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  • May was world’s second-hottest on record, EU scientists say

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The world experienced its second-warmest May since records began, a month in which climate change fuelled a record-breaking heatwave in Greenland, scientists said on Wednesday.

    Last month was Earth’s second-warmest May on record – exceeded only by May 2024 – rounding out the northern hemisphere’s second-hottest March-May spring on record, the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) said in a monthly bulletin.

    Global surface temperatures last month averaged 1.4 degrees Celsius higher than in the 1850-1900 pre-industrial period, when humans began burning fossil fuels on an industrial scale, C3S said.

    That broke a run of extraordinary heat, in which 21 of the last 22 months had an average global temperature exceeding 1.5C above pre-industrial times – although scientists warned this break was unlikely to last.

    “Whilst this may offer a brief respite for the planet, we do expect the 1.5C threshold to be exceeded again in the near future due to the continued warming of the climate system,” said C3S director Carlo Buontempo.

    The main cause of climate change is greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels. Last year was the planet’s hottest on record.

    A separate study, published by the World Weather Attribution group of climate scientists on Wednesday, found that human-caused climate change made a record-breaking heatwave in Iceland and Greenland last month about 3C hotter than it otherwise would have been – contributing to a huge additional melting of Greenland’s ice sheet.

    “Even cold-climate countries are experiencing unprecedented temperatures,” said Sarah Kew, study co-author and researcher at the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute.

    The global threshold of 1.5C is the limit of warming which countries vowed under the Paris climate agreement to try to prevent, to avoid the worst consequences of warming.

    The world has not yet technically breached that target – which refers to an average global temperature of 1.5C over decades.

    However, some scientists have said it can no longer realistically be met, and have urged governments to cut CO2 emissions faster, to limit the overshoot and the fuelling of extreme weather.

    C3S’s records go back to 1940, and are cross-checked with global temperature records going back to 1850.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ1: On-street parking spaces

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         â€‹Following is a question by Dr the Hon Hoey Simon Lee and a reply by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan, in the Legislative Council today (June 11):

    Question:

         Many members of the public have relayed that under the circumstances of a lack of parking spaces, some businesses are occupying on-street parking spaces in various districts on a long-term basis or blocking them with objects in order to use such parking spaces for commercial activities. There are views that such practices defeat the original purpose of installing parking meters to prevent prolonged parking and occupation of road space by vehicles, violate the principle of fair use of public resources, and adversely affect motorists’ convenience when going out. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

    (1) of the measures taken by the Government in the past three years to combat the illegal long-term occupation of on-street parking spaces, and the relevant enforcement situation;

    (2) as there are views pointing out that the long-term occupation of on-street parking spaces or their blockage with objects by businesses has existed in various districts for many years, what specific measures the Government has in place to step up efforts in combatting such practices; and

    (3) as it is learnt that at present, some Mainland cities have implemented number plate recognition systems by installing sensors to identify vehicles in parking spaces to assist with enforcement, whether the authorities will consider introducing similar systems or other innovative technological devices at on-street parking spaces to assist law enforcement agencies in combatting the illegal occupation of on-street parking spaces, including long-term occupation, blockage with objects and holding of commercial activities?

    Reply:

    President,

    It is the Government’s policy to centre on public transport, and the Government encourages the public to make good use of the public transport services as far as possible, so as to avoid aggravating the burden on road traffic resulting from excessive private cars (PCs). In response to the parking demand for both PCs and commercial vehicles, over the past years, the Government has been actively pursuing a host of short-term and medium-to-long-term measures, to increase the supply of parking spaces where circumstances permit. Over the past three years, the number of metered parking spaces (metered spaces) has increased by more than 2 300. Having consulted the Transport Department (TD) and the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF), a consolidated reply in response to the questions raised by Dr the Hon Hoey Simon Lee is as follows:

    (1) and (2) The Government has all along been combatting the illegal occupation of metered spaces, deterring fare evasion and other forms of illegal use, to enhance turnover and ensure these spaces meet short-term parking needs. The HKPF conducts inspections and takes enforcement actions against unpaid parking, and maintains close co-ordination with relevant departments, such as the TD, at the district level for ongoing monitoring. Since 2021, the new-generation parking meter system, equipped with sensors, can detect real-time occupancy and enable the TD to identify unpaid metered spaces through its backend computer system. The TD shares this information with the HKPF via a dedicated application to facilitate enforcement. In terms of actual operation, the meter operator engaged by the TD provides information of unpaid but occupied metered spaces detected by the meters’ sensors to the HKPF for follow-up, and dispatches personnel to regularly patrol parking meters in various districts. If any unlawful occupation of metered spaces is observed, the contractor will report the situation to relevant departments (for example, the HKPF, the Lands Department and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department) for enforcement. Currently, the contractor conducts daily inspections, and refers an average of about 120 000 cases per year to the HKPF for non-payment of parking fees, and the number of referrals concerning parking spaces occupied by non-vehicle items to the HKPF and other relevant departments has risen over the past three years to over 200 cases. The TD also refers public complaints to the appropriate authorities for action. Additionally, the HKPF continues its public awareness and education efforts. Between 2021 and 2024, the number of metered spaces increased by over 10 per cent, while revenue from metered parking fees rose by more than 40 per cent, suggesting improved compliance with paid parking regulations.

    Regarding enforcement against other forms of illegal occupation, section 4A of the Summary Offences Ordinance stipulates that anyone who leaves objects in a public place – such as pallets/shop goods to reserve spaces – without reasonable excuse, causing obstruction, inconvenience, or danger to others or vehicles, is liable to a Level 4 fine ($25,000) or three months’ imprisonment.

    (3) As mentioned above, the new generation parking meter system is equipped with sensors to detect the usage status of parking spaces in real time. The purpose of collecting information is to provide motorists with locations of vacant on-street parking spaces in real time, and does not have the function of identifying number plate numbers.

    Having said that, this information could assist the HKPF and the TD in identifying cases where metered spaces are occupied without payment, enabling targeted enforcement actions by the HKPF. The departments will continue to draw on experiences from other places and advancements in relevant technologies, actively exploring the adoption of new technologies to enhance the management and operational efficiency of metered spaces. The TD plans to conduct a two-month pilot scheme in the fourth quarter of 2025, adopting artificial intelligence sensors in targeted areas with greater demand for metered spaces and higher rates of illegal occupation of parking spaces. Depending on the success of the trial, we will expand the coverage of the scheme. Regarding number plate recognition systems, the TD remains open-minded and will assess their reliability alongside the cost-effectiveness of upgrading the meter system’s hardware and software holistically to determine their suitability for application in Hong Kong.

    Thank you, President.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Eulogy by President Cyril Ramaphosa at the Special Provincial Funeral of Rev Dr Tshenuwani Farisani, University of Venda Stadium, Thohoyandou

    Source: President of South Africa –

    Programme Directors,
    The Farisani Family,
    Premier of Limpopo, Dr Phophi Ramathuba,
    Representatives of the African National Congress and the broader liberation movement,
    Leadership of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa,
    Traditional and religious leaders present,
    Leadership of the University of Venda,
    Fellow Mourners,
     
    Fellow South Africans, batho ba Limpopo, muta waDean Farisani,
     
    We are to bid farewell to Dean Tshenuwani Farisani.
     
    His life bears witness to the mission of Christ espoused in the Gospel of Luke chapter 4.
     
    “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has chosen me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind; to set free the oppressed.”
     
    We have lost an extraordinary man who led an extraordinary life.
     
    He was born in 1948, a year that was a turning point in South Africa’s history. 
     
    This was the year the National Party swept to power and ushered in the reviled system of apartheid.
     
    Dean Farisani was born into circumstances that mirrored the lives of millions of black South Africans at the time.
     
    He was just a child, barely three years old, when his family was confronted with the ugly face of injustice.
     
    Many years later, in 1996, he would testify at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission on how his family were victims of forced removed from the Songozi Tsapila area near then Louis Trichardt, now Makhado.
     
    The authorities arrived one day without warning, and his parents were ordered to vacate the area immediately.
     
    He recounted how they had to carry their belongings on their backs and leave, on foot. That which could not be carried, including all the family’s livestock, was left behind.
     
    They were relocated to another empty piece of land and told this was their new home. They were never compensated for the land that was stolen from them.
     
    Eight years later, in 1959, the family were forcibly removed again. 
     
    Two years later, in 1961, again.
     
    These experiences instilled in him a deep sense of justice. 
     
    They planted the seeds of his political consciousness when he was still in his teens.
     
    He only entered formal schooling at the age of 12. Like most children in rural areas at the time, he was a child labourer on the white farms.
     
    At school a missionary from the Evangelical Lutheran Church noticed his academic brilliance and he was prepared to enter theological training.
     
    It was at Maphumulo Theological Seminary in KwaZulu-Natal that he first became acquainted with the Black Consciousness Movement.
     
    Its teachings fired his growing political awareness.
     
    For him, there was no contradiction between the teachings of his faith and the mission of national liberation.
     
    He soon became attracted to liberation theology, and its message that true Christian faith demands active resistance to all forms of oppression and solidarity with the poor.
     
    Apartheid was a great injustice, and he, heroic heart, was not content to choose a quiet life of pastoralism.
     
    He was eventually expelled from the seminary after hebecame involved with underground political organisations like the South African Students Organisation, the Black People’s Convention and the Black Consciousness Movement.
     
    By then he was at the Beuster Mission at Maungani outside Thohoyandou and a rising figure in the BCM, going on to be elected its president in 1973.
     
    I first met Dean Farisani when he spoke at my high school, Mpaphuli.
     
    We formed an immediate and lasting bond.
     
    For many years we worked alongside each other in the Black Evangelical Youth Organisation.
     
    There were many points in the life of the great man we lay to rest today where he found himself sorely tested.
     
    During the late 1970s and 1980s was arrested on a number of occasions for his political activities. But it was his third detention, in 1981, that he found his courage truly tested. His faith tested. His principles tested.
     
    He was detained by the Venda police on suspicion of being involved in the bombing of a police station in Sibasa. 
     
    He was held for more than eight months and severely tortured. 
     
    In his book, Diary from a South African Prison, he recounts the unimaginable ordeal of beatings, electricshocks, being forced to squat for days and being smothered.
     
    In an interview given years later he recounts how his torturers tried everything to force a confession, even offering him the position of Bishop of Venda.
     
    And yet he, strong in will, did not yield.
     
    Fellow Mourners, Comrades, 
    Fellow South Africans,
     
    Dean Farisani was a courageous revolutionary who inspired a generation to reclaim their pride and stand up for their rights. I was amongst them.
     
    He was a beloved father and a grandfather who will be sorely missed by his wife, mufumakadzi Mudzunga, his daughters Nzumbululo and Ndamulelo, by his son Zwovhonala and by the entire extended family.
     
    He was a renowned academic and prolific scholar whose writings gave voice to the voiceless. 
     
    He was a guide and mentor to many. He was a dear friend.
     
    And yet it is Dean Farisani’s most salient quality that I will most remember him for: he was a man of unwavering principle.
     
    Nothing could sway him from what was right, from his dedication to the cause of the South African people, and to their total emancipation.
     
    In detention, he was offered positions and status. He refused them.
     
    When he was released and went into exile in the United States, he could have easily put the entire experience behind him and led a quiet life. 
     
    Instead he campaigned vigorously against the regime from abroad.
     
    When Venda was proclaimed as a so-called independent homeland by the apartheid regime he was outspoken in his opposition, even when this brought him into conflict with church leaders in his circuit.
     
    His activism continued into the democratic South Africa.
     
    He was determined to be part of the struggle to overcome the injustice and inequality bred of apartheid.
     
    He was elected to the first democratic Parliament in 1994. 
     
    He would go on to serve further as an MEC here in Limpopo and as speaker of the Legislature.
     
    These roles placed him in a position of power and influence. Yet they did not change him. 
     
    He did not succumb to the allure of high office. He was never arrogant. 
     
    He was a servant leader who came, served and left, and continued to contribute to the betterment of his beloved country.
     
    He did not regard loyalty to a political cause or party as being above his own principles.
     
    When he saw corruption being perpetrated by those entrusted with public funds, he was vocal and scathing in his criticism. He held power to account.
     
    The Foundation that bears his name continues to be an influential voice in the public space in advancing social justice, including for apartheid’s many victims.
     
    Fellow Mourners,
     
    Neither beatings nor torture could make Dean Farisani surrender his principles. The trappings of power did not interest him. He was content to walk in the footsteps of his Lord with the downtrodden, the oppressed and the marginalised.
     
    He understood his life’s mission and it was not negotiable.
     
    These are the greatest lessons we take from his life. These are the reflections we take today as we lay this great son of the soil to rest.
     
    To the family, we share in your great sorrow. Yet even amidst our mourning we celebrate a man who has left such a deep and lasting impact on all of us. He was an inspiration. 
     
    In Dean Farisani’s book of poetry, titled Justice in my Tears, there is a moving poem.
     
    It is called “The Lord is my Shepherd: Psalm 23 in Pietermaritzburg and Howick.”
     
    It was published in 1977, the period of his first imprisonment.
     
    In it he writes:
     
    “The Lord is my shepherd, 
    I shall not buckle
    He rests me in the land of freedom
    I drink from the cup of liberty,
    Even when I wander in the valley of torture.
    I shall fear no human beasts,
     
    He shall fight my fight.
    His angels and his visions
    Guide me through brutal interrogations
    He gives me life in the hands of murderers
    Giving me a crown for a victory his own”
     
    Dean Farisani, yours was a life of service to others. As the South African people we crown you as you go to your eternal rest.
     
    In the words of the Psalm 23 you so loved, surely goodness and mercy did follow you all the days of your life. May you dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
     
    Fare well brother, comrade, friend, patriot.
     
    I thank you.
     

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: President Ramaphosa to visit Presidential youth flagship programmes

    Source: President of South Africa –

    President Cyril Ramaphosa will tomorrow, Tuesday 10 June 2025, engage with youth beneficiaries of the Presidential Youth Employment Intervention (PYEI) and Presidential Employment Stimulus (PES) flagship programmes in Pretoria.

    The President will visit three sites: the Sefako Makgatho Primary School in Saulsville; the South African Creative Industries Incubator (SACCI) in Eersterust, and the Foundation for Professional Development (FPD) in Pretoria East.

    These visits will highlight innovative implementation models and public-private partnerships that are delivering dignified, high-quality employment and skilling outcomes for youth at scale.

    The President will during the visits interact directly with youth beneficiaries, educators, and implementing partners, and see first-hand how the PES and PYEI’s community-based, demand-led approach is reshaping labour market access for the country’s most excluded youth.

    The site visits will commence with the Sefako Makgatho Primary School, a part of the Basic Education Employment Initiative (BEEI) and a flagship programme of the PES, designed to address the dual challenges of youth unemployment and support, for the basic education system by placing young people in roles within public schools as education and general school assistant.

    The programme is implemented by the Department of Basic Education (DBE) and administrated by the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC).

    The President will then proceed to the South African Creative Industries Incubator (SACII) which is a creative hub providing technical skills training, business incubation, production facilities and networking for artists and entrepreneurs in the creative industries.

    The organisation is funded by National Pathway Management Network, a grant initiative of the PYEI, led by the National Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) and administered by the IDC.

    The funding assists with improving and expanding the Visual Special Effects (VFX) programme, which is one of its kind in South Africa, specifically designed to train youth in the highly technical field of VFX.

    The programme connects young people to industry jobs in the creative gig economy. One hundred trainees have been enrolled into the programme through the Innovation Fund.

    The President will conclude his visit at the Foundation for Professional Development (FPD) which provides health sector professionals and unemployed youth interested in the health field access to affordable, accessible quality education through management and clinical skills development courses.

    These courses are customised to the needs of healthcare managers, practitioners and organisations.

    The programme is funded through the Jobs Boost Outcomes Fund, an outcome-based instrument to unlock jobs for excluded young people by linking contracted payments with desired outcomes.

    This intervention of the PYEI that is led by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) with the National Skills Fund (NSF) as the lead implementer.

    The media programme will unfold as follows:
    Date: Tuesday, 10 June 2025
    Time: 10h00 (Media arrival at 09h00)
    Venue: Sefako Makgatho Primary School, 2 Sakweng street, Saulsville, Pretoria

    Members of the media wishing to attend are requested to send their details to Ndivhuwo Kharivhe on Ndivhuwo@presidency.gov.za  by no later than 13h00 today Monday, 09 June 2025.

    NOTE TO MEDIA/EDITORS:
    The visit to the school will be open to all media to cover the engagement between President and Teacher Assistants.  However, due to space limitations, the other two sites will only be restricted to the Government Communications and Information System (GCIS), which will disseminate the materials to all media post the visits.

    Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President – media@presidency.gov.za

    Issued by: The Presidency
    Pretoria
     

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: President mourns passing of Justice Sangoni, former Judge President of the Eastern Cape

    Source: President of South Africa –

    President Cyril Ramaphosa has noted with sadness the passing of former Judge President of the Eastern Cape Division of the High Court, Justice Clement Temba Sangoni.

    Judge Sangoni retired in 2017 and passed away earlier today, Tuesday, 10 June 2025, after a short illness.

    President Ramaphosa offers his condolences to the extended family of the late Judge Sangoni Aah! Dilizintaba, who was a senior traditional leader of the Qokolweni-Zimbane Traditional Council at Mthatha.

    President Ramaphosa said: “The passing of Justice Sangoni is a devastating loss to his family and immediate community and it is a profound loss to our judiciary and our legal heritage.

    “Judge Sangoni lived for justice and the improvement of the material conditions of communities in the Eastern Cape and elsewhere through constitutionally sound, progressive jurisprudence.

    “Under his leadership, the Judiciary in the Eastern Cape also applied its mind collectively and individually to matters pertaining to the development of this economically vital province.

    “Judge Sangoni served the people of the Eastern Cape from the Bench and through his deep involvement in community life in his role as a traditional leader – a role which enriched his adjudication of a broad range of matters placed before the courts.

    “We will continue to appreciate his contribution to the rule of law and the wisdom of law in our country and to the communities in which he lived and served with distinction.

    “May his soul rest in peace.”

    Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President – media@presidency.gov.za

    Issued by: The Presidency
    Pretoria
     

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa on the National Dialogue

    Source: President of South Africa –

    My Fellow South Africans, 

    Today, I wish to address you about the National Dialogue, an initiative that has been in discussion by a number of leaders in our country and many other people for some time now. 

    This initiative has been gathering great support and enthusiasm since it was proposed last year. It has been endorsed by a wide range of formations across society. 

    Over the last few months, we have been engaged in discussions with various entities on the purpose and the form of the National Dialogue. 

    In the wake of these consultations, there is broad agreement that given the challenges our country is facing at the moment, we should convene the National Dialogue. 

    The idea of holding a dialogue is not a new concept in our country. In many ways having dialogues is part of our DNA as a nation. 

    At every important moment in the history of our country, we have come together as a nation to confront our challenges and forge a path into the future in dialogue with one another. 

    Through dialogue we were able to deal with the challenges that the apartheid system caused in our country and achieved peace and overcame violence. 

    We established a democracy and ended apartheid. 

    Following the negotiations process, we used dialogue to start building a united nation where once there had only been conflict and division. 

    We achieved all this because we came together in dialogue to discuss our difficulties, our concerns, our hopes and our aspirations as a people. 

    For more than 30 years, we have worked together to realise the promise of our democratic Constitution. 

    We have made great strides as a nation, expanding freedom, deepening democracy and building a better life for millions. 

    Yet we face persistent challenges. 

    Poverty, unemployment and inequality are deep wounds that prevent us from reaching our full potential as a nation and as a country. 

    Millions of people are under-employed and unemployed. Many of those who work earn wages that cannot sustain them or their families. 

    Crime, gender-based violence and corruption are prevalent across our society. 

    We are therefore called upon at this moment to direct all our efforts to build a thriving, inclusive economy that creates jobs and opportunities. 

    We are called upon to build safer communities and to create a better future for our children. 

    We are also called upon to give all sectors of our society – men and women, young and old, persons with disabilities, LGBTQI community, and urban and rural people – a voice to determine how we address the problems of today and build the South Africa we want for future generations. 

    That is why we have agreed to convene an inclusive National Dialogue. 

    The dialogue will be a people-led, society-wide process to reflect on the state of our country in order for us to reimagine our future. 

    The National Dialogue is a chance for all South Africans, from all walks of life, to come together and help shape the next chapter of our democracy. 

    Through the National Dialogue, we seek a shared vision of what it means to be a South African and develop a new national ethos and common value system. 

    It is an opportunity to forge a new social compact for the development of our country, a compact that will unite all South Africans, with clear responsibilities for different stakeholders, government, business, labour, civil society, men and women, communities and citizens. 

    It is anticipated that the National Dialogue will drive progress towards our Vision 2030 and lay the foundation for the next phase of South Africa’s National Development Plan. 

    The National Dialogue itself is not an event.

    Rather, it will be a participatory process that unfolds in phases, from local consultations and sectoral engagements to provincial and national gatherings. 

    In my capacity as the Head of State, I will be calling a National Convention on Friday, the 15th of August 2025. 

    This National Convention will represent the diversity of the South African nation. The first National Convention will set the agenda for the National Dialogue. 

    It will be a representative gathering, bringing together government, political parties, civil society, business, labour, traditional leaders, religious leaders, cultural workers, sports organisations, women, youth and community voices, among others. 

    Through their various political, social and other formations, in their workplaces, in places of worship, communities, villages and sites of learning, South Africans will in the months following the National Convention be encouraged to be in dialogue to define our nation’s path into the future. 

    The views, concerns and proposals that will emerge from this conversation will be brought together at a second National Convention, that is planned to be held in the beginning of next year. 

    This second National Convention will reinforce our shared values and adopt a common vision and programme of action for our country into the future. 

    We expect that the National Convention will finalise a compact that outlines the roles and responsibilities of all South Africans. 

    To guide and champion the National Dialogue, I am appointing an Eminent Persons Group. 

    These are leading figures in our society, reflecting the great diversity of our nation, with a proven commitment to the advancement of social cohesion and nation-building. 

    The members of the Eminent Persons Group are: 
    • Dr Brigalia Bam, former Independent Electoral Commission Chairperson, 
    • Mr Robbie Brozin, entrepreneur and business person, 
    • Judge Edwin Cameron, former Constitutional Court judge, 
    • Mr Manne Dipico, former Northern Cape Premier, 
    • Dr Desiree Ellis, Banyana Banyana coach and football legend, 
    • Ms Ela Gandhi, peace activist and stalwart, 
    • Prof Nomboniso Gasa, researcher and rural activist, 
    • Mr Bobby Godsell, business leader, 
    • Dr John Kani, award-winning actor, 
    • Mr Siya Kolisi, Springbok captain and world champion, 
    • Ms Mia le Roux, Miss South Africa 2024, 
    • His Grace Bishop Barnabas Lekganyane, leader of the Zion Christian Church, 
    • His Grace Bishop Engenas Lekganyane, leader of the St Engenas Zion Christian Church, 
    • The Most Reverend Thabo Makgoba, Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, 
    • Prof Tinyiko Maluleke, Chairperson of the National Planning Commission, 
    • Dr Barbara Masekela, poet, educator and stalwart, 
    • Ms Lindiwe Mazibuko, former Member of Parliament, 
    • Mr Roelf Meyer, former Minister and constitutional negotiator, 
    • Ms Gcina Mhlope, storyteller, writer and actor, 
    • Ms Nompendulo Mkhatshwa, student activist and former Member of Parliament, 
    • Ms Kgothatso Montjane, Grand Slam tennis champion, 
    • Prof Harry Ranwedzi Nengwekhulu, former activist and educationist, 
    • Mr Bheki Ntshalintshali, unionist and former COSATU General Secretary, 
    • Hosi Phylia Nwamitwa, traditional leader, 
    • Kgosi Thabo Seatlholo, chairperson of the National House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders, 
    • Dr Gloria Serobe, business leader, 
    • Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, founder of the Gift of the Givers, 
    • Prof Derrick Swartz, academic, 
    • Ms Lorato Trok, author and early literacy expert, 
    • Mr Sibusiso Vilane, mountaineer and adventurer, 
    • Mr Siyabulela Xuza, award-winning rocket scientist. 

    UBaba uShembe uNyazi LweZulu has also been invited to join the Eminent Persons Group, but, as he is travelling, has not yet been able to confirm his availability. 

    I am grateful to each of these South African patriots who have made themselves available to act as the guarantors of an inclusive, constructive and credible process. 

    An Inter-Ministerial Committee has been established under the chairpersonship of the Deputy President to coordinate government’s contribution to the National Dialogue. 

    We will be establishing a Steering Committee, comprised of representatives of various sectors of society, to set strategic priorities and coordinate implementation of the National Dialogue process. 

    The Secretariat, which is responsible for day-to-day management of National Dialogue activities, will be housed at NEDLAC, the National Economic Development and Labour Council. 

    As a nation, we are embarking on a new path of partnership and united action. 

    We are drawing on our traditions of dialogue and debate. We are determined to define a shared vision of a nation which belongs to all South Africans united in their diversity. 

    I thank you. 

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Office of the Deputy President provides clarity regarding Deputy President Mashatile’s international programme travel expenses

    Source: President of South Africa –

    The Office of the Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa wishes to provide clarity regarding Deputy President Paul Mashatile’s international travel expenses which has recently gained much attention in the media, with reports and commentary coming from News24, City Press, Sunday Times/Timeslive, SowetanLIVE, Independent Media/IOL, The Citizen, BusinessLive, ENCA and others. Categorically, the office and the Deputy President have not, as seems to be suggested, misused State funds or been extravagant in financing the costs of the Deputy President’s international travel.

    This unprecedented matter which involves the international work of the Deputy President’s travel costs, was first raised by Action SA, a political party represented in Parliament, in a written question to the Deputy President.  In light of such an expected phenomena, the Deputy President replied to the question in full and also provided specific details which include; correct figures and breakdown of individual costs by members of the delegation supporting the Deputy President. 

    The Office of the Deputy President wishes to reiterate that Deputy President Mashatile undertakes all international working visits, not in his personal capacity but on behalf of the South African Government as delegated by President Cyril Ramaphosa.  Moreover, the majority of these strategic international visits are aimed at strengthening existing bilateral, political, economic and diplomatic relations between South Africa and visited countries. 

    As part of South Africa’s global investment drive, and commitment to contribute to global peace and stability, South Africa, through the President and Deputy President as well as Ministers, have a role to play in advancing the global agenda, an aspect of which includes engagements with counterparts in other countries. For instance, the Deputy President co-chairs the SA-China BNC with Vice President Han Zheng and many other delegated countries including, but not limited to Vietnam and South Sudan.

    In summary, in the comprehensive answer to the Parliamentary Question by Action SA, it was stated that since Deputy President Mashatile assumed office on 3 July 2024, he has undertaken the following International official visits:

    • Ireland and United Kingdom Working Visits 26 September – 4 October 2024: Ireland 26 – 29 September 2024 and United Kingdom Working 30 September – 4 October 2024
    • Standing for President Cyril Ramaphosa and the Republic of South Africa at the Inauguration of the President of Botswana, H.E Duma Boko on 8 November 2024
    • Standing for President Ramaphosa and South Africa at the Extraordinary SADC Summit held on 20 November 2024 in Harare, Zimbabwe
    • Japan Working Visit 16 – 19 March 2025
    • France Working Visit 19 – 24 May 2025

    The Working Visit to Japan in particular, being the one raised by most media, was of strategic importance to South Africa, as it focussed on strengthening political, economic and social areas of cooperation between the two countries. The Working Visit came at the back of the two nations celebrating 115 years of strong diplomatic relations. The Deputy President was accompanied by Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ms Thandi Moraka; the Minister of Sport, Arts, and Culture, Mr Gayton McKenzie; the Minister of Higher Education, Dr Nobuhle Nkabane; the Minister of Agriculture, Mr John Steenhuisen; the Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Mr Parks Tau, and the Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Ms Nomalungelo Gina.

    In addition, the Japan Working Visit achieved several key objectives including representing the first high-level engagement between South Africa and Japan in the last 10 years; signalling an acknowledgement and appreciation for the long-standing relationship between the two countries based on a wide area of cooperation not limited to trade and investment. This visit was beneficial in terms of South Africa’s African Agenda, the current confluence of South Africa’s G20 Chairship and Japan’s hosting of the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) in August, presenting a unique opportunity for South Africa to communicate its own and the continent’s position and priorities to Japan and the expected support and role that Japan could to play in this regard.

    Finally, in our response to Parliament, the office has provided a breakdown of the cost to Government of all individual members of the delegation supporting the Deputy President. Regrettably, some of the figures presented by the media are significantly blown out of proportion and do not accurately reflect the cost of the trips. For example, one media liaison officer, referred to by Timeslive as the “most expensive supporting official”, is said to have cost R580, 582 for Japan alone, when in fact the total cost for that official is less than R66 000 including flights and accommodation. 

    While the cost of international travel is generally very high, these figures must always be seen in the context of their original currency in relation to the Rand Dollar exchange, as well as the going rate of such travel expenses, including ground transport, accommodation and flights. 

    In terms of the travel policy in the Presidential Handbook, transport for the President and Deputy President during travel outside South Africa is the responsibility and for the account of the State. Accommodation and incidental expenses of the President and Deputy President whilst on all official journeys abroad is arranged through, and paid for, by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation. The logistics and choice of accommodation is not the responsibility or competency of the Office of the Deputy President or Presidency. In fact, DIRCO plays an integral role in reviewing, advising and endorsing Government Delegation compositions, ensuring that participation aligns with formal policy guidelines that emphasise relevance, necessity, and cost-effectiveness. These guidelines reflect government directives aimed at optimising resource allocation while maintaining operational effectiveness during international engagements.

    Regarding the financial aspects of the visits, responsibility for travel, accommodation, and other miscellaneous expenses is generally shared among DIRCO and other participating departments, depending on the officials’ affiliations and roles. Prior to the visit, DIRCO oversees the processing of budget submissions or cost estimates to ensure compliance with approved spending frameworks. This includes strict adherence to National Treasury guidelines on international travel, the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) and other precepts governing public expenditure.

    In all these visits, the Office of the Deputy President has insisted on the most cost-effective provisions for the Deputy President and his delegations, and has therefore not misused nor extravagantly used State funds as alluded.

    Media enquiries: Mr Keith Khoza, Acting Spokesperson to the Deputy President on 065 195 8840

    Issued by: The Presidency
    Pretoria
     

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: June 10th, 2025 VIDEO: Heinrich Joins Press Conference Blasting Republicans’ ‘Big Beautiful Betrayal’ for Raising Energy Prices

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich
    WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, joined Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) in a press conference on how Trump and Republicans’ reconciliation bill will raise energy costs for working families, all to pay for tax handouts for their billionaire donors.

    VIDEO: U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) hosts a press conference blasting Trump and Republicans’ reconciliation bill for raising energy costs, June 10, 2025.
    Heinrich’s remarks as delivered are below:
    As Senator Schatz said, the conundrum we’re in with electricity right now is that we haven’t been in this supply demand space since air conditioners became a widely available technology.
    That was the last time we saw the kind of growth in demand that we’re experiencing right now. On the supply side, the place we find ourselves in right now is one where, if you want to order a combined cycle of natural gas turbine, if you ordered it yesterday, you’re going to get it in 2030 or 2031.
    If you want to build a new API, 1000 Nuclear Generating Station, as the President has said he does, it’s going to take you 5 to 10 years to actually build that.
    If you want to do the geothermal stuff that’s taking off in Utah, to some extent in New Mexico, that’s scaling slow: It’s going to be 5 to 10 years before that stuff is at scale.
    So if you look at this incredibly increased demand from artificial intelligence, from electrification, from the surge we’ve seen in manufacturing, and you look at the supply that’s coming onto the grid in 2024 and what’s coming on in 2025 well over 90% of that is actually renewables plus storage.
    And that’s the case because it’s the cheapest, fastest to permit and fastest to build.
    So if you start throttling back 90% of your supply at a time when demand is going through the roof, what’s the impact of that?
    And I’m here to tell you, the impact is electricity bills are going up.
    They are going up all across the country.
    And Republicans are going to own that because there is no world in which we throttle supply like they are doing right now, especially with this reconciliation bill, but in 5 or 10 other different ways as well, and you don’t see those electric bills go through the roof.
    IRA tax credits are the biggest piece of that but it’s not the only one.
    They basically eviscerated the agencies that finance or permit many of these things.
    They said they wanted to build nuclear.
    The only nuclear that’s been built in the last 30 years is what we just saw happen in Georgia, and that happened because the loan program office — where they’ve lost half the staff and defunded it in the president’s budget.
    If you want to produce oil and gas, you need somebody at the Bureau of Land Management who can actually pick up the phone about a permit.
    They have chased people out of the Bureau of Land Management.
    You add that to the kind of permitting abuse that we’ve seen with Empire Wind, a fully permitted multi-gigawatt project, and then you throw in some steel and aluminum tariffs just to make the natural gas projects that are in the books even more expensive.
    This is a perfect storm of higher electricity rates, and if they pass this reconciliation bill without changes, they’re going to own every bit of it.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • Sensex, Nifty trade steady; oil & gas, metal stocks support market

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Indian equity markets opened nearly flat on Wednesday, continuing their consolidation trend as sectoral performance remained mixed. The Sensex rose by 59 points to 82,451 and the Nifty 50 was up 18.55 points at 25,122 in early trade.

    Gains were led by sectors such as oil and gas and metals, while FMCG and PSU banks traded lower. On the National Stock Exchange, out of 15 sectoral indices, 11 were in the green, two were down, and two remained flat as of 9:25 am. The Nifty Media index led the gains.

    Stocks such as JSW Steel, Cipla, NTPC and Tech Mahindra were among the top gainers on the Nifty, while Grasim Industries, Shriram Finance, Asian Paints, L&T, and Titan Company recorded losses. The BSE Midcap and Smallcap indices were up by 0.3 percent each.

    According to analysts, the market is likely to stay within a consolidation range with a slight upward bias. A decisive move above the 25,100 mark on the Nifty will require sustained institutional buying, potentially triggered by developments in global trade talks.

    “In the near-term the market will respond to news regarding the trade negotiations. If there is a clear agreement, the market will respond positively and there is a high probability of Nifty breaking above 25,100 and remaining above this level,” said Dr. V.K. Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Financial Services.

    He added that while liquidity could support a mild rally, a stronger uptrend would require support from corporate earnings, which have yet to show signs of significant recovery.

    Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) continued their buying streak for a third straight session, with net purchases of ₹2,301 crore on June 10. Domestic institutional investors (DIIs) maintained a positive outlook for the 16th consecutive session, investing ₹1,113 crore.

    This steady institutional inflow reflects ongoing confidence in the domestic market, providing support amid global uncertainties.

    In the US, markets traded sideways for much of Tuesday but ended higher, with the S&P 500 rising 0.6 percent, bringing it within 1.7 percent of its record close from February 2020. Reports also suggest that US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent may be under consideration to succeed Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.

    -IANS

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Legal Issues – Unions take pay equity fight to the ILO – CTU

    Source: New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi

    New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi Secretary Melissa Ansell-Bridges has taken the pay equity fight to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) conference in Geneva, Switzerland. The ILO is a United Nations agency whose mandate is to advance social and economic justice by setting international labour standards.

    “I spoke about the recent pay equity changes at the ILO to highlight that Christopher Luxon’s Government has abandoned what was world-leading pay equity legislation,” said Ansell-Bridges.

    “It was important to inform the 187 member states that despite not being signalled in the last election, reforms to severely undermine the legislation were passed under urgency without any consultation with workers or their unions.

    “Overnight this world-leading system was gutted and what remained in its place is a series of roadblocks, impossible thresholds and obstacle courses masquerading as pay equity.

    “180,000 workers, mostly women, many of whom are some of the most vulnerable and lowest paid workers in New Zealand, had their claims cancelled and years of work thrown away.

    “Our response to massive undervaluation of pay in female-dominated industries must be how do we fix this, not how do we shirk these costs, having benefited so long from underpaying women.

    “We could once be proud on the world stage for making progress towards correcting this blatant sexism – it is shameful that we now have a government that has such low regard for the right to be free from gender discrimination.

    “I assured the conference that the union movement in Aotearoa New Zealand will continue to push for a genuine pay equity system and will not rest until women’s work is properly valued and workers everywhere are paid equitably regardless of their gender,” said Ansell-Bridges.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Property Market – NZ’s Rental Homes Are Ageing – And the Clock Is Ticking

    Source: Property Brokers

    With less than a month until the 1 July 2025 Healthy Homes Standards deadline, the latest Regional Rental Report from Property Brokers reveals a pressing reality: New Zealand’s rental housing stock is ageing – and fast.
    According to the report, the average rental property managed by Property Brokers was built in 1968. In some regions, homes dating back to the 1940s are still actively rented. David Faulkner, General Manager of Property Management for Property Brokers, says this presents both a challenge and an opportunity for landlords.
    “We manage a significant proportion of older homes, and retrofitting them to meet compliance is now more urgent than ever,” says Faulkner. “But compliance isn’t just a box to tick – it’s a chance to add long-term value. A warm, dry, well-ventilated home is more attractive to tenants, encourages longer stays, and can command better returns.”
    The Regional Rental Report – co-authored by Professor Graham Squires of The Property Knowledge – draws on a sample of over 8,000 active rental properties across regional New Zealand. It highlights the mismatch between modern compliance standards and an ageing housing stock.
    “It’s often assumed that renters live in older homes, and this data confirms that assumption,” says Professor Squires. “However, there’s a wider conversation to be had about housing supply, regional development, and the economic viability of upgrading versus rebuilding. Older homes still dominate much of the rental market, particularly outside the major metros.”
    Key insights from the report include:
    – Papamoa leads with the highest average rent at $697 per week, with stock averaging from 1997.
    – Rolleston and the Selwyn District have the youngest rental stock, due to Christchurch’s post-earthquake rebuild.
    – Dunedin and Oamaru feature the oldest active rentals, averaging from the mid-20th century.
    – Newer homes like those in Rolleston have shorter average tenancy lengths (16 months), while older homes in places like
    Carterton show longer tenancies, despite the age of the stock.
    Faulkner says the Healthy Homes deadline has brought long-overdue attention to housing quality.
    “The cost of non-compliance – from fines to lost income – is far greater than the cost of doing it right. We’re actively working with landlords to meet the standard and future-proof their investments,” he says.
    Squires adds that evolving tenancy tr

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Advocacy – “Look busy – the people are angry” in the face of genocide – Government brings shame on us all! – PSNA

    Source: Palestinian Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA)

    The government’s decision to sanction Israeli cabinet ministers is a cynical diversionary gesture, according to the Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa.

    New Zealand has joined the UK, Australia, Canada, and Norway in banning the entry of Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

    PSNA Co-Chair, Maher Nazzal, says the just announced move is simply to placate New Zealanders angry at the government’s complicity with the mass killing of Palestinians and deliberate starvation of Occupied Gaza.

    “The New Zealand government statement was quite explicit that the sanctions were ‘not designed to sanction the wider Israeli government’ of which Ben-Gvir and Smotrich are ministers.”

    “The New Zealand government’s official statement is laying the blame for Israeli barbarity on just two ministers.  Our government is pretending that they alone are responsible for the military violence in the Gaza Strip, and Israel’s annexation of Palestinian land, expanding settlements, and forced displacement.”

    “All these war crimes are supported and stated by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government.  These measures are all being carried out by the Israeli government.  These two ministers are quite rabid, but they are not just freelancers or ‘bad apples’.”

    “Netanyahu himself is wanted for trial on war crimes charges, so why does he escape the travel ban?”

     Nazzal says Ben-Gvir and Smotrich would never plan to come to New Zealand anyway.

    “The last time such an individual visited in 2006 the Auckland District Court issued a warrant for his arrest to face war crime charges.” (That was Israeli General Moshe Ya’alon – the ‘Butcher of Qana’.  The warrant was quashed by the then Attorney-General Michael Cullen)

     “Even if the government sanctioned the entire Israeli cabinet, it would be meaningless.”

    “Israel has made Gaza hell on earth for Palestinians, and is making it worse by the hour.  We should be cutting trade ties – including military technology, which might be finding its way to Israel, or sending up satellites from Mahia used by Israel to spy on Gaza.

    “New Zealand has bilateral agreements with Israel over science and movie-making.  They should stop.”

    “The government needs to ban Israeli soldiers coming here for genocide holidays, instead of Winston Peters going out of his way to welcome them.”

    “And it goes without saying that the Israeli ambassador should be booted out.”

    Nazzal says the forced starvation in Gaza has reached a crisis point.

    “The choice for the international community is stark.  Let tens of thousands starve to death in the next few weeks, or impose a no-fly zone over Gaza and provide military protection for UNRWA aid convoys.”

    “In that context, by limiting the travel options for two Israeli politicians our government feels like it’s conveying a message of  “Look busy – New Zealanders are angry, we must be seen to be doing something, but really,  we don’t care.”

     

    Maher Nazzal

    Co-Chair PSNA

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: 2025-26 ACT Budget: Major investment to help tackle Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    As part of ACT Government’s ‘One Government, One Voice’ program, we are transitioning this website across to our . You can access everything you need through this website while it’s happening.

    Released 11/06/2025 – Joint media release

    The ACT Government is making a significant investment in the safety and wellbeing of victim survivors, with over $30 million committed in the 2025–26 Budget to strengthen and expand the Territory’s response to domestic, family and sexual violence.

    This investment boosts the capacity of frontline services, enhances early intervention efforts for children and young people, and supports the provision of culturally safe support through Aboriginal Community Controlled and led Organisations.

    Treasurer Chris Steel said the Budget reflects the Government’s deep commitment to addressing domestic, family and sexual violence and delivering trauma-informed, person-centred support for those affected by violence.

    “Everyone deserves to feel safe in their homes, in their relationships, and in their community,” the Treasurer said.

    “This significant investment in family, domestic and sexual violence responses builds on our record of funding vital frontline services and supports a safer, stronger Canberra.”

    The Budget allocates $24 million over four years to strengthen and sustain essential domestic, family, and sexual violence services. Key funding measures include:

    • Expanding the capacity of Canberra Rape Crisis Centre
    • Critical resourcing to the Domestic Violence Crisis Service
    • Continuing the PCYC’s Solid Ground early intervention program for young people experiencing DFV
    • Expanding the YWCA’s Domestic Violence Support Service to include two specialist children’s workers
    • Continuation of the Family Violence Safety Action Program, coordinated by Victim’s Support ACT
    • Continuation of the Victim Survivor Voices Pilot
    • Extension of the Safer Families Assistance Program

    Following the receipt of The Long Yarn report, this Budget allocates $6 million over 3 years to Aboriginal and Community Controlled and led Organisations to provide culturally safe services. This funding will enable the following initiatives:

    • Intensive case management services delivered by Yhurwun Bullan
    • Continued support for Sisters in Spirit Aboriginal Corporation to provide both individual and systemic advocacy services
    • Engagement of WhISPers Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Softball Corporation to deliver healing through sport and cultural events
    • Ongoing support for Yerrabi Yurwang Child and Family Aboriginal Corporation to continue delivering the NaraGanaWali Strengthening Families Program
    • Development and implementation of a community and professional education campaign promoting the message that “violence is not our way”

    Minister for the Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence, Dr Marisa Paterson, said the funding is aimed at increasing the capacity of frontline services to support victims of domestic, family and sexual violence.

    “Ending violence against women is a national emergency and the ACT Government is strongly committed to addressing this violence. This funding is a strong investment in the services that support those experiencing violence in our community.”

    “This package has a strong focus on supporting children and young people exposed to violence, as well as crisis support for victim survivors and supports the continuation of the high-risk family violence case coordination program,” Minister Paterson said.

    “I am strongly committed to working with our local organisations and supporting ACCO’s to strengthen and sustain the essential work that they do”.

    This comprehensive package forms part of the ACT Government’s long-term commitment to ending domestic, family and sexual violence in the ACT and ensuring a safer future for all Canberrans. It is supported by funding from the Safer Families Levy and the Commonwealth’s National Partnership Agreement, which together help strengthen responses to and the prevention of domestic, family and sexual violence.

    – Statement ends –

    Chris Steel, MLA | Marisa Paterson, MLA | Media Releases

    «ACT Government Media Releases | «Minister Media Releases

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Updates to guidance about CEDS

    Source: New places to play in Gungahlin

    We’ve updated our website and PCG 2018/9 Central management and control test of residency: identifying where a company’s central management and control is located to:

    • reflect the amendments to section 295 of the Corporations Act 2001 enacted in December 2024 regarding the Consolidated Entity Disclosure Statement (CEDS)
    • confirm the PCG may assist companies required to complete the CEDS for their annual financial reports
    • clarify that a company won’t be considered ‘low risk’ under the PCG if it self-assesses and reports as a non-resident for Australian tax purposes but has inconsistently reported as an Australian tax resident in the CEDS. This applies for financial years commencing on, or after, 1 July 2024.

    The updates reflect the amendments in the Treasury Laws Amendment (Fairer for Families and Farmers and Other Measures) Act 2024. These amendments ensure tax residency disclosures in the CEDS align with tax return disclosures, to improve multinational tax transparency.

    ASIC’s information sheetExternal Link has also been updated.

    Keep up to date

    We have tailored communication channels for medium, large and multinational businesses, to keep you up to date with updates and changes you need to know.

    Read more articles in our online Business bulletins newsroom.

    Subscribe to our free:

    • fortnightly Business bulletins email newsletterExternal Link
    • email notifications about new and updated information on our website – you can choose to receive updates relevant to your situation. Choose the ‘Business and organisations’ category to ensure your subscription includes notifications for more Business bulletins newsroom articles like this one.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: NZ’s goal is to get smoking rates under 5% for all population groups this year – here’s why that’s highly unlikely

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Janet Hoek, Professor in Public Health, University of Otago

    Getty Images

    Next week is “scrutiny week” in parliament – one of two weeks each year when opposition MPs can hold ministers accountable for their actions, or lack thereof.

    For us, it’s a good time to take stock of whether New Zealand is on track to achieve its smokefree goal of reducing smoking prevalence to under 5% and as close to zero as possible, among all population groups, this year.

    The latest New Zealand Health Survey shows that, for the first time in a decade, smoking rates have flatlined rather than fallen. Stark inequities persist, with daily smoking prevalence among Māori at 14.7% (compared to 6.1% among European New Zealanders).

    To bring New Zealand’s overall smoking prevalence under 5% would require more than 80,000 people to quit this year. Achieving the goal equitably means more than 60,000 of those people would need to be Māori.

    The government’s repeal of earlier measures predicted to bring rapid and equitable reductions in smoking prevalence means achieving the Smokefree 2025 goal for all population groups is now highly unlikely.

    Ending the scourge of tobacco

    Proposed by the Māori Affairs Select Committee and adopted by the then National-led government in 2011, the Smokefree 2025 goal has always had equity at its heart.

    At that time, smoking prevalence among Māori was 37.7% and 14.7% among European New Zealanders. Reducing smoking rates to less than 5% for all population groups offered an opportunity to profoundly reduce health inequities burdening Māori.

    Early discussions recognised the large inequities in smoking rates. Speaking about his role in the select committee inquiry, former National Party leader Simon Bridges stated:

    The picture I had of smoking was quite wrong. Most of the time, smoking is not this idea of a free market with adults who freely consent to take up smoking […] but the more complex, difficult situation of children smoking as a result of parents and grandparents who smoked […]. That means that a more intense, stronger, more interventionist approach is called for.

    The first Smokefree Action Plan, only introduced a decade later in late 2021, included more intense measures and established a Māori and Pacific oversight committee to ensure all actions taken promoted equity.

    The action plan introduced three key initiatives: denicotinisation, a large reduction in outlets selling tobacco, and the smokefree generation strategy.

    All were expected to have strong pro-equity outcomes. Modelling predicted denicotinisation would bring unprecedented reductions in smoking prevalence, eliminating the gaps between Māori and non-Māori. Reducing tobacco availability would end the widespread access to tobacco in lower-income communities.

    The smokefree generation, a longer-term endgame strategy that would have meant anyone born after 2009 could no longer buy tobacco, was predicted to significantly reduce inequity, given the younger Māori (and Pacific) population structure.

    Then Minister of Health Ayesha Verrall noted:

    While smoking rates are heading in the right direction, we need to do more, faster, to reach our goal. If nothing changes, it would be decades till Māori smoking rates fall below 5%, and this government is not prepared to leave people behind.

    Is equity still the goal?

    The coalition government’s repeal of these measures in early 2024 left a void, but Associate Health Minister Casey Costello reaffirmed a commitment to the Smokefree 2025 goal. A January 2024 update to Cabinet stated:

    The government remains committed to further reducing smoking rates and achieving the Smokefree 2025 goal of daily smoking prevalence of less than 5% for all population groups.

    However, by late 2024 the narrative began changing. In November, Costello launched a new smokefree action plan in a final push to reach the headline 5% target. Her plan does not emphasise the structural changes (such as fewer outlets selling tobacco) called for by the Māori Affairs Select Committee.

    Instead, it relies on health promotion programmes to reduce smoking uptake and on increasing attempts to quit by “reinvigorating” stop-smoking messages and improving referral rates to support.

    We argue New Zealand will likely fall well short of its 2025 goal to bring smoking rates below 5% and reduce inequities, despite an ongoing commitment by Health New Zealand-Te Whatu Ora.

    During scrutiny week, we hope Associate Health Minister Costello will be asked how she explains the discrepancy between her earlier commitment to achieving the Smokefree 2025 goal among all population groups and more recent comments which appear to roll back the equity goal.

    More importantly, we hope questions will probe how she plans to reduce smoking prevalence among Māori to a third of its current level, and what evidence she has that the steps she proposes will work.

    Janet Hoek receives funding from the Health Research Council of New Zealand, the Marsden Fund, NZ Cancer Society and NZ Heart Foundation. She is a member of the Health Coalition Aotearoa’s smokefree expert advisory group and of the Ministry of Health’s smokefree advisory group, a member of the HRC’s Public Health Research Committee, and a Senior Editor at Tobacco Control (honorarium paid). She serves on several other government, NGO and community advisory groups.

    Jude Ball receives funding from the Health Research Council of New Zealand, the Marsden Fund, NZ Cancer Society, NIB Foundation, and the Health Promotion Agency. She is affiliated with the Public Health Association of New Zealand, a member of Health Coalition Aotearoa’s smokefree advisory group, and serves on other NGO and community advisory groups.

    – ref. NZ’s goal is to get smoking rates under 5% for all population groups this year – here’s why that’s highly unlikely – https://theconversation.com/nzs-goal-is-to-get-smoking-rates-under-5-for-all-population-groups-this-year-heres-why-thats-highly-unlikely-258592

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Is regulation really to blame for the housing affordability crisis?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicole Gurran, Professor of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Sydney

    ymgerman/Shutterstock

    The Albanese government has a new mantra to describe the housing crisis, which is showing no signs of abating: homes have simply become “too hard to build” in Australia.

    The prime minister and senior ministers are taking aim at what they are calling a “thicket” of red tape and regulation, which is making it “uneconomic” to build affordable housing.

    Undoubtedly, the great Australian dream is further out of reach, with average house prices now above A$1 million for the first time.

    But will a war on excessive regulation be enough to address the affordability barriers keeping many people out of the market? Or does the answer lie in systemic change, including tax reform?

    Abundant housing agenda

    Assistant Minister for Productivity Andrew Leigh kick-started the assault on regulation when he recently took aim at local councils for holding back new housing developments:

    Approvals drag on. Rules multiply. Outcomes are inconsistent. They don’t say ‘no’ outright. They just make ‘yes’ harder than it needs to be.

    By lamenting rigid planning processes, Leigh was channelling the zeitgeist. The minister was drawing on the book Abundance by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson. The book – a smash hit in political circles – calls on progressives to adopt “YIMBY” policies (Yes In My Backyard) and remove the barriers that slow project delivery.

    Leigh was duly applauded by the housing industry, which promotes its own version of abundance as an “unabashed focus on supply-side housing policy mechanisms”.

    More than supply

    New housing construction is certainly critical, as reflected in the government promise to build 1.2 million homes over five years.

    The target is already out of reach, with the regulatory burden being blamed for a forecast shortfall of 262,000 homes by mid 2029.

    But by focusing on planning laws as the main barrier to new supply, Leigh risks diverting attention from the overarching systemic changes needed to improve access to affordable housing.

    While an overhaul of red tape is important, it won’t be enough to address current supply barriers, including market conditions and industry constraints. Nor will unleashing construction be sufficient to make housing affordable for first home buyers or low income renters.

    According to the National Housing Supply and Affordability Council, other priority areas for the government should include social housing, protection for renters and tax reform.

    Winding back tax breaks such as negative gearing and the capital gains tax discount, would free up resources for public investment in social housing. Targeting financial incentives to new, and preferably affordable homes, would also boost supply.

    Perhaps the size of Labor’s election victory and the calls for reform by a chorus of experts may convince the government to reconsider its refusal to curb these tax breaks.

    Blaming local councils

    Within a system-wide reform agenda, regulatory roadblocks to new land and housing supply should be assessed. But in doing so, accurate data and analysis is critical.

    Leigh singles out North Sydney Council to illustrate his argument that over-regulation is holding back housing starts. He claims just 44 dwelling were approved between July 2024 and February 2025, well short of its state-imposed target of 787 homes:

    This is not a small gap. It is structural failure, Even where planning targets exist, the systems to meet them often don’t.

    But the figures Leigh cites isn’t for development approvals. Instead, they refer to construction certificates issued when a development is ready to commence. According to the NSW Planning Portal, the actual number of new dwellings approved in North Sydney was 446, which was particularly notable given the economic conditions.

    Unfortunately, Leigh’s attack on local councils perpetuates many common misunderstandings about how planning systems operate in Australia. He seems to point the finger at local councils, when land use plans – zoning, height and density controls – are signed off by the states.

    Leigh also recalls a time when housing completions were flowing much more freely in his home town of Canberra, implying the key difference is one of over regulation and not underlying economic circumstances.

    The ACT is particularly prone to a slowdown in building approvals because of the shift from detached homes on greenfield sites towards medium density apartments. And there has been a near total retreat from public sector investment in new supply. For instance, in 1969-70, nearly a third of new homes in Canberra were delivered by the government. These days it’s just 5%.

    Political will

    The tired cliches about housing and zoning continue to circulate.

    The need to relax zoning restrictions to ease house prices was the media’s main takeaway from the OECD’s latest Economic Outlook Report.

    The 280-page document does mention “zoning” in the list of regulatory reforms Australian governments could undertake. But the OECD says the emphasis should be on public investment “to address the housing affordability crisis by boosting supply” especially in social housing.

    As our research has previously demonstrated, calling for zoning and planning reform is a popular technique for seeming concerned about housing while avoiding the systemic change that would deliver additional supply.

    Has housing really become too hard to build?

    Or does the difficultly lie in finding the political will to take the real steps needed to make housing more accessible to generations of Australians who risk missing out?

    Nicole Gurran receives funding from the Australian Housing & Urban Research Institute (AHURI) and has received funding from the Australian Research Council.

    Peter Phibbs receives funding from the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI)

    – ref. Is regulation really to blame for the housing affordability crisis? – https://theconversation.com/is-regulation-really-to-blame-for-the-housing-affordability-crisis-258077

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China-Africa trade has grown rapidly over the past 25 years.

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    BEIJING, June 11 (Xinhua) — China’s total foreign trade with African countries has increased from less than 100 billion yuan (about 13.9 billion U.S. dollars) in 2000 to 2.1 trillion yuan in 2024, an average annual growth rate of 14.2 percent, according to data released Wednesday by the General Administration of Customs (GAC). -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • Amit Shah reviews flood management preparedness ahead of monsoon

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah chaired a high-level meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday to review the country’s flood preparedness ahead of the monsoon. The meeting focused on long-term flood mitigation strategies, the status of measures taken since last year’s review, and the use of technology for effective flood management.
     
    The Home Minister reviewed the adoption of new technologies by various agencies involved in flood management and called for their expanded use. He stressed the need for wider application of space technology by central agencies for flood control and water management.
     
    Shah reiterated that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, disaster management in India is being driven with a zero-casualty approach. He directed the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to coordinate with State and District Disaster Management Authorities for effective dissemination of early warning alerts. He urged all States and Union Territories to implement NDMA advisories in a timely manner and asked NDMA and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to ensure close coordination with the states for efficient flood response.
     
    The Home Minister acknowledged the efforts of the Central Water Commission (CWC) and India Meteorological Department (IMD) in extending the time window for issuing flood forecasts and advisories. He called for further improvements in forecast accuracy and underlined the need for flood monitoring centres of the CWC to align with national requirements and international standards. He asked the Ministry of Jal Shakti, NDMA, and the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) to monitor glacial lakes and take timely action in case of any outburst.
     
    The Home Minister appreciated the efforts of the Central Water Commission (CWC) and India Meteorological Department (IMD) in extending the flood forecasting window from 3 to 7 days. He said, “The flood monitoring centres of the CWC must be aligned with our national requirements and developed to meet international standards.” He asked the Ministry of Jal Shakti, NDMA, and National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) to closely monitor glacial lakes and act swiftly in case of any breach or outburst.
     
    He stressed the importance of road infrastructure in flood-prone areas and asked the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to work with state authorities. “Drainage systems should be an integral part of highway designs to prevent waterlogging and road damage during heavy rains,” he said.
     
    On ecological measures, the Home Minister called for increasing forest cover along the Narmada River basin. He said, “If successful, this model can be implemented in other river basins as well. It will help revive river ecosystems, reduce soil erosion, and address declining rainfall.”
     
    The meeting also discussed the recurring problem of urban flooding. Shah directed central agencies to take proactive steps for flood control in cities and prepare comprehensive flood management plans for large urban areas. He noted the role of wetlands and said, “Rejuvenation of wetlands and afforestation are essential to deal with heavy rainfall in short durations during monsoon.” He also asked the Ministry of Jal Shakti to improve the condition of wetlands in the Brahmaputra basin, which he said would also support economic and tourism activities.
     
    The Home Minister suggested that agencies such as the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA), IMD, NRSC and others organise a conference bringing together experts to discuss floods and related technologies. “In 2014, India was far behind in the field of meteorology. Today, under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, we are on par with developed countries. Now we must aim to be number one,” he added.
     
    Departments including IMD and CWC presented detailed updates on the measures taken since last year’s flood review. Ministries and departments briefed the Home Minister on their preparedness for the current monsoon and their future plans. Shah expressed satisfaction with the preparations and called for collaborative development of software systems to manage extreme weather conditions.
     
    He said, “All departments must work together to build systems that can respond effectively to climate-related challenges and protect lives and infrastructure.”
     
     

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Environment – Select committee announces support of law changes that will prevent councils from restricting harmful pollution of water – CCW

    Source: Choose Clean Water – Tom Kay


    A select committee report released today demonstrates Coalition parties support law changes that would prevent local government from being able to control pollution even when it is causing serious harm, say freshwater campaigners.


    “The damage these changes would cause must not be underestimated. This is not only an attack on the health of our environment but also democracy as the proposals seek to give greater power to polluting industries and write local government out of regulating harmful pollution of freshwater,” says Choose Clean Water spokesperson Tom Kay. 


    “It beggars belief when you consider that the National-led Government came to power claiming to be champions of localism – they’ve thrown that out the window completely.”


    For freshwater, two parts of the Environment Select Committee report are most significant; the proposals on Section 70 of the Resource Management Act and changes to farm plans, including more Ministerial control.


    Currently, Section 70 says that councils cannot allow pollution that would cause “significant adverse effects on aquatic life” as a permitted activity. This means regional councils cannot allow for potentially polluting activities to happen without them going through a consenting process to assess whether they can avoid, remedy, or mitigate their impacts, even where an environment they want to operate in might already be polluted.


    The Coalition parties support doing away with this and allowing polluting activities to go ahead, as long as the place those activities are occurring is already polluted and as long as there will be some reduction in that pollution over time. 


    “But it doesn’t make sense. It is laughable that the report suggests you could grant a consent for an activity to add pollution to a place or continue polluting it now as long as it reduces its pollution by a bit, later. Why would we say ‘We’ll make a waterbody really sick now so we can nurse it back to health over decades’!? Make it make sense.” 


    Even with standards for these permitted activities, campaigners regional councils will struggle to ensure they are sufficient to reduce or avoid “significant adverse effects on aquatic life” and will face significant lobbying to minimise any standards.


    “This opens the door to more and worse pollution. Pollution that harms aquatic life inevitably has an impact on human lives, either directly due to illness or through impacts on livelihoods or taking away the things with love about the places we live in.”


    The Coalition parties in the select committee also support changes that would bypass regional councils’ role in controlling pollution through farm plans.


    Farm plans have been a largely unsuccessful attempt to reduce the impact of farming on the country’s freshwater over the last decade or more. In regions where they have been used, like Canterbury, they have been found to be unable to stop the degradation of communities’ waterways and drinking water sources. 


    “Not only is the value of farm plans in controlling pollution highly questionable,” says Kay, “the Select Committee’s proposal is to give Government the ability to support farm plans written and audited by polluting industries rather than regional councils, and to allow the Minister for the Environment to make the decision on which industry groups can play this role. This keeps regional councils at arms length from attempts to control pollution through farm plans, effectively writing them out as regulator.”


    “This Government has demonstrated it has close and inappropriate relationships with some industry bodies. Having a Minister be responsible for such a decision opens the door to undue influence and allows for industry to capture the whole process around farm plans. We’re watching it happen now. This proposal effectively writes local government out of their regulatory role of controlling pollution.”


    “It has never been clearer that the National-led Government is working for the polluters and not for the public. Our communities will pay for this through the impact on our quality of life, our drinking water sources, our opportunities to swim or fish, our pride in our beautiful environment, and our ability to be involved in local decision making.” 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: World Vision – Aotearoa gearing up for the World Vision 40 Hour Challenge Weekend (13-15 June)

    Source: World Vision

        

    Rangatahi across New Zealand are gearing up to tackle a range of unique tasks for the World Vision 40 Hour Challenge this weekend (13-15 June). 

     

    The nation’s largest youth fundraising event kicks off this weekend and is encouraging participants to go offline for 40 hours to raise funds for hungry children in Solomon Islands. 
      

    A rite of passage for young New Zealanders, the World Vision 40 Hour Challenge, gives rangatahi a platform to champion important causes and raise funds for those in need, while putting themselves to the test with a unique or difficult challenge. 

    There is no shortage of creativity in the challenges that will be undertaken for 40 hours this weekend, including:  

    • Living in a cramped dinghy  
    • Speaking only Shakespearian English  
    • Making 400 paper cranes 
    • Cooking 500 meals 
    • Running 100 kilometres  
    • Kayaking 40kms 
    • Going fully off-grid tramping 
    • Completing 40 acts of kindness 
    • Planting thousands of trees 

     

    This year ’s World Vision 40 Hour Challenge is calling on youth to give up technology and go “offline for 40 Hours” to unplug, disconnect, and get together with their fri

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Evelyn Scott preschool marked ‘Excellent’

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Our CBR is the ACT Government’s key channel to connect with Canberrans and keep you up-to-date with what’s happening in the city. Our CBR includes a monthly print edition, email newsletter and website.

    You can easily opt in or out of the newsletter subscription at any time.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: First of five new trade missions jets off

    Source: Australian Attorney General’s Agencies

    Every day Aussie businesses exports some of the world’s best agricultural, industrial and technological products to every corner of the globe. With one in three Australian jobs supported by trade, the Albanese Labor Government has been working to strengthen our existing trading relationships and develop new ones internationally.

    In uncertain times in global trade, diversification of our trading relationships has never been more important. That’s why in April, Labor committed to five business and investment missions to priority markets, as well as $50 million to create additional opportunities for local businesses.

    This week, the first of these trade missions will travel to the United Kingdom to help Australian businesses discover new opportunities and accelerate our ongoing trade diversification efforts.

    The first mission brings together representatives from 20 of Australia’s leading healthcare and MedTech companies. They will visit the United Kingdom to take part in London Tech Week 2025 and NHS ConfedExpo 2025 in Manchester.

    It comes as Australia and the United Kingdom mark the two-year anniversary of the implementation of the Australia-UK Free Trade Agreement, which is delivering outstanding results for Australian business.

    For example, Australian beef and veal exports to the UK were worth A$97.8 million in 2024, which is more than double that of the previous year (2023), and around eight times what they were worth in 2022.

    The UK has so much more to offer Australian exporters, and this business mission focused on health and medical technology will help unlock more jobs, more growth, and more certainty for our business.

    Australia ranks 5th globally for healthcare innovation and we’re home to around 700 biotech and MedTech companies. Our world class healthcare and MedTech companies are already making a difference in the UK, including across flu vaccines, pandemic preparedness, and cancer care.

    Australian and UK companies are also increasingly collaborating in critical technology sectors including quantum, cyber and AI.

    To assist export ready Australian tech businesses expand into the UK market, Australia, through Austrade, will be launching a new London Landing Pad program later this month.

    I wish the Australian businesses all the best and look forward to successful outcomes.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Speech by SITI at International Society for Stem Cell Research 2025 Annual Meeting (English only) (with photo)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Following is the speech by the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, at the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) 2025 Annual Meeting today (June 11):

    Professor Greco (President of the ISSCR, Professor Valentina Greco), Mr Alm (Chief Executive Officer of the ISSCR, Mr Keith Alm), Professor Kathryn Cheah (2025 Annual Meeting Program Committee Co-Chair of the ISSCR), Professor Rocky Tuan (Lee Quo Wei and Lee Yick Hoi Lun Professor of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine of the Chinese University of Hong Kong), Professor Nancy Ip (President of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, 

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Ordos: A City That Will Warm Your Heart

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    Ordos City is located in the southwestern part of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, north of the Great Wall of China, in a bend of the Yellow River and surrounded by its bed on three sides. The city’s territory borders Shanxi Province /North China/, Shaanxi and Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region /Northwest China/.

    The city of district significance has administrative jurisdiction over 2 districts and 7 khoshuns with a total area of 87 thousand square kilometers and a population of 2.22 million people.

    The city has very rich reserves of coal, gas and other types of minerals. According to data, the share of explored coal reserves is one sixth in the country, gas – one third. In recent years, a number of large enterprises in the field of energy, chemical industry, production of Kashmir, etc. have been created here.

    In 2024, the city’s GDP grew by 6.4% to 636.3 billion yuan (US$87.3 billion).

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China and Azerbaijan open a new page of friendship – Chinese Ambassador

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    Baku, June 11 /Xinhua/ — China and Azerbaijan are opening a new page of friendship, Chinese Ambassador to Azerbaijan Lu Mei said in an article for the 525-ci qazet newspaper, timed to coincide with the first-ever International Day of Dialogue Among Civilizations, established at the initiative of China.

    “We are pleased to celebrate this significant day together with our Azerbaijani friends. In the modern world, where there are more than 2,500 peoples and over 200 countries and regions, various civilizations coexist, mutually enrich each other and form a community with a common destiny,” the diplomat wrote. The resolution establishing the new day was adopted at the 78th session of the UN General Assembly with the support of 83 countries, including Azerbaijan.

    Lu Mei stressed that dialogue among civilizations helps overcome differences, strengthen trust and ensure collective security. She also noted that historically, the Great Silk Road connected the East and the West, promoting mutual enrichment of cultures and development of peoples.

    According to her, in recent years, under the strategic leadership of the heads of state, Chinese-Azerbaijani relations have reached a qualitatively new level of comprehensive strategic partnership. “Humanitarian exchanges have become an important part of our cooperation, and interest in the Chinese language and culture in Azerbaijan is constantly growing,” Lu Mei said.

    She recalled that in April of this year, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed a joint statement on the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership between the two states, in which Azerbaijan supported the Global Civilization Initiative proposed by China and highly appreciated the Chinese resolution on inter-civilizational dialogue.

    “The Chinese side is ready to use the International Day of Dialogue Among Civilizations together with Azerbaijan as an opportunity to expand humanitarian cooperation, deepen mutual understanding and strengthen friendship between our peoples,” the ambassador concluded. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • US Marines arrive in Los Angeles; California governor warns ‘democracy under assault’

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Hundreds of U.S. Marines arrived in the Los Angeles area on Tuesday under orders from President Donald Trump, ratcheting up tensions in America’s second largest city, as California’s governor warned “democracy is under assault.”

    Trump’s extraordinary measures of sending National Guard and Marines to quell protests, which broke out in response to his immigration raids, fueled demonstrations for a fifth day in Los Angeles, and sparked protests in several other cities.

    As Trump and Newsom traded fulminations, the city’s mayor said the protests were limited to about five downtown streets, but declared a curfew for parts of the downtown area due to violence and looting.

    Police arrested another 197 people on Tuesday – more than double the total number of arrests to date.

    Democratic leaders have raised concerns over a national crisis in what has become the most intense flashpoint yet in the Trump administration’s efforts to deport migrants living in the country illegally, and then crack down on opponents who take to the streets in protest.

    “This brazen abuse of power by a sitting president inflamed a combustible situation, putting our people, our officers and even our National Guard at risk. That’s when the downward spiral began,” Newsom said in an a video address.

    “He again chose escalation. He chose more force. He chose theatrics over public safety. … Democracy is under assault.”

    Newsom, widely seen as preparing for a presidential run in 2028, has called the deployments an illegal waste of resources. He and the state sued Trump and the Defense Department on Monday, seeking to block the deployment of federal troops. Trump in turn has suggested Newsom should be arrested.

    Trump, voted back into office last year largely for his promise to deport undocumented immigrants, used a speech honoring soldiers on Tuesday to defend his decision.

    He told troops at the Army base in Fort Bragg, North Carolina: “Generations of Army heroes did not shed their blood on distant shores only to watch our country be destroyed by invasion and third-world lawlessness.”

    “What you’re witnessing in California is a full-blown assault on peace, on public order and on national sovereignty, carried out by rioters bearing foreign flags,” Trump said, adding his administration would “liberate Los Angeles.”

    Demonstrators have waved the flags of Mexico and other countries in solidarity for the migrants rounded in a series of intensifying raids.

    Homeland Security said Monday its Immigration and Customs Enforcement division had arrested 2,000 immigration offenders per day recently, far above the 311 daily average in fiscal year 2024 under former President Joe Biden.

    UNREST IN THE STREETS

    Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass on Tuesday announced a curfew for one square mile (2.5 square km) of downtown Los Angeles that will run from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. locally (0300 to 1300 GMT) for several days.

    With five minutes until the curfew took effect, hundreds of protesters faced police with their hands raised, chanting “”peaceful protest.”

    Even so, state and local officials have called Trump’s response an extreme overreaction to mostly peaceful demonstrations.

    Bass emphasized at a press conference the distinction between the majority of demonstrators protesting peacefully and a smaller number of agitators she blamed for violence and looting.

    A curfew had been considered for several days but Bass said she decided to impose one after 23 business were looted on Monday night.

    “When these peaceful rallies end, and the protesters head home, another element moves in: opportunists, who come in under the cover of a peaceful protest to ravage and destroy,” Council member Ysabel Jurado, who represents the area, told reporters.

    As the mayor and the council member spoke, police and protesters were engaged in skirmishes outside.

    In what has become a daily ritual, police forced demonstrators away from the streets outside the Metropolitan Detention Center, where many detained migrants are held. Multiple groups of protesters snaked through downtown Los Angeles, monitored or followed by police armed with less lethal munitions.

    Protests also took place in other cities including New York, Atlanta and Chicago, where demonstrators shouted at and scuffled with officers. Some protesters climbed onto the Picasso sculpture in Daley Plaza, while others chanted that ICE should be abolished.

    Christina Berger, 39, said it was heartbreaking to hear about children who are afraid of being separated from their families due to immigration raids, adding, “I just want to give some hope to my friends and neighbors.”

    MARINES AT THE READY

    About 700 Marines were in a staging area in the Seal Beach area about 30 miles (50 km) south of Los Angeles, awaiting deployment to specific locations, a U.S. official said.

    A U.S. official said there were 2,100 National Guard troops in the Los Angeles area on Tuesday, more than half the 4,000 to be activated. The Marines and National Guard troops lack the authority to makes arrests and will be charged only with protecting federal property and personnel.

    Even so, California Attorney General Rob Bonta told Reuters the state was concerned about allowing federal troops to protect personnel, saying there was a risk that could violate an 1878 law that generally forbids the U.S. military, including the National Guard, from taking part in civilian law enforcement.

    “Protecting personnel likely means accompanying ICE agents into communities and neighborhoods, and protecting functions could mean protecting the ICE function of enforcing the immigration law,” Bonta said.

    U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Tuesday posted photos on X of National Guard troops accompanying ICE officers on an immigration raid. Trump administration officials have vowed to redouble the immigration raids in response to the street protests.

    (Reuters)

  • IDY 2025: Yoga Sangam Portal crosses 50,000 registrations

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Ahead of the 11th International Day of Yoga (IDY) 2025, over 50,000 organisations from across the nation have registered to host Yoga Sangam, setting a new benchmark for collective participation, said the Ministry of Ayush on Tuesday.

    Creating a historic milestone in promoting holistic health and well-being, Yoga Sangam will be hosted on June 21 from 6:30 am to 7:45 am.

    This year’s theme ‘Yoga for One Earth, One Health’ echoes a universal call for unity and wellness. Premier institutions like IITs, IIMs, and Central Universities, along with many corporates and private players, are actively registering and showcasing their commitment to global wellness.

    Rajasthan has emerged as the frontrunner with an impressive 11,000+ organisations registered for Yoga Sangam 2025, the highest among all states. It is followed by Telangana with over 7,000+ registrations, and Madhya Pradesh with close to 5,000 registrations.

    The IDY events will be held across the snow-capped mountains of Ladakh to the sunlit beaches of Kerala, from school playgrounds and office lawns to railway stations and historic temple courtyards.

    “With over one lakh locations expected to host the IDY event, Yoga Sangam 2025 the Ministry of Ayush invites citizens, institutions, and communities to come together in this global celebration of India’s timeless wisdom. Let us move together, breathe together, and thrive together – for a healthier, more harmonious world,” the Ayush ministry said.

    This year’s IDY celebrations build on the successful decentralised model of previous editions, with the Ministry of Ayush enhancing public engagement through the Yoga Sangam portal: Yoga.ayush.gov.in/yoga-sangam.

    To participate in Yoga Sangam, groups/organisations can register themselves through Yoga Sangam portal. After conducting the Yoga Sangam event on June 21, they can receive the official Certificate of Appreciation by uploading participation details.

    (With inputs from IANS)

  • Propulsion bay leak delays Axiom-4 mission again; repair work begins

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The highly anticipated Axiom-4 mission, which was scheduled to launch on June 11 after a series of earlier delays, has been postponed once again due to a leak detected in the propulsion bay during a pre-launch test, SpaceX said on Wednesday.

    “Standing down from tomorrow’s (June 11) Falcon 9 launch of Ax-4 to the ISS to allow additional time for SpaceX teams to repair the LOX leak identified during post-static fire booster inspections. Once complete—and pending Range availability—we will share a new launch date”, SpaceX said in a post on X. 

    ISRO Chairman Dr. V. Narayanan also took to X, saying, “The Axiom 04 mission, slated for launch on 11th June 2025 to send the first Indian Gaganyatri to the ISS, has been postponed. As part of launch vehicle preparations to validate the performance of the booster stage of the Falcon 9 launch vehicle, a seven-second hot test was carried out on the launch pad. During the test, a LOX (liquid oxygen) leak was detected in the propulsion bay.”

    “Following discussions between ISRO, Axiom, and SpaceX experts, it has been decided to correct the leak and conduct the necessary validation tests before clearing the mission for launch. Hence, the launch of Axiom 04 has been postponed,” he added.

    The mission, operated by the US-based Axiom Space, was set to carry Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla along with three international crew members to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

    The launch was scheduled to take place from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 5:30 p.m. IST. The Axiom 04 mission has faced multiple delays, having been rescheduled from its original target of May 29 to June 8, then June 10, and most recently to June 11.

    The mission is of major significance for India, as Shukla is set to become the first Indian to visit the International Space Station, and only the second Indian to travel to space, following Rakesh Sharma’s historic flight aboard the Soviet space station Salyut 7 in 1984.

    Shukla will serve as the pilot of the Axiom 04 mission, with Commander Peggy Whitson from the United States leading the crew. The other crew members include Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary, both serving as mission specialists.

    Once aboard the ISS, Shukla is expected to carry out experiments related to food and nutrition. The scientific mission is a collaboration between ISRO and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), with additional support from NASA.

    These experiments aim to advance the understanding of space nutrition and help develop self-sustaining life support systems critical for long-duration space exploration.

    The research will focus on the effects of microgravity and space radiation on edible microalgae—a nutrient-rich, high-potential food source for future space missions.

    The experiment will evaluate key growth parameters and examine transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic changes in different algal species in space compared to their behaviour on Earth.

    (With agency input)

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Muscat will host sixth round of Iran-U.S. talks

    2025-06-10 – Senior officials of Iran and the U.S. will hold the sixth round of talks in Muscat on Sunday.

    Muscat is scheduled to host the sixth round of indirect negotiations between Tehran and Washington on Sunday.

    Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said on Tuesday that the Islamic Republic and the United States will hold the newest round of talks in Muscat next Sunday, with Oman as the mediator.

    Regarding the latest program of Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, he said that the top diplomat will pay a visit to Norway to take part in the 22nd edition of the Oslo Forum.

    The Oslo Forum annually hosts global leaders, mediators, conflict parties, and experts to assess crises, support dialogue, and create pathways to peace.

    Iran and the United States have held five rounds of talks mediated by Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Al-Busaidi, three in Muscat and two in Rome.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Opening Speech of HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs  at the High-Level Global Conference on Youth-Inclusive Peace Processes

    Source: Government of Iran

    Your Excellency Mr. António Guterres,

    Your Excellency, Mr. Pekka Haavisto,

    Your Excellency, Mrs. María Juliana Ruiz Sandoval Ms. Ana Maneno, Mr. Mohammad Yahya Qanie,

    Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen;

    I am delighted to open this High-level Global Conference on Youth-Inclusive Peace Processes, co-hosted by the State of Qatar, Colombia, Finland, and the United Nations, and co-organized by the office of the UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth, Education Above All Foundation, and Search For Common Ground, in partnership with the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (UNDPP), the UN Population Fund, the UN Development Programme (UNDP), and the United Network of Young Peacebuilders.

    I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the ground-breaking vision of Her Highness Sheikha Moza Bint Nasser – UN SDG advocate, and Founder and Chairperson of Education Above All (EAA) Foundation.

    Her Highness has worked tirelessly to promote the empowerment of youth in conflict-prevention and peace-building. I would also like to acknowledge the instrumental role of Education Above All in this regard.

    The State of Qatar encourages the participation of young people in all stages of peace processes, including in decision-making. With this in mind, the Department of Youth Affairs of the Ministry of Culture and Sports has been directed to draft Qatar’s first National Youth Strategy.

    Drafted in consultation with our youth, the strategy is a declaration of a common national vision that defines the needs and priorities of Qatar’s youth.

    It is worthy of note that the first international Symposium on youth participation, held in Helsinki in March 2019, resulted in the launch of the first global policy paper on youth participation in peace processes.

    I trust this conference will follow this path in arriving at shared political commitments to advance the global Youth, Peace, and Security Agenda, and deliver concrete solutions for sustainable youth-inclusive processes world-wide.

    I am pleased that this conference will launch international guidelines to advance the global Youth, Peace and Security Agenda, and a five year-strategy on strengthening youth-inclusive peace processes, to be implemented at the national level.

    To conclude, the State of Qatar is committed to continue working closely with the United Nations to effectively implement the main outcomes of this conference as part of our joint efforts to strengthen global youth-inclusive peace processes.

    I thank you all for joining us, and look forward to our impactful deliberations here today.

    MIL OSI Africa –