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Category: Asia Pacific

  • MIL-Evening Report: 201 ways to say ‘fuck’: what 1.7 billion words of online text shows about how the world swears

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Martin Schweinberger, Lecturer in Applied Linguistics, The University of Queensland

    Our brains swear for good reasons: to vent, cope, boost our grit and feel closer to those around us. Swear words can act as social glue and play meaningful roles in how people communicate, connect and express themselves – both in person, and online.

    In our new research published in Lingua, we analysed more than 1.7 billion words of online language across 20 English-speaking regions. We identified 597 different swear word forms – from standard words, to creative spellings like “4rseholes”, to acronyms like “wtf”.

    The findings challenge a familiar stereotype. Australians – often thought of as prolific swearers – are actually outdone by Americans and Brits, both in how often they swear, and in how many users swear online.

    Facts and figures

    Our study focused on publicly available web data (such as news articles, organisational websites, government or institutional publications, and blogs – but excluding social media and private messaging). We found vulgar words made up 0.036% of all words in the dataset from the United States, followed by 0.025% in the British data and 0.022% in the Australian data.

    Although vulgar language is relatively rare in terms of overall word frequency, it was used by a significant number of individuals.

    Between 12% and 13.3% of Americans, around 10% of Brits, and 9.4% of Australians used at least one vulgar word in their data. Overall, the most frequent vulgar word was “fuck” – with all its variants, it amounted to a stunning 201 different forms.

    We focused on online language that didn’t include social media, because large-scale comparisons need robust, purpose-built datasets. In our case, we used the Global Web-Based English (GloWbE) corpus, which was specifically designed to compare how English is used across different regions online.

    So how much were our findings influenced by the online data we used?

    Telling results come from research happening at the same time as ours. One study analysed the use of “fuck” in social networks on X, examining how network size and strength influence swearing in the UK, US and Australia.

    It used data from 5,660 networks with more than 435,000 users and 7.8 billion words and found what we did. Americans use “fuck” most frequently, while Australians use it the least, but with the most creative spelling variations (some comfort for anyone feeling let down by our online swearing stats).

    Teasing apart cultural differences

    Americans hold relatively conservative attitudes toward public morality, and their high swearing rates are surprising. The cultural contradiction may reflect the country’s strong individualistic culture. Americans often value personal expression – especially in private or anonymous settings like the internet.

    Meanwhile, public displays of swearing are often frowned upon in the US. This is partly due to the lingering influence of religious norms, which frame swearing – particularly religious-based profanity – as a violation of moral decency.

    Significantly, the only religious-based swear word in our dataset, “damn”, was used most frequently by Americans.

    Research suggests swearing is more acceptable in Australian public discourse. Certainly, Australia’s public airing of swear words often takes visitors by surprise. The long-running road safety slogan “If you drink, then drive, you’re a bloody idiot” is striking – such language is rare in official messaging elsewhere.

    Australians may be comfortable swearing in person, but our findings indicate they dial it back online – surprising for a nation so fond of its vernacular.

    In terms of preferences for specific forms of vulgarity, Americans showed a strong preference for variations of “ass(hole)”, the Irish favored “feck”, the British preferred “cunt”, and Pakistanis leaned toward “butt(hole)”.

    The only statistically significant aversion we found was among Americans, who tended to avoid the word “bloody” (folk wisdom claims the word is blasphemous).

    Being fluent in swearing

    People from countries where English is the dominant language – such as the US, Britain, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Ireland – tend to swear more frequently and with more lexical variety than people in regions where English is less dominant like India, Pakistan, Hong Kong, Ghana or the Philippines. This pattern holds for both frequency and creativity in swearing.

    But Singapore ranked fourth in terms of frequency of swearing in our study, just behind Australia and ahead of New Zealand, Ireland and Canada. English in Singapore is increasingly seen not as a second language, but as a native language, and as a tool for identity, belonging and creativity. Young Singaporeans use social swearing to push back against authority, especially given the government’s strict rules on public language.

    One possible reason we saw less swearing among non-native English speakers is that it is rarely taught. Despite its frequency and social utility, swearing – alongside humour and informal speech – is often left out of language education.

    Cursing comes naturally

    Cultural, social and technological shifts are reshaping linguistic norms, blurring the already blurry lines between informal and formal, private and public language. Just consider the Aussie contributions to the July Oxford English Dictionary updates: expressions like “to strain the potatoes” (to urinate), “no wuckers” and “no wucking furries” (from “no fucking worries”).

    Swearing and vulgarity aren’t just crass or abusive. While they can be used harmfully, research consistently shows they serve important communicative functions – colourful language builds rapport, expresses humour and emotion, signals solidarity and eases tension.

    It’s clear that swearing isn’t just a bad habit that can be easily kicked, like nail-biting or smoking indoors. Besides, history shows that telling people not to swear is one of the best ways to keep swearing alive and well.

    Martin Schweinberger has received funding from from the Centre for Digital Cultures and Society and the School of Languages and Cultures at the University of Queensland. He is currently funded by the Language Data Commons of Australia, which has received investment from the Australian Research Data Commons, funded by the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy.

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

    – ref. 201 ways to say ‘fuck’: what 1.7 billion words of online text shows about how the world swears – https://theconversation.com/201-ways-to-say-fuck-what-1-7-billion-words-of-online-text-shows-about-how-the-world-swears-257815

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Extreme weather could send milk prices soaring, deepening challenges for the dairy industry

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milena Bojovic, Lecturer, Sustainability and Environment, University of Technology Sydney

    Australia’s dairy industry is in the middle of a crisis, fuelled by an almost perfect storm of challenges.

    Climate change and extreme weather have been battering farmlands and impacting animal productivity, creating mounting financial strains and mental health struggles for many farmers.

    Meanwhile, beyond the farm gate, consumer tastes are shifting to a range of dairy substitutes. Interest and investment in alternative dairy proteins is accelerating.

    Earlier this month, industry figures warned consumers to prepare for price rises amid expected shortages of milk, butter and cheese. Already mired in uncertainty, the dairy industry is now being forced to confront some tough questions about its future head on.

    Dairy under pressure

    Dairy is Australia’s third-largest rural industry. It produces more than A$6 billion worth of milk each year, and directly employs more than 30,000 people.

    But the sector has been under sustained pressure. This year alone, repeated extreme weather events have affected key dairy-producing regions in southern and eastern parts of Australia.

    In New South Wales, dairy farmers face increased pressure from floods. In May, many regions had their monthly rainfall records broken – some by huge margins.

    In Victoria, drought and water shortages are worsening. Tasmania, too, continues to endure some of the driest conditions in more than a century.

    Conditions have prompted many farmers to sell down their cattle numbers to conserve feed and water.

    All of this heavily impacts farm productivity. Agriculture has long been predicated on our ability to predict climate conditions and grow food or rear animals according to the cycles of nature.

    As climate change disrupts weather patterns, this makes both short and long-term planning for the sector a growing challenge.

    High costs, low profits

    Climate change isn’t the only test. The industry has also been grappling with productivity and profitability concerns.

    At the farm level, dairy farmers are feeling the impacts of high operating costs. Compared to other types of farming (such as sheep or beef), dairy farms require more plant, machinery and equipment capital, mostly in the form of specialised milking machinery.

    The price of milk also has many farmers concerned. The modest increase in farmgate milk prices – just announced by dairy companies for the start of the next financial year – left many farmers disappointed. Some say the increase isn’t enough to cover rising operating costs.

    Zooming out, there are concerns about a lack of family succession planning for dairy farms. Many young people are wary of taking on such burdens, and the total number of Australian dairy farms has been in steady decline – from more than 6,000 in 2015 to just 4,163 in 2023.

    What’s the solution?

    Is there a way to make the dairy industry more productive, profitable and sustainable? Australian Dairy Farmers is the national policy and advocacy group supporting the profitability and sustainability of the sector.

    In the lead up to this year’s federal election, the group called for $399 million in government investment to address what it said were key priorities. These included:

    • investment in on-farm technologies to improve efficiencies
    • funding for water security
    • upskilling programs for farmers
    • support for succession planning.
    Industry figures have warned consumers to brace for possible increases in the cost of dairy products.
    wisely/Shutterstock

    However, as the industry struggles to grapple with a changing climate, financial strain and mental health pressures, there should also be pathways for incumbent farmers to transition, either to farming dairy differently (such as by reducing herd sizes) or exiting out of dairy farming and into something else.

    Dairy without the cows

    The push to make dairy production more sustainable and efficient faces its own competition. A number of techniques in development promise dairy products without the cows, through cellular agriculture – and more specifically, “precision fermentation”.

    Australian company Eden Brew, in partnership with dairy giant Norco, has plans to produce and commercialise precision fermentation dairy proteins.

    And last year, Australian company All G secured approval to sell precision fermentation lactoferrin (a key dairy ingredient in baby formula) in China – another animal-free milk product.

    It is important to note that cost and scalability for cellular agriculture remains a challenge.

    Nonetheless, Australia’s rapidly growing non-dairy milk market – soy, oat, and so on – is now worth over $600 million annually. This reflects the global shift towards plant-based options driven by health, environmental, and ethical concerns.

    Is there a win-win outcome?

    Is there a possible future where more funding is given to produce milk at scale through precision fermentation while we also look after incumbent dairy workers, farms and the rural sector at large to diversify or leave the sector altogether?

    Some believe this future is possible. This is what researchers call “protein pluralism” – a market where traditional and alternative proteins coexist. Long-term planning from both the dairy industry and government would be needed.

    Remember, while techniques like precision fermentation offer the promise of animal-free dairy products, their benefits are largely yet to materialise. How they will ultimately benefit the whole of society remains speculative.

    What we can do now

    For this reason, some scholars have argued we should prioritise actions that can be taken now. This includes support for practices such as agroecology, which seek to address injustice and inequity in food systems to help empower primary food producers.

    A recent study found Australian dairy farmers were interested in financial and technical advice to make decisions about where they take their business in future.

    Despite growing recognition of the challenges facing the dairy sector, responses from government and alternative dairy remain uneven. A more coordinated approach is needed for affected farmers, helping them adapt or diversify with guidance from government and industry experts.

    Milena Bojovic volunteers with Farm Transitions Australia, a registered charity which helps Australian dairy and beef farmers facing hardship and seeking a transition from the industry. She is affiliated with ARC Centre for Excellence in Synthetic Biology.

    – ref. Extreme weather could send milk prices soaring, deepening challenges for the dairy industry – https://theconversation.com/extreme-weather-could-send-milk-prices-soaring-deepening-challenges-for-the-dairy-industry-258175

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ‘Hard to measure and difficult to shift’: the government’s big productivity challenge

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Bartos, Professor of Economics, University of Canberra

    Higher productivity has quickly emerged as an economic reform priority for Labor’s second term.

    Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has laid down some markers for a productivity round table in August, saying he wants it to build the “broadest possible base” for further economic reform.

    The government is right to focus on productivity. Improving economic efficiency will increase real wages, help bring down inflation and interest rates, and improve living standards.

    Treasurer Jim Chalmers is flagging a broad productivity agenda, but acknowledges the rewards will take time to percolate through the economy:

    Human capital, competition policy, technology, energy, the care economy – these are where we are going to find the productivity gains, and not quickly, but over the medium term.

    Making the economy operate more efficiently is simple in concept. But Albanese and Chalmers would be well aware productivity is hard to measure, and even more difficult to shift.

    The numbers are fraught

    What do we mean by productivity growth? And how will it help lift the economy? The authors of the bestselling new book Abundance offer this neat explanation:

    People need to think up new ideas. Factories need to innovate new processes. These new ideas and new processes must be encoded into new technologies. All this is grouped under the sterile label of productivity: How much more can we produce with the same number of people and resources?

    At its most basic, productivity measures outputs divided by inputs – what we produce compared to the resources such as labour and capital used to produce it.

    But large parts of the “non-market” economy including the public service, health care and education are excluded from the official productivity figures.

    The Australian Bureau of Statistics is working to address the gap in the data. For example, it is developing “experimental estimates” for the health sector, which suggests hospital productivity has fallen.

    However measurement is fraught. If a nurse, for instance, who previously cared for four patients now looks after eight, is that a productivity improvement? Or a drop in standard of care?

    Flatlining productivity

    Australian productivity growth has averaged just 0.4% a year since 2015 – the lowest rate in 60 years.

    The exception was during COVID, when industries with low productivity, such as accommodation and food, were shut down and those with high productivity – such as IT and communications – thrived.

    The objective must be to return to, or even surpass, historical levels of productivity. However, it won’t be easy given economists have no clear idea why productivity growth has fallen in Australia and overseas.

    Theories include:

    • measurement problems
    • new industries
    • decline in business investment in equipment and technology
    • more service industries, where productivity is lower
    • the easy reforms have all been done.

    No shortage of advice

    Productivity is multidimensional, with an absurd number of moving parts. It depends on skills, technology, investment, knowledge, management, and a host of other factors. Like the movie, it’s “everything, everywhere all at once”.

    The government has a plethora of advice on how to improve productivity. Scientists argue for more scientific research; business lobbies for more investment breaks;
    innovators for more technological advances.

    This poses a dilemma for the Treasurer. Most suggestions on their own would make some difference. Doing all of them would make a huge difference. Alas, government cannot do everything. It must choose where to apply its limited resources.

    Beyond money and time, the government must also have appetite for the fight.

    Interest groups typically support productivity reforms in principle, but resist them if they are directly affected. Every inefficient regulation or program has a supporter somewhere.

    Five pillars

    Jim Chalmers does not need another shopping list. He needs help to sort through options and set priorities for which fights to pick. To this end, in December year he tasked the Productivity Commission with new inquiries into the five main drivers – “pillars” – of higher productivity.



    Read more:
    Labor says its second term will be about productivity reform. These ideas could help shift the dial

    Yet the Albanese government has already been handed a comprehensive blueprint for productivity reform.

    In March 2023, the Productivity Commission released the Advancing Prosperity report, which it described as a “road map”.

    However, it had more of a shopping list feel, incorporating 71 recommendations and 29 “reform directives”. Many were of the “should” variety, lacking a detailed plan of how to do them.

    Roughly speaking, any government only has bandwidth for one big and a few small reforms a term. It cannot implement more than 70, even if that’s ideal.

    Productivity reform will succeed if it involves only a few changes – preferably those that deliver the most improvement for the least complaint.

    Some proposed measures are desirable but controversial. The tax system, for example, is crying out for improvement, but the government is unlikely to take it on.

    Reforming occupational licences to make it easier for tradies to move states is a more modest aim. It would not generate the same productivity gains, but politically would be simpler to implement.

    Nothing to fear

    Finally, some words of caution.

    Productivity is not code for exploiting workers. As The Guardian recently noted:

    When most people hear the word ‘productivity’ they think of their boss wanting them to take on more duties for the same pay. That’s not the case. It’s about getting more out of the hours you work.

    Working harder to get the same result is in fact a drop in productivity. Working shorter hours for the same outputs is productivity growth, with the benefits seen in better work-life balance.

    Nor is productivity just about producing more outputs. Who needs more useless stuff?

    And statistics can mislead, because they measure the value of production, not the quality. A broader accounting for production, incorporating society and the environment, would help the productivity debate avoid this trap.

    Albanese and Chalmers readily acknowledge the government can do more on productivity. Anyone with an interest in driving a more efficient economy, higher real wages and better living standards will hold them to their word.

    This article is part of The Conversation’s series examining the productivity dilemma.

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

    – ref. ‘Hard to measure and difficult to shift’: the government’s big productivity challenge – https://theconversation.com/hard-to-measure-and-difficult-to-shift-the-governments-big-productivity-challenge-257968

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: A reversal in US climate policy will send renewables investors packing – and Australia can reap the benefits

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christian Downie, Professor, Australian National University

    President Donald Trump is trying to unravel the signature climate policy of his predecessor Joe Biden, the Inflation Reduction Act, as part of a sweeping bid to dismantle the United States’ climate ambition.

    The Inflation Reduction Act, or IRA, is a A$530 billion suite of measures that aims to turbocharge clean energy investment and slash emissions in the US. Once hailed as a game-changer for the global clean energy transition, it set in train a fierce international competition for renewable energy investment.

    But the policy is now hanging by a thread, after the US House of Representatives last month narrowly passed a bill to repeal many of its clean energy measures.

    Should the bill pass the Senate, billions of dollars in renewables investment once destined for the US could be looking for a new home. Now is the time for the Albanese government to woo investors with a bolder program of climate action in Australia.

    The Trump administration is seeking to wind back Biden’s signature climate policy.
    Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Climate Power 2020

    What is the Inflation Reduction Act?

    The Inflation Reduction Act passed US Congress in 2022. It legislated billions of dollars in tax credits for solar panels, wind turbines, batteries and geothermal plants, among other technologies.

    It included around A$13 billion in rebates for Americans to electrify their homes, tax credits of almost A$11,000 to electrify their cars, and billions more to establish a “green bank” and target agricultural emissions.

    The money flowed. Last year, almost A$420 billion was invested in the manufacture and deployment of clean energy – double that in 2021, the year before the legislation passed.

    Even in the first quarter of this year, under a Trump presidency, A$103 billion was invested in clean energy tech – an increase on the first quarter results of 2024. Electric vehicle manufacturing projects, especially batteries, were standout performers.

    Then US president Joe Biden in August 2023, celebrating the first anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act. The policy aimed to turbocharge the clean energy transition.
    Win McNamee/Getty Images

    But then came the proposed repeal. The Trump administration wants to gut tax credits for clean energy technologies. The measures passed the House of Representatives and must now clear the US Senate, where the Republicans have a margin of three votes.

    Initial modelling suggests the bill, if passed, could derail clean energy manufacturing in the US – including in Republican states where new projects were planned.

    The potential economic damage has sparked concern even among Trump’s own troops. Some Republicans last week reportedly urged the scaling back of the cuts, despite voting for the bill in the House.

    Opportunities for Australia

    After the IRA was enacted, many countries followed the US’ lead – including Australia’s Albanese government, which legislated the A$22.7 billion Future Made in Australia package.

    So how will Trump’s unravelling of the policy affect the rest of the world?

    The economic impacts are still being modelled. Some studies suggest the US could cede A$123 billion in investment to other countries.

    The US axing of tax credits for battery and solar technology paves the way for nations such as China and South Korea to capitalise – given, for example, they already dominate battery manufacturing.

    Australia should be doing its utmost to attract investors that no longer see the US as an option. Our existing policies are a start, but they are not sufficient.

    In February this year, Labor increased the investment capacity of the Clean Energy Finance Corporation – Australia’s “green bank” – by A$2 billion. But more will be needed if the government is serious about crowding-in private investment in low-emission technologies exiting the US.

    The government would also be wise to remove incentives that increase fossil fuel use. This includes the diesel fuel rebate, which encourages the use of diesel-powered trucks on mine sites. Fortescue Metals this week announced a push for the subsidy to be wound back – potentially providing the political opening Labor needs.

    What about nuclear?

    Trump has also promised a “nuclear renaissance”, signing four executive orders designed to reinvigorate the US nuclear energy industry.

    But those measures are likely to fail, just as Trump’s 2016 promise to revive the coal industry never eventuated.

    In fact, his cuts to the Loan Programs Office – which helps finance new energy projects including nuclear – threaten to undermine the viability of new nuclear plants. The office has been the guarantor for every new US nuclear plant this century, bar one.

    If the US is struggling to scale up its existing nuclear industry, this does not bode well for the technology’s hopes in Australia. Here, the prospect of a nuclear energy policy still appears alive in the Coalition party room, even though the technology remains politically unpopular, and the economics don’t stack up.

    What’s next?

    Predicting US climate and energy policy is a fool’s errand, given the potential IRA repeal, flip-flopping tariff announcements and daily social media tirades from Trump, including a social media bust-up with former ally Elon Musk over the merits of the repeal itself.

    Stepping back from the politics, we cannot ignore the climate harms flowing from a walk-back on US climate action.

    The US is the world’s second-largest emitter of greenhouse gases. As climate change reaches new extremes, the policy vacuum created by Donald Trump must urgently be filled by the rest of the world.

    Christian Downie receives funding from the Australian Research Council

    – ref. A reversal in US climate policy will send renewables investors packing – and Australia can reap the benefits – https://theconversation.com/a-reversal-in-us-climate-policy-will-send-renewables-investors-packing-and-australia-can-reap-the-benefits-258388

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Files Amicus Brief Supporting Challenge to the Trump Administration’s Unlawful Freeze to Federal Research Funding for Harvard

    Source: US State of California

    OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta this week, as part of a coalition of 21 attorneys general, filed an amicus brief in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts in support of Harvard University’s motion for summary judgment in President and Fellows of Harvard College v. U.S. Department of Health and Human Service, a lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration’s freeze of federal funding for research grants at Harvard University. In their brief, the attorneys general argue that the freezing and termination of Harvard’s research grants would pose an existential threat to universities, disrupt state’s economies, public health efforts, and the pipeline for the next generation of researchers. 

    “The Trump Administration is going after Harvard because it refused to bend to its unprecedented – and blatantly unlawful – demands,” said Attorney General Bonta. “In California, we remain committed to upholding and protecting the constitutional and civil rights of our educational institutions and their students. I’m proud to stand with Harvard in ensuring that we continue to protect our students, their wellbeing, and their freedom of speech.”

    In April 2025, Harvard filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts arguing that the Trump Administration exceeded its statutory and constitutional authority and violated the First Amendment in freezing, terminating, and refusing to issue or continue research and other grants in retaliation for Harvard’s refusal to restructure its internal governance, change its hiring and admissions practices, and modify what it teaches its students to align with the government’s views.

    In the amicus brief, the coalition urges the court to grant Harvard’s motion for summary judgment, arguing that the Trump Administration’s unlawful freeze of federal funding poses an existential threat to the university which will (1) impact the state’s economy, (2) threaten current jobs and businesses, (3) halt career development for promising new scientists debilitating the pipeline for future innovators, and (4) prevent research for lifesaving medicines and transformative technologies with the potential to improve the health and lives of residents.

    Harvard’s contributions to Massachusetts are a prime example of the significant impact research universities can have. Since its founding in 1636, Harvard has been critical to Massachusetts’s flourishing, directing billions of dollars to the state’s businesses and organizations and driving countless of innovations in medicine and technology. In addition, Harvard is one of Massachusetts’s largest employers and frequently collaborates with state and local partners on initiatives that support the local economy.

    In filing the amicus brief, Attorney General Bonta joins the attorneys generals of Massachusetts, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.

    A copy of the amicus brief can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Coalition of 18 Attorneys General Issue Statement in Support of California’s Lawsuit Challenging Unlawful, Undemocratic Federalization of State National Guard

    Source: US State of California

    Wednesday, June 11, 2025

    Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov

    OAKLAND – Today, a coalition of 18 attorneys general issued a statement condemning the Trump Administration’s unlawful federalization of the California National Guard and supporting California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s lawsuit against President Donald Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and the U.S. Department of Defense:

    “The president’s decision to federalize and deploy California’s National Guard without the consent of California state leaders is unlawful, unconstitutional, and undemocratic.

    “The federal administration should be working with local leaders to keep everyone safe, not mobilizing the military against the American people.

    “As the chief law enforcement officers of our states, we are proud to protect our communities and oppose violence in any form. We support Attorney General Bonta in his challenge to the Trump administration’s illegal conduct.

    “We oppose any action from this administration that will sow chaos, inflame tensions, and put people’s lives at risk – including those of our law enforcement officers.”

    The statement was jointly issued by the attorneys general of New York, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, and Vermont.

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ‘Microaggressions’ can fly under the radar in schools. Here’s how to spot them and respond

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel Leslie, Lecturer in Curriculum and Pedagogy with a focus on Educational Psychology, University of Southern Queensland

    Klaus Vedfelt/ Getty Images

    Bullying is sadly a common experience for Australian children and teenagers. It is estimated at least 25% experience bullying at some point in their schooling.

    The impacts can be far-reaching and include depression and anxiety, poorer school performance, and poorer connection to school.

    The federal government is currently doing a “rapid review” of how to better prevent bullying in schools. This do this, we need a clear understanding of the full spectrum of aggressive behaviours that occur in schools.

    We already know bullying can be physical, verbal and social, and can occur in person and online. But there is less awareness among educators and policymakers of “microaggressions”. These can be more subtle but are nonetheless very damaging.



    Read more:
    With a government review underway, we have to ask why children bully other kids

    What’s the difference between bullying and microaggressions?

    Bullying is unwanted aggressive behaviour by a person or group against a targeted victim, with the intent to harm. The behaviour is repeated and there is a power imbalance between the perpetrator and victim.

    Microaggressions are a form of aggression that communicate a person is less valued because of a particular attribute – for example, their race, gender or disability.

    Microaggressions are repeated, cumulative and reflect power imbalances between social groups. A key difference with traditional bullying is microaggressions are often unconscious on the part of the perpetrator – and can be perpetrated with no ill intent.

    For example, traditional bullying could include a child always excluding another child from the group, always pushing them when they walk past them, or calling them a rude name.

    Microaggressions could include:

    • saying “you don’t look disabled” to a student with an invisible disability

    • mispronouncing a student’s name with no attempt to correct the pronunciation

    • saying to a student of colour, “wow, you’re so articulate”, implying surprise at their language skills

    • minimising a student with disability’s experience by saying “it can’t be that difficult. Just try harder.”

    We don’t have specific statistics on prevalence within Australia, although there is ample research to say those from minority groups frequently experience microaggressions.

    For example, studies of young people in the United States found incidents of microaggressions, often focused on racism, homophobia, transphobia and fat stigma. Students who held more than one identity (for example, a minority race and sexual orientation), were more likely to be targets.

    Microaggressions in schools

    My 2025 research on microaggressions towards dyslexic students in Australia found both students and parents can be on the receiving end. Teachers, school support officers and other students could be perpetrators.

    These interactions minimised the students’ experiences of dyslexia and made them feel like second class students compared to their peers.

    Some of the children reported comments from peers such as “oh yeah, reading, writing is hard already” which minimised the difficulties caused by dyslexia. Another student recalled how a peer had corrected her spelling “by snatching my book and re-writing it”, assuming she couldn’t do it herself. One student was made to feel bad for using a laptop in class as “someone said it was cheating”.

    The impact of microaggressions

    Schools where microaggressions occur are not safe spaces for all students.

    This can have serious implications for students’ school attendance, harm their mental health and ability to learn and socialise.

    Research on US university students, showed students may also become hypervigilant waiting for future microaggressions to occur.

    One Australian study found microaggressions can be so bad for some school students, they change schools in search of environments where staff and peers are more accepting.

    How to address microaggressions

    Research suggests addressing microaggressions can work as a prevention strategy to reduce other forms of bullying before it starts.

    Studies also show teacher awareness of microaggressions is key to preventing and addressing incidents.

    So a first step step is to make sure schools, teachers and students are aware of microagressions. Teachers should be educated about the relationship between microaggressions and bullying.

    Schools need to create environments where microaggressions are understood, recognised and addressed. All students need to be taught how to respond appropriately as bystanders if they see microaggressions happening in the classroom, playground or online.

    If a student feels that they or a friend has been made to feel less because of their identity, then they should be encouraged to seek help from an appropriate adult.

    Schools also need proactive programs to foster inclusion in schools. Research shows school psychologists can help by delivering programs in mental health and social and emotional development.

    Just as schools, teachers and school psychologists can be proactive in addressing microaggressions, so too can the federal government – by including microaggressions in its anti-bullying review.

    If this article has raised issues for you, or if you’re concerned about someone you know, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800.

    Rachel Leslie is a committee member for the Australian Psychologists and Counsellors in Schools association.

    – ref. ‘Microaggressions’ can fly under the radar in schools. Here’s how to spot them and respond – https://theconversation.com/microaggressions-can-fly-under-the-radar-in-schools-heres-how-to-spot-them-and-respond-258684

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Medical scans are big business and investors are circling. Here are 3 reasons to be concerned

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sean Docking, Research Fellow, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University

    wedmoments.stock/Shutterstock

    Timely access to high-quality medical imaging can be lifesaving and life-altering. Radiology can confirm a fractured bone, give us an early glimpse of our baby or detect cancer.

    But behind the x-ray, ultrasound, CT and MRI machines is a growing, highly profitable industry worth almost A$6 billion a year.

    Corporate ownership dominates the sector. In our new study, we show how for-profit corporations own about three in every five private radiology clinics.

    As radiology becomes an increasingly attractive target for investors, are we letting business interests reshape a key part of our health-care system?

    30 million scans and counting

    In 2023–24, two in five Australians had an x-ray, ultrasound, CT scan or MRI. That’s about 30.8 million scans in total (individuals may have two or more scans).

    Medicare funds most of this imaging. In fact, imaging is now Medicare’s second-largest area of spending, behind only GP visits.

    But a growing number of scans are not bulk billed and patients are out of pocket on average about $125 per scan. An estimated 274,000 Australians are delaying or forgoing scans each year because of the cost.

    There have also been dramatic changes behind the scenes. Since the early 2000s, for-profit corporations have been buying small radiologist-owned clinics.

    Today, 65% of private radiology practices are owned by publicly listed shareholders or private investors, including private equity firms. This marks a significant shift from clinician-led to investor-driven health care.

    Need an ultrasound? You may end up at a private radiology clinic.
    Inside Creative House/Shutterstock

    Why should we care?

    Advocates of corporate ownership suggest this business-focused approach can make the system more efficient through economies of scale. They say this allows consolidation of administration tasks and a reduction in overheads.

    Easy access to finance can help buy expensive imaging machines. It can also provide investment towards new technologies, such as artificial intelligence.

    Yet, there are three main reasons why corporate ownership of the radiology sector may be cause for concern.

    1. It reduces competition

    Large corporations buying up a bunch of smaller practices ultimately leads to less competition. In Tasmania, for example, 11 of the 17 private radiology clinics are owned by one company, significantly limiting patient choice.

    We also found limited competition among radiology providers in South Australia, the Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory.

    When a single company dominates a local market, it creates the conditions for higher fees and reduced incentives to bulk bill. However, objective data on the impact of reduced competition on the affordability of scans is scarce.

    2. It may lead to too many expensive scans

    High-cost scans, such as MRIs and CTs, are lucrative. Medicare expenditure on MRI scans alone has doubled since 2012.

    This may reflect improved access and a recommended shift towards more sensitive tests for some conditions. However, for-profit corporations now own about 76% of MRI machines in private clinics. These corporations may be financially incentivised to offer more costly imaging over equally effective, lower-cost options.

    With profits tied to the number of scans, there’s growing unease financial motives may be influencing when and how often these scans are used.

    While radiology corporations are not the ones requesting scans, there is little incentive for them to address overuse of radiology services, an issue for high-income countries such as Australia.

    Low-value imaging may also generate overdiagnosis (when something shows up on imaging but will never cause the patient any health issues, for example). It can lead to unnecessarily exposing patients to radiation and cause unwarranted patient (and doctor) anxiety. This can ultimately lead to more tests and unnecessary treatment.

    Is an MRI scan really necessary? Sometimes cheaper imaging is best.
    illustrissima/Shutterstock

    3. Radiology clinics become an asset

    Private equity firms view radiology clinics as a commodity to be bought, their value increased, then sold over a relatively short time frame (typically three to seven years).

    These firms generate profit not from delivering care, but from boosting the clinic’s value and charging them annual “management fees”.

    A prime example is unfolding. I-MED, Australia’s largest radiology provider, is considering listing the business on the Australian Stock Exchange after failing to sell at a reported $3 billion. Its UK private equity owner bought I-MED for about $1.26 billion in 2018. If sold, this would be the latest of multiple owners since delisting from the stock exchange in 2006.

    If there are debts, health-care companies can collapse, as we’ve seen recently with hospital chain Healthscope, which is owned by a Canadian-based private equity firm.

    Experience of private equity’s role in health care in the United States also offers a cautionary tale. Reductions in the quality of care, asset stripping and ultimately the closure and bankruptcy of vital health-care providers have prompted Congressional investigations. The state of Oregon is on the verge of blocking private equity firms from controlling health-care providers.

    What next?

    As radiology becomes an increasingly attractive target for investors, questions are mounting about whether this profit-driven model can coexist with the public’s need for affordable, accessible health care.

    Medicare was designed to guarantee affordable access to quality health care for all Australians, not guarantee revenue for corporations.

    While unwinding corporate participation in the radiology sector is near impossible, there is still time to implement safeguards that prevent wealthy investors from prioritising financial gain over Australians’ health and wellbeing.

    Stronger oversight and greater transparency from these corporations are needed to ensure Medicare dollars deliver real value for patients and the public.

    We would like to acknowledge Jenn Lacy-Nichols (University of Melbourne) and Martin Hensher (University of Tasmania) who co-authored the paper mentioned in this article.

    Sean Docking is a member of UniSuper (Industry Super Holdings Pty Ltd) as part of his superannuation; Unisuper is an investor in PRP Diagnostic Imaging. He has no direct investments in any diagnostic imaging companies.

    Rachelle Buchbinder has received grant funding from NHMRC, MRFF, Arthritis Australia and HCF Foundation. She receives royalties from UpToDate for writing and editing ‘Plantar fasciitis’. She also receives royalties for her book entitled ‘Hippocrasy: How doctors are betraying their oath’. She has not received funding from for-profit industry, including from radiology companies.

    – ref. Medical scans are big business and investors are circling. Here are 3 reasons to be concerned – https://theconversation.com/medical-scans-are-big-business-and-investors-are-circling-here-are-3-reasons-to-be-concerned-257820

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Were the first kings of Poland actually from Scotland? New DNA evidence unsettles a nation’s founding myth

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Darius von Guttner Sporzynski, Historian, Australian Catholic University

    An illustration from a 15th-century manuscript showing the coronation of the first king of Poland, Boleslaw I. Chronica Polonorum by Mathiae de Mechovia

    For two centuries, scholars have sparred over the roots of the Piasts, Poland’s first documented royal house, who reigned from the 10th to the 14th centuries.

    Were they local Slavic nobles, Moravian exiles, or warriors from Scandinavia?

    Since 2023, a series of genetic and environmental studies led by molecular biologist Marek Figlerowicz at the Poznań University of Technology has delivered a stream of direct evidence about these enigmatic rulers, bringing the debate onto firmer ground.

    Digging up the dynasty

    Field teams have now opened more than a dozen crypts from the Piast era. The largest single haul came from Płock Cathedral in what is now central Poland.

    The exhumed bones were dated between 1100 and 1495, matching written records. Genetic analysis showed several individuals were close relatives.

    “There is no doubt we are dealing with genuine Piasts,” Figlerowicz told a May 2025 conference.

    The Poznań group isolated readable DNA from 33 individuals (30 men and three women) believed to span the dynasty’s full timeline.

    Surprise on the Y chromosome

    The male skeletons almost all carry a single, rare group of genetic variants on the Y chromosome (which is only carried and passed down by males). This group is today found mainly in Britain. The closest known match belongs to a Pict buried in eastern Scotland in the 5th or 6th century.

    These results imply that the dynasty’s paternal line arrived from the vicinity of the North Atlantic, not nearby.

    Mieszko I, the first Piast ruler documented in written sources.
    Jan Matejko, c. 1893 (via Wikimedia)

    The date of that arrival is still open: the founding clan could have migrated centuries before the first known Piast, Mieszko I (who died in 992), or perhaps only a generation earlier through a dynastic marriage. Either way, the new data kill the notion of an unbroken local male lineage.

    Yet genetics also shows deep local continuity in the wider population. A separate survey of Iron Age cemeteries across Poland, published in Scientific Reports, revealed that people living 2,000 years ago already shared the genetic makeup seen in early Piast subjects.

    Another project that sequenced pre-Piast burials drew the same conclusion: local Poles were part of the broader continental gene pool stretching from Denmark to France.

    In short, even if the Piasts were exotic rulers, they governed a long-established community.

    A swamp tells its tale

    While the DNA work progressed, another Poznań team dug into the history of the local environment via samples from the peaty floor of Lake Lednica near Poznań, the island-ringed stronghold often dubbed the cradle of the Piast realm.

    Their study of buried pollen, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, shows an abrupt switch in the 9th century: oak and lime pollen plummet, while cereal and pasture indicators soar. Traces of charcoal and soot point to widespread fires.

    The authors call the shift an “ecological revolution”, driven by slash-and-burn agriculture and the need to feed concentrated garrisons of soldiers guarding local trade routes carrying amber and slaves.

    Modelling boom and bust

    Using this environmental data, historians and complexity scientists constructed a feedback model of population, silver paid as tribute to rulers, and fort-building. As fields expanded, tributes rose; as tributes rose, chiefs could hire more labour to clear more forest and build forts.

    The model reproduces the startling build-out of ramparts at Poznań, Giecz and Gniezno around 990. It also predicts collapse once the silver stopped flowing.

    Pollen data indeed show the woodlands recovered to some extent after 1070, while archaeological surveys record abandoned hamlets and shrinking garrisons.

    The early Piast state rode a resource boom as the Piasts controlled part of the amber and slave trade routes that linked the shores of the Baltic Sea to Rome.

    The impact of Mieszko’s conversion to Christianity on that lucrative trade remains subject to scholarly debate.

    Reconciling foreigners and locals

    How do these strands fit together? Evidence of a Scottish man in the Piast paternal line does not necessarily imply a foreign conquest. Dynasties spread by marriages as well as by swords.

    For example, Świętosława (the sister of the first Piast king, Bolesław the Brave), married the kings of both Denmark and Sweden, and her descendants ruled England for a time. The networks of Europe’s nobility were highly mobile.

    Conversely, the stable genetic profile of ordinary folk suggests that, whoever sat on the ducal bench, most people remained where their grandparents had farmed.

    The broader research engine

    None of this work happens in isolation. Poland’s National Science Centre has bankrolled a 24-person team across archaeology, palaeoecology and bioinformatics since 2014, generating 16 peer-reviewed papers and a public database of ancient genomes.

    Conferences at Lednica and Dziekanowice now bring historians and molecular biologists to the same table. The methodological pay-off is clear: Polish labs can now process their own ancient DNA rather than exporting it to Copenhagen or Leipzig.

    What still puzzles researchers

    Three questions remain. First, does that British-leaning male line really start with a Pict? The closest known match to the Piasts may change as new burials are sequenced.

    Second, how many commoners carried the same genetic variant? Spot samples from Kowalewko and Brzeg hint that it was rare among locals, but the data set is small.

    Third, why did the silver dry up so fast? Numismatists suspect a shift in Viking routes after 1000 AD, yet the matter is far from settled.

    A balanced verdict

    Taken together, the evidence paints a nuanced picture. The Piasts were probably not ethnic Slavs in the strict paternal sense, yet they ruled, and soon resembled, an overwhelmingly Slavic realm.

    Their meteoric rise owed less to outsider brilliance than to the chance alignment of fertile soils, cheap labour, and an export boom in amber and captives.

    As geneticists conduct more DNA sequencing of remains, such as those of princes in crypts at Kraków’s Wawel castle, and palaeoecologists push their lakebed pollen samples back to 7th century, we can expect further surprises.

    Darius von Guttner Sporzynski receives funding from the National Science Centre, Poland as a partner investigator in the grant ‘The “Chronicle of the Poles” by Bishop Vincentius of Cracow also known as Kadłubek. First critical Latin-English Edition.’ (2022/47/B/HS3/00931).

    – ref. Were the first kings of Poland actually from Scotland? New DNA evidence unsettles a nation’s founding myth – https://theconversation.com/were-the-first-kings-of-poland-actually-from-scotland-new-dna-evidence-unsettles-a-nations-founding-myth-258579

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Merck Foundation Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and African First Ladies mark World Hypertension Day 2025 by launching their Annual Awards for Best Media, Fashion, Song, and Film to raise awareness on hypertension, diabetes and importance of healthy lifestyle

    Merck Foundation (www.Merck-Foundation.com), the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, marks ‘World Hypertension Day 2025’ in partnership with Africa’s First Ladies, Ministries of Health, Medical Societies and Academia through their “Nationwide Diabetes & Hypertension Blue Points Program, by reinforcing its commitment to improving cardiovascular and diabetes care across Africa, and beyond.

    Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation stated, “At Merck Foundation we observe “World Hypertension Day” by expanding access to quality and equitable care in Hypertension, Diabetes, Endocrinnology and Cardiovascular preventive care, which are all co-related, by providing scholarships for young doctors from across Africa and beyond.

    “Together with our Ambassadors, The First Ladies of Africa, and partners like Ministries of Health, Medical Societies and Academia, we have till today provided more than 860 scholarships for young doctors from 52 countries, of One-Year Online PG Diplomas and Two-Year Online Master’s Degrees in Diabetes, Preventative Cardiovascular Medicine, Endocrinology, Cardiology, and Obesity & Weight Management, as well as One-Year Clinical Cardiovascular Care and Clinical Diabetes Onsite Fellowship Programs in India, a special 3-month Diabetes Mastercourse in English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish languages.

    What is special about these scholarships is that they have been provided not only to doctors from capital cities, but also to those from across the country — ensuring wider geographic coverage of healthcare capacity. We remain committed to continuing our efforts to improve healthcare capacity and access to hypertension and diabetes care.”

    Merck Foundation has in total provided more than 2270 scholarships for doctors from 52 countries in 44 critical and underserved medical specialties.

    Dr. Dzifa Ahadzi, Merck Foundation alumnus from Ghana shares, “I have completed my Postgraduate Diploma in Cardiology and currently pursuing MSc in Cardiology. Being a practicing cardiologist, this program has provided me with the opportunity to consolidate my knowledge and apply current advances in cardiovascular care to my clinical practice. Since completing the PG Diploma in Cardiology, I have been involved in establishing a Heart Failure clinic in my hospital that caters to the needs of a diverse population of Heart Failure patients including women with Postpartum cardiomyopathy and Cardio-oncology patients.

    I am extremely grateful to Merck Foundation for the support and exposure it has provided me. It has inspired me and helped me to improve cardiovascular care amongst the population that I serve.”

    Merck Foundation scholarships are of great value, given that as per WHO data, the African region has the highest prevalence of hypertension, with approximately 27% of adults affected.

    Therefore, Merck Foundation has launched several community awareness programs to emphasize on the importance of a healthy lifestyle and raise awareness about diabetes and hypertension prevention, early detection and management.

    Merck Foundation, together with The First Ladies of Africa has launched a storybook and its adapted animation Film “Mark’s Pressure”.

    “I believe early education is key to building a healthier community. Through our storybook and animation film “Mark’s Pressure”, we aim to instill healthy habits in children and youth — like reducing salt and sugar, eating well, exercising, and avoiding smoking. I believe that this is the only way to to prevent and manage hypertension and diabetes, which are major risk factors for many serious complications and illnesses.”

    Watch the “Mark’s Pressure” Animation Film here:

    https://apo-opa.co/45pQuid

    Moreover, Merck Foundation’s pan African TV program “Our Africa” conceptualized, produced, directed, and co-hosted by Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation has episodes dedicated to raising awareness about Diabetes and Promoting Healthy Lifestyle.

    Watch the Episodes here:

    https://apo-opa.co/4jMij7M

    https://apo-opa.co/43VGaf9

    “Our Africa” TV Program has been broadcasted on National and Prime TV stations of many African countries like Burundi, Botswana, Ghana, The Gambia, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritius, Namibia, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Zambia and is currently on social media handles of Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej [Facebook (https://apo-opa.co/4jMijEO), Instagram (https://apo-opa.co/4jPaTkd), Twitter (https://apo-opa.co/43XKSco) and YouTube (https://apo-opa.co/4l3tpX8)] and Merck Foundation [Facebook (https://apo-opa.co/445Av6G), Instagram (https://apo-opa.co/3SMH2Ok), Twitter (https://apo-opa.co/403N1Cb) and YouTube (https://apo-opa.co/3HD4xXz)].

    Additionally, Merck Foundation together with African First Ladies, also launches annually, their Awards for best Media, Fashion Designers, Filmmakers, Musicians/ Singers, and new potential talents in these fields from African countries to Promote a healthy lifestyle and raise awareness about prevention and early detection of Diabetes and Hypertension.

    1. Merck Foundation Media Recognition Awards 2025 “Diabetes & Hypertension”: Media representatives are invited to showcase their work through strong and influential messages to promote a healthy lifestyle and raise awareness about the prevention and early detection of Diabetes and Hypertension.

    Submission deadline: 30th October 2025.

    2. Merck Foundation Film Awards 2025 “Diabetes & Hypertension”: All African Filmmakers, Students of Film Making Training Institutions, or Young Talents of Africa are invited to create and share a long or short FILMS, either drama, documentary, or docudrama to deliver strong and influential messages to promote a healthy lifestyle raise awareness about prevention and early detection of Diabetes and Hypertension.

    Submission deadline: 30th October 2025.

    3. Merck Foundation Fashion Awards 2025 “Diabetes & Hypertension”: All African Fashion Students and Designers are invited to create and share designs to deliver strong and influential messages to promote a healthy lifestyle and raise awareness about the prevention and early detection of Diabetes and Hypertension.

    Submission deadline: 30th October 2025.

    4. Merck Foundation Song Awards 2025 “Diabetes & Hypertension”: All African Singers and Musical Artists are invited to create and share a SONG with the aim to promote a healthy lifestyle and raise awareness about the prevention and early detection of Diabetes and Hypertension.

    Submission deadline: 30th October 2025.

    Entries for all the awards are to be submitted via email to:

    submit@merck-foundation.com

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Merck Foundation.

    Contact:
    Mehak Handa
    Community Awareness Program Manager 
    Phone: +91 9310087613/ +91 9319606669
    Email: mehak.handa@external.merckgroup.com

    Join the conversation on our social media platforms below and let your voice be heard:
    Facebook: https://apo-opa.co/445Av6G
    X: https://apo-opa.co/403N1Cb
    YouTube: https://apo-opa.co/3HD4xXz
    Instagram: https://apo-opa.co/3SMH2Ok
    Threads: https://apo-opa.co/4l5X9CL
    Flickr: https://apo-opa.co/4jMiwrA
    Website: www.Merck-Foundation.com
    Download Merck Foundation App: www.Merck-Foundation.com/MF_StoreRedirection

    About Merck Foundation:
    The Merck Foundation, established in 2017, is the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, aims to improve the health and wellbeing of people and advance their lives through science and technology. Our efforts are primarily focused on improving access to quality & equitable healthcare solutions in underserved communities, building healthcare & scientific research capacity, empowering girls in education and empowering people in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) with a special focus on women and youth. All Merck Foundation press releases are distributed by e-mail at the same time they become available on the Merck Foundation Website. Please visit www.Merck-Foundation.com to read more. Follow the social media of Merck Foundation: Facebook (https://apo-opa.co/445Av6G), X (https://apo-opa.co/403N1Cb), Instagram (https://apo-opa.co/3SMH2Ok), YouTube (https://apo-opa.co/3HD4xXz), Threads (https://apo-opa.co/4l5X9CL) and Flickr (https://apo-opa.co/4jMiwrA).

    The Merck Foundation is dedicated to improving social and health outcomes for communities in need. While it collaborates with various partners, including governments to achieve its humanitarian goals, the foundation remains strictly neutral in political matters. It does not engage in or support 

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kaine Statement on Pentagon Review of AUKUS

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) and Ranking Member of the SASC Subcommittee on Seapower, released the following statement after it was reported that the Department of Defense has launched a review of the Australia-U.K.-U.S. (AUKUS) submarine deal:

    “The Australia-U.K.-U.S. agreement, which I’ve been a strong supporter of, is critical to ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific. If this Administration is serious about countering the threat from China—like it has said as recently as this morning—then it will work expeditiously with our partners in Australia and the U.K. to strengthen this agreement and ensure we are taking steps to further boost our submarine industrial base. Anything less would play directly into China’s hand.”

    Kaine has played a key role in securing more resources for the submarine industrial base, including additional funding for the Virginia-class submarine program that is currently facing significant delays because of workforce challenges and supply chain disruptions. The on-time completion of Virginia-class submarines, which are built in Virginia and Connecticut, is critical to fulfilling the AUKUS partnership, through which the U.S. will sell at least two Virginia-class submarines to Australia to boost security and freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific, and counter Chinese military aggression in the region. Kaine has been a strong champion of AUKUS in Congress and has helped get signed into law provisions to implement and strengthen the partnership.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto, Murkowski Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Ensure Tax Parity for Tribes & Boost Economic Development in Indian Country

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) introduced bipartisan legislation to ensure that Tribes receive the same tax benefits and economic development tools as local and state governments. Specifically, this bill will help create good-paying jobs, foster local investment, and support businesses in Indian Country by updating the federal tax code and removing unfair tax burdens on Native American communities.

    “Tribes in Nevada and across the country deserve access to the same tools as state and local governments to strengthen their communities and support their local businesses and services like health, housing, and education,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “Our bill makes commonsense updates to the tax code to ensure fairness, create more good paying jobs, and keep more money in Indian County.”

    “I’m pleased to join Senator Cortez Masto in introducing the Tribal Tax and Investment Reform Act, which aims to fix unfair tax rules that have limited economic growth in Native communities for far too long. By allowing Tribal governments to make better use of housing tax credits, improve the ability to issue tax-exempt bonds and incentivize new investment incentives, we’re opening the door for them to finance more infrastructure projects and promote job growth,” said Senator Murkowski. “I appreciate Senator Cortez Masto’s leadership as we have worked to ensure more Native communities benefit from this bill. Together, we have an opportunity to empower Tribal nations to build stronger, more resilient economies.”

    This bipartisan legislation would create parity between Tribal and state and local governments in the federal tax code by:

    • Updating rules for issuing tax-exempt debt to ensure Tribal governments are treated the same as state and local governments;
    • Ensuring that essential pension and employment benefits are taxed in the same way as benefits from state governments;
    • Ensuring that Tribal General Welfare Benefits are not unfairly categorized as income related to Supplemental Social Income eligibility or benefit amounts;
    • Creating new business opportunities in low-income Tribal communities with a $175 New Markets Tax Credit;
    • Increasing the effectiveness of Tribal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits in Indian Country;
    • Extending and updating the Indian Employment Tax Credit to better serve Tribal families;
    • Allowing Indian Health Service (IHS) professionals to access recruitment and retention tax incentives; and
    • Making it easier for Tribal families to adopt children and for Tribes to enforce child support.

    “Providing for parity and equity among States and Local Governments, and Tribes and ANCs, when it comes to Tax Exempt Bonding for governmental and economic development purposes, as this bill will do if enacted, is long overdue and will be a major stimulator for growth, economic development, and job creation in Indian Country, the areas of our Nation that desperately need it, and will productively use it,” said Old Harbor Native Corporation CEO, Kristina Woolston.

    “The introduction of the Tribal Tax and Investment Reform Act in the Senate is a necessary and overdue effort to modernize the federal tax code in recognition of Tribal sovereignty. The bill reflects decades of Tribal efforts to secure tax parity. It guarantees Tribal governments have equitable access to financial tools, including tax credits and housing incentives, needed to build strong self-determined economies. NAFOA commends the bipartisan leadership behind the legislation, especially Senators Cortez Masto and Murkowski. We urge Congress to act swiftly to ensure that Indian Country is fully included in the nation’s tax and investment framework,” said NAFOA Board President Rodney Butler, Chairman of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation.

    “We thank Senators Cortez Masto and Murkowski for their consistent engagement with Tribal issues and for leading the bill’s introduction in the Senate. The Tribal Tax and Investment Reform Act takes essential steps to align federal tax policy with Tribal sovereignty by addressing long-standing barriers to capital, workforce, and infrastructure development. As the legislation advances, NAFOA is committed to providing technical expertise that centers the realities of Tribal communities to support its passage,” said NAFOA Executive Director Cory Blankenship, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Member.

    You can read the text HERE and a summary of the legislation HERE.

    Senator Cortez Masto is one of the strongest champions for Native American communities in the Senate. In 2020, alongside Senator Murkowski, she passed the bipartisan Not Invisible Act and Savanna’s Act to help address the epidemic of missing, murdered, and trafficked Indigenous women. She has repeatedly called on the administration to do more to address the epidemic of violence against Native women and girls, including securing funding to protect Native communities. She is pushing bipartisan legislation to support Tribal law enforcement and improve public safety in Native communities—one of the recommendations of the Not Invisible commission. Cortez Masto has also helped secure $125 million in additional funding for Tribes and urban Indian health organizations within the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to address the mental health needs of Native communities. She has also introduced legislation to help make it easier for IHS to recruit and retain doctors and to address health disparities for Native Americans in urban areas.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: What family firms like Rothschild can teach Canadian businesses about resilience

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Liena Kano, Professor, Haskayne School of Business, University of Calgary

    The Gunnersbury Estate, which was purchased by merchant and financier Nathan Mayer Rothschild in 1835, is seen in London in 2022. (Shutterstock)

    Family businesses constitute a vital component of Canada’s economic landscape. They make up 63 per cent of privately held firms, employ nearly seven million people and generate about $575 billion a year.

    While Canadian family-run businesses express international ambitions, their overseas engagement tends to be more conservative compared to their non-family counterparts.

    In today’s turbulent economic environment — marked by geopolitical tensions, technological disruption and shifting trade patterns — international competitiveness is more important than ever.

    Around the world, family firms have shown remarkable resilience in the face of external shocks. Some of the world’s longest-standing corporations are family-owned, having endured world wars, revolutions, natural disasters and pandemics. For Canadian family firms aspiring to expand abroad, such examples offer both inspiration and insight.

    Among such long-standing multinationals is Rothschild, a centuries-old European family-run investment bank. Our case study of Rothschild, based on historical analysis, highlights how the family’s enduring relationships, reliable routines and long-term goals gave it significant advantages in international business.

    At the same time, however, families can contribute unique biases, especially “bifurcation bias” — a tendency to favour family resources over equally or more valuable non-family ones. Our study reveals that bifurcation bias can compromise a firm’s international trajectory, especially in distant and complex markets.

    A brief history of Rothschild

    Mayer Amschel Rothschild was a German-Jewish banker and the founder of the Rothschild banking dynasty.
    (Wikimedia Commons)

    Initially a merchant business, the firm was founded in the late 18th century by Mayer Amschel Rothschild, a Frankfurt Jew.

    Rothschild and his wife, Guttle, had 10 children, including five sons: Amschel, Salomon, Nathan, Carl and James.

    In 1798, Rothschild sent Nathan to Manchester, England, which initiated the firm’s growth in that country and a transition from merchant operations to financial transactions.

    By the 1820s, Rothschild became a multinational bank, with Amschel, Salomon, Nathan, Carl and James leading banking houses in Frankfurt, Vienna, London, Naples and Paris, respectively.

    Bonuses and burdens of family bonds

    Nathan Mayer Rothschild was sent to Manchester in 1798.
    (Wikimedia Commons)

    In the 19th century, the Rothschild’s strategy of relying on family members initially worked well for the firm.

    The five Rothschild brothers corresponded in a coded language and shared a common pool of resources at a time when shared balance sheets were uncommon in international banking.

    Their close familial bonds allowed the brothers to move information, money and goods across international borders with a speed and reach that wasn’t accessible to competitors. Rivals, by contrast, had to worry about protecting sensitive information and enforcing commitments.

    This internal cohesiveness safeguarded the Rothschild’s business, facilitated transactions and allowed them to maintain resilience through the periods of significant political upheaval: the Napoleonic wars, revolutions and, ultimately, the First World War, which interrupted economic and social progress in Europe.

    However, this same over-reliance on family became a disadvantage when Rothschild expanded into the United States.

    Missed opportunity and bifurcation bias

    The Rothschilds showed an interest in the American market as early as the 1820s. However, their repeated attempts to send family members to the U.S to expand operations failed, as none were willing to stay, preferring the comforts of European life.

    August Belmont was a German-Jewish immigrant to New York City in 1837 as an agent of the Rothschild bank in Frankfurt.
    (Shutterstock)

    Since they were unable to establish a family-based anchor in the country, the Rothschilds appointed an agent, August Belmont, to run the U.S. operations on their behalf in 1837.

    However, Belmont wasn’t given the authority to exercise entrepreneurial judgment, make investments or enter into deals. He also didn’t have unrestricted access to capital, was never entrusted with an official Rothschild mandate or acknowledged as a full-fledged partner.

    The Rothschilds were unwilling to delegate such decisions to someone who was not a direct male descendant of the founder, Mayer Amschel Rothschild.

    This failure to use Belmont as a link between the family — with its successful experiences, capabilities, routines and connections in Europe — and the American market — with its growing opportunities and the valuable networks Belmont had begun to develop — ultimately prevented Rothschild from replicating its success in the U.S.

    The Rothschilds were eventually eclipsed by the Barings and JP Morgan banks in America. Both competitors followed a different path in the market by opening full-fledged U.S. subsidiaries under their corporate brands with significant funds and decision-making autonomy.

    Escaping the trap of bifurcation bias

    Bifurcation bias does not always have an immediate negative impact. In fact, biased governance practices remained inconsequential for the Rothschilds — as long as there were enough capable family heirs available to lead the bank’s dispersed operations.

    In the short- to medium-term, the family’s connections, time-tested routines and mutual reliability built a well of resilience that sustained the bank through the 19th century, one of the most volatile political periods in European history.

    But as a firm’s international ambitions outgrow the size of the family, bifurcation bias can damage competitiveness, both in international markets and at home.

    At some point, family firms must shift from emotional, biased decision-making to efficient governance systems, which may involve incorporating non-family managers and selecting resources, locations and projects that do not carry emotional significance.

    A Cargill factory building in Wroclaw, Poland in 2020. American business executive William Wallace Cargill founded the Cargill company as an Iowa grain storage business in 1865.
    (Shutterstock)

    Many successful family firms implement tools in their governance systems to detect and eliminate biased behaviour. For instance, family-owned multinationals such as Merck (Germany), Cargill (U.S.) and Tata Group (India) have checks and balances that prevent decision-makers from thinking only in family terms.

    The most successful strategies to safeguard against bifurcation bias invite outside scrutiny into corporate decision-making: appointing non-family CEOs, establishing independent boards, hiring consultants and granting partners decision-making powers.

    Lessons for family firms

    Today, as the global business environment faces arguably unprecedented volatility, firms are seeking to build resilience to survive the turbulence.

    While multi-generational family firms must learn to guard against bifurcation bias to thrive in international markets, their demonstrated ability to withstand external shocks offers valuable lessons for other companies.

    How can non-family firms emulate the Rothschild’s success and longevity? The Rothschild case teaches us the value of having a shared organizational language, setting long-term goals, maintaining stable routines and placing a strong emphasis on brand reputation.

    These strategies can help any company, family-owned or not, build resilience during volatile times.

    Liena Kano receives funding from SSHRC.

    Alain Verbeke receives funding from SSHRC.

    Luciano Ciravegna receives funding from INCAE Business School, where he leads the Steve Aronson Endowed Chair.

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

    – ref. What family firms like Rothschild can teach Canadian businesses about resilience – https://theconversation.com/what-family-firms-like-rothschild-can-teach-canadian-businesses-about-resilience-254279

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: The silent killer: We need better risk governance to beat extreme heat | GP 2025

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    Extreme heat is no longer a seasonal inconvenience. It’s a systemic, cross-cutting threat, silently claiming lives, stressing economies, overwhelming cities, and widening inequalities. Yet it remains one of the least governed climate hazards.

    At a high-level special event on extreme heat risk governance at the 2025 Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction 2025, leaders from governments, international agencies, labour unions, academia, and the humanitarian sector came together to discuss how better governance can protect people’s lives from the “silent killer.”

    “Extreme heat is the deadliest of all climate-related hazards,” said the World Meteorological Organization’s Director-General Celeste Saulo. “Yet it remains the least recognized and least managed.”

    The crisis is heating up

    Between 2000 and 2019, extreme heat caused an estimated 489,000 deaths annually. Heat takes its toll on global productivity, with International Labour Organisation estimates showing that in low- and middle-income economies in particular, the costs of injuries from excessive heat in the workplace can reach around 1.5 per cent of national GDP. And these risks are intensifying.

    “This is not just a health crisis. It is an economic, labour and governance crisis,” said Dr. Saulo.

    Despite this, as of 2023 only half of national meteorological services were issuing extreme heat warnings, and just 26 countries had dedicated heat-health early warning systems, WMO reported. 

    Urbanisation is compounding the threat. Cities are warming up twice as fast as the global average, and 68% of the global population projected to live in urban centres by 2050.

    From a reactive to a systemic approach

    Much of the current global approach to heat is reactive: authorities issue warning during events, the respond to spikes, and measure the toll on communities and economies. But the impacts cascade across sectors – disrupting health, labour, agriculture, education, and energy – and this requires a systemic governance response.

    “Heat is a systemic and pervasive risk,” said Dr. Pramod Kumar Mishra, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of India. “It cuts across public health, economic stability, and ecological resilience.”

    The problem is not technical, but a lack of effective plans and policies to implement live-saving measures.

    “Most of the extreme heat impact is predictable,” said IFRC Secretary General Jagan Chapagain. “If something is predictable, it’s preventable.”

    Responses need be rapid, and taken at the level of local communities, using cross-sectoral partnerships.

    Lessons in local leadership

    Examples from several countries demonstrate how integrated governance can work:

    • India first developed a local plan in Ahmedabad and now has 250+ cities and districts with operational heat action plans (HAPs).
    • France, after a devastating heatwave in 2003, launched a multi-ministry effort to integrate adaptation and risk communication. Stakeholders were asked to imagine life under a +4°C scenario, and then develop local and national resilience strategies around this likely reality.
    • The Philippines has developed a real-time “iHeatMap” platform and set up a cross-sectoral national task force to manage health, food, energy, and water impacts during heat events.

    To guide cities in improving heat governance, the Making Cities Resilient 2030 initiative has developed a resource package on urban extreme heat risk management, which gives practical recommendations to help local and national governments create urban heat strategies.

    “We are learning through lived experience,” said Senator Rosa Galvez of Canada – such as the 2021 heat dome in British Columbia, which lasted 27 days and resulted in 618 deaths. “But we must understand that we cannot adapt forever.”

    Protecting the poorest

    “Poor people can’t afford poor design—especially on a heating planet,” said the International Labour Organization’s Mia Seppo.

    To address this imbalance, we need climate-informed finance that protects workers and promotes inclusive infrastructure investment.

    “Financial strategies must align with just transition principles,” Ms. Seppo said. “Climate risk must be integrated into investment decisions.”

    “Any development project should have a heat risk element,” said Dr. Mishra. “Projects should include protection for both users and workers. Construction companies, for instance, must provide heat protection for labourers.”

    Benoît Faraco, France’s Ambassador for Climate Negotiations for Decarbonized Energies and for the Prevention of Climate Risks, said that regulatory levers and standards can drive climate-resilient investment and avoid maladaptive pathways.

    “Standards and regulation play an important role in prevention. You cannot build a hospital or school as if climate change was not happening; it’s your job in the design to integrate mitigation and adaptation strategy,” he said. “If you let the market do things on heatwaves, people run to buy air conditioning systems, and during peak electricity demand this results in more fossil fuel use. It’s misadaptation.”

    A global framework for local action

    To facilitate coordinated approaches to extreme heat, UNDRR, WMO, WHO and the Global Heat Health Information Network are developing a Common Framework for Extreme Heat Risk Governance. This initiative aims to align actors across sectors, and to support national and subnational entities in integrating extreme heat into their DRR, climate, health, and urban strategies.

    The Common Framework is designed to support the UN Secretary-General’s Call to Action on Extreme Heat, which outlines eight essential course corrections:

    • Accelerate the transition to renewable energy sources.
    • Enhance investments in sustainable, low-carbon energy systems to mitigate heat-related risks.
    • Promote climate-resilient agricultural practices, such as drought-resistant crops and sustainable irrigation.
    • Strengthen food supply chains to withstand heat-induced disruptions.
    • Integrate urban planning with heat mitigation measures, including green infrastructure and shaded areas.
    • Prioritize nature-based solutions that enhance resilience across sectors.
    • Implement national heat action plans, including early warning systems.
    • Establish heat-safe working conditions and policies.

    These actions form the foundation of effective heat governance and call for integrated leadership across all sectors of society, at all levels of government.

    “We must mainstream heat into both climate and disaster governance. We must embrace a multi-hazard approach,” Dr. Saula said. “We don’t need to reinvent the wheel. We need to align, scale and accelerate.”

    Every extreme heat death is preventable

    Closing the special event, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction Kamal Kishore said we should aim for zero heat-related deaths next heat season.

    “We have the science. We know what to do. Now we must act – urgently, together, and at all levels,” he said.

    We can start by making schools safer against extreme heat.

    “One of my dreams is that in five years we will have 100,000 heat-resilient schools in all heat-prone areas,” Mr. Kishore said. “It’s not rocket science. We know what it takes to build heat-resilient schools in terms of built environment. We know how to incorporate green spaces and water bodies in schools. We know what kind of awareness children need to have to deal with heat waves.”

    The Common Framework will provide tools to make schools, homes, and workplaces safer from the heat – but political will, coordinated governance, and community-centred approaches will determine whether the world beats the heat or succumbs to it.

    We need to act for heat resilience today. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: From coast to community: Local leaders drive early warning action at UN Ocean Conference

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    Nice, France, 9 June 2025 – As climate extremes intensify and sea levels rise, coastal communities are sounding the alarm – not about distant threats, but about dangers already unfolding. At the 2025 UN Ocean Conference, a side event titled “From Coast to Community: Building Resilience Through Early Warnings” put the spotlight a critical mission: ensuring that every person on Earth is protected by Early Warnings for All (EW4All) by 2027. Co-hosted by the UN Office for Partnerships, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), and the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), the event brought together ministers, mayors, scientists, and UN leaders.Their message was clear: early warnings save lives – but only if they are inclusive, trusted, and locally led.

    The call: early warnings must be inclusive, trusted and locally led

    Opening the session, Annemarie Hou, Executive Director of the UN Office for Partnerships, underscored that nearly half the world still lacks access to basic early warning systems- She emphasized that early warnings are not just about sensors and satellites, – they are about people, institutions, leadership, and action at every level. From coastlines to city halls, from community organizers to data scientists, everyone has a role to play. 

    “Sea levels are rising. Storms are intensifying. Lives and livelihoods are hanging in the balance. And when disaster strikes without warning, the results are brutal. That’s not just a gap – that’s an injustice.” – Annemarie Hou, UN Office for Partnerships

    Jamaica: Reaching people where they are

    H.E. Kamina Johnson Smith, Jamaica’s Foreign Minister, shared how the country is integrating smart technologies and community engagement into its early warning systems. With 70% of the population living within five kilometers of the coast, Jamaica has installed flood gauges, hurricane detection systems, and 15 early warning siren towers – covering 95% of the population. 

    “We’ve partnered with mobile networks to deliver real-time alerts and even used TikTok to reach people where they are. Early warnings must be accessible, relatable, and trusted.” – Kamina Johnson Smith, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jamaica

    Jamaica’s approach is grounded in legislation, with early warnings embedded in both its Disaster Risk Management Act and Climate Change Policy Framework.

    WMO: The physics of urgency

    Prof. Celeste Saulo, Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization, delivered a sobering message: science is clear, and the window for action is closing. Greenhouse gas concentrations are at record highs, and the last decade has been the hottest on record. She emphasized that adaptation and coastal resilience are no longer optional – they are essential. Early warnings are a cornerstone of that resilience, but they must be timely, actionable, and globally supported.

     “We cannot negotiate with the laws of physics. Every fraction of a degree matters. Early warnings work – but only if they work for everyone, everywhere.” – Celeste Saulo, Secretary-General, WMO

    UNDRR: Local leadership is not optional – It’s essential

    Kamal Kishore, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction, emphasized that early warnings are central to achieving the Sendai Framework’s goals. He reminded the audience that while 108 countries report having multi-hazard early warning systems, 85 still do not. He outlined three priorities: empower local leadership, bridge science and community knowledge, and embed early warnings into broader systems of resilience. He also called for simplified, accelerated financing to support small island states and vulnerable communities. 

    “If we fail on early warnings, we fail on reducing disaster losses. Local actors are not waiting – they are innovating. They deserve investment and political support.” – Kamal Kishore, UNDRR

    Local leadership in action: Voices from the frontlines

    Moderated by Pulitzer Center journalist Delger Erdenesanaa, the panel showcased how cities and communities are turning global goals into local action: 

    – Thabani Nyawose, Speaker of Council, Durban, South Africa, shared how community-based early warning systems saved lives during the devastating 2022 floods. In Quarry Road informal settlement – home to 1,000 residents – not a single life was lost, thanks to a locally managed alert system linked to the South African Weather Service. 

    – Dr. Jérôme Aucan, Head of PCCOS, described how Pacific Island nations are building resilience through decades of investment in ocean modeling, risk knowledge, and regional cooperation. In Tuvalu, early warning data informed over $50 million in adaptation investments and supported legal advocacy at the International Court of Justice. 

    – Rym Nadia Benzina Bourguiba, President of La Saison Bleue, emphasized the power of inclusive dialogue and South-South cooperation. Her organization has mobilized thousands of students and citizens across Africa and the Mediterranean through education, cleanups, and regional summits. 

    – Patricia Desouza, UN Resident Coordinator in Cabo Verde, described how the UN is helping transform early warnings into daily tools for dignity and security. In Mozambique, early alerts triggered evacuation protocols that protected over 3 million people. In Cabo Verde, early warnings are now embedded in agriculture, water governance, and national policy planning.

    A Call to Action: Urgency, Innovation, and Equity

    Closing the session, Prof. Dwikorita Karnawati, Head of Indonesia’s BMKG, called for harnessing AI, big data, and IoT to make early warnings smarter and more accessible. She emphasized that innovation must be paired with capacity building and local ownership. 

    “We must move from managing disasters to managing risk. Early warnings are the bridge.” – Dwikorita Karnawati, BMKG Indonesia

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Mashatile’s office rebuffs claims of misuse of State funds for ’extravagant’ overseas trips

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Mashatile’s office rebuffs claims of misuse of State funds for ’extravagant’ overseas trips

    The Office of the Deputy President has released a statement denying allegations of misusing State funds related to Deputy President Paul Mashatile’s international travel. 

    This statement follows extensive media coverage from various news outlets and public speculation on the matter. 

    “Categorically, the Office and the Deputy President have not, as seems to be suggested, misused State funds or been extravagant in financing the costs of the Deputy President’s international travel,” the statement read on Tuesday evening. 

    According to the Presidency, the matter was first raised after a written parliamentary inquiry from Action SA, which prompted detailed disclosures regarding travel expenses.

    “In light of such an expected phenomenon, the Deputy President replied to the question in full and also provided specific details, which include correct figures and breakdown of individual costs by members of the delegation supporting the Deputy President.” 

    The Deputy President’s Office has stressed that all international trips undertaken are in his official capacity, representing the South African government, as directed by President Cyril Ramaphosa. 

    “Moreover, the majority of these strategic international visits are aimed at strengthening existing bilateral, political, economic and diplomatic relations between South Africa and visited countries.” 

    Mashatile has engaged in several significant international working visits since taking office on 3 July 2024, including trips to Ireland, the United Kingdom and Japan, with further planned visits to France. 

    The Office has provided a comprehensive breakdown of the expenses associated with these trips, stressing that many figures circulated in the media are inflated. 

    News24 recently reported that the Deputy President’s recent trip to Japan in March cost R2.3 million, with R900 000 covering accommodation for him and his wife.

    However, the Presidency stated that the Japan visit was particularly highlighted for its strategic relevance, marking the first high-level engagement between South Africa and Japan in a decade, coinciding with the 115th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations.

    During the Japan working visit, the country’s second-in-command was accompanied by various Ministers. 

    The Presidency believes that the visit was advantageous for South Africa’s African Agenda, especially considering the current overlap of South Africa’s Group of 20 (G20) chairship and Japan’s upcoming hosting of the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) in August.

    “This presents a unique opportunity for South Africa to communicate its own and the continent’s position and priorities to Japan, and the expected support and role that Japan could play in this regard.”

    In addition, the Deputy President’s Office stated that the claims of exorbitant costs for certain officials have been disputed, and that the actual expenditure is significantly lower.

    “Regrettably, some of the figures presented by the media are significantly blown out of proportion and do not accurately reflect the cost of the trips. For example, one media liaison officer, referred to by TimesLive as the ‘most expensive supporting official’, is said to have cost R580 582 for Japan alone, when in fact, the total cost for that official is less than R66 000, including flights and accommodation.” 

    The Office has reassured the public that the Deputy President’s travels are conducted with fiscal responsibility and in alignment with South Africa’s commitment to global relations and investment.

    “In terms of the travel policy in the Presidential Handbook, transport for the President and Deputy President during travel outside South Africa is the responsibility and for the account of the State.” 

    In addition, the Office mentioned that the financial responsibilities for the visits, which include travel, accommodation, and other miscellaneous expenses, are typically shared between the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) and other participating departments. 

    “In all these visits, the Office of the Deputy President has insisted on the most cost-effective provisions for the Deputy President and his delegations and has therefore not misused or extravagantly used State funds, as alluded.” – SAnews.gov.za

    Gabisile

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grand Jury Indicts Two Individuals for Involvement with Online Groups Dedicated to Monkey Torture and Mutilation

    Source: US State of California

    A grand jury indictment was unsealed today charging two individuals for their alleged involvement with online groups dedicated to creating and distributing videos depicting acts of extreme violence and sexual abuse against monkeys.

    The indictment alleges that Katrina D. Favret, of Tennessee, and Robert M. Craig, of North Carolina, conspired with previously charged defendant Ronald P. Bedra, of Etna, Ohio, to create and distribute so-called “animal crush videos.” Favret is also charged with creating and with distributing animal crush videos.

    According to court documents, the defendants conspired with others to create and distribute videos depicting acts of sadistic violence against juvenile and adult monkeys. The conspirators used encrypted chat applications to direct money to individuals in Indonesia willing to commit the requested acts of torture on camera.

    The videos alleged to have been created as part of the conspiracy included depictions of monkeys being sodomized with a heated screwdriver and a monkey having its genitals cut with scissors.

    Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD), Acting U.S. Attorney Kelly A. Norris for the Southern District of Ohio, Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola of FBI’s Cincinnati Field Office, and Assistant Director Douglas Ault of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Office of Law Enforcement made the announcement.

    The FBI and USFWS investigated the case.

    Trial Attorney Mark Romley and Senior Trial Attorney Adam Cullman of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Pakiz for the Southern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: DSD implements flood prevention measures to cope with Tropical Storm Wutip (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    DSD implements flood prevention measures to cope with Tropical Storm Wutip  
    Mr Mok and the senior management team inspected several locations respectively, including the modular pumping system at Chai Wan Road roundabout, the installation of demountable flood barriers at Heng Fa Chuen, the divider holds at Lung Cheung Road carriageway in Wong Tai Sin, manhole covers, and the Pilot Scheme on Wading Line System. He also inspected the powerful pumping robots, Mobile Powerful Pumping Robot and Amphibious Pumping Robot, to ensure their readiness for operation.
     
    As the Tropical Storm Wutip came within 800 kilometres of Hong Kong, the Drainage Services Department (DSD) initiated early preparation for low-lying or exposed coastal areas, such as Tai O and Lei Yue Mun. The measures include inspecting drainage channels, installing demountable flood barriers, setting up temporary water pumps, providing and placing sandbags, and constructing temporary pedestrian walkways. The DSD will maintain close liaison with the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) and closely monitor the flooding situation.
     
    Earlier in March this year, the DSD conducted a drill in full spectrum before the rainy season and further enhanced the response capacity of the Emergency Control Centre (ECC). During extreme weather, the number of emergency response teams will increase from 160 last year to approximately 180, with over 30 emergency operation stations in Hong Kong, to conduct inspections and clearance of drainage channels across the territory. The DSD will continue to implement the “just-in-time clearance” measures, deploying staff immediately upon receiving rainstorm warnings from the HKO to inspect and clear 240 drainage points in Hong Kong which are prone to blockages.
     
    When the HKO issues a Red or Black Rainstorm Warning Signal, a special announcement on Flooding in the northern New Territories, the Pre-No. 8 Special Announcement or Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8 or above, the DSD’s ECC will come into operation immediately to handle and coordinate emergency flooding incidents in Hong Kong.
     
    The DSD reminds members of the public to complete precautionary measures for coping with typhoon and flooding as soon as possible, keep the drains clear at all times and avoid blockage of drainage intakes. In the event of serious flooding, they should evacuate immediately. The DSD urges the public to immediately call the 24-hour Drainage Hotline at 2300 1110 in case of flooding.
    Issued at HKT 0:15

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Vibrio cholera found in fish tank water in Yau Ma Tei fresh provision shop

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Vibrio cholera found in fish tank water in Yau Ma Tei fresh provision shop* Clean the seafood and remove the internal organs, and cook thoroughly before consumption;
    * Raw and cooked food must be handled with separate sets of utensils to avoid cross-contamination; and
    * Raw and cooked food should be stored separately. Cooked food should be placed on the upper shelf of a refrigerator.
    Issued at HKT 21:29

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Appeal for information on missing woman in Tuen Mun (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Appeal for information on missing woman in Tuen Mun Issued at HKT 21:44

    Police today (June 11) appealed to the public for information on a woman who went missing in Tuen Mun. Tsui Yiu-ling, aged 56, went missing after she was last seen at Light Rail Town Centre Station on June 3 afternoon. Her family made a report to Police yesterday (June 10). She is about 1.65 metres tall, 60 kilograms in weight and of medium build. She has a pointed face with yellow complexion and short black hair. She was last seen wearing a red and white striped shortsleeved shirt, black trousers, a grey cap, a grey mask, carrying a blue bag and a blue shopping cart. Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the missing woman or may have seen her is urged to contact the Regional Missing Persons Unit of New Territories North on 3661 3127 or email to rmpu-ntn-1@police.gov.hk, or contact any police station Ends/Wednesday, June 11, 2025 Issued at HKT 21:44 NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Grand Jury Indicts Two Individuals for Involvement with Online Groups Dedicated to Monkey Torture and Mutilation

    Source: United States Attorneys General 7

    A grand jury indictment was unsealed today charging two individuals for their alleged involvement with online groups dedicated to creating and distributing videos depicting acts of extreme violence and sexual abuse against monkeys.

    The indictment alleges that Katrina D. Favret, of Tennessee, and Robert M. Craig, of North Carolina, conspired with previously charged defendant Ronald P. Bedra, of Etna, Ohio, to create and distribute so-called “animal crush videos.” Favret is also charged with creating and with distributing animal crush videos.

    According to court documents, the defendants conspired with others to create and distribute videos depicting acts of sadistic violence against juvenile and adult monkeys. The conspirators used encrypted chat applications to direct money to individuals in Indonesia willing to commit the requested acts of torture on camera.

    The videos alleged to have been created as part of the conspiracy included depictions of monkeys being sodomized with a heated screwdriver and a monkey having its genitals cut with scissors.

    Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD), Acting U.S. Attorney Kelly A. Norris for the Southern District of Ohio, Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola of FBI’s Cincinnati Field Office, and Assistant Director Douglas Ault of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Office of Law Enforcement made the announcement.

    The FBI and USFWS investigated the case.

    Trial Attorney Mark Romley and Senior Trial Attorney Adam Cullman of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Pakiz for the Southern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Case Opposed Proposed Funding Bill That Shortchanges Critical Military Infrastructure Needs In Hawaii, The Indo-Pacific and NATO

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ed Case (Hawai‘i – District 1)

    (Washington, DC) – U.S. Congressman Ed Case (HI-01), a member of the House Appropriations Committee, early this morning voted against the proposed Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations funding measure.

    The measure (MILCON-VA) would fund worldwide military construction, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and various small agencies and programs supporting our nation’s some 19 million veterans, including some 112,000 throughout Hawai‘i, and their families.

    The bill is the first of twelve separate bills developed by the Appropriations Committee that would fund the federal government at some $1.6 trillion for FY 2026 commencing October 1st of this year.

    “While the measure does have positive provisions including funding for essential veterans programs, I regrettably had to vote against it because it kicks critical military infrastructure projects down the road yet again, pursues the Project 2025 goal of privatizing VA medical care, shortchanges dedicated funding for Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) cleanup, eliminates climate resiliency efforts and excludes important VA infrastructure funding,” said Case, who is in his seventh year on Appropriations and previously served on the Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs for four years. He currently serves on its Subcommittees on Defense and Homeland Security. 

    Case spoke to his Appropriations Committee colleagues on the serious deficiencies in the bill that fail to address critical military infrastructure needs throughout the Indo-Pacific (speech here). He stated that only one milcon project is located in the Indo-Pacific despite critical needs in meeting the challenge of the People’s Republic of China. The bill also fails to provide funding for infrastructure in Europe to support U.S. servicemembers working to bolster NATO and deter Russia.

    Case further said that the funding measure specifically advances the privatization of veterans health care by proposing vastly larger increases for medical care provided in private sector compared to shorfunding the government’s VA healthcare system, a key goal of the Project 2025 plan being followed by the Trump administration. By vast margins, veterans oppose privatizing the VA and want to receive their medical care at VA clinics and hospitals with a direct mission to care for veterans and their families as opposed to the private sector.

    Despite these and other significant problems with the bill, Case highlighted positive provisions he requested, including fully funding the budget request for veterans’ medical care at $131.4 billion and for veterans’ toxic exposures-related needs under the PACT Act.

    It also includes $1.3 billion for specific care for women veterans, and supports the Office of Women’s Health, including its childcare initiative. These funds will allow the VA to continue hiring women primary care providers and to increase the number of peer support specialists for women veterans. These efforts have become even more critical as the number of female veterans using VA health care services has increased.  

    “Women veterans often require specialized care due to unique health needs stemming from their military service and gender,” said Case. “With sustained support from my Committee over multiple years, Congress is working to ensure the VA set the standard for women veterans care, ensuring consistent, high-quality services across all facilities.” 

    The measure also continues support as Case requested for the VA Center for Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander and United States-affiliated Pacific Islander (NHPIUSAPI) Veterans. The center’s doctors and scientists coordinate research from all over the Pacific Islands and the United States to specifically address veterans’ healthcare in the Hawaiian Islands and throughout the Pacific. The center works with the University of Hawai‘i, and the bill encourages the VA to continue partnering with universities in the Pacific region focusing on issues unique to the NHPIUSAPI community. 

    Further details follow: 

    Veterans-Related Programs 

    The bill provides $133.7 billion in discretionary spending for veterans-related programs, an increase of $4.7 billion above the FY 2025 enacted level 

    “Our Hawai‘i veterans and their families make up one of the largest percentages of any state in our nation including in such key areas like women and minority veterans. I continued to focus especially on the often unique challenges of delivering full veterans’ health and other benefits in a diverse island state,” said Case.

    Specific veterans-related programs and provisions requested and secured by Case include:

    ·        $12 million for the Native American Veteran Housing Loan Program, which is $6 million above the FY 2025 level. 

    ·        Contracting preferences for Native Hawaiian owned business that work with the VA. 

    ·        Directing the VA to continue supporting the VA Center for NHPIUSAPI Veterans.

    ·         $1.5 million for a pilot project using the most advanced technology to identify the remains of unidentified fallen servicemembers buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.  

    ·        Directing the VA to develop a plan for more fully providing VA benefits for veterans living in the Freely Associated States. 

    ·         $106 million for the American Battle Monument Commission, which manages the Honolulu Memorial at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. 

    ·        $60 million for the VA Grants for the Construction of Veterans Cemeteries Program, which regularly provides fundings to support Hawaii’s state cemeteries. 

    ·        $233 million for substance-use disorder (SUD) efforts to ensure veterans can receive timely SUD specialty services. 

    ·        $3.4 billion for the Veterans’ Homelessness Program Resources Account for our nation’s veterans. This funding will enhance homeless veterans service providers ability to provide high demand care such as health services, substance use disorder programs, compensated work therapy and other supportive services.   

    ·        $342 million for Rural Health Initiatives, $5 million above FY 2025 level. This will improve access and quality of care for the more than 3 million enrolled veterans residing in highly rural areas.  

    Military Construction 

    The bill provides $453.6 billion for Department of Defense (DoD) military construction and family housing, $480 million above the FY 2025 enacted level.  

    Specific military construction programs and provisions requested and secured by Case critical to Hawai‘i include:  

    ·          $634 million for the Energy Resiliency and Conservation Investment Program, which funds projects that save energy and water, reduce DoD energy costs and improve energy resilience. 

    ·         Directing the DoD to identify the Army’s investment needs in order to support the wildland firefighters located on Schofield Barracks.   

    ·         Directing the DoD to provide a report on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam infrastructure development plan, to address ongoing concerns of the aging water and wastewater facilities on the installation. 

    ·          Directing the DoD to assess the aging infrastructure that houses the headquarters of the Marine Corps, Space Force and Special Operations Commands on O‘ahu. 

    ·         Directing the DoD to assess the requirement for a floating drydock at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility.

    ·         Directing the DoD to assess the capacity for battle damage repair of all public shipyards and how to prepare these shipyards for conflict requirements under the Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program (SIOP). SIOP is a multi-billion multi-year effort to upgrade the Navy’s four public shipyards, including Pearl Harbor. 

    ·         Directing the DoD to assess the infrastructure needs and shortfalls for 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment on Marine Corps Base Hawai‘i.  

    ·         Directing the DoD to study the impacts of unexploded ordnance on military construction sites in Guam. 

    ·         Directing the DoD to study the necessary steps and what actions would be required to begin construction on port improvements on Tinian Island. 

    ·         Directing the DoD to study the necessity and feasibility of establishing a biosecurity inspection facility to combat invasive species on the Northern Mariana Islands. 

    ·         Directing the DoD to study the impact and develop a plan to address growing solid waste management issues on Tinian Island.  

    The bill now moves to the full House of Representatives for its consideration.  

    A summary of the VA-MilCon funding bill is available here. The committee report explaining the full bill in detail is available here. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: S. 259, Foreign Adversary Communications Transparency Act

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    S. 259 would require the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to publish annually a list of entities with ties to China, Iran, North Korea, or Russia that hold licenses or authorizations granted by the commission.

    Based on information from the FCC, CBO expects that the agency would need five employees, at an annual average cost of $225,000 per employee, for the first two years, to review existing grants of authority, and two employees after 2027 to review new applications and changes in ownership. On that basis, CBO estimates that it would cost the FCC $4 million over the 2025-2030 period to issue rules and identify whether any of those four nations hold equity or a voting interest in organizations that have an authorization, license, or other grant of authority issued by the commission. Because the FCC is authorized to collect fees each year sufficient to offset the appropriated costs of its regulatory activities, CBO estimates that the net cost to the FCC would be negligible, assuming appropriation actions consistent with that authority.

    If the FCC increases annual fee collections to offset the costs of implementing provisions in the bill, S. 259 would increase the cost of an existing private-sector mandate on entities required to pay those fees. CBO estimates that the incremental cost of the mandate would be small and would fall well below the annual threshold established in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) for private-sector mandates ($206 million in 2025, adjusted annually for inflation).

    The bill contains no intergovernmental mandates as defined in UMRA.

    The CBO staff contacts for this estimate are Margot Berman (for federal costs) and Rachel Austin (for mandates). The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.

    Phillip L. Swagel

    Director, Congressional Budget Office

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Inside the chimpanzee medicine cabinet: we’ve found a new way chimps treat wounds with plants

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Elodie Freymann, Post-doc affiliate, University of Oxford

    Robin Nieuwenkamp/Shutterstock

    As it turns out, chimpanzees make pretty good doctors. For decades, scientists have been studying what chimpanzees do when they fall ill. This search has led to the identification of medicinal behaviour, which often involves the ingestion of plants with chemical or physical properties that can help the animal’s recovery.

    My team’s recent study in the Budongo Forest of western Uganda found its chimpanzees show a range of healthcare behaviour – one of which, applying chewed botanical material to wounds, had never before been documented in chimpanzees.

    Previous studies have shown that wild chimpanzees appear to treat their wounds and maintain sexual hygiene using medicinal plants found in their environment. What’s more, they treat other group members, even ones who are unrelated to them.

    In 2022, a study in Gabon, west Africa found that wild chimpanzees catch and apply insects to their wounds as well as the wounds of non-kin community members. A previous study had reported that chimpanzees in the Kibale Forest of Uganda occasionally dab the wounds of unrelated group members with leaves.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    Now our research, published in Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, shows the chimpanzees of the Budongo Forest engaging in topical healthcare, both on themselves and others.

    To figure out whether the Budongo chimpanzees practice first aid, we combed through more than three decades of hand-written observations from field staff and researchers who have worked in this forest, and searched video archives by Budongo primatologists. We also headed into the field to collect eight months of our own behavioural data. The aim: to accumulate all the cases we could find of external healthcare behaviour and see if a pattern emerged.

    What we found surprised us. The Budongo chimpanzees appear to have quite a diverse behavioural toolkit for tending to their own wounds and maintaining hygiene in the wild. This behaviour ranges from simple actions like wound licking, to more complicated behaviour such as applying plant material to an injury.

    In some cases, chimpanzees dabbed their open wounds with leaves. In rarer cases, they chewed up plant material (like leaves or stem bark) and applied it directly to the affected area with their mouths. Similar behaviour was shown in Sumatran orangutans in 2024.



    Read more:
    What the hidden rhythms of orangutan calls can tell us about language – new research

    But these chimpanzees don’t limit their self-care to treating wounds. We recorded them freeing themselves from wire snares set by hunters, and cleaning their genitals with leaves after mating. In one notable case documented in the forest’s logbook from 2009, a chimpanzee wiped herself with a leaf after defecating.

    Chimpanzees are known to tend each other’s wounds.
    Patrick Rolands/Shutterstock

    We also wanted to determine which plants the Budongo chimpanzees were selecting. We discovered that some of these plants, such as Alchornea floribunda and a species of Acalypha, have traditional medicinal uses and chemical properties related to wound-healing or infection prevention. Whether this is a coincidence, or an indicator that chimpanzees can identify medicinal plants helpful for wound care, is a question for future research.

    Chimpanzee doctors

    Buried in logbooks and video archives, we also found seven cases of chimpanzees providing healthcare for others in their community. Even more interesting, the demographics of the providers and receivers of this healthcare varied dramatically – occurring between both genetically related and unrelated chimpanzees.

    Our study includes cases of chimpanzees licking each other’s wounds and applying plant material to the wounds of injured group members. This kind of wound care, directed toward others, is considered “prosocial” as it offers no obvious or immediate benefit to the carer. In fact, this kind of direct interaction with the wounds of others can pose risks for the carer, exposing them to infectious pathogens or infections.

    As far as we know, this is the first time prosocial wound care has been reported among chimpanzees in the Budongo forest reserve. We also noted cases in which chimpanzees helped free others from nylon snares, and one case in which a female wiped the genitals of a male in her group with leaves after mating.

    Our findings add this site to the growing list of places where altruistic healthcare has been observed among non-kin, advancing our understanding of chimpanzees’ capacity for compassion and empathy.

    Survival of the kindest?

    Chimpanzees are often painted as aggressive, Machiavellian and self-interested, especially in comparison to their peace-loving bonobo cousins. But it appears that these highly social animals have a softer side.

    Chimpanzees are not the only animals who have been observed administering first aid to others. Recently, a US study found that mice help pull the tongues out of the mouths of unconscious cage companions, clearing their air passages. The carer mice were more likely to do this if they were familiar with the incapacitated mouse.

    Even Matabele ants from sub-Saharan Africa will help treat nest mates’ infected wounds with self-generated antibiotic secretions.

    Non-human healthcare may take different forms, but it appears that animals throughout the animal kingdom can administer first aid to themselves and others. It may not be such a dog-eat-dog world after all.

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

    – ref. Inside the chimpanzee medicine cabinet: we’ve found a new way chimps treat wounds with plants – https://theconversation.com/inside-the-chimpanzee-medicine-cabinet-weve-found-a-new-way-chimps-treat-wounds-with-plants-258094

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Hidden gems of LGBTQ+ cinema: Saving Face is a complicated romcom that tenderly depicts the experiences of queer Asians

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Eva Cheuk-Yin Li, Lecturer in Media & Cultural Studies, Lancaster University

    As a queer woman of East Asian descent who researches transnational queer media and culture, Saving Face (2004), the debut feature by Alice Wu, holds a special place in both my heart and my research.

    Set in the tightly knit Chinese-American community of Flushing, New York, Saving Face follows Wil (Michelle Krusiec), a young, promising yet closeted surgeon whose carefully balanced life is thrown into chaos when her widowed mother, Hwei-Lan (Joan Chen), shows up on her doorstep. Hwei-Lan is pregnant and has been banished by her community, and is refusing to name the father.

    What unfolds is a story that blends romantic comedy with drama. As well as Wil’s budding relationship with a dancer named Vivian (Lynn Chen), the film explores the tensions between mothers and daughters, identity and duty, and the quiet pressure of silence and the fear of coming out.

    But what makes Saving Face stand out two decades after its release is its portrayal of love and family – through a lens of tenderness and care. It was one of the first mainstream films to centre a queer Asian American woman.

    The emotional heart of the film lies in the layered interplay between personal desire and cultural expectation, which is felt not only by Wil but also by her mother. While Wil is carefully exploring a same-sex romance, Hwei-Lan’s unexpected pregnancy has left the family reeling with shame. The film explores how these two women of different generations are pushed to perform “respectability”, even as they long for love and self-determination on their own terms.

    This article is part of a series highlighting brilliant films that should be more widely known and firmly part of the canon of queer cinema .

    In many East Asian societies, the idea of “face” – a person’s reputation, dignity and social currency – shapes the way they move through the world. To “lose face” is to lose one’s social standing, bringing shame on oneself and one’s family.

    Growing up as a tomboyish daughter in Hong Kong, I was acutely aware of how even my clothing, hairstyle or mannerisms could be read as a reflection of my parents’ success or failure in raising me. In other words, my gender expression could make my family lose face, something that queer ethnographer Denise Tang has also observed in the experiences of her lesbian informants in Hong Kong. This social pressure – the way neighbours stare and talk, the way family reputation hinges on everyday interaction – can be exhausting.

    And like Wil in the film, I channelled my energy into academic achievement. This was perhaps to compensate for my (unspoken-yet-socially recognised) queerness, to prove my worth and save face – both mine and my family’s. In environments where silence is preferred, excelling becomes a form of camouflage – a way of negotiating who you are without having to say it aloud.

    Wu’s film captures this perfectly. Both Wil and her mother are caught in webs of expectation: to be the “dutiful daughter” and “respectable mother”.

    But what I love about Saving Face is that it doesn’t demonise culture or community. Instead, it invites viewers to witness how love – queer love, maternal love, self-love – can expand our understanding of what it means to belong. The mother-daughter dynamic is just as central as the romantic plot, and it is rare to see this kind of intergenerational, diasporic storytelling rendered with such care and grace.

    Shot on 35mm, Saving Face is a visual joy. The warm, lived-in colours and soft, quiet richness give the film a timeless, intimate feel. There is a restrained elegance to Wu’s direction that lets the emotional currents breathe.

    Joan Chen is magnetic as Wil’s mother, bringing unexpected comedic charm alongside poignancy. Krusiec and Lynn Chen, as Wil and Vivian, bring a nuanced chemistry that feels genuine. Their connection has all the longing and awkwardness that makes a romcom work, without falling into cliché.

    Despite its cult status in queer Asian and Sinitic-language communities, Saving Face is still often left out of broader LGBTQ+ film canons – even though it was recently added to the Criterion Collection, known for curating significant classic and contemporary cinema. But it should not be.

    This film is far more than a “representation win”. It’s a sharp, funny and emotionally rich story that complicates the binary between personal freedom and responsibility. And queer Asian characters are still rarely portrayed with this much nuance, complexity – and joy.

    For viewers unfamiliar with the cultural backdrop, Saving Face offers a glimpse into the negotiations many of us make within families and communities who prioritise harmony and silence over disruption. For those of us who know this world intimately, the film is a gift. It is a recognition that our experiences are not only valid, but beautiful.

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

    – ref. Hidden gems of LGBTQ+ cinema: Saving Face is a complicated romcom that tenderly depicts the experiences of queer Asians – https://theconversation.com/hidden-gems-of-lgbtq-cinema-saving-face-is-a-complicated-romcom-that-tenderly-depicts-the-experiences-of-queer-asians-258520

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Amata Honors 250 Years of the U.S. Army  

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative for Western Samoa Congresswoman Aumua Amata

    Headline: Amata Honors 250 Years of the U.S. Army  

    Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata is honoring the U.S. Army’s historic 250th birthday, which marks the founding of the U.S. Army on June 14, 1775. 

    Army Captain Peter Tali Coleman 

    In the nation’s capital, the historic occasion is set to be marked with a major celebration, beginning with a wreath laying at Arlington National Cemetery, followed by an all-day festival and a parade with numerous military vehicles and military aircraft in the skies, the Army Golden Knights paratroopers, and closing with a fireworks display at nightfall. 

    “This year, on 14 June, the United States celebrates 250 years of continuous service by the U.S. Army. Happy birthday to the U.S. Army and all our soldiers, past and present, along with our heartfelt thanks to each one,” said Congresswoman Amata.

    The distinguished history of the U.S. Army began in 1775, with the volunteers of the first continental army encamped around British-held Boston, when the Continental Congress gave George Washington of Virginia the historic responsibility of being the first commanding General. The U.S. Army today is composed of hundreds of thousands of personnel, over 900,000 in uniform with the support of the Army Reserve and Army National Guard. 

    “In American Samoa, we are proud of our Toa o Samoa, as our people have built a tremendous record of military service,” Amata continued. “Congratulations to each one of our own serving in the Army, Army Reserve, and our Army Veterans, because this day is about you and your fellow soldiers over the last two and half centuries.”

    “I know this day will remind many of us in military families of a soldier far away, a Veteran, or a beloved memory, as I have of my father. He served during the Pearl Harbor attack as an Army officer in Oahu, in the Battle of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands, and is the only Samoan inducted into the Army Infantry Hall of Fame,” she continued. “I wish I could name and honor each soldier from American Samoa. My Chief of Staff, Leafaina Tavai, is historic as the first ever student from American Samoa to go to West Point, and after her retirement as a Colonel, she was inducted into the Army Ordnance Hall of Fame.”

    “We will always need a strong, fully equipped, highly trained, and well supported U.S. Army, in times of peace or war, to protect our freedom and national security,” Amata concluded. “May God bless all our military, our Veterans, and the families who support them.”

    END

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Amata Releases Questions for DOI on Critical Minerals

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative for Western Samoa Congresswoman Aumua Amata

    Headline: Amata Releases Questions for DOI on Critical Minerals

    Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata is releasing some of her questions for Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), which she will submit for responses as part of a congressional hearing. 

    The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), which governs critical minerals exploration of the seabed, is part of DOI, and Amata’s questions primarily center on recently announced federal seabed critical minerals efforts, which will include a public comment period. 

    “I have important questions for the DOI, which reflect the thinking of our people,” said Congresswoman Amata. “I will do what I can to get our people more information, while I continue to take your message to Washington.”

    The following questions will be submitted for the record this week to the Honorable Doug Burgum, Secretary, U.S. Department of the Interior:

    • Mr. Secretary, what is the status of and what are the next steps in the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) review process regarding seabed mining around American Samoa?
    • Any seabed mining pursuant to a BOEM lease would be done in federally controlled EEZ waters outside the American Samoa 3-mile boundary limit, is this correct?
    • Mr. Secretary, do you intend to engage directly with the people of American Samoa on the seabed mining proposal? Will you commit to meeting with local government leaders as the proposal moves through the approval process?
    • What survey information can you provide to the American Samoan people about which critical rare earth minerals are where within and over that 3-mile limit so that we know what minerals are in American Samoa controlled waters and what is in federally controlled waters?
    • Your agency is responsible in part for the economic development of the territories; how will such an endeavor benefit the economy of American Samoa and the people?
    • The governor of American Samoa is investing over $40 million in a next generation cable connection for our island’s economic development as well as our nations national security; essential to this is the administration’s support for our economic development by advocating for renewal of our 30A/American Samoa Economic Development Credit in the big beautiful bill. Will the administration support my bill, H.R. 399, which renews the credit, as we hope to include it in the reconciliation or extender process this year, so we can take full advantage of this investment?

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Foreign Minister strengthens relationship with Italy

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has concluded a constructive visit to Italy, marking 75 years of diplomatic relations. 

    Mr Peters and Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani met in Rome overnight and confirmed the strength of the bilateral relationship that New Zealand and Italy share.   

    “New Zealand and Italy are long-standing partners,” Mr Peters says. “We have agreed to work more closely together, in order to expand strategic and trade and economic relations.

    “We work closely in Antarctica and have shared interests in supporting the rules-based international order and multilateral system, including cooperation on human rights and UN reform,” Mr Peters says. 

    Mr Peters signed an arts, science and sport arrangement with Minister Tajani, which supports cooperation between New Zealand and Italy in these areas. 

    While in Rome, Mr Peters also met:

    • a range of Italian businesses with investment and commercial interests in New Zealand; and
    • Elizabeth Dibble, the Director-General of the Multinational Forces and Observers (MFO), the international peace monitoring organisation in the Sinai which New Zealand has supported since its inception in 1982. 

    Mr Peters now travels to Jakarta, to attend the annual Indonesia-New Zealand Joint Ministerial Commission meeting.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • India bats for global action in fighting terrorism during key East Asia Summit meeting

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    India on Wednesday called for collective action in addressing the menace of terrorism that poses a serious threat to peace, security and development of the entire region.

    Addressing the East Asia Summit Senior Officials’ Meeting (EAS SOM) in Malaysia’s Penang, P. Kumaran, Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs, underlined the important role of EAS towards promoting free, open, inclusive and rules-based Indo-Pacific.

    Kumaran, who led the Indian delegation at the summit, shared New Delhi’s position on regional and international issues as the premier leaders-led mechanism marks its 20th anniversary this year.

    Secretary (East) P. Kumaran also met with Amran Mohammed Zin, Secretary General at Malaysia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit (EAS) and ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) SOM in Penang.

    “Held discussions to fully realise the India-Malaysia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership established during the visit of PM YAB Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim of Malaysia, to India in August 2024. Congratulated Secretary General on successful adoption of ‘ASEAN Community Vision 2045’ under Malaysia’s chairmanship of ASEAN. Also discussed ways to widen India’s engagement with ASEAN in the context EAS and ASEAN-India Summit framework to strengthen the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, and exchanged views on other regional and multilateral issues,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) posted on X.

    The MEA official also met Chung Byung-won, Deputy Minister of Political Affairs in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of South Korea, on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit Senior Officials’ Meeting. He congratulated the Deputy Minister on the successfully-conducted Presidential elections in South Korea, and discussed ways to strengthen India-South Korea Special Strategic Partnership and impart renewed momentum to the bilateral agenda.

    On Tuesday, Kumaran met Hajah Johariah Binti Abdul Wahab, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brunei Darussalam, on the margins of the meeting with the two sides discussing ways to further deepen the enhanced partnership between India and Brunei Darussalam bilaterally, as also cooperation under ASEAN and other frameworks.

    Kumaran also held discussions on bilateral and regional issues of mutual interest with Australia’s Michelle Chan who heads the Office of Southeast Asia.

    Earlier on Monday, he interacted with Ambassador Kung Phoak, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Cambodia. Underlining the close partnership between India and Cambodia, the two sides discussed ways to further strengthen cooperation bilaterally and under the ASEAN framework.

    The East Asia Summit (EAS) Senior Officials’ Meeting, attended by EAS Senior Officials and the Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEAN Political-Security Community, reviewed the progress of implementation of the EAS Plan of Action (2024-2028) and exchanged views on regional and international developments. The meeting also discussed preparations for the 15th EAS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in July and the 20th East Asia Summit in October 2025.

    The EAS is the premier leaders-led forum in the Asia-Pacific. Since its inception in 2005, it has played a significant role in the strategic, geopolitical and economic evolution of East Asia. It comprises 18 participating countries.

    Apart from the 10 ASEAN Member states, namely Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, the EAS includes India, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, United States and Russia.

    (IANS)

  • MIL-OSI China: Foreign Minister Lin hosts welcome luncheon for Eswatini Minister of Agriculture Tshawuka

    Source: Republic of Taiwan – Ministry of Foreign Affairs

    Foreign Minister Lin hosts welcome luncheon for Eswatini Minister of Agriculture Tshawuka

    • Date：2025-05-29
    • Data Source：Department of West Asian and African Affairs

    May 29, 2025  
    No. 187  

    Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung hosted a luncheon on May 29 in honor of a delegation led by Eswatini Minister of Agriculture Mandla Tshawuka. During the luncheon, Minister Lin welcomed Minister Tshawuka on behalf of the government as the two sides shared views on agricultural exchanges and cooperation. Minister Lin also thanked Eswatini for its long-term steadfast support of Taiwan’s participation in the international community.

     

    In his remarks, Minister Lin pointed out that Eswatini was Taiwan’s staunch ally in Africa and thanked H.M. King Mswati III and the Eswatini government for their long-term support of bilateral diplomatic relations. He said that agriculture was one of the kingdom’s major industries and stressed that there had long been close collaboration between Taiwan and Eswatini in this area. Taiwan, he continued, was willing to share its developmental experience and know-how with Eswatini and would continue to implement more joint projects through the Taiwan Technical Mission of the International Cooperation and Development Fund (TaiwanICDF). Under the Diplomatic Allies Prosperity Project, Taiwan would utilize its technological prowess to help Eswatini promote a smart agriculture transition and increase food security which, he said, would bolster Eswatini’s economic development and improve the welfare of the people. 

     

    In his remarks, Minister Tshawuka thanked Taiwan for having provided assistance for Eswatini’s agriculture, especially the Taiwan-Africa Vegetable Initiative, a joint endeavor by the World Vegetable Center and the Taiwan government. This project had helped Eswatini to preserve the seeds of vegetables native to Africa and to advance the promotion of and education on the kingdom’s traditional vegetable crops, thereby increasing local food supply and benefiting the people. Minister Tshawuka also stated that the Taiwan-Eswatini relationship was strong and that the Eswatini government would continue to support Taiwan at international events and work with Taiwan to promote mutually beneficial cooperation.

     

    Also in attendance at the luncheon were Eswatini Ambassador to the Republic of China (Taiwan) Promise Msibi, Ambassador-at-Large Richard Soong, Ministry of Agriculture Director-General of International Affairs Hsiou Dong-chong, TaiwanICDF Secretary General Huang Yu-lin, World Vegetable Center Director General Marco Wopereis, and Mt. Dadu Industrial Innovation Foundation CEO Liao Tsu-chen. The guests exchanged views with Minister Tshawuka on a wide variety of issues relating to Taiwan-Eswatini collaboration on smart agriculture as well as Eswatini’s agricultural development.

     

    Taiwan and Eswatini have had diplomatic relations for 57 years and enjoy close ties in the area of agriculture. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to work with the government of Eswatini to promote the Diplomatic Allies Prosperity Project and develop a mutually beneficial relationship that contributes to the welfare of both nations’ people, thus bringing bilateral cooperation to a new level. (E)

    MIL OSI China News –