Category: Universities

MIL-OSI Australia: $2.1 million to help boost cancer research in NSW
Source: New South Wales Ministerial News

Published: 24 September 2024

Released by: Minister for Medical Research

Coinciding with World Cancer Research Day today, the NSW Government is committing $2.1 million in research grant funding to support the work of the state’s cancer researchers, including world-renowned Professors Georgina Long AO and Paul Timpson.
Co-Australian of the Year Professor Long and the team at Melanoma Institute Australia and The University of Sydney have been awarded almost $700,000 for an imaging system that will allow researchers to better visualise and understand tumour cell interactions across various cancer types, via the Cancer Institute NSW funding.

It is hoped an improved understanding of the tumour microenvironment will assist with cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Professor Timpson and the team at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research were awarded almost $700,000 to purchase a system that will provide unprecedented insights into cell-to-cell interactions, treatment responses and cancer dormancy to enable more effective treatment for cancers, including pancreatic, breast, and prostate cancer.

Three clinical trials grants, valued at $250,000 each, have also been funded to support projects focused on improving access to cancer clinical trials, including:
- The Building Capacity in Cancer Clinical Trials across Maridulu Budyari Gumal project aims to address enrolment challenges in clinical trials by targeting populations with lower trial participation rates. This includes socioeconomic disadvantaged, culturally and linguistically diverse and rural and regional communities.
- The Sydney Cancer Partners Clinical Trials Support project aims to increase recruitment from priority populations to trials, including Aboriginal, culturally and linguistically diverse and LGBITQ communities.
- Targeted Cancer Clinical Trials Support for Regional NSW project aims to deliver targeted initiatives such as increased trial sites and education and training to boost clinical trial participation across the Central Coast, Hunter, New England, Mid North Coast and Northern NSW areas.
The NSW Government, through Cancer Institute NSW, is one of the largest funders of cancer research in NSW, having invested more than $470 million in the past 20 years across nearly 100 competitive research awards and grants.

Minister for Medical Research David Harris said:

“Targeted research is vital to delivering better treatments and interventions that reduce the impact of cancer and ultimately save lives.

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

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

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

“Investing in and accelerating research and innovation is key to improving our understanding of a disease that continues to devastate communities across NSW.”

Professor Georgina Long AO said:

“Technologies that provide a clear large-scale and detailed view of tumours and enable us to see how cells interact with each other are critical to move the cancer field forward.

“The imaging system, called the Phenolmager HT 2.0, which we have been able to purchase through the research equipment grant, provides the ability to better understand tumour cell interactions.

“This will enable researchers at Melanoma Institute Australia and The University of Sydney to bridge cancer research to clinical use and ultimately deliver more effective cancer treatments.”

Professor Paul Timpson said:

“The cutting-edge Akoya-PhenoCycler Fusion system will concurrently detect and visualise 100 proteins, providing unprecedented insights into cell-to-cell interactions, chemotherapy and immunotherapy responses, cancer dormancy, and novel therapies for cancers like pancreatic, breast, and prostate cancer.

“Proteins drive functional outcomes within cells, and constitute drug targets, yet existing technologies do not accurately reflect protein activity at a specific location or time.”
MIL OSI News –
September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI Global: Sri Lankans throw out old guard in election upset: What nation’s new Marxist-leaning leader means for economy, IMF loans

Source: The Conversation – USA – By Vidhura S. Tennekoon, Assistant Professor of Economics, Indiana University

Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s celebrates his vote. Tharaka Basnayaka/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Sri Lankans voted for a new direction in leadership on Sept. 22, 2024, electing a leftist anti-poverty campaigner as president of the South Asian nation.

The ascent of Anura Kumara Dissanayake marks a break with the past and from the establishment parties and politicians blamed for taking the country to the brink of economic collapse in 2022.

Dissanayake characterized the victory as a “fresh start” for Sri Lanka – but he will nonetheless need to address the economic baggage left by his predecessors and the impact of an International Monetary Fund loan that came with painful austerity demands. The Conversation turned to Vidhura S. Tennekoon, an expert on Sri Lanka’s economy at Indiana University, to explain the task facing the new president – and how Dissanayake intends to tackle it.

What do we know about Sri Lanka’s new president?

Anura Kumara Dissanayake leads both the National People’s Power alliance, or NPP, and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, or JVP. Rooted in Marxist ideology, the JVP was founded in the 1960s with the aim of seizing power through a socialist revolution. But after two failed armed uprisings in 1971 and 1987-89 – which resulted in the loss of tens of thousands of lives – the party shifted toward democratic politics and has remained so for over three decades.

Until this election, the JVP remained a minor third party in Sri Lanka’s political landscape, while power alternated between the alliances led by the two traditional political parties – the United National Party and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party – or their descendant parties.

In 2019, under Dissanayake’s leadership, the NPP was formed as a socialist alliance with several other organizations. While the JVP continues to adhere to Marxist principles, the NPP adopted a center-left, social democratic platform – aiming to attract broader public support.

Despite these efforts, Dissanayake garnered only 3% of the vote in the 2019 presidential election.

But the political landscape shifted dramatically during the economic crisis of 2022. Many Sri Lankans, frustrated with the two traditional parties that had governed the country for over seven decades, turned to the NPP, seeing it as a credible alternative.

The party’s anti-corruption stance, in particular, resonated strongly because many people blamed political corruption for the economic collapse.

It helped deliver 42% of the vote to Dissanayake.

While a significant achievement, it also marks a historic first for Sri Lanka — Dissanayake is the first president to be elected without majority support; the remaining 58% of votes were split between candidates from the two traditional parties.

His immediate challenge will be to secure a parliamentary majority in the upcoming elections, a crucial step for his administration to govern effectively.

What kind of economy is Dissanayake inheriting?

Two and a half years ago, Sri Lanka experienced the worst economic crisis in its history. With foreign reserves nearly depleted, the country struggled to pay its bills, leading to severe shortages of essential goods. People waited in long lines for cooking gas and fuel, while regular blackouts became part of daily life. The Sri Lankan rupee plummeted to a record low, driving inflation to 70%. The economy was contracting, and the country defaulted on its international sovereign bonds for the first time.

This sparked a massive protest movement that ultimately forced President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to resign. In July 2022, Parliament appointed Ranil Wickremesinghe to complete the remainder of Rajapaksa’s term.

Sri Lankans protest near the official residence of then-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on May 28, 2022.
Tharaka Basnayaka/NurPhoto via Getty Images

In the two years that followed, Sri Lanka’s economy made an unexpectedly rapid recovery under Wickremesinghe’s leadership. After securing an agreement with the International Monetary Fund, the currency stabilized, the central bank rebuilt foreign reserves, and inflation fell to single digits. By the first half of 2024, the economy had grown by 5%.

The government successfully restructured its domestic debt, followed by a restructuring of its bilateral debt – that is, government-to-government loans, mostly from China but also from India and Western counties, including the United States. Just days before the election, an agreement was reached with international bondholders to restructure the remaining sovereign debt.

Despite these achievements, Wickremesinghe was overtaken in the presidential race by both Dissanayake and opposition leader Sajith Premadasa. Wickremesinghe’s unpopularity stemmed largely from the harsh austerity measures implemented under the IMF-backed stabilization program.

Dissanayake now inherits an economy that, while more stable, remains vulnerable. He will have limited room to maneuver away from the carefully planned economic path laid out by his predecessor, even as voters expect him to fulfill popular demands.

How does Dissanayake plan to improve Sri Lanka’s economy?

As a leader from a Marxist party, Dissanayake will likely pursue policies to reflect collective decisions made by the politburos and central committees of the NPP and JVP, rather than his individual views. He advocates for an economic system where activities are coordinated through a central government plan, emphasizing the importance of “economic democracy.”

His party believes prosperity should be measured not just by economic growth but by the overall quality of life. They argue that people need more than just basic necessities — they require secure housing, food, health care, education, access to technology and leisure.

Dissanayake’s long-term vision is to transform Sri Lanka into a production-based economy, focusing on sectors like manufacturing, agriculture and information technology rather than service industries. One of the key policies is to promote local production of all viable food products to reduce reliance on imports. To support these activities, the NPP plans to establish a development bank. Additionally, they NPP proposes increasing government spending on education and health care, in line with Sri Lanka’s tradition of providing free, universal access to both.

Where does this leave the IMF loans?

Historically, Dissanayake’s party has been critical of the IMF and its policy recommendations. Given the severity of Sri Lanka’s economic crisis, Dissanayake has acknowledged the need to stay within the IMF program for now. But he has vowed to renegotiate with the IMF to make the program more “people-friendly.” Dissanayake’s proposals include raising the personal income tax exemption threshold to double its current level and removing taxes on essential goods. Dissanayake’s party also plans adding jobs to the public sector, despite the ongoing effort to reduce the government workforce to manage the deficit.

Dissanayake’s populist policies, aimed at attracting mass support during the campaign, will inevitably strain government revenues while increasing expenses. However, the IMF program requires Sri Lanka to maintain a primary budget surplus of at least 2.3% of gross domestic product to ensure debt sustainability. Dissanayake has promised not to jeopardize the country’s economic stability by deviating from this target. His strategy is to improve the efficiency of tax collection, which he believes will generate enough revenue to fund his policies.

Additionally, his party has criticized the deal struck by Wickremesinghe’s government with international lenders, calling it unfavorable to the country. Dissanayake has promised to seek better terms. However, since these agreements are already in place, it remains uncertain whether the new government will attempt to renegotiate them.

Vidhura Tennekoon was a former employee of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.

– ref. Sri Lankans throw out old guard in election upset: What nation’s new Marxist-leaning leader means for economy, IMF loans – https://theconversation.com/sri-lankans-throw-out-old-guard-in-election-upset-what-nations-new-marxist-leaning-leader-means-for-economy-imf-loans-239649

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI Economics: How Google AI is helping scientists protect humpback whales in Australia

Source: Google

Every year, humpback whales migrate up the east coast of Australia to breed, and journey back to Antarctica to feed. During their migration, the whales make calls and sing songs – a grand chorus in the symphony of their ecosystems.

This underwater soundscape is a valuable and vital window into the health of this species and their habitats. By tracking audio data, scientists can understand migration activity, patterns, mating calls, competitive behaviors and more.

Humpback whale mating call, collected in the Gold Coast

As part of the Digital Future Initiative, Google Australia is teaming up with Griffith University to implement more precise, comprehensive and efficient monitoring of whale migrations and their ecosystems in Australia – enabled by Google AI and automatic audio detection.

Researchers Dr Olaf Meynecke from Griffith University’s Whales and Climate Program and Dr Lauren Harrell from Google Research are leading this collaboration.

Traditional whale research methods have faced limitations in both data collection and analysis. Researchers logged sightings and manually analysed audio recordings, which is time-consuming and does not give a continuous view of whale activity. Moreover, visual sightings can only be logged during daylight, and tracking the evolving vocal dialects of whales across different regions and seasons is a complex task.

With this new collaboration, researchers have deployed hydrophones — underwater microphones — and Google AI powered audio detection systems to monitor the sounds and songs of humpback whales and their habitats.

A seal swimming around a hydrophone off the South Coast, NSW

Hydrophones allow us to tune into marine soundscapes and continuously collect underwater audio data all day and all night, through the entire humpback migration season. Google’s AI technology processes this data, automatically detecting whale sounds, marking their location in time and classifying the species. This frees researchers from the minutiae and laborious manual work, so they can look at the big picture, uncover insights and explore new research frontiers.

Dr Olaf Meynecke deploying a hydrophone in Terrigal, NSW

Curtin University’s Centre for Marine Science and Technology is supporting the collection and labeling of acoustic data, and a range of local citizen science groups will assist with monitoring each of the hydrophone sites. The AI model will eventually be open-sourced on Kaggle and GitHub, benefiting other whale and marine researchers worldwide.

While our current focus is on monitoring humpback whale sounds, the potential of this AI model extends far beyond. We’ll look to build on the model to detect the sounds of diverse marine species, from fish to dolphins and seals. These advancements will open up uncharted territories of research that could help protect these magnificent creatures and their habitats for generations to come.

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MIL OSI Economics –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Safe Access Zones

Source: Scottish Government

Protected zones around abortion services now in place.

Protected zones of 200 meters around all abortion services in Scotland are now in place.

Within these zones, it is now a criminal offence to intentionally or recklessly behave in ways that could influence the decisions of women and staff to access services; impede their access; or otherwise cause alarm, harassment or distress.

Police Scotland are responsible for enforcing the legislation. People who break the law can be fined up to £10,000, or be given an unlimited fine, depending on the court procedure.

Determining whether an offence has been committed will be a matter for Police Scotland, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and the Courts. Depending on the facts and circumstances of each case, some examples of criminal behaviour may include: approaching someone to try and persuade them not to access abortion services, surrounding people as they try to go in or out of the clinic or hospital, handing out leaflets, religious preaching and silent vigils.

Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health Jenni Minto said:

“The introduction of Safe Access Zones is a crucial milestone in protecting women’s abortion rights – no one has the right to interfere in women’s personal medical decisions and the law now makes that abundantly clear.

“I thank Gillian Mackay and all those involved for their work to progress this legislation. I would like especially recognise the women who showed incredible courage in speaking up and sharing their experiences during the Bill process.

“The new zones of 200 meters around all abortion services will help ensure women have safe access to healthcare – free from intimidation. This law is about protection for women at a time when many will feel incredibly vulnerable around taking a deeply personal and difficult decision.”

Background

Full details of the penalties that apply for committing an offence.

Full list of the locations of zones:

University Hospital Crosshouse – Kilmarnock

Borders General Hospital – Melrose

Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary

Galashiels Health Centre

Oak Tree Family Health Centre – Stranraer

Queen Margaret Hospital – Dunfermline

Victoria Hospital – Kirkcaldy

Forth Valley Royal Hospital – Larbert

Aberdeen Royal Infirmary

Aberdeen Community Hospital

Aberdeen Maternity Hospital

Dr Gray’s Hospital – Elgin

Inverclyde Hospital – Greenock

Royal Alexandra Hospital – Paisley

Sandyford Sexual Health Clinic – Glasgow

Princess Royal Maternity Hospital – Glasgow

Ross Hall – Glasgow

New Victoria Hospital – Glasgow

Queen Elizabeth University Hospital – Glasgow

Stobhill Hospital – Glasgow

Vale of Leven Hospital – West Dunbartonshire

Raigmore Hospital – Inverness

University Hospital Wishaw

Royal Infirmary Edinburgh

Chalmers Sexual Health Centre – Edinburgh

St John’s Hospital – Livingston

The Balfour – Livingston

Gilbert Bain Hospital – Lerwick

Ninewells Hospital – Dundee

Western Isles Hospital – Stornoway

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI NGOs: Kenya: High Court to decide jurisdiction status in landmark Meta case

Source: Amnesty International –

The Kenyan High Court is today hearing a case in which two Ethiopian citizens, Abrham Meareg and Fisseha Tekle, and Kenyan civil society organization The Katiba Institute are accusing Facebook’s parent company Meta of promoting content that led to ethnic violence and killings during the armed conflict in northern Ethiopia from November 2020 to November 2022.

The petitioners argue that the Facebook platform’s algorithmic recommendation systems prioritized and promoted inciteful, hateful and dangerous content on its platform during the conflict, contributing to significant human rights violations. The Kenyan court will decide if it has jurisdiction to hear the case.

Meta’s legal team has argued that the case should not be heard in Kenya because the company is registered in the US and that Meta’s terms of service require such claims to be filed in the US.

They also argue that the alleged human rights violations occurred in Ethiopia and therefore cannot be heard in Kenya.

Today’s hearing is focused on two critical procedural aspects: the petitioners’ application to have no fewer than three judges appointed to hear the case as it raises important substantial questions of law and whether Kenyan courts have jurisdiction to hear the case as challenged by Meta.

Mandi Mudarikwa, the Head of Strategic Litigation at Amnesty International.

“Communities and individuals impacted by corporate human rights abuses committed by multi-nationals often struggle to access justice and effective remedies because of jurisdictional, practical and other legal challenges. As a result, Amnesty International is advocating for an approach to both cases that is informed by human rights obligations and corporate responsibilities that ensure justice and accountability.”

In Kenya, a single Judge presides over a case, but petitioners can request their cases to be heard by not less than three judges if it raises significant constitutional issues.

The petitioners, represented by Nzili and Sumbi Advocates and supported by the tech-justice organization Foxglove, argue, among other reasons, that because the content moderation operation reviewing Facebook content from Ethiopia was located in Kenya, the case can be brought to the Kenyan High Court. 

Other reasons cited for considering the case under Kenyan jurisdiction are Fisseha Tekle’s current residence in Kenya and safety concerns preventing him from returning to Ethiopia, the fact that The Katiba Institute is a Kenyan organization and the existence of a significant Facebook user base in the country.

Amnesty International is one of seven human rights and legal organizations involved as interested parties to the case. The organization submitted written responses in support of the petition and opposing the application challenging jurisdiction by Meta.

Background

Abrham Meareg is the son of Meareg Amare, a University Professor at Bahir Dar University in northern Ethiopia, who was hunted down and killed in November 2021, just weeks after posts inciting hatred and violence against him were posted on Facebook. 

He claims that Facebook only responded to reports about the posts eight days after Professor Meareg’s death, more than three weeks after his family had first alerted the company.

The second petitioner, Fisseha Tekle, an Amnesty International employee, has faced extensive online hate due to his human rights work in Ethiopia. Now living in Kenya, Tekle fears for his safety, underscoring the transnational impact of the content spread through Facebook’s channels.

Katiba Institute, the third petitioner, has brought the case in the public interest given the unchecked viral hate and violence on Meta’s Facebook platform and Kenya’s constitutional obligations.

The petition seeks to stop Facebook’s algorithms from recommending such content to Facebook users, to change Meta’s content moderation practices, and to compel Meta to create a 200 billion shilling ($1.6 billion USD) victims’ fund. 

The case will proceed to deal with the substantive questions relating to the extent, if any, to which Meta is accountable for the human rights violations and human suffering caused as a result of the content promoted on Facebook.

In October 2023, Amnesty International published the report, A death sentence for my father: Meta’s contribution to human rights abuses in northern Ethiopia, which shows how Meta contributed to human rights abuses suffered by the Tigrayan community during the conflict in northern Ethiopia two years ago.

Notes to Editors:

We expect this hearing to be heard in person and will provide further details before the court session on 24 September, 2024 once they become available.

Mercy Mutemi of Nzili and Sumbi Advocates represents the two individual petitioners and was Africa Legal’s Tech Lawyer of the Year for 2022. Foxglove, the tech-justice organization behind several cases against tech companies, are supporting the case. Backing the case as interested parties are a long list of major human rights organizations including Amnesty International, Global Witness, Article 19, Kenyan Human Rights Commission, Kenya’s National Integration and Cohesion Commission among others.

MIL OSI NGO –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Rubio, Clement Present Plan to Stop Antisemitism on College Campuses

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Florida Marco Rubio

ICYMI: Rubio, Clement Present Plan to Stop Antisemitism on College Campuses
Sep 23, 2024 | Press Releases

Congress Can Protect Jews on College Campuses
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Paul Clement
September 23, 2024
Wall Street Journal

The ancient poison of antisemitism has infected American higher education…. Campus antisemitism isn’t restricted to…widely publicized incidents…. A survey by Alums for Campus Fairness finds “44% of Jewish students report never or rarely feeling safe identifying as a Jew at their school.”
College administrators and local authorities have the power and responsibility to protect Jewish students, but they have often failed…. Universities and law enforcement need better leaders, but the U.S. also needs a legal structure prohibiting antisemitic harassment on college campuses with clarity and teeth.
Doesn’t this structure already exist? Yes and no. Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination based on race, color or national origin in federally-funded institutions of education. But it doesn’t specifically prohibit discrimination against Jews, and [it] doesn’t cover religious discrimination….
The Preventing Antisemitic Harassment on Campuses Act…would extend Title VI of the Civil Rights Act to cover religious discrimination (with an exception for religious institutions)…. The bill affirmatively respects and preserves free speech rights. It targets [harassment that] the U.S. Supreme Court has already held the First Amendment doesn’t protect….
The bill would also address a status quo in which the Education Department gives schools a slap on the wrist when they fail to protect Jewish students. Academic programs would receive a clear warning for the first offense, escalating to a 10% reduction of federal assistance after the second and a 33% reduction after the third….
Read the rest here.

MIL OSI USA News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-Evening Report: From waste to power: how floating solar panels on wastewater ponds could help solve NZ’s electricity security crisis

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Faith Jeremiah, Lecturer in Business Management (Entrepreneurship and Innovation), Lincoln University, New Zealand

Getty Images

Wastewater ponds may seem an unlikely place to look for solutions to New Zealand’s electricity security crisis. But their underutilised surfaces could help tackle two problems at once – high power prices and algal growth.

Floating solar panels on wastewater ponds offer a multifaceted answer. They generate renewable energy, improve water quality in the treatment ponds and reduce costs.

Leading this approach is the 2020 installation of New Zealand’s first floating solar array at the Rosedale wastewater treatment plant in Auckland. This project demonstrates how New Zealand could double the country’s power supply without requiring additional land. It serves as a test for future deployments on other reservoirs and dams.

The project comprises 2,700 solar panels and 4,000 floating pontoons. It covers one hectare of the treatment pond, making excellent use of a marginal land asset in a dense urban environment.

The floating solar array generates 1,040 kilowatts of electricity and reduces 145 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. It also saves NZ$4.5 million in electricity costs per year. The electricity it generates, alongside biogas co-generation, meets 25% of the plant’s energy needs.

The floating solar panel array, together with biogas generation, meets a quarter of the Rosedale wastewater treatment plant’s energy needs.
Lynn Grieveson/Getty Images

The project represents the first use of floating solar and the first megawatt-sized solar project in the country. As energy prices soar and environmental pressures mount, it is time to start exploring innovative solutions with the resources we already have.

Wastewater ponds provide underused surface

New Zealand is currently grappling with an electricity crisis, marked by increasing demand, aging infrastructure and a challenging transition to renewable energy sources.

The country relies heavily on hydroelectric power. This makes it particularly vulnerable during periods of low water levels in hydro lakes, especially in winter. This in turn leads to frequent supply shortfalls and, combined with diminishing gas supplies, to rising electricity prices.

As New Zealand intensifies its efforts to integrate more renewable energy, we need innovative solutions to stabilise the grid and meet growing energy demands.

One underutilised resource lies in wastewater treatment ponds. New Zealand has more than 200 wastewater ponds, chosen for their simplicity and low operational costs. They remain the most common form of wastewater treatment because they are robust, require low energy, cope with high water and waste loads and provide buffer storage to avoid applying agricultural effluent to wet soils.

However, because of the high surface area and nutrient-rich environment, algal growth is one of the biggest issues with waste stabilisation ponds. This is exacerbated on days with high sunshine levels and warmer water temperatures. It complicates the treatment process and necessitates costly chemical interventions.

An opportunity for New Zealand

My background is in entrepreneurship and innovation and the idea of floating solar panels on New Zealand’s expansive wastewater ponds represents an untapped opportunity.

Apart from generating power and preventing algal growth, the solar panels provide shade that keeps the water cooler and reduces evaporation. This is critical for maintaining effective wastewater treatment.

Utility-scale solar panels are now recognised as the cheapest form of energy, with rapidly declining costs over the past five years.

While relatively new to New Zealand, floating solar panels have shown significant advantages in other parts of the world. New Zealand may be held back by a misconception that solar panels work best in hot and sunny climates. In fact, solar panels harness the sun’s energy – not its temperature – making New Zealand’s cooler climate an ideal environment for efficient solar energy generation.

Given New Zealand uses more energy per capita than 17 of our 30 OECD peers, floating solar panels on wastewater ponds could set an example for how we tackle energy and environmental challenges.

By turning underutilised spaces into power-generating assets, we not only address immediate needs but also pave the way for a more sustainable, resilient future.

Faith Jeremiah 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. From waste to power: how floating solar panels on wastewater ponds could help solve NZ’s electricity security crisis – https://theconversation.com/from-waste-to-power-how-floating-solar-panels-on-wastewater-ponds-could-help-solve-nzs-electricity-security-crisis-237455

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

September 29, 2024
MIL-Evening Report: Angelica Mesiti’s The Rites of When finally makes sense of the Art Gallery of NSW’s Tank. It is worth the plane flight

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joanna Mendelssohn, Honorary Senior Fellow, School of Culture and Communication. Editor in chief, Design and Art of Australia Online, The University of Melbourne

Installation view of Angelica Mesiti ‘The Rites of When’ 2024, 7-channel digital video installation, colour, sound, approx 30 min, collection of the artist, commissioned by the Art Gallery of New South Wales for the Nelson Packer Tank, 2024
© Angelica Mesiti, photo © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter

The Nelson Packer Tank, that cavernous space at the very bottom of the Art Gallery of NSW’s Naala Badu building, has been waiting for art like this.

The former World War II oil storage tank is huge, held together by rows of structural columns. Their dominance means it is just not possible for viewers to have an unimpeded fields of vision for any art on display. Then there are the acoustics. Every sound resonates, but few carry far.

This is a room of echoes, embedded in the dark.

In this space Angelica Mesiti, an Australian living in France, has created The Rites of When: an event that rethinks ancient rituals of seasonal celebrations, while also marking the terrible changes wrought on our heating planet. Her tools are video, performers, music and song – all modified by the unique whispering echoes of the Tank.

The sky, and the snow

As the title implies, Mesiti has used the structure of Stravinski’s The rite of spring as one of the elements in her great design. But she shows a world far removed from mythical Russian peasants.

Each of the two movements are preceded by “Celestial Nebula”, where abstract forms of light dissolve into a vision of the night sky, presented on seven giant video screens.

This is not the sky as seen by city dwellers, where artificial light eliminates the stars, but rather the Milky Way in all its glory, with its hero stars which we call the Seven Sisters, but people in the northern hemisphere call the Pleiades.

Installation view of Angelica Mesiti ‘The Rites of When’ 2024, 7-channel digital video installation, colour, sound, approx 30 min, collection of the artist, commissioned by the Art Gallery of New South Wales for the Nelson Packer Tank, 2024.
© Angelica Mesiti, photo © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter

Mesiti has said one of her inspirations was that, when COVID came, she and her partner began to spend time away from Paris in rural France. Here she came to know the night sky, and to see both the rhythms and the realities of rural life.

In the first movement, a dazzling starscape is gradually bleached by artificial light, which transforms into sunlight, and the viewer is looking at drone footage of a snow-capped pine forest which we then zoom through.

The dominant columns of The Tank combine with the straight tree trunks of this plantation forest give a sense of visual ambiguity. With the all surrounding sound, it is hard to work out where the screened image ends and where the columns begin.

Angelica Mesiti ‘The Rites of When’ 2024 (video still), 7-channel digital video installation, colour, sound, approx 30 min, collection of the artist, commissioned by the Art Gallery of New South Wales for the Nelson Packer Tank, 2024.
© Angelica Mesiti

A sudden shift of mood in the music, and the viewers are plunged into the middle of a Brueghel-like celebration of people dancing in the winter solstice. The colours are warm, the rustic dancers are wearing decorations made of the fruits of the field. They dance around a bonfire made from wooden planks, they form a procession with an effigy of a horned beast, stuffed with fireworks.

The fireworks and the dancers become a frenzy of ever increasing movement of rhythmic sound which explodes into dazzling white silence.

Capturing the summer solstice

When she was discussing The Rites of When at the media preview, Mesiti casually mentioned how hard it had been to film the snowy forest as, for the first time ever, winter was so mild it hardly snowed at all on the pine plantations of the Jura Mountains.

Global heating added an extra element when filming the summer solstice.

At first the viewer sees the seven screens as giant patterns of gold, marked by elegant patterns of vertical lines. Perspective changes when a tiny toy moving up one of the screens is revealed to be a harvester. This is a drone’s eye view of a wheat harvest in modern industrial scale farming. As the fields are slowly stripped of their crop, a puff of smoke appears, then a line of fire, and the gold is steadily eaten away to become charcoal.

Installation view of Angelica Mesiti ‘The Rites of When’ 2024, 7-channel digital video installation, colour, sound, approx 30 min, collection of the artist, commissioned by the Art Gallery of New South Wales for the Nelson Packer Tank, 2024.
© Angelica Mesiti, photo © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter

This was not planned. Europe was so hot and dry last June that a single spark from a harvester grinding a stray stone turned the wheat to ash. Monoculture, so effectively described by those endless flat golden fields, has no defence against nature.

The mood of the music changes and golden smoke covering the wheat dissolves into golden light. A small, solemn procession appears and moves across each screen in turn. They elevate each member in turn, in a quiet ritual performance.

The colours of the background change with their movement– from gold, to red, to purple, to blue. As they reach the last screen the blue fades to grey, to rain.

In the silence, a single hand on a single screen snaps fingers. On the other side of the room, another responds. Now there is a rhythmic orchestra clicking, clapping and slapping – ever faster, ever louder. The hands become dancers, moving in a wild ecstatic dance of increasing intensity, as the bodies are caught up with the music and the light.

Angelica Mesiti ‘The Rites of When’ 2024 (video still), 7-channel digital video installation, colour, sound, approx 30 min, collection of the artist, commissioned by the Art Gallery of New South Wales for the Nelson Packer Tank, 2024.
© Angelica Mesiti

In her notes, Mesiti calls this section “Ecstatic Collectivity”. It seems an apt description.

At the very end, Mesiti returns us to the pure colours of the Celestial Nebula. Perhaps she is saying the folly of humanity may change the moods of the earth, but the stars will endure forever.

The Rites of When lasts just over 30 minutes. Because it is so dependent on its location, this is a piece that cannot travel. It is worth the price of an air fare.

The Rites of When is at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, until May 11 2025.

Joanna Mendelssohn has in the past received funding from the Australian Research Council.

– ref. Angelica Mesiti’s The Rites of When finally makes sense of the Art Gallery of NSW’s Tank. It is worth the plane flight – https://theconversation.com/angelica-mesitis-the-rites-of-when-finally-makes-sense-of-the-art-gallery-of-nsws-tank-it-is-worth-the-plane-flight-239599

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

September 29, 2024
MIL-Evening Report: The ‘publish or perish’ mentality is fuelling research paper retractions – and undermining science

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nham Tran, Associate Professor and MTP Connect REDI Industry Fellow, University of Technology Sydney

zefart/Shutterstock

When scientists make important discoveries, both big and small, they typically publish their findings in scientific journals for others to read. This sharing of knowledge helps to advance science: it can, in turn, lead to more important discoveries.

But published research papers can be retracted if there is an issue with their accuracy or integrity. And in recent years, the number of retractions has been rising sharply. For example, in 2023 more than 10,000 research papers were retracted globally. This marked a new record.

The huge number of retractions indicates a lot of government research funding is being wasted. More importantly, the publication of so much flawed research also misleads other researchers and undermines scientific integrity.

Fuelling this troubling trend is a mentality known in academia as “publish or perish” which has existed for decades. The publication of research papers drives university rankings and career progression, yet the relentless pressure to publish has contributed to an increase in fraudulent data. Unless this changes, the entire research landscape may shift toward a less rigorous standard, hindering vital progress in fields such as medicine, technology and climate science.

A ‘publish or perish’ environment

Universities and research institutes commonly use the rate of publications as a key indicator of research productivity and reputation.

The Times Higher Education Index, which ranks these institutions, assigns 60% of its score to research, and publications are fundamental to this score.

Additionally, publications are closely tied to individual career advancement. They influence decisions on tenure, promotions and securing funding.

These factors create a “publish or perish” environment, a term first coined in 1942 by sociologist Logan Wilson.

A growing trend

Recent evidence indicates the constant pressure to generate data and publish papers may be affecting the quality of research and fuelling retractions of research papers.

Retraction Watch is one of the largest databases to monitor scientific retractions. Launched in 2010, it reveals a growing trend in the number of publications being retracted.

In the past decade, there have been more than 39,000 retractions, and the annual number of retractions is growing by around 23% each year.

Nearly half the retractions were due to issues related to the authenticity of the data. For example, in August the United States Office of Research Integrity found that Richard Eckert, a senior biochemist at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, faked data in 13 published papers. Four of these papers have been corrected, one has been retracted and the remainder are still awaiting action.

Plagiarism was the second most common reason research papers were retracted, accounting for 16% of retractions.

Fake peer review was another reason why research papers were retracted.

Typically, when a publication is submitted to a journal, it undergoes peer review by experts in the same field. These experts provide feedback to improve the quality of the work.

However, the use of fake peer reviewers has increased tenfold over the past decade. There has also been an eightfold rise in publications linked to so-called “paper mills”, which are businesses that provide fake papers for a fee.

In 2022, up to 2% of all publications were from paper mills.

Genuine mistakes in the scientific process accounted for only roughly 6% of all retractions in the last decade.

More pressure, more mistakes

One reason for the surge in retractions over the last decade may be that we are getting better at finding and detecting suspicious data.

Digital publishing has made it easier to detect potential fabrication, and more scientists are making a brave stand against these dubious practices. No doubt, the current number of retractions is an underestimate of a much larger pool.

But the intensification of the “publish or perish” culture within universities also plays a major role.

Nearly all academic staff are required to meet specific publication quotas for performance evaluations, while institutions themselves use publication output to boost their rankings. High publication counts and citations enhance a university’s position in global rankings, attracting more students and generating income from teaching.

The prevailing reward system in academia often prioritises publication quantity over quality. When promotions, funding, and recognition are tied to the number of papers published, scientists may feel pressured to cut corners, rush experiments, or even fabricate data to meet these metrics.

Changing the model

Initiatives such as the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment are pushing for change. This initiative advocates for evaluating research based on its quality and societal impact rather than journal-based metrics such as impact factors or citation counts.

A shift in journal policies to prioritise the sharing of all experimental data would enhance scientific integrity. It would ensure researchers could replicate experiments to verify others’ results.

Academics face increasing pressure to publish journal articles to advance their careers.
Protasov AN/Shutterstock

Also, universities, research institutions and funding agencies need to improve their due diligence and hold those responsible for misconduct accountable.

Including a simple question such as, “Have you ever had or been involved in a retracted paper?” on grant applications or academic promotions would improve the integrity of research by deterring unethical behaviour. Dishonest answers could be easily detected, thanks to the availability of online tools and databases such as Retraction Watch.

Over the past 20 years, scientific research has significantly improved our quality of life. Career scientists must shoulder the responsibility of ensuring researchers uphold the values of truth and integrity that are fundamental to our profession. Protecting the integrity of our work is foremost to our mission, and we must remain vigilant in safeguarding these principles.

Nham Tran receives funding from the Australian Research Council

– ref. The ‘publish or perish’ mentality is fuelling research paper retractions – and undermining science – https://theconversation.com/the-publish-or-perish-mentality-is-fuelling-research-paper-retractions-and-undermining-science-238983

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

September 29, 2024
MIL-Evening Report: ‘Who looks after me?’ More than 40% of disability carers have disability themselves – and they need more support

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Susan Collings, Senior Research Fellow, Transforming early Education and Child Health Research Centre, Western Sydney University

Yiistocking/Shutterstock

Caring for someone with disability is a complex and demanding task. The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show this role is increasingly being undertaken by people who have disability themselves. There were 1.2 million primary carers in Australia in 2022, and of these, 43.8% have disability (up from 32.1% in 2018).

Disability support and aged care are critical issues for the federal government right now. The new Aged Care Act will take effect in July next year and amendments to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Act roll out from early October.

A National Carers Strategy, recognising the demands placed on informal carers and the need for better supports, is also being developed.

What do this group of carers need? And are they getting the right kind of support?

Invisible labour

Three million Australians currently provide informal care for loved ones with disability, medical conditions, mental illness or frailty from ageing.

In line with our ageing population, one in six carers are over 65 and most older Australians want to age “in place” at home. This means informal care needs are set to rise exponentially.

Improved diagnosis, more disclosure of disability status and higher prevalence of health conditions leading to disability are increasing the numbers of and demands on informal carers.

Who is doing the caring and why?

While both women (12.8% of the population) and men (11.1%) provide informal care, women are more likely to be primary carers (6.1% are women, 3% are men.

Primary carers are less likely to be in paid employment than non-carers (64.6% to 82%), and fewer than half of those caring for 40 hours or more a week are employed. Informal carers are more likely to have a disability or chronic health condition (38.6%) than the general population (21.4%), with even higher rates among primary carers (43.8%).

The main reasons for becoming a carer are a sense of family responsibility and emotional obligation. Over a third of those caring for their child say they have no other choice.

We analysed qualitative data from the 2022 National Carer Survey conducted by Carers NSW.

Of 6,825 respondents from across Australia, over 80% were women and almost half (47.6%) identified as having disability or long-term health conditions, which the survey combines. Disability and poor health among carers are associated with higher levels of emotional distress and greater difficulty in accessing services.

Most carers are women and their caring load may prevent them doing paid work.
Desizned/Shutterstock

‘My prospect of earning an income and saving is bleak’

Statistics tell us only part of the story. The voices of informal carers who report living with disability or chronic health conditions shed light on the layered demands they face. They reported that care is often invisible, undervalued and ceaseless. One woman, aged 73, described informal care as “hard and unappreciated work”.

A lack of government support and financial uncertainty left many despairing. As one carer, aged 56, said:

No government recognises us and in the end we are saving them billions/trillions of dollars […] I have been a carer for over 13 years and it will go on for many years, so my prospect of earning an income and saving is bleak.

Caring can have profound health and wellbeing effects. As another woman, aged 56, said:

Being close to retirement myself, and having elderly parents, puts so much strain on my own health, mentally and physically. I have had to deal with breast cancer and its treatments and ongoing side effects. This is really stressful. I oversee all the services, and manage ongoing issues. My care role is endless. I only work minimal hours myself due to my care role. Who looks after me?

Caring for carers

Carers with disability or chronic health conditions report a lack of appropriate, accessible and timely services. This makes it hard to meet their own health-care needs. Many struggle with arranging support across mainstream and NDIS providers on behalf of the person they care for and themselves.

Our research about the needs of a specific group of disabled Australians with care-giving responsibilities – parents with intellectual disability – find they can fall between system gaps when mainstream services are not accessible or the NDIS fails to take a family-centred approach.

A parent with intellectual disability may struggle to understand complex and shifting eligibility rules and might be able to use their NDIS funding to assist with meal preparation for themselves but not for their child. As one mother with intellectual disability said:

No one explained to me, ‘Oh, the NDIS package can help you with a lot of different things’, like helping with my parenting capacity.

Changes and opportunity

A cornerstone of the NDIS reforms is the creation of foundational supports. That’s good news for the 86% of disabled Australians without an NDIS plan and their informal carers, who rely on mainstream services like schools, health services and public transport.

Likewise, the National Carers Strategy is an opportunity to ease some of the burden shouldered by many informal carers. By consulting with carers directly, services designed to meet their diverse needs and circumstances can be made available. In the immediate term, often carers reach crisis point before receiving support. Early interventions in the form of practical, everyday, orientated supports – including respite together with peer support – can help.

Proper support for carer wellbeing and economic and social participation, from all levels of government, recognises the complex role carers play and their own support and health-care needs. These are only going to increase in the future.

The authors wish to acknowledge the contribution of Sarah Judd-Lam and Lukas Hofstaetter from Carers NSW for their data and analysis contributions to this piece.

Gabrielle Weidemann receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the Department of Defence. This funding is not for research on disability and/or care for those with disability.

Elisabeth Duursma, Michelle O’Shea, and Susan Collings do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. ‘Who looks after me?’ More than 40% of disability carers have disability themselves – and they need more support – https://theconversation.com/who-looks-after-me-more-than-40-of-disability-carers-have-disability-themselves-and-they-need-more-support-236786

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI China: Shift toward new engines of growth underway

Source: China State Council Information Office

Robots work on an assembly line of a factory of a private enterprise in Zouping City, east China’s Shandong Province, Sept. 13, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]

A sustained focus on supporting innovation in strategic emerging sectors, future industries and traditional industries will be high on the agenda as China advances its economic structural reforms, which are aimed at fostering new quality productive forces and driving a shift from old growth drivers to new ones, economists and entrepreneurs said.

Economists said the new quality productive forces will serve as a key driver for boosting the country’s economic growth in the coming years, which will help offset the real estate downturn, accelerate the building of a modern industrial system and promote high-quality development in the long run.

Huang Hanquan, head of the Chinese Academy of Macroeconomic Research, said that fostering new quality productive forces is of vital importance in promoting high-quality economic growth, boosting total factor productivity and realizing Chinese modernization.

“Various regions and departments across China have embraced this approach to drive economic progress, which will significantly accelerate technological innovation, enhance industrial application and facilitate the shift of growth drivers from old to new ones,” Huang said.

A new report says that despite geopolitical headwinds that are having an impact on China’s economic growth trajectory and momentum, the nation is achieving success by boosting investment in science and technology, as well as by refocusing its efforts to enhance capabilities in emerging industries including artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles and electric vehicles, and this is key to reinvigorating China’s growth engine.

According to the Milken Institute’s Best-Performing Cities China Index, cities that were home to a significant number of tech hubs displayed a high level of economic resilience. According to the report, Chinese cities that have strategically invested in emerging technologies will continue to thrive, even as the broader economy faces challenges at home and abroad.

Highlighting that sci-tech innovation is a key element in the development of new quality productive forces, Huang from the Chinese Academy of Macroeconomic Research called for more efforts to achieve breakthroughs in core technologies by investing more in fundamental research and tackling choke points, and by stepping up reforms in the science and technology, education and talent systems.

More efforts should also be made to advance reforms in the market-based allocation of production factors, allowing factors such as land, labor, capital and technology to flow freely and efficiently to fields of new quality productive forces, he said.

Looking ahead, Huang said the country should foster new pillar industries, including next-generation information technology, new energy vehicles, new energy and new materials, to offset the impact of the decline in real estate on China’s economy and create new growth drivers.

Huang’s remarks came after a resolution adopted in July at the third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China placed great emphasis on improving the institutions and mechanisms for fostering new quality productive forces in line with local conditions.

Justin Yifu Lin, dean of Peking University’s Institute of New Structural Economics, said that regions with development gaps should measure their progress compared with their own past rather than shifting their focus to the pursuit of success in frontier activities, which could result in haphazard or uneven development.

There are two types of new quality productive forces — one that invents new technologies and one that applies them, Lin said. Therefore, applying new technologies in traditional sectors should be treated as part of the drive to harness new quality productive forces, he added.

“Regions with gaps in development should use new technologies to improve productivity. It’s essential to follow the principle of seeking truth from facts and develop according to competitive advantages,” Lin said.

China must better leverage the role of the market and tap the opportunity of technological innovation to enhance productivity, especially as it stands at the same starting line with other countries for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which is an opportunity that China “cannot afford to miss”, he said.

The nation, which recently released a guideline to improve its market access system, is taking solid steps to optimize its business environment and foster new quality productive forces. This marks the country’s key push to implement the resolution adopted at the third plenary session.

The guideline details 10 measures, including improving the negative list management model, strengthening the coordination of policies for domestic and foreign-funded enterprises, and optimizing the market access environment for new forms of business and new sectors.

Liu Qiao, dean of Peking University’s Guanghua School of Management, said that high-standard opening-up and deeper institutional reforms will create immense room for improvement in resource allocation efficiency, leading to an increase in the growth rate of total factor productivity.

Liu noted that the path to new quality productive forces involves expanding into industries and fields that can enhance total factor productivity and form new quality productive forces, adding that there are two paths to achieving this objective.

“The first route involves leveraging revolutionary technological changes to foster strategic emerging industries and future endeavors, including sectors associated with energy transition and digital transformation, as well as future-oriented industries like quantum computing and AI-driven big data. These will create new momentum, aiding in the acceleration of total factor productivity growth.

“The second path involves opportunities brought about by China’s transformation and upgrade of traditional industries. Currently, the productivity in China’s agricultural and services sectors, for example, is relatively low, offering significant potential for increasing total factor productivity,” he said.

Global executives hailed China’s reform initiatives aimed at fostering new quality productive forces, saying that they present opportunities for global stakeholders.

Nancy Wang, country manager at LinkedIn China, said that China’s vigorous pursuit of new quality productive forces aims to foster an innovation-driven economic growth model centered on technological advancement, sending a signal of China’s readiness to face the challenges of globalization and technological revolution with greater openness, inclusivity and innovation.

Victor Tsao, vice-president of open-source solutions provider Red Hat and general manager of Red Hat Greater China, said, “We believe that through further deepening reform and opening-up, and optimizing the business environment, China will continue to attract more foreign enterprises.”

MIL OSI China News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI Russia: The Scientific and Educational Center “Evolution of the Earth” invites everyone to take excursions

MIL OSI Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –

Scientific and Educational Center “Evolution of the Earth” NSU — is a modern complex of exhibition halls, exhibits and interactive systems. The center was created to support scientific, educational and popularizing activities in the field of Earth sciences among the widest audience.

The exhibition of the center consists of four thematic halls. The first is dedicated to the planet Earth, its structure and cosmic environment – here the guides will tell about the methods by which our planet is studied. In the second hall you will learn about the processes occurring in the depths of the Earth, you will be able to touch pieces of real lava from Mongolia, Iceland and Kamchatka, and also see and hear the process of a volcanic eruption. The evolution of life from the appearance of the first cells to dinosaurs will be told in the third hall. In the fourth hall you can see real native gold and oil, as well as look at the model of the deep-sea bathyscaphe “Mir-1”, with the help of which the bottom of the World Ocean was studied.

The center currently operates in the format of excursions for organized and group tours. You can sign up for an excursion with a group of friends, the guides will take you through all four thematic halls, tell you many facts and answer any questions. Excursions for NSU students and employees are free.

You can sign up for a tour by calling (383) 363-42-25 or by email ee@nsu.ru.

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

Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

http://vvv.nsu.ru/n/media/nevs/atmosphere/scientific-educational-center-evolution-of-the-earth-invites-everyone-on-excursions-/

EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.

MIL OSI Russia News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI Russia: The second stage of the first phase of construction of the modern campus of NSU is being prepared for launch

MIL OSI Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University – Earlier this summer, the complex of buildings of the first stage was successfully put into operation – it includes a new educational building of the NSU SUNC, a leisure center for students and two blocks of dormitories for NSU students and postgraduates. The total area of the first stage was 38 thousand square meters. Construction of a modern campus of NSU is carried out within the framework of the national project “Science and Universities”.

The new dormitory building is the object of the second stage of the first stage of construction at the expense of the philanthropist with the support of the Foundation for the Development of Social Projects “Perspektiva”. It will become a significant addition to this comfortable infrastructure, connecting with the leisure center by an underground passage. The building project is developed in the uniform architectural style of the NSU campus – facade solutions made of concrete tiles will repeat the appearance of the new student dormitory buildings.

The total area of the dormitory for students of the NSU SUNC will be about 15 thousand square meters. On 6 floors there will be 2- and 3-bed rooms with a total capacity of 562 people, storage and administrative premises, common leisure rooms and a medical block. Leisure, recreational areas, self-service laundries are provided on each floor.

— New dormitories for students of the NSU SUNC will allow us to better solve problems related to the accommodation of schoolchildren outside their home, and will ensure the fulfillment of modern requirements for the conditions of stay of children coming to study at the SUNC. The staff of the physics and mathematics school are included in the process of planning and designing new dormitories, and will assist at all stages of the project implementation, — noted the director of the NSU SUNC Lyudmila Nekrasova.

The construction of the new facility will be carried out on the site of the old building of the NSU SUNC. Its demolition and the start of construction work are scheduled for the end of 2024. The planned date for commissioning of the new dormitory is the second quarter of 2028. The technical customer of the construction will be OOO NDK Group.

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

Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

http://www.nsu.ru/n/media/nevs/campus-construction/preparing-for-launch-the-second-stage-of-the-first-stage-construction-of-a-modern-campus-NSU/

EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.

MIL OSI Russia News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-Evening Report: How can I stop eating to cope with negative emotions?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Inge Gnatt, PhD Candidate, Lecturer in Psychology, Swinburne University of Technology

Drazen Zigic/Shutterstock

Have you ever noticed changes in your eating habits when you are sad, bored or anxious?

Many people report eating either more, or less, as a way of helping them to cope when they experience difficult emotions.

Although this is a very normal response, it can take the pleasure out of eating, and can become distressing and bring about other feelings of shame and self-criticism.

Adding to the complexity of it all, we live in a world where diet culture is unavoidable, and our relationship to eating, food and body image can become complicated and confusing.

Emotional eating is common

“Emotional eating” refers to the eating behaviours (typically eating more) that occur in response to difficult emotions.

Research shows around 20% of people regularly engage in emotional eating, with a higher prevalence among adolescents and women. In a study of more than 1,500 adolescents, 34% engaged in emotional eating while sad and 40% did so while anxious.

Foods consumed are often fast-foods and other energy-dense, nutrient-poor convenience foods.

Stress, strong emotions and depression

For some people, emotional eating was simply a habit formed earlier in life that has persisted over time.

But other factors might also contribute to the likelihood of emotional eating. The physiological effects of stress and strong emotions, for example, can influence hormones such as cortisol, insulin and glucose, which can also increase appetite.

Increased impulsivity (behaving before thinking things through), vulnerability to depression, a tendency to ruminate and difficulties regulating emotions also increase the likelihood of emotional eating.

Depression increases the likelihood of emotional eating.
TommyStockProject/Shutterstock

So what do you do?

First, know that fluctuations in eating are normal. However, if you find that the way you eat in response to difficult emotions is not working for you, there are a few things you can do.

Starting with small things that are achievable but can have a huge impact, such as prioritising getting enough sleep and eating regularly.

Then, you can start to think about how you handle your emotions and hunger cues.

Expand your emotional awareness

Often we label emotions as good or bad, and this can result in fear, avoidance, and unhelpful coping strategies such as emotional eating.

But it’s also important to differentiate the exact emotion. This might be feeling isolated, powerless or victimised, rather than something as broad as sad.

By noticing what the emotion is, we can bring curiosity to what it means, how we feel in our minds and bodies, and how we think and behave in response.

Tap into your feelings of hunger and fullness

Developing an intuitive way of eating is another helpful strategy to promote healthy eating behaviours.

Intuitive eating means recognising, understanding and responding to internal signals of hunger and fullness. This might mean tuning in to and acknowledging physical hunger cues, responding by eating food that is nourishing and enjoyable, and identifying sensations of fullness.

Intuitive eating encourages flexibility and thinking about the pleasure we get from food and eating. This style of eating also allows us to enjoy eating out with friends, and sample local delicacies when travelling.

It can also reduce the psychological distress from feeling out of control with your eating habits and the associated negative body image.

Try to be flexible in thinking about the pleasure of food and eating with friends.
La Famiglia/Shutterstock

When is it time to seek help?

For some people, the thoughts and behaviours relating to food, eating and body image can negatively impact their life.

Having the support of friends and family, accessing online resources and, in some instances, seeing a trained professional, can be very helpful.

There are many therapeutic interventions that work to improve aspects associated with emotional eating. These will depend on your situation, needs, stage of life and other factors, such as whether you are neurodivergent.

The best approach is to engage with someone who can bring compassion and understanding to your personal situation, and work with you collaboratively. This work might include:
- unpacking some of the patterns that could be underlying these emotions, thoughts and behaviours
- helping you to discover your emotions
- supporting you to process other experiences, such as trauma exposure
- developing a more flexible and intuitive way of eating.
One of the dangers that can occur in response to emotional eating is the temptation to diet, which can lead to disordered eating, and eating disorder behaviours. Indicators of a potential eating disorder can include:
- recent rapid weight loss
- preoccupation with weight and shape (which is usually in contrast to other people’s perceptions)
- eating large amounts of food within a short space of time (two hours or less) and feeling a sense of loss of control
- eating in secret
- compensating for food eaten (with vomiting, exercise or laxatives).
Evidence-based approaches can support people experiencing eating disorders. To find a health professional who is informed and specialises in this area, search the Butterfly Foundation’s expert database.

If this article has raised issues for you, or if you’re concerned about someone you know, call Lifeline on 13 11 14, or the Butterfly Foundation on 1800 ED HOPE
(1800 33 4673).

Inge Gnatt 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. How can I stop eating to cope with negative emotions? – https://theconversation.com/how-can-i-stop-eating-to-cope-with-negative-emotions-238218

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –
September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI China: US visas for Chinese students on rise, official says

Source: China State Council Information Office

The United States remains the top destination for Chinese students studying abroad despite concerns among students and parents over visas and public security, said an official with the US embassy in Beijing.

Meanwhile, Chinese students who plan to study in US universities and their parents expressed concerns about unfair treatment that US border authorities imposed on Chinese students in some cases.

Karen Gustafson, the embassy’s minister counselor for consular affairs, told China Daily on Sunday that the embassy issued 105,000 visas to students from China last year. “We are currently hosting 290,000 Chinese students in the US,” she said.

A report released by the US Department of State showed that in the first half of 2023, a total of 44,762 students from the Chinese mainland were granted F-1 visas to study in the US, a year-on-year increase of 44 percent.

As of the end of July, the embassy had issued more than 80,000 student visas to Chinese nationals, Gustafson said, noting the continuing increase in visas issued to Chinese students.

According to the 2023 Open Doors report released in November, Chinese students accounted for approximately 29 percent of the 1.05 million foreign students in the US during the 2022-23 academic year, down from 33 percent in the previous academic year.

Gustafson said that despite a decreasing trend, Chinese students remain the largest group of foreign students in the US, and are expected to “stay at the top and grow”.

“We really wholeheartedly welcome Chinese students to come to the US, and we are always hoping to encourage more students to come,” she said, adding that the embassy is making efforts to maximize student numbers and return to the peak before the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Sunday, hundreds of Chinese students and parents participated in an education fair in Beijing, seeking information on the prospects of studying abroad. Around 100 US universities attended the fair.

A fair visitor, surnamed Wang, said she hopes to address her concerns over her daughter’s further education in the US by seeking advice from the universities and the organizer.

Wang said that her daughter, a student of biological sciences in Wuhan, Hubei province, is preparing to pursue postgraduate studies in the US.

Given recent cases of Chinese students, particularly those majoring in science and engineering at US universities, having their visas refused on arrival, receiving unfair treatment by border enforcement and even facing deportation, Wang said she is worried and hopes to get more information from the authorities.

In recent years, dozens of Chinese students have reported that they suffered from unwarranted harassment, interrogation and repatriation because of their political or scientific research background.

Many have posted on social media platforms their “terrifying” experiences of being taken by border officials to a “small dark room” at US airports, raising public concerns.

“What I care about most is the safety of my child and whether she can smoothly graduate from a US university,” Wang said, adding that she had heard that Chinese students applying for certain subjects face higher risks of visa rejection.

Gustafson called such cases isolated incidents, and said the majority of Chinese students are continuing their studies in the US.

While the US embassy is in charge of issuing visas, entry into the country is handled by the Department of Homeland Security, she said.

“What I can say is the vast majority of Chinese students going to the USend up studying in the US, and we really welcome them to continue to do so,” she added.

Significant harm

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said in April that enforcing deportation orders against Chinese students has caused significant harm to the individuals concerned and disrupted cultural and academic exchanges between China and the US.

“Recent cases demonstrate that US law enforcement officers are engaging in deportation for the sake of deportation, exhibiting political, discriminatory and selective enforcement,” she said at a news conference.

Zhu Chenge, an assistant researcher of US diplomacy at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the excessive scrutiny of Chinese students by US authorities may seem to affect only a small group, but it is in reality demolishing one of the pillars of the complex interactions between China and the US.

“Normal academic exchanges between two technological powerhouses are disrupted. It is certainly not a positive sign if students and scholars are more concerned about their personal safety than academic matters,” Zhu said.

Wang Jialing, a 10th grader in the international class at RCF Experimental School in Beijing, has started to prepare his US university application.

Aiming to enroll into the University of Southern California as a finance major, he inquired about application procedures and career prospects at the education fair. He said he wants to choose a college among the top 50 in the US in a relatively safe state, and plans to return to China after obtaining a bachelor’s degree.

MIL OSI China News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-Evening Report: Costly defamation action looms large over Australian newsrooms. It’s diminishing press freedom

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Denis Muller, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Advancing Journalism, The University of Melbourne

Shutterstock

This piece is the final of a three part series on Australia’s defamation laws. You can read the other pieces here and here.

Defamation laws exist to strike a balance between press freedom and the protection of people’s reputations from wrongful harm. In Australia, this balance has always been loaded against press freedom.

This is due partly to the way the defamation laws have been framed and partly by the way the courts have interpreted them.

Courts examine matters of journalism in the same way they examine matters of law: forensically, with strict rules and high standards of evidence and proof.

While we rightly expect ethical and honest reporting from our media, even the best can prove insufficient under the piercing gaze of defamation law. And in a time when media companies are more cash-strapped than ever, this has a chilling effect on the stories that get told and press freedom more broadly.

Ethics vs the law

Until 2006, each Australian jurisdiction had its own defamation laws. This created a nightmare of complexity for publishers, especially of newspapers and broadcasts that crossed state boundaries, which meant all the main media organisations.

They had to take into account the risks posed by litigation in the jurisdiction least favourable to press freedom.

For many decades, that was New South Wales. It was one of the states where truth alone was not a sufficient defence; there also had to be a public interest in the material. In some other jurisdictions this was called public benefit.

Read more:
With all these defamation lawsuits, what ever happened to free speech?

This was a major burden on press freedom and it was removed by the introduction of uniform defamation laws in 2006.

Since then, it has been enough for publishers to prove the substantial truth of the meanings conveyed in an article in order for the defence of truth to succeed.

It may sound straightforward, but proving substantial truth requires producing admissible evidence strong enough to satisfy the civil standard of proof: on the balance of probabilities. That usually means having documents and witnesses who are willing to be identified.

If, as is often the case, the article has drawn on evidence from a confidential source, the publisher is unable to put that source in the witness box because to do so would breach the media’s fundamental ethical obligation to protect the identity of confidential sources.

So unless the source is prepared in advance to be identified should the matter come to court, a story relying significantly on that person’s testimony may not see the light of day unless some other defence is available.

In 2021, those defences were expanded, although quite how significant that expansion turns out to be remains to be seen.

What appears on paper to be the most significant change was the introduction of a general public interest defence. This says that if publication of a story is in the public interest, and the publisher has a reasonable belief that it is, then publication can be defended on that ground.

There has been only one major test of that new defence, and it went against the media.

That case showed “reasonable belief” depended on the journalism being sound. In this case, the court found that the defendant, which was the ABC, had relied on shaky testimony that had not been sufficiently verified and had not given the subject of the story a fair opportunity to respond.

At odds with practicalities

This brings us to the question of how the courts interpret the law.

One of the big disappointments in this respect has been the way the courts have interpreted what, at the time, was hoped to be a significant addition to Australia’s threadbare free-speech jurisprudence.

In a case brought against the ABC by a late prime minister of New Zealand, David Lange, the High Court established the principle that freedom of speech on matters of government and politics trumped a person’s case for protection for their reputation.

If a person wanted to sue for defamation, they had to do so in a way that did not burden freedom of speech on matters of government and politics.

Read more:
Politicians know defamation laws can silence women, but they won’t do anything about it

However, the High Court attached a test of reasonableness to this freedom. In several ways, it’s similar to the “reasonable belief” test in the new public interest defence.

Unfortunately, successive courts have applied the Lange reasonableness test in ways that are so strict they require journalists to meet standards demanding more powers of investigation than they possess or to exceed the usual journalistic standards of verification. Journalists can’t subpoena documents or compel people to speak to them.

The result is that this defence has become more or less a dead letter for journalistic purposes.

Is a story worth the cost?

Those accused of defamation can also defend it by saying it was comment or honest opinion. The first requirement of this defence is that the material be a comment and not a statement of fact.

But courts have interpreted this in different ways.

This uncertainty was illustrated by a famous case that became known as “Leo the Lobster”. A restaurant and restaurateur in Sydney successfully sued the Sydney Morning Herald over a review of a lobster dinner written by one Leo Schofield.

Schofield, who was a colourful writer, said the lobster had been overcooked:

the carbonized claws contained only a kind of white powder which might have been albino walrus.

Despite the amusing language, the court interpreted that as a literal factual description, not a statement of opinion.

Courts have a limited sense of humour, which makes satirical writing a chancy business, since the sharper the satire, the closer it is to literal truth.

Cartoons, which are satirical by definition, have more leeway but are not immune to defamation suits.

Then there’s the costs of defamation, particularly for media outlets. They’ve become exorbitant.

It has been estimated that the costs involved in the case brought by Ben Roberts-Smith against The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Canberra Times amounted to about $25 million. The newspapers won, although the matter has gone to appeal.

But even if the verdict is upheld, experience shows it is unlikely they will recoup anything like their full costs.

At a time when all major news media organisations are under acute financial pressure because of the inroads the internet has made on their revenue, there is a strong temptation not to risk publishing material the public has a right to know because of the financial impact an action for defamation would have.

Denis Muller 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. Costly defamation action looms large over Australian newsrooms. It’s diminishing press freedom – https://theconversation.com/costly-defamation-action-looms-large-over-australian-newsrooms-its-diminishing-press-freedom-238072

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

September 29, 2024
MIL-Evening Report: How can I stop using food to cope with negative emotions?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Inge Gnatt, PhD Candidate, Lecturer in Psychology, Swinburne University of Technology

Drazen Zigic/Shutterstock

Have you ever noticed changes in your eating habits when you are sad, bored or anxious?

Many people report eating either more, or less, as a way of helping them to cope when they experience difficult emotions.

Although this is a very normal response, it can take the pleasure out of eating, and can become distressing and bring about other feelings of shame and self-criticism.

Adding to the complexity of it all, we live in a world where diet culture is unavoidable, and our relationship to eating, food and body image can become complicated and confusing.

Emotional eating is common

“Emotional eating” refers to the eating behaviours (typically eating more) that occur in response to difficult emotions.

Research shows around 20% of people regularly engage in emotional eating, with a higher prevalence among adolescents and women. In a study of more than 1,500 adolescents, 34% engaged in emotional eating while sad and 40% did so while anxious.

Foods consumed are often fast-foods and other energy-dense, nutrient-poor convenience foods.

Stress, strong emotions and depression

For some people, emotional eating was simply a habit formed earlier in life that has persisted over time.

But other factors might also contribute to the likelihood of emotional eating. The physiological effects of stress and strong emotions, for example, can influence hormones such as cortisol, insulin and glucose, which can also increase appetite.

Increased impulsivity (behaving before thinking things through), vulnerability to depression, a tendency to ruminate and difficulties regulating emotions also increase the likelihood of emotional eating.

Depression increases the likelihood of emotional eating.
TommyStockProject/Shutterstock

So what do you do?

First, know that fluctuations in eating are normal. However, if you find that the way you eat in response to difficult emotions is not working for you, there are a few things you can do.

Starting with small things that are achievable but can have a huge impact, such as prioritising getting enough sleep and eating regularly.

Then, you can start to think about how you handle your emotions and hunger cues.

Expand your emotional awareness

Often we label emotions as good or bad, and this can result in fear, avoidance, and unhelpful coping strategies such as emotional eating.

But it’s also important to differentiate the exact emotion. This might be feeling isolated, powerless or victimised, rather than something as broad as sad.

By noticing what the emotion is, we can bring curiosity to what it means, how we feel in our minds and bodies, and how we think and behave in response.

Tap into your feelings of hunger and fullness

Developing an intuitive way of eating is another helpful strategy to promote healthy eating behaviours.

Intuitive eating means recognising, understanding and responding to internal signals of hunger and fullness. This might mean tuning in to and acknowledging physical hunger cues, responding by eating food that is nourishing and enjoyable, and identifying sensations of fullness.

Intuitive eating encourages flexibility and thinking about the pleasure we get from food and eating. This style of eating also allows us to enjoy eating out with friends, and sample local delicacies when travelling.

It can also reduce the psychological distress from feeling out of control with your eating habits and the associated negative body image.

Try to be flexible in thinking about the pleasure of food and eating with friends.
La Famiglia/Shutterstock

When is it time to seek help?

For some people, the thoughts and behaviours relating to food, eating and body image can negatively impact their life.

Having the support of friends and family, accessing online resources and, in some instances, seeing a trained professional, can be very helpful.

There are many therapeutic interventions that work to improve aspects associated with emotional eating. These will depend on your situation, needs, stage of life and other factors, such as whether you are neurodivergent.

The best approach is to engage with someone who can bring compassion and understanding to your personal situation, and work with you collaboratively. This work might include:
- unpacking some of the patterns that could be underlying these emotions, thoughts and behaviours
- helping you to discover your emotions
- supporting you to process other experiences, such as trauma exposure
- developing a more flexible and intuitive way of eating.
One of the dangers that can occur in response to emotional eating is the temptation to diet, which can lead to disordered eating, and eating disorder behaviours. Indicators of a potential eating disorder can include:
- recent rapid weight loss
- preoccupation with weight and shape (which is usually in contrast to other people’s perceptions)
- eating large amounts of food within a short space of time (two hours or less) and feeling a sense of loss of control
- eating in secret
- compensating for food eaten (with vomiting, exercise or laxatives).
Evidence-based approaches can support people experiencing eating disorders. To find a health professional who is informed and specialises in this area, search the Butterfly Foundation’s expert database.

If this article has raised issues for you, or if you’re concerned about someone you know, call Lifeline on 13 11 14, or the Butterfly Foundation on 1800 ED HOPE
(1800 33 4673).

Inge Gnatt 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. How can I stop using food to cope with negative emotions? – https://theconversation.com/how-can-i-stop-using-food-to-cope-with-negative-emotions-238218

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –
September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI Australia: The Agtech Schools Immersion Program concludes with successful session in Wagga Wagga

Source: New South Wales Department of Primary Industries

24 Sep 2024

Nearly 100 students from across regional NSW gathered at Wagga Wagga Agriculture Institute to take part in the final session of a NSW Government Agtech program immersing kids with cutting-edge agricultural technologies.

The final event of the 2024 Agtech Schools Immersion Program took place today, with dozens of eager students participating in six workshop rotations covering everything from feed testing and livestock EID to field equipment including Swarmbot, handheld infrared sensors and drones.

The Agtech Schools Immersion Program has provided students an opportunity to visit NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) research institutes and participate in hands-on learning at TAFE NSW where they design model smart farms, use drone mapping, and learn to use data and artificial intelligence to analyse weather patterns.

The delivery of this program would not have been possible without the considerable support provided by the Charles Sturt University’s Global Digital Farm team over the course of the program at Wagga.

This final event followed a series of excursions held in Tamworth and Orange throughout August, showcasing the program’s commitment to equipping students with essential skills and hands-on experience in using agricultural technology.

NSW DPIRD Schools Program Coordinator Michelle Fifield said these sessions help spark interest, drive innovation and attract investment, contributing to the growth and development of the agricultural technology sector.

“Giving students hands-on experience with Agtech helps provide them with the right tools and enables them to gain essential skills, opening the door for more opportunities for those looking to enter agricultural industries,” Ms. Fifield said.

“This experience not only allowed these students to explore innovative tools but also deepened their understanding of how Agtech is shaping the future of farming and how this technology can be used practically.

“The excitement and enthusiasm we’ve witnessed over the course of the program is a testament to the bright future of our agricultural industry and the willingness of the participants in furthering their skills with agricultural technologies.

“By investing in our youth and their education in Agtech, we are ensuring a sustainable and innovative future for agriculture in NSW.”

The Agtech Workforce Development Strategy is part of the NSW Government’s ongoing work to invest in skills and employment to future-proof the agriculture sector.

This event is being delivered by the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development and Training Services NSW under the Targeted Workforce Development Scheme.

Media contact: pi.media@dpird.nsw.gov.au

MIL OSI News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI Russia: NSU to host first international student cybercriminology festival CrimeLab Fest-2024

MIL OSI Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –

On September 27-28, the first international student cybercriminology festival CrimeLab Fest-2024 will be held at NSU. The event will involve 9 student teams: 8 of them represent Russian cities such as Novosibirsk, Barnaul, Krasnoyarsk and Krasnodar, and one combined team, which will include students from Harbin (China). Using cyber simulators, they will compete in investigating simulated situations. The students’ results will be assessed by an authoritative jury, which will include leading Russian experts in the field of forensics. The festival will also include lectures and a round table, where experts and students will discuss the prospects and future of the profession.

— Several years ago, educational institutions began to request the introduction of modern products at the intersection of IT and forensics into the educational process. This is how the idea of creating cyber simulators appeared, which are based on the idea of a computer game, a quest, but at the same time they incorporate the entire arsenal of forensic tools for investigation, evidence collection, verification of versions, etc. That is, they allow you to simulate the situation of investigating certain types of crimes in a game form. At the moment, 10 such simulators have been developed. Our festival will be the first platform where we will test these simulators in action, — said the head of the CrimeLab project, Doctor of Law, Professor of the Department of Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure and Forensics of NSU Roman Borovskikh.

The simulators were created by a team of developers from the ANO “Digital Educational Technologies”, which includes NSU graduates. Each simulator simulates the investigation of individual types of crimes, including bribery, murder, fraud, robbery, etc. The user of the simulator has the opportunity to choose not only the type of crime, but also the location. In the future, it is planned to introduce this tool into the educational process and make it part of the curriculum.

According to Roman Borovskikh, “our task now is to test how this tool works, what the impressions and feedback from students will be, and to understand how these electronic educational tools need to be improved in order to use them in real educational practice.”

The festival will feature student teams, 3 of which are from out of town, representing Altai State University, Kuban State University and Krasnoyarsk State Agrarian University. Also, one team is international, it is formed by students of Heilongjiang University and NSU. During the competition, the guys will have to demonstrate their knowledge and skills at all stages of the investigation, such as collecting evidence, checking versions, etc., using correct forensic methods, using simulators.

The teams’ work will be assessed by an expert jury chaired by Igor Mikhailovich Komarov, Doctor of Law, Professor, Head of the Forensic Science Department at Moscow State University. The jury also includes leading Russian forensic scientists. Among them are Lev Vladimirovich Bertovsky, Doctor of Law, Professor, Director of the Institute of High-Tech Law, Social and Humanitarian Sciences at the Moscow Institute of Electronic Technology. As well as practicing forensic scientists, led by Colonel of Justice Vitaly Vitalyevich Brytkov, Head of the Forensic Support Department for the Siberian Federal District (based in Novosibirsk) of the Forensic Support Directorate for Investigations in the Federal Districts of the Main Forensic Science Directorate (Forensic Center) of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation.

On the second day of the festival, there will be an off-site session, during which experts will give original lectures on new methods and the future of the profession, and a student round table will also take place.

The festival is organized by NSU, Institute of Philosophy and Law of NSU And Student Center NSU initiatives. The project partners are the Department of Forensic Support of Investigations for the Siberian Federal District, the ANO Digital Educational Technologies, and the federal project CrimeLab.

More detailed information about the festival.

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

Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

http://vvv.nsu.ru/n/media/nevs/education/nsu-will-host-the-first-international-student-festival-cyberforensics-crimelab-fest-2024/

EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.

MIL OSI Russia News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI Russia: Russian specialists complete internship in the Turkish Republic

MIL OSI Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

On September 18, as part of an internship in the Republic of Turkey, Russian specialists visited the city of Kocaeli.

The business program started at Kocaeli University Technopark. The Russian delegation was welcomed by Deputy Director General Omer Ozer. He introduced the activities of the Technopark aimed at promoting the spread of skilled employment, the production of technological products with high added value based on the comprehensive implementation of import substitution and innovation. Omer Ozer spoke about close cooperation with the Kocaeli and Gebze Chambers of Industry and Commerce and the GOBS Technopark, and emphasized that the Technopark is the center of digital transformation and innovation in the region. Russian businessmen presented the activities of their enterprises and discussed issues of interest to them with their Turkish colleagues.

The next stop was one of the largest ports in Turkey – Poliport. The delegation was received by Poliport CEO Selcuk Denizhan. He noted that the port is not only Turkish, but also one of the largest and most important ports in the European Union with geographical proximity to the industrial zone, where 45% of Turkey’s GDP is generated. The port is the country’s only independent terminal for storing chemicals and one of the few terminals for storing liquids. Russian specialists were given the opportunity to get acquainted with the technologies for handling cargo of various purposes, with the Poliport warehouse sector, as well as with the specifics of managing port infrastructure.

The business program continued with a networking conference at the Kocaeli Chamber of Industry, whose Secretary General Mehmet Barış Turabi presented the region’s activities in his report, emphasizing that Kocaeli has 14 organized industrial zones, 2 free economic zones, 5 technology parks, 2 national research centers and 2 technology transfer offices. The networking conference ended with a B2B meeting, where Russian and Turkish specialists discussed possible areas of cooperation and exchanged contacts for further interaction.

The final part of the internship of Russian specialists in the Republic of Turkey took place on September 19-20 in the city of Istanbul.

On September 19, a meeting was held at Istanbul Kent University with the Consul General of the Russian Federation Andrey Buravov, the head of the branch of the Trade Mission of Russia in Turkey in Istanbul Vera Borisova, the representative of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Russia in Turkey Vladimir Emmer, the head of the Russian export center in Turkey Timur Safin, as well as representatives of Istanbul legal, consulting, financial and transport companies. The key topic of the event was the practical experience of doing business in Turkey. The current state of foreign trade relations between Russia and Turkey, promising export directions, the peculiarities of local buyers’ perception of Russian products, as well as issues of certification, logistics and mutual settlements were discussed.

The next meeting in the format of a networking conference was held at the Independent Association of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs of Istanbul (MUSIAD), which specializes in technology, research and development, innovation and knowledge. The meeting was also attended by members of the ASKON association. The conference ended with an exchange of opinions, establishment of business contacts and B2B meetings with Turkish entrepreneurs.

Next, Russian specialists visited specialized enterprises: the mechanical engineering company Haffner Makina, one of the world leaders in the production of manual and automatic machines for processing PVC and aluminum profiles, and the logistics company Ata Freight, specializing in innovative solutions for managing freight transportation.

On September 20, the Director of the Federal Resource Center, Alexey Bunkin, joined the internship. The Russian delegation met with the leadership and members of the Turkish-Russian Business Council (TRBC) of the Foreign Economic Relations Council under the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Turkey, where a round table was held on the development of cooperation between Russia and Turkey in the current conditions. The meeting was opened by the Vice President of TRBC, Handan Eren, and Alexey Bunkin also gave a speech. A presentation of the project portfolio of Russian specialists and a discussion platform took place, where Russian and Turkish entrepreneurs considered possible areas and prospects for cooperation, and exchanged contacts for further interaction.

The next event of the program was a visit to the Bagcilar District Administration of Istanbul, where a networking session was held with representatives of the administration and Turkish businessmen. The Bagcilar District is one of the most important trade and production centers in Turkey. The session was opened with a welcoming speech by the head of the district administration Abdullah Ozdemir and the director of the Federal Resource Center Alexey Bunkin. Russian and Turkish specialists presented their companies, shared their experiences and established business contacts.

An equally important business meeting was held at the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce. The Russian delegation led by Alexey Bunkin was received by the Vice President of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce Mehmet Develioglu. The meeting was held in the format of an open discussion, during which businessmen discussed issues of development and expansion of trade, creation of new markets, existing problems of development of the business world and measures to eliminate them.

On September 21, the day of completion of the internship of Russian specialists in the Republic of Turkey, the director of the Federal Resource Center held a briefing during which the results were summed up, the achieved results were presented, and the prospects for the development of subsequent similar projects were discussed. The participants of the program were also awarded certificates of advanced training from the State University of Management in the programs “General Economic Cooperation and Trade” and “Economic Cooperation in Industry”.

The results of the intensive practice-oriented internship of Russian specialists in the territory of the Republic of Turkey were acquaintance with successful examples of entrepreneurship, establishment of contacts both with representatives of Turkish business and with Russian representative bodies that ensure the state interests of Russia in the sphere of foreign economic activity in Turkey.

Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 09.24.2024

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

Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

Russian specialists complete internship in the Turkish Republic

[embedded content]

EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.

MIL OSI Russia News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI Russia: NSU team successfully performed at the ICPC World Finals

MIL OSI Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University – From September 15 to 20, Astana hosted the 48th ICPC World Finals, a world championship in competitive programming. 142 teams from more than 111 countries took part in the competition, selected from 72,000 participants representing 103 countries and more than 3,000 universities. The International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC) is an international student programming contest founded in the 1970s in the United States. The first international ICPC was held in 1977 in the United States, at the University of Michigan. Since then, the competition has been held annually in various countries, such as the United States, Russia, the Netherlands, Canada, China, the Czech Republic, Japan, Sweden, Poland, Thailand, Morocco, Egypt, Bangladesh, and Portugal. The NSU team includes students Faculty of Information Technology: Sofia Lylova (4th year), Anton Mokrousov (2nd year postgraduate student), Artem Plyusnin (master’s graduate). The team solved six problems, sharing 20-50 places with such leading universities as ITMO, HSE, Stanford University, University of Cambridge and others. – The problem set turned out to be very interesting and balanced, our team solved six problems, and the winner of the championship only nine. Of all the problems, there was one that no team solved. As in previous years, the level of teams at the world championship is very high, it cannot be otherwise – the best university teams qualify. There is a lot of pressure – to compete with the strongest, especially with those who have already won medals in previous seasons of the championship. Our team took a long time to get to the world championship final and trained a lot. For example, the guys have repeatedly participated in training camps in Petrozavodsk, where the best teams of our region practice, and at the end of August they went there for in-person participation, – said Vladimir Isachenko, coach of the NSU team in sports programming, senior lecturer of the Department of Informatics Systems of the NSU FIT. In the final table, Peking University took first place, and MIPT took second place. MIPT’s team in algorithmic programming Yolki-Palki became the only one from Russia to climb the ICPC podium. MIPT overtook their strongest rivals from the University of Massachusetts and Xinhua University.

Saint Petersburg University took 22nd place, HSE University — 29th, ITMO University — 36th, MAI — 43rd, NSU — 45th, Saint Petersburg State University of Industrial Technologies and Design — 92nd, and Skoltech — 102nd. — Despite the successful performance of the NSU team, we know that we still have room to grow and develop, our goal is to prepare better and win medals. According to the rules, Artem and Anton can no longer participate in ICPC competitions, they will join the coaching staff and help prepare the teams. And Sofia can still participate, so she will prepare for next year with a different team, — concluded Vladimir Isachenko.

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

Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

http://vvv.nsu.ru/n/media/nevs/education/team-nsu-successfully-performed-at-the-world-championship-in-sports-programming-ispc-world-final/

EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.

MIL OSI Russia News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-Evening Report: Surrogacy is booming. But new research suggests these pregnancies could be higher risk for women and babies

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hannah Dahlen, Professor of Midwifery, Associate Dean Research and HDR, Midwifery Discipline Leader, Western Sydney University

Helena Lopes/Pexels

A new study from Canada has found women who agree to carry and birth babies in surrogacy arrangements face a higher risk of complications than other pregnant women.

These women were at two to three times the risk of health problems such as postpartum haemorrhages and pre-eclampsia. They were also more likely to give birth prematurely.

With an increasing number of people in Australia and elsewhere having children via surrogacy arrangements, what can we make of these findings?

First, what is surrogacy?

Surrogacy is a situation where a woman becomes pregnant and gives birth to a baby (or babies) for another person or a couple in a planned arrangement.

There are two types of surrogacy.

The first is where the pregnant woman is the full biological mother, with the child conceived using her own egg (sometimes called “traditional” or “genetic” surrogacy).

The second is where the pregnant woman is not the genetic mother and the child is conceived using the egg of a different woman (called “gestational surrogacy”).

Gestational surrogacy involves the transfer of an embryo or embryos into the uterus of a woman who has agreed to carry and birth the child using in vitro fertilisation (IVF). Gestational surrogacy is now the most common form of surrogacy arrangement in Australia.

The new study looked at gestational surrogacy specifically.

What the researchers did

The study, published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine, was retrospective. This means it used existing data that is gathered routinely on people using health services.

It included 863,017 women who had a single baby between April 2012 and March 2021 (multiple births were excluded).

The researchers compared outcomes for women and babies where the pregnancy was achieved naturally, those who got pregnant using IVF, and those who were pregnant in a gestational surrogacy arrangement where the woman had no genetic link to the baby.

Most babies were conceived naturally, 16,087 were IVF pregnancies, and 806 women were pregnant in gestational surrogacy arrangements.

The study looked at more than 860,000 women in Canada who had a baby over a nine-year period.
PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock

The researchers found pregnant women in gestational surrogacy arrangements had a rate of severe maternal complications of 7.8%, more than three times the rate of those who became pregnant naturally (2.3%) and almost twice the rate among those who got pregnant through IVF (4.3%).

These risks included postpartum haemorrhage (losing excessive amounts of blood following the birth), severe pre-eclampsia (high blood pressure associated with pregnancy) and serious postpartum infection (sepsis). There was also a higher risk of the baby being born preterm (before 37 weeks) in gestational surrogacy situations.

The researchers attempted to take into account differences between the three groups like age, weight, health problems and socioeconomic status, which can all influence the risk of complications for pregnant women and their babies. Despite this, they still saw these concerning results.

Why might the risk be higher?

Previous research looking at outcomes with gestational surrogacy has had mixed results. But it is thought the reason risks could be greater for the woman and baby in gestational surrogacy arrangements may be because the baby is genetically unrelated to the woman.

Pregnancy has a strong impact on the immune system. During pregnancy, women’s immune systems are altered so they do not reject the growing baby.

An imbalanced or overactive immune response can contribute to pregnancy complications including preterm birth and pre-eclampsia. Having a baby with different genetic material may affect a woman’s immune response during pregnancy, and increase the risk of complications in this way.

Some limitations

Only women having a single baby were included in the study, so we don’t know the outcomes where a multiple pregnancy was involved. However, multiple birth is common in surrogacy, and there are increased risks associated with multiple births for women and babies.

Multiple embryo transfer increases the risk of twins and triplets and is prohibited in the context of surrogacy in Australia (and discouraged in IVF treatments more broadly). But Australians engaging in overseas surrogacy commonly request it.

Also, the study includes a relatively small number of women pregnant in a gestational surrogacy arrangement (806), meaning there’s an increased risk for statistical error and limited ability to detect rare outcomes.

People may use a surrogate to have a baby for a range of reasons.
Lopolo/Shutterstock

Ethical questions

An increasing number of Australians are having children via surrogacy arrangements. This is due to a combination of factors including a decline in adoption, women delaying motherhood, and increased social acceptability of male same-sex parenting.

Australia only allows altruistic surrogacy, where the woman who agrees to have the baby for others is not paid.

However, some other countries allow women to be paid to become pregnant for others (commercial surrogacy). Concern regarding the exploitation of women via commercial surrogacy is such that Queensland, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory have made it illegal for residents to travel overseas to engage in commercial surrogacy.

Even so, most Australia children born as a result of surrogacy arrangements are born through overseas commercial surrogacy.

Despite some limitations, this research indicates increased risks for women becoming pregnant in gestational surrogacy arrangements, and the babies they carry. It seems important the potentially elevated risks should be made clear to women considering carrying and birthing a baby for someone else, and to the prospective parents.

Considering the rise in surrogacy globally it’s important more research is undertaken on the potential health and other impacts of this practice on women and babies. Health, ethical and human rights implications should inform legislative frameworks, policy and practice.

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

– ref. Surrogacy is booming. But new research suggests these pregnancies could be higher risk for women and babies – https://theconversation.com/surrogacy-is-booming-but-new-research-suggests-these-pregnancies-could-be-higher-risk-for-women-and-babies-239574

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI Russia: “Eastern Breeze”: Polytech became a prize winner of the All-Russian competition in marine robotics

MIL OSI Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

The 7th All-Russian competition in marine robotics “Eastern Breeze” was held in Vladivostok. Over the course of eight days, 31 teams (more than 120 people) competed in the field of promising developments of robotic complexes created by enterprises and research institutes. SPbPU was represented by teams from the Institute of Mechanical Engineering, Materials and Transport, studying at the Higher School of Automation and Robotics. The Polytechnicians managed to take three prize places in two categories.

The students’ trip was supported by the SPbPU Center for Technological Projects, the Institute of Mechanical Engineering, Materials and Transport, and the SPbPU Youth Policy Department.

In the category “Unmanned boats” our team with the device “Bublik-Pi” (developed with the support of the Priority 2030 program) managed to take second place, and the team with the Barracuda apparatus took third place. The teams’ tasks included autonomous or remotely controlled navigation in the sea, namely movement along specified routes and trajectories. Bublik-Pi was the only one that successfully completed all tasks in autonomous mode, but had a low speed at sea (1 knot).

Also in the category “Remotely controlled unmanned underwater vehicles” among developers, the submarine “Atlant-S” took third place. During the tests, it was necessary to detect objects under water and move them.

The first team (the Bublik-Pi and Atlant-S devices) included second-year master’s students Artem Akzhigitov, Andrey Klinovitsky, and fourth-year student Artem Klochikhin. The second team (the Barracuda device) was represented by first-year master’s student Vladimir Marin and 2024 graduate Artem Kondratyev.

The event was quite large-scale, with teams from all over Russia participating, and they represented not only educational institutions, but also law enforcement agencies. The team had the task of performing various types of maneuvers on a water section: to go through a snaking course, to make a dash, etc. To solve the tasks, a remote control system for an unmanned boat was created, and we also laid the groundwork for the future to solve problems in autonomous mode using GNSS, a magnetometer, and a machine vision system, shared one of the developers of the Barracuda, Artem Kondratyev.

Our teams were lucky to be at these competitions and test new SPbPU developments in extreme (marine) conditions. We successfully coped with the tasks set, especially enjoyed developing the ROV, this is a difficult task that we took on for the first time and successfully implemented it, – Andrey Klinovitsky said about the event.

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

Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

https://vvv.spbstu.ru/media/nevs/achievements/eastern-breeze-polytechnic-became-a-winner-of-the-all-Russian-competition-in-marine-robotics/

EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.

MIL OSI Russia News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI Russia: Polytechnic University Opens Postdoc School “Digital Methods in Social and Humanitarian Knowledge”

MIL OSI Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

The opening of the educational program of the Postdoc School “Digital Methods in Social and Humanitarian Knowledge” (a project of the Humanities Institute – the winner of the “Priority 2030” competition of SPbPU) took place at Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University.

The initiative to create the “Postdoc School” (postdoctoral studies) was a response to the growing competition and changing requirements for research practices under the influence of the new technological order. Digital analysis of large volumes of data, the use of neural networks and machine learning are becoming essential tools for scientists and teachers in the humanities who strive to remain at the forefront of science.

As part of the opening of the Postdoc School, a lecture by Eduard Ponarin was held. He is a well-known specialist in the field of digital data analysis methods, the founder and leading research fellow of the Ronald Franklin Inglehart Laboratory for Comparative Social Research and a full professor at the National Research University Higher School of Economics in St. Petersburg.

He devoted his lecture to current issues of creating and analyzing text corpora, building statistical models, working with big data, as well as popular methods of formalizing text parameters and mapping them.

The educational program of the Postdoc School is aimed at masters, postgraduate students, young candidates of science with a strong social and humanitarian education and is aimed at developing their potential in the modern world. The school is designed to become a bridge between traditional humanitarian knowledge and modern digital technologies, teaching in-depth research based on structuring and analyzing arrays of heterogeneous data. At the same time, the results of the project will be not only the development of digital competencies and the effectiveness of scientific research, but also the creation of scientific interdisciplinary and inter-institutional teams due to the cooperation of researchers from different higher schools and institutes of the social and humanitarian profile of SPbPU in research teams.

Thus, the program will have a significant impact on the development of the human resources potential of young people at SPbPU and will help in solving modern scientific problems.

Photo archive

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

Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

https://www.spbstu.ru/media/news/education/v-politekhe-otkryli-shkolu-postdokov-tsifrovye-metody-v-sotsialno-humanitarnom-znanii/

EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.

MIL OSI Russia News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI Russia: Rosneft held the popular science festival “Park of Science” in Novokuibyshevsk

MIL OSI Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

With the support of the Novokuibyshevsk Petrochemical Company (part of the Rosneft petrochemical complex), the popular science festival “Park of Science” was held. The educational project has been implemented by the enterprise for ten years and gives children the opportunity to gain knowledge through experimental research under the guidance of young scientists.

This year, 400 schoolchildren, including those from the “First Movement”, attended the festival. Participants were asked to find answers to the question “What can be made from oil?” As part of the program, children learned how hydrocarbon deposits are explored, oil is extracted, and plastic products that surround us in everyday life are created.

Senior schoolchildren were also able to get acquainted with the devices and equipment of the laboratories of the Samara State Technical University, where they studied the properties of lubricating oils – the most important functional element of modern engines, machines and mechanisms.

In the modern petrochemical industry, breakthrough technologies are created at the intersection of different disciplines: mathematics, physics and computer science. Scientists from Samara Polytechnic University and Novokuibyshevsk Petrochemical Company told how science helps to create efficient production and develop environmentally friendly technologies. During master classes, children got acquainted with impressive scientific achievements using 3D technologies, electronics and robotics. The festival ended with a spectacular chemical show.

Reference:

The Park of Sciences festival has been held in Novokuibyshevsk annually since 2015. During this time, more than 5,000 children have participated in master classes and conducted almost 9,000 scientific experiments.

“Park of Sciences” became the best project in the nomination “Promotion of Future Technologies” of the regional stage of the National Award in the field of public relations development “Silver Archer -2023”.

Department of Information and Advertising of PJSC NK Rosneft September 24, 2024

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

Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

http://vvv.rosneft.ru/press/nevs/item/220825/

EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.

MIL OSI Russia News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI Russia: Marat Khusnullin checked the pace of socio-economic development of the Zaporizhia and Kherson regions

MIL OSI Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

Working visit of Marat Khusnullin to Zaporizhia and Kherson regions

September 24, 2024

Marat Khusnullin visited the Children’s and Youth Sports School No. 1 in Melitopol

September 24, 2024

Working visit of Marat Khusnullin to Zaporizhia and Kherson regions

September 24, 2024

Previous news Next news

Working visit of Marat Khusnullin to Zaporizhia and Kherson regions

During his working visit, Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin inspected a number of facilities and held a meeting to discuss the activities of the program for the socio-economic development of the Zaporizhia and Kherson regions, taking into account their imminent integration into the new national project “Infrastructure for Life”.

“It also includes the construction and repair of roads. The Zaporizhia region has picked up a very good pace in their restoration. We will allocate additional funds so that several dozen kilometers are additionally repaired by the end of the year,” the Deputy Prime Minister noted.

In Melitopol, Marat Khusnullin drove along a renovated section of Frunze Street. It was put in order to ensure safe access to School No. 23. There is also a medical facility and a manufacturing plant along the road. Then the Deputy Prime Minister stopped by Children’s and Youth Sports School No. 1. The repairs were carried out by the “Single Customer in the Sphere of Construction”. Now young athletes can train again in comfortable and modern conditions at the Youth Sports School.

In addition, the Deputy Prime Minister discussed the regional economic development plan with the Chairman of the Zaporizhia Region Government Irina Gekht and visited the production of spare parts and units for agricultural machinery of the Melitopol Industrial Company. He noted that the enterprise has good potential for growth. In particular, it is helped in this by the status of a participant in the free economic zone, which is managed by the Territorial Development Fund.

In the Kherson region, Marat Khusnullin and the regional governor Volodymyr Saldo paid attention to the topics of housing construction and industrial development, as well as agriculture.

“The housing supply in the region is quite low. The task is to expand construction so that people can improve their living conditions. The second point is the economy. We see its good growth, some activity of local enterprises, we hope to increase our own tax base,” said the Deputy Prime Minister.

At the end of his working visit, the Deputy Prime Minister inspected the renovated main building of the Kherson Technical University, where 200 students began their studies this year.

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

Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

http://government.ru/nevs/52783/

EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.

MIL OSI Russia News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI China: Global agriculture conference to be held in Beijing

Source: China State Council Information Office

The 2024 World Agrifood Innovation Conference will be held in Beijing and will feature an array of events and activities, organizers announced at a press conference on Sept. 20.

Organizers brief reporters on preparations and events for the 2024 World Agrifood Innovation Conference during a press conference held in Pinggu district, Beijing, Sept. 20, 2024. [Photo/China.org.cn]

This year’s conference, themed “Climate Change and Agrifood Systems Transformation,” is organized by China Agricultural University, the Pinggu District People’s Government of Beijing Municipality and the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. The conference will include an opening ceremony, forums, side events and an expo. It will take place at the Beijing Jinhai Lake International Convention & Exhibition Center in Pinggu district, Beijing, from Oct. 10 to 12.

The conference is intended to unite international experts, policymakers, industry leaders and innovators to address unprecedented challenges due to climate change, exploring strategies and solutions to make agrifood systems more resilient, sustainable and adaptive.

Since the inaugural World Agrifood Innovation Conference in 2023, the event has received high recognition from domestic and international colleagues, being considered as one of the top three agricultural events in the world. With the goal of becoming the “Davos of agriculture,” this year’s conference has been upgraded to be a premier global gathering for agricultural science and technology innovation.

According to organizers, attendees will explore topics that focus on agricultural science and technology innovation, foster cooperation between industries, universities and research institutes, as well as cultivate new drivers for agricultural development.

Over 60 leaders and representatives from nearly 30 international organizations, including the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), will participate in the conference. The FAO will also organize a Scientific Advisory Committee meeting and a youth dialogue for the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub, marking the first time the hub’s important meetings will be held in China.

During the conference, there will be a special event on China-Africa agricultural science and technology cooperation, as well as a parallel session on China-Brazil agricultural economic and trade cooperation and green development.

Sun Qixin, president of China Agricultural University (CAU), revealed that this year, during the conference’s World Agricultural University Presidents’ Forum, CAU will further enhance both agricultural education and agricultural science and technology collaborations between China and Africa.

“Especially, we will promote the effective model developed by China Agricultural University in Africa over the years for the application of scientific and technological research outcomes, so as to benefit more African countries,” he said.

Besides Chinese academic institutions’ involvement in the conference, leading scientists and heads of major institutions of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) will also be participating. They will discuss with top Chinese agricultural scientists and entrepreneurs the potential for hosting multiple CGIAR-funded research projects in China.

The conference will feature over 40 parallel sessions, thematic meetings and side events, fostering dialogues among scientists, educators, entrepreneurs and investors to seamlessly integrate technological innovation with industrial application. Closed-door meetings will also connect global top animal husbandry scientists with Chinese agricultural entrepreneurs to discuss technology applications within Chinese enterprises. Major announcements, including the Pinggu Declaration and key FAO and CGIAR reports on agricultural innovation, are anticipated to be released during the event.

In addition to formal dialogues and lectures, the conference will also organize the 2024 World AgriFood Technology Expo, showcasing the latest achievements, cutting-edge technologies and innovative products in the global agrifood sector.

The Beijing Municipal Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs foreshadowed significant commercialization achievements during the conference. Since 2023, the bureau has facilitated connections with 15 key laboratories under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and enabled 76 companies to launch projects in Beijing’s Pinggu district in fields like modern seed industry, smart agriculture and intelligent equipment. It was announced at the press conference that the China Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Port in Pinggu has entered the planning and construction phase, with plans to gradually introduce more national key laboratories, creating a cluster of labs focused on agricultural science and technology innovation.

MIL OSI China News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-Evening Report: No RBA rate cut yet, but Governor Bullock is about to find the pressure overwhelming

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University

Who’d want to be Reserve Bank Governor Michele Bullock? On Tuesday she had to do the almost impossible: defend a decision not to cut interest rates at a time when they were being cut in just about every other major industrial nation.

On Thursday the US Federal Reserve joined the Bank of England, the Bank of Canada, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand and central banks in China, Sweden and the European Union in what its officials expect to be a series of cuts, kicking off with a double-header: a cut of 0.50 percentage points instead of the usual 0.25.

In her press conference after Tuesday’s board meeting Governor Bullock said disinflation was “further advanced” in those countries than it was in Australia.

Australian interest rates were “restrictive” (high enough to hurt) but were working “broadly as anticipated”.

While household spending was weaker than had been expected, it would be

some time yet before inflation is sustainably in the target range.

But the problem with what she said, both after the meeting and in her statement, is inflation is probably already within the target range.

Credibility gap

The Reserve Bank’s target is 2-3%. Inflation hasn’t been there since it surged in 2021 as much of the world came out of lockdowns.

On Wednesday, the day after Bullock’s announcement, the Bureau of Statistics will release the monthly consumer price index for August. It’s expected to be the first to show inflation back between 2% and 3%.

Westpac is expecting an annual rate of 2.7%, comfortably back within the target band. When the more-comprehensive quarterly measure is released next month, Westpac is expecting 2.9%.

If inflation is 2.7%, how can it be too high?

Bullock squares her view that inflation is not yet moving sustainably towards the target with the reality that it is probably already there by saying she expects it to “pop back up again” when the temporary effect of electricity bill rebates wears off.

The Commonwealth government announced $3.5 billion worth of rebates in the May budget. They will be applied automatically to electricity bills for each of the next four quarters, and topped by several of the states. In Queensland, they amount to $1,300 per household.

A staged rollout means the rebates hit bills in only Queensland and West Australia in July and will hit other states in August. The Bureau of Statistics says they took 6.4% off the average national power price in July and Westpac expects them to take off a further 15% in August.

A permanent 10% increase in the maximum rate of Commonwealth rent assistance delivered last week will put further downward pressure on inflation.

It’s easy to see why Bullock thinks the temporary measures should be disregarded.

The RBA says what matters is underlying inflation

Bullock is directing attention to the Reserve Bank’s preferred measure of underlying inflation, a measure that excludes sharp movements and gives a better idea of where typical prices are heading.

At 3.9% for the year to the June quarter, she says that measure is still too high. But it has been falling for each of the past six quarters and is on track to fall to 3.5% in the September quarter. By my way of thinking, that shows inflation is moving “sustainably towards the target range” in the way she says she wants.

As in the US and the UK and New Zealand and all the other countries with which we compare ourselves, inflation doesn’t need to be actually back to the target before the authorities ease off on high interest rates. If they waited that long they would overshoot and push inflation too low.

But headline inflation matters in its own right

In any event, a low headline inflation rate is important in its own right, however it is achieved. It’s the rate the Reserve Bank prints at the top of its website, the rate that’s published in the media and the rate that people experience.

If inflation is actually low, however that is brought about, shoppers become less tolerant of price rises (something the Reserve Bank says is happening) and less keen to demand high wage rises (something that is also happening).

They also become less keen to rush out and buy things before their price goes up, something that can perpetuate high inflation.

Right now we are doing everything but rushing out to push up prices.

A briefing note prepared by the Australian Council of Social Service ahead of Tuesday’s Reserve Bank board meeting says real household disposable income per capita has fallen by almost 8% since inflation and interest rates began climbing, far more than in the US, the UK, Germany and Canada.

Bullock is about to get more chances to cut

There’s a chance the tax cuts that began in July will give spending a bit of a boost but much of whatever extra spending there is will be on imports, and the steadily climbing Australian dollar is making them cheaper by the day.

The Australian dollar hit a new high for the year of 68.5 US cents on Tuesday on the back of a widening differential between US and Australian interest rates as the US cuts rates.

Governor Bullock gets two more opportunities to cut rates this year, at the board meeting on Melbourne Cup Tuesday November 5 shortly after news of very low inflation in the September quarter, and on December 9 shortly after news of economic growth likely to show income per person going further backwards.

There’s a fair chance she will take one of them.

Peter Martin is Economics Editor of The Conversation.

– ref. No RBA rate cut yet, but Governor Bullock is about to find the pressure overwhelming – https://theconversation.com/no-rba-rate-cut-yet-but-governor-bullock-is-about-to-find-the-pressure-overwhelming-239603

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Training for armed forces recruits continues to improve but new pilots face delays
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Ofsted has today published its 16th annual report on the effectiveness of care and welfare arrangements for recruits, trainees and officer cadets (OCdts).
Training has continued to improve this year with no establishments found to be inadequate. 11 of the establishments visited were graded good or outstanding and one was found to require improvement.

Read the full report: Welfare and duty of care in Armed Forces initial training 2023 to 2024

In all but one establishment, recruits, trainees and OCdts benefited from excellent or good quality training and very effective care and welfare arrangements. This means that trainees are very well prepared for their next phase of training or to start their first military job.

However, inspectors did find that trainees are spending too much time in holdover, which is where one training course has finished and another has yet to start. This is especially true for trainee pilots and aircrew – in the worst cases, trainee pilots are waiting several years to start their flying training. Trainees report that this delay affects not just their careers but their motivation and personal lives.

Where trainees must wait to start their next phase of training, all services need to ensure that trainees are engaged in meaningful activities that maintains their morale while continuing to develop their military and specialist skills.

As in previous years, inspectors continued to find problems with infrastructure and facilities. While improvements have been made the standard of trainee accommodation continues to be poor in some establishments.

Ofsted has issued several recommendations for the MoD, including:

Urgently improve the infrastructure of the training estate, especially any accommodation where trainees are living in unacceptable and/or deteriorating conditions.

Minimise the time that trainees spend in holdover, especially trainee pilots and aircrew from all 3 services in flying training, so that they can complete their training as quickly and efficiently as possible and start their first military jobs.

Engage trainees in holdover in meaningful activities that maintain their morale and continue to develop their military and specialist skills and knowledge.

Give all new recruits uniform and equipment that fit them properly, including military backpacks and body armour, so that they can participate fully in training.

Ofsted’s Chief Inspector, Sir Martyn Oliver said:

“I am delighted to present my first MoD welfare report as His Majesty’s Chief Inspector, and I am impressed with the hard work and diligence that my inspectors have seen over the last year.

“I congratulate commanding officers, and their staff. Military and civilian staff work hard to train and care for recruits, trainees and OCdts, sometimes despite poor infrastructure and resources.

“I urge senior personnel in the Ministry of Defence and in government to respond swiftly and decisively to the recommendations we have made.”

Notes

Inspectors visited 11 initial training establishments, 5 University Officers’ Training Corps (UOTC) units (in a combined inspection) and the UOTC headquarters at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.

Press office

8.30am to 6pm Monday to Friday 0300 013 0415

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Published 24 September 2024
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI Russia: Working while studying increases your salary and chances of success

MIL OSI Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

Working while studying increases the likelihood of employment after graduation by 19%, and salary by 14%. Every second student worked at least a month during their full-time studies. The greatest return comes from working in the last years of study, when students have the opportunity to start working in their specialty. These are the results reached by a team of authors with Faculty of Economic Sciences HSE.

Combining work and study has become a mass phenomenon among students: more than 50% of students worked at least one month during their studies. They rightly believe that thanks to work experience they can become more competitive in the labor market and find a higher-paying position after graduation. If in the first year no more than 18% combined employment with study, then by the final year their share increased to 40%.

Based on the total data of the Graduate Employment Monitoring of more than 200,000 full-time bachelor’s and specialist’s degree graduates in 2021, the authors drew conclusions about the trends in combining study and work in Russia and its effects on subsequent employment. It turned out that among those who graduated with honors, the share of part-time workers is slightly higher. Students from more prestigious and highly ranked universities also work more often: 59% versus 50% in less selective universities. Students whose specialty is related to mathematics, information technology, and natural sciences start working more often than others during their studies, while humanities students, on the contrary, are less likely to do so: 58% versus 47%.

The probability of finding a job within a year after graduation was 19% higher for those who combined work and study. Moreover, the longer a student worked, the higher the chances: each additional month of experience increases the probability of employment by 1%. The salary of such graduates is also higher – by 14%, and each additional month of work experience increases it by 0.7%.

Much more important was the combination of study and work in the 4th and 5th years. Part-time jobs at the beginning of studies have almost no effect on the probability of employment, and internships during the final year increase it by 26%. Students in the field of mathematics and computer science benefit most from such a combination. Their chances of finding a job are higher by another 10%, and for economists – by 4%. The university also has an effect: if a student of any specialty studies at a university that is in the highest positions in the ratings, then the probability of employment will be 21% higher.

Authors of the article, Junior Researcher Labor Market Research Laboratories Ksenia Rozhkova, Head of the Faculty of Economic Sciences at the Higher School of Economics, Sergey Roshchin, Head of the Laboratory, and Pavel Travkin, Senior Research Fellow, note that there is currently a restructuring of views on education. More and more students are moving from combining study with work to combining work with study. Gaining work experience is becoming their main goal, while academic performance is relegated to the background.

“In our opinion, students are increasingly combining work with study because they care not only about income, but also about the experience and competencies they acquire. Such work allows them to enter a professional field. In contrast, universities often offer formal introductory practice, which does not involve the acquisition of any applied skills,” comments Ksenia Rozhkova. Since universities are interested in their graduates successfully finding employment, it would be useful to reconsider the approach to educational processes, strive to provide more practice-oriented skills, and collaborate with potential employers.

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

Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

http://vvv.hse.ru/nevs/scene/965622420.html

EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.

MIL OSI Russia News –

September 29, 2024