Monthly Archives: March 2022

Photo Submitted

Jeff Pummill and Han Hu

Two University of Arkansas researchers have been awarded access to the supercomputer Neocortex, a platform created to accelerate scientific discovery by running artificial intelligence and machine learning models more quickly. This gives scientists and engineers a practical way to test theories in days or weeks rather than months or years.

Funded by a $5 million National Science Foundation grant and located at the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center, Neocortex facilitates researchers' abilities to handle massive data sets by shortening computer "training," the most time-consuming step in artificial intelligence data analysis. This training teaches a program to recognize specific characteristics in data and leverage them for well-defined tasks; Neocortex enables this step being done exponentially more quickly.

"We are very excited about getting access to Neocortex at the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center," said Han Hu, assistant professor of mechanical engineering. "This powerful, groundbreaking AI system will accelerate our research on data-driven modeling of thermal transport processes."

Hu's research into thermal transport processes is critical to the development of high-performance cooling technologies for microelectronics, hybrid vehicles, data centers and other applications. Neocortex will help Hu develop and evolve his theories and research.

Jeff Pummill, co-director of the Arkansas High Performance Computing Center, said a key component of the center's work is identifying and evaluating new computing systems such as Neocortex that may provide significant research advantages to computational scientists.

"We are seeing increased interest among researchers across campus to use machine learning and neural networks, and it's critical to be aware of new technologies that can potentially increase our competitiveness. Dr. Hu's project is an ideal opportunity to benchmark capabilities between the current systems and new custom supercomputers designed specifically for certain types of problems," Pummill said.

Supporting the research in cooling technologies for microelectronics advanced by Hu and Pummill with Neocortex is highly exciting, said Paola S. Buitrago, Neocortex principal investigator and project director, and director of AI and big data at the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center.

"We look forward to continue democratizing access to game-changing hardware that can and will enable the next breakthroughs powered by deep learning and artificial intelligence," Buitrago said.

Pummill said he and Hu will have access to Neocortex for a year, although extensions are often granted to researchers who are making significant progress. Access to Neocortex was granted as part of a competitive proposal process, though there is no monetary cost for use as the system was funded by the NSF.

Continued here:

Supercomputer Access Will Accelerate Research Progress on Cooling Technologies for Microelectronics - University of Arkansas Newswire

For decades, journalists and analysts have characterized Brazil as a sleeping giant perpetually on the verge of waking up to its enormous economic and geopolitical potential. In 1971, the New York Times proclaimed, The giant of the continent, dismissed as a sleeping giant until recently, has begun to stir, and interest in Brazils intentions has grown among her neighbors.

In reporting over the last decade, the notion of a slumbering nation has often been used in the context of Brazils space ambitions, but thats not the best way to look at it. Today, as the pieces of Brazils modern space ecosystem slide into place, the country isnt just now waking up to the value and potential in the space ecosystem. It is entering its second act.

Brazils first act, from the 1960s through about the turn of the century, included many of the common elements in growing space programs during that time. It had a sounding rocket program for science and technology research as a precursor to an orbital launch vehicle. It conducted satellite research and inked agreements with spacefaring nations to build and launch satellites and space assets. And it built a launch facility in Alcntara in the far north of the country.

The Brazilian Space Program was replaced by the Brazilian Space Agency (AEB) in 1994, and importantly, in the government structure, the agency sat directly beneath the Presidency of the Republic. This helped prioritize the agencys efforts among Brazils government programs.

Then came a chain of complications. In 2000, AEB was moved down several layers of bureaucracy, with a corresponding impact on priority and budget. A few years later, an attempted launch of an experimental satellite launch vehicle exploded on the launch pad and killed 21 people, many of them scientists. Decreased investment, lower priority, and a series of other misfortunes led to years of negligence in the space sector, according to Dr. Adriana Cursino Thom, a senior technologist who has been working in the sector for many years in Brazil (and who notes her opinion does not necessarily reflect the opinion of her employer, the Brazilian Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation).

In spite of having the space sector in the spotlight for some years now, to catch up to be in the same spot we were some decades ago requires a huge effort, she said. We are going to have to work a lot because nowadays, we have many more spacefaring nations. It is a big task.

The last couple of years have been particularly challenging due to the global pandemic. Brazils space budget contracted nearly 75% in 2020, and just 19% of the AEB budget was even spent, according to The Space Report. Yet, despite these and other obstacles, there is earnest optimism on the part of Thom and others in the Brazilian space community. And it is certainly helpful that the current Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Marcos Pontes, is Brazils only former astronaut. He was instrumental in leading Brazil to sign the Artemis Accords in 2021.

Brazil is back, said retired Maj. Gen. Jose Vagner Vital, former Brazilian Air Force Space Commission Executive Vice President, Coordinator of the Aerospace Committee of the National Union of Defense Material Industries (SIMDE), and Vice President of the International Academy of Space Studies. He credits this rebound to two key achievements that have unlocked the potential and momentum in the next phase of Brazilian space activity: government investment in the development of the domestic VLM rocket and the approval of the Technology Safeguards Agreement (TSA), which opened the Alcntara Space Center for global business.

Work on the three-stage, solid-fuel VLM began in 2008, but the momentum of its development has picked up in recent years, aided in part by collaboration with the German Space Agency. The vehicles future uses are not the only exciting outcome from this work. When ready, it will give Brazil indigenous launch capabilities, and that means stepped-up government demand for everything from producing the components of the vehicle to analyzing data returned from space.

Meanwhile, in 2019, Brazil and the United States signed the TSA, which allows U.S. space technologies to be imported to Brazil for launch. The TSA was a transformative step for Brazils space ecosystem because it opens the global market to one of the crown jewels of Brazilian space infrastructurethe Alcntara Space Center.

For the global space ecosystem, Alcntara is unique in many respects. No other center is as close to the equator (just two degrees south), which provides valuable options for fuel economy and launching into hard-to-reach orbits. It also has broad clearance for launches, with the open Atlantic to the east and largely rural, forested areas surrounding on three other sides. This has the added benefit of more modest launch insurance prices as vehicles can be sent on trajectories that present lower risk to people and buildings on the ground.

With the launch center open for global business (given the TSA), some of the first launch providers are developing agreements. In April 2021, Virgin Orbit was selected as one of four companies allowed to provide launches from Alcntara. The other three companies negotiating contracts are Hyperion, Orion AST, and C6 Launch.

As with every nations journey through the space age, big achievements open the door to solve new challenges. When it comes to Brazils nascent commercial space sector, many of the remaining challenges are common to space programs around the world, among them, accessing funding and translating scientific innovation to entrepreneurial success.

Funding is very hard to secure, said Paulo Eduardo Vasconcellos, a retired general officer and former CIO for the Brazilian Air Force. Because of the R&D scientific approach to space, most of the startups are launched by researchers, and they dont know how to talk business. They just want to do rockets or space hardware. The investors say, And? What is my return?

Vasconcellos is also the COO for C6 in Brazil. He noted the companys intention is to build some of the core elements needed to transform the commercial space landscape, including bringing the global space supply chain to Brazil, something Vasconcellos said will be game-changing for space in Brazil.

Meanwhile, there are challenges in enticing scientists and technical experts to join a private company.

Many scientists are really worried about involvement with the commercial sector because they are afraid of not being self-sufficient, said Thom. They believe that if they associate with the commercial company, they will have to follow what the company wants and not whats important to their research.

A third type of challenge for commercial space is access to government demand, which is a phenomenon common to several nations developing their domestic space economy. When government space needs (such as launch services and components manufacturing) are opened to the commercial sector, it provides a reliable source of funding to sustain the business while the company also develops expertise and intellectual property that can be sold to other customers. This is how the global space economy grows.

The ecosystem already exists, said Vital, who also serves as Innovation & Business Director at Saipher. But the ecosystem is focused on science and technology research and not focused enough on space services because there is a lack of demand [from the government]. Thats why industry is very concerned and is saying, Government, if you buy more services, we can adapt, improve, satisfy the demand and go to market.

Even if it has not matured to its final shape and makeup, Brazils space ecosystem is on the path to growth and is integrating with the global space community. As with any space endeavor, future success will hinge on a space-ready workforce.

When it comes to science and technology education at the university level, Brazil already enjoys a collegiate system capable of producing some of the best and brightest minds that can support the space ecosystem.

Although we dont have many undergraduate courses related to space, we have very good graduate courses in the area, many of them offered at the National Institute for Space Research (INPE) and at the Technological Institute of Aeronautics (ITA), said Thom.

Both institutes are located in So Paulo, the most populous state in Brazil. While this is advantageous for the state, it requires students from around the country to relocate to study, a phenomenon throughout the university system that Thom said can be challenging.

The Institute is located in So Paulo, the most populous state in Brazil. While this is advantageous for the state, it requires students from around the country to relocate to study, a phenomenon throughout the university system that Thom said can be challenging.

Another factor for Brazil is gender disparity in higher education. The proportion of 25-34-year-old women who completed tertiary education is one of the lowest in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). This discrepancy is a challenge worldwide, but its one Brazil is striving to address. In October 2021, at the Dubai Expo, I was pleased to present at an expert meeting of the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs Space4Women project, which included representatives from the UAE and Brazil discussing how space benefits can be used to reach women and girls and foster their equal participation in the global space ecosystem.

Part of the challenge overall is providing an opportunity for young people to imagine the possibilities and opportunities in the space ecosystem, from basic research to commercializing space technologies. For our part, Space Foundation is working with PR Tecnologia to integrate our Junior Space Entrepreneur Program (JSEP) curriculum with the organizations digital platform to provide science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), non-STEM, and 21st-century essential business and life skills learning to Brazilian students. We are also working with the MILO Space Science Institute, which has signed an MOU with the Brazilian Space Agency to enrich and support its space workforce development and provide access to missions.

Brazil is not unlike other countries in how it views the economic impact of space in multiple ways, said David Thomas, executive director of MILO. What I think is happening that is special about this point in history is that heretofore, space has been perceived to be out of reach by many peopleThe students who are emerging today are not going to have a mental barrier in front of them, thinking that space is out of reach. Now, there are so many opportunities to take part.

Working in the space ecosystem can be both the career goal and the pathway to achieve it. And importantly, the benefits along the way will not be limited to new rockets, Alcntara, and a blossoming space industry. As Thomas said:

Space encompasses many domains. As we are building capacity, we are training not just the next generation of space explorers but also the next generation of Earth solvers. These are transferable skills. Whats special about space is the downstream effect. The monetary benefit is compounded because what youre doing is creating a STEM workforce that will then go on and do other things for the people on planet Earth.

In Brazil today, the components of a thriving space ecosystem are coming together. To be sure, the countrys many space stakeholders are wide awake to the opportunities ahead, and as Brazil enters its second act, the best is yet to come.

Shelli Brunswick is the chief operating officer of Space Foundation.

See the original post here:

Op-ed | Order and Progress Brazil's Second Act in Space - SpaceNews

Progress announced the latest release of Progress WhatsUp Gold, its IT infrastructure monitoring software.

With this WhatsUp Gold release, less than six months after Progress acquisition of Kemp, Progress introduces integration with the comprehensive network traffic performance monitoring and diagnostics capabilities of Progress Flowmo along with the monitoring of Progress LoadMaster. Progress now offers organisations a comprehensive and easy-to-understand view of their networks performance from a single pane of glass.

With hybrid and remote work environments, system administrators are increasingly facing the challenge of effectively managing complex, multi-vendor, hybrid environments that span beyond their network edge. Powerful, vendor-agnostic visibility is required in order to accomplish this pivotal, ever-present task while minimising business impact from service issues and downtime. Now more than ever, the ability to synthesise insights from multiple infrastructure vantage points is critical.

WhatsUp Gold 2022 builds on its interactive mapping interface and total ecosystem visibility through integration with Flowmon that surfaces deep network performance insights in a single dashboard. IT operations teams can now simplify troubleshooting with consolidated access to WhatsUp Gold native infrastructure monitoring view combined with advanced network telemetry.

When an organisation deploys WhatsUp Gold 2022, when network issues occur, time to resolution is optimised which reduces impact on the business. Joint deployments of WhatsUp Gold and Flowmon also mean that customers can benefit from anomaly detection capabilities that help to improve their overall security posture, reducing the risk of threat actors and infrastructure compromise.

To manage all aspects of hybrid infrastructure monitoring, organisations often end up with dozens of independent tools that dont natively work together and may be collecting the same data leading to significant levels of inefficiency, said Jason Dover, VP, Product Strategy, Enterprise Application Experience, Progress. To reduce complexity and increase efficiency, a unified approach to network infrastructure and security visibility is required. By integrating WhatsUp Gold with Flowmon, Progress enables customers with the right information in context, to identify the leading indicators of infrastructure performance and network issues in order to prevent them from happening in the first place.

In addition to Flowmon integration, this release of WhatsUp Gold introduces native monitoring of LoadMaster ADCs and Microsoft Teams alert group notifications.

WhatsUp Gold IT infrastructure monitoring solution empowers operations teams to monitor and manage their business applications and the resources that support them to ensure high levels of performance and availability. WhatsUp Gold was named a 2021 Network Monitoring Emotional Footprint Champion by SoftwareReviews, a division of IT research and advisory firm Info-Tech Research Group, and regularly receives high marks from peer-to-peer review sites such as G2.

The latest release of WhatsUp Gold is available now.

View original post here:

Progress WhatsUp Gold reduces the risk of threat actors and infrastructure compromise - Help Net Security

On March 15, 29 representatives showed up in person, another 21 checked in via Zoom for a meeting of all the suppliers and manufacturers involved in the new IMSA Prototype car, the GTP, which will debut at the 2023 Rolex 24 at Daytona next January.

In a press conference Wednesday, IMSA and WEC officials said that it has been surprisingly smooth sailing for the new car, which was announced at the Rolex in January of 2020, and was delayed by a year due to the pandemic.

The car, which has a mild hybrid component, was originally called the LMDh. IMSA now calls it the GTP, and the WEC calls it the Hypercar, but mechanically, they are identical, and are designed to be able to compete in both IMSA and WEC, including in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The press conference included comments by IMSA vice president of competition Simon Hodgson, IMSA technical director Matt Kurdock, IMSA senior engineer for performance and simulation Bill Pearson, ACO director of competition Thierry Bouvet and IMSA president John Doonan, as well as representatives from hybrid powertrain supplier Bosch, battery supplier Williams Advanced Engineering and gearbox supplier Xtrac.

The upshot: Cooperation among competitors and suppliers has been unprecedented. There are 25 tests planned between now and the Rolex 24 by the manufacturers, who are following Porsches lead, as the company has already logged track time in Barcelona in its new GTP/Hypercar. IMSA was very pleased with the test, said Kurdock, and problems with the hybrid system were described as very small by Pearson, and promptly addressed.

Said one of the suppliers: There is no hiding, everyone shares its a new era in motorsports. Of course, once 2023 arrives, All bets are off.

The first semi-official test of the GTP/Hypercar will be in conjunction with the IMSA season-ender, Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, and will take place October 3-5. A mandatory test for teams that plan to compete in the 2023 Rolex 24 is scheduled for December 6-7 at Daytona.

Though eligible, no LMH cars, which compete in the WEC, have signed up to run at Daytona. The deadline is September 1, and if an LMH team signs up, the car will have to undergo testing, including in the wind tunnel.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io

Continue reading here:

IMSA Officials 'Very Pleased' with Progress of New GTP Car - autoweek.com

I just read in the paper this week that Pullman is ready for a new roundabout.

Im confused. Is this proposed roundabout an additional one or is it a second? Or are there more? If it is a second or third one, where are they? I didnt know we had an old one.

This whole question reminds me of all the changes that have taken place in Pullman in my lifetime. I grew up here and lived on Alpha Road until I got married and left Pullman in 1953 until about 1995, when I returned to live where I do now. I have found it a great place to live and love it here.

There have been huge changes in my lifetime. I was born in 1931 at a time when Pullman didnt have a hospital, so my mother went to Spokane, where her parents lived, to have me at Deaconess Hospital. We first lived in an old house on Colorado Street in back of the old Bookie before my folks moved to their house on Alpha Road about a year later.

At that time, our immediate neighborhood had only a scattering of houses. There were only three old houses in our block and one across the street. We watched as the vacant land was filled in within a few years. One of our weekend activities was walking around going through the houses in progress guessing what the uses of each space was destined to be.

Some belonged to friends of ours and others were owned by strangers. In the early days, there was a creek running beside the level part of D Street that dove through a culvert under Alpha Road and followed Harvey Road as an open creek until it reached the river that ran along Grand Avenue.

When they prepared to pave D Street, they brought sections of culvert and left them lying along the street until they were ready to put them in place. We soon discovered that if we crawled through the sections, we could find the segments of metal that were punched out to make rivet holes. Those made wonderful play money. I remember I found enough to fill a quart milk bottle. Paving D Street spoiled a lot of our fun since we could no longer crawl under Alpha Road through the culvert. That creek remained an open creek until they finally paved Harvey Road.

B, C, D, and Alpha were paved earlier, which further spoiled a lot of our fun. However, it was nice to finally have a storm sewer instead of a mud hole in front of our house. I remember as a small child sitting in a rut full of water in my green wool snowsuit. I also fell in the creek once wearing that and had to climb a very slippery muddy 4-foot-high bank to get out. Looking back on it, I realize I was very lucky. The creek was in flood with about 3 feet of water in it. I still dont remember how I got out safely but I do remember getting my wool snowsuit very wet and heavy enough to weigh me down as I drug myself home crying all the way.

Ours was a great neighborhood to play in. It had once been an old orchard and there were a bunch of old apple trees scattered about. We had one in our yard that my folks never pruned and it had a horizontal limb that was perfect to sit on and hang by our knees on. Wed play house in it by the hour.

Times have changed, and Im not always sure its for the better. We could let our imaginations run wild as we turned trees to houses and sat in ruts that fit our behinds perfectly. Kids these days miss out on a lot of that kind of fun.

Harding lives in Pullman and is a longtime League of Women Voters member. She also has served on the Gladish Community and Cultural Center board. She can be contacted at lj1105harding@gmail.com.

Here is the original post:

Her View: Roundabout, progress has me looking to the past - Moscow-Pullman Daily News

As Russia's war in Ukraine entered into its fourth week, both sides have identified cautious signs of progress toward a potential deal to end the conflict, but a lack of trust and the ongoing hostilities has clouded the diplomacy with lingering uncertainty.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova told Newsweek at a press conference on Thursday that the very fact Russia-Ukraine talks are taking place "is a sign of progress, it means that there is progress whenever there are negotiations."

Zakharova declined to go into details "as to the essence of the discussions, saying what the progress is and what the progress is not," citing their closed-door nature. But she emphasized that the existence of talks marked an "achievement."

She said the situationcharacterized by Russian President Vladimir Putin as a "special military operation"is "very complicated" and that the negotiations span "military, political and humanitarian aspects."

As for Russia's own demands, however, Zakharova said they were "simple" and "in line with the goals and purposes of this special military operation."

In announcing the operation late last month, Putin called for the "demilitarization" and "denazification" of Ukraine, claiming Western military support and far-right fighters constituted a threat to Russia's national security.

The Kremlin has since outlined conditions. They include an end to Ukraine's bid to join the U.S.-led NATO alliance; recognition of the independence of two breakaway republics in the eastern Donbas region; and acknowledgment of Russia's control over the Crimean Peninsula, annexed by Moscow in 2014.

"We call on the regime of President Zelensky to think of the future of his country and its citizens and draw conclusions and take effective decisions," Zakharova said Thursday.

The remarks came a day after Financial Times reported on an apparent 15-point draft agreement to end the conflict that has now entered its fourth week.

The plan would reportedly establish a ceasefire and include provisions through which Ukraine would declare neutrality in exchange for security guarantees and the withdrawal of Russian troops.

Ukrainian presidential spokesperson Mykhailo Podolyak quickly tempered hopes that any deal was imminent, however, issuing a statement that the proposal represented only "the requesting side of the Russian position" and "nothing more."

"The only thing we confirm at this stage is a ceasefire, withdrawal of Russian troops and security guarantees from a number of countries," he added.

Iuliia MendelZelensky's former press secretary who is in close contact with the government and peace negotiatorstold Newsweek there is still hope for a deal but that there is little trust on Kyiv's side.

"The Ukrainian negotiators were, I wouldn't say optimistic, but they were looking forward to the negotiations and put a lot of weight on them. This was the only working format," Mendel said.

"Probably they can reach some deal, and as I have mentioned Ukraine sees possible solutions. But we understand that we have to deal with a terrorist state. How reliable is this? There is no assurance it will ever work."

She also later referenced Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov's remarks Thursday in which he suggested no deal was imminent.

"Our delegation is putting in colossal effort and demonstrates more readiness towards them than the other side," he said, per Reuters. "Agreeing such a document, the observance of all its parameters and their implementation could very quickly stop what is happening."

The question of Ukraine's occupied territories will likely be the biggest obstacle to any eventual deal. Kyiv has never given up the hope of recovering Crimea and separatist-held Donbas, and may soon also have to fight to reclaim the southern Kherson oblast if Moscow proceeds with plans to hold a self-styled independence referendum there.

Territorial concessions are politically toxic. Even Zelensky, who has emerged throughout the crisis as a national and global icon of resistance, may struggle to sell such an unpopular proposal.

Yevheniia Kravchuk, the deputy head of Zelensky's Servant of the People faction in parliament, told Newsweek: "Trading Crimea and Donbas is impossible."

Others held less hope for any deal with Russia given the bad blood between the two countries.

Kira Rudik, a member of Ukraine's Rada and leader of the pro-European Voice political party, told Newsweek she had no faith in Moscow's negotiators.

"I don't think there is a deal that we can cut," Rudik said. "We can never trust the Russians." On the prospect of security guarantees from other nations, Rudik responded: "So why are they not protecting us now?"

But Andriy Ryzhenko, a retired naval captain and former deputy chief of staff in Ukraine's navy, told Newsweek that Russia may wish to seek a deal sooner rather than later, even if that means abandoning Putin's initial maximalist war goals.

"Russia is not in favor of delaying, I would say," Ryzhenko said. "First, delay will disable its army. Second, it will disable its economy. And third, there is the informational factor. Knowledge about casualties is spreading around Russia, they are having funerals and they understand what is going on."

But Ryzhenko too warned there is a severe lack of trust on the Ukrainian side. "This challenge probably will exist as long as Putin is in power," he said.

Zelensky himself said on Wednesday that a possible deal with Russia "sounds more realistic." At the same time, he has emphasized there would be no surrender in any understanding reached with Moscow.

Following a defiant speech later that same day in which he vowed to continue defending against the Russian incursion, Zelensky laid out his goals in searching for a diplomatic resolution.

"My priorities in negotiations are absolutely clear: The end of the war, security guarantees, sovereignty, restoration of territorial integrity, real guarantees for our country, real protection for our country," Zelensky said.

Mixed signals also came out of Moscow as Putin appeared to offer little in the way of concessions on Wednesday during a fiery speech of his own.

Putin vowed Russia would achieve economic self-sufficiency in the face of international sanctions and, in fact, benefit from a "self-purification" of society to rid it of those whose loyalties he said lie elsewhere.

But much of his commentary focused on Russia's socioeconomic status, now and in the near future, rather than on the conflict itself, or the negotiations surrounding it.

That same day, Newsweek asked Georgiy Muradov, permanent representative of Crimea under the Russian president, if there were any indications of progress in negotiations with Ukraine on the fate of the southern peninsula and eastern Donbas region.

Muradov said that "we in Crimea do not believe the Ukrainian regime, just like Donetsk and Lugansk, they don't believe it either."

He cited the experience of the Minsk Agreements first reached eight years ago between the Ukrainian government and pro-Moscow separatists, a pact both sides have repeatedly accused one another of violating.

The Russian envoy said it was his personal view that Kyiv's apparent flexibility on Moscow's demands was actually an "attempt to mislead the international community, claiming that they have some progress in negotiations."

He also referenced outstanding disputes over attempts to establish humanitarian corridors during the ongoing conflict in which Kyiv and Moscow have accused one another of firing upon civilians.

"We discuss a lot of questions with the Ukrainian delegations in our talks, but the major issue regarding the humanitarian corridors, just to let the civilians leave these areas of conflict, leave this suffering," Muradov said. "They have been saying, of course, we will stand for opening these corridors, but they haven't done anything to maintain this, not just in the words, but in deeds."

And while Muradov noted that he was not a direct participant in the discussions taking place between Russian and Ukrainian officials, he said that "there are some discussions regarding the recognition of the Crimea that demilitarization" as well as regarding "demilitarization, denazification, protection of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions on the basis of the agreements signed with them."

"I believe all these objectives will be attained, and after that, probably, with a new Ukrainian government, we will talk about this question," Muradov said.

Others directly involved in the talks shared a more positive view, especially on the neutrality provision, though with the caveat that Russia expected all conditions to be satisfied.

Russian negotiator Vladimir Medinsky said Wednesday that among the proposals being discussed by Ukraine was adhering to "the Austrian, Swedish versions of a neutral demilitarized state, which is a state that has an army and a navy," according to the state-run TASS Russian News Agency.

"Certainly, the key issue for us is the status of Crimea and Donbass and some humanitarian issues including denazification, the rights of Russian-speaking people and the status of the Russian language and so on," he added.

This parallel was echoed by Moscow's top diplomat, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who addressed the talks during an interview with the RBC outlet, saying that "neutral status" for Ukraine was "now by and large seriously discussed in conjunction with security guarantees, of course."

"There are absolutely concrete phrases there that, in my opinion, are close to being agreed upon," Lavrov said.

But he too emphasized Moscow sought more than Ukraine's withdrawal from its NATO membership bid.

"Although it's clear that a declaration of neutrality and announcement of guarantees alone would, of course, will be a significant step forward," Lavrov said, "but the problem is much broader, and we talked about it, among other things, from the perspective of these much-vaunted values: the Russian language, culture, freedom of speech."

Washington, for its part, has been hesitant to weigh in on the specifics of the ongoing negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow, and instead sought to fortify Ukraine's leverage by providing it with additional military support and imposing costs on Russia through a broad international coalition of sanctions and restrictions.

The U.S. and NATO have so far refused to oblige Zelensky's request to implement a no-fly zone, a move that would threaten direct clashes between the West and Russia, or to transfer warplanes to Ukraine, but have steadily made additional types of other weapons available.

Shortly after Zelensky's impassioned plea to U.S. lawmakers in a rare direct address by a foreign leader to Congress on Wednesday, President Joe Biden announced a new yet anticipated $800 million military aid package to Ukraine including anti-aircraft systems, anti-armor weapons, and small arms and ammunition. The deal brought the total amount of military assistance announced in the past week alone to about $1 billion.

During Thursday's press conference, Zakharova said such a move "follows the mindless and heartless policy of Zelensky with regard to his own country." She warned such aid could "become a destabilizing factor that would not bring peace to Ukraine."

As to the ongoing efforts to find peace through talks, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters Wednesday that the Biden administration remains "in very close touch with the Ukrainians," but at the same time noted that U.S. officials "haven't seen any effort to de-escalate from President Putin and from the Russian military."

She said the administration "will continue to be very supportive, in a range of ways, of diplomatic efforts," citing a conversation earlier that day between White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan and Russian counterpart Nikolai Patrushev.

But Psaki said the U.S. was "also providing a range of security assistance and economic assistance to make sure we're strengthening Ukraine as they go into these discussions."

Pointing the finger at Russia, Psaki said "it's hard to have negotiations that are going to be effective if, you know, one party is continuing to escalate."

Asked by Newsweek how the Biden administration what sort of diplomatic support was being offered to Kyiv in addition to the military aid, a State Department spokesperson said that the U.S. was "broadly supportive of diplomacy and Ukraine's efforts to reach a ceasefire with Russia and the withdrawal of Russia's forces, and we have been urging Russia to end this conflict from the beginning."

"We are working to put Ukraine in the strongest possible negotiating position, including by increasing pressure on Russia by imposing severe costs and by providing security assistance to help the people of Ukraine defend themselves," the spokesperson said.

"If there are diplomatic steps that we can take that the Ukrainian Government believes would be helpful, we're prepared to take them. However, we remain clear-eyed about Russia's intentions given what's happening on the ground."

The rest is here:

Russia, Ukraine See Progress to End War, but Trust Is Low and Violence High - Newsweek

The United States has made immense societal and cultural progress towards combating discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community.

And, as parents of LGBTQ+ kids, we do feel that our kids live in a fundamentally safer, more accepting country for them than in the country we grew up in. As we continue our work to move our cities, counties, states, and country forward, we must do so in a way that protects our progress and does not take three steps backward to take one step forward.

We are grateful for the good-faith efforts made to create House Bill 2802. It is a welcome sign of societal progress that a bill containing some LGBTQ+ protections exists. Because this bill carries non-discrimination language for our most vulnerable, it must be carefully questioned and reviewed to ensure that ultimately it will result in a safer future for our children.

At issue are the exemptions written in the bill for religious institutions. As the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said in their press release, (The) bill preserves the religious rights of individuals and communities of faith while protecting the rights of members of the LGBTQ community, consistent with the principles of fairness for all.

Fairness is a word that is often used with great flexibility. To be clear, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is saying it would be fair to allow religious institutions to still practice conversion therapy and to discriminate without impunity or consequences.

This bill, and the exemptions therein, carries the language and room to become more than simply a carve out for Arizonas religious institutions. The consequences, unintended and intended, are far greater, and grave to the well-being and future of our children.

This bill could quickly take hold in state legislatures across the country as the model bill because of its loose and permissive language regarding discrimination on the basis of religion. Should it be signed into law, it has the potential to be used to build out case law that expands the defined religious exemptions creating a perfect legal environment to allow cases like Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission to be everyday practice.

As parents raising LGBTQ+ children, this prospect is terrifying to us. The short-term progress this bill claims to make is absolutely not worth the unaddressed long-term ramifications poised to corrode American created LGBTQ+ protections and send society backwards swiftly.

We, as parents and protectors of our children who are LGBTQ+, are forced to oppose HB2802. We must do better for our children.

Link:

HB2802 is a sign of progress for LGBTQ+, but religious exemptions could have "terrifying" implications - Arizona Mirror

OLYMPIA - Sen. Brad Hawkins' affordable housing bill has reached the Governor's office and is pending final approval. Those who testified for its approval expressed their excitement for the bill's progress.

"Chelan Valley Housing Trust is very grateful for the efforts of both representative Mike Steele up here in Chelan County and of course, Senator Brad Hawkins," Chelan Valley Housing Trust Executive Director Steve Wilkinson said. "They're really highlighting the need for creative legislation to address the housing crisis we have got here in Chelan County and Senator Hawkins demonstrated great resolve and flexibility to sponsor Senate Bill 5868 for the purpose of expanding that eligible use of the existing rural sales and use tax for funding housing."

SB 5868 is targeted towards expanding the use of rural county public facilities sales and use tax to include affordable workforce housing, generally used for economic development or building infrastructure. This is a 0.09% sales remittance tax that is coming out of the 6.5% state sales tax. If signed into law, this would not increase tax rates and will be eligible for those who do not make more than 120% over the median income within their county. It would be designated for nonprofit housing so that it remains affordable after a resident or developer sells their property.

"There is a major growing issue with housing affordability especially in our areas," Sen. Hawkins said "Places like Leavenworth, Lake Chelan, the Methow Valley, and all throughout the state."

The bill traversed both House and Senate floors March 7-9 and was finally placed on the Governor's desk by March 11.

"Passing any bill in Olympia is difficult but housing bills have proven to be especially challenging, so I'm just really grateful to the many local stakeholders who supported this effort and who helped advocate for it. This bill would not be where it is without their support."

Those who testified for the bill's approval include Upper Valley MEND, Chelan Vallery Housing Trust, Chelan County, Leavenworth Mayor Carl J. Florea, Leavenworth City Councilmember Zeke Reister, Wenatchee Valley Chamber, Confluence Health, and Cascade Medical.

Those who testified against the bill include the Washington Public Ports Association due to the bill's last minute change to fund workforce housing through the state sales tax rather than through lodging taxes. Chelan County Housing & Economic Development Director Sasha Sleiman recalled that the Port's concerns were based in the funding stream becoming too thin down the line.

"I think everybody kind of understands the importance of it, but anytime you expand use of funding, that means hypothetically, other people won't be able to get as much funding. The funding is limited, there's a set amount of money," Sleiman explained. "If you're allowing for more people to apply for that funding, people who are existing recipients of that funding may get nervous, so I think that's where we're seeing that from the statewide port association."

Many proponents for the bill argue that there will be little economic development without more infrastructural development for workforce housing.

"If your workers can't live where you have the infrastructure or you want to build the infrastructure, then what's the point of having money for infrastructure if it's in a place where those kind of skills, those kind of laborers, those kind of workers can't live?" Leavenworth City Councilmember Zeke Reister asked. "It's really important to have people living where they work as much as possible."

Steve Wilkinson reports that both Leavenworth and Chelan are placed in a unique housing position due to their high-income populace driving out the housing market, but with tourism and hospitality at an all-time high, employees have become increasingly scarce.

"We have a much greater populace of affluent retirees that now live here. They are in the need of central year-round services," Wilkinson explained. "There's a need for employees here and for a longer period of time to meet this tourism. When you do not have the housing, it's hard to retain employees and it's hard to attract employees."

Here is Leavenworth Mayor's response regarding WA SB 5868:

Mayor Carl J. Florea:"This is a great bill that will give us one tool to help us address our housing crisis. No one thing, nor any one bill, will solve our housing needs. But this is the first time we have the option to put some locally generated funds towards the problem, and the significance of that cant be overstated. And this is the first time a bill of any kind has come through our state that gives resources towards those needing housing above the affordable housing model that was limited to those making less than 80% of area median income. This bill allows these dollars to go for workforce housing that serves those up to 120% of area median income. Truly groundbreaking.I approached Sen. Hawkins with our need for a funding stream to address workforce housing and asked for his help. He originally agreed to sponsor a bill to allow us to use a portion of our lodging tax. But when that failed to gather the needed support, he changed direction to use these county .09% sales and use tax funds to address the same need. Sen. Hawkins truly gets how the lack of housing is devastating to a community such as ours. I cant thank him enough for his tenacity and steadfastness to work this through the legislature. And both our representatives, Rep. Mike Steele, and Rep. Keith Goehner, were supportive and a help to get this bill through the House. A big first step, one of many that will need to be developed to address our shortage of housing."

COMMON GROUND Community Housing Trust Board President Thom Nees"Senator Hawkins bill, SB 5868, is smart legislation for such a time as this as evidenced by the broad support in the WA State House and Senate. The bill does not create a new funding stream, but instead, offers the opportunity for local jurisdictions, like Chelan and Douglas Counties, to direct existing funding that can increase attainable housing units for our workforce. With the Governors signature, the counties will be able entertain applications from non-profit Community Housing Trusts and the Housing Authority for development infrastructure costs which is a major cost of housing.In the Greater Wenatchee area, we have a median sales price of over $450,000 now, and an affordable price for our workforce is $200,000-$250,000. In order to deliver these housing units to the consumer, we have to fill the gap between what the market place delivers and what is attainable. This legislation gives the opportunity to access funding to help do that.I am grateful for SB 5868 passage. I am also glad to live in the Greater Wenatchee area where local officials recognize our housing crisis, and are responding with their advocacy and funding decisions."

Link:

Stakeholders Respond to Hawkins' Affordable Housing Bill Progress - Quad City Herald