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Category: Universities

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Why recycling solar panels is harder than you might think − an electrical engineer explains

    Source: The Conversation – USA (2) – By Anurag Srivastava, Professor of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, West Virginia University

    Broken and worn-out solar panels can be recycled, but it’s not easy. Suzanne Kreiter/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

    It’s hard work soaking up sunlight to generate clean electricity. After about 25 to 30 years, solar panels wear out. Over the years, heating and cooling cycles stress the materials. Small cracks develop, precipitation corrodes the frame and layers of materials can start to peel apart.

    In 2023, about 90% of old or faulty solar panels in the U.S. ended up in landfills. Millions of panels have been installed worldwide over the past few decades – and by about 2030, so many will be ready to retire that they could cover about 3,000 football fields.

    As an electrical engineer who has studied many aspects of renewable energy, recycling solar panels seems like a smart idea, but it’s complicated. Built to withstand years of wind and weather, solar panels are designed for strength and are not easy to break down.

    All of these solar panels will need to be disposed of one day – perhaps by being recycled.
    David McNew/Getty Images

    The cost conundrum

    Sending a solar panel to a landfill costs between US$1 and $5 in the U.S. But recycling it can cost three to four times as much, around $18. And the valuable materials inside solar panels, such as silver and copper, are in small amounts, so they’re worth about $10 to $12 – which makes recycling a money-losing prospect. Improvements in the recycling process may change the economics.

    But for now, it’s even hard to reclaim the glass in solar panels. Many layers are glued together and need to be separated before they can be melted down for reuse. And if the separation is not precise enough, the glass that is recovered won’t be of high enough quality to use in making other solar panels or windows. It will be suitable only for lower-quality uses such as fill material in construction projects.

    Other panels, usually older ones, may contain small amounts of toxic metals such as lead or cadmium. It can be difficult to tell whether toxic materials are present, though. Even experts have trouble, in part because current tests, such as the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure, can give inaccurate results. Therefore, many companies that own large numbers of solar panels just assume their panels are hazardous waste, which increases costs for both disposal and recycling. Clearer labels would help people know what a solar panel contains and how to handle it.

    If someone wants to recycle a solar panel, and is willing to bear the cost, there aren’t many places in the U.S. that are willing to do it and are equipped to be safe about it.

    Recycling solar panels can involve detailed manual labor.
    AP Photo/Gregory Bull

    Designing for a new life

    Despite the Trump administration’s cuts to subsidies for solar projects, millions of solar panels are already in use in the U.S., and millions more are expected to be installed worldwide in the coming years. As a result, the solar industry is working on ways to minimize waste and repeatedly reuse materials.

    Some ideas include sending used solar panels that still work at least a bit to developing nations, or even reusing them within the U.S. But there are not clear rules or processes for connecting reused panels to the power grid, so reuse tends to happen in less common, off-grid situations rather than becoming widespread.

    Future solar panels could also be designed for easier recycling, using different construction methods and materials, and improved processing systems.

    Making panels last longer – perhaps as long as 50 years – using more durable materials, weather-resistant components, real-time monitoring of panel performance and predictive maintenance to replace parts before they wear out would reduce waste significantly.

    Building solar panels that are more easily disassembled into separate components made of different materials could also speed recycling. Components that fit together like Lego bricks – instead of using glue – or dissolvable sealants and adhesives could be parts of these designs.

    Improved recycling methods could also help. Right now, panels are often simply ground up, mixing all of their components’ materials together and requiring a complicated process to separate them out again for reuse. More advanced approaches can extract individual materials with high purity. For example, a process called salt etching can recover over 99% of silver and 98% of silicon, at purity levels that are appropriate for high-end reuse, potentially even in new solar panels, without using toxic acids. That method can also recover significant quantities of copper and lead for use in new products.

    Crushing solar panels can make different materials easier to recover from various components.
    AP Photo/Gregory Bull

    A shared journey

    Increasing the practice of recycling solar panels has more than just environmental benefits.

    Over the long term, recovering and reusing valuable materials may prove more cost-effective than continually buying new raw materials on the open market. That could lower costs for future solar panel installations. If they are fully reused, the value of these recoverable materials could reach over $15 billion globally by 2050.

    In addition, recycling panels and components reduces American reliance on materials imported from overseas, making solar power projects less vulnerable to global disruptions.

    Recycling also keeps toxic materials out of landfills. That can help ensure a shift to clean energy doesn’t create new or bigger environmental problems. Also, recycling solar panels emits far less carbon dioxide than manufacturing panels from raw materials.

    There are already some efforts underway to boost solar panel recycling. The Solar Energy Industries Association trade group is working to collect and share information about companies that recycle solar panels.

    Governments can provide tax breaks or other financial incentives for using recycled materials, or ban disposing of solar panels in landfills. California, Washington, New Jersey and North Carolina have enacted laws or are studying ways to manage solar panel waste, with some even requiring recycling or reuse.

    These efforts are important steps toward addressing the growing need for solar panel recycling and promoting a more sustainable solar industry.

    Anurag Srivastava receives funding from the US Department of Energy and National Science Foundation to work on renewable energy integration into the grid. He is an IEEE Fellow and member of the IEEE Power and Energy Society and CIGRE working groups.

    – ref. Why recycling solar panels is harder than you might think − an electrical engineer explains – https://theconversation.com/why-recycling-solar-panels-is-harder-than-you-might-think-an-electrical-engineer-explains-259115

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: GUU expands cooperation with Delovaya Rossiya

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Official website of the State –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Rector of the State University of Management Vladimir Stroyev and Vice-Rector Dmitry Bryukhanov held a working meeting with the Deputy Chairman, Head of the Executive Committee of the All-Russian Public Organization “Business Russia” Nonna Kagramanyan.

    The meeting discussed a wide range of issues of cooperation between the State University of Management and Delovaya Rossiya, including holding events aimed at developing entrepreneurial competencies among students and students of additional education programs, developing joint educational and expert activities, and developing a business education system.

    One of the key areas is cooperation within the framework of the implementation of MBA programs – creation of joint programs, their examination for compliance with market trends, involvement of experts from Delovaya Rossiya, and consulting of program students.

    The Basic Department of “Business Russia” operates on the basis of the Higher School of Business and Technology of the State University of Management, which coordinates joint projects and provides scientific and methodological support in the field of entrepreneurship and business development management.

    “Delovaya Rossiya”, founded in 2001, unites more than 10 thousand businessmen of our country. The total number of employees at the enterprises of “Delovaya Rossiya” is more than 4.5 million people, and the total annual revenue of the enterprises exceeds 10 trillion rubles. More than 700 members of the organization are included in public councils of government bodies, working groups of state councils and national projects.

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Trump’s ‘big’ bill gives millions of taxpayers a new charitable tax break, but whether it will help nonprofits is unclear

    Source: The Conversation – USA (2) – By Daniel Hungerman, Professor of Economics, University of Notre Dame

    Tax policy changes can influence how much Americans donate. Douglas Rissing/iStock via Getty Images Plus

    The multitrillion-dollar bill that President Donald Trump signed into law on July 4, 2025, will change how the U.S. tax code treats charitable donations. It also has several tax provisions that affect some colleges, universities and other nonprofits. The Conversation U.S. asked Daniel Hungerman, an economist who studies charitable activities and public policy, to explain how these tax policies could influence charitable giving and affect nonprofits.

    What will change for donors?

    The consequences generally vary depending on how much money a donor gives to charity. They also depend on whether a donor claims the standard deduction – as about 90% of U.S. taxpayers have done since the 2017 tax reforms took effect during the first Trump administration – or itemizes their tax returns.

    Anyone taking the standard deduction, which will rise in 2025 to US$15,750 for an individual and $31,500 for married couples filing jointly, will get a new broadly available tax break of up to $1,000 for giving to a charitable nonprofit if they file on their own. Married couples filing jointly may deduct $2,000 from their taxable income if they give at least that amount to charity. To put this into sharper perspective, the average middle-income household gives about $3,300 annually.

    Americans who give a bit more than the typical donor – say, between $5,000 and $20,000 – will see major changes too. In some places, it will become easier for people to deduct more of the amount they pay in state and local taxes from their federal taxes – at least for a few years. Those taxpayers may also deduct their charitable giving from their income when they file their taxes.

    But there’s a new catch. People who itemize their taxes can’t claim the charitable deduction unless they give at least the equivalent of 0.5% of their adjusted gross income to charity. For example, someone who earns $100,000 a year would have to donate at least $500 to qualify for this tax break.

    A similar new catch will apply to corporate donations: Unless corporations give at least 1% of their taxable income to charity, they will no longer get a charitable tax deduction.

    The tax law also revises a rule that limits how much the biggest donors can give to charity and still get a tax break.

    What could that mean for charitable giving?

    Based on my research on tax policies and donations, I don’t expect the $1,000 charitable deduction for taxpayers who take the standard deduction to boost giving. The government has tried this before.

    The first time was in the 1980s. Starting in 1982, people taking the standard deduction could take a charitable deduction. The amount changed annually. In 1984, for example, it was $75 – $236 in 2025 dollars. Congress ended this experiment with the 1986 tax reforms.

    There was also a temporary $300 charitable deduction for people who took the standard deduction in 2020.

    The results were underwhelming both times, for two reasons.

    First, the maximum size of those tax breaks was too small in those earlier efforts. Many people were already giving enough to max out this new benefit. When that happens, the government is giving up tax revenue without encouraging people to donate more.

    To be fair, there are a couple of reasons that things might be better this time. First, $1,000 in 2025 – or $2,000 for married couples filing jointly – is more money than the $300 deduction in 2020. Also, this time it is permanent. A permanent provision gives charities time to publicize the bill and people time to learn about it.

    Another concern with this bill is that Americans who have not given to charity in the past might not begin to open their wallets but will still try to get the new $1,000 charitable deduction anyway by lying about it on their tax returns. There is evidence that a growing number of taxpayers try to game the tax system this way. The only way to stave off that sort of tax evasion would require additional work by the IRS, costing more tax dollars.

    This part of the tax law also sends a message that giving is not just for the wealthy, but that everyone can do it and get a tax break for it. That could help halt or reverse a decline in gifts from people who aren’t rich. And it makes me wonder whether a charitable deduction for people who don’t itemize their tax returns will work better this time around.

    What’s happening to higher education?

    The government will raise its tax on the income earned by the endowments held by some colleges and universities from 1.4% to as much as 8%. The system is complicated and hinges on how large an endowment is per student enrolled. Colleges attended by fewer than 3,000 students don’t have to pay this tax.

    Endowments are pooled financial investments that belong to a nonprofit. Those assets usually come from donations, and the income they earn typically flows into the nonprofit’s budget.

    Several prominent schools are bracing for higher taxes. Yale University, for example, says it will have to pay $280 million once this goes into effect.

    The higher endowment tax is unlikely to raise a whole lot of tax revenue, but it could force some schools to scale back financial aid, hike tuition or freeze hiring.

    What about K-12 schools?

    Perhaps the most significant change will be a new federal K-12 educational tax credit. Starting in 2027, it will be available to help offset the cost of private K-12 school tuition or other educational expenses, such as homeschooling. If someone makes a $1 gift to a nonprofit scholarship-granting organization – which would then deliver those funds to the school the donor designates – the government will cut their tax bill by $1. This tax credit can be worth up to $1,700 per year.

    Many details about how this system would work are yet to be determined.

    I believe that this provision could mark another step in the transformation of how private schools are funded in the United States. Beyond that, many private schools are run by churches, and many churches running schools already get large amounts of their funding from vouchers issued by state and local governments. Ultimately, private K-12 education could become an increasing source of revenue for churches.

    What about nonprofits that provide social services?

    Even if the megabill boosts charitable giving, nonprofits providing social services are likely to find themselves financially squeezed.

    That’s because the bill also cuts spending and tightens eligibility restrictions on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as food stamps, and Medicaid, the public health insurance program that mainly covers people who are low-income or have disabilities.

    I have researched the effects of the welfare reforms President Bill Clinton signed into law in 1996. One of my findings was that when the government cut spending on safety net programs by a dollar, charities, including churches, stepped in to provide 25 cents of services or more. But for every extra dollar needed to compensate for lost government spending, donors only gave 5 cents more.

    Another concern is that this bill makes permanent increases in the standard deduction – which I’ve found to have historically lowered charitable giving considerably. Perhaps the deduction for people who don’t itemize their tax returns, together with the state-and-local-taxes change, will counteract this trend. But it is certainly possible that Americans will give less to charity starting in 2025 compared with a world where there were no Trump tax reforms at all.

    Daniel Hungerman is a professor at the University of Notre Dame, and a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research.

    – ref. Trump’s ‘big’ bill gives millions of taxpayers a new charitable tax break, but whether it will help nonprofits is unclear – https://theconversation.com/trumps-big-bill-gives-millions-of-taxpayers-a-new-charitable-tax-break-but-whether-it-will-help-nonprofits-is-unclear-260379

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Dune patterns in California desert hold clues that help researchers map Mars’ shifting sands

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Lauren Berger, Ph.D. Student in Geology, Texas A&M University

    The author did some of her fieldwork at the Algodones Dunes in California. Ryan Ewing

    Our two-person team loaded the car with a GPS, a drone, notebooks, sample bags, a trowel and a flat spatula lovingly called a scoopula. Then we drove 30 minutes in our rented truck from Yuma, Arizona, to the Algodones Dunes, a sandy field bordering California, Arizona and Mexico. The day was sunny, with a strong breeze. Turning off the highway, we carefully headed onto a gravelly path that acted as our road.

    After making decent – if bumpy – progress, we pulled off onto the sand flats and drove slowly toward the dunes, worried we might get stuck in the sand. Having arrived on the outskirts of the Algodones, we stopped and loaded our backpacks, then set off into the desert on foot.

    The coarse- and fine-grained sand at the Algodones Dunes.
    Lauren Berger

    It was November 2022. As a graduate student at Texas A&M University, I was beginning part of my Ph.D. research with my adviser, geology professor Ryan Ewing. We were looking for coarse-grained sand ripples, which are patterned piles of sand shaped by wind. Sand ripples and sand dunes are types of aeolian bedforms, which are wind-created geologic features.

    Aeolian bedforms are common on Earth and across the solar system, including on Mars, Venus, Pluto, the Saturn moon Titan, the Neptune moon Triton, and Comet 67P. These geological features, among the first landforms observed by remote images of planetary surfaces, are robust indicators of a world’s wind patterns.

    Flying a drone at Algodones. Note the GPS on the tripod, and a GPS target on the ground, which was also a landing pad for the drone.
    Ryan Ewing

    Measuring sand patterns in person

    The shapes and patterns of aeolian bedforms can reveal the environmental conditions that created them.

    Two sizes of the same bedform, such as small dunes on top of big dunes, are called compound bedforms. I study compound bedforms at two scales – the meter- and centimeter-sized coarse-grained ripples at the dunes here on Earth, and the kilometer- and meter-sized dunes on Mars.

    At the Algodones, I measured the height of each large coarse-grained sand ripple and the distance between neighboring ripples. Then we flew our drone low and steady, above the ripples, to create high-resolution images. The drone data allows us to do further measurements on the ripples later, back at my desk.

    On that day, I learned an essential rule of fieldwork in the desert: Don’t forget a shovel. Otherwise, if your vehicle gets stuck, as ours did, you’ll have to dig it out by hand. Luckily for us, a dune buggy driver passing by helped us out and we were able to get back to Yuma in time for dinner.

    High-resolution drone images of the sand ripples at Algodones.
    Lauren Berger

    My introduction to Mars

    I first became interested in aeolian bedforms during my sophomore year of college, when I interned at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. My job was to view surface images of Mars and then map the sand ripples in the regions where Perseverance, the Mars rover, might land. I assessed the areas where ripples could be hazards – places where the rover could get stuck in the sand, the way our rental truck did in the Algodones.

    I mapped those sand ripples on Mars for two years. But while I mapped, I became fascinated with the patterns the ripples made.

    A potential compound dune on Mars.
    NASA/JPL-Caltech

    Now, as a graduate student and aspiring planetary geologist, my time is split between work in the field and at my computer, where I have stitched together the drone’s photographs of the Algodones to create a large image of the entire study area. I then look for compound dunes on the Martian surface in images taken by the Mars reconnaissance orbiter’s context camera.

    Scientists already know about Earth’s weather patterns, sand grain size and wind data. By measuring different parts of bedforms on both planets – such as their height, shape and spacing – I can compare the similarities and differences of the bedforms to find clues to the wind patterns, grains and atmosphere on Mars. Slowly but surely, as I listen to Studio Ghibli soundtracks, I’m creating the first database of compound dunes on Mars.

    Two dune fields on Mars, both inside an impact crater.
    NASA/JPL-Caltech

    Developing this database is essential to the proposed human mission to Mars. Dust storms are frequent, and some can encircle the entire planet. Understanding aeolian bedforms will help scientists know where to put bases so they don’t get buried by moving sand.

    It is wonderful to spend an afternoon ping-ponging all over a planet that’s 140 million miles from us, seeing gorgeous terrain while I try to answer questions about the compound dunes on Mars. How common are they? Where do they form? How do they compare to those on Earth? I hope to answer these questions as I work toward earning my Ph.D in geology.

    Lauren Berger receives funding from NASA FINESST. Lauren Berger would like to acknowledge the help of her mentors Dr. Ryan Ewing (NASA Johnson Space Center), Dr. Marion Nachon (Texas A&M University), and Dr. Julia Reece (Texas A&M University).

    – ref. Dune patterns in California desert hold clues that help researchers map Mars’ shifting sands – https://theconversation.com/dune-patterns-in-california-desert-hold-clues-that-help-researchers-map-mars-shifting-sands-251761

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: HSE took part in the BRICS summit

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: State University “Higher School of Economics” –

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  • MIL-OSI Russia: Lu Ban’s Workshop Becomes a Bridge for Humanitarian Exchanges between SCO Countries

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    TIANJIN, July 10 (Xinhua) — Igor Khodachek, director of the Eurasian Studies Center of the European University at St. Petersburg, entered his name on a computer while visiting the Tianjin Vocational Institute of Light Industry and a laser marking machine engraved his name on the surface of a metal plate.

    “This is a wonderful souvenir of this trip,” said I. Khodachek, who participated in the “Dialogue of World Mayors – SCO Summit Cities,” which was held from July 6 to 9 in Tianjin, northern China. During the event, guests at the aforementioned institute visited an exhibition hall dedicated to Lu Ban’s Workshop and a base integrating production and training in the field of high-precision instrument manufacturing and intelligent manufacturing.

    Lu Ban Workshop, named after the famous ancient Chinese craftsman Lu Ban, is a brand of international vocational education initiated and promoted by Tianjin City Government.

    To date, China has built 34 Lu Ban Workshops in 30 countries and regions around the world. 10 of them were established in Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Russia, Pakistan, Cambodia, Egypt and other SCO countries.

    With the construction of a practical training center and the provision of modern teaching equipment in Lu Ban Workshop, Chinese teachers and technical personnel are also sent to learn technical skills from local teachers who may be invited to China for experience exchange.

    Since 2022, Wu Zhengpeng, a teacher from Tianjin Vocational and Technical Institute of Urban Administration and Construction, has been teaching at Lu Ban Workshop in Tajikistan using China’s advanced equipment and 3D teaching resources.

    “We had a comprehensive discussion with the teachers of the Tajik side and jointly formulated the curriculum, discussed the methodology and agreed to invite them to Tianjin for exchanges,” Wu Zhengpeng shared. In July last year, representatives of the teachers and students of the Tajik Technical University named after Academician M.S. Osimi visited Tianjin as planned.

    Lu Ban’s workshop provides an opportunity for more and more young people from SCO countries to study abroad.

    Ibrahim Maher, a 21-year-old student from Egypt, is currently studying at Tianjin Light Industry Vocational and Technical Institute under the Lu Ban Workshop project, majoring in Computer Numerical Control (CNC) technology.

    “Lu Ban Workshop has many advanced teaching equipment and data centers from China, which enables students to transform theoretical knowledge into practical skills and adapt to the working environment more quickly. We are also provided with many opportunities to visit companies, participate in internships, and experience a large number of projects in practice,” he said.

    At the end of the tour, Director of the Institute of World Politics of Kyrgyzstan Sheradil Baktygulov said that Lu Ban’s Workshop provides assistance to Kyrgyzstan in developing such areas as robotics, autonomous driving and computer technology.

    At present, Lu Ban’s Workshop is an important platform for international exchanges and cooperation in the field of professional education, and also serves as a bridge to promote humanities exchanges and the rapprochement of peoples. -0-

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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  • MIL-OSI USA: An Interview with Foreign Law Intern at the Law Library of Congress, Raksmei Dara

    Source: US Global Legal Monitor

    Today’s blog post is an interview with a foreign law intern at the Law Library of Congress, Raksmei Dara. She works with Foreign Law Specialist Sayuri Umeda in the Global Legal Research Directorate. 

    Describe your background.

    My name is Raksmei Dara, but people call me Mei. I was born in the heart of Phnom Penh city, Cambodia. I have an older brother, and I am the youngest one in my family.

    What is your academic/ professional history?

    I have a bachelor’s degree in law from the American University of Phnom Penh and a Bachelor of Arts in law from the University of Arizona. I interned at the Fraud Prevention Unit in the U.S. Consular Affairs Office at the United States Embassy in Cambodia during my undergraduate program. Shortly after, I was offered a scholarship from Pennsylvania State University for an LL.M. program, where I earned my concentration in international, foreign, and comparative law. While at Penn State, I was chosen and coached as a competitor for Penn State Law in the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Moot Court Competition 2025. That is when my passion for international law grew.

    How do you describe your job to other people?

    I am a foreign law intern in the Global Legal Research Directorate of the Law Library of Congress. I research and analyze Cambodian legal frameworks, draft articles on new laws and other regulations, and compile those findings into clear, up-to-date reports and articles for our global audience.

    Why did you want to work at the Law Library of Congress?

    The Law Library of Congress is an open door for me to deepen my legal skills, gain new research knowledge, and collaborate with incredible scholars from around the world. Most importantly, the Library of Congress is a place of rich history and unparalleled resources, making it the perfect stepping stone for my legal career. I am grateful to have such an honorable institution like the Law Library of Congress as part of my legal professional journey.

    What is the most interesting fact you have learned about the Law Library of Congress?

    I am blown away by how professional and talented everyone is in the workplace. The Library of Congress feels like a jungle of unmatched resources and archival treasures you simply cannot find anywhere else in the world. Its global network of scholars and the depth of its collections make it a truly one-of-a-kind institution that words cannot do justice.

    What’s something most of your co-workers do not know about you?

    I always find myself interested in the psychology behind laws and how law shapes both legislation and enforcement.

    Subscribe to In Custodia Legis – it’s free! – to receive interesting posts drawn from the Law Library of Congress’s vast collections and our staff’s expertise in U.S., foreign, and international law.

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  • MIL-OSI: NANO Nuclear to Participate in Fireside Chat at H.C. Wainwright’s Powering the Future: Advancing Innovation Through Nuclear Virtual Conference on July 15th

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    New York, N.Y., July 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: NNE) (“NANO Nuclear” or “the Company”), a leading advanced nuclear energy and technology company focused on developing clean energy solutions, today announced that Chief Executive Officer James Walker will participate in a fireside chat at H.C. Wainwright’s Powering the Future: Advancing Innovation Through Nuclear Virtual Conference hosted by Sameer Joshi, Senior Cleantech Analyst at H.C. Wainwright, on July 15, 2025 at 9:00 a.m., Eastern time.

    Figure 1 – Rendering of NANO Nuclear Energy’s High Technology Readiness Level and Patented KRONOS MMR™ Microreactor Energy System at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

    Mr. Walker is expected to discuss recent business developments, highlighting progress in advancing its lead microreactor project, the patented KRONOS MMR™ Energy System, toward construction, testing and licensing with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, as well as key upcoming regulatory milestones necessary for deployment of the KRONOS reactor prototype at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

    NANO Nuclear is highly focused on expediting its advanced reactor technology to meet expected growth in energy demands across multiple sectors, including data centers powering artificial intelligence. The stationary KRONOS reactor is designed to be completely modular, mass manufactured with a production line, rapidly installed, safer than traditional reactors, co-located at customer sites, a provider of high-capacity factor baseload carbon free power, and a known technology offering the potential to reduce licensing timeframes. NANO Nuclear views KRONOS as a next generation source of reliable, safe, and clean nuclear energy ideal to meet expected future growth in domestic and international energy consumption. 

    Fireside Chat Details:

    Date: Tuesday, July 15, 2025
    Time: 9:00 a.m. ET
    Speaker: James Walker, CEO
    Moderator: Sameer Joshi, H.C. Wainwright Senior Cleantech Analyst
    Webcast: https://journey.ct.events/view/d216b343-edae-4f3e-8627-d19c29340b11

    A replay of the fireside chat webcast will be available for approximately 30 days on NANO Nuclear’s investor relations website at https://ir.nanonuclearenergy.com/news-events/events.

    About NANO Nuclear Energy, Inc.

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

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

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

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

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

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

    For further NANO Nuclear information, please contact:

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    Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements

    This news release, the fireside chat referred to herein and statements of NANO Nuclear’s management in connection with this news release and such fireside chat contain or may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In this context, forward-looking statements mean statements related to future events, which may impact our expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as “expects”, “anticipates”, “intends”, “plans”, “believes”, “potential”, “will”, “should”, “could”, “would” or “may” and other words of similar meaning. Specifically, forward-looking statements include those related to NANO Nuclear’s development plans for the KRONOS MMR™ Energy System and NANO Nuclear’s other future plans and intentions. These and other forward-looking statements are based on information available to us as of the date of this news release and represent management’s current views and assumptions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, events or results and involve significant known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may be beyond our control. For NANO Nuclear, particular risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements include but are not limited to the following: (i) risks related to our U.S. Department of Energy (“DOE”) or related state or non-U.S. nuclear fuel licensing submissions, (ii) risks related the development of new or advanced technology and the acquisition of complimentary technology or businesses, including difficulties with design and testing, cost overruns, regulatory delays, integration issues and the development of competitive technology, (iii) our ability to obtain contracts and funding to be able to continue operations, (iv) risks related to uncertainty regarding our ability to technologically develop and commercially deploy a competitive advanced nuclear reactor or other technology in the timelines we anticipate, if ever, (v) risks related to the impact of U.S. and non-U.S. government regulation, policies and licensing requirements, including by the DOE and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, including those associated with the recently enacted ADVANCE Act and the May 23, 2025 Executive Orders seeking to streamline nuclear regulation, and (vi) similar risks and uncertainties associated with the operating an early stage business a highly regulated and rapidly evolving industry. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which apply only as of the date of this news release. These factors may not constitute all factors that could cause actual results to differ from those discussed in any forward-looking statement, and NANO Nuclear therefore encourages investors to review other factors that may affect future results in its filings with the SEC, which are available for review at www.sec.gov and at https://ir.nanonuclearenergy.com/financial-information/sec-filings. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as a predictor of actual results. We do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this news release, except as required by law.

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: For Restoring Biodiversity Look for Help from the Humble, World-building Muskrat

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    In his speech for the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR) this past spring, keynote speaker Rodney Butler ’99 (BUS), Chairman of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, told an abbreviated version of the Indigenous creation story of Skywoman. 

    “When the world was covered in water, Skywoman fell from an opening in the Skyworld and landed on the back of a giant turtle. Skywoman enlisted the help of many animals to dive deep to retrieve soil from the depths of the ocean in an effort to create land. Many animals attempted to grab the soil, but it was the unlikely muskrat, who was both humble and courageous, that was able to return the soil and place it on the back of the great turtle. As the mud is placed on the turtle’s back, it grows and expands, eventually forming the continents and life-sustaining world we know today.” 

    Butler spoke of how the story emphasizes the importance of working together and that we are all better when we work and learn together. There is also great strength in partnering Indigenous knowledge with science to build a sustainable future. 

    Associate Professor Beth Lawrence has a joint appointment with the Center for Environmental Science and Engineering and the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment in CAHNR, and her work adds to the time-honored appreciation of the courageous and humble muskrat. In research published in Freshwater Science, Lawrence and collaborators, including project lead Shane Lishawa and Andrew Monks from Loyola University, and Danielle Fegan and Eric Clark, who are biologists with the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, describe how muskrats engineer more biologically diverse marsh ecosystems. 

    The researchers study cattail-dominated marshes and strategies to create more varied, or heterogeneous, ecosystems using methods like mechanical harvesting or by applying herbicides. While out on field research, Lawrence says they made an intriguing observation.

    “We noticed in some years that muskrats were doing naturally what we were doing with our aquatic weed whackers and gas-powered equipment. We thought that maybe we should investigate how muskrats alter cattail and associated species,” says Lawrence. 

    The project focused on a marsh that connects the St. Mary’s River outlet of Lake Superior to Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. In vast marshes like this one, the non-native cattail species Typha can take over and make acres of marshland look similar to cornfields in terms of the lack of diversity, says Lawrence. These kinds of monocultures do not support biologically diverse ecosystems. 

    “It homogenizes the wetland, and is not an ideal habitat for birds, macro-invertebrates, fish, and native plants, so over the last 15 years we’ve been interested in how we can manage these invaded cattail marshes of the Great Lakes,” Lawrence says. 

    The researchers have tried a variety of methods to control the cattails, but they are most interested in using mechanical means, rather than chemical control measures. 

    “Cutting the cattail at different intensities and frequencies can reduce its abundance and promote native diversity and also open up habitat that creates heterogeneity in these monotypes. This promotes species diversity overall, and improves habitat for native fish and bird communities,” says Lawrence. 

    Muskrats are semi-aquatic rodents that naturally harvest cattails by cutting them below the water level. This is important because the stems of the plant act almost like a snorkel to provide oxygen to the roots. Cutting stems below the water essentially drowns the cattail by severing the connection between the oxygen-rich atmosphere and the anoxic sediment common to wetlands. The muskrats use the cattails to build their lodges, and the process creates openings that give other plant species a chance to grow. 

    “These important aquatic rodents transform habitats in many ways that some communities, like the Native Americans, have appreciated for 1000s of years, and Western science is just now discovering that importance.” (Adobe Stock)

    Using drones and aerial photography, the researchers identified several lodges and openings where they sampled the vegetation and water quality parameters. They also harvested cattails via mechanical methods or with herbicides to create muskrat disturbance analogs (MDAs) to simulate the muskrat openings. They compared these data with data collected from adjacent non-muskrat-impacted areas.  

    “Then we monitored the vegetation and water quality parameters for two growing seasons after that. We found there was greater biodiversity with the muskrat disturbances and the MDA treatments,” says Lawrence. 

    The muskrats and the MDA methods reduced the presence of the cattails as well as another invasive plant called European frogbit (Hydrocharis), therefore they helped promote more heterogenous communities and the authors note that efforts to increase muskrat populations should be taken as a management strategy in areas where these two invasive plant species dominate. 

    “Restoring biodiversity is critical to our future. Climate change is happening rapidly, and we’re rolling the dice. Maintaining and protecting a diversity of species is important because we don’t know which species will survive or thrive in different climate scenarios,” says Lawrence. “I think of Aldo Leopold’s quote about how an intelligent tinkerer always keeps all the parts. We want to keep all of the parts of the planet because we don’t know exactly what the future is going to look like.” 

    Lawrence also has projects focusing on beavers, which are also vital ecosystem engineers. Like muskrats, beavers transform habitats and act as keystone species that play an important role in creating wetland habitats, 

    “These important aquatic rodents transform habitats in many ways that some communities, like the Native Americans, have appreciated for 1000s of years, and Western science is just now discovering that importance. Beavers are resurging on the landscape after being almost extirpated in New England due to hunting. They were reintroduced after being essentially extinct in Connecticut about 200 years ago and then reintroduced about 100 years ago. Now, their populations are exploding, and they’re transforming our landscape again.”  

    Lawrence also reflects on the significance of teamwork in this project:

    “I think science takes a team. Our relationship with the tribe and across institutions is a big part of the importance of this paper and this project. It was a really satisfying project, both in terms of the relationships that have developed over the years, but also how we’ve gained a lot of insights by studying the system over decades.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Grattan on Friday: childcare is a ‘canary in mine’ warning for wider problems in policy delivery

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

    It’s such a familiar pattern. When a big scandal breaks publicly, governments jump into action, ministers rush out to say they’ll “do something” instantly.

    But how come they hadn’t seen problems that had been in plain sight?

    Who can forget then-workplace relations minister Tony Burke insisting he’d been unaware, before media revelations, that organised crime was in the CFMEU? After a Nine media expose, a large portion of the notorious union soon ended up in administration.

    When a childcare worker was charged with some 70 offences last week, Education Minister Jason Clare immediately declared he’d introduce legislation in the new parliament’s first sitting for the removal of federal funds from errant providers.

    After ABC reporter Adele Ferguson had exposed serious safety issues in the system on Four Corners in March, the Albanese government announced it would be “exploring” various measures to strengthen Commonwealth powers “to deal with providers that put profit over quality and child safety at risk”.

    In another expose, Ferguson this week revealed substantial problems in the training system for childcare workers.

    Federally, childcare comes under the education minister, and there’s also a dedicated minister for early childhood education (Anne Aly last term, now Jess Walsh). Basically, the federal government funds the system while the states and territories regulate it.

    Anthony Albanese made major promises for expanding childcare in his 2022 and 2025 election pitches. The government also supported higher wages for workers in the sector. Albanese has nominated “affordable childcare” as the legacy he wants to leave.

    It’s all the more surprising, then, that the government didn’t seem to spot a plethora of problems in an area so central to the prime minister’s ambitions.

    The government points to the division of responsibility between Commonwealth and states.

    But surely that explanation doesn’t wash or, if it does, the relevant federal and state ministers, public servants and the regulators have not been doing their designated jobs effectively.

    In various human service policy areas, there are split responsibilities, which differ in specific arrangements.
    Politically, this often brings blame-shifting, and arguments over money and accountability.

    The federal government attaches conditions, for example, to funding agreements for hospitals and schools, which fall under state responsibility. But in practice, there are slippages.

    Split responsibilities, whatever their precise form, can never be “set and forget” – rigorous, constant scrutiny needs to be built in.

    Childcare policy has its complications. But, in terms of complexities, it is nothing like, say, running the nation’s defences. There are not unknowns.

    The obvious issues within childcare include funding, safety, workforce numbers and training.

    The childcare revelations will inevitably lead to new regulations – ironically just as a debate about the desirability of easing excessive regulation in some sectors has become fashionable. In many policy areas, there are tensions between regulation and costs, and no unanimity about where the trade offs should be struck.

    The childcare imbroglio highlights the challenges when public policy is substantially delivered by the “for profit” private sector. Social services expert Gabrielle Meagher, professor emerita at Macquarie University, says, “It’s very difficult to regulate across the gaps governments open up when they fund policies that they don’t deliver themselves”.

    The childcare issue also invites much wider questions about how “governing” is working. Such as, are ministers too distracted?

    Today’s ministers spend more time than ever in the media, and travelling (part of the modern “permanent” election campaign). This takes a large amount of their attention. The prime minister is in the media most days.

    One has to wonder how much of this is a diversion for ministers from detailed policy work, especially as they must bone up on “talking points” because, given the 24-hour news cycle, they will be quizzed about issues outside their portfolios. They usually feel obliged to offer an opinion, rather than saying “sorry, that’s not my bag”.

    What about the public servants, who are formally responsible for policy advice, implementation and supervising?

    We saw with Robodebt shocking behaviour by some bureaucrats. There have been substantial reforms since then and, apart from that, the Albanese government has boosted the numbers and strengthened the capability of the public service.

    But is it fit-for-purpose? If it were, wouldn’t the problems in childcare, apparently well-known among many parents, have filtered up through the system to the ears of ministers – even allowing that regulation rests mainly with the states?

    Apart from failures by state regulators, one issue is who is telling what to whom about the sector. The federal minister responsible for early childhood education visits dozens of childcare centres. But on those visits, the minister will be talking to managers, who will have their own set of concerns. The minister is less likely at the centres to encounter parents who have had a bad experience.

    This goes to a wider problem: in areas of human service delivery, providers of services will usually be organised, while consumers lack the same coherent and forceful voice. Complaining through the media may be only way for families using a service to bring things to light.

    But what about the complaints that do flow into government departments, and ministers’ offices? Surely these give a channel for the red flags that point to a policy failure?

    Bureaucrats say all this communication amounts to a great deal of “noise”, but the challenge is to identify what it signifies, in terms of substantive problems to be addressed.

    When programs are growing very fast, the risk is that corners are cut in delivery. We saw this, disastrously, years ago during the global financial crisis when the Rudd government rolled out the home insulation scheme. A royal commission was damning about the failures of the program, which was marked by several deaths and many household fires. Safety had been compromised in the pursuit of speed and the delivery framework was inadequate.

    There are many lessons from the childcare policy failures. A big announcement does not automatically mean a successful policy delivery. Programs can be working on some fronts while flawed on others. All new or expanded policies should come with detailed evaluation arrangements which are then carefully monitored. And while ministers will boast publicly about how well a policy is doing, they should be constantly demanding to know from their bureaucrats where things might be going wrong.

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

    – ref. Grattan on Friday: childcare is a ‘canary in mine’ warning for wider problems in policy delivery – https://theconversation.com/grattan-on-friday-childcare-is-a-canary-in-mine-warning-for-wider-problems-in-policy-delivery-259690

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to the latest heatwave

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Scientists react to the latest heat wave in the UK. 

    On buildings:

    Anni Feng, built environment expert at the Institution of Engineering and Technology said:

    “When it’s really hot outside, many of us feel uncomfortable indoors too. That’s not just because of the building itself, but also because of what’s around it.

    “Think of it like this: buildings don’t stand alone. The materials used in roads and nearby buildings can trap heat, making the whole area hotter. This extra heat can make people try to cool things down with fans or turn up air conditioning units.

    “But if too many people do that at once, the local energy system might struggle to keep up. That can lead to problems like cooling systems not working properly, which could even affect things like computers and other equipment inside buildings.

    “When considering how we adapt for hotter temperatures, we should ask the questions like what this might mean for surrounding buildings, the environment and people in the communities – both short term and long term – and are they contributing positively to the future we aspire to create?” 

    On infrastructure:

    John Lawrence, Chair of the Institution of Engineering and Technology’s Railway Technical Network said:

    “Heat is a significant issue for the railway, affecting infrastructure and trains alike. The management of it is a cross-industry whole year exercise fitting into the seasonal preparation activities done by maintenance teams and planners across the network. The most noticeable areas affected by heat are also the ones causing the most significant disruption. Ambient temperature and solar gain combine to create very high temperatures at track level and in equipment location cases trackside. Track buckles and dewirements are the most significant thing that keep engineers up at night – even with the amount of focus, investment and improvements made in recent years, situations still arise where rails buckle in the heat. This can lead to potential derailment risks and overhead lines can sag and snag on the pantographs of trains leading to train movements stopping or being rerouted for a significant period of time.

    “There are also hidden failures, too. Much equipment on the railway can suffer heat stress, with signalling control, power supplies and telecoms systems trackside particularly affected, switch-creep caused by rail expansion at points can affect detection and stop trains being routed across them, so where the passenger may see signalling failure, this could very well be caused by overtemperature somewhere on the network. Lineside fires can also be a problem, maybe caused by discarded rubbish, sparks from steam locomotives or maintenance trains, causing significant disruption, whether they arise on the infrastructure or even in a lineside neighbour’s premises.

    “Managing these issues is costly and time consuming and with the greater prevalence of high temperatures, it is becoming more of a hazard over time. You may notice rails being painted white to reflect solar gain at specific risk points on the network, improved tensioning equipment on overhead line gantries to managed dynamic tension, fresh ballast dropped to hold rails in position and rail joints lubricated to enable expansion.

    “What you may not see as a passenger, however, is the hidden technology and processes monitoring condition and taking action to provide early warning of failure. Such as, short, medium and long-term weather reporting to give planners a chance to react. Rail stressing to maintain equal tension for expansion and contraction. Vision systems monitoring pantograph contact, yellow trains on the network monitoring dynamic track stability, critical rail temperature sensors providing warning of danger or signalling systems and points being monitored for a range of defects that can affect operation. You might also be surprised to find thermal imaging drones and helicopters monitoring equipment for overheating and visual inspection and defect correction taking place overnight.

    “Temperature management is a huge issue for the railway and the focus of much research, development and activity across the season. But with the changing climate, it is an ever-present issue for the day-to-day operation of the railway.”

     

    Dr John Easton, an executive panel member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology’s Railway Technical Network, said:

    “One of the key ways that networks prevent tracks from overheating is by painting them white.  This can reduce the track temperature by 5°C and reduces signalling failures which lead to significant disruption. 

    “This technique is also used in countries where high temperatures are more commonplace, such as Italy, where engineers often paint the inside faces of the rails white to reflect the sunlight and lower the risk of buckling.”

     

    On weather and climate:

    Prof Gareth Phoenix, Professor of Plant and Global Change Ecology in the School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, said:

    “With climate change, we are already experiencing hotter and drier summers in the UK, and this trend will continue. Events that we once might have thought of as extreme will start to feel more normal. One of the main problems is that although the amount of rainfall the UK gets over a whole year is expected to stay roughly the same, we are getting more of that rain in winter and less in summer. So, we can expect more droughts, like we are experiencing at the moment, and wetter winters with more flooding – something people will also see they are experiencing more of.

    “Droughts, heatwaves and heavy rainfall are also linked. Warm air holds more moisture, allowing it to build up for longer, which creates bigger gaps between rainfall events and can contribute to drought. But then when it does rain, it can rain a lot more heavily. Also, evaporation from the ground is the Earth’s way of sweating – it helps keep the ground cool. But if there is less moisture in the ground, there can be less evaporation and, consequently, less of a cooling effect, adding to the heatwave.”

    All our previous output on this subject can be seen at this weblink: https://www.sciencemediacentre.org/?s=heatwave&cat=

    Declared interests

    Anni Feng: “No conflicts of interest”

    John Lawrence: “No conflicts of interest”

    For all other experts, no reply to our request for DOIs was received.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: The LaSallian

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    Mission

    The LaSallian is the official student publication of De La Salle University.

    It is of the students, by the students, and for the students; it is a student publication that strives for nothing less than journalistic excellence. Committed to the University’s mission of developing Lasallian Achievers for God and Country who teach minds, touch hearts, and transform lives, its student writers, photographers, videographers, artists, and web managers seek the truth and work for change as competent leaders and ambassadors of critical thinking.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI China: 8th NDU International Defense Forum held in Beijing 2025-07-10 18:06:18 The 8th International Defense Forum hosted by the National Defense University (NDU) of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) kicked off in Beijing recently.

    Source: People’s Republic of China – Ministry of National Defense

      BEIJING, July 10 — The 8th International Defense Forum hosted by the National Defense University (NDU) of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) kicked off in Beijing recently. More than 200 military and civilian scholars from nearly 100 countries participated in the forum. Under the theme of “International Security Cooperation amid Interweaving Turbulence and Changes”, the forum focused on three topics including the 80th anniversary of the founding of the UN and maintaining world peace, international and regional security amid interweaving turmoil, and new paths and initiatives for global and regional security governance.

      Through forms such as keynote speeches, sub-topic presentations, group discussions, and plenary discussions and interactions, the participants had exchanges on the joint promotion of peaceful development, artificial intelligence (AI) and future warfare, Global Security Initiative (GSI), China’s solutions to global security challenges, and other topics.

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    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Scotland’s ancient Hawaii: The volcanic vents that forged the Hebrides discovered A discovery likened to finding a needle in a haystack has confirmed that Scotland’s dramatic volcanic landscape once rivalled the fiery activity of modern-day Hawaii

    Source: University of Aberdeen

    A discovery likened to finding a needle in a haystack has confirmed that Scotland’s dramatic volcanic landscape once rivalled the fiery activity of modern-day Hawaii
    Geologists from the University of Aberdeen have confirmed that cracks in the Earth, called volcanic fissures, helped create many of the Inner Hebrides.
    Scientists have long understood that islands such as Skye, Mull, Eigg, Canna and Staffa as well as parts of the mainland were formed from lava flows, however, the way the lava came to the surface has been debated by scientists for over 100 years.
    In contrast to the calm, picturesque scenery of today, 60 million years ago, the west coast of Scotland was erupting with lava fountains and other volcanic events.
    The new discovery by geoscientists from the University of Aberdeen provides the strongest evidence yet that some of Scotland’s most iconic islands were born not from a single large volcano, but from a network of erupting fissures, just like those found in Hawaii and Iceland.
    The research, published in The Journal of the Geological Society, settles the century-old debate over how the lava fields of the Inner Hebrides islands were formed.
    The team has, for the first time, uncovered physical proof of an ancient volcanic fissure that fed lava into the surrounding landscape.

    Finding a preserved fissure is a bit like discovering a dinosaur fossil with skin – it tells us far more than lava alone can. Typically, a very small fraction of a lava field contains these fissures, so it’s an extraordinarily significant find.” Dr Jessica Pugsley

    The site, a 5km-long stretch near Calgary Bay on the Isle of Mull, reveals preserved deposits from one of these fissures, where magma once erupted in spectacular displays.
    Dr Jessica Pugsley from the University of Aberdeen, who led the project, said: “For over 100 years, scientists have debated whether the lava flows on Skye and Mull came from a single volcano or from many fissures like those we see in Iceland and Hawaii today.
    “Finding a preserved fissure is a bit like discovering a dinosaur fossil with skin – it tells us far more than lava alone can. Typically, a very small fraction of a lava field contains these fissures, so it’s an extraordinarily significant find.”
    The volcanic activity occurred as the Atlantic Ocean began to form, ripping apart ancient land and allowing magma to surge up through the crust. This zone of volcanic remnants is called the British Paleogene Volcanic Province and reaches from the west of Scotland over to parts of Northern Ireland, including the famous Giants Causeway.
    The preserved fissure found by the Aberdeen team through fieldwork aided by 3D drone modelling technology, shows exactly where lava once fountained out of the Earth, before being buried by later eruptions and finally revealed by millions of years of erosion.
    “To be able to stand and walk on a feature that played such a key role in shaping Scotland’s geography – and to realise it erupted like Iceland and Hawaii’s volcanoes do today – is pretty incredible,” says Dr Pugsley.

    Related Content

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: The enduring anti-fascist legacy of places that mark Italy’s wartime resistance – podcast

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

    A memorial in the town of Stazzema in Italy, site of a brutal Nazi massacre in 1944. Federico Neri/Shutterstock

     Across Europe, far-right movements are gaining ground. From the Netherlands, to Germany and Italy, they’re winning seats in parliaments and sometimes joining ruling coalitions. By normalising nationalist rhetoric and challenging democratic institutions, these parties raise comparisons with former periods of fascism on the continent.

    Between 1943 and 1945, when Nazi forces occupied northern Italy, ordinary people in towns and villages across the country took up arms against fascism in one of Europe’s largest resistance movements. Now, 80 years later, in many of these same towns, anti-fascist sentiment remains unusually strong.

    In this episode of The Conversation Weekly podcast, we speak to political scientist Juan Masullo at Leiden University, who’s been finding out about the enduring legacy of these anti-fascist movements.

    The town of Sant’Anna di Stazzema, tucked away in the mountains of Tuscany, is a place haunted by its wartime past. The site of a notorious Nazi massacre during the Italian civil war it’s become a memorial to Italian resistance, and what Massulo describes as a “bastion of anti-fascist, left-wing progressive thinking”.

    In 2021, the mayor of Stazzema began collecting signatures from around Italy to a petition calling for a ban on every form of fascist or neo-fascist propaganda. It needed 50,000 signatures to be discussed in parliament, and 240,000 signed it.

    Masullo saw this as an opportunity to answer a question about political resistance and its legacy: was there an association between places with a lot of anti-fascist resistance during the war, and places that supported the petition? “We did find out that there was an association,” he told us. And when he began interviewing people in places where the correlation was particularly strong to try and find out why, he said “ these people spend a lot of time memorialising what happened”.

    Listen to the full episode of The Conversation Weekly to hear our conversation with Juan Masullo about his research.

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

    Newsclips in this episode from DW News, BBC News, BattleForTelenuovo, Hindustan Times, Look in the Past War Archives, Archivio Luce Cinecittà, Tele Liguria Sud.

    Listen to The Conversation Weekly via any of the apps listed above, download it directly via our RSS feed or find out how else to listen here. A transcript of this episode is available on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

    Juan Masullo has received funding for this research from UNUWIDER and Leiden University. He is affiliated with the University of Milan.

    – ref. The enduring anti-fascist legacy of places that mark Italy’s wartime resistance – podcast – https://theconversation.com/the-enduring-anti-fascist-legacy-of-places-that-mark-italys-wartime-resistance-podcast-260741

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Free education at HSE for SVO participants and their close relatives

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: State University “Higher School of Economics” –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    The site may not display correctly in older browser versions. For optimal site experience, we recommend using a modern browser.

    We use cookies to improve the HSE website and make it more convenient to use. More detailed information about the use of cookies can be foundHere, our rules for processing personal data are –Here. By continuing to use the site, you confirm that you have been informed of the use of cookies by the HSE website and agree with our rules for processing personal data. You can disable cookies in your browser settings.

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    Date

    July 10

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    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: EIB Group appoints new Head of its Permanent Representation in Brussels and Deputy Secretary General

    Source: European Investment Bank

    EIB

    • Christian Pilgaard Zinglersen appointed as Head of EIB`s Permanent Representation in Brussels and Deputy Secretary General.
    • Zinglersen has been the Director of ACER, the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators.

    The European Investment Bank Group (EIB) has recruited ACER Director Christian Pilgaard Zinglersen as Deputy Secretary General and to head its Permanent Representation in Brussels. As Deputy Secretary General, the position also holds responsibility for the EIB Economics and Group Strategy departments.

    The Permanent Representation in Brussels is the EIB Group`s liaison office towards the European Commission, the Council and the Parliament, as well as all other European institutions, agencies and stakeholders. Zinglersen will succeed Kim Jørgensen, who was at the helm of the Permanent Representation since 2022.

    Christian Pilgaard Zinglersen joins from the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER), which he has led as its director since January 2020.Before he joined ACER, which he has led as its director since January 2020, he was the Head of the Global Clean Energy Ministerial Secretariat at the International Energy Agency (IEA) in Paris. Prior to that, he served as Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Danish Ministry of Energy, Utilities and Climate, responsible for energy policy alongside other portfolios. He started his career at the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs focusing on EU policy and law, and was posted in Brussels for three years at the Danish Permanent Representation to the EU.

    Christian Zinglersen holds a master’s degree in law from the University of Copenhagen and is a graduate of the IESE Business School’s Advanced Management Program, as well as of the Harvard Kennedy School’s Senior Managers in Government program.

    EIB President Nadia Calviño welcomed the appointment, saying: “I am delighted to welcome Christian Zinglersen to our top management team. He brings his strong management and negotiation skills and his successful experience at the helm of a key EU agency.”

    “I am proud to join the European Investment Bank Group at this crucial time for Europe. The Bank harbours unique market and investment insights into ‘real-world’ challenges and opportunities, key to driving strategic imperatives for the EU’s competitiveness and security. I can’t wait to get started and I thank President Calviño and the EIB management team for their trust in me”, Christian Pilgaard Zinglersen said.

    Background Information

    The European Investment Bank is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. It finances investments that contribute to EU policy objectives. EIB projects bolster competitiveness, drive innovation, promote sustainable development, enhance social and territorial cohesion, contribute to peace and security, and support a just and swift transition to climate neutrality. The Group’s AAA rating allows it to borrow at favourable conditions on the global markets, benefiting its clients within the European Union and beyond. The Group has the highest ESG standards and a tier one capital ratio of 32%.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • Panch Sankalpa of NEP 2020 to guide universities in building Viksit Bharat: Education Minister

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurated the two-day Vice-Chancellors’ Conference of Central Universities at Kevadia, Gujarat, on Thursday. The event brought together over 50 Vice Chancellors of leading central universities to review and strategize the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and to align their institutions with the national vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.

    Pradhan highlighted the sweeping changes India’s higher education system has undergone in the past decade, calling it a fundamental transformation marked by flexibility, interdisciplinarity, inclusivity, and innovation. He noted that total student enrolment has increased to 4.46 crore—up 30% since 2014–15—with female enrolment growing by 38%. For the first time, the gross enrolment ratio (GER) for females now exceeds that of males. Ph.D. enrolment has almost doubled, and female Ph.D. scholars have increased by 136%. GER has also improved significantly among Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes, reflecting the government’s commitment to inclusive education and social equity.

    The Minister introduced the “Panch Sankalpa” (five resolutions) of NEP 2020—Next-Gen Emerging Education, Multidisciplinary Education, Innovative Education, Holistic Education, and Bharatiya Education—as the guiding principles for transforming higher education institutions into future-ready, value-based learning centres. He urged Vice Chancellors to adopt a “Students-First” approach and ensure that institutions become engines of empowerment, skilling, and nation-building.

    Shri Pradhan stressed the importance of raising the GER in higher education to 50% by 2035. He said this goal would require urgent action in redesigning curricula, strengthening digital infrastructure, promoting faculty development, and encouraging multidisciplinary and multilingual approaches.

    Calling for full implementation of NEP 2020, the Minister urged each university to prepare a comprehensive strategy paper. This should include integration of Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS), adoption of technology-driven education, skilling initiatives, and the organisation of conferences like the VC Conference at the university level.

    The Minister also underlined the importance of the “Academic Triveni Sangamam”—celebrating India’s cultural past, recalibrating the present narrative, and shaping the future global role of Indian higher education.

    In his address, Dr. Hasmukh Adhia, Chancellor of the Central University of Gujarat, emphasized the relevance of the six principles of Karmayoga and the foundational value of Indian Knowledge Systems in shaping both individual character and national progress.

    Secretary of Higher Education Dr. Vineet Joshi, reflecting on the five-year journey of NEP 2020, described the conference as an opportunity to assess achievements and refine future strategies. He reiterated that NEP 2020 reimagines higher education institutions not merely as degree-granting bodies but as ecosystems fostering innovation, critical thinking, and holistic development.

    Additional Secretary Dr. Sunil Barnwal underscored the five foundational pillars of NEP—Access, Equity, Quality, Affordability, and Accountability—emphasizing the importance of collaborative efforts among all stakeholders to achieve the policy’s goals.

    In his concluding remarks, Prof. Rama Shanker Dubey, Vice Chancellor of the Central University of Gujarat, assured that central universities would take proactive steps to align their strategies with the vision of Viksit Bharat.

    Over the course of two days, the conference will feature ten thematic sessions focused on key dimensions of higher education reform, including curriculum redesign under NHEQF/NCrF, future job readiness, digital platforms like SWAYAM and AAPAR, university governance through the SAMARTH system, equitable access in higher education, promotion of education in Indian languages, innovation, internationalisation, faculty development through the Malaviya Mission, and integration of traditional knowledge systems.

    Participating institutions include the University of Delhi, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Central University of Rajasthan, Central University of Kashmir, Indira Gandhi National Tribal University (IGNTU), Tripura University, Sikkim University, National Sanskrit University, and many others.

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Speech by SJ at Hong Kong legal services seminar in Paris, France (English only) (with photo)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

         Following is the keynote speech by the Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, at the “Paris Seminar: Hong Kong Legal Services – Gateway to China and Beyond” organised by the Department of Justice in Paris, France on July 9 (Paris time):
     
    His Excellency Mr Deng Li (Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to the French Republic), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
     
    Good afternoon. Firstly, on behalf of the Department of Justice, I would like to welcome all of you joining our seminar this afternoon. I have to express my gratitude to Mr Deng Li for giving the very important opening remarks, and for helping the Department of Justice in organising this very important seminar. Second, I also wish to express my gratitude to all the supporting organisations, which include the legal professional bodies in Hong Kong, the important arbitration institutions, and leading law firms. This is in fact my first official visit to this part of the world, including France, and I think this is also the first occasion that the Department of Justice organised a seminar focusing on the legal services of Hong Kong. I’m very pleased and honoured to be able to invite very eminent speakers from both Hong Kong and France to share their experience with you in a minute. There will be two panel discussions this afternoon. I would also like to take the opportunity to thank all the speakers.
     
    What I intend to do is just to set the scene and give an overview of the theme of today’s seminar. The topic for today is Hong Kong’s legal services. There is only one important message that I wish to convey successfully at the end of today, that is Hong Kong’s common law system serves as a unique gateway to China and beyond.
     
    Why Hong Kong is a unique gateway? The short answer is that under the very important principle of “one country, two systems”, on the one hand, Hong Kong’s common law system has a number of very essential elements which are crucial and important to the business community. But at the same time, precisely because Hong Kong is a part of China, we also have very unique and important connection with the Mainland’s legal system, which is unparalleled. So this is the short answer. But to make good my point, I would like to focus on, in my belief, six very important characteristics of Hong Kong’s common law system.
     
    My first point is that Hong Kong’s common law system is very stable. Hong Kong is the only common law jurisdiction within China and the continuation of the practice of common law system is guaranteed by the Basic Law, which is a constitutional document. So this is something that is not going to change. I also wish to use a very recent example to demonstrate the confidence that both China and the international community has in Hong Kong. On May 30, 2025, the convention concerning the establishment of the International Organization for Mediation was signed in Hong Kong. It was signed by 33 countries around the world including China and many countries in Southeast Asia, Africa, Latin America and even in Europe. I think the population of all these countries added together, cost you about one third of this world’s population.
     
    The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Wang Yi, came to Hong Kong and gave a very important speech. He explained why the party decided to hold the signing ceremony in Hong Kong, and more importantly, to set up the headquarters of the International Organization for Mediation in Hong Kong. The reason is that, because of “one country, two systems”, Hong Kong has the best of both worlds. On the one hand, we have a very strong common law tradition. But on the other hand, the People’s Republic of China is a civil law system. So we are a common law system in the context of a civil law system. That gives us a unique strength which makes it the perfect place to host the headquarters of the International Organization for Mediation. This is my first point – Hong Kong’s common law system is very, very stable.
     
    The second point is that Hong Kong’s common law system is very user-friendly. Hong Kong is in fact the only bilingual common law system in the world, using both English and Chinese. So all our statutes will be written in both languages. And of course, English is the language for the international business community. But apart from language, we have been working very hard to ensure that our legislation and   common law will meet the demand of the changing needs of the international community, or make it even more attractive. I wish to cite one recent example. In mid-May this year, we have just amended our company law to make it easier for companies being operated overseas to re-domicile to Hong Kong, so that these overseas companies can take advantage of the tax policy and regulatory regime in Hong Kong. And I understand that two major insurance companies have indicated that they will re-domicile to Hong Kong in November this year.
     
    My third point is that Hong Kong’s common law system provides a very safe and secure environment. Under the Basic Law, free flow of capital is guaranteed, free movement of properties including money in all forms of property is guaranteed. For as long as your investment, your money, your property, your business in Hong Kong, they are well protected by a very sophisticated regulatory regime administered by bodies such the Securities and Futures Commission, our Independent Commission Against Corruption and so on and so forth. One of the good reputation that Hong Kong enjoys is that corruption or malpractice is almost absent. So there’s no concern of corruption and other sort of malpractice. At the same time, we also make tremendous effort in ensuring that people can explore new opportunities in the safe environment. The recent example is the Stablecoins Ordinance. The Stablecoins Ordinance was enacted and will come into effect on August 1. Under this new ordinance, there will be a licensing regime for people or for traders in stablecoins. So we will allow trading and use of stablecoins subject to a very strict set of regulation to ensure that people will not be exposed to unnecessary risks. So this is my third point – Hong Kong’s common law system provides a very safe and secure environment.
     
    The fourth point is that Hong Kong’s common law system is extremely credible. One of the key reasons is that Hong Kong has a very independent and reputable judiciary. Our courts enjoy the final power of adjudication. And one special feature is that in our Court of Final Appeal, we have invited eminent judges from other common law jurisdictions to sit on a part-time basis. So at the moment, there are six foreign non-permanent judges. Two come from England, they are Lord Hoffmann and Lord Neuberger, three from Australia and one from New Zealand. The most recent appointment was made and confirmed in June, Sir William Young, who used to be a judge of the Supreme Court of New Zealand. Apart from Court of Final Appeal, we also invite judges from other common law jurisdictions to sit in our Court of First Instance.
     
    But litigation is not the only means of resolving disputes. Hong Kong is also very famous for its international arbitration service. In the very recent Queen Mary University of London’s survey, which is the most important international survey on arbitration, Hong Kong ranked second in the world after London, Hong Kong and Singapore both ranked the second. The important thing that’s worth noting is that among the cases handled by the most important institution, the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC), almost 70 per cent of those cases are international in nature in the sense that either one of the parties would be a party not from Hong Kong. Even more importantly, around 15 per cent of cases handled by the HKIAC, in those cases, neither party came from Asia. So the only reason that they chose Hong Kong is, of course, because they’re confident in our arbitration service. This is my fourth point – Hong Kong’s system is very credible.
     
    My fifth point is that Hong Kong has an abundant supply of high-quality legal professionals with rich experience in handling cross-boundary or transboundary matters. Hong Kong’s legal profession is divided into two branches based on the English system. We have around 1 700 barristers who are specialists in dispute resolution. They will be engaged and instructed to appear in court in litigation and very often in arbitration. There are around 110 Senior Counsel, which will be equivalent to King’s Counsel in England. And on top of that, we adopt a very open policy. So on some cases, we will allow London Silk, a Senior Counsel, a King’s Counsel from London to take part in litigations in Hong Kong.
     
    Turning to another branch of the legal profession, the solicitors, I think there are more than 11 000 solicitors in Hong Kong, more than 900 law firms, and almost 400 of these law firms would either have offices outside Hong Kong or representative offices in Mainland China. And insofar as France is concerned, I think there are around 14 law firms in Hong Kong which have offices in France and there are also five French law firms having office in Hong Kong. So France does have a significant presence in Hong Kong. And also we have offices, lawyers practicing here in Paris. The point that I wish to make is that the legal service provided in Hong Kong is very international, so if you instruct a Hong Kong lawyer, you are not simply receiving Hong Kong legal service, you are receiving global legal service, so this is my fifth point.
     
    The last point is the very special and unique connection between the Hong Kong’s common law system and the Mainland’s civil law system. I wish to use a few examples. Up to the present, Hong Kong and the Mainland have signed nine very important mutual legal assistance arrangements. And the most often used arrangement concerns the recognition and enforcement of arbitration awards. So an arbitration award in Hong Kong can be easily enforced and recognised on the Mainland under the scheme substantially the same as that under the New York Convention. And more importantly, back in 2019, Hong Kong and Mainland China have entered into a very special arrangement, under which for arbitrations administered by specific arbitration institution in Hong Kong, the parties will be at liberty to appear or to apply before the Mainland Court for interim measures. For example, interim injunctions preserving assets or evidence that turn out to be an extremely important practical tool. So ever since the scheme came into effect on October 1, 2019, up to May this year, there were around 146 applications and the amount involved in these interim injunctions will be in the region of about US$5 billion. That’s a piece of evidence demonstrating the practical utility of this measure.
     
    My last example concerns a very recent measure introduced in February this year. It concerns the Greater Bay Area, which consists of Hong Kong, Macau, and also nine important cities in the Guangdong Province. The size of the Greater Bay Area is more like Croatia, and the population is around 86 million. And the GDP of the Greater Bay Area has already exceeded Australia, which would be the top 10 to consider as a single economic entity. So back in February, we introduced a new measure, which allows Hong Kong enterprises in certain cities in the Greater Bay Area to have the option of choosing Hong Kong law as the governing law to regulate their contracts, and also to choose Hong Kong as the seat for arbitration. Because in the past, if a foreign company or even a Hong Kong company set up an establishment on the Mainland, you have to use Mainland law. And for arbitration, you can only do the arbitration on the Mainland, so the options that I’ve just mentioned were not open. The other important point is that, insofar on the definition of Hong Kong enterprise is concerned, it doesn’t matter the percentage of interest owned by the Hong Kong party. For example, it’s very easy for a French company to come to Hong Kong to find a partner, a Hong Kong partner, which may hold a very small interest, say one per cent. So as long as there’s some common interest, it will be qualified as a Hong Kong enterprise, and that will give you the liberty to choose Hong Kong law or to use Hong Kong as a place of arbitration, so this is my sixth point.
     
    To sum up, Hong Kong’s common law system is stable, it’s very user-friendly, it’s very safe and secure, it’s very credible, and we have an abundant supply of international legal professionals. And lastly, we have very unique connection with the Mainland system. And my dear friends, it’s really the combination, it’s really the sum total of these six elements, which in my view, render Hong Kong a unique gateway. Hong Kong is definitely not the only gateway, but I’m very confident to say that because of the matters that I mentioned, Hong Kong as a gateway is unique. It’s unparalleled. It’s something that you cannot find elsewhere.
     
    President Xi Jinping said that the rule of law provides the best business environment (法治是最好的營商環境). I think Hong Kong offers the best business environment because we have a very strong rule of law based on a common law system, which has all the unique characteristics that I said. I think Hong Kong’s reputation is very recognised internationally. According to a survey done by the IMD, the International Institute for Management Development based in Switzerland very recently, in terms of global competitiveness, Hong Kong ranked the third. Hong Kong actually ranked the second in terms of government efficiency and business efficiency. When it comes to our tax policy and business legislation, Hong Kong actually ranked the first. I think this is a very objective assessment of the reputation enjoyed by Hong Kong.
     
    Ladies and gentlemen, I’m sure that you will be more convinced by what I have just said after hearing from our very eminent speakers who will share their experience in handling legal matters or in relation to China, Hong Kong and also France in the next two hours or so. Now, to conclude, I would like to thank all of you again for joining this legal seminar, and I sincerely hope that you will find today’s seminar constructive and enjoyable. Thank you very much.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Research Grants Council announces funding results of Areas of Excellence Scheme and Theme-based Research Scheme 2025/26

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

    The following is issued on behalf of the University Grants Committee:
     
         The Research Grants Council (RGC) announced today (July 10) the funding results of the Areas of Excellence (AoE) Scheme 2025/26 (Thirteenth Round) and the Theme-based Research Scheme (TRS) 2025/26 (Fifteenth Round). This round saw a significant increase in the number of applications for the two Schemes. Altogether, nine outstanding projects with academic and strategic importance for Hong Kong have received a total amount of around $464 million in funding support from the RGC.
     
         Three research proposals are awarded RGC funding under the AoE Scheme, of which two meritorious projects are provided with a five-year budget totalling around $134 million. Another potentially groundbreaking project is provided with a one-year exploratory funding of $10 million for yielding preliminary results. As for the TRS, six research proposals are funded at a total of $320 million. The lists of the awarded projects are set out in Annexes I and II.
     
         The Chairman of the RGC, Professor Timothy W. Tong, said, “I am delighted to announce that the 2025/26 exercise of the two schemes was completed with great success. It is encouraging to see the significant increase in the number of AoE Scheme and TRS applications by 107 per cent and 36 per cent respectively this year, bearing testimony to the robustness of the Hong Kong research community. After rigorous peer reviews based on academic and scientific merits, the RGC is pleased to support two outstanding projects in the areas of plant biotechnology and quantum materials, and an exploratory project on early childhood development under the AoE Scheme. I would like to congratulate the three project teams for successfully securing the funding support to develop their cutting-edge research into areas of excellence.
     
         “Under the TRS, the RGC decided to fund six projects which are of strategic importance to Hong Kong’s long-term development. These projects cover a wide range of research areas highly relevant to our daily lives, including Alzheimer’s disease, adolescents’ mental health, eco-friendly disinfectants, chemical weather observations, collaborative generative AI and electronic design automation. I have full confidence that these projects will help bring about lasting societal impacts and make breakthroughs in scientific and technological applications.
     
         “The RGC endeavours to enhance the capacity and vibrancy of our research ecosystem through administering various collaborative research funding schemes. Through the annual AoE Scheme and the TRS, the RGC has been supporting universities in leveraging their strengths to pursue excellent and impactful research, thereby solidifying Hong Kong’s position as a global leader in higher education and innovation.”
     
         Professor Tong expressed his gratitude to the panel experts for their valuable contribution to the assessment process, as well as local researchers for their continued support for the AoE Scheme, the TRS and the RGC’s work.
     
         Details of the approved projects for the 2025/26 exercise are available on the RGC website (AoE Scheme: www.ugc.edu.hk/eng/rgc/funding_opport/aoe/funded_research/aoe13.html and TRS: www.ugc.edu.hk/eng/rgc/funding_opport/trs/funded_research/trs15.html) for reference. A call for proposals for the AoE Scheme and the TRS 2026/27 will be issued later this month.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Expert panel to put science and tech at the heart of clean power

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Expert panel to put science and tech at the heart of clean power

    A new Science and Technology Advisory Council has been set up, to provide expert advice.

    Science and evidence-informed policy will be at the heart of the government’s clean power mission and acceleration to net zero.  

    A group of prestigious scientific leaders has been appointed to the Science and Technology Advisory Council, which met for the first time yesterday (Wednesday 9 July).  

    The Council will provide robust, scientific, evidence-based information to support key decisions as we overhaul our energy system to reach clean power by 2030. 

    It will also offer independent viewpoints and cutting-edge research on topics from climate science, energy networks and engineering, to the latest technologies and artificial intelligence. 

    Their expert advice will allow ministers to access the most up-to-date and well-informed scientific evidence, improving decision-making and effectiveness of policy implementation.  

    Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said: 

    Evidence-based decision-making is fundamental to the drive for clean power and tackling the climate crisis, with informed policymaking the key to securing a better, fairer world for current and future generations. 

    To give our mission the very best chance of success, the Science and Technology Advisory Council will draw on the knowledge and wisdom of some of the finest scientific minds of the nation – because clean power offers a huge prize of energy security, lower bills and good jobs.

    DESNZ Director General Chief Scientific Adviser Paul Monks said: 

    Robust scientific research and evidence is vital to inform decisions, as we break new ground with the mission for clean power by 2030 and accelerate to net zero. 

    I look forward to working with some of the country’s most esteemed climate and energy scientists, engineers and mathematicians, to provide comprehensive and considered advice to government on some of the greatest challenges of our time.

    The team of 16 highly esteemed academic and industry experts will be co-chaired by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s Director General Chief Scientific Adviser, Paul Monks, and Professor David Greenwood, CEO of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult at Warwick Manufacturing Group.   

    The group will be commissioned for advice as required and will meet quarterly. They will assist the Energy Secretary and the wider department.  

    Science and Technology Advisory Council members

    • Professor Paul Monks CB, FRMetS, FRSC, FInstP – STAC Co-Chair and Chief Scientific Adviser & Director General, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ)   
    • Professor David Greenwood FREng – STAC Co-Chair and CEO of Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) High Value Manufacturing Catapult Centre  
    • Professor Julian Allwood FREng – Professor of Engineering and the Environment, University of Cambridge  
    • Professor Feargal Brennan – Professor of Offshore Engineering, University of Strathclyde  
    • Professor Richard Dawson CEng FICE FREng – Professor of Earth Systems Engineering, Newcastle University  
    • Professor Mercedes Maroto-Valer FRSE, FEI, FIChemE, FRSA, FRSC – Director, UK Industrial Decarbonisation Research and Innovation Centre (IDRIC) and Deputy Principal (Global Sustainability), Heriot-Watt University  
    • Professor Nicholas Pidgeon MBE FBA – Professor of Environmental Psychology and Risk, Cardiff University  
    • Dr Fiona Rayment OBE, FREng, FRSE – Government Advisor, Non-Executive Director and Visiting Professor at University of Manchester  
    • Professor Nilay Shah OBE FREng -Professor of Process Systems Engineering, Imperial College London  
    • Professor Emily Shuckburgh OBE – Director, Cambridge Zero  
    • Professor Benjamin Sovacool Ph.D. FAcSS, FRSA, MAE – Professor of Energy Policy, University of Sussex  
    • Dr Erica Thompson – Associate Professor of Modelling for Decision Making, University College London  
    • Professor Elizabeth Patricia Thornley BSc, DPhil, FREng – Professor of Energy and Bioproducts Research Institute, Aston University  
    • Professor Sara Walker SFHEA – Director of Birmingham Energy Institute 
    • Mr Jonathan Wood C. Eng FRSA – Vice President & Chief Technical Officer, Cummins Inc  
    • Dr David Wright FREng, FIET, MIGEM (Ex-Officio STAC Member) – Co-Chair Energy Research Partnership

    Updates to this page

    Published 10 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The Central Asian stage of the China International Student Innovation Competition-2025 was held in Almaty

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    BEIJING, July 10 (Xinhua) — The Central Asian stage of the China International College Students’ Innovation Competition-2025 (CICSIC) was held in Almaty on Sunday and Monday, the Shaanxi Daily (Shaanxi Daily) reported.

    The Central Asian stage of CICSIC is organized by Northwest University of Agriculture and Forestry, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an Petroleum University and Beijing Language and Culture University.

    Let us recall that CICSIC has a 10-year history, and its Central Asian stage was held for the first time.

    A total of 261 projects entered the Central Asian round of CICSIC, and 860 students from 82 universities in five Central Asian countries participated. As a result, 25 projects from 18 universities reached the final.

    “AI-driven ECG monitoring solution” of S. D. Asfendiyarov Kazakh National Medical University /KazNMU/ and 11 other projects received gold awards, and the remaining 13 projects received silver awards.

    “Holding this event is a special practice aimed at developing the ‘China-Central Asia spirit.’ We will continue to motivate young people to give impetus to the formation of a China-Central Asia community with a common future,” said Wu Putei, rector of the Northwest University of Agriculture and Forestry and Technology. -0-

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Career Trajectory “Intern”: Polytechnic University Raises New Generation of Teachers

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    60 young teachers — representatives of all 12 SPbPU institutes — have become graduates of the retraining program “Pedagogical Start”. The program is a mandatory part of the career trajectory “Intern”, intended for master’s students and final-year specialists, as well as postgraduate students planning their professional career as a teacher or researcher.

    The program participants successfully defended their final theses and received diplomas of professional retraining. Many of them will continue their teaching activities in the new academic year as assistants.

    “The career trajectory “Intern” was launched for the first time at the Polytechnic University this academic year as part of the implementation of the policy in the field of forming career trajectories for the professional development of teaching staff from among the faculty,” said Lyudmila Pankova, Vice-Rector for Educational Activities at SPbPU. “Graduates of the “Pedagogical Start” program are our successor, who will help current teachers transform the university’s educational programs to achieve technological leadership in our country.”

    The professional retraining program “Pedagogical Start” included a large block of theoretical training, allowing to master modern educational technologies, regulatory foundations of pedagogical activity, methods of working in the digital environment of SPbPU, as well as pedagogical internship under the guidance of mentors – leading teachers of higher schools and departments of the university.

    The pedagogical internship became the core of the entire retraining program, allowing the interns, on the one hand, to adopt the experience of the best teachers in the relevant professional field, and on the other hand, to apply all the theoretical knowledge they had acquired in practice, trying themselves out as teachers, noted Elena Zima, Director of the SPbPU Education Quality Center and Head of the Pedagogical Start program.

    During the defense of their final theses, the interns presented their experience of implementing the chosen teaching method and the developed fragment of the online course in the electronic information and educational environment of the Polytechnic. It is especially valuable and worthy of respect that the newly-minted teachers mastered the program in parallel with the preparation of diplomas in the main educational programs.

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK and France partner on navigation systems to protect critical infrastructure from hostile threats

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    UK and France partner on navigation systems to protect critical infrastructure from hostile threats

    UK and French researchers join up to shield critical infrastructure, including power supplies and emergency services, with more resilient navigation and timing systems. 

    • UK and French researchers join up to shield critical infrastructure, including power supplies and emergency services, with more resilient navigation and timing systems. 
    • Positioning, Navigation, and Timing systems are critical to everything from banking to transport – and the Ukraine war has shown how these systems can be targeted by malign actors. 
    • Partnerships on AI supercomputing infrastructure, and AI research, to be agreed when French President and UK Science and Tech Secretary meet in London. 

    UK and French experts will work more closely to increase the resilience of both countries’ critical infrastructure to the signal-jamming seen in the war in Ukraine, as part of a suite of joint science and tech work being announced today (Thursday 10 July).  

    From our electricity infrastructure, to transport, to financial transactions, the tech we rely on for everyday life depends on reliable Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT), often provided via satellites. The conflict in Ukraine has shown how new technologies – in some cases, just small hand-held devices – can be used to disrupt PNT services, potentially causing major disruption to the vast areas of life and the economy reliant on them. 

    As part of a raft of UK-France joint science and tech efforts being announced today, researchers from both countries will work together on technologies complementary to the likes of GPS, which are highly resistant to this sort of jamming.  

    An example is e-LORAN, a program driven by the UK government, working closely with the National Physical Laboratory and private sector companies. The system uses ground-based radio towers, which are much more challenging to block, for a reliable “backup” to GPS, so that UK infrastructure can keep running even when GPS fails.  

    The UK’s Science and Tech Secretary used a joint visit to Imperial College London, with President Macron, to set out how this sort of collaboration makes both the UK and France stronger and safer. Whilst speaking at Imperial, Peter Kyle also pointed out the tens of millions of pounds in investment being brought into the British tech sector through UK-French trade, as well as the new jobs and growth that this partnership creates.

    These are efforts that will bolster our economic and national security, which are foundational pillars of the Plan for Change. 

    UK Science and Technology Secretary, Peter Kyle said: 

    France and the UK both have huge ambitions for technology to boost economic growth and strengthen national security. It is vital we work with natural partners like our French neighbours in these endeavours, particularly as the threats from hostile state actors only grows.

    Today we build on the Entente Cordiale with an Entente Technologique, celebrating and renewing our longstanding and historic partnership so that together we can face down the challenges of tomorrow.

    Additionally, the UK and France are launching a partnership on supercomputing. The partnership will be led by the Bristol Centre for Supercomputing, the home of Isambard-AI, and the French computing centre GENCI, who lead France’s AI Factory.  

    Closer ties between both nations’ world-leading compute power, and sharing AI best practice, will turbocharge the breakthroughs in AI, transforming public services and improving lives. These efforts build on the AI Opportunities Action Plan, the UK government’s blueprint to fuel the use of AI across the economy. 

    This builds on the strong existing UK-France cooperation on AI. The UK’s AI Security Institute and France’s INESIA have committed to further technical workshops to deepen their collaboration on frontier AI research, in order to support our national security. 

    Some of the UK and France’s leading research institutions are also committing to closer work. Collaboration agreements were signed today when President Macron and Science and Tech Secretary Peter Kyle visited Imperial College London, where they witnessed first-hand some of the cutting-edge uses of AI being pioneered in the UK, from health to clean energy.

    The spotlight will shine on the vast opportunities for UK-France science and tech collaboration again on Friday, when the UK’s AI Minister Feryal Clark and her French counterpart Minister Clara Chappaz will tour Diamond Light Source in Oxford.

    Diamond is one of the most advanced scientific facilities in the world. Researchers here are harnessing light 10 billion times brighter than the sun to study new scientific samples, like previously unknown virus structures, to pioneer new medicines and treatments for diseases. 

    Notes to editors

    The 3 UK-France science and technology agreements being signed are between: 

    • Imperial and CNRS Ayrton Blériot Engineering Lab (ABEL)
    • University College London (UCL) and National Institute for Research in Digital Science and Technology (Inria)
    • Oxford-Cambridge and HEC, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, Université Paris-Saclay

    UK-French export and investment announcements

    British tech unicorns are winning tens of millions of pounds in significant contracts with French corporates, driving jobs and growth at home. This includes Synthesia’s new partnership with Decathlon to create a pioneering AI avatar lab which the global sports retailer will use to communicate with customers and employees, building on Synthesia’s existing work with over half of France’s CAC40 (equivalent to FTSE 100). Other deals include ElevenLabs’ collaboration with M6 and TV5 Monde and Darktrace’s contract with GL Events, a French major events operator.

    BT’s operations in France totalled approximately £130 million last financial year, connecting more than 80 French-headquartered companies, from Alstom to Michelin. BT has supported French telecoms, communications, cyber security and banking operations for 55 years. BT has invested more than £24 billion domestically so far this decade, with plans to invest a further £20 billion by 2030. BT’s investment into digital infrastructure projects also boosts the UK’s attractiveness for French investment and act as an enabler of British exports to France.  

    Thales, in conjunction with partners, is planning £40 million of AI-focussed R&D investment as part of its CortAIx UK AI Accelerator – which will employ 200 people and serve as a focal point for Thales’ AI innovation in the UK. This initiative will further enhance AI cooperation between France and the UK, ss well as help both countries to stay ahead of evolving threats, unleashing the potential of AI to increase mission success for both countries.

    Comand AI are investing £35 million over the next 5 years to set up an office in the UK, in their first step to becoming a pan-European defence company. This investment will create around 40 highly skilled jobs in tech, bringing the best of software engineering to defence. These jobs would represent half of their global engineering team. They aim to build the future of defence technology between the UK and France, from capability assessment to mission planning and execution for our Allied nations.

    DSIT media enquiries

    Email press@dsit.gov.uk

    Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 6pm 020 7215 3000

    Updates to this page

    Published 10 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: HSE scientists have discovered how disruptions in brain networks affect cognitive and social behavior in autism

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: State University “Higher School of Economics” –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    The site may not display correctly in older browser versions. For optimal site experience, we recommend using a modern browser.

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    July 10

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    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Cooling and antioxidants could help prevent hair loss during chemotherapy – new research

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Nik Georgopoulos, Associate Professor in Cell Biology and Transforming Lives Fellow, Sheffield Hallam University

    Hair loss is one of the most feared and traumatic side effects of cancer chemotherapy treatment, both for patients themselves and their loved ones, as it can visibly represent the “face of cancer”.

    For most patients, maintaining their hair is not just about vanity – it’s about identity, dignity and control. That’s why scalp cooling caps, or (cold caps), often worn during chemotherapy, have become an increasingly common sight in cancer wards.

    Chemotherapy drugs work by killing rapidly dividing cancer cells – unfortunately, they cause collateral toxicity to rapidly dividing healthy cells in our body, like those in the roots of our hair. This leads to hair follicle damage and ultimately, hair loss.

    Automated scalp cooling devices are used to chill the scalp just before, during and for a short time after chemotherapy treatment. Our previous research showed that cooling works through several mechanisms. It reduces blood flow to the scalp, meaning less of the drug reaches the hair follicles.

    It lowers cell activity and metabolism, which makes hair cells less likely to react to chemotherapy. Also, cooling directly stops drugs from entering follicle cells. But despite its potential, scalp cooling doesn’t work for all patients. Until now, we didn’t really know why.

    Our new research shows that temperature precision might be fundamental in the ability of scalp cooling to prevent hair loss. We used human hair follicles grown as “mini organs” in the lab to simulate what happens during chemotherapy.

    When we treated hair follicles with chemotherapy drugs, we found that cooling, quite remarkably, can prevent the toxic effects of chemotherapy drugs. However, there is a catch: it only works if hair follicles are cooled to the right level. If not, the protection is not adequate to “rescue” them from the toxicity of chemotherapy.

    More specifically, when cooled to an optimal temperature of 18°C, hair follicles were completely protected from chemotherapy drug-induced damage. However, when the temperature was higher – say, 26°C – the protection dropped dramatically. This finding may explain why scalp cooling doesn’t work for all patients. In real-world settings, scalp temperature can vary due to differences in equipment, head shape, blood flow, or hair type. Some patients may not reach the “protective threshold”.

    But, here’s the exciting part: if the temperature isn’t cold enough, we have found a way to compensate for this by adding antioxidants, and that makes a huge difference. Together, cooling and antioxidant form a strong protective combination – offering hair follicles a powerful, double layer of defence.

    So, how do the antioxidants help? Chemotherapy drugs generate harmful molecules called reactive oxygen species, or ROS, which contribute to cell damage. By adding antioxidants like N-Acetylcysteine or Resveratrol – even at sub-optimal cooling temperatures – we saw a remarkable improvement in protection. In fact, the combined effect of antioxidants and moderate cooling mimicked the protection seen with optimal cooling alone.

    Although our study was conducted in the lab, it paves the way for improving the outcomes for patients undergoing chemotherapy. The findings suggest that combining antioxidants with existing scalp cooling could make the treatment more reliable and accessible.

    We’re now developing a topical antioxidant treatment designed to reach the vulnerable parts of hair follicles in the scalp. The idea is to apply this lotion during scalp cooling, to boost the follicle’s defenses. Clinical trials are being planned to test this combined approach in patients.

    Our new research is a milestone, because with the help of antioxidants, we may now be able to offer effective scalp cooling-based hair protection more widely and more consistently – even when conditions aren’t perfect. The combinatorial approach is based on over a decade of research into how chemotherapy damages hair – and how that damage can be stopped.

    Hair loss during chemotherapy is deeply distressing. If we can improve the tools we already have, such as scalp cooling, and make them work better for more people, we can help preserve not just hair, but dignity, normality and quality of life during an incredibly difficult time.

    The future of supportive cancer care isn’t just about treating the disease. It’s also about helping people feel like themselves and maintain their dignity while they fight it. This new approach has the potential to “change the face of cancer” for patients worldwide.

    Nik Georgopoulos is a member of the scientific advisory board of Paxman Coolers Ltd, but receives no consultancy-related income. He holds a research collaboration with and his laboratory receives funding from Paxman Coolers Ltd.

    – ref. Cooling and antioxidants could help prevent hair loss during chemotherapy – new research – https://theconversation.com/cooling-and-antioxidants-could-help-prevent-hair-loss-during-chemotherapy-new-research-259722

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Ofsted announces sector engagement programme to ready education providers for November start to inspections

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    Ofsted announces sector engagement programme to ready education providers for November start to inspections

    Ofsted has today announced a full programme of sector engagement to be launched in September when the final set of education inspection reforms are published.

    The programme of webinars and regional events will continue throughout the autumn term, offering providers a range of opportunities to familiarise themselves with the changes, ahead of inspections under the renewed framework beginning in November.

    Ofsted will hold live webinars for different provider types across each education remit, setting out the key changes to inspection. Recordings of each webinar will be available on Ofsted’s YouTube channel afterwards.

    • For the early years sector, there will be separate webinars for childminders; group-based provision; and out-of-school-clubs.

    • For schools, individual webinars will be hosted for maintained nurseries; primaries; secondaries; non-association independent schools; University Technical Colleges (UTCs); special schools; and alternative provision.

    • For further education and skills, there will be webinars for specific provision types, including 16 to 19 programmes; apprenticeship providers; adult learning providers; and high needs provision.

    • For initial teacher education (ITE), there will be a webinar for providers of any/all phases of ITE, and another for providers of ITE programmes for the further education and skills sector.

    Full details of the webinar programme and how to sign up are available at: Education inspection framework: engagement programme.

    The engagement programme will be bolstered by face-to-face and online regional events, hosted by local providers, local authorities and partners. These events will help providers build on their understanding of the renewed framework, supported by published materials. Ofsted will share further details about events in the coming weeks.

    Nominees

    For many years, Ofsted has successfully used a system of nominees to support inspections of further education and skills providers. Nominees help the inspection process run smoothly and collaboratively, through planning, communication and engagement with the inspection team. They provide contextual information about their setting and strengthen the professional dialogue between inspectors and leaders.

    From November, nominees will be introduced to inspections across other education remits, where relevant. In advance of the renewed framework, Ofsted will offer a short online training package tailored for nominees in specific remits. These sessions will provide an overview of the framework and more information on how nominees can work together with inspectors during a future inspection.

    More details about the nominee training package will be released following the consultation response in September.

    All education inspectors will complete comprehensive training to support the transition to the renewed framework. Full inspector training materials will be published online, via the Ofsted Academy, once inspectors have completed face-to-face training. In addition to this training package, Ofsted will undertake pilot visits to volunteer settings, giving inspectors vital experience of full, end-to-end inspections before November.

    His Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Sir Martyn Oliver, said:

    I want to reassure education providers that, through our national engagement programme and published materials, they will be able to familiarise themselves with the changes during the first part of the autumn term – while routine school and further education and skills inspections are on hold.

    Our Inspectors will all receive extensive training between now and November, and many will have had the experience of a full pilot inspection. I know there are some concerns about the timeline for these changes, that’s why we are planning such a comprehensive programme. I have every confidence that our approach will support a successful roll-out of new-look inspections in November.

    Notes to editors

    1. It will not be mandatory for every school or early years provider to appoint a nominee. 

    2. The nominee for early years should be the individual who knows the setting and children the best. This is a different role from the nominated individual and will be covered in the early years webinars.

    Press office

    8.30am to 6pm Monday to Friday 0300 013 0415

    Updates to this page

    Published 10 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-Evening Report: The special envoy’s antisemitism plan is ambitious, but fails to reckon with the hardest questions

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matteo Vergani, Associate Professor, Deakin University

    On July 6, an arson attack targeted the East Melbourne Synagogue. It was the latest in a series of antisemitic incidents recorded across Australia since October 7 2023, when Hamas carried out a horrific terrorist attack, killing about 1,200 Israelis. These domestic incidents have escalated in both number and severity.

    Australia has not previously experienced antisemitism at this scale. In response, the Albanese government appointed Jillian Segal as the nation’s first special envoy for combating antisemitism, and commissioned a plan with recommendations to address the issue.

    The plan has now been released. Let’s unpack it.



    Read more:
    Envoy’s plan to fight antisemitism would put universities on notice over funding

    What does the plan say?

    The recommendations fall into three broad areas.

    1. Preventing violence and crime, including a proposed law enforcement framework to improve coordination between agencies, and new policies aimed at stopping dangerous individuals from entering Australia.

    2. Strengthening protections against hate speech, by regulating all forms of hate, including antisemitism, and increasing oversight of platform policies and algorithms.

    3. Promoting antisemitism-free media, education and cultural spaces, through journalist training, education programs, and conditions on public funding for organisations that promote or fail to address antisemitism.

    The government has said it will consider the recommendations.

    These measures are broadly reasonable and make practical sense. Some – such as those aimed at preventing violence and crime – are more straightforward to implement than others. It would also be logical to apply them to all forms of hate, not just antisemitism.

    But that needs to be done with caution. We don’t want to create an environment in which any criticism of a community or group is shut down by regulation.

    In a democracy, open and robust debate is essential. The challenge lies in the details: how we define hate, and where we draw the threshold for what counts as hate.

    The document ignores the elephant in the room: whether the plan could be used to silence legitimate criticism of Israel.

    The special envoy’s plan notes antisemitism has risen since October 7, but it does not fully explain the context. Israel’s military response in Gaza, which has killed more than 57,000 Palestinians, has prompted a wave of global protest and criticism of Israel, including accusations of genocide.

    In this context, the line between antisemitism and criticism of Israel has become more difficult and contested than ever. Some people who attack Israel or Zionism may be expressing antisemitic views. Others may not. Distinguishing between the two is complex, but essential.



    Read more:
    When does anti-Zionism become antisemitism? A Jewish historian’s perspective

    Where criticism ends and antisemitism begins

    The envoy adopts the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism, which covers both direct attacks on Jewish identity and certain criticisms of Israel, such as comparisons with Nazi Germany.

    In my experience as a researcher working on online hate (including antisemitism), even members of the Jewish community adopting this definition often disagree on how to apply it.

    The threshold varies – for example when deciding whether an online post or a statement crosses the line into antisemitism.

    So where should we draw that line? It’s a crucial question. If the envoy’s recommendations are implemented, decisions about funding, visas, and even criminal charges could depend on it.

    There is, of course, broad agreement on some cases. Setting fire to a synagogue is clearly antisemitic – it targets a Jewish place of worship.

    Similarly, attacking a Jewish-owned business or damaging property in a Jewish neighbourhood suggests the target was chosen because it was Jewish.

    Some people – often those already harbouring anti-Jewish views – treat the entire Jewish community as if it represents the Netanyahu government or the Israel Defense Forces.

    This ignores the diversity of views within Jewish communities. That lack of nuance fuels antisemitism.

    Few would disagree that antisemitic acts include attacks on Jewish people or property carried out indiscriminately, or when anti-Israel protests attempt to hold the whole Jewish community collectively responsible for the actions of the Israeli government.

    But we also need to be realistic. We are unlikely to eliminate all forms of antisemitic hate or intimidation from public life. Hate can be expressed without breaching laws, and people can intimidate others while staying just within legal boundaries.

    Humour, sarcasm and coded language are often used to incite hatred without triggering any formal consequence. That kind of harm is much harder to prevent – and it may be something we have to learn to live with, while continuing to push back against it.

    Rebuilding trust

    In the long term, the only real solution is building mutual understanding. That’s why personal relationships matter.

    Knowing someone who is Jewish is one of the strongest antidotes to antisemitism. When you have a Jewish friend, you’re less likely to believe or spread the myths that circulate online and offline about what Jewish people think, believe or represent.

    The same applies to all forms of hate. Direct contact helps break down stereotypes across all communities.

    The problem is that the current context is pushing communities apart. Segregation and isolation are increasing. Before October 7, there was meaningful interfaith work happening – Jewish students visiting the Islamic Museum, Muslim students visiting the Holocaust Museum. That work has largely stopped.

    Now, people are retreating into fear, distrust and generalisations. All nuance is lost. The “other” becomes a single, threatening enemy.

    It will take time to rebuild that trust – and the longer the war continues, the harder it will be.

    Matteo Vergani receives funding from the Campbell Collaboration, NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet, the Department of Home Affairs.

    – ref. The special envoy’s antisemitism plan is ambitious, but fails to reckon with the hardest questions – https://theconversation.com/the-special-envoys-antisemitism-plan-is-ambitious-but-fails-to-reckon-with-the-hardest-questions-260914

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: The special envoy’s antisemitism plan is ambitious, but fails to reckon with the hardest questions

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matteo Vergani, Associate Professor, Deakin University

    On July 6, an arson attack targeted the East Melbourne Synagogue. It was the latest in a series of antisemitic incidents recorded across Australia since October 7 2023, when Hamas carried out a horrific terrorist attack, killing about 1,200 Israelis. These domestic incidents have escalated in both number and severity.

    Australia has not previously experienced antisemitism at this scale. In response, the Albanese government appointed Jillian Segal as the nation’s first special envoy for combating antisemitism, and commissioned a plan with recommendations to address the issue.

    The plan has now been released. Let’s unpack it.



    Read more:
    Envoy’s plan to fight antisemitism would put universities on notice over funding

    What does the plan say?

    The recommendations fall into three broad areas.

    1. Preventing violence and crime, including a proposed law enforcement framework to improve coordination between agencies, and new policies aimed at stopping dangerous individuals from entering Australia.

    2. Strengthening protections against hate speech, by regulating all forms of hate, including antisemitism, and increasing oversight of platform policies and algorithms.

    3. Promoting antisemitism-free media, education and cultural spaces, through journalist training, education programs, and conditions on public funding for organisations that promote or fail to address antisemitism.

    The government has said it will consider the recommendations.

    These measures are broadly reasonable and make practical sense. Some – such as those aimed at preventing violence and crime – are more straightforward to implement than others. It would also be logical to apply them to all forms of hate, not just antisemitism.

    But that needs to be done with caution. We don’t want to create an environment in which any criticism of a community or group is shut down by regulation.

    In a democracy, open and robust debate is essential. The challenge lies in the details: how we define hate, and where we draw the threshold for what counts as hate.

    The document ignores the elephant in the room: whether the plan could be used to silence legitimate criticism of Israel.

    The special envoy’s plan notes antisemitism has risen since October 7, but it does not fully explain the context. Israel’s military response in Gaza, which has killed more than 57,000 Palestinians, has prompted a wave of global protest and criticism of Israel, including accusations of genocide.

    In this context, the line between antisemitism and criticism of Israel has become more difficult and contested than ever. Some people who attack Israel or Zionism may be expressing antisemitic views. Others may not. Distinguishing between the two is complex, but essential.



    Read more:
    When does anti-Zionism become antisemitism? A Jewish historian’s perspective

    Where criticism ends and antisemitism begins

    The envoy adopts the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism, which covers both direct attacks on Jewish identity and certain criticisms of Israel, such as comparisons with Nazi Germany.

    In my experience as a researcher working on online hate (including antisemitism), even members of the Jewish community adopting this definition often disagree on how to apply it.

    The threshold varies – for example when deciding whether an online post or a statement crosses the line into antisemitism.

    So where should we draw that line? It’s a crucial question. If the envoy’s recommendations are implemented, decisions about funding, visas, and even criminal charges could depend on it.

    There is, of course, broad agreement on some cases. Setting fire to a synagogue is clearly antisemitic – it targets a Jewish place of worship.

    Similarly, attacking a Jewish-owned business or damaging property in a Jewish neighbourhood suggests the target was chosen because it was Jewish.

    Some people – often those already harbouring anti-Jewish views – treat the entire Jewish community as if it represents the Netanyahu government or the Israel Defense Forces.

    This ignores the diversity of views within Jewish communities. That lack of nuance fuels antisemitism.

    Few would disagree that antisemitic acts include attacks on Jewish people or property carried out indiscriminately, or when anti-Israel protests attempt to hold the whole Jewish community collectively responsible for the actions of the Israeli government.

    But we also need to be realistic. We are unlikely to eliminate all forms of antisemitic hate or intimidation from public life. Hate can be expressed without breaching laws, and people can intimidate others while staying just within legal boundaries.

    Humour, sarcasm and coded language are often used to incite hatred without triggering any formal consequence. That kind of harm is much harder to prevent – and it may be something we have to learn to live with, while continuing to push back against it.

    Rebuilding trust

    In the long term, the only real solution is building mutual understanding. That’s why personal relationships matter.

    Knowing someone who is Jewish is one of the strongest antidotes to antisemitism. When you have a Jewish friend, you’re less likely to believe or spread the myths that circulate online and offline about what Jewish people think, believe or represent.

    The same applies to all forms of hate. Direct contact helps break down stereotypes across all communities.

    The problem is that the current context is pushing communities apart. Segregation and isolation are increasing. Before October 7, there was meaningful interfaith work happening – Jewish students visiting the Islamic Museum, Muslim students visiting the Holocaust Museum. That work has largely stopped.

    Now, people are retreating into fear, distrust and generalisations. All nuance is lost. The “other” becomes a single, threatening enemy.

    It will take time to rebuild that trust – and the longer the war continues, the harder it will be.

    Matteo Vergani receives funding from the Campbell Collaboration, NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet, the Department of Home Affairs.

    – ref. The special envoy’s antisemitism plan is ambitious, but fails to reckon with the hardest questions – https://theconversation.com/the-special-envoys-antisemitism-plan-is-ambitious-but-fails-to-reckon-with-the-hardest-questions-260914

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Summer school at the Polytechnic: 88 participants from different parts of Russia

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    The Polytechnic University held its eighth annual Summer School, an educational intensive for high school students that brought together talented children from all over the country. This year, 88 high school students from St. Petersburg and other regions of Russia who passed a competitive selection took part.

    The Summer School program included four areas that combined theory, practice, and excursions to leading enterprises. The students visited UEC-Klimov, the Petersburg Tractor Plant, the Institute of Linguistic Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, NIIEFA, the IT Contact company, and the Volkhov Hydroelectric Power Station. In the final, they defended solutions to cases provided by the organizers.

    On the Wings of Polytech track, the participants worked on optimizing the wing design. They created a model in KOMPAS-3D, conducted virtual tests in ANSYS, calculated the load and lift at different angles of attack. The final stage was 3D printing of the wing and its testing on a special stand. The guys presented the results in the form of an engineering report with the defense of the project. The teachers of the program were engineers of the Higher School of Power Engineering and the Scientific and Educational Center “Aircraft Engines and Power Plants” PISh CI Nikita Izbyakov, Andrey Shirokih and Anastasia Bodunova.

    Participants in the track “Energovaybe: how to tame the energy current and not burn out” successfully designed an efficient power supply system for a private home. They analyzed the needs of future residents and developed an optimal layout for electrical appliances, including sockets, switches, and lighting fixtures. To ensure reliable power supply, students calculated the parameters of the key elements of the system and prepared a detailed power distribution plan. The project took into account modern requirements for safety, energy efficiency, and ease of use.

    The students studied electric power engineering with maximum focus on practical applicability. Testing the operation of electrical appliances, conducting experiments on connecting light bulbs, the first modeling in a popular engineering application, developing their own power supply scheme – the participants of the Summer School had no time to get bored, – noted Maria Lyulina, senior lecturer of the Higher School of Electric Power Systems.

    In the track “Linguistics in the Digital Age: from Data Analysis to Artificial Intelligence”, schoolchildren analyzed excerpts from English textbooks for grades 7–11 to assess their complexity. Using special metrics and automatic text processing tools, they found out how the “from simple to complex” principle is observed in the school curriculum. The results will help textbook authors adjust the selection of materials, and teachers will be able to adapt complex texts for better understanding. The track was organized by teachers and staff of the Higher School of Linguistics and Pedagogy Alexander Dmitriev, Marina Kogan and Elena Krupnova.

    In the “How it works: mechanical engineering” program, schoolchildren successfully designed and calculated a single-stage gearbox, a key mechanism for industrial equipment. They performed energy-kinematic calculations, created a 3D model, and analyzed various production technologies, including traditional processing and 3D printing. The intensive course allowed future engineers to master modern methods of designing mechanical systems and understand the principles of choosing optimal production solutions.

    The summer school is a unique opportunity for schoolchildren to immerse themselves in student life and get acquainted with their future profession. Working in groups, together with interested and motivated children, allows them to delve deeper into various technologies of modern professions, – noted the director of the Center for Work with Applicants Artem Egupov.

    The best teams received additional points, which will be taken into account when entering SPbPU, as well as gifts.

    The most valuable thing for me was the acquired experience of teamwork and practical skills of working in KOMPAS-3D. The teachers presented the material in an accessible and exciting way, so it was really interesting. Thanks to the coordinated work, we were able to overcome all the difficulties and achieved an excellent result in the defense of the projects, – shared Leonid Svetlyakov.

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –