#2026 Global Collection

[jantanow]

भारतीय नवप्रवर्तकों के लिए हंड्रेड का निमंत्रण, शिक्षा में नवाचार को मिलेगी वैश्विक मान्यता

हंड्रेड ग्लोबल कलेक्शन 2026 ने भारतीय नवप्रवर्तकों के लिए एक अनोखा अवसर प्रस्तुत किया है। इस पहल के तहत, हंड्रेड उन नवाचारों को पहचानने और उनका प्रचार करने की कोशिश कर रहा है जिन्होंने ��िक्षा के क्षेत्र में महत्वपूर्ण सुधार किए हैं। यह भारतीय शिक्षकों, ग्रामीण समाजसेवियों, और एनजीओ के लिए एक विशेष मौका है, जो अपने नवाचारों को वैश्विक मंच पर प्रस्तुत करना चाहते हैं। भारतीय नवप्रवर्तक, जो सीमित…

[dandelionsresilience]

Dandelion News - January 15-21

Like these weekly compilations? Tip me at $kaybarr1735 or check out my Dandelion Doodles!

1. Landmark debt swap to protect Indonesia’s coral reefs

“The government of Indonesia announced this week a deal to redirect more than US$ 35 million it owes to the United States into the conservation of coral reefs in the most biodiverse ocean area on Earth.”

2. [FWS] Provides Over $1.3 Billion to Support Fish and Wildlife Conservation and Outdoor Access

“Through these combined funds, agencies have supported monitoring and management of over 500 species of wild mammals and birds, annual stocking of over 1 billion fish, operations of fish and wildlife disease laboratories around the country, and provided hunter and aquatic education to millions of students.”

3. Philippine Indigenous communities restore a mountain forest to prevent urban flooding

“Indigenous knowledge systems and practices are considered in the project design, and its leaders and members have been involved throughout the process, from agreeing to participate to identifying suitable land and selecting plant species that naturally grow in the area.”

4. Responsible Offshore Wind Development is a Clear Win for Birds, the U.S. Economy, and our Climate

“[T]he total feasible offshore wind capacity along U.S. coasts is more than three times the total electricity generated nationwide in 2023. […] Proven strategies, such as reducing visible lights on turbines and using perching deterrents on turbines, have been effective in addressing bird impacts.”

5. Illinois awards $100M for electric truck charging corridor, Tesla to get $40M

“The project will facilitate the construction of 345 electric truck charging ports and pull-through truck charging stalls across 14 sites throughout Illinois[…. E]lectrifying [the 30,000 daily long-haul] trucks would make a huge impact in the public health and quality of life along the heavily populated roadways.”

6. Reinventing the South Florida seawall to help marine life, buffer rising seas

“[The new seawall] features raised areas inspired by mangrove roots that are intended to both provide nooks and crannies for fish and crabs and other marine creatures and also better absorb some of the impact from waves and storm surges.”

7. Long Beach Commits to 100% All-Electric Garbage Trucks

“[Diesel garbage trucks] produce around a quarter of all diesel pollution in California and contribute to 1,400 premature deaths every year. Electric options, on the other hand, are quieter than their diesel counterparts and produce zero tailpipe emissions.”

8. ‘This Is a Victory': Biden Affirms ERA Has Been 'Ratified' and Law of the Land

“President Joe Biden on Friday announced his administration's official opinion that the amendment is ratified and its protections against sex-based discrimination are enshrined in the U.S. Constitution.”

9. A Little-Known Clean Energy Solution Could Soon Reach ‘Liftoff’

“Ground source heat pumps could heat and cool the equivalent of 7 million homes by 2035—up from just over 1 million today[…. G]eothermal energy is generally considered to be more popular among Republicans than other forms of clean energy, such as wind and solar.”

10. Researchers combine citizens' help and cutting-edge tech to track biodiversity

“Researchers in the project, which runs from 2022 to 2026, are experimenting with tools like drones, cameras and sensors to collect detailed data on different species, [… and] Observation.org, a global biodiversity platform where people submit pictures of animals and plants, helping to identify and monitor them.”

January 8-14 news here | (all credit for images and written material can be found at the source linked; I don’t claim credit for anything but curating.)

[ranchstoryblog]

PRESS RELEASE: Second Annual ‘Marvelous Game Showcase’ Delivers Exciting Updates on Fan-favorite STORY OF SEASONS and Rune Factory Series; Reveals NARUTO: Arcade Battle for North America, and More

Second Annual ‘Marvelous Game Showcase’ Delivers Exciting Updates on Fan-favorite STORY OF SEASONS and Rune Factory Series; Reveals NARUTO: Arcade Battle for

North America, and More

New Looks for Additional Titles in Development Include Opening Animation for

Monster Farming / Action Title Farmagia and Striking New Teaser for DAEMON X MACHINA: Titanic Scion

TORRANCE, Calif., — May 30, 2024 — Marvelous USA, Inc. and XSEED Games today shared a localized version of parent company Marvelous Inc.’s second annual ‘Marvelous Game Showcase,’ which debuted today at 3:00pm PT. President Suminobu Sato hosted the showcase and was joined by key members of development teams to provide updates on titles announced in last year's event, and announce new regional and global initiatives for the Marvelous family of companies.

Farmagia (formerly Project Magia): Product Manager Takehiro Ishida revealed the official title of the project, Farmagia, and presented the game’s opening animation, giving gamers an action-packed look at the cast of characters and powers they wield. Ishida-san also shared details on key characters in the game, designed by popular artist Hiro Mashima, including Ten, the protagonist who often acts before thinking; Arche, his childhood friend who balances both kindness and a competitive nature; Chica, another childhood friend with a more reserved demeanor; and Lookie-Loo, Ten’s sidekick and de-facto mascot. The title is planned for a global release in 2024.

STORY OF SEASONS: The next, as-yet-untitled entry in the beloved franchise continues its development as the team focuses on improvements to the visual presentation and natural environments. Series Manager Hikaru Nakano joined to debut a fresh look at the results of their efforts, highlighting how aspects such as updated natural lighting and festival fireworks have been improved to enhance immersion and atmosphere. The project remains in active development and will be fully revealed at a later date. In the meantime, Nakano-san confirmed new gameplay features including a player-controlled glider and the return of fan-favorite pets.

Amusement Section: Marvelous Inc. supports more than just PC and console entertainment and announced a number of new arcade initiatives including NARUTO: Arcade Battle, which will be available in North America this summer. Players will experience the world of NARUTO on a massive 50” screen, where they’ll engage in intense ninjutsu battles and collect plates to reach the highest rank they can! Arcade titles for Japan release only were also presented.

Indie Partner Lineup: The Marvelous family continues to invest in helping creative and exciting visions from smaller indie developers become a reality with global support for titles! Titles introduced for worldwide release include Bitsummit 2023 Grand Prize winner Death the Guitar, where players become an electric guitar fighting with the power of death metal to avenge their owner, planned for a 2025 release; and Moonlight Peaks, the supernatural-themed vampire farming/life sim title from Dutch developer Little Chicken, scheduled for 2026 release. One additional title, Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus, was also presented for release in Asia and Japan by Marvelous on July 28, 2024.

Rune Factory: Following a brief history on the evolution of the Rune Factory series and how it has grown across nine titles released over 18 years, Rune Factory series Director Shiro Maekawa joined the stream to reveal a new video for Rune Factory: PROJECT DRAGON sharing a look at the title’s protagonists. Players can choose to play as either Subaru or Kaguya, two new Earthmates with a twist; they will use the power of dance, rather than farming, to communicate and interact with the world around them. This new approach to interacting with the world comes with non-combat tools, including parasols and drums; series staple weapons like swords; and brand-new weapon types to experiment with, including bows and talismans.

DAEMON X MACHINA: Titanic Scion: First revealed during last year’s Marvelous Game Showcase, DAEMON X MACHINA: Titanic Scion once again closed out the show, where President Sato-san shared an evocative look at Marvelous’ First Studio’s mech-action sequel.  Additional details including platforms and a release window will be announced at a later date.

To celebrate the Showcase, select STORY OF SEASONS and Rune Factory titles will be on sale for up to 60% off on the Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch™ through June 7, 2024.

More information about XSEED Games’ products can be found at www.xseedgames.com Fans can also follow XSEED Games on Facebook, X, Instagram, Twitch, Threads, get in depth info from their developer blog, and join the discussion on their Discord server at: http://discord.gg/XSEEDGames.

About XSEED Games

XSEED Games is the independent-minded publishing brand of Marvelous USA, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Marvelous Inc., which is a publicly traded company listed in the Prime Market of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Formed in 2004 by a small group of industry veterans, XSEED Games is headquartered in Torrance, California and publishes video games on PC and consoles in North America. The publisher's diverse portfolio of over 100 titles includes releases from Marvelous Inc. including STORY OF SEASONS (Bokujo Monogatari), Rune Factory, and DAEMON X MACHINA, titles from third-party partners including AKIBA’S TRIP, Corpse Party, and Granblue Fantasy: Versus, and titles from independent developers including Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin, Potionomics and Cuisineer. XSEED Games has grown its reputation among global gamers with its critically acclaimed localizations and commitment to fans, remaining ever dedicated to its “indie spirit, player-first” approach for quality games.

[buttacake80]

I remember watching this clip from President Jimmy Carter's going home celebration and sobbing for a good hour. Even as I write this, there are tears flowing from my eyes.

Jimmy Carter was a US Navy pilot. This is the "missing man formation" which is an aerial salute for pilots who have walked on.

I sobbed because not only was this goodbye to truly a good human (he did a lot of charitable work & dedicated his entire life to public service even after losing the presidency), but it was symbolic of America's departure as the global leader.

To MAGA, they celebrate this because most of them are individualistic, shortsighted, cruel, and STUPID.

They do not understand that Vance sided against Europe to stand with Russia. That NATO now is making plans to treat us as a failed nation, and we have alienated Canadians so much that they are unified in boycotting all American made products. Even the Kingdoms of Saudi Arabia and Jordan have had to distance themselves from Trump due to his promises to ethnically cleanse Gaza.

We are not respected by the world. We are not exhibiting military leadership or strength. In fact, Hegseth said that no one should expect that from us. NO MORE. We are alienating the democratic world and aligning with authoritarian dictatorships such as North Korea, Russia, and Hungary.

I heard the US Hockey team was playing "Dream On" after winning against Finland, and I am absolutely astounded by the collective stupidity in that fucking locking room. If only they possessed a miniscule amount of intelligence with the ability to engage with messaging, then they'd understand that we're the bad guys in this particular movie. In a decade, there will be Finnish, Swedish, German, Swiss, and Canadian teams celebrating the defeat of the global threat that is the United States of America. But, alas, they are fucking STUPID.

Rich. But fucking STUPID.

They are too STUPID to realize this alienation has bigger consequences on their little sport.

Let's try a thought experiment. Just a lil one.

If Canada has unified to stop buying American products and its citizens are preparing for invasion, do you think there will exist a NHL with both Canadian and American teams? Cuz that kinda thing leads to division. Like the Canadian Hockey League and the American Hockey League. Do you think they'll still want an American serving as Captain for a Canadian team? Whilst our countries are in a cold war?

Oh, and babes, this government not only promised to commit war crimes such as ethnic cleansing and extrajudicious executions, but they also said they ain't gotta follow the Constitution.

That's all to say that the United States ain't gonna be in no 2026 Winter Olympics. We lose that right to compete with other democratic nations if Trump proceeds with his cruel & inhumane agenda, y'all voted for that, so y'all celebrate that 4 Nations game win. Cuz that might be the last time y'alls lil group have reason to celebrate 🥳.

We are also likely to lose the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. Ain't no way Canada or the UK or Denmark or Sweden will send their WOMEN, TRANS, and NON-BINARY ATHLETES to a country where they would not receive adequate health care. Ain't no way those countries allow such a rogue state to host such diplomacy.

But DREAM ON, lads. DREAM ON.

[coimbrabertone]

I Guess We Gotta Talk About Andretti...

So, I've been rather negative when it comes to modern F1 on this blog, and unfortunately, we gotta go there again this week.

So, this week, at Indycar's Long Beach Grand Prix - which turned into a pretty good race at the end - Mario Andretti was interviewed when it comes to his son, Michael's, bid to bring Andretti to Formula One as an eleventh team.

Mario, the 1978 Formula One World Champion, said that he's offended and finds it ridiculous that F1 has rejected the application, that Andretti has worked hard to create a deal with GM, has promised to support drivers in F2 and F3, and that value is added to Formula One by having an eleventh team. Basically, Andretti has met every hurdle that FOM has put ahead of them, and what have the FOM and the teams done in turn?

The teams are trying to get a ten-team limit put into the new Concorde Agreement.

Do I think that Andretti would instantly fix all my problems with modern F1? No.

Do I think F1 would be more interesting with another team? Yes.

Why? Because first of all, so many drivers have been stuck on the outside because there's too few seats in F1. Felipe Drugovich is doing fuck all this season because he couldn't get an F1 drive as a runaway F2 champion. Theo Pourchaire, the next F2 champion, is about to do his second Indycar race this weekend with Arrow McLaren. Mick Schumacher, Callum Ilott, and Robert Shwartzman are all in sports cars after super promising F3 and F2 careers. Marcus Armstrong is in Indycar, Louis Deletraz in IMSA, etc, etc.

Even Oscar Piastri, who has one of the most successful junior careers of recent memory, had to take a year off and ended up debuting with McLaren instead of Alpine.

All of these guys who could have F1 seats are instead doing amazing things in other series. Meanwhile, Lance Stroll has an Aston seat because his dad owns the team, Yuki Tsunoda has an Alpha Tauri seat because Honda wants a Japanese driver, and Daniel Ricciardo is his teammate for reasons that even Red Bull seems puzzled about at this point.

Adding two seats in F1 could improve that situation.

At least one of those seats would likely go to an American, and maybe Logan Sargeant has soured some people's tastes towards that, but hey, if you're going to have three races in the US, you're gonna need American talent to help support that interest.

Haas sure as hell isn't doing a good job of being an American team. Hell, Haas isn't doing a good job of much of anything. They have no ambition, they have two safe, boring, older drivers who will score a few points every once in awhile and let the team collect its prize money check at the end of the season. There's nothing exciting about that, Haas isn't going to have some young charger to breathe life into the back of the grid, Haas isn't going to master the 2026 regulations and give some amazing Brawn storyline, they don't even make their own cars - they have Dallara do it.

Andretti is going to have more ambition than that, I can guarantee that if nothing else. Andretti has three full time cars in Indycar, a bunch of cars in Indy Lights, two cars in IMSA in association with Wayne Taylor Racing, and is potentially laying the groundwork for a move into NASCAR as well.

Marco Andretti is in Trucks while Gainbridge, a major investor in Andretti, has been popping up on the Spire cars, along with rumors that Gainbridge and Andretti wanting to buy into the team.

All of this along with a share in an Australian Supercars team, a Formula E team, and Extreme E. They're a global team that isn't afraid to spend money. They're trying to win championships in series across the world.

F1 doesn't think all of that is good enough.

Why? Because that would mean the teams have to split money eleven ways instead of ten. That's it. That's the entire reason.

Paddock space? Space for twenty-six cars is written into the rules.

Value added? Look at all that stuff above, Andretti isn't coming to F1 to fuck around, and even if it was, half the grid is doing the same thing.

It's all about the money.

As much as I fully believe Andretti is overqualified for F1, I almost want them to say fuck it and abandon F1, put the money into the rest of your series. Marcus Ericsson, Kyle Kirkwood, and Colton Herta are competitive each and every week in an Indycar series where being a few tenths off could put you at the back of the field. The #10 and #40 WTR Andretti cars in IMSA are major championship threats. Plus, if Andretti can get that Spire deal and get into NASCAR, that's a sport that's experiencing its own resurgence in popularity.

I know NASCAR is very much focused in the US but having 4.3 million viewers for Talladega this last weekend is four times the ratings that F1 pulls, and everyone's talking about how big F1 is becoming in the US. F1 is getting all these American sponsors and American races, but whenever it comes to letting more Americans into the sport, there's always this hostility.

Motorsports is more than just F1, and the more F1 turns up its nose at the rest of motorsports, the more it alienates fans like me.

Which is a damn shame, because F1 was my first love in motorsports.

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

Solar Orbiter ready for close encounter with Venus

The European Space Agency (ESA) is ready to guide the ESA/NASA Solar Orbiter spacecraft through its closest encounter with Venus so far.

Today's flyby will be the first to significantly "tilt" the spacecraft's orbit and allow it to see the sun's polar regions, which cannot be seen from Earth.

Studying the sun's poles will improve our understanding of solar activity, space weather, and the sun-Earth connection.

Closer to Venus than ever before

Since launch in 2020, Solar Orbiter has carried out a number of gravity assists at Earth and Venus to gradually shrink its orbit and bring it closer to the sun, but never before has it come as close to a planet as it will today, 18 February 2025.

At 21:48 CET, the spacecraft will pass within just 379 km of Venus. For comparison, astronauts aboard the International Space Station orbit Earth at an average altitude of 408 km.

"Getting so close to the planet allows us to use its gravity to significantly change the spacecraft's orbit without using much fuel," says ESA Flight Dynamics expert Julia Schwartz.

"The planets in our solar system orbit the sun in the same roughly flat plane. Today's encounter with Venus will use the planet's gravity to significantly 'tilt' Solar Orbiter's orbit with respect to that plane. This will grant Solar Orbiter a much better view of the sun's polar regions, which cannot be seen from within the plane."

Future Venus flybys, such as the one in December 2026, will further tilt the spacecraft's orbit and enable high-resolution imaging of the sun's entire polar regions.

From its unique orbit, the mission will help us refine our understanding of solar activity and improve our ability to safeguard technology on Earth from powerful solar outbursts and erratic space weather.

Cool under pressure

Passing so close to Venus presents a number of challenges for the team at ESA's European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) in Germany. Precise calculations and minor course corrections are necessary before and after the flyby to keep the spacecraft on track.

"The flyby has been carefully planned to get close enough to Venus to get the most out of the encounter while keeping the spacecraft safely above the planet's atmosphere to avoid it experiencing drag," says Sam Bammens from the Solar Orbiter Flight Control Team.

However, Solar Orbiter will still be bathed in the thermal radiation emitted by the planet as it passes.

"We expect Solar Orbiter to heat up significantly during the flyby. To prepare for this, the team carried out a detailed simulation of the heating effect of the Venus gravity assist maneuver. Several parts of the spacecraft will experience a significant temperature increase, but all components will stay well within their design limits."

"For a few of us in the control team, it is our first flyby. During the planning, we learned a lot about what it takes to navigate the solar system, and we are very excited for tonight."

Cloudy with a chance for science

During the maneuver, Solar Orbiter will continue to point its "front"—its instruments and, more importantly, its heat shield—towards the sun to keep the spacecraft safe. That means it won't be able to point any of its cameras towards Venus and its cloud tops during the flyby, but it is still an opportunity to gather some scientific data.

Unlike Earth, Venus lacks a global magnetic field to interact with the charged particles of the solar wind. However, a layer of its atmosphere known as the ionosphere interacts with the solar wind in unique ways.

Solar Orbiter's Magnetometer and Radio and Plasma Waves sensors will be switched on as the spacecraft passes Venus to record the planet's magnetic and plasma environment. The data they collect will contribute to ongoing research on how the solar wind affects planetary atmospheres beyond Earth.

ESA at Venus

Solar Orbiter is not the only ESA mission visiting Venus this year. ESA's Juice spacecraft, en route to Jupiter to explore its icy moons, will also fly past the planet in August.

Solar Orbiter and Juice will pass Venus just 194 days apart—that's less than one day on Venus, which lasts 243 Earth days. The frequent visits highlight the planet's important role as a waypoint for ESA's interplanetary voyagers.

However, while Solar Orbiter and Juice are making just brief visits to Earth's neighbor, for some ESA missions, Venus is the final destination. From arrival in 2006 until the end of the mission in 2014, ESA's Venus Express studied the planet's atmosphere and clouds in detail and mapped its surface temperature.

Looking ahead, ESA's Envision is set to launch in the early 2030s. Envision will be the first mission to provide a comprehensive view of Venus from its inner core to its upper atmosphere. In doing so, it will help scientists determine how and why, despite starting off similar, Venus and Earth evolved in such different ways.

IMAGE: Solar Orbiter's instruments. Credit: European Space Agency

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Cows remain the untraceable victims of Amazon deforestation

The Legal Amazon’s six meatpacking plants authorized to export beef to the European Union have done little or nothing to adapt to the requirements in the EU Deforestation Regulation, issued by the economic bloc, which will take effect this year on December 30. A new Radar Verde study, shared with SUMAÚMA, shows that none of the exporters – Agra Agroindustrial de Alimentos, JBS, Marfrig Global Foods, Minerva, Naturafrig Alimentos, and Vale Grande Indústria e Comércio de Alimentos (Frialto) – implemented systems capable of controlling 100% of indirect suppliers, that is, the farms selling or transferring cattle from the Amazon region to other properties or intermediaries. Only Marfrig had already begun mapping its indirect chain, with 63% of the meatpacking plants at all of the companies included in the study controlling direct suppliers.

These companies, located in the state of Mato Grosso, have eight meatpacking plants and a total daily slaughter capacity of 5,870 animals. They have just been given extra time to, in practice, keep buying meat from deforested areas. That is because a group of 17 countries, including Brazil, have taken up exporter lobbying and asked to delay regulations that would stop the destruction of forests from being approved by European consumers.

By extending the timeline to implement the European Union’s Deforestation Regulation, each exporter will be able to continue operating in a region where at least 100,000 hectares are exposed to the risk of deforestation. For an idea of what this number represents, imagine tens times the entire area of the city of Paris. Now multiply this area by each of the six meatpacking plants. This is the potential devastation to the forest that could still be jointly caused by these companies in their meat production chains if strict control measures are not taken. Radar Verde’s estimate is conservative and considers meatpacking plants’ area of operation.

On October 2, the European Commission introduced a proposal agreeing to hold off the Deforestation Regulation until 2026, bringing benefits to cocoa, coffee, palm oil, natural rubber, timber, and soybean exporters as well. Large producers, like the meatpacking plants, were given 12 additional months to adapt to the new standards, while small producers have at least 18 more months. Just one symbolic European Parliament vote is needed to approve this decision, which had already cleared the Council of the European Union on October 16. The European Parliament’s vote is set for November 14.

Radar Verde‘s unprecedented study on European Union exports looked at data collected in 2023. The project, which was supported by O Mundo que Queremos and the Amazon Institute of People and the Environment, gives consumers and financial sources insight into which meatpacking plants are in control of and transparent about their production chains, that is, whether or not they contribute to deforestation in the forest region.

“What we’re seeing is an ecosystem of leniency to guarantee that meat contaminated by deforestation continues to be exported,” says Paulo Barreto, an associate researcher at the Amazon Institute of People and the Environment. He says that this system involves everyone from the people deforesting to farms operating in illegal areas and, obviously, up through the meatpacking plants buying their products, financial backers who claim to be committed to solutions, and the government itself, which doesn’t always act with due transparency.

Continue reading.

[trump-executive-orders]

America First Trade Policy

Issued January 20, 2025.

Section 1. Background. In 2017, my Administration pursued trade and economic policies that put the American economy, the American worker, and our national security first. This spurred an American revitalization marked by stable supply chains, massive economic growth, historically low inflation, a substantial increase in real wages and real median household wealth, and a path toward eliminating destructive trade deficits.

My Administration treated trade policy as a critical component to national security and reduced our Nation's dependence on other countries to meet our key security needs.

Americans benefit from and deserve an America First trade policy. Therefore, I am establishing a robust and reinvigorated trade policy that promotes investment and productivity, enhances our Nation's industrial and technological advantages, defends our economic and national security, and -- above all -- benefits American workers, manufacturers, farmers, ranchers, entrepreneurs, and businesses.

Sec. 2. Addressing Unfair and Unbalanced Trade. (a) The Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury and the United States Trade Representative, shall investigate the cause of our country's large and persistent annual trade deficits in goods, as well as the economic and national security implications and risks resulting from such deficits, and recommend appropriate measures, such as a global supplemental tariff or other policies, to remedy such deficits.

(b) The Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall investigate the feasibility of Establishing and recommend the best methods for designing, building, and implementing an External Revenue Service (ERS) to collect tariffs, duties, and other foreign trade-related revenues.

(c) The United States Trade Representative, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Commerce, and the Senior Counselor for Trade and Manufacturing, shall undertake a review of, and identify, any unfair trade practices by other countries and recommend appropriate actions to remedy such practices under applicable authorities, including, but not limited to, the Constitution of the United States; sections 71 through 75 of title 15, United States Code; sections 1337, 1338, 2252, 2253, and 2411 of title 19, United States Code; section 1701 of title 50, United States Code; and trade agreement implementing acts.

(d) The United States Trade Representative shall commence the public consultation process set out in section 4611(b) of title 19, United States Code, with respect to the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) in preparation for the July 2026 review of the USMCA. Additionally, the United States Trade Representative, in consultation with the heads of other relevant executive departments and agencies, shall assess the impact of the USMCA on American workers, farmers, ranchers, service providers, and other businesses and make recommendations regarding the United States' participation in the agreement. The United States Trade Representative shall also report to appropriate congressional committees on the operation of the USMCA and related matters consistent with section 4611(b) of title 19, United States Code.

(e) The Secretary of the Treasury shall review and assess the policies and practices of major United States trading partners with respect to the rate of exchange between their currencies and the United States dollar pursuant to section 4421 of title 19, United States Code, and section 5305 of title 22, United States Code. The Secretary of the Treasury shall recommend appropriate measures to counter currency manipulation or misalignment that prevents effective balance of payments adjustments or that provides trading partners with an unfair competitive advantage in international trade, and shall identify any countries that he believes should be designated as currency manipulators.

(f) The United States Trade Representative shall review existing United States trade agreements and sectoral trade agreements and recommend any revisions that may be necessary or appropriate to achieve or maintain the general level of reciprocal and mutually advantageous concessions with respect to free trade agreement partner countries.

(g) The United States Trade Representative shall identify countries with which the United States can negotiate agreement on a bilateral or sector-specific basis to obtain export market access for American workers, farmers, ranchers, service providers, and other businesses and shall make recommendations regarding such potential agreements.

(h) The Secretary of Commerce shall review policies and regulations regarding the application of antidumping and countervailing duty (AD/CVD) laws, including with regard to transnational subsidies, cost adjustments, affiliations, and "zeroing." Further, the Secretary of Commerce shall review procedures for conducting verifications pursuant to section 1677m of title 19, United States Code, and assess whether these procedures sufficiently induce compliance by foreign respondents and governments involved in AD/CVD proceedings. The Secretary of Commerce shall consider modifications to these procedures, as appropriate.

(i) The Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Senior Counselor for Trade and Manufacturing, in consultation with the United States Trade Representative, shall assess the loss of tariff revenues and the risks from importing counterfeit products and contraband drugs, e.g., fentanyl, that each result from the current implementation of the $800 or less, duty-free de minimis exemption under section 1321 of title 19, United States Code, and shall recommend modifications as warranted to protect both the revenue of the United States and the public health by preventing unlawful importations.

(j) The Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce and the United States Trade Representative, shall investigate whether any foreign country subjects United States citizens or corporations to discriminatory or extraterritorial taxes pursuant to section 891 of title 26, United States Code.

(k) The United States Trade Representative, in consultation with the Senior Counselor for Trade and Manufacturing, shall review the impact of all trade agreements -- including the World Trade Organization Agreement on Government Procurement -- on the volume of Federal procurement covered by Executive Order 13788 of April 18, 2017 (Buy American and Hire American), and shall make recommendations to ensure that such agreements are being implemented in a manner that favors domestic workers and manufacturers, not foreign nations.

Sec. 3. Economic and Trade Relations with the People's Republic of China (PRC). (a) The United States Trade Representative shall review the Economic and Trade Agreement Between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the People's Republic of China to determine whether the PRC is acting in accordance with this agreement, and shall recommend appropriate actions to be taken based upon the findings of this review, up to and including the imposition of tariffs or other measures as needed.

(b) The United States Trade Representative shall assess the May 14, 2024, report entitled "Four-Year Review of Actions Taken in the Section 301 Investigation: China's Acts, Policies, and Practices Related to Technology Transfer, Intellectual Property, and Innovation" and consider potential additional tariff modifications as needed under section 2411 of title 19, United States Code -- particularly with respect to industrial supply chains and circumvention through third countries, including an updated estimate of the costs imposed by any unfair trade practices identified in such review -- and he shall recommend such actions as are necessary to remediate any issues identified in connection with this process.

(c) The United States Trade Representative shall investigate other acts, policies, and practices by the PRC that may be unreasonable or discriminatory and that may burden or restrict United States commerce, and shall make recommendations regarding appropriate responsive actions, including, but not limited to, actions authorized by section 2411 of title 19, United States Code.

(d) The Secretary of Commerce and the United States Trade Representative shall assess legislative proposals regarding Permanent Normal Trade Relations with the PRC and make recommendations regarding any proposed changes to such legislative proposals.

(e) The Secretary of Commerce shall assess the status of United States intellectual property rights such as patents, copyrights, and trademarks conferred upon PRC persons, and shall make recommendations to ensure reciprocal and balanced treatment of intellectual property rights with the PRC.

Sec. 4. Additional Economic Security Matters. (a) The Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense and the heads of any other relevant agencies, shall conduct a full economic and security review of the United States' industrial and manufacturing base to assess whether it is necessary to initiate investigations to adjust imports that threaten the national security of the United States under section 1862 of title 19, United States Code.

(b) The Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce, the United States Trade Representative, and the Senior Counselor for Trade and Manufacturing, shall review and assess the effectiveness of the exclusions, exemptions, and other import adjustment measures on steel and aluminum under section 1862 of title 19, United States Code, in responding to threats to the national security of the United States, and shall make recommendations based upon the findings of this review.

(c) The Secretary of State and the Secretary of Commerce, in cooperation with the heads of other agencies with export control authorities, shall review the United States export control system and advise on modifications in light of developments involving strategic adversaries or geopolitical rivals as well as all other relevant national security and global considerations. Specifically, the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Commerce shall assess and make recommendations regarding how to maintain, obtain, and enhance our Nation's technological edge and how to identify and eliminate loopholes in existing export controls -- especially those that enable the transfer of strategic goods, software, services, and technology to countries to strategic rivals and their proxies. In addition, they shall assess and make recommendations regarding export control enforcement policies and practices, and enforcement mechanisms to incentivize compliance by foreign countries, including appropriate trade and national security measures.

(d) The Secretary of Commerce shall review and recommend appropriate action with respect to the rulemaking by the Office of Information and Communication Technology and Services (ICTS) on connected vehicles, and shall consider whether controls on ICTS transactions should be expanded to account for additional connected products.

(e) The Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce and, as appropriate, the heads of any other relevant agencies, shall review whether Executive Order 14105 of August 9, 2023 (Addressing United States Investments in Certain National Security Technologies and Products in Countries of Concern) should be modified or rescinded and replaced, and assess whether the final rule entitled "Provisions Pertaining to U.S. Investments in Certain National Security Technologies and Products in Countries of Concern," 89 Fed. Reg. 90398 (November 15, 2024), which implements Executive Order 14105, includes sufficient controls to address national security threats. The Secretary of the Treasury shall make recommendations based upon the findings of this review, including potential modifications to the Outbound Investment Security Program.

(f) The Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall assess any distorting impact of foreign government financial contributions or subsidies on United States Federal procurement programs and propose guidance, regulations, or legislation to combat such distortion.

(g) The Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall assess the unlawful migration and fentanyl flows from Canada, Mexico, the PRC, and any other relevant jurisdictions and recommend appropriate trade and national security measures to resolve that emergency.

Sec. 5. Reports. The results of the reviews and investigations, findings, identifications, and recommendations identified in:

(a) sections 2(a), 2(h), 3(d), 3(e), 4(a), 4(b), 4(c), 4(d), and 4(g) shall be delivered to me in a unified report coordinated by the Secretary of Commerce by April 1, 2025;

(b) sections 2(b), 2(e), 2(i), 2(j), and 4(e) shall be delivered to me in a unified report coordinated by the Secretary of the Treasury by April 1, 2025;

(c) sections 2(c), 2(d), 2(f), 2(g), 2(k), 3(a), 3(b), and 3(c) shall be delivered to me in a unified report coordinated by the United States Trade Representative by April 1, 2025; and

(d) section 4(f) shall be delivered to me by the Director of Office of Management and Budget by April 30, 2025.

Sec. 6. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this memorandum shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(b) This memorandum shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

(c) This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

[justinssportscorner]

Paul Tenorio at The Athletic:

Major League Soccer is considering overhauling its calendar, flipping to a fall-spring season with breaks in the summer and winter, multiple sources briefed on the league’s discussions tell The Athletic. MLS executives and owners have been weighing the changes to the calendar, which they believe will help maximize the league’s participation in the global transfer market, among other benefits. The hope is for the league to institute the changes as early as the summer of 2026 coming out of the World Cup.

MLS executive vice president of sporting product and competition Nelson Rodriguez told The Athletic it is still “too soon” to know if MLS will institute changes or what those changes could be. “We have been engaged, really, since January, and it’s been very extensive and exhaustive and deliberate,” Rodriguez said. “It’s still too early. We’re still asking questions. We’re still collecting and analyzing some data. We’re still formulating models. Some of those models are for formats themselves, some of those models are how to assess the information that we get.” A change would certainly impact MLS’ competition in the American sports calendar. The MLS Cup playoffs, which started this week, are up against the MLB playoffs, college football and the NFL, as well as the NBA, college basketball and NHL regular seasons. Under the new calendar, the playoffs would likely be played in April and May, with most of the competition coming from the Stanley Cup playoffs and the start of the MLB season.

[...]

Why make changes?

Altering the schedule could have multiple benefits from a competitive standpoint, from syncing up the league’s transfer windows with the European calendar to maximizing the visibility of the playoffs in the American sports calendar. The vast majority of global transfer business is done in the summer window. That currently falls in the middle of the MLS season, which creates conflicts for teams hoping to buy and sell players — a problem that has been felt more acutely as MLS teams have become more active in the international market. Teams that want to sell players in the summer, when they are at their highest value, must weigh losing some of their best players in the middle of the season with little time to replace them. The MLS and Leagues Cup schedule also means summer signings arrive with fewer than 10 games left in the regular season. Sporting directors looking to buy players during the summer window have also complained that the U.S. summer window closes too early to fully leverage the market. With the MLS window closing before most European windows are shut, teams often find that players want to wait to see all of their options and it causes MLS teams to lose out on potential signings. MLS clubs essentially cannot benefit from the dominos that fall later in the transfer window.

[...]

How would the schedule change?

With the changes, the MLS season would begin, like most European leagues, in early August. The first portion of the schedule would run through mid-December before taking a winter break, likely around five weeks long. The season would resume in early February and run through the spring, with MLS Cup in late May. A schedule change would flip the MLS playoffs and MLS Cup to a less crowded portion of the American sports schedule. A warm-weather MLS Cup, with less competition from other sports leagues, is certainly appealing to all. A fall-spring calendar would also mean that MLS, like the rest of the world, would pause the season during all FIFA international windows, which would be a welcome change for most teams and players.

“The playoffs are the most valuable piece of real estate in a league season, and playoffs that would be spring or summer suggests a different dynamic,” Rodriguez said. “It starts with (the fact that the) weather is closer to optimal for all 30 clubs, your stadium conflicts are a little bit less, competition with other North American sports is different and you’re more aligned with at least the European rhythm of football. So, those are factors. They also come with their own sets of tradeoffs.” The league is also weighing the possibility of organizing teams into divisions instead of conferences and playing part of the schedule as intra-conference and intra-divisional play only, with playoff spots on the line. The second half of the season would then help determine full-season playoff seeding and spots.

What are the drawbacks?

The league would no longer play from around June 1 through July 15 and it would replace those weeks of games with games from early November through mid-December. That might be welcomed by fans in cities like Dallas, Orlando, Miami, Houston and Austin, but it would be difficult for markets like Toronto, Chicago, Minnesota, Salt Lake City, Montreal and New England, which see the summer months as their most attractive and profitable weeks of the season.

[...] There are other hurdles to figure out, as well. The Leagues Cup is currently played for one month in the middle of the summer, interrupting the regular season. MLS is weighing different formats and timing for the Leagues Cup that would fit into this new calendar, including potentially playing the tournament in January and February with teams in pods in warmer-weather locales like California, Texas and Florida. The league would also have to determine how the U.S. Open Cup and Canadian Championship fits into the new calendar, though MLS pulled back its participation in the Open Cup this season. These issues could end up holding up the calendar switch. The league previously held discussions on a potential change in competition format in 2013 and 2014, but opted not to make a change. With the World Cup around the corner, however, discussions about the calendar now feel like they have real momentum — though Rodriguez cautioned it was simply too soon to know.

The MLS could possibly change to the fall-spring calendar the majority of the world uses.

[geminimoonmadness]

Bare with me, I know it’ll be a lot to take in but do take what you can from this explanation

For beginners- All these astrological bodies effect us as a collective, anyone with similar placements in their chart to a transit or have an aspect to these planets will be effected more then people who don’t. You can look back in history to see common trends of how these transits play out.

My explanation:

Saturn is discipline, lessons, karma. It’s in Pisces as of March this year till 2026, anyone with a Pisces Saturn will be going through their Saturn return which is intense in itself… You go through it when you’re roughly 28-30 years old - so looking back at the last time Pisces was in Saturn, (1993-1996) it was when video games and scary movies were being shunned by the media due to having an influence on people acting out homicides, etc. Also Trainspotting, Kurt kobain and drug addiction became a more normalised phenomenon (Pisces is the ruler of illusion, drugs and escapism) this Saturn in Pisces we might see more drugs becoming legal world wide, also lessons around empathy and compassion.

Pluto is renewal, transformation, the taboo & can be quite dark. Pluto will be in Aquarius until 2043..

Aquarius is the sign of progress, the collective and has a unique, some may call it weird, rebellious vibe. Life as we know it will be a thing of the past…Transformation of rules and social norms will be seen. I’ve also heard lots about Aliens which isn’t far fetched as Aquarius is the ‘alien sign’. Worldwide changes in science, technology, and space travel would not be surprising to see while Pluto is in Aquarius, but, more importantly, we’ll see profound shifts in civil rights and humanitarianism.

Pluto was last in Aquarius from 1778- 1798, This was a period in history that saw the industrial revolution, the French revolution, first vaccine created, slave trade, and the ratification of the US constitution.

North Node is your true calling, what you need to learn in this life (it’s opposite to the south node which is your past life & traits that come naturally) karma, fate & destiny are all NN themes. The North Node in Aries will invoke acceleration, innovation, passion, and drive. The South Node in Libra (completely opposite the north node) represents alignment, justice, and collaboration. The Aries-Libra axis is a fine line between independence and dependence. This will bring a significant focus on taking charge and creating a healthy sense of direction. It’s all about being centred within yourself as opposed to paying attention to the others.

Jupiter is growth, blessings, luck and optimism. Jupiter’s time in Pisces has brought with it grim prophecies for climate change and global conflict; it’s become cliché to complain about the end of the world. Count on Jupiter in Aries to deliver us new heroes, artists, and visionaries who’d rather build a better world than complain about the old one. The energy will be “stop commenting and start creating”. Aries was last transiting Jupiter in 2010-2011, here we saw bad biddies like nikki Minaj and lady Gaga take the spotlight with songs such as ‘born this way and pink Friday’. And lastly Jupiter moving into Taurus will be focused on worth & money. It’ll bring protests, possible unionization of Uber, Amazon and Starbucks workers.

You’ll notice from May 2023, some people will fight for what they deserve, others will stretch their entitlement past breaking point.

2023 will not be an easy year for us but we will definitely see a shift/change in our world…

Copyrights reserved © geminimoonmadness

[kicksaddictny]

Reebok Sets the Stage for Basketball Comeback with WNBA Collaboration

Reebok, the iconic sportswear brand, is officially stepping back into the basketball spotlight with a groundbreaking multi-year partnership with the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). As an authorized footwear supplier for the league, Reebok aims to bring fans closer to the game through inspiring content and collaborations with WNBA stars, including Reebok athletes Angel Reese (Chicago Sky) and Lexie Brown (Los Angeles Sparks).

"The WNBA continues to grow with iconic brands," said Colie Edison, WNBA Chief Growth Officer. "Reebok’s partnership will help us elevate women’s basketball to new heights while inspiring the next generation of players and fans."

This collaboration aligns with Reebok’s mission to reclaim its place in sports culture, a vision championed by Basketball Division executives Shaquille O’Neal and Allen Iverson. O’Neal emphasized the brand’s commitment, saying, "With the WNBA’s support, we’re ready to dive in headfirst, delivering everything from innovative products to empowering partnerships."

Reebok’s resurgence in basketball includes notable milestones like Angel Reese’s debut collection, Reebok by Angel, and the release of the “Engine A” performance basketball shoe. Reese, a rising star and fashion icon, has extended her partnership with Reebok through 2026, with a signature sneaker release on the horizon.

"Reebok has been an incredible advocate for women in sports," Reese said. "Together with the WNBA, we’re setting a powerful example for the next generation of female athletes."

Reebok’s history in women’s basketball runs deep, from creating shoes for women in the 1980s to sponsoring historic collegiate teams and WNBA legends like Rebecca Lobo. With this partnership, the brand reinforces its dedication to empowering the game on a global scale.

Stay tuned for more updates by following @Reebok and @WNBA on Instagram.

[reasoningdaily]

Another Black woman has made history. Dr. Kenvi Phillips is the director of the Barack Obama Presidential Library, the first of its kind to be fully digital.

According to People Of Color In Tech (POCIT), Phillips began her inaugural role on June 16, putting her in charge of all the programs and activities at the library—virtually, of course. As the Obama Foundation decided not to construct a physical building to host the traditional establishment, its records, with approximately 95% already made digitally, are now being kept in this virtual forum.

While this innovative project is new, Phillips’ career is rich with its own history. The two-time Howard University graduate is no novice in library and archival management.

Not only has she served as the director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) at Brown University Library, but Phillips has also devoted her time and leadership to her alma mater’s Moorland-Spingarn Research Center. The center hosts the largest amount of resources and documents on the global Black diaspora.

With over two decades of experience, Phillips is a beacon of representation and proficiency for this groundbreaking role. Archivist of the United States, Dr. Colleen Shogan, shared her excitement about the appointment in a press release.

“I am excited Dr. Phillips is joining the National Archives as the Director of the Barack Obama Presidential Library. With her extensive experience in libraries and archives and her passion for public history, she will be an excellent steward for our archival and artifact collections and public engagement work,” said Shogan in May. “As the Director of the first digital presidential library in our system, Kenvi will help shape a new course for how we think about access to, and engagement with, the stories and decisions that helped shape our nation.”

The Obama Foundation CEO Valeria Jarrett also emphasized Phillips’ storied history in archiving materials.

“Her strong experience in archives and collections will help make the digitized records a great asset that will be available to everyone, everywhere, including historians, researchers, educators, and students,” explained Jarrett. “We look forward to continuing to work with the National Archives as they provide access to these historic records, and we look forward to displaying artifacts from the Obama Presidential Library in the Foundation’s Obama Presidential Museum, which we will open on the South Side of Chicago in Spring 2026.”

While making history herself, Phillips will offer her leadership and expertise to promote Obama’s legacy through these collections.

[fenmere]

@girldragongizzard worldbuilding: The effects of the dracomorphosis

We need to sit down and decide just what happens to the world due to the dracomorphosis, if we intend to write further in the series. Especially if we start jumping ahead in future years.

Clearly, the dracomorphosis is the most obvious point at which our fictional world diverges from the Real World AU. But we've worked out some events that predate that, too. And the Artists have existed since the beginning of the planet. But this is all to say, we have given ourselves license to change a lot.

spoilery stuff:

Up until August of this year (2024) everything seemed to be going the way it has been going in the Real World AU, including the Trump v.s. Harris presidential race and the genocide of the Palestinians (and all the other genocides around the world).

Meghan talks about this a little in her books.

---

Here are the rules we given ourselves to work with:

The Earth is a plural system with a collective identity that most of us cannot fathom or communicate with, even though we're all members in it.

The dracomorphosis is supposed to be a change for the better, from the Earth's point of view. It is a reaction to the sixth mass extinction, with the goal of priming evolution.

The dracomorphosis has been altered by humanity to become something that could save humanity from the looming global disasters (and from themselves).

Rhoda, being the Bellweather/Lucid Dreamer, has made a proclamation that her life should not be interrupted by anyone's bullshit any more. This itself pushes the direction of global events in a particular direction of not creating problems that effect her.

Fairport is a bubble of lesser conflict, thanks to the Fenverse.

None of the above are perfect factors, and there are still plenty of events that stand out or contradict these trends or motives. There's pushback from people in power who are losing it.

---

Some of the effects of this:

The galvanizing effect of having neighborhood dragons has resulted in record election turnouts globally. This means that in the U.S., there's a blue wave and we avoid a Trump presidency. It also means that mass protests pick up again, and cannot be quelled by the police.

The fact that there are more dragons among the populace of any culture and country than amongst the governments means that people have more power to fight for and protect their own rights in a variety of ways. Especially since it turns out that an adult dragon who knows what they're doing is often a match for a military vehicle.

There are some dragons in the militaries and police forces of the world, but they get targeted fairly quickly by the rest of the dragons.

Meanwhile, many governments try to control dragons legally by folding them into the laws. Some new laws are passed, but also a lot of that decision making ends up being in favor of dragons being citizens and having their own rights.

Some dragons do find themselves going to court. Or, at least, having outstanding warrants.

What this means for Meghan and her child:

Meghan owes taxes and can still qualify for SNAP and Medicaid.

By the end of 2026, Medicaid and Medicare cover veterinarian care for dragons.

Meghan has to register the hatching her child and fill out a birth certificate. This happens before the new sex marker of "D" is established, so her child gets an "X" first. This can lead to a heated discussion about whether gender markers should even exist.

Meghan has to fill out a birth certificate that doesn't accommodate the diverse lineage and parentage of a dragon, listing herself as mother, and Rhoda as father, even though the only fathers her child has are Joel and Anurak. All the other parents are either mothers or non-binary parents.

Meghan's child has to go to school, or be home schooled, and by the time she's old enough to go to school there are a handful of dragon schooling programs.

Meghan, being in Fairport and close to Rhoda, has avoided all the worst legal pitfalls so far.

Meghan's child is going to have to reconcile her own instinctual drive to set out and find her own territory at an early age with the governmental classification of being a child and needing to stay with her parents and go to school.

[nuadox]

Buzzing insights: Tracking bees with robotic flowers and hive sensors

- By Anthony King , Horizon -

Think of wildlife tracking and what probably comes to mind are documentaries following the majestic movements of elephants through the savannah, the graceful migrations of sea turtles in the deep blue and the prowling of big cats in dense jungles.

Yet, in the grand tapestry of nature, one creature that’s vital to the ecosystem but less in the spotlight can be found gently toiling away: the humble bee. Researchers are keeping a watchful eye on these buzzing wonders in a unique effort to understand their behaviour and ensure their survival.

Big buzz 

Bees pollinate 80% of all flowering plants, including more than 130 types of fruits and vegetables. Unsung heroes of the natural world, bees and other pollinators are responsible for up to €‎550 billion a year in global food production. 

‘We need to understand better how bees move and pollinate plants,’ said Dr Mathieu Lihoreau, a behavioural ecologist at the University of Toulouse. 

Cut to a farm outside Toulouse, the southern French city better known as the location of bigger winged objects: Airbus planes. 

But this is no ordinary farm. It’s an experimental site with, for example, no real flowers. Bumblebees and honeybees will be released into the fields – spread over 25 hectares – and tracked while flying to robotic flowers to taste a sugary reward. 

The experiment is part of a research project that received EU funding to improve understanding of how bees forage and interact. Lihoreau leads the project, which is called BEE-MOVE and runs for five years until the end of September 2026. 

He will trace dozens of bees simultaneously with a radar as they navigate around hundreds of robo-flowers set out in the fields. Knowing why bees buzz off in a certain direction can help improve crop pollination, conserve wild bee populations and save some rare plant species. 

Captivating creatures

While Lihoreau has always been fascinated by animal behaviour, as a student he pictured himself observing whales in the Pacific Ocean or primates in African jungles. But then as a young scientist he became captivated by much smaller creatures after joining a laboratory that studied ants. 

His attention now is on how bees navigate and make decisions as they seek nectar and pollen, orienting themselves using the sun, landscape features and even other bees. Because they collect food for themselves and harvest nectar and pollen for their colony, bees memorise the landscape. 

Research suggests bees can even have emotions and doubts, detect electric fields and count. 

‘I’m fascinated by them,’ Lihoreau said. 

In total, there are around 20 000 bee species and wild bees are critical for a healthy ecosystem. They’re vital assistants in the reproduction of plants by carrying pollen from one flower to another. 

Previously, researchers used large and expensive harmonic radars to track an antenna placed on the back of an individual bee. This allowed scientists to follow the bee as it weaved its way around a meadow, searching for flowers before returning home. 

But following just one bee gives merely a sliver of insight into what’s going on. Honeybees live in hives of thousands of worker bees and bumblebees reside in nests with dozens or hundreds. 

How bees act as a team or make efficient foraging decisions in the company of other pollinators are open questions.

Radar tracking

The BEE-MOVE radar will do its tracking without any of the bees having antennas. It uses the same technology as reversing sensors on cars, sending out energy waves to detect objects by bouncing off them. 

Lihoreau said that, to his knowledge, this is the first time such a radar has been used in ecology.

‘I want to show bees do not move randomly in the environment and to understand the rules that guide their sophisticated foraging,’ he said. 

The radar will track honeybees and bumblebees separately as they fly to the robo-flowers and then together. The planned robotic plants are small metal containers that recognise individual tagged bees as they alight on a platform and allow them in to sup sugar water.

Eventually, Lihoreau wants to investigate the effect on bee behaviour of adding contaminants like pesticides to the sugar water. 

Pesticide threats

Pesticides, including insecticides, used against pests like aphids are often neurotoxins.

‘Bees are in danger because they forage on plants that we treat with pesticides and then they feed on neurotoxins,’ said Lihoreau. 

The European Food Safety Authority said in 2018 that neonicotinoid insecticides pose a threat to wild bees and honeybees. Neonicotinoids are suspected of scrambling the bees’ navigation systems. 

Everything that bees learn when navigating a meadow, garden or cityscape is retained. This may ultimately leave them particularly vulnerable to neurotoxins. 

‘Because they have this tiny brain, probably every neuron is important,’ said Lihoreau. 

In agriculture, healthy bees are crucial for good yields in crops such as strawberries and almonds. 

‘Orchards hire beekeepers to bring in hives, but they need numerous healthy bees,’ said Dr Joao Encarnacao, a sensor expert at Irideon, a technology company in the Spanish city of Barcelona. 

Hive sensors 

If a hive is unhealthy, it can’t pollinate enough flowers and the fruit crop is reduced. But a farmer will become aware of a shortfall in pollinators only when it’s too late.

Encarnacao leads an EU-funded project – iPollinate – positioning sensors on hives to report real-time foraging of honeybees. The tracking technique relies on artificial intelligence and multiple coin-sized sensors placed on the hive. 

The information can be used by an orchard owner to spotlight the healthiest bee colonies or to learn the best locations for hives.

‘You get metrics that show you how productive the beehives are for pollination,’ said Encarnacao. ‘So far, nobody has enough information to know how to optimise things like the placement or the orientation of beehives, yet this might be the difference between having good pollination and bad.’

The project, which is due to end in December 2023 after three years, aims by then to have built a prototype of the sensor system. The plan is for the service to be available to commercial partners of the project in 2024.

The sensors have been tested in onion seeds in France and Israel, in berry fruit in countries including France, Spain and Portugal and in almonds and sunflowers in the US state of California. 

Californian almonds are a key target for iPollinate because about 2.5 million beehives are routinely set out across more than 500 000 hectares of almond groves – a big commercial opportunity for anybody who can improve pollination and, by extension, the harvest. 

Both iPollinate and BEE-MOVE highlight the crucial links between bees and the ecosystem as a whole, reinforcing the need to tackle biodiversity loss driven by human influences including pollution. 

‘Bees are on the frontline of an ecological crisis,’ said Lihoreau of BEE-MOVE. 

Research in this article was funded by the EU via the European Research Council (ERC). The views of the interviewees don’t necessarily reflect those of the European Commission.

This post Buzzing insights: tracking bees with robotic flowers and hive sensors was originally published on Horizon: the EU Research & Innovation magazine | European Commission.

--

Read Also

The first global map of bee species

[priyankashares]

Breaking Boundaries: How Metaverse Development Companies are Shaping the Future

In today’s fast-paced digital world, the idea of the Metaverse has transformed from a mere fiction into a real and engaging space that is set to revolutionize how we interact with technology. Leading the charge are the metaverse development companies, who are shaping the future. They are pushing limits, questioning norms, and building the groundwork for a future where the lines between the real and virtual worlds fade away.

The metaverse has become a hot topic, grabbing the attention of tech experts, investors, and fans. It’s a virtual reality world where people can interact with 3D environments and each other, opening up endless opportunities and exciting possibilities.

“In January 2023, Google saw about 1.9 million searches worldwide for the word ‘metaverse’.”

With the rising popularity of the metaverse, there’s a growing demand for companies specializing in metaverse development to build and manage these virtual worlds.

Creating immersive and lifelike environments is crucial in metaverse development. This involves a strong grasp of technical and creative elements to create virtual worlds that feel real. A Metaverse development company needs a skilled team capable of everything from 3D modeling and animation to programming and interface design, ensuring captivating user experiences.

In this article, we’ll discuss the importance of metaverse development and the key role played by Metaverse Development Companies in shaping this advanced digital world.

What Is Metaverse?

The Metaverse is a collective virtual shared space, created by the convergence of virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), the internet, and other emerging technologies. It’s essentially a digital universe where users can interact with each other and digital objects in real-time, often through avatars.

The concept originated from science fiction but is now becoming a reality with the advancement of technology. It’s envisioned as a persistent, immersive, and interconnected virtual world with limitless possibilities for socializing, gaming, business, education, and much more.

Important Statistics Showing the Metaverse’s Success:

By 2027, the global metaverse market is projected to expand at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 47.2%, from $61.8 billion to an impressive $426.9 billion.

In the metaverse, real estate worth over $500 million has already been sold.

Nearly 400 million users actively engage with the metaverse every month.

The metaverse is currently under active development by over 500 companies.

Research predicts that by 2026, at least 25% of people will spend at least one hour daily in the metaverse, whether for work, shopping, education, or entertainment.

Why are new entrepreneurs investing in metaverse development companies?

Let’s explore how metaverse developers can assist businesses in various ways:

Creating a unique virtual world

Metaverse development companies help businesses in creating a unique and captivating virtual environment. They contribute to designing its appearance, integrating interactive features, and programming functionalities to enhance user immersion and enjoyment, ultimately setting them apart from competitors.

Building a social platform

Metaverse development companies can assist entrepreneurs in constructing a social platform within their virtual world. This platform enables users to interact and form communities, fostering a sense of belonging and community spirit. Such initiatives often result in increased user engagement and loyalty.

Generating revenue from the virtual world

Metaverse experts can aid entrepreneurs in monetizing their virtual world using strategies like in-world advertisements, virtual currencies, and other monetization methods. This approach can generate income for the entrepreneur and establish a sustainable business model for their virtual world.

Technical Support

Metaverse experts can assist entrepreneurs with technical support for maintaining, updating, and troubleshooting their virtual world. This support allows entrepreneurs to focus on community building and monetization efforts without worrying about technical issues.

Creating Networking Opportunities

Metaverse developers can facilitate networking for entrepreneurs by connecting them with other professionals in their industry or potential investors. This networking can significantly contribute to the growth of their business.

Fostering Innovation

Metaverse developers aid entrepreneurs in staying at the forefront of technology and innovation. This support enables entrepreneurs to remain competitive and attract new users.

Therefore, a metaverse development company can assist entrepreneurs in establishing and sustaining a thriving virtual world that appeals to users and generates revenue. They offer comprehensive services covering technical and creative aspects, enabling entrepreneurs to concentrate on expanding their businesses and communities.

How Metaverse Development Companies are Shaping the Future?

Metaverse development companies are driving a significant shift across industries, leveraging cutting-edge technology to redefine how we experience and interact with the world. Let’s explore how these companies are shaping tomorrow’s world today.

Real Estate

Virtual property tours have become a game-changer in the real estate industry, with a staggering 49% increase in sales attributed to these immersive experiences. These tours allow potential buyers to explore properties remotely, providing a comprehensive view of the space without the need for physical visits. Enhanced visualization tools further augment this experience, enabling buyers to customize virtual spaces and visualize potential renovations or designs. As a result, decision-making processes are streamlined, leading to quicker transactions and a 30% reduction in time-to-sale.

Healthcare

Metaverse development companies are making significant strides in healthcare by leveraging virtual reality (VR) technology. VR therapy sessions, for instance, have shown remarkable results, with a 65% improvement in patient outcomes compared to traditional therapy methods. Telemedicine platforms powered by the Metaverse enable healthcare providers to conduct virtual consultations, reaching and serving remote patients effectively. Furthermore, training simulations using VR technology are enhancing medical education and skills development among healthcare professionals.

Education

The education sector is witnessing a transformational shift with the integration of Metaverse technology. Immersive learning experiences within virtual environments have led to a remarkable 78% rise in student engagement. Virtual classrooms break down geographical barriers, providing students worldwide with access to quality education and expert instructors. Interactive simulations offer hands-on learning opportunities, facilitating better understanding and retention of complex concepts across various subjects.

Gaming

Metaverse development companies are at the forefront of revolutionizing the gaming industry. Virtual worlds created by these companies offer unparalleled levels of immersion and social interaction for gamers. In-game economies driven by virtual currencies are fostering a new wave of virtual commerce and entrepreneurship. The rise of eSports tournaments within the Metaverse has attracted millions of viewers and lucrative sponsorships, cementing gaming as a major entertainment and economic force in the digital realm.

Fashion

Fashion is embracing the Metaverse with innovative experiences such as virtual try-on sessions. These experiences not only reduce returns but also enhance customer satisfaction by allowing individuals to visualize how clothing and accessories look on them before making a purchase. Digital fashion shows hosted in virtual environments are expanding the reach of designers and brands globally, democratizing access to fashion events. Additionally, the use of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) is revolutionizing ownership and authenticity within the fashion industry, creating new avenues for creators and collectors alike.

Finance

Metaverse development companies are reshaping the financial landscape through virtual banking and investment platforms. These platforms offer personalized experiences tailored to individual financial needs and goals. Blockchain technology, integral to the Metaverse, ensures secure and transparent transactions, enhancing trust and efficiency in financial services. Metaverse assets, including virtual real estate and digital collectibles, are becoming valuable investment opportunities and diversification tools for individuals and institutions alike. Each of these industries showcases how Metaverse development companies are driving innovation, improving experiences, and shaping the future of business and interaction.

Conclusion

As the metaverse evolves and captures the interest of people and businesses, Metaverse Development Companies play a vital role. They act as the creators of the virtual world, blending various technologies to craft immersive, connected, and socially engaging digital experiences. With the rising need for metaverse development, partnering with a trusted Metaverse Development Company is crucial for those aiming to lead in this transformative digital era. Embracing the metaverse now opens doors to endless possibilities in the future.

ibentos is a leading Metaverse Development Company renowned for its innovative approach and expertise in creating dynamic virtual environments. With a focus on cutting-edge technology and user-centric design, Ibentos empowers entrepreneurs to unlock the full potential of the metaverse, from building captivating virtual worlds to implementing revenue-generating strategies. For those ready to embark on their metaverse journey and harness the power of this digital frontier, partnering with Ibentos ensures access to top-notch development solutions and industry-leading expertise. Take the first step towards a vibrant metaverse presence with Ibentos today!

Source: https://ibentos.com/blogs/breaking-boundaries-how-metaverse-development-companies-are-shaping-the-future/

[earaercircular]

Climate Angels should wear Prada

The pressure on luxury labels is growing. They must meet the expectations of eco-conscious Generations Y and Z and face an EU challenge to greenwashing. A visit to Prada.

Even the name sounds promising: Valvigna[1], valley of the vines. In the middle of Tuscany, right on the Autostrada del Sole, is the third "garden factory" of the fashion label Prada. The 33,000 square meter plant expresses a humble respect for nature. 980 vines entwine, following the genius loci: shady pergolas. 8,700 climbing plants make as well facades green, as atriums and even the sky-high glass roof of the canteen, 74,000 ground cover plants spread out in beds, 29,000 bushes ensure that the factory is harmoniously embedded in the spring-like hilly landscape near Arezzo[2]. This is where the productive heart of the Milan luxury group beats. And that is at first glance: incredibly green.

Three weeks ago, far away in Berlin, a different picture came to mind. Climate activists sprayed the shop window and logo of the Prada store on Kurfürstendamm[3] with the signal colour orange. The Italian fashion brand's flagship store was vandalized beyond recognition. "We can't afford the rich anymore," read the signs of the Last Generation[4]. Their colour attack was probably more against the status symbols of wealth than against the manufacturer. But the protest hits Prada and the whole industry in a sore spot.[5]

The pressure on European luxury labels is growing. On the one hand, they have to meet the expectations of their climate-conscious customers from generations Y and Z, whose influence is rapidly increasing globally. On the other hand, the European legislators require the fashion industry to adapt to increasingly strict EU guidelines in terms of sustainability. Brussels no longer wants to be satisfied with declarations of intent and insists on real progress. This is a declaration of war on the greenwashing[6] that is widespread in all sectors of the economy.

In addition, the climate issue for the fashion world is very fundamental. Can an industry that thrives on constantly arousing new desires go green at all? Is expensive luxury fashion sustainable just because it rarely ends up in the dustbin and more and more often in hip resale shops?

Lorenzo Bertelli, 35, sees Prada on the right path towards environmentally friendly production. In a light gray slim-fit suit and a casual shirt, the designated corporate heritage leads through the bag factory in Valvigna. This son of Miuccia Prada and Patrizio Bertelli, who took over the leather goods store founded in Milan in 1913 and transformed it into a globally coveted fashion brand with 612 of its own stores and 24 factories, has been Head of Marketing since 2019 and has been responsible for sustainability since 2020. In a few years he is to replace his parents at the top of the group and lead one of the few still independent luxury companies in Italy into the future.

Today, the dark-curly Prada offspring has to ensure that the family business sharpens its profile in a climate-friendly manner. The Milan label is trying to adopt a more transparent sustainability strategy and catch up with the pioneers in the industry.

The flagship project is green nylon

"We want to be the engine of change," says Bertelli, who lives out his passion for horsepower as a rally driver, but drives electrically in everyday life. He points to initial successes. The company's greenhouse gas emissions were reduced by 34 percent in 2022 compared to 2019, already exceeding the target of 29.4 percent set for 2026. "Our strong growth allows us to accelerate the process," he says. Two thirds of the electricity used across the Group comes from renewable sources. Four years ago, fur was completely banned from the collections of Prada and the young brand Miu Miu. In 2019, Prada was the first fashion company to take out a loan of 50 million euros, the interest rates of which are linked to the fulfilment of sustainability goals.

Lorenzo Bertelli scores particularly well with a flagship project: It's called Re-Nylon[7] and gets a lot of praise. Because it's not marketing. Rather, it ties in with the breakthrough of the mother 35 years ago.

When Miuccia Prada sent her first collection down the Milan catwalk in 1988, the granddaughter of the master of fine leather accessories shocked the fashion scene with a black nylon backpack.

Can a piece made of water-repellent, functional fabric even be considered a luxury? And how! The nylon satchel made of cheap synthetic fibre made from petroleum conquered wealthy customers and became a cult object. Miuccia's backpack was the perfect anti-statement of traditional luxury. The designer became the darling of a generation that wanted to break away from the classic status symbols. The sales success of the minimalist sack was the reason for Prada's rise to become a cool global brand. Nylon became a trademark of Prada.

Two years ago, the company completed its move away from the dirty stuff. Since 2021, Prada has only used 100 percent recycled synthetic fibres from old fishing nets, carpeting and other textile waste. The luxury group now processes more than 1 million meters of green nylon a year for its clothing, shoes and bags. The material was developed by the Italian chemical company Aquafil[8]. The pioneer from Arco on Lake Garda saves 90 percent of climate-damaging CO2 emissions in the production of regenerated Econyls and also eliminates mountains of nylon waste from the world. Bertelli says: "For Prada, Re-Nylon is a milestone on the way to the circular economy".

In this way, the loop was closed for his family. In 1988, when Miuccia Prada celebrated her brilliant debut, she also gave birth to her son Lorenzo. The 35-year-old has now made her avant-garde nylon cool again.

The decision was made at Prada at a critical moment. In 2019, the company turned around after a five-year weak phase that saw the label lose its shine and suffered a decline in sales and profits. The Renaissance succeeded. In 2022, Prada experienced the best financial year in its history. A record turnover of 4.2 billion euros was achieved, one billion more than in the pre-Covid year 2019. In the first three months of this year, turnover increased by 22 percent. The Miu Miu brand even increased its store sales by 42 percent. The shoe brands Church's and Car Shoe also belong to the group.

For the young Bertelli, business success is the prerequisite for his sustainability strategy. "My first thought in the morning is for the 13,768 employees whose salary I have to guarantee," he says in Valvigna. That's why the Re-Nylon project is so important. It brought many young customers into the Prada stores, he says. "Re-Nylon proves that sustainability pays off".

In other areas, however, Bertelli hesitates. For example leather goods. The issue is gaining in importance as awareness of the environmental impact of leather manufacturing and concerns about animal husbandry grow. And because leather, which accounts for the majority of raw material consumption at Prada, has a particularly large carbon footprint among the materials used in fashion. Other luxury manufacturers are experimenting with leather-like materials that come from the laboratory rather than from a slaughterhouse[9]. Bertelli doesn't think the market is ready for this yet. "Consumers still want real leather," he says.

That doesn't sound very ambitious. Because in order to achieve its own sustainability goal, Prada must now reduce its absolute emissions of climate killers, including emissions caused externally by the supply chain, by 42 percent by 2029. While until now the environmental impact has been reduced in-house, Prada now has to address emissions that are beyond its direct control and are therefore far more difficult to influence. Example: procurement of raw materials. There is no plan yet on how to achieve this goal. The fact that Bertelli recruited reinforcements at the beginning of the year made one sit up and take notice. He recruited the experienced sustainability manager Chiara Morelli from the French luxury group Kering, which is considered the industry leader in climate protection.

Its industrial strength should also help the glamorous group. In the chic garden factory in Valvigna, where 770 employees work, not only are all the bag collections designed and developed through to the production of the prototypes. Patrizio Bertelli, 77, also controls the other 23 factories of the group from here. Ever since he and his wife turned the outdated family brand into the world-famous "The Devil Wears Prada" label, Bertelli has relied on the company's vertical integration.

At the age of 18, the Tuscan already owned a small leather business. For decades, he was ridiculed in the industry for his factory weakness. Now the competing brands of the luxury groups LVMH[10] and Kering[11] are copying it. In a race to secure the technical know-how, all fashion houses are now expanding their own production in Italy or taking on contract manufacturers. Starting from a high level, Prada is now investing a further 130 million euros in the expansion of its own factories in two years. 30 percent of the goods are already produced there. The control should now support the tour de force in environmental protection. "Our industrial model is a strong accelerator of the sustainability strategy," says Lorenzo Bertelli.

He also knows that there is still a long way to go before (climate) Angels wear Prada. And: The luxury industry cannot push itself. Prada's gross operating profit was 78 percent of sales last year. So there is no shortage of money. "If you have more, you should also do more," says Bertelli.

Source

Ulrike Sauer, Klima-Engel sollen Prada tragen, in: Süddeutsche Zeitung, 15-5-2023; https://www.sueddeutsche.de/wirtschaft/prada-nachhaltigkeit-luxus-mode-italien-recycling-1.5861212

[1] In the garden factory of Valvigna, Tuscany, architecture explores the uncontaminated relation between constructions, rigour of design and freedom of natural elements. The restoration of a damaged environment and the mitigation of the impact of buildings on landscape are the priority.  The industrial headquarters in Valvigna hosts the production division and the development of the Prada and Miu Miu leather goods collections, the warehouses for raw materials, the historical archives of the leather goods and footwear collections, the offices for general services and industrial administration, an auditorium, systems areas and the Prada Group. https://www.pradagroup.com/en/perspectives/stories/sezione-luoghi/valvigna.html

[2] Arezzo is a city and commune in Italy and the capital of the province of the same name located in Tuscany. Arezzo is about 80 kilometres southeast of Florence at an elevation of 296 metres above sea level. As of 2022, the population was about 97,000.

[3] The Kurfürstendamm is one of the most famous avenues in Berlin (sometimes called Ku'damm in short). The street takes its name from the former Kurfürsten (prince-electors) of Brandenburg. The broad, long boulevard can be considered the Champs-Élysées of Berlin and is lined with shops, houses, hotels and restaurants. In particular, many fashion designers have their shops there, as well as several car manufacturers' show rooms.

[4] The Last Generation (German: Letzte Generation) is a group of climate change activists. Their civil disobedience methods, such as desecrating artworks or blocking roads, often generate public outrage. In 2022, the group performed 276 road blockades in Germany. In Rome, they threw soup at a van Gogh painting behind glass, called The Sower. In Potsdam, they threw mashed potatoes onto a Monet painting. None of the artworks they attacked were damaged. The group was formed by participants of the 2021 Hungerstreik der letzten Generation which had blockaded highways in Berlin. They chose their name to signal that Earth is approaching climate tipping points, and that their generation is the last one that can prevent climate collapse.

[5] Read also: https://www.tumblr.com/earaercircular/681528665945915392/verbose-and-empty-this-is-how-you-distinguish?source=share

[6] Read also: https://www.tumblr.com/earaercircular/712601625867567104/only-really-green-can-be-called-green?source=share & https://www.tumblr.com/earaercircular/706325269171060736/half-of-environmental-claims-companies-make-are?source=share

[7] The Prada Re-Nylon collection is a groundbreaking evolution of the brand’s most recognisable signifier, nylon - an emblem of Prada’s distinct viewpoint on modern luxury, an industrial beauty, and contemporary life for more than four decades. https://www.prada.com/it/en/pradasphere/special-projects/2020/prada-re-nylon.html

[8] Since 1965, the Aquafil Group has been a pioneer of the circular economy and a landmark in terms of quality and product innovation for Italy and the globe. We primarily manufacture Nylon 6 fibres and polymers but also Nylon 6.6 and Dryarn. Our flagship product is ECONYL® nylon, which revolutionizes the world of synthetic fibres through a closed-loop model. Today, Aquafil remains a leader in the research of new production systems for sustainable development. https://www.aquafil.com/the-group/

[9] Read also: https://www.tumblr.com/earaercircular/667203430752894976/swiss-watch-industry-aims-for-circular-watches?source=share

[10] LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (commonly known as LVMH), is a French multinational holding and conglomerate specializing in luxury goods, headquartered in Paris. The company was formed in 1987 through the merger of fashion house Louis Vuitton (founded in 1854) with Moët Hennessy, which was established following the 1971 merger between the champagne producer Moët & Chandon (founded in 1743) and the cognac producer Hennessy (founded in 1765).In 2023, with a valuation of $500 billion, LVMH became the most valuable company in Europe.

[11] Kering is a French-based multinational corporation specializing in luxury goods. It owns the brands Balenciaga, Bottega Veneta, Gucci, Alexander McQueen and Yves Saint Laurent. The timber-trading company Pinault S.A. was founded in 1963, by François Pinault. After the company was quoted on Euronext Paris in 1988, it became the retail conglomerate Pinault-Printemps-Redoute (PPR) in 1994, and the luxury group Kering in 2013. The group has been a constituent of the CAC 40 since 1995. François-Henri Pinault has been president and CEO of Kering since 2005. In 2020, the group's revenue reached €13.1 billion.