to the historic village of Blatten, destroyed last week by a glacial landslide 200 km from Geneva. She noted that even livestock were cared for-a powerful reminder that “resilience begins with local people” and inclusive solutions are more effective when those directly affected by disasters bring vital knowledge to action.

Achsanul Habib, Permanent Representative of Indonesia to the UN, reaffirmed Indonesia’s commitment to risk-informed policies and inclusive approaches. He encouraged all participants to use the Stakeholder Forum as “not only a platform to listen and share, but a platform to act together.”

The event also showcased the Sendai Framework Voluntary Commitments online platform (SFVC), where stakeholders can register their commitments, and users can identify areas of activity as well as gaps. Yuki Matsuoka, Head, UNDRR Office in Japan, noted that 729 individual organizations so far have registered their commitments.

Celeste Saulo, Secretary-General, World Meteorological Organisation

Whole-of-society approach for the Sendai Framework on DRR: A collective responsibility

Sarah Wade-Apicella, UNDRR, moderated the session. On effective methods to implement inclusive DRR, Marcie Roth, World Institute on Disability, underscored the need for people with disabilities to be involved early in co-development of disaster risk strategies, and for foresight processes to incorporate diverse voices. Major Hamad Sabah Al-Sawar, Director of Crisis and Disaster Management, Bahrain, described Bahrain’s communication platform providing diverse modes of information sharing in multiple languages, the use of a phone application, and a common hashtag used to mobilize public action.

On intersectional and intergenerational knowledge sharing, Tom Colley, HelpAge International, drew attention to the wide network of older people associations worldwide as opportunities to engage this age group in DRR. He noted these associations can also harness and serve as channels for bringing Indigenous Peoples’ knowledge into DRR strategies. Barrise Griffin, Disaster Risk Management Authority, The Bahamas, emphasized moving away from one-off, extractive approaches to information gathering, and instead facilitating ongoing dialogue. Josefina Miculax Sincal, Huairou Commission, called for frameworks and trainings to strengthen good practices at the community level.

A slide showing the numbers of internal displacement by hazard for 2015- 2024.

Participants then heard comments and questions from the floor on the role of national DRR platforms in community-level participation, engagement, and school programs for children; managing conflicts of interest; looking beyond immediate impacts of DRR; measuring the effectiveness of stakeholder engagement; shifting risk ownership to local communities to handle disasters; and securing resources.

Data and financing for disaster displacement as loss and damage

Steven Goldfinch, Asian Development Bank (ADB), moderated this session.

Christelle Cazabat, Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre, explained that research into Hurricane Milton’s impacts in the US shows how people’s aspirations change when displacement stretches into the long term. She noted 2024 saw the highest number of people displaced in a single year globally (45.8 million), as well as the highest number of people continuing to live in displacement (9.8 million).

Noralene Uy, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Philippines, noted that her country ensures children have access to child-friendly spaces during displacement, and that national protocols guide national and local assessments and reporting. Isoa Talemaibua, Ministry for Maritime and Rural Development, Fiji, highlighted Fiji’s risk assessment activities and stressed the value of financial tools such as green and blue bonds, and parametric insurance that enables rapid payouts based on environmental triggers.

Hoang Phuong Thao, ActionAid Vietnam, highlighted the organization’s work with marginalized and remote communities to use smartphones for receiving early warnings, as well as for reporting on local conditions, thereby informing the government’s trend analysis. Catalina Díaz Escobar, Corporación Antioquia Presente, emphasized that data collection itself is a political process and should be conducted in an ethical and respectful manner.

From Paris to Sendai: the fundamental connection of climate and DRR

Jamie Cummings, Sendai Stakeholder Engagement Mechanism, moderated the session. Animesh Kumar, UNDRR, underlined that risk is a common denominator across the Sendai Framework, Paris Agreement, and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), stating that all these global frameworks share the goal of resilience. He encouraged the institutionalization of the agreements at the national level and highlighted the need to localize them. On technical assistance, he stressed that funding applications under the Santiago Network -a mechanism to support countries recovering from loss and damage due to climate change -should be designed to catalyze downstream impacts. Hisan Hassan, National Disaster Management Authority, Maldives, described his country’s focus on EW4All and slow-onset losses. Manon Robin, UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Secretariat, discussed integration of national adaptation plans and DRR strategies and emphasized, supported by Le-Anne Roper, UNDRR, the need to focus on coordinating actors on different aspects of climate resilience. Amber Fletcher, University of Regina, emphasized that slow-onset disaster management and funding are crucial for food producers, and stressed the significance of non-economic loss and damage.

View of the panel during the “From Paris to Sendai: the Fundamental Connection of Climate and DRR” event.

Innovative financing and private sector leadership in DRR

Camila Tapias, UNDRR ARISE Global Board Member, moderated the session. Manisha Gulati, ODI Global, noted that most funding goes toward emergency response after disasters occur. She highlighted that when the private sector invests in critical services, DRR becomes an outcome, not only a target.

Yezid Niño, Private Sector Liaison, UNDRR Americas, emphasized the relevance of understanding that DRR is part of the development of the countries and pointed toward the role of regulatory frameworks in involving the private sector in financing DRR. Terry Kinyua, Co-Chair of the ARISE Global Board, stressed that the resilience of communities amounts to the resilience of a country.

Through digital interaction, attendees identified cost-benefit analysis, data gaps, and trust as the major barriers to private sector investment in DRR. Among the actions leaders can take to accelerate investment in resilience, attendees mentioned political incentives, regulatory alignment, resilience as a national priority, and the involvement of local leaders.

View of the panel during the “Innovative Financing and Private Sector Leadership in DRR” event.

Implementation of climate and DRR gender action plans at the national level-Synergies and strategies

Mwanahamisi Singano, Women’s Environment and Development Organization (WEDO), moderated this panel discussion unpacking synergies between the different Gender Action Plans (GAPs) under multiple conventions and frameworks, including the Sendai GAP. She noted the need to avoid duplication and ensure cost effectiveness.

Mary Picard, Humanitarian and Development Consulting, gave a keynote address describing the actions leading to the launch of the Sendai GAP in 2024. Panelists mentioned key lessons from their experiences with governments in implementing the GAPs, including the challenge of competing priorities and political preferences among different ministries when attempting to coordinate the different GAPs. Other interventions focused on holding governments and agencies accountable for implementing GAPs and enhancing communication among women’s networks, particularly those involved in DRR. Following interventions on regional mapping tools and GAP observatories that monitor implementation progress, Singano invited participants to provide inputs towards developing a universal DRR gender equality observatory.

Community-led action for resilience, building partnerships for inclusive action

Maité Rodríguez, Fundación Guatemala, moderated this session. The panel featured grassroot women leaders and related international organizations. Godavari Dange, Swayam Shikshan Prayog, a women-led organization of farmer-producers, highlighted women farmers’ work in drought preparedness to cultivate and stockpile animal fodder. She also highlighted technology training conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic for women to use online platforms. Norma Choc Botzoc, Community Practitioners’ Platform for Resilience in Guatemala, described grassroot women’s own development of risk and vulnerability assessments, which, she noted, are being used as tools for advocacy to local authorities to direct resources appropriately. Speakers from ADB and the Centre for Coordination of Disasters in Central America and the Dominican Republic (CEPREDENAC) affirmed the central importance of cooperation and co-design of programs for climate resilience and recovery after disasters.

Disaster preparedness and risk reduction in urban areas—Building back better

Ladeene Freimuth, The Freimuth Group, moderated the session. Guilherme Simões, National Secretary for Peripheries, Ministry of Cities, Brazil, outlined the Live Peripheries program, which provides access to better urban infrastructure, social services, and opportunities; and the Peripheries Without Risk strategy, a community-based risk reduction and climate adaptation plan.

Marcie Roth, World Institute on Disability, highlighted EWS as one of the best-proven and cost-effective methods for reducing disaster deaths and losses. She drew attention to “Infinite Access,” a communication platform designed to deliver emergency alerts in multiple accessible formats.

Mario Flores, Habitat for Humanity International, discussed the challenges and opportunities of urban environments, stressing the need to build better in the first place; to have risk-informed development; and to consider housing as a platform for a peoplecentered resilience approach.

Debbra Johnson, ARISE-US Network, addressed the report “Navigating the sustainability-resilience nexus,” which brings together the SDGs, the Paris Agreement, and the DRR Sendai Framework.

Breaking the DRR financing silos: A systematic shift in DRR financing for localization of inclusive resilience

Camila Tapias, UNDRR ARISE Global Board Member, moderated the session. Noting that financial capital existed but is not reaching local levels, Tanjir Hossain, Stakeholder Engagement Mechanism, called for breaking down silos so funding is not sitting around while millions of people suffer. Steve Goldfinch, ADB, described the National Disaster Management Fund of Pakistan that finances projects with high economic benefits using a 70% – 30% funding model from provincial governments. He also highlighted the National Disaster Risk Management Fund of the Philippines that encourage local governments to invest in disaster response, relief, preparedness and risk reduction measures. Emma Haight, UNDRR Investor Advisory Board, described the adoption of a green sewer design, first developed in Washington DC, which proved so successful that the design was replicated in London, UK, Cape Town, South Africa, and Quito, Ecuador, highlighting its environmental and financial risk reduction, and over USD 200 million in cost savings. Michelle Chivunga, Global Policy House, discussed using artificial intelligence to shift DRR responses, optimize data utilization in local governments, track and mobilize funding, and to use digital capital during humanitarian crisis to make up for funding shortfalls. Sara Hoeflich, United Cities and Local Government, recommended investment in basic services such as water supply, street cleaning, and sewer solutions to ensure clean cities as an investment and risk mitigation measure. Marcos Concepción Raba, Global Network of Civil Society Organisations for Disaster Reduction, discussed effective localization.

Global Early Warning for All (EW4All) Multistakeholder Forum

Opening

Julien Thöni, Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Switzerland, said timely early warning action should provide critical time to act and respond, and noted that innovation better predicts and reaches people faster. Celeste Saulo, Secretary-General, World Meteorological Organization (WMO), suggested key criteria for improving early warning systems (EWS), including that science must connect people; and systems and partnerships must include actors “outside the DRR tent,” especially those most at risk. Kamal Kishore, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction, and Head of UNDRR, said EWS should not be regarded as a once-off intervention. He said national ownership must be strengthened, and the concept of leaving no one behind should be embedded into all efforts. Selwin Hart, Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Climate Action and Just Transition, via video, suggested EWS is the most basic tool for saving and protecting lives, and called for high-level political support, a boost in technology access, and public and private finance at scale.

Fireside chat: The state of EWS

Johan Stander, WMO, drew attention to national ownership, stakeholder engagement, and the involvement of funding partners when investing in EW4All. Sujit Kumar Mohanty, Chief of Branch, UNDRR, emphasized co-design and co-ownership approaches to meaningfully engage stakeholders for successful EW4All.

Good practices: Stakeholder perspectives on EWS

Interventions during this panel session included: calls to integrate women and youth in all decisions focused on EWS; investing in women’s leadership, particularly those with disabilities; ensuring young people are equitably involved; reaching those living in remote rural areas and conflict zones; and leveraging the communication power of mobile networks through private-public partnerships.

UNDRR Disability Leaders gather at the end of the day.

Perspectives from across regions on EWS

Panelists in this session focused on: successful collaboration and EWS progress in Zimbabwe after the 2019 Cyclone Idai; institutionalization of the community-based approach to EWS in Barbados; main challenges to integrate scientific tools and remote sensing into EWS in Lebanon; integration of the private sector in EWS decision-making process in Makati, the Philippines; and the role of cross-border cooperation, knowledge sharing, and educating people for effective EWS in Poland.

Thematic Sessions

Four thematic sessions took place during the day. These were:

MIL OSI United Nations News –

June 3, 2025
MIL-OSI: AMG Names Thomas M. Wojcik as President and Chief Operating Officer

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., June 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AMG, a strategic partner to leading independent investment management firms globally, today announced the appointment of Thomas M. Wojcik as President, effective June 3, 2025. Mr. Wojcik will also continue to serve as Chief Operating Officer. Jay C. Horgen, previously President and Chief Executive Officer, will continue as Chief Executive Officer. In his expanded role, Mr. Wojcik will continue to work with Mr. Horgen on developing and executing AMG’s growth strategy. Mr. Wojcik joined the Company in 2019, serving as Chief Financial Officer from 2019 through 2024, and was named Chief Operating Officer in 2024. He will continue to report to Mr. Horgen.

“Since Tom joined 6 years ago, AMG has evolved meaningfully as we have focused on expanding our participation in secular growth areas,” said Mr. Horgen. “Through growth investments in both new and existing Affiliates, we have increased our exposure to private markets and liquid alternative strategies, which now contribute half of our earnings. By investing our capital and resources in forming partnerships with outstanding new Affiliates as well as alongside our existing Affiliates to develop innovative solutions for clients, we are magnifying AMG’s and our Affiliates’ future success – and as an integral member of our executive team, Tom has played an instrumental role in the development of our strategy and its execution across all of these fronts over the years. Tom’s leadership and wide range of contributions over this period have furthered AMG’s strategic success and cultural evolution as an organization. I am grateful for Tom’s many contributions so far and all of those to come, and together we look forward to leveraging the strength of our outstanding team as we continue to execute on AMG’s unique opportunity set.”

Mr. Wojcik joined AMG in 2019 from BlackRock, Inc., where he held a number of leadership roles over nearly a decade, including Global Head of Corporate Development and Investor Relations, Head of Strategy for the Americas and EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa), and Chief Financial Officer for EMEA. Prior to joining BlackRock, Mr. Wojcik held investment roles at several independent partner-owned alternative asset managers. He began his career in investment banking in the Financial Institutions Group at Merrill Lynch & Co. and earned a B.A. from Duke University, and an M.B.A. from The Wharton School.

About AMG

AMG (NYSE: AMG) is a strategic partner to leading independent investment management firms globally. AMG’s strategy is to generate long-term value by investing in high-quality independent partner-owned firms, through a proven partnership approach, and allocating resources across AMG’s unique opportunity set to the areas of highest growth and return. Through its distinctive approach, AMG magnifies its Affiliates’ existing advantages and actively supports their independence and ownership culture. As of March 31, 2025, AMG’s aggregate assets under management were approximately $712 billion across a diverse range of private markets, liquid alternative, and differentiated long-only investment strategies. For more information, please visit the Company’s website at www.amg.com.

Certain matters discussed in this press release issued by Affiliated Managers Group, Inc. (“AMG” or the “Company”) may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, and could be impacted by a number of factors, including those described under the section entitled “Risk Factors” in AMG’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, as such factors may be updated from time to time in the Company’s periodic filings with the SEC, which are accessible on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. AMG undertakes no obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. From time to time, AMG may use its website as a distribution channel of material Company information. AMG routinely posts financial and other important information regarding the Company in the Investor Relations section of its website at www.amg.com and encourages investors to consult that section regularly.

AMG Media & Investor Relations:
Patricia Figueroa
(617) 747-3300
ir@amg.com
pr@amg.com

The MIL Network –

June 3, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: The Alzheimer’s Drug Pipeline 2025
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

June 3, 2025

Each year, Dr Jeffrey Cummings and colleagues compile the data for Phase 1,2 and 3 trials currently active in the Alzheimer’s drug space. This year, we had experts at the Science Media Centre to talk us through his latest paper and what drug development for Alzheimer’s looks like right now. While we’ve all heard a lot about the monoclonal anti-amyloid antibodies (aducanumab, lecanemab and donanemab) over recent years, there’s a great deal more happening with multiple trial results expected in 2025, including twelve phase 3 trials. The paper was published in the journal, Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Translational Research and Clinical Interventions.

Journalists came to this briefing to hear:
- What are some of the most exciting drugs in the dementia drug discovery pipeline right now?
- How has Alzheimer’s drug development changed over the years?
- Beyond the anti-amyloid drugs, what other types of drugs are being studied?
- Which are Disease-Targeted Therapies (DTT) and which are targeting symptoms? How do we think they might work?
- What about repurposed drugs?
- Which drugs are we expecting phase 3 data on this year?
- What clinical research is currently going on in the UK?
Speakers included:

Sheona Scales, Director of Research, Alzheimer’s Research UK

Emma Mead, Chief Scientific Officer for Oxford Drug Discovery Institute

Prof James Rowe, Professor of Cognitive Neurology at the University of Cambridge and Consultant Neurologist
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
June 3, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Brace of inclusive opportunities to achieve your best

Source: City of Winchester

Two inspiring days of inclusive sport and achievement are set to take place in the district.

Winchester Personal Bests will take place in Winchester Sport & Leisure Park and the University of Winchester sports stadium on Thursday 4 September 2025.

The event, which was previously known as Paralympic Personal Bests, is for adults with a wide range of learning and physical disabilities. It offers them the opportunity to try accessible sports and challenge themselves while creating connections and having fun in a supportive environment.

Each participant will have an opportunity to try a range of different sports including squash, athletics, low level circuits, rugby, football, cricket, yoga and boxing, and they will receive a T-shirt, reusable water bottle, certificate and a medal for taking part.

Winchester Personal Bests is the first event of its kind to be officially recognised as Autism Friendly by the National Autistic Society.

Then on Thursday 30 October 2025, brand-new event Winchester Aqua Bests in Winchester Sport & Leisure Park will offer adults with learning disabilities an opportunity to take part in various inclusive and fully accessible water-based activities.

Betty Chadwick, Executive Director of Active LD, said: “We know how important being active is for people with learning disabilities. Taking part in regular physical activity builds confidence, grows social networks and supports good physical and mental health. Access to inclusive and enjoyable physical activity is absolutely key to having a happy, healthy life.

“We’re so excited about this year’s event, and that Personal Bests continues to grow. Aqua Bests has come about because of valued feedback from our past participants, and we can’t wait to witness the achievements in the pool.

“We’d like to send huge thanks to all the coaches, participants, volunteers and event management team for making these events happen.”

Winchester City Council’s Cabinet Member for Healthy Communities Cllr Kathleen Becker said: “Personal Bests helps its participants to build lasting connections with different sports and their coaches, highlighting pathways to, and encouraging people with learning disabilities to engage in, regular physical activity.

“By championing them for taking part and doing their best, it also helps to build confidence, grow their social networks, and support their mental health. I’d encourage anyone thinking about signing up to join in and give it a go – you’ll have a great time!”

Alison Lewis, Area Contract Manager at Everyone Active, said: “Winchester Sport & Leisure Park is proud to host the upcoming events, Personal Bests and Aqua Bests, reflecting our ongoing commitment to inclusivity and accessible sport. These events embody our dedication to providing meaningful opportunities for individuals of all abilities to participate, achieve, and thrive.”

Register for a place now via the Active LD website.

To volunteer at the events, visit https://www.activeld.org/volunteers

Further information can be found at https://www.winchester.gov.uk/winchester-personal-bests.

Last Updated: Tuesday 3 June 2025

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

June 3, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: New issue of the newspaper “For construction personnel”

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering –

Download the May issue

A new issue of the SPbGASU newspaper “For Construction Personnel” has been published. In the latest issue, read:

How to become a highly paid specialist in a year and a half

SPbGASU graduate and practicing expert Veronika Zamaeva shared her personal experience. She gave advice that will be useful to all students regardless of their field of study.

The initiative of a master’s student may reach the State Duma

A graduate student at St. Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Alexandra Polyanskaya, talks about how she initiated changes to the federal law that will eliminate a legal gap in regulating the activities of zoos located on the territories of cultural heritage sites.

Defense of a final qualifying work project as a real work process

We tell you first-hand how defending a final qualification work in the format of TIM projects helps students acquire practical skills and build interactions with related specialists.

Why is it beneficial to be a target?

Students are guaranteed work, industries are in-demand personnel. We discuss all the positive effects of targeted training with the participants of this program.

Construction is a great place to work

We provide feedback from students who work, do practical training and internships at construction sites. The guys told us what is interesting about their work and why adaptation to production is easy and successful.

New functionality for textile factories

Olga Tsepilova, a lecturer at the Department of Urban Development at SPbGASU, suggested giving a second life to the objects, preserving their historical value but changing their functionality in accordance with modern regulatory requirements. Read more about the scientific justification in our article.

Read the newspaper on the university website!

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

MIL OSI Russia News –

June 3, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: Preventing the next pandemic: One Health researcher calls for urgent action
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Hung Nguyen-Viet, Program Leader (ai), HEALTH at ILRI / CGIAR, International Livestock Research Institute

The world is facing daunting health challenges with the rise of zoonotic diseases – infections that are transmissible from animals to humans. These diseases – which include Ebola, avian flu, COVID-19 and HIV – show how the health and wellbeing of humans, animals and ecosystems are closely connected.

Zoonotic diseases have become more and more common due to factors such as urbanisation, deforestation, climate change and wildlife exploitation. These dangers are not limited by borders: they are global and demand a coordinated response.

By looking at health holistically, countries can address the full spectrum of disease control – from prevention to detection, preparedness, response and management – and contribute to global health security.

The World Health Organization has a basis for such an approach: One Health. This recognises the interdependence of the health of people, animals and the environment and integrates these fields, rather than keeping them separate.

I lead the health programme at the International Livestock Research Institute, where we are looking for ways to effectively manage or eliminate livestock-related diseases, zoonotic infections and foodborne illnesses that disproportionately affect impoverished communities.

My work focuses on the link between health and agriculture, food safety, and infectious and zoonotic diseases.

For example in Kenya we are part of an initiative of the One Health Centre in Africa to roll out canine vaccination and have so far vaccinated 146,000 animals in Machakos county.

In Ethiopia and Vietnam we worked in a programme to improve the hygiene practices of butchers in traditional markets.

In another project we work in 11 countries to strengthen One Health curricula in universities.

The lessons from the One Health projects implemented with partners across Asia and Africa are that there’s an urgent need for action on three fronts. These are: stronger cross-sectoral collaboration; greater engagement with policymakers to translate research findings into actionable strategies; and the development of adaptable and context-specific interventions.

But, having been active in this area for the last decade, I am impatient with the slow pace of investment. We know that prevention is better than cure. The cost of prevention is significantly lower than that of managing pandemics once they occur. Urgent steps, including much higher levels of investment, need to be taken.

What’s in place

In 2022 the World Health Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organisation, the United Nations Environment Programme and the World Organisation for Animal Health developed a joint One Health plan of action. They identified key areas to respond more efficiently to health threats. These included:
- Reducing risks from emerging and re-emerging zoonotic epidemics. Actions include, for example, tightening regulations around farming and trade in wildlife and wild animal products.
- Controlling and eliminating endemic, zoonotic, neglected tropical and vector-borne diseases by understanding the attitudes and knowledge of communities bearing the greatest burdens of these diseases. And boosting their capacity to fight them.
- Strengthening action against food safety risks by monitoring new and emerging foodborne infections.
- Curbing the silent pandemic of antimicrobial resistance, one of the top 10 global public health threats facing humanity.
Other collaborations include the Prezode (Preventing Zoonotic Disease Emergence) initiative to research all aspects of diseases of animal origin. This was launched in 2021 by French president Emmanuel Macron.

The Africa One Health University Network operates in ten African countries to address One Health workforce strengthening in Africa.

One Health has gained traction globally. But there’s still a great deal to be done.

The cost of inaction

According to a 2022 World Bank estimate, preventing a pandemic would cost approximately US$11 billion per year, while managing a pandemic can run up to US$31 billion annually. So the investment return of 3:1 is an important reason to call for investment in One Health.

The Pandemic Fund was launched in November 2022 by leaders of the Group of 20 nations and hosted by the World Bank Group to help low- and middle-income countries prepare better for emerging pandemic threats. US$885 million has been awarded to 47 projects to date through the two rounds in the last three years.

However, relative to the US$11 billion per year required for prevention, this investment is modest. Urgent investment in One Health needs to be made by countries themselves, in particular low- and middle-income countries.

The last two World One Health congresses (in Singapore in 2022, and in Cape Town in 2024) called for investment in One Health. There were also calls for investment in One Health at regional level to prevent zoonotic diseases and the next pandemic.

At the 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva, member states of the World Health Organization (WHO) formally adopted by consensus the world’s first Pandemic Agreement. The landmark decision culminates more than three years of intensive negotiations launched by governments in response to the devastating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is major global progress in One Health and disease prevention.

But the lessons of COVID-19 have shown us that the cost of inaction is incalculable in terms of lives lost, economic turmoil and societal disruption. To date, there have been over 777 million cases of COVID-19, including more than 7 million deaths worldwide.

According to estimates by the International Monetary Fund, COVID will have caused a cumulative production loss of US$13.8 trillion by 2024.

The choice is clear: invest today to prevent tomorrow’s pandemics, or pay a heavy price in the future.

– Preventing the next pandemic: One Health researcher calls for urgent action
– https://theconversation.com/preventing-the-next-pandemic-one-health-researcher-calls-for-urgent-action-255229

MIL OSI Africa –
June 3, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Preventing the next pandemic: One Health researcher calls for urgent action
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Hung Nguyen-Viet, Program Leader (ai), HEALTH at ILRI / CGIAR, International Livestock Research Institute

The world is facing daunting health challenges with the rise of zoonotic diseases – infections that are transmissible from animals to humans. These diseases – which include Ebola, avian flu, COVID-19 and HIV – show how the health and wellbeing of humans, animals and ecosystems are closely connected.

Zoonotic diseases have become more and more common due to factors such as urbanisation, deforestation, climate change and wildlife exploitation. These dangers are not limited by borders: they are global and demand a coordinated response.

By looking at health holistically, countries can address the full spectrum of disease control – from prevention to detection, preparedness, response and management – and contribute to global health security.

The World Health Organization has a basis for such an approach: One Health. This recognises the interdependence of the health of people, animals and the environment and integrates these fields, rather than keeping them separate.

I lead the health programme at the International Livestock Research Institute, where we are looking for ways to effectively manage or eliminate livestock-related diseases, zoonotic infections and foodborne illnesses that disproportionately affect impoverished communities.

My work focuses on the link between health and agriculture, food safety, and infectious and zoonotic diseases.

For example in Kenya we are part of an initiative of the One Health Centre in Africa to roll out canine vaccination and have so far vaccinated 146,000 animals in Machakos county.

In Ethiopia and Vietnam we worked in a programme to improve the hygiene practices of butchers in traditional markets.

In another project we work in 11 countries to strengthen One Health curricula in universities.

The lessons from the One Health projects implemented with partners across Asia and Africa are that there’s an urgent need for action on three fronts. These are: stronger cross-sectoral collaboration; greater engagement with policymakers to translate research findings into actionable strategies; and the development of adaptable and context-specific interventions.

But, having been active in this area for the last decade, I am impatient with the slow pace of investment. We know that prevention is better than cure. The cost of prevention is significantly lower than that of managing pandemics once they occur. Urgent steps, including much higher levels of investment, need to be taken.

What’s in place

In 2022 the World Health Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organisation, the United Nations Environment Programme and the World Organisation for Animal Health developed a joint One Health plan of action. They identified key areas to respond more efficiently to health threats. These included:
- Reducing risks from emerging and re-emerging zoonotic epidemics. Actions include, for example, tightening regulations around farming and trade in wildlife and wild animal products.
- Controlling and eliminating endemic, zoonotic, neglected tropical and vector-borne diseases by understanding the attitudes and knowledge of communities bearing the greatest burdens of these diseases. And boosting their capacity to fight them.
- Strengthening action against food safety risks by monitoring new and emerging foodborne infections.
- Curbing the silent pandemic of antimicrobial resistance, one of the top 10 global public health threats facing humanity.
Other collaborations include the Prezode (Preventing Zoonotic Disease Emergence) initiative to research all aspects of diseases of animal origin. This was launched in 2021 by French president Emmanuel Macron.

The Africa One Health University Network operates in ten African countries to address One Health workforce strengthening in Africa.

One Health has gained traction globally. But there’s still a great deal to be done.

The cost of inaction

According to a 2022 World Bank estimate, preventing a pandemic would cost approximately US$11 billion per year, while managing a pandemic can run up to US$31 billion annually. So the investment return of 3:1 is an important reason to call for investment in One Health.

The Pandemic Fund was launched in November 2022 by leaders of the Group of 20 nations and hosted by the World Bank Group to help low- and middle-income countries prepare better for emerging pandemic threats. US$885 million has been awarded to 47 projects to date through the two rounds in the last three years.

However, relative to the US$11 billion per year required for prevention, this investment is modest. Urgent investment in One Health needs to be made by countries themselves, in particular low- and middle-income countries.

The last two World One Health congresses (in Singapore in 2022, and in Cape Town in 2024) called for investment in One Health. There were also calls for investment in One Health at regional level to prevent zoonotic diseases and the next pandemic.

At the 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva, member states of the World Health Organization (WHO) formally adopted by consensus the world’s first Pandemic Agreement. The landmark decision culminates more than three years of intensive negotiations launched by governments in response to the devastating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is major global progress in One Health and disease prevention.

But the lessons of COVID-19 have shown us that the cost of inaction is incalculable in terms of lives lost, economic turmoil and societal disruption. To date, there have been over 777 million cases of COVID-19, including more than 7 million deaths worldwide.

According to estimates by the International Monetary Fund, COVID will have caused a cumulative production loss of US$13.8 trillion by 2024.

The choice is clear: invest today to prevent tomorrow’s pandemics, or pay a heavy price in the future.

Hung Nguyen-Viet 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. Preventing the next pandemic: One Health researcher calls for urgent action – https://theconversation.com/preventing-the-next-pandemic-one-health-researcher-calls-for-urgent-action-255229
MIL OSI – Global Reports –
June 3, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Students and a teacher of SPbGASU took part in the Forum of Road Initiatives of the State Company “Avtodor”

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Chairman of the Board of the State Corporation “AVTODOR” Vyacheslav Petushenko assesses the prospects of the presented projects

The 11th Forum of Road Initiatives “Innovative Technologies and Intelligent Transport Systems in Road Construction” was held in Sochi on May 27–29, organized by the State Company “Avtodor”. Representatives of SPbGASU took part in it: students Danil Neprin, Tamerlan Manafov and associate professor of the Department of Transport Systems and Road and Bridge Construction Egor Golov.

The forum focused on issues of road construction and infrastructure, and personnel problems in the industry.

As part of the forum for students of relevant training profiles, the State Company “Avtodor” and the Russian University of Transport organized a business game with the development of projects that will interest today’s schoolchildren (from grades 8 to 11) in entering specialized educational institutions of both secondary vocational and higher education.

Transport students from different universities of the country took part in the business game: Moscow Automobile and Road Institute, Russian University of Transport, Siberian Automobile and Road Institute and St. Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering. Egor Golov was invited as a mentor for one of the teams. He also acted as one of the experts who assessed the students’ work.

During the work on the projects, the teams held two strategic sessions, one of which was attended by Konstantin Mogilny, Head of the Technical Policy and Innovative Technologies Department of the AVTODOR State Corporation. He held a master class for the guys on solving extraordinary problems that modern highway builders face, and spoke about the implementation of the Adler bypass project in particularly difficult mountainous conditions.

In the final of the business game, the teams presented and defended their projects to experts in the main program of the forum as part of the session “Preserving Traditions, Building the Future”.

In addition, as part of the career guidance work carried out by the AVTODOR Group of Companies, a technical tour of key construction sites of the Adler bypass was organized for students and teachers.

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

MIL OSI Russia News –

June 3, 2025

Category: Universities

June 3, 2025

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