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Category: Universities

  • MIL-OSI Global: Canada’s Africa strategy is a landmark moment for Canada-Africa relations, but still needs work

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By David J Hornsby, Professor of International Affairs and the Vice-Provost and Associate Vice-President (Academic), Carleton University

    For the first time in its history, Canada has unveiled a comprehensive Africa strategy, marking a significant milestone in the Canadian approach to engaging with the African continent.

    Launched on March 6 by Liberal MP Rob Oliphant, the parliamentary secretary to the foreign affairs minister, the strategy represents a crucial step towards a more coherent and intentional relationship with Africa.

    This development is worthy of praise for several reasons.

    The strategy’s strengths

    First, it demonstrates Canada’s recognition of Africa’s growing importance on the global stage. It acknowledges the need for Canada to work closely with African states and organizations in multilateral forums such as the United Nations, the G20 and the Francophonie.

    It also positions Canada not only as a partner in enhancing Africa’s voice in global affairs, but also as an ally in advancing the Canadian government’s strategic interests abroad.

    The strategy’s development process was remarkably inclusive, with more than 600 stakeholder submissions. This consultative approach not only ensured a diverse range of perspectives, but also promotes accountability in the strategy’s implementation.

    Finally, the initiative’s broad scope is commendable. By intentionally crafting the strategy to encompass a wide array of African partners — from the African Union to diaspora groups in Canada — the government has created a framework that allows various African nations and organizations to see themselves reflected in the partnership.

    Remaining questions

    However, as with any significant policy development, there are areas for improvement and questions to be addressed. These include:

    Resource allocation: While the strategy sets ambitious goals, it’s unclear how these will be achieved without new funding.

    Although the argument can be made that the government has the option to reconfigure existing funding to align with broader policy shifts, that would leave major gaps in current development programming. The government must provide more specific details about funding and, just as importantly, metrics for implementation.

    Competitive landscape: The strategy doesn’t fully acknowledge Canada’s current position in Africa. While it identifies increased competition from familiar players like China, the European Union and Russia, as well as a growing array of competitors like Brazil, Turkey and the Gulf states, it doesn’t confront the degree to which, relatively speaking, Canada has lost ground.

    This needs to be acknowledged alongside Canada’s residual reputational strength, rooted in a history of supporting democratic transitions for African nations — particularly during the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa, but also during numerous peacekeeping engagements.



    Read more:
    Brian Mulroney’s tough stand against apartheid is one of his most important legacies

    Investments in developmental projects related to education and health in Africa have led to Canada garnering a reputation as a constructive and responsive collaborator on African issues. That said, Canada’s reputation in terms of mining and other extractive activities on the continent is an unhelpful counterpoint.

    Canada must strongly position itself as a state that can be trusted to champion African issues while forging partnerships based on mutual interest and respect in the fast-changing global competitive environment.

    Innovation and education: Despite the strategy’s mention of engaging youth and diaspora communities, it’s unclear on how to do this. A crucial way to connect with youth in particular is to enhance education connections and expand the links between universities and science and technological innovation institutions in Canada and African states.

    Dual degrees, funded collaborative research projects, student exchanges and scholarships are all tried-and-tested mechanisms to foster cross-cultural understandings that bind societies together.

    A sustainable Canada-Africa strategy must see educational and scientific partnerships, training and knowledge circulation as cornerstones for success.

    It would be a missed opportunity if the government fails to use this blueprint to leverage Canada’s extensive educational and scientific assets to generate innovative ideas that support the strategy’s implementation. This approach could also create opportunities for Canadian and African youth to build a strong foundation for a lasting and meaningful Canada-Africa relationship in the future.



    Read more:
    Why international students could be a critical factor in bolstering Canada’s economic resilience

    Ethical considerations: The strategy doesn’t adequately address issues related to the mining sector and the need for more ethical practices.

    Given Canada is touted as a mining superpower in Africa, a clear commitment to supporting human rights-centred and community development-oriented mining practices would go a long way to sustaining Canada’s interest in the extractive sector in Africa. This would also enhance its overall reputation on the continent.

    Furthermore, the ethics of Canada’s immigration regime and the often punitive approach to giving out temporary visas to African travellers is starkly missing from the strategy.

    It’s critical in terms of Canada’s future engagements and relations with African nations to recognize the current system is broken and considered overly intrusive by Africans. If Canada is serious about learning from Africa and forming equitable partnerships based on mutual respect, it cannot mete out indignities at the border.

    High-level commitment: The launch of the strategy by a parliamentary secretary, rather than the foreign affairs minister or the prime minister, raises questions about the perceived importance of this strategy at the highest levels of government.

    The launch was diplomatically underwhelming, with no invitations extended to the Canadian media or the African diplomatic community in Canada. This created the impression that the government was either already distancing itself from the strategy, or was anxious to manage expectations.

    Given that the launch of the strategy coincided with the Independence day of Ghana, one of the first African countries that Canada established official diplomatic relations with, the Canadian government should have seized on this historic moment to send a strong diplomatic message to the African continent.

    Substantial starting point

    Despite these concerns, the Africa strategy represents a significant and promising starting point.

    It provides a coherent, multidimensional and multi-purpose framework for Canada’s engagement with Africa. It synthesizes ongoing initiatives, sets intentions for future collaborations and seeks to move beyond paternalistic motivations to build an enhanced Canada-Africa relationship based on trust and respect.

    The strategy is realistic not only about Canada’s own limitations and needs, but also about the complexities of building partnerships with a large and diverse continent. It highlights humanitarian and security priorities while also emphasizing economic and political opportunities in Africa. The combination of humanitarian concerns with strategic interests signals a shift toward a more balanced and consistent approach towards the continent.



    Read more:
    Why Canada must seize the moment and launch its long-awaited Africa strategy

    As we move forward, the Canadian government must address the strategy’s shortcomings and provide more concrete plans for its implementation.

    Nonetheless, this moment deserves recognition. Canada has taken an important first step towards a more strategic, intentional and mutually beneficial relationship with Africa. It’s now up to policymakers, businesses, the academic community and civil society to build upon this foundation and turn this strategy into tangible, positive outcomes for both Canada and its African partners.

    David Black receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

    Thomas Kwasi Tieku receives funding from Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

    David J Hornsby and Edward Akuffo 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. Canada’s Africa strategy is a landmark moment for Canada-Africa relations, but still needs work – https://theconversation.com/canadas-africa-strategy-is-a-landmark-moment-for-canada-africa-relations-but-still-needs-work-252367

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Bringing dry numbers to life: the head of Mosstat presented representatives of the State University of Management with gratitude for popularizing statistics

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

    On March 20, 2025, a presentation of projects by 2nd and 3rd year students of the State University of Management of the educational program “Business Analytics and Forecasting” was held at the Office of the Federal State Statistics Service for Moscow and the Moscow Region (Mosstat) and the presentation of gratitude from the head of Mosstat Leonid Kalimullin.

    The presentation featured two projects aimed at popularizing statistics and developing the Mosstat brand.

    The project “Visualization of agricultural statistics data by municipalities of the Moscow region” attracted great interest. Mosstat employees who attended the presentation were interested in the dashboard that resulted from the work.

    “Work on the dashboard inspired us with its dynamism – we literally “brought to life” dry numbers, turning them into interactive graphs and maps, which caused genuine delight. After the presentation, we felt proud of the result. We not only proved the value of the idea, but also felt how our analytics can really change the approach to managing the agro-industrial complex in the region,” commented second-year student Venera Chorbadzhyan.

    No one was left indifferent by the statistical board game developed by students, which will help them acquire not only knowledge in the field of statistics, but also teach them to communicate with others and work in a team.

    “Developing the game gave us the opportunity to show schoolchildren the diversity and greatness of statistics, making this product interesting and exciting, to convince them that statistics are not just boring numbers, but the result of research and events. The uniqueness of the project lies in the original idea of a game with statistics. It has different levels of difficulty, which allows people with different levels of knowledge and training to play. The game allows you to develop statistics skills in a game form, which makes the learning process more interesting and faster,” 3rd-year students of the Business Analytics and Forecasting program commented on their work.

    Following the speeches, the head of the Federal State Statistics Service for Moscow and the Moscow Region, Leonid Kalimullin, presented official thanks to the staff and students of the State University of Management.

    Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 03/20/2025

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Nigeria’s oil-rich Rivers State under emergency: sending in the army isn’t the answer

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Al Chukwuma Okoli, Reader (Associate Professor) Department of Political Science, Federal University of Lafia, Nigeria, Federal University Lafia

    President Bola Tinubu recently declared a state of emergency in Nigeria’s oil-rich Rivers State, in the country’s south-south region.

    Prior to this decision, governance in Rivers State was practically paralysed as a result of a power struggle between the Governor, Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

    Rivers is at the heart of Nigeria’s once restive oil producing Niger Delta region and the emergency rule declaration was pronounced following reports of explosions rocking oil pipelines. Security scholar Al Chukwuma Okoli unpacks the implications of this development for security in the oil region previously known for militancy.

    What does declaring a state of emergency mean?

    The president has placed the governor, the deputy governor and the legislative arm of government on a six months suspension. He has appointed Vice Admiral Ibok-Étè Ibas, a retired Navy chief, as the state administrator. This means democratic institutions, except courts, have been suspended in Rivers State.

    Section 305 of Nigeria’s 1999 constitution empowers the president to declare a state of emergency when:

    • the federation is at war

    • the federation is in imminent danger of invasion or involvement in a state of war

    • there is actual breakdown of public order and public safety in any part of the country requiring extraordinary measures to avert danger

    • there is an occurrence or imminent danger of the occurrence of any disaster or natural calamity

    • there is any danger which clearly constitutes a threat to the existence of the federation

    • The Governor of a State may, with the sanction of a resolution supported by two-thirds majority of the state House of Assembly, request the President to issue a Proclamation of a state of emergency in the State

    The president can also make the decision if the governor of the affected state fails within a reasonable time to make a request.

    Is the state of emergency an effective response to the recent bombings?

    The state of emergency is a response to a dire internal security situation in which there is actual or threat of a breakdown of law and order. It applies also if security of lives and property is no longer guaranteed.

    In other words there’s been a major breach of governability in the area.

    There is an argument that the civil and security situations in Rivers State – and the civil unrest amid wanton destruction and vandalisation of oil and gas installations – calls for urgent intervention given the pivotal role of petroleum sector in sustaining the Nigerian economy.

    Oil and gas account for 40% of Nigerian government revenues and for around 92% of the value of all exports. Rivers State is a key oil producing area and hosts several major oil companies and critical oil infrastructure.

    Nevertheless, the emergency approach to the security crisis in Rivers State is, at best, problematic. Apart from amounting to unnecessary securitisation of politics and governance, it’s not capable of addressing the political undercurrents of the crisis.

    At the heart of the problem is the unresolved – or badly addressed – partisan and personality clashes between the suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his estranged predecessor and political godfather, Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

    The suspension of the Governor and the State Assembly may be strategically expedient. But it will fail to address the fundamental issues at stake without a concomitant suspension of Wike as the Federal Capital Territory Minister.

    This is because at the heart of the entire crisis is a power struggle between Wike and Fubara. As the immediate past governor of Rivers State, Wike influenced the emergence of Fubara as his successor during the 2023 general elections.

    They fell apart soon after the election. Wike who had become a minister and close ally of President Tinubu is believed to have influenced his loyalists in the Rivers State House of Assembly to oppose the governor. They were in the process of impeaching the governor before the state of emergency was imposed.

    Wike and Fubara’s power tussle has also led to a gradual return of Niger Delta militancy with former militants taking sides with the two political gladiators.

    Given this background, the emergency rule in Rivers state will be associated with consolidated military operations to quell the rising militancy. This, too, is likely to escalate the crisis.

    In handling the Rivers crisis, President Tinubu should have considered some historical precedents. Negotiations have fared a lot better than the military options in the region.

    The most recent armed conflict in the region arose in the early 1990s over tensions between foreign oil corporations and Niger Delta ethnic groups who feel cheated in the way their natural resources are exploited. The militant groups became notorious for their violent attacks on oil infrastructure and kidnapping of oil workers.

    Military response to this crisis did not seem to yield results until the Nigerian government introduced a disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration programme, known locally as the amnesty program. This was introduced in 2009 and was aimed at members of armed militant groups that were present in the Niger Delta region.

    Following this intervention, there has been relative peace in the recent past. Essentially, the emergency rule in Rivers state is likely to bring about a dramatic backlash in the sustenance of the gains of post-Amnesty peace-building in the Niger-Delta.

    What are the security implications of explosions rocking oil installations?

    Destruction of petroleum installations will bring about significant setback in the efficiency and functionality of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry. It will trigger production cuts and revenue losses capable of affecting the country’s petroleum earnings.

    This will be devastating considering the place of the industry in the national economy.

    In addition, the vandalisation of oil pipelines and other installations will lead to widespread environmental degradation and disaster. In turn this will affect the livelihood and ecological security of local communities.

    As experience from government’s use of force in the region in the early 1990s have shown, the declaration of a state of emergency may result in the renewal of piracy, cultism, hostage-taking, and kidnapping. This will in turn be a setback for the gains of peace building already recorded in the area since the introduction of the Niger Delta Amnesty program in 2009.

    Lastly, one of the most likely outcomes of the emergency rule will be the return of inter-militant fighting and vendetta. Already, lines are drawn between the militants aligned with Wike and Fubara.

    Such a development may dovetail into a major inter gang war with devastating implications for peace and development of the Niger Delta region.

    What approach should the appointed administrator take?

    The aftermath of the emergency declaration in Rivers State is dicey.

    To make progress with his mandate – which is to restore order in the state – the administrator needs to adopt a completely depoliticised approach to the partisan dispute that’s led to the current crisis. He has to initiate a credible peace process that is holistic and capable of alleviating the fears and doubts of parties.

    The administrator has to adopt a strictly non-partisan, multi-stakeholder and inclusive approach to dealing with the crisis. All the aggrieved parties must be treated fairly and reasonably.

    There must be a conscious effort at buildings bridges at local levels. These should be aimed at eliciting the buy-in of critical stakeholders and interested parties such as the militant groups and supporters of Wike and Fubara.

    Lastly, the administrator has to be conscious and sensitive to the local issues and sensibilities that are at the root of the crisis.

    Local problem require local remedies. An inward looking solution that carries everyone along, addresses the underlying issues and grievances, restores trust and goodwill, and transcends partisan divides, is the only route that will bring about a lasting solution to the Rivers state.

    Al Chukwuma Okoli teaches Political Science at Federal University of Lafia, Nigeria. An Associate Professor of Security Governance, Okoli has consulted for Center for Democracy and Development, Yaradua Foundation, Partners West Africa (Nigeria), CLEEN Foundation, African Union, UN Women, United Nations Development Programme, etc..He has received funding from the Tertiary Education Fund (Nigeria). A triple Laureate of Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA), Okoli s a member of Conflict Research Network West Africa and Amnesty International.

    – ref. Nigeria’s oil-rich Rivers State under emergency: sending in the army isn’t the answer – https://theconversation.com/nigerias-oil-rich-rivers-state-under-emergency-sending-in-the-army-isnt-the-answer-252672

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: South Africa hasn’t given individuals access to the African Court – this needs to be fixed

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Frans Viljoen, Professor of International Human Rights Law, Centre for Human Rights, and acting SARChI Chair in International Constitutional Law, University of Pretoria

    US President Donald Trump’s second term has brought South Africa’s domestic human rights record into stark international prominence. Based on misinformation, Trump’s anti-South African campaign seems designed to weaken South Africa’s image as an international torch bearer for human rights.

    At the heart of the issue lies American resentment about South Africa’s submission in December 2023 to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) of a case alleging that Israel has violated the 1948 Genocide Convention.

    South Africa has won accolades for its principled and courageous submission of the ICJ case. Nevertheless, its role in advancing human rights on the African continent has been more ambiguous.

    My research has focused on the African regional human rights architecture, set up under the African Union (AU) as a continental bulwark for human rights. The primary continental judicial body for human rights is the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, based in Arusha, Tanzania.

    South Africa has fallen short in one key aspect when it comes to championing human rights on the continent: it has failed to sign up to accepting direct individual access to the court. This matters because almost all cases submitted to and decided by the court have reached it in this way.

    South Africa’s role in African human rights system

    One of the first human rights treaties South Africa formally accepted after its full embrace of democracy in 1994 is the core African Union human rights treaty, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. Since then, it has made significant contributions to the charter monitoring body, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

    Two prominent South African human rights experts served as members of the 11-member continental human rights watchdog. Professor Barney Pityana, who was also the first chair of the South African Human Rights Commission, served between 1997 and 2003; and Advocate Pansy Tlakula, who had been the chairperson of the Independent Electoral Commission, served from 2005 to 2017.

    When the idea of establishing a continental human rights court to complement the protective mandate of the African Commission was flagged, South Africa played a pivotal role by stepping forward to host the inaugural drafting meeting for the enabling instrument, bringing together experts from around the continent to Cape Town in 1995.

    This was the first building block that culminated in the adoption of an optional protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the establishment of an African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, allowing for the creation of an African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

    South Africa was also one of the first states to accept the court’s jurisdiction in 2002. Today, 34 of the 55 African Union member states have formally accepted the protocol, thereby agreeing to the court’s jurisdiction. Two South Africans have been part of the 11 judges of the court.

    Since it became operational, the African Court has adjudicated several human rights cases, including those affecting marginalised groups such as persons with albinism in Tanzania.

    In these cases, the court has been instrumental in defining the scope of human rights guarantees under the charter and related treaties. It also defined appropriate measures that states should take to respect, protect and fulfil these rights.

    A missing piece

    South Africa falls short when it comes to the most crucial measure of the African Court – the acceptance of direct individual access.

    A case by an individual or group against a state party to the charter can end up before the court in one of two ways.

    First, a case can reach the court indirectly, via the commission. In this scenario, an individual initially submits a case alleging human rights violations by a state to the commission. The commission then has a discretion to refer the case to the African Court. This access route applies to all 34 states that have become party to the court protocol. However, this route has yielded a very small number of cases – three in total – being submitted to the court.

    Complex reasons account for this. One of them seems to be linked to an unfortunate institutional turf war between the commission and the court, manifesting itself in an unwillingness on the part of the commission to have its findings ‘reviewed’ by the court.

    Second, a case can reach the court directly, when an individual or nongovernmental organisation (NGO), after exhausting domestic remedies, submits a case directly. But this is only possible if a state has made a declaration to accept the competence of individuals and NGOs with observer status with the commission to directly access the court.

    So far, the majority of cases handled by the African Court reached it along this avenue. Around 260 judgements have been delivered in respect of direct access cases.

    Of the 34 states parties accepting the court’s jurisdiction, only seven currently allow their nationals direct access to the court. They are Burkina Faso, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Malawi, Mali, Niger and The Gambia. While 12 states have made the optional declaration, five of them have subsequently changed their mind, and withdrawn their optional acceptance of direct access to the court. Rwanda was the first to withdraw its acceptance, in 2016. The most recent withdrawal, on 7 March 2025, was by Tunisia.

    The reasons for withdrawal differ. But a common thread is the aggravation of governments for being held accountable by the court for human rights violations, often of the most marginalised persons, or of political opponents of the ruling government.

    The most immediate consequence of these withdrawals has been a drop in the number of cases submitted to the African Court. In 2024, only 15 new cases were submitted. There were 66 in 2019.

    Why direct individual access matters

    It’s not clear why South Africa has not (yet) accepted direct access to the court. But there are compelling reasons for it to do so.

    First, allowing direct access from South African courts to the African Court would serve to complement domestic human rights protection by allowing for redress and reparations beyond the national level. This will be in line with the South African constitution. It will also be in line with the principle of subsidiarity, in terms of which recourse to the African Court will only be possible after all domestic remedies had been exhausted.

    Second, bolstering the effectiveness of the court is an investment in African institutions, and will underscore South Africa’s full embrace of its African identity. And if it accepts the court’s direct access jurisdiction, it will become the AU member state with the largest population and economy to do so.

    The right moment

    The court protocol, which South Africa has ratified, requires that a declaration accepting direct individual access be made. The relevant provision (article 34(6)) stipulates that state parties to the court protocol are required to (“shall”) make such a declaration. What is left to the discretion of states is the timing. According to the protocol, these states “shall” do so “at the time of the ratification of this protocol or any time thereafter”.

    There has never been a more opportune and important time for South Africa to make this declaration.

    The African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights risks being underused and receding into irrelevance. This is happening in a landscape increasingly inimical to rights and rights institutions. South Africa should signal to other states that it accepts independent judicial scrutiny of its human rights record as the logical end result of having helped create the African Court.

    Frans Viljoen 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. South Africa hasn’t given individuals access to the African Court – this needs to be fixed – https://theconversation.com/south-africa-hasnt-given-individuals-access-to-the-african-court-this-needs-to-be-fixed-252749

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Starmer’s plan to ‘build baby build’ risks more American-style car-dominated sprawl

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By James White, Professor of Planning and Urban Design, University of Glasgow

    The UK’s Labour government has promised to “take an axe to red tape” through “bold reforms to the planning system”. It hopes to kickstart economic growth by generating the “biggest building boom in a generation”.

    It seems that the aim to “build baby build”, in Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s words, trumps all else. However, this raises important questions about the government’s parallel ambition to reach net zero by 2050.

    As researchers of urban planning, we worry that plans to hand more power to developers will simply result in more low-density, car-dependent suburbs. These developments are cheap and efficient to build, which is why they underpin the profits of the larger housebuilders.

    But research has consistently demonstrated they are land hungry, poorly designed, unsustainable and damaging to nature.

    The UK instead needs a fundamental rethink of its approach to housing and development as part of the transition to a low carbon future. Any future urban growth must be achieved while simultaneously reducing the amount of land, energy and materials used.

    Redesigning existing towns and cities

    We recently launched a research project, Urban Retrofit, to explore how the UK’s towns and cities can be redesigned to support the transition to net zero. The good news is that we already know a lot about how to make places more environmentally sustainable.

    It is about renovating buildings to improve energy efficiency, like adding insulation and installing things like heat pumps. It includes building at higher densities, using brownfield land better, and adapting streets to encourage safer walking and cycling.

    We can make it easier to travel on public transport and seamlessly transfer between buses, trains and trams. And we can plant indigenous trees and plants to provide wildlife habitats and cool urban areas, and slow down rainwater to help prevent floods.

    Skyscrapers and renovated warehouses in Manchester.
    Alejandro M. Ferrer / shutterstock

    A retrofitting approach to urban development can also have wider benefits, such as bringing derelict buildings back into use or creating spaces to grow food. It is important that these efforts do not exacerbate existing inequalities, though.

    If higher density neighbourhoods are created in places with high house prices, for example, it will be essential to guarantee people can still afford to live in them. This will mean building more social housing.

    Some of the initiatives outlined in Labour’s planning reforms recognise the need to build more sustainably. These include support for some more affordable housing, and higher density development allowed “near transport hubs” and “central to local communities”. It also includes financial packages for local authorities seeking to “unlock housing on brownfield sites”.

    Low density and car-dependent

    The bad news is that there is little evidence that greener urban growth can be realised without further harming the environment. The necessary transformation certainly won’t happen without curbing the development industry’s appetite for the energy-inefficient, low-density and car-dependent neighbourhoods, retail parks and workplaces that already sprawl around the edges of urban areas.

    And that won’t be possible while politicians fall back on blaming an already under-resourced planning system, rather than tackling this deeper problem in our approach to development.

    Policy support for brownfield development is unlikely to convince housebuilders to take on these financially risky sites. This is especially true if, under Labour’s other proposals, local authorities will be required to grant developers planning permission on previously undeveloped land.

    The government is already redefining parts of the green belt as grey belt to make more land available for development. And much of that land will be in precisely those locations developers prefer, on the edges of settlements where costs are usually lower, profits are higher and sites are relatively similar and easier to develop.

    Building new homes here is easy and cheap – but worse for the environment.
    Nick Beer / shutterstock

    As the planning system is pushed to make ever more land available for development, Labour’s reforms will embolden the industry to continue seeking permission for unsustainable urban expansion.

    An array of landowners, developers, land agents, lawyers, consultants, builders and shareholders will likely make a lot of money. But more people will be locked into unsustainable lifestyles while time, resources and energy are focused away from the challenges of adapting our existing settlements.

    As our project is exploring, there is an urgent need to first retrofit within existing towns and cities, especially in suburban areas that were built for the automobile age.

    This will require much more positive ambitions for the planning system and big changes to the ways the development industry operates. It will also require a willingness to ask much more searching questions about the sustainability of going all out for growth.

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

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 40,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    James White receives funding from the Economic and Social Research Council. He is Principal Investigator of Urban Retrofit (ES/Z50278/1) and Co-Investigator of the UK Collaborative Centre for Housing Evidence (ES/W012278/1).

    Andy Inch receives funding from the Economic and Social Research Council. He is Co-investigator on both Urban Retrofit (ES/Z502728/1) and another project called Planning for Nature (ES/Z503459/1)

    – ref. Starmer’s plan to ‘build baby build’ risks more American-style car-dominated sprawl – https://theconversation.com/starmers-plan-to-build-baby-build-risks-more-american-style-car-dominated-sprawl-251316

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Grateful Dead at 60: three folklore tales that inspired the band’s music

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Max Bowden, PhD Candidate, impact and influence of the Grateful Dead, University of Essex

    Dead & Company, the latest and most enduring post-Grateful Dead project, is about to take to the stage for the second time at the Las Vegas Sphere. The lineup contains original Grateful Dead rhythm guitarist Bob Weir, and one of two original drummers, Mickey Hart. They’re joined by the singer-songwriter John Mayer on lead guitar, Oteil Burbridge on bass and Jay lane on second drums.

    It has now been 60 years since the Grateful Dead formed. The US rock band first played at Ken Kesey’s “acid tests” in La Honda, California, in 1965. There, attendees would consume large doses of LSD and spend the night enjoying psychedelic projections and the Dead’s intermittent musical stylings.

    Before this, a number of the band members had well-established careers in the Californian Bay Area folk scene. Lead guitarist Jerry Garcia and lyricist Robert Hunter performed folk and bluegrass together in the early 1960s.

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    Mother McCree’s Uptown Jug Champions was another project that involved a number of artists who would go on to form the Grateful Dead. The band’s innate chaos was already clear. Playing an early gig at a coffee house, they were described by the host as “just a panic to watch”.

    This chaotic approach is something that continued. Speaking to Rolling Stone in 1971, Garcia said: “Hunter and I always had this thing where we liked to muddy the folk tradition by adding our own versions of songs … taking a well-founded tradition and putting in something that’s totally looped”.

    This revitalising understanding of folk adds an element of Grateful Dead fun, contributing to some of their most enduring and interesting songs. Here are three examples of the folk tales that inspired their music.

    1. Stagger Lee (1978)

    On Christmas Day 1895, two Texans named Lee “Stack” Shelton and Billy Lyons had a disagreement, which ended with Billy snatching Stack’s hat, and Stack shooting him to get it back. This simple story blossomed over time, often richly embellished, into song, folk tale and theatre.

    Hunter and the Dead turned the classic folk tale of murder on its head. In most songs about the incident, the focus is on the slightly renamed “Stagger Lee” and “Billy DeLyon”. Most renditions focus on the details and morality of the murder, or the nuance of Stagger as a proto-gangster, and a victim of racist policing.

    Grateful Dead performing Stagger Lee in 1978.

    The version that the Grateful Dead released is different, with only the first verse dedicated to the murder itself. The body of the song centres the journey of widowed Deliah DeLyon, now in pursuit of justice.

    She first pleads with a policeman for help saying “you’ll arrest the girls for turning tricks, but you’re scared of Stagger Lee,” before going to the bar herself, emasculating Stagger Lee, and dragging him to city hall.

    These changes attack hyper-masculine versions of the song and suggest an alternate perspective that prioritises the previously unheard.

    2. Casey Jones (1970)

    Casey Jones (1863-1900) was a renowned train engineer from Mississippi. He was known for his punctuality and skill, but was killed in a wreck after missing a signal in dense fog.

    Jones was the only fatality in the train crash and his actions are said to have saved the passengers and the train’s fireman. Just like Stagger Lee, this folk hero has been sung about from many different perspectives.

    In the one folk rendition, covered by Pete Seeger, Jones was a union scab, crashing his train though a slavish obedience to his bosses. In Johnny Cash’s song, he was a true hero. But in Grateful Dead’s song, he was a cocaine-addicted speed freak.

    Grateful Dead performing Casey Jones in 1977.

    By bringing Casey Jones into the 1970s, the Dead sought to use folk to give a contemporary moral warning. Hunter philosophises throughout, referencing both the story of the crash and his own shortsightedness when he writes “got two good eyes, but we still don’t see”.

    The Grateful Dead’s approach to folk is at once firmly rooted in tradition and with one foot in the future.

    3. Terrapin Station (1977)

    The first part of one of the Dead’s most famous musical suites is an adaptation of The Lady of Carlisle.

    This folk song tells a story of a lady choosing between two suitors – a soldier and a sailor. To decide, she throws her fan into a lion’s den and challenges the men to retrieve it.

    In traditional versions of the song the lady is fragile, becoming catatonic after delivering her challenge, but Hunter’s changes to the song elevate her. This section of the suite, Lady with a Fan, weaves this into an overarching narrative about the illuminating power of stories.

    Grateful Dead performing Terrapin Station in 1977.

    In the song, a speaker is retelling the story of The Lady of Carlisle while a magical fire conjures images as they happen. Here we see the protagonist emboldened, her “eyes alight with glowing hair,” and much more directly telling the men “I will not forgive you, if you will not take the chance”.

    After the sailor retrieves the fan, the meta-narrative challenges the listener. “You decide if he was wise,” the narrator sings, telling us “the storyteller makes no choice”. Hunter and the Dead again seek to use folklore to explore narrative and stories, their powerful influence on the world and our perspective.

    This visionary approach to folk helped ground the band’s musical catalogue in history, elevating folk music and offering curious listeners threads that lead into the narrative past.

    Max Bowden received a bursary from the Folklore Society.

    – ref. Grateful Dead at 60: three folklore tales that inspired the band’s music – https://theconversation.com/grateful-dead-at-60-three-folklore-tales-that-inspired-the-bands-music-249798

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: UK businesses face a big tax hike. So what does it mean for workers and the economy?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Phil Tomlinson, Professor of Industrial Strategy, Co-Director Centre for Governance, Regulation and Industrial Strategy (CGR&IS), University of Bath

    The hospitality sector will be among the most seriously affected. cktravels.com/Shutterstock

    Employers in the UK are about to be hit with a hefty tax rise. From April 1 2025, their national insurance contributions are rising to 15% on salaries above £5,000, instead of 13.8% on salaries above £9,100.

    Unsurprisingly, business owners are not happy. Since the change was announced last autumn, many have complained about the effect it will have on their ability to invest and hire staff. Care homes, supermarkets and GP surgeries are among those who have voiced their concerns, and a recent survey found that 54% anticipate raising prices.

    Some industries will be affected more than others. The hospitality sector, for example, expects around £1 billion in additional costs (alongside an inflation-busting minimum wage increase, which also comes into play on April 1). Partly because of these changes, manufacturing confidence has already taken a hit, contributing to a decline in overall GDP since the start of the year.

    But Rachel Reeves, the UK’s chancellor, has not budged, arguing that she needs to raise £40 billion in tax revenue to fund infrastructure and public services, and to address what she calls a “black hole” in the public finances.

    She had previously condemned the Conservative government’s employer national insurance hike in 2022 as a “tax on jobs”. Yet a Labour party manifesto pledge not to raise personal income tax, employees’ national insurance or VAT, has effectively left her with few options.

    As a result, the burden has been placed firmly on businesses. But in the UK’s sluggish economy, any added cost pressures could push struggling firms into pay freezes and cutbacks.

    Others may seek ways to mitigate the national insurance rise through creative accounting, by offering salary sacrifice schemes (such as cycle-to-work or electric vehicle purchase programmes) instead of direct wage increases.

    Some firms will no doubt explore other cost-cutting measures, such as reducing office space by encouraging more remote work. Or they may shift towards gig economy models, where they employ workers as “subcontractors” rather than as salaried staff. Larger firms might even move jobs abroad.

    Productivity push?

    But there could be an upside to all of this. Despite being politically sensitive, there is an economic argument for raising employment costs as a way of driving innovation and productivity. And some enterprising businesses may respond to the financial pressure by investing in labour-saving technology.

    For years the UK has relied on a low-wage, loosely regulated labour market. This has allowed businesses to hire and fire with ease, but has also led to persistently low levels of investment and weak productivity growth.

    Put simply, UK workers are often using outdated tools and equipment, making them less productive compared with their international competitors. Over time, this depresses wages, lowers economic growth (and living standards) and limits funding (through tax raised) for public services.

    Raising employment costs may now incentivise businesses to invest in automation and efficiency-enhancing technologies. The feasibility of this shift depends on what economists call the “elasticity of substitution” – the ease with which labour can be replaced by technology while maintaining (or improving) output.

    And evidence suggests automation and AI can drive productivity improvements even in traditionally labour-intensive industries. For instance, in social care, AI may be used to create personalised treatment plans, while robots could provide patients with physical, social and cognitive support.

    So far, the UK care sector has been slow to adopt such technology, lagging behind the likes of Australia, the Netherlands and Japan.

    Robotic care.
    Stock-Asso/Shutterstock

    Similarly, in hospitality, there are opportunities to use AI for predictive ordering and automated waste management. This could help hotels and restaurants reduce food waste, streamline supply chains and improve their profitability. Some businesses are also exploring robotic concierge services and automated customer interactions.

    Incentives and stability

    To ensure businesses embrace these productivity-boosting innovations, government support is essential. A well-designed industrial strategy is still needed to position the UK at the forefront of the “industry 4.0” technological revolution.



    Read more:
    The UK’s new industrial strategy is welcome, but here’s what is missing

    And, critically, businesses also need confidence in the broader economic outlook. Yet with continuing geopolitical uncertainty, trade tensions and fears of a global recession, the future feels fragile.

    The government’s challenge lies in encouraging businesses to adopt a strategy which ensures that investment in innovation actually materialises, and the benefits emerge swiftly. If businesses fail to adapt, or if productivity gains take too long, then the national insurance hike could just result in higher costs without any boost to growth.

    Ultimately, success hinges on whether businesses view this tax rise as a burden to absorb or an incentive to modernise. In the coming months and years, the government will need to show it is willing to offer businesses more support – and improve their confidence levels – if there is to be a revival in investment and productivity.

    Phil Tomlinson receives funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) for Made Smarter Innovation: Centre for People-Led Digitalisation, and from the Innovation and Research Caucus (IRC).

    David Bailey receives funding from the ESRC’s UK in a Changing Europe Programme.

    – ref. UK businesses face a big tax hike. So what does it mean for workers and the economy? – https://theconversation.com/uk-businesses-face-a-big-tax-hike-so-what-does-it-mean-for-workers-and-the-economy-252325

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Debate over H-1B visas shines spotlight on US tech worker shortages

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Moshe Y. Vardi, Professor of Computer Science, Rice University

    Babson College graduate students from India type on their computers in Wellesley, Mass., on June 30, 2016. AP Photo/Charles Krupa

    A heated debate has recently erupted between two groups of supporters of President Donald Trump. The dispute concerns the H-1B visa system, the program that allows U.S. employers to hire skilled foreign workers in specialty occupations – mostly in the tech industry.

    On the one hand, there are people like Donald Trump’s former strategist Steve Bannon, who has called the H-1B program a “total and complete scam.” On the other, there are tech tycoons like Elon Musk who think skilled foreign workers are crucial to the U.S. tech sector.

    The H-1B visa program is subject to an annual limit of new visas it can issue, which sits at 65,000 per fiscal year. There is also an additional annual quota of 20,000 H-1B visas for highly skilled international students who have a proven ability to succeed academically in the United States.

    The H-1B program is the primary vehicle for international graduate students at U.S. universities to stay and work in the United States after graduation. At Rice University, where I work, much of STEM research is carried out by international graduate students. The same goes for most American research-intensive universities.

    As a computer science professor – and an immigrant – who studies the interaction between computing and society, I believe the debate over H-1B overlooks some important questions: Why does the U.S. rely so heavily on foreign workers for the tech industry, and why is it not able to develop a homegrown tech workforce?

    The US as a global talent magnet

    The U.S. has been a magnet for global scientific talent since before World War II.

    Many of the scientists who helped develop the atomic bomb were European refugees. After World War II, U.S. policies such as the Fulbright Program expanded opportunities for international educational exchange.

    Attracting international students to the U.S. has had positive results.

    Among Americans who have won the Nobel Prize in chemistry, medicine or physics since 2000, 40% have been immigrants.

    In 2023, U.S.-born Louis Brus, left, shared the Nobel Prize in chemistry with U.S. immigrants Alexei Ekimov, born in the former USSR, and Moungi Bawendi, born in France.
    AP Photo

    Tech industry giants Apple, Amazon, Facebook and Google were all founded by first- or second-generation immigrants. Furthermore, immigrants have founded more than half of the nation’s billion-dollar startups since 2018.

    Stemming the inflow of students

    Restricting foreign graduate students’ path to U.S. employment, as some prominent Trump supporters have called for, could significantly reduce the number of international graduate students in U.S. universities.

    About 80% of graduate students in American computer science and engineering programs – roughly 18,000 students in 2023 – are international students.

    The loss of international doctoral students would significantly diminish the research capability of graduate programs in science and engineering. After all, doctoral students, supervised by principal investigators, carry out the bulk of research in science and engineering in U.S. universities.

    It must be emphasized that international students make a significant contribution to U.S. research output. For example, scientists born outside the U.S. played key roles in the development of the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines. So making the U.S. less attractive to international graduate students in science and engineering would hurt U.S. research competitiveness.

    Computing Ph.D. graduates are in high demand. The economy needs them, so the lack of an adequate domestic pipeline seems puzzling.

    Where have US students gone?

    So, why is there such a reliance on foreign students for U.S. science and engineering? And why hasn’t America created an adequate pipeline of U.S.-born students for its technical workforce?

    After discussions with many colleagues, I have found that there are simply not enough qualified domestic doctoral applicants to fill the needs of their doctoral programs.

    In 2023, for example, U.S. computer science doctoral programs admitted about 3,400 new students, 63% of whom were foreign.

    It seems as if the doctoral career track is simply not attractive enough to many U.S. undergrad computer science students. But why?

    The top annual salary in Silicon Valley for new computer science graduates can reach US$115,000. Bachelor’s degree holders in computing from Rice University have told me that until recently – before economic uncertainty shook the industry – they were getting starting annual salaries as high as $150,000 in Silicon Valley.

    Doctoral students in research universities, in contrast, do not receive a salary. Instead, they get a stipend. These vary slightly from school to school, but they typically pay less than $40,000 annually. The opportunity cost of pursuing a doctorate is, thus, up to $100,000 per year. And obtaining a doctorate typically takes six years.

    So, pursuing a doctorate is not an economically viable decision for many Americans. The reality is that a doctoral degree opens new career options to its holder, but most bachelor’s degree holders do not see beyond the economics. Yet academic computing research is crucial to the success of Silicon Valley.

    A 2016 analysis of the information technology sectors with a large economic impact shows that academic research plays an instrumental role in their development.

    Why so little?

    The U.S. is locked in a cold war with China focused mostly on technological dominance. So maintaining its research-and-development edge is in the national interest.

    Yet the U.S. has declined to make the requisite investment in research. For example, the National Science Foundation’s annual budget for computer and information science and engineering is around $1 billion. In contrast, annual research-and-development expenses for Alphabet, Google’s parent company, have been close to $50 billion for the past decade.

    Universities are paying doctoral students so little because they cannot afford to pay more.

    Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai speaks at a Google I/O event in Mountain View, Calif., on May 14, 2024.
    AP Photo/Jeff Chiu

    But instead of acknowledging the existence of this problem and trying to address it, the U.S. has found a way to meet its academic research needs by recruiting and admitting international students. The steady stream of highly qualified international applicants has allowed the U.S. to ignore the inadequacy of the domestic doctoral pipeline.

    The current debate about the H-1B visa system provides the U.S. with an opportunity for introspection.

    Yet the news from Washington, D.C., about massive budget cuts coming to the National Science Foundation seems to suggest the federal government is about to take an acute problem and turn it into a crisis.

    Moshe Y. Vardi receives funding from the National Science Foundation and the US Office of Naval Research.

    – ref. Debate over H-1B visas shines spotlight on US tech worker shortages – https://theconversation.com/debate-over-h-1b-visas-shines-spotlight-on-us-tech-worker-shortages-248711

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Upcoming Discussions on Public Health, Ecology Designed to Get People ‘Thinking Globally’

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    A series of virtual panel discussions this semester from the Office of Global Affairs and International Studies Association aims to prompt students, faculty, and the community to think bigger than themselves, even bigger than UConn, when considering issues that touch nearly every corner of the world.

    “Thinking Globally in 2025” is tackling such topics as public health and ecology in March and April, after having looked at media and misinformation in late February.

    “In some ways, I see this as curating the relevant expertise that’s out there to help people begin to make sense of an incredibly confusing and quite scary world,” says Jane Anna Gordon, a political science professor and series co-organizer. “We want people to come away with the sense that we need a big, broad, diverse community of people if we have any hope of understanding the globe.”

    Sarah W. Dorr, director of professional development at the International Studies Association (ISA) and a research scholar in Global Affairs, says she conceived of the series after noting that ISA members and UConn faculty have vast expertise in a variety of fields, but hadn’t come together for interdisciplinary discussions.

    After developing the idea for a speaker series that would draw from UConn’s faculty and ISA’s national and international network, Dorr approached Global Affairs and connected with Allison Casaly ’12 (CLAS), who serves as its global partnerships manager.

    Casaly says her office also was looking to begin a speaker series, as was Gordon, who had put together a fall-time faculty seminar around the theme of thinking globally. With combined efforts, the three planned for “Thinking Globally” to kick off this semester, featuring three topics they considered particularly impactful in the contemporary world.

    The first, “Our Digital World: Media and Misinformation,” featured UConn journalism assistant professor Amanda J. Crawford as moderator, and as panelists UConn journalism department head and professor Marie K. Shanahan and UConn communication assistant professor Jiyoun Suk, along with Dmitry Chernobrov from the University of Sheffield, England.

    About 80 people registered for the virtual discussion, Dorr says, about half from UConn. The event was open to anyone affiliated with the University or ISA, or from the wider community.

    “With all of the uncertainty going on in the country and in the world, it’s valuable to provide a forum where people can gather and learn about issues, while having the opportunity to ask questions of the experts that we bring in,” Casaly says.

    Dorr adds, “In addition to promoting interdisciplinary discussion, one of the main aims of the series is to get academic expertise down the pipeline and make it available to the wider public in this age of misinformation.”

    The second discussion, “Our World: Public Health,” will happen March 25, featuring Joy Elwell from the UConn schools of Nursing and Medicine as moderator, and as panelists Fumilayo Showers, an assistant professor of sociology and Africana Studies at UConn; Elsio A. Wunder, an assistant professor of pathobiology and veterinary science at UConn; and Stevan M. Weine from the University of Illinois.

    “Our Ecological World: Oceans & Waterways” will happen April 22, featuring Matthew McKenzie, a history professor at UConn; Carmel Christy K.J., a postdoctoral research associate at the Gladstein Family Human Rights Institute at UConn; James O’Donnell, a UConn professor and executive director of the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation; Eduardo Urios-Aparisi, an associate professor of Spanish studies and applied linguistics and discourse studies at UConn, along with Neil Oculi from the University Portland and Henry Carey from Georgia State University as moderators.

    While the three organizers say promoting and engaging people with the series is the primary goal, they hope to expand it in the fall and offer it as a for-credit class to UConn students, similar to the online, asynchronous popup course on antisemitism that’s been held since 2022.

    For this course, they expect to require students not just to learn but take that learning and think about what they can do with it through some sort of public project.

    “We want students to take away a holistic understanding of the issue,” Casaly says. “By having people from different disciplines talk about the same broad theme, we’re hoping people can appreciate the diversity of perspectives that exist and the value those different perspectives bring to understanding the issue.”

    Dorr also suggests there may be an opportunity to expand the series into a podcast or abbreviated video format, sort of a here’s-what-you-need-to-know-from-the-experts.

    Snapshots like this might be good teaching tools too, Gordon says.

    “I’m open to any ideas that people may have about how to further all this fantastic content,” Dorr adds.

    While they understand some topics might be more attractive draws for audiences, ideally, they hope to develop a core group that shows up regularly and can take what they learn each month back to their personal and professional contacts.

    “We’re in such a confusing time,” Gordon says. “On the one hand, we’re part of a globe – think about COVID, the transmission of information, election meddling. But at the same time, we’re in a period in which those who are ascending politically are trying to deglobalize or at least become much more exclusionary. That becomes very contradictory and makes people feel nihilistic and isolated. Being able to talk with other people about this, how to work through it, and what to do in response is really urgent.”

    Registration for the March 25 and April 22 events can be done online from the ISA website. The ISA is an interdisciplinary association with more than 7,000 members dedicated to international, transnational, and global affairs. While it’s work spans international borders, it is based at UConn.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Scientists in Antarctica: why they’re there and what they’ve found

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By David William Hedding, Associate Professor in Geography, University of South Africa

    A media storm blew up in mid-March 2025 when a researcher at South Africa’s isolated Sanae IV base in Antarctica accused one of its nine team members of becoming violent.

    The Conversation Africa asked geomorphologist David William Hedding, who has previously carried out research from the frozen continent, about the work researchers do in Antarctica, what conditions are like and why it matters.

    What do researchers focus on when they’re working in Antarctica?

    Currently, the main focus of research in the Antarctic revolves around climate change because the White Continent is a good barometer for changes in global cycles. It has a unique and fragile environment. It’s an extreme climate which makes it highly sensitive to any changes in global climate and atmospheric conditions. Importantly, the Antarctic remains relatively untouched by humans, so we are able to study processes and responses of natural systems.

    Also, the geographic location of Antarctic enables science that is less suitable elsewhere on the planet. An example of this is the work on space weather (primarily disturbances to the Earth’s magnetic field caused by solar activity). Studying space weather is significant because the magnetic field of the Earth can impact communication platforms, technology, infrastructure and even human health.

    How many countries have teams working there? Where does South Africa fit in?

    Currently, about 30 countries have research stations in the Antarctic but these bases serve a far wider community of researchers. Collaboration is a key component of research in the Antarctic because many study sites are isolated, logistics are a challenge and resources are typically limited.

    The South African base in Antarctica, named SANAE IV usually has between 10 and 12 researchers and base personnel. This research station is situated on a nunatak (a mountain piercing through the ice) in Western Dronning Maud Land. It is an extremely remote location approximately 220km inland from the ice-shelf.

    The researchers and base personnel remain in Antarctica for approximately 15 months working through the cold and dark winter months.

    What have been some of the biggest ‘finds’?

    The biggest research finding from the Antarctic was the discovery of the ozone hole in 1985 by scientists from the British Antarctic Survey. This discovery led to the creation and implementation of the Montreal Protocol, a treaty to phase out chlorofluorocarbons (synthetic chemical compounds composed of chlorine, fluorine, and carbon) which destroy ozone. This was a major breakthrough in terms of slowly healing the ozone layer.

    The second most significant piece of research to come from the Antarctic has been the use of ice cores to reconstruct past climates. Ice cores preserve air bubbles which provide a wealth of information about the conditions of the atmosphere over time. Importantly, ice cores provide an uninterrupted and detailed window into the past 1.2 million years. This is important because only by understanding past climates and the earth’s responses to those changes are we able to predict future responses. This is significant because of the imminent threats resulting from anthropogenic (human-induced) climate change.

    What conditions do scientists work under?

    Conducting research in the Antarctic is extremely difficult for three primary reasons: remoteness, the cold and daylight.

    The remoteness of many study sites makes it difficult to reach. Distances are vast from the limited number of bases in the Antarctic. Thus, logistics for science in the Antarctic is a major challenge and requires collaboration and planning. For example, the geologists from the University of Johannesburg, who work from the SANAE IV base in Antarctica, often spend weeks in the field collecting samples. They travel significant distances via snow mobile and remain self-sufficient while conducting science in tough conditions.

    These tough conditions relate specifically to the cold. Most science only occurs in the austral summer months when temperatures become marginally bearable. Also, the summer season only provides a short window in which to operate because access to Antarctic by sea is limited by extent and thickness of the sea ice.

    Lastly, during summer there is 24 hours of daylight which lengthens the working day but these conditions are also short-lived.

    Why it is important to do scientific work in the area?

    The Antarctic is intricately linked to global systems and plays a major role in influencing these systems.

    For example, climate change will cause significant melting of land-based ice in Antarctica which when added to the oceans will cause sea-level rise and disruptions to global oceanic currents. Therefore, it is critical that we obtain a better understanding of how responses of terrestrial systems, such as the Antarctic, will impact oceanic systems because ultimately changes in ocean currents will impact the oceanic food web.

    In the context of climate change, sea-level rise is a major concern as it will have global impacts for society, so it is critical that the impacts are investigated to enable society to build resilience and adapt.

    David William Hedding receives funding from the National Research Foundation.

    – ref. Scientists in Antarctica: why they’re there and what they’ve found – https://theconversation.com/scientists-in-antarctica-why-theyre-there-and-what-theyve-found-252752

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump’s phone call with Putin fails to deliver a full ceasefire – here’s what could happen next

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Stefan Wolff, Professor of International Security, University of Birmingham

    After more than two hours on the phone on Tuesday, March 17, the US president, Donald Trump, and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, agreed only to confidence-building measures, not a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia. The two leaders came away from the call having agreed on a limited prisoner exchange, a suspension of attacks on energy infrastructure, and the creation of working groups to explore further steps towards a ceasefire and ultimately a peace agreement, a proposal which Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky has since agreed to in his call with the US president.

    A less charitable way of looking at the outcome of the second call between the two presidents since Trump returned to the White House would be that the ball is now back in America’s court. Putin made it crystal clear to Trump that he is not (yet) in the mood for any compromise.

    This is hardly surprising given recent events.

    The US has pressured Ukraine mercilessly into accepting a proposal for a 30-day ceasefire, which Trump hoped Russia would also agree to. But apart from a vague statement by Trump that he might consider sanctions against Russia, he has so far seemed unwilling to contemplate putting any meaningful equivalent pressure on Putin.

    Sign up to receive our weekly World Affairs Briefing newsletter from The Conversation UK. Every Thursday we’ll bring you expert analysis of the big stories in international relations.

    On the ground, Russia has gained the upper hand in the Kursk region where Ukrainian troops have ceded most of the territory they captured after a surprise offensive last summer. Once Putin’s forces, assisted by thousands of North Korean soldiers, have succeeded in driving the Ukrainians out of Russia, Kyiv will have lost its most valuable bargaining chip in negotiations with Moscow.

    Meanwhile, Russia has also made further gains on the frontlines inside Ukraine especially in parts of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. These are two of the four regions (the other two are Donetsk and Luhansk) that Putin has claimed for Russia in their entirety since sham referendums in September 2022, despite not yet having full control of them.

    If Russia were to capture yet more Ukrainian territory, Putin would probably find it even easier to convince Trump that his demands are reasonable. The fact that Trump already hinted at a “dividing of assets”, including the nuclear power plant at Zaporizhzhia – Europe’s largest before its forced shutdown in September 2022 – is a worrying indication of how far the Russian president has already pushed the envelope.

    Ukraine war: territory occupied by Russia as at March 18 2025.
    Institute for the Study of War

    But a deal solely between Russia and the US is not going to work. In that sense, time is not only on Putin’s side but also on Zelensky’s.

    The Russian readout of the call between the two presidents claimed that they had discussed “the complete cessation of foreign military assistance and the provision of intelligence information to Kyiv” as a key condition for moving forward – something that Trump subsequently denied in an interview with Fox. This means that, for now, Kyiv is likely to continue to receive US aid.

    Europe at the ready

    Perhaps more importantly in the long term, Europe is also doubling down on support for Ukraine. While Trump and Putin were discussing a carve-up of Ukraine over the phone, the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, left no doubt on where the EU stands.

    In a speech at the Royal Danish Military Academy foreshadowing the publication of the commission’s Readiness 2030 white paper on bolstering European defences, she recommitted to developing European “capabilities to have credible deterrence” against a hostile Russia.

    A few hours later, the German parliament passed a multi-billion Euro package that loosens the country’s tight borrowing rules to enable massive investments in defence. This follows announcements of increased defence elsewhere on the continent, including in the UK, Poland, and by the EU itself.

    Meanwhile, the UK and France are leading efforts to assemble a coalition of the willing to help Ukraine. Representatives of the 30-member group gathered in London on March 15 for further talks.

    Afterwards, the UK prime minister, Keir Starmer, released a statement saying that Ukraine’s western partners “will keep increasing the pressure on Russia, keep the military aid flowing to Ukraine and keep tightening the restrictions on Russia’s economy”.

    Undoubtedly, these measures would be more effective if they had Washington’s full buy-in – but they send a strong signal to both the Kremlin and the White House that Ukraine is not alone in its fight against Russia’s continuing aggression.

    Putin’s options

    Putin, meanwhile, may have time on his side in the short term – but he should take note of this. Russian manpower and firepower may dwarf that of Ukraine, but it would be no match for a Ukraine backed by such a coalition of the willing.

    Putin’s apparent plan to drag Trump into the minutiae of negotiating a comprehensive deal may eventually backfire in more ways than one. For a start, really detailed discussions will test the US president’s notoriously short attention span.

    But this will also buy time for Ukraine and its supporters to strengthen Kyiv’s position in future negotiations. And it will continue to strain – but not immediately break – Russia’s economy.

    For now, Trump’s efforts to end the war in Ukraine have stalled. He is attempting to broker a complex ceasefire deal that involves separate agreements with Kyiv and Moscow, pressure on Nato allies, and an attempt to drive a wedge between Russia and China. It’s not clear how this will succeed or indeed where it will end.

    The only certainty is that they are not bringing a just and stable peace for Ukraine any closer.

    Stefan Wolff is a past recipient of grant funding from the Natural Environment Research Council of the UK, the United States Institute of Peace, the Economic and Social Research Council of the UK, the British Academy, the NATO Science for Peace Programme, the EU Framework Programmes 6 and 7 and Horizon 2020, as well as the EU’s Jean Monnet Programme. He is a Trustee and Honorary Treasurer of the Political Studies Association of the UK and a Senior Research Fellow at the Foreign Policy Centre in London.

    Tetyana Malyarenko 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. Trump’s phone call with Putin fails to deliver a full ceasefire – here’s what could happen next – https://theconversation.com/trumps-phone-call-with-putin-fails-to-deliver-a-full-ceasefire-heres-what-could-happen-next-252417

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Ukraine war: how Zelensky rebuilt his relationship with Trump to turn the tables on Putin

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Natasha Lindstaedt, Professor in the Department of Government, University of Essex

    After Donald Trump’s “very good and productive” phone call with Vladimir Putin earlier this week, all eyes were on his subsequent call with Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky.

    Would it, when they last met in the flesh on February 28 at the White House, descend into disastrous acrimony? Or would Zelensky manage to engage with the US president in a cooperative way that encourages him to see Ukraine and its leader in a more favourable light?

    The latter, it seems. In a post on his Truth Social site, Trump referred to their “very good telephone call”, which got the two leaders “very much on track”. Zelensky for his part, talked of a “very good” and “frank” phone call and seemed to agree with everything the US president had to say, taking pains to emphasise and praise Trump and America’s leadership.

    With his vocal support of Trump’s proposal for peace, Zelensky has put the attention back on Putin. He clearly wants to appear to be the more reasonable negotiating partner by going along with the US president’s proposals.

    In spite of Zelensky’s misgivings about how trustworthy Putin is, he has agreed to a limited ceasefire with Russia on energy infrastructure (while stressing that, unlike Putin, he agrees with Trump’s aim for a complete ceasefire).

    Zelensky clearly knows that Russia has a great deal to gain from a pause on attacks on energy grids and oil refineries, given Ukraine’s increasing capacity to use long-range drone attacks. And a maritime ceasefire, if agreed, would also favour Russia.

    Sign up to receive our weekly World Affairs Briefing newsletter from The Conversation UK. Every Thursday we’ll bring you expert analysis of the big stories in international relations.

    But by publicly voicing Ukraine’s support for Trump’s plan for a ceasefire, Zelensky has exposed Putin’s disinterest in stopping hostilities.

    In the call, Zelensky emphasised that Ukraine was happy to support the US call for a ceasefire, without conditions. Putin, meanwhile, in his call with Trump laid out a set of frankly unreasonable demands.

    These included the complete cessation of military aid and intelligence sharing by Ukraine’s allies, including the US. He also demanded a complete halt on Ukrainian troop mobilisation and rearmament.

    The demands were so ridiculous, they were designed to get Ukraine to reject them. Interestingly Trump, when he was interviewed after his phone call with Putin, denied that the pair had discussed aid. Crucially, he didn’t say whether this was something he would agree to.

    But the fact that the two leaders discussed the possibility of an ice hockey match between their two countries is an indication of how Putin is able to manipulate the US president with flattery. It helps that Trump clearly admires Putin and has repeatedly said that he trusts the Russian leader.

    Has Putin overplayed his hand?

    But this could come with a time limit. Trump, who wants a peace deal to trumpet as a crowning achievement, could well get tired of the fact that Putin has made no concessions to allow that deal to progress.

    The Russian leader is clearly hoping that by seeming to engage with the “peace” process, while at the same time dangling the prospect of doing business with Russia – for example by offering the US the chance to explore Russia’s own reserves of rare earth minerals – he can keep Trump on side.

    But while Trump still leans toward Putin, his relationship with Zelensky seems to have improved. The Ukrainian president appears to have learned that Trump doesn’t have a long memory and that flattery goes a long way with the US president.

    Trump, meanwhile, is no longer calling Zelensky a dictator, and as yet there is no mention of halting US military aid or intelligence to Ukraine. There is the opposite, in fact, as the US has said it will assist in finding more Patriot missile defence systems after Zelensky mentioned that they were sorely needed.

    By giving Trump credit for the ceasefire initiative, Zelensky is putting the ball in Russia’s court. And his apparent receptiveness to Trump’s idea about the US taking over Ukraine’s nuclear power plants will appeal to Trump’s transactional instincts. In addition to offering Trump business deals, Zelensky is now consistently offering Trump praise for his peace efforts.

    And it’s clear from the tone of the briefing given by White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, after the call that the US was happy with how it went. Leavitt stressed Zelensky’s praise for Trump’s leadership several times.

    The White House reports on a “fantastic” phone call between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky.

    Zelensky has also successfully turned Trump’s attention to the 35,000 missing children abducted from Ukraine into Russia during the war. The US state department had stopped tracking them and had deleted the evidence it had gathered, but Trump is now vowing to return the children home.

    Putin is generally thought to be stringing these negotiations out as long as possible in order to maximise the amount of Ukrainian territory his army occupies. This could be a risky strategy.

    Ending the war in Ukraine as quickly as possible was one of Trump’s repeated campaign promises. So the question is how long Trump can remain distracted or satisfied by Putin’s false engagement with the peace process.

    The American president seems to be changing his tune on Ukraine more generally. His disastrous Oval Office press conference last month with Zelensky was viewed by some as a ploy to portray Ukraine as a difficult and ungrateful partner compared to Russia who he maintained was only interested in achieving a peaceful end to the war. Now, with Zelensky seemingly agreeing with whatever Trump says, it’s become harder for him to take that line.

    For now, at least, the pressure is back on Putin.

    Natasha Lindstaedt 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. Ukraine war: how Zelensky rebuilt his relationship with Trump to turn the tables on Putin – https://theconversation.com/ukraine-war-how-zelensky-rebuilt-his-relationship-with-trump-to-turn-the-tables-on-putin-252693

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump administration seeks to starve libraries and museums of funding by shuttering this little-known agency

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Devon Akmon, Director of the MSU Museum and CoLab Studio, Michigan State University

    ExplorationWorks, a children’s museum in Helena, Mont., received $151,946 in 2024 from the IMLS to expand its early childhood programs. Lisa Wareham

    On March 14, 2025, the Trump administration issued an executive order that called for the dismantling of seven federal agencies “to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law.” They ranged from the United States Agency for Global Media, which oversees Voice of America, to the Minority Business Development Agency.

    The Institute of Museum and Library Services was also on the list. Congress created the IMLS in 1996 through the Museum and Library Services Act. The law merged the Institute of Museum Services, which was established in 1976, with the Library Programs Office of the Department of Education.

    By combining these two departments, Congress sought to create an overarching agency that could more cohesively and strategically support American museums and libraries. The agency’s mission, programs and funding have been reaffirmed through subsequent legislation, such as the Museum and Library Services Act of 2003.

    The Conversation U.S. interviewed Devon Akmon, who is the director of the MSU Museum at Michigan State University. He explained how the agency supports the nation’s cultural institutions and local communities – and what could be lost if the agency were dissolved.

    What does the Institute of Museum and Library Services do?

    The agency provides financial support to a wide array of cultural and educational institutions, including art, science and history museums, zoos, aquariums, botanical gardens and historic sites. Libraries of all types – public, academic, school and research – also benefit from the agency’s funding.

    Through grants, research and policy initiatives, the IMLS helps these institutions better serve their communities.

    Anne-Imelda Radice, right, former director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, inspects Denver city records and neighborhood histories in 2008. The volumes were digitized to make them more accessible to the public.
    Brian Brainerd/The Denver Post via Getty Images

    In the 2019 fiscal year, for example, the IMLS awarded funds to libraries in Nebraska to support economic development in 30 rural communities. The project created rotating “innovation studios” in local libraries and provided residents with tools, instructional materials and programming to foster entrepreneurship and creativity. More recently, IMLS awarded a grant to the Hands On Children’s Museum to develop a toolkit that museums across the country can use to support families with relatives who are in prison.

    For libraries, the IMLS might fund technology upgrades, such as virtual reality learning stations, AI-assisted research aids or digitization of rare books. The agency also pays for community programs that take place in libraries, from early childhood reading initiatives to workshops that help people land jobs.

    How has the Institute of Museum and Library Services supported your work at the MSU Museum?

    IMLS grants have played a vital role in enabling the MSU Museum to preserve, enhance and expand access to its collections.

    For example, we’ve used IMLS grants to develop high-quality audio aids for museum visitors who are blind or have poor vision. Recent funding has supported the digitization of over 2,000 vertebrate specimens, including rare and endangered species.

    Beyond financial support, the MSU Museum benefits from IMLS policy papers, professional training opportunities and resources developed through the National Leadership Grants for Museums program. Our staff members also contribute to national campaigns spearheaded by the IMLS, such as its Strategies for Countering Antisemitism & Hate initiative.

    Through these efforts, the IMLS, alongside the American Alliance of Museums, operate as cornerstones of learning and innovation within the museum field.

    Looking beyond Michigan State, what might be lost with its shuttering?

    The IMLS is more than a grantmaking entity – it is the only federal agency dedicated to sustaining the entire museum and library ecosystem in the United States.

    Its funding has sustained museums, advanced digital preservation, expanded accessibility for low-income communities and fueled innovation in educational programming. In 2024 alone, the agency distributed US$266.7 million through grants, research initiatives and policy development. For example, ExplorationWorks, a children’s museum in Helena, Montana, received $151,946 in 2024 from the IMLS to expand its early childhood programs that serve low-income and rural families.

    Without this support, many institutions will struggle to hire and retain qualified staff, leading to fewer exhibitions, stalled research and reduced educational outreach.

    The consequences would be particularly severe for small museums and rural museums, which lack the fundraising capacity of larger urban institutions. They’re often the only sources of cultural and historical education in their regions, and their loss would create cultural voids that cannot easily be filled.

    Trump’s executive order dictated that the Institute of Museum and Library Services and other agencies be eliminated “to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law.” What is the applicable law in this case?

    I’m not a lawyer. But my understanding is that the “applicable law” in this case primarily refers to the Museum and Library Services Act, which, as I noted earlier, was created in 1996 and has been reauthorized multiple times since then.

    Since the IMLS was created through this congressional legislation, it cannot simply be eliminated by an executive order. Congress would need to pass a law to repeal or defund it.

    President George W. Bush signs into law the Museum and Library Services Act on Sept. 25, 2003.
    Tina Hager/White House via Getty Images

    Additionally, the Antideficiency Act prohibits federal agencies from operating without appropriated funding. If Congress were to defund the IMLS rather than repeal its authorizing statute, the agency would be forced to cease operations due to a lack of money, even if the legal framework for its existence remained intact.

    Is there anything else you’d like to add?

    Museums are among the most trusted institutions in the country. They are rare bipartisan beacons of credibility in an era of deep division.

    A 2021 American Alliance of Museums report found that 97% of Americans view museums as valuable educational assets, while 89% consider them trustworthy sources of information. A 2022 American Library Association survey revealed that 89% of voters and 92% of parents believe local public libraries have an important role to play in communities.

    More than just cultural repositories, museums and libraries bring together citizens and offer learning opportunities for everyday people. By presenting science and history through engaging, evidence-based storytelling, museums help bridge ideological divides and encourage informed discourse. People of all political stripes rely on libraries for free internet access, job searches and literacy programs.

    The Institute of Museum and Library Services is central to this work. The agency provides leadership, while funding programs and research that help museums and libraries expand their offerings to reach all Americans.

    Stripping this support would threaten the sustainability of these institutions and weaken their ability to serve as pillars of education, civic engagement and truth. I see it as a disinvestment in an informed, connected and resilient society.

    Devon Akmon receives funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. He also serves as the vice chair and secretary of the board of directors for the American Alliance of Museums.

    – ref. Trump administration seeks to starve libraries and museums of funding by shuttering this little-known agency – https://theconversation.com/trump-administration-seeks-to-starve-libraries-and-museums-of-funding-by-shuttering-this-little-known-agency-252455

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: What causes the powerful winds that fuel dust storms, wildfires and blizzards? A weather scientist explains

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Chris Nowotarski, Associate Professor of Atmospheric Science, Texas A&M University

    When huge dust storms like this one in the Phoenix suburbs in 2022 hit, it’s easy to see the power of the wind. Christopher Harris/iStock Images via Getty Plus

    Windstorms can seem like they come out of nowhere, hitting with a sudden blast. They might be hundreds of miles long, stretching over several states, or just in your neighborhood.

    But they all have one thing in common: a change in air pressure.

    Just like air rushing out of your car tire when the valve is open, air in the atmosphere is forced from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure.

    The stronger the difference in pressure, the stronger the winds that will ultimately result.

    On this forecast for March 18, 2025, from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, ‘L’ represents low-pressure systems. The shaded area over New Mexico and west Texas represents strong winds and low humidity that combine to raise the risk of wildfires.
    NOAA Weather Prediction Center

    Other forces related to the Earth’s rotation, friction and gravity can also alter the speed and direction of winds. But it all starts with this change in pressure over a distance – what meteorologists like me call a pressure gradient.

    So how do we get pressure gradients?

    Strong pressure gradients ultimately owe their existence to the simple fact that the Earth is round and rotates.

    Because the Earth is round, the sun is more directly overhead during the day at the equator than at the poles. This means more energy reaches the surface of the Earth near the equator. And that causes the lower part of the atmosphere, where weather occurs, to be both warmer and have higher pressure on average than the poles.

    Nature doesn’t like imbalances. As a result of this temperature difference, strong winds develop at high altitudes over midlatitude locations, like the continental U.S. This is the jet stream, and even though it’s several miles up in the atmosphere, it has a big impact on the winds we feel at the surface.

    Wind speed and direction in the upper atmosphere on March 14, 2025, show waves in the jet stream. Downstream of a trough in this wave, winds diverge and low pressure can form near the surface.
    NCAR

    Because Earth rotates, these upper-altitude winds blow from west to east. Waves in the jet stream – a consequence of Earth’s rotation and variations in the surface land, terrain and oceans – can cause air to diverge, or spread out, at certain points. As the air spreads out, the number of air molecules in a column decreases, ultimately reducing the air pressure at Earth’s surface.

    The pressure can drop quite dramatically over a few days or even just a few hours, leading to the birth of a low-pressure system – what meteorologists call an extratropical cyclone.

    The opposite chain of events, with air converging at other locations, can form high pressure at the surface.

    In between these low-pressure and high-pressure systems is a strong change in pressure over a distance – a pressure gradient. And that pressure gradient leads to strong winds. Earth’s rotation causes these winds to spiral around areas of high and low pressure. These highs and lows are like large circular mixers, with air blowing clockwise around high pressure and counterclockwise around low pressure. This flow pattern blows warm air northward toward the poles east of lows and cool air southward toward the equator west of lows.

    A map illustrates lines of surface pressure, called isobars, with areas of high and low pressure marked for March 14, 2025. Winds are strongest when isobars are packed most closely together.
    Plymouth State University, CC BY-NC-SA

    As the waves in the jet stream migrate from west to east, so do the surface lows and highs, and with them, the corridors of strong winds.

    That’s what the U.S. experienced when a strong extratropical cyclone caused winds stretching thousands of miles that whipped up dust storms and spread wildfires, and even caused tornadoes and blizzards in the central and southern U.S. in March 2025.

    Whipping up dust storms and spreading fires

    The jet stream over the U.S. is strongest and often the most “wavy” in the springtime, when the south-to-north difference in temperature is often the strongest.

    Winds associated with large-scale pressure systems can become quite strong in areas where there is limited friction at the ground, like the flat, less forested terrain of the Great Plains. One of the biggest risks is dust storms in arid regions of west Texas or eastern New Mexico, exacerbated by drought in these areas.

    A dust storm hit Albuquerque, N.M., on March 18, 2025. Another dust storm a few dats earlier in Kansas caused a deadly pileup involving dozens of vehices on I-70.
    AP Photo/Roberto E. Rosales

    When the ground and vegetation are dry and the air has low relative humidity, high winds can also spread wildfires out of control.

    Even more intense winds can occur when the pressure gradient interacts with terrain. Winds can sometimes rush faster downslope, as happens in the Rockies or with the Santa Ana winds that fueled devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area in January.

    Violent tornadoes and storms

    Of course, winds can become even stronger and more violent on local scales associated with thunderstorms.

    When thunderstorms form, hail and precipitation in them can cause the air to rapidly fall in a downdraft, causing very high pressure under these storms. That pressure forces the air to spread out horizontally when it reaches the ground. Meteorologists call these straight line winds, and the process that forms them is a downburst. Large thunderstorms or chains of them moving across a region can cause large swaths of strong wind over 60 mph, called a derecho.

    Finally, some of nature’s strongest winds occur inside tornadoes. They form when the winds surrounding a thunderstorm change speed and direction with height. This can cause part of the storm to rotate, setting off a chain of events that may lead to a tornado and winds as strong as 300 mph in the most violent tornadoes.

    How a tornado forms. Source: NOAA.

    Tornado winds are also associated with an intense pressure gradient. The pressure inside the center of a tornado is often very low and varies considerably over a very small distance.

    It’s no coincidence that localized violent winds from thunderstorm downbursts and tornadoes often occur amid large-scale windstorms. Extratropical cyclones often draw warm, moist air northward on strong winds from the south, which is a key ingredient for thunderstorms. Storms also become more severe and may produce tornadoes when the jet stream is in close proximity to these low-pressure centers. In the winter and early spring, cold air funneling south on the northwest side of strong extratropical cyclones can even lead to blizzards.

    So, the same wave in the jet stream can lead to strong winds, blowing dust and fire danger in one region, while simultaneously triggering a tornado outbreak and a blizzard in other regions.

    Chris Nowotarski receives funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and theDepartment of Energy (DOE).

    – ref. What causes the powerful winds that fuel dust storms, wildfires and blizzards? A weather scientist explains – https://theconversation.com/what-causes-the-powerful-winds-that-fuel-dust-storms-wildfires-and-blizzards-a-weather-scientist-explains-252639

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: 5 years on, true counts of COVID-19 deaths remain elusive − and research is hobbled by lack of data

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Dylan Thomas Doyle, Ph.D. Candidate in Information Science, University of Colorado Boulder

    National COVID-19 memorial wall for the five-year anniversary on March 11, 2025, in London, England. Andrew Aitchison/In Pictures via Getty Images

    In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers struggled to grasp the rate of the virus’s spread and the number of related deaths. While hospitals tracked cases and deaths within their walls, the broader picture of mortality across communities remained frustratingly incomplete.

    Policymakers and researchers quickly discovered a troubling pattern: Many deaths linked to the virus were never officially counted. A study analyzing data from over 3,000 U.S. counties between March 2020 and August 2022 found nearly 163,000 excess deaths from natural causes that were missing from official mortality records.

    Excess deaths, meaning those that exceed the number expected based on historical trends, serve as a key indicator of underreported deaths during health crises. Many of these uncounted deaths were later tied to COVID-19 through reviews of medical records, death certificates and statistical modeling.

    In addition, lack of real-time tracking for medical interventions during those early days slowed vaccine development by delaying insights into which treatments worked and how people were responding to newly circulating variants.

    Five years since the beginning of COVID-19, new epidemics such as bird flu are emerging worldwide, and researchers are still finding it difficult to access the data about people’s deaths that they need to develop lifesaving interventions.

    How can the U.S. mortality data system improve? I’m a technology infrastructure researcher, and my team and I design policy and technical systems to reduce inefficiency in health care and government organizations. By analyzing the flow of mortality data in the U.S., we found several areas of the system that could use updating.

    Critical need for real-time data

    A death record includes key details beyond just the fact of death, such as the cause, contributing conditions, demographics, place of death and sometimes medical history. This information is crucial for researchers to be able to analyze trends, identify disparities and drive medical advances.

    Approximately 2.8 million death records are added to the U.S. mortality data system each year. But in 2022 – the most recent official count available – when the world was still in the throes of the pandemic, 3,279,857 deaths were recorded in the federal system. Still, this figure is widely considered to be a major undercount of true excess deaths from COVID-19.

    In addition, real-time tracking of COVID-19 mortality data was severely lacking. This process involves the continuous collection, analysis and reporting of deaths from hospitals, health agencies and government databases by integrating electronic health records, lab reports and public health surveillance systems. Ideally, it provides up-to-date insights for decision-making, but during the COVID-19 pandemic, these tracking systems lagged and failed to generate comprehensive data.

    Getting real-time COVID-19 data from hospitals and other agencies into the hands of researchers proved difficult.
    Gerald Herbert/AP Photo

    Without comprehensive data on prior COVID-19 infections, antibody responses and adverse events, researchers faced challenges designing clinical trials to predict how long immunity would last and optimize booster schedules.

    Such data is essential in vaccine development because it helps identify who is most at risk, which variants and treatments affect survival rates, and how vaccines should be designed and distributed. And as part of the broader U.S. vital records system, mortality data is essential for medical research, including evaluating public health programs, identifying health disparities and monitoring disease.

    At the heart of the problem is the inefficiency of government policy, particularly outdated public health reporting systems and slow data modernization efforts that hinder timely decision-making. These long-standing policies, such as reliance on paper-based death certificates and disjointed state-level reporting, have failed to keep pace with real-time data needs during crises such as COVID-19.

    These policy shortcomings lead to delays in reporting and lack of coordination between hospital organizations, state government vital records offices and federal government agencies in collecting, standardizing and sharing death records.

    History of US mortality data

    The U.S. mortality data system has been cobbled together through a disparate patchwork of state and local governments, federal agencies and public health organizations over the course of more than a century and a half. It has been shaped by advances in public health, medical record-keeping and technology. From its inception to the present day, the mortality data system has been plagued by inconsistencies, inefficiencies and tensions between medical professionals, state governments and the federal government.

    The first national efforts to track information about deaths began in the 1850s when the U.S. Census Bureau started collecting mortality data as part of the decennial census. However, these early efforts were inconsistent, as death registration was largely voluntary and varied widely across states.

    In the early 20th century, the establishment of the National Vital Statistics System brought greater standardization to mortality data. For example, the system required all U.S. states and territories to standardize their death certificate format. It also consolidated mortality data at the federal level, whereas mortality data was previously stored at the state level.

    However, state and federal reporting remained fragmented. For example, states had no unifom timeline for submitting mortality data, resulting in some states taking months or even years to finalize and release death records. Local or state-level paperwork processing practices also remained varied and at times contradictory.

    Death record processing varies by state.
    eric1513/iStock via Getty Images Plus

    To begin to close gaps in reporting timelines to aid medical researchers, in 1981 the National Center for Health Statistics – a division of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – introduced the National Death Index. This is a centralized database of death records collected from state vital statistics offices, making it easier to access death data for health and medical research. The system was originally paper-based, with the aim of allowing researchers to track the deaths of study participants without navigating complex bureaucracies.

    As time has passed, the National Death Index and state databases have become increasingly digital. The rise of electronic death registration systems in recent decades has improved processing speed when it comes to researchers accessing mortality data from the National Death Index. However, while the index has solved some issues related to gaps between state and federal data, other issues, such as high fees and inconsistency in state reporting times, still plague it.

    Accessing the data that matters most

    With the Trump administration’s increasing removal of CDC public health datasets, it is unclear whether policy reform for mortality data will be addressed anytime soon.

    Experts fear that the removal of CDC datasets has now set precedent for the Trump administration to cross further lines in its attempts to influence the research and data published by the CDC. The longer-term impact of the current administration’s public health policy on mortality data and disease response are not yet clear.

    What is clear is that five years since COVID-19, the U.S. mortality tracking system remains unequipped to meet emerging public health crises. Without addressing these challenges, the U.S. may not be able to respond quickly enough to public health crises threatening American lives.

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

    – ref. 5 years on, true counts of COVID-19 deaths remain elusive − and research is hobbled by lack of data – https://theconversation.com/5-years-on-true-counts-of-covid-19-deaths-remain-elusive-and-research-is-hobbled-by-lack-of-data-244799

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Tyrannical leader? Why comparisons between Trump and King George III miss the mark on 18th-century British monarchy

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Carla Gardina Pestana, Professor and Joyce Appleby Endowed Chair of America in the World, University of California, Los Angeles

    Are there legitimate comparisons between President Donald Trump and King George III? Rebecca Noble/Getty Images; Kean Collection/Getty Images

    George III, king of Great Britain and its colonies at the time of the American Revolution, has been maligned unfairly.

    During both the first and now the second term of President Donald Trump, commentators in the U.S. have invoked the king’s misdeeds to criticize Trump. When the president bypassed Congress to create a new government agency, appointed its head and stopped payment of millions of dollars of allocated federal funds, his critics noted that he assumed the role of Congress, a power grab that supposedly made him similar to George III. According to this criticism, the president engaged in tyranny, just as the founders accused George of doing.

    As a scholar of early America, I believe, however, that George III has gotten a bad rap. He was not the all-powerful monarch that Trump allegedly aspires to be.

    In the 1770s, the power of the British king was limited by the authority of Parliament. In that system, which Americans and others praised at the time as balanced, the king and the legislature each had specific duties and powers so that neither could control the government alone.

    George III was not an absolutist monarch, to use the language of the day for a power-hungry ruler. The English had struggled in the previous century over the extent of the king’s power. After fighting two civil wars, executing one king, and, eventually, forcing the monarch to agree to rule with Parliament rather than on his own, they believed their liberties were safeguarded.

    This system, known as limited monarchy, was the pride of Great Britain. It was also admired by the American founders. As late as 1774, in his Summary View of the Rights of British America, Thomas Jefferson praised the “free and ancient principles” of the British constitution in which “kings are the servants, not the proprietors of the people.”

    Trump has been compared with King George III by many writers and commentators; the White House on Feb. 19, 2024, issued the fake magazine cover of Trump crowned like a king.
    Various

    No kingly tyranny

    Britons, whether in Great Britain or the colonies, did fear a tyrant, a controlling and abusive leader.

    Some fears came from their study of political theory, which taught that government worked best when composed of various branches that represented the concerns of the different political classes.

    As this theory went, an unbalanced government would descend into tyranny with a too-powerful monarch; oligarchy under a dominant aristocratic class; or anarchy with the people out of control. They believed these perils could be avoided only by maintaining balance.

    Even though the British did not fear imbalance or a tyrant king in their own case, they could see the danger threatening elsewhere in Europe.

    France represented a worst-case scenario. Its absolutist kings had ruled without France’s legislature – the Estates General – for more than a century and a half at the time of the American Revolution. British poet Robert Wolseley’s often reprinted poem declared: “Let France grow proud beneath the tyrant’s lust, While the rackt people crawl and lick the dust. The mighty Genius of this isle disdains Ambitious slavery and golden chains.”

    Within a few years, Anglo-American criticism of kingly tyranny in France would be validated: That country descended into a violent revolution that resulted in decades of warfare and political violence, including the execution of the entire royal family.

    This experience confirmed for the British and Americans that a balanced system was best and that they should count their blessings.

    Why revolt?

    A list of grievances held by the American Colonies against King George III, set down in Thomas Jefferson’s first draft of the American Declaration of Independence, which ultimately included 27 grievances against the king.
    MPI/Getty Images

    If the American revolutionaries admired the British system and sought to copy it in the United States, why did they reject the link to Britain and revolt in the first place?

    Americans did not revolt against the nature of British government. Rather they objected to their changing place within the British Empire. The revolutionary crisis had a number of roots, but most of them arose out of changes in the management of the relationship between the American Colonies and the imperial center.

    From the 1760s, the British government took a more activist role in its American Colonies, limiting their geographical expansion and imposing taxes directly on the population. In the past, Colonists had been free to move west, challenged only by the indigenous residents who fought to defend their lands.

    Now the British government, aiming to put an end to these wars, blocked expansion. At the same time, to pay down the debt accrued in recent war with France – and fought in part in North America – the government levied taxes not via the Colonial legislatures, as it had before, but directly on residents. This change sparked revolt and, eventually, revolution.

    Turning on the king

    American Colonists pull down a statue of King George III in New York City during the American Revolution.
    Corbis via Getty Images

    Before 1776, the Colonists believed that George III would come to their rescue and halt these changes imposed by Parliament. They thought initially that he did not realize how the new policies affected them.

    Only in 1776 did they accept that George III supported the policy changes and would not defend their rights. It was in that context that they turned on him and declared him tyrannical, blaming him for the new policies and calling for a break with Britain. As the Declaration of Independence said: “The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States.”

    Although they complained about the tyranny of George III, their true objection was that their subordinate position within the empire gave them little leverage when opposing policies that king and Parliament agreed to impose on them.

    Once independent, the founders created a system that imitated the British model of mixed governance and created barriers – the powers of Congress and the oversight of the Supreme Court – that they hoped would safeguard their liberties against the threat of renewed tyranny.

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

    – ref. Tyrannical leader? Why comparisons between Trump and King George III miss the mark on 18th-century British monarchy – https://theconversation.com/tyrannical-leader-why-comparisons-between-trump-and-king-george-iii-miss-the-mark-on-18th-century-british-monarchy-251869

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Atlantic sturgeon were fished almost to extinction − ancient DNA reveals how Chesapeake Bay population changed over centuries

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Natalia Przelomska, Research Associate in Archaeogenomics, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution

    Sturgeon can be several hundred pounds each. cezars/E+ via Getty Images

    Sturgeons are one of the oldest groups of fishes. Sporting an armor of five rows of bony, modified scales called dermal scutes and a sharklike tail fin, this group of several-hundred-pound beasts has survived for approximately 160 million years. Because their physical appearance has changed very little over time, supported by a slow rate of evolution, sturgeon have been called living fossils.

    Despite their survival through several geological time periods, many present-day sturgeon species are at threat of extinction, with 17 of 27 species listed as “critically endangered.”

    Conservation practitioners such as the Virginia Commonwealth University monitoring team are working hard to support recovery of Atlantic sturgeon in the Chesapeake Bay area. But it’s not clear what baseline population level people should strive toward restoring. How do today’s sturgeon populations compare with those of the past?

    VCU monitoring team releases an adult Atlantic sturgeon back into the estuary.
    Matt Balazik

    We are a molecular anthropologist and a biodiversity scientist who focus on species that people rely on for subsistence. We study the evolution, population health and resilience of these species over time to better understand humans’ interaction with their environments and the sustainability of food systems.

    For our recent sturgeon project, we joined forces with fisheries conservation biologist Matt Balazik, who conducts on-the-ground monitoring of Atlantic sturgeon, and Torben Rick, a specialist in North American coastal zooarchaeology. Together, we wanted to look into the past and see how much sturgeon populations have changed, focusing on the James River in Virginia. A more nuanced understanding of the past could help conservationists better plan for the future.

    Sturgeon loomed large for millennia

    In North America, sturgeon have played important subsistence and cultural roles in Native communities, which marked the seasons by the fishes’ behavioral patterns. Large summertime aggregations of lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) in the Great Lakes area inspired one folk name for the August full moon – the sturgeon moon. Woodland Era pottery remnants at archaeological sites from as long as 2,000 years ago show that the fall and springtime runs of Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus) upstream were celebrated with feasting.

    Archaeologists uncover bony scutes – modified scales that resemble armor for the living fish – in places where people relied on sturgeon for subsistence.
    Logan Kistler and Natalia Przelomska

    Archaeological finds of sturgeon remains support that early colonial settlers in North America, notably those who established Jamestown in the Chesapeake Bay area in 1607, also prized these fish. When Captain John Smith was leading Jamestown, he wrote “there was more sturgeon here than could be devoured by dog or man.” The fish may have helped the survival of this fortress-colony that was both stricken with drought and fostering turbulent relationships with the Native inhabitants.

    This abundance is in stark contrast to today, when sightings of migrating fish are sparse. Exploitation during the past 300 years was the key driver of Atlantic sturgeon decline. Demand for caviar drove the relentless fishing pressure throughout the 19th century. The Chesapeake was the second-most exploited sturgeon fishery on the Eastern Seaboard up until the early 20th century, when the fish became scarce.

    Conservation biologists capture the massive fish for monitoring purposes, which includes clipping a tiny part of the fin for DNA analysis.
    Matt Balazik

    At that point, local protection regulations were established, but only in 1998 was a moratorium on harvesting these fish declared. Meanwhile, abundance of Atlantic sturgeon remained very low, which can be explained in part by their lifespan. Short-lived fish such as herring and shad can recover population numbers much faster than Atlantic sturgeon, which live for up to 60 years and take a long time to reach reproductive age – up to around 12 years for males and as many as 28 years for females.

    To help manage and restore an endangered species, conservation biologists tend to split the population into groups based on ranges. The Chesapeake Bay is one of five “distinct population segments” the U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in 2012 created for Atlantic sturgeon.

    Since then, conservationists have pioneered genetic studies on Atlantic sturgeon, demonstrating through the power of DNA that natal river – where an individual fish is born – and season of spawning are both important for distinguishing subpopulations within each regional group. Scientists have also described genetic diversity in Atlantic sturgeon; more genetic variety suggests they have more capacity to adapt when facing new, potentially challenging conditions.

    The study focused on Atlantic sturgeon from the Chesapeake Bay region, past and present. The four archaeological sites included are highlighted.
    Przelomska NAS et al., Proc. R. Soc. B 291: 20241145, CC BY

    Sturgeon DNA, then and now

    Archaeological remains are a direct source of data on genetic diversity in the past. We can analyze the genetic makeup of sturgeons that lived hundreds of years ago, before intense overfishing depleted their numbers. Then we can compare that baseline with today’s genetic diversity.

    The James River was a great case study for testing out this approach, which we call an archaeogenomics time series. Having obtained information on the archaeology of the Chesapeake region from our collaborator Leslie Reeder-Myers, we sampled remains of sturgeon – their scutes and spines – at a precolonial-era site where people lived from about 200 C.E. to about 900 C.E. We also sampled from important colonial sites Jamestown (1607-1610) and Williamsburg (1720-1775). And we complemented that data from the past with tiny clips from the fins of present-day, live fish that Balazik and his team sampled during monitoring surveys.

    Scientists separate Atlantic sturgeon scute fragments from larger collections of zooarchaeological remains, to then work on the scutes in a lab dedicated to studying ancient DNA.
    Torben Rick and Natalia Przelomska

    DNA tends to get physically broken up and biochemically damaged with age. So we relied on special protocols in a lab dedicated to studying ancient DNA to minimize the risk of contamination and enhance our chances of successfully collecting genetic material from these sturgeon.

    Atlantic sturgeon have 122 chromosomes of nuclear DNA – over five times as many as people do. We focused on a few genetic regions, just enough to get an idea of the James River population groupings and how genetically distinct they are from one another.

    We were not surprised to see that fall-spawning and spring-spawning groups were genetically distinct. What stood out, though, was how starkly different they were, which is something that can happen when a population’s numbers drop to near-extinction levels.

    We also looked at the fishes’ mitochondrial DNA, a compact molecule that is easier to obtain ancient DNA from compared with the nuclear chromosomes. With our collaborator Audrey Lin, we used the mitochondrial DNA to confirm our hypothesis that the fish from archaeological sites were more genetically diverse than present-day Atlantic sturgeon.

    Strikingly, we discovered that mitochondrial DNA did not always group the fish by season or even by their natal river. This was unexpected, because Atlantic sturgeon tend to return to their natal rivers for breeding. Our interpretation of this genetic finding is that over very long timescales – many thousands of years – changes in the global climate and in local ecosystems would have driven a given sturgeon population to migrate into a new river system, and possibly at a later stage back to its original one. This notion is supported by other recent documentation of fish occasionally migrating over long distances and mixing with new groups.

    Our study used archaeology, history and ecology together to describe the decline of Atlantic sturgeon. Based on the diminished genetic diversity we measured, we estimate that the Atlantic sturgeon populations we studied are about a fifth of what they were before colonial settlement. Less genetic variability means these smaller populations have less potential to adapt to changing conditions. Our findings will help conservationists plan into the future for the continued recovery of these living fossils.

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

    – ref. Atlantic sturgeon were fished almost to extinction − ancient DNA reveals how Chesapeake Bay population changed over centuries – https://theconversation.com/atlantic-sturgeon-were-fished-almost-to-extinction-ancient-dna-reveals-how-chesapeake-bay-population-changed-over-centuries-241104

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI: Thea Energy Demonstrates Performance and Controllability of Small and Simple Magnets for Fusion Energy

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    The world’s first superconducting planar coil magnet array successfully created and controlled stellarator-relevant magnetic field structures

    The test campaign results include the hardware validation to the leading approach for a maintainable and dynamically controllable stellarator fusion system

    KEARNY, N.J., March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Thea Energy, Inc., a fusion technology company advancing the stellarator for the commercialization of a carbon-free and abundant source of energy, today announced the successful operation of the world’s first superconducting planar coil 3×3 magnet array system. This magnet array demonstrates that small and simple electromagnets can practically, precisely, and dynamically create and control stellarator-relevant magnetic fields. Eos, Thea Energy’s initial integrated fusion system, will leverage this proprietary magnet array architecture and its benefits in addition to the inherent advantages of the stellarator, including steady-state operation. “Prototyping and Test of the ‘Canis’ HTS Planar Coil Array for Stellarator Field Shaping” outlines specific details of the system, including operation and results. This paper is available as a preprint on the Company’s website under “Presentations & Publications” and being submitted to a peer-reviewed publication.

    The magnet array operated at a temperature of 20 K and created a precisely controlled magnetic field of up to 47.2 mT on a plane 25 cm from the coils, with maximum field at the coils calculated to be greater than 3 T, in line with the Company’s underwritten performance requirements. Multiple magnetic iso-surfaces were produced corresponding to different locations of the Eos planar coil system. The magnet array also successfully demonstrated the controllability of the inductively coupled neighboring coils, thereby validating that the coils can be controlled individually despite the strong magnetic interactions between them.

    “A herculean effort from the Thea Energy team to establish the processes, infrastructure, and know-how to manufacture and test all magnets in-house has resulted in the successful hardware validation of the peer-reviewed physics basis of our novel system architecture that shows stellarators can be built without complicated coils,” said David Gates, Ph.D., co-founder and chief technology officer of Thea Energy. “The operation and notably, the controllability of this magnet array demonstrates a new key enabler to commercialized fusion energy. We have built a system that uses simpler hardware paired with dynamic software controls to adjust magnet parameters in real time.”

    Brian Berzin, co-founder and chief executive officer of Thea Energy, added, “Shifting system complexity from hardware to software means we can make rapid progress, resulting in the successful construction and operation of this magnet array in a matter of months. Using these mass-manufacturable magnets, we look forward to further testing to show that we can eliminate hardware defects and system wear and tear via scalable software controls. This will enable systems to continually work with high uptime under real-world conditions. These advantages of a practical system architecture will carry through to future generations of Thea Energy fusion power plants.”

    Steven Cowley, Ph.D., laboratory director at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), which is managed by Princeton University, added, “The stellarator is a well-studied form of fusion technology and the practicality brought to the design by the team at Thea Energy, combined with the established physics basis since its invention over 70 years ago at PPPL, presents another possible fusion system design. This magnet array milestone confirms a concept that was created at PPPL – that arrays of planar magnets can be utilized to create and control the magnetic fields required to stabilize the plasma to produce sustained fusion energy. I am excited to see the Company build and scale its hardware while sharing its breakthroughs and results with the broader community.”

    Specific campaign results:

    • The magnet array operated at 20 K, with up to ±140 A in all coils and an estimated maximum total stored energy achieved in the array of 34.5 kJ.
    • The array achieved a magnetic field strength of 47.2 mT at 25 cm from the coils, with maximum field at the coils calculated to be greater than 3 T.
    • The magnet array recreated multiple unique iso-surfaces derived from Eos within 1% error of simulated predictions via fixed physical hardware and dynamic software controls.

    Future testing of unique single-coil and multi-coil quench scenarios will support analytical models showing recovery and reliability of systems leveraging the planar coil stellarator architecture, where systems can continue to operate if a coil fails. Additional work is also planned to further demonstrate the resiliency of this architecture and its ability to actively control and tune out hardware errors via Thea Energy’s closed-loop software control system.

    The U.S. Department of Energy has also certified the completion of this test campaign that included performance markers outlined in the Milestone-Based Fusion Development Program.

    About Thea Energy, Inc.
    Thea Energy, Inc. is building an economical and scalable fusion energy system utilizing arrays of mass-manufacturable magnets and dynamic software controls. Commercial fusion energy can uniquely provide an abundant source of zero-emission power for a sustainable future. Thea Energy is leveraging recent breakthroughs in computation and controls to reinvent the stellarator, a scientifically mature form of magnetic fusion technology. Thea Energy was founded in 2022 as a spin-out of the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory and Princeton University, where the stellarator was originally invented. Thea Energy is currently designing its first integrated fusion system, Eos, based on its planar coil stellarator architecture which will produce fusion neutrons at scale and in steady state. To learn more about Thea Energy’s mission, visit https://thea.energy/ and follow us on X and LinkedIn.

    Investor Contact
    Robin Brown
    robin@thea.energy

    Media Contact
    Madeline Joanis
    maddy@thea.energy

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: NANO Nuclear Energy Adds Two Additional Senior Nuclear Engineers to its Technical Team

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NANO Nuclear Continues to Attract Top Tier talent to Propel the Development of its Innovative Microreactor Technologies

    New York, N.Y., March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: NNE) (“NANO Nuclear” or “the Company”), a leading advanced nuclear energy and technology company focused on developing clean energy solutions, today announced the additions of James Leybourn and Simon Boddington as Senior Nuclear Engineers. Both Mr. Leybourn and Mr. Boddington are based in the U.K. and recently joined NANO Nuclear’s U.K.-based nuclear science and engineering partner Cambridge AtomWorks, led by Professors Ian Farnan and Eugene Shwageraus.

    The additions of Mr. Leybourn and Mr. Boddington build upon the recently announced appointment of Andrew Steer, Ph.D. as NANO Nuclear’s Head of Regulatory Engagement. Their addition to the team brings extensive knowledge in molten salt reactor physics, deep understanding of nuclear safety cases, advanced reactor engineering and innovative fuel system design, all of which will be essential for the ongoing development of NANO Nuclear’s proprietary ‘ZEUS’ and ‘ODIN’ microreactors, as well as the KRONOS MMRTMEnergy System and the LOKI MMRTM.

    Mr. Leybourn is a Chartered Physicist with over 12 years’ experience of Physics and Engineering within the U.K. nuclear industry. He has a proven track record of leading diverse projects, including thermal hydraulics, engineering design and safety case preparation. Prior to joining Cambridge AtomWorks, Mr. Leybourn played a key role in leading the development of a risk-informed work program and introducing systems engineering practices, including fuel route development, at MoltexFLEX, a British nuclear energy company developing advanced small modular molten salt reactors. He is a fuel route expert, having spent much of his career supporting the fuel route of the U.K. Advanced Gas-Cooled Reactor (AGR) fleet. He also led significant projects supporting the AGR defueling programs and has provided support to the Rolls-Royce small modular reactor project.

    Mr. Boddington is a reactor physicist with over 10 years of industry experience covering pressurized water reactors as well as thermal and fast spectrum molten salt reactor designs. Much of his experience is focused on reactor physics and he has assembled, managed and technically led the physics team that designed and delivered the molten salt MolexFLEX and SSR-W reactor concepts, with a focus on maintaining economic design objectives. He has extensive experience in applying analytical and stochastic reactor physics methods to develop core designs, including validation and verification. He graduated with an MPhys from the University of Southampton in 2014, then, completed the nuclear graduate’s scheme, before joining the Core Physics Group at Rolls-Royce.

    “NANO Nuclear continues to expand its technical teams with top professionals and innovators with diverse reactor engineering expertise that we will need to propel our programs forward. These hires also reflect our commitment to becoming a global leader in advanced nuclear energy solutions,” said Professor Ian Farnan, Lead of Nuclear Fuel Cycle, Radiation and Materials of NANO Nuclear. “With expertise spanning molten salt reactor physics, fuel handling, and high-temperature thermal-hydraulics, James and Simon will significantly strengthen NANO Nuclear’s ability to develop, demonstrate, gain regulatory approval, and, eventually commercialize and deploy its next-generation microreactors.”

    Figure 1 – NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. Appoints James Leybourn and Simon Boddington as Senior Nuclear Engineers.

    “The talent we’ve attracted speaks volumes about the progress we’re making,” said Professor Eugene Shwageraus, Lead of Nuclear Reactor Engineering of NANO Nuclear. “NANO Nuclear’s success in recruiting top engineering minds with such outstanding credentials and experience from world-class companies underscores our leadership in next-generation nuclear energy development.”

    “It is essential for us to strengthen our technical capabilities as we enter the next phase of development for our portfolio of energy systems,” said James Walker, Chief Executive Officer of NANO Nuclear. “Bringing Mr. Leybourn and Mr. Boddington on board demonstrates NANO Nuclear’s ambitions of being an innovative and global leader in the industry. Their extensive experience will be invaluable, and I welcome them to NANO Nuclear.”

    About NANO Nuclear Energy, Inc.

    NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: NNE) is an advanced technology-driven nuclear energy company seeking to become a commercially focused, diversified, and vertically integrated company across five business lines: (i) cutting edge portable and other microreactor technologies, (ii) nuclear fuel fabrication, (iii) nuclear fuel transportation, (iv) nuclear applications for space and (v) nuclear industry consulting services. NANO Nuclear believes it is the first portable nuclear microreactor company to be listed publicly in the U.S.

    Led by a world-class nuclear engineering team, NANO Nuclear’s reactor products in development include patented KRONOS MMR™ Energy System, a stationary high-temperature gas-cooled reactor that is in construction permit pre-application engagement U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission in collaboration with University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, “ZEUS”, a portable solid core battery reactor, “ODIN”, a portable low-pressure coolant reactor, and the space focused, portable LOKI MMR™, each representing advanced developments in clean energy solutions that are portable, on-demand capable, advanced nuclear microreactors.

    Advanced Fuel Transportation Inc. (AFT), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, is led by former executives from the largest transportation company in the world aiming to build a North American transportation company that will provide commercial quantities of HALEU fuel to small modular reactors, microreactor companies, national laboratories, military, and DOE programs. Through NANO Nuclear, AFT is the exclusive licensee of a patented high-capacity HALEU fuel transportation basket developed by three major U.S. national nuclear laboratories and funded by the Department of Energy. Assuming development and commercialization, AFT is expected to form part of the only vertically integrated nuclear fuel business of its kind in North America.

    HALEU Energy Fuel Inc. (HEF), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, is focusing on the future development of a domestic source for a High-Assay, Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) fuel fabrication pipeline for NANO Nuclear’s own microreactors as well as the broader advanced nuclear reactor industry.

    NANO Nuclear Space Inc. (NNS), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, is exploring the potential commercial applications of NANO Nuclear’s developing micronuclear reactor technology in space. NNS is focusing on applications such as the LOKI MMR™ system and other power systems for extraterrestrial projects and human sustaining environments, and potentially propulsion technology for long haul space missions. NNS’ initial focus will be on cis-lunar applications, referring to uses in the space region extending from Earth to the area surrounding the Moon’s surface.

    For more corporate information please visit: https://NanoNuclearEnergy.com/

    For further NANO Nuclear information, please contact:

    Email: IR@NANONuclearEnergy.com
    Business Tel: (212) 634-9206

    PLEASE FOLLOW OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES HERE:

    NANO Nuclear Energy LINKEDIN
    NANO Nuclear Energy YOUTUBE
    NANO Nuclear Energy X PLATFORM

    Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements

    This news release and statements of NANO Nuclear’s management in connection with this news release contain or may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In this context, forward-looking statements mean statements related to future events, which may impact our expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as “expects”, “anticipates”, “intends”, “plans”, “believes”, “potential”, “will”, “should”, “could”, “would” or “may” and other words of similar meaning. In this press release, forward-looking statements includes those related to the anticipated benefits to NANO Nuclear of the appointment of the senior nuclear engineers, as well as the Company’s regulatory plans in general, as described herein. These and other forward-looking statements are based on information available to us as of the date of this news release and represent management’s current views and assumptions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, events or results and involve significant known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may be beyond our control. For NANO Nuclear, particular risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements include but are not limited to the following: (i) risks related to our U.S. Department of Energy (“DOE”) or related state or non-U.S. nuclear fuel licensing submissions, (ii) risks related the development of new or advanced technology and the acquisition of complimentary technology or businesses, including difficulties with design and testing, cost overruns, regulatory delays, integration issues and the development of competitive technology, (iii) our ability to obtain contracts and funding to be able to continue operations, (iv) risks related to uncertainty regarding our ability to technologically develop and commercially deploy a competitive advanced nuclear reactor or other technology in the timelines we anticipate, if ever, (v) risks related to the impact of U.S. and non-U.S. government regulation, policies and licensing requirements, including by the DOE and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, including those associated with the recently enacted ADVANCE Act, and (vi) similar risks and uncertainties associated with the operating an early stage business a highly regulated and rapidly evolving industry. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which apply only as of the date of this news release. These factors may not constitute all factors that could cause actual results to differ from those discussed in any forward-looking statement, and NANO Nuclear therefore encourages investors to review other factors that may affect future results in its filings with the SEC, which are available for review at www.sec.gov and at https://ir.nanonuclearenergy.com/financial-information/sec-filings. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as a predictor of actual results. We do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this news release, except as required by law.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Safe Harbor Financial Names Mike Regan as Head of Investor Relations and Data Science

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    GOLDEN, Colo., March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — SHF Holdings, Inc., d/b/a Safe Harbor Financial (“Safe Harbor” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: SHFS), a fintech leader in facilitating financial services and credit facilities to the regulated cannabis industry, is proud to announce that Michael (Mike) Regan has joined the team as Head of Investor Relations and Data Science.

    In this role, Mike will help investors gain a deeper understanding of the Company’s growth initiatives, while also spearheading the development of innovative, differentiated new products leveraging Safe Harbor’s extensive databases. He earned an MBA from MIT Sloan, where he was the TA for a class on creating and quantitatively analyzing new institutional investment strategies, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration majoring in Finance from Georgetown University. His career spans research roles at Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank, hedge funds Roubaix Capital and Hawkshaw Capital, as well as product innovation at Liberty Mutual. Since 2019, Mike has focused on the legal cannabis sector, most recently as Founder and Director of Research at Excelsior Equities, an investment bank and broker-dealer that provided research, custody, and trading of cannabis equities.

    “We are thrilled to welcome Mike Regan to Safe Harbor as Head of Investor Relations and Data Science,” said Terry Mendez, CEO of Safe Harbor. “Mike’s exceptional track record in investment analysis, product innovation, and his thorough understanding of the legal cannabis sector make him uniquely qualified to advance our growth initiatives. His expertise will be instrumental in developing new solutions for our growth strategies Safe Harbor Protects, Safe Harbor Lends, Safe Harbor Connects, and Safe Harbor Enables programs, ensuring we continue to lead and grow in this evolving industry.”

    “I am excited to join Safe Harbor and contribute to its mission of driving innovation and growth to better serve operators in the legal cannabis sector and beyond,” said Mike Regan. “I see tremendous potential to create meaningful value for our shareholders and clients, and to develop solutions that will shape the future of this industry.”

    About Safe Harbor
    Safe Harbor is among the first service providers to offer compliance, monitoring and validation services to financial institutions, providing traditional banking services to cannabis, hemp, CBD and ancillary operators, making communities safer, driving growth in local economies and fostering long-term partnerships. Safe Harbor, through its financial institution clients, implements high standards of accountability, transparency, monitoring, reporting and risk mitigation measures while meeting Bank Secrecy Act obligations in line with FinCEN guidance on cannabis-related businesses. Over the past decade, Safe Harbor has facilitated more than $25 billion in deposit transactions for businesses with operations spanning more than 41 states and US territories with regulated cannabis markets. For more information, visit www.shfinancial.org.

    Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

    Certain information contained in this press release may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements other than statements of historical facts included herein may constitute forward-looking statements and are not guarantees of future performance or results and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to trends in the cannabis industry, including proposed changes in U.S and state laws, rules, regulations and guidance relating to Safe Harbor’s services; Safe Harbor’s growth prospects and Safe Harbor’s market size; Safe Harbor’s projected financial and operational performance, including relative to its competitors and historical performance; success or viability of new product and service offerings Safe Harbor may introduce in the future; the impact volatility in the capital markets, which may adversely affect the price of Safe Harbor’s securities; the outcome of any legal proceedings that have been or may be brought by or against Safe Harbor; and other statements regarding Safe Harbor’s expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future. In addition, any statements that refer to projections, forecasts or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intends,” “outlook,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “would,” and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors, including those described from time to time in Safe Harbor’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Safe Harbor undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statement made herein. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release.

    Contact Information
    Mike Regan, Head of Safe Harbor Investor Relations
    ir@SHFinancial.org
    (720) 826-6282

    KCSA Strategic Communications
    Ellen Mellody
    safeharbor@kcsa.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Australia’s PBS means consumers pay less for expensive medicines. Here’s how this system works

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bonny Parkinson, Associate Professor, Macquarie University Centre for the Health Economy, Macquarie University

    The United States pharmaceutical lobby has complained to US President Donald Trump that Australia’s Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) is damaging their profits and has urged Trump to put tariffs on pharmaceutical imports from Australia.

    Prime Minister Anthony Albanese defended the scheme, saying Australia’s pharmaceutical subsidy scheme was “not up for negotiation”. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said he would also protect the PBS, which was the “envy of the world”.

    But what exactly is the PBS, and why does it matter?

    How did the PBS start?

    In the early 1900s, Australians had to pay for medicines out-of-pocket. Some could get free or cheap medicines at public hospitals or through Friendly Society Dispensaries, but otherwise access was restricted to those who could afford to pay.

    At the time, few effective medicines were available. But the development of insulin and penicillin in the 1920s made access to medicines much more important.

    The Constitution gave the federal government limited powers in the provision of health and welfare, which were largely the responsibility of the states. After World War II, the federal government wanted to expand these powers but it encountered several constitutional roadblocks.

    A rare successful referendum in 1946 changed that, enabling the National Health Act 1953 to pass. This established the PBS as we know it today.

    How does the PBS work in practice?

    The PBS covers the cost of medicines prescribed by doctors. Most are dispensed at community pharmacies (such as treatments for heart disease, the pill and antibiotics), but some more expensive ones are available at public hospitals or specialist treatment centres (such as chemotherapies and IVF medicines).

    In 2023–24 there were 930 different medicines and 5,164 brands listed on the PBS, costing the government $17.7 billion.

    The government negotiates the price of each medicine with the pharmaceutical company. Pharmacies then buy these medicines from wholesalers or companies.

    When a patient fills a prescription at a pharmacy, they pay a co-payment. The government pays the difference between the agreed price and the co-payment to the pharmacy – costs that may amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

    There are two co-payments: one for concession card holders ($7.70) and one for the general consumer ($31.60). When a patient hits the annual spending limit (safety net threshold), the co-payment falls to $0 for concession patients and $7.70 for the general consumer.

    Overall, patients contribute 8.4% to the total cost of the PBS, while the government pays the rest.

    How are medicine prices set?

    The PBS is split into two categories:

    – F1: new, patent-protected medicines with no competition

    – F2: medicines with multiple brands, including generics.

    F1 medicines

    To be listed on the PBS, a new medicine goes through the following process:

    1. It’s evaluated for safety, efficacy and quality.

    2. A panel of experts (including doctors, pharmacists, epidemiologists, health economists, health consumer advocates and a pharmaceutical industry representative) recommends which medicines should be listed on the PBS, based on effectiveness, safety, cost-effectiveness and the total cost on the budget of the medicine versus alternative treatments.

    3. If the panel recommends a medicine, the price and details of the listing may be further negotiated with the government. (If the panel rejects a medicine, companies may revise their application and re-submit.)

    4. Finally, the health minister, and subsequently the Cabinet, formally approves or rejects the panel’s recommendation. If approved, the medicine is listed on the PBS.

    F2 medicines

    Generic medicine companies may apply to list another brand on the PBS after a medicine loses patent protection. When this happens, the medicine moves from F1 to F2. Immediately, it incurs a mandatory price discount.

    Generic medicine companies may offer pharmacists discounts on the PBS list price (for example, ten for the price of nine). Pharmacists then encourage patients to switch to the cheaper medicine.

    Companies must disclose these discounts to the government, resulting in further price reductions.

    Is the PBS system unique?

    Australia is not special. Many countries use similar assessments to determine whether governments should subsidise new medicines, including the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in the United Kingdom, Canada’s Drug Agency, and Pharmac in New Zealand.

    Small differences exist, including whether the list of medicines is a positive (and they’re subsidised) or negative (meaning they’re not subsidised), whether the lists are established at the central level (such as the PBS in Australia) or local level (such as by province in Canada) or a mixture, and how co-payments are set.

    Generic medicine companies in Australia may offer pharmacists discounts on their products.
    National Cancer Institute/Unsplash

    The biggest outlier is the US. Similar to its health system, the medicines system is a complex and decentralised mix of public and private organisations, including government agencies, independent organisations, health-care providers and payers such as health insurers.

    What are the benefits of the PBS?

    The PBS ensures all Australian patients have access to highly effective medicines. This contributes to a high life expectancy, while keeping health-care costs low relative to other developed countries.

    This has been achieved by keeping prices down for both F1 and F2 medicines. By doing so, it creates room in the government budget to fund other new medicines.

    Without the PBS, either taxes or co-payments would have to increase, or fewer medicines funded.

    Other benefits include having a level playing field for all medicines, while maintaining flexibility to fund highly effective medicines for patients with unmet needs.

    What are the drawbacks of the PBS system?

    No system is without its drawbacks and risks. The PBS’s drawbacks include:

    • limited patient involvement in the process
    • the high frequency of re-submissions and delays to PBS listing
    • companies being unwilling to submit off-patent medicines for PBS listing due to high costs and low rewards
    • the ongoing lack of high-quality clinical evidence about medicines to treat rare diseases and certain patient populations, such as children.

    Another issue is medicine shortages. When PBS-listed brands aren’t available due to supply chain issues, other non-PBS listed brands may be available at full cost to the patient. Increased medicine costs can discourage patients from filling necessary prescriptions, which can have longer-term impacts on health and health expenditure.

    Finally, companies have argued Australia’s small market size plus low PBS prices can make it financially unviable to bring new medicines to Australia.

    The PBS is a crucial part of Australia’s health system, making essential medicines affordable, while keeping costs down. Like any system, it has its challenges and there is ongoing debate about whether and how the system should change.



    Read more:
    Will the US trade war push up the price of medicines in Australia? Will there be drug shortages?

    Bonny Parkinson receives funding from the Australian government to conduct evaluations of medicines to be listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. She also supervises students funded by PhD scholarships (received by the student, not Bonny Parkinson), including the Macquarie University Research Excellence Scholarship and Macquarie University Australian Pharmaceutical Scholarship, with support from six pharmaceutical companies: Amgen Australia, Janssen Australia, MSD Australia, Pfizer Australia, Roche Australia, and Abbvie Australia.

    – ref. Australia’s PBS means consumers pay less for expensive medicines. Here’s how this system works – https://theconversation.com/australias-pbs-means-consumers-pay-less-for-expensive-medicines-heres-how-this-system-works-252736

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: VATICAN – Cardinal Tagle consecrates Bishops Sangalli and Sarrió Cucarella: Like Saint Joseph, be ‘silent’ heralds of the Word of God

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Wednesday, 19 March 2025

    Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – Bishops are called to be “silent” heralds of the Word of God. They do their work well when, without being protagonists, they become humble “guardians of the active presence of God in his Church”. And if their projects do not progress, it is better to “sleep” like Saint Joseph and “dream the dreams of God,” said Cardinal Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle in an address to Samuele Sangalli and Diego Ramón Sarrió Cucarella during the liturgy of their episcopal ordination in the Vatican Basilica on the afternoon of March 19, the Solemnity of Saint Joseph.Samuele Sangalli, Adjunct Secretary and Head of the Administration of the Dicastery for Evangelization (Section for First Evangelization and the New Particular Churches), was appointed Archbishop and Titular Bishop of Zella by Pope Francis on February 6 (see Fides, 6/2/2025). Diego Ramn Sarrió Cucarella, former President of the Pontifical Institute for Arabic and Islamic Studies (PISAI), of the Missionaries of Africa, was appointed by the Pope as the new Bishop of Laghouat, Algeria, on January 25.More than 30 bishops and Cardinals participated in the solemn ordination liturgy at the main Altar in St. Peter’s Basilica. Cardinal Tagle, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Missions and Principal Consecrator, had as co-consecrators Cardinal Francesco Coccopalmerio of Lombardy and Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu, Secretary of the Dicastery for Evangelization (Department for First Evangelization and the New Particular Churches).On the Solemnity of Saint Joseph and exactly 12 years after the solemn inauguration of Pope Francis’s Petrine Ministry (“for whose complete recovery we pray”), Cardinal Tagle turned his attention to the Spouse of Mary in his homily to offer the two new bishops valuable inspiration for their new journey as Successors of the Apostles. According to the Second Vatican Council, they are called “to care for the flock of which they are shepherds in God’s place, as teachers of doctrine, priests of worship, and ministers of the government of the Church”, and “to be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with the blood of his own Son,” as Saint Paul says. “Beautiful teachings,” remarked the Filipino Cardinal, “which make even bishops tremble. How can a bishop live up to such a great responsibility? Surely only by the grace of God.””Saint Joseph too,” Cardinal Tagle emphasized, “accepted God’s call in faith.” Faith “is the source of Joseph’s courage and creativity, who always subordinates his project to God’s, even when it is incomprehensible and uncomfortable.” Similarly, the ordained ministry of priests and bishops must be “rooted in a response of faith in God and exercised as a response of faith.” Often, Cardinal Tagle noted, “we plan and expect God to carry out our plans.” In reality, however, “we are not the planners, and God is not the executor of our plans.” And “if your vision and your plans do not seem to be moving forward,” he added, addressing the new Bishops, “sleep like Saint Joseph.” For “when we sleep, we are vulnerable, have less control, and are therefore more receptive and open. Sleep and dream the dreams of God. Wake up to realize the dreams of God with obedience and zeal.”Saint Joseph, according to the Pro-Prefect of the Missionary Dicastery, is also considered a “silent saint.” Not a single word of his is recorded in the Gospels. Nevertheless, “he accompanies, nurtures, and preserves the Word of God, made flesh in Mary’s womb, the most important Word.” And “every thought, every heartbeat, and every action of Joseph speaks of one Word: Jesus. It is the only thing that matters. His own words pale before the greatest Word. He can remain silent.” Following in the footsteps of Saint Joseph, “deacons, priests, and bishops must also remain ‘silent’ when proclaiming the Word of God.” For “it is not our word that counts and must be preserved for posterity, but the Word of God.” And “if our thoughts, plans, decisions, and actions do not speak of Jesus, we could be “like resounding brass or a clanging cymbal.”Furthermore, Saint Joseph is “a reliable guardian of Jesus.” And while carrying out his mission to guard the Son of God, “Joseph knows that Jesus belongs to his Father’s house. Joseph’s house in Nazareth has value only if it remains a shadow of the Father’s house, from which he must draw light.” Along these same lines, Cardinal Tagle noted: “Deacons, priests, and bishops are also called to be guardians of God’s active presence in his Church.” Because “bishops are not substitutes for the eternally living God nor competitors of the Redeemer.” And like Saint Joseph, they are called to be “authentic signs of God’s presence in the Church” with a “discreet visibility of the shadow that depends on the light.”Precisely, imitating the “sober and essential style of Saint Joseph,” at the end of the solemn liturgy, Archbishop Sangalli read a few simple “words of thanks.” They were addressed primarily to the “Providence of God, which has granted this afternoon full of grace” and to Pope Francis, “who has called us to be bishops and to whom we renew our affection and our prayers for a complete recovery as Head of the Church.”The new bishop’s thanks were also directed to the three consecrators, “who truly express the universality of the Church, and to all the other concelebrating cardinals and bishops, for whose service we were admitted to the College of Bishops through the gift of the ‘Spiritus principalis,’ the Spirit who governs and guides the Church.” This Spirit, Archbishop Sangalli added, “I received from the Church” and “from the good example of my dear parents, who today are already in eternal Life.” Finally, the new Archbishop’s thanks also went to the “brothers and family members who have accompanied, supported, and encouraged my journey,” as well as to the clergy and “the Ambrosian people of Lecco and the Seminary of Milan, with my former companions.”Archbishop Sangalli also thanked “the communities and associations I served, not least the Sinderesi Foundation,” as well as the academic communities of the Pontifical Gregorian University and the various universities where Sangalli was a student and professor.The gratitude of the new Archbishop was also expressed towards the Dicastery of Bishops, where Sangalli served for 20 years and lived “in contact with the vibrant heartbeat of the building of the local Churches and the election of their pastors.” The new Archbishop’s final words of thanks went to “the great family of the Dicastery for Evangelization, which opens the whole world to the richness of different traditions and cultures, each capable of sharing and transmitting the Gospel in its own singular way.” (F.B.) (Agenzia Fides, 19/3/2025)
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Islamic State in Somalia: the terrorist group’s origins, rise and recent battlefield defeats

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Stig Jarle Hansen, Professor of International Relations, Norwegian University of Life Sciences

    The Islamic State in Somalia is an affiliate of the transnational jihadist group Islamic State, known in short as ISIS. Based in the semi-autonomous northern Somalia territory of Puntland, the terrorist group was the target of the first foreign combat operation of the Trump administration in February 2025. Previously, the group has been linked to planned terror attacks on the Vatican and on the Israeli embassy in Stockholm. Stig Jarle Hansen, a researcher and author of several books on jihadism in Africa, examines its origins, rise and recent battlefield defeats in the mountains of Puntland.

    1. The rise of the Islamic State

    Before the establishment of the Islamic State in Somalia in 2015, the Somali jihadist group al-Shabaab had established itself in the north. The small group had extensive connections to smuggling networks. It later split into two and the future leader of the Islamic State in Somalia, Sheikh Abdulqader Muumin, emerged from one of the splinter groups.

    In Somalia, clans define the relationship between people and all actors in the society. The connections of the new group to the Ali Suleiban sub-clan enabled it to profit from the clan’s links to smuggling and maritime piracy groups.

    Puntland is the hub of communication and maritime trade between Somalia and Yemen, as well as the wider Middle East. Smuggling has gone on in the region for centuries. The rugged terrain is ideal for piracy, illegal smuggling and insurgents.

    Puntland has been more or less autonomous from the rest of Somalia for more than three decades, and the Somali government has little influence there today.

    2. The jihadist behind the Islamic State in Somalia

    Muumin lived in Sweden through the 1990s and early 2000s and later moved to the UK. Back in Somalia, he joined al-Shabaab and became a prominent figure in the group’s jihadist videos. Such videos aim to maintain morals, attract new recruits and create sympathy for the group.

    In 2015, Muumin defected to lead the Islamic State in Somalia. His second-in-command was another Ali Suleiban clansman, Mahad Moalim. In 2016, the first video of the group was circulated through Islamic State media outlets.

    A milestone for the group followed its 2017 suicide bombing of the Juba Hotel in Bosaso, Puntland’s commercial capital and sea port. This enabled the Islamic State in Somalia to pressure Bossaso-based businesses to pay it protection money, the single most important source of income. In 2017-2018, the group is believed to have been behind as many as 50 assassinations in central Somalia. The killings were a forceful tool to generate protection money.

    On 27 July 2018, the Somali group was officially designated as a full province by the Islamic State, also known as ISIS. The Maktab al-Karrar regional office was based in the small Puntland chapter, giving it global responsibilities.

    The Somali group was made responsible for the central African and the Mozambique provinces of the Islamic State. Money flowed to the group from the Islamic State, as did extortion money from Bossaso, other northern Puntland cities and more infrequently from Mogadishu.

    In the first half of 2022, the US Treasury claimed that the organisation generated US$2.3 million from extortion payments, related imports, livestock and agriculture. The regional office and Muumin emerged as key financial players in east Africa, and even outside it, from their base in Buur Dexhtaal in Bari Puntland. Indeed, unnamed US officials claimed in 2023 that Muumim had been made the transnational leader of the Islamic State.

    3. An overblown reputation

    The Islamic State’s reputation in Somalia is often overstated. The group has never captured or held large territories. Its numbers in 2024 were estimated to be between 600 and 1,600. That pales in comparison to al-Shabaab in the south of Somalia.

    Its links to a planned attack on the Israeli embassy in Stockholm 2024 were probably weak and failed to hold up in court. And the jihadist linked to a planned attack in the Vatican 2018 seems to have left Islamic State prior to the planning.

    It is also doubtful that Muumin is the global leader of the Islamic State as claimed by some. That’s for two main reasons. First, an Islamic State leader has to be drawn from a tribe related to the prophet (Qureshi). Muumin is not. Second, the Islamic State in Somalia is the smallest of the Islamic State provinces in Africa. It is likely that a leader of a stronger province would have ranked higher.

    Although the income-gathering capacities of the Puntland-based group give it prominence in the Islamic State media, the Islamic State in Somalia does not rank higher than the Islamic State in the Sahara and Mozambique.

    4. Down but not out

    The Puntland authorities launched a relatively successful counter-offensive against the Islamic State in January 2025. This was combined with air support by the US and the United Arab Emirates.

    Puntland won important battles in January and February, including an attack in which it killed 70 Islamic State fighters.

    By late February, the morale of the Islamic State fighters seemed to break. With the fall of Buur Dexhtaal, the main base, in March, all the larger known bases had fallen. Many of the fleeing foreign fighters were captured.

    But the Islamic State is not defeated. The terrain enabled some of the fighters to hide. Neither Muumin, who is in his 70s, nor his second-in-command Abdirahman Fahiye have been reported killed. There are at least several hundred fighters left.

    If the Islamic State is still able to extort money from the northern business community, it could recruit from the large numbers of Oromo Ethiopian refugees in and around Bosaso, as well as locals who need jobs.

    – Islamic State in Somalia: the terrorist group’s origins, rise and recent battlefield defeats
    – https://theconversation.com/islamic-state-in-somalia-the-terrorist-groups-origins-rise-and-recent-battlefield-defeats-252303

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Islamic State in Somalia: the terrorist group’s origins, rise and recent battlefield defeats

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Stig Jarle Hansen, Professor of International Relations, Norwegian University of Life Sciences

    The Islamic State in Somalia is an affiliate of the transnational jihadist group Islamic State, known in short as ISIS. Based in the semi-autonomous northern Somalia territory of Puntland, the terrorist group was the target of the first foreign combat operation of the Trump administration in February 2025. Previously, the group has been linked to planned terror attacks on the Vatican and on the Israeli embassy in Stockholm. Stig Jarle Hansen, a researcher and author of several books on jihadism in Africa, examines its origins, rise and recent battlefield defeats in the mountains of Puntland.

    1. The rise of the Islamic State

    Before the establishment of the Islamic State in Somalia in 2015, the Somali jihadist group al-Shabaab had established itself in the north. The small group had extensive connections to smuggling networks. It later split into two and the future leader of the Islamic State in Somalia, Sheikh Abdulqader Muumin, emerged from one of the splinter groups.

    In Somalia, clans define the relationship between people and all actors in the society. The connections of the new group to the Ali Suleiban sub-clan enabled it to profit from the clan’s links to smuggling and maritime piracy groups.

    Puntland is the hub of communication and maritime trade between Somalia and Yemen, as well as the wider Middle East. Smuggling has gone on in the region for centuries. The rugged terrain is ideal for piracy, illegal smuggling and insurgents.

    Puntland has been more or less autonomous from the rest of Somalia for more than three decades, and the Somali government has little influence there today.

    2. The jihadist behind the Islamic State in Somalia

    Muumin lived in Sweden through the 1990s and early 2000s and later moved to the UK. Back in Somalia, he joined al-Shabaab and became a prominent figure in the group’s jihadist videos. Such videos aim to maintain morals, attract new recruits and create sympathy for the group.

    In 2015, Muumin defected to lead the Islamic State in Somalia. His second-in-command was another Ali Suleiban clansman, Mahad Moalim. In 2016, the first video of the group was circulated through Islamic State media outlets.

    A milestone for the group followed its 2017 suicide bombing of the Juba Hotel in Bosaso, Puntland’s commercial capital and sea port. This enabled the Islamic State in Somalia to pressure Bossaso-based businesses to pay it protection money, the single most important source of income. In 2017-2018, the group is believed to have been behind as many as 50 assassinations in central Somalia. The killings were a forceful tool to generate protection money.

    On 27 July 2018, the Somali group was officially designated as a full province by the Islamic State, also known as ISIS. The Maktab al-Karrar regional office was based in the small Puntland chapter, giving it global responsibilities.

    The Somali group was made responsible for the central African and the Mozambique provinces of the Islamic State. Money flowed to the group from the Islamic State, as did extortion money from Bossaso, other northern Puntland cities and more infrequently from Mogadishu.

    In the first half of 2022, the US Treasury claimed that the organisation generated US$2.3 million from extortion payments, related imports, livestock and agriculture. The regional office and Muumin emerged as key financial players in east Africa, and even outside it, from their base in Buur Dexhtaal in Bari Puntland. Indeed, unnamed US officials claimed in 2023 that Muumim had been made the transnational leader of the Islamic State.

    3. An overblown reputation

    The Islamic State’s reputation in Somalia is often overstated. The group has never captured or held large territories. Its numbers in 2024 were estimated to be between 600 and 1,600. That pales in comparison to al-Shabaab in the south of Somalia.

    Its links to a planned attack on the Israeli embassy in Stockholm 2024 were probably weak and failed to hold up in court. And the jihadist linked to a planned attack in the Vatican 2018 seems to have left Islamic State prior to the planning.

    It is also doubtful that Muumin is the global leader of the Islamic State as claimed by some. That’s for two main reasons. First, an Islamic State leader has to be drawn from a tribe related to the prophet (Qureshi). Muumin is not. Second, the Islamic State in Somalia is the smallest of the Islamic State provinces in Africa. It is likely that a leader of a stronger province would have ranked higher.

    Although the income-gathering capacities of the Puntland-based group give it prominence in the Islamic State media, the Islamic State in Somalia does not rank higher than the Islamic State in the Sahara and Mozambique.

    4. Down but not out

    The Puntland authorities launched a relatively successful counter-offensive against the Islamic State in January 2025. This was combined with air support by the US and the United Arab Emirates.

    Puntland won important battles in January and February, including an attack in which it killed 70 Islamic State fighters.

    By late February, the morale of the Islamic State fighters seemed to break. With the fall of Buur Dexhtaal, the main base, in March, all the larger known bases had fallen. Many of the fleeing foreign fighters were captured.

    But the Islamic State is not defeated. The terrain enabled some of the fighters to hide. Neither Muumin, who is in his 70s, nor his second-in-command Abdirahman Fahiye have been reported killed. There are at least several hundred fighters left.

    If the Islamic State is still able to extort money from the northern business community, it could recruit from the large numbers of Oromo Ethiopian refugees in and around Bosaso, as well as locals who need jobs.

    Stig Jarle Hansen 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. Islamic State in Somalia: the terrorist group’s origins, rise and recent battlefield defeats – https://theconversation.com/islamic-state-in-somalia-the-terrorist-groups-origins-rise-and-recent-battlefield-defeats-252303

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The PKK says it will lay down its arms. What are the chances of lasting peace between Turkey and the Kurds? Podcast

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Gemma Ware, Host, The Conversation Weekly Podcast, The Conversation

    For over 40 years, the Kurdistan Workers Party, the PKK, has waged an armed insurgency against Turkey, fighting for Kurdish rights and autonomy.

    But in late February, Abdullah Öcalan, the PKK’s imprisoned founder, called for the group to lay down its arms and dissolve itself. Days later, the PKK, which is labelled as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, Europe and the US, declared a ceasefire with Turkey.

    In this episode of The Conversation Weekly podcast, we speak to political scientist Pinar Dinc about what’s led to this moment and whether it could be the beginning of a lasting peace between Turkey and the Kurds.

    Despite being imprisoned in solitary confinement since his capture in 1999, Öcalan has remained a central figure in the Kurdish movement, both in Turkey and across the region.

    His call for the PKK to abandon its armed struggle came months after the leader of a Turkish ultra-nationalist political party launched an initiative to bring an end to the conflict.

    Over the past few decades, previous rounds of peace talks between the PKK and Turkey, most notably in 2009 and 2013-15, have collapsed.

    But Pinar Dinc, an associate professor of political science at Lund University in Sweden, says that since the Hamas-led October 7 attacks on Israel and the war in Gaza, the situation in the Middle East has rapidly changed. “It’s mutually beneficial to put an end to this war,” she says. “Both groups recognise the necessity of addressing regional tensions.”

    Dinc says international support for the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in north-eastern Syria, and its Rojava revolution, means that Turkey has been forced to recognise a new “Syrian Kurdish reality”. At the same time, she says, the Kurdish movement has also reached a limit in what it can achieve in an era of modern warfare.

     Turkey has a huge army. It’s one of the biggest armies of Nato. Now we see increased use of drones surveillance and advanced weaponry, and I think the PKK guerrillas in the Qandil mountains, what they refer to as the medya defence zones, they’re also realising that this is getting more and more difficult.

    Limited discussions began in March between the Turkish government and Kurdish political parties on a way forward in peace negotiations. Dinc says this is a real opportunity for a broader reconciliation process, but there will be real challenges in the detail of what it means for Turkey’s Kurdish population.

     The PKK is an outcome of structural problems arising from the longstanding oppression and marginalisation of Kurds in Turkey, and addressing these root causes is essential for achieving lasting peace.

    Listen to the conversation with Dinc on The Conversation Weekly podcast.

    This episode of The Conversation Weekly was written and produced by Mend Mariwany. Sound design was by Eloise Stevens and theme music by Neeta Sarl. Gemma Ware is the executive producer.

    Newsclips in this episode from AP Archive, AFP News Agency, Sky News, Med TV, Gazete Duvar, DW News, Al Jazeera English and France 24 English.

    Listen to The Conversation Weekly via any of the apps listed above, download it directly via our RSS feed or find out how else to listen here.

    Pinar Dinc is the principal investigator of the ECO-Syria project, which receives funding from the Strategic Research Area: The Middle East in the Contemporary World (MECW) at the Centre for Advanced Middle Eastern Studies, Lund University, Sweden.

    – ref. The PKK says it will lay down its arms. What are the chances of lasting peace between Turkey and the Kurds? Podcast – https://theconversation.com/the-pkk-says-it-will-lay-down-its-arms-what-are-the-chances-of-lasting-peace-between-turkey-and-the-kurds-podcast-252646

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Newsom announces appointments 3.19.25

    Source: US State of California 2

    Mar 19, 2025

    SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:

    Emily Warren, of Orinda, has been appointed Deputy Secretary for Innovative Mobility Solutions at the California State Transportation Agency. Warren has been an Advisory Venture Parter at Fontinalis Partners, LLC since 2019. She was Head of Public Policy at EverCharge from 2023 to 2024. Warren was Head of Public Policy at Embark Trucks from 2022 to 2023. Warren was Senior Manager of Public Policy at Amazon from 2021 to 2022. She was Senior Policy Advisor at NelsonNygaard Consulting Associates from 2020 to 2021. Warren was Senior Director of Policy and Public Affairs at Lime from 2018 to 2019. She held several roles at Lyft from 2012 to 2019, including Senior Director of Transportation Policy, Director of Transportation Policy, Director of Community Relations, Director of Community Engagement, and Community Manager. Warren was a Municipal Financial Consultant at Public Financial Management from 2011 to 2012. She was Assistant Director of External Affairs for the University of Pennsylvania from 2009 to 2010. Warren is a member of the National Center of Sustainable Transportation Leadership Council and the University of California, Los Angeles Institute of Transportation Studies Advisory Board. She earned a Master of Public Administration degree in Public Finance from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Critical Gender Studies from the University of California, San Diego. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $176,004. Warren is a Democrat.

    Eva Spiegel, of Davis, has been appointed Deputy Director of Communications at the California Department of Motor Vehicles. Spiegel was Senior Communications Specialist at Kearns & West from 2021 to 2025. She was Founder and Principal of Spiegel Communications from 2019 to 2021. Spiegel was Director of Communications for the League of California Cities from 2007 to 2019. She was Director of Broadcast Operations and Special Projects at the American Communications Foundation from 1995 to 2006. Spiegel earned a Master of Arts degree in Broadcast and Electronic Communication Arts from California State University, San Francisco, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science for the University of California, Davis. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $150,000. Spiegel is a Democrat.

    Suzy Shuster, of Beverly Hills, has been appointed to the California Film Commission. Shuster has been Co-Host and Executive Producer of Women’s Sports Now on RokuChannel since 2025, Co-Host of the What the Football Podcast since 2023, and Guest Host on The Rich Eisen Show since 2014. Shuster was a Host/Reporter for University of Southern California Trojans Pregame Show on ESPN 710 from 2003 to 2009. Shuster was a reporter for ABC Sports from 2003 to 2006. She was a Reporter for the NBA on TNT from 2004 to 2006. Shuster was a Reporter/Host of Fox Sports Net and Fox Sports West from 2000 to 2002. She was a Producer for Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel from 1988 to 1999. Shuster was a Producer for ESPN’s SportsCenter from 1997 to 1999. She is a member of the Board of Hillel at Columbia. Shuster earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Art History from Columbia University. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and there is no compensation. Shuster is a Democrat.

    Thomas “Tom” Huntington, of San Francisco, has been appointed to the State Park and Recreation Commission. Huntington has been a Consultant in Non-Profit Organization and Foundation Management since 2013. He was the Western Regional Development Director for the Environmental Defense Fund from 1985 to 2013. Huntington was a River Protection Campaign Coordinator and the Executive Director for the Friends of the River Foundation from 1977 to 1984. He was the Regional Manager and River Guide at OARS Inc. Adventure Travel from 1974 to 1984. Huntington earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications and Teaching from the University of Oregon. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Huntington is a Democrat.

    Press Releases, Recent News

    Recent news

    Mar 19, 2025

    News Sacramento, California – Governor Gavin Newsom today issued a proclamation declaring March 2025, as Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month.The text of the proclamation and a copy can be found below: PROCLAMATIONCalifornia is proud to join states around the…

    Mar 19, 2025

    News What you need to know: In the first two months of 2025, California National Guard’s Counter Drug Task Force has seized 1,045 pounds of illicit fentanyl with a street valuation of $6.8 million. SACRAMENTO – Continuing an enhanced focus in 2025 to combat the…

    Mar 19, 2025

    News What you need to know: 51 projects — including 46 independent features — will generate nearly $580 million in economic activity and employ over 6,490 cast and crew thanks to California’s Film & Television Tax Credit Program. HOLLYWOOD — Governor Newsom today…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: WayWORD puts the spotlight on women in STEM and art The legacy of a mathematician and writer hailed as one of the earliest pioneers of computer science will be celebrated at an Aberdeen literary festival.

    Source: University of Aberdeen

    Ada LovelaceThe legacy of a mathematician and writer hailed as one of the earliest pioneers of computer science will be celebrated at an Aberdeen literary festival.
    Ada Lovelace, the daughter of Aberdeen-born Romantic poet Lord Byron, is remembered for her groundbreaking work on Charles Babbage’s proposed mechanical general purpose computer, first described in 1837.
    Her legacy is the focus of a special event at the University of Aberdeen’s cross-arts festival WayWORD that will combine the impact of Lovelace’s work on our lives today with a demonstration of new AI technology developed by Aberdeen engineers which enables audiences to enjoy a unique musical performance created from live painted drawings.
    The software, developed by AI developer Jack Caven and AI specialist Dr Andrew Starkey from the University of Aberdeen, translates tangible painted marks into audible sounds in real time and unique for each performance.
    They have worked with visual artist Kate Steenhauer’s on the ‘PaintingMusic’ project and her artwork depicts and pays tribute to Lovelace’s contributions to technological advancement, reflecting on the role of technology today, current advancements in AI and the impacts on our world.
    The project has also produced creative tools for audiences to explore AI’s limitations, encompassing performance and an interactive app which the audience will be able to try on the day.
    Developed using ‘Explainable, Green and Creative AI’, the app allows audiences to create their own interactive ‘performance’ by creating musical scores from their drawings through the Painting Music software.
    The free event will take place at 3.30pm on Wednesday 26th March at St Machar Academy and is supported by Aberdeen City Council Creative Funding and Explorathon: a pan-Scotland festival celebrating research taking place in Scottish institutions and the impact it has on people’s lives which will return in September. Public Engagement and Events Coordinator Charlotte Lever explains, ‘We are supporting this activity as it connects people in local communities who don’t have day-to-day engagement with universities and showcases important research’.
    Earlier in the day at St Machar Academy, all female S1 pupils will attend workshops with Kate exploring Lovelace’s legacy as well as Kate’s own career and experiences as an engineer and visual artist based in Aberdeen.
    Other events in the WayWORD ‘Spring into Summer’ programme across March to May includes a community readthrough of a brand-new play exploring the past, present and future of Torry in Aberdeen, street art workshops with Outlines Collective at Sunnybank Park, and a series of events at Sir Duncan Rice Library including the Aberdeen launch of a new queer Scottish writing anthology Fierce Salvage, and a Gothic writing workshop, Carrion Crow book launch and talk about what it’s really like to be a professional writer with acclaimed author Heather Parry. All of these other WayWORD’s events are free and supported by Creative Scotland’s National Lottery Open Fund for Organisations. Tickets can be booked online at www.waywordfestival.com
    WayWORD is part of the WORD Centre for Creative Writing within the School of Language, Literature, Music and Visual Culture.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Aberdeen among knowledge exchange award winners The University of Aberdeen were among the winners at the 10th Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards on 19 March.

    Source: University of Aberdeen

    Winners at the 10th Scottish Knowledge Exchange AwardsThe University of Aberdeen were among the winners at the 10th Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards on 19 March.
    The University, along with partners Vertebrate Antibodies-EpitogenX Ltd, picked up the Powerful Partnership award for their work developing AI-powered diagnostics using Epitogen® technology to detect autoimmune and infectious diseases.
    The internationally recognised collaboration was praised by organisers for yielding “world-first solutions, fostering global recognition, creating skilled talent, and driving economic and health advancements.”
    Read more about this collaborative project
    The event held at the Edinburgh Futures Institute brought together Scotland’s rich ecosystem of talent to celebrate transformational collaborations between businesses, communities, universities, colleges, and research institutes which are solving industry challenges, improving productivity, advancing research and supporting Scotland’s ambition to be one of the most innovative small nations in the world.
    Developments in renewable energy, mental health, medicine and food and drink scooped awards across 10 categories.
    Business Minister Richard Lochhead said: “It was good to see the full breadth of academic and business-led innovation on show at Interface’s annual awards.
    “It demonstrated why our expertise in so many sectors is revered around the world, from renewable energy and health technology, to food and drink.
    “Scotland has been at the forefront of many of the world’s most impactful innovations, from the MRI Scanner and penicillin to televisions and telephones. Yet, by combining research and business, so many new and exciting Scottish breakthroughs are just on the horizon and that is something we should all champion.”
    Amelia Whitelaw, Director of Interface, which organises the Awards, said: “The Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards celebrate successful partnerships where knowledge is shared to create new solutions. The nominees and winners we are celebrating exemplify how collaboration drives valuable advancements. These partnerships have led to the development of new technologies, products, and services that contribute to economic progress and societal benefit. Their innovations are not only transforming Scotland but also have the potential to make a global impact.”
    The in full:
    Innovation of the Year – sponsored by HGF Ltd
    SolarSub Ltd, in collaboration with the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS) at the University of Strathclyde, for refining the design of a solar panel cooling system, optimising it for manufacturing and scalability. Additionally, in partnership with Heriot-Watt University, the technology underwent rigorous field trials to evaluate its performance under extreme heat conditions, ensuring its robustness and efficacy.
    Innovator of the Future – sponsored by Highlands and Islands Enterprise
    Joint winners: Dr Dayi Zhang and Matthew Gibson
    Dr Dayi Zhang, Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) Associate working with the University of Strathclyde and Inspectahire Instrument Co. Ltd for developing a portable, non-invasive ultrasonic device that revolutionises whisky cask monitoring. Designed for Scotland’s iconic whisky industry, the device enhances safety, reduces costs, and minimises carbon emissions, aligning with net zero goals. This innovation preserves cultural heritage while driving environmental progress and local economic growth.
    Matthew Gibson, KTP Associate working with the University of Strathclyde and Ailsa Reliability Solutions Ltd, is creating the next generation of data-driven condition monitoring solutions for the oil and gas sector. This project is developing the Vision© reliability platform and has demonstrated reduced machine downtime and energy waste, in pursuit of net zero and sustainable engineering processes.
    Inward Investment Impact – sponsored by International Social Enterprise Observatory

    Canon Medical Research Europe and the University of Edinburgh for bringing new AI Innovation and thinking to the heart of the business. The relationship contributed to increased inward investment and headcount in Canon Edinburgh as well as new collaborative research funding opportunities in the research and translation of Causal AI.
    Knowledge Exchange Champion – sponsored by Knowledge Exchange UK
    Winner: Professor John Bachtler
    Professor John Bachtler has transformed Scotland’s regional policy knowledge exchange through 40 years of leadership at the European Policies Research Centre at the University of Strathclyde. He advanced policy innovation via networks such as EoRPA and IQ-Net, linking Scotland with European policy frameworks. His strategic insights, mentoring, and impactful KE collaborations strengthened regional development policy, inspired future leaders, and enhanced Scotland’s European policy influence.
    Highly Commended: Dr Andrea Rodriguez and Dr Bryan McCann
    Dr Andrea Rodriguez, the University of Dundee, for sustaining engagement and impact on non-academic audiences by co-designing an international knowledge exchange programme on youth homelessness. Helping Young People Feel at Home took a multi-agency approach, involving critical thinking and dialogue with young people in Scotland and Brazil to improve service provision and professional practices.
    Dr Bryan McCann, Glasgow Caledonian University, has championed knowledge exchange throughout his academic career, establishing several strategic partnerships within the physical activity and mental health sectors. These partnerships have facilitated innovative and high-quality student placements, generated income for impactful knowledge exchange programmes, and contributed to health and wellbeing across Scotland.
    Knowledge Exchange Heroes – team and individual – sponsored by Azets Ltd
    Individual
    Susan Armstrong, KE Lead at Glasgow Caledonian University, has been instrumental in transforming the knowledge exchange landscape at the university through her strategic and collaborative approach. Her efforts, dedication, and unwavering support have significantly advanced the university’s KE initiatives, benefiting both the academic community and industry partners.
    Team
    The Scottish Centre for Food Development and Innovation (SCFDI) at Queen Margaret University has for 10 years championed KE in the food and drink sector in Scotland. They have developed progressive models for industry/academia KE career pathways, supported an impressive SME client portfolio and attracted increasing attention from global food companies and retailers.
    Making a Social Difference
    Scottish Action for Mental Health (SAMH) and Glasgow Caledonian University are collaborating to review, redesign and deliver SAMH’s Psychological Wellbeing services. Through partnership SAMH and GCU have developed the Time for You service, supporting mental health of thousands of members of the public via immediate access to free mental health support, delivered by GCU Trainee Psychologists.
    Making an Environmental Difference
    Renewable Parts Ltd and the University of Strathclyde’s collaboration applies circular economy principles within the wind turbine decommissioning process, promoting the refurbishment and remanufacturing of high-integrity, high-value parts within the wind energy sector, instead of being recycled and returned to raw materials or, worse still, landfill. This circularity approach will have a significant impact on the UK economy and net-zero targets.
    Multiparty Collaboration
    Winner:
    Medical Device Manufacturing Centre (MDMC) – Heriot-Watt University, the University of Edinburgh, the University of Glasgow, the University of Dundee, Robert Gordon University and over 170 medical device companies, to develop and commercialise innovative medical devices.
    Highly Commended:
    The Underwater Intervention for Offshore Renewable Energies (UNITE) project, a partnership between The National Robotarium, Heriot-Watt University, Imperial College London, Frontier Robotics and Fugro, is developing advanced AI and autonomous systems for undertaking remote inspections of offshore wind farms to offer a safe, efficient and sustainable solution for global energy providers.
    Place-based Impact sponsored by Business Gateway
    Winner:
    Digital Dairy Chain – Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), the University of Strathclyde, the University of the West of Scotland, First Milk, Lactalis, NMR, SmartSTEMs, Kendal Nutricare, CENSIS and Cows & Co, is transforming the dairy sector across the South and West of Scotland and Cumbria. This partnership is driving innovation, enhancing productivity, and stimulating job creation, contributing to sustained economic growth in the region.
    Highly Commended:
    Control of Sheep Scab – Moredun Research Institute, Lewis and Harris Sheep Producers Association, The Old Mill Veterinary Practice, Scottish Government, The Crofters of Lewis & Harris, Lewis Crofters, Neil Fell Mobile Dipping Ltd, Zoetis Animal Health Ltd and Bimeda Ltd has developed a community-led approach to prevent and control sheep scab. This project demonstrates how a coordinated, collaborative effort can effectively prevent disease, improve sheep welfare and productivity, and rekindle a strong sense of community.
    Powerful Partnership sponsored by Skillfluence
    Vertebrate Antibodies-EpitogenX Ltd and the University of Aberdeen have developed transformative AI-powered diagnostics leveraging the innovative Epitogen® recombinant technology for diagnosing autoimmune and infectious diseases. This long-term collaboration has yielded world-first solutions, fostering global recognition, creating skilled talent, and driving economic and health advancements.
    Join the conversation on X at #SKEAwards and LinkedIn at @Interface.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Grattan on Friday: Dutton says he could handle Donald Trump, but can any Australian PM?

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

    In the Trump age, how the next government, whether Labor or Coalition, will handle foreign affairs, defence and trade is shaping as crucially important.

    It’s a weird time when your friends become almost as problematic as your potential enemies, but that’s the situation we face.

    As many have observed, Donald Trump’s long shadow hangs over our election, at a time of multiple other uncertainties. Australia, like other countries, has already felt the brunt of the president’s tariffs policy, and the government is bracing for what may be worse to come with the next round of Trump announcements in early April.

    So what face would a Peter Dutton government present to the world? And how would he handle Trump?

    On Thursday at the Lowy Institute, the opposition leader brought his international policies together. He presented a mix of bipartisanship and differences with the government. Some of the latter weren’t so much fundamental disagreements as claims Labor had failed and the Coalition would be more competent or effective.

    The most frustrating part of Dutton’s speech and answers to questions was the same old problem. For crucial details, particularly on defence spending but also on the future of foreign aid under the Coalition, we were told we’d have to wait for announcements that always seem over the horizon.

    Dutton says as prime minister he wouldn’t resile from taking on the United States when necessary. With fears about US drug companies spearheading a war on Australia’s Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, he declared, “I will stand up and defend the PBS […] against any attempt to undermine its integrity, including by major pharmaceutical companies”.

    In arguing that, in general, he’d be able to deal with Trump, Dutton invoked the previous Coalition government’s success with Trump Mark 1 (though Mark 2 is very different), and the power of AUKUS to anchor relations. His early priority would be to visit Washington.

    The question Australians should ask themselves is this: “Who is better placed to manage the US relationship and engage with President Trump?” I believe that […] I will be able to work with the Trump administration Mark 2 to get better outcomes for Australia. I will talk to [Trump] about how our national interests are mutual interests.

    But, as he acknowledged, “Australia’s national interests do not always align perfectly with the interests of partners – even of our closest allies”. The way Trump is operating at the moment, it may be that a PM of either stripe will find him impossible on certain issues.

    Dutton was once an uncomplicated hawk on China. Now, he is a mix of hawkish and dovish. It’s true things have changed greatly in Australia-China relations in recent times, but another reason for Dutton’s more nuanced position is highlighted by the line in his speech that “Australia has a remarkable Chinese diaspora”. The opposition leader has an eye to the vote of Chinese-Australians.

    Dutton now walks a line that is critical of China militarily, but anxious to promote and expand the now-restored trading relationship.

    Currently, there are two major, hot conflicts in the world: the Ukraine war and the violence in the Middle East.

    On Ukraine, the Coalition and Labor are at one in their backing for President Volodymyr Zelensky, although Dutton criticises aspects of the government’s delivery of support. But they are at odds over Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s willingness to contribute to a peacekeeping force.

    “Australia can’t afford the multibillion-dollar sustainment price tag for having troops based in an ill-defined and endless European presence,” Dutton said.

    The “multibillion-dollar” price tag was overegged, but many would agree there are sound arguments for not deploying Australian forces on such a venture. On the other hand, if an Albanese government did so, you can bet the commitment would be relatively token.

    The big gulf between Labor and Coalition is over the Middle East. This has grown from a marginally different reaction after the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israelis to a major disagreement now.

    Dutton claims Labor “has viewed our relationship with Israel through a domestic policy lens and with a view to its political imperatives” – that is, the Muslim vote.

    Based on what Dutton says, a change of government would bring a substantial recalibration of Australia’s Middle East policy. One of Dutton’s “first orders of business” would be to call Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “help rebuild the relationship Labor has trashed”. He added:

    Israel will be able to count on our support again in the United Nations. And given UNRWA [the Palestinian relief agency] has employed terrorists from Hamas who participated in the 7 October attacks, the organisation will no longer receive funding from a government I lead.

    The Coalition repeatedly says Australia needs to spend more on defence. It has announced $3 billion to reinstate the fourth squadron of F-35 joint strike fighters, but not said the size of the defence envelope it believes is required. Dutton said:

    We need to do nothing short of re-thinking defence, re-tooling the ADF, and re-energising our domestic defence industry, and that’s exactly what our government will do.

    That sounds like a massive task, and so it’s more than time we saw the plan and cost of it. Would the Coalition be willing to go to around 3% of gross domestic product (GDP) on defence spending, as the Trump administration wants? That would require a lot of sacrifice in other policy areas.

    The Australian Financial Review this week reported Coalition sources saying it is weighing up boosting defence spending to at least 2.5% by 2029.

    When the Coalition talks up its record in defence, one should also remember the failures, chief among them the delays and chopping and changing in its submarine program. A sub-optimal performance has been bipartisan.

    Dutton was questioned on his position on aid to Pacific countries. Should Australia step up given the void left by the US shutting down aid? If a Dutton government did that, would it mean an overall aid increase, or cuts in the aid budget elsewhere?

    This was left as another black hole, although he did say the Australian government should make representations to the US for the reinstatement of particular aid programs the US had cut.

    I don’t agree with some of the funding that they’ve withdrawn, and I think it is detrimental to the collective interests in the region, and I hope that there can be a discussion between our governments about a sensible pathway forward in that regard.

    Good luck with that.

    It is hard to avoid the conclusion the overall aid program would be an easy target for the Coalition in the search for savings.

    When leaders talk, what they don’t say can be as important as what they do.

    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. Grattan on Friday: Dutton says he could handle Donald Trump, but can any Australian PM? – https://theconversation.com/grattan-on-friday-dutton-says-he-could-handle-donald-trump-but-can-any-australian-pm-252511

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI: JuicyChat.AI Unveils NSFW AI Girlfriend Chatbot in 2025, Redefining Virtual Companionship

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — JuicyChat.AI has announced the launch of its NSFW AI Girlfriend chatbot, marking a significant advancement in AI-driven virtual companionship. This platform combines sophisticated artificial intelligence with user-centric customization to deliver immersive and personalized interactions.

    AI-Driven Emotional Companionship Enters New Era

    In 2025, artificial intelligence is reshaping digital interactions, with NSFW AI girlfriend chatbots emerging as a key innovation. JuicyChat.AI’s platform leverages natural language processing (NLP) and deep learning to offer hyper-personalized virtual companionship, focusing on immersive engagement and privacy safeguards.

    Customization and Smart Responsiveness at Core

    The NSFW AI girlfriend chatbot allows users to design AI personas with customizable backstories, personalities, and dialogue styles, spanning anime-inspired, realistic, and niche scenarios. Advanced semantic algorithms enable real-time emotion detection, delivering context-aware responses to avoid robotic interactions. The platform operates on a subscription-plus-coins model, with premium features priced 40% below industry averages, according to the company.

    Market Demand Meets Technical Compliance

    Industry analysts link the trend to rising demand for non-realistic emotional outlets. A 2025 report projects the global AI companionship market to hit $30 billion, with “virtual partners” growing 75% annually. JuicyChat.AI emphasizes its content moderation system uses multi-layered AI filtering to ensure ethical compliance, while user data is protected via end-to-end encryption.

    Beyond Entertainment: Broader Applications Eyed

    While initially positioned as entertainment, the technology has broader implications. Psychologists at Stanford University’s Human-AI Interaction Lab note potential applications in mental health support, where NSFW AI companions could provide non-judgmental listening tools. Educators also see value in language learning companions tailored to individual proficiency levels.

    JuicyChat.AI plans to roll out multimodal features by Q4 2025, including voice cloning and image-based scenario building, while partnering with cybersecurity firms to enhance privacy protocols, aiming to “create the world’s most intuitive virtual NSFW AI companion platform” through user feedback and model upgrades.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0f2581a3-d0fa-4c99-b525-c829067d20ac

    The MIL Network –