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Category: Universities

  • MIL-OSI Russia: You have the floor, Eduard Tiktinsky: Polytechnic graduate wishes students to surpass themselves

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

    Over the year and a half of the existence of the discussion club “You have the floor!” many interesting people have become its guests. But it is especially pleasant when such a guest is not just a successful and bright person, but also a graduate of the Polytechnic University. So, the eleventh hero of the project was the founder and chairman of the board of directors of the RBI Group Eduard Tiktinsky.

    Eduard Saulevich graduated from the economics department of the Leningrad Polytechnic Institute and the advanced courses in economics and privatization of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. His company is engaged in development activities in the field of residential and commercial construction. More than 80 projects have been implemented.

    Eduard Tiktinsky is an honorary builder of Russia, recipient of the Order of Merit in Construction, member of the Board of Trustees of the World Club of Petersburgers, initiator and ideological inspirer of the social project for talented youth “School of Leaders of the Future”, holder of the title “Expert of the Year” in the nominations “Expert in Business and Innovation” (2017) and “Expert in Education” (2021). In 2024, he entered the top 50 most famous people in St. Petersburg according to Sobaka.ru magazine. According to the Person 2024 rating from RQ Index and Urban, he is the first in management efficiency among CEOs of development companies in Russia.

    At the meeting at the Polytechnic, Eduard Tiktinsky thanked the organizers for the opportunity to speak to students and emphasized that his goal was not to limit himself to a simple dialogue, but to convey to the audience truly valuable knowledge that could help them in the future.

    This is what Eduard Tiktinsky said.

    On the influence of parents

    — My parents gave me a lot of freedom of choice and independence. From an early age I understood that I had to rely on myself, and I started earning money at 19. My parents also gave me a good education: I studied at an English school, then, until the 8th grade, at an English boarding school in Pushkin, and the 9th and 10th grades — at a good physics and mathematics school. As a child, I didn’t say that I would be an entrepreneur, because there was no such profession in the USSR, but I dreamed of becoming a lawyer, it seemed to me that it was such a competitive independent profession.

    About student life at the Polytechnic

    — When I was studying, it was a completely different era. Interesting, with a lot of challenges. It implied a lot of opportunities and an empty market that was slowly filling up, and the window of opportunity was slowly closing. So I will honestly say that I spent little time at the Polytechnic. Only in the first year, and then I came to take exams. And at the same time I studied at advanced training courses held by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, it was a high level and a powerful impetus.

    And now times have changed, and the university years seem extremely important to me. For you, student years are a period of establishing social connections, refining some hypotheses, an opportunity to try and figure out what you want. Plus an element of a carefree life.

    About starting a business in the 90s

    — The vast majority of entrepreneurs who started their activities in the late 80s — early 90s will not tell you that it was a difficult period. It was a romantic period, a time of a free market, weak competition, where many things had to be built from scratch: inventing new schemes, literally creating industries — it was an interesting challenge. And the most difficult thing — and nothing has changed here today — is to go through your own crises. Everyone faces them, but if you are an entrepreneur, then your crises, as a rule, concern not only you, but also your business and the people you are responsible for. My crises were difficult, but useful, they gave the greatest impetus for further development. When you cope with this, you seem to be renewed, you become a little — or not a little — a different person.

    On how to choose your path

    — I am often asked: how to determine what to do in the future? I used to answer that you need to get to know yourself as early as possible, understand how you are structured, where your strengths are, where your weaknesses are — developmental books, various courses, psychology can help with this. And once we answered this question together with the outstanding world entrepreneur Len Blavatnik, and he said: you need to try a lot. He spoke about his experience, and he is also right. I had no forks or doubts about which path to choose, but if they are, then you need to try a lot.

    On the difficulties of development activities in a museum city

    — Now that we have dozens of cultural heritage sites behind us, there are no such difficulties. In our work, we need to be open, tell people about our completed projects — this creates trust and the opportunity to have a constructive dialogue with urban conservationists. I think that “urban conservationist” is a good word, for example, Mikhail Borisovich Piotrovsky is an urban conservationist, he and the “World Club of Petersburgers” helped us a lot when we were restoring the Levashovsky Bakery and building our Futurist facility on Barochnaya Street and Levashovsky Prospekt. But it can be difficult to negotiate with those people who only call themselves urban conservationists: they often do not accept any arguments, they simply implement their request for aimless social activity. But we love our city, what we do is our life’s work, this is why we came to this world.

    About digital products and artificial intelligence

    — For the development business, AI projects are still secondary things. But we don’t realize how quickly the world will change. As a physicist friend of mine used to say: At bifurcation points, all events happen much faster. We are at such a point now, and if we talk about key industries, then in the “robotics and artificial intelligence” bundle, the world will change very soon and very much. We still need to “pump up the muscle”, track everything that appears, and teach people to use these tools.

    About a place of power and living life to the fullest

    — My place of power now is the Central Park of Culture and Leisure. I hold meetings with colleagues and friends there, we walk and discuss things. Another place of power is the dacha. Whatever you do, it is important to live a full life: diverse, complex, multi-component. A person can achieve unrealistically great success by doing only one thing. But will such a person be happy? I have big doubts. It is very important to devote time to loved ones, communicate with friends, attend cultural events, play sports — this is what I call living to the fullest.

    About sources of inspiration and energy

    — I get my inspiration from the fact that I love my job very much. I try to do only what I like, what gives me strength and energy. And I am proud of what we do, although we are far from perfect. We measure customer loyalty, the willingness to recommend us, at six stages: buying an apartment, waiting, moving in, renovation, living up to five years, and living after five years. And at the living stage, the loyalty index drops because various everyday difficulties arise. And we get upset if something is not good enough, we try to improve: in the Futurist house, some residents are unhappy with the size of the gym, in our next house “MIR” the gym will be twice as big.

    On the solution to the problem of the “gray belt” of St. Petersburg

    — The “Grey Belt” is a serious conceptual project. There should be an understanding of how much the enterprises there can be modernized, how environmentally neutral they are, whether they can be left in a residential area. And if so, then that’s great, because we need short “transport shoulders”, we don’t need people to go one way in the morning, and then drive kilometers in the other direction in the evening, get stuck in traffic jams. Housing, production, and recreation areas need to be connected.

    On the “excellent strategy” of real estate sales, or how the company plans to stand out from other developers

    — I like your expression “excellent strategy”. Our strategy as premium developers is an outstanding product and outstanding service. When you come to us to buy an apartment, in our sales department you find yourself in an atmosphere of beauty, exquisite aromas, jazz music. You are treated to craft coffee and an exclusive dessert. One of our regular customers recently came to us again to buy an apartment, and he was offered a cheesecake, and he remembered that a year ago he was treated to some unforgettable golden eclairs. And he was a little upset that they were not available today. Then colleagues contacted the manufacturer of these eclairs, found out that they were no longer making them, but somehow agreed to make us a few as an exception. And they delivered a box of golden eclairs to the client in the evening. This is what I call outstanding service. Doing everything for the client and a little more, exceeding expectations.

    At the end of the meeting, Eduard Tiktinsky was traditionally presented with a branded Lepota project T-shirt with number 11. Now we have a full football team, joked the host of the meeting, the head of the news portal department, Evgeny Gusev. And on the second T-shirt, which remained at the Polytechnic, the hero of the evening left an autograph and, apparently inspired by the last question, the following wish: “Become better than yesterday.”

    Photo archive

    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: Manuscript sold for €300 is now attributed to Cyrano de Bergerac – but questions remain about the play’s authorship

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Alisa van de Haar, Assistant Professor in Historical French Literature, Leiden University

    Cyrano de Bergerac illustrated by Zacharie Heince (circa 1654). Gallica Digital Library/Canva, CC BY-SA

    French researchers recently published an edition of a previously unknown 17th-century French play that they argue could be attributed to the French satirist and dramatist Savinien de Cyrano de Bergerac.

    Bibliophiles and literary historians like myself are rejoicing at this discovery, which sheds new light on 17th-century literary, political and libertine culture. However, questions remain regarding the authorship of the comedy.

    Cyrano de Bergerac is best known as the big-nosed protagonist in a 19th-century eponymous play by Edmond Rostand. Adapted for the screen most recently in 2021, Rostand’s play portrays Cyrano de Bergerac as a flamboyant young man who combines the arts of duelling and poetry and is tormented by love for his cousin, Roxane. It caricatures the real Cyrano, who led a tumultuous life that ended tragically when he was only 35.

    Contrary to what Rostand’s play suggests, historians have argued that Cyrano de Bergerac was homosexual. While he enlisted as a musketeer serving the French king for some time, he quit after suffering several wounds. He is often associated with libertine culture, questioning the core dogmas of Christianity and the moral, sexual and political values of 17th-century France.

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    Cyrano de Bergerac wrote a variety of plays, letters and novels, often in a satirical vein. Few were published during his lifetime and his most famous works, Les États et Empires de la Lune (The States and Empires of the Moon) and a sequel on the Sun, were both published posthumously.

    These novels have been characterised as early forms of science fiction. They describe voyages to the Moon and Sun, where the protagonist encounters utopian societies inspired by some aspects of libertine thought. While Cyrano de Bergerac became the object of ridicule by some contemporaries, others – including the acclaimed French playwright Molière – were inspired by his works.

    The 17th-century manuscript now tentatively attributed to Cyrano de Bergerac was brought to the attention of lead researcher Guy Fontaine by the previous owners, who asked him to determine its possible author.

    However, in 2022, before Fontaine and his research team were able to draw any conclusions, the manuscript was sold at an auction for the low sum of €300 (£257). The auction catalogue attributed it to the minor playwright Gabriel Gilbert.

    But Fontaine and his team later concluded that the attribution to Gilbert was unlikely. According to them, the manuscript, which contains a comedy written out over 70 pages, points in the direction of Cyrano de Bergerac.

    Cyrano, a film based on the Edmond Rostand play Cyrano de Bergerac, was released in 2021.

    The play, entitled L’Art de Persuader (The Art of Persuasion), tells the story of two young men seeking to marry two women, incidentally both named Julie, in a traditional structure in five acts. The play shows an experienced playwright at work, aware of both classical and contemporary models.

    Set against the backdrop of Paris during the political upheavals involving Cardinal Mazarin and the thirty years’ war, the political events described in the play allowed the researchers to situate its creation in the final years of the 1640s or first half of the 1650s. These dates are corroborated by physical evidence. The play is written in a mid-17th-century handwriting style, and watermarks found in the paper were only in use until 1656.

    This timeline corresponds to the the active years of Cyrano de Bergerac, who emerged as a potential author because of the combined presence of a number of elements in the comedy. The play’s references to libertine ideas and Epicurean philosophy, a topic with which Cyrano de Bergerac was familiar, point in his direction.

    L’Art de Persuader’s style, including many Latin influences, and division into acts and scenes bear similarity to Cyrano de Bergerac’s known plays, as does the pairing of its characters, who often appear in duos. The locations mentioned in the play all have some connection to the historical Bergerac – and the author’s most famous theme, the Moon, is also mentioned.

    Reason for caution

    Despite the clear similarities with the style and themes preferred by Cyrano de Bergerac, the researchers remain cautious with their claim – and rightly so. Many of the elements that correspond with his style, such as the pairing of characters, were in fashion in the mid-17th century and can be found in the works of other writers, too.

    No single element connects the play irrefutably to this particular libertine author. An additional problem is that an expert in 17th-century handwriting who was consulted by the research team was unable to definitively match the writing of the manuscript to Cyrano de Bergerac’s.

    The edition of L’Art de Persuader published by the research team will enable other experts of Cyrano de Bergerac to shed their light on the authorship question. But whoever the author is, this play is of interest to literary historians as it provides new insights into the interplay between political history and theatre culture, as well as into libertine writing and the influence of Latin comedy – in particular Plautus – on baroque literature.

    For any bibliophile or historian, finding such an important text at an auction is a dream come true. And though rare, this is not the only major literary find of recent years. Take, for example the handwritten poems by Emily Brontë and the sole surviving copy of an early edition of the Bay Psalm Book, both of which came up for auction in 2021.

    When part of a private collection, however, these materials are difficult for researchers to access. It is therefore all the more valuable when owners contact specialists themselves, which is how Fontaine and his team first learned about this precious French play. For now, their edition is the only way to study this manuscript as, following the auction, it is in private hands.

    Alisa van de Haar 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. Manuscript sold for €300 is now attributed to Cyrano de Bergerac – but questions remain about the play’s authorship – https://theconversation.com/manuscript-sold-for-300-is-now-attributed-to-cyrano-de-bergerac-but-questions-remain-about-the-plays-authorship-254315

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: What lies ahead for South Korea after the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Yoon Walker, PhD Candidate in the School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics, SOAS, University of London

    South Korea’s constitutional court upheld the parliament’s decision to impeach the country’s suspended president, Yoon Suk Yeol, on April 4. The court stated that, by declaring martial law in December, Yoon had taken actions that were beyond the powers granted by South Korea’s constitution.

    Yoon is also facing criminal charges for allegedly leading an insurrection with the martial law attempt. While the criminal trial is separate from the impeachment, the court’s ruling that the martial law decree was unconstitutional could undermine Yoon’s defence of presidential authority.

    Separate to this charge, Yoon is being investigated for obstructing arrest after his security team blocked attempts by the police to detain him at his residence in January. His security service refused police warrants for search and seizure, citing national security concerns.

    Yoon has been stripped of his presidential rights, including the privilege of staying in the newly built presidential residence in Seoul and being buried at the national cemetery when he passes away.

    South Koreans will now elect a new president. But, in a country beset by deep societal division, the new leader will face an uphill battle to return the nation to stability.

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

    Since parliament approved Yoon’s impeachment over 100 days ago, South Korea has been divided between Yoon’s supporters, who see him as the victim of a political establishment that has been overrun by “communists”, and those in favour of his removal. There have been weekly protests from both camps.

    Most conservative politicians from Yoon’s People Power party (PPP) stood by him throughout the political upheaval. But many have started to distance themselves from him now that he has been dismissed, especially as any criminal conviction could be a setback for the party in the upcoming snap election.

    Shortly after the constitutional court’s ruling was delivered, Kwon Young-se, the PPP’s interim leader, issued an official statement declaring that the party “solemnly accepts and humbly respects” the decision. This marked a sharp contrast to the position the party had previously taken during the crisis. Many PPP members had been involved in protests organised by supporters of Yoon.

    The political stance of far-right figures is also changing. Jeon Kwang-hoon, a Protestant pastor at the forefront of the anti-impeachment movement and an advocate for the “right to resist”, has rejected the court’s ruling on Yoon’s impeachment. He has also urged his followers to resist.

    On the other hand, another prominent far-right figure called Jeon Han-gil swiftly changed his stance after the judgment. He expressed his respect for the court’s decision and announced that he would now focus on supporting the upcoming presidential election.

    Electing Yoon’s successor

    With South Korea’s need for a new president confirmed, the date for the snap presidential election has been set for June 3. Both political camps are gearing up for the race.

    Lee Jae-myung, leader of the main opposition Democratic party (DPK), has been Yoon’s most formidable rival. Lee was the DPK’s candidate in the last presidential election in 2022, where he narrowly lost to Yoon by less than 1% of the vote.

    Few others from his party have shown interest in the primary race, including former member of the National Assembly Kim Kyung-soo and the governor of Gyeonggi province, Kim Dong-yeon.

    The situation in the ruling party is more chaotic. With no clear frontrunner, a number of candidates are expected to enter the race.

    These include labour minister Kim Moon-soo, former PPP leader Han Dong-hoon, Daegu mayor Hong Joon-pyo, and Ahn Cheol-soo, a politician who made his name in the tech industry. Experts predict there could be ten candidates in the ruling party’s primary.

    South Korea’s polarisation across political, social, gender and generational lines has intensified in recent years. Lee Jae-myung was even stabbed in the neck in 2024 by a man hoping to prevent him from “becoming president”, resulting in Lee undergoing emergency surgery.

    This division has become even more pronounced since Yoon’s declaration of martial law, with tensions spilling over online and on the streets. The crisis has provided both ends of the political spectrum with an opportunity to solidify their positions, further entrenching this divide.

    During the street protests following the martial law decree, the majority of women in their 20s and 30s took the lead in advocating for Yoon’s impeachment, while many men in the same age group rallied against it.

    As South Korea prepares to elect its next leader, the urgency of uniting a deeply fractured society has never been greater. National unity has long been a central goal for South Korean political leaders, but heightened social divisions are threatening the country’s wellbeing.

    This is being compounded by a range of other pressing issues, including the world’s lowest birth rate, a high suicide rate and soaring housing prices. These paint a sobering picture of the challenges ahead.

    Yoon Walker 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. What lies ahead for South Korea after the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol? – https://theconversation.com/what-lies-ahead-for-south-korea-after-the-impeachment-of-president-yoon-suk-yeol-254082

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Sudan’s war isn’t nearly over – armed civilian groups are rising

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Mohamed Saad, Researcher, Charles University

    Sudan’s war, now entering its third year, has taken another unexpected turn. In March 2025, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), also known as the Janjaweed, withdrew from Khartoum, abandoning the presidential palace and airport.

    This retreat marks a significant contrast to the paramilitary group’s earlier victory when troops stormed the capital in April 2023.

    The fall of Khartoum is a turning point. But, based on my research into Sudan’s political turmoil over the past three decades, I don’t believe recent developments mark the war’s final chapter.

    What began as a power struggle between two military factions is now transforming into a much wider conflict, marked by deepening fragmentation and the rise of armed civilian groups. Across the country, new militias are emerging, many formed by civilians who once had no part in the war.

    The army encouraged civilians to fight, but now it faces a growing number of independent armed groups. In cities and rural areas alike, civilians have taken up arms.

    Some are fighting alongside the army, answering calls from the military leadership, including army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, to defend their neighbourhoods and families. Others have formed self-defence units to protect against looting and violence. Some have joined breakaway militias that have their own agendas.

    These groups don’t share a single goal. Some fight for self-defence, others for political power. Some for revenue and wealth. Others are seeking ethnic control – Sudan’s population has 56 ethnic groups and 595 sub-ethnic groups. This is what makes Sudan’s war even more dangerous: fragmentation is creating multiple mini-wars within the larger conflict.

    How the Rapid Support Forces lost Khartoum

    Several key factors forced the RSF to retreat from Khartoum after it claimed control of the Sudanese capital city two years earlier.

    • Internal fractures: The RSF, built on tribal loyalty, struggled to hold together as the war dragged on. Many factions felt sidelined by its leader, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti.

    • Civilian resistance: The RSF’s reliance on brutality backfired, alienating even those who might have supported them. Instead of consolidating control, they turned civilians into enemies. The RSF relied on terror – looting, mass killings and sexual violence. Instead of gaining control, they provoked fierce resistance. Armed civilians, originally taking up arms in self-defence, have become an informal militia network working against the RSF.

    • Foreign intervention: Reports suggest Egyptian airstrikes and tactical support helped the army take Khartoum. Additionally, Turkish-made Bayraktar drones weakened RSF positions. With supply lines cut, the RSF had no choice but to retreat.

    Khartoum was not just a battlefield defeat for the RSF. It was a turning point in how the war is fought – it’s no longer a military struggle but a battle involving armed civilians across Sudan.

    Based on reports from humanitarian organisations, conflict monitors and local testimonies, a clearer picture has emerged of a growing number of armed groups operating across Sudan. These groups have formed in response to the escalating conflict.

    Recent analyses highlight that arms trafficking and intensified community mobilisation have accelerated within the past two years.

    Read more: Omar al-Bashir brutalised Sudan – how his 30-year legacy is playing out today

    Neighbourhood defence units have emerged in urban areas like El-Gezira in central Sudan, El-Fasher in North Darfur, Al-Dalang in South Kordofan, El-Obeid in North Kordofan, Babanusa in West Kordofan and Khartoum. They were initially formed to protect residential zones from the RSF but have since expanded their roles and increasingly operate outside the oversight of the army.

    Tribal and regional militias have also become more prominent, particularly in Darfur and Kordofan. In these regions, entrenched ethnic and political rivalries have intertwined with the current war. Some of these militia groups have aligned with the army. Others remain independent, pursuing their own agendas, which include securing territory.

    In Darfur, growing anger at Hemedti’s favouritism towards his own tribe (Rizeigat) led to defections. Internal divisions within the RSF have played a major role in its recent losses. Some former RSF fighters have formed their own militias. The RSF was never a unified force, but a tribal alliance dominated by the Dagalo family and Rizeigat elites. Initially, gold revenues secured loyalty, but as the war has dragged on, internal fractures have deepened.

    Another ethnic-linked group is the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North. It has expanded its control in Kordofan and Blue Nile, two resource-rich regions in southern Sudan. The group allied with the RSF to push its own agenda, which includes securing greater autonomy for these regions and promoting a secular political framework that challenges Khartoum’s Islamist-leaning governance. Other ethnic militias also operate in eastern Sudan, supported by neighbouring countries such as Eritrea, further escalating the situation.

    Islamist-linked militias are also on the rise. The main example of these groups is El Baraa Ibn Malik Brigade, which emerged as a key player supporting the army against the RSF. Reports link the group to remnants of the Omar al-Bashir regime (1993-2019) – the dissolved Popular Defence Forces. This was a paramilitary group established in the mid-1980s to defend Arab tribes and support the military. It flourished under the al-Bashir regime.

    What next?

    While the RSF’s retreat from Khartoum is a major victory for the Sudanese army, it doesn’t mean stability is returning. Instead, Sudan is now facing a dangerous new reality: the rise of civilian militarisation.

    If not reined in, these groups could evolve and establish de facto warlord-run territories where local commanders wield unchecked power. This would undermine any prospects for centralised governance in Sudan.

    Read more: Sudan is burning and foreign powers are benefiting – what’s in it for the UAE

    With militias multiplying and no clear political solution, Sudan risks becoming a battlefield of warring factions.

    Meanwhile, international mediators are struggling to find a solution while foreign interference continues. The United Arab Emirates, a major RSF backer, still supports Hemedti financially, ensuring he remains active in Sudan’s gold trade.

    – Sudan’s war isn’t nearly over – armed civilian groups are rising
    – https://theconversation.com/sudans-war-isnt-nearly-over-armed-civilian-groups-are-rising-254100

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Sudan’s war isn’t nearly over – armed civilian groups are rising

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Mohamed Saad, Researcher, Charles University

    Sudan’s war, now entering its third year, has taken another unexpected turn. In March 2025, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), also known as the Janjaweed, withdrew from Khartoum, abandoning the presidential palace and airport.

    This retreat marks a significant contrast to the paramilitary group’s earlier victory when troops stormed the capital in April 2023.

    The fall of Khartoum is a turning point. But, based on my research into Sudan’s political turmoil over the past three decades, I don’t believe recent developments mark the war’s final chapter.

    What began as a power struggle between two military factions is now transforming into a much wider conflict, marked by deepening fragmentation and the rise of armed civilian groups. Across the country, new militias are emerging, many formed by civilians who once had no part in the war.

    The army encouraged civilians to fight, but now it faces a growing number of independent armed groups. In cities and rural areas alike, civilians have taken up arms.

    Some are fighting alongside the army, answering calls from the military leadership, including army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, to defend their neighbourhoods and families. Others have formed self-defence units to protect against looting and violence. Some have joined breakaway militias that have their own agendas.

    These groups don’t share a single goal. Some fight for self-defence, others for political power. Some for revenue and wealth. Others are seeking ethnic control – Sudan’s population has 56 ethnic groups and 595 sub-ethnic groups. This is what makes Sudan’s war even more dangerous: fragmentation is creating multiple mini-wars within the larger conflict.

    How the Rapid Support Forces lost Khartoum

    Several key factors forced the RSF to retreat from Khartoum after it claimed control of the Sudanese capital city two years earlier.

    • Internal fractures: The RSF, built on tribal loyalty, struggled to hold together as the war dragged on. Many factions felt sidelined by its leader, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti.

    • Civilian resistance: The RSF’s reliance on brutality backfired, alienating even those who might have supported them. Instead of consolidating control, they turned civilians into enemies. The RSF relied on terror – looting, mass killings and sexual violence. Instead of gaining control, they provoked fierce resistance. Armed civilians, originally taking up arms in self-defence, have become an informal militia network working against the RSF.

    • Foreign intervention: Reports suggest Egyptian airstrikes and tactical support helped the army take Khartoum. Additionally, Turkish-made Bayraktar drones weakened RSF positions. With supply lines cut, the RSF had no choice but to retreat.

    Khartoum was not just a battlefield defeat for the RSF. It was a turning point in how the war is fought – it’s no longer a military struggle but a battle involving armed civilians across Sudan.

    Based on reports from humanitarian organisations, conflict monitors and local testimonies, a clearer picture has emerged of a growing number of armed groups operating across Sudan. These groups have formed in response to the escalating conflict.

    Recent analyses highlight that arms trafficking and intensified community mobilisation have accelerated within the past two years.



    Read more:
    Omar al-Bashir brutalised Sudan – how his 30-year legacy is playing out today

    Neighbourhood defence units have emerged in urban areas like El-Gezira in central Sudan, El-Fasher in North Darfur, Al-Dalang in South Kordofan, El-Obeid in North Kordofan, Babanusa in West Kordofan and Khartoum. They were initially formed to protect residential zones from the RSF but have since expanded their roles and increasingly operate outside the oversight of the army.

    Tribal and regional militias have also become more prominent, particularly in Darfur and Kordofan. In these regions, entrenched ethnic and political rivalries have intertwined with the current war. Some of these militia groups have aligned with the army. Others remain independent, pursuing their own agendas, which include securing territory.

    In Darfur, growing anger at Hemedti’s favouritism towards his own tribe (Rizeigat) led to defections. Internal divisions within the RSF have played a major role in its recent losses. Some former RSF fighters have formed their own militias. The RSF was never a unified force, but a tribal alliance dominated by the Dagalo family and Rizeigat elites. Initially, gold revenues secured loyalty, but as the war has dragged on, internal fractures have deepened.

    Another ethnic-linked group is the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North. It has expanded its control in Kordofan and Blue Nile, two resource-rich regions in southern Sudan. The group allied with the RSF to push its own agenda, which includes securing greater autonomy for these regions and promoting a secular political framework that challenges Khartoum’s Islamist-leaning governance. Other ethnic militias also operate in eastern Sudan, supported by neighbouring countries such as Eritrea, further escalating the situation.

    Islamist-linked militias are also on the rise. The main example of these groups is El Baraa Ibn Malik Brigade, which emerged as a key player supporting the army against the RSF. Reports link the group to remnants of the Omar al-Bashir regime (1993-2019) – the dissolved Popular Defence Forces. This was a paramilitary group established in the mid-1980s to defend Arab tribes and support the military. It flourished under the al-Bashir regime.

    What next?

    While the RSF’s retreat from Khartoum is a major victory for the Sudanese army, it doesn’t mean stability is returning. Instead, Sudan is now facing a dangerous new reality: the rise of civilian militarisation.

    If not reined in, these groups could evolve and establish de facto warlord-run territories where local commanders wield unchecked power. This would undermine any prospects for centralised governance in Sudan.



    Read more:
    Sudan is burning and foreign powers are benefiting – what’s in it for the UAE

    With militias multiplying and no clear political solution, Sudan risks becoming a battlefield of warring factions.

    Meanwhile, international mediators are struggling to find a solution while foreign interference continues. The United Arab Emirates, a major RSF backer, still supports Hemedti financially, ensuring he remains active in Sudan’s gold trade.

    Mohamed Saad 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. Sudan’s war isn’t nearly over – armed civilian groups are rising – https://theconversation.com/sudans-war-isnt-nearly-over-armed-civilian-groups-are-rising-254100

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Proper nutrition and sound sleep: Polytechnicians celebrated World Health Day

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

    The SPbPU Public Relations Department, the Higher School of Media Communications and Public Relations of the Humanitarian Institute and Polyclinic No. 76 held Health Week for students and staff of the university as part of the Lepota project. It is traditionally timed to coincide with the celebration of World Health Day, which is celebrated on April 7. The theme for 2025 is balanced nutrition.

    Being healthy is not just a fashion trend, but a vital necessity. During the week, participants learned how to eat tasty and healthy food without buying expensive products.

    On April 3, a live broadcast with fitness trainer Tatyana Krutko took place. Viewers learned how sports can help in studying, whether it will be effective without proper nutrition, and much more.

    The key event of the Health Week was a Q&A session with endocrinologist-nutritionist of Polyclinic No. 76 Ekaterina Medvedeva in the Polytechnic Tower. Together with the speaker, the students discussed what healthy eating is and how to make it part of their lives, how to replace bad habits with useful tips, and what is actually considered a “balanced diet.” At the end of the meeting, the participants consolidated their knowledge with a quiz and won gifts from partners.

    “We are proud that Polytechnic University supports the project that we have been implementing for the third year already,” said the head of the organizing team, fourth-year student of the Advertising and Public Relations program Ekaterina Dyakova. “We are very glad that this time Polyclinic No. 76 helped to hold the event. Thanks to this, we were able to really delve deeply into the topic of balanced nutrition and prepare useful materials and activities. We want as many Polytechnic students as possible to take care of themselves and eat right – after all, health is built in youth!”

    All week long, participants received advice on diet planning, budget nutrition and physical activity, as well as healthy snack recipes. Students were also able to take part in the Healthy Plate drawing and shared their meal plans. The winners received gifts for a healthy lifestyle.

    Health Week has become a good tradition at the Polytechnic University. At the online intensive course “GET A GOOD SLEEP!” in 2023, participants learned about the importance of quality sleep and rest, and also received recommendations from a psychologist and somnologist on how to improve their well-being. In 2024, as part of Health Week, students were able to learn about dopamine addiction, physical inactivity, and biohacking from specialists in improving physical and mental health.

    Join us next year and stay healthy!

    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: Future of St. Petersburg: Polytechnic projects win RBC foresight

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

    The results of the final of the 10th RBC Petersburg foresight “Petersburg project. City of the new era with Petersburg identity” have been summed up. Senior students determined how to preserve the unique image of the city in the era of new technologies and approaches in architecture and urban development. Six teams presented their projects, three of which included students from the Polytechnic University.

    The jury included representatives of universities and development companies. Polytechnic was represented by ISI teacher, member of the Union of Architects and guide of the company “Petersburg through the eyes of an engineer” Alexandra Zatsepin. The chairman of the jury was the vice-governor of St. Petersburg Vladimir Knyaginin.

    The winner of the foresight was the project “Capillary City”, developed by students of SPbPU, ITMO, SPbAH, EUSP and RANEPA under the supervision of the head of the MLA Yana Golubeva and assistant of the Department of Public Administration of the Higher School of Management of St. Petersburg State University Egor Starshov.

    An interdisciplinary team, which included 6th-year students of the specialty “Construction of Unique Buildings and Structures” of SPbPU Ekaterina Zorina and Lyudmila Morshchakova, presented a network of artificial channels that will work like capillaries in the body.

    By distributing and recycling water, they will prevent the city from flooding due to global warming and solve transport problems. The students also designed different water transport station pavilions depending on the architecture of the area in which they will be located and calculated the cost of implementing the project.

    At the presentation, the guys demonstrated flooding on a model of St. Petersburg, and then invited the participants on a virtual tour of the designed area that solves this problem.

    The team, led by Fyodor Konkov, managing partner of the Urbanika Institute of Territorial Planning, included SPbPU students Valeria Kozodaeva and Lyudmila Suslina. They decided to combine the main elements of St. Petersburg identity with the familiar image of a chubby girl.

    We took as a basis the idea of a constructor, which implies a systemic approach and can be used in old and new buildings. The donut symbolizes the identity of St. Petersburg, which we propose to extrapolate to the outskirts of the city. By highlighting the improvement, characteristic materials, development and lifestyle, we offer an approach that can achieve the integrity of the city’s image, which is also economically feasible, – said 6th-year student of the specialty “Construction of Unique Buildings and Structures” Valeriya Kozodayeva.

    The team, which performed under the supervision of the honored architect of Russia, professor of the International Academy of Architecture Vladimir Linov, included a first-year student of the master’s program at SPbPU, Kerim Ibragimov. The guys presented the St. Petersburg identity in the form of an updated concept of an apartment building.

    The lower floors will house commercial premises, parking and public areas, including a possible kindergarten, while apartments of varying comfort levels will be located above. The unique feature is the use of stained glass art, which links the architecture with Russia’s historical heritage. The name of the Ville de verre complex, which translates as “Glass Town”, refers to the glass factory that was once located near the area. Stained glass will decorate the facades of the buildings and infrastructure facilities, such as a noise barrier and a pedestrian bridge, Kerim Ibragimov commented.

    The winning team was awarded a certificate for 100,000 rubles, and the organizers presented certificates for 40,000 rubles to the five teams that received participant diplomas.

    Thanks to RBC for the opportunity to work on an interesting project in an interdisciplinary team. Our project turned out to be futuristic: we drew new canals on the general plan of St. Petersburg, came up with stations along the route of motor ships and even developed boarding passes for jury members, – shared 6th-year student of the specialty “Construction of Unique Buildings and Structures” Ekaterina Zorina.

    Foresight became a platform for students, the jury and guests of the event to exchange ideas. Such events are very necessary for the city, because they raise the general professional level of participants and move architecture forward, – added ISI teacher Alexandra Zatsepina.

    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: Vladislav Rusanov: “Discipline and team spirit in football help to conquer academic heights”

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

    Today we are talking to Vladislav Rusanov, whose story is a vivid example of how one can successfully combine professional sports and studies. Vladislav is a second-year student of the master’s program at the Institute of Mechanics and Technology of St. Petersburg Polytechnic University in the direction of “Management. Project and Product Management in a Competitive Business Environment” and a professional football player, goalkeeper of the football club “Leon-Saturn”. He told us about his path in sports, his studies at the Polytechnic University and how he manages to maintain a balance between these two spheres. Read the interview in our traditional project “Persona”.

    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: How NASA Science Data Defends Earth from Asteroids

    Source: NASA

    The asteroid 2024 YR4 made headlines in February with the news that it had a chance of hitting Earth on Dec. 22, 2032, as determined by an analysis from NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) at the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. The probability of collision peaked at over 3% on Feb. 18 — the highest ever recorded for an object of its size. This sparked concerns about the damage the asteroid might do should it hit Earth.
    New data collected in the following days lowered the probability to well under 1%, and 2024 YR4 is no longer considered a potential Earth impactor. However, the event underscored the importance of surveying asteroid populations to reveal possible threats to Earth. Sharing scientific data widely allows scientists to determine the risk posed by the near-Earth asteroid population and increases the chances of identifying future asteroid impact hazards in NASA science data.
    “The planetary defense community realizes the value of making data products available to everyone,” said James “Gerbs” Bauer, the principal investigator for NASA’s Planetary Data System Small Bodies Node at the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland.

    Professional scientists and citizen scientists worldwide play a role in tracking asteroids. The Minor Planet Center, which is housed at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Cambridge, Massachusetts, collects and verifies vast numbers of asteroid and comet position observations submitted from around the globe. NASA’s Small Bodies Node distributes the data from the Minor Planet Center for anyone who wants to access and use it.
    A near-Earth object (NEO) is an asteroid or comet whose orbit brings it within 120 million miles of the Sun, which means it can circulate through Earth’s orbital neighborhood. If a newly discovered object looks like it might be an NEO, information about the object appears on the Minor Planet Center’s NEO Confirmation Page. Members of the planetary science community, whether or not they are professional scientists, are encouraged to follow up on these objects to discover where they’re heading.

    When an asteroid’s trajectory looks concerning, CNEOS alerts NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office at NASA Headquarters in Washington, which manages NASA’s ongoing effort to protect Earth from dangerous asteroids. NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office also coordinates the International Asteroid Warning Network (IAWN), which is the worldwide collaboration of asteroid observers and modelers.
    Orbit analysis centers such as CNEOS perform finer calculations to nail down the probability of an asteroid colliding with Earth. The open nature of the data allows the community to collaborate and compare, ensuring the most accurate determinations possible.

    The asteroid 2024 YR4 was initially discovered by the NASA-funded ATLAS (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System) survey, which aims to discover potentially hazardous asteroids. Scientists studied additional data about the asteroid from different observatories funded by NASA and from other telescopes across the IAWN.
    At first, 2024 YR4 had a broad uncertainty in its future trajectory that passed over Earth. As the planetary defense community collected more observations, the range of possibilities for the asteroid’s future position on Dec. 22, 2032 clustered over Earth, raising the apparent chances of collision. However, with the addition of even more data points, the cluster of possibilities eventually moved off Earth.

    Having multiple streams of data available for analysis helps scientists quickly learn more about NEOs. This sometimes involves using data from observatories that are mainly used for astrophysics or heliophysics surveys, rather than for tracking asteroids.
    “The planetary defense community both benefits from and is beneficial to the larger planetary and astronomy related ecosystem,” said Bauer, who is also a research professor in the Department of Astronomy at the University of Maryland. “Much of the NEO survey data can also be used for searching astrophysical transients like supernova events. Likewise, astrophysical sky surveys produce data of interest to the planetary defense community.”

    In 2022, NASA’s DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) mission successfully impacted with the asteroid Dimorphos, shortening the time it takes to orbit around its companion asteroid Didymos by 33 minutes. Didymos had no chance of hitting Earth, but the DART mission’s success means that NASA has a tested technique to consider when addressing a future asteroid potential impact threat.

    To increase the chances of discovering asteroid threats to Earth well in advance, NASA is working on a new space-based observatory, NEO Surveyor, which will be the first spacecraft specifically designed to look for asteroids and comets that pose a hazard to Earth. The mission is expected to launch in the fall of 2027, and the data it collects will be available to everyone through NASA archives.
    “Many of the NEOs that pose a risk to Earth remain to be found,” Bauer said. “An asteroid impact has a very low likelihood at any given time, but consequences could be high, and open science is an       important component to being vigilant.”
    For more information about NASA’s approach to sharing science data, visit:
    https://science.nasa.gov/open-science.
    By Lauren Leese Web Content Strategist for the Office of the Chief Science Data Officer 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Ring Energy Provides Board of Directors Update

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    THE WOODLANDS, Texas, April 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ring Energy, Inc. (NYSE American: REI) (“Ring” or the “Company”) today provided an update concerning its Board of Directors (the “Board”), including the retirement of Ms. Regina Roesener effective April 14, 2025 and the appointment of Ms. Carla Tharp to the Board effective April 14, 2025 who will serve as an independent Director.

    Mr. Paul D. McKinney, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, commented, “It has been a pleasure to work closely with Regina as a fellow Director. She joined our Board in 2019 and her financial markets and board governance experience was greatly valued. On behalf of the entire Board, I want to thank Regina for the strong strategic guidance and oversight she consistently provided in support of Ring’s stockholders, and we wish her all the best in retirement.”

    About Ms. Carla Tharp

    Ms. Tharp is the CEO of Apoyar Energy, an upstream oil and gas exploration and production company focused on international assets. She most recently served as President of C.T. Tharp & Co., an independent consulting firm concentrating on global acquisitions and divestitures. Ms. Tharp served in multiple key positions at APA Corporation (formerly Apache Corporation) from 2020 through 2023 leading multi-disciplinary teams, including as Vice President of New Business & Commercial, Vice President of Corporate Development, and Vice President of Reserves. Prior to Apache, she served as Managing Director of Energy Investment Banking at Raymond James Financial, Inc., as well as Director of Acquisitions and Divestitures at Citigroup Inc. and Lantana Energy Advisors. Ms. Tharp graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering before working as a reservoir engineer in transactions and reserves reporting, senior and mezzanine debt finance and in a private equity portfolio company. She is a licensed professional engineer in Texas and has held Series 79 and 63 FINRA licenses.

    Mr. McKinney concluded, “We look forward to Carla’s contributions to the Board as she brings an extensive and impressive technical and financial background in the upstream oil and gas business that complements the skills and expertise of our other Directors. Her proven multi-decade track record of sourcing, evaluating, and executing significant organic and external value-enhancing opportunities will prove invaluable as Ring continues to execute its proven strategy designed to further position the Company for long-term success.”

    ABOUT RING ENERGY, INC.

    Ring Energy, Inc. is an oil and gas exploration, development, and production company with current operations focused on the development of its Permian Basin assets. For additional information, please visit www.ringenergy.com.

    SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT

    This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements involve a wide variety of risks and uncertainties, and include, without limitation, statements with respect to the Company’s strategy and prospects, regarding the composition of the Company’s board of directors, and the expectation that Ms. Tharp will help Ring execute its strategy designed to further position the Company for long-term success. The forward-looking statements include the Company’s ability execute its proven strategy designed to further position the Company for long-term success. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and subject to numerous assumptions and analyses made by Ring and its management considering their experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors appropriate under the circumstances. However, whether actual results and developments will conform to expectations is subject to a number of material risks and uncertainties. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties which are disclosed in the Company’s reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including its Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, and its other SEC filings. Ring undertakes no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

    CONTACT INFORMATION

    Al Petrie Advisors
    Al Petrie, Senior Partner
    Phone: 281-975-2146
    Email: apetrie@ringenergy.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: South Africa’s coalition government is crumbling: why collapse would carry a heavy cost

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Vinothan Naidoo, Associate Professor of Public Policy and Administration, University of Cape Town

    South Africa’s multi-party government of national unity (GNU), which emerged in the wake of the May 2024 elections, marked a turning point in the country’s political history. It took South Africans back to the 1990s, when the country showed that political opponents could find common cause.

    The formation of the government of national unity expressed the hope that the country could do it again.

    But just nine months into its term, the good will and pragmatism which marked its formation have worn thin. A major budget impasse between the two major actors, the African National Congress (ANC) and the Democratic Alliance (DA), threatens the coalition.

    South Africans have long been accustomed to viewing the world of politics, governance and bureaucracy through the lens of a top-down “strong” state – a vicious apartheid state, an East Asia style developmental state, or a collusive “predatory state”.

    But as recent analyses we co-authored with others have detailed, the vision of a top-down politically cohesive state no longer fits South Africa’s realities.

    The government of national unity promised the hope that the country was embracing an approach that is key to success for almost all inclusive constitutional democracies. That is – abandon “all or nothing” confrontation, and instead pursue pragmatic bargains to achieve mutually agreeable policy outcomes.

    At the most basic level, the government of national unity achieved this, at least for a while. The sharing of cabinet ministries between multiple parties created a diverse platform for executive power-sharing that was not dictated by a single dominant party, and which prevented the risks of parties building institutional fiefdoms.

    In our view, failure to overcome deeply ingrained political differences could set off a downward spiral in the country.

    Achievements on the governance front

    On governance, the government of national unity created the space to pursue two sets of gains.

    The first comprises the potential benefit of bringing together unlikely bedfellows.

    The former opposition parties brought into a power-sharing arrangement were bound to be performance-driven, given the country’s long deteriorating government performance and ethical integrity. They had made “good governance” and criticism of the ANC central to their political brands.

    New “outsider” eyes brought into formerly cloistered and factionalised ANC-run departments created the possibility of a new urgency to perform.

    It’s too soon to tell whether this is happening, but anecdotal evidence suggests there are some green shoots.

    The second governance gain comprises the crucial task of building a capable and professional state bureaucracy. The challenges include being able to pay the public sector wage bill, fostering a culture of delivery, and consolidating the bloated network of government departments.

    Based on their party manifestos and public utterances, members of the government all aim to professionalise the public service.

    Detailed technical work is already happening on issues such as training and competency assessment, transferring powers of appointment from politicians to senior public servants, and instituting checks in the recruitment and selection process. The National Assembly’s recent adoption of the Public Service Commission Bill forms part of this agenda.

    But a prolonged legal dispute between the DA and ANC over the latter’s policy of “deploying” party members into state employment risks scuppering progress. It also leaves a key question unanswered: what role, if any, should political parties have in the recruitment and selection of public servants?

    Policy

    The government of national unity has struggled to create effective mechanisms to translate agreement on a broad agenda of policy priorities into specific outcomes. This came at a higher cost than expected.

    Still, it has made gains in challenging policy areas. These gains have repeatedly been undermined by the perverse determination of sections within both the ANC and the DA to engage in brinkmanship.

    On health, both parties agree on the principle of universalising access. They differ on how to achieve this. But at least one seemingly intractable sticking point has been resolved. Both sides agree that private medical aid schemes need to be retained as part of a broader strategy of pursuing health system reform.

    On basic education, the public spat over the Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill overshadows the potential to agree on balancing the autonomy of school governing bodies with the oversight role of provincial departments.

    Read more: South Africa has a new education law: some love it, some hate it – education expert explains why

    On land expropriation, the emotive rhetoric which followed the signing of the Expropriation Bill and the unwelcome and toxic intervention of international actors has overshadowed technical concerns which can be resolved.

    On pro-growth policies: Operation Vulindlela, a joint Presidency and National Treasury initiative to unblock constraints in targeted economic sectors, has made significant strides. It has laid the groundwork for new rounds of growth-supporting infrastructural reforms and has the potential to build cohesion in the government of national unity. However, the DA’s attempt to lobby for a greater role in the strategic oversight of Operation Vulindlela in exchange for supporting the budget risks souring relations with the ANC.

    What now?

    A thriving inclusive society depends on powerful actors visibly committed to co-operation.

    For all of the challenges confronting the government of national unity, it was built on a foundation of pragmatism. For the sake of South Africa’s future, it remains vital to build on this foundation. Obsolete top-down governing approaches must go. Pathways to performance must be lifted above political grandstanding. Constructive solutions should supersede ideological rigidity. South Africa has done it before. It can do it again.

    – South Africa’s coalition government is crumbling: why collapse would carry a heavy cost
    – https://theconversation.com/south-africas-coalition-government-is-crumbling-why-collapse-would-carry-a-heavy-cost-254302

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Italy’s Minister of University and Research Ms Anna Maria Bernini calls on Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh

    Source: Government of India

    Italy’s Minister of University and Research Ms Anna Maria Bernini calls on Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh

    The two Ministers discuss deepening collaboration in Quantum Technologies, AI, and Biotechnology

    Dr Jitendra Singh recalls bilateral discussions between PM Modi and PM Meloni on the sidelines of G20 Summit in Brazil

    India and Italy Sign MoU to Boost Cooperation in Science and Technology

    Indo-Italian programme to include 10 research initiatives and 10 collaborative initiatives

    Posted On: 11 APR 2025 3:25PM by PIB Delhi

    In a significant move to enhance bilateral scientific cooperation, Italy’s Minister of University and Research, Ms. Anna Maria Bernini, currently on India visit, called on Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, and Minister of State for PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions, Dept. of Space, Dept. of Atomic Energy met with Italy’s Minister of University and Research, Ms. Anna Maria Bernini, for a high-level meeting at North Block here.

    The hallmark of the meeting was the signing of an MoU of cooperation by the two Ministers. The discussions between the two dignitaries centered on advancing joint initiatives in quantum technologies, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and other emerging sectors.

    Dr. Jitendra Singh recalled the bilateral discussions between Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni held on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Brazil, which culminated in the announcement of a Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025–2029. The plan outlines a shared vision for collaborative innovation in science and technology.

    As part of this vision, both nations signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for cooperation in the field of scientific research and agreed to implement the 2025–2027 Executive Programme for Scientific and Technological Cooperation, aimed at fostering collaboration in critical technologies like AI and digitalization.

    Reaffirming India’s commitment to bilateral research, Dr. Jitendra Singh announced the signing of the Indo-Italian Executive Programme of Cooperation (EPOC) for 2025–2027 on 10th April 2025 during the Joint Science & Technology Committee Meeting.Under the EPOC framework, both countries have successfully implemented over 150 joint research projects to date.

    The current programme includes joint funding for 10 research mobility proposals and 10 significant collaborative research initiatives across a wide range of scientific disciplines.

    Dr. Jitendra Singh highlighted India’s robust progress in areas such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), High-Performance Computing (HPC), Big Data, and biotechnology. He noted that India’s strategic investments and policies are steering the nation toward becoming a global hub of emerging technologies.

    Sharing key achievements, Dr. Jitendra Singh mentioned about India’s pioneering development of a DNA-based COVID-19 vaccine, which was later gifted to many countries in need.The development and launch of the HPV vaccine and Nafithromycin, an indigenous antibiotic for respiratory infections.The country’s first-ever gene therapy trial, which has been a success.The creation of a national genome data bank to support personalized medicine and public health research.

    Dr. Jitendra Singh proudly referenced India’s vibrant startup ecosystem, now the third largest globally, with significant contributions from agro-biotech startups. Initiatives such as the Aroma Mission (also known as the Purple Revolution) exemplify innovation in agriculture and floriculture.

    He also highlighted the impact of technology-driven schemes like the Soil Health Card and Swamitva Yojana, which have revolutionized agriculture through drone technology.

    Reflecting India’s commitment to preserving ancient wisdom through modern science, Dr. Singh spoke of the Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) — a unique initiative that digitizes and protects traditional Indian knowledge using cutting-edge technology.

    Dr. Jitendra Singh, also the Minister of Earth Sciences, briefed the delegation about India’s ambitious Deep Ocean Mission, which aims to send an Indian submersible 6,000 meters deep into the ocean. The trial dive up to 500 meters is set to commence next year.

    Both countries reiterated their commitment to long-standing cooperation in fields such as Infectious diseases, Quantum technologies, green hydrogen and renewable energy, Cultural heritage preservation technologies and Sustainable Blue Economy.

    They also agreed to explore new collaborative areas such as Industry 4.0, Clean energy.

    Dr. Jitendra Singh also identified other mutual sectors, including academic and industrial partnerships involving SMEs and startups from both nations.

    Dr. Rajesh Gokhale, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology and Prof. Abhay Karandikar, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology were also part of the high-level meet.

    ****

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Southsea seafront is sheer poetry

    Source: City of Portsmouth

    A poem written by the Poet Laureate Simon Armitage has been integrated into the promenade near Southsea Castle as part of Portsmouth City Council’s commitment to incorporate public art into the Southsea Coastal Scheme.

    The poem is entitled ‘The Theatre of the Sea’ after the name given to the multi-tiered promenade around the castle which offers stunning views across the Solent.

    It was unveiled as part of Portsmouth’s Year of Literature and Literacy 2025.

    Southsea has special significance to the Poet Laureate as he has connections to the local area from his time as an undergraduate student at Portsmouth Polytechnic (now the University of Portsmouth).

    Poet Laureate Simon Armitage said: “It’s four decades since I graduated from Portsmouth as a geography student; a lot has changed in that time and I see it now with the eyes of a poet.

    “Being invited to write a poem that will become part of its new geography has been a great honour and a wonderful kind of reunion.”

    The poem is part of a Portsmouth City Council programme of creative projects featuring a balance of local artists and artists with a national or international profile.

    Portsmouth City Council Leader Cllr Steve Pitt said:

    “We’re honoured that Simon Armitage has written a poem especially for Portsmouth and it adds something really special to the Southsea Coastal Scheme.

    “This is one of an exciting programme of public art projects that we are planning for the seafront which will celebrate local themes and stories and offer lots of opportunities for local artists.”

    The Theatre of the Sea

    The performance is never the same one day

    to the next. A cruise ship enters stage left

    or a gull swoops down and steals the scene;

    what song the weather will sing is anyone’s guess.

    The moon’s reflection understudies the full moon,

    then at noon the sun delivers its big speech,

    costumed in flowing robes, and still gets outshone

    by the extras and bit parts of yachts and clouds.

    Beyond the orchestra pit of the sea wall

    the hovercraft sashays in for its curtain call.

    But maybe you’re the real star of the show,

    playing your true self, watched from a balcony sky,

    lit by the footlights of coast and shore.

    You stand to leave and the waves rise to applaud.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Habits from childhood: how school years shape leisure time

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: State University Higher School of Economics – State University Higher School of Economics –

    Moving to a big city does not always radically change daily habits. A study by the Higher School of Economics showed that an adult’s leisure preferences are largely determined in childhood and depend on where he spent his school years. This is the conclusion reached by an employee Faculty of Economic Sciences HSE Sergey Korotayev after studying the leisure habits of more than 5,000 Russians.

    The environment in which a person lives shapes his daily habits: how he spends his leisure time, what cultural and social activities he chooses. However, as the employee found out Laboratories for comparative analysis of the development of post-socialist societies Faculty of Economic Sciences of the National Research University Higher School of Economics Sergey Korotaev in the newresearch, lifestyle is influenced not only by the current place of residence. The home town where a person graduated from school also plays an important role.

    The study is based on a data set from the project “Social Differences in Modern Russia” and covers more than 5,000 respondents aged 24 to 55. The questionnaires took into account various activity indicators: visiting theaters, exhibitions or sports activities, drinking alcohol together, reading books in libraries and playing computer games. This approach allowed us to record a wider range of everyday behavior patterns.

    The results were then divided into three axes: activity versus passivity, cultural practices versus philistine ones, and real actions versus virtual ones. Based on these data, four behavioral clusters were identified: from people with minimal involvement in leisure to those actively attending cultural events. The analysis showed that a higher level of income, education, and professional qualifications is associated with active and cultural lifestyles. Family also influences the choice of leisure in many ways: for example, having a higher education among parents increases the likelihood of cultural and active leisure, both in megacities and in small towns.

    However, it is not only social status that influences behavioral style. Researchers have tracked how leisure time changed for those who moved from one type of settlement to another. It turned out that the habits formed are more than a third explained by where a person lived during their school years. Residents of megacities, as a rule, attend cultural events four times more often than those who grew up in small towns or villages.

    “It can be assumed that moving itself affects leisure. For example, those who moved to a large city will value new opportunities more, and their leisure will be even more diverse and intense. However, the study showed that this does not happen: the habits of those who moved to large cities are in the middle between the habits of the natives of their hometown and the new one,” comments Sergei Korotayev, an employee of the Faculty of Economic Sciences.

    “The context of the move is important: was it related to getting an education or to finding a job in adulthood. This can have a significant impact on what kind of imprint a person’s spatial trajectory leaves on them. But to take this into account, a more complex model and more data are needed,” noted Sergey Korotayev.

    These findings raise important questions for regional policy and urban development. Understanding how leisure habits are formed can help to more effectively develop cultural infrastructure and offer residents of different areas and ages the most suitable leisure formats. The researcher emphasizes that in order to influence people’s daily activity, it is necessary to take into account not only their current environment, but also their biographical context.

    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 New Zealand: Universities – US academic takes reins on Pacific housing research – UoA

    Source: University of Auckland (UoA)

    Indigenous Hawaiian architect and academic Dr James Miller will soon cross the globe to start a new role at the University of Auckland.

    Miller left a role as associate professor at Western Washington University to start at MĀPIHI – Māori and Pacific Housing Research Centre this month.

    The 39-year-old will lead MĀPIHI’s research in Pacific housing.

    Currently working remotely from Washington, Miller plans to move with his family to New Zealand in July.

    The new role appealed partly because of the level of support the University offers Pacific scholars, which is far greater than in most US institutions.

    “MĀPIHI is a unique centre that closely aligns with the research I’ve done in the Pacific, particularly in the Marshall Islands and Hawai’i, around housing security,” he says.

    Miller grew up listening to stories about life in traditional Indigenous Hawaiian housing communities, known as kauhale. His father passed on stories about his childhood, growing up in a ‘camp’ in Hawaii, where the community lived simply in clusters of small houses. While they enjoyed collective spaces, there was no running water or plumbing.

    Miller’s father left Hawai’i for the United States, because of the high cost of living, and has not been able to afford to return to his homeland.

    “A core motivation for addressing housing in Hawaii is to secure housing for Native Hawaiians and mitigate the out migration of Hawaiians into the diaspora,” he says.

    In 2013, Miller’s doctoral research took him to the Marshall Islands, where his interest in housing for Indigenous people developed. The central focus of his research was climate change adaptation on the low-lying atoll, which is facing severe effects from sea level rise.

    Hearing stories of how Japanese and US imperialism had shaped life in the Marshall Islands ignited his interest in strengthening Indigenous design.

    In 2023, a housing crisis was declared in Hawai’i, with indigenous Hawai’ians and other Pacific people particularly hard hit.

    Property investment and tourism pressures have contributed to rising housing costs and lack of housing availability in Hawai’i, he says.

    Miller helped develop strategies and broad brushstroke designs with local nonprofit organizations to provide culturally appropriate housing for Indigenous Hawaiians and Pacific people in Hawai’i.

    “I’m looking at tradition, Indigenous ecological knowledge and contemporary technology to see how building design might meet the pressing needs of the present, that will increase in the future,” he says.

    One solution is non-profit community land trusts, which buy large tracts of land to offer affordable housing. In some cases, home buyers sign contracts ensuring they will not sell for excessive profits.

    Over recent years in Washington, Miller has worked with Coast Salish communities. One project involved helping design 24 houses and community spaces on two acres of land for people experiencing homelessness or addiction. Construction on the development started this week.

    He has also been helping the Swinomish community to develop a plan book of culturally supportive housing designs.

    At MĀPIHI, Miller plans to work with academics, NGOs, local and central government and professional groups to develop the centre’s Pacific Regional Strategy.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: “Volunteer School”: Developing and Winning

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

    The results of the All-Russian competition “Volunteer School” have been summed up. It is held annually within the framework of the federal project “Social Activity”, aimed at creating conditions for the development and support of volunteerism (volunteering) as a key element of social responsibility of a developed civil society.

    One of the goals of the competition is to develop and shape a culture of volunteerism in Russia among children and young people. The event promotes the popularization of the volunteer movement, identifying and disseminating best practices.

    Students of the Higher School of Media Communications and Public Relations of the Humanitarian Institute, studying in the direction of “Advertising and Public Relations”, submitted a student project “Polytech Gives Warmth!” to the competition. It has been implemented at the Higher School of Media Communications and Public Relations under the supervision of Associate Professor Elina Avakova for the fourth year. The key area of activity is career guidance events for orphans, which are held in centers for promoting family education.

    The jury awarded the project 1st place in the nomination “Practices aimed at providing assistance to orphans and children left without parental care, as well as children experiencing problems establishing friendly contacts with peers.”

    We have implemented many events, prepared competition applications and, most importantly, brought joy to people. This kindness makes us happier, because it always returns multiplied several times – with good events and reciprocal care from other people. We hope that our example inspires others to small but significant actions that will make the world around them better, – said 3rd year student of the Higher School of Music and Social Sciences Daria Vlasevskaya.

    For the project activists Sofia Ryabinina, Daria Vlasevskaya, Anastasia Tryakina, Karina Olkhovikova and Daria Zaitseva, this is not the first achievement. The team has victories in various city, all-Russian and international competitions. Thus, in December 2024, the girls won the regional competition “Young Volunteer of St. Petersburg”, which is aimed at supporting the best volunteer initiatives aimed at helping people and improving the quality of life. The project activists successfully coped with the defense in the final and won 1st place in the track “Helping People”.

    Volunteering plays an important role in the education, socialization and professionalization of young people. Our project gives students the opportunity to express themselves in various interaction models, gain communication experience, develop positive qualities, which contributes to their harmonious personal growth, and also helps to acquire the skills necessary in future professional activities, – shared the project manager Elina Avakova.

    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: Rosneft held the first open Olympiad for schoolchildren of Bashkiria

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Rosneft – Rosneft – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    ANK Bashneft (part of Rosneft) held the first open Olympiad for schoolchildren at the Ufa State Petroleum Technological University (USPTU). The winners will receive additional points for the Unified State Exam when entering USPTU.

    More than 100 schoolchildren from Ufa, as well as other cities and regions of Bashkortostan, took part in the Olympiad. Students in grades 10-11 were able to test their knowledge in the chemical-mathematical and physical-mathematical areas.

    The awarding of the Olympiad winners is planned at the All-Russian Job Fair, which will be held in Ufa on April 18, 2025. At the fair, Bashneft will also provide the winners with the opportunity to take the “oil quest”, which is dedicated to the profession of an oil worker. The Rosneft Olympiad is planned to be held at Ufa State Petroleum Technical University on an annual basis with an expansion of the number of participants.

    Rosneft, as part of the corporate continuous education program “school – college/university – enterprise”, is implementing projects to attract talented young people and form an external personnel reserve. In the Republic of Bashkortostan, the program has been implemented for several years. In 2024, 49 schoolchildren entered the 10th “Rosneft-classes”. In addition, in Ufa, in a pilot mode, 25 9th-grade students were enrolled in the “Rosneft-class”. The Ufa Fuel and Energy College (UTEK) acted as a partner.

    There are six Bashneft corporate groups in Ufa State Petroleum Technical University and Ufa Energy Company in various training areas, including: solid fuel, oil and gas processing technology, design and operation of oil and gas processing equipment, oil and gas geology, geophysics and others. In specialized groups, students combine work in production with training according to an individual schedule. Training in specialized subjects is carried out with the involvement of expert teachers from among Bashneft employees.

    In partnership with Bashneft enterprises, the following basic departments were created at USPTU: “Technology of Petrochemical Processes”, “Welding of Oil and Gas Structures”, “Bashneft – Processing” and “Bashneft – Environmental Engineering”.

    Reference:

    ANK Bashneft is one of the oldest enterprises in the country’s oil and gas industry, operating in the extraction and processing of oil and gas. The company’s key assets, including an oil refining and petrochemical complex, are located in the Republic of Bashkortostan. Oil and gas exploration and production is also carried out in the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Yugra, the Nenets Autonomous Okrug, the Orenburg Region and the Republic of Tatarstan.

    USPTU is a key partner of Bashneft in personnel training. More than 50% of Bashneft employees are graduates of this university.

    Department of Information and Advertising of PJSC NK Rosneft April 11, 2025

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    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Large language models no longer require powerful servers

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: State University Higher School of Economics – State University Higher School of Economics –

    Scientists from Yandex, HSE, MIT, KAUST and ISTA have made a breakthrough in LLM optimization. The Yandex Research artificial intelligence laboratory, together with leading scientific and technological universities, has developed a method for quickly compressing large language models (LLM) without losing quality. Now, a smartphone or laptop is enough to work with the models, and there is no need to use expensive servers and powerful GPUs.

    The method allows for quick testing and implementation of new solutions based on neural networks, saving time and money on development. This makes LLM more accessible not only for large companies, but also for small ones, non-profit laboratories and institutes, individual developers and researchers.

    Previously, to run a language model on a smartphone or laptop, it was necessary to quantize it on an expensive server, which took several weeks. Now, quantization can be done directly on a phone or laptop in a matter of minutes.

    Difficulties in applying LLM

    The difficulty with using large language models is that they require significant computing resources. This is also true for open-source models. For example, one of them, the popular DeepSeek-R1, does not fit even on expensive servers designed for working with artificial intelligence and machine learning. This means that only a limited number of companies can use large models, even if the model itself is openly available.

    The new method allows you to reduce the size of the model while maintaining its quality and run it on more affordable devices. For example, this method can be used to compress even such large models as DeepSeek-R1 with 671 billion parameters and Llama 4 Maverick with 400 billion parameters, which until now could only be quantized using the simplest methods with a significant loss in quality.

    The new quantization method opens up more opportunities for using LLM in various fields, especially where resources are limited, such as education or the social sphere. Startups and independent developers can now use compressed models to create innovative products and services without spending money on expensive equipment. Yandex itself is already using the new method for prototyping — creating working versions of products and quickly testing ideas: compressed models are tested faster than their original versions.

    More about the new method

    The new quantization method is called HIGGS (from Hadamard Incoherence with Gaussian MSE-optimal GridS). It allows neural networks to be compressed without using additional data and without computationally complex parameter optimization. This is especially useful in situations where there is not enough suitable data to further train the model. The method provides a balance between quality, model size, and quantization complexity, which allows models to be used on a wide range of devices.

    The method has already been tested on popular models Llama 3, Llama 4 and Qwen 2.5. Experiments have shown that HIGGS is the best quantization method in terms of quality to model size ratio among all existing data-free quantization methods, including GPTQ (GPT Quantization) and AWQ (Activation-Aware Quantization).

    Scientists from the National Research University Higher School of Economics, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the Austrian Institute of Science and Technology (ISTA), and the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST, Saudi Arabia) participated in the development of the method.

    The HIGGS method is now available to developers and researchers at Higging Fake And Gitkhov, and a scientific article about it can be read at archive.

    Reaction of the scientific community, other methods

    A scientific article describing the new method has been accepted to one of the world’s largest conferences on artificial intelligence, NAACL (The North American Chapter of the Association for Computational Linguistics), which will be held from April 29 to May 4, 2025, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. Along with Yandex, such companies and universities as Google, Microsoft Research, Harvard University, and others will participate. The article has already been cited by the American company Red Hat AI, Peking University, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Fudan University, and others.

    Earlier, Yandex scientists presented 12 scientific studies in the field of quantization of large language models. In this way, the company aims to make the use of these models more efficient, less energy-consuming and accessible to all developers and researchers. For example, the Yandex Research team previously developed methods compression of large language models, helping to reduce computing costs by almost eight times without significantly losing the quality of neural network responses. The team also created service, which allows you to run a model with 8 billion parameters on a regular computer or smartphone through a browser interface even without large computing power.

    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-Evening Report: Election Diary: Labor breaks practice of preferencing Greens to protect Jewish MP Josh Burns

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

    It takes a bit for Labor not to preference the Greens but on Friday it was announced that in the Melbourne seat of Macnamara, where Jewish MP Josh Burns is embattled, the ALP will run an open ticket.

    Macnamara, which includes the suburbs of Balaclava, Albert Park and South Melbourne, has the second largest Jewish constituency – 10% of voters – of any electorate. Only Wentworth in Sydney has more.

    Burns has held the seat since 2019. At the last election he had a primary vote of 31.77%, with the Greens second on 29.65%, just ahead of the Liberals on 29%. After preferences were distributed, this turned into a substantial two-party win for him over the Liberals.

    The political dynamics have changed since then. There is anger in the Jewish community about the Albanese government’s attitude to Israel and criticism that it hasn’t done enough to combat antisemitism. The expectation is that Burns’ primary vote will go down and the Liberal vote will go up.

    ABC election analyst Antony Green says the seat “will be a battle for the order of exclusion” – it will all depend on who comes in third on primary votes.

    If the Liberals or the Greens come third, Burns will be elected. If Burns is third on primaries, he is eliminated and the Greens are favorite, even with an open ticket. But the leakage of preferences from an open ticket would give an opportunity to the Liberals, Green says.

    Green points out that given how close the three parties were on primaries last election, a very small shift in votes could change the order of the top three.

    Burns has benefitted from the Friday draw for order on the ballot paper. He is in the top spot, giving him the so-called “donkey vote”, with the Greens third, ahead of the Liberals.

    Burns warned an election forum this week, sponsored by the Australian Jewish News and various Jewish groups, “If we do not win enough number one votes, then the Greens will obviously come into second place. That is the biggest concern that I’ve got.”

    He dismissed the prospects of the Liberals being able to win the seat. “The only people who can win this seat from me are the Greens.”

    He told the audience, “If the Greens form into the top two, then think about the people who make up this electorate – the young progressive people from Elwood, from St Kilda, from Windsor, from South Melbourne, from South Bank.

    “We are a proud and large Jewish community, but we’re only 10% of the electorate of Macnamara.

    “The preferences, regardless of what the Labor Party says, are not going to the Liberal Party from those young people.”

    Burns faced some heckling from a small number of people in the audience – they were told to be quiet by other audience members.

    The forum was attended by Liberal candidate Benson Saulo, who recounted his Indigenous heritage, and strongly condemned the scenes at the pro-Palestinian rally outside the Sydney Opera House in the wake of the October 7 2023 Hamas attacks in Israel.

    The Greens candidate was not invited onto the panel but was in the audience.

    Michelle Grattan 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. Election Diary: Labor breaks practice of preferencing Greens to protect Jewish MP Josh Burns – https://theconversation.com/election-diary-labor-breaks-practice-of-preferencing-greens-to-protect-jewish-mp-josh-burns-254202

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Global: South Africa’s coalition government is crumbling: why collapse would carry a heavy cost

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Vinothan Naidoo, Associate Professor of Public Policy and Administration, University of Cape Town

    South Africa’s multi-party government of national unity (GNU), which emerged in the wake of the May 2024 elections, marked a turning point in the country’s political history. It took South Africans back to the 1990s, when the country showed that political opponents could find common cause.

    The formation of the government of national unity expressed the hope that the country could do it again.

    But just nine months into its term, the good will and pragmatism which marked its formation have worn thin. A major budget impasse between the two major actors, the African National Congress (ANC) and the Democratic Alliance (DA), threatens the coalition.

    South Africans have long been accustomed to viewing the world of politics, governance and bureaucracy through the lens of a top-down “strong” state – a vicious apartheid state, an East Asia style developmental state, or a collusive “predatory state”.

    But as recent analyses we co-authored with others have detailed,
    the vision of a top-down politically cohesive state no longer fits South Africa’s realities.

    The government of national unity promised the hope that the country was embracing an approach that is key to success for almost all inclusive constitutional democracies. That is – abandon “all or nothing” confrontation, and instead pursue pragmatic bargains to achieve mutually agreeable policy outcomes.

    At the most basic level, the government of national unity achieved this, at least for a while. The sharing of cabinet ministries between multiple parties created a diverse platform for executive power-sharing that was not dictated by a single dominant party, and which prevented the risks of parties building institutional fiefdoms.

    In our view, failure to overcome deeply ingrained political differences could set off a downward spiral in the country.

    Achievements on the governance front

    On governance, the government of national unity created the space to pursue two sets of gains.

    The first comprises the potential benefit of bringing together unlikely bedfellows.

    The former opposition parties brought into a power-sharing arrangement were bound to be performance-driven, given the country’s long deteriorating government performance and ethical integrity. They had made “good governance” and criticism of the ANC central to their political brands.

    New “outsider” eyes brought into formerly cloistered and factionalised ANC-run departments created the possibility of a new urgency to perform.

    It’s too soon to tell whether this is happening, but anecdotal evidence suggests there are some green shoots.

    The second governance gain comprises the crucial task of building a capable and professional state bureaucracy. The challenges include being able to pay the public sector wage bill, fostering a culture of delivery, and consolidating the bloated network of government departments.

    Based on their party manifestos and public utterances, members of the government all aim to professionalise the public service.

    Detailed technical work is already happening on issues such as training and competency assessment, transferring powers of appointment from politicians to senior public servants, and instituting checks in the recruitment and selection process. The National Assembly’s recent adoption of the Public Service Commission Bill forms part of this agenda.

    But a prolonged legal dispute between the DA and ANC over the latter’s policy of “deploying” party members into state employment risks scuppering progress. It also leaves a key question unanswered: what role, if any, should political parties have in the recruitment and selection of public servants?

    Policy

    The government of national unity has struggled to create effective mechanisms to translate agreement on a broad agenda of policy priorities into specific outcomes. This came at a higher cost than expected.

    Still, it has made gains in challenging policy areas. These gains have repeatedly been undermined by the perverse determination of sections within both the ANC and the DA to engage in brinkmanship.

    On health, both parties agree on the principle of universalising access. They differ on how to achieve this. But at least one seemingly intractable sticking point has been resolved. Both sides agree that private medical aid schemes need to be retained as part of a broader strategy of pursuing health system reform.

    On basic education, the public spat over the Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill overshadows the potential to agree on balancing the autonomy of school governing bodies with the oversight role of provincial departments.



    Read more:
    South Africa has a new education law: some love it, some hate it – education expert explains why

    On land expropriation, the emotive rhetoric which followed the signing of the Expropriation Bill and the unwelcome and toxic intervention of international actors has overshadowed technical concerns which can be resolved.

    On pro-growth policies: Operation Vulindlela, a joint Presidency and National Treasury initiative to unblock constraints in targeted economic sectors, has made significant strides. It has laid the groundwork for new rounds of growth-supporting infrastructural reforms and has the potential to build cohesion in the government of national unity. However, the DA’s attempt to lobby for a greater role in the strategic oversight of Operation Vulindlela in exchange for supporting the budget risks souring relations with the ANC.

    What now?

    A thriving inclusive society depends on powerful actors visibly committed to co-operation.

    For all of the challenges confronting the government of national unity, it was built on a foundation of pragmatism. For the sake of South Africa’s future, it remains vital to build on this foundation. Obsolete top-down governing approaches must go. Pathways to performance must be lifted above political grandstanding. Constructive solutions should supersede ideological rigidity. South Africa has done it before. It can do it again.

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

    – ref. South Africa’s coalition government is crumbling: why collapse would carry a heavy cost – https://theconversation.com/south-africas-coalition-government-is-crumbling-why-collapse-would-carry-a-heavy-cost-254302

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: International Day of Liberation of Prisoners of Nazi Concentration Camps

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

    On April 11, 1945, an international uprising took place in the Nazi concentration camp Buchenwald, as a result of which the prisoners managed to take control of the camp. In memory of this event, the world celebrates International Day of Liberation of Prisoners of Fascist Concentration Camps.

    The uprising was not spontaneous, several underground committees had been operating in Buchenwald since 1942, which by the time of the uprising had managed to obtain and hide over 90 rifles, 100 pistols, over 120 grenades and even one machine gun, as well as a small radio station, with which they contacted the approaching American army. The prisoners created 188 small combat groups: 56 Soviet, 23 German, 22 French and others. During the uprising, the guards were killed and some were taken prisoner, after which the prisoners took up all-round defense in the camp. On the night of April 11, troops of General George Patton’s Third Army entered Buchenwald and completely cleared the camp of the remaining guards.

    Buchenwald did not formally have the status of a “death camp”, but from 1937 until the uprising, about 56 thousand people out of 250 thousand prisoners were killed and tortured there. And this was not even the largest camp. In the largest complex of concentration camps near the city of Auschwitz, liberated by the Red Army on January 27, 1945, according to modern historians, from 1.1 to 1.6 million people were exterminated. Its design capacity allowed for the extermination of up to 30 thousand people per day.

    In total, about 18 million prisoners were imprisoned in 14 thousand fascist concentration camps from 1933 to 1945, and 11 million of them were exterminated in gas chambers, during medical experiments, died from torture, exhaustion and hunger. It was because of the inhumane activities of concentration camps that about 20% of all victims of World War II were children. The exact figures are still unknown, the Nazis were well aware of their crimes and at the end of the war tried to destroy as much evidence of their activities as possible.

    The task of modern humanity is not to forget this terrible chapter in the terrible book of history of the Second World War. We must not allow the spread of the resurgent Nazi ideology, which does not consider many nationalities and races as people, and if necessary, does not consider anyone as people, because the very first concentration camp in Germany was intended for Germans themselves – political prisoners.

    To this day, the International Buchenwald Committee, which was born in the underground of the concentration camp, exists. The International Union of Former Juvenile Prisoners of Fascism is active. But with each passing year, the number of members of these and similar societies is decreasing. This heavy memory will have to be carried by those who have never been dehumanized for imaginary reasons. And we hope that it never will be. In the name of this, the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation continues to investigate criminal cases of genocide of the civilian population during the Great Patriotic War. Neither previous nor new crimes against humanity will go unpunished.

    #Scientific regiment

    Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 11.04.2025

    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 China: Experts highlight future of cell and gene therapy at IQ Talk event

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    An IQ Talk seminar titled “Future Medical Care: Cell and Gene Therapy” was held Thursday in Beijing, bringing together experts to discuss advances and challenges in cell and gene therapy (CGT).
    Zhou Qi, academician and vice president of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and president of the University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, delivered a keynote report entitled “Frontiers, Challenges and Talent Development in Biotechnology.”
    Zhou highlighted global trends in science and technology, shifts in research paradigms, and opportunities for China in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, synthetic biology and brain-computer interfaces. He also provided updates on CGT progress and talent cultivation, emphasizing the need for integrated development across education, science and industry.
    Experts noted that CGT drugs represent a new frontier in biopharmaceutical innovation, following small molecule and antibody-based therapies. As major economies worldwide prioritize CGT as a strategic focus, Beijing’s advantages in original innovation and clinical resources position the city as a leader in CGT development.
    During the exchange session, participants engaged in in-depth discussions on key aspects of the CGT sector, including cutting-edge technologies and applications, industrial development strategies, and talent cultivation and recruitment.
    Representatives from leading CGT companies also showcased their latest research and development achievements on-site, providing valuable insights into the current state and future potential of the sector.
    IQ Talk is an international collaboration initiative established by the National Torch Academy of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ZGC) to support Beijing’s development of future industries.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: EU to pause retaliatory tariffs on US

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    The European Union said it will press the pause button on its retaliatory tariffs against the United States just a day after the bloc’s member states agreed on the first countermeasures against the US trade war and hours after US President Donald Trump announced a 90-day suspension of “reciprocal tariffs” on most for its trading partners.

    European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Thursday that the commission took note of Trump’s announcement.

    “We want to give negotiations a chance. While finalizing the adoption of the EU countermeasures that saw strong support from our member states, we will put them on hold for 90 days,” she said on X. “If negotiations are not satisfactory, our countermeasures will kick in.”

    She expressed that preparatory work on further countermeasures continues, reiterating “all options remain on the table”.

    EU member states approved tariffs between 10-25 percent on a range of US imports such as almonds, orange juice, poultry, soybeans, steel and aluminum, tobacco and yachts — the bloc’s countermeasures against the 25 percent tariffs placed by the US on steel and aluminum imports from the EU.The tariffs were initially set to be rolled out in phases starting April 15, hitting a total of 21 billion euros ($23 billion) of US products, but are now paused.

    Hungary was the only one among 27 member states to vote against the retaliation. France, Italy and the Republic of Ireland have successfully lobbied to remove Kentucky bourbon whiskey from the hit list after Trump threatened that the US would impose a 200 percent tariff on wines and spirits from the EU if it is on the list.

    Observers noted that the list targets many Republican states in the US to inflict pain on Trump’s political base.

    “The EU considers US tariffs unjustified and damaging, causing economic harm to both sides, as well as the global economy,” the European Commission said in a statement on Wednesday.

    “Clear, predictable conditions are essential for trade and supply chains to function. Tariffs are taxes that only hurt businesses and consumers,” von der Leyen said in another post on X on Thursday.

    ‘Wrong signal’

    At the Thursday daily news briefing, European Commission spokesmen refused to answer when asked why the EU is pausing the countermeasures when the US has not paused its steel and aluminum tariffs, and whether the EU has been sending a wrong signal to Trump, who has been destroying the global trading system.

    Ding Chun, director of the Center for European Studies at Fudan University, said although the EU wants a negotiated settlement, it has also realized that retaliation measures are necessary to force the US to come to the negotiation table.

    “Europeans realize that if they show weakness to Trump, he will tighten up more,” Ding said.

    Ding said the EU has many tools, including the Anti-Coercion Instrument, or ACI, known as the trade “bazooka” or nuclear option, to hit back against US tech giants since the US has a trade surplus with the EU in services.

    Barry Andrews, a member of the European Parliament from Ireland, said it is difficult to figure out what the intentions are and who is making decisions in the US right now.

    “We don’t know if this is an overall attempt to overturn the international rules-based order, or something more short-term, more transactional,” he posted on X on Wednesday.

    Andrews noted that the EU has built many trade defense measures including the ACI to deal with the current situation. He added that the bloc should also look to diversify its trade.

    “What has happened in the last two months is a huge challenge to (the) Irish economy,” he said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Coalition plan to dump fuel efficiency penalties would make Australia a global outlier

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anna Mortimore, Lecturer, Griffith Business School, Griffith University

    The Coalition has announced it would, if elected to government, weaken a scheme aimed at cutting car emissions.

    The scheme, known as the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES), was introduced by the Albanese government and was due to take effect in July. It involved issuing penalties to automakers that breach an emissions ceiling on their total new car sales.

    The new Coalition plan, announced this week, would see such penalties abolished.

    But the penalties are crucial. Without penalties, automakers have limited incentive to supply fuel efficient, low or zero-CO₂ emitting vehicles to the Australian market.

    If this plan became government policy, it would make Australia an international outlier – and put at risk Australia’s ability to meet its obligations under the Paris climate agreement.

    An international outlier

    More than 85% of the international car market is covered by fuel efficiency standards.

    Without a robust New Vehicle Efficiency Standard scheme, complete with penalties for automakers that break the rules, Australia would join Russia in the tiny minority of developed countries without strong fuel efficiency standards for new vehicles.

    Abolishing the penalties embedded in the scheme also risks making Australia the world’s dumping ground for inefficient vehicles.

    That’s because the penalties embedded in the scheme are there to incentivise automakers to sell more efficient vehicles in Australia.

    The current scheme, as it is, is not particularly punitive. Automakers that breach their cap of emissions are given up to two years to fix their mistakes before being issued with a financial penalty.

    Weakening the scheme won’t help make it easier for Australians to buy fuel-efficient cars.

    Decarbonising Australian roads

    The 2015 Paris Agreement, to which Australia is a signatory, requires developed nations to decarbonise their transport by as much as 80% by 2050.

    Carbon emissions from Australian transport accounts for 21.1% of the nation’s emissions (to June 2023).

    It represents the third largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Australia.

    Without measures aimed at making cars more fuel efficient, Australia’s CO₂ emissions will continue to rise. It will be harder to meet our commitments under the Paris Agreement.

    It’s regulation, not a tax

    The Coalition, which is hoping to pick up votes in outer-ring suburbs, has called the penalties embedded in the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard scheme a “car tax”.

    Liberal leader Peter Dutton said this week:

    This is a tax on families who need a reliable car and small businesses trying to grow. Instead of making life easier, Labor is making it harder and more expensive […] We want cleaner, cheaper cars on Australian roads as we head towards net zero by 2050, but forcing unfair penalties on carmakers and consumers is not the answer.

    But these penalties are not a tax; they are a form of regulation. Automakers that meet the rules wouldn’t have to pay penalties, under the current scheme.

    If the goal is to reduce people’s hip-pocket pain at the bowser, the focus should be on ensuring Australians can buy fuel-efficient vehicles.

    That means incentivising automakers to bring fuel-efficient vehicles to the Australian market. It also means avoiding any policy that encourages carmakers to see Australia as a dumping ground for gas-guzzling vehicles.

    Anna Mortimore receives funding from Reliable Affordable Clean Energy Cooperative Research Centre for 2030 (RACE for 2030).

    – ref. Coalition plan to dump fuel efficiency penalties would make Australia a global outlier – https://theconversation.com/coalition-plan-to-dump-fuel-efficiency-penalties-would-make-australia-a-global-outlier-254386

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Kids cheering ‘chicken jockey!’ at A Minecraft Movie isn’t antisocial – it creates a chance for us to connect

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sophia Staite, Lecturer in Humanities, University of Tasmania

    Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

    Social media is ablaze with reports of kids going wild at screenings of A Minecraft Movie.

    Some cinemas are cracking down. There are reports of cinemas calling in police to deal with rowdy theatregoers and making special announcements before the film, warning of consequences for “anti-social behaviour” including “clapping and shouting”.

    But these kids are engaging in a kind of communal experience. Rather than being antisocial behaviour – couldn’t we label it as prosocial?

    The global fandom of Minecraft

    Minecraft was first released in 2011 and has sold over 350 million copies, making it the best-selling video game of all time.

    Minecraft is an unstructured game that provides mineable resources and leaves players to create whatever they want with them. Creations can be as basic as stacking blocks of wood to make a wall, or as complex as a working computer.

    It has become the nexus of a vast online community of people with an interest in the game.

    Players connect to one-another digitally and share certain social norms and knowledge, including a memeified vernacular. Minecraft-playing Youtubers have also become popular, and are the source of many memes.

    The community is dominated by children and young adults and the incomprehensibility of their vernacular for other generations is possibly part of its appeal.

    Within child and youth fan communities the usual hierarchies of communication are reversed. Instead of kids having to learn to speak according to adults’ rules, in this community the kids maintain a knowledge system that excludes a lot of adults.

    Enter A Minecraft Movie

    A Minecraft Movie opened last weekend to enormous box office success, bringing in US$313.2 million globally. The film follows four humans who stumble through a portal into the Overworld (Minecraft). Their only way home involves teaming up with fellow human Steve (Jack Black) to save the Overworld from the creativity-hating Piglins.

    Almost immediately, social media conversations sprang up about the behaviour of audiences. One bemused parent described the atmosphere of the cinema as “like [when] The Beatles came to America”.

    Many of the videos shared of audiences during screenings show joyful scenes of communal pleasure, similar to other responses to highly anticipated films such as Avengers: Endgame.

    But while the response to Avengers: Endgame was celebrated, the behaviour of children and teens at A Minecraft Movie has been framed by news outlets in negative terms.

    Journalist Keith Stuart suggests the different responses are a result of parents feeling excluded by A Minecraft Movie’s frequent references to memes.

    Negative news reports link audience behaviour to existing moral panics about social media challenges and are particularly focused on popcorn being thrown.

    The use of the same two or three videos of popcorn throwing to illustrate multiple news articles highlights how relatively few reports of popcorn throwing there currently are.

    Instead, most of the debate on social media has been about the etiquette of noisiness during screenings, including cheering and clapping.

    Finding community

    A Minecraft Movie speaks the memeified vernacular of its online community.

    The film incorporates references to longstanding memes, popular Minecraft YouTubers (and some cameos) and, of course, to the game itself.

    The film is speaking directly to Minecraft fans, and audiences are responding by displaying their mastery of this vernacular and strengthening their sense of belonging.

    By clapping and cheering when they recognise a meme, or saying lines of dialogue in sync with the actors, kids are identifying themselves as members of a community.

    When a whole cinema full of young people does this simultaneously, they are identifying themselves to and with one another.

    This is prosocial, strategic communication – not the antisocial pandemonium and chaos some reports would have us believe. Instead, fans are reporting the cheering and clapping happens at specific moments: they are enjoying both the film, and reacting to it.

    During the brief (but meaningful for knowledgeable audience members) tribute to beloved YouTuber Technoblade, who died of cancer in 2022, there have been reports of whole theatres falling silent as a mark of respect.

    An online community of kids and teens has suddenly become hyper visible to adults because it has intersected with the traditional media space of the cinema.

    Online games such as Minecraft are a crucial part of kids’ social lives and play.

    Perhaps adults can seize this moment as an opportunity to learn more about something that clearly matters deeply to a lot of kids.

    Sophia Staite 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. Kids cheering ‘chicken jockey!’ at A Minecraft Movie isn’t antisocial – it creates a chance for us to connect – https://theconversation.com/kids-cheering-chicken-jockey-at-a-minecraft-movie-isnt-antisocial-it-creates-a-chance-for-us-to-connect-254287

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Could changing your diet improve endometriosis pain? A recent study suggests it’s possible

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Evangeline Mantzioris, Program Director of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Accredited Practising Dietitian, University of South Australia

    ovchinnikova_ksenya/Shutterstock

    Endometriosis affects around 10% of women of reproductive age. It’s a chronic inflammatory condition that occurs when tissue similar to the lining of the uterus (the endometrium) grows outside the uterus.

    Endometriosis can cause chronic pain, bloating, bowel and bladder dysfunction, pain during sex and infertility. These symptoms can lead to reduced quality of life and mental health challenges.

    Although endometriosis pain can be treated with medication or surgery, these options are not suitable for everyone, and a significant number of women experience recurrent symptoms even after surgery.

    Many women with endometriosis look to complementary therapies to manage their symptoms, which can include dietary changes and taking supplements.

    A recent study sought to understand different dietary strategies women with endometriosis use and how these affect their pain levels. The researchers found cutting down on things like dairy, gluten, caffeine and alcohol could improve endometriosis pain.

    Let’s take a closer look.

    What the researchers did and found

    The study, which was led by researchers from the University of Edinburgh, involved an online survey. It asked women with endometriosis questions about any dietary changes they made and any supplements they used, and whether they found these useful for managing pain.

    A total of 2,388 women with a confirmed diagnosis of endometriosis completed the survey. Some 84% of respondents had made at least one dietary change, 67% of whom reported these changes improved their pain. Meanwhile, 59% had used supplements, 43% of whom considered these changes improved their pain.

    The following are some of the most popular dietary changes women had tried, and how they thought these changes affected their pain:

    • drinking less alcohol (improved pain in 53% of women)

    • eating less gluten (45%)

    • consuming less dairy (45%)

    • consuming less caffeine (43%)

    • eating less processed sugar, which can be found in foods and drinks such as lollies, cakes, biscuits and soft drinks (41%)

    • eating less processed foods, which include deli meats, savoury snacks such as chips and sausage rolls, and chocolate (38%)

    • following a low FODMAP diet, which involves avoiding short-chain carbohydrates (certain types of sugars) to reduce gas, bloating, pain and discomfort (32%)

    • adopting a Mediterranean diet, which is a diet high in plant foods (including fruit and green leafy vegetables), extra virgin olive oil, breads, fish, fermented dairy, and cereals and low in red meat, and processed meats and foods (29%).

    For supplements:

    • turmeric or curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric (improved pain in 48% of women)

    • magnesium (32%)

    • peppermint (26%)

    • ginger (22%).

    Around one in ten women of reproductive age have endometriosis.
    Drazen Zigic/Shutterstock

    Some limitations

    There are some weaknesses in this study to consider when interpreting the results. First, it’s an observational study, which means we cannot say these dietary changes and supplements cause decreased pain, just that there appears to be an link.

    To be more confident about the effects of dietary changes or supplements, we would need to do randomised studies with control groups.

    Also, the participants self-reported dietary changes they had made in the past and past pain levels. This relies on memory, which can be unreliable.

    All that said, this sort of research does provide us with clues about what may work, especially when we combine it with our knowledge of the actions these foods and supplements have in the body.

    So how would they work?

    Given the inflammatory component in endometriosis, the findings of this study are not entirely surprising. Many of the dietary changes and supplements this study looked at have anti-inflammtory properties.

    For example, reducing alcohol consumption, reducing processed foods, adopting a Mediterranean diet and using turmeric or curcumin may reduce inflammation.

    It’s possible certain dietary changes could improve endometriosis symptoms by reducing inflammation.
    PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock

    Some of the findings of this study seem to align with other evidence, while others don’t.

    For example, a recent review showed the Mediterranean diet can lead to reductions in pain, however the relevant studies did not have control groups. This same review showed a low FODMAP diet reduced pain and improved quality of life in people with endometriosis.

    Meanwhile, a 2024 paper concluded there’s a lack of evidence to support a gluten-free diet for endometriosis symptoms. The authors argued avoiding gluten to manage the condition should be discouraged.

    Peppermint has been reported to reduce period pain and nausea. But I couldn’t find any specific evidence for endometriosis.

    So what should you do?

    If you have endometriosis, this study and existing evidence suggests following a Mediterranean diet or a low FODMAP diet may reduce pain. This current study also indicates reducing your intake of alcohol, sugar and processed foods may help.

    Importantly, these changes won’t do any harm to your overall health. In fact, the Australian dietary guidelines recommend drinking alcohol and consuming processed foods in moderation, given links to a range of chronic diseases. So these changes may have other benefits too.

    However, some of the dietary changes reported in this study may be problematic.

    For example, eliminating dairy will significantly reduce your calcium intake which is important for building healthy bones and reducing the risk of osteoporosis in later life. However, there are other ways of ensuring an adequate intake of the nutrients found in dairy products.

    Reducing caffeine won’t lead to any health or nutritional concerns, but may affect quality of life for people who enjoy drinking coffee or tea.

    Women with endometriosis can try supplements such as turmeric or curcumin and ginger, but it’s best to try them one at a time, so you can identify which one works for you.

    If you’re looking to change your diet to try to manage endometriosis symptoms, it may be best to see a registered or accredited practising dietitian to ensure you’re following a nutritionally balanced diet.

    Evangeline Mantzioris is affiliated with Alliance for Research in Nutrition, Exercise and Activity (ARENA) at the University of South Australia. Evangeline Mantzioris has received funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council, and has been appointed to the National Health and Medical Research Council Dietary Guideline Expert Committee.

    – ref. Could changing your diet improve endometriosis pain? A recent study suggests it’s possible – https://theconversation.com/could-changing-your-diet-improve-endometriosis-pain-a-recent-study-suggests-its-possible-253945

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: NSU students were told about the scientific discoveries of academician Mikhail Alekseevich Lavrentyev

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –

    Meeting of students of Novosibirsk State University with the grandson of the founder of Akademgorodok, Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Professor, Dean Faculty of Information Technology NSU Mikhail Mikhailovich Lavrentyev was held on April 4. It was dedicated to fascinating facts from the life of the founder of Akademgorodok, the academician, and was called “Scientific discoveries of academician Mikhail Alekseevich Lavrentyev. From mathematics, mechanics and physics of explosions to the first computers.”

    This year marks the 125th anniversary of the birth of the outstanding Soviet mathematician and mechanic, founder of the Siberian Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences and the Novosibirsk Akademgorodok, Mikhail Alekseevich Lavrentyev. Residents of Akademgorodok cherish his memory. Currently, his name is borne by the Institute of Hydrodynamics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the SUNC (Physics and Mathematics School) of NSU, Lyceum No. 130, an auditorium at NSU…. A monument to the academician was erected on the avenue named in his honor.

    Mikhail Mikhailovich Lavrentyev began the meeting by listing the most important scientific achievements of Mikhail Alekseevich: the Lavrentyev effect in variational calculus, the lifting force of an airplane wing, conformal and quasi-comfort mappings, explanation of the cumulative effect, the first artillery nuclear shell, the first domestic computers, new materials – explosion welding, acceleration of particles to cosmic speeds, saving genetics, the fight for the purity of Lake Baikal, saving the city of Almaty (Kazakhstan) from a mudflow – the Medeu dam, the creation of new types of universities – PhysTech and NSU, the organization of the Siberian Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences. And then he spoke in detail about some of them.

    Important contribution to the Victory

    Among the numerous awards of M.A. Lavrentyev is the Order of the Patriotic War, 2nd degree, which he was awarded in 1944. This Order was awarded to participants in military operations, but Mikhail Alekseevich was one of the few exceptions. He did not directly participate in the battles of the Great Patriotic War and was not at the front, but he made a significant contribution to the Great Victory as a talented scientist. The cumulative charges he developed became one of the factors that influenced the outcome of the Battle of Kursk (July 5 – August 23, 1943).

    — Previously, cumulative antitank aerial bombs were quite large in size, and domestic IL2 attack aircraft could take only a few of them on board, respectively, the maximum possible number of armored targets to be hit was also small. M.A. Lavrentyev proposed his own solution to the problem — the creation of a new generation of cumulative antitank aerial bombs, loaded into cassettes of 78 pieces. Lavrentyev’s PTABs were produced in Ufa, at the Prommetiz artel evacuated from Dnepropetrovsk. Each bomb weighed 2.5 kg and pierced up to 70 mm of armor with a cumulative pestle. This was enough to defeat the most protected Wehrmacht tanks: the armor thickness of the Panther on the turret was no more than 16 mm, and that of the Tiger — 28 mm. The PTABs from Ufa were first used in the Battle of Kursk, and they had a very worthy effect on the fascists – several hundred tanks were destroyed by air strikes, said M.M. Lavrentyev.

    It is important that instead of several heavy 100-kilogram anti-tank aerial bombs (PTAB), the IL2 attack aircraft carried 4 cassettes with 78 PTABs in each, which it literally “sprinkled” on German tanks from a height of 25 m. This ensured greater precision in the bombing strike and the safety of the aircraft itself, reducing to zero the risk of being shot down by the explosion of its own aerial bombs.

    Lavrentyev’s PTABs had another important advantage: unlike conventional aerial bombs made of expensive high-strength steel with a complex fuse, PTABs could theoretically be produced even in a wooden case. Therefore, they could be manufactured not at specialized factories, but in the most primitive conditions.

    The first nuclear artillery shell

    In the early 1950s, M. A. Lavrentyev was involved in the development of atomic weapons in the USSR. Work on the first domestic artillery nuclear projectile involved solving complex theoretical and experimental problems in hydrodynamics and gas dynamics, and preparing their solutions was a complex mathematical problem in itself. M. A. Lavrentyev was known as a major specialist in hydro- and gas dynamics, an outstanding mathematician, the founder of the theory of cumulative projectiles, and a well-known specialist in the use of explosives. Therefore, in 1953, he was transferred from the post of director of the Institute of Precision Mechanics and Computer Engineering to KB-11 (Arzamas-16, now the city of Sarov) to the post of deputy chief designer of the USSR Ministry of Medium Machine Building, which he held for two and a half years. During this time, M. A. Lavrentyev managed to create a creative team of young and talented specialists. Among them were Lev Vasilyevich Ovsyannikov, Dmitry Vasilyevich Shirkov, Vladimir Mikhailovich Titov and Bogdan Vyacheslavovich Voitsekhovsky. They later followed their leader to Akademgorodok and became academicians.

    — M.A. Lavrentyev’s scientific group faced a very difficult task: the projectile had to be compact in size compared to the products that had been created in this design bureau earlier, since they were to be used to load guns. At the same time, the projectile had to experience high overloads while maintaining combat capability. And these overloads were thousands of times greater than those typical for aerial bombs. Other difficulties arose, but the scientific team managed to successfully overcome them, and in 1956, an artillery shell with a nuclear charge successfully passed tests at the Semipalatinsk test site. As M.M. Lavrentyev said, the size of the projectile was still too large, so a gun of the corresponding caliber was specially made for it. Nowadays, similar weapons are installed on modern tanks, — M.M. Lavrentyev said.

    The first domestic computer

    In the 1950s, M.A. Lavrentyev took direct part in the creation of the first Soviet computer. At that time, he was the director of the Institute of Precision Mechanics and Computer Engineering of the Academy of Sciences, where the first computer, called BESM-1 (the first large electronic calculating machine), was being developed. But when performing this complex task, its developers faced competition from the relevant ministry, which at the same time was working on the creation of the Strela computer.

    — The competitors had many advantages, the most important of which was the financing of the work. In addition, 150 electron tubes were required to create BESM, which was a serious problem — about 100 tubes were issued per quarter to the entire Academy of Sciences, and it was impossible to acquire them in any other way. This issue was resolved thanks to the ingenuity of Sergei Alekseevich Lebedev, who is now considered the founder of domestic electronic computing technology. In 1950, he was invited to the Institute of Precision Mechanics and Computer Engineering of the USSR Academy of Sciences in Moscow by M.A. Lavrentyev. They went to the Minister of Radio Industry and asked: “Do consumers of tubes have many complaints against you?” He answered: “Yes, a lot. I believe that in most cases, tubes fail due to the fault of consumers.” Then S.A. Lebedev suggested: “Give us 150 lamps, we will have them in continuous operation, and we will inform you every month that the lamps are working well, and you will replace those lamps that burn out with new ones. The minister agreed, and the problem was solved,” M.M. Lavrentyev said.

    Tests of both machines were conducted in 1953. The advantages were again on the side of the competitors. All units of the new memory designed by S.A. Lebedev were addressed to the “Strela” by the decision from above, therefore the creators of BESM had to make the computer memory on the acoustic principle. This reduced its performance by 15-20 times. In addition, the chairman of the acceptance committee was the manager who had already created his own computing center for the “Strela”. And the first test results did not speak in favor of BESM. But M.A. Lavrentyev drew attention to the fact that one of the test tasks did not make sense. On this basis, he insisted on postponing the acceptance for six months and providing the BESM developers with units designed by S.A. Lebedev.

    — BESM was being improved for six months, after which it demonstrated significantly higher productivity: it solved all tasks assigned to it 5-8 times faster than Strela. In the competition between the two companies, the winner was not the one that had enough funds, people, and space, but the one that had progressive ideas. And BESM-1 became the predecessor of a series of domestic digital computers, — explained M.M. Lavrentyev.

    Throwing soil by explosion

    M.A. Lavrentyev made a significant contribution to saving the city of Almaty (Kazakhstan) from mudflows, which posed a serious danger. One of the evidences of this is the Issyk disaster that occurred on July 7, 1963. Then the mudflow caused the death of one and a half hundred Almaty residents.

    — Only one gorge was dangerous for mudflows. And it was proposed to create a protective dam in it by means of directed explosions. Several years before that, an article by several scientists, including M.A. Lavrentyev, was published in the journal “Applied Mechanics and Technical Physics” about the directed throwing of soil using explosives. This idea was implemented in this unique project, — said M.M. Lavrentyev.

    In 1964, the Kazakh branch of the Hydroproject Institute developed a project for a gravity rock-fill dam. Taking into account the experience of the 1963 mudflow, its design was significantly strengthened. M.A. Lavrentyev was among the scientific consultants of the project. As a result, for the first time in world practice, a 110-meter-high dam was created using directed explosions. The task was complicated by the terrain and seismic features of the area, but the creators of the dam coped – it withstood the mudflow that occurred shortly after the end of the work. To this day, the dam created by explosions protects Almaty from destructive mudflows.

    The students also learned how M.M. Lavrentyev managed to save the Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences from closure at a time when genetics was considered pseudoscience and was persecuted. They were also told about his other significant scientific achievements. However, M.M. Lavrentyev noted that Mikhail Alekseevich considered the creation of the NSU Physics and Mathematics School and the Young Technicians Club to be the most significant thing in his life. For him, the involvement of talented youth in scientific work was of primary importance.

    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-Evening Report: Traded like assets, expected to be loyal: the unique double standard of being an Australian footy player

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hunter Fujak, Senior Lecturer in Sport Management, Deakin University

    Few issues in Australian sport generate as much media noise or emotional fan reactions as player movement, especially in our major winter codes the National Rugby League (NRL) and Australian Football League (AFL).

    Contract negotiations, trade whispers and club defections dominate headlines, talkback radio, social media and fan forums — often eclipsing the on-field action itself.

    In the past month, the sport news cycle has been dominated by player movement controversies involving the NRL’s Dylan Brown and Daly Cherry-Evans and the AFL’s Oscar Allen.

    The scrutiny these athletes face is one feature of a workplace defined by expectations rarely found in other industries.

    In a world where professional athletes are simultaneously financial investments and human beings, can fans, athletes and leagues strike a truly fair balance when it comes to player movement?

    A unique legal status

    Professional sport is exempted from several commercial laws that otherwise apply to typical industries. This is due to its peculiar economics.

    Crucially, leagues such as the AFL and NRL are permitted to operate as cartels, whereby clubs act collectively in ways that petrol stations or supermarkets legally cannot.

    One outcome of sport cartels has been the implementation of various restrictive practices on the recruitment, transfer and remuneration of professional athletes.

    Drafts, trade windows and salary caps are all anti-competitive mechanisms with two general aims: fostering “competitive balance” between teams and suppressing player wages to maintain leaguewide financial viability.

    These mechanisms remain in place mostly due to co-operation between leagues and their player associations (the AFLPA and RLPA), as their underlying legal standing is in fact ambiguous.

    Whether the AFL’s draft would survive a court challenge is debatable.

    Australia’s varied player movement rules

    National Rugby League

    The NRL operates a salary cap model with free agency. This affords athletes strong freedom of movement, including the potential to switch clubs mid-season. Some consider this to be a negative, given constant media conjecture over player movements. However, it keeps the NRL perpetually in the headlines.

    In the absence of a draft, individual NRL clubs are responsible for their own junior development and talent identification. The Penrith Panthers’ historic premiership four-peat was underpinned by successfully leveraging their immense junior catchment to develop NRL superstars.

    A benefit of this model is it maximises the opportunity for local juniors to play for their local team. This pathway from local junior to hometown hero authentically contributes to embedding NRL clubs within local communities.

    Australian Football League

    The AFL operates both a draft and salary cap, and players have considerably less autonomy.

    Player movement occurs almost exclusively in the post-season. Despite this, clubs sweet talk rival players in the shadows outside this window, hoping to make signings official in the off-season.

    This practice came into view this week by the controversy surrounding West Coast captain Allen’s meeting with a rival coach.

    The AFL draft takes place after the trade period and is the primary way for athletes to enter the competition.

    The draft order is inverted, linked to clubs’ on-field performance (the team that finishes last receives the first pick).

    Clubs are largely removed from the process of developing junior athletes, which is centralised through the AFL’s national talent pathway.

    The athlete perspective

    While professional athletes are often portrayed as privileged, there are few other professions that impose such severe restraints on the rights of workers.

    The Allen controversy is a reminder the AFL operates a system where the clubs are masters and players well-remunerated servants.

    For the crime of meeting another coach in considering his future, albeit clumsily, Allen was described as “selfish”, “a sell-out,”, “utterly disgusting” and compelled into a press conference apology.

    Criticisms of athletes as selfish scarcely acknowledge that, unlike doctors or lawyers, they have uniquely short timespans to exploit their sporting careers.

    In many sports, as is the case in rugby league, athletes are disproportionately from lower socio-economic settings, where the money is life changing.

    The fan perspective

    Professional sport thrives because fans are emotionally attached to their teams. Fans rarely switch the team they support, so they often expect the same from players.

    Fan attitudes on player loyalty are therefore largely driven by emotion rather than rationality. Few fans employed in contract work would reject meeting a potential future employer because of a sole dedication to their current employer, as was the case for Allen.

    Even fewer fans would reject the ten-year, $13 million contract accepted by Dylan Brown to depart the Parramatta Eels, yet many booed him for doing so, as Melbourne fans did in 2012 after the departure of former No.1 AFL draft pick Tom Scully to Greater Western Sydney.

    In 2007, Parramatta Eels fans even threw coins at departed player Jamie Lyon. Thankfully for Brown, Australia has since become a mainly cashless society.

    Is there a fair balance?

    Player movement in Australian footy codes is a system of regulations that attempts to balance the competing demands of various stakeholders.

    In recent times, the NRL has explored the introduction of trade windows, and drafts, seemingly in response criticism over player movement and competitive imbalance.

    Such proposals have received strong
    pushback from the RLPA.

    Responding to the Allen fallout, AFLPA boss Paul Marsh conceded the AFL ecosystem remains immature to player movement:

    There shouldn’t be outrage about this stuff but there is. As much as I think we should be mature enough to deal with this, it is the industry we are in.

    The challenge for these codes therefore isn’t just regulating player movement but confronting the double standard placed upon athletes that expects loyalty in a system designed to control.

    Hunter Fujak has served as an external advisor to several Australian player associations on a pro-bono basis, including the Rugby League Players Association.

    Joshua McLeod 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. Traded like assets, expected to be loyal: the unique double standard of being an Australian footy player – https://theconversation.com/traded-like-assets-expected-to-be-loyal-the-unique-double-standard-of-being-an-australian-footy-player-253618

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: We study ‘planktivores’ – and found an amazing diversity of shapes among plankton-feeding fishes

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Isabelle Ng, PhD candidate, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University

    A couple of whip coral goby (_Bryaninops yongei_). randi_ang/Shutterstock

    Swim along the edge of a coral reef and you’ll often see schools of sleek, torpedo-shaped fishes gliding through the currents, feeding on tiny plankton from the water column.

    For decades, scientists assumed these plankton-feeding fishes – or planktivores – shared specialised traits: forked tails and streamlined body forms for speed, large eyes for spotting small prey, and small extendable jaws for suction-feeding.

    But our new study, published in Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries, shows there is more nuance to this story. We found plankton-feeding fishes don’t follow a single uniform design. To our surprise, they display the widest range of body forms of any feeding group among reef fishes.

    Evolving similar traits

    A core idea in evolutionary theory since Charles Darwin is that species facing the same problem often evolve similar traits. This is a process known as convergent evolution. It explains the pattern we see among dolphins, sharks, and tunas – distantly related lineages unified in their streamlined body shape used for fast swimming.

    We set out to test whether the same phenomenon was true for plankton-feeding reef fishes. Planktivores are an ideal group to study in this case.

    For one, plankton-feeding is the most common feeding group among reef fishes – giving us many distantly related species to compare. For another, they all share the same challenge of having to spot and suck out small prey from the water column.

    Yellowtail Fusilier (Caesio cuning).
    Subphoto.com/Shutterstock

    So we asked: do plankton-feeding fishes have a distinct body shape? And do patterns of convergence hold true across a diversity of plankton-feeding reef fishes?

    The broadest range of body shapes

    To answer these questions, we collected shape data from nearly 300 species of reef fishes from 12 globally distributed families – including surgeonfishes, wrasses, snappers, and damselfishes. We measured 15 feeding, swimming, and vision-related traits such as jaw length, tail shape, and pupil size.

    By combining these measurements with evolutionary trees, we tested whether plankton-feeding fishes were distinct in shape to their counterparts.

    But what we found surprised us. Plankton-feeding fishes aren’t converging on a specific body shape. It is quite the opposite – they display the broadest range of body shapes among reef fishes. Some species – such as the schooling fusiliers – truly fit the typical “plankton-feeding” model. They exhibit traits such as a forked tail, torpedo-shaped body, large eyes, and small, extendable jaws.

    But most others break the mould entirely. For example, tiny gobies – just three centimetres long – cling onto whip corals and adopt a sit-and-wait approach for plankton to pass by.

    Other deep-bodied damselfishes depart a small distance from their coral hosts to feed on plankton. But how can we explain this diversity of planktivore body shapes?

    Blotcheye soldierfish (Myripristis berndti).
    Jnichanan/Shutterstock

    An innate ability

    The answer lies in the vast diversity of their behaviours and environments.

    Their body shape isn’t dictated by plankton-feeding alone – it’s shaped by where, when and how they feed. Some planktivores feed during the day, others at night. Some inhabit deep reefs, others are mere metres below the surface of the water. Some are restricted to rubble slopes while others prefer the reef edge. Some even target specific sizes and types of the plankton itself.

    This diversity in activity patterns, habitat use, and prey preferences places different demands on their body forms – explaining why we see such a range of shapes and sizes among plankton-feeding fishes.

    Even species we don’t typically think of as planktivores will feed on plankton when the chance arises. Just last year, while on Lizard Island, we watched yellowmask surgeonfishes – normally feeding on algae and detritus – swimming high above the reef, targeting plankton.

    Perhaps this flexibility shouldn’t surprise us. After all, all reef fishes begin their lives as plankton feeders, floating in the open ocean before settling on the reef. The ability for fishes to feed on plankton is likely innate.

    Yellow mask surgeonfish (Acanthurus mata).
    Marco Lissoni/Shutterstock

    Challenging a longstanding assumption

    Our findings challenge the longstanding assumption that planktivorous reef fishes are distinct in form and are converging towards an optimum body type.

    Instead, plankton-feeding is a highly accessible and flexible feeding strategy on coral reefs – available to fishes of many shapes, sizes, evolutionary histories, and even different feeding groups.

    This has important implications for how we think about reef fish ecology and evolution. It shows that broad feeding categories like “planktivore” can mask the diversity of other behavioural and ecological traits.

    Rather than converging on a single solution, reef fishes highlight something different: that there is more than one way to be a planktivore.

    Isabelle Ng receives funding from the James Cook University Postgraduate Research Scholarship.

    Alexandre Siqueira receives funding from Edith Cowan University as a Vice-Chancellor’s Research Fellow.

    – ref. We study ‘planktivores’ – and found an amazing diversity of shapes among plankton-feeding fishes – https://theconversation.com/we-study-planktivores-and-found-an-amazing-diversity-of-shapes-among-plankton-feeding-fishes-254296

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: At least 118 foreign students’ legal statuses revoked across US Texas universities

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    At least 118 foreign students’ legal statuses have been revoked across the universities in the U.S. state of Texas as of Thursday, The Texas Tribune reported.

    These students were informed recently that their visas were revoked or their immigration status was marked as terminated in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, known as the SEVIS federal database, said the report.

    At least 27 students in the University of North Texas and another 27 in the University of Texas (UT) at Arlington were removed from SEVIS, said the report, citing university officials.

    As many as 10 UT-El Paso students had their visas revoked, said a report from local media outlet KFOX14.

    Affected universities also include UT-Dallas, Texas A&M, UT-Rio Grande, Texas Women’s University and Texas Tech, according to the report.

    Phillip Rodriguez, an immigration lawyer, told The Texas Tribune that students who are removed from SEVIS can choose to leave or apply to reinstate their status.

    However, choosing to remove students from SEVIS rather than revoking visas creates a more difficult appeal process, he said.

    “I think they’re proactively making it so that they basically can’t continue studies, or making it extremely difficult to continue their studies here in the United States without some sort of intervention,” said another immigration lawyer Robert Hoffman.

    SEVIS removal also can affect employment eligibility and the status of dependents like spouses and children, whose ability to stay in the United States depends on the primary status holder, he added.

    Since U.S. President Donald Trump took office in January, hundreds of international students at dozens of U.S. universities have been removed from SEVIS, with many of them reportedly involved in the pro-Palestinian campus protests last year, and some reportedly for minor infractions like traffic violations, according to U.S. media reports.

    The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said in a statement Wednesday that it would begin screening international students’ social media for “antisemitic” content.

    MIL OSI China News –