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Category: Universities

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Dmitry Chernyshenko: To achieve technological leadership, it is necessary to develop priority areas in personnel training

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko held a meeting of the Commission on Scientific and Technological Development (S&TD).

    It was attended by Deputy Chairperson of the State Duma Victoria Abramchenko, Deputy Ministers of Science and Higher Education Denis Sekirinsky and Andrey Omelchuk, President of the Russian Academy of Sciences Gennady Krasnikov, Head of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency Veronika Skvortsova, Governor of Krasnoyarsk Krai Mikhail Kotyukov, Head of Rospatent Yuri Zubov, representatives of other ministries and organizations, heads of regions and deputy heads of subjects responsible for scientific and technological development of industries and regions.

    The meeting discussed the main measures and instruments of state policy in the field of scientific and technological development, including the results of the implementation of the state program “Scientific and Technological Development of the Russian Federation”, the indicators of which were fully met by the end of 2024.

    In particular, the Russian Federation ranks 8th in the world in terms of volume of scientific research and development, including through the creation of an effective system of higher education. The final assessment of the effectiveness of the implementation of all state programs will be carried out by the Ministry of Economic Development.

    The meeting also noted the successful completion of the national project “Science and Universities” in 2024, with all its indicators achieved. Over 5 years, it covered 76 regions, 991 universities, 1,584 research organizations, attracted 340 scientists and 4.17 million students. The implementation of the national project has become a key factor in achieving development goals and in determining new priorities, including technological leadership and increasing domestic research spending to 2% of GDP.

    Over the past 2 years, we have managed to overcome the negative trend in the reduction of the number of personnel employed in research and development. In 2024, 500 postgraduate students became winners of the presidential scholarship competition, the amount of which is 75 thousand rubles per month.

    More than 200 laboratories have been created under the leadership of young scientists, including 30 in new regions. In total, more than 940 laboratories are currently operating in Russia.

    An important area of state policy is the development of scientific infrastructure. Efforts are focused on the development of megascience class installations, such as the SKIF synchrotron, created using domestic equipment.

    Over the past 6 years, about 300 universities and research organizations have updated their equipment base, and about 30 thousand units of equipment have been purchased. This has allowed the technical base to be updated by more than 60%. An important step was the approval of the Strategy for Scientific and Technological Development of the Union State of Russia and Belarus. The development of the “Science” domain and the involvement of regions in scientific projects continues.

    Dmitry Chernyshenko also instructed that work on the formation of a single list of priority professions and specialties to ensure scientific and technological development be carried out as soon as possible.

    “President Vladimir Putin has set a national goal – technological leadership, which requires an influx of qualified personnel into strategically important industries. We need to determine priority areas of training, attract motivated students and stimulate them. Thus, it is planned to distribute at least 50% of budget places through government procurement, provide preferential educational loans for students who have chosen priority specialties,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.

    At the end of the commission meeting, Dmitry Chernyshenko announced the creation of an interdepartmental working group (IWG) on issues of developing secondary vocational education (SVE). The decision to create the IWG was made earlier following the commission’s instructions and during government hour in the State Duma on the initiative of its Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin.

    The Deputy Prime Minister noted that when choosing the head of the International Working Group, the opinion of Vyacheslav Volodin was taken into account: the leadership of the group was entrusted to Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Victoria Abramchenko.

    “The key task of the IWG will be to build effective interaction with the regions and coordinate their efforts in the field of secondary vocational education. Particular attention will be paid to the analysis of the needs of each entity for personnel and resources for the secondary vocational education system, including production sites, plans of state corporations, the number of students, equipment of colleges and training of teachers,” emphasized Dmitry Chernyshenko.

    He added that the IWG will have to develop specific solutions to support secondary vocational education, including teacher retraining programs.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Tatyana Golikova took part in the annual all-Russian scientific and practical conference “From the Year of the Family to the Century of the Family”

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    The All-Russian scientific and practical conference “From the Year of the Family to the Century of the Family” was held at the international information agency “Russia Today”. The conference was attended by Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova, Presidential Plenipotentiary Representative in the Central Federal District Igor Shchegolev, Head of the Presidential Administration for Public Projects Sergei Novikov, Minister of Transport Roman Starovoit, State Secretary – Deputy Minister of Defense Anna Tsivileva, Chairperson of the Federation Council Committee on Science, Education and Culture Liliya Gumerova. The conference was organized by the D.I. Mendeleev Institute of Demographic Policy.

    “Supporting families, preserving health, and preserving the population is the main national goal defined by the President of our country, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin. To achieve it, we need a steady increase in the birth rate. The well-being of Russia depends on how many of us there are and at what rate we grow. The result of the Year of the Family was that the total fertility rate in 2024 was maintained at the 2023 level – 1.4. In 18 regions, an increase in the birth rate is recorded, including in those where this indicator had previously declined. In addition, last year, the growth in the birth of third and subsequent children was maintained – by 1.1%. Over the past two years, the number of large families and children in them has increased by 1.2 times,” said Tatyana Golikova.

    Last year, the Government approved the Strategy of Actions for the implementation of family and demographic policies, support for large families until 2036. On January 1, 2025, the national project “Family” was launched, including measures to support young, large families, the older generation, develop children’s healthcare, strengthen reproductive health, and promote family values.

    The Decree of the President of Russia “On social support for large families” established the permanent status of a large family and retained the right of regions to expand this category. In 40 regions, decisions have already been made to provide support measures for large families without taking into account the criteria of need.

    Since October 1, 2024, thanks to the created register of large families, the issuance of an electronic certificate has been launched without collecting additional documents. To date, more than 1.6 million electronic certificates have been issued.

    Since 2022, the title of “Mother Heroine” has been revived; in terms of the level of social guarantees, it is equal to the title of Hero of Labor.

    It is important to pay special attention to preserving the reproductive health of the population and working with women in a situation of reproductive choice. For this purpose, since 2024, the program of state guarantees has included medical examination of the adult population to assess reproductive health. A serious task for the regions is to increase the popularity of reproductive medical examination among residents.

    At the same time, work on preserving already conceived lives – reducing the number of abortions – is extremely important. A set of measures of legal, psychological, medical and social assistance to women in the situation of reproductive choice has been developed. Thanks to this, more than 41 thousand pregnancies were saved last year.

    The quality and availability of medical care in small towns and rural areas is improving. Within the framework of the national project “Family”, 336 additional women’s consultations will be created, 142 perinatal centers, maternity hospitals and 180 children’s hospitals will be modernized, children’s clinics will be equipped with 536 mobile medical complexes.

    Particular attention is paid to promoting family values, creating conditions for family leisure, creativity, sports, modernization of cultural centers, regional theaters, museums, libraries, and clubs.

    In addition, measures are being taken to successfully combine professional development with the birth and upbringing of children.

    Over the past two years, insurance guarantees for working women have been significantly expanded, including an increase in the maximum benefit amounts. In 2025, the amount of maternity benefits and monthly child care benefits increased by 1.4 times compared to 2024. The right to child care benefits for up to one and a half years in the event of early return to work of a parent has been retained.

    To develop corporate social and demographic policy, a corporate demographic standard was developed, which was adopted at the end of last year by the Russian Tripartite Commission for the Regulation of Social and Labor Relations and is now recommended for implementation in the practice of enterprises and organizations.

    Attention is paid to supporting student families. Universities are opening support centers for them, creating conditions for living together in dormitories, including for spouses from different universities, opening short-term stay groups for children and mother-and-child rooms, and developing the practice of transferring young mothers-students from paid education to a budget place.

    “For the birth of a child, it is important to have confidence in the future, in a job with a growing salary, in the prospective development of the city or town where the family lives – the creation of new jobs, a comfortable and safe environment, improvement of social infrastructure. Therefore, everything that is done in the regions should be family-oriented. Issues of construction of residential and social facilities, transport accessibility, ecology – each project implemented should be aimed at creating favorable conditions for families, so that there are more of us, Russians,” said Tatyana Golikova.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Andrey Rudskoy spoke at a meeting of the Council of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    The Tauride Palace in St. Petersburg hosted a meeting of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly Council. The event was opened by the Chairperson of the CIS IPA Council, Chairperson of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Valentina Matvienko. Valentina Ivanovna noted the representative composition of the meeting and thanked the heads of delegations for their personal participation in the session.

    “This is all the more important since the central place in it is given to events connected with a date sacred to all of us – the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory,” the speaker of the Federation Council emphasized.

    During the meeting, the Chairman of the Expert Council on Science and Education at the IPA CIS, Rector of Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Andrei Rudskoy presented information on the work of the council he heads.

    Andrey Ivanovich noted that the Expert Council carries out expert and scientific-analytical activities, evaluates and develops draft model laws and recommendations, and discusses issues of international cooperation in science, education and technology, innovation and regulatory integration. Andrey Rudskoy emphasized that the members of the Expert Council are actively involved in organizing the International School Olympiad and the international conference “Russian Language – the Basis of Integration Dialogue in the Commonwealth of Independent States”, and are working on preparing the International Scientific and Educational Congress of the CIS Member States. The heads of the delegations familiarized themselves with the full report on the activities of the Expert Council, presented in the meeting materials, during the report.

    Chairperson of the CIS IPA Council Valentina Matvienko thanked Andrey Rudskoy for the work he had done, noting his personal contribution to resolving issues of model lawmaking and interaction with the Commonwealth countries in the field of science and education.

    Photo: https: //iakis.ru/

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI: E.F. Hutton Names Industry Veteran Aaron Gadouas as Senior Managing Director

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, April 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — E.F. Hutton & Co., the recently relaunched investment firm, has named Aaron Gadouas as the firm’s newest Senior Managing Director. Gadouas will be working alongside Chief Executive Officer Joseph T. Rallo and President Duncan B. Swanston as the firm continues its focus on delivering for clients across equity and debt markets.

    Gadouas brings over three decades of experience in investment banking and capital markets to the firm, including expertise across a wide range of industries and financing structures. Over the course of his career, he has provided capital solutions and strategic advice for clients in industries including renewable energy and sustainable infrastructure, controlled environment agriculture, residential and commercial real estate, equipment leasing and specialty finance and insurance.

    “I’m thrilled to join E.F. Hutton during this exciting period of growth,” said Senior Managing Director Aaron Z. Gadouas. “I’m eager to collaborate with this outstanding executive team to broaden our global reach in private credit and offer valuable solutions to clients across structured finance.”

    Aaron has a history of developing and identifying creative financing solutions. He pioneered the first securitization of church mortgage loans in the United States. He has also formulated ways to monetize and leverage insurance products and other credit enhancements.

    “We are thrilled to announce Aaron Gadouas is joining our firm as a Senior Managing Director. He brings a wealth of knowledge to the company, decades of experience in investment banking and a deep knowledge of debt markets. I am looking forward to working with him to expand our offerings to deliver the best solutions to our clients,” said E.F. Hutton Chief Executive Officer Joseph T. Rallo.

    Before joining E.F. Hutton, Gadouas was a Managing Director at B.C. Ziegler and Company and Co-head of the firm’s project and structured finance practice. He has also held positions at ABN AMRO Global Capital Markets, where he was responsible for the origination and execution of tax-advantaged structured products, and Drexel Burnham Lambert, where he focused on municipal finance.

    Gadouas graduated from Cornell University with a Bachelor’s in Economics. He received an MBA from Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University and holds General Securities Registered Representative Series 7, 52 and 63 licenses.

    ABOUT E.F. HUTTON
    E.F. Hutton & Co. is a broker-dealer that provides advisory and financing solutions to a variety of clients including corporates, sponsors, and public-private partnerships. The Executive Team at E.F. Hutton & Co. has a proven track record of providing unwavering strategic advice to clients across the globe, including the US, Asia, Europe, UAE, and Latin America.

    For more information visit efhutton.com.

    Contact: efhutton@orchestraco.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The hidden history of Philadelphia’s window-box gardens and their role in urban reform

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Sonja Dümpelmann, Professor of Environmental Humanities, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich

    Window-box gardening has been a Philly tradition since the 1800s. Sonja Dümpelmann, CC BY-SA

    It’s that time of year when Philadelphia row home owners with a green thumb fastidiously attend to their window boxes – selecting new plants to design an artful blend of colors, shapes and textures.

    Sonja Dümpelmann is a historian of landscapes and the built environment who lived in Philly from 2019 to 2023. During this time, she researched how female reformers and activists in Philadelphia in the 19th and 20th centuries tended to window-box gardens both for charity and to spur urban renewal in rundown neighborhoods.

    Dümpelmann recently published an article on this history in the architectural journal Buildings & Landscapes. She spoke with The Conversation U.S. about what she learned.

    Some homeowners change out their plants throughout the year.
    Sonja Dümpelmann, CC BY-SA

    How did you become interested in window boxes?

    When I first moved to Philadelphia from Cambridge, Massachusetts, in August 2019, I was immediately struck by the window boxes. The lushness and freshness of the plants in many of the boxes, and sometimes in sidewalk planters, made walking more pleasant and interesting. This was especially the case in the hot summer months when I would often see plants from subtropical and tropical climates in the Rittenhouse Square, Fitler Square and Graduate Hospital neighborhoods.

    I noticed that there were three categories of window boxes. Many were visibly cared for, often freshly planted and decorated several times a year in accordance with the changing seasons. Some were derelict and had spontaneous growth of saplings and different grasses. And a third category were boxes outfitted with plastic plants, perhaps signaling absentee owners or landlords who seek to simulate care.

    What makes them landscape architecture?

    Window boxes – especially the planted boxes, but also painted boxes that are empty – change outdoor space and building exteriors. They make them more colorful and interesting, and they break up plain vertical walls by protruding from the facade.

    You could say that the window boxes “greet” passersby. They connect private indoor space with the public realm of the street. As one early window-box promoter observed in 1903, “The man in the street gets as much enjoyment out of them as its owner.”

    “Gardens in a box,” as they were also referred to by early promoters, can make homes and entire neighborhoods look and feel different. They forge distinct identities with their plant selection and the style and color of the boxes.

    Window gardens are a way to greet passersby on the street.
    Sonja Dümpelmann, CC BY-SA

    How did window gardening begin?

    Window gardening became popular in Victorian England and continental Europe in the 19th century. It began as an indoor activity and was practiced especially by women, but it soon also moved outdoors. There it became part of what American women in the late 19th century called “municipal housekeeping.” It extended their conventional female roles as housekeepers and mothers into the larger “household” of the community.

    Window gardening became a means of female social reform during the Progressive Era. During this period in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when industries and cities were growing fast, women sought to improve education, public health and living conditions, especially for poor and immigrant communities. By offering plants, flowers and entire window boxes, the women supported homemakers of lesser means.

    However, these boxes were also a way to make sure that order in and outside of homes was maintained. Window gardens became cultural symbols of cleanliness and good housekeeping. Furthermore, reformers considered window gardening as a practice that could help immigrants assimilate into American society.

    When did they become political?

    In Philadelphia there were two big window-gardening movements. The first occurred in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and I describe it as window-box charity. The second, which I call window-box activism, began in the 1950s.

    Window-box charity was carried out primarily by white philanthropists and social workers who would distribute plants and goods sent from outside the city to the urban poor and sick, especially immigrants and Black Americans. Sometimes the window boxes were ready to be installed outside the windows. Other times recipients built and planted boxes themselves.

    The Neighborhood Garden Association, the organization that pioneered window-box activism, at work near the now-closed Alexander Wilson School in West Philadelphia in 1955.
    Courtesy of the McLean Library and Archives, Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

    Several decades later, in the mid-20th-century, plants became a vehicle for white suburban garden club ladies and Black inner-city residents to counter urban decay resulting from racism and public disinvestment. On annual planting days, the garden club ladies brought plants into the city and joined residents in planting and installing window boxes to brighten up their neighborhood blocks.

    Plants were key in both window-box charity and window-box activism. People came together to care for plants, creating friendships among neighbors and ties between low-income and wealthy neighborhoods. The women used plants and window boxes to protect private space and increase the safety of public space. In the 1960s, the Philadelphia police reported less crime on streets with window boxes.

    Of course, window boxes and plants alone could not solve larger urban social problems such as poor housing conditions and racial discrimination. So while they could be catalysts of neighborhood change, they also helped to camouflage and quite literally naturalize larger social problems that required political responses.

    Are they still linked to urban renewal?

    Like a smaller version of public parks, community gardens and street trees, window gardens can contribute to green gentrification. This occurs when the construction of parks or the planting of trees contributes to an increase in property values that leads to the displacement of long-term residents in low-income neighborhoods.

    Window gardening did help save some of Philly’s old row house neighborhoods from demolition during urban renewal beginning in the 1950s. However, quite a few of these neighborhoods – such as Washington Square West and Graduate Hospital – have since been gentrified, and families who once window gardened to turn their neighborhoods into more beautiful and safer places could no longer afford to live there.

    The 20th century window-box activism drew the attention of sociologists and other national and international observers, especially because it brought white and Black residents together during the tensions of the Civil Rights Movement. It also raised public awareness about unequal access to urban green spaces.

    Window boxes on Delancey Street in Philadelphia.
    Photo by R. Kennedy for Visit Philadelphia, CC BY-SA

    Yet despite the movement’s good intentions and positive effects, racial segregation remains a persistent problem in Philadelphia.

    In gentrified parts of Center City today, new and restored row houses often include fixtures and built-in irrigation pipes for window boxes. Many owners outsource window-box planting and maintenance to paid service providers.

    But for lower-income residents, the costs in both time and money to install and maintain window gardens can be prohibitive.

    Sonja Dümpelmann 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. The hidden history of Philadelphia’s window-box gardens and their role in urban reform – https://theconversation.com/the-hidden-history-of-philadelphias-window-box-gardens-and-their-role-in-urban-reform-254361

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How do children learn to read? This literacy expert says ‘there are as many ways as there are students’

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By K. Dara Hill, Professor of Reading and Language Arts, University of Michigan-Dearborn

    Not all children learn to read in the same way, but schools tend to adopt a single approach to literacy. luckyvector/iStock via Getty Images Plus

    Five years after the pandemic forced children into remote instruction, two-thirds of U.S. fourth graders still cannot read at grade level. Reading scores lag 2 percentage points below 2022 levels and 4 percentage points below 2019 levels.

    This data from the 2024 report of National Assessment of Educational Progress, a state-based ranking sometimes called “America’s report card,” has concerned educators scrambling to boost reading skills.

    Many school districts have adopted an evidence-based literacy curriculum called the “science of reading” that features phonics as a critical component.

    Phonics strategies begin by teaching children to recognize letters and make their corresponding sounds. Then they advance to manipulating and blending first-letter sounds to read and write simple, consonant-vowel-consonant words – such as combining “b” or “c” with “-at” to make “bat” and “cat.” Eventually, students learn to merge more complex word families and to read them in short stories to improve fluency and comprehension.

    Proponents of the curriculum celebrate its grounding in brain science, and the science of reading has been credited with helping Louisiana students outperform their pre-pandemic reading scores last year.

    In practice, Louisiana used a variety of science of reading approaches beyond phonics. That’s because different students have different learning needs, for a variety of reasons.

    Yet as a scholar of reading and language who has studied literacy in diverse student populations, I see many schools across the U.S. placing a heavy emphasis on the phonics components of the science of reading.

    If schools want across-the-board gains in reading achievement, using one reading curriculum to teach every child isn’t the best way. Teachers need the flexibility and autonomy to use various, developmentally appropriate literacy strategies as needed.

    Phonics fails some students

    Phonics programs often require memorizing word families in word lists. This works well for some children: Research shows that “decoding” strategies such as phonics can support low-achieving readers and learners with dyslexia.

    However, some students may struggle with explicit phonics instruction, particularly the growing population of neurodivergent learners with autism spectrum disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. These students learn and interact differently than their mainstream peers in school and in society. And they tend to have different strengths and challenges when it comes to word recognition, reading fluency and comprehension.

    This was the case with my own child. He had been a proficient reader from an early age, but struggles emerged when his school adopted a phonics program to balance out its regular curriculum, a flexible literature-based curriculum called Daily 5 that prioritizes reading fluency and comprehension.

    I worked with his first grade teacher to mitigate these challenges. But I realized that his real reading proficiency would likely not have been detected if the school had taught almost exclusively phonics-based reading lessons.

    Another weakness of phonics, in my experience, is that it teaches reading in a way that is disconnected from authentic reading experiences. Phonics often directs children to identify short vowel sounds in word lists, rather than encounter them in colorful stories. Evidence shows that exposing children to fun, interesting literature promotes deep comprehension.

    Balanced literacy

    To support different learning styles, educators can teach reading in multiple ways. This is called balanced literacy, and for decades it was a mainstay in teacher preparation and in classrooms.

    Balanced literacy prompts children to learn words encountered in authentic literature during guided, teacher-led read-alouds – versus learning how to decode words in word lists. Teachers use multiple strategies to promote reading acquisition, such as blending the letter sounds in words to support “decoding” while reading.

    Another balanced literacy strategy that teachers can apply in phonics-based strategies while reading aloud is called “rhyming word recognition.” The rhyming word strategy is especially effective with stories whose rhymes contribute to the deeper meaning of the story, such as Marc Brown’s “Arthur in a Pickle.”

    The rhyming structure of ‘Arthur in a Pickle’ helps children learn to read entire words, versus word parts.

    After reading, teachers may have learners arrange letter cards to form words, then tap the letter cards while saying and blending each sound to form the word. Similar phonics strategies include tracing and writing letters to form words that were encountered during reading.

    There is no one right way to teach literacy in a developmentally appropriate, balanced literacy framework. There are as many ways as there are students.

    What a truly balanced curriculum looks like

    The push for the phonics-based component of the science of reading is a response to the discrediting of the Lucy Calkins Reading Project, a balanced literacy approach that uses what’s called “cueing” to teach young readers. Teachers “cue” students to recognize words with corresponding pictures and promote guessing unfamiliar words while reading based on context clues.

    A 2024 class action lawsuit filed by Massachusetts families claimed that this faulty curriculum and another cueing-based approach called Fountas & Pinnell had failed readers for four decades, in part because they neglect scientifically backed phonics instruction.

    But this allegation overlooks evidence that the Calkins curriculum worked for children who were taught basic reading skills at home. And a 2021 study in Georgia found modest student achievement gains of 2% in English Language Arts test scores among fourth graders taught with the Lucy Calkins method.

    Nor is the method unscientific. Using picture cues with corresponding words is supported by the predictable language theory of literacy.

    This approach is evident in Eric Carle’s popular children’s books. Stories such as the “Very Hungry Caterpillar” and “Brown Bear, Brown Bear What do you See?” have vibrant illustrations of animals and colors that correspond with the text. The pictures support children in learning whole words and repetitive phrases, suchg as, “But he was still hungry.”

    Teacher-led read-alouds have been a mainstay learn-to-read activity in U.S. classrooms for decades.
    H. Armstrong Roberts/ClassicStock/Getty Images

    The intention here is for learners to acquire words in the context of engaging literature. But critics of Calkins contend that “cueing” during reading is a guessing game. They say readers are not learning the fundamentals necessary to identify sounds and word families on their way to decoding entire words and sentences.

    As a result, schools across the country are replacing traditional learn-to-read activities tied to balanced literacy approaches with the science of reading. Since its inception in 2013, the phonics-based curriculum has been adopted by 40 states and the Disctrict of Columbia.

    Recommendations for parents, educators and policymakers

    The most scientific way to teach reading, in my opinion, is by not applying the same rigid rules to every child. The best instruction meets students where they are, not where they should be.

    Here are five evidence-based tips to promote reading for all readers that combine phonics, balanced literacy and other methods.

    1. Maintain the home-school connection. When schools send kids home with developmentally appropriate books and strategies, it encourages parents to practice reading at home with their kids and develop their oral reading fluency. Ideally, reading materials include features that support a diversity of learning strategies, including text, pictures with corresponding words and predictable language.

    2. Embrace all reading. Academic texts aren’t the only kind of reading parents and teachers should encourage. Children who see menus, magazines and other print materials at home also acquire new literacy skills.

    3. Make phonics fun. Phonics instruction can teach kids to decode words, but the content is not particularly memorable. I encourage teachers to teach phonics on words that are embedded in stories and texts that children absolutely love.

    4. Pick a series. High-quality children’s literature promotes early literacy achievement. Texts that become increasingly more complex as readers advance, such as the “Arthur” step-into-reading series, are especially helpful in developing reading comprehension. As readers progress through more complex picture books, caregivers and teachers should read aloud the “Arthur” novels until children can read them independently. Additional popular series that grow with readers include “Otis,” “Olivia,” “Fancy Nancy” and “Berenstain Bears.”

    5. Tutoring works. Some readers will struggle despite teachers’ and parents’ best efforts. In these cases, intensive, high-impact tutoring can help. Sending students to one session a week of at least 30 minutes is well documented to help readers who’ve fallen behind catch up to their peers. Many nonprofit organizations, community centers and colleges offer high-impact tutoring.

    K. Dara Hill 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. How do children learn to read? This literacy expert says ‘there are as many ways as there are students’ – https://theconversation.com/how-do-children-learn-to-read-this-literacy-expert-says-there-are-as-many-ways-as-there-are-students-246468

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: US colleges and universities have billions stashed away in endowments − a higher ed finance expert explains what they are

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Todd L. Ely, Associate Professor of Public Administration; Director, Center for Local Government, University of Colorado Denver

    Prospective students tour Georgetown University’s campus in Washington in 2013. AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

    With the Trump administration seeking to cut federal funding for colleges and universities, you might be wondering whether the endowments of these institutions of higher education might be able to fill those gaps. Todd L. Ely, a professor of public administration at the University of Colorado Denver, explains what endowments are and the constraints placed on them.

    What’s an endowment?

    Endowments are pools of financial investments that belong to a nonprofit. These assets produce a revenue stream, typically from dividends, interest and realized capital gains. The funds endowments hold usually originate as charitable donations made to support an institution’s mission.

    In most cases with higher education endowments, this wealth, which helps buoy a nonprofit’s budget, is supposed to last forever.

    Contributions to endowments are tax-deductible for donors who itemize their tax returns. Once these funds are invested, they grow generally tax-free. But beginning in 2018, the federal government imposed a 1.4% excise tax on dozens of higher education institutions with relatively large endowments.

    Few colleges or universities have a single endowment fund.

    That’s because the donors who provide gifts large and small to the school over the years direct their donations to different funds reserved for specific purposes.

    Harvard University’s endowment, worth $53.2 billion at the end of its 2024 fiscal year, for example, consists of roughly 14,600 distinct funds.

    All told, money distributed from endowments covered more than 15%, on average, of college and university operating expenses in 2024. Some of America’s institutions of higher education, however, lean much more heavily than that on their endowments to pay their bills.

    People pose for photos in front of the iconic Tommy Trojan statue on the campus of the University of Southern California in Los Angeles in 2019.
    AP Photo/Reed Saxon

    How do endowments influence higher education?

    Endowments can serve multiple purposes.

    In 2024, nearly half of all higher education spending paid for with endowment revenue funded scholarships and other kinds of aid for students, while almost 18% supported academic programs. Just under 11% paid for professors’ compensation, and almost 7% helped pay for running and maintaining campus facilities.

    More broadly, endowments can help shield schools from financial hardships and maintain their long-term reputations.

    When they’re set up to carry on in perpetuity, endowments must benefit both current and future generations. So when donors give to an endowment, they are arguably investing in the long-term viability of the institution.

    This long-term focus suggests that endowments aren’t just rainy-day funds or financial reserves.

    Why can’t endowment funds be spent freely?

    At the end of the 2023 fiscal year, U.S. higher education endowments held a total of more than $907 billion. That is a lot of money, but it’s still less than the combined wealth of America’s five richest people.

    Like individual wealth, endowment assets are heavily concentrated in the U.S.

    Many colleges and universities have small or no endowments. Nearly 60% of them total less than $50 million. The top 25, which includes several public universities in states such as Michigan and Texas, account for more than half of all endowment assets.

    And even when schools have large endowments, the individual funds that compose them are bound by a wide array of restrictions. Some of that money can be spent however the school would like. Other funds are dedicated to a clearly defined purpose.

    When endowment funds are restricted, the school gets little discretion in how to spend them.

    At Harvard, for example, there’s a Hollis Professorship of Divinity at Harvard University. It was established in 1721 through a gift from a London merchant. Based on the terms of that long-ago donation, the earnings and growth of the donated funds continue to honor the donor’s intent by supporting the position, regardless of what the university needs.

    Alternatively, endowments may receive donations that are temporarily restricted. Known as “term” endowments, the assets they hold can be used once donor-imposed conditions are fulfilled.

    Institutions frequently designate some of their unrestricted funds as “quasi” endowments, usually earmarked for specific strategic purposes. This board-designated quasi-endowment does not carry legal restrictions and can be spent more freely.

    About 40% of higher education endowment assets are subject to permanent restrictions, 30% are temporarily restricted, and 29% are reserved for quasi-endowment use.

    People walk past the Ray and Maria Stata Center on the campus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2019.
    AP Photo/Steven Senne

    How are decisions over endowment funds made?

    The decision-making authority over endowments typically rests with a college or university’s governing board. Those boards establish endowment payout policies that guide how much of the endowment and its earnings can be spent each year, while attempting to preserve the purchasing power of the investments over the long term.

    The policies take expectations regarding investment earnings and inflation into account, while smoothing annual payouts by using a percentage of the value of the endowment over multiple years as opposed to a single point in time. This payout tends to amount to about 5% of all assets. That share averaged 4.8% in 2024.

    U.S. institutions of higher education spent nearly $35.5 billion derived from their endowments in the 2023 fiscal year.

    Colleges and universities that depend more heavily on their endowment funds to cover their current obligations may choose to invest more conservatively. In recent years, many higher education endowments have obtained more complex investments, such as private equity, real assets and stakes in hedge funds.

    Endowments of nonprofit colleges and universities are also governed in most states by a state law known as the Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act. This law encourages cautious investments and restrained spending.

    These restrictions mean that annual payouts are generally modest. That leaves endowments ill-equipped to respond to abrupt and large shifts in their funding needs.

    The John F. Kennedy School of Government, commonly referred to as Harvard Kennedy School, is a member of The Conversation U.S.

    Todd Ely works for a university that has an endowment and receives federal research funding.

    – ref. US colleges and universities have billions stashed away in endowments − a higher ed finance expert explains what they are – https://theconversation.com/us-colleges-and-universities-have-billions-stashed-away-in-endowments-a-higher-ed-finance-expert-explains-what-they-are-254872

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Alaska, rich in petroleum, faces an energy shortage

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Brett Watson, Assistant Professor of Applied and Natural Resource Economics, University of Alaska Anchorage

    The Trans-Alaska Pipeline crosses underneath the Dalton Highway, carrying crude oil from the North Slope to a port in Valdez. Lance King/Getty Images

    In the state with the fourth-largest proven reserves of oil and gas in the U.S., there is a looming energy shortage.

    Above the Arctic Circle, oil producers on Alaska’s North Slope send an average of 465,000 barrels of crude oil south each day for shipping to refineries and users around the country and the world.

    But in south-central Alaska – Anchorage and the surrounding region, home to 63% of the state’s population – utility companies are warning they may not have enough natural gas from current sources to keep the power and heat on without interruption.

    As a professor at the University of Alaska Anchorage who studies the economics of natural resources, I can see this apparent contradiction has a straightforward cause but no simple solution.

    Oil facilities in Prudhoe Bay on the North Slope, photographed March 28, 2002.
    Simon Bruty/Anychance/Getty Images

    Declining oil production

    The North Slope region once produced nearly 2 million barrels of oil per day at its peak in the 1980s. Every barrel is transported via the 800-mile Trans-Alaska Pipeline System to the port of Valdez, where it is loaded onto tanker ships.

    The state government collects significant taxes and royalties on oil production. For decades, oil revenue allowed the state to fund all government spending without imposing broad-based income, sales or property taxes. At the height of the oil boom, there was so much money that Alaska established a wealth fund, now valued at over US$80 billion, and began distributing dividends to every resident.

    But the Trans-Alaska Pipeline is designed to carry oil, not natural gas. A state law prevents producers from burning off excess gas, or flaring, as happens in many fields. With nowhere to send it, gas extracted from Alaska’s oil fields is reinjected into the ground to boost well pressure and push more oil out.

    Significant natural gas potential

    Alaska’s gas reserves are significant. State estimates suggest the North Slope has about 35 trillion cubic feet of proven reserves. That’s almost as much natural gas as the U.S. as a whole produced in 2023.

    But that is just the beginning: The North Slope also has the potential for another 200 trillion cubic feet that remains undiscovered. And improving technologies and techniques may be able to extract another 590 trillion cubic feet, according to the Alaska Gasline Development Corp., a company owned by the state of Alaska that is trying develop a project to extract and sell the state’s natural gas.

    As oil production declines and prices remain uncertain, selling gas could provide a different stream of revenue for the state, potentially providing billions of dollars.

    The 800-mile problem

    For decades, there have been numerous proposals to develop Alaska’s gas. State agencies and the petroleum industry have collectively spent hundreds of millions of dollars on this effort.

    The concept that’s closest to reality is Alaska Gasline Development Corp.’s proposal to build a plant on the North Slope to remove gas impurities, a liquefaction plant near Anchorage that could export 20 million tons of liquefied gas each year – around a trillion cubic feet – and an 807-mile pipeline to connect the two.

    The cost is expected to be significant: The corporation’s own estimate is that it would cost $44 billion. But that number was developed before the construction sector saw significant inflation in 2022. An engineering study due for release in late 2025 will provide a more updated figure. Alaskans remember that the Trans-Alaska Pipeline ended up costing 25% more than projected.

    Since his first day in office, President Donald Trump has touted this pipeline as part of efforts to expand the nation’s production of fossil fuels. He told a joint session of Congress it was a near-ready project, with Japan and South Korea ready to invest “trillions of dollars each.” In February 2025, he stood alongside Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to announce a “joint venture” to develop the pipeline project, but no specific details have been announced.

    Winter in Alaska means deep cold and lots of snow.
    AP Photo/Mark Thiessen

    2 expensive options

    There is a growing need to address Alaska’s domestic energy shortfall.

    South-central Alaska relies on natural gas for more than 70% of its electric and heating needs. But the gas reserves closest to Anchorage, in the Cook Inlet, which have provided energy to the area since the 1960s, are dwindling, and prices are rising. In 2005, wholesale gas prices were $3.75 per 1,000 cubic feet of natural gas. By 2024, the price had more than doubled, to $8.75. By contrast, the rest of the U.S. has seen natural gas prices cut in half over that period, thanks in part to horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking.

    In 2022, Hilcorp, the company responsible for roughly 85% of the Cook Inlet gas production, reported that by 2027 it might not be able to supply enough gas for utilities that serve the region.

    Solutions other than the pipeline are also slow and expensive. Local utilities estimate that improving energy efficiency and developing renewable power could reduce gas demand by around 10% over the next several years and by as much as 15% after a decade. But retrofitting the area’s aging and energy-inefficient homes will not be fast or cheap.

    More than just economics

    What remains for Alaska are two main options: get gas from the North Slope to Anchorage, or import liquefied gas from the global market.

    Building the pipeline could both meet the needs of Alaska’s people and bring in money from global sales – though how much revenue depends on how global gas markets change over time and how competitive Alaska gas prices would be relative to other suppliers.

    Any delays from financial, legal, technical or environmental challenges would balloon costs. But if it succeeded, Anchorage-area customers could see prices drop as low as $2.23 per 1,000 cubic feet – a 75% drop from current prices and 40% lower than in 2005. The savings could significantly bolster the region’s economy.

    Importing is a costly option. A study commissioned by the Alaska Legislature found that imported gas would cost $13.72 per 1,000 cubic feet. That’s 60% more than current prices and especially burdensome for Alaska families and businesses, which already pay far higher energy bills than typical American customers.

    Beyond the economic questions, there’s something symbolic at stake: the state’s identity. Could a state synonymous with energy production become an energy importer? Many Alaskans see the prospect as an embarrassing paradox – akin to Hawaii importing pineapples or New Mexico importing green chiles.

    Independence and globalization

    Alaska is not alone in grappling with the tension between energy self-sufficiency and economic efficiency.

    Across the U.S., states rich in resources have wrestled with the question of whether to prioritize local production or integrate into global markets. Texas produces more oil than any other state, yet it continues to import crude oil due to mismatches between its production and refining capacity.

    Shaped by globalization, few regions can truly isolate themselves from market forces. Energy production and consumption are increasingly interconnected, meaning pursuit of local self-sufficiency comes at a steep economic cost. That’s the question facing Alaska: whether to invest in domestic infrastructure to maintain energy independence, or embrace the flexibility – and potentially lower cost – of global markets.

    Brett Watson receives funding from First National Bank Alaska to conduct research on the Alaska economy, including energy issues. He has previously received funding from Power the Future for work on Alaska mineral issues.

    – ref. Alaska, rich in petroleum, faces an energy shortage – https://theconversation.com/alaska-rich-in-petroleum-faces-an-energy-shortage-254903

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Pope Francis’ death right after Easter sounds miraculous – but patients and caregivers often work together to delay dying

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Michelle Riba, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, University of Michigan

    Pope Francis died after celebrating Easter with his congregants. AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia

    On the morning of Easter Monday, after his final public address the day prior, Pope Francis died at age 88, closing 12 years of leading the Catholic Church. He joins the phenomena of people “holding on” until after an anticipated date or event, such as the holidays or a birthday, before dying.

    It sometimes seems like some patients are able to stay alive out of sheer willpower. But for many people, behind the scenes are a village of people and an ongoing series of conversations that help patients be able to celebrate their child’s graduation or travel to a place they’ve always wanted to go.

    We asked Dr. Michelle Riba, director of the psycho-oncology program at the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, to explain how meaning matters just as much as medicine at the end of life.

    What factors come into play at the end of life?

    Psychosocial factors that affect a person’s mental health and well-being – such as stress, social support, depression and anxiety, and socioeconomic status – play an important part of all parts of life, but especially at the end of life. End of life refers to the days, weeks or months after somebody is told that they have a disease that can be fatal.

    Questions about meaning and what’s important to a patient and their family are important at all times. But when somebody is diagnosed with a grave illness, these questions become particularly important to acknowledge in medical conversations. As many doctors like to say, patients aren’t the disease, they have a disease.

    We want to give patients control about how they want to live their lives in the most meaningful way, especially at the end. And this includes how they want to use their time, energy and resources, who they want to spend their time with and where they want to be.

    How does the ‘will to live’ affect treatment and survival?

    There was a new movement starting in the 1960s to 1970s that believed a person’s attitude and outlook on life could affect their health and longevity. People like minister Norman Vincent Peale promoted the idea that a positive mindset could help improve outcomes. Psychologist Martin Seligman developed the field of positive psychology that focused on subjective well-being by promoting resilience and human flourishing. The idea that you could do better if you were optimistic resonated with many people, including physicians.

    Then surgeon Bernie Siegel proposed the specific idea that staying positive after a cancer diagnosis could extend your life, and that became a major focus of the movement. However, there was little to no data to support his claims. The studies researchers conducted to figure out whether it was true that people who were more positive lived longer or had a lower prevalence of cancer than those who did not were either flawed or did not consistently show this effect.

    Eventually Siegel’s ideas were disproved. But for a long time, they affected how patients felt about themselves and how their families addressed illness. My own patients would tell me, “How can I be positive? I can’t eat, I’m in pain and I’m sick.” They felt guilty that they couldn’t feel positive and optimistic, and that caused extra stress and reduced their quality of life.

    Learning about what matters most to a patient requires asking them.
    FG Trade/E+ via Getty Images

    Additionally, the social determinants of health – such as a patient’s environment, race, education and wealth – are also very important to their health and longevity. Having a good social life, money and not being discriminated against makes it easier to stay positive and do better in life. During the COVID-19 pandemic, people were less likely to do well if you didn’t have money, or if you were a certain race.

    Research shows that patients who have severe mental illness such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder often live about 20 years less than somebody who doesn’t. And it’s not just because of the disease. Having a severe mental illness means that you probably can’t work, you probably don’t have financial means, and you may not have family support.

    How can doctors help patients feel like they have more control?

    In studying how patients could feel more confident, physicians like me realized that having control over their destiny, if you will, didn’t necessarily mean patients had to stay positive. Rather, it meant understanding the things that gave them joy and meaning before their diagnosis, and how clinicians could help them continue to do these things.

    For example, a patient who could no longer work because of their cancer or their treatments might miss their sense of routine. Working with them to make a schedule of all their medical appointments and enjoyable activities might help them take control over their days. The structure may provide meaning and help them cope better.

    A marathon runner who loses their ability to balance due to a brain tumor is another example. If this patient found meaning and pleasure in running but could no longer run, what could we do to help them regain some of this joy? This might look like starting physical therapy and rehab, or finding alternative activities they can do.

    If going to their place of worship is important to a patient but they’re no longer able to, we could see if their rabbi, imam or minister could see them at their home.

    Additionally, helping patients continue doing what’s meaningful for them also gives them hope. It helps them know that their physicians feel they’re worth doing that for, and that there’s a life beyond cancer treatment.

    How do a patient’s goals factor into their treatment plan?

    When doctors give patients hope, patients tend to have better outcomes. That doesn’t mean we’re telling patients something false, or that they’re going to live a longer time. Rather, doctors can help patients improve or maintain their quality of life and achieve certain goals.

    For example, a patient may be thinking of attending their child’s graduation two months from now. Their care team can talk to them about how they might be able to do this, or think of other ways they can celebrate.

    Feeling supported during a serious illness can make a big difference.
    Joshua Hoehne/Unsplash, CC BY-SA

    My mother passed away from cancer a month after I graduated high school. I remember she couldn’t participate in a lot of senior prom activities, like helping me get a dress or do my hair. But my date and I and another couple were allowed to go to her hospital room just before the prom so she could see us all dressed up. And it was one of the most meaningful moments of my life. Though she couldn’t be there for graduation or all the other preparations and celebrations, it mattered to my mother and me that she was able to see my friends and me before prom. Also, very meaningfully, my friends were so kind and thoughtful to make that effort on our behalf.

    There have been observations that some patients with terminal illness manage to hold on until after a certain holiday or date. A 1988 study found that the number of Jewish people who died before Passover was lower than expected, and the number of deaths after Passover was higher than expected. While this study had flaws and limitations, other researchers have made similar observations for deaths for specific groups after holidays like Christmas, the Mid-Autumn Festival and birthdays.

    But these studies don’t address whether those specific holidays were actually what these patients really cared about. It may be that people made it through something else important to them. It may be that they were able to be with the people they loved at the end. It may be something else entirely. We don’t really know what’s important for someone unless we ask.

    Allowing patients and their families to think about what matters most to them and how we can help them achieve their goals is part of our job as physicians.

    How do you balance a patient’s medical care with their goals?

    Being diagnosed with a terminal illness can be a traumatic event. Patients often can remember where and when they heard the news about a certain illness or scan or problem. How to help people process, understand and live with this to the best of their ability is really the key to having the best quality of life. This means giving them choices and helping them see some ways to address it for themselves and their families.

    Sometimes that can be really hard. For patients who really want to travel somewhere, we might figure out a way to defer specific treatments or procedures, or set up appointments for them to be done at the local hospital or clinic. But there’s not much we can do for a patient who wants to attend their young child’s wedding when that won’t be for decades in the future. The medical team does everything it can within reason, and it tries to make sure the patients and their loved ones understand the risks and benefits.

    Receiving bad news can be a traumatic event.
    Maskot/DigitalVision via Getty Images

    Doctors and patients may also have different goals that can be difficult to meet at the same time. Figuring out how to juggle these agendas and listening to each other during these conversations can be challenging but important.

    Everybody is trying to do what they think is right and best for the patient. This means taking care of the whole person, not just the disease. Whether that means reaching a certain holiday or special event, or just gathering together with the people they love, taking the time and effort to understand what is important for the patient and their family is key to good care.

    Michelle Riba chairs the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Distress Guidelines.

    – ref. Pope Francis’ death right after Easter sounds miraculous – but patients and caregivers often work together to delay dying – https://theconversation.com/pope-francis-death-right-after-easter-sounds-miraculous-but-patients-and-caregivers-often-work-together-to-delay-dying-254970

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Gratitude comes with benefits − a social psychologist explains how to practice it when times are stressful

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Monica Y. Bartlett, Professor of Psychology, Gonzaga University

    If the concept of journaling feels daunting, perhaps just call it a gratitude list. Karl Tapales/Moment via Getty Images

    A lot has been written about gratitude over the past two decades and how we ought to be feeling it. There is advice for journaling and a plethora of purchasing options for gratitude notebooks and diaries. And research has consistently pointed to the health and relationship benefits of the fairly simple and cost-effective practice of cultivating gratitude.

    Yet, Americans are living in a very stressful time, worried about their financial situation and the current political upheaval.

    How then do we practice gratitude during such times?

    I am a social psychologist who runs the Positive Emotion and Social Behavior Lab at Gonzaga University. I teach courses focused on resilience and human flourishing. I have researched and taught about gratitude for 18 years.

    At the best of times, awareness of the positive may require more effort than noticing the negative, let alone in times of heightened distress. There are, however, two simple ways to work on this.

    Expressions of gratitude can take many different forms.
    Lighthouse Films/DigitalVision via Getty Images

    Gratitude doesn’t always come easily

    Generally, negative information captures attention more readily than the positive. This disparity is so potent that it’s called the negativity bias. Researchers argue that this is an evolutionary adaptation: Being vigilant for life’s harms was essential for survival.

    Yet, this means that noticing the kindnesses of others or the beauty the world has to offer may go unnoticed or forgotten by the end of the day. That is to our detriment.

    Gratitude is experienced as a positive emotion. It results from noticing that others − including friends and family certainly, but also strangers, a higher power or the planet − have provided assistance or given something of value such as friendship or financial support. By definition, gratitude is focused on others’ care or on entities outside of oneself. It is not about one’s own accomplishments or luck.

    When we feel gratitude toward something or someone, it can increase well-being and happiness and relationship satisfaction, as well as lower depression.

    Thus, it may assist in counteracting the negativity bias by helping us find and remember the good that others are doing for us every day − the good that we may lose sight of in the best of times, let alone in times when Americans are deeply stressed.

    We feel gratitude more easily when we notice the good that others have brought into our lives.
    Catherine Falls Commercial/Moment via Getty Images

    How to practice gratitude

    Research has shown that some people are naturally more grateful than others.

    But it’s also clear that gratitude can be cultivated through practice. People can improve their ability to notice and feel this positive emotion.

    One way to do this is to try a gratitude journal. Or, if the idea of journaling is daunting or annoying, perhaps call it a daily list instead. If you have given this a try and dislike it, skip to the second method below.

    Gratitude lists are designed to create a habit in which you scan your day looking for the positive outcomes that others have brought into your life, no matter how small. Writing down several experiences each day that went well because of others may make these positive events more visible to you and more memorable by the end of the day − thus, boosting gratitude and its accompanying benefits.

    While the negative news − “The stock market is down again!” “How are tariffs going to affect my financial security?” − is clearly drawing attention, a gratitude list is meant to help highlight the positive so that it doesn’t go overlooked.

    The negative doesn’t need help gaining attention, but the positive might.

    A second method for practicing gratitude is expressing that gratitude to others. This can look like writing a letter of gratitude and delivering it to someone who has made a positive impact in your life.

    When my students do this exercise, it often results in touching interactions. For instance, my college students often write to high school mentors, and those adults are regularly moved to tears to learn of the positive impact they had. Expressing gratitude in work settings can boost employees’ sense of social worth.

    In a world that may currently feel bleak, a letter of gratitude may not only help the writer recognize the good of others but also let others know that they are making a beautiful difference in the world.

    Monica Y. Bartlett 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. Gratitude comes with benefits − a social psychologist explains how to practice it when times are stressful – https://theconversation.com/gratitude-comes-with-benefits-a-social-psychologist-explains-how-to-practice-it-when-times-are-stressful-250882

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Memes and conflict: Study shows surge of imagery and fakes can precede international and political violence

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Tim Weninger, Collegiate Proessor of Engineering, University of Notre Dame

    AI tools reveal how images have been manipulated. William Theisen et al.

    Imagine a country with deep political divisions, where different groups don’t trust each other and violence seems likely. Now, imagine a flood of political images, hateful memes and mocking videos from domestic and foreign sources taking over social media. What is likely to happen next?

    The widespread use of social media during times of political trouble and violence has made it harder to prevent conflict and build peace. Social media is changing, with new technologies and strategies available to influence what people think during political crises. These include new ways to promote beliefs and goals, gain support, dehumanize opponents, justify violence and create doubt or dismiss inconvenient facts.

    At the same time, the technologies themselves are becoming more sophisticated. More and more, social media campaigns use images such as memes, videos and photos – whether edited or not – that have a bigger impact on people than just text.

    It’s harder for AI systems to understand images compared with text. For example, it’s easier to track posts that say “Ukrainians are Nazis” than it is to find and understand fake images showing Ukrainian soldiers with Nazi symbols. But these kinds of images are becoming more common. Just as a picture is worth a thousand words, a meme is worth a thousand tweets.

    Our team of computer and social scientists has tackled the challenge of interpreting image content by combining artificial intelligence methods with human subject matter experts to study how visual social media posts change in high-risk situations. Our research shows that these changes in social media posts, especially those with images, serve as strong indicators of coming mass violence.

    Surge of memes

    Our recent analysis found that in the two weeks leading up to Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine there was a nearly 9,000% increase in the number of posts and a more than 5,000% increase in manipulated images from Russian milbloggers. Milbloggers are bloggers who focus on current military conflicts.

    These huge increases show how intense Russia’s online propaganda campaign was and how it used social media to influence people’s opinions and justify the invasion.

    This also shows the need to better monitor and analyze visual content on social media. To conduct our analysis, we collected the entire history of posts and images from the accounts of 989 Russian milbloggers on the messaging app Telegram. This includes nearly 6 million posts and over 3 million images. Each post and image was time-stamped and categorized to facilitate detailed analysis.

    Media forensics

    We had previously developed a suite of AI tools capable of detecting image alterations and manipulations. For instance, one detected image shows a pro-Russian meme mocking anti-Putin journalist and former Russian soldier Arkady Babchenko, whose death was faked by Ukrainian security services to expose an assassination plot against him.

    The meme features the language “gamers don’t die, they respawn,” alluding to video game characters who return to life after dying. This makes light of Babchenko’s predicament and illustrates the use of manipulated images to convey political messages and influence public opinion.

    This is just one example out of millions of images that were strategically manipulated to promote various narratives. Our statistical analysis revealed a massive increase in both the number of images and the extent of their manipulations prior to the invasion.

    Political context is critical

    Although these AI systems are very good at finding fakes, they are incapable of understanding the images’ political contexts. It is therefore critical that AI scientists work closely with social scientists in order to properly interpret these findings.

    Our AI systems also categorized images by similarity, which then allowed subject experts to further analyze image clusters based on their narrative content and culturally and politically specific meanings. This is impossible to do at a large scale without AI support.

    For example, a fake image of French president Emmanuel Macron with Ukrainian governor Vitalii Kim may be meaningless to an AI scientist. But to political scientists the image appears to laud Ukrainians’ outsize courage in contrast to foreign leaders who have appeared to be afraid of Russian nuclear threats. The goal was to reinforce Ukrainian doubts about their European allies.

    This manipulated image combines French president Emmanuel Macron with Ukranian governor Vitalii Kim. It requires the expertise of political scientists to interpret the creator’s pro-Russian meaning.
    William Theisen et al.

    Meme warfare

    The shift to visual media in recent years brings a new type of data that researchers haven’t yet studied much in detail.

    Looking at images can help researchers understand how adversaries frame each other and how this can lead to political conflict. By studying visual content, researchers can see how stories and ideas are spread, which helps us understand the psychological and social factors involved.

    This is especially important for finding more advanced and subtle ways people are influenced. Projects like this also can contribute to improving early warning efforts and reduce the risks of violence and instability.

    Tim Weninger receives funding from the US Department of Defense and the US Agency for International Development.

    Ernesto Verdeja 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. Memes and conflict: Study shows surge of imagery and fakes can precede international and political violence – https://theconversation.com/memes-and-conflict-study-shows-surge-of-imagery-and-fakes-can-precede-international-and-political-violence-233055

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Tested on the ground: Scientists from the State University of Management conducted research as part of a major scientific project

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    From April 22 to 25, research fellows from the State University of Management Dmitry Rybakov, Ilya Shponarsky and Vladimir Kutkov, together with colleagues from the Omsk Agrarian Scientific Center (OANC), are conducting joint work to create a prototype of a digital service for coordinating modern agricultural production.

    As part of the implementation of a major scientific project, a working group on the territory of the scientific and production enterprise “Boyevoe” in the Omsk region conducted design studies to identify the needs for target modules of the developed platform and determine the parameters of integration with the information systems of the OANC.

    The major scientific project “Ensuring food security of the country based on the creation of software and hardware systems and intelligent platform digital solutions in the field of development of agro-industrial technologies of the full life cycle” is being implemented within the framework of a grant from the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia for conducting major scientific projects in priority areas of scientific and technological development in 2024-2026.

    Let us recall that at the meeting of the consortium for the implementation of a major scientific project, areas of cooperation with project co-executors in the field of mechanical engineering technologies, reverse engineering, development and implementation of technological processes for applying wear-resistant coatings, as well as prospects for creating advanced digital services and new types of modern import-substituting products for the agricultural sector were identified.

    Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 04/24/2025

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Pope Francis: ‘ethical helmsman’ whose feel for international relations steered church in turbulent times

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Sara Silvestri, Senior Lecturer & UG Programme Director, Department of International Politics, City St George’s, University of London

    I met Pope Francis in 2016. It was part of a symposium of the former Pontifical Council for Migrants and Itinerant People (now recast by Francis as the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development). I presented some of my work on migration – as attention to migrants and refugees was a central theme of his pontificate, more prominently than for his predecessor, whom I had also met a few years earlier.

    After the conference proceedings, we had an official audience, next to the Sistine Chapel: Francis made a speech and we greeted him one by one. I had my 21 month-old daughter with me that day, thinking of the rare opportunity we would both enjoy.

    But I’d underestimated the length of the formalities involved. My daughter screamed “Open the doors, let me out!” through the whole of the pope’s speech. I was distraught, but Francis responded very gently to the disruption. He stopped in the middle of the speech and commented how sweet and lovely it was to hear the voice of a child. I could feel it was not just a platitude – he meant it.

    In the disarray that is current global politics, with the world wracked by conflict and injustice, the papacy of Francis I has been a beacon of hope.

    In a world that appears to be rearranging itself around the principle that might is right, where the whims and the prejudices of strongmen leaders are blindly followed by millions, he represented the most important ethical helm there is. He did this not by taking on ideological positions but by sticking in a steadfast manner to his message that mercy trumps bullies and that compassion will always prevail over hatred.

    The image of Francis delivering a sermon from a pulpit designed to look like a ship’s helm when he visited the island of Lampedusa in 2013 strikes me as very symbolic of his papacy. In his first official trip as pope, Francis drew attention to the marginalised, migrants and refugees inspired by the parable of the good Samaritan. But he did so not in a way that patronised migrants as victims or reduced the church to a humanitarian agency.

    He launched into a loud condemnation of the economic and political structures that forced those people on to boats. He railed against the people and conditions that effectively enabled those deaths in the huge cemetery that the Mediterranean has become. Expressing his “closeness” to migrants and determined to “challenge our consciences” and the “globalisation of indifference”, he warned we are all complicit in Cain’s killing of his brother.

    Critics may carp that he hasn’t really effected any significant change within or outside the church. That while moves were made towards reforms of church attitudes towards women priests and LGBTQ+ issues, real progress has still to be achieved.

    That despite his appeals, death keeps swallowing human lives in the Mediterranean and in conflict zones. Despite his championing of environmental causes, forests are still burning.

    But it was not his job to run global politics. While he was, technically, a head of state of Vatican City, he did not see himself as a politician. The instructions for his funeral reiterate this: simple, “as a disciple of Christ” and not like “the powerful of the world”.

    He saw his role as a spiritual shepherd trying to serve and protect his flock. His vision of Christianity was about mercy and freedom of conscience, with the church’s place close to the “existential peripheries” of the world, not to the centres of power.

    His final message, delivered on Easter Day 2025, is particularly telling. It states: “Evil has not disappeared from history; it will remain until the end, but it no longer has the upper hand; it no longer has power over those who accept the grace of this day.”

    This in my view sums up the enormous power that Francis unstintingly asserted among Catholics: the power of unconditional love and mercy – not in an idealised form, but well aware of the presence of evil in the world and respectful of individual freedom.

    Reaching across faiths

    Because of his courage and the political-but-non-political position that enabled him to speak of ethical issues at the heart of political decisions, Francis became widely respected by religious and political leaders. He was loved by ordinary people from all walks of life and, importantly, belief systems, although some were puzzled by his informal style.

    In 2019 he made a joint declaration with the imam of Al-Azhar in Cairo, Ahmed Al-Tayeb, entitled Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together. This, and his 2020 encyclical Fratelli Tutti, which is subtitled “on fraternity and social friendship”, gave impetus to inter-faith dialogue. As he put it: “God has created all human beings equal in rights, duties and dignity, and has called them to live together as brothers and sisters.”

    The last push Francis gave to the Church between 2021 and 2024 was the Synod on Synodality. This was a major enterprise which aimed to revive the sense of global community of believers and witnesses. It stressed the importance of praying together and exercising discernment in important decisions by acknowledging diversity, listening to each other and to the Holy Spirit.

    Interpersonal communication and embracing mercy in order to achieve the common good were two key themes of Francis’ pontificate. He was concerned with the dangers of our individualistic “throwaway culture” and aware of the contradictions of a globalised world where loneliness prevails.

    Francis did not solve the problem of carbon emissions, he did not stop wars in Ukraine, Palestine or Yemen. He did not make women priests or deacons, and did not fully embrace the LGBTQ+ community, despite some initial inching towards this.

    But he made a space to reflect about all those issues, removing the church from a pedestal, centring it on the joyful message of the Gospel and “bringing it out” to all the people – Catholics and non Catholics alike.

    That, in itself, is an immense achievement in the long history and slow transformation of the church.

    Dr Sara Silvestri is Senior Lecturer in International Politics at City, St George’s University of London where she teaches religion and politics and runs the Europe research cluster. She is also a Bye Fellow of St Edmund’s College, Cambridge University, is affiliated with the Interfaith Research Programme in the Divinity Faculty, University of Cambridge, and is a Trustee of the Council on Christian Approaches to Defence and Disarmament. Sara Silvestri has received funding from ESRC, British Academy, Luce Foundation, the King Baudouin Foundation, the Plater Trust, Caritas Internationalis, the European Commission.

    – ref. Pope Francis: ‘ethical helmsman’ whose feel for international relations steered church in turbulent times – https://theconversation.com/pope-francis-ethical-helmsman-whose-feel-for-international-relations-steered-church-in-turbulent-times-255153

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Runner’s gut: why some marathon runners find themselves sprinting to the toilet instead of the finish line

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Dan Baumgardt, Senior Lecturer, School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of Bristol

    Running a marathon is no small feat. Athletes can expect to cover between 50-60,000 steps, burn over 3,000 calories and expel multiple litres of sweat to keep cool.

    Marathons and other long distance events can be associated with several dangers – including dehydration, electrolyte imbalances and heatstroke. All important reasons as to why it’s crucial to train adequately for the big day, and come prepared.

    But there’s another condition that can affect long distance runners – one that can be more than a little embarrassing.

    It comes under many guises: runner’s trots, runner’s gut, runner’s stomach, runner’s runs. What we’re referring to is the overactive gastrointestinal tract brought on by the whole-body effects of running. This results in urgent, sometimes explosive diarrhoea.

    Runner’s diarrhoea is actually a triad of symptoms: diarrhoea, cramping abdominal discomfort plus a heightened urge to open your bowels. It’s actually more common than you think – with up to 96% of endurance runners reportedly experiencing some sort of gastrointestinal symptom during a race.

    In most cases, runner’s trots are not considered concerning, especially if the condition is adequately managed as you would any episode of acute diarrhoea – with fluid and electrolyte replenishment. But in some extreme cases, there have been signs of blood in the runner’s faeces. This suggests that in some people, the condition may be caused by mechanical damage to the bowel – perhaps as a result of this organ being sloshed around in the abdomen during a long run.

    Why it happens

    But what causes it in the first place? We aren’t entirely sure, but most experts have established several different causes which might play a role in generating these symptoms.

    The first clue may lie within the blood supply. When you start to exercise, your body shifts its attention away from resting and digesting, and diverts blood to tissues and organs that need it more – namely the heart, lungs and muscles. Prolonged reduced blood flow to the gut could irritate and inflame its lining. This might also affect the bacterial colonies that reside within the gut. This may explain why a recent study suggests probiotics may work as a treatment.

    Other studies have considered the effect of nutrition upon gut activity. Certain foods are associated with increased gut activity and fermentation, such as protein, fat and fibre. This is why most runners avoid foods high in these before a long run, often consuming a breakfast which is higher in simple, easily digestible carbohydrates.

    There are many reasons why you might develop an overactive gastrointestinal tract while running a marathon.
    Michael Mong/ Shutterstock

    In addition, some of the other nutrients and substances we commonly use as a welcome boost for heavy exercise might be culprits. Take caffeine, for instance. These stimulants might boost our energy, but they can also have a laxative effect in some people.

    And carbs are not entirely without blame. Evidence suggests that some carbs can not only increase the speed at which foods move through the gastrointestinal tract, they can also cause fluid retention and fermentation within the gut, making diarrhoea and gas more likely. These include the lactose in cow’s milk products and high fructose fruits, such as apples, pears and grapes.

    Finally, it’s possible that an attack of the nerves may be (in part) to blame for the runs. Not only do stress and mood have associations with irritable bowel syndrome, it has also been suggested that psychological factors, such as anxiety, may be associated with runner’s diarrhoea.

    What can you do?

    Is there anything you can do to avoid needing the loo somewhere on your marathon route?

    Nutrition does seem to be key. Eat an energy-rich and familiar breakfast (one you know won’t bother your stomach) with the minimum of fibre, fat and protein. It’s not good to choose the day of a big event to challenge your gut with unfamiliar foods. One example might be a toasted bagel (or indeed plain white toast), or a low-fibre breakfast cereal, that’s based on rice or corn rather than bran. Fruits lower in fructose include strawberries, raspberries and bananas.

    Ideally, give your chosen breakfast a test drive before a training session to see what the effect is. In addition, separating your meal and the starting line by 2-3 hours gives the gut some time to get going on digestion, and to mobilise fuel for action.

    Hydration is important. Make sure not only to drink water, but replenish electrolytes as well since both water and sodium are easily lost in sweat. Consuming water or sports drinks in small but regular bursts can help alleviate the problem of needing the toilet.

    Perhaps one of the best ways to recognise and prevent runner’s diarrhoea is to sit back, observe and listen to your own body. Yet another reason why preparation is so important. Training for a marathon should take place over months, not days or weeks. This gives ample time to recognise gut symptoms, but also what might be triggering them.

    Some athletes find it useful to keep a diary, detailing symptoms and activity for the day, in order to spot trends more easily. You can also trial simple tactics, such as specific nutrition, hydration and training plans to see what effect they have. Everyone is different, and will respond to exercise and diet in different ways.

    In any event, if you get caught foul (sometimes quite literally) of runner’s trots, try to take a break, slow down and rehydrate. Also remember that most marathons have toilets at frequent intervals, in case the moment should grab you.

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

    – ref. Runner’s gut: why some marathon runners find themselves sprinting to the toilet instead of the finish line – https://theconversation.com/runners-gut-why-some-marathon-runners-find-themselves-sprinting-to-the-toilet-instead-of-the-finish-line-254419

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Jeffing: how this run-walk method could help you train for a marathon

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By James Thie, Senior Lecturer Sport Coaching and Performance, Cardiff Metropolitan University

    Jeff Galloway originally developed his run training method in 1974. Valery Zotev/Shutterstock

    Even if you’re a runner, you may not have heard the term “Jeffing” before. It’s a method of alternating between running and walking and it’s become a popular way to train for long-distance races.

    It’s particularly timely, as we appear to be in the middle of a second running boom, the first having taken off in the 1970s and 80s. You can see it in the popularity of parkrun, the rise in mass participation events, and the seemingly endless market for running shoes, watches and other gear.

    But despite all this enthusiasm, the idea of running can still be off-putting for many people. Some believe that unless they can run continuously at a certain pace or distance, they aren’t a “real runner”, especially when they find themselves comparing their progress with others.

    That’s where Jeffing comes in. This walk-run technique allows people to keep moving forward at their own pace. It balances effort and recovery in a way that makes endurance running more accessible to a wider range of people and abilities.

    But where did Jeffing come from?

    Jeff Galloway pictured in 2015.
    Lance Cpl. Timothy Turner/Wikimedia

    The concept was invented by American Olympian and coach, Jeff Galloway in the 1970s. It’s a strategic way of combining walking and running, sometimes with jogging too.

    Galloway describes it as a revolutionary approach that reduces fatigue, prevents injuries and makes running more enjoyable. “By alternating between running and walking runners can go farther, recover faster, and feel stronger during and after their workouts,” he says.

    In this sense, Jeffing shares some similarities with “fartlek”, which is Swedish for “speed play”. Fartlek is a training method that was developed in 1930s Sweden by cross-country runners looking to improve their performance. It also involves alternating bursts of fast and slow running.

    Research shows that there were significant improvements in cardiovascular and speed endurance in just 12 weeks of fartlek training.

    The difference is that Jeffing operates at a lower intensity, and the walking breaks allow the body to recover more fully.

    What are the benefits of Jeffing?

    One of the biggest advantages of Jeffing is that it can help you go further. Because the body’s energy stores aren’t being depleted all at once, many runners find they can cover longer distances than they may have managed with continuous running. Studies show that this may have more benefits than shorter and more intense exercise.

    It also lowers the risk of injury because the reduced intensity puts less stress on joints and muscles. This makes Jeffing a popular option for people returning from injury or illness, or anyone keen to stay injury-free while training.

    Recovery tends to be quicker, too. Since the body is under less strain, runners often report feeling less fatigued afterwards. This may make it easier to stick to a training plan without burning out.

    Jeffing is especially welcoming for beginners. Galloway originally developed the method in 1974 while coaching a group of new runners. After ten weeks of following the walk-run approach, every one of them completed either a 5k or 10k race. The technique is still used by runners of all abilities, including those tackling full marathons.

    Jeffing also helps shift the focus away from pace and distance and onto how your own body feels. Galloway’s advice in the early years included the “huff and puff” rule: if you can hear yourself breathing hard, take more frequent walk breaks.

    On the other hand, for people who prefer structure, the method can be done with a stopwatch. A run can be chopped up into manageable segments, such as 30 seconds running and 30 seconds walking, as Galloway explains:

    By going to a 30 second run / 30 second walk … they run faster without any extra effort because they are only walking for 30 seconds. If that feels good, use it for a while then start creeping up the amount of running while keeping the walking at 30 seconds. After several weeks, you may settle in on something like 45 seconds run/30 seconds walk, or you may just run faster during your 30 seconds of running.

    Runners in the 2024 London Marathon.
    mikecphoto/Shutterstock

    Is Jeffing for you?

    Although popular, this approach to running won’t appeal to everyone. Some runners may feel that breaking up a continuous run with walk breaks interrupts their rhythm or makes them feel like they’re not really running. But from my perspective as a runner and athletics coach, anything that helps more people participate in exercise should be welcomed.

    Many marathon runners will be using Jeffing as a way to prepare for their next event. They may use the technique in a structured way or just instinctively walking when they need to, to help them reach the finish line.

    So whether you increase the running time or just stick with short bursts, Jeffing may let you run in a way that suits your body – and that’s what really counts.

    James Thie 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. Jeffing: how this run-walk method could help you train for a marathon – https://theconversation.com/jeffing-how-this-run-walk-method-could-help-you-train-for-a-marathon-254837

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: WH Smith once shaped the travel experience – and now it’s returning to its roots

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Marrisa Joseph, Associate Professor of Organisation Studies & Business History, University of Reading

    Not just a British icon – a WHSmith outlet in an airport in Doha, Qatar. TY Lim/Shutterstock

    After 124 years as a familiar fixture to generations of customers, there will no longer be a place for WH Smith on UK high streets.

    Modella Capital – a specialist retail investment company – is the new owner of the chain’s high street locations. For a purchase price of £76 million, it will take over 480 stores in retail parks, shopping centres and high streets. It is also expected to retain its 5,000 staff.

    Initially, ten stores will close with a further ten to be announced later. Importantly, the WH Smith brand is not being sold.

    The high street stores will be rebranded as TJ Jones, a nostalgic and not so subtle nod to its predecessor. There is clearly an understanding that a family brand still means something to consumers.

    WH Smith is recognised globally due to its rapidly growing presence in airports. Its travel divisions is set to remain in train stations, airports and hospitals.

    These 1,200 stores in 32 countries account for around 85% of group profits. The strategy is to focus on key travel markets, as air passenger numbers are forecast to more than double globally by 2050.

    Interestingly, by prioritising travel customers, WH Smith has gone full circle – returning to its Victorian roots as the main retailer of books and newspapers in railway stations. I have researched the history of the British publishing industry – passengers picking up a newspaper or the latest bestseller at travel hubs is a practice that was pioneered by the brand that would go on to become WH Smith.

    In 1792, newsagent Henry Walton Smith with his wife Anna started a small retailing business in Little Grosvenor Street in the west end of London. Their son William Henry took over the family firm in 1812. He expanded to include a “coach trade” of London daily papers to the regional provinces outside the capital.

    William took advantage of the revolution in the British publishing industry that came with the industrial age. From its introduction in 1814, the steam-powered printing press brought down the cost of printing newspapers and books, opening more opportunities for literature.

    In under 50 years, the sale of newspapers quadrupled, rising from 16 million a year in 1801 to more than 78 million by 1849. Increased literacy among adults and children created a market for new material, and as railways enabled new distribution networks there were even more opportunities to sell printed products.

    The development of railway stations provided a surge in travel that was a novelty for many Victorians, who needed entertainment to keep them occupied during long journeys.

    Broadening horizons

    In 1848, Smith and his son secured an exclusive agreement to sell books and newspapers at railway stations owned by the London and North Western Railway. The first bookstall opened in Euston station in November that year, and by the end of the 1860s they operated more than 500 bookstalls along Britain’s railways.

    This contract led to WH Smith dominating a large part of the book trade by the end of the 19th century. It continued to expand, and the first town shop opened in Gosport, Hampshire in 1901.

    The historic WH Smith brand will disappear from UK high streets after its sale.
    cktravels.com/Shutterstock

    In 1850, Smith and son also made a deal with publisher George Routledge to supply and stock their railway outlets with his cheap series of reprints. These were known as “yellowbacks” as the prints were bound in thin yellow card with eye-catching artwork.

    These were a precursor to the paperback, designed to be read on the train and then discarded. Selling at roughly half the price of a novel at the time, they were mass-market products that provided significant revenue for WH Smith – just as paperbacks do today.

    Building on the opportunity of the growing travel market, the company broadened its offering to the public by partnering with Charles Edward Mudie, who founded Britain’s largest circulating library in 1842. At one point Mudie’s flagship location in New Oxford Street in London held more than 960,000 titles.

    By 1859, Mudie had an agreement with WH Smith to supply the bookstall at Birmingham station – essentially creating a library department in the bookstall. Mudie supplied popular titles from London allowing “passengers to exchange books daily at the subscriber’s pleasure”.

    For more than 170 years, WH Smith has grown from its origins as a retailer at railway stations to becoming a familiar presence in town and city centres across the UK. More recently it has been the butt of jokes online for its disorganised and messy stores.

    But the decision to offload its high street premises underscores the fact that, just as in the Victorian era, travellers seeking entertainment for the journey will still turn to that old trusted brand.

    Marrisa Joseph works for the University of Reading.

    – ref. WH Smith once shaped the travel experience – and now it’s returning to its roots – https://theconversation.com/wh-smith-once-shaped-the-travel-experience-and-now-its-returning-to-its-roots-254858

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: “Themis of the 21st Century” united students from five universities

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    On April 21, at the Faculty of Forensic Science and Law in Construction and Transport of the St. Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering, another “crime” was solved as part of the “Themis of the 21st Century” Olympiad.

    This year, the Olympiad “Themis of the 21st Century” became inter-university for the first time and was held in the format of a quest. Five teams participated in the quest: “Conclusions Don’t Burn” (SPbGASU), “Gatchina Gendarmes” (Gatchina State University), “Sledkom” (St. Petersburg Academy of the Investigative Committee), “Expert Element” (St. Petersburg University of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia), “Veshdok” (second name – “Expert Five”, St. Petersburg University of the State Fire Service of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia).

    The “Gatchina Gendarmes” were accompanied by fans who actively supported the guys throughout the event.

    “Today we are holding a knowledge festival, where you will be able to demonstrate your creative potential, ability to make unconventional decisions, team spirit and all those positive qualities that are not always possible to demonstrate during the educational process. I hope we will see a fair and beautiful game. May the strongest win!” – Dmitry Ivanov, Dean of the FSEiPST, encouraged the participants of the quest.

    Having exchanged traditional greetings, the teams began investigating the murder of an antique dealer and the mysterious disappearance of a 13th-century Byzantine icon. The students examined the crime scene, conducted a trace examination, questioned witnesses and built their own version of events. The quest resulted in the announcement of a verdict for the criminal, who fully acknowledged his guilt and repented.

    The announcement of the verdict allowed the teams to understand the correctness of the version put forward and, accordingly, the correctness of the completion of the final task.

    For each task, the jury awarded points to the teams. The jury included Associate Professor of the Forensic Science Department, Academic Secretary of the Faculty of the Federal Service for Economics and Social Development of the Russian Federation (FSESiPST) of St. Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering Elena Kuzbagarova, Associate Professor of the Criminal Law Disciplines Department of Gatchina State University Albina Bachieva, Lecturer of the Forensic Science and Research Department of the St. Petersburg University of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia Nadezhda Gorbunova, Senior Lecturer of the Forensic Science and Engineering and Technical Expertise Department of the St. Petersburg University of the State Fire Service of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia Oleg Abramumov, Associate Professor of the Forensic Science Department of St. Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering Alexey Kopanev.

    Based on the results of completing the tasks, the gap between the teams was minimal: they were separated by two or three points, which indicates good preparation and the active role of the leaders.

    The places were distributed as follows:

    fifth place – “Material Evidence”; fourth place – “Gatchina Gendarmes”; third place – “Conclusions Don’t Burn”; second place – “Expert Element”; first place – “Investigative Committee”.

    The organizers awarded valuable gifts to the participants of the quest and those who were involved in it as actors – students of the Faculty of Social and Economic Development and Social Sciences of St. Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering Ekaterina Ryzhikova, Igor Stepanov, Maxim Semenov and Daria Kulabukhova.

    Students shared their opinions on what helped them solve the complex case and what the difficulties were.

    “Practical experience helped us. We had already been in practice, and felt more confident during interrogation. Theoretical knowledge, a good atmosphere at the event, and the team also helped – this is also important. We clearly understood who to assign what to, quickly distributed who does what,” said Sledkom team member Yuri Churintsev.

    “The main difficulty was that too little time was given to complete the tasks. But we will try to win next time,” promised the captain of the “Conclusions Don’t Burn” team, Ulyana Nasonova.

    The team leaders also expressed their gratitude for the invitation to participate in the Olympiad and the good organization. In particular, Albina Bachieva said: “Many thanks to the university for this wonderful day. We really liked the teams, each had its own highlight.”

    “We took an honorable fifth place. However, I think that next year we will participate in the Olympiad at the St. Petersburg University of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the same composition and win a prize. Many thanks to the organizers of the quiz: everything went very well, at a high level of organization. You created a holiday for us and our cadets,” Oleg Abramumov noted.

    “Interesting format of the event, great teams, good preparation. I hope that in the future you will come to our events and invite us again,” said Nadezhda Gorbunova.

    Summing up the results, the jury chair Elena Kuzbagarova said that the Olympiad had become a kind of testing ground, allowing to identify the strengths of the participants and determine the directions for further development of science and practice: “Today’s Olympiad demonstrated the high level of preparedness of our students, demonstrated the best examples of a creative approach to solving complex professional problems. For students, participation in the Olympiad is an opportunity not only to test their knowledge in criminology, forensic examination, traceology, criminal procedure, but also to meet colleagues from other universities, expand their professional horizons, better prepare for future professional activity, increase self-esteem and self-confidence, and establish useful professional connections. I wish the participants success in their studies and future professional activity, new achievements and interesting discoveries. Let the knowledge gained become a solid foundation for your career and a guarantee of a successful future!”

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Competition for filling positions of faculty members

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    In accordance with Article 332 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation and in connection with the availability of vacant positions of professorial and teaching staff for the 2025/2026 academic year from September 1, 2025, the Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering announces a competitive selection to fill the following positions:

    assistant; senior lecturer; associate professor; professor.

    By department:

    architectural and urban planning heritage; architectural design; architectural and building structures; water use and ecology; geodesy, land management and cadastres; geotechnics; urban planning; design of the architectural environment; reinforced concrete and stone structures; computer science; information systems and technologies; history and theory of architecture; history and philosophy; landscape architecture; mathematics; intercultural communication; construction management; metal and wooden structures; ground transport and technological machines; descriptive geometry and engineering graphics; construction organization; jurisprudence; legal regulation of urban planning and transport; drawing; structural mechanics; structural physics, electric power engineering and electrical engineering; forensic examinations; heat and gas supply and ventilation; technical operation of vehicles; construction production technology; technology of building materials and metrology; technosphere safety; transport systems and road and bridge construction; economics of construction and housing and communal services; economic security.

    The term for which an employment contract will be concluded for each of the above-mentioned positions to be filled, corresponding to the term of election by competition, is three years (until August 31, 2028).

    The competition procedure is determined by the order of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation dated December 4, 2023 No. 1138 “On approval of the Regulation on the procedure for filling the positions of teaching staff related to the faculty” and “Regulations on the organization and procedure for election by competition to positions of teaching staff at SPbGASU” (approved by the decision of the Academic Council of SPbGASU dated June 27, 2024, protocol No. 6 (as amended on April 24, 2025)).

    The qualification requirements are defined:

    The Unified Qualification Handbook of Positions of Managers, Specialists, and Employees (approved by the Order of the Ministry of Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation dated January 11, 2011, No. 1n); the requirements for passing the competitive selection of the teaching staff of SPbGASU (approved by the decision of the Academic Council of SPbGASU dated June 27, 2024, protocol No. 6).

    To participate in the competitive selection, it is necessary to submit an application electronically through the personal account portal between April 24 and May 26, 2025 (HTTPS: // Portal.SPBGASU.ru/ – for employees of SPbGASU, HTTPS: //Conquispps.SPBGASU.ru/ – for applicants who are not employees of SPbGASU) the following documents:

    an application addressed to the rector of the university; a copy of the higher education document; a copy of the candidate/doctor of science diploma (if any); a copy of the associate professor/professor certificate (if any); documents confirming the length of service in scientific and pedagogical work (a certificate of teaching experience or a copy of the work record book, certified at the place of work) – for applicants who are not full-time employees of SPbGASU; a list of scientific and educational-methodical works for the last three years; consent to the processing of personal data; documents confirming the absence of restrictions on employment in the field of education (certificate of no criminal record).

    The procedure and deadlines for making changes to the terms of the competition, as well as its cancellation:

    Amendments to the terms of the competition, as well as its cancellation, are formalized by order of the rector until May 26, 2025.

    In case of a positive decision of the commission, the originals of the competition documents and educational documents are provided by the competition participant upon conclusion of an employment contract to the Human Resources Department from June 27 to August 31, 2025 at the address: 190005, St. Petersburg, 2-ya Krasnoarmeyskaya St., Bldg. 4, office 125, 126. Tel. 316-42-13.

    The competition will be held in person.

    Place, date and time of the competition: June 25, 2025 at 10:00, St. Petersburg, 2-ya Krasnoarmeyskaya st., bldg. 4, room 216.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI: Quino Energy and Long Hill Energy Partners Awarded $10M in California Energy Commission Grant Funding to Demonstrate an 8 MWh Organic Flow Battery System

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN LEANDRO, Calif., April 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Quino Energy, a company developing water-based flow batteries, and Long Hill Energy Partners, a California-based clean energy developer, have been awarded $10M in grant funding through the California Energy Commission (CEC) Energy Research and Development Division’s Electric Program Investment Charge Program (EPIC). The funding will support a proposed 8 MWh flow battery energy storage project at the High Desert Regional Health Center (HDRHC) in Lancaster, CA.

    This project will be the first U.S. commercial deployment of Quino Energy’s proprietary organic flow battery technology and will demonstrate its viability in large-scale, long-duration storage in an application serving critical infrastructure. It falls within Project Group 2, which focuses on funding multiple use-case demonstrations for energy storage value stacking.

    Quino Energy and Long Hill Energy Partners will jointly develop this proposed project, with Quino leading technology development, integration, and testing and Long Hill serving as lead for project development, permitting and program management and reporting. The demonstration will be conducted in partnership with Los Angeles County, where the site is located, and the Clean Coalition Group, a community-based non-profit specializing in the development and testing of clean energy microgrids.

    Once operational, Quino Energy’s organic flow battery is expected to provide critical energy resiliency and back-up power capacity for up to 100% of HDRHC’s energy demand during peak and off-peak hours while maximizing safety due to the system’s completely non-flammable nature. Additionally, Quino’s flow battery will enable the HDRHC to save over $10 million in electricity costs over the flow battery’s estimated 20-year operating life. Further, the installation of an on-site flow battery will allow Los Angeles County to expand an existing solar carport installed at this site, dramatically increasing the percentage of clean and renewable solar power generated and consumed by the HDRHC and further reducing electricity costs.

    “Quino Energy is grateful to the CEC for its support to demonstrate the potential of scalable, reliable organic flow batteries in our home state of California,” said Eugene Beh, CEO of Quino Energy. “Our technology started as an invention at a lab at Harvard and has rapidly grown in scale by leveraging mature flow battery systems that have been proven over decades with vanadium electrolyte. Our low-cost, non-flammable, and Made in USA organic electrolyte in place of vanadium will allow flow batteries to dramatically come down in cost to be a serious alternative to lithium-ion batteries. We are very excited to work with Long Hill Energy Partners, Los Angeles County, the High Desert Regional Health Center, and the Clean Coalition to showcase our technology in a real-world setting.”

    “Long Hill is excited to partner with the CEC to scale-up and demonstrate Quino Energy’s innovative flow battery solution for LA County’s High Desert Regional Health Center,” said Ed Chiao, Managing Director of Long Hill Energy Partners. “The Clean Coalition Group, a Southern California-based non-profit energy consultancy, will lead community engagement and provide expertise in Microgrid design and implementation. Once installed, the flow battery will provide critical energy resiliency and is also projected to save up to $10 million in energy costs for LA County’s hospital.”

    “We are very pleased that Quino Energy and Long Hill Energy Partners have been awarded $10 million by the CEC,” added Masahiro Sameshima, General Partner at ANRI, a venture capital firm based in Tokyo and one of Quino Energy’s investors. “We believe this recognition reflects the high evaluation of their innovative flow battery technology and its great potential. We look forward to seeing them accelerate their R&D with this funding and contribute to the realization of a decarbonized society.”

    Project permitting is anticipated to begin in Q3 2025; the project is expected to break ground in the Fall of 2026, with the flow battery system coming online in early 2027.

    Quino Energy has previously received funding through the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office (AMMTO) to support the development of its flow battery material production line as well as to demonstrate their innovative aqueous organic quinone redox flow battery (QRFB) technology in carbon steel tanks.

    About Quino Energy

    Formed in 2021, Quino Energy is a start-up company that is developing water-based flow batteries that store electrical energy in organic molecules called quinones, for commercial and grid applications. These batteries are predicted to enjoy a unique combination of low capital cost, true fire safety, rapid scalability, and local manufacturability. This is made possible by a number of technological breakthroughs, some of which were first discovered at Harvard University and later licensed by Quino Energy. Please visit quinoenergy.com for more details on the team and the technology.

    About Long Hill Energy Partners

    Long Hill Energy Partners is an energy development company which specializes in supporting the scale-up and commercialization of emerging clean energy technologies. Long Hill partners with innovative venture-stage companies to develop and demonstrate their technology at scale, proving out economic returns for real-world applications.

    Media inquiries:
    quino@fischtankpr.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Global Agriculture Drones Market Projected to Reach $8.03 Billion By 2029 with Significant Growth Still Expected

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PALM BEACH, Fla., April 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FN Media Group News Commentary – Many experts see the global agriculture drones market to continue its substantial growth through this decade and maybe beyond. One such industry watcher, MarketsANDMarkets reported that: “The global agriculture drones market was projected to grow to $2.01 Billion in 2024 and reach $8.03 Billion by 2029. High adoption of aerial data collection tools in agriculture holds immense opportunity for the agriculture drones market. As farmers want to boost yields and their uses in resource optimization, precision agricultural tools are in increased demand; drones offer sensors and timely data for crop health and soil conditions. Efficiencies and accuracies increase the appealability of aerial data collection, and more farmers are adopting drone technology. Drones combined with emerging technologies in the form of machine learning and AI make them robust for position and to improve broadband agricultural data systems. Moreover, many industries use drones, and the adoption rate of tools required to collect aerial data is high in the construction, agriculture, and mining industries. Moreover, as farmers emphasize yield optimization and resource utilization more, the use of precision agriculture tools and drones increases. Drones have advanced sensors and real-time data for monitoring crop health and soil conditions. Their efficiency and accuracy appeal to more farmers who have become open to drone technology.”   Active Companies in the drone industry today include ZenaTech, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZENA), Draganfly Inc. (NASDAQ: DPRO), Unusual Machines, Inc. (NYSE American: UMAC), Sidus Space (NASDAQ: SIDU), AgriFORCE Growing Systems Ltd. (NASDAQ: AGRI).

    MarketsANDMarkets continued: “The cereals & grains segment is growing substantially in the agriculture drones market. Cereals like wheat, corn, and rice are staple crops that require precise management to optimize yields, which makes drones more important. Drones can perform aerial surveys, crop health monitoring, and soil condition assessment, thus supporting farmers in informed decisions that may yield maximum productivity and resource utilization. Moreover, precision agriculture development is quite useful for producing cereals and grains. Agriculture drones conduct aerial surveys; thorough data acquisition and actionable insight generation will assist farmers in undertaking focused interventions such as precise irrigation and fertilization. This is resource efficient, cost-reducing, and productivity-enhancing in absolute terms. Moreover, with environmental objectives driving this agenda, increasing the importance of sustainability works well for the cereals & grains segment, with drones monitoring inputs more efficiently for management. The rising trend of digital agriculture, whereby decisions are made based on data, also builds a case for drones in the segment. Thus, considering the above parameters, based on farm produce, the cereals & grains segment is estimated to grow at the highest CAGR during the studied period.”

    ZenaTech (NASDAQ:ZENA) ZenaDrone Granted FAA Part 137 Approval for Agricultural Drone Operations Addressing a $6 Billion Global Agricultural Drone Market Growing to $24 Billion by 2032 – ZenaTech, Inc. (FSE: 49Q) (BMV: ZENA) (“ZenaTech”), a technology company specializing in AI (Artificial Intelligence) drones, Drone as a Service (DaaS), enterprise SaaS and Quantum Computing solutions, announces its subsidiary ZenaDrone has received approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to conduct commercial agricultural operations under the rules and regulations of 14 CFR Part 137 for crop spraying and precision agriculture. This approval allows ZenaDrone to commence final testing and deployment of the ZenaDrone 1000 drone for aerial spraying of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, fertilizers, and seeds for agricultural, environmental and government customers. The company plans to sell these solutions through its Drone as a Service, or DaaS, business model as well as selling the drone hardware and solution directly to larger commercial farms, agribusinesses, and cooperatives.

    “FAA part 137 approval now enables our team to finish final testing and commence sales of our agriculture solutions. Drones offer a more precise, efficient, cost effective and safer alternative to traditional methods while reducing chemical use, crop damage, and manual work, as well as being able to reach hard-to-access areas. We plan, test, then deploy our solutions through our DaaS model in the US first, followed by Ireland where we have a history of pioneering development work in agricultural drones,” said CEO Shaun Passley, Ph.D.

    According to Fortune Business Insights the global agriculture drone market is projected to grow from USD 6.10 billion in 2024 to USD 23.78 billion by 2032, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.5%. This growth reflects a growing demand for precision agriculture, advances in drone technology, cost-effectiveness, government support and incentive programs, and growing awareness and education.

    The ZenaDrone 1000 is an autonomous drone, in a VTOL (Vertical Takeoff and Landing) quadcopter design with a total of eight rotors on its two fixed wings; it is considered a medium-sized drone measuring 12X7 feet in size. It is designed for stable flight, maneuverability, heavy lift capabilities up to 40 kilos, incorporating innovative software technology, AI, sensors, and purpose-built attachments like crop spraying, along with rugged and compact hardware featuring foldable wings enabling the drone to fit into the back of a truck.

    ZenaTech’s DaaS business will incorporate the ZenaDrone 1000 and the IQ series of multifunction autonomous drones to provide a variety of service solutions from land surveys to power line inspections or power washing, made accessible and cost effective through an Uber-like business model on a regular subscription or pay-per-use basis. Customers can conveniently access drones for eliminating manual or time-consuming tasks achieving superior results, such as for surveying, inspections, security and law enforcement, or precision farming applications, without having to buy, operate, or maintain the drones themselves.   Continued… Read this full release by visiting: https://www.financialnewsmedia.com/news-zena/

    Other recent developments in the markets include:

    Draganfly Inc. (NASDAQ: DPRO), an industry-leading developer of drone solutions and systems, recently announced the formation of its Public Safety Advisory Board. This new initiative reinforces Draganfly’s commitment to delivering cutting-edge, mission-critical technologies that support enforcement and public safety agencies worldwide. Renowned global public safety expert and Homeland Security advisor Paul Goldenberg will serve as the inaugural Chair of the Board.

    With more than 30 years of experience in law enforcement, global security, and national intelligence, Goldenberg brings unparalleled expertise to the role. Recently named America’s Most Influential Person in Homeland Security, he has advised U.S. Presidents, members of Congress, and international security bodies on counterterrorism, cybercrime, and public safety. As a former senior member of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Advisory Council (HSAC), Goldenberg led pivotal initiatives, including the DHS Cybersecurity Task Force and the Countering Foreign Influence Task Force. He currently serves as Chief Advisor for Policy and International Policing at the Rutgers University Miller Center on Policing, a Distinguished Visiting Fellow for Transnational Security at the University of Ottawa, and a member of the National Sheriffs’ Association Southern Border Security Committee.

    Unusual Machines, Inc. (NYSE American: UMAC), a drone and drone components manufacturer, recently announced it filed its Form 10-K with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024 and provided the following letter to its shareholders from CEO Allan Evans.

    Dear Shareholders, This shareholder letter follows the completion of our fiscal year 2024. This is our first year being public. It has been an excellent fourth quarter and an incredible year. We continue to see great interest in the company and receive questions from shareholders. We would like to take this opportunity to provide context and deeper insights into our operations and what these represent for Unusual Machines’ future.

    Unusual Machines revenue for the fourth quarter revenue was over $2.0 million which represents a sequentially quarter over quarter increase of approximately 31%. This is our best revenue quarter of all time (again) and was done while improving gross margins slightly to 28%. With the launch of our Blue Framework products, approximately 15% of our Q4 revenue was from enterprise sales. Our total revenue of $5.65M for FY2024 exceeded our target of $5M for 2024 by 13%. This growth was achieved without customer concentration as no single customer represented more than 5% of our total revenue for 2024.

    Sidus Space (NASDAQ: SIDU) recently announced the unveiling of near real-time vessel detection and classification capability to be enabled by its hybrid 3D printed LizzieSat® satellite platform. Processing data directly onboard LizzieSat® through Sidus Orlaith™ AI Ecosystem, which includes FeatherEdge™ edge computing hardware, and the OrbitfyEdge software from Little Place Labs, represents a significant advancement in space-based maritime intelligence.

    In January 2025, Sidus and Little Place Labs (LPL) formed a strategic partnership and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to develop integrated satellite solutions based on edge computing and AI applications. This collaboration aims to meet the growing needs of a global customer base and is expected to provide accurate vessel detection and classification within one hour of satellite observation.

    AgriFORCE Growing Systems Ltd. (NASDAQ: AGRI) recently announced significant progress in its Radical Clean Solutions (RCS) division, acquired in August 2024.   The RCS division has been awarded a U.S. patent (Patent No. 17/713,959), dated today, for its design of agricultural integrated systems for Radicals Hydroxyl generation units. This innovative technology provides growers of fruits, vegetables, and other plants with a chemical-free solution for reducing mold, viruses, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). It can be integrated into existing heating and ventilation systems or used as a standalone unit. Additionally, the system helps lower levels of gases such as ethylene, thereby slowing the ripening process and extending the shelf life of produce.

    Roger M. Slotkin, founder of RCS and on behalf of our RCS division, stated:   “We have applied for multiple patents related to the application of our technologies across various sectors, including agriculture. Our solutions provide businesses with a chemical-free, safe, and effective method for mitigating viruses, mold, and other pathogens—without harm to people, pets, or plants. Over the coming months, we anticipate the approval of several additional patents.”

    About FN Media Group:

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    DISCLAIMER:  FN Media Group LLC (FNM), which owns and operates FinancialNewsMedia.com and MarketNewsUpdates.com, is a third party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels.  FNM is NOT affiliated in any manner with any company mentioned herein.  FNM and its affiliated companies are a news dissemination solutions provider and are NOT a registered broker/dealer/analyst/adviser, holds no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security.  FNM’s market updates, news alerts and corporate profiles are NOT a solicitation or recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities.  The material in this release is intended to be strictly informational and is NEVER to be construed or interpreted as research material.  All readers are strongly urged to perform research and due diligence on their own and consult a licensed financial professional before considering any level of investing in stocks.  All material included herein is republished content and details which were previously disseminated by the companies mentioned in this release.  FNM is not liable for any investment decisions by its readers or subscribers.  Investors are cautioned that they may lose all or a portion of their investment when investing in stocks.  For current services performed FNM has been compensated fifty one hundred dollars for news coverage of the current press releases issued by ZenaTech, Inc. by the Company.  FNM HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 24 April 2025 Expanded use of new dual-insecticide nets offers hope for malaria control efforts in Africa

    Source: World Health Organisation

    Insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) have been a cornerstone of malaria prevention efforts over the past 2 decades, and their widespread use has been instrumental in preventing the disease and saving lives. Since 2000, the global malaria response, including through ITN distribution campaigns, has helped prevent more than 2 billion cases and nearly 13 million deaths.

    Despite progress, malaria-transmitting mosquitoes in many areas have developed resistance to the insecticides commonly used on ITNs – especially pyrethroids – reducing their impact and undermining gains in malaria prevention. This rising threat has prompted researchers to accelerate the development of new types of nets that offer more durable protection against malaria.

    In 2017, WHO recommended the first ITN designed to enhance efficacy against pyrethroid-resistant mosquitoes. While this marked an important step forward, further innovation was needed to develop dual-insecticide nets, assess their efficacy in managing resistant mosquitoes and their impact on malaria transmission, and to evaluate their cost-effectiveness.

    This photo story, published on World Malaria Day 2025, highlights the research, development and scale-up of dual-insecticide ITNs – made possible through years of collaboration among countries, communities, manufacturers, funders and a range of global, regional and national partners.

    A young girl sleeps under a dual-insecticide net in Cameroon. © The Global Fund

    Global partnership launches extensive studies to test dual-insecticide nets

    In 2018, Unitaid and the Global Fund launched the New Nets Project. Led by the Innovative Vector Control Consortium – and working closely with National Malaria Programmes and other partners such as the U.S. Presidents Malaria Initiative, the Gates Foundation and MedAccess – the project supported evidence building and pilots to rapidly accelerate the shift to dual-insecticide nets in sub-Saharan Africa to counter pyrethroid resistance.

    The nets were first deployed in 2019 in Burkina Faso, and then Benin, Mozambique, Rwanda and the United Republic of Tanzania were added in subsequent years to test how the nets performed in different settings.

    By the end of 2022, the New Nets Project, together with the Global Fund and U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative deployed more than 56 million mosquito nets in 17 countries across sub-Saharan Africa where insecticide resistance had been reported.

    Clinical trials and pilot studies found that dual-insecticide nets improved malaria control by 20–50% compared with standard pyrethroid-only nets. Additionally, clinical trials in the United Republic of Tanzania and Benin demonstrated that the pyrethroid-chlorfenapyr nets significantly reduced malaria infections in children between the ages of 6 months and 10 years.

    “The New Nets Project significantly advanced malaria control by accelerating access to dual active ingredient nets, an important tool in the fight against malaria,” said Dr Philippe Duneton, Executive Director of Unitaid. “The success of this initiative is the result of strong partnerships that helped us overcome access barriers and reach communities faster. Together with our partners, we continue working to explore and support innovations that reduce malaria transmission and save lives.”

    The New Nets Project also included research universities, such as Tulane University and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine; advocacy organizations such as PATH, Population Services International (PSI) and the Alliance for Malaria Prevention; and funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Gates Foundation.

    A mother and her 8-month-old son play in their home in Soa, Cameroon. The family sleeps under dual-insecticide mosquito nets to protect themselves from malaria. © The Global Fund/Vincent Becker.

    WHO issues recommendations for new generation nets

    With strong clinical trial and study results, WHO issued recommendations for new generation insecticide-treated nets and updated the WHO guidelines for malaria in 2023. The WHO recommendations covered 2 new classes of dual ingredient ITNs: pyrethroid-chlorfenapyr nets and pyrethroid-pyriproxyfen nets.

    Pyrethroid-chlorfenapyr nets combine a pyrethroid and a pyrrole insecticide to enhance the killing effect of the net and pyrethroid-pyriproxyfen nets combine a pyrethroid with an insect growth regulator (IGR), which disrupts mosquito growth and reproduction.

    Wider scale-up of new generation nets poised to lower disease burden

    Today, malaria-endemic countries and families are recognizing the value of new generation nets in preventing malaria and saving lives. In 2023, nearly 80% of nets delivered in sub-Saharan Africa were these more effective dual-insecticide nets, up from 59% in 2022, according to the latest World malaria report.

    “In 2019, we used to have malaria frequently before we got the nets,” says Elizabeth, a tailor and mother of two young children in the United Republic of Tanzania. “It cost us a lot of money because sometimes we used to go to private hospitals.”

    Since receiving the new generation nets, Elizabeth’s family has stayed free of malaria. “The difference now is that I don’t use the money to treat my child for malaria,” she adds. “Instead, I use the money to pay for school fees.”

    To date, dual-insecticide nets are being used and scaled up in 17 countries in Africa. The rapid scale-up of the new nets and other innovative tools, such as malaria vaccines, offer fresh hope for controlling malaria, especially in countries with the highest risk of the disease.

    “Dual-insecticide nets represent a breakthrough in malaria prevention,” notes Dr Daniel Ngamije, Director of the WHO Global Malaria Programme. “Their development and wide deployment are a testament to what can be achieved through science, sustained investment and global collaboration.”

    Sustained investment in innovations critical to curbing malaria

    Strengthening surveillance, monitoring and management of biological threats – such as insecticide resistance, invasive species and changing vector behaviour – will be essential to curb and, ultimately, eliminate malaria transmission. At the same time, investment in innovative tools to address these evolving challenges remains equally critical.

    Scaling up the deployment and monitoring of next-generation nets, vaccines and other innovations will require sustained investment in malaria control and elimination programmes. This includes securing successful replenishments for the Global Fund and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.

    In addition to new nets, researchers are pursuing a range of innovative vector control products, such as spatial repellents, lethal house lures (eaves tubes) and genetic engineering of mosquitoes.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI: Thomas Barnes Joins Monarch Private Capital’s #Bestinclass Renewable Energy Team

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ATLANTA, April 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Monarch Private Capital (Monarch), a nationally recognized impact investment firm that develops, finances, and manages a diversified portfolio of projects generating both federal and state tax credits, is pleased to welcome Thomas Barnes as Manager, Renewable Energy.

    In this newly-created role, Barnes will facilitate all aspects of investment execution, including onboarding, investment alignment, fund documentation, underwriting/closing, and subsequent fundings. He serves as a key liaison between Monarch’s investors and developer partners, working with internal placement, project management, operations, and asset management teams—ensuring a seamless and #bestinclass transaction process.

    Barnes brings extensive tax credit structuring and legal experience to Monarch. Prior to joining the firm, he held several roles within the renewable energy division at U.S. Bank, most recently serving as Syndications Project Manager. In that role, he led investor communications and due diligence efforts, negotiated transaction documents, and facilitated the closing of tax credit investments. Earlier in his tenure at U.S. Bank, Barnes served as an Asset Manager, overseeing a portfolio of renewable energy investments and supporting risk mitigation efforts across legal, tax, and credit functions. Before transitioning into renewable energy finance, Barnes practiced law for nearly a decade, focusing on corporate transactions and contract negotiation for a wide range of clients and industries.

    “Thomas brings a rare combination of legal acumen and transaction execution experience to our already strong team,” said Bryan Didier, Partner and Managing Director of Renewable Energy at Monarch Private Capital. “His ability to manage complexity, collaborate across functions, and drive high-quality outcomes for our investors will undoubtably enhance our #everbetter, #bestinclass execution process.”

    In addition to his transaction responsibilities, Barnes will contribute to process innovation, cross-functional collaboration, and risk management strategies across Monarch’s clean energy portfolio.

    “Monarch is known for its thoughtful, high-performing culture, and I’m excited to be a part of a team that prioritizes excellence and investor success,” said Barnes. “I look forward to contributing to a strong foundation that enables the firm to continue scaling with impact.”

    Barnes earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Minnesota Law School and a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of St. Thomas. Committed to giving back, he has volunteered with organizations including Catholic Charities, Feed the Children, and Project Offstreets, and has mentored and coached youth in both Minneapolis and Denver.

    For more information about Monarch Private Capital, visit www.monarchprivate.com.

    About Monarch Private Capital

    Monarch Private Capital manages impact investment funds that positively impact communities by creating clean power, jobs, and homes. The funds provide predictable returns through the generation of federal and state tax credits. The Company offers innovative tax credit equity investments for affordable housing, historic rehabilitations, renewable energy, film, and other qualified projects. Monarch Private Capital has long-term relationships with institutional and individual investors, developers, and lenders participating in these federal and state programs. Headquartered in Atlanta, Monarch has offices and professionals located throughout the United States.

    CONTACT
    Jane Rafeedie
    Monarch Private Capital
    Jrafeedie@monarchprivate.com
    470-283-8431

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/11639d57-4ef6-4162-9d83-aa2972dbe120

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Westminster Insight – Women and Girls in Sport Conference

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    Westminster Insight – Women and Girls in Sport Conference

    Sports Minister Stephanie Peacock delivered the keynote speech at the Westminster Insight – Women and Girls in Sport Conference

    Thank you all for being here and inviting me to speak to you today. I am sorry I can’t be with you in person. 

    I want to talk to you today about the remarkable growth of women’s sport that we have witnessed in recent years, and what the Government is doing to build on this momentum. 

    I would like to begin by sharing some statistics. In 2024, UK Women’s Sport attracted audiences of over 44.17 million, an increase of nearly 40% in just two years. Over 2.6 million people attended a women’s sport event in person in 2023, an increase of 23% from the previous year.

    Globally, Deloitte predicts that revenue generated by women’s elite sports will reach at least $2.35 billion, or £1.8 billion, in 2025, with revenues predicted to have risen by 240% in 4 years. 

    This is, of course, good news for economic growth and for those playing women’s elite sport. But most importantly the impact that it will have on women and girls across the country will be profound. 

    Inspiring women and girls across the country to take part in sport is hugely important to me as Sports Minister.

    Girls need to know from a young age that they belong in sport.  That is why we want to review and shape our education system to inspire girls from an early age to get active and build a lifelong love and affinity for sport.  

    To achieve this goal, Government is driving progress across women’s sport: from investing in grassroots facilities to supporting national campaigns.

    It also means action on the elite end of sport, from hosting major events to supporting action to professionalise women’s sport. 

    Bringing all of these elements together is our strategy for women and girl’s sport. Let me take you through each of those in turn.

    Firstly, we want more women and girls than ever to stay physically and mentally fit and healthy.

    In order to do this, we need to keep evolving and challenging the way we think of women in sporting environments in order to understand what challenges and motivates them.  

    Sport England campaigns like This Girl Can has inspired nearly 4 million women to get active and 8 out of 10 women say that the campaign has boosted their confidence.    

    We want women to have options and variety available to them within their local area.  

    Getting this right starts with inclusion. Statistics show that for women on lower incomes from under-represented groups, the challenges and feelings of not being included are even greater.  

    When we support women’s sport, we will support women and girls right across our communities – not just elite athletes however important they are

    Secondly, we know that in order to reach women and girls from all walks of life, equal access to high quality PE and school sports has a fundamental role to play. 

    I have seen first hand the value of school sports in my own constituency in Barnsley South. It was great to visit High View Primary Centre Centre in Wombwell a few weeks ago to watch the FA’s annual Biggest Ever Football Session, and I have enjoyed seeing the impact that events such as the Daily Mile can have on local children across Barnsley. 

    So, through our expert-led review of the curriculum, we are going to ensure that every child has the opportunity to engage in a broad range of subjects, including PE and sport.  I’ve been working closely with the Minister for Schools and with National Governing Bodies across a range of issues, and we are committed to ensuring that all children can access high-quality sport and physical activity across the school day. 

    We also know that access to facilities, player welfare standards and suitable kit and equipment are all key parts of ensuring women and girls have the opportunity to excel.

    On 21 March, we announced an investment of £100 million to fund grassroots facilities throughout the UK. £98 million of this will support projects in 2025/26. 

    This funding will support more women and girls to take part in the sports that they love, particularly by ensuring that funded sites across the UK provide priority slots for women and girls. Beyond this, in England there is funding specifically targeted at creating female-friendly facilities off the pitch, including changing rooms and toilets. 

    As well as focusing on getting women and girls active at a grassroots level, progress in women’s sport requires a healthy professional system to fund participation and to create inspirational role models.

    This is why I am acting on the recommendations of Karen Carney’s independent Review of Women’s Football starting with a series of in depth discussions on the recommendations, and led by a taskforce I have convened to drive this forward.

    We want Karen’s excellent Review to lead to tangible change in women’s football, acting as a wider blueprint for all of women’s sport.

    Our work is already making a difference: we the Taskforce recently agreed on a series of concrete actions to improve player welfare in women’s football. 

    I also want to address one of the major issues identified by Karen in the Review, which is the lack of research.  Only 6% of all sports science research today is dedicated solely to female athletes. Obviously this imbalance is a global challenge but I believe the UK is well positioned to take the lead in addressing, building on our reputation for world class research. This Government is determined to ensure that our sport science research continues to be world leading and tailored to the needs of our athletes.

    On a recent visit to Loughborough University’s Women in Sport Research and Innovation Hub, I saw first hand ground breaking innovation which will shape the future of women’s sport. 

    This includes development in areas such as the menstrual cycle, the design of pregnancy and postpartum sportswear, sports nutrition, and innovation in sports bras.

    This vital work will help us accelerate the progress we have already made and ensure that research into women’s sport is tailored to female athletes.

    Finally, progress in women’s sport also means increasing visibility and inspiring a nation, by showcasing what our world leading female athletes can do.

    We know women and girls across the country are inspired by female role models.

    This summer, some fans will be watching the Lionesses on TV with their family, while others will be at the Women’s Rugby World Cup across England enjoying the atmosphere. Many more will be watching their favourite local teams and athletes from their home town.

    We want everyone to join us in marvelling at the incredible talent we have here in the UK.  We want to create the best women’s leagues in the world and we want to lead the way in helping women’s sport  to stand the test of time and be financially sustainable.

    This will mean that a girl growing up in my area of Barnsley will be able to watch us host major events like the Women’s Rugby World Cup, the Women’s T20 World Cup and the Tour de France Femmes, and be able to recreate moments with their friends at school.

    With our incredible track record for hosting these kinds of events, I know that they are going to be huge success stories that inspire everyone watching women’s sport right across the globe. 

    We are also working hard to support the FA’s bid for the 2035 Women’s World Cup, a tournament with the potential to inspire yet another generation of women’s football fans.

    This is how we lead the way in women’s sport and create lasting legacies for generations to come.

    Before I end today, I want to directly address last week’s Supreme Court ruling, which I am sure is on the minds of many of you attending today. As a Government we have always been clear that when it comes to women’s sport, biology matters and we will continue to support sports to develop policies that protect fairness and safety, particularly when it is not possible to balance those factors with inclusion. Alongside this, sports need to come up with approaches to ensure everyone has the opportunity to take part somehow – and I know that sporting bodies will be considering this in light of the Supreme Court decision.

    As I finish speaking to you today, I recognise that we still have challenges to overcome when it comes to women’s sport. However, the future is also one of huge opportunities to drive women’s sport forward. 

    Progress in women’s sport requires a clear vision.  From young girls learning about sport and movement in school through PE, to teenagers accessing facilities built with women and girls in mind, to adults having the right knowledge, kit and environment, to excel we want to support women and girls at every stage of their lives.  

    We want women and girls across the UK to watch global events hosted at home, to be inspired by their role models and to have the opportunity to dream big.  Every girl deserves that chance.

    And to enable this, this Government is committed to improving access to sport in schools, to making provision of facilities more equal, to improving research, driving visibility and investing in women’s sport at every level.

    It is not enough to focus on one aspect alone.  We must drive progress across all of these areas as part of one cohesive women’s sport strategy.  

    I look forward to working with you all to ensure all women and girls have the opportunities they deserve.

    Thank you.

    Updates to this page

    Published 24 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Newsom announces appointments 4.23.25

    Source: US State of California 2

    Apr 23, 2025

    SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:

    Annabelle Hopkins, of Sacramento, has been appointed Deputy Director of Government Affairs at the California Public Advocates Office. Hopkins has been Government Relations Manager at RWE Offshore Wind since 2024. She was Legislative Director at the Office of Assemblymember Jim Wood in the California State Assembly from 2022 to 2023. Hopkins held multiple positions in the Office of Senator Dave Min in the California State Senate from 2021 to 2022, including Legislative Director and Legislative Aide. She was a Senate Fellow in the Office of Senator Mike McGuire in the California State Senate from 2019 to 2020. Hopkins was the Finance Director/Policy Advisor for Audrey Denney for Congress from 2018 to 2019. She is a Board Member of FemDems and Young Professionals in Energy, Sacramento. Hopkins earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and History from College of Wooster. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and compensation is $153,000. Hopkins is a Democrat.

    Mandi Posner, of Gold River, has been appointed Deputy Director of the Center for Health Care Quality at the California Department of Public Health. Posner has been Chief of Field Operations for the South Division of the Center for Health Care Quality at the California Department of Public Health since 2021, where she has held multiple positions since 2016, including Branch Chief of Field Operations for the South Division, Los Angeles County Contract Manager, Staff Services Manager for Fiscal Operations, and Associate Governmental Program Analyst. Posner is a Member and California Representative of the Association of Health Facility Survey Agencies. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Recreation Administration from California State University, Chico. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $183,840. Posner is a Democrat.

    Yang Lee, of Sacramento, has been appointed Chief of Data Analytics and Strategy at the California Department of Developmental Services. Lee has been Deputy Director and Chief Financial Officer at the California Department of Social Services since 2022, where he was previously Assistant Director from 2020 to 2022. He held multiple positions at the California Department of Finance from 2008 to 2020, including Principal Program Budget and Finance Budget Analyst. Lee was a Legislative Assistant in the Office of Assemblymember Loni Hancock in the California State Assembly from 2006 to 2008. Lee earned a Master of Public Policy Analysis degree and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Ethnic Studies from California State University, Sacramento. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $198,660. Lee is a Democrat. 

    Heather Leslie, of Sacramento, has been appointed Chief Counsel at the California Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety. Leslie has been the Assistant General Counsel at the California Natural Resources Agency since 2021. She was a Deputy Attorney General at the California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General from 2015 to 2021. Leslie earned a Juris Doctor degree from University of California, Los Angeles School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from University of California, Berkeley. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and compensation is $198,000. Leslie is a Democrat.

    Cindy Gustafson, of Tahoe City, has been appointed to the State Board of Fire Services. Gustafson has been the District Five County Supervisor for the County of Placer since 2019. She was the Chief Executive Officer of the North Lake Tahoe Resort Association from 2017 to 2018. Gustafson held multiple positions at the Tahoe City Public Utility District from 1991 to 2017, including Director of Resource Development and Community Relations, Assistant General Manager, and General Manager. She was a Commissioner at the California Fish and Game Commission from 2005 to 2009. Gustafson is a Member of Tahoe Fund. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Gustavus Adolphus College. This position does not require Senate Confirmation and there is no compensation. Gustafson is registered without party preference.

    Hampus Idsater, of Thousand Oaks, has been appointed to the Boating and Waterways Commission. Idsater has been an Investment Manager at Suntex Marina Investors since 2022. He was a Finance and Business Development Director at Hamner, Jewell & Associates from 2020 to 2022. Idsater was a Vice President at Eight Roads from 2015 to 2020. He was an Investment Manager at Fosun International from 2013 to 2015. Idsater was an Analyst at Morgan Stanley from 2011 to 2013. He is a Member of the Marine Recreation Association and Toastmasters International. Idsater earned a Master of Arts degree in Economics from University of Oxford. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Idsater is a Democrat.

    Press Releases, Recent News

    Recent news

    Apr 23, 2025

    News What you need to know: California’s economy continues to dominate and grow at a faster rate than the world’s top economies, with new data showing it has overtaken Japan as the 4th largest economy in the world. SACRAMENTO — Governor Gavin Newsom today announced…

    Apr 23, 2025

    News What you need to know: California is investing $500 million to help add 1,000 clean school buses across the state, and demand for incentives supporting zero-emission buses and trucks has more than doubled year-over-year. SACRAMENTO – California’s transition to…

    Apr 23, 2025

    News What you need to know: More than 4 million California children will automatically receive SUN Bucks food benefits via EBT card starting in June. Each eligible child will receive $120 in food benefits. Sacramento, California – Governor Gavin Newsom announced today…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Launch of Desmond Tutu School of Medicine at NWU lauded

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    The unveiling of the Desmond Tutu School of Medicine at the North West University (NWU) has been welcomed by the Provincial Legislature Portfolio Committee on Health and Social Development, Chaired by Karabo Tebogo Magagane.

    According to the committee, the event marks the culmination of over 20 years of visioning and planning.

    The university announced this week that the new medical school will be named the NWU Desmond Tutu School of Medicine. 

    This decision was made in consultation with and approved by the Archbishop Desmond Tutu IP Trust.

    The NWU Desmond Tutu School of Medicine will be the 11th medical school in South Africa. 

    This initiative is a collaborative effort involving the NWU, the North West Department of Health, and private sector stakeholders. 

    The school aims to address the significant shortage of healthcare practitioners in the province while also providing a foundation for the development of the country’s medical expertise.

    Magagane stated that this significant development not only honours the legacy of Nobel Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who was born in Klerksdorp in 1931, but also positions the province at the forefront of academic medicine, health innovation, and inclusive service delivery.

    “Naming the school after Archbishop Tutu is a fitting tribute to his enduring contributions to humanity and reflects the university’s commitment to social justice, human dignity, and nation-building,” the Chairperson said. 

    According to the committee, the NWU Desmond Tutu School of Medicine will be anchored in the core pillars of NWU – teaching, learning, research, and community engagement.

    The committee believes the school will harness the strength of a growing network of hospitals and clinics across the province, with Klerksdorp/Tshepong Tertiary Hospital serving as a key clinical training site. 

    “The Klerksdorp/Tshepong Hospital, which previously partnered with Wits University, has already set national benchmarks in healthcare innovation, including becoming the first institution in South Africa to cure Extreme Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis (XDR-TB) and successfully performing the first-ever pump cardiac bypass surgeries in its new catheterisation laboratory last year.” 

    The establishment of the medical school not only aligns with the transformative goals of the National Health Insurance (NHI) Act, recently signed into law, but also strengthens the province’s health systems in preparation for universal health coverage. 

    “By equipping future health professionals through high-quality education and immersive clinical training, the School of Medicine will be instrumental in advancing accessible, equitable, and quality health care for all residents of the province,” Magagane added. 

    The development is a catalyst for economic diversification in the City of Matlosana, which has been negatively affected by the decline of the mining sector. 

    “The growth of the health and academic research sectors offers promising new pathways for local economic revitalisation, employment, and innovation.” 

    The committee said it remains committed to supporting initiatives that strengthen public health infrastructure, education, and service delivery, as part of its ongoing oversight work to uphold the values enshrined in the Constitution and the spirit of the NHI Act. 

    The first intake of students for the NWU Desmond Tutu School of Medicine is scheduled for 2028. – SAnews.gov.za
     

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Polytechnic University has become a platform for the implementation of the “Vice-Rector” project of the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    The Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, together with Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, launched a new information and educational website video project “Vice-Rector”, which is being implemented in the SPbPU television studio. Its presentation took place on April 23 at the forum-exhibition “GOSZAKAZ” at the stand of the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia. The event was attended by vice-rectors of leading universities and representatives of student media. The broadcast took place on the information resources of the educational department.

    The discussion was moderated by the Head of the SPbPU Public Relations Department Marianna Dyakova. The experts were Maxim Pasholikov, Vice-Rector for Youth Policy and Communication Technologies at SPbPU, Anna Gureeva, First Vice-Rector of the Pushkin State Institute of the Russian Language, Mikhail Filonov, Vice-Rector for Science and Innovation at the MISIS University of Science and Technology, and Ruslan Baryshev, Vice-Rector for Research at the Siberian Federal University. The participants discussed the relevance of the project, the most important topics, challenges for the higher education system, and other issues. The presentation sparked a lively discussion and received a wide response. Activists from the student media center invited representatives of youth media to join the project.

    The “Vice-Rector” project will unite the vice-rector community to talk about the life of the country’s leading universities, exchange best practices and popularize them, and identify and reward the most effective managers in the field of higher education.

    “Teams from leading universities play an important role in improving the national model of higher education and achieving technological leadership. The “Vice-Rector” project will tell about how their work is structured from the inside. It is designed to highlight the most outstanding representatives of the vice-rectors’ corps and popularize the best scientific and educational practices,” said Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Russia Konstantin Mogilevsky.

    “I am confident that the information and educational project “Vice-Rector” will become an effective platform for discussing the most pressing issues, exchanging practices and successful examples of implementing state policy in the field of science and higher education. Such a dialogue is very important today, when we are moving along the path of forming technological leadership and updating the national education system. The project is all-Russian, its participants will be experts from among the vice-rectors of all universities in our country. I am glad that we are implementing such an initiative together with the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, which, of course, contributes to the actualization of the most necessary topics for focusing. I invite all colleagues to participate in the project,” commented SPbPU Rector Andrey Rudskoy.

    As part of the new project, experts from among the vice-rectors of Russian universities will explain innovations and changes in the scientific and educational sphere to a wide audience consisting of employees, teachers, students and applicants. During filming, the speaker can be directly in the SPbPU television studio or connect remotely. Editing and post-production of the project are also carried out at the Polytechnic University.

    Each episode will cover different topics such as:

    changes in the higher education system; updating the national higher education system; implementation of the technology leadership strategy; implementation of federal programs and projects; youth policy and others.

    The premiere of the first issue dedicated to technological leadership has already taken place. Its hero was the Vice-Rector for Digital Transformation of SPbPU Alexey Borovkov.

    “The Polytechnic University has a modern television studio and media resources, which allows us to take the initiative and use the available opportunities to popularize and explain new guidelines of state policy in the formation of the domestic system of higher education,” said Marianna Dyakova, Head of the SPbPU Public Relations Department. “It is important that experts from different universities in our country share their understanding of these processes with the general public. At the moment, we have presented a pilot issue on technological leadership. Of course, we will continue to improve our work to bring the project to perfection. In addition, we expect feedback that will help make the necessary changes.”

    The project will be released twice a month. They will be available on the official resources of the Russian Ministry of Education and Science and on the websites of participating universities.

    To join the “Vice-Rector” project, discuss current issues and share successful cases, you must fill out registration form.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rachel Timm Wins 2025 UConn Law Teaching Award

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    The UConn Law Class of 2025 has selected Professor Rachel Timm to receive the Perry Zirkel ’76 Distinguished Teaching Award.

    “I am truly honored to receive this award,” Timm said. “I am grateful to be in a profession that allows me to help students grow—not just academically, but also personally and professionally, in ways that align with their true identities. Every year, I learn so much from my students.”

    Timm, who joined UConn Law in 2019, teaches legal practice courses, including Interviewing, Counseling and Negotiation, and Research and Writing.

    Timm’s nomination praises her for unparalleled dedication to her students as well as for being genuine and encouraging, calling her an example of outstanding commitment to the practice of teaching.

    “She takes the time to get to know each student personally and creates a learning environment in which students feel confident and empowered,” the nomination reads. “Professor Timm gives students lessons on how to better serve clients through lessons in cross-cultural lawyering, encourages students to rethink the utility of norms within the legal profession, and gives students resources to maintain mental wellness.”

    It goes on to say that because of Timm, students are better prepared to serve clients, themselves, and their communities.

    “I’m delighted to see the graduating class award this well-deserved honor to Professor Timm, which is a wonderful recognition of her impact on our law school community,” Dean Eboni S. Nelson said. “She is an excellent educator who is committed to her students’ success and development. We greatly appreciate her many contributions to UConn Law and beyond.”

    The teaching award was established in 2016 through the generosity of Perry Zirkel, who graduated from UConn School of Law in 1976. He became a professor of education and law at Lehigh University and served as dean of the university’s College of Education. The UConn Neag School of Education also honors a faculty member each year with the Dr. Perry A. Zirkel Distinguished Teaching Award. The Neag School will announce its 2025 award recipient in May.

    Alumni and current students are invited to nominate faculty members for the award and a committee of four graduating students chose five finalists. The entire graduating class is invited to vote to choose the winner, who is presented with the award at commencement.

    Past winners are Professors Bethany Berger in 2024, Leslie Levin in 2023, Mary Beattie in 2022, Julia Simon-Kerr in 2021, Jessica Rubin in 2020, Alexandra Lahav in 2019, Paul Chill in 2018, Richard Pomp in 2017, and Jeremy McClane in 2016.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The Art of Management: All-Russian Forum Opens at the State University of Management

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    On April 23, the ceremonial opening of the V All-Russian Interuniversity Forum “The Art of Management: Science, Practice, Project Technologies” was held at the Center for Information Technologies of the State University of Management.

    The vice-rector of the State University of Management, Artem Terpugov, gave a welcoming speech.

    “Today’s forum is a unique opportunity for all participants to exchange best practices, present innovative approaches and discuss current issues of implementing project-based learning at universities, as well as developing students’ project activities. I am confident that the forum’s rich program will allow each participant to find useful contacts, gain new knowledge and inspiration for implementing their own projects,” the vice-rector concluded.

    The President of the Project Management Association “SOVNET” Alexander Tovb told the audience about the history of the organization, long-standing cooperation with the State University of Management and the importance of project-based learning.

    As part of the practical part, experts shared their experience in implementing joint projects, forming teams and establishing systematic work.

    Deputy Head of the Federal State Statistics Service for Moscow and the Moscow Region Natalia Alekseeva spoke about the cooperation between Mosstat and the State University of Management, Director of the Business Incubator Dmitry Rogov spoke in more detail about how interaction within the framework of project-based learning is established at our university, and Director of the Project Mentoring Center Ekaterina Illarionova introduced the principals of the organization of mentoring support at the State University of Management.

    Also speaking were the head of the Center for Project Entrepreneurship of IPI LAB LLC Olga Baranenkova, ITMO tracker-adviser Yulia Gaponenko, executive director of the non-profit organization “Mentors for Children” Nina Vorontsova and associate professor of the Department of Information Security of VolSU Yulia Bakhracheva.

    The practical part of the session was conducted by the head of the Center for Didactics of Professional Education of Moscow State Pedagogical University, Daria Vyunova, who helped those gathered test their theories and approaches to project-based learning on specific cases.

    At the same time, the Interuniversity Hackathon “Urban Development Technologies” has started working in the Scientific Library of the State University of Management, in which student interuniversity teams from different areas of training are participating. For 3 days, the students will work on problem cases of customer partners and develop a draft solution, which they will present to an expert jury consisting of specialists delegated by the customer partner and representatives of the Forum organizer.

    Let us recall that the State University of Management is holding the Forum for the fifth time and for the second year it is organizing it in cooperation with the project-methodical association “Association of project-oriented organizations of science and higher education” and the association of specialists and organizations in the field of project management “Association of project management “SOVNET”.

    You can read about how the forum was held in 2024 in this article.

    Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 04/24/2025

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Uniting Cities: Interuniversity Hackathon Held at GUU

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    On April 23, 2025, the State University of Management launched a three-day inter-university hackathon “Urban Development Technologies”, which is being held as part of the V All-Russian Inter-University Forum “The Art of Management: Science, Practice, Project Technologies”.

    From April 23 to 25, students from 7 universities: GUU, MIREA, RGUTIS, RUT (MIIT), RUDN, SFedU, SPbGASU will work with cases of 9 partners: Federal State Budgetary Institution “Analytical Center under the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation”, Sber, Roskachestvo, Beyond Taylor, Basmanny District Museum – Basmania, Vitra Russia, Moscow Municipal Economy Museum, Vysota Service Group, Scientific Research Center for Municipal Economy (TsNIS), Leisure and Sports Center of TiNAO of the City of Moscow.

    This year, the hackathon became not just inter-university, but inter-regional, expanding its borders from Taganrog (SFedU) to St. Petersburg (SPbGASU).

    On the first day of acquaintance and team formation, a master class was held by Beyond Taylor representative, head of implementation projects, leader of consulting in the public sector Elena Bryukhova, who introduced the hackathon participants to the principles of clientocracy and focus on the needs and requests of clients. The teams worked all day in the Scientific Library of the State University of Management in different locations.

    Before the start of the joint work, Associate Professor of the Department of Human Resources Management of the State University of Management Ekaterina Kashtanova held a master class on team building, as a result of which the teams defined their values and rules of work, came up with a motto corresponding to the image and selected a song.

    On the second day, the teams will go on an excursion to the Moscow Museum of Urban Economy, where they will learn about the specifics of how city facilities operate and continue working on projects based on cases proposed by partners.

    On the third day, the teams will present their projects to an expert jury, which will select the winners and nominees of the hackathon.

    The goal of the hackathon is to develop students’ professional competencies through work on real management tasks in the field of creating a comfortable urban environment, developing urban infrastructure, urban logistics, improving the ecological environment, supporting social entrepreneurship, and involving young people in urban projects.

    Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 04/24/2025

    «Искусство управлять: наука,…” data-yashareImage=”https://guu.ru/wp-content/uploads/1745427244767-scaled.jpg” data-yashareLink=”https://guu.ru/%d0%be%d0%b1%d1%8a%d0%b5%d0%b4%d0%b8%d0%bd%d1%8f%d1%8f-%d0%b3%d0%be%d1%80%d0%be%d0%b4%d0%b0-%d0%b2-%d0%b3%d1%83%d1%83-%d0%bf%d1%80%d0%be%d1%88%d0%b5%d0%bb-%d0%bc%d0%b5%d0%b6%d0%b2%d1%83%d0%b7%d0%be/”>

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Polytechnic and BRU strengthen the technological sovereignty of the Union State

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    The visit of the Polytechnic University delegation to the Republic of Belarus continues. At the site of the strategic partner of SPbPU, the Belarusian-Russian University (Mogilev), several events related to the joint activities of our universities are currently taking place. The leaders of the Polytechnic University, which coordinates the activities of Slavic universities within the framework of the national project, were met at BRU with traditional hospitality – a loaf of bread and salt.

    BRU Rector Mikhail Lustenkov welcomed his Russian colleagues: “Our cooperation with the St. Petersburg Polytechnic University has long been truly warm and productive. I can say with confidence that we do not have such a multifaceted and strategically important partnership with any other university. Today we have a wonderful opportunity to personally show you what results we have achieved thanks to our joint work. The Comprehensive Program for the Development of Slavic Universities plays a special role in our development, within the framework of which your support is invaluable to us. Polytechnic is not just a partner, but a reliable ally in the pursuit of development and improvement.”

    The official meeting of SPbPU Rector Andrey Rudskoy, Vice-Rector for International Affairs Dmitry Arsenyev and Director of the Institute of Mechanical Engineering, Materials and Transport Anatoly Popovich with BRU Rector Mikhail Lustenkov and key vice-rectors was devoted to the prospects for expanding cooperation in the main areas of partnership, including the creation of innovative joint educational programs, the development of research infrastructure and the training of professional personnel for high-tech sectors of the Union State economy.

    “We have found the right interaction and the basis for Slavic unity in the field of education. Unique laboratories have been created in Belarus, students study together, and are distributed to enterprises in both countries. This is a very correct and important symbiosis, reflecting the most important role of Slavic universities. Our partnership in welding technologies is of particular importance. You have strong developments, and we have exclusive methods, for example, electron beam and vacuum welding. For Russia, as a powerful shipbuilding center, training welders is an urgent task. We are ready to share high-tech solutions and adopt your practical experience. In addition, we are united by intelligent control systems, digital technologies, supercomputer centers and modeling. Without this, modern science and industry are impossible. I am sure that together we can strengthen both sides,” Andrey Rudskoy emphasized.

    A landmark event was the signing of an agreement to launch a unique joint network bachelor’s degree program “Artificial Intelligence in Technical Systems”. This four-year program was developed by joint efforts of specialists from the Higher School of Cyber-Physical Systems Management of SPbPU and the Department of Software of BRU. It should become a flagship project in training new generation specialists. Already at the development stage, the program aroused significant interest not only among Russian and Belarusian applicants, but also among students from China, which indicates its international demand.

    “This visit is the next stage of our strategic partnership. Within the walls of the Belarusian-Russian University, we see not only modern laboratories, but also a special atmosphere of joint creativity. We were particularly impressed by the achievements of our Belarusian colleagues in training engineering personnel and organizing the educational process. We see significant potential for expanding joint educational programs and scientific research,” said Dmitry Arsenyev.

    This is not the first network program launched by the two universities. Since 2022, SPbPU and BRU have been implementing a network bachelor’s degree program in the field of “Foreign Regional Studies”. From April 21 to 25, five students of the Higher School of International Relations of the Humanitarian Institute of SPbPU are undergoing an internship at BRU. The students were selected based on the results of the essay competition “25 years of the Union State: history, achievements and future goals of Russia and Belarus”. The educational program at BRU includes lectures (“Culture of Belarus: traditions and modernity”, “The main stages of the development of philosophical thought in Belarus”, “Society in Belarus: features and development”, etc.) and a cultural program. In parallel with the student internship, Associate Professor of the Polytechnic University Alexey Vovenda held master classes for BRU students on organizing research activities within the framework of the field of “Foreign Regional Studies”. Since 2022, a total of 19 SPbPU students and 29 BRU students have been trained within the network program.

    Getting acquainted with the university infrastructure allowed the SPbPU delegation to evaluate the achievements of the joint laboratory of intelligent robotics and cyber-physical systems. In it, students and teachers of the two universities successfully implement projects in the field of digital twins of industrial facilities and predictive analytics systems. The delegation was especially interested in practical solutions for remote monitoring of critical facilities using artificial intelligence technologies. In the robotics laboratory, guests were shown how to remotely connect to production lines and control robots located at different points.

    No less productive was the visit to the Department of Technosphere Safety, where the industrial internship program for master’s students of the “Environmental Safety in Industry” program of SPbPU has been successfully implemented for the third year. A unique methodology for studying the impact of radionuclides on the environment, developed by Belarusian colleagues, complements the educational programs of the St. Petersburg university with an important practical component. The internship has been held since 2022. During this time, 15 Polytechnic students have completed it. And just this week, another internship program for three more students of the Civil Engineering Institute is ending at the experimental sites and in the laboratories of the Department of Technosphere Safety.

    At the Department of Welding Equipment and Technologies, guests were presented with advanced developments in the field of additive and welding technologies. In this area, BRU is rightfully considered a unique platform in the Republic of Belarus. The only Certification and Testing Center in the Republic operates on the basis of the university, which carries out certification of welding equipment and materials, testing of welded samples and structures, training, certification and certification of welders, and develops and qualifies welding processes.

    Director of IMMiT Anatoly Popovich supported the rector of SPbPU, noting that the key area of cooperation between the universities should be interaction in the field of advanced production technologies, in particular powder metallurgy and welding processes. He emphasized that BRU has unique practical experience in the field of high-tech welding, including automatic, thick-plate and argon-arc welding, and is ready to actively share these developments with colleagues from the Polytechnic University.

    The Higher School of Materials Physics and Technology of SPbPU (Professor Sergey Parshin) has been collaborating with this BRU department since 2021. The partners jointly conduct scientific research, supervise postgraduate students and give lectures. The center discussed the possibilities of developing cooperation. In particular, organizing network interaction between the Polytechnic University, BRU, institutes of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Sciences, and creating a Competence Center for Welding Technologies on the basis of BRU.

    As part of the activities to coordinate the activities of Slavic universities, this week SPbPU experts are holding a project-analytical session to prepare a development program for the Belarusian-Russian University for 2026-2030. The session focused on developing a common understanding among the BRU team of the university’s target model, strategic development goals, and ways to achieve them.

    SPbPU experts — Vice-Rector for Personnel Policy Maria Vrublevskaya, Head of the Project Office “Slavic Universities” Nikita Golovin and expert of the Department of Strategic Planning and Development Tatyana Morina. They shared their experience in implementing the Priority-2030 program, proposing innovative approaches to transforming the university into an educational hub. The main vector of BRU development is maintaining the model of an engineering university with an emphasis on close cooperation with industry. This is necessary for sustainable regional development, as well as in the interests of Belarus, Russia and the Union State as a whole.

    Maria Vrublevskaya shared the results of the project-analytical session: “Despite serious restrictions related to state frameworks, as well as difficulties in developing human capital, the university demonstrated impressive results. Investments were implemented effectively: growth points are fully equipped, strong teams were formed, and best practices reached the level of sustainable development. Now the team is at the peak of intellectual potential, and although the strategy for further development until 2030 is yet to be determined, it is already obvious that the invested resources have produced a significant effect.”

    The results of the visit confirmed that the cooperation between SPbPU and BRU has reached a qualitatively new level, combining fundamental academic traditions with advanced educational technologies. Joint projects in the field of artificial intelligence, cyber-physical systems and technosphere safety not only strengthen the scientific and technical potential of the two countries, but also create the basis for the formation of a single educational space and increasing the technological sovereignty of the Union State.

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