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Category: Africa

  • MIL-Evening Report: The chicks are alright: what songbirds can teach us about divorce and moving on

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Frigg Janne Daan Speelman, PhD Candidate in Behavioural Ecology, Macquarie University

    Charli Davies, CC BY-NC-ND

    In humans, it’s very common for the traditional family structure of two parents raising children to change abruptly. Usually, this happens when the parents decide to separate.

    Many separated couples are able to navigate this change well to ensure their children are not overly affected. But this isn’t guaranteed. Parental separation can lead to behavioural, developmental and health issues in children. The effect can be long-lasting.

    That’s humans. But many other species have a similar arrangement in choosing a long-term mate to raise offspring. What effect does it have when these couples split up?

    In our new research, we examine what happens after a family split in a tropical bird species known for its long-lasting partnerships. To our surprise, we found the separation had no long term effect on the health of their offspring.

    Family drama on a tropical island

    Most birds form strong partnerships to raise offspring as a couple. Raising baby birds is an intense job. Having two parents at the nest is often essential for the survival of the chicks.

    The Seychelles warbler is no exception. These small songbirds live only on the Seychelles, northeast of Madagascar.

    They often pair for life and defend a territory together. The longest documented partnership is 15 years.

    Still, family life is not always perfect for these warblers. Of all warbler couples, about one in seven (14%) end in a separation.

    In these cases, one of the parents leaves their territory and finds a new mate elsewhere when there is still an egg, young chick or fledgling in their original nest.

    The Seychelles warbler lives on a few islands in the Seychelles. This is the view from Cousin Island, home to a long-studied population of these songbirds.
    Frigg Speelman, CC BY-NC-ND

    How do you know if a bird is stressed?

    For decades, a team of international researchers has studied the population of warblers on Cousin Island nature reserve. The dataset they have gathered includes information about the relationship status of all birds, as well as measures of their wellbeing, lifespan and how many offspring they produce.

    Using this data, we looked at what happened to the offspring of partners who had split up.

    We measured the stress levels of chicks who hatched just before the ending of their parents’ relationship up to the moment they reached adolescence.

    In humans, it’s common to measure stress by looking at the levels of cortisol in saliva and hair. But measuring stress in birds is a little different. To do this, we used three biomarkers which indicate physiological stress experienced by animals.

    The first is telomere length, the protective “caps” on the end of chromosomes which protect DNA against damage. The shorter the telomeres, the higher the stress.

    The second is the percentage of red blood cells in blood, which shows how well a warbler chick can use oxygen. The third is body condition, which indicates a bird’s fat reserves. These three markers let us gauge the stress levels and health of young warblers.

    We also wanted to know whether parental separation would have lifelong consequences for the chicks. To find this out, we compared chicks from separated parents to those with more stable nests and assessed how long they lived and how many offspring they produced.

    Warbler separation doesn’t stress chicks

    What we found was surprising. There was no evidence the separation of parents affected the stress levels of chicks or their long-term survival and breeding success.

    Why might this be?

    One reason is that these birds don’t linger on the past. They move on very quickly.

    When a partnership ends through separation or death, it opens up a vacancy – which can be quickly filled.

    When separation happens, one bird leaves. The remaining partner can find themselves left with offspring to take care of themselves.

    But parenting chicks is only half the story – nesting is also about territory. Cousin is a very small island of just 0.3 square kilometres with over 300 Seychelles warblers living on it.

    That means the space to breed is very limited. As a result, when vacancies arise they’re often filled just hours after separation.

    For the chicks, this means they now have a step-parent who can help raise them almost immediately. This means they don’t face a future with less parental care.

    Family life can be complicated for the Seychelles warbler. Separations leave quickly filled vacancies, where unrelated birds can help raise young.
    Charli Davies, CC BY-NC-ND

    That’s not all. The Seychelles warbler is known for an unusual arrangement in which breeding couples sometimes receive help from other warblers, known as cooperative breeding.

    On Cousin Island, there are more Seychelles warblers than there are breeding vacancies, meaning many adults can’t secure a partner and territory. These adults can join couples in established territories and help raise the offspring. This extra help may offset any reduced parental care after the ending of a partnership, meaning the offspring are still well off.

    What we can learn from this

    Our research shows Seychelles warbler chicks are better able to weather their parents separating than we expected.

    Importantly, this humble bird is just one of a huge group of species who form socially monogamous partnerships where both parents raise the offspring.

    Whether a parental relationship ending affects other species remains to be seen.

    Frigg Janne Daan Speelman does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. The chicks are alright: what songbirds can teach us about divorce and moving on – https://theconversation.com/the-chicks-are-alright-what-songbirds-can-teach-us-about-divorce-and-moving-on-256101

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    June 4, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Dmitry Grigorenko awarded the winners of the international IT Olympiad

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Dmitry Grigorenko awarded the winners of the international IT Olympiad. With the Governor of the Nizhny Novgorod Region Gleb Nikitin and the Chairman of the Board of Sberbank German Gref.

    The results of the international conference were summed up in Nizhny Novgorod IT Olympiad, in which more than 10 thousand schoolchildren from 51 countries took part. In the final stage of the competition, 17 teams from Russia, Cuba, Thailand, India, China, Vietnam, Mozambique, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Sri Lanka met. As part of it, the participants solved practical problems in the field of artificial intelligence and information security.

    The winners were awarded at the anniversary conference “Digital Industry of Industrial Russia” (CIPR). Deputy Prime Minister – Head of the Government Staff Dmitry Grigorenko took part in the award ceremony for the finalists. He noted that the participants, despite their young age, demonstrated a high level of knowledge in the field of IT and involvement.

    “It is no coincidence that the award ceremony for the finalists of the IT Olympiad is taking place today at CIPR. At the exhibition, we saw cutting-edge digital solutions. But there are people behind all these developments. For the IT industry in Russia to develop, highly qualified personnel are needed first and foremost. You, interested young specialists, will soon become such personnel. You are already part of the industry.

    Over the past 5 years, we have already managed to increase the number of budget places in universities in IT specialties by 2.5 times. More than 230 thousand students have received qualifications in the IT profile. The largest companies are also actively involved in training personnel. As part of the national project “Data Economy”, we are launching new programs for training specialists in microelectronics, robotics and artificial intelligence, unmanned systems,” said Deputy Prime Minister – Chief of the Government Staff Dmitry Grigorenko.

    Sberbank acted as the general partner of the international IT Olympiad. Sberbank Chairman of the Management Board Herman Gref addressed the finalists of the competition: “I would like to congratulate the guys – participants of the IT Olympiad with all my heart. You have already taken a huge step – created a platform and a springboard to your own future. Different situations may arise in your life when you doubt whether you can cope with certain challenges. Remember that you once made the decision to participate in this competition, passed all the tests, and even won! And this will give you strength and confidence that you can handle any task. You are the very people who will build our common future. I wish you good luck on this path, confidence and resilience! Remember that it is not those who do not fall who win. Those who find the strength to get up and move forward after each fall win.”

    The winners were also congratulated by the Governor of the Nizhny Novgorod Region, Gleb Nikitin:

    “At the anniversary CIPR, special attention was paid to the international agenda, including the interaction of countries in IT education. The Nizhny Novgorod government, together with the Republic of Cuba, organized the international IT Olympiad. I congratulate the guys on their high results! Participation in such competitions is already a great victory, and reaching the final is confirmation that we are talented, motivated and very promising young people. For the Nizhny Novgorod government, the development of the IT sphere is of great importance, as is systematic work with young people. The fact that the award ceremony is taking place in Nizhny, at the CIPR conference site, speaks for itself.”

    The IT Olympiad lasted almost 2 months and consisted of 2 stages: individual and team competitions. Schoolchildren solved problems in the following areas: cryptography, web security, reverse engineering, artificial intelligence, network traffic analysis, machine learning, open source intelligence (OSINT), information security theory, programming basics, social engineering, and others. A number of tasks imitated real websites with vulnerabilities — participants had to hack them and bypass the protection. The tasks were prepared by experts in artificial intelligence and information security.

    The participants coped best with tasks in mathematical logic (75% of participants solved them correctly), information security theory (74% of participants), and the basics of algorithms and programming (73% of participants). The most difficult tasks for schoolchildren were in the field of social engineering (32% of participants solved them correctly) and reverse engineering (36% of participants).

    The organizers of the international IT Olympiad were the Government of the Nizhny Novgorod Region with the support of the Government of the Russian Federation. The technological partner was the international school of programming and mathematics “Algorithmika”. The general partner was Sberbank.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    June 4, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Chagos islands: how Mauritius can turn a diplomatic triumph into real economic growth

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Dev K (Roshan) Boojihawon, Associate professor of Strategy and International Business, University of Birmingham

    The decades-long Chagos islands dispute has finally entered a new chapter. The UK officially agreed to return the sovereignty of the archipelago to Mauritius.

    The Indian Ocean islands are strategically situated near key shipping lanes and regional power hubs.

    Mauritius was granted independence from British colonial rule in 1968. But not the Chagos islands, which had been part of Mauritius but became a new colonial territory. The residents of the largest island in the archipelago, Diego Garcia, were forced off the land. This was used as a base to support US military operations.



    Read more:
    Mauritius’ next growth phase: a new plan is needed as the tax haven era fades

    Now Mauritius has regained control over the islands while leasing Diego Garcia to the UK for a 99-year period for US$136 million a year. This gives the UK (and its ally the US) access to a vital maritime corridor for global trade and power projection.

    But now that the deal has been signed, there’s a more pressing question. Can Mauritius use it as the foundation for justice and economic progress?

    As scholars of strategic economic development we often focus on Africa and Mauritius in particular. We believe the agreement marks an important geopolitical moment. It rights a colonial wrong, honours international justice and cements Mauritius’s global standing.

    It also presents an opportunity to fund inclusive development and sustainability initiatives for Mauritius. It could boost investments in education, health and infrastructure. It could also support the resettlement of displaced Chagossians, and advance marine conservation, renewable energy and climate resilience programmes in the archipelago.

    Aerial view of Diego Garcia and the Chagos archipelago.
    NASA/Wikimedia Commons

    The real challenge facing the Mauritian government is how to turn a diplomatic triumph into tangible national progress. We argue that what’s needed is a forward looking and inclusive strategy.

    The development challenge

    Reparations can offer short-term financial relief. But without visionary planning, there’s a risk of these funds being absorbed into recurrent government spending. Or used for symbolic programmes with limited structural and socio-economic impact.

    The real value lies in what Mauritius does next. Investment in strategic sectors such as the blue economy, renewable energy, digital infrastructure and sustainable tourism is the key.

    Investment should strengthen partnerships with regional neighbours, international donors, and strategic allies like the US, China and India. Mauritius must position itself as a forward-looking state with global relevance.



    Read more:
    How the US and UK worked together to recolonise the Chagos Islands and evict Chagossians

    The reparations should be treated as seed funding to invest in its own future. This means using the funds to drive bold, long-term transformation. The country needs to build a more resilient, innovative and globally competitive economy.

    Mauritius is heavily reliant on offshore services and short-term fiscal gains. It is vulnerable to slow diversification, rising youth unemployment, climate-related risks, lagging digital and technological progress, and growing global scrutiny of its financial sector.

    To remain competitive in the current volatile global context, the country must develop more broadly.

    3 steps to take

    1. Investment

    Mauritius has historically relied on external financial inflows like tourism revenue, offshore finance and foreign aid. By channelling funds into capacity-building, skills development and innovation ecosystems, the country can cultivate a self-sustaining economy. This would position it better to seize opportunities in the green economy, digital transformation and knowledge-intensive industries.

    More specifically, it needs to:

    • secure investment in green energy, AI-digital infrastructure and high-tech manufacturing

    • offer tax incentives and streamlined regulatory processes to attract foreign direct investment in these sectors

    • establish public-private partnerships to develop innovation hubs and research centres focused on emerging technologies

    • launch workforce development programmes to upskill the labour force.

    2. Economic diplomacy, alliances and regional leverage

    The government should forge stronger partnerships with the UK and the US. Key areas include defence, cybersecurity, climate and sustainability innovations and regional logistics infrastructure.

    It needs strong ties as power blocs shift and competition over strategic resources and trade routes grows.

    Joint military exercises and intelligence sharing could improve forces’ ability to help each other. Investing in advanced cyber defence capabilities, for instance, can help counter emerging digital threats, such as data breaches affecting financial services and e-governance systems.

    These steps would bolster national security and reinforce Mauritius’ position as a reliable partner.

    The resolution of the Chagos dispute provides an opportunity for Mauritius to use its geopolitical position. It could expand trade, diplomatic influence and strategic partnerships across Africa, Asia and beyond.

    Being located between Africa, the Middle East, South Asia and Southeast Asia places it along major maritime trade routes.

    Mauritius enjoys political stability, democratic governance and strong legal framework. It is well placed to help resolve regional disputes over maritime boundary conflicts, fishing rights, and freedom of navigation. These involve countries like India, Sri Lanka and Madagascar, and even China and the US.

    It can also lead in developing shared logistics and resupply hubs to support regional trade, disaster response and maritime security operations.

    3. Chagossian justice

    Mauritius must make the Chagossian community part of its next national success story. Including them in economic plans is a legal, moral and strategic necessity.

    Steps should include:

    • incorporating Chagos representatives in economic discussions and decision-making processes

    • establishing programmes for Chagossian cultural preservation and economic development

    • giving Chagossians a voice in shaping the future of their ancestral lands.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Chagos islands: how Mauritius can turn a diplomatic triumph into real economic growth – https://theconversation.com/chagos-islands-how-mauritius-can-turn-a-diplomatic-triumph-into-real-economic-growth-257774

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    June 4, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Suspected people-smuggling gang arrested in nationwide crackdown

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Suspected people-smuggling gang arrested in nationwide crackdown

    Six people have been arrested on suspicion of facilitating illegal entry of hundreds of migrants in dawn strikes by Immigration Enforcement across the UK

    A suspected organised crime boss and his associates have been arrested for allegedly facilitating hundreds of Botswana nationals into the UK illegally, as part of a surge in law enforcement activity to take down people-smuggling gangs.

    In the early hours of Tuesday 3 June, five men and one woman were arrested in strikes across the country in Cheltenham, Manchester, Nottingham, Sheffield and Bradford. The lead suspect, a 37-year-old Botswana national, was arrested in Cheltenham on suspicion of assisting and planning the illegal entry of other migrants from Botswana into the UK.

    The suspected criminal gang is believed to have facilitated the entry of more than 200 Botswana nationals into the UK illegally over a two-year period, leading them into a life of fraud and exploitation. Once in the country, it is believed they assisted in submitting false asylum claims using fake documents in order to fraudulently legalise the migrants stay in the country. They are also believed to have assisted the migrants with illegal employment in care homes, working with the most vulnerable without adequate training or medical expertise.

    Officers acted on intelligence that suggested the lead people smuggler was exploiting the individuals he lured here under false pretences, forcing them to do unpaid work.

    Organised criminal gangs often use cruel tactics to control their beneficiaries, with victims often subject to debt bondage at the hands of the gangs who trap them in unsafe situations in order to fill their pockets.

    The arrests come as part of the latest initiative under this government’s Plan for Change to bear down on the criminal gangs profiting at the expense of vulnerable individuals and restore order to the asylum system. Since the election almost 30,000 people with no right to be here have been returned – a 12% increase compared to the same period 12 months ago. Illegal working visits and arrests are also up by more than 40%

    This government’s Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill will go further than ever before to protect the UK’s borders and strengthen the wider immigration and asylum system, including protecting it against abuse from criminal gangs. New counter terror-style powers will be introduced to smash the smuggling gangs before they have a chance to act.

    Security Minister, Dan Jarvis said:

    I want to commend the dedication and professionalism of our criminal investigators and Immigration Enforcement officers for these significant arrests. Their tireless efforts have disrupted criminal networks that profit from exploiting vulnerable individuals and undermining our immigration system.

    This operation demonstrates that we will use the full force of the law against those who facilitate illegal entry into the UK for exploitation. Our enforcement teams work day and night to protect our borders and communities from harm, and this successful operation is testament to their commitment.

    The government remains resolute in our approach to tackle illegal migration and the criminal enterprises that enable it, and through our Plan for Change will continue to restore order to the asylum system that collapsed in recent years.

    Immigration Enforcement Criminal and Financial Investigations lead, Phillip Parr said:

    This is one of our highest priority investigations due to the scale of the threat, the number of people believed to be involved, the immense harm these victims are potentially at risk of, and the amount of financial gain the suspects stand to make.

    I’m immensely proud of my team’s coordinated and targeted approach in this operation. We’ve not only disrupted this criminal network but also safeguarded potentially hundreds of individuals from further exploitation and harm. This operation demonstrates the power of partnership working in tackling complex organised crime.

    There is no place for those who profit from human misery, and we will continue to use all available powers to pursue and prosecute those involved in these despicable crimes.

    This government is tightening UK visa controls and building a more sustainable workforce, reducing reliance on overseas workers, as set out in the immigration white paper in May. The strategy contains new financial measures, penalties or sanctions, including for sponsors of migrant workers or students where there is evidence of abuse. New measures already in effect require care providers in England to prioritise recruiting international care workers who are already in the UK and seeking new employment.

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    Published 3 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    June 4, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Video: Liberia: elected as Security Council non-permanent member 2026-2027 | United Nations

    Source: United Nations (Video News)

    Comments to the media by Deweh Gray, Deputy Foreign Minister of the Republic of Liberia, following the elections of the incoming five UNSC member states for 2026-2027.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaVl2wmdRY0

    MIL OSI Video –

    June 4, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Video: Election of non-permanent members of the Security Council | United Nations

    Source: United Nations (Video News)

    The UN elected Bahrain, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Latvia, and Liberia to serve two-year terms as non-permanent members of the Security Council, starting in January 2026.
    https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/06/1163971

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nSli5tIwDY

    MIL OSI Video –

    June 4, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Video: Democratic Republic of Congo elected as Security Council non-permanent member 2026/27|United Nations

    Source: United Nations (Video News)

    Comments to the media by Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, Foreign Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, following the elections of the incoming five UNSC member states for 2026-2027.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=id1N7zOf-kA

    MIL OSI Video –

    June 4, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Note to Correspondents:  on attack on a convoy in Sudan

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    Five members of a UN humanitarian convoy were killed on Monday night and several more were injured during an attack near Al Koma in North Darfur. 

    We condemn in the strongest possible terms this horrendous act of violence against humanitarian personnel who literally put their lives at risk in an attempt to reach vulnerable children and families in the famine-impacted areas of Sudan. 

    This joint WFP-UNICEF convoy was made up of 15 trucks, and they had travelled over 1,800 km from Port Sudan and were carrying nutrition supplies and food. The Agencies were negotiating access to complete the journey to El Fasher when the convoy was attacked. The route that the convoy was going to take was shared in advance, and parties on the ground were notified and aware of the location of the trucks. 

    Many of our trucks were burned in the attack, and critical humanitarian supplies were damaged. It is devastating that the supplies have not reached the civilians in need. This was the first UN humanitarian convoy that was going to make it to El Fasher in over one year.

    All attacks on humanitarian personnel, their facilities and vehicles must stop. These are violations under international humanitarian law. And we call for an urgent investigation and for the perpetrators to be held to account. 

    We call for safe, secure and the best possible operating conditions and for international humanitarian law to be respected by all parties, and not just in Sudan, but in all conflict-impacted countries. Under international humanitarian law, aid convoys must be protected, and parties have an obligation to allow and facilitate rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief for civilians in need.  

    For those who were killed in the line of duty in Sudan, we of course extend our condolences to their families and loved ones, and we wish a speedy recovery to those who were wounded in the attack.

    Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

    June 4, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Radio 5AA Adelaide, Afternoons with Stacey Lee

    Source:

    STACEY LEE [HOST]: Well, the main construction works are now underway on the Torrens to Darlington, the last little bit of the puzzle to fix up South Road. And here in town today to make the announcement is the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, the Honourable Catherine King, and she joins me in the studio. Good afternoon, Minister

    CATHERINE KING [MINISTER]: Good afternoon. It is great to be here in Adelaide again. 

    STACEY LEE: And thank you for your time and coming into the studio. It seems like just last week you were being sworn in as the infrastructure Minister once again. 

    CATHERINE KING: Well, it was last week or last Tuesday, and so absolutely fantastic. First big project I get to come to is the Torrens to Darlington, which is absolutely going great guns. You cannot miss that construction work has well and truly started. 

    STACEY LEE: Yeah, absolutely. Why was this the first one you wanted to visit as the new slash old minister? 

    CATHERINE KING: Well, it’s pretty much the biggest project, the biggest road project in the country. I think North East Link in Victoria would sort of have some equivalence to it. It’s a big project. You’re going to have three tunnel boring machines. So, the work that you’re starting to see at the moment is all of the work getting ready for the tunnel boring machines to come in. And so basically they build them on a big platform, they drop that down about 25 meters, and then they get assembled and go, and they’re huge. They’re absolutely massive. You’ll see lots of activity around all of that. And so being able to just go and have a look at that work that started some of the side roads to make sure we can keep traffic flying. They’ve been completed as well. So, you’re going to see construction started. It’s a big project that’s going to be going for the next three to four years, really. So great to be able to get on site. And as I said, biggest, biggest, really road project in the country. And it’s at a stage where we could go and have a look at it.

    STACEY LEE:  And certainly the biggest one that our state’s seen. We’ve got the the Heysen Tunnels on the on the freeway, but these tunnels will be…

    CATHERINE KING: they will be amazing. There are a few things I love about this project. I love it. I love a good infrastructure project, but what I particularly like about this is that you’ve got three tunnel boring machines. That’s unusual. Normally, there’s two at most. So that’s really quite different. But the other is that a number of people employed on it, about 5500 are going to be employed. A lot of them locals. And I met a couple of Victorians who’ve moved off over to Adelaide from the Big Builds that they’ve been doing in Victoria, and are just loving living in Adelaide. So, we’re trying to entice them back over the border, but I think they’re probably staying here for a long, well, certainly for a while, yet. But also, the green space that you’re going to gain from this project as well, like it’s often when you see these really massive road projects, you see them really dividing suburbs, and they can cut across suburbs, and it’s impossible to, you know, really live around them, whereas, because you’re going underground here, you get all of this space back that the community can use. So, this is a really amazing project, and I think you’re going to see lots of lots of great art, great parks, that’s also part of it, which give the community back their space

    STACEY LEE: up above ground. I was thinking, are we building parks underground? Now that’s something new.

    CATHERINE KING: Green space on top, the green space on top. So, a lot of people employed. But then, of course, there’s the savings. You’re getting rid of those 21 sets of traffic lights. And you think every time you’re stopping at a traffic light, that’s minutes and minutes you’re in the car just waiting, and 21 of those going out, 40 minutes will be saved in that drive if you’re driving that route regularly. And that’s 40 minutes you get back with your kids, or get to stay and have a little sleep in in the morning if you’re trying to get to work. 

    STACEY LEE: I thought you were going to say, or stay at work a bit longer.

    CATHERINE KING: (laughs) no I want people home to do the things that they love doing as well, as well as being able to get to work more efficiently as well. 

    STACEY LEE: Yeah, absolutely. Now, you mentioned the timeline. Is it on track? When is it expected to be finished? Because this is the last piece of the puzzle; we’ve been waiting for years.

    CATHERINE KING: Yeah, it’s a real so, so with infrastructure projects, everyone wants them done tomorrow, but they’re big and they’re complex engineering projects. So, 2031 is meant to be the completion of this project. Of course, if you have, you know, we’re not looking likely at the moment, but really heavy rains that cause problems or things that delay, you know, but I think they’ve done all of that preliminary work, so all the geo tech work, so they know that it’s not, you know, mostly clay underground, if you hit really heavy rock that slows the tunnel boring machines down. But all of that, all of that on time to date, and we hope the project proceeds that way. 

    STACEY LEE:  2031, did you say?

    CATHERINE KING: Yeah, well, that’s the, that’s the finish, and it feels like, but also, it’ll go really quick. You’ll, you’ll see the amount of work that’s being done on it. But you’ve got to start. You don’t start these projects. You don’t finish them.

    STACEY LEE: And does South Road, as it currently stands, remain open while the tunnel…?

    CATHERINE KING: So, yeah that’s right. So that, again, that adds to complexity of projects. You still got to be able to move people around the city. So that’s, that’s what happens in the meantime. So, this is really, you’ll see, you’ll start to see all that happening underground. Well, you won’t send underground, but you’ll see all the work starting at the entrance. 

    STACEY LEE: And in terms of funding, I believe this was a 50/50, funding, yeah?

    CATHERINE KING: That’s right. So, $7.7 billion from each level of government. And what you’re seeing is the Commonwealth is increasingly stepping into that space now, into sort of some of the suburbs and cities that we traditionally wouldn’t have been in. So that’s been happening over a long period of time. The Commonwealth sort of traditionally only funded those big, you know, big roads outside of cities, the connecting parts. And then over time, we’ve increasingly been stepping into the space of funding more in terms of the suburbs and suburban roads and connectivity. So that’s sort of why our infrastructure pipeline has grown. But also you’re seeing us involved in projects like the Torrens to Darlington. 

    STACEY LEE: And potentially other projects as well, like the Greater Adelaide Freight Bypass, which was a big one during the election campaign. 

    CATHERINE KING: yeah, well, we announced just over half a billion dollars for that. That’s been a really important project for us as well, so that, and also the Curtis Road Level Crossing Removal, again, a really big project and we’ve been involved, obviously, in a lot of the level crossing removals. I think there’s three to four of them happening at the moment, and they really do change again the amount of time people are stuck waiting in cars to actually get to where they need to go.

    STACEY LEE: Yeah. In terms of the freight bypass, that was a big one in a in a very marginal seat during the election and Labor won that seat. I think the agreement prior to the election, or the commitment from your party, was 50% funding split. Did you have a chance to pull the Premier aside today and say, hey, I know your budget’s coming up in a few months. Are you willing to commit to the other 50?

    CATHERINE KING: Well that would be a matter for their budget. You know the thing that I would say about the relationship I have with Tom Koutsantonis and also Premier Malinauskas. But of course, my boss, the Prime Minister, with the Premier in particular, is a really collaborative one. We work together. We work through issues, and we will, you know, we think the bypass is important. We put that half a billion dollars plus on the table. And we look forward to working with the South Australian Government to deliver that project. 

    STACEY LEE: How confident are you that it’ll get off the ground? 

    CATHERINE KING: Well, I think it’s important. I think we do need to bear in mind that there are always capacity constraints in terms of infrastructure as well. So, we’ll have to talk to them about the timing of the project. You know, we might need to do some planning and geo tech work and all of that stuff first. But you know, they know it’s important. They’ve committed to the you know, they’re committed to the project. You know, they’ve brought the project to us so that 50% that we’ve put on the table, we’re really keen to work with the South Australian Government on that, and we’ll work through whatever issues there are going forward.

    STACEY LEE: And it is still a priority for your government given now that’s no longer a marginal seat, and the other one Boothby is no longer marginal either? 

    CATHERINE KING: Yeah, I guess what I’d say with infrastructure, what I’ve been really at pains to do is to try and stop some of this sort of – it’s a marginal seat or it’s not a marginal seat. Like what we’ve tried to do, we’ve asked states to deliver now, under the reforms, we put in place 10-year infrastructure plans, and really, what we’re doing is looking at projects that are part of that 10-year long-term horizon of infrastructure projects. So it became obviously a political issue in the election campaign – that happens, we have elections, that always occurs. But really, this has been really important, you know, it was in our last budget, the state government had brought it to us as a project. So we just work our way, pretty much systematically, through those and start delivering and that’s really been my experience, is get the planning work done, make sure that we know how much it’s going to cost, and then you start doing the work on it. Part of the problem of what I inherited is that we often had lots of press releases that were very politicised. It was often about marginal seats or what was happening there, and not enough money allocated to it. In fact, we didn’t even know as a Commonwealth how much something was going to cost, because the previous government had said, oh, we’ll put, you know, $200 million into this, or $400 million. And you suddenly look at it, and we did a big review, and you go, actually, it’s going to cost a lot more than that. How are we going to find the money? So really, what we’re trying to do is planning work, planning money, planning work, first get an idea about that and then work with the State governments to actually deliver them. And that’s proving to be a really good model. 

    STACEY LEE: Yeah, well, I guess that happens with every project at the moment. You know, costs have blown out over the last few years a lot. So hopefully, I know there’s a lot of people I’m in, I’m in the seat of Sturt, and so it was a big issue for me in the lead up to the election, for a lot of people. So hopefully in the state budget next month, I think, we get some sort of a resolution on whether that early work can occur in those investigations, and we’ll go from there. 

    CATHERINE KING: Yeah, no, that would be great. 

    STACEY LEE: Up to anything else while you’re in town, Minister? 

    CATHERINE KING: No, this was a big thing today. And as I said, it was great to see the amount of workers that are on site, they’re really excited. Like, the thing about construction workers too, is they love these projects and being able to show off what they’re doing. And this is a big build, so I hope lots of people get the opportunity. There’s a great visitor center that’s got the example of the tunnel boring machines in there is go and have a bit of a look. There’ll be a bit of disruption while this build is occurring. That’s inevitable, but it’ll really make a huge difference to the city, and to people’s lives. 

    STACEY LEE: Alright, well, I’ll leave you to get back to it. Maybe you can stop off at the central market for lunch before you head. 

    CATHERINE KING: Generally, I always stop off at the Haigh’s. We’ll see about that. I’m trying to lose a bit of weight, but that always happens in in Adelaide, we hit the Haigh’s. It is always amazing. And everyone tells me it tastes better when you buy it in Adelaide, absolutely, that’s what I’m told. 

    STACEY LEE: Well it’s in walking distance from the studio so I’ll let you get to it. Thank you for coming in. 

    MIL OSI News –

    June 4, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Media conference – Adelaide

    Source:

    NADIA CLANCY [STATE MEMBER FOR ELDER]: I’m Nadia Clancy. I am the Member for Elder I’m here today with the Premier Peter Malinauskas as well as Federal Minister for Infrastructure Catherine King. We also have State Minister who you are all well accustomed to, Minister Koutsantonis, and my electorate boundary mate, Jayne Stinson. So we’re right in the electorate of Elder at the moment and I am so excited to see so much activity on site at the moment. It sort of has felt like a slow burn and now we are here. I really want to thank my constituents for their patience and understanding as we’ve dealt with these changes and these sort of minor inconveniences, and really, really excited that now the Norrie Avenue link road has now been completed which is making things a lot easier for locals. Now I will hand over to the Premier.

    PETER MALINAUSKAS [SA PREMIER]: Thanks so much Nadia, it’s great to be here with you and Jayne. Your consistent advocacy on behalf of your constituents is making the relative inconvenience of this project far easier to deal with so we can make sure we can get it done. It’s great to be here with Tom as always but I particularly want to thank Catherine King, the Federal Infrastructure Minister, and take this opportunity to in this forum congratulate you, Catherine, on the re-election of the Albanese Government and your retention of one the most important portfolios that we see in any government in the country.

    The partnership between my state government and the Albanese federal government really is on show here. I am very pleased that we are getting this project done. The non-stop South Road project has been talked about for decades and the hardest part is now finally underway because we are making it happen. We have not spared any expense to get it done properly the first time. A $15.4 billion infrastructure project that will literally change the way that traffic moves through our city for the next 100 years. The legacy of this project will be not just an infinite amount of convenience for tens of thousands of motorists, but it’ll actually be changing the economic dynamic of the way our city operates, which is exactly why this is worth it in the long run. I cannot possibly overstate the size and the complexity of this $15.4 billion project, but when it is completed, which is actually, in the scheme of things, not that far away, it’ll mean that up to 40 minutes in commute time is saved as a result of the removal of 21 sets of traffic lights for people during peak hour. Any time you remove 21 sets of traffic lights from any journey on our roads in a metropolitan environment, it saves a lot of time, but 40 minutes for a community to peak hour, that’s a big number. And when you add that up for every single working family, every single day of the week, it means hours and hours of people’s lives that are returned to a better standard of living or to a better economic outcome, which is exactly why this project requires urgency. And finally, we’ve got two governments getting together to get it done and get it done properly.

    There has been a lot of work, a lot of work that has led to us being able to be here today where major construction is now underway for where the tunnel boring machines on the southern end of the project will be lowered. Just behind where I’m standing right now, two 90 metre- long tunnel boring machines will be lowered 25 metres below the surface to start tunnelling out throughout the second half of 2026 right through to the project’s completion. This is one of the biggest engineering undertakings that’s not just occurred in the history of our state but indeed the nation. This is the biggest infrastructure project in Australia right now. There is none bigger than this, and it’s going to change the way our city operates forever in a way that will be a lot more convenient for everyone from working families to small businesses to big businesses who want to get things moving in and around metropolitan Adelaide.

    The non-stop South Road project has been talked about a lot and we’ve seen a lot been achieved over the course of the last 20 years. But this is the big part, this is the hard part and my government is getting it done. But we’re only able to do that because of the partnership, a 50/50 funding partnership between the state and federal government, $7.7 billion from the Commonwealth, $7.7 billion coming from the state government. Every step of the way, the relationship between the government, particularly between Minister Koutsantonis and Minister King has just been outstanding.

    I want to take this opportunity to really thank Minister King, not just for her stewardship but also for her advocacy on occasions. She appreciates just how dynamic and important this project is and has done a lot to help make it happen. So I’ll hand over to the Minister to say a few words and then Minister Koutsantonis, Minister King and myself will be able to answer your questions.

    CATHERINE KING [MINISTER]: Thanks Premier. Well, it’s great to be back here in the great state of South Australia, and you can see behind us here, this is a state that is delivering important infrastructure for communities here in Adelaide. Can I thank Nadia and Jayne for being here, they’ve been great advocates of this project, but can I particularly acknowledge both the premier and also Minister Koutsantonis. It is such a delight to work with the pair of them on these projects. I know both them coming to government and us coming to government, this project really was in a bit of a state and we had to make hard decisions about investing more money to get this project done. This $15 billion plus project is very much a 50/50 partnership between the Albanese Labor Government and the Malinauskas Labor Government, because Labor Government’s build peace.

    Infrastructure is absolutely my passion. I’m so delighted to have been returned as Infrastructure Minister because infrastructure changes lives. And what a great way of doing so. Twenty-one sets of traffic lights removed, 40 minutes off commute time. And that means for people, that’s 40 minutes more you can spend with your families. Actually spending time being able to do the things that matter most to all of us. Being able to spend that time with your kids, being able to spend that time with your families. It also is a great employment generator. Over 5,500 people will be employed on this site over the course of its life, and 600 of those are going to be trainees and apprentices, new workers coming into the construction industry. And I particularly want to give a shout out to the many women in construction that we’re seeing, heaps of them on site here today. It is a great career, and I’m so delighted that we see so many women entering this field. We have to have more women in construction, and this project with 600 new trainees and new apprentices working on site will deliver that.

    Delighted to partner with the Malinauskas Government on this project. We’re investing over $9 billion in infrastructure here in South Australia, but this is by far the biggest build of any of them. You can see behind us where the tunnel boring machines will be assembled and then dropped to actually start their work, and there’s going to be lots of opportunities for the media to see this construction project. It is the biggest road project in the state. There are lots of other projects that would claim to rival it, but I would have to say it’s the biggest project in state and the biggest project in the country in terms of the longest and three tunnel boring machines, the largest in the country, when they’re assembled on site.

    So, terrific to be here today. I want to thank and wish all the very best to the construction company. You can see this has started because it’s only Labor governments that actually deliver infrastructure, and only Labor governments that deliver the sort of infrastructure that South Australia needs.

    I’ll hand over to the Premier for questions and then we’ll work from there.

    JOURNALIST: [inaudible]

    PETER MALINAUSKAS: Yeah, I can talk about that, and maybe Tom can [indistinct]… as well. Look, you can’t make an omelette without breaking some eggs, and we’re a government that’s very conscious of the fact that during a project of this size and complexity, of course there’s going be a degree of disruption. But we want to get things done, and we’re not going to back away from making tough decisions that are required to set the state up for the long term. There’s a lot of economic opportunity before South Australia at the moment, and if we want people to be able to participate in it, they’ve got to be able to get to their places of work in a way that is efficient and productive, which means this project just has to be delivered. It just has to get done.

    Now, there has been a lot of engagement with local communities, and local MPs have certainly been powerful advocates – not just through the compulsory acquisition process, which is largely complete, but also with all the various movements and traffic that we’ll see over the coming years ahead. But at the end of it is the end game, which is a 40 minute saving for people in their commute during peak hour. Twenty-one sets of traffic lights removed. That’ll be worth it, right? It’s not just this project that we’ve got going on that causes a bit of inconvenience too. As a government, we’ve made tough decisions on this project. We’ve made tough decisions on the womens’ and kids’ project. But we do it because what we’re interested in is the long-term outcome. We’re not thinking about short-term politics. We’re thinking about long-term outcomes for the state, and none is more important than the $15.4 billion project that we deliver here.

    It’s true to say that if I was only thinking about the next election, we probably wouldn’t necessarily make the same decisions. But because we’re thinking about the long term, and we do want to get to that end point of having a 40 minute saving, we’re powering ahead and making the tough choices so we can get this project done, and done as quickly as we can.

    JOURNALIST: How confident are you that this is going to be delivered on time and on budget? [Indistinct] …

    PETER MALINAUSKAS: [Talks over] Well, so far, things have gone alright. So far, things are going well. Now, we’re not naive to the fact that there’s going to be challenges along the way, but so far, I mean, I’ve been honest about the womens’ and kids’, and I’ll be honest about this project. So far, things are going well. But we’re still at the front nine, we’re not on the back nine yet, and then it’s going to happen.

    JOURNALIST: There’s a lot of money that’s being spent on this, obviously federally and state. Is there a lot of wiggle room in the budget for other projects that are going to be coming up?

    PETER MALINAUSKAS: Well, you’ll have to wait and see in the budget. We’re not that far away. Look, we’ve been really pleated as a government in delivering budget surpluses. We haven’t just forecast them, we’ve delivered them. We haven’t delivered a deficit yet. We’re working hard to keep it that way, and that gives us the room to be able to invest in things that set the state up for the long term. But there’s always competing priorities. The biggest one for us remains health and education. That’s core business as far as we’re concerned, and it makes a difference to people’s lives, and we’re always looking for opportunities to invest in those things.

    But as far as major transport infrastructure, we focus on the non-stop South Road element, but there’s also a lot of east-west connectivity that we’re investing in as well. That’s already starting to move traffic a lot better to and from other parts of Adelaide. So the $15.4 billion project number is predominantly the non-stop South Road element, but a lot of east-west activity and connectivity has been invested in too, which will also help traffic flow more broadly.

    JOURNALIST: There’s a lot of construction going on around Adelaide [indistinct]. Do we have the local [indistinct]…?

    PETER MALINAUSKAS: That’s a good question. By and large, yes. I mean, look, If you’re in civil construction or other construction type jobs, South Australia is the place you want to be. There’s no doubt about it. We are grateful though that we are seeing some expertise come from other parts of the country. In fact, I was just chatting to someone calling Adelaide home, and hopefully, it stays that way because we are going to need the workforce in the future. Because understand this, we’ve got this project, we’ve got the womens’ and kids’, but then beyond that, all the work that is required down at Osborne, which is many billions of dollars worth of construction, there’ll be work there in the future as well. Our ambitions for what we hopefully want to see happen at Olympic Dam, what we want to see at Wyalla, it’s not just a pipeline of work over the course of the next four years. What we’re setting ourselves up for is a pipeline of work over the course of the decade ahead, because that’s what prudent planning demands.

    So, in terms of workforce, yes, of course, there’s a lot of demand for labour in the state at the moment. We’ve got the lowest unemployment rate levels we’d ever seen. I think we’ve got the seventh lowest unemployment rate in the nation. It’s below 4 per cent. That’s a good problem to have, in some respects. But we’ve also got to be investing into skills in the future, which is what our technical college is all about.

    JOURNALIST: [inaudible]

    PETER MALINAUSKAS: Yeah, in parts, yes. And if they end up calling Adelaide their home, that’s a good thing. It’s why we’ve got more houses being built in South Australia on an apples-for-apples basis than any other part of the country. The stats out just in the last fortnight show that housing dwelling starts, and also approvals are growing at the fastest rate in South Australia, anywhere in the country. In fact, the national average is going backwards but South Australia is growing. 

    JOURNALIST: Had another fatal crash, and you’re saying [indistinct] on our roads. What will need to be done to keep the roads safe now?

    PETER MALINAUSKUS: Well, I might invite Tom to have a few words about this. I mean, apart from just acknowledging the awful loss of life, it’s heartbreaking for a family. You know, we see the road toll and that’s a number but what sits behind that, of course, are real people and family will be devastated badly by those deaths and my thoughts are with them. But in terms of the truck traffic I might just leave it to Tom to say a few words. Is there any other questions for me before I [indistinct] to Tom? 

    JOURNALIST: Yeah. I was just wondering, in terms of the upper house, Sarah Game has obviously left One Nation. What does that look like for you guys now in terms of passing legislation? Do you have any concerns or confidence in that change with Tammy as well of course? 

    PETER MALINAUSKUS: Yeah. I haven’t had chance to speak about Tammy publicly yet, either, so maybe I’ll deal with both of those. Yeah look, in our rich, vibrant liberal democracy change happens, and we’ve got a quite a diverse mix of people in the upper house. And what I try to do is work with them, regardless of their political hue. Of course, there are things that we’ll disagree on ideologically and philosophically, that’s clear. But I also want to work with people from other political parties, because that’s the way you achieve results. 

    So, whether Tammy Franks is in the Greens or Sarah Nation[sic] is in One Nation, I’m going to sit down and I’m going to work with them, because I think that’s what leadership requires. I will, however, make this point, you know, out of all of the cross section of political hues in the parliament at the moment, of which there are a number, there’s only one political party that hasn’t lost any members or had anyone quit or leave, and what is the party? It’s us. So, despite us having more members than anybody else, we’re the most disciplined and united team. So- but in terms of Tammy and Sarah, they’ve made their own decisions, that’s for them and their political parties to resolve. But as the Premier of the state I want to work with them no matter what.

    JOURNALIST: Do you think it’s very fair for the voters who have helped vote in these people in to have party members. For example, Sarah wasn’t particularly known in her own right beforehand to have these people then going to sit as independent? Do you think that’s fair to them?

    PETER MALINAUSKUS:  This has been a feature of the Westminster system since it’s dawn. And what we do, though, in the Labor Party is- you know, in South Australia, we’ve got a particularly disciplined and united- you know, where we have points of difference we sit down and work with one another, rather than just storm out and quit. And that’s what allows us, as a government, to focus on what’s in the best interest of the state. The business of other political parties, I’ll leave that to them to [indistinct].

    JOURNALIST: [Indistinct] around the issues [indistinct] parties or anything which will change that way. 

    PETER MALINAUSKUS: I understand the argument, but I think it’s difficult. And it’s not a feature of many Westminster parliaments we see around- in the world. So, it’s not something I envisage having here anytime soon. 

    JOURNALIST: Back to the question?

    PETER MALINAUSKUS: Yeah, I’ll know that Tom’s got that.

    JOURNALIST: [Indistinct] There have been some talk about our industry, trucking industry and the rules surrounding the drivers and training that’s sort of sparked up that debate, and why we don’t know the circumstances surrounding this one we need to have another look at how we’re training truck drivers.

    TOM KOUTSANTONIS [SA MINISTER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE AND TRANSPORT]: Yeah. So, we have here in South Australia. So, we’re the first state in the federation to change the way we’re training drivers, especially ones who are coming from abroad. We are no longer recognising accreditation in other jurisdictions internationally. We wanted them to be trained here in Australia, to understand Australian conditions. 

    Look, heavy vehicles are getting larger in Australia, they’re not getting smaller. We’re a big country and we are looking at growing our road trains even larger, and training is becoming even more important. What occurred on the weekend is a tragedy. It probably could have been avoided. No one needs to die on our roads with a heavy vehicle if everyone is trained appropriately and equipment is appropriately maintained. 

    We’ll let this go through the court process to understand exactly what occurred. I understand police have charged a person this morning so I’m not going to go into the details other than to say, if you come to this and you want to drive a heavy vehicle in South Australia, we expect you to be trained here in South Australia. I call on other jurisdictions to do the same thing because it’s important that Australian conditions are top of mind for when we train our drivers. 

    Now, I don’t know the circumstances here. I don’t know what occurred here, I’m getting a briefing later on today. But it’s important to note that heavy vehicles are dangerous. We have very, very strict heavy vehicle national regulations that govern the way people drive heavy vehicles, the way that they’re trained, and the way that these vehicles are assessed. There’s trainer responsibility here, right back to the owners of the company and directors of that company who could be personally liable for even criminal charges if something is going wrong. So, we want to get to the bottom of this, but it is way too early to form any judgment.

    PETER MALINAUSKUS: Thanks so much everyone. Cheers.

    JOURNALIST: Sorry. Just one more. 

    PETER MALINAUSKUS: So, we’ll take this last one [indistinct]…

    JOURNALIST: Sorry. In terms of the speed that [indistinct] today, you’re going to increase it to around [indistinct] saying another 25 kilometres per hour on our roads. Do you know much about that? Does council [indistinct]…

    TOM KOUTSANTONIS: I do. Yes, there are reforms. Yes, yes. So, what we’ve done is we’ve listened to the RAA, we’ve listened to tow truck drivers. When amber lights turn on because they’re working on a vehicle on the side of the road that’s either broken down or needs to be towed, there have been too many crashes and near misses that make it dangerous to bring aid to people who are stranded on the side of the road. So, when you see these amber lights it’s important that you slow down to 25 kilometres per hour, as safely and as quickly as possible for you to do so. If you do breach it, depending on the speed that you’re going over – the same penalties apply for emergency service vehicles, if you drive past a police car and ambulance with red lights flashing. 

    It’s very, very important to maintain the safety and security of these people providing assistance on the side of the road, and we make no apologies for that. I heard this morning tow truck drivers who are turning up to cars that have been broken down on the side of the road, while they’re connecting these vehicles seeing either individuals being clipped or vehicles being rammed into. It’s important now people, when they see flashing lights, to slow down. 

    PETER MALINAUSKUS: All right, thanks very much, everyone.

    MIL OSI News –

    June 4, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Miller-Meeks, Colleagues Launch Bill to Fight Antisemitic Hate Across the U.S.

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks’ (IA-02)

    Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA), alongside Representatives Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) and Maria Salazar (R-FL), has introduced the bipartisan Commission to Study Acts of Antisemitism in the United States Act, legislation to establish a national commission tasked with investigating the rise in antisemitic violence and providing actionable recommendations to Congress and the President.

    “Whether it’s the brutal attack in Boulder, the murder of two Israeli Embassy staffers outside a Jewish museum in D.C., or the 80 percent spike in campus antisemitic incidents, the threat is real and growing,” said Rep. Miller-Meeks. “This commission will get to the root of the problem and help us take the strong, serious action needed to protect Jewish Americans and restore order and accountability.”

    “Antisemitism was already surging before October 7th, but since then, it has exploded—especially in the digital realm,” said Rep. Wasserman Schultz. “As we’ve unfortunately witnessed, hatred that starts online does not stay online. This bipartisan, bicameral commission, backed by leading voices in the Jewish community, will help shape smart, actionable policies to confront this alarming trend head-on.”

    “Since the brutal Hamas terrorist attack on innocent Israeli civilians on October 7, 2023, antisemitic incidents have skyrocketed, resulting in an overall increase of 900% over the past 10 years, including recent violent, hate-fueled attacks that have shocked communities across the country,” said Rep. Salazar. “The U.S. must identify and report these acts of hate against the Jewish community to put an end to them immediately.”

    Background:

    Antisemitic violence and harassment have surged across the United States since October 7. In Boulder, Colorado, an illegal immigrant from Egypt wielding a makeshift flamethrower attacked peaceful marchers calling for the release of hostages, hospitalizing eight people. In Washington, D.C., two young Israeli Embassy staffers were murdered outside the Capital Jewish Museum by a radical Hamas supporter shouting “Free Palestine.” Across college campuses, antisemitic incidents have spiked by more than 80 percent, with students reporting threats, vandalism, harassment, and physical assaults.

    The Commission to Study Acts of Antisemitism will bring together Jewish leaders, law enforcement, civil society experts, and impacted communities to investigate these acts, uncover root causes, and deliver a formal report to Congress and the President with concrete policy recommendations. The commission will also strengthen national data collection and improve accountability for antisemitic incidents.

    For full bill text, click HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 4, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Note to Correspondents: Joint Statement by STP President and PBC Chair – Ambassadorial-level meeting on São Tomé and Príncipe

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    The United Nations Peacebuilding Commission convened an Ambassadorial-level meeting on São Tomé and Príncipe on 29 May 2025, chaired by H.E. Ms. Antje Leendertse, Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission. H.E. Mr. Carlos Vila Nova, President of São Tomé and Príncipe, represented his Government at the meeting. 

    1.  The Peacebuilding Commission welcomed the President’s presentation of São Tomé and Príncipe’s Conflict Prevention Strategy (2025-2029), emphasizing that it aims to strengthen democratic governance and further build public confidence in justice and security institutions. The Commission recognized the Strategy as a crucial framework to guide peacebuilding efforts. 

    2. The President and the Peacebuilding Commission acknowledged and expressed appreciation for the joint strategic assessment mission conducted by the United Nations and the Economic Community of Central African States in April 2023, which made several recommendations to strengthen the justice and security sectors. They also expressed appreciation for the first meeting of the Peacebuilding Commission on São Tomé and Príncipe, held in January 2024, and the subsequent visit to São Tomé by the then-Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission in May 2024. The Peacebuilding Commission commended São Tomé and Príncipe for the ongoing reforms of the justice and security sectors, in support of peace and development processes. 

    3. The Peacebuilding Commission took note of São Tomé and Príncipe’s history of peaceful transitions of power, while recognising that there are risk factors that could adversely impact the sustenance of peace in São Tomé and Príncipe. In that regard, the President and the PBC stressed the vital importance of ensuring democratic stability, the rule of law, and human rights protection in São Tomé and Príncipe. 

    4. The Peacebuilding Commission joins São Tomé and Príncipe in encouraging its partners, Member States, regional and international financial institutions, regional organizations, and other stakeholders, to continue supporting the country’s peacebuilding priorities technically and financially, as guided by the Conflict Prevention Strategy.  

    5. The Government of São Tomé and Príncipe and the Peacebuilding Commission agreed to review progress on the implementation of the Conflict Prevention Strategy at the end of 2025, in order to assess achievements, identify challenges, and guide next steps. 

    6. The Government of São Tomé and Príncipe and the PBC reaffirmed their commitment to building and sustaining peace in São Tomé and Príncipe. 

    (Signed)

    H.E. Mr. Carlos Vila Nova 
    President of São Tomé and Príncipe 

    H.E. Ms. Antje Leendertse 
    Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

    June 4, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Beneath the Surface: Why Bri Friedman Embraces Failure

    Source: US National Renewable Energy Laboratory

    An Engineer Looks Back on High School Science Fairs, African Drone Flights, and Marine Energy Innovations That Shape the Future

    Bri Friedman is looking forward to learning from failure.

    This National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) engineer is working with the laboratory’s marine energy team to develop a device called the small underwater research flap wave energy converter—or SURF-WEC, for short.

    SURF-WEC takes the form of a submerged flap that swings back and forth to capture energy from ocean waves to power an electric generator. In the coming months, SURF-WEC will undergo a design review, in which a team of experts and stakeholders will evaluate the device to determine whether it is ready for deployment. If the design review goes well, Friedman and her team, in partnership with the University of Hawaii, will send SURF-WEC on an experimental deployment off the Hawaiian coast for up to one year.

    “‘Up to’ are the key words—we expect the system to fail within the year,” Friedman quipped, “but we are eager to learn from those failures and share our lessons with our colleagues in marine energy.”

    Of course, Friedman and her team also want to understand what works well during the SURF-WEC deployment. However, as Friedman went on to explain, the success of the SURF-WEC deployment is not tied to the amount of energy the device can capture or the length of time the system can operate without issue. Instead, the goal is to collect data and learn which decisions contributed to setbacks and which led to success—and to share those lessons with the marine energy community to help reduce the risks and costs of future deployments. To that end, the team will make the deployment data, along with data collected during SURF-WEC’s laboratory testing and simulation stages, publicly available on the Marine and Hydrokinetic Data Repository.

    As any marine energy researcher or technology developer knows, harnessing energy from ocean waves is a big challenge. Many WECs fail in the harsh ocean environment due to the corrosive effects of briny seawater, constant wear and tear from crashing waves, impacts from floating debris, or even the accumulation of barnacles, algae, and other marine life. Designing WECs to withstand these challenges requires strong materials, backup systems for important parts, and regular maintenance. For Friedman, tackling these challenges feels surmountable—thanks to the NREL marine energy research team’s collaborative spirit.

    “I feel like we each have a pickax, or maybe a ladle, since we’re talking about the ocean,” Friedman said. “We’re each ladling out a little bit, doing our part to make marine energy a viable, usable resource.”  

    From Science Fairs to Drone Flights

    Friedman can trace her career path back to middle school, when she first decided she wanted to be an engineer when she grew up. The youngest of four children—two of whom went on to become mechanical engineers—Friedman grew up immersed in science, with a strong desire for discovery.

    “It wasn’t always a popular sentiment when I was young, but I genuinely enjoyed participating in science fairs,” Friedman said. “They gave me a chance to experiment, make predictions, and learn by doing, which would further spark my curiosity.”

    Friedman, center, poses with her sister and two brothers in front of the Boulder Flatirons in Colorado. Photo from Bri Friedman, NREL

    That love for hands-on learning led Friedman to get involved in robotics in high school, which became her main after-school activity and solidified her desire to pursue a career in engineering. At the same time, she felt a strong pull toward next-generation technologies and types of work that could protect people’s health and well-being.

    “I wanted to find a job that both scratched my scientist itch and aligned with my values,” Friedman said.

    Friedman followed her passion for scientific experimentation to Virginia Tech, where she pursued mechanical engineering for both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees. As an undergrad, she interned at NREL through the Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship (SULI) program, working with a research team to create a photoluminescence system for testing silicon solar cell processing methods. This was not only a valuable learning experience; it also supported Friedman’s commitment to making a positive impact on the world.

    “It was so exciting to learn how to harness energy from nearly boundless sources like the sun, wind, and water,” Friedman recalled. “Plus, everyone I encountered during my internship seemed happy to be at NREL, which made me even more excited about the work. The SULI program showed me a career path that I was really excited about.”

    As an undergrad, Friedman participated in the Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship program at NREL, which gave her the chance to work on a photoluminescence system for testing silicon solar cell processing methods. Photo from Joanne Wu, BAE Systems

    During her master’s program, Friedman worked as a graduate research assistant with the African Drone and Data Academy, a program that trains recent college graduates to design, build, and pilot drones for agriculture, medical equipment delivery, and other humanitarian efforts in Africa. Friedman taught the program’s first cohort, delivering lectures, supervising lab work, and providing one-on-one drone flight instruction. Near the end of the academy’s first course, Friedman visited a refugee camp and had an experience that would become the foundation for her master’s thesis.

    “My graduate research focused on using drone imagery to develop a flood model for a low-resource area,” Friedman recalled. “In developed countries, flood models are built using years of historical data, but in low-resource areas, that kind of data is rarely available. Our challenge was to generate a useful flood model without waiting for years of data collection.”

    To fill this data gap, Friedman’s team used drones to capture high-resolution aerial images of the camp. Friedman then used this imagery to create a flood model, validating its accuracy by comparing the model’s prediction to locations where homes had collapsed due to flooding.

    “The refugee camp was overpopulated, and many of the homes were built from clay wherever there was available space, so they collapsed easily due to heavy rains and few drainage paths,” Friedman explained. “The collapsed structures showed where flooding had actually occurred, which helped us confirm that the model had accurately predicted those high-risk areas.”

    From Drone Flights to Wave Power

    Unfortunately, the coronavirus pandemic cut short Friedman’s time in Malawi. She returned home in March 2020 after the first group of students graduated but continued to support her students through online instruction. In addition, her experience with drones set her up for her next move: After finishing her master’s program in 2021, Friedman landed a position as a postgraduate researcher with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s (PNNL’s) water power engineering team, which was exploring ways to integrate drones into their projects.  

    Shortly after joining PNNL, Friedman began working on a project to support the development of a triboelectric nanogenerator—a small device that converted the motion of ocean waves into electricity using static charge buildup. Intended for deployment in the Arctic Ocean, the device would provide a low-maintenance power source for ocean monitoring equipment. Friedman also studied ways to use the temperature differences between surface water and deep water to generate energy for an underwater glider, a type of autonomous underwater vehicle that navigates the ocean by changing its buoyancy to move up and down through the water.

    After two years in Richland, Washington, where PNNL is located, Bri was ready for a change of scenery. She kept an eye out for opportunities at NREL and, in 2023, moved to Colorado to work as a full-time researcher on NREL’s marine energy team. The move brought Friedman full circle—in more ways than one.

    Back in 2017, when Friedman was working on the application for her internship at NREL, she read up on NREL’s work and learned about different types of WECs, including those that flap back and forth, similar to SURF-WEC.

    “Reading about these types of WECs, I thought, ‘Wow, it would be amazing to work in that field,’” Friedman recalled. “Eight years later, I do work in that field—on a project very similar to the ones I read about.”

    In addition to SURF-WEC, Friedman contributes to several other marine energy projects at NREL. Her work involves testing, characterization, and outreach, helping researchers and industry partners better understand and utilize emerging wave energy technologies. She has worked with the large-amplitude motion platform, or LAMP, a simulation tool that replicates a WEC’s response to different ocean wave conditions in a controlled environment. She also supports the Power at Sea Prize, which encourages innovative marine energy concepts by lowering barriers to entry for new developers.

    “We have a mix of participants—some from universities and some independent teams,” Friedman said. “It’s been great to see such a broad range of people engaging with marine energy innovation.”

    Time To Root Down

    Friedman lives in Boulder, Colorado, a short drive from her work at NREL’s Flatirons Campus. She misses her family, who still live on the East Coast, but relishes the time she gets to spend with her four young nieces.

    “I definitely aspire to be the fun aunt,” Friedman said.

    With a population of about 105,000, Boulder is the biggest city Friedman has lived in during her adult life, but it feels like the right fit.

    “Boulder is a bigger city than what I’m used to, but there’s plenty to do, which I appreciate,” Friedman said. “I especially enjoy the rock climbing and general outdoor adventuring shenanigans.”

    When she is not testing wave energy conversion devices, Friedman enjoys climbing rock walls like this granite multipitch in Colorado’s Platte Canyon. Photo from Kathryn Howe, Antech Diagnostics

    The move to Colorado has also given Friedman a chance to create a more long-term community for herself.

    “Before moving to Colorado, I spent over two months living in my car, climbing and exploring the outdoors,” Friedman recalled. “It was an amazing experience, but the communities I encountered during that time always felt temporary. Since moving here, I’ve been working on putting down stronger roots.”

    Friedman’s work at NREL feeds her desire for community as well. She appreciates the collaborative spirit on her team, in which everyone is working toward a common goal, even if they are focused on different projects. In addition, being on campus every day has helped Friedman build connections through casual conversations, strengthening her sense of belonging.

    “We share successes and failures, and I really value that sense of teamwork and collective learning,” Friedman said. “It’s a great feeling to know we’re all working together toward a shared purpose.”

    Learn more about how NREL’s experts are helping advance marine energy. And subscribe to the NREL water power newsletter, The Current, for the latest news on NREL’s water power research.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 4, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Africa: African Mining Leaders Call for Bold Policy Reforms at Mining in Motion 2025

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    ACCRA, Ghana, June 3, 2025/APO Group/ —

    African mining ministers from Ghana, Liberia, Malawi and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) emphasized the need to review and reform Africa’s mining codes during the Mining in Motion 2025 summit in Accra. Highlighting the role strengthened policies play in enhancing responsible governance, local value creation and the formalization of artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM), ministers outlined how evolving legal and policy frameworks are positioning the mining sector as a driver of equitable, sustainable development.

    Ghana is leading several ambitious initiatives to modernize its mining code. Among proposed reforms is the creation of a medium-scale mining category, bridging the gap between artisanal and large-scale operations. Ghana’s Alhaji Yusif Sulemana, Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, stressed the importance of enabling local ownership and ensuring miners have access to sustainable technology, financing models and responsible markets.

    “We’re proposing a legal regime that allows indigenous people to own part of the business. We want miners to start small, adopt sustainable practices, and gradually move up to larger operations. It’s about creating an ecosystem of growth and accountability,” stated Deputy Minister Silemana.

    Liberia echoed Ghana’s inclusive approach, with Wilmot J.M. Paye, the country’s Minister of Mines and Energy, emphasizing that formalizing ASM is a national priority under the country’s national development plan.

    “Small-scale mining is where hundreds of thousands of our people gets their livelihoods. To make the sector productive, we must simplify regulations and ensure intergovernmental coordination. We’re bringing miners to the table,” Minister Paye stated.

    Meanwhile, Kenneth Zikhale Ng’oma, Minister of Mining, Malawi, underscored the role of long-term planning. He stated that under Malawi’s Minerals and Mining Policy, the country facilitates investment in human capital, infrastructure and modern technologies.

    “We are building capacity and linking ASM miners to banks so they can grow their formal enterprises,” Minister Ng’oma stated.

    Adding to the continent-wide call for stronger mining governance, Godard Motemona Gibolum, Deputy Minister of Mines, DRC, emphasized his country’s commitment to reforming ASM practices to better serve local communities and the national economy. He highlighted environmental protection as a top priority in ASM-operated areas, noting that government oversight now includes stricter contract terms and closer monitoring.

    “We have a new vision – one in which we are adding more value to minerals and providing jobs for the people of our country,” Deputy Minister Gibolum stated.

    During the panel session, Ghana’s recent policy reforms were highlighted as a model for mining code reforms across the continent. These include the Local Content and Policy Regulation, which mandates the use of Ghanian expertise, goods and services in mining operations. The Equipment Tracking Regulations and Blue Water Initiative were also noted as templates for how other countries can improve environmental standards, traceability and value addition.

    The panelists agreed that Africa’s mineral wealth can only benefit its people through transparent, inclusive and environmentally conscious governance. They indicated that reforms must go beyond legislation and be backed by capacity building, access to finance and collaboration with communities.

    MIL OSI Africa –

    June 4, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Bahrain, Colombia, DRC, Latvia and Liberia elected as non-permanent members of UN Security Council

    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

    UNITED NATIONS, June 3 (Xinhua) — Bahrain, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Latvia and Liberia were on Tuesday elected as non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (SC) for a two-year term from January 1, 2026 to December 31, 2027.

    Latvia will become a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the first time.

    The above-mentioned countries will replace the current non-permanent members of this body, which include Algeria, Guyana, the Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone and Slovenia.

    The UN Security Council is considered the most influential body of the world organization. Its task is to maintain international peace and security, it can make legally binding decisions, and also has the right to impose sanctions and authorize the use of force. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    June 4, 2025

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Air pollution kills 42,000 South Africans in one year. Big polluters must be held accountable

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    SOUTH AFRICA, 3 June 2025 – A new report released today by Greenpeace Africa and the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) reveals a devastating and avoidable public health crisis. In 2023 alone, 42,000 South Africans lost their lives due to exposure to fine particle pollution (PM2.5), including over 1,300 children under the age of five.

    Behind these deaths lies a simple truth: polluters are poisoning our air and putting profits above people. Industrial giants, especially in the coal and energy sectors, continue to emit dangerous levels of toxic pollutants into the air we breathe, fully aware of the devastating health consequences.

    The report shows that fine particle pollution (PM2.5 — a dangerous pollutant formed by burning coal and fuel and so small that it can enter the bloodstream through the lungs) cost South Africa over  R960 billion in 2023, the equivalent of 14% of the GDP. These costs come in the form of premature deaths, respiratory illness, lost workplace productivity, and overburdened health systems.

    Communities in the Highveld region and Gauteng and Mpumalanga provinces, which are home to the country’s largest coal-fired power plants and industrial zones, are hardest hit. The data makes it clear: coal is killing us.

    ‘Science is unequivocal. The air South Africans breathe is toxic, and the corporations driving this crisis must no longer be protected by silence or inaction,’ said Cynthia Moyo, Climate and Energy Campaigner at Greenpeace Africa.

    Despite mounting evidence and repeated warnings from health experts, polluting industries continue to operate without accountability. Eskom’s coal fleet, for example, remains one of the world’s largest contributors to deadly air pollution, with some facilities continuing to apply for exemptions from pollution limits meant to protect public health.

    The report also shows that aligning South Africa’s air quality standards with World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines could prevent up to 33,000 deaths per year. Even meeting existing national standards could save more than 9,000 lives annually.

    “South Africa’s Constitution guarantees the right to a healthy environment but that right is being violated every day by polluters. Communities deserve clean air, not corporate impunity,” added Dr Jamie Kelly, Health Impact Assessment Team Lead  at CREA.

    Greenpeace Africa calls for:

    • an immediate end to exemptions from air pollution limits for major emitters;
    • the full enforcement of national air quality standards;
    • a bold, just transition away from coal to renewable energy that centers communities;
    • stronger transparency and access to real-time pollution data for the public.

    This report, Unmasking the Toll of Fine Particle Pollution in South Africa, is not just a call to awareness, it’s a call to action. South Africans deserve clean air and a livable future. The time to hold polluters accountable is now.

    -End- 

    Contacts

    Ibrahima Ka Ndoye, International Communications Coordinator, Greenpeace Africa, +221 77 843 71 72, [email protected]

    Ferdinand Omondi, Communications and Storytelling Manager, Greenpeace Africa, +254 722 505233, [email protected] 

    Notes to editors

    Greanpeace Africa SA Air Pollution Report

    Greenpeace Africa has published the report here.

    CREA has published the report here.

    Greenpeace Africa media assets are available here.

    About Greenpeace Africa

    Greenpeace Africa is a growing movement of people acting in protection of the environment. Our campaigns use peaceful, creative confrontation to expose environmental injustices around the world and develop solutions for a green and peaceful future.

    About CREA

    The Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) is an independent research organisation focused on revealing the trends, causes, and health impacts, as well as the solutions, to air pollution. The organisation’s work is funded through philanthropic grants and revenue from commissioned research.

    About the methodology

    PM2.5 exposure 

    Human exposure to PM2.5 is estimated using the dataset of van Donkelaar et al. (2021) and Hammer et al. (2023), version V5.GL.05.02. The dataset provides estimates of annual ground-level PM2.5 by combining Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) retrievals, the GEOS-Chem chemical transport model (http://geos-chem.org), and global ground-based observations.

    Health impact assessment

    Based on the spatial distributions of the PM2.5 simulated exposure map, we then calculated the corresponding public health impacts between 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2023. CREA’s health impact assessment (HIA) framework builds on earlier work (Myllyvirta, 2020) but incorporates important methodological updates. Compared to the original approach, we now use integrated exposure response (IER) functions from the upcoming GBD 2023 study (IHME, 2025) instead of the Global Exposure Mortality Model (GEMM), and we have added dementia as a new health endpoint. The framework continues to include a comprehensive set of health outcomes, selected to avoid overlap and to enable robust economic valuation.

    The full methodology is available in the report.

    MIL OSI NGO –

    June 4, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Police Officers Plead Guilty to Federal Charges in Connection With Insurance Fraud Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Greenbelt, Maryland – Two Prince George’s County men have pleaded guilty to federal charges in connection with an auto-insurance fraud scheme. Michael Anthony Owen, Jr., 36, of Accokeek, Maryland pled guilty to falsification of records, and Jaron Earl Taylor, 31, of Ft. Washington, Maryland, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

    Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty pleas with Acting Special Agent in Charge Amanda M. Koldjeski, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office, and Chief Malik Aziz, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD).

    According to the guilty pleas, between August 2018 and February 2020, Owen and Taylor, who were PGPD and Anne Arundel County Policy Department officers, respectively, at the time, conspired with fellow police officers to engage in mail and wire fraud. Owen and Taylor, along with officers Candace Tyler, Conrad D’Haiti, and Davion Percy, and others, devised a scheme for insurance companies to pay out the remaining financing costs of unwanted vehicles. 

    Members of the conspiracy reported fictitious losses to insurers to obtain money or avoid paying off vehicles that were now worth less than the amount owed on them. The co-conspirators used their statuses as police officers to assist each other’s claims by writing false police reports. Then co-conspirators submitted fictitious police reports to insurers to validate the claim. The false police reports were intended to impede, obstruct, or influence subsequent investigations of the false insurance claims.

    In August 2018, Owen and Taylor staged the theft of Taylor’s Chevrolet Tahoe. After Taylor filed a fraudulent police report, Owen and Taylor stripped the vehicle and drove it deep into the woods of a Maryland State Highway property near Largo, Maryland. Taylor then made a false claim to the United Services Automobile Association (USAA) for the loss, for which USAA paid out a total of $38,670.

    Then in January 2020, Owen assisted D’Haiti in avoiding payment on the loan balance of a Jaguar XKR. In cooperation with D’Haiti and Percy, Owen devised a scheme to fake the vehicle’s theft. On January 4, D’Haiti parked his Jaguar behind Marlow Heights Shopping Center where Percy worked as police chief.

    D’Haiti then paid Percy $350 to arrange for another co-conspirator to tow the vehicle and extensively vandalize it for the purpose of creating a total insurance loss. Tyler subsequently filed the fictitious police report which D’Haiti used to substantiate his claim against Liberty Mutual Insurance. In February 2020, Liberty Mutual paid the Jaguar’s lienholder, Navy Federal Credit Union, $17,585, on the false claim.

    Additionally, in January 2020, Owen and Taylor assisted with disposing of an Infiniti sedan to help a co-conspirator avoid making further payments on the vehicle while on extended overseas duty.  The co-conspirator gave Taylor $1,000 via CashApp to stage the theft. Taylor then forwarded the money to Owen who filed a false police report with PGPD, stating the vehicle was stolen.

    In reality, Owen, Taylor, and others moved the car to the top floor of a Camp Springs, Maryland apartment-complex parking garage.  The co-conspirators attempted to conceal the car’s identity by removing the vehicle’s license plates and replacing them with different ones registered to another vehicle. Then the owner and co-conspirator filed a claim with GEICO that was eventually denied on grounds of fraud.

    Owen faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.  Taylor faces a maximum sentence of three years in federal prison if the court fully accepts the plea deal. Both sentencings are scheduled for Tuesday, September 23. Taylor’s sentencing is at 10:30 a.m., and Owen’s sentencing is at 2:30 p.m.

    U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and PGPD for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Baldwin and LaShanta Harris who are prosecuting the case.

    For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md  and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

    June 4, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Egypt’s renewable power capacity to reach 31.6GW in 2035, forecasts GlobalData

    Source: GlobalData

    Egypt’s renewable power capacity to reach 31.6GW in 2035, forecasts GlobalData

    Posted in Power

    Egypt is endeavoring to augment the proportion of renewable energy within its electricity mix to 42% by the year 2035. The nation is actively expanding its capacity through the implementation of large-scale solar and wind energy initiatives. Against this backdrop, renewable power capacity in the country is expected to reach 31.6GW in 2035, registering a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 20.4% during 2024-35, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

    GlobalData’s latest report, “Egypt Power Market Outlook to 2035, Update 2025 – Market Trends, Regulations, and Competitive Landscape,” reveals that annual renewable power generation in Egypt is expected to increase at a CAGR of 19.4% during 2024-35 to reach 88.9TWh.

    With its advantageous conditions to harness solar and wind power, Egypt recognizes renewable energy as a pivotal factor for its economic growth. The country possesses considerable wind energy potential, particularly in the Gulf of Suez area, where stable wind speeds average 8-10 meters per second at a height of 100 meters.  Furthermore, Egypt enjoys between 2,800 and 3,200 hours of sunshine annually, with daily sunshine ranging from 9-11 hours from north to south.

    Attaurrahman Ojindaram Saibasan, Power Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Egypt’s primary opportunity resides in the exponential growth of electricity consumption, which correlates directly with the increasing population size. This trend presents a significant investment opportunity for companies specializing in power generation equipment.”

    The adoption of renewable energy could enhance Egypt’s energy security while preserving foreign exchange income through continued gas exports. Additionally, it has the potential to reduce GHG emissions and mitigate environmental impacts.

    Saibasan concludes: “Electricity consumption is increasing across all sectors, including residential, industrial, and commercial, in Egypt. Growing demand is driving the need for new power generation projects and grid upgrades. Egypt has one of the fastest-growing populations in the region, with over 107.8 million people as of 2024. Urbanization is increasing, with new housing developments and smart cities like the New Administrative Capital requiring large-scale electricity infrastructure. The country is focusing on renewables to meet increasing demand.”

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

    June 4, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Video: Meeting by the UNSG ahead of the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development

    Source: Republic of South Africa (video statements)

    High-Level Virtual Meeting convened by the UNSG ahead of the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zheteD2uSX8

    MIL OSI Video –

    June 4, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Nigerian children don’t imagine women as political leaders: what shapes their view

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Adebusola Okedele, Senior Lecturer, Political Science, Babcock University

    A new ranking by UN Women and the Inter-Parliamentary Union puts Nigeria 179th out of 185 countries for the percentage of women in the national legislature.

    Women currently make up only 3.9% of seats in the House of Representatives. In the Senate, three of the 108 current members are women. In the executive branch, women head eight of 45 (17.8%) of ministries.

    This absence of women in prominent positions in politics subtly reinforces societal biases and moulds public opinion, which subconsciously excludes women from political leadership.

    We are a group of researchers who have expertise in gender and African politics and childhood political socialisation. We have been researching the political socialisation of children in Nigeria for the past three years.

    Our research in Ogun State reveals that children are internalising what they see on the political stage. We asked children aged 5 to 16 at 12 schools in Ogun State to imagine and draw a leader such as a president, governor, or member of a national or state assembly at work. Only 5% of 981 children drew a woman as a political leader.

    Ninety-two percent of girls drew a man, compared to 98% of boys.

    A drawing of a political leader by an 11-year-old girl. Source: The authors

    Why do so few children draw women as political leaders? Children absorb the power dynamics and gender roles they observe in political happenings, shaping their understanding of politics.

    In democracies, a lack of women interested in politics, as well as running for and winning political office, matters. If women are absent in decision-making spaces, their concerns might not be considered. While men can represent women’s interests, women committed to change can draw on their experiences and those of women in their networks to bring new ideas to the table.

    Read more: Nigeria’s National Assembly: why adding seats for women isn’t enough

    Women in authority in Nigeria

    We conducted our study in the three senatorial districts of Ogun State, one of Nigeria’s 36 states. In Ogun State, the deputy governor, Noimot Salako-Oyedele, is a woman, and her picture is on many classroom walls.

    The late anti-colonial activist and leader Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti was from Ogun State too. The presence of visible women leaders could encourage some children in the state to imagine and depict women as political leaders. Thus, it is possible that our sample of children were more likely to draw a woman than children in other states.

    Six other states have women deputy governors: Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Kaduna, Plateau and Rivers States.

    But women’s representation in state assemblies throughout the country is low. No woman has ever been elected to be a governor in Nigeria.

    In our study, we asked children what jobs they would like to have in the future. In general, boys were more interested in jobs in politics (president, governor, local government chair) than girls were. For the specific job of president or governor, however, girls seemed to be just as interested as boys.

    The children’s response isn’t specific to Nigeria. In a study conducted in 2017 and 2018 in the United States (where 19.3% of members of the House of Representatives at the time were women), only 13% of children drew a woman political leader.

    Read more: Nigeria has few women in politics: here’s why, and what to do about it

    Broader forces

    Multiple factors hinder women’s representation in elected offices in Nigeria. These include political party practices that favour the recruitment and selection of men candidates, the high costs of running for office, as outlined in Ayisha Osori’s book Love Does Not Win Elections, and societal biases against women holding positions of political power.

    Deeply entrenched societal biases add to the challenges. Cultural norms assign leadership roles to men and certain religious interpretations restrict women’s public participation.

    The perception that women are more suited for domestic roles, or lack assertiveness, impedes their ability to garner support for political leadership.

    Low numbers of women representatives also suggest there are systemic biases in the democratic electoral process.

    Read more: Ghana’s election system keeps women out of parliament. How to change that

    Children pay attention

    Recent research shows that when girls observe women in political power or running for political office, they are more engaged in politics later in life. This suggests that positive exposure to women in politics may have positive effects on girls’ political engagement. Negative exposure could have negative effects.

    Take, for example, the “Natasha-Akpabio case” in Nigeria. Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan alleged that Senate president Godswill Akpabio had sexually harassed her. The Senate president denied the allegation. Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended from her position by the Senate ethics committee for what it described as misconduct and disregard for the Senate standing orders.

    Experiences like those may influence future generations’ understanding of gender equality in leadership. When young Nigerians observe powerful women facing harassment and retaliation for voicing their concerns, it may undermine the notion that women are equally capable of political authority.

    Girls may internalise the idea that politics is a hostile space for women. For boys, seeing women leaders undermined might reinforce a sense of male dominance.

    Read more: AU commission has made a good start on gender equality. But a lot remains to be done

    Policy solutions

    Our finding that children largely see politics as a “man’s world” prompts reflection on societal and political biases. To address the under-representation of women in political leadership positions in Nigeria, it is important to invest in civic education programmes. Children should be helped to understand the significance of equitable political participation from an early age.

    Campaigns should use different media platforms to challenge gender stereotypes in leadership.

    Finally, enacting and enforcing legislated gender quotas across all levels of Nigerian government and within political parties is a crucial step to improve the representation of women in leadership positions.

    – Nigerian children don’t imagine women as political leaders: what shapes their view
    – https://theconversation.com/nigerian-children-dont-imagine-women-as-political-leaders-what-shapes-their-view-256638

    MIL OSI Africa –

    June 4, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Nigerian children don’t imagine women as political leaders: what shapes their view

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Adebusola Okedele, Senior Lecturer, Political Science, Babcock University

    A new ranking by UN Women and the Inter-Parliamentary Union puts Nigeria 179th out of 185 countries for the percentage of women in the national legislature.

    Women currently make up only 3.9% of seats in the House of Representatives. In the Senate, three of the 108 current members are women. In the executive branch, women head eight of 45 (17.8%) of ministries.

    This absence of women in prominent positions in politics subtly reinforces societal biases and moulds public opinion, which subconsciously excludes women from political leadership.

    We are a group of researchers who have expertise in gender and African politics and childhood political socialisation. We have been researching the political socialisation of children in Nigeria for the past three years.

    Our research in Ogun State reveals that children are internalising what they see on the political stage. We asked children aged 5 to 16 at 12 schools in Ogun State to imagine and draw a leader such as a president, governor, or member of a national or state assembly at work. Only 5% of 981 children drew a woman as a political leader.

    Ninety-two percent of girls drew a man, compared to 98% of boys.

    Why do so few children draw women as political leaders? Children absorb the power dynamics and gender roles they observe in political happenings, shaping their understanding of politics.

    In democracies, a lack of women interested in politics, as well as running for and winning political office, matters. If women are absent in decision-making spaces, their concerns might not be considered. While men can represent women’s interests, women committed to change can draw on their experiences and those of women in their networks to bring new ideas to the table.



    Read more:
    Nigeria’s National Assembly: why adding seats for women isn’t enough

    Women in authority in Nigeria

    We conducted our study in the three senatorial districts of Ogun State, one of Nigeria’s 36 states. In Ogun State, the deputy governor, Noimot Salako-Oyedele, is a woman, and her picture is on many classroom walls.

    The late anti-colonial activist and leader Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti was from Ogun State too. The presence of visible women leaders could encourage some children in the state to imagine and depict women as political leaders. Thus, it is possible that our sample of children were more likely to draw a woman than children in other states.

    Six other states have women deputy governors: Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Kaduna, Plateau and Rivers States.

    But women’s representation in state assemblies throughout the country is low. No woman has ever been elected to be a governor in Nigeria.

    In our study, we asked children what jobs they would like to have in the future. In general, boys were more interested in jobs in politics (president, governor, local government chair) than girls were. For the specific job of president or governor, however, girls seemed to be just as interested as boys.

    The children’s response isn’t specific to Nigeria. In a study conducted in 2017 and 2018 in the United States (where 19.3% of members of the House of Representatives at the time were women), only 13% of children drew a woman political leader.



    Read more:
    Nigeria has few women in politics: here’s why, and what to do about it

    Broader forces

    Multiple factors hinder women’s representation in elected offices in Nigeria. These include political party practices that favour the recruitment and selection of men candidates, the high costs of running for office, as outlined in Ayisha Osori’s book Love Does Not Win Elections, and societal biases against women holding positions of political power.

    Deeply entrenched societal biases add to the challenges. Cultural norms assign leadership roles to men and certain religious interpretations restrict women’s public participation.

    The perception that women are more suited for domestic roles, or lack assertiveness, impedes their ability to garner support for political leadership.

    Low numbers of women representatives also suggest there are systemic biases in the democratic electoral process.



    Read more:
    Ghana’s election system keeps women out of parliament. How to change that

    Children pay attention

    Recent research shows that when girls observe women in political power or running for political office, they are more engaged in politics later in life. This suggests that positive exposure to women in politics may have positive effects on girls’ political engagement. Negative exposure could have negative effects.

    Take, for example, the “Natasha-Akpabio case” in Nigeria. Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan alleged that Senate president Godswill Akpabio had sexually harassed her. The Senate president denied the allegation. Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended from her position by the Senate ethics committee for what it described as misconduct and disregard for the Senate standing orders.

    Experiences like those may influence future generations’ understanding of gender equality in leadership. When young Nigerians observe powerful women facing harassment and retaliation for voicing their concerns, it may undermine the notion that women are equally capable of political authority.

    Girls may internalise the idea that politics is a hostile space for women. For boys, seeing women leaders undermined might reinforce a sense of male dominance.



    Read more:
    AU commission has made a good start on gender equality. But a lot remains to be done

    Policy solutions

    Our finding that children largely see politics as a “man’s world” prompts reflection on societal and political biases. To address the under-representation of women in political leadership positions in Nigeria, it is important to invest in civic education programmes. Children should be helped to understand the significance of equitable political participation from an early age.

    Campaigns should use different media platforms to challenge gender stereotypes in leadership.

    Finally, enacting and enforcing legislated gender quotas across all levels of Nigerian government and within political parties is a crucial step to improve the representation of women in leadership positions.

    Alice J. Kang received funding for the study from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Congress Fund and Research Council.

    Jill S. Greenlee receives funding from Department of Women’s, Gender, & Sexuality Studies at Brandeis University and the
    Norman Fund at Brandeis University.

    Adebusola Okedele does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Nigerian children don’t imagine women as political leaders: what shapes their view – https://theconversation.com/nigerian-children-dont-imagine-women-as-political-leaders-what-shapes-their-view-256638

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    June 4, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Joint Statement on Sudan convoy attack

    Source: World Food Programme

    ROME/NEW YORK, 3 June 2025 – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and UNICEF condemn an attack on a joint humanitarian convoy near Al Koma, North Darfur last night. Five members of the convoy were killed and several more people were injured. Multiple trucks were burned, and critical humanitarian supplies were damaged.

    The convoy, made up of 15 trucks, was attempting to reach children and families in famine-affected El Fasher with life-saving food and nutrition supplies. Following months of escalating violence, hundreds of thousands of people in El Fasher – many of them children – are at high risk of malnutrition and starvation if supplies do not urgently reach them.

    As is standard with our humanitarian convoys, the route was shared in advance, and parties on the ground were notified and aware of the location of the trucks. Under international humanitarian law, aid convoys must be protected, and parties have the obligation to allow and facilitate rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief for civilians in need. 

    Both agencies demand an immediate end to attacks on humanitarian personnel, their facilities and vehicles – a violation under international humanitarian law.  

    We call for an urgent investigation and for the perpetrators to be held to account.

    We extend our condolences to the families of those killed and our heartfelt sympathy and support to all those injured. It is devastating the supplies have not reached the vulnerable children and families they were intended to. The convoy had travelled over 1,800km from Port Sudan and we were negotiating access to complete the journey to El Fasher when it was attacked.

    This latest incident follows a series of attacks on humanitarian operations over the past two years, including last week’s bombardment of WFP’s premises in El Fasher which damaged a workshop, office building and clinic. 

    Attacks on humanitarian staff, aid, operations, as well as civilians and civilian infrastructure in Sudan have continued for far too long with impunity. WFP and UNICEF colleagues remain on the ground despite the insecurity, but call for safe, secure operating conditions, and for international humanitarian law to be respected by all parties. The lives of millions in Sudan, including in locations like El Fasher in Darfur, depend on it.

    # # #

    The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters, and the impact of climate change.

    Follow us on X, formerly Twitter, via @wfp_media

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

    June 4, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: “Through Her Lens”: New UN Photo Exhibit Celebrates Women Leading Peace

    Source: United Nations – Peacekeeping

    New York, 7 June 2025 – This June, the United Nations will unveil a compelling new photo exhibit at New York’s Photoville Festival, bringing global attention to the leadership, courage and impact of women and their allies driving peace in some of the world’s most volatile places. Featuring original photos by local women photographers, the exhibition spotlights women peacebuilders, human rights defenders, UN peacekeepers and grassroots activists whose stories are too often overlooked. Their portraits and environments reflect both the challenges of conflict and the possibilities that emerge when women lead.

    Launched in commemoration of the 25th anniversary of UN Security Council resolution 1325 (2000), the exhibition highlights the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda which recognises not only the disproportionate impact of conflict on women but also their indispensable role in shaping peace, building trust, and leading transformative change.

    “The fight for gender equality is not just about fairness,” said United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres in his remarks at the 2025 International Women’s Day commemoration in New York. “It is about power – who gets a seat at the table, and who is locked out. Simply put, when women and girls rise, everyone thrives.”

    Captured across eleven settings – Abyei, Cyprus, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Kosovo, Lebanon, Mozambique, Occupied Palestinian Territory, South Sudan and Sudan – the images tell a collective story of resilience, resistance, and transformation.

    “Too often, the role of women in peace processes and trust building is overlooked or underrepresented,” said Laura Hasani, a photojournalist from Kosovo with over 25 years’ experience. “These photos aim to change that, so the world sees and hears from the women who are rebuilding communities and leading change.”

    In Haiti, Clyfane Saintil, a feminist activist and nonprofit leader featured in the exhibit, helps Haitian girls and women build confidence to claim their rights and shape their futures. “Change begins in our communities, where women and girls rise, and when men choose to be allies rather than obstacles,” she said.

    Through the lens of those living the realities of conflict, the exhibition reframes how we see women: not only as victims, but as architects of peace and justice. It also calls on governments, international organisations, and communities to recommit to the promise of the WPS agenda, which remains as urgent today as it was 25 years ago.

    Through Her Lens: Women Rising for Peace is a collaboration between the United Nations Department of Peace Operations and Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, UN Women, and the Elsie Initiative Fund. Premiering in Brooklyn Bridge Park on 7 June 2025, it will remain open to the public until 22 June, then travel to some of the countries featured before reaching the European Parliament in Brussels and, in October, UN Headquarters in New York, among others.

    The exhibition is supported by the governments of Australia, Canada, Denmark, the European Union, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, the Republic of Korea and the United Kingdom, whose generous contributions made it possible to share these powerful stories worldwide.

    The exhibition is free to view from June 7-22, 2025, at the Photoville Festival, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Pier 1, New York City.

    Find out more: Through Her Lens: Women Rising for Peace – Photoville Festival

    Download the digital assets: Trello board

    Note to the editors: The ‘Through Their Lens: Women Rising for Peace’ photo exhibition is underpinned by the principles outlined in United Nations Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) and subsequent nine resolutions on Women, Peace and Security. The resolutions recognise the importance of women’s full, equal and meaningful participation in conflict resolution and call for greater inclusion of women in peacemaking and decision-making at all levels in peace and political processes.

    * * * *

    Media contacts:

    UN Department of Peace Operations

    Sophie Boudre

    Email: boudre@un.org

    Tel.: +1 917 691 5359

    Milly Copping James

    Email: milly.coppingjames@un.org

    Tel.: +1 646 897 6383

    UN Department of Peacebuilding and Political Affairs

    Kyung Ae (Susie) Lim

    Email: lim7@un.org

    Tel.: +1 646 595 7068

    UN Women

    Media Team Email: media.team@unwomen.org

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

    June 4, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: We asked over 8,700 people in 6 countries to think about future generations in decision-making, and this is what we found

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Stylianos Syropoulos, Assistant Professor of Psychology, Arizona State University

    Shifting the public’s perspective toward greater concern for future generations could result in more support for climate change policies, among others. Artur Debat/Moment via Getty Images

    People often prioritize the well-being of family, friends and neighbors, as they feel a closeness emotionally and share the same temporal context. But they overlook how people born decades or centuries from now may suffer as a result of today’s failures to address major global risks such as climate change, future pandemics and unregulated artificial intelligence.

    Our new research, published in the British Journal of Social Psychology, shows that brief, low-cost psychological interventions can help individuals adopt a more expansive moral perspective to include future generations.

    We conducted three online studies with over 8,700 participants to examine whether prompting people to consider the long-term consequences of their actions could shift moral priorities beyond the present.

    In one of two interventions, participants imagined themselves serving on a government committee responsible for protecting future generations. Their task was to ensure that new legislation accounted not only for immediate needs but also for long-term impacts; they were asked to write a speech communicating these goals to the American public. This exercise highlighted institutional responsibility and the role of collective action across time.

    In the second intervention, participants engaged with a more personal thought experiment adapted from philosopher William MacAskill’s book “What We Owe the Future,” which explores our moral responsibility toward humanity’s long-term future.

    The impact of actions over time.

    Here, they read a scenario about a hiker who comes across broken glass on a remote trail – glass that may one day injure an unknown child. Should the hiker clean it up, even though no one is watching and the child may not appear for decades? After reflecting on this story, participants were asked to write about what they themselves could do to help make the future better for others.

    Moral concern for both intervention and control participants was assessed using the Moral Expansiveness Scale. We asked participants to rate how much moral concern they felt for a wide range of issues. These included concern for future generations, alongside family and friends, strangers, marginalized groups such as LGBTQ+ people, animals and the natural environment.

    Why it matters

    Although these exercises differed, one emphasizing collective responsibility and the other individual, both led to the same outcome: Participants randomly assigned to an intervention condition expressed significantly greater moral concern for future generations than those assigned to a control condition who completed neither exercise.

    This effect held across cultural contexts and across six diverse countries – the U.S., Argentina, South Africa, the Philippines, the U.K. and Australia – and persisted even when participants were required to make trade-offs in a zero-sum version of the Moral Expansiveness Scale. In this version of the task, they distributed a fixed number of “moral concern points” across competing groups, compelling them to weigh the moral importance of future generations against that of present-day entities like family members, strangers, nature and others.

    What’s especially intriguing, however, is that the elevated concern for future generations among intervention participants did not come at the expense of concern for other socially distant entities or those viewed as marginalized.

    What changed was how participants prioritized their moral concern: They placed slightly less emphasis on family and friends – groups that people typically prioritize most, even when they may be least in need of moral protection.

    In contrast, concern increased for distant others, both living today and in the future.

    What’s next

    This perspective, encouraged by the interventions, could perhaps help lay the groundwork for more durable public support for addressing long-term challenges.

    In future work, we hope to explore whether these interventions can inspire real-world action. This could include increased support for climate policies, voting for leaders who prioritize long-term investments like sustainable infrastructure and pandemic preparedness, or donating to causes that benefit future generations.

    But how might these interventions be integrated into everyday life? One promising approach is to embed them into settings where such reflections already occur, such as schools, civic education programs or public awareness campaigns.

    To assess their real-world potential, we plan to examine the durability of these effects. We want to see whether deploying them in such contexts can meaningfully inspire long-term shifts in attitudes and – importantly – behavior.

    For example, brief storytelling exercises or classroom role-plays, like imagining oneself as a future-focused policymaker, could be incorporated into high school or college curricula to shape students’ values, goals and even career trajectories. Similarly, community workshops, online media or social campaigns could adapt these scenarios to foster long-term thinking in broader populations.

    When people reflect on how their actions today shape the future, they may be more likely to back solutions to present-day issues like poverty and inequality, knowing these problems can have ripple effects for generations to come. They may also become more motivated to confront emerging risks, such as unregulated artificial intelligence or future pandemics, before those risks escalate.

    The Research Brief is a short take on interesting academic work.

    The research relevant to this article was funded by the John Templeton Foundation and APA Division 48.

    The research relevant to this article was funded by the John Templeton Foundation and APA Division 48.

    – ref. We asked over 8,700 people in 6 countries to think about future generations in decision-making, and this is what we found – https://theconversation.com/we-asked-over-8-700-people-in-6-countries-to-think-about-future-generations-in-decision-making-and-this-is-what-we-found-256767

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    June 4, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: Fiji coup culture and political meddling in media education gets airing

    Pacific Media Watch

    Taieri MP Ingrid Leary reflected on her years in Fiji as a television journalist and media educator at a Fiji Centre function in Auckland celebrating Fourth Estate values and independence at the weekend.

    It was a reunion with former journalism professor David Robie — they had worked together as a team at the University of the South Pacific amid media and political controversy leading up to the George Speight coup in May 2000.

    Leary was the guest speaker at a gathering of human rights activists, development advocates, academics and journalists hosted at the Whānau Community Centre and Hub, the umbrella base for the Fiji Centre and Asia Pacific Media Network.

    She said she was delighted to meet “special people in David’s life” and to be speaking to a diverse group sharing “similar values of courage, freedom of expression, truth and tino rangatiratanga”.

    “I want to start this talanoa on Friday, 19 May 2000 — 13 years almost to the day of the first recognised military coup in Fiji in 1987 — when failed businessman George Speight tore off his balaclava to reveal his identity.

    She pointed out that there had actually been another “coup” 100 years earlier by Ratu Cakobau.

    “Speight had seized Parliament holding the elected government at gunpoint, including the politician mother, Lavinia Padarath, of one of my best friends — Anna Padarath.

    Hostage-taking report
    “Within minutes, the news of the hostage-taking was flashed on Radio Fiji’s 10 am bulletin by a student journalist on secondment there — Tamani Nair. He was a student of David Robie’s.”

    Nair had been dispatched to Parliament to find out what was happening and reported from a cassava patch.

    “Fiji TV was trashed . . . and transmission pulled for 48 hours.

    “The university shut down — including the student radio facilities, and journalism programme website — to avoid a similar fate, but the journalism school was able to keep broadcasting and publishing via a parallel website set up at the University of Technology Sydney.

    “The pictures were harrowing, showing street protests turning violent and the barbaric behaviour of Speight’s henchmen towards dissenters.

    “Thus began three months of heroic journalism by David’s student team — including through a period of martial law that began 10 days later and saw some of the most restrictive levels of censorship ever experienced in the South Pacific.”

    Leary paid tribute to some some of the “brave satire” produced by senior Fiji Times reporters filling paper with “non-news” (such as haircuts, drinking kava) as act of defiance.

    “My friend Anna Padarath returned from doing her masters in law in Australia on a scholarship to be closer to her Mum, whose hostage days within Parliament Grounds stretched into weeks and then months.

    Whanau Community Centre and Hub co-founder Nik Naidu speaking at the Asia Pacific Media Network event at the weekend. Image: Khairiah A. Rahman/APMN

    Invisible consequences
    “Anna would never return to her studies — one of the many invisible consequences of this profoundly destructive era in Fiji’s complex history.

    “Happily, she did go on to carve an incredible career as a women’s rights advocate.”

    “Meanwhile David’s so-called ‘barefoot student journalists’ — who snuck into Parliament the back way by bushtrack — were having their stories read and broadcast globally.

    “And those too shaken to even put their hands to keyboards on Day 1 emerged as journalism leaders who would go on to win prizes for their coverage.”

    Speight was sentenced to life in prison, but was pardoned in 2024.

    Taeri MP Ingrid Leary speaking at the Whānau Community Centre and Hub. Image: Nik Naidu/APMN

    Leary said that was just one chapter in the remarkable career of David Robie who had been an editor, news director, foreign news editor and freelance writer with a number of different agencies and news organisations — including Agence France-Presse, Rand Daily Mail, The Auckland Star, Insight Magazine, and New Outlook Magazine — “a family member to some, friend to many, mentor to most”.

    Reflecting on working with Dr Robie at USP, which she joined as television lecturer from Fiji Television, she said:

    “At the time, being a younger person, I thought he was a little but crazy, because he was communicating with people all around the world when digital media was in its infancy in Fiji, always on email, always getting up on online platforms, and I didn’t appreciate the power of online media at the time.

    “And it was incredible to watch.”

    Ahead of his time
    She said he was an innovator and ahead of his time.

    Dr Robie viewed journalism as a tool for empowerment, aiming to provide communities with the information they needed to make informed decisions.

    “We all know that David has been a champion of social justice and for decolonisation, and for the values of an independent Fourth Estate.”

    She said she appreciated the freedom to develop independent media as an educator, adding that one of her highlights was producing the groundbreaking documentary Maire about Maire Bopp Du Pont, who was a student journalist at USP and advocate for the Pacific community living with HIV/AIDs community.

    She later became a nuclear-free Pacific parliamentarian in Pape’ete.

    Leary presented Dr Robie with a “speaking stick” carved from an apricot tree branch by the husband of a Labour stalwart based in Cromwell — the event doubled as his 80th birthday.

    In response, Dr Robie said the occasion was a “golden opportunity” to thank many people who had encouraged and supported him over many years.

    Massive upheaval
    “We must have done something right,” he said about USP, “because in 2000, the year of George Speight’s coup, our students covered the massive upheaval which made headlines around the world when Mahendra Chaudhry’s Labour-led coalition government was held at gunpoint for 56 days.

    “The students courageously covered the coup with their website Pacific Journalism Online and their newspaper Wansolwara — “One Ocean”.  They won six Ossie Awards – unprecedented for a single university — in Australia that year and a standing ovation.”

    He said there was a video on YouTube of their exploits called Frontline Reporters and one of the students, Christine Gounder, wrote an article for a Commonwealth Press Union magazine entitled, “From trainees to professionals. And all it took was a coup”.

    Dr Robie said this Fiji experience was still one of the most standout experiences he had had as a journalist and educator.

    Along with similar coverage of the 1997 Sandline mercenary crisis by his students at the University of Papua New Guinea.

    He made some comments about the 1985 Rainbow Warrior voyage to Rongelap in the Marshall islands and the subsequent bombing by French secret agents in Auckland.

    But he added “you can read all about this adventure in my new book” being published in a few weeks.

    Taieri MP Ingrid Leary (right) with Dr David Robie and his wife Del Abcede at the Fiji Centre function. Image: Camille Nakhid

    Biggest 21st century crisis
    Dr Robie said the profession of journalism, truth telling and holding power to account, was vitally important to a healthy democracy.

    Although media did not succeed in telling people what to think, it did play a vital role in what to think about. However, the media world was undergoing massive change and fragmentation.

    “And public trust is declining in the face of fake news and disinformation,” he said

    “I think we are at a crossroads in society, both locally and globally. Both journalism and democracy are under an unprecedented threat in my lifetime.

    “When more than 230 journalists can be killed in 19 months in Gaza and there is barely a bleep from the global community, there is something savagely wrong.

    “The Gazan journalists won the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize collectively last year with the judges saying, “As humanity, we have a huge debt to their courage and commitment to freedom of expression.”

    “The carnage and genocide in Gaza is deeply disturbing, especially the failure of the world to act decisively to stop it. The fact that Israel can kill with impunity at least 54,000 people, mostly women and children, destroy hospitals and starve people to death and crush a people’s right to live is deeply shocking.

    “This is the biggest crisis of the 21st century. We see this relentless slaughter go on livestreamed day after day and yet our media and politicians behave as if this is just ‘normal’. It is shameful, horrendous. Have we lost our humanity?

    “Gaza has been our test. And we have failed.”

    Other speakers included Whānau Hub co-founder Nik Naidu, one of the anti-coup Coalition for Democracy in Fiji (CDF) stalwarts; the Heritage New Zealand’s Antony Phillips; and Multimedia Investments and Evening Report director Selwyn Manning.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    June 4, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Andrew Bailey: State of trade

    Source: Bank for International Settlements

    It is a great pleasure to be in Dublin, and I want to start by thanking the Irish Association of Investment Managers for inviting me again to speak. I say again because I also have to begin with an apology, for standing you up last year at short notice when the General Election was called in the UK. And so, my other thanks is to my fellow Governor Gabriel, for stepping in last year when I withdrew at short notice.

    Not much has happened in the last year. To keep it topical, I am going to use my time to talk about trade, both in goods and in financial services. This is not only topical but highly relevant, because Ireland and the UK are both open economies, with long-established trade connections, and likewise strong connections in financial services.

    Trade matters. It matters at both the economy-wide or macro level, and at the level of individual firms, the micro level. And, almost needless to say, the two are closely linked.

    I am going to start by laying out key elements of the big picture, before moving on to talk about financial services. My starting point is two key elements of the macro dimension of trade. In many past times in talking about trade it would have been easy to pass over them, as points that are not contested. I think they need repeating today.

    The first point is that trade supports output in the economy – and it is good for economic welfare. As I will come on to, there are important qualifications to this point, but they don’t invalidate it. From Adam Smith onwards, it has broadly been accepted that trade supports specialisation and efficiency of production and it enables knowledge transfer, and these features support productivity and economic growth.

    The second point is that we should not expect trade between countries to be in balance all of the time. The whole world should be in balance – because it is a closed system as we have not found and started trading with extra-terrestrial life yet. But as individual countries, we are not closed, as Ireland and the UK demonstrate. Unfortunately, the world’s exports and imports don’t usually equal each other, but that’s down to our counting not ET.

    However, since trade balances between countries don’t balance – and they should not be expected to do so, – what determines the balances and patterns of trade? At the whole economy, or macro, level the answer is that trade is determined by the balance between a country’s saving and investment – macroeconomic fundamentals. And, these are shaped by factors such as business conditions and cycles, productivity growth, savings behaviour, interest rates, fiscal policy choices and exchange rates. In other words, trade is an outcome of the big driving forces of economies, and if we want to affect trade patterns on a lasting basis, that’s where we should look.

    Well, up to a point, yes. I am conscious that what I have just said is a rather a textbook espousal of the case for free trade. No apologies, I do believe in free trade. But, I’m also aware that things are not that simple – the story doesn’t end there. Trade patterns are also shaped by national policies, particularly industrial policies, and by the rules–based world trading system that seeks to set the guardrails for such policies.

    Now, the argument, as I interpret it, of the US Administration is that those rules have been stretched beyond breaking point, and actions have to be taken to put this right.

    As I read it, there are two parts to this argument.

    The first is that the rules of the world trade system – based around the World Trade Organisation – have broken down, and are in need of reform. IMF staff have pointed to more use of industrial policies around the world in recent years, and argued that these should only be used for very limited domestic objectives such as local market failures, but that has not been the case of late, and that this practice will and has exacerbated trade tensions. More concretely, between 2009 and 2022 China implemented around 5,400 so-called subsidy policies, which were concentrated in priority sectors, i.e., ones that matter. This was equal to about two-thirds of all the subsidy measures adopted by G20 advanced economies combined.

    The macro story on trade is influenced by what goes on at the micro level, and we can’t see these two as distinct. There has been an increase in the use of industrial policies – one country has been active on this front, but it’s not alone.

    The second point is around how the rules of engagement of the world trade system have come under pressure from new developments which have affected all of us. Let me briefly set out two which are closely linked. First, before the outbreak of Covid world trade had grown rapidly, more rapidly than world output, and in doing so the supply chains for final products had become much more complicated, but also efficient in the sense that they had exploited the benefits of trade.

    This meant that a lot more of world trade comprised so-called intermediate goods – inputs to the final product, but not the product itself. This exploited one of the longest standing principles of free trade – so-called comparative advantage. In other words, produce stuff where it is most efficient relatively speaking to do so, accepting that the relative point means that no country should specialise in everything. Over time, the trade system has become more and more refined – we have heard the phrase “just in time delivery”. This was highly efficient, until it wasn’t.

    Covid dealt a blow to the efficiency of the trade system. Even though initial pandemic-related supply chain disruption was resolved quite rapidly, as we recovered from Covid these trading patterns and systems did not return to normal as quickly and fully as we expected.

    Why was that? There were no doubt a number of reasons, but a large one is the growth of national security concerns as a threat to the efficiency of trade. In reality, sadly, Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine provided real evidence of the disruption that can happen, and is one factor behind a growing threat from national security to our assumptions on frictionless trade. To be clear, national security concerns are not a good reason to retreat indiscriminately from global trade. The best way to ensure resilience to geopolitical risk is not by reshoring production, but by diversifying supply chains among reliable partners who abide by international law.

    Viewed from the perspective of a central bank responsible for monetary policy, the inevitable conclusion is that we cannot assume that the supply sides of our economies behave as efficiently as they did before Covid. And this was a substantial cause of the very difficult upsurge in inflation.

    I am going to conclude on broader trade with a number of points, and then say something on financial services. Four points strike me as very important on trade.

    First, while I am an unshaken believer in free trade, I do accept that the system has come under too much strain, we have to work hard now to rebuild it, and it is incorrect to dismiss those who argue for restrictions on trade as just wrong-headed. We need to understand what lies behind these arguments. That said, I want to get back to an open trading system.

    Second, to solve the issues we face, we need to look at the macro level – the big economic drivers that I mentioned earlier, and call out where and why we think there are unsustainable trade imbalances. We need to strengthen the IMF’s surveillance in order to improve the process for calling out unsustainable trade imbalances. But we must also look at the micro-level – the rules based world trade system – and work out what we need to do to solve this problem and make it more effective again.

    Third, if it is believed that tariff action is needed to create the shock and awe to get these issues on to the table and dealt with, then something has gone wrong with the multilateral system, and we need to deal with that.

    Fourth, creating a sustainable world trading system matters to all of us. It matters to countries like Ireland and the UK, which are highly open economies, and have been throughout their development. And it matters to central bankers and economic policymakers because our jobs are much harder if we face more inflexible and uncertain supply side conditions in our economies, as we appear to do today.

    Almost all of the attention in recent months in the area of trade has been on goods trade – tangible stuff. Tariffs are a tool whose use is largely confined to the world of goods trade. But, there are two other important features of the trade world. First, alongside trade in goods sits trade in services-intangibles. For the UK, the latest numbers indicate that the total volume of trade was made up of 54% goods and 46% services. For Ireland the numbers are 28% goods and 72% services.

    Financial services are an important part of trade in services and particularly so for Ireland and the UK.

    The second important feature of the trade world is that alongside tariffs sit non-tariff barriers. These are all sorts of obstacles to trade, some put in place deliberately, some are features with their origin in other objectives than affecting the flow of trade, and others which are just there who knows why. Non-tariff barriers to trade are by no means limited to trade in services, but they are the dominant form of restriction in that world.

    This brings me to Brexit. I have to start with an important disclaimer. As a public servant, I take no position on Brexit per se – it was a decision of the British people, and has been put into effect. That said, our evolving trading and regulatory relationship with the EU requires many judgements on the most effective way to do so – what delivers the most effective outcome.

    I want to make two important points in this context. The first relates more to trade in goods, the second to financial services. Let me start with goods. I said earlier that trade enhances and supports economic activity.

    It follows that if the level of trade is lowered by some action, it will have an effect to reduce productivity growth and thus overall growth. Just as tariffs, by increasing the cost, can reduce the scale of trade, the same goes for the type of non-tariff barrier that Brexit has created. Now to reiterate, this does not mean that Brexit is wrong, because there can be other reasons for it, but it does suggest, I think powerfully, that we should do all we can to minimise negative effects on trade.

    The evidence on Brexit suggests that in the UK the changing trade relationship has weighed on the level of potential supply.

    I conclude from this that, just as the Windsor Agreement on trade involving the UK and Ireland was a welcome step forward, so too are the initiatives of the current UK Government to rebuild trade between the UK and EU, and of course there is a very particular important aspect here for the UK and Ireland.

    Let me turn to financial services. There is often an impression given that the flow of trade in financial services is predominantly from the UK to the EU. In other words, the UK is an exporter of financial services. This creates the notion of a one-way street, and that leads to the image of a dependency, and from there the notion of the dependency in some sense being unhealthy starts to come in.

    My strong view is that – contrary to this one way idea – the relationship goes both ways, and that is a good thing. And, this is very well illustrated by the relationship between Ireland and the UK in the area of financial services.

    Let me draw out the two-way street point some more, using the example of the 2022 shock to Liability Driven Investment funds connected to UK pension funds, so-called LDI funds. The LDI episode occurred when UK financial assets saw a significant repricing, with a particular impact on long-dated gilts. The Financial Policy Committee at the Bank of England judged that UK financial stability was at risk due to dysfunction in the gilt market and recommended that the Bank take action. This action took the form of intervening via temporary purchases of long-dated gilts.

    Many of the funds involved were domiciled in other jurisdictions, including here in Ireland and Luxembourg. To be very clear, domicile was not a part of the problem. But, it had to help to enable the solution, and it did. A co-ordinated response between the UK, Ireland and Luxembourg was essential, and I am very grateful to the Central Bank of Ireland and the authorities in Luxembourg for helping us to respond effectively.

    There have been important lessons from the LDI episode, which are increasingly relevant in the context of the increased market volatility we have seen in recent weeks following the US announcement on trade tariffs last month. Together, working with other UK regulators, the Central Bank of Ireland and the authorities in Luxembourg, we have taken action to build resilience in LDI funds. And I hope this close cooperation can continue as we seek to navigate another two way street by building more resilience into money market funds in the EU and the UK, as we strengthen our domestic rules.

    The benefits of open financial markets as well as the dependencies also tend to go both ways.

    The UK and EU are both seeking to strengthen our domestic capital markets. The EU’s Savings and Investment Union agenda and the UK government’s reforms to pensions are both seeking to direct savings towards productive investment. These are important measures, not least given the pressing need for financing some of the common structural challenges we face in the UK and EU – for example, defence and security, demographics, and the technological and climate transitions.

    But strengthening domestic capital markets is only part of the story. The scale of investment needed requires access to global capital, supported by open financial markets. The alternative is fragmentation, which we have unfortunately seen in the global economy in recent years, which reduces the size of markets, and makes them inherently less stable. Fragmentation also increases the cost of capital, undermining growth and investment. Financial market openness, built on a foundation of robust global standards and trust, is a much better alternative.

    To repeat, open financial markets are a good thing. As with goods trade, open financial markets support economic growth as well as increasing investment and reducing the cost of capital. So the benefits of open financial markets, as well as the dependencies, tend to go both ways, so a two-way street; and working together effectively is the best way.

    As such, there is merit in seeking to increase the openness of our financial markets by reducing non-tariff barriers.

    The Bank of England and the Central Bank of Ireland enjoy a very strong relationship, which is built on trust and respect, fostered by close cooperation and coordination and a steadfast commitment to shared values and working together in international bodies to promote global standards. And, my strong view is that this type of work benefits the industries that we oversee. The message that I get consistently, and rightly, is that firms want robust but fair and consistent regulatory standards which will support both stability and competition, and set the level playing field on which they operate.

    Thank you.

    I would like to Sarah Breeden, Lee Foulger, Mike Hatchett, Himali Hettihewa, Karen Jude, Jake Levy, Zertasha Malik, Jeremy Martin, Harsh Mehta, James Talbot, Lanze Gardiner Vandvik, Sam Woods for their help in the preparation of these remarks.

    MIL OSI Economics –

    June 4, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: The Michelin Guide is Eurocentric and elitist − yet it will soon be an arbiter of culinary excellence in Philly

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Tulasi Srinivas, Professor of Anthropology, Religion and Transnational Studies, Emerson College

    Could a Philly cheesesteak joint actually get a Michelin star?

    The famed Michelin Red Guide is coming to Philadelphia, and inspectors are already scouting local restaurants to award the famed Michelin star.

    Michelin says the selected restaurants will be announced in a Northeast cities edition celebration later this year. Boston will also be included for the first time.

    As an anthropologist of ethics and religion who has an expertise in food studies, I read the announcement with some curiosity and a lot of questions. I had seen this small red guide revered by chefs and gourmands alike around the globe.

    How did the Michelin guide begin reviewing restaurants? And what makes it an authority on cuisine worldwide?

    The Michelin Guide has retained its iconic red cover for more than a century.
    Matthieu Delaty/Hans Lucas/AFP via Getty Images

    From tires to terrines

    It all began in 1889 in the small town of Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of France. Brothers Andre and Edouard Michelin founded their world-famous Michelin tire company, fueled by a grand vision for France’s automobile industry – though there were fewer than 3,000 cars at the time in the whole of France.

    To encourage travel, they distributed a red-bound guide filled with maps and helpful tips on routes and destinations. Initially free to automobile owners, it soon started to sell for seven francs – roughly US$1.50 at the time. The guide later added lists of restaurants and eateries along with other points of travel interest.

    Being French, readers had questions about the quality of the food at these establishments, so the brothers started a rating system of a single star to denote high-quality establishments worthy of their elite customers and their fancy automobiles.

    But that wasn’t enough for discerning diners. So the guide created a discriminating hierarchy of one-, two- and three-star establishments: one star for “high-quality cooking worth a stop,” two stars for “excellent cooking worth a detour,” and three stars for “exceptional cuisine worth a special journey.”

    An army of anonymous inspectors

    How do restaurants get a Michelin star – or three? According to the guide, restaurants have to be consistently extraordinary to garner three stars. To ensure a restaurant’s excellence is consistent, Michelin has to surveil them repeatedly, which it does using a stable of mysterious diners called “inspectors.”

    You might be thinking of Inspector Clouseau, the klutzy, misguided detective from the Pink Panther movies played by the inimitable Peter Sellers.

    Mais non!

    Michelin inspectors are dreaded anonymous restaurant reviewers. They dine at restaurants unannounced and undercover, and inevitably write scathing critiques of everything – ingredients, food, chefs and dishes – in their reports.

    In the 2015 Bradley Cooper movie “Burnt,” the restaurant is obsessed with the mystery Michelin inspectors, who dine incognito. Restaurateur Tony, played by Daniel Bruhl, instructs the dining room staff on how to spot them:

    “No one knows who they are. No one. They come. They eat. They go. But they have habits. One orders the tasting menu, the other orders a la carte. Always. They order a half a bottle of wine. They ask for tap water. They are polite. But attention! They may place a fork on the floor to see if you notice.”

    Japan’s Chizuko Kimura, a Michelin-star chef, at her restaurant Sushi Shunei in Paris.
    Julien De Rosa/AFP via Getty Images

    Holy grail for chefs

    The inherent elitism of the iconic Michelin Guide was central, though left unspoken.

    To counteract the guide’s existential classist bias, Michelin introduced the Bib Gourmand award in 1997 to identify affordable “best value for money restaurants.” Bib Gourmand restaurants are easier on the wallet than Michelin-starred establishments and offer casual dining. The award’s logo is the Bibendum, also known as the inflatable Michelin Man, licking his lips.

    In 2020, the guide introduced yet another award: the green star for eateries with farm-to-table fresh quality.

    Today, the Michelin Guide has become a vaunted yet controversial subjective yardstick by which restaurants are measured.

    Getting a Michelin star has become a holy grail for many chefs, a Nobel prize of cuisine. Chefs speak of earning a star as an honor they have envisaged for a lifetime, and starred chefs often become celebrities in their own right.

    The 2022 dark comedy “The Menu” stars Ralph Fiennes as one such celebrity Michelin chef, whose exclusive island restaurant has a lavish modern menu that culminates in a mystery performance. His greatest fear is losing his Michelin star – a cause for lament, mental health crises and, sometimes, murder.

    Three stars for Eurocentrism

    The Michelin Guide evaluates restaurants on the quality of their ingredients, the mastery of their flavors, the chef’s personality in their cooking, the harmony of flavors, and the consistency of the cuisine over the course of numerous visits.

    Yet somehow, all these factors, seemingly easily translatable across the world’s cuisines, has led to an intensely parochial guide.

    Only in 2007, 118 years after its inception, did the guide recognize Japanese cuisine as worthy of its gaze. Soon after, stars rained down on Tokyo’s many stellar eateries.

    On a contemporary map charting where the Michelin Guide is found, huge swathes of the world are missing. There is no Michelin Guide in India, one of the world’s greatest and oldest cuisines, or in Africa with its multiplicity of cultural flavors.

    Perhaps a side of racism with the boeuf bourguignon?

    Despite a movement to decolonize food by rethinking colonial legacies of power and extractive ways of eating, Michelin has derived its stellar reputation primarily from reviewing metropolitan European cuisine. It has celebrated obscure European gastronomic processes such as “fire cooking” in Stockholm’s famous Ekstedt restaurant, and new chemical processes such as “molecular gastronomy” in Spain’s famed el Bulli eatery.

    One could say Michelin is a somewhat conservative enterprise. Rather than leading the way, it has followed consumers’ expanding palates.

    In 2024, in a rare break with tradition, Michelin awarded one star to a small family-run taqueria, El Califa De León, in Mexico City. The taqueria is known for its signature tacos de gaonera – thinly sliced rib-eye steak cooked in lard on fresh corn masa tortillas with a squeeze of lime.

    Some discerning diners worried that Michelin had gone downhill.

    Quelle horreur!

    The decision to give a star to a Mexican restaurant that is essentially just a steel counter, fridge and griddle was so unlike Michelin that it resorted to describing El Califa tacos as “elemental and pure”; language previously reserved only to describe elite cuisine.

    The Michelin-starred taqueria El Califa de León in Mexico City is known for its tacos de gaonera.
    Apolline Guillerot-Malick/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

    A big bill

    Soon-to-be-reviewed Philadelphia boasts a portfolio of epicurean excellence, with contributions from a global diaspora of culinary creators. Restaurants such as Zahav, Kalaya and Mawn – which serve Israeli, Thai and Cambodian food, respectively – are surely eyeing their prospects for a starry future.

    That Boston and Philadelphia’s tourism boards likely paid for the pleasure of the guide visiting their cities has been a topic of discussion among food cognoscenti. Reportedly, the Atlanta Tourism Board paid nearly $1 million for Michelin to visit their city. Is Michelin merely a well-regarded shakedown? A few stars in exchange for a million dollars?

    After indirectly footing that big bill, what can local diners look forward to in the wake of Michelin awards scattering across the Northeast?

    Since Michelin restaurants are notoriously difficult to get into – the award invariably prompts a surge in customers and reservations – the enhanced reputation of the restaurants might translate to price increases for diners.

    Starred restaurants will also likely feel tremendous pressure to maintain high food quality and service, and this too can add to cost – particularly in an era of tariffs on foreign ingredients and alcohols.

    Diners won’t escape unscathed. Industry officials suggest that Michelin stars add an average of $100 per diner per star. But, on the upside, diners may be able to gawk at local and international celebrities at dinner, since hanging out at Michelin-starred establishments has long been a celebrity preoccupation.

    So if you have a favorite hot restaurant in Philadelphia, better make that reservation immediately, before a Michelin star makes it impossible to get in.

    Read more of our stories about Philadelphia.

    Tulasi Srinivas does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. The Michelin Guide is Eurocentric and elitist − yet it will soon be an arbiter of culinary excellence in Philly – https://theconversation.com/the-michelin-guide-is-eurocentric-and-elitist-yet-it-will-soon-be-an-arbiter-of-culinary-excellence-in-philly-256667

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    June 4, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Syncfusion® Launches Canadian Data Center for BoldSign®

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., June 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Syncfusion, Inc.®, the enterprise technology provider of choice, today announced the launch of a data center in Toronto, Canada, for BoldSign®, the company’s eSignature solution. This expansion lets Canadian organizations using BoldSign comply with local privacy laws and regulatory standards while also enhancing platform performance.

    “Canadian organizations need trusted tools that support compliance and deliver speed,” said Daniel Jebaraj, CEO of Syncfusion. “The investment in a new data center reflects our commitment to delivering a secure, high-performance, affordable eSignature solution to our growing Canadian customer base.”

    Hosting data in Canada aligns with data residency laws and provides faster, more reliable signing experiences. The Toronto data center is certified compliant with SOC 2® standards. It minimizes cross-border data exposure, while Canadian jurisdiction offers added legal clarity and protection.

    The BoldSign platform delivers fast, secure, and scalable eSignature functionality with modern APIs, automated workflows, and audit-ready compliance. With data centers in the U.S., the European Union, and now Canada, as well as qualified electronic signature (QES) certification for EU customers, BoldSign is purpose-built to meet the performance and regulatory needs of global organizations.

    To learn more about compliance and security features in BoldSign and its affordable, transparent pricing, visit https://boldsign.com.

    About Syncfusion, Inc.
    Headquartered in the technology hub of Research Triangle Park, N.C., Syncfusion, Inc.® delivers an award-winning ecosystem of developer control suites, embeddable BI platforms, and business software. Syncfusion was founded in 2001 with a single software component and a mission to support businesses of all sizes—from individual developers and start-ups to Fortune 500 enterprises. Though its pilot product, the Essential Studio® suite, has grown to over 1,900 developer controls, its mission remains the same. With offices in the U.S., India, and Kenya, Syncfusion prioritizes the customer experience by providing feature-rich solutions to help developers and enterprises solve complex problems, save money, and build high-performance, robust applications.

    Contact: Brittany Kearns
    Phone: 571-271-7211
    Email: brittany@crossroadsb2b.com

    The MIL Network –

    June 4, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/UGANDA – Failed attack near the Basilica of the Uganda Martyrs on their commemoration day; two suicide bombers killed

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Kampala (Agenzia Fides) – On the morning of June 3, an explosion occurred approximately 500 meters from the Uganda Martyrs Shrine in Munyonyo. According to the Ugandan Army (UPDF), the explosion occurred during an operation to thwart an attack. “This morning, a UPDF counter-terrorism unit intercepted and neutralized two armed terrorists in Munyonyo, an upscale city suburb. It was an intelligence-led operation, and the security services are on heightened alert to ensure the Martyrs Day celebrations proceed without disruption,” an army spokesperson said.June 3 marks the liturgical feast of the Holy Martyrs of Uganda: a group of 22 Catholic and 23 Anglican converts to Christianity in the kingdom of Buganda, now part of Uganda, who were executed between 31 January 1885 and 27 January 1887.During these days, the Munyonyo Shrine – erected as a Minor Basilica in 2019—welcomes nearly two and a half million pilgrims, from not only Uganda but also from neighboring countries and other regions of the world.According to preliminary reports, the two alleged attackers, who were wearing explosive vests and were allegedly trying to access the basilica, were intercepted by an anti-terrorist unit. “Our specialized counter terrorism combat unit opened fire at the terrorists, sparking an explosion that killed them,” a military source stated. The dismembered bodies of the terrorists were found at the scene, along with the remains of a motorcycle destroyed by the explosion. The area was cordoned off to allow the intervention of military bomb disposal units, who verified the absence of other explosive devices, and to facilitate the work of forensic investigation teams. Security authorities are now working to identify the suspects, determine their targets, and clarify whether they were acting on their own or as part of a broader terrorist network.Police Inspector General Abbas Byakagaba urged the public to remain calm and cooperate with the authorities by reporting any suspicious person, object, or activity. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 3/6/2025)
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

    June 4, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/KENYA – Father Bett buried in Eldoret: Senators call for a commission to investigate the murders of priests

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Tuesday, 3 June 2025

    Upendo fm 89.4/Diocese of Eldoret

    Eldoret (Agenzia Fides) – The Catholic community mourns the loss of Father Allois Cheruiyot Bett, the 33-year-old Catholic priest who was shot dead on May 22 (see Fides, 23/5/2025) in the Tot area of the Kerio Valley in Kenya after celebrating Mass in the village of Kabien. The priest’s funeral took place yesterday afternoon, Monday, June 2, at the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Eldoret.Hundreds of people attended the funeral mass, presided over by Bishop Dominic Kimengich, who had already gathered for a prayer vigil inside and outside the Cathedral since Sunday evening, June 1. In his homily, the bishop recalled the pastoral service Father Bett has provided in recent years in the Kerio Valley, an area of Kenya marked by instability, where constant violence has forced missionary sisters to close their facilities (see Fides, 2/6/2025). He “dedicated his life to the service of God and his people. It is a great loss for the Church and the community. We continue to ask for justice for him. His murderers must be brought to justice,” the bishop said, before asking for prayers for peace in the Kerio Valley.While Father Bett was being laid to rest in the Holy Family Parish cemetery, a group of senators in Nairobi urgently called for a government commission of inquiry to investigate the cases of murdered Catholic priests. A phenomenon, according to the senators, that “has been going on for decades and has several unsolved cases that fuel public concern.” The events in Kerio Valley, the senators continued, “are indicative of a pattern of targeted violence that has been largely ignored by the State.”These “constant killings can no longer be ignored,” said Boni Khalwale, a senator from Kakamega. Edwin Sifuna, a senator from Nairobi, shared the same opinion: “The Catholic Church has endured traumatic experiences for over 20 years, and the silence of the authorities following these attacks is deeply disturbing. Citizens are closely monitoring how the security forces are handling each case.” (F.B.) (Agenzia Fides, 3/6/2025)
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

    June 4, 2025
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