Latest news with #Pili
Euronews
12-06-2025
- Science
- Euronews
The Filipino engineer bringing sustainability to flight
At just 26, Filipino aeronautical engineer Mark Kennedy Bantugon is already changing how we think about aviation maintenance. With his invention Pili Seal®, a sustainable aircraft sealant made from agricultural waste, he's offering a safer, biodegradable alternative to conventional adhesives used in the aerospace industry – many of which contain hazardous petrochemical ingredients. His innovation has earned him a spot among the top 10 global winners of the Young Inventors Prize 2025, awarded by the European Patent Office (EPO). For over half a century, polysulfide-based sealants have been standard in aircraft manufacturing and repair, particularly for sealing fuel tanks. But these products often pose serious health and environmental risks. They can cause skin and respiratory irritation, and their disposal requires special handling due to their chemical composition. Pili Seal® challenges this norm by using the resin of the Pili tree, a substance that is normally discarded as waste by the food and perfume industries in the Philippines. "I am addressing two different pain points," Bantugon explains. "The first one is the drawbacks of commercial sealants and adhesives. The second one is the 155 million kilograms of annual Pili resin waste. With my Pili Seal, it tackles two different problems with one solution." Made from this naturally sticky resin, combined with a solvent and hardening agent, Pili Seal® performs under extreme conditions – withstanding fuel exposure, heat, and pressure. It has already passed multiple industry-standard flammability tests, proving its potential for aviation use. But Bantugon sees far wider applications. 'This product is effective in various material applications – metals, wood, glass, ceramic. For example, if you have roof holes, you can use it to prevent leakages,' he says. Raised in Batangas, a rural province in the Philippines, Bantugon grew up watching his father work the land and his mother teach in the local school. Early memories of patching leaky roofs with chewing gum sparked his fascination with adhesives. That curiosity followed him into his studies in aeronautical engineering and later during an internship at Lufthansa Technik Philippines, where he encountered firsthand the health risks posed by traditional aircraft sealants. Determined to find a safer, greener alternative, Bantugon spent years experimenting with six types of tree resin before selecting Pili. He refined 84 different formulations before landing on the one that worked. The result: a bio-based sealant that supports a circular economy and could offer a new revenue stream for Philippine farmers. In 2024, Bantugon founded Pili AdheSeal Inc. to bring the product to market. His work directly contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goal 9 (Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure) – but it's also deeply personal. 'Success,' he says, 'is best experienced when shared.' Bantugon hopes that Pili Seal® will soon achieve international certification, opening doors for global aviation partnerships. He's also exploring collaborations with construction and automotive industries, aiming to scale production and create sustainable jobs in rural Filipino communities. Two of Denmark's biggest municipalities are ending their use of Microsoft systems in the latest move by European governments away from US Big Tech companies. Henrik Appel Espersen, the chairman of Copenhagen's audit committee, told newspaper Politiken that the council is making the decision to move away from Microsoft Office programmes due to the economy and the "monopoly-like" control of the company. Plus, the foreign policy situation with US President Donald Trump has made the problem "more topical," Espersen added. The same decision was made in Aarhus, Denmark's second-biggest municipality, where, according to the newspaper, a German system has already replaced Microsoft technology. Euronews Next contacted both municipalities to independently verify local reporting. The reported moves from local governments in Denmark follows a public debate in the Netherlands that saw the Dutch parliament approve a series of motions earlier this year to build a digital cloud and reduce its dependence on US cloud technology. There are concerns from experts who previously told Euronews Next that the Trump administration could either compel tech companies to provide the US with Dutch data or force them to no longer provide cloud services to Europe, which could cause massive disruptions to public services. The debate on US Big Tech influence has been going on for some time in Denmark, based on the results of an expert panel looking into their influence. The Danish expert group on tech giants released a report in December 2024 that called for Big Tech alternatives in Europe to "be able to emerge and grow large". "No one should be forced to use the services of tech giants to get information and participate in social, cultural, and democratic communities," the report said. It also asked for an "overview" of the tech giants' influence on digital infrastructure in Denmark, saying that the public sector and education systems should not be "dependent" on the services of tech giants. "We need to fence in the tech giants," Morten Bodskov, Denmark's minister of business and industry, said in a statement at the time. "If we only use their solutions, it makes our society extremely vulnerable in a world that is changing with pressure from great powers, geopolitical tensions, and a technology race. That is why we must develop our own solutions". Euronews Next followed up with the panel of experts and the Danish government to see whether this inquiry has been started or promised but did not receive a reply at the time of publication. Another alternative for Denmark, the Netherlands, and other states concerned about the influence of US Big Tech companies is EU-wide initiatives that are in the works. The European Commission is holding public consultations until July 3 on the future of cloud legislation in the bloc to "address Europe's gap in cloud and AI infrastructure capacity". The act will eventually address research and innovation to accelerate data centres for cloud and AI, private investment in sustainable cloud and AI capacity, and increasing the "secure processing capacity" of EU-based cloud providers. Mario Draghi's 2024 report on the state of Europe's competitiveness noted that the bloc has to "enhance technological infrastructure and reduce dependencies" on non-EU cloud service providers.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Geno's Steaks rebrands to "Steakquon's" to celebrate Saquon Barkley's Madden 26 cover
Lynx forward Alissa Pili's Polynesian roots As Minnesota Lynx forward Alissa Pili goes into her second year in the WNBA, she said she's grown as a player after putting in work in the off season. Pili is the first Polynesian player in the WNBA and said her love for her culture is a big motivation for her to keep improving on the court. 3:38 Now Playing Paused Ad Playing
USA Today
31-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
USC football countdown to kickoff continues—Brandon Pili in focus
USC football countdown to kickoff continues—Brandon Pili in focus Brandon Pili comes from a family of athletes The countdown to USC's 2025 football season is officially on! The Trojans kick off their new campaign 91 days from today. You need something to help you while away the days and hours in the spring and summer. This is one way to do so. In this new series, countdown to kickoff, we will be counting down the days by highlighting a notable Trojan who wore each number. Today, we take another fairly recent look back at former USC defensive lineman Brandon Pili. Position: Defensive line Years played at USC: 2017-2022 Career highlights: Pili was USC's first ever football player from the state of Alaska. Between 2017 and 2022-he served as a key backup defensive lineman for the Trojans. His final season at USC was his best statistical one, when he recorded 25 tackles, one sack, and one pass defended. For two years, Pili shared the USC campus with his younger sister, Alissa, who played for the women's basketball team. The younger Pili later transferred to Utah, and currently plays for the WNBA's Minnesota Lynx. After USC: Pili signed with the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent following the 2023 NFL Draft. He made the team, becoming the first Alaskan to play in the league since 2014. He appeared in 12 games for Miami over two seasons, before being waved last November. Pili is currently a member of the Seattle Seahawks' practice squad.
Time of India
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Karavali Utsav from today in Hubballi
Hubballi: The Rotary Club of Hubli Midtown and the Inner Wheel Club of Hubli Midtown have jointly organised a Karavali Utsav ( coastal festival ) at the Kallur Layout Ground behind the new court in Hubballi. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The event will be held from Thursday to Saturday, said Rotary Club of Hubballi Midtown president Dinesh Shetty. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Shetty described the coastal festival as a celebration of sea life, featuring colours and emotions through exhibitions and sales. This marks the first such event in North Karnataka. The festival will be inaugurated by speaker UT Khader at 5pm on May 1. Notable attendees include Union minister Pralhad Joshi, district minister Santosh Lad, legislative council chairman Basavaraj Horatti, MP Jagadish Shettar, MLAs Aravind Bellad, Prasad Abbayya, Mahesh Tenginakai, MLC Pradeepa Shettar, mayor Ramanna Badiger, deputy commissioner Divya Prabhu, municipal commissioner Rudresh Ghali, and police commissioner N Shashikumar. The festival will feature over 50 commercial stalls offering food, ready-made clothes, and household items. On Thursday, from 7pm to 9pm, Nandgokul artistes from Mangaluru will present the renowned Mandarthi Mahatme traditional dance performance. The programme includes a Nara Shardula Yakshagana performance by Alvas students on May 2 from 6pm to 9pm. On May 3, there will be a magic show by Kudroli Ganesh from 6.30pm to 9pm, and a Pili dance performance from 4pm to 6pm. Daily cultural programmes will showcase the coastal region's cuisine, traditions, and cultural heritage. The festival will be held from 10am to 10pm with free entry for all visitors. Bunts's community leader Suggi Sudhakar Shetty, Rotary Club of Hubli Midtown secretary Praveen Bhansali, convenor of the event Koustubh Saunshikar, Inner Wheel Club of Hubli Midtown president Shilpa Shetty, and secretary Shailaja Bandage attended the press conference.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Yahoo
Judge denies bail for woman accused of beating adopted daughter to death
HONOLULU (KHON2) — The woman accused of beating her adopted daughter to death will remain in custody until her trial. A judge made that ruling April 22, even though a lawyer for her other children said the family should be together. The attorney for Sina Pili asked the court-appointed attorney for her children if she should be allowed to be reunited with them. Ewa Elementary bursting at the seams: Redistricting plan shakes up school boundaries 'Um, that's a complicated question,' said Sheri Ritter, attorney and guardian ad Litem. 'Yes. Qualified, I guess.' Pili is charged with manslaughter for the death of her 11-year old adopted daughter Azaeliyah Pili Ah You in December 2023. Pili has been in custody since being arrested in March. Her attorney has been fighting for her to be released, or at least have her bond reduced. Pili and her husband Davis Pili have four other adoptive children, all of whom have special needs. The children are currently with grandparents, and only have supervised visits with Davis Pili. 'If you're asking me if the children are in danger with mother, the answer is no,' Ritter said. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news 'I think it's important for those children to get some psychological space, and if children especially cannot acknowledge they've seen or endured, they can't start to heal,' said pediatrician Dr. Kayal Natarajan. Despite Natarajan's input, defense attorney Miles Breiner argued that her lack of a psychological penalty does not give her the authority to make that decision. 'I understand you're a pediatrician, but you're not certified as a psychologist,' Breiner said. 'So you can't render an opinion without violation or your code of ethics regarding any kind of psychiatric evaluation not conducted by you. That's not correct.''I'm not conducting a mental health evaluation, but I can understand when I read them, what they mean,' Natarajan replied. Judge Rowena Somerville ruled to continue to hold Pili without bail. The key reason, she says, a Honolulu police report where the detective felt the other children were intimidated and were reluctant to come forward to talk about what happened. 'I do have serious concerns that Ms. Pili will continue to obstruct, or attempt to obstruct justice, when it comes to surviving children,' Somerville said. Pili's trail is scheduled for May. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
