Category: housing

MIL-OSI Africa: Eating wild meat carries serious health risks – why it still happens along the Kenya-Tanzania border

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Ekta Patel, Scientist, International Livestock Research Institute

Pastoralist communities, their livestock and diverse wildlife species coexist within a biodiversity-rich landscape stretching along the Kenya–Tanzania border.

However, at this wildlife-livestock interface, local communities face mounting challenges. Shifts in land use, prolonged droughts, erratic rainfall patterns and increasing land degradation are placing growing pressure on the landscape. In addition, conflict between people and wildlife is on the rise, and many households rely on wild animals for food.

Communities in the region eat a wide range of wild animals, from rodents, elephant shrews and birds to small antelopes and larger ungulates like bushbuck. This meat (“bush meat” as it is also popularly known in Africa) provides a valuable source of animal protein and minerals, especially where alternative domestic protein sources are scarce.

Although hunting and consuming wild animals is illegal in Kenya, this is not the case in Tanzania, where certain forms of hunting for wild animals are permitted. Yet in both countries, many people eat wild meat regularly, often without awareness of the risks. These risks include zoonotic disease transmission and potential impacts on wildlife populations.

Wild meat is a known source of zoonotic infections and disease spillover to humans. In fact, as many as three-quarters of emerging infectious diseases originate from wildlife. Illnesses such as anthrax, mpox, Ebola, and HIV have all been linked to close interactions between humans and wild animals.

Despite these risks, wild meat consumption remains widespread, with some households eating it daily or weekly. Preventing future disease outbreaks requires a clear understanding of these health risks, as well as the underlying social, cultural and economic reasons that drive people to rely on wild meat.

We set out to understand why people were eating wild meat along the Kenya-Tanzania border and whether they understood the risks of zoonotic diseases. Cases of anthrax have already been reported in this area.

Our study involved interviews in border communities during the COVID pandemic – the most famous case of zoonotic disease transmission in recent times. We wanted to know whether communities understood the pandemic’s link to wild meat and if this affected their consumption of it.

What stood out was that people at the border settlements kept eating wild meat or even ate more of it. This shows that economic necessity, cultural preferences and limited alternatives remain key drivers even when the world is in crisis.

Though this research was done during COVID-19, it gives us insights into how people react when things get tough, especially when it comes to food and health.

What’s driving wild meat consumption

We found that several factors drove wild meat consumption, despite growing awareness of the health risks.

Poverty

Economic factors, particularly household income and limited financial means, strongly influenced wild meat consumption, particularly in communities with limited alternative protein sources. For instance, the COVID-19 pandemic had a severe impact on local economies. Tourism, a key source of income for border communities, experienced sharp declines. As household revenues fell, reliance on wild meat as an affordable protein source increased.

Economic stability plays a crucial role in shaping consumption behaviours: 81% of those surveyed at the border settlements indicated they would stop eating wild meat if cheaper alternatives were available.

The type of animal

Perceptions of disease risks varied depending on the species consumed.

Approximately 79% of respondents believed that certain animals posed a higher risks of zoonotic disease transmission. Hyenas were perceived as the most dangerous, followed by primates and snakes. These findings suggest that while economic necessity influences wild meat consumption, risk perception also shapes dietary choices.

Gender plays a role

Men expressed more concern over conservation and health risks than women. Men were also more likely to advocate against selling wild meat. Women exhibited lower concern regarding zoonotic disease risks, including COVID-19. These insights highlight the need for gender-sensitive interventions to address wild meat consumption.

Education levels

Education levels also influenced risk perception. Respondents with formal education displayed a stronger awareness of zoonotic transmission pathways. They were also more receptive to conservation and public health messaging. This highlights the importance of education in promoting safer and more sustainable practices within communities.

National policies

Despite sharing ecosystems and wildlife populations, Kenya and Tanzania have adopted fundamentally different governance approaches to wild meat. This in turn shapes outcomes for conservation, biodiversity and public health.

Kenya follows a centralised and protectionist model. Hunting and consumption of wild animals are prohibited under the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act. This zero-tolerance policy is rooted in strong conservation principles aimed at protecting biodiversity.

However, in practice, it has driven the activity underground, creating a thriving black market. This undermines conservation and enforcement efforts. It also increases the risk of zoonotic disease transmission due to unregulated handling and consumption of wild animals.

Tanzania, by contrast, uses a decentralised, regulated slaughterhouse model. Licensed wild meat hunting and consumption is legal under regulation, particularly through game-controlled areas and permits introduced in 2020. This approach is meant to enable communities to benefit economically from wildlife and reduce incentives for illegal hunting.

The existence of two divergent systems across a porous border creates challenges. These include illegal cross-border trade, conflicting conservation objectives, and uneven protection of biodiversity. There are also difficulties in implementing coordinated surveillance or public health interventions.

The contrasting regulations in Kenya and Tanzania significantly influence wild meat consumption choices.

In Kenya, where wild meat is strictly prohibited, consumption appears to be through informal and unregulated channels. This increases health risks and limits consumer awareness. In contrast, Tanzania’s regulated licensing system provides a legal pathway for access. This makes wild meat consumption more visible and, in some cases, perceived as safer. These differing policies shape how communities access, justify and engage with wild meat, often driving cross-border trade and complicating enforcement and risk communication efforts.

What’s next?

Addressing the risks associated with wild meat trade requires a multifaceted strategy that balances health, equity and sustainability.

We suggest an intervention that prioritises economic stability and ensuring affordable alternative protein sources are accessible, especially in food-insecure settings.

Public health education is also essential. An increasing awareness of zoonotic disease risks can help shift consumption behaviour.

Because men and women perceived the dangers of wild meat consumption differently, gender-sensitive approaches should be integrated. It should also be noted that, although women are rarely the primary hunters, they are often prosecuted for possession or sale of wild meat. Gender disparities on how laws are applied must be addressed.

Legal frameworks and enforcement mechanisms must be strengthened to address cross-border wildlife trade, particularly in regions with differing policies like Kenya and Tanzania. They should also reduce the risks faced by individuals who may unknowingly engage in illegal practices due to a lack of clarity.

We continue to work with national and regional stakeholders. This includes government bodies and technical partners who are actively engaging with us to co-develop One Health solutions. These solutions integrate public health, environmental sustainability and community well-being.

Finally, community engagement and participation should be at the core of any intervention. This will ensure that policies are locally relevant, culturally sensitive and supported by those directly affected to reduce the risks of zoonotic disease spillover.

– Eating wild meat carries serious health risks – why it still happens along the Kenya-Tanzania border
– https://theconversation.com/eating-wild-meat-carries-serious-health-risks-why-it-still-happens-along-the-kenya-tanzania-border-252947

MIL OSI Africa –

June 8, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: African prisoners made sound recordings in German camps in WW1: this is what they had to say

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Anette Hoffmann, Senior Researcher at the Institute for African Studies and Egyptology, University of Cologne

During the first world war (1914-1918) thousands of African men enlisted to fight for France and Britain were captured and held as prisoners in Germany. Their stories and songs were recorded and archived by German linguists, who often didn’t understand a thing they were saying.

Now a recent book called Knowing by Ear listens to these recordings alongside written sources, photographs and artworks to reveal the lives and political views of these colonised Africans from present-day Senegal, Somalia, Togo and Congo.

Anette Hoffmann is a historian whose research and curatorial work engages with historical sound archives. We asked her about her book.

How did these men come to be recorded?

About 450 recordings with African speakers were made with linguists of the so-called Royal Prussian Phonographic Commission. Their project was opportunistic. They made use of the presence of prisoners of war to further their research.

In many cases these researchers didn’t understand what was being said. The recordings were archived as language samples, yet most were never used, translated, or even listened to for decades.

The many wonderful translators I have worked with over the years are often the first listeners who actually understood what was being said by these men a century before.

What did they talk about?

The European prisoners the linguists recorded were often asked to tell the same Bible story (the parable of the prodigal son). But because of language barriers, African prisoners were often simply asked to speak, tell a story or sing a song.

We can hear some men repeating monotonous word lists or counting, but mostly they spoke of the war, of imprisonment and of the families they hadn’t seen for years.

Abdoulaye Niang from Senegal sings in Wolof.
Courtesy Lautarchiv, Berlin275 KB (download)

In the process we hear speakers offer commentary. Senegalese prisoner Abdoulaye Niang, for example, calls Europe’s battlefields an abattoir for the soldiers from Africa. Others sang of the war of the whites, or speak of other forms of colonial exploitation.

When I began working on colonial-era sound archives about 20 years ago, I was stunned by what I heard from African speakers, especially the critique and the alternative versions of colonial history. Often aired during times of duress, such accounts seldom surface in written sources.

Joseph Ntwanumbi from South Africa speaks in isiXhosa.
Courtesy Lautarchiv, Berlin673 KB (download)

Clearly, many speakers felt safe to say things because they knew that researchers couldn’t understand them. The words and songs have travelled decades through time yet still sound fresh and provocative.

Can you highlight some of their stories?

The book is arranged around the speakers. Many of them fought in the French army in Europe after being conscripted or recruited in former French colonies, like Abdoulaye Niang. Other African men got caught up in the war and were interned as civilian prisoners, like Mohamed Nur from Somalia, who had lived in Germany from 1911. Joseph Ntwanumbi from South Africa was a stoker on a ship that had docked in Hamburg soon after the war started.

In chapter one Niang sings a song about the French army’s recruitment campaign in Dakar and also informs the linguists that the inmates of the camp in Wünsdorf, near Berlin, do not wish to be deported to another camp.

An archive search reveals he was later deported and also that Austrian anthropologists measured his body for racial studies.

His recorded voice speaking in Wolof travelled back home in 2024, as a sound installation I created for the Théodore Monod African Art Museum in Dakar.

Chapter two listens to Mohamed Nur from Somalia. In 1910 he went to Germany to work as a teacher to the children of performers in a so-called Völkerschau (an ethnic show; sometimes called a human zoo, where “primitive” cultures were displayed).

After refusing to perform on stage, he found himself stranded in Germany without a passport or money. He worked as a model for a German artist and later as a teacher of Somali at the University of Hamburg. Nur left a rich audio-visual trace in Germany, which speaks of the exploitation of men of colour in German academia as well as by artists. One of his songs comments on the poor treatment of travellers and gives a plea for more hospitality to strangers.

Stephan Bischoff, who grew up in a German mission station in Togo and was working in a shoe shop in Berlin when the war began, appears in the third chapter. His recordings criticise the practices of the Christian colonial evangelising mission. He recalls the destruction of an indigenous shrine in Ghana by German military in 1913.

Also in chapter three is Albert Kudjabo, who fought in the Belgian army before he was imprisoned in Germany. He mainly recorded drum language, a drummed code based on a tonal language from the Democratic Republic of Congo that German linguists were keen to study. He speaks of the massive socio-cultural changes that mining brought to his home region, which may have caused him to migrate.

Together these songs, stories and accounts speak of a practice of extracting knowledge in prisoner of war camps. But they offer insights and commentary far beyond the “example sentences” that the recordings were meant to be.

Why do these sound archives matter?

As sources of colonial history, the majority of the collections in European sound archives are still untapped, despite the growing scholarly and artistic interest in them in the last decade. This interest is led by decolonial approaches to archives and knowledge production.

Sound collections diversify what’s available as historical texts, they increase the variety of languages and genres that speak of the histories of colonisation. They present alternative accounts and interpretations of history to offer a more balanced view of the past.

Anette Hoffmann 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. African prisoners made sound recordings in German camps in WW1: this is what they had to say – https://theconversation.com/african-prisoners-made-sound-recordings-in-german-camps-in-ww1-this-is-what-they-had-to-say-254127

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

June 8, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Eating wild meat carries serious health risks – why it still happens along the Kenya-Tanzania border

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Ekta Patel, Scientist, International Livestock Research Institute

Pastoralist communities, their livestock and diverse wildlife species coexist within a biodiversity-rich landscape stretching along the Kenya–Tanzania border.

However, at this wildlife-livestock interface, local communities face mounting challenges. Shifts in land use, prolonged droughts, erratic rainfall patterns and increasing land degradation are placing growing pressure on the landscape. In addition, conflict between people and wildlife is on the rise, and many households rely on wild animals for food.

Communities in the region eat a wide range of wild animals, from rodents, elephant shrews and birds to small antelopes and larger ungulates like bushbuck. This meat (“bush meat” as it is also popularly known in Africa) provides a valuable source of animal protein and minerals, especially where alternative domestic protein sources are scarce.

Although hunting and consuming wild animals is illegal in Kenya, this is not the case in Tanzania, where certain forms of hunting for wild animals are permitted. Yet in both countries, many people eat wild meat regularly, often without awareness of the risks. These risks include zoonotic disease transmission and potential impacts on wildlife populations.

Wild meat is a known source of zoonotic infections and disease spillover to humans. In fact, as many as three-quarters of emerging infectious diseases originate from wildlife. Illnesses such as anthrax, mpox, Ebola, and HIV have all been linked to close interactions between humans and wild animals.

Despite these risks, wild meat consumption remains widespread, with some households eating it daily or weekly. Preventing future disease outbreaks requires a clear understanding of these health risks, as well as the underlying social, cultural and economic reasons that drive people to rely on wild meat.

We set out to understand why people were eating wild meat along the Kenya-Tanzania border and whether they understood the risks of zoonotic diseases. Cases of anthrax have already been reported in this area.

Our study involved interviews in border communities during the COVID pandemic – the most famous case of zoonotic disease transmission in recent times. We wanted to know whether communities understood the pandemic’s link to wild meat and if this affected their consumption of it.

What stood out was that people at the border settlements kept eating wild meat or even ate more of it. This shows that economic necessity, cultural preferences and limited alternatives remain key drivers even when the world is in crisis.

Though this research was done during COVID-19, it gives us insights into how people react when things get tough, especially when it comes to food and health.

What’s driving wild meat consumption

We found that several factors drove wild meat consumption, despite growing awareness of the health risks.

Poverty

Economic factors, particularly household income and limited financial means, strongly influenced wild meat consumption, particularly in communities with limited alternative protein sources. For instance, the COVID-19 pandemic had a severe impact on local economies. Tourism, a key source of income for border communities, experienced sharp declines. As household revenues fell, reliance on wild meat as an affordable protein source increased.

Economic stability plays a crucial role in shaping consumption behaviours: 81% of those surveyed at the border settlements indicated they would stop eating wild meat if cheaper alternatives were available.

The type of animal

Perceptions of disease risks varied depending on the species consumed.

Approximately 79% of respondents believed that certain animals posed a higher risks of zoonotic disease transmission. Hyenas were perceived as the most dangerous, followed by primates and snakes. These findings suggest that while economic necessity influences wild meat consumption, risk perception also shapes dietary choices.

Gender plays a role

Men expressed more concern over conservation and health risks than women. Men were also more likely to advocate against selling wild meat. Women exhibited lower concern regarding zoonotic disease risks, including COVID-19. These insights highlight the need for gender-sensitive interventions to address wild meat consumption.

Education levels

Education levels also influenced risk perception. Respondents with formal education displayed a stronger awareness of zoonotic transmission pathways. They were also more receptive to conservation and public health messaging. This highlights the importance of education in promoting safer and more sustainable practices within communities.

National policies

Despite sharing ecosystems and wildlife populations, Kenya and Tanzania have adopted fundamentally different governance approaches to wild meat. This in turn shapes outcomes for conservation, biodiversity and public health.

Kenya follows a centralised and protectionist model. Hunting and consumption of wild animals are prohibited under the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act. This zero-tolerance policy is rooted in strong conservation principles aimed at protecting biodiversity.

However, in practice, it has driven the activity underground, creating a thriving black market. This undermines conservation and enforcement efforts. It also increases the risk of zoonotic disease transmission due to unregulated handling and consumption of wild animals.

Tanzania, by contrast, uses a decentralised, regulated slaughterhouse model. Licensed wild meat hunting and consumption is legal under regulation, particularly through game-controlled areas and permits introduced in 2020. This approach is meant to enable communities to benefit economically from wildlife and reduce incentives for illegal hunting.

The existence of two divergent systems across a porous border creates challenges. These include illegal cross-border trade, conflicting conservation objectives, and uneven protection of biodiversity. There are also difficulties in implementing coordinated surveillance or public health interventions.

The contrasting regulations in Kenya and Tanzania significantly influence wild meat consumption choices.

In Kenya, where wild meat is strictly prohibited, consumption appears to be through informal and unregulated channels. This increases health risks and limits consumer awareness. In contrast, Tanzania’s regulated licensing system provides a legal pathway for access. This makes wild meat consumption more visible and, in some cases, perceived as safer. These differing policies shape how communities access, justify and engage with wild meat, often driving cross-border trade and complicating enforcement and risk communication efforts.

What’s next?

Addressing the risks associated with wild meat trade requires a multifaceted strategy that balances health, equity and sustainability.

We suggest an intervention that prioritises economic stability and ensuring affordable alternative protein sources are accessible, especially in food-insecure settings.

Public health education is also essential. An increasing awareness of zoonotic disease risks can help shift consumption behaviour.

Because men and women perceived the dangers of wild meat consumption differently, gender-sensitive approaches should be integrated. It should also be noted that, although women are rarely the primary hunters, they are often prosecuted for possession or sale of wild meat. Gender disparities on how laws are applied must be addressed.

Legal frameworks and enforcement mechanisms must be strengthened to address cross-border wildlife trade, particularly in regions with differing policies like Kenya and Tanzania. They should also reduce the risks faced by individuals who may unknowingly engage in illegal practices due to a lack of clarity.

We continue to work with national and regional stakeholders. This includes government bodies and technical partners who are actively engaging with us to co-develop One Health solutions. These solutions integrate public health, environmental sustainability and community well-being.

Finally, community engagement and participation should be at the core of any intervention. This will ensure that policies are locally relevant, culturally sensitive and supported by those directly affected to reduce the risks of zoonotic disease spillover.

The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Eating wild meat carries serious health risks – why it still happens along the Kenya-Tanzania border – https://theconversation.com/eating-wild-meat-carries-serious-health-risks-why-it-still-happens-along-the-kenya-tanzania-border-252947

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

June 8, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Chinese island’s ocean-friendly changes deliver dual gains in ecology, economy

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

HANGZHOU, June 8 — On a stretch of beach in Taizhou, east China’s Zhejiang Province, Wang Zhongfu, 68, bends to pick up discarded plastic bottles and tattered fishing nets.

Wang is one of thousands participating in Blue Circle, a marine plastic recycling program that, initiated in 2020, utilizes blockchain technology and the Internet of Things to track the full life cycle of marine plastic waste — from collection to remanufacturing and resale.

Developed by Zhejiang Province’s Department of Ecology and Environment and Zhejiang Lanjing Technology Co., Ltd., Blue Circle is the country’s largest program of its kind.

In 2023, it received the United Nations 2023 Champions of the Earth award in the category of Entrepreneurial Vision for its efforts to tackle marine plastic pollution. According to the UN Environment Programme, the award is the UN’s highest environmental honor.

“We reduce plastic waste in the ocean and help people get additional income from waste collection,” said Kong Chen, who oversees a Blue Circle plastic waste station known as Little Blue Home, located on Dachen Island, some 29 nautical miles from Taizhou’s coast. He noted that the station transported over 20 tonnes of marine waste in 2024.

Blue Circle pays 0.20 yuan (almost 3 U.S. cents) for every plastic bottle collected — a price several times higher than the market average. This is designed to supplement the incomes of many locals.

“The initiative motivates people to join in on environmental protection and improve their incomes. People out fishing can consciously collect plastic waste while working on the sea,” Kong said, noting that participants like Wang can earn some 1,000 yuan this way each month.

People can trace the journey of recycled plastic by scanning QR codes on goods, such as car parts, suitcases, and phone cases, made from certified plastic collected from the ocean. The plastic waste is cleaned and processed into granules for industrial use at Veolia Huafei Polymer Technology (Zhejiang) Co., Ltd. in Anji County, Zhejiang’s Huzhou City.

“Since 2022, we have processed tens of millions of plastic bottles from Blue Circle,” said Fu Xianwei, the company’s operations director. Fu added that certified marine plastic granules can sell for over 1.3 times the price of regular recycled plastic, and products made from these granules have higher added value.

“Once fishermen can profit and businesses are motivated, marine plastic waste management enters a virtuous cycle,” said Ye Zongsen, an official of the Jiaojiang district branch of the Taizhou Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau.

The initiative has expanded across Zhejiang’s coastal areas, with approximately 1,360 residents, 10,000 vessels and seven recycling companies joining to date. In Zhejiang alone, the program has collected 15,000 tonnes of marine waste, including over 2,900 tonnes of plastic waste. It has also spread to seven other provinces, including China’s southernmost island province of Hainan.

Dachen Island in Jiaojiang District is a model of marine-friendly development. Dozens of wind turbines atop the island’s ridge generate an average of 60 million kilowatt-hours of electricity per year, which is five times the amount the island consumes, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 45,000 tonnes.

Surplus electricity is delivered to the mainland via undersea power cables, according to Jiang Weijian, director of the Dachen Power Supply Station of State Grid Zhejiang Power Co., Ltd.

Green power has spurred many changes, including all-electric buses, electric oxygen and ice production in fisheries, and the gradual use of electric stoves in guesthouses on the island.

Additionally, Dachen’s low-carbon solid waste treatment station and wastewater treatment plant have increased the top water quality proportion in nearshore areas to 98 percent.

As its environment improves, the island is seeing a tourism boom. Last year, Dachen welcomed 200,000 tourists and raked in 170 million yuan in related revenue.

“As the scenery improves, our B&B business is thriving,” said Dachen resident Kong Qinglei, who started his B&B business on the island in 2020. Its revenue exceeded 1 million yuan in 2024.

The island is also capitalizing on its marine resources. Famous for its yellow croaker, the island has 14 yellow croaker farming companies and its production hit 10,005 tonnes last year — an amount worth over 1.1 billion yuan. The industry has created fishing jobs for nearly 300 people.

Local authorities are now encouraging the development of maritime leisure travel and souvenir industries. Some guesthouse owners are even combining their businesses with yellow croaker farming.

The island is also pioneering the blue carbon and forest carbon trade. “Funds have been directed to a common prosperity fund for marine protection, and to marine farmers and island residents,” said Yang Haifei, a township official on the island.

MIL OSI China News –

June 8, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Action being taken on water issue

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn said today the Water Supplies Department (WSD) will replace an upstream section of water pipe in response to water incidents at Queen’s Hill Estate and Shan Lai Court in Fanling, with work commencing this year.

Ms Linn made the announcement after visiting an upstream location in the water supply network for the two places with Director of Water Supplies Roger Wong and an expert group comprising three experts from the Drinking Water Safety Advisory Committee (DWSAC).

They were there to inspect a screen filter and learn about the planned work at the location.

The Government briefed the expert group on its assessment that a section of steel pipe with bitumen protective coating on its inner wall, at Ping Che Road, is believed to be the source of sediment in the water at Queen’s Hill Estate and Shan Lai Court. The section is about 400 metres long and 600 millimetres in diameter.

The expert group considered the assessment reasonable.

Ms Linn said the WSD will use advanced technologies, including robots, to assess the condition of the bitumen coating inside the pipe, to further ascertain the specific cause of the sediment.

An investigation report will be submitted to the DWSAC for review within two weeks.

Ms Linn added that the WSD will replace the 400m-long section of pipe and that the works will commence within this year.

At present, non-bitumen protective coating is used on the inner wall of over 90% of water piping in Hong Kong.

On the 700 kilometres of water pipes with bitumen protective coating, the WSD has installed over 1,000 screen filters at suitable locations.

Ms Linn said the WSD will review whether it is necessary to install extra screen filters at other locations. The WSD will also formulate a longer-term plan for the replacement of water pipes and will submit a proposal to the Development Bureau for review.

Under the supervision of Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong, policy bureaus and departments have commenced work to follow up on four directives put forward by the Chief Executive after a high-level steering meeting yesterday.

The WSD has increased the frequency of water testing at the two locations in Fanling, with water samples being collected daily from water tanks at Queen’s Hill Estate, which comprises seven buildings, a community centre and a shopping mall, and all six buildings at Shan Lai Court.

The results are being released daily on the WSD’s website, and posted in the lobbies of each building at Queen’s Hill Estate and Shan Lai Court.

To ensure residents can feel at ease when consuming water, the WSD will also continue to arrange for water tanks at the estates to provide a temporary water supply.

In addition, the WSD will promptly address any inquiries received via its 24-hour hotline, on 2824 5000.

Furthermore, the Housing Department (HD) will again thoroughly clean the water tanks in every building at Queen’s Hill Estate and Shan Lai Court within the next seven days.

The HD has installed a total of 22 high-efficiency filtration devices at the ground-level water inlets of all 13 buildings. These devices will be inspected twice daily to ensure proper operation. The expenses for these measures will be fully borne by the Government.

Residents who observe any issues with water quality can call their management office, which will follow up on the call and conduct on-site inspections.

The Home & Youth Affairs Bureau and the Home Affairs Department will gather District Council members, members of the North District’s “three district committees”, and the six sub-teams of the North District Care Teams, to conduct home visits today and tomorrow.

The teams reached over 850 households during today’s visit, with the majority of these reporting that water quality has substantially improved.

In addition, three street booths will be set up at key locations in Queen’s Hill Estate and Shan Lai Court to give residents updates and practical information, and to register cases for assistance.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

June 8, 2025
Nari Shakti: A decade of women’s empowerment under Modi government

Source: Government of India

Source: Government of India (4)

Over the past 11 years, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has witnessed a transformative shift in women’s empowerment, redefining their role from passive beneficiaries to active nation-builders. With women and children comprising 67.7% of India’s population, the Modi government has made Nari Shakti(women’s power) a cornerstone of national progress, driving policies that empower women across health, education, housing, sanitation, financial inclusion, and leadership. As India strides into Amrit Kaal, women are leading the charge toward a stronger, more inclusive nation.

A Lifecycle Approach to Empowerment

“Women are not just homemakers; they are nation-builders,” Prime Minister Modi has repeatedly emphasized. Since 2014, the government has adopted a comprehensive, lifecycle-based approach to empower women at every stage of life. From landmark legislation like the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, which reserves 33% of seats in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies for women, to schemes like Beti Bachao Beti Padhao and Mission Shakti, the focus has shifted from women’s development to women-led development. These initiatives have boosted women’s participation in education (especially STEM), entrepreneurship, public service, and even defense, fostering inclusive and sustainable growth.

Health and Nutrition: Building a Strong Foundation

The government’s fight against malnutrition has gained momentum through Mission POSHAN 2.0, a ₹1.81 lakh crore initiative (2021–26) targeting children, adolescent girls, pregnant women, and lactating mothers. By integrating nutrition, health, and community efforts, POSHAN Abhiyaan (launched in 2018) uses digital tools like the Poshan Tracker—winner of the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration 2024—to drive real-time monitoring and behavioral change. As of March 2025, 99.02% of beneficiaries are Aadhaar-verified, and a face authentication module ensures transparency in distributing Take-Home Rations.

Under Mission Saksham Anganwadi, 24,533 Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) have been upgraded into Saksham Anganwadis, with a target of transforming 2 lakh AWCs by 2026. The Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi initiative has trained 36,463 State-Level Master Trainers and 4,65,719 Anganwadi workers to provide quality pre-school education alongside nutrition. The Suposhit Gram Panchayat Abhiyaan, launched in December 2024, rewards 1,000 Gram Panchayats for exemplary work in improving nutrition outcomes.

Maternal and neonatal care has also seen significant advancements. The Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK) has supported over 16.60 crore beneficiaries since 2014, reducing out-of-pocket expenses for antenatal and postnatal care. The Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) has aided 11.07 crore women by promoting institutional deliveries, while Surakshit Matritva Aashwasan (SUMAN) ensures zero-cost healthcare for pregnant women and newborns in 90,015 certified facilities. The Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) provides ₹5,000 cash benefits to support maternal health, and the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA) ensures early detection of high-risk pregnancies.

Dignity Through Infrastructure

The Modi government has prioritized dignity in daily life through transformative schemes. Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Gramin (PMAY-G) has provided homes to 2.75 crore beneficiaries, with 73% being women, granting them security and decision-making power. The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) has distributed 10.33 crore LPG connections, freeing women from hazardous cooking fumes. The Swachh Bharat Mission has built over 12 crore toilets, ensuring safety and hygiene for women, with 93% reporting reduced fear of harm or infection. The Jal Jeevan Mission has delivered 15.6 crore tap water connections, empowering women by saving time and involving them in water management.

Education and Financial Security

The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign has improved the sex ratio at birth from 918 (2014–15) to 930 (2023–24) and increased girls’ school enrollment to 78% by 2023–24. The Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (SSY), celebrating a decade in 2025, has opened over 4.2 crore accounts, securing the financial future of girls.

Women in Leadership

Women are breaking barriers across sectors. The first batch of female cadets graduated from the National Defence Academy in May 2025, and women have played pivotal roles in missions like Chandrayaan-3. India leads globally in female STEM graduates and pilots. Legal reforms such as the abolition of Triple Talaq, the proposal to raise the minimum marriage age for women from 18 to 21 years, and the extension of maternity leave to 26 weeks have significantly advanced women’s empowerment in India. These measures have supported greater access to education and employment for women, while also promoting their health and well-being. Additionally, the abrogation of Article 35A has granted women in Jammu & Kashmir equal property rights, further strengthening gender equality in the region.

Economic Empowerment

The Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana (PMMY) has sanctioned ₹34.11 lakh crore across 52.5 crore loan accounts, with 68% benefiting women entrepreneurs. The Stand-Up India Scheme has provided over ₹47,704 crore to 2.04 lakh women borrowers. The Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) has mobilized 10.05 crore women into 90.90 lakh Self-Help Groups, with the Lakhpati Didi Initiative enabling 1.48 crore women to earn ₹1 lakh annually.

Safety and Security: Mission Shakti

Mission Shakti, with its Sambal and Samarthya pillars, ensures women’s safety and self-reliance. Sambal includes 819 operational One Stop Centres (OSCs), assisting 10.98 lakh women, and the Women Helpline, handling 214.78 lakh calls. The SHe-Box Portal addresses workplace harassment, and Nari Adalat promotes women-led justice at the grassroots. Samarthya supports 2.92 lakh women through Shakti Sadan and 5.07 lakh through Sakhi Niwas. The AbKoiBahanaNahi campaign, launched in November 2024, combats gender-based violence.

A New Era for Nari Shakti

Over the past decade, the Modi government has transformed women’s welfare into a movement of leadership and agency. From space missions to grassroots governance, Indian women are shaping the nation’s destiny.

June 8, 2025
MyGov launches “Viksit Bharat 2025 Quiz” and nationwide contests to celebrate 11 years of transformative governance

Source: Government of India

Source: Government of India (4)

Marking 11 years of transformative governance under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has launched a series of nationwide contests through the MyGov platform. These initiatives aim to engage citizens in celebrating India’s development journey and encourage public participation in the vision of a “Viksit Bharat” (Developed India).

At the heart of the campaign is the “Viksit Bharat 2025 Quiz,” designed to test participants’ knowledge about India’s progress over the past decade. The quiz not only serves to enhance public awareness but also offers significant incentives. The top winner will receive a cash prize of ₹1,00,000, while the second and third prize winners will take home ₹75,000 and ₹50,000 respectively. In addition, 100 consolation prizes of ₹2,000 and 200 prizes of ₹1,000 will be awarded. Every participant will also receive a digital certificate of participation.

To further amplify citizen engagement, several themed contests have been introduced. The “Har Ghar Swadeshi – 1 Nation 1 Spirit Photo Story Contest” encourages people to share a photograph and a brief story (150–200 words) about a ‘Made in India’ product they use daily, emphasizing its uniqueness and their reasons for choosing swadeshi. Eleven winners will be awarded ₹11,000 each.

Another initiative, the “Badalta Bharat Mera Anubhav – Mini Vlog Contest,” invites citizens to create a 2-minute video capturing visible changes in their locality since 2014. Accompanied by a short description of 100–150 words, these entries will showcase improvements in infrastructure, digital services, or public amenities. Eleven winning entries will each earn ₹11,000.

The “Bharat ke Badhte Kadam – A Janbhagidari Photo Contest” focuses on public participation in national movements. Participants are required to submit a photo and a 50–100 word note detailing their involvement in initiatives such as Swachh Bharat or Mission LiFE. The top 11 submissions will receive ₹11,000.

Rounding out the campaign is the “Ek Bharat, Pragatisheel Bharat – Video Storytelling Contest.” This invites citizens to submit a 1-minute video featuring real-life beneficiaries of government schemes. These videos should highlight how the initiative has enhanced the subject’s quality of life, dignity, or empowerment. Winners will be selected based on the emotional impact and creativity of their storytelling.

MyGov, launched on July 26, 2014, continues to act as a vital bridge between citizens and the government, promoting participatory governance. Through these contests, the platform seeks to deepen public involvement in national development and celebrate the achievements of the past decade.

For more information and to participate, citizens are encouraged to visit the official MyGov website at https://www.mygov.in.

June 8, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: French President to visit Greenland on June 15

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

PARIS, June 8 (Xinhua) — French President Emmanuel Macron will make an official visit to Greenland on June 15, French newspaper Le Monde reported on Saturday, citing a source in the French presidential administration.

At the invitation of Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen, Macron will become the first foreign head of state to visit Greenland since US President Donald Trump’s threats of annexation, Le Monde reports.

The three leaders will hold talks on security in the North Atlantic and the Arctic, as well as climate change, the energy transition and the supply of critical minerals, the Elysee Palace said.

This visit is aimed at “strengthening cooperation with Greenland in these areas and contributing to the strengthening of European sovereignty,” Le Monde notes, citing a source in the Elysee Palace.

D. Trump has repeatedly expressed a desire to acquire Greenland, which has a strategic location and is rich in resources. –0–

MIL OSI Russia News –

June 8, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: A glimpse into free school camps at Birrigai
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

Campers get to make, cook and taste their own damper.
In brief:
- ACT public primary school students have begun attending free school camps at Birrigai Outdoor School.
- The ACT Government launched the free camps program in February 2025.
- This article looks at what students experience on a Birrigai camp.
Since the ACT Government launched its free camps program in February this year, over 640 students have experienced one at Birrigai Outdoor School, near Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve.

Another 370 students are booked to attend their free camp by the end of Term 2, which means Birrigai will have hosted more than 1000 students from 13 schools for free camps by mid-year.

Camp is a fun and important part of schooling. But have you ever wondered what students actually get up to?

This article looks at what ACT public primary school students can expect on their free overnight camp.

The free camps program

The free camps program gives one year group from each ACT public primary school a free overnight camp at Birrigai each year.

This ensures all ACT public primary school students attend a free camp during their primary school years.

Free camps mean all students can attend, with no one missing out due to cost.

All ACT public primary schools will have their first free camp in 2025 or 2026.

The campers’ itinerary

Birrigai offers different programs aligned with the curriculum. Themes include:
- First Nations culture
- Outdoor adventure and science
- Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) activities.
Outdoor activities are central to the experience. On camp, students may take part in:
- adventure bush walks
- team-building exercises like team treks and rope courses
- campfires, damper cooking and seed grinding (and enjoying Birrigai biscuits)
- challenges such as the crate climb, Vertical Playpen and Giant’s Ladder
- a connection to Country experience with Birrigai Aboriginal rangers
- learning about plants and living creatures, including kangaroos, emus, yabbies, Bogong moths and Muliyan (eagles)
- arts and craft – from sketching their environment to building a shelter
- play-based learning, storytelling and singing
- self-directed exploration
- collecting data as part of Birrigai’s ongoing EcoSurvey.
Programs vary due to the age and size of the group, the season and weather conditions.

The Birrigai experience

Local parents and carers may recall their own school camps at Birrigai, which was established in 1980.

The outdoor school is surrounded by mountains, woodland and streams. It is of historical and ongoing significance to the Ngunnawal people.

Students can see archaeological sites over 25,000 years old. There’s also plenty of wildlife to spot.

Birrigai camps help students view the world differently and connect or re-connect to Country.

Food and accommodation

Students experience the novelty of sleeping in bunk-style cabins.

These are heated and air-conditioned and have shared internal bathrooms.

There are also facilities to cater for people with additional needs.

At mealtimes, everyone eats together in Birrigai’s large dining hall.

Meals are freshly prepared by an in-house catering team. Food aligns with the National Healthy School Canteen Guidelines.

The team can accommodate specific dietary needs. Birrigai is a nut-free site.

Ensuring equity in education

The free camps program complements other initiatives aimed at helping Canberra families with school costs. These include:

Find out more at education.act.gov.au

Read more like this:

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MIL OSI News –
June 8, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: 2025 Basketball Africa League Playoffs – Kriol Star (Cape Verde) and Al Ittihad (Egypt) Open Basketball Africa League Playoffs with Victories in Pretoria

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

PRETORIA, South Africa, June 7, 2025/APO Group/ —

The Basketball Africa League (BAL) (https://BAL.NBA.com/) Playoffs are officially underway at SunBet Arena in Pretoria, South Africa, tipping off in thrilling fashion as Kriol Star (Cape Verde) edged FUS Rabat Basketball (Morocco) in a 91–88 nail-biter. Joel Ntambwe led Kriol Star with a team-high 22 points, while Ivan Almeida posted a triple-double with 18 points, 10 assists, and 10 rebounds. Jalan McCloud also added 21 points. For FUS Rabat, Yacine Baeri delivered a team-high 22 points, shooting an impressive 7-of-8 from three-point range.

The second game of the night featured a clash of titans between two undefeated teams, Al Ahli Tripoli (Libya) and Al Ittihad (Egypt), with Al Ittihad emerging victorious in an 85-74 win. Majok Deng led the charge with 19 points, while Lual Acuil posted a double-double with 16 points and 14 rebounds. For Al Ahli Tripoli, Fabian White Jr. delivered a game-high 24 points along with 10 rebounds. Jean Jacques Boissy and Naseim Badrush also contributed with 17 and 16 points, respectively.

Tonight’s seeding games set up the win-or-go-home quarterfinal matchups on Sunday – Al Ahli Tripoli will take on Kriol Star at 4 p.m. and Al Ittihad will face FUS Rabat at 7 p.m. CAT.

Tomorrow’s seeding games will feature the defending champion Petro de Luanda (Angola) taking on APR (Rwanda) at 4 p.m. and 2022 BAL champion US Monastir (Tunisia) facing last year’s semifinalist Rivers Hoopers (Nigeria) at 7 p.m. CAT.

The 2025 Basketball Africa League season is reaching fans in 214 countries and territories in 17 languages through free-to-air and paid TV broadcast partnerships, including on Canal+, ESPN, FIBA’s digital platform Courtside 1891 and livestreaming on the NBA App (https://apo-opa.co/45w59bJ), NBA.com (https://apo-opa.co/43RoK3C), BAL.NBA.com (https://apo-opa.co/3SHlN0f) and the BAL’s YouTube (https://apo-opa.co/43OCRX5) channel.

PRESS CONFERENCES

Opening Press Conference (https://apo-opa.co/3ZVDAEO)

NBA Africa CEO Clare Akamanzi, BAL President Amadou Gallo Fall and FIBA Africa President Anibal Manave

Postgame

Kriol Star vs FUS Rabat (coaches and players) (https://apo-opa.co/43RiHfp)

Al Ahli vs Al Ittihad (coaches and players) (https://apo-opa.co/3TaeTRk)

MIL OSI Africa –

June 8, 2025
MIL-OSI Video: Ask @ State: Answering your questions — June 6, 2025

Source: United States of America – Department of State (video statements)

Under President Trump and Secretary Rubio, the U.S. Department of State is committed to answering your questions transparently and unfiltered. We want to make sure we’re getting information directly to you about how an America First foreign policy is making America great again.

U.S. Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott answers this week’s questions about student visas, Israel and Iran, the economic impact of our foreign agreements, investments in Africa, Syria, how we’re combatting human trafficking, and negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.

We’ll be answering more of your questions soon!

———-
Under the leadership of the President and Secretary of State, the U.S. Department of State leads America’s foreign policy through diplomacy, advocacy, and assistance by advancing the interests of the American people, their safety and economic prosperity. On behalf of the American people we promote and demonstrate democratic values and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world.

The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President’s chief foreign affairs adviser. The Secretary carries out the President’s foreign policies through the State Department, which includes the Foreign Service, Civil Service and U.S. Agency for International Development.

Get updates from the U.S. Department of State at www.state.gov and on social media!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/statedept
X: https://x.com/StateDept
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/statedept
Flickr: https://flickr.com/photos/statephotos/
Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/StateDept
Substack: https://statedept.substack.com

Watch on-demand State Department videos: https://video.state.gov/
Subscribe to The Week at State e-newsletter: https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USSTATEBPA/signup/32562

State Department website: https://www.state.gov/
Careers website: https://careers.state.gov/
White House website: https://www.whitehouse.gov/
Terms of Use: https://state.gov/tou

#StateDepartment #DepartmentofState #Diplomacy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mw1_ZOAx7N8

MIL OSI Video –

June 8, 2025
MIL-OSI Video: Ask @ State: Answering your questions — June 7, 2025

Source: United States of America – Department of State (video statements)

Thanks to everyone who submitted questions to us this week! Your voices matter, and we’re here to make sure you get the answers you’re looking for. Tune in as Principal Deputy Spokesperson Pigott addresses a few of your top questions — from our America First foreign policies to where he found his lapel pin.

Keep sending us your questions in the comments and DMs — we’ll be answering more soon!

———-
Under the leadership of the President and Secretary of State, the U.S. Department of State leads America’s foreign policy through diplomacy, advocacy, and assistance by advancing the interests of the American people, their safety and economic prosperity. On behalf of the American people we promote and demonstrate democratic values and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world.

The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President’s chief foreign affairs adviser. The Secretary carries out the President’s foreign policies through the State Department, which includes the Foreign Service, Civil Service and U.S. Agency for International Development.

Get updates from the U.S. Department of State at www.state.gov and on social media!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/statedept
X: https://x.com/StateDept
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/statedept
Flickr: https://flickr.com/photos/statephotos/
Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/StateDept
Substack: https://statedept.substack.com

Watch on-demand State Department videos: https://video.state.gov/
Subscribe to The Week at State e-newsletter: https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USSTATEBPA/signup/32562

State Department website: https://www.state.gov/
Careers website: https://careers.state.gov/
White House website: https://www.whitehouse.gov/
Terms of Use: https://state.gov/tou

#StateDepartment #DepartmentofState #Diplomacy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9NChqLhiqw

MIL OSI Video –

June 8, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Bringing families together with Parent Boost
Source: New Zealand Government

The Government is delivering on its commitment to support parents living offshore to visit and stay with their families in New Zealand for longer, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Education Minister Erica Stanford say.

Beginning in September, a new ‘Parent Boost’ visa would grant the parents of New Zealand citizens and residents multi-entry access for up to five years, provided they meet specific health, income, and insurance requirements.

“In order to drive economic growth, we need to incentivise skilled migrants to choose New Zealand,” Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says.

“Ensuring we continue to attract the right people with the skills this country needs will deliver significant economic and social benefits for all New Zealanders.”

“We know that a longer-term visitor visa for parents is an important consideration for migrants who are deciding where they want to build their lives,” Immigration Minister Erica Stanford says.

“Whether it be welcoming a new child, additional support during health challenges or providing childcare so parents can work, there is nothing quite like having family support close by.”

“We are proud to deliver this coalition agreement between National and ACT, which will make the New Zealand proposition more appealing and more competitive.”

To be eligible for a Parent Boost visa, applicants must:
- have an eligible sponsor who is a New Zealand citizen or resident
- meet Acceptable Standard of Health requirements
- demonstrate they have at least one year of health insurance coverage which provides emergency medical cover (of at least up to $250,000), repatriation, return of remains and cancer treatment (of at least $100,000) and maintain this insurance for the entire duration they are in New Zealand
- meet character requirements and be a bona fide / genuine visitor
- while offshore during the 3^rd year of the multiple entry visitor visa, complete a new medical assessment and demonstrate they have maintained their insurance
- The sponsor must earn the median wage to sponsor one parent, joint sponsors must earn 1.5x the median wage; or
- The parent/s have an ongoing income aligning with the single rate of New Zealand Superannuation for a single parent and the couple rate for a couple; or
- The parent/s have available funds of $160,000 for a single parent and $250,000 for a couple to support themselves for the duration of their visa
One of the following income requirements must also be met:

“The Parent Boost Visa strikes the balance of making New Zealand more attractive for people who want to make our beautiful country their home, without putting additional strain on public services,” Ms Stanford says.

“We are committed to delivering an efficient and predictable immigration system that drives economic growth to take New Zealand forward.”

Parent Boost applications open on 29 September 2025.

MIL OSI New Zealand News –
June 8, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Disaster Recovery Center Opening June 7 in Franklin County

Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

Headline: Disaster Recovery Center Opening June 7 in Franklin County

Disaster Recovery Center Opening June 7 in Franklin County

Cape Girardeau – A Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) is opening, June 7, in Gray Summit, in Franklin County to assist Missourians who sustained damage to their primary residence, personal property, or have emergency needs due to the severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and wildfires that occurred March 14-15, 2025

Those with disaster-related damage in Bollinger, Butler, Camden, Carter, Franklin, Howell, Iron, Jefferson, Oregon, Ozark, Perry, Phelps, Reynolds, Ripley, St

Louis, Wayne, Webster, and Wright counties may be eligible for assistance by registering with FEMA

At the center, affected individuals can get help applying for disaster assistance, speak to state or federal representatives, receive updates on their FEMA registration, and more

To find the center nearest you, visit FEMA

gov/DRC

Survivors may visit any center for assistance

The center is opening Saturday, June 7, 2025, at 8 a

m

CDT

See location and hours below:Franklin County – First Baptist Church of Gray Summit2705 Highway 100Gray Summit, MO 63039Hours of operation – Mon – Sat: 8 a

m

to 7 p

m

(Closed Sundays)FEMA financial assistance may include money for basic home repairs, personal property losses or other underinsured/uninsured disaster-related needs such as childcare, transportation, medical needs, funeral, or dental expenses

The FEMA registration deadline is July 22, 2025

It is not necessary to go to a DRC to apply for FEMA assistance

 The fastest way to apply is online at DisasterAssistance

gov or via the FEMA app

You may also call 1-800-621-3362

If you use a relay service, such as video relay, captioned telephone, or other service, give FEMA your number for that service

  Affected individuals who register for FEMA assistance will receive a decision letter by mail or on their DisasterAssistance

gov account

 If the letter says you are “not approved” for some categories of assistance, it does not mean you have been denied assistance

It is important to read the letter carefully as it will explain your registration status and advise what you need to do to continue the process

Missourians who need disaster information, shelter information or referrals, or would like to volunteer are urged to call 211

Multilingual services are available, and the 211 service is available throughout Missouri

For out-of-state access: 1-800-427-4626

The Missouri State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and FEMA advise individuals and businesses impacted by the disaster to report damage to their local emergency management officials

Local officials can connect survivors to resources being provided by state departments and non-governmental organizations assisting with unmet needs

If you have questions about your FEMA letter, visit a Disaster Recovery Center or call the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-3362

amy

ashbridge
Fri, 06/06/2025 – 21:43

MIL OSI USA News –

June 8, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Disaster Recovery Center Opening June 6 in Butler County

Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

Headline: Disaster Recovery Center Opening June 6 in Butler County

Disaster Recovery Center Opening June 6 in Butler County

Cape Girardeau – A Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) is opening, June 6, in Poplar Bluff, in Butler County to assist Missourians who sustained damage to their primary residence, personal property, or have emergency needs due to the severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and wildfires that occurred March 14-15, 2025

Those with disaster-related damage in Bollinger, Butler, Camden, Carter, Franklin, Howell, Iron, Jefferson, Oregon, Ozark, Perry, Phelps, Reynolds, Ripley, St

Louis, Wayne, Webster, and Wright counties may be eligible for assistance by registering with FEMA

At the center, affected individuals can get help applying for disaster assistance, speak to state or federal representatives, receive updates on their FEMA registration, and more

To find the center nearest you, visit FEMA

gov/DRC

Survivors may visit any center for assistance

The center is opening Friday, June 6, 2025, at 8 a

m

CDT

See location and hours below:Butler County – MPC World Impact Center Conference Center727 Ridge AvenuePoplar Bluff, MO 63901Hours of operation – Mon – Sat: 8 a

m

to 7 p

m

(Closed Sundays)FEMA financial assistance may include money for basic home repairs, personal property losses or other underinsured/uninsured disaster-related needs such as childcare, transportation, medical needs, funeral, or dental expenses

The FEMA registration deadline is July 22, 2025

It is not necessary to go to a DRC to apply for FEMA assistance

 The fastest way to apply is online at DisasterAssistance

gov or via the FEMA app

You may also call 1-800-621-3362

If you use a relay service, such as video relay, captioned telephone, or other service, give FEMA your number for that service

  Affected individuals who register for FEMA assistance will receive a decision letter by mail or on their DisasterAssistance

gov account

 If the letter says you are “not approved” for some categories of assistance, it does not mean you have been denied assistance

It is important to read the letter carefully as it will explain your registration status and advise what you need to do to continue the process

Missourians who need disaster information, shelter information or referrals, or would like to volunteer are urged to call 211

Multilingual services are available, and the 211 service is available throughout Missouri

For out-of-state access: 1-800-427-4626

The Missouri State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and FEMA advise individuals and businesses impacted by the disaster to report damage to their local emergency management officials

Local officials can connect survivors to resources being provided by state departments and non-governmental organizations assisting with unmet needs

If you have questions about your FEMA letter, visit a Disaster Recovery Center or call the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-3362

amy

ashbridge
Fri, 06/06/2025 – 21:37

MIL OSI USA News –

June 8, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Construction has begun on Watson Health Precinct
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

The upgraded facilities will provide a welcoming, secure and inclusive environment for people as they recover.
- Construction on the Watson Health Precinct has begun.
- The upgrades will provide new purpose-built facilities to support alcohol and other drug rehabilitation services.
- A new residential rehabilitation facility for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will be built.
Construction has begun on the Watson Health Precinct redevelopment.

The new facilities will support better health services for young people and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community in Canberra.

The precinct will include:
- facilities to support alcohol and other drug rehabilitation services
- a residential mental health care facility for young people
- a residential rehabilitation facility for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Improved care facilities for young people

The Ted Noffs Foundation will provide live-in alcohol and other drug rehabilitation services for young people.

Residential care for young people experiencing mental health challenges will be provided by Marymead CatholicCare.

_{Image: Artist impression of CatholicCare courtyard.}

A rehabilitation facility for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

A residential rehabilitation facility for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander will be built.

Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health and Community Services (Winnunga) will run the service.

Winnunga has led the design of the new facility.

This partnership helps ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people receive culturally appropriate care to support their recovery.

Construction is expected to be completed in mid-2026.

Find out more about the government’s health projects on the Built for CBR website.

Read more like this:

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MIL OSI News –
June 8, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: The blow-up between Elon Musk and Donald Trump has been entertaining, but how did things go so bad, so fast?

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Henry Maher, Lecturer in Politics, Department of Government and International Relations, University of Sydney

A no-holds-barred and very public blow-up between the world’s richest man and the president of the United States has had social media agog in recent days, with each making serious accusations against the other.

And while tech billionaire Elon Musk appears to have cooled the spat somewhat – deleting some of his more incendiary social media posts about Donald Trump – the president still appears to be in no mood to make up, warning Musk of “very serious consequences” if he backs Democrats at the mid-term elections in 2026.

Tensions erupted over Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” (OBBB). The OBBB proposes extensive tax cuts which could add roughly US$3 trillion (A$4.62 trillion) to the US national debt.

After stepping down from his role as advisor to Trump, Musk criticised the OBBB as “disgusting abomination” that would “burden America [sic] citizens with crushing unsustainable debt”. Trump returned fire, suggesting “Elon was ‘wearing thin’, I asked him to leave […] and he just went CRAZY!”.

In a dramatic escalation, Musk responded by calling for Trump’s impeachment. Musk also tweeted allegations that Trump was implicated in the Epstein files related to child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. He has since deleted those tweets.

Why has the much-hyped “bromance” between Musk and Trump suddenly ended? And what was the basis of their alliance in the first place?

Musk in politics

Like many billionaires, Musk had previously been hesitant to get involved in frontline politics. He says he voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016 and Joe Biden in 2020, but claimed in 2021 “I would prefer to stay out of politics”.

In early 2024, Musk was still claiming to be politically non-aligned, suggesting he would not donate to either presidential campaign.

This apparent neutrality ended following the attempted assassination of Trump at a July 2024 campaign rally, with Musk immediately endorsing Trump.

In reality, Musk’s conversion to the MAGA movement long predated the assassination attempt. Musk’s hyperactive Twitter/X account shows a steady radicalisation.

Across 2020-2024, Musk engaged with accounts sharing MAGA and far-right conspiracy theories. These include the antisemitic Great Replacement Theory, and the related South African white genocide conspiracy. Musk’s posts also show the obsession with opposing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies characteristic of the MAGA movement.

After endorsing Trump, Musk spent US$288 million (A$444 million) supporting Trump’s election and appeared at campaign events around the country.

Musk’s support for Trump was both ideological and pragmatic.

From tax cuts to immigration restrictions to opposing DEI, there were clearly many ideological commonalities between Musk and Trump.

There were also clear practical benefits for both men. Trump gained the financial backing of the world’s wealthiest man. Musk gained not only unparalleled access to the US president, but also a role leading the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

DOGE: success and failure

Early reporting on the second Trump presidency noted the omnipresence of Musk, who at one point moved into Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort to be close to the president.

However, observers were sceptical about the potential effectiveness of DOGE, and Musk’s claim it would save the government US$2 trillion (A$3.02 trillion).

In the early months of the Trump administration, Musk cut government programs and employees at a remarkable rate. The USAID program was particularly hard hit, as were the Department of Education and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

As the spending cuts picked up pace, Musk began to attract more controversy. Critics questioned the apparent power wielded by the unelected billionaire. Musk’s ties to the far right were also in the spotlight after he appeared to perform two “Roman salutes”, which many observers believed to be a Nazi salute.

Trump clips Musk’s wings

Musk’s apparent rampage through government did not last long. As Trump’s executive appointees assumed control of their departments, Musk and DOGE experienced increasing resistance. After a series of fractious cabinet meetings, Trump reportedly reduced the power of DOGE in March.

Political attention was also clearly affecting Musk’s businesses. The negative publicity has significantly damaged the Tesla brand, leading to declining sales around the world and repeated falls in Telsa’s share price.

On May 1, Musk announced he would be leaving DOGE, claiming the department had saved the government US$180 billion (A$277 billion) in spending. This number is likely an exaggeration, but still falls well short of his original target.

Musk has learned a harsh lesson in politics – that the complexities of government resist simple reform and cannot be easily rolled back in the way a CEO might slim down a company.

For Trump, his manoeuvring of Musk appears to be another smart political move. As the public face of DOGE, Musk bore the negative wrap for early government cuts and chaos. Having used his money and reputation, Trump dispensed with Musk as he has with so many advisers and appointees before.

The falling out

Musk departed his role in a muted White House ceremony, where Trump thanked him for his service and presented him with a ceremonial “golden key” to the White House.

However, behind the public show of civility, tension was brewing over Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill.

Trump and Musk had originally claimed that the US$2 trillion (A$3.02 trillion) in DOGE savings could be used to fund a substantial tax cut. With the efficiency savings not eventuating, Musk worried the OBBB would significantly increase US public debt.

Unable to convince Trump or other Republican legislators, Musk took to X, launching a “Kill the Bill” campaign that ultimately led to his incendiary showdown with Trump.

For his part, Trump has belittled Musk, suggesting Musk only opposed the OBBB because it cut subsidies for electric vehicles.

Though the subsidy cuts will affect Tesla, Musk has previously supported eliminating subsidies. Musk’s anger at the OBBB is more likely driven by the realisation he has been played by Trump.

What now?

Trump has used and discarded many other powerful figures in his chaotic political career. Musk has more power than most, and might be able to strike back at Trump.

Yet, with his public reputation and brands already tarnished, Musk would be ill-advised to pick further fights with Trump and his adoring MAGA movement.

Accordingly, Musk has indicated over the weekend he is open to a détente. Tesla investors will no doubt be relieved if Musk makes good on his pledge to step back from politics and return to his businesses.

More concerning are the prospects for democracy. With wealth and power continuing to concentrate in a handful of billionaires, voters appear reduced to the role of viewers forced to watch the reality TV drama unfold.

Though Trump appears to have won this round of billionaire battle royale, whatever happens next, democracy is the real loser.

Henry Maher 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. The blow-up between Elon Musk and Donald Trump has been entertaining, but how did things go so bad, so fast? – https://theconversation.com/the-blow-up-between-elon-musk-and-donald-trump-has-been-entertaining-but-how-did-things-go-so-bad-so-fast-258394

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

June 8, 2025
Trump says Musk relationship over, warns of ‘serious consequences’ if he funds Democrats

Source: Government of India

Source: Government of India (4)

Donald Trump said on Saturday his relationship with his billionaire donor Elon Musk is over and warned there would be “serious consequences” if Musk funds U.S. Democrats running against Republicans who vote for the president’s sweeping tax and spending bill.

In a telephone interview with NBC News, Trump declined to say what those consequences would be, and went on to add that he had not had discussions about whether to investigate Musk.

Asked if he thought his relationship with the Tesla and SpaceX CEO was over, Trump said, “I would assume so, yeah.”

“No,” Trump told NBC when asked if he had any desire to repair his relationship with Musk.

“I have no intention of speaking to him,” Trump said.

However, Trump said he had not thought about terminating U.S. government contracts with Musk’s StarLink satellite internet or SpaceX rocket launch companies.

Musk and Trump began exchanging insults this week, as Musk denounced Trump’s bill as a “disgusting abomination.” Musk’s opposition to the measure complicated efforts to pass the legislation in Congress, where Republicans hold only slim majorities in the House of Representatives and Senate.

The bill narrowly passed the House last month and is now before the Senate, where Trump’s fellow Republicans are considering making changes. Nonpartisan analysts estimate the measure would add $2.4 trillion to the $36.2 trillion U.S. debt over 10 years, which worries many lawmakers, including some Republicans who are fiscal hawks.

Musk also declared it was time for a new political party in the United States “to represent the 80% in the middle!”

Trump said on Saturday he is confident the bill would get passed by the U.S. July 4 Independence Day holiday.

“In fact, yeah, people that were, were going to vote for it are now enthusiastically going to vote for it, and we expect it to pass,” Trump told NBC.

Republicans have strongly backed Trump’s initiatives since he began his second term as president on January 20. While some Republican lawmakers have made comments to the news media expressing concern about some of Trump’s choices, they have yet to vote down any of his policies or nominations.

DELETED MUSK POSTS

Musk has deleted some social media posts critical of Trump, including one that signaled support for impeaching the president, appearing to seek a de-escalation of their public feud, which exploded on Thursday. During his first term as president, the House, then controlled by Democrats, twice voted to impeach Trump but the Senate both times acquitted him.

The White House and Musk did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Saturday on the deleted posts.

People who have spoken to Musk said his anger has begun to recede and they thought he would want to repair his relationship with Trump.

One of the X posts that Musk appeared to have deleted was a response to another user posting: “President vs Elon. Who wins? My money’s on Elon. Trump should be impeached and (Vice President) JD Vance should replace him.” Musk had written “yes.”

On Theo Von’s “This Past Weekend” podcast – recorded on Thursday as the feud between Trump and Musk unfolded and released on Saturday – Vance called Musk’s criticism of Trump a “huge mistake.”

“I’m always going to be loyal to the president, and I hope that eventually Elon kind of comes back into the fold. Maybe that’s not possible now because he’s gone so nuclear. But I hope it is,” said Vance, describing Musk as an “incredible entrepreneur.”

Trump is due to attend an Ultimate Fighting Championship fight card on Saturday in New Jersey. Since his second election win, he has attended two previous UFC mixed martial arts fight cards with Musk. Musk is not expected to attend on Saturday.

Musk, the world’s richest man, bankrolled a large part of Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, spending nearly $300 million in last year’s U.S. elections and taking credit for Republicans retaining a majority of seats in the House and retaking a majority in the Senate.

Trump named Musk to head an effort to downsize the federal workforce and slash spending, lauding him at the White House only about a week ago for his work as head of the Department of Government Efficiency. Musk cut only about half of 1% of total spending, far short of his brash plans to axe $2 trillion from the federal budget.

(Reuters)

June 8, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: China U-22 Team Draws With Belarus U-21 Team in Friendly Match

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

MINSK, June 8 (Xinhua) — China’s U-22 men’s youth team played a 1-1 draw with Belarus’ U-21 team in a friendly match on Saturday. The game was held at the new National Football Stadium of Belarus, built with China’s support. The football arena, which can accommodate 33,000 spectators, was almost full, with fans actively supporting both teams.

At the beginning of the match, the Belarusian team, using the home advantage, actively attacked. Already in the first 10 minutes, they earned several corners, but were unable to convert them into goals. In the 13th minute, the Chinese team carried out a counterattack: midfielder Mutellip Iminkari went one-on-one with the goalkeeper, but the ball hit the post.

The Belarusians relied on aerial play, using their height, and the Chinese responded with quick attacks, creating several dangerous moments. However, the first half ended goalless.

In the second half, already in the 1st minute, a Chinese defender committed a foul in his penalty area, and the referee awarded a penalty. Player number 22 from the Belarusian team, Nikita Baranov, confidently converted the kick, opening the score – 1:0.

The Chinese did not give up and continued to attack. In the 65th minute, the coaching staff made substitutions, and in the 74th minute, M. Iminkari effectively finished off a corner kick, leveling the score – 1:1.

The Belarusians actively pressed until the end of the match, but the Chinese defense held out, and the game ended in a draw.

China U-22 goalkeeper Li Hao noted after the match that “even though it was a friendly match, the atmosphere at the new stadium felt like a serious tournament. The Belarusians created a lot of problems for us, but we showed a decent level.”

Arseny Skopets, goalkeeper for the Belarus U-21 team, said he was generally pleased with his performance. “China is a strong opponent. I hope we will have more matches like this,” he said.

According to the China Football Association, the U-22 team is holding a training camp in Dalian, Liaoning Province, from May 23 to June 10 to prepare for the 2026 U-23 AFC Asian Cup and the 2026 Nagoya Asian Games. As part of the preparation, the team traveled to Belarus to play friendly matches. –0–

MIL OSI Russia News –

June 8, 2025
MIL-OSI China: French President Macron to visit Greenland on June 15

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

French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to pay an official visit to Greenland on June 15, the French daily Le Monde reported on Saturday, citing a French presidential office source.

At the invitation of Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, and Jens-Frederik Nielsen, prime minister of Greenland’s self-government, French President Macron will be the first foreign head of state to visit Greenland since U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats of annexation, Le Monde reported.

According to the French presidential office, the Elysee, the three leaders will hold talks over security in the North Atlantic and the Arctic, as well as issues related to climate change, energy transition, and supply of critical minerals.

This visit aims to “strengthen cooperation with Greenland in these areas and contribute to strengthening European sovereignty,” Le Monde noted, citing the Elysee source.

Trump has repeatedly expressed a desire to acquire Greenland, a strategically located and resource-rich autonomous territory of Denmark.

Greenland, once a Danish colony, became an integral part of the Kingdom of Denmark in 1953. It was granted home rule in 1979, expanding its autonomy, although Denmark retains control over foreign affairs and defense.

MIL OSI China News –

June 8, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Employment Issues – Suspension of Te Roopu Taurima workers unacceptable – CTU

Source: New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi

The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi stands in solidarity with the 38 workers and PSA members who have been suspended without pay by disability residential care provider Te Roopu Taurima o Manukau Trust.

“We condemn the actions of Te Roopu Taurima in the strongest possible terms and call on them to lift the suspensions on their workers and get back around the negotiating table,” said NZCTU President Richard Wagstaff.

“Responding to low-level strike action by suspending workers without pay for six weeks is an extraordinarily cruel action that has no place in employment relations in this country.

“The right to strike must be defended and upheld. Bullying and intimidation of workers is totally unacceptable.

“These suspensions come after protracted mistreatment of workers by Te Roopu Taurima, including a partial lockout put in place right before Christmas.

“This standoff has occurred because Te Roopu Taurima are trying to bring in 90-day trials, restrictions on secondary employment, while keeping wages low. They have rejected an independent recommended settlement by the Employment Relations Authority because they don’t want to resolve this issue fairly.

“The NZCTU stands in solidarity with these workers and the PSA in their fight for decent pay and conditions at work,” said Wagstaff.

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

June 8, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: LEADER JEFFRIES STATEMENT ON ARREST OF DAVID HUERTA

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)

Know Your Immigration Rights

If you or a loved one encounter immigration enforcement officials, it is essential that you know your rights and have prepared your household for all possible outcomes.

Ask for a warrant: The Fourth Amendment of the Constitution protects you from unreasonable search and seizure. You do not have to open your door until you see a valid warrant to enter your home or search your belongings.

Your right to remain silent: The Fifth Amendment protects your right to remain silent and not incriminate yourself. You are not required to share any personal information such as your place of birth, immigration status or criminal history.

Always consult an attorney: You have a right to speak with an attorney. You do not have to sign anything or hand officials any documents without speaking to an attorney. Try to identify and consult one in advance.

The New York City Office of Civil Justice and the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) support a variety of free immigration legal services through local nonprofit legal organizations. To access these resources, dial 311 and say “Action NYC,” call the MOIA Immigration Legal Support Hotline at 800-354-0365 Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. or visit MOIA’s website.

Learn more here: KNOW YOUR IMMIGRATION RIGHTS – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries

MIL OSI USA News –

June 8, 2025
MIL-OSI USA News: Department of Defense Security for the Protection of Department of Homeland Security Functions

Source: US Whitehouse

MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE

               THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

               THE SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY

SUBJECT:       Department of Defense Security for the Protection of Department of Homeland Security Functions

Numerous incidents of violence and disorder have recently occurred and threaten to continue in response to the enforcement of Federal law by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other United States Government personnel who are performing Federal functions and supporting the faithful execution of Federal immigration laws. In addition, violent protests threaten the security of and significant damage to Federal immigration detention facilities and other Federal property. To the extent that protests or acts of violence directly inhibit the execution of the laws, they constitute a form of rebellion against the authority of the Government of the United States.

In light of these incidents and credible threats of continued violence, by the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby call into Federal service members and units of the National Guard under 10 U.S.C. 12406 to temporarily protect ICE and other United States Government personnel who are performing Federal functions, including the enforcement of Federal law, and to protect Federal property, at locations where protests against these functions are occurring or are likely to occur based on current threat assessments and planned operations. Further, I direct and delegate actions as necessary for the Secretary of Defense to coordinate with the Governors of the States and the National Guard Bureau in identifying and ordering into Federal service the appropriate members and units of the National Guard under this authority. The members and units of the National Guard called into Federal service shall be at least 2,000 National Guard personnel and the duration of duty shall be for 60 days or at the discretion of the Secretary of Defense. In addition, the Secretary of Defense may employ any other members of the regular Armed Forces as necessary to augment and support the protection of Federal functions and property in any number determined appropriate in his discretion.

To carry out this mission, the deployed military personnel may perform those military protective activities that the Secretary of Defense determines are reasonably necessary to ensure the protection and safety of Federal personnel and property The Secretary of Defense shall consult with the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security prior to withdrawing any personnel from any location to which they are sent. The Secretaries of Defense and Homeland Security may delegate to subordinate officials of their respective Departments any of the authorities conferred upon them by this memorandum.

                               DONALD J. TRUMP

MIL OSI USA News –

June 8, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Transformative £86 billion boost to science and tech to turbocharge economy, with regions backed to take cutting-edge research into own hands
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Press release

Transformative £86 billion boost to science and tech to turbocharge economy, with regions backed to take cutting-edge research into own hands

Funding package worth more than £22.5 billion a year in 2029 will boost Britain’s world-leading status in research and innovation.
£86 billion to fund everything from new drug treatments and longer lasting batteries to new AI breakthroughs to generate billions for the UK economy and drive our Plan for Change

includes up to £500 million for regions across the UK, with local leaders part of decision making

announcement comes ahead of next week’s Spending Review, where the Chancellor will make clear that investing in Britain’s renewal will deliver change for working people and their communities

Chancellor Rachel Reeves will announce a transformative £86 billion in the Spending Review to turbo-charge our fastest growing sectors, from tech and life sciences, to advanced manufacturing and defence, as part of the government’s plan to invest in Britain’s renewal through our Modern Industrial Strategy.

Britain will boost its world-leading status in research and innovation with a bumper funding package worth more than £22.5 billion a year in 2029/2030. From exploring new drug treatments and longer lasting batteries, to new AI breakthroughs, the package will drive new jobs and economic growth as well as ensuring the UK leads the way in pioneering the technologies of the future.

It comes ahead of the Spending Review, where the Chancellor will set out how the government will invest in Britain’s renewal by investing in the people’s priorities: health, security and the economy. The Chancellor will outline this government’s laser focus on investing in Britain’s renewal through projects that will bring jobs and prosperity, putting more money in working people’s pockets.

The new R&D package will mean local leaders have government backing to develop ‘innovation clusters’ across the country, to unlock the talent and opportunity in every region and nation.

It is those with skin in the game who know what is best for their region. That’s why, through the new Local Innovation Partnerships Fund, local leaders will be given the powers to decide how to target their research investment in the region and make the most of skill sets of the community, boosting high skilled jobs and igniting growth across the country, the core mission of the government’s Plan for Change.

The package will see every corner of the country benefit. In Liverpool, that means leveraging its expertise in life sciences to accelerate drug discovery, in Northern Ireland that means harnessing its reputation for cutting edge defence equipment to shore up our national security. And in South Wales, it means boosting expertise in designing cutting edge semiconductors that power the devices like mobile phones and electric cars we rely on every day to support growth and new jobs in those regions.

The new funding will build on work already underway to transform local communities through the Innovation Accelerator pilot scheme – a new funding approach and partnership between local authorities and government. It has supported new technology developed by the Greater Manchester advanced diagnostic accelerator, delivering quicker and cheaper detection for liver, heart and lung diseases, whilst Moonbility from the West Midlands is using AI software helping train companies to simulate, in real time, potential disruption to the network so they can alert passengers on delay length, giving advice on replanning journeys.

This government is making investments in Britain’s future that will deliver dividends for decades to come. Every £1 invested in R&D generates up to £7 in benefits to the UK economy and leverages double in private investment in the long run, with businesses that receive their first R&D grant funding seeing jobs and turnover go up by over 20% in the following years – providing a major boost to the UK economy. R&D is also at the heart of around 3 million jobs in the UK, with the power to create many more as discoveries advance.

The announcement comes ahead of London Tech Week, the UK’s flagship technology festival, with more expected in the coming days, as this government doubles down on plans to ensure the UK is once again open for business and setting the conditions for a decade of national renewal and the economic growth that is at the heart of our Plan for Change.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said:

Britain is the home of science and technology. Through the Plan for Change, we are investing in Britain’s renewal to create jobs, protect our security against foreign threats and make working families better off.

Science and Technology Secretary, Peter Kyle, said:

R&D is the very foundation of the breakthroughs that make our lives easier and healthier – from new medicines enabling us to live longer, more fulfilled lives to developments in AI giving us time back, from easing our train journeys through to creating the technology we need to protect our planet from climate change.

Incredible and ambitious research goes on in every corner of our country, from Liverpool to Inverness, Swansea to Belfast, which is why empowering regions to harness local expertise and skills for all of our benefit is at the heart of this new funding – helping to deliver the economic growth at the centre of our Plan for Change.

Alongside this, nearly £5 million is being invested to kickstart a new partnership between the high-growth regions of Manchester and Cambridge, strengthening the link between these hubs of innovation to attract more business investment, and pilot new approaches to collaboration, setting examples for cities, universities and governments worldwide.

Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, said:

This is exactly how we turn our potential into progress. This investment backs regions to lead the way in the industries that will define the future.

From life sciences and advanced manufacturing to clean energy and AI, regions across the UK have the skills and the ideas – they just need the investment and the power to match.

This will drive innovation that not only grows the economy but creates jobs, builds opportunity, improves health and changes lives.

North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said:

Our region is already an advanced manufacturing powerhouse and this announcement boosts my mission to create new growth, new jobs and new opportunities in 2 exciting ways.

We will now be able to support more research and development projects in established sectors, like the car industry and green energy, which are cornerstones of the North East economy, and we can also invest in new technologies from kitchen table innovations to our fast-emerging trailblazers in the space industry and AI.

Notes to editors

The fund would give dedicated awards of at least £30 million to each of the 7 Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities in England – Greater Manchester, West Midlands, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, Liverpool City Region, North East, and Greater London as well as to one equivalent region in each of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to be agreed with devolved governments. The fund will also include a competition, which will be open to all other parts of the UK. This will similarly support high potential innovation clusters to grow, and be based on a principle of co-creation with UKRI. This will allow us build on the strengths that we know exist across the country.

Following a review of the Treasury’s Green Book, the Chancellor to invest billions in the regions to support economic growth, making deliberate choices to stabilise the public finances in invest in Britain’s renewal. This announcement on R&D follows on the back off £15.6 billion of government investment in local transport in city regions in the North, Midlands and South West, which also empowers local leaders to make the best investment decisions for their areas which they know best and ensure value for money.

The ONS has estimated 2.8 million people are employed in occupations essential to R&D activities across all sectors in 2023: R&D skills supply and demand: long-term trends and workforce projections – GOV.UK.

The Cambridge x Manchester Innovation Partnership will be led by Research England on behalf of UKRI. It includes a £4.8 million investment over 3 years which embeds place-based growth, led by the universities of Cambridge and Manchester.

DSIT media enquiries

Email press@dsit.gov.uk

Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 6pm 020 7215 3000

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Published 8 June 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
June 8, 2025
MIL-OSI: Trump’s Secret AI Strategy Uncovered: Tech Insider Reveals Hidden Role of Elon Musk

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

BALTIMORE, June 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — New briefing claims President Trump has quietly deployed the most advanced artificial intelligence system in U.S. history — and handed the keys to Elon Musk.

In a recently surfaced briefing, tech entrepreneur and author James Altucher alleges that Donald Trump’s first move back in the Oval Office was more than symbolic — it was tactical.

According to Altucher, Trump’s repeal of Biden’s AI executive order set off a hidden chain reaction that gave Elon Musk the freedom to unleash a classified project known as Project Colossus — an AI facility located in Memphis, Tennessee that may now house the most powerful supercomputer on Earth.

“The Fastest Supercomputer on the Planet”

“It contains not just one or two… but 200,000 units of Nvidia’s all-powerful AI chips… making it the most advanced AI facility known to man.”

“The fastest supercomputer on the planet.” — Jensen Huang, Nvidia CEO

Altucher says the facility is growing fast — with rumors Musk plans to double its processing power within weeks.

A Quiet Reversal. A Bold New Doctrine.

“In one of his FIRST acts as President… Donald Trump overturned Executive Order #14110.”

That order — signed by Biden — had imposed regulatory constraints on advanced AI. Altucher claims the reversal was calculated, opening the door for private actors like Musk to move “without delay or oversight.”

Trump later followed with a $500 billion initiative dubbed Stargate, focused on expanding America’s AI infrastructure.

Beyond Chatbots — Toward Supremacy

Altucher argues that what’s being built isn’t just faster software — it’s a new class of intelligence entirely.

“AI 2.0… gives that knowledge to intelligent machines that I believe will solve our problems for us.”

He says July 1 could mark a critical turning point, when Musk unveils a 10X expansion to Colossus — potentially redefining U.S. dominance in AI for decades.

About James Altucher

James Altucher is a computer scientist, bestselling author, and entrepreneur who has worked in AI for over 40 years. He has advised tech firms, built AI trading systems, and contributed to IBM’s Deep Blue supercomputer project. His latest research focuses on the convergence of AI, national policy, and private innovation.

Media Contact:
Derek Warren
Public Relations Manager
Paradigm Press Group
Email: dwarren@paradigmpressgroup.com

The MIL Network –

June 8, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Iran ready for nuclear inspections, but won’t accept coercion – president

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

TEHRAN, June 7 (Xinhua) — Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Saturday that his country is ready for inspection of its nuclear facilities but does not accept coercion.

M. Pezeshkian made the statement during a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Murat Nurtleu in the Iranian capital Tehran, commenting on the ongoing indirect nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington, according to a statement published on the website of the presidential office.

Iran’s president has said the country’s nuclear activities are completely “transparent,” a claim that has been repeatedly confirmed by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

“We are ready for inspections, but we consider it unacceptable to deprive peoples of access to knowledge, technology and scientific achievements,” M. Pezeshkian said, adding that Iran is always ready to listen to logical reasoning, but will never allow “coercion and bullying.”

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, in turn, expressed his country’s respect for Iran’s “principled and logical” position on issues of peaceful nuclear activities.

The parties agreed to develop bilateral relations in all areas, the statement noted.

According to Iran’s official news agency IRNA, Nurtleu arrived in Tehran on Saturday morning, where he was met by his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi. –0–

MIL OSI Russia News –

June 8, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Government Of Saskatchewan Increases Financial Assistance For Those Affected By Wildfire State Of Emergency

Source: Government of Canada regional news

Released on June 7, 2025

Due to the wildfires affecting communities across Saskatchewan, today, Minister Tim McLeod, in conjunction with the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA), has increased financial assistance for those registered with the SPSA, raising the amount provided to the head of household to $40 per day, up from $20, and the additional members of a household would increase to $20 per day, up from $10. Bringing the daily maximum of $200 per day.

As of yesterday, there were 24 active wildfires in Saskatchewan and 33 communities have evacuated. To date this year, there have been 251 wildfires, well above the five-year average of 141.

“While we are hoping to soon have some individuals and families repatriated back to their communities, we know that some will have to continue to be evacuated as we deal with ensuring safe cleanup of these devasting wildfires,” Saskatchewan Public Safety Minister Tim McLeod, K.C. said. “Frontline crews and multiple agencies are working as quickly as possible to do so.”

The Government of Saskatchewan has provided $15 million to the Canadian Red Cross to help Saskatchewan residents who have been displaced from their homes, as wildfires continue to threaten communities across the province.

The Canadian Red Cross is working closely with Indigenous leadership and all levels of government to provide emergency accommodations, personal services and critical information to people who have been forced from their homes.

If you are from an evacuated community and looking for information or support, please contact the Canadian Red Cross 1-800-863-6582 between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m.

For evacuees who have registered The SPSA’s Emergency and Community Support (ECS) program, please call the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency 1-855-559-5502 to seek information or supports.

The SPSA’s Emergency and Community Support (ECS) program is intended to meet the urgent, basic needs of Saskatchewan residents who have been displaced from their homes due to a disaster such as flooding or a forest fire, or any incident that forces people out of their homes.

The state of emergency is in effect until June 29, 2025, and can be extended, if necessary, to help address this unprecedented start of the fire season.

The SPSA has committed to providing daily updates on the current wildfire situation to ensure that Saskatchewan residents are provided with the most up to date information.

Anyone who spots a wildfire can call 1-800-667-9660, dial 9-1-1 or contact their closest SPSA Forest Protection Area office.

-30-

For more information, contact:

Stephanie Wilkinson
Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency
Prince Albert
Phone: 306-798-0094
Email: media.spsa@gov.sk.ca

MIL OSI Canada News –

June 8, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Minister Lightbound visits Chantier Davie as part of the shipyard’s 200th anniversary celebration

Source: Government of Canada News

June 7, 2025 – Lévis, Quebec

Through the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS), the Government of Canada is committed to strengthening its sovereign shipbuilding capabilities in an increasingly complex global environment. Building vessels domestically creates strong supply chains that help safeguard Canadian naval capabilities and ensure that the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN), the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) and Transport Canada (TC) are equipped to conduct operations at home and alongside allies.

Today, the Honourable Joël Lightbound, Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement, visited Chantier Davie Canada Inc. (CDCI) to celebrate the shipyard’s 200th anniversary. He also took the opportunity to emphasize the importance of prioritizing Canadian supply chains and highlighted the role of the NSS in supporting domestic industry and innovation.

As one of the 3 strategic partner shipyards under the NSS, CDCI plays a critical role in strengthening the country’s maritime capabilities. The shipyard was recently awarded a major contract to build a polar icebreaker for the CCG. In addition, design work is currently underway at CDCI for 6 program icebreakers, which are essential for maintaining year-round access to Canada’s Arctic and supporting northern communities.

Beyond new ship construction, CDCI is a key contributor to the third pillar of the NSS: vessel repair, refit and maintenance. The shipyard is actively engaged in vessel life extension projects, refit and conversion work and sustainment operations across a wide range of fleet assets. These efforts ensure that Canada’s maritime fleet remains resilient, mission-ready and capable of operating both domestically and alongside international allies.

This year marks the 15th anniversary of the NSS. Since its inception, the strategy has revitalized Canada’s marine industry, fostered innovation and created a skilled workforce. NSS contracts awarded between 2012 and the end of 2024 contributed close to $38.7 billion to Canada’s gross domestic product and created or maintained approximately 21,400 jobs annually from 2012 to 2025.

Looking ahead, the Government of Canada remains committed to advancing shipbuilding projects that equip the RCN, the CCG and TC with modern, capable vessels. The NSS will continue to evolve by incorporating lessons learned and working closely with industry partners to deliver long-term value for Canadians.

MIL OSI Canada News –

June 8, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Government steps up efforts in handling water incidents at Queen’s Hill Estate and Shan Lai Court (with photos/video)

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Government steps up efforts in handling water incidents at Queen’s Hill Estate and Shan Lai Court (with photos/video)
The Government has set up an expert group comprising three experts from the Drinking Water Safety Advisory Committee (DWSAC), namely the Chairman of the DWSAC, Dr Chan Hon-fai, Mr Chung Chi-ming, and Mr Chan Chi-ming. The expert group will continue to advise on the traceability work of the incident and ensure the investigation results are scientific and objective.

The Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, together with the Director of Water Supplies, Mr Roger Wong, and the three members of the expert group, visited the upstream location of the water supply network for Queen’s Hill Estate and Shan Lai Court today (June 7) to inspect the screen filter and learn about the upcoming work at the location of the pipe. The Government briefed the expert group on the assessment that the section of steel pipe with bitumen protective coating on the inner wall at the upstream water supply network at Ping Che Road, which is about 400-metre-long and 600 millimetres in diameter, is believed to be the source of sediments in the water at Queen’s Hill Estate and Shan Lai Court. The expert group considered the assessment reasonable.

The WSD will continue to deepen the traceability work, using advanced technologies, such as robots, to detect the condition of the bitumen coating inside the pipe, so as to further ascertain the specific cause of the incident. An investigation report of the incident will be submitted to the DWSAC for review within two weeks.

Ms Linn said that the WSD will first replace a section of 400-metre-long steel water pipe with bitumen protective coating on the inner wall at the upstream and the works will commence within this year. The WSD will immediately start the preparation work. At present, non-bitumen protective coating is used on the inner wall of over 90 per cent of water pipes in Hong Kong. For the 700-kilometre-long water pipes with bitumen protective coating on the inner wall, the WSD has installed over 1 000 screen filters at suitable locations, and will review, in accordance with the risk-based approach, whether it is necessary to install extra screen filters at other locations. The WSD will formulate a longer-term plan for the replacement of water pipes and will submit a proposal to the Development Bureau for review.

While stepping up the traceability work, the WSD has increased the frequency of water testing. Water samples are collected daily from water tanks at Queen’s Hill Estate (comprising seven buildings, a community centre and a shopping mall) and Shan Lai Court (six buildings) for testing to closely monitor water quality. The testing results are released on the WSD’s website daily. To ensure residents can feel at ease when consuming water, the WSD will continue to arrange water tanks for the estates to provide temporary water supply. The WSD will also promptly address any inquiries received (the WSD’s 24-hour hotline: 2824 5000). The District Officer will strengthen communication with the WSD and the Housing Department (HD) and will immediately follow up on any complaints from residents.

Prompt arrangement has been made by the HD to thoroughly clean again the water tanks in every building of Queen’s Hill Estate and Shan Lai Court within the next seven days. The HD installed a total of 22 high-efficiency filtration devices at the ground-level water inlets of all 13 buildings in Queen’s Hill Estate and Shan Lai Court. These devices will be inspected twice daily to ensure proper operation. The expenses for these measures will be fully borne by the Government.

The HD will display the WSD’s daily water test results in the lobby of each building in Queen’s Hill Estate and Shan Lai Court, with daily updating. If residents observe any issues with water quality, they can call the Queen’s Hill Estate management office (Tel: 2537 0001) or the Shan Lai Court management office (Tel: 2713 9530) and provide their contact information. The management office will follow up by contacting residents and conducting on-site inspections.

The Home and Youth Affairs Bureau (HYAB) and the Home Affairs Department (HAD), together with District Council (DC) members and volunteers from Care Teams (CT), have conducted over 100 visits and gathered cases for referral over the past week, demonstrating through concrete actions their care for the residents of Queen’s Hill Estate and Shan Lai Court over the drinking water incident and its impact on their daily lives.

The HYAB and the HAD will gather over 50 persons comprising DC members, members of the “three district committees” of the North District, and the six sub-teams of the North District CTs, along with staff members of the HD, to conduct home visits today and tomorrow. The visits will include following up with households previously sought assistance in relation to the incident on their current water usage conditions, and making immediate referrals where necessary. The team reached over 850 households during today’s visit; the majority of these households acknowledged water quality has substantially improved. Additionally, three street booths will be set up at key locations in Queen’s Hill Estate and Shan Lai Court to provide residents with the latest updates and practical information, as well as to register residents’ cases for assistance.
Issued at HKT 23:44

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CategoriesMIL-OSI

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

June 8, 2025
MIL-OSI: Trump and Musk’s AI Alliance Revealed in Shocking New Briefing

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

BALTIMORE, June 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — James Altucher uncovers secret AI facility that could cement U.S. dominance — and it all began with Trump’s first move back in office.

In a recent public briefing, bestselling author and tech entrepreneur James Altucher exposed what he describes as the real story behind President Trump’s first executive reversal — and its direct link to a classified AI superproject now underway in Tennessee.

According to Altucher, Trump’s repeal of Biden’s executive AI order didn’t just lift regulations — it cleared the way for Elon Musk to quietly launch Project Colossus, a private supercomputer that now rivals anything built by Big Tech or the Pentagon.

Trump’s First Move — Musk’s Fastest Machine

“In one of his FIRST acts as President… Donald Trump overturned Executive Order #14110.”

Altucher says this maneuver gave developers like Musk “full speed ahead” to build without delay — and Musk wasted no time.

“Right here, inside this warehouse in Memphis, Tennessee… lies a massive supercomputer Musk calls ‘Project Colossus.’”

The system, according to Altucher, is now operational and powered by over 200,000 AI chips — with more upgrades on the way before July 1.

A New Tech Doctrine

Altucher argues that Trump’s return marks more than a change in leadership — it marks a shift in philosophy: from AI safety to AI supremacy.

“Trump also announced the LARGEST AI investment in history… Stargate… a massive, AI data center and infrastructure project with an estimated $500 billion price tag.”

He believes this signals a strategic effort to make America the global leader in next-generation technology — not through bureaucracies, but through Musk-led private innovation.

Musk Builds the Machine, Trump Clears the Way

Altucher refers to the pairing as “the most powerful alliance in tech history” — and warns that what they’re building isn’t just software.

“This second wave of ARTIFICIAL SUPERINTELLIGENCE… Will rival all of the great innovations of the past. Electricity… the wheel… even the discovery of fire.”

He says what happens next could reshape the balance of power — both at home and abroad.

About James Altucher

James Altucher is a computer scientist, author, and entrepreneur. He studied AI at Cornell and Carnegie Mellon, worked on IBM’s Deep Blue supercomputer, and pioneered AI-powered market systems. His latest work tracks the hidden forces shaping the next generation of American technology and policy.

Media Contact:
Derek Warren
Public Relations Manager
Paradigm Press Group
Email: dwarren@paradigmpressgroup.com

The MIL Network –

June 8, 2025