Category Archives: Technology

Russia paid Iran with fighter jets and technology to receive ballistic missiles — ISW

US and European officials have reported that Iran has delivered hundreds of short-range ballistic missiles to Russia. This transfer is part of a deepening strategic partnership between Tehran and Moscow, with Russia reportedly offering fighter jets and technological support in exchange for the weapons, the ISW notes.
The move signifies dangerously increasing cooperation between Moscow and Tehran, followed by the previous Russia-North Korea alliance and growing Chinese assistance to the Russian war machine. Russia recently intensified missile and drone attacks against Ukraine, notably continuing to use Iranian-developed Shahed-131/136 drones and North Korean ballistic missiles.
According to anonymous US officials cited by the Wall Street Journal, Iran has supplied Russia with ballistic missiles to support the Russian invasion of Ukraine. This delivery fulfills a contract signed in December 2023 for Iranian Ababil close-range ballistic missiles and Fateh-360 short-range ballistic missiles.
US “alarmed” by Iranian missile transfer to Russia

In return for these weapons, Iran has reportedly pressed Russia for the delivery of Su-35 fighter jets. The acquisition of these advanced aircraft could significantly enhance Iran’s ability to project air power, given its current outdated and poorly maintained air fleet. Additionally, Iranian leaders have sought Russian support in upgrading their cyber capabilities and missile and space programs as part of the expanding military collaboration. Iran seeks to benefit economically and militarily from its expanding partnership with Russia. Iran has sought cash for its ailing economy in return for selling weapons to the Kremlin, as CTP-ISW reported in September 2023.
This arms deal highlights the growing alliance between Iran and Russia, which has intensified since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Iran has been seeking economic benefits and military upgrades in exchange for supporting Russia’s war efforts.
The transfer of ballistic missiles is expected to bolster Russia’s capabilities in its ongoing attacks against Ukrainian infrastructure. Western officials fear that Russia will likely use these Iranian-provided missiles to target Ukrainian energy, military, and civilian infrastructure in the coming months, potentially destabilizing Ukrainian society and disrupting its defense industrial base.
In response to this development, the United States and unspecified European countries have reportedly prepared a sanctions package against Iran.
Other Key Takeaways from the ISW 7 September 2024 report:

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin stated on 6 September that allowing Ukrainian forces to use US-provided weapons for long-range strikes against Russian military targets within Russia would not change the status of the war. His comments ignore how weapon systems and their accompanying rules of engagement do affect Ukrainian capabilities, and that changes in capabilities can change the course of wars.
Ukraine’s Western partners pledged additional military aid to Ukraine during the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at Ramstein Airbase in Germany on 6 September, a significant portion of which will reportedly not be delivered in the immediate future.
Russian forces are increasingly executing surrendering Ukrainian soldiers throughout the frontline likely in part because Russian commanders appear to be endorsing the proliferation of such war crimes.
The Kremlin signaled its commitment to establish full control over the Russian information space in the future and will likely reattempt to deanonymize Russian social media and Telegram channels even though Roskomnadzor withdrew its recently proposed regulations for now.
Open-source tracking of confirmed Russian military deaths in Ukraine suggests that more Russian volunteers have died in Ukraine than Russian convict recruits and mobilized personnel.

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In cycling at the Paralympics, high-level technology helps teams win

PARIS (AP) — Elouan Gardon was elated when he took bronze for the United States in the men’s 4000-meter individual pursuit at the Paris Paralympics. The 18-year-old cyclist rode in the C5 classification for athletes with limited to moderate movement in one arm or leg.“We believed in our strategy going in,” Gardon said. “I was able to pull away and it worked out perfectly.”The thing is, his strategy went much deeper than what happened on race day. It was part of a process that began right after the Paralympic flame was extinguished in Tokyo three years ago.To gain an edge on the track, countries have been focusing on finding more sophisticated technologies. Ian Lawless, the director of U.S. Paralympics Cycling, has been overseeing a shift in the sport for the American team.“We first work on trying to establish an even playing field,” Lawless said, noting the progress Team USA has made. “But now, the focus is about how we can actually work to gain a competitive advantage.”One of the U.S. team’s biggest cycling innovations has been its recent work on aerodynamics. Within its allotted budget, the U.S. has developed more cost-efficient aero designs. The team even had a technology and innovation grant approved by the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee last year.These developments are possible because of how pro cycling rules are made by the Union Cycliste Internationale. It is a working relationship between the sanctioning body and the teams that allows for further innovation.“We push the envelope,” Lawless said. “And the UCI amends. That’s how it works.”The specific amount of breathing room for innovation depends on what type of bike is being run. According to Lawless, Paralympic handcycles have had the least amount of standardization compared to other bikes. This allowed them to perform testing that they believed “no one else was doing.”American multisport star Oksana Masters, who is a double-leg amputee, competes in a handcycling class for the United States. She echoed the uniqueness of her category after claiming her ninth Paralympic gold, this time in the H5 road race.“We went into the wind tunnel especially for the kneelers because it is such a unique bike,” Masters recalled. “Dialing in what we can and finding those tiny areas of gain is everything.”Innovation specific to an athlete becomes the primary focus for more tested and standardized bicycles. Lawless noted that Team USA has worked on helmets, race suits and even the positioning of the athlete on the bike as ways to get an edge on the competition.Innovation in the off-season is one thing, but it is another to put those innovations into action against the rest of the field such as powerhouse Britain, which has won the most overall cycling medals in each of the past four Paralympics.“They are the gold standard,” said Lawless, adding that the two squads sometimes share notes. “It helps to have an almost unlimited budget.”Britain’s support for Paralympic cycling allows them to perform weekly aero testing, design more individualized bikes, pay full-time aerodynamicists and run their entire operation in-house, Lawless noted.The United States looks for ways to elevate its program with less funding.“We are still a top five team globally,” Lawless said. “U.S. Cycling is typically lean and mean, so we look at how we can approach it that way.”The Americans are already looking forward to the next Paralympics on home soil in Los Angeles. Lawless hopes that the momentum and coverage that France saw this summer with the Games will be replicated in 2028. Another four years of innovation wouldn’t hurt, either.“We have increased media and more awareness,” Lawless said. “We are hoping that we can leverage that for more support at home.”Masters agreed.“The world has got to watch out,” she said. “U.S. para cycling has a lot coming.”—Jack Rachinsky is a student in the John Curley Center for Sports Journalism at Penn State.—AP Paralympics: https://apnews.com/hub/paralympic-games

Washington Post says EV sales stall, focus on hybrids

The recent announcement by Ford Motor Co. that it was abandoning plans to roll out a large electric SUV seems like another warning flag that the early electric vehicle craze has hit a roadblock. There have been other signs. Last year, Tesla, the EV trendsetter, was forced to offer deep discounts, as vehicles sat unsold.…

Washington hosts Minnesota following Collier’s 26-point showing

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Minnesota Lynx (25-9, 14-5 Western Conference) at Washington Mystics (11-23, 4-11 Eastern Conference)Washington; Sunday, 3 p.m. EDTBOTTOM LINE: Minnesota Lynx faces the Washington Mystics after Napheesa Collier scored 26 points in the Lynx’s 99-88 win against the Indiana Fever.
The Mystics are 4-12 on their home court. Washington is sixth in the Eastern Conference in rebounding averaging 31.9 rebounds. Aaliyah Edwards leads the Mystics with 5.6 boards.The Lynx are 10-5 in road games. Minnesota is third in the Western Conference with 7.6 offensive rebounds per game led by Collier averaging 2.3.Washington makes 43.3% of its shots from the field this season, which is 2.0 percentage points higher than Minnesota has allowed to its opponents (41.3%). Minnesota has shot at a 44.8% rate from the field this season, 0.3 percentage points fewer than the 45.1% shooting opponents of Washington have averaged.The teams meet for the fourth time this season. The Lynx won 99-83 in the last matchup on Aug. 17.TOP PERFORMERS: Ariel Atkins is averaging 15 points and 3.2 assists for the Mystics.

Empowering Women Entrepreneurs: The Asia Foundation Transfers B2B Platform to Mongolia Tech Start-up   

The Asia Foundation in Mongolia has officially transferred the B2B platform to the Mongolia-based tech start-up Gerege Systems LLC. The Asia Foundation originally partnered with Gerege Systems to develop a comprehensive platform under the “Supporting Women Entrepreneurs in Mongolia Using Digital Platforms for Business to Business” project. The B2B e-commerce platform is a comprehensive support system for women entrepreneurs and enhances women-led supply chains across Mongolia 

The platform has directly interacted with over 600 women entrepreneurs through events and training sessions and now serves 193 registered clients, and 21 women-owned shops. 

Now, the Gerege Systems plans to integrate the platform into a new mobile app, aiming to connect 2.8 million users across Mongolia. They will expand their network of 376 kiosks, which currently offer 600+ digital services, to cover all cities and provinces. Partnering with financial institutions, Gerege will provide micro-loans to support rural women entrepreneurs. The company also aims to recruit more women-led businesses and introduce B2C services with delivery options to boost sales. 

In partnership with financial institutions, Gerege Systems will introduce microfinance opportunities specifically tailored to support rural women entrepreneurs. The company aims to increase the participation of medium-sized women-led businesses and offer B2C services and delivery options to boost sales. 

Key partners providing digital solutions and support for women entrepreneurs in this initiative include the Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MNCCI), Beautiful Hearts Against Sexual Violence NGO, and Green Balloon LLC. 

The Asia Foundation is a nonprofit international development organization committed to improving lives and expanding opportunities across Asia and the Pacific. Informed by 70 years of experience and deep local knowledge, our work is focused on governance, climate action, gender equality, education and leadership, inclusive growth, and international cooperation. We work in more than 20 countries through our 17 permanent country offices and programs across Asia and the Pacific, supported by a headquarters in San Francisco and an office in Washington, DC. Our funding comes from a diverse array of bilateral and multilateral development agencies, foundations, corporations, and individuals. 

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Eureka Unveils the J15 Pro Ultra at IFA 2024 – Featuring the Industry’s First Self-Cleaning Base Station and Active Detangling Technology

BERLIN, Sept. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Just a week after unveiling the E20 Plus, Eureka has made waves at IFA 2024 with the launch of its flagship robot vacuum of 2024, the Eureka J15 Pro Ultra. Equipped with the industry’s first self-cleaning base station and active detangling technology, 16,200 Pa powerful suction, and exceptional edge cleaning performance, the Eureka J15 Pro Ultra is set to make cleaning much easier.
Eureka J15 Pro Ultra

Industry’s First Self-Cleaning Base Station

The Eureka J15 Pro Ultra stands out by featuring the industry’s first self-cleaning base station. In the past, while the base station could clean the robot, the tray of the base was often neglected, allowing dirt to accumulate and reducing the effectiveness of mop cleaning. The Eureka J15 Pro Ultra ingeniously includes a tray scraper, a debris collection area, and a separate tray debris collecting channel inside the base station. After each mop cleaning, a built-in scraper removes debris from the cleaning tray and pushes it to the collection area. Once there, the debris will be dried thoroughly and collected into the dust bag during the next cleaning cycle, making manual cleaning a thing of the past.

Industry’s First Active Detangling Technology

Beyond its self-cleaning capabilities, the J15 Pro Ultra introduces Eureka’s exclusive FlexiRazorTM technology. This feature addresses one of robot vacuum users’ most common frustrations: hair tangling. FlexiRazorTM employs high-density blades that vibrate 400 times per minute, cutting the hair with a 4 mm amplitude. According to SGS certifications, this ensures that hair tangling is reduced by up to 99%*, allowing users to enjoy a hassle-free cleaning experience without the need for frequent manual maintenance.

*The data provided is based on tests conducted by SGS Lab, and actual performance may vary.

Powerful Suction Meets Exceptional Edge Cleaning

Performance is at the heart of the Eureka J15 Pro Ultra, which is most evident in its suction power. Boasting an impressive 16,200 Pa vacuum suction, the J15 Pro Ultra achieves a household debris removal rate of 99%*

*The data provided is based on tests conducted by Eureka Lab and actual performance may vary.

Additionally, the J15 Pro Ultra is equipped with the ScrubExtend mop extension technology. Traditional robot vacuums often struggle with cleaning close to walls and furniture edges, leaving dirt and debris behind. The ScrubExtend system extends the mop when the vacuum detects corners or obstacles, ensuring that even the hardest-to-reach areas receive a thorough clean. The technology’s effectiveness has been validated by TÜV Rheinland, which confirmed a 98.95%* edge coverage rate and an edge extension distance of just 1.36 mm.

*The data provided is based on tests conducted by TÜV Rheinland and actual performance may vary.

Price and Availability:

The Eureka J15 Pro Ultra will be available in France, Italy, Germany, and Spain starting in late September 2024. Following its European release, the J15 Pro Ultra is scheduled to launch in the United States in November 2024.

About Eureka

Founded in 1909 in Detroit, Michigan, USA, Eureka® offers a full line of vacuum cleaners, including uprights, canisters, sticks, handhelds, cordless, and robot vacuum cleaners. For over 100 years, Eureka continues to innovate and bring to market new and exciting products, making it a household name in North America and all around the world. For more information, visit www.eureka.com.

U.K. Ambassador: British-American Partnership Deepening on AI, Critical Technologies

As economic and security issues become increasingly intertwined, the United Kingdom is stepping up collaboration with the U.S. on artificial intelligence and other critical technologies, the British envoy to Washington said Thursday in Atlanta. During a World Affairs Council of Atlanta keynote breakfast briefing, Ambassador Karen Pierce said AI might end up being as consequential for the world as nuclear technology was in the 1950s. “But of course, in the 1950s, nobody on a sofa and a laptop, thankfully, could make an atomic bomb. But now we do need to look at this afresh. I don’t think there are many precedents for what we now have to get to,” she said. @media ( min-width: 300px ){.newspack_global_ad.scaip-1{min-height: 100px;}}@media ( min-width: 728px ){.newspack_global_ad.scaip-1{min-height: 90px;}}@media ( min-width: 970px ){.newspack_global_ad.scaip-1{min-height: 100px;}}
Their joint approach on AI is emblematic of how the partners are “creating common frameworks for the new challenges of the 21st century,” the ambassador said. Setting global ethical standards and ensuring the West’s pre-eminence over China and other authoritarian regimes when it comes to military applications is imperative, she said, emphasizing the critical role of the private sector will play in addressing the threats and capitalizing on opportunities of a technology often viewed as somewhere between disruptive and transformative.The U.K. is opening the first U.S. office of its AI Safety Institute in San Francisco, welcoming participation from American tech companies that will shape the sector’s future. “Clearly, at a time when anyone with a spare room … can contribute to the development of AI, it’s not going to work just to have government-imposed regulation.”As with many global issues, the U.K. is aiming to support U.S. leadership in the sector while asserting its own strengths as what she called the “third largest AI sector in the world” behind the U.S. and China. @media ( min-width: 300px ){.newspack_global_ad.scaip-2{min-height: 100px;}}@media ( min-width: 728px ){.newspack_global_ad.scaip-2{min-height: 90px;}}@media ( min-width: 970px ){.newspack_global_ad.scaip-2{min-height: 100px;}}
“As (the U.S. goes) out, as you have leadership in the world, we see our job as supporting that, but also burden-sharing,” Ms. Pierce said, noting that the U.K. is the “only one of America’s allies who can do a smaller version of what America does across the world.”But she also acknowledged that the rich world should understand valid fears around emerging technology espoused by the “new kids on the block” — rapidly developing countries with large populations and strong economies that are already questioning the fitness of the Western-led order to govern a modern, multipolar world. “I think we also underestimate how difficult it is for some countries to get to grips with the enormity of something like AI from a governmental public policy perspective,” she said. The United Nations, she added, could become an inclusive venue for instituting new standards. AI is just one sector in which transatlantic cooperation has become more vital, Ms. Pierce said, with the U.K. taking trade issues into its own hands since Brexit was enacted in 2020, freeing up the country to pursue its own policies.@media ( min-width: 300px ){.newspack_global_ad.scaip-3{min-height: 100px;}}@media ( min-width: 728px ){.newspack_global_ad.scaip-3{min-height: 90px;}}@media ( min-width: 970px ){.newspack_global_ad.scaip-3{min-height: 100px;}}
While awaiting friendlier talks with the U.S. on a bilateral trade agreement, the U.K. has signed six state-level pacts focused on acute industries or initiatives, such as wind energy in North Carolina and automotive and life sciences in South Carolina. On security and defense, the U.S. and U.K. have worked hand in hand on Ukraine, and while they’ve diverged on the embargo of certain arms sales to Israel amid the war in Gaza, Ms. Pierce said the latter issue is more about the countries’ respective obligations under international humanitarian law than fundamental disagreements with the Biden administration how to effect a ceasefire. “We want to ceasefire as soon as possible. We want the hostages out. We are very ready to support America in any way we can. I think Secretary (Antony) Blinken has been doing astounding work, good work, to try and get that ceasefire and get the hostages out. And we need much more aid to go into Gaza,” Ms. Pierce said in an interview with council President Rickey Bevington. She also addressed AUKUS, the three-year-old agreement on the sharing of nuclear submarine (not weapons, she stressed) technology among the U.S., U.K. and Australia, is another example of unprecedented cooperation by allies to address new geopolitical challenges.“It’s a groundbreaking trilateral attempt to bring more security and stability to the Indo-Pacific. It will consist eventually of a brand new design for a submarine that will be built in Australia, with help from America and from Britain, with our nuclear specialists,” Ms. Pierce said. She characterized the deal as the first time allies have shared such sensitive tech since the 1950s and framed it as a response to the threat posed by China. That country, she said, has been engaged in economic coercion with Australia and other parties in the region, as well as expanding its influence and ramping up aggressive actions in the South China Sea. The British Navy last year sent a carrier strike group through the Taiwan Strait to support the U.S. efforts to uphold the right to freedom of navigation in international waters, she added.  In the spirit of AUKUS, the U.S. last month lifted certain export controls and restrictions on technology transfer for British and Australian companies in its International Traffic in Arms Regulations, or ITAR, a step reciprocated by these countries’ respective bodies. “It sounds like a very small step, but it’s actually taken us decades to negotiate, and if you have a business in that area, it will be transformative,” Ms. Pierce said. On China, she said, the U.S. and U.K. align on security issues and human rights, especially in the case of China’s oppression of its Uighur minority group. Where the allies diverge slightly is on the trade side, where the U.S. has pushed measures like tariffs aiming to rectify Chinese “overcapacity” in industries like steel and electric vehicles. The U.S. frames these issues in national security terms, but some trading partners have seen them as unnecessarily broad and protectionist.“We probably have a more participatory relationship with China in terms of investment, in terms of trade,” Ms. Pierce said. “And we don’t always agree with where America would draw the line, but we would share your concerns about Chinese investment in critical infrastructure.”While they don’t always share the same views at the World Trade Organization, the U.K. appreciates the broader framework espoused by the U.S. when it comes to China — contest and compete where necessary but cooperate where possible.Ms. Pierce, who has worked in her four years in Washington under three different leaders including Prime Minister Keir Starmer‘s new Labour government, said the vaunted “Special Relationship” doesn’t preclude disagreements, but constant dialogue ensures it’s “very rare that any single issue disrupts it.”That’s partially because the two sides have such a strong economic partnership to match their historical amity. About $2.5 trillion invested bilaterally over time supports some 2.7 million jobs across both countries, according to the White House, which in June 2023 announced a new partnership with the U.K. that included a focus critical technologies like quantum computing, synthetic biology, semiconductors, and, of course, artificial intelligence. —Learn more about the World Affairs Council of Atlanta and become a member here. Contact the British Consulate General in Atlanta here or learn more about doing business with the U.K. from the British-American Business Council of Georgia.

US university Georgia Tech to end China partnerships following concerns over military ties

WASHINGTON: Georgia Tech is ending its research and educational partnerships in the Chinese cities of Tianjin and Shenzhen, the US university said on Friday (Sep 6), following scrutiny from Congress over its collaboration with entities allegedly linked to China’s military.In May, the House of Representatives’ select committee on China wrote a letter to Georgia Tech asking for details on its research with China’s northeastern Tianjin University on cutting-edge semiconductor technologies.

The Chinese school and its affiliates were added in 2020 to the US Commerce Department’s export restrictions list for actions contrary to US national security, including trade secret theft and research collaboration to advance China’s military.

Spokesperson Abbigail Tumpey told Reuters in an email that Georgia Tech has been assessing its posture in China since Tianjin University was added to the entity list.

“Tianjin University has had ample time to correct the situation. To date, Tianjin University remains on the Entity List, making Georgia Tech’s participation with Tianjin University, and subsequently Georgia Tech Shenzhen Institute (GTSI), no longer tenable,” Tumpey said.

Georgia Tech, a top-tier US engineering school and major recipient of defence department funding, said in an accompanying statement it would discontinue its participation in the Shenzhen institute, but that the approximately 300 students currently in programmes there would have the opportunity to fulfil their degree requirements.

In January, Georgia Tech touted that its researchers based in Atlanta and at the Tianjin International Center for Nanoparticles and Nanosystems had created the world’s first functional semiconductor made from the nanomaterial graphene. It said this could lead to a “paradigm shift” in electronics and yield faster computing.

Louisiana Tech announces Summer 2024 honor roll

Louisiana Tech University has announced the names of students on its Summer Quarter 2024 President’s and Dean’s honor lists. Students whose names are followed by an asterisk earned recognition as members of the president’s honor list. That distinction signifies achievement of at least a 3.8 academic grade point average on a minimum of nine semester…