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  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: First Responders – Lewis Pass Road fire update

    Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand

    Fire and Emergency New Zealand is battling a large vegetation fire on Lewis Pass Road this afternoon. Crews were alerted to the fire at Island Hills, Hurunui around 2.30pm. It is currently five hectares in size.
    There are around 40 firefighters, 20 Fire and Emergency trucks, tankers and support vehicles along with nine helicopters working to get the fire contained.
    Nearby houses have been evacuated as a precaution. State Highway 7 has been closed and people are being asked to stay away while our crews fight the fire. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New Korea Rotational Force announced

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    The 1-SBCT, 4-ID, “Raider Brigade” is based out of Fort Carson, Colorado, and will continue to offer the mobility and flexibility necessary to meet various contingency requirements as an expeditionary, combined arms force organized around mounted infantry. The brigade will arrive later this year.

    “This deployment reinforces our commitment to maintaining combat-ready forces capable of supporting U.S. strategic objectives and strengthening our alliance with the Republic of Korea,” said Col. Anthony Keller commander of the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. “Our Soldiers will train rigorously to ensure they remain lethal, adaptive, and ready to respond alongside our allies.”

    U.S. Army Pacific routinely schedules and deploys forces on a rotational basis to the Republic of Korea. These deployments support U.S. strategic commitments to the ROK, regional partners and U.S. security obligations. The purpose for these deployments is to maintain a rotational process that cultivates Eighth Army’s readiness, supports U.S. long-term strategic objectives in the ROK and the region, and assures tailored flexibility for the future force structure in Korea. Exposing different units to the Korean theater of operations increase familiarity with the region and builds upon the partnerships between the two forces.

    For more information, please contact the Eighth Army Public Affairs Office at usarmy.humphreys.8-army.mbx.public-affairs-office@army.mil.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: FACT SHEET: Trump & Elon’s Layoffs Jeopardize Essential Services Americans Rely On, Threaten Critical Agency Objectives Keeping Americans Safe & Healthy 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) responded to the Trump administration’s mass firings of federal workers who are on their “probationary” period—meaning: federal workers who were hired or promoted within the past 1-2 years.  

    There is nothing efficient about indiscriminate mass firings. Although the exact number of employees in their probationary period changes with each pay period, data from March 2024 shows more than 220,000 federal employees were within their probationary period. More than one quarter, or 56,000, were employees at the Veterans Health Administration. The Partnership for Public Service estimates that there are now closer to 250,000 federal employees in their probationary period. Moreover, these employees are younger (around 27% are under the age of 30) and have the highest rates of employee engagement among all government workers. President Trump has also recently signed an Executive Order, which mandates that only one employee be hired for every four who are fired or depart.

    In a statement, Senator Murray said:

    “There is nothing ‘efficient’ about indiscriminately firing thousands upon thousands of workers in red and blue states whose work is badly needed. 

    “We are talking about safety engineers at the Hanford nuclear cleanup site, VA doctors and nurses, utility line workers in my home state, CDC health experts who investigate disease outbreaks, and so many others.

    “Two billionaires who have zero concept of what the federal workforce does are breaking the American government—decimating essential services and leaving all of us worse off. 

    “The lives upended by these callous firings will not just be the federal workers who lose their jobs, but the millions of Americans who rely on services these employees provide: health care, food safety, housing, lifesaving research, and so much else. 

    “Let’s be clear that these sweeping layoffs do not address fraud or waste. These firings are totally arbitrary–pushing out high performers and the promising next generation of our federal workforce who won’t be easily replaced. 

    “The scale and scope of Trump and Elon’s purge will set our country back decades, but we are not powerless in this moment. It is incumbent on every one of us to speak out for a government that works for middle-class families and working people—not just billionaires who will never need to call about their Social Security benefits or file a disability claim at VA.”

    SEE BELOW FOR A SELECT, NON-COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF THE IMPACTS OF THESE LAYOFFS:

    VETERANS AFFAIRS: In 2022, Congress passed the largest expansion of veterans’ benefits in two decades, requiring a significant influx of resources and staff to ensure veterans are getting the medical care and benefits they are owed. 

    • The Trump administration’s mass firing of more than 1,000 VA employees just yesterday will badly undercut VA’s ability to process the significant uptick in claims and benefits the agency has seen since the PACT Act was signed into law. The Trump administration has not explicitly exempted doctors, nurses, medical researchers, or disability claims raters from the layoffs. 
    • These layoffs likely mean longer wait times for veterans trying to receive medical care, and they could mean that ongoing clinical trials may be forced to come to an abrupt halt. They likely also mean veterans will wait longer for their disability claims to be processed and approved, and that training for new claims raters that VA has invested in over the last year would go to waste.  
    • There is already a shortage of VA doctors and nurses across the country–in red and blue states. The hiring freeze prohibits new disability claims raters from coming on board, and with the firing of recently hired raters, the backlog of unprocessed claims will grow above 254,000. 

    SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION (SBA): The SBA provides essential resources and support to small businesses and entrepreneurs across the country. This week, the Trump administration reportedly moved to fire 720 employees, including those recently hired to help small businesses and homeowners recover from devastating disasters. Communities and main streets across the country–from North Carolina to California–are still reeling from the impacts of hurricanes and wildfires; laying off SBA employees will curtail the SBA’s efforts to help small businesses on the ground recover. 

    OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT (OPM): OPM serves as the chief human resources and personnel policy manager for the federal government and processes retirements for all federal workers, including those in the postal service. OPM employees help ensure federal employees in every part of the country receive their paychecks and retirement benefits. Without adequate staffing levels, federal workers will experience disruptions in essential services OPM provides. 

    • On February 13, OPM fired 250 probationary employees. Management was not notified that the agency would be firing people that day and probationary employees were given 30 minutes to leave the building. There were no exceptions given for high-performing employees or those that managers had prioritized on requested forms. 

    GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION (GSA): GSA oversees most government contracts, manages federal property, and oversees basic federal government functions. Housed at GSA, Technology Transformation Services is responsible for FedRAMP, which sets cybersecurity standards for federal contractors, and Login.gov, which the American public uses to access their Social Security statements online. GSA was one of the earliest DOGE targets. 

    • An estimated 100 tech workers at GSA have been laid off this week alone. These employees assist with important federal initiatives, including the Direct File program, which is finally helping Americans file their taxes directly with the IRS–for free.  

    HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT: The nationwide housing shortage is one area in which both sides of the aisle agree needs urgent solutions, and HUD plays a critical role in working to tackle the crisis. Without sufficient staff to keep things moving at HUD, hundreds of projects across the country are going to be delayed. Many projects will fall apart completely, exacerbating the housing crisis. Even one month of delays on a multimillion-dollar project can cost builders immensely. In just a few weeks of hasty decisions, the Trump administration has proposed drastic cuts that will hurt some of the most vulnerable people and families across the country, undercut economic development, and stunt disaster recovery.

    • Even under current staffing levels, grantees struggle to receive adequate and timely customer service and processing from HUD, and these actions will make it devastatingly worse.
    • Based on current estimates, Trump’s personnel actions to date will result in about a 13% reduction in HUD’s entire workforce.
    • This figure could grow to 50% percent based on reported plans for additional staff cuts across HUD’s programs. One component was directed to reduce staff by 84%, and that office oversees the community and economic development, long-term disaster, and homeless assistance funding that cities around the country, in red and blue states, rely on.  

    DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY: The Department of Energy is responsible for overseeing U.S. energy policy and production, our nuclear weapons program, and national nuclear policy. Among other things, Department of Energy staff plays an essential role in turbocharging American innovation, creating new good-paying jobs, lowering families’ energy bills, strengthening America’s energy security, and maintaining our nation’s nuclear weapons stockpile.

    • The Department of Energy has now laid off 1,800 employees out of 15,850 employees, which is roughly 11% of its workforce. The layoffs have occurred Department-wide; however, the climate and infrastructure deployment offices have been hit hardest, including the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, and the Manufacturing and Grid Deployment Offices. These layoffs will seriously hamper the implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act, which have created hundreds of thousands of new jobs–compounding the incredible damage that this administration has already caused with its illegal freeze of funding provided by the two landmark laws. The layoffs include staff responsible for ensuring that funding to lower households’ energy costs gets out the door.
    • In Washington state alone, more than a dozen employees at the Hanford Site and more than 600 at the Bonneville Power Administration have been laid off–which will have cascading ripple effects on the cleanup efforts at the Hanford site and the security of the Pacific Northwest energy grid. Notably, these numbers do not include employees who opted into the “deferred resignation” program.

    INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE: The Indian Health Service provides direct health care to 2.8 million American Indians and Alaska Natives, but has, for years, been plagued with chronic staffing challenges and consistently high vacancy rates (upwards of 29%) across all service areas. The staffing shortage has, for decades, undercut the quality of care to Tribal communities across the country. Congress has consistently identified recruitment and retention as a high priority for the agency and has worked on a bipartisan basis to fully fund staffing at IHS facilities and to increase hiring incentives to provide relief.

    • The Trump administration’s mass firing of more than an estimated 850 employees includes doctors, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, and lab technicians–and will devastate the Indian Health Service’s ability to provide services for patients and make an already dire situation worse. These indiscriminate cuts to IHS’ health care workforce will leave thousands without access to critical care and could cost lives.
    • American Indians and Alaska Natives have a life expectancy rate of 11 years less than the national average of 65.2 years old. That’s the same life expectancy rate as the overall population of the United States in 1944.

    DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR: The Interior Department is responsible for the management of public lands, waters, and natural resources, including both conservation and development on federal lands under the National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, and Bureau of Land Management, as well as administering programs affecting Native Americans. The Department is reportedly laying off 2,300 employees.

    • These layoffs will lead to a damaging loss of full-time staff at the National Park Service, which is already operating well below prior staffing levels despite significant increases in visitation. As a result of onerous budget caps during the 2010s, the National Park Service lost 15% of its staff while park visitation also increased by 15%. National Park units experience a summer surge in visitation that peaks in July, and the Service hires more than 6,000 seasonal employees to manage that extra work. Without full-time or seasonal staff during this peak season, visitor centers may close, bathrooms will not be properly maintained, campgrounds may close, guided tours will be cut back or altogether canceled, emergency response times will drop, and visitor services like safety advice, trail recommendations, and interpretation will be unavailable.
    • These indiscriminate cuts are also likely to jeopardize the President’s own “America-First” energy agenda, delaying the processing, planning, permitting, environmental compliance, and approval of new and expanded transmission lines, renewable energy projects, oil and gas leasing and drilling, critical minerals mines, coal mining, and other development on federal lands or waters.

    Federal Bureau of Investigation: The FBI is the domestic intelligence and security service of the United States and its principal federal law enforcement agency. The Bureau is reportedly amassing a list of thousands of probationary employees, including special agents, for possible layoffs–which comes at a time of incredible uncertainty at the FBI. The FBI already faces a salaries and expenses resources shortfall, because of the Fiscal Responsibility Act’s tight constraints, which has already resulted in roughly 1,000 fewer staff. A purge—possibly in the thousands—of FBI employees will worsen an already bad situation–seriously undermining the FBI’s ability to combat terrorism, violent crime, cybercrime, drugs and gangs, transnational organized crime, and child and sex trafficking exploitation. 

    • The FBI has over 2,800 probationary employees, nearly 600 of which are special agents. 
    • The first year cost alone of recruiting, hiring, and training a new FBI special agent is nearly $250,000. Firing hundreds of new agents would be a colossal waste of American taxpayers’ dollars. 

    FOREST SERVICE: The Forest Service is responsible for managing 193 million acres of national forests and grasslands and is reportedly laying off 2,400 employees. While some exemptions are expected for law enforcement and firefighters, many of those being let go are qualified to help respond to wildfires and are a vital resource during the height of fire season. Other recent hires were brought on to accelerate hazardous fuels reduction and community wildfire defense projects to decrease the risk of catastrophic wildfires to communities across the country.

    ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY: Approximately 1,700 EPA staff have so far been notified they could be terminated. As of December 2024, EPA had 15,572 total full-time employees on staff, which include scientists, toxicologists, biologists, staff overseeing cleanups at Superfund sites in red and blue states, and many more. Indiscriminate layoffs will seriously jeopardize energy projects that have created good jobs, efforts to keep American families’ water supply clean and safe, waste site cleanup efforts, and much more.

    DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES: HHS’ civil service and nonpartisan leadership consists of scientists, researchers, medical professionals, child welfare specialists, and other dedicated public servants. Its nonpartisan leadership is tasked with implementing laws spanning HHS’ far-reaching responsibilities and accordingly is retained to continue building on advances made in medicine, public health, and social services. HHS’ nonpartisan career leadership does not routinely turn over between administrations.

    • Nonetheless, Secretary Kennedy, now having been confirmed, is expected to seek the unprecedented resignation of HHS nonpartisan career leadership and has already begun firing thousands of probationary employees across HHS. 
    • Injecting politics deep into HHS will undermine everything from biomedical research to public health to substance use treatment to child welfare. This is how now-Secretary Kennedy will substitute his own beliefs for established scientific consensus. 
    • Additionally: firing thousands of staff across the Department will have far-reaching impacts on basic government services, potentially including the administration of Medicare. Firings so far have included nurses, pharmacists, patient care technicians, and other staff critical for patient care at NIH’s clinical center, as well as hundreds of early career scientists and researchers.

    DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION: So far, Department of Education employees have already been put on administrative leave simply because they took a training encouraged by the first Trump administration. Other employees fired or expected to be fired at the Department of Education will put cybersecurity efforts, ongoing work on the FAFSA, and maintenance of student aid processing systems in serious jeopardy. 

    AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE: ARS is the USDA’s principal in-house research agency that seeks to develop and transfer solutions to agricultural problems of high national priority. This includes research related to ensuring high-quality, safe food, assessing the nutritional needs of Americans, and sustaining a competitive U.S. agricultural economy.

    • The blanket firing of hundreds of scientists and technicians across the country who were in probationary periods will undercut new, ongoing, and urgent research projects studying livestock and crop production, food safety, environmental stewardship, human nutrition, and value-added agriculture. 

    ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE: Scores of employees from the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) were abruptly fired regardless of performance status. APHIS protects our country against the emergence of deadly animal and zoonotic diseases and prevents the introduction of destructive invasive pests. This work is vital to ensuring our farmers and ranchers can safely feed the world. As avian influenza rages across poultry and dairy farms and continues to infect people, the last thing our country needs is a shortage of staff focused on addressing this threat.  

    RURAL DEVELOPMENT: Hundreds of employees working to help rural communities across the country were laid off overnight. Rural Development provides financial assistance for communities to have safe drinking water, affordable housing, high-speed internet, and access to health and safety services. Without adequate staffing, loans and grants will not be processed, and these communities will not have the resources they need to thrive.

    NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE: Hundreds of employees working to assist producers with access to voluntary conservation programs and practices were laid off. Those employees are based in offices across the country and provide technical assistance to help improve soil quality, reduce the energy used on farms, and provide other climate mitigation benefits. 

    NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION: NOAA is the nation’s leading scientific and regulatory agency charged with forecasting weather, monitoring oceanic and atmospheric conditions, and managing marine and coastal resources. Americans rely on the National Weather Service’s data forecasts daily but the critical nature of the mission to life and property comes to light during hurricanes, drought, wildfires, tornados, and other extreme weather events. The National Weather Service already struggles with staffing shortages but has made a concerted effort to increase the number of meteorologists. As such, many meteorologists have only been in the role for less than a year and are within their probationary period. 

    • Reports that NOAA will be required to lay off more than a thousand probationary employees, including meteorologists, which amount to 10% of NOAA’s workforce would result in disruptions to weather forecasts. 
    • Similar impacts could be felt to the sustainable management of the nation’s fisheries since NOAA relies on wage mariners to staff the fisheries’ survey vessels that perform stock assessments that feed into accurate sustainable catch limits on which the fishing industry relies.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Unlicensed driver blows 6 times legal limit – Darwin

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    A young Darwin man is lucky to be alive after crashing his small vehicle into large utility vehicle on the Stuart Highway this morning.

    At 10:15am the Joint Emergency Services Communications Centre received a report of a two-vehicle crash at the intersection of Stuart Highway and Tivendale Road, Knuckey Lagoon.

    Earlier, a 47-year-old male was driving a black, Ford F-150 inbound along the Stuart Highway when a 21-year-old male, driving a silver Toyota Yaris, attempted to make a right-hand turn from the Stuart Highway onto Tivendale Road.

    The driver of the Yaris failed to see the F-150 and collided heavily into the driver’s side causing extensive damage to both vehicles and blocking the inside lane.

    Police, NTFRS and St Johns Ambulance attended the scene. The driver of the F-150 sustained a possible fractured ankle and a laceration to his arm and was taken to Royal Darwin Hospital by ambulance.

    The 21-year-old driver, who is unlicensed, was breath tested at the scene of the crash and returned an indication blood alcohol level of 0.304%.

    He was also taken to RDH for assessment of minor injuries and a blood sample was also taken for analysis.

    Darwin Watch Commander Sean Patterson said the behaviour of the 21-year-old driver was simply unacceptable.

    “The conduct of this offending driver was absolutely ludicrous. He put the community in danger and caused injuries to a person going about his daily business, Watch Commander Patterson said.

    “Sixty people lost their lives on Territory roads last year and the actions of this young man had the potential to cause another, totally unnecessary fatality.

     “This type of behaviour is completely irresponsible and Police make no apology for continuing to target drivers impaired by alcohol and drugs.”

    The Darwin Traffic Operations unit are continuing to investigate the crash.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Following Longtime Efforts, Senator Reverend Warnock Applauds Howard University Receiving Top Research Classification

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia

    Following Longtime Efforts, Senator Reverend Warnock Applauds Howard University Receiving Top Research Classification

    Howard University announced yesterday it had been conferred a Research One (R1) Carnegie Classification, which is widely considered to be the highest research activity classification among colleges and universities in the United States
    Senator Reverend Warnock introduced his bipartisan Increase America’s Research Capacity Act of 2023, which instructs the Department of Commerce and Comptroller General of the United States to conduct studies to identify how HBCUs can achieve R1 status
    The Senator successfully secured additional funding to ensure HBCU’s and Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) had additional administrative support to secure federal STEM dollars in the CHIPS and Science Act
    Senator Reverend Warnock is a proud product of Atlanta HBCU Morehouse College and the only HBCU alum currently serving in the U.S. Senate
    A life-long advocate of HBCUs, last year, Senator Reverend Warnock delivered commencement speeches at Georgia’s Albany State University, Tennessee State University, and Johnson C. Smith University
    Senator Reverend Warnock has secured $267 million for Georgia’s HBCUs to date, part of $17 billion in federal investments delivered to HBCUs
    Senator Reverend Warnock: “HBCUs play a vital role helping shape the next generation, and this designation goes a long way in helping illustrate their importance to our nation and their ability to perform on par and above the level of any other institution in the country”

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), a proud HBCU graduate and a champion of HBCUs in the Senate, applauded the recent announcement that Howard University was named a Research One (R1) institution by the American Council on Education (ACE), making it the first and only Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) to achieve this status.

    “HBCUs play a vital role helping shape the next generation, and this designation goes a long way in helping illustrate their importance to our nation and their ability to perform on par and above the level of any other institution in the country,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “We know that HBCUs have long punched well above their weight, I wouldn’t be where I am today without my HBCU, Morehouse College, and as the only HBCU alum currently serving om the Senate, I will continue fighting on behalf of these storied institutions so that they have the funding needed to develop and cultivating future world contributors and leaders.”

    Senator Warnock has long worked to support HBCUs and has led two efforts to support HBCUs in pursuit of the R1 designation. In 2023, Senator Reverend Warnock introduced his bipartisan bill, the Increase America’s Research Capacity Act of 2023, which instructs the Department of Commerce and Comptroller General of the United States to conduct studies to identify how HBCUs can achieve R1 status. Additionally, the Senator successfully secured additional funding to ensure HBCU’s and Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) had additional administrative support to secure federal STEM dollars in the CHIPS and Science Act.

    Senator Warnock led an effort highlighting his concerns with the classification methodology for higher education, urging needed reforms. In the letter, Senator Warnock urged the American Council on Education, which oversees the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, to make needed reforms to its classification methodology for higher education to reflect the importance and potential of the nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Before Howard University’s announcement, there wasn’t a single HBCU with the R-1 classification.

    There are many incredible research institutions, especially MSIs and HBCUs, that do tremendous research, but are not recognized by the current methodology, which accounts for research dollars spent and the number of research faculty, but not necessarily research quality or utility,” Senator Warnock wrote to the American Council on Education in 2023. 

    As the proud product of an HBCU, Senator Warnock is deeply committed to doing all he can to ensure these institutions thrive. To date, Senator Warnock has secured more than $267 million for Georgia HBCUs and more than $17 billion in total for HBCU campuses across the country, and has helped spearhead bipartisan calls for robust funding for HBCUs. In 2023, Senator Warnock addressed HBCU faculty and staff and led the group in prayer at the 7th Annual HBCU Fly-In and outlined his priorities for these important institutions. He has worked to strengthen 1890 land grant institutions and minority serving institutions and pushed hard to secure robust funding for 1890 Land-Grant colleges and universities.

    The “R1” or “very high research activity” status is a designation created by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, which is now being revamped by the American Council on Education (ACE). “R1” institutions have “very high research activity,” which is the highest designation of research activity.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto, Lee Celebrate Bipartisan Federal Law to Speed Up Home Building in Nevada

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

    Above (L to R): Olympia Companies Executive Vice President Chris Armstrong, Southern Nevada Home Builders Association CEO Tina Frias, Senator Cortez Masto, Congresswoman Lee, Nevada Housing Coalition Executive Director Maurice Page

    Las Vegas, NV – Today, in a Northwest Las Vegas community being developed from federal land into the new Skye Summit residential community, Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Congresswoman Susie Lee (D-Nev.-03) held a press conference to announce and celebrate the bipartisan Accelerating Appraisals and Conservation Efforts (AACE) Act being signed into law – a bill they led in Congress. The AACE Act will help address Nevada’s housing crisis by cutting red tape to speed up federal land transactions and lower housing costs.

    Skye Summit was once federal land and is in the process of being developed by Olympia Companies for housing, including entry-level homes. More than 3,000 homes will be built on this desert land. Model homes should be ready by the end of 2026, and early 2027.

    “Now that the AACE Act is law, it will cut through red tape and make it easier to build affordable housing, to open new businesses, and to support conservation projects in Southern Nevada,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “I am grateful to Congresswoman Lee and our partners in the community who helped get this bipartisan legislation across the finish line.”

    “We made a commitment to lower the cost of housing and passing my AACE Act is one step toward building housing and lowering costs,” said Representative Lee. “Thanks to a strong partnership with Senator Cortez Masto and our local housing advocates, we’re now cutting red tape to more quickly unlock federals lands for housing, conservation, and infrastructure projects at no additional cost to the American taxpayer.”

    “The Southern Nevada Home Builders Association (SNHBA) is committed to working alongside federal and state policymakers to improve housing attainability, enhance workforce development, and remove barriers to homeownership,” said Southern Nevada Home Builders Association CEO Tina Frias.

    “The Nevada Housing Coalition (NHC) celebrates the recent signing of the Accelerating Appraisals and Conservation Efforts (AACE) Act. This bipartisan legislation is a significant win for affordable housing development and land conservation efforts in Nevada, said Nevada Housing Coalition Executive Director Maurice Page. “NHC commends Congresswoman Susie Lee for her leadership in advancing policies that foster housing opportunities and economic growth. We look forward to collaborating with federal, state, and local partners to maximize the impact of this legislation and ensure that public land is utilized effectively to meet the needs of Nevada’s residents.”

    “Skye Summit, located in the northwest part of Las Vegas, is a new master-planned community that will help tackle Southern Nevada’s housing crisis. With construction commencing in Q4 of 2025 and model homes opening in Q4 of 2026, Skye Summit will bring vital infrastructure and key transportation corridors to the area with over 3,000 homes and various amenities including community parks and walking trails,” said Olympia Companies Executive Vice President Chris Armstrong. “Thanks to the AACE Act, we can now speed up federal land appraisals, ensuring projects like this move forward faster to meet Nevada’s housing needs. We’re grateful for this vital legislation and the leaders who have made it possible, especially Congresswoman Susie Lee, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, and Governor Lombardo, as well as our local partners like Las Vegas Councilwoman Frances Allen-Palenske for their tremendous leadership and support. We look forward to seeing how Skye Summit contributes to the growing landscape of the Las Vegas valley.”

    In Nevada, more than 80% of the land is owned by the federal government. The Department of the Interior (DOI) oversees hundreds of millions of acres of public land nationwide, but before it can complete any land transactions, it must first guarantee that these transactions are done at fair market value. With growing demands, the agency has had to rely increasingly on private appraisers who can only work in the specific states where they are credentialed — unlike full-time federal appraisers, who have been able to work quickly and easily across state lines for decades.

    The AACE Act will:

    • Allow DOI to contract with private appraisers appropriately credentialed in any one state or territory to perform appraisal duties across all states and territories;
    • Tackle federal appraisal bottlenecks that undermine housing, infrastructure, and conservation projects on public lands without spending a single additional taxpayer dollar by making more appraisers available; and
    • Require DOI to continue to prioritize working with local appraisers, unlocking the enhanced flexibility provided by the bill only when no qualified and cost-competitive local appraisers are available to perform needed services. 

    Senator Cortez Masto and Congresswoman Lee were joined by Nevada Housing Coalition Executive Director Maurice Page, Southern Nevada Home Builders Association CEO Tina Frias, and Olympia Companies Executive Vice President Chris Armstrong.

    Senator Cortez Masto has been working to cut red tape and streamline public land management across Nevada. Her bills allowing new industrial businesses to expand in Las Vegas and protecting the region’s water supply by building a critical new water pipeline passed the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee last year. Last year she also helped secure streamlined and improved guidance for building affordable housing on federal land under the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: What ‘Ne Zha 2’ reveals about China’s economic vigor

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    This photo taken on Feb. 13, 2025 shows a poster for the Chinese animated film “Ne Zha 2” at a cinema in Chaoyang District of Beijing, capital of China. [Photo/Xinhua]

    As the credits rolled on “Ne Zha 2” in a packed cinema, Zhou Jianmin, CEO of Zhejiang Huaguoshan Cultural Media, felt a surge of pride, perfectly articulating it with, “Seeing our team’s names on the screen made every hardship of the past year worthwhile.”

    “This film proves that China’s animation industry can rival global giants in both storytelling and technical prowess,” Zhou added.

    The Chinese New Year blockbuster reached a milestone on Thursday, with ticket sales hitting 10 billion yuan (about 1.39 billion U.S. dollars), making it the first animated film in global cinema history to achieve this in a single market.

    Beyond its cinematic success, the film’s ripple effects on tourism, retail, and capital markets provide a glimpse into China’s evolving economic dynamism.

    SMALL PLAYERS POWERING A BLOCKBUSTER

    According to data provided by the film’s creative team, “Ne Zha 2” featured nearly 2,000 visual effect shots, an impossible scale for a single studio to handle.

    This herculean task was achieved through a production network comprising 138 companies, with over 80 percent, or 115 firms, being small and medium enterprises (SMEs) scattered across tech hubs like Beijing, Chengdu, Suzhou, and Shenzhen.

    These firms handled multiple production stages including animation development, visual effects compositing, and art design — tasks that are often outsourced overseas by Hollywood studios.

    Chengdu-based animation studio Yunhai Tianju, for instance, dedicated about 30 employees to work onsite with lead animator Chengdu Coco Cartoon Co., Ltd. for over two years. “‘Ne Zha 2’ brought together top talents from across the country, elevating the film and television industry,” said Han Yunlong, general manager of the studio.

    “Through dynamic exchanges and technical collaboration among professionals, national industry standards are continuously being raised,” Han added.

    Meanwhile, industry titans like Enlight Media, the film’s major producer, streamlined funding and distribution, triggering a 264 percent stock surge within just eight trading days after release.

    The model mirrors China’s animation industry playbook: SMEs inject niche expertise and cost efficiency, while conglomerates scale output. “The collaboration of outstanding animation companies nationwide is like the ‘wanlinjia,’ or armor of 10,000 scales, of the animation industry,” said Shi Chaoqun, the film’s visual effects director.

    FROM SILVER SCREEN TO TOURIST TRAILS

    Beyond theaters, the film’s success has sent ripples through China’s cultural tourism market. Cities tied to Ne Zha’s legend are racing to transform cinematic buzz into economic gains, introducing innovative tourism products centered on the mythical figure.

    Tourism platform Tongcheng reported a fivefold spike in searches for “Ne Zha-themed trips.” In Sichuan’s Yibin, home to ancient temples honoring the mythical hero, visitors flocked to newly launched attractions like the “Dragon Palace” experience and themed events, driving a 34 percent jump in hotel bookings in Yibin’s Cuiping district.

    Tianjin, meanwhile, leaned into its claim as Ne Zha’s “hometown,” blending the deity’s lore with local landmarks.

    “Cultural and tourism consumption is a key driver of service-based spending,” said Zeng Guang, assistant director of the Economic Research Institute at Guosen Securities.

    He noted that the growth rate of service consumption, led by tourism, will likely outpace the overall economic growth rate.

    MERCHANDISING GOLD RUSH

    On top of tourism heat, Ne Zha merchandise, from toys to limited-edition figurines, is flying off shelves. Hunan Sunny&Sandy Toys Manufacturer Co., Ltd., holding the exclusive license of 3D plastic candy toys for the movie “Ne Zha 2,” saw its cumulative sales for Ne Zha figurines on online and offline platforms top 200 million yuan since Jan. 31.

    To cater to the surge in market demand, the company had to adjust its production schedule, recalling over 500 employees to return to work during the Spring Festival, said Yang Zhenlin, assistant to the president of Sunny&Sandy.

    Currently, with nearly 60 production lines operating simultaneously, the firm’s monthly production capacity for Ne Zha-themed products has reached 6 to 8 million units.

    The craze reflects China’s consumption upgrade, where fans splurge beyond tickets. “Many consumers have commented on social media and livestream platforms that they loved our products,” Yang said.

    The historic box office success demonstrates both the enhanced global competitiveness of China’s domestic animation industry, and the pivotal role played by the rise of China-chic cultural trends, Yang added.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Thai police arrest 10 in case involving Chinese actor

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    Authorities in Thailand have arrested 10 Chinese suspects in connection with the case involving Chinese actor Wang Xing and have handed them over to the immigration department for repatriation to China, the Thai police said on Friday.

    According to a statement released by the Thai police, investigations found that the 10 arrested suspects belonged to a criminal gang that had long been conducting telecommunications fraud targeting Chinese citizens in Myawaddy, Myanmar.

    They were suspected of pretending to be employees of an entertainment company in Thailand to defraud Wang Xing. After Wang’s rescue, they planned to flee to Cambodia via Thailand, but were arrested in various places in Thailand and accused of illegal entry.

    Thatchai Pitaneelaboot, senior inspector general of the Thai police, has instructed that the 10 suspects be handed over to the Thai Immigration Bureau for repatriation to China.

    Wang Xing, a Chinese actor, entered Thailand on Jan. 3 but lost contact near the Thailand-Myanmar border. The Thai police tracked his movements and successfully rescued him on Jan. 7, identifying him as a victim of human trafficking. He has departed from Thailand for China on the night of Jan. 10 following collaborative efforts from both countries, as confirmed by the Chinese embassy in Thailand.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: 99.6% of community healthcare centers offer TCM services

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    Up to 99.6 percent of China’s community and township-level healthcare centers are capable of providing traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) services, according to the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (NATCM).
    There are approximately 42,000 TCM clinics at primary-level medical facilities nationwide, the NATCM told a press conference on Friday.
    China has made significant strides in advancing appropriate skills related to TCM services, with the proportion of community and township-level healthcare centers equipped with such skills rising to 98 percent, according to the NATCM.
    The accessibility, equity, and sustainability of grassroots TCM services in China have been consistently enhanced through targeted, extensive, direct and effective measures aimed at developing TCM clinics, said Xing Chao, an NATCM official.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Machinery sector to see export uptick

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    China’s machinery industry is expected to post stable export growth in 2025 despite challenges posed by aggressive tariff policies by the United States and geopolitical tensions in other parts of the world, leaders from the China Machinery Industry Federation (CMIF) said on Friday.

    This resilience is backed by the robust industrial chain advantages of domestic manufacturers, commitment to green transformation, and the integration of DeepSeek’s artificial intelligence technologies into their products and service networks.

    DeepSeek is a two-year-old startup based in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, that has created open-source large language models at much lower costs than its foreign peers.

    The foreign trade growth of China’s machinery industry — a key economic indicator — rose 7.5 percent on a yearly basis to $1.17 trillion in 2024, maintaining the $1 trillion mark in foreign trade value for a fourth consecutive year, according to information released by the Beijing-based federation.

    China’s exports of machinery products, including excavators, electric and fuel-powered vehicles, wind turbine generators and industrial parts, amounted to $869.36 billion last year, an increase of 11 percent year-on-year, accounting for 24.3 percent of the country’s total export value.

    Speaking at a news conference in Beijing, Chen Bin, CMIF’s deputy director of the expert committee, said the United States’ primary efforts to curb China’s growth are not focused on traditional machinery manufacturing, but rather on the electronic information industry, including sectors such as semiconductors, telecommunications, AI, cloud computing, big data, and cybersecurity.

    “While we recognize that exports may face some challenges this year, we remain optimistic. Chinese companies are proactively expanding their presence in emerging markets and increasing research and development investments to enhance product competitiveness,” said Chen.

    Despite an unexpectedly harsh international trade environment in 2024, he said Chinese manufacturers still achieved a historic breakthrough and that exports of China’s machinery products will see stable growth this year, especially in emerging markets and economies participating in the Belt and Road Initiative.

    The export value of China’s machinery products to countries and regions involved in the BRI grew by 14 percent year-on-year in 2024, accounting for 51.5 percent of the industry’s total exports, according to CMIF data.

    Meanwhile, Chinese companies’ machinery exports to markets of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Africa, and Latin America jumped by 17.7 percent, 12.9 percent and 27.1 percent, year-on-year, respectively.

    Norsepower Marine Technology (Yancheng) Co Ltd, a manufacturer of ship fittings based in Yancheng, Jiangsu province, plans to export up to 50 marine rotary sails this year, according to information from Nanjing Customs.

    These sails will be applied to various oceangoing vessels. It is estimated that they will reduce annual fuel consumption by 5,000 metric tons and lower carbon emissions by 15,000 tons, said Hai Yunyi, the company’s president.

    “The marine rotary sails are power devices that utilize aerodynamic effects to serve as an alternative to traditional fuel,” said Hai.

    As many Chinese manufacturers, particularly automakers, are keen to integrate DeepSeek’s open-source large language model into their products, Luo Junjie, CMIF’s executive vice-president, said this move will enhance the competitiveness of China’s machinery manufacturing industry.

    “Even though the entire industry is likely to actively adopt this AI solution this year, the true economic benefits will need to be proven through practice,” said Luo, stressing that cutting costs and improving efficiency are key drivers for Chinese companies.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Luxury brands debut new products ahead of Valentine’s Day

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Following the Spring Festival holiday that witnessed strong consumption this year, companies took advantage of Valentine’s Day, as more foreign brands launched limited editions of their products and strengthen marketing efforts online while being bullish on the China market.

    International luxury brands debuted products on e-commerce platforms ahead of Valentine’s Day to seize business opportunities arising from the peak consumption period. For instance, Cartier and Gucci launched new styles of necklaces, while Burberry debuted new earrings on Alibaba’s e-commerce platform Tmall ahead of Valentine’s Day.

    Cartier said consumers could get complimentary engraving services on the boxes for purchases of rings and necklaces before Valentine’s Day. The brand also launched augmented reality tryon functions on its WeChat mini programs, which have helped increase the conversion rate from try-on to purchase by 35 percent, according to data from consultancy Frost & Sullivan.

    Besides, Bottega Veneta launched new handbags and wallets online with the design elements featuring red hearts, and the brand saw quick sales of those products after launch, Tmall said.

    In addition to debuting more kinds of new products online this year, major luxury brands continued to enhance their online services for gifting scenarios, indicating their increasing valuation of the China market.

    “Valentine’s Day stands as one of the three major periods of luxury consumption in China besides Spring Festival and Chinese Valentine’s Day, or Qixi. Based on our data, more than 60 percent of consumers are willing to pay for extra costs for the festival limited editions,” said Li Jincan, consulting manager of Frost & Sullivan China.

    “Launching limited editions on e-commerce platforms creates a kind of scarcity to help stimulate purchases, and brands can leverage the customer traffic of platforms to reach young consumers with high spending power and those who are difficult to reach at traditional offline stores, such as new middle-income consumers from second and third-tier cities,” Li said.

    She added that luxury brands have been upgrading their online services in China by enhancing customer stickiness through digital tools. For instance, Dior integrates its e-commerce consumption data with the offline system to achieve cross-channel accumulation of consumption points.

    Besides, luxury brands have improved their instant delivery services online. Prada recently launched a one-hour gift delivery service on e-commerce platform JD to meet the last-minute gifting demand of consumers.

    China’s gifting market has picked up rapidly in the past few years, and by 2027, the size of the country’s gifting market is forecast to reach 1.62 trillion yuan ($222 billion), indicating the vitality of the gifting economy and consumers’ increased emphasis on holiday celebrations and emotional expression, according to market consultancy iiMedia Research.

    Besides luxury brands, some home care brands also launched limited editions of products ahead of Valentine’s Day to cash in on demand from quality-conscious Chinese consumers. For instance, British porcelain brand Wedgwood debuted limited editions of cups on China’s e-commerce platforms.

    As Chinese consumers have indicated a growing preference for improved quality of life, home care was the only segment that maintained growth among fast-moving consumer goods in China throughout the first three quarters of 2024. The category recorded the strongest volume growth compared to other sectors, according to a recent report by Bain & Company and Kantar Worldpanel.

    “The Chinese government has launched more stimulus measures and issued guidance to support household consumption since late September. Although it will take patience and time for the stimulus to fully take effect, it is likely to progressively build consumer confidence, which will later translate into higher consumption,” said Bruno Lannes, senior partner at Bain & Company.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Creative strategies to boost spending

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Shanghai will make continued efforts this year to further improve the consumption environment, come up with more supply-side innovation, enrich consumption scenarios and provide more incentives to consumers to further boost spending, which is integral to sustained economic growth, said officials of the municipal government during a news briefing on Friday.

    Liu Min, deputy director of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce, said that more precise and effective policies will be rolled out to boost service consumption and new types of consumption.

    The debut, silver, nighttime and ticket office economies should seek substantial development to boost consumption demand, said Liu.

    Shopping carnivals will play an important role to boost consumption, according to Liu. “Shanghai Summer” International Consumption Season, which was inaugurated last year, will take place for the second time this summer to boost inbound consumption. Consumption activities related to the low-altitude economy will be held during this year’s “Shanghai Summer”, she said.

    Pudong New Area in eastern Shanghai is holding a shopping carnival from Jan 24 to Feb 28. During this period, consumers with a single invoice of 1,000 yuan ($138) or more for personal offline consumption made within the area can participate in lucky draws with winners getting to use an EV produced by the local carmaker IM Motors free for a year.

    Two women living in Pudong were the first two to win the lucky draw, the Pudong government said on Friday.

    The lucky draw helped the number of consumers rise by 8.7 percent year-on-year to 13 million at the 15 monitored shopping malls in Pudong.

    Efforts will be made to improve foreign tourists’ shopping experiences in the city, according to Ma Yinghui, deputy director of the Shanghai municipal government’s foreign affairs office.

    International Services Shanghai, a multilingual portal launched by the municipal government in early 2024, will update the latest service information and activity agenda during the major shopping carnivals such as “Shanghai Summer” and the annually-held May 5 Shopping Festival. The portal will explicitly explain consumption policies such as tax refund, she said.

    The International Experience Officer program which was launched by the local foreign affairs office last year will help major business districts and companies to further improve services provided to foreign tourists such as online shopping, e-maps, food delivery, courier services and online ticket booking for movies and exhibitions. About 100 foreigners from 37 countries have joined the program, said Ma.

    Soliciting new foreign investment and boosting consumption will be better coordinated, said Qiu Wei, chief engineer of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization.

    The local government will hold a promotion in the Japanese city of Osaka in late May, the first overseas promotion of its kind by the Chinese city. By facilitating the outbound reach of Chinese domestic brands, the event will help to demonstrate the charm of Shanghai brands while seeking more cooperation opportunities, she said.

    Consumption on information services will be another focal point. By organizing activities under such themes, the local government aims to drive consumption of online games, digital gadgets, as well as online audio and video services, by integrating new technologies such as metaverse, AI large language models and smart chips, according to Qiu.

    The Shanghai Legoland Resort is scheduled to open this summer, according to Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism.

    Apart from helping to hold key games such as 2025 Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix and 2025 World Rowing Championships, the local administration of sports will issue 60 million yuan of sports consumption coupons, said the administration’s deputy head Xu Qi.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: 3 Israeli hostages, 369 Palestinian prisoners to be released Saturday

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Relatives of a released hostage hug each other when a helicopter carrying the hostage arrives at a medical center in Ramat Gan, Israel, on Feb. 8, 2025. Israel and Hamas on Saturday (Feb. 8) completed the fifth prisoner-for-hostage swap under the first phase of the ongoing Gaza ceasefire agreement, according to Israeli and Palestinian sources. (Photo by Gil Cohen Magen/Xinhua)

    Israel confirmed Friday that it has received a list of three hostages set to be released on Saturday from Hamas captivity in the Gaza Strip.

    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office initially stated that the list was “acceptable by Israel,” but a spokesman for Netanyahu later backtracked, clarifying that Israel had only received the list. “This is a purely factual description and does not reflect any Israeli position on the matter,” the spokesman said.

    The list was delivered to Israel via Qatari and Egyptian mediators.

    According to a statement from Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, the hostages are Alexander (Sasha) Troufanov, a 29-year-old Israeli-Russian civilian; Sagui Dekel-Chen, a 36-year-old Israeli-American civilian; and Yair Horn, a 46-year-old Israeli.

    Meanwhile, Israeli army radio reported that 369 Palestinian prisoners will be released on Saturday. Among them, 333 will be returned to Gaza, with 10 others sent back to their homes in the West Bank and one released in East Jerusalem, while the remaining 25 of the prisoners sentenced for life will either be deported to Gaza or sent abroad via Egypt, said the report.

    This will mark the sixth batch of prisoner-for-hostage exchanges between Israel and Hamas under the ceasefire agreement that took effect on Jan. 19.

    The anticipated release comes amid heightened tensions after U.S. President Donald Trump warned that if “all of the hostages” in Gaza were not freed by Saturday at noon, the truce would be canceled, and he would “let hell break out.” Netanyahu and Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz echoed the warning, saying Israel would resume its onslaught on Gaza.

    Hamas announced on Monday that it would delay the hostage release scheduled for Saturday, citing Israeli violations of the agreement and demanding Israel reaffirm its commitment to maintaining the ceasefire. On Thursday, the movement confirmed that it would continue implementing the ceasefire agreement, including the exchange of Palestinian prisoners and Israeli hostages as initially scheduled.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Africa – Over 67 million screenings – AstraZeneca’s ‘Healthy Heart Africa’ celebrates 10 years of transforming Noncommunicable Disease (NCD) care

    SOURCE: AstraZeneca

    HHA aims to improve access to timely diagnosis and treatment, reducing the burden of this disease across communities.

    KAMPALA, Uganda, February 14, 2025/ — AstraZeneca’s (www.AstraZeneca.com) flagship health equity programme – Healthy Heart Africa (HHA), marks its 10th anniversary, celebrating successfully taking over 67 million blood pressure screenings and a decade of action against non-communicable diseases across Africa.

    Hypertension is a leading risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and accounts for a significant portion of noncommunicable disease (NCD) deaths globally. In Africa, over 27% of adults live with hypertension[1], far above the global average.

    Since its launch, HHA has conducted over 67 million blood pressure screenings, trained over 11,700 healthcare workers, and activated over 1,550 healthcare facilities across nine African countries in Kenya, Ethiopia, Ghana, Uganda, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Rwanda, Nigeria and Tanzania including the Island of Zanzibar. These efforts have significantly improved access to hypertension diagnosis and treatment, saving countless lives.

    Ruud Dobber, Executive Vice President and President, BioPharmaceuticals Business Unit, AstraZeneca, said: “Healthy Heart Africa epitomises AstraZeneca’s commitment to equitable healthcare. In a decade, we’ve empowered millions to manage their heart health. Now, we’ve expanded to tackle chronic kidney disease, ensuring greater resilience in health systems across the continent.”

    The programme has started addressing chronic kidney disease (CKD), which is closely linked to hypertension and affects 15.8% of Africans.[2] Early detection and management are critical, as CKD often progress silently. HHA aims to improve access to timely diagnosis and treatment, reducing the burden of this disease across communities.

    This commemoration sets the stage for the upcoming World Health Organization’s High-Level Meeting on NCDs[3], reinforcing the urgency of collective action. One facet of the programme’s success is built on strong partnerships with governments, NGOs, and community leaders to deliver culturally tailored interventions.

    Helen McGuire, Global Program Leader, PATH, added:

    “Working on the Healthy Heart Africa (HHA) programme with AstraZeneca has been truly transformative. Seeing the scale-up and institutionalisation of integrated and expanded NCD services, particularly in countries like Ghana, has been immensely rewarding. The introduction of NCD indicators into national health information systems represents a major milestone, enabling better planning, resource allocation, and outcome monitoring.”

    Ministries of Health across Africa have championed HHA’s integration of hypertension care into national policies, ensuring sustainability and local ownership.

    Permanent Secretary Uganda Ministry of Health, Dr Diana Atwine Kanzira, said:

    “In Uganda, our partnership with Healthy Heart Africa has been instrumental in strengthening our response to non-communicable diseases (NCDs), now a major health challenge across Africa. Through this collaboration, we have raised awareness on risk factors, enhanced early detection, linked patients to care, and built the capacity of healthcare workers. By integrating hypertension data into our national health system and advancing digitalization, we are ensuring a seamless patient pathway, enabling progress tracking, and delivering life-saving care to our people.”

    With its proven model – the Healthy Heart Africa programme aims to expand to new regions, integrating climate-resilient healthcare solutions and prioritising early detection to prevent disease progression. Through such innovative partnerships, the programme aims to deliver care to those most in need.

    To read more about this programme, please read our Impact Report here Link (https://apo-opa.co/3QpqSJf).

    ________________________________
    [1] https://apo-opa.co/41gyyny.

    [2] https://apo-opa.co/4b7QzaX

    [3] https://apo-opa.co/4jRojxr

    AstraZeneca Data on File: Total Programme Numbers Since Start in 2014 to the end of December 2024

    More about:
    Path
    PATH is an international non-governmental organisation dedicated to improving health outcomes for vulnerable populations worldwide. Through innovation, partnerships, and a commitment to equity, PATH tackles pressing global health challenges, including non-communicable diseases, maternal and child health, and infectious diseases. Learn more at www.Path.org.

    AstraZeneca
    AstraZeneca (LSE/STO/Nasdaq: AZN) is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development, and commercialisation of prescription medicines in Oncology, Rare Diseases, and BioPharmaceuticals, including Cardiovascular, Renal & Metabolism, and Respiratory & Immunology. Based in Cambridge, UK, AstraZeneca operates in over 100 countries, and its innovative medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide. Please visit AstraZeneca.com and follow the Company on Twitter @AstraZeneca.

    References

    [1] https://apo-opa.co/41gyyny.

    [2] https://apo-opa.co/4b7QzaX

    [3] https://apo-opa.co/4jRojxr

    AstraZeneca Data on File: Total Programme Numbers Since Start in 2014 to the end of December 2024.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Rare fin whales spotted in Kaikōura New Zealand – incredible footage captured on Samsung phone

    Source: Mango

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

    A pair of  rare fin whales have been spotted off the coast of Kaikōura, New Zealand yesterday (Friday 14 February). The once in a lifetime sighting was captured on Samsung phones by a group of New Zealand content creators.

     

    Fin whale sightings are rarely recorded in New Zealand (or around the world), and the elusive species are considered vulnerable to extinction. They are the second largest whale species on the planet (second only to the blue whale), and can grow up to 26m long! 

     

    A group of content creators on a whale watching trip with South Pacific Helicopters were able to capture incredible footage on their Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultras. 

     

    Tima Savea, who captured this video , was the first to spot the beautiful creatures and said they had been up in the air for 15 minutes without seeing anything and were beginning to lose hope. 

     

    “All of a sudden, I spotted something white in the water and told our pilot who headed in closer. At first he thought it was just some white caps in the water but once we got closer we were absolutely shocked to see the two beautiful fin whales. Even more spectacular was the fact that they are so incredibly rare!” 

     

    Christchurch-based content creator, Sophie Stephens who was also on the trip, and posted this video said, “ It was such a breathtaking experience. I feel so blessed to be one of the few people who have seen these beautiful creatures in the wild. I was so excited to capture such a pinch me moment! 

     

    Daniel Stevenson, South Pacific Helicopters Pilot who has run whale watching and scenic flights in the area for more than 8 years said he was also thrilled to spot the rarely seen fin whales during the flight. 

     

    “As the second largest whale on the planet, witnessing these magnificent creatures in their natural habitat is a privilege that only a tiny fraction of people experience,” he said. 

     

    “Kaikōura truly offers a breathtaking array of marine life, from resident sperm whales to transient orcas and blue whales. This month has been exceptional, with sightings of pilot whales, humpbacks heading south, and even the first documented landing of a striped marlin. It’s an exciting time down here for both marine enthusiasts and anglers alike!”

     

    The group of New Zealand content creators on the trip with South Pacific Helicopters were testing out the new features of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, which launched this month. The phone has an epic 200MP main camera with 2x optical quality zoom1, which captures life in breathtaking detail and vibrant, true-to-life colours. Its intuitive telephoto system also features an all-new 50MP ultra-wide lens, making it perfect for capturing distant subjects ( like fin whales from the air!) with incredible precision. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Mana i te Whenua of Rotokākahi to welcome protectors as Police action looms

    Source: Mana i te whenua of Rotokākah

    Mana i te whenua of Rotokākahi have sent out a karanga for willing protectors to join them in their peaceful occupation at Lake Rotokākahi.

    A pōwhiri will be held at 12pm this Sunday 16 February at the lake, to welcome protectors from all across the nation.

    Mana i te whenua of Rotokākahi are demanding that Rotorua Lakes City Council divert the sewer pipe from its intended route, and instead take the pipe an alternative, safer route – away from their ancestral lake.

    Rotokākahi Board of Control and Protect Rotokākahi spokesperson Te Whatanui Leka Taumalolo Skipwith – Tūhourangi says, “This Pōwhiri is to welcome protectors to join our movement. We have knocked on every door, we have been to the council, to the courts. We have been living on the whenua continuously since August. We know the police are going to mobilise, and in order to ensure the continued protection of this tupuna roto, we need to mobilise too. We need people to join us.

    Te Whatanui says: “It’s impossible to overstate the importance of Rotokākahi to mana i te whenua. This sewer pipe is not just a threat to the pristine environment of Rotokākahi, it’s a threat to the tapu of this space. A tapu that extends well beyond the water’s edge.  These are the types of decisions that will affect Iwi-council relationships for generations.”

    Te Whatanui believes that the occupation at Rotokākahi could see hundreds of people flood the space this Sunday, in what he believes could become another long-term land occupation.

    “Rotorua Lakes Council just needs to take this pipe on a different route now. We know people will join us. History has proven that when mana i te whenua put out the call for assistance, Aotearoa answers.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Business – New location in Phoenix: Gebrüder Weiss continues to expand in the southwestern United States

    Source: Gebrüder Weiss

    Cross-border transport: The new branch in Arizona complements the existing Gebrüder Weiss locations in Texas near the Mexican border. Today, the logistics company has 17 of its own locations in the North America region.

    Phoenix / Lauterach, February 14, 2025. The global transport and logistics company Gebrüder Weiss has announced the opening of a new location in Phoenix, Arizona, as part of its continued growth in the United States. This new facility will provide air and sea freight transport services including customs clearance and partial and full-load land transport.

    The logistics company continues to expand its activities in North America, in particular to meet the demand for trade between the US and Mexico. Arizona is the most important state for transport to and from Mexico, while Phoenix itself is becoming increasingly important as a central transhipment point for trade across the southern border of the US. In 2023, nearly 20 billion USD worth of cargo moved between Arizona and Mexico. Phoenix complements Gebrüder Weiss’ existing Texas locations in El Paso and Laredo, which specialize in the cross-border transport of goods to and from Mexico.

    “Our logistics services in Phoenix are a further building block in the development of Gebrüder Weiss and strengthen our position in this economically strong region. This allows us to offer our customers greater flexibility in their transports and more reliable supply chains,” says Mark McCullough, Country Manager of Gebrüder Weiss North America.

    Gebrüder Weiss has continuously expanded its presence in North America in recent years and now operates a network of 17 locations. In addition to Phoenix, the company recently opened a logistics terminal in Elgin, Illinois, as well as branches in Miami, Florida, Denver, Colorado and Dallas, Texas. In Salt Lake City, the company acquired the local freight forwarder Cargo-Link in 2024.

    For more information about Gebrüder Weiss USA, its services, and locations, please visit gw-world.com/us.

    Phoenix Arizona

    Mark McCullough

    Locations USA

    About Gebrüder Weiss

    Gebrüder Weiss Holding AG, based in Lauterach, Austria, is a globally operative full-service logistics provider with about 8,600 employees at 180 company-owned locations. The company generated revenues of 2.46 billion euros in 2023. Its portfolio encompasses transport and logistics solutions, digital services, and supply chain management. The twin strengths of digital and physical competence enable Gebrüder Weiss to respond swiftly and flexibly to customers’ needs. The family-run organization – with a history going back more than half a millennium – has implemented a wide variety of environmental, economic, and social initiatives. Today, it is also considered a pioneer in sustainable business practices. www.gw-world.com

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Establishes the National Energy Dominance Council

    Source: The White House

    POSITIONING AMERICAN ENERGY FOR THE NEXT CENTURY: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order establishing the National Energy Dominance Council.

    • The National Energy Dominance Council will be established within the Executive Office of the President, chaired by the Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum and vice-chaired by the Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, and comprised of members of President Trump’s cabinet and key government agencies.
    • The Council will advise President Trump on strategies to achieve energy dominance by improving the processes for permitting, production, generation, distribution, regulation, and transportation across all forms of American energy.
    • It will recommend a National Energy Dominance Strategy to the President aimed at cutting red tape, enhancing private sector investments, and advancing innovation.
    • The Council will facilitate cooperation between the federal government and domestic energy partners, ensuring policy consistency.
    • It will also consult with various public and private sector stakeholders to expand energy production and address cost barriers.

    LOWERING PRICES AND STRENGTHENING AMERICAN ECONOMIC SECURITY: Championing domestic energy production is vital both for mitigating price shocks to American families and de-risking the energy supply chain for our Nation as well as our allies.

    • American energy dominance is the most reliable way to ensure the stability and affordability of American energy prices.
      • Gasoline prices, as well as overall household energy prices, increased 30% under President Biden.
      • The Biden-Harris Administration dramatically slowed the growth rate of American energy production and development, including by instituting a federal oil leasing moratorium, increasing energy permitting times by multiples of what they had been under President Trump, and removing hundreds of million acres from being available for energy production.
      • Over the last four years, it is estimated that our Nation produced over two billion fewer barrels of oil than anticipated by trend (had President Trump’s energy policies been kept intact), a vast quantity of lost supply that could have lessened the burden of energy prices on American families.
    • Developing American energy resources will enable our Nation to reduce its reliance on foreign entities, including strategic adversaries.
      • While creating policies to restrict American production, the Biden Administration asked OPEC+ to increase production to meet American energy demand.
      • As energy prices rose, the Biden Administration was reluctant to enforce American oil sanctions on rogue regimes, allowing Iran to export over one million barrels of oil per day through lax enforcement (up from a low of approximately 70,000 under the Trump administration) and temporarily lifting oil sanctions altogether on the Maduro regime in Venezuela.
      • The United States is also highly dependent on China for a range of critical minerals, which has put our Nation’s supply chain at risk, as exemplified by China’s recent weaponization of its resources through bans on exporting germanium, gallium, and antimony to the United States.
      • As our Nation makes rapid advancements in next generation technologies, such as artificial intelligence (along with the associated data centers), and energy demand rises, it will be all the more important to expand domestic energy supply.
    • American energy leadership is vital not only for our Nation’s economic and national security, but also for the security of our allies.
      • America’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry has played a critical role in helping Europe reduce its dependence on Russian energy, with LNG exports to Europe rising 141% in 2022, and continuing to increase to fill the gap.
      • President Trump warned Western Europe as early as 2017 to rely on American natural gas rather than Russian energy.

    RESTORING AMERICAN ENERGY DOMINANCE: President Trump has a demonstrated track record of empowering American energy production, and will return our Nation to energy dominance.

    • During President Trump’s first term, our Nation became a net exporter of energy for the first time in nearly 70 years and transformed into the world’s leading oil producer.
    • President Trump expedited the LNG export license process (achieving licensing times one-sixth as long as those seen during the Biden Administration, which revoked these reforms), reduced the permitting time for drilling on federal lands (increasing permit applications by 300%), fixed the New Source Review (which punished companies for repairing and upgrading coal power plants), and opened up millions of acres for domestic energy development.
    • Under President Trump’s leadership, American families saved an average of $2,500 per year in utility and gas costs, while the economy at large saw the creation of new American energy jobs.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Giant panda Eimei passes away at age 32

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    The giant panda Eimei, or Yong Ming in Chinese, passed away on Jan 25 due to multiple organ failure at the age of 32, the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding announced on its official WeChat account on Friday. The male panda was born on Sep 14, 1992.
    At age two, Eimei was sent to Adventure World, an amusement park in Shirahama of Japan’s Wakayama prefecture, as part of the long-term giant panda breeding cooperation plan between China and Japan.
    During his time in Japan, Eimei mated with two female pandas, becoming the father of 16 and creating the largest giant panda family outside of China.
    In February 2023, he returned to China with his twin daughters Ouhin and Touhin. He then lived at the Chengdu panda base’s hero farm, where he enjoyed a peaceful retirement, leisurely foraging in the bamboo groves, strolling through the woods and basking in the sunlight.
    In January, Eimei began showing signs of lethargy, reduced appetite and prolonged inactivity, according to the announcement. Despite round-the-clock care and treatment, his condition continued to deteriorate, making eating and breathing difficult. He ultimately died from multiple organ failure.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: La Traviata reflects topical issues

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    At the heart of the National Centre for the Performing Arts’ production of Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi’s La Traviata lies an exquisite visual element: a giant mirror that dominates the stage. This stunning set piece, 260 square meters in size, serves not just as a backdrop, but also as a metaphor for the opera’s central themes of illusion, self-deception, and the fragile line between the real and the imagined.

    The mirror transforms the stage into a space where reality blurs into fantasy, mirroring the inner turmoil of Violetta, the opera’s tragic heroine, whose life is a constant negotiation between love and sacrifice.

    When Russian soprano Venera Gimadieva first saw the stage set, she was impressed and had hopes of one day playing the role of Violetta in the production.

    “Finally, my dream has come true,” said Gimadieva, sitting in her dressing room in Beijing on Monday. “It will be my 18th time playing the role.”

    The NCPA is staging its ninth production of La Traviata in Beijing, which runs until Sunday, with Gimadieva as Violetta. The China NCPA Orchestra and China NCPA Chorus will perform onstage, conducted by Yu Long.

    She says that she was also drawn to the production’s costumes, which are designed to reflect 19th-century Parisian society, adding an authentic touch to the depiction of the fashion and social norms of the time.

    Verdi’s 1853 work is one of the great operas. The central character Violetta is a mid-19th-century courtesan: freewheeling, attractive, and doomed. Fatally ill, she meets the affluent Alfredo, who confesses his love for her. They embark on an affair, but Violetta reluctantly abandons him under intense pressure from Alfredo’s father. Alfredo feels betrayed but after a series of fateful twists and turns, the lovers reunite on Violetta’s deathbed, and she finally succumbs, dying in the arms of the man she loves.

    According to Gimadieva, Violetta has a particular effect on sopranos due to challenges and demands. Her first encounter with the character was in a DVD of a performance at the Salzburg Festival when she was a student at the St. Petersburg Conservatory. She found her instantly compelling.

    In 2011, she made her debut as Violetta in a production of La Traviata by the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow. Since then, it has become one of her signature roles. She has performed at prestigious opera houses and venues across Europe and the United States, including the Royal Opera House in Britain and the Opera National de Paris in France, and made her US debut with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra.

    “I always find new challenges, new pleasures and new experiences in playing the role. Violetta is so complicated and charming. She loves desperately, and she is capable of self-sacrifice,” says Gimadieva.

    For this run in Beijing, she is performing with longtime friend, Shi Yijie, the tenor playing Alfredo.

    In an earlier interview, Shi, who graduated from the Toho College of Music in Japan, said he had been preparing for the role for over a decade.

    In 2010, the NCPA premiered its production of La Traviata, with German director Henning Brockhaus and legendary French-American conductor Lorin Maazel. Known for his exceptional vocal talent — he had previously wowed audiences with his high C notes — Shi made his debut as Alfredo in 2019 for the NCPA’s fifth round of performance of its production of La Traviata.

    “It was a special milestone for me when I took on the role for the first time,” Shi, 42, says. “Aging has benefited my voice. Compared to 2019, it is much more mature now. As I get older, my voice develops depth and richness.”

    Shi adds that over the years, he has refined his technique through consistent practice and performance, giving him greater control.

    La Traviata is significant in the context of Chinese opera history. In 1956, the China National Opera House staged an all-Chinese production at Beijing’s Tianqiao Theater, making it one of the first Western operas to be performed on a Chinese stage.

    Since then, it has become one of the most beloved and familiar Western operas to Chinese audiences. Its enchanting melodies, especially the famous duet Libiamo ne’ lieti calici (“Let us drink from joyful cups”), resonate deeply with the public.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese cartoon film industry draws out its success

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    Since 2015, the Chinese animated film industry has seen unprecedented growth, expanding its influence into the global market. The country saw its annual box-office revenue surge by 48.7 percent year-on-year in 2015, propelled by dozens of blockbusters. That year is also remembered as the start of the rise of Chinese animation, led by the dark horse hit Monkey King: Hero is Back. China Daily revisits some of the most acclaimed animated films in the last decade.

    Monkey King: Hero is Back (2015)

    Based on the 16th-century novel Journey to the West, Tian Xiaopeng’s directorial debut recounts a young boy’s accidental rescue of the Monkey King, imprisoned under a mountain for 500 years as punishment for his rebellion against the heavens. The film earned 956 million yuan ($130.8 million), becoming the highest-grossing animated film of 2015.

    Big Fish & Begonia (2016)

    Set in a mystical world parallel to the human realm, the film follows a 16-year-old girl from the mystical world who transforms into a dolphin and ventures into human society where she encounters a human boy. The movie won widespread attention mainly due to its visual beauty and lengthy production process, which took 12 years to complete.

    White Snake (2019)

    Loosely inspired by a famous Chinese folk story, the film recounts the love story between a white snake spirit who shape-shifts into a beautiful woman and a handsome young man. The movie garnered word-of-mouth praise online, signaling a new trend for Chinese animation targeting adults instead of solely focusing on children and families as its main audience.

    Ne Zha (2019)

    The directorial debut feature by Yang Yu, better known as Jiaozi, the first Ne Zha film quickly took social media by storm and earned 5 billion yuan, becoming China’s highest-grossing animated film. This record has now been broken by its sequel Ne Zha 2. The film is a subverted retelling of the conventional tale of the titular character, a mythological figure familiar to generations, whose catchphrase, “My fate is decided by myself, not by heaven” resonates deeply with fans.

    Chang’an (2023)

    The film chronicles the lifelong friendship between Li Bai and Gao Shi, renowned poets from the Tang Dynasty (618-907). Their stories are interwoven with those of other famous poets from the era, such as Du Fu, and part of the backdrop set amid the chaotic An-Shi Rebellion (755-763) that threatened Tang rulers. Featuring 48 poems in various forms — including some recited by characters and others visualized as vivid perceptions of their imagination — the film became a massive hit, drawing some parents who brought their children in hopes of sparking an interest in Chinese culture and literature.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: 40th anniversary of the Torres Strait Treaty

    Source: Australian Government – Minister of Foreign Affairs

    Today marks the 40th anniversary of the Torres Strait Treaty between Australia and Papua New Guinea, which entered into force on 15 February 1985.

    In addition to defining the maritime boundaries between Papua New Guinea and Australia, the Treaty protects the ways of life of traditional inhabitants in the Torres Strait Protected Zone.

    The Treaty’s unique provisions allow Torres Strait Islanders and Papua New Guineans from Treaty Villages free movement across borders for traditional activities, such as traditional fishing, cultural and religious ceremonies, social gatherings and trade.

    It is particularly important to reflect on the Treaty’s success this year as we look forward to marking the 50th Anniversary of Papua New Guinea’s independence in September.

    Quotes attributable to Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong:

    “The Torres Strait Treaty recognises the kinship between our two countries and our people, reflecting the deeply important relationship between Australia and Papua New Guinea as neighbours, friends and equals.

    “We will continue working closely together to advance our shared interests and ensure a peaceful, stable and prosperous Pacific.”

    Quotes attributable to Minister for International Development and the Pacific Pat Conroy:

    “The arrangements in the Treaty are a reflection of the thousands of years of engagement and cultural connection that exist between Papua New Guinea and Australia.

    “Australia remains committed to the Torres Strait Treaty, and its assurance to empower our First Nations people and preserve their traditions, as the longest continuous culture on earth.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Final two defendants of 76 indicted in Operation Ghost Busted sentenced to federal prison

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

    Brunswick, GA:  The last of 76 defendants in a major south Georgia drug trafficking operation have been sentenced to federal prison, wrapping up an investigation into a gang-coordinated conspiracy that operated inside and outside Georgia prisons.

    David D. Young, a/k/k “Khaos,” 44, of Hortense, Georgia, was sentenced to 235 months in prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute, and to Distribute, Methamphetamine, said Tara M. Lyons, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. A co-defendant, Blake K. Screen, 36, of Brunswick, was sentenced to 100 months in prison just five months after his conviction at trial on charges of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Methamphetamine and Fentanyl, and Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood also ordered each of the defendants to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of their prison terms.

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    “Altogether as adults, the 76 defendants in Operation Ghost Busted have been convicted of more than 250 felonies – and more egregiously, this investigation linked their drug trafficking operation to multiple deaths from dozens of overdoses,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lyons. “Our community is demonstrably safer with these drug distributors off the streets, and we applaud our law enforcement partners for the outstanding investigative work to put these defendants behind bars and bring this case to a successful conclusion.”

    Young and Screen were among the 76 defendants indicted in December 2022 in USA v. Alvarez et al., dubbed Operation Ghost Busted. For more than two years, investigators from the FBI Coastal Georgia Violent Gang Task Force, the Glynn County Police Department, the Brunswick Police Department, the Glynn County Sheriff’s Office, and the Camden County Sheriff’s Office collaborated with multiple federal, state, and local agencies to identify the sprawling drug trafficking network. Operating inside and outside Georgia prisons, the conspiracy was coordinated by members of the Ghost Face Gangsters working with affiliates of other criminal street gangs including the Aryan Brotherhood, Bloods, and Gangster Disciples.

    Both Young and Screen served as dealers and sources of supply to the operation. After the December 2022 indictment and subsequent sweep to bring the defendants into custody, Young was a fugitive for more than a year until he was identified through his extensive Ghost Face Gangsters facial tattoos and taken into custody in March 2024 in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, after being featured on “America’s Most Wanted.”

    In addition to long histories of arrests and felony convictions, all of the defendants in Operation Ghost Busted have a history of illegal drug use, including several who survived repeat overdoses. Fifty of the defendants are high school dropouts.

    Believed to be the largest drug trafficking prosecution in the history of the Southern District of Georgia, Operation Ghost Busted was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.

    Agencies involved in the investigation include the FBI Coastal Georgia Violent Gang Task Force; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the U.S. Marshals Service; the Georgia Bureau of Investigation; the Georgia Department of Corrections; the Georgia Department of Community Supervision; the Glynn County Police Department; the Brunswick Police Department; the Glynn County Sheriff’s Office; and sheriff’s offices from Pierce, Camden, Wayne, Treutlen, McIntosh, Toombs, Telfair, Dodge, and Ware counties. The case was prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer J. Kirkland and Criminal Division Deputy Chief E. Greg Gilluly Jr. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI China: Zelensky says Ukraine ready to move toward peace after meeting with Vance

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine stands ready to move towards peace following his meeting with U.S. Vice President JD Vance in Munich of Germany on Friday.

    “We are ready to move as quickly as possible towards a real and guaranteed peace,” he said on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

    Zelensky emphasized Ukraine’s appreciation for U.S. President Donald Trump’s determination, which he believes can help end the Russia-Ukraine conflict and secure justice and security guarantees for Ukraine.

    Zelensky also noted that Ukraine looks forward to the visit of Keith Kellogg, the U.S. special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, for further meetings and a deeper assessment of the situation on the ground.

    Following the talks with Zelensky, Vance said that the United States aims to achieve durable and lasting peace, the Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported.

    Zelensky and Vance met on the sidelines of the 61st Munich Security Conference that kicked off earlier Friday.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: 99.6% of China’s community healthcare centers offer TCM services

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    Up to 99.6 percent of China’s community and township-level healthcare centers are capable of providing traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) services, according to the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (NATCM).

    There are approximately 42,000 TCM clinics at primary-level medical facilities nationwide, the NATCM told a press conference on Friday.

    China has made significant strides in advancing appropriate skills related to TCM services, with the proportion of community and township-level healthcare centers equipped with such skills rising to 98 percent, according to the NATCM.

    The accessibility, equity, and sustainability of grassroots TCM services in China have been consistently enhanced through targeted, extensive, direct and effective measures aimed at developing TCM clinics, said Xing Chao, an NATCM official.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Scott, Paul, Colleagues, Reintroduce National Right to Work Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Tim Scott
    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.), a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, joined Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.) in reintroducing the National Right to Work Act to preserve and protect the free choice of individual employees to form, join, or assist labor organizations or to refrain from such activities.
    “American workers should never feel pressured into joining a union or paying dues in order to have gainful employment. I am glad to be a cosponsor of this critical piece of legislation as we continue to safeguard the rights of hardworking Americans,” said Senator Scott. “Since South Carolina became a ‘right to work’ state, we have seen our state economy grow and workforce soar.”
    “The National Right to Work Act ensures all American workers have the ability to choose to refrain from joining or paying dues to a union as a condition for employment,” said Dr. Paul. “Kentucky and 26 other states have already passed right to work laws. It’s time for the federal government to follow their lead.”
    The legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), and Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.). 
    The National Right to Work Act repeals six statutory provisions that allow private-sector workers, and airline and railroad employees, to be fired if they don’t surrender part of their paycheck to a union. The legislation will put bargaining power back where it belongs: in the hands of the American workers.
    The full text of the legislation can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Secretary Wright Issues First LNG Export Approval for Commonwealth LNG

    Source: US Department of Energy

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright today joined President Trump to announce a new export authorization for the Commonwealth LNG project proposed for Cameron Parish, Louisiana. Today’s action is the first major U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) project to receive an export authorization for non-free trade agreement (FTA) countries since President Trump and the Department of Energy lifted the Biden-Harris administration’s damaging freeze on LNG export permit approvals, restoring American energy leadership.

    “President Trump has outlined a bold agenda for unleashing American energy dominance, and restoring regular order on U.S. LNG export permits is critical for meeting this commitment to the American people,” Secretary Wright said. “Today marks one of many steps that DOE will be taking to assure our future as a reliable energy supplier to the world and resume regular order to our regulatory responsibilities over natural gas exports.

    “Exporting American LNG strengthens the U.S. economy and supports American jobs while bolstering energy security around the world, and I am proud to be working with President Trump to get American energy exports back on track.”
    Once constructed, Commonwealth LNG, owned by Kimmeridge Texas Gas, LLC, will be able to export over 1.2 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) of natural gas as LNG, further cementing the United States’ position as the top global exporter of LNG.

    Today’s authorization conditionally grants Commonwealth LNG authorization to export LNG to non-FTA countries from the proposed Commonwealth LNG project. In the order, DOE finds that LNG exports from Commonwealth LNG are likely to yield economic benefits to the United States, diversify global LNG supplies, and improve energy security for U.S. allies and trading partners over the course of the export term through 2050. DOE expects to issue a final order to Commonwealth LNG later this year. 

    According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s most recent Short-Term Energy Outlook, current U.S. LNG exports are expected to reach record highs in 2025, averaging over 15 Bcf/d.. These record export levels are accompanied by record highs in current U.S. natural gas production of almost105 Bcf/d.
     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Energy Department Acts to Lower Prices and Increase Consumer Choice with Household Appliances

    Source: US Department of Energy

    WASHINGTON—Led by President Donald Trump, U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright today announced the Department of Energy will postpone the implementation of seven of the Biden-Harris administration’s restrictive mandates on home appliances. Today’s actions are a key step in undoing the previous administration’s burdensome policies that have driven up costs, reduced choice and diminished the quality of Americans’ home appliances.

    “A top priority for President Trump is lowering costs for American families,” Secretary Wright said. “Today’s announcement will foster consumer choice and lower prices – it is a win for all Americans. The people, not the government, should be choosing the home appliances and products they want at prices they can afford.”

    Today’s actions postpone the efficiency standards for the following home appliance rules:

    • Central Air Conditioners
    • Clothes Washers and Dryers
    • General Service Lamps
    • Walk-In Coolers and Freezers
    • Gas Instantaneous Water Heaters
    • Commercial Refrigeration Equipment
    • Air Compressors

    Additionally, the Department of Energy is creating a new energy efficiency category for natural gas tankless water heaters. Creating a new category for these popular and low-cost water heaters exempts these products from the Biden-Harris Administration’s onerous rules and gives the American people the power to choose the best option for their homes and budgets.

    Under the leadership of President Trump, Federal agencies continue to slash unnecessary red tape and regulations that raise prices, reduce consumer choice, and frustrate the American people. These actions were announced alongside action taken by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to overhaul all Biden-Harris administration WaterSense specifications. The list of specifications developed during the last administration have encouraged the sale of bathroom and kitchen faucets, residential toilets and sprinkler nozzles that just don’t work well.
     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Indiana man sentenced to prison for conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant’s company took in more than $4 Million remotely deleting pollution control software on diesel trucks

    Tacoma – A 44-year-old Columbia, Indiana man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to four months in prison and a $25,000 fine for conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act for his scheme to interfere with pollution control software on diesel trucks, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Jonathan Achtemeier pleaded guilty in November 2024, admitting that between 2019 and 2022, he tampered with the monitoring devices on hundreds of vehicles nationwide so those trucks would not detect that their owners removed pollution control hardware systems. Achtemeier advertised his services on the internet and was able to tamper with the monitoring devices in diesel trucks remotely. Between 2019 and 2021 Achtemeier’s company grossed $4.3 million. At sentencing U.S. District Judge Tiffany M. Cartwright said, “This offense is characterized as a lack of respect for the law and a flaunting of the law…. The harm that comes from this type of offense is serious.”

    “From the comfort of his home, this defendant caused environmental damage across the country, tampering with pollution controls on diesel trucks so that they spewed 30 to 1200 times the pollutants of a legally configured truck,” said Acting U. S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. “His motivation was money – but the rest of us will pay the price with dirty air and contamination in our soil and waterways.”

    According to records filed in the case, Achtemeier conspired with mechanics in garages and operators of truck fleets to manipulate the monitoring software installed on diesel trucks. Coconspirators who wanted to disable their trucks’ pollution control hardware system—a process commonly known as “deleting”—sought Achtemeier’s help to trick the truck’s software into believing the emissions control systems were still functional, a process known as “tuning.” Monitoring devices on a deleted truck will detect that the pollution control hardware is not functioning and will prevent the truck from running. Achtemeier disabled the monitoring software on his client’s trucks by connecting to laptops he had provided to various coconspirators. Some of the coconspirators would pass the laptop on to others seeking to have the anti-pollution parameters disabled or modified on their trucks. Once the laptop was hooked up to the truck’s onboard computer, Achtemeier could access it from his computer and tune the computer designed to monitor the pollution control equipment.  Achtemeier could “tune” trucks remotely, which enabled him to maximize his environmental impact and personal profit.

    Removing the pollution control equipment and disabling the monitoring device results in trucks polluting at 30 to 1,200 times the level of a truck with pollution control systems.  Tampering with a monitoring device is a violation of the Clean Air Act.

    Achtemeier charged as much at $4,500 per truck for work that often took him two hours or less. Achtemeier advertised his services on social media nationwide using images of semi-trucks spewing black exhaust. His company operated under the name Voided Warranty Tuning (VWT) or Optimized Ag.

    In their request for an 18-month prison sentence and $100,000 fine, prosecutors wrote to the court, “Achtemeier spent years building a business dedicated to illegal tuning. He advertised his services on diesel-focused Facebook groups like West Coast Trucking where he had access to thousands of truck owners and enthusiasts.  He encouraged customers to pass along his name and even provided them computers so they could help friends and neighbors delete their vehicles and use Achtemeier for tuning. This enabled him to quickly grow his business into a multi-million-dollar enterprise.”

    The coconspirators in this case have service garages or truck fleets in various areas of Washington State. The trucks that were altered range from pick-ups such as a Dodge R3500 to Kenworth and Freightliner semi-trucks.

    The case was investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division (EPA-CID).

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lauren Watts Staniar and Dane Westermeyer, with Special Assistant United States Attorney Karla Perrin.  Ms. Perrin is an attorney with the EPA.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cuts Make Colorado Less Protected Against Wildfires and Increase Costs Further

    Source: US State of Colorado

    DENVER –  It was recently reported that the Trump administration fired at least 90 people in Colorado and 3,400 Forest Service employees as part of much broader cuts to programs that protect health and safety with no replacement plans to deliver basic services.

    “It’s reckless endangerment to Coloradans and could increase homeowners insurance costs further for the Trump Administration to take a hammer to those who help protect us against wildfires through watershed protection and forest management, tipping the scale toward more fire danger with potentially devastating consequences. It’s fine if they don’t like how the federal government works today, but risking our health and safety with no replacement is reckless,” said Colorado Governor Jared Polis.

    While firefighters were spared from the cuts, other jobs that do important wildfire prevention work such as road maintenance, forest management, and watershed restoration were slashed.

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    MIL OSI USA News –