Category: COVID-19 Vaccine

MIL-OSI USA: In Letter, Senator Murray Demands Secretary Kennedy Reverse Reported Hiring of Anti-Vaccine Activist Lyn Redwood to CDC

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
ICYMI: Senator Murray Calls on White House to Reverse Reported Hiring of Anti-Vax Conspiracy Theorist Lyn Redwood to CDC
ICYMI: Murray Calls for Kennedy to Reinstate Fired ACIP Members or Delay Meeting Until New Members Appropriately Vetted; Calls Out Elevation of Conspiracy Theorist like Redwood
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member and former chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, sent aletterto Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. calling on him to reverse the reported hiring of notorious anti-vaccine extremist Lyn Redwood—the former longtime president of RFK Jr.’s anti-vaccine advocacy group, Children’s Health Defense—to help oversee vaccine safety at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This letter follows Senator Murray’s questioning of CDC Director nominee, Dr. Susan Monarez, where she raised the alarm over RFK Jr.’s move to bring in Lyn Redwood at CDC. Ms. Redwood gave a presentation on thimerosal in vaccines at the ACIP meeting this week—furthering RFK Jr.’s debunked claims that the preservative used in vaccines causes autism.
“I write today to express strong disapproval of your reported decision to appoint Lyn Redwood, an anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist, to oversee vaccine safety at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Ms. Redwood poses a serious danger to our nation’s public health, and I am calling on you to immediately reverse this hiring decision,” Senator Murray wrote.
“I am deeply concerned about Ms. Redwood’s anti-science background as the past president of Children’s Health Defense, the organization you founded, which spreads vaccine misinformation and aims to instill fear in families about vaccinating their children,” Senator Murray continued, noting Ms. Redwood’s long history of spreading blatantly incorrect information about vaccines. “Your former organization, which Ms. Redwood most recently led, has pushed false conspiracy theories about vaccine safety and contributed to a dangerous rise in vaccine-preventable disease. The organization has also criticized the CDC Immunization Safety Office by spewing false rhetoric that the agency was being deceptive when debunking any potential link between thimerosal and autism spectrum disorder and other neurodevelopmental disorders.”
Senator Murray also addressed Ms. Redwood’s recent presentation to the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), writing: “I understand Ms. Redwood also presented to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) yesterday, after you provided her with a platform to promote the debunked claim that the vaccine preservative thimerosal causes autism. This claim has been disproven by CDC and with decades of research proving that there is no link between vaccines and autism. She also cited a study that does not exist in her original presentation that was posted to the CDC website. After her presentation and despite the absence of any scientific evidence that thimerosal is linked to autism, ACIP voted against recommending certain flu vaccines that contain thimerosal, which if adopted, will put lives at risk.”
“Ms. Redwood’s views on vaccines are extremely dangerous, and despite her claims having no basis, elevating her to work at our country’s lead public health agency will further increase vaccine hesitancy, causing fewer people to get vaccinated, and causing parents to be fearful about vaccinating their children against deadly diseases, such as measles, whooping cough, influenza, and more,” Senator Murray concluded. “Hiring someone to lead vaccine safety at CDC who has shown such disregard for basic scientific evidence in their decision-making is an extremely dangerous move and will cause unnecessary deaths. I call on you to reverse this reported hiring decision and ensure no additional anti-vaccine conspiracy theorists, like Ms. Redwood, are employed at CDC or anywhere in the Department.”
Senator Murray forcefully opposed the nomination of notorious anti-vaccine activist RFK Jr. to be Secretary of HHS, and she has long worked to combat vaccine skepticism and highlight the importance of scientific research and vaccines. Murray was also a leading voice against the nomination of Dr. Dave Weldon to lead CDC, repeatedly speaking up about her serious concerns with the nominee immediately after their meeting. In 2019, Senator Murray co-led a bipartisan hearing in the HELP Committee on vaccine hesitancy and spoke about the importance of addressing vaccine skepticism and getting people the facts they need to keep their families and communities safe and healthy. Ahead of the 2019 hearing, as multiple states were facing measles outbreaks in under-vaccinated areas, Murray sent a bipartisan letter with former HELP Committee Chair Lamar Alexander pressing Trump’s CDC Director and HHS Assistant Secretary for Health on their efforts to promote vaccination and vaccine confidence.
Senator Murray has been a leading voice in Congress against RFK Jr.’s dismantling of HHS and attacks on America’s public health infrastructure, raising the alarm over HHS’ unilateral reorganization plan and slamming the closure of the HHS Region 10 office in Seattle and the CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Spokane Research Laboratory. Senator Murray has sent oversight letters and hosted numerous press conferences and events to lay out how the administration’s reckless gutting of HHS is risking Americans’ health and safety and will set our country back decades, and lifting up the voices of HHS employees who were fired for no reason and through no fault of their own.
The full letter is available HERE and below:
The Honorable Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
Secretary
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue SW
Washington, DC 20201
Dear Secretary Kennedy:
I write today to express strong disapproval of your reported decision to appoint Lyn Redwood, an anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist, to oversee vaccine safety at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Ms. Redwood poses a serious danger to our nation’s public health, and I am calling on you to immediately reverse this hiring decision.
I am deeply concerned about Ms. Redwood’s anti-science background as the past president of Children’s Health Defense, the organization you founded, which spreads vaccine misinformation and aims to instill fear in families about vaccinating their children. Your former organization, which Ms. Redwood most recently led, has pushed false conspiracy theories about vaccine safety and contributed to a dangerous rise in vaccine-preventable disease. The organization has also criticized the CDC Immunization Safety Office by spewing false rhetoric that the agency was being deceptive when debunking any potential link between thimerosal and autism spectrum disorder and other neurodevelopmental disorders.
I understand Ms. Redwood also presented to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) yesterday, after you provided her with a platform to promote the debunked claim that the vaccine preservative thimerosal causes autism. This claim has been disproven by CDC and with decades of research proving that there is no link between vaccines and autism. She also cited a study that does not exist in her original presentation that was posted to the CDC website. After her presentation and despite the absence of any scientific evidence that thimerosal is linked to autism, ACIP voted against recommending certain flu vaccines that contain thimerosal, which if adopted, will put lives at risk.
Ms. Redwood’s views on vaccines are extremely dangerous, and despite her claims having no basis, elevating her to work at our country’s lead public health agency will further increase vaccine hesitancy, causing fewer people to get vaccinated, and causing parents to be fearful about vaccinating their children against deadly diseases, such as measles, whooping cough, influenza, and more.
Hiring someone to lead vaccine safety at CDC who has shown such disregard for basic scientific evidence in their decision-making is an extremely dangerous move and will cause unnecessary deaths. I call on you to reverse this reported hiring decision and ensure no additional anti-vaccine conspiracy theorists, like Ms. Redwood, are employed at CDC or anywhere in the Department. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 28, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: FDA Eliminates Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS) for Autologous Chimeric Antigen Receptor CAR T cell Immunotherapies

Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3

For Immediate Release:
June 27, 2025

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today that it has eliminated the Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS) for currently approved BCMA- and CD19-directed autologous chimeric antigen receptor CAR T cell immunotherapies.
These products are gene therapies that are currently approved to treat blood cancers, such as multiple myeloma and certain types of leukemia and lymphoma.
“The FDA has taken the bold step to remove the Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy requirement from giving CAR T therapies. REMS is a useful safety system, but reevaluation over time helps inform whether a REMS is still needed to ensure that the benefits of a product outweigh its risks,” said FDA Vinay Prasad, M.D., M.P.H., Chief Medical and Scientific Officer and Director, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. “Eliminating the REMS that is no longer needed also expedites the delivery of potentially curative treatments to patients and reduces burden on providers.”
A REMS is a safety program that the FDA can require for certain medications with serious safety concerns to help ensure the benefits of the medication outweigh its risks.
The FDA determined that the approved REMS for the following products should be eliminated because a REMS is no longer necessary to ensure that the benefits of the autologous CAR T cell immunotherapies outweigh their risks.

Abecma (idecabtagene vicleucel)
Breyanzi (lisocabtagene maraleucel)
Carvykti (ciltacabtagene autoleucel)
Kymriah (tisagenlecleucel)
Tecartus (brexucabtagene autoleucel)
Yescarta (axicabtagene ciloleucel)

The elimination of REMS for the above products removes the requirements that hospitals and their associated clinics that dispense products must be specially certified and have on-site, immediate access to tocilizumab. The information regarding the risks for these CAR T cell immunotherapies can be conveyed adequately via the current product labeling, which includes a boxed warning for the risks of cytokine release syndrome and neurological toxicities, and medication guides.
“Physicians and institutions now have greater experience identifying and managing toxicities with the currently approved CAR T products,” said Richard Pazdur, M.D., FDA Oncology Center of Excellence Director. “This approach will potentially facilitate patient access to these treatments while continuing to prioritize safety.”
Continuous monitoring and assessment of the safety of all biological products, including the CAR T cell immunotherapies, is an FDA priority and we remain committed to informing the public when we learn new information about these products.
These products will continue to be subject to safety monitoring, through adverse event reporting requirements in accordance with regulations (21 CFR 600.80). The elimination of the REMS for these products does not change FDA requirements for manufacturers to conduct post marketing observational safety studies to assess the risk of secondary malignancies and long-term safety with follow up of patients for 15 years after product administration.
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MIL OSI USA News –

June 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: What the Supreme Court ruling against ‘universal injunctions’ means for court challenges to presidential actions

Source: The Conversation – USA – By Cassandra Burke Robertson, Professor of Law and Director of the Center for Professional Ethics, Case Western Reserve University

A journalist runs out of the U.S. Supreme Court building carrying a ruling on the last day of the court’s term on June 27, 2025, in Washington, D.C. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

When presidents have tried to make big changes through executive orders, they have often hit a roadblock: A single federal judge, whether located in Seattle or Miami or anywhere in between, could stop these policies across the entire country.

But on June 27, 2025, the Supreme Court significantly limited this judicial power. In Trump v. CASA Inc., a 6-3 majority ruled that federal courts likely lack the authority to issue “universal injunctions” that block government policies nationwide. The ruling means that going forward federal judges can generally only block policies from being enforced against the specific plaintiffs who filed the lawsuit, not against everyone in the country.

The ruling emerged from a case challenging President Trump’s executive order attempting to end birthright citizenship. While three federal courts had blocked the policy nationwide, the Supreme Court allowed it to proceed against anyone who isn’t a named plaintiff in the lawsuits. This creates a legal environment where the same government policy can be simultaneously blocked for some people but enforced against others.

Crucially, the court based its decision on interpreting the Judiciary Act of 1789 – not the Constitution – meaning Congress could restore this judicial power simply by passing new legislation.

But what exactly are these injunctions, and why do they matter to everyday Americans?

Immediate, irreparable harm

When the government creates a policy that might violate the Constitution or federal law, affected people can sue in federal court to stop it. While these lawsuits work their way through the courts – a process that often takes years – judges can issue what are called “preliminary injunctions” to temporarily pause the policy if they determine it might cause immediate, irreparable harm.

A “nationwide” injunction – sometimes called a “universal” injunction – goes further by stopping the policy for everyone across the country, not just for the people who filed the lawsuit.

Importantly, these injunctions are designed to be temporary. They merely preserve the status quo until courts can fully examine the case’s merits. But in practice, litigation proceeds so slowly that executive actions blocked by the courts often expire when successor administrations abandon the policies.

Legislation introduced by GOP Sen. Chuck Grassley would ban judges from issuing most nationwide injunctions.
Sen. Chuck Grassley office

More executive orders, more injunctions

Nationwide injunctions aren’t new, but several things have made them more contentious recently.

First, since a closely divided and polarized Congress rarely passes major legislation anymore, presidents rely more on executive orders to get substantive things done. This creates more opportunities to challenge presidential actions in court.

Second, lawyers who want to challenge these orders got better at “judge shopping” – filing cases in districts where they’re likely to get judges who agree with their client’s views.

Third, with growing political division, both parties used these injunctions more aggressively whenever the other party controls the White House.

Affecting real people

These legal fights have tangible consequences for millions of Americans.

Take DACA, the common name for the program formally called Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, which protects about 500,000 young immigrants from deportation. For more than 10 years, these young immigrants, known as “Dreamers,” have faced constant uncertainty.

That’s because, when President Barack Obama created DACA in 2012 and sought to expand it via executive order in 2015, a Texas judge blocked the expansion with a nationwide injunction. When Trump tried to end DACA, judges in California, New York and Washington, D.C. blocked that move. The program, and the legal challenges to it, continued under President Joe Biden. Now, the second Trump administration faces continued legal challenges over the constitutionality of the DACA program.

More recently, judges have used nationwide injunctions to block several Trump policies. Three courts stopped the president’s attempt to deny citizenship to babies born to mothers who lack legal permanent residency in the United States – the cases that led the Supreme Court to limit the reach of injunctions. Judges have also temporarily blocked Trump’s efforts to ban transgender people from serving in the military and to freeze some federal funding for a variety of programs.

Nationwide injunctions have also blocked congressional legislation.

The Corporate Transparency Act, passed in 2021 and originally scheduled to go into effect in 2024, combats financial crimes by requiring businesses to disclose their true owners to the government. A Texas judge blocked this law in 2024 after gun stores challenged it.

In early 2025, the Supreme Court allowed the law to take effect, but the Trump administration announced it simply wouldn’t enforce it – showing how these legal battles can become political power struggles.

A polarized Congress rarely passes major legislation anymore, so presidents – including Donald Trump – have relied on executive orders to get things done.
Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

A ruling that Congress could change

The Supreme Court’s decision in Trump v. CASA was notably narrow in its legal reasoning. The court explicitly stated that its ruling “rests solely on the statutory authority that federal courts possess under the Judiciary Act of 1789” and that it expressed “no view on the Government’s argument that Article III forecloses universal relief.”

This distinction matters enormously. Because the court based its decision on interpreting a congressional statute rather than the Constitution itself, Congress has the power to overturn the ruling simply by passing new legislation that authorizes federal judges to issue nationwide injunctions.

The Supreme Court’s majority opinion, written by Justice Amy Coney Barrett, emphasized that universal injunctions “likely exceed the equitable authority that Congress has granted to federal courts” under the Judiciary Act of 1789. The court found these injunctions lack sufficient historical precedent in traditional equity practice.

However, the three dissenting justices strongly disagreed. Justice Sonia Sotomayor, joined by Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson, focused on the importance of birthright citizenship, explaining that “every court to evaluate the Order has deemed it patently unconstitutional.”

As a result, the dissent argues, “the Government instead tries its hand at a different game. It asks this Court to hold that, no matter how illegal a law or policy, courts can never simply tell the Executive to stop enforcing it against anyone.”

Legislative solutions on the table

Congress was already considering legislation to limit judges’ ability to grant nationwide injunctions.

Another way to address the concerns about a single judge blocking government action would be to require a three-judge panel to hear cases involving nationwide injunctions, requiring at least two of them to agree. This is similar to how courts handled major civil rights cases in the 1950s and 1960s.

My research on this topic suggests that three judges working together would be less likely to make partisan decisions, while still being able to protect constitutional rights when necessary. Today’s technology also makes it easier for judges in different locations to work together than it was decades ago.

What comes next

With the Supreme Court limiting judges’ ability to issue nationwide injunctions based on an old statute, the ball is now in Congress’ court. Lawmakers could choose to restore this judicial power with new legislation, further restrict it, or leave the current limitations in place.

Until Congress acts, the legal landscape has fundamentally shifted.

Future challenges to presidential actions may require either cumbersome class action lawsuits or a patchwork of individual cases – potentially leaving many Americans without immediate protection from policies that courts determine violate the Constitution. But unlike a constitutional ruling, this outcome isn’t permanent: Congress holds the key to change it.

This is an updated and expanded version of a story originally published on April 3, 2025.

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

– ref. What the Supreme Court ruling against ‘universal injunctions’ means for court challenges to presidential actions – https://theconversation.com/what-the-supreme-court-ruling-against-universal-injunctions-means-for-court-challenges-to-presidential-actions-260040

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

June 28, 2025
MIL-OSI: No Credit Check Loans Guaranteed Approval Direct Lender, US – New Personal Loans for Bad Credit Now Offered by Viva Payday Loans
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

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Final Thoughts: Reimagining Access to Emergency Credit in 2025

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Media Contact & Further Information

About Viva Payday Loans:

Viva Payday Loans is a U.S.-based loan connection service specializing in responsible short-term lending solutions, including no credit check loans guaranteed approval, bad credit personal loans guaranteed approval, and emergency loan bad credit guaranteed approval options. Committed to ethical lending and consumer empowerment, Viva Payday Loans connects borrowers with reliable, licensed lenders in real time.

Media Contact:
Company: Viva Payday Loans
Attn: Jessica Carter, Senior Product Manager
Email: media@vivapaydayloans.com
Address: 1801 Norman Street, Los Angeles, CA 90022, USA
Phone: +1 323-278-4198
Website: https://www.vivapaydayloans.com

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The MIL Network –
June 28, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: Strong Immunization Programmes ‘Foundation of Resilient Societies, Economies’, Says Secretary-General, in Remarks to Vaccine Alliance Pledging Summit

Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message to the Gavi High-level Pledging Summit, in Brussels today:

Excellencies, distinguished guests, I thank the European Union, the Gates Foundation and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, for convening this crucial summit.

Over the past 50 years, vaccines have saved over 150 million lives. Every dollar invested yields $54 in benefits.

Gavi and its partners are the backbone of this success. But, the work is far from done.

Protecting 500 million more children by 2030 requires an urgent investment of at least $9 billion.

Strong immunization programmes are our front-line defence against infectious diseases — and a foundation of resilient societies and economies.

At a time when vaccine hesitancy and misinformation are spreading like wildfire, this investment is more crucial than ever. Especially as other support is being rolled back.

Today, I urge leaders across all sectors to act with generosity and resolve. Let’s invest in immunization for the health and prosperity of all. Thank you.

MIL OSI United Nations News –

June 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Analysis: Thimerosal discouraged in US flu vaccines, breaking with WHO guidance

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Edward Beamer, Lecturer, Pharmacology, Sheffield Hallam University

A federal vaccine panel, recently reshaped by US health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has voted to discourage the use of flu vaccines containing thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative. The decision marks a dramatic shift in vaccine policy, as thimerosal has long been considered safe by health agencies worldwide, with its use already limited to a few multi-dose flu shots.

RFK Jr. has long linked thimerosal to autism – a connection that extensive scientific research has thoroughly debunked.

Thimerosal is an organic chemical containing mercury, used as a preservative in vaccines since the 1930s. Its effect comes from the mercury that disrupts the function of enzymes in microbes, such as bacteria and fungi. This prevents contamination of vaccines while they are stored in vials. Mercury, however, is also well-known as a potent toxin acting on cells the brain.

Much of mercury’s toxicity to brain cells stems from the same attributes that make thimerosal such a useful preservative. It disrupts the basic biological function of cells by changing the structure of proteins and enzymes.

In the brain, this can lead neurons to become excessively active, can impair the way they use energy, it can increase inflammation and lead to the death of neurons. While mercury poisoning can damage brain function in adults, babies are even more vulnerable.

People have long understood that mercury is toxic. But in the latter half of the 20th century, scientists discovered that industrial mercury entered rivers and seas, accumulating in the tissues of fish and shellfish. The neurological consequences of consuming too much contaminated seafood could be severe. This led environmental scientists to determine safe levels of mercury exposure.

Anxiety about mercury in vaccines intensified when it was noticed that some children receiving multiple vaccines could exceed established safety limits for mercury exposure. These limits were based on environmental toxicity studies. How mercury affects the brain, though, depends very much on the chemical form in which it is ingested.

In the 20th century, scientists discovered that mercury accumulates in the fish that we eat.
J nel/Shutterstock.com

Methylmercury v ethylmercury

The form of mercury that contaminates the environment as a consequence of industrial processes is methylmercury. The form that is part of thimerosal is ethylmercury.

The structure of these molecules differs in subtle but important ways. Methylmercury has one more carbon atom and two more hydrogen atoms than ethylmercury. These small differences significantly affect how each compound behaves in the body, particularly, in how easily they dissolve in fats.

Fat solubility is a key consideration in pharmacokinetics – the science of how drugs and other molecules travel through the body. Briefly, because cell membranes are made of fatty substances, a molecule’s ability to dissolve in fats strongly influences how it crosses these membranes and moves through the body.

It affects how a molecule is absorbed into the blood, how it is distributed to different tissues, how it is broken down by the body into other chemicals and how it is excreted.

Methylmercury from environmental contamination is more fat-soluble than ethylmercury from thimerosal. This means that it accumulates more easily in tissues, and is excreted from the body more slowly.

It also means that it can more easily cross into the brain and accumulate at greater concentrations for longer. For this reason, the safety guidelines that were established for methylmercury were unlikely to accurately predict the safety of ethylmercury.

Global policy shift amid public fear

Nevertheless, concerns about vaccine hesitancy, rising autism diagnoses and fears of a potential link to childhood vaccines led to thimerosal being almost entirely removed from childhood vaccines in the US by 2001 and in the UK between 2003 and 2005.

Beyond biological considerations, policymakers were also responding to concerns about how vaccine fears could undermine immunisation efforts and fuel the spread of infectious diseases.

Denmark, which removed thimerosal from childhood vaccines in 1992, provided an early opportunity to study the issue. Researchers compared the rates of autism before and after thimerosal’s removal as well as compared with similar countries still using it. Several large studies demonstrated conclusively that thimerosal was not causing autism or neurodevelopmental harm.

Despite the overwhelming evidence that thimerosal is safe, it is no longer widely used in childhood vaccines in high-income countries, replaced by preservative-free vaccines, which must be stored as a single dose per vial.

Storing multiple doses of a vaccine in the same vial, however, is still an extremely useful approach in resource-limited settings, in pandemics and where diseases require rapid, large-scale vaccination campaigns – common with influenza.

International health bodies, including the World Health Organization, continue to support thimerosal’s use. They emphasise that the benefits of immunisation far outweigh the theoretical risks from low-dose ethylmercury exposure.

Edward Beamer 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. Thimerosal discouraged in US flu vaccines, breaking with WHO guidance – https://theconversation.com/thimerosal-discouraged-in-us-flu-vaccines-breaking-with-who-guidance-259609

MIL OSI Analysis –

June 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: Health Minister responds to misinformation on COVID-19 vaccine

Source: South Africa News Agency

Minister of Health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, has expressed serious concern about a “sustained“ campaign of misinformation and disinformation regarding the COVID-19 vaccines.

Recently, in what appears to be a deepfake video, SABC news anchor Oliver Dickson is seen to be interviewing Professor Salim Abdool Karim, the Director of the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA).

During the fake interview, Abdool Karim is depicted as making claims that the COVID-19 vaccine is causing harm and resulting in fatalities.

“The latest fake news campaign, driven by artificial intelligence applications, has targeted a distinguished South African scientist, Abdool Karim, who is portrayed as warning South Africans about the purportedly deadly effects of the COVID-19 vaccines that… saved the lives of many South Africans during the difficult time of the pandemic,” the department said.

The department believes that this campaign is being led by some unscrupulous individuals, who are promoting their business interests.

It said these people are determined to spread distorted and malicious information about the alleged negative effects of COVID-19 vaccines to promote their harmful remedies, which pose a risk to the health of South Africans.

“According to our information, these actions are meant to hoodwink members of the public into buying fake heart medicine. This is done through mail order, and the fake product is not working or is making people feel even sicker.”

Abdool Karim and the organisation he leads, CAPRISA, have also distanced themselves from these videos by imposing a “fake news” stamp on all the circulating videos.

The department has also since done its part by joining the fake news alert on social media.

“Minister Motsoaledi condemns in the strongest terms possible the fake news campaign by these charlatans with business interests who, for their nefarious reasons, are determined to create confusion among the people for the sake of immoral profiteering,” the department said.

The Minister has since appealed to all to reject these remedies that purportedly cleanse the victim’s blood vessels and improve heart performance.

“Motsoaledi encourages all South Africans to continue to embrace all life-saving vaccines approved by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority and the National Department of Health.

“The Minister, therefore, calls upon all South Africans to close ranks, isolate the forces of darkness and join the fight against misinformation and disinformation in the best interests of South Africa and all its people,” the department said. – SAnews.gov.za

MIL OSI Africa –

June 27, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CHP investigates measles infection case epidemiologically linked to earlier cluster
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
CHP investigates measles infection case epidemiologically linked to earlier cluster.

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (June 25) is investigating two cases of measles infection that are epidemiologically linked and reminded the public that vaccination is the most effective way to prevent measles.

The two cases are family members living together. The first case involves a six-month-old baby boy. He presented with fever on June 21, and developed cough, runny nose and skin rash the following day. He was brought to the Accident and Emergency Department of Kwong Wah Hospital on June 23 and was admitted for treatment. His respiratory specimen sample tested positive for the measles virus upon nucleic acid testing.

During contact tracing, the CHP found that the boy’s 29-year-old father also presented symptoms of measles, including fever and cough, on June 20 and developed skin rash on June 23. The CHP arranged the patient to attend the Accident and Emergency Department of Kwong Wah Hospital for isolation and testing on June 24. His respiratory specimen sample tested positive for the measles virus upon nucleic acid testing.

Both patients remain hospitalised for isolation and treatment and are in stable condition.

An epidemiological investigation revealed that the baby boy has not yet reach the age to receive the first dose of the measles vaccine, while his father was uncertain whether he had received measles vaccination. One of their household contacts also presented relevant symptoms earlier and has recovered now. Testing is being arranged for this household contact.

The CHP continues to investigate the cases to identify potential sources of infection and high-risk exposure. Initial investigation revealed that no epidemiological linkages have been established between these two cases and other confirmed cases previously recorded in Hong Kong.

“The incubation period of measles (i.e. the time from infection to onset of illness) is seven to 21 days. Symptoms include fever, skin rash, cough, runny nose and red eyes. When such symptoms appear, people should wear surgical masks, stay home from work or school, avoid crowded places and contact with unvaccinated people, especially those with weak immune systems, pregnant women and children under 1 year old. Those who suspect they are infected should consult their doctors as soon as possible and inform healthcare workers of their history of exposure to measles,” the Controller of the CHP, Dr Edwin Tsui, said.

“Under the Hong Kong Childhood Immunisation Programme, the overall immunisation coverage in Hong Kong has been maintained at a very high level through the immunisation services provided by the DH’s Maternal and Child Health Centres and School Immunisation Teams. As evidenced by the findings on vaccination coverage of primary school students and the territory-wide immunisation surveys conducted regularly by the DH, the two-dose measles vaccination coverage has remained consistently high, well above 95 per cent, and the local seroprevalence rates of measles virus antibodies reflect that most people in Hong Kong are immune to measles. However, Hong Kong, as a city with a high volume of international travel, still faces the potential risk of importation of the measles virus and its further spread in the local community. Hence, a small number of people who have not completed a measles vaccination (such as non-local-born people including new immigrants, foreign domestic helpers, overseas employees and people coming to Hong Kong for further studies) are still at risk of being infected and spreading measles to other people who do not have immunity against measles, such as children under 1 year old who have not yet received the first dose of the measles vaccine,” he added.

People born before 1967 could be considered to have acquired immunity to measles through natural infection, as measles was endemic in many parts of the world and in Hong Kong at that time. People born in or after 1967 who have not yet completed the two doses of measles vaccination or whose measles vaccination history is unknown, should consult their family doctors as soon as possible to complete the vaccination and ensure adequate protection against measles.

The number of measles cases in some overseas countries remains at a high level this year. The outbreaks in North America (including the United States and Canada), Europe and neighbouring areas (including Vietnam, Cambodia and the Philippines) are ongoing due to the relatively low vaccination rate. Furthermore, an increasing number of measles cases have also been recorded in Japan and Australia this year. For those who plan to travel to measles-endemic areas, they should check their vaccination records and medical history as early as possible. If they have not been diagnosed with measles through laboratory tests and have never received two doses of measles vaccine or are not sure if they have received a measles vaccine, they should consult a doctor at least two weeks prior to their trip for vaccination.

Besides being vaccinated against measles, members of the public should take the following measures to prevent infection:
- Maintain good personal and environmental hygiene;
- Maintain good indoor ventilation;
- Keep hands clean and wash hands properly;
- Wash hands when they are dirtied by respiratory secretions, such as after sneezing;
- Cover the nose and mouth while sneezing or coughing and dispose of nasal and mouth discharge properly;
- Clean used toys and furniture properly; and
- Persons with measles should be kept out of school till four days from the appearance of a rash to prevent the spread of the infection to non-immune persons in school.
For more information on measles, the public may visit the CHP’s measles thematic page. Members of the public who are going to travel can visit the website of the DH’s Travel Health Service for news of measles outbreaks outside Hong Kong.

Ends/Wednesday, June 25, 2025
Issued at HKT 20:37
MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –
June 27, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Holy Mass with Priestly Ordinations on the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

Source: The Holy See

Holy Mass with Priestly Ordinations on the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, 27.06.2025
This morning, at 9.00, in the Vatican Basilica, the Holy Father Leo XIV celebrated Holy Mass with the rite of Ordination of Priests, on the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.
The following is the homily delivered by the Holy Father during the Eucharistic Celebration:

Homily of the Holy Father
Today, the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests, we celebrate this Eucharist with great joy as part of the Jubilee of Priests.
Before all else, dear brother priests, I wish to say a word to you, who have passed through the Holy Door to pray at the tomb of the Apostle Peter and to immerse your baptismal and priestly garments once more in the Heart of the Savior. For some of you, this is happening on a unique day in your lives: the day of your Ordination.
To speak of the Heart of Christ in this context is to reflect on the entire mystery of the Lord’s incarnation, death and resurrection, which is entrusted in a special way to us, so that we can make it present in our world. In the light of the readings that we have just heard, let us reflect on how we can contribute to this work of salvation.
In the first reading, the prophet Ezekiel describes God as a shepherd who watches over his flock, counting his sheep one by one. He seeks out the lost, binds up the wounded, and strengthens the weak and sick (cf. Ezek 34:11-16). He thus reminds us, in this age of vast and devastating conflicts, that the love of God has no limits. We are called to let ourselves be embraced and shaped by that love, and to realize that in God’s eyes – and our own as well – there is no place for division and hatred of any kind.
In the second reading (cf. Rom 5:5-11), Saint Paul reminds us that God reconciled us to himself “while we were still weak” (v. 6) and “sinful” (v. 8), and exhorts us to entrust ourselves, along a daily path of conversion, to the transforming power of his Spirit who dwells in our hearts. Our hope is grounded in the knowledge that the Lord never abandons us: he is always at our side. At the same time, we are called to cooperate with him, above all by putting the Eucharist at the center of our lives, inasmuch as it is “the source and summit of the Christian life” (SECOND VATICAN ECUMENICAL COUNCIL, Dogmatic Constitution Lumen Gentium, 11). Then too, “through the fruitful reception of the sacraments, and especially by the frequent practice of sacramental penance” (Decree Presbyterorum Ordinis, 18), and finally through prayer, meditation on God’s word, and the exercise of charity, conforming our hearts ever more closely to that of “the Father of mercies” (ibid.).
This brings us to today’s Gospel (cf. Lk 15:3-7), which speaks of the joy of God – and of every shepherd who loves in the manner of his Heart – at the return of even one of his sheep to the fold. We are called to exercise pastoral charity with a generous love, like that of the Father, and to foster in our hearts the desire that no one be lost (cf. Jn 6:39) but that everyone, also through our ministry, may come to know Christ and have eternal life in him (cf. Jn 6:40). We are called to deepen our closeness to Jesus (cf. Presbyterorum Ordinis, 14) and to be a source of harmony in the midst of our brother priests. We do so by bearing on our shoulders those who are lost, granting forgiveness to those who have erred, seeking out those who have gone astray or been left behind, and caring for those who suffer in body or spirit. And to do all this in a great exchange of love that, flowing from the pierced side of the crucified Lord, embraces all people and fills the entire world. For, in the words of Pope Francis, “the wounded side of Christ continues to pour forth that stream which is never exhausted, never passes away, but offers itself time and time again to all those who wish to love as he did. For his love alone can bring about a new humanity” (Encyclical Letter Dilexit Nos, 219).
The priestly ministry is one of sanctification and reconciliation for the building up of the Body of Christ in unity (cf. Lumen Gentium, 7). For this reason, the Second Vatican Council exhorted priests to make every effort to “lead all to the unity of charity” (Presbyterorum Ordinis, 9), harmonizing differences so that “no one… may feel left out” (ibid.). It also encouraged priests to remain united with their bishop and within the presbyterate (ibid., 7-8). For the more we are united among ourselves, the more we will be able to lead others to the fold of the Good Shepherd, and to live as brothers and sisters in the one house of the Father.
Saint Augustine, in a homily delivered on the anniversary of his ordination, spoke of the joyful fruit of communion that unites the faithful, priests and bishops, grounded in the recognition that all of us are redeemed and saved by the same gracious mercy of God. It was in that context that he spoke the celebrated words: “For you I am a bishop, with you I am a Christian” (Serm. 340, 1).
In the solemn Mass inaugurating my Pontificate, I voiced before the People of God my great desire for “a united Church, a sign of unity and communion, which becomes a leaven for a reconciled world” (18 May 2025). Today, I share this desire once more with all of you. Reconciled with one another, united and transformed by the love that flows abundantly from the Heart of Christ, let us walk together humbly and resolutely in his footsteps, firm in faith and open to all in charity. Let us bring the peace of the risen Lord to our world, with the freedom born of the knowledge that we have been loved, chosen and sent by the Father.
Now, before concluding, I would like to say a word to you, dear Ordinands, who in a few moments, by the laying on of hands of the bishop and a renewed outpouring of the Holy Spirit, will become priests. What I have to say is simple, but I consider it important for your future and for the future of the souls entrusted to your care. Love God and your brothers and sisters, and give yourselves to them generously. Be fervent in your celebration of the sacraments, in prayer, especially in adoration before the Eucharist, and in your ministry. Keep close to your flock, give freely of your time and energy to everyone, without reserve and without partiality, as the pierced side of the crucified Jesus and the example of the saints teach us to do. Remember that the Church, in the two thousand years of her history, has had – and today continues to have – wonderful examples of priestly holiness. From the earliest communities on, the Church has raised up priests who have been martyrs, tireless apostles, missionaries, and champions of charity. Cherish this treasure: learn their stories, study their lives and work, imitate their virtues, be inspired by their zeal, and invoke their intercession often and insistently! All too often, today’s world offers models of success and prestige that are dubious and short-lived. Do not let yourselves be taken in by them! Look rather to the solid example and apostolic fruitfulness, frequently hidden and unassuming, of those who, with faith and dedication, have spent their lives in service of the Lord and their brothers and sisters. Keep their memory alive by your own example of fidelity.
Let us now entrust ourselves to the loving protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of priests and Mother of hope. May she direct and sustain our steps, so that each day we may conform our hearts more closely to that of Christ, the supreme and eternal Shepherd.

MIL OSI Europe News –

June 27, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: 2024-03-27 at 16h49 The four crises and seven structural shifts of the last eight years Prime Minister António Costa took stock of the last years in government

Source: Government of Portugal (PM)

António Costa took stock of the government’s action in the last eight years, where he was Prime Minister, during a press conference held in the official residence.<.>

António Costa also referred to the financial system’s greater stability. “The state-owned bank, which many felt should be privatised and that it would be impossible to capitalise, is today not only solvent, but also generated due revenue for the Portuguese economy and citizens”, the Prime Minister claimed.

The wildland fires crisis

The second crisis noted by the Prime Minister was that of wildland fires, the answer to which included restructuring the civil protection system and a budget reform, which offered prevention a clear priority over fighting. As a result, “if we were to add up the entire area burnt down in the six years between 2018 and 2023 [the result] is 60.7% of the area burnt down in 2017 alone”, he stressed.

The Covid-19 pandemic

The country’s response to this third crisis was “worthy of note”, claimed the Prime Minister. “We were the first country in the world to reach a vaccination coverage of 85%. And the efforts to support the economy and households allowed us to be one of the countries that best came out of the pandemic”, he added.

The inflationist crisis

The fourth crisis arose from the effects of the pandemic, which was still felt, and the war between Russia and Ukraine. This conflict “worsened a situation that came from the pandemic, with the breakdown in supply chains, which led us to the greatest inflationist crisis of the last 30 years”.

The rises in interest rates by the European Central Bank to respond to rising inflation “in a society such as hours where mortgages have a high significance and the variable rates are clearly dominant”, together with rising food costs, shot up household costs.

“From the start of 2022 to October 2022, inflation soared. We hit 10.1% inflation in October 2022 and since then we have been on a slow, yet sure, trajectory to lower inflation, until we hit 2.1% last February and the forecast is we will remain on that lowering trajectory”, said the Prime Minister.

SEVEN STRUCTURAL SHITS

Higher growth

The Prime Minister stated that between 2000 and 2015 the country alternated between recession and stagnation. “Only in one year of these 15 did we grow above the European average: in 2009. From 2016 onwards, the reality has been quite different “, he said. “In these eight years, the country grew ten times more than what it had grown in the previous 15”, he signalled, noting the 2.1% growth, including in the two pandemic years, “where product naturally fell drastically”.

More jobs and more income

The creation of jobs and improvement in employment conditions contributed to this economic growth. “Today, we have a record number of people working in Portugal: 5 million people. That is an additional 629 thousand jobs than in 2015. And in a context where it was possible to not just to have minimum wages grow 62%, but also average wages having grown 27.7%”, the Prime Minister indicated.

In addition to the rise in the minimum wage, the Prime Minister also noted rising pensions and improvement in net income.

Always in line with the Social Security Basis Law, in these eight years, average pensions rose 23.3%, “with all the rises set down in the law, as well as extraordinary rises to counter inflation”.

The improvement in net income came from the “successive drops in income tax IRS” and the “successive measures of non-monetary transfers that cut household expenses”, such as making school books free, reforming the costs of public transports, increasing the number of households that benefit from energy social rates and the “significant” cut in pubic university fees, that went from more than one thousand euros to 697 euros per annum.

A more qualified country

This was the shift the Prime Minister considered “perhaps brings the greatest consequences for the future”. António Costa mentioned the “highly significant” drop in early dropouts, where this year we are below the EU average for 2030, and the rise in the number of youths aged 30 to 34 years who completed higher educaiton in 2015, which can only rise, since “if we look at the youths who are 20 years old, 39% attended university in 2015, and today it’s 54%”.

A more competitive economy

“Every year, we beat records in attracting foreign direct investment. Every year, we beat corporate investment records and corporate investment went up 85% between 2015 and 2023”, the Prime Minister stated, advocating that “what offers a modern economy competitiveness is its capacity to have qualified jobs, being more innovative, and this is what enables that innovation”.

António Costa also added that the rise in exports, which in 2022 accounted for more than 50% of GDP, and the change in the nature of exports. “Exports of high and medium tech goods increased 71% over these last eight years, which means that complexifying, qualifying, and the added value of our economy have been clearly on the rise”.

Less inequality

“Today we have 600 thousand people less in poverty or social exclusion, and especially 226 thousand children less living in poverty or social exclusion”, said the Prime Minister.

Taking the lead in fighting climate change

The sixth shift had to do with the country’s position in taking the lead in fighting climate change. “We were the first country in the world, at the2016 Marrakesh COP to undertake the goal of being carbon neutral by 2050. Our Climate Law imposed on us a greater ambition of hitting that target in 2045 rather than 2050”.

Since 2017, Portugal has cut back its GHG emissions by 17% “due to the public transport policy and bringing targets such as closing down coal-fuelled power stations forward and increasing the capacity to generate energy using renewables”, the Prime Minister signalled.

Advances in the State reform

The last structural shift mentioned by the Prime Minister had to do with the advances in the State reform, namely concerning the decentralisation of powers, such as transferring the PSP’s traffic tasks to the Lisbon and Porto municipal police, making Carri or STCP (public transport) municipal, or the agreement with the National Portuguese Municipalities Association (ANMP) to transfer powers. Lastly, António Costa referred to the reform of the Regional Development Coordination Committees (CCDR), that are now more democratised and with greater autonomy.

View the Prime Minister’s presentation here

MIL OSI Europe News –

June 27, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: 2024-03-27 at 16h49 The four crises and seven structural shifts of the last eight years Prime Minister António Costa took stock of the last years in government

Source: Government of Portugal (PM)

António Costa took stock of the government’s action in the last eight years, where he was Prime Minister, during a press conference held in the official residence.<.>

António Costa also referred to the financial system’s greater stability. “The state-owned bank, which many felt should be privatised and that it would be impossible to capitalise, is today not only solvent, but also generated due revenue for the Portuguese economy and citizens”, the Prime Minister claimed.

The wildland fires crisis

The second crisis noted by the Prime Minister was that of wildland fires, the answer to which included restructuring the civil protection system and a budget reform, which offered prevention a clear priority over fighting. As a result, “if we were to add up the entire area burnt down in the six years between 2018 and 2023 [the result] is 60.7% of the area burnt down in 2017 alone”, he stressed.

The Covid-19 pandemic

The country’s response to this third crisis was “worthy of note”, claimed the Prime Minister. “We were the first country in the world to reach a vaccination coverage of 85%. And the efforts to support the economy and households allowed us to be one of the countries that best came out of the pandemic”, he added.

The inflationist crisis

The fourth crisis arose from the effects of the pandemic, which was still felt, and the war between Russia and Ukraine. This conflict “worsened a situation that came from the pandemic, with the breakdown in supply chains, which led us to the greatest inflationist crisis of the last 30 years”.

The rises in interest rates by the European Central Bank to respond to rising inflation “in a society such as hours where mortgages have a high significance and the variable rates are clearly dominant”, together with rising food costs, shot up household costs.

“From the start of 2022 to October 2022, inflation soared. We hit 10.1% inflation in October 2022 and since then we have been on a slow, yet sure, trajectory to lower inflation, until we hit 2.1% last February and the forecast is we will remain on that lowering trajectory”, said the Prime Minister.

SEVEN STRUCTURAL SHITS

Higher growth

The Prime Minister stated that between 2000 and 2015 the country alternated between recession and stagnation. “Only in one year of these 15 did we grow above the European average: in 2009. From 2016 onwards, the reality has been quite different “, he said. “In these eight years, the country grew ten times more than what it had grown in the previous 15”, he signalled, noting the 2.1% growth, including in the two pandemic years, “where product naturally fell drastically”.

More jobs and more income

The creation of jobs and improvement in employment conditions contributed to this economic growth. “Today, we have a record number of people working in Portugal: 5 million people. That is an additional 629 thousand jobs than in 2015. And in a context where it was possible to not just to have minimum wages grow 62%, but also average wages having grown 27.7%”, the Prime Minister indicated.

In addition to the rise in the minimum wage, the Prime Minister also noted rising pensions and improvement in net income.

Always in line with the Social Security Basis Law, in these eight years, average pensions rose 23.3%, “with all the rises set down in the law, as well as extraordinary rises to counter inflation”.

The improvement in net income came from the “successive drops in income tax IRS” and the “successive measures of non-monetary transfers that cut household expenses”, such as making school books free, reforming the costs of public transports, increasing the number of households that benefit from energy social rates and the “significant” cut in pubic university fees, that went from more than one thousand euros to 697 euros per annum.

A more qualified country

This was the shift the Prime Minister considered “perhaps brings the greatest consequences for the future”. António Costa mentioned the “highly significant” drop in early dropouts, where this year we are below the EU average for 2030, and the rise in the number of youths aged 30 to 34 years who completed higher educaiton in 2015, which can only rise, since “if we look at the youths who are 20 years old, 39% attended university in 2015, and today it’s 54%”.

A more competitive economy

“Every year, we beat records in attracting foreign direct investment. Every year, we beat corporate investment records and corporate investment went up 85% between 2015 and 2023”, the Prime Minister stated, advocating that “what offers a modern economy competitiveness is its capacity to have qualified jobs, being more innovative, and this is what enables that innovation”.

António Costa also added that the rise in exports, which in 2022 accounted for more than 50% of GDP, and the change in the nature of exports. “Exports of high and medium tech goods increased 71% over these last eight years, which means that complexifying, qualifying, and the added value of our economy have been clearly on the rise”.

Less inequality

“Today we have 600 thousand people less in poverty or social exclusion, and especially 226 thousand children less living in poverty or social exclusion”, said the Prime Minister.

Taking the lead in fighting climate change

The sixth shift had to do with the country’s position in taking the lead in fighting climate change. “We were the first country in the world, at the2016 Marrakesh COP to undertake the goal of being carbon neutral by 2050. Our Climate Law imposed on us a greater ambition of hitting that target in 2045 rather than 2050”.

Since 2017, Portugal has cut back its GHG emissions by 17% “due to the public transport policy and bringing targets such as closing down coal-fuelled power stations forward and increasing the capacity to generate energy using renewables”, the Prime Minister signalled.

Advances in the State reform

The last structural shift mentioned by the Prime Minister had to do with the advances in the State reform, namely concerning the decentralisation of powers, such as transferring the PSP’s traffic tasks to the Lisbon and Porto municipal police, making Carri or STCP (public transport) municipal, or the agreement with the National Portuguese Municipalities Association (ANMP) to transfer powers. Lastly, António Costa referred to the reform of the Regional Development Coordination Committees (CCDR), that are now more democratised and with greater autonomy.

View the Prime Minister’s presentation here

MIL OSI Europe News –

June 27, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) responds to cholera outbreak following gold discovery in Lomera, South Kivu

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In early May, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) launched an emergency response to a cholera outbreak in Lomera, South Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo, where a gold rush and poor sanitation fuelled rapid spread of the disease. Over 8,000 people were vaccinated and more than 600 patients received treatment, as teams worked around the clock to provide care and improve access to clean water.

Until recently, Lomera was a quiet lakeside village, barely known to most residents of South Kivu, DRC. That changed overnight last December when gold was discovered in its hills.

The rush for fortune—intensified by economic insecurity caused by clashes between the M23/AFC armed group, the Congolese army (FARDC), and their Wazalendo militia allies—has turned Lomera into a magnet for thousands of people seeking work and safety.

In less than a year, the population exploded from 1,500 to more than 12,000. The village is now a sprawling chaos of mineshafts and makeshift shelters.

“We live in tough conditions without much space, but we put up with it because we need to earn a living,” says Chiza Blonza, who left his farm in Walungu (some 90 kilometres away) behind to work the mines.

Every day, more people arrive, crowding into already packed shelters—sometimes 20 to a room. It was only a matter of time before disaster struck.

“Everything that could possibly fuel a cholera outbreak is here,” says Mathilde Cilley, MSF medical adviser. “We’re seeing severe overcrowding, barely any clean water, open defecation on the hills, and a total lack of waste management.”

Cholera is endemic in this part of DRC, and the lake is contaminated by the bacteria, but an epidemic of this scale is unusual. The first 13 cases in Lomera were reported on 20 April. Within two weeks, that number soared by over 700% to 109 cases—a figure likely underestimated. Today, the town accounts for 95% of cholera cases in the Katana health zone, an area that is home to more than 275,000 people.

MSF launched a rapid emergency response on 9 May. Our teams worked around the clock to contain the epidemic. In just four days, we vaccinated more than 8,000 people—though limited supplies meant only single-dose regimens were administered, instead of the recommended two.

More than 600 people have been treated for cholera at a temporary 20-bed cholera treatment unit we set up, with many arriving in critical condition.

“The vast majority of our patients work in the mines, where they use contaminated lake water to separate gold from the earth, exposing themselves to the bacteria,” says Dr Théophile Amani, an MSF doctor in Lomera. “Tough manual labour and high levels of alcohol consumption mean many are already dehydrated even prior to getting infected.”

After treatment, patients receive hygiene kits—buckets, water purification tablets, and soap—and vital health education from MSF staff on how to prevent future infections.

Bonheur Maganda, originally from Kabamba, is among them. He came to work in the mines to provide for his children and said that many of his colleagues had also fallen ill.

“Without MSF, many of them would have died,” he says. “The health promotion officer explained the importance of washing my hands with clean water and being careful with food. I will share this advice with others.”

MSF also installed a lakeside water treatment facility and distribution point, delivering around 60,000 litres of clean water daily. One hundred latrines and twenty-five supervised handwashing points were set up across the settlement, including at restaurants and public gathering spots. Contact tracing and preventive treatment for those exposed to cholera have been crucial in containing the spread.

MSF’s emergency response will soon be handed over to other partners, but there is an urgent need for long-term solutions to guarantee continued access to clean water.

“Without significant investment in water, sanitation, and hygiene infrastructure, outbreaks like this are likely to persist on a regular basis,” warns Muriel Boursier, MSF’s head of mission in Bukavu. “At present, the nearest well is three kilometres away. International partners and local authorities must step up and implement sustainable solutions.”

Given the constant flux of people moving in and out of the town, further vaccine supplies will also be necessary to protect people.

“South Kivu—and eastern DRC as a whole—are facing major logistical hurdles in getting essential medical supplies, including vaccines, medicines, and equipment, to where they’re needed most,” says Boursier.

“While insecurity is a factor, the closure of airports in Bukavu and Goma has had an even greater impact, severely restricting our ability to deliver lifesaving aid,” she says. “International cuts to humanitarian funding have also limited the availability of medical supplies. We urge governing authorities and international partners to do everything possible to help restore access and support the sanitary response to the wide range of health emergencies impacting the region.”

Responding to cholera outbreaks remains a central priority for MSF in DRC. In 2024 alone, MSF teams treated more than 15,000 cholera cases nationwide, working alongside local health authorities and communities to save lives and stop the spread of disease.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Médecins sans frontières (MSF).

MIL OSI Africa –

June 27, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: Early detection and action stop a measles outbreak in Cameroon

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“I was coughing. My eyes were red, and my nose was running. My skin had rashes.”

7-year-old Djoubeda from Mayo-Oulo village in Cameroon’s North region was at home with her grandmother when she started showing worrying symptoms of measles.

A highly contagious viral infection, measles spreads easily among the unvaccinated—with young children at highest risk. It’s a serious illness that can require hospital admission, cause permanent disability, and even kill if not treated properly. 

But thankfully help wasn’t far away. Local Cameroon Red Cross Society volunteer, Ramatou—affectionately known as Aunty Ramatou in the village—was called to come see little Djoubeda straight away.

Ramatou had previously received training in how to recognize and prevent disease outbreaks, and how to quickly report any unusual health events to authorities, through the Community Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Programme (CP3).

“I received training on detecting diseases in the population. When I visited Djoubeda, I deduced her symptoms resembled measles and that inaction could spread it,” she explains.

Without hesitation, Ramatou notified local health authorities of the suspected measles case using a digital community-based surveillance tool set up through the CP3 programme, then took Djoubeda straight to the nearest health centre.

Within three days, tests confirmed that Djoubeda did indeed have measles. During that time, Ramatou and fellow CP3 volunteers got to work educating the community in Mayo-Oulo about measles signs and symptoms, how to prevent it from spreading, and how to report if they noticed something was wrong.

Upon confirmation of measles, local health authorities immediately launched a mass vaccination campaign in and around the village—calling upon Cameroon Red Cross volunteers for their support in sharing trusted health information about the vaccines and encouraging families to bring their children along to be immunized.

“It’s you, the Red Cross, going around to sensitize us. It’s because of people going around the village talking about vaccination that I brought him,” explains Maya Sylvie, a mother from Mayo-Oulo village who was supported by the Cameroon Red Cross to vaccinate her baby boy.

To achieve herd immunity against measles and prevent recurring outbreaks, at least 95% of the population must be fully vaccinated. This vaccination campaign was therefore a huge joint effort between local health authorities and Cameroon Red Cross volunteers, who mobilized as many community members as possible to bring their children for their jabs. Thankfully, since this outbreak, local health authorities haven’t recorded any further measles cases.

“We vaccinated nearly 500 children. What if this epidemic had not been stopped? Measles is deadly. We could have recorded a lot of deaths. After the Ministry vaccinated all the children, we have not had any more cases of measles,” explains Dr Laboulaye, Head of the Mayo-Oulo Health Centre.

“I want to say to the Red Cross: thank you. Thank you for your support, for all your disease prevention activities and help with the response,” she adds.

For Ramatou, learning the skills to quickly detect and report outbreaks in Mayo-Oulo was exactly why she wanted to volunteer in the first place:

“I’ve lived here for over 30 years, since I was 6 years old. I became a CP3 volunteer to help my community. As a volunteer, my motivation is to save lives, ease pain, help the sick, and prevent diseases from spreading. What pleases me is that people listen, volunteers work well, the past diseases are gone and the community values and appreciates our efforts.”

And as for little Djoubeda, she happily made a full recovery from measles and is grateful to Ramatou for being there for her when she was sick.

“I was injected and given medicine. I got better and went back home. Aunty Ramatou, who wears the uniform, does her job well,” she says.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

MIL OSI Africa –

June 27, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: Angola responds strongly to the polio virus emergence

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In response to a recent polio outbreak in Benguela province, Angola has launched a polio vaccination campaign. The campaign aims to protect over half a million children and reaffirm the country’s commitment to eradicating disease.

During the launch ceremony, Dr Fekadu Lemma, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) coordinator in Angola, said, “This campaign is an act of protection, solidarity, and hope for Angola’s future. Polio is not only an invisible threat, but it can also cause permanent physical damage, such as paralysis.”

Despite significant progress since the interruption of the wild poliovirus in 2011 and Angola being certified polio-free in 2015, the country now faces a new challenge. The outbreak has resulted in 13 confirmed poliovirus cases in Benguela, Cubal, Dombe Grande, and Bocoio municipalities.

In response, the Ministry of Health, supported by the WHO and GPEI partners, is conducting an intensive door-to-door vaccination campaign from 27 to 29 June. The campaign aims to vaccinate over 554,000 children under the age of five.

Dr Cátia Katchiuko, the deputy governor for economic and social affairs of Benguela province, reinforced the government’s commitment: “This campaign is a clear demonstration of our dedication to the health and well-being of our children. With the support of our partners, we have made great progress, but we know that the mission is not yet complete. Eradicating polio is a collective struggle — and we are all in this together.”

In accordance with the GPEI, the World Health Organization (WHO) has defined five strategic steps to ensure the successful eradication of polio in the country. These steps include: a) Strengthening routine immunization, with a focus on children who have not received any doses; b) Conducting high-quality campaigns with independent monitoring and rapid corrections; (c) Strengthening polio surveillance, including surveillance of acute flaccid paralysis and environmental surveillance; (d) Increasing community involvement by engaging local, religious and traditional leaders; and (e) Ensuring the sustainability of actions by integrating lessons learned from polio into other public health programmes.

The vaccination campaign in Benguela province is part of this approach, given the province’s importance in the context of the polio outbreak, which poses the highest risk of spreading at national and international levels. This is especially pertinent given the province’s population density, history of poliovirus circulation, and its role as a logistics hub for other provinces.

Around 5,000 people, including health professionals and community volunteers, have been mobilized for the current polio vaccination campaign, with an investment of approximately $3.6 million, mainly funded by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative through WHO and UNICEF.

The WHO Representative in Angola, Dr Indrajit Hazarika, concluded: “As a father, I know that vaccinating a child is an act of love. It guarantees them a fundamental right and opens the door to a healthier and more promising future.”

“Polio does not respect borders, but neither should our determination. Every child vaccinated brings us closer to a polio-free future. Eradicating polio is possible, but only if all levels of government, partners, and communities work together. We cannot stop now. Our generation will be remembered for having the courage to complete this mission.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) – Angola.

MIL OSI Africa –

June 27, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: What do the Bible, the Quran and the Torah say about the justification for war?
Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Robyn J. Whitaker, Associate Professor, New Testament, & Director of The Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy, University of Divinity

Wars are often waged in the name of religion. So what do key texts from Christianity, Islam and Judaism say about the justification for war?

We asked three experts for their views.

The Bible

Robyn J. Whitaker, University of Divinity

The Bible presents war as an inevitable reality of human life. This is captured in the cry of the Teacher in Ecclesiastes:

for everything there is a season […] a time for war and a time for peace.

In this sense, the Bible reflects the experiences of the authors and communities who shaped the texts over more than a thousand years as they experienced both victory and defeat as a small nation among the large empires of the ancient near east.

When it comes to God’s role in war, we cannot shirk from the problematic violence associated with the divine. At times, God orders the Hebrew people to go to war and enact horrendous violence. Deuteronomy 20 is a good example of this: God’s people are sent to war with the blessing of the priest but told to first offer terms of peace. If peace terms are accepted, the town is enslaved. Certain enemies, however, are decreed worthy of total annihilation, and the Hebrew army is commanded to destroy anyone and anything that doesn’t produce food.

On other occasions, war is interpreted as a tool, a punishment where God uses foreign nations against the Hebrew people because they have gone astray (Judges 2:14). You can also find an underlying ethic to treat the captives of war justly. Moses commands that women captured in war are to be treated as wives, not slaves (Deuteronomy 21), and in 2 Chronicles, captives are allowed to return home.

In contrast to war as divinely authorised, many of the Hebrew prophets express hope in a time where God will bring peace and people will “neither learn war any more” (Micah 3:4) but rather turn their weapons into tools for agriculture (Isaiah 2:4).

War is viewed as a result of human sinfulness, something that God will ultimately transform into peace. And that peace (Hebrew: shalom) is more than an absence of war. It is about human flourishing and unity between peoples and God.

Most of the New Testament was written during the first century CE, when Jews and emerging Christians were a minority within the Roman Empire. The military power of Rome is harshly critiqued as evil in resistance texts such as the Book of Revelation. Many early Christians refused to fight in the Roman army.

In this context, Jesus says nothing specific about war but generally rejects violence. When Jesus’s disciple Peter seeks to defend him with a sword, Jesus tells him to put away his sword because a sword only leads to more violence (Matthew 26:52). This is consistent with Jesus’s other teachings such as “blessed are the peacemakers” or his commands to “turn the other cheek” when struck or to “love your enemies”.

The reality is that we find various war ideologies in the Bible’s pages. If you want to find a justification for war in the Bible, you can. If you want to find a justification for peace or pacifism, that is there too. Later Christians would develop ideas of “just war” and pacifism based on biblical ideas, but these are developments rather than explicit within the Bible.

For Christians, Jesus’s teaching provides an ethical framework for interpreting earlier war texts through the lens of love for enemies. This counterpoint to divine violence and war points readers back to the prophets, whose hopeful visions imagine a world where violence and suffering are no more and peace is possible.

The Quran

Mehmet Ozalp, Charles Sturt University

Islam and Muslims emerged onto the world stage in the hostile environment of the seventh century. In response to major challenges, including warfare, Islam introduced pioneering legal and ethical reforms. The Quran and the Prophet Muhammad’s example laid out clear legal and ethical guidelines for the conduct of war, well before similar frameworks appeared in other societies.

Islam did this by defining a new term, “jihad” rather than the usual Arabic word for war, “harb”. While harb refers broadly to warfare, jihad was defined within Islamic teachings as a legal, morally justified struggle, which includes but is not limited to armed conflict. In the context of warfare, jihad refers specifically to fighting in a just cause under clear legal and ethical guidelines, rather than belligerent or aggressive warfare.

Between 610-622, Prophet Muhammad practised active non-violence in the face of the constant suffering, persecution and economic embargo he and his followers endured in Mecca, despite insistent approaches by his followers to take up arms. This showed that armed struggle cannot be taken up within the members of the same society, as this would lead to anarchy.

After leaving his home town to escape persecution, he established a pluralistic and multi-faith society in Medina. He took active steps to sign treaties with neighbouring tribes. Despite following a deliberate strategy of peace and diplomacy, the hostile Meccans and allied tribes attacked the Muslims in Medina. Engaging these attackers in an armed struggle was unavoidable.

The permission to fight was given to Muslims by the Quran verses 22:39-40:

The believers against whom war is waged are given permission to fight in response, for they have been wronged. Surely, God has full power to help them to victory. Those who have been driven from their homeland against all right, for no other reason than that they say, “Our Lord is God” […]

This passage not only permits armed struggle but also offers a moral justification for just war. It means war is clearly just when defensive — while aggression is unjust and condemned. Elsewhere, the Quran emphasises this point:

If they withdraw from you and do not fight against you, and offer you peace, then God allows you no way (to war) against them.

Verse 22:39 outlines two ethical justifications for warfare. The first is when people are driven from their homes (and land) – in other words, through occupation by a foreign power. The second is when people are attacked because of their beliefs to the point of violent persecution and attack.

Importantly, verse 22:40 includes churches, monasteries and synagogues. If believers in God do not defend themselves, all places of worship would be destroyed, so this is to be prevented by force if necessary.

The Quran does not allow for aggression, since “God loves not the aggressors” (2:190). It also provides detailed regulations on who is to fight and who is exempted (9:91); when hostilities must cease (2:193); and prisoners should be treated humanely and with fairness (47:4).

Verses such as 2:294 emphasise that warfare and any response to violence and aggression must be proportional and within limits:

Whoever attacks you, attack them in like manner as they attacked you. Nevertheless, fear God and remain within the bounds.

In the event of unavoidable war, every opportunity to end it must be pursued:

But if the enemy inclines towards peace, then you must also incline towards peace and trust in God.

The aim of military action is to end hostilities and remove the reason for warfare, not to humiliate or annihilate the enemy.

Military jihad cannot be pursued for personal ambition or to further nationalistic or ethnic disputes. Muslims cannot wage war on nations that have no hostility towards them (60:8). But if there is open hostility and attack, Muslims have a right to defend themselves.

The Prophet and the early caliphs specifically warned military leaders and all combatants that they must not act treacherously or engage in indiscriminate killing and pillage. He said:

Do not kill women, children, the elderly, or the sick. Do not destroy palm trees or burn houses.

Because of these teachings, Muslims have had legal and ethical guidelines throughout much of history to help limit human suffering caused by war.

The Torah

Suzanne D. Rutland, University of Sydney

Judaism is not a pacifist religion, but in its traditions it values peace above all else, and prayers for peace are central to Jewish liturgy. At the same time, there is a recognition of the need to fight defensive wars, but only within certain boundaries.

In the Torah, the Five Books of Moses, the recognition of the need for war is clear. Throughout their journeying in the desert, the Israelites (Children of Israel) fight various battles. At the same time, in Deuteronomy, the Israelites are instructed (chapter 12, verse 10):

When you go forth against your enemies and are in camp, then you should keep yourself from every evil thing.

The story of Amalek is the symbol of ultimate evil in Jewish tradition. Scholars argue this is because his army attacked the Israelites from the rear – killing defenceless women and children.

The Torah also stresses that army service is compulsory. Yet, Deuteronomy elaborates four categories of people who are exempt:
- someone who has built a home but has not yet dedicated it
- someone who has planted a vineyard but has not yet eaten of its fruit
- someone who is engaged or in his first year of marriage
- someone who is afraid, in case he influences other soldiers with his fear.
Judaism is not a pacifist religion, but in its traditions it values peace above all else.
Shutterstock

It is important to point out that the disdain of war is so strong that King David was not permitted to build the temple in Jerusalem because of his military career. His son, Solomon, was allocated this task, but no iron was to be used in the building because this represented war and violence, while the temple was to represent peace, the ideal virtue.

The vision of peace for all humanity is further developed in the prophetic writings and the concept of the Messiah. This is seen particularly in the writings of the prophet Isiah, who envisaged an age when, as he describes in his idyllic vision:

they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

The Mishnah, the first part of the Talmud, raises the concept of an “obligatory war” (milhemet mizvah). This encompasses the biblical wars against the seven nations said to inhabit the Promised Land, the war against Amalek, and the Jewish nation’s defensive wars. It is, accordingly, a clearly defined and recognisable class.

Not so the second category, “permitted war” (milhemet reshut), which is more open-ended and, as scholar Avi Ravitsky writes, “could relate to a preemptive war”.

After the Talmudic period, which ended in the 7th century, this debate became theoretical, since Jews living in Palestine and the diaspora no longer had an army. This was largely the case from the time of the defeat of the Bar Kokhba Rebellion against the Romans (132–135 CE), apart from a few small Jewish kingdoms in Arabia.

However, with the return of the early Zionist pioneers to the Land of Israel in the late 19th and 20th century, the rabbinic debates of what constitutes an obligatory, defensive war and what is a permitted war, as well as the characteristics of a forbidden war has reignited. This is a subject of deep concern and controversy for both academics and rabbis today.

Robyn J. Whitaker is affiliated with The Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy.

Mehmet Ozalp is affiliated with Islamic Sciences and Research Academy

Suzanne Rutland has received an Australian Research Council grant for her research on the Australian Jewry and funding from the Pratt Foundation, as well as an Australian Prime Ministers Centre (APMC) fellowship for her research on Soviet Jewry and Australia. She is also involved with numerous NGOs, including the Australian Jewish Historical Society (patron), the Australian Association for Jewish Studies (past president and committee member), and the Australian government’s expert delegation to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. In addition, she is a board member of the Freilich Project for the Study of Bigotry at ANU; she is on an academic advisory committee at the Sydney Jewish Museum; she is the director of the Australian Academic Alliance Against Antisemitism; and she is an Australian board member for Boys Town Jerusalem and a board member of Better Balance Futures for faith communities These roles are all undertaken in an honorary capacity. She is also writing the history of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry in an honorary capacity.

– ref. What do the Bible, the Quran and the Torah say about the justification for war? – https://theconversation.com/what-do-the-bible-the-quran-and-the-torah-say-about-the-justification-for-war-259679
MIL OSI – Global Reports –
June 27, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray Calls on White House to Reverse Reported Hiring of Anti-Vax Conspiracy Theorist Lyn Redwood to CDC

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
ICYMI: Murray Calls for Kennedy to Reinstate Fired ACIP Members or Delay Meeting Until New Members Appropriately Vetted; Calls Out Elevation of Conspiracy Theorist like Redwood
ICYMI: At HELP Hearing, Senator Murray Presses CDC Nominee on Commitment to Scientific Integrity, Vaccine Access, as RFK Jr. Fires ACIP Members, Pushes Vaccine Conspiracies
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior Member and former Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, issued the following statement in response to news reports that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) planned to hired notorious anti-vaccine extremist Lyn Redwood, former longtime President of RFK Jr.’s Children’s Health Defense, to help oversee vaccine safety.
“Republicans and Democrats should both be deeply disturbed by the news that our government plans to appoint another anti-vax extremist to allegedly help oversee vaccine safety at our nation’s premier public health agency. This is as disturbing as it gets, and we cannot become numb to it. I’m calling on the White House to immediately reverse this decision. This White House must not give more conspiracy theorists like Redwood a platform to disseminate even more dangerous lies about vaccines—she’s going to get kids killed because their parents will be too afraid to protect their children against preventable diseases like Measles.
“Vaccines work—they are safe, effective, and lifesaving. We cannot allow a few truly deranged individuals to distort the plain truth and facts around vaccines so badly. I know that my Republican colleagues know this is wrong—now is not the time to be silent. Kids’ lives are on the line. Anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist Lyn Redwood has no place serving as a health advisor at CDC—or anywhere in the Department.”
Senator Murray forcefully opposed the nomination of notorious anti-vaccine activist RFK Jr. to be Secretary of HHS, and she has long worked to combat vaccine skepticism and highlight the importance of scientific research and vaccines. Murray was also a leading voice against the nomination of Dr. Dave Weldon to lead CDC, repeatedly speaking up about her serious concerns with the nominee immediately after their meeting. In 2019, Senator Murray co-led a bipartisan hearing in the HELP Committee on vaccine hesitancy and spoke about the importance of addressing vaccine skepticism and getting people the facts they need to keep their families and communities safe and healthy. Ahead of the 2019 hearing, as multiple states were facing measles outbreaks in under-vaccinated areas, Murray sent a bipartisan letter with former HELP Committee Chair Lamar Alexander pressing Trump’s CDC Director and HHS Assistant Secretary for Health on their efforts to promote vaccination and vaccine confidence.
Senator Murray has been a leading voice in Congress against RFK Jr.’s dismantling of HHS and attacks on America’s public health infrastructure, raising the alarm over HHS’ unilateral reorganization plan and slamming the closure of the HHS Region 10 office in Seattle and the CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Spokane Research Laboratory. Senator Murray has sent oversight letters and hosted numerous press conferences and events to lay out how the administration’s reckless gutting of HHS is risking Americans’ health and safety and will set our country back decades, and lifting up the voices of HHS employees who were fired for no reason and through no fault of their own.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 27, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: What do the Bible, the Quran and the Torah say about the justification for war?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robyn J. Whitaker, Associate Professor, New Testament, & Director of The Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy, University of Divinity

Wars are often waged in the name of religion. So what do key texts from Christianity, Islam and Judaism say about the justification for war?

We asked three experts for their views.

The Bible

Robyn J. Whitaker, University of Divinity

The Bible presents war as an inevitable reality of human life. This is captured in the cry of the Teacher in Ecclesiastes:

for everything there is a season […] a time for war and a time for peace.

In this sense, the Bible reflects the experiences of the authors and communities who shaped the texts over more than a thousand years as they experienced both victory and defeat as a small nation among the large empires of the ancient near east.

When it comes to God’s role in war, we cannot shirk from the problematic violence associated with the divine. At times, God orders the Hebrew people to go to war and enact horrendous violence. Deuteronomy 20 is a good example of this: God’s people are sent to war with the blessing of the priest but told to first offer terms of peace. If peace terms are accepted, the town is enslaved. Certain enemies, however, are decreed worthy of total annihilation, and the Hebrew army is commanded to destroy anyone and anything that doesn’t produce food.

On other occasions, war is interpreted as a tool, a punishment where God uses foreign nations against the Hebrew people because they have gone astray (Judges 2:14). You can also find an underlying ethic to treat the captives of war justly. Moses commands that women captured in war are to be treated as wives, not slaves (Deuteronomy 21), and in 2 Chronicles, captives are allowed to return home.

In contrast to war as divinely authorised, many of the Hebrew prophets express hope in a time where God will bring peace and people will “neither learn war any more” (Micah 3:4) but rather turn their weapons into tools for agriculture (Isaiah 2:4).

War is viewed as a result of human sinfulness, something that God will ultimately transform into peace. And that peace (Hebrew: shalom) is more than an absence of war. It is about human flourishing and unity between peoples and God.

Most of the New Testament was written during the first century CE, when Jews and emerging Christians were a minority within the Roman Empire. The military power of Rome is harshly critiqued as evil in resistance texts such as the Book of Revelation. Many early Christians refused to fight in the Roman army.

In this context, Jesus says nothing specific about war but generally rejects violence. When Jesus’s disciple Peter seeks to defend him with a sword, Jesus tells him to put away his sword because a sword only leads to more violence (Matthew 26:52). This is consistent with Jesus’s other teachings such as “blessed are the peacemakers” or his commands to “turn the other cheek” when struck or to “love your enemies”.

The reality is that we find various war ideologies in the Bible’s pages. If you want to find a justification for war in the Bible, you can. If you want to find a justification for peace or pacifism, that is there too. Later Christians would develop ideas of “just war” and pacifism based on biblical ideas, but these are developments rather than explicit within the Bible.

For Christians, Jesus’s teaching provides an ethical framework for interpreting earlier war texts through the lens of love for enemies. This counterpoint to divine violence and war points readers back to the prophets, whose hopeful visions imagine a world where violence and suffering are no more and peace is possible.

The Quran

Mehmet Ozalp, Charles Sturt University

Islam and Muslims emerged onto the world stage in the hostile environment of the seventh century. In response to major challenges, including warfare, Islam introduced pioneering legal and ethical reforms. The Quran and the Prophet Muhammad’s example laid out clear legal and ethical guidelines for the conduct of war, well before similar frameworks appeared in other societies.

Islam did this by defining a new term, “jihad” rather than the usual Arabic word for war, “harb”. While harb refers broadly to warfare, jihad was defined within Islamic teachings as a legal, morally justified struggle, which includes but is not limited to armed conflict. In the context of warfare, jihad refers specifically to fighting in a just cause under clear legal and ethical guidelines, rather than belligerent or aggressive warfare.

Between 610-622, Prophet Muhammad practised active non-violence in the face of the constant suffering, persecution and economic embargo he and his followers endured in Mecca, despite insistent approaches by his followers to take up arms. This showed that armed struggle cannot be taken up within the members of the same society, as this would lead to anarchy.

After leaving his home town to escape persecution, he established a pluralistic and multi-faith society in Medina. He took active steps to sign treaties with neighbouring tribes. Despite following a deliberate strategy of peace and diplomacy, the hostile Meccans and allied tribes attacked the Muslims in Medina. Engaging these attackers in an armed struggle was unavoidable.

The permission to fight was given to Muslims by the Quran verses 22:39-40:

The believers against whom war is waged are given permission to fight in response, for they have been wronged. Surely, God has full power to help them to victory. Those who have been driven from their homeland against all right, for no other reason than that they say, “Our Lord is God” […]

This passage not only permits armed struggle but also offers a moral justification for just war. It means war is clearly just when defensive — while aggression is unjust and condemned. Elsewhere, the Quran emphasises this point:

If they withdraw from you and do not fight against you, and offer you peace, then God allows you no way (to war) against them.

Verse 22:39 outlines two ethical justifications for warfare. The first is when people are driven from their homes (and land) – in other words, through occupation by a foreign power. The second is when people are attacked because of their beliefs to the point of violent persecution and attack.

Importantly, verse 22:40 includes churches, monasteries and synagogues. If believers in God do not defend themselves, all places of worship would be destroyed, so this is to be prevented by force if necessary.

The Quran does not allow for aggression, since “God loves not the aggressors” (2:190). It also provides detailed regulations on who is to fight and who is exempted (9:91); when hostilities must cease (2:193); and prisoners should be treated humanely and with fairness (47:4).

Verses such as 2:294 emphasise that warfare and any response to violence and aggression must be proportional and within limits:

Whoever attacks you, attack them in like manner as they attacked you. Nevertheless, fear God and remain within the bounds.

In the event of unavoidable war, every opportunity to end it must be pursued:

But if the enemy inclines towards peace, then you must also incline towards peace and trust in God.

The aim of military action is to end hostilities and remove the reason for warfare, not to humiliate or annihilate the enemy.

Military jihad cannot be pursued for personal ambition or to further nationalistic or ethnic disputes. Muslims cannot wage war on nations that have no hostility towards them (60:8). But if there is open hostility and attack, Muslims have a right to defend themselves.

The Prophet and the early caliphs specifically warned military leaders and all combatants that they must not act treacherously or engage in indiscriminate killing and pillage. He said:

Do not kill women, children, the elderly, or the sick. Do not destroy palm trees or burn houses.

Because of these teachings, Muslims have had legal and ethical guidelines throughout much of history to help limit human suffering caused by war.

The Torah

Suzanne D. Rutland, University of Sydney

Judaism is not a pacifist religion, but in its traditions it values peace above all else, and prayers for peace are central to Jewish liturgy. At the same time, there is a recognition of the need to fight defensive wars, but only within certain boundaries.

In the Torah, the Five Books of Moses, the recognition of the need for war is clear. Throughout their journeying in the desert, the Israelites (Children of Israel) fight various battles. At the same time, in Deuteronomy, the Israelites are instructed (chapter 12, verse 10):

When you go forth against your enemies and are in camp, then you should keep yourself from every evil thing.

The story of Amalek is the symbol of ultimate evil in Jewish tradition. Scholars argue this is because his army attacked the Israelites from the rear – killing defenceless women and children.

The Torah also stresses that army service is compulsory. Yet, Deuteronomy elaborates four categories of people who are exempt:
- someone who has built a home but has not yet dedicated it
- someone who has planted a vineyard but has not yet eaten of its fruit
- someone who is engaged or in his first year of marriage
- someone who is afraid, in case he influences other soldiers with his fear.
Judaism is not a pacifist religion, but in its traditions it values peace above all else.
Shutterstock

It is important to point out that the disdain of war is so strong that King David was not permitted to build the temple in Jerusalem because of his military career. His son, Solomon, was allocated this task, but no iron was to be used in the building because this represented war and violence, while the temple was to represent peace, the ideal virtue.

The vision of peace for all humanity is further developed in the prophetic writings and the concept of the Messiah. This is seen particularly in the writings of the prophet Isiah, who envisaged an age when, as he describes in his idyllic vision:

they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

The Mishnah, the first part of the Talmud, raises the concept of an “obligatory war” (milhemet mizvah). This encompasses the biblical wars against the seven nations said to inhabit the Promised Land, the war against Amalek, and the Jewish nation’s defensive wars. It is, accordingly, a clearly defined and recognisable class.

Not so the second category, “permitted war” (milhemet reshut), which is more open-ended and, as scholar Avi Ravitsky writes, “could relate to a preemptive war”.

After the Talmudic period, which ended in the 7th century, this debate became theoretical, since Jews living in Palestine and the diaspora no longer had an army. This was largely the case from the time of the defeat of the Bar Kokhba Rebellion against the Romans (132–135 CE), apart from a few small Jewish kingdoms in Arabia.

However, with the return of the early Zionist pioneers to the Land of Israel in the late 19th and 20th century, the rabbinic debates of what constitutes an obligatory, defensive war and what is a permitted war, as well as the characteristics of a forbidden war has reignited. This is a subject of deep concern and controversy for both academics and rabbis today.

Robyn J. Whitaker is affiliated with The Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy.

Mehmet Ozalp is affiliated with Islamic Sciences and Research Academy

Suzanne Rutland has received an Australian Research Council grant for her research on the Australian Jewry and funding from the Pratt Foundation, as well as an Australian Prime Ministers Centre (APMC) fellowship for her research on Soviet Jewry and Australia. She is also involved with numerous NGOs, including the Australian Jewish Historical Society (patron), the Australian Association for Jewish Studies (past president and committee member), and the Australian government’s expert delegation to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. In addition, she is a board member of the Freilich Project for the Study of Bigotry at ANU; she is on an academic advisory committee at the Sydney Jewish Museum; she is the director of the Australian Academic Alliance Against Antisemitism; and she is an Australian board member for Boys Town Jerusalem and a board member of Better Balance Futures for faith communities These roles are all undertaken in an honorary capacity. She is also writing the history of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry in an honorary capacity.

– ref. What do the Bible, the Quran and the Torah say about the justification for war? – https://theconversation.com/what-do-the-bible-the-quran-and-the-torah-say-about-the-justification-for-war-259679
MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –
June 27, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: New Warren Report: “Bad Medicine: RFK Jr.’s Dirty Dozen Antivax Attacks”
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
June 26, 2025

As key vaccine panel meets, Sen. Warren highlights a dozen actions by RFK Jr. to undermine access to vaccines, endangering millions of Americans

“By breaking promises, distorting facts, and pushing out mainstream vaccine experts and disregarding their views while installing anti-vaccination zealots, RFK Jr. has jeopardized the health of millions.”

Report (PDF)

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) published a new report entitled “Bad Medicine: RFK Jr.’s Dirty Dozen Antivax Attacks,” underscoring the key ways Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. (RFK Jr.) has undermined vaccine access and confidence in vaccines and jeopardized Americans’ health. The report was published during the first meeting of the new Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), which RFK Jr. gutted and replaced with members who will advance his own anti-vaccine agenda.

“Americans should watch carefully to ensure that RFK Jr. and his hand-picked committee do not further undermine public health,” wrote Senator Warren.

Senator Warren’s “dirty dozen” list of anti-vaccine activities that occurred under RFK Jr.’s watch includes:

“Burying” a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that “emphasized the importance of vaccinating people against the highly contagious and potentially deadly disease,” measles. The report, originally set to be released amidst a growing measles outbreak, found that the risk of contracting measles was high in communities near outbreaks with low vaccination rates.

Promoting pseudoscience remedies and falsehoods while downplaying threats from measles as an outbreak swept across the country. Kennedy falsely claimed that the measles vaccine had not been “safely tested” and that its protection was short-lived. Kennedy pushed false information on X that “cod liver oil” and “Vitamin A” would be an effective treatment. As a result, some unvaccinated children who “were given so much Vitamin A…had signs of liver damage.” After the first death from the disease, he claimed that the outbreak was “not unusual” and failed to mention vaccination as a key to stopping the outbreak.

Ending the “Let’s Get Real” vaccine campaign, which provided resources and information to health care providers for communicating and working with hesitant parents.

Removing the COVID vaccine from the CDC’s recommended immunization schedule for healthy children and pregnant women, without consulting CDC experts.

Commissioning and publishing the “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) report, advancing scientifically dubious assertions, filled with distorted research and inaccurate claims about vaccine safety. The MAHA report misleadingly claimed that vaccines are responsible for “many possible adverse events for which there is inadequate evidence to accept or reject a causal relationship.” The MAHA report also cited multiple studies that did not exist, and researchers whose papers were cited indicated that the report had misinterpreted their findings.

Canceling a promising study to develop a Bird Flu vaccine, even as the newest strain of the disease spreads, infecting more than 70 people, and public health officials become increasingly concerned about a broader outbreak.

Ending funding for a broad swath of HIV vaccine studies, potentially setting back US-led efforts to end the global AIDS pandemic by a decade.

Reneging on his promise to “work within the current vaccine approval and safety monitoring systems and maintain the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices without changes,” on February 20th, Kennedy canceled ACIP’s first public meeting of 2025, before firing all the members of the panel on June 9th. ACIP is an independent panel of experts that makes recommendations to the CDC on vaccines. Kennedy also removed the staffers who oversaw ACIP and were responsible for vetting nominees for ACIP membership, effectively leaving the CDC’s chief of staff, a Trump Administration political appointee, in charge of the committee’s planning.

Breaking his pledge not to appoint ideological anti-vaxxers to ACIP, Kennedy named eight new members to the panel, of which at least half are vaccine skeptics. According to various CDC officials, Kennedy circumvented the CDC’s process to select his new committee members.

Announcing in his first address to agency staff as HHS secretary, Kennedy said he would use the Make America Healthy Again commission to investigate the childhood vaccination schedule, despite his baseless claims that it contributes to poor health outcomes.

Hiring David Geier, a known vaccine skeptic who has promoted the debunked link between immunizations and autism, to study the theory. More than a decade ago, state regulators disciplined Grier for practicing medicine without a license.

Forcing Dr. Peter Marks, the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) top vaccine official and head of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, to step down after Dr. Marks refused to comply with Secretary Kennedy’s wish for “subservient confirmation of his misinformation and lies.”

“During his tenure as the HHS Secretary, RFK Jr. has systematically weakened the nation’s vaccine system, stoking parents’ fears and using his position to push his anti-vaccine agenda and limit access to vaccines,” wrote Senator Warren. “Vaccines are vital to protecting the lives of millions, and if Secretary Kennedy is successful in dismantling the nation’s vaccine system, the nation will face an extraordinary public health crisis.”

This week, Senator Warren slammed RFK Jr. for his “reckless” and “shortsighted” decision to fire all 17 independent members of the ACIP and replace them with his own hand-picked nominees. Ahead of today’s meeting, Senator Warren pressed RFK Jr. on his conflicts of interest and those of his appointees, raising concerns about their ability to make public health decisions that benefit Americans rather than line their own pockets.
MIL OSI USA News –
June 27, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Preparedness strategy for avian influenza outbreaks – E-002453/2025
Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-002453/2025/rev.1
to the Commission
Rule 144
Leire Pajín (S&D), César Luena (S&D), Nicolás González Casares (S&D)

The WHO has been warning that there could be an unprecedented spread of the avian influenza virus. The situation, especially in the United States and the Americas as a whole, is very worrying, and we need to step up precautionary measures as a result, since there is a high risk of human-to-human transmission. From the start of 2003 to 22 April 2025, a total of 973 cases of avian influenza in humans, of which 470 were fatal (case fatality rate of 48 %), have been reported from 25 countries globally.

As it faces this situation, the EU must step up precautions and be prepared. We would therefore like to ask the Commission the following questions:

1.How is the Commission stepping up its prevention, preparedness and response efforts in this area in conjunction with its Member States, and what cooperation mechanisms does it have with third countries?

2.How is the One Health approach being integrated into the preparedness strategy to cover the risk to food security and nutrition?

3.What progress has been made with regard to developing or acquiring H5N1 vaccines, both for animals and for humans?

Submitted: 18.6.2025
Last updated: 26 June 2025
MIL OSI Europe News –
June 27, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Global leaders unite in support of immunisation, health security and prosperity

Source: European Union 2

The EU has co-hosted with the Gates Foundation the Gavi 6.0 Pledging Summit, dedicated to securing investments in vaccination programmes. Donors pledged over €7.7 billion towards a target budget of €10.2 billion for 2026-2030. Ensuring equitable access to vaccines is a global priority.

MIL OSI Europe News –

June 27, 2025
MIL-OSI: LIS Technologies Inc. Announces Top Sponsorship of the East Tennessee Economic Council’s Nuclear Opportunities Workshop 2025 Conference
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

Chief Technology Officer Dr Viktor Chikan is scheduled to participate in a panel discussion alongside other leading enrichment executives.

Oak Ridge, Tennessee, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — LIS Technologies Inc. (“LIST” or “the Company”), a proprietary developer of advanced laser technology and the only USA-origin and patented laser uranium enrichment company, today announced that it is the Nuclear Luminary sponsor of the upcoming Nuclear Opportunuties Workshop (NOW) 2025 Conference, to be held at the Knoxville Convention Center, on July 22-23, 2025.

CTO Dr Viktor Chikan will take part in a panel discussion titled, “Nuclear Fuels – Enrichment and Fabrication,” which is scheduled to take place at 1:15pm on Tuesday, July 22^nd, 2025.

Figure 1 – LIS Technologies Inc. Announces Top Sponsorship of the East Tennessee Economic Council’s Nuclear Opportunities Workshop 2025 Conference.

“Following a successful and informative experience at the NOW 2024 conference, I’m pleased that Viktor is returning for this year’s conference and join a panel focused on strengthening America’s nuclear-fuel supply chain,” said Christo Liebenberg, CEO and Co-Founder of LIS Technologies Inc. “Establishing our headquarters in Tennessee has shown us the depth of nuclear talent within the state, and I look forward to Viktor updating attendees on LIST’s progress in revitalizing the nation’s only patented laser-uranium-enrichment process to support the existing nuclear energy industry and help usher in the next generation of advanced nuclear reactors.”

About LIS Technologies Inc.

LIS Technologies Inc. (LIST) is a USA based, proprietary developer of a patented advanced laser technology, making use of infrared lasers to selectively excite the molecules of desired isotopes to separate them from other isotopes. The Laser Isotope Separation Technology (L.I.S.T) has a huge range of applications, including being the only USA-origin (and patented) laser uranium enrichment company, and several major advantages over traditional methods such as gas diffusion, centrifuges, and prior art laser enrichment. The LIST proprietary laser-based process is more energy-efficient and has the potential to be deployed with highly competitive capital and operational costs. L.I.S.T is optimized for LEU (Low Enriched Uranium) for existing civilian nuclear power plants, High-Assay LEU (HALEU) for the next generation of Small Modular Reactors (SMR) and Microreactors, the production of stable isotopes for medical and scientific research, and applications in quantum computing manufacturing for semiconductor technologies. The Company employs a world class nuclear technical team working alongside leading nuclear entrepreneurs and industry professionals, possessing strong relationships with government and private nuclear industries.

In Dec 2024, LIS Technologies Inc. was selected as one of six domestic companies to participate in the Low-Enriched Uranium (LEU) Enrichment Acquisition Program. This initiative allocates up to $3.4 billion overall, with contracts lasting for up to 10 years. Each awardee is slated to receive a minimum contract of $2 million.

For more information please visit: LaserIsTech.com

For further information, please contact:
Email: info@laseristech.com
Telephone: 800-388-5492
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Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In this context, forward-looking statements mean statements related to future events, which may impact our expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as “expects”, “anticipates”, “intends”, “plans”, “believes”, “will”, “should”, “could”, “would” or “may” and other words of similar meaning. These forward-looking statements are based on information available to us as of the date of this news release and represent management’s current views and assumptions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, events or results and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may be beyond our control. For LIS Technologies Inc., particular risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements include but are not limited to the following which are, and will be, exacerbated by any worsening of global business and economic environment: (i) risks related to the development of new or advanced technology, including difficulties with design and testing, cost overruns, development of competitive technology, loss of key individuals and uncertainty of success of patent filing, (ii) our ability to obtain contracts and funding to be able to continue operations and (iii) risks related to uncertainty regarding our ability to commercially deploy a competitive laser enrichment technology, (iv) risks related to the impact of government regulation and policies including by the DOE and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission; and other risks and uncertainties discussed in this and our other filings with the SEC. Only after successful completion of our Phase 2 Pilot Plant demonstration will LIS Technologies be able to make realistic economic predictions for a Commercial Facility. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which apply only as of the date of this news release. These factors may not constitute all factors that could cause actual results to differ from those discussed in any forward-looking statement. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as a predictor of actual results. We do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this news release, except as required by law.

Attachment
- LIS Technologies Inc.
The MIL Network –
June 27, 2025
MIL-OSI: Rising Demand for Drones for Commercial & Military Applications Becoming a Booming Revenue Opportunity

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

PALM BEACH, Fla., June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FN Media Group News Commentary – Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) imagery service providers have been offering innovative opportunities for businesses in the construction & agriculture industries and widening their potential application base to enable predictive and actuation capabilities. These capabilities offer significant advantages, such as quality improvements, risk mitigation, and cost reduction, thereby providing a competitive advantage to adopters. Drones and their sensors provide companies with significant data, multiplying applications and capabilities within their business processes. Analyzing the obtained information improves predictive/preventive maintenance and operational intelligence. Companies increasingly adopt data management platforms to process and analyze information for detecting and classifying notable events and creating reports. A report from Grand View Research said that the global drone data services market size is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 39.0% through 2030. The market growth is attributed to the increasing need for drone information analysis amongst businesses worldwide to perform various critical tasks remotely, such as automated mapping, cadastral surveying, corridor surveying, volumetric calculations, and LiDAR mapping. Active Companies in the markets today include ZenaTech, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZENA), Ondas Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: ONDS), AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVAV), AIRO Group Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: AIRO), EHang Holdings Limited (NASDAQ: EH).

The Grand View Research report said: “Drone data service providers are expected to gain prominence by empowering companies globally to utilize UAV imagery better. This can be achieved by converting it into actionable information in simple 3D models, Digital Elevation Models (DEMs), and orthomosaic maps. An increasing number of companies are now seeking to enter the UAV software space and develop software to provide aerial imagery analysis and mapping solutions for the commercial sector. Businesses worldwide are increasingly using drones across a wide range of industries. Farmers are utilizing maps generated with drone software to identify areas of damage & crop variation, diagnose the potential causes for damages, such as pests, equipment malfunctioning, and irrigation problems, and prescribe solutions such as variable-rate nitrogen applications. The 3D modeling & DEM segment is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR of 40.5% during the forecast period. The advancements in drone technology have enabled the collection of high-resolution aerial data, which can be processed to create detailed and precise 3D models and DEMs. It has significantly enhanced the accuracy and efficiency of data analysis and decision-making processes in industries that rely on geospatial information.”

ZenaTech (NASDAQ:ZENA) Signs Offer to Acquire North Carolina Land Surveying Company to Expand State Operations and Government Customers – ZenaTech, Inc. (FSE: 49Q) (BMV: ZENA) (“ZenaTech”), a technology company specializing in AI (Artificial Intelligence) drone, Drone as a Service (DaaS), enterprise SaaS, announces it has signed an offer to acquire a well-established North Carolina-based land surveying company with a strong government customer base. The proposed acquisition expands operations in the state when combined with a previously announced proposed land survey acquisition with operations in North Carolina. With over three decades of success serving government agencies, municipal governments, construction companies, and real estate developers, this strategic acquisition would significantly advance the company’s regional market penetration as well as growth in the US Southeast.

“This proposed acquisition aligns with our strategy to build a robust, scalable, national Drone as a Service business while empowering strong regional and local hubs and recurring revenue opportunities,” said Shaun Passley, Ph.D., ZenaTech CEO. “We plan to embed AI-powered drone technology into critical land survey workflows providing unparalleled speed and precision. Land surveys are a first step to innovating multiple legacy businesses and inefficient processes with our DaaS model and our drones.”

The land survey company offers comprehensive services include boundary surveys, topographic and site planning surveys, ALTA (American Land Title Association) / ACSM (American Congress on Surveying and Mapping) surveys, construction staking, and other essential survey solutions for permitting, financing, and construction across city, county, and commercial sectors.

ZenaTech’s Drone as a Service (DaaS) business model offers both business and government customers reduced costs and convenience to utilize drones to streamline legacy processes and manual tasks such as inspections, surveying, maintenance, precision agriculture and inventory management ─ there is no need to purchase drone hardware and software, find a drone pilot, manage maintenance and operation, or acquire regulatory approvals. The model also offers scalability to use more often or less often based on business needs and utilizes ZenaDrone’s multifunction AI autonomous drones.

The company has closed five acquisitions across the US to date as part of its DaaS business model and strategy and has announced it plans to complete 20 more acquisitions in the next 12 months. Continued… Read this full release by visiting: https://www.financialnewsmedia.com/news-zena/

Other recent developments in the markets include:

Ondas Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: ONDS), a leading provider of private industrial wireless networks and commercial drone and automated data solutions, recently announced that its subsidiary, American Robotics Inc., has entered into a strategic partnership with Mistral Inc. (“Mistral”), a Maryland-based business development and defense contracting firm. The agreement focuses on joint marketing, sales, and integration of the Optimus drone system and Iron Drone Raider into the United States defense and homeland security markets.

Under the agreement, Mistral will support American Robotics’ business development by opening sales channels through its well-established relationships with U.S. governmental buyers, including federal, state, local law enforcement, military, and homeland security entities. The initial term of the agreement is three years, with an automatic renewal option and a structured success fee model based on realized sales.

AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVAV) (“AeroVironment” or the “Company”) recently reported financial results for the fiscal fourth quarter and year ended April 30, 2025.

Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year Highlights Were: Record fourth quarter revenue of $275.1 million and fiscal year revenue of $820.6, up 40% and 14% year-over-year, respectively; Fourth quarter and fiscal year net income of $16.7 million and $43.6 million, respectively and record fourth quarter and fiscal year non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA of $61.6 million and $146.4 million, respectively; and Record fiscal year bookings of $1.2 billion

“AeroVironment finished out fiscal year 2025 with a remarkable fourth quarter, which included record revenue, significantly higher profits and a robust backlog nearly double that from fiscal year 2024,” said Wahid Nawabi, AeroVironment chairman, president and chief executive officer. “The investments we’ve consistently made in our multi-generational Uncrewed Systems and Loitering Munition Systems products coupled with our strong execution, continue to pay off, as evidenced by significantly higher demand and key strategic wins leading to a record $1.2 billion in total bookings throughout this fiscal year.”

Nawabi continued, “Our acquisition of BlueHalo further advances our leadership position within the defense-technology sector by adding a complementary portfolio of innovative products and capabilities aligned to our customers’ highest priorities. With integrated solutions across every domain of modern warfare, enhanced innovation and domestic manufacturing scale, we believe we are well positioned to meet the rising demand across the globe and drive strong growth and value creation in fiscal year 2026 and beyond.”

AIRO Group Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: AIRO) recently announced that Company executives, including Executive Chairman and Co-Founder Dr. Chirinjeev Kathuria and CEO and Co-Founder Joe Burns, attended the 55th edition of the Paris Air Show, which took place from June 16 to June 22, 2025, in Paris, France.

Shares of AIRO common stock began trading on the Nasdaq Global Market under the ticker symbol “AIRO” on June 13, 2025. AIRO’s market debut comes amid strong historical financial performance for the Company and underscores its commitment to an integrated portfolio of cutting-edge technologies, including the development of fully autonomous AI-enabled surveillance drones, eVTOL hybrid and electric cargo aircraft, advanced avionics systems and comprehensive flight operations training solutions. In 2024, AIRO achieved over $86 million in revenue, reflecting growth of more than 100% from the previous year. This increase is attributed to an increase in drone shipments and support revenue driven by market entry strategies to target NATO member countries.

“The strength of AIRO lies in its diversified yet complementary portfolio of products and services, all centered around a unified aerospace and defense ecosystem,” said Executive Chairman, Dr. Chirinjeev Kathuria. “AIRO’s complementary business segments, with strategic locations in the US, Canada, and Europe, provide unparalleled access for our global client base. With significant year-over-year revenue and EBITDA growth, we believe our offerings are essential for both current and future operational landscapes.”

EHang Holdings Limited (NASDAQ: EH), the world’s leading Urban Air Mobility (“UAM”) technology platform company, recently announced the expansion of its strategic partnership with Gotion High-Tech Co., Ltd. (“Gotion”), a leading innovator in power battery solutions. Building on a power system framework agreement signed in December 2023, this enhanced collaboration marks a significant step forward in powering the electric vertical take-off and landing (“eVTOL”) aircraft. Under the upgraded partnership, the two companies will jointly advance the development of power systems for EHang’s flagship EH216 series of pilotless eVTOL aircraft, with plans to extend their collaboration to future aircraft models. By leveraging cutting-edge battery technologies, the partnership aims to accelerate the advancement of a safe, intelligent, and sustainable low-altitude transportation ecosystem and contribute to the high-quality development of the low-altitude economy.

As part of the agreement, Gotion will deliver a customized battery solution tailored to the EH216 series. At the core of the solution is Gotion’s newly developed 46-series cylindrical battery cell, which offers high energy density and robust power output. The next-generation battery system is expected to significantly enhance the EH216 series aircraft in flight range, thrust performance, and operational safety — further improving the aircraft’s efficiency across a variety of use cases and strengthening its readiness for future scaled commercial deployment.

About FN Media Group:

At FN Media Group, via our top-rated online news portal at www.financialnewsmedia.com, we are one of the very few select firms providing top tier one syndicated news distribution, targeted ticker tag press releases and stock market news coverage for today’s emerging companies. #tickertagpressreleases #pressreleases

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DISCLAIMER: FN Media Group LLC (FNM), which owns and operates FinancialNewsMedia.com and MarketNewsUpdates.com, is a third party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. FNM is NOT affiliated in any manner with any company mentioned herein. FNM and its affiliated companies are a news dissemination solutions provider and are NOT a registered broker/dealer/analyst/adviser, holds no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security. FNM’s market updates, news alerts and corporate profiles are NOT a solicitation or recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities. The material in this release is intended to be strictly informational and is NEVER to be construed or interpreted as research material. All readers are strongly urged to perform research and due diligence on their own and consult a licensed financial professional before considering any level of investing in stocks. All material included herein is republished content and details which were previously disseminated by the companies mentioned in this release. FNM is not liable for any investment decisions by its readers or subscribers. Investors are cautioned that they may lose all or a portion of their investment when investing in stocks. For current services performed FNM has been compensated fifty one hundred dollars for news coverage of the current press releases issued by ZenaTech, Inc. by the Company. FNM HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. “Forward-looking statements” describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as “may”, “future”, “plan” or “planned”, “will” or “should”, “expected,” “anticipates”, “draft”, “eventually” or “projected”. You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company’s annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and FNM undertakes no obligation to update such statements.

Contact Information:

Media Contact email: editor@financialnewsmedia.com – +1(561)325-8757

SOURCE: FN Media Group

The MIL Network –

June 27, 2025
MIL-OSI: Rising Demand for Drones for Commercial & Military Applications Becoming a Booming Revenue Opportunity

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

PALM BEACH, Fla., June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FN Media Group News Commentary – Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) imagery service providers have been offering innovative opportunities for businesses in the construction & agriculture industries and widening their potential application base to enable predictive and actuation capabilities. These capabilities offer significant advantages, such as quality improvements, risk mitigation, and cost reduction, thereby providing a competitive advantage to adopters. Drones and their sensors provide companies with significant data, multiplying applications and capabilities within their business processes. Analyzing the obtained information improves predictive/preventive maintenance and operational intelligence. Companies increasingly adopt data management platforms to process and analyze information for detecting and classifying notable events and creating reports. A report from Grand View Research said that the global drone data services market size is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 39.0% through 2030. The market growth is attributed to the increasing need for drone information analysis amongst businesses worldwide to perform various critical tasks remotely, such as automated mapping, cadastral surveying, corridor surveying, volumetric calculations, and LiDAR mapping. Active Companies in the markets today include ZenaTech, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZENA), Ondas Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: ONDS), AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVAV), AIRO Group Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: AIRO), EHang Holdings Limited (NASDAQ: EH).

The Grand View Research report said: “Drone data service providers are expected to gain prominence by empowering companies globally to utilize UAV imagery better. This can be achieved by converting it into actionable information in simple 3D models, Digital Elevation Models (DEMs), and orthomosaic maps. An increasing number of companies are now seeking to enter the UAV software space and develop software to provide aerial imagery analysis and mapping solutions for the commercial sector. Businesses worldwide are increasingly using drones across a wide range of industries. Farmers are utilizing maps generated with drone software to identify areas of damage & crop variation, diagnose the potential causes for damages, such as pests, equipment malfunctioning, and irrigation problems, and prescribe solutions such as variable-rate nitrogen applications. The 3D modeling & DEM segment is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR of 40.5% during the forecast period. The advancements in drone technology have enabled the collection of high-resolution aerial data, which can be processed to create detailed and precise 3D models and DEMs. It has significantly enhanced the accuracy and efficiency of data analysis and decision-making processes in industries that rely on geospatial information.”

ZenaTech (NASDAQ:ZENA) Signs Offer to Acquire North Carolina Land Surveying Company to Expand State Operations and Government Customers – ZenaTech, Inc. (FSE: 49Q) (BMV: ZENA) (“ZenaTech”), a technology company specializing in AI (Artificial Intelligence) drone, Drone as a Service (DaaS), enterprise SaaS, announces it has signed an offer to acquire a well-established North Carolina-based land surveying company with a strong government customer base. The proposed acquisition expands operations in the state when combined with a previously announced proposed land survey acquisition with operations in North Carolina. With over three decades of success serving government agencies, municipal governments, construction companies, and real estate developers, this strategic acquisition would significantly advance the company’s regional market penetration as well as growth in the US Southeast.

“This proposed acquisition aligns with our strategy to build a robust, scalable, national Drone as a Service business while empowering strong regional and local hubs and recurring revenue opportunities,” said Shaun Passley, Ph.D., ZenaTech CEO. “We plan to embed AI-powered drone technology into critical land survey workflows providing unparalleled speed and precision. Land surveys are a first step to innovating multiple legacy businesses and inefficient processes with our DaaS model and our drones.”

The land survey company offers comprehensive services include boundary surveys, topographic and site planning surveys, ALTA (American Land Title Association) / ACSM (American Congress on Surveying and Mapping) surveys, construction staking, and other essential survey solutions for permitting, financing, and construction across city, county, and commercial sectors.

ZenaTech’s Drone as a Service (DaaS) business model offers both business and government customers reduced costs and convenience to utilize drones to streamline legacy processes and manual tasks such as inspections, surveying, maintenance, precision agriculture and inventory management ─ there is no need to purchase drone hardware and software, find a drone pilot, manage maintenance and operation, or acquire regulatory approvals. The model also offers scalability to use more often or less often based on business needs and utilizes ZenaDrone’s multifunction AI autonomous drones.

The company has closed five acquisitions across the US to date as part of its DaaS business model and strategy and has announced it plans to complete 20 more acquisitions in the next 12 months. Continued… Read this full release by visiting: https://www.financialnewsmedia.com/news-zena/

Other recent developments in the markets include:

Ondas Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: ONDS), a leading provider of private industrial wireless networks and commercial drone and automated data solutions, recently announced that its subsidiary, American Robotics Inc., has entered into a strategic partnership with Mistral Inc. (“Mistral”), a Maryland-based business development and defense contracting firm. The agreement focuses on joint marketing, sales, and integration of the Optimus drone system and Iron Drone Raider into the United States defense and homeland security markets.

Under the agreement, Mistral will support American Robotics’ business development by opening sales channels through its well-established relationships with U.S. governmental buyers, including federal, state, local law enforcement, military, and homeland security entities. The initial term of the agreement is three years, with an automatic renewal option and a structured success fee model based on realized sales.

AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVAV) (“AeroVironment” or the “Company”) recently reported financial results for the fiscal fourth quarter and year ended April 30, 2025.

Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year Highlights Were: Record fourth quarter revenue of $275.1 million and fiscal year revenue of $820.6, up 40% and 14% year-over-year, respectively; Fourth quarter and fiscal year net income of $16.7 million and $43.6 million, respectively and record fourth quarter and fiscal year non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA of $61.6 million and $146.4 million, respectively; and Record fiscal year bookings of $1.2 billion

“AeroVironment finished out fiscal year 2025 with a remarkable fourth quarter, which included record revenue, significantly higher profits and a robust backlog nearly double that from fiscal year 2024,” said Wahid Nawabi, AeroVironment chairman, president and chief executive officer. “The investments we’ve consistently made in our multi-generational Uncrewed Systems and Loitering Munition Systems products coupled with our strong execution, continue to pay off, as evidenced by significantly higher demand and key strategic wins leading to a record $1.2 billion in total bookings throughout this fiscal year.”

Nawabi continued, “Our acquisition of BlueHalo further advances our leadership position within the defense-technology sector by adding a complementary portfolio of innovative products and capabilities aligned to our customers’ highest priorities. With integrated solutions across every domain of modern warfare, enhanced innovation and domestic manufacturing scale, we believe we are well positioned to meet the rising demand across the globe and drive strong growth and value creation in fiscal year 2026 and beyond.”

AIRO Group Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: AIRO) recently announced that Company executives, including Executive Chairman and Co-Founder Dr. Chirinjeev Kathuria and CEO and Co-Founder Joe Burns, attended the 55th edition of the Paris Air Show, which took place from June 16 to June 22, 2025, in Paris, France.

Shares of AIRO common stock began trading on the Nasdaq Global Market under the ticker symbol “AIRO” on June 13, 2025. AIRO’s market debut comes amid strong historical financial performance for the Company and underscores its commitment to an integrated portfolio of cutting-edge technologies, including the development of fully autonomous AI-enabled surveillance drones, eVTOL hybrid and electric cargo aircraft, advanced avionics systems and comprehensive flight operations training solutions. In 2024, AIRO achieved over $86 million in revenue, reflecting growth of more than 100% from the previous year. This increase is attributed to an increase in drone shipments and support revenue driven by market entry strategies to target NATO member countries.

“The strength of AIRO lies in its diversified yet complementary portfolio of products and services, all centered around a unified aerospace and defense ecosystem,” said Executive Chairman, Dr. Chirinjeev Kathuria. “AIRO’s complementary business segments, with strategic locations in the US, Canada, and Europe, provide unparalleled access for our global client base. With significant year-over-year revenue and EBITDA growth, we believe our offerings are essential for both current and future operational landscapes.”

EHang Holdings Limited (NASDAQ: EH), the world’s leading Urban Air Mobility (“UAM”) technology platform company, recently announced the expansion of its strategic partnership with Gotion High-Tech Co., Ltd. (“Gotion”), a leading innovator in power battery solutions. Building on a power system framework agreement signed in December 2023, this enhanced collaboration marks a significant step forward in powering the electric vertical take-off and landing (“eVTOL”) aircraft. Under the upgraded partnership, the two companies will jointly advance the development of power systems for EHang’s flagship EH216 series of pilotless eVTOL aircraft, with plans to extend their collaboration to future aircraft models. By leveraging cutting-edge battery technologies, the partnership aims to accelerate the advancement of a safe, intelligent, and sustainable low-altitude transportation ecosystem and contribute to the high-quality development of the low-altitude economy.

As part of the agreement, Gotion will deliver a customized battery solution tailored to the EH216 series. At the core of the solution is Gotion’s newly developed 46-series cylindrical battery cell, which offers high energy density and robust power output. The next-generation battery system is expected to significantly enhance the EH216 series aircraft in flight range, thrust performance, and operational safety — further improving the aircraft’s efficiency across a variety of use cases and strengthening its readiness for future scaled commercial deployment.

About FN Media Group:

At FN Media Group, via our top-rated online news portal at www.financialnewsmedia.com, we are one of the very few select firms providing top tier one syndicated news distribution, targeted ticker tag press releases and stock market news coverage for today’s emerging companies. #tickertagpressreleases #pressreleases

Follow us on Facebook to receive the latest news updates: https://www.facebook.com/financialnewsmedia

Follow us on Twitter for real time Market News: https://twitter.com/FNMgroup

Follow us on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/financialnewsmedia/

DISCLAIMER: FN Media Group LLC (FNM), which owns and operates FinancialNewsMedia.com and MarketNewsUpdates.com, is a third party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. FNM is NOT affiliated in any manner with any company mentioned herein. FNM and its affiliated companies are a news dissemination solutions provider and are NOT a registered broker/dealer/analyst/adviser, holds no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security. FNM’s market updates, news alerts and corporate profiles are NOT a solicitation or recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities. The material in this release is intended to be strictly informational and is NEVER to be construed or interpreted as research material. All readers are strongly urged to perform research and due diligence on their own and consult a licensed financial professional before considering any level of investing in stocks. All material included herein is republished content and details which were previously disseminated by the companies mentioned in this release. FNM is not liable for any investment decisions by its readers or subscribers. Investors are cautioned that they may lose all or a portion of their investment when investing in stocks. For current services performed FNM has been compensated fifty one hundred dollars for news coverage of the current press releases issued by ZenaTech, Inc. by the Company. FNM HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. “Forward-looking statements” describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as “may”, “future”, “plan” or “planned”, “will” or “should”, “expected,” “anticipates”, “draft”, “eventually” or “projected”. You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company’s annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and FNM undertakes no obligation to update such statements.

Contact Information:

Media Contact email: editor@financialnewsmedia.com – +1(561)325-8757

SOURCE: FN Media Group

The MIL Network –

June 27, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines: FDA Safety Communication – FDA Approves Required Updated Warning in Labeling Regarding Myocarditis and Pericarditis Following Vaccination

Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3

AUDIENCE: Pediatrics, Pharmacy, Family Practice, Internal Medicine, Cardiology
ISSUE: FDA has required and approved updates to the Prescribing Information for Comirnaty (COVID-19 Vaccine, mRNA) manufactured by Pfizer Inc. and Spikevax (COVID-19 Vaccine, mRNA) manufactured ModernaTX, Inc. to include new safety information about the risks of myocarditis and pericarditis following administration of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines.
Specifically, FDA has required each manufacturer to update the warning about the risks of myocarditis and pericarditis to include information about

the estimated unadjusted incidence of myocarditis and/or pericarditis following administration of the 2023-2024 Formula of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines and
the results of a study that collected information on cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cardiac MRI) in people who developed myocarditis after receiving an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine.

FDA also required each manufacturer to describe the new safety information in the Adverse Reactions section of the Prescribing Information and in the Information for Recipients and Caregivers.
The Fact Sheets for Healthcare Providers and for Recipients and Caregivers for Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19, which are authorized for emergency use in individuals 6 months through 11 years of age, have also been updated to include the new safety information in alignment with the Comirnaty and Spikevax Prescribing Information and Information for Recipients and Caregivers.
BACKGROUND: Information about myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) and pericarditis (inflammation of the lining outside the heart) following vaccination with these mRNA COVID-19 vaccines has been included in the labeling since 2021. FDA closely monitors the safety of all vaccines, including the COVID-19 vaccines, during postmarket use.
RECOMMENDATION:

Suspected adverse events may be reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), which is co-managed by the FDA and the CDC.

[6/25/2025 – FDA Safety Communication – FDA]

Content current as of:
06/25/2025

Regulated Product(s)

MIL OSI USA News –

June 27, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines: FDA Safety Communication – FDA Approves Required Updated Warning in Labeling Regarding Myocarditis and Pericarditis Following Vaccination

Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3

AUDIENCE: Pediatrics, Pharmacy, Family Practice, Internal Medicine, Cardiology
ISSUE: FDA has required and approved updates to the Prescribing Information for Comirnaty (COVID-19 Vaccine, mRNA) manufactured by Pfizer Inc. and Spikevax (COVID-19 Vaccine, mRNA) manufactured ModernaTX, Inc. to include new safety information about the risks of myocarditis and pericarditis following administration of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines.
Specifically, FDA has required each manufacturer to update the warning about the risks of myocarditis and pericarditis to include information about

the estimated unadjusted incidence of myocarditis and/or pericarditis following administration of the 2023-2024 Formula of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines and
the results of a study that collected information on cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cardiac MRI) in people who developed myocarditis after receiving an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine.

FDA also required each manufacturer to describe the new safety information in the Adverse Reactions section of the Prescribing Information and in the Information for Recipients and Caregivers.
The Fact Sheets for Healthcare Providers and for Recipients and Caregivers for Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19, which are authorized for emergency use in individuals 6 months through 11 years of age, have also been updated to include the new safety information in alignment with the Comirnaty and Spikevax Prescribing Information and Information for Recipients and Caregivers.
BACKGROUND: Information about myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) and pericarditis (inflammation of the lining outside the heart) following vaccination with these mRNA COVID-19 vaccines has been included in the labeling since 2021. FDA closely monitors the safety of all vaccines, including the COVID-19 vaccines, during postmarket use.
RECOMMENDATION:

Suspected adverse events may be reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), which is co-managed by the FDA and the CDC.

[6/25/2025 – FDA Safety Communication – FDA]

Content current as of:
06/25/2025

Regulated Product(s)

MIL OSI USA News –

June 27, 2025
MIL-OSI Analysis: I’m a physician who has looked at hundreds of studies of vaccine safety, and here’s some of what RFK Jr. gets wrong

Source: The Conversation – USA – By Jake Scott, Clinical Associate Professor of Infectious Diseases, Stanford University

Public health experts worry that factually inaccurate statements by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. threaten the public’s confidence in vaccines. Andrew HarnikGetty Images

In the four months since he began serving as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has made many public statements about vaccines that have cast doubt on their safety and on the objectivity of long-standing processes established to evaluate them.

Many of these statements are factually incorrect. For example, in a newscast aired on June 12, 2025, Kennedy told Fox News viewers that 97% of federal vaccine advisers are on the take. In the same interview, he also claimed that children receive 92 mandatory shots. He has also widely claimed that only COVID-19 vaccines, not other vaccines in use by both children and adults, were ever tested against placebos and that “nobody has any idea” how safe routine immunizations are.

As an infectious disease physician who curates an open database of hundreds of controlled vaccine trials involving over 6 million participants, I am intimately familiar with the decades of research on vaccine safety. I believe it is important to correct the record – especially because these statements come from the official who now oversees the agencies charged with protecting Americans’ health.

Do children really receive 92 mandatory shots?

In 1986, the childhood vaccine schedule contained about 11 doses protecting against seven diseases. Today, it includes roughly 50 injections covering 16 diseases. State school entry laws typically require 30 to 32 shots across 10 to 12 diseases. No state mandates COVID-19 vaccination. Where Kennedy’s “92 mandatory shots” figure comes from is unclear, but the actual number is significantly lower.

From a safety standpoint, the more important question is whether today’s schedule with additional vaccines might be too taxing for children’s immune systems. It isn’t, because as vaccine technology improved over the past several decades, the number of antigens in each vaccine dose is much lower than before.

Antigens are the molecules in vaccines that trigger a response from the immune system, training it to identify the specific pathogen. Some vaccines contain a minute amount of aluminum salt that serves as an adjuvant – a helper ingredient that improves the quality and staying power of the immune response, so each dose can protect with less antigen.

Those 11 doses in 1986 delivered more than 3,000 antigens and 1.5 milligrams of aluminum over 18 years. Today’s complete schedule delivers roughly 165 antigens – which is a 95% reduction – and 5-6 milligrams of aluminum in the same time frame. A single smallpox inoculation in 1900 exposed a child to more antigens than today’s complete series.

Jonas Salk, the inventor of the polio vaccine, administers a dose to a boy in 1954.
Underwood Archives via Getty Images

Since 1986, the United States has introduced vaccines against Haemophilus influenzae type b, hepatitis A and B, chickenpox, pneumococcal disease, rotavirus and human papillomavirus. Each addition represents a life-saving advance.

The incidence of Haemophilus influenzae type b, a bacterial infection that can cause pneumonia, meningitis and other severe diseases, has dropped by 99% in infants. Pediatric hepatitis infections are down more than 90%, and chickenpox hospitalizations are down about 90%. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that vaccinating children born from 1994 to 2023 will avert 508 million illnesses and 1,129,000 premature deaths.

Placebo testing for vaccines

Kennedy has asserted that only COVID-19 vaccines have undergone rigorous safety trials in which they were tested against placebos. This is categorically wrong.

Of the 378 controlled trials in our database, 195 compared volunteers’ response to a vaccine with their response to a placebo. Of those, 159 gave volunteers only a salt water solution or another inert substance. Another 36 gave them just the adjuvant without any viral or bacterial material, as a way to see whether there were side effects from the antigen itself or the injection. Every routine childhood vaccine antigen appears in at least one such study.

The 1954 Salk polio trial, one of the largest clinical trials in medical history, enrolled more than 600,000 children and tested the vaccine by comparing it with a salt water control. Similar trials, which used a substance that has no biological effect as a control, were used to test Haemophilus influenzae type b, pneumococcal, rotavirus, influenza and HPV vaccines.

Once an effective vaccine exists, ethics boards require new versions be compared against that licensed standard because withholding proven protection from children would be unethical.

How unknown is the safety of widely used vaccines?

Kennedy has insisted on multiple occasions that “nobody has any idea” about vaccine safety profiles. Of the 378 trials in our database, the vast majority published detailed safety outcomes.

Beyond trials, the U.S. operates the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, the Vaccine Safety Datalink and the PRISM network to monitor hundreds of millions of doses for rare problems. The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System works like an open mailbox where anyone – patients, parents, clinicians – can report a post-shot problem; the Vaccine Safety Datalink analyzes anonymized electronic health records from large health care systems to spot patterns; and PRISM scans billions of insurance claims in near-real time to confirm or rule out rare safety signals.

These systems led health officials to pull the first rotavirus vaccine in 1999 after it was linked to bowel obstruction, and to restrict the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine in 2021 after rare clotting events. Few drug classes undergo such continuous surveillance and are subject to such swift corrective action when genuine risks emerge.

The conflicts of interest claim

On June 9, Kennedy took the unprecedented step of dissolving vetted members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, the expert body that advises the CDC on national vaccine policy. He has claimed repeatedly that the vast majority of serving members of the committee – 97% – had extensive conflicts of interest because of their entanglements with the pharmaceutical industry. Kennedy bases that number on a 2009 federal audit of conflict-of-interest paperwork, but that report looked at 17 CDC advisory committees, not specifically this vaccine committee. And it found no pervasive wrongdoing – 97% of disclosure forms only contained routine paperwork mistakes, such as information in the wrong box or a missing initial, and not hidden financial ties.

Reuters examined data from Open Payments, a government website that discloses health care providers’ relationships with industry, for all 17 voting members of the committee who were dismissed. Six received no more than US$80 from drugmakers over seven years, and four had no payments at all.

The remaining seven members accepted between $4,000 and $55,000 over seven years, mostly for modest consulting or travel. In other words, just 41% of the committee received anything more than pocket change from drugmakers. Committee members must divest vaccine company stock and recuse themselves from votes involving conflicts.

A term without a meaning

Kennedy has warned that vaccines cause “immune deregulation,” a term that has no basis in immunology. Vaccines train the immune system, and the diseases they prevent are the real threats to immune function.

Measles can wipe immune memory, leaving children vulnerable to other infections for years. COVID-19 can trigger multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children. Chronic hepatitis B can cause immune-mediated organ damage. Preventing these conditions protects people from immune system damage.

Today’s vaccine panel doesn’t just prevent infections; it deters doctor visits and thereby reduces unnecessary prescriptions for “just-in-case” antibiotics. It’s one of the rare places in medicine where physicians like me now do more good with less biological burden than we did 40 years ago.

The evidence is clear and publicly available: Vaccines have dramatically reduced childhood illness, disability and death on a historic scale.

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

– ref. I’m a physician who has looked at hundreds of studies of vaccine safety, and here’s some of what RFK Jr. gets wrong – https://theconversation.com/im-a-physician-who-has-looked-at-hundreds-of-studies-of-vaccine-safety-and-heres-some-of-what-rfk-jr-gets-wrong-259659

MIL OSI Analysis –

June 27, 2025
MIL-OSI Analysis: I’m a physician who has looked at hundreds of studies of vaccine safety, and here’s some of what RFK Jr. gets wrong

Source: The Conversation – USA – By Jake Scott, Clinical Associate Professor of Infectious Diseases, Stanford University

Public health experts worry that factually inaccurate statements by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. threaten the public’s confidence in vaccines. Andrew HarnikGetty Images

In the four months since he began serving as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has made many public statements about vaccines that have cast doubt on their safety and on the objectivity of long-standing processes established to evaluate them.

Many of these statements are factually incorrect. For example, in a newscast aired on June 12, 2025, Kennedy told Fox News viewers that 97% of federal vaccine advisers are on the take. In the same interview, he also claimed that children receive 92 mandatory shots. He has also widely claimed that only COVID-19 vaccines, not other vaccines in use by both children and adults, were ever tested against placebos and that “nobody has any idea” how safe routine immunizations are.

As an infectious disease physician who curates an open database of hundreds of controlled vaccine trials involving over 6 million participants, I am intimately familiar with the decades of research on vaccine safety. I believe it is important to correct the record – especially because these statements come from the official who now oversees the agencies charged with protecting Americans’ health.

Do children really receive 92 mandatory shots?

In 1986, the childhood vaccine schedule contained about 11 doses protecting against seven diseases. Today, it includes roughly 50 injections covering 16 diseases. State school entry laws typically require 30 to 32 shots across 10 to 12 diseases. No state mandates COVID-19 vaccination. Where Kennedy’s “92 mandatory shots” figure comes from is unclear, but the actual number is significantly lower.

From a safety standpoint, the more important question is whether today’s schedule with additional vaccines might be too taxing for children’s immune systems. It isn’t, because as vaccine technology improved over the past several decades, the number of antigens in each vaccine dose is much lower than before.

Antigens are the molecules in vaccines that trigger a response from the immune system, training it to identify the specific pathogen. Some vaccines contain a minute amount of aluminum salt that serves as an adjuvant – a helper ingredient that improves the quality and staying power of the immune response, so each dose can protect with less antigen.

Those 11 doses in 1986 delivered more than 3,000 antigens and 1.5 milligrams of aluminum over 18 years. Today’s complete schedule delivers roughly 165 antigens – which is a 95% reduction – and 5-6 milligrams of aluminum in the same time frame. A single smallpox inoculation in 1900 exposed a child to more antigens than today’s complete series.

Jonas Salk, the inventor of the polio vaccine, administers a dose to a boy in 1954.
Underwood Archives via Getty Images

Since 1986, the United States has introduced vaccines against Haemophilus influenzae type b, hepatitis A and B, chickenpox, pneumococcal disease, rotavirus and human papillomavirus. Each addition represents a life-saving advance.

The incidence of Haemophilus influenzae type b, a bacterial infection that can cause pneumonia, meningitis and other severe diseases, has dropped by 99% in infants. Pediatric hepatitis infections are down more than 90%, and chickenpox hospitalizations are down about 90%. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that vaccinating children born from 1994 to 2023 will avert 508 million illnesses and 1,129,000 premature deaths.

Placebo testing for vaccines

Kennedy has asserted that only COVID-19 vaccines have undergone rigorous safety trials in which they were tested against placebos. This is categorically wrong.

Of the 378 controlled trials in our database, 195 compared volunteers’ response to a vaccine with their response to a placebo. Of those, 159 gave volunteers only a salt water solution or another inert substance. Another 36 gave them just the adjuvant without any viral or bacterial material, as a way to see whether there were side effects from the antigen itself or the injection. Every routine childhood vaccine antigen appears in at least one such study.

The 1954 Salk polio trial, one of the largest clinical trials in medical history, enrolled more than 600,000 children and tested the vaccine by comparing it with a salt water control. Similar trials, which used a substance that has no biological effect as a control, were used to test Haemophilus influenzae type b, pneumococcal, rotavirus, influenza and HPV vaccines.

Once an effective vaccine exists, ethics boards require new versions be compared against that licensed standard because withholding proven protection from children would be unethical.

How unknown is the safety of widely used vaccines?

Kennedy has insisted on multiple occasions that “nobody has any idea” about vaccine safety profiles. Of the 378 trials in our database, the vast majority published detailed safety outcomes.

Beyond trials, the U.S. operates the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, the Vaccine Safety Datalink and the PRISM network to monitor hundreds of millions of doses for rare problems. The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System works like an open mailbox where anyone – patients, parents, clinicians – can report a post-shot problem; the Vaccine Safety Datalink analyzes anonymized electronic health records from large health care systems to spot patterns; and PRISM scans billions of insurance claims in near-real time to confirm or rule out rare safety signals.

These systems led health officials to pull the first rotavirus vaccine in 1999 after it was linked to bowel obstruction, and to restrict the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine in 2021 after rare clotting events. Few drug classes undergo such continuous surveillance and are subject to such swift corrective action when genuine risks emerge.

The conflicts of interest claim

On June 9, Kennedy took the unprecedented step of dissolving vetted members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, the expert body that advises the CDC on national vaccine policy. He has claimed repeatedly that the vast majority of serving members of the committee – 97% – had extensive conflicts of interest because of their entanglements with the pharmaceutical industry. Kennedy bases that number on a 2009 federal audit of conflict-of-interest paperwork, but that report looked at 17 CDC advisory committees, not specifically this vaccine committee. And it found no pervasive wrongdoing – 97% of disclosure forms only contained routine paperwork mistakes, such as information in the wrong box or a missing initial, and not hidden financial ties.

Reuters examined data from Open Payments, a government website that discloses health care providers’ relationships with industry, for all 17 voting members of the committee who were dismissed. Six received no more than US$80 from drugmakers over seven years, and four had no payments at all.

The remaining seven members accepted between $4,000 and $55,000 over seven years, mostly for modest consulting or travel. In other words, just 41% of the committee received anything more than pocket change from drugmakers. Committee members must divest vaccine company stock and recuse themselves from votes involving conflicts.

A term without a meaning

Kennedy has warned that vaccines cause “immune deregulation,” a term that has no basis in immunology. Vaccines train the immune system, and the diseases they prevent are the real threats to immune function.

Measles can wipe immune memory, leaving children vulnerable to other infections for years. COVID-19 can trigger multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children. Chronic hepatitis B can cause immune-mediated organ damage. Preventing these conditions protects people from immune system damage.

Today’s vaccine panel doesn’t just prevent infections; it deters doctor visits and thereby reduces unnecessary prescriptions for “just-in-case” antibiotics. It’s one of the rare places in medicine where physicians like me now do more good with less biological burden than we did 40 years ago.

The evidence is clear and publicly available: Vaccines have dramatically reduced childhood illness, disability and death on a historic scale.

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

– ref. I’m a physician who has looked at hundreds of studies of vaccine safety, and here’s some of what RFK Jr. gets wrong – https://theconversation.com/im-a-physician-who-has-looked-at-hundreds-of-studies-of-vaccine-safety-and-heres-some-of-what-rfk-jr-gets-wrong-259659

MIL OSI Analysis –

June 27, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: World Bank loan ‘aligned with National Treasury’s principles’

Source: South Africa News Agency

The recently announced US$1.5 billion Development Policy Loan Agreement signed between the South African government and the World Bank will be used to unlock infrastructure bottlenecks in South Africa.

This according to Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni who held a post-Cabinet media briefing in Cape Town on Thursday.

National Treasury announced the loan agreement in a statement on Monday.

“Cabinet was updated on the US$1.5 billion Development Policy Loan Agreement signed between the South African government and the World Bank that will be used to ensure inclusive economic growth and job creation.

“The loan is aligned with the National Treasury’s principles that forms part of the government’s broader efforts to implement structural reforms and will be used to unlock key infrastructure bottlenecks, particularly in the energy and freight transport sectors.

“The loan support is anchored on three pillars of structural reforms: improving energy security, enhancing the efficiency and competitiveness of freight transport services and supporting South Africa’s transition toward a low carbon economy, which are the backbone of government’s priority of inclusive growth and job creation,” she said.

Turning to the South African Renewable Energy Masterplan (SAREM), Cabinet has welcomed its launch.

The masterplan was launched earlier this month and is aimed at driving localised manufacturing, skills development and job creation.

“SAREM which was approved by Cabinet in March this year, aims to support the local demand for renewable energy and drive industrial development while ensuring a just energy transition,” Ntshavheni noted.

Foot and mouth disease vaccines

Cabinet has also welcomed the arrival of “much-needed vaccines, sourced from Botswana, to combat the foot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in certain parts of the country”.

“The vaccines are being distributed and administered free of charge to the affected areas, especially in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and those farms in other provinces where the disease has been identified.

“A second batch of vaccines is on order with the Botswana Vaccine Institute,” Ntshavheni said. – SAnews.gov.za

MIL OSI Africa –

June 26, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Advice accepted on autumn 2025 COVID-19 vaccination programme
Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

Government response

Advice accepted on autumn 2025 COVID-19 vaccination programme

The government has accepted advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) for the autumn 2025 COVID-19 vaccination programme
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said:

This decision is based on expert advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), which continuously monitor and evaluate emerging scientific evidence on COVID-19 vaccines.

The autumn 2025 vaccination programme will target people who are at the highest risk of serious illness to protect the most vulnerable.

We encourage anyone who is eligible for COVID-19 vaccination to come forward for vaccination this autumn.”

Background information

On the 13th November 2024, the JCVI published advice on the COVID-19 vaccination programme for spring 2025, autumn 2025 and spring 2026. On 26th June 2025, the Government decided, in line with JCVI advice, that a COVID-19 vaccine should be offered to those in the population most vulnerable to serious outcomes from COVID-19 and who are therefore most likely to benefit from vaccination.

Vaccination will be offered in England in autumn 2025 to:

Adults aged 75 years and over

Residents in a care home for older adults

Individuals aged 6 months and over who are immunosuppressed, as defined in tables 3 and 4 of the COVID-19 chapter of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) Green Book on immunisation against infectious disease.

In line with JCVI advice, frontline health and social care workers (HSCWs) and staff working in care homes for older adults will not be eligible for COVID-19 vaccination under the national programme for autumn 2025.

This is following an extensive review by JCVI of the scientific evidence surrounding the impact of vaccination on transmission of the virus from HSCWs to patients, protection of HSCWs against symptoms of the disease, and staff sickness absences.

In the current era of high population immunity to COVID-19, additional COVID-19 doses provide very limited, if any, protection against infection and any subsequent onward transmission of infection.

For HSCWs, this means that COVID-19 vaccination likely now has only a very limited impact on reducing staff sickness absence. Therefore, the focus of the programme is now on those at greatest risk of serious disease and who are therefore most likely to benefit from vaccination.

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Published 26 June 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
June 26, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: A plot of land will be allocated in Krasnopakhorsky District for the construction of a logistics complex

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

A new enterprise will appear in TiNAO as part of the implementation of a large-scale investment project (MaIP). For this, the city will allocate a large land plot in Krasnopakhorsky District to the investor, said Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Urban Development Policy and Construction Vladimir Efimov.

“A universal high-tech multi-temperature logistics complex will be built in Krasnopakhorsky District. To implement this large-scale investment project, the city will allocate 10 hectares of land to the investor on the territory of the emerging food cluster. The enterprise will be able to employ 900 people. The investment amount will exceed 10 billion rubles,” said Vladimir Efimov.

Large-scale investment projects have been implemented in the capital since 2016. Moscow allocates land plots for lease for the construction of such facilities.

“On the instructions of Sergei Sobyanin, the capital continues to form sustainable cooperation links between industrial enterprises. Clustering plays a key role in this process. For example, thanks to the food cluster in the Krasnopakhorsky District, the industrial area of which will be more than 800 thousand square meters, more than 11.4 thousand new jobs will be created,” added the Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Transport and Industry Maxim Liksutov.

Investors who invest in the creation of jobs and the development of the city’s infrastructure can obtain the status of MAIP.

According to Ekaterina Solovieva, Minister of the Moscow Government, Head of the Department of City Property, the logistics complex will appear near the village of Troitskoye, where a large food cluster is currently being created. The land lease agreement is planned to be concluded for four years after the formation of the site and its registration with the state cadastral register. This is the period during which the investor must complete the construction of the facility with an area of 80 thousand square meters. The city will monitor the implementation of the large-scale investment project at all stages.

Investors have already been provided with plots of land in the emerging food cluster for the construction of a distribution center for a meat processing plant, enterprises for the production of ready meals, bakery, dairy, confectionery and other products.

Earlier, Sergei Sobyanin said that Moscow is actively developing its own production complexes.

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

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

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

https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/155847073/

MIL OSI Russia News –

June 26, 2025