NewzIntel.com

Category: Law

  • MIL-OSI Security: St. Louis Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Shootings and Carjacking

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Tuesday sentenced a convicted felon who committed an armed 2018 carjacking, a 2021 shooting and two other crimes involving guns to 25 years in prison.

    Darnell L. Clemons left a string of victims terrified and traumatized, according to testimony at Monday’s sentencing hearing.

    On May 16, 2018, Darnell L. Clemons and a nephew robbed and carjacked the manager of a University City, Missouri restaurant. Clemons stole the victim’s 2015 Toyota Corolla, cash and her phone after placing the muzzle of a handgun to her forehead and stomach.

    On July 29, 2021, Clemons’ nephew spotted a gun in a bag belonging to a customer at a Florissant, Missouri gas station and convenience store. The nephew tried to steal the gun, triggering a struggle. Clemons spotted the struggle, ran into the store and shot the victim in the back, resulting in permanent injury. He fired another shot from outside of the store.

    On Aug. 4, 2021, following a shootout with unknown individuals in a car, Clemons jumped through a stranger’s window in the O’Fallon neighborhood in St. Louis. Police found a stolen 9mm pistol with the slide locked back and no ammunition, indicating that Clemons had fired it recently. Clemons initially gave his brother’s name to police and claimed that officers planted the gun they found. A witness saw Clemons with the gun and his fingerprint was on the pistol’s magazine, however.

    On Dec. 8, 2021, Clemons was arrested on outstanding warrants by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department’s Fugitive Unit with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations. After a foot chase through the Delmar Loop, officers found a 9mm Glock loaded with a large capacity drum magazine. Clemons again gave his brother’s name and falsely claimed that police had planted the gun. He later told police he “should have shot it out with you all” rather than surrendering, and threatened to kill an officer that he recognized, and that officer’s mother.

    Clemons was a “one-man crime wave” for 20 years before that arrest, placing him in the highest criminal history category, according to a sentencing memo. That crime wave included a carjacking committed by Clemons and his nephew at a church and resisting-arrest convictions dating back to age 16. Clemons also “capped off months of domestic abuse by throwing his pregnant girlfriend through a table, causing her to miscarry his own child,” the memo says. He also shot her, the memo says. In a letter to Judge Autrey, Clemons’ former girlfriend said Clemons’ gun went off while he was pistol-whipping her on Mother’s Day. “Hurting people made you laugh, and that’s where you found your joy in life,” she wrote in her letter. “To this day, I still deal with not feeling safe, not even when the police would come, because you have successfully broken into my house countless times. Not only are you my worst nightmare, but also the mother of a child’s worst nightmare as well.”

    “This was a career criminal with no regard for human life and demonstrated a willingness to terrorize communities with violence,” said Mark Zito, Special Agent in Charge of ICE Homeland Security Investigations Kansas City. “This is exactly the kind of dangerous offender HSI targets: armed, repeat violent criminals who think they can operate without consequence. Let this sentencing serve as a clear warning – if you prey on the public with guns and fear, we will find you, we will build the case, and we will make sure you face the full weight of the justice system.”

    Clemons, 38, of St. Louis, pleaded guilty in January in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of carjacking, two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and one count of possession of ammunition by a convicted felon.

    The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the University City Police Department, the Florissant Police Department and the St. Louis County Crime Lab investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zachary Bluestone and Matthew Martin prosecuted the case.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New Hampshire Man Sentenced to 78 Months in Kidnapping Case

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on June 20, 2025, Barry Perez of Lebanon, New Hampshire, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss to a term of 78 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 5-year term of supervised release. The Court also ordered Perez to pay restitution in the amount of $44,626 and recommended that the Bureau of Prisons not give Perez credit for time Perez has been detained pending the sentencing date. Perez previously pleaded guilty to kidnapping an interstate trucker on January 13, 2023.

    According to court records, Perez stole a box truck in Lebanon, New Hampshire, in the early morning hours of January 13, 2023. He drove the stolen truck into Vermont along Interstate 89. He was under the influence of various illegal drugs. After crashing the box truck near Exit 1 on I-89, a tractor trailer driver with an interstate shipment stopped to assist Perez. Perez displayed what appeared to be handgun, but was in fact a pellet gun, to force the trucker to drive Perez further north on I-89. When Perez dozed off, the trucker was able to stop the truck and escape. After a standoff, Perez was arrested in Berlin, Vermont, and taken into custody.

    Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the collaborative investigatory efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Vermont State Police, and the Berlin Police Department.

    The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Van de Graaf. Perez was represented by Federal Public Defender Michael Desautels.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Schenectady Man Pleads Guilty to Drug and Gun Offenses

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    ALBANY, NEW YORK – Christopher Garrow, age 39, of Schenectady, New York, pled guilty on June 9 to possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine, and to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. 

    United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), made the announcement.

    Garrow admitted to trafficking drugs for several months in 2024. In May 2024, officers arrested Garrow on unrelated state arrest warrants and discovered cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine, heroin, and a revolver in his backpack.

    United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: “Gun-toting drug dealers should be afraid – not just of dying in the streets as a result of their chosen profession, but of swift and decisive federal prosecution that will put them behind bars for many years. Schenectady County will be safer with this criminal off the streets.”

    ATF Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller stated: “Protecting the public from violent crime remains one of our highest priorities. This case reflects how illegal firearms and drug trafficking often go hand in hand, creating serious threats to our communities. Strong partnerships with local law enforcement are essential to disrupting these dangerous networks and holding offenders accountable. ATF New York thanks our partners from the Schenectady PD, the Schenectady County DA’s Office & U.S. Attorney’s Office of Northern District of NY for their continued dedication to public safety and collaboration in pursuit of justice.”

    Schenectady County District Attorney Robert M. Carney stated: “We thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for its successful prosecution of Mr. Garrow, who did present a real danger to our community.  I know that Assistant District Attorney James Faucher from our Major Crimes Bureau worked closely with federal authorities to help shape this case for federal prosecution based on his knowledge of Mr. Garrow’s activities from other matters. We have over my tenure as DA often referred gun cases to federal prosecutors and I thank Mr. Sarcone for continuing that association.”

    At sentencing, Garrow faces a prison term of at least 10 years and up to life, and a supervised release term of at least 4 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.

    ATF investigated the case with assistance from the Schenectady Police Department and the Schenectady County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mikayla Espinosa is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods.

    Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI China: Regular Press Briefing of the Ministry of National Defense on June 13, 2025 2025-06-24 On the afternoon of June 13, 2025, Senior Colonel Jiang Bin, Deputy Director-General of the Information Office of China’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) and Spokesperson for the MND, answered recent media queries concerning the military.

    Source: People’s Republic of China – Ministry of National Defense

    On the afternoon of June 13, 2025, Senior Colonel Jiang Bin, Deputy Director-General of the Information Office of China’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) and Spokesperson for the MND, answered recent media queries concerning the military.

    On the afternoon of June 13, 2025, Senior Colonel Jiang Bin, Deputy Director-General of the Information Office of China’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) and Spokesperson for the MND, answers recent media queries concerning the military. (Photo by Sun Yue)

    (The following English text is for reference. In case of any divergence of interpretation, the Chinese text shall prevail.)

    Jiang Bin: First, I would like to announce two pieces of information.

    First, the third China-ASEAN Defense Think Tank Exchange will be held in Guiyang from June 18 to 20. Themed on “Jointly Promote Regional Peace and Build a Safe and Secure Home”, the Exchange focuses on topics such as innovation in China-ASEAN defense cooperation, maritime security cooperation, and crisis management, providing insights and suggestions for building a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future. Defense policy officials, experts and scholars, as well as think tank representatives from China, ASEAN countries, and Timor-Leste will attend the event.

    Second, the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) will start recruiting the 14th batch of female pilot cadets among high school graduates across 31 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) from June 2025. The selection process will be conducted in two stages: preliminary selection and final selection. Female candidates with excellent National College Entrance Examination scores and outstanding flight potential will have the opportunity to be admitted bythe “joint degree programs”, allowing them to study both at the PLAAF academies and at Peking University, Tsinghua University, or Beihang University. We welcome more aspiring young women to apply for recruitment and join the PLAAF, a force full of honour and dreams. For more details, please visit the official website of the Pilot Selection Bureau of PLA Air Force at www.kjzfw.mil.cn.

    Journalist: It is reported that President Xi Jinping recently had a phone call with US President Donald Trump at the request of the latter. President Xi pointed out that the two sides should enhance exchanges in the fields of diplomacy, economy and trade, military affairs, and law enforcement. What are your expectations on China-US mil-to-mil relations?

    Jiang Bin: China upholds the principle of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation, and stays committed to promoting the stable, sound, and sustainable development of China-US military-to-military relations. It is hopedthat the US side stop hyping up the so-called “China threat”, earnestly respect China’s core interests and major concerns, work with China towards the same direction to strengthen communication and dialogue, properly manage differences, and enhance mutual understanding and mutual trust, so as to jointly improve and develop relations between the two militaries.

    Journalist: It is reported that the 2025 military academy enrollment plan for high school graduates has recently been released, which has attracted wide public attention. Could you elaborate on the new features and changes in this year’s enrollment plan?

    Jiang Bin: In line with Xi Jinping Thought on Strengthening the Military, the 2025 enrollment work of military academies fully implements the overarching plan for deepening the reform of military academies, focuses on the core needs of combat readiness, and integrates the needs for cultivating high-calibre military talents and developing academic disciplines.The number of high schoolgraduates that the military academies plan to admit this year is basically the same as last year.

    There are four changes in this year’s recruitment. First,there has been a change in the number of enrolling academies, which has been reduced from 27 to 22, so that the military talent cultivation systembecomes more efficient and streamlined. The PLA Army (PLAA) Special Operations Academy, the PLAA Academy of Border and Coastal Defense, the Special Police College of the People’s Armed Police (PAP), and the PAP Coast Guard College will no longer directly enroll high school graduates. Instead, they will enroll students from other PLAA and PAP academies to continue their specialized military training. Second, the method ofcadet cultivation has been changed. In their enrollment plans, the military academies will no longer make the distinction between “commanding” and “non-commanding” categories. The removal of such a distinction and the resulting clarification of cultivation goals will facilitate the students to have a clearer career plan from the outset. Third, military academy graduates are allowed to directly apply for a master’s degree. Starting from 2025, allmilitary academy graduates will have the opportunity to directly apply for master’s programs in related fields, providing more diverse career paths for cadets. Fourth, a special operations talent selection program has been established. Whiling studying in military academies, those who aspire to join the special operations forces will havethe opportunity to participate in a selection program and receive professional and elite training in special operations.

    Military academies are the cradle for cultivating military talents. What’s more important is that they provide a broad stage for young students to pursue their dreams of serving the country. Here, you will be educated with cutting-edge military science and technology, grow alongside like-minded comrades, and forge an iron will and a strong team spirit. In the journey to make our armed forces strong, opportunities awaits you here. We warmly welcome young aspirants to actively apply for military academies, so as to write a magnificent chapter on strengthening the nation and the military with your passion and youth.

    Journalist: The Japanese Ministry of Defense recently stated that two Chinese aircraft carriers operated simultaneously in the Pacific for the first time, and that carrier-based aircraft came “unusually close” to Japanese Self-Defense Force aircraft. What’s your comment?

    Jiang Bin: Recently, the task groups of the PLA Navy’s aircraft carriers Liaoning and Shandong conducted routine training in the West Pacific. During the training, Japanese vessels and aircraft repeatedly made close-in provocations, and even deliberately created maritime and air securityrisks. We are strongly dissatisfied and has lodged solemn representations with the Japanese side.

    The Chinese aircraft carrier task groups conducted training activities on the high seas, which did not target any specific country or objective, and was in full compliance with international law and international practices. The Chinese side,in response to the Japanese vessels and aircraft’s forcible entryinto the training area, took legitimate, lawful, professional, and restrainedcountermeasures all the way through. We urge the Japanese side to stop dangerous and provocative actions, so as to prevent accidents at sea and in the air.

    Journalist: According to reports, the Taipei School of Economics and Political Science Foundation recently held an unofficial “chief-of-staff” level war-gaming on a Taiwan crisis for the first time. The former “Chief of the General Staff” of the Taiwan military, the former Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the former Chief of Staff of the Japan Self-Defense Forces participated the event. In addition, the US and Taiwan held the so-called Defense Industry Forum in Taipei, advocating closer cooperation in weaponry and equipment. What’s your comment?

    Jiang Bin: The Taiwan question is purely China’s internal affair, which brooks no external interference. Any action that emboldens the “Taiwan independence” separatist forces to seek secession will undermine cross-Strait peace and stability. Whoever does that is bound to get burnt for playing with fire, and taste the bitter fruit of its own doing. We urge relevant countries to truly abide by the one-China principle, and stop sending any wrong signal to the “Taiwan independence” separatist forces. In front of the prevailing trend of the ultimate andcertain reunification of China, any scheme to solicit foreign support for independence and contain China with Taiwan is doomed to failure.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK MHRA leads safe use of AI in healthcare as first country in new global network

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    UK MHRA leads safe use of AI in healthcare as first country in new global network

    The MHRA will help shape international rules for AI in healthcare – speeding up access to safe, effective technologies into the NHS and worldwide.

    From left to right: Science Minister Lord Patrick Vallance, Health AI CEO Dr Ricardo Baptista Leite and MHRA CEO Lawrence Tallon.

    The UK has today (24 June) become the first country in the world to join a new global network of health regulators focused on the safe, effective use of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare.

    The move puts the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) at the centre of global efforts to get trusted AI tools safely into clinics faster – supporting earlier diagnosis, cutting NHS waiting times, and backing growth in the UK’s health tech sector.

    By joining the HealthAI Global Regulatory Network as a founding ‘pioneer’ country, the MHRA will work with regulators around the world to share early warnings on safety, monitor how AI tools perform in practice, and shape international standards together – helping make AI in healthcare safer and more effective for patients around the world. Other countries are expected to join in the coming months.

    The MHRA will draw on its leading work at home to help shape the network from the ground up. That includes AI Airlock, a global leading example of a regulatory sandbox for AI medical devices – which lets companies test new tools with the regulator before wider NHS roll-out. Early examples include AI models to help GPs spot lung conditions sooner and AI to support more personalised cancer care.

    The MHRA has updated guidance and begun reforming medical device safety regulations, and continues to adapt them for fast-developing areas such as adaptive and generative AI. The MHRA is also working with researchers, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the NHS to strengthen real-world evidence on how these tools perform in practice.

    A signing ceremony to mark the UK’s membership took place today at Westminster with Science Minister Lord Vallance, MHRA Chief Executive Lawrence Tallon and Dr Ricardo Baptista Leite, CEO of HealthAI.

    Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:

    “I’m delighted that the UK has been invited to become a Pioneer Country in HealthAI’s Global Regulatory Network.

    “This recognition underscores our commitment to being at the forefront of responsible AI innovation in healthcare. As we implement our 10 Year Health Plan, cutting-edge technology will be crucial to transforming patient care and NHS efficiency.

    “Working with international partners through this network will ensure we harness AI’s incredible potential, while maintaining the highest standards of safety and ethics.”

    Science and Tech Secretary Peter Kyle said:

    “The UK is leading the way in making sure AI delivers real-world benefits – from better care for patients to new opportunities for growth.”

    “By shaping global standards and breaking down unnecessary regulatory barriers at home, we’re helping innovators to get trusted tools into the NHS faster, improving treatments for patients while growing our economy in support of our Plan for Change.”

    MHRA Chief Executive Lawrence Tallon said:

    “AI has huge promise to speed up diagnoses, cut NHS waiting times and save lives – but only if people can trust that it works and is safe. That’s why we’re proud to be leading the way, shaping how this powerful technology is used safely in healthcare here and around the world. From our AI Airlock testbed to new guidance on fast-moving tech like generative AI, we’re backing smart innovation that works for patients – and makes the UK the best place in the world to develop it.”

    Dr Ricardo Baptista Leite, CEO of HealthAI, – The Global Agency for Responsible AI in Health, said:

    “We are proud of this landmark collaboration with the UK Government and the MHRA. The UK has long been a trailblazer at the intersection of artificial intelligence and health, and we are honoured to welcome it as the first of ten pioneer countries in the HealthAI Global Regulatory Network, fostering global collaboration and shared learning in the regulation and scaling of AI for health. We believe the UK will both strengthen its leadership in this critical field and offer invaluable expertise to its peers, accelerating global progress toward equitable, AI-powered health systems that ultimately contribute to improving quality of life and well-being for all.”

    Notes to editors 

    1. The HealthAI Global Regulatory Network is a new international platform bringing together health regulators to strengthen oversight of AI in healthcare. It aims to build trust, improve safety, and accelerate responsible innovation through shared learning, joint standards, and early warnings of emerging risks. Members will also have access to a global directory of registered AI health tools to support transparency and collaboration.
      Ten ‘Pioneer Countries’ from diverse regions are being invited to shape the Global Regulatory Network from the outset. Each will work with HealthAI to develop stronger regulatory frameworks, support local innovation, and ensure AI technologies meet high standards of safety, effectiveness and equity.
      To learn more about HealthAI, visit their website at www.healthai.agency  
    2. AI Airlock is the world’s first regulatory sandbox for AI medical devices, led by the MHRA. Applications for the second round of the programme are now open from 23 June – 14 July 2025. The pilot phase supported four breakthrough technologies to test how they perform in real-world settings under regulatory oversight. More information can be found at AI Airlock: the regulatory sandbox for AIaMD – GOV.UK.
    3. Software and artificial intelligence (AI) as a medical device – GOV.UK
    4. MHRA Real-World Evidence Scientific Dialogue Programme – GOV.UK
    5. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for regulating all medicines and medical devices in the UK by ensuring they work and are acceptably safe. All our work is underpinned by robust and fact-based judgements to ensure that the benefits justify any risks. 
    6. The MHRA is an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care. 
    7. For media enquiries, please contact the newscentre@mhra.gov.uk, or call on 020 3080 7651.

    Updates to this page

    Published 24 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Interview of Dmitry Patrushev to the newspaper “Komsomolskaya Pravda”.

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    Dmitry Patrushev: Environmental issues have no boundaries, no age, no political views.

    Dmitry Patrushev answered questions about environmental protection. What has been achieved this year? What still needs to be done? He spoke about this and much more in an exclusive interview with Komsomolskaya Pravda.

    Photo: Press service of Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev

    I. Ostanin: In 2025, the implementation of new national projects began. One of the areas is the environmental situation related to water bodies. I cannot help but touch on the topic related to the great Russian river Volga. This topic attracts a lot of attention, Komsomolskaya Pravda conducted a large investigation on this topic: previously built treatment facilities are working at only 5%… Dmitry Nikolaevich, what do you think about ways to solve the problem? How to keep the Volga clean?

    D. Patrushev: Environmental improvement of the Volga over the past six years has involved more than just the construction of treatment facilities. In addition, landfills have been eliminated and measures have been taken to increase the river’s capacity. This allows people to be provided with water during dry periods, including for irrigation.

    Regarding the treatment facilities, I will say that problems were indeed identified in this block of activities. At the finish line of the previous national project, when I was given this direction under my supervision, it became clear that a number of facilities were not completed.

    Moreover, not the most positive results were obtained as a result of inspections of the quality of wastewater treatment at already commissioned facilities.

    Throughout the past year, we have been systematically changing our approach to work. A headquarters was set up at the government site, where each facility was literally analyzed “under a magnifying glass.” Based on the results, a schedule was created for completing construction and reaching standard cleaning indicators. Monitoring of plan execution is carried out through digital tools. Therefore, any deviations are visible to both us and regional leaders. There were many other transformations. As a result, the dynamics of construction have increased significantly.

    For the future, within the framework of the new national project “Ecological Well-Being”, we have completely restructured the approach to project implementation. For example, now an object cannot be considered commissioned until Rosprirodnadzor confirms the required quality of wastewater treatment.

    I am convinced that responsibility for the implementation of projects should be increased, including at the local level. After all, it is there that one can see better what has been built and how it affects the environmental situation. The involvement of subjects should be not only organizational, but also financial. We have also taken this into account in the new national project.

    Let me emphasize that all objects will be completed and brought up to standard indicators!

    I. Ostanin: You said that the approaches changed when working within the framework of the new national project, but the geography of the work has also significantly expanded. As far as I know, now it is planned to include other reservoirs and rivers in addition to the Volga and Baikal.

    D. Patrushev: Indeed, through the federal project “Water of Russia” the improvement, one way or another, will affect almost all major waterways of our country. This will not only be new treatment facilities, but also the cleaning of more than 1000 kilometers of rivers, which will create comfortable conditions for millions of people living near water bodies. In addition, measures are planned to improve the condition of lakes and reservoirs.

    We pay special attention to events within the boundaries of cultural heritage sites, specially protected natural areas, historical tourist centers. As an example, I will cite the restoration of the rivers and lakes of the Gatchina Park in the Leningrad Region.

    I would like to note that we will continue to monitor all work on improving the health of water bodies at the government level.

    By the way, this year funds have already been allocated for the Krasnogorsk Irtysh hydroelectric complex in the Omsk region and the Elizavetinsky reservoir hydroelectric complex, the most important source of drinking water for residents of the Lugansk People’s Republic.

    I. Ostanin: Let’s continue by talking about the ecology of Lake Baikal. Many spears have been broken around this topic. How is it planned to build the development of the Baikal region?

    D. Patrushev: We must certainly do everything to preserve Baikal, our unique natural site.

    However, the territory needs to be developed, providing the local population with quality living conditions. Developing a policy on how to regulate this is a long-standing issue. The Ministry of Natural Resources is developing a corresponding bill.

    It was adopted in the first reading last year. However, some of its provisions required adjustments. Now the government’s amendments are ready. I will not make premature statements, but I expect a balanced decision to be made that will take into account the possibility of preserving the incredible nature of Baikal and economically developing the territories. I hope that the reasonable balance found will become a prerequisite for the sustainable development of these territories for many years.

    I. Ostanin: Development of ecotourism is another important part of the national project “Ecological Well-being”. The holiday season has arrived. Tell us how the authorities are going to develop ecotourism? What routes, directions, maybe even new resorts will appear?

    Photo: Press service of Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev

    D. Patrushev: Domestic tourism is currently experiencing a rapid rise. In 2024, Russia broke its own record for the number of domestic tourist trips, exceeding 90 million. But the President has ordered that this figure reach 140 million by 2030.

    I have no doubt that our national parks can become an excellent point of attraction for tourists. Over the past six years, the tourist flow to them has grown from 6 to 17 million people. As part of the national project “Ecological Well-Being”, we continue to create conditions for popularizing this type of recreation for people.

    To this end, among other things, we will remove unreasonable restrictions that hinder the development of tourism infrastructure in specially protected natural areas.

    By the way, the Ministry of Natural Resources is also developing cruise tourism. For example, today those who wish can visit national parks in the Far East and see natural attractions that are inaccessible to “land” tours in Khabarovsk, Primorsky and Kamchatka Krais, Magadan and Sakhalin Oblasts, as well as Chukotka.

    National parks and reserves also develop excursion programs – for example, for weekend routes, they equip walking trails, open visitor centers, and arrange the necessary infrastructure. For example, Sochi National Park offers tourists updated eco-trails this season. We aim to make national parks interesting and comfortable in terms of improvement.

    I. Ostanin: Preservation and increase of our pride, Russian forests, is one of the tasks of the national project “Ecological Well-being”. What is being done to restore forests?

    D. Patrushev: Russia is home to a fifth of the world’s forest reserves. Understanding this, we take on increased obligations to preserve and increase them. Over the past 6 years, the area of new plantings has reached almost 8 million hectares.

    And, contrary to the global trend, more forests appear in our country than disappear. We have maintained this dynamic for several years in a row.

    People, our caring citizens, make a significant contribution to forest restoration. This deserves special gratitude. The country annually holds the “Garden of Memory” and “Save the Forest” campaigns. Over the years, more than 350 million trees have been planted, and public figures, politicians, and guests from foreign countries have taken part.

    However, wildfires remain a serious challenge for many countries — and for us too. The areas annually engulfed in flames, despite all preventive measures, are still quite significant. The government, for its part, is doing a lot of work to reduce them. In 2025, regions have been allocated almost 20 billion rubles. Including more than 5 billion additionally allocated to the most “burning” subjects — Yakutia, Transbaikalia and Krasnoyarsk Krai. The regions, for their part, are also increasing funding.

    And, of course, forest conservation requires full control over the movement of timber. In 2020, the President set the task of creating a system that would make the process completely transparent. Much has already been done for this. Strengthening supervision and introducing digital technologies in the industry have made it possible to reduce the number of violations by 2.5 times in 5 years. We can now track the movement of timber from harvesting to final products and export. But the improvement of control mechanisms in this area continues.

    From January 1, 2025, data on the forestry complex must be entered into the new state information system (FGIS Forestry Complex). And from this year, all timber trucks must be equipped with the GLONASS system.

    This will allow us to more effectively suppress “gray schemes”, because in real time we can see every logging site and all special equipment. Monitoring of the execution of the President’s order will be constant.

    I. Ostanin: The so-called “garbage reform” is being implemented in the country. At what point are we? And what will be done to achieve the indicators outlined by the President?

    D. Patrushev: On the instructions of the President, we are developing a closed-loop economy. What does this mean? Firstly, by 2030, waste sorting should be 100%, secondly, we need to reduce the volume of landfill disposal by 50%, and thirdly, which is very important, a quarter of the waste should be recycled. Currently, approximately 55% of waste is sorted, and only 14% is recycled.

    Over the past six years, almost 300 facilities for sorting, recycling and placing solid municipal waste have appeared in the country. In order to achieve the required indicators, it is planned to build another 400 facilities by 2030. So that we can monitor how the subjects cope with this task at the federal level, a special headquarters is working on the government platform. And we will continue to work in this format.

    But we must understand that waste management reform is not only about large enterprises. It starts in our yards and will always be in the public eye. Everything matters here: how involved local authorities are, whether the containers are clean, whether there are enough garbage trucks in the region, how financially stable the regional operators are, whether everything is taken into account in the regulatory framework. We are consistently working on all these areas in dialogue with regional leaders, senators and deputies.

    I. Ostanin: Dmitry Nikolaevich, as is known, the activities of enterprises in the agro-industrial complex can also affect the environment. How can we find a balance between the development of our agriculture and a caring attitude towards nature?

    Photo: Press service of Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev

    D. Patrushev: Companies in the agro-industrial complex are no different from other industries in this regard. In particular, those that have the most significant impact on the environment must obtain comprehensive environmental permits. These are documents that indicate the compliance of production with certain environmental requirements and standards or confirm the existence of modernization plans.

    In general, agriculture is now one of the most advanced areas of the Russian economy. But at the same time, we strive for the industry to develop in harmony with nature and “be friends” with it. Much is being done for this in modern production facilities.

    Another example: since 2023, work has been underway to improve the efficiency of involving livestock by-products in production, including for the restoration of agricultural land fertility.

    I. Ostanin: Let’s move from ecology to issues of ensuring our food security. The production of agricultural products, in general, is growing; in recent years we have set records for the harvest of grain, rice, fruit and berry crops, etc. What do you think helped us not only maintain production volumes under sanctions, but also increase them?

    D. Patrushev: Today the industry can rightfully be proud of its status as a guarantor of our food security. The state has created all the conditions for this.

    The turning point in many ways was 2014, when the food embargo was introduced. Our president’s decision in the sphere of geopolitics created completely new opportunities for the economy. I have already spoken about this: Crimea is now ours, and – in relation to the agricultural industry – the food shelf. At the start, there were many concerns: skeptics predicted that we could be left without food.

    But the move towards domestic production allowed the agro-industrial complex to become the driver of the economy. Entire areas made a sharp leap. For example, we essentially rebuilt greenhouse vegetable growing. New super-intensive gardens were planted, which gave us their own fruits. We now have more than 9 thousand types of Russian-made cheese, and its production volumes have doubled.

    So the fears were not justified.

    It must be said that our farmers are a colossal growth point. The state, for its part, has provided them with the necessary support.

    In general, there are now tools for all categories of agricultural business – for large players and for the smallest farms. Last year, the government allocated 682 billion rubles to the agro-industrial and fisheries complexes!

    Today we are on the path to achieving technological sovereignty. A new national project has been created for this purpose (“Technological Support for Food Security”). It covers those areas of the agro-industrial complex and related industries where deficit positions still remain. This concerns selection and genetics, agricultural machinery and equipment. It is necessary to increase the share of domestic veterinary drugs and vaccines on the market, and develop biotechnology.

    And, of course, there are people behind any success. Therefore, we strive to ensure that the training of personnel keeps pace with the development of the high-tech and advanced industry that our agricultural industry is. At the same time, it is necessary to start educating effective farmers as early as possible, for which purpose agro-technological classes are created. In addition to general education subjects, children learn about farm animal breeding technologies, learn how to operate unmanned aerial vehicles and work with modern agricultural machinery. Children will be able to get their first profession in agriculture already at school. There should be 18 thousand such classes by 2030. We are waiting for young and motivated specialists.

    I. Ostanin: An alarming trend that we are seeing is that last year the prices of dairy products were rising, for example, butter. Now everyone is talking about potato prices. Why do we see sharp price increases for certain products from time to time? And what can be done to avoid this?

    D. Patrushev: It is important to understand several points here. The food market is sensitive to fluctuations in supply and demand. Last year, the demand for dairy products grew significantly. And not only from buyers, but also from the food industry.

    Our confectionery and cheese industries have increased their output. But this requires a large amount of dairy raw materials.

    And although farmers are steadily increasing the production of raw milk, at the moment the current volumes were insufficient. This caused a temporary imbalance in the market.

    The situation was stabilized, including due to the opening of supplies from friendly countries. A similar mechanism is used for some vegetables of the “borscht set”, potatoes and apples. But here too there is a fork. After all, the price directly depends on the harvest, especially if we are talking about products with a limited shelf life.

    For a certain period of time, potatoes have been rising in price. However, if you look at the statistics, you will see that the prices were not much different from the cost of a couple of years ago. The growth is due to the fact that in 2023 we received a record potato harvest – 8.6 million tons. Inevitably, prices for it fell. And the 2024 harvest is comparable to what was two years before. The cost is “recouping” its fall, because farmers cannot work at a loss. Now the new harvest is already beginning. At the same time, the sowing area for potatoes has increased this year. And at the moment, we see that the growth in prices for it has stopped.

    Therefore, we apply regulatory measures selectively and carefully. The main task is to systematically increase our own production, which the Russian agro-industrial complex copes with quite successfully.

    I. Ostanin: Dmitry Nikolaevich, it has been a year since you took the position of Deputy Prime Minister. What conclusions have you drawn for yourself and what would you call the most difficult thing about working in this position?

    D. Patrushev: One of the important conclusions is that environmental issues have no borders, no age, no political views. This is not just my opinion. The Nevsky International Ecological Congress was recently held, which brought together more than 70 countries, as well as representatives of specialized international organizations.

    We talked about the harmony of man and nature. All participants agreed that with such rapid economic development as today, man’s responsibility to the surrounding world is constantly increasing. The issue of ensuring a balance between the economy and ecology is very relevant. And this is what I am now constantly working with.

    Russia is fully aware of its responsibility to the world for preserving natural resources. Therefore, we take on increased obligations in relation to the environment. And we will maintain this vector.

    As for the difficulties, I think it is not timely to talk about them. Our country is solving problems of historical scale today. Everyone in their place must do everything and even more to meet this level.

    Basically, overcoming obstacles is a motivator that allows you to achieve more.

    Source –newspaper “Komsomolskaya Pravda”.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: EDB responds to media enquiries

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         In response to media enquiries about safeguarding national security, an Education Bureau (EDB) spokesman made the following response today (June 24):

         Safeguarding national security is the Government’s responsibility, as well as the obligation of the whole community of Hong Kong. It is also part and parcel of the routine school work in promoting national security education. With the implementation of the National Security Law for five years, Hong Kong has transited “from chaos to stability” and “from stability to prosperity”.  The EDB has adopted a “multi-pronged and co-ordinated” approach, including activities inside and outside the classroom, to strengthen students’ understanding of Chinese culture, the Constitution and the Basic Law, and their awareness of law-abiding in promoting patriotic education.

         The EDB has issued detailed administrative and educational guidelines to schools, requiring them to establish school-based mechanisms and formulate appropriate measures according to their own circumstances and needs to implement various tasks related to safeguarding national security and national security education. The EDB also provided schools with an updated “National Security: School Self-evaluation Checklist” in April this year, and provided suggestions of refinement and good practices of different areas of work, covering national security work planning, monitoring mechanisms, learning and teaching and related resources, school activities, personnel management and training, and home-school co-operation, in order to effectively prevent and suppress acts and activities that endanger or are detrimental to national security. Schools have the responsibility to play a good gate-keeper role and to enhance the sensitivity of teachers and students to national security.

         Schools offering non-local curricula also have the responsibility to help their students, regardless of their ethnicity and nationality, acquire a correct and objective understanding and appreciation of the concept of national security and the National Security Law, as well as the duty to cultivate a law-abiding spirit among their students. These schools should devise and continuously review relevant strategies and measures in light of their school-based circumstances and needs, with a view to maintaining a safe and orderly learning environment and promoting students’ effective learning and healthy development.

         The EDB will continue to monitor and support schools in implementing the relevant work through various channels, such as daily communication with schools. The EDB will also advance towards more in-depth and effective implementation of work to safeguard national security, and continue to work hand in hand with different stakeholders to help schools build a protective barrier to safeguard the well-being of students.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: 2 teams selected for CE award

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Chief Executive John Lee today announced that two teams of civil servants were awarded the Chief Executive’s Award for Exemplary Performance.

    They were the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Search & Rescue Team to quake-stricken areas in Myanmar in March 2025 and the Inter-departmental Preparation Team for Kai Tak Sports Park (KTSP) Commissioning respectively.

    Mr Lee congratulated the two teams and expressed pride in their performance and contributions.

    “The two award-winning teams reflected the outstanding competence of the civil service of the Hong Kong SAR and the efficiency of the Government, and exemplified Hong Kong’s second-place global ranking in the ‘Government efficiency’ factor of the World Competitiveness Yearbook 2025. All these have confirmed and reinforced my belief in driving result-oriented policies for the Government,” he said.

    Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung said the Hong Kong SAR Search & Rescue Team demonstrated fearless professionalism and humanitarian care, while the Preparation Team for KTSP Commissioning displayed efficient collaboration and precise planning of the civil servants. 

    In March this year, a 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar, resulting in serious casualties. The Hong Kong SAR Government quickly formed an interdepartmental search and rescue team.

    Civil servants from the Security Bureau, the Fire Services Department and the Immigration Department, together with medical representatives from the Hospital Authority, rushed to Mantalay, one of the most devastated areas in Myanmar, to conduct search and rescue operations.

    With professional training, fearlessness and perseverance, the team completed 61 search and rescue operations covering 57 locations amid the constant aftershocks and scorching heat in the disaster-stricken areas, the Civil Service Bureau (CSB) said.

    The team also conducted joint operations with the China Search & Rescue Team and successfully rescued one survivor who had been trapped for more than 125 hours.

    Meanwhile, the Inter-departmental Preparation Team for KTSP Commissioning comprised civil servants from the Culture, Sports & Tourism Bureau, the Security Bureau, the CSB, the Transport & Logistics Bureau, Police and the Transport Department.

    In the face of multiple challenges such as the pressing schedule, the large scale of the project and complicated co-ordination work, the preparation team, with its innovative thinking, meticulous planning and interdepartmental collaborations, completed around 20 test events, including five large-scale drills, in just five months, mobilising 140,000 civil servants to participate in the stress tests to evaluate the capability of the KTSP and its surrounding facilities comprehensively.

    Through continuous stress tests and optimisation of detailed arrangements, thorough preparation was made for the commissioning of the KTSP, the CSB added.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: ‘Monkey Biz-ness’: Pop culture helped fan the flames of the Scopes ‘monkey trial’ 100 years ago − and ever since

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Ted Olson, Professor of Appalachian Studies and Bluegrass, Old-Time and Roots Music Studies, East Tennessee State University

    The star attorneys of the Scopes trial: Clarence Darrow, left, for the defense and William Jennings Bryan for the prosecution. Historica Graphica Collection/Heritage Images/Getty Images

    Ask Americans about the Scopes trial, and they might have heard of it as the “trial of the century,” a showdown over teaching human evolution.

    Less well known are its origins. As historian Edward J. Larson observed in “Summer for the Gods,” his Pulitzer Prize-winning book: “Like so many archetypal American events, the trial itself began as a publicity stunt.”

    Held during July 1925 in the tiny railroad town of Dayton, Tennessee, located not far from the public university where I teach Appalachian studies, the trial was a “stunt” prompted by the state legislature’s passage of the Butler Act, which forbade educators in public schools from teaching “any theory that denies the story of the Divine Creation of man as taught in the Bible, and to teach instead that man has descended from a lower order of animals.” Tennessee was the first state to enact this type of legislation.

    This “monkey trial” – so dubbed by journalist H. L. Mencken, for humans’ common ancestor with apes – exposed a cultural rift in the United States, as many Christians wrestled with how to reconcile biblical beliefs with Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. That rift would be widened by media coverage and national response. Over the past century, collective memories of the trial, as interpreted through music, film and literature, have proven a bellwether of the ongoing “culture wars” in American society.

    Publicity stunt

    In Tennessee, support for the Butler Act was hardly universal. Not in favor was George Rappleyea, manager of a Dayton-area coal and iron mining operation. Rappleyea lobbied other community leaders, some of whom supported the new law, to collectively stage a trial, hoping media attention would generate economic activity in the town.

    Those instigators approached John T. Scopes, a social science and math teacher at the local public high school who had also substitute-taught some biology lessons. The 24-year-old could not recall if his lectures had in fact violated the Butler Act, but the textbook in use at his school included evolutionary theory. Scopes agreed to participate.

    Testifying against their teacher were three students who had clearly been coached to do so. Nevertheless, the presiding judge persuaded the grand jury to indict.

    As an early indication of outside interest, Paul Patterson, the publisher of The Baltimore Sun, paid Scopes’ bail, and the ACLU announced it would defend him.

    Center of the storm

    Arguments started on July 10, 1925, at the Rhea County Courthouse. The trial may have begun as a determination of whether Scopes had violated the Butler Act, but both sides soon focused on debating the relative merits of biblical cosmology versus Darwinian theory.

    American teacher John Scopes, second from left, stands during his trial for teaching Darwin’s theory of evolution.
    Hulton Archive/Getty Images

    Representing the creationist perspective was prosecuting attorney Tom Stewart, a future senator from Tennessee. Special counsel William Jennings Bryan, a former U.S. secretary of state, was included on the prosecution team at the behest of a Christian fundamentalist organization.

    The evolutionary theory position was argued by prominent trade union lawyer Clarence Darrow. An agnostic who distrusted religious fundamentalism, Darrow wrote that “there was no limit to the mischief that might be accomplished unless the country was aroused to the evil at hand.”

    A circuslike atmosphere enveloped Dayton. Embodying the “monkey trial” was the performing chimpanzee Joe Mendi, whose trainers posed him for photographs around town. More than 200 journalists attended the trial, with articles appearing in The New York Times, The New Yorker and other publications around the nation.

    Joe Mendi, a monkey who performed in films and theater, was brought to Dayton during the trial.
    Looking Back at Tennessee Photograph Collection, 1890-1981/Tennessee State Library & Archives

    Receiving the most attention was Mencken, whose reportage for The Baltimore Sun did not attempt to disguise his bias against the cultural values of rural America. Dayton’s people, he wrote, “are simply unable to imagine a man who rejects the literal authority of the Bible.”

    Updates were circulated in real time via radio – the first U.S. trial to be broadcast live nationally. Filmed footage was rushed from Dayton to be shared in the nation’s theaters as newsreels.

    The trial ended on July 21, 1925, with a conviction and a fine. Scopes’ conviction was eventually overturned on a technicality. Since the trial had not challenged the legality of the Butler Act, however, that law remained on the books in Tennessee for more than four decades.

    ‘Monkey Biz-Ness’

    Commenting on the Scopes trial were two 1925 recordings by major singers of the day: a comedic jazz ditty entitled “Monkey Biz-Ness (Down in Tennessee),” performed by the International Novelty Orchestra with singer Billy Murray; and the country hit “The John T. Scopes Trial (The Old Religion’s Better After All),” sung by Vernon Dalhart. The latter song’s lyrics, composed by Carson Robison, warned listeners that “you may find a new belief, it will only bring you grief.”

    Other songs of the era – with titles such as “The Bible’s True,” “You Can’t Make a Monkey Out of Me,” “You Talk Like a Monkey and You Walk Like a Monkey” and “Ain’t No Bugs on Me” – echoed that same line of thought: “rural” skepticism toward the “urban,” pro-science perspective on the origins of humankind.

    Supporters of the ‘Anti-Evolution League’ amid the Scopes trial. From Literary Digest, July 25, 1925.
    Mike Licht/Flickr via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY

    Whereas Scopes was the subject of ridicule in those songs, he and his defenders were celebrated as heroes in “Inherit the Wind,” a 1955 Broadway play by Jerome Lawrence and Robert Edwin Lee. A fictionalized portrayal of the Scopes trial, the play powerfully defended free speech – veiled criticism of Sen. Joseph McCarthy’s recent investigations of various American citizens for their political positions and beliefs.

    “Inherit the Wind” inspired a 1960 film of the same name, directed by Stanley Kramer. Its “fanaticism and ignorance” speech depicts the character based on Darrow – played by Spencer Tracy – arguing that without science, society would regress back to a time of unconstrained bigotry. The film received its debut American screening in Dayton on the 35th anniversary of the end of the Scopes trial; Scopes himself was the guest of honor.

    ‘Fanaticism and ignorance is forever busy, and needs feeding.’

    Representations of rural Tennessee in popular culture depictions and in media coverage of the trial drew from a font of stereotypes about Appalachia that have continued into the present century. Condescending depictions of the region have been present in American culture since before the Civil War.

    Centennial commemoration

    Memory of the Scopes trial endures in popular culture. Take, for instance, a reference in Bruce Springsteen’s 1990 song “Part Man, Part Monkey,” or Ronald Kidd’s 2006 “Monkey Town,” a historical novel for young adults.

    Dayton did benefit from the notoriety of the Scopes trial, thanks to sustained cultural tourism. Proud of its unique history, the town today boasts a historical marker to alert passersby to the significance of the landmark event that took place in the Rhea County Courthouse. And in 2025, Dayton has been hosting a series of events to commemorate the trial’s centennial.

    Back in 1925, even the Baltimore journalist Mencken begrudgingly praised Dayton and its townspeople, admitting, “It would be hard to imagine a more moral town than Dayton.”

    “I expected to find a squalid Southern village … What I found was a country town of charm and even beauty,” he wrote.

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

    – ref. ‘Monkey Biz-ness’: Pop culture helped fan the flames of the Scopes ‘monkey trial’ 100 years ago − and ever since – https://theconversation.com/monkey-biz-ness-pop-culture-helped-fan-the-flames-of-the-scopes-monkey-trial-100-years-ago-and-ever-since-255946

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: ‘Monkey Biz-ness’: Pop culture helped fan the flames of the Scopes ‘monkey trial’ 100 years ago − and ever since

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Ted Olson, Professor of Appalachian Studies and Bluegrass, Old-Time and Roots Music Studies, East Tennessee State University

    The star attorneys of the Scopes trial: Clarence Darrow, left, for the defense and William Jennings Bryan for the prosecution. Historica Graphica Collection/Heritage Images/Getty Images

    Ask Americans about the Scopes trial, and they might have heard of it as the “trial of the century,” a showdown over teaching human evolution.

    Less well known are its origins. As historian Edward J. Larson observed in “Summer for the Gods,” his Pulitzer Prize-winning book: “Like so many archetypal American events, the trial itself began as a publicity stunt.”

    Held during July 1925 in the tiny railroad town of Dayton, Tennessee, located not far from the public university where I teach Appalachian studies, the trial was a “stunt” prompted by the state legislature’s passage of the Butler Act, which forbade educators in public schools from teaching “any theory that denies the story of the Divine Creation of man as taught in the Bible, and to teach instead that man has descended from a lower order of animals.” Tennessee was the first state to enact this type of legislation.

    This “monkey trial” – so dubbed by journalist H. L. Mencken, for humans’ common ancestor with apes – exposed a cultural rift in the United States, as many Christians wrestled with how to reconcile biblical beliefs with Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. That rift would be widened by media coverage and national response. Over the past century, collective memories of the trial, as interpreted through music, film and literature, have proven a bellwether of the ongoing “culture wars” in American society.

    Publicity stunt

    In Tennessee, support for the Butler Act was hardly universal. Not in favor was George Rappleyea, manager of a Dayton-area coal and iron mining operation. Rappleyea lobbied other community leaders, some of whom supported the new law, to collectively stage a trial, hoping media attention would generate economic activity in the town.

    Those instigators approached John T. Scopes, a social science and math teacher at the local public high school who had also substitute-taught some biology lessons. The 24-year-old could not recall if his lectures had in fact violated the Butler Act, but the textbook in use at his school included evolutionary theory. Scopes agreed to participate.

    Testifying against their teacher were three students who had clearly been coached to do so. Nevertheless, the presiding judge persuaded the grand jury to indict.

    As an early indication of outside interest, Paul Patterson, the publisher of The Baltimore Sun, paid Scopes’ bail, and the ACLU announced it would defend him.

    Center of the storm

    Arguments started on July 10, 1925, at the Rhea County Courthouse. The trial may have begun as a determination of whether Scopes had violated the Butler Act, but both sides soon focused on debating the relative merits of biblical cosmology versus Darwinian theory.

    American teacher John Scopes, second from left, stands during his trial for teaching Darwin’s theory of evolution.
    Hulton Archive/Getty Images

    Representing the creationist perspective was prosecuting attorney Tom Stewart, a future senator from Tennessee. Special counsel William Jennings Bryan, a former U.S. secretary of state, was included on the prosecution team at the behest of a Christian fundamentalist organization.

    The evolutionary theory position was argued by prominent trade union lawyer Clarence Darrow. An agnostic who distrusted religious fundamentalism, Darrow wrote that “there was no limit to the mischief that might be accomplished unless the country was aroused to the evil at hand.”

    A circuslike atmosphere enveloped Dayton. Embodying the “monkey trial” was the performing chimpanzee Joe Mendi, whose trainers posed him for photographs around town. More than 200 journalists attended the trial, with articles appearing in The New York Times, The New Yorker and other publications around the nation.

    Joe Mendi, a monkey who performed in films and theater, was brought to Dayton during the trial.
    Looking Back at Tennessee Photograph Collection, 1890-1981/Tennessee State Library & Archives

    Receiving the most attention was Mencken, whose reportage for The Baltimore Sun did not attempt to disguise his bias against the cultural values of rural America. Dayton’s people, he wrote, “are simply unable to imagine a man who rejects the literal authority of the Bible.”

    Updates were circulated in real time via radio – the first U.S. trial to be broadcast live nationally. Filmed footage was rushed from Dayton to be shared in the nation’s theaters as newsreels.

    The trial ended on July 21, 1925, with a conviction and a fine. Scopes’ conviction was eventually overturned on a technicality. Since the trial had not challenged the legality of the Butler Act, however, that law remained on the books in Tennessee for more than four decades.

    ‘Monkey Biz-Ness’

    Commenting on the Scopes trial were two 1925 recordings by major singers of the day: a comedic jazz ditty entitled “Monkey Biz-Ness (Down in Tennessee),” performed by the International Novelty Orchestra with singer Billy Murray; and the country hit “The John T. Scopes Trial (The Old Religion’s Better After All),” sung by Vernon Dalhart. The latter song’s lyrics, composed by Carson Robison, warned listeners that “you may find a new belief, it will only bring you grief.”

    Other songs of the era – with titles such as “The Bible’s True,” “You Can’t Make a Monkey Out of Me,” “You Talk Like a Monkey and You Walk Like a Monkey” and “Ain’t No Bugs on Me” – echoed that same line of thought: “rural” skepticism toward the “urban,” pro-science perspective on the origins of humankind.

    Supporters of the ‘Anti-Evolution League’ amid the Scopes trial. From Literary Digest, July 25, 1925.
    Mike Licht/Flickr via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY

    Whereas Scopes was the subject of ridicule in those songs, he and his defenders were celebrated as heroes in “Inherit the Wind,” a 1955 Broadway play by Jerome Lawrence and Robert Edwin Lee. A fictionalized portrayal of the Scopes trial, the play powerfully defended free speech – veiled criticism of Sen. Joseph McCarthy’s recent investigations of various American citizens for their political positions and beliefs.

    “Inherit the Wind” inspired a 1960 film of the same name, directed by Stanley Kramer. Its “fanaticism and ignorance” speech depicts the character based on Darrow – played by Spencer Tracy – arguing that without science, society would regress back to a time of unconstrained bigotry. The film received its debut American screening in Dayton on the 35th anniversary of the end of the Scopes trial; Scopes himself was the guest of honor.

    ‘Fanaticism and ignorance is forever busy, and needs feeding.’

    Representations of rural Tennessee in popular culture depictions and in media coverage of the trial drew from a font of stereotypes about Appalachia that have continued into the present century. Condescending depictions of the region have been present in American culture since before the Civil War.

    Centennial commemoration

    Memory of the Scopes trial endures in popular culture. Take, for instance, a reference in Bruce Springsteen’s 1990 song “Part Man, Part Monkey,” or Ronald Kidd’s 2006 “Monkey Town,” a historical novel for young adults.

    Dayton did benefit from the notoriety of the Scopes trial, thanks to sustained cultural tourism. Proud of its unique history, the town today boasts a historical marker to alert passersby to the significance of the landmark event that took place in the Rhea County Courthouse. And in 2025, Dayton has been hosting a series of events to commemorate the trial’s centennial.

    Back in 1925, even the Baltimore journalist Mencken begrudgingly praised Dayton and its townspeople, admitting, “It would be hard to imagine a more moral town than Dayton.”

    “I expected to find a squalid Southern village … What I found was a country town of charm and even beauty,” he wrote.

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

    – ref. ‘Monkey Biz-ness’: Pop culture helped fan the flames of the Scopes ‘monkey trial’ 100 years ago − and ever since – https://theconversation.com/monkey-biz-ness-pop-culture-helped-fan-the-flames-of-the-scopes-monkey-trial-100-years-ago-and-ever-since-255946

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI: ZeroFox Team Recognized for Excellence and High Performance with Multiple Comparably Awards

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    WASHINGTON, June 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ZeroFox, the leader in digital risk protection, announced today that the company has received multiple 2025 Comparably Awards. ZeroFox earned a spot on the Best Leadership Teams list, ranking among the top 35 in large companies. Executive leadership was recognized for fostering a culture of transparency, collaboration and growth, encouraging employees to focus on innovation and professional development.

    ZeroFox was also named to Comparably’s lists for Best Engineering Teams, ranking among the top 25, and Best Sales Teams, ranking among the top 50. These categories recognize companies that go above and beyond to support, empower, and invest in their most strategic teams. At ZeroFox, sales and engineering hold a unique and critical role. As the cyber threat landscape evolves, sales teams communicate customer needs and market demands that serve as the catalyst for how the engineering team drives development of the ZeroFox threat protection platform. ZeroFox’s focus on customer satisfaction and cybersecurity innovation has earned the company further recognition by G2, the Globee Cybersecurity Awards, and Frost & Sullivan for Digital Risk Protection.

    “Great leadership starts with trust, transparency, and shared purpose, and I’m proud to work alongside leaders, engineers, and sales professionals who show up every day to build something bigger than themselves,” said David Muse, CEO of ZeroFox. “These awards reflect our culture, drive, and mission, recognizing our team’s commitment to protecting what matters most to the world’s most targeted organizations.”

    Comparably Awards are based on employee feedback submitted anonymously over 12-months, covering 20 key culture metrics. Leadership at ZeroFox received an A+ grade, placing it in the top 5% of similarly sized companies. Employees praised team collaboration, describing the work environment as positive and comfortably fast paced, while also reporting satisfaction in pay and benefits. Most notably, the majority of employees communicated a strong outlook for the future, a sense of purpose in their work, and excitement about coming to work each day. With a team of over 800 strong across 10 countries, these awards reinforce the company’s position as a top destination for talent across the industry.

    ZeroFox continues to grow its executive team, bringing on key leaders over the course of the last year, including the appointment of Muse last May, and heads of customer success and product business units.

    For more information about careers at ZeroFox, visit https://www.zerofox.com/careers/.

    About ZeroFox
    ZeroFox, an enterprise software-as-a-service leader in digital risk protection, has redefined security outside the corporate perimeter on the internet, where businesses operate, and threat actors thrive. The ZeroFox platform combines advanced AI analytics, digital risk and privacy protection, full-spectrum threat intelligence, and a robust portfolio of breach, incident and takedown response capabilities to expose and disrupt phishing and fraud campaigns, botnet exposures, credential theft, impersonations, data breaches, and physical threats that target your brands, domains, people, and assets. Join thousands of customers, including some of the largest public sector organizations as well as finance, media, technology and retail companies to stay ahead of adversaries and address the entire lifecycle of external cyber risks. ZeroFox and the ZeroFox logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of ZeroFox, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. Visit www.zerofox.com for more information.

    Media Inquiries
    Sara Jacono
    LaunchTech Communications for ZeroFox
    press@zerofox.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Wrap Technologies Announces Appointment of Gerald “Jerry” Ratigan as Chief Financial Officer

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MIAMI, June 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Wrap Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: WRAP) (“Wrap” or, the “Company”), a global pioneer in innovative public safety technologies and services, today announced the appointment of Gerald “Jerry” Ratigan, seasoned finance executive, as the Company’s new Chief Financial Officer.

    Mr. Ratigan brings over 20 years of experience leading financial strategy across public companies, capital markets, investment banking and performance-focused advisory roles. Mr. Ratigan’s background includes extensive work in both international and domestic publicly traded environments, where Mr. Ratigan has consistently driven financial modernization and organizational agility.

    Mr. Ratigan has demonstrated exceptional ability in scaling finance operations, transforming reporting ecosystems and guiding companies through pivotal milestones—including M&A transactions and enterprise-wide digital transformations.

    Mr. Ratigan’s diverse career spans Big Four public accounting, Fortune 500 audit leadership, and C-suite roles in high-growth sectors such as gaming, fintech, travel and entertainment. Most recently, Mr. Ratigan served as the Senior Vice President of Accounting and Controls—and later as Acting Chief Financial Officer—at The Gearbox Entertainment Company. In this role, Mr. Ratigan led financial operations through a critical phase that culminated in a successful acquisition by Take-Two Interactive.

    Mr. Ratigan’s leadership encompassed building the finance function from the ground up, post-merger integration, ERP implementation, ESG reporting and consolidating multi-entity operations across geographies and currencies.

    Prior to Gearbox, Mr. Ratigan served as Senior Director of Accounting and Financial Reporting at Entertainment Benefits Group (a Creative Artists Agency company), where Mr. Ratigan managed global accounting and audit operations. Mr. Ratigan also held Chief Accounting Officer and Chief Audit Executive roles at MoneyOnMobile, Inc. (MOMT), where Mr. Ratigan led public filings, investor communications and SEC compliance—supporting uplisting efforts and complex carve-outs related to divestitures.

    Earlier in Mr. Ratigan’s career, Mr. Ratigan served as Director of SEC Financial Reporting at Prestige Cruise Holdings (acquired by Norwegian Cruise Line), overseeing public filings, XBRL tagging and IPO readiness. At Cooper Industries (later acquired by Eaton), Mr. Ratigan led internal audit efforts, implementing global audit strategies and streamlining post-acquisition integration.

    Mr. Ratigan began his career at KPMG and Grant Thornton, quickly distinguishing with international assignments and national training roles. Mr. Ratigan’s global experience spans work in the U.S., Mexico, China, the U.K., India, Germany, Australia, Bahrain, Thailand and Sweden.

    An advocate for ethics, compliance, and professional development, Mr. Ratigan currently serves on the Global Board of Directors for the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA), contributes to COSO’s new corporate governance framework, and sits on the Global Advisory Board of The CFO Alliance, offering insight on capital markets and economic trends.

    Mr. Ratigan holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting and Finance from the University of Miami and an MBA in Data Analytics from Louisiana State University–Shreveport. Mr. Ratigan is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in Texas, a Certified Management Accountant (CMA), and holds credentials in Strategy and Competitive Analysis (CSCA) and Production and Inventory Management (CPIM).

    “Across every role, Jerry has brought a distinctive blend of technical excellence, operational leadership and strategic vision. His work has consistently aligned financial operations with long-term value creation, enabled agility in complex environments, and driven measurable outcomes that build stockholder confidence and enterprise growth. We believe Jerry’s operational experience in capital markets and public accounting make him the right choice to align Wrap’s financial operations with its long-term strategy,” said Scot Cohen, Chief Executive Officer of Wrap.

    “This appointment emphasizes Wrap’s readiness for accelerating adoption and growing market interest. We believe Jerry’s leadership will help drive product scale, ensure accountability, and position Wrap to maximize the commercial opportunities of its expanding portfolio,” said Jared Novick, President and Chief Operating Officer of Wrap.

    “I am both honored and inspired to join Wrap at this defining moment,” said Mr. Ratigan. “The Company is delivering powerful solutions at the intersection of technology, public safety and compassion. I look forward to contributing to our mission while advancing a disciplined financial strategy that strengthens our foundation and creates sustainable stockholder value.”

    Louis Springer Elevated to Vice President of Finance to Support Financial Operational Scale

    Louis Springer’s promotion from Corporate Development to Vice President of Finance reflects both Wrap’s deep bench of internal talent and its disciplined focus on scaling operations with continuity and precision. Over the past 18 months, Mr. Springer played a central role in enacting the operational elements of Wrap’s cost-cutting initiatives and supporting broader organizational change. We believe his background in financial services, investment banking, and public company capital markets further strengthens Wrap’s ability to align day-to-day financial operations with long-term stockholder value creation.

    “Louis Springer has proven himself over the years with Wrap,” said Chief Executive Officer of Wrap, Mr. Cohen. “He’s earned his spot as Vice President of Finance and will continue to anchor our fiscal strategy under Mr. Ratigan’s leadership—bringing both stability and forward momentum that we believe benefits all stakeholders.”

    About Wrap Technologies, Inc.

    Wrap Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: WRAP) a global leader in innovative public safety technologies and non-lethal tools, delivering cutting-edge technology with exceptional people to address the complex, modern day challenges facing public safety organizations.

    Wrap’s BolaWrap® 150 solution leads the world in pre-escalation and beyond, providing law enforcement with a safer choice for nearly every phase of a critical incident.

    This innovative, patented device deploys a multi-sensory, cognitive disruption that leverages sight, sound and sensation to expand the pre-escalation period and give officers the advantage and critical time to manage non-compliant subjects before resorting to higher-force options. The BolaWrap® 150 is a not pain-based- compliance. It does not shoot, strike, shock, or incapacitate—instead, it helps officers strategically operate pre-escalation on the force continuum, reducing the risk of injury to both officers and subjects. Used by over 1,000 agencies across the U.S. and in 60 countries, BolaWrap® is backed by training certified by the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training (IADLEST), reinforcing Wrap’s commitment to public safety through cutting-edge technology and expert training.

    Wrap Reality® VR is a fully immersive training simulator to enhance decision-making under pressure.

    As a comprehensive public safety training platform, it provides first responders with realistic, interactive scenarios that reflect the evolving challenges of modern law enforcement. By offering a growing library of real-world situations, Wrap Reality® equips officers with the skills and confidence to navigate high stakes encounters effectively, leading to safer outcomes for both responders and the communities they serve.

    WrapVision is an all-new body-worn camera and evidence management system built for efficiency.

    Designed for efficiency, security, and transparency to meet the rigorous demands of modern law enforcement, WrapVision captures, stores and helps manage digital evidence, with operational security, regulatory compliance and superior video picture quality and field of view.

    The WrapVision camera, powered by IONODES boasts cloud integration and adheres to Trade Agreements Act (TAA) compliance requirements and GSA schedule contracts requirements. Crucially, unlike many competitor devices manufactured overseas in foreign, non-compliant, and possibly hostile regions, WrapVision is built in North America, promoting unparalleled data integrity and reducing critical concerns over unauthorized access or foreign surveillance risks.

    Trademark Information

    Trademark Information Wrap, the Wrap logo, BolaWrap®, Wrap Reality® and Wrap Training Academy are trademarks of Wrap Technologies, Inc., some of which are registered in the U.S. and abroad. All other trade names used herein are either trademarks or registered trademarks of the respective holders.

    Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements – Safe Harbor Statement

    This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “expect,” “anticipate,” “should”, “believe”, “target”, “project”, “goals”, “estimate”, “potential”, “predict”, “may”, “will”, “could”, “intend”, and variations of these terms or the negative of these terms and similar expressions are intended to identify these forward-looking statements. Moreover, forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which involve factors or circumstances that are beyond the Company’s control. The Company’s actual results could differ materially from those stated or implied in forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including but not limited to: the Company’s expectations related to the appointment of the new Chief Financial Officer, the expected benefits of the acquisition of W1 Global, LLC, the Company’s ability to maintain compliance with the Nasdaq Capital Market’s listing standards; the Company’s ability to successfully implement training programs for the use of its products; the Company’s ability to manufacture and produce products for its customers; the Company’s ability to develop sales for its products; the market acceptance of existing and future products; the availability of funding to continue to finance operations; the complexity, expense and time associated with sales to law enforcement and government entities; the lengthy evaluation and sales cycle for the Company’s product solutions; product defects; litigation risks from alleged product-related injuries; risks of government regulations; the business impact of health crises or outbreaks of disease, such as epidemics or pandemics; the impact resulting from geopolitical conflicts and any resulting sanctions; the ability to obtain export licenses for counties outside of the United States; the ability to obtain patents and defend intellectual property against competitors; the impact of competitive products and solutions; and the Company’s ability to maintain and enhance its brand, as well as other risk factors mentioned in the Company’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K, subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and other Securities and Exchange Commission filings. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this release and were based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts, and projections as well as the beliefs and assumptions of management. Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no duty or obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information, future events or changes in its expectations.

    Investor Relations Contact:
    (800) 583-2652
     ir@wrap.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Fiji advocacy group slams Indonesian role in MSG as a ‘disgrace’

    Asia Pacific Report

    A Fiji-based advocacy group has condemned the participation of Indonesia in the Melanesian Spearhead Group which is meeting in Suva this week, saying it is a “profound disgrace” that the Indonesian Embassy continues to “operate freely” within the the MSG Secretariat.

    “This presence blatantly undermines the core principles of justice and solidarity we claim to uphold as Melanesians,” said We Bleed Black and Red in a social media post.

    The group said that as the new MSG chair, the Fiji government could not speak cannot credibly about equity, peace, regional unity, or the Melanesian family “while the very agent of prolonged Melanesian oppression sits at the decision-making table”.

    The statement said that for more than six decades, the people of West Papua had endured “systemic atrocities from mass killings to environmental devastation — acts that clearly constitute ecocide and gross human rights violations”.

    “Indonesia’s track record is not only morally indefensible but also a flagrant breach of numerous international agreements and conventions,” the group said.

    “It is time for all Melanesian nations to confront the reality behind the diplomatic facades and development aid.

    “No amount of financial incentives or diplomatic charm can erase the undeniable suffering of the West Papuan people.

    “We must rise above political appeasement and fulfill our moral and regional duty as one Melanesian family.

    “The Pacific cannot claim moral leadership while turning a blind eye and deaf ear to colonial violence on our own shores. Justice delayed is justice denied.”

    ‘Peaceful, prosperous Melanesia’
     Meanwhile, The Fiji Times reports that the 23rd MSG Leaders’ Summit got underway on Monday in Suva, drawing heads of state from Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and representatives from New Caledonia’s FLNKS.

    Hosted under the theme “A Peaceful and Prosperous Melanesia,” the summit ended yesterday.

    This year’s meeting also marked Fiji’s first time chairing the regional bloc since 1997.

    Fiji officially assumed the MSG chairmanship from Vanuatu following a traditional handover ceremony attended by senior officials, observers, and dignitaries at Draiba.

    Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister James Marape arrived in Suva on Sunday and reaffirmed Papua New Guinea’s commitment to MSG cooperation during today’s plenary session.

    He will also take part in high-level talanoa discussions with the Pacific Islands Forum’s Eminent Persons Group, aimed at deepening institutional reform and regional solidarity.

    Observers from the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) and Indonesia were also present, reflecting ongoing efforts to expand the bloc’s influence on issues like self-determination, regional trade, security, and climate resilience in the Pacific.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Previously deported Mexican national sentenced to 262 months for methamphetamine distribution, second Mexican national sentenced to 168 months

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    TYLER, Texas – Two Mexican nationals were sentenced to lengthy federal prison sentences for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.

    Leopoldo Alonso-Palacios, 38, and Juan Luis Salinas-Leon, 37, both Mexican nationals illegally living in Center, were sentenced to 168 months and 262 months, respectively, by U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle on June 23, 2025.

    According to information presented in court, on March 4, 2025, Alonso-Palacios and Salinas-Leon were stopped while driving on Interstate-20 in Wills Point for speeding.  During the stop, they consented to a search of the vehicle, which resulted in the discovery of 937.7 grams of methamphetamine.  During his arrest, officers found Salinas-Leon in possession of a firearm. The two men then confessed to having additional methamphetamine at their homes in Center.  Federal agents searched the residences, where they discovered large plastic tubs containing chicken lard that tested positive for the presence of methamphetamine, along with paraphernalia such as metal pots and mesh screens, materials commonly used in a methamphetamine conversion lab. At such clandestine labs, methamphetamine concealed in other substances is extracted by applying chemical processes and reconstituted into distributable drugs. In total, agents recovered more than six kilograms of methamphetamine ready for distribution as well as 22 kilograms of liquids in various stages of the conversion process, which also tested positive for the presence of methamphetamine.

    Immigration records reveal that both men were unlawfully present in the United States and that Salinas-Leon has been previously prosecuted for illegally entering the country.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive; Gregg County Sheriff’s Office; and Wills Point Police Department.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lucas Machicek.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Chikunga welcomes life sentences in murder of disabled woman

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    The Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga, has welcomed the sentencing of two men convicted in the brutal murder of Nosipho ‘Nomdundu’ Mafani of KwaNokuthula, Western Cape.

    The two men, Mboneli Msila and Monde Tshemese, were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment by the High Court of South Africa: Western Cape Division sitting in Knysna, for their role in conspiracy to commit the murder of Mafani, a 23-year-old woman with a mental disability.

    Msila, the adoptive father of Mafani, orchestrated the murder in order to claim funeral policy payouts totalling R600 000.

    He hired three men, Mbulelo Jack, Monde Tshemese, and Lungisile Lucas, to carry out the hit.

    Chikunga said Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) remains a national crisis in South Africa, with disproportionately high rates of violence against women, girls, and vulnerable group, including women in female-headed households, women with disabilities, and Black African women.

    “Gender-Based Violence and Femicide is a deeply rooted societal issue. Women with disabilities, in particular, are often subjected to extreme forms of sexual and physical violence. Despite being one of the most vulnerable groups, their experiences continue to be overlooked and under-addressed in society,” Chikunga said.

    The Minister highlighted that Pillar 3 of the National Strategic Plan (NSP) on GBVF, which places strong emphasis on Justice, Safety, and Protection, aims to address systemic shortcomings in the legal and system, and seeks to enhance the overall response to GBVF cases.

    It also aims to ensure that survivors have access to justice and are afforded safety and protection through improvements to the legal framework and its implementation.

    Although often committed in private settings, the Minister warned that GBVF is not a private matter, but a serious public crime.

    She acknowledged that GBVF is an ongoing diabolic act of violation of human rights, particularly “the rights of persons with disabilities should never be justified and must be confronted with all resources available.”

    “It deprives women and girls of their fundamental human rights, including the right to live free from violence, discrimination, and violation of bodily integrity. Failure to take meaningful action to prevent, prosecute, and punish such acts, constitutes a violation of human rights.

    “All incidents of physical or sexual abuse, intimidation, or threats must be reported to the nearest SAPS station to obtain a case number and/or protection order. Alternatively, victims of sexual offences can seek assistance from the nearest Thuthuzela Care Centre or similar support facilities,” the Minister said.

    Government has also established the Gender-Based Violence Command Centre (GBVCC) to provide 24-hour support to victims of abuse and violence.

    “We share a strong reminder that our government will continue to stand firm to protect and defend human rights as enshrined by the constitution,” Chikunga said. – SAnews.gov.za
     

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Last chance for SNP to stop funding Israel’s arms dealers

    Source: Scottish Greens

    24 Jun 2025 Justice

    Scottish Greens call for an apology for the Scottish Government’s role in the Tinker Experiment.

    More in Justice

    The Scottish Government must apologise for its role in the Tinker Experiment if it wants to tackle the ongoing prejudice faced by the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community, says Scottish Green MSP Maggie Chapman.

    Scottish Green MSPs Maggie Chapman and Mark Ruskell have both been campaigning for a public apology from the Scottish Government for its role in the Tinker Experiment. This programme – run by the UK Government and Scottish local authorities – forcibly removed Gypsy Traveller children from their families, and moved communities from their homes into unsafe and substandard accommodation.

    The Scottish Greens asked the Scottish Government for an apology in mid-May, but the Minister for Equalities failed to confirm if the Scottish Government would be making an apology. However, a statement from the Scottish Government on this issue is now expected in Parliament later this week.

    This Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month, Maggie has called on the Scottish Government to finally commit to a public apology.

    Commenting further, Maggie said:

    “Gypsy Traveller communities were irreparably damaged by the Tinker Experiment, a cruel practice which was allowed to go on for far too long. This should be a great shame of Scotland’s past, yet it is a hidden moment in our history, one that has been covered up and too often forgotten by those in power.

    “Prejudice against Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities is still very alive and normalised across Scotland. We see discrimination against these communities in our schools and in our social services, with many people I’ve spoken to being refused services because their way of living is deemed unsuitable, and is misunderstood.

    “If we’re serious about addressing the prejudices faced by Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities across Scotland, the Scottish Government needs to apologise for the Tinker Experiment – something which caused such harm to so many children and families. People have been waiting far too long.

    “I hope by this time next year, we don’t have to ask for an apology for previous harms, and instead can use this month to celebrate Gypsy, Roma and Traveller culture and highlight all the exciting activity in these communities, from the North East to Govanhill and Perthshire.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Industrial Strategy to provide over £150m to reinforce UK as services superpower

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    Industrial Strategy to provide over £150m to reinforce UK as services superpower

    The Industrial Strategy will invest over £150 million in five transformative AI and technology programmes to help UK Professional and Business Services.

    • UK’s modern Industrial Strategy will drive forward 2035 ambition for UK professional and business services to be most dynamic and innovative in world
    • Plan includes five new centres of excellence across country to help services firms grow and adopt new technology
    • New international marketing campaign will also be deployed for UK services through GREAT

    The UK’s modern Industrial Strategy will invest over £150 million in five transformative AI and technology programmes to help UK Professional and Business Services (PBS) sectors such as legal, management consulting and accountancy soar.

    The latest step in the Government’s Plan for Change, the funding comes as part of a wider package of commitments in the Industrial Strategy sector plan for the PBS sector, published this week.

    With professional business services worth £300 billion a year and supporting one in every seven jobs, the sector has been put at the heart of the UK’s modern Industrial Strategy, recognising its critical role in unlocking growth and creating jobs across all UK regions and sectors – and the UK’s place as the second largest exporter of services in the world, behind only the US.

    Minister for Investment Poppy Gustafsson CBE will visit the University of Edinburgh on Tuesday where she will meet with the Law Society of Scotland to hear more about AI adoption and how Scotland is a hub for world class PBS firms. 

    Jonathan Reynolds, Secretary of State for Business and Trade said:

    The Professional and Business Services sector is the jewel in the crown of the UK economy, worth over £300bn a year and making up one in every seven jobs.

    Our Industrial Strategy and Plan for Change will help the sector soar further through the adoption of new technologies such as AI and increased promotion overseas as we strive to make the industry the most dynamic and innovative in the world by.

    The plan sets out the sector’s ambition for the UK to be the most trusted adviser to global industry, with the most dynamic and productive PBS sector by 2035, whilst remaining the world’s second largest exporter of professional business services after the US.

    The five programmes will be focused on building on the already high levels of AI adoption in the sector, with major spends on launching a new PBS adapted Made Smarter digital adoption programme and enhancing Innovate UK’s Next Generation Professional Services programme which advises firms to adopt new technologies and support research.

    From Birmingham to Glasgow, this will be accompanied by new PBS centres of excellence in five city regions to offer firms advice, with a new national AI skills hub to offer wider support, alongside a new research programme to tackle barriers to innovation – starting with real estate.

    By placing innovation at the heart of the plan, it aims to increase business investment in the PBS sector and ensure the UK will not just be an AI taker, but an AI maker in delivering modern Professional and Business Services.  

    Other measures to boost the UK’s PBS sector in the plan include:

    • A new marketing campaign for PBS through GREAT + and more opportunities for PBS firms to join government trade missions.
    • Expanded support for regulators to negotiate mutual recognition of professional qualifications agreements, especially with the EU, US, and other key markets.
    • A Trade Digitalisation Task Force to advise PBS firms and clients on the productivity and growth benefits of digital trade documents and processes and to break down barriers to adoption. 
    • UK Export Finance to provide guarantees to PBS firms securing early-stage overseas project contracts for the first time, strengthening the UK’s position as the world’s second largest PBS exporter.  
    • A new PBS AI Champion by summer 2025 to identify growth opportunities, address adoption barriers, and deliver sector-wide AI Adoption.  

    Iain Wright, Chief Policy & Communications Officer, ICAEW, PBSC Business Co-Chair, said: 

    The launch of the Industrial Strategy marks a pivotal moment in the collaboration between business and government to enable the UK economy to grow and we were pleased to work with the government to develop the ambitious sector plan to make the UK the most trusted economy for PBS by 2035.

    With targeted support, the plan sets the stage for a more innovative, competitive and growing sector which underscores our position at the heart of the economy. I strongly welcome this renewed partnership, and we see today’s launch as the start of a long-term collaboration with government to turn this vision into reality.

    Kirsty Newman, Deloitte UK Market Chair, said:

    The PBS sector plan represents an important moment for our sector and sets out a bold and exciting vision for the future. It recognises our impact as a major employer and economic contributor in our own right, but also how we drive growth, innovation and resilience across the economy.

    The sector plan will help to ensure PBS is underpinned by the right skills and regulatory framework, is at the forefront of technological innovation and grows its presence internationally and in all regions and nations of the UK.

    The commitments from government and long-term engagement with the sector can solidify the UK’s reputation as a global centre of excellence for PBS.

    Tamzen Isacsson, Chief Executive of the Management Consultancies Association (MCA), said:   

    Consulting is one of the UK’s great economic success stories, with firms helping clients to grow, innovate, and tackle complex challenges. The Industrial Strategy and PBS sector plan is a blueprint to go further – accelerating tech adoption, opening procurement to SMEs, upskilling our workforce, and cementing the UK’s global leadership in services.

    As a sector with over 300 offices across the UK, we look forward to supporting the regional agenda of the Government as well as partnering with it to promote the skills and expertise of UK consulting globally.

    Richard Atkinson, President of the Law Society of England and Wales, said:

    The government’s new Industrial Strategy can be a game-changer for the UK economy and the legal sector. Putting legal services at the heart of the country’s economic engine will fuel sustained growth.

    Our legal industry is the second largest in the world, the biggest in Europe and brings all other sectors together. By opening global markets for UK lawyers, investing in our courts’ infrastructure, supporting technology in legal services and upholding the rule of law, we ensure the UK remains a global jurisdiction of choice. The Law Society looks forward to working with the government to deliver its long-term vision for growth in our sector.

    Notes to editors

    • The link to the PBS sector plan is here.
    • After the US, the UK is firmly established as the second largest exporter of PBS services in the world.
    • PBS is positioned to grow by £322bn in GVA by 2035 (113%), based on current trends.  
    • The PBS sector accounts for almost one job in every seven in the UK economy, with the sector paying 21.4% above the national mean annual wage.
    • Employment in PBS has grown by half a million since 2015, and we could see another half a million new jobs in PBS by 2035. 

    Updates to this page

    Published 24 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Chinese Foreign Minister Meets Singapore Foreign Minister

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    BEIJING, June 24 (Xinhua) — Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan in Beijing on Tuesday.

    Wang Yi, also a member of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee, said Chinese President Xi Jinping had just had a fruitful meeting with Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. He said China appreciated Singapore’s reaffirmation of the one-China principle and its unambiguous opposition to “Taiwan independence.”

    China is willing to use the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Singapore as an opportunity to advance the implementation of the important agreements reached by the leaders of the two countries and the results of this visit, Wang added.

    V. Balakrishnan, in turn, said that Singapore is ready to work with China, guided by a forward-looking strategic vision, to seize the opportunities offered by the development of new technologies and deepen cooperation in various areas such as the economy, trade, investment and connectivity. Singapore, together with other ASEAN countries and China, will adhere to the principles of openness and inclusiveness, and also defend multilateralism, he concluded. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • South Korea special prosecutor seeks arrest warrant for ex-President Yoon

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    South Korea’s special prosecutor asked a court on Tuesday to issue an arrest warrant for former President Yoon Suk Yeol, an investigator said, as a probe intensified over the ousted leader’s botched bid to impose martial law.

    Yoon, who is already facing a criminal trial on insurrection charges for leading the martial law declaration, was arrested in January after resisting authorities trying to take him into custody, but was released after 52 days on technical grounds.

    The martial law attempt shocked a country that had prided itself on being a thriving democracy after overcoming military dictatorship in the 1980s and triggered a snap presidential election to pick Yoon’s successor amid bitter political infighting.

    The new warrant is on a charge of obstruction, a senior member of the special prosecutor’s team of investigators said.

    Yoon had refused to respond to summons for questioning as required under criminal procedures and investigators would “not get dragged around” by him, Park Ji-young, a deputy to the special prosecutor, told a televised briefing on YTN TV.

    Lawyers representing Yoon said in a statement they had not been served a proper summons after the special prosecutor was appointed and that the former president would respond once it was served in a legal manner. Yoon had been under investigation by the police and the state prosecutors’ office on a number of charges stemming from the failed attempt in December to impose military rule.

    In January, Yoon initially resisted an attempt by investigators trying to execute a court warrant for his arrest, holed up in the presidential residence while his security service led by officials loyal to him barricaded the gates.

    The special prosecutor was appointed just days after liberal President Lee Jae-myung took office on June 4 after winning the snap election called after Yoon’s ouster in April and has launched a team of more than 200 prosecutors and investigators to take over ongoing investigations against Yoon.

    Yoon is fighting the charges against him that include masterminding insurrection, which is punishable by death or life in prison, claiming he had declared martial law on December 3 to sound the alarm over the threat to democracy posed by the then-opposition Democratic Party.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI: Volta Finance Limited – Net Asset Value(s) as at 31 May 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Volta Finance Limited (VTA / VTAS)
    May 2025 monthly report

    NOT FOR RELEASE, DISTRIBUTION, OR PUBLICATION, IN WHOLE OR PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES

    Guernsey, June 24, 2025

    AXA IM has published the Volta Finance Limited (the “Company” or “Volta Finance” or “Volta”) monthly report for May 2025. The full report is attached to this release and will be available on Volta’s website shortly (www.voltafinance.com).

    Performance and Portfolio Activity

    Dear Investors,

    In May, Volta Finance’s net performance reached +3.3% bringing the performance from August 2024 to date to +10.7%. Our investments in CLO Debt and CLO Equity recovered some of their post-liberation day volatility due to improved market sentiment.

    May saw a more positive macroeconomic environment, helping markets recover most of the losses from the previous month. The 90-day tariff rollback from Washington towards China signaled a pause in the U.S. Both European and US Equity markets rose sharply, while credit indices showed a V-shaped recovery. U.S. 30-year Treasury yields rose above 5% for the first time since October 2023 after Moody’s downgraded the U.S. credit rating. Although yields fell back later in the month, this jump reminded investors of ongoing worries about fiscal health.

    In terms of macroeconomic data, US inflation was encouraging as CPIs cooled to 2.3 % year-on-year while the euro-area inflation held at 2.2 %. Impacted by tariffs, the U.S. Q1 GDP contracted by an annualized 0.3 % due to pre-tariff stockpiling, while the Eurozone experienced growth of +0.3% quarter-on-quarter, supported by resilient demand in the Services industry. Labor markets also showed positive figures on both sides of the Atlantic, with the euro-area unemployment rate reaching a record-low of 6.2 % notably.

    Credit markets performed strongly in May. The European High Yield index (Xover) was around 50bps tighter and closed 300bps. On the Loan side, Euro Loans closed almost 1pt up at 97.80px (Morningstar European Leveraged Loan Index) while US Loans closed c. 1 pt up at 96.70px. The primary CLO markets were active again, with levels tightening across the capital structure, notably with BBs in the Mid +500bps. In terms of performance, US BBs total returned +3% on the month. For comparison, US High Yield returned +1.7% in the same period while Euro High Yield was down +1.3% and Global Loans up +1.5%.

    In terms of loan fundamentals, default rates remained steady at 4.4% in the US (including Liability Management Exercises) but we noticed an uptick in downgrades with 12% of B- exposures downgraded down to CCC category by S&P in the US loan market.

    Due to ongoing uncertainties, we consciously decided not to fully reinvest our 16% cash position at the end of April. We ended May with c.10% of Volta’s NAV in cash, with capital deployment into €10.7m of CLO debt tranches as well as into our 2 warehouses. Our European CLO warehouse was converted into an effective CLO Equity at the end of the month. In addition, Volta Finance’s cashflow generation remained stable at €28.1m equivalent in interests and coupons over the last six months, representing close to 21% of May’s NAV on an annualized basis.

    Over the month, Volta’s CLO Equity tranches returned +5.9%** while CLO Debt tranches returned +2.8% performance**. The dollar slipped to a six-week low against the Euro at $1.15 per Euro with very limited impact of our long dollar exposure in terms of performance (-0.02%). In this uncertain macroeconomic environment, we have kept our net long USD exposure at c.13% to limit the potential for margin calls.

    As of end of May 2025, Volta’s NAV was €271.8m, i.e. €7.43 per share.

    *It should be noted that approximately 0.24% of Volta’s GAV comprises investments for which the relevant NAVs as at the month-end date are normally available only after Volta’s NAV has already been published. Volta’s policy is to publish its NAV on as timely a basis as possible to provide shareholders with Volta’s appropriately up-to-date NAV information. Consequently, such investments are valued using the most recently available NAV for each fund or quoted price for such subordinated notes. The most recently available fund NAV or quoted price was 0.17% as at 30 April 2025, 0.07% as at 31 March 2025.

    ** “performances” of asset classes are calculated as the Dietz-performance of the assets in each bucket, taking into account the Mark-to-Market of the assets at period ends, payments received from the assets over the period, and ignoring changes in cross-currency rates. Nevertheless, some residual currency effects could impact the aggregate value of the portfolio when aggregating each bucket.

    CONTACTS

    For the Investment Manager
    AXA Investment Managers Paris
    François Touati
    francois.touati@axa-im.com        
    +33 (0) 1 44 45 80 22

    Olivier Pons
    Olivier.pons@axa-im.com
    +33 (0) 1 44 45 87 30        

    Company Secretary and Administrator
    BNP Paribas S.A, Guernsey Branch
    guernsey.bp2s.volta.cosec@bnpparibas.com 
    +44 (0) 1481 750 853

    Corporate Broker
    Cavendish Securities plc
    Andrew Worne
    Daniel Balabanoff
    +44 (0) 20 7397 8900

    *****
    ABOUT VOLTA FINANCE LIMITED

    Volta Finance Limited is incorporated in Guernsey under The Companies (Guernsey) Law, 2008 (as amended) and listed on Euronext Amsterdam and the London Stock Exchange’s Main Market for listed securities. Volta’s home member state for the purposes of the EU Transparency Directive is the Netherlands. As such, Volta is subject to regulation and supervision by the AFM, being the regulator for financial markets in the Netherlands.

    Volta’s Investment objectives are to preserve its capital across the credit cycle and to provide a stable stream of income to its Shareholders through dividends that it expects to distribute on a quarterly basis. The Company currently seeks to achieve its investment objectives by pursuing exposure predominantly to CLO’s and similar asset classes. A more diversified investment strategy across structured finance assets may be pursued opportunistically. The Company has appointed AXA Investment Managers Paris an investment management company with a division specialised in structured credit, for the investment management of all its assets.

    *****

    ABOUT AXA INVESTMENT MANAGERS
    AXA Investment Managers (AXA IM) is a multi-expert asset management company within the AXA Group, a global leader in financial protection and wealth management. AXA IM is one of the largest European-based asset managers with 2,800 professionals and €859 billion in assets under management as of the end of June 2024.  

    *****

    This press release is published by AXA Investment Managers Paris (“AXA IM”), in its capacity as alternative investment fund manager (within the meaning of Directive 2011/61/EU, the “AIFM Directive”) of Volta Finance Limited (the “Volta Finance”) whose portfolio is managed by AXA IM.

    This press release is for information only and does not constitute an invitation or inducement to acquire shares in Volta Finance. Its circulation may be prohibited in certain jurisdictions and no recipient may circulate copies of this document in breach of such limitations or restrictions. This document is not an offer for sale of the securities referred to herein in the United States or to persons who are “U.S. persons” for purposes of Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), or otherwise in circumstances where such offer would be restricted by applicable law. Such securities may not be sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration from the Securities Act. Volta Finance does not intend to register any portion of the offer of such securities in the United States or to conduct a public offering of such securities in the United States.

    *****

    This communication is only being distributed to and is only directed at (i) persons who are outside the United Kingdom or (ii) investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the “Order”) or (iii) high net worth companies, and other persons to whom it may lawfully be communicated, falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons together being referred to as “relevant persons”). The securities referred to herein are only available to, and any invitation, offer or agreement to subscribe, purchase or otherwise acquire such securities will be engaged in only with, relevant persons. Any person who is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this document or any of its contents. Past performance cannot be relied on as a guide to future performance.

    *****
    This press release contains statements that are, or may deemed to be, “forward-looking statements”. These forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the terms “believes”, “anticipated”, “expects”, “intends”, “is/are expected”, “may”, “will” or “should”. They include the statements regarding the level of the dividend, the current market context and its impact on the long-term return of Volta Finance’s investments. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and readers are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Volta Finance’s actual results, portfolio composition and performance may differ materially from the impression created by the forward-looking statements. AXA IM does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking statements.

    Any target information is based on certain assumptions as to future events which may not prove to be realised. Due to the uncertainty surrounding these future events, the targets are not intended to be and should not be regarded as profits or earnings or any other type of forecasts. There can be no assurance that any of these targets will be achieved. In addition, no assurance can be given that the investment objective will be achieved.

    The figures provided that relate to past months or years and past performance cannot be relied on as a guide to future performance or construed as a reliable indicator as to future performance. Throughout this review, the citation of specific trades or strategies is intended to illustrate some of the investment methodologies and philosophies of Volta Finance, as implemented by AXA IM. The historical success or AXA IM’s belief in the future success, of any of these trades or strategies is not indicative of, and has no bearing on, future results.

    The valuation of financial assets can vary significantly from the prices that the AXA IM could obtain if it sought to liquidate the positions on behalf of the Volta Finance due to market conditions and general economic environment. Such valuations do not constitute a fairness or similar opinion and should not be regarded as such.

    Editor: AXA INVESTMENT MANAGERS PARIS, a company incorporated under the laws of France, having its registered office located at Tour Majunga, 6, Place de la Pyramide – 92800 Puteaux. AXA IMP is authorized by the Autorité des Marchés Financiers under registration number GP92008 as an alternative investment fund manager within the meaning of the AIFM Directive.

    *****

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council overturns Jersey’s first declaration of incompatibility with human rights law24 June 2025 Jersey’s Attorney General, Mark Temple KC, and the Jersey Competent Authority, the Minister for Treasury and Resources, have succeeded in a landmark appeal before the Judicial Committee of the Privy… Read more

    Source: Channel Islands – Jersey

    24 June 2025

    Jersey’s Attorney General, Mark Temple KC, and the Jersey Competent Authority, the Minister for Treasury and Resources, have succeeded in a landmark appeal before the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. 

    In a ruling handed down this morning, Jersey’s highest appellate court overturned the declaration made by the Court of Appeal last year under the Human Rights (Jersey) Law 2000 that the International Co-operation (Protection from Liability) (Jersey) Law 2018 is incompatible with human rights. This was the first declaration of incompatibility made by a Jersey court. 

    That Law, introduced in 2018, includes provisions that place limits on the costs and damages that can be awarded against public authorities in Jersey where public authorities have made decisions in good faith to fulfil a request from the authority of another country. The Court of Appeal had found that these provisions infringed Article 6(1) of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) – ie the right to a fair trial in a civil case. However, the Attorney General and Jersey’s Competent Authority in tax information exchange cases have now succeeded, on appeal, in reversing that decision and other findings of the Court of Appeal. 

    Commenting on today’s judgment, Jersey’s Attorney General, Mark Temple KC said: “I am pleased that the Judicial Committee has allowed this appeal and overturned the declaration of incompatibility. I explained at the hearing of the appeal that the matter was of great importance for Jersey and that the Court of Appeal’s decision was the first time that a declaration of incompatibility had been made by a court in Jersey. I am therefore also grateful to the Judicial Committee for providing authoritative guidance concerning applications for declarations of incompatibility under the Human Rights (Jersey) Law 2000 and whether legislation pursues a legitimate aim.” 

    Deputy Elaine Millar, Minister for Treasury and Resources, commented: “I also welcome this judgment. It is vital that Jersey has a robust domestic legal framework which enables the Island to comply with its international obligations – in this case Jersey’s obligations under the OECD Mutual Assistance Convention, which are important for our financial services industry – in a timely and effective way. The States Assembly enacted the 2018 Law to ensure that public authorities in Jersey should not be constrained by the threat of large, unexpected costs liabilities when they are acting to provide assistance in good faith to other countries.” 

    The Court of Appeal had made the declaration in proceedings brought by Imperium Trustees (Jersey) Limited to challenge a notice issued in 2022 by the office of the Comptroller of Revenue on behalf of the Minister as the Jersey Competent Authority to produce tax information, for exchange with the authorities of Belgium, concerning a Jersey law trust administered by Imperium. 

    The Judicial Committee has found, contrary to the Court of Appeal, that the essential nature of those underlying proceedings is a “tax matter” as the core issue to be resolved is the lawfulness of a notice to produce tax information, not one of the peripheral issues relating to confidentiality that were raised by Imperium. 

    In the case law of the European Court of Human Rights, tax matters form part of what is known as “the hard core of public authority prerogatives”, being areas of law involving the state’s exercise of its public authority, which fall outside the scope of what are considered “civil rights and obligations” within Article 6(1) ECHR. 

    As a result, Article 6(1) ECHR was found not to be engaged in the Imperium case, and this was sufficient for the Judicial Committee to uphold the whole appeal. The Judicial Committee chose, however, to make a number of further points in relation to the Court of Appeal’s wider decision and the procedure it had followed in the context of rights under the ECHR. 

    In particular, the Judicial Committee was critical of the declaration having been made in an abstract manner without any actual evidence of the infringement of the rights of the persons before the court, namely Imperium. The Board said it was not open for the Court to do so by reference to litigants and matters that were not before the Court. 

    The justices also took issue with how the majority of the Court of Appeal had approached the question of whether the 2018 Law pursued a legitimate aim. They approved the statement by Jersey Justice of Appeal James Wolffe KC, who had dissented on this point in the Court of Appeal, that the correct approach is to have regard to the Law’s underlying social purpose, to focus not on what the measure does but the reason why it was enacted. Therefore, it was permissible for the Court to look beyond the provisions of the Law itself; to examine materials such as the Projet de Loi and the speeches made by the Ministers and Scrutiny Panel members in the States Assembly as recorded in Hansard.

    The judgment of the Judicial Committee is available here​.​​

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Mozambique: Armed Group’s Child Abductions Surge in North


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    An armed group linked to the Islamic State (ISIS) has ramped up abductions of children in northern Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province, Human Rights Watch said today. Most of the abducted children are being used for transporting looted goods, forced labor, forced marriages, and taking part in the fighting.

    National civil society groups and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) report that such kidnappings are on the rise. While the armed group, locally known as Al-Shabab, released some of the children they abducted earlier this year, a number of children remain missing; those who have returned to their communities struggle with reintegration. 

    “The surge in abductions of children in Cabo Delgado adds to the horrors of Mozambique’s conflict,” said Ashwanee Budoo-Scholtz, deputy Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “Al-Shabab needs to spare children from the conflict and immediately release those who have been abducted.”

    In May and June 2025, Human Rights Watch interviewed nine people in Mozambique, including residents of Cabo Delgado, journalists, civil society activists, and a UN official, all of whom expressed concern about the resurgence of kidnappings. “In recent days, 120 or more children have been abducted,” said Abudo Gafuro, executive director at Kwendeleya, a national organization that monitors attacks and provides support to victims. 

    On January 23, 2025, Al-Shabab attacked the village of Mumu, in Mocímboa da Praia district, and abducted four girls and three boys. During Al-Shabab’s subsequent retreat, two children were released, but five remain missing. In March, the armed group abducted six children in Chibau to carry looted goods; four were released the following day. On May 3, Al-Shabab abducted a girl in the village of Ntotwe, Mocímboa da Praia district; on May 11, they kidnapped six girls and two boys near Magaia village in Muidumbe district. 

    When Al-Shabab fighters “enter or attack certain areas, they tend to abduct children,” said Augusta Iaquite, coordinator at the Association of Women in Legal Careers in Cabo Delgado. “They take them to train them and later turn them into their own fighters.” 

    When children who have been abducted return to the community, there are few resources to help them reintegrate, Human Rights Watch said. “The country needs a clear strategy on what to do when a child, especially one that has been rescued, returns,” said Benilde Nhalivilo, executive director at the Civil Society Forum for Children’s Rights. 

    Civil society organizations have called on Mozambique’s government to fulfill the country’s obligations under domestic and international law to protect the nation’s children. 

    Mozambique’s Constitution and the 2008 Law for the Promotion and Protection of Children’s Rights enshrine the state’s duty to protect children from all forms of violence, exploitation, and abuse. Additionally, Mozambique is a party to various international and regional instruments that guarantee children’s rights, including the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child. Both explicitly prohibit the abduction, recruitment, and exploitation of children. The UN Optional Protocol to the Child Rights Convention on the involvement of children in armed conflict, ratified by Mozambique in 2004, prohibits non-state armed groups from recruiting or using children under 18. 

    Under customary international humanitarian law and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, children are entitled to special respect and protection, and recruiting or using children under the age of 15 to participate actively in hostilities is a war crime. 

    Mozambican authorities should seek to prevent further abductions, investigate existing cases and fairly prosecute those responsible, and ensure proper support for victims, Human Rights Watch said. Rescued children need medical care, psychosocial assistance, and reintegration mechanisms that provide for their protection and well-being.

    “Mozambique’s government needs to take concrete actions to safeguard children and prevent armed groups from using them as tools of conflict,” Budoo-Scholtz said. “There is a need to ensure that there are robust reintegration measures so that the children are not further ostracized when they come back to the community.”

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Human Rights Watch (HRW).

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Mozambique after 50 years of independence: what’s there to celebrate?

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Luca Bussotti, Professor at the PhD Course in Peace, Democracy, Social Movements and Human Development, Universidade Técnica de Moçambique (UDM)

    Mozambique’s government, led by the Frelimo party, has long been planning celebrations for 2025. It is 50 years since independence, won after an anti-colonial war against Portugal led by the same party.

    Something has gone wrong, however, especially in the past two years.

    Since the country’s popular rapper Azagaia died in March 2023 and peaceful processions in his memory escalated into violent clashes with the police, space has opened up for the establishment of a social movement of young people. This has since turned into a political movement, taking on the name “Povo no Poder” (“People in Power”). At its head is a brilliant politician, Venâncio Mondlane.

    Povo no Poder was also the name of Azagaia’s hit song, which had been the soundtrack to 2008 protests against rising energy costs.

    Azagaia’s POVO NO PODER.

    The demonstrations in March 2023 marked a turning point for Mozambique. It was as if all the energy and indignation about a highly corrupt and increasingly authoritarian country that Azagaia had expressed through his songs had been passed on to previously fearful young people. Now they dared to challenge the police and army in the open and without any weapons.

    In late 2024 Mozambicans took to the streets to protest against elections they claimed were rigged. Over 300 people were killed in demonstrations.

    Efforts have been made to redress this serious wound. In preparation for the 50 years of independence Frelimo has been recalling key places and symbols in the liberation war, harking back to a time when they represented justice.

    But attempts to evoke past glory and ideals are not resonating with ordinary Mozambicans. The mood in the country is subdued.

    As a specialist in the politics of lusophone Africa, in particular Mozambique, based on years of research, I find it difficult to envision a future of peace and prosperity for the next 50 years. There are divisive elements at play across the country. The post-election crisis has its roots in widespread discontent. Mozambicans are also rising against the cost of living crisis.

    Attempts to rekindle the flame

    The newly elected president, Daniel Chapo, opened the 50th anniversary celebrations on 7 April in Nangade, in Cabo Delgado province. This is one of the places where the armed struggle against the Portuguese began.

    National symbolism has focused on the torch of national unity, travelling the length and breadth of Mozambique to arrive in Maputo at the historic Machava Stadium on 25 June, Independence Day, for a concluding public ceremony.

    Not everyone has shared this attempt to patch up a country torn both politically and socio-economically.

    Too much has been lost in the intervening decades.

    In the initial period of independence Frelimo adopted socialist policies and attempted to promote free and universal social services, primarily healthcare and education. Back then, the ruling class, starting with the country’s first president, Samora Machel, didn’t enjoy any particular economic privileges.

    The reality today is quite different.

    Journalist and social activist Tomás Vieira Mário, one of the main critics of the current regime, has traced the stages of independent Mozambique’s history. He’s pointed out the contradiction between the initial thrust by many Mozambican common people towards the liberation movement and subsequent, authoritarian developments.

    He concluded in an article that all that remained to unite Mozambicans was the

    mere sharing of the same territorial space. And a lot of blood.

    He was referring to the long war against Renamo from 1976 to 1992 and again from 2013 to 2019, ethnic questions that have never been resolved, and finally the armed attacks in Cabo Delgado of jihadist and ethnic nature.

    For his part, renowned philosopher Severino Ngoenha has also underscored the importance of a justice system that is fair and inclusive, and not at the service of one political party.

    The new opposition is coming not from Renamo or Frelimo but from the streets. Popular protests have taken place this year even in areas once considered Frelimo strongholds. In Gaza province, southern Mozambique, for example, there have been outbreaks of violence, demonstrating that the bipolar system that emerged from the 1992 peace accord now seems incapable of responding to the new demands of Mozambican society.

    On the political level, efforts are being made to overcome the post-electoral crisis and its wounds through the establishment of an Inclusive Dialogue Commission. This is being chaired by jurist Edson Macuacua, who is a vice-minister in the Frelimo government.

    The commission is made up of representatives from all major parties as well as three members of civil society. The eventual aim is radical reform of the state.

    But there are serious doubts about the success of this ambitious project which I believe are legitimate. The big question, beyond any institutional and electoral reforms, is whether the Frelimo party-state will be able to change its political culture in the next elections, accepting any negative results and, therefore, the loss of power.

    Efforts are being made on all fronts to obstruct Mondlane from gaining a political foothold. Mondlane wants to start a new party called the Anamalala (meaning “It will end”, or “Stop!”).

    The name has been rejected by the Ministry of Justice because a Mozambican party cannot be named using a local language – in this case Emakhuwa.

    On the judicial level, several trials are underway against Mondlane and his closest associates, which could result in convictions for inciting protesters to destroy public infrastructure during the post-election demonstrations. If convicted, he would be declared ineligible to run in elections scheduled for 2029.

    Inequality and disparities

    Mozambique is among the six most unequal countries in the world and one of the poorest. According to World Bank data, 500,000 young people enter the labour market each year, with an average absorption capacity of about 25,000 in the formal sector, and 36% of young people unemployed in Maputo.

    Meanwhile, the number of very rich is growing. Mozambique ranks 16th among African countries in terms of the number of millionaires, with 18% growth over the past 10 years.

    This inequality puts national unity at risk.

    The economic disparities between the capital, Maputo, and the rest of the country are increasingly evident.

    Entire ethnic groups and territories are marginalised. Socio-economic and cultural divisions have been replicated in the case of discoveries of large natural resources in the north of the country. Large investments have been made in gas (Total and ENI-Exxon) and rubies in Cabo Delgado.

    A new threat has arisen too: extremism. Islamist-motivated attacks have been occurring in Cabo Delgado since 2017. There was an attack recently on a military base in Macomia.

    Efforts to encourage unity are coming from many quarters: from the promotion of inclusive dialogue; from a civic consciousness that has grown since 2023-2024; and from the country’s economic potential.

    But social inequality remains. So do doubts about Frelimo’s willingness to make Mozambique a country where the winner governs without manipulating election results.

    Luca Bussotti 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. Mozambique after 50 years of independence: what’s there to celebrate? – https://theconversation.com/mozambique-after-50-years-of-independence-whats-there-to-celebrate-259528

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Mozambique after 50 years of independence: what’s there to celebrate?

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Luca Bussotti, Professor at the PhD Course in Peace, Democracy, Social Movements and Human Development, Universidade Técnica de Moçambique (UDM)

    Mozambique’s government, led by the Frelimo party, has long been planning celebrations for 2025. It is 50 years since independence, won after an anti-colonial war against Portugal led by the same party.

    Something has gone wrong, however, especially in the past two years.

    Since the country’s popular rapper Azagaia died in March 2023 and peaceful processions in his memory escalated into violent clashes with the police, space has opened up for the establishment of a social movement of young people. This has since turned into a political movement, taking on the name “Povo no Poder” (“People in Power”). At its head is a brilliant politician, Venâncio Mondlane.

    Povo no Poder was also the name of Azagaia’s hit song, which had been the soundtrack to 2008 protests against rising energy costs.

    Azagaia’s POVO NO PODER.

    The demonstrations in March 2023 marked a turning point for Mozambique. It was as if all the energy and indignation about a highly corrupt and increasingly authoritarian country that Azagaia had expressed through his songs had been passed on to previously fearful young people. Now they dared to challenge the police and army in the open and without any weapons.

    In late 2024 Mozambicans took to the streets to protest against elections they claimed were rigged. Over 300 people were killed in demonstrations.

    Efforts have been made to redress this serious wound. In preparation for the 50 years of independence Frelimo has been recalling key places and symbols in the liberation war, harking back to a time when they represented justice.

    But attempts to evoke past glory and ideals are not resonating with ordinary Mozambicans. The mood in the country is subdued.

    As a specialist in the politics of lusophone Africa, in particular Mozambique, based on years of research, I find it difficult to envision a future of peace and prosperity for the next 50 years. There are divisive elements at play across the country. The post-election crisis has its roots in widespread discontent. Mozambicans are also rising against the cost of living crisis.

    Attempts to rekindle the flame

    The newly elected president, Daniel Chapo, opened the 50th anniversary celebrations on 7 April in Nangade, in Cabo Delgado province. This is one of the places where the armed struggle against the Portuguese began.

    National symbolism has focused on the torch of national unity, travelling the length and breadth of Mozambique to arrive in Maputo at the historic Machava Stadium on 25 June, Independence Day, for a concluding public ceremony.

    Not everyone has shared this attempt to patch up a country torn both politically and socio-economically.

    Too much has been lost in the intervening decades.

    In the initial period of independence Frelimo adopted socialist policies and attempted to promote free and universal social services, primarily healthcare and education. Back then, the ruling class, starting with the country’s first president, Samora Machel, didn’t enjoy any particular economic privileges.

    The reality today is quite different.

    Journalist and social activist Tomás Vieira Mário, one of the main critics of the current regime, has traced the stages of independent Mozambique’s history. He’s pointed out the contradiction between the initial thrust by many Mozambican common people towards the liberation movement and subsequent, authoritarian developments.

    He concluded in an article that all that remained to unite Mozambicans was the

    mere sharing of the same territorial space. And a lot of blood.

    He was referring to the long war against Renamo from 1976 to 1992 and again from 2013 to 2019, ethnic questions that have never been resolved, and finally the armed attacks in Cabo Delgado of jihadist and ethnic nature.

    For his part, renowned philosopher Severino Ngoenha has also underscored the importance of a justice system that is fair and inclusive, and not at the service of one political party.

    The new opposition is coming not from Renamo or Frelimo but from the streets. Popular protests have taken place this year even in areas once considered Frelimo strongholds. In Gaza province, southern Mozambique, for example, there have been outbreaks of violence, demonstrating that the bipolar system that emerged from the 1992 peace accord now seems incapable of responding to the new demands of Mozambican society.

    On the political level, efforts are being made to overcome the post-electoral crisis and its wounds through the establishment of an Inclusive Dialogue Commission. This is being chaired by jurist Edson Macuacua, who is a vice-minister in the Frelimo government.

    The commission is made up of representatives from all major parties as well as three members of civil society. The eventual aim is radical reform of the state.

    But there are serious doubts about the success of this ambitious project which I believe are legitimate. The big question, beyond any institutional and electoral reforms, is whether the Frelimo party-state will be able to change its political culture in the next elections, accepting any negative results and, therefore, the loss of power.

    Efforts are being made on all fronts to obstruct Mondlane from gaining a political foothold. Mondlane wants to start a new party called the Anamalala (meaning “It will end”, or “Stop!”).

    The name has been rejected by the Ministry of Justice because a Mozambican party cannot be named using a local language – in this case Emakhuwa.

    On the judicial level, several trials are underway against Mondlane and his closest associates, which could result in convictions for inciting protesters to destroy public infrastructure during the post-election demonstrations. If convicted, he would be declared ineligible to run in elections scheduled for 2029.

    Inequality and disparities

    Mozambique is among the six most unequal countries in the world and one of the poorest. According to World Bank data, 500,000 young people enter the labour market each year, with an average absorption capacity of about 25,000 in the formal sector, and 36% of young people unemployed in Maputo.

    Meanwhile, the number of very rich is growing. Mozambique ranks 16th among African countries in terms of the number of millionaires, with 18% growth over the past 10 years.

    This inequality puts national unity at risk.

    The economic disparities between the capital, Maputo, and the rest of the country are increasingly evident.

    Entire ethnic groups and territories are marginalised. Socio-economic and cultural divisions have been replicated in the case of discoveries of large natural resources in the north of the country. Large investments have been made in gas (Total and ENI-Exxon) and rubies in Cabo Delgado.

    A new threat has arisen too: extremism. Islamist-motivated attacks have been occurring in Cabo Delgado since 2017. There was an attack recently on a military base in Macomia.

    Efforts to encourage unity are coming from many quarters: from the promotion of inclusive dialogue; from a civic consciousness that has grown since 2023-2024; and from the country’s economic potential.

    But social inequality remains. So do doubts about Frelimo’s willingness to make Mozambique a country where the winner governs without manipulating election results.

    Luca Bussotti 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. Mozambique after 50 years of independence: what’s there to celebrate? – https://theconversation.com/mozambique-after-50-years-of-independence-whats-there-to-celebrate-259528

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Mozambique after 50 years of independence: what’s there to celebrate?

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Luca Bussotti, Professor at the PhD Course in Peace, Democracy, Social Movements and Human Development, Universidade Técnica de Moçambique (UDM)

    Mozambique’s government, led by the Frelimo party, has long been planning celebrations for 2025. It is 50 years since independence, won after an anti-colonial war against Portugal led by the same party.

    Something has gone wrong, however, especially in the past two years.

    Since the country’s popular rapper Azagaia died in March 2023 and peaceful processions in his memory escalated into violent clashes with the police, space has opened up for the establishment of a social movement of young people. This has since turned into a political movement, taking on the name “Povo no Poder” (“People in Power”). At its head is a brilliant politician, Venâncio Mondlane.

    Povo no Poder was also the name of Azagaia’s hit song, which had been the soundtrack to 2008 protests against rising energy costs.

    Azagaia’s POVO NO PODER.

    The demonstrations in March 2023 marked a turning point for Mozambique. It was as if all the energy and indignation about a highly corrupt and increasingly authoritarian country that Azagaia had expressed through his songs had been passed on to previously fearful young people. Now they dared to challenge the police and army in the open and without any weapons.

    In late 2024 Mozambicans took to the streets to protest against elections they claimed were rigged. Over 300 people were killed in demonstrations.

    Efforts have been made to redress this serious wound. In preparation for the 50 years of independence Frelimo has been recalling key places and symbols in the liberation war, harking back to a time when they represented justice.

    But attempts to evoke past glory and ideals are not resonating with ordinary Mozambicans. The mood in the country is subdued.

    As a specialist in the politics of lusophone Africa, in particular Mozambique, based on years of research, I find it difficult to envision a future of peace and prosperity for the next 50 years. There are divisive elements at play across the country. The post-election crisis has its roots in widespread discontent. Mozambicans are also rising against the cost of living crisis.

    Attempts to rekindle the flame

    The newly elected president, Daniel Chapo, opened the 50th anniversary celebrations on 7 April in Nangade, in Cabo Delgado province. This is one of the places where the armed struggle against the Portuguese began.

    National symbolism has focused on the torch of national unity, travelling the length and breadth of Mozambique to arrive in Maputo at the historic Machava Stadium on 25 June, Independence Day, for a concluding public ceremony.

    Not everyone has shared this attempt to patch up a country torn both politically and socio-economically.

    Too much has been lost in the intervening decades.

    In the initial period of independence Frelimo adopted socialist policies and attempted to promote free and universal social services, primarily healthcare and education. Back then, the ruling class, starting with the country’s first president, Samora Machel, didn’t enjoy any particular economic privileges.

    The reality today is quite different.

    Journalist and social activist Tomás Vieira Mário, one of the main critics of the current regime, has traced the stages of independent Mozambique’s history. He’s pointed out the contradiction between the initial thrust by many Mozambican common people towards the liberation movement and subsequent, authoritarian developments.

    He concluded in an article that all that remained to unite Mozambicans was the

    mere sharing of the same territorial space. And a lot of blood.

    He was referring to the long war against Renamo from 1976 to 1992 and again from 2013 to 2019, ethnic questions that have never been resolved, and finally the armed attacks in Cabo Delgado of jihadist and ethnic nature.

    For his part, renowned philosopher Severino Ngoenha has also underscored the importance of a justice system that is fair and inclusive, and not at the service of one political party.

    The new opposition is coming not from Renamo or Frelimo but from the streets. Popular protests have taken place this year even in areas once considered Frelimo strongholds. In Gaza province, southern Mozambique, for example, there have been outbreaks of violence, demonstrating that the bipolar system that emerged from the 1992 peace accord now seems incapable of responding to the new demands of Mozambican society.

    On the political level, efforts are being made to overcome the post-electoral crisis and its wounds through the establishment of an Inclusive Dialogue Commission. This is being chaired by jurist Edson Macuacua, who is a vice-minister in the Frelimo government.

    The commission is made up of representatives from all major parties as well as three members of civil society. The eventual aim is radical reform of the state.

    But there are serious doubts about the success of this ambitious project which I believe are legitimate. The big question, beyond any institutional and electoral reforms, is whether the Frelimo party-state will be able to change its political culture in the next elections, accepting any negative results and, therefore, the loss of power.

    Efforts are being made on all fronts to obstruct Mondlane from gaining a political foothold. Mondlane wants to start a new party called the Anamalala (meaning “It will end”, or “Stop!”).

    The name has been rejected by the Ministry of Justice because a Mozambican party cannot be named using a local language – in this case Emakhuwa.

    On the judicial level, several trials are underway against Mondlane and his closest associates, which could result in convictions for inciting protesters to destroy public infrastructure during the post-election demonstrations. If convicted, he would be declared ineligible to run in elections scheduled for 2029.

    Inequality and disparities

    Mozambique is among the six most unequal countries in the world and one of the poorest. According to World Bank data, 500,000 young people enter the labour market each year, with an average absorption capacity of about 25,000 in the formal sector, and 36% of young people unemployed in Maputo.

    Meanwhile, the number of very rich is growing. Mozambique ranks 16th among African countries in terms of the number of millionaires, with 18% growth over the past 10 years.

    This inequality puts national unity at risk.

    The economic disparities between the capital, Maputo, and the rest of the country are increasingly evident.

    Entire ethnic groups and territories are marginalised. Socio-economic and cultural divisions have been replicated in the case of discoveries of large natural resources in the north of the country. Large investments have been made in gas (Total and ENI-Exxon) and rubies in Cabo Delgado.

    A new threat has arisen too: extremism. Islamist-motivated attacks have been occurring in Cabo Delgado since 2017. There was an attack recently on a military base in Macomia.

    Efforts to encourage unity are coming from many quarters: from the promotion of inclusive dialogue; from a civic consciousness that has grown since 2023-2024; and from the country’s economic potential.

    But social inequality remains. So do doubts about Frelimo’s willingness to make Mozambique a country where the winner governs without manipulating election results.

    – Mozambique after 50 years of independence: what’s there to celebrate?
    – https://theconversation.com/mozambique-after-50-years-of-independence-whats-there-to-celebrate-259528

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Operation Shanela nets 15 372

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Operation Shanela nets 15 372

    Over 15 000 individuals have been arrested in the ongoing Operation Shanela operation, said the South African Police Service (SAPS).

    According to the SAPS, these successes stem from proactive policing tactics, including high-visibility patrols, roadblocks, stop-and-search initiatives and intelligence-led suspect tracing.

    From 16 -22 June 2025, 15 372 arrests were made.

    Among those arrested were 2,400 wanted individuals, linked to serious and violent crimes (murder, attempted murder, rape, robbery), while a further 159 suspects were arrested for murder (62 in Gauteng and 43 in the Western Cape).

    Other key arrests include: 
    •    86 for attempted murder
    •    100 for rape, with Gauteng leading at 25 arrests
    •    1173 for assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH)
    •    235 identified drug dealers
    •    2602 for drug possession, most in the Western Cape (1460)
    •    67 for illegal firearm possession, with 22 from KwaZulu-Natal
    •    14 for human trafficking
    •    1328 illegal foreign nationals detained
    •    1140 drivers arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs- KwaZulu-Natal (411), Mpumalanga (225), Western Cape (195) and Gauteng (144)

    Police also recovered and confiscated 102 firearms, 1,278 rounds of ammunition and 64 hijacked or stolen vehicles.

    In the North West, two suspects were arrested for the fatal shooting of an elderly couple in Rustenburg where a firearm was recovered. Additionally, police intercepted two vehicles on the N1 near Makhado carrying dagga valued at R3 million.

    In KwaZulu-Natal, a 49-year-old man arrested in Adams Mission for illegal possession of two AK-47s and a pistol. Ammunition was also seized.

    Meanwhile in Gauteng police apprehended three Mozambican nationals in Kingsway for cross-border motorcycle theft. Police also found dismantled motorcycle parts found prepared for smuggling.

    In the Eastern Cape two Lesotho nationals were arrested for human trafficking where 10 children were rescued in Matatiele.

    “SAPS remains committed to relentless, multidisciplinary crime prevention through Operation Shanela and related initiatives. The National Commissioner of Police, General Fannie Masemola, applauded the dedication of all police officers and partners who collaborated with the police,” the South African Police Service said in a statement on Monday. – SAnews.gov.za

    Edwin

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Deputy SJ visits Guangzhou

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Deputy Secretary for Justice Cheung Kwok-kwan today led a delegation to Guangzhou for a luncheon to exchange views with senior executives of Guangdong enterprises.

    The delegation included representatives from the Law Society, the Bar Association, Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing, the banking sector and the Advisory Group of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Lawyers.

    During the exchange session, members of the delegation gave thematic presentations on Hong Kong’s unique advantages as an international legal hub and financing platform.

    Other presentation topics covered common legal issues in foreign-related financing, and protection of intellectual property rights in going global.

    The delegation also had an in-depth discussion with representatives of Mainland enterprises.

    Mr Cheung pointed out that it was the first time for the Department of Justice (DoJ) to bring together representatives from various professions to introduce the city’s unique advantages in connecting the Mainland and the world to Mainland entrepreneurs.

    Such a cross-professional approach brought multiple professional perspectives, enhancing the enterprises’ understanding of Hong Kong’s position as the best gateway for global expansion, he added.

    Mr Cheung also emphasised that enterprises need quality foreign-related professional services to assist them in opening up a “safe route” for going global successfully, and Hong Kong’s international professional services are positioned as key partners to enterprises expanding into overseas markets.

    More than 40 enterprises attended the exchange session hosted by the DoJ, the Financial Services & the Treasury Bureau and Invest Hong Kong, and co-organised by the Guangdong Chamber of International Commerce.

    After the session, Mr Cheung brought legal profession members of the delegation to hold a discussion with the Guangdong Lawyers Association, on how lawyers from both places could effectively assist enterprises in addressing practical legal issues arising from going global.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Improved collaborations to protect civilians theme of dialogue between security partners and United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS)


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    “As partners in providing security and safety to the civilian population, we have a collective responsibility to work together amicably and build trust,” said Angelo Lodo Daya, security adviser at the state Governor’s office. 

    Mr Daya was speaking at an ongoing two-day dialogue for security partners in South Sudan’s Central Equatoria state in Juba, which aims at enhancing confidence, trust and operational coordination between national uniformed personnel and the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS)

    With rising conflict across Central Equatoria, it was a timely event according to Njoki Rahab Kinyajui, Head of the UN Peacekeeping mission’s Field Office in the state.

    “In past months, we have seen a distinct increase in violence across Central Equatoria, which has led to civilian displacement and fatalities. There is also a proliferation of mis- and disinformation, which has the potential to fuel more tensions. Therefore, this is an extremely important forum, giving us the space to speak candidly with our national and state-level interlocuters about the challenges we face in ensuring a peaceful and secure environment,” stated Ms. Kinyajui.

    “There’s no substitute for sitting across a table and having a productive interaction so that we can work with our partners and find pathways to make people’s lives and livelihoods more secure,” she added.

    Ms. Kinyajui is optimistic that discussions over the coming two days will create mutual operational understanding about the tripartite agreement between the SSPDF, UNMISS and the Joint Verification and Monitoring Mechanism—the single window through which the Mission interacts with government entities for enabling and facilitating unhindered movement and deployment of its troops across South Sudan. This platform, therefore, is expected to help ameliorate some of the difficulties that patrolling peacekeepers face on the ground.

    “Our patrols are vital to our broader efforts to protect civilians,” explained Ms. Kinyajui.

    “However, one of the biggest challenges for us right now in Central Equatoria is limited access. While the primary responsibility for protecting civilians lies with the Government of South Sudan, as a UN Peacekeeping mission, we need to be able to reach locations across the state where the potential for violence is high. So, a cooperative approach between the mission and security partners at every level is essential,” she added.   

    To foster a deeper understanding of operational guidelines, UNMISS and national and state level security agencies will discuss the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) between the Government of South Sudan and UNMISS—a key document which defines the legal status of the UN Peacekeeping mission and outlines the immunities and privileges of UNMISS personnel.  

    Over the course of two days, participants will also deliberate on other core security concerns, including electoral security, confidence building measures for enhanced field cooperation, and the importance of protecting women, girls and children.

    At the end of the first day, there is already a palpable sense of camaraderie and a shared concern for community security.

    “We have always been steady partners with our sisters and brothers in the United Nations. And it is time for us to strengthen that partnership and ensure these discussions provide us with clarity on how, together we can improve security conditions across the state,” concluded Brigadier General Abraham Kuol from SSPDF Headquarters in Bilpam.

    The forum has brought together more than 100 participants, including senior officers from the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF); National Police and Security Services; as well as senior military peacekeepers from UNMISS.

    Above all, it creates hope that while some of the candid conversations may be tough, they will lead to greater synergy between UNMISS and South Sudanese uniformed actors. 

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

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: £1.6m lost to gig ticket scams as public urged to take caution

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    £1.6m lost to gig ticket scams as public urged to take caution

    Gig-goers have been urged to be wary of scams when purchasing last-minute tickets on social media after £1.6 million was lost to ticket fraud in 2024.

    Photo: Getty Images

    On the eve of Glastonbury, British music lovers are being urged to take caution over last-minute tickets for sale on social media, after new figures revealed that the amount lost to ticket fraud more than doubled to £1.6m in 2024.

    The government has issued the warning as part of its wider crackdown on scammers and online fraud, designed to ensure money is kept in working people’s pockets, as part of the Plan for Change.

    With a host of tours and festivals due to take place this summer, including the Oasis reunion tour kicking off in July, new Action Fraud data released by the Home Office today finds the public lost more than £1.6 million in scams related to concert tickets in 2024 – more than double the figure from the previous year.

    Around 3,700 gig ticket fraud reports were made to Action Fraud in 2024, with almost half of them referring to offers made on social media platforms. The government has called on tech companies to go further and faster to protect the public from the fraudulent offers being advertised on their platforms.

    The data shows that people in their twenties were most likely to become victims of ticket fraud last year, accounting for 27% of all victims, and the government has urged people to follow the government’s Stop! Think Fraud campaign advice to ensure they are protected from scams ahead of a busy summer of gigs and festivals.

    1. If you’re offered tickets for something in high demand don’t let the fear of missing out rush your decision. Take a moment to stop, think, and check if the offer is genuine.
    2. Only buy tickets from the venue’s box office or an official ticketing website.
    3. Never move away from an official payment platform to make a direct payment via bank transfer or virtual currency. Use the site’s recommended payment methods to stay protected.

    With fraud the most commonly experienced crime in the UK, affecting 1 in 15 adults each year, the government is taking further steps to crack down on the scammers behind the surge in fraud over the last decade, including through a new ban on SIM farms, technical devices which facilitate fraud on an industrial scale.

    The UK is also driving the response to fraud internationally through the adoption of the first ever UN resolution on fraud and has launched the first ever Insurance Fraud Charter to reduce fraud against the sector and consumers. The government will go further by publishing a new, expanded fraud strategy before the end of the year, which will place raising public awareness and working with tech companies at its heart.

    This follows government plans to tackle greedy ticket touts through new measures announced earlier this year which will put a cap on the price of resold tickets for concerts, live sport and other events, to put the power back in the hands of fans.

    Fraud Minister Lord Hanson said:

    Fraud is an absolutely shameful crime and today’s data shows that anyone can be a victim.

    While millions of Britons are getting ready to attend concerts this summer, the scammers are getting ready to exploit the desperate search for tickets, posting fake messages on social media sites offering to resell tickets they can’t use, or making last-minute offers from fake ticket companies.

    That is why our campaign is called Stop! Think Fraud, so no matter how real a deal looks, we all need to take a moment to think: am I being ripped off? So, let’s all stay cautious, stay alert, and stay protected from fraud. Don’t let the scammers ruin your summer.

    Tor Garnett, City of London Police Commander for Cyber and Economic Crime, said:

    People go to gigs for that ‘once in a lifetime’ experience – especially at sold out concerts and festivals, where the atmosphere is unmatched. But the excitement can vanish in an instant when fans discover their tickets are fake or they’ve been scammed through social media or resale sites. The loss isn’t just financial – it’s deeply emotional, turning anticipation into heartbreak.

    Criminals are targeting those looking to snap up last minute or resale tickets for sold out and highly in-demand concerts this year, and Action Fraud reporting data highlights this increasing issue. That’s why we encourage everyone to stay alert and recognise the tactics fraudsters use to commit ticket fraud this summer.

    Key signs of ticket fraud include unsolicited messages with ticket offers and deals, or requests for payment via bank transfer. When buying tickets, use a reputable or official ticket-selling site. Always take a moment to double check offers for tickets and pay using a credit card. Follow the advice from Stop! Think Fraud site on how to protect yourself from fraud.

    National Coordinator for the National Trading Standards eCrime Team, Mike Andrews, said:

    Every summer music fans desperate to see their favourite artists at festivals or stadium tours are left distraught and considerably out of pocket at the turnstiles as they discover the tickets they bought in good faith are in fact part of a fraudulent scam.

    Recent National Trading Standards prosecutions have led to serious jail time for ticket touts, which should send a message to all those who choose to engage in fraud that there are severe consequences.

    Fans should avoid buying from unofficial ticket sellers, but we know fans desperate for tickets will try to source them via any means possible. For fans who do risk using secondary sites, always use a credit card and never pay by money transfer or buy tickets on social media channels.

    Founder of face-value ticket resale platform Twickets, Richard Davies, said:

    We’ve seen firsthand how fraudsters attempt to exploit high-demand tours. In recent weeks alone, we’ve had to warn fans about multiple fake Twickets accounts and websites set up to trick Oasis fans into handing over money for non-existent tickets.

    Scammers are becoming increasingly sophisticated, often mimicking trusted resale platforms like ours or creating convincing social media profiles. It’s vital that fans stop and think before making a purchase. If a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is. Always check that the platform is an official resale partner, never buy tickets from unofficial sellers on social media or marketplaces and avoid anyone asking for payment via personal bank transfer.

    Twickets was created to give fans a safer, fairer way to buy and sell tickets at face value, and we’ve already helped thousands of Oasis fans do just that ahead of the band’s upcoming tour. We’re committed to protecting fans and will continue to work hard to ensure ticketing remains transparent, trustworthy and scam-free.

    Updates to this page

    Published 24 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Missing man in Wan Chai located

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    A man who went missing in Wan Chai has been located.

    Lam Leung-kin, Eric, aged 44, went missing after he was last seen on Lockhart Road on June 21 afternoon. His family made a report to Police on June 22.

    The man was located in a shopping mall on Siu Lek Yuen Road, Sha Tin this afternoon (June 24). He sustained no injuries and no suspicious circumstances were detected.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –