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Category: Universities

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Polytechnic University scientists propose a new comprehensive approach to cancer therapy

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

    A new combination approach to antitumor therapy has been developed at Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University. Studies on tumor models have shown its advantage over monotherapy. Scientists used the chemotherapeutic drug doxorubicin and nanoparticles to deliver radium-223 (²²³Ra) directly to the tumor. A scientific article describing the results was published in the international scientific journal Biomaterials scene.

    According to experts, the results obtained during the experiments bring us closer to solving the problem of tumor resistance to the standard treatment methods used today – chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery.

    Despite promising results in cancer treatment, standard monotherapy remains insufficient for a wide range of cancers. Combination therapy can significantly improve therapeutic outcomes compared to single agent treatment.

    However, determining the optimal scheme can be a difficult task. For this purpose, scientists from the Polytechnic University are developing new approaches to the treatment of oncological diseases. The specialists created and studied the properties of new pharmacological combinations, and also conducted tests for the safety and compatibility of such systems with the body. In addition, the scientists proposed several therapeutic schemes at once that could become an alternative to existing ones. The Polytechnics worked with models of the most common types of cancer according to WHO: colorectal cancer, melanoma, and breast cancer.

    Our results showed that each tumor model studied demonstrated a clear response to combination and monotherapy. In particular, combination chemo- and radionuclide therapy using doxorubicin and the isotope Radium-223 demonstrated a significantly higher therapeutic result than monotherapy. The average therapeutic response was more than 35% for monotherapy and over 60% – 80% for combination therapy. This means that the combination of active substances that we proposed is twice as effective as the standard treatment protocol, – noted Daria Akhmetova, Junior Researcher at the Laboratory of Nano- and Microencapsulation of Biologically Active Substances at SPbPU.

    Scientists used a combination of the chemotherapeutic drug doxorubicin (DOX) and nanoparticles based on polylactic acid and calcium carbonate (PLA and CaCO₃) to deliver radium-223 (²²³Ra). The radioactive isotope can be administered to the body either systemically into the bloodstream or by injection directly into the tumor. In the case of local delivery, the isotope is distributed most effectively throughout the tumor volume.

    This approach can solve the problem of tumor resistance to the standard treatment methods used today. It is when using a combined treatment regimen that toxicity for healthy tissues and organs will be reduced and the burden on the patient’s health will be reduced, said Vladislava Rusakova, a research assistant at the Laboratory of Nano- and Microencapsulation of Biologically Active Substances at SPbPU.

    According to the scientists, the main difference between the proposed approach and other protocols for combined cancer treatment is the simplicity and low cost of synthesizing the nanoparticles needed to deliver the radioactive isotope to the tumor. The novelty of the study is in using the clinical method of chemotherapy with doxorubicin and supplementing it with gentle alpha-radionuclide therapy of targeted action.

    Experts noted that the combination therapy is not toxic to living organisms. This is evidenced by the data of laboratory and instrumental studies that were conducted during animal testing. The therapeutic effect of the action was assessed by regularly measuring the volume of tumors and the weight of laboratory mice. In addition, the morphological state of the tumors and organs of the animals was assessed using histological analysis.

    Our team plans to further improve the efficiency of nanoscale delivery systems with an emphasis on radionuclide therapy. Modern technologies for creating nanoplatforms for delivering therapeutic radionuclides have significant potential and can save lives, shared Alisa Postovalova, a junior researcher at the Laboratory of Nano- and Microencapsulation of Biologically Active Substances at SPbPU.

    The work was supported by the grant of the Russian Science Foundation “Development of a new dosage form based on nanosized vaterite for systemic combined photodynamic therapy of breast cancer” (number 22-75-10011). The research is carried out within the framework of agreement No. 075-15-2021-1360 of the Federal Scientific and Technical Program for the Development of Synchrotron and Neutron Research “Development of a domestic innovative theranostic drug based on terbium isotopes for radioimmune therapy of malignant neoplasms of various histological types.”

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Slavic Universities: Polytechnic University helps KRSU develop relations with industrial partners

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

    In March, a working visit of the expert group of Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University (SPbPU) to the Kyrgyz-Russian Slavic University (KRSU) took place. At the invitation of the acting rector of KRSU Sergey Volkov, representatives of the Polytechnic University and a number of other Russian universities took part in business meetings with industrial partners of KRSU and conducted expert work with the university development team.

    On behalf of Polytechnic University, the expert group included Nikita Golovin, Deputy Head of the International Cooperation Department, Head of the Slavic Universities Project Office, Maxim Dyuldin, Head of the Quality Control Department, Associate Professor Anton Kuznetsov, Senior Lecturer of the Higher School of Electric Power Systems of the Institute of Power Engineering Maria Lyulina, Associate Professor of the Higher School of Cyber-Physical Systems Management of the Institute of Cybernetics and Science, Director of the North-West Interuniversity Regional Educational and Scientific Center Polytechnic-Cyberphysics Vyacheslav Potekhin. The main goal of the visit was working meetings and negotiations between SPbPU representatives and industrial partners of the Kyrgyz-Russian Slavic University.

    The business program began with a visit to the office of the Alliance Altyn company, a key industrial partner of KRSU. During the meeting with the company’s representatives, the implementation of the roadmap for cooperation between KRSU and Alliance Altyn for 2024-2026 was discussed. Alliance Altyn is the first industrial partner of the university, and this opens up new opportunities for long-term scientific and educational cooperation. The roadmap provides for the development of more than ten educational courses for the managers and engineering and technical staff of Alliance Altyn. The participation of Russian universities, in particular SPbPU, in the implementation of the roadmap will strengthen the scientific and educational potential of the project. Joint efforts are aimed at training highly qualified specialists for the mining industry of Kyrgyzstan, as well as conducting scientific research in the field of improving the efficiency of mining operations and developing environmentally friendly technologies.

    In addition to the meeting at the company’s head office, the experts visited the largest gold ore deposit in the Kyrgyz Republic, Jerooy, which is being developed by Alliance Altyn. The specialists familiarized themselves with the technological processes of gold mining, working conditions and development prospects of the enterprise, assessed the scale of production, talked to employees and discussed the possibilities of organizing internships for students and the need to implement modern technologies to improve the efficiency of the deposit.

    Practice-oriented training is the most important aspect of modern training of specialists. We strive to ensure that KRSU students have the opportunity to undergo internships in leading industrial companies, such as “Altyn Alliance”. This will ensure their competitiveness in the labor market, – noted Sergey Volkov.

    The results of the expert work were summed up at the final meeting at KRSU. The participants discussed promising areas of joint research and educational projects in the interests of Alliance Altyn, mechanisms and possible formats for their implementation. Among the most relevant project areas were automation and digitalization of production (operation analysis, technology implementation, process optimization), energy audit (energy consumption analysis, identification of deficiencies, recommendations for improving energy efficiency), modernization of pumping units (equipment analysis, recommendations for improving efficiency, implementation of innovations), examination of the hydroelectric power station construction project (assessment of design solutions, compliance with standards, risk analysis, optimization), organization of courses on Lean Manufacturing (development of a curriculum, trainings, seminars on process optimization), examination of labor protection and safety (comprehensive assessment of workplaces, risk identification, PPE inspection, safety analysis).

    There is a lot of work ahead to coordinate, approve and implement joint projects. With such support, KRSU is obliged to become the flagship of Russian education and science in the region, emphasized Sergey Volkov.

    For the Polytechnic University, the task of supporting KRSU in terms of developing a scientific and technological partnership with the Alliance Altyn company is also one of the key ones – the parties agreed to develop a comprehensive applied engineering and technological project by the end of 2025.

    In addition to working on the formation of a potential portfolio of KRSU projects with industrial partners, SPbPU experts held a number of working meetings with the heads of KRSU scientific schools and expert sessions with the university development team. Thus, at the project and analytical session on the formation of the KRSU development strategy until 2036, recommendations were developed to supplement and focus the strategic goals and key areas of the university’s development. At a meeting with research groups and laboratories, potential areas of cooperation in the field of scientific research were discussed: joint projects, grants, internships. A meeting was also held to agree on and approve specific terms and conditions for the implementation of the SPbPU-KRSU work plan in 2025.

    The agreements reached during the visit will allow us to systematically move forward in fulfilling the key tasks of 2025. Activation of cooperation with the industry, launching real projects at the request of industrial partners are in line with the general task of increasing the competitiveness of KRSU, contribute to the modernization of engineering education and the formation of a system for training highly professional engineering personnel in KRSU, – summed up the results of the visit the head of the Project Office “Slavic Universities” Nikita Golovin.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The renovation of the large physical auditorium will be financed from the Polytechnic Endowment Fund

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

    In 2024, as part of the celebration of the 125th anniversary of the university, the Polytechnic University Endowment Fund took the initiative to implement an infrastructure project using funds from the management of endowment capital in the amount of 5 million rubles.

    In December 2024, the Foundation Board announced a call for applications, inviting the directorates of all SPbPU institutes to participate. The commission for the distribution of income from the management of the Foundation’s endowment capital received 12 projects, each of which was of particular importance and was highly appreciated by the commission.

    According to the results of the competition, the most important project for the university was the renovation of the large physics auditorium of the Main Academic Building, which has enormous historical and symbolic significance for SPbPU. Such great Russian and Soviet scientists as V. V. Skobeltsyn, A. F. Ioffe, P. L. Kapitsa, N. N. Semenov, A. A. Fridman, Yu. B. Khariton, A. I. Alikhanov, B. P. Konstantinov and many others gave and listened to lectures there.

    The renovation will be completed after classes end in the summer of 2025.

    Director of the Institute of Physics and Mathematics Pavel Zakharov noted: The Large Physics Auditorium is not only the heart of the Physics Department, where demonstrations and lectures have been held since the university was founded, but also one of the largest and most legendary auditoriums. Thousands of our students pass through it every year. We are grateful to the Foundation for the opportunity to carry out repair work in the auditorium.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: How can you tell if your child’s daycare is good quality?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Victoria Minson, Senior Lecturer in Early Childhood Education, Australian Catholic University

    PhotoMavenStock/Shutterstock

    This week, we heard claims of shocking abuse and neglect in Australian childcare centres on ABC’s Four Corners program.

    While 91% of services met or exceeded the national standards as of February 2025, there have also been reports of centres operating with unqualified staff, abusive practices and nutritionally substandard food.

    How can you tell if your child is going to a good quality childcare service?



    Read more:
    Amid claims of abuse, neglect and poor standards, what is going wrong with childcare in Australia?

    What are the standards?

    Australian’s childcare regulator – the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority or ACECQA – oversees national quality standards for early childhood education and care.

    Services are assessed and given a rating across seven areas including the staffing, children’s health and safety and the educational program. The ratings note whether services are “exceeding”, “meeting” or “working towards” the national standards. In some cases, they may note “significant improvement [is] required”.

    These ratings are public (you can search the national register of services) and are a useful starting point for parents.

    However, they may not reflect the current situation in a service. As the Productivity Commission noted, many services assessed as “meeting” the national standards (which
    comprise the bulk of the sector) have a gap of more than four years between assessments. Services with lower ratings are reassessed more frequently.

    But there are other ways for parents to assess the quality of their child’s early childhood education.



    Read more:
    We need more than police checks: how parents and educators can keep childcare services safe from abuse

    Do educators want to work there?

    If early childhood educators want to work at your childcare service, this is a strong sign it is a good quality service.

    One of the major issues in the early childhood sector is staff retention. Excessive workloads, not being valued by employers and poor pay are some of the reasons early childhood educators leave their jobs.

    This is a huge problem, because high-quality staff are key to providing high-quality education and care, built on strong, stable relationships with children.

    If you are considering a service, a key question to ask is how long educators have been working there? How often do they have to replace staff?

    If you are already at a service, ask yourself, are there consistent staff at drop off/pick up? Are there familiar relief educators to cover absences? Or is there unexplained high turnover?

    As a bottom line, all educators should be warm and caring and get to know every child and their family.

    Seeing the same educators when you drop off and pick up is a sign the service has a stable, committed workforce.
    PhotoMavenStock/Shutterstock

    What is the centre itself like?

    Some daycare centres market themselves to parents by offering a “barista made” coffee in the morning, yoga classes and designer interiors.

    While this might appeal to adult tastes, it is important to think about whether the centre is set up to be suitable and fun for children. For example:

    • is there space to play outside, with natural materials? It is recommended toddlers and preschoolers are physically active for at least three hours per day

    • are there plenty of different play options to appeal to different interests and different children? Or does nothing seem to be organised?

    • are toys and equipment in good condition? Are pencils sharpened and ready to use? Are there puzzle pieces missing?

    It’s important for children to have different options for play, both inside and outside.
    CrispyPork/Shutterstock



    Read more:
    Real dirt, no fake grass and low traffic – what to look for when choosing a childcare centre

    What about the activities and educational program?

    In Australia, centres need to provide play-based learning opportunities, which support children’s wellbeing, learning and development.

    This is not about teaching children to read and do algebra before they start school. It is about supporting children to have positive play experiences, so the associated learning is fun and leaves children wanting to know (and do) more.

    Services should provide children with lots of opportunities to explore in age-appropriate ways. For example, toddlers may have a sandpit with multiple tools and toys. Three- and four-year-olds may work on projects, such as building kites, or go on excursions in their local community.

    Educators should be involved in this play. Sometimes they may act as a partner, helping to extend children’s imaginations. Other times, they may support from the sideline, encouraging a child to climb to a higher part of the climbing frame than yesterday.

    They should not be telling children what to do all the time. It’s important for children to be given the time and space to test out their theories about how the world works.

    Some things to look out for include:

    • is there “cookie cutter” art (where every piece of children’s art looks the same) on the wall? Or are children given the chance to express their creativity?

    • can toys be used in more than one way, in different areas (to encourage children’s agency)? Or are toys required to be kept in certain places?

    • can educators talk about the different things they are doing to stimulate and extend children’s play and interests?

    Families should also receive clear, regular communication about their child’s development and progress. If there are issues with behaviour, the centre should provide evidence-based support that respects the rights and dignity of children (rather than punishing or shaming them).

    Finally, does your child seem to have fun at childcare? Provided there are no other issues (such as separation anxiety), do they want to go and see their educators and friends? This is a good sign of a quality service that is building children’s sense of belonging.

    Need more information?

    If you have any concerns or need more information, try talking to your centre director first. Alternatively, you can contact the regulatory authority in your state or territory.

    Victoria Minson is the Course Coordinator for the Bachelor of Early Childhood Education (Birth to Five Years) (Accelerated) at Australian Catholic University. The Victorian version of the course has received funding from the Victorian government and Victorian Department of Education

    – ref. How can you tell if your child’s daycare is good quality? – https://theconversation.com/how-can-you-tell-if-your-childs-daycare-is-good-quality-252613

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: NSU Receives License for New Master’s Program “Industrial Pharmacy”

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –

    Novosibirsk State University has received a license for a new master’s program “Industrial Pharmacy”, the first intake of students will be in September 2025. This is a network educational program implemented jointly with the Engineering School of Moscow State University, the industrial partners are the companies “Generium”, “Pharmstandard” and “Medico-Biological Union”. This is the first such educational program beyond the Urals. It is planned that up to 20 people will study in the master’s program.

    The new master’s program will be implemented on the basis of the infrastructure new campus of NSU, which is being built within the framework of the national project “Youth and Children”. The master’s degree will combine fundamental scientific knowledge concentrated in the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the industrial experience of industrial partners. Students will also undergo practical training at Moscow State University and Sechenov University.

    — The buildings of the educational and scientific center of the Institute of Medicine and Medical Technologies (IMMT) of NSU and the scientific research center of NSU, which are related to the objects of the second stage of the new campus, will house both educational sites and pilot industrial production in various areas, including pharmaceutical ones, which will allow young specialists to obtain and hone their skills in a licensed production facility located directly at the place of their studies. No university beyond the Urals offers such an opportunity, — commented Mikhail Khvostov, Acting Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Medical Cybernetics of IMMT NSU.

    Bachelors of natural science and medical fields will be able to enroll in the master’s program. Within the framework of the program, it will be possible to receive education in two tracks. The first is pharmaceutical development. The educational process will include training in basic, fundamental disciplines, and special courses that provide additional knowledge and develop skills required in scientific research work specifically in pharmacy. The second direction is biotechnology and the production of high-tech drugs, primarily gene therapy and based on human somatic cells. There are only a few such specialists in Russia now.

    — There is a major shortage of personnel in the pharmaceutical industry, including research, expert analysis and production. The new master’s program at NSU will allow training professionals in areas that are currently actively developing in our country. Thus, regenerative medicine and health preservation are important elements of the new national project. Therefore, the demand for specialists working in this area will grow every year, — emphasized Mikhail Khvostov.

    Master’s students of the new educational program will also participate in the development of products, the creation of which is supported by the Priority 2030 program.

    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 Asia-Pac: Wealth for Good speakers unveiled

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The Government today announced the line-up of speakers for the third edition of the Wealth for Good in Hong Kong Summit, due to take place on March 26.

    This year’s summit, co-organised by the Financial Services & the Treasury Bureau and Invest Hong Kong, has “Hong Kong of the World, for the World” as its theme. The event will strive to forge new connections and leverage Hong Kong’s distinctive advantages under “one country, two systems” to drive innovation, investment and sustainable growth.

    Participants from Europe, the Americas, the Middle East, Africa and elsewhere in Asia will join Mainland and Hong Kong attendees at the event to exchange insights on art and culture, philanthropy, technology, and investments in artificial intelligence.

    Secretary for Financial Services & the Treasury Christopher Hui said world-class speakers, and decision-makers from family offices, will gather in Hong Kong to explore how the city’s strategic advantages can shape a bright future and legacy.

    He added that attendees will get a feel for the unparalleled opportunities Hong Kong has to offer as a global family office hub that can drive sustainable growth and touch lives far beyond its own shores courtesy of its strong financial and legal infrastructure, global connectivity, and thriving professional and philanthropic ecosystem.

    Distinguished international speakers at the summit will include the World Economic Forum’s Head of GAEA Luis Alvarado, ADLEGACY Founder Horst Bente, Swarovski International Holding Vice Chairman Robert Buchbauer, Hong Kong Academy for Wealth Legacy Board Chairman Adrian Cheng, Gates Foundation Senior Advisor and Director Steve Davis, and Clinique La Prairie Chief Executive Officer Simone Gibertoni.

    The line-up of speakers also includes BDT & MSD Partners Co-Chief Executive Officer Gregg Lemkau, Pony.ai Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer James Peng, Danantara Indonesia Chief Investment Officer Pandu Patria Sjahrir, Alibaba Group Co-founder and Chairman Joe Tsai, University of Oxford Vice-Chancellor Prof Irene Tracey, The Mall Group Chairwoman Supaluck Umpujh, and MiniMax Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer Yeyi Yun.

    Part of Hong Kong Super March, the summit is the flagship event of Hong Kong’s Wealth & Investment Mega Event Week, which also includes the Milken Institute Global Investors’ Symposium and the HSBC Global Investment Summit. 

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI: Enerflex Ltd. Announces Leadership Transition

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MARC ROSSITER STEPS DOWN AS PRESIDENT, CEO, AND DIRECTOR

    PREET DHINDSA NAMED INTERIM CEO

    REAFFIRMS 2025 OUTLOOK AND CONCURRENTLY ANNOUNCES EXPANSION OF DIRECT SHAREHOLDER RETURNS

    CALGARY, Alberta, March 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Enerflex Ltd. (TSX: EFX) (NYSE: EFXT) (“Enerflex” or the “Company”) today announced that Marc Rossiter has stepped down as President, CEO, and Director, effective immediately.

    Preet Dhindsa, Enerflex’s current Senior Vice President and CFO, will serve as Interim Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Dhindsa joined Enerflex in October 2023 and is a seasoned executive with more than 25 years of experience, primarily in the energy and financial services industries.

    Joe Ladouceur, Vice President Treasury, Tax & Insurance, will serve as Interim CFO.

    The Board is undertaking a comprehensive search to identify the Company’s next CEO and has retained a leading executive search firm to assist with this process.

    Kevin Reinhart, Chair of the Board of Directors, stated, “As we look to the future and position Enerflex to create shareholder value over the long-term, the Board decided that now is the right time to undertake a leadership transition. We thank Marc for his more than 25 years of dedicated service and commitment to Enerflex, including the last six years as CEO, and wish him the best in his future endeavors.”

    Mr. Rossiter said, “Leading Enerflex has been a true privilege, and I’m incredibly proud of all that we’ve accomplished together to propel the business forward over the past six years. Thanks to the dedication of a talented team, Enerflex is well-positioned to build on its positive momentum and I believe the Company has a bright future.”

    Mr. Reinhart added, “Preet has been instrumental in Enerflex’s efforts to “Simplify, Optimize, and Grow” and we are fortunate to have him serve as Interim Chief Executive Officer. With the support and collaboration of a deep bench of executive talent, we are confident in Preet’s ability to lead Enerflex in this interim period as we complete our search for a permanent CEO.

    Enerflex’s near-term priorities remain unchanged and include: (1) enhancing the profitability of core operations; (2) leveraging the Company’s leading position in core operating countries to capitalize on expected increases in natural gas and produced water volumes; and (3) maximizing free cash flow to further strengthen Enerflex’s financial position, provide direct shareholder returns, and invest in selective customer supported growth opportunities.”

    Mr. Dhindsa commented, “I am excited to continue working closely with the Board, management, and our colleagues across the Company. Our focus remains on generating sustainable free cash flow, further improving balance sheet health, and positioning the Company for long-term growth and value creation. With the Company operating within its target leverage range, Enerflex is positioned to increase direct shareholder returns, as reflected by (1) the previously announced 50% increase of the Company’s quarterly dividend and (2) today’s concurrent announcement of the Company’s intention to implement a normal course issuer bid.”

    OUTLOOK

    All amounts presented are in U.S. Dollars (“USD”) unless otherwise stated.

    Enerflex is reaffirming its outlook for 2025, which reflects:

    1. Steady demand across the Company’s business lines and geographic regions, although Enerflex continues to closely monitor geopolitical tensions across North America, including the potential impact of tariffs. Based on currently available information, the direct impact of tariffs on Enerflex’s business is expected to be mitigated by the Company’s diversified operations and proactive risk management.
    2. Approximately 65% of the Company’s gross margin before depreciation and amortization is generated by the highly contracted Energy Infrastructure product line and the recurring nature of its After-Market Services business.
    3. The expectation that Engineered Systems’ gross margin before depreciation and amortization will be more consistent with the historical long-term average for this business line and that near-term revenue is expected to remain steady.
    4. A disciplined capital program in 2025, with total capital expenditures of $110 million to $130 million. Growth capital spending of $40 million to $60 million will focus on customer supported opportunities in the US and Middle East.

    About Preet Dhindsa

    Since joining Enerflex, Preet has spearheaded several corporate initiatives including improving balance sheet health and enhancing the global finance function. Prior to joining Enerflex, Preet served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at ENMAX Corporation, a regulated utility with energy generation and retail lines of business. Prior thereto, Preet was Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Global Banking & Markets (GBM), at Scotiabank, leading international finance teams. Preet began his career as a professional accountant with KPMG and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics & Statistics from Western University and a Graduate Diploma in Accounting from Wilfrid Laurier University. Preet is a Chartered Professional Accountant and Chartered Director.

    About Joe Ladouceur

    Prior to joining Enerflex, Joe served as President and CEO of Platinum Energy Services Ltd. until he successfully managed its sale in 2022. With over 30 years of experience in the finance and energy industries, Joe has held numerous executive leadership roles with Canadian E&P, energy services, and equipment fabrication companies. He began his career with Royal Bank of Canada and RBC Dominion Securities, where he was involved in corporate banking and global energy projects. Joe holds an Honors Business Administration degree with a major in finance from the Ivey Business School in London, Ontario, a Master of Business Administration from KU Leuven in Belgium, and an Honorary Fellowship from St. Mary’s University in Calgary.

    ADVISORY REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

    This news release contains “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws and “forward-looking statements” (and together with “forward-looking information”, “FLI”) within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the US Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical fact are FLI. The use of any of the words “anticipate”, “believe”, “could”, “estimate”, “expect”, “future”, “intend”, “may”, “plan”, “potential”, “predict”, “should”, “will” and similar expressions, (including negatives thereof) are intended to identify FLI.

    In particular, this news release includes (without limitation) forward-looking information and statements pertaining to:

    • the Company’s near-term priorities and its positioning for long-term growth and value creation;
    • the CEO transition and the CEO search, including with respect to the time it will take to complete the CEO search and the impact the CEO search and the CEO transition may have on the Company and its operations;
    • the Company’s intention to implement a normal course issuer bid, the terms and conditions of such bid, the anticipated receipt of all required regulatory approvals, and the timing associated therewith;
    • disclosures under the heading “Outlook” including:
      • expectations for steady demand across the Company’s business lines and geographic regions;
      • the potential impact of tariffs and the expectation that such impact will be mitigated by the Company’s diversified operations and proactive risk management;
      • the highly contracted Energy Infrastructure product line and the recurring nature of After-Market Services will, together, account for approximately 65% of Enerflex’s gross margin before depreciation and amortization;
      • the expectation that Engineered Systems gross margin before depreciation and amortization will be more consistent with the historical long-term average for this business line and that near term revenue will remain steady;
      • total capital expenditures in 2025 being $110 million to $130 million with growth capital spending of $40 million to $60 million focused on customer supported opportunities in the US and Middle East; and
    • the ability of Enerflex to continue to pay a sustainable quarterly cash dividend.

    FLI reflects management’s current beliefs and assumptions with respect to such things as the impact of general economic conditions; commodity prices; the markets in which Enerflex’s products and services are used; general industry conditions, forecasts, and trends; changes to, and introduction of new, governmental regulations, laws, and income taxes; increased competition; availability of qualified personnel; political unrest and geopolitical conditions; and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of Enerflex. More specifically, Enerflex’s expectations in respect of its FLI are based on a number of assumptions, estimates and projections developed based on past experience and anticipated trends, including but not limited to:

    • Enerflex has the financial capacity, regulatory compliance, and board approval necessary to pursue a normal course issuer bid and that market conditions will support such a buyback program within the anticipated timeframe;
    • any tariffs imposed will have a manageable impact on our operations and cost structure and increased domestic energy production will offset any negative effects of such tariffs;
    • market dynamics, including increased energy demand, infrastructure development, and production activity, will drive growth in natural gas and produced water volumes across Enerflex’s core operating countries;
    • market conditions, customer activity, and industry fundamentals will support stable demand across our business lines and geographic regions throughout 2025;
    • the high level of contractual commitments within the Energy Infrastructure product line and the predictable, recurring revenue from After-Market Services will continue;
    • existing customer contracts within the Energy Infrastructure product line will remain in effect and with no material cancellations or renegotiations over their remaining terms;
    • Enerflex will maintain sufficient cash flow, profitability, and financial flexibility to support the ongoing payment of a sustainable quarterly cash dividend, subject to market conditions, operational performance, and board approval.

    As a result of the foregoing, actual results, performance, or achievements of Enerflex could differ and such differences could be material from those expressed in, or implied by, the FLI. The principal risks, uncertainties and other factors affecting Enerflex and its business are identified under the heading “Risk Factors” in: (i) Enerflex’s Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2024, dated February 27, 2025; and (ii) Enerflex’s Annual Report dated February 26, 2025, copies of which are available under the electronic profile of the Company on SEDAR+ and EDGAR at www.sedarplus.ca and www.sec.gov/edgar, respectively.

    The FLI included in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and are based on the information available to the Company at such time and, other than as required by law, Enerflex disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any FLI, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. This news release and its contents should not be construed, under any circumstances, as investment, tax, or legal advice.

    The outlook provided in this news release is based on assumptions about future events, including economic conditions and proposed courses of action, based on Management’s assessment of the relevant information currently available. The outlook is based on the same assumptions and risk factors set forth above and is based on the Company’s historical results of operations. The outlook set forth in this news release was approved by Management and the Board of Directors. Management believes that the prospective financial information set forth in this news release has been prepared on a reasonable basis, reflecting Management’s best estimates and judgments, and represents the Company’s expected course of action in developing and executing its business strategy relating to its business operations. The prospective financial information set forth in this news release should not be relied on as necessarily indicative of future results. Actual results may vary, and such variance may be material.

    ABOUT ENERFLEX

    Enerflex is a premier integrated global provider of energy infrastructure and energy transition solutions, deploying natural gas, low-carbon, and treated water solutions – from individual, modularized products and services to integrated custom solutions. With over 4,600 engineers, manufacturers, technicians, and innovators, Enerflex is bound together by a shared vision: Transforming Energy for a Sustainable Future. The Company remains committed to the future of natural gas and the critical role it plays, while focused on sustainability offerings to support the energy transition and growing decarbonization efforts.

    Enerflex’s common shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol “EFX” and on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “EFXT”. For more information about Enerflex, visit www.enerflex.com.

    For investor and media enquiries, contact:

    Preet S. Dhindsa
    Interim Chief Executive Officer
    E-mail: PDhindsa@enerflex.com

    Jeff Fetterly
    Vice President, Corporate Development and Capital Markets
    E-mail: JFetterly@enerflex.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: If NZ wants to decarbonise energy, we need to know which renewables deliver the best payback

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alan Brent, Professor and Chair in Sustainable Energy Systems, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington

    Getty Images

    A national energy strategy for Aotearoa New Zealand was meant to be ready at the end of last year. As it stands, we’re still waiting for a cohesive, all-encompassing plan to meet the country’s energy demand today and in the future.

    One would expect such a plan to first focus on reducing energy demand through improved energy efficiency across all sectors.

    The next step should be greater renewable electrification of all sectors. However, questions remain about the cradle-to-grave implications of investments in these renewable resources.

    We have conducted life-cycle assessments of several renewable electricity generation technologies, including wind and solar, that the country is investing in now. We found the carbon and energy footprints are quite small and favourably complement our current portfolio of renewable electricity generation assets.

    Meeting future demand

    The latest assessments provided by the Ministry of Business, Employment and Innovation echo earlier work by the grid operator Transpower. Both indicate that overall demand for electricity could nearly double by 2050.

    Many researchers believe these scenarios are an underestimate. One study suggests the power generation capacity will potentially need to increase threefold over this period. Other modelling efforts project current capacity will need to increase 13 times, especially if we want to decarbonise all sectors and export energy carriers such as hydrogen.

    This is, of course, because we want all new generation to come from renewable resources, with much lower capacity factors (the percentage of the year they deliver power) associated with their variability.

    Additional storage requirements will also be enormous. Following the termination of work on a proposed pumped hydro project, other options need investigating.

    Wind and solar are becoming the primary renewable technologies.
    Shutterstock/Kyohei Miyazaki

    Building renewable generation

    The latest World Energy Outlook published by the International Energy Agency (IEA) shows that wind and solar, primarily photovoltaic panels, are quickly taking over as the primary renewable technologies.

    This is also true in Aotearoa New Zealand. An updated version of the generation investment survey, commissioned by the Electricity Authority, shows most of the committed and actively pursued projects (to be commissioned by 2030) are solar photovoltaic and onshore wind farms.

    Offshore wind projects are on the horizon, too, but have been facing challenges such as proposed seabed mining in the same area and a lack of price stabilisation measures typical in other jurisdictions. New legislation aims to address some of these challenges.

    Distributed solar power (small-scale systems to power homes, buildings and communities) has seen near-exponential growth. Our analysis indicates wind (onshore and offshore) and distributed solar will make an almost equal contribution to power generation by 2050, with a slightly larger share by utility-scale solar.

    Cradle-to-grave analyses

    The main goal is to maintain a stable grid with secure and affordable electricity supply. But there are other sustainability considerations associated with what happens at the end of renewable technologies’ use and where their components come from.

    The IEA’s Global Critical Minerals Outlook shows the fast-growing global demand for a suite of materials with complex supply chains. We have also investigated the materials intensity of taking up these technologies in Aotearoa New Zealand, and discussed the greater dependence on those supply chains.

    The challenges in securing these metals in a sustainable manner include environmental and social impacts associated with the mining and processing of the materials and the manufacturing of different components that need to be transported for implementation here. There are also operating and maintenance requirements, including the replacement of components, and the dismantling of the assets in a responsible manner.

    We have undertaken comprehensive life-cycle assessments, based on international standards, of the recently commissioned onshore Harapaki wind farm, a proposed offshore wind farm in the South Taranaki Bight, a utility-scale solar farm in Waikato and distributed solar photovoltaic systems, with and without batteries, across the country.

    The usual metrics are energy inputs and carbon emissions because they describe the efficiency of these technologies. They are considered a first proxy of whether a technology is appropriate for a given context.

    Beyond that, we used the following specific metrics, as summarised in the table below:

    • GWP: global warming potential (carbon emissions during a technology’s life cycle per energy unit delivered).

    • CPBT: carbon payback time (how long a technology needs to be operational before its life cycle emissions equal the avoided emissions, either using the grid and its associated emissions or conventional natural gas turbines).

    • CED: cumulative energy demand over the life cycle of a technology.

    • EPBT: energy payback time (how long a technology needs to be operational before the electricity it generates equals the CED).

    • EROI: energy return on investment (the amount of usable energy delivered from an energy source compared to the energy required to extract, process and distribute that source, essentially quantifying the “profit” from energy production).

    There is much debate about the minimum energy return on investment that makes an energy source acceptable. A value of more than ten is generally viewed as positive.

    Life cycle assessment metrics of wind and solar power in Aotearoa New Zealand.
    Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington, CC BY-SA

    For all technologies we assessed, the overall greenhouse gas emissions are lower than the grid emissions factor. Because of New Zealand’s already low-emissions grid, the carbon payback time is around three to seven years for utility-scale generation. But for small-scale, distributed generation it can be up to 13 years. If the displacement of gas turbines is considered, the payback is halved.

    Energy return on investment is above ten for all technologies, but utility-scale generation is better than distributed solar, with values of between 30 and 75.

    To put this into perspective, the energy return on investment for hydropower, if operated for 100 years, is reported to be 110. Utility-scale wind and solar being commissioned now have an operational life of 30 years but are typically expected to be refurbished.

    This means their energy return on investment is becoming comparable to hydropower.

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

    – ref. If NZ wants to decarbonise energy, we need to know which renewables deliver the best payback – https://theconversation.com/if-nz-wants-to-decarbonise-energy-we-need-to-know-which-renewables-deliver-the-best-payback-251819

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: You can catch the ‘nocebo’ effect from family, friends – even social media. But what is it, actually?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cosette Saunders, PhD candidate, Sydney Placebo Lab, University of Sydney

    Pixel-Shot/Shutterstock

    In 1998, shortly after arriving for work, a Tennessee high-school teacher reported a “gasoline-like smell” and feeling dizzy. Soon after, many students and staff began reporting symptoms of chemical poisoning. Some 38 people had such extreme symptoms they were kept in hospital overnight.

    Yet investigators didn’t find any evidence the school had been contaminated.

    How could staff and students of this United States high school have had such extreme reactions without being exposed to a toxic agent?

    The answer is the “nocebo effect”.

    What is the nocebo effect?

    Most people have heard of the placebo effect, where a fake treatment can improve someone’s health because they believe it will help them.

    The nocebo effect is the opposite. It occurs when someone expects a negative outcome from a harmless treatment or situation, and this triggers worse health.

    The staff and students at the Tennessee high school believed they had been exposed to a toxic gas leak and expected symptoms. These negative expectations caused them to feel sick even though there was no gas leak.

    How is this relevant today?

    When a doctor prescribes you a new medicine, they need to warn about possible side effects, as part of you giving your informed consent.

    But knowing the side effects can cause you to expect them, and therefore lead you to experience more side effects.

    A large-scale review found nearly 73% of people in drug trials given a placebo and told about possible side-effects reported side effects despite taking no active treatment – an example of the nocebo effect.

    Placebo and nocebo effects can also affect the efficacy of real medical treatments.

    For example, in one study, participants who were led to expect a powerful painkiller would give them
    strong pain relief reported roughly twice as much pain relief compared to those who received the same drug without being told it was a painkiller. However, when participants were led to expect the same painkiller would worsen their pain, they had no pain relief – as if they hadn’t received the drug at all.

    Knowing the side effects can cause you to expect side effects and therefore experience more side effects.
    SpeedKingz/Shutterstock

    How do nocebo effects develop?

    We already know that simply warning people about possible side effects can make them more likely. We also know that past experiences with treatments shape what we expect and experience. If we have experienced pain from a treatment in the past, this can cause us to expect and experience more pain when we receive that treatment again.

    Now there’s growing evidence nocebo effects can also be transmitted socially between peers. In other words, we can “catch” them from other people like a cold, except the transmission happens simply by observing others.

    Negative expectations can spread from person to person, as shown in one experiment. Observing someone experience more pain in response to a treatment made the observer feel more pain in response to the same treatment when it was their turn, even though the treatment the observer experienced was fake.

    Social media amplifies this, carrying personal tales of woe much further than once possible, regardless of the accuracy.

    For example, a tweet by singer Nicki Minaj in 2021 claimed “the vaccine” (presumably the COVID vaccine) gave her cousin’s friend swollen testicles and made him “impotent”. This went out to her millions of followers, and generated more than 100,000 likes. It was debunked days later.

    One study found that negative stories about COVID vaccine side effects – especially from friends or social media – were linked to stronger expectations of having those same symptoms. These expectations, in turn, predicted the actual side effects people reported after vaccination.

    An Australian study found this effect was amplified among individuals who already worried a lot about side effects, felt anxious or stressed, or looked primarily to social media (instead of mainstream sources) for health information.

    If you hear about COVID vaccine side effects on social media, you’re more likely to expect side effects and report you have them.
    Jo Panuwat D/Shutterstock

    The effects can be serious

    For individuals, nocebo effects can lead to unnecessary suffering with genuine pain and discomfort. Unpleasant side effects can also contribute to people not continuing their treatment as prescribed or abandoning it altogether.

    On a broader public health level, the nocebo effect can make it hard to evaluate the safety of new technologies and public health interventions. For example, health concerns have surfaced around the safety of electromagnetic fields from wireless signals and 5G towers, supposedly causing a range of physical symptoms like headache and insomnia.

    In the laboratory, these symptoms have been attributed to nocebo responses rather than properties of the technology itself.

    When unfounded negative information takes hold, people suffer genuine health effects, businesses face pushback, and the wider community may grow suspicious of technologies that are generally considered safe based on available evidence.

    What can we do about it?

    Individuals can reduce their likelihood of experiencing nocebo-driven symptoms by seeking reliable information from credible medical sources or reputable health organisations instead of relying on social media.

    But even the way side effect information is communicated contributes to the nocebo effect. So health professionals may be able to help by framing discussions of potential side effects in a more positive way and – when appropriate – emphasising that most patients experience no problems.

    Negative expectations can physically hurt us, and thanks to social media, they can spread widely, fast. However, by staying informed, being mindful of our own beliefs, and insisting on thoughtful communication from health professionals and public health campaigns, we can keep the nocebo effect in check.

    Ben Colagiuri receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

    Cosette Saunders 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. You can catch the ‘nocebo’ effect from family, friends – even social media. But what is it, actually? – https://theconversation.com/you-can-catch-the-nocebo-effect-from-family-friends-even-social-media-but-what-is-it-actually-249844

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: World’s 1st 10,000-km quantum-secured communication achieved

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    An international team led by Chinese scientists have realized quantum-secured communication across over 12,900 kilometers between China and South Africa.

    Using the Jinan-1 micro-nano satellite and compact ground stations, this new breakthrough in quantum technology demonstrates the potential for secure quantum communication on a global scale.

    In an international first, the team led by the University of Science and Technology of China enabled real-time quantum key distribution (QKD) between the satellite and miniaturized ground stations — including one in Stellenbosch, South Africa.

    Leveraging this engineering achievement, Chinese scientists, in collaboration with their counterparts from Stellenbosch University, have successfully demonstrated the longest-distance hacker-proof communication across hemispheres to date.

    The result was published on Wednesday in the journal Nature. The journal’s peer reviewer lauded it as “a technically impressive achievement” that represents “considerable progress towards trusted-node constellations for wide-spread satellite QKD services” and shows “the maturity of the satellite QKD technology.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Counseling platform supports mental health of sci-tech workers

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    This photo taken with a mobile phone shows a sandbox in the women’s mental health clinic’s consulting room at the First Hospital of Tsinghua University in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 23, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    An online counseling platform designed specifically for science and technology workers has been operational for nearly three years, handling over 420,000 inquiries through phone calls and messages, according to Tang Yicheng, executive secretary-general of the Psychological Emergency Volunteer Service Group under the China Association for Science and Technology.

    Tang, who also serves as a member and secretary of the Popularization Working Committee of the Chinese Psychological Society, said that the hotline was put into use in late May 2022 and now operates daily from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m., divided into three six-hour shifts.

    The platform is accessible via a mini program on WeChat, China’s leading social media app.

    “More than 100 volunteers take turns to address the mental health needs of science and technology workers,” Tang said during an event hosted by the China Association for Science and Technology earlier this month.

    “These operators have backgrounds in scientific research and are certified therapists. Their expertise enables them to better understand and empathize with the struggles faced by science workers,” he added.

    Tang said that science workers often experience cognitive fatigue, which can lead to memory decline, difficulty concentrating and reduced verbal coherence.

    “Exhaustion and a lack of creativity during scientific research can further exacerbate their distress, compounded by common challenges in interpersonal relationships and parenting,” he noted.

    Given the rising number of people experiencing mental health issues, Tang emphasized the need to enhance public psychological science literacy, including improving the ability to recognize signs of psychological problems in oneself and others.

    It is also important to train more mental health professionals and expand services at the grassroots level, he added.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China equips college grads for evolving job market

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    A recruiter (C) introduces job requirements at a recruitment fair in Changsha, central China’s Hunan province, Feb. 11, 2025. [Photp/Xinhua]

    China is acting to better equip its college graduates with practical skills needed in the constantly evolving and highly competitive job market.

    The central government last week rolled out a plan to enhance college students’ abilities to secure jobs in areas with critical talent demand by establishing 1,000 skills-bridging “microprograms” and 1,000 vocational training courses nationwide.

    The “Double Thousand” plan, issued by the Ministry of Education (MOE), is primarily designed for undergraduate, junior college and vocational high school students, targeting talent development in future industries and strategic emerging sectors like the digital, green and low-altitude economies.

    Focusing on trending economic fields, “microprograms” are short and interdisciplinary curricula. The courses vary from quantum science to metallurgy big data technology, based on academic strength of individual universities.

    A senior official with the MOE said the initiative seeks to help students address gaps in their knowledge and skills, thereby, making them more employable.

    The move came ahead of this year’s graduation season and following the adoption of the government work report by the annual legislative session earlier this month, which highlighted the importance of employment.

    Official data shows a record number — 12.22 million college graduates are expected to enter the job market in 2025. The government work report pledged to expand employment and business start-up channels for students and other young people.

    In the general picture, China has set a target for a surveyed urban unemployment rate of around 5.5 percent in 2025 and aims to create over 12 million new urban jobs.

    “The program is a valuable supplement for students in relevant disciplines. It can enrich their knowledge and enhance their skills, thereby, boosting their employment prospects,” said Chu Zhaohui, a researcher at the China National Academy of Educational Sciences.

    In recent years, Chinese universities have begun to offer students the opportunity to expand their interdisciplinary knowledge and enhance practical engineering through micro-credentials based on their primary field of study, interests and career development needs.

    Among them, Shanghai University of Electric Power launched a specialized program in 2023 to train interdisciplinary professionals on new energy vehicles. The university partnered with U.S. automaker Tesla to build a center focused on new energy manufacturing and education integration.

    Yang Ning, a professor in charge of manufacturing and education integration at the university, said both university professors and engineers from Tesla and other automakers were invited to give lectures to students enrolled in the micro-major. “The students also have the chance to operate machines and visit the Tesla mega factory in Shanghai,” Yang added.

    In addition to improving students’ skills and competitiveness, the MOE has also instructed local authorities and universities to gather project proposals focused on the application of AI from enterprises and industry associations, aiming to help universities better align their talent development and employment services with new talent demands.

    The MOE promised to establish dedicated sections on national education platforms this year to gradually release the 1,000 micro-majors and 1,000 vocational training courses, as well as develop a number of career training centers for university students.

    Yun Donglai, an official with the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, stressed a dual focus on job development and policy incentives, alongside capacity building and service optimization to better support employment and career development.

    “We will assist small, medium, and micro-sized enterprises in absorbing more employees, stabilize public sector positions, and continuously organize job recruitment events,” Yun added.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Trump is ignoring the power of nationalism at his own peril

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Smith, Associate Professor in American Politics and Foreign Policy, US Studies Centre, University of Sydney

    US President Donald Trump has exploited American nationalism as effectively as anyone in living memory. What sets him apart is his use of national humiliation as a political emotion. Any presidential candidate can talk their country up, but Trump knows how to talk his country down.

    Trump’s consistent message has been that American problems – trade deficits, job losses, illegal immigration, crime and even drug addiction – are the result of deliberate acts by other countries. The really humiliating part is that American politicians let it happen.

    Many Americans have welcomed Trump’s message that their country’s problems can be solved by reestablishing international dominance. They see this nationalist approach as an overdue corrective to the “globalist” foreign policies of the post-second world war era.

    But people in other countries also have feelings of national pride and aspire to be free from foreign domination. This should be obvious, but so far Trump is ignoring the power of nationalism in other countries even as he harnesses it in his own. This makes his foreign policy job a lot harder.

    How Canadians have rallied against Trump

    Take the example of Canada.

    When Trump was elected to his second term in November 2024, it seemed certain there would soon be a Canadian prime minister who was more aligned with him than Justin Trudeau. Trudeau’s unpopularity had dragged the Liberal Party down, and the populist Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre looked set to win the this year’s election.

    As he prepared for a trade war with Canada, Trump could have concentrated his fire on his enemies in the doomed Liberal government. Instead, he spent months insulting Canada’s national identity. He repeatedly said Canada should be the “51st state of the US”, calling Trudeau “governor”.

    Trump says ‘Canada was meant to be our 51st state’ in a Fox News interview.

    Americans can dismiss Trump’s talk of annexing Canada as a joke, but Canadians can’t. Regardless of whether Trump would ever follow through with attempting an annexation, his language is an attack on Canadian sovereignty. No one with any sense of national pride would tolerate it.

    An Angus Reid poll found the number of people saying they had a “deep emotional attachment” to Canada rose from 49% to 59% from December 2024 to February 2025. That emotional attachment is visible in everything from “buy Canadian” campaigns to Canadians booing the US national anthem at hockey games.

    The Liberals, under new leader Mark Carney, are also experiencing a remarkable bounce-back in the polls.

    Another Angus Reid poll shows that voting intention for the Liberals has surged from 16% in December to 42% now. They are now leading the Conservatives, who have 37% support. Some are now anticipating a snap election could be called in days.

    Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who has sometimes been likened to Trump, has also led a ferocious pro-Canadian resistance to American tariffs, getting his own re-election boost.

    Trump’s defenders often claim his chaotic bluster is simply a negotiating tactic, a way of spooking others into accepting terms more favourable to him. If so, this tactic is backfiring in Canada.

    Trade wars require sacrifices. Citizens must pay more for the sake of protecting their countries’ industries. Canadians seem a lot more willing to make that sacrifice than Americans, who are mostly confused that their friendly neighbour has suddenly been recast as an enemy.

    The importance of national identity

    Other countries have shown they will not cave easily, either, as Trump puts their national identity at stake.

    Demanding to buy another country’s territory, as Trump keeps doing with Greenland, a self-governing territory under Danish control, may be even more insulting than threatening to take it, as he keeps doing with Panama. Each time Greenlanders, Danes and Panamanians refuse Trump, his credibility erodes further.

    Trump talks about the territory of other countries in terms of “real estate”, even suggesting the United States should “redevelop” Gaza after evicting the Palestinians.

    But sovereign land is not real estate. In a world of nation-states defined by territory, even sparsely inhabited territory has “sacred value”. This is particularly true for peoples seeking statehood on their land.

    “Sacred values” are things people see as non-negotiable because they are linked to their sense of identity and moral order in the world. Researchers warn that offering money in exchange for sacred values is deeply offensive, and likely to harm, rather than help, negotiations.

    There is a reason why governments hardly ever sell their territory to other countries anymore. Empires may have done in this in the past, but not nations. They view their lands, and the people who live on them, as inalienable from the nation.

    Trump clearly doesn’t understand this concept. He has shown no empathy for Ukraine, a country whose territory actually has been invaded. He accused Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy of wanting to prolong the war so he could “keep the gravy train going”, as if harvesting US aid dollars was the real reason Ukrainians were fighting for their country’s existence.

    Trump’s contempt for Ukraine, Canada, Greenland, Gaza, Denmark and Panama has reverberations far beyond these places. It signals that his brand of American nationalism has no place for anyone else’s national aspirations or sovereignty.

    This will not promote the deal-making Trump wants because no one trusts an unstable, imperial power to stick to its agreements. It would be painful for many countries to reduce their dependence on the United States, but it would be more painful to give away their national dignity.

    David Smith 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 is ignoring the power of nationalism at his own peril – https://theconversation.com/trump-is-ignoring-the-power-of-nationalism-at-his-own-peril-252299

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese-led team achieves world’s first 10,000-km quantum-secured communication

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    An international team led by Chinese scientists have realized quantum-secured communication across over 12,900 kilometers between China and South Africa.
    Using the Jinan-1 micro-nano satellite and compact ground stations, this new breakthrough in quantum technology demonstrates the potential for secure quantum communication on a global scale.
    In an international first, the team led by the University of Science and Technology of China enabled real-time quantum key distribution (QKD) between the satellite and miniaturized ground stations — including one in Stellenbosch, South Africa.
    Leveraging this engineering achievement, Chinese scientists, in collaboration with their counterparts from Stellenbosch University, have successfully demonstrated the longest-distance hacker-proof communication across hemispheres to date.
    The result was published on Wednesday in the journal Nature. The journal’s peer reviewer lauded it as “a technically impressive achievement” that represents “considerable progress towards trusted-node constellations for wide-spread satellite QKD services” and shows “the maturity of the satellite QKD technology.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why sharing meals can make people happier – what evidence from 142 countries shows

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Alberto Prati, Assistant Professor in Economics, UCL

    Sharing meals can contribute to feelings of happiness, a new report suggests. Ground picture/Shutterstock

    The importance of sharing meals is recognised across cultures, from the Jewish Shabbat meal to the fast-breaking Iftar meals during Ramadan. The known link between food and social relationships is ancient. The English word companion, the French copain (friend) and the Italian compagno (partner) come from the Latin cum and pānis – literally “with-bread”. The Chinese term for companion/partner (伙伴) stems from a similar term (火伴) which literally translates to “fire mate”, a reference to sharing meals over a campfire.

    But how important is eating together to our happiness? This is the question that I and my co-authors answer in the World Happiness Report 2025. In our new data and analysis we looked at the link between how often people share meals and whether they feel good about their lives and experience positive emotions. We also documented that there was a massive difference between countries and regions when it came to how often people shared meals.

    Comparing the statistics from the 2022-23 Gallup World Poll about sharing meals with standard measures of wellbeing, we found a significant, positive relationship in almost all regions. Not only do countries where meal sharing is more common tend to report higher levels of wellbeing, but this is true even when comparing people who live in the same country.

    The Gallup poll asked more than 150,000 people from 142 countries and territories how many lunches and dinners they shared with someone they know during the past week. The scores varied widely between regions.

    Latin Americans share approximately two-third of their meals, with residents of Paraguay, Ecuador and Colombia reporting an average of more than ten shared meals per week. At the bottom of the scale, there are relatively low levels of meal sharing in south and east Asian countries – in particular India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Japan and South Korea, where people share less than one meal out of three, on average.

    While there is an association between sharing meals and wellbeing pretty much everywhere, this association is stronger in some regions than others. For instance, for a person who always dines alone in North America, Australia and New Zealand, the wellbeing benefit of starting to share most of their meals (eight or more times a week) in the life evaluation scale is big (the life evaluation scale is how people judge their life, with zero being the worst possible life and 10 being the best). This boost is equivalent to the effect of doubling their income.

    However, in Latin America, the Caribbean and sub-Saharan Africa, this effect is half as great and is essentially nil in south-east Asia. The reasons for this difference is as yet unclear.

    For social scientists, the frequency of sharing meals offers an indicator for social connectedness (the ways that people interact with and relate to one another). Unlike measures that capture people’s subjective feelings about social wellbeing, the number of shared meals gives us a concrete measure on which to base our analysis.

    While interpretations of friendship or perceptions of closeness may change over time or between countries, the number of meals shared with others does not.

    Meal sharing by region and age:

    Of course, those who share more meals can differ in many other aspects, but even when we take into account characteristics such as gender, age, income, living alone and people’s ability to meet basic needs for food, the relationship between sharing meals and wellbeing still holds strong.

    While the global data we used was only introduced in 2022, some countries have collected information on meal sharing for longer. In the United States, where the American Time Use Survey has been running for more than 20 years, we find clear evidence that with every passing year, Americans are dining alone more often, particularly young adults.

    Today, 18 to 24-year-olds in the US are 90% more likely to eat every meal alone on a given day than they were in 2003. We also find that Americans who eat at least one meal with others report higher levels of happiness and lower levels of stress, pain and sadness on that day.

    How meals sharing is linked to emotions in the US:

    From our data, we can’t tell how much of a wellbeing boost sharing an extra meal
    creates, and to what extent people share more meals because they are already happy, but it is reasonable to assume that it is not just the latter. This would reflect previous research which has shown the importance of social capital (networks of social connections which are conducive to a well-functioning society) and the positive benefits of in-person interactions.

    In a world where loneliness is increasingly recognised as a public health issue, rethinking how we gather around the table, and how often, could provide practical solutions to reduce social isolation and raise wellbeing.

    Institutions where people routinely eat their meals together can play a critical role on this front. The other side of the coin is the surge in working from home, which could raise levels of solitude.

    So, if you don’t have plans for lunch tomorrow, maybe this is the good moment to message someone you would like to spend more time with.

    Alberto Prati is affiliated with the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford and the Centre for Economic Performance at the London School of Economics.

    – ref. Why sharing meals can make people happier – what evidence from 142 countries shows – https://theconversation.com/why-sharing-meals-can-make-people-happier-what-evidence-from-142-countries-shows-252352

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to platform trial looking at the efficacy of anti-amyloid drugs to delay the onset of Alzheimer’s related dementia

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    A platform trial published in The Lancet Neurology looks at the efficacy of anti-amyloid drugs that could delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.

    Prof Robert Howard, Professor of Old Age Psychiatry, UCL, said:

    “The press release claims that gantenerumab treatment can delay or prevent the appearance of dementia, but this is not supported by the data and could give false hope to patients and their families about what treatments for Alzheimer’s disease are able to do.

    “Anyone who understands how to look at the results of a clinical trial will recognise that this paper reports the failure of gantenerumab to show treatment efficacy on any prespecified clinical outcomes in randomised controlled comparisons between drug and placebo. And, sadly, because of this and other negative trials, development of gantenerumab has been abandoned.

    “However, the authors carried out many further analyses from a small number of participants who chose to continue treatment in an open-label extension to the randomised controlled trial. Because this was an open-label extension, there was no randomly allocated placebo group to compare the effects of treatment to. Instead, the results from an “extended control” group were used for comparison and a large number of differently defined treatment groups were run through the analyses, increasing the risk that any apparent differences with treatment would be due to chance. For these reasons, no responsible clinical trialist should claim on the basis of these data to have shown a 50% lowering of the risk of developing dementia symptoms. If you look at the wording of the Summary of the published paper, you will see that such a claim does not appear, as presumably the scientific peer reviewers and editorial staff would not have permitted such a misleading overstatement to be published in the Journal.

    “I hope that journalists will question why the conclusions of the peer reviewed article are so different from the headline content of the press release and won’t disseminate what is unhelpful misinformation about the potential of a drug to prevent Alzheimer’s disease.

     

    Dr Richard Oakley, Associate Director of Research and Innovation, Alzheimer’s Society, said:

    “As with all antiamyloid trials, this study stemmed from research funded by Alzheimer’s Society, shedding light on the role of amyloid in Alzheimer’s disease.  

    “These exciting early-stage results hint that long-term antiamyloid treatments, started before Alzheimer’s disease symptoms appear, could potentially delay symptom onset. 

    “However, these results need to be treated with caution; this trial focuses on a very small group of individuals with genetic forms of Alzheimer’s disease. Longer-term follow up of this group and larger studies will tell us more about the effect of these drugs in these types of Alzheimer’s. 

    “Ultimately, the field hopes to see similar progress in preventative trials of antiamyloid treatments in people at risk of Alzheimer’s disease later in life, which affects the majority of people with dementia. 

    “This is a hugely exciting time in dementia research and there is hope on the horizon for all affected by this condition – research will beat dementia.”  

     

    Prof Charles Marshall, Professor of Clinical Neurology, Queen Mary University of London, said:

    “This study focusses on a rare group of people with genetic mutations that cause Alzheimer’s disease that runs in famiilies. These people are of particular interest because we know for certain that they will develop Alzheimer’s disease, and can estimate when they are likely to develop it, making them an ideal group to evaluate preventive treatments.

    “It seems from these results that if treated for long enough with a drug that reduces amyloid beta protein in the brain we can delay the development of symptoms in those who will go on to develop Alzheimer’s disease, and this is very exciting. There are two major limitations of the study. The first is that it was a secondary evaluation of a relatively small number of people who were treated for a long time, and therefore the results are not as certain as they would have been if they were the main trial result. The other limitation is that gantenerumab is not nearly as effective as some of the other amyloid reducing treatments that are now available, suggesting that we may be able to do even better than these results suggest.

    “I look forward to seeing more results from the other treatments that are now being given in this trial. It is giving tremendous hope to the families that have these rare genetic mutations, and these results suggest that in years to come we may have preventive treatments to offer them.”

     

    Prof Tara Spires-Jones, Director of the Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences at the University of Edinburgh, Group Leader in the UK Dementia Research Institute, and President of the British Neuroscience Association said:

    “This study by Bateman and colleagues shows promising preliminary results of an experimental treatment in people with rare inherited forms of Alzheimer’s disease.  People who inherited a gene that causes early onset Alzheimer’s disease received the drug gantenerumab to remove sticky amyloid pathology before they developed symptoms.  Scientists observed that the 22 people who took the drug for the longest (an average of 8 years)  had delayed progression of cognitive symptoms.  While this study is important scientifically as evidence that amyloid-lowering drugs may potentially be able to delay symptom onset,  there are several important limitations to consider.  As the authors acknowledge, the delay in symptom onset with treatment was only found in people who were treated for an average of 8 years, probably because amyloid pathology accumulates in the brain for at least 10 years before symptom onset.  This study also did not include a control group receiving placebo alongside the drug which is a very important control.  Further, the drug used in this study, gantenerumab, has been discontinued by the company that developed it because it did not slow symptoms of the more common non-genetic forms of Alzheimer’s disease in a trial with over 1,900 participants.  While this study does not conclusively prove that Alzheimer’s disease onset can be delayed and uses a drug that will not likely be available, the results are scientifically promising.”

    ‘Safety and efficacy of long-term gantenerumab treatment in dominantly inherited Alzheimer’s disease: an open label extension of the phase 2/3 multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled platform DIAN-TU Trial’ by Bateman et al. was published in Lancet Neurology at 23:30 UK time on Wednesday 19th March. 

    Declared interests:

    Prof Robert Howard “No COIs”

    Dr Richard Oakley “this study stemmed from research funded by Alzheimer’s Society” as this is factually accurate.”

    Prof Charles Marshall “I have no relevant conflicts”

    Prof Tara Spires-Jones  “I have no conflicts with this study but have received payments for consulting, scientific talks, or collaborative research over the past 10 years from AbbVie, Sanofi, Merck, Scottish Brain Sciences, Jay Therapeutics, Cognition Therapeutics, Ono, and Eisai. I am also Charity trustee for the British Neuroscience Association and the Guarantors of Brain and serve as scientific advisor to several charities and non-profit institutions.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: New cannabis formula will help epilepsy, multiple sclerosis sufferers

    Source: University of South Australia

    20 March 2025

    Cannabidiol is widely prescribed for its analgestic and anti inflammatory properties.

    Scientists at the University of South Australia have come up with an innovative solution to improve the effectiveness of cannabidiol to treat epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and other neurodegenerative diseases.

    Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-psychoactive compound found in the cannabis plant. It is widely prescribed for its analgesic, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties, but its clinical applications to date have been limited by its poor water solubility and absorption in the human body.

    By developing a phospholipid complex – a class of lipids (fats) that contain phosphorus – UniSA researchers have increased the solubility of cannabidiol by up to six times and improved its absorption in the gastrointestinal tract.

    Lead researcher Professor Sanjay Garg says the breakthrough, reported in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, means that patients could experience more consistent and effective results with lower doses of oral CBD medications.

    Currently, only a small fraction of orally ingested CBD reaches the bloodstream, limiting its therapeutic effects.

    “For this reason, a number of different formulations have been explored, including the production of synthetic CBD, self-emulsifying delivery systems, and encapsulating CBD in gelatine matrix pellets, but all of them have only resulted in minor improvements in bioavailability,” Prof Garg says.

    His research team identified the optimal phospholipid composition to form nanosized CBD-PLC particles. Compared to pure CBD, the phospholipid complex improved dissolution rates from 0% to 67.1% within three hours, demonstrating a significant enhancement in drug release.

    In cellular uptake studies, CBD-PLC exhibited 32.7% higher permeability than unmodified CBD, ensuring greater absorption through the intestinal wall.

    Another critical advantage of this new delivery system is its stability. Traditional CBD formulations degrade over time when exposed to heat, light or oxygen, reducing potency and shelf life.

    However, testing over 12 months showed that CBD-PLC retained its performance under varied storage conditions, making it a more reliable option for pharmaceutical applications.

    The study’s first author, UniSA PhD candidate Thabata Muta, says the discovery has significant implications for the future of CBD-based therapeutics.

    “Improved bioavailability means that lower doses can achieve the same therapeutic effect, potentially reducing side effects and making treatment more cost effective,” Thabata says.

    The research team believes that this innovation could be applied beyond CBD, providing a blueprint for enhancing the absorption of other poorly water-soluble drugs.

    With the global CBD market projected to grow from USD 7.59 billion in 2023 to USD 202.45 billion by 2032, the findings of this study come at a crucial time, according to the study authors.

    The team is now exploring opportunities for commercialisation and clinical trials to validate their new formulation.

    Notes for editors

    “Optimising Cannabidiol Delivery: Improving Water Solubility and Permeability Through Phospholipid Complexation” is authored by Thabata Muta, Riya Khetan, Dr Yunmei Song and Professor Sanjay Garg from the University of South Australia. DOI: 10.3390/ijms26062647

    The study was supported by a PhD scholarship jointly funded by the University of South Australia, MedTEC Pharma, and the SA Government’s Industry Doctoral Training Centre program.

    …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

    Media contact: Candy Gibson M: +61 434 605 142 E: candy.gibson@unisa.edu.au
    Research contact: Professor Sanjay Garg E: sanjay.garg@unisa.edu.au

    Other articles you may be interested in

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Universities – Canadian philanthropist announces $4m donation to endow NZ scholarships – UoA

    Source: University of Auckland (UoA)

    A $4 million donation from Canadian philanthropist John McCall MacBain has boosted a major scholarship programme for exceptional postgraduate students with the potential to be future leaders for New Zealand. It will ensure the programme can continue long-term, potentially forever.

    The endowed donation was announced at the launch of the 2025 Kupe Leadership Scholarship programme, held at the University of Auckland on 19 March.

    Established in 2018 with funding from the McCall MacBain Foundation, the programme aims to shape future leaders across many disciplines and fields. Students come from universities throughout New Zealand and are selected for their academic excellence and leadership potential.  The scholarships, for postgraduate study at the University of Auckland, provide $22,000 in financial support and a comprehensive mentoring programme, matching students with prominent leaders in their fields.

    So far, 111 students have participated in the programme, 35 funded by the McCall MacBain Foundation, with a further 76 funded by various donors who have each funded one or more scholars.

    Past scholars of the programme have gone on to roles across a wide cross section of careers and to further study. Three have since been awarded prestigious Rhodes Scholarships to Oxford University, with one awarded a Gates Fellowship to Cambridge University.

    “The vision for the programme was to create something truly exceptional, that would emulate the finest programmes on the world stage,” says John McCall MacBain. “It was to ignite a new generation of visionary leaders, driven to shape a better future for New Zealand and the world through bold action, community impact and transformative leadership. As the seventh cohort is being celebrated, I am so proud of how the programme has grown and excited to announce the next stage in our commitment to its growth.”

    With the announcement of the new gift, the McCall MacBain Foundation has committed more than $6.5 million to the Kupe Leadership Scholarship programme. The new funding will mean five of the scholarships awarded each year will be fully funded in perpetuity. This is in addition to the funding from the McCall MacBain Foundation and from donors in New Zealand for year-by-year use. Up to 20 scholarships are awarded each year, with the ultimate goal to have ten of them funded in perpetuity.
     
    “We are deeply grateful to the McCall MacBain Foundation for its ongoing and exceptional commitment,” says University of Auckland Vice-Chancellor Professor Dawn Freshwater.  “The Foundation was an important part of the inspiration and the impetus for the programme from the beginning. Its announcement of endowment funding is transformative, giving the programme a permanence and making it an asset for New Zealand forever.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Women Champion Environmental Justice, Biodiversity, Commission Hears

    Source: United Nations 4

    In an interactive dialogue on environmental conservation, protection and rehabilitation, the Commission on the Status of Women today heard from speakers who called on Governments to bridge the gap between policy and practice and empower Indigenous women and other marginalized groups in a world where progress is “being slashed by anti-rights actors that are in the league with fossil-fuel industries and tech billionaires”.

    The Commission’s two-week annual session has centered on accelerating the implementation of the Platform for Action adopted at the 1995 World Conference on Women in Beijing, where world leaders pledged to achieve gender equality and uphold women’s rights.  Today’s panel discussion centred on cultivating a coordinated response to the triple planetary crisis — climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution — while emphasizing the need to reinvigorate efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  Another dialogue was held on peaceful and inclusive societies.

    Lorena Aguilar, Executive Director at Kaschak Institute for Social Justice for Women and Girls at Binghamton University in New York, said that the discussion will centre on the key barriers Indigenous women face in securing land and resource rights, exploring how Governments and non-State actors, including academia, civil society and international organizations, can more effectively support Indigenous communities in overcoming these challenges.  Speakers will also examine the disconnect between policy and practice, particularly the obstacles preventing young women from pursuing education and careers in fields that foster their meaningful participation in the green and blue economies.  Looking ahead to 2030, she said, the dialogue will showcase best practices and scalable strategies that align the Beijing Platform for Action with the SDGs, advancing gender-responsive climate and environmental action.

    Exclusion of Women from Green, Blue Economies

    Manasiti Omar, Founder and Executive Director of Spring of the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands, said that, as a young Indigenous woman who has personally encountered the barriers hindering young women’s participation in the green and blue economies, she knows that the promise of a just transition will remain unfulfilled if powerful obstacles persist.  Too often, young women especially those from Indigenous, rural and marginalized communities struggle to access education, employment and leadership opportunities in climate and environmental action.  “The reality is a system designed to exclude young women,” she said.  On paper, many Governments have policies promoting environmental education, technical training and gender inclusion, yet these commitments rarely translate into real, tangible opportunities.  Structural inequalities, financial constraints, cultural biases and a lack of mentorship or institutional support create layers of exclusion that prevent young women from fully engaging in the green and blue economies.  It is important to dismantle these barriers, bridge the gap between policy and practice, and create pathways that empower young women to lead in climate and environmental action.  “I have seen first hand that, when young women are given the right opportunities, we don’t just participate, we transform entire communities, but we cannot do it alone,” she said.

    Need to Address Structural Inequalities

    Astrid Puentes Riaño, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, said that she is the first woman to serve as a UN Rapporteur and the first person from the Global South in this role, covering not only the environment, but also climate, toxins and water.  “This is the kind of changes, of course, that we need,” she added.  However, true progress isn’t about checking boxes; it requires a systematic and sustained approach to breaking barriers that have historically excluded women, particularly those from marginalized and Indigenous communities.  Looking ahead to 2030 and beyond, she said it is essential to ensure that policies promoting gender inclusion in environmental governance translate into real opportunities.  This means addressing structural inequalities, ensuring access to education and leadership roles, and creating pathways for women to actively participate in shaping climate and environmental action.  The need for expertise-driven, inclusive leadership is more critical than ever, and only by dismantling these barriers can truly create a just and sustainable future.  “Women and girls in marginalized situations are not only victims; we are also key actors for change,” she stressed.

    Hopes Slashed by Anti-Rights Actors

    “I am angry at what is happening in the world today,” said Sascha Gabizon, Executive Director of Women Engage for a Common Future and Co-Facilitator of the Women’s Major Group on SDGs.  She recalled working in Beijing at the fourth World Conference on Women 30 years ago.  “We had so much hope that we could make this world a better place,” she added, emphasizing:  “But, unfortunately, our work is being slashed by anti-rights actors that are in the league with fossil-fuel industries and tech billionaires that are clearly only interested in their own profit.”   Authoritarian regimes are trying to silence and criminalize climate activists and women environmental rights defenders.  In the Caucasus, where she works, the Government has rolled back gender equality laws and institutions and silenced feminist and civil society organizations through what they call foreign agent laws, a tactic which is spreading also now in other countries.  Half of the CO2 emissions come from only 36 fossil-fuel corporations annually, she noted.  Each year, $700 billion go into subsidies for fossil fuels.  “That is where we should be cutting,” she said, adding that “billionaires produce more carbon in 90 minutes than each of you in your entire life”.  She urged the need to continue to mobilize and collectively organize, to engage in policy processes, “to claim our seats, to go on strikes, to go onto the streets and to implement gender just solutions on the ground”.

    Solar Farming

    Valbona Mazreku, Founder and Director of Milieukontakt Albania, said that integrating gender-responsive policies into climate adaptation is crucial.  Over 50 per cent of rural women in Albania are engaged in agriculture, yet they have limited access to resources and technology, and “only 8 per cent of agricultural land is owned by women”, restricting their ability to make sustainable land-use decisions.  Highlighting the high cost of water, she said her organization worked with a group of farmers from a small village in south-east Albania to develop Piskova Solar Farming, a renewable energy cooperative.  It also created a curriculum on renewable energy aimed at young people “to influence women’s career aspirations in the energy sector”, she said.  Noting that the organization’s trainers and experts are women, she said:  “We not only break down gender stereotypes, but also prepare the next generation for participation in the green economy.”  Women should not just be seen as victims of climate change, but as key agents of change, she said, calling on UN-Women to partner with local organizations.

    Fisherwomen ‘Guardians of Local Biodiversity’

    Yuli Velásquez, Director of the Federation of Artisanal, Environmental and Tourist Fishermen of Santander, Colombia, speaking via video, said that, while her fishing community is male dominated, it is the fisherwomen of the Federation who serve as guardians of local biodiversity.  They are on the front lines of fighting for environmental justice, she said, highlighting several examples, including their work gathering evidence about water pollution in the Magdalene River.  Highlighting the crucial role of “community water monitoring”, she said:  “We are now learning how to do so with technical tools and instruments,” to facilitate this data-collection.  Women in her community who spoke out against corruption have received threats. “We have spoken out robustly,” she said, but due to prevailing impunity, the cases are often closed.  This demonstrates the need for stronger State institutions to ensure investigation and prosecution of crimes against social and environmental activists.

    __________

    * The 16th meeting was not covered.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: 2025-26 Health Budget Delivers Record Funding for Better Patient Access, More Responsive Care

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on March 19, 2025

    The 2025-26 Budget delivers on key health care commitments including better access to acute and emergency care, team-based primary care and continuing care services. This year’s budget also supports progress on the Mental Health and Addictions Action Plan, accelerates health care workforce hiring and continues building on future infrastructure projects, including new hospitals, long-term care homes and additional urgent care centres. 

    The record Ministry of Health budget is $8.07 billion, an increase of $484.6 million, or 6.4 per cent, over the previous year. The Saskatchewan Health Authority will receive a $261.1 million increase, or 5.6 per cent, for a total record budget of $4.94 billion. 

    “This year’s budget delivers on key commitments to deliver more timely access to our health care system,” Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill said. “Our government will provide significant budget investments to increase access to acute care in Saskatoon, perform more surgeries, increase access to specialized diagnostic imaging and invest in programs that connect all Saskatchewan residents to a primary health care provider.

    “This budget also expands glucose monitoring coverage to vastly improve quality of life and ease financial impacts for nearly 10,000 Saskatchewan people with diabetes. We will open the highly anticipated Breast Health Centre in Regina to provide a full range of services and wraparound support for women experiencing a challenging diagnosis.”

    The 2025-26 Budget provides better access to acute health care services for safer, more responsive patient care with total investment increases of $88.1 million. 

    Plans to ramp up surgical volumes this year through a $15.1 million investment increase will kickstart ambitious plans to perform 450,000 procedures over four years and reduce surgical wait times. This investment will introduce the innovative robot-assisted surgery program at Pasqua Hospital in Regina and enhance other services to meet this aggressive four-year surgical target.

    Optimizing space and realigning services at Saskatoon City Hospital will help address capacity pressures in Saskatoon with a multi-phased approach to open more than 100 acute care beds. This $30.0 million investment will support physical space upgrades to expand acute care and convert outpatient and other spaces to inpatient units.

    Emergency Medical Services (EMS) will receive a $6.6 million increase for additional paramedics in the system and Diagnostic Imaging will receive a $6.0 million boost to increase specialized medical imaging volumes to continue gains made in patient wait times.

    Other 2025-26 acute care investment increases include: 

    • $7.6 million for enhanced and expanded pediatric care, including specialist recruitment in areas of endocrinology, rheumatology and other specialties. The budget will also support additional multidisciplinary staff and physicians in pediatric gastroenterology, allergy and immunology, and cardiology programs, as well as enhancements to physician staffing at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Prince Albert;
    • $6.6 million for HealthLine 811’s Virtual ER Physician Program to expand support to a minimum of 25 small-to-medium rural Emergency Department locations;
    • $4.3 million to bolster the province’s kidney health programs to better meet patient demand for hemodialysis services closer to home;
    • $2.0 million for enhanced laboratory medicine services; 
    • $1.9 million to complete and fully staff the new Breast Health Centre in Regina; and
    • $1.9 million to support operational costs for the Regina Urgent Care Centre. 

    “Rural and northern Saskatchewan receive important focus in this budget with extensive kidney health enhancements and staffing for satellite hemodialysis services in rural locations, including Meadow Lake, North Battleford, Tisdale and Fort Qu’Appelle,” Rural and Remote Minister Lori Carr said. “A virtual ER physician program demonstrating great success will expand to more rural communities at risk of service disruptions this year, and increases to EMS will improve response times and stabilize services across the province.” 

    The 2025-26 Budget will deliver better and more prompt patient access to team-based primary care settings and preventative care initiatives to meet the health care needs of Saskatchewan people with a $42.4 million increased investment. 

    A $5.0 million increase will support primary care improvements, including the expansion of a new model of care called Patient Medical Homes to new communities following a successful pilot in Swift Current that demonstrated better access to primary care for patients. 

    In addition, a $7.1 million increase is provided for immunizations and program enhancements. Beginning April 1, 2025, nearly 10,000 Saskatchewan patients managing diabetes will benefit from a $23.0 million investment for a Glucose Monitoring Expansion Program for young adults aged 25-and-under and seniors aged 65-plus. 

    The 2025-26 Budget also includes new funding to support the transition to HPV self-screening for cervical cancer, make progress on a provincial lung cancer screening program, lower breast cancer screening eligibility to age 43 and support operations to add a second mobile mammography bus that will increase capacity for women in rural and northern Saskatchewan. 

    The 2025-26 Budget will further provincial commitments to accelerate the hiring and growth of the health care professional workforce in the third year of the ambitious, multi-year Health Human Resources Action Plan to recruit, train, incentivize and retain employees.

    The College of Medicine will add 10 more in-province physician training seats for family medicine, anesthesia, plastic surgery and other specialties, for a total of 150 provincial seats, as part of a $7.4 million increase. 

    Supports for 65 new and enhanced permanent full-time nursing positions in 30 rural and northern locations across Saskatchewan for improved nursing stability and reduced reliance on contract nurses will receive a $4.9 million increase.

    In addition, this year’s budget includes an additional $94.6 million increase for physician services to support the province’s efforts to recruit and retain doctors, including funding for negotiated Saskatchewan Medical Association fee increases, increased utilization of services and additional physicians. 

    This year’s budget will continue building momentum on strategic investments and successful programming within the multi-year Mental Health and Addictions Action Plan to improve patient access to professionals and services, delivering the help and support needed to overcome mental health and addictions challenges. This budget provides new capital funding to expand Complex Needs Emergency Shelters into new communities.

    Saskatchewan residents will see steady and significant progress throughout the province on multiple infrastructure projects, such as new hospital builds and long-term care facilities, with a total record capital investment of $656.9 million, a $140.1 million increase over last year.

    Major infrastructure investments include:

    • $322.4 million for Prince Albert Victoria Hospital construction;
    • $40.0 million for Regina Long-Term Care Specialized Beds construction;
    • $33.8 million for construction of the La Ronge Long-Term Care facility;
    • $24.4 million for Weyburn General Hospital construction; 
    • $10.0 million for Grenfell Long-Term Care project construction; and
    • $3.0 million to advance the Saskatoon Urgent Care Centre (UCC), in partnership with Ahtahkakoop Cree Developments.

    Due to the success of Regina’s UCC model in reducing emergency room pressures and providing access to thousands of patients, planning is underway for additional UCCs in Moose Jaw, Prince Albert and North Battleford, as well as second UCCs in Regina and Saskatoon. 

    Additional funding will continue to support ongoing projects, including the Yorkton Regional Health Centre, Rosthern Hospital, Royal University Hospital’s ICU Expansion, Saskatchewan Cancer Agency’s (SCA) Saskatoon Patient Lodge, Esterhazy Integrated Care Facility and long-term care projects in several communities including Regina, the Battlefords, Watson and Estevan.

    Other capital investments include leading-edge and upgraded technology, equipment and innovations to shape the future of health care.

    The 2025-26 Budget will ensure Saskatchewan people receive strengthened continuing care support to remain at home and within their communities for as long as possible. A $7.1 million increase will fund care for all ages – from children with complex medical needs to seniors – to support individuals of all ages and patients in the most appropriate community setting.

    The SCA will continue to deliver access to world-class care with additional funding toward oncology drugs, therapies and treatment options. The SCA will see an increase of $30.4 million, or 12.2 per cent, for a total record budget of $279.3 million. 

    The 2025-26 Budget also delivers on the Government of Saskatchewan’s commitment to provide a Fertility Treatment Tax Credit to improve affordability for individuals and couples to access fertility treatments.

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: World first AI cancer targeting technology among NSW Govt’s $10 million research grant recipients

    Source: New South Wales Premiere

    Published: 19 March 2025

    Released by: Minister for Medical Research

    A University of Sydney researcher using world-first AI-powered technology to precisely target liver tumours is receiving Minns Labor Government funding as part of a $10 million grants program for promising NSW cancer researchers.

    Dr Chandrima Sengupta is one of 18 recipients of the Cancer Institute NSW grants to support medical breakthroughs and improve outcomes for people living with cancer across the state.

    Dr Sengupta’s team is building a pioneering technology using AI-enhanced techniques and standard radiotherapy equipment to target the radiation beam to liver cancer tumours, with sub-millimetre accuracy.

    This revolutionary treatment will reduce radiation to nearby healthy tissue, enabling the use of stronger radiation to stop the tumour spreading to other organs to drastically reduce the average treatment times for patients. 

    The funding will enable Dr Sengupta and her team to continue their collaboration with radiation oncology experts, industry partners and patients to complete the ground-breaking clinical trial to benefit thousands of NSW cancer patients.

    The NSW Government is one of the largest funders of cancer research in NSW, having invested more than $470 million in the past 20 years across nearly 1000 competitive research awards and grants.

    The grant recipients received funding across four categories this year. Dr Sengupta was awarded $515,716 as one of 11 Early Career Fellowships who received combined funding of $6.14 million.

    The Early Career Fellowships are highly prestigious and competitive awards enabling researchers to lead their own team in the fight against cancer. 

    The remaining three grant categories comprised:

    • 3 Career Development Fellowships
    • 2 Aboriginal Cancer Research Grants
    • 2 Accelerated Research Implementation grants for projects targeting cancer outcomes in rural and regional NSW.

    To view all 2024/2025 Cancer Institute NSW grants recipients visit the Cancer Institute NSW website. 

    Minister for Medical Research David Harris said:

    “NSW medical researchers such as Dr Chandrima Sengupta are doing incredible things with pioneering technology and techniques to reduce the impact of cancer and ultimately save lives.

    “The Minns Labor Government is proud to be supporting researchers and projects designed to deliver better treatments to people with cancer.

    “Our researchers strive every day to improve the lives of people in NSW and beyond and we’re proud to invest in them to continue their work and help improve cancer outcomes for all.”

    NSW Chief Cancer Officer and CEO Cancer Institute NSW, Professor Tracey O’Brien AM said:

    “Our dedicated and inspirational cancer researchers are key to improving our understanding of a disease which touches the lives of so many of us.

    “While significant progress has been made in understanding and treating cancer, it remains the leading cause of death in NSW with sadly one in two people being diagnosed with the disease in their lifetime.

    “NSW is recognised as a global leader in tackling cancer with people, communities and organisations coming together to support all impacted people and help rewrite the future of cancer.”

    Early Career Fellow Dr Chandrima Sengupta said:

    “The precision of our world-first, AI-enhanced cancer targeting technology will allow us to use stronger radiation to improve tumour control while reducing radiation to surrounding healthy tissues.

    “This will halve treatment-related toxicity while reducing treatment time from more than one hour to as little as fifteen minutes.

    “The grant from Cancer Institute NSW will allow us to start taking our technology to cancer centres across regional and metropolitan NSW, creating a network of sites capable of world-class targeted liver cancer radiation therapy.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: InternetNZ – Concern about AI remains high amongst New Zealanders

    Source: InternetNZ

    A recent Internet Insights survey conducted by InternetNZ has revealed that a large majority of New Zealanders (68%) are worried about the potential malicious use of AI and the lack of regulation surrounding it. While only 10% of respondents expressed more excitement than concern, 44% reported feeling more concerned than excited.
    InternetNZ Chief Executive Vivien Maidaborn believes that widespread acceptance of AI is still yet to come, but acknowledges that New Zealanders are taking the initiative to understand AI and its implications.
    Maidaborn stated, “We’re mostly still getting to grips with AI and exploring what it means to us. The concern that New Zealanders are expressing is reasonable, given the lack of awareness and education or Governmental guidance there is about it.”
    The survey also highlighted specific areas of concern, with 68% of respondents highly concerned about AI being used for malicious purposes. Other major concerns included insufficient regulation and laws (62%), inaccurate information from AI (62%), and unintended harm caused by AI (60%).
    Despite these concerns, 73% of New Zealanders admitted to knowing only ‘a little’ about AI, and 12% said they know nothing at all. Misuse of intellectual property was also a concern for 52% of respondents.
    Maidaborn emphasised the need for Government action to protect citizens from potential harm as AI continues to evolve, stating, “The New Zealand public bears the brunt of people creating tools and releasing them to the market without regulation, so we need our government to be thinking about what guidelines, policies, and laws are required to keep us safe and informed.
    “She also highlighted the importance of ensuring that AI benefits New Zealanders, stating, “The main focus for AI needs to be getting it to add value to our lives and to help us as New Zealanders, and that remains yet to be seen.”
    Currently, New Zealand is ranked 40th on the Oxford University Government AI Readiness Index. The United States, Canada, UK, France, and Australia are all in the top ten.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Government of India Expands AI-Driven Skilling

    Source: Government of India

    Government of India Expands AI-Driven Skilling
    India AI Mission Gains Momentum with 67 Proposals for Indigenous AI Models

    Digital India Bhashini Initiative Boosts AI-Powered Vernacular Language Accessibility

    Posted On: 19 MAR 2025 9:40PM by PIB Delhi

    The Government of India emphasizes the concept of ‘AI for All,’ aligning with the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision to democratise the use of technology. This initiative aims to ensure that AI benefits all sectors of society, driving innovation and growth.

    India is regarded as the skills capital in technology and Artificial Intelligence. The most reliable ranking in AI is placing India among the top countries with AI Skills, AI capabilities, and policies to use AI. Stanford University has ranked India among the top four countries along with the US, China, and the UK in the Global and National AI vibrancy ranking based on 42 indicators. GitHub, which is community of developers has ranked India at the top with the global share of 24% of all projects.

    Government is committed to harnessing the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for the good of our people in various sectors. At the same time, the Government is cognizant of the risks posed by AI and the need to create guardrails to ensure that AI is safe and trusted.

    The Government of Maharashtra has informed that Meta’s AI model is an informational chatbot which is currently in its preliminary stage.

    Union Cabinet led by Hon’ble Prime Minister has approved the IndiaAI Mission on 7th March 2024, a strategic initiative to establish a robust and inclusive AI ecosystem that aligns with the country’s development goals. This mission is driven by a vision to position India as a global leader in artificial intelligence by focusing on seven foundational pillars: IndiaAI Compute, IndiaAIFutureSkills, IndiaAI Startup Financing, IndiaAI Innovation Centre, IndiaAI Datasets Platform, IndiaAI Applications Development Initiative and Safe & Trusted AI.

    One of the key pillars of the IndiaAI Mission is IndiaAI Innovation Centre (IAIC), under which IndiaAI on 30th January, 2025, launched a Call for Proposals inviting proposals from startups, researchers, and entrepreneurs to collaborate on building state-of-the-art foundational AI models trained on Indian datasets. The initiative aims to establish indigenous AI models that align with global standards while addressing unique challenges and opportunities within the Indian context.

    In the first month, IndiaAI Mission has received a total of 67 proposals till 15th February 2025 aimed at building India’s foundation models, with contributions from both established startups and new teams of researchers & academia. 22 are focused on Large Language Models (LLMs) & Large Multimodal Models (LMMs), while the remaining 45 are centered on domain-specific models (SLMs). The majority of SLMs target key sectors such as healthcare, education, and financial services. Along with funding support, a wide range of GPUs have been requested by teams submitting these proposals.

    Further, Government of India through MeitY implemented the Digital India Bhashini initiative to provide Artificial Intelligence (AI) driven language technology solutions through the Bhashini platform (https://bhashini.gov.in) for all 22 Scheduled Indian Languages including Marathi, providing voice-based access, and to assist in the creation of content in Indian languages. Digital India Bhashini aims to build speech-to-speech machine translation systems for various Indian languages and dialects and to evolve a Unified Language Interface (ULI). This initiative enabled citizens to access digital services in their vernacular languages, further increasing digital inclusion and accessibility, as recommended in SDG 10 (Reduce inequality within and among countries). In collaboration with over 70 research institutes, Bhashini has been at the forefront of developing state-of-the-art language AI models for Indian languages. The platform currently hosts over 350 AI-based language models, encompassing Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR), Machine Translation (MT), Text-to-Speech (TTS), Optical Character Recognition (OCR), and other services like Transliteration and Textual Language Detection, covering over 17+ language services.

    Additionally, IndiaAI in collaboration with Meta has announced the establishment of the Center for Generative AI, Srijan (सृजन) at IIT Jodhpur, along with the launch of the “YuvAi Initiative for Skilling and Capacity Building” in collaboration with the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), for the advancement of open source artificial intelligence (AI) in India. The partnership will enable development of indigenous AI applications, advance skill development in AI, boost research capabilities with the aim of contributing to India’s AI mission of ensuring tech sovereignty and the vision of building AI solutions that are tailor-made for India. Through education, capacity building, and policy advisory, the Government of India will be empowering the next generation of researchers, students, and practitioners with the knowledge and tools necessary for the responsible development and deployment of GenAI technologies.

    The Government of India is focused to meet the growing demand for professionals in emerging fields like data science and Artificial Intelligence (AI), some of the initiatives by the Government of India to integrate Al and cybersecurity training into existing skill development programs are as under:

    • MeitY through CERT-In conducts joint cybersecurity training programs in collaboration with Industry partners to upskill the cybersecurity workforce in Government, public and private organizations with the latest skills. Technical training sessions in the area of AI-powered cybersecurity threats were conducted with experts from Industry to help the participants understand the latest threat landscape and best practices. Also, CERT-In provided expert support in the Gen AI Exchange Hackathon organized by industry partners for working professionals, student developers, freelancers and entrepreneurs in October 2024.
    • MeitY has initiated ‘FutureSkills PRIME’ a programme for Re-skilling/Up-skilling of IT Manpower for Employability in new/emerging technologies namely Artificial Intelligence, Robotic Process Automation, Augmented/Virtual Reality, Internet of Things, Big Data Analytics, Additive Manufacturing/ 3D Printing, Cloud Computing, Social & Mobile, Cyber Security, and Blockchain. Under the FutureSkills Prime program, there are 119 courses specifically focused on the cutting-edge fields of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
    • MeitY launched the Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme in 2014 with the objective of enhancing the number of PhDs in the country to compete globally in the knowledge-intensive sectors of Electronics System Design and Manufacturing (ESDM) and IT/IT Enabled Services (IT/ITES). Under the scheme, financial support is provided to Full-time & Part-time PhD candidates and Young Faculty who are undertaking research and technology development. The Scheme also provides infrastructure support to institutions.
    • MeitY through IndiaAIFutureSkills Pillar aims to increase the number of graduates, postgraduates, and PhD scholars in the AI domain while establishing Data and AI Labs in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities to offer foundational courses in Data and AI. As part of this initiative, IndiaAI Fellowships are awarded to students pursuing relevant undergraduate and postgraduate programs at Private or Centrally Funded Technical Institutes (CFTIs) recognized by AICTE, NBA, NAAC, or UGC. So far, 150 undergraduate students, 48 postgraduate students, and 3 PhD scholars have been selected for the fellowship. Additionally, IndiaAI has set up Data Labs at NIELIT’s Delhi centre and ICIT, Nagaland, with plans to establish 27 more labs in collaboration with NIELIT across Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, details of which are placed in Annexure I.

    This information was given by the Minister of State for Electronics & Information Technology Shri Jitin Prasada in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

     

    ******

     

    Annexure I

    List of Data & AI labs planned by IndiaAI in collaboration with NIELIT in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities across the country:

    S.No.

    NIELIT Centre

    State/UT

    1

    Gorakhpur

    Uttar Pradesh

    2

    Lucknow

    Uttar Pradesh

    3

    Shimla

    Himachal Pradesh

    4

    Aurangabad

    Maharashtra

    5

    Patna

    Bihar

    6

    Buxar

    Bihar

    7

    Muzaffarpur

    Bihar

    8

    Kurukshetra

    Haryana

    9

    Ropar

    Punjab

    10

    Haridwar

    Uttarakhand

    11

    Bikaner

    Rajasthan

    12

    Tezpur

    Assam

    13

    Bhubaneswar

    Odisha

    14

    Calicut

    Kerala

    15

    Guwahati

    Assam

    16

    Itanagar

    Arunachal Pradesh

    17

    Srinagar

    J&K

    18

    Jammu

    J&K

    19

    Ranchi

    Jharkhand

    20

    Imphal

    Manipur

    21

    Gangtok

    Sikkim

    22

    Agartala

    Tripura

    23

    Aizawl

    Mizoram

    24

    Shillong

    Meghalaya

    25

    Kohima

    Nagaland

    26

    Leh

    Ladakh

    27

    Silchar

    Assam

     

    Dharmendra Tewari/Navin Sreejith

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Four-day Symposium ‘India 2047: Building a Climate Resilient Future’ kick starts in New Delhi

    Source: Government of India

    Four-day Symposium ‘India 2047: Building a Climate Resilient Future’ kick starts in New Delhi

    Important to maintain Growth and Accelerating Welfare while addressing Adaptation Challenges: Vice Chairperson (NITI Aayog), Shri Suman Bery

    Need to scale up South-South and Triangular Cooperation to ensure ‘Climate Resilience for All’: MoS (EFCC) Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh

    Posted On: 19 MAR 2025 6:36PM by PIB Delhi

    The Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute and The Salata Institute for Climate and Sustainability at Harvard University, in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Government of India, are organizing a symposium, ‘India 2047: Building a Climate-Resilient Future’. The four-day symposium started today at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, beginning with the convening of stakeholders from Union Government, State Governments, scientists, researchers, industry experts, civil society representatives and other relevant stakeholders to deliberate on India’s climate adaptation and resilience priorities as the Nation aspires to be Viksit Bharat by 2047.

    The Inaugural Session on Day-1 was presided over by Shri Suman Bery, Vice Chairperson of NITI Aayog and Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh. Other dignitaries gracing the occasion included Shri Tarun Kapoor, Adviser to the Prime Minister of India, Mr. James H. Stock, Vice Provost of Harvard University and Mr. Tarun Khanna, Director of The Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute.

    In his address, Shri Suman Bery, emphasized the need for India-centric adaptation strategies. He highlighted the importance of maintaining growth and accelerating welfare while addressing adaptation challenges. He called for flexibility in programme design, particularly in governance dimension, which remains largely unexplored. He stressed the need to empower both the people and the communities. Additionally, he underscored the significance of documenting case studies and fostering intellectual exchange within South Asia.

    Stressing on the critical need for stronger adaptation measures across all sectors, Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh stated, “India has consistently led climate advocacy for the Global South, ensuring at international climate policies are fair and inclusive. As we move forward, it is crucial to scale up adaptation efforts and ensure that the most vulnerable communities have access to the resources and technologies they need to build resilience”. While India has made significant strides in mitigation through ambitious renewable energy goals and emission intensity reduction commitments, he emphasized that adaptation and resilience remains essential to safeguarding livelihoods, ecosystems, and infrastructure from the impacts of climate change.

    The Minister further highlighted the crucial role of climate finance in supporting adaptation initiatives. He stressed that financial resources must be significantly scaled up to meet the needs of vulnerable communities and ensure effective adaptation measures. He underscored the need for innovative financing mechanisms, including blended finance, risk-sharing frameworks, and greater private sector engagement, to complement public finance in driving adaptation efforts. Additionally, the Minister pointed out that adaptation investments must directly benefit those on the frontlines of climate change – farmers, small businesses, and coastal communities. He stated that by strengthening financial instruments such as green bonds, climate-resilient infrastructure funds and concessional financing, India aims to create a sustainable and equitable climate finance ecosystem. “India believes that international climate action must be built on trust, transparency, and equitable growth. We must scale up South-South and Triangular Cooperation to ensure climate resilience for all, accelerate innovation in clean energy transitions, and empower local communities through decentralized governance and ecosystem-based solutions,” the Minister concluded.

    Addressing the gathering, Shri Tarun Kapoor emphasized practical climate change solutions that ensure resource flows to individuals and affordable food security. He stressed the importance of delivering forecasts, technology and knowledge where needed. Earlier, in his welcome remarks, Secretary (MoEFCC), Shri Tanmay Kumar, set the tone for the symposium, emphasizing the need for actionable solutions related to adaptation. He said, “This Symposium is not just about identifying challenges – it is about coming together of experts, policy makers, academia, scientists, civil society and communities in developing adaptation strategies that are grounded in research, responsive to local needs, cost effective and scalable for long-term resilience. He highlighted that India’s adaptation strategy is to be built on a foundation of scientific evidence, cross-sectoral integration, and strong institutional frameworks.

    In a video address, Mr. Alan M. Garber, President of Harvard University, highlighted the role of The Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute as a hub connecting Harvard with India. He introduced The Salata Institute for Climate and Sustainability, aimed at developing durable and effective climate solutions. Mr. James H. Stock, Vice Provost of Harvard University, underscored the university’s mission of teaching and research, with interdisciplinary teams working on climate solutions. He emphasized learning from local partners to address climate challenges. Mr. Tarun Khanna, Director of The Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute, spoke about the importance of synergizing traditional knowledge and advanced knowledge systems.

    Over the period of four days, the symposium will address four key themes that are central to India’s adaptation priorities – climate science and its implications for agriculture and water security, health risks associated with climate change, labor productivity and workforce adaptation, and resilience in the built environment. High-level plenaries, expert roundtables, and technical sessions will explore sector-specific challenges and identify best practices for mainstreaming adaptation across policies and programmes.

    The intersection of climate resilience and governance remains a crucial area of focus, with an emphasis on ensuring that adaptation measures are effectively implemented across all levels. Strengthening institutional capacity and fostering coordination among stakeholders will play a pivotal role in translating policies into tangible actions that protect communities, economy, and ecosystems from climate risks. The insights from this symposium could also contribute to the India’s first National Adaptation Plan (NAP) which is under preparation, for which the National Level Stakeholder Workshop was organized by the MoEFCC on 18th March, 2025. Deliberations will help shape evidence-based policy recommendations that integrate climate adaptation into development planning, safeguarding livelihoods, critical infrastructure, and economic stability.

    *****

    VM

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: BUDDHIST DEVELOPMENT PLAN UNDER PMJVK IN LADAKH AND OTHER HIMALAYAN STATES

    Source: Government of India

    Sl. No.

    Project Name

    State/UT

    District

    1

    Construction of Monastic Hostel cum Classrooms, Pemayangste

    Sikkim BDP

    Gyalshing

    2

    Construction of Monastic School Hostel cum Classrooms, Enchey monastic school

    Sikkim BDP

    Gangtok

    3

    Construction of Monastic Hostel cum Classrooms Khatek Pema Choling Monsastic School Pakyong

    Sikkim BDP

    Pakyong

    4

    Construction of Monastic Hostel cum Classrooms, Ngadak Gumpa , Namchi

    Sikkim BDP

    Namchi

    5

    Extension of existing Monastic hostel cum classrooms, sicheytamang Gumpa

    Sikkim BDP

    Gangtok

    6

    Construction of Community Meditation centre cum Multi- purpose Hall at Karthok Gumpa, Karthok, Pakyong.

    Sikkim BDP

    Pakyong

    7

    Construction of Monastic Hostel cum Classrooms at Boomtar Gumpa, Namchi

    Sikkim BDP

    Namchi

    8

    Construction of Monastic Hostel cum Classrooms at Sangay Choeling Gumpa,, Teendahharey Bhasmey

    Sikkim BDP

    Pakyong

    9

    Construction of Monastic Hostel cum Classrooms at Phuntsok Choeling Gumpa, Lower Sreebadam

    Sikkim BDP

    Soreng

    10

    Construction of Gostel cum classroom at Sanga Choling Gumpa, Martam

    Sikkim BDP

    Gangtok

    11

    Construction of proposed Dr.BheemRaoAmbedkar (Buddhist) Community, Multi-purpose hall and Library at Ambedkar Colony, 1st/D.L.Road, Dehradun

    Uttarakhand BDP

    Dehradun

    12

    Multipurpose Hall For Buddhist Community At Lakhanwala, Vikas Nagar, Dehradun

    Uttarakhand BDP

    Dehradun

    13

    Construction Of Proposed Educational And Sports Hall At 40 Buddha Vihar, 2nd D.L Road, Dehradun.

    Uttarakhand BDP

    Dehradun

    14

    Construction of the School building, incorporating Science Lab, Computer Lab & main Indoor Stadium etc. for Duzingphotang Ufti, Zansakar. District Kargil, UT of Ladakh.

    CIBS BDP

    District Kargil, UT of Ladakh.

    15

    New Academic building for traditional course at Central Institute of
    Buddhist studies. Leh. UT of Ladakh

    CIBS BDP

    Leh. UT of Ladakh

    16

    Infrastructure Development of Nalanda School at Nafra, West Kameng District

    Arunachal Pradesh

    West Kameng

    17

    Infrastructure development of Monk Hostel cum prayer Hall at Mechuka Gonpa

    Arunachal Pradesh

    Mechuka

    18

    Development of Hostel and Training Facilities at Lhagon Jangchub Choeling Monastery, Tezu

    Arunachal Pradesh

    Tezu

    19

    Multipurpose Hall at Nakhu Village, Nafra, West Kameng District

    Arunachal Pradesh

    West Kameng

    20

    Infrastructure Development of Thupten Dhonag Wosel Dargeyling at Mandala, Dirang, West Kameng district

    Arunachal Pradesh

    West Kameng

    21

    Infrastructure Development at Thardhoe Norbuling at Lumla, Tawang District

    Arunachal Pradesh

    Tawang

    22

    Development of Shambala and Shagrila Mythical Religious site and development of Community Centre Gompa at Hoongla Village, Tawang Disctrict

    Arunachal Pradesh

    Tawang

    23

    Development of Meditation Hall & Public Facilities at Urgan Sangha ChhoelingGonpa, Holocbari, Jia,Lower Dibang Valley.

    Arunachal Pradesh

    Lower Dibang Valley

    24

    Extension of Nyomsa Monastery at Jang, Tawang Disctrict

    Arunachal Pradesh

    Tawang

    25

    C/o Monk Quarter cum Meditation Hall & Library for Pemaziling Monastery at Muchukha Shi Yoma, Arunchal Pradesh

    Arunachal Pradesh

    Shi Yoma

    26

    Construction of Sports Climbing Wall at Mountaineering Sub Centre Jispa

    Himachal Pradesh (BDP)

    L & S

    27

    Purchasing Equipment of Sports, Mountaineering  Rescue for Mountaineering Sub Centre Jispa

    Himachal Pradesh (BDP)

    L & S

    28

    Providing Winter Water Supply scheme for habitation of GP Gondhla

    Himachal Pradesh (BDP)

    L & S

    29

    Construction of Hostel Block (Boys & Girls at Mountaineering Sub Centre Jispa (Separate blocks)

    Himachal Pradesh (BDP)

    L & S

    30

    Solarization of Schools (60 Schools)

    Himachal Pradesh (BDP)

    L & S

    31

    Construction of community centre/one stop centre building at village Yournath (Guskiyar)

    Himachal Pradesh (BDP)

    L & S

    32

    Construction of Tourist Information centre cum stay facility and two trekker huts at Tingret in Miyar valley, Sub-Division Udaipur Distt. LahaulSpiti.

    Himachal Pradesh (BDP)

    L & S

    33

    Nature Interpretation Centre cum Nature Park at Sissu Sub-Division Keylong Distt. LahaulSpiti.

    Himachal Pradesh (BDP)

    L & S

    34

    Installation of Off-Grid Solar Power Plants at Mountaineering Sub Centre Jispa

    Himachal Pradesh (BDP)

    L & S

    35

    Installation of Off-Grid Solar Power Plants at Health Institution of CMO Keylong

    Himachal Pradesh (BDP)

    L & S

    36

    100 KW capacity solar power plant with Battery Energy Storage System at Kaza

    Himachal Pradesh (BDP)

    L & S

    37

    Examination cum training Center (200 eater Capacity)

    Ladakh

    Kargil

    38

    Const. of Training cum Examination center(200 seater capacity) at ITI Leh

    Ladakh

    Ladakh

    39

    Construction of 2 storey building for souvenir Shop at Leh-Mana

    CIBS BDP

    Leh. UT of Ladakh

    40

    Development of Infrastructure at Central Institute of Himalayan Culture Studies (CIHCS), Arunachal Pradesh

    CIHCS

    Arunachal Pradesh

    41

    Centre for Advanced studies in Buddhist Studies at the University of Delhi (MoU)

    DU

    New Delhi

    42

    3 storey for Department of Sowa Rigpa Medicine and Surgery
    (Traditional Ayurveda) with attached College

    CIBS BDP

    Leh. UT of Ladakh

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Interview with Michiharu Hyogo, Citizen Scientist and First Author of a New Scientific Paper

    Source: NASA

    Peer-reviewed scientific journal articles are the bedrock of science. Each one represents the culmination of a substantial project, impartially checked for accuracy and relevance – a proud accomplishment for any science team. 
    The person who takes responsibility for writing the paper must inevitably and repeatedly  write, edit, and rewrite its content as they receive comments and constructive criticism from colleagues, peers, and editors. And the process involves much more than merely re-writing the words. Implementing feedback and polishing the paper regularly involves  reanalyzing data and conducting additional analyses as needed, over and over again. The person who  successfully climbs this mountain of effort can then often earn the honor of being named the first author of a peer-reviewed scientific publication. To our delight, more and more of NASA’s citizen scientists have taken on this demanding challenge, and accomplished this incredible feat.
    Michiharu Hyogo is one of these pioneers. His paper, “Unveiling the Infrared Excess of SIPS J2045-6332: Evidence for a Young Stellar Object with Potential Low-Mass Companion” (Hyogo et al. 2025) was recently accepted for publication in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. He conceived of the idea for this paper, performed most of the research using of data from NASA’s retired Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) mission, and submitted it to the journal. We asked him some questions about his life and he shared with us some of the secrets to his success.

    Q: Where do you live, Michi?
    A: I have been living in Tokyo, Japan since the end of 2012. Before that, I lived outside Japan for a total of 21 years, in countries such as Canada, the USA, and Australia.
    Q: Which NASA Citizen Science projects have you worked on?
    A: I am currently working on three different NASA-sponsored projects: Disk Detective, Backyard Worlds: Planet 9, and Planet Patrol.
    Q: What do you do when you’re not working on these projects?
    A: Until March of last year, I worked as a part-time lecturer at a local university in Tokyo. At the moment, I am unemployed and looking for similar positions. My dream is to work at a community college in the USA, but so far, my job search has been unsuccessful. In the near future, I hope to teach while also working on projects like this one. This is my dream.
    Q: How did you learn about NASA Citizen Science?
    A: It’s a very long story. A few years after completing my master’s degree, around 2011, a friend from the University of Hawaii (where I did my bachelor’s degree) introduced me to one of the Zooniverse projects. Since it was so long ago, I can’t remember exactly which project it was—perhaps Galaxy Zoo or another one whose name escapes me.
    I definitely worked on Planet Hunters, classifying all 150,000 light curves from (NASA’s) Kepler observatory. Around the time I completed my classifications for Planet Hunters, I came across Disk Detective as it was launching. A friend on Facebook shared information about it, stating that it was “NASA’s first sponsored citizen science project aimed at publishing scientific papers”.
    At that time, I was unemployed and had plenty of free time, so I joined without giving much thought to the consequences. I never expected that this project would eventually lead me to write my own paper — it was far beyond anything I had imagined.
      Q: What would you say you have gained from working on these NASA projects?A: Working on these NASA-sponsored projects has been an incredibly valuable experience for me in multiple ways. Scientifically, I have gained hands-on experience in analyzing astronomical data, identifying potential celestial objects, and contributing to real research efforts. Through projects like Disk Detective,Backyard Worlds: Planet 9, and Planet Patrol, I have learned how to systematically classify data, recognize patterns, and apply astrophysical concepts in a practical setting.
    Beyond the technical skills, I have also gained a deeper understanding of how citizen science can contribute to professional research. Collaborating with experts and other volunteers has improved my ability to communicate scientific ideas and work within a research community.
    Perhaps most importantly, these projects have given me a sense of purpose and the opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge discoveries. They have also led to unexpected opportunities, such as co-authoring scientific papers — something I never imagined when I first joined. Overall, these experiences have strengthened my passion for astronomy and my desire to continue contributing to the field.
    Q: How did you make the discovery that you wrote about in your paper?
    A: Well, the initial goal of this project was to discover circumstellar disks around brown dwarfs. The Disk Detective team assembled more than 1,600 promising candidates that might possess such disks. These objects were identified and submitted by volunteers from the same project, following the physical criteria outlined within it.
    Among these candidates, I found an object with the largest infrared excess and the fourth-latest spectral type. This was the moment I first encountered the object and found it particularly interesting, prompting me to investigate it further.
    Although we ultimately did not discover a disk around this object, we uncovered intriguing physical characteristics, such as its youth and the presence of a low-mass companion with a spectral type of L3 to L4.
    Q: How did you feel when your paper was accepted for publication?
    A: Thank you for asking this question—I truly appreciate it. I feel like the biggest milestone of my life has finally been achieved!
    This is the first time I genuinely feel that I have made a positive impact on society. It feels like a miracle. Imagine if we had a time machine and I could go back five years to tell my past self this whole story. You know what my past self would say? “You’re crazy.”
    Yes, I kept dreaming about this, and deep down, I was always striving toward this goal because it has been my purpose in life since childhood. I’m also proud that I accomplished something like this without being employed by a university or research institute. (Ironically, I wasn’t able to achieve something like this while I was in grad school.)
    I’m not sure if there are similar examples in the history of science, but I’m quite certain this is a rare event.
    Q: What would you say to other citizen scientists about the process of writing a paper?
    A: Oh, there are several important things I need to share with them. 
    First, never conduct research entirely on your own. Reach out to experts in your field as much as possible. For example, in my case, I collaborated with brown dwarf experts from the Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 team. When I completed the first draft of my paper, I sent it to all my collaborators to get their feedback on its quality and to check if they had any comments on the content. It took some time, but I received a lot of helpful suggestions that ultimately improved the clarity and conciseness of my paper.
    If this is your first time receiving extensive feedback, it might feel overwhelming. However, you should see it as a valuable opportunity—one that will lead you to stronger research results. I am truly grateful for the feedback I received. This process will almost certainly help you receive positive feedback from referees when you submit your own paper. That’s exactly what happened to me.
    Second, do not assume that others will automatically understand your research for you. This seems to be a common challenge among many citizen scientists. First, you must have a clear understanding of your own research project. Then, it is crucial to communicate your progress clearly and concisely, without unnecessary details. If you have questions—especially when you are stuck — be specific.
    For example, I frequently attend Zoom meetings for various projects, including Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 and Disk Detective. In every meeting, I give a brief recap of what I’ve been working on — every single time — to refresh the audience’s memory. This helps them stay engaged and remember my research. (Screen sharing is especially useful for this.) After the recap, I present my questions. This approach makes it much easier for others to understand where I am in my research and, ultimately, helps them provide potential solutions to the challenges I’m facing.
    Lastly, use Artificial Intelligence (AI) as much as possible. For tasks like editing, proofreading, and debugging, AI tools can be incredibly helpful. I don’t mean to sound harsh, but I find it surprising that some people still do these things manually. In many cases, this can be a waste of time. I strongly believe we should rely on machines for tasks that we either don’t need to do ourselves or simply cannot do. This approach saves time and significantly improves productivity.
    Q: Thank you for sharing all these useful tips! Is there anything else you would like to add?
    A: I would like to sincerely thank all my collaborators for their patience and support throughout this journey. I know we have never met in person, and for some of you, this may not be a familiar way to communicate (it wasn’t for me at first either). If that’s the case, I completely understand. I truly appreciate your trust in me and in this entirely online mode of communication. Without your help, none of what I have achieved would have been possible.
    I am now thinking about pushing myself to take on another set of research projects. My pursuit of astronomical research will not stop, and I hope you will continue to follow my journey. I will also do my best to support others along the way.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Rain gave Australia’s environment a fourth year of reprieve in 2024 – but this masks deepening problems: report

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Albert Van Dijk, Professor, Water and Landscape Dynamics, Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University

    Lauren Henderson/Shutterstock

    For the fourth year running, the condition of Australia’s environment has been relatively good overall. Our national environment scorecard released today gives 2024 a mark of 7.7 out of 10.

    You might wonder how this can be. After all, climate change is intensifying and threatened species are still in decline.

    The main reason: good rainfall partly offset the impact of global warming. In many parts of Australia, rainfall, soil water and river flows were well above average, there were fewer large bushfires, and vegetation continued to grow. Overall, conditions were above average in the wetter north and east of Australia, although parts of the south and west were very dry.

    But this is no cause for complacency. Australia’s environment remains under intense pressure. Favourable conditions have simply offered a welcome but temporary reprieve. As a nation we must grasp the opportunity now to implement lasting solutions before the next cycle of drought and fire comes around.

    This snapshot shows the environmental score for a range of indicators in Australia.
    Australia’s Environment Report 2024, CC BY-NC-ND

    Preparing the national scorecard

    For the tenth year running, we have trawled through a huge amount of data from satellites, weather and water measuring stations, and ecological surveys.

    We gathered information about climate change, oceans, people, weather, water, soils, plants, fire and biodiversity.

    Then we analysed the data and summarised it all in a report that includes an overall score for the environment. This score (between zero and ten) gives a relative measure of how favourable conditions were for nature, agriculture and our way of life over the past year in comparison to all years since 2000. This is the period we have reliable records for.

    While it is a national report, conditions vary enormously between regions and so we also prepare regional scorecards. You can download the scorecard for your region at our website.

    Different jurisdictions had quite different environmental scores in 2024.
    Australia’s Environment Report 2024, CC BY-NC-ND

    Welcome news, but alarming trends continue

    Globally, 2024 was the world’s hottest year on record. It was Australia’s second hottest year, with the record warmest sea surface temperatures. As a result, the Great Barrier Reef experienced its fifth mass bleaching event since 2016, while Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia also experienced bleaching.

    Yet bushfire activity was low despite high temperatures, thanks to regular rainfall.

    National rainfall was 18% above average, improving soil condition and increasing tree canopy cover.

    States such as New South Wales saw notable improvements in environmental conditions, while conditions also improved somewhat in Western Australia. Others experienced declines, particularly South Australia, Victoria, and Tasmania. These regional contrasts were largely driven by rainfall – good rains can hide some underlying environmental degradation trends.

    Favourable weather conditions bumped up the nation’s score this year, rather than sustained environmental improvements.

    Mapping the environmental condition score to local government areas reveals poor (red) conditions in the west and the south, with good scores (blue) in the east and north. White is neutral.
    Australia’s Environment Explorer, CC BY-NC-ND

    A temporary respite?

    The past four years show Australia’s environment is capable of bouncing back from drought and fire when conditions are right.

    But the global climate crisis continues to escalate, and Australia remains highly vulnerable. Rising sea levels, more extreme weather and fire events continue to threaten our environment and livelihoods. The consequences of extreme events can persist for many years, like we have seen for the Black Summer of 2019–20.

    To play our part in limiting global warming, Australia needs to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. Progress is stalling: last year, national emissions fell slightly (0.6%) below 2023 levels but were still higher than in 2022. Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions per person remain among the highest in the world.

    Biodiversity loss remains an urgent issue. The national threatened species list grew by 41 species in 2024. While this figure is much lower than the record of 130 species added in 2023, it remains well above the long-term average of 25 species added per year.

    More than half of the newly listed or uplisted species were directly affected by the Black Summer fires. Meanwhile, habitat destruction and invasive species continue to put pressure on native ecosystems and species.

    The Threatened Species Index captures data from long-term threatened species monitoring. The index is updated annually but with a three-year lag due largely to delays in data processing and sharing. This means the 2024 index includes data up to 2021.

    The index revealed the abundance of threatened birds, mammals, plants, and frogs has fallen an average of 58% since 2000.

    But there may be some good news. Between 2020 and 2021, the overall index increased slightly (2%) suggesting the decline has stabilised and some recovery is evident across species groups. We’ll need further monitoring to confirm whether this represents a lasting turnaround or a temporary pause in declines.

    This graph shows the relative abundance of different categories of species listed as threatened under the EPBC Act since 2000, as collated by the Threatened Species Index.
    Australia’s Environment Report 2024, CC BY-NC-ND

    What needs to happen?

    The 2024 Australia’s Environment Report offers a cautiously optimistic picture of the present. Without intervention, the future will look a lot worse.

    Australia must act decisively to secure our nation’s environmental future. This includes reducing greenhouse gas emissions, introducing stronger land management policies and increasing conservation efforts to maintain and restore our ecosystems.

    Without redoubling our efforts, the apparent environmental improvements will not be more than a temporary pause in a long-term downward trend.

    Australia’s Environment Report is produced by the ANU Fenner School for Environment & Society and the Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN), which is enabled by the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy.

    Albert Van Dijk receives or has previously received funding from several government-funded agencies, grant schemes and programs.

    Shoshana Rapley is a Research Assistant and PhD candidate at the Australian National University and has received funding from the Ecological Society of Australia and BirdLife Australia.

    Tayla Lawrie is a current employee of the Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN), funded by the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy.

    – ref. Rain gave Australia’s environment a fourth year of reprieve in 2024 – but this masks deepening problems: report – https://theconversation.com/rain-gave-australias-environment-a-fourth-year-of-reprieve-in-2024-but-this-masks-deepening-problems-report-252183

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Southern elephant seals are adaptable – but they struggle when faced with both rapid climate change and human impacts

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nic Rawlence, Associate Professor in Ancient DNA, University of Otago

    Wikimedia Commons/Antoine Lamielle, CC BY-SA

    Southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) are an iconic species of the Southern Ocean. But with rapid environmental changes in their ocean home, the seals’ population range has been shifting.

    Once spread across vast areas of the southern hemisphere, these apex predators are facing challenges from both climate shifts and human activities.

    Our new research examines ancient and modern DNA, archaeological records and ecological data.

    It reveals how these large marine mammals have adapted – and sometimes failed to adapt – to such pressures since the height of the last Ice Age thousands of years ago.

    A dynamic evolutionary history

    Today, the largest southern elephant seal populations are found on subantarctic islands, including South Georgia, Macquarie Island and the Falkland Islands. These colonies act as global strongholds for the species.

    Yet in the past, until just a few hundred years ago, many smaller populations existed on the Victoria Land Coast in Antarctica and closer to temperate zones, on mainland Australia and New Zealand.

    Our study focused on the Australasian lineage of southern elephant seals, drawing on samples from these ancient colonies. By analysing their genetic makeup, we pieced together a timeline of their biological heritage, including population expansions and contractions.

    This has crucial implications for understanding the resilience of elephant seals in the face of climate change.

    Subantarctic islands such as the Kerguelen islands remain strongholds for southern elephant seals.
    Antoine Lamielle, CC BY-SA

    From genetic clues in subfossil and archaeological remains, some thousands of years old, we found evidence of repeated population cycles. Expanding sea ice during cold glacial periods forced the seals northward, only for them to recolonise the Southern Ocean as sea ice retreated during warm interglacials.

    This history was particularly dynamic after the height of the last Ice Age 21,000 years ago. The planet started warming then, which led to dramatic ecological shifts.

    A mummified southern elephant seal found on the Victoria Land Coast in Antarctica.
    Brenda Hall, CC BY-SA

    Elephant seals likely expanded from ice-free refuges in temperate regions such as Tasmania and New Zealand into newly available subantarctic and Antarctic coastlines.

    However, this range expansion wasn’t permanent. As the current warm interglacial (the Holocene) progressed, new challenges arose: Indigenous hunting and, later, extensive European industrial sealing.

    For Indigenous communities in New Zealand and Australia, elephant seals were a part of their diet.

    We know this from seal remains in middens (rubbish dumps) and material culture, including necklaces made from elephant seal teeth which have been found in early Māori archaeological sites.

    Archaeological remains from coastal sites in New Zealand and Tasmania indicate significant hunting and reliance on seals by Indigenous populations. Along with human-driven environmental changes, this led to local extinctions.

    Impacts of humans and climate change

    Genetically, the seals from these ancient Australasian and Antarctic colonies were distinct but related. They formed a unique lineage in the Pacific that included Macquarie Island. This genetic diversity likely resulted from periods of isolation in separate refuges at the height of the last Ice Age.

    However, with modern climate shifts and human exploitation, much of this genetic diversity has been lost. The colonies that once thrived on the Victoria Land Coast in Antarctica are now extinct.

    Meanwhile, Macquarie Island is home to a significant breeding colony facing its own challenges. Changes in Antarctic sea ice are increasing the distance between breeding grounds on the island and feeding grounds at sea. This has affected the colony’s stability in recent decades.

    One of the most striking outcomes of our research is how quickly these large, long-lived animals can respond to environmental pressures. Seals adapted to a shifting climate by expanding their range in response to new habitats and retracting when conditions became unsuitable.

    This ability to move and adapt, however, was limited when confronted by the dual pressures of rapid climate change and human exploitation, which reduced their numbers and genetic diversity drastically over a short period.

    This schematic shows living (solid circles) and extinct (opaque circles) southern elephant seal populations and the extent of sea ice around Antarctica (opaque blue-grey) at the height of the last Ice Age.
    Berg et al (2025), CC BY-SA

    Can the Southern Ocean ecosystem adapt?

    As human-driven climate change continues, the Southern Ocean is expected to continue warming. This will cause further habitat loss for species that depend on sea ice and are affected by shifts in the availability of prey.

    The elephant seals’ history offers a window into how marine mammals may respond to these changes. But it also serves as a warning: human impacts, coupled with environmental pressures, can lead to swift, sometimes irreversible declines.

    Our research underscores the importance of conserving the genetic diversity and habitats of southern elephant seals. These seals are not just a testament to adaptability in a changing world; they are reminders of the vulnerability of even the most resilient species.

    Protecting their remaining strongholds and minimising human impacts on their food sources and breeding grounds will be crucial if we hope to avoid further contractions in their population.

    The story of the southern elephant seal is one of survival, adaptation and loss. As we face our own climate challenges, we must consider the lessons embedded in their genetic and ecological history.

    It’s a reminder that while nature often adapts to change and can weather some ecosystem threats, human-driven impacts can push even the most adaptable species beyond the point of recovery.

    Nic Rawlence receives funding from the Marsden Fund.

    Mark de Bruyn received funding from a Griffith University New Investigator grant.

    Michael Knapp 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. Southern elephant seals are adaptable – but they struggle when faced with both rapid climate change and human impacts – https://theconversation.com/southern-elephant-seals-are-adaptable-but-they-struggle-when-faced-with-both-rapid-climate-change-and-human-impacts-251820

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Figs, meat – and not too much sex. A good diet in ancient times was more than what you ate

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Konstantine Panegyres, Lecturer in Classics and Ancient History, The University of Western Australia

    The Feast of Acheloüs by Peter Paul Rubens and Jan Brueghel the Elder, ca. 1615 The Metropolitan Museum of Art

    In the modern world, we know good nutrition is essential for our health.

    Doctors in ancient Greece and Rome knew this too – in fact diet advice was a mainstay of medical practice and health routines. There were extensive and intricate discussions of how to regulate food and drink to stay healthy.

    Some of their ideas – such as eating fish and vegetables as a healthy way to lose weight – make sense today. But others may raise eyebrows, such a fig-only diet for Olympic athletes.

    So, what did diet and nutrition look like in ancient times? And is there anything we can learn today?

    An expansive diet

    In modern times, diet refers to food and drink. In ancient times, however, the idea of diet was more expansive.

    Our word “diet” comes from the ancient Greek word diaita. This could refer to what we eat and drink, but it could also refer to our lifestyle as a whole – including exercise, sleep, sex and other activities.

    When prescribing a diaita, ancient doctors did not just tell patients what to eat and drink. They also advised them on what sorts of other activities they should be doing, like exercising or even going to the theatre.

    For instance, in the sixth book of the Epidemics, a medical text written in the late fifth century BC, the author calls for moderation not just in what we eat and drink, but also in exercise, sleep and sex.

    Ancient doctors believed balance was important for health.

    Extreme dieting

    However, not all ancient texts advocate moderation. There are some extreme cases of dieting. For example, the historian Hegesander of Delphi (2nd century BC) wrote:

    Anchimolus and Moschus, who were sophistic teachers in Elis, drank nothing but water all their lives and ate nothing but figs, but were no less physically vigorous than anyone else. Their sweat, however, smelled so bad that everyone tried to avoid them in the baths.

    Some ancient athletes swore by a fig-only diet.
    Wikimedia Commons

    In the seventh century BC, athletic trainers also focused on diet as a way to improve their athletes’ physical condition. Trainers such as Iccus of Tarentum introduced strict diets for their athletes to try and gain a competitive edge.

    However, their methods were often questionable, according to today’s standards and our knowledge about nutrition.

    For example, the Olympic runner Chionis of Laconia apparently also had a strict diet of figs when he was training for his competitions. He won in his event at the Olympics in 668, 664, 660, and 656BC, a remarkable record. Other athletes, such as Eurymenes of Samos (sixth century BC), opted for a diet entirely comprised of meat.

    However, there is no evidence to show these restricted diets would have improved athletic performance – and would not be recommended today.

    The physician Galen.
    Pierre-Roch Vigneron/Wikimedia Commons

    An ancient doctor’s perspective

    Greek and Roman doctors could not conduct controlled trials as scientists do today.

    Nevertheless, they were keen observers of the effects of certain foods on their patients – and saw with their own eyes that a bad diet is not good for us.

    For example, the physician Galen of Pergamum (129-216AD) in his work Hygiene attributes his patients’ ill health to poor diet.

    He observed

    some who are continuously diseased, not due to the intrinsic constitution of the body, but through a bad regimen, or living an idle life, or working too hard, or being in error regarding the qualities, quantities or times of foods, or practicing some exercise that is harmful, or erring in regard to the amount of sleep, or excessive indulgence in sex, or needlessly tormenting themselves with grief and anxiety. Every year I see very many who are sick through such a cause.

    Galen thought hard about how certain foods and drinks affect our health and wrote various books on the subject, such as On the Powers of Foods.

    This work contains many anecdotes. For instance, one young man drank the juice of the scammony plant, “to cleanse his system” (presumably as a laxative). However

    five hours after the dose no evacuation had taken place, and he complained that his stomach felt compressed, his belly was heavy and swollen, consequently he was pale and anxious.

    Galen also recognised different diets affect people in different ways:

    some people are harmed and some are benefited by the same things and similarly with opposites. […] I know of some who immediately become sick, if they remain three days without exercise, and others who continue indefinitely without exercise and yet are healthy.

    Nutrition and balance

    Galen’s advice for overweight or obese patients may sound familiar: a “thinning” diet and a lot of fast running. So, exercise, combined with foods that fill you up but don’t make you gain weight.

    According to Galen this meant eating vegetables and fish and avoiding wheat, red meat, fruit and wine.

    A lot has changed in the world of diet and nutrition. We now have professional dietiticians and empirical methods to measure the nutritional values of foods.

    However in their broader definition of “diet”, ancient doctors identified something that remains as true today: the importance of eating well as part of a healthy lifestyle, one that takes care of body and mind and includes exercise, sleep and pleasure.

    Konstantine Panegyres 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. Figs, meat – and not too much sex. A good diet in ancient times was more than what you ate – https://theconversation.com/figs-meat-and-not-too-much-sex-a-good-diet-in-ancient-times-was-more-than-what-you-ate-249571

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/CONGO RD – Appeal by Butembo university students: “Enough 30 years of war imposed on us to plunder our country’s resources”

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Kinshasa (Agenzia Fides) – “We have been living in war for more than 30 years. The war was born before our generation. It has produced misery, millions of internally displaced people, millions of dead” say the university students of Butembo-Beni, in North Kivu, in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo.Since January, vast portions of territory in the provinces of North and South Kivu have been conquered by the M23 guerrilla movement with the support of the Rwandan army, including the two capitals, Goma and Bukavu.In their appeal, sent to Fides, the members of the Student Council of the Catholic University of Graben in Butembo-Beni complain that “the international community has had a passive attitude”. “The conflict endangers the sovereignty of the DRC and our right to life. Children, women and men are exposed to atrocities and all kinds of violence and human rights violations”.The students raise ‘a cry of alarm’. “Aware of the challenges and problems related to peace and security in the world, we express our and the Congolese people’s great weariness. For too long we have been attacked, massacred, killed, deprived of fundamental freedoms, stripped of human dignity. We need peace”. The Butembo-Beni university students remind us that at the root of the war imposed on the Congolese population, there is no ‘ancestral’ conflict, but topical economic and strategic interests: “There is no longer any need to prove that economic and expansionist reasons lie behind this tragedy. Material interests make us prey: our mineral resources, necessary for the technological and energy transition, are among the most coveted by world powers. But to access them, is it really necessary to kill us, condemn us to misery, destroy our cities, our homes, our environment?”. An example of this predation is given by the 10 tonnes of strategic minerals taken in mid-February by M23 militiamen from a plant in South Kivu (see Fides, 26/2/2025; on the kind of Congolese strategic mineral wealth (see Fides, 1/2/2023).This is why the students demand that “our riches benefit the daughters and sons of the DRC. We want the powers to negotiate directly with the DRC partnerships conducted in a fair and peaceful manner, in the interest of all peoples. Our resources must not be extorted through illicit exploitation, at the cost of our lives. Together we must find ways to share them with respect for all human rights and the principle of sovereignty of states”.“We therefore launch an urgent and pressing appeal to all actors on the international scene, so that they play their role correctly. They must work to ensure that the world finds peace and security, to ensure that all the peoples of the world finally have a peaceful life. We have neither weapons production industries nor nuclear weapons laboratories. Why impose war on us? We want peace and security, without conditions”, they conclude. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 18/3/2025)
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