Latest news with #CMS
NDTV
10 hours ago
- Science
- NDTV
From Tel Aviv To Lucknow: How Space Is Uniting India And Israel
As India prepares to send Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard the Axiom 4 mission, a unique collaboration is unfolding - one that transcends borders, cultures, and orbits. Israeli astronaut Eytan Stibbe, who flew on the Axiom 1 mission in 2022, is now extending a hand of friendship to India, helping bring the excitement of space to school children in Lucknow, the hometown of the Indian astronaut. At the heart of this initiative is the City Montessori School (CMS), where Mr Shukla studied. Inspired by his interaction with Mr Stibbe at an astronaut gathering in Houston, the two spacefarers envisioned a program that would allow Indian students to experience the thrill of space exploration in real time. The Axiom-1 Mission: A Personal Journey Eytan Stibbe's journey to space was unique in many ways. As Israel's second astronaut, he followed in the footsteps of Ilan Ramon, who tragically lost his life in the Columbia disaster in 2003. Mr Stibbe's mission was not just about scientific exploration, it was about reigniting the Israeli public's interest in space. "We, as a first private astronaut mission, were determined to prove that it is possible, it is beneficial, and we should open the way for future private missions," Mr Stibbe said. He added, "It was a challenge because I had to build the whole mission for myself. I had to make the combination of science, education, of art, and build the whole work plan. I had no space agency supporting me, which was an exciting venture." Mr Stibbe's mission included a diverse array of activities, from scientific experiments to educational outreach. "We got ideas from children, from scientists, from philosophers, and assembled a great mission that many, many people in Israel, maybe the whole public was involved in a space mission," he said. A Tribute to Ilan Ramon Mr Stibbe's mission was also a tribute to his friend Ilan Ramon. "Ilan Ramon, the first Israeli astronaut, was on the Columbia STS-107 mission. He was a good friend of mine. We are still in a very close relationship with his family," Mr Stibbe said. "In 2003, they launched in the shuttle Columbia for 14 days in space together with Ms Chawla, an Indian-American, Kalpana Chawla. Yes, and they did a lot of science and educational missions. Unfortunately, they did not come back," he said. The loss of Mr Ramon and his crew left a lasting impact on the Israeli public. "So the Israeli public sentiment toward human space flight was always very delicate. My intention in my mission was to change that sentiment and open again the excitement, the curiosity about space, the amazing possibilities of children and scientists to take part in this International Space Station," Mr Stibbe said. Mr Stibbe's journey to space was driven by a deep personal commitment. "The motivation was really to change the sentiment of the public, to create excitement about space, because space is unknown. It's endless. We are just a small part of space," he said. One of the most profound moments for Mr Stibbe was seeing Earth from space. "Once we are in the station and look back to Earth, I think the most exciting part is to see the atmosphere, the slim strip of 100 kilometers that without this atmosphere, life would not exist on Earth. All life and vegetation exists in these 200 kilometers of oxygen and life," he said. Mr Stibbe's mission was entirely self-funded, a testament to his belief in the value of space exploration. When asked on why he decided to pay from his pocket, Mr Stibbe said, "Because I believe it's worthwhile. It's like a donation. All the industries, the academies, the hospitals, they all benefited from the opportunity to send science to space," he said. The Outreach Mr Stibbe said, "Every year, there's an astronaut gathering in Houston, where NASA's main human spaceflight center is based. That's where I met Group Captain Shukla. He told me about his mission, and I shared how we had engaged schoolchildren in Israel during my time on the ISS. He immediately suggested we reach out to CMS in Lucknow." The idea took off. The CMS management embraced the proposal with enthusiasm, and plans are now underway to create a parallel "mission control" experience at the school. The goal is to allow students to follow Group Captain Shukla's journey aboard the ISS, watch live feeds from the station, and participate in interactive educational activities. "The idea is to create programs, materials, and excitement," said Mr Stibbe. "We want children to ask questions, to be curious. During the mission, they'll be able to watch Shukla at work on the station-not just during interviews, but through continuous camera feeds that show astronauts floating, working, and living in microgravity. It's super exciting," he said. Mr Stibbe is passionate about making space accessible to all. His outreach efforts in Israel reached thousands of students, and he hopes to replicate that success in India. "Whatever we did in Israel, we're now extending a hand of friendship to India," he said. The collaboration is more than just educational - it's deeply symbolic of the growing ties between India and Israel. "There's a lot we can learn from each other," Mr Stibbe noted. "From the educational system, from the missions, and from the science. We're following India's space program closely and hope for more cooperation," he said. The initiative has the potential to draw attention at the highest levels. "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are great friends. If they get the opportunity, I'm sure they would be happy to join in. We'll definitely extend an invitation," Mr Stibbe said. For Mr Stibbe, the mission is personal. "Watching the Earth from space, seeing the sunrise and sunset - it changes you. You realize how fragile our planet is. That's why I believe in sustainability and in inspiring the next generation to care for our world," he said.
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Austin ISD 8th grader dies after incident at celebration: principal
The Brief Covington Middle School eighth-grade student has passed away Principal says he died from complications after a medical emergency at a field trip CMS will be open Friday, May 30 as a counseling center AUSTIN, Texas - An Austin ISD student has died after an incident at an eighth-grade celebration, according to the Covington Middle School principal. The district says that Vadir Gonzalez-Arias passed away on May 29, one day after the incident. What we know In a letter to the Covington Middle School community on May 28, Principal Cedric Maddox said Vadir experienced a medical emergency during a field trip for the 8th grade class. Principal Maddox sent out an update the next day that Vadir had passed away due to complications. What they're saying Principal Maddox said in the May 29 letter: "We are hurting deeply and our hearts go out to their family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time. Vadir was kind, caring, and approached each day with a positive attitude and a willingness to do what was asked of him. He treated his peers and teachers with genuine respect and made those around him feel seen and appreciated." What you can do The school will be open as a counseling center on Friday, May 30, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Multiple English and Spanish-speaking counselors and licensed mental health professionals will be available to support students both individually and in small groups. Maddox also urged parents to talk with their children and reassure them "it's okay to feel however they are feeling", saying: "It is also normal if they do not feel anything right away. It can take a while—sometimes days or weeks—for children to show their feelings, and that is normal. No matter when the feelings surface, it is important to provide clarity and validation of feelings." Maddox also shared some helpful community resources: The Christi Center – free information and support groups for youth and adults regarding grief and loss. Phone: 512-467-2600 Integral Care – 24 hours support for mental health crises or by appointment. Phone: 512-472-4357 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 Austin ISD Employee Assistance Program resources The Source Information in this report comes from Austin ISD.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
St. Joseph's Center nursing home in Trumbull to permanently close
TRUMBULL, Conn. (WTNH) — St. Joseph's Center nursing home in Trumbull will be permanently shutting its doors, a spokesperson for the center said Thursday. Trumbull nursing home evacuated due to water issue The center had to be evacuated multiple times in the last few months. The center said that significant renovations and structural improvements still needed to be done to the facility and that they were unable to get waivers from the state and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in time. Read the full statement on the centers closure below. 'After careful consideration, we have made a difficult decision to permanently close St. Joseph's Center. The safety, care and comfort of our patients is our priority, and while we have made extensive repairs and upgrades to the facility over the course of the past several months, unfortunately, the Center still requires significant renovations and structural improvements for which we were unable to get the necessary waivers from the State and CMS in order to comply with the required timelines. Regrettably, this and other external factors including inadequate state Medicaid funding make it financially impossible to continue operating the facility. As such, in close coordination with state and local officials and regulators, we plan to close the center as soon as we receive necessary approvals from the State. We are working with the Connecticut Department of Health to develop a closure plan and comply with all requirements. We value our patients, residents, caregivers, and team members, and we are truly grateful for their continued support.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Star
2 days ago
- Business
- The Star
London listing advisers shrug off Shein IPO snub
Change of plan: Shein clothing on a rail during a nationwide promotional tour in Britain. Although London signed off on Shein's IPO application, the retailer is instead turning to Hong Kong for its listing. — Reuters LONDON: This time last year Britain was mounting a charm offensive on online retailer Shein, with ministers saying they had conversations with the seller of US$5 T-shirts about the benefits of a London listing. A year later and efforts to win over what looked to be one of the largest UK initial public offerings (IPOs) in the last decade have come to nought. Although the UK signed off on Shein's IPO application, the retailer is instead turning to Hong Kong for its listing, Reuters reported Wednesday. Coming after a string of London delistings and IPO defections, Shein's departure risks delaying efforts to revive the City's appeal while the global economic environment remains volatile. 'Shein's listing would have been a boost to the market,' said Alasdair Steele, corporate partner with law firm CMS. 'However, there was never any guarantee that a single large listing would reignite the IPO market.' Last summer, Britain overhauled listing rules to make its exchanges more attractive to companies. That has yet to translate into substantial dealmaking. UK equity capital markets deal values fell in the year to date to US$9.2bil, down 16% from the same period last year and down more than 70% from a peak in 2021. Hong Kong on the other hand has seen its equity capital markets deal values rise nearly fivefold, according to Dealogic data. In the background, UK-focused equity funds have suffered many months of outflows. Shein, whose biggest market is the United States, faces a concrete threat to its low-price model after President Donald Trump ended a duty exemption for small packages shipped from China. But even before the tariff war, it had already downsized its valuation ambitions and faced opposition from some lawmakers. Shein has faced allegations that its clothes contain cotton from China's Xinjiang province, where the United States has accused the Chinese government of human rights abuses and forced labour. Beijing denies any abuses. Shein has previously said that it has a zero-tolerance policy for forced labour and requires its contract manufacturers to only source cotton from approved regions. Earlier this year a senior lawyer at Shein was questioned by a British parliamentary committee on its supply chain, and committee chair Liam Byrne raised concerns about the evidence from that hearing with the London Stock Exchange and Britain's financial conduct authority, in charge of green-lighting IPOs. Shein gave details of its supply chain in China in written responses to the parliamentary committee's questions in January, and said it does not allow Chinese cotton in its clothes sold in the United States, which has a law banning products made with Uyghur forced labour. James Alexander, CEO of UK Sustainable Investment and Finance Association, a body that promotes sustainable finance, said: 'The prospect of Shein listing in the UK has long raised concerns with investors around the company's transparency, and the risks of being exposed to allegations of modern slavery and human rights abuses in its supply chains.' Shein had no immediate comment. 'The Shein news is much more to do with China than London,' said Lisa Gordon, chair of investment bank Cavendish and a member of the Capital Markets Industry Taskforce – a group dedicated to the revival of Britain's markets. 'The London market is in a very good position.' — Reuters
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Just 18% internet users know how to report e-crimes
Internet usage is reaching a saturation point in India but only 18% of Indians know how to report cyber-crimes, a government survey released on Thursday said. Usage, driven by smartphones and mobile data, is higher for the younger age groups. However, despite regular use (most respondents reported using the internet daily), even the young are poorly equipped for tasks related to education and work, like creating a document or a presentation, says the survey. On the bright side, the gender gap in mobile and internet use, other than in online transactions, is decreasing. These trends are from the Comprehensive Modular Survey: Telecom (CMS: Telecom), conducted across 34,950 households in January-March 2025 by the National Statistics Office (NSO). NSO published the results of this survey on May 29. NSO had last collected data on mobile phone and internet use in a version of this survey – the Comprehensive Annual Modular Survey (CAMS) -- conducted in July 2022-June 2023, which surveyed 3,02,086 households, and also asked questions on other subjects, such as education and financial inclusion. The 2022-23 round, however, did not ask some questions on ICT skills – such as ability to make a presentation or report cyber-crimes – that the 2025 round did. Therefore, it is not possible to say if more people have these skills now. Similarly, inter-state comparisons are not possible using the data from the latest round because the reduced sample size cannot represent states. Data from the 2025 CMS shows that 85.7% people of age 15 years and above used a mobile phone at least once in the three months preceding the survey, a proportion similar to 2022-23. However, this number has increased by 3.7 percentage points for the 15-24 age group to 97%. This means that the young are adopting mobile phones faster than the older age group. The younger age group also used smartphones (97% of mobile users) more than the older one (83% of mobile users). Young people also used the internet more. 94% in the 15-24 age group reported internet use in the past three months compared to 70% among those 15 and above. However, age did not change the frequency of internet use much; around 90% internet users across age groups used it daily. People also mostly used the internet using a phone and mobile data: 98% in rural areas and 87% in urban areas. With the wide adoption of smartphones and the internet, the proportion using online banking transactions has also grown: from 37.8% in 2022-23 to 48.9% in 2025. For the 15-24 age group, this number has increased from 37.5% in 2022-23 to 68% in 2025. Over 80% across age groups used only the Unified Payment Interface (UPI) for such transactions. The deed penetration of mobile phones and internet has, however, not informed people about seeking redressal for cyber-crimes, a trend cyber-criminals might be banking on. For example, cyber-criminals forced a 55-year old retired teacher to transfer ₹56 lakh using a 'digital arrest' on WhatsApp calls from April 1-28 this year before police was informed, HT reported on May 4. These anecdotal incidents may hold for a larger group of people as the 2025 CMS suggests most people are indeed unaware about methods of seeking redressal from cyber-crimes. Only 17.7% (26.3% in the 15-24 age group) reported the ability to 'complain about cybercrime/ report cyber fraud in the cybercrime reporting portal'. Similarly, ICT skills that may be useful at work or in education are yet to reach even the young. Only 33% reported the ability to make an electronic presentation and only 24% could make a word document in the 15-24 age group. On the other hand, almost half of the age group could send emails and almost three-fourths said they had the ability to copy and paste data and documents. Another positive news from the survey is that the gender gap in mobile and internet usage is decreasing, although largely among the young and more for sending messages than for online transactions. For example, the gender gap in mobile phone use decreased to 1.7 percentage points in favour of men in the 15-24 age group in 2025 compared to 4.2 percentage points in 2022-23. For the 15 and above age group, the gap was around 12 percentage points in both rounds. For online transactions, the gap remained around 20 percentage points across both rounds and age groups. Similarly, the gender gap in mobile ownership – when a person has a phone for personal use – was 20 and 28 percentage points for the younger and older age groups. This data was not available for the 2022-23 round.
