04-15-2025IMPACT The threats—and subsequent pauses in funding—to some of the top U.S universities have become an unprecedented tool for the Trump administration to exert influence on college campuses in December 2024 [Photo: AP Photo/Steven Senne BY Associated Press Harvard University is the latest in a growing list of higher education institutions that had its federal funding targeted by the government in order to comply with the Trump administration’s political agenda The series of threats—and subsequent pauses in funding—to some of the top U.S. universities have become an unprecedented tool for the administration to exert influence on college campuses Six of the seven universities impacted are Ivy League schools President Donald Trump vowed to pursue these federal cuts on the campaign trail last year, saying he would focus on schools that push “critical race theory, transgender insanity, and other inappropriate racial, sexual, or political content.” Public school systems are targets for cuts too Here’s a look at which universities have been pressured by the administration’s funding cuts so far The administration announced its antisemitism task force would conduct a “comprehensive review” of the Massachusetts university on March 31 The government was set to review nearly $9 billion of federal grants and contracts The administration issued its list of demands to Harvard in a letter on April 3. The demands included a ban on face masks, limitations on campus protests and a review of academic departments’ biases those demands were expanded to include leadership reforms admission policy changes and stopping the university’s recognition of certain student organizations Then, on Monday, the university’s president, Alan Gerber, refused to comply saying in a letter that the university “will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights.” the administration announced it froze more than $2.2 billion in grants and $60 million in contracts to the university The White House announced last week that it froze more than $1 billion of Cornell’s federal funding The administration said the freeze came as it investigated alleged civil rights violations at the university The New York university was among a group of more than 60 universities that received a letter from the Education Department on March 10 urging them to take steps to protect Jewish students or else face “potential enforcement actions.” The Defense Department issued more than 75 stop-work orders for research but that the federal government hadn’t confirmed if the total funding freeze totaled $1 billion Northwestern also saw a halt in some of its federal funding last week The Illinois university did not receive an official message from the White House on the freeze despite its cooperation with civil rights investigations according to Northwestern officials at the time University spokesperson Jon Yates said Northwestern’s scientific research was “at jeopardy” because of the freeze—a widespread issue for universities facing research cuts from the National Institutes of Health The Trump administration was anticipated to pause federal grants and contracts at Brown University because of the Rhode Island school’s response to alleged antisemitism on campus according to a White House official on April 3 The total was expected to be about $510 million in funding Dozens of research grants were suspended at Princeton University without a clear rationale according to an April 1 campus message from university president Christopher Eisgruber The grants came from federal agencies such as the Department of Energy Before the funding pause, Eisgruber had expressed his opposition to Trump’s threatened cuts at Columbia University in an essay in The Atlantic magazine He called the administration’s move a “radical threat to scholarly excellence and to America’s leadership in research.” the University of Pennsylvania saw funding cuts because of a transgender athlete who competed in Penn’s swimming program who is the first openly transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I title and graduated from the university in 2022 More than a month later, the White House announced the suspension of about $175 million in federal funding from the Defense Department and the Department of Health and Human Services The administration said the halt in funding on March 19 came after a separate discretionary federal money review The university said at the time that it wasn’t directly notified of the action Columbia University was the first major institution that had its funding singled out by the Trump administration At first, federal agencies declared they were considering stop-work orders for about $51 million of contracts with Columbia on March 3 Trump had also said on social media that schools that allow “illegal protests” would see funding cuts Last year, Columbia student protesters started a wave of campus demonstrations against Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. The protests led to tense face-offs with police at the New York City university and the arrests of more than 100 demonstrators who was later arrested and is at threat of deportation On March 7, the Trump administration canceled about $400 million of Columbia’s federal funding. Columbia took some action afterward, such as expelling and suspending some student protesters who occupied a campus building during demonstrations The university announced March 21 that it had agreed to make even more sweeping policy changes that the Trump administration had demanded The changes included placing the Middle East studies department under supervision hiring new safety personnel who can make arrests and banning face masks “for the purposes of concealing one’s identity.” The university also agreed to appoint a senior provost tasked with reviewing several international studies departments’ leadership and curriculum But following Harvard’s defiance of the Trump administration’s demands, Columbia’s acting president, Claire Shipman, had a new message Monday She said that while she agrees with some of the administration’s requests the university would reject “heavy-handed orchestration” that would “require us to relinquish our independence and autonomy as an educational institution.” Discussions were still ongoing between the federal government and Columbia as of Monday The final deadline for Fast Company’s Brands That Matter Awards is Friday, May 30, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Apply today. Fast Company & Inc © 2025 Mansueto Ventures Fastcompany.com adheres to NewsGuard’s nine standards of credibility and transparency. Learn More Home » Dutch frigate De Ruyter conducts first Tomahawk Test-Firing the Ministry of Defence of the Netherlands announced the successful completion of the first test-firing of the Tomahawk land-attack cruise missile from De Zeven Provinciën-class frigate HNLMS De Ruyter Air defense and command frigate HNLMS De Ruyter launched a Tomahawk missile yesterday This happened off the coast of the American city of Norfolk It was the first time a Dutch naval vessel fired this type of missile the Navy is gathering necessary information This is to eventually fire Tomahawks from the air defense and command frigates The Tomahawk long-range weapons allow the Navy to take out (strategic) targets deep inland from the sea anti-aircraft installations and enemy units The missiles have a range of more than 1,000 kilometers The weapon gives the Royal Navy additional combat power in cooperation with a Defense Department project team The decision to procure Tomahawk missiles was publicly made in April 2023 by the Dutch State Secretary for Defence as part of a “maritime strike” capability for the RNLN The procurement of Tomahawk cruise missiles with conventional payloads is made for the air defense and command frigates (LCF) and two of the four in-service Walrus-class submarines targeted an initial test launch with an LCF in 2024 but due to some delays shifted to 2025 The Tomahawk upgrade is scheduled to take place during their maintenance in the 2025-2029 period the launch depends on the delivery date of the TTL version of Tomahawk The Tomahawk capability will be installed across the navy’s four De Zeven Provincien-class frigates via the ships’ existing Lockheed Martin strike-length Mk 41 vertical launching systems (VLSs) Tomahawk Block IV has a longer range than its predecessors (well in excess of 1,000 miles) can be directed at a new target in mid-flight and can also beam back images of the battlefield to its launch platform The Royal Navy is the only foreign user of the missile to date and allied militaries have flight-tested the GPS-enabled Tomahawk 550 times and used it in combat more than 2,300 times Navy warships and submarines launched 66 Tomahawk missiles at Syrian chemical weapon facilities All Tomahawk Block IVs are being upgraded to Block V with longer range and dynamic targeting with the capability to hit vessels at sea (maritime strike role) Raytheon is recertifying and modernizing the missile and resulting in the new Tomahawk Block V series: Naval News brings you news coverage of the latest naval defense shows & events We are also reporting on naval technology from all over the world If you have questions regarding your subscription of European Security & Defence contact our subscriber service: after a boat carrying migrants from Turkey to a nearby Greek island capsized A search and rescue operation off the northern coast of the island of Lesvos recovered the bodies The coast guard said 23 people have been rescued Weather in the area was reported to be good and it was unclear what had caused the boat to overturn early Thursday morning There was no immediate information on the total number of people who had been on the boat A sea and land search and rescue operation was continuing an air force helicopter and a nearby boat searching for potential further victims Enter your information below to receive our weekly newsletters with the latest insights opinion pieces and current events straight to your inbox Complete your personal information for a more tailored experience for the best life sciences journalism in the industry it felt like a breakthrough — a moment of hope in the midst of yet another epidemic we have mpox vaccines that will be vital to combating the outbreak Yet these vaccines sit on shelves in wealthy nations far from where they’re most urgently needed Having cared for early cases during the 2022 outbreak I’ve seen firsthand the devastation this disease can cause To prevent this outbreak from becoming a pandemic must take urgent action to address global mpox vaccine inequities underscoring the continued importance of prevention through vaccination That steep cost is why mpox vaccines never reached Africa after the 2022 outbreak and it remains unclear how vaccine procurement will be funded now To prevent this outbreak from becoming a pandemic and to foster global health equity the United States must lead in addressing this crisis and facilitate vaccine production transfer to affected regions The gap between what’s needed and what’s available highlights persistent global vaccine inequities showing how little we’ve learned from the Covid-19 pandemic The interconnected nature of global health means neglecting health equity anywhere threatens health security everywhere Vaccines are just one component of a comprehensive package including diagnostics, therapeutics, and effective deployment systems necessary to fight the outbreak. Others might contend that addressing the vaccine shortage takes time. However, initiatives like Operation Warp Speed during Covid-19 show we can meet vaccine needs swiftly if prioritized Enhancing global vaccine equity is not just a moral imperative but a strategic investment in our long-term health security I’ll never forget the hope we all felt once Covid vaccines were distributed in the U.S That same hope can be realized globally if we act decisively now It’s time to bring mpox vaccines to the people of Africa who have for decades been at risk of this disease The choice is clear: Act now on vaccine equity or risk the consequences of a global mpox pandemic is an infectious diseases doctor at Harvard Medical School and a public voices fellow of the OpEd Project His work focuses on responding to epidemic infectious diseases and advancing global health equity Have an opinion on this essay? Submit a letter to the editor The smartest thinkers in life sciences on what's happening — and what's to come By Mario Aguilar By Megan Molteni By Daniel Payne By Helen Branswell Reporting from the frontiers of health and medicine The Dutch Ministry of Defence has announced preparations for the modernisation of De Zeven Provinciën-class (LCF) frigates Two out of the four LCF frigates will undergo upgrades in their air defence capabilities The work will be carried out in conjunction with scheduled major and dockyard overhauls planned between 2024 and 2029 The Dutch Ministry of Defence expects the ships to be out of service for approximately one and a half years during this period These ships will be equipped with the Raytheon ESSM Block 2 short-range missiles the RAMSys RIM-116 RAM missile launchers will be installed as part of the direct defence system The existing second-hand 127mm automatic guns OTO Melara Compatto originally from Canadian modernised Iroquois-class destroyers The two frigates not undergoing full modernisation planned for decommissioning in 2032 and 2033 will undergo refurbishments focusing on general ship equipment such as cooling systems Smaller electronic systems including navigation radars and communication systems will also be replaced The project will also encompass networks and computer systems This pair of frigates will retain the capability to use ESSM Block 1 missiles Cookie Policy Copyright © 2025 Defence Industry Europe | mady by: geekon.eu We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze how you use this website and provide the content and advertisements that are relevant to you These cookies will only be stored in your browser with your prior consent You can choose to enable or disable some or all of these cookies but disabling some of them may affect your browsing experience Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns tiny spacecraft called CubeSats can achieve things greater than what any lone spacecraft can ESA's call for ideas on breakthrough mission concepts for CubeSat swarms was widely answered with seven ideas now selected for further study the latest technology developments in inter-satellite communication fine movement control and navigation will allow up to tens of CubeSats to fly together in what’s called a swarm with spacecraft autonomously positioning themselves to fly in a close-knit formation or attaching themselves together to form a larger spacecraft (A swarm is different from a satellite constellation in which spacecraft fly in complementary orbits distributed globally CubeSats can really bring something new to the field," says CubeSat system engineer Camille Pirat "Teamwork allows a swarm to do more than what any collection of individual spacecraft can Europe has a lot to offer in this new approach to spaceflight!" The call was answered no less than 61 times Seven ideas were selected based on an evaluation by a panel of ESA experts and the relevant experience of the submission team He adds: "Each idea was evaluated separately and according to the same criteria To our pleasant surprise the seven ideas that made it through to the final round covered the full breadth of applications."  "These blue-sky mission proposals are exciting because they force us to develop new technologies and push the state of the art One of our tasks at ESA is to identify which technologies need developing and prioritise those so that they will be at a higher technology readiness level once the mission concept studies are complete," says Camille All swarms require a robust propulsion system providing fine movement control each individual mission proposal requires specific types of innovation to meet its unique needs a high-radiation environment which a standard CubeSat would struggle to reach and survive in there are strict rules in place to keep this popular orbit clean so the satellites must be safely removed from the orbit at the end of their lifespan The selected ideas are each given six months and funding from ESA up to €100 000 to perform a mission/system concept study. Based on the outcomes of these studies, the best mission concept will be awarded a session at ESA's Concurrent Design Facility together with ESA experts which may lead to an In-Orbit Demonstration (IOD) mission ESA hopes to launch the first swarm IOD missions by 2026 and have the first operational mission launched by 2029 the last of three defendants in the December 2010 murder of a sex offender from Oregon was sentenced to 15 years in prison Thursday after pleading guilty to one count of robbery Sanders entered his plea before District Judge Brad Underwood He had originally been charged with capital murder because the killing took place during the commission of another felony because he was 16 years old when the crime was committed initially intended to lure Brian Brinson to a location so he and a friend apparently because Brinson had touched him inappropriately when he gave Sanders a ride in his car near Monterey High School they decided to also rob Brinson because Sanders wanted money to visit his mother in Fort Worth Sanders wrote in his confession: "The plan was to beat up Bryan because the way he had touched me before Devante and I decided since we were going to beat him we might as well take his money I figured Bryan would have money on him and I needed sixty dollars to try and get back to Fort Worth so I could see my mom I assumed because Bryan was a white guy he would have money Devante and I did not want to kill anyone." Sanders told police he was walking home from Monterey High School about a month before the murder when Brinson asked him for directions to a barbecue restaurant Brinson grabbed Sanders' thigh and touched him on the chest In the written confession following his arrest Sanders told police that Brinson frequently sent him text messages asking for a meeting The two planned to only beat and rob Brinson But on the day they planned to ambush Brinson a man initially identified to police by the nickname "Black" showed up and insisted on going along "Black," who was later identified as Arenn Lamar Davis brought a gun and shot Brinson in the torso Police found Brinson slumped over the steering wheel of his Mercedes-Benz which was parked in front of the duplex where Sanders lived had been convicted in Oregon of sexually abusing a 14-year-old boy and of manslaughter in connection with the beating death of an 8-year-old girl He served prison sentences for both crimes leesha.faulkner@lubbockonline.com • 766-8706 Home » Royal Netherlands Navy’s HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën Frigate Tracks Ballistic Missile the new SMART-L Multi Mission/Naval radar can detects ballistic missiles up to 2,000 kilometers away The ship can then can pass on the tracking and detection data to other sea-based or land-defense BMD assets that can deal with a ballistic missile threat the new SMART-L simultaneously ‘sees’ threats in the airspace The Zeven Provinciën is able to protect a maritime squadron against anti-ship missiles fired from a distance For defense against projectiles outside the atmosphere They successfully destroyed a ballistic missile flying 14,000 kilometers per hour through space but based on the information provided by the SMART-L The Netherlands itself has no such missiles which is why a partner took out the ‘enemy’ projectile The Netherlands has been a leader in the field of radar for years the trajectory of a threatening projectile in space was calculated for the first time there was collaboration with the Americans to destroy the missile The Royal Netherlands Navy has 4 air defense and command frigates (LCF) of the De Zeven Provinciën-class The ships can protect a complete fleet from enemy threats from the sea and from the air (aircraft and missiles) Specialized in anti-aircraft warfare (AAW) vessel LCF vessels are fitted with 40x Mk41 Vertical Launch Systems which are used to house and launch Evolved Sea Sparrow (ESSM) and SM-2 Block IIIA missiles.  the ships are equipped to allow the deployable and operational command staff of the Royal Netherlands Navy to control large-scale (maritime) operations displacement: 6,050 tons     length: 144 meters     width: 17 meters     draft: 7 meters     speed: 30 knots the SMART-L MM is a next generation Long Range Multi Mission Radar for Air and Space Surveillance and Ballistic Missile Detection The fully digitally controlled Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) type of radar applying GaN transmitter and Dual Axis Multibeam receiver technology is capable of detecting a very wide variety of air and space objects including stealth short up to long range ballistic missiles and space objects The SMART-L MM is capable of surveillance and tracking of Ballistic Missiles up to 2000 km while simultaneous maintaining the Air Defence capability the MM variant replaces the existing SMART-L radars Home » Royal Netherlands Navy’s frigate ‘Zr.Ms This class of ships is also known as LCF (Luchtverdedigings- en commandofregat According to a Royal Netherlands Navy message posted on social media,The renovation took longer than usual because the LCF renovation program is a long term project the ship has a new versions of Thales Netherlands’ Smart-L radar and various deck modifications the first leg of the navigation course focused on safe navigation The ship and its crew showed that they could navigate safely and deal with the dangers of navigation such as: firefighting De Zeven Provinciën” is the first ship of this type to undergo this transformation The Dutch navy is now applying the lessons learned from its modernization to the modernization of the frigate “Zr.Ms.Tromp” LCF vessels are fitted with 40 Mk 41 Vertical Launch Systems which are used to house and launch Evolved Sea Sparrow (ESSM) and SM-2 Block IIIA missiles.  The De Zeven Provinciën-class consists of: commissioned 2002)     Zr.Ms commissioned 2003)     Zr.Ms commissioned 2004)     Zr.Ms The first-in-class ship received her SMART-L Multi Mission radar upgrade from Thales in March 2019 All four ships of the class will be upgraded with the new radar (and other systems) as part of a modernization programme This new radar is capable of BMD mission (surveillance and tracking of ballistic missiles) up to 2000 km while simultaneous maintaining the air defence capability The LCF mordernization effort includes other systems: Plans were announced in 2018 to acquire the BMD-capable SM-3 surface-to-air missiles (these plans still need to be confirmed) De Zeven Provinciën-class frigates can pass on the tracking and detection data to other sea-based or land-defense BMD assets On 3 May 2018 the Dutch Secretary of Defence, Barbara Visser, informed the Dutch national parliament that the Raytheon evolved sea sparrow missile (ESSM) aboard the De Zeven Provinciën-class frigates will be upgraded from block 1 to block 2 This upgrade will be completed by 2024 along with a new anti-ship missile (to replace the existing Harpoon) the Thales Goalkeepers CIWS will be upgraded to a new version They will eventually be replaced after 2025 by a new system The Dutch Defence Material Organisation (DMO) announced on April 20, that it has selected Italian company Leonardo to supply new 127mm naval gun systems for the Royal Netherlands Navy’s four De Zeven Provinciën-class LCF frigates The four gun systems would be delivered in the 2025-2026 time-frame and that local company Thales Netherlands will be in charge of their integration with the combat management system (CMS) of the frigates Home » Thales SMART-L MM Radar Installed on HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën Frigate HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën is the lead ship of her class (also known as LCF for Air Defense and Command Frigate) All four ships of the class will be upgraded with the new radar (and other systems) as part of the modernization programme the SMART-L MM is a next generation Long Range Multi Mission Radar for Air and Space Surveillance and Ballistic Missile Detection The fully digitally controlled Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) type of radar applying GaN transmitter and Dual Axis Multibeam receiver technology is capable of detecting a very wide variety of air and space objects including stealth short up to long range ballistic missiles and space objects Thales is also considering export prospects such as the German Navy’s three Sachsen-class air-defence frigates (F 124) for which a requirement for new BMD capable radars as been issues the upgrade of the French Navy’s two Horizon class air-defence destroyers the mordernization effort includes other systems: Plans were announced in 2018 to acquire the BMD-capable SM-3 surface-to-air missiles (these plans still need to be confirmed) The programme named “Frigates 127 mm gun replacement program” has a estimated value between 50 and 200 million Euros Both Leonardo and BAE Systems are expected to bid with their respective gun systems Home » Netherlands to upgrade only 2 LCF frigates with ESSM Block 2 Royal Netherlands Navy press release – Translation by Naval News Beginning in 2028, two of the four air defense and command frigates (LCF) will be equipped with improved air defense missiles and technologies Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) Block 2 missiles The original plan was to upgrade all four frigates with ESSM in 2018 but the plan was changed for various reasons Secretary of State Christophe van der Maat submitted this letter to the House of Representatives The primary mission of LCF is to defend an entire fleet against an airborne threat particularly with modern anti-ship missiles These are advanced weapons capable of several times the speed of sound and are also highly maneuverable The Dutch Navy’s current surface-to-air missiles are increasingly unable to counter this modern threat This is less of an issue for the ESSM Block 2 which is a contemporary surface-to-air missile designed for warships The missiles collaborate with the Active Phased Array Radar (APAR) but instead continually monitors the airspace with four units The APAR has a range of 150 kilometers and can concurrently scan and transmit the location of numerous targets to fire control The launched missile is guided to the target by the radar The new APAR is currently in development and will not be available until 2027. This will originally be developed for the new ASW frigates which will replace the M frigates by the end of this decade The (new APAR) radar was originally scheduled to be deployed in all four LCF the plan has been revised to outfit only two frigates rather than all four The key reason is that the installation of the new APAR radar has proven to be far more expensive than anticipated the ships need to undergo extensive maintenance Because two of the LCF have already completed the maintenance it would be inefficient to offer the new technology to these two LCF thereafter will not be available for a longer period of time twice within a few years The remaining two frigates (which will not receive APAR 2 modernization in the first batch) will be replaced beginning in 2034 spare parts for the current missile-firing systems It will be used for a longer period of time because it was agreed in 2019 to retain the LCF in service for a further five years This decision was made because the Ministry of Defense needed to free funds for real estate projects This was not factored into the spare part inventory Those components are now sourced from ships that will be upgraded in the future Although the costs are higher than expected the amounts projected for 2018 are unaffected requiring fewer ESSM Block 2 missiles in total The entire cost will range from €250 million to €1 billion displacement: 6,050 tons     length: 144 meters     width: 17 meters     draft: 7 meters     speed: 30 knots APAR Blk2 is the new X-band multi-function radar and successor of the proven APAR With true digital beamforming and gallium nitride amplifiers it defends in the highest threat scenarios against the latest evolving threats and unparalleled firepower with semi-active and active missiles APAR Blk2 defends against saturation attacks in the highest threat scenarios by supporting many simultaneous AAW and ASuW engagements with both active and semi-active guidance using ICWI Firepower is limited only by the rate of fire by the launcher ESSM and SM-2 have supported as well as ESSM Block2 and the future Standard Missile family using the JUWL datalink the first version of APAR is operational on the four “De Zeven Provinciën” class frigates of the Royal Dutch Navy three “Sachsen” class frigates of the German Navy and three Patrol Ships of the Iver Huitfeldt class of the Danish Navy semi-active radar-guided missile used in surface-to-air and surface-to-surface roles ESSM represents more than four decades of technology and design improvements by a 43-year international cooperative partnership composed of 12 nations 10 of which employ ESSM (and FMS to 3 countries: Japan the RIM-162 Evolved SeaSparrow Missile (ESSM) has a range of about 27 nautical miles (50 Km) and a top speed of Mach 4+ Block 2’s active radar homing seeker will support terminal engagement without the launch ship’s target illumination radars The improved ESSM Block 2 will be fielded by the US Navy from 2020 Home » DSEI 2023: De Ruyter To Be First Dutch Tomahawk Test-Firing Platform the Netherlands Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced its plan to procure the Raytheon Tomahawk SLCM from the United States The procurement comes as part of a wider Netherlands Armed Forces programme of building conventional deterrence and warfighting capability through adding long-range strike capacity to counter increasing insecurity across the Euro-Atlantic theatre and more widely According to the RNLN’s All Hands magazine, the Tomahawk capability will be installed across the navy’s four De Zeven Provincien-class frigates via the ships’ existing Lockheed Martin strike-length Mk 41 vertical launching systems (VLSs) in a planned round of upgrades taking place in the 2025-29 period Prior to this, in 2024 De Ruyter will conduct the first test firing. “The planning is there that we will be the first launching unit,” Lieutenant Commander Alex Haasnoot, the ship’s operations officer, told a media briefing onboard, during the Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) 2023 exhibition taking place at ExCel London from 12-15 September The ship is returning to operational service after a refit and upgrade period, and will be ready for operations in the first quarter of 2024. Work-up for and conducting of the Tomahawk test firing – which will take place at a US Navy (USN) range off San Diego California – is scheduled for the third quarter of 2024 “This is the first step in the whole programme to get [the Tomahawk capability],” Programme development will continue after the test firing It is not confirmed which of the four frigates will be first to receive an operational fit of the Tomahawk system A Tomahawk fit is one of a raft of capability upgrades the De Zeven Provincien-class frigates are receiving within a broad programme of mid-life upgrade work This work includes additional maritime strike/anti-ship missile (ASM) capability in the form of the Kongsberg Naval Strike Missile The current in-service variant of Tomahawk is the Block IV Tactical Tomahawk (TacTom) The next variant arriving off Raytheon’s production line is the Block V which adds ASM capability in the form of the Maritime Strike Tomahawk (MST) concept initial operational capability for Block V MST is scheduled for the first quarter of fiscal year 2025 The RNLN is set to become the third Tomahawk operator following on from the USN and the UK Royal Navy The Royal Australian Navy is set to follow suit The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force is also reported to be considering a procurement request The Dutch Tomahawk procurement is reviving a plan originally taken forward in 2005 when the Netherlands government announced the acquisition of 30 Tomahawks: however a change of government in 2007 saw that procurement plan cancelled A meningococcal disease outbreak in Florida has killed at least seven people and sickened 26 more The CDC is calling this deadly spread "one of the worst outbreaks of meningococcal disease among gay and bisexual men in US history." Health officials are urging people in Florida who may be at risk to go get vaccinated as soon as possible.  Specifically, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is recommending meningococcal vaccination to men who have sex with men and who live in or may be traveling to Florida "These people were hospitalized and underwent pretty intensive care," he said.  The agency is hoping to get the word out to all men who have sex with men in Florida to get vaccinated with the MenACWY vaccine as soon as they can "I don't think we should be shying away from explicit messages aimed at communities at risk about what they need to do to protect themselves," David Harvey head of the National Coalition of STD Directors which can help people get vaccines for free.  "The response has to be: community education and making sure that people are getting vaccinated," he said.  six of the deaths and 24 of the infections so far have been in gay and bisexual men who have sex with men Like monkeypox, meningococcal is not sexually transmitted, nor is it a gay disease it is a bacteria — Neisseria meningitidis — that is present in about 1 in 10 people at any time It can infect anyone who is in very close contact with an infected person or a carrier.  "People do not catch the bacteria through casual contact, or by breathing air where someone with meningococcal disease has been," the Florida Department of Health said in April "It requires close contact over a period of time or direct contact such as kissing or sharing drinks." This may be a big part of the reason why the illness has been disproportionately hitting certain demographic groups in Florida Crowe said that the two patients who've been identified in the outbreak who are not men who have sex with men actually "don't have direct links with any of the other cases," and that's not uncommon with this disease as there can be multiple rounds of transmission without any detection can cause death in as little as 24 hours after symptoms begin so preventing it through vaccination is the best medical public health intervention," Crowe said Meningococcal can infect the lining of the brain and spinal cord, causing meningitis This is how the bacteria kills people.  The most common early symptoms are high fever which typically present around three to four days after exposure.  "Symptoms can first appear as a flu-like illness, but typically worsen very quickly," the CDC said Other signs to watch out for include: nausea Meningococcal vaccines are already recommended for all teenagers in the US but if it's been more than 5 years since your last shot so check with your healthcare provider.  Other long term issues resulting from the illness can include deafness and some people may need multiple limbs amputated.  The CDC is working to identify people who may have been exposed in this outbreak and prescribe them antibiotics as a prophylaxis which Crowe said is very effective at preventing disease The agency is also doing some of its messaging in Spanish as 14 of the 26 cases so far have been in Hispanic individuals.  and the number of Pride events being held across the state in coming weeks it's important that gay and bisexual men who live in Florida get vaccinated and those traveling to Florida talk to their healthcare provider about getting a MenACWY vaccine," Dr who directs the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases Report a typo In most big cities, the average worker struggles to afford their own place Investors are chasing resilience, not dazzling returns By Donald Trump’s telling it did. The data suggest otherwise It is the most democratic region in the world. But people are increasingly fed up Ruling Could Put Brakes on Destructive Approach Despite the continued roar of chainsaws clearing the rainforest for soy fields and cattle herds there’s now a new glimmer of hope for the Brazilian Amazon Brazil’s Supreme Court boldly launched a review of seven environmental cases most involving petitions challenging the destructive policies of President Jair Bolsonaro’s administration On March 30, the Court began reviewing two cases on the government’s failure to reduce deforestation in the Amazon, which in 2021 reached its highest level in fifteen years The rest of the court will now determine whether it will confirm Justice Lúcia’s decision ordering the Bolsonaro administration to present concrete plans to reduce deforestation and restore the capacity of its environmental agencies. On April 6 Justice André Mendonça postponed a final decision by requesting more time to deliver his assessment The Court will also rule on five other cases on issues ranging from the participation of civil society in a key environmental fund to the role of Brazil’s Armed Forces in fighting deforestation it is positive that the Court’s “green docket” will allow it to review the consequences of specific environmental policies The rulings could determine the future of Brazil’s civilian environmental institutions – and the fate of the Amazon rainforest and its defenders Indigenous Community Facing Lack of Space and Rising Seas Plans Relocation Get updates on human rights issues from around the globe Human Rights Watch is a 501(C)(3) nonprofit registered in the US under EIN: 13-2875808 Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Alek Zeven is a distinguished figure in personal injury law with over 25- years of experience he has dedicated his legal practice to assisting individuals and families impacted by serious personal injuries Zeven has successfully navigated thousands of cases securing judgments and settlements in the millions for his clients His aggressive and resourceful approach in taking on powerful adversaries like insurance companies and large corporations has earned him an outstanding reputation within the legal community In this interview, Alek Zeven provides valuable insights into how to effectively deal with insurance companies during a personal injury case can you start by telling us what the most common challenges are when dealing with insurance companies in personal injury cases One of the primary challenges is that insurance companies are inherently motivated to minimize their payouts They employ various tactics to discourage claims and reduce the compensation they have to pay by denying that their insured is legally responsible for the harm then they will assert that the injuries and damages claimed are unrelated It’s crucial for victims to be prepared with strategies and tactics and understand that insurance companies are generally not on their side How should individuals prepare for negotiations with insurance companies It begins with gathering comprehensive documentation related to the injury It’s also important to understand the full extent of the damages including future medical needs and non-economic damages like pain and suffering Being well-prepared with a strong case can significantly strengthen one’s position in negotiations What strategies do you recommend for effectively communicating with insurance adjusters Before providing information to or communicating with insurance adjusters it is important to contact a lawyer and obtain a consultation concerning your incident and your rights Always review any written communication from the insurance company with your lawyer before responding At what point should someone consider getting an attorney involved I recommend consulting with a lawyer as soon as possible after an injury before answering any questions from an insurance company What you say or not say to anyone contacting you An experienced personal injury lawyer can take over the communications with the insurance company ensuring that your statutory rights and your rights under your insurance policy are protected A lawyer can provide a preliminary evaluation of your claim which is crucial early on in the handling of your claim What is the impact of state laws on personal injury claims and negotiations with insurance companies Each State is a separate jurisdiction with its own laws These State laws apply to your claim and can impact a claim for injuries and damages arising in that State State laws significantly impact the rights of personal injury claimants especially since each State has its own statutes of limitations depending on the type of claim you present the amount of compensation you receive can be reduced by the percentage of fault attributed to you in the incident Understanding the specific laws of your State is crucial and is something that a local personal injury lawyer will be adept at navigating How important is medical documentation in strengthening a personal injury claim Medical documentation is absolutely critical Medical records provide an insight to the nature and extent of your injuries which an insurer can evaluate for resolution of your claim it is vital to obtain your doctor’s entire chart can create real challenges to a personal injury claim What are some common mistakes people make when filing a claim with an insurance company Many folks experience stress and anxiety after an accident And it is quite natural to experience helplessness from shock caused by a life altering situation it is important to give your insurance company timely notice so that they can investigate the claim and tender benefits or assistance without delay it is important to consult an attorney before contacting anyone including one’s own insurance company in order to provide key information which can impact a claim How can claimants ensure their rights are protected throughout the claims process It’s vital to understand your insurance policy and the scope of coverage Claimants should also be wary of signing any documents or making recorded statements without legal advice Insurance companies can use these against the claimant to reduce the payout Engaging a personal injury attorney early can help safeguard your statutory and rights granted to you by your insurance coverage Can you explain the role of a personal injury attorney during negotiations with an insurance company A personal injury lawyer plays a critical role in leveling the playing field They have the experience and expertise to evaluate your claim and the positions taken by an insurance company towards you and your claim for damages Lawyers are also skilled in advocating for you during settlement negotiations What should victims do if their claim is denied by the insurance company If a claim is denied by an insurance company the first step is to request a detailed explanation and basis for the denial   Review this with your lawyer to understand the reasons If the denial is unjust or baseless altogether your lawyer can take appropriate action and seek remedies including filing for litigation in a court of appropriate jurisdiction The input of a skilled lawyer can often make an insurance company reconsider position and denial of benefits How can personal injury victims best manage their expectations throughout the duration of their case It’s important to understand that personal injury cases can be lengthy especially when substantial compensation is involved   Your lawyer will help you manage your expectations and limit anxiety resulting therefrom Access to and communication with your lawyer can provide clarity and reassurance throughout the process These additional insights provide a deeper understanding of how to navigate the complex interactions with insurance companies after sustaining personal injuries With the right knowledge and legal support victims can enhance their chances of securing the compensation they need to aid in their recovery Any final thoughts on what people should keep in mind during this process Always remember that the insurance company’s interests are typically not aligned with yours Their goal is to pay out as little as possible Having a skilled lawyer by your side can make a significant difference in the outcome of your case Your focus should be on recovery from your injuries and healing while your lawyer handles the complexities of the legal process Navigating the complexities of insurance claims during a personal injury case requires a nuanced understanding of both legal and procedural aspects with his extensive experience and success in the field underscores the importance of being proactive and cautious when dealing with insurance companies His insights highlight the common pitfalls that victims of accidents encounter and emphasize the crucial role of a skilled personal injury lawyer in advocating for rightful compensation Zeven advises that immediate action, thorough documentation, and professional guidance are paramount to ensuring a fair outcome.  Engaging with a lawyer early in the process not only helps in effectively managing negotiations but also in safeguarding one’s rights against the tactics commonly employed by insurance companies to undermine and limit claims while the journey to a just settlement can be daunting having the right legal representative on your side can make a significant difference in achieving a positive resolution This guidance serves as a vital resource for anyone facing the ordeal of a personal injury case providing the strategies needed to confront challenges with confidence and resilience Damen Shiprepair Amsterdam has delivered the Royal Netherlands Navy’s De Zeven Provinciën-class guided missile frigate HNLMS Evertsen (F805) after completion of maintenance works Damen Shiprepair Amsterdam has delivered the Royal Netherlands Navy’s De Zeven Provinciën-class guided missile frigate HNLMS Evertsen (F805) after the completion of maintenance works HNLMS Evertsen (F805) will become part of the UK Carrier Strike Group (CSG) from next month with Japan as its final destination Last month, the UK Government announced the participation of the Netherlands in the UK CSG’s maiden operational deployment F805 is the fourth air defence and command frigates (LCF) of the class that was commissioned in June 2005 These advanced LCF frigates were built during the period of 1998 and 2005 by the Dutch maritime industry under Damen Naval leadership The Dutch Navy air defence frigate is equipped with weapons and sensors and will protect the CSG from hostile aircraft and missile threats during the deployment air missions will be controlled from its operations room Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis The maintenance works saw engagement of various Dutch companies such as Braspenning Coatings Damen Shiprepair Amsterdam performed the propeller shafts’ maintenance under the supervision of Wärtsilä Nederlands in partnership with Wagenborg Nedlift and PMR Hydraulics The company also carried out several minor repairs and paintworks on the vessel HNLMS Evertsen is expected to undergo a major planned maintenance programme next year Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights View all newsletters from across the GlobalData Media network the four De Zeven Provinciën-class ships are planned to remain in commission through to 2032–35 The Netherlands government has set out plans to acquire a new class of air-defence frigates and associated integrated air and missile defence (IAMD) capability to replace the Royal Netherlands Navy's (RNLN's) four De Zeven Provinciën-class air defence and command frigates (LCFs) In a 1 March ‘A-letter' to the House of Representatives scoping the top-level requirement for a future maritime air-defence capability State Secretary for Defence Christophe van der Maat outlined ambitions to replace the current LCFs one-for-one from the mid-2030s with an indigenously developed surface combatant and above-water combat system A related decision on the anti-air missile system(s) to be integrated into the new ships will be made in 2025 Entering service with the RNLN between 2002 and 2005 the De Zeven Provinciën-class frigates are being upgraded to sustain the operational capability well into the 2030s all four ships have received a maritime ballistic missile defence search-and-track capability based on the Thales SMART-L MM/N L-band long-range radar an upgraded Guardion combat management system Gain unlimited access to Janes news and more.. Delivering trusted intelligence to warfighters to protect national interests Providing mission users with faster access to quality data to pre-empt threats and protect national security Assured interconnected OSINT to deliver informed Solutions Insights About Contact Request a demo Customer Login Store Receive the latest developments in defence and security as well as keep informed on Janes news and events Janes Intelligence SummaryA fortnightly update featuring the latest analysis the Royal Netherlands Navy's (RNLN's) four De Zeven Provinciën-class air defence and command frigates (luchtverdedigings en commandofregatten: LCF) are receiving a package of improvements intended to sustain and enhance their operational capability into the 2030s at least two ships are planned to receive a further upgrade which will see the introduction of the Evolved SeaSparrow Missile (ESSM) Block 2 and the APAR Block 2 X-band multifunction fire-control radar Thursday wrapped up one of the most intense weeks that al-Aqsa Mosque has seen in recent memory It has seen violent raids by Israeli forces and repeated assaults on worshippers young and old These were just some of the hardships Palestinians had to endure in the mosque as they mark the holy month of Ramadan in the revered occupied East Jerusalem site thousands of worshippers flock to the mosque from across Jerusalem and Palestinian towns inside Israel Israeli forces guarding the gate of al-Aqsa stopped many before reaching the mosque and sent them away - especially young men - restricting the flow of worshippers.  Others were allowed in under the condition they hand over their IDs to keep tabs on who's inside the mosque at all times.  an unusual silence hangs over the 14-hectare complex ahead of dawn prayer a time in which al-Aqsa is usually teeming with worshippers.  Outside the golden-roofed Dome of the Rock stands one of the mosque's guards A few dozen worshippers mill about to snap selfies as mementoes of their visit some of them West Bankers visiting Al-Aqsa Mosque for the first time In front of the al-Qibli prayer hall at the southern end of al-Aqsa older worshippers congregate in small groups and recite passages from the Quran.  This tranquil scene is then abruptly interrupted by dozens of Israeli special forces who begin to descend into the mosque armed with weapons at around 6 am They storm the complex from the southwestern end through the Moroccan Gate (Bab Al-Magharba) and begin to disperse the peaceful worshippers.  Palestinians are attacked and restricted in their mosque while hundreds of far-right Israelis roam around protected by police.  the prayers and shouts of worshippers do not cease Neither do the barrels of the officers' rifles firing off rubber-coated steel bullets at the protesters inside the Qibli Mosque through now-perforated windows.  Added to the bullets are the clouds of teargas that fill the mosque Palestinians are cleared out of the mosque's courtyards with some forced out of the complex altogether and others confined in the two main prayer halls - the Qibli mosque and the Dome of the Rock.  “They will never scare me”Elderly Palestinian woman speaks to MEE from Al-Aqsa Mosque and describes the suffering from the ongoing raids by Israeli settlers on the holy complex during Ramadan. pic.twitter.com/2rYLANnACy remain steadfast to do all they can to make their voices heard.  shouting religious and national slogans at the procession of settlers walking by and confront the officers all morning.  "The attempt to divide Al-Aqsa in time and space [between Muslims and Jews] are ongoing but all of the occupation's plans shall not pass so long as there are those who recite the slogan we will sacrifice for Al-Aqsa,'" said Muntaha Amara one of the few women who managed to stay near the Dome of the Rock during the raid on Wednesday Despite repeated arrests and bans against her entering Al-Aqsa Amara - niece of Palestinian leader Raed Salah - says she is not deterred by Israeli assaults regarding her continued presence in al-Aqsa as a national duty "We have all the right in the world to praise God recite the Quran and pray in any place of our choosing loud noises can be heard coming from inside al-Qibli mosque where young men are trapped.  As a way of protesting the raids and holding on to their rights in the mosque men inside bang on the door for hours and raise their voices in chants at the officers manning the 11 locked gates of al-Qibli.  They also use loudspeakers to play alarm sounds and broadcast recorded speeches by Palestinian military and national leaders all in a bid to disrupt the settlers as they march across from them in large groups.  "When the settlers hear the chants and loud bangs they cower in fear and retreat and those who are the rightful owners fear nothing," Amara said.  And amidst these acts of what Palestinians call "audible disruption" was sitting looking worried underneath a tree across from al-Qibli Mosque.  We will continue to defend this sacred ground with our bodies laid bare.' The recent raids had turned the mosque into a "battleground" he said and are the most dangerous in recent memory By allocating specific time slots and areas of worship to Jews while Muslims are cleared out Hasasneh fears the division of the mosque is underway.  "We are tired of constantly saying 'Al-Aqsa is in danger,' and of always calling on the Arab and Islamic world to intervene on our behalf," Khader told MEE We will continue to defend this sacred ground with our bodies laid bare." The settler intrusions into al-Aqsa this week They will be stopped until the end of Ramadan in early May before being resumed again albeit in smaller numbers and when there are fewer Palestinians around.  In the six violent raids carried out by Israeli forces since Friday more than 180 Palestinians were wounded by rubber-coated steel bullets according to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) More than 450 people were arrested and dozens more were stopped from entering the mosque.  around 3,670 Israelis entered al-Aqsa with the protection of police over five days an Islamic trust that manages the affairs of the mosque.  a researcher and former public relations official of Al-Aqsa Mosque warned that the events of this week will have dangerous ramifications "What has happened indicates that the occupation desires to bring about a new status quo at the al-Aqsa Mosque which would seek to normalise the [settler] raids and make their non-occurrence the exception," Marouf told MEE.  This would be a flagrant violation of the sanctity of al-Aqsa Mosque with the objective of fulfilling the dream of ultranationalist Israelis in asserting Jewish dominance at the expense of the Muslim presence in the mosque is to turn al-Aqsa into a "shared holy site," and be both a temple and a mosque.  "This is where the danger of these raids lies." 'The occupation does not want to retreat one step in its ambition to attain a new foothold at al-Aqsa' As part of an understanding between Jordan – the custodian of Islamic and Christian sites in Jerusalem – and Israel non-Muslim tourists are allowed to visit al-Aqsa under the supervision of the Waqf but only Muslims are allowed to pray in it.  Israeli authorities have ignored this arrangement and allowed far-right groups to enter the mosque and perform silent prayers.  Such groups advocate for the destruction of al-Aqsa Mosque where they believe two ancient Jewish temples once stood The level of aggression shown by Israeli authorities this week to allow settlers' tours indicates that the struggle over who has the right to al-Aqsa will only get worse from now on "[The raids] indicate that the occupation does not want to retreat one step in its ambition to attain a new foothold at Al-Aqsa." Copyright © 2014 - 2025. Middle East Eye Only England and Wales jurisdiction apply in all legal matters Middle East Eye          ISSN 2634-2456                      Indian sportswear brand Zeven has signed cricketer Ravindra Jadeja as its new brand ambassador.  The 28-year-old India international will lend his image to Zeven’s upcoming promotional campaigns and will wear the company’s high-performance cricket boots The challenger brand is co-owned by Indian tennis star Mahesh Bhupathi and it markets itself as ‘selling sport to the masses The financial terms of the deal were not released “A player with exceptional quality and experience we are certain Jadeja will help us in our mission of catalysing a billion Indians to get out and play a sport,” said Bhupathi we are confident that Jadeja's credibility and image will help the brand in creating a longstanding association with the masses.”  IPL debutants Gujarat Lions land major partner Jadeja added: “I strongly relate with the brand's philosophy to make sport an active part of every Indian's life and look forward to a long and fruitful association with Zeven.”  Jadeja has risen to number two bowler in the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) global Test rankings following a stellar series against England India won a five-game series 4-0 with the spinner taking 26 wickets including  a career best 7-45 in the final innings at Chennai Jadeja has risen to number two bowler in the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) global Test rankings following a stellar series against England Already a member? Log in here Watching a flock of thousands of starlings take to the sky is a spectacular sight it looks like a formation of suspended iron filings guided by an invisible magnet in the sky.  Princeton University researchers have revealed a key piece of math behind this magic. Working with a team of Italian physicists, Professor Naomi Leonard and colleagues found that flocking starlings strike an optimal balance between the work of responding to social cues from their neighbors and the need to conserve energy This trade-off yields a special number: seven When starlings coordinate with their seven nearest neighbors they form their characteristic flocks with the least effort The finding has implications not just for unlocking the mysteries of coordinated animal movements in which engineers seek to emulate nature's efficiency in coordinating the activity of many individuals in uncertain environments are known for their dramatic flocking formations A team led by Princeton researchers investigated possible tradeoffs the birds make between the cost of tracking more of their neighbors and the payoff of achieving better coordination Their analysis revealed an optimal balance when the birds track about seven neighbors This matches what a group of Italian researchers showed actually occurs in nature "In a flock with 1,200 birds, it is clear that not every bird will be able to keep track of the other 1,199 birds, so an important question is 'who is keeping track of whom?'" said Leonard, Princeton's Edwin S. Wilsey Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering The researchers published their results Jan 31 in the journal Public Library of Science-Computational Biology the authors include Princeton graduate student George Young Luca Scardovi of the University of Toronto and Andrea Cavagna and Irene Giardina of the Sapienza University of Rome are particularly known to produce elaborate flock patterns Each bird in the flock moves independently but must sense and react to neighboring birds "There is significant uncertainty for each bird in what it measures about its neighbors The research is part of Leonard's broader effort to study how flocks of birds or schools of fish synchronize their movements for a common goal such as finding food or avoiding predators She seeks to understand how individuals contribute to the success of a mobile group especially when the group has no individual leader — no magnet pulling around the iron filings The researchers also examined the effect that the geometry of the flock formation would have on the efficiency of communication and coordination and found that the characteristic "pancake" shape of starling flocks is just as efficient as a more spherical shape but if the pancake becomes too thin – sheet-like – then coordination requires more effort The Princeton team collaborated with physicists Cavagna and Giardina in Italy who had previously identified seven as an important number in starling flocks The Italian team had recorded videos of starling flocks that allowed detailed tracking of each bird Setting up multiple cameras on top of a building Cavagna and Giardina spent years filming the starlings flocking above a train station in Rome The physicists used more than 400 shots from many videos to figure out the positions and speeds of each bird They ultimately showed that rather than keeping track of every neighbor within a certain distance each bird tracks and responds to a finite number of its closest neighbors — seven in the case of starling flocks Young and Leonard then used this data to create a mathematical model that allowed them to evaluate the varying levels of coordination or consensus in the flocks depending on how many neighbors each bird tracks during flight The research builds on earlier work done by a group of physicists in Italy who developed techniques to analyze stereographic (3-D) videos of starling flocks tracked the positions and velocities of every bird and then computed how many neighbors each bird monitors The model took into account the cost to the birds in terms of added uncertainty and energy expended when they track more neighbors the model discounted the performance of the flock for each extra neighbor that a bird has to track The aim was to understand not just how well the birds coordinate as a group despite uncertainty but how well they can coordinate at a minimal cost to each individual bird the analysis showed that for a flock to be efficient the optimal number of neighbors that a bird should pay attention to is seven exactly the same as what the Italian researchers showed actually occurs in nature Young and Leonard further analyzed how the shape of the flock affects its performance.  "Scientists have discovered that these bird flocks are not sheets or spheres or cubes was the lead author on a paper describing the research which is part of a broader effort by Professor Naomi Leonard to understand how flocks of birds or schools of fish synchronize their movements for a common goal such as finding food or avoiding predators Young and Leonard simulated flocks with more widely varying shape than the Italian flocks depended not on the number of birds in the flock but on its geometry — specifically its thickness.  The analysis confirmed that the pancake formation was best for efficiently dealing with uncertainty — a thinner sheet was not as effective spherical shape was not necessary for improving the performance of the flock "There is a steep incline in flocking performance just by being a little bit thick and the fact that starling flocks exhibit this thickness is very interesting," Leonard said Young said it is unclear if these findings will be replicated across other bird species and whether other types of animals "Other groups such as schools of fish have different characteristic shapes and thicknesses," said Young "These other groups may have a different number of neighbors." The team hopes to analyze other real-world data to understand whether the same factors are important for other animals to organize One goal of learning the rules of animal group dynamics is to better engineer mass-robot behavior such as monitoring dangerous environments or working together in a rescue operation.  "This result has far-reaching consequences for people like me who build cooperative teams of aerial robots," said Vijay Kumar an engineering professor at the University of Pennsylvania who designs coordinated multi-robotic systems for search and rescue and disaster relief Kumar said the overall finding of seven as the neighborhood size that optimizes the trade-off between group cohesion and individual effort is "quite surprising."  Leonard and Young said their goal is to use their biological insights to create networks of robots that perform better than the sum of the individual robots inheriting the efficiency and versatility observed in animal groups They have created an algorithm that allows robots in a group to adjust which other robots they interact with thereby improving the performance of the group.  "We are trying to draw inspiration from biology to understand what measures of animal group performance can help us decide what measures we should use when we design responsive behaviors for robots," Young said The study was supported by the research offices of the U.S National Science Foundation and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada 10.2013 (Michael Nitz - Naval Press Service) HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën succeeded to track a hostile outer-atmosphere ballistic missile travelling at 7000 km/h and simultaneously protect a naval force against anti-ship missiles realized during the At Sea Demonstration held in October off the coast of Scotland The leading role in the ASD was for HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën This ship was equipped with a prototype version of Thales’s ultramodern SMART-L Extended Long Range radar that will be installed on the Royal Netherlands Navy’s Air Defence and Command frigates (LCF) This modified SMART-L enables the detection of targets up to 1500 kilometers SMART-L EWC successfully tracked the Terrier-Orion ballistic missile launched from the Scottish island Benbecula well into space The tracking information was sent through the NATO network to USS Ross This ship intercepted the ballistic missile with a Standard Missile 3 (SM-3) the LCF maintained its air defence capability against incoming anti-ship missiles using its SM-2 and Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles using its Thales APAR multifunction radar in addition to the SMART-L ELR. During the ASD eight countries tested the NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defense capability In other words: the capability to collectively defend an area against ballistic missiles and other air threats which fits in a wider NATO plan for the improved protection against ballistic missiles Squadron commander Frank Sijtsma refers to ASD 2015 as ‘a great success’ “We have prepared for years for this event and thanks to excellent cooperation with our NATO and industrial partners De Zeven Provinciën has perfectly executed its task.” The Dutch frigate was not the only ship to be successful: the other ships in the naval force performed admirably as well In addition to the SM-3 firing by USS Ross the Canadian HMCS Montréal and the Italian ITS Andrea Doria launch various missiles Indo Defence – Jakarta – 11-14 June DSEI – London – 9-12 September PARTNER – Belgrade – 23-26 September Seafuture – La Spezia – 29 Sept.-2 October ADEX – Seoul – 29 October-2 November Dubai Air Show – Dubai – 17-21 November Milipol Paris – Paris – 18-21 Novenber Expodefensa – Bogotá – 1-3 December Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Netherlands Defence Materiel Organization has awarded a contract to Thales to modify the SMART-L radars onboard the Royal Netherlands Navy's De Zeven Provinciën-class air defence and command (LCF) frigates Netherlands Defence Materiel Organization has awarded a contract to Thales to modify the SMART-L radars onboard the Royal Netherlands Navy’s De Zeven Provinciën-class air defence and command (LCF) frigates Please check your mail inbox to download the buyer's guide you acknowledge that GlobalData UK Limited may share your information with our partners/sponsors who may contact you directly with information on their products and services Tick here to opt out of curated industry news Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address the company will optimise the new SMART-L radar to be able to perform early detection of tactical ballistic missiles shortly after their launch in the air space without the need of external prompts Thales Nederland CEO Gerben Edelijn said: "Through this contract we support NATO’s long-term plans for a maritime defence against ballistic missiles." the SMART-L radar provides its traditional air defence and is designed to provide long-range air and surface surveillance and target designation while operating in L-band The 3D multi-beam volume search radar is capable of simultaneously detecting and tracking several threats while also providing exact ballistic trajectory of each missile and precise estimate of its point of impact as well as launch position The SMART-L radar as well as S1850M long-range radar modification package contracted by Netherlands could also benefit the radars that are also in service with the navies of Denmark the Netherlands Navy currently operates four De Zeven Provincien-class guided missile frigates built by Royal Schelde which were purchased to replace the Tromp-class and Jacob van Heesmarck-class frigates Armed with the Harpoon surface-to-surface missile system the frigates feature cout low-probability-of-intercept radar to provide surface searches as well as hangar and helicopter decks for a NH 90 Image: The Royal Netherlands Navy’s De Zeven Provinciën-class frigate HNLMS De Zeven Provincien at Portsmouth Naval Base Mothers’ Day was about fighting for a better world for women Born in the United States amid gunfire the antislavery movement and the feminist fight for suffrage Mother’s Day was meant to be more than it is today More than a day where mothers like me are “allowed” to have a lie in and open cards crafted by earnest children I can’t help thinking: shouldn’t there be more An early iteration of Mothers’ Day (note the collective possessive) was established by abolitionist and suffragist Julia Ward Howe in the 1870s after the end of the civil war It was never about confining a mother’s purpose to the unpaid service she gives her children and partner Howe held the common first-wave feminist belief that (white) mothers could and should have a political voice to shape their world author of The Way We Never Were: American Families and the Nostalgia Trap writes that Jarvis was “dismayed” when politicians merchants and anti-suffragists were quick to support a more familial focus In 1914 US president Woodrow Wilson proclaimed it a national holiday – with a twist The 1914 speeches linked explicitly to women’s roles in home life and privacy rejecting suffragist visions of women as a political class with important political and social roles outside the home My discomfort with modern Mother’s Day increases when male politicians speak. “How good’s Mum?!” Australian prime minister Scott Morrison boomed in 2019. “Our mums speak of the surety of selfless love, the most powerful thoughts in the universe.” These “most powerful thoughts in the universe” didn’t cut through to those who designed the Morrison government’s 2020 budget which virtually ignored women-dominated sectors hardest hit by Covid-19 Mother’s Day being used as a platform for a political posturing is just one thing Jarvis worked tirelessly against even starting campaigns to have the day cancelled The fight against the politicisation and commercialisation of Mother’s Day at the hands of the floral card-making and candy industry was one she would lose who founded Australian Mother’s Day in 1924 weathered the commercial storm with resignation hoping it would at least ensure the continued commemoration of the day Today’s Mother’s Day marketing images burst with beneficently smiling women sporting pastel palettes and flannelette pyjamas Sometimes we even get a glimpse of a woman over 50 There’s no question of what these sanitised manufactured images of domestic bliss – so far removed from the grit of actual motherhood – are selling us this imagery of benign motherhood serves our society’s power imbalance – which relies on the unpaid labour of mother-women and feminised nurture The deification of selfless maternal love as the pinnacle of womanhood is a loaded gun – even after first the message still seems to be: men have careers It’s not that feminism doesn’t “work”; rather its gains are opposed or regressed by waves of conservatism pressure and persuasion.” Why perpetuate the myth of ideal mothers endlessly stifling themselves for a pay off of flannelette pjs and breakfast in bed every May Jennifer Zeven is a freelance writer on mothering Developed and manufactured by Thales Nederland the SMART-L MM/N radar (previously known as SMART-L Early Warning Capability [EWC]) is being procured as part of a combat systems upgrade that will confer the RNLN’s four LCF ships with a maritime ballistic missile defence (MBMD) early warning capability This will form part of the Netherlands’ national contribution to NATO's Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) capability SMART-L MM/N is a new active electronically scanned array radar using Gallium Nitride transmit/receive modules and high-speed exo-atmospheric targets out to an instrumented range of 2,000 km Combining dual-axis multibeam processing with a patented extended long-range waveform already proven in live at-sea testing SMART-L MM/N is designed to operate in a number of rotating and staring modes to support volume air surveillance and/or BMD long-range search and track The Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) awarded Thales Nederland a contract in June 2012 covering the development and manufacture of four SMART-L MM/N systems The second radar off the production line was the first to be delivered to the DMO for ship installation (the first of class radar being used to support system qualification on land) Crew from de Zeven Provincien walk back to their ship Friday at Crown Bay A Belgian crew aboard the Dutch frigate de Zeven Provincien works on the ship’s helicopter Friday while the ship is docked at Crown Bay The Dutch frigate de Zeven Provincien sits tied to the dock Friday at Crown Bay The ship is a key part of an international network of naval defenses designed to protect fleets The Dutch frigate tied up at Crown Bay houses a complex tactical brain that can control missile defense for a large geographic area de Zeven Provincien could be parked in New York harbor in time of war to direct protection of much of the Big Apple from incoming ballistic and cruise missile threats The Zeven Provincien is a key part of an international network of naval defenses designed to protect fleets de Zeven Provincien became the first ship to show it could track and direct a joint response to destroy a simultaneous attack by cruise missiles and a ballistic missile Ballistic missiles can carry nuclear warheads and can achieve sub-orbital space altitudes before tipping down to strike their target it was the frigate’s responsibility to track and direct other sea units to destroy multiple warheads at the same time The ship’s more common mission is to project stability it does so as part of a 15-nation force that includes the United States as well as a Belgian crew manning a Belgian helicopter Such joint work is common among Western nations “It’s 15 nations supporting the same mission,” he said An officer with the Coast Guard team — he didn’t give his name or rank for security reason — said he thought “the average American would be thrilled that we are working together” with the Dutch and other nations to patrol the world’s sea lanes providing safe waters for recreational and commercial ships “We help secure commercial transit routes,” he said Jansen said it is invaluable to have the Coast Guard aboard when the frigate must intercept a suspicious craft at sea the Belgian flight crew can project authority over a craft that might think it could avoid the 473-foot frigate “We couldn’t do our mission without the many nations” contributing ships and personnel Crew from de Zeven Provincien were streaming ashore beginning Friday morning for rest and relaxation in St The frigate is scheduled to be here until Monday so residents could be bumping into Dutch sailors or members of the Coast Guard as they explore the island — Contact Jonathan Austin at 340-714-9104 or email jaustin@dailynews.vi Email notifications are only sent once a day Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Would you like to receive our daily news? Signup today Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account World champion Sanne Cant (Belgium) took a hat trick of 2017-2018 UCI cyclocross World Cup wins on Saturday Germany victory from last season in a thrilling contest with Katie Compton and Helen Wyman Canadian champion Christel Ferrier-Bruneau world champion Wout van Aert (Belgium) earned his first World Cup triumph of the season breaking Mathieu van der Poel’s stranglehold on the series after the Dutchman suffered a mechanical on Lap 2 Zeven was a compact 2.7-km course that someone with a high vantage point could take in its entirety It was a cold and muddy day in Lower Saxony Northern Germany about midway before Hamburg and Bremen Last year van der Poel and Cant were the winners; they also triumphed last week The circuit is ready—one of the first muddy lines made by @CXHelen #welcometozeven ! #telenetucicxwc pic.twitter.com/36HWssWmsP — CX Worldcup Germany (@cxWorldcupGER) November 22, 2017 American Compton led a small chasing pack including Czech Katerina Nash and Brit Ellen Noble #TelenetUCICXWC l Classe @ellenlikesbikes ! pic.twitter.com/Ty02f1MNDg — La GazetteDes Sports (@GazetteDesSport) November 25, 2017 Lap 3 saw Cant drive a gap between her and Wyman as Compton closed in on Wyman Then the American champion became Cant’s closest pursuer All top three riders pitted and Compton led coming out of the lane Wyman was three seconds back of Compton and Cant after three laps each rider’s strengths and weaknesses on display in the muck Cant had time to wipe off her jersey and exchange high fives with the crowd Ferrier-Bruneau did very well to come 15th on the day Here's a look at the top 15. pic.twitter.com/mYOZyDAchW — UCI Cyclocross (@UCI_CX) November 25, 2017 The sextet stayed snugged together for the beginning of Lap 2 Then Van der Poel shifted off his chain and found himself far down the field As van der Poel struggled to put his chain back on Czech Michael Boros clipped a barrier pole and crashed hard #TelenetUCICXWC l Quelle chute de Boros !! Alors que Van der Poel perd un temps fou sur un soucis mécanique… pic.twitter.com/opkfwr7eUD — La GazetteDes Sports (@GazetteDesSport) November 25, 2017 Everyone in the top-8 grabbed a new bike before heading into the third lap Van der Poel was racing with what they used to call “grip” Although he put a lot of distance back to third he wasn’t making inroads into Van Aert’s lead — cyclephotos (@cyclephotos) November 24, 2017 Van Aert’s victory comes after third in Koksijde and second last Sunday in Bogense Van der Poel still enjoys a huge lead at the top of the table Aerts earned his second World Cup podium in a row The next World Cup is December 17 in Namur Get the digital edition of Canadian Cycling Magazine Josh and Hyrum Cook, 25 and 23Company: Zeven MediaWeb: www.zevenmedia.com Three years ago young entrepreneurs to watch Josh and Hyrum Cook realised the old fashioned and utilitarian photo booth needed a makeover their company Zeven Media works with some of the world’s biggest brands including Adidas The Manchester-based business, which was named as one of our five to watch last year featuring contactless payment and instant upload to Facebook or Twitter It has now expanded its offering to include a bespoke social events and marketing service Zeven’s booths are more than just a fun distraction for guests – both the booths and photos can be customised with logos or graphics to increase exposure and awareness while any contact information entered is recorded and supplied to the brand to inform future marketing and advertising the brothers have launched athleisure clothing company Adanola – and the company has since grown significantly with its social media following just shy of 25,000 and sales reaching more than 25 countries worldwide. Zeven which has raised £50,000 in funding to date after a successful appearance on Dragons’ Den continues to grow and evolve and is set to turnover £1.5m next year – we’ll be continuing to watch it closely You must be logged in to post a comment We value your comments but kindly requests all posts are on topic The deployment was part of EUNAVFOR Operation Atalanta Middendorp said that although no pirates were caught during the mission the presence of HNLMS De Zeven Provincien alone would have scared pirates off "You did an outstanding job on your watch You secured the area and made it safe for shipping feiert ihren Geburtstag unter anderem mit Tochter Renate und Schwiegersohn Arie