NYC has scores of small, specialized or quirky museums. Here are some highlights New York can be a magical place for museumgoers. It can also be overwhelming and overcrowded at times, especially at the biggest, most famous museums. Luckily, the city has scores of great museums to choose from: Everything from small and quirky, to elegant gems housed in historic mansions, to preserved Lower East Side tenement apartments and hands-on experiences that might surprise even longtime New Yorkers. "Going to the Museum of Modern Art or the Metropolitan Museum of Art or the American Museum of Natural History is fantastic. But they can be like a big super-sized coffee drink, while we're more like a cup of espresso," says Alex Kalman, director of two of the city's tiniest museums, Mmuseumm1 and Mmuseumm2. One is built into an old elevator shaft in a downtown alleyway. (Both museums are closed for the holidays but reopen in spring.) At other small museums you'll find a cozy, Viennese-style coffee shop; kosher Jewish comfort food like bagels, blintzes, herring and house-cured salmon; and edgy gift shops to rival MoMA's famous one. You could view the chair that George Washington sat in before giving his inaugural address to Congress (New York City was the seat of U.S. government in those days.) Or you might make seltzer or solve math puzzles. Here's some of what's happening at NYC's "other" museums: 227 W 27th St. Tucked inside the Fashion Institute of Technology, behind the big sculpture in front, is the city's only museum solely devoted to fashion. And it's free. The current show, "Africa's Fashion Diaspora," runs through Dec. 29. "It's about Africa as an idea that continues to inspire designers from Africa and also those whose ancestors came from Africa," says museum director Valerie Steele. Opening in February is "Fashioning Wonder: A Cabinet of Curiosities," exploring connections between cabinets of curiosities and fashion. 1048 5th Ave. This museum, housed in a... KATHERINE ROTH Associated Press
Jamaica’s Tourism Incubator Programme receives $100m investment to support innovative businesses
A greener, cleaner way to extract cobalt from 'junk' materials December 10, 2024 University of Pennsylvania As the demand for lithium-ion batteries escalates with the proliferation of mobile phone, electric vehicles and even pacemakers, key components in these powerhouses, like cobalt, face significant ethical and environmental concerns related to their extraction. Now, scientists have pioneered a safer, more sustainable solution to separate cobalt from ores or recycled materials via precipitate. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIN Email Penn researchers led a collaborative effort pioneering safer, more sustainable technique to extract elements critical to battery-powered technologies. Findings pave the way for getting value from materials that would otherwise be considered waste. Siddarth Kara's bestseller, "Cobalt Red: How the Blood of Congo Powers Our Lives," focuses on problems surrounding the sourcing of cobalt, a critical component of lithium-ion batteries that power many technologies central to modern life, from mobile phones and pacemakers to electric vehicles. "Perhaps many of us have read how lithium-ion batteries are vital for energy storage technologies," says Eric Schelter, the Hirschmann-Makineni Professor of Chemistry at the University of Pennsylvania. "But how material that make up such batteries are sourced can be concerning and problematic, both ethically and environmentally." Schelter says that cobalt mining in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which supplies about 70% of the world's cobalt, raises concerns due to environmental degradation and unsafe working conditions, and that large-scale mining disrupts ecosystems, can contaminate water supplies, leaving lasting environmental damage. In addition, he notes that a looming cobalt shortage threatens to strain global supply chains as demand for battery technologies continues to grow. To that end, an area of research his lab has been focusing on is the separation of battery-critical metals like nickel and cobalt. In a new paper, published in the journal Chem , Schelter's team and collaborators at Northwestern University presented an "easier, more sustainable, and cheaper way to separate both from materials that would otherwise be considered waste." "Our chemistry is attractive because it's simple, works well, and efficiently separates nickel and cobalt -- one of the more challenging separation problems in the field," Schelter says. "This approach offers two key benefits: increasing the capacity to produce purified cobalt from mining operations with potentially minimal environmental harm, addressing the harshness of traditional purification chemicals, and creating value for discarded batteries by providing an efficient way to separate nickel and cobalt." The right ingredients for selective separation Typically, the researchers say, cobalt is often produced as a byproduct of nickel mining by way of hydrometallurgical methods such as acid leaching and solvent extraction, which separates cobalt and nickel from ores. It's an energy-intensive method that generates significant hazardous waste. The process Schelter and the team developed to circumvent this is based on a chemical-separation technique that leverages the charge density and bonding differences between two molecular complexes: the cobalt (III) hexammine complex and the nickel (II) hexammine complex. "A lot of separations chemistry is about manifesting differences between the things you want to separate," Schelter says, "and in this case we found conditions where ammonia, which is relatively simple and inexpensive, binds differently to the nickel and cobalt hexammine complexes." By introducing a specific negatively charged molecule, or anion, like carbonate into the system, they created a molecular solid structure that causes the cobalt complex to precipitate out of the solution while leaving the nickel one dissolved. Their work showed that the carbonate anion selectively interacts with the cobalt complex by forming strong "hydrogen bonds" that create a stable precipitate. After precipitation, the cobalt-enriched solid is separated through filtration, washed with ammonia, and dried. The remaining solution contains nickel, which can then be processed separately. "This process not only achieves high purities for both metals -- 99.4% for cobalt and more than 99% for nickel -- but it also avoids the use of organic solvents and harsh acids commonly used in traditional separation methods," says first author Boyang (Bobby) Zhang, a graduate student in Penn's School of Arts & Sciences and a Vagelos Institute for Energy Science and Technology Graduate Fellow. "It's an inherently simple and scalable approach that offers environmental and economic advantages." Techno-economic and life cycle analyses In evaluating the real-world applicability of their new method, the team, led by Marta Guron, conducted both techno-economic analysis and life-cycle assessment, with the former revealing an estimated production cost of $1.05 per gram of purified cobalt, substantially lower than the $2.73 per gram associated with a reported separations process. "We focused on minimizing chemical costs while also using readily available reagents, which makes our method potentially competitive with existing technologies," Schelter says. The life-cycle analysis found that eliminating volatile organic chemicals and hazardous solvents allows the process to significantly reduce environmental and health risks, which was supported by metrics like Smog Formation Potential and Human Toxicity by Inhalation Potential, where the process scored at least an order of magnitude better than traditional methods. "This means fewer greenhouse gas emissions and less hazardous waste, which is a seriously big win for both the environment and public health," says Zhang. Cleaner path forward Owing to how the team accomplished their separation, Schelter says, there's an exciting fundamental science aspect of this work that he thinks they can take in many different directions, even for other metal separation problems. "Based on the unique set of molecular recognition principles we identified through the course of this work, I think we can extend this work in many different directions," he says. "We could apply it to other metal separation problems, ultimately driving broader innovation in sustainable chemistry and materials recovery." Eric Schelter is the Hirschmann-Makineni Professor of Chemistry in the Department of Chemistry at the School of Arts & Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania. Boyang (Bobby) Zhang is a Vagelos Institute for Energy Science and Technology Graduate Fellow in the Schelter Group at Penn Arts & Sciences. Marta Guron is an adjunct lecturer in the Department of Chemistry and project manager in the Office of Environmental and Radiation Safety. Other authors are Andrew J. Ahn, Michael R. Gau, and Alexander B. Weberg from Penn and Leighton O. Jones and George C. Schatz of Northwestern University. This research was supported by the Vagelos Institute for Energy Science and Technology at Penn, Vagelos Integrated Program in Energy Research at Penn, National Science Foundation Center (Award CHE-1925708), Center for Advanced Materials for Energy Water Systems of the U.S. Department of Energy (Grant 8J-30009-0007A), and Research Corporation for Science Advancement (Award #CS-SEED-2024-022). Story Source: Materials provided by University of Pennsylvania . Original written by Nathi Magubane. Note: Content may be edited for style and length. Journal Reference : Cite This Page :A view of the DUN Sarawak Complex where the members of the Assembly convened in May and November this year. — Photo by Roystein Emmor 2024 Revisited Logo yearender 2024 THE State Legislative Assembly (DUN) convened two impactful sittings in 2024, passing a total of nine Bills aimed at addressing crucial aspects of governance, public health, natural resources management, and fiscal planning. These legislative measures reflect the state government’s commitment to advancing Sarawak’s development goals and addressing the needs of its people. (From right) Abang Johari, Uggah and Dr Sim share a light moment in the DUN chambers after the tabling of the 2025 State Budget. — Information Department photo People-centric, inclusive budget In November, the DUN unanimously passed an expansionary State Budget of RM15.8 billion for 2025, marking the largest budget in Sarawak’s history. Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said the state anticipated a revenue of RM14.2 billion in 2025, projected to be the highest revenue collection to date. “The 2025 State Budget, which is expected to generate a surplus of RM486 million, indeed marks the largest budget in Sarawak’s history, reflecting the success of our revenue reengineering strategies and prudent financial management. “Through this expansionary Budget, we are making substantial investments in infrastructure while placing the well-being of the ‘rakyat’ (people) at the forefront of our priorities,” he said when tabling the budget at the DUN sitting on Nov 11. The Premier announced several initiatives under the 2025 State Budget such as one-off financial assistance in the form of pocket money worth RM1,200 to all Sarawakian university-level students next year; the Sarawak government continuing to provide National Higher Education Corporation Fund (PTPTN) loan repayment discounts of 30 per cent for graduates who have repaid 30 per cent and above of their loans; and book vouchers worth RM500 and free laptop initiatives for university students from the Bottom 40 Per Cent (B40) income group to be extended into next year. Abang Johari tabling the 2025 State Budget during the DUN sitting on Nov 11. — Information Department photo Abang Johari also announced a new financial assistance called Sarawak Basic Needs Contribution (SKAS), meant to alleviate the financial burden of low-income groups most affected by the rising cost of living. He said the financial aid would range from RM250 to RM800 annually according to the recipient’s eligibility, and that most of the SKAS recipients would also be receiving financial contributions under the ‘Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah’ (STR). Full autonomy over environmental governance The November DUN sitting also saw the passing of the Natural Resources and Environment Bill 2024, out to enable Sarawak to exercise full autonomy over its environmental governance. Awang Tengah tabling the Natural Resources and Environment Bill 2024 during the November DUN Sarawak sitting. — Information Department photo The passing of the Bill, tabled by Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan and seconded by Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian, received unanimous support from all the members of the Assembly present. Awang Tengah said this autonomy would strengthen Sarawak’s ability to preserve its unique ecosystems while fostering sustainable economic and social development. “This Bill represents a significant step in Sarawak’s commitment to sustainable development, offering a comprehensive framework that strengthens environmental protection laws and promotes long-term socio-economic growth. “By instituting these stringent legislations, this Bill addresses the critical need to combat climate change and environmental degradation,” he said in his third reading of the Bill. The Second Natural Resources and Urban Development Minister also said that the Bill would provide Sarawak with the tools needed to minimise environmental degradation while encouraging economic development. “By regulating emissions, waste, and pollution from industries, it ensures a cleaner, healthier environment for Sarawak’s citizens, fostering a better quality of life. “This Bill demonstrates that economic growth and environmental sustainability are not mutually exclusive but can, in fact, complement each other, ensuring that future generations inherit a thriving, resilient environment,” he said. Establishing legal framework to regulate hydrogen distribution Also passed unanimously at the sitting last month was the Distribution of Gas (Amendment) Bill 2024, which sought to establish a legal framework to regulate the distribution of hydrogen generated in Sarawak using feedstocks produced, obtained or imported into Sarawak; the premises to be used for the generation or storage of hydrogen; and the transportation of hydrogen for distribution and delivery to consumers in Sarawak and for export. Julaihi shows a copy of the Distribution of Gas (Amendment) Bill 2024. — Photo by Roystein Emmor Minister of Utility and Telecommunication Dato Sri Julaihi Narawi, who tabled the Bill, said the amendment would allow Sarawak to be empowered to regulate hydrogen activities, reinforcing the state’s commitment to growing its hydrogen economy through a transparent and investor-friendly regulatory framework to support clean energy development. He emphasised Sarawak government’s dedication to establishing a robust regulatory framework that prioritised public safety, while fostering the hydrogen industry’s growth. “Hydrogen is not a new fuel, and international safety standards are already in place to manage the risks related to its production, storage, transportation, and use. “The safety systems and protocols that Sarawak will adopt will align with those for other fuels, ensuring that hydrogen can be produced, stored, and used safely in accordance with international standards,” said Julaihi. Authority to manage all ports in Sarawak In the first meeting of the third term of the 19th DUN held in May, the Assembly passed the Sarawak Ports Authority Bill 2024, which sought for a central port authority known as the Sarawak Ports Authority to be established to manage, regulate, control and administer all ports in the state. Uggah (second right) in a group photo with (from left) Deputy Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Dato Sebastian Ting; Minister of Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom; and Deputy Minister of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Dato Gerald Rentap Jabu at the DUN Complex lobby. — Photo by Chimon Upon The Bill was tabled by Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, who told the august House that this authority would serve as a regulatory body and that the operations of ports would be managed by a separated operator. He said the new centralised port authority would replace all existing port authorities, and that this model of centralisation could help Sarawak ports become more competitive and efficient, aligning with the broader economic goals of the regions. “The regulatory control over all ports in Sarawak will be exercised through a licensing regime provided by this Ordinance, which would facilitate the corporatisation and eventual privatisation of the operations of the port and port undertakings to enable our ports to be operated as commercial entities embracing good corporate governance and financial discipline.” Uggah, also the state Minister of Infrastructure and Port Development, added that the functions of the authority would include planning, streamlining and coordinating the development, expansion and improvement of ports in Sarawak; promoting and facilitating the development of business of the port and its hinterland and connectivity with other ports and transportation hubs outside Sarawak; and to license all port operators and port undertakings. “Its role would also be to promote efficiency and reliability of services and facilities in accordance with recognised international standards and best practices; to act as an authority for any free zone established under and subject to section 3(2) of the Free Zones Act 1990; and to adopt low carbon solutions in the management and operation of port undertakings,” he said. Streamlining SFC’s roles Awang Tengah, in the DUN sitting held in May, had tabled the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (Amendment) Bill 2024, which was passed by the state Legislature. The Bill meant to streamline and refine the roles of Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC). Awang Tengah (left) and Uggah chatting at the lobby of the DUN Sarawak Complex. Seen between the two is Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Urban Development Datuk Len Talif Salleh. — Photo by Chimon Upon Awang Tengah highlighted the need to amend the Sarawak Forestry Corporation Ordinance 1995 [Cap. 17], as in 2020, the government had mandated that the Forest Department Sarawak (FDS) would assume all responsibilities previously held by the SFC. “This is provided for under Forests Ordinance 2015, which includes forest management, research and development, compliance, engineering, and revenue collection. “Conversely, the SFC was tasked with duties specified under the National Parks and Nature Reserves Ordinance 1998, and the Wildlife Protection Ordinance 1998. “Hence, to give effect to this mandate, amendments to the Sarawak Forestry Corporation Ordinance 1995 are necessary to streamline the overlapping functions between the FDS and the SFC,” he said. Awang Tengah also said that the amendment would have the interpretation referring to the words ‘director’ and ‘forest produce’ be deleted to reflect the current structure of SFC as an agent of the government to enforce the provisions under the National Parks and Nature Reserves Ordinance 1998, and the Wildlife Protection Ordinance 1998. “The forestry functions such as sustainable forest management, reforestation, forestry research and forestry policy under the Ordinance, are to be taken out with this amendment; in other words, these functions would be under the purview of the FDS so as to make a clear demarcation on the roles and functions between SFC and FDS. “SFC is optimally positioned under natural resources, aligning with its mandates of sustainable natural resource management and biodiversity conservation. “The scope of the SFC’s responsibilities includes managing natural resources such as flora and fauna within national parks, and the protection of wildlife throughout Sarawak. “This is in tandem with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Urban Development’s focus on balancing conservation with economic uses like tourism,” he said. Dr Sim (centre) shows a page from a DUN document while joined by Deputy Minister of Public Health, Housing and Local Government Datuk Michael Tiang (left) and Deputy Minister of Education, Innovation and Talent Development Datuk Francis Harden Hollis. — Photo by Chimon Upon Penalty, enforcement on public health matters The Assembly, in May, also saw the passing of the Protection of Public Health (Amendment) Bill 2024, which was tabled by Dr Sim, also the state Minister of Public Health, Housing and Local Government Minister. He said the amendment to the Public Protection of Public Health 1999 Ordinance was necessary in order to update and strengthen the provisions in the Ordinance to meet the changes and expectations of the present situation. The Ordinance had never been amended since it was passed on Dec 6, 1999, and came into force on Nov 1, 2000. Dr Sim said the amendment was aimed at strengthening certain provisions related to penalty and enforcement on public health matters. During the second reading, he said among the features of the Bill was to amend Section 2 of the Ordinance to reflect the new Strata (Subsidiary Titles) Ordinance 2019, which repealed the Strata Title Ordinance 1995. “Under the Bill, there is a proposed new provision to enable local authorities to issue a temporary licence to food premises operators by giving them a timeframe to comply with the requirements of other relevant laws. “Some of these food premises operators cannot be issued with a licence just because they are unable to comply with the provisions under the Local Authorities Ordinance 1996 and Building Ordinance 1994 or any other relevant laws. “The amendment is to Section 23 by adding the new Sub Paragraph (3), which is to prohibit animals or pets from entering any food premises. This is to ensure the health of the public and consumers are protected from unacceptable and unhygienic food premises,” he said. Other amendments included the licensing of funeral parlours and cemeteries with a proposed new Subsection (3) of Section 38 to add the word ‘columbarium’, and to ensure that any land used as a licensed funeral parlour, cemetery, etc., to be maintained and cleaned regularly; amendment to Section 56, which was to strengthen the power of inspection and investigation, enabling any person to be authorised by the director or the chief administrative officer of the ministry; and amendment to Section 58, which was to make it an offence for non-compliance with any closing order or notice to any person and to impose a penalty and upon conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding RM500,000 or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding five years, or to both. Other Bills passed were the Supplementary Supply (2024) Bill 2024 and Supplementary Supply (2023) Bill 2024 in May to authorise additional allocations for the state, ensuring continued funding for priority programmes and addressing unforeseen financial needs; and the Supplementary Supply (2024) Bill 2024 in November, which was approved to address additional funding requirements for ongoing projects and new initiatives. Members of the Assembly in a group photo with Yang di-Pertua Negeri Sarawak Tun Pehin Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, who is flanked by DUN Sarawak Speaker Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohd Asfia Awang Nassar and Abang Johari, taken on May 6 at the opening ceremony for the first meeting of the third term of the 19th DUN Sarawak. — Photo by Roystein Emmor
Defense industry cooperation between Türkiye and Finland is expected to expand, along with other fields, within NATO’s framework, according to Turkish Ambassador to Helsinki Deniz Çakar recently. Çakar stated that the tech startup conference Slush 2024, held in Helsinki on Wednesday and Thursday, was one of the most comprehensive events in its field. She noted that Turkish tech startups have been growing in number each year, with around 40 participants during the event's inaugural year. "This year, the number of participants from Türkiye reached around 400, including students and entrepreneurs, and this was made possible by the support of the Turkish government and its development agencies,” Çakar told Anadolu Agency (AA). She also highlighted the trade relations between Türkiye and Finland, noting that the trade volume between the two countries reached 2.1 billion euros ($2.2 billion) in 2023. "The figure for the first eight months of this year was around 1.2 billion euros, and we estimate it will reach 2 billion euros by the end of the year, so we expect a similar figure to last year,” the ambassador added. "The first meeting of the Türkiye-Finland Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) was held in Türkiye in 2022, and the second meeting will take place in February 2025. We will host the Turkish trade minister and a large delegation, and such visits will significantly contribute to developing trade relations. Finnish companies have shown interest, and Turkish firms bring opportunities in areas like green transformation, renewable energy, and digitalization,” she said. Çakar noted that relations between Türkiye and Finland have reached a new dimension since Finland’s NATO membership, advancing steadily. "Türkiye-Finland relations are at their best this year as we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the start of our relations. Increasing cooperation in the defense industry, among other fields, benefits both countries,” she said. "We hosted the Finnish president twice in the past two years, and our relations have advanced through regular mechanisms, including on matters of terrorism, with interior, justice and foreign affairs ministries, as well as the permanent joint mechanism established during the NATO membership process,” she added. Çakar pointed out that the increased meeting traffic benefits both countries as they "understand each other much better" and work toward overcoming challenges. Regarding technology and investment opportunities, the ambassador stated that Finland serves as a gateway to global markets, and the Slush 2024 conference presented an opportunity for "tech-oriented young people and entrepreneurs in Türkiye." The Turkish Embassy in Finland is focused on fostering cooperation between Turkish and Finnish firms. Çakar emphasized that Finland is impressed by Türkiye’s efforts in certain regions, encouraging Finnish authorities and the business community to cooperate, invest and work with Türkiye in Central Asia and Africa. "The Turkish contracting sector continued operations in Ukraine without interruptions, even during the war period, and its knowledge-based support creates room for cooperation with the Finnish contracting sector, which we expect,” she said. "Developing and deepening Türkiye-Finland relations through more mutual meetings in trade and economy, as well as within the military cooperation framework, will provide endless opportunities and benefits to both countries,” she concluded.
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