NewzIntel.com

Category: Tourism

  • MIL-OSI USA: CONGRESSWOMAN PLASKETT APPLAUDS RUM COVER OVER PERMANENCY EFFECTIVE DECEMBER 2025 IN LATEST SENATE RECONCILIATION BILL

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett (USVI)

    For Immediate Release                                          Contact: Tionee Scotland
    June 28, 2025                                                           202-808-6129

    PRESS RELEASE

    CONGRESSWOMAN PLASKETT APPLAUDS RUM COVER OVER PERMANENCY EFFECTIVE DECEMBER 2025 IN LATEST SENATE RECONCILIATION BILL

    Washington, DC – Early this morning, the Senate released the latest version of the Senate companion to H.R. 1, the Reconciliation package known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which cuts Medicaid massively and provides massive tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans. The bill now provides a provision which permanently provides the increased rum cover over rate of $13.25 for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. 

    On May 22, 2025, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and since that time, the Senate has drafted several versions of the reconciliation bill. The Senate is expected to begin voting as early as this afternoon, and if passed, it will return to the House of Representatives, where it will receive a vote on the House floor. If the bill is passed by the House of Representatives, it will be sent to the President’s desk for signature. Republicans’ reconciliation bill will make everyday life more expensive for Americans, and it also removes programs which gave opportunities and support for working Americans and those trying to get ahead. 

    Congresswoman Plaskett shared, “While I cannot support the bill in its entirety, I applaud the Senate’s provision to permanently provide the increased rum cover over rate of $13.25, effective December 31, 2025. This provision is not retroactive to the last expiration of the increased rate on January 1, 2022, which means the increased rate of $13.25 will not be recovered for that period of January 2022 to December 2025.

    “I am pleased that the Senate has recognized the importance of the rum cover over to the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico and that at this stage, the provision is included. However, this is a fluid situation that is constantly evolving. This is not the first version of this bill, and we cannot guarantee that this provision will be included in the final version. I am hopeful that the increased rum cover over rate remains in the bill.” 

    Rum cover over is the rebate of federal excise taxes on distilled spirits produced in or imported into the rest of the United States from the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. Under current law, excise tax collections on imported rum are transferred to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands at the rate of $13.25 per proof gallon; $10.50 per proof gallon is in permanent law, and the remaining $2.75 per proof gallon requires periodic reauthorization by Congress. These funds, which represent nearly 25% of the Virgin Islands Government’s annual budget, are critical for stabilizing the government employees’ pension program, supporting infrastructure projects, and attracting investments to diversify the economy beyond tourism. 

    In the 119th Congress, Congresswoman Plaskett and Congressman Ron Estes (KS-4) introduced rum cover legislation (H.R. 1378), which is supported by 24 of her colleagues – 16 Republicans and 8 Democrats. During the 18-hour markup in the Ways and Means Committee for the tax provisions of the House-version of the reconciliation bill, Congresswoman Plaskett offered an amendment to increase the rate of the rum cover offer, to publicly demonstrate the bipartisan support for this provision. Both Democrats and Republicans, including the Ways and Means Chairman, Jason Smith, acknowledged the importance of the increased rum cover over rate. The House version placed in provisions to fix tax issues in the Virgin Islands and also stop effective tariffs on rum coming into the United States 

    Congresswoman Plaskett shared, “I would like to thank our partners for their collective advocacy for the increased rum cover over rate, including Congressman Ron Estes, Congressman Pablo Hernandez, Governor Albert Bryan, Governor Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon, Senator Cassidy, and the rum industry.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Preserving the Lake Placid Horse Show

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today announced a $6 million State investment to replace the Long Building at the North Elba Showgrounds in Lake Placid, ensuring the continued success of the internationally recognized Lake Placid and I Love New York Horse Shows. The Governor made the announcement during the 55th annual horse shows, which generate $17.9 million in economic activity and support 164 jobs in the Adirondack region.

    “I’ll always remember visiting Lake Placid as a kid and experiencing the wonders of this community, and it’s those experiences — shared by residents and tourists alike — that make investments like this one in the North Elba Showgrounds so important,” Governor Hochul said. “This facility will create jobs and spur economic activity for generations of North Country residents, and I look forward to seeing the community grow alongside it into a brighter future.”

    The funding, which will be administered by the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY), will enable the complete replacement of the aging Long Building, a central facility used for spectator services, catering and event operations during the two-week horse show. The modern facility will provide improved amenities, accessible features, and flexible space to support year-round community programming including Camp Placid, a youth summer program.

    The North Elba Showgrounds have hosted the Lake Placid and I Love New York Horse Shows for 54 years, with the event spanning the July 4 holiday period. Recent facility assessments determined that without significant infrastructure improvements, the venue risked losing its ability to attract top-tier competitors and maintain its international standing in equestrian sport.

    The horse shows represent a significant economic engine for the Adirondack region, generating $17.9 million in total economic impact annually. This includes $13.9 million in direct spending, $2.8 million in state and local tax revenue and support for 164 total jobs. Visitors spend $12.2 million on lodging, dining, retail and entertainment throughout the region during the two-week event.

    The project is part of a comprehensive two-phase renovation of the showgrounds designed to meet international competition standards. Phase One, completed this year with $2.1 million in investments from the Town of North Elba and Lake Placid Horse Show Association, included arena improvements, new all-weather competition footing, and infrastructure upgrades. Phase Two is anticipated to begin following the conclusion of this year’s horse shows in July, with the new Long Building planned for completion ahead of the 2026 season.

    The Long Building serves multiple functions beyond the annual horse shows. Throughout the year, it hosts community events and provides essential infrastructure for other activities at the showgrounds, including serving as a staging area for Olympic Regional Development Authority events at the nearby ski jumps, home to the 1980 Olympic Torch.

    The new facility will feature modern amenities including accessible restrooms, a commercial kitchen, emergency shelter capabilities and flexible space designed to accommodate both large-scale equestrian events and smaller community gatherings. The building will be constructed to current code standards with enhanced fire safety features and ADA compliance.

    DASNY President and CEO Robert J. Rodriguez said, “DASNY is proud to administer this important investment in Lake Placid’s tourism infrastructure. The North Elba Showgrounds project exemplifies how strategic capital investments can preserve economic drivers while enhancing community assets for generations to come.”

    The Lake Placid and I Love New York Horse Shows attract competitors and spectators from across North America and internationally, drawing riders who participate in major competitions including the Olympics and World Equestrian Games. The event strengthens Lake Placid’s reputation as a premier destination for both winter and summer sports, building on the community’s Olympic legacy.

    This investment represents Governor Hochul’s continued commitment to supporting tourism infrastructure and economic development in the Adirondack region, ensuring that key attractions and events can continue to draw visitors and generate economic activity for local communities.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How does Marburg virus spread between species? Young Ugandan scientist’s photos give important clues

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Alexander Richard Braczkowski, Research Fellow at the Centre for Planetary Health and Resilient Conservation Group, Griffith University

    In the shadows of Python Cave, Uganda, a leopard leaps from a guano mound – formed by bat excrement – and sinks its teeth into a bat. But this is no ordinary bat colony. The thousands of Egyptian fruit bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus) found in this cave are known carriers of one of the world’s deadliest viruses: Marburg, a close cousin of Ebola.

    Over just four months, our cameras recorded 261 predator encounters: crowned eagles, Nile monitors, leopards, pythons and blue monkeys all caught feeding on, or scavenging from this virus-harbouring colony.

    And yet, this wasn’t the work of a global health agency or virology lab. The discovery came from a 25-year-old Ugandan undergraduate, Bosco Atukwatse, working with our small Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust Kyambura Lion Project team in Queen Elizabeth National Park. His only tools: a trail camera, curiosity and ecological instinct.

    I am a conservation scientist with over 17 years of experience in wildlife ecology, monitoring and human-wildlife conflict. I’m the co-founder of the Kyambura Lion Project, which made this discovery.

    For years, scientists studying how diseases spread from animals to humans have hypothesised that zoonotic diseases jump from a wildlife reservoir (like a bat) to an intermediate host (monkey) and potentially to us, humans.

    For past Marburg outbreaks in Uganda, two spillover pathways have been identified: the first, involves humans coming into contact with a fruit bat habitat (namely caves filled with bat guano). Indeed, fruit bats are thought to have infected two tourists at Python Cave in 2007 and 2008.

    The second pathway involves humans and animals eating the same fruit that bats have fed upon or made contact with. This second spillover pathway was identified by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention scientists in 2023. They tracked bats from the cave entering cultivated gardens to feed.

    But Atukwatse and the team of young Ugandan scientists (Yahaya Ssemakula, Johnson Muhereza, Orin Cornille and Winfred Nsabimana) have potentially found another pathway: predation by at least 14 species.

    Such rich visual evidence of a viral interface – bats, predators and people – is virtually non-existent in the literature. Many theoretical depictions of this process exist, and there are isolated incidents of a monkey predating on a bat or wildlife feeding on bat guano, but Atukwatse’s discovery of this many different predators repeatedly feeding on a known Marburg virus reservoir is a first.

    His discovery highlights two uncomfortable truths:

    • many potential zoonotic interfaces remain undocumented – often right under our noses

    • the people most likely to detect them first are those living closest to wild frontiers.

    But the bigger message is this: global health institutions need to stop overlooking local scientists and start funding field-based detection systems across Africa and Asia.

    If we want to detect the next outbreak early, we should be empowering more Atukwatses, not waiting for the next lab test.

    A hunch pays off

    In early February 2025, Atukwatse and our small team of local scientists was expanding our long-term African leopard and spotted hyena monitoring grid into a new part of Queen Elizabeth National Park – the Kyambura Wildlife Reserve and Maramagambo forest.

    Atukwatse had heard from nearby guides that a large bat cave lay close to the survey grid. That kind of site, he reasoned, could be perfect leopard territory: a place to hunt, rest or avoid the heat.

    This is ecological attentiveness at its best – the field biology equivalent of a commodities trader spotting volatility in a geopolitical flashpoint.

    Atukwatse had his radar on and acted on instinct, setting five camera traps at the cave’s entrance and along the surrounding animal trails. Just one week later, he got what he hoped for: three separate clips of a leopard hunting bats in broad daylight. He left the cameras in place in protective casing. He checked them every 7–10 days.

    But that was just the beginning.

    The scale of the discovery

    When I first looked at Atukwatse’s videos, our joint excitement was around the leopard footage. We knew they were adaptable and could even eat small rodents , but no one had ever recorded them eating bats in Africa.

    As more clips came in, we realised something bigger was unfolding. Blue monkeys were seen grabbing bats mid-roost. A crowned eagle and a Nile monitor fought over two bat carcasses. A fish eagle – typically a piscivore, which is a carnivorous species that primarily eats fish – was filmed clutching bats in its talons.



    Read more:
    African wild dogs: DNA tests of their faeces reveal surprises about what they eat

    Over 304 trap-nights, Atukwatse’s traps recorded 261 independent predator events from at least 14 different species.

    Then came the second shock: over 400 human visitors – many of them tourists – were filmed approaching the cave mouth without any protective gear. Some stood just metres from a known Marburg virus reservoir. Importantly, the Uganda Wildlife Authority has built a sanctioned viewing platform about 35 metres from the cave. However, tourists broke park rules and walked within two metres of the cave mouth.

    It was only after I visited the cave myself to take stills of the team that we put this all together. Atukwatse had just found the first visual evidence, at a large scale in nature, of at least 14 predators feeding on a known wildlife virus reservoir harbouring one of Earth’s deadliest viruses.

    This wasn’t the result of million-dollar pathogen surveillance. It wasn’t even the core aim of our leopard survey. This happened because a young Ugandan field scientist followed his ecological gut.

    Why does the discovery matter?

    For decades, disease ecologists have known that major outbreaks often originate in wildlife – swine flu, avian flu and even SARS-CoV-2 all trace back to animal hosts. But what’s often missing is direct observation of spillover interfaces – the exact moments when a virus jumps from a bat, goose, or other animal into new species like humans, livestock or other wildlife.

    Atukwatse’s discovery may be the first large-scale visual record of such an interface in nature: a roost of Egyptian fruit bats known to harbour a deadly virus, actively predated upon by at least 14 species, with hundreds of humans visiting the same cave mouth unprotected.

    This may be a Rosetta Stone moment for spillover ecology – shifting our understanding from hypothetical models to a real, observable interface.

    These kinds of spillover sites exist in other places in nature: in a Chinese wet market where a civet meets a meat processor, or in a Gabonese village where a bat is butchered for bushmeat. The difference? Most of them go undocumented. Atukwatse just filmed one.

    Alexander Richard Braczkowski is the scientific director of the Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust Kyambura Lion Project.

    – ref. How does Marburg virus spread between species? Young Ugandan scientist’s photos give important clues – https://theconversation.com/how-does-marburg-virus-spread-between-species-young-ugandan-scientists-photos-give-important-clues-259806

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How does Marburg virus spread between species? Young Ugandan scientist’s photos give important clues

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Alexander Richard Braczkowski, Research Fellow at the Centre for Planetary Health and Resilient Conservation Group, Griffith University

    In the shadows of Python Cave, Uganda, a leopard leaps from a guano mound – formed by bat excrement – and sinks its teeth into a bat. But this is no ordinary bat colony. The thousands of Egyptian fruit bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus) found in this cave are known carriers of one of the world’s deadliest viruses: Marburg, a close cousin of Ebola.

    Over just four months, our cameras recorded 261 predator encounters: crowned eagles, Nile monitors, leopards, pythons and blue monkeys all caught feeding on, or scavenging from this virus-harbouring colony.

    And yet, this wasn’t the work of a global health agency or virology lab. The discovery came from a 25-year-old Ugandan undergraduate, Bosco Atukwatse, working with our small Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust Kyambura Lion Project team in Queen Elizabeth National Park. His only tools: a trail camera, curiosity and ecological instinct.

    I am a conservation scientist with over 17 years of experience in wildlife ecology, monitoring and human-wildlife conflict. I’m the co-founder of the Kyambura Lion Project, which made this discovery.

    For years, scientists studying how diseases spread from animals to humans have hypothesised that zoonotic diseases jump from a wildlife reservoir (like a bat) to an intermediate host (monkey) and potentially to us, humans.

    For past Marburg outbreaks in Uganda, two spillover pathways have been identified: the first, involves humans coming into contact with a fruit bat habitat (namely caves filled with bat guano). Indeed, fruit bats are thought to have infected two tourists at Python Cave in 2007 and 2008.

    The second pathway involves humans and animals eating the same fruit that bats have fed upon or made contact with. This second spillover pathway was identified by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention scientists in 2023. They tracked bats from the cave entering cultivated gardens to feed.

    But Atukwatse and the team of young Ugandan scientists (Yahaya Ssemakula, Johnson Muhereza, Orin Cornille and Winfred Nsabimana) have potentially found another pathway: predation by at least 14 species.

    Such rich visual evidence of a viral interface – bats, predators and people – is virtually non-existent in the literature. Many theoretical depictions of this process exist, and there are isolated incidents of a monkey predating on a bat or wildlife feeding on bat guano, but Atukwatse’s discovery of this many different predators repeatedly feeding on a known Marburg virus reservoir is a first.

    His discovery highlights two uncomfortable truths:

    • many potential zoonotic interfaces remain undocumented – often right under our noses

    • the people most likely to detect them first are those living closest to wild frontiers.

    But the bigger message is this: global health institutions need to stop overlooking local scientists and start funding field-based detection systems across Africa and Asia.

    If we want to detect the next outbreak early, we should be empowering more Atukwatses, not waiting for the next lab test.

    A hunch pays off

    In early February 2025, Atukwatse and our small team of local scientists was expanding our long-term African leopard and spotted hyena monitoring grid into a new part of Queen Elizabeth National Park – the Kyambura Wildlife Reserve and Maramagambo forest.

    Atukwatse had heard from nearby guides that a large bat cave lay close to the survey grid. That kind of site, he reasoned, could be perfect leopard territory: a place to hunt, rest or avoid the heat.

    This is ecological attentiveness at its best – the field biology equivalent of a commodities trader spotting volatility in a geopolitical flashpoint.

    Atukwatse had his radar on and acted on instinct, setting five camera traps at the cave’s entrance and along the surrounding animal trails. Just one week later, he got what he hoped for: three separate clips of a leopard hunting bats in broad daylight. He left the cameras in place in protective casing. He checked them every 7–10 days.

    But that was just the beginning.

    The scale of the discovery

    When I first looked at Atukwatse’s videos, our joint excitement was around the leopard footage. We knew they were adaptable and could even eat small rodents , but no one had ever recorded them eating bats in Africa.

    As more clips came in, we realised something bigger was unfolding. Blue monkeys were seen grabbing bats mid-roost. A crowned eagle and a Nile monitor fought over two bat carcasses. A fish eagle – typically a piscivore, which is a carnivorous species that primarily eats fish – was filmed clutching bats in its talons.



    Read more:
    African wild dogs: DNA tests of their faeces reveal surprises about what they eat

    Over 304 trap-nights, Atukwatse’s traps recorded 261 independent predator events from at least 14 different species.

    Then came the second shock: over 400 human visitors – many of them tourists – were filmed approaching the cave mouth without any protective gear. Some stood just metres from a known Marburg virus reservoir. Importantly, the Uganda Wildlife Authority has built a sanctioned viewing platform about 35 metres from the cave. However, tourists broke park rules and walked within two metres of the cave mouth.

    It was only after I visited the cave myself to take stills of the team that we put this all together. Atukwatse had just found the first visual evidence, at a large scale in nature, of at least 14 predators feeding on a known wildlife virus reservoir harbouring one of Earth’s deadliest viruses.

    This wasn’t the result of million-dollar pathogen surveillance. It wasn’t even the core aim of our leopard survey. This happened because a young Ugandan field scientist followed his ecological gut.

    Why does the discovery matter?

    For decades, disease ecologists have known that major outbreaks often originate in wildlife – swine flu, avian flu and even SARS-CoV-2 all trace back to animal hosts. But what’s often missing is direct observation of spillover interfaces – the exact moments when a virus jumps from a bat, goose, or other animal into new species like humans, livestock or other wildlife.

    Atukwatse’s discovery may be the first large-scale visual record of such an interface in nature: a roost of Egyptian fruit bats known to harbour a deadly virus, actively predated upon by at least 14 species, with hundreds of humans visiting the same cave mouth unprotected.

    This may be a Rosetta Stone moment for spillover ecology – shifting our understanding from hypothetical models to a real, observable interface.

    These kinds of spillover sites exist in other places in nature: in a Chinese wet market where a civet meets a meat processor, or in a Gabonese village where a bat is butchered for bushmeat. The difference? Most of them go undocumented. Atukwatse just filmed one.

    Alexander Richard Braczkowski is the scientific director of the Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust Kyambura Lion Project.

    – ref. How does Marburg virus spread between species? Young Ugandan scientist’s photos give important clues – https://theconversation.com/how-does-marburg-virus-spread-between-species-young-ugandan-scientists-photos-give-important-clues-259806

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: How does Marburg virus spread between species? Young Ugandan scientist’s photos give important clues

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Alexander Richard Braczkowski, Research Fellow at the Centre for Planetary Health and Resilient Conservation Group, Griffith University

    In the shadows of Python Cave, Uganda, a leopard leaps from a guano mound – formed by bat excrement – and sinks its teeth into a bat. But this is no ordinary bat colony. The thousands of Egyptian fruit bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus) found in this cave are known carriers of one of the world’s deadliest viruses: Marburg, a close cousin of Ebola.

    Over just four months, our cameras recorded 261 predator encounters: crowned eagles, Nile monitors, leopards, pythons and blue monkeys all caught feeding on, or scavenging from this virus-harbouring colony.

    And yet, this wasn’t the work of a global health agency or virology lab. The discovery came from a 25-year-old Ugandan undergraduate, Bosco Atukwatse, working with our small Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust Kyambura Lion Project team in Queen Elizabeth National Park. His only tools: a trail camera, curiosity and ecological instinct.

    I am a conservation scientist with over 17 years of experience in wildlife ecology, monitoring and human-wildlife conflict. I’m the co-founder of the Kyambura Lion Project, which made this discovery.

    For years, scientists studying how diseases spread from animals to humans have hypothesised that zoonotic diseases jump from a wildlife reservoir (like a bat) to an intermediate host (monkey) and potentially to us, humans.

    For past Marburg outbreaks in Uganda, two spillover pathways have been identified: the first, involves humans coming into contact with a fruit bat habitat (namely caves filled with bat guano). Indeed, fruit bats are thought to have infected two tourists at Python Cave in 2007 and 2008.

    The second pathway involves humans and animals eating the same fruit that bats have fed upon or made contact with. This second spillover pathway was identified by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention scientists in 2023. They tracked bats from the cave entering cultivated gardens to feed.

    But Atukwatse and the team of young Ugandan scientists (Yahaya Ssemakula, Johnson Muhereza, Orin Cornille and Winfred Nsabimana) have potentially found another pathway: predation by at least 14 species.

    Such rich visual evidence of a viral interface – bats, predators and people – is virtually non-existent in the literature. Many theoretical depictions of this process exist, and there are isolated incidents of a monkey predating on a bat or wildlife feeding on bat guano, but Atukwatse’s discovery of this many different predators repeatedly feeding on a known Marburg virus reservoir is a first.

    A leopard grabs a fruit bat at Uganda’s Python Cave. Bosco Atukwatse/Kyambura Lion Project

    His discovery highlights two uncomfortable truths:

    • many potential zoonotic interfaces remain undocumented – often right under our noses

    • the people most likely to detect them first are those living closest to wild frontiers.

    But the bigger message is this: global health institutions need to stop overlooking local scientists and start funding field-based detection systems across Africa and Asia.

    If we want to detect the next outbreak early, we should be empowering more Atukwatses, not waiting for the next lab test.

    A hunch pays off

    In early February 2025, Atukwatse and our small team of local scientists was expanding our long-term African leopard and spotted hyena monitoring grid into a new part of Queen Elizabeth National Park – the Kyambura Wildlife Reserve and Maramagambo forest.

    Atukwatse had heard from nearby guides that a large bat cave lay close to the survey grid. That kind of site, he reasoned, could be perfect leopard territory: a place to hunt, rest or avoid the heat.

    This is ecological attentiveness at its best – the field biology equivalent of a commodities trader spotting volatility in a geopolitical flashpoint.

    A blue monkey with bat in hand at Python Cave. Bosco Atukwatse/Kyambura Lion Project

    Atukwatse had his radar on and acted on instinct, setting five camera traps at the cave’s entrance and along the surrounding animal trails. Just one week later, he got what he hoped for: three separate clips of a leopard hunting bats in broad daylight. He left the cameras in place in protective casing. He checked them every 7–10 days.

    But that was just the beginning.

    The scale of the discovery

    When I first looked at Atukwatse’s videos, our joint excitement was around the leopard footage. We knew they were adaptable and could even eat small rodents , but no one had ever recorded them eating bats in Africa.

    As more clips came in, we realised something bigger was unfolding. Blue monkeys were seen grabbing bats mid-roost. A crowned eagle and a Nile monitor fought over two bat carcasses. A fish eagle – typically a piscivore, which is a carnivorous species that primarily eats fish – was filmed clutching bats in its talons.

    Read more: African wild dogs: DNA tests of their faeces reveal surprises about what they eat

    Over 304 trap-nights, Atukwatse’s traps recorded 261 independent predator events from at least 14 different species.

    Then came the second shock: over 400 human visitors – many of them tourists – were filmed approaching the cave mouth without any protective gear. Some stood just metres from a known Marburg virus reservoir. Importantly, the Uganda Wildlife Authority has built a sanctioned viewing platform about 35 metres from the cave. However, tourists broke park rules and walked within two metres of the cave mouth.

    Bosco Atukwatse.

    It was only after I visited the cave myself to take stills of the team that we put this all together. Atukwatse had just found the first visual evidence, at a large scale in nature, of at least 14 predators feeding on a known wildlife virus reservoir harbouring one of Earth’s deadliest viruses.

    This wasn’t the result of million-dollar pathogen surveillance. It wasn’t even the core aim of our leopard survey. This happened because a young Ugandan field scientist followed his ecological gut.

    Why does the discovery matter?

    For decades, disease ecologists have known that major outbreaks often originate in wildlife – swine flu, avian flu and even SARS-CoV-2 all trace back to animal hosts. But what’s often missing is direct observation of spillover interfaces – the exact moments when a virus jumps from a bat, goose, or other animal into new species like humans, livestock or other wildlife.

    Atukwatse’s discovery may be the first large-scale visual record of such an interface in nature: a roost of Egyptian fruit bats known to harbour a deadly virus, actively predated upon by at least 14 species, with hundreds of humans visiting the same cave mouth unprotected.

    This may be a Rosetta Stone moment for spillover ecology – shifting our understanding from hypothetical models to a real, observable interface.

    These kinds of spillover sites exist in other places in nature: in a Chinese wet market where a civet meets a meat processor, or in a Gabonese village where a bat is butchered for bushmeat. The difference? Most of them go undocumented. Atukwatse just filmed one.

    – How does Marburg virus spread between species? Young Ugandan scientist’s photos give important clues
    – https://theconversation.com/how-does-marburg-virus-spread-between-species-young-ugandan-scientists-photos-give-important-clues-259806

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Significant influx of Chinese tourists to boost Malaysia’s tourism growth

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    KUALA LUMPUR, June 28 (Xinhua) — Despite the gloomy economic outlook, Hong Leong Investment Bank predicts that Malaysia’s tourism growth will remain unchanged, driven by a significant influx of Chinese tourists.

    The research house said in a report released on Thursday that Malaysia’s tourism performance in the first quarter was strong. Tourist arrivals and revenues rose 10 percent and 24 percent year-on-year to RM6.4 million and RM27.5 billion (US$6.5 billion), respectively, while average expenditure per tourist rose to RM4,300.

    “This may be due to the sharp increase in the number of Chinese tourists in the first three months of this year (up 27 percent year-on-year),” the report said.

    Malaysia has set an ambitious tourism target for 2025: to welcome 31.3 million tourists and generate RM125.5 billion in revenue, which would translate into year-on-year growth of 25 percent and 23 percent, respectively.

    In its report, Hong Leong Investment Bank highlighted that Chinese tourists tend to stay longer in Malaysia and spend more. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto, Rosen Announce Critical Funding for Nevada’s Vital Airports

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) announced that the Department of Transportation (DOT) awarded $50,611,106 in grants to international, regional, rural, and Tribal airports in the State of Nevada. This funding will allow airports to make necessary infrastructure improvements and support Nevada’s travel and tourism economy.

    “I’m pleased to see this funding come into the Silver State to upgrade critical infrastructure of our airports.” said Senator Cortez Masto. “These improvements will protect the comfort and safety of all travelers, whether they’re coming to visit or returning home. I will continue to work in the Senate to support Nevada’s travel and tourism economy, and our aviation infrastructure, everywhere from Las Vegas to Elko.”

    “Nevada’s airports are essential to our state’s tourism economy,” said Senator Rosen. “This funding will help modernize infrastructure, improve safety, and support the continued growth of communities across our state. I’ll keep working to bring federal investments back to Nevada and ensure our airports have the resources they need to thrive.”

    A full breakdown of the funding can be found below:

    • $41,618,872 for the Harry Reid International Airport for runway, baggage handling, and drainage system improvements.
    • $7,625,625 for the Reno/Tahoe International Airport for their ongoing expansion.
    • $337,375 for the Winnemucca Municipal Airport for wind cone and signage installation and precision approach path indicator systems.
    • $305,000 for the Carson City Airport for repavement projects.
    • $219,621 for the Jackpot/Hayden Field/County of Elko Airport for runway rehabilitation.
    • $114,762 for the Mesquite Airport for service road reconstruction.
    • $109,830 for the Owyhee, NV/Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Indian Reservation Airport for construction of a new terminal.
    • $109,772 for the Battle Mountain/County of Lander Airport for construction of a new airport hangar.
    • $107,882 for the Minden-Tahoe/County of Douglas Airport for installation of new lighting to enhance safety.
    • $62,367 for the Hawthorne Industrial Airport to infrastructure for snow removal.

    Senators Cortez Masto and Rosen have consistently worked to ensure Nevada receives its fair share of federal funding for its airports. They have secured millions in funding for clean transportation and improvements at Harry Reid International Airport and at Reno-Tahoe International Airport. Both Senators prioritized important airport terminal funding in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and also pushed to secure funds through the American Rescue Plan to support Nevada’s airports and airline workers through the pandemic’s economic crisis to the industry. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: ‘2025 Amazing Night in Hangzhou’ officially launched

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

    This photo taken on June 27, 2025 shows the main venue of “2025 Amazing Night in Hangzhou” in Qianjiang new town, Shangcheng District of Hangzhou, east China’s Zhejiang Province. The “2025 Amazing Night in Hangzhou” officially launched at its main venue in Qianjiang new town on Friday.

    The event integrates cultural tourism and technology, featuring five major sections and over 30 themed activities. (Xinhua/Jiang Han)

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    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Craft, creativity and community behind craze in China’s ‘coffee city’

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

    Customers enjoy coffee at a coffee shop in Yunyan District of Guiyang, southwest China’s Guizhou Province, June 23, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Guiyang, in southwest China’s Guizhou Province, has made a name for itself as a coffee powerhouse despite having no coffee farms. Home to more than 3,000 coffee shops, the provincial capital has produced over 10 world and national champions in coffee roasting.

    This once quiet inland city is now enjoying the buzz of being a burgeoning coffee hub. It has cultivated a vibrant coffee culture by inviting world champions to give lectures and training, and sending local teams to participate in international competitions.

    Its distinctive coffee culture, coupled with an open mindset and innovative flair, is not only drawing in a growing number of coffee aficionados from near and far, but also bringing new employment opportunities for the local youth.

    Peng Jinyang, the champion of the 2025 World Brewers Cup (WBC), makes hand-brewed coffee at his company in Guiyang, southwest China’s Guizhou Province, May 23, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Craftsmanship 

    Peng Jinyang, a barista and coffee shop owner of Captain George in Guiyang, recently clinched the champion title at the 2025 World Brewers Cup (WBC) in Indonesia. He noticed that under the same conditions, even if three cups of coffee were brewed consecutively, there would be subtle differences in the taste of each cup.

    His skill comes from years of refining his palette, through which he discovered how the temperature variations between the spout and the center of the teapot impact flavor. This became the theme of his WBC presentation, which won high praise from the judges.

    In 2012, Peng, then a college student with an interest in the rich flavor produced by roasting coffee beans, co-founded a coffee shop with a fellow barista in Guiyang. At that time, domestic coffee information was scarce, and the types of coffee beans were limited. With the support of his parents, he bought a coffee roasting machine and learned about roasting from English-language videos.

    To improve his techniques, he attended coffee seminars across China and, in 2019, started to invite global coffee champions to give lessons in Guiyang. With expertise, Peng took home the champion prize at the TAKAO International Coffee Competition in 2016, and captained his team to win the WBC China champion title for four consecutive years since 2022.

    “‘Bringing in’ these champions is crucial for accessing the latest coffee knowledge and ensuring that baristas in Guiyang, despite it being an inland city, stay at the forefront of the coffee industry,” Peng said.

    Community 

    In Guiyang, there is one coffee shop for every 2,000 residents. This makes it one of the Chinese cities with the highest coffee shop density. Some tourists even walk through the city’s streets and alleys with maps in hand, determined to seek out the coffee shops hidden in the deep lanes.

    Nestled in narrow alleys and old neighborhoods of Guiyang, many boutique coffee shops are strategically placed. For locals, it is convenient to pick up a cup of high-quality coffee during their daily commute.

    In Yunyan District, which boasts the highest concentration of coffee shops, each of its five leading cafés sells an average of 300 cups of coffee per day, generating a revenue of over 10,000 yuan (about 1,400 U.S. dollars). Most of the consumption comes from residents of the surrounding community. This once-foreign beverage has gradually been woven into the fabric of their daily lives.

    In an old community off the bustling snack street of Caijiajie, Rock Black is a hidden gem. Owned by Lei Ming, who has been in the coffee business since 2020, this cozy spot has rightly made a name for itself.

    Lei actively participates in professional coffee competitions and serves as a judge for coffee events. During this year’s Dragon Boat Festival holiday, his coffee shop saw an average daily output of over 300 cups, with 75 percent of its customers being out-of-town tourists.

    On the edge of a new development zone in eastern Guiyang, where wide sidewalks meet sleek residential blocks, Orchard Café stands out more like a creative community than a commercial coffeehouse.

    “We host everything — from international certification courses for new baristas, to community ‘cuppings’ where customers discover their favorite beans, to pre-competition bootcamps for elite brewers,” said Qiang Hua, the shop founder, who is a barista with a decade of experience and eight years as a certified sensory judge at elite events like the China Brewers Championship.

    “Barista champion is not just someone who can brew a cup of good coffee, but also someone who should lead the way, elevate the entire industry and drive the community of baristas to keep improving,” Qiang added.

    Creativity 

    Each coffee shop seems to be pulling out all the stops to carve out its own unique path in this “coffee city”.

    Lei never expected that his recipe of mixing fish mint with Americano would become a market hit. “It makes you shake your head when you hear of it, but once you taste it, you’re hooked,” he quipped.

    In Guiyang, where the local cuisine is celebrated for its masterful use of spices, baristas are turning to local ingredients, blending the sweet and sour of kiwiberry juice, the pungent aroma of litse fruit, and the rich flavor of local milk with coffee beans.

    In 2024, Rock Black launched a “One Bean, Three Ways” experience set, pairing one type of coffee bean with three local ingredients. The fish mint Americano has since risen from a novelty drink to a symbol of the city’s taste for many consumers.

    GOOD Coffee, another local coffeehouse, has put a lot of efforts into its coffee gear. Its owner Luo Nianyu and her team have turned each cup of coffee into an artistic medium, sparking a social media craze.

    Customers love to share the hand-painted coffee cups on social media, each one like a tiny canvas. A shelf behind the counter is filled with cups that Luo and her team have painted by hand.

    Her café has won a loyal customer base and a good reputation, being dubbed by many netizens as “the most human café in Guiyang.”

    “Cafés exist in a kind of paradox. People want consistency in quality, but they also crave surprises,” Luo said, adding that the hand-painted cups are their way of offering both — a dependable brew with a personal twist. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Post-exam economy ignites China’s youth consumption surge

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

    Students take a bus to leave after the exam at a national college entrance examination site in Lhasa, southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region, June 9, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    High school graduates are stepping out of classrooms nationwide and into adulthood following the 2025 gaokao, or national college entrance examination. Their enthusiasm is fueling a vibrant wave of youth spending, known as the “post-exam economy.”

    This year, a record 13.35 million students registered for the gaokao, forming a substantial consumer force driving the current post-exam spending boom. With the exam behind them, these young people are eager to mark the start of a new chapter in their lives.

    Among the most popular choices is outdoor travel. Many graduates have set out to explore the country’s vast landscapes, sparking a fresh surge in youth tourism. According to Chinese travel platform Trip.com, bookings for trips departing between June 9 and June 11 jumped 88 percent week-on-week, as students wasted no time in embarking on their post-exam adventures.

    For many graduates, these journeys are far more than simple getaways for rest and relaxation. They see them as symbolic rites of passage — not only a farewell to academic pressure, but also a meaningful growth milestone. That first train or plane ticket they book themselves becomes a youthful declaration of independence.

    At the scenic spots of Qutang Gorge and the ancient town of Baidi (white emperor) in Fengjie County, southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality, graduates are hiking to the summit of the Three Gorges and taking in the breathtaking landscapes.

    Qiu Depeng and Jin Zhiyu chose to tackle the “Three Gorges Summit” trail together. “People from all over the country come to the ancient town of Baidi and hike the summit. Now that we finally have the time, we can experience the landscapes we’ve only read about in textbooks,” said Qiu.

    To improve the tourism experience, Fengjie has introduced a series of discounts for graduating middle school, high school, and university students. Despite the summer heat, more than 100 high school graduates visit the scenic site daily, according to Luo Xiaoqing, head of the White Emperor City Qutang Gorge Scenic Spot management department.

    Concurrently, smartphones, laptops, and tablets have become the popular trio of “exam rewards” from parents. As students gear up for further education, the demand for such college essentials has driven a significant surge in electronics sales.

    High school graduate Wen Jie recently bought the three items during the “618” shopping spree in JD MALL’s digital section in Chongqing’s Jiulongpo District.

    Store manager Sun Jian noted that the post-exam season combined with the shopping spree spurred sales growth. Beyond the traditional trio, products like iFlytek’s learning devices and smart notebooks, as well as various wearable technology saw sales rise by 40 to 50 percent compared with the previous period.

    Retailers across the country are capitalizing on this momentum, with many stores launching promotional campaigns. At an electronics store in Shanghai’s Qingpu District, inquiries from student customers have surged by more than 60 percent week-on-week. To better serve this group, the store has added dedicated staff to provide guidance and ensure government subsidy policies are effectively implemented.

    Beyond travel and electronics, some graduates are focusing their spending on self-improvement, such as learning to drive and beginning fitness training.

    At a commercial fitness center in Chongqing’s Liangjiang New Area, specialized courses such as boxing, Pilates, and functional training have seen surging popularity. “Many of our new members are recent graduates hoping to get in better shape before starting university. Our membership grew by more than 50 percent month-on-month,” said a representative of the gym.

    Compared with working out on their own, graduates are more inclined to hire professional trainers. Female members tend to prefer strength training and stretching classes, while male members are drawn to boxing and functional workouts. Many opt for packages of around 36 sessions over two months, said the representative.

    Additionally, many graduates are also using the extended summer break for vision correction and dental treatments. Data from Chinese e-commerce platform Meituan shows that in the first week after the exam, orders for vision correction surgeries surged by 108 percent, while demand for orthodontics and teeth whitening rose by around 30 percent. Post-exam members of Generation Z are the main drivers of this growth.

    “The ‘post-exam economy’ reflects a vibrant wave of youth-driven consumption and serves as an important lens for observing trends among young consumers,” stated Long Shaobo, professor at Chongqing University’s School of Public Administration.

    The phenomenon extends beyond a temporary spending spike. “Governments and businesses must deepen their understanding of these needs, enhance quality offerings, and build long-term mechanisms to transform this short-term momentum into a sustainable driver for economic and consumer growth,” said Long. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Dunhuang carries out comprehensive upgrade of night market in China’s Gansu

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

    Dunhuang carries out comprehensive upgrade of night market in China’s Gansu

    Updated: June 28, 2025 08:08 Xinhua
    Tourists visit the night market in Dunhuang, northwest China’s Gansu Province, June 26, 2025. Dunhuang has carried out a comprehensive upgrade of characteristic blocks such as the Dunhuang Night Market since the beginning of this year. By leveraging its profound history and culture, Dunhuang integrated mural and Silk Road culture elements into the renovation of the blocks, injecting new impetus into local night economy and tourism industry. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Tourists visit the night market in Dunhuang, northwest China’s Gansu Province, June 26, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden, Merkley, Bonamici, Hoyle Announce $1 Million for Airports on Oregon Coast & Willamette Valley

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)

    June 27, 2025

    Federal grants heading to airports in Tillamook, Astoria, Brookings and Aurora

    Washington D.C.—U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, along with U.S. Representatives Suzanne Bonamici and Val Hoyle, today announced $1.08 million combined in federal infrastructure investments at airports in Tillamook, Astoria, Brookings and Aurora.

    “Federal investments in smaller airports throughout Oregon are a must to enhance quality of life in rural communities, Wyden said. “I’m gratified these federal resources are heading to our state, and I’ll keep battling for similar investments that support local economies, ensure emergency services during wildfires and more.”

    “Oregon’s regional airports serve as vital hubs for our communities and economies – supporting local businesses, connecting travelers to world-class recreational opportunities, and providing essential lifelines during natural disasters,” Merkley said. “This federal funding will allow several Oregon regional airports to make critical infrastructure improvements that will benefit our communities and economy. I’ll fight to protect the efficiency and safety of Oregon’s airports and the folks who rely on them for business, travel, and so much more.”

    “Investments in NW Oregon’s ports bolster our local economy,” said Rep. Bonamici. “This federal funding will help upgrade aviation infrastructure on the coast and across rural Oregon. I will continue to advocate for resources that help Oregonians thrive.”

    “I’m happy to see these investments being made in Brookings and across Oregon to help improve safety, modernize equipment, and make these airports more viable for residents and tourists, alike,” said Rep. Hoyle. “These upgrades will grow local economies by making towns on the South Coast more accessible. I am grateful.”  

    The $1.08 million in grants from the Federal Aviation Administration will be distributed as follows:

    • $474,390 to the Port of Tillamook Bay for a new fuel farm with two fuel tanks, two self-service pumps and associated apron pavement for a new fuel type to help the airport be as self-sustaining as possible.
    • $320,890 to the Port of Astoria for rebuilding a 12,800-square-foot, 10-unit hangar used for aircraft storage.
    • $159,000 to the city of Brookings to acquire and install new wind cone navigational aids, to install a new airport rotating beacon to enhance safety, to rebuild a precision approach path indicator system, rebuild runway end identifier lights, rebuild medium intensity lighting.
    • $129,501 to the Oregon Department of Aviation for the Aurora State Airport to rehabilitate 5,003 feet of existing paved runway.

    Wyden, Merkley, Bonamci and Hoyle have long supported airports across Oregon. In May, the Oregon delegation announced $22 million for airport infrastructure investments statewide. In September 2024, Wyden and Merkley announced $10 million in federal grants for airports in Medford and Prineville. In July 2024, Merkley, Wyden and Hoyle announced $17 million from the federal Airport Improvement Program for airports across Oregon.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden, Merkley, Bonamici, Hoyle Announce $1 Million for Airports on Oregon Coast & Willamette Valley

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)

    June 27, 2025

    Federal grants heading to airports in Tillamook, Astoria, Brookings and Aurora

    Washington D.C.—U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, along with U.S. Representatives Suzanne Bonamici and Val Hoyle, today announced $1.08 million combined in federal infrastructure investments at airports in Tillamook, Astoria, Brookings and Aurora.

    “Federal investments in smaller airports throughout Oregon are a must to enhance quality of life in rural communities, Wyden said. “I’m gratified these federal resources are heading to our state, and I’ll keep battling for similar investments that support local economies, ensure emergency services during wildfires and more.”

    “Oregon’s regional airports serve as vital hubs for our communities and economies – supporting local businesses, connecting travelers to world-class recreational opportunities, and providing essential lifelines during natural disasters,” Merkley said. “This federal funding will allow several Oregon regional airports to make critical infrastructure improvements that will benefit our communities and economy. I’ll fight to protect the efficiency and safety of Oregon’s airports and the folks who rely on them for business, travel, and so much more.”

    “Investments in NW Oregon’s ports bolster our local economy,” said Rep. Bonamici. “This federal funding will help upgrade aviation infrastructure on the coast and across rural Oregon. I will continue to advocate for resources that help Oregonians thrive.”

    “I’m happy to see these investments being made in Brookings and across Oregon to help improve safety, modernize equipment, and make these airports more viable for residents and tourists, alike,” said Rep. Hoyle. “These upgrades will grow local economies by making towns on the South Coast more accessible. I am grateful.”  

    The $1.08 million in grants from the Federal Aviation Administration will be distributed as follows:

    • $474,390 to the Port of Tillamook Bay for a new fuel farm with two fuel tanks, two self-service pumps and associated apron pavement for a new fuel type to help the airport be as self-sustaining as possible.
    • $320,890 to the Port of Astoria for rebuilding a 12,800-square-foot, 10-unit hangar used for aircraft storage.
    • $159,000 to the city of Brookings to acquire and install new wind cone navigational aids, to install a new airport rotating beacon to enhance safety, to rebuild a precision approach path indicator system, rebuild runway end identifier lights, rebuild medium intensity lighting.
    • $129,501 to the Oregon Department of Aviation for the Aurora State Airport to rehabilitate 5,003 feet of existing paved runway.

    Wyden, Merkley, Bonamci and Hoyle have long supported airports across Oregon. In May, the Oregon delegation announced $22 million for airport infrastructure investments statewide. In September 2024, Wyden and Merkley announced $10 million in federal grants for airports in Medford and Prineville. In July 2024, Merkley, Wyden and Hoyle announced $17 million from the federal Airport Improvement Program for airports across Oregon.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen, Cortez Masto Announce Critical Funding for Nevada’s Vital Airports

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) announced that the Department of Transportation (DOT) awarded $42,985,481 in grants to international, regional, rural, and Tribal airports in the State of Nevada. This funding will allow airports to make necessary infrastructure improvements and support Nevada’s travel and tourism economy.
    “Nevada’s airports are essential to our state’s tourism economy,” said Senator Rosen. “This funding will help modernize infrastructure, improve safety, and support the continued growth of communities across our state. I’ll keep working to bring federal investments back to Nevada and ensure our airports have the resources they need to thrive.”
    “I’m pleased to see this funding come into the Silver State to upgrade the critical infrastructure of our airports.” said Senator Cortez Masto. “These improvements will protect the comfort and safety of all travelers, whether they’re coming to visit or returning home. I will continue to work in the Senate to support Nevada’s travel and tourism economy and our aviation infrastructure, everywhere from Las Vegas to Elko.”
    A full breakdown of the funding can be found below:

    $41,618,872 for the Harry Reid International Airport for runway, baggage handling, and drainage system improvements.
    $337,375 for the Winnemucca Municipal Airport for wind cone and signage installation and precision approach path indicator systems.
    $305,000 for the Carson City Airport for repavement projects.
    $219,621 for the Jackpot/Hayden Field/County of Elko Airport for runway rehabilitation.
    $114,762 for the Mesquite Airport for service road reconstruction.
    $109,830 for the Owyhee, NV/Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Indian Reservation Airport for construction of a new terminal.
    $109,772 for the Battle Mountain/County of Lander Airport for construction of a new airport hangar.
    $107,882 for the Minden-Tahoe/County of Douglas Airport for installation of new lighting to enhance safety.
    $62,367 for the Hawthorne Industrial Airport to infrastructure for snow removal.

    Senators Cortez Masto and Rosen have consistently worked to ensure Nevada receives its fair share of federal funding for its airports. They have secured millions in funding for clean transportation and improvements at Harry Reid International Airport and at Reno-Tahoe International Airport. Both Senators prioritized important airport terminal funding in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and also pushed to secure funds through the American Rescue Plan to support Nevada’s airports and airline workers through the pandemic’s economic crisis to the industry. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoyle, Wyden, Merkley, Bonamici Announce $1 Million for Airports on Oregon Coast & Willamette Valley

    Source: US Representative Val Hoyle (OR-04)

    June 27, 2025

    Federal grants heading to airports in Tillamook, Astoria, Brookings and Aurora.

    For Immediate Release: June 27, 2025 

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Val Hoyle (OR-04) along with U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), today announced $1.08 million combined in federal infrastructure investments at airports in Tillamook, Astoria, Brookings and Aurora.

    “I’m happy to see these investments being made in Brookings and across Oregon to help improve safety, modernize equipment, and make these airports more viable for residents and tourists, alike,” said Rep. Hoyle. “These upgrades will grow local economies by making towns on the South Coast more accessible. I am grateful.”  

    “Federal investments in smaller airports throughout Oregon are a must to enhance quality of life in rural communities,” Wyden said. “I’m gratified these federal resources are heading to our state, and I’ll keep battling for similar investments that support local economies, ensure emergency services during wildfires and more.”

    “Oregon’s regional airports serve as vital hubs for our communities and economies – supporting local businesses, connecting travelers to world-class recreational opportunities, and providing essential lifelines during natural disasters,” Merkley said. “This federal funding will allow several Oregon regional airports to make critical infrastructure improvements that will benefit our communities and economy. I’ll fight to protect the efficiency and safety of Oregon’s airports and the folks who rely on them for business, travel, and so much more.” 

    “Investments in NW Oregon’s ports bolster our local economy,” said Rep. Bonamici. “This federal funding will help upgrade aviation infrastructure on the coast and across rural Oregon. I will continue to advocate for resources that help Oregonians thrive.”

    The $1.08 million in grants from the Federal Aviation Administration will be distributed as follows:

    • $474,390 to the Port of Tillamook Bay for a new fuel farm with two fuel tanks, two self-service pumps and associated apron pavement for a new fuel type to help the airport be as self-sustaining as possible. 

    • $320,890 to the Port of Astoria for rebuilding a 12,800-square-foot, 10-unit hangar used for aircraft storage.

    • $159,000 to the city of Brookings to acquire and install new wind cone navigational aids, to install a new airport rotating beacon to enhance safety, to rebuild a precision approach path indicator system, rebuild runway end identifier lights, rebuild medium intensity lighting.

    • $129,501 to the Oregon Department of Aviation for the Aurora State Airport to rehabilitate 5,003 feet of existing paved runway.

    Hoyle, Wyden, Merkley, and Bonamici have long supported airports across Oregon. In May, the Oregon delegation announced $22 million for airport infrastructure investments statewide. In September 2024, Wyden and Merkley announced $10 millionin federal grants for airports in Medford and Prineville. In July 2024, Hoyle, Merkley, and Wyden announced $17 million from the federal Airport Improvement Program for airports across Oregon.

    A web version of the release is here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoyle, Wyden, Merkley, Bonamici Announce $1 Million for Airports on Oregon Coast & Willamette Valley

    Source: US Representative Val Hoyle (OR-04)

    June 27, 2025

    Federal grants heading to airports in Tillamook, Astoria, Brookings and Aurora.

    For Immediate Release: June 27, 2025 

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Val Hoyle (OR-04) along with U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), today announced $1.08 million combined in federal infrastructure investments at airports in Tillamook, Astoria, Brookings and Aurora.

    “I’m happy to see these investments being made in Brookings and across Oregon to help improve safety, modernize equipment, and make these airports more viable for residents and tourists, alike,” said Rep. Hoyle. “These upgrades will grow local economies by making towns on the South Coast more accessible. I am grateful.”  

    “Federal investments in smaller airports throughout Oregon are a must to enhance quality of life in rural communities,” Wyden said. “I’m gratified these federal resources are heading to our state, and I’ll keep battling for similar investments that support local economies, ensure emergency services during wildfires and more.”

    “Oregon’s regional airports serve as vital hubs for our communities and economies – supporting local businesses, connecting travelers to world-class recreational opportunities, and providing essential lifelines during natural disasters,” Merkley said. “This federal funding will allow several Oregon regional airports to make critical infrastructure improvements that will benefit our communities and economy. I’ll fight to protect the efficiency and safety of Oregon’s airports and the folks who rely on them for business, travel, and so much more.” 

    “Investments in NW Oregon’s ports bolster our local economy,” said Rep. Bonamici. “This federal funding will help upgrade aviation infrastructure on the coast and across rural Oregon. I will continue to advocate for resources that help Oregonians thrive.”

    The $1.08 million in grants from the Federal Aviation Administration will be distributed as follows:

    • $474,390 to the Port of Tillamook Bay for a new fuel farm with two fuel tanks, two self-service pumps and associated apron pavement for a new fuel type to help the airport be as self-sustaining as possible. 

    • $320,890 to the Port of Astoria for rebuilding a 12,800-square-foot, 10-unit hangar used for aircraft storage.

    • $159,000 to the city of Brookings to acquire and install new wind cone navigational aids, to install a new airport rotating beacon to enhance safety, to rebuild a precision approach path indicator system, rebuild runway end identifier lights, rebuild medium intensity lighting.

    • $129,501 to the Oregon Department of Aviation for the Aurora State Airport to rehabilitate 5,003 feet of existing paved runway.

    Hoyle, Wyden, Merkley, and Bonamici have long supported airports across Oregon. In May, the Oregon delegation announced $22 million for airport infrastructure investments statewide. In September 2024, Wyden and Merkley announced $10 millionin federal grants for airports in Medford and Prineville. In July 2024, Hoyle, Merkley, and Wyden announced $17 million from the federal Airport Improvement Program for airports across Oregon.

    A web version of the release is here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: H.R. 617, American Music Tourism Act of 2025

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    H.R. 617 would require the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Travel and Tourism to promote music tourism in the United States and periodically report to the Congress. In 2024, $3.5 million was appropriated to carry out the requirements of the Visit America Act, a 2022 law promoting U.S. travel and tourism.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: At Chimney Rock State Park Reopening, Governor Josh Stein Calls for Travelers to “Rediscover the Unforgettable” Western North Carolina

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: At Chimney Rock State Park Reopening, Governor Josh Stein Calls for Travelers to “Rediscover the Unforgettable” Western North Carolina

    At Chimney Rock State Park Reopening, Governor Josh Stein Calls for Travelers to “Rediscover the Unforgettable” Western North Carolina
    lsaito

    Raleigh, NC

    Governor Josh Stein today reopened Chimney Rock State Park and announced “Rediscover the Unforgettable,” a new tourism initiative to bring more visitors back to western North Carolina. Advanced reservations are required to access the park, which will be open with limited hours. At the reopening, Governor Stein also signed House Bill 1012: Disaster Recovery Act of 2025 – Part II into law.  

    “Nine months ago, Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina’s economy. Let’s make sure our neighbors know we haven’t forgotten them,” said Governor Josh Stein. “We can support the region’s recovery just by showing up. If you’re planning your summer vacation or a weekend getaway, make sure to experience something that makes western North Carolina unforgettable. And that includes beautiful Chimney Rock State Park.” 

    “Tourism is essential to western North Carolina’s economy, and our rural communities are home to so many natural and cultural treasures. It’s important that we keep the recovery going strong by spending our tourist dollars here,” said First Lady Anna Stein. “I’m proud to be focusing on rural tourism and grateful to be spending time this summer out west – I encourage my fellow North Carolinians to join me.” 

    “Chimney Rock State Park is a vital landmark that typically attracts 400,000 visitors per year,” said Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Secretary Pamela Cashwell. “It has been an all-hands-on-deck effort to reopen the park, and I am grateful to our team and our partners who have worked so hard on this goal. We are committed to supporting park staff and local partners as the park begins welcoming visitors once again.” 

    “Hurricane Helene damaged thousands of roads and bridges across the state, including the bridge leading to Chimney Rock State Park,” said Department of Transportation Secretary Joey Hopkins. “Our team has worked tirelessly to restore connectivity by repairing and reopening roads and will continue to do so until complete, so people can once again enjoy everything our state has to offer.” 

    “Whether you’re a foodie, a hiker, or a waterfall enthusiast, Western North Carolina has the unique experiences that make every trip here unforgettable,” said Visit NC Executive Director Wit Tuttell. “As the state’s tourism marketing organization, Visit NC has dedicated the past nine months to telling Western North Carolina’s story. Now, we are proud to be working with Governor Stein to promote our exceptional mountains.” 

    Chimney Rock experienced severe devastation because of Hurricane Helene, and the loss of key roads, bridges, and trails made Chimney Rock State Park inaccessible. Nine months later, thanks to dedicated efforts by the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, the Division of Parks and Recreation, the Department of Transportation, and local partners, Chimney Rock State Park is able to reopen on a limited basis: from Fridays to Mondays to visitors who make advance reservations. While the village of Chimney Rock has not yet officially reopened, several local businesses are open and welcoming tourists.  

    Hurricane Helene devastated businesses and tourist attractions, particularly during the critical fall foliage season. Now as a new tourism season begins, Governor Stein and VisitNC are teaming up with a new tourism initiative, “Rediscover the Unforgettable Western North Carolina.” This campaign will be available to local chambers of commerce, tourism boards, and small businesses for their promotional efforts. Musician and western North Carolina native Eric Church is the proud voice of a new video highlighting the initiative.

    I’m proud to be from Western North Carolina. It’s where I was born, it’s where my soul finds rest,” said Eric Church. “Our family has lived here for generations, and it has become a part of the fabric that has made me the man that I am now. It’s an honor to be the voice that invites more people to discover and visit a place we love.”

    Governor Josh Stein continues to advocate for western North Carolina, asking the Trump administration and the U.S. Congress to send $19 billion to North Carolina for disaster relief – $11.5 billion in new appropriations and $7.5 billion in allocations from previous appropriations. Last week, Stein worked with the Department of Commerce to launch Renew NC, a new housing recovery program that is now accepting applications from homeowners impacted by Hurricane Helene. North Carolinians are encouraged to apply at renewnc.org.   

    Jun 27, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Three killed in tourist plane crash in France

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    PARIS, June 27 (Xinhua) — A tourist plane belonging to an aeroclub crashed in the commune of Chamfoll in north-central France on Friday afternoon, killing all three people on board.

    The single-engine Cessna 172 crashed in a residential area just after 4 p.m. local time, narrowly missing nearby houses, according to authorities in the Eure-et-Loir department.

    The plane crash killed two men and one woman.

    The crash site was quickly cordoned off by emergency services. An investigation is underway under the direction of the Air Transport Gendarmerie and the National Police. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: World Bank Group and IAEA formally launch cooperation on nuclear energy for development

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency –

    The World Bank Group and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have signed an agreement to work together to support the responsible use of nuclear energy in developing countries, based on safety and security principles. The partnership agreement, signed by World Bank Group President Ajay Banga and IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi, formalizes numerous contacts between the two organizations over the past year and marks the first concrete step in decades by the World Bank Group to resume cooperation on nuclear energy.

    Moreover, the agreement reflects the World Bank Group’s new, broader approach to electrification – one that prioritizes affordability, affordability, and reliability, as well as responsible emissions management. With electricity demand in developing countries estimated to more than double by 2035, this approach aims to help countries meet their populations’ energy needs in ways that best fit their national context, including development goals and nationally determined contributions.

    Nuclear power provides continuous baseload power while increasing grid stability and resilience. Reliable baseload power is essential for many job-creating sectors, including infrastructure, agribusiness, healthcare, tourism and manufacturing. Nuclear power also provides high-skilled jobs and stimulates investment in the wider economy. It can also adapt to changes in electricity demand and support frequency regulation, enabling greater integration of variable renewables.

    “Jobs need electricity. So do factories, hospitals, schools, and water supplies. As demand grows — driven by both artificial intelligence and development challenges — we must help countries ensure reliable, affordable electricity. That’s why we see nuclear power as part of the solution — and why we’re revisiting it as part of the World Bank Group’s portfolio of ways to help developing countries realize their ambitions. Nuclear power also provides baseload power, the foundation on which modern economies are built,” said World Bank Group President Ajay Banga. “Our partnership with the IAEA marks an important step in that direction, and I’m grateful to Rafael for his personal commitment and leadership in making this possible. Together, we will expand our expertise, support countries as they choose nuclear power, and ensure that future work is guided by nuclear safety, security, and sustainability.”

    “Today’s agreement is a significant milestone and the culmination of a year of work together since President Ajay Banga kindly invited me to the World Bank Group Executive Board meeting in Washington last June,” said IAEA Director General Grossi. “This landmark partnership, another sign of the world’s return to realism on nuclear energy, opens the door to other multilateral development banks and private investors who see nuclear energy as a viable tool for energy security and sustainable prosperity. Together, we can help more people build a better future.”

    Under the memorandum of understanding signed today, the IAEA will cooperate with the World Bank Group in three key areas:

    Building nuclear knowledge – to enhance the World Bank Group’s understanding of nuclear safety, security, safeguards, energy planning, emerging technologies, fuel cycles, plant life cycles and waste management; Extending the lives of existing nuclear power plants – to support developing countries in safely extending the lives of existing nuclear power plants, which are one of the most cost-effective sources of low-carbon energy, given that many of the world’s nuclear plants are approaching the end of their original 40-year design lives; Advanced SMR technologies – to accelerate the development of small modular reactors (SMRs), which offer flexible deployment options, lower upfront costs and the potential for widespread deployment in developing economies.

    Nuclear power plants currently operate in 31 countries, collectively accounting for about 9% of the world’s electricity generation, or nearly a quarter of all low-carbon generation. More than 30 other countries, most of them developing countries, are considering or are already introducing nuclear power and are working with the IAEA to establish the necessary infrastructure to implement nuclear safety, security, and sustainability principles in this area.

    “SMRs have enormous potential for clean, reliable energy systems and poverty alleviation, but funding hurdles remain,” added Director General Grossi. “Today’s agreement is an important first step to clearing the way for them.”

    About the World Bank Group: The World Bank Group is dedicated to achieving a world free from poverty on a planet fit for habitation, using a combination of financing, knowledge, and expertise. It comprises the World Bank, including the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA); the International Finance Corporation (IFC); the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA); and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). For more information, visitVBV.Vorldbank.org,Ida. Voraldbank.org/EN/Hyome,BBV Miga.org,BBV. ifk.org AndGDV. Iks.vorldbank.org.

    About the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA): The IAEA is an international organization whose aim is to promote the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and prevent its use for military purposes. The IAEA supports its Member States in building a reliable and resilient infrastructure based on the principles of nuclear safety and security, and applies safeguards to verify the peaceful use of nuclear materials and technology.

    Contacts:

    The World Bank Group (London): David Young, 1 (202) 473-4691,Döung7@vorldbankgroup.org

    International Atomic Energy Agency (Vienna): Jeffrey Donovan, 43 699 165 22443,jrdonovan@iaea.org

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Barbados: Fifth Reviews Under the Extended Arrangement Under the Extended Fund Facility and the Arrangement Under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Alternate Executive Director

    Source: International Monetary Fund

    Summary

    The authorities’ implementation of the home-grown economic recovery and transformation (BERT 2022) plan and ambitious climate agenda has remained strong, supported by the IMF’s Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) arrangements. Economic activity was robust in 2024, driven by tourism, construction, and business services. Inflation moderated further due to the easing of global commodity prices and prices of domestic goods and services. The external position continued to improve, with the current account strengthening further and international reserves remaining ample at US$1.6 billion (equivalent to over 7 months of import cover), supporting the exchange rate peg. While the near-term outlook remains stable, risks are tilted to the downside, given the highly uncertain external economic environment and Barbados’ vulnerability to external shocks and natural disasters.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Alexander Novak: Bilateral trade turnover with Turkey has more than doubled in five years

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Alexander Novak and Minister of Trade of Turkey Omer Bolat, as co-chairs, held the 19th meeting of the Mixed Intergovernmental Russian-Turkish Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation.

    Among the main areas of trade and economic cooperation between Russia and Turkey, Alexander Novak singled out energy, agriculture, industrial cooperation, transport and logistics, customs cooperation, and tourism. Joint work is also underway in the fields of education, sports, information technology, and many other areas.

    “Turkey is one of the three largest foreign trade partners of Russia. Bilateral trade turnover has increased 2.3 times in five years. I am confident that we will be able to maintain the positive dynamics in the future and focus on creating favorable conditions for increasing the volume of Russian-Turkish trade turnover, as well as on the implementation of existing and launching new projects. We are pleased to note the successful cooperation in the energy sector, which is a strategic area of our interaction, including in terms of the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. The implementation of the flagship project for the construction of the Akkuyu NPP in Turkey continues. We are ready to implement projects on the promising agenda in any mutually beneficial format,” said Alexander Novak.

    He noted that in 2024, the trade turnover between the two countries approached $60 billion. The countries are moving towards achieving the goal of increasing mutual trade turnover to $100 billion in the coming years.

    “Russia and Turkey have been building strong, friendly, good-neighborly relations based on dialogue and mutual respect for a long period of history. This concerns not only trade and economic relations, but also issues of ensuring sustainable peace in the region. Our relations in the regional and international sense are developing despite difficulties, the number and quality of new joint projects in various areas, including energy, is growing every day,” said Turkish Trade Minister Omer Bolat.

    Alexander Novak spoke about the prospects for deepening cooperation in agriculture, tourism and sports. To ensure access of Turkish agricultural products to the Russian market and Russian food products to Turkey, the interaction of the supervisory authorities of the two countries is expanding, and the quality of products is being monitored. The tourist flow from Russia to Turkey is growing: by the end of 2024, more than 6 million tourists from Russia visited the country. As a result of the program to promote the Russian tourism brand in Turkey, last year record figures were achieved for inbound tourism from Turkey to Russia – 101 thousand tourists.

    Turkish athletes are taking part in key sporting events in Russia. By the end of the year, Russia and Türkiye expect to sign a medium-term interdepartmental plan for sporting events for 2026–2028.

    At the end of the 19th plenary session of the Joint Intergovernmental Russian-Turkish Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation, Alexander Novak and Omer Bolat signed a final protocol, which outlined key tasks in all areas of mutual interest, including encouraging investment in the economies of both countries, simplifying customs regulations, expanding industrial and energy cooperation, etc.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Yuri Trutnev: Yakutia will present the Ice Age Park technological testing ground on the Far East Street

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    The Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) will present its cultural, traditional and everyday life features, investment and tourism opportunities at the exhibition “Far East Street”, which will be held in Vladivostok from September 3 to 9 as part of the tenth anniversary Eastern Economic Forum. The exhibition is organized by the Roscongress Foundation with the support of the Office of the Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of Russia in the Far Eastern Federal District.

    “Thousands of people from dozens of countries become participants and guests of the Eastern Economic Forum. And only a few of them have visited all regions of the Far East. The exhibition “Far East Street” is a good opportunity to tell about how and by what the Far Eastern regions live, to attract investors and tourists to their territories. Yakutia is a unique region with a rich culture, traditions and natural attractions. There are unique natural objects and places of power, different peoples with their own cultural characteristics and traditions live here. Yakutia is a confident leader in the field of creative technologies. Recently, an international forum of creative industries was held here, which gave creative people the opportunity to show their work to the general public. A separate area was the development of the cinematography sector. Films by Yakut directors receive prizes at film festivals, deserved attention from critics, and gain fans not only in Russia, but also in other countries. I am sure that after visiting the pavilion, which tells about the beauty of the northern nature, the sights and features of the republic, visitors will want to come to Yakutia and find out how it lives”, emphasized the Deputy Chairman of the Government – Plenipotentiary Representative President in the Far Eastern Federal District, Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the Eastern Economic Forum Yuri Trutnev.

    This year, the area of the Yakutia pavilion will be more than 1 thousand square meters and will be divided into three zones: the main pavilion, the trade and exhibition area and the stage. The exhibition and presentation exposition will be dedicated to the presentation of the World Mammoth Center in the Republic of Sakha, the idea of which, by decree of the President of Russia Vladimir Putin, is included in the Strategy for the Development of the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation and Ensuring National Security for the Period up to 2035.

    A presentation area of the scientific complex with a cryogenic storage facility for mammoth fauna, monitoring stations, museum, exhibition and laboratory buildings, the Ice Age Park technological testing ground and a tourist and leisure center will be prepared for visitors.

    “The Eastern Economic Forum is the main event for the regions of the Far Eastern Federal District. We are signing many agreements here. The investment projects implemented within their framework have set the dynamics of Yakutia’s development for years to come. Since the first forum, 4 trillion rubles have been invested in the republic, and the gross regional product has increased fourfold and reached 2.3 trillion rubles. The main result of all this is an improvement in the quality of life of people. New industries have been created, thousands of jobs have been opened, infrastructure is developing: housing, roads, and social facilities are being built. And at the EEF sites, we also have the opportunity to demonstrate the culture, traditions of the peoples, and the originality of the Far Eastern regions. This year, the Sakha Republic pavilion will be dedicated to the World Mammoth Center, which is planned to open in Yakutsk. The capital of our region is one of the largest scientific centers in the northeast of Russia, where paleontological research is actively developing with the involvement of foreign and Russian scientists. You will be able to learn about all this and more at the exhibition “Far East Street”. I am confident that VEF-2025 will be fruitful for us, and all planned events will be held at the highest level,” noted the head of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) Aisen Nikolaev.

    The exhibition and presentation exposition is planned to present projects dedicated to the problem of preserving the eastern population of the Siberian Crane – a symbol of untouched northern nature, one of the rare species of cranes that is under threat of extinction. Special attention will be paid to the investment potential of the region and the initiatives of large companies in its territory.

    The pavilion will also house a tourism zone. Visitors will be able to get information about popular tourist routes, including learning about the Lena Pillars National Nature Park, the tukulan sand dunes, Lake Labynkyr and the Buluus Glacier.

    In addition, popular regional brands will be presented in the trade and exhibition area – jewelry and souvenirs, clothing and accessories will be on display here. Guests and participants of the “Far East Street” will be able to visit the exhibition and fair of products of Yakut manufacturers and buy a memorable souvenir.

    The cultural program will attract special attention of visitors, which will have a thematic direction according to the days of the forum. Its basis will be the theme of patriotism and love for the native land, it will unite unique national folklore and modern trends of music, high classical art.

    The 10th Eastern Economic Forum will be held on September 3–6 at the campus of the Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok. During these days, the exhibition “Far East Street” will be available to forum participants, and on September 7, 8, and 9, it will be open to everyone. The EEF is organized by the Roscongress Foundation.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: DFFE allocates R9 billion amid budget constraints

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) has been allocated R9.08 billion for the 2025/26 financial year, accounting for 0.35% of the national appropriation.

    “When adjusted for inflation, this reflects a real decrease of R121.5 million, or 1.4%, compared to last year. In short; the department is being asked to do more, with less,” Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Dion George, said during his Budget Vote speech in Parliament on Friday.

    The Minister said the Budget Vote is being tabled against the backdrop of a constrained fiscal environment. 

    “Following the reversal of the proposed VAT increase in May 2025, the national budget framework was revised, with consolidated government spending projected to grow from R2.4 trillion in 2024/25 to R2.81 trillion in 2027/28.

    “Nearly half the Department’s medium-term budget – R14.5 billion – will go directly to goods and services, including the Expanded Public Works Programme, implementation of the Forestry Master Plan, and rollout of the Waste Management Strategy,” the Minister said.

    Transfers and subsidies to public entities, such as the South African National Bioinformatics Institute (SANBI), South African National Parks (SANParks), iSimangaliso, and South African Weather Service, will account for over R5.5 billion.

    “This department is using every rand to protect ecosystems, grow green jobs, and meet the urgent demands of climate adaptation, regulation, and environmental justice.

    “To achieve these imperatives, the department is focusing on six flagship priorities in the 2025/26 financial year. These “Big 6” priorities shape our work, guide our partnerships, and define the strategic investments proposed in this Budget Vote,” the Minister said.

    He emphasised that climate change is not a distant threat.

    “…It is here, disrupting our communities, economies, and ecosystems. We see it in rising temperatures, intensifying floods, droughts, and fires that affect lives and livelihoods. Through the Climate Change Act, now in force, we have established a unified, whole- of-government response to this urgent crisis.

    “This year, we will deliver new Nationally Determined Contributions, a revised Low Emissions Development Strategy, final Sectoral Emission Targets, and implement the Climate Change Adaptation Response Plan for vulnerable coastal regions,” the Minister said.

    The department has also completed the Highveld Air Quality Management Plan to ensure Eskom complies with air pollution laws — because the constitutional right to clean air cannot be compromised.

    “South Africa’s biodiversity is a powerful engine for development. The revised National Biodiversity Economy Strategy will unlock 397,000 jobs and inject R127 billion annually into the economy by 2036 through eco-tourism, bioprospecting, and sustainable game meat production.

    “South Africa’s fisheries are lifelines for coastal and rural communities. Through Fishing for Freedom, we are securing sustainable access, supporting small-scale fishers, and combating illegal harvesting that threatens biodiversity and food security.

    “We are fast-tracking signage, wreck removal, security and road markings at the 12 proclaimed fishing harbours, implementing co-management systems for nearshore fisheries, and expanding Small, Medium and Micro enterprises (SMMEs) training in the small-scale fisheries sector,” the Minister said.

    This is part of the department’s revitalisation of harbours — unlocking jobs and dignity for coastal communities. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Michelin Guide scrutiny could boost Philly tourism, but will it stifle chefs’ freedom to experiment and innovate?

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Jonathan Deutsch, Professor of Food and Hospitality Management, Drexel University

    Chef Phila Lorn prepares a bowl of noodle soup at Mawn restaurant in Philadelphia. AP Photo/Matt Rourke

    The Philadelphia restaurant scene is abuzz with the news that the famed Michelin Guide is coming to town.

    As a research chef and educator at Drexel University in Philadelphia, I am following the Michelin developments closely.

    Having eaten in Michelin restaurants in other cities, I am confident that Philly has at least a few star-worthy restaurants. Our innovative dining scene was named one of the top 10 in the U.S. by Food & Wine in 2025.

    Researchers have convincingly shown that Michelin ratings can boost tourism, so Philly gaining some starred restaurants could bring more revenue for the city.

    But as the lead author of the textbook “Culinary Improvisation,” which teaches creativity, I also worry the Michelin scrutiny could make chefs more focused on delivering a consistent experience than continuing along the innovative trajectory that attracts Michelin in the first place.

    Ingredients for culinary innovation

    In “Culinary Improvisation” we discuss three elements needed to foster innovation in the kitchen.

    The first is mastery of culinary technique, both classical and modern. Simply stated, this refers to good cooking.

    The second is access to a diverse range of ingredients and flavors. The more colors the artist has on their palette, the more directions the creation can take.

    And the third, which is key to my concerns, is a collaborative and supportive environment where chefs can take risks and make mistakes. Research shows a close link between risk-taking workplaces and innovation.

    According to the Michelin Guide, stars are awarded to outstanding restaurants based on: “quality of ingredients, mastery of cooking techniques and flavors, the personality of the chef as expressed in the cuisine, value for money, and consistency of the dining experience both across the menu and over time.”

    The criteria do not mention innovation.

    It’s possible the high-stakes lure of a Michelin star, which awards consistent excellence, could lead Philly’s most vibrant and creative chefs and restaurateurs to pull back on the risks that led to the city’s culinary excellence in the first place.

    Local food writers believe Vernick Fish is a top contender for a Michelin star.
    Photo courtesy of Vernick Fish

    The obvious contenders

    Philadelphia’s preeminent restaurant critic Craig LaBan and journalist and former restaurateur Kiki Aranita discussed local contenders for Michelin stars in a recent article in the Philadelphia Inquirer.

    The 19 restaurants LaBan and Aranita discuss as possible star contenders average just over a one-mile walk from the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

    Together they have received 78 James Beard nominations or awards, which are considered the “Oscars” of the food industry. That’s an average of over four per restaurant.

    And when I tried to book a table for two on a Wednesday and Saturday before 9 p.m., about half were already fully booked for dinner two weeks out, in July, which is the slow season for dining in Philadelphia.

    If LaBan’s and Aranita’s predictions are right, Michelin will be an added recognition for restaurants that are already successful and centrally located.

    Black Dragon Takeout fuses Black American cuisine with the aesthetics of classic Chinese American takeout.
    Jeff Fusco/The Conversation, CC BY-SA

    Off the beaten path

    When the Michelin Guide started in France at the turn of the 19th century, it encouraged diners to take the road less traveled to their next gastronomic experience.

    It has since evolved into recommendations for a road well traveled: safe, lauded and already hard-to-get-into restaurants. In Philly these could be restaurants such as Vetri Cucina, Zahav, Vernick Fish, Provenance, Royal Sushi and Izakaya, Ogawa and Friday Saturday Sunday, to name a few on LaBan and Aranita’s list.

    And yet Philadelphia has over 6,000 restaurants spread across 135 square miles of the city. Philadelphia is known as a city of neighborhoods, and these neighborhoods are rich with food diversity and innovation.

    Consider Jacob Trinh’s Vietnamese-tinged seafood tasting menu at Little Fish in Queen Village; Kurt Evans’ gumbo lo mein at Black Dragon Takeout in West Philly; the beef cheek confit with avocado mousse at Temir Satybaldiev’s Ginger in the Northeast; and the West African XO sauce at Honeysuckle, owned by Omar Tate and Cybille St.Aude-Tate, on North Broad Street.

    I hope the Michelin inspectors will venture far beyond the obvious candidates to experience more of what Philadelphia has to offer.

    The Michelin Guide announced it will include Philadelphia and Boston in its next Northeast Cities edition.
    Matthieu Delaty/Hans Lucas/AFP via Getty Images

    Raising the bar

    In the frenzy surrounding the Michelin scrutiny, chef friends have invited me to dine at their restaurants and share my feedback as they refine their menus in anticipation of visits from anonymous Michelin inspectors.

    Restaurateurs have been asking my colleagues and me for talent suggestions to replace well-liked and capable cooks, servers and managers whom owners perceive to be just not Michelin-star level.

    And managers are texting us names of suspected reviewers, triggered by some tell-tale signs – a solo diner with a weeknight tasting menu reservation, no dietary restrictions or special requests, and a conspicuously light internet presence.

    In all, I am excited about Philadelphians being excited about Michelin. Any opportunity to spotlight the city’s restaurant community and tighten its food and service quality raises the bar among local chefs and restaurateurs and makes the experience better for diners. And the prospect of business travelers and culinary tourists enjoying lunches and early-week dinners can help restaurants, their workers and the city earn more revenue.

    But in the din of the press events and hype, let’s not forget that Philadelphians don’t need an outside arbiter to tell us what we already know: Philly is a great place to eat and drink.

    _Read more of our stories about Philadelphia.

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

    – ref. Michelin Guide scrutiny could boost Philly tourism, but will it stifle chefs’ freedom to experiment and innovate? – https://theconversation.com/michelin-guide-scrutiny-could-boost-philly-tourism-but-will-it-stifle-chefs-freedom-to-experiment-and-innovate-256752

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DHS Cyber Crimes Center tip leads to arrest of criminal alien convicted child sex offender

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    WASHINGTON — A tip from the Department of Homeland Security’s Cyber Crimes Center led to the May 29 arrest of Rafael Romeiro Rodriguez, a dangerous child sex offender, as he was attempting to travel internationally.

    DHS C3, which is led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, works to prevent child sex tourism and other crimes of child exploitation by notifying destination countries of convicted child predators who intend to travel abroad, and by supporting domestic enforcement actions like the one that led to Rodriguez’s arrest.

    Rodriguez, a Colombian national who is in the United States illegally, was convicted in 2014 of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14 years old.

    “Thanks to the targeted intelligence work of the Cyber Crimes Center, a convicted child sex offender will no longer pose a threat to the community,” said Deputy Assistant Director for the DHS Cyber Crimes Center Mike Prado. “This case is a powerful reminder of how proactive targeting of dangerous convicted sex offenders can lead to real world arrests that protect children and enhance public safety.”

    Officers with ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston with support from ICE HSI, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives apprehended the criminal alien in Boston without incident.

    “This arrest is a direct result of the critical coordination between ERO Boston, the DHS Cybercrimes Center, and our federal and law enforcement partners,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston acting Field Office Director Patricia H. Hyde. “This case underscores exactly why we must remain vigilant and united across government agencies to find, arrest, and remove dangerous predators who pose a threat to our children and our neighborhoods.”

    Rodriguez remains in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.

    Early intervention is critical. If you believe a child has been abducted or is in immediate danger, contact local law enforcement or dial 911.

    If you suspect a child may be a victim of online child sexual exploitation and abuse, call the Know2Protect Tipline at 1-833-591-KNOW (5669) or visit the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s CyberTipline.

    Join the fight against online child sexual exploitation and abuse by learning more — schedule a Project iGuardian presentation for your school, youth group, corporation, law enforcement agency or other community event. Email iGuardian.hq@hsi.dhs.gov to request an iGuardian presentation.

    To schedule an interview, please contact Public Affairs Officer Tanya Roman at Tanya.Roman@hsi.dhs.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DHS Cyber Crimes Center tip leads to arrest of criminal alien convicted child sex offender

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    WASHINGTON — A tip from the Department of Homeland Security’s Cyber Crimes Center led to the May 29 arrest of Rafael Romeiro Rodriguez, a dangerous child sex offender, as he was attempting to travel internationally.

    DHS C3, which is led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, works to prevent child sex tourism and other crimes of child exploitation by notifying destination countries of convicted child predators who intend to travel abroad, and by supporting domestic enforcement actions like the one that led to Rodriguez’s arrest.

    Rodriguez, a Colombian national who is in the United States illegally, was convicted in 2014 of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14 years old.

    “Thanks to the targeted intelligence work of the Cyber Crimes Center, a convicted child sex offender will no longer pose a threat to the community,” said Deputy Assistant Director for the DHS Cyber Crimes Center Mike Prado. “This case is a powerful reminder of how proactive targeting of dangerous convicted sex offenders can lead to real world arrests that protect children and enhance public safety.”

    Officers with ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston with support from ICE HSI, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives apprehended the criminal alien in Boston without incident.

    “This arrest is a direct result of the critical coordination between ERO Boston, the DHS Cybercrimes Center, and our federal and law enforcement partners,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston acting Field Office Director Patricia H. Hyde. “This case underscores exactly why we must remain vigilant and united across government agencies to find, arrest, and remove dangerous predators who pose a threat to our children and our neighborhoods.”

    Rodriguez remains in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.

    Early intervention is critical. If you believe a child has been abducted or is in immediate danger, contact local law enforcement or dial 911.

    If you suspect a child may be a victim of online child sexual exploitation and abuse, call the Know2Protect Tipline at 1-833-591-KNOW (5669) or visit the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s CyberTipline.

    Join the fight against online child sexual exploitation and abuse by learning more — schedule a Project iGuardian presentation for your school, youth group, corporation, law enforcement agency or other community event. Email iGuardian.hq@hsi.dhs.gov to request an iGuardian presentation.

    To schedule an interview, please contact Public Affairs Officer Tanya Roman at Tanya.Roman@hsi.dhs.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Government identifies 59 biodiversity projects to unlock green finance

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Government has identified 59 bankable biodiversity projects that are expected to generate at least $450,000 in green finance, Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Dion George announced during the department’s budget vote speech in Parliament on Friday.

    These funds were identified through the biodiversity sector investment portal, which links investors with bankable projects as a means of growing the biodiversity economy. 

    The portal is among the initiatives by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) has undertaken to position the department as a national leader in environmental financing.

    “In the face of budget cuts, the DFFE is doubling down on financial discipline and innovation to ensure every rand unlocks value for people and the environment. Our proactive spending review, initiated in October 2024, has identified significant cost-saving opportunities,  aiming to redirect resources towards high-impact environmental and conservation initiatives.

    “Each branch is now mandated to explore new revenue streams, reduce unnecessary expenditure, and secure sustainable financing. Work has also begun on draft regulations to unlock the value of carbon credits,” the Minister said.

    These will lay the groundwork for monetising environmental assets under the department’s portfolio – supporting job creation, habitat conservation, private sector investment, and financing of priority programmes. 

    “This marks a bold step toward positioning DFFE as a national leader in environmental financing. To support this broader mandate, we have launched discussions with international donors, private partners, and philanthropies.

    “The Green Fund, managed by the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), continues to channel public funding into innovative climate, energy, and waste projects. Our investment portal for the biodiversity economy has already spotlighted 59 bankable projects, leading to at least $450,000 in green finance committed,” he said.

    George assured parliament that the department’s entities continue to deliver exceptional impact – conserving our heritage, generating jobs, and building community resilience.

    “The South African National Parks (SANParks)  has placed inclusive development at the centre of its conservation mandate. Over the past five years, it has provided over 21 000 full-time jobs through the Expanded Public Works Programme, supported 3 127 small, micro and medium enterprises (SMMEs), and delivered 2 264 animals to emerging game farmers—ensuring that protected areas become engines of opportunity for surrounding communities.

    “iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority is advancing its commercialisation strategy, with 62 contracts already signed and new revenue from tourism concessionaires set to flow directly to the entity from 1 September 2025,” the Minister said.

    As the nation’s frontline in early warning systems, the South African Weather Service has issued nearly 1 400 severe weather alerts last year and reached over 2 million vulnerable citizens through a targeted community radio programme and 32 outreach events. 

    “These efforts not only save lives but empower South Africans with climate information they can act on. The South African National Bioinformatics Institute (SANBI), South Africa’s national biodiversity steward, continues to lead in climate finance. A $40 million Green Climate Fund project will launch this year, benefiting over 350,000 people directly and 1.5 million indirectly through investments in ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction.

    “These achievements demonstrate that when we invest in our environmental entities, we invest in jobs, resilience, and a sustainable future,” the Minister said. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: SA ratifies landmark women and youth protocol for inclusive trade

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    South Africa has taken a significant step in fostering inclusive growth by officially ratified the Protocol Women and Youth in Trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area.

    This was announced by Deputy President Paul Mashatile, who addressed the High-Level G20 Intergenerational Roundtable, hosted by the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) on Friday.

    “This milestone is not just a symbolic gesture; it is a decisive policy action that signals our intent to mainstream gender and youth equity within intra-African trade policy.

    “The protocol is significant because it operationalises the inclusion of woman-led and youth-led enterprises in regional and global value chains. It mandates the removal of structural trade barriers, prioritises access to information, finances, and markets, as well as requires state parties to create enabling legal and policy environments for inclusive economic participation,” he said.

    The Deputy President reflected on the continent’s youthful population and noted that youth “remain on the margins of formal trade”.

    Therefore, the protocol on women and youth will assist to “rewire trade systems to reflect demographic and developmental realities”.

    “South Africa’s ratification means we are committed not only to advocating for inclusive trade but also to designing trade systems that are fit for purpose. This inclusion reinforces South Africa’s leadership role on the continent and supports the broader message of building youth capabilities for a developmental State.

    “We understand that we need young people to meaningfully build capable, ethical, and developmental states. We must integrate youth into national and continental planning frameworks, not just as beneficiaries but also as co-architects of development,” he said.

    Promoting inclusive growth

    Mashatile emphasised that a “functioning and competent” government is needed if youth are to break free from marginalisation.

    “Therefore, the first and most pressing priority of our government is the promotion of inclusive economic growth, industrialisation, employment, and reducing inequality.

    “The time has come for us to move beyond inclusion as a moral goal and make it a measurable outcome.

    “In this regard, it is important for the economy to strengthen the viable pathways for youth inclusion. We have noted that young people complain about the red tape and bureaucratic hurdles they need to overcome to access services designed to support and scale their entrepreneurial effort,” Mashatile said.

    He noted that a specialised unit has been established in the Presidency to address the business climate and address regulatory challenges.

    “This team is adopting a coordinated, cross-sectoral approach, engaging various government departments and entities to streamline processes and enable business growth.

    “Key interventions in this regard will target the removal of administrative bottlenecks in strategic sectors. These include improvements to the mining licensing framework, facilitation of tourism transport permits, and streamlining of visa and work permit processes, as well as regulatory support for early childhood development services and the informal economy,” Mashatile said.

    Furthermore, government will:

    • Anchor youth inclusion in every major pillar of our G20 Presidency, from climate finance and trade facilitation to digital transformation and skills mobility.
    • Institutionalise intergenerational co-leadership in governance frameworks, moving beyond consultation to shared power and shared design.
    • Work with regional and global partners to implement targeted reforms that enable young people to start businesses, access capital, and engage in cross-border trade.

    “The developmental State we seek to build is not a theoretical construct; it must be a living architecture built on the capabilities, aspirations, and contributions of its young people.

    “This roundtable has made one thing clear: youth are not merely beneficiaries of policy; they are builders of nations. We must now ensure that the decisions we take at multilateral forums reflect this truth. 

    “Let the G20 remember that Africa is young. South Africa is ready, and we want young people to take the lead in the developmental and transformation agenda. The future is yours, and you are the future. Stand up, persevere, and confront every challenge with persistence. We are here to provide you with the support you need as you navigate this process,” the Deputy President concluded. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Whyalla Airport cleared for take-off after vital upgrade completion

    Source: Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions

    An investment of more than $30 million to upgrade one of South Australia’s most important airports has been completed, allowing vital services to the Whyalla region to continue. 

    Funded by the Australian ($16.2 million) and South Australian ($13.8 million) governments, the upgrade strengthened the airport’s runway to allow larger aircraft to service the region. 

    Whyalla City Council funded an additional $2.4 million of the works, which also included replacing the existing airfield lighting system. 

    The completion of works will allow new 74-seat Q400 aircraft to operate on Whyalla routes, allowing for faster flight times and increased passenger numbers. 

    The South Australian Government recently established the Whyalla Special Economic Zone to drive local industry involvement in government projects, such as the Whyalla Airport runway upgrade. 

    Delivered by Fulton Hogan, the project used 90 per cent local construction materials and utilised a total workforce of approximately 234 people, 110 of whom were Whyalla locals. 

    Quotes attributable to South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas: 

    “This investment is a demonstration of our confidence in Whyalla’s long-term future. 

    “Whyalla Airport services more than 50,000 passengers every year, many of them workers, and this upgrade will ensure the airport can continue its important work.” 

    Quotes attributable to Federal Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King:

    “These upgrades at Whyalla Airport will keep local communities connected, bring visitors in and help maintain a strong regional aviation network for Australia. 

    “That’s why the Albanese Government has proudly invested $16.2 million to this project, partnering with the state and local government to deliver for the Whyalla region.” 

    Quotes attributable to Federal Industry and Innovation Minister Tim Ayres: 

    “As well as keeping locals better connected in the long term, this upgrade for Whyalla Airport injected around $4 million directly into the region’s economy. 

    “It also provided welcome construction jobs while drawing on local materials, providing a major boost for the area.” 

    Quotes attributable to South Australian Infrastructure and Transport Minister Tom Koutsantonis: 

    “This upgrade was imperative to ensure commercial air travel could continue to this facility. 

    “Without it, there would have been significant damage to the businesses that rely on FIFO workers, as well as tourism operators, among others. 

    “Whyalla is clearly a major priority of this Government, and the importance of a well-functioning access point to and from the city cannot be overstated.” 

    Quotes attributable to South Australian Senator Karen Grogan: 

    “Whyalla Airport brings in tourists, FIFO workers and a range of essential services – making it a critical gateway for the region’s prosperity. 

    “It is one of the largest regional airports in South Australia and our Government is proud to have invested in its future.” 

    Quotes attributable to State Member for Giles Eddie Hughes:

    “Once again the Federal and State Labor Governments demonstrate their commitment to Whyalla and the Northern Spencer Gulf by partnering to fund the essential upgrade of the Whyalla Airport. 

    “Without that investment we would have lost vital commercial flights between Whyalla and Adelaide, not to mention the provision of medical services would have been seriously degraded not just in Whyalla but also in Port Augusta. 

    “It’s great to see the upgrade delivered on time, on budget and employing locals.” 

    Quotes attributable to City of Whyalla Mayor Phill Stone: 

    “I’d like to thank the Albanese and Malinauskas governments for their unprecedented financial support of Whyalla’s steelworks and airport, thereby recognising the significance of our city in the prosperity of both the state and the entire nation. 

    “The airport runway project has provided a major injection for local contractors and employees throughout its construction and will continue to benefit the Whyalla economy for decades to come.” 

    Quotes attributable to QantasLink CEO Rachel Yangoyan: 

    “This investment by Federal, State and local governments not only supports the future of air travel in Whyalla, but also unlocks new opportunities for economic growth across the region. 

    “Our investment in an all-Q400 fleet means larger aircraft flying to and from Whyalla, providing more seats and a faster, more comfortable journey for customers.” 

    Quotes attributable to Peter Curl, Fulton Hogan CEO – Infrastructure Services: 

    “We’ve been proud to deliver this project for Whyalla, a community that has shown us overwhelming support. 

    “We believe in creating, connecting, and caring for communities and our focus has been to prioritise working with local businesses and workforce. We have also worked closely with the Council on several community-focused projects to show our appreciation to the community of Whyalla.”

    MIL OSI News –