NewzIntel.com

Category: AM-NC

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Escalating insecurity forces MSF to close Ulang hospital in South Sudan

    Source: Médecins Sans Frontières –

    • After two violence incidents earlier this year, MSF has been forced to close our hospital in Ulang county, South Sudan, and end our support to 13 community-based health facilities.
    • This has left 150,000 people with less access to healthcare, in an area where MSF’s maternal services are a lifeline.
    • All parties to conflict in South Sudan must adhere to international humanitarian law, cease such indiscriminate attacks, and ensure the protection of medical facilities, health workers, and patients.

    People in remote areas of Upper Nile state in South Sudan are suffering from a lack of access to healthcare, since attacks on medical boats and armed looting in medical facilities since the beginning of the year have forced Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) to close our hospital and end our support to 13 community-based healthcare facilities in Ulang county. The closure of MSF’s hospital has left an area of more than 200km from the Ethiopian border to Malakal town without any functional specialised healthcare facility. MSF calls on all parties to adhere to international humanitarian law, cease such indiscriminate attacks, and ensure the protection of medical facilities, health workers, and patients.

    Since February 2025, South Sudan has experienced its worst spike in violence since the 2018 peace deal. Fighting between government forces and armed youth militias has escalated across multiple states, including Upper Nile, Jonglei, Unity, and Central Equatoria. This has led to mass displacement, widespread civilian casualties, and a total collapse of already fragile public services.

    Despite these closures, MSF remains dedicated to supporting the healthcare needs of displaced and vulnerable people in Ulang and Nasir counties. We have a mobile emergency team assessing needs who are prepared to provide short-term healthcare services wherever security conditions and access allow. MSF continues to provide healthcare services in our other projects in Upper Nile state, including in Malakal and Renk counties.

    An escalating trend of violence against healthcare

    In January 2025, MSF faced an attack by unidentified gunmen near Nasir, shooting at our boats as they returned from delivering medical supplies to Nasir County hospital. This attack forced us to suspend all outreach activities in Nasir and Ulang counties, which included medical referrals by boat along the Sobat River that allowed women to deliver their babies safely.

    Nyamer Kuok holds her newborn baby, Kech Bol, at the maternity ward of the MSF hospital in Ulang, Upper Nile state, South Sudan, October 2024.
    Nasir Ghafoor/MSF

    In April 2025, armed individuals forced their way into the hospital in Ulang where they threatened staff and patients and looted the hospital so extensively that MSF no longer had the necessary resources to continue operations safely and effectively.

    “They took everything: medical equipment, laptops, patients’ beds and mattresses from the wards, and approximately nine months’ worth of medical supplies, including two planeloads of surgical kits and drugs delivered just the week before. Whatever they could not carry, they destroyed,” says Zakaria Mwatia, MSF head of mission for South Sudan.

    Within a month, another MSF hospital was bombed in Old Fangak, a town in the neighbouring Jonglei state, leaving the facility completely non-functional. This is part of a worrying rise in attacks on healthcare facilities in South Sudan.

    Local communities depended on MSF for prenatal care

    “During my third pregnancy, I decided to come to the hospital well in advance before my delivery. I lost my two first children because I did not make it to the hospital on time,” says Nyapual Jok, a young mother from the outskirts of Ulang county.

    Nyapual had been transported to the hospital by one of MSF’s boat ambulances, since she lives in a remote village far away from Ulang hospital. Ulang, a vast flood-prone area, is characterised by spotted remote villages which often suffer severe mobility restrictions during the rainy seasons. MSF ran boat transportation services to ensure access to healthcare to mothers like Nyapual.

    “It’s very hard to access healthcare here. If we had a hospital closer during my previous deliveries, maybe my children would be alive today,” adds Nyapual.

    Nyapual shared her story in November 2024, only two months before the attack on the same boats which helped her deliver her baby safely.

    Facility closures create gaps that are difficult to fill

    The attacks’ effect of stopping medical referrals by boat has had fatal consequences for the people living in remote areas in the region. People in Ulang and Nasir counties had to wait for days, sometimes even weeks, to get a boat to take them to Ulang hospital. In desperate situations, they would walk for days through a muddy landscape – a land that is nearly impossible to cross on foot during rainy season. 

    “She was in labour when she suffered birth complications – she had to get to a hospital as soon as possible,” says Veronica Nyakuoth, an MSF midwife at the Ulang hospital, about a patient she attended to in the maternity ward. “Normally, MSF mobile teams would have been able to pick her up by boat, but since that service was cut off, instead she had to wait two days for a private boat to take her. When she finally made it to Ulang hospital, it was too late: the team could not find a heartbeat from the twins she was carrying in her womb.”

    150,000 people cut off from care

    With the closure of the hospital and the withdrawal of support to the decentralised facilities including transportation of patients, more than 150,000 people will now face even more difficulties accessing healthcare in Ulang county and more might face the tragic fate that Veronica’s patient had to suffer. Over 800 patients with chronic illnesses such as HIV, tuberculosis, and others have lost access to treatment due to the closure of MSF services in the area.

    Nyapual Jok, a young mother from the outskirts of Ulang county We need a hospital nearby that can help mothers and children. Without it, many will suffer and lose their lives.

    Nyapual Jok has her consultation with Veronica Nyakuoth, MSF midwife supervisor, at the MSF hospital in Ulang, Upper Nile state, South Sudan, October 2024.

    “We need a hospital nearby that can help mothers and children. Without it, many will suffer and lose their lives,” says Nyapual.

    MSF in Ulang

    Since 2018, MSF had been providing vital health services in Ulang including trauma, maternal and paediatric care. The teams also supported 13 facilities to offer essential healthcare services. Over the past seven years, MSF teams carried out more than 139,730 outpatient consultations, admitted 19,350 patients, treated 32,966 cases of malaria, and assisted 2,685 deliveries, among other essential services. During this time, MSF also provided support to Nasir County hospital and responded to multiple emergencies and disease outbreaks.

    Nyapual’s story, along with those of many others, serves as a stark reminder that healthcare is a fundamental right and should never be a target. The consequences of attacks to healthcare are more than the damage to a building; it’s the loss of hope, safety, and the chance for a healthier future. 

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Audience with the Bishops of the Italian Episcopal Conference

    Source: The Holy See

    This morning, in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father Leo XIV received in audience the bishops of the Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI).
    The following is the address delivered by the Pope to those present during the meeting:

    Address of the Holy Father
    Dear brothers and sisters,
    I am truly very pleased to meet you. This Hall, which is between the Basilica and the Square, is filled with the emotions that accompanied recent events. Indeed, the Pope must cross it in order to look out from the central Loggia. Beloved Pope Francis did so for his last Easter Urbi et Orbi Message, which was his extreme, intense appeal for peace for all peoples. And I too, on the evening of the election, wanted to echo the announcement of the Risen Lord: “Peace be with you!” (cf. Lk 24:3; Jn 20:19).
    I thank you for your prayer and for that of your communities: I am in great need of them! I am grateful, in particular, to Cardinal Zuppi, also for the words he addressed to me. I greet the three Vice Presidents, the Secretary General, and every one of you. The history of the Church in Italy shows the particular bond that unites you to the Pope and that – according to the Statutes of the Italian Episcopal Conference – “qualifies in a special way the communion of the Conference with the Roman Pontiff” (Art. 4 § 2). Following the example of my predecessors, I too am aware of the relevance of this “common and particular” relationship, as it was defined by Saint Paul VI, speaking at the first General Assembly of the Italian Episcopal Conference (cf. Address, 23 June 1966).
    In exercising my ministry together with you, dear brothers, I would like to be inspired by the principles of collegiality, which were elaborated by Vatican Council II; in particular, the Decree Christus Dominus, which emphasizes that the Lord Jesus constituted the Apostles in the manner of a college or stable class, of which he placed Peter, chosen from among them (cf. n. 19). It is in this way that you are called to live out your ministry: collegiality among yourselves and collegiality with the successor of Peter.
    This principle of communion is also reflected in a healthy cooperation with the civil authorities. The Italian Episcopal Conference is indeed a space for discussion and the synthesis of the bishops’ thought regarding issues most relevant for the common good. Where necessary, it guides and coordinates the relations between the individual bishops and the regional episcopal Conferences with such authorities at the local level.
    Pope Benedict XVI, in 2006, described the Church in Italy as “a lively reality … which conserves a capillary presence in the midst of people of every age and level” and where “Christian traditions often continue to be rooted and to produce fruit” (Address to participants in the Fourth National Ecclesial Convention, 19 October 2006). Nevertheless, the Christian Community in this country has been facing new challenges for some time, linked to secularism, a certain disaffection with the faith, and the demographic crisis. In this context, Pope Francis observed, “It takes boldness to avoid getting used to situations that are so deeply rooted as to seem normal or insurmountable. Prophecy”, he says, “does not exact wrenches but courageous choices, proper for a true ecclesial community: they lead us to allow ourselves to be ‘troubled’ by events and persons and to enter into human situations, animated by the healing spirit of the Beatitudes” (Address at the opening of the 70th General Assembly of the Italian Episcopal Conference, 22 May 2017).
    By virtue of the special bond between the Pope and the Italian bishops, I would like to indicate some pastoral concerns that the Lord places in our path and which require reflection, concrete action and evangelical witness.
    First of all, there is a need for renewed zeal in the proclamation and transmission of faith. It is a question of placing Jesus Christ at the centre and, following the path indicated by Evangelii gaudium, helping people to live out a personal relationship with Him, to discover the joy of the Gospel. In a time of great fragmentation, it is necessary to return to the foundation of our faith, to the kerygma. This is the first major commitment that motivates all the others: to bring Christ “into the veins” of humanity (cf. Apostolic Constitution Humanae salutis, 3), renewing and sharing the apostolic mission: “What we have seen and heard, we proclaim now to you” (1 Jn 1:3). And it is a question of discerning the ways in which the Good News can be made to reach everyone, with pastoral actions capable of intercepting those who are most distant, and with tools suitable for the renewal of catechesis and the languages of proclamation.
    The relationship with Christ calls on us to develop a pastoral focus on the theme of peace. Indeed, the Lord sends us into the world to bring his same gift: “Peace be with you!”, and to become its creators in everyday life. I am thinking of parishes, neighbourhoods, areas within the country, the urban and existential peripheries. There, where human and social relationships become difficult and conflict takes shape, perhaps subtly, a Church capable of reconciliation must make herself visible. The apostle Paul urges us, “If possible, on your part, live at peace with all” (Rm 12:18); it is an invitation that entrusts a tangible portion of responsibility to every person. I hope, then, that every diocese may promote pathways of education in non-violence, mediation initiatives in local conflicts, and welcoming projects that transform fear of the other into an opportunity for encounter. May every community become a “house of peace”, where one learns how to defuse hostility through dialogue, where justice is practiced and forgiveness is cherished. Peace is not a spiritual utopia: it is a humble path, made up of daily gestures that interweave patience and courage, listening and action, and which demands today, more than ever, our vigilant and generative presence.
    Then there are the challenges that call into question respect for the dignity of the human person. Artificial intelligence, biotechnologies, data economy and social media are profoundly transforming our perception and our experience of life. In this scenario, human dignity risks becoming diminished or forgotten, substituted by functions, automatism, simulations. But the person is not a system of algorithms: he or she is a creature, relationship, mystery. Allow me, then, to express a wish: that the journey of the Churches in Italy may include, in real symbiosis with the centrality of Jesus, the anthropological vision as an essential tool of pastoral discernment. Without lively reflection on the human being – in its corporeality, its vulnerability, its thirst for the infinite and capacity for bonding – ethics is reduced to a code and faith risks becoming disembodied.
    I particularly recommend cultivating a culture of dialogue. It is good for all ecclesial realities – parishes, associations and movements – to be spaces of intergenerational listening, of comparison with different worlds, of caring about words and relationships. Because only where there is listening can communion be born, and only where there is communion does truth become credible. I encourage you to continue on this path!
    The proclamation of the Gospel, peace, human dignity, dialogue: these are the coordinates through which you can be a Church that incarnates the Gospel and is a sign of the Kingdom of God.
    In conclusion, I would like to leave you with some exhortations for the near future. In the first place: go forward in unity, thinking especially of the synodal path. The Lord, Saint Augustine writes that the Lord, in order to keep his body well-composed and in peace, exhorts the Church, through the Apostle Paul: The eye cannot say to the hand, I do not need you, nor again the head to the feet, I do not need you. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? Stay united and do not defend yourselves against the provocations of the Spirit. Synodality becomes a mindset, in the heart, in decision-making processes and in ways of acting.
    Secondly, look to tomorrow with serenity, and do not be afraid to make courageous choices! No-one can prevent you from being close to the people, sharing life, walking with the last, serving the poor. No-one can prevent you from proclaiming the Gospel, and it is the Gospel that we are invited to bring, because it is this that everyone, ourselves first, need in order to live well and to be happy.
    Take care that the lay faithful, nourished with the Word of God and formed in the social doctrine of the Church, are agents of evangelization in the workplace, in schools, in hospitals, in social and cultural environments, in the economy, and in politics.
    Dear friends, let us walk together, with joy in our heart and song on our lips. God is greater than our mediocrity: let us allow ourselves to be drawn to Him! Let us trust in his providence. I entrust you all to the protection of Mary Most Holy: Our Lady of Loreto, of Pompeii and of the countless shrines to be found throughout Italy. And I accompany you with my blessing. Thank you.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Audience with the Bishops of the Italian Episcopal Conference

    Source: The Holy See

    This morning, in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father Leo XIV received in audience the bishops of the Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI).
    The following is the address delivered by the Pope to those present during the meeting:

    Address of the Holy Father
    Dear brothers and sisters,
    I am truly very pleased to meet you. This Hall, which is between the Basilica and the Square, is filled with the emotions that accompanied recent events. Indeed, the Pope must cross it in order to look out from the central Loggia. Beloved Pope Francis did so for his last Easter Urbi et Orbi Message, which was his extreme, intense appeal for peace for all peoples. And I too, on the evening of the election, wanted to echo the announcement of the Risen Lord: “Peace be with you!” (cf. Lk 24:3; Jn 20:19).
    I thank you for your prayer and for that of your communities: I am in great need of them! I am grateful, in particular, to Cardinal Zuppi, also for the words he addressed to me. I greet the three Vice Presidents, the Secretary General, and every one of you. The history of the Church in Italy shows the particular bond that unites you to the Pope and that – according to the Statutes of the Italian Episcopal Conference – “qualifies in a special way the communion of the Conference with the Roman Pontiff” (Art. 4 § 2). Following the example of my predecessors, I too am aware of the relevance of this “common and particular” relationship, as it was defined by Saint Paul VI, speaking at the first General Assembly of the Italian Episcopal Conference (cf. Address, 23 June 1966).
    In exercising my ministry together with you, dear brothers, I would like to be inspired by the principles of collegiality, which were elaborated by Vatican Council II; in particular, the Decree Christus Dominus, which emphasizes that the Lord Jesus constituted the Apostles in the manner of a college or stable class, of which he placed Peter, chosen from among them (cf. n. 19). It is in this way that you are called to live out your ministry: collegiality among yourselves and collegiality with the successor of Peter.
    This principle of communion is also reflected in a healthy cooperation with the civil authorities. The Italian Episcopal Conference is indeed a space for discussion and the synthesis of the bishops’ thought regarding issues most relevant for the common good. Where necessary, it guides and coordinates the relations between the individual bishops and the regional episcopal Conferences with such authorities at the local level.
    Pope Benedict XVI, in 2006, described the Church in Italy as “a lively reality … which conserves a capillary presence in the midst of people of every age and level” and where “Christian traditions often continue to be rooted and to produce fruit” (Address to participants in the Fourth National Ecclesial Convention, 19 October 2006). Nevertheless, the Christian Community in this country has been facing new challenges for some time, linked to secularism, a certain disaffection with the faith, and the demographic crisis. In this context, Pope Francis observed, “It takes boldness to avoid getting used to situations that are so deeply rooted as to seem normal or insurmountable. Prophecy”, he says, “does not exact wrenches but courageous choices, proper for a true ecclesial community: they lead us to allow ourselves to be ‘troubled’ by events and persons and to enter into human situations, animated by the healing spirit of the Beatitudes” (Address at the opening of the 70th General Assembly of the Italian Episcopal Conference, 22 May 2017).
    By virtue of the special bond between the Pope and the Italian bishops, I would like to indicate some pastoral concerns that the Lord places in our path and which require reflection, concrete action and evangelical witness.
    First of all, there is a need for renewed zeal in the proclamation and transmission of faith. It is a question of placing Jesus Christ at the centre and, following the path indicated by Evangelii gaudium, helping people to live out a personal relationship with Him, to discover the joy of the Gospel. In a time of great fragmentation, it is necessary to return to the foundation of our faith, to the kerygma. This is the first major commitment that motivates all the others: to bring Christ “into the veins” of humanity (cf. Apostolic Constitution Humanae salutis, 3), renewing and sharing the apostolic mission: “What we have seen and heard, we proclaim now to you” (1 Jn 1:3). And it is a question of discerning the ways in which the Good News can be made to reach everyone, with pastoral actions capable of intercepting those who are most distant, and with tools suitable for the renewal of catechesis and the languages of proclamation.
    The relationship with Christ calls on us to develop a pastoral focus on the theme of peace. Indeed, the Lord sends us into the world to bring his same gift: “Peace be with you!”, and to become its creators in everyday life. I am thinking of parishes, neighbourhoods, areas within the country, the urban and existential peripheries. There, where human and social relationships become difficult and conflict takes shape, perhaps subtly, a Church capable of reconciliation must make herself visible. The apostle Paul urges us, “If possible, on your part, live at peace with all” (Rm 12:18); it is an invitation that entrusts a tangible portion of responsibility to every person. I hope, then, that every diocese may promote pathways of education in non-violence, mediation initiatives in local conflicts, and welcoming projects that transform fear of the other into an opportunity for encounter. May every community become a “house of peace”, where one learns how to defuse hostility through dialogue, where justice is practiced and forgiveness is cherished. Peace is not a spiritual utopia: it is a humble path, made up of daily gestures that interweave patience and courage, listening and action, and which demands today, more than ever, our vigilant and generative presence.
    Then there are the challenges that call into question respect for the dignity of the human person. Artificial intelligence, biotechnologies, data economy and social media are profoundly transforming our perception and our experience of life. In this scenario, human dignity risks becoming diminished or forgotten, substituted by functions, automatism, simulations. But the person is not a system of algorithms: he or she is a creature, relationship, mystery. Allow me, then, to express a wish: that the journey of the Churches in Italy may include, in real symbiosis with the centrality of Jesus, the anthropological vision as an essential tool of pastoral discernment. Without lively reflection on the human being – in its corporeality, its vulnerability, its thirst for the infinite and capacity for bonding – ethics is reduced to a code and faith risks becoming disembodied.
    I particularly recommend cultivating a culture of dialogue. It is good for all ecclesial realities – parishes, associations and movements – to be spaces of intergenerational listening, of comparison with different worlds, of caring about words and relationships. Because only where there is listening can communion be born, and only where there is communion does truth become credible. I encourage you to continue on this path!
    The proclamation of the Gospel, peace, human dignity, dialogue: these are the coordinates through which you can be a Church that incarnates the Gospel and is a sign of the Kingdom of God.
    In conclusion, I would like to leave you with some exhortations for the near future. In the first place: go forward in unity, thinking especially of the synodal path. The Lord, Saint Augustine writes that the Lord, in order to keep his body well-composed and in peace, exhorts the Church, through the Apostle Paul: The eye cannot say to the hand, I do not need you, nor again the head to the feet, I do not need you. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? Stay united and do not defend yourselves against the provocations of the Spirit. Synodality becomes a mindset, in the heart, in decision-making processes and in ways of acting.
    Secondly, look to tomorrow with serenity, and do not be afraid to make courageous choices! No-one can prevent you from being close to the people, sharing life, walking with the last, serving the poor. No-one can prevent you from proclaiming the Gospel, and it is the Gospel that we are invited to bring, because it is this that everyone, ourselves first, need in order to live well and to be happy.
    Take care that the lay faithful, nourished with the Word of God and formed in the social doctrine of the Church, are agents of evangelization in the workplace, in schools, in hospitals, in social and cultural environments, in the economy, and in politics.
    Dear friends, let us walk together, with joy in our heart and song on our lips. God is greater than our mediocrity: let us allow ourselves to be drawn to Him! Let us trust in his providence. I entrust you all to the protection of Mary Most Holy: Our Lady of Loreto, of Pompeii and of the countless shrines to be found throughout Italy. And I accompany you with my blessing. Thank you.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Minister Hlabisa to visit communities affected by storm in Impendle

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Velenkosini Hlabisa, is set to visit the Impendle Local Municipality after the area was severely affected by recent strong winds.

    According to the department, the visit, scheduled for Tuesday, is in response to the intense weather conditions that have caused widespread damage and hardship for more than 100 families in the municipality, with Wards 1 and 5 being particularly hard hit by the storms. 

    The Minister will be accompanied by the Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, Thamsanqa Ntuli. 

    “The Premier and Minister will conduct on-site assessments, engage with affected residents, and ensure that urgent relief measures are being implemented,” the department said in a statement. 

    This joint visit underscores government’s commitment at both provincial and national levels to respond swiftly and effectively to natural disasters and support vulnerable communities through recovery and rebuilding efforts. 

    On Friday last week, President Cyril Ramaphosa visited Mthatha in the Eastern Cape to offer support and assess the damage following the recent floods that killed about 90 people.

    The floods have caused widespread destruction to homes, government facilities, roads, hospitals, and schools, highlighting the urgent need to tackle climate change. 

    President Ramaphosa highlighted that this is becoming a new reality for South Africa, with both Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal experiencing recurring annual disasters.

    “The Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal are now prone to continuous annual disasters that are causing a lot of pain and suffering amongst our people, where a number of people are dying,” he said then. 

    Government officials pledged continued support to the affected communities, promising to assist families in their time of grief.

    President Ramaphosa also took the time to extend his condolences to the people of KwaZulu-Natal, who are facing significant challenges due to climate change. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Five suspects to appear in Durban Commercial Crimes Court

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Five suspects arrested over the weekend for fraud and corruption are scheduled to appear in the Durban Commercial Crimes Court today.

    The arrest is related to the issuing of passports at the Department of Home Affairs offices in KwaZulu-Natal.

    A Home Affairs-led law enforcement operation, supported by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, busted a syndicate involved in passport fraud at the uMngeni and Commercial Road offices in Durban. 

    Among the five people arrested are a former Home Affairs official from the Prospecton office, a municipal project volunteer at the Commercial Road office, and three members of the public – one of whom was found with 226 passports that were recently stolen from the uMngeni Home Affairs office.

    Earlier this year, Home Affairs Minister, Dr Leon Schreiber, warned at the launch of the Border Management and Immigration Anti-Corruption Forum (BMIACF) that South Africa was increasingly becoming a “syndicate society”, and that Home Affairs was determined to work with other law enforcement agencies to crack down on syndicates operating in this environment.

    The operation follows the dismissal of 33 corrupt officials since July last year, as well as the criminal conviction of eight offenders, with sentences ranging from four to 18 years in prison.

    The successful operation was initiated by the Home Affairs’ Counter-Corruption Unit, following information received from the public.

    One of the suspects was found with keys to the Home Affairs offices on Commercial Road and at Prospecton. 

    The same suspect was also found with copies of enabling documents that did not belong to him. 

    Two further suspects have been identified as members of this syndicate but the Hawks remain on the hunt for them.

    “This latest operation lands another blow in our ongoing cleanup campaign at Home Affairs, which is specifically focused on breaking open criminal syndicates. 

    “The details of the case also reaffirms the urgent work we are doing to digitalise all of our processes, so that it becomes impossible for syndicates to penetrate and manipulate our systems. 

    “This combination of ensuring criminals are arrested and prosecuted, and using digital transformation to close the loopholes they exploit is how we will ultimately win the war against corruption,” Schreiber said. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Social Development leads relief efforts in flood-stricken OR Tambo District

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Social Development Minister Sisisi Tolashe has visited the OR Tambo District in the Eastern Cape as part of coordinated efforts by government to offer psychosocial support and social relief packages to the communities adversely affected by the recent floods. 

    The Minister was joined by Eastern Cape MEC for Social Development, Bukiwe Fanta and Speaker of the King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality, Nomamfengu Siyo-Sokutu. 

    During the visit, both the Minister and the MEC extended heartfelt condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones and wished a speedy recovery to those who were injured and currently recovering in hospitals and places of safety.

    “SASSA [South African Social Security Agency] and Home Affairs are working very closely to ensure that death certificates are released, so that the agency can assist the families that will not be able to lay to rest their loved ones with financial assistance,” the department said in a statement on Monday. 

    The principals were accompanied by the National Director-General Peter Netshipale, SASSA CEO Themba Matlou, Acting CEO of National Development Agency (NDA) Thabani Buthelezi, SASSA Eastern Cape Regional Manager Bandile Maqetuka, and NDA Provincial Manager, Nokulunga Skeyi. 

    Following the events of the past week, where approximately 90 people lost their lives and thousands displaced, the social development sector with its partners dispatched its personnel to provide assistance to the affected people. 

    SASSA, through its Social Relief of Distress (SRD) programme, has acted swiftly to assist families whose homes were severely affected during the floods. To this end, SASSA has been active on three established sites, where people are served with three nutritious meals a day, reinforcing the agency’s commitment to immediate food security.

    In anticipation of the transition phase, SASSA has developed a disengagement plan aimed at equipping beneficiaries with basic resources to support reintegration and restore a sense of stability. This includes the provision of urgent packs to restore the dignity of the families who have lost everything they had. 

    The department explained that the activation of the Disaster Management Act has enabled SASSA and its partners like the Gift of the Givers and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, to provide urgent needed services to the displaced communities. 

    “The work of the agency has been supervised by the Internal Audit Committee to allow proper accountability at the end of the intervention to avoid and protect the resources of government,” the department said. – SAnews.gov.za 

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Two more suspects arrested for passport fraud, corruption

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    The Serious Corruption Investigation component of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, based in Pretoria, has arrested an additional two suspects in the ongoing operation that began on 14 June 2025, in KwaZulu-Natal, bringing the number of those arrested to seven.

    The execution operation emanates from a complaint from the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) relating to the issuance of fraudulent passports to undocumented foreign nationals. 

    The allegations reported serious offences include corruption, fraud and the contraventions of the Identification Act and Immigration Act, which took place between February 2020 and July 2023. A group of South African citizens allegedly facilitated the fraudulent acquisition of South African passports by foreign nationals at DHA offices in Durban, specifically at the Commercial Street branch. 

    These unlawful activities took place outside of regular business hours, including evenings, weekends and public holidays, when the DHA offices were officially closed.

    Preliminary investigations by the DHA confirmed that the criminal activities were conducted after hours, where the local citizens were offered R300 to R1 000 in exchange for their cooperation, particularly at DHA offices in Isipingo, Durban Central and Eshowe — resulting in a case being opened for investigation by Serious Corruption Investigation.

    Thus far, a total of 38 individuals have been previously arrested in the matter from September 2022 to date. Of those arrested, seven are DHA officials, while 31 are private citizens. 

    About 24 individuals, four of whom are DHA officials, have been convicted and sentenced to a combined sentence of 310 years imprisonment.

    The other five suspects were arrested by the Serious Corruption Investigation on 14 June 2025 in various parts of Durban and will face charges of corruption, fraud, contravention of the Immigration Act and contravention of the Identification Act.

    The DPCI is not ruling out the possibility of more suspects being arrested. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Rise in school leavers in positive destinations.

    Source: Scottish Government

    Growing numbers in Higher and Further Education in 2023-24.

    The number of young people in work, training or further study nine months after they left school has increased.

    The proportion of school leavers in a positive destination was 93.1% in 2023-24, up from 92.8%, according to the annual Summary Statistics for Follow-up Leaver Destinations. This is now at a similar level to the pre-pandemic peak of 93.3% in 2017-18.

    The increase over the latest year has been driven by increases in school leavers reaching Higher education (from 37.1% to 38.1%) and Further education (from 21.2% to 21.9%).

    Over the longer term, the proportion in positive destinations is up from 85.9% in 2009-10.

    Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said:

    “These figures show the proportion of Scotland’s young people achieving positive destinations is almost back to pre-pandemic levels and at a near record high.

    “The increase among those in Higher and Further Education is hugely encouraging and testament to the hard work of those young people and the extraordinary support provided by Scotland’s teachers, lecturers and other support staff.

    “The gap in positive destinations between young people from our most and least deprived communities has more than halved since 2009-10, but this latest data shows we still have more to do. We also know this cohort of young people faced significant disruption to their education during the pandemic.

    “A range of support, including from careers advisers and the Developing the Young Workforce network, is available for young people considering their options after school. I am determined to ensure young people can access the right help they need to enable them into a positive destination and this Government will continue to invest in opportunities for young people across Scotland.”

     Background

    Summary statistics for follow-up leaver destinations, no. 7: 2025 edition – gov.scot

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Council Tax Collection Statistics, 2024-25

    Source: Scottish Government

    An Accredited Official Statistics Publication for Scotland.

    Scotland’s Chief Statistician today released the latest Council Tax Collection Statistics which provides Council Tax collection figures for Scottish local authorities, up to and including the financial year 2024-25.

    In 2024-25 for Scotland as a whole, the total amount of Council Tax billed (after Council Tax Reduction) was £3.077 billion. Of this total, £2.938 billion, or 95.5 per cent, was collected by 31 March 2025. This provisional in-year collection rate is the same as the figure for the previous year.

    Between 1999-00 and 2024-25, the overall total amount of Council Tax billed in Scotland was £54.034 billion, of which £52.531 billion, or 97.2 per cent, was collected by 31 March 2025.   

    Provisional in-year Council Tax collection rates for 2024-25 ranged from 89.5 per cent to 98.2 per cent across the 32 local authorities. In-year collection rates have exceeded 95 per cent over the past decade, except in 2020-21 during the Covid-19 pandemic.

    Background

    The full statistical publication is available at: Council Tax Collection Statistics, 2024-25. This publication contains figures on Council Tax, covering the financial years 1999-00 to 2024-25.

    The information published is used by Scottish Government to monitor council’s collection levels relating to council tax. Information is collected relating to the amounts billed and received and the year to which the payment refers.  This information is also required by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) for national accounts purposes, and by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA).

    The next annual publication for financial year 2025-26 will be published in June 2026.  

    Further information on Council Tax Collection statistics, including previous publications can be accessed on the Scottish Government’s Local Government Finance statistics pages. 

    Official statistics are produced by professionally independent statistical staff – more information on the standards of official statistics in Scotland can be accessed at: About our statistics – gov.scot

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Building positive relationships in schools

    Source: Scottish Government

    Guidance on behaviour and consequences published.

    New guidance setting out a range of approaches for schools to consider when responding to behaviour has been published.

    Developed with input from headteachers, teaching unions, local government and educational psychologists, the guidance promotes building positive relationships and behaviour across the whole school community. It focuses on improving outcomes by reinforcing positive behaviour and working to reduce the likelihood of negative behaviour occurring in future.

    Various approaches are available to schools, ranging from classroom management approaches, to support strategies and the use of exclusion as a last resort.

    The guidance has been developed in collaboration with the Scottish Advisory Group on Relationships and Behaviour in Schools (SAGRABIS), which is jointly chaired with COSLA, to reflect that it is local government who have the responsibility for delivering education in Scotland.

    During a visit to St Brendan’s Primary School in Motherwell, Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth met with teachers and parents to understand the importance of building positive relationships within schools.

    Ms Gilruth said:

    The majority of children and young people behave well in school, but where someone needs support with their behaviour, it is important that schools can respond in ways that are appropriate, supportive and respond to the needs of each individual child. Evidence clearly shows young people need structure and boundaries to support their development and having predictable consequences helps them to feel safe.

    “Responding to behaviour in our schools requires all members of the school community – staff, children and young people and parents and carers – to work together to identify the values that underpin school life, how this translates into expectations of behaviour, and to support appropriate responses. We want to create a strong partnership between home and school to help create a consistent, supportive environment where children feel safe, respected, and are better able to learn and thrive. 

    “This guidance takes account of the concerns about behaviour I have heard from teachers, support staff and teaching unions, and will be an important tool in ensuring that they are properly supported in our schools.”

    Maura Oates, headteacher at St Brendan’s Primary school said:

    “Here in St. Brendan’s Primary we consistently work hard to ensure the care and wellbeing needs of children and their families are met with warmth, care and consideration. We feel that this results in a calm, relaxed and nurturing environment where children are respectful, supportive and kind to each other.”

    “Our values are evident across the school as we are committed to ensuring very high standards for all children. We consulted all children, parents and staff when creating our vision, values and aims. Our aims reflect Gospel values and the UNCRC. These shared values are evident across the school and are developed across the curriculum. We have a very good understanding of the socio-economic context of the school and its place within the community.”

    Background

    This is the latest commitment to be delivered through the joint Relationships and Behaviour in schools action plan with COSLA.

    Guidance is clear that exclusion should only be used as a last resort, where proportionate and there is no appropriate alternative.

    Guidance on risk assessments will support schools to consider how they manage the risk of harm occurring, or a pattern of behaviour that causes, or is likely to cause, harm to self or others.

    Guidance on fostering positive, inclusive and safe school environments.

    Risk assessment guidance for violent, aggressive and dangerous behaviour.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Scrapping the two child limit to help end child poverty

    Source: Scottish Government

    Shirley-Anne Somerville announces start date for key policy.

    The Scottish Government will effectively scrap the impact of the two-child limit from 2nd March 2026, Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville has confirmed.

    On a visit to Busy Bees Bellfield parent and toddler group in Portobello, Ms Somerville said the introduction of the Two Child Limit Payment will mean 20,000 fewer children will be living in relative poverty in 2026-27, according to Scottish Government modelling.

    Speaking ahead of a statement to parliament on the publication of the annual report on Best Start, Bright Futures, the Scottish Government’s child poverty strategy, Ms Somerville said:

    “The Scottish Government has consistently called on the UK Government to end the two-child cap. Reports suggest that they are looking at the impact it is having. But the evidence is clear and families and Scotland can’t wait any longer for the UK Government to make up its mind to do the right thing and scrap the cap once and for all.

    “The Two Child Limit Payment will begin accepting applications in March next year. At less than 15 months from when we announced this in the Scottish budget, this will be the fastest that a Scottish social security benefit has been delivered.

    “This builds upon the considerable action we have taken in Scotland, including delivering unparalleled financial support through our Scottish Child Payment, investing to clear school meal debts, and continuing to support almost 10,000 children by mitigating the UK Government’s Benefit Cap as fully as possible.

    “However, austerity decisions taken by the UK Government are holding back Scotland’s progress. Modelling published in March makes clear that if the UK Government act decisively on child poverty, they could help to take an estimated 100,000 children out of poverty this year.”

    Background:

    • On average, households with children in the poorest 10% of households are, this year, estimated to be £2,600 a year better off because of Scottish Government policies. This is projected to grow to an average of £3,700 a year by 2029-30. Child poverty modelling: update – gov.scot
    • Scrapping the Two Child Limit will help keep thousands of children out of poverty and reduce the depth of poverty faced for many more. The Scottish Government’s own modelling suggests 20,000 fewer children will be living in relative poverty in 2026-27 once this payment is introduced and the Scottish Fiscal Commission estimates that overall around 43,000 children in Scotland will benefit from mitigation of the two-child limit in 2026-27.
    • The Scottish Fiscal Commission has estimated the cost of the Two Child Limit Payment to be £155 million in the  financial year 2026-2027.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Strong winds and thunderstorms are expected in Moscow

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    According to weather forecasters, thunderstorms with rain are expected in some places in the capital in the coming hours and until the end of the day. During thunderstorms, the wind will increase, its gusts can reach 15 meters per second.

    Residents are asked to be careful on the streets, not to be near billboards and shaky structures, not to take shelter under trees and not to park cars near them.

    In an emergency, you must call the emergency services at the single number: 112 or the single helpline of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia for the city of Moscow: 7 495 637-31-01.

    Get the latest news quicklyofficial telegram channel the city of Moscow.

    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.

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/155359073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: HK rises to third on competitiveness

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Hong Kong’s global competitiveness has risen by two places to third globally, after improving by two places to fifth last year, in the World Competitiveness Yearbook (WCY) 2025, published by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD).

    The ranking marks Hong Kong’s return to the global top three for the first time since 2019.

    WCY 2025 finds that Hong Kong’s competitiveness has improved significantly. The city’s total competitiveness score of 99.2 out of 100 represents an increase of 7.7 points, the largest increase among the top 10 economies.

    In terms of yearbook’s four competitiveness factors, Hong Kong rose to second globally on government efficiency and business efficiency. Its rankings on economic performance and infrastructure also improved to sixth and seventh, respectively.

    With regard to competitiveness sub-factors, Hong Kong tops the rankings on tax policy and business legislation, ranks second globally in international investment, education and finance, and third globally in international trade and management practices.

    Ahead of this morning’s Executive Council meeting, Chief Executive John Lee said Hong Kong’s scores, both in overall terms and in many specific areas, have improved, showing that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government’s policy course is the right one, with various policies already yielding clear results.

    Highlighting that the city ranks second globally on government efficiency, he said this reflects the inherent excellence and competence of the city’s civil servants, and indicates that policies designed to make the Government more result-oriented are bearing fruit.

    In addition, noting that Hong Kong ranks second globally on business efficiency, Mr Lee said this reflects business leaders’ positive views of Hong Kong’s competitiveness and of its strengths, including the rule of law, a simple tax system and low tax rates, and the free flow of capital, information, goods and talent.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • Israeli tank shelling kills 51 people awaiting aid trucks in Gaza, ministry says

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Israeli tank shellfire killed at least 51 Palestinians on Tuesday as they awaited aid trucks in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, the territory’s health ministry said, adding that dozens of others were wounded.

    Medics said residents said Israeli tanks fired shells at crowds of desperate Palestinians awaiting aid trucks along the main eastern road in Khan Younis. They said at least 51 people were killed and 200 wounded, with at least 20 of them in critical condition.

    There was no immediate comment by the Israeli military on the incident.

    Witnesses said Israeli tanks fired at least two shells at thousands of people awaiting aid trucks. Nasser Hospital wards were crowded with casualties, and medical staff had to place some on the ground and in corridors due to the lack of space.

    The incident was the latest in nearly daily mass deaths of Palestinians who were seeking aid in past weeks, including near sites operated by the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.

    Local health officials said at least 23 people were killed by Israeli gunfire on Monday as they approached a GHF aid distribution site in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.

    The GHF stated in a press release late on Monday that it had distributed more than three million meals at its four distribution sites without incident.

    There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military about Monday’s reports of shootings. In previous incidents, it has occasionally acknowledged troops opening fire near aid sites, while blaming militants for provoking the violence.

    Israel has put responsibility for distributing much of the aid it allows into Gaza into the hands of the GHF, which operates sites in areas guarded by Israeli troops.

    The United Nations has rejected the plan, saying GHF distribution is inadequate, dangerous and violates humanitarian impartiality principles.

    The latest bloodshed in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered in October 2023, when Palestinian Hamas militants attacked Israel, killing 1,200 and taking about 250 hostages, according to Israeli allies.

    U.S. ally Israel’s subsequent military assault on Gaza has killed nearly 55,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health ministry, while internally displacing nearly Gaza’s entire population and causing a hunger crisis.

    The assault has also triggered accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice and of war crimes at the International Criminal Court. Israel denies the accusations.

    EYE ON IRAN

    The escalation is taking place as Palestinians in the Gaza Strip watch the exchange of attacks between Israel and Iran, which began with Israel launching major strikes on Friday.

    Residents of the Gaza Strip have circulated images of wrecked buildings and charred vehicles hit by Iranian missiles in Israeli cities, and some were hopeful the wider conflict could eventually bring peace to their ruined homeland.

    “We live these scenes and pain daily. We are very happy that we saw the day when we saw rubble in Tel Aviv, and they are trying to get out from under the rubble and the houses that were destroyed on top of their residents,” said Gaza man Saad Saad.

    Others said Iran’s response was greater than many, including Israel, had expected.

    “We saw how Iran, despite (showing) a lot of patience on the harm of the Israeli occupation and its frequent attacks and the assassinations carried out on Iranian soil, … it lost patience and the time has come for Iran to teach the Israeli occupation state a lesson,” said another Gaza man, Taysseir Mohaissan.

    With Israel saying its operation could last weeks, fears have grown of a regional war dragging in outside powers.

    Despite efforts by the United States, Egypt and Qatar to restore a ceasefire in Gaza, neither Israel nor Hamas has shown willingness to back down on core demands, with each side blaming the other for the failure to reach a deal.

    Hamas leaders have repeatedly thanked Iran for its military and financial support to the group in its fight against Israel, including during the current war.

    (Reuters)

  • Israeli tank shelling kills 51 people awaiting aid trucks in Gaza, ministry says

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Israeli tank shellfire killed at least 51 Palestinians on Tuesday as they awaited aid trucks in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, the territory’s health ministry said, adding that dozens of others were wounded.

    Medics said residents said Israeli tanks fired shells at crowds of desperate Palestinians awaiting aid trucks along the main eastern road in Khan Younis. They said at least 51 people were killed and 200 wounded, with at least 20 of them in critical condition.

    There was no immediate comment by the Israeli military on the incident.

    Witnesses said Israeli tanks fired at least two shells at thousands of people awaiting aid trucks. Nasser Hospital wards were crowded with casualties, and medical staff had to place some on the ground and in corridors due to the lack of space.

    The incident was the latest in nearly daily mass deaths of Palestinians who were seeking aid in past weeks, including near sites operated by the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.

    Local health officials said at least 23 people were killed by Israeli gunfire on Monday as they approached a GHF aid distribution site in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.

    The GHF stated in a press release late on Monday that it had distributed more than three million meals at its four distribution sites without incident.

    There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military about Monday’s reports of shootings. In previous incidents, it has occasionally acknowledged troops opening fire near aid sites, while blaming militants for provoking the violence.

    Israel has put responsibility for distributing much of the aid it allows into Gaza into the hands of the GHF, which operates sites in areas guarded by Israeli troops.

    The United Nations has rejected the plan, saying GHF distribution is inadequate, dangerous and violates humanitarian impartiality principles.

    The latest bloodshed in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered in October 2023, when Palestinian Hamas militants attacked Israel, killing 1,200 and taking about 250 hostages, according to Israeli allies.

    U.S. ally Israel’s subsequent military assault on Gaza has killed nearly 55,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health ministry, while internally displacing nearly Gaza’s entire population and causing a hunger crisis.

    The assault has also triggered accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice and of war crimes at the International Criminal Court. Israel denies the accusations.

    EYE ON IRAN

    The escalation is taking place as Palestinians in the Gaza Strip watch the exchange of attacks between Israel and Iran, which began with Israel launching major strikes on Friday.

    Residents of the Gaza Strip have circulated images of wrecked buildings and charred vehicles hit by Iranian missiles in Israeli cities, and some were hopeful the wider conflict could eventually bring peace to their ruined homeland.

    “We live these scenes and pain daily. We are very happy that we saw the day when we saw rubble in Tel Aviv, and they are trying to get out from under the rubble and the houses that were destroyed on top of their residents,” said Gaza man Saad Saad.

    Others said Iran’s response was greater than many, including Israel, had expected.

    “We saw how Iran, despite (showing) a lot of patience on the harm of the Israeli occupation and its frequent attacks and the assassinations carried out on Iranian soil, … it lost patience and the time has come for Iran to teach the Israeli occupation state a lesson,” said another Gaza man, Taysseir Mohaissan.

    With Israel saying its operation could last weeks, fears have grown of a regional war dragging in outside powers.

    Despite efforts by the United States, Egypt and Qatar to restore a ceasefire in Gaza, neither Israel nor Hamas has shown willingness to back down on core demands, with each side blaming the other for the failure to reach a deal.

    Hamas leaders have repeatedly thanked Iran for its military and financial support to the group in its fight against Israel, including during the current war.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI Russia: What has been prepared for children at the Summer in Moscow sites from June 18 to 22

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    Fairy tale quizzes, drawing workshops, retro games, the Rock, Paper, Scissors championship and much more — as part of the Summer in Moscow for Children project, a rich program has been prepared for young Muscovites and their parents. What to do at city venues from June 18 to 22 — in our article.

    Retro games and drawing workshops

    The capital’s venues are hosting a large-scale championship “Rock, Paper, Scissors”. Every day, children and adults can compete on Tverskoy Boulevard, as well as in the southwest of the capital. On June 18, the competition will be held on Nagornaya Street (building 29, building 4), on June 19, participants are expected in Vorontsovsky Park (building 3), and on June 20 – on Feodosiyskaya Street (building 7, building 6). The venues will be open from 15:00 to 20:00.

    In addition to the championship in the popular children’s game, realistic races will also take place on Tverskoy Boulevard. Participants will be able to immerse themselves in the world of motorsports, sitting in racing seats and pressing the pedals. Children from 150 to 210 centimeters tall are invited.

    A large retro games area has been prepared for visitors. There you can play on iconic consoles from different years. Pickleball, gorodki, petanque, croquet, ping-pong and even a large climbing wall await guests. Professionals will help you understand the rules and observe safety precautions.

    Fans of creativity will enjoy Chistoprudny Boulevard. There, in the fresh air, everyone will be taught how to create landscapes, sketches, and still lifes in various artistic techniques. On June 18, guests will be given a master class called “Art Beach”, on June 19, a master class called “Summer on the Chile”, and on June 20, an “Art Challenge”.

    The duration of one lesson is 45 minutes. Master classes will be held every hour from 12:00 to 20:00.

    Painting lessons will also be organized on Sretensky Boulevard. On June 18, there will be a master class called “The Scarlet Flower”, on June 19 — “City Streets”, and on June 20 — “Blooming Field”. Classes will be held every hour from 12:00 to 20:00.

    Guests will also be able to create unique works of art at the Art Studio on Strastnoy Boulevard. Children over six years old are invited to participate. On June 18, there will be master classes in watercolor painting called Fruit Lemonade and Starry Night. On June 19, children will be able to draw Moscow landmarks and summer clouds with wax crayons. The classes on June 20 will once again be devoted to watercolor painting. Guests will be introduced to this technique at the master classes Flower Stained Glass and Fruit Slices. The classes will be held from 12:00 to 19:00.

    In addition, from 12:00 to 20:00 on Strastnoy Boulevard, young visitors will be able to enjoy a busy board with coloring pages, an art house with stickers, and a basketball court.

    DIY Bracelet and Party with DJ

    An active program has also been prepared in the Green Market of the Made in Moscow project on Bolotnaya Square (Repinsky Square). On June 19 at 14:15 on the main stage there will be a meeting with TRIZ pedagogy expert Evgeniya Gin. She will tell children and their parents how to develop thinking and be creative.

    At 18:00, the Green Market will host a master class on making children’s bracelets. Participants will be told how to create a design, determine the size of the future product, and tie reliable knots.

    At 20:00, the film “Fedya. People’s Footballer” will be shown at the “Youth Point” festival on Bolotnaya Square. Participation in the event is free, but a registration.

    And every Wednesday at 8:00 pm on Bolotnaya Square there are youth parties with a DJ.

    Circus divertissements and musical performances

    All summer long, on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, there will be circus entertainment for the whole family. Aerial gymnasts, equilibrists, jugglers, clowns and four-legged artists will perform for guests in the Moskino Cinema Park and Izmailovsky Park. Also on June 20, the third tent will open in the Yuzhnoye Butovo Landscape Park. Spectators will be able to see acrobatic numbers, clown skits and exciting stunts with the participation of artists from the famous Bolshoi Moscow Circus on Vernadsky Avenue.

    On Fridays, performances are held from 19:00 to 20:30, and on Saturdays and Sundays – from 14:00 to 15:30 and from 18:00 to 19:30. You can find out more and buy tickets on the official website project.

    The Zaryadye Hall has also prepared a children’s program for the weekend. On June 22, as part of the III Summer Music Festival, the symphonic fairy tale with sand animation “The Wizard of the Emerald City” will return to its stage. On the same day, June 22, People’s Artist of Russia Yulia Rutberg, together with the State Academic Big Symphony Orchestra named after P.I. Tchaikovsky under the direction of Denis Lotoev, will present the program “Artist and War”. The program includes wartime memories from diaries and memoirs, excerpts from articles related to the difficult years of Russian history, as well as music by great composers of the 20th century.

    And at the festival “Theater Boulevard” Young residents and guests of the capital will be able to see several productions. On June 17, a musical performance will be shown on Chistoprudny Boulevard “Curious Baby Elephant” about children asking questions and adults who are too lazy to answer them. Starts at 16:00.

    On the same day, at the Clown House on Tsvetnoy Boulevard at 8:00 p.m. you can watch a production “Mechanicus”This is an interactive performance with pantomime and poetic clowning.

    On June 18, in the amphitheater of the Polytech Museum Park, artists from the Moscow Illusion Theater will perform a modern show “Teleport”. Guests can expect tricks with disappearances, transformations and flights. The beginning is at 19:00. And on June 19 at 18:00 there will be a performance “My grandfather was a cherry”It is based on a touching, funny and at the same time sad story about family, devotion and loneliness.

    On June 20 at 16:00 on Chistoprudny Boulevard the production will be presented “Kashtanka”The play will tell about the adventures of a young dog who lost his not very good owner in a big city.

    On June 21, a performance will be shown in the amphitheater of the Polytech Museum Park “Family Bakery”. Starts at 17:00.

    Evening readings

    Citizens are also invited to the project’s events. “Book in the City”.

    On June 21 at 12:00, Pushkin Square will host a quiz on the sea tales “The Little Mermaid,” “Sinbad the Sailor,” and “Sadko,” as well as a master class “The Sea” on creating appliques for children aged six to nine.

    On June 22 at 4:00 p.m. there will be a presentation of the book “Letters from Lidochka M.” dedicated to children of wartime.

    And at 18:00 in the park there will be evening readings with Anton Shagin. The author will also present his book “Neblyandiya. Poems for Children”.

    Introduction to the world of cinema

    On June 21 and 22, the Moskino Cinema Park invites you to go on a walk. On the family excursion “Cinema Expedition”, young guests and their parents will learn how films are shot in different genres, walk through Moscow in the 1940s, see post-war Berlin and a fragment of the Reichstag steps. Participants will also look into the props and costume center “Firebird” and examine rare items that have appeared in the frame more than once. The excursion will be of interest to children over 10 years old and adults who want to learn new facts about the creation of cinema.

    The excursions will take place at 12:00, 14:00, 15:00 and 16:00. You can choose a convenient time and pay for participation atwebsite cinema park.

    Entertaining origami master classes have also been prepared for guests. On the central square of the cinema park on weekends at 12:00 and 15:35, young visitors will make paper poppies and carnations, at 13:10 and 16:45 – cranes, and at 14:20 and 17:55 – a three-dimensional composition “Eternal Flame”. You can take part in the master class atentrance ticket to the cinema park.

    The Gorky Film Studio also invites young Muscovites and their parents on a tour. Guests are expected on June 18 at 15:00 on Sergei Eisenstein Street (8, building 1). Participants will learn about the history of the film studio and how films that have become part of the golden fund of Russian cinema were created. Guests will be told interesting facts about the lives and work of outstanding directors and actors, and will be shown costumes and props from the films Guest from the Future (1984), The Kingdom of Crooked Mirrors (1963), Frost (1964), Seventeen Moments of Spring (1973), Officers (1971) and others.

    The excursion will be interesting for children over six years old. You can buy a ticket atwebsite.

    Program in museums and parks

    Interesting programs have been prepared for young Muscovites and their parents in the capital’s museums and parks.

    On June 20 from 15:00 to 16:00 in the forest libraries in the Vorontsovo estate, the 50th Anniversary of October Park and the Khodynka Field Park a children’s quiz will be held. Participants will recall forgotten literary facts about the life and work of writers and learn new ones.

    The Inspiration Festival will be held at the Kolomenskoye Museum-Reserve on June 21. Guests will enjoy a musical program, performances by orchestras and jazz bands, master classes in art therapy in the open air, functional training, yoga and stretching. Admission is free. The landmark is the palace of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich.

    Get the latest news quicklyofficial telegram channel the city of Moscow.

    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.

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/155354073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Long awaited judicial review begins in Gogrial East, with support from United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS)


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    Women and men in chains approach an improvised justice bench next to the main prison in Lietnhom, the county headquarters of Gogrial East, Warrap. Exhaustion is writ large on their faces. These prisoners have waited a long time for their time in court. Many of them don’t even know why they have been detained.

    “I really don’t know my offense. I don’t know my crime. I was taken from the court side, placed in a container and suddenly I ended up in prison,” one of them shares.

    Another case involves a young woman who found herself imprisoned on charges of adultery—a charge often misused against women—after a tragic incident involving her stepfather and deceased daughter.

    These anecdotes are a stark reminder that in South Sudan, access to justice cannot be taken for granted.

    In Lietnhom, with no resident judge for some five years, customary courts, typically limited to civil disputes, have been handling criminal cases beyond their jurisdiction. This resulted in unjust imprisonment, inadequate judicial procedures, and significant distress for inmates, particularly women and young girls.

    However, this week, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), through its Rule of Law section brought much-needed hope to communities living here by facilitating a two-week case review in collaboration with a judge, public prosecutor and defender sent by the Kuajok High Court to facilitate appropriate court hearings.

    “This judicial vacuum must be addressed immediately,” Judge George Michael explained, while beginning to review cases that had gone unheard for months or even years.

    On the first day, a woman detained for refusing a forced marriage burst into tears as her release was announced. “Today I finally feel my opinion matters,” she said. Her relief was palpable.

    Another compelling moment was when the judge addressed the court while reviewing the case of a teenage girl jailed for choosing a different religion. “We fought for our independence from Sudan to uphold our freedom of beliefs and rights. How can we imprison our own children for exercising these same freedoms?” he questioned.

    Within two days, substantial progress was made. “We found that many people were imprisoned without proper documentation or sufficient evidence,” noted Deng Kuol, the prison director.

    Out of 77 cases reviewed, 41 individuals were immediately freed, significantly reducing prison overcrowding and arbitrary detention. Only nine inmates remained for further legal proceedings.

    “Seeing wrongfully incarcerated people walk free with happiness is one of the most rewarding parts of our work,” smiles Lena Ellen Becker, a Justice Advisor with the UN Peacekeeping mission.

    “Don’t be surprised if overcrowding returns in weeks because of the absence of the permanent prosecutors or judges,” cautions Mr Kuol, however.

    While these initial sessions reveal deeper systemic issues, such as wrongful imprisonment, arbitrary arrests, and procedural negligence, the beginning of a comprehensive effort toward justice reform in Gogrial East is praiseworthy.

    Moving forward, detailed reviews and additional judicial support will continue.

    “Our roles need clarity, procedures must improve, and we must protect the vulnerable, especially women and girls,” stated Ayen Deng, a traditional leader working with the customary court.

    Despite these early victories, challenges remain.

    The woman released from prison faced immediate pressure from her family. They refused to return the cattle received as dowry and insisted she must either marry the man she had originally refused or face imprisonment again. “This shows us that some issues go beyond our courts,” explained a UNMISS officer. “Cultural practices and social pressures require a collective change in mindsets and strong government interventions to ensure true justice and freedom for all.”

    As Judge Michael poignantly reminded the gathering, “Justice delayed is justice denied,” pointing out the urgent need for continued commitment to human rights, fairness, and societal transformation across this young nation.

    While this UNMISS facilitated case review may only be a temporary solution at this point, its success sets the stage for future replications and long-term investments at the state level. Achieving lasting justice in Lietnhom and beyond will ultimately depend on sustained and collective efforts at every level.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Infobip Unveils Conversational Experience Orchestration Platform (CXOP): The Next Generation of Artificial Intelligence (AI)-Powered Customer Conversations


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    Global cloud communications platform Infobip (www.Infobip.com) today announced its Conversational Experience Orchestration Platform (CXOP) — a game-changing solution that places agentic AI at the heart of every customer interaction. CXOP enables brands to move beyond static, rules-based workflows to deliver dynamic, goal-oriented conversations across marketing, sales, and support — at scale. The announcement builds on Infobip’s AI Hub, marking a major step forward by natively infusing agentic AI across Infobip’s entire award-winning product stack — unifying channels, data, and automation into a single intelligent platform.

    Built on Microsoft Azure OpenAI in Foundry Models, CXOP uses intelligent AI agents to orchestrate personalized customer journeys across channels like WhatsApp, RCS, and web chat. These agents understand context, act autonomously, and seamlessly collaborate with human teams when needed — reducing time to resolution, improving loyalty, and cutting costs.

    Today’s consumers expect instant, relevant, and seamless interactions no matter what the channel. CXOP meets this demand by unifying messaging, automation, and AI-powered assistance within a single, intelligent platform that adapts to behavior, sentiment, and intent in real time.

    With CXOP, businesses can:

    • Deliver empathetic, goal-driven AI interactions across channels
    • Slash response times and reduce service costs through automation
    • Increase lead conversion and campaign performance with real-time personalization
    • Support hybrid teams with human-in-the-loop for complex cases
    • Launch fast with no-code or full-code deployment options

    At its core, CXOP leverages a network of intelligent, agentic AI assistants that understand user intent and execute context-sensitive workflows. These agents don’t just answer — they guide, solve, and act, creating fluid, human-like experiences from lead generation to retention.

    “CXOP enables enterprises to move beyond static workflows and deliver intelligent, empathetic interactions at scale,” said Ivan Ostojić, Chief Business Officer at Infobip. “It’s a foundational step toward building AI-first customer experiences that drive measurable business impact.”

    “Using agentic AI instead of a rules-based automation, Infobip’s new CXOP is an enhancement for customer experiences,” said Myladie Stoumbou, Sr Director ISV Partnerships, at Microsoft. “Available within the Microsoft Azure Marketplace, clients can access such certified products and eliminate the complexity of managing individual vendor relationships.”

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Infobip.

    For more information, contact:

    Marcelo Nahime  


    marcelo.nahime@infobip.com   

    Bojana Mandić 
    Bojana.Mandic1@infobip.com

    About Infobip:
    Infobip is a global cloud communications platform that enables businesses to build connected experiences across all stages of the customer journey. Accessed through a single platform, Infobip’s omnichannel engagement, identity, user authentication and contact centre solutions help businesses and partners overcome the complexity of consumer communications to grow business and increase loyalty. It offers natively built technology with the capacity to reach over seven billion mobile devices and ‘things’ in 6 continents connected to over 9,700+ connections of which 800+ are direct operator connections. Infobip was established in 2006 and is led by its co-founders, CEO Silvio Kutić, Roberto Kutić and Izabel Jelenić.

    Recent award wins include:

    • Infobip ranked as Leader in the Omdia CPaaS Universe Report for the third time (April 2025)
    • Infobip ranked an Established Leader in the Juniper Research Conversational AI Leaderboard (Feb 2025)
    • Infobip named a CPaaS Leader for the third time in the IDC MarketScape (Feb 2025)
    • Infobip named one of the top CPaaS providers in Metrigy’s CPaaS MetriRank Report (Dec 2024)
    • Infobip named number one among Established Leaders in RCS Business Messaging in Juniper Research’s RCS Business Messaging Competitor Leaderboard 2024 (Nov 2024)
    • Infobip recognized as the number one provider in the AIT Fraud Prevention market by Juniper Research (Oct 2024)
    • Infobip named a Leader in the Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS) 2024 for the second year running (June 2024)
    • Infobip named to Fast Company’s Annual List of the World’s Most Innovative Companies (March 2024)

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Five creative universities of the country will perform at the festival “Teatralny Boulevard”

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    At the festival “Theatre Boulevard”, which is taking place within the framework of the Summer in Moscow project, this season will feature student groups from five leading creative universities in the country. They have prepared more than a dozen productions in various genres for the audience, said the Minister of the Moscow Government, head of the capital’s Department of Culture Alexey Fursin.

    “For young artists, this is an opportunity to try themselves out on an open stage, in front of a large and diverse audience, to offer the festival guests their view of theatrical art and find their audience,” noted Alexey Fursin.

    Performances by students from the country’s leading creative universities are planned: the Russian Institute of Theatre Arts – GITIS, the Boris Shchukin Theatre Institute, the Moscow Art Theatre School, the Oleg Tabakov Moscow Theatre School and the Russian State Institute of Performing Arts.

    Student groups will present 15 works in different genres, including classical dramatic productions, concerts, a plastic performance, and performances for children.

    Thus, students of Nina Chusova’s workshop of the Russian Institute of Theatre Arts – GITIS presented the production “The Marriage of Balzaminov. Attempt No. 3. Unreal Scenes from Real Life”, and Elena Poldi’s students together with the “Antique Circus” showed “Tatiana’s Dreams, or Alexander Sergeevich is Well!”. Graduates of Vyacheslav Gordeev’s workshop will introduce viewers to the project “Cuba – My Love!”. The Ivan Popovsky Opera and Drama Studio has already performed the diploma performance “Eugene Onegin”.

    Students of the Boris Shchukin Theatre Institute showed the audience “Our Final Concert” (artistic directors of the course Pavel Lyubimtsev and Vladimir Tartakovsky), “Musical Vinaigrette” and “Aibolit” (artistic director of the course Anna Dubrovskaya).

    The Nemirovich-Danchenko School-Studio (Institute) at the A.P. Chekhov Moscow Art Academic Theatre presented two productions at once. Students from the Marina Brusnikina and Sergei Shchedrin workshop, with the participation of the Praktika Theatre, prepared a concert for the audience entitled “Fate, Fates, Fate, Fate, About Fate”, and students from the Evgeny Pisarev workshop presented a plastic performance entitled “The City Where We…”.

    Students of the Russian State Institute of Performing Arts under the artistic direction of Vladimir Norenko presented the production “Who Visits in the Morning?” And students of the Moscow Theatre School of Oleg Tabakov showed the plays “Makers of History: Shalyapin”, and the audience is also awaited by the productions “Forgotten August”, “Illusion Art” and a concert program by the school’s students.

    The “Teatralny Bulvar” festival is organized by the capital’s Department of Culture on the initiative of Sergei Sobyanin. It is held in within the framework of the project “Summer in Moscow”. Information about the festival, including the current program, poster, map of venues and news, is available atofficial website and in the telegram channel “Theater Boulevard”.

    Project “Summer in Moscow”— the main event of the season, uniting the brightest events of the capital. Every day in all districts of the city there are charity, cultural and sports events, most of which are free. The project “Summer in Moscow” is held for the second time, and the new season will be more intense: new festivals and events will be added to the traditional ones — original and colorful.

    Get the latest news quicklyofficial telegram channel the city of Moscow.

    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.

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/155343073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: A creative evening will be held at the Southern River Terminal as part of the “Art in the Metro” project

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    On June 20, the Southern River Terminal will host an open cultural event of the Art in the Metro project. From 16:00 to 18:30, guests will be treated to refreshments and a rich program.

    One of the central events will be the creation of a collective painting. The sketch will be prepared by the project artists, and everyone will be able to contribute to the work. The musical part of the event will be presented by the artists of the project “Music in the Metro”.

    Pre-registration is required to participate. You can register at link.

    “As part of the Art in the Metro project, we hold off-site creative events. Such meetings bring together artists, passengers and everyone who appreciates art. We continue to develop the capital’s transport as a cultural venue on behalf of Sergei Sobyanin,” said Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Transport and Industry

    Maxim Liksutov.

    The Art in the Metro project was organized by the Moscow Metro in the summer of 2024. Within its framework, regular river electric vessels, metro stations, electric depots and other transport sites are transformed into open spaces for creative expression of artists. This gave passengers the opportunity to enjoy art in everyday life, as well as get acquainted with its directions.

    The project is being implemented Department of Transport and Development of Road Transport Infrastructure of Moscow and the capital’s metro with the support of the Moscow Exhibition Halls association.

    The selection of new participants for the Art in the Metro project has been completed“Art in the Metro”: the project’s artists worked in a tram depot for the first time

    Get the latest news quickly official telegram channel the city of Moscow.

    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.

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/155338073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: A test flight on the Kashgar-Bishkek passenger air route was successfully conducted

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    BEIJING, June 17 (Xinhua) — An Airbus A320 passenger plane took off from Laining International Airport in Kashgar Prefecture of northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on Sunday for Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, marking the successful launch of a trial flight on the route, Xinjiang Daily reported, citing a source in Kashgar Customs.

    This is also the first international passenger air route opened this year at this airport, the local customs service added.

    The above flight was operated by a Kyrgyzstan airline. After the successful test flight, round trip flights on the new route are expected to be operated once a week. Meanwhile, the number of flights may be increased according to actual needs.

    According to local customs officials, the opening of this air route not only facilitates bilateral people-to-people exchanges, but also brings new opportunities for cooperation in trade, economics, culture and tourism to both sides. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Intangible Cultural Heritage Workshops Promote Prosperity and Employment in China’s Rural Areas

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    BEIJING, June 17 (Xinhua) — Intangible cultural heritage (ICH) workshops have become a powerful engine for rural development in China.

    According to official data, there are currently over 11,000 such workshops in the country, which play an active role in preserving and developing traditional crafts, creating jobs and stimulating the local economy.

    These workshops are located in 2,005 county-level administrative areas, including 670 formerly poor counties and 135 key counties that received assistance under the national rural revitalization program, and have provided employment to more than 1.2 million people in related industries.

    Notably, more than 4,300 workshops operate directly in villages, providing flexible working conditions that are particularly suitable for the elderly, women and people with disabilities – they can work from their place of residence and receive daily wages.

    The Chinese government has been actively promoting the role of intangible cultural heritage in cultural preservation and economic development. In December 2021, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China and other central government departments issued a regulation specifically regulating the establishment and operation of ICH workshops, focusing on cultivating talented successors, creating jobs, and supporting the development of traditional crafts.

    At the local level, 18 provincial-level administrative units have put forward similar policies. These policies concern the certification of ICH workshops, the management of these establishments, the provision of financial and marketing assistance to them, and the regulation of the allocation of necessary resources to ensure their development.

    In Zhejiang Province, for example, a “workshop plus farmers” mechanism was established in Xiaoshan District, whereby the provincial-level NCI workshop signed contracts to supply Xiaoshan pickled radish, the craft of which is listed in the NCI register of the said province, with more than 40,000 local farmers, resulting in the production value of this delicacy reaching 300 million yuan (about 42 million US dollars) in 2024.

    As of March 2025, the number of artisans who inherit state-level intangible cultural heritage in China has increased to nearly 4,000. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China issues blue alert for heavy rains, yellow warning for heat

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    BEIJING, June 17 (Xinhua) — China’s National Meteorological Center (NMC) on Tuesday issued a blue alert for heavy rain and a yellow alert for heat waves in some parts of the country.

    According to the NMC, heavy rainfall is expected in some parts of Guangdong, Sichuan and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region from 08:00 Tuesday to 08:00 Wednesday, while short-term heavy rainfall with an hourly rainfall of 70 mm or more, accompanied by thunderstorms and strong winds, will occur in some places in these regions.

    The NMC called on local authorities to carry out the necessary measures in preparation for the natural disaster and to check drainage systems in cities, agricultural lands and fish ponds.

    In addition, according to the NMC, on Tuesday afternoon in some areas of northern China, in areas along the Yellow River, Huaihe River, Hanjiang River and Yangtze River, in some areas in the northwest and southwest of the country, as well as in the western part of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, in the Turpan Basin and in the basin in the southern part of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the air temperature will reach 35-39 degrees Celsius.

    According to the forecast, in some places in Hebei, Henan provinces and the Turpan Basin, the maximum temperature may exceed 40 degrees Celsius.

    The NMC recommended avoiding outdoor activities and taking precautions to protect vulnerable groups such as the elderly and children.

    Let us recall that China has a four-tier weather warning system, with the highest level of danger indicated by red, followed in descending order by orange, yellow and blue. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The Chinese-Russian-Mongolian tournament on health qigong and wushu has ended in Manzhouli

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    BEIJING, June 17 (Xinhua) — The 2025 China-Russia-Mongolia Health Qigong and Wushu Tournament ended Monday in Manzhouli City, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. A total of 367 athletes from 47 teams from three countries took part in the friendly competition over four days.

    Ultimately, the team from the Hailar City People’s Fitness Center and the delegation of the Buryatia Wushu Federation won the health qigong and wushu competitions, respectively, the Jintai information and consulting platform on the Renmin Ribao newspaper website reported.

    “This is my fourth time competing in Manzhouli and every time I notice the hospitality and energy of this city,” said one of the Mongolian athletes.

    Another young athlete from Russia was deeply impressed by the unique architecture in Manzhouli. “I am delighted that here you can both take part in competitions and get acquainted with Chinese culture,” she shared.

    During the tournament, a special master class on health qigong was also organized for guests from three countries, where traditional Chinese exercise techniques were demonstrated by professors from Beijing University of Physical Education and Inner Mongolia Normal University.

    The China-Russia-Mongolia Health Qigong and Wushu Tournament was established in 2016, and has since become an iconic brand of sports events that promotes sports and cultural exchanges between the three countries. In the future, the border city of Manzhouli will continue the integrated development model of “sports culture tourism” to inject new energy into the deepening friendship of the peoples of the three neighboring countries, said Li Yanjun, chairman of the Wushu and Health Qigong Association of Manzhouli City. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: American Bar Association Sues Trump Administration

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    WASHINGTON, June 16 (Xinhua) — The American Bar Association (ABA) on Monday filed a lawsuit in federal court in Washington, D.C., seeking to block what it called a “campaign of intimidation” waged by the Donald Trump administration against major law firms.

    “Never before has the ABA felt such a pressing need to protect its members, their profession, and the rule of law,” the association’s lawsuit says.

    The ABA is the largest voluntary association of lawyers in the United States, with approximately 400,000 members.

    The lawsuit marks an escalation of tensions between the ABA and the Trump administration, which has cut federal funding to the association and sought to curtail its longtime role in evaluating federal judicial candidates.

    Four law firms filed separate lawsuits challenging the administration’s orders that revoked their security clearances and ended federal contracts. Three of them won their cases, and one lawsuit is pending. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Israel says Iranian military chief killed in Tehran strike

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    JERUSALEM, June 17 (Xinhua) — The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Tuesday that Ali Shadmani, Iran’s chief of military staff and one of the Islamic Republic’s highest-ranking military officers, was killed in an overnight airstrike on a command center in Tehran.

    The strike was carried out by Israeli aircraft after receiving “precise intelligence” and a “sudden opportunity,” the IDF said in a statement.

    A. Shadmani, a senior military commander and closest to Iranian leader Ali Khamenei, commanded the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Iranian army.

    He was appointed commander of Iran’s armed forces at the start of the ongoing five-day war after his predecessor, Alaa Ali Rashid, was killed in an Israeli strike that started the current fighting.

    The killing of A. Shadmani “continued a series of assassinations of Iran’s top military command and disrupted the chain of command,” the IDF said. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The 3rd China International Supply Chain Promotion Expo will establish a new zone dedicated to supply chain innovation

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    BEIJING, June 17 (Xinhua) — The 3rd China International Supply Chain Expo (CISCE) to be held in July will set up a special exhibition area dedicated to supply chain innovation, the event organizer said Tuesday.

    The new exhibition platform aims to promote the commercialization of technologies developed in laboratories and the smooth integration of innovation and industrial chains, according to the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT).

    According to CCPIT, this year more than 230 domestic and foreign companies will take part in the exhibition for the first time, including the American technology giant NVIDIA.

    Preparations for the upcoming exhibition are currently underway. At present, 650 companies from 75 countries, regions and international organizations have confirmed their participation. More than 65 percent of exhibitors are Global Fortune 500 companies or leading enterprises in the industry, while overseas exhibitors account for 35 percent of the total number of participants.

    The third CISCE will be held in Beijing from July 16 to 20, and Thailand will be invited as the guest of honor.

    It is the world’s first national-level supply chain exhibition that has become an international public product. According to CCPIT, the exhibition, first held in 2023, has contributed to building safer, more stable, more open and more inclusive global industrial and supply chains. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 17 June 2025 WHO response to challenging cholera outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

    Source: World Health Organisation

    On 5 May 2025, the Ministry of Public Health, Hygiene, and Social Welfare of the Democratic Republic of the Congo declared a cholera outbreak, following laboratory confirmation of cases in multiple provinces of the country.

    A team of WHO experts visits the Cholera Treatment Unit in Buhimba, located in the Goma Health Zone. The visit reflects WHO’s ongoing commitment to strengthening the cholera response in conflict-affected regions of North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo Credit: WHO/Daniel Paluku

    From 1 January to 8 June 2025, the Democratic Republic of the Congo reported 29 392 suspected cholera cases and 620 deaths. The mortality rate of 2% was an indication of gaps in reaching cholera patients with early and adequate treatment. The provinces of Tanganyika, Haut-Katanga, Sud-Kivu, Maniema, and Tshopo are among the most affected. Severe flooding in eastern provinces and high population mobility along the Congo River are accelerating the spread of the disease, while ongoing humanitarian crises and other outbreaks, such as mpox and measles, are straining national health capacities.

    In response to the cholera outbreak, the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with support from WHO and other partners, activated the Incident Management System to lead and coordinate the national response. The primary objective of the response is to interrupt transmission and reduce cholera deaths. Rapid response teams have been deployed to affected areas to support local health authorities with case detection and investigation, clinical management, water and sanitation activities, and laboratory diagnosis.

    The WHO team delivers treatment kits to the Buhimba Cholera Treatment Unit in Goma Health Zone, supporting the ongoing response to the cholera outbreak. Credit: WHO/Daniel Paluku

    To support the national outbreak response, WHO is mobilizing resources for the most affected. This includes the deployment of emergency inter-agency kits to treat over 10 000 people, supplemented by eight cholera kits for the treatment of an additional 800 patients in North Kivu province. WHO also deployed cholera supplies in Kinshasa, Haut Katanga, Tanganyika, South Kivu, Kongo central, Tshopo and Maniema Provinces. These efforts are further strengthened by targeted interventions, including the provision of emergency beds to health facilities in Kinshasa (Pakadjuma) and Kongo Central, as well as the provision of free medical care in Muanda.

    Ms Joyce Kabugho, manager of the Buhimba Cholera Treatment Unit, joins the WHO team during a visit to the CTU in Goma Health Zone to assess ongoing response efforts.  Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo Credit: WHO/Daniel Paluku

    In North Kivu, WHO has delivered treatment kits to Buhimba Cholera Treatment Unit (CTU) in the Goma Health Zone and Mugunga CTU in the Karisimbi Health Zone. Field teams, including risk communication and community engagement specialists, have conducted assessments to evaluate and strengthen the capacity of cholera facilities to provide timely and effective patient care.

    A mother tends to her child receiving care for cholera at the Mugunga Cholera Treatment Unit in Karisimbi Health Zone. WHO extends its gratitude to UNCERF for the vital support in the fight against cholera in North Kivu. Credit: WHO/Daniel Paluku

    “Despite the observed decrease in cases in some areas, the cholera situation in North Kivu remains deeply concerning here. Response efforts are severely hindered by ongoing insecurity, which restricts access to the most vulnerable populations”, said Ms Joyce Kabugho, manager of the Buhimba CTU in North Kivu.

    Elvis Mulamba from WHO’s Risk Communication and Community Engagement team raises awareness among female vendors in the Shasha area, in Kirotshe health zone, promoting hygiene and handwashing practices as part of the cholera outbreak response. Credit: WHO

    Ntakakubwine Eugénie, 52, mother of 10, is more than a Community Outreach Worker. For 10 years, she has been a trusted figure, a reference point, and a guardian of public health in the Mabanga area, in the Goma Health Zone. She works at the Community Oral Rehydration Point at the Alleluia Buhimba Health Center. Every day, her home becomes a relief centre.

    WHO is also strengthening the capacity of the Ministry of Public Health, Hygiene, and Social Welfare by deploying 7275 community health workers (CHWs) across 13 provinces, including Kinshasa, for an initial period of three months. These CHWs play a critical role in community engagement by raising awareness about cholera prevention, distributing oral rehydration salts (ORS), and facilitating timely access to treatment for affected individuals.

    A young girl prepares to collect water from Lake Kivu – an essential daily task that carries hidden danger. In North Kivu, where conflict continues to displace communities, unsafe water sources like this remain a major driver of cholera transmission. WHO warns that without access to clean water, the most vulnerable continue to face life-threatening risks. Credit: WHO/Daniel Paluku

    Across North Kivu and other affected zones, deteriorating WASH conditions – exacerbated by recent armed clashes and population displacement – are increasing the risk of cholera spread.

    WHO’s Risk Communication and Community Engagement team raises awareness in the Shasha area, in Kirotshe health zone, promoting hygiene and handwashing practices as part of the cholera outbreak response. Credit: WHO/ Elvis Mulamba

    The country is also set to begin a reactive oral cholera vaccination campaign targeting 11 health zones across four provinces: Haut-Katanga, Tanganyika, Maniema, and Tshopo. Nearly 3 million vaccine doses have been received from the International Coordinating Group (ICG) on Vaccine Provision, with the campaign launch date to be announced soon.

    Dr Léopold Ouédraogo, WHO’s Multi-Crisis Response Incident Manager in North Kivu, leads a team visit to the second Cholera Treatment Unit in Mugunga, located in the Karisimbi Health Zone of Goma. The visit underscores WHO’s commitment to strengthening cholera response in conflict-affected areas. Mugunga, Karisimbi Health Zone, Goma, DRC. Credit: WHO/Daniel Paluku

    “WHO continues to work closely with the Ministry of Health and partners to contain the outbreak, strengthen surveillance, and ensure access to life-saving care. However, sustained international support is essential to prevent further loss of life and build long-term resilience”, says Dr Boureima Hama Sambo, WHO Representative for the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Secretary-General of ASEAN hosts lunch for ASEAN Prize Judging Committee

    Source: ASEAN

    In his capacity as Chair of the ASEAN Prize Judging Committee, Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, hosted a working lunch with the former Secretaries-General of ASEAN. Dr. Kao underscored the significant roles and steadfast dedication that the former ASEAN Secretaries-General hold in continuing to support regional development through their leadership legacies, institutional knowledge, and ongoing contributions to ASEAN community building. Alongside honouring their contributions in various regional engagements, Dr. Kao highlighted their pivotal roles in guiding the selection of ASEAN’s regional premier award, which continues to catalyse advancing regional integration that promotes excellence, fosters cooperation, and sustains a shared identity across ASEAN Member States.

    The post Secretary-General of ASEAN hosts lunch for ASEAN Prize Judging Committee appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-Evening Report: As Israeli attacks draw tit-for-tat missile responses from Iran and shuts Haifa refinery, Gaza genocide continues

    Israeli media report that Iranian missile strikes on Haifa oil refinery yesterday killed 3 people and closed down the installation.

    The Israeli death toll has risen to 24, with 400 injured and more than 2700 people displaced.

    Israeli authorities report 370 missiles fired by Iran in total, 30 reaching their targets. Iranian military report they have carried out 550 drone operations.

    224 killed in Iran
    Two hundred and twenty four people have been killed by Israeli attacks on Iran, with 1277 hospitalised.

    The state radio and television building was targeted by Israeli strikes twice — while broadcasting live — with the broadcast back online within 5 minutes despite the attack.

    In response, Iran has issued a warning to evacuate the central offices of Israeli television channels 12 and 14.

    An Israeli attack on a Red Crescent ambulance in Tehran resulted in the deaths of two relief workers.

    Israel’s Finance Minister Belazel Smotrich, who is accused of being a war criminal and the target of sanctions by five countries including New Zealand, claims they have hit 800 targets in Iran, with aircraft flying freely in the nation’s airspace.

    In the West Bank, the tension continues, with business continuing at a subdued level, everyone waiting to see how the situation will unfold.

    Israel’s illegal siege continues, cutting off cities and villages from one another, while blocking ambulances and urgent medical access in several locations today.

    Israeli and Iranian strikes are expected to continue, and potentially escalate, over the coming days.

    Israel’s genocide in Gaza continues.

    Cole Martin is an independent New Zealand photojournalist based in the Middle East and a contributor to Asia Pacific Report.

    Iranian missiles raining down on Tel Aviv as seen from the occupied West Bank. Image: CM screenshot APR

    Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –