NewzIntel.com

Category: Africa

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 28 April 2025 News release WHO issues new recommendations to end the rise in “medicalized” female genital mutilation and support survivors

    Source: World Health Organisation

    Urgent measures are needed to curtail the rising “medicalization” of female genital mutilation (FGM) and to engage health workers to prevent the practice, according to a new guideline published today by the World Health Organization (WHO).

    While the health sector plays a key role in stopping FGM and supporting survivors, in several parts of the world, evidence suggests the practice is now increasingly performed by health workers. As of 2020, an estimated 52 million girls and women were subjected to FGM at the hands of health workers – around 1 in 4 cases.

    The new WHO guideline, titled The prevention of female genital mutilation and clinical management of complications, provides recommendations to both prevent the practice and ensure evidence-based care for survivors, covering actions for the health sector, governments, and affected communities.

    “Female genital mutilation is a severe violation of girls’ rights and critically endangers their health,” said Dr Pascale Allotey, WHO’s Director for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research, and the United Nations’ Special Programme for Human Reproduction (HRP). “The health sector has an essential role in preventing FGM – health workers must be agents for change rather than perpetrators of this harmful practice, and must also provide high quality medical care for those suffering its effects.”

    Typically carried out on young girls before they reach puberty, FGM includes all procedures that remove or injure parts of the female genitalia for non-medical reasons. Evidence shows that no matter who performs FGM, it causes harm. Some studies suggest it can even be more dangerous when performed by health workers, since it can result in deeper, more severe cuts. Its “medicalization” also risks unintentionally legitimizing the practice and may thereby jeopardize broader efforts to abandon the practice.

    For these reasons, WHO’s new guideline recommends professional codes of conduct that expressly prohibit health workers from performing FGM. Secondly, recognizing their respected role within communities, it emphasises the need to positively engage and train health workers for prevention. Sensitive communication approaches can help health workers effectively decline requests to perform FGM, while informing people about its serious immediate and long-term risks.

    “Research shows that health workers can be influential opinion leaders in changing attitudes on FGM, and play a crucial role in its prevention,” said Christina Pallitto, Scientist at WHO and HRP who led the development of the new guideline. “Engaging doctors, nurses and midwives should be a key element in FGM prevention and response, as countries seek to end the practice and protect the health of women and girls.”

    Alongside effective laws and policies, the guideline highlights the need for community education and information. Community awareness-raising activities that involve men and boys can be effective in increasing knowledge about FGM, promoting girls’ rights, and supporting attitudinal changes. 

    In addition to prevention, the guideline includes several clinical recommendations to help ensure access to empathetic, high quality medical care for FGM survivors. Given the extent of both short and long-term health issues that result from the practice, survivors may need a range of health services at different life stages, from mental health care to management of obstetric risks and, where appropriate, surgical repairs.

    Evidence shows that, with the right commitment and support, it is possible to end FGM. Countries like Burkina Faso, Sierra Leone and Ethiopia have seen reductions in prevalence among 15 – 19-year-olds over the past 30 years by as much as 50%, 35% and 30% respectively, through collective action and political commitment to enforce bans and accelerate prevention.

    Since 1990, the likelihood of a girl undergoing genital mutilation has decreased by threefold. However, it remains common in some 30 countries around the world, and an estimated 4 million girls each year are still at risk.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: What political ads are Australians seeing online? Astroturfing, fake grassroots groups, and outright falsehoods

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel Angus, Professor of Digital Communication, Director of QUT Digital Media Research Centre, Queensland University of Technology

    In the lead-up to the 2025 Australian federal election, political advertising is seemingly everywhere.

    We’ve been mapping the often invisible world of digital political advertising across Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.

    We’ve done this thanks to a panel of ordinary Australians who agreed to download an ad tracking app developed through the Australian Internet Observatory.

    We’re also tracking larger trends in political ad spending, message type and tone, and reach via the PoliDashboard tool. This open source tool aggregates transparency data from Meta (including Facebook and Instagram) which we use to identify patterns and items of concern.

    While the major parties are spending heavily and are highly visible in the feeds of our participants, it is the prevalence of third-party political advertising that is most striking. We’ve observed a notable trend: for every ad from a registered political party, there is roughly one ad from a third-party entity.

    Astroturfing and the illusion of grassroots support

    One of the most concerning trends we’re seeing is a rise in astroturfing. This refers to masking the sponsors of a message to make it appear as though it originates from ordinary citizens or grassroots organisations.

    Astroturfing ads do often adhere to the formal disclosure requirements set out by the Australian Electoral Commission. However, these disclosures don’t meaningfully inform the public on who is behind these misleading ads.

    Authorisation typically only includes the name and address of an intermediary. This may be a deliberately opaque shell entity set up just in time for an election.

    A key example seen by participants in our study involves the pro-gas advocacy group Australians for Natural Gas.

    It presents itself as a grassroots movement, but an ABC investigation revealed this group is working with Freshwater Strategy – the Coalition’s internal pollster. Emails obtained by the ABC show Freshwater Strategy is “helping orchestrate a campaign to boost public support for the gas industry ahead of the federal election”.

    Other examples we’ve encountered in our monitoring include groups with benign-sounding names like Mums for Nuclear and Australians for Prosperity. These labels and the ads they are running suggest grassroots concern, but they obscure the deeper agendas behind them.

    In the case of Australians for Prosperity, an ABC analysis revealed backing from wealthy donors, former conservative MPs and coal interests.

    The battle over energy

    Nowhere is this more evident than in messaging around energy policy, especially nuclear power and gas.

    In recent months, both major parties and a swathe of third-party advertisers have run targeted online campaigns focused on the costs and benefits of different energy futures. These ads play to deeply felt concerns about cost of living, action on climate change, and national sovereignty.

    Yet many of these messages, particularly those that promote gas and nuclear, come from organisations with opaque funding and undeclared political affiliations or connections. Voters may see a slick Facebook ad or a sponsored TikTok explainer without any idea who paid for it, or why.

    And with no obligation to be truthful, much of this content may be deeply misleading. It muddies public understanding at a critical moment for climate action.

    Truth not required

    Truth in political advertising isn’t legally required in all of Australia. While businesses can’t mislead consumers under consumer law, political parties and third-party campaigners are exempt from those same standards.

    This means misleading or outright false claims – about opponents, policies or the state of the economy – can be repeated and amplified without consequence, provided they’re framed as political opinion.

    Despite calls for reform from politicians, experts and civil society groups, federal legislation continues to lag behind community expectations.

    South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory do have truth in political advertising laws, but there is still no national standard.

    In the digital advertising environment, where ads are fast, fleeting, and often tailored to individuals, the absence of such independent scrutiny allows misinformation to flourish unchecked.

    Most people are seeing very little – or so it seems

    Paradoxically, our data shows the majority of participants are seeing very few political ads. Of the total ads seen, less than 2% pertained to political topics or the election specifically.

    This is partly a result of how the advertising products offered by platforms like Meta and TikTok allow ads to be targeted to specific demographics, locations or interests. This means even two people in the same household may have entirely different ad experiences.

    But it’s also a reminder social media ads are just the tip of the iceberg. Much political persuasion online happens outside paid ad campaigns – via influencer content, YouTube recommendations, algorithmic amplification, mainstream media coverage and more.

    Because platforms and publishers aren’t required to share this broader content with researchers or the public, we can’t easily track it – although we are trying.

    We need meaningful observability

    If democracy is to thrive in a digital age, we need to be able to independently observe online political communication, including advertising.

    Existing measures like campaign finance disclosures and transparency tools provided by platforms will never be enough. They don’t include user experiences or track patterns across populations and over time. This inevitably means some advertising activity flies under the radar.

    We lack robust tools to understand and analyse our current fragmented information landscape.

    Where platforms don’t provide meaningful data access to researchers and the public, tools like the Ad Observatory and PoliDashboard offer valuable glimpses into a fragmented information landscape, while remaining incomplete.

    However, tools on their own are not enough. We also need to be willing to call out and act when politicians mislead the public.

    Acknowlegement: The Australian Ad Observatory is a team effort. The authors wish to acknowledge the contribution of Jean Burgess, Nicholas Carah, Alfie Chadwick, Kyle Herbertson, Tina Kang, Khanh Luong, Abdul Karim Obeid, Lina Przhedetsky, and Dan Tran.

    Daniel Angus receives funding from Australian Research Council through Linkage Project ‘Young Australians and the Promotion of Alcohol on Social Media’. He is a Chief Investigator with the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision Making & Society.

    Christine Parker receives funding from the Australian Research Council through the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society.

    Giselle Newton received funding from the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education for the project ‘How alcohol and gambling companies target people most at risk with marketing for addictive products on Facebook’.

    Mark Andrejevic receives funding from the Australian Research Council through the Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision Making and Society and through the Discovery Program.

    Kate Clark 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. What political ads are Australians seeing online? Astroturfing, fake grassroots groups, and outright falsehoods – https://theconversation.com/what-political-ads-are-australians-seeing-online-astroturfing-fake-grassroots-groups-and-outright-falsehoods-255225

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for April 28, 2025

    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on April 28, 2025.

    Reefs in the ‘middle’ light zone along NZ’s coast are biodiversity hotspots – many are home to protected species
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James J Bell, Professor of Marine Biology, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington James Bell, CC BY-SA The latest update on the state of New Zealand’s environment paints a concerning outlook for marine environments, especially amid the increasing push to use the marine estate for

    Pokies line the coffers of governments and venues – but there are ways to tame this gambling gorilla
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Charles Livingstone, Associate Professor, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University Recently, much public attention has been given to the way online wagering and its incessant promotion has infiltrated sport and our TV screens. Despite a 2023 parliamentary inquiry that recommended new restrictions on online

    Vancouver SUV attack exposes crowd management falldowns and casts a pall on Canada’s election
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ali Asgary, Professor, Disaster & Emergency Management, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies & Director, CIFAL York, York University, Canada A car attack at a Filipino street festival in Vancouver just two days before Canada’s federal election has killed at least 11 people and injured many

    Is Canada heading down a path that has caused the collapse of mighty civilizations in the past?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel Hoyer, Senior Researcher, Historian and Complexity Scientist, University of Toronto Canada is, by nearly any measure, a large, advanced, prosperous nation. A founding member of the G7, Canada is one of the world’s most “advanced economies,” ranking fourth in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development’s

    Rwanda’s genocide: why remembering needs to be free of politics – lessons from survivors
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samantha Lakin, Lecturer, Clark University Memory and politics are inherently intertwined and can never be fully separated in post-atrocity and post-genocidal contexts. They are also dynamic and ever-changing. The interplay between memory and politics is, therefore, prone to manipulation, exaggeration or misuse by clever actors to meet

    In talking with Tehran, Trump is reversing course on Iran – could a new nuclear deal be next?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jeffrey Fields, Professor of the Practice of International Relations, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences A mural on the outer walls of the former US embassy in Tehran depicts two men in negotiation. Majid Saeedi/Getty Images Negotiators from Iran and the United States are set

    ‘I were but little happy, if I could say how much’: Shakespeare’s insights on happiness have held up for more than 400 years
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cora Fox, Associate Professor of English and Health Humanities, Arizona State University Joanna Vanderham as Desdemona and Hugh Quarshie as the title character in a Royal Shakespeare Company production of ‘Othello.’ Robbie Jack/Corbis via Getty Images What is “happiness” – and who gets to be happy? Since

    What will the UK Supreme Court gender ruling mean in practice? A legal expert explains
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Maine, Senior Lecturer in Law, City St George’s, University of London jeep2499/Shutterstock The Supreme Court’s decision in For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers will mean changes in how trans people in the UK access services and single-sex spaces. In the highly anticipated judgment announced

    What are ‘penjamins’? Disguised cannabis vapes are gaining popularity among young people
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jack Chung, PhD Candidate, National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research, The University of Queensland Stenko Vlad/Shutterstock E-cigarettes or vapes were originally designed to deliver nicotine in a smokeless form. But in recent years, vapes have been used to deliver other psychoactive substances, including cannabis concentrates and

    Used EV batteries could power vehicles, houses or even towns – if their manufacturers share vital data
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daryoush Habibi, Professor and Head, Centre for Green and Smart Energy Systems, Edith Cowan University EV batteries are made of hundreds of smaller cells. IM Imagery/Shutterstock Around the world, more and more electric vehicles are hitting the road. Last year, more than 17 million battery-electric and hybrid

    Climate change and the housing crisis are a dangerous mix. So which party is grappling with both?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ehsan Noroozinejad, Senior Researcher and Sustainable Future Lead, Urban Transformations Research Centre, Western Sydney University Australia is running out of affordable, safe places to live. Rents and mortgages are climbing faster than wages, and young people fear they may never own a home. At the same time,

    Why film and TV creators will still risk it all for the perfect long take shot
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kristian Ramsden, PhD Candidate, University of Adelaide Apple TV In the second episode of Apple TV’s The Studio (2025–) – a sharp satirical take on contemporary Hollywood – newly-appointed studio head Matt Remick (Seth Rogen) visits the set of one of his company’s film productions. He finds

    Is there a best way to peel a boiled egg? A food scientist explains
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paulomi (Polly) Burey, Professor in Food Science, University of Southern Queensland We’ve all been there – trying to peel a boiled egg, but mangling it beyond all recognition as the hard shell stubbornly sticks to the egg white. Worse, the egg ends up covered in chewy bits

    Australia once had ‘immigration amnesties’ to grant legal status to undocumented people. Could we again?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sara Dehm, Senior Lecturer, International Migration and Refugee Law, University of Technology Sydney The year is 1972. The Whitlam Labor government has just been swept into power and major changes to Australia’s immigration system are underway. Many people remember this time for the formal end of the

    Independents may build on Australia’s history of hung parliaments, if they can survive the campaign blues
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joshua Black, Visitor, School of History, Australian National University Major parties used to easily dismiss the rare politician who stood alone in parliament. These MPs could be written off as isolated idealists, and the press could condescend to them as noble, naïve and unlikely to succeed. In

    Peter Dutton: a Liberal leader seeking to surf on the wave of outer suburbia
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra In searching for the “real” Peter Dutton, it is possible to end up frustrated because you have looked too hard. Politically, Dutton is not complicated. There is a consistent line in his beliefs through his career. Perhaps the shortest cut

    Albanese has been a ‘proficient and lucky general’. But if he wins a second term, we are right to demand more
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Strangio, Emeritus Professor of Politics, Monash University Barring a rogue result, this Saturday Anthony Albanese will achieve what no major party leader has done since John Howard’s prime-ministerial era – win consecutive elections. Admittedly, in those two decades he is only the second of the six

    Peter Dutton declares Welcome to Country ceremonies are ‘overdone’ in heated final leaders’ debate
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andy Marks, Vice-President, Public Affairs and Partnerships, Western Sydney University Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton have had their fourth and final leaders’ debate of the campaign. The skirmish, hosted by 7News in Sydney, was moderated by 7’s Political Editor Mark Riley. Cost of

    Election Diary: a cost-of-living election where neither leader can tell you the price of eggs
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The fourth election debate was the most idiosyncratic of the four head-to-head contests between Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton. Apart from all the usual topics, the pair was charged with producing one-word responses to pictures of

    Trump’s war on the media: 10 numbers from US President’s first 100 days
    Reporters Without Borders Donald Trump campaigned for the White House by unleashing a nearly endless barrage of insults against journalists and news outlets. He repeatedly threatened to weaponise the federal government against media professionals whom he considers his enemies. In his first 100 days in office, President Trump has already shown that he was not bluffing.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Rwanda’s genocide: why remembering needs to be free of politics – lessons from survivors

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samantha Lakin, Lecturer, Clark University

    Memory and politics are inherently intertwined and can never be fully separated in post-atrocity and post-genocidal contexts. They are also dynamic and ever-changing. The interplay between memory and politics is, therefore, prone to manipulation, exaggeration or misuse by clever actors to meet a range of political ends.

    This applies too to Rwanda’s commemoration period (Kwibuka). It runs from April to July each year, dedicated to remembering the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.

    I have been researching genocide memory in Rwanda for more than 12 years. My research focuses on memorialisation, meaning-making, and senses of justice rendered for individuals who lived through the genocide, documenting personal relationships with Kwibuka.

    Remembrance poses a challenging paradox. Often, when new conflicts arise, memorialisation falls into two distinct and competing categories. There is politically motivated commemoration, where memory is used as cover to advance a political agenda. Then, there are memory practices that transcend politics. These two types of memory coexist at the same time and place.

    Drawing from more than a decade of original research on genocide memory in Rwanda, I explore commemoration practices that transcend politics, and identify why Kwibuka is still needed and how individuals keep Kwibuka relevant in today’s challenging socio-political climate.

    Three ways genocide remembrance transcends politics

    Firstly, Kwibuka can be a freeing practice for survivors.

    For many Rwandans, genocide remembrance practices like Kwibuka still hold meaning. According to interviews I held with several Rwandan genocide survivors based in the US and in Rwanda, the commemoration period can be surprisingly and unexpectedly freeing.

    One Rwandan woman in her early 40s who survived rape and was forced into hiding during the genocide explains:

    When survivors gather for Kwibuka, we feel like we are allowed to express our grief in ways that might seem bizarre to outsiders. As Rwandans, culturally we are expected to be strong and not overly emotional. Yet during Kwibuka, we cry, we tell stories, and we even laugh and tell jokes. During Kwibuka we are not judged for it. This is what it looks like for survivors to move forward.

    Secondly, there is genocide memory as a responsibility.

    Some survivors continue to engage in commemoration as an outward form of obligation to the victims lost during the genocide.

    According to interviews with several early representatives of Ibuka, the main survivors’ organisation in Rwanda, established in 1995, right after the genocide, most survivors didn’t feel ready to put their own needs aside. They doubted that justice would ever be achieved. Yet, by and large, they did it anyway for the good of the collective, or out of respect for the leaders of the movement who were advocating for their rights.

    The obligation to victims remains meaningful to genocide survivors today. When sharing her testimony at the UN commemoration on 7 April 2025, genocide survivor Germaine Tuyisenge Müller discussed her personal obligation to victims.

    Many of us still have guilt. We do not know why we survived. We tell our stories out of responsibility.

    She was only 9 years old during the genocide.

    Out of 100 people I interviewed during my research from 2013 to 2020 in Rwanda, the majority feel it’s important to attend Kwibuka ceremonies. The main reason they give is to support their neighbours and their community.

    This perspective represents a change that took place some time after 2014, the 20th Kwibuka, from negative incentives to attend (pressure, surveillance from the government and potential consequences), to Kwibuka being perceived as a positive collective good, with relatively little harm in attending ceremonies. As one Rwandan I interviewed in 2017 put it:

    We go because it holds communal value, it’s better to go rather than cause a problem in the community, and it isn’t a hassle for me to go Kwibuka.

    Thirdly, genocide remembrance provides agency.

    Many Rwandan survivors view engaging in Kwibuka as a way to have agency in the present, contrary to the genocide period when they had no control over their fate. They exercise agency through commitments and actions that support victims who experience violence today.

    The majority of interview respondents shared that they reflect on different things while attending commemorations, even when official stories told might not represent the diverse range of Rwandan experiences during the genocide. These include Rwandans from mixed marriages, or individuals falsely accused of committing acts of genocide in 1994.

    Shaping commemoration

    How can external actors and concerned citizens support efforts that shape commemoration that transcends politics?

    While it may feel that there is not much “we” can do, as ordinary global citizens, we each play an important role in protecting and promoting truth in the wake of those who manipulate history to harm survivors and gain politically. But we must be discerning. When we learn, listen to and amplify survivor voices, we must focus on two main aspects. First, are people’s stories authentic? Second, are they dedicated to pursuing justice and peace, and not causing division and conflict?

    Additionally, building peace is a long struggle. It cannot happen overnight, nor can we expect it to.

    Genocide survivors from Rwanda teach us that it takes active dedication and ongoing, daily work from individuals and organisations to confront and challenge rising manipulation by those who seek to promote violence and conflict. Suffering in the world is increasing. Survivor stories and testimonies shared around the world during Kwibuka become even more important to inform analysis and prevention of modern-day crimes and human rights abuses.

    By remembering and honouring the struggles and sacrifices made for the right to gather and remember, the international community and stakeholders dedicated to pursuing peace can learn from the forms of remembrance that transcend politics. This includes its critical role in protecting historical truth from manipulation, one of the most significant challenges faced today.

    Samantha Lakin, PhD, is a specialist in comparative genocide and a Senior Fellow at The Center for Peace, Democracy, and Development (CPDD) at the University of Massachusetts Boston. Please note: the author is writing in her personal capacity as a genocide scholar, and her views do not represent those of her current employer.

    – ref. Rwanda’s genocide: why remembering needs to be free of politics – lessons from survivors – https://theconversation.com/rwandas-genocide-why-remembering-needs-to-be-free-of-politics-lessons-from-survivors-254745

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: The end of Ebola outbreak in Uganda demonstrates World Health Organization (WHO)’s value in controlling and stopping diseases

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

    KAMPALA, Uganda, April 27, 2025/APO Group/ —

    Uganda has officially declared the end of the Ebola disease outbreak, which was confirmed on 30 January 2025 by Uganda’s Ministry of Health. The outbreak infected 14 people, two of whom were probable (not confirmed by laboratory tests) and caused four deaths (including two probable). 

    Disease outbreaks, such as Ebola, Marburg, and yellow fever, are not new in Uganda. The country has faced multiple outbreaks and, in doing so, has built a resilient health system capable of detecting and containing outbreaks rapidly. With active support from the World Health Organization (WHO) and other partners, this outbreak again demonstrated Uganda’s capacity to deal with such challenges. 

    The latest Ebola disease outbreak occurred in the bustling, highly mobile city of Kampala. In many places, such an announcement could have triggered widespread panic. But, within 72 hours of confirmation, the Ministry of Health, actively supported by the WHO and health partners, activated its response mechanisms. Rapid response teams were deployed on the ground, identifying contacts to the confirmed patient, collecting samples for testing, setting up treatment units, and educating the community about Ebola prevention. 

    Similarly, within 24 hours of notification, the WHO Deputy Director General and Executive Director for Emergencies, Dr Mike Ryan, was in Uganda to guide WHO’s strategic and operational support to the response. 

    “The outbreak occurring in an urban setting is of significant concern to us, given past experiences. In this outbreak, every minute is of the essence, and we must set up rapidly to avert a potential disaster,” said Dr Mike Ryan upon arrival in the country.

    WHO mobilized 129 national and international staff to support the response. They brought a wealth of technical expertise, ensuring that WHO’s input was present at every critical stage.

    The impact of these efforts was quickly evident. On 14 March 2025, the last confirmed patient was discharged, and 534 contacts had been successfully identified and followed up daily. This is no mean achievement given the area in which the outbreak occurred. It is a testament to Uganda’s strengthened capacity to detect and respond to disease outbreaks in line with the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR), for which WHO is the principal custodian.

    Uganda has now completed the 42-day mandatory countdown without a confirmed Ebola case. During this critical period, WHO worked closely with the Ministry of Health to conduct active case search and mortality surveillance to ensure that no potential chains of transmission went undetected.

    It’s important to acknowledge the groundwork that made this rapid response possible. WHO’s presence on the ground through its regional hubs and prior technical leadership in helping Uganda develop a multisectoral preparedness and response plan were pivotal. These provided clear direction for all responding actors, enabling effective coordination, optimizing resource allocation, and preventing duplication.

    Another key enabler was the swift deployment by WHO of 165 multidisciplinary Rapid Response Team members (RRTs) to hotspot districts. These members strengthened local capacity for alert management, case investigation, and contact tracing, even in remote areas. Backed by WHO’s technical training and tools, the RRTs worked hand in hand with district teams to ensure that no case went undetected. This strong collaboration helped halt the further spread of the disease.

    Special attention was also given to border health. With the international imperative to prevent cross-border transmission, health workers were rapidly reoriented, thermal scanners were deployed, and screening protocols were enforced at 13 key entry points, especially at Entebbe International Airport. 

    The laboratory response was equally robust. Over 1500 samples were collected, transported, and tested, with national labs rising to the challenge. Thanks to WHO’s prior technical support, Uganda had the capacity to manage samples under strict biosafety and quality standards. Laboratory teams at the Uganda Virus Research Institute and Central Public Health Laboratories handled the workload professionally and efficiently, earning praise for their quick turnaround. 

    At the heart of the response was a courageous and well-prepared case management team. Equipped with WHO Ebola supplies designed to protect health workers and support clinical care, they treated patients with professionalism and care. Of the 12 confirmed cases, two patients succumbed, while the rest were successfully treated and reintegrated into their communities. Two probable cases were identified after their death, therefore not managed in the treatment center. 

    WHO-supported 78 Emergency Medical Teams (EMTs) further reinforced case management efforts. These highly trained and well-equipped teams ensured the safe transportation and treatment of patients across affected regions, delivering high-quality care at every step.

    For the second time in an Ebola outbreak caused by the Sudan virus in Uganda,  WHO  deployed anthropologists, risk communication experts, and community engagement teams. These specialists worked directly with communities to address stigma, mistrust, and misinformation, while providing real-time public health information. Their efforts were instrumental in gaining trust and reinforcing safety practices.

    Despite the absence of a licensed vaccine against the Sudan virus, candidate vaccines are in various phases of clinical trials, recommended by the independent WHO candidate vaccine prioritisation working group. Within four days of the government’s declaration of the outbreak, a randomized clinical trial for vaccine safety and efficacy using the ring vaccination approach was launched. In addition, the administration of Remdesivir treatment under the Monitored Emergency Use of Unregistered and Experimental Interventions (MEURI) protocol was initiated. 

    Ecological studies aimed at identifying the source of infection were initiated and are continuing. These are important because they help to anticipate risks of outbreaks as well as ensure health systems are well prepared and ready to detect outbreaks early and respond effectively.

    Behind the scenes, coordination and partner engagement played crucial roles. WHO was responsible for aligning resources, reducing duplication, and maximizing impact. Through its coordination role, WHO mapped out key stakeholders and facilitated effective resource use at all levels of the response.

    No successful outbreak response is complete without adequate financial backing. So far, WHO has mobilized and utilized US $6.2 million for this response. This support, along with in-kind contributions of essential medicines, supplies, and equipment, has been vital in maintaining the momentum of operations.

    WHO acknowledges and deeply appreciates all partners who contributed through the WHO Contingency Fund for Emergencies (CFE), including: Germany, Norway, Ireland, Canada, France, New Zealand, Kuwait, Portugal, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Switzerland, Estonia, and the WHO Foundation. Thanks to the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, the Netherlands, the European Commission – Health Emergency Preparedness and Response (HERA), International Development Research Centre (IDRC), European Commission – European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO) and the African Public Health Emergency Fund (APHEF) for supporting WHO’s interventions.

    As the situation in Uganda stabilizes, this outbreak highlights three clear lessons: early preparedness saves lives, rapid response is critical, and WHO’s support remains vital, not only for Uganda, but for global health security.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Freedom Day 2025 Celebrations

    Source: Republic of South Africa (video statements-2)

    Freedom Day 2025 Celebration

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

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: English rendering of PM’s address in the 121st Episode of ‘Mann ki Baat’ on 27.04.2025

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 27 APR 2025 11:47AM by PIB Delhi

    My dear countrymen, Namaskar. Today as I speak to you in ‘Mann Ki Baat’, there is a deep anguish in my heart. The terrorist incident that took place in Pahalgam on the 22nd of April has hurt every citizen of the country. Every Indian holds deep sympathies for the affected families. No matter which state one belongs to, no matter which language one speaks, one is feeling the pain of those who have lost their loved ones in this attack. I can feel that the blood of every Indian is on the boil after seeing the pictures of the terrorist attack. This attack in Pahalgam shows the desperation of the patrons of terrorism; displays their cowardice… at a time when peace was returning to Kashmir, there was a vibrancy in schools and colleges, construction work had gained unprecedented pace, democracy was getting stronger, the number of tourists was increasing at a record rate, people’s income was increasing, new opportunities were being created for the youth. The enemies of the country, the enemies of Jammu and Kashmir, did not like that. The terrorists and the masterminds of terror want Kashmir to be destroyed again and hence they executed such a big conspiracy. In this war against terrorism, the unity of the country, the solidarity of 140 crore Indians, is our biggest strength. This unity is the basis of our decisive fight against terrorism. We have to strengthen our resolve to face this challenge that has surfaced before the country. We have to demonstrate strong willpower as a nation. Today the world is watching, after this terrorist attack, the whole country is speaking in one voice.

    Friends, the anger that we the people of India feel, that anger is there in the whole world. After this terrorist attack, condolences are continuously pouring in from all over the world. Global leaders have called me up as well; written letters and sent messages too. Everyone has strongly condemned this heinous terrorist attack. They have expressed condolences to the families of the deceased. The whole world stands with 140 crore Indians in our fight against terrorism. I once again assure the affected families that they will get justice, and justice will be done. The perpetrators and conspirators of this attack will be served with the harshest response.

    Friends, two days ago we lost the country’s great scientist Dr. K. Kasturirangan ji. Whenever I met Kasturirangan ji, we discussed topics like the talent of Indian youth, modern education, Space-Science. His contribution in lending newer heights to science, education and India’s Space Program shall always be remembered. ISRO attained a new identity under his leadership. The Space Programs that moved forward under his guidance gave global recognition to India’s efforts. Many of the satellites that India uses today were launched under the supervision of Dr. Kasturirangan.

    There was one more special facet to his personality, which the younger generation can learn from. He always accorded importance to innovation. The vision of learning, knowing and doing something new is very inspiring. Dr. K. Kasturirangan also played a major role in formulating the new National Education Policy of the country. Dr. Kasturirangan came up with the idea of ​​forward looking education according to the modern needs of the 21st century. His selfless service to the country and contribution to nation building will always be remembered. Very humbly, I pay my tribute to Dr. K. Kasturirangan.

    My dear countrymen, this month of April marks 50 years of the launch of the Aryabhatta Satellite. Today, when we look back and remember this journey of 50 years, we realize how far we have come. This flight of India’s dreams in space once commenced with just conviction. Some young scientists with the passion to do something for the nation … they neither had the modern resources like today, nor the access to world technology as such. If at all they had anything, it was talent, dedication, hard work and the passion to do something for the country. You must have seen pictures of our scientists carrying critical equipment themselves on bullock carts and bicycles. It is the result of that very dedication and spirit of service to the nation that so much has changed today. Today India has become a Global Space Power. We have created a record by launching 104 Satellites simultaneously. We have become the first country to reach the South Pole of the Moon.

    India has launched the Mars Orbiter Mission and we have reached pretty close to the Sun through the Aditya – L1 Mission. Today India is leading the most cost effective but successful Space Program in the entire world. Many countries of the world take help of ISRO for their Satellites and Space Missions. Friends, when we see a Satellite launch by ISRO, we are filled with pride. I had a similar feeling when I witnessed the launch of PSLV-C-23 in 2014. I was also present at the ISRO Center in Bengaluru during the landing of Chandrayaan-2 in 2019. At that time Chandrayaan failed to achieve the expected success, it was a very difficult time for the scientists. But I could see with my own eyes the patience of the scientists and their zeal to achieve something. And a few years later, the whole world too noticed how the same scientists made Chandrayaan-3 a success.

    Friends, now India has opened her Space Sector for the private sector as well. Today many youth are attaining new milestones in the field of Space Startups. 10 years ago, there was only one company, but today there are more than 325 Space Startups working in the country. The times to come are ushering in a lot of new possibilities in Space. India is going to scale new heights. The country is busy preparing for many important missions like Gaganyaan, SpaDeX and Chandrayaan-4. We are also working on the Venus Orbiter Mission and Mars Lander Mission. Our Space Scientists are going to fill the countrymen with new pride through their innovations.

    Friends, you certainly must have seen the horrific pictures of the earthquake that struck Myanmar last month. The earthquake caused huge devastation there… every breath, every moment was precious for the people trapped under the debris. That is why India immediately started Operation Brahma for our brothers and sisters in Myanmar. From Air Force aircraft to Navy ships, everything was sent to help Myanmar. The Indian team set up a field hospital there. A team of engineers helped in assessing the damage to important buildings and infrastructure. The Indian team supplied blankets, tents, sleeping bags, medicines, food items and many other things. During all of that, the Indian team also received a lot of appreciation from the people there.

    Friends, in this crisis, many heart-touching examples of courage, patience and ingenuity came to light. The Indian team rescued an elderly woman of more than 70 years of age who was buried under the debris for over 18 hours. Those who are watching ‘Mann Ki Baat’ on TV right now, you must be able to see the face of that elderly woman. The team from India provided every treatment facility, from stabilizing her oxygen level to treatment of fractures. When this elderly woman was discharged from the hospital, she expressed her gratitude to our team. She expressed that she had got a new life because of the Indian rescue team. Many people told our team that because of them they were able to locate their friends and relatives.

    Friends, after the earthquake, there was a possibility of many people being trapped in a monastery in Mandalay, Myanmar. Our team also carried out relief and rescue operations there, that resulted in them receiving a lot of blessings from Buddhist monks. We are very proud of all those who participated in Operation Brahma. We have our tradition, our values, the sentiment of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ – the whole world is one family. India’s readiness as the Vishwa-Mitra in times of crisis and India’s commitment to humanity is becoming the hallmark of our identity.

    Friends, I have come to know about an innovative effort of NRIs in Ethiopia, Africa. Indians living in Ethiopia have taken the initiative to send children who are suffering from heart disease since birth to India for treatment. Many such children are also being helped financially by Indian families. If the family of a child is unable to come to India on account of lack of money, our Indian brothers and sisters are making arrangements for that too. The effort is to ensure that every needy child of Ethiopia suffering from a serious ailment receives better treatment. This noble work of NRIs is being appreciated a lot in Ethiopia. You know that medical facilities are constantly improving in India. Citizens of other countries are also benefitting from that.

    Friends, just a few days ago, India has also sent a large quantity of vaccine for the people of Afghanistan. These vaccines will be useful in preventing dangerous diseases like Rabies, Tetanus, Hepatitis B and Influenza. This week, on Nepal’s request, India has sent a large consignment of medicines and vaccines there. This will ensure better treatment for patients of thalassemia and sickle cell disease. Whenever it comes to serving humanity, India has always been at the forefront and will always be at the forefront in every such need in the future as well.

    Friends, we were just referring to Disaster Management and the most important thing in dealing with any natural disaster is your alertness. You can now get help in this alertness from a special APP on your mobile. This APP can save you from getting trapped in any natural disaster and its name too is ‘Sachet’. The ‘Sachet APP’ has been developed by India’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). Be it flood, cyclone, land-slide, tsunami, forest fire, avalanche, storm, hurricane or lightning, ‘Sachet APP’ tries to keep you informed and protected in every way. Through this APP, you can receive updates related to the weather department. The special thing is that ‘Sachet APP’ also provides a lot of information in regional languages. You too should take advantage of this APP and share your experiences with us.

    My dear countrymen, today we see India’s talent being appreciated all over the world. India’s youth has changed the world’s view towards India and the interest of the youth of any country shows what the future of the country would be like. Today, India’s youth is moving towards science, technology and innovation. Even in those regions, which were earlier known for backwardness and other factors, the youth have set examples that give us new confidence. A Science Centre at Dantewada in Chhattisgarh is drawing everyone’s attention these days. Until some time ago, Dantewada was known only for violence and unrest, but now, the Science Centre there has become a new ray of hope for children and their parents. Children are enjoying going to this Science Centre. They are now learning everything from making new machines to technology.

    Through making new machines and using technology, they are learning to make new products now. They have got the opportunity to learn about 3D printers and robotic cars as well as other innovative things. Some time ago, I also inaugurated Science Galleries at Gujarat Science City. These galleries provide a glimpse of the potential of modern science, and how much science can do for us. I have been informed that the children there are very excited about these galleries. This growing attraction towards science and innovation will surely take India to new heights.

    My dear countrymen, the biggest strength of our country is our 140 crore citizens, their capability, their will power. And when crores of people join a campaign together, its impact is huge. An example of this is ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ – this campaign is in the name of the mother who gave birth to us and it is also for Mother Earth who ensconces us in her lap. Friends, On the 5th of June, on ‘World Environment Day’, this campaign is completing one year. During this one year, under this campaign, more than 140 crore trees have been planted in the name of the mother across the country. Observing this initiative of India, people outside the country have also planted trees in the name of their mother. You too should become a part of this campaign, so that on completion of one year, you can be proud of your participation.

    Friends, all of us know that trees provide coolness… we get relief from heat in the shade of trees. But recently I came across another news related to this which caught my attention. During the last few years, more than 70 lakh trees have been planted in Ahmedabad city of Gujarat. These trees have increased the green area in Ahmedabad to a great extent. Along with that, the number of water bodies has also increased here due to the construction of the River Front on the Sabarmati river and reconstruction of some lakes like Kankaria lake. Now news reports say that in the last few years, Ahmedabad has become one of the major cities fighting against global warming.

    The people there are also feeling this change; the coolness in the environment. The trees planted in Ahmedabad are becoming the reason of bringing myriad shades of happiness there. I again urge all of you to plant trees to maintain the health of the earth, to deal with the challenges of climate change, and to secure the future of your children. ‘Ek Ped – Maa Ke Naam’.

    Friends, there is an old saying ‘where there is a will there is a way’. When we decide to do something new, we certainly reach our destination. You must have eaten a lot of apples grown in the mountains. But, if I ask you whether you have tasted the apples of Karnataka, you will be surprised. Usually, we think that apples are grown only in the mountains. But Shri Shail Teli ji, who lives in Bagalkot, Karnataka, has grown apples in the plains. In his Kulali village, apple trees have started bearing fruits even in temperatures above 35 degrees. Actually since, Shri Shail Teli was fond of farming, so he tried apple farming as well and he attained success in it. Today, a lot of apples grow on the trees planted by him and he is earning a good income by selling them.

    Friends, now that we are talking about apples, you must have heard the name of Kinnauri apple. Saffron production has started in Kinnaur, famous for apples. Generally, saffron cultivation was little in Himachal, but now it has commenced in the beautiful Sangla valley of Kinnaur. One such example is Wayanad in Kerala.

    Success has been achieved in growing saffron there as well. And in Wayanad, this saffron is not being grown in any field or soil; rather with the help of the Aeroponics Technique. Something astonishingly similar has happened with the production of litchi. We had been hearing that litchi grows in Bihar, West Bengal or Jharkhand. But now litchi is being grown in South India and Rajasthan as well. Thiru Veera Arasu of Tamil Nadu used to cultivate coffee. He planted litchi trees in Kodaikanal and after 7 years of hard work, those trees have started bearing fruit. The success in growing litchi has inspired other farmers in the area. Jitendra Singh Ranawat has succeeded in growing litchi in Rajasthan. All these examples are very inspiring. If we decide to do something new and persist despite difficulties, even the impossible can be made possible.

    My dear countrymen, today is the last Sunday of April. The month of May is beginning in a few days. I will take you around 108 years back from today. The year 1917… these two months of April and May… a unique battle for independence was being fought in the country. The atrocities of the British were at their peak. The exploitation of the poor, the deprived and the farmers had crossed inhuman levels. On the fertile land of Bihar, the British were forcing the farmers to grow indigo. The farmers’ fields were becoming barren due to indigo cultivation, but the British government was least concerned. In such a situation, Gandhiji reached Champaran in Bihar in 1917.

    The farmers told Gandhiji – “our land is dying, we are not getting food grains to eat.” The pain of lakhs of farmers made a resolve come up in Gandhiji’s mind. From there the historic Satyagraha of Champaran started. ‘Champaran Satyagraha’ was the first big experiment by Bapu in India. The entire British rule was shaken by Bapu’s Satyagraha. The British had to suspend the law that forced farmers to cultivate indigo. This was a victory that infused new confidence in the freedom struggle. All of you must be aware that another son of Bihar also contributed a lot to this Satyagraha, who became the first President of the country after independence. The great personality was – Dr. Rajendra Prasad. He also wrote a book on the ‘Champaran Satyagraha’ – ‘Satyagraha in Champaran’… every young person should read this book. Brothers and sisters, many more indelible chapters of the freedom struggle are associated with April itself. Gandhiji’s ‘Dandi March’ culminated on the 6th of April itself. This March which commenced on the 12th of March and continued for 24 days had shaken the British. The Jallianwala Bagh massacre took place in April itself. The marks of this blood stained history are still present on the soil of Punjab.

    Friends, in a few days, on the 10th of May, the anniversary of the first freedom struggle would also be there. The spark that arose in that first battle for freedom, later became a torch for millions of freedom fighters.

    On the 26th of April, we observed the death anniversary of the great hero of the 1857 revolution, Babu Veer Kunwar Singh. The entire country derives inspiration from this great freedom fighter of Bihar. We have to keep alive the immortal inspirations of lakhs of such freedom fighters. The energy we receive from them provides renewed strength to our resolve of Amritkaal.

    Friends, in this long journey of ‘Mann Ki Baat’, you have formed an intimate relationship with this programme. The achievements that the countrymen want to share with others are conveyed to the people through ‘Mann Ki Baat’. Next month, we will again meet and talk about the diversity, glorious traditions and new achievements of the country. We will learn about people who are bringing about a change in the society with their dedication and spirit of service. As always, keep sending us your thoughts and suggestions. Thank you, Namaskar.

    *****

    MJPS/SR/SKS

    (Release ID: 2124694) Visitor Counter : 151

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: IOS SAGAR IN PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 27 APR 2025 3:10PM by PIB Delhi

    IOS SAGAR arrived at Port Louis Harbour, Mauritius on 26 Apr 25 on completion of Phase I of Joint EEZ surveillance with National Coast Guard (NCG) Mauritius as part of deployment to the South Western Indian Ocean. The visit marks a significant milestone in India’s commitment to regional maritime cooperation and capacity-building with friendly foreign countries.

    Indian Naval Ship Sunayna (IOS SAGAR), which sailed from Karwar on 05 Apr 25, has 44 naval personnel from nine friendly foreign nations of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), including two officers and six sailors from the Republic of Mauritius.

    This initiative underlines the Indian Navy’s continued efforts to enhance interoperability, mutual learning, and regional maritime security in a spirit of collective growth and cooperation.

    The ship and her crew were received with warmth and enthusiasm, reflecting the close and time-tested bonds between India and Mauritius. The welcome reception was graced by Mr. Sooroojebally R, PMSM, the Commissioner of Police, and several high-ranking dignitaries of the Prime Minister’s Office, Mauritius Police Force, Indian High Commission, and NCG Mauritius. On completion of the welcome ceremony, the dignitaries were given a tour of the ship, which was followed by interaction with personnel embarked from friendly foreign nations.

    During the port call, the Commanding Officer, IOS SAGAR, will call on the Commandant, National Coast Guard, the Commissioner of Police and the High Commissioner of India. Various activities are planned during the two-day port call, including the visit by the IOS SAGAR crew to the Maritime Air Squadron, Special Mobile Force Squadron and the Police Helicopter Squadron. The Commissioner of Police will also interact with the multinational crew of IOS SAGAR at Police Headquarters. The ship will be open to visitors on 27 Apr 25. Activities like trekking, Joint Yoga session and friendly sports fixtures have also been planned during the ship’s stay at Port Louis.

    On departure, the ship will undertake phase II of Joint EEZ surveillance with the NCG Mauritius and, upon completion, proceed to Port Victoria, Seychelles.

    INS Sunayna, a state-of-the-art Saryu class NOPV, is designed for anti-piracy operations, maritime surveillance, and HADR. The ship is equipped with medium and close-range gunnery weapons and modern electronic warfare suites, including missile defence measures. She can also carry a helicopter, which enhances her operational and surveillance capability.

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    (Release ID: 2124711) Visitor Counter : 49

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: SRFTI Film “A Doll Made Up of Clay” Makes Historic Cannes 2025 Entry

    Source: Government of India

    SRFTI Film “A Doll Made Up of Clay” Makes Historic Cannes 2025 Entry

    23-Minute Experimental Film Highlights Cross-Border Collaboration and Global Storytelling Excellence

    Posted On: 26 APR 2025 6:24PM by PIB Delhi

    In a moment of pride for Indian cinema, “A Doll Made Up of Clay”, a student film by the Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute (SRFTI), has achieved official selection in the prestigious La Cinef section at the 78th Festival de Cannes 2025. As the only Indian entry in this category, the film marks a significant milestone in India’s cinematic education journey.

    About Film

    Driven by ambition, a young Nigerian athlete sells his father’s land to pursue his dream of becoming a professional footballer in India. However, a career-ending injury leaves him disillusioned and stranded in an unfamiliar country. Through physical pain, emotional trauma, and an identity crisis, he reconnects with the spiritual traditions of his ancestors, finding redemption and meaning. A Doll Made Up of Clay is a powerful exploration of displacement, loss, and cultural resilience.

    This 23-minute experimental film, produced under SRFTI’s Producing for Film and Television (PFT) department, showcases cross-border collaboration. Produced by Sahil Manoj Ingle, a PFT student, and directed by Kokob Gebrehaweria Tesfay, an Ethiopian student under the ICCR African Scholarship, the film underscores SRFTI’s dedication to global cinematic innovation.

    Receiving an invitation to compete in La Cinef at Cannes, the film highlights emerging talent from top global film schools. The festival takes place in France this May.

     Dreams, Resilience and Global Recognition

    Prof. Sukanta Majumdar (Dean, SRFTI) highlighted that  “Any cinematic expressions of our students, when recognized on a prestigious global platform, make us feel reassured. This is a huge moment of pride for us, and we are very proud of our students. I wish them the very best for the competition.”

    “This project is a shared vision across continents—a story that transcends borders. The Cannes selection is a dream realized and proof of global thinking within SRFTI’s walls,” said producer Sahil Manoj Ingle.

    Director Kokob Gebrehaweria Tesfay added, “This deeply personal story speaks to the journey of dreamers who navigate new challenges, reshaping who they are. Cannes celebrates resilience and untold stories.”

    Global Collaboration:

     The film’s cast and crew represent an exceptional international effort:

     

    • Producer: Sahil Manoj Ingle
    • Writer & Director: Kokob Gebrehaweria Tesfay (Ethiopia)
    • DOP: Vinod Kumar
    • Editor: Haru – Mahmud Abu Naser (Bangladesh)
    • Sound Design: Soham Pal
    • Music Composer: Himangshu Saikih
    • Executive Producer: Uma Kumari & Rohit Kodere
    • Line Producer: Avinash Shankar Rhurve
    • Lead Actor: Ibrahim Ahmed (Nigeria)
    • Casts: Geeta Doshi, Ibrahim Ahmed, Rwitban Acharya

     

    About SRFTI

    Founded in 1995, SRFTI is named after the legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray, continuing it’s legacy of empowering new generations of storytellers through excellence in film education.

    *****

    Dharmendra Tewari/ Navin Sreejith

    (Release ID: 2124574) Visitor Counter : 52

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Rwanda’s genocide: why remembering needs to be free of politics – lessons from survivors

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Samantha Lakin, Lecturer, Clark University

    Memory and politics are inherently intertwined and can never be fully separated in post-atrocity and post-genocidal contexts. They are also dynamic and ever-changing. The interplay between memory and politics is, therefore, prone to manipulation, exaggeration or misuse by clever actors to meet a range of political ends.

    This applies too to Rwanda’s commemoration period (Kwibuka). It runs from April to July each year, dedicated to remembering the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.

    I have been researching genocide memory in Rwanda for more than 12 years. My research focuses on memorialisation, meaning-making, and senses of justice rendered for individuals who lived through the genocide, documenting personal relationships with Kwibuka.

    Remembrance poses a challenging paradox. Often, when new conflicts arise, memorialisation falls into two distinct and competing categories. There is politically motivated commemoration, where memory is used as cover to advance a political agenda. Then, there are memory practices that transcend politics. These two types of memory coexist at the same time and place.

    Drawing from more than a decade of original research on genocide memory in Rwanda, I explore commemoration practices that transcend politics, and identify why Kwibuka is still needed and how individuals keep Kwibuka relevant in today’s challenging socio-political climate.

    Three ways genocide remembrance transcends politics

    Firstly, Kwibuka can be a freeing practice for survivors.

    For many Rwandans, genocide remembrance practices like Kwibuka still hold meaning. According to interviews I held with several Rwandan genocide survivors based in the US and in Rwanda, the commemoration period can be surprisingly and unexpectedly freeing.

    One Rwandan woman in her early 40s who survived rape and was forced into hiding during the genocide explains:

    When survivors gather for Kwibuka, we feel like we are allowed to express our grief in ways that might seem bizarre to outsiders. As Rwandans, culturally we are expected to be strong and not overly emotional. Yet during Kwibuka, we cry, we tell stories, and we even laugh and tell jokes. During Kwibuka we are not judged for it. This is what it looks like for survivors to move forward.

    Secondly, there is genocide memory as a responsibility.

    Some survivors continue to engage in commemoration as an outward form of obligation to the victims lost during the genocide.

    According to interviews with several early representatives of Ibuka, the main survivors’ organisation in Rwanda, established in 1995, right after the genocide, most survivors didn’t feel ready to put their own needs aside. They doubted that justice would ever be achieved. Yet, by and large, they did it anyway for the good of the collective, or out of respect for the leaders of the movement who were advocating for their rights.

    The obligation to victims remains meaningful to genocide survivors today. When sharing her testimony at the UN commemoration on 7 April 2025, genocide survivor Germaine Tuyisenge Müller discussed her personal obligation to victims.

    Many of us still have guilt. We do not know why we survived. We tell our stories out of responsibility.

    She was only 9 years old during the genocide.

    Out of 100 people I interviewed during my research from 2013 to 2020 in Rwanda, the majority feel it’s important to attend Kwibuka ceremonies. The main reason they give is to support their neighbours and their community.

    This perspective represents a change that took place some time after 2014, the 20th Kwibuka, from negative incentives to attend (pressure, surveillance from the government and potential consequences), to Kwibuka being perceived as a positive collective good, with relatively little harm in attending ceremonies. As one Rwandan I interviewed in 2017 put it:

    We go because it holds communal value, it’s better to go rather than cause a problem in the community, and it isn’t a hassle for me to go Kwibuka.

    Thirdly, genocide remembrance provides agency.

    Many Rwandan survivors view engaging in Kwibuka as a way to have agency in the present, contrary to the genocide period when they had no control over their fate. They exercise agency through commitments and actions that support victims who experience violence today.

    The majority of interview respondents shared that they reflect on different things while attending commemorations, even when official stories told might not represent the diverse range of Rwandan experiences during the genocide. These include Rwandans from mixed marriages, or individuals falsely accused of committing acts of genocide in 1994.

    Shaping commemoration

    How can external actors and concerned citizens support efforts that shape commemoration that transcends politics?

    While it may feel that there is not much “we” can do, as ordinary global citizens, we each play an important role in protecting and promoting truth in the wake of those who manipulate history to harm survivors and gain politically. But we must be discerning. When we learn, listen to and amplify survivor voices, we must focus on two main aspects. First, are people’s stories authentic? Second, are they dedicated to pursuing justice and peace, and not causing division and conflict?

    Additionally, building peace is a long struggle. It cannot happen overnight, nor can we expect it to.

    Genocide survivors from Rwanda teach us that it takes active dedication and ongoing, daily work from individuals and organisations to confront and challenge rising manipulation by those who seek to promote violence and conflict. Suffering in the world is increasing. Survivor stories and testimonies shared around the world during Kwibuka become even more important to inform analysis and prevention of modern-day crimes and human rights abuses.

    By remembering and honouring the struggles and sacrifices made for the right to gather and remember, the international community and stakeholders dedicated to pursuing peace can learn from the forms of remembrance that transcend politics. This includes its critical role in protecting historical truth from manipulation, one of the most significant challenges faced today.

    – Rwanda’s genocide: why remembering needs to be free of politics – lessons from survivors
    – https://theconversation.com/rwandas-genocide-why-remembering-needs-to-be-free-of-politics-lessons-from-survivors-254745

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: First fossil pangolin tracks discovered in South Africa

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Charles Helm, Research Associate, African Centre for Coastal Palaeoscience, Nelson Mandela University

    A team of scientists who study vertebrate fossil tracks and traces on South Africa’s southern Cape coast have identified the world’s first fossil pangolin trackway, with the help of Indigenous Master Trackers from Namibia. Ichnologists Charles Helm, Clive Thompson and Jan De Vynck tell the story.

    What did you find?

    A fossil trackway east of Still Bay in South Africa’s Western Cape province was found in 2018 by a colleague and was brought to our attention. It was found on the surface of a loose block of aeolianite rock (formed from hardened sand) that had come to rest near the high-tide mark in a private nature reserve.

    The site where the pangolin tracks were found. They are on the top surface of the rock in the middle of the photo. Pieter-Jan Gräbe, Author provided (no reuse)

    We studied it but our cautious approach required that we could not confidently pin down what had made the track. It remained enigmatic.

    Fossil trackway made by a pangolin. Charles Helm, Author provided (no reuse)

    How did you eventually identify it?

    In 2023, we were working with two Ju/’hoansi San colleagues from north-eastern Namibia, #oma Daqm and /uce Nǂamce, who have been interpreting tracks in the Kalahari all their lives. They are certified as Indigenous Master Trackers and we consider them to be among the finest trackers in the world today. We’d called on their expertise to help us understand more about the fossil tracks on the Cape south coast. One example of the insights they provided was of hyena tracks, and we have published on this together.

    Read more: First fossil hyena tracks found in South Africa – how expert animal trackers helped

    We showed them the intriguing trackway, which consisted of eight tracks and two scuff marks made, apparently, by the animal’s tail. They examined the track-bearing surface at length, conversed with one another for some time, and then made their pronouncement: the trackway had been registered by a pangolin.

    Master Tracker #oma Daqm examines the pangolin tracks. Jan De Vynck, Author provided (no reuse)

    This was an astonishing claim, as no fossilised pangolin tracks had previously been recorded anywhere in the world.

    It also confirms that pangolins were once distributed across a larger range than they are now.

    We then created three-dimensional digital models of the trackway, using a technique called photogrammetry.

    Photogrammetry image of fossil trackways of pangolin. Charles Helm, Author provided (no reuse)

    We shared these images with other tracking and pangolin experts in southern Africa (like CyberTracker, Tracker Academy, the African Pangolin Working Group, wildlife guides and a pangolin researcher at the Tswalu Foundation). There were no dissenting voices: not surprisingly, it was agreed that our San colleagues were highly likely correct in their interpretation.

    There is something really special about a fossil trackway, compared with fossil bones – it seems alive, as if the animal could have registered the tracks yesterday, rather than so long ago.

    What are the characteristics of pangolin tracks?

    Pangolins are mostly bipedal (walking on two legs), with a distinctive, relatively ponderous gait. Track size and shape, the distance between the tracks, and the width of the trackway all provide useful clues, as do the tail scuff marks and the absence of obvious digit impressions. A pangolin hindfoot track, in the words of our Master Tracker colleagues, looks as if “a round stick had been poked into the ground”. And being slightly wider at the front end, it has a slightly triangular shape.

    Pangolin walking (video in slow motion)

    Our Master Tracker colleagues are familiar with the tracks of Temminck’s pangolin (Smutsia temminckii) in the Kalahari, which was the probable species that registered the tracks that are now evident in stone on the Cape coast. Other trackmaker candidates, such as a serval with its slim straddle, were considered, but could be excluded or regarded as far less likely.

    How old is the fossil track and how do you know?

    The surface would have consisted of loose dune sand when the pangolin walked on it. Now it’s cemented into rock. We work with a colleague, Andrew Carr, at the University of Leicester in the UK. He uses a technique known as optically stimulated luminescence to obtain the age of rocks in the area.

    The results he provided for the region suggest that these tracks were made between 90,000 and 140,000 years ago, during the “Ice Ages”. For much of this time the coastline might have been as much as 100km south of its present location.

    What’s important about this find?

    Firstly, this demonstrates what you can uncover when you bring together different kinds of knowledge: our western scientific approach combined with the remarkable skill sets of the Master Trackers, which have been inculcated in them from a very young age.

    Without them, the trackway would have remained enigmatic, and would have deteriorated in quality due to erosion without the trackmaker ever being identified.

    Read more: Fossil treasure chest: how to preserve the geoheritage of South Africa’s Cape coast

    Secondly, we hope it brings attention to the plight of the pangolin in modern times. There are eight extant pangolin species in the world today, and all are considered to be threatened with extinction. Pangolin meat is regarded as a delicacy, pangolin scales are used in traditional medicines, and pangolins are among the most trafficked wild animals on earth. Large numbers in Africa are hunted for their meat every year.

    What does the future hold?

    Our San Indigenous Master Tracker colleagues have just completed their third visit to the southern Cape coast, thanks to funding from the Discovery Wilderness Trust.

    The results have once again been both unexpected and stupendous, and their tracking skills have again been demonstrated to be unparalleled. Many more publications will undoubtedly ensue, bringing their expertise to the attention of the wider scientific community and anyone interested in our fossil heritage or in ancient hunter-gatherer traditions.

    We hope that our partnership continues to lead to our mutual benefit as we probe the secrets of the Pleistocene epoch by following the spoor of ancient animals.

    – First fossil pangolin tracks discovered in South Africa
    – https://theconversation.com/first-fossil-pangolin-tracks-discovered-in-south-africa-253383

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Rwanda’s genocide: why remembering needs to be free of politics – lessons from survivors

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Samantha Lakin, Lecturer, Clark University

    Memory and politics are inherently intertwined and can never be fully separated in post-atrocity and post-genocidal contexts. They are also dynamic and ever-changing. The interplay between memory and politics is, therefore, prone to manipulation, exaggeration or misuse by clever actors to meet a range of political ends.

    This applies too to Rwanda’s commemoration period (Kwibuka). It runs from April to July each year, dedicated to remembering the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.

    I have been researching genocide memory in Rwanda for more than 12 years. My research focuses on memorialisation, meaning-making, and senses of justice rendered for individuals who lived through the genocide, documenting personal relationships with Kwibuka.

    Remembrance poses a challenging paradox. Often, when new conflicts arise, memorialisation falls into two distinct and competing categories. There is politically motivated commemoration, where memory is used as cover to advance a political agenda. Then, there are memory practices that transcend politics. These two types of memory coexist at the same time and place.

    Drawing from more than a decade of original research on genocide memory in Rwanda, I explore commemoration practices that transcend politics, and identify why Kwibuka is still needed and how individuals keep Kwibuka relevant in today’s challenging socio-political climate.

    Three ways genocide remembrance transcends politics

    Firstly, Kwibuka can be a freeing practice for survivors.

    For many Rwandans, genocide remembrance practices like Kwibuka still hold meaning. According to interviews I held with several Rwandan genocide survivors based in the US and in Rwanda, the commemoration period can be surprisingly and unexpectedly freeing.

    One Rwandan woman in her early 40s who survived rape and was forced into hiding during the genocide explains:

    When survivors gather for Kwibuka, we feel like we are allowed to express our grief in ways that might seem bizarre to outsiders. As Rwandans, culturally we are expected to be strong and not overly emotional. Yet during Kwibuka, we cry, we tell stories, and we even laugh and tell jokes. During Kwibuka we are not judged for it. This is what it looks like for survivors to move forward.

    Secondly, there is genocide memory as a responsibility.

    Some survivors continue to engage in commemoration as an outward form of obligation to the victims lost during the genocide.

    According to interviews with several early representatives of Ibuka, the main survivors’ organisation in Rwanda, established in 1995, right after the genocide, most survivors didn’t feel ready to put their own needs aside. They doubted that justice would ever be achieved. Yet, by and large, they did it anyway for the good of the collective, or out of respect for the leaders of the movement who were advocating for their rights.

    The obligation to victims remains meaningful to genocide survivors today. When sharing her testimony at the UN commemoration on 7 April 2025, genocide survivor Germaine Tuyisenge Müller discussed her personal obligation to victims.

    Many of us still have guilt. We do not know why we survived. We tell our stories out of responsibility.

    She was only 9 years old during the genocide.

    Out of 100 people I interviewed during my research from 2013 to 2020 in Rwanda, the majority feel it’s important to attend Kwibuka ceremonies. The main reason they give is to support their neighbours and their community.

    This perspective represents a change that took place some time after 2014, the 20th Kwibuka, from negative incentives to attend (pressure, surveillance from the government and potential consequences), to Kwibuka being perceived as a positive collective good, with relatively little harm in attending ceremonies. As one Rwandan I interviewed in 2017 put it:

    We go because it holds communal value, it’s better to go rather than cause a problem in the community, and it isn’t a hassle for me to go Kwibuka.

    Thirdly, genocide remembrance provides agency.

    Many Rwandan survivors view engaging in Kwibuka as a way to have agency in the present, contrary to the genocide period when they had no control over their fate. They exercise agency through commitments and actions that support victims who experience violence today.

    The majority of interview respondents shared that they reflect on different things while attending commemorations, even when official stories told might not represent the diverse range of Rwandan experiences during the genocide. These include Rwandans from mixed marriages, or individuals falsely accused of committing acts of genocide in 1994.

    Shaping commemoration

    How can external actors and concerned citizens support efforts that shape commemoration that transcends politics?

    While it may feel that there is not much “we” can do, as ordinary global citizens, we each play an important role in protecting and promoting truth in the wake of those who manipulate history to harm survivors and gain politically. But we must be discerning. When we learn, listen to and amplify survivor voices, we must focus on two main aspects. First, are people’s stories authentic? Second, are they dedicated to pursuing justice and peace, and not causing division and conflict?

    Additionally, building peace is a long struggle. It cannot happen overnight, nor can we expect it to.

    Genocide survivors from Rwanda teach us that it takes active dedication and ongoing, daily work from individuals and organisations to confront and challenge rising manipulation by those who seek to promote violence and conflict. Suffering in the world is increasing. Survivor stories and testimonies shared around the world during Kwibuka become even more important to inform analysis and prevention of modern-day crimes and human rights abuses.

    By remembering and honouring the struggles and sacrifices made for the right to gather and remember, the international community and stakeholders dedicated to pursuing peace can learn from the forms of remembrance that transcend politics. This includes its critical role in protecting historical truth from manipulation, one of the most significant challenges faced today.

    Samantha Lakin, PhD, is a specialist in comparative genocide and a Senior Fellow at The Center for Peace, Democracy, and Development (CPDD) at the University of Massachusetts Boston. Please note: the author is writing in her personal capacity as a genocide scholar, and her views do not represent those of her current employer.

    – ref. Rwanda’s genocide: why remembering needs to be free of politics – lessons from survivors – https://theconversation.com/rwandas-genocide-why-remembering-needs-to-be-free-of-politics-lessons-from-survivors-254745

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: First fossil pangolin tracks discovered in South Africa

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Charles Helm, Research Associate, African Centre for Coastal Palaeoscience, Nelson Mandela University

    A team of scientists who study vertebrate fossil tracks and traces on South Africa’s southern Cape coast have identified the world’s first fossil pangolin trackway, with the help of Indigenous Master Trackers from Namibia. Ichnologists Charles Helm, Clive Thompson and Jan De Vynck tell the story.

    What did you find?

    A fossil trackway east of Still Bay in South Africa’s Western Cape province was found in 2018 by a colleague and was brought to our attention. It was found on the surface of a loose block of aeolianite rock (formed from hardened sand) that had come to rest near the high-tide mark in a private nature reserve.

    We studied it but our cautious approach required that we could not confidently pin down what had made the track. It remained enigmatic.

    How did you eventually identify it?

    In 2023, we were working with two Ju/’hoansi San colleagues from north-eastern Namibia, #oma Daqm and /uce Nǂamce, who have been interpreting tracks in the Kalahari all their lives. They are certified as Indigenous Master Trackers and we consider them to be among the finest trackers in the world today. We’d called on their expertise to help us understand more about the fossil tracks on the Cape south coast. One example of the insights they provided was of hyena tracks, and we have published on this together.



    Read more:
    First fossil hyena tracks found in South Africa – how expert animal trackers helped

    We showed them the intriguing trackway, which consisted of eight tracks and two scuff marks made, apparently, by the animal’s tail. They examined the track-bearing surface at length, conversed with one another for some time, and then made their pronouncement: the trackway had been registered by a pangolin.

    This was an astonishing claim, as no fossilised pangolin tracks had previously been recorded anywhere in the world.

    It also confirms that pangolins were once distributed across a larger range than they are now.

    We then created three-dimensional digital models of the trackway, using a technique called photogrammetry.

    We shared these images with other tracking and pangolin experts in southern Africa (like CyberTracker, Tracker Academy, the African Pangolin Working Group, wildlife guides and a pangolin researcher at the Tswalu Foundation). There were no dissenting voices: not surprisingly, it was agreed that our San colleagues were highly likely correct in their interpretation.

    There is something really special about a fossil trackway, compared with fossil bones – it seems alive, as if the animal could have registered the tracks yesterday, rather than so long ago.

    What are the characteristics of pangolin tracks?

    Pangolins are mostly bipedal (walking on two legs), with a distinctive, relatively ponderous gait. Track size and shape, the distance between the tracks, and the width of the trackway all provide useful clues, as do the tail scuff marks and the absence of obvious digit impressions. A pangolin hindfoot track, in the words of our Master Tracker colleagues, looks as if “a round stick had been poked into the ground”. And being slightly wider at the front end, it has a slightly triangular shape.

    Pangolin walking (video in slow motion)

    Our Master Tracker colleagues are familiar with the tracks of Temminck’s pangolin (Smutsia temminckii) in the Kalahari, which was the probable species that registered the tracks that are now evident in stone on the Cape coast. Other trackmaker candidates, such as a serval with its slim straddle, were considered, but could be excluded or regarded as far less likely.

    How old is the fossil track and how do you know?

    The surface would have consisted of loose dune sand when the pangolin walked on it. Now it’s cemented into rock. We work with a colleague, Andrew Carr, at the University of Leicester in the UK. He uses a technique known as optically stimulated luminescence to obtain the age of rocks in the area.

    The results he provided for the region suggest that these tracks were made between 90,000 and 140,000 years ago, during the “Ice Ages”. For much of this time the coastline might have been as much as 100km south of its present location.

    What’s important about this find?

    Firstly, this demonstrates what you can uncover when you bring together different kinds of knowledge: our western scientific approach combined with the remarkable skill sets of the Master Trackers, which have been inculcated in them from a very young age.

    Without them, the trackway would have remained enigmatic, and would have deteriorated in quality due to erosion without the trackmaker ever being identified.



    Read more:
    Fossil treasure chest: how to preserve the geoheritage of South Africa’s Cape coast

    Secondly, we hope it brings attention to the plight of the pangolin in modern times. There are eight extant pangolin species in the world today, and all are considered to be threatened with extinction. Pangolin meat is regarded as a delicacy, pangolin scales are used in traditional medicines, and pangolins are among the most trafficked wild animals on earth. Large numbers in Africa are hunted for their meat every year.

    What does the future hold?

    Our San Indigenous Master Tracker colleagues have just completed their third visit to the southern Cape coast, thanks to funding from the Discovery Wilderness Trust.

    The results have once again been both unexpected and stupendous, and their tracking skills have again been demonstrated to be unparalleled. Many more publications will undoubtedly ensue, bringing their expertise to the attention of the wider scientific community and anyone interested in our fossil heritage or in ancient hunter-gatherer traditions.

    We hope that our partnership continues to lead to our mutual benefit as we probe the secrets of the Pleistocene epoch by following the spoor of ancient animals.

    Clive Thompson is a trustee of the Discovery Wilderness Trust, a non-profit organization that supports environmental conservation and the fostering of tracking skills.

    Charles Helm and Jan Carlo De Vynck 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. First fossil pangolin tracks discovered in South Africa – https://theconversation.com/first-fossil-pangolin-tracks-discovered-in-south-africa-253383

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Video: President Cyril Ramaphosa delivers the keynote address at the Freedom Day 2025 Celebration

    Source: Republic of South Africa (video statements)

    President Cyril Ramaphosa delivers keynote address at the Freedom Day 2025 Celebration

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-uxqu9rhko

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Global: 80 years after Benito Mussolini’s death, what can democracies today learn from his fascist rise?

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Matthew Sharpe, Associate Professor in Philosophy, Australian Catholic University

    Hitler and Mussolini in Munich, Germany, June 18, 1940. Everett Collection/Shutterstock

    This Monday marks 80 years since Italian dictator Benito Mussolini was killed in an Italian village towards the end of the Second World War in 1945. The following day, his body was publicly desecrated in Milan.

    Il Duce, as Mussolini was known, was Hitler’s inspiration.
    State Library of Victoria

    Given the scale of Adolf Hitler’s atrocities, our image of fascism today has largely been shaped by Nazism. Yet, Mussolini preceded Hitler. Il Duce, as Mussolini was known, was Hitler’s inspiration.

    Today, as commentators, bloggers and scholars are debating whether the governments of US President Donald Trump, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Russian President Vladimir Putin are “fascist”, we can learn from Il Duce’s career about how democracies fail and dictators consolidate autocratic rule.

    The early years

    The term “fascist” itself originated around the time of Mussolini’s founding in 1914 of the Fasci d’Azione Rivoluzionaria, a militaristic group promoting Italy’s entry into the First World War.

    Mussolini had been raised in a leftist family. Before WWI, he edited and wrote for socialist newspapers. Yet, from early on, the young rebel was also attracted to radically anti-democratic thinkers like Friedrich Nietzsche, George Sorel, and Wilfred Pareto.

    When WWI broke out, Mussolini broke from the socialists, who opposed Italy’s involvement in the conflict. Like Hitler, he fought in the war. Mussolini considered his front-line experience as formative for his future ideas around fascism. His war experience led him to imagine making Italy great again – an imperial power worthy of the heritage of ancient Rome.

    In March 1919, Mussolini formed the Fasci Italiani di Combattimento in Milan. This group brought together a motley collection of war veterans, primarily interested in fighting the socialists and communists. They were organised in squadristi (squads), which would become known for their black shirts and violence – they forced many of their targets to drink castor oil.

    The political success of Mussolini’s fascist ideals, however, was neither instant nor inevitable. In the 1919 Italian elections, Mussolini received so few votes, communists held a mock funeral march outside his house to celebrate his political death.

    The rise to power and the march on Rome

    Fascism became a part of national political life in 1920-21, following waves of industrial and agricultural strikes and worker occupations of land and factories.

    As a result, rural and industrial elites turned to the fascist squadristi to break strikes and combat workers’ organisations. Fascist squads also overturned the results of democratic elections in Bologna and Cremona, preventing left-wing candidates from assuming office.

    Mussolini’s political capital, remarkably, was boosted by this violence. He was invited to enter Prime Minister Ivanoe Bonomi’s first government in July 1921.

    The following October, fascists occupied the towns of Bolzano and Trento. The liberals, socialists and Italian monarchy were indecisive in the face of these provocations, allowing Mussolini to seize the moment. Mustering the fascist squads, he ordered the famous “march on Rome” in late October 2022 to demand he be appointed prime minister.

    All the evidence suggests if the government had intervened, the march on Rome would have disbanded. It was a bold piece of political theatre. Nevertheless, fearing civil war — and the communists more than the black shirts — King Victor Emmanuel III caved in without a shot being fired.

    Mussolini was made leader of a new government on October 31, 1922.

    The consolidation of dictatorship

    Like Hitler in 1933, Mussolini’s rule started as the head of a coalition government including non-fascist parties. Yet, with the repressive powers of the state now at his disposal, Mussolini exploited the division among his rivals and gradually consolidated power.

    In 1923, the communist party was targeted with mass arrests and the fascist squads were brought under official state control as a paramilitary force. Mussolini began to use state powers to surveil all non-fascist political parties.

    In the 1924 general election, with fascist militia menacingly manning the polls, Il Duce won 65% of the vote.

    Then, in June, socialist leader Giacomo Matteotti was kidnapped and murdered by black shirts. When investigations pointed to Mussolini’s responsibility, he at first denied any knowledge of the killing. Months later, however, Mussolini proudly admitted responsibility for the deed, celebrating the fascists’ brutality. He faced no legal or political consequences.

    The last nail in the coffin of Italy’s enfeebled democracy came in late 1926. Following an assassination attempt in which Mussolini’s nose was grazed (he wore a bandage for a time afterwards), Mussolini definitively banned all political opposition.

    The “lesser evil”

    Following his death in April 1945, Mussolini’s dictatorship was often portrayed as “dictatorship-lite”, a “lesser evil” compared to Nazism or Stalinist Russia. This narrative, bolstered by German crimes against Italians in the last months of the war, has understandably been embraced by many Italians.

    Yet, Mussolini’s was the first regime to advertise itself as totalitarian. Styling himself as a “man of destiny”, Mussolini claimed that fascism embodied the “spiritual renewal” of the Italian people.

    His goal of making Italy a power again required total control of the state. His 1932 “Doctrine of Fascism” describes the need “to exercise power and to command” all administrative, policing, and judicial institutions. This included censorship of the press and educational institutions.

    Mussolini announcing Italy’s declaration of war on France and Britain in 1940.
    Australian War Memorial

    While portraying fascism as a “populist” movement, Mussolini also shut down independent trade unions, bailed out big banks, and prevented the right to strike. As a result, economic inequality between Italians actually grew wider under his rule.

    Mussolini also pursued an imperialist dream by invading Ethiopia. Defying international conventions, Il Duce’s troops used chemical weapons and summary executions to quell acts of resistance. Over 700,000 Ethiopians are estimated by scholars to have been killed by the invaders, with around 35,000 forced into internment camps.

    Italian Ca-111 bombers over Ethiopia in the 1930s.
    Getty Images/Wikimedia Commons

    Mussolini’s fascists ran over 30 concentration camps from 1926–45, almost all of them offshore. Some 50–70,000 Libyans alone died in camps set up under Italy’s brutal colonial regime from 1929–34. Many more died through executions, starvation and ethnic cleansing.

    When the notorious SS leader Heinrich Himmler visited Libya in in 1939, he deemed the Italian colony a successful model to emulate.

    And after Mussolini’s forces aided the Axis invasions of Yugoslavia, Albania and Russia in the Second World War, more than 80,000 more prisoners were interned in camps. At the camp on the Croatian Island of Rab, more than 3,000 prisoners died in grossly inhumane conditions in 1942–43, at a mortality rate higher than the Nazi camp at Buchenwald.

    Slovenian prisoner of the Italian Rab concentration camp.
    Archives, Museum of Modern History, Ljubljana/Wikimedia Commons

    From late 1943, Italian fascists also participated in the rounding up of over 7,000 Italian Jews to transfer to Auschwitz. Almost all of them were murdered.

    Following the war, even with Il Duce dead, few perpetrators faced justice for these atrocities.

    Lessons for democracies after 80 years

    The infamy of the crimes associated with the word “fascism” has meant that few people today claim the label – even those attracted to the same kinds of authoritarian, ethnonationalist politics.

    Mussolini, even more than Hitler, can seem a bombastic fool, with his uniform, theatrical gestures, stylised hyper-masculinity and patented steely jaw.

    Yet, one of the lessons of Mussolini’s career is that such political adventurists are only as strong as the democratic opposition allows. To fail to take them seriously is to enable their success.

    Mussolini pushed his luck time and again between 1920 and 1926. As the wonderful recent teleseries of his ascent, Mussolini, Figlio del Seculo shows, time and again, the opposition failed to concertedly oppose the fascists’ attacks on democratic norms and institutions. Then it was too late.

    Democracies mostly fall over time, by a thousand cuts and shifts of the goalposts of what is considered “normal”. Fascism, moreover, depends in no small measure on shameless political deception, including the readiness to conceal its own most radical intentions.

    Fascist “strongmen” like Mussolini accumulate power thanks to people’s inabilities to believe that the barbarisation of political life – including open violence against opponents – could happen in their societies.

    And there is a final, unsettling lesson of Mussolini’s career. Il Duce was a skilled propagandist who portrayed himself as leading a popular revolt to restore respectable values. He was able to win widespread popular support, including among the elites, even as he destroyed Italian democracy.

    Yet, if the monarchy, military, other political parties and the church had attempted a principled, united opposition to fascism early enough, most of Mussolini’s crimes would likely have been avoided.

    Matthew Sharpe has in the past (2013-17) received funding from the ARC to study religion and politics in the contemporary world.

    – ref. 80 years after Benito Mussolini’s death, what can democracies today learn from his fascist rise? – https://theconversation.com/80-years-after-benito-mussolinis-death-what-can-democracies-today-learn-from-his-fascist-rise-251154

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: 12 playgrounds to visit this summer

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Lyons Oval playground is one of Canberra’s most recently upgraded playgrounds.

    In brief:

    • Canberra has more playgrounds than any other state or local council in Australia.
    • This story includes a list of playgrounds that have been upgraded or built in 2024.

    In Canberra, most homes are within 400 metres of a local playground. If you have kids, it’s likely you’re well acquainted with every playground near your home.

    As Canberra’s population grows, there are more playgrounds all over town. Existing playgrounds are also updated to ensure they remain great places for local kids to play.

    Read on to find out more about some of the playgrounds that were built or updated in 2024.

    Belconnen

    Banambila Street playground

    Banambila Street, Aranda

    The upgraded Banambila Street playground is suitable for all age groups and families. Highlights include:

    • a wombat tunnel for toddlers
    • a swing set with a toddler seat, basket swing and spinner
    • a raised teepee structure with a net, ladder and slide
    • fitness equipment
    • seating, including a picnic table and shelter.

    Find out more about the Banambila Street Playground

    Wakool Circuit playground

    Wakool circuit, Kaleen

    The upgraded Wakool Circuit playground now features:

    • a climbing tower
    • an area for toddlers
    • a frog sculpture
    • a nature play area with timber and stilt steppers
    • logs and carved boulders
    • seating, picnic table and shelter.

    The swing frame has been retained but now has a toddler seat and a band seat. The existing rocker and combination unit have also been retained. The combination unit now has a new kaleidoscope panel.

    Find out more.

    Whitlam Community Playground

    Ker Wilson Way, Whitlam

    This new playground includes:

    • a climbing tower with slide
    • swings
    • a hammock swing
    • springers
    • toddler combination unit with slide, steps and climbing wall
    • shaded picnic area.

    There is plenty of open space to run around. Views extend over Molonglo River towards the surrounding hills.

    Find out more.

    Gungahlin

    Burrumarra Avenue playground

    Burrumarra Avenue, Ngunnawal

    This upgraded playground is Ngunnawal’s only fully fenced playground. It includes:

    • equipment for toddlers
    • all-abilities play equipment, including a double rocker and seesaw
    • a fort with a slide and climbing elements
    • picnic tables, shelter and refreshed landscaping.

    Learn more.

    Casey Community Recreation Park

    Between Plimsoll Drive and Yeend Avenue, Casey

    Casey has a new community recreation park.

    There is lots to explore, including:

    • equipment for all abilities
    • a multi-purpose court
    • flying fox
    • shade structures
    • a barbecue
    • a picnic area
    • accessible toilet facilities
    • parking, including one accessible space.

    Find out more.

    Jacka Central Community Playground

    Horse Park Drive, Jacka

    The Jacka playground is brand new and has something for all children. Features include:

    • a large combination unit with slide, climbs and bridge crossing
    • talking pipes
    • toddler area with shop window and slide
    • play hill with slides and tunnel
    • tilting bowl
    • spinning poles
    • stilt steppers
    • swings, including a nest swing.

    The area also has a sheltered picnic area and additional seating.

    Find out more.

    Tuggeranong

    Point Hut Pond playground

    Charles Place, Gordon

    The Point Hut Pond playground in Gordon has been upgraded. There were updates to the junior play area and a new Maliyan nest area.

    The junior play area has:

    • timber steppers
    • a vortex climber
    • a rocker
    • timber balancing stilts
    • a junior swing
    • a shaded slide structure with steps.

    The Maliyan nest area has:

    • a Maliyan nest climber with slide
    • a slide and scramble slope
    • nature play elements.

    The area also has:

    • a sandpit with digger
    • toilets
    • shade sails
    • barbecue
    • picnic table.

    Alston Street playground

    Alston Street, Chisholm

    This upgraded playground has had significant upgrades, including:

    • stone and timber steppers
    • an accessible spinner
    • a nest swing
    • a brown snake sculpture.

    There is also climbing equipment for older children including climbing polls, a pommel walk and a vortex. You’ll also find picnic tables, shelter and seating.

    Find out more.

    Tuggeranong Town Park

    Bartlet Place, Greenway

    This playground has been recently upgraded to include:

    • a climbing tower
    • sandpit with digger
    • double flying fox
    • accessible carousel
    • balancing logs
    • an accessible nest swing
    • refreshed shade sails and swing seats
    • a bike repair station.

    Some of the existing elements have been repaired and repainted. This includes:

    • the toddler combination unit with slide
    • toddler swing
    • springer
    • seesaw.

    There’s shaded seating between the playground and the lake. There are also barbecue and picnic areas nearby.

    There is plenty of open spaces to run around. This includes nearby grassy areas and the sandy shore of Lake Tuggeranong

    Find out more.

    Woden and Molonglo Valley

    Lyons Oval playground

    Launceston Street, Lyons

    The Lyons playground has retained some of the features that local families loved. This includes the existing rocker and swing frame.

    There are exciting new additions, including:

    • a new nature play journey with timber and stilt steppers
    • boulders and a timber balance log
    • a nest swing
    • a combination unit with slide and climbing elements
    • a drum
    • monkey bars and twirl bars
    • balance ropes.

    There is also a seating and picnic shelter and a new shade sail.

    Find out more.

    Ruth Park playground

    Edgeworth Parade, Coombs

    This playground opened in 2022 and has quickly become a favourite among Canberra families. Upgrades including public toilets are planned for January 2025.

    It features equipment for all ages, including:

    • a bird’s nest tower
    • pod structures
    • slides
    • swings
    • trampoline pads
    • springers
    • and much more.

    It also includes a barbecue and picnic area.

    Find out more.

    Central

    Maliyan Park, north Watson

    Aspinall Street, Watson

    This new neighbourhood playground is packed with features for kids of all ages.

    Play elements include:

    • swings
    • slides
    • climbers
    • spinners
    • springers
    • a tunnel
    • trampoline pads
    • talking pipes.

    There is also exercise equipment and a kick-around space. A picnic area is positioned in the middle of the playground.

    Find out more.

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    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI: Best Online Casinos UK 2025: JACKBIT Rated As Top UK Casino Site

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

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    A Closer Look At The Best Online Casino UK: JACKBIT

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    Pros And Cons Of JACKBIT – The Best UK Casino Site

    • Pros:
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      • 24/7 multilingual customer support, including English.
      • Generous bonuses, including 100 free spins with no wagering.
    • Cons:
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      • No dedicated mobile app, though the site is mobile-optimized.
      • Minor navigation issues reported on mobile by some users.

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    How We Selected the Best Online Casino in the United Kingdom

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    License And Security At JACKBIT – Ensuring A Safe Gaming Environment

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    Bonuses And Promotions At JACKBIT – Unmatched Value For UK Players

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    Casino Games At JACKBIT – A Diverse And Exciting Selection

    At the heart of any best online casino UK is its game library, and JACKBIT delivers with over 7,000 titles from leading providers, ensuring endless entertainment for UK players. Whether you’re a slot enthusiast, table game strategist, or sports betting fan, JACKBIT’s diverse offerings cater to all preferences.

    • Slots: A World of Themes and Features
      JACKBIT’s slot collection spans thousands of titles, from classic three-reel games to modern video slots with immersive graphics and bonus features. Popular picks include Book of Dead (96.21% RTP), Starburst (96.09% RTP), and Gates of Olympus (96.5% RTP), known for their high payouts and engaging mechanics like free spins and multipliers. Progressive jackpots like Mega Moolah offer life-changing win potential.
    • Table Games: Classic Casino Action
      For traditionalists, JACKBIT provides a robust selection of table games, including multiple variants of blackjack (e.g., Blackjack Classic, Multihand), roulette (European, French), baccarat, and poker (Texas Hold’em, Caribbean Stud). These games blend luck and strategy, appealing to UK players seeking skill-based challenges.
    • Live Dealer Games: Real-Time Thrills
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    The quality of games at a best UK casino site hinges on its providers, and JACKBIT collaborates with over 85 industry leaders to deliver a premium gaming experience. These partnerships ensure fair, engaging, and visually stunning games for UK players.

    • NetEnt: Renowned for iconic slots like Starburst and Gonzo’s Quest, NetEnt delivers vibrant graphics, innovative features, and high RTPs, making their games a staple at top online casino UK platforms.
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    Banking Methods at JACKBIT – Seamless Transactions for UK Players

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    • Cryptocurrencies: Speed and Privacy
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      For traditionalists, JACKBIT accepts Visa, MasterCard, Bank Transfer, Google Pay, and Apple Pay. Deposits are processed instantly, while withdrawals may take 1-3 days, offering secure alternatives for those not using crypto. These methods align with UK preferences for familiar banking options.
    • Transaction Efficiency
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    • Live Chat: Instant Assistance
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      For complex queries, email support provides thorough responses, usually within 24 hours. This channel is ideal for detailed account or payment concerns, offering personalized solutions.
    • Comprehensive Resources
      JACKBIT’s detailed FAQ section covers account management, payments, bonuses, and more, while guides help new players navigate the platform. These resources empower UK players to find answers independently.
    • User Feedback
      UK players on platforms like Reddit praise JACKBIT’s support for its efficiency and friendliness, reinforcing its reliability as a best UK casino site.

    This comprehensive support system ensures JACKBIT remains a trusted online casino in UK.

    Best Online Casino Games At JACKBIT – Top Picks For UK Players

    With over 7,000 games, selecting the best at JACKBIT can be daunting. Here are standout titles across categories, popular among UK players for their high RTPs and engaging gameplay:

    • Slots:
      • Book of Dead (96.21% RTP): Egyptian-themed with free spins and expanding symbols.
      • Starburst (96.09% RTP): Vibrant graphics, expanding wilds for big wins.
      • Gates of Olympus (96.5% RTP): Tumbling reels, multipliers up to 500x.
    • Table Games:
      • European Roulette: 2.7% house edge, ideal for strategic play.
      • Blackjack Classic: Low 0.5% house edge with optimal strategy.
    • Live Dealer:
      • Lightning Roulette: Multipliers up to 500x add excitement.
      • Infinite Blackjack: Unlimited players, side bets for variety.
    • Sportsbook:
      • Football: Premier League, Champions League betting.
      • eSports: CS:GO, Dota 2 with live markets.

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    Best UK Online Casino Payment Methods

    JACKBIT’s payment options are tailored for UK players:

    • Crypto: Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin for instant, private transactions with no fees.
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    Responsible Gambling at UK Casinos Online – Prioritizing Player Well-Being

    While JACKBIT operates under a Curacao license rather than UKGC, it prioritizes responsible gambling with robust tools to help UK players stay in control:

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    • Session Reminders: Alerts notify players of play duration, encouraging breaks to avoid excessive gaming sessions.
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    • Reality Checks: Pop-up notifications remind players of time spent, fostering mindful gaming habits.
    • Support Resources: Links to GamCare and BeGambleAware provide access to professional help for gambling concerns.

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    Winning Strategies At JACKBIT – Tips For Success

    Maximizing your success at JACKBIT, the best online casino UK, involves smart strategies tailored to its unique features. Here are expert tips to enhance your gaming experience:

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    JACKBIT Conclusion: The Best Online Casino UK

    After evaluating numerous UK casino sites, JACKBIT emerges as the best online casino UK for 2025. Its no KYC policy, instant crypto payouts, 7,000+ games, and no-wager bonuses set it apart. While not UKGC-regulated, its Curacao license, SSL encryption, and responsible gambling tools ensure a secure, rewarding experience. From slots to sports betting, JACKBIT caters to all UK players, making it the ultimate best casino UK.

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    FAQ: Best Online Casino UK – JACKBIT

    • Is JACKBIT legal for UK players?
      JACKBIT, licensed in Curacao, is accessible to UK players but not UKGC-regulated. Players should verify local laws to ensure compliance before joining.
    • What makes JACKBIT the best online casino in the UK?
      JACKBIT offers 7,000+ games, instant crypto payouts, no KYC, and no-wager bonuses, delivering a top-tier experience for UK players.
    • Does JACKBIT have a mobile app?
      No, but its mobile-optimized site provides seamless gaming on smartphones, with full access to games and features.
    • What payment methods are available?
      JACKBIT supports Bitcoin, Ethereum, Visa, MasterCard, Google Pay, and more, ensuring fast, secure transactions for UK players.
    • Are there bonuses for new players?
      Yes, new players get 30% rakeback and 100 free spins with no wagering, boosting their start at JACKBIT.
    • How does JACKBIT ensure game fairness?
      Curacao license, SSL encryption, and provably fair games ensure transparent, fair outcomes for all players.
    • Can I play without verifying my identity?
      Yes, JACKBIT’s no KYC policy allows anonymous play, simplifying registration and enhancing privacy for UK users.
    • What games can I play at JACKBIT?
      Slots, table games, live dealers, and a sportsbook with 140+ sports offer diverse options for UK players.
    • Is customer support 24/7 at JACKBIT?
      Yes, 24/7 live chat in English and other languages provides prompt, reliable assistance for all inquiries.
    • Does JACKBIT offer responsible gambling tools?
      Yes, deposit limits, session reminders, and self-exclusion options promote safe, responsible gaming for UK players.

    Email: support@jackbit.com

    Disclaimer: This press release is provided by the Jackbit. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice.

    Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector—including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining—complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed.

    Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility.

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    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/44a272fd-3055-44b6-a3dc-a649b2557bdb

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: 80 years after Benito Mussolini’s death, what can democracies today learn from his fascist rise?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matthew Sharpe, Associate Professor in Philosophy, Australian Catholic University

    Hitler and Mussolini in Munich, Germany, June 18, 1940. Everett Collection/Shutterstock

    This Monday marks 80 years since Italian dictator Benito Mussolini was killed in an Italian village towards the end of the Second World War in 1945. The following day, his body was publicly desecrated in Milan.

    Il Duce, as Mussolini was known, was Hitler’s inspiration.
    State Library of Victoria

    Given the scale of Adolf Hitler’s atrocities, our image of fascism today has largely been shaped by Nazism. Yet, Mussolini preceded Hitler. Il Duce, as Mussolini was known, was Hitler’s inspiration.

    Today, as commentators, bloggers and scholars are debating whether the governments of US President Donald Trump, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Russian President Vladimir Putin are “fascist”, we can learn from Il Duce’s career about how democracies fail and dictators consolidate autocratic rule.

    The early years

    The term “fascist” itself originated around the time of Mussolini’s founding in 1914 of the Fasci d’Azione Rivoluzionaria, a militaristic group promoting Italy’s entry into the First World War.

    Mussolini had been raised in a leftist family. Before WWI, he edited and wrote for socialist newspapers. Yet, from early on, the young rebel was also attracted to radically anti-democratic thinkers like Friedrich Nietzsche, George Sorel, and Wilfred Pareto.

    When WWI broke out, Mussolini broke from the socialists, who opposed Italy’s involvement in the conflict. Like Hitler, he fought in the war. Mussolini considered his front-line experience as formative for his future ideas around fascism. His war experience led him to imagine making Italy great again – an imperial power worthy of the heritage of ancient Rome.

    In March 1919, Mussolini formed the Fasci Italiani di Combattimento in Milan. This group brought together a motley collection of war veterans, primarily interested in fighting the socialists and communists. They were organised in squadristi (squads), which would become known for their black shirts and violence – they forced many of their targets to drink castor oil.

    The political success of Mussolini’s fascist ideals, however, was neither instant nor inevitable. In the 1919 Italian elections, Mussolini received so few votes, communists held a mock funeral march outside his house to celebrate his political death.

    The rise to power and the march on Rome

    Fascism became a part of national political life in 1920-21, following waves of industrial and agricultural strikes and worker occupations of land and factories.

    As a result, rural and industrial elites turned to the fascist squadristi to break strikes and combat workers’ organisations. Fascist squads also overturned the results of democratic elections in Bologna and Cremona, preventing left-wing candidates from assuming office.

    Mussolini’s political capital, remarkably, was boosted by this violence. He was invited to enter Prime Minister Ivanoe Bonomi’s first government in July 1921.

    The following October, fascists occupied the towns of Bolzano and Trento. The liberals, socialists and Italian monarchy were indecisive in the face of these provocations, allowing Mussolini to seize the moment. Mustering the fascist squads, he ordered the famous “march on Rome” in late October 2022 to demand he be appointed prime minister.

    All the evidence suggests if the government had intervened, the march on Rome would have disbanded. It was a bold piece of political theatre. Nevertheless, fearing civil war — and the communists more than the black shirts — King Victor Emmanuel III caved in without a shot being fired.

    Mussolini was made leader of a new government on October 31, 1922.

    The consolidation of dictatorship

    Like Hitler in 1933, Mussolini’s rule started as the head of a coalition government including non-fascist parties. Yet, with the repressive powers of the state now at his disposal, Mussolini exploited the division among his rivals and gradually consolidated power.

    In 1923, the communist party was targeted with mass arrests and the fascist squads were brought under official state control as a paramilitary force. Mussolini began to use state powers to surveil all non-fascist political parties.

    In the 1924 general election, with fascist militia menacingly manning the polls, Il Duce won 65% of the vote.

    Then, in June, socialist leader Giacomo Matteotti was kidnapped and murdered by black shirts. When investigations pointed to Mussolini’s responsibility, he at first denied any knowledge of the killing. Months later, however, Mussolini proudly admitted responsibility for the deed, celebrating the fascists’ brutality. He faced no legal or political consequences.

    The last nail in the coffin of Italy’s enfeebled democracy came in late 1926. Following an assassination attempt in which Mussolini’s nose was grazed (he wore a bandage for a time afterwards), Mussolini definitively banned all political opposition.

    The “lesser evil”

    Following his death in April 1945, Mussolini’s dictatorship was often portrayed as “dictatorship-lite”, a “lesser evil” compared to Nazism or Stalinist Russia. This narrative, bolstered by German crimes against Italians in the last months of the war, has understandably been embraced by many Italians.

    Yet, Mussolini’s was the first regime to advertise itself as totalitarian. Styling himself as a “man of destiny”, Mussolini claimed that fascism embodied the “spiritual renewal” of the Italian people.

    His goal of making Italy a power again required total control of the state. His 1932 “Doctrine of Fascism” describes the need “to exercise power and to command” all administrative, policing, and judicial institutions. This included censorship of the press and educational institutions.

    Mussolini announcing Italy’s declaration of war on France and Britain in 1940.
    Australian War Memorial

    While portraying fascism as a “populist” movement, Mussolini also shut down independent trade unions, bailed out big banks, and prevented the right to strike. As a result, economic inequality between Italians actually grew wider under his rule.

    Mussolini also pursued an imperialist dream by invading Ethiopia. Defying international conventions, Il Duce’s troops used chemical weapons and summary executions to quell acts of resistance. Over 700,000 Ethiopians are estimated by scholars to have been killed by the invaders, with around 35,000 forced into internment camps.

    Italian Ca-111 bombers over Ethiopia in the 1930s.
    Getty Images/Wikimedia Commons

    Mussolini’s fascists ran over 30 concentration camps from 1926–45, almost all of them offshore. Some 50–70,000 Libyans alone died in camps set up under Italy’s brutal colonial regime from 1929–34. Many more died through executions, starvation and ethnic cleansing.

    When the notorious SS leader Heinrich Himmler visited Libya in in 1939, he deemed the Italian colony a successful model to emulate.

    And after Mussolini’s forces aided the Axis invasions of Yugoslavia, Albania and Russia in the Second World War, more than 80,000 more prisoners were interned in camps. At the camp on the Croatian Island of Rab, more than 3,000 prisoners died in grossly inhumane conditions in 1942–43, at a mortality rate higher than the Nazi camp at Buchenwald.

    Slovenian prisoner of the Italian Rab concentration camp.
    Archives, Museum of Modern History, Ljubljana/Wikimedia Commons

    From late 1943, Italian fascists also participated in the rounding up of over 7,000 Italian Jews to transfer to Auschwitz. Almost all of them were murdered.

    Following the war, even with Il Duce dead, few perpetrators faced justice for these atrocities.

    Lessons for democracies after 80 years

    The infamy of the crimes associated with the word “fascism” has meant that few people today claim the label – even those attracted to the same kinds of authoritarian, ethnonationalist politics.

    Mussolini, even more than Hitler, can seem a bombastic fool, with his uniform, theatrical gestures, stylised hyper-masculinity and patented steely jaw.

    Yet, one of the lessons of Mussolini’s career is that such political adventurists are only as strong as the democratic opposition allows. To fail to take them seriously is to enable their success.

    Mussolini pushed his luck time and again between 1920 and 1926. As the wonderful recent teleseries of his ascent, Mussolini, Figlio del Seculo shows, time and again, the opposition failed to concertedly oppose the fascists’ attacks on democratic norms and institutions. Then it was too late.

    Democracies mostly fall over time, by a thousand cuts and shifts of the goalposts of what is considered “normal”. Fascism, moreover, depends in no small measure on shameless political deception, including the readiness to conceal its own most radical intentions.

    Fascist “strongmen” like Mussolini accumulate power thanks to people’s inabilities to believe that the barbarisation of political life – including open violence against opponents – could happen in their societies.

    And there is a final, unsettling lesson of Mussolini’s career. Il Duce was a skilled propagandist who portrayed himself as leading a popular revolt to restore respectable values. He was able to win widespread popular support, including among the elites, even as he destroyed Italian democracy.

    Yet, if the monarchy, military, other political parties and the church had attempted a principled, united opposition to fascism early enough, most of Mussolini’s crimes would likely have been avoided.

    Matthew Sharpe has in the past (2013-17) received funding from the ARC to study religion and politics in the contemporary world.

    – ref. 80 years after Benito Mussolini’s death, what can democracies today learn from his fascist rise? – https://theconversation.com/80-years-after-benito-mussolinis-death-what-can-democracies-today-learn-from-his-fascist-rise-251154

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Samoan nun tells of ‘like a blur’ awesome meeting with Pope Francis

    By Susana Suisuiki, RNZ Pacific presenter

    The doors of St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican have now been closed and the coffin sealed, ahead of preparations for tonight’s funeral of Pope Francis.

    The Vatican says a quarter of a million people have paid respects to Pope Francis in the last three days.

    Sister Susana Vaifale of the Missionaries of Faith has lived in Rome for more than 10 years and worked at the Vatican’s St Peter’s parish office.

    She told RNZ Pacific Waves that when she met the Pope in 2022 for an “ad limina” (obligatory visit) with the bishops from Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands, she was lost for words.

    “When I was there in front of him, it’s like a blur, I couldn’t say anything,” she said.

    Sister Vaifale said although she was speechless, she thought of her community back home in Samoa.

    “In my heart, I brought everyone, I mean my country, my people and myself. So, in that time . . .  I was just looking at him and I said, ‘my goodness’ I’m here, I’m in front of the Pope, Francis . . .  the leader of the Catholic Church.”

    At Easter celebration
    Sister Vaifale said she was at the Easter celebration in St Peter’s Square where Pope Francis made his last public appearance.

    However, the next day it was announced that Pope Francis died.

    The news shattered Sister Vaifale who was on a train when she heard what had happened.

    “Oh, I cried, yeah I cried . . . until now I am very emotional, very sad.”

    “He passed at 7:30 . . .  I am very sad but like we say in Samoa: ‘maliu se toa ae toe tula’i mai se toa’.. so, it’s all in God’s hands.”

    Pope Francis with Fatima Leung Wai in Krakow, Poland in 2016. Image: Fatima Leung Wai/RNZ Pacific

    Siblings pay final respects
    The Leung-Wai family from South Auckland are in Rome and joined the long queue to pay their final respects to Pope Francis lying in state at St Peter’s Basilica.

    Fatima Leung-Wai along with her siblings Martin and Ann-Margaret are proud of their Catholic faith and are active parishioners at St Peter Chanel church in Clover Park.

    The family’s Easter trip to Rome was initially for the canonisation of Blessed Carlo Acutis — a young Italian boy who died at the age of 15 from leukemia and is touted to be the first millennial saint.

    Leung Wai siblings in St Peter’s Basilica were among the thousands paying their final respects to Pope Francis. Image: Leung Wai family/RNZ Pacific

    Plans changed as soon as they heard the news of the Pope’s death.

    Leung-Wai said it took an hour and a half for her and her siblings to see the Pope in the basilica and the crowd numbers at St Peter’s Square got bigger each day.

    Despite only seeing Pope Francis’ body for a moment, Leung-Wai said she was blessed to have met him in 2016 for World Youth Day in Krakow, Poland.

    She said Pope Francis was well-engaged with the youth.

    “I was blessed to have lunch with him nine years ago,” Leung-Wai said.

    “Meeting him at that time he was like a grandpa, he was like very open and warm and very much interested in what the young people and what we had to say.”

    Leung Wai siblings with their parents, mum Lesina, and dad Aniseko. Image: Leung Wai family/RNZ Pacific

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: G20 supports plans to address barriers to Africa’s development

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Members of the Group of Twenty (G20) have endorsed a work programme that identifies policy solutions that will address the barriers that limit Africa’s development and growth.

    “During the discussion on the impediments to growth and development in Africa, members welcomed the work on strengthening institutions, addressing macroeconomic vulnerabilities, infrastructure development and the cost of capital,” a joint statement by National Treasury and South African Reserve Bank said on Thursday.

    Members endorsed a work programme proposed by South Africa’s Presidency to identify and submit tailored policy solutions to the impediments to help address the individual challenges that countries face.

    The Second Meeting of the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) took place on 23 and 24 April 2025 on the sidelines of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington, DC.

    Under the chairship of Minister Enoch Godongwana and Governor Lesetja Kganyago, the meeting delivered productive and constructive discussions on global macroeconomic and financial stability, the international financial architecture, and Africa-specific priorities.

    “There was broad consensus on the central role of the G20 in fostering stability and strategic direction during this period of global economic turbulence. 

    “There was broad consensus on the central role of the G20 in fostering stability and strategic direction during this period of global economic turbulence. 

    “Many urged the need to reaffirm our commitment to multilateralism and a rules-based global trading system and renewed efforts to restore cooperation. 

    “There was also an acknowledgement that low-income countries will be the most severely affected by trade fragmentation. Members agreed on the need for the G20 to lead macro-financial policy responses to safeguard growth and financial stability,” the statement said.

    The international financial architecture discussion focused on advancing the Monitoring and Reporting Framework to track implementation of the G20 Roadmap for bigger, better and more effective Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs). 

    The G20 confirmed plans to develop monitoring indicators with clear, measurable and focused outcomes.

    “In addressing the need to increase the level of development financing, members supported new initiatives to promote blended finance and private capital mobilisation. 

    “They further agreed to strengthen multilateral cooperation to tackle heightened debt vulnerabilities and liquidity challenges, and to promote augmented debt transparency,” the statement said.

    Members also approved a process to improve the Common Framework, informed by recommendations from a G20 Note on the lessons learned from the Common Framework’s first cases. 

    Broad support was also expressed for the work of the Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable and the release of a Playbook on debt restructuring by the International Monetary Fund and World Bank. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Minister Ramokgopa to participate in Harvard Ministerial Forum

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Friday, April 25, 2025

    Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Maropene Ramokgopa has been invited to participate in the Harvard Ministerial Forum at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in the United States.

    It will be held from Sunday, 27 April to Wednesday, 30 April 2025.

    “I am honoured to be invited to participate in the Harvard Ministerial Forum, which provides an excellent opportunity for high-level engagement, learning and exchange towards the advancement of national development, leadership and impactful governance,” Ramokgopa said.

    Led by senior Harvard faculty members and former Heads of Government and Ministers from around the world, the programme is designed for government leaders with whole-of-government coordinating roles in driving a national priority agenda. 

    The programme consists of learning and exchange opportunities for Ministers to develop concrete tools to undertake genuine transformational change in their tenure of office. 

    “Personally, this is also an opportunity for continued growth and development, which should always be encouraged in our society,” said the Minister.

    The Minister is looking forward to the forum.

    “I look forward to getting insights and mentorship from the likes of former President of Tanzania, His Excellency Jakaya Kikwete, former Mozambique Prime Minister Dr Luisa Diogo, and other former Heads of Government, and engaging fellow Ministers in this important programme which promotes collaboration and seeks to build a better world,” she said. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: SASSA Gold Cards to continue working beyond 31 May 2025

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    The Postbank has confirmed that South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) Gold Cards will continue to work beyond 31 May 2025. 

    In a statement on Thursday, Postbank said grant beneficiaries with Gold Cards will continue to be paid their SASSA grants in those cards until further notice, which is great news for beneficiaries that have not yet migrated to Postbank Black Cards.

    According to Postbank, SASSA Gold Cards will continue to work across all payment systems, including ATMs and POS machines. Beneficiaries can continue to withdraw cash at all Postbank’s partner retail stores and can continue swiping for purchases. 

    This means that the Gold Cards will continue to work as they do now, even after 31 May 2025.

    “In keeping with our commitment that we made that Postbank will ensure that no beneficiary will be left with no access to their grants and that there will be no disruptions in payments of grants, Gold Cards will continue to work until every beneficiary is transitioned to the new black card.

    “We are therefore hopeful and confident that this announcement addresses any concern relating to the payments of any beneficiaries that may not have yet obtained their Black Cards,” Postbank CEO, Nikki Mbengashe, explained. 

    The CEO advised social grant beneficiaries to ignore any call that they must change banks, as this is unnecessary.

    “We plead with them to be wary of misleading information that their Gold Cards will not work and that they need to change banks because of this,” she said. 

    Beneficiaries are also asked to always only respond to Postbank published communication when it comes to their SASSA Gold Cards and the Black Cards, as the only authorised entity that is responsible for the issuing of these cards. 

    Beneficiaries are further advised that whenever they come across any information regarding their cards that has not been communicated by Postbank, they should not believe what is being said. 

    Postbank said this will prevent beneficiaries from being misled as the entity observes increased amounts of incorrect information being communicated about the SASSA cards recently.

    “As the Gold Cards will continue to work and all beneficiaries can continue to use those cards and their Black Cards to access payments, Postbank notifies the beneficiaries that it has put a temporary suspension of the distribution of new Black Cards in its sites until further notice. 

    “This, however, has no impact on anyone who currently has a Postbank Black Card, as that card will continue to work as per normal,” the entity said.

    The Postbank card distribution sites, however, will remain open and available to beneficiaries to access the following services:

    • PIN resets.
    • Reissuing of Black Cards for any beneficiary that has experienced a lost/stolen card incident.
    • Beneficiaries seeking to register for the cardless payment alternative.

    Postbank further extended its appreciation to all grant beneficiaries for their cooperation and understanding as it works towards enhancing their banking experience and service quality standards. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Global action needed to combat malaria

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    The World Health Organisation (WHO) says revitalised efforts are urgently needed in the battle against malaria. 

    Today marks World Malaria Day, which is observed globally every year on 25 April to acknowledge the collective efforts to control malaria.

    In a statement released on Friday, WHO highlighted the importance of global collaboration, which has saved nearly 13 million lives since the year 2000.

    Despite the progress, the agency said it has certified 45 countries and one territory as malaria-free, while many countries with a low malaria burden continue to move steadily towards the goal of elimination. 

    Of the remaining 83 malaria-endemic countries, 25 reported fewer than 10 cases of the disease in 2023.

    WHO has warned that the fight against the disease is far from over, with nearly 600 000 lives lost to malaria in 2023, with African nations bearing the brunt of the burden.

    WHO’s Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has stressed the fragility of current gains. 

    “The history of malaria teaches us a harsh lesson that when we divert our attention, the disease resurges, taking its greatest toll on the most vulnerable.

    “But the same history also shows us what’s possible, that with strong political commitment, sustained investment, multisectoral action and community engagement, malaria can be defeated,” said Ghebreyesus.

    In a promising development, 20 African countries, including Mali, are set to introduce malaria vaccines to protect children from the disease.

    In addition, WHO said the use of advanced insecticide-treated nets is on the rise, significantly contributing to malaria prevention.

    The theme for this year’s campaign is: “Malaria ends with us: Reinvest, reimagine, reignite”.

    WHO urges governments, health organisations and communities to come together in a renewed commitment to eradicate malaria once and for all.

    Ghebreyesus has called for sustained commitment and investment at all levels, urging countries to enhance domestic healthcare spending. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: KZN Premier tables Budget Vote

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    The R817.875 million allocation for the Office of the Premier is a strategic investment to ensure that the provincial government remains agile, efficient, and people centred, says KwaZulu-Natal Premier, Thamsanqa Ntuli.

    “Our vision is clear. We are building a capable and ethical state that fosters inclusive development, safeguards the vulnerable, and delivers with excellence,” Ntuli said.

    The Premier tabled the Office of the Premier’s 2025/26 Budget Vote at the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Legislature, in Pietermaritzburg, on Thursday, under the theme: “Accelerating Inclusive Growth and Service Delivery through Effective Governance”.

    The budget speech marked a step in driving socioeconomic transformation, improving public sector performance, and addressing the province’s most urgent challenges. It also reflected the province’s commitment to fast-tracking service delivery through innovation, interdepartmental coordination, and effective oversight.

    The key focus areas highlighted in the budget vote included:
    •    Youth empowerment and job creation: Enhanced support for the Youth Development Fund and expanded skills development initiatives, through the Moses Kotane Institute and Operation Vula.
    •    Fighting gender-based violence: Continued implementation of the provincial Gender-Based Violence and Femicide Strategy, with targeted programmes to protect women, children, and the LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual) community.
    •    Digital transformation: The Office of the Premier will invest in modern ICT (Information and Communication Technology) infrastructure, to improve governance and streamline public service delivery.
    •    District Development Model: Strengthening the one-government, one-plan approach to tackle service delivery backlogs and build resilient local economies.
    The Premier also reaffirmed the provincial government’s stance on clean governance and zero tolerance for corruption.

    “Every rand spent must serve the people of this province. There will be no room for maladministration or ethical lapses,” Ntuli said.
     

    As KwaZulu-Natal continues to recover from the impact of past disasters and economic strain, the Premier said the 2025/26 budget is positioned as a catalyst for sustainable recovery, job creation, and a more just society.

    In his closing remarks, the Premier called for unity and collaboration with all stakeholders.

    “Let us work together – government, business, civil society and communities – to build the KwaZulu-Natal we all deserve,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za
     

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Tembisa Hospital fires pose safety risk to patients, staff

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    The Office of Health Standards Compliance (OHSC) has expressed concern regarding repeated fire outbreaks at the Tembisa Provincial Tertiary Hospital, in Gauteng. 

    This is after the second fire hit Tembisa Hospital at the main outpatient department on Wednesday. The smoke spread to the Eye Clinic and the nearby pharmacy, impacting areas that had initially been cleared from Saturday’s fire.

    This included the surgical outpatient department, medical outpatient department, family medicine, and the administration block, which were intended to serve as alternative accident and emergency service areas.

    According to the OHSC, which is responsible for monitoring and ensuring the health and safety of healthcare service users, these incidents pose a potential risk to the safety of both patients and staff.

    “These incidents have raised significant alarms about safety protocols and emergency preparedness, highlighting the urgent need for a comprehensive assessment of the facility to ensure the safety of patients, visitors, staff and other occupants of the Tembisa Provincial Tertiary Hospital premises,” a statement issued by the OHSC said.

    The office said all health establishments must prioritise the safety and security of patients, especially during emergencies. 

    “Health establishments must ensure that the systems comply with health regulations and foster a safe environment for everyone in their care.” 

    The OHSC said it would dispatch a team of inspectors to conduct a risk-based inspection as a fact-finding action to establish the circumstances surrounding the two fire incidents. 

    “Risk-based inspections are specifically triggered and conducted on an ad hoc basis in response to identified risks at health facilities.

    “Considering that the winter season is already on, this inspection will enable the OHSC to establish possible root causes and to make informed recommendations that are aimed at mitigating the risk of fire incidents at health facilities.” 

    The OHSC urges all healthcare facilities and providers to regularly review their safety protocols and emergency response plans to avoid similar occurrences and ensure that the integrity of the healthcare system and the protection of the users of health services are maintained. 

    On Wednesday, the Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Joe Phaahla, reassured the public that services will continue despite a second fire incident at the main outpatient department at the Tembisa Hospital. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Four additional sluice gates opened at Vaal Dam

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    A total of 10 sluice gates are now in operation at the Vaal Dam, after authorities opened four more on Friday, to manage rising water levels.
       
    This comes after water levels risen rapidly overnight in the Vaal Dam due to heavy inflows on the upper catchments, as a result of the continuous above-normal rainfall on already saturated catchments.

    In a statement, the department announced that an additional four sluice gates were opened gradually on Friday from 9am until 1pm. 

    “This will bring the total number of gates open at the dam to 10. The dam is currently sitting at 118.48% with an inflow of 2448.24 cubic metres per second (m3/s) into the dam.

    “At Bloemhof Dam, water outflows are also being increased incrementally at different times from 2000 m3/s to 2200 m3/s at 9am; 2400 m3/s at 11am; 2600 m3/s at 1pm; and 2800 m3/s by 3pm. The dam level is currently sitting at 110.27% as of this morning,” the department said.

    These adjustments are necessary to manage the continuous rising inflows and safe operation of the Vaal and Bloemhof Dams.
    With more inflows anticipated into the dams, especially the downstream Bloemhof Dam, the department warned outflows may potentially be increased later in the afternoon, or on Saturday.

    “At Grootdraai Dam, the already opened gate has been increased to 2.5 metres (m) due to the higher inflows of 967.47 m³/s. The storage level is at 110.08%. The gate will be increased to 3 m at 9am, and a second gate will be opened at 11am to 1.0 m.

    “In the Orange River, the Gariep and the Vandekloof Dams are currently sitting at 108.25% and 106.09% respectively and overspilling. The controlled and uncontrolled water releases at all these dams will lead to overtopping of riverbanks downstream of the Orange and the Vaal Rivers, resulting in flooding of settlements that are in the lower-lying areas within the 1 in 100-year floodline,” the department said.

    People living within the floodline downstream of the Vaal and Bloemhof Dams, and have had to evacuate, have been urged to continue to avoid the flooded areas, as the river catchment remains oversaturated. – SAnews.gov.za
     

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: South Africa steps up to save the African penguin

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    As the world marks World Penguin Day, South Africa has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting one of its most iconic yet critically endangered species — the African penguin.

    The Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment (DFFE) has outlined bold steps being taken to halt the dramatic population decline of these seabirds, which have seen their numbers plummet to fewer than 9 000 breeding pairs in the country.

    “The African penguin faces critical complexities, with fewer than 9 000 breeding pairs remaining in South Africa, earning them a critically endangered status. Climate change, overfishing, oil spills, and maritime noise pollution have driven steep declines, but our department, alongside dedicated partners, is taking bold action to reverse this trajectory,” said Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Dion George, on Friday.

    The Minister described the African penguin as “a beloved symbol of South Africa’s rich biodiversity and a species at the heart of conservation efforts”.

    “As we mark World Penguin Day, I call on all South Africans to join us in protecting these remarkable creatures. Their survival reflects the health of our oceans and our commitment to a sustainable future,” George said.

    In a landmark development this March, a court-backed agreement between the fishing industry and leading conservation organisations — BirdLife South Africa and the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) — was announced. 

    The deal establishes biologically significant no-fishing zones around six critical penguin breeding sites: Dassen Island, Robben Island, Stony Point, Dyer Island, St Croix Island, and Bird Island. These areas account for 76% of the country’s African penguin population.

    “This agreement, now an order of the court, establishes biologically meaningful no-fishing zones around six key penguin colonies -notably, 12-mile fishing closures around Robben Island and Bird Island, alongside tailored restrictions at other sites, will secure vital sardine and anchovy stocks for penguins over the next decade. 

    “This achievement was forged by the DFFE through dialogue with the fishing industry, and balances ecological and economic needs, proving collaboration can deliver results.”

    The department is also confronting the devastating environmental consequences of bunkering — ship-to-ship fuel transfers — in Algoa Bay, near St Croix Island, formerly the largest African penguin colony in the world.

    “Oil spills and underwater noise from ship-to-ship refuelling have decimated this population. Following a pause in bunkering activities in 2023, we observed a small but encouraging recovery at St Croix.

    “Our department is now advancing stricter bunkering regulations to permanently restrict such activities in sensitive ecological zones, safeguarding penguins from further harm,” said the Minister.

    In addition to these efforts, government is bolstering Marine Protected Areas to enhance fish stocks, backing SANCCOB’s work in rehabilitating injured penguins, and funding research to continuously refine conservation strategies.

    “Partnerships with organisations like SANCCOB, who recently released rehabilitated penguins like Hope back to the wild, inspire us all,” George said. — SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: SARS ready to accommodate 0.5% VAT increase withdrawal

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Friday, April 25, 2025

    The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has assured the public that it will ensure it will make adjustments to accommodate the withdrawal of the 0.5% increase in the Value-Added Tax (VAT).

    On Thursday, the Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana, indicated that he would withdraw the increase after introducing the Rates and Monetary Amounts and the Amendment of Revenue Laws Bill (Rates Bill) to Parliament.

    “As the administrator of all national government tax measures, SARS will ensure that the necessary adjustments are made to accommodate this change.

    “[The] Commissioner acknowledges that vendors and consumers have invested in preparing for an increase in VAT during a period of uncertainty from Parliament’s deliberations and public comments,” the revenue service said.

    SARS indicated that the following measures would apply to VAT vendors from May 1:

    • VAT vendors who have not implemented the change in rate must stop all development in this regard.
    • Vendors are expected to charge VAT at the rate of 15% and not 15.5% for the relevant goods and services as per the VAT Act.  Vendors may use limited time to adjust their systems accordingly. and report and pay the VAT.
    • Should a vendor not be able to revert to the 15% rate, due to complex system changes that may be needed, such supplies and purchases must be reported and accounted for at the 15.5% rate until such time that they are able to make the necessary system adjustments, which should be completed by no later than 15 May 2025.
    • VAT transactions which were charged at 15.5% must be reported in filed 12 (for output tax) and field 18 (for input tax) of the VAT return.
    • Adjustments in the form of refunds of the 0.5% rate to customers and from suppliers must equally be reported in fields 12 and 18 respectively.
    • The VAT return declarations made will be taken into consideration when verifications and/or audits on the affected VAT tax periods are conducted.
    • The VAT returns that are to be submitted will continue to calculate the VAT auto      calculation using the 15% rate from tax periods or months commencing 1 May 2025.
    • Vendors who have already implemented both the rate changes and the Zero-Rating are encouraged to reverse those changes before 1 May 2025.

    “[SARS] Commissioner Edward Kieswetter said that he understands the complexity and the confusion that has resulted from this process. SARS will do its best to provide further clarity to create certainty of obligation for all vendors,” the revenue service said. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin, Markey To Attend Late Pope Francis’ Funeral On Saturday

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin

    April 25, 2025

    ROME – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) announced today that they will attend the late Pope Francis’ funeral at the Vatican City on Saturday. The bipartisan Senate delegation is being led by Durbin and U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME). Along with Markey, Senators Mike Rounds (R-SD) and Eric Schmitt (R-MO) are also attending.

    Following his death, Durbin wrote, “We have lost the messenger, but we must hold fast to the message of Pope Francis to love and respect one another. In a world of hate and fear, Pope Francis’ message of peace and understanding is needed now more than ever.

    “We should honor the Pope with a ‘Francis Day’ of world peace: stop the bombing in Ukraine and Gaza; feed the dying in Sudan and around the globe; and show kindness to one another.”

    “It is a great honor to join mourners from around the world in St. Peter’s Square to pay our respects to the People’s Pope, His Holiness Pope Francis. In his words and in his deeds, Pope Francis taught us to fight for a better world – one that meets the needs of the most vulnerable among us, and one that grants dignity to all,” said Markey.“Pope Francis held a unique power in convening people, instilling in them a moral obligation to act boldly on the world’s most pressing issues, and guiding them through dark and difficult times with his wisdom, humility, and compassion. When we met, we discussed the necessity to act on climate change and the challenges it poses to the planet we call our home. I carry his mandate forward with me to be in service of life and to embrace the moments and opportunities to be part of a global movement that protects our people and our planet.”

    Durbin also attended the funeral mass of Pope John Paul II in 2005.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: World Health Organization (WHO) welcomes Dr. Fabian Ndenzako as new Representative to Botswana

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

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    The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially welcomed Dr. Fabian Ndenzako as the new Head of Mission and WHO Representative to Botswana and the Southern African Development Community (SADC). A seasoned global health expert, Dr. Ndenzako brings with him over 25 years of experience in public health, including more than two decades of service within WHO across various regions and leadership capacities.

    His appointment comes at a pivotal time, as WHO continues to deepen its collaboration with the newly constituted Government of Botswana, following the November 2024 elections. Guided by the WHO Country Cooperation Strategy (CCS) 2024–2027, Dr. Ndenzako will lead efforts aligned with Botswana’s National Development Plan. These efforts focus on five strategic priorities: strengthening health systems toward Universal Health Coverage (UHC); delivering quality, equitable, and integrated health services across the life course; preventing and controlling communicable and non-communicable diseases; enhancing health security and disaster risk reduction management; and promoting multisectoral action for a healthier population.

    Dr. Ndenzako is a medical doctor trained at the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania. He holds a master’s in public health from the University of Oslo and a master’s in development studies and diplomacy from the University for Peace in collaboration with UNITAR. His impressive academic background complements a broad and deep understanding of global health systems, policy, and diplomacy.

    Prior to his appointment in Botswana, Dr. Ndenzako served as Acting WHO Representative in South Africa, based in Pretoria. He has also led WHO country offices in South Sudan (2021–2024) and Malawi (2018–2019), demonstrating strong leadership in navigating complex public health landscapes, managing crises, and mobilizing resources to strengthen national health responses.

    Earlier in his career, Dr. Ndenzako served as Medical Officer for HIV, Hepatitis, and TB at the WHO Regional Office for Africa, supporting over 20 countries in Eastern and Southern Africa. His contributions included reviewing national health programs, developing strategies and guidelines, coordinating multi-country responses, and facilitating resource mobilization for health emergencies and epidemics.

    He also brings valuable international experience from nearly a decade with the WHO Western Pacific Region, based in Papua New Guinea, where he supported regional responses to both communicable and non-communicable diseases. His work with governments, the United Nations, NGOs, civil society, donors, and international partners underscores his commitment to inclusive and collaborative public health strategies.

    Now at the helm of WHO Botswana, Dr. Ndenzako is poised to steer the office’s efforts toward impactful implementation of the biennial plan, support national health priorities, and strengthen regional coordination through SADC. His vast experience and visionary leadership are set to advance the health and well-being of the people of Botswana and the region at large.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO), Botswana.

    MIL OSI Africa –