NewzIntel.com

Category: Africa

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Macpherson welcomes IDT board appointments 

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Public Works and Infrastructure Minister, Dean Macpherson has welcomed the appointment of five new trustees to the Independent Development Trust (IDT).

    “The Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Dean Macpherson, welcomes the Master of the High Court’s appointment of five new trustees to the Independent Development Trust. The Minister has consequently written to the IDT board, now fully quorate for the first time in a year and a half, urging members to convene urgently to elect a chairperson among themselves to ensure optimal functioning of the agency,” said the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) in a statement on Wednesday.

    The five newly appointed members to the board are Zimbini Hill, Jeffrey Mahachi, Raymond Nnaemeka Nkado, Nangamso Msuthukazi Matebese, and Bella Zoleka Mnanzana. 

    They join Matodzi Ratshimbilani and Derek Naidoo, whom the Minister previously appointed as his representatives to the board, as well as Mpilo Mbambisa, Lufuno Nevondwe, Karabo Siyila, and Prudence Mkhwanazi, who previously served on the board. 

    Macpherson said there has been allegations of corruption and governance issues at the IDT. The IDT is a Schedule 2 state-owned entity which manages the implementation and delivery of critically needed social infrastructure programmes on behalf of the government. 

    “Officials and I have worked tirelessly since then to uncover the truth and restore governance stability after months of the board operating without a quorum,” Macpherson said.

    He also expressed his good wishes to the board “as they embark on the critical task of cleaning up the agency and restoring the IDT to its rightful position in delivering social infrastructure.”

    He is also looking forward to the swift conclusion of the PwC independent investigation to ensure accountability, including potential criminal prosecution, where necessary. The investigation is around the circumstances of the awarding of a controversial R800 million Oxygen Plant tender awarded by the IDT.

    READ | Macpherson welcomes PwC probe into R800m oxygen plant tender

    “The IDT has a crucial role in transforming South Africa into a construction site, thereby driving economic growth and, importantly, creating jobs. It is through the transparency and accountability that we have introduced at the department that we will be able to enhance service delivery and build a better South Africa,” he said. –SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Trio appear in court for Fort Hare fraud case 

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Thursday, April 3, 2025

    Three suspects linked to a a multi-million-rand fraud and money laundering scheme at the University of Fort Hare have been granted bail, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) said.

    The three were arrested in a  breakthrough against corruption in the education sector by the East London based Serious Corruption Investigation team.

    Former Acting Chief Financial Officer Simbongile Geqeza (41), former Head of Investigation and Vetting Isaac Plaartjies (57) and family friend Claudine Davids (44) appeared before the Alice Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday where they faced charges of fraud, money laundering and corruption.

    “The arrests follow a detailed investigation by the Serious Corruption Investigation of the Hawks, which uncovered two fraudulent schemes that drained university funds amounting to more than R2 million,” the Hawks said in a statement on Wednesday.

    The first case dates back to 2 September 2021, when Geqeza allegedly issued a fraudulent instruction to a bank, authorising an illegal payment of R1.4 million to a company with no legitimate ties to the university. 

    The scheme was exposed when university management noticed financial discrepancies and reported the matter to the Hawks.

    “During the meticulous investigation conducted by the Hawks, a second fraudulent transaction was uncovered, involving a payment of R985,000 to a service provider for investigative services that were never rendered. 

    Furthermore, the service provider allegedly claimed to have assisted the Hawks during the university investigation, even though no services [were] being provided. This payment was allegedly facilitated by Plaartjies in collaboration with the claimant and the funds were allegedly funnelled to Davids.”

    The suspects were arrested in different parts of the country during a coordinated Hawks operation on 1 April 2025. 
    The court granted each accused bail of R10,000.

    “The case has been postponed to 4 April 2025 for further investigation.” – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Government to launch R500m spaza shop support fund

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau and the Minister of Small Business Development, Stella Tembisa Ndabeni, will next Tuesday officially launch the R500 million Spaza Shop Support Fund, an initiative which was first announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa in November 2024.

    The fund, which will be jointly administered by the National Empowerment Fund (NEF) and the Small Enterprise Development Finance Agency (SEFDA), provides critical financial and non-financial support to township businesses, including community convenience stores and spaza shops.

    The aim of the fund is to support South African owned township community convenience shops, including spaza shops, in order to increase their participation in the townships and rural areas’ retail trade sector.

    “The opening of the applications for the fund marks another milestones in government’s efforts to stimulate the growth of the rural and township economy in the country, particularly by providing the necessary support to the convenience stores and spaza shops that are based in the townships and rural areas. 

    “Government recognises the important role that small businesses, including those operating in the rural areas and townships, can play in creating jobs, growing our economy and alleviating poverty,” Ndabeni said.

    The fund provides various types of support including the initial purchase of stock via delivery channel partners, upgrading of building infrastructure, systems, refrigeration, shelving and security, as well as training programmes which includes Point of Sale devices, business skills, digital literacy, credit health, food safety and business compliance.

    Tau pointed out that the fund does not only support economic inclusion but also aligns with national priorities to formalise informal sectors, safeguard consumers and promote local production and said it is a holistic approach to revitalising township economies.

    “Beyond individual support, the fund seeks to bolster the broader supply chain by fostering partnerships with local manufacturers, black industrialists and wholesalers. 

    “Through bulk purchasing arrangements and the promotion of locally produced goods, spaza shops will benefit from reduced costs and increased access to quality products,” Tau said. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Justice Minister requests comprehensive report on Omotoso acquittal

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Thursday, April 3, 2025

    Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi, has invoked Section 33(a) of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Act in relation to the acquittal of former rape and sexual assault accused Timothy Omotoso and his co-accused, Lusanda Sulani and Zukiswa Sitho.

    The three were acquitted by the Gqeberha High Court of 32 serious charges, including allegations of rape, racketeering and human trafficking, on Wednesday.

    “The Minister acknowledges the statement made by the NPA indicating that they will study the judgment. However, she has also, in accordance with section 33 (a) of the National Prosecuting Authority Act, formally requested a comprehensive report from the National Director of Public Prosecutions to understand the factors that contributed to this outcome.

    “Minister Kubayi remains resolute in her commitment to the fight against gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) and reaffirms the government’s unwavering dedication to ensuring that perpetrators of GBVFs are held accountable,” the department said in a statement on Thursday.

    In a stinging judgement, Judge Irma Schoeman noted that the prosecution’s cross-examination of the accused was “shallow and lacking the intention to uncover the truth” – leading to the acquittal as the prosecution did not prove their case beyond reasonable doubt.

    “Minister Kubayi’s concern stems from apparent shortcomings in the prosecution’s handling of the case, resulting in a significant setback in the pursuit of justice for victims of gender-based violence and related crimes. The judge was scathing in her judgment, criticising the poor quality of the state’s cross-examination.

    “The Minister has emphasised the need for a strengthened and meticulous approach in prosecuting cases to prevent injustices,” the department said. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Cost containment should not undermine service delivery – PSC

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    The Public Service Commission (PSC) says that while cost containment measures demonstrate fiscal discipline and prudent financial management, their implementation must be closely monitored to avoid inadvertently undermining service delivery.

    “This is particularly crucial in essential sectors such as healthcare and education, where cuts to resources or funding could have far-reaching consequences for public well-being and long-term development,” said PSC Commissioner, Anele Gxoyiya.

    Addressing the media during the release of the commission’s Quarterly Bulletin titled: The Pulse of the Public Service for the period: 01 January to 31 March 2025, Gxoyiya said effective cost containment requires a balanced approach. This approach prioritises efficiency and savings without compromising the quality or accessibility of essential services.

    “The PSC recognises the advantages of fiscal consolidation and cost containment, which include reduced waste in public finances and enhanced accountability,” the Commissioner said at Thursday’s briefing in Pretoria.

    In addition, he said that excessive budget cuts could undermine the government’s ability to fulfil its constitutional obligations.

    “The PSC advocates for a balanced approach that combines financial prudence with investments in key areas essential for long-term growth and effective service delivery.

    “The PSC remains committed to promoting constitutional values, advocating for equity and accountability, and ensuring that public resources are used efficiently and effectively for the benefit of all South Africans.”

    Whistleblowers 

    Regarding strengthening whistleblower protection, Gxoyiya said a resolution was made for the establishment of the Whistleblower Protection House.

    This hosting of the Whistleblowers’ Symposium emanated from the 2022 International Anti-Corruption Day celebrations which highlighted the challenges regarding the protection of whistleblowers and their families.

    During the symposium, a resolution was made for the establishment of the protection house to support whistleblowers and to facilitate access to support, creation of awareness of whistleblowers’ plight, provide financial assistance, legal counsel and psychological support.

    The protection of whistleblowers was identified as one of the high priority areas in the national anti-corruption agenda.

    Gxoyiya said this initiative will require the amendment of the current legislation, adding that the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development is at an advanced stage in reviewing the Protected Disclosure Act. The Act provides procedures in terms of which any employee may disclose information relating to an offence or a malpractice in the workplace by his or her employer or fellow employees. The Act also provides for the protection of an employee, who made a disclosure in accordance with the procedures provided for by the Act, against any reprisals as a result of such a disclosure.

    “The advent of democracy in South Africa promised a society that will be built on a human rights-based culture to ensure that the lives of ordinary South Africans are improved and protected.

    “Section 195 of the Constitution outlines the basic Values and Principles governing public administration. These values should be the cornerstone upon which to build a public service that is ethical, responsible, responsive and accountable. 

    “Government and other role players agreed that corruption in South Africa and the killing of whistleblowers needs to be addressed collaboratively by all sectors of society as the efforts of whistleblowers contribute to building a capable, ethical and developmental Public Service that is responsive to the needs of the people,” Gxoyiya explained.

    He added that the commission supports the initiatives of establishing the whistleblowers protection regime as it will enable the citizenry to report wrongdoing without fear of reprisal.

    “Fighting corruption is every one’s responsibility in the country. Active citizenship must take its rightful place in fighting against corruption and expose theft, fraud and maladministration through whistleblowing,” he said.

    The commission has encouraged South Africans to report acts of corruption and maladministration anonymously through the National Anti-Corruption hotline on 0800 701 701 and by email at (complaints@opsc.gov.za).

    Citizens can also do walk-ins at PSC offices nationwide where complainants can interact with professionals equipped to safeguard anonymous reporting. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Progress made in tackling global challenges

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    South Africa’s Presidency of the Group of 20 (G20) is making significant progress in tackling global challenges through an inclusive and collaborative approach.

    This is according to the country’s G20 Sherpa, Zane Dangor. Sherpas are the personal representatives of the G20 leaders.

    “We believe this is important and that the G20 must work with the UN [United Nations] and other multilateral institutions to mitigate these challenges and to find practical solutions for all of us. 

    “We look forward to constructive engagements from all members of the G20, the invited guests [and] also the international organisations,” he said on Thursday. 

    Dangor who is also the Director-General for International Relations and Cooperation, chaired the second virtual meeting of the G20 Sherpas in Pretoria on Thursday.

    He also stressed the importance of Ubuntu – a philosophy of inclusiveness and solidarity – in addressing global challenges and achieving shared interests across international organisations.

    “We must express our appreciation in the way that you embraced the spirit of Ubuntu, the culture that underpins not just South Africa’s culture of inclusiveness, but also Africa’s wider culture. Ubuntu really underpins our commitment and solidarity in addressing our common challenges in achieving shared prosperity,” he said during the opening session of the meeting. 

    Dangor stressed South Africa’s commitment to multilateralism and shared prosperity, with 15 working groups having already conducted their first meetings and three task force meetings.

    Working Groups are made up of representatives from member countries’ Ministries. The G20 working groups cover diverse areas, including development, anti-corruption, culture, education, women’s empowerment, environment, health, tourism, and disaster risk management.

    “We hope that as you listen to the reflections of the working group members in your own inputs, you’ll be able to sharpen what you believe we should be taking forward as a collective.” 

    He also touched on a diplomatic engagement where he told attendees that the Foreign Ministers’ meeting in February this year expressed strong support for South Africa’s themes and priorities, particularly in managing geopolitical issues.

    At the meeting in February, G20 foreign ministers threw their weight behind South Africa’s Presidency priorities, which focus on sustainable development and debt sustainability for low-income countries, amongst others.

    READ | Foreign Ministers’ Meeting backs SA’s G20 Presidency priorities 

    In addition, he said following Brazil’s model, South Africa’s Presidency aims to develop in-depth discussions on geopolitical matters through ministerial and leadership channels while allowing working groups to focus on technical issues.

    Dangor acknowledged the enormous task ahead and the need for support from key members and international organisations.

    The Sherpa said the objective of the two-day meeting which will conclude on Friday, is to take stock of what has happened, identify areas for improvement, and address key issues.

    READ | South Africa convenes second G20 Sherpa Meeting

    He announced that the next meeting for the G20 Sherpa will be held from 26 to 28 June 2025 at the Sun City Resort in the North West, marking an in-person gathering to continue collaborative discussions. – SAnews.gov.za
     

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Government departments commended for timeous payment of supplier invoice

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Public Service Commission (PSC) Commissioner, Anele Gxoyiya, has commended government departments that are complying with the legislation of paying suppliers timeously.

    “Departments that consistently comply with this legislation are commended and encouraged to continue and maintain this performance and pay all legitimate invoices from suppliers timeously or within 30 days as required by the Public Finance Management Act and its related prescripts,” Gxoyiya said.

    Addressing the media in Pretoria earlier today, Gxoyiya highlighted that as of the end of the third quarter of the 2024/25 financial year, 38 153 invoices, amounting to approximately R1 billion, were paid by the national departments after 30 days.

    However, 4 993 invoices valued at about R442 million, remained unpaid by the departments, beyond the 30-day period.

    Gxoyiya said the Department of Defence reported the highest number of invoices paid after 30 days during the third quarter with 30 355 invoices amounting to over R456 million.

    “This department was also the highest during the first and second quarters with an average of 61% and 80% respectively of the total number of invoices paid after 30 days by national departments,” Gxoyiya said.

    “The most common reasons provided by departments for the late and/or non-payment of invoices vary from misfiled, misplaced or unrecorded invoices to internal control deficiencies,” he said.

    Gxoyiya said a total of 76 154 invoices amounting to over R8 billion were paid after 30 days and a total of 94 914 invoices older than 30 days not paid with the rand value of over R12 billion.

    “The non-payment of invoices within 30 days remains a concern to the PSC as it is a contravention of the Public Finance Management Act. 

    “The PSC will further engage the Office of the Auditor-General on mechanisms to ensure consequence management against Accounting Officers who fail to pay service providers within 30 days upon receipt of an invoice particularly where queries are concerned,” he said.

    The National Treasury is continuously assisting suppliers with queries on non-payment of invoices through a dedicated central email address (30daysqueries@treasury.gov.za) by following up with transgressing institutions and providing feedback to suppliers with reasons for the late or non-payment of invoices, and possible date for the payment or any other resolution.

    The National Treasury is encouraged to engage with service providers on various platforms to raise awareness of the dedicated queries communication platform so that more queries can come to the fore and receive attention. – SAnews.gov.za  

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: The use of online platforms in enabling organised immigration crime

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Government response

    The use of online platforms in enabling organised immigration crime

    Statement from the representatives of the governments of Albania, Sweden, Tunisia, United Kingdom, United States and Vietnam.

    We, the representatives of the governments of Albania, Sweden, Tunisia, United Kingdom, United States, Vietnam, united as an international community in the fight against organised immigration crime (OIC), meeting within the framework of the Border Security Summit hosted by the United Kingdom, hereby affirm our collective responsibility to address the threat posed by organised criminal groups exploiting online platforms for the facilitation of irregular immigration including human trafficking.

    Acknowledging the scope of the threat

    We recognise the role that online platforms can play in the facilitation of OIC. Organised criminal groups are exploiting these platforms to advertise and facilitate illegal immigration services, generating illegal profits at the expense of vulnerable migrants. Inaccurate information is spread online, with claims to guarantee passage with shared ‘success stories’ of being able to remain in country despite illegal entry.

    These stories are shared despite the increasing risk of fatalities from clandestine entry by boats and lorries. As online platforms evolve, criminal networks adapt their methods, making a co-ordinated global response essential. We recognise the harm that irregular migration can cause nations’ citizens.

    Commitment to collective action

    The fight against OIC requires collaboration across borders, sectors, and jurisdictions to effectively counter the global scale of the threat. No single government can combat this threat alone. We call upon all governments, international organisations, and industry partners to join us in this endeavour to work together to prevent the misuse of online platforms for illegal immigration services.

    Disrupting the facilitation of OIC

    The online environment should not be permissive for immigration crimes.  We call on industry partners to design out from platforms opportunities for exploitation and to prevent the proliferation of glorifying illegal migration. Fatalities as a result of people smuggling are increasing globally and we must ensure those seeking illegal entry are aware of the grave risks.

    A collective responsibility to prevent exploitation

    We commit to strengthening our collective efforts to prevent, disrupt, and degrade the capacity of organised criminal groups to exploit online platforms for OIC. Online platforms should not enable facilitation of organised crime, and we are committed to working together to prevent this.

    International governments, industry partners, and international organisations should join forces in a global effort to stop criminals from exploiting online platforms.

    Platforms should invest in strong detection and moderation tools, while governments must back them with effective laws and international cooperation.

    Collaborative framework for action

    We commit to share trends in use of the online environment by organised criminal groups and the principle approaches for detecting and disrupting the facilitation of OIC online. Following this summit, the UK will provide opportunities for global collaboration, learning from the approach taken to other tech-enabled harms.

    Towards a secure digital environment for all

    Looking ahead, we recognise that addressing OIC in the digital age requires innovation, prevention, and sustained cooperation. Only through collective action can we prevent criminal groups from exploiting online platforms for irregular immigration. Together, we will work to ensure that online spaces remain secure and safe for everyone and do not provide the opportunity for people smuggling services to be advertised and accessed by vulnerable migrants.

    A call to action

    In conclusion, we call for ongoing dialogue and swift action to address the challenges posed by OIC online content and the threat it presents to the integrity of our borders. We reaffirm our commitment to a global response that prevents the exploitation of online platforms for criminal purposes.

    We call for global action to prevent the spread of OIC content and protect the integrity of online spaces. By acting decisively, we can safeguard vulnerable people and uphold the security of our collective borders.

    Updates to this page

    Published 1 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/SOUTH SUDAN – South Sudanese soldiers attack a Catholic church, killing a person whose body was taken away

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Juba (Agenzia Fides) – Soldiers of the South Sudanese army attacked a church, killing a parishioner and taking his body. This happened in Our Lady of Assumption Parish, in Loa, in Magwi County, in the State of Eastern Equatoria, when soldiers from a unit of the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) stationed in the area attacked the church on March 26 at around 5 p.m.According to a statement from the Diocese of Torit dated April 3 and sent to Fides, “the soldiers opened fire without warning, killing one civilian and wounding another.” The bullets hit the walls and windows of the rectory.”To cover up their crime,” the statement continued, “the soldiers took the body and hid it, covering the bloodstains on the floor with earth to eliminate any evidence. To date, the whereabouts of the body remain unknown.” “During the intrusion, church staff, aid workers, and local residents were intimidated, threatened, and interrogated,” the diocese reports.Monsignor Emmanuel Bernardino Lowi Napeta, Bishop of Torit, condemns the intrusion into church property and the “grave violation of sanctity and neutrality” as well as “the safety and rights of church staff” and calls for “an immediate and impartial investigation into the incident, the identification and prosecution of the military personnel involved, as well as concrete assurances and clear protocols from the SSPDF to ensure that similar incidents do not occur in the future.” The bishop also requests “the release of the body to the family so that a burial can take place” and “the deployment of security personnel by the State of Eastern Equatoria to protect the community of Loa, as well as a public apology to the Diocese of Torit for the attack.” (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 3/4/2025)
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: KOICA and WFP partner to strengthen communities and tackle hunger in Guinea

    Source: World Food Programme

    CONAKRY, Guinea – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) welcomes a US$4 million contribution from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) to develop a rice value chain, enabling communities to access nutritious food, become self-sufficient and resilient to weather-related shocks in Guinea.

    KOICA’s funds will strengthen livelihoods of smallholder farmers through agricultural support, access to markets, and creation of community assets for food production and social cohesion. The funds will also support locally sourced school meals, provide nutritional support to malnourished children and pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers, while strengthening the capacity of national actors in the rice value chain. 

    “This partnership with KOICA is a game-changer for communities in Guinea” said Hyoung-Joon Lim, WFP Country Director for Guinea. “More children are enrolling in schools to get nutritious school meals, vulnerable communities have improved access to nutrition services, and households are building sustainable livelihoods through increased rice production and income-generating activities.”

    With a population of 14 million, the Republic of Guinea faces significant challenges despite its abundant agricultural potential and mineral wealth. Nearly one in three households – 35.8 per cent of the population – faces moderate food insecurity, while about 4.8 million people (34 percent) have limited access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food. Although agriculture is a major source of income for rural communities, the country remains heavily dependent on food imports.

    Since 2023, KOICA funds have enabled WFP to scale up the Zero Hunger Village (ZHV) project, an integrated initiative that aims to make local communities self-sufficient in Guinea. In each Zero Hunger Village, WFP supports school feeding, nutrition, capacity building, and market access using an innovative and sustainable approach that fosters community self-reliance even after WFP’s exit. One of the key successes of the project is the introduction of the high-yielding, and short-cycle rice variety “Tong-il G”, with high yield and adaptability to the local climate compared to local rice varieties. 

    “We are very pleased to see that the use of Korean Tong-il G rice seeds is contributing to increased agricultural productivity, improved children’s nutrition through school meal programmes, and enhanced educational outcomes, ultimately supporting Zero Hunger. We will continue to collaborate with WFP to achieve the project’s goal of establishing more than 500 Zero Hunger villages”, said Deputy Representative of KOICA Senegal, Yoojin Hwang, following a recent field visit in three Zero Hunger Villages sites (Farabana, Bananko, Gbodou) in Kankan region to witness the activities included in the comprehensive Zero Hunger Initiative.

    #                #            #
     

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

    Follow us on X, formerly Twitter, via @wfp_media 
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why is Israel expanding its offensive in Gaza and what does it mean for the Middle East? Expert Q&A

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Scott Lucas, Professor of International Politics, Clinton Institute, University College Dublin

    Israel resumed its military offensive in Gaza in March, blaming Hamas for rejecting a new US proposal to extend the ceasefire and free the remaining hostages. Since then, the Israeli military has launched waves of airstrikes on the besieged territory, killing hundreds of Palestinians and forcing many more to evacuate.

    Israel now says it is expanding its offensive. In a video statement released on April 2, Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said the Israeli military had “shifted gears” in the Gaza Strip, “seizing territory, hitting the terrorists and destroying the infrastructure”. Earlier that day, his defence minister, Israel Katz, had announced that troops would “seize extensive territory” in Gaza for “security zones”.

    We asked Scott Lucas, an expert in the Middle East conflict at University College Dublin, to explain the key issues that led to the renewed offensive and what the prospects are for Gaza.

    Was a new ground offensive always on the cards, even with the ceasefire in place?

    The Netanyahu government’s resumption of the ground offensive in Gaza was almost inevitable once it refused to move from phase one of the ceasefire, which involved the exchange of hostages held by Hamas for Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons, to phase two.

    A second phase was never going to be agreed by Netanyahu. Beyond his personal opposition to the requisite Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza, powerful hard-right ministers in his government had made clear that their acceptance of phase one was conditioned on no phase two and on a return to military operations.

    But with no phase two, the requirement for a functioning government in the Strip has been abandoned, even as Hamas remains.

    So Israel either had to maintain its “open-ended” war in Gaza of bombing without end, or establish an occupation of at least part of the besieged territory. That suits the hard right and those officials who had always favoured an Israeli military government in the area.

    Does Netanyahu care about the legality of what he’s doing?

    Netanyahu cares about his political and legal survival. Throughout the 18-month-long Israeli assault, I have said that if Netanyahu stops without achieving his stated goal of “destroying” Hamas and returning the hostages, he faces early elections and his trial on bribery charges.

    It is therefore in his interests to hesitate, waver and confuse. That is still true today. So, amid the demands by the hard right, Netanyahu has to maintain his government with the claim that he has established “security” through indefinite occupation.

    Can he sell this to the Israeli public?

    That’s the big question. At this point, Netanyahu can only be stopped from within Israel, not from outside it.

    A portion of the Israeli public will continue to support the war. Some will support occupation in lieu of a war. Some even back the hard-right’s goal of “cleansing” Gaza of its residents.

    But others will see this move as Netanyahu abandoning the priority of securing the return of the 59 hostages who are still held in Gaza. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which represents most captives’ relatives, fear that the decision to resume the war has put the hostages at possibly grave risk.

    In a statement, the group said it was “horrified” to wake up to “the defence minister’s announcement about expanding military operations in Gaza”. “Our highest priority must be an immediate deal to bring ALL hostages back home – the living for rehabilitation and those killed for proper burial – and end this war.”

    The problem for Netanyahu is that 70% of Israelis, whatever their position on the war, say that they do not trust his government. Even among voters who support the coalition, only 51% have faith in it, and 36% do not.

    Almost 70% of respondents want a return of all the hostages in return for an end to the war. And just over 20% favour a continued assault as the priority.

    Where is the Trump White House in all this?

    Fully supporting the Netanyahu government. In October, Donald Trump told Netanyahu in a phone call: “Bibi, do what you have to do.” This effectively gave Netanyahu a blank cheque to pursue the destruction of Hamas in Gaza once Trump returned to the White House.

    There was a brief interlude when Trump took full credit for the limited truce between Israel and Hamas in January. Through his envoy, real estate developer Steve Witkoff, Trump pressed Netanyahu to accept a deal.

    But once phase one of the ceasefire had dissolved, Trump and his officials were going to be fully behind the resumption of Israel’s assault on Hamas, with the highest price to be paid by the Gazan people.

    Trump posted a “last warning” to Hamas in early March via his Truth Social platform: “I am sending Israel everything it needs to finish the job, not a single Hamas member will be safe if you don’t do as I say.”

    He added: “Release all of the hostages now, not later, and immediately return all of the dead bodies of the people you murdered, or it is OVER for you.”

    What about the Arab states?

    When Israel renewed airstrikes in mid-March, Saudi Arabia stressed “the urgent need for an immediate cessation of Israeli killings, violence and destruction, as well as the protection of Palestinian civilians from the unjust Israeli war machine.” Jordan denounced the “extremely dangerous step”.

    Egypt concentrated on trying to revive the ceasefire process and other states, such as the United Arab Emirates remained silent – a reticence that has continued as the Netanyahu government announced the resumption of the ground offensive.

    Even if the Arab states wanted to get involved beyond rhetorical tut-tutting, I am not sure what they can do to check the Israelis.

    Resisting occupation would have to be done either through the backing of Hamas’s resistance or through the establishment of an alternative administration. The former is anathema to most Arab states, and there is no prospect of the latter.

    Scott Lucas 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. Why is Israel expanding its offensive in Gaza and what does it mean for the Middle East? Expert Q&A – https://theconversation.com/why-is-israel-expanding-its-offensive-in-gaza-and-what-does-it-mean-for-the-middle-east-expert-qanda-253667

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Vuk Talks Season 2 Episode 28

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

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6AphjkYv9o

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Sports diplomacy – 4th “Relay Around the World” (3 Apr. 2025)

    Source: Republic of France in English
    The Republic of France has issued the following statement:

    Thanks to the joint efforts of the French diplomatic network, the Relay Around the World has become a key aspect of French sports diplomacy on the international stage. Each participating embassy or consulate is responsible for organizing an hour-long sports event from 9 to 10 a.m. (local time) before handing over to a post in the next time zone, so that the Relay lasts 24 hours, from New Zealand to Tahiti.

    The Paris 2024 Games showed just how much sport can build bridges and unite people, regardless of their origins, beliefs and opinions. The Relay Around the World symbolizes this will to bring us together around essential values (Olympic values of friendship, respect and excellence; Paralympic values of determination, equality, inspiration and courage).

    In a divided world, we must encourage “the spirit of the Games” now more than ever, a spirit of fraternity, cohesion and inclusion.

    This year, once again, the Relay will promote sporting actions and cooperation undertaken by the French diplomatic network and all “Team France” all over the world. The enthusiasm for this Relay is emblematic of our collective ability to mobilize our staff, our expatriate communities, our network abroad and our local sporting ecosystems thanks to the momentum generated by the 2024 Paris Games and with a view to the 2030 Winter Games in the French Alps.

    For example, our embassy in Singapore will bring together diplomats and students from the Institut Français for a football tournament; in Lebanon, the embassy will organize a multi-sports day with over 300 participants, including students from the French schools in Beirut and young people with disabilities; in Cuba, the embassy and the local federation will hold a day to introduce and promote rugby to about 100 students from schools in Havana.

    The Paris stage of the Relay will highlight France’s determination to host the world’s biggest sporting events. In the run-up to the Badminton World Championships in Paris this summer, the French Foreign Ministry will bring together the French Badminton Federation and several embassies for an awareness programme on the sport, which has 390 million players and 750 million fans around the world. Ministry staff will also partake in sporting activities (badminton, yoga, five-a-side football, walking, running) to show their commitment to a more united world through sport.

    In 2024, the Relay involved 138 embassies, consulates general and overseas territories, and a total of more than 20,000 participants.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI: BitMart to Host Seine & Crypto Connect — An Unmissable Paris Blockchain Week Afterparty on April 8

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Mahe, Seychelles, April 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As Paris Blockchain Week 2025 draws near, BitMart is excited to announce Seine & Crypto Connect, an exclusive afterparty hosted in collaboration with Paybis, MetaEra, and other esteemed partners. The event will take place on April 8, 2025, from 7 PM to 11 PM CET at Les Jardins du Pont Neuf, a private waterfront venue along the iconic Seine River.

    Seine & Crypto Connect will bring together top leaders, investors, and innovators from the blockchain space for a night of strategic networking and high-level discussions. Co-hosted by Paybis, a leading cryptocurrency platform operating across the US, UK, and Europe; MetaEra, a pioneering Web3 news platform; and sponsored by Blockdaemon, the institutional gateway to Web3; and ZetaChain, a universal EVM-compatible Layer 1 bringing cross-chain interoperability to the blockchain ecosystem, this event will provide unparalleled opportunities for collaboration and innovation.

    What to Expect at Seine & Crypto Connect:

    • Exclusive Venue – Guests will enjoy a private riverside reception, offering an elegant atmosphere and stunning views of Paris.
    • Gourmet Experience – Attendees will indulge in premium wines, artisanal cheese, and expertly crafted hors d’oeuvres, creating a sophisticated setting for networking.
    • Engaging Entertainment – A live DJ and ambient lighting will add to the immersive atmosphere, providing a lively backdrop for the evening.
    • High-Impact Networking – Attendees will connect with industry leaders, investors, and innovators shaping the future of Web3, Crypto, and Blockchain technology.
    • Exclusive Seine Cruise – A limited opportunity to board a 20-minute scenic tour along the Seine River directly from the venue, offering a unique Parisian experience.

    This exclusive event serves as an opportunity to engage with some of the most influential players in the blockchain and digital assets space, fostering collaboration and sparking meaningful conversations in a relaxed yet vibrant atmosphere.

    To join the event, please RSVP here: https://lu.ma/a97zotmk

    Proudly Co-Hosted by:

    • Paybis – A leading cryptocurrency platform offering secure, compliant services across the US, UK, and Europe.
    • MetaEra – A Web3 news pioneer shaping the next wave of tech innovation.

    Sponsored by:

    • Blockdaemon – The institutional gateway to Web3, trusted by 400+ institutions and securing over $110B in digital assets.
    • ZetaChain – A universal EVM-compatible L1 bringing cross-chain interoperability to Solana, Bitcoin, and beyond. 

    Come for the innovation. Stay for the magic of Paris.

    About BitMart
    BitMart is the premier global digital asset trading platform. With millions of users worldwide and ranked among the top crypto exchanges on CoinGecko, it currently offers 1,700+ trading pairs with competitive trading fees. Constantly evolving and growing, BitMart is interested in crypto’s potential to drive innovation and promote financial inclusion. To learn more about BitMart, visit their Website, follow their X (Twitter), or join their Telegram for updates, news, and promotions. Download BitMart App to trade anytime, anywhere.

    Disclaimer: The information provided in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, nor is it intended as investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. It is strongly recommended you practice due diligence, including consultation with a professional financial advisor, before investing in or trading cryptocurrency and securities.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Regionally led security co-operation is vital for peace in West Africa: UK statement at the UN Security Council

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    Regionally led security co-operation is vital for peace in West Africa: UK statement at the UN Security Council

    Statement by Jess Jambert-Gray, UK Deputy Political Coordinator, on peace consolidation in West Africa.

    I will make three points today. First, the United Kingdom urges support for democracy, constitutional order and the protection of civic space in the region. We welcome the steps taken towards a return to constitutional order in Guinea and Mali and note recent developments in Niger. 

    We urge the authorities to maintain progress in their transitions, and call on them to lift restrictions on political parties, civil society and media institutions and on peaceful public demonstrations

    We note the upcoming Presidential elections in Cote D’Ivoire and Guinea Bissau this year and call on the governments to ensure these are inclusive and align with their constitutions.

    Second, the United Kingdom is concerned by the security situation in the Sahel, including terrorist groups controlling territory and wreaking havoc on local populations. We reiterate our condemnation of terrorist attacks across the region, including in Niger on 21 March, and express our condolences to the families of the victims.

    We encourage UNOWAS to continue its critical role in supporting inclusive dialogue processes, which respond to and address, root causes of violence, to prevent further breaches of international humanitarian law. 

    Regionally led security co-operation remains vital, and the UK welcomes efforts such as the ECOWAS standby force which will enable Member States to deploy rapidly to counter shared threats. We also encourage careful consideration of security partners in the region to avoid worsening the threat posed. 

    Third, the United Kingdom is concerned at the worsening humanitarian situation in the region. Since 2019, the UK has provided life-saving assistance to over 16 million people in the Sahel. We encourage all parties to ensure rapid and unimpeded access for humanitarian assistance and protect the safety of humanitarian convoys. 

    To conclude, given the significant challenges the region is facing, including challenges which transcend national borders. It is imperative, therefore, that there is cooperation, coordination and communication between the states and peoples of the region with the international community.

    The United Kingdom welcomes the efforts made to bridge the differences between the Alliance of Sahel States and ECOWAS. The United Kingdom also expresses its thanks to UNOWAS for its work in aiding African states to promote freedom, security, and prosperity.

    Thank you.

    Updates to this page

    Published 3 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Alexander Novak chaired a meeting of the Group of Eight OPEC countries

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

    April 3, 2025

    Alexander Novak chaired a meeting of the Group of Eight OPEC countries

    Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, as co-chairman, chaired a meeting of the Group of 8 participating countries that adopted additional voluntary adjustments to oil production in April and November 2023.

    The Group of 8 includes Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, UAE, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria and Oman.

    The parties discussed the state and prospects of the global oil market and agreed to adjust production by 411,000 barrels per day in May 2025, which corresponds to three monthly increases. The gradual increase can be suspended or cancelled depending on changing market conditions. Such flexibility will allow the group to continue to maintain stability in the oil market. The eight OPEC countries also noted that this measure will allow participating countries to speed up compensation payments.

    The eight countries reaffirmed their commitment to the voluntary oil production adjustments agreed at the 53rd meeting of the OPEC Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee on 3 April 2024, as well as their intention to fully offset any overproduction from January 2024 and to submit updated offset plans to the OPEC Secretariat by 15 April 2025.

    The eight OPEC countries have agreed to meet monthly to review market conditions, compliance and compensation. The next meeting will be held on May 5 to decide on the level of oil production by the members in June 2025.

    The meeting of the eight countries took place ahead of the 59th meeting of the Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee of OPEC countries, which is scheduled for April 5 via videoconference.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI: Investico.com Implements Advanced Encryption Protocols to Secure Data

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, April 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Investico.com, a name in the financial industry, operated by Faraz Financial Services (PTY) Limited, offers CFD trading. As a company focused on financial solutions, it offers a range of tools designed to simplify financial-related activities and enhance efficiency, security, and accessibility for users. In its commitment to security, the Company implements advanced encryption protocols to protect sensitive user data. This is part of the company’s ongoing efforts to enhance its security measures, ensuring a safer environment for all involved in CFD operations. By prioritizing data protection, it continues to build trust with its users and demonstrates its dedication to maintaining a high level of security.

    As concerns regarding data security have become more prevalent, Investico.com recognizes the importance of safeguarding the information entrusted to it by its users. The company has chosen to implement a series of robust encryption techniques that are designed to provide users with an additional layer of protection against potential threats. These encryption protocols are intended to prevent unauthorized access and to ensure that financial information is safely transmitted over the internet.

    As a third party, it is acknowledged that security has always been a priority for the company. This proactive move aims to address growing concerns around online privacy, ensuring that user data remains protected at all times.

    The company’s efforts reflect a clear understanding of the challenges and risks associated with handling sensitive financial information. By incorporating these encryption protocols, it aims to minimize the likelihood of data breaches and other vulnerabilities. This move highlights the company’s dedication to staying ahead of emerging cyber threats and ensuring that users can have confidence in the protection of their data.

    As part of the broader digital finance landscape, the company is aware of the need to maintain trust and reliability. This is a step forward in safeguarding the interests of its users and ensuring that their personal and financial data is protected from potential cyber threats. With these encryption measures in place, the company offers a secure environment and continues to build trust within the digital finance community.

    The integration of these advanced encryption protocols will help the company address concerns about data protection and build even more trust with its growing user base. As part of its ongoing efforts to enhance the user experience, the company is committed to continuously improving its protective measures to stay ahead of the latest threats and to maintain a secure platform for all.

    In conclusion, the company’s implementation of advanced encryption protocols marks a significant milestone in the company’s ongoing efforts to improve safety and protect user data. With a focus on delivering a secure financial environment, it remains dedicated to the needs of its users, striving to offer peace of mind when it comes to data protection.

    This content is based on observations and serves as an independent perspective on the company’s support structure and user engagement.

    About Investico.com

    Investico.com provides a CFD trading platform under Faraz Financial Services (PTY) Limited, a company regulated by the Financial Sector Conduct Authority in South Africa with license number 45518. It focused on ensuring secure financial transactions and safeguarding sensitive data. Known for its commitment to implementing the best practices, it provides users with a secure environment for their financial activities. With a strong emphasis on protecting personal and financial data, the company continually enhances its security infrastructure to ensure users’ peace of mind.

    From a third-party perspective, it is observed that the company has been recognized for its efforts to integrate advanced technology into its services, making sure that security is never compromised. The company’s approach includes adopting encryption protocols and other measures designed to keep data safe from unauthorized access. This shows its dedication to meeting the highest standards of privacy, which are essential for users in the digital financial landscape.

    Company Details

    Company Name: Faraz Financial Services (PTY) Limited
    Email Address: info@investico.com
    Company Address: Unit 9, 31 First Avenue East, Parktown North, Johannesburg, Gauteng 2193, South Africa.
    Company Website: https://www.investico.com/international/

    Disclaimer: This press release is provided by Investico.com. 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. 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. 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.Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose.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.

    Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an “as-is” basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Sudan crisis: UN rights chief condemns extrajudicial killings in Khartoum

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI b

    Human Rights

    The fight for Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, likely involved widespread summary executions of civilians following its recent recapture by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), UN human rights chief Volker Türk said on Thursday.

    Citing credible reports of extrajudicial killings in several areas of the capital, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said that the victims were suspected of collaborating with rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF) fighters.

    “I urge the commanders of the Sudanese Armed Forces to take immediate measures to put an end to arbitrary deprivation of life,” insisted Mr. Türk, pointing to reports attributing the killings to SAF soldiers, State security personnel and affiliated militias.

    Video horrors

    The High Commissioner’s comments follow the review of “multiple horrific videos” available on social media since 26 March, apparently filmed in southern and eastern Khartoum and showing armed men “some in uniform and others in civilian clothes” executing civilians.

    In some of the video footage, perpetrators state that they are punishing supporters of RSF, the UN rights chief said, adding that he was “utterly appalled” by the development.

    One report from the Janoub Al Hezam area of southern Khartoum apparently showed the alleged killing of at least 20 civilians, including one woman, by SAF and affiliated supporters.

    Accountability call

    “Extrajudicial killings are serious violations of international human rights and humanitarian law,” Mr. Türk said. “Individual perpetrators, as well as those with command responsibility, must be held accountable for such unacceptable actions under international criminal law.”

    Sudan’s spiralling crisis stems from the breakdown of a transition to civilian rule after the overthrow of long-time ruler Omar al-Bashir in 2019.

    The country was the first that Mr. Türk visited as High Commissioner in November 2022 and he has invested heavily in trying to protect Sudanese people from heavy fighting and the catastrophic humanitarian crisis that has gripped the country. In May 2024 he spoke to rival generals Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan of the SAF and Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, head of the RSF, in an effort to pursue a peaceful resolution to the crisis.

    Human Rights Council spotlight

    At the current Human Rights Council session in Geneva, however, the High Commissioner warned more than 600,000 people are on the brink of starvation in Sudan after nearly two years of fighting.

    “Famine is reported to have taken hold in five areas, including Zamzam displacement camp in North Darfur,” Mr. Türk said, referring to the shelter where the UN World Food Programme (WFP) was forced to suspend its lifesaving operations amid intense fighting.

    An additional five more areas could face famine in coming months and a further 17 are at risk, the High Commissioner told the Council on 27 February. “My own staff have heard harrowing testimonies of death from starvation in Khartoum and Omdurman.”

    El Fasher alert

    In an alert late Wednesday, the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, warned that 250,000 people – mostly women, children and older people – had fled violence in the Al Malha area, around 180 kilometres north of El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state.

    “Many are now scattered across 15 villages, lacking even basic necessities, the UN agency said, highlighting that just last week, the UN migration agency, IOM, said that 75,000 people had been displaced because of clashes.

    “The newly reported figure would mark a very significant escalation in displacement and signal a serious deterioration in an already dire humanitarian situation across North Darfur,” OCHA said.

    In eastern Sudan, meanwhile, humanitarian partners continue to respond to a hepatitis outbreak spreading among displaced communities at the Gharb Al Matar displacement site in Kassala state.

    Between 27 and 31 March, more than 60 new suspected cases were reported, bringing the total to 236 cases in less than a month.

    The outbreak is being driven by overcrowded living conditions, poor sanitation and limited healthcare.

    Millions displaced

    To date, an estimated 8.8 million people have been forced from their homes to camps and other locations within Sudan; 3.5 million more have fled across borders.

    More than 30.4 million people need assistance, from healthcare to food and other forms of humanitarian support. Less than 30 per cent of hospitals and clinics are still working, and outbreaks of disease are rampant in displacement camps.

    Online threat

    In a statement, Mr. Türk expressed concern at the rise in online hate speech and incitement to violence in Sudan, “with lists of individuals accused of collaborating with the RSF posted online”. The High Commissioner also warned that ethnic groups from the Darfur and Kordofan regions were being targeted disproportionately, before calling for the Sudanese authorities to launch independent, transparent and effective investigations into the latest incidents.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Uganda’s speedy motorbike taxis will slow down for cash – if incentives are cleverly designed

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Claude Raisaro, Assistant Professor, International Economics, Graduate Institute – Institut de hautes études internationales et du développement (IHEID)

    Every day, 10 people die on the roads of Kampala, Uganda’s capital.

    Road accidents cost Uganda US$1.2 billion annually, which is about 5% of its GDP. The cost typically arises from healthcare spending. Families face crippling medical bills and businesses lose workers.

    Motorbike taxis, which are popular in Uganda, are a leading cause of accidents. They are responsible for 64% of all recorded accidents – mostly as a result of speeding.

    Why do so many motorbike taxi drivers in Uganda speed? The common wisdom suggests that they do it for financial reasons. Higher speed translates to more trips, and more trips mean more income.

    But a closer look reveals a more complex reality: speeding isn’t just a money decision – it’s about social pressure among motorbike taxi drivers and the need to adhere with behaviours that signal masculinity. Most drivers are male.

    Uganda’s current approaches to counter speeding include fines and awareness campaigns. There is little evidence that these methods have been effective.

    My recent study in Kampala challenges these traditional road safety approaches, which often fail to change behaviour. I am a behavioural economist, and my findings show offering financial incentives can work – but only if these incentives provide drivers with a socially acceptable reason to slow down.

    Financial incentives need to be made public, and only work when they allow motorbike taxi drivers to justify safer behaviour to their peers. This is key, because getting road safety incentives right saves lives. It also reduces healthcare costs, lowers fuel consumption and emissions, and helps shift harmful social norms that encourage reckless driving.

    Why drivers speed

    My research finds that speeding among motorbike taxi drivers isn’t just a financial decision in Uganda, it’s a social one. Drivers work in tight-knit communities where reputation matters as much as income.

    I collected data from a representative sample of 386 passengers and found commuters prefer safer drivers and are willing to pay up to 8% more for careful driving. Yet, speeding remains the norm.

    The reason? Driving fast is a status symbol for motorbike taxi drivers.

    I carried out an experiment to test whether drivers who speed are perceived more positively by their co-workers. Results are clear: fast drivers are perceived as more skilled and have a higher social status, measured as their ability to influence decisions at their taxi stations.

    This presents a policy challenge: how can financial incentives encourage safer driving without making drivers feel like they are losing respect among their peers?

    To test how financial incentives could encourage safer driving, I conducted an experiment in which a research team offered 360 drivers two options:

    1. a contract that paid them a daily incentive of UGSh6,000 (US$1.64) – roughly a third of their daily income – for observing speed limits

    2. or an equivalent lump sum cash payment with no conditions attached, including limiting a driver’s speed.

    But the framing of these choices mattered.

    • Some drivers knew their decision would be private, meaning no one else would know if they took the safe-driving contract.

    • Others knew that only the safe-driving contract would be public, while the alternative lump sum cash option remained private – giving them a socially acceptable reason to slow down.

    • A third group knew their decision would be fully public, meaning their peers would see if they chose the safe-driving contract over the lump sum.

    The results were clear. Twice as many drivers accepted the safe-driving contract when it was public and provided a justification for slower speeds.

    Why? Because when the incentive was visible but also justified, drivers could explain their decision as a financial one:

    I’m not driving slower because I’m scared, I’m doing it because I’m getting paid.

    The design of this experiment allowed me to answer the question: what mechanism favours socially desirable behaviours when incentives are offered?

    But would the drivers actually slow down?

    Did it work?

    To see whether these contracts actually changed driving behaviour, I conducted an impact experiment, offering incentives for two weeks and tracking drivers for six months.

    Drivers were randomly offered one of the following contracts:

    1. a private safe-driving contract – where only the driver knew about the financial reward

    2. a public safe-driving contract – where their peers knew they were being paid to slow down

    3. a control group – who received a contract consisting of a simple cash payment with no conditions.

    The results were striking. While both safe-driving contracts reduced speeding, the public contract was nearly twice as effective as the private one. The most significant reductions were seen in extreme speeding (occurrences of 80km/h or more) – the kind most likely to cause severe accidents.

    The key takeaway is that visibility makes incentives work, but only when it provides justification. If a driver had to publicly choose the safe-driving contract over another cash offer, it lost effectiveness. But when structured as a justifiable contract, it allowed drivers to slow down without social consequences.

    Reframing safe driving as a smart decision, not just a rule, is important. Featuring respected drivers in safety programmes can potentially help shift perceptions of what makes a “good” driver.

    Finally, drivers operate in tight social networks. Policies should be developed with their input rather than imposed externally. Programmes that actively engage drivers will be more widely accepted and successful.

    Rethinking how incentives shape behaviour

    Speeding is often framed as a problem of reckless individuals making bad choices. My research shows that’s rarely the case – rather it’s about social incentives and peer influence.

    A poorly designed financial incentive may slow drivers down temporarily, but it won’t change long-term behaviour. Incentives that help drivers escape the social pressure of adopting risky behaviours may shift norms – creating lasting improvements in road safety, economic efficiency and environmental impact.

    Claude Raisaro receives funding from the Swiss National Science Foundation (grant no. 195266), the Forschungskredit of the University of Zurich (grant no. FK-22-020), the Swiss Re Foundation for Research in Development Economics, and SurveyCTO. He is affiliated with Mistra Center for Sustainable Markets at Stockholm School of Economics.

    – ref. Uganda’s speedy motorbike taxis will slow down for cash – if incentives are cleverly designed – https://theconversation.com/ugandas-speedy-motorbike-taxis-will-slow-down-for-cash-if-incentives-are-cleverly-designed-249608

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: African Mining Week Unveils 2025 Program, Connecting Investors to African Projects

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

    CAPE TOWN, South Africa, April 3, 2025/APO Group/ —

    The African Mining Week (AMW) conference and exhibition has officially launched its 2025 program, unveiling key topics and lucrative opportunities across Africa’s mining value chain. The three-day program will foster collaboration on investment, value addition, local content development and industrialization. Bringing together African regulators, key mining stakeholders and global partners, AMW serves as a critical platform for shaping the future of African mining.

    Download the program here: https://apo-opa.co/42kb940

    Scheduled for October 1–3 in Cape Town, AMW takes place under the theme, From Extraction to Beneficiation: Unlocking Africa’s Mineral Wealth. The event is co-located with the African Energy Week: Invest in African Energies conference, providing attendees a strategic opportunity to gain insight into opportunities across both the energy and mining sectors in Africa.

    The AMW program features the Ministerial Forum, where African and global mining ministers will connect to showcase investment opportunities, discuss regulatory frameworks and highlight efforts to drive local beneficiation and value addition. Through policy revitalization and strategic partnerships, African markets are increasingly positioning themselves as attractive destinations for global investors.

    A series of Country Spotlights will offer a deep dive into Africa’s diverse mineral wealth, featuring insights into Botswana and Angola’s diamond resources, Zambia’s copper reserves and the Democratic Republic of Congo’s cobalt market. Spotlights will also examine the latest developments within South Africa’s platinum group metals, Zimbabwe’s lithium, Mali’s uranium and Malawi and Tanzania’s rare earths industries.

    AMW’s Critical Minerals Track will explore emerging trends and opportunities within a sector that is crucial to the global energy transition. With Africa holding 30% of the world’s critical minerals, the continent is attracting substantial interest from international players eager to unlock its vast potential. AMW will spotlight Africa’s growing role in mineral diplomacy, as countries strengthen investment ties and infrastructure collaboration with global partners, including China, the U.S., Canada, the UAE, Australia and the European Union. Meanwhile, AMW Roundtables will facilitate deal signings and enhanced cooperation among African stakeholders and international investors.

    Innovation will take center stage at the Technology Forum, set to explore the transformative role of digital technologies, AI and machine learning in modernizing mineral exploration and production. African markets are increasingly leveraging advanced tools to accelerate exploration, with companies such as Botswana Diamonds utilizing AI-driven solutions to diversify beyond traditional diamond mining. Meanwhile, KoBold Metals is using AI to unlock new copper discoveries in Zambia, supporting the country’s ambition to ramp up production to 3.1 million tons annually by 2031.

    The Investment Track will bring together global investors, including public financiers and international development finance institutions to explore funding opportunities across the mining value chain. Discussions will focus on optimizing financial mechanisms, such as loans, private placements and equity funding, to maximize capital flows to Africa’s mining sector. Additionally, the Junior Miners Forum will provide a platform for small-scale mining firms to pitch their projects to investors, potential partners and industry experts, enhancing their contributions to the sector’s growth. Join AMW 2025 today and be part of the discussion on Africa’s mining future.

    African Mining Week serves as a premier platform for exploring the full spectrum of mining opportunities across Africa. The event is held alongside the African Energy Week: Invest in African Energies 2025 conference from October 1-3 in Cape Town. Sponsors, exhibitors and delegates can learn more by contacting sales@energycapitalpower.com. To download the working program, please visit www.African-MiningWeek.com

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Uganda’s speedy motorbike taxis will slow down for cash – if incentives are cleverly designed

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Claude Raisaro, Assistant Professor, International Economics, Graduate Institute – Institut de hautes études internationales et du développement (IHEID)

    Every day, 10 people die on the roads of Kampala, Uganda’s capital.

    Road accidents cost Uganda US$1.2 billion annually, which is about 5% of its GDP. The cost typically arises from healthcare spending. Families face crippling medical bills and businesses lose workers.

    Motorbike taxis, which are popular in Uganda, are a leading cause of accidents. They are responsible for 64% of all recorded accidents – mostly as a result of speeding.

    Why do so many motorbike taxi drivers in Uganda speed? The common wisdom suggests that they do it for financial reasons. Higher speed translates to more trips, and more trips mean more income.

    But a closer look reveals a more complex reality: speeding isn’t just a money decision – it’s about social pressure among motorbike taxi drivers and the need to adhere with behaviours that signal masculinity. Most drivers are male.

    Uganda’s current approaches to counter speeding include fines and awareness campaigns. There is little evidence that these methods have been effective.

    My recent study in Kampala challenges these traditional road safety approaches, which often fail to change behaviour. I am a behavioural economist, and my findings show offering financial incentives can work – but only if these incentives provide drivers with a socially acceptable reason to slow down.

    Financial incentives need to be made public, and only work when they allow motorbike taxi drivers to justify safer behaviour to their peers. This is key, because getting road safety incentives right saves lives. It also reduces healthcare costs, lowers fuel consumption and emissions, and helps shift harmful social norms that encourage reckless driving.

    Why drivers speed

    My research finds that speeding among motorbike taxi drivers isn’t just a financial decision in Uganda, it’s a social one. Drivers work in tight-knit communities where reputation matters as much as income.

    I collected data from a representative sample of 386 passengers and found commuters prefer safer drivers and are willing to pay up to 8% more for careful driving. Yet, speeding remains the norm.

    The reason? Driving fast is a status symbol for motorbike taxi drivers.

    I carried out an experiment to test whether drivers who speed are perceived more positively by their co-workers. Results are clear: fast drivers are perceived as more skilled and have a higher social status, measured as their ability to influence decisions at their taxi stations.

    This presents a policy challenge: how can financial incentives encourage safer driving without making drivers feel like they are losing respect among their peers?

    To test how financial incentives could encourage safer driving, I conducted an experiment in which a research team offered 360 drivers two options:

    1. a contract that paid them a daily incentive of UGSh6,000 (US$1.64) – roughly a third of their daily income – for observing speed limits

    2. or an equivalent lump sum cash payment with no conditions attached, including limiting a driver’s speed.

    But the framing of these choices mattered.

    • Some drivers knew their decision would be private, meaning no one else would know if they took the safe-driving contract.

    • Others knew that only the safe-driving contract would be public, while the alternative lump sum cash option remained private – giving them a socially acceptable reason to slow down.

    • A third group knew their decision would be fully public, meaning their peers would see if they chose the safe-driving contract over the lump sum.

    The results were clear. Twice as many drivers accepted the safe-driving contract when it was public and provided a justification for slower speeds.

    Why? Because when the incentive was visible but also justified, drivers could explain their decision as a financial one:

    I’m not driving slower because I’m scared, I’m doing it because I’m getting paid.

    The design of this experiment allowed me to answer the question: what mechanism favours socially desirable behaviours when incentives are offered?

    But would the drivers actually slow down?

    Did it work?

    To see whether these contracts actually changed driving behaviour, I conducted an impact experiment, offering incentives for two weeks and tracking drivers for six months.

    Drivers were randomly offered one of the following contracts:

    1. a private safe-driving contract – where only the driver knew about the financial reward

    2. a public safe-driving contract – where their peers knew they were being paid to slow down

    3. a control group – who received a contract consisting of a simple cash payment with no conditions.

    The results were striking. While both safe-driving contracts reduced speeding, the public contract was nearly twice as effective as the private one. The most significant reductions were seen in extreme speeding (occurrences of 80km/h or more) – the kind most likely to cause severe accidents.

    The key takeaway is that visibility makes incentives work, but only when it provides justification. If a driver had to publicly choose the safe-driving contract over another cash offer, it lost effectiveness. But when structured as a justifiable contract, it allowed drivers to slow down without social consequences.

    Reframing safe driving as a smart decision, not just a rule, is important. Featuring respected drivers in safety programmes can potentially help shift perceptions of what makes a “good” driver.

    Finally, drivers operate in tight social networks. Policies should be developed with their input rather than imposed externally. Programmes that actively engage drivers will be more widely accepted and successful.

    Rethinking how incentives shape behaviour

    Speeding is often framed as a problem of reckless individuals making bad choices. My research shows that’s rarely the case – rather it’s about social incentives and peer influence.

    A poorly designed financial incentive may slow drivers down temporarily, but it won’t change long-term behaviour. Incentives that help drivers escape the social pressure of adopting risky behaviours may shift norms – creating lasting improvements in road safety, economic efficiency and environmental impact.

    – Uganda’s speedy motorbike taxis will slow down for cash – if incentives are cleverly designed
    – https://theconversation.com/ugandas-speedy-motorbike-taxis-will-slow-down-for-cash-if-incentives-are-cleverly-designed-249608

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Huffman, Van Hollen Reintroduce Bicameral Legislation to Fully Fund Special Education

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Huffman Representing the 2nd District of California

    April 03, 2025

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Jared Huffman (CA-02)and U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) reintroduced the bicameral IDEA Full Funding Act to ensure all children with disabilities can access a free, high-quality public education.In 1975, Congress passed the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) to provide these essential educational opportunities, and this legislation ensures that Congress fulfills its commitment.

    Under IDEA, the federal government committed to pay 40 percent of the average per pupil expenditure for special education. However, that pledge has never been met, and current funding is below 13 percent. The IDEA Full Funding Act would require regular, mandatory increases in IDEA spending to finally meet our obligation to America’s children and schools. It is cosponsored by more than 30 Senators and over 60 House members. Text of the IDEA Full Funding Act can be viewed here.

    “While we’ve made substantial progress to fund special education services in recent years, we still have important work left to do to live up to the original commitment Congress made,” said Rep. Jared Huffman. “All children – no matter their zip code, race, disability, or any other factor – should be able to access a full, exceptional education, and this legislation will help school districts provide thenecessary resources to make this vision a reality. The current chronic underfunding leaves an unfair burden on students, teachers, schools, and families.Our bill holds up the federal government’s end of the bargain to fully fund special education services on apermanent basis and set all students up for long-term success.”

    “Fifty years ago, Congress passed the IDEA Act, and with it, made a promise to children with disabilities and their families – but we have fallen short of that promise every year since. While Donald Trump and Elon Musk are illegally gutting public education in America, we are fighting to strengthen it. Our bill will ensure that Congress finally meets its commitment to fully fund IDEA, putting us closer to delivering equal access to high-quality education for every student in this country,” said Senator Van Hollen.

    Rep. Huffman requested $16.3 million for IDEA Part B Grants to States in FY2024, taking a key step toward securing full federal funding. He will continue to advocate for more federal funding in the upcoming FY2025 appropriations cycle, ensuring that every child can access the resources they need to succeed.

    This bill is co-led in the House by Representatives Glenn “GT” Thompson (PA-15), Joe Neguse (CO-02), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), Angie Craig (MN-02), Pete Stauber (MN-08), Janelle Bynum (OR-05), Don Bacon (NE-02), Eric Swalwell (CA-14), and Mike Bost (IL-12). 

    “As the Trump Administration slashes support for students with disabilities by dismantling the Department of Education, I am proud to join my colleagues in advancing legislation that mandates increased IDEA funding. Together with parents, teachers, and education advocates, we will hold the President accountable for his reckless attacks on accessible education and make sure every kid has the chance to learn, grow, and–ultimately–succeed,” said House Assistant Minority Leader Joe Neguse.

    “This bipartisan legislation is fulfilling a long overdue promise made by the federal government to support students with disabilities by funding 40% of the cost of special education,” said Rep. Don Bacon. “For far too long that commitment has gone unfulfilled, and now we are taking action to deliver on that promise. I’m honored to co-lead the reintroduction of the IDEA Full Funding Act.”

    “For too long, the federal government has fallen short on its commitment to share the cost of education with states for individuals with special needs, placing an unfair burden on schools, teachers, and families,” said Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson. “The IDEA Full Funding Act reaffirms our promise and makes IDEAwhole over the next 10 years. This is a positive step toward ensuring every student with disabilities receives the support and resources they need to thrive.

    “As the mother of a child who benefited from special education, I know firsthand just how lifechanging these programs can be for Minnesota students and their families,” said Rep. Angie Craig. “I’m proud to be co-leading this bipartisan legislation to fully fund special education programs and ensure our special educators and paraprofessionals have the resources they need to keep up this critical work.”

    “Every child, regardless of ability, deserves access to a high-quality education and a fair opportunity to succeed,” said Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick. “For too long, the federal government has fallen short of its commitment to fully fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), leaving schools and families to shoulder the burden. We’re working to change that through the bipartisan, bicameral IDEA Full Funding Act—legislation that will ensure students in Bucks and Montgomery counties, and across the nation, have access to the full range of resources, support, and high-quality education they need to reach their fullest potential.”

    “Parents of kids with special needs are fresh off of fighting for their kids during COVID, and we won’t stop. We know that every kid has needs – and gifts. No one is disposable and we’re tired of having to fight for the crumbs. Fully fund IDEA. Now,” said Rep. Janelle Bynum.

    “For many parents, raising a child with a disability is a full-time job. Every child, regardless of their abilities or disabilities, deserves the opportunity to develop skills that will help them lead fulfilling lives. That’s why I’m a proud co-lead of the IDEA Full Funding Act,” said Rep. Eric Swalwell. “Parents have to fight too damn hard to get their child the resources they need, and Congress has fallen short of our promise to support all students as they learn essential skills for adulthood. This bill would require regular mandatory increases in spending to match the needs of America’s classrooms. Fully funding IDEA is a big step in bringing down barriers and stepping up our students for success.”

    “For too long, the federal government has fallen short of its funding commitment to students with special needs, forcing schools to subsidize rising special education costs with general education funds,” said Rep. Pete Stauber. “This leaves every student at a disadvantage. As the parent of a child with special needs, I am proud to continue the fight to ensure Congress fulfills its promise to our special needs students and their parents, so our educators can strengthen special education services while meeting the needs of every American student.”

    This legislation is supported by a broad and diverse group of over 70nationaland localorganizations, including by theSchool Superintendents Association (AASA), theAssociation of School Business Officials International (ASBO), and the Council for Exceptional Children.

    “I see firsthand the critical role special education plays in shaping the future of our students. With the growing needs of students with disabilities, it is more important than ever that we fully fund IDEA. Every child, regardless of ability, deserves access to the education and support they need to thrive. I urge Congress to please find it in their hearts to vote this critical legislation through and support all our beautiful children across this great nation,” said Jaime Green, Superintendent of Trinity Alps Unified School District (TAUSD).

    “AASA is proud to support the IDEA Full Funding Act being introduced today. We strongly support this legislation as a key priority in strengthening our nation’s schools and supporting them in their work to ensure all students—regardless of ability—have an opportunity to access a high-quality education. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) represents a critical commitment to help level the playing field for historically disadvantaged populations, students with disabilities. We are proud to endorse the IDEA Full Funding Act, being introduced in both the House and Senate this week, for its work to hold Congress accountable and create a clear path and plan of action. We thank Senator Van Hollen and Representatives Thompson and Huffman for their leadership on this important issue,” said AASA Executive Director Dr. David R. Schuler.

    “School districts everywhere are facing significant financial strain as they strive to educate and serve all students, including those with disabilities. Fully funding IDEA would help schools keep up with rising costs to effectively assess and respond to increasing needs, attract and retain specialized instructional support personnel, and provide assistive equipment and technology to help students learn and succeed,” said Elleka Yost, ASBO Director of Advocacy & Research.

    “As the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) turns 50 years old this year, now is the perfect time for Congress to make good on its pledge to fully fund IDEA,” said Chad Rummel, executive director of the Council for Exceptional Children. “We thank Sen. Van Hollen, Reps. Huffman and Thompson, and all the bill cosponsors for introducing this bill to provide the resources needed to support the infants, toddlers, children and youth served under IDEA,” said Kuna Tavalin, Senior Advisor at the Council for Exceptional Children.

    Additional cosponsors in the House include Representatives Don Bacon (NE-02), Becca Balint (VT-AL), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Mike Bost (IL-12), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), Janelle Bynum (OR-05), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), André Carson (IN-07), Sean Casten (IL-06), Kathy Castor (FL-14), Judy Chu (CA-28), Emanuel Cleaver (MO-05), Gerald E. Connolly (VA-11), Jim Costa (CA-21), Angie Craig (MN-02), Jason Crow (CO-06), Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Diana DeGette (CO-01), Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Debbie Dingell (MI-06), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Dwight Evans (PA-03), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), Lois Frankel (FL-22), Maxwell Frost (FL-10), Sylvia R. Garcia (TX-29), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Jim Himes (CT-04), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Hank Johnson Jr. (GA-04), Ro Khanna (CA-17), John Mannion (NY-22),Lucy McBath (GA-06), Sarah McBride (DL-AL), LisaMcClain (MI-09), Morgan McGarvey (KY-03), LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Joseph Morelle (NY-25), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Joe Neguse (CO-02), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-00), Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Scott Peters (CA-50), Brittany Pettersen (CO-07),Chellie Pingree (ME-01),Mark Pocan (WI-02), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Jamie Raskin (MD-08),Josh Riley (NY-19),AndreaSalinas (OR-06), Linda Sánchez (CA-38), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Hillary Scholten (MI-03), Brad Sherman (CA-32), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Melanie Stansbury (NM-01), PeteStauber (MN-08), Marilyn Strickland(WA-10), Eric Swalwell, (CA-14),Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Bennie G. Thompson (MS-02), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Paul D. Tonko (NY-20), Lori Trahan (MA-03), Juan Vargas (CA-52), NikemaWilliams (GA-05), and Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24).

    The legislation is cosponsored in the Senate by Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Mark Warner (D-VA), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

    The bill is also supported by: TheSchool Superintendents Association (AASA), AFT, AFL-CI”, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE), American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), American Occupational Therapy Association, American PsychologicalAssociation, Assistive Technology Industry Association, Association of Educational Service Agencies, Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents, Association of Latino Superintendents and Administrators, Association of People Supporting Employment First (APSE), Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO), Autism Society of America, Autism Speaks, Autistic Self Advocacy Network, CAST, Center for Learner Equity, Coalition for Adequate Funding for Special Education, Coalition for Community Schools, Consortium of State School Boards Associations (COSSBA), Council for Exceptional Children, Council for Learning Disabilities, Council of Administrators of Special Education, Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, EDGE Consulting Partners, EdTrust, Education Reform Now, First Focus Campaign for Children, Higher Education Consortium for Special Education, Institute for Educational Leadership, Learning Disabilities Association of America, NAESPA (NationalAssociation of ESEA State Program Administrators), NationalAssociation for Music Education, NationalAssociation for Pupil Transportation, NationalAssociation of Councils on Developmental Disabilities, NationalAssociation of Federally Impacted Schools (NAFIS), NationalAssociation of Private Special Education Centers, NationalAssociation of School Psychologists, NationalAssociation of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), National Center for Learning Disabilities, National Consortium for Physical Education for Individuals with Disabilities (NCPEID), National Disability Rights Network (NDRN), National Down Syndrome Congress, National Down Syndrome Society, National Education Association, National PTA, National Rural Education Association (NREA), NBJC, Teach For America, TheAdvocacy Institute, TheArc of the United States, TNTP.

    The bill is also supported by these local and state organizations: ABC SELPA, ABC Unified School District, ACSA Region 5, Albany Unified School District, Anaheim Elementary SELPA, Antelope Valley SELPA, Arcadia Unified School District, Association of CaliforniaSchool Administrators, Berryessa Union School District, Bonny Doon Union Elementary School District, Briggs Elementary School District, Butte County Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA), CaliforniaAssociation of School Business Officials, CaliforniaSchool Boards Association, Clovis Unified School District, CTA, Duarte Unified School District, East San Gabriel Valley SELPA, EDGE Consulting Partners, El Dorado County Charter SELPA, El Monte Union High School District, Emery Unified School District, Fillmore Unified School District, Foothill SELPA, Franklin McKinley School District, Fresno County Charter SELPA, Fresno County SELPA, Garden Grove Unified School District, Garvey Elementary School District, Glendale Unified School District, Gonzales Unified School District, Hacienda La Puente Unified School District, Humboldt-Del Norte SELPA, Kern High School District SELPA, King City Union School District, La Cañada Unified School District, Las Virgenes Unified School District, Live Oak School District, Los Angeles Unified School District, Los Angeles Unified School District, Marin County SELPA, Merced County Office of Education, Merced County SELPA, Millbrae Elementary School District, Milpitas Unified School District, Monrovia Unified School District, Monterey County Office of Education, Monterey County SELPA, Moorpark Unified School District, Moreno Valley Unified School District, Mountain Elementary School District, Mountain View School District, MPUSD, NCCSE SELPA, North Monterey County Unified School District, North Region SELPA Director, North Santa Cruz County SELPA, North West SELPA, Oak Grove School District, Oak Park Unified School District, Oakland Education Association, Oakland Unified School District, Oakland Unified Special Education Department, Ocean View School District, Oceanside Unified School District, Office of the Riverside County Superintendent of Schools, Ojai Unified School District, Orange Unified SELPA, OUSD, Oxnard School District,Pacific Elementary School District, Pacific Grove Unified School District, Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District, Placer County SELPA, Pleasant Valley School District, Rancho Santa Fe School District, Ravenswood City School District, Riverside Unified School District SELPA, RuralSchools Association of New York, Salinas Union High School District, San Antonio Union School District, San Diego Unified School District, San Gabriel Unified, San Joaquin County Office of Education,San Juan Unified School District, San Lorenzo Valley USD, San Luis Coastal Unified School District, San Luis Obispo County Office of Education, San Luis Obispo County SELPA, San Marino Unified School District, San Mateo Adult & Career Education, San Mateo County Office of Education, San Mateo County SELPA, San Miguel Joint Union School District, San Ramon Valley Unified School District/SELPA, Santa Barbara County SELPA, Santa Clara County Office of Education, Santa Clara Elementary School District, Santa Clarita Valley SELPA, Santa Cruz County Office of Education, Santa Paula Unified School District, Scotts Valley Unified School District, SELPAAdministrators of CA, Shandon Joint Unified School District, Sierra Sands SELPA, Simi Valley Schools, Simi Valley Unified School District, Siskiyou County Office of Education, SMCOE, Solana Beach School District, Sonoma County SELPAand Sonoma County Charter SELPA, Soquel Union Elementary School District, South East Santa Clara SELPA, South Monterey County JUHSD, South Orange County Special Education Local Plan Area, South Pasadena Unified School District, Special Education Teacher and Administrator, Spreckels Union School District, SUESD, Sunset Elementary School, Tehama County Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) and Tehama County Department of Education (TCDE), Temple City Unified School District, Tri-City SELPA (Culver City, Santa Monica-Malibu, Beverly Hills Unified School Districts), Tri-Valley SELPA, Tuolumne County SELPA, VCOE, Ventura County Office of Education, Ventura County SELPA, West Contra Costa SELPA, West Contra Costa Unified School District, West San Gabriel Valley SELPA, Yolo County SELPA, Yuba County Office of Education.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Join Us on 4/24 for a Foreign and Comparative Law Webinar: The More the Merrier: The Form and Function of Coalition Governments Around the World

    Source: US Global Legal Monitor

    Join us on Thursday, April 24, 2025, at 2:00 pm EDT for our next foreign, comparative, and international law webinar, “The More the Merrier: The Form and Function of Coalition Governments Around the World.”

    Within the last two years, several jurisdictions have formed or are in the process of forming new coalition governments, including Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, France, South Africa, and New Zealand. In some instances, these new governments have occurred due to snap elections; taken a great deal of time to form; led to new parties coming into power or certain parties being excluded from power; indicated a change in national political practice; or a shift from one side of the political spectrum to the other. With these changes, we can observe how coalitions form, operate, and collapse in different global locations.

    In our April entry of our Foreign and Comparative Law Webinar Series, we will look at coalition governments, focusing on how they are formed, how they function, and how they are dissolved. We will use examples from various jurisdictions around the world to illustrate different means of creating and ending coalition governments, as well as the contrasting functions of those governments.

    Please register here.

    This webinar will be presented by Heather Casey, a writer-editor in the Global Legal Research Directorate of the Law Library of Congress. Heather has a J.D. from William & Mary Law School, an M.L.I.S. from Drexel University, and a B.A. from the University of Cincinnati.

    Subscribe to In Custodia Legis – it’s free! – to receive interesting posts drawn from the Law Library of Congress’s vast collections and our staff’s expertise in U.S., foreign, and international law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Tunisia’s rap revolution: 5 women who are redefining hip-hop

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Jyhene Kebsi, Director of Learning & Teaching (Gender Studies), Macquarie University

    Women rappers were not really a feature of Tunisia’s typically masculine and chauvinist hip-hop scene until the revolution that overthrew Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali in 2011.

    Now there are several politically conscious female voices rising in the rap scene. Gender studies scholar Jyhene Kebsi has published a research paper on how their lyrics highlight the multiple inequalities that women in Tunisia – and the world – must overcome.

    How have male Tunisian rappers generally treated women in their songs and videos?

    The gender politics of Tunisian men’s rap is complex, but we can talk about one of its tendencies. Although there are men who’ve supported their female colleagues and collaborated with them on songs, their portrayals tend to lump women into one of two groups: virtuous or promiscuous; madonnas or whores.

    Read more: Senegal’s female rappers aren’t letting obstacles get in their way – who the rising voices are

    This is clear in their use of obscene words that aim to degrade the “fallen” women they rap about. Their sexual references can be seen as a way to debase the “easy girls and immoral women” who challenge patriarchal norms.

    This is in sharp contrast to the love and indebtedness they express towards their mothers and sisters. In contrast to western rap, the mother figure is central in Tunisian rap.

    The sacredness of the mother in Tunisian Muslim culture is seen in songs full of gratitude towards those who brought them into the world.

    Their reliance on this male-centred division between “respectable” and “unrespectable” women spreads a toxic masculinity that supports harmful gender stereotypes.

    This strengthens men’s social dominance and their policing of women’s bodies. Having said that, it is very important to highlight that sexism is not limited to the Arab rap scene. As I explain in my paper, many western male rappers objectify, humiliate and degrade women in their songs too.

    Who are the four female rappers you discuss?

    The four Tunisian women rappers I analyse are Sabrina, Medusa, Queen Nesrine and Tuny Girl.

    There’s a common perception that Medusa was Tunisia’s first female rapper. In reality, Sabrina began performing rap in 2007 and Tunisia’s other female artists joined the rap scene after the 2011 revolution.

    Medusa is Tunisia’s most famous female rapper in the west – her migration to France boosted her international profile. Although Tuny Girl and Queen Nesrine have not gained the fame of Medusa or Sabrina, they’ve released powerful feminist songs that criticise the status quo in post-revolutionary Tunisia.

    These artists have mainly relied on digital media to share their songs with the public through social platforms like YouTube and Facebook. Unfortunately, all four of them have faced opposition because they’re women.

    Rap is considered a masculine musical genre. Tunisian women’s initial entry into this male-dominated world was not easily accepted. Attitudes towards female rappers have evolved thanks to women’s gradual success in attracting a larger fan base.

    But these four artists share a strong resistance to sexism. Most importantly, while being aware of patriarchal pressures, they’re conscious of the many different forms of oppression that intersect to keep women less equal than men.

    This is evident in their songs, which reflect a strong awareness of intersectionality.

    What is intersesectionality?

    The black US feminist Kimberle Crenshaw coined the term “intersectionality” in 1989 to describe the double discrimination of sexism and racism faced by black women. So, she used the term to discuss the multiple forms of inequality that compound themselves and create interlocking obstacles that shape black women’s experiences of discrimination.

    Intersectionality highlights the experiences of multiple forms of discrimination when these categories of social identity interact with and shape one another.

    We see an understanding of intersectionality in a song like Hold On, where Medusa raps about illiteracy, political struggle and motherhood:

    I am watching the floating misery / Illiteracy has spread and made us go from one extreme to the other / Where is the freedom for which activists struggled? / I am the free Tunisian who exposed their chest to bullets / I am the mother, the mother of the martyr who has not gotten his revenge.

    Or, in her song Arahdli, Sabrina raps about a range of social ills:

    Leave me alone / The police catch you and harm you / Don’t believe the corrupt state / Unemployment and poverty will not make you happy.

    I found that what Medusa, Sabrina, Queen Nesrine and Tuny Girl have in common is their rejection of, as Crenshaw puts it, the “single-axis framework”. The one-sided narrative that reduces women’s problems solely to men and patriarchy.

    Instead, these artists highlight the damaging impact – for women – of the intersection of gender inequality, political corruption, unjust laws, ineffective local policies, the collapse of Tunisia’s economy and the country’s weak position in the global geopolitical landscape.

    Their songs are united in their recognition that Tunisian women’s lives are shaped by all these overlapping power structures, exposing them to marginalisation and discrimination.

    So, their songs identify hidden, interrelated structural barriers to their freedom. Misogyny is just one element that needs to be considered alongside other local and global issues when we discuss gender politics in Tunisia.

    What other new trends are female rappers ushering in?

    Women are at the forefront of innovation in Tunisian rap. Take Lully Snake. She’s a Tunisian-Algerian rapper based in Tunisia. This 24-year-old artist was previously a breakdancer. Her passion for hip-hop culture and her love for US artists like Tupac, Kool G Rap, Queen Latifah and Foxy Brown led her to start rapping.

    Like all Tunisian women rappers, she considers her entry into rap to have been a long and difficult journey. Starting in 2019, her first song was only released in 2024.

    Lully Snake first uploaded her debut song Zabatna Kida on Instagram. Its uniqueness lies in its combination of rap and mahraganat, an Egyptian street music that emerged in Cairo’s ghettos. Its success encouraged her to carry on rapping in both Tunisian and Egyptian, alongside other western languages and Maghrebi dialects.

    Lully Snake’s experimentation proves that female rappers are innovating while spreading messages that empower women. This has ultimately enriched Tunisian rap.

    – Tunisia’s rap revolution: 5 women who are redefining hip-hop
    – https://theconversation.com/tunisias-rap-revolution-5-women-who-are-redefining-hip-hop-253066

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Tunisia’s rap revolution: 5 women who are redefining hip-hop

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Jyhene Kebsi, Director of Learning & Teaching (Gender Studies), Macquarie University

    Women rappers were not really a feature of Tunisia’s typically masculine and chauvinist hip-hop scene until the revolution that overthrew Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali in 2011.

    Now there are several politically conscious female voices rising in the rap scene. Gender studies scholar Jyhene Kebsi has published a research paper on how their lyrics highlight the multiple inequalities that women in Tunisia – and the world – must overcome.

    How have male Tunisian rappers generally treated women in their songs and videos?

    The gender politics of Tunisian men’s rap is complex, but we can talk about one of its tendencies. Although there are men who’ve supported their female colleagues and collaborated with them on songs, their portrayals tend to lump women into one of two groups: virtuous or promiscuous; madonnas or whores.



    Read more:
    Senegal’s female rappers aren’t letting obstacles get in their way – who the rising voices are

    This is clear in their use of obscene words that aim to degrade the “fallen” women they rap about. Their sexual references can be seen as a way to debase the “easy girls and immoral women” who challenge patriarchal norms.

    This is in sharp contrast to the love and indebtedness they express towards their mothers and sisters. In contrast to western rap, the mother figure is central in Tunisian rap.

    The sacredness of the mother in Tunisian Muslim culture is seen in songs full of gratitude towards those who brought them into the world.

    Their reliance on this male-centred division between “respectable” and “unrespectable” women spreads a toxic masculinity that supports harmful gender stereotypes.

    This strengthens men’s social dominance and their policing of women’s bodies. Having said that, it is very important to highlight that sexism is not limited to the Arab rap scene. As I explain in my paper, many western male rappers objectify, humiliate and degrade women in their songs too.

    Who are the four female rappers you discuss?

    The four Tunisian women rappers I analyse are Sabrina, Medusa, Queen Nesrine and Tuny Girl.

    There’s a common perception that Medusa was Tunisia’s first female rapper. In reality, Sabrina began performing rap in 2007 and Tunisia’s other female artists joined the rap scene after the 2011 revolution.

    Medusa is Tunisia’s most famous female rapper in the west – her migration to France boosted her international profile. Although Tuny Girl and Queen Nesrine have not gained the fame of Medusa or Sabrina, they’ve released powerful feminist songs that criticise the status quo in post-revolutionary Tunisia.

    These artists have mainly relied on digital media to share their songs with the public through social platforms like YouTube and Facebook. Unfortunately, all four of them have faced opposition because they’re women.

    Rap is considered a masculine musical genre. Tunisian women’s initial entry into this male-dominated world was not easily accepted. Attitudes towards female rappers have evolved thanks to women’s gradual success in attracting a larger fan base.

    But these four artists share a strong resistance to sexism. Most importantly, while being aware of patriarchal pressures, they’re conscious of the many different forms of oppression that intersect to keep women less equal than men.

    This is evident in their songs, which reflect a strong awareness of intersectionality.

    What is intersesectionality?

    The black US feminist Kimberle Crenshaw coined the term “intersectionality” in 1989 to describe the double discrimination of sexism and racism faced by black women. So, she used the term to discuss the multiple forms of inequality that compound themselves and create interlocking obstacles that shape black women’s experiences of discrimination.

    Intersectionality highlights the experiences of multiple forms of discrimination when these categories of social identity interact with and shape one another.

    We see an understanding of intersectionality in a song like Hold On, where Medusa raps about illiteracy, political struggle and motherhood:

    I am watching the floating misery / Illiteracy has spread and made us go from one extreme to the other / Where is the freedom for which activists struggled? / I am the free Tunisian who exposed their chest to bullets /
    I am the mother, the mother of the martyr who has not gotten his revenge.

    Or, in her song Arahdli, Sabrina raps about a range of social ills:

    Leave me alone / The police catch you and harm you / Don’t believe the corrupt state / Unemployment and poverty will not make you happy.

    I found that what Medusa, Sabrina, Queen Nesrine and Tuny Girl have in common is their rejection of, as Crenshaw puts it, the “single-axis framework”. The one-sided narrative that reduces women’s problems solely to men and patriarchy.

    Instead, these artists highlight the damaging impact – for women – of the intersection of gender inequality, political corruption, unjust laws, ineffective local policies, the collapse of Tunisia’s economy and the country’s weak position in the global geopolitical landscape.

    Their songs are united in their recognition that Tunisian women’s lives are shaped by all these overlapping power structures, exposing them to marginalisation and discrimination.

    So, their songs identify hidden, interrelated structural barriers to their freedom. Misogyny is just one element that needs to be considered alongside other local and global issues when we discuss gender politics in Tunisia.

    What other new trends are female rappers ushering in?

    Women are at the forefront of innovation in Tunisian rap. Take Lully Snake. She’s a Tunisian-Algerian rapper based in Tunisia. This 24-year-old artist was previously a breakdancer. Her passion for hip-hop culture and her love for US artists like Tupac, Kool G Rap, Queen Latifah and Foxy Brown led her to start rapping.

    Like all Tunisian women rappers, she considers her entry into rap to have been a long and difficult journey. Starting in 2019, her first song was only released in 2024.

    Lully Snake first uploaded her debut song Zabatna Kida on Instagram. Its uniqueness lies in its combination of rap and mahraganat, an Egyptian street music that emerged in Cairo’s ghettos. Its success encouraged her to carry on rapping in both Tunisian and Egyptian, alongside other western languages and Maghrebi dialects.

    Lully Snake’s experimentation proves that female rappers are innovating while spreading messages that empower women. This has ultimately enriched Tunisian rap.

    Jyhene Kebsi 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. Tunisia’s rap revolution: 5 women who are redefining hip-hop – https://theconversation.com/tunisias-rap-revolution-5-women-who-are-redefining-hip-hop-253066

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Evicted PNG settlement fears collective punishment over gang rape and killing

    By Harlyne Joku and BenarNews staff

    Residents of an informal Port Moresby settlement that was razed following the gang rape and murder of a woman by 20 men say they are being unfairly punished by Papua New Guinea authorities over alleged links to the crime.

    Human rights advocates and the UN have condemned the killing but warned the eviction by police has raised serious concerns about collective punishment, violations of national law, police misconduct and governance failures.

    A community spokesman said more than 500 people living at the settlement at the capital’s Baruni rubbish dump were forcibly evicted by the police in response to the killing of 32-year-old Margaret Gabriel on February 15.

    Port Moresby newspapers reported the gang rape and murder by 20 men of 32-year-old Margaret Gabriel . . . “Barbaric”, said the Post-Courier in a banner headline. Image: BenarNews

    Authorities accuse the settlement residents, who are primarily migrants from the Goilala district in Central Province, of harboring some of the men involved in her murder.

    Prime Minister James Marape condemned Gabriel’s death as “inhuman, barbaric” and a “defining moment for our nation to unite against crime, to take a stand against violence”, the day after the attack.

    He assured every effort would be made to prosecute those responsible and his “unwavering support” for the removal of settlements like Baruni, calling them “breeding grounds for criminal elements who terrorise innocent people.”

    Gabriel was one of three women killed in the capital that week.

    Charged with rape, murder
    Four men from Goilala district and two from Enga province, all aged between 18 and 29, appeared in a Port Moresby court on Monday on charges of her rape and murder.

    The case has again put a spotlight again on gender-based violence in PNG and renewed calls for the government to find a long-term solution to Port Moresby’s impoverished settlements.

    Dozens of families, some of whom have lived in the Baruni settlement for more than 40 years, were forced out of their homes on February 22 and are now sleeping under blue tarpaulins at a school sports oval on the outskirts of the capital.

    Spokesman for the evicted Baruni residents, Peter Laiam . . . “My people are innocent.” Image: Harlyne Joku/Benar News

    “My people are innocent,” Peter Laiam, a community spokesman and school caretaker, told BenarNews, adding that police continued to harass the community at their new location.

    “They told me I had to move these people out in two weeks’ time or they will shoot us.”

    Laiam said a further six men from the settlement were suspected of involvement in Gabriel’s death, but had not been charged, and the community has fully cooperated with police on the matter, including naming the suspects.

    Authorities however were treating the entire population as “trouble makers,” Laiam added.

    “They also took cash and building materials like corrugated iron roofing for themselves” he said.

    No police response
    Senior police in Port Moresby did not respond to ongoing requests from BenarNews for reaction to the allegations.

    Assistant Commissioner Benjamin Turi last week thanked the evicted settlers for information that led to the arrest of six suspects, The National newspaper reported.

    Police Minister Peter Tsiamalili Junior defended the eviction at Baruni last month, telling EMTV News it was lawful and the settlement was on state-owned land.

    Bare land left after homes in the Baruni settlement village were flattened by bulldozers at Port Moresby, PNG. Image: Harlyne Joku/Benar News

    Police used excavators and other heavy machinery to tear down houses at the Baruni settlement, with images showing some buildings on fire.

    Residents say the resettlement site in Laloki lacks adequate water, sanitation and other facilities.

    “They are running out of food,” Laiam said. “Last weekend they were washed out by the rain and their food supplies were finished.”

    Separated from their gardens and unable to sell firewood, the families are surviving on food donations from local authorities, he said.

    Human rights critics
    The evictions have been criticised by human rights advocates, including Peterson Magoola, the UN Women Representative for PNG.

    “We strongly condemn all acts of sexual and gender-based violence and call for justice for the victim,” he said in a statement last month.

    “At the same time, collective punishment, forced evictions, and destruction of homes violate fundamental human rights and disproportionately harm vulnerable members of the community.”

    The evicted families living in tents at Laloki St Paul’s Primary School, on the outskirts of Port Moresby, PNG. Image: Harlyne Joku/Benar News

    Melanesian Solidarity, a local nonprofit, called on the government to ensure justice for both the murder victim and displaced families.

    It said the evictions might have contravened international treaties and domestic laws that protect against unlawful property deprivation and mandate proper legal procedures for relocation.

    The Baruni settlement, which is home primarily to migrants from Goilala district, was established with consent on the customary land of the Baruni people during the colonial era, according to Laiam.

    Central Province Governor Rufina Peter defended the evicted settlers on national broadcaster NBC on February 20, and their contribution to the national capital.

    “The Goilala people were here during pre-independence time. They are the ones who were the bucket carriers,” she said.

    ‘Knee jerk’ response
    She also criticised the eviction by police as “knee jerk” and raised human rights concerns.

    The Goilala community in Central Province, 60 miles (100 kilometers) from the capital, was the center of controversy in January when a trophy video of butchered body parts being displayed by a gang went viral, attracted erroneous ‘cannibalism’ reportage by the local media and sparked national and international condemnation.

    The evictions at Baruni have touched off again a complex debate about crime and housing in PNG, the Pacific’s most populous nation.

    Informal settlements have mushroomed in Port Moresby as thousands of people from the countryside migrate to the city in search of employment.

    Critics say the impoverished settlements are unfit for habitation, contribute to the city’s frequent utility shortages, and harbour criminals.

    Mass evictions have been ordered before, but the government has failed to enact any meaningful policies to address their rapid growth across the city.

    While accurate population data is hard to find in PNG, the United Nations Population Fund estimates that the number of people living in Port Moresby is about 513,000.

    Lack basic infrastructure
    At least half of them are thought to live in informal settlements, which lack basic infrastructure like water, electricity and sewerage, according to 2022 research by the PNG National Research Institute.

    A shortage of affordable housing and high rental prices have caused a mismatch between demand and supply.

    Melanesian Solidarity said the government needed to develop a national housing strategy to prevent the rise of informal settlements.

    “This eviction is a wake-up call for the government to implement sustainable urban planning and housing reforms rather than resorting to forced removals,” it said in a statement.

    “We stand with the affected families and demand justice, accountability, and humane solutions for all Papua New Guineans.”

    Stefan Armbruster, Sue Ahearn and Harry Pearl contributed to this story. Republished from BenarNews with permission. However, it is the last report from BenarNews as the editors have announced a “pause” in publication due to the US administration withholding funds.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Sourcemind Academy sponsored by Webb Fontaine, lays the groundwork for technology and skills transfer within the Guinea’s Single Window for Foreign Trade (GUCEG) framework: 15 young Guineans trained in software engineering

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

    As part of the skills and technology transfer process outlined by the commitments under the concession for Guinea’s Single Window for Foreign Trade (GUCEG), Webb Fontaine (www.WebbFontaine.com), in collaboration with Sourcemind Training Academy, proudly celebrates the successful graduation of the first cohort from its software engineering training program. 

    This six-month program is fully aligned with the national capacity- building strategy and embodies the vision of transferring technical expertise to the Guinean State as the GUCEG concession approaches its completion. 

    Through this initiative, Webb Fontaine concretely demonstrates its commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) by fostering local expertise capable of maintaining, enhancing, and innovating technological systems, particularly those related to GUCEG. 

    Of the 18 candidates enrolled, 15 graduates from this inaugural cohort have gained specialized skills in Java development, Java Spring, databases, data structures and algorithms, DevOps, and front-end development. They have worked on practical projects addressing real-world needs, such as learning management systems, HR platforms, and commercial management tools. 

    “These achievements represent a critical milestone in the strategy to sustain GUCEG’s technological gains. They also lay the foundation for a more autonomous local IT ecosystem, essential for the ongoing technical and operational continuity of Guinea’s digital administrative systems.This first cohort trained through Sourcemind Academy reflects our strong commitment to ensuring the sustainability of GUCEG’s technological assets by investing in local, resilient expertise,” said Mamady Doumbouya, Director General of GUCEG. 

    “At Webb Fontaine, we believe that true digital transformation comes through knowledge transfer. This graduation marks our concrete commitment to a sovereign digital future for Guinea,” said Alioune Ciss, CEO of Webb Fontaine. 

    “This program is fully in line with our national strategy for capacity building. It represents a major step toward building a modernized and autonomous public administration, driven by Guinean talent,” said Facinet SYLLA, Minister of Budget. 

    Practical Information:
    Date: APRIL 2nd, 2025 
    Venue: Noom Hotel, Conakry 
    Time: Ceremony begins at 10:00 AM 

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Webb Fontaine.

    Contact:
    Mail: alseny.dia@webbfontaine.com
    Website: www.GUCEG.Gov.gn 
    629 41 09 12 / 612 21 03

    About SourceMind:
    Sourcemind is a high-level technological training center established by Webb Fontaine. Its mission is to equip young local talents with immediately operational skills, leveraging professional training methodologies aligned with international standards. 

    Within the context of GUCEG, Sourcemind plays a vital role in transferring technical expertise, preparing a local workforce capable of maintaining, optimizing, and developing future digital platforms for the Guinean government. 

    Media files

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    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/MALAWI – Catholic University: Law Faculty students to provide free legal aid

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Catholic University of Malawi

    Lilongwe (Agenzia Fides) – “This year, the Church is celebrating a Jubilee Year with the theme: Pilgrims of Hope. As a falculty, can we not go to our prisons and help liberate those who do not belong there?” asked Father Wilfred Sumani, Acting Vice-Chancellor of the Catholic University of Malawi, in a speech to law faculty students preparing for the “Moot Court” competition (in which teams of law students compete in a mock criminal trial). Father Sumani urged the students to participate in the free defense of prisoners who cannot afford legal representation.Lawyer Noel Chalamanda, the facilitator of the training, expressed his commitment to join the challenge of helping prisoners on pro bono: “I will take on ten cases in this challenge and only require assistance from the students with the paperwork”.In Malawi, there are several cases of arrests based on inadequate investigations, often targeting poor individuals. This contributes to overcrowding in police cells and prisons. Despite legal reforms and the constitutional right of the poor to legal representation, this is rarely guaranteed in practice in Malawi. In addition to legal fees, those involved in a legal dispute also face other logistical costs. A large portion of the population still lives in rural areas. The inaccessibility and lack of functioning and effective legal institutions in rural areas is one of the main reasons why the poor have difficulty accessing the courts. For villagers, the nearest district court can be 25-40 kilometers away. Most villagers cannot afford a personal vehicle, and public transportation is non-existent in rural areas. The only means of transportation available to villagers are walking, cycling, or hitchhiking to court. Furthermore, they must arrive at the courthouse several days before the start of the trial, incurring costs for food and accommodation. The government provides insufficient funding for legal assistance to poor citizens, making it virtually impossible for most defendants. Furthermore, the Malawi Bar Association does not appear to particularly support the practice of pro bono defense. The initiative proposed by the Catholic University of Malawi for the Jubilee Year is therefore intended as a signal to try to change this situation. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 3/4/2025)
    Share:

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI: BOSS Revolution Announces Savings Pass – A Monthly Membership Plan

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Savings Pass, along with BOSS Unlimited and Bundles of Minutes monthly calling plans, offer spectacular savings no matter where you call or how long you talk 

    NEWARK, NJ, April 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BOSS Revolution, the popular provider of affordable long distance calling to friends and family around the world powered by IDT Corporation (NYSE: IDT), has introduced Savings Pass – a monthly membership calling plan.

    “Just as the big box discount stores offer big savings to their club members, BOSS Revolution’s Savings Pass is an affordable monthly plan that provides our customers with big discounts on our international long-distance calling rates — no matter where you call or how long you talk,” said Jessica Poverene, EVP Marketing at BOSS Revolution.

    BOSS Revolution’s Savings Pass provides a 20% discount on BOSS Revolution’s already low standard rates when calling any one of over 200 countries. The Saving Pass plan is just $5 per month.

    BOSS Revolution Savings Pass is just one way BOSS Revolution rewards its customers. Other BOSS Revolution monthly subscription offerings include:

    Unlimited Plans – Provide unlimited calling to Mexico, Canada, the United Kingdom and popular destinations in Europe, South America, and the Caribbean.

    Bundles of Minutes Plans – Provide a fixed number of minutes for calls to over 40 countries at a 20% discount off BOSS Revolution’s standard rates for a month. Popular destinations in Latin America and the Caribbean include: Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Jamaica. Popular African destinations include Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Togo, Liberia, and Somalia.

    BOSS Revolution Savings Pass and Unlimited Plans maximize savings for those calling overseas most frequently. BOSS Revolution customers who consistently stay in touch with friends and family but who call less frequently or who make shorter calls will generate their biggest savings from Bundles of Minutes subscription plans.

    Charles Thibault, Executive Vice-President, said, “The global paid-minute communications market is a complex eco-system of overlapping prices. Our new Savings Pass option, together with our Unlimited and Bundles of Minutes calling plans, help you cut through that complexity to easily get the best deal possible based on your needs. No matter which calling plan you choose, you will find significant savings.”

    About BOSS Revolution

    Boss Revolution is a trusted brand that makes calling friends and family around the world more convenient and reliable. BOSS Revolution is a brand of IDT Corporation

    About IDT Corporation

    IDT Corporation (NYSE: IDT) is a global provider of fintech and communications solutions through a portfolio of synergistic businesses: National Retail Solutions (NRS), through its point-of-sale (POS) platform, enables independent retailers to operate more effectively while providing advertisers and marketers with unprecedented reach into underserved consumer markets; BOSS Money facilitates innovative international remittances and fintech payments solutions; net2phone provides enterprises and organizations with intelligently integrated cloud communications and contact center services across channels and devices; IDT Digital Payments and the BOSS Revolution calling service make sharing prepaid products and services and speaking with friends and family around the world convenient and reliable; and, IDT Global and IDT Express enable communications services to provision and manage international voice and SMS messaging.

    Contact:
    Bill Ulrey
    IDT Investor Relations
    Phone: (973) 438-3838
    E-mail: invest@idt.net

    # # #

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: MEXC to List StakeStone (STO) to Support Omnichain Liquidity Innovation with 130,000 USDT Airdrop+ Rewards

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VICTORIA, Seychelles, April 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — MEXC, a leading global cryptocurrency exchange, is excited to announce that it has listed StakeStone (STO) on both the spot and futures markets as of April 3, 2025 (UTC). To mark the occasion, MEXC has launched an exclusive Airdrop + rewards campaign, offering a total of 130,000 USDT.

    StakeStone is a cross-chain liquidity infrastructure offering secure, flexible, and high-yield staking solutions through its liquid assets – STONE and SBTC, which are tokenized versions of ETH and BTC. Its scalable architecture integrates with staking pools and is prepared to support future restaking features, creating a multi-chain liquidity market. With a TVL of approximately 600 million USD, StakeStone enables diverse use cases and enhanced yield opportunities. Additionally, the platform has launched LiquidityPad, which allows users to earn rewards by providing liquidity to cross-chain applications, and is expanding its reach through partnerships with Monad and WLFI.

    STO is the governance token of StakeStone, allowing users to participate in decision-making and influence key protocol parameters. It empowers users to shape the protocol while earning additional rewards through veSTO staking, liquidity incentives, and bribe markets. As StakeStone continues to expand, STO’s role in governance and liquidity allocation will become increasingly valuable.

    MEXC has launched an Airdrop + campaign to celebrate the listing of StakeStone (STO) with a total prize pool of 130,000 USDT. Below are the key details of the event:

    Event Period: April 3, 2025, 06:00 – April 13, 2025, 10:00 (UTC)

    Event 1: Deposit to Share 50,000 USDT (New User Exclusive)
    Newly signed-up users and existing users with cumulative deposits below 100 USDT before the event start date are eligible to participate. By completing the relevant tasks during the event period, users can share in the 50,000 USDT prize pool.

    Event 2: Spot Challenge – Trade to Share 20,000 USDT (Open to All Users)
    During the event, all users can trade STO spot pairs with a minimum valid trading volume of $2,000 to share a 20,000 USDT prize pool, with the reward based on each user’s proportion of the total trading volume, up to a maximum of 2,000 USDT. Only spot trades with non-zero fees will be counted towards the trading volume.

    Event 3: Futures Challenge — Trade to Share 50,000 USDT in Futures Bonuses (Open to All Users)
    During the event, users who trade any Perpetual Futures pair and rank among the top 2,000 by total trading volume of at least 20,000 USDT will share a 50,000 USDT prize pool in Futures bonuses, with each user able to receive up to 5,000 USDT, and a minimum reward of 10 USDT.

    Event 4: Invite New Users & Share 10,000 USDT (Open to All Users)
    Existing users can invite friends to sign up on MEXC using their referral code to share a 10,000 USDT reward pool. Once the new user completes any task from Event 1, the referrer will receive 20 USDT, with each referrer eligible to earn up to 400 USDT on a first-come, first-served basis.

    The listing of StakeStone (STO) underscores MEXC’s ongoing commitment to offering users a diverse range of investment assets, expanding its product offerings, and enhancing the overall trading experience. By consistently providing early access to promising Web3 projects, MEXC has solidified its position as an industry leader. According to the latest TokenInsight report, MEXC leads the industry with the highest number of spot listings (461) and the fastest listing speed. Additionally, the exchange consistently adds new tokens on a bi-weekly basis, showcasing its exceptional ability to capture market trends quickly.

    Looking ahead, MEXC will remain user-centric, driving innovation and expanding its offerings to deliver the best opportunities in the ever-evolving crypto landscape.

    For full event details and participation rules, please visit here.

    About MEXC
    Founded in 2018, MEXC is committed to being “Your Easiest Way to Crypto.” Serving over 34 million users across 170+ countries, MEXC is known for its broad selection of trending tokens, everyday airdrop opportunities, and low trading fees. Our user-friendly platform is designed to support both new traders and experienced investors, offering secure and efficient access to digital assets. MEXC prioritizes simplicity and innovation, making crypto trading more accessible and rewarding.
    MEXC Official Website｜ X ｜ Telegram ｜How to Sign Up on MEXC

    Risk Disclaimer:
    The information provided in this article regarding cryptocurrencies does not constitute investment advice. Given the highly volatile nature of the cryptocurrency market, investors are encouraged to carefully assess market fluctuations, the fundamentals of projects, and potential financial risks before making any trading decisions.

    Source

    Contact:
    Lucia Hu
    lucia.hu@mexc.com

    Disclaimer: This press release is provided by the MEXC. 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.

    Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an “as-is” basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We assume no responsibility for any inaccuracies, errors, or omissions. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c4321337-6393-4a6b-8a6b-ff978e3ff59b

    The MIL Network –