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Category: Universities

  • MIL-OSI Russia: “Our Hearts Are With Them”: HSE Hosts Festival in Honor of Defenders of the Fatherland

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

    © Higher School of Economics

    February 19th HSE Center of CulturesThe HSE hosted a student festival dedicated to the Year of the Defender of the Fatherland and the 80th anniversary of the Victory. During the day, films from the III International Traveling Festival “Cinema in the Service of the Fatherland” were shown, the halls hosted thematic exhibitions dedicated to the Great Patriotic War and the heroes of the SVO, as well as platforms of patriotic student organizations. In the evening, a concert by the Academic Song and Dance Ensemble of the Russian Army named after A.V. Alexandrov was held.

    “War has become sacred”

    The festival was opened by representatives Military training centerNational Research University Higher School of Economics.

    The head of the Military Training Center, Hero of Russia Colonel Vladimir Korgutov congratulated students, lyceum students, and university staff on the upcoming Defender of the Fatherland Day and invited them to the festive events that will take place in the Military Training Center in the coming days.

    Ordinary Professor, Major General Adam Nizhalovsky spoke with festival participants about the victory in the Great Patriotic War. “This war became sacred because the enemy wanted not only to occupy our territory and use its resources. The efforts of the aggressor were aimed at the destruction of our people, their spiritual and moral values,” he emphasized.

    “It was an interesting conversation, and we learned a lot of new things,” the student shared his impressions. Lyceum of the National Research University Higher School of EconomicsFedor Koshlyak. – For example, that Hitler, having captured Paris, was unable to climb the Eiffel Tower because the French broke the elevator, and the Germans were unable to fix it. It is clear that the general is well informed, that he evaluates the events of those years impartially.”

    Among the participants in the conversation were those who demonstrated remarkable knowledge. When asked about the origin of the name of Hitler’s plan to attack the USSR, lyceum student Savely Zayev answered that the nickname Barbarossa was borne by the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, who died while crossing a river. “He was in heavy armor, fell from his horse and drowned. I don’t think that Hitler, when he approved his plan, knew the fate of this statesman to the end,” Adam Nizhalovsky clarified.

    “A university that serves the Fatherland”

    The Small Hall of the Culture Center hosted pre-premiere screenings of films from the III International Traveling Festival “Cinema in the Service of the Fatherland.” Among them was the documentary “River of Heroes,” dedicated to the origins of Russian courage using examples from different eras. After the screening, director Konstantin Aleksandrov answered questions from the audience — he was not released for an hour.

    “I had an idea of the Higher School of Economics as a liberal university, but after I showed the film and received feedback, it changed to the opposite,” Konstantin said in an interview with Vyshka.Glavnoe. “This is a university that serves the Fatherland. Both students and lyceum students watched the film consciously, thoughtfully analyzed it, asked tricky questions, and these were exactly the questions I needed!”

    One of the questions, dedicated to the parallels drawn in the film between the Patriotic War of 1812 and the Great Patriotic War, was asked by lyceum student Sergei Fedorkin. He studies in the Natural Sciences direction and is interested in history, especially the era of the Napoleonic wars. “A great film, it conveys feelings and emotions very well. The director managed to achieve all the goals he set for himself,” Sergei commented.

    “Beautiful, powerful works”

    An exhibition of portraits of the heroes of the SVO was organized in the hall of the second floor as part of the project “Coal of the Russian Land” – an addition to the festival “Cinema in the Service of the Fatherland”. Russian frontline artists presented their works painted in coal.

    And in the hall of the third floor there was an exhibition of photographs dedicated to the Great Patriotic War. It was held by the Creative Union of Artists of Russia as part of the All-Russian exhibition project “MEMORY”. After the festival, the exhibition will move to the atrium and will be regularly updated.

    3rd year studentJoint Bachelor’s degree program of the National Research University Higher School of Economics and the Center for Pedagogical Excellence Sidharth Mehta, who visited both exhibitions, noted their inseparable connection in an interview with Vyshka.Glavnoe. “The faces of people depicted in the paintings and captured in the photographs carry similar emotions – those that were experienced then, on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War, and now – in the SVO zone. They are connected by a common cause that they are carrying out, fighting the fascist threat,” the student believes.

    “The Higher School of Economics is one of the best universities in the country, and we were warmly welcomed here, we managed to gather a full hall. Young people are our main audience, and among our viewers there were also teachers, officers, including a Hero of Russia. There are plans for further cooperation with the university – we have many interesting things ahead of us,” said Virineya Shigina, head of the Coal of the Russian Land project.

    “Many portraits were painted based on photographs and stories from fellow soldiers – the guys were no longer alive, and we wanted to convey everything they experienced for us, for our future,” added her colleague Evgenia Laskina.

    “Thank you very much for this amazing exhibition. You have very beautiful, powerful works that leave a mark on the soul. The paintings depict heroes, servicemen, and you managed to convey their best human, officer qualities, to capture the foundation on which our state stands. This is invaluable support, your contribution to the victory,” said Vice-Rector Sergei Rozhkov, communicating with the artists.

    He also thanked the organizers of the photo exhibition, emphasizing that each work simultaneously conveys grief for those killed during the Great Patriotic War and the joy of Victory.

    Letter to the hero

    The halls of the Cultural Center housed stands of the Military Training Center, Department of Physical Educationand student organizations with a patriotic focus. Among them is the All-Russian student patriotic movement “White Raven”, created at the National Research University Higher School of Economics. Its stand featured weapons – both modern and from the Great Patriotic War. Anyone could take part in weaving a camouflage net that would save the lives of our soldiers in the SVO zone.

    As the leader of the movement, a 5th-year student of the educational program “Story” and a graduate of the Military Training Center Anton Yukhnevsky, its participants themselves deliver humanitarian aid to the SVO zone, and in the building on Staraya Basmannaya, anyone can take part in weaving camouflage nets on certain days, including those not from the Higher School of Economics.

    At the stand of the women’s student club “Big Dipper” (it unites girls who see their mission in supporting the morale of servicemen and students of military universities), participants and guests of the festival could write letters to the SVO fighters. Among those who took advantage of this opportunity was a third-year student MIEFEgor Stryukov.

    “I come from the city of Kurchatov in the Kursk region – my grandparents are still there, and of course I worry about them. In the letter, I tried to express gratitude to our soldiers who are taking back Russian land from the enemy. Let them know that the people are with them, that they are supported,” Yegor said.

    A letter to the fighters was also written by Nina Kulieva, a Muscovite who attended the student festival at the HSE as part of the Moscow Longevity program.

    “I am a child of war – I was born in 1944. I wrote a letter to our soldiers, congratulated them on Defender of the Fatherland Day. I pray for them every day, so that they return home safe and sound. And so that they win. Victory will always be ours,” said Nina Danilovna.

    “Very important words”

    The culmination of the festival was a concert by the Academic Song and Dance Ensemble of the Russian Army named after A.V. Alexandrov in the Great Hall of the Center of Cultures. Before its beginning, the rector of the National Research University Higher School of Economics Nikita Anisimov delivered welcoming remarks.

    He congratulated all those present on the upcoming holiday, thanked the festival organizers, drawing attention to the special role of the Military Training Center in its implementation, and emphasized that it is being held in the Year of the Defender of the Fatherland. “These days, we honor the memory of those who defended our Motherland. Our hearts are with them. Communicating with each other, we say very important words about our country, about its future, about the most important thing in our lives,” the rector noted.

    He also recalled that on February 14 we celebrated another anniversary of the liberation of Lugansk from the Nazi invaders and that this year we will celebrate the anniversary of Mikhail Matusovsky, a native of this city, the author of many famous songs. “By studying history, we shape the future,” concluded Nikita Anisimov.

    In turn, Hero of Russia Vladimir Korgutov wished “everyone a peaceful sky above their heads, and our troops victory.”

    The A.V. Alexandrov ensemble performed the songs “Where does the Motherland begin”, “The Holy War”, “Nightingales”, “Cranes”, “Infantry is infantry”, “Victory Day” and others. The hall was attended by guests of the university, students and employees, including vice-rectors Sergey Rozhkov, Dmitry Zemtsov, Vyacheslav Bashev, Irina Martusevich, Elena Odoevskaya and other leaders.

    “It was amazing! It is difficult to convey the full range of positive emotions from such a concert. I am very glad that I was able to listen to my favorite songs within the walls of the HSE on the eve of an important day. A very correct event. A big human thank you to those who organized it,” shared his impressions Deputy Vice-Rector, Director for Strategic Work with Applicants Alexander Chepovsky.

    “We were treated to real masters. Firstly, a very rich musical palette. Secondly, the impeccable teamwork of the musicians and soloists. Thirdly, as a result, a very powerful impact on the audience. To be honest, this is the first time I’ve heard the Alexandrov ensemble live and I’m very impressed,” said the dean. Faculty of HumanitiesFelix Azhimov.

    According to the senior lecturer Faculty of Creative IndustriesRimma Pogodina, in the songs that sounded from the stage – the strength, spirit, power of the Russian people who survived a terrible war. “The hall was attended by both young people and representatives of the middle and older generations, and the connection between generations is a valuable resource that helps unite a huge group of teachers and students,” Rimma Pogodina emphasized. “I would like to wish that such events become traditional at our beloved university.”

    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: A memorandum of cooperation was signed between SPbGASU and GC NEOLANT

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Victoria Vinogradova and Oleg Rukhlov

    A memorandum on the joint development of digital information models for nuclear power facilities, the fuel and energy complex and industry was signed between the NEOLANT Group of Companies and SPbGASU. It was signed by the Vice-Rector of SPbGASU for Continuing Education Victoria Vinogradova and the General Director of NEOLANT Group of Companies Oleg Rukhlov.

    JSC GC NEOLANT is a developer of domestic digital solutions such as 3D-CAD POLYNOM, laser scanning data processing and recognition system Nord LS, heterogeneous CAD data translation system Interbridge Pro, as well as the domestic engineering data management system (EDMS) NEOSINTEZ. NEOLANT software solutions have been selected by the State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom for the implementation of the Corporate Information System Digital Preparation of Decommissioning (CIS CPDE).

    The memorandum establishes the procedure for interaction in the preparation of the university’s faculty and students for the use of NEOLANT Group software products for educational, scientific and commercial purposes, as well as on issues of joint implementation of promising specialized R&D, R&D and other research and design work with the participation of students and teachers of SPbGASU.

    At the signing ceremony, Oleg Rukhlov noted: “By signing the memorandum of cooperation, we undertake to implement an import substitution program in the construction, architectural and engineering spheres by introducing the latest Russian products that have already earned the respect of leading Russian corporations. We are pleased to share unique knowledge and connect our products to the training of students, teachers, young professionals throughout the country and for the benefit of the entire country.”

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Turkish girl discovers charm of Chinese culture

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    Nursena Burus, a 19-year-old from the historic city of Manisa on Türkiye’s Aegean coast, has developed a taste for Chinese culture thanks to its food and her travels around the country.

    For Burus, coming to China was not just a language-learning opportunity, but a chance to experience a culture that had captivated her from afar.

    Her sister, who had previously studied artificial intelligence at China’s Xiamen University, encouraged her to take the leap and explore China.

    “My family and friends thought learning Chinese was too difficult, but my sister showed me pictures of her life in China — her friends, festivals and foods,” Burus said. “I started to see it as more than just a place to study. It looks like an adventure.”

    In February 2024, she arrived in China just before the Chinese New Year, and immediately immersed in the vibrant atmosphere of celebration. Red lanterns swayed in the wind, intricate paper cuttings adorned windows, and vibrant couplets decorated doorways.

    “Everywhere I went, the streets were filled with red, a color of celebration and good luck. It was a completely new experience for me.”

    After settling into Tianjin University, Burus could not help but notice that the usually busy campus was almost empty as most Chinese students had headed home for the Spring Festival.

    “It reminded me of the Ramadan Feast in Türkiye, when we all go back to our hometowns to eat, pray and celebrate with family. I love how both cultures value family reunions during important holidays.”

    As classes began in March, Burus quickly adapted to learning and living at Tianjin University. “The teachers were so supportive. They encouraged me to practice speaking without worrying about mistakes, and their passion made me work even harder.”

    Burus quickly built friendships with her Chinese classmates through food and diverse cultural activities.

    Her best Chinese friend Meiqi became her food “mentor.” Meiqi taught her how to use chopsticks and introduced her to Tianjin’s popular street foods, including hot pot and red bean shaved ice.

    She regularly explored the university’s cafeterias and discovered her favorite dishes, including Peking Duck. Moreover, she often followed the recommended foods on the popular short video-sharing platform Douyin to explore new restaurants and shared photos of her culinary adventures on her WeChat Moments.

    “Chinese cuisines are rich and delicious, and the convenient digital payment system has truly amazed me,” Burus said.

    In October 2024, she spent a weekend in the countryside of Tianjin, picking hawthorn and chestnuts and eating farmhouse meals. “It was a very beautiful and peaceful place. People seem to quite enjoy their lives,” she said. The experience reminded her of her hometown village near Manisa, where life is slower, simpler and deeply connected to the land.

    One of her most cherished memories was celebrating the Dragon Boat Festival in 2024. The festival coincided with her birthday and she had the chance to learn how to make Zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) with her classmates.

    “It reminded me of Nevruz, a Turkish holiday that celebrates the arrival of spring. Both festivals honor seasonal changes,” Burus said.

    Now more fluent in Chinese, Burus feels that China has become a second home where she has made lifelong friends and experienced the beauty of Chinese culture.

    “We share so many similar things, like our love for family, traditions and hospitality. I want to build on that connection and show others that the world isn’t as different as it seems.”

    Before leaving China earlier this year after finishing two semesters of a language learning program, she left behind a wish bottle buried on the campus, containing her wish to become a bridge for cultural exchanges between Türkiye and China. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Universities – University of Auckland unveils its world-class Recreation Centre Hiwa – UoA

    Source: University of Auckland (UoA)

    The University of Auckland’s new recreation centre was formally opened on 21 February by Hon Chris Bishop, Minister for Infrastructure and Associate Minister for Sport and Recreation, and the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Auckland, Professor Dawn Freshwater.

    The eight-storey building, complete with rooftop turf, pool, and state-of-the-art sports halls, is being used by staff, students and the public as part of the University’s concerted focus on balancing well-being with academia.

    The centre’s name Hiwa, gifted by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, means ‘vigorous, active, robust and sound’, reflecting the University’s aspirations for growth and well-being. The 26,000 sq m facility covers a space equivalent to roughly 3.7 rugby pitches or 100 standard tennis courts and is located on Symonds Street in the heart of Auckland.

    With an innovative vertically ‘stacked’ design, it centralises the University’s sport and recreation services into a single premises, overcoming the spatial constraints of its central city location.

    Features include a premier rooftop multi-sport turf and two sports halls with the southern hemisphere’s first glass sports floor with integrated LED markings to accommodate six different sports. It also holds capacity for 1,500 spectators, a running track, an eight-lane 33-metre lap pool, a dive tank, spa and sauna, climbing wall, group exercise studios, combat sports studio and expansive cardio and weights areas that make it one of the largest gym fit-outs in the southern hemisphere.

    Hiwa serves as a vibrant community hub, offering a café, social spaces and versatile indoor and outdoor areas for various activities. The University’s physical education programmes and exercise science students will also use the facility.

    Vice-Chancellor Professor Dawn Freshwater says the opening of Hiwa is a huge milestone for the University following comprehensive planning for a new recreation centre, spanning a decade. She says the investment in Hiwa further enhances the University of Auckland’s position as New Zealand’s pre-eminent, research-led higher education institution.

    “We are delighted to open the doors to this wonderful facility to bolster the world-class education our students receive and enhance the well-being of the wider community.

    “It’s an important hub for our growing University population and an asset for Auckland. Our community has long desired sport and recreation facilities that befit the world-class campus environment expected of Aotearoa New Zealand’s leading university.”

    She said campus experiences, especially in sport and recreation, are known to enhance student success.

    “Staff will also have more opportunity to pursue their health and well-being goals, and through public memberships and collaboration with the sport and recreation sector, we hope to positively impact the wider Auckland community.”

    As a focal point on campus, Hiwa Recreation Centre is designed to enrich campus life by connecting learning, sporting and social facilities.

    The building was designed by Warren and Mahoney in partnership with MJMA Architecture and Design, and constructed by Hawkins, in consultation with Rider Levett Bucknall, Beca and Colliers.

    It is the most multi-faceted building on campus, requiring 500 workers on site at the peak of construction. The University’s Chief Property Officer Simon Neale says Hiwa Recreation Centre is the most complex build the University has ever undertaken.

    “The project was not without its challenges, being delivered through one of the most challenging periods for the construction industry in New Zealand. The consultant and construction team masterfully navigated the Covid pandemic, supply-chain issues, moving 40-tonne trusses and vast pre-cast concrete beams for the pool hall roof overnight and at weekends.

    “But thousands of people and many businesses helped us deliver this significant project for the University, with a strong ethos of partnership between all those involved enabling us to overcome the challenges and to deliver an outstanding facility which will support the health and well-being of our student and staff communities, and high-performance sport, for many years to come.”

    Memberships are available to students, staff and members of the public. Casual visitors are also welcome.

    As well as the minister, guests at the official launch included Mayor Wayne Brown, Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson, Sports NZ CEO Raelene Castle and Eden Park CEO Nick Sautner.

    Bishop said as the former sports minister he had been to a number of sports facilities around the world, and Hiwa was “genuinely quite something. This is a remarkable facility for the university, but also for the city, and the whole country.”

    Simpson said she was blown away by the new recreation centre. “We know Auckland needs assets like this, but this is truly international class.”

    The event began with an elite diving demonstration for the Minister by engineering student and Commonwealth Games diver Frazer Tavener, and concluded with a shortened seven-aside netball match between the Vice-Chancellor’s Invitational Seven, which included Minister Bishop, and a Sport and Recreation Seven, which featured alumna and former Silver Fern Sulu Fitzpatrick.

    Fitzpatrick also spoke during the formalities, ahead of the plaque unveiling. She said: “The magnitude and the quality of this facility will make not only top athletes better for the world stage, but allow students and staff members to be happier and healthier, which will contribute to a better New Zealand. It’s exciting.”

    About Hiwa, Recreation Centre
    Hiwa, Recreation Centre is a showpiece for the University of Auckland and reflects the importance the University places on student and staff health and well-being. It significantly enhances the campus experience for students and staff, offering a state-of-the-art gym, sports centre and social hub, balancing health and relaxation with academia. It also offers gym memberships to Auckland residents and provides an additional recreational space for community outreach.

    Hiwa opened on 25 November 2024 (following a dawn blessing on 20 November) and is now operational.

    The official opening by the Vice-Chancellor Professor Dawn Freshwater and Hon Chris Bishop, Minister for Infrastructure and Associate Minister for Sport and Recreation, took place on Friday 21 February.

    Hiwa facts and figures

    Hiwa is a world-class facility for students, staff and the wider community to play sport, keep fit, have fun and socialise and get the most out of their time at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland.
    Sport and recreation play a vital role in health and well-being. Hiwa befits a global university, meeting the national and international expectations of students.
    Hiwa is a 26,000 sqm facility, covering a space equivalent to 100 standard tennis courts or 20 Olympic-sized swimming pools. Spread across eight levels, its innovative design overcomes the spatial challenges of a central city location.
    It has a unique inner-city rooftop multi-sport turf and track, and two sports halls with the southern hemisphere’s first glass floor, accommodating six different sports.
    Hiwa includes an eight-lane pool, dive tank, spa and sauna, bouldering wall, and is one of the largest gym fit-outs in the southern hemisphere.  
    As well as the fitness facilities, it serves as a community hub, with a café, and indoor and outdoor multi-purpose spaces.
    While Hiwa is primarily for students and staff, Hiwa has reinvigorated the city centre. The University recognises Auckland’s need for quality sports facilities and will be working to support the wider sports sector and contribute to making Auckland a world-class city.
    The University’s physical education programmes and exercise science students will also use the facility.  

     
    FAQs
    What does Hiwa mean?
    The Hiwa name, gifted to the University by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, means ‘vigorous (of growth), active, robust, sound’. It has multiple synergies with the recreation centre and its place at the heart of our University community.
     
    How much did the new building cost?  
    The sum approved in the University Estate Strategy for the full programme was $320m, which covered demolition and clearance of the site, ground works, temporary facilities for use during construction and the design and construction costs themselves. Final costs will not be known until later this year at which time the overall position will be compiled.
     
    How can the University afford this?
    Hiwa is the culmination of decades of planning and more than half of the funding for its construction comes from past and present student levies. The former student facilities levy and the current Compulsory Student Services Fee is paid by all students to contribute to student support services and can only be spent on student initiatives.
     
    Why is Hiwa needed?  
    Health and well-being are vital to the success of our students. Research shows that participation in sport, leisure, clubs, societies and fitness activities increases retention and translates into better academic performance among students, as well as a greater sense of community, social connection and belonging. World-class facilities attract high-quality students and academic talent and enhance the University’s relationship with the Auckland community.
     
    The University of Auckland believes this is an investment in the well-being not only of our 46,000 students but of our wider community. Providing world-leading sports and recreation facilities will further enhance the reputation, visibility and attractiveness of Auckland as a premier city in which to study and live.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The Acceleration Interuniversity Program “City Energy. Environment 2.0” has been launched at the State University of Management

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

    The acceleration program is carried out by the State University of Management in cooperation with the industrial partner of the State University of Management – OOO TEN Group – the TechnoSpark technology park in the city of Troitsk.

    Thematic areas of the accelerator: – TN1. Technologies for comfortable and safe human life; – TN2. Technologies of “green energy”; – TN3. Resource-saving systems, lean, digital technologies.

    These thematic areas of the Accelerator correspond to the critical technologies of the Russian Federation, approved by the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of July 7, 2011 N 899, contribute to solving the problems of ensuring the technological sovereignty of the Russian Federation, and correspond to the markets of the National Technology Initiative.

    The acceleration program implementation period is February – June 2025.

    The acceleration program consists of the following educational events: — lectures; — traction meetings (held in the form of team meetings with a tracker to develop a project); — expert presentations from representatives of the partner companies of the State University of Management in the thematic areas of the accelerator; — the Equator event, where teams present the intermediate results of their projects; — the Pre-Defense event, where teams present to other teams and trackers. Trackers make a decision on admission and recommendation of a team to participate in DemodDen; — the DemodDen event, where teams present the results of their projects to invited external experts.

    The head of the acceleration program “City Energy. Environment 2.0” Ekaterina Khalimon talks about the features of the program:

    “This year, the implementation model of the 7th acceleration program based on the State University of Management has undergone some changes. Firstly, it is implemented entirely by the State University of Management, without attracting third-party funding and without attracting the services of third-party organizations. Today, the State University of Management has a sufficient number of highly qualified specialists who can efficiently implement the conceived ideas. The State University of Management has already accumulated practical experience. The acceleration program “City Energy. Environment 2.0” is the 7th acceleration program carried out on the basis of the State University of Management. Since 2022, over 5,000 students have been trained in acceleration programs in the field of technological entrepreneurship based on the State University of Management.

    Secondly, an important emphasis was placed on interuniversity coverage: if in previous accelerators 80% of participants were SUM students, then in this program we want to achieve a 40/60 ratio, where 40% are SUM students, and 60% are students from third-party universities, attracted by SUM students themselves based on the team’s requests. We understand that SUM trains talented managers who can package any project, calculate, plan, and brilliantly present it to investors. But if we want to achieve prototypes and deep project development, then engineers, programmers, doctors, and students from other fields of study need to be attracted at the earliest stages of project development. The experience of the 6th acceleration program “Healthy Life Technologies 2.0” showed that teams that included both managers and students from other universities demonstrated a high degree of development of their projects, demonstrated prototypes, sketches, and conducted experiments in the laboratories of partner universities.

    And finally, the third feature of the current acceleration program “City Energy. Environment 2.0″ is that at the project initiation stage we provide students with requests for technological innovations received in January 2025 from the industrial partner of the State University of Management – the TechnoSpark technology park. The requests concern such areas as: urban infrastructure, hydrogen energy, automation of warehouse complexes, waste disposal, synthesis of coal, peat, biomass. In total, over 30 requests have been received in these areas. Close cooperation with such a large partner allows us to develop projects and products that are already urgently needed by our domestic manufacturers.”

    The accelerator trackers are teachers from the project management department who are certified project management specialists, active entrepreneurs, and experts in tracking and mentoring student startups.

    Following the results of the Acceleration Program, teams that have passed the Demo Day will receive feedback from invited experts and representatives of the technology park, the best teams will be invited to practice at the company for further work on projects.

     

    Subscribe to the tg channel “Our State University” Announcement date: 02.21.2025

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    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Navigating the Information Space: How AI Simplifies Search

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

    Simple search engines and smart chats are no longer enough

    The most familiar way for us to find the necessary information is classic “search engines” (Google, Yandex, etc.). In response to a user’s request, they provide a list of links where relevant information may potentially be. The principle of their work is based on indexing content located on the network. However, this approach does not always meet modern expectations – we want to quickly receive the most accurate and specific answer. Now we often have to look through a dozen suggested links, the content of which is sometimes duplicated and distorted due to advertising and SMM content. This problem is especially acute when searching for information for professional or research tasks.

    Smart chats and assistants have become an alternative in recent years. AI services for content creation, which have only recently burst into our everyday life, have already fit in quite harmoniously. In an intuitive dialogue mode, in a matter of seconds we receive not just a scattered set of links (as in a regular search), but a ready-made answer. However, often this result also requires additional rechecking, especially in terms of factuality.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Confucius Institute builds cultural bridge between China, Uzbekistan

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    On the premises of Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies is a unique “cultural bridge” connecting China and Uzbekistan — the Confucius Institute.

    The institute has been operating for more than 20 years, significantly contributing to strengthening the friendship between the two countries.

    It not only teaches the Chinese language but also promotes Chinese culture, said Gao Hongzhen, the Chinese director of the institute.

    Both children and adults study in the institute, with courses covering the Chinese language as well as traditional arts such as calligraphy and Chinese dance.

    Saodat Nasirova, the Uzbek director of the institute, said that the institute serves as a driving force in promoting knowledge about China in Uzbekistan and throughout the Central Asian region.

    Students gain in-depth knowledge of the Chinese language and culture, with many graduates returning to express their gratitude to the teachers.

    “This institute is a cherished educational place for students,” said Nasirova.

    Teachers at the institute employ innovative technologies such as virtual reality and artificial intelligence to enhance engagement and learning effectiveness.

    Wang Liyuan, a teacher, said that teaching is not just about imparting knowledge but also about inspiring dreams. Zhu Zhuxin, another teacher, uses game-based methods for children and focuses on practical communication skills for adults.

    The teachers played a key role in fostering interest in the Chinese language and culture, said Gulnoza Khodjaeva, a student at the institute.

    She regularly attends classes and actively participates in cultural events. “I not only discovered the beauty of Chinese characters but also felt how language serves as a bridge between different cultures,” she said. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Workshop on Standards for Robot Absolute Accuracy and Performance Assessment

    Source: US Government research organizations

    Keynote Speaker:

    Phil Freeman, The Boeing Company

    Workshop Speakers:

    Douglas Bristow, Missouri University of Science and Technology

    Roger Christian, Yaskawa Motoman

    Russ DeVlieg, Devson Engineering

    John Dye, Spirit Aerosystems

    Alex Klinger, Titan Robotics

    James Moore and Daniela Sawyer, Advanced Manufacturing Research Center, UK

    Jeremy Marvel, National Institute of Standards and Technology

    Shreyes Melkote, Georgia Institute of Technology

    Michael Ripperger, Southwest Research Institute

    Houssaine Waled, Kuka AG

    Miguel Saez, General Motors

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Polytechnic summed up the results of RAFU activities in 2024

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

    In mid-February, a general meeting of the participants of the Russian-African Network University consortium was held online. They summed up the results of their activities for 2024 and agreed on a work plan for 2025. The event was attended by Deputy Director of the Department of International Cooperation of the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia Stepan Sokolov, Vice-Rector for International Affairs of SPbPU Dmitry Arsenyev, Head of the RAFU Project Office Maxim Zalyvsky, Secretary of the RAFU Presidium, Deputy Director of International Cooperation Alla Mazina, Honorary Consul of Mali in St. Petersburg, Associate Professor of the Higher School of Hydraulic Engineering and Power Engineering Issa Togo and more than 70 representatives of 40 Russian universities participating in RAFU.

    Stepan Sokolov noted that Russian-African relations have a long history, where cooperation in science and higher education has always occupied a significant place and often became an important link between our countries and peoples. Hundreds of thousands of African students have received high-quality higher education in Russia.

    Today, many African countries show a noticeable interest in strengthening and developing cooperation with the Russian Federation. This is evident at various levels: from the willingness to improve the regulatory framework to active participation in international forums and bilateral meetings. However, we cannot stop there. It is necessary to constantly expand the horizons of opportunities and develop cooperation. First of all, with focus countries such as Algeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, Niger and Nigeria, Stepan Aleksandrovich emphasized.

    A promising direction also seems to be the development of cooperation between the RAFU consortium and the African Union and African universities, primarily in terms of training African teachers.

    The activities of SPbPU within the RAFU consortium have become an important vector of development, corresponding to the geopolitical interests of Russia. In a year and a half, we have given new dynamics to cooperation with African countries, expanded the geography of the consortium and made the RAFU brand recognizable in the international arena. We have not only restored the domain and updated the content of the site, but also turned it into an educational portal, posting more than 120 online courses for African colleagues, – noted Dmitry Arsenyev.

    This work has already yielded results. The number of participants has doubled, and the geography of cooperation has covered 15 African countries. RAFU participates in major international forums. This year alone, its members took part in such events as the World Festival of Youth and the Congress of Young Scientists in Sochi, the St. Petersburg Economic Forum, the BRICS Education Ministers’ Meeting in Moscow, the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum, and many others.

    The participants of the general meeting highly appreciated the work of the consortium and Polytechnic University as its coordinator. In 2025, RAFU will continue to work on developing cooperation and expanding the geography of the consortium’s activities on the African continent.

    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: “Open Polytech” included in the Register of Russian software

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

    The Open Polytechnic e-learning system, developed by the Open Education Center of Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University (SPbPU), was officially included in the Register of Russian Software (registry entry No. 26391). The decision was made on the basis of an order from the Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation following a meeting of the expert council.

    About the Open Polytech system

    “Open Polytech” is a key project of the SPbPU Open Education Center aimed at developing digital learning. The system is a modernized version of Moodle, adapted to the standards of Russian higher education. It supports up to 3,000 simultaneous users, integrates with the university’s accounting systems and is equipped with real-time load balancing services.

    The developer and copyright holder of the system is Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University.

    The Open Polytech system covers all key aspects of the educational process:

    information transfer: interactive lectures, educational materials, multimedia content; knowledge control: testing, practical tasks, gamification elements; interaction of participants: chats, forums, video conferences, joint work on projects; organization of training: course management, monitoring of academic performance, personalization of the educational process.

    The inclusion of the Open Polytech system in the Register of Russian software confirms its high quality and compliance with the requirements of domestic software. The SPbPU Open Education Center continues to implement advanced digital technologies, providing students and teachers with modern tools for online learning.

    More information about the system and its capabilities can be found on the official website “OpenPolytech”.

    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: Comrade Sergeant, you have a letter… An exhibition for February 23 has opened at NSU

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –

    The main idea of the exhibition is to introduce students and teachers of NSU to unique and warm stories that were born during the years of student conscription into the army on the eve of Defender of the Fatherland Day.

    Preparations for organizing the memorial exhibition began last summer. The staff Museum of the History of NSU together with interested students Humanitarian Institute of NSUletters, photographs and telegrams were selected, and data on where exactly the students served in those years was systematized. One of the schoolgirls from Lyceum No. 130 of Akademgorodok also took part in this work.

    — This exhibition tells about the 1980s, when our students began to be called up en masse for military service. If you look at the statistics, before the 1980s, individual students were sent to the army, mainly from the Humanities Faculty, where there was no military department, and after receiving their diplomas. Since 1984, they began to recruit students from all faculties where the guys studied full-time, — says Lidiya Vorobtsova, director of the NSU History Museum.

    NSU was fundamentally different from other universities in its attitude towards those guys who were called up. If we take the statistics of the call-up, then almost 96% of all servicemen returned to study at NSU: in the 1980s, 2110 students were called up, and 2013 of them returned after service to complete their studies at NSU, that is, almost all. If we take the statistics of other universities in the country, then on average about 70% of guys returned.

    — Credit should be given to those who were in charge of communication with our students. Evgeniya Vasilyevna Ulyanova headed this headquarters, which gathered active girls and the remaining guys from the groups from which students were called up, so that the connection with those who left would not be broken. They wrote letters, sent photos, talked about their lives and even sent textbooks and manuals. In addition, there were propaganda teams, which included guys from NSU humor clubs, they went to military units. In response, good news and gratitude came from their places of service that the called up guys were not forgotten, not crossed out from the ranks of NSU students, — adds Lidiya Vorobtsova.

    The exhibition presents letters, postcards, telegrams from places of service, clippings from photo albums, among them are the faces of young boys, in whom one can recognize current professors and teachers of NSU. As well as military uniforms of that time from the collection of the Integral Museum-Apartment of the History of Akademgorodok.

    Many of those who served in the army in the 80s as students now work at the university and in the research institutes of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. They shared their memories of that time with us, and told us how their military service influenced their future lives and professional activities.

    — I joined the army in 1984, when NSU drafted about 70-80% of all the guys studying in different faculties after the second year. We spent a long time, 2-3 days for sure, at the distribution point, then traveled for a long time to our place of service by train. We didn’t know where we were being taken. When we crossed the entire country, got to Murmansk and didn’t stop there, our mood began to fall, and we had only one thought: “Where should we go, the border is coming soon.” When the railway ended, we finally stopped. Our place of service was the village of Pechenga on the Kola Peninsula. We go to the bathhouse — the sun is standing, we leave the bathhouse — everything is the same, over our heads, it goes in circles all day and doesn’t set. That’s how we ended up behind the Arctic Circle in the conditions of the polar day and night, — recalls his years of service in the army Evgeny Sagaydak, head of the education export department at NSU and a graduate. Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics of NSU.

    Evgeny Ivanovich ended up in a specialized mountain motorized rifle battalion, where the guys were taught literally everything, including how to shoot any small arms that existed at the time. I remember the moments of the evening roll call, when they went on duty. As a rule, this happened at eight o’clock in the evening. The soldiers had a sign: when they saw the Northern Lights on a polar night, it meant that the night would be cold and the next day too.

    — Some of the warmest memories from the years of service in the army were communication with the university. We wrote, and they wrote to us. The management sent the newspaper “University Life”, for various holidays — postcards and appliques, and New Year’s greetings were especially significant – each postcard had the real signature of the NSU rector. That is, at one point, stacks of these postcards were brought to his reception room, and he signed each one by hand, — Evgeny Sagaydak shares his memories.

    The period of military service became a good school of life for the guys.

    — The ability to communicate, the ability to stand up for yourself and rely on your own strength, on your closest friends and colleagues. Over two years of service, you matured, understood what life is, what you really want to do next. That is why 96% of all conscript students returned to study, because they wanted to study further, wanted to learn new things and did it successfully, — emphasizes Evgeniy Sagaydak.

    Naimjon Ibragimov, graduate Faculty of Economics, NSU 1990 and deputy dean of the Faculty of Economics of NSU, served in the Chita region, in the village of Olovyanny-3, in the strategic missile forces.

    — Far from home, we, Novosibirsk students, were united by something greater. Even when we served in different units and met by chance only at training camps, smiles never left our faces, we encouraged each other, shared news. I remember that every month in the unit we were given 13 rubles. We always wanted something sweet, so we went to the soldiers’ buffet, or “chipok” in other words, bought waffles and accidentally met our own, which made it even more pleasant.

    I remember the physical and volitional loads that were much easier for the students from the dormitory than for those who lived at home during their studies. We were already adapted to strict timings, when, for example, we had to have breakfast or lunch very quickly in order to then complete strategic tasks or run to another unit.

    The university skills that we managed to acquire helped us quickly expand our circle of acquaintances and find a common language with the unit’s leadership, so first the Physics and Mathematics School, and then the first and second years allowed us to cope with the difficulties of army life quite quickly and successfully, and quickly find solutions in difficult situations, says Naimdzhon Ibragimov.

    Naimdzhon Mulaboevich also notes that the university was distinguished by its attitude towards students who ended up in the army. None of the guys from other universities who served in his unit received letters of support.

    — It was the uniqueness of NSU that gave rise to a feeling of pride for our university. I express my gratitude to the university and the teachers who supported us with regular letters so that we felt that the university was waiting for us.

    Pavel Logachev, graduate Physics Department of NSU 1989, Director of the INP SB RAS, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, graduated from the Physics and Mathematics School with almost excellent marks, he solved all the problems of the entrance exams to the universities where a deferment from military service was provided (at Moscow State University and Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology), so he could choose any of them. However, he deliberately did not go to Moscow.

    — When I entered Novosibirsk University in 1982, I understood perfectly well that I would be drafted into the army in 1984. I planned to work at the Institute of Nuclear Physics — and nowhere else. To do this, I needed to study at the Physics Department of NSU.

    After the first two courses, I was drafted into the army. I served for a short time – only two days and two nights – polar. Time flew by, the army experience I gained was also important and interesting. I do not regret that I honestly gave these two years to the country. We served in the north of the Murmansk region, not far from the border with Norway, in a regular motorized rifle regiment. However, the regiment was fully staffed and had a large number. We regularly had combat exercises, so we learned to shoot from the weapons assigned to us and honed our skills in various training sessions.

    As for learning, of course, any experience requires constant practice. If you don’t do something, skills are lost, but they can be restored later.

    I would like to thank the university separately for the informal, but very important and effective work it did with the students who had gone into the army, and they were the majority. The remaining boys and girls regularly wrote us letters, told us about life at the university and sent us fresh issues of the newspaper “University Life”. This was extremely important for us. Moreover, during the two years of service, delegations from NSU came to us three times. The visiting students told us what was happening at the university and reminded us that we were expected there. I do not know anyone from those with whom I served who did not return to the university after the army. Everyone continued their studies and completed them, – Pavel Logachev shares his memories.

    The staff of the NSU History Museum would like to thank Svetlana Dovgal, Director of the NSU Career Development Center, Elena Krasilova, Head of the Department of Youth Policy and Educational Work, and Anastasia Bliznyuk, Director of the Integral Museum-Apartment of the History of Akademgorodok, for their assistance in organizing the exhibition.

    You can immerse yourself in archival data, read warm letters and view the exhibition until February 28 in the light window near auditorium 2322 (3rd block, Pirogova St., 1).

    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 United Kingdom: CoSTAR Realtime Lab at Water’s Edge in Dundee will provide a major stimulus to Scotland’s screen and tech industries

    Source: University of Abertay

    CoSTAR Realtime Lab at Water’s Edge in Dundee will provide a major stimulus to Scotland’s screen and tech industries

    A new £9m virtual production studio will drive research, innovation and economic growth in Scotland’s screen, games, immersive and performance industries.

    Abertay University launched the CoSTAR Realtime Lab at Water’s Edge, Dundee on Tuesday 18 February marking the start of operations for a major infrastructure project that will provide a significant boost to Scotland’s screen industries.

    This cutting-edge programme will bring new opportunities and expert support to UK creative and technology companies working across the breadth of the creative industries.

    The CoSTAR Network represents the largest investment in Creative Industries R&D to date with a £75.6M grant awarded by the UKRI Infrastructure Fund and delivered by the Arts and Humanities Research Council.

    The CoSTAR Realtime Lab is led by Abertay University and the total project investment is £9m operated in partnership with the University of Edinburgh, CodeBase, Interface and Chroma Developments.

    Industry and academia working in partnership

    Creative companies from across the UK and beyond will have the opportunity to work with the CoSTAR Realtime Lab, benefitting from state-of-the-art research and development (R&D) facilities and access to industry experts and academic researchers.

    The studio at Chroma Developments’ Water’s Edge in Dundee marks the beginning of the CoSTAR Realtime Lab’s work, with a further studio led by the University of Edinburgh to open at First Stage Studios in Edinburgh in March 2025. The facilities will be connected through the Realtime Cloud Lab supporting remote access and collaboration from anywhere in the world.

    Virtual production—a cinematography technique that employs computer-generated imagery (CGI), augmented reality, and motion capture to create immersive virtual film, game and performance sets – will be at the heart of the CoSTAR Realtime Lab’s work and represents a significant opportunity for creative companies working with real time technologies.

    Researchers will support industry-led projects to generate new products and processes to improve production pipelines including, 3D environments and video processing, performance and motion capture, facial animation, automated speech and dynamic generation of hyper-realistic digital film sets and many others. The CoSTAR Realtime Lab’s work will also look at ways to enhance spectator experiences at concerts, live events and museums and how immersive technologies like Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality can be better used and integrated.

    Blending Abertay University’s internationally renowned expertise in video games and technology with the University of Edinburgh’s world-leading AI, animation and film capabilities, the partnership will build transformative new processes, pipelines, tools and workflows to help companies grow, while de-risking opportunities to diversify and take on new projects and clients.

    Supporting creators and creative companies

    The CoSTAR Realtime Lab will create opportunities for Scotland’s screen innovators to access next generation production technologies and support them to apply their creativity, skills and expertise to create new technologies, design new experiences and establish new markets. Access will be offered through a series of open programmes, giving companies and creatives the opportunity to test, develop and refine their ideas.

    One of the main programmes is the Realtime TEST Lab, which offers creative companies, creatives and innovators access to resources to experiment with virtual production and creative technologies in content production or software development before committing further investment in their final productions. The Realtime TEST Lab is supported with funding from Screen Scotland.

    The CoSTAR Realtime Lab will also offer support through Collaborative R&D – a way of working in partnership that can be activated by companies, individuals and project staff in conversation with the CoSTAR Realtime Lab. Scale-up and start-up training and support will also be provided by CodeBase through its Techscaler programme.

    Further CoSTAR Network programmes include the Pilots and Prototypes Programme (PPP), a £3.6 million fund for UK companies to develop new ideas by accessing technical and research capabilities, and the Enterprise and Commercial programme (E&C) supporting the growth of highly capable, inclusive, and sustainable creative technology businesses.

    In addition to its main partners, CoSTAR Realtime Lab is supported by Screen Scotland, Scottish Enterprise, Amazon Web Services, Nvidia and VSS-Scotland.

    Professor Gregor White, Director of the CoSTAR Realtime Lab said:

    With the technologies that power our screen-based experiences in film, games and performance rapidly converging there’s an opportunity for companies working in these sectors to diversify their offer, explore new markets and push the boundaries of what was previously thought possible in their sectors. Bringing together international-quality academic researchers with industry experience and enterprise support, CoSTAR Realtime Lab is a truly collaborative project which will break down barriers for the Scottish creative industries, encourage entrepreneurship and experimentation, and provide a space where innovation can flourish.

    Professor Melissa Terras MBE, Edinburgh College of Art, Co-director of the CoSTAR Realtime Lab said:

    Scotland has vibrant creative industries, with world-leading activity in festivals, film/TV, music, heritage, and games in particular. Building a bridge between creatives and technologists will allow us to support the development of new products and services, while also ensuring that we are encouraging diverse access to cutting edge facilities, which will then produce diverse outputs. The partnership behind CoSTAR Realtime Lab is expertly placed to deliver this exciting innovation vehicle to support our creative communities.

    AHRC Executive Chair Professor Christopher Smith said:

    The CoSTAR Realtime Lab will build on the strong foundations of Scotland’s gaming cluster, bringing together next generation production technologies, the latest in video game development, and AI and machine learning, to support innovators in the creation of new technologies, experiences, and markets. As part of the CoSTAR network it will play a key role in ensuring that the UK’s creative industries act as a key driver of growth as identified in the government’s industrial strategy. It is by strategically investing in the industries of the future that AHRC shows how arts and humanities research drives innovation and growth in a 21st century economy.

    Chris van der Kuyl CBE, FRSE, Chairman, 4J Studios said: 

    I’ve always believed in Dundee’s potential as a global leader in technology and digital innovation. That’s why we’ve invested in spaces like Water’s Edge to provide a collaborative infrastructure for the next generation of creators and companies to thrive. The launch of the CoSTAR Realtime Lab is a major step in that journey, bringing cutting-edge virtual production technology to Dundee and securing its position at the forefront of real-time content creation. This is a huge opportunity for Scotland’s screen industries, and I’m incredibly proud to support it.

    UK Government Scottish Secretary Ian Murray said:

    This project is beyond exciting – the possibilities it creates for the entertainment industry are endless. The UK Government’s investment in cutting-edge initiatives like this is central to our Plan for Change to create the jobs and opportunities that will raise living standards right across the UK. “It’s a tremendous feather in the cap of Brand Scotland too, demonstrating to the world that Dundee and Scotland is a centre of excellence for the screen and gaming industries as we push into new markets and further strengthen the sector. I wish the team at Abertay University every success with the opening of the new facility.

    Stephen Coleman OBE, CEO & Co-Founder of CodeBase said:

    Supporting the CoSTAR Realtime Lab is another great opportunity for CodeBase to play our part as a Scottish ecosystem builder and a champion of tech-driven enterprise and entrepreneurship. We are always looking for new ways to collaborate with specialists in different technology domains and to leverage our delivery of Techscaler, Scotland’s national tech backbone for the benefit of the ecosystem as a whole, building on Scotland’s unique strengths in talent, research, and innovation.

    Howell Davies, Head of Strategic Funding and Programmes at Interface, said: 

    CoSTAR’s Realtime Lab is a game-changer for industry seeking to harness the power of real-time technologies. With access to cutting-edge tools, a deep and diverse pool of expertise and talent with a support system for organisations to empower them to innovate and create groundbreaking experiences, it will create significant impact and legacy for the UK’s creative industry and wider.

    Councillor Mark Flynn, Leader of Dundee City Council said:

    Dundee has a long history of being at the forefront of technology and innovation for the creative industries and it is wonderful to see the CoSTAR Realtime Lab and its virtual production studio being added to the city’s digital cluster. The video games, screen and performance industries already make a significant contribution to Dundee’s economic and cultural success and collaborative projects like this, supported by both academia and business, are important for the continued growth and future of the sector.

    Isabel Davis, Executive Director of Screen Scotland said: 

    An exemplar of academia collaborating directly with industry, Abertay’s role in CoStar and its leadership of the real-time lab continues Dundee’s illustrious history of creativity, design and invention.  The project will ensure that Scotland’s tech, digital and creative pioneers are embedded in the next wave of digital and creative transformation.

    For more information visit CoSTAR Network or follow @costarnetwork.

    Full information and funding calls can be found online: Access Programmes | CoSTAR

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-Evening Report: The promise of green iron, steel and ammonia is keeping the green hydrogen dream alive

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Changlong Wang, Research fellow in Civil and Environmental Engineering, Monash University

    D.Alimkin, Shutterstock

    Hydrogen was once sold as a universal climate fix — a clean, green wonder fuel for cars, homes, power grids and even global export. But reality has cooled that buzz.

    This week, the South Australian government shelved plans for a A$593 million hydrogen power plant, in favour of injecting that money into the $2.4 billion Whyalla steelworks rescue package. Premier Peter Malinauskas said there was “no point in producing hydrogen” without a customer: the steelworks.

    It’s the latest in a series of setbacks for hydrogen. Last year, Australian mining and energy giant Fortescue pared back its green hydrogen projects as a result of increasing costs and changing financial circumstances in the United States.

    Then, gas and oil heavyweight Woodside withdrew plans for two large-scale green hydrogen projects and Origin Energy dropped out of the Hunter Valley Hydrogen Hub.

    Meanwhile, the Hydrogen Energy Supply Chain project in Victoria, meant to ship hydrogen to Japan, has met with delays and overruns. Earlier this month, the new Queensland government chose to halt further investment in the Central Queensland Hydrogen Project, putting plans to export hydrogen in doubt.

    These setbacks show hydrogen isn’t the ultimate solution to all our energy needs, especially if we want to export it. But they don’t spell doom. Instead, they nudge us toward where hydrogen really shines: in heavy industry, right where it’s made.

    Heavy industry: where hydrogen makes sense

    Heavy industries such as steel manufacturing and ammonia production are where hydrogen proves its worth. These sectors are significant contributors to climate change — steel accounts for about 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions, ammonia a further 2%.

    Most emissions from steelmaking come from burning coal in blast furnaces to convert ore into iron and carbon dioxide.

    In a cleaner alternative, hydrogen (when produced using renewable energy) can be used to strip oxygen from the ore and make iron, with water as a byproduct. The result is green iron, ready to be turned into steel in an electric arc furnace – with a fraction of the emissions.

    Ammonia is used to make fertiliser and industrial chemicals, and hydrogen is one of the main ingredients in its production. Hydrogen bonds with nitrogen from the air to form ammonia. No hydrogen, no ammonia — it’s that simple. Conventional ammonia plants get hydrogen from methane, producing CO₂ in the process. Green ammonia uses renewable energy to produce hydrogen by splitting water via electrolysis.

    Our recent research crunched the numbers on producing these new green commodities. We found making green iron in Australia with hydrogen and shipping it to Europe for steel production could be 21% cheaper than exporting raw iron ore and hydrogen separately. Plus, it could cut emissions by up to 95% compared to traditional methods.

    There are huge economic opportunities for Australia too. Instead of shipping low-value raw materials, Australia could export ready-to-use green iron or green steel, reshaping global supply chains while cutting costs and carbon. That’s the kind of rethink hydrogen enables.

    Industry hubs: a practical fix

    Transporting hydrogen long distances is costly and inefficient. The fix? Industry hubs that produce hydrogen right where it’s needed — next to steel mills, ammonia plants, desalination plants, water treatment plants or even aluminium smelters. Putting producers and consumers together slashes transport costs and unlocks efficiencies.

    We’ve built tools to pinpoint places with the greatest potential to produce these new green commodities.

    The Hydrogen Economic Fairways Tool maps where renewable energy, infrastructure and industrial sites align for cost-effective hydrogen production.

    The Green Steel Economic Fairways Mapper zooms in on prime locations for green steel, spotlighting places such as Eyre Peninsula in SA and the Pilbara in Western Australia, among others (see below). These locations have abundant wind and solar resources alongside an existing industrial base.

    The Green Steel Economic Fairways Mapper compares the levelised cost of steel, including production and transport to the port. a) Regional changes across Australia b) Example of how to optimise the system to minimise the levelised cost of producing 1 million tonnes per annum c) Breakdown of costs d) Hourly system performance, in terms of energy flows.
    Green Steel Economic Fairways Mapper, Geoscience Australia

    Challenges remain

    Green hydrogen promises to revolutionise heavy industries, but significant hurdles stand in the way of widespread domestic adoption. The biggest challenge comes from the unpredictable nature of renewable energy, which makes it hard to maintain the steady hydrogen supply industries need.

    The costs remain steep, too. Splitting water into hydrogen using renewable electricity isn’t cheap, particularly when you need backup storage systems to keep production going during cloudy or windless periods.

    Getting hydrogen where it needs to go poses another major challenge. As hydrogen is both bulky to transport and highly flammable, it requires special handling and infrastructure, driving up costs, especially for facilities far from production sites.

    Many companies also hesitate to invest in hydrogen-compatible equipment, as retrofitting existing plants or building new ones requires substantial upfront costs without guaranteed returns.

    The $2.4 billion rescue package for the Whyalla Steelworks (ABC News)

    Government backing: a push in the right direction

    Thursday’s announcement of A$2.4 billion investment in the Whyalla steelworks along with plans for a $1 billion green iron investment fund are a bold bet on green steel. Furthermore, the landmark Future Made in Australia legislation introduces a $6.7 billion Hydrogen Production Tax Incentive, offering $2 per kilogram of renewable hydrogen produced between 2027–28 and 2039–40, alongside a 10% tax credit for critical minerals processing.

    Meanwhile tax credits for green aluminium and alumina should help another heavy industry to navigate the energy transition using clean hydrogen.

    These measures aim to unlock tens of billions in private investment, boost regional economies, and position Australia as a leader in clean energy manufacturing. This isn’t just about one-off projects. It’s laying the groundwork for hubs that link renewable energy and hydrogen production to industrial demand.

    There’s more in the pipeline. The Hydrogen Headstart program pumps funds into hydrogen innovation, and the Future Made in Australia initiative backs clean industry with billions more. Add in policies like carbon pricing or low-interest loans, and the economics tilt even further toward green steel and ammonia. Government buying power — in the form of procurement targets for low-carbon materials — could seal the deal by guaranteeing demand.

    These policies aren’t just wishful thinking — they’re practical steps that are already working elsewhere. Sweden’s HYBRIT project, which paired green steel with government-backed demand, has already led to construction starting on new industrial-scale green steel facilities. At the same time, the European Union’s hydrogen strategy leans on carbon pricing and subsidies to guide industries and suppliers through the energy transition, while Japan offers incentives for the use of green steel in their automotive industry.

    Australia has the renewable energy and the industrial base to take advantage of these opportunities. With the right leadership, we can turn hydrogen’s stumbles into a global triumph for heavy industry.

    Changlong receives funding from the South Australian Department for Energy and Mining to conduct the SA Green Iron Study, and from Geoscience Australia under the Exploring for the Future program to develop the Hydrogen and Green Steel Economic Fairways tool. Changlong is affiliated with Melbourne Climate Futures, University of Melbourne, and is a visiting fellow at Engineering Science, Oxford University, UK.

    Stuart Walsh receives funding from Geoscience Australia supporting the development of the Bluecap software suite, which highlights opportunities for new renewable energy and critical mineral projects in Australia. Stuart received funding from the South Australian Department for Energy and Mining to conduct the SA Green Iron Study and from Geoscience Australia under the Exploring for the Future program to develop the Hydrogen and Green Steel Economic Fairways tool.

    – ref. The promise of green iron, steel and ammonia is keeping the green hydrogen dream alive – https://theconversation.com/the-promise-of-green-iron-steel-and-ammonia-is-keeping-the-green-hydrogen-dream-alive-250410

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: I lost weight and my period stopped. How are weight and menstruation linked?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mia Schaumberg, Associate Professor in Physiology, School of Health, University of the Sunshine Coast

    You may have noticed that changes in weight are sometimes accompanied by changes in your period.

    But what does one really have to do with the other?

    Maintaining a healthy weight is key to regular menstruation. Here’s why – and when to talk to your doctor.

    The role of hormones

    The menstrual cycle – including when you bleed and ovulate – is regulated by a balance of hormones, particularly oestrogen.

    The ovaries are connected to the brain through a hormonal signalling system. This acts as a kind of “chain of command” of hormones controlling the menstrual cycle.

    The brain produces a key hormone, called the gonadotropin-releasing hormone, in the hypothalamus. It stimulates the release of other hormones which tell the ovaries to produce oestrogen and release a mature egg (ovulation).

    But the release of the gonadotropin-releasing hormone depends on oestrogen levels and how much energy is available to the body. Both of these are closely related to body weight.

    Oestrogen is primarily produced in the ovaries, but fat cells also produce oestrogen. This is why weight – and more specifically body fat – can affect menstruation.

    Fat cells produce oestrogen, a hormone with a key role in the menstrual cycle.
    Halfpoint/Shutterstock

    Can being underweight affect my period?

    The body prioritises conserving energy. When reserves are low it stops anything non-essential, such as reproduction.

    This can happen when you are underweight, or suddenly lose weight. It can also happen to people who undertake intense exercise or have inadequate nutrition.

    The stress sends the hypothalamus into survival mode. As a result, the body lowers its production of the hormones important to ovulation, including oestrogen, and stops menstruation.

    Being chronically underweight means not having enough energy available to support reproduction, which can lead to menstrual irregularities including amenorrhea (no periods at all).

    This results in very low oestrogen levels and can cause potentially serious health risks, including infertility and bone loss.

    Missing periods is not always a cause for concern. But a chronic lack of energy availability can be, if not addressed. The two are linked, meaning understanding your period and being aware of any prolonged changes is important.

    How about being overweight?

    Higher body fat can elevate oestrogen levels.

    When you’re overweight your body stores extra energy in fat cells, which produce oestrogen and other hormones and can cause inflammation in the body. So, if you have a lot of fat cells, your body produces an excess of these hormones. This can affect normal functioning of the uterus lining (endometrium).

    Excess oestrogen and inflammation can interfere in the feedback system to the brain and stop ovulation. As a result, you may have irregular or missed periods.

    It can also lead to pain (dysmenorrhea) and heavier bleeding (menorrhagia).

    Being overweight can sometimes worsen premenstrual syndrome as well. One study found for every 1 kg increase in height (m²) in body mass index (BMI), the risk of premenstrual syndrome went up by 3%. Women with a BMI over 27.5 kg/m² had a much higher risk than those with a BMI under 20 kg/m².



    Read more:
    What is premenstrual dysphoric disorder? And how is it different to PMS?

    What else might be going on?

    Sometimes weight changes are linked to hormonal balances that indicate an underlying condition.

    For example, people with polycystic ovary syndrome may gain weight or find it hard to lose weight because they have a hormonal imbalance, including higher levels of testosterone.

    The syndrome is also associated with irregular periods and heavy bleeding. So, if you notice these symptoms, it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor.

    Similarly, weight changes and irregular periods in midlife might signal the start of perimenopause, the period before menopause (when your periods stop altogether).

    Changes in weight and your period could be a sign of menopause approaching.
    Sabrina Bracher/Shutterstock

    When should I worry?

    Small changes in when your period comes or how long it lasts are usually harmless.

    Similarly, slight fluctuations in weight won’t usually have a significant impact on your period – or the changes may be so subtle you don’t notice them.

    But regular menstruation is an important marker of female health. Sometimes changes in flow, regularity or the pain you experience can indicate there’s something else going on.

    If you notice changes and they don’t feel right to you, speak to a health care provider.

    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. I lost weight and my period stopped. How are weight and menstruation linked? – https://theconversation.com/i-lost-weight-and-my-period-stopped-how-are-weight-and-menstruation-linked-244401

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ‘Active recovery’ after exercise is supposed to improve performance – but does it really work?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hunter Bennett, Lecturer in Exercise Science, University of South Australia

    gpointstudio/Shutterstock

    Imagine you have just finished a workout. Your legs are like jelly, your lungs are burning and you just want to collapse on the couch.

    But instead, you pick yourself up and go for a brisk walk.

    While this might seem counterintuitive, doing some light activity after an intense workout – known as “active recovery” – has been suggested to reduce soreness and speed up recovery after exercise.

    But does it work or is it just another fitness myth?

    What is active recovery?

    Active recovery simply describes doing some low-intensity physical activity after a strenuous bout of exercise.

    This is commonly achieved through low-intensity cardio, such as walking or cycling, but can also consist of low-intensity stretching, or even bodyweight exercises such as squats and lunges.

    The key thing is making sure the intensity is light or moderate, without moving into the “vigorous” range.

    As a general rule, if you can maintain a conversation while you’re exercising, you are working at a light-to-moderate intensity.

    Some people consider doing an easy training session on their “rest days” as a form of active recovery. However, this has not really been researched. So we will be focusing on the more traditional form of active recovery in this article, where it is performed straight after exercise.

    What does active recovery do?

    Active recovery helps speed up the removal of waste products, such as lactate and hydrogen, after exercise. These waste products are moved from the muscles into the blood, before being broken down and used for energy, or simply excreted.

    This is thought to be one of the ways it promotes recovery.

    In some instances active recovery has been shown to reduce muscle soreness in the days following exercise. This may lead to a faster return to peak performance in some physical capabilities such as jump height.

    Active recovery can involve stretching.
    fatir29/Shutterstock

    But, active recovery does not appear to reduce post-exercise inflammation. While this may sound like a bad thing, it’s not.

    Post-exercise inflammation can promote increases in strength and fitness after exercise. And so when it’s reduced (say, by using ice baths after exercise) this can lead to smaller training improvements than would be seen otherwise.

    This means active recovery can be used regularly after exercise without the risk of affecting the benefits of the main exercise session.

    There’s evidence to the contrary too

    Not all research on active recovery is positive.

    Several studies indicate it’s no better than simply lying on the couch when it comes to reducing muscle soreness and improving performance after exercise.

    In fact, there’s more research suggesting active recovery doesn’t have an effect than research showing it does have an effect.

    While there could be several reasons for this, two stand out.

    First, the way in which active recovery is applied in the research varies as lot. It’s likely there is a sweet spot in terms of how long active recovery should last to maximise its benefits (more on this later).

    Second, it’s likely the benefits of active recovery are trivial to small. As such, they won’t always be considered “significant” in the scientific literature, despite offering potentially meaningful benefits at an individual level. In sport science, studies often have small sample sizes, which can make it hard to see small effects.

    But there doesn’t seem to be any research suggesting active recovery is less effective than doing nothing, so at worst it certainly won’t cause any harm.

    When is active recovery useful?

    Active recovery appears useful if you need to perform multiple bouts of exercise within a short time frame. For example, if you were in a tournament and had 10–20 minutes between games, then a quick active recovery would be better than doing nothing.

    Active recovery might also be a useful strategy if you have to perform exercise again within 24 hours after intense activity.

    For example, if you are someone who plays sport and you need to play games on back-to-back days, doing some low-intensity active recovery after each game might help reduce soreness and improve performance on subsequent days.

    Similarly, if you are training for an event like a marathon and you have a training session the day after a particularly long or intense run, then active recovery might get you better prepared for your next training session.

    Conversely, if you have just completed a low-to-moderate intensity bout of exercise, it’s unlikely active recovery will offer the same benefits. And if you will get more than 24 hours of rest between exercise sessions, active recovery is unlikely to do much because this will probably be long enough for your body to recover naturally anyway.

    Active recovery may be useful for people with back-to-back sporting commitments.
    Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock

    How to get the most out of active recovery

    The good news is you don’t have to do a lot of active recovery to see a benefit.

    A systematic review looking at the effectiveness of active recovery across 26 studies found 6–10 minutes of exercise was the sweet spot when it came to enhancing recovery.

    Interestingly, the intensity of exercise didn’t seem to matter. If it was within this time frame, it had a positive effect.

    So it makes sense to make your active recovery easy (because why would you make it hard if you don’t have to?) by keeping it in the light-to-moderate intensity range.

    However, don’t expect active recovery to be a complete game changer. The research would suggest the benefits are likely to be small at best.

    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. ‘Active recovery’ after exercise is supposed to improve performance – but does it really work? – https://theconversation.com/active-recovery-after-exercise-is-supposed-to-improve-performance-but-does-it-really-work-250068

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Global: I lost weight and my period stopped. How are weight and menstruation linked?

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Mia Schaumberg, Associate Professor in Physiology, School of Health, University of the Sunshine Coast

    You may have noticed that changes in weight are sometimes accompanied by changes in your period.

    But what does one really have to do with the other?

    Maintaining a healthy weight is key to regular menstruation. Here’s why – and when to talk to your doctor.

    The role of hormones

    The menstrual cycle – including when you bleed and ovulate – is regulated by a balance of hormones, particularly oestrogen.

    The ovaries are connected to the brain through a hormonal signalling system. This acts as a kind of “chain of command” of hormones controlling the menstrual cycle.

    The brain produces a key hormone, called the gonadotropin-releasing hormone, in the hypothalamus. It stimulates the release of other hormones which tell the ovaries to produce oestrogen and release a mature egg (ovulation).

    But the release of the gonadotropin-releasing hormone depends on oestrogen levels and how much energy is available to the body. Both of these are closely related to body weight.

    Oestrogen is primarily produced in the ovaries, but fat cells also produce oestrogen. This is why weight – and more specifically body fat – can affect menstruation.

    Fat cells produce oestrogen, a hormone with a key role in the menstrual cycle.
    Halfpoint/Shutterstock

    Can being underweight affect my period?

    The body prioritises conserving energy. When reserves are low it stops anything non-essential, such as reproduction.

    This can happen when you are underweight, or suddenly lose weight. It can also happen to people who undertake intense exercise or have inadequate nutrition.

    The stress sends the hypothalamus into survival mode. As a result, the body lowers its production of the hormones important to ovulation, including oestrogen, and stops menstruation.

    Being chronically underweight means not having enough energy available to support reproduction, which can lead to menstrual irregularities including amenorrhea (no periods at all).

    This results in very low oestrogen levels and can cause potentially serious health risks, including infertility and bone loss.

    Missing periods is not always a cause for concern. But a chronic lack of energy availability can be, if not addressed. The two are linked, meaning understanding your period and being aware of any prolonged changes is important.

    How about being overweight?

    Higher body fat can elevate oestrogen levels.

    When you’re overweight your body stores extra energy in fat cells, which produce oestrogen and other hormones and can cause inflammation in the body. So, if you have a lot of fat cells, your body produces an excess of these hormones. This can affect normal functioning of the uterus lining (endometrium).

    Excess oestrogen and inflammation can interfere in the feedback system to the brain and stop ovulation. As a result, you may have irregular or missed periods.

    It can also lead to pain (dysmenorrhea) and heavier bleeding (menorrhagia).

    Being overweight can sometimes worsen premenstrual syndrome as well. One study found for every 1 kg increase in height (m²) in body mass index (BMI), the risk of premenstrual syndrome went up by 3%. Women with a BMI over 27.5 kg/m² had a much higher risk than those with a BMI under 20 kg/m².



    Read more:
    What is premenstrual dysphoric disorder? And how is it different to PMS?

    What else might be going on?

    Sometimes weight changes are linked to hormonal balances that indicate an underlying condition.

    For example, people with polycystic ovary syndrome may gain weight or find it hard to lose weight because they have a hormonal imbalance, including higher levels of testosterone.

    The syndrome is also associated with irregular periods and heavy bleeding. So, if you notice these symptoms, it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor.

    Similarly, weight changes and irregular periods in midlife might signal the start of perimenopause, the period before menopause (when your periods stop altogether).

    Changes in weight and your period could be a sign of menopause approaching.
    Sabrina Bracher/Shutterstock

    When should I worry?

    Small changes in when your period comes or how long it lasts are usually harmless.

    Similarly, slight fluctuations in weight won’t usually have a significant impact on your period – or the changes may be so subtle you don’t notice them.

    But regular menstruation is an important marker of female health. Sometimes changes in flow, regularity or the pain you experience can indicate there’s something else going on.

    If you notice changes and they don’t feel right to you, speak to a health care provider.

    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. I lost weight and my period stopped. How are weight and menstruation linked? – https://theconversation.com/i-lost-weight-and-my-period-stopped-how-are-weight-and-menstruation-linked-244401

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: ‘Active recovery’ after exercise is supposed to improve performance – but does it really work?

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Hunter Bennett, Lecturer in Exercise Science, University of South Australia

    gpointstudio/Shutterstock

    Imagine you have just finished a workout. Your legs are like jelly, your lungs are burning and you just want to collapse on the couch.

    But instead, you pick yourself up and go for a brisk walk.

    While this might seem counterintuitive, doing some light activity after an intense workout – known as “active recovery” – has been suggested to reduce soreness and speed up recovery after exercise.

    But does it work or is it just another fitness myth?

    What is active recovery?

    Active recovery simply describes doing some low-intensity physical activity after a strenuous bout of exercise.

    This is commonly achieved through low-intensity cardio, such as walking or cycling, but can also consist of low-intensity stretching, or even bodyweight exercises such as squats and lunges.

    The key thing is making sure the intensity is light or moderate, without moving into the “vigorous” range.

    As a general rule, if you can maintain a conversation while you’re exercising, you are working at a light-to-moderate intensity.

    Some people consider doing an easy training session on their “rest days” as a form of active recovery. However, this has not really been researched. So we will be focusing on the more traditional form of active recovery in this article, where it is performed straight after exercise.

    What does active recovery do?

    Active recovery helps speed up the removal of waste products, such as lactate and hydrogen, after exercise. These waste products are moved from the muscles into the blood, before being broken down and used for energy, or simply excreted.

    This is thought to be one of the ways it promotes recovery.

    In some instances active recovery has been shown to reduce muscle soreness in the days following exercise. This may lead to a faster return to peak performance in some physical capabilities such as jump height.

    Active recovery can involve stretching.
    fatir29/Shutterstock

    But, active recovery does not appear to reduce post-exercise inflammation. While this may sound like a bad thing, it’s not.

    Post-exercise inflammation can promote increases in strength and fitness after exercise. And so when it’s reduced (say, by using ice baths after exercise) this can lead to smaller training improvements than would be seen otherwise.

    This means active recovery can be used regularly after exercise without the risk of affecting the benefits of the main exercise session.

    There’s evidence to the contrary too

    Not all research on active recovery is positive.

    Several studies indicate it’s no better than simply lying on the couch when it comes to reducing muscle soreness and improving performance after exercise.

    In fact, there’s more research suggesting active recovery doesn’t have an effect than research showing it does have an effect.

    While there could be several reasons for this, two stand out.

    First, the way in which active recovery is applied in the research varies as lot. It’s likely there is a sweet spot in terms of how long active recovery should last to maximise its benefits (more on this later).

    Second, it’s likely the benefits of active recovery are trivial to small. As such, they won’t always be considered “significant” in the scientific literature, despite offering potentially meaningful benefits at an individual level. In sport science, studies often have small sample sizes, which can make it hard to see small effects.

    But there doesn’t seem to be any research suggesting active recovery is less effective than doing nothing, so at worst it certainly won’t cause any harm.

    When is active recovery useful?

    Active recovery appears useful if you need to perform multiple bouts of exercise within a short time frame. For example, if you were in a tournament and had 10–20 minutes between games, then a quick active recovery would be better than doing nothing.

    Active recovery might also be a useful strategy if you have to perform exercise again within 24 hours after intense activity.

    For example, if you are someone who plays sport and you need to play games on back-to-back days, doing some low-intensity active recovery after each game might help reduce soreness and improve performance on subsequent days.

    Similarly, if you are training for an event like a marathon and you have a training session the day after a particularly long or intense run, then active recovery might get you better prepared for your next training session.

    Conversely, if you have just completed a low-to-moderate intensity bout of exercise, it’s unlikely active recovery will offer the same benefits. And if you will get more than 24 hours of rest between exercise sessions, active recovery is unlikely to do much because this will probably be long enough for your body to recover naturally anyway.

    Active recovery may be useful for people with back-to-back sporting commitments.
    Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock

    How to get the most out of active recovery

    The good news is you don’t have to do a lot of active recovery to see a benefit.

    A systematic review looking at the effectiveness of active recovery across 26 studies found 6–10 minutes of exercise was the sweet spot when it came to enhancing recovery.

    Interestingly, the intensity of exercise didn’t seem to matter. If it was within this time frame, it had a positive effect.

    So it makes sense to make your active recovery easy (because why would you make it hard if you don’t have to?) by keeping it in the light-to-moderate intensity range.

    However, don’t expect active recovery to be a complete game changer. The research would suggest the benefits are likely to be small at best.

    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. ‘Active recovery’ after exercise is supposed to improve performance – but does it really work? – https://theconversation.com/active-recovery-after-exercise-is-supposed-to-improve-performance-but-does-it-really-work-250068

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Silver medals of the NSU aerobics team

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –

    The Novosibirsk Region Cup in sports aerobics was held at the NSTU Sports Palace, in which NSU athletes showed excellent results.

    In January 2025, the rules for holding competitions in this sport changed, and teams had to quickly rework their compositions, adapting to the new requirements. Despite this, our students became silver medalists in all group nominations – in dance gymnastics, gymnastics platform and Group-5.

    The following players played for the NSU team:

    Vladislava Bulavina, Victoria Detusheva, Olga Shishkina and Valeria Shatskova (GI)

    Lada Avdonina, Anna Nikulina and Maria Yukhnina (FIT)

    Victoria Babakova and Arina Gulenko (FEN)

    Ulyana Gruzdeva (IFP)

    Sofia Balya (EF)

    Anastasia Iskova (FF)

    Nadezhda Semina (MMF)

    Olga Terina (FEN) and Polina Maryasova (IFP) fulfilled the standard of candidate for master of sports.

    We congratulate the girls and their coach Anna Timofeeva on their successful performance and wish them success in all upcoming competitions.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: It’s the biggest Egyptian tomb discovery in a century. Who was Thutmose II?

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Anna M. Kotarba-Morley, Senior Lecturer in Museum and Curatorial Studies / Research Fellow, University of Adelaide

    Wikimedia/The Conversation

    Archaeologists in Egypt have made an exciting discovery: the tomb of Pharaoh Thutmose II, a ruler who has long been overshadowed by his famous wife and half-sister, Queen Hatshepsut.

    The remarkable find is located in the Western Valley (a burial ground for queens rather than kings), near the complex of Deir el-Bahari, which houses the funerary temple of Hatshepsut. Both of us worked together as archaeologists at this spectacular site some 15 years ago.

    Thutmose II’s tomb has been labelled the first, and biggest, discovery of a royal tomb since Tutankhamun’s tomb was found just over 100 years ago.

    Despite being totally empty, it’s a crucial element in further understanding a transformative period in ancient Egyptian history.

    Hatshepsut’s forgotten brother and husband

    Thutmose II (also called Akheperenre) reigned in the first half of the 15th century BCE. This made him the fourth ruler of the 18th Egyptian Dynasty, which marked the beginning of the New Kingdom period.

    Thutmose II likely ruled for a little over ten years, although some scholars believe his reign may have lasted only three years.

    He was the son of a great pharaoh Thutmose I and his lesser wife, Mutnofret. He married his half-sister Queen Hatshepsut according to the royal custom, to solidify the rule and bloodline. Together they had a daughter named Nefrure.

    Thutmose II’s mummy was discovered in 1881 but his original tomb was unknown until now.
    Wikimedia

    Upon his death, his wife Hatshepsut became the sixth pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty – and arguably one of the most famous and successful female rulers of all time.

    Military activities

    As the successor of Thutmose I, Thutmose II continued his father’s military policy in the southern regions of Egypt.

    According to preserved inscriptions, he ordered the brutal suppression of a rebellion against Egyptian rule in the land of Kush (in present-day north Sudan). As a result, a significant number of prisoners were brought to Egypt – possibly as part of a campaign.

    But Thutmose II’s military campaigns were minor in comparison to the grand conquests of his predecessors and successors. Most historians believe he was a weak ruler and that Hatshepsut had a major role in governing the country, even long before his death. However, others contest this.

    Thutmose II’s short reign left modest traces of building activity in Karnak, one of the largest religious centres in ancient Egypt, located in present-day Luxor.

    The structure, of which only fragments survive, features a unique decoration depicting Thutmose II, Hatshepsut as his royal wife before she became a ruler, and their daughter Nefrure. The origins of the monument are uncertain. It’s possible Thutmose II started it and Hatshepsut finished it.

    The monument was reconstructed by French researchers and can now be admired at the Open Air Museum in Karnak.

    Karnak is one of the most important religious centres in Ancient Egypt.
    Katarzyna Kapiec

    Other monuments of Thutmose II were found in the southern regions of Egypt, such as in Elephantine, in the city of Aswan, and in northern Sudan (likely connected to his military campaigns).

    The condemnation of Hatshepsut’s memory

    Interestingly, the name of Thutmose II became strongly associated with many of Hatshepsut’s constructions due to the actions of Thutmose III.

    Regarded as one of the greatest warriors, military commanders and military strategists of all time, Thutmose III was the nephew and stepson of Hatshepsut, and co-ruled with her as a regent.

    At the end of Thutmose III’s reign, some 20 years after Hatshepsut’s death, he carried out a large-scale campaign to remove or alter Hatshepsut’s names and images. Scholars call this “damnatio memoriae”, or condemnation of the memory.

    An example of Hatshepsut’s ‘damnatio memoriae’ at Deir el-Bahari. Hatshepsut’s cartouches (left) were defaced, while Thutmose III’s (right) remained untouched.
    Wikimedia

    This was likely due to concerns about securing the throne for his successor, Amenhotep II, by linking him to his male ancestors.

    In many cases, Hatshepsut’s name was replaced with that of Thutmose II, making him the principal celebrant in temples built by Hatshepsut, such as in Deir el-Bahari.

    View at the temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari at the dawn.
    Katarzyna Kapiec

    What does Thutmose II’s empty tomb tell us?

    The newly discovered tomb reveals fresh details about the status of Thutmose II and his role in the sociopolitical structure of 15th century BCE Egypt – a period of territorial expansion, wealth and political intrigue. It also sheds light on the perception of his rule at the time.

    Thutmose II has been painted as an ineffectual ruler. And the latest findings don’t contradict this.

    Unlike his father Thutmose I, who expanded Egypt’s reign through military strength, or his stepson Thutmose III, who became one of the most famous Egyptian warrior-kings, his modest tomb suggests his legacy may not have been as widely celebrated as others in his dynasty.

    The tomb’s location is also intriguing, as it is near the tombs of royal wives, including the cliff tomb of Hatshepsut, which was prepared for her when she was still a royal wife.

    Thutmose II’s mummy was discovered in the so-called Royal Cache in Deir el-Bahari in 1881, alongside other royal mummies. Many royal mummies were relocated here for protection from flooding and during the uncertain times of the 21st Dynasty (circa 1077–950 BCE), some 400–500 years after Thutmose II’s original burial.

    However, experts suspect Thutmose II’s tomb might have been emptied even earlier due to flooding from a waterfall above it.

    The two of us speculate another tomb may have been built for him, and is still awaiting discovery.

    An 1881 photograph of some of the coffins and mummies found in DB320, taken before the mummies were unwrapped.
    Wikimedia

    Ultimately, Thutmose II’s reign remains shrouded in mystery due to the lack of available records. The search for his tomb – from Western Valley, through the Valley of the Kings, all the way to Deir el-Bahari – spanned centuries.

    Despite its poorly preserved state, and its scarcity compared with Tutankhamun’s splendorous tomb, this discovery will expand our understanding of the overlooked figure of Thutmose II, and the role he played in setting up the reign of Hatshepsut – arguably the most successful of the four female pharaohs.

    In fact, paving the way for the ascent of Hatshepsut may have been his greatest contribution.

    Anna M. Kotarba-Morley receives funding from Australian Research Council and previously received funding from National Centre of Science in Poland.

    Katarzyna Kapiec receives funding from National Science Centre in Poland

    – ref. It’s the biggest Egyptian tomb discovery in a century. Who was Thutmose II? – https://theconversation.com/its-the-biggest-egyptian-tomb-discovery-in-a-century-who-was-thutmose-ii-250432

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: New Adelaide facility will fast track cancer treatment for children

    Source: University of South Australia

    21 February 2025

    UniSA Professor Richard D’Andrea and Associate Professor Lisa Ebert in the new lab.

    A new tissue culture facility has opened at UniSA today, helping to advance research into two of the most aggressive childhood cancers worldwide – brain tumours and acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

    Approximately 120 children and adolescents are diagnosed with brain cancer each year in Australia, making it the second most common cancer in children after leukemia. The prognosis for children under five is brutal, with 45% not surviving their disease.

    AML accounts for about 20% of childhood leukemia cases, affecting about 50 new children each year. The survival rate is higher – around 70% – but there is also a high rate of relapse and the existing treatment options leave long lasting effects.

    Researchers from the Centre for Cancer Biology (CCB) – an alliance between SA Pathology and the University of South Australia – have welcomed a $36,100 grant from Cops for Kids to help transform an unused space in UniSA’s flagship health research precinct into a much-needed tissue culture facility.

    CCB Professor of Leukemia Biology Richard D’Andrea says the facility will be an invaluable resource for childhood cancer researchers located in the Bradley Building on North Terrace in the health and biomedical precinct.

    “Cellular immunotherapy is an emerging field in childhood cancer treatment and the research to develop and optimise this involves tissue culture to grow and study cells in a specialised laboratory space under sterile conditions,” Prof D’Andrea says.

    Immunotherapy – using the patient’s own immune cells to fight cancer – is now considered the fourth pillar of cancer treatment alongside surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

    Prof D’Andrea says children with AML who are treated with intensive chemotherapy suffer many long-term implications due to the toxic effects of treatment.

    “For some, this aggressive treatment does not provide a cure, so better treatments are badly needed to improve outcomes for these children.

    “With a cellular immunotherapy approach, immune cells obtained from a patient or from a cord blood source can be engineered or manipulated in the laboratory and used to eradicate the cancer cells, which is less toxic for the patient.”

    Prof D’Andrea and his CCB team are collaborating with researchers from the University of Queensland to advance the cellular immunotherapy approach to treat childhood AML.

    Associate Professor Lisa Ebert, Group Leader of Cancer Immunotherapy Research at CCB, will use the tissue culture lab to further her team’s research into paediatric brain cancer, focusing on engineering CAR T-cells, a form of immunotherapy.

    “Our main focus is on a type of childhood brain cancer called DMG, or diffuse midline glioma, which is rare, but also uniformly fatal, usually within 12 months of diagnosis because it is inoperable,” Assoc Prof Ebert says.

    “Chemotherapy doesn’t work, and radiotherapy only extends their lifespan by a couple of months, so it’s a really horrible disease.

    “However, we are currently working with Sydney Children Hospital’s network to conduct a clinical trial using CAR T-cells and based on results from the US running similar trials, we are seeing some very exciting results, which could lead to an effective treatment.”

    The Cops for Kids donation was inspired by a conversation between an Adelaide police officer and Kelly Stevens, founder of the Charlie’s Rainbow initiative that funds paediatric AML research at UniSA.

    Senior Constable First Class Genevieve Cullinan, a neighbour, friend and client of hairdresser Kelly Stevens, said she was touched by Kelly’s courage to establish a charity honouring her son Charlie, who died of AML in 2021 at three years of age.

    “Despite Kelly’s immense loss and overwhelming sorrow, she has found the strength to create this amazing charity, Charlie’s Rainbow, which has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for AML research in the past four years,” Cullinan says.

    Cullinan is one of 2000 current and former SAPOL members who contribute a small amount from their fortnightly pay to help improve children’s quality of life in South Australia.

    The police officer will join the Cops for Kids Board, Kelly Stevens, and CCB researchers in an official launch of the new tissue culture laboratory in UniSA’s Bradley Building at 11am today.

    Donations to paediatric cancer research at UniSA can be made using the following links:

    https://giving.unisa.edu.au/donate-to-charlies-rainbow-aml-research/ (for AML research)
    https://giving.unisa.edu.au/donate-to-centre-for-cancer-biology/ (for brain cancer research)

    100% of all donations are spent directly on cancer research at UniSA.

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

    Media contact: Candy Gibson M: +61 434 605 142 E: candy.gibson@unisa.edu.au

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Creative progress or mass theft? Why a major AI art auction is provoking wonder – and outrage

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Jessica Herrington, Futures Specialist, School of Cybernetics, Australian National University

    Thirty-four artworks created with artificial intelligence (AI) have gone up for sale at Christie’s in New York, in the famed auction house’s first collection dedicated to AI art.

    Christie’s says the collection aims to explore “human agency in the age of AI within fine art”, prompting viewers to question the evolving role of the artist and of creativity.

    Questions are not all the collection has prompted: there has also been a backlash. At the time of writing, more than 6,000 artists have signed an open letter calling on Christie’s to cancel the auction.

    What’s in the collection?

    Sougwen Chung’s Study 33 (2024) was created through a process that captured data from an EEG headset and a computer vision system tracking body movement and fed it to a painting robot called D.O.U.G._4.
    Sougwen Chung / Christie’s

    The Augmented Intelligence collection, up for auction from February 20 to March 5, spans work from early AI art pioneers such as Harold Cohen through to contemporary innovators such as Refik Anadol, Vanessa Rosa and Sougwen Chung.

    The showcased pieces vary widely in their use of AI. Some are physical objects, some are digital-only works – sold as non-fungible tokens or NFTs – and others are offered as both digital and physical components together.

    Some have a performance aspect, such as Alexander Reben’s Untitled Robot Painting 2025 (to be titled by AI at the conclusion of the sale).

    After generating an initial image tile, the work iteratively expands outwards, growing with each new bid in the auction. As the image evolves digitally, it is translated onto a physical canvas by an oil-painting robot. The price estimate for the work ranges from US$100 to US$1.7 million, and at the time of writing the bid sits at US$3,000.

    Alexander Reben’s Untitled Robot Painting 2025 involves art generated by AI and painted by robot as bids come in.
    Alexander Reben / Christie’s

    Claims of exploitation

    The controversy surrounding this show is not surprising. Debates over the creation of AI art have simmered ever since the technology became widely available in 2022.

    The open letter calling for the auction to be cancelled argues that many works in the exhibition use “AI models that are known to be trained on copyrighted work without a license”.

    Embedding Study 1 & 2 (from the xhairymutantx series) (2024) by Holly Herndon and Matt Dryhurst explores the concept of ‘Holly Herndon’ in generative AI models.
    Holly Herndon and Matt Dryhurst / Christie’s

    The letter says:

    These models, and the companies behind them, exploit human artists, using their work without permission or payment to build commercial AI products that compete with them.

    The models in question include popular image generators such as Stable Diffusion, Midjourney and DALL-E.

    The letter continues:

    [Christie’s] support of these models, and the people who use them, rewards and further incentivizes AI companies’ mass theft of human artists’ work.

    Copyright and cultural appropriation

    Refik Anadol’s Machine Hallucinations – ISS Dreams (2021) is a video work used an AI model trained on publicly available images taken from the International Space Station.
    Refik Anadol / Christie’s

    There are several attempts by artists to bring legal proceedings against AI companies underway. As yet, the key question remains unresolved: by training AI models on existing artworks, do AI models infringe artists’ copyright, or is this a case of fair use?

    Artists who are critical of AI are rightly concerned about losing their incomes, or their skills becoming irrelevant or outdated. They are also concerned about losing their creative community – their place in the creative ecosystem.

    Last year, Indigenous artists withdrew from a Brisbane art prize, highlighting concerns about AI and cultural appropriation.

    At the same time, many AI artists don’t use copyrighted material. Refik Anadol, for instance, has stated that his work in the Christie’s collection was made using publicly available datasets from NASA.

    How the ‘work’ of art is changing

    The Christie’s event occurs during a major shift in what it means to be an artist, and to be creative. Some participants in the show even question whether the label of “artist” is even necessary or required to make meaningful imagery and artefacts.

    Many non-artists may wonder – if AI is used, where is the real “work” of art? The answer is that many forms of work will look different in the age of AI, and creative endeavours are no exception.

    Creativity gave humans an evolutionary edge. What happens if society censors or undermines certain forms of creativity?

    Pindar Van Arman’s Emerging Faces (2017) was created via two AI agents: one attempted to generate images of faces, while the other stopped the process as soon as it recognised the image as a face.
    Pindar Van Arman / Christie’s

    Clinging to traditional ideas about how things are done ignores the bigger picture. When used thoughtfully, technology can stretch our creative potential.

    And AI cannot make art without human artists. Creating with new technologies requires context, direction, meaning, and an aesthetic sense.

    In the case of the Christie’s auction, artists are doing much more than typing in prompts. They iterate with data, refine models, and actively shape the end result.

    This evolving relationship between humans and machines reframes the creative process, with AI becoming more like a “conversational partner”.

    What now?

    Calling for the Christie’s auction to be cancelled may be shortsighted. It oversimplifies a complex issue and sidesteps deeper questions about how we should think about authorship, what authenticity means, and the evolving relationship between artists and the tools they use.

    Whether we embrace or resist AI art, the Christie’s auction pushes us to rethink artistic labour and the creative process.

    At the same time, Christie’s may need to take more care to produce collections that are sensitive to contemporary issues. Artists have real concerns about loss of work and income. A “move fast and break things” approach feels ill-suited to the thoughtfulness associated with artistic production.

    Harold Cohen’s Untitled (i23-3758) (1987) was produced with the groundbreaking AARON image-generating AI system.
    Harold Cohen / Christie’s

    Beyond protest, more education and collaboration is required overall. Artists who do not adapt to new technologies and ways of creating may be left behind.

    Equally important is ensuring AI does not diminish human agency or exploit creatives. Discussions around achieving sustainable and inclusive AI could follow other sectors focusing on equally sharing benefits and having rigorous ethical standards.

    Examples might come from the open source community (and organisations such as the Open Source Initiative), where licensing and frameworks allow contributors to benefit from collective development. And in the tech realm, some software companies (such as IBM) do stand out for their rigorous approach to ethics.

    Rather than cancelling the Christie’s auction, perhaps this is a moment for us to reimagine how we do creativity and adapt with AI.

    But are artists – and audiences – prepared for a future where the nature of being an artist, and creativity itself, is radically different?

    Jessica Herrington 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. Creative progress or mass theft? Why a major AI art auction is provoking wonder – and outrage – https://theconversation.com/creative-progress-or-mass-theft-why-a-major-ai-art-auction-is-provoking-wonder-and-outrage-250157

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump is ruling like a ‘king’, following the Putin model. How can he be stopped?

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By William Partlett, Associate Professor of Public Law, The University of Melbourne

    A month in, and it is clear even to conservatives that US President Donald Trump is attempting to fundamentally reshape the role of the American president.

    Trump and his supporters sees the natural authority of the American president in broad terms, similar to those of the Russian president, or a king. Trump, in fact, has already likened himself to a king.

    This desire to “Russify” the presidency is not an accident: Trump and many of his supporters admire the king-like power that Vladimir Putin exercises as Russian president.

    Understanding how Trump is attempting to transform presidential power is key to mobilising in the most effective way to stop it.

    Decrees by a ‘king’

    Russia’s system of government is what I call a “crown-presidential” system, which makes the president a kind of elected king.

    Two powers are central to this role.

    First, like a king, the Russian “crown-president” does not rely on an elected legislature to make policy. Instead, Putin exercises policy-making authority unilaterally via decree.

    Putin has used decrees to wage wars, privatise the economy and even to amend the constitution to lay claim to the parts of Ukraine occupied by Russia since 2014.

    He has also used these decrees in a performative way, for example, by declaring pay raises for all Russian state employees without any ability to enforce it.

    Over the last month, Trump has made similar use of decrees (what the White House now terms “presidential actions”).

    He has issued scores of presidential decrees to unilaterally reshape vast swathes of American policy – far more than past presidents. Trump sees these orders as a way of both exercising and demonstrating his vast presidential power.

    Control over the bureaucracy

    Second, like a king, Putin does not allow the Russian legislature to use the law to organise the executive branch and create agencies independent of presidential control. Instead, he has unquestioned dominance over both the organisation and staffing of the executive branch. This has given him vast power to dominate politics by controlling information gathering and legal prosecutions.

    A similar push is underway in the United States. Trump has appointed key loyalists to head the Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation.

    Moreover, he is seeking to restructure the executive branch by abolishing some agencies altogether and vastly reducing the size of the workforce in others.

    Can the courts stop Trump?

    Trump’s attempt to Russify the American presidency undermines the American constitutional order.

    Courts are the natural “first responders” in this kind of crisis. And many courts have blocked some of Trump’s early decrees.

    This legal response is important. But it is not enough on it own.

    First, the US Supreme Court might be more willing to accept this expansion of presidential power than lower courts. In a ruling last year, for example, the court granted the president immunity from criminal prosecution, showing itself to be sympathetic to broad understandings of executive power.

    Second, presidential decrees can be easily withdrawn and modified. This can allow Trump and his legal team to recalibrate as his decrees are challenged and find the best test cases to take to the Supreme Court.

    Third, parts of the conservative right have long argued for a far more powerful president. For instance, the idea of a “unitary executive” has been discussed in conservative circles for years. This essentially claims that the president should be able to direct and control the entire executive branch, from the bureaucracy to prosecutors to the FBI.

    These arguments are already being made to justify Trump’s actions. As Elon Musk has said, “you could not ask for a stronger mandate from the public” to reform the executive branch. These arguments will be made to courts to justify Trump’s expansion of power.

    Fourth, even if the Supreme Court does block some decrees, it is possible the White House will simply ignore these actions. We had an early glimpse of this when Trump posted that “He who saves his Country does not violate any Law”.

    Vice President JD Vance has also said judges “aren’t allowed” to block the president’s “legitimate power”.

    The importance of political mobilisation and messaging

    Trump’s aggressive use of presidential power is not just a constitutional crisis, it is a political one. For those seeking to resist, this is too important to just be left to the courts; it must also involve America’s key political institutions.

    The most obvious place to start is in Congress. Lawmakers must act decisively to assert the legal power granted to them in the constitution to check the power of the presidency. This would include active Congressional use of its budgeting power, as well as its oversight powers on the presidency.

    This could happen now if a few Republicans were to take a principled position on important constitutional issues, though nearly all have so far preferred to fall in line. Democrats could retake both branches of Congress in the midterm elections in 2026, though, and assert this power.

    The states can and should also act to resist this expansion of presidential power. This action could take many forms, including refusing to deploy their traditional police powers to enforce decrees they view to be unconstitutional or unlawful.

    In mobilising to defend the constitution, these institutions could appeal to the American people with more than the narrow legal argument that Trump’s acts are unconstitutional. They could also make the broader political argument that turning the American president into a Russian-style, elected king will foster a form of inefficient, unresponsive and corrupt politics.

    Or, in the words of The New York Times columnist Ezra Klein, “it’s the corruption, stupid”.

    Time is of the essence. Russia shows the more time a “crown-president” is able to operate, the more entrenched this system becomes. For those hoping to preserve American democracy, the time is now for not just legal, but political resistance.

    William Partlett 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 ruling like a ‘king’, following the Putin model. How can he be stopped? – https://theconversation.com/trump-is-ruling-like-a-king-following-the-putin-model-how-can-he-be-stopped-249721

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-Evening Report: It’s the biggest Egyptian tomb discovery in a century. Who was Thutmose II?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anna M. Kotarba-Morley, Senior Lecturer in Museum and Curatorial Studies / Research Fellow, University of Adelaide

    Wikimedia/The Conversation

    Archaeologists in Egypt have made an exciting discovery: the tomb of Pharaoh Thutmose II, a ruler who has long been overshadowed by his famous wife and half-sister, Queen Hatshepsut.

    The remarkable find is located in the Western Valley (a burial ground for queens rather than kings), near the complex of Deir el-Bahari, which houses the funerary temple of Hatshepsut. Both of us worked together as archaeologists at this spectacular site some 15 years ago.

    Thutmose II’s tomb has been labelled the first, and biggest, discovery of a royal tomb since Tutankhamun’s tomb was found just over 100 years ago.

    Despite being totally empty, it’s a crucial element in further understanding a transformative period in ancient Egyptian history.

    Hatshepsut’s forgotten brother and husband

    Thutmose II (also called Akheperenre) reigned in the first half of the 15th century BCE. This made him the fourth ruler of the 18th Egyptian Dynasty, which marked the beginning of the New Kingdom period.

    Thutmose II likely ruled for a little over ten years, although some scholars believe his reign may have lasted only three years.

    He was the son of a great pharaoh Thutmose I and his lesser wife, Mutnofret. He married his half-sister Queen Hatshepsut according to the royal custom, to solidify the rule and bloodline. Together they had a daughter named Nefrure.

    Thutmose II’s mummy was discovered in 1881 but his original tomb was unknown until now.
    Wikimedia

    Upon his death, his wife Hatshepsut became the sixth pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty – and arguably one of the most famous and successful female rulers of all time.

    Military activities

    As the successor of Thutmose I, Thutmose II continued his father’s military policy in the southern regions of Egypt.

    According to preserved inscriptions, he ordered the brutal suppression of a rebellion against Egyptian rule in the land of Kush (in present-day north Sudan). As a result, a significant number of prisoners were brought to Egypt – possibly as part of a campaign.

    But Thutmose II’s military campaigns were minor in comparison to the grand conquests of his predecessors and successors. Most historians believe he was a weak ruler and that Hatshepsut had a major role in governing the country, even long before his death. However, others contest this.

    Thutmose II’s short reign left modest traces of building activity in Karnak, one of the largest religious centres in ancient Egypt, located in present-day Luxor.

    The structure, of which only fragments survive, features a unique decoration depicting Thutmose II, Hatshepsut as his royal wife before she became a ruler, and their daughter Nefrure. The origins of the monument are uncertain. It’s possible Thutmose II started it and Hatshepsut finished it.

    The monument was reconstructed by French researchers and can now be admired at the Open Air Museum in Karnak.

    Karnak is one of the most important religious centres in Ancient Egypt.
    Katarzyna Kapiec

    Other monuments of Thutmose II were found in the southern regions of Egypt, such as in Elephantine, in the city of Aswan, and in northern Sudan (likely connected to his military campaigns).

    The condemnation of Hatshepsut’s memory

    Interestingly, the name of Thutmose II became strongly associated with many of Hatshepsut’s constructions due to the actions of Thutmose III.

    Regarded as one of the greatest warriors, military commanders and military strategists of all time, Thutmose III was the nephew and stepson of Hatshepsut, and co-ruled with her as a regent.

    At the end of Thutmose III’s reign, some 20 years after Hatshepsut’s death, he carried out a large-scale campaign to remove or alter Hatshepsut’s names and images. Scholars call this “damnatio memoriae”, or condemnation of the memory.

    An example of Hatshepsut’s ‘damnatio memoriae’ at Deir el-Bahari. Hatshepsut’s cartouches (left) were defaced, while Thutmose III’s (right) remained untouched.
    Wikimedia

    This was likely due to concerns about securing the throne for his successor, Amenhotep II, by linking him to his male ancestors.

    In many cases, Hatshepsut’s name was replaced with that of Thutmose II, making him the principal celebrant in temples built by Hatshepsut, such as in Deir el-Bahari.

    View at the temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari at the dawn.
    Katarzyna Kapiec

    What does Thutmose II’s empty tomb tell us?

    The newly discovered tomb reveals fresh details about the status of Thutmose II and his role in the sociopolitical structure of 15th century BCE Egypt – a period of territorial expansion, wealth and political intrigue. It also sheds light on the perception of his rule at the time.

    Thutmose II has been painted as an ineffectual ruler. And the latest findings don’t contradict this.

    Unlike his father Thutmose I, who expanded Egypt’s reign through military strength, or his stepson Thutmose III, who became one of the most famous Egyptian warrior-kings, his modest tomb suggests his legacy may not have been as widely celebrated as others in his dynasty.

    The tomb’s location is also intriguing, as it is near the tombs of royal wives, including the cliff tomb of Hatshepsut, which was prepared for her when she was still a royal wife.

    Thutmose II’s mummy was discovered in the so-called Royal Cache in Deir el-Bahari in 1881, alongside other royal mummies. Many royal mummies were relocated here for protection from flooding and during the uncertain times of the 21st Dynasty (circa 1077–950 BCE), some 400–500 years after Thutmose II’s original burial.

    However, experts suspect Thutmose II’s tomb might have been emptied even earlier due to flooding from a waterfall above it.

    The two of us speculate another tomb may have been built for him, and is still awaiting discovery.

    An 1881 photograph of some of the coffins and mummies found in DB320, taken before the mummies were unwrapped.
    Wikimedia

    Ultimately, Thutmose II’s reign remains shrouded in mystery due to the lack of available records. The search for his tomb – from Western Valley, through the Valley of the Kings, all the way to Deir el-Bahari – spanned centuries.

    Despite its poorly preserved state, and its scarcity compared with Tutankhamun’s splendorous tomb, this discovery will expand our understanding of the overlooked figure of Thutmose II, and the role he played in setting up the reign of Hatshepsut – arguably the most successful of the four female pharaohs.

    In fact, paving the way for the ascent of Hatshepsut may have been his greatest contribution.

    Anna M. Kotarba-Morley receives funding from Australian Research Council and previously received funding from National Centre of Science in Poland.

    Katarzyna Kapiec receives funding from National Science Centre in Poland

    – ref. It’s the biggest Egyptian tomb discovery in a century. Who was Thutmose II? – https://theconversation.com/its-the-biggest-egyptian-tomb-discovery-in-a-century-who-was-thutmose-ii-250432

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: Scientist: No need to panic about asteroid that might hit Earth in 2032

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    Since early January, Chinese scientists have been continuously observing an asteroid that has a small chance of colliding with Earth in 2032.
    By combining global data, astronomers have updated the probability of impact to around 1.5 percent.
    “As observational data accumulates, the calculations of its orbit will become more accurate, and the probability of it hitting Earth will also change. So the public need not panic and should await further results from astronomers,” said Zhao Haibin, director of and researcher at the Department of Planetary Sciences and Deep Space Exploration at the Purple Mountain Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
    The asteroid, named 2024 YR4, has an estimated diameter of between 40 and 90 meters, roughly the size of a large building. It was discovered on Dec 27 by an Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System telescope in Chile, according to scientists.
    On Wednesday, the near-Earth object monitoring system of the United States space agency NASA revised the probability of 2024 YR4 hitting Earth to 1.5 percent, down from its Tuesday estimation of 3.1 percent.
    On Tuesday, the European Space Agency’s Near-Earth Object Coordination Centre revised its estimation of the probability to 2.8 percent from the previous 2.4 percent.
    “The orbit of an asteroid is primarily calculated through optical observations,” Zhao said. “Asteroids shine by reflecting sunlight, and observing them with telescopes, along with the surrounding stars in their field of view, helps us determine their coordinates in the celestial sphere. This, in turn, allows us to calculate their orbits.”
    The orbit of this asteroid has a relatively high eccentricity, meaning that its path is elliptical. It passes near Earth’s orbit approximately every four years. The period from the end of last year to the beginning of this year was a good observation window, and there will be another favorable observation window in 2028, he said.
    Experts studying asteroids at the CAS indicated that although current technology makes it difficult to directly intercept an asteroid, its trajectory can be altered by a few millimeters per second.
    There are several ways to prevent a near-Earth asteroid from colliding with the planet, such as launching rockets to push it off its original path or evacuating people when it is about to collide with the planet, minimizing the effect of impact.
    “An asteroid with a diameter of a few dozen meters could devastate an area of several thousand square kilometers, equivalent to a large city, if it hits Earth without any preventive measures,” said a scientist who asked to remain anonymous.
    Zhao, the researcher, said, “Given that we have already discovered the asteroid, with a diameter of around 50 meters, we will undoubtedly develop a response plan, meaning that the public need not worry excessively.”
    The International Asteroid Warning Network and the Space Mission Planning Advisory Group have been operating since 2013, monitoring and issuing warnings for asteroids that pose a potential risk of impact.
    For an asteroid with a diameter greater than 10 meters and an impact probability of more than 1 percent, the IAWN will issue a warning, calling on astronomers worldwide to monitor it, Zhao said.
    “If the asteroid has a diameter greater than 20 meters and a 10 percent probability of impact within the next 20 years, the SMPAG will activate a response mechanism. This involves accurately assessing the impact risk corridor for Earth and preparing civil defense measures,” he said.
    “If the asteroid’s diameter exceeds 50 meters and there is a 1 percent probability of impact within 50 years, active defense plans, such as launching spacecraft to alter its orbit, may be initiated,” he added.
    At a conference in Beijing in 2018, Chinese scientists discussed the key technologies related to asteroid monitoring and early warning, safety defense and resource utilization.
    “If we need to defend against an asteroid with a diameter of around 50 meters, we might need to start deploying measures three to four years in advance,” said the scientist who requested anonymity.
    Chinese scientists have achieved notable progress in the detection and monitoring of near-Earth asteroids. In particular, the Near-Earth Object Telescope at the Purple Mountain Observatory and the Wide Field Survey Telescope, a collaboration between the University of Science and Technology of China and the Purple Mountain Observatory, have delivered significant results in recent years. To date, China has discovered more than 60 near-Earth asteroids.
    “This also reflects China’s active commitment to fulfilling its responsibilities as a major nation in the field of asteroid monitoring, early warning and defense,” said Zhao.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Trump is ruling like a ‘king’, following the Putin model. How can he be stopped?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By William Partlett, Associate Professor of Public Law, The University of Melbourne

    A month in, and it is clear even to conservatives that US President Donald Trump is attempting to fundamentally reshape the role of the American president.

    Trump and his supporters sees the natural authority of the American president in broad terms, similar to those of the Russian president, or a king. Trump, in fact, has already likened himself to a king.

    This desire to “Russify” the presidency is not an accident: Trump and many of his supporters admire the king-like power that Vladimir Putin exercises as Russian president.

    Understanding how Trump is attempting to transform presidential power is key to mobilising in the most effective way to stop it.

    Decrees by a ‘king’

    Russia’s system of government is what I call a “crown-presidential” system, which makes the president a kind of elected king.

    Two powers are central to this role.

    First, like a king, the Russian “crown-president” does not rely on an elected legislature to make policy. Instead, Putin exercises policy-making authority unilaterally via decree.

    Putin has used decrees to wage wars, privatise the economy and even to amend the constitution to lay claim to the parts of Ukraine occupied by Russia since 2014.

    He has also used these decrees in a performative way, for example, by declaring pay raises for all Russian state employees without any ability to enforce it.

    Over the last month, Trump has made similar use of decrees (what the White House now terms “presidential actions”).

    He has issued scores of presidential decrees to unilaterally reshape vast swathes of American policy – far more than past presidents. Trump sees these orders as a way of both exercising and demonstrating his vast presidential power.

    Control over the bureaucracy

    Second, like a king, Putin does not allow the Russian legislature to use the law to organise the executive branch and create agencies independent of presidential control. Instead, he has unquestioned dominance over both the organisation and staffing of the executive branch. This has given him vast power to dominate politics by controlling information gathering and legal prosecutions.

    A similar push is underway in the United States. Trump has appointed key loyalists to head the Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation.

    Moreover, he is seeking to restructure the executive branch by abolishing some agencies altogether and vastly reducing the size of the workforce in others.

    Can the courts stop Trump?

    Trump’s attempt to Russify the American presidency undermines the American constitutional order.

    Courts are the natural “first responders” in this kind of crisis. And many courts have blocked some of Trump’s early decrees.

    This legal response is important. But it is not enough on it own.

    First, the US Supreme Court might be more willing to accept this expansion of presidential power than lower courts. In a ruling last year, for example, the court granted the president immunity from criminal prosecution, showing itself to be sympathetic to broad understandings of executive power.

    Second, presidential decrees can be easily withdrawn and modified. This can allow Trump and his legal team to recalibrate as his decrees are challenged and find the best test cases to take to the Supreme Court.

    Third, parts of the conservative right have long argued for a far more powerful president. For instance, the idea of a “unitary executive” has been discussed in conservative circles for years. This essentially claims that the president should be able to direct and control the entire executive branch, from the bureaucracy to prosecutors to the FBI.

    These arguments are already being made to justify Trump’s actions. As Elon Musk has said, “you could not ask for a stronger mandate from the public” to reform the executive branch. These arguments will be made to courts to justify Trump’s expansion of power.

    Fourth, even if the Supreme Court does block some decrees, it is possible the White House will simply ignore these actions. We had an early glimpse of this when Trump posted that “He who saves his Country does not violate any Law”.

    Vice President JD Vance has also said judges “aren’t allowed” to block the president’s “legitimate power”.

    The importance of political mobilisation and messaging

    Trump’s aggressive use of presidential power is not just a constitutional crisis, it is a political one. For those seeking to resist, this is too important to just be left to the courts; it must also involve America’s key political institutions.

    The most obvious place to start is in Congress. Lawmakers must act decisively to assert the legal power granted to them in the constitution to check the power of the presidency. This would include active Congressional use of its budgeting power, as well as its oversight powers on the presidency.

    This could happen now if a few Republicans were to take a principled position on important constitutional issues, though nearly all have so far preferred to fall in line. Democrats could retake both branches of Congress in the midterm elections in 2026, though, and assert this power.

    The states can and should also act to resist this expansion of presidential power. This action could take many forms, including refusing to deploy their traditional police powers to enforce decrees they view to be unconstitutional or unlawful.

    In mobilising to defend the constitution, these institutions could appeal to the American people with more than the narrow legal argument that Trump’s acts are unconstitutional. They could also make the broader political argument that turning the American president into a Russian-style, elected king will foster a form of inefficient, unresponsive and corrupt politics.

    Or, in the words of The New York Times columnist Ezra Klein, “it’s the corruption, stupid”.

    Time is of the essence. Russia shows the more time a “crown-president” is able to operate, the more entrenched this system becomes. For those hoping to preserve American democracy, the time is now for not just legal, but political resistance.

    William Partlett 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 ruling like a ‘king’, following the Putin model. How can he be stopped? – https://theconversation.com/trump-is-ruling-like-a-king-following-the-putin-model-how-can-he-be-stopped-249721

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Creative progress or mass theft? Why a major AI art auction is provoking wonder – and outrage

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jessica Herrington, Futures Specialist, School of Cybernetics, Australian National University

    Thirty-four artworks created with artificial intelligence (AI) have gone up for sale at Christie’s in New York, in the famed auction house’s first collection dedicated to AI art.

    Christie’s says the collection aims to explore “human agency in the age of AI within fine art”, prompting viewers to question the evolving role of the artist and of creativity.

    Questions are not all the collection has prompted: there has also been a backlash. At the time of writing, more than 6,000 artists have signed an open letter calling on Christie’s to cancel the auction.

    What’s in the collection?

    Sougwen Chung’s Study 33 (2024) was created through a process that captured data from an EEG headset and a computer vision system tracking body movement and fed it to a painting robot called D.O.U.G._4.
    Sougwen Chung / Christie’s

    The Augmented Intelligence collection, up for auction from February 20 to March 5, spans work from early AI art pioneers such as Harold Cohen through to contemporary innovators such as Refik Anadol, Vanessa Rosa and Sougwen Chung.

    The showcased pieces vary widely in their use of AI. Some are physical objects, some are digital-only works – sold as non-fungible tokens or NFTs – and others are offered as both digital and physical components together.

    Some have a performance aspect, such as Alexander Reben’s Untitled Robot Painting 2025 (to be titled by AI at the conclusion of the sale).

    After generating an initial image tile, the work iteratively expands outwards, growing with each new bid in the auction. As the image evolves digitally, it is translated onto a physical canvas by an oil-painting robot. The price estimate for the work ranges from US$100 to US$1.7 million, and at the time of writing the bid sits at US$3,000.

    Alexander Reben’s Untitled Robot Painting 2025 involves art generated by AI and painted by robot as bids come in.
    Alexander Reben / Christie’s

    Claims of exploitation

    The controversy surrounding this show is not surprising. Debates over the creation of AI art have simmered ever since the technology became widely available in 2022.

    The open letter calling for the auction to be cancelled argues that many works in the exhibition use “AI models that are known to be trained on copyrighted work without a license”.

    Embedding Study 1 & 2 (from the xhairymutantx series) (2024) by Holly Herndon and Matt Dryhurst explores the concept of ‘Holly Herndon’ in generative AI models.
    Holly Herndon and Matt Dryhurst / Christie’s

    The letter says:

    These models, and the companies behind them, exploit human artists, using their work without permission or payment to build commercial AI products that compete with them.

    The models in question include popular image generators such as Stable Diffusion, Midjourney and DALL-E.

    The letter continues:

    [Christie’s] support of these models, and the people who use them, rewards and further incentivizes AI companies’ mass theft of human artists’ work.

    Copyright and cultural appropriation

    Refik Anadol’s Machine Hallucinations – ISS Dreams (2021) is a video work used an AI model trained on publicly available images taken from the International Space Station.
    Refik Anadol / Christie’s

    There are several attempts by artists to bring legal proceedings against AI companies underway. As yet, the key question remains unresolved: by training AI models on existing artworks, do AI models infringe artists’ copyright, or is this a case of fair use?

    Artists who are critical of AI are rightly concerned about losing their incomes, or their skills becoming irrelevant or outdated. They are also concerned about losing their creative community – their place in the creative ecosystem.

    Last year, Indigenous artists withdrew from a Brisbane art prize, highlighting concerns about AI and cultural appropriation.

    At the same time, many AI artists don’t use copyrighted material. Refik Anadol, for instance, has stated that his work in the Christie’s collection was made using publicly available datasets from NASA.

    How the ‘work’ of art is changing

    The Christie’s event occurs during a major shift in what it means to be an artist, and to be creative. Some participants in the show even question whether the label of “artist” is even necessary or required to make meaningful imagery and artefacts.

    Many non-artists may wonder – if AI is used, where is the real “work” of art? The answer is that many forms of work will look different in the age of AI, and creative endeavours are no exception.

    Creativity gave humans an evolutionary edge. What happens if society censors or undermines certain forms of creativity?

    Pindar Van Arman’s Emerging Faces (2017) was created via two AI agents: one attempted to generate images of faces, while the other stopped the process as soon as it recognised the image as a face.
    Pindar Van Arman / Christie’s

    Clinging to traditional ideas about how things are done ignores the bigger picture. When used thoughtfully, technology can stretch our creative potential.

    And AI cannot make art without human artists. Creating with new technologies requires context, direction, meaning, and an aesthetic sense.

    In the case of the Christie’s auction, artists are doing much more than typing in prompts. They iterate with data, refine models, and actively shape the end result.

    This evolving relationship between humans and machines reframes the creative process, with AI becoming more like a “conversational partner”.

    What now?

    Calling for the Christie’s auction to be cancelled may be shortsighted. It oversimplifies a complex issue and sidesteps deeper questions about how we should think about authorship, what authenticity means, and the evolving relationship between artists and the tools they use.

    Whether we embrace or resist AI art, the Christie’s auction pushes us to rethink artistic labour and the creative process.

    At the same time, Christie’s may need to take more care to produce collections that are sensitive to contemporary issues. Artists have real concerns about loss of work and income. A “move fast and break things” approach feels ill-suited to the thoughtfulness associated with artistic production.

    Harold Cohen’s Untitled (i23-3758) (1987) was produced with the groundbreaking AARON image-generating AI system.
    Harold Cohen / Christie’s

    Beyond protest, more education and collaboration is required overall. Artists who do not adapt to new technologies and ways of creating may be left behind.

    Equally important is ensuring AI does not diminish human agency or exploit creatives. Discussions around achieving sustainable and inclusive AI could follow other sectors focusing on equally sharing benefits and having rigorous ethical standards.

    Examples might come from the open source community (and organisations such as the Open Source Initiative), where licensing and frameworks allow contributors to benefit from collective development. And in the tech realm, some software companies (such as IBM) do stand out for their rigorous approach to ethics.

    Rather than cancelling the Christie’s auction, perhaps this is a moment for us to reimagine how we do creativity and adapt with AI.

    But are artists – and audiences – prepared for a future where the nature of being an artist, and creativity itself, is radically different?

    Jessica Herrington 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. Creative progress or mass theft? Why a major AI art auction is provoking wonder – and outrage – https://theconversation.com/creative-progress-or-mass-theft-why-a-major-ai-art-auction-is-provoking-wonder-and-outrage-250157

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Senior leadership appointment in the Government of Yukon public service

    Senior leadership appointment in the Government of Yukon public service
    zaburke

    Premier Ranj Pillai has made a senior leadership appointment. 

    Paul Moore’s appointment as interim Deputy Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources has been extended at pleasure for up to three months. The Energy, Mines and Resources portfolio will continue to be divided between the acting Deputy and interim Deputy Ministers.

    Moore will be responsible for Land Planning, Land Management, Agriculture, Energy, Geothermal and Petroleum Resources, Forest Management, Strategic Alliances, Policy, Human Resources, Communications, Finance and Information Management.

    Van der Meer will continue to be responsible for Mineral Resources, Yukon Geological Survey, Assessment and Abandoned Mines and Compliance, Monitoring and Inspection.  
     

    Backgrounder

    Paul Moore has many years of public service experience with municipal, First Nations and territorial governments including director of the Human Resource and Education for the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in First Nation, and the chief administrative officer for the City of Dawson. He joined the Government of Yukon in 2008 as director of Community Affairs and then became assistant deputy minister of Community Development. He has served as the Deputy Minister for Community Services, Deputy Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources and most recently as the Public Service Commissioner. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Victoria and a Master of Arts in Conflict Analysis and Management from Royal Roads University.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Gaelic teaching hub announced

    Source: Scottish Government

    £200,000 funding for sports bus and accommodation.

    Sabhal Mòr Ostaig is to be a Gaelic hub in the new Centre for Teaching Excellence, Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth has announced during a visit to the college.

    The Cabinet Secretary met with staff at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, the National Centre for Gaelic Language and Culture, during a visit to discuss the aims of the new Centre in providing opportunities for Gaelic teachers across the country.

    Ahead of Gaelic week which gets underway on Monday, Ms Gilruth met senior leadership, teachers and students, before attending the Sabhal Mòr Ostaig Annual Lecture.

    More than £100,000 of funding has been confirmed today to provide upgrades to accommodation at the college. Separate funding for Comann na Gàidhlig will also help provide a new minibus to support participation in Gaelic sports.

    Ms Gilruth also visited Broadford Primary to hear first hand from staff and pupils about the English and Gaelic education it provides, as well as plans for a new school and community hub at the site.

    The Education Secretary said:

    “Sabhal Mór Ostaig is internationally respected as the only Centre of Higher and Further Education in the world which provides its learning programmes entirely through the medium of Gaelic.

    “It has been a privilege to meet staff and students at the college to learn about the work here, including the Gaelic hub being developed for the Centre for Teaching Excellence

    “I was also hugely encouraged to hear about the great work being undertaken at Broadford Primary and to hear about their exciting plans for the new school.  

    “The Scottish Government is a strong supporter of Scotland’s indigenous languages and encourages bodies and communities to work together to support and promote Gaelic language and culture.”

    Shona Cormack, Head of Teacher Education at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, said:

    “We are delighted to be working with our colleagues at the University of Glasgow to establish the Centre and to have Gaelic Education recognised as a core area in the new Centre’s work. We look forward to working with Gaelic teachers to identify priority areas for development and to provide access to professional learning based on the latest research that will positively impact teaching and learning in Gaelic classrooms across the country.”

    Background

    Sabhal Mòr Ostaig will work collaboratively on the Centre for Teaching Excellence with hosts, the University of Glasgow. The Cabinet Secretary’s visit to Sabhal Mòr Ostaig and Broadford Primary took place on Thursday 20 February.

    The Sabhal Mór Ostaig annual lecture this year was delivered by Alan Esslemont, Director General of Irish language channel TG4.

    The funding announced today comprises:

    • £109,657 for in capital funding for the Sabhal Mòr Ostaig estate, mainly in the student accommodation
    • £91,711 for Comann na Gàidhlig to provide a minibus for Gaelic sports, as well as outdoor equipment.

    Hub Teagaisg Gàidhlig air ainmeachadh

    Maoineachadh de £200,000 airson bus spòrs agus àite-còmhnaidh.

    Bidh Sabhal Mòr Ostaig mar hub Gàidhlig dha Ionad ùr airson Sàr-mhathais ann an Teagasg. Chaidh seo a chur an cèill le Rùnaire an Fhoghlaim is i a’ tadhal air a’ cholaiste.

    Choinnich Rùnaire a’ Chaibineit le luchd-obrach aig Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, an t-Ionad Nàiseanta airson Cànan agus Cultar na Gàidhlig, is i a’ tadhal gus còmhradh mu na h-amasan a bhiodh aig an Ionad ùr is e a’ toirt seachad chothroman do thidsearan Gàidhlig air feadh na dùthcha.

    Le Seachdain na Gàidhlig a’ tòiseachadh air Diluain, choinnich a’ BhCh. NicGilleRuaidh ri ceannardan, tidsearan agus oileanaich, mus robh i an làthair aig Òraid Bhliadhnail Shabhal Mòr Ostaig.

    Chaidh còrr air £100,000 de mhaoineachadh a dhearbhadh an-diugh gus àite-còmhnaidh na Colaiste ùrachadh. Thèid maoineachadh fa leth a thoirt seachad gus cuideachadh le bhith a’ frithealadh bus ùr tron urrainn daoine a dhol an sàs ann an spòrs Gàidhlig.

    Bha a’ BhCh. NicGilleRuaidh cuideachd a’ tadhal air Bun-sgoil an Àth Leathainn gus cluinntinn bho luchd-obrach is sgoilearan iad fhèin mun fhoghlam Bheurla is Ghàidhlig a bhios an sgoil a’ toirt seachad, a thuilleadh air planaichean airson sgoil ùr agus hub coimhearsnachd aig an làraich.

    Thuirt Rùnaire an Fhoghlaim:

    “Tha Sabhal Mòr Ostaig air spèis a choisinn gu h-eadar-nàiseanta mar an aon Ionad airson Foghlam Àrd-ìre is Leantainneach anns an t-saoghal a tha a’ toirt seachad am prògram ionnsachaidh gu tur tron Ghàidhlig.

    “’S e urram a tha air a bhith ann coinneachadh ri luchd-obrach agus oileanaich aig a’ cholaiste gus ionnsachadh mun obair an seo, na mheasg an hub Gàidhlig a thathar a leasachadh don Ionad airson Sàr-mhathais ann an Teagasg.

    “Bha mi cuideachd fìor air mo bhrosnachadh cluinntinn mun sàr obair a tha a’ leantainn aig Bun-sgoil an Àth Leathainn is a bhith a’ cluinntinn mu na planaichean misneachail aca airson na sgoile ùire.

    “Tha Riaghaltas na h-Alba gu làidir a’ cur taic ri cànain tùsanach na h-Alba is a’ brosnachadh bhuidhnean is coimhearsnachdan a bhith ag obair còmhla gus taic is adhartas a thoirt do chànan is cultar na Gàidhlig.”

    Thuirt Shona NicCarmaig, Stiùiriche Foghlam Thidsearan aig Sabhal Mòr Ostaig:

    “Tha sinn air ar dòigh a bhith ag obair còmla ri ar co-obraichean aig Oilthigh Ghlaschu gus an t-Ionad a stèidheachadh is gun tèid a’ Ghàidhlig aithneachadh mar phrìomh phàirt de dh’obair an Ionaid ùir. Tha sinn a’ dèanamh fiughar ri bhith ag obair le tidsearan Gàidhlig gus aithneachadh dè na prìomh chùisean a dh’fheumas a bhith air an leasachadh agus gus cothrom a thoirt dhaibh air ionnsachadh proifeiseanta a tha air fhiosrachadh leis an rannsachadh as ùire aig am bi deagh bhuaidh air teagasg agus ionnsachadh ann an seòmraichean-sgoile Gàidhlig air feadh na dùthcha.”  

    Cùl-fhiosrachadh

    Obraichidh Sabhal Mòr Ostaig ann an com-pàirt air an Ionad airson Sàr-mhathais ann an Teagasg còmhla ri prìomh bhuidhinn an ionaid, Oilthigh Ghlaschu. ’S ann air Diardaoin 20 Gearran a bha Rùnaire a’ Chaibineit a’ tadhal air Sabhal Mòr Ostaig agus Bun-sgoil an Àth Leathainn.

    A’ bhliadhna seo bha òraid bhliadhnail Shabhal Mòr Ostaig air a lìbhrigeadh le Ailean Esslemont, Stiùiriche Coitcheann na seanail Gaeilge, TG4.

    An lùib a’ mhaoineachadh a chaidh fhoillseachadh an-diugh tha:

    • £109,657 de mhaoin-chalpa airson oighreachd SMO, a’ chuid as motha airson àite-còmhnaidh nan oileanach
    • £91,711 do Chomunn na Gàidhlig gus bus a bhith aca airson spòrs Gàidhlig, agus cuideachd uidheamachd airson a’ bhlàr a-muigh

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Deepfakes can ruin lives and livelihoods – would owning the ‘rights’ to our own faces and voices help?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Graeme Austin, Chair of Private Law, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington

    Getty Images

    Not that long ago, the term “deepfake” wasn’t in most people’s vocabularies. Now, it is not only commonplace, but is also the focus of intense legal scrutiny around the world.

    Known in legal documents as “digital replicas”, deepfakes are created by artificial intelligence (AI) to simulate the visual and vocal appearance of real people, living or dead.

    Unregulated, they can do a lot of damage, including financial fraud (already a problem in New Zealand), political disinformation, fake news, and the creation and dissemination of AI-generated pornography and child sexual abuse material.

    For professional performers and entertainers, the proliferation and increasing sophistication of deepfake technology could demolish their ability to control and derive income from their images and voices.

    And deepfakes might soon take away jobs: why employ a professional actor when a digital replica will do?

    One possible solution to this involves giving individuals the ability to enforce intellectual property (IP) rights to their own image and voice. The United States is currently debating such a move, and New Zealand lawmakers should be watching closely.

    Owning your own likeness

    Remedies already being discussed in New Zealand include extending prohibitions in the Harmful Digital Communications Act to cover digital replicas that do not depict a victim’s actual body.

    Using (or amending) the Crimes Act, the Fair Trading Act and the Electoral Act would also be helpful.

    At the same time, there will be political pressure to ensure regulation does not stymie investment in AI technologies – a concern raised in a 2024 cabinet paper.

    Legislation introduced to the US Congress last year – the Nurture Originals, Foster Art, and Keep Entertainment Safe Bill – proposes a new federal intellectual property right that individual victims can use against creators and disseminators of deepfakes.

    Known informally as the “No Fakes Bill”, the legislation has bipartisan and industry support, including from leading entertainment worker unions. The US Copyright Office examined the current state of US law and concluded that enforceable rights were “urgently needed”.

    From the New Zealand perspective, the No Fakes Bill contains both helpful ideas and possible pitfalls. As we discuss in a forthcoming paper, its innovations include expanding IP protections to “everyday” individuals – not just celebrities.

    All individuals would have the right to seek damages and injunctions against unlicensed digital replicas, whether they’re in video games, pornographic videos, TikTok posts or remakes of movies and television shows.

    But these protections may prove illusory because the threshold for protection is so high. The digital replica must be “readily identifiable as the voice or visual likeness of an individual”, but it’s not clear how identifiable the individual victim of a deepfake needs to be.

    Well known New Zealand actors such as Anna Paquin and Cliff Curtis would certainly qualify. But would a New Zealand version of the bill protect an everyday person, “readily identifiable” only to family, friends and workmates?

    Can you license a digital replica?

    Under the US bill, the new IP rights can be licensed. The bill does not ban deepfakes altogether, but gives individuals more control over the use of their likenesses. An actor could, for example, license an advertising company to make a digital replica to appear in a television commercial.

    Licences must be in writing and signed, and the permitted uses must be specified. For living individuals, this can last only ten years.

    So far, so good. But New Zealand policy analysts should look carefully at the scope of any licensing provisions. The proposed IP right is “licensable in whole or in part”. Depending on courts’ interpretation of “in whole”, individuals could unknowingly sign away all uses of their images and voice.

    The No Fakes Bill is also silent on the reputational interests of individuals who license others to use their digital replicas.

    Suppose a performing artist licensed their digital replica for use in AI-generated musical performances. They should not, for example, have to put up with being depicted singing a white supremacist anthem, or other unsanctioned uses that would impugn their dignity and standing.

    Protectng parody and satire

    On the other side of the ledger, the No Fakes Bill contains freedom of expression safeguards for good faith commentary, criticism, scholarship, satire and parody.

    The bill also protects internet service providers (ISPs) from liability if they quickly remove “all instances” of infringing material once notified about it.

    This is useful language that might be adopted in any New Zealand legislation. Also, the parody and satire defence would be an advance on New Zealand’s copyright law, which currently contains no equivalent exception.

    But the US bill contains no measures empowering victims to require ISPs to block local subscribers’ access to online locations that peddle in deepfakes. Known as “site-blocking orders”, these injunctions are available in at least 50 countries, including Australia. But New Zealand and the US remain holdouts.

    For individual victims of deepfakes circulating on foreign websites that are accessible in New Zealand, site-blocking orders could offer the only practical relief.

    The No Fakes Bill is by no means a perfect or comprehensive solution to the deepfakes problem. Many different weapons will be needed in the legal and policy armoury – including obligations to disclose when digital replicas are used.

    Even so, creating an IP right could be a useful addition to a suite of measures aimed at reducing the economic, reputational and emotional harms deepfakes can inflict.

    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. Deepfakes can ruin lives and livelihoods – would owning the ‘rights’ to our own faces and voices help? – https://theconversation.com/deepfakes-can-ruin-lives-and-livelihoods-would-owning-the-rights-to-our-own-faces-and-voices-help-249929

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese premier stresses boosting consumption, expanding domestic demand

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    BEIJING, Feb. 20 — Chinese Premier Li Qiang has emphasized boosting consumption and improving people’s livelihoods through stronger and more targeted measures, in a bid to strengthen the fundamental role of consumption in driving economic development.

    Li made the remarks at a study session held by the State Council on Thursday.

    The premier noted that consumption must be prioritized for expanding domestic demand and driving economic growth, urging more effective measures to promote consumption and improve the consumption environment.

    More efforts should be made to facilitate service consumption, improve the supply of education, medical care, culture, sports, tourism, elderly care and household services, and accelerate the application of artificial intelligence (AI) to unlock consumption potential of AI terminal products, he said.

    He urged to develop high-quality products and services in more segments to stimulate new consumer demand.

    He also emphasized the need to relax market access in relevant industries, and boost high-quality product supply to meet emerging consumer demands.

    Liu Yuanchun, president of the Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, gave a lecture at the session. Vice premiers Ding Xuexiang and He Lifeng, and State Councilor Shen Yiqin participated in discussions.

    MIL OSI China News –