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  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Warren Sounds Alarm on Threat Elon Musk Poses to Government Payment Systems

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren

    February 03, 2025

    “Donald Trump and his billionaire buddies are determined to take over this government to make it work better for themselves and worse for everyone else.” 

    “[T]his is not business as usual…We are living a nightmare created by Donald Trump and Elon Musk, and we need to wake up.” 

    Video of Press Conference (YouTube) 

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs (BHUA), delivered remarks on the danger of Elon Musk having access to the federal government’s critical payment systems, which includes the sensitive personal information of millions of Americans.

    Transcript: Press Conference – Democrats Sound Alarm Over Musk Forcing Way into Highly Sensitive Central Government Payment System
    February 3, 2025
    As Delivered

    Senator Elizabeth Warren: I want to be clear about what’s going on here.

    The system that makes sure that your granddad gets his Social Security check. The system that makes sure your mom’s doctor gets a Medicare payment to cover her medical appointment. And the system that makes sure you get the tax refund you’re owed, has been taken over by Elon Musk. And every organization from your state government that uses federal money on that bridge project to the local Head Start that takes care of little kids while their mommies and daddies go to work is now at the mercy of Elon Musk. Maybe you get paid, or maybe you don’t—because now it appears that all of us work for Elon Musk.

    Elon just grabbed the controls of that whole payment system, demanding the power to turn it on for his friends or turn it off for anyone he doesn’t like. One guy deciding who gets paid and who doesn’t. It is not the law, but it is the reality. 

    Now, there’s a second problem here. It’s not just payments from the federal government that are now in Elon’s control. Elon and his handful of friends now have full access to your personal and financial information that’s in the system. Your payment history. Your social security number. Your bank account numbers. Elon now has the power to suck out all that information for his own use. Now, whether it’s to boost his finances or expand his political power, it is all up to Elon. 

    And there’s a third problem. In order for this handful of programmers to gain access to our $6 trillion payment system, we don’t know what safeguards were pulled down. Are the gates wide open now for hackers from China, from North Korea, from Iran, from Russia? Heck, who knows what black hat hackers all around the world are finding out about each one of us and copying that information for their own criminal uses. 

    Donald Trump and his billionaire buddies are determined to take over this government to make it work better for themselves and worse for everyone else. And this is just the start. As we gear up for the tax fight, it will become even clearer that Trump will open the doors for billionaires and giant corporations to find more ways to loot the government at your expense. Meanwhile, everyone else pays more for groceries, more for housing, more for prescription drugs, and more for healthcare.

    When unelected billionaires start ransacking our government offices, this is not business as usual. Nope. Nothing is normal. We are living a nightmare created by Donald Trump and Elon Musk, and we need to wake up. We need to use every tool we have to fight back, and in the Senate, we can start by saying NO to dangerous Trump nominees like Tulsi Gabbard or Russ Vought. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Washington Post: Senators urge tougher chip controls to stymie Chinese AI advance

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren

    February 03, 2025

    Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) and Josh Hawley (R-Missouri) have issued a populist appeal to Commerce Secretary-designate Howard Lutnick to toughen chip export controls against China, in response to the country’s surprise DeepSeek AI breakthrough.

    “Multiple administrations have failed — at the behest of corporate interests — to update and enforce our export controls in a timely manner. We cannot let that continue,” they wrote in a letter provided exclusively to The Washington Post, calling DeepSeek “an export control failure.”

    The pair laid out an anti-Big Tech line in arguing that “corporate lobbying” resulted in loopholes to Biden administration export controls, allowing DeepSeek to acquire — and more pointedly Nvidia to sell — the chips it needed to train its AI model.

    The senators also asked Lutnick to “insulate” the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security from industry lobbying by hiring senior staffers without existing connections to industry or lobbying firms.

    …

    Read the full article here.

    By:  Eva Dou
    Source: Washington Post

    Previous Article

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NBC News: Democratic senators say they have ‘grave concerns’ over RFK Jr.’s potential financial conflicts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren

    February 03, 2025

    Two Democratic senators on the committee that will get to decide whether to advance Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination say his recent financial disclosure filing gave them “grave concern” about whether he should become the next health and human services secretary.

    In a letter to Kennedy dated Sunday, Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said his recently amended ethics disclosure form only raised additional questions about the scope of his potential financial conflicts of interest.

    “What is clear is that your involvement and financial interests in vaccine litigation are broad and extensive. It seems possible that many different types of vaccine-related decisions and communications—which you would be empowered to make and influence as Secretary—could result in significant financial compensation for your family,” wrote Warren and Wyden, who are on the Finance Committee.

    “These conflicts, combined with your decades-long career casting doubt about the safety and efficacy of life-saving vaccines, give us grave concern about your fitness to serve as Secretary,” they continued. 

    …

    Read the full article here.

    By:  Natasha Korecki
    Source: NBC News

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: People enjoy Spring Festival holiday across China

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

    People enjoy Spring Festival holiday across China

    Updated: February 4, 2025 08:35 Xinhua
    A child using augmented reality (AR) glasses visits the Chengdu Museum during the Spring Festival holiday in Chengdu, southwest China’s Sichuan Province, Feb. 3, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A child visits the Chengdu Museum during the Spring Festival holiday in Chengdu, southwest China’s Sichuan Province, Feb. 3, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    People ride bikes at Shanghai’s World Expo culture park during the Spring Festival holiday in Shanghai, east China, Feb. 3, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    People have fun at Shanghai’s World Expo culture park during the Spring Festival holiday in Shanghai, east China, Feb. 3, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A visitor looks at exhibits displayed at the Chongqing China Three Gorges Museum during the Spring Festival holiday in southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality, Feb. 3, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    People visit the Chongqing China Three Gorges Museum during the Spring Festival holiday in southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality, Feb. 3, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A tourist poses for a photo at Sanlitun, a popular shopping area during the Spring Festival holiday in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 3, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    People visit a temple fair during the Spring Festival holiday in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 3, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial drone photo taken on Feb. 3, 2025 shows tourists visiting Xianghuiqiao station during the Spring Festival holiday at Jianshui County of the Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture in southwest China’s Yunnan Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Tourists are seen on the Duanqiao Bridge, or the Broken Bridge in the West Lake scenic area during the Spring Festival holiday in Hangzhou, east China’s Zhejiang Province, Feb. 3, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    People visit the Chengdu Museum during the Spring Festival holiday in Chengdu, southwest China’s Sichuan Province, Feb. 3, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Tourists walk on the Duanqiao Bridge, or the Broken Bridge in the West Lake scenic area during the Spring Festival holiday in Hangzhou, east China’s Zhejiang Province, Feb. 3, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial drone photo taken on Feb. 3, 2025 shows people visiting the Shuanglong bridge during the Spring Festival holiday at Jianshui County of the Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture in southwest China’s Yunnan Province. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s Chang’e-7 mission to land on lunar south pole for water ice search: report

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

    China’s Chang’e-7 mission to land on lunar south pole for water ice search: report

    BEIJING, Feb. 3 — China’s Chang’e-7 lunar probe, scheduled for launch in 2026, will target the moon’s south pole to search for water ice and test cutting-edge technologies critical for sustainable human activities on the moon, China Media Group reported Monday.

    The mission using an innovative hopper spacecraft equipped with a water molecule analyzer aims to confirm the presence and distribution of water ice in permanently shadowed craters, said the report.

    The Chang’e-3 and Chang’e-5 missions successfully landed on the moon’s near side, while Chang’e-4 and Chang’e-6 achieved historic touchdowns on the far side. Therefore, Chang’e-7’s planned landing at the lunar south pole will test the capability of China’s lunar probe to reach any region of the moon, Tang Yuhua, deputy chief designer of the Chang’e-7 mission, said in the interview.

    If lunar water ice is successfully located, it could significantly reduce the cost and time required to transport water from Earth, facilitating the establishment of a human base for long-term activities on the moon and enabling further exploration of Mars or deep space, Tang said.

    According to Wu Weiren, the chief designer of China’s lunar exploration program, the Chang’e-7 probe – comprising an orbiter, a lander, a rover, and a mobile hopper – will face extreme challenges, including temperatures below minus 100 degrees Celsius and complex terrain.

    The hopper, a first-of-its-kind lunar explorer, will “jump” from sunlit areas to shadowed craters to conduct detailed analyses. The lander will deploy China’s inaugural deep-space “landmark image navigation” system to ensure precision, while the hopper utilizes active shock-absorption technology to safely land on slopes, said the report.

    The probe can autonomously analyze its landing terrain, with more than half of its operations performed independently without requiring ground intervention. The solar panels installed vertically on the probe are being optimized to capture low-angle sunlight near the lunar pole, Tang said, adding that the mission has entered its final assembly and testing phase.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: 51st Fighter Wing completes readiness exercise, ACE dispersal despite heavy snowfall

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea  –  

    Despite historical snowfall during Korea’s Lunar New Year holiday, the 51st Fighter Wing completed its first wing readiness exercise of 2025, Beverly Herd 25-2, generating combat airpower from both Osan and Kunsan Air Bases, Jan. 26 – 31.

    Wing exercises like BH 25-2 are a necessary and recurring requirement in Korea, where continuous robust readiness is vital to deterring aggression and maintaining stability in the region. Throughout the week, base personnel strengthen their skills in multiple areas, practicing everything from proper protective gear wear, weapons handling, and small unit tactics; to defending the base and rapidly launching combat aircraft in response to threats.

    In addition to base-specific scenarios, the 51st FW also executed an Agile Combat Employment deployment in support of the exercise, sending F-16 Fighting Falcons and a detachment of supporting personnel to operate out of Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea.

    “It’s vital that we exercise our ability to generate airpower from any location,” said Col. William McKibban, 51st FW commander. “Partnering with our wingmen at Kunsan strengthens readiness across the peninsula and lets us refine how we rapidly deploy airpower from outside our home base.”

    “The relationship between the Kunsan and Osan is rock solid,” said Col. Peter Kasarskis, 8th FW commander. “Being able to synchronize on readiness exercises like this only makes us stronger and gives Kunsan vital training on our ability to receive follow-on forces.”

    Large force exercises like BH 25-2 often involve multiple units and simulate enemy threats across a variety of contingency scenarios. This iteration, however, Mother Nature herself decided to become an exercise player, bringing realistic scenarios to the wing in the form of record snowfall across the Republic of Korea.

    According to the 51st and 8th Operational Support Squadron Weather Flights, Osan Air Base experienced a total of 9 inches of snow, while Kunsan received approximately 5 inches, stressing and validating exercise player’s abilities to continue contingency operations in unplanned weather conditions.

    During the week, personnel across the base worked to keep walkways and facilities clear while 51st CES personnel worked 24-hour operations to keep roadways and the airfield open, supporting both exercise and real-world operations.

    “Without the ‘dirt boys’ specialized skill set on snow removal and Rapid Airfield Damage Repair, the flying mission would not be possible,” explained Master Sgt. Walter Urbina Hernandez, 51st CES horizontal repair section chief. “We must project airpower effectively while ensuring seamless launch and recovery operations for critical cargo and personnel aircraft moving to and from the port.”

    Simultaneously at Kunsan, ACE-deployed 51st FW Airmen battled similar weather conditions while working out of unfamiliar facilities, working with minimal personnel and equipment to generate F-16 airpower in response to BH 25-2 training scenarios.

    “Even though Kunsan is another U.S. Air Base, it poses different challenges for our Osan personnel,” said Capt Terrell Willis, 51st FW Mission Assurance Officer. “Exercising our ability to rapidly deploy aircraft, personnel, and cargo from Osan to different locations across the peninsula increases the survivability and lethality of our forces.”

    Korean weather officials cited the 2025 Lunar New Year week as having had a heavier than normal snowfall in relation to previous years, making it one of the snowiest Lunar Near Years in 30 years. Despite this, Osan Air Base suffered no damage or degradation to its facilities or aircraft.

    “In many ways, inclement weather actually enhances our training,” said Lt. Col. Andrew Myers, 51st CES Commander and BH 25-2 Wartime Operations Center Defensive Director. “Learning to adapt operations to unpredictable events is an essential skill, so exercising our tactics, techniques and procedures during heavy snow is extremely valuable to reinforcing our agile mindset.”

    The 51st FW concluded the exercise on Friday, Jan. 31; metaphorically, and in some cases, literally clearing the way for the remaining planned exercises this year.

    “The whole point of exercises like this is to prepare our airmen to generate combat airpower under any conditions, including when under attack, snowed in by weather, or both,” said McKibban. “We will continue to regularly practice and stress-test our readiness, and a little bit of bad weather isn’t going to stop us. Team Osan is ready to fight tonight to defend the peninsula and our nation, no matter what.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Cope North 25 Send Off

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    MISAWA AIR BASE, AOMORI, Japan  –  

    As Cope North 25 approaches, members of the 35th Logistics Readiness Squadron (LRS) and Traffic Management Office (TMO) are ensuring the seamless shipment of essential cargo to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. The annual multinational exercise strengthens ties between the U.S., Australia and Japan, enhancing interoperability and regional security in the Indo-Pacific.

    “Right now, the squadrons are getting ready to ship their cargo off to go and support the mission for Cope North over in Guam,” said Senior Airman Rhett Hammon, 35th LRS inbound cargo technician. “What we’re doing here is ensuring that everything that is being shipped is strapped, packaged and weighed properly, and we’re working with the loadmasters to get them ready to go.”

    Cope North 25 serves as a platform for combined air tactics, techniques and procedures, ensuring participating nations can operate effectively in real-world scenarios. To facilitate this, LRS and TMO personnel are responsible for coordinating logistics, verifying load safety, and processing necessary documentation.

    “Our responsibility here is to train the base on how to prepare their cargo and get all the paperwork together in order to ship it out when the time comes, be it exercise or deployment,” said Staff Sgt. Shanks, 35th LRS air transportation technician.

    Much of the cargo consists of maintenance tools and equipment crucial to the 13th Fighter Generation Squadron’s ability to sustain operations during the exercise.

    “Without sending this cargo there, they would not even be able to participate, or it would severely limit their capabilities to meet their objectives in the exercise,” Shanks said.

    Beyond logistical coordination, Cope North 25 also provides a valuable experience for participating Airmen.

    “This will actually be my first time going to Cope North, but I’m excited to go and support everyone up there and learn new things outside of my comfort zone,” Hammon said.

    As preparations continue, Misawa Air Base remains committed to ensuring mission success, strengthening alliances, and contributing to a free and open Indo-Pacific.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Alleged Armed Carjacker Charged After Arrest

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON – Parren Hawkins, 33, of Washington, D.C., was charged today in Superior Court with armed carjacking in connection with an incident, yesterday, in Northeast D.C. The charge was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

               According to documents filed in court, at approximately 2:47 a.m. on February 2, 2025, police officers were dispatched to 331 15th Street NE, where they located the victim of an armed carjacking. The victim told the officers that the defendant approached him as he sat in his vehicle, pointed a black handgun at him and told him to get out of the vehicle. The victim complied. The defendant then demanded money and took the victim’s wallet and cell phone before fleeing northbound on the 400 block of 15th Street, NE. The victim flagged down a passerby and called 911.

               As police were interviewing the victim, Prince George’s County Police observed the stolen vehicle in Oxon Hill, Maryland. Officers began pursuing the vehicle until the defendant ultimately crashed into a curb. The driver fled on foot and police caught him on Darrington Road with a handgun in his possession.

                Hawkins was presented in court today and ordered detained.

                The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shaniqua Butler is prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: San Jose Man Charged With Robbery And Assault Of U.S. Postal Service Letter Carrier

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN JOSE – A federal grand jury has indicted Robert Cordova, also known as Robert Cordona, with one count of robbery of a U.S. Postal Service (USPS) letter carrier and one count of assaulting a federal employee. Cordova was arrested and made his initial appearance in federal district court today.

    Cordova, 49, of San Jose, was initially charged by complaint on Jan. 15, 2025, and subsequently indicted on Jan. 23, 2025. The complaint describes how, on Nov. 22, 2024, a USPS letter carrier was sorting parcels for delivery at the rear of his mail truck near the intersection of Taylor Street and 13th Street in San Jose when he felt the truck move. The letter carrier looked around the right rear corner of the truck and saw a man – later identified as Cordova – with his whole upper body in the truck. The letter carrier walked up to Cordova and asked what he was doing. Cordova allegedly got out of the truck, turned, and punched the letter carrier in the face.  Cordova then allegedly took the letter carrier to the ground, punched the letter carrier in the face and head repeatedly, and attempted to gouge the letter carrier’s eyes. The letter carrier was taken to the hospital and diagnosed with a broken nose and a fractured left orbital socket.

    San Jose Police Department (SJPD) officers found Cordova in the backyard of a house close to where the alleged robbery occurred.  According to the complaint, after SJPD officers arrested Cordova, the letter carrier identified Cordova as the assailant.  

    Cordova is next scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 6, 2025, for a detention hearing.

    United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and San Francisco Division Inspector in Charge Stephen M. Sherwood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) made the announcement.

    A complaint or indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.  If convicted, defendant faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and a five-year term of supervised release on the count of robbery of a United States mail carrier under 18 U.S.C. § 2114(a), and 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and a three-year term of supervised release on the count of assaulting a federal employee under 18 U.S.C. §111(a) and (b).

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Neal C. Hong is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Lynette Dixon.  This prosecution is the result of an investigation by USPIS and the SJPD.  Anyone with information about mail theft, mail robbery, or other crimes against USPS letter carriers can report it by contacting USPIS at www.uspis.gov or 877-876-2455.

    Cordova Complaint
    Cordova Indictment
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Homes England and Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority launch new Strategic Place Partnership to catalyse growth

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Move highlights commitment to locally-led growth, investment and regeneration at a pivotal time for the region

    Homes England and Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA) have formalised their ongoing housing and regeneration efforts with a Strategic Place Partnership (SPP), as part of the Government’s plans to deliver 1.5 million new homes over the next five years.

    It builds on an established track record of partnership work across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. Cambridgeshire is home to Northstowe, one of Britain’s largest new settlements, and a place 1,400 households already call home. Once completed the development – which Homes England acts as master developer for – will feature 10,000 homes, a vibrant town centre, and strong community infrastructure.

    CPCA and the Agency will work together to bring more investment to the region, starting with developing a shared plan to accelerate local housing, regeneration and growth proposals.

    Over the next eight weeks, Homes England will invest over £100,000 alongside existing government funding to accelerate plans to develop Peterborough Station Quarter. Peterborough is one of the country’s fastest growing cities, and in Cambridge, where average house prices and land values are amongst the highest in the UK, funding is pledged to support the delivery of much needed affordable housing.

    Homes England has also committed considerable funding to accelerate the Waterbeach New Town development, with the potential to deliver 11,000 homes. This includes over £23m to relocate a railway station to directly unlock 4,500 homes, in partnership with Waterbeach Development Company. These plans are in addition to the existing £61 million loan at the former Waterbeach Barracks and airfield site, led by Urban&Civic, with plans to deliver 6,500 homes on completion. 

    Eamonn Boylan, Chief Executive of Homes England, said:

    Through our Strategic Place Partnership model, we work hand-in-hand with local leaders to help them accomplish their ambitious housing and regeneration aims. This SPP marks the Agency’s commitment to working with the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, to help realise the aspirations set out in the Shared Ambition for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough 2050.

    We already have a strong track record of delivering transformative projects across the region and through this new partnership we will build on our existing relationships and achieve even more for the local community.

    Dr Nik Johnson, Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, said:

    The Combined Authority is about building powerful partnerships locally and nationally, with an aligned vision to deliver for the region. We’re committing, with Homes England, to work smarter, together, to help accelerate the building of the new, good quality, energy efficient homes we need, in places that have the capacity for growth.

    The partnership signed with CPCA means Homes England has now signed seven SPPs with combined authorities across England.

    ENDS

    Notes to editors

    The strengthened relationship between Homes England and the combined authority follows the publication of the government’s English Devolution White Paper in December 2024, which details the plan to empower local leaders and deepen devolution across England.

    The white paper highlights Homes England’s work on SPPs and the important part they play in devolution.

    About Homes England

    We are the government’s housing and regeneration Agency, and we’re here to drive the creation of more affordable, quality homes and thriving places so that everyone has a place to live and grow.

    We make this happen by working in partnership with thousands of organisations of all sizes, using our powers, expertise, land, capital and influence to bring investment to communities and get more quality homes built.

    Learn more about us: https://bit.ly/3WvT0yd

    Updates to this page

    Published 4 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: World-leading AI trial to tackle breast cancer launched

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Nearly 700,000 women across the country will take part in a world-leading trial to test how AI tools can be used to catch breast cancer cases earlier.

    • Cutting-edge AI trial to transform cancer care, helping radiologists catch breast cancer earlier 
    • Trial announced this World Cancer Day, as government launches ‘call for evidence’ to shape new plan to cut lives lost to cancer 
    • Plan for Change will put UK on the front foot, unleashing AI to drive up health services and shift NHS from analogue to digital as part of 10 Year Health Plan

    Nearly 700,000 women across the country will take part in a world-leading trial to test how cutting-edge AI tools can be used to catch breast cancer cases earlier, the Department of Health and Social Care announced today (4th February 2025). 

    As government ramps up the use of new technology across the board, 30 testing sites across the country will be enhanced with the latest digital AI technologies, ready to invite women already booked in for routine screenings on the NHS to take part. The technology will assist radiologists, screening patients to identify changes in breast tissue that show possible signs of cancer and referred for further investigations if required. 

    Currently two specialists are needed per mammogram screening. This technology enables just one to complete the same mammogram screening process safely and efficiently. If the trial is successful, it could free up hundreds of radiologists and other specialists across the country to see more patients, tackle rising cancer rates, save more lives and cut waiting lists. 

    The EDITH trial (‘Early Detection using Information Technology in Health’) is backed by £11 million of government support via the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). It is the latest example of how British scientists are transforming cancer care, building on the promising potential of cutting-edge innovations to tackle one of the UK’s biggest killers. 

    Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women, with around 55,000 people being diagnosed with the disease every year. Currently, women between the ages of 50 and 71 are invited to be screened every three years to help detect cases. This equates to around 2.1 million breast cancer screens carried out by the programme annually, helping to prevent around 1,300 deaths. 

    The launch of the trial comes as cancer experts, people living with cancer, and medical professionals are invited to help shape the development of a new National Cancer Plan via the launch of a call for evidence, being announced later today by the Health and Social Care Secretary at an event hosted by Macmillan Cancer Support to mark World Cancer Day. 

    Every four minutes, someone in the UK dies from cancer and Lord Darzi’s recent investigation into the NHS found that cancer survival in this country is worse for some cancers than some similar nations. 

    The new plan to fight one of the UK’s major conditions could help transform the way we treat cancer, making the UK a world-leader in cancer survival by fighting the disease on all fronts, through improving research, diagnosis, screening, treatment and prevention. This includes investing in the latest technologies to address rising cancer cases, recognising the vital role they’ll play in tackling the disease. 

    This government is taking the necessary steps to ensure that NHS patients will be among the first to benefit from cutting-edge medical innovations, such as the technology being tested in the EDITH trial, catapulting the service from analogue to digital to cut waiting lists and make it fit for the future, as set out in the government’s 10 Year Health Plan. 

    Members of the public, as well as NHS staff and experts, have already been invited to share their experiences, views and ideas for fixing the NHS via the Change NHS online platform, which will help shape the government’s 10 Year Health Plan. The results of this consultation will support the development of the National Cancer Plan. 

    This closely follows the AI Opportunities Action Plan, which has put the UK on course to revolutionise public services and become an AI superpower – already attracting over £14 billion in investment since launching just last month. 

    Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting said: 

    As a cancer survivor, I feel like one of the lucky ones. 

    With record numbers of people diagnosed with cancer, and Lord Darzi finding that cancer survival is worse in this country than our peers, I know that urgent action is needed to save lives and improve patient care. 

    That’s why for World Cancer Day, I am committed to publishing a dedicated National Cancer Plan this year, to unleash Britain’s potential as a world-leader in saving lives from this deadly disease and make the NHS fit for the future through our Plan for Change.

    Professor Lucy Chappell, Chief Scientific Adviser at the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and Chief Executive Officer of the NIHR said: 

    This landmark trial could lead to a significant step forward in the early detection of breast cancer, offering women faster, more accurate diagnoses when it matters most.  

    It is another example of how NIHR research, shaped and funded by the public, is crucial for rigorously testing world-leading new technologies, such as AI, that can potentially save lives while reducing the burden on the NHS.

    Due to be published later this year, the National Cancer Plan will set out targeted actions to reduce lives lost to one of the biggest killers, continue improving survival rates, and improve the experience of patients along their cancer journey. 

    It will also include specific actions for rarer cancers such as those affecting children. 

    To support this work, the government has re-launched the Children and Young People’s Cancer Taskforce, with Dame Caroline Dinenage and Professor Darren Hargrave appointed as its co-chairs, alongside Dr Sharna Shanmugavadivel as vice-chair. 

    The taskforce will bring together the country’s top experts to set out plans to improve treatment, detection, and research for cancer in children, which will feed into the National Cancer Plan. 

    NHS national clinical director for cancer Professor Peter Johnson said: 

    The NHS is diagnosing more cancers at an early stage than ever before – when treatment is most likely to be effective – but we know we need to accelerate progress further.  

    A National Cancer Plan will give us the chance to do just that – bringing in new ideas, help us make best practice, normal practice – and ensure the NHS is at the cutting edge of new cancer developments and innovations in the future.

    Britain is a global leader in the development of advanced therapies, with a strong academic and life sciences industry, and was the first national health system in Europe to commission CAR-T cellular therapy for blood cancer patients. 

    Now, alongside the National Cancer Plan, a new UK Collaborative for Cancer Clinical Research is being launched to provide coordination, target investment, and maximise opportunities for  the UK to lead in clinical research. This will help to unlock innovation and growth. 

    Hosted by the Association of Medical Research Charities, the Collaborative will support charities to convene expertise from across the cancer research landscape, to identify strategic priorities and cross-cutting areas of unmet need.  

    Science Minister Lord Vallance, and Health Minister Baroness Merron will see first-hand how charities, academia, industry and the NHS working hand-in-hand to support research is leading to breakthroughs for cancer patients, on a visit to the Royal Marsden Hospital today. Their Sutton cancer hub is hosting MANIFEST, a research project jointly led by the Francis Crick Institute, looking to better-target immunotherapy as a treatment of cancer. The Government announced £9 million funding for the project, in October. 

    Science and Technology Secretary, Peter Kyle, said:  

    Catching cancer weeks earlier could be the difference between life and death – and these trials could not only help to get women faster access to treatment but reduce pressures on our NHS. 

    Delivering on our AI Opportunities Action Plan, we are going to use AI to repair broken public services and drive forward our Plan for Change. Trials like this illustrate exactly the impact we know the technology can have – improving lives and in this case, saving them. 

    The government has committed to fixing the NHS and making it fit for the future as part of its Plan for Change. 

    Last week, the government pledged to speed up diagnosis and treatment for tens of thousands of cancer patients. From March 2026, around 100,000 more people every year will be told they have cancer or not within 28 days and around 17,000 more people will begin treatment within two months of a diagnosis. 

    This comes as part of new targets from NHS England confirming four out of five patients would receive a diagnosis or be given the all-clear within 28 days of a cancer referral – an increase to 80% on the current target of 77%. 

    The move will ensure that those with cancer are given the best chance of survival through earlier diagnosis and access to treatment.   

    It will also bring the government closer to achieving all of the cancer waiting time standards set out in the NHS Constitution, some of which haven’t been met since 2015. 

    For more information on how to contribute to the call for evidence for the National Cancer Plan, visit gov.uk. 

    Updates to this page

    Published 4 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: April pay rise set to boost pockets of over 3 million workers

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Government lays legislation confirming that the new National Living Wage and new National Minimum Wage will take effect from 1 April.

    • Millions of workers set for significant pay increase in April to improve living standards and drive growth  

    • Pay boost worth £1,400 a year for an eligible full-time worker as Government takes significant step towards genuine living wage  

    • Living wage boost set to put more money back into the pockets of working people and kickstart growth as part of the Plan for Change  

    Over 3 million workers in shops, restaurants and workplaces across the UK are set to receive a significant pay boost from April – putting thousands of pounds back in the pockets of working people every year. As a result of these changes, a further 4 million workers could benefit from the positive spill-over impacts of the rate increases.   

    The Government will lay legislation today that confirms a new National Living Wage of £12.21, and a new National Minimum Wage of £10.00 per hour from April.   

    Announced at last year’s Budget, the 6.7% increase to the National Living Wage which will be worth £1,400 a year for an eligible full-time worker is a significant step towards delivering the manifesto commitment to deliver a genuine living wage.  

    The National Minimum Wage for 18-20-year-olds is also set to increase by £1.40 to £10.00 per hour – a record increase which means full-time younger workers eligible for the rate will see their pay boosted by £2,500 a year.  

    An impact assessment also published today shows that these reforms will put   around £1.8 billion into the pockets of workers over the next six years – delivering on the Government’s Plan for Change to improve living standards and make working people better off.   

    The increased income is set to boost financial stability for millions of families and improve spending power which will drive economic growth.  

    Employment Rights Minister Justin Madders said: 

    Economic growth only matters if working people are feeling the benefits.  

    This will be a welcome pay bump for millions of workers who in turn will spend more in the real economy boosting our high streets.  

    Our Plan for Change is putting money back into people’s pockets and delivering better living standards across the country.

    Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said:   

    This Government promised a genuine living wage for working people that will support people with the cost of living, creating a workforce that is fit and ready to help us deliver number one mission to growth the economy.  

    This pay boost for millions of workers is a significant step towards delivering on that promise.

    Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said: 

    We’ve taken quick and sensible action to boost wages for millions of lower paid workers who are the backbone and future of our economy. 

    This is us fulfilling our promise to make work pay and improve living standards across the country, with record boosts to support young people and apprentices – our skilled workers of tomorrow.

    The National Minimum Wage is the minimum amount an employer must pay per hour for most workers, while the National Living Wage is the higher rate that applies to workers aged 21 and over.  

    This is the first time the National Living Wage has taken into account the cost of living and inflation and marks the first step towards aligning the National Minimum Wage for 18–20-year-olds and National Living Wage to create a single adult wage rate.  

    This will put an end to age-based wage discrimination, meaning employers can no longer be justified in paying younger workers less for doing the same job as their older colleagues.  

    The minimum hourly wage for an apprentice is also set to be boosted this year, with an 18-year-old apprentice in an industry like construction seeing their minimum hourly pay increase by 18.0%, a pay bump from £6.40 to £7.55 an hour.       

    The April pay rise comes as the latest ONS stats showed average weekly earnings after inflation have risen at their fastest year-on-year rate in over three years.   

    This builds on the commitment to be a pro-business, pro-worker, pro-growth Government. It delivers a key plank of the Plan to Make Work Pay, which is already set to boost the pockets of some the lowest paid workers by up to £600 a year through the Employment Rights Bill.    

    The Employment Rights Bill will boost productivity by creating a secure workforce to help us deliver our first mission to kickstart economic growth.  

    Working across government, including with HMRC and Acas, we will continue to engage closely with businesses, unions and wider society to ensure that all employers are aware of the new rates and taking the steps needed to prepare for payroll changes on 1 April.  

    Low Pay Commission Chair Baroness Stroud said:  

    The increases we recommended are a big step towards making work pay and achieving a genuine living wage.   

    These rates secure a real-terms pay increase for the lowest-paid, and substantial increases for young workers make up some of the ground lost against the adult rate over time.   

    It’s important we continue to assess the effects of these changes on employers and workers; to that end, the Low Pay Commission will be consulting with both groups in the coming months.

    TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said:  

    This government is delivering on its promise to make work pay. The increase in the national minimum wage will make a real difference to the lowest paid at a time when one in six are skipping meals to get by. And moving to end the outdated and unfair youth rates will give young workers a boost up and down the country.  

    More money in working people’s pockets means more spend on our high streets – that’s good for workers and good for local economies. After workers in the UK have been through the biggest squeeze in living standards in 200 years, this boost to working people’s pay packets is badly needed.

    Jason Davenport, CEO of The Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals (CIPP), said:  

    With continued pressure on employers, it’s imperative that we ensure the new rates are understood, implemented and paid to workers correctly.   

    Compliance can be complex with issues for employers to be alert to around, for example, salary sacrifice arrangements.   

    The CIPP urges employers and agents to get their payroll processes ready for 1 April 2025 and the CIPP is on hand with support, advice and resources to help payroll professionals and employers ensure their workers are paid compliantly.  

    Notes to editors:  

    The changes from April will mean:  

    • The National Living Wage for those aged 21 and over will rise from £11.44 per hour to £12.21 per hour.  

    • The National Minimum Wage for 18- to 20-year-olds rises from £8.60 to £10.00 per hour.  

    • The apprenticeship rate, and for 16- to 17-year-olds rises from £6.40 per hour to £7.55 per hour.

    Updates to this page

    Published 4 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Motorists heading to Waitangi urged to drive with care

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Northland Police are calling on all motorists to prioritise safety ahead of Waitangi Day commemorations.

    In the lead up to Thursday 6 February, Police have been out and about in the community actively ensuring motorists are doing their part in keeping our roads safe.

    Northland Road Policing Manager, Inspector Anne-Marie Fitchett, says road users can expect to see our patrols anywhere and at any time to deter everyone from any risky behaviours.

    “There are no excuses for any unsafe behaviours on our roads.  We want everyone to enjoy the Waitangi celebrations while considering their own safety – and that of others. 

    “Speeding won’t be tolerated and any excess speeds will be ticketed as required. 

    “The community can expect to be stopped and tested for impairment at any time.  Nobody wants to share the road with someone who is unable to focus clearly.”

    Inspector Fitchett says there are already some road closures in place, including:

    • Te Karuwha Parade, corner of Puketona Road, SH11 to Tau Henare Drive

    • Te Kemara Road, former of Puketona Road, SH11 to Te Karuwha Parade

    • Tau Henare Drive, intersection of Baylys Road and Haruru Falls Road

    • Haruru Falls Road, off Puketona Road, SH11

    “We are also asking people to be mindful of where they are parking and to take others into consideration.

    “We simply want everyone to drive with care, stay patient in the event there are roadworks or detours along your journey, and keep alert on our roads.”

    For more information on how to get to Waitangi and where to park, got to https://www.fndc.govt.nz/Council/Latest-news/news-items/2025/january/on-…

    ENDS.

    Holly McKay/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Tara iti breeding season progressing well

    Source: Department of Conservation

    Date:  04 February 2025

    So far, 10 chicks have fledged in the wild meaning the tiny juvenile shorebirds have grown strong enough to fly and survive on their own. Crucially, another eight chicks have been successfully hand-raised at Auckland Zoo through DOC’s ongoing partnership with the facility.

    Although this is promising progress for tara iti, the breeding season still comes with challenges. DOC staff remain vigilant, keeping an eye out for threats like off-leash dogs, predators, and extreme weather.

    With fewer than 40 individual tara iti remaining, every nest, egg, and chick is critical to the survival of the species.

    “We’re pleased with how the season is progressing, but there’s still a long way to go.” says DOC Ranger Nikki Hartley.

    DOC staff attribute the season’s progress to a combination of management techniques and collaborative conservation efforts, including:

    • enhanced predator control – hundreds of traps have been deployed to safeguard nesting sites from predators such as cats, mustelids, and rats
    • chick-rearing techniques – egg collection and chick rearing at Auckland Zoo continue to support population recovery
    • research initiatives ongoing studies help DOC understand tara iti population dynamics and threats, guiding conservation strategies
    • habitat protection protecting and maintaining key nesting sites provides safer environments for tara iti to breed.

    Tara iti now breed at only four key sites north of Auckland: Papakānui Spit, Pākiri Beach, Waipū, and Mangawhai sandspits.

    “Auckland Zoo is proud to provide the expert husbandry support to DOC in recovering this rarest of New Zealand’s breeding birds,” says Richard Gibson, Head of Animal Care and Conservation.

    “When a species has declined to such a precarious low, intensive management techniques like incubation, hand-rearing and head-starting are critical to helping to significantly increase productivity and hopefully turn the tide of decline to see tara iti flourish once again”.

    DOC works closely with partners, including iwi groups Patuharakeke Te Iwi Trust Board, Te Uri o Hau Settlement Trust, Nga Maungawhakahii O Kaipara Development Trust, Ngāti Wai Trust Board, and Ngāti Manuhiri Settlement Trust, Auckland Zoo, The Shorebirds Trust, NZ Fairy Tern Charitable Trust, About Tern, Birds NZ, Tara Iti Golf Club, NZ Nature Fund and local trapping groups.

    Generous support for the breeding season has been provided by organisations such as the Shorebirds Trust, Endangered Species Foundation, Pākiri Beach Holiday Park, Auckland Council, Manāki Whitebait, Tongariro National Trout Centre, and New Zealand King Salmon.

    Everyone has a role to play in protecting tara iti. Here’s how you can help:

    • stay out of fenced areas and use designated walkways
    • avoid nests and chicks while enjoying beaches and estuaries
    • keep dogs on leads and out of reserves
    • dispose of bait, fish scraps, and rubbish to deter predators
    • avoid driving or cycling on beaches
    • if a bird swoops at you or appears injured, move away quickly as you’re likely near a nest.

    The public can now donate directly to tara iti recovery project.

    Over the next five years, the NZ Nature Fund in partnership with DOC is seeking to raise $1.57 million for tara iti conservation from public donors and philanthropists. The funds will be used to accelerate DOC’s tara iti recovery programme and ensure the species survives beyond the next 50 years through a number of initiatives such as:

    • developing between three and five new safe breeding sites within the birds existing habitat range, but outside the four main current nesting sites
    • creating new habitats with shell patches at the existing and new breeding sites
    • expanding the buffer predator control range so all tara iti breeding have sufficient control to ensure protection. 

    To donate visit NZ Nature Fund

    Contact

    For media enquiries contact:

    Email: media@doc.govt.nz

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE Denver and US Marshals arrest illegal Mexican alien wanted in Mexico for homicide

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    February 3, 2025Denver, CO, United StatesEnforcement and Removal

    DENVER — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Marshals Service arrested Luis Fernando Melendez-Rivera, 27, an illegally present Mexican national wanted for aggravated homicide in Mexico, in Denver, Colorado, January 31.

    “The message is clear, you can’t commit heinous crimes in your country and hide-out in ours,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Denver Field Office Director Robert Guadian. “ICE agents and our partners in the U.S. Marshals Service performed exemplarily by removing this significant threat from our streets.”

    Melendez lawfully entered the United States Sept. 10, 2022, through Denver International Airport. He remains in ICE custody pending removal.

    Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.

    Learn more about ERO Denver’s mission to increase public safety throughout Colorado and Wyoming on X at @ERODenver.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE Philadelphia removes criminal alien wanted for homicide in the Dominican Republic

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    PHILADELPHIA – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement removed Yermanny Suarez Laureano, a criminal alien from the Dominican Republic with a final order of removal, to the Dominican Republic on Jan. 23. Suarez is a foreign fugitive wanted by law enforcement authorities in the Dominican Republic for homicide.

    “Yermanny Suarez Laureano is a career criminal who is involved in multiple illegal activities, including burglary, criminal mischief, loitering, and prowling at night,” said Acting ERO Philadelphia Field Office Director Brian McShane. “ERO Philadelphia’s efforts have led to the successful removal of this criminal alien, ensuring he faces justice in the Dominican Republic.”

    Suarez entered the United States on an unknown date and at an unknown location, without inspection or parole by an immigration officer.

    The Yonkers City, New York, Police Department arrested Suarez on Oct. 25, 2023, for criminal possession of stolen property in the 3rd degree, burglary in the 3rd degree, illegal entry with intent to commit a crime, and grand larceny in the 3rd degree. These charges remain pending. On December 30, 2023, the Pennsylvania State Police arrested Suarez in Hazelton, Pennsylvania for burglary, criminal mischief, loitering, and prowling at night.

    The Court of Common Pleas of Luzerne County in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania convicted Suarez of burglary on Sep. 13, 2024, and sentenced him to 9 to 23 months incarceration, followed by 5 years’ probation.

    ERO Philadelphia encountered Suarez at the Luzerne County Prison (LCP) in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania on Jan. 2, 2024, and lodged an Immigration Detainer

    ERO Philadelphia arrested Suarez upon his release from LCP and detained him at the Pike County Correctional Facility in Hawley, Pennsylvania on Sep. 17, 2024. The same day, he was served with a Notice to Appear before an immigration judge, charging inadmissibility pursuant to Section 212 of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

    The ERO Assistant Attaché for Removal for Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic notified ERO Philadelphia that Suarez is wanted in the Dominican Republic for homicide on October 21, 2024.

    On November 25, 2024, an immigration judge in Elizabeth, New Jersey ordered Suarez removed from the United States to the Dominican Republic.

    Members of the public with information can report crimes or suspicious activity by dialing the ICE Tip Line at 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.

    Learn more about ICE Philadelphia’s mission to increase public safety in our Pennsylvania, Delaware and West Virginia communities on X: @EROPhiladelphia.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE Philadelphia removes Mexican citizen wanted in Mexico for rape

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    PHILADELPHIA – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement removed Raymundo Rojas Bacilio, a citizen of Mexico with a final order of removal, to Mexico on Jan. 25. Rojas is a foreign fugitive wanted by law enforcement authorities in Mexico for rape.

    “The removal of the criminal alien Raymundo Rojas Bacilio, a sexual predator, underscores the critical importance of our enforcement actions. His repeated illegal entries into the United States and his heinous criminal acts posed a significant threat to the safety and security of our communities,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Philadelphia acting Field Office Director Brian McShane. “This removal demonstrates that we will relentlessly pursue and remove those who endanger the American public.”

    The U.S. Border Patrol arrested Rojas near Nogales, Arizona on Jan. 6, 2012, for entering the United States without admission or parole by an immigration official. The Border Patrol served him with a notice and order of expedited removal, charging inadmissibility, and removed him from the to Mexico.

    Border Patrol agents arrested Rojas near Nogales, Arizona, on Jan. 12, 2012, for entering the U.S. without admission by an immigration official. Once again, the Border Patrol served him with a notice and order of expedited removal charging inadmissibility and removed Rojas to Mexico on Jan. 15, 2012.

    Mexican authorities in Mexico issued an arrest warrant for Rojas for rape on May 31, 2013.

    Rojas again entered the U.S. without admission or parole by an immigration official on an unknown date and at an unknown location.

    The Kings County Supreme Court in Brooklyn, New York convicted Rojas for forceable touching of the intimate parts of another person on Nov. 11, 2024. The court sentenced him to incarceration for 60 days, probation for 6 years, and required him to register as a sex offender.

    ICE arrested Rojas in Corona, New York during a targeted enforcement action on Dec. 17, 2024, and served him a notice of intent to reinstate the prior order of removal. He remained in ICE custody pending removal.

    Members of the public with information can report crimes or suspicious activity by dialing the ICE Tip Line at 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.

    Learn more about ICE Philadelphia’s mission to increase public safety in our Pennsylvania, Delaware and West Virginia communities on X: @EROPhiladelphia.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to Native Village of Kipnuk Private Nonprofits Affected by the August Storm

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    WASHINGTON – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding eligible private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in the Native Village of Kipnuk of the March 3, 2025 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset physical damage caused by the severe storm and flooding that occurred Aug. 16-18, 2024.

    The disaster declaration covers the Lower Kuskokwim Regional Educational Attendance Area.

    Under this disaster declaration, PNPs that provide services of a governmental nature are eligible to apply for business physical disaster loans. Eligible PNPs may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets. 

    Applicants may be eligible for a loan amount increase of up to 20% of their physical damages, as verified by the SBA, for mitigation purposes. Eligible mitigation improvements might include insulating pipes, walls and attics, weather stripping doors and windows, and installing storm windows to help protect property and occupants from future damage caused by any disaster.

    Interest rates can be as low 3.25%, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due, until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amount terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    PNPs are also eligible to apply for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) to help meet working capital needs. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills that could have been paid had the disaster not occurred. EIDL assistance is available regardless of whether the PNP suffered any physical property damage.

    The SBA encourages applicants to submit their loan applications promptly. Applications will be prioritized in the order they are received, and the SBA remains committed to processing them as efficiently as possible.

    For more information and to apply online visit SBA.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

    The deadline to return applications for physical property damage is March 3. The deadline to return economic injury applications is Oct. 1.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Creating a Respect and Equality framework

    Source: Australian Education Union

    04 February 2025

    On average, one Australian woman is killed every week by a partner or former partner. Male perpetrators are also responsible for 95 per cent of violence against men and 94 per cent against women.

    Primary prevention organisation Our Watch aims to stop gendered violence before it starts, by targeting the underlying “cultures of gender inequality, sexism and disrespect” that CEO Patty Kinnersly explains are “prevalent and normalised across our communities – including within our education systems”.

    TAFE “can be part of the change,” Kinnersly says, “by challenging gender stereotypes, such as encouraging more women to take trade roles and more men to take caring roles – and by ensuring educational workplaces are safe and equal for all genders”.

    Our Watch has developed an evidence-based, step-by-step framework for TAFE called Respect and Equality. Between 2019 and 2021, Our Watch refined the framework through pilot partnerships at five VET institutions in Victoria.

    Now the program is rolling out nationwide, driven by new ‘positive-duty’ legislation requiring TAFE to proactively guard against discrimination and violence, rather than responding after it occurs. Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT), the ACT’s largest public vocational education provider, was the first TAFE outside Victoria to undertake a Respect and Equality framework partnership.

    The whole-of-institution challenge

    Gender equity is easy for TAFE to endorse in principle, and some institutes already have some relevant policies or staff training programs, but at a whole-of-institution level, it’s harder to generate “real, actionable commitments to making meaningful progress”, says Terra Starbird, CIT’s assistant director of workplace inclusion.

    While developing Respect and Equality, Our Watch had noticed the ad-hoc nature of equity initiatives across TAFE. Different departments might act independently without talking to each other. Or individual staffers might be personally dedicated to creating an equitable working and learning environment but lack the seniority to galvanise wider change. If those people leave, their institutional knowledge and change-making impetus leave with them.

    “Intentionality in this work is so important,” Starbird says, “as it ensures that our efforts are deliberate, tangible, focused, and monitored, while effectively tackling the issues.”

    CIT began its Respect and Equality journey in 2023 with a plan to have an active Gender Equity Action Plan (GEAP) in place by 1 July 2024, as an ACT Public Service requirement. Starbird and her colleagues found Respect and Equality “a natural fit” because its “structured, best-practice approach” allowed CIT to develop a GEAP that was “tailored to our unique vocational education context”.

    Step 1

    Establish a cross-institutional working group

    Respect and Equality simultaneously considers five domains where TAFE can set standards for positive behaviours: as a workplace; among students; in teaching and learning; in industry and community relations; and in communications.

    Over a series of six meetings, Our Watch facilitators help the TAFE induct, train and guide a working group that integrates expertise from senior executives, business operations, HR, marketing and communications, educators and student services. Starbird coordinated CIT’s Gender Equity Working Group alongside her colleague Sam Launt, CIT’s inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA) coordinator.

    “Our working group was diverse, with staff from all walks of life and across all domains of CIT,” says Starbird. “It is this diversity of lived experience, expertise, and perspectives that genuinely enriched and made this GEAP something we are all immensely proud of.”

    Kinnersly says a key function of the working group is “getting leadership buy-in”, because real change happens when TAFE leaders are involved as ‘sponsors’ of gender equity from the very beginning.

    But for Starbird, the real value of the cross-institute approach was “ensuring that we contextualised actions for each domain and spoke to the individuals who would be doing the work, rather than applying a top-down or blanket approach”. She calls these people “champions” – those who “drive the work, empower others by showing how it can be contextualised for different settings, and celebrate best practice”.

    She’s particularly proud of liaising with the CIT Student Association (CITSA) to ensure students participated in the working group, and strongly recommends other TAFE institutes do the same from the outset. “Involving students is best practice and widely used in the university sector; however, this is still an emerging practice in the vocational education sector.”

    Step 2

    Self-assessment of current practices

    “The first step of any meaningful change is reflection,” Starbird says. So, in late 2023, the Gender Equity Working Group took an honest look across the institution to understand current attitudes and actions towards gender equity. “This included existing practices, policies, programs, resources, and initiatives.”

    The working group used Our Watch’s self-assessment tool to evaluate the picture they’d assembled. They measured CIT’s equity practices against a series of goals for TAFE, which Our Watch had previously established in partnership with Victorian TAFE institutes during Respect and Equality’s pilot phase.

    This process took approximately six months and overlapped with CIT’s development of its next Reconciliation Action Plan. This encouraged the working group to consider inclusion activities through an intersectional lens, building more valuable cross-institutional connections.

    For Starbird, the self-assessment is a hugely important part of the process – and she would not recommend rushing it: “It will let you know where you are, including where you are excelling and areas for improvement.”

    Crucially, it identified CIT’s quiet achievers: “That some areas and individual staff were undertaking great, industry-leading work in the gender equity space, which was not widely known across CIT.” These champions became role models “to support other people that were earlier on in their gender equity journey”.

    Step 3

    Develop a Gender Equity Action Plan

    The CIT working group spent several co-development sessions drafting its GEAP with the support of Our Watch, beginning by imagining an absolutely aspirational action plan with no restrictions on budget, time or resources. Then the group began to reintroduce practical limitations, balancing CIT’s strategic priorities with the strengths and weaknesses identified during the self-assessment phase.

    They also met with staff in key areas who would be responsible for actually delivering the plan’s proposed actions, “to ensure they were feasible, sustainable, and impactful”.

    This is where the framework’s holistic nature really revealed its worth. “The importance of a whole-of-institute approach and using genuinely consultative co-design methods cannot be overstated and was instrumental in CIT being able to achieve a completed GEAP,” says Starbird.

    The plan takes proactive steps to prevent discrimination in three main ways. It embeds equity into CIT’s policies, resources, structures, and processes. It empowers staff and students to be “everyday allies and champions for gender equity”. And it helps CIT better understand and monitor gender-based inequity, harassment, bullying and violence – and better support staff and students who’ve experienced it.

    Says Starbird: “It is our roadmap for meaningful change that will continue to build as we learn, upskill, and roll up our sleeves to do the work ahead.”

    Step 4

    Implement and monitor the GEAP

    CIT’s GEAP only launched in September 2024, and while it’s still early days for Starbird one unexpected benefit of Respect and Equality has been the increased sense of community and shared purpose it’s fostered among participants – both working group members and those who were consulted during the self-assessment stage.

    “We were able to find other allies in this process, some of whom have since joined the working group. The initiative helped build stronger connections to CIT’s broader strategic goals in the inclusion and equity space,” she says.

    The GEAP forms a benchmark for CIT’s longer-term progress. Starbird says that over the next two years, the changes set out in the plan will be adopted incrementally, “with ongoing reviews to gauge effectiveness and adapt as needed”.

    One finding during CIT’s self-assessment was that the institute needed to engage with data more meaningfully. So, as part of implementing the plan, CIT will “improve how we collect, monitor, and report on data and use this data to make long-term, sustainable plans, ensuring we provide ongoing professional development to support all staff in this endeavour”.

    For Our Watch CEO Kinnersly, the benefits of the Respect and Equality framework are clear: “It means creating a work environment where staff at CIT feel safe, valued and respected and where we foster respectful learning environments that attract and retain students to address critical skill shortages.”

    As part of the national rollout, Our Watch has created an online community of practice where the TAFE institutes that have participated in Respect and Equality can share insights, challenges and surprises from their common VET context, borrow approaches from each other and build mutual support on what will be a long and bumpy road to equity.

    “No single GEAP is going to ‘fix’ gender equity overnight, nor should you expect to achieve perfection in your first GEAP,” says Starbird. “For anyone who asks when this work will be finished, my reply is this: when we live in a society free from all gender-based violence and discrimination.

    “Until then, we will keep working together to be part of the solution, as this is going to take the contribution of all of us across all sectors of society.”

    Mel Campbell

    This article was originally published in The Australian TAFE Teacher, Spring 2024

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Monetary policy frameworks: lessons learned and challenges ahead

    Source: Bank for International Settlements

    Several central banks in advanced economies are currently reviewing their monetary policy frameworks. These reviews are timely, since the post-pandemic inflation surge offers important insights to refine frameworks. This experience has shown that inflation risks are considerably more two-sided than previously appreciated and has highlighted the public’s strong aversion to inflation. The inflation surge has also underscored the unpredictable nature of economic developments, emphasising the need for monetary policy to be able to react nimbly. These considerations indicate scope for rebalancing frameworks towards the risks of inflation surges and reducing reliance on policy tools that are difficult to adjust. Crucially, the reviews should adopt a realistic perspective on what monetary policy can achieve and ensure the robustness of frameworks against a wide range of possible economic developments.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-Evening Report: What are cooling blankets? Can they really help me sleep?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Linda Grosser, Research Associate, Behaviour-Brain-Body Research Centre, University of South Australia

    EGHStock/Shutterstock

    You wake up exhausted from yet another hot night of tossing and turning, with very little sleep.

    So you might be tempted to buy a “cooling blanket” after reading rave reviews on social media. Or you might have read online articles with taglines such as:

    Stop waking up in a puddle of sweat with our roundup of the best cooling blankets – including a top-rated option from Amazon that ‘actually works’.

    But what are cooling blankets? And can they help you get a restful night?

    We know a cooler bedroom is best

    First, let’s look at why a cooler environment helps us sleep better at night.

    Our body’s internal temperature has a circadian rhythm, meaning it fluctuates throughout the day. A couple of hours before bed, it drops about 0.31°C to help you fall asleep. It will drop about another 2°C across the night to help you stay asleep.

    During sleep, your internal temperature and skin work together to achieve a balance between losing and producing heat. Your skin has sensors that pick-up changes in the environment around you. If it gets too warm, these sensors let your body know, which may cause you to kick-off blankets or bed clothes and wake more often leading to poorer sleep quality.

    Sleep quality is an important component of sleep health ensuring you get the physical, mental and emotional benefits that come from a good night’s sleep.

    The ideal temperature for sleep varies depending on the season and type of bedding you have but falls between 17°C and 28°C. Keeping your sleeping environment within this range will help you to get the best night’s rest.

    So what are cooling blankets?

    Cooling blankets are designed to help regulate your body temperature while you sleep.

    Different technologies and materials are used in their design and construction.

    We’re not talking about hospital-grade cooling blankets that are used to reduce fever and prevent injury to the nervous system. These use gel pads with circulating water, or air-cooling systems, connected to automatic thermostats to monitor someone’s temperature.

    Instead, the type of consumer-grade cooling blankets you might see advertised use a blend of lightweight, breathable materials that draw moisture away from the skin to help you stay cool and dry through the night. They look like regular blankets.

    Common materials include cotton, bamboo, silk or the fibre Lyocell, all of which absorb moisture.

    Manufacturers typically use a thread count of 300-500, creating air pockets that enhance airflow and moisture evaporation.

    Some blankets feature a Q-Max rating, which indicates how cool the fabric feels against your skin. The higher the value, the cooler the fabric feels.

    Others feature phase change materials. These materials were developed by NASA for space suits to keep astronauts comfortable during a spacewalk where temperatures are from roughly -157°C to 121°C. Phase change materials in cooling blankets absorb and hold heat producing a cooling effect.

    Some cooling blankets use NASA technology developed for space suits.
    Summit Art Creations/NASA/Shutterstock

    Do they work?

    If you believe online reviews, yes, cooling blankets can cool you down and help you sleep better in warmer weather or if you get too hot using normal sheets and blankets.

    However, there is little scientific research to see if these consumer-grade products work.

    In a 2021 study exploring sleep quality, 20 participants slept for three nights under two different conditions.

    First, they slept with regular bed sheets in an air-conditioned room with the temperature set to their preference. Then, they used cooling bed sheets in an air-conditioned room where the temperature was set 3°C higher than their preference.

    Participants reported good sleep quality in both conditions but preferred the warmer room with its cooling sheets.

    This may suggest the use of cooling bedding may help provide a more comfortable night’s sleep.

    But everyone’s cooling needs varies depending on things like age, health, body temperature, the space you sleep in, and personal preferences.

    So while these products may work for some people who may be motivated to leave a good review, they may not necessarily work for you.

    Are they worth it?

    There’s a wide variety of cooling blankets available at different prices to suit various budgets. Positive customer reviews might encourage a purchase, especially for individuals experiencing disrupted sleep at night due to heat.

    Yet, these cooling blankets have limited scientific research to show they work and to say if they’re worth it. So it’s up to you.

    Lots of choice, but little scientific evidence to back them.
    Screenshot Google Shopping

    What else can I do if I’m a hot sleeper?

    If a cooling blanket isn’t for you, there are other things you can do to stay cool at night, such as:

    • using air conditioning or a fan

    • placing a damp towel under or over you

    • wearing lightweight or minimal sleepwear and avoiding thick or synthetic fabrics, such as nylon, that can trap heat

    • if you usually share a bed, on hot nights, consider sleeping by yourself to avoid excess body heat from your partner.

    On a final note, if you often struggle with hot, disturbed sleep, you can check in with your health-care provider. They can see if there is a medical explanation for your disturbed sleep and advise what to try next.

    Luana Main will receive funding from the NHMRC to investigate the effects of climate change on an unrelated topic starting later this year.

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

    – ref. What are cooling blankets? Can they really help me sleep? – https://theconversation.com/what-are-cooling-blankets-can-they-really-help-me-sleep-244158

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Barrasso Votes to Confirm Chris Wright as Secretary of Energy

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wyoming John Barrasso

    WASHINGTON D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Senate Majority Whip, released the following statement after voting to confirm Chris Wright, President Donald J. Trump’s nominee to be the Secretary of Energy.

    The Senate confirmed Chris Wright’s nomination by a vote of 59 to 38.

    “Secretary Chris Wright will help usher in the golden age of American energy dominance. He understands that affordable, abundant energy is the source of American strength. Under his leadership, we will use all of our nation’s vast energy resources to lower prices for families and grow our economy. I look forward to working with Secretary Wright and Secretary Doug Burgum to promote energy projects in Wyoming and across the country.”

    Senator Barrasso recently spoke on the Senate floor about Secretary Wright’s nomination.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Progress on the Situation At Our Southern Border

    Source: The White House

    By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA), the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), section 604 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (19 U.S.C. 2483), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, it is hereby ordered:

    Section 1.  Background.  On February 1, 2025, I determined that the failure of Mexico to arrest, seize, detain, or otherwise intercept Mexican drug trafficking organizations, other drug and human traffickers, criminals at large, and illicit drugs constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat, which has its source in substantial part outside the United States, to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States.  To address that threat, I invoked my authority under section 1702(a)(1)(B) of IEEPA to impose ad valorem tariffs on articles that are products of Mexico.

         Sec. 2.  Immediate Steps.  Pursuant to section 3 of my Executive Order of February 1, 2025, titled “Imposing Duties to Address the Situation at Our Southern Border” (“the Executive Order of February 1, 2025”), I have determined that the Government of Mexico has taken immediate steps designed to alleviate the illegal migration and illicit drug crisis through cooperative actions.  Further time is needed, however, to assess whether these steps constitute sufficient action to alleviate the crisis and resolve the unusual and extraordinary threat beyond our southern border.

         Sec. 3.  Pause.  (a)  In recognition of the steps taken by the Government of Mexico, and in order to assess whether the threat described in section 1 of this order has abated, the additional 25 percent ad valorem rate of duty shall be paused and will not take effect until March 4, 2025, at 12:01 am eastern time. Accordingly, sections 2(a), sections 2(d), and section 2(e) of the Executive Order of February 1, 2025, are amended by striking the term “February 4, 2025,” where it appears in those sections and inserting in lieu thereof the term “March, 4, 2025.”  The exceptions set forth in section 2(a) of the Executive Order of February 1, 2025, related to covered goods loaded onto a vessel at a port of entry or in transit on the final mode of transport prior to entry into the United States are, hereby, withdrawn.

         (b)  During this pause, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, and the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security, shall continue to assess the situation at our southern border, as provided in section 3 of the Executive Order of February 1, 2025.

         (c)  If the illegal migration and illicit drug crises worsen, and if the Government of Mexico fails to take sufficient steps to alleviate these crises, the President shall take necessary steps to address the situation, including by immediate implementation of the tariffs described in the Executive Order of February 1, 2025. 

         Sec. 4.  Severability.  If any provision of this order, or the application of any provision to any person or circumstance, is held to be invalid, the remainder of this order and the application of its provisions to any other persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby.

         Sec. 5.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
         (i)   the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
         (ii)  the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
    (b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
    (c)  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    THE WHITE HOUSE,
        February 3, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Orders Plan for a United States Sovereign Wealth Fund

    Source: The White House

    DELIVERING A PLAN TO CREATE A UNITED STATES SOVEREIGN WEALTH FUND: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order calling for the creation of a Sovereign Wealth Fund.

    • The Executive Order directs the Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary of Commerce to deliver a plan within 90 days for the creation of a sovereign wealth fund.
      • The Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary of Commerce will work closely with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget and the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy to develop the plan.
      • The Order directs the Secretary to include in the plan recommendations for funding mechanisms, investment strategies, fund structure, and a governance model.

    ENSURING LONG-TERM ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS AND FISCAL SUSTAINABILITY: The creation of a sovereign wealth fund for the United States will help maximize the stewardship of our national wealth.

    • Sovereign wealth funds exist around the world as mechanisms to amplify the financial return to a nation’s assets and leverage those returns for strategic benefit and goals.
      • The United States can leverage such returns to promote fiscal sustainability, lessen the burden of taxes on American families and small businesses, establish long-term economic security, and promote U.S. economic and strategic leadership internationally.
    • The United States already holds a vast sum of highly valued assets that can be invested through a sovereign wealth fund for greater long-term wealth generation.
      • The Federal government directly holds $5.7 trillion in assets. Indirectly, including through natural resource reserves, the Federal government holds a far larger sum of asset value.

    PURSUING NATIONAL ENDEAVORS AND MAGNIFYING ECONOMIC GROWTH: President Trump has called for the creation of a sovereign wealth fund “to invest in great national endeavors for the benefit of all of the American people.”

    • President Trump’s economic policies—including the pursuit of fair and balanced trade, national energy dominance, and tax and regulatory relief to spur robust economic growth—will result in greater wealth and revenue streams that a sovereign wealth fund can maximize the potential of.
    • Sovereign wealth funds are maintained by a diverse array of countries leveraging equally varied classes of national assets. President Trump has called for a sovereign wealth fund to ensure the United States can lead the way in long-term wealth generation.
      • The United Kingdom recently announced their own plans to pursue development of such a fund.
      • In addition to countries around the world maintaining their own funds, 23 states within our own country maintain their own funds that control in total $332 billion in assets.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Response to U.S. tariff delay: Premier Smith

    Source: Government of Canada regional news (2)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Statement on U.S. Tariff Pause

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    NOTE: The following is a statement from Premier Tim Houston.

    For now, we can all take a breath.

    We are relieved there will be a pause on tariffs imposed on Canada. President Trump’s tax would have had a very real, immediate negative impact, and I appreciate the dozens of Nova Scotians who shared their personal stories and concerns with me over the last few days.

    Because of the pause, our retaliatory measures will not take effect.

    I want to thank Prime Minister Trudeau for his leadership.

    Canadians watched in real time as President Trump’s desired goals continued to shift. This was not an easy time for our country or our people.

    The threat of tariffs does remain, and I reaffirm my commitment that as things unfold over the next weeks, Nova Scotia stands in solidarity with our provincial and territorial colleagues.

    We are stronger as a nation when we stand together.

    I remain committed to Team Canada and to the people of Nova Scotia. We will be ready to respond if needed, but I believe that the strength of our longtime friendship with the United States will ultimately prevail. It has survived wars, recessions and pandemics – I believe it can also ultimately survive President Trump.

    As always, I am committed to you and your family. Your interests guide my actions.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Search for missing man, Cook Strait

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    A search is ongoing for a man reported missing on a jetski yesterday.

    The man left the Tasman District yesterday morning set for Plimmerton, north of Wellington, but did not arrive as expected.

    Police and SAR teams have been conducting a water search with the assistance of Coastguard and RCCNZ.

    A jetski was located near Cooks Rock in the Cook Strait yesterday evening, believed to be the one belonging to the missing man.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DHS Agencies Support Super Bowl LIX Security

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: DHS Agencies Support Super Bowl LIX Security

    lass=”text-align-center”>Continuing a 20+ Year Partnership, More Than 690 DHS Employees Work to Protect Estimated 73,000 Fans Attending the Big Game 
    WASHINGTON – Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem traveled to New Orleans this week to observe DHS security operations for Super Bowl LIX. More than 690 employees representing 12 DHS agencies are in New Orleans, providing air security resources; venue, cyber, and infrastructure security assessments; chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosives detection technologies; intelligence analysis and threat assessments; intellectual property enforcement; and real-time situational awareness reporting as part of a 20-year partnership with the National Football League and state and local law enforcement.
    “Around 100,000 people will be celebrating the Super Bowl in and around the Superdome in New Orleans this weekend,” said Secretary Noem. “We will give law enforcement every resource they need to ensure a safe event. Thank you to our partners, Governor Landry, Mayor Cantrell and the New Orleans Police Department. If you see something, say something!”
    “Since day one, we have stood steadfast in our mission: to protect what matters most,” said Eric DeLaune, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New Orleans Special Agent in Charge and lead federal coordinator for Super Bowl LIX. “From securing critical infrastructure to providing real-time threat analysis, we are committed to safeguarding our communities. With over 690 DHS personnel deployed, we bring cutting-edge security resources and technologies to ensure every aspect of this event is protected.” 
    DHS has assessed this year’s Super Bowl as a Special Event Assessment Rating (SEAR) Level 1 event. For more information, visit the SEAR Fact Sheet webpage. Although no specific, credible threats related to this year’s game have been identified, the U.S. remains in a heightened threat environment, as evidenced by the recent terror attack in New Orleans on New Year’s Day.
    DHS security efforts for Super Bowl LIX include the following:

    U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP): Air and Marine Operations (AMO) will enforce temporary flight restrictions around Caesars Superdome, providing “eye in the sky” intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance flight operations in and around key venues, including the Superdome, airport, Bourbon Street and the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Additionally, CBP will provide video surveillance capabilities and non-intrusive inspections by scanning the cargo entering the stadium for contraband such as narcotics, weapons, and explosives. CBP will also work to intercept counterfeit NFL merchandise such as NFL jerseys, championship rings, T-shirts, caps and all sorts of souvenirs and memorabilia, which are often used to fund criminal organizations.
    Homeland Security Investigations (HSI): An HSI Special Response Team is standing by to provide interior stadium tactical support, and HSI’s special agents will support will also CBP, local law enforcement agencies, and other private partners in identifying an investigating any flea markets, retail outlets, street vendors and online marketplaces selling counterfeit goods during the week leading up to the Super Bowl to protect consumers, who are expected to spend over $16.5 billion nationwide. HSI will also oversee the coordination of DHS assets with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to ensure essential public safety measures and resources are in the right place, at the right time. 
    Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA): On Super Bowl Sunday, CISA will also deploy advisors and emergency communications coordinators to support local law enforcement, emergency responders, and private partners in New Orleans. Ahead of the event, the agency conducted physical and cybersecurity vulnerability assessments, planning exercises, and bomb safety workshops with state and local partners. 
    Office of Intelligence &Analysis (I&A): I&A worked with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to assess the threat landscape leading up to the Super Bowl, including sharing timely and actionable information and intelligence with their state and local partners.
    Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office (CWMD): CWMD provided surge support from its Mobile Detection Deployment Program and its BioWatch program in coordination with the City of New Orleans.
    U.S. Coast Guard (USCG): USCG Pacific Strike Team is supporting the Mobile Detection Deployment Program to bolster DHS’s ability to detect and interdict chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats, and Canine Explosive Detection teams will support the safety and security of the event.
    Transportation Security Administration (TSA): A TSA Supervisory Federal Air Marshal will staff the Fusion Watch Center during the event, and will use its National Deployment Force to increase the number of transportation security officers working at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport to screen the increased number of departing passengers after the Super Bowl. TSA’s explosive detection canines and Visible Intermodal Prevention and Response (VIPR) teams will also work during Super Bowl week events at key venues.
    Science & Technology Directorate (S&T): S&T will deploy easy-to assemble, expandable security barriers that can be installed quickly to provide critical asset protection and intrusion prevention.
    Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): FEMA will help keep fans safe by providing communication tools for state and local responders.
    DHS Blue Campaign: This public awareness campaign is disseminating digital and out-of-home advertising in the New Orleans area to raise human trafficking awareness among visitors, local residents, and those working in industries, such as hotels, hospitality, and transportation, where frontline employees are more likely to be in a position to identify and report human trafficking. The campaign’s Blue Lightning Initiative is also partnering with Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport to raise awareness and train staff to recognize and report human trafficking.

    DHS reminds the public that “If You See Something, Say Something®” is more than a slogan. It is a call to action to report suspicious terrorism-related activity. Follow DHS’s security efforts on X: @DHSgov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: FEMA Approves Additional $1.3 Million for Emergency Work Following Florida’s Hurricanes

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: FEMA Approves Additional $1.3 Million for Emergency Work Following Florida’s Hurricanes

    FEMA Approves Additional $1.3 Million for Emergency Work Following Florida’s Hurricanes

    TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – FEMA has approved an additional $1.3 million to reimburse Florida communities for emergency work after Hurricanes Milton, Helene, and Debby. This includes: $935,244 for Marion County for debris removal (Milton).$118,386 for Hernando County Sheriff’s Office for Emergency Protective Measures (Milton).$45,745 for Hernando County Sheriff’s Office for Emergency Protective Measures (Helene).$4,374 for Talquin Electric Cooperative, Inc. for Emergency Protective Measures (Debby).$3,208 Dixie District School Board for debris removal (Debby).$7,698 for the City of Newberry for debris removal (Debby).$25,551 for the City of Newberry for Emergency Protective Measures (Debby).$7,377 for the Unity Church of Sarasota, Inc. for Emergency Protective Measures (Debby).$170,095 for St. Johns County for Emergency Protective Measures (Debby).To date, FEMA Public Assistance has provided $1.04 billion for Hurricane Milton, $416.1 million for Hurricane Helene and $112.6 million for Hurricane Debby. The money reimburses the state, local governments and certain nonprofit organizations for emergency protective measures and debris removal. FEMA’s Public Assistance program provides reimbursement to local and state government agencies for the costs of emergency response, debris removal and restoration of disaster damaged public facilities and infrastructure. Houses of worship and other nonprofit organizations may also be eligible for FEMA Public Assistance.For the latest information about Hurricane Milton recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4834. For Hurricane Helene, visit fema.gov/disaster/4828. For Hurricane Debby, visit fema.gov/disaster/4806. Follow FEMA on X at x.com/femaregion4 or on Facebook at facebook.com/fema.
    despina.pappas
    Mon, 02/03/2025 – 22:04

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Combustor Facilities

    Source: NASA

    Combustion studies are conducted in this two-test position facility specifically in support of the NOx-reduction research for the High Speed Research program and the Advanced Subsonic Technology program. CE-5B-1 is large enough to test sector arrangements of injector elements to include interactions of the elements and single larger elements. The facility receives filtered combustion air from the 450-psig system. The air is heated in a 1,100°F non-vitiated heater at flows up to 20 lb/s, which can be valved to either test stand. The airflow passes through the test section, is water spray quenched, and is then discharged to the altitude exhaust system or the atmospheric exhaust system. The facility preheater consists of a heat exchanger fired by four J-47 burner cans using natural gas for a fuel and the 40-psig combustion air. The research hardware uses ASTM Jet-A, JP-5, or JP-8 as a fuel. 
    CE-5B-1 Special Features
    In addition to inlet and exit rakes and standard instrumentation, water-cooled gas sampling rakes are in the downstream section. Particulate measurements are taken at the exit of the combustion section. Optical accessibility of the combustor section allows never-before-possible nonintrusive laser-based diagnostics of the reacting and non-reacting flowfield. These include such techniques as planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) imaging, Planar Mie scattering, Phase/Doppler particle analysis (PDPA), focused Schlieren imaging, and light sheet photography. Both rigs share the gas analysis, particulate analysis, and diagnostics equipment. 
    CE-5B Facility Capabilities (typical of both rigs)

    Parameter
    Operating Value

    Inlet Air Supply Pressure
    450 psig

    Inlet Air Temperature
    100°F, preheated to 350-1,350°F

    Inlet Airflow Stand 1 Stand 2 
    20 lb/s (available) 0.5 to 12.0 pps 0.5 to 5.0 pps

    Exhaust
    Atm or 20-26 in. Hg

    Rig Pressure Without Windows Stand 1 Stand 2
    275 psig 400 psig

    Rig Pressure With Windows Stand 1 Stand 2
    250 psig 275 psig

    Rig Fuel (JP-8) Flow
    7 gpm @ 400-900 psig (three legs per stand)

    Window Cooling GN2 (4 legs)
    0.125 to 0.5 pps (each leg) 

    Cooling Water
    150 gpm @ 460 psig 250 gpm @ 395 psig 50 gpm @ 350 psig 15 gpm @ 55 psig

    CE-5B-1 System Instrumentation

    System
    Number and Type

    ESP
    96 Ports of + 500 PSID Barometric Ref

    Escort
    240 Channels 154 Available to the Customer

    Thermocouples
    156 Type K 24 Type B 12 Type W 524 Type R

    Gas Analyzers
    HC – 1,000 ppm 1% & 5% CO – 2,000 ppm 5% CO2 – 5%, 10%, 20% O2 – 25% NO – 100 ppm, 1,000 ppm 1% NOx –

    Laser
    PLIF, Raman

    CE-5B-2 is one of the two test stands in the CE-5B facility. It can be configured to study lean-premixed-prevaporized (LPP) and lean-direct-injection (LDI) concepts for developing a low-NOx combustor for high-speed research and advanced subsonic applications. The non-windowed combustion flame tube can use a 3-inch square cross section or a 3-inch-diameter round section and has six ports available for gas sampling probes. The windowed combustion flame tube takes advantage of the flat walls on a 3-inch square cross section to install optical windows for non-intrusive measurements. Tests are conducted with combustion air inlet pressure ranging from 10 to 15 atmospheres with preheater and exhaust conditions described for CE-5B-1. 
    CE-5B-2 Special Features 
    The same laser-based non-intrusive diagnostics of reacting and non-reacting flowfields described for test position CE-5B-1 are available to this test section. A typical data acquisition system is used for both test positions in CE-5B. In addition, most of the optical diagnostic instruments have their own data acquisition systems.
    CE-5B Facility Capabilities (typical of both rigs)

    Parameter
    Operating Value

    Inlet Air Supply Pressure
    450 psig

    Inlet Air Temperature
    100°F, preheated to 350-1,350°F

    Inlet Airflow Stand 1 Stand 2 
    20 lb/s (available) 0.5 to 12.0 pps 0.5 to 5.0 pps

    Exhaust
    Atm or 20-26 in. Hg

    Rig Pressure Without Windows Stand 1 Stand 2
    275 psig 400 psig

    Rig Pressure With Windows Stand 1 Stand 2
    250 psig 275 psig

    Rig Fuel (JP-8) Flow
    7 gpm @ 400-900 psig (three legs per stand)

    Window Cooling GN2 (4 legs)
    0.125 to 0.5 pps (each leg) 

    Cooling Water
    150 gpm @ 460 psig 250 gpm @ 395 psig 50 gpm @ 350 psig 15 gpm @ 55 psig

    CE-5B-2 System Instrumentation

    System
    Number and Type

    ESP
    96 Ports of + 500 PSID Barometric Ref

    Escort
    240 Channels 154 Available to the Customer

    Thermocouples
    148 Type K 24 Type B 48 Type R

    Gas Analyzers
    HC – 1,000 ppm 1% & 5% CO – 2,000 ppm 5% CO2 – 5%, 10%, 20% O2 – 25% NO – 100 ppm, 1,000 ppm 1% NOx –

    Laser
    PLIF, Raman

    Test Cell CE-13 Combustion and Dynamics Facility (CDF) is used to investigate ways to reduce NOx and particulate emissions from air-breathing aircraft engines. This low-pressure (1-5 atm) facility is used to study fuel-air injection schemes and how they affect fluid mixing, emissions, dynamics, and flame stability. Jet-A fuel is the primary fuel, but candidate alternate jet fuels and their effects are also studied. Standard measurements consist of major species and dynamic pressures. Some optical measurements available are high-speed video, standard and time-resolved 2D PIV, planar laser induced fluorescence (PLIF), and chemiluminescence imaging.

    CE-13C Special Features
    Research hardware is designed to flow vertically downwards. Preheated air is fed to the inlet air stream conditioner and then to the fuel injector. Fuel at room temperature is fed separately to the injector. The mixed hot air and fuel mixture moves to the combustor where combustion can be observed via customized windows. The products of combustion flow through an emission sampling ring and choke nozzle/straight outlet pipe. The fuel system consists of a 25-gallon fuel tank, a pump, and a GN2 purge. A separate laser room operates various class 3B and 4 lasers (UV, Vis, NIR) to characterize fuel injection, combustor flow, and measure combustion species.
    CE-13C Facility Capabilities

    Parameter
    Operating Value

    Inlet Air Pressure
    Ambient to 75-psia

    Inlet Air Temperature
    Ambient to 1,000°F

    Inlet Airflow
    0.0 – 1.0 pps

    Jet Fuel Supply
    CKT 1 6.9-140 pph @ 1,000-psig CKT 2 1 – 13.1 pph @ 1,000-psig 

    Exhaust
    Atmospheric

    Peripheral H2O Cooling
    54-gpm @ 100-pisg

    Quench Cooling
    11-gpm @ 500-psig

    CE-13C System Instrumentation

    System
    Number and Type

    Labview
    64 voltage/current channels 32 temperature channels 10 voltage/current channels available to the customer 30 temperature channels available to customer

    Optical and Laser
    PLIF, Raman, PIV, droplet sizing, chemiluminescence, temperature, time-resolved imaging

    Gas Analyzers
    CO – 1,000 ppm, 5,000 ppm CO2 – 5%, 15% O2 – 25% NO – 100 ppm, 1,000 ppm NOx – 100 ppm, 1,000 ppm HC –  100 ppm, 1,000 ppm 

    The SE-5 High-Pressure Combustion Diagnostics (HPCD) laboratory is a gas- and liquid-fueled high-pressure flame tube facility with single-element fuel injection burners and emission sampling ports for advanced diagnostics development and national standard calibrations. The facility provides large-aperture optical access to the primary reaction zone (flame holding) through four UV-grade fused silica optical windows (44-mm-thick by 85-mm clear apertures located around the periphery) enabling non-intrusive optical diagnostics such as laser Raman spectroscopy or high-speed imaging to measure chemical species and temperature. The HPCD rig can operate at sustained pressures up to 30 atm (or 60 atm with limited flow rate) with a variety of gaseous fuels, liquid jet fuels, and oxidizers, including hydrogen, methane, oxygen-argon, and pure oxygen. The innovative microtube array burner or micro-radial-entry counter-swirl (MRX) burner is mounted inside the air-cooled high-temperature liner casing within the rig. The burner was designed to provide a uniform combustion product zone downstream of the flame for calibrating the laser diagnostic system. The facility is also used for bench-mark tests of emission gas and particulate matters (PM) sampling. The data from the HPCD rig enables the validation of numerical codes such as powered by advanced CFD that simulate gas turbine combustors. All aspects of the facility operation, including startup, shutdown, and automatic safety shutdowns, are controlled and monitored via an icon-based touch-screen software system and a most-updated programmable logic controller (PLC) in conjunction with a precision DEWETRON data acquisition system. The HPCD rig can also provide a pressure vessel for prototype thermal or combustion hardware of a customer’s choice.
    SE-5 Special Features
    The facility is unique because it is the only continuous-flow, hydrogen-capable 60-atm rig in the world with optical access. It will provide researchers with new insights into flame conditions that simulate the environment inside the ultra-high pressure-ratio combustion chambers of tomorrow’s advanced aircraft engines.
    SE-5 Facility Capabilities

    Parameter
    Operating Value

    Cooling Capacity
    4,000,000 BTU/hr

    Equivalence Ratio Variance
    0.2 (fuel very lean) – 4 (fuel rich)

    Fuel Flow Rate
    Limited by cooling capacity, e.g., 2 GPH of n-heptane

    Operating Pressure
    30 atm nominal, 60 atm max

    Cooling Airflow
    0.25 lbm/s max

    Quenching Airflow
    0.20 lbm/s max 

    SE-5 System Instrumentation and Diagnostics

    System
    Number and Type

    Pressure Transducers and Thermocouples
    Custom

    DEWETRON DAQ
    Custom

    Emission Gas Sampling (Exhaust)
    NO, NOx, SOx, O2, CO, CO2

    Particulates Sampling (Exhaust)
    Mass (TSI), counter (TSI), In-line sensor (GRC in-house)

    Laser Raman Spectroscopy (In Flame)
    Custom

    In-situ Soot Detection
    Extinction measurements

    The Particulate Aerosol Laboratory (PAL) studies aerosols at simulated upper atmospheric conditions with altitudes up to 55,000 feet at -135°F. Altitude chamber environment and burner settings are individually controlled, creating a multitude of test parameters and a dynamic testing environment. The PAL facility is designed around a small-scale jet exhaust nozzle and altitude chamber and takes full advantage of its reduced size for screening of various alternative fuels, additives, and other combustion concepts. This makes PAL the ideal facility for validating the advancement of such research to the next phase. 
    Combustion fuel operation capabilities include alternative fuel additive mixing in real-time mode with switching between a baseline fuel and an alternative fuel while maintaining a continuous combustion flame. Heated bypass air is available with optional external burner and associated piping heating up to 1,000°F. Additionally, PAL is enhancing its cloud simulation capability with real-time atmospheric water vapor content readings and on-demand direct liquid injector vaporizers for high purity 100% fluid vaporization.

    SE-11 Special Features 
    Particulate emission sample extraction taking at burner rear section. Chamber equipped with windows and fused silica lenses providing optical access for non-intrusive optical diagnostic Mie scattering and color video imaging. Particulate size and number density measurements are accomplished with absorption measurements and forward, back, and side scattering. Video capability of both burner flame and altitude chamber contrails. Optical measurement plane location relative to the chamber nozzle exit is adjustable.
    SE-11 Facility Capabilities

    Parameter
    Operating Value

    Burner Fuel Flow Rate
    .2 – 9.9 ml/min various liquid fuels

    Burner Air
    -Filtered and dried -Downstream heated or non-heated bypass air available to ≤1,000°F

    Burner EGT
    ≤1,000° F

    Particle Sizing Range
    2.5-1,000 nm

    Particle Size Distribution Concentration Range
    10-107 particles/cm³

    Aerosol Particle Size Range
    .75-10 nm

    Gas Composition Analyzer
    CO – CO₂ – O₂

    Optic Light Source
    300W Xenon Lamp

    Optic Video
    -32-bit Color -16-bit Monochrome, -Frame rate: 15fps

    Optic Detectors
    Selection of Various Spectrometers and Photodiodes

    NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland provides ground test facilities to industry, government, and academia. If you are considering testing in one of our facilities or would like further information about a specific facility or capability, please let us know.

    MIL OSI USA News –