Category: Politics

MIL-Evening Report: The Potter Museum of Art relaunches with the outstanding 65,000 Years, a Short History of Australian Art

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Roger Benjamin, Professor in Art History, University of Sydney

Installation view of 65,000 Years: A Short History of Australian Art, Potter Museum of Art, the University of Melbourne, 2025. Photography by Christian Capurro

In the late 1970s, when I was a fine arts student, the Melbourne University Gallery was just one room in a neo-gothic quadrangle. It wasn’t until the mid 1990s that the university commissioned Nonda Katzalidis to design a four-story concrete gallery on a narrow site fronting Swanston Street.

The Ian Potter Museum of Art quickly became a vital centre for displaying diverse university collections – from classical antiquities to post-war bark paintings and contemporary art.

The re-opening of the museum, after it closed for renovations in 2018, is an art event of major proportions with the architectural clout to match.

The newest addition by Randall Marsh of Wood Marsh Architects transforms an adjacent red-brick building. A polished-steel portal gives onto stylish spaces: high vaulted ceilings, a light-filled atrium, new teaching rooms and luxurious bathrooms. There is now a serious restaurant with a long dining room, open kitchen and balcony café.

Named “Residence” for its annual chef-in-residence program, starting with the Michelin-starred Robbie Noble, this may well become the go-to space for visitors, academics and students alike.

Potter Museum of Art, the University of Melbourne.
Photography by Christian Capurro.

All expectations are exceeded by the opening exhibition 65,000 Years, a Short History of Australian Art. The title emphasises both the ancient Indigenous presence on this continent, and cheekily suggests that the main art that’s been made here is Aboriginal.

As we recognise the monumental contributions of bark painting from the 1940s on, dot-painting from the 1970s on, and urban art starting in the 1980s, there is much to commend this view.

Grand ambitions

The exhibition, in eight main spaces over three floors, has an ambition and scope exceeding landmark surveys such as Dreamings: Art of Aboriginal Australia (1988) and Aratjara: Art of the First Australians (1993).

There is a powerful curatorial will here, led by the legendary public intellectual and Indigenous scholar Marcia Langton, who initiated the project.

She engaged one of the country’s most effective and knowledgeable curators in Judith Ryan, known for her series of field-defining exhibitions over four decades at the National Gallery of Victoria.

Installation view of 65,000 Years: A Short History of Australian Art, Potter Museum of Art, the University of Melbourne, 2025.
Photography by Christian Capurro

Working together with associate curator Shanysa McConville, their exhibition is both politically astute in its management of tough historical issues, and visually stunning. The team has sourced superlative, large-scale examples of major artists’ work from private and public sources to sit alongside the university collections.

It’s an exhibition that repays hours of looking, aided by the curators’ exemplary wall labels. A sumptuously illustrated 340-page tome published by Thames & Hudson Australia for the Potter supports a deeper dive. This includes 23 essays by both Indigenous and non-Indigenous writers who delve into specific groups of work.

An example is the pungent essay by Grazia Gunn, who in 1973 exhibited the University’s rare barks from Groote Eylandt, presented in 1946 by the Jewish refugee Leonhard Adam.

Installation view of 65,000 Years: A Short History of Australian Art, Potter Museum of Art, the University of Melbourne, 2025.
Photography by Christian Capurro

These barks can be seen again in the show, near a masterful assemblage of early barks from Yirrkala, painted in 1937 at the request of ethnographer Donald Thomson. This selection is unprecedented: a dozen barks with complete body designs for mardayin (mens’ ceremony), organised across clan groups.

Truth telling

Throughout 65,000 Years, there is a powerful truth-telling element on frontier wars and massacres. The early recognition of First Peoples’ work as art in the assembled barks goes some way to balancing Melbourne University’s own chapter of shame.

In the side gallery, Langton and team present the role of Melbourne University medical anatomists, eugenicists and physical anthropologists in grave-robbing, and promoting the illicit collection and sale of Aboriginal remains, right up to the mid-1930s.

On a big-screen video Langton, seated in a massive carved cathedral chair like a modern-day Delphic Oracle, dispassionately retells this grisly truth.

The exhibition is comprehensive as it moves across regions and eras in a deft interplay with the building’s shifting levels. The ground floor (bar a stunning atrium enlaced with newly commissioned women’s baskets and “sun-mats”) deals with the imagery of contact from early colonial settlements.

A group of French and British drawings of First Peoples are true portraits in the sense that the sitters are named. Late 19th century colour drawings by Barak or Mickey of Ulladulla are next to rare archival finds: distressing drawings of police reprisals by Oscar (Kuku-Yalanji), from 1898, and six lyrical drawings by Blak inmates of the Darwin Gaol, mounted together under the title “Dawn of Art” for display at the 1888 Melbourne Centenary Exhibition.

Gordon Bennet (1955–2014), Big romantic painting (apotheosis of Captain Cook) 1993, synthetic polymer paint on canvas, 182×400.5×4cm.
The University of Melbourne Art Collection

Entering this colonial/decolonial zone, the glowering work of the late, great Gordon Bennett sets the precedent for the current historical citation and appropriation of colonial imagery.

His example has inspired artists from Richard Bell and Brook Andrew to Megan Cope and Daniel Boyd.

Bennett, faithfully represented by Melbourne’s Sutton Gallery through his life, was a McGeorge Fellow at Melbourne Uni in 1993, producing the groundbreaking Mirrorama installation with Groote Eylandt barks in opposition to classical busts. A gentle man and great thinker in art, Bennett then, as now, adds lustre to the Potter.

65,000 Years, a Short History of Australian Art is at the Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne, until November 22.

Roger Benjamin has previously worked as an art selector for the Vizard Collection at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, is an art collector and donor, and a colleague of the exhibition curators; he was not involved in the curation of this exhibition.

– ref. The Potter Museum of Art relaunches with the outstanding 65,000 Years, a Short History of Australian Art – https://theconversation.com/the-potter-museum-of-art-relaunches-with-the-outstanding-65-000-years-a-short-history-of-australian-art-257640

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

June 5, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Victorian principals will soon be able to expel students for out-of-school behaviour – is this a good idea?

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Kidson, Associate Professor in Educational Leadership, Australian Catholic University

Getty Images/ Javier Zayaz

When does a school’s responsibility for student behaviour end? Is it at 3pm when the bell goes? Or does a school still have to respond to harmful behaviour after hours?

The Victorian government has announced new powers for government school principals to suspend or expel students for serious misbehaviour beyond the school grounds. The powers will begin in July, from the beginning of term 3.

The state government says this will “address concerns around harmful behaviour that happens outside school hours […] but affects student and staff safety”.

The new powers have a particular focus on online safety and follow similar moves in South Australia and New South Wales.

What does this mean for schools and students?

A blurry line

The line between when “school” starts and finishes is blurry. Anti-social activities and their impacts don’t neatly fall at a convenient time or location.

Cyberbullying – using the internet to be mean to a child or young person – has grown insidiously over the past decade and frequently takes place outside of the school grounds and after hours. This now includes deepfakes and AI-generated images.

But the impacts of cyberbullying are very much felt during school hours. Bullying can lead to decreased academic performance – even in primary school. It can also lead to fractured social relationships. So schools are deeply involved. They may need to provide additional academic and welfare support for the student, as well as manage any social tensions and flare-ups on campus.

As the eSafety Commission has warned, teachers can also face online abuse from students.

So school leaders are needing to support both student and staff mental health.

A changing legal climate

But it’s not just online actions that blur the lines. In 2024, the NSW Supreme Court ruled in a case of an assault by a group of students against a 14-year-old student.

Although the attack took place outside the school grounds, after the final bell, the court determined the NSW public high school had a duty “beyond the confines of the school boundaries and outside of its operating hours”. In part, this was based on previous known violence from one of the perpetrators.

Schools now exist in a dynamic and complex set of ecosystems and the new Victorian powers acknowledge and respond to this reality.

What does it mean for principals?

For some school leaders, there may be relief they can deal with the consequences of the most severe and destructive actions. This could include online harassment or recent incidents such as rating students’ physical appearances.

For others, there may be concerns this will add to their already stretched and pressured workloads.

Research including the annual survey I run with colleagues, shows being an Australian school leader takes an ongoing emotional toll. The work often involves dealing with violence and abuse.

Expelling kids should be a very last resort

As a community, we can all agree schools should be places that are safe and free from violence of any kind.

But the removal of any student from a school signals a series of breakdowns. This is why schools have policies and procedures to try and resolve these issues positively before the consequences become more severe. Schools will normally use intervention strategies such as counselling, behaviour monitoring and formal cautions before suspension emerges as a possibility. Sadly, these do not always result in changed behaviour.

As consequences escalate, so too do their impacts.

Students who begin to disengage from their learning can get caught in a spiral of increasing disengagement, leading to repeat instances of suspension and then expulsion. This can then chart a distressing path for some towards incarceration.

So we need to focus on strategies which reduce this pathway.

This includes initiatives that boost students’ engagement at school such as those in the Better and Fairer Schools Agreement (part of the new funding agreement between the federal and state governments). We also need funds to increase counsellors and psychologists in schools.

Being able to expel students for out-of-school behaviour will help manage some of the symptoms of poor student behaviour. But unless the underlying causes are also addressed, expulsion will not resolve the issues – and ultimately transport the problem to another community.

Paul Kidson 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. Victorian principals will soon be able to expel students for out-of-school behaviour – is this a good idea? – https://theconversation.com/victorian-principals-will-soon-be-able-to-expel-students-for-out-of-school-behaviour-is-this-a-good-idea-258188

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

June 5, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: The Top End’s tropical savannas are a natural wonder – but weak environment laws mean their future is uncertain

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Euan Ritchie, Professor in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, School of Life & Environmental Sciences, Deakin University

François Brassard

The Top End of Australia’s Northern Territory contains an extensive, awe-inspiring expanse of tropical savanna landscapes. It includes well-known and much-loved regions such as Darwin, Kakadu National Park, Arnhem Land and Nitmiluk Gorge.

These tropical savannas feature open forests and woodlands dominated by eucalypts and a diverse grassy understorey. They experience an intense monsoon-driven wet season and long dry season during which fire is common.

The area is home to a spectacular range of plants and animals, including crocodiles, barramundi, speartooth sharks, the spectacularly coloured Leichhardt’s grasshopper and flocks of magpie geese. Some groups are extraordinarily diverse. Several thousand ant species are thought to live there – compared to just 1,000 species in South America’s Amazon basin.

Australia’s tropical savannas are diverse and dynamic, shaped by fire and the cycle of wet and dry seasons.
Brett Murphy

Yet, despite their immense ecological and cultural significance, the NT’s tropical savannas face an uncertain future. The landscape is under increasing pressure from invasive species, more frequent and severe fires, climate change, mining, agriculture and development – including water extraction.

Our new report outlines what should be done to ensure conservation and sustainable management of this unique and special region.

A region in trouble

As ecologists, we share a deep passion for tropical Northern Australia but fear for its future. To aid environmental policy and decision-making, we set out to describe the current condition and likely future of the NT’s tropical savannas. This involved identifying existing, emerging and possible future threats.

We found biodiversity in decline. Many species, particularly mammals that were once common and widespread, have disappeared from much of the region. These include the northern quoll, brush-tailed rabbit-rat and black-footed tree-rat.

Species such as the brush-tailed rabbit-rat have declined substantially and are now locally extinct in some areas.
Cara Penton

Habitats are degraded and ecosystems are showing signs of collapse. Feral animals are widespread. Cats prey on native wildlife. Feral pigs feast on turtle nests and trash plants in and around waterways, reducing water quality. Cattle, water buffalo, horses and donkeys eat their way through native plants, reducing habitat structure and complexity, aiding the establishment and spread of weeds.

In many parts of the Top End, fires are becoming more frequent and severe. This is in part due to the increasing dominance of invasive grasses, particularly Gamba and buffel grass. Both grasses are highly flammable, increasing the risk and harm of fires.

Longer and hotter dry seasons also increase fire risk and severity, as well as making water less available to wildlife due to higher rates of evaporation. Plants and animals also face greater heat stress and risk of dying during extended periods of extreme temperatures.

The Top End is spectacular and rich in biodiversity.
François Brassard

The changing nature of land-clearing

Land-clearing is increasing in the Top End, too. We estimate about 45,000 hectares of savanna habitat was destroyed between 2000 and 2020. That’s equivalent to an area roughly the size of 22,500 Melbourne Cricket Grounds.

Another 146,000 hectares have approval to be cleared, and an additional 100,000 hectares could be cleared for an expanded cotton industry.

It is not just the amount of clearing that matters, but where it occurs. The habitat mainly destroyed to date has been in higher rainfall areas between Darwin and Katherine. This is where most threatened species live. On average, the cleared areas overlapped with more than 12 nationally listed threatened species.

What should be done?

Our report shows current laws are insufficient to protect the Northern Territory’s tropical savannas. Evidence-based law reform is urgently needed.

Decision-making must be collaborative, not controlled by individuals, based on sound science. It must also actively support and involve First Nations peoples and their goals.

The Top End is awe inspiring but without greater enviromental protection its many values may be diminished.
François Brassard

The situation in the NT reflects broader calls to strengthen national environmental laws as a matter of urgency and greatly boost investment in conservation to achieve positive results for nature.

Nature is the lynchpin of northern Australia. It characterises and nurtures the place, underpins and embraces Indigenous culture, is a major tourist attraction and helps make our country healthy. We need to recognise its value, and guard against its ongoing loss.

Our report was independently reviewed by experts in the ecology and conservation of Northern Australia, Professors Richard Williams and Christopher Johnson.

Euan Ritchie receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the Victorian government’s Department of Energy, Environment, and Climate Action. Euan is a Councillor within the Biodiversity Council, a member of the Ecological Society of Australia and President of the Australian Mammal Society.

The research underpinning this report was partly supported by the Environment Centre NT, the Wilderness Society and the World Wide Fund for Nature (Australia).

Brett Murphy receives, or has recently received, funding from the Australian Research Council, Environment Centre NT, and the Northern Territory Government.

John Woinarski is affiliated with Charles Darwin University, and has previously received research funding from the Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy and the Environment.

– ref. The Top End’s tropical savannas are a natural wonder – but weak environment laws mean their future is uncertain – https://theconversation.com/the-top-ends-tropical-savannas-are-a-natural-wonder-but-weak-environment-laws-mean-their-future-is-uncertain-241893

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

June 5, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: GPs asking men about their behaviour in relationships could help reduce domestic violence
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kelsey Hegarty, Professor of Family Violence Prevention, The University of Melbourne

Domestic violence is increasing in Australia. A new report shows one in three men have ever made a partner feel frightened or anxious. One in 11 have used physical violence when angry. And one in 50 have used sexual violence against their partner.

The report, which I co-authored, estimates 120,000 men each year will start to use abuse and violence against their partner for the first time.

So we need to engage these men before they start using abuse and violence. Our work with GPs suggests they can engage men early to prevent harm to families.

Why use GPs?

Men who use domestic violence frequently visit health services and need help to address harmful behaviours in relationships. These men are more likely to have increased alcohol use, substance abuse and mental health issues.

Our new report found men with depressive symptoms, especially those who were severely depressed or suicidal, were at greater risk of starting to use abuse and violence.

We know from experience with men’s behaviour change programs that men who volunteer for these programs are more likely to sustain change than men ordered to undertake them by the court.

GPs can apply this knowledge by identifying men who have internal motivations for change, or who want to be a “better person”.

This echoes a new community campaign that asks men “What kind of man do you want to be?”

GPs and mental health practitioners have great potential to build conversations around behaviours in men’s relationships. However, discussions need to be tailored after learning more about the man’s identity and needs.

How can GPs ask men about potential violence?

GPs can begin by signposting:

Often when I see people who are depressed, it’s helpful to understand what else is going on for them. Can I ask how things are at home?

They then move to more specific questions:

You mentioned that you have been disagreeing a bit with your partner. What happens when you disagree?

Have you ever done something that you later regretted?

The next step is gauging insight about their behaviour:

Are you ever worried about your behaviour?

Do you ever think your partner sometimes feels scared of you?

The final step is offering support:

There’s people you could see and online resources that are helpful for men who are worried about their behaviour in their relationship. Can I give you some info about it?

How are men likely to respond?

My research team explored men’s perceptions of seeking help for an unhealthy relationship and how they could be supported to recognise their behaviour and undertake change.

Men we talked to said:

[Asking] ‘Are you worried about your relationship?’ is good. It’s not asking, ‘Are you abusive? Are you violent?’

They then wanted a response that motivates them:

A tactful way to actually suggest, maybe this is for you, that might help. Because I know if someone tells me that you’ve got to go do this, I don’t want to do it. If someone can plant the seed in someone’s head it might help.

To “plant the seed”, a trained and equipped GP could prepare and motivate men to accept a referral and address other needs, such as parenting issues and alcohol and drug use.

Difficulties for GPs

Many men who use violence never engage with intensive, face-to-face or online behaviour change programs. So GPs can play an important role in offering ongoing support and encouragement for men who use abuse and violence to change their behaviour.

Some of the issues GPs have raised about doing this work include:

It’s often hard, sort of balancing between throwing them a lifeline and putting a way forward, but at the same time really acknowledging and saying that violence is unacceptable – you have to find a way of engaging them in the process of saying, ‘Well look, this is wrong, we need to do something’, without losing them.

If I start pushing, pressuring him, then he becomes closed up or defensive, then that’s obviously going to potentially harm my therapeutic relationship with him.

Men find websites and apps useful

Men are very open to websites or apps that provide a safe, private place for them to reflect on their harmful behaviours and consequences.

My research team has developed a primary care response model called I-engage, which includes GPs engaging men and offering them an online tool to encourage men to seek help.

We also developed the healthy relationship website, Better Man, from discussions with men.

The men we interviewed suggested developing resources that:
1. “don’t jump down my throat straight away”
2. “help me realise what I’m becoming”
3. “give hope for seeing a change in my future”
4. “make it simple and accessible”.
The resulting website increases men’s early engagement with help-seeking.
Motivational techniques encourage men’s awareness and self-reflection, avoiding stigma and shame.

The program includes four modules:
- better relationships encourages a man to reflect on behaviours in his relationship
- better values explores how men’s behaviours align with their values
- better communication looks at how a man’s communication style may differ with a partner compared to others
- finally, take better action reinforces help seeking, provides resources for parenting, alcohol and drug use, and mental health.
GPs need training and funding for this work

Early engagement through the health system requires GPs to be supported, trained and resourced to identify and respond to all members of a family.

We have been calling for funding of a long consultation for a Family Safety Plan through a Medicare item number for a decade.

The health system can engage men using behaviours in their relationships that cause harm to their partners and children.

As one man who we worked with says:

We’ve got to grab them before they hit their partner or their kids. We’ve got to be able to stop them getting to that stage. We’ve got to grab their attention. Let’s help them realise this is the person that they are, or they are becoming and it’s not what society is going to accept nowadays.

For information and advice about family and intimate partner violence contact 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732). If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, contact 000. Men’s Referral Service (call 1300 766 491) offers advice and counselling to men looking to change their behaviour.

Kelsey Hegarty leads the Safer Families Centre which receives Australian government funding to train GPs.

– ref. GPs asking men about their behaviour in relationships could help reduce domestic violence – https://theconversation.com/gps-asking-men-about-their-behaviour-in-relationships-could-help-reduce-domestic-violence-258075
MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –
June 5, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Ukraine’s Security is our Security. Only a Just Peace Can Secure Ukraine’s Future: UK Statement to the OSCE
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

Speech

Ukraine’s Security is our Security. Only a Just Peace Can Secure Ukraine’s Future: UK Statement to the OSCE

UK Military Advisor, Lt Col Joby Rimmer, says that a sustained ceasefire is the quickest route to stop the killing. The UK supports ending the war in Ukraine through a just peace, while Russia obstructs progress.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Last week, we discussed the Code of Conduct, including its stipulation that “In the event of armed conflict, they will seek to facilitate the effective cessation of hostilities and seek to create conditions favourable to the political solution of the conflict”.

To that end, the UK shares President Trump’s desire to bring this war to an end, and will continue to work closely with the US, Ukraine and other international partners to secure a just and lasting peace. We thank Türkiye for hosting talks in Istanbul, including earlier this week. This is a once in a generation moment for the collective security of our continent. Only a lasting peace in Ukraine that safeguards its sovereignty will deter President Putin from further aggression in the future.

As we have noted each week, Ukraine continues to show its commitment to peace: Its constructive engagement with US peace efforts at every turn; agreement in principle to a full and unconditional ceasefire; sending a senior and empowered delegation to Istanbul; and President Zelenskyy’s readiness to meet President Putin face to face.

Russia, on the other hand, has taken steps to obstruct the pathway to peace. President Putin continues to reject a complete, unconditional and immediate 30-day ceasefire that President Zelenskyy endorsed nearly three months ago; refused to share his memorandum on terms for ending this illegal war in advance of Monday’s meeting; and rejected President Zelenskyy’s call for a direct meeting.

We continue to call on Russia to agree a full and unconditional ceasefire to create the space for negotiations on a framework for a lasting peace. A sustained ceasefire is the quickest route to stop the killing. Ukraine’s security is our security. UK support for Ukraine remains iron-clad, and our support will be sustained. Thank you, Madame Chair.

Updates to this page

Published 5 June 2025

Invasion of Ukraine

UK visa support for Ukrainian nationals

Move to the UK if you’re coming from Ukraine

Homes for Ukraine: record your interest

Find out about the UK’s response
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
June 5, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Budget Statement

Source: New South Wales – News

Police Commissioner Grant Stevens has welcomed the significant funding boost for additional resources and equipment provided in the State Budget.

Mr Stevens said the funding package over the next four years, announced today, followed numerous forthright discussions with Premier Peter Malinauskas and Police Minister Stephen Mullighan on the requirements of SAPOL to maintain community safety into the future.

“I have made it clear the increasing demands on police and what is required to keep the community safe,’’ he said.

“The demand for police assistance is increasing, taskings and investigations are now more complex and are taking longer.’’

The Government has committed $240 million over the next four years, which includes provision for almost 300 additional sworn officers including an additional 33 motorcycle patrol officers, funding for an additional 98 Police Security Officers, 20 more civilian positions and the considerable expansion of the mental health-co-responder initiative that has already started relieving pressure on frontline police. This budget is also funding the provision of new pistols and includes a commitment for a range of road safety initiatives.

As a part of this commitment, SAPOL have also been provided $7.5 million a year for our capital program, which enables us to invest in critical works on our facilities, equipment and IT needs to ensure they are fit for purpose.

Funding has also been provided to continue our accelerated recruitment efforts and the increased number of recruit and PSO courses at the police academy.

At present, 97.5 per cent of the sworn positions in SAPOL are occupied and today’s funding boost will ensure the hard work that has achieved this will continue.

Mr Stevens said he had firmly advocated for what is required to maintain police services not just now, but well into the future and this budget is clear evidence the government had responded positively.

“The additional resources moving forward will help ease the pressure on frontline officers who have been doing a magnificent job of maintaining service delivery under significant pressure,’’ he said.

“My discussions with the government have been productive and this budget today will assist in alleviating the pressures SAPOL is facing in the coming years.’’

MIL OSI News –

June 5, 2025
MIL-OSI Video: How Africa is harnessing tech to deliver healthcare

Source: World Economic Forum (video statements)

Cuts to aid budgets are having a huge impact on the delivery of healthcare in Africa, the Forum’s Lora du Moulin tells Radio Davos. The head of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Jean Kaseya, says why tech and regional collaboration give him hope for the future of the continent and the health of its people.

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MIL OSI Video –

June 5, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Trump signs proclamation banning travel from 12 countries

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

U.S. President Donald Trump signed a proclamation to ban travel from certain countries on Wednesday evening, citing national security risks.

According to a release by the White House, the proclamation will fully ban the entry of nationals from 12 countries, namely Afghanistan, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.

These countries were found “to be deficient with regards to screening and vetting and determined to pose a very high risk to the United States,” the release read.

Meanwhile, the proclamation will partially restrict the entry of nationals from seven countries — Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.

The travel ban is scheduled to take effect at 12:01 a.m. next Monday.

“The restrictions and limitations imposed by the Proclamation are necessary to garner cooperation from foreign governments, enforce our immigration laws, and advance other important foreign policy, national security, and counterterrorism objectives,” the White House said.

Exceptions to the ban include lawful permanent residents, existing visa holders, certain visa categories, and individuals whose entry serves U.S. national interests.

During his first term, Trump announced a ban on travelers from seven countries, a policy that went through several iterations before it was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018. Former President Joe Biden reversed the ban in 2021.

MIL OSI China News –

June 5, 2025
Indian delegation reaffirms anti-terror resolve during high-level meetings in US

Source: Government of India

Source: Government of India (4)

An all-party Indian parliamentary delegation on Wednesday held a series of high-level meetings in Washington to underscore India’s firm stand against Pakistan-sponsored cross-border terrorism.

After their arrival on late Tuesday, the Indian delegation began their official engagements on Wednesday, which included meetings with US Congress members, policy leaders and members of the Indian Diaspora.

The delegation, led by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, held discussions with the leadership of the Foreign Relations Committee of the US House of Representatives and members of the India Caucus, and later met Republican Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Brian Mast, and Democratic Ranking Member Gregory Meeks, among others.

Gregory Meeks, the Democratic Ranking Member, said, “Pleasure to host Chairman Shashi Tharoor & members of the Indian Parliamentary Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs. My colleagues & I expressed condolences for the terrorist attack in Pahalgam & reaffirmed Congress’s commitment to the US-India partnership.”

During the interactions, the delegation briefed American lawmakers on Operation Sindoor and India’s stance against cross-border terrorism.

According to the Indian Embassy, “The Parliamentary delegation briefed the committee members on the success of Operation Sindoor in defining a new normal in India’s fight against cross-border terrorism.”

The US House Committee leadership condemned the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam unequivocally, reiterating the United States’ solidarity with India.

“India and the USA stand together in their unwavering resolve and fight against terrorism in all its forms,” said the Indian Embassy.

The Indian parliamentarians also held talks with Congressmen Ro Khanna and Rich McCormick, co-chairs of the House India Caucus, and Senators Mark Warner and John Cornyn, co-chairs of the Senate India Caucus.

Senator Cornyn shared on X, “Good meeting with Indian parliamentary delegation about US-India relationship.”

Tharoor appreciated the interactions, stating, “Great to meet you and your Senate Foreign Relations Committee colleagues, Senate Rich McCormick! We greatly valued all of you finding the time for us on a busy day and expressing your solidarity with our fight against terrorism. We also appreciated your enthusiasm for greater and stronger cooperation between our countries on a wide range of areas. The potential is unlimited!”

Congressman Ro Khanna also reiterated bipartisan support for India’s fight against terror, saying, “United States has a bipartisan commitment to the India relationship and stands with India to dismantle these terrorist networks in Pakistan.”

Tharoor acknowledged Khanna’s support and said it was “terrific” to meet him, adding that the delegation was “grateful for the strong support of the India Caucus” in the House of Representatives.

Later in the day, the delegation met members of the Indian diaspora.

“The All Party delegation led by Shashi Tharoor met prominent members of the Indian diaspora in USA. The delegation spoke about India’s resolute and united stand against terrorism and the new normal created by India through Operation Sindoor. The Indian diaspora members shared their message of solidarity with the victims of terrorism and support for India’s fight against terrorism,” said the Indian embassy.

At a news conference, Tharoor said that India received “total support and solidarity” in fighting terrorism from US lawmakers whom the delegation met on Wednesday.

“We didn’t have a single sceptical or negative voice,” he said. “On the contrary, what we got was very, very positive responses.”

There was “total support and solidarity for India and its fight against terrorism” and expressions of “complete understanding of India’s right to defend itself against terrorism,” Tharoor said.

“Broadly speaking, we have left the hill very pleased with the quality of the conversations the level of interest,” he added.

“On the hill, there was a fairly bi-partisan acceptance that as largest, vibrant, very diverse democracies, both nations together, have a lot to offer to the world. This agenda of economics is the core point,” but it also relates to “a larger, longer-term play of democracy across the world is central,” he said.

Tharoor also urged the Indian diaspora to speak up with their members of US Congress for India.

“They will listen to you,” he said. “They are conscious of you. They respect you. You’re all very, very high achievers, and people can do significant things. We are proud of you.”

During the two-day visit, the Indian representatives will continue their meetings with members of the US Congress and administration, think tanks, media, and key policymakers.

The Embassy emphasised that the delegation aims to build consensus and deepen strategic cooperation on shared security priorities.

Apart from Tharoor, the delegation includes Lok Janshakti Party-Ram Vilas MP Shambhavi Choudhary, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha’s Sarfaraz Ahmad, Shiv Sena’s Milind Murli Deora; BJP’s Shashank Mani Tripathi, Bhubaneswar Kalita, and Tejasvi Surya; and Telugu Desam Party’s GM Harish Balayogi. Former Indian Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, is also accompanying the delegation.

(With inputs from IANS)

June 5, 2025
Indian stock market opens in green amid mixed global cues

Source: Government of India

Source: Government of India (4)

The domestic benchmark indices opened higher on Thursday amid mixed global cues, with buying seen in the pharmaceutical, automotive and IT sectors in early trading.

At approximately 9:29 am, the Sensex was trading 268.8 points, or 0.33 per cent, higher at 81,267.09, while the Nifty added 82.75 points (0.34 per cent) to reach 24,702.95.

The Nifty Bank was down 29.70 points, or 0.05 per cent, at 55,647.15. The Nifty Midcap 100 index was trading at 58,188, having risen 263.35 points (0.45 per cent). The Nifty Smallcap 100 index was at 18,398.75 after climbing 141.65 points (0.78 per cent).

According to analysts, the Nifty ended higher on Wednesday and the India VIX fell by nearly 5 per cent, a development that bulls would have liked to see.

“For the Nifty, 24,462 remains intact and that’s keeping optimism alive. Should this level break, the market will most likely drop to its key support at 23,800. Short-term resistance sits between 24,760 and 24,882. Globally, stock bulls have tailwinds,” said Akshay Chinchalkar, Head of Research at Axis Securities.

Meanwhile, in the Sensex pack, Eternal, PowerGrid, M&M, HDFC Bank, HCL Tech, TCS, IndusInd Bank and Kotak Mahindra Bank were the top gainers. Conversely, Nestle India, Titan, Bajaj Finance, Tata Motors and Tech Mahindra were the top losers.

According to analysts, both geopolitical and economic news are likely to weigh on markets in the near term.

“The major economic news is the sharp dip in the US ISM PMI data. This indicates that the US economy is slowing down sharply. The US 10-year bond yield has declined to 4.36 per cent and, given the slowing US economy, is likely to trend lower,” according to Dr V.K. Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Investments Ltd.

“This will turn out to be good for emerging markets (EMs) like India in the medium term. ‘Buy on dips’ continues to be the ideal strategy for now. Rate-sensitive stocks will be preferred in view of the expected rate cut by the RBI MPC,” said experts.

In the Asian markets, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Seoul, China and Jakarta were trading in the green, whereas only Japan was trading in the red.

In the last trading session in the US, the Dow Jones closed at 42,427.74, down 91.90 points (0.22 per cent). The S&P 500 ended with a gain of 0.44 points (0.01 per cent) at 5,970.81, and the Nasdaq closed at 19,460.49, up 61.53 points (0.32 per cent).

On the institutional front, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) were net buyers, purchasing equities worth ₹1,076.18 crore on 4 June, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) purchased equities worth ₹2,566.82 crore.

(IANS)

June 5, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: President Lai confers decoration on President Hilda C. Heine of Republic of the Marshall Islands, hosts state banquet

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

Details
2025-06-03
President Lai and President Hilda C. Heine of Marshall Islands hold bilateral talks and witness signing of agreements
On the morning of June 3, President Lai Ching-te, accompanied by Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao, held bilateral talks with President Hilda C. Heine of the Republic of the Marshall Islands at the Presidential Office following a welcome ceremony with military honors for her and her husband. The leaders also jointly witnessed the signing of a letter of intent for sports exchanges and a memorandum of understanding regarding the Presidents’ Scholarship Fund. President Lai then presided over a launch ceremony for a loan program to purchase aircraft. In remarks, President Lai thanked the government and the Nitijela (parliament) of the Marshall Islands for their longstanding support for Taiwan’s international participation and for voicing staunch support for Taiwan at numerous international venues. President Lai said that Taiwan looks forward to continuing to deepen its diplomatic partnership with the Marshall Islands and build an even closer cooperative relationship across a range of fields, engaging in mutual assistance for mutual benefits and helping each other achieve joint and prosperous development to yield even greater well-being for our peoples. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I once again warmly welcome President Heine, First Gentleman Thomas Kijiner, Jr., and our guests to Taiwan. During my visit to the Marshall Islands last year, I said that Taiwan and the Marshall Islands are truly a family. When Vice President Hsiao and I took office last year, President Heine led a delegation to Taiwan. It is now one year since our inauguration, and I am delighted to see President Heine once again, just as if I were seeing family arrive from afar. Through my visit to the Marshall Islands, I gained a profound sense of the friendship between the peoples of our two nations, well-demonstrated by bilateral exchanges in such areas as healthcare, agriculture, and education. And it is thanks to President Heine’s longstanding support for Taiwan that our countries have been able to further advance collaboration on even more issues, including women’s empowerment and climate change. In recent years, the geopolitical and economic landscape has changed rapidly. We look forward to Taiwan and the Marshall Islands continuing to deepen our partnership and build an even closer cooperative relationship. In just a few moments, President Heine and I will witness the signing of several documents, including a memorandum of understanding and a letter of intent, to expand bilateral cooperation in such fields as sports, education, and transportation. Taiwan will take concrete action to work with the Marshall Islands and advance mutual prosperity and development, writing a new chapter in our diplomatic partnership. I would also like to take this opportunity to express gratitude to the government and Nitijela of the Marshall Islands. In recent years, the Nitijela has passed annual resolutions backing Taiwan’s international participation, and President Heine and Marshallese cabinet members have been some of the strongest advocates for Taiwan’s international participation, voicing staunch support for Taiwan at numerous international venues. Building on the pillars of democracy, peace, and prosperity, Taiwan will continue to work with the Marshall Islands and other like-minded countries to deepen our partnerships, engage in mutual assistance for mutual benefits, and help one another achieve joint and prosperous development. I have every confidence that the combined efforts of our two nations will yield even greater well-being for our peoples and see us make even more contributions to the world. President Heine then delivered remarks, and began by conveying warm greetings of iokwe from the people and government of the Republic of the Marshall Islands to the people and government of the Republic of China (Taiwan). She said she was deeply honored to be in Taiwan for an official visit, and extended appreciation to President Lai and his government for their gracious invitation and warm welcome. President Heine stated that this year marks 27 years of diplomatic ties between our two nations, and that they are proud of this enduring friendship. This special and enduring relationship, she said, is grounded in our shared Austronesian heritage, and strengthened by mutual respect for each other’s democratic systems and our steadfast commitment to the core values of freedom, justice, and the rule of law. President Heine stated that Taiwan’s continued support has been invaluable to the people and national development of the Marshall Islands, particularly in the areas of health, education, agriculture, and climate change. She also expressed deep appreciation to Taiwan for providing Marshallese students with opportunities to study in Taiwan, and for the care extended to Marshallese who travel here for medical treatment. President Heine also announced that she would be presenting a copy of a resolution by the people and government of the Republic of the Marshall Islands reiterating their appreciation for the support provided by the people and government of the Republic of China (Taiwan), and calling on the United Nations to take immediate action to resolve the inappropriate exclusion of Taiwan’s 23 million people from the UN system. She added that she looked forward to the bilateral discussions later that day, and to continuing the important work that both countries carry out together. After the bilateral talks, President Lai and President Heine witnessed the signing of a letter of intent regarding sports exchanges and a memorandum of understanding regarding the Presidents’ Scholarship Fund by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) and Marshallese Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Kalani R. Kaneko. President Lai then presided over a launch ceremony for a loan program to purchase aircraft, marking the formal beginning of Taiwan-Marshall Islands air transport cooperation. The visiting delegation also included Council of Iroij Chairman Lanny Kabua, Minister of Finance David Paul, and Nitijela Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade Chair Joe Bejang. They were accompanied to the Presidential Office by Charge d’Affaires a.i. Anjanette Davis-Anjel of the Embassy of the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

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2025-06-03
President Lai welcomes President Hilda C. Heine of Republic of the Marshall Islands with military honors
President Lai Ching-te welcomed President Hilda C. Heine of the Republic of the Marshall Islands and her husband on the morning of June 3 with full military honors. In remarks, President Lai thanked President Heine and the people and government of the Marshall Islands for demonstrating such high regard for our nations’ diplomatic ties. The president said that over our 27 years of diplomatic relations, our cooperation in healthcare, agriculture, fisheries, education and training, and climate change has yielded many positive results. And moving ahead, he said, Taiwan will continue to deepen collaboration across all domains for mutual prosperity and growth. The welcome ceremony began at 10:30 a.m. in the plaza fronting the Presidential Office. President Lai and President Heine each delivered remarks after a 21-gun salute, the playing of the two countries’ national anthems, and a review of the military honor guard. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: On behalf of the people and government of the Republic of China (Taiwan), it is a great pleasure to welcome President Heine, First Gentleman Thomas Kijiner, Jr., and their delegation with full military honors as they make this state visit to Taiwan. When I traveled to the Marshall Islands on a state visit last December, I was received with great warmth and courtesy. I once again thank President Heine and the people and government of the Marshall Islands for demonstrating such high regard for our nations’ diplomatic ties. Taiwan and the Marshall Islands share Austronesian cultural traditions, and we are like-minded friends. Throughout our 27 years of diplomatic relations, we have always engaged with each other in a spirit of reciprocal trust and mutual assistance. Our cooperation in healthcare, agriculture, fisheries, education and training, and climate change has yielded many positive results. This is President Heine’s first state visit to Taiwan since taking office for a second time. We look forward to engaging our esteemed guests in in-depth discussions on issues of common concern. And moving ahead, Taiwan will continue to deepen collaboration with the Marshall Islands across all domains for mutual prosperity and growth. In closing, I thank President Heine, First Gentleman Kijiner, and their entire delegation for visiting Taiwan. I wish you all a pleasant and successful trip. A transcript of President Heine’s remarks follows: Your Excellency President Lai Ching-te, Vice President [Bi-khim] Hsiao, honorable members of the cabinet, ambassadors, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen: It is my pleasure to extend warm greetings of iokwe on behalf of the people and the government of the Republic of the Marshall Islands. I wish to also convey my appreciation to Your Excellency President Lai, for the hospitality and very warm welcome – kommol tata. This visit marks my seventh official state visit to this beautiful country. It’s a testament to my strong commitment to further deepening ties between the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Republic of China (Taiwan). During this visit, I look forward to engaging in meaningful discussions with Your Excellency President Lai to further strengthen the bilateral relationship between our two nations and our peoples. For over a quarter-century, Taiwan has been a strong ally and friend to the Marshall Islands. Our partnership has thrived across many sectors, including education, healthcare, infrastructure, and economic development. Through Taiwan’s generous support and collaboration, we have made significant progress in improving the lives of our people, empowering our communities, and fostering sustainable growth. The Marshall Islands deeply values our partnership with Taiwan and appreciates Taiwan’s support over the years. Despite our small size and limited voice on the global stage, the Marshall Islands deeply cherishes our friendship with Taiwan, and to that end, I wish to reaffirm my government’s commitment to Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the United Nations system. Taiwan has consistently demonstrated its commitment to the principles of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. In light of current constraints in global affairs, it is now more urgent than ever that the international community of nations recognize the fundamental rights of the 23 million Taiwanese people and recognize Taiwan’s aspiration to engage fully in global affairs. It is with this in mind that I wish to reiterate to Your Excellency President Lai, the Taiwanese people, and the world that under my government, Marshall Islands will continue to acknowledge Taiwan’s contribution on the global stage and urge like-minded countries to advocate for Taiwan’s meaningful engagement in the international arena. In closing, may I once again extend our sincere appreciation to Your Excellency President Lai, the people and government of the Republic of China (Taiwan), for your warm welcome. Also in attendance at the welcome ceremony were Charge d’Affaires a.i. Anjanette Davis-Anjel of the Embassy of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Dean of the Diplomatic Corps and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Ambassador Andrea Clare Bowman, and members of the foreign diplomatic corps in Taiwan.

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2025-05-29
President Lai attends 2025 Europe Day Dinner
On the evening of May 29, President Lai Ching-te attended the 2025 Europe Day Dinner. In remarks, President Lai stated that Taiwan looks forward to further establishing institutionalized mechanisms with Europe for our trade and investment ties and hopes to take an innovative and diverse approach to sign an economic partnership agreement with the European Union, to provide a more transparent, stable, and predictable business environment for our enterprises. The president said that Taiwan will actively work alongside other democracies, including those in Europe, to jointly build resilient, promising non-red supply chains, and noted that Taiwan and Europe have endless potential for collaboration, whether it is in safeguarding freedom and democracy or advancing our economic and trade relationship. He expressed hope to further strengthen our partnership and work together toward global peace, stability, and prosperity. A transcript of President Lai’s remarks follows: Chairman [Henry] Chang (張瀚書), thank you for the invitation, and congratulations on your second term. I’m confident that under your leadership, the ECCT [European Chamber of Commerce Taiwan] will build even more bridges for cooperation between Taiwan and Europe. I would also like to thank EETO [European Economic and Trade Office] Head [Lutz] Güllner and all the European country representatives stationed in Taiwan. Your hard work over the years has helped deepen Taiwan-Europe relations and brought about such fruitful cooperation. Thank you. This year we celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Schuman Declaration. In 1950, then-French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman proposed to create a European federation dedicated to preserving peace. The declaration symbolized a new flowering in the post-war era of democracy, unity, and cooperation. As we face the geopolitical challenges and drastic economic changes of today’s world, the Schuman Declaration still speaks to us profoundly. This year is also the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe. Moving forward, Taiwan will continue to advance cooperation with our democratic partners, and will join hands with Europe to build a partnership of even greater resilience and mutual trust. Europe is Taiwan’s third largest trading partner. It is also Taiwan’s largest source of foreign direct investment. Last year, bilateral trade between Taiwan and Europe totaled US$84.7 billion. This demonstrates our vibrant economic and trade ties and reflects the high levels of confidence our businesses have in each other’s markets and systems. We look forward to Taiwan and Europe further establishing institutionalized mechanisms for our trade and investment ties. And we hope to take an innovative and diverse approach to sign an economic partnership agreement with the EU, to provide a more transparent, stable, and predictable business environment for our enterprises. Today’s Taiwan has an internationally recognized democracy and a semiconductor industry vital to global security and prosperity. This enables us to play a key role in restructuring global democratic supply chains and the economic order. In particular, we see supply chains dominated by a new authoritarian bloc expanding their influence through non-market mechanisms, price subsidies, and monopolies on resources, as they seek global control of critical technologies and manufacturing capabilities. Their actions not only distort principles of market fairness, but also threaten the international community’s basic expectations for democracy, the rule of law, and corporate responsibility. In response, Taiwan will actively work alongside other democracies, including those in Europe, to jointly build resilient, promising non-red supply chains. We will also introduce an initiative on semiconductor supply chain partnerships for global democracies. This is more than a proposal for economic cooperation; it is an alliance of shared values and advanced technology. Security in the Taiwan Strait and regional peace and stability have always been issues of mutual interest for Taiwan and Europe. So here today, on behalf of all the people of Taiwan, I would like to thank the EU and European nations for continuing to take concrete actions in public support of peace and stability across the strait. Such actions are vital to regional security and prosperity. Taiwan will continue to bolster itself to achieve real peace through strength, and will work with democratic partners to safeguard freedom and democracy, thereby showing our determination for regional peace. At this critical time, Taiwan and Europe have endless potential for collaboration, whether it’s in safeguarding freedom and democracy or advancing our economic and trade relationship. I look forward to our joining hands at this strategic juncture to further strengthen our partnership and work together toward global peace, stability, and prosperity. Also in attendance at the event was British Office Taipei Representative Ruth Bradley-Jones.

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2025-05-28
President Lai meets US delegation led by Senator Tammy Duckworth
On the afternoon of May 28, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation led by United States Senator Tammy Duckworth. In remarks, President Lai thanked the US Congress and government for their longstanding and bipartisan support for Taiwan. The president stated that Taiwan will continue to strengthen cooperation with the US and jointly safeguard regional peace and stability. He pointed out that the Taiwan government has already proposed a roadmap for deepening Taiwan-US trade ties and will encourage mutual investment between Taiwanese and US businesses. He then expressed hope of deepening Taiwan-US ties and creating more niches for both sides. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I warmly welcome this delegation led by Senator Duckworth, a dear friend of Taiwan. Senator Duckworth previously visited in May last year to convey congratulations after the inauguration of myself and Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao. Your bipartisan delegation was the first group from the US Senate that I met with as president. Today, you are visiting just after the first anniversary of my taking office, demonstrating the staunch support of the US and our deep friendship. On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I extend my sincere appreciation and greetings. And I invite you to come back and visit next year, the year after that, and every year. Taiwan and the US share the values of democracy and the rule of law and believe in free and open markets. Both sides embrace a common goal of peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region. I thank the US Congress and government for their longstanding, bipartisan, and steadfast support for Taiwan. In 2021, to help Taiwan overcome the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Senator Duckworth made a special trip here to announce that the US government would be donating vaccines to Taiwan. In recent years, Senator Duckworth has also promoted the TAIWAN Security Act, STAND with Taiwan Act, and Taiwan and America Space Assistance Act in the US Congress, all of which have further deepened Taiwan-US cooperation and steadily advanced our ties. For this, I express my deepest appreciation. I want to emphasize that the people of Taiwan have an unyielding determination to protect their homeland and free and democratic way of life. Over the past year, the government and private sector have been working together to enhance Taiwan’s whole-of-society defense resilience. The government is committed to reforming national defense, and it has proposed prioritizing special budget allocations to ensure that our defense budget exceeds three percent of GDP. This will continue to bolster Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities. Moving forward, Taiwan will continue to strengthen cooperation with the US. In addition to jointly safeguarding regional peace and stability, we also aspire to deepen bilateral trade and economic ties. At the SelectUSA Investment Summit in Washington, DC, earlier this month, Taiwan’s delegation was once again the biggest delegation attending the event – proof positive of our close economic and trade cooperation. We have already proposed a roadmap for deepening Taiwan-US trade ties. We will narrow the trade imbalance through the procurement of energy and agricultural and other industrial products from the US. We will encourage mutual investment between Taiwanese and US businesses to stimulate industrial development on both sides, especially in such industries as national defense and shipbuilding. We therefore look forward to Congress passing the US-Taiwan Expedited Double-Tax Relief Act as soon as possible, as this would deepen Taiwan-US trade ties and create more niches for business. In closing, I once again thank Senator Duckworth for making the trip to Taiwan. Let us continue to work together to elevate Taiwan-US ties. I wish you a pleasant and successful visit. Senator Duckworth then delivered remarks, saying that she is happy to be back in Taiwan and that she wanted to make sure to come back just after President Lai’s one-year anniversary of taking office to show the dedication and the outstanding friendship that we have. She noted that because no matter who is in the White House, no matter which political party is in power in Washington, DC, she has always believed that if America wants to remain a leader on the global stage, it has to show up for friends like Taiwan. Senator Duckworth mentioned that in the years that she has been coming to Taiwan since pre-COVID times, she has seen a remarkable increase in participation in its defense and the support of the Taiwanese people for defending the homeland. She then thanked Taiwan for making the commitment to its self-defense, and also for being a partner with other nations around the world. The STAND with Taiwan Act, the senator noted, is so named because the US wants to stand side by side with Taiwan. Pointing out that Taiwan is an important leader in the Indo-Pacific and on the global stage, she reiterated that there is support on both sides of the aisle in Washington for Taiwanese democracy, and added that the people of Taiwan are showing that they are willing to shore up their own readiness. Senator Duckworth said that whether it is delivering vaccines to Taiwan or making sure that the US National Guard works with Taiwan’s reserve forces or even with its civilian emergency response teams, these are all important components to the ongoing partnership between our nations. Senator Duckworth indicated that there are many great opportunities moving forward beyond our military cooperation with one another. Whether it is in chip manufacturing, agricultural investments, shipbuilding, or in the healthcare field, those investments in both nations will facilitate stability and development in both our nations. She said that is why she wants to continue the Taiwan-US relationship, underlining that they are in it for the long haul. The delegation was accompanied to the Presidential Office by American Institute in Taiwan Taipei Office Director Raymond Greene.

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2025-05-27
President Lai meets delegation led by US House Natural Resources Committee Chair Bruce Westerman
On the afternoon of May 27, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation led by Chair of the Natural Resources Committee of the United States House of Representatives Bruce Westerman. In remarks, President Lai stated that Taiwan and the US enjoy close industrial exchanges and continue to explore new opportunities for investment and collaboration. The president said that Taiwan will continue to increase purchases from and together build non-red supply chains with the US, expressing hope that economic and trade relations grow even closer and that both work together to jointly safeguard peace and stability throughout the region. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I am delighted to meet and exchange views with members of the US House Committee on Natural Resources today. Chair Westerman, the leader of this delegation, is an old friend of Taiwan. On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I extend a very warm welcome to the delegation. I also want to thank you all for your long-term close attention to Taiwan-related affairs and your strong support for Taiwan. Taiwan and the US enjoy close ties and share ideals and values. There is an excellent foundation for cooperation between us, particularly in such areas as energy, the economy and trade, agriculture and fisheries, environmental protection, and sustainable development. In recent years, Taiwan-US ties have grown closer and closer. The US has become Taiwan’s largest destination for overseas investment, accounting for over 40 percent of Taiwan’s outbound investment. Taiwan is also the seventh largest trading partner of the US and its seventh largest export market for agricultural products. The SelectUSA Investment Summit held in Washington, DC earlier this month was the largest in its history. Taiwan’s delegation, representing 138 enterprises, was once again the biggest delegation attending the event. This shows that Taiwan and the US enjoy close industrial exchanges and continue to explore new opportunities for investment and collaboration. Looking ahead, with the global landscape changing rapidly, Taiwan will continue to increase purchases from the US, including energy resources such as natural gas and petroleum, as well as agricultural products, industrial products, and even military procurement. This will not only help balance our bilateral trade, but also strengthen development for Taiwan in energy autonomy, resilience, the economy, and trade. Taiwan and the US are also well-matched in such areas as high tech and manufacturing. As the US pursues reindustrialization and aims to become a global hub for AI, Taiwan is willing to take part and play an even more important role. We will strengthen Taiwan-US industrial cooperation and together build non-red supply chains. In addition to bringing our economic and trade relations even closer, this will also allow Taiwanese industries to remain rooted in Taiwan while expanding their global presence, helping bolster the US, and marketing worldwide. As for military exchanges, we are grateful to the US government for continuing its military sales to Taiwan and backing our efforts to upgrade our self-defense capabilities. Taiwan will continue to work with the US to jointly safeguard peace and stability throughout the region. In closing, I thank our guests once again for making the long journey here, not only offering warm friendship, but also demonstrating the staunch bipartisan support for Taiwan in the US Congress. Chair Westerman then delivered remarks, saying that it is an honor for him and his colleagues to be in Taiwan to talk about the strong relationship between the US and Taiwan and how that relationship can continue to grow in the future. The chair pointed out that natural resources are foundational to any kind of economic development, whether it is energy, which is key to manufacturing, or whether it is mining, which provides rare earth elements and all the minerals and metals needed for manufacturing. He said that as for natural resources including fish, wildlife, or timber, all are foundational to any society, but this is especially so for agriculture, noting that the US produces a lot of food and fodder and is always looking for more friends to share that with. Chair Westerman indicated that they are excited about opportunities to work with Taiwan, adding that Taiwan’s investments in the US have been greatly appreciated. He said they also are excited about the talks with the Trump administration and the future going forward on how we can have a stronger trade relationship, a stronger bilateral relationship, and how we can work with each other to help both economies grow and prosper. Chair Westerman concluded his remarks by expressing thanks for the opportunity to visit, saying that they treasure Taiwan’s friendship and our long-term relationship, and are very excited to be able to discuss in more detail how our two countries can work together. The delegation also included US House Natural Resources Committee Representatives Sarah Elfreth, Harriet Hageman, Celeste Maloy, and Nick Begich. The delegation was accompanied to the Presidential Office by American Institute in Taiwan Taipei Office Director Raymond Greene.

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2025-05-20
President Lai interviewed by Nippon Television and Yomiuri TV
In a recent interview on Nippon Television’s news zero program, President Lai Ching-te responded to questions from host Mr. Sakurai Sho and Yomiuri TV Shanghai Bureau Chief Watanabe Masayo on topics including reflections on his first year in office, cross-strait relations, China’s military threats, Taiwan-United States relations, and Taiwan-Japan relations. The interview was broadcast on the evening of May 19. During the interview, President Lai stated that China intends to change the world’s rules-based international order, and that if Taiwan were invaded, global supply chains would be disrupted. Therefore, he said, Taiwan will strengthen its national defense, prevent war by preparing for war, and achieve the goal of peace. The president also noted that Taiwan’s purpose for developing drones is based on national security and industrial needs, and that Taiwan hopes to collaborate with Japan. He then reiterated that China’s threats are an international problem, and expressed hope to work together with the US, Japan, and others in the global democratic community to prevent China from starting a war. Following is the text of the questions and the president’s responses: Q: How do you feel as you are about to round out your first year in office? President Lai: When I was young, I was determined to practice medicine and save lives. When I left medicine to go into politics, I was determined to transform Taiwan. And when I was sworn in as president on May 20 last year, I was determined to strengthen the nation. Time flies, and it has already been a year. Although the process has been very challenging, I am deeply honored to be a part of it. I am also profoundly grateful to our citizens for allowing me the opportunity to give back to our country. The future will certainly be full of more challenges, but I will do everything I can to unite the people and continue strengthening the nation. That is how I am feeling now. Q: We are now coming up on the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, and over this period, we have often heard that conflict between Taiwan and the mainland is imminent. Do you personally believe that a cross-strait conflict could happen? President Lai: The international community is very much aware that China intends to replace the US and change the world’s rules-based international order, and annexing Taiwan is just the first step. So, as China’s military power grows stronger, some members of the international community are naturally on edge about whether a cross-strait conflict will break out. The international community must certainly do everything in its power to avoid a conflict in the Taiwan Strait; there is too great a cost. Besides causing direct disasters to both Taiwan and China, the impact on the global economy would be even greater, with estimated losses of US$10 trillion from war alone – that is roughly 10 percent of the global GDP. Additionally, 20 percent of global shipping passes through the Taiwan Strait and surrounding waters, so if a conflict breaks out in the strait, other countries including Japan and Korea would suffer a grave impact. For Japan and Korea, a quarter of external transit passes through the Taiwan Strait and surrounding waters, and a third of the various energy resources and minerals shipped back from other countries pass through said areas. If Taiwan were invaded, global supply chains would be disrupted, and therefore conflict in the Taiwan Strait must be avoided. Such a conflict is indeed avoidable. I am very thankful to Prime Minister of Japan Ishiba Shigeru and former Prime Ministers Abe Shinzo, Suga Yoshihide, and Kishida Fumio, as well as US President Donald Trump and former President Joe Biden, and the other G7 leaders, for continuing to emphasize at international venues that peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait are essential components for global security and prosperity. When everyone in the global democratic community works together, stacking up enough strength to make China’s objectives unattainable or to make the cost of invading Taiwan too high for it to bear, a conflict in the strait can naturally be avoided. Q: As you said, President Lai, maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is also very important for other countries. How can war be avoided? What sort of countermeasures is Taiwan prepared to take to prevent war? President Lai: As Mr. Sakurai mentioned earlier, we are coming up on the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII. There are many lessons we can take from that war. First is that peace is priceless, and war has no winners. From the tragedies of WWII, there are lessons that humanity should learn. We must pursue peace, and not start wars blindly, as that would be a major disaster for humanity. In other words, we must be determined to safeguard peace. The second lesson is that we cannot be complacent toward authoritarian powers. If you give them an inch, they will take a mile. They will keep growing, and eventually, not only will peace be unattainable, but war will be inevitable. The third lesson is why WWII ended: It ended because different groups joined together in solidarity. Taiwan, Japan, and the Indo-Pacific region are all directly subjected to China’s threats, so we hope to be able to join together in cooperation. This is why we proposed the Four Pillars of Peace action plan. First, we will strengthen our national defense. Second, we will strengthen economic resilience. Third is standing shoulder to shoulder with the democratic community to demonstrate the strength of deterrence. Fourth is that as long as China treats Taiwan with parity and dignity, Taiwan is willing to conduct exchanges and cooperate with China, and seek peace and mutual prosperity. These four pillars can help us avoid war and achieve peace. That is to say, Taiwan hopes to achieve peace through strength, prevent war by preparing for war, keeping war from happening and pursuing the goal of peace. Q: Regarding drones, everyone knows that recently, Taiwan has been actively researching, developing, and introducing drones. Why do you need to actively research, develop, and introduce new drones at this time? President Lai: This is for two purposes. The first is to meet national security needs. The second is to meet industrial development needs. Because Taiwan, Japan, and the Philippines are all part of the first island chain, and we are all democratic nations, we cannot be like an authoritarian country like China, which has an unlimited national defense budget. In this kind of situation, island nations such as Taiwan, Japan, and the Philippines should leverage their own technologies to develop national defense methods that are asymmetric and utilize unmanned vehicles. In particular, from the Russo-Ukrainian War, we see that Ukraine has successfully utilized unmanned vehicles to protect itself and prevent Russia from unlimited invasion. In other words, the Russo-Ukrainian War has already proven the importance of drones. Therefore, the first purpose of developing drones is based on national security needs. Second, the world has already entered the era of smart technology. Whether generative, agentic, or physical, AI will continue to develop. In the future, cars and ships will also evolve into unmanned vehicles and unmanned boats, and there will be unmanned factories. Drones will even be able to assist with postal deliveries, or services like Uber, Uber Eats, and foodpanda, or agricultural irrigation and pesticide spraying. Therefore, in the future era of comprehensive smart technology, developing unmanned vehicles is a necessity. Taiwan, based on industrial needs, is actively planning the development of drones and unmanned vehicles. I would like to take this opportunity to express Taiwan’s hope to collaborate with Japan in the unmanned vehicle industry. Just as we do in the semiconductor industry, where Japan has raw materials, equipment, and technology, and Taiwan has wafer manufacturing, our two countries can cooperate. Japan is a technological power, and Taiwan also has significant technological strengths. If Taiwan and Japan work together, we will not only be able to safeguard peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and security in the Indo-Pacific region, but it will also be very helpful for the industrial development of both countries. Q: The drones you just described probably include examples from the Russo-Ukrainian War. Taiwan and China are separated by the Taiwan Strait. Do our drones need to have cross-sea flight capabilities? President Lai: Taiwan does not intend to counterattack the mainland, and does not intend to invade any country. Taiwan’s drones are meant to protect our own nation and territory. Q: Former President Biden previously stated that US forces would assist Taiwan’s defense in the event of an attack. President Trump, however, has yet to clearly state that the US would help defend Taiwan. Do you think that in such an event, the US would help defend Taiwan? Or is Taiwan now trying to persuade the US? President Lai: Former President Biden and President Trump have answered questions from reporters. Although their responses were different, strong cooperation with Taiwan under the Biden administration has continued under the Trump administration; there has been no change. During President Trump’s first term, cooperation with Taiwan was broader and deeper compared to former President Barack Obama’s terms. After former President Biden took office, cooperation with Taiwan increased compared to President Trump’s first term. Now, during President Trump’s second term, cooperation with Taiwan is even greater than under former President Biden. Taiwan-US cooperation continues to grow stronger, and has not changed just because President Trump and former President Biden gave different responses to reporters. Furthermore, the Trump administration publicly stated that in the future, the US will shift its strategic focus from Europe to the Indo-Pacific. The US secretary of defense even publicly stated that the primary mission of the US is to prevent China from invading Taiwan, maintain stability in the Indo-Pacific, and thus maintain world peace. There is a saying in Taiwan that goes, “Help comes most to those who help themselves.” Before asking friends and allies for assistance in facing threats from China, Taiwan must first be determined and prepared to defend itself. This is Taiwan’s principle, and we are working in this direction, making all the necessary preparations to safeguard the nation. Q: I would like to ask you a question about Taiwan-Japan relations. After the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, you made an appeal to give Japan a great deal of assistance and care. In particular, you visited Sendai to offer condolences. Later, you also expressed condolences and concern after the earthquakes in Aomori and Kumamoto. What are your expectations for future Taiwan-Japan exchanges and development? President Lai: I come from Tainan, and my constituency is in Tainan. Tainan has very deep ties with Japan, and of course, Taiwan also has deep ties with Japan. However, among Taiwan’s 22 counties and cities, Tainan has the deepest relationship with Japan. I sincerely hope that both of you and your teams will have an opportunity to visit Tainan. I will introduce Tainan’s scenery, including architecture from the era of Japanese rule, Tainan’s cuisine, and unique aspects of Tainan society, and you can also see lifestyles and culture from the Showa era. The Wushantou Reservoir in Tainan was completed by engineer Mr. Hatta Yoichi from Kanazawa, Japan and the team he led to Tainan after he graduated from then-Tokyo Imperial University. It has nearly a century of history and is still in use today. This reservoir, along with the 16,000-km-long Chianan Canal, transformed the 150,000-hectare Chianan Plain into Taiwan’s premier rice-growing area. It was that foundation in agriculture that enabled Taiwan to develop industry and the technology sector of today. The reservoir continues to supply water to Tainan Science Park. It is used by residents of Tainan, the agricultural sector, and industry, and even the technology sector in Xinshi Industrial Park, as well as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company. Because of this, the people of Tainan are deeply grateful for Mr. Hatta and very friendly toward the people of Japan. A major earthquake, the largest in 50 years, struck Tainan on February 6, 2016, resulting in significant casualties. As mayor of Tainan at the time, I was extremely grateful to then-Prime Minister Abe, who sent five Japanese officials to the disaster site in Tainan the day after the earthquake. They were very thoughtful and asked what kind of assistance we needed from the Japanese government. They offered to provide help based on what we needed. I was deeply moved, as former Prime Minister Abe showed such care, going beyond the formality of just sending supplies that we may or may not have actually needed. Instead, the officials asked what we needed and then provided assistance based on those needs, which really moved me. Similarly, when the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011 or the later Kumamoto earthquakes struck, the people of Tainan, under my leadership, naturally and dutifully expressed their support. Even earlier, when central Taiwan was hit by a major earthquake in 1999, Japan was the first country to deploy a rescue team to the disaster area. On February 6, 2018, after a major earthquake in Hualien, former Prime Minister Abe appeared in a video holding up a message of encouragement he had written in calligraphy saying “Remain strong, Taiwan.” All of Taiwan was deeply moved. Over the years, Taiwan and Japan have supported each other when earthquakes struck, and have forged bonds that are family-like, not just neighborly. This is truly valuable. In the future, I hope Taiwan and Japan can be like brothers, and that the peoples of Taiwan and Japan can treat one another like family. If Taiwan has a problem, then Japan has a problem; if Japan has a problem, then Taiwan has a problem. By caring for and helping each other, we can face various challenges and difficulties, and pursue a brighter future. Q: President Lai, you just used the phrase “If Taiwan has a problem, then Japan has a problem.” In the event that China attempts to invade Taiwan by force, what kind of response measures would you hope the US military and Japan’s Self-Defense Forces take? President Lai: As I just mentioned, annexing Taiwan is only China’s first step. Its ultimate objective is to change the rules-based international order. That being the case, China’s threats are an international problem. So, I would very much hope to work together with the US, Japan, and others in the global democratic community to prevent China from starting a war – prevention, after all, is more important than cure.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

June 5, 2025
In First White House Visit, Merz to Address Trade and Security with Trump

Source: Government of India

Source: Government of India (4)

Germany’s new chancellor, Friedrich Merz, will hold his first face-to-face talks with U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday in a high stakes meeting in the Oval Office as Europe seeks to stave off looming U.S. tariffs and sustain U.S. backing for Ukraine.

The 69-year-old conservative, who took the helm of Europe’s largest economy last month, is scheduled to join Trump for lunch and one-on-one talks that analysts say could set the tone for U.S.-German ties for years to come.

Germany’s export-oriented economy stands more to lose from U.S. tariffs than others and the country is also the second largest military and financial backer of Ukraine in its defence against Russia’s invasion, after the United States.

The meeting comes amid a broader fraying of the transatlantic relationship. Trump’s administration has, for example, intervened in domestic European politics in a break with past practice, aligning with right-wing political movements and challenging European policies on immigration and free speech.

The encounter will be closely watched after some recent meetings in the Oval Office, with the leaders of Ukraine and South Africa, for example, turned tense when Trump ambushed them with false claims and accusations.

Merz and his entourage have sought coaching from other leaders on how to deal with Trump to avoid conflict.

The meeting comes just weeks before a critical summit of the NATO Western military alliance which is looking increasingly strained given Trump’s threats not to come to the aid of U.S. allies that do not up their spending on defence.

Such threats are of particular concern to Germany, which has relied on U.S. nuclear deterrence for its security since the end of World War Two.

Merz has already made some bold policy moves that he can highlight to appease Trump, analysts said. He has backed Trump’s demand to more than double NATO’s spending target to 5% of economic output, earning unprecedented praise last weekend from U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Merz, who has vowed a more assertive foreign policy, also coordinated a visit by European leaders to Kyiv just days after taking office, two European diplomat sources said.

“This shows that Germany is willing to accept a greater responsibility for Ukraine and the European security order – these are all things that have been wished for in the United States over years and will be welcomed,” said Sudha David-Wilp of the German Marshall Fund of the United States.

“Germany is well-positioned to show that it can help the United States achieve its foreign policy goals.”

The fact Merz was invited to stay in the Blair House guest quarters across from the White House is a positive signal, said analysts.

KINDRED SPIRIT OR FOE?

Merz and Trump could even find some common ground given their business backgrounds, their membership in right-of-centre political parties, their focus on fighting illegal immigration and their fondness for golf, said Steven Sokol, President and CEO of the American Council on Germany.

They also both had run-ins with former German chancellor Angela Merkel – who once squeezed Merz out of top-level politics.

Moreover Merz has described himself as “a convinced transatlanticist”, chairing the “Atlantic Bridge”, a non-profit fostering U.S.-German ties, for 10 years.

“They might discover a kindred spirit,” Sokol said.

Still, Trump was unpredictable, while Merz was impulsive, warned analysts, and there were huge frictions in the relationship.

“The challenge that he could face is … if Trump says something is erroneous, do you correct him? Do you risk turning it into an argument?” said Jeffrey Rathke, a former U.S. diplomat and president of the American-German Institute at the Johns Hopkins University in Washington.

“Or do you find a way to indicate that you see it differently, but not let it sidetrack the conversation.”

U.S. administration officials remain upset that Merz criticized Trump shortly before the 2024 U.S. election, a source familiar with its thinking said.

And, on the eve of his own election victory, Merz criticised the “ultimately outrageous” comments flowing from Washington during the campaign, comparing them to hostile interventions from Russia.

Another possible landmine could be a recent German proposal for a levy on online platforms such as Alphabet’s Google GOOGL.O, and Meta’s Facebook META.O, especially given Trump’s close ties with the U.S. tech industry, he said.

(Reuters)

June 5, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Jack Ball wins the Ramsay Art Prize among a who’s who of Australian young contemporary artists

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Catherine Speck, Emerita Professor, Art History and Curatorship, University of Adelaide

Jack Ball with Heavy Grit in Ramsay Art Prize 2025, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide. Photo: Saul Steed

Jack Ball, a Sydney-based trans artist, was awarded the 2025 Ramsay Art Prize at the Art Gallery of South Australia for an immersive installation Heavy Grit.

The inspiration for the photo-collage and sculptural artwork stems directly from the artist’s exploration of the Australian Queer Archives in Melbourne – especially the scrapbooks covering the closeted decades of the 1950s to 1970s – and the merging of the past with present.

The grainy print surface of the photo-collage elements, drawing on newspaper clippings, are arranged as four semi-abstract fluid shapes.

Collage allows Ball to layer archival material with his own photo practice, to cut, crop, resize and imply ambiguity and possibility in the blurred imagery.

The collages sit beside small photographs placed behind textured stained glass that seem like peep shows into queer culture, and are emblematic of Heavy Grit’s tension between what is revealed and what is hidden.

Installation view: Jack Ball, born Darramurragal/Sydney 1986, Heavy Grit, 2024, Boorloo/Perth, inkjet prints on hemp, cotton and metallic rag, textured coloured glass, beeswax, activated charcoal, copper pipe, second-hand and remnant fabrics, acrylic paints, sand, rope.
Courtesy of the artist and AVA, Boorloo/Perth, photo: Saul Steed

Beneath are sand-filled soft sculptures, all of which suggest intimacy, stolen moments, the bright lights of Oxford Street, queer dress culture and much more, set off by loose flourishes of orange framing the collage. There is a delicate play of surface, scale and medium in an expansive installation that requires close, but slow looking.

The Ramsay Prize

The A$100,000 prize, awarded every two years, is open to artists under 40.

It is the nation’s richest art prize for that age category and is funded in perpetuity by the Ramsay Foundation, for artwork in any medium.

It is visionary in intent and reflects donors Diana and James Ramsay’s aim “to support and encourage contemporary Australian artists to make their best work at a pivotal point in their career”. And it has done just that.

It commenced in 2017. Vincent Namatjira, who was awarded the prize in 2019, proceeded to win the Archibald Prize. Kate Bohunnis (2021) and Ida Sophia (2023) attribute winning the Ramsay to being career changing.

Strong work on show

There is much strong work across a range of media areas on show in this year’s exhibition.

Installation view: Ramsay Art Prize 2025 featuring Alfred Lowe’s You’ve been on my mind, sister, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide.
Photo: Saul Steed

Arrernte artist Alfred Lowe’s ceramic sculptural figures are adorned with bright pink raffia skirts. But beneath the colour and whimsy and contrasting materials is an exploration of his conflicted First Nations world of Central Australia and its charged politics.

Tom Polo’s brightly coloured abstract and gestural paintings of fragmented and exaggerated forms suggest human vulnerability and the fluidity of daily life.

Installation view: Ramsay Art Prize 2025 featuring Tom Polo’s learning to leave (once, and again), Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide.
Photo: Saul Steed

Bridie Gillman’s evocative Pink room, pink womb painting is a double-sided triangular installation which references ideas of place and belonging.

It was produced in response to staying in an 18th century bedroom with pink walls in Portugal. The dramatic colour changes she observed according to the light conjured up notions of a deep maternal presence. She invokes this in her changing shades of pink on the canvases and base, accompanied by a subtle soundscape by Reuben Schafer.

Shireen Taweel’s meticulous suspended copper objects delve into matters astronomical, the contribution of a Persian polymath’s foundational work in trigonometry and the precision required to locate stars and other celestial bodies.

She emulates that precision in her intriguing copper installation, Al-Tusi preferred to rely on perfect circles instead, as an instrument of astronomical observation. Her pierced motifs in the copper are informed by precise calculations.

Installation view: Ramsay Art Prize 2025 featuring Jason Phu’s the deepest love in the deepest well of despair and Shireen Taweel’s Al-Tusi preferred to rely on perfect circles instead, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide.
Photo: Saul Steed

Chinese-Australian artist Jason Phu draws on his cultural heritage in his large painting. Comic-like figures enact a narrative across time, as occurs in more serious Chinese Scroll paintings.

Phu inverts the tradition, adds a vernacular touch, and oscillates between humour and grim despair. His central figure in red enacts the text above: “the deepest love, the deepest despair”.

David Attwood’s whimsical kinetic sculptural assemblage featuring a motorised house cleaning sponge harks back to the wacky idea of a self-cleaning house, and touches on the gendered nature of housework.

Liam Fleming was schooled in the refined precision and techniques of making production line glass. Here, his slumped glass sculptural work come from his “letting go” of this exactness.

Installation view: Ramsay Art Prize 2025 featuring Liam Fleming’s Transitory Series, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide.
Photo: Saul Steed

Greek-Australian queer artist and designer Jordon Gogos’ impressive large tapestry, Time Machine, is made from repurposed and recycled textiles, and explores memory and identity.

His deft mix of chance and design – and extending the possibilities of fabric itself by layering, embroidering and felting – produces a compelling and playful piece.

These are just eight of the artworks on show in which the experimentation, range, diversity and rich cultural mix point to a vibrant contemporary art scene.

What’s left unsaid

But of the 22 finalists – a veritable who’s who of the contemporary art scene – only one artist reflects on war in a world beset by conflict.

Ukrainian-born Stanislava Pinchuk is currently Australia’s official war artist in Ukraine. Her moving image work, Theatre of war, focuses on three such “theatres”: the siege of Sarajevo, the war in Ukraine, and Homer’s account of the Trojan war in the Iliad.

Installation view: Ramsay Art Prize 2025 featuring Stanislava Pinchuk’s The Theatre of War, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide.
Photo: Saul Steed

But where is the bravery of earlier Ramsay entries such as Hoda Afshar’s moving photographic portraits of our courageous whistleblowers in Agonistes, shown in the Ramsay Art Prize exhibition of 2020?

There were close to 600 entries this year, so it seems odd that no-one else was selected for the final cut whose work had overt political content such as the war in Gaza.

The Ramsay Art Prize 2025 is at the Art Gallery of South Australia until August 31.

Catherine Speck has received funding from the ARC to investigate Australian art exhibitions (with Joanna Mendelssohn, Catherine De Lorenzo and Alison Inglis).

– ref. Jack Ball wins the Ramsay Art Prize among a who’s who of Australian young contemporary artists – https://theconversation.com/jack-ball-wins-the-ramsay-art-prize-among-a-whos-who-of-australian-young-contemporary-artists-257326

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

June 5, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Lummis Celebrates Trump Administration’s Investment in Abandoned Coal Mines

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Wyoming Cynthia Lummis

Washington, D.C.— Senate Western Caucus Chair Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) released the following statement praising the Trump administration’s commitment to unleashing American energy by directing the Department of Interior to make more than $119 million available in fiscal year 2025 to revitalize abandoned coal mines.

“I am thrilled that President Trump continues to deliver on his promise to support Wyoming’s energy communities and the hardworking men and women who have powered America for generations,” said Lummis. “This multi-million-dollar investment underscores the president’s commitment to promoting American energy dominance while responsibly reclaiming and repurposing these lands for future economic opportunities. These resources will transform former mining sites into new possibilities for growth and development across Wyoming and the west.”

These grants, authorized under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 and distributed by the Office of Surface Mining and Reclamation and Enforcement, improve public safety, support local economies, and help coalfield communities repurpose former mines.

The 2025 funding cycle will distribute grants to 24 states with coal production history along with two tribal organizations. After applying the required 5.7% sequestration reduction, the total distribution amounts to $112.9 million.

These direct allocations to state and tribal restoration programs demonstrate the Trump administration’s ongoing support for communities that historically drove America’s industrial development. Local governments and tribal authorities create their own project plans and manage execution, allowing for customized approaches that address specific regional requirements.

Complete recipient information and grant details are available at www.osmre.gov/resources/grants-resources.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 5, 2025
Aid Ship Carrying Greta Thunberg Heads to Gaza Amid Israeli Warning

Source: Government of India

Source: Government of India (4)

A humanitarian aid vessel named Madleen, organized by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), is en route to Gaza with a group of activists, including prominent climate campaigner Greta Thunberg. The mission aims to draw international attention to the humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian enclave and challenge the longstanding Israeli blockade.

The ship departed from a port in Sicily on Sunday with 12 activists on board, carrying what organizers described as a “symbolic” amount of aid intended to highlight the urgency of Gaza’s worsening food shortage. The activists say the territory has been under a total blockade for over 90 days, compounding an Israeli-imposed land, sea, and air blockade that has been in place since 2007.

Thunberg has shared images from the vessel on social media, underscoring her participation in the effort to breach the blockade, which the FFC claims has been enforced since March 2 with increased severity. The activists argue the blockade is contributing to severe humanitarian suffering.

Israeli authorities issued a warning on Wednesday, stating that any attempt to breach the naval blockade would be prevented. The Israeli government maintains that the restrictions are a necessary security measure aimed at limiting weapons smuggling to militant groups in Gaza. The flotilla’s voyage comes amid growing international concern over the humanitarian conditions in Gaza, where aid agencies have reported acute shortages of food, water, and medical supplies.

June 5, 2025
US vetoes UN Security Council demand for Gaza ceasefire

Source: Government of India

Source: Government of India (4)

The United States on Wednesday vetoed a draft U.N. Security Council resolution that demanded an “immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire” between Israel and Hamas militants in Gaza and unhindered aid access across the war-torn enclave.

The other 14 countries on the council voted in favor of the draft as a humanitarian crisis grips the enclave of more than 2 million people, where famine looms and aid has only trickled in since Israel lifted an 11-week blockade last month.

“The United States has been clear: We would not support any measure that fails to condemn Hamas and does not call for Hamas to disarm and leave Gaza,” Acting U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Dorothy Shea told the council before the vote, arguing that it would also undermine U.S.-led efforts to broker a ceasefire.

Washington is Israel’s biggest ally and arms supplier.

The Security Council vote came as Israel pushes ahead with an offensive in Gaza after ending a two-month truce in March. Gaza health authorities said Israeli strikes killed 45 people on Wednesday, while Israel said a soldier died in fighting.

Britain’s U.N. Ambassador Barbara Woodward criticized the Israeli government’s decisions to expand its military operations in Gaza and severely restrict humanitarian aid as “unjustifiable, disproportionate and counterproductive.”

Israel has rejected calls for an unconditional or permanent ceasefire, saying Hamas cannot stay in Gaza. Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon told the council members who voted in favor of the draft: “You chose appeasement and submission. You chose a road that does not lead to peace. Only to more terror.”

Hamas condemned the U.S. veto, describing it as showing “the U.S. administration’s blind bias” towards Israel. The draft Security Council resolution had also demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas and others.

RIVAL AID OPERATIONS

The war in Gaza has raged since 2023 after Hamas militants killed 1,200 people in Israel in an October 7 attack and took some 250 hostages back to the enclave, according to Israeli tallies. Many of those killed or captured were civilians.

Israel responded with a military campaign that has killed over 54,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities. They say civilians have borne the brunt of the attacks and that thousands more bodies have been lost under rubble.

Under global pressure, Israel allowed limited U.N.-led deliveries to resume on May 19. A week later a controversial new aid distribution system was launched by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, backed by the U.S. and Israel.

Israel has long accused Hamas of stealing aid, which the group denies. Israel and the U.S. are urging the U.N. to work through the GHF, which is using private U.S. security and logistics companies to transport aid into Gaza for distribution at so-called secure distribution sites.

“No one wants to see Palestinian civilians in Gaza go hungry or thirsty,” Shea told the Security Council, adding that the draft resolution did not “acknowledge the disastrous shortcomings of the prior method of aid delivery.”

The U.N. and international aid groups have refused to work with the GHF because they say it is not neutral, militarizes aid and forces the displacement of Palestinians.

No aid was distributed by the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation on Wednesday as it pressed the Israeli military to boost civilian safety beyond the perimeter of its so-called secure distribution sites after a deadly incident on Tuesday.

The GHF said it has asked the Israeli military to “guide foot traffic in a way that minimizes confusion or escalation risks” near military positions, provide clearer civilian guidance and enhance training of soldiers on civilian safety.

‘DELAYS AND DENIALS’

The GHF posted on Facebook that “ongoing maintenance work” would delay the opening of its distribution sites on Thursday. It said on Tuesday that it has so far distributed more than seven million meals since it started operations.

Despite U.S. and Israeli criticism of the U.N.-led Gaza aid operation, a U.S. ceasefire plan proposes the delivery of aid by the United Nations, the Red Crescent and other agreed channels. Israel has agreed to the ceasefire plan but Hamas is seeking changes that the U.S. has rejected as “totally unacceptable.”

Ahead of the U.N. Security Council vote, U.N. aid chief Tom Fletcher again appealed for the U.N. and aid groups to be allowed to assist people in Gaza, stressing that they have a plan, supplies and experience.

“Open the crossings – all of them. Let in lifesaving aid at scale, from all directions. Lift the restrictions on what and how much aid we can bring in. Ensure our convoys aren’t held up by delays and denials,” Fletcher said in a statement.

The U.N. has long-blamed Israel and lawlessness in the enclave for hindering the delivery of aid into Gaza and its distribution throughout the war zone.

“Enough of suffering of civilians. Enough of food being used as a weapon. Enough is enough is enough,” Slovenia’s U.N. Ambassador Samuel Zbogar told the Security Council.

A similar humanitarian-focused draft resolution is now expected to be put to a vote in the 193-member U.N. General Assembly, where no countries have a veto power and it would likely pass, diplomats said.

Danon warned: “Don’t waste more of your time, because no resolution, no vote, no moral failure, will stand in our way.”

(Reuters)

June 5, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: New victories: Moscow became the leader in the nominations of the “Trade of Russia” competition

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

This year, Moscow, as in previous years, became the winner of the “Trade of Russia” competition. The capital’s Kuznetsky Most Street took first place in the “Best Shopping Street” nomination, and the large-scale gastronomic event “Moscow – on the Wave. Fish Week” 2024 won in the “Best Shopping Festival” nomination.

The festival has spread throughout the city, with record numbers of people visiting its venues last year. 4.5 million people. Almost every street offered unique seafood dishes, and fishing championships, SUP rafting on the river arteries, and a costume regatta attracted a huge crowd.

This season, the festival program “Moscow – on the Wave. Fish Week” includes more than 500 master classes, including culinary ones, for children and adults. Guests can expect a huge selection of seafood at the flagship site on Shkolnaya Street, unusual dishes and traditional recipes, themed menus in restaurants, as well as daily performances by musical groups and theatrical productions.

In 2025, the “Trade of Russia” competition was held for the eighth time. Its main objective is to identify the achievements and best practices of trade in a wide variety of formats. When choosing the winners, the conditions that regional and local authorities create for business development, as well as the appearance, equipment of the facilities and their demand are taken into account.

“The number of establishments opening in Moscow is growing every month. We always listen to entrepreneurs and implement new support measures. In April, the capital simplified the procedure for placing summer verandas

without special equipment“This is an important step for small cafes, which until now have not had the opportunity to equip a place for guests to relax outside,” shared the Minister of the Moscow Government, head of the capital’s Department of Trade and Services Alexey Nemeryuk.

Applications for participation in the competition, organized by the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, come from all over the country. Recognition can be given not only to streets, but also to fairs, shops, mobile trading facilities and fast food facilities, retail markets and others.

“We at the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia are actively working to improve the legislation regulating trade. The goal of these efforts is to create comfortable conditions for citizens and entrepreneurs, stimulate entrepreneurial activity and develop various trade formats. I would like to note that the nominations of the “Trade of Russia” competition are selected in such a way that representatives of as many retail outlets as possible can take part in it,” said State Secretary – Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation Roman Chekushov in his welcoming speech.

Last year, the capital also won in several nominations. The best shopping street was Malaya Bronnaya, where about 70 shops and restaurants are open. The fair on Michurinsky Prospekt, which has been delighting customers since 2023, also received recognition. A special prize was awarded to the Moscow – on the Wave fish market in the Kosino-Ukhtomsky District.

Moscow has support measures for various business sectors. One of the most popular is competitions for the best design of city shop windows, which can not only increase the recognition of an establishment, but also win a cash prize.

More information about the activities of the capital’s Department of Trade and Services can be found inofficial telegram channel.

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

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

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https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/154712073/

MIL OSI Russia News –

June 5, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: For Moscow graduates: mos.ru will help you quickly find out your exam results

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

The school exam season is in full swing: ninth and 11th grade students are taking the state final examination (GIA). The capital’s students and their parents will be able to find out the results of the unified state, main state and state final exams (USE, OGE, GVE) Mos.ru. The portal service allows you to view scores and copies of the participants’ answer sheets. In order to learn the results as quickly as possible, users can subscribe to receive relevant information by e-mail.

“With the service for checking the results of the State Final Attestation on mos.ru, graduates and their parents will learn about the scores they received as quickly as possible. At the same time, the portal displays not only the initial exam results, but also the scores after revision – in case an appeal was filed and they changed. The results are available in the personal account on mos.ru, notifications about them come to e-mail and in push notifications,” the press service said.

Department of Information Technology.

The user needs to go to the “Education” section in the mos.ru portal’s service catalog, select “School” or “College,” and then go toservice “Results of the State Final Attestation (Unified State Exam, Basic State Exam, State Final Exam), final essay (presentation), final interview in Russian.”

To gain access to the exam results and copies of the forms, you must enter the registration code specified in the notification of the GIA participant and the number of the document (without series) certifying his identity in the appropriate fields. If for any reason the exam participant has lost the code, he must contact his school.

You can also check your exam results in the Student Portfolio service on the Moscow Electronic School platform. To do this, go to the Study section, then to the State Final Attestation (GIA) block, where your scores for each subject will be displayed.

You can see the approximate schedule for approval and publication of exam results on the website Regional Information Processing Center of the City of Moscow.

How to sign up to receive exam result notifications

Notifications will help you receive information about exam results in a timely manner. The subscription is set up immediately – when entering the registration code and document number, as well as in the personal account of the mos.ru portal (section “Documents and data” and subsection “GIA”).

You can also subscribe to notifications in the mobile application “Gosuslugi Moskvy”. To do this, from the “Profile” section, go to “Notifications”, select the “Educational” tab, where the notification topic will be displayed – “Results of the State Final Attestation”. In the application, you will also need to enter the registration code of the exam participant and the number of the identity document (without the series).

Information about the appearance of results will be sent to your email and in the form of push notifications.

You can learn about how the mos.ru portal turned from a news feed with a book of reviews into a resource where today more than 450 electronic services are presented from a popular science film “Moscow in Digital”.

The creation, development and operation of the e-government infrastructure, including the provision of mass socially significant services, as well as other services in electronic form, corresponds to the objectives of the national project “Data Economy and Digital Transformation of the State” and the regional project of the city of Moscow “Digital Public Administration”.

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

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

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

https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/154805073/

MIL OSI Russia News –

June 5, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: How capital services help to spend the summer season in comfort

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

The capital’s digital ecosystem helps Muscovites go about their daily business, plan family leisure, lead an active lifestyle, and do much more. The mos.ru portal and city mobile apps offer services that are especially useful in the summer.

“With the start of the summer season, city residents not only begin to plan their vacations, but also continue to solve everyday tasks online. For this purpose, the mos.ru portal offers more than 450 digital services, many of which are available in the Moscow State Services and My Moscow applications. Thanks to them, residents can conveniently and quickly check the hot water shutdown schedule and pay bills, book books from the library to read during the holidays, or plan interesting leisure activities,” they reminded.

Department of Information Technology of the City of Moscow.

Plan your leisure time

The main city events of the season have been collected in the project “Summer in Moscow”, which has been running since June 1. At more than 400 venues, residents and guests of the capital will be treated to street festivals, theatrical performances, karaoke and gastronomic master classes, as well as a large-scale market of local goods from the project “Made in Moscow”. Earlier, the program of the project’s events was posted on its Telegram channel announced Sergei Sobyanin.

Service “Mosbilet”, available on the mos.ru portal and in the My Moscow mobile app, allows you to purchase tickets to cultural events — theaters, museums, cinemas, and concerts — without extra charges. There are also free events available for everyone to attend.

Digital tourist service Russpass will help you organize a trip around the summer capital. It contains walking and cycling tours, signature routes, hotels, cafes, event listings, transport tickets and much more. The ecosystem will not only plan a walk, but also give personal recommendations for recreation using artificial intelligence. The service already has more than 50 thousand offers for travel around Russia, of which about a third are in Moscow.

For those who want to independently plan their leisure time and explore the city, there is application “Discover Moscow”. It will suggest themed routes around the city and tell about parks and estates via an audio guide. In addition, the application offers to study the history of the capital using augmented reality technologies, so that users can take a new look at familiar streets and boulevards.

Spend your summer usefully and borrow a book from the nearest library service “Moscow Libraries”. All you need is a standard account on mos.ru and a single library card, which is issued online or in any of the 440 city reading rooms. The electronic version is available in the mobile app “My id”.

The project will help you find nearby sports facilities, select a site for training and learn about active recreation activities “Moscow Sport”. On the mos.ru website, anyone who wants to can find the nearest open swimming pools and will be able to buy a ticket for the session, as well as book a gazebo for relaxation in the park through the service “Picnic in Moscow”.

Solve everyday issues

Through mos.ru and the applications “My Moscow” and “Gosuslugi Moskvy” you can pay utility bills and city services using the service “My payments”.

In addition, residents of the capital can submit readings water meters Andelectricity, as well as solve other everyday issues. For example, call a technician to troubleshoot problems in the house or to find out hot water shutdown schedule in the summer period.

If there are no meters installed in the apartment, in order to save on payments during a vacation or a trip to the country, you need to submit an applicationrecalculation of payment for housing and communal servicesTo do this, you must provide a document confirming the absence of meters and indicating the duration of the rest.

Service “Removal of unnecessary things” will help to tidy up and get rid of unnecessary things, for example, to donate unnecessary clothes and books that will be useful to others for free. The full list of what is accepted for removal is posted on mos.ru.

The creation, development and operation of the e-government infrastructure, including the provision of mass socially significant services, as well as other services in electronic form, correspond to the objectives of the national project “Data Economy” and the regional project of the city of Moscow “Digital Public Administration”.

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

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

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

https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/154825073/

MIL OSI Russia News –

June 5, 2025
Trump bans nationals from 12 countries, citing security concerns

Source: Government of India

Source: Government of India (4)

U.S. President Donald Trump signed a proclamation on Wednesday banning the nationals of 12 countries from entering the United States, saying the move was needed to protect against “foreign terrorists” and other security threats.

The countries affected are Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.

The entry of people from seven other countries: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela, will be partially restricted. The travel restrictions were first reported by CBS News.

“We will not allow people to enter our country who wish to do us harm,” Trump said in a video posted on X. He said the list could be revised and new countries could be added.

The proclamation is effective on June 9, 2025 at 12:01 am EDT (0401 GMT). Visas issued before that date will not be revoked, the order said.

During his first term in office, Trump announced a ban on travelers from seven majority-Muslim nations, a policy that went through several iterations before it was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018.

Former President Joe Biden, a Democrat who succeeded Trump, repealed the ban in 2021, calling it “a stain on our national conscience.”

Trump said the countries subject to the most severe restrictions were determined to harbor a “large-scale presence of terrorists,” fail to cooperate on visa security and have an inability to verify travelers’ identities, inadequate record-keeping of criminal histories and high rates of visa overstays in the United States.

“We cannot have open migration from any country where we cannot safely and reliably vet and screen those who seek to enter the United States,” Trump said.

He cited Sunday’s incident in Boulder, Colorado in which a man tossed a gasoline bomb into a crowd of pro-Israel demonstrators as an example of why the new restrictions are needed.

An Egyptian national, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, has been charged in the attack. Federal officials said Soliman had overstayed his tourist visa and had an expired work permit – although Egypt is not on the list of countries facing travel limits.

BEING IN THE U.S. A ‘BIG RISK’

Somalia immediately pledged to work with the U.S. to address security issues.

“Somalia values its longstanding relationship with the United States and stands ready to engage in dialogue to address the concerns raised,” Dahir Hassan Abdi, the Somali ambassador to the United States, said in a statement.

Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, a close ally of President Nicolas Maduro, responded on Wednesday evening by describing the U.S. government as fascist and warning Venezuelans of being in the U.S.

“The truth is being in the United States is a big risk for anybody, not just for Venezuelans … They persecute our countrymen, our people for no reason.”

Calls early on Thursday to the spokesperson of Myanmar’s military government were not answered. The foreign ministry of Laos did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Trump’s directive is part of an immigration crackdown that he launched at the start of his second term. He previewed his plan in an October 2023 speech, pledging to restrict people from the Gaza Strip, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Yemen and “anywhere else that threatens our security.”

Trump issued an executive order on January 20 requiring intensified security vetting of any foreigners seeking admission to the U.S. to detect national security threats. That order directed several cabinet members to submit a list of countries from which travel should be partly or fully suspended because their “vetting and screening information is so deficient.”

(Reuters)

June 5, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Castro Statement on Abbott Ending In-State Tuition

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Joaquin Castro (20th District of Texas)

June 04, 2025

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) released the following statement following Governor Greg Abbott’s decision to end in-state tuition in Texas:

“This is a choreographed surrender. Legislation to gut the in-state tuition program just got shut down in the Texas legislature. Now Trump’s DOJ steps in and goes against what the legislature did, and Abbott and Paxton are refusing to defend the law enacted in 2001 and signed by Rick Perry. It’s backdoor legislating by cowards. And it will hurt Texans.”

MIL OSI USA News –

June 5, 2025
MIL-OSI China: 18 states elected into UN Economic and Social Council for three-year term

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

Philemon Yang (L), president of the UN General Assembly, presides over a meeting to elect members of the UN Economic and Social Council at the UN headquarters in New York, on June 4, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

Eighteen states, including China, were elected on Wednesday into the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the coordinating body for the economic and social work of UN agencies and funds, for a three-year term.

Philemon Yang, president of the General Assembly, announced the results after voting by secret ballot in the assembly.

Elected were Burundi, Chad, Mozambique, Sierra Leone from African states; China, India, Lebanon, Turkmenistan from Asia-Pacific states; Croatia, Russia, Ukraine from Eastern European states; Ecuador, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis from Latin America and Caribbean states; Australia, Finland, Norway, Türkiye from Western European and other states.

They were elected for a three-year term beginning on Jan. 1, 2026.

Russia failed to obtain the two-thirds majority needed for election in the first round of the voting. It won in a restrictive round against Belarus.

In a by-election for rotation within the Western European and other states group, Germany was elected for a one-year term beginning on Jan. 1, 2026. It will replace Liechtenstein. The United States was elected for a two-year term beginning on Jan. 1, 2026. It will replace Italy.

ECOSOC has 54 members, which are elected each year by the General Assembly for overlapping three-year terms. Seats on the council are allocated on the basis of geographical representation with 14 seats to African states, 11 to Asia-Pacific states, six to Eastern European states, 10 to Latin American and Caribbean states, and 13 to Western Europe and other states.

MIL OSI China News –

June 5, 2025
MIL-OSI China: China blasts US veto on UN Security Council draft resolution over Gaza

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

A Chinese envoy on Wednesday blasted the United States for its veto on a Security Council draft resolution that would have demanded an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the lifting of restrictions on humanitarian aid.

China is deeply disappointed by the result of Wednesday’s vote, said Fu Cong, China’s permanent representative to the United Nations. The draft resolution reflects the most pressing demands of the people in Gaza and the overwhelming voice of the international community, he added.

“The United States has once again abused its veto power, extinguishing the glimmer of hope for the people in Gaza and ruthlessly continuing to leave over 2 million people in darkness. It must face the questioning from the international community,” he said.

As the primary body for the maintenance of international peace and security, the Security Council has been striving to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza, and has long reached an overwhelming consensus. Wednesday’s vote result once again exposes that the root cause of the council’s inability to quell the conflict in Gaza is the repeated obstruction by the United States, said Fu in an explanation of the vote.

Washington has vetoed the Security Council’s request for a Gaza ceasefire multiple times. And because of its shielding of Israel, several resolutions adopted by the council on Gaza have yet to be effectively implemented, he noted.

The U.S. claim that Security Council action at the moment would interfere with diplomatic efforts is completely untenable, he said. “As long as diplomatic efforts are genuinely aimed for peace, the council’s action will only provide strong support.”

The international community will never cease its efforts to pursue fairness and justice, uphold the international rule of law, and safeguard the authority of the Security Council. A veto by a single permanent member cannot stop the march toward peace, he said. “We urge the United States to face up to its responsibilities as a permanent member of the Security Council, abandon its political calculations, and adopt a just and responsible attitude in supporting the council to take all necessary actions.”

Since the outbreak of the conflict, the world has witnessed the weaponization of humanitarian aid, the targeting of civilian infrastructure, and the ruthless killing of journalists and humanitarian workers. Israel’s actions have crossed every red line of international humanitarian law and seriously violated Security Council and General Assembly resolutions, as well as the provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice, said Fu.

Yet due to the shielding by one certain country, these violations have not been stopped or held accountable, he noted.

Observing international humanitarian law is an obligation. Any double standards or selective application will only erode the foundation of the international rule of law and must be firmly rejected, he warned.

China stands ready to work with the international community to help end the conflict in Gaza, alleviate the humanitarian disaster, implement the two-state solution, and ultimately achieve a comprehensive, just, and lasting solution to the Palestinian question, said Fu.

MIL OSI China News –

June 5, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Canada’s union calls for countermeasures against US escalating tariffs

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

Steel pipes are seen at a steel supplier’s facility in Delta, British Columbia, Canada, June 3, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

Canada’s largest private sector union, Unifor, on Wednesday urged the federal government to act without delay to counter the escalating steel and aluminum tariffs initiated by the United States.

The decision by U.S. President Donald Trump to double tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum imports to 50 percent is a direct threat to Canadian jobs and economic stability, said the union in a news release.

“These tariffs are killing investment in our steel, aluminum, and auto sectors, and we are already seeing the consequences in lost jobs and economic instability,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “We need immediate and forceful action to defend good jobs and safeguard our national economic security.”

The 50 percent tariff, which came into effect on Wednesday, doubles the previous 25 percent duty imposed on Canadian steel and aluminum imports since March 2025.

Canada remains the largest supplier of both steel and aluminum to the United States. The United States imports approximately a quarter of its steel from Canadian suppliers, while half of all U.S. aluminum consumption originates from Canada.

Unifor is Canada’s largest union in the private sector, representing 320,000 workers in every major area of the economy.

MIL OSI China News –

June 5, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Elderly daycare emerges to meet needs of Chinese families

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

Staff members cut hair for clients at an elderly care center in Shenyang City, northeast China’s Liaoning Province, March 5, 2025.(Xinhua/Bai Yongquan)

Almost every morning in Panjin, a city in northeast China’s Liaoning Province, 68-year-old Yang Yonghua walks to a neighborhood elderly care center accompanied by his son, a local barbecue restaurant owner. At this care center, he socializes, crafts things, shares meals and receives therapy with friends.

This is China’s burgeoning model of daytime elderly care, a hybrid solution bridging home care and full-time nursing homes.

Dubbed “elderly kindergarten,” these centers offer a structured schedule — breakfast, activities, lunch, naps, afternoon therapy, dinner and evening freshening up, all before families return for pickup.

“It’s more interesting than home,” Yang said, reflecting the sentiment of many seniors finding unexpected joy in this new routine. His son, grappling with late-night shifts at the diner, found immediate relief after the center started operation in the summer of 2023.

This shift in terms of elderly care is being propelled by both an urgent need and national policy. China’s population aged 60 and over had surpassed 310 million as of the end of 2024, accounting for 22 percent of its citizens, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. Recognizing that many seniors have deep ties to their communities and families, authorities are promoting neighborhood-based solutions.

The Ministry of Civil Affairs mandated community-level daytime centers offering daily care, meals, hygiene aid, emergency response and companionship. Local governments have tailored these mandates into concrete services — bathing assistance, medical escort and housekeeping.

In the Seni District of Nagqu in southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region, seniors pay just 20 yuan (around 2.78 U.S. dollars) daily for lunch and dinner and more than a dozen services ranging from mahjong to therapy, while northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region is aiming for 90-percent coverage of such facilities this year.

The city of Hengshui in Hebei Province in north China has integrated businesses and community resources in launching 22 model hubs combining long-term stays, daycare, entertainment and dining for the elderly.

The impact of such initiatives resonates deeply for families like that of Li Shihua, 88, who has dementia. Attending a daycare center which specializes in cognitive care in northeast China’s Dalian, her health has steadily improved, according to her family. Structured monitoring and medication management bring order and vitality to residents at this facility, significantly easing caregiver and family strain.

Notably, innovations continue to unfold. Cities like Beijing and south China’s Guangzhou are piloting “co-care” spaces merging childcare and eldercare, supported by free public venues and subsidized utilities.

Underpinning this expansion is a push for the establishment of standards. Authorities have released 51 national or industry benchmarks covering safety, quality and facility ratings — alongside over a hundred local standards.

Experts believe that for people navigating work and filial duty, these daytime havens are more than a convenience. Instead, they’re becoming indispensable threads in the fabric of family life, offering community and care where it matters most — close to home.

MIL OSI China News –

June 5, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: EIT launches next phase of RSE training programme

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology

13 minutes ago

EIT has officially launched a refreshed phase of the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) Worker Training Programme, set to equip thousands of Pacific seasonal workers with practical skills.

The new programme, known as NOA Village of Learning, marks the beginning of Phase III of the MFAT-funded initiative, which has been running since 2007. The contract, which was awarded to EIT at the end of last year, will see the institute deliver more than 150 courses annually to up to 2,250 RSE workers across the country.

The training focuses on building transferable skills that workers can use both during their time in New Zealand and when they return home to support their families and communities. Courses are already underway in the Bay of Plenty, Nelson and Marlborough and Hawke’s Bay. Further rollouts are planned for Central Otago, Auckland and Northland.

Community and industry leaders, staff and invited guests gathered at EIT’s Hawke’s Bay Campus to celebrate the launch of NOA – Village of Learning, the next phase of the RSE Worker Training Programme.

The programme was launched last month with a pōwhiri and a Fijian-led kava ceremony at EIT’s Hawke’s Bay Campus in Taradale. Around 70 guests attended, including Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst, representatives from Tuvalu, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, iwi leaders, church ministers, RSE employers and workers, government officials and industry partners.

EIT Operations Lead Glen Harkness said the programme reflects EIT’s commitment to growth and community.

“NOA is designed to support RSE workers on their journey to growth and the future,” Glen said. “At EIT we believe education and training is not just a process. It is a pathway to growth, community and success.”

He said NOA represents more than workforce development.

“This initiative is about strengthening social and economic wellbeing across the Pacific,” he said. “It reflects what can be achieved when we listen, collaborate and work together with a shared purpose.”
RSE Pacific Advisory Group Chair Tofilau Talalelei Taufale said: “This is the dawning of a refreshed approach to work-skills development for RSE workers”.

“Not only that, the wider implications with pedagogy and learner-centred curriculum will add to the weaving of the ʻie toga’, the fine mat of Pacific education here at EIT.”

EIT RSE National Operations Manager Meriama Taufale, who leads the implementation of NOA, said it was a privilege to serve in this space.

“Education is power, but being educated is powerful. Being able to enable and empower our RSE workers and their whānau to participate in the RSE Worker Training Programme is, for some, life-changing.”

RSE workers led a Fijian Kava ceremony at EIT’s Hawke’s Bay Campus to celebrate the launch of a refreshed phase of the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) Worker Training Programme.

She said the programme is built around a Pacific philosophy of reciprocity and reintegration.

“It is only right that we give them something to take home, considering a lot of the social disruption that happens in the RSE sector and what they are giving up to be here,” she said.

The programme includes two learning streams. NIU Learning, formerly Essential Learning, introduces skills such as financial literacy, digital capability, healthy living and human rights. MANAVA, the elective stream, includes hands-on vocational training in trades, small business, leadership and hospitality, aligned to the needs of labour-sending countries.

Meriama describes the model as community-driven and culturally grounded.

“The key for us is that we have facilitators who are language speakers so they can contextualise the learning. This will ensure it is not the team leaders or workers who have to translate,” she said. “We are also in the process of translating the learning material for them as well.”

Meriama said the launch marked a major milestone for the team and that collaboration would be key to its success.

“This has been a huge milestone for the team. But it is only the beginning of what we hope to build together because it really does take a village.”

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

June 5, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for June 5, 2025

ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on June 5, 2025.

Final counting shows polls understated Labor in 2025 election almost as much as they overstated it in 2019
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne With almost all primary votes now counted to two-party preferred (as I explained on May 29), Labor has won the national two-party vote by a 55.3–44.7 margin,

Resignation of PM’s press secretary highlights gaps in NZ law on covert recording and harassment
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cassandra Mudgway, Senior Lecturer in Law, University of Canterbury Getty Images The sudden resignation this week of one of Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s senior press secretaries was politically embarrassing, but also raises questions about how New Zealand law operates in such cases. A Stuff investigation revealed the

One year ago, Australia scrapped a key equity in STEM program. Where are we now?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Maria Vieira, Lecturer, Education Futures, University of South Australia ThisIsEngineering/Pexels In June 2024, the Australian government ended the Women in STEM Ambassador program. The decision followed a report that urged a broader, intersectional approach to diversity in the fields of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM). For

The pursuit of eternal youth goes back centuries. Modern cosmetic surgery is turning it into a reality – for rich people
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Margaret Gibson, Associate Professor of Sociology, Griffith University The Conversation, CC BY-SA Kris Jenner’s “new” face sparked myriad headlines about how she can look so good at 69 years old. While she’s not confirmed what sort of procedures she’s undergone, speculation abounds. As a US reality TV

Woodside’s North West Shelf approval is by no means a one-off. Here are 6 other giant gas projects to watch
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samantha Hepburn, Professor, Deakin Law School, Deakin University GREG WOOD/AFP via Getty Images The federal government’s decision to extend the life of Woodside’s North West Shelf gas plant in Western Australia has been condemned as a climate disaster. The gas lobby claims more gas is needed to

Unprecedented heat in the North Atlantic Ocean kickstarted Europe’s hellish 2023 summer. Now we know what caused it
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matthew England, Scientia Professor and Deputy Director of the ARC Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic Science, UNSW Sydney Westend61/Getty Images In June 2023, a record-breaking marine heatwave swept across the North Atlantic Ocean, smashing previous temperature records. Soon after, deadly heatwaves broke out across large areas

Bowel cancer rates are declining in people over 50. But why are they going up in younger adults?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Suzanne Mahady, Associate Professor, Gastroenterologist & Clinical Epidemiologist, Monash University Thirdman/Pexels Bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer in Australia, with more than 15,000 cases diagnosed annually. It’s also the second most common cause of cancer-related death. Recently, headlines have warned of an uptick in cases

Australian kids BYO lunches to school. There is a healthier way to feed students
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Liesel Spencer, Associate Professor, School of Law, Western Sydney University Getty Images/ courtneyk Australian parents will be familiar with this school morning routine: hastily making sandwiches or squeezing leftovers into containers, grabbing a snack from the cupboard and a piece of fruit from the counter. This would

Australia’s charity sector is growing – but many smaller charities are doing it tough
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Margaret Faulkner, Senior Marketing Scientist, Ehrenberg-Bass Institute, University of South Australia Revenue for Australia’s charity and not-for-profit sector has reached record highs, and total donations have grown. But the story isn’t the same everywhere, and some smaller charities may be struggling. That’s according to the latest edition

Taylor Swift now owns all the music she has ever made: a copyright expert breaks it down
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Wellett Potter, Lecturer in Law, University of New England On Friday, Taylor Swift announced she now owns all the music she has ever made. This reported US$360 million acquisition includes all the master recordings to her first six albums, music videos, concert films, album art, photos and

The secret to Ukraine’s battlefield successes against Russia – it knows wars are never won in the past
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matthew Sussex, Associate Professor (Adj), Griffith Asia Institute; and Fellow, Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University The iconoclastic American general Douglas Macarthur once said that “wars are never won in the past”. That sentiment certainly seemed to ring true following Ukraine’s recent audacious attack on

Politics with Michelle Grattan: historian Emma Shortis warns against falling into Trump’s trade traps
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is expected to have his first face-to-face meeting with US President Donald Trump this month, against a background of increased steel and aluminium tariffs and US pressure on Australia to boost its defence spending. How Australia

Extreme weather events have slowed economic growth, adding to the case for another rate cut
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stella Huangfu, Associate Professor, School of Economics, University of Sydney Australia’s economy slowed sharply in the March quarter, growing by just 0.2% as government spending slowed and extreme weather events dampened demand. That followed an increase of 0.6% in the previous quarter. The national accounts report from

Young people who witness domestic violence are more likely to be victims of it. Here’s how we can help them
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kristin Diemer, Associate Professor of Sociology, The University of Melbourne In our national discussions on domestic and family violence, much of the focus is rightly on the women experiencing the violence and how best to help them. But another vital, less acknowledged part of the puzzle is

Gluten intolerance and coeliac disease can both cause nausea, bloating and pain. What’s the difference?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yasmine Probst, Professor, School of Medical, Indigenous and Health Sciences. Advanced Accredited Practising Dietitian, University of Wollongong fotodrobik/Shutterstock Around one in ten Australians say they follow a gluten-free diet. This means eliminating common foods – such as bread, pasta and noodles – that contain gluten, a protein

How physicists used antimatter, supercomputers and giant magnets to solve a 20-year-old mystery
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Finn Stokes, Ramsay Fellow in Physics, University of Adelaide Cindy Arnold, Fermilab Physicists are always searching for new theories to improve our understanding of the universe and resolve big unanswered questions. But there’s a problem. How do you search for undiscovered forces or particles when you don’t

Ahead of the Brisbane Olympics, it’s time for Australia to get serious about esports
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Craig McNulty, Senior Lecturer in Exercise Physiology, Queensland University of Technology Roman Kosolapov/Shutterstock Most of us have heard of esports but many don’t realise the fast-growing world of competitive video gaming features tournaments, university scholarships and billions of dollars in revenue. As we approach the 2032 Brisbane

ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for June 4, 2025
ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on June 4, 2025.

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

June 5, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto, Colleagues Press Administration for Answers on Cancellation of Protected Status for Afghans Living in U.S.

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined colleagues in the Senate and the House of Representatives pressing for answers from the Trump administration around the decision to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghan nationals living in the United States who have fled violence and persecution from the Taliban. Many of these TPS recipients served fearlessly with the U.S. during the war in Afghanistan, which makes it especially dangerous for them to return home. The lawmakers urged the Administration to reverse course.
“We write with deep concern about the Department of Homeland Security’s termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghanistan, which is scheduled to take effect on July 14, 2025. This decision is devastating for resettled Afghan nationals in the United States who have fled widespread violence, economic instability, challenging humanitarian conditions, and human rights abuses in their home country. Many of these Afghans fearlessly served as strong allies to the United States military during the war in Afghanistan, and we cannot blatantly disregard their service,” the lawmakers began.
“We are also deeply concerned about the State Department Human Rights Report finding that widespread arbitrary and unlawful killings against officials associated with the pre-August 2021 government have occurred,” they continued. “Afghan nationals who assisted the U.S. military should not be put in harm’s way because they supported the U.S. in its fight against the Taliban. This would be a betrayal of those who bravely served alongside our servicemembers for nearly two decades.”
“The grave conditions that forced Afghan nationals to flee and seek refuge in the U.S. following the return of the Taliban to power remain. Because of this harsh reality, forcing Afghan nationals in the U.S. to return to Afghanistan would be reckless and inhumane, and would threaten the safety and well-being of thousands of individuals and families, especially women and girls,” they concluded.
The full text of the letter is available here.
The first and only Latina senator, Senator Cortez Masto has consistently supported immigrant communities in Nevada, calling on both administrations to protect TPS holders and other immigrants, as well as leading commonsense legislation to fix our broken immigration system. She has supported bipartisan legislation to strengthen the Afghan Special Immigration Visa (SIV) program to protect the Afghan civilians who risked their lives to support the U.S. mission. She has worked to pass meaningful immigration reform that balances critical border security measures with a path to citizenship for Dreamers, TPS holders, and essential workers.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 5, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: On the Senate Floor, Cortez Masto Slams Republican Plan to Kick Millions off Health Care

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

FTP for TV stations of her remarks is available here.

“Republicans’ goal is to take Medicaid away from as many people as possible so they can pay for tax cuts for billionaires. It’s absurd and it’s un-American.”

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) spoke on the Senate floor to rake Republicans’ reconciliation bill over the coals for the devastating impact it would have on Nevadans’ health care. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates this bill would add $2.4 trillion to our national deficit and kick 16 million Americans off their health insurance, including nearly 100,000 Nevadans, all to pay for a tax giveaway to President Donald Trump’s billionaire friends.

Below are her remarks as prepared for delivery:

Mr. President, I’m joining my colleagues today to speak in opposition to Republicans’ catastrophic budget bill…that will end health care coverage for millions of American families…so that President Trump can orchestrate the largest transfer of wealth from the poor and working class to the ultra-rich that we have ever seen in this country.

This bill has nearly $1 trillion in health care cuts, including over $800 billion in Medicaid cuts. In total, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that this bill would not only add $2.4 trillion to our national deficit, but also kick 16 million Americans off their health insurance in the next 10 years.

In Nevada, that means about 95,271 people will lose their health care. 66,571 will be kicked off Medicaid.

These numbers alone should at least give my Republican colleagues pause; make them think about how devastating this bill would be for working families. And maybe reconsider moving forward with trying to ram it through Congress.

But there’s more to this than just these big numbers, and it needs to be brought to light.

I was just home in Nevada, meeting with hospitals and providers. With the Medicaid cuts they’re anticipating from this billionaire tax giveaway, hospitals are bracing themselves not just for coverage losses, but for the downstream impact on care and costs.

This is going to affect our most vulnerable populations in Nevada: seniors, children, veterans, parents of children with rare diseases, pregnant women, and our elderly in nursing homes.

When people lose coverage, they delay their care. A single mom who’s living paycheck to paycheck and is worried about putting food on the table for her kids isn’t going to go to the doctor if she has a persistent cough. She’ll wait.

But that means that when her cough turns serious, making it hard for her to breathe, she’ll have to go to the emergency room for treatment. By then, it’s more dangerous for her and more expensive for everyone involved.

The hospital she goes to has to treat her, regardless of whether or not she has health insurance. If she can’t pay, the hospital is on the hook for the cost of her care.

If you’re in a rural or underserved area – of which we have many in Nevada – and the one hospital for miles can’t afford to keep their doors open, it may scale back or close altogether.

Now the hospital staff has to choose which services to cut. Labor and delivery? Mental health care? Trauma units? These are services entire communities rely on.

Or will they be forced to close entirely if they can’t make up the costs?

In rural Nevada, people sometimes have to drive 2, 3, 4 hours to see their doctor. A hospital closure would be devastating for rural families trying to access even basic care. That’s the danger we’re facing with this bill.

This isn’t just about Medicaid patients. As providers look to cover the cost of treating more uninsured patients, those expenses will shift to everyone else. To working families and to employers. Premiums and out-of-pocket costs will soar.

All so President Trump and Republicans can pay for tax cuts for billionaires.

This is also going to impact Nevadans who rely on the Affordable Care Act for their medical insurance.

Republicans’ bill cuts almost $300 billion from ACA Marketplace Plans, which would kick about 29,000 Nevada small business owners, middle-class families, and legal immigrants like Dreamers off their health care.

It would increase Medicare premiums for over 1 million seniors and could end health care coverage for 1.5 million children. These are real people who are going to lose their coverage as a result of this bill.

And the impact would be lasting – this bill is so expensive that it would force Congress to make even more Medicare cuts in the future.

For those who don’t immediately get kicked off their health insurance as a result of cuts to Medicaid, my Republican colleagues want to implement burdensome work reporting requirements so they can take away coverage from even more Americans.

In Nevada, over 67% of Medicaid recipients are already working. But if this bill passes, they’ll have to jump through even more government reporting hoops to prove that they work.

We know from states that have tried this, like Arkansas, that people lost Medicaid not because they didn’t meet the requirement, but because they couldn’t keep up with the red tape.

This bill adds complex paperwork, frequent deadlines, and little flexibility to the everyday lives of hardworking mothers, veterans, and families across the country.

Why? Because the Republicans’ goal is to take Medicaid away from as many people as possible so they can pay for tax cuts for billionaires.

It’s absurd, and it’s un-American. We cannot accept this as our new normal.

My Democratic colleagues and I are going to continue to stand against this outrageous, dangerous bill. The American people deserve better.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 5, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray Presses VA IG Nominee on Political Appointments, Involvement with DOGE

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

***WATCH: Murray’s Q&A at nomination hearing *****

Washington, D.C. — Today, at a Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee hearing to consider pending nominations, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member and former Chair of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, questioned Cheryl Mason, President Trump’s nominee to be Inspector General (IG) of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), on how—as a political appointee for President Trump and an advisor to VA Secretary Doug Collins—she can be trusted to serve as an independent and nonpartisan watchdog for VA, as is the job of the VA Inspector General. Under Secretary Collins’ leadership, VA is stonewalling members of Congress on critical oversight requests and has rolled out controversial policies to dramatically limit Congressional engagement with veterans and VA employees.

Senator Murray began by probing Ms. Mason on her time serving as a senior advisory to Secretary Collins at VA, including even after she was nominated to be Inspector General: “Ms. Mason, you did say on your questionnaire that you continued to be a senior adviser to Secretary Collins after you were nominated to become the Inspector General monitoring his agency. While you were senior advisor to Secretary Collins, what discussions were you involved in related to abruptly canceling contracts, or ending DEI efforts, or eliminating outreach to LGBTQ [veterans]?”

“At the time I answered the questionnaire, I was senior advisor to the Secretary. That role ended very quickly after I submitted that questionnaire,” Ms. Mason replied. “So as for your question as to those roles, the only roles I had with contracts were ensuring that the organizations that were in my portfolio knew that they needed to justify the contracts and ensured that they responded timely. I did not review contracts; I was not involved in those. As far as in the DEI situation, that was an Executive Order, and shortly after the senior advisors came in, they were followed by more senior advisors, and that was not something that was on my plate. That belonged to General Counsel and the senior advisor who was charged with EOs.”

“What substantive work were you doing if you weren’t involved in any of that?” Senator Murray pressed.

“My role as senior advisor was to look into actions that were going on in the administration—,” Ms. Mason said.

“But a lot of the actions that were going on in the administration that we know about were about ending DEI, about firing employees, about canceling contracts. So that was most of the activity that was going on there,” Murray replied.

“That was not in my portfolio. There were separate senior advisors assigned to that. My portfolio was looking at the way those organizations operated and how they served veterans, particularly VBA, because it’s such a large organization. There were challenges with the digital GI Bill, challenge with disability compensation backlog and inventory, with both the Board and VBA, challenges with loan guarantees. There were a variety of challenges within VBA that I was looking at,” said Ms. Mason.

Senator Murray followed up: “Let me ask you differently: What was your engagement with DOGE and the White House outside of the Presidential Personnel Office?”

“I had no engagement with DOGE,” Ms. Mason said.

“None, zero? No contact?,” Murray asked.

“No. The only contact I had was a swearing-in—I attended a swearing-in for a person who has since, I guess, has left the department in DOGE. That person, I attended the VA swearing-in. That was it,” Ms. Mason replied.

Senator Murray continued her questioning by asking whether Ms. Mason would Congressional oversight of the OIG. “As you know, Congress has a responsibility to conduct oversight over the Office of Inspector General to make sure that they are properly conducting their role, so it’s really crucial, as you well know, that the OIG is transparent. If you are confirmed, will you provide us with a list of every ongoing OIG investigation within 30 days?”

“Yes, Senator, I will do so,” replied Ms. Mason.

“The budget for VA proposed the elimination of ‘unnecessary’ outreach activities. From a Congressional perspective, it is really critical to make sure that any canceled outreach doesn’t impact veterans’ ability to receive care that is necessary to provide. If confirmed, will you hold the Department responsible for conducting all outreach that is in statute or policy, even if the political leadership—meaning your former boss, Secretary Collins—doesn’t want to reach out to those groups?” Senator Murray pressed.

Ms. Mason responded, “Senator Murray, I will look into all those situations and I will see where there are statutory require[ments] and they will be held accountable under my watch as OIG if confirmed.”

Senator Murray continued, “Congress was very clear in 1978 when it passed the law governing Inspectors General. The law states, and I want to quote it, ‘each Inspector General shall be appointed without regard to political affiliation and solely on the basis of integrity.’ Do you believe that an Inspector General should be entirely independent from the administration in which they serve?”

“I do,” Ms. Mason replied.

“Well, you were a political appointee for President Trump in his first term, and as we said on your questionnaire, you said you continued to be an advisor to Secretary Collins after you were nominated for this. Do you believe that this demonstrates the kind of nonpartisanship it takes to successfully execute this job?” asked Senator Murray.

“Yes, I do believe I have that,” said Ms. Mason, referencing her prior experience in VA serving under different administrations.

Senator Murray was the first woman to join the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee and the first woman to chair the Committee—as the daughter of a World War II veteran, supporting veterans and their families has always been an important priority for her. Senator Murray has been a leading voice in the Senate speaking out forcefully against President Trump and Elon Musk’s mass firing of VA employees and VA researchers across the country and Elon Musk and DOGE’s infiltration of the VA, including accessing veterans’ sensitive personal information.

Last month at a hearing on veterans’ mental health, Senator Murray pressed administration officials on the importance of transparency and communication with Congress and how the Trump administration’s mass firings might undermine care for veterans who have dealt with sexual trauma. In February, Murray grilled Trump’s then-nominee for VA Deputy Secretary, Dr. Paul Lawrence, on the mass firings of VA employees and VA researchers. After pressing Doug Collins on EHR and protecting women’s access to VA health care, including lifesaving abortion care, at his nomination hearing, Senator Murray voted against Doug Collins’s nomination to be VA Secretary in early February, sounding the alarm over Elon Musk and DOGE’s activities at the VA and making clear that the Trump administration’s lawlessness is putting our national security and our veterans at risk.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 5, 2025