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Category: Asia Pacific

  • MIL-OSI Security: New York Woman Pleads Guilty for Role in Deadly Alien Smuggling Conspiracy on the Northern Border

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    A New York woman pleaded guilty today for her role in a deadly human smuggling conspiracy that left a family of four, including two children under the age of three, dead in the St. Lawrence River.

    According to court documents, Janet Terrance, 45, of Hogansburg, conspired with five others to bring Indian and Romanian nationals into the United States for private financial gain. Co-conspirators Dakota Montour, 31, and Kawisiiostha Celecia Sharrow, 43, both of Akwesasne-Mohawk, New York, entered guilty pleas on Jan. 23, 2025, and Oct. 8, 2024, respectively.

    “The defendant and her coconspirators — fueled by greed, indifference, and recklessness — smuggled aliens via vehicle and boat across the U.S.-Canada border in dangerous weather conditions,” said Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “They endangered the lives of two small children and their parents for profit, resulting in the family’s tragic deaths. Dismantling transnational criminal organizations that smuggle people into and throughout the United States is a top priority for the Department of Justice.”

    “A family of four died because a smuggling organization put them in harm’s way for profit,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel Hanlon for the Northern District of New York. “Our top priority is the prosecution and dismantling of smuggling organizations. By securing our northern border, we aim to avoid more tragedies like this one.”

    According to court documents, Terrance, Montour, and Sharrow worked with a human smuggling organization (HSO) on the Akwesasne Mohawk Indian Reservation (AMIR) and in Cornwall, Ontario, Canada, that smuggled aliens from mainland Cornwall to Cornwall Island, and then into northern New York. The HSO routinely smuggled aliens from various countries into the United States. The HSO arranged for aliens to stay in local motels in Cornwall before transporting the aliens to the AMIR to stage the aliens on the banks of the St. Lawrence River. Members of the HSO would then transport the aliens by boat across the St. Lawrence River to later be driven into New York.

    Terrance, Montour, and Sharrow admitted in their plea agreements that in late March 2023, the co-conspirators were employed to illegally transport a Romanian family of four — mother, father, one-year-old boy, and two-year-old girl — from Cornwall into New York. The children were Canadian citizens. Both Montour and Terrance admitted that they were hired to transport the Romanian family to the AMIR from mainland Cornwall.

    Montour admitted that he was aware of the dangerous weather conditions on March 29, 2023 — high winds, freezing temperatures, and limited visibility — yet the family of four was loaded into a small boat by another co-conspirator to cross the St. Lawrence River. The boat capsized, and the family died as a result.

    “The tragic deaths of two innocent, unknowing toddlers and their parents underscores the devastating impacts of alien smuggling,” said Special Agent in Charge Erin Keegan of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) Buffalo. “Janet Terrance and her co-conspirators moved forward with this smuggling attempt despite the dangerous conditions and sheer illegality of the act, placing these victims in the situation that ultimately killed them. ICE HSI Massena is committed to enforcing U.S. laws at our border to protect the safety and the security of our communities.”

    “The Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service is dedicated to keeping our community safe,” said Acting AMPS Chief Ranatiiostha Swamp. “By working closely with Homeland Security on this investigation, we are enhancing efforts to combat human smuggling and cross-border illegal activity, ensuring the safety and security of our territory.”

    Montour pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit alien smuggling, four counts of alien smuggling for financial gain, and three counts of alien smuggling resulting in death. Montour faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each of the conspiracy and alien smuggling for financial gain counts and a mandatory penalty of life in prison on the alien smuggling resulting in death counts.

    Sharrow and Terrance pleaded guilty to two counts and one count of conspiracy to commit alien smuggling, respectively, and each to four counts of alien smuggling for financial gain. They each face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on the conspiracy counts and two of the alien smuggling for financial gain counts and a mandatory minimum of five years and maximum penalty of 15 years in prison on two of the alien smuggling for financial gain counts.

    A federal district court judge will determine the defendants’ sentences after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    HSI Massena engaged in an extensive years-long investigation of the case, with assistance from the U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C., CBP’s National Targeting Center, New York State Police, Canada Border Services Agency, AMPS, St. Regis Mohawk Tribal Police Department, Ontario Provincial Police, Sûreté du Québec, St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and the Cornwall Police Service. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant support with foreign legal assistance requests.

    Trial Attorney Jenna E. Reed of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Stitt for the Northern District of New York are prosecuting the case.

    The investigation is being conducted under the Extraterritorial Criminal Travel Strike Force (ECT) program, a joint partnership between the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and HSI. The ECT program focuses on human smuggling networks that may present particular national security or public safety risks, or present grave humanitarian concerns. ECT has dedicated investigative, intelligence and prosecutorial resources. ECT coordinates and receives assistance from other U.S. government agencies and foreign law enforcement authorities.

    MIL Security OSI –

    March 7, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: At Hearing, Military Transportation Command Chief Agrees with Warren: Right-To-Repair is Crucial for National Security

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    March 06, 2025
    “[T]he last thing our troops should be doing is waiting around for contractors who charge more for slower repairs.” 
    Video of Exchange (YouTube) 
    Washington, D.C. – At a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) questioned General Randall Reed, Commander for Transportation Command (TRANSCOM), about the importance of the military’s ability to have the right to repair its own equipment.
    TRANSCOM is responsible for air, land, and sea transportation that provides logistical support for troops around the world but is facing increasing challenges receiving the parts and supplies they need, which becomes even more concerning in a wartime scenario. 
    General Reed testified that even after Congress provided the Air Force with $10 billion to increase the availability of the C-5, one of its aircraft that carries cargo and personnel, its ability to complete missions dropped from 52% to 46% between 2022 and 2023. 
    The Air Force blamed the low C-5 availability on a lack of parts. Defense contractors often include restrictions in their contracts that deny the military the technical data needed to make these parts and repairs itself, which would often be cheaper and faster. General Reed agreed that providing the military with more flexibility to repair parts would increase the military’s ability to respond to threats. 
    Last year, Senator Warren and Senator Charles Grassley secured a provision in the fiscal year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act to create pilot programs for the services to reverse-engineer the parts they need. In an effort to further address this national security risk, Senator Warren introduced the Servicemember Right-to-Repair Act, which would improve the military’s ability to repair their equipment faster, easier, and at a lower cost to taxpayers. 
    Transcript: Hearing to examine the posture of the United States Transportation Command in review of the Defense Authorization Request for Fiscal Year 2026 and the Future Years Defense ProgramSenate Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness and Management SupportMarch 5, 2025 
    Senator Elizabeth Warren: Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you for holding this hearing. TRANSCOM is responsible for making sure that our military and our allies get everything they need to win on the battlefield, whether it is a new engine for a fighter jet in the Middle East or a missile battery in the Philippines. And that means that TRANSCOM knows better than anyone why it is a very big problem if the military doesn’t have the right to repair its own equipment. 
    General Reed, one of TRANSCOM’s major workhorses, is the C-5M Super Galaxy, a strategic transport aircraft that carries cargo and DOD’s personnel around the world. But in 2022, it was only able to fly its mission only 52 percent of the time. That means nearly half of the time commanders needed it, it wasn’t there. Congress saw this, said that is not acceptable, and gave the Air Force $10 billion to fix that problem. 
    General Reed, about how often was the C-5 mission-ready the next year after you got the money? 
    General Randall Reed, United States Air Force Commander, United States Transportation Command: What I can tell you is that, in 2023, the mission-capable rate of the C-5 was about 46%.
    Senator Warren: About 46%. So, it went from 52% to 46%. We could reasonably ask, what happened? Well, the Air Force said the supply chain for replacement parts had dried up, and when companies can’t or won’t meet DoD’s needs, one option is for the military to actually make the parts themselves so you can get things up and running. It’s often cheaper and faster anyway, but you can’t do that if big defense contractors slip restrictions into their contracts that deny the military the technical data that they need to be able to make these repairs. 
    General Reed, it’s your responsibility to make sure the warfighter gets everything they need. How important is it to national security for C-5s to be ready to respond to commanders’ requests to carry cargo and personnel?
    General Reed: The C-5 is a key aircraft for us, and some of the things that we may be asked to do in the future. It would actually produce about 20% of the lift for us. 
    Senator Warren: So, you need this thing ready to go? 
    General Reed: Yes, we do.
    Senator Warren: So, TRANSCOM’s job is getting harder here because our enemies are making it more difficult to send ships and planes to our troops. As Senator Wicker was talking about a minute ago, this is contested logistics, and TRANSCOM models show that the “fight to get into the fight” means that getting critical materials to our troops is only going to get harder over time. That means the last thing our troops should be doing is waiting around for contractors who charge more for slower repairs. 
    General Reed, do you agree that giving the military more flexibility to repair parts in the field will increase our military readiness? 
    General Reed: I do, Senator. 
    Senator Warren: Good. Thank you, General Reed. Senator Grassley and I got a provision into last year’s NDAA for the military to start a pilot program to reverse engineer parts for sole source programs. It’s a good start, but it is a backstop, because reverse engineering can actually take years to get done, but if DoD negotiates with contractors for the right to repair from the start, that means our men and women in uniform get their equipment faster and at a lower cost to the taxpayers. 
    That’s exactly what my Servicemember Right-to-Repair Act does. It has bipartisan support here in the Senate. What’s happening right now is fundamentally wrong and we can put a stop to it.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    March 7, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UN Assembly President calls for just and lasting peace in Ukraine

    Source: United Nations 4

    6 March 2025 Peace and Security

    The President of the General Assembly on Thursday renewed his call for a just, lasting and comprehensive peace between Ukraine and Russia, in line with the UN Charter and the principles of sovereign equality and territorial integrity.

    The meeting, held under the Assembly’s veto initiative, followed Russia’s use of its Security Council veto on 24 February to block amendments to a United States-led draft resolution on the conflict in Ukraine.

    The two amendments were proposed by the Council’s European members – France, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Greece, and Slovenia. A third amendment introduced by Russia also failed to pass having failed to garner enough support.

    As a result, the US-led resolution passed in its original form, marking the first Security Council resolution since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. Ten Council members voted in favour, while the five European sponsors of the amendments abstained.

    Earlier that day, the General Assembly adopted two resolutions – one introduced by Ukraine and the other by the United States, mirroring the text later submitted in the Security Council.

    The US-led resolution only passed after EU-led amendments were added, prompting the US to abstain on its own motion and vote on the same side as Russia, Belarus and the DPR Korea, more commonly known as North Korea.

    Promote peaceful and inclusive dialogue

    Opening the General Assembly debate on Thursday, President Philémon Yang underscored that the body must remain “steadfast in promoting peaceful solutions and inclusive dialogue.”

    He recalled the two resolutions adopted on 24 February, when the Assembly met in an emergency session on the situation in Ukraine.

    “In both, the General Assembly reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders,” Mr. Yang said.

    “Moreover, the Assembly was unequivocal in its call for a just, lasting, and comprehensive peace between Ukraine and the Russian Federation – a peace that aligns with the Charter of the United Nations and the principles of sovereign equality and territorial integrity,” he added.

    Mutually reinforcing

    President Yang emphasised that the General Assembly and Security Council must work together in the pursuit of peace.

    “While the Security Council bears primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security, the General Assembly plays a crucial role in responding to conflicts and crises,” he said.

    However, he expressed regret over the growing use of Security Council vetoes.

    “It is regrettable that we must convene under these circumstances, as the frequency of vetoes has continued to rise since 2022,” he added, urging Member States to reflect on how to make deliberations on the veto initiative more binding.

    Broadcast of the General Assembly meeting.

    Russia upheld its responsibility: Ambassador

    Taking the floor as the first speaker, Russia’s First Deputy Permanent Representative, Dmitry Polyanskiy, said that his country’s votes against the draft amendments were to “disrupt” the plans of Western Countries that would have undermined the mandate of the Security Council.

    “We highly value the US initiative, and we see the text that was ultimately adopted as a step in the right direction and grounds for further efforts for a peaceful solution to the Ukraine crisis,” he said.

    He noted that the change in tack in Washington following President Trump’s inauguration in January “caught European pseudo peacekeepers off guard.”

    “The American draft resolution is particularly in sharp contrast with the [General Assembly] draft put forward by Ukraine and the European backers, which promoted a new, more polished form of the futile elements of the infamous Zelensky formula,” he added.

    Ambassador Polyanskiy stated that his country takes a responsible attitude towards the use of veto and its actions on 24 February were to give peace a chance, rather than push it away.

    “Let us not delude ourselves, the hawks that call for continuing an armed conflict in Ukraine and in European countries are capitalizing on war and the suffering of civilians, and they do not plan on dropping their intention to interfere with peace between Russia and Ukraine.”

    No equivalence between aggressor and victim: EU

    Hedda Samson, Deputy Head of Delegation of the European Union (EU) to the UN, said Russia’s vetoes blocked the reference to the Security Council’s commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, as well as the call for a just and lasting peace in line with the UN Charter.

    The two proposals by Council’s European members received nine and 11 positive votes respectively, she said.

    “Let it be clear, Russia is abusing its veto power to block references to the principle of territorial integrity and to peace in line with the UN Charter,” she added, stating that Russia is undermining the core principles of the multilateral system.

    “Aggression is aggression wherever it occurs We cannot accept an equivalence between the aggressor and the victim of aggression. We cannot accept a world where might is right, where the power of law is replaced by the power of guns,” she noted.

    She stated that her delegation believes in a world based on rules, adding, “the time for peace is now. The EU supports all meaningful efforts to bring an end to Russia’s war of aggression.”

    US committed to ending Russia-Ukraine war: Ambassador

    Speaking for the United States, Acting Representative Dorothy Shea said her country is committed to ending the Russia-Ukraine war, which it demonstrated in the Security Council on 24 February.

    “Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians and Russians have died. The longer the war continues, the greater the suffering for both nations. The war must end now, and the peace must be durable and lasting,” she said.

    With the adoption of resolution 2774, she continued, the Security Council showed that the United Nations can still live up to the purposes and principles of its charter, mainly to maintain international peace and security, including through the peaceful settlement of disputes.

    “We reminded the world that there is common ground that we can all agree on. All UN Member States can agree that the war is a tragedy and that it must end. Security Council resolution 2774 does not end the war, but it has put us on a path to peace,” she added.

    Russia is abusing its veto: Ukraine

    Ukrainian Chargé d’affaires Khrystyna Hayovyshyn said that Russia’s behaviour in the Security Council following its aggression against her country is the “most vivid example” of how detrimental the misuse of the veto could be for the Council’s ability to respond effectively.

    “All draft resolutions that the UN Security Council attempted to adopt in response to the Russian aggression against Ukraine since 2014 to 2024 were vetoed by the Russian Federation,” she said.

    She noted that the amendments proposed by Denmark, France, Greece, Slovenia and UK would have contributed to bringing Council resolution 2774 in line with the UN Charter and reaffirming the commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.

    The adopted resolution, Ms. Hayovyshyn continued, lacked essential elements, especially those regarding the classification of the war as an act of aggression and failing to reflect the principles of the UN Charter.

    “The Russian Federation abuses its veto rights either to block the Security Council decision designed to address its aggression or, as we have seen recently, block those proposals that contribute to a just and lasting peace in Ukraine in line with the UN Charter,” she added.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

    March 7, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: New Data Shows Black Infants Are Dying at Rates Three Times Higher Than White Infants

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: New Data Shows Black Infants Are Dying at Rates Three Times Higher Than White Infants

    New Data Shows Black Infants Are Dying at Rates Three Times Higher Than White Infants
    jwerner
    Thu, 03/06/2025 – 11:27

    The 2023 Infant and Child Mortality Data from the North Carolina Child Fatality Task Force Report shows non-Hispanic Black and American Indian children have higher mortality rates compared to other racial and ethnic groups. In 2023, the disparity worsened, with Black infants dying at rates three times higher than white infants. When compared to other states, North Carolina had the 10th highest infant mortality rate in the country, highlighting the critical need for the Department of Health and Human Services efforts to ensure the health and well-being of children and families.

    “All babies born in North Carolina deserve a healthy start to life,” said NC Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai. “We are committed to ensuring women and families have the care and support they need prior to, during and after pregnancy, no matter where they live or how much money they make.”

    NCDHHS recently released an updated NC Perinatal Health Strategic Plan that details efforts currently underway to improve maternal health and birth outcomes as well as recent accomplishments, including paid parental leave for state employees, Medicaid reimbursement for group prenatal care and increased postpartum health care coverage for NC Medicaid beneficiaries. North Carolina’s Healthy Opportunity Pilots have also been critical to address non-medical drivers of health like housing, food and transportation to improve the health of women and children in our state. 

    Additionally, Medicaid Expansion is improving health outcomes for children and families in North Carolina. In just over one year since North Carolina became the 41st state to expand Medicaid, more than 640,000 people have gained health care coverage, giving more people access to necessary and critical care, ultimately leading to healthier pregnancies. Studies show states that have expanded Medicaid have better maternal and infant outcomes than states that have not.

    Other key points of the 2023 Infant and Child Mortality Data include:

    • The 2023 overall infant mortality rate in North Carolina rose slightly in 2023 from 2022 to 6.9 deaths per 1,000 births. There have only been slight fluctuations in this number since 2010.
    • The youth suicide rate has increased over the past 20 years, with suicide being one of the leading causes of death for youth ages 10-18.
    • The child homicide rate remains high due to the substantial increase in firearm-related homicides.

    NCDHHS is working closely with NCDPS and the state’s Office of Violence Prevention to address the alarming trend of increased firearm related injuries and deaths in North Carolina. Together with partners, the state launched a safe storage campaign that includes the distribution of gun locks and safes to community organizations and local health departments. The Office of Violence Prevention has invested in the expansion of community and hospital-based violence prevention programs.  

    “By working together to address and prevent violence as a public health issue, we can create safer communities where our most vulnerable populations – especially infants and children – can thrive,” said Dr. Kelly Kimple, Interim State Health Director and NCDHHS Chief Medical Officer. “By offering proven, evidence-based solutions like safe gun storage that meet children and families where they are in North Carolina’s communities, we’re working to reverse the trends in preventable child fatalities related to violence and injury.”

    NCDHHS remains steadfast in its commitment to create a healthier North Carolina for all and ensuring every person in North Carolina has access to the right care, when and where they need it. 

    Los datos de mortalidad infantil y de niños de 2023 del Informe del Grupo de Trabajo de Fatalidad Infantil de Carolina del Norte muestran que los niños negros no hispanos e indios americanos tienen tasas de mortalidad más altas en comparación con otros grupos raciales y étnicos. En 2023, la disparidad empeoró, y los bebés negros murieron a tasas tres veces más altas que los bebés blancos. En comparación con otros estados, Carolina del Norte tuvo la décima tasa de mortalidad infantil más alta del país, lo que destaca la necesidad crítica de los esfuerzos del Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos (NCDHHS, por sus siglas en inglés) para garantizar la salud y el bienestar de los niños y las familias.

    “Todos los bebés nacidos en Carolina del Norte merecen un comienzo de vida saludable”, dijo el secretario de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Carolina del Norte, Dev Sangvai. “Estamos comprometidos a garantizar que las mujeres y las familias tengan la atención y el apoyo que necesitan antes, durante y después del embarazo, sin importar dónde vivan o cuánto dinero ganen”.

    NCDHHS publicó recientemente un Plan Estratégico de Salud Perinatal de Carolina del Norte actualizado que detalla los esfuerzos actualmente en curso para mejorar los resultados de la salud materna y nacimientos, así como los logros más recientes, entre ellos la licencia parental remunerada para empleados estatales, el reembolso de Medicaid para la atención prenatal grupal y el aumento de la cobertura de atención médica posparto para los beneficiarios de Medicaid de Carolina del Norte. Los programas Pilotos de Oportunidades Saludables de Carolina del Norte también han sido fundamentales para abordar los factores no médicos de la salud, como la vivienda, la alimentación y el transporte, para mejorar la salud de las mujeres y los niños en nuestro estado.

    Además, la expansión de Medicaid está mejorando los resultados de salud para los niños y las familias en Carolina del Norte. En poco más de un año desde que Carolina del Norte se convirtió en el estado número 41 en expandir Medicaid, más de 640,000 personas han obtenido cobertura de atención médica, lo que brinda a más personas acceso a la atención necesaria y crítica, lo que en última instancia conduce a embarazos más saludables. Los estudios muestran que los estados que han expandido Medicaid tienen mejores resultados para las madres y bebés que los estados que no lo han hecho.

    Otros puntos clave de los datos de mortalidad infantil y de niños de 2023 incluyen:

    • La tasa general de mortalidad de bebés de 2023 en Carolina del Norte aumentó ligeramente en 2023 de 2022 a 6.9 muertes por cada 1.000 nacimientos. Solo ha habido fluctuaciones leves en este número desde 2010.
    • La tasa de suicidio juvenil ha aumentado en los últimos 20 años, siendo el suicidio una de las principales causas de muerte entre los jóvenes de 10 a 18 años.
    • La tasa de homicidios de niños sigue siendo alta debido al aumento cuantioso de los homicidios relacionados con armas de fuego.

    NCDHHS está trabajando en estrecha colaboración con el Departamento de Seguridad Pública (NCDPS, por sus siglas en inglés) de Carolina del Norte y la Oficina de Prevención de la Violencia del estado para abordar la alarmante tendencia de aumento de lesiones y muertes relacionadas con armas de fuego en Carolina del Norte. Junto con sus colaboradores, el estado lanzó una campaña de almacenamiento seguro que incluye la distribución de cerraduras y cajas fuertes para armas a organizaciones comunitarias y departamentos de salud locales. La Oficina de Prevención de la Violencia ha invertido en la expansión de programas de prevención de la violencia basados en la comunidad y hospitales.

    “Al trabajar juntos para abordar y prevenir la violencia como tema de salud pública, podemos crear comunidades más seguras donde nuestras poblaciones más vulnerables, especialmente los bebés y los niños, puedan prosperar”, dijo la Dra. Kelly Kimple, directora de Salud Estatal Interina y directora Médica de NCDHHS. “Al ofrecer soluciones basadas en evidencia de datos empíricos, como el almacenamiento seguro de armas, que responden a las necesidades de las familias y niños allí en las comunidades de Carolina del Norte, estamos trabajando para revertir las tendencias en las muertes infantiles evitables relacionadas con la violencia y las lesiones”.

    NCDHHS se mantiene firme en su compromiso de crear una Carolina del Norte más saludable para todos y garantizar que todas las personas en Carolina del Norte tengan acceso a la atención adecuada, cuando y donde la necesiten.

    Mar 6, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

    March 7, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: Meet Maria Clementina Sobieska, the defiant queen who pulled off a jailbreak to secure the Jacobite legacy

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Darius von Guttner Sporzynski, Historian, Australian Catholic University

    Wikimedia

    Maria Clementina Sobieski is one of only three women buried in the famous St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, alongside an estimated 100 or so popes. She lived a life of extraordinary defiance and determination.

    Born in 1701 in Oława, Poland, Maria Clementina was the granddaughter of King John III Sobieski of Poland, who was famous for his victory in the 1683 Battle of Vienna against the forces of the Ottoman Empire.

    While this ancestry provided Maria Clementina her status as a princess, it also came with significant challenges, by placing her at the centre of 18th century European dynastic politics.

    At just 17 years old, she was betrothed to James Stuart, the Jacobite claimant to the British throne. This match, which held immense political and religious significance, was agreed to by her father, Jakub, after negotiations with Stuart.

    But her journey to marriage wouldn’t simple. It required a daring escape from imprisonment in Innsbruck, where she was held by Emperor Charles VI in a bid to prevent her union with Stuart.

    Francesco Bertosi’s painting, ‘Princess Maria Clementina Sobieska, 1701–1735. Wife of Prince James Francis Edward Stuart’, 1719.
    National Galleries of Scotland

    A high-stakes abduction

    The marriage between Maria Clementina and James Stuart was a direct challenge to the Protestant king George I of Great Britain.

    James Stuart, also known as the Old Pretender, was living in exile and sought to reclaim the British throne that was his by birthright. His marriage to Maria Clementina, which was endorsed by Pope Clement XI, would symbolise Catholic unity against growing Protestant dominance.

    Recognising this political threat, George I asked Emperor Charles VI, his ally, to order Maria Clementina’s detention in Innsbruck while she was en route to her wedding.

    Her confinement was intended to coerce her family into annulling the engagement. However, Maria Clementina, bolstered by her unwavering faith and determination, refused to capitulate.

    Anton Raphael Mengs’s painting, ‘Prince James Francis Edward Stuart’, circa 1740s.
    Wikimedia

    The perilous escape

    Maria Clementina’s imprisonment at the hands of Charles VI lasted six months. During this time, she kept her spirits high through correspondence with James Stuart and her father, Jakub. Meanwhile, plans for her escape were set in motion by Charles Wogan, an Irish Jacobite loyal to Stuart.

    The princess disguised herself by switching clothes with the servant of one of her rescuers, Eleanor Misset. She then slipped past imperial guards with a small group posing as a travelling family.

    The escape involved avoiding imperial agents and enduring significant physical hardship, including traversing the harsh and mountainous Brenner Pass in the Alps.

    In one instance, after a carriage axle broke, Maria Clementina and Eleanor Misset were forced to walk a considerable distance to find shelter. Despite the gruelling journey, Maria Clementina demonstrated remarkable resolve, earning the admiration of her companions.

    Reaching safety and marriage

    After crossing into Italy, the group arrived in Bologna, where Maria Clementina rested and prepared for her new role as James Stuart’s wife. Her wedding took place on May 9 1719 in a modest ceremony.

    Although James Stuart was absent (not unusual for high-profile dynastic alliances at the time), the marriage formalised their union and reinforced the Jacobite claim to the British throne.

    Maria Clementina wore a white dress to symbolise mourning for James Stuart’s late mother, Maria Beatrice d’Este. The ceremony was attended by Jacobite activist Charles Wogan and other members of the escape team, including Eleanor Misset.

    And so Maria Clementina became the titular Catholic queen of England, Scotland and Ireland.

    Agostino Masucci’s ‘The Solemnisation of the Marriage of James III and Maria Clementina Sobieska’, circa 1735.
    National Galleries of Scotland

    Motherhood and family challenges

    Maria Clementina’s bold actions ensured the continuity of the Jacobite line. On December 31 1720 she gave birth to her first son, Charles Edward Stuart, later known as Bonnie Prince Charlie.

    He was baptised within the hour by Father Lawrence Mayes, the same bishop who officiated his parents’ wedding, and his birth was widely celebrated by Jacobite supporters.

    Maria Clementina’s second son, Henry Benedict Stuart, was born on March 6 1725 and was later made Duke of York.

    A monument in St Peter’s Basilica dedicated to the royal Stuarts, James and his sons, Charles and Henry.
    Wikimedia, CC BY-SA

    While the birth of her sons brought joy and hope to the Jacobite cause, Maria Clementina’s relationship with James Stuart grew strained.

    As one household observer remarked:

    their tempers are so very different that though in the greatest trifles they are never of the same opinion, the one won’t yield an inch to the other.

    James neglected Maria Clementina. The pair also clashed over their sons’ education, further straining the marriage.

    The later years

    By the end of 1725, Maria Clementina’s frustrations with her marriage reached a breaking point. She left James and took up residence at the convent of St Cecilia in Trastevere, Rome, leaving her young sons behind.

    For two years she embraced a devout lifestyle, focusing on her own welfare. Her return to James in 1728 was marked by a withdrawal from court life, and she spent much of her time in seclusion at Rome’s Palazzo Muti.

    John Pettie (1834-93), ‘Bonnie Prince Charlie Entering the Ballroom at Holyroodhouse’, before April 1892.
    Royal Collection Trust, CC BY-NC-SA

    Despite her struggles, Maria Clementina’s legacy as a mother was significant. Charles Edward Stuart and Henry Benedict Stuart carried the Jacobite cause forward, their lives shaped by the resilience and determination demonstrated by their mother. Her commitment to their futures ensured the Jacobite line endured, even as political realities shifted.

    Maria Clementina died on January 18 1735 at the age of 32. She was given a royal funeral in St Peter’s Basilica, where she was interred with honours befitting her status as queen. Her heart was enshrined separately in the church of the Twelve Holy Apostles in Rome.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Meet Maria Clementina Sobieska, the defiant queen who pulled off a jailbreak to secure the Jacobite legacy – https://theconversation.com/meet-maria-clementina-sobieska-the-defiant-queen-who-pulled-off-a-jailbreak-to-secure-the-jacobite-legacy-247211

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    March 7, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: Underfunded? Overfunded? How school funding works in Australia

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Perry, Professor of Education Policy and Comparative Education, Murdoch University

    Getty Images

    During the federal election campaign we can expect to hear candidates talk passionately about school funding. This is one of the most contentious areas of education policy – and one many families and voters care deeply about.

    You may hear some parties talking about how they are “fully funding” schools and other commentary about schools being under or overfunded.

    How does school funding work in Australia?

    Where does the money come from?

    All schools in Australia receive both public and private funding. Public funding is taxpayer funding and it comes from both state and federal governments.

    Private funding comes from parents and households, as well as churches and other associations, which are mostly charitable. These charitable organisations receive tax breaks.

    How does government funding work?

    All schools in Australia receive funding from federal and state governments.

    The amount they receive is based on the “schooling resource standard”. This standard – which dates back to the 2011 school funding review by David Gonski – establishes a baseline amount schools should receive based on the number of pupils they enrol.

    Extra loadings are then provided for schools and students with special needs, for example students with disabilities, from low socioeconomic backgrounds or in remote areas.

    The estimated baseline schooling resource standard for 2025 is A$17,565 per secondary student and $13,977 per primary student.

    The latest federal school funding policy, the Better and Fairer Schools Agreement sets out how public schools will receive 25% of the schooling resource standard from the federal government and rest from their respective state government.

    Up to 80% of a non-government school’s schooling resource standard funding can be provided by the federal government. But the actual amount is adjusted by something called a school’s “capacity to contribute”.

    This measures a non-government school community’s capacity to contribute to the ongoing costs of running their school. In practice, it sees lower-fee non-government schools receive more public funding than higher-fee non-government schools.

    State governments also provide public funding to non-government schools. This is because school funding agreements require state governments to contribute some level of funding to non-government schools.



    Read more:
    NSW has finally struck a school funding deal. What does this mean for schools and students?

    How are schools funded by other sources?

    All schools in Australia receive private funding from parents and households.

    Public schools receive private funding in the form of fees and contributions from parents. These fees and contributions can vary from a few hundred dollars at some public primary schools to thousands of dollars at some public secondary schools.

    This funding is used to support building and facilities, excursions, as well as subsidise curriculum subjects, especially in secondary schools.

    Non-government schools receive private funding in the form of fees. These are often many thousands of dollars per student. In NSW and Victoria in 2024, recent research on independent schools (not including Catholic schools) indicates average fees for Year 12 are at least $15,674.

    Non-government schools in particular receive a substantial funding from philanthropic and charitable organisations.

    According to analysis by advocacy group Save Our Schools, 50 non-government schools received $461 million dollars in donations between 2017 and 2021.



    Read more:
    Are public schools really ‘free’? Families can pay hundreds of dollars in voluntary fees

    What is meant by ‘underfunded’ and ‘overfunded?’

    In media and policy debates about schools we frequently hear talk of public schools being “underfunded” or still not “fully funded”. We also hear about some independent schools being “overfunded”.

    This relates to whether they are receiving what they are entitled to under the schooling resources standard.

    To date approximately 2% of public schools, receive the amount they are entitled to based on the schooling resources standard. This is largely because state and territory governments, other than the ACT, have not contributed their full share.

    This means the vast majority of public schools are “underfunded”.

    The most recent national school funding agreement has set out a timeline to make sure all schools are eventually fully funded. In some cases, this may not be until the 2030s.

    On the other hand, many non-government schools are “overfunded” because they are receiving more than the amount specified by the schooling resource standard.

    Non-government schools that charge fees in excess of the schooling resource standard will be “overfunded”. Even moderate-fee schools may be “overfunded” because of the public funding they receive on top of the private funding paid by parents.

    As noted earlier, school funding agreements require federal and state governments to contribute to the schooling resource standard of all non-government schools. Even high-fee non-government schools receive substantial amounts of public funding.

    For example, my 2024 research suggests high-fee non-government schools (those charging $25,000 per year or more) receive approximately $5,000 per pupil in public funding.



    Read more:
    As more money is flagged for WA schools, what does ‘fully funded’ really mean?

    Are some non-government schools at risk of losing funds?

    Most non-government schools will continue to receive increases in public funding due to indexation.

    But there are headlines about “private school funding cuts”.

    This is because some non-government schools will see less public funding if the federal government has been paying more than 80% of the schooling resource standard (due to outdated funding methods). Schools have until 2029 to transition to the current funding system.

    This will only impact a small proportion of non-government schools. For example, in January, The Sydney Morning Herald reported 30 schools were projected to lose funding.

    Laura Perry 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. Underfunded? Overfunded? How school funding works in Australia – https://theconversation.com/underfunded-overfunded-how-school-funding-works-in-australia-251048

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    March 7, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: When patients are harmed in hospital, issues aren’t always fixed to avoid it happening again

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Hibbert, Honorary Professor, Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University

    Pormezz/Shutterstock

    Over the past two weeks, the media has reported several cases of serious “adverse events”, where babies, children and an adult experienced harm and ultimately died while receiving care in separate Australian hospitals.

    When a serious adverse event occurs, hospitals investigate what happened and why, and propose recommendations to reduce the risk of similar harm occurring again.

    About 1,600 patient safety investigations are undertaken each year. And the stakes are high. If not managed well, the hospital’s response can compound the psychological harm to the patient and their family. If lessons aren’t learnt, patient safety doesn’t improve.

    Despite three decades of concerted effort, the rate of adverse events remains stubbornly high in Australia. One in ten people will experience harm associated with their hospital care.

    What can be done to reduce this harm? There is no quick fix but our research shows improving hospital investigations can have a big impact. Here’s how this can be done.

    What exactly are ‘adverse events’?

    Thirty years ago, one of the first large-scale studies of the rates of harm to patients in Australian hospitals was published – the Quality in Australian Health Care Study.

    Alongside subsequent studies in other countries, it found one in ten hospital admissions were associated with an “adverse event”. These included:

    • incidents with medications (such as administering the wrong dose or drug)

    • hospital-acquired infections (associated with surgery or intravenous lines)

    • physical or mental health deterioration which is not detected and managed in a timely way.

    Some adverse events can lead to patients suffering serious or permanent physical disabilities and psychological trauma.

    Clinicians involved in such events can also suffer significant psychological distress and grief.

    How are they investigated?

    When a serious adverse event occurs, hospitals form a team to undertake a patient safety investigation. The teams harness experts from the clinical specialties involved in the adverse event (such as emergency department or surgery) and health service safety personnel.

    The investigation also informs “open disclosure” – information for the patient and family about why the adverse event occurred and what changes the health service intends to make to prevent a similar adverse event from happening again.

    But our research has shown most recommendations in these investigations are unlikely to reduce harm to patients.

    The complexity of health care, workforce shortages and broader pressures on the health system (such as an ageing population requiring more complex care) often work against health services effectively implementing recommendations.

    So what can be done?

    We are undertaking research with four state and territory governments (New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory) to test these strategies and inform how they can be redesigned for safer care. Here’s what we’ve found so far.

    A well-recognised problem with some investigations is their lack of specialised expertise in patient safety. The field is backed by robust research, yet often the people undertaking the investigations are experts in their clinical field, or in the running of a hospital, but not in safety science.

    Added to that, the sheer complexity of health care makes the task of finding the factors that contributed to the harm and developing effective recommendations even more challenging.

    Consider the contrast this has with biomedical sciences, such as developing new drugs or tests. These use large, specialist, independent research institutions with highly trained scientists. Yet patient safety problems, which are arguably as complex, are expected to be solved with fewer resources, using part-time staff with variable task-specific experience and training, at a local hospital.

    Complex patient safety problems require appropriate investments in expertise and independence.

    Findings of investigations tend not to be shared. This means learning remains local. Repeated investigations of the same type of adverse event may be undertaken at multiple hospitals, duplicating effort.

    More sharing of adverse events by hospitals and health departments would reduce this duplication and make learning more efficient. Aviation does this well. If a commercial jet experiences a problem or near miss, the issue is shared so every airline knows about it.

    If we did this, we could redesign hospital systems to support safer care. This could, for example, include standardising how medication information, such as the dose, is displayed on all hospital computer systems. Doctors going from one hospital to another would be less likely to make errors in prescribing medication, which is a common patient safety risk.

    Thirty years after the rates of adverse events were first reported in Australia, patients and the broader public deserve to know that investigations are being conducted effectively and that strategies are being adopted to keep every hospital visit safer.



    Read more:
    Operating on the wrong body part – what can be done to prevent it?

    Peter Hibbert receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council as a Partnership Grant, with partners: the Clinical Excellence Commission in New South Wales, Safer Care Victoria, Clinical Excellence Queensland, and Australian Capital Territory Health.
    He also undertakes training in undertaking patient safety investigations and consulting to health services.

    Jeffrey Braithwaite receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council as a Partnership Grant, with partners: the Clinical Excellence Commission in New South Wales, Safer Care Victoria, Clinical Excellence Queensland and Australian Capital Territory Health.

    – ref. When patients are harmed in hospital, issues aren’t always fixed to avoid it happening again – https://theconversation.com/when-patients-are-harmed-in-hospital-issues-arent-always-fixed-to-avoid-it-happening-again-251064

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    March 7, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Security News: New York Woman Pleads Guilty for Role in Deadly Alien Smuggling Conspiracy on the Northern Border

    Source: United States Department of Justice 2

    A New York woman pleaded guilty today for her role in a deadly human smuggling conspiracy that left a family of four, including two children under the age of three, dead in the St. Lawrence River.

    According to court documents, Janet Terrance, 45, of Hogansburg, conspired with five others to bring Indian and Romanian nationals into the United States for private financial gain. Co-conspirators Dakota Montour, 31, and Kawisiiostha Celecia Sharrow, 43, both of Akwesasne-Mohawk, New York, entered guilty pleas on Jan. 23, 2025, and Oct. 8, 2024, respectively.

    “The defendant and her coconspirators — fueled by greed, indifference, and recklessness — smuggled aliens via vehicle and boat across the U.S.-Canada border in dangerous weather conditions,” said Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “They endangered the lives of two small children and their parents for profit, resulting in the family’s tragic deaths. Dismantling transnational criminal organizations that smuggle people into and throughout the United States is a top priority for the Department of Justice.”

    “A family of four died because a smuggling organization put them in harm’s way for profit,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel Hanlon for the Northern District of New York. “Our top priority is the prosecution and dismantling of smuggling organizations. By securing our northern border, we aim to avoid more tragedies like this one.”

    According to court documents, Terrance, Montour, and Sharrow worked with a human smuggling organization (HSO) on the Akwesasne Mohawk Indian Reservation (AMIR) and in Cornwall, Ontario, Canada, that smuggled aliens from mainland Cornwall to Cornwall Island, and then into northern New York. The HSO routinely smuggled aliens from various countries into the United States. The HSO arranged for aliens to stay in local motels in Cornwall before transporting the aliens to the AMIR to stage the aliens on the banks of the St. Lawrence River. Members of the HSO would then transport the aliens by boat across the St. Lawrence River to later be driven into New York.

    Terrance, Montour, and Sharrow admitted in their plea agreements that in late March 2023, the co-conspirators were employed to illegally transport a Romanian family of four — mother, father, one-year-old boy, and two-year-old girl — from Cornwall into New York. The children were Canadian citizens. Both Montour and Terrance admitted that they were hired to transport the Romanian family to the AMIR from mainland Cornwall.

    Montour admitted that he was aware of the dangerous weather conditions on March 29, 2023 — high winds, freezing temperatures, and limited visibility — yet the family of four was loaded into a small boat by another co-conspirator to cross the St. Lawrence River. The boat capsized, and the family died as a result.

    “The tragic deaths of two innocent, unknowing toddlers and their parents underscores the devastating impacts of alien smuggling,” said Special Agent in Charge Erin Keegan of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) Buffalo. “Janet Terrance and her co-conspirators moved forward with this smuggling attempt despite the dangerous conditions and sheer illegality of the act, placing these victims in the situation that ultimately killed them. ICE HSI Massena is committed to enforcing U.S. laws at our border to protect the safety and the security of our communities.”

    “The Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service is dedicated to keeping our community safe,” said Acting AMPS Chief Ranatiiostha Swamp. “By working closely with Homeland Security on this investigation, we are enhancing efforts to combat human smuggling and cross-border illegal activity, ensuring the safety and security of our territory.”

    Montour pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit alien smuggling, four counts of alien smuggling for financial gain, and three counts of alien smuggling resulting in death. Montour faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each of the conspiracy and alien smuggling for financial gain counts and a mandatory penalty of life in prison on the alien smuggling resulting in death counts.

    Sharrow and Terrance pleaded guilty to two counts and one count of conspiracy to commit alien smuggling, respectively, and each to four counts of alien smuggling for financial gain. They each face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on the conspiracy counts and two of the alien smuggling for financial gain counts and a mandatory minimum of five years and maximum penalty of 15 years in prison on two of the alien smuggling for financial gain counts.

    A federal district court judge will determine the defendants’ sentences after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    HSI Massena engaged in an extensive years-long investigation of the case, with assistance from the U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C., CBP’s National Targeting Center, New York State Police, Canada Border Services Agency, AMPS, St. Regis Mohawk Tribal Police Department, Ontario Provincial Police, Sûreté du Québec, St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and the Cornwall Police Service. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant support with foreign legal assistance requests.

    Trial Attorney Jenna E. Reed of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Stitt for the Northern District of New York are prosecuting the case.

    The investigation is being conducted under the Extraterritorial Criminal Travel Strike Force (ECT) program, a joint partnership between the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and HSI. The ECT program focuses on human smuggling networks that may present particular national security or public safety risks, or present grave humanitarian concerns. ECT has dedicated investigative, intelligence and prosecutorial resources. ECT coordinates and receives assistance from other U.S. government agencies and foreign law enforcement authorities.

    MIL Security OSI –

    March 7, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Man charged with drug offending and weapon possession in Hamilton

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    A 47-year-old man is before the courts after a report was made by a Hamilton CBD business.

    At around 3.30pm yesterday, the Hamilton Neighbourhood Policing Team was conducting a foot patrol in Hamilton’s CBD, when they were notified of a man acting suspiciously on Worley Place.

    Police located the man and after initial enquiries, took him into custody.

    Upon his arrest, Police located a large knife, around $3,200 cash, a drug utensil, and around 6.5 grams of Methamphetamine.

    The 47-year-old man is due to appear in Hamilton District Court today, charged with possessing a knife in a public place, possession of methamphetamine for supply, and possession of methamphetamine utensils.

    The Hamilton Neighbourhood Policing Team will continue to work within Hamilton CBD alongside local businesses, and our partner organisations to ensure the community is safe and feels safe. Police would like to thank them for their ongoing support.

    Police would also like to thank the members of the public for their continuous reporting of suspicious and unlawful behaviour within the Hamilton CBD.

    If you see any suspicious or unlawful behaviour, please contact Police on 111 immediately with as much information as you can safely gather.

    To report after-the-fact or for non-emergencies, please contact us at 105.police.govt.nz, clicking “Update Report” or by calling 105.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    March 7, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: Russia launching ‘suicide missions’ across strategic Dnipro river as pause in US aid hampers defence

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Veronika Poniscjakova, Deputy Director, Porstmouth Military Education Team, University of Portsmouth

    After publicly belittling Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky in a White House meeting, Donald Trump has suspended US military aid to Ukraine and paused intelligence sharing. It is now clear that Ukraine is in trouble in both its political and military situations, and the latter will only worsen as the effects of the US aid suspension hit.

    Trump’s outburst has, to some extent, reinvigorated European support for the war-torn country. But Zelensky’s recent statement that “Ukraine is ready to negotiate about an end to the conflict” suggests that he recognises how precarious the situation has become.

    In Trump’s address to the US Congress on February 4, the US president welcomed this shift, and claimed that Russia was also ready for a truce.

    What would a negotiated peace look like? The side that holds the upper hand, both politically and militarily, will have a stronger position at the negotiating table.

    At the moment, the advantage is overwhelmingly with Russia, which is striving to press home its battlefield advantage and occupy as much territory as it can before a potential ceasefire. This is likely to mean a freezing of the conflict on its current lines of contact.

    The war has now lasted more than three years, and since Ukraine’s failed summer 2023 counteroffensive, there have been no major changes on the battlefield, except for Ukraine’s incursion into Russia’s Kursk region in August 2024. Kyiv had hoped that seizing this territory could serve as a bargaining chip in future peace negotiations.

    But even this has not gone according to plan, as Russia has been steadily reclaiming the area, aided by North Korean troops.

    Recent battlefield developments reaffirm the ongoing stalemate. According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) (as of March 4), Russian forces continued offensives along various key strategic points in the east and south. While Russian advances continue to be slow, it’s a situation that could change quickly, particularly with the dramatic shutdown of US assistance.

    One of the key areas where Russia is now putting intense pressure on Ukrainian troops is in the Kherson oblast in the south of the country. Russian forces are reportedly attempting to cross the Dnipro river, aiming to establish footholds on the west (right) bank at four locations to allow them a clear run at the strategically important port city of Kherson.

    Russia has successfully negotiated river crossings during the three-year war, but this time, the situation seems more challenging. Recent reporting from the frontlines has described Russian assaults on Dnipro crossings as “suicide missions”, causing heavy Russian casualties.

    A high Russian body count is nothing new in this conflict. But why is Russia willing to sacrifice so many of its soldiers, particularly when the political prospects favour Putin and the Russians?

    Oleksandr Prokudin, the governor of Kherson, suggests that Russia is desperate to establish a foothold as crossing the Dnipro would open up Kherson oblast for further advances and could be used in negotiations to strengthen Russia’s claim over the entire region. The occupation of Kherson was listed by Russian defence minister, Andrei Belousov, as a key strategic goal for 2025.

    Strategic barrier

    Crossing the Dnipro will not be easy. Ukraine has tried and failed in the opposite direction on several occasions for example, in April and August 2023.

    At that stage, as part of the (ultimately unsuccessful) spring-summer offensive, Kyiv hoped crossing the river would be a major breakthrough that would lead to easier access to Crimea. This now looks like a lost cause – at least militarily.

    State of the conflict in Ukraine, March 5 2024.
    Institute for the Study of War

    The Dnipro is not only a natural barrier dividing the country into two parts. It’s also vital as a transport artery through the country and its dams provide energy.

    Russia realises this, and it has seen the river as one of Ukraine’s “centres of gravity”. On day one of the invasion, Russian forces made a beeline for the Dnipro, crossing and taking up positions that they were later forced to abandon as Ukraine fought back.

    Now, as Prokudin observed, Russia is once again throwing its troops at the river. A series of assaults in December 2024 were successfully repelled, but things have changed even in the few months since. Ukraine is in an increasingly difficult position.

    Ukraine’s military is facing increasingly critical troop shortages and has a far smaller population to draw on than Russia – something which is beginning to tell.

    And each day seems to bring further bad news. The US decision to pause intelligence sharing will mean its forces in the field will be virtually deaf and blind and at the mercy of Russian attacks on their positions (although there is reason to believe the pause may be reasonably shortlived).

    But, with the decision to halt military aid, it’s an indication of the Trump administration’s determination to force Kyiv into a peace deal – whether or not it’s acceptable to Ukraine.

    At this stage it looks almost inevitable that Ukraine will be unable to reclaim all the territory it has lost to Russia since 2014. Its best chance may be to secure what it still does control and go all-out to prevent further Russian advances. One of the ways it needs to do that right now is to ensure Russia does not establish a foothold across the Dnipro river.

    Veronika Poniscjakova 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. Russia launching ‘suicide missions’ across strategic Dnipro river as pause in US aid hampers defence – https://theconversation.com/russia-launching-suicide-missions-across-strategic-dnipro-river-as-pause-in-us-aid-hampers-defence-251439

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    March 7, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: What the f#$%? The surprising legal rules about brand trademarks of sweary phrases

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexandra Allen-Franks, Senior Lecturer; Co-director of the New Zealand Centre for Human Rights Law, Policy and Practice and Co-director of the New Zealand Centre for Intellectual Property Law, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau

    drante/Getty Images

    Journalist Paddy Gower’s attempts to trademark his brand have highlighted what is still considered offensive in New Zealand when it comes to trademarks. But should a government agency be the arbiter of what might offend?

    In March 2024, Gower applied to trademark the name of his news entity “This Is The Fucking News”.

    The application stalled at the Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand (IPONZ), likely because the Trade Marks Act 2002 doesn’t allow people to register trademarks which are “likely to offend a significant section of the community”.

    “THIS IS THE F#$%ING NEWS” however, was apparently okay. Gower applied for that mark in June last year and it was registered in December. He now has exclusive rights to use this phrase for specified goods and services.

    A changing definition

    New Zealand law first prohibited the registration of “scandalous” marks in 1889. The language used in the trademark statute has been “likely to offend” since 2002.

    The current rules cover swear words, as in Gower’s case, but also hate speech and material which is culturally offensive.

    IPONZ’s current guidance says a “distinction should be drawn between marks that are offensive and marks that would be considered by some to be in poor taste”. Offensive trademarks are said to be those that would create “justifiable censure or outrage”.

    But the standards of offensiveness can and do change.

    In 1999, Red Bull applied to register “BULLSHIT”. Registration was rejected on the basis that it contained scandalous matter and was contrary to morality (under the wording in the older law).

    Perhaps Red Bull wouldn’t face the same difficulty if it tried again today. There is now a registration for “Shit You Should Care About”. It appears that the word shit is not considered one that’s “likely to offend a significant section of the community” anymore.

    From a review of the register, it seems reasonable to conclude that IPONZ thinks that certain swear words do remain likely to offend, though. Several applications have been abandoned, including for “THE FUCKING GOOD BOOK” and “no fucks given”.

    Whether a mark is offensive is supposed to be determined objectively from the perspective of the “right-thinking” member of the public. But outcomes can appear inconsistent and perhaps arbitrary — why is “F#$%ING” ok, but the proper spelling not?

    Energy company Red Bull tried, and failed, to trademark a swear word in 1999.
    Icon Sportswire/Getty Images

    Limits on freedom of expression?

    Some applicants may also decry that their freedom of expression is being curtailed by a refusal to register.

    The common justification for protecting freedom of expression is that we should have an open marketplace of ideas, where both good and bad ideas are shared with the public.

    New Zealand is not alone in considering these issues.

    In the United States, for example, Simon Tam was refused registration for “THE SLANTS” (the name of his rock band) because the law at the time prohibited registration of marks which may be disparaging. Slant is considered a racist term by some and Tam had wanted to reclaim the slur as an anti-racist statement.

    In another case, designer Erik Brunetti was refused registration of “FUCT” for clothing, because the law said that immoral or scandalous marks couldn’t be registered.

    Both marks have since been registered for reasons related to the fact that the US Constitution’s First Amendment allows for the right to freedom of speech.

    The US trademarks register now contains a pending application for “NAZI KAZI” and a pending application for a symbol described as “roughly resembling a swastika”, as well as two pending applications for marks containing the word “N*GGER”.

    These marks may not ever be registered, but the barriers against their registration aren’t what they once were.

    Limiting offence or limiting rights?

    New Zealand obviously has a different constitutional context than the US, but there are similarities in the underlying question about what is, and isn’t offensive – and the role of the government in determining the rules.

    One big difference between the US cases and those in New Zealand, however, is that New Zealand’s Bill of Rights allows for limits on rights, if those limits are reasonable, set out in law (like the Trade Marks Act) and justifiable in a free and democratic society.

    So, is there a compelling justification for the prohibition on registering offensive marks?

    One argument for the prohibition is to protect the public from exposure to these kinds of marks. However, the denial of registration doesn’t prevent the marks from being used in the marketplace.

    Refusal means that an applicant misses out on the benefits of a formal trademark registration (such as being able to sue others for trademark infringement). But there’s nothing stopping a person using an unregistered mark. And, refusing registration may actually free up the mark for more people to use it as it doesn’t belong to just one person or business.

    Perhaps a more compelling argument for prohibition is that registration should be refused to avoid giving an official (governmental) seal of approval to offensive marks. This may be a very high bar, but it seems important that a registrar consider the likelihood of deep offence, even if the standard is not often reached.

    Putting justifications for any bar aside, it remains hard to draw a line as to what is and isn’t okay. It seems in relation to “THIS IS THE F#$%ING NEWS”, that line is razor thin.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. What the f#$%? The surprising legal rules about brand trademarks of sweary phrases – https://theconversation.com/what-the-f-the-surprising-legal-rules-about-brand-trademarks-of-sweary-phrases-251474

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    March 7, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: Amphibious Assault Ships – LHD/LHA(R)

    Source: United States Navy

    Description

    Amphibious warships are designed to support the Marine Corps tenets of Operational Maneuver From the Sea (OMFTS) and Ship to Objective Maneuver (STOM). They must be capable of sailing in harm’s way and enable rapid combat power buildup ashore in the face of opposition. Because of their inherent capabilities, these ships have been and will continue to be called upon to also support humanitarian and other contingency missions on short notice. The United States maintains the largest and most capable amphibious force in the world.

    LHAs are the largest of all amphibious warfare ships, resembling a small aircraft carrier. They are capable of Vertical/Short Take-Off and Landing (V/STOL), Short Take-Off Vertical Landing (STOVL), Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) tilt-rotor and Rotary Wing (RW) aircraft operations. LHA Flight 0 will enhance Marine Corp aviation with greater maintenance capability and JP-5 fuel capacity in lieu of a well deck. LHA Flight 1 will reincorporate a well deck to enhance expeditionary war fighting capabilities while maintaining the principal aviation characteristics of the Flight 0.

    Features
    Modern U.S. Navy Amphibious Assault Ships project power and maintain presence by serving as the cornerstone of the amphibious ready group (ARG) or expeditionary strike group (ESG). These ships transport and land elements of the Marine expeditionary unit (MEU) or Marine expeditionary brigade (MEB) with a combination of aircraft and landing craft.

    Background
    The America-class LHAs and Wasp-class LHDs provide the Marine Corps with a means of ship-to-shore movement by helicopter in addition to movement by landing craft. LHAs (and later LHDs) have been participants in major humanitarian-assistance, occupation and combat operations in which the United States has been involved. Such operations have included participating as launch platforms for Marine Corps expeditionary forces into Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom in 2001 and 2002, Iraq in Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003 and humanitarian support after the catastrophic Tsunami in 2004. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, two LHDs served as “Harrier carriers,” launching an air group of AV-8B attack aircraft against targets inside Iraq. In 2004, LHDs were used to transport thousands of Marines and their equipment to Iraq and Afghanistan for combat operations. Post Hurricane Katrina support was provided in New Orleans by LHD 7 (Iwo Jima) where thousands of police, fire and rescue personnel were hosted onboard during recovery operations and Iwo Jima operated as the central command and control hub.

    The lead ship, USS WASP (LHD 1) was commissioned in July 1989 in Norfolk, Virginia. The delivery of LHA AMERICA Class ships is the next step in the incremental development of the “Big Deck Amphib.”

    LHAs are the largest of all amphibious warfare ships, resembling a small aircraft carrier. They are capable of Vertical/Short Take-Off and Landing (V/STOL), Short Take-Off Vertical Landing (STOVL), Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) tilt-rotor and Rotary Wing (RW) aircraft operations.

    The current LHA Class (AMERICA Class) consists of two Flights: Flight 0 (USS AMERICA (LHA 6), USS TRIPOLI (LHA 7) and Flight 1 (PCU BOUGAINVILLE (LHA 8), PCU FALLUJAH (LHA 9), PCU HELMAND PROVINCE (LHA 10).

    The AMERICA Class LHAs ships replace the original TARAWA-Class LHAs, which have now all been decommissioned. The AMERICA Class LHAs are LHD variants designed to accommodate the Marine Corps’ future Air Combat Element (ACE) including F-35B Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) and MV-22 Osprey.

    The AMERICA Class LHAs incorporate the gas turbine propulsion plant, electrical distribution and auxiliary systems designed and built for USS MAKIN ISLAND (LHD 8). Flight 0 AMERICA Class ships contain key differences from the LHD Class to include: an enlarged hangar deck, enhanced aviation maintenance facilities, increased aviation fuel capacity, additional aviation storerooms, removal of the well deck, and an electronically reconfigurable C4ISR suite. PCU BOUGAINVILLE (LHA 8) will be the first of the Flight 1 ships and will reincorporate a well deck to enhance expeditionary war fighting capabilities while maintaining the principal aviation characteristics of Flight 0 via a reduced island structure.

    USS AMERICA (LHA 6) and USS TRIPOLI (LHA 7) were commissioned on October 11, 2014, and July 15, 2020, respectively. PCU BOUGAINVILLE (LHA 8) and PCU FALLUJAH (LHA 9) are currently under construction at Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) in Pascagoula, Mississippi. PCU BOUGAINVILLE (LHA 8) is scheduled to deliver to the Navy in 2026, and PCU FALLUJAH (LHA 9) is scheduled to launch in 2027. PCU HELMAND PROVINCE (LHA 10) is under contract for the advanced procurement of long lead items and advanced planning and engineering to support a planned start of construction at HII in 2026.

    General Characteristics, America Class LHA(R) Flight 0
    Builder: Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc., Ingalls Operations, Pascagoula, Mississippi
    Date Deployed: July 7, 2017 (USS America)
    Propulsion: Two marine gas turbines, two shafts, 70,000 total brake horsepower, two 5,000 horsepower auxiliary propulsion motors.
    Length: 855 feet (260.7 meters)
    Beam: 106 feet (32.3 meters)
    Displacement: Approximately 43,745 long tons full load (44,449 metric tons)
    Speed: 20+ knots.
    Crew: 1204 (102 officers)
    Load: 1,687 troops (plus 184 surge)
    Armament: Two RAM launchers; two NATO Sea Sparrow launchers (with Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM)); two 20mm Phalanx CIWS mounts; seven twin .50 cal. machine guns.
    Aircraft: A mix of: F-35B Joint Strike Fighters (JSF) STOVL aircraft; MV-22 Osprey VTOL tiltrotors; CH-53E Sea Stallion helicopters; UH-1Y Huey helicopters; AH-1Z Super Cobra helicopters; MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter
    Ships:
    USS America (LHA 6), Sasebo, Japan
    USS Tripoli (LHA 7), San Diego, California

    General Characteristics, America Class LHA(R) Flight 1 Builder: Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc., Ingalls Operations, Pascagoula, Mississippi
    Propulsion: Two marine gas turbines, two shafts, 59,000 total brake horsepower, two 5,000 horsepower auxiliary propulsion motors.
    Length: 855 feet (260.7 meters).
    Beam: 106 feet (32.3 meters).
    Displacement: Approximately 43,335 long tons full load (44,030 metric tons).
    Speed: 20+ knots.
    Crew: 1204 (102 officers)
    Load: 1462 (150 surge)
    Armament: Two RAM launchers; two NATO Sea Sparrow launchers (with Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM)); two 20mm Phalanx CIWS mounts; seven twin .50 cal. machine guns.
    Aircraft: A mix of: F-35B Joint Strike Fighters (JSF) STOVL aircraft; MV-22 Osprey VTOL tiltrotors; CH-53E Sea Stallion helicopters; UH-1Y Huey helicopters; AH-1Z Super Cobra helicopters; MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopters.
    Landing/Attack Craft: A mix of: Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC) and Landing Craft Utility (LCU)
    Ships:
    PCU Bougainville (LHA 8) – Under Construction
    PCU Fallujah (LHA 9) – Under Construction
    PCU Helmand Province (LHA 10) – LLTM Under Procurement

    General Characteristics, Wasp Class Builder: Northrop Grumman Ship Systems Ingalls Operations, Pascagoula, Mississippi
    Date Deployed: July 29, 1989 (USS Wasp)
    Propulsion: (LHDs 1-7) two boilers, two geared steam turbines, two shafts, 70,000 total brake horsepower; (LHD 8) two gas turbines, two shafts; 70,000 total shaft horsepower, two 5,000 horsepower auxiliary propulsion motors
    Length: 844 feet (253.2 meters)
    Beam: 106 feet (31.8 meters)
    Displacement: LHDs 1-4: 40,650 tons full load (41,302.3 metric tons)
    LHDs 5-7: 40,358 tons full load (41,005.6 metric tons)
    LHD 8: 41,772 tons full load (42,442.3 metric tons)
    Speed: 20+ knots (23.5+ miles per hour)
    Crew: Ships Company: 66 officers, 1,004 enlisted
    LHD 8: 65 officers, 994 enlisted
    Marine Detachment: 1,687 troops (plus 184 surge)
    Armament: Two RAM launchers; two NATO Sea Sparrow launchers; three 20 mm Phalanx CIWS mounts (two on LHD 5-8); four .50 cal. machine guns; four 25 mm Mk 38 machine guns (LHD 5-8 have three 25 mm Mk 38 machine guns)
    Aircraft: 12 CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters; 4 CH-53E Sea Stallion helicopters; 6 AV-8B Harrier attack aircraft; 3 UH-1N Huey helicopters; 4 AH-1W Super Cobra helicopters (planned capability to embark MV-22 Osprey VTOL tilt-rotors) and F-35B Joint Strike Fighters (JSF) STOVL aircraft)
    Landing/Attack Craft: 3 LCACs or 2 LCUs
    Ships:
    USS Wasp (LHD 1), Norfolk, Virginia
    USS Essex (LHD 2), San Diego, California
    USS Kearsarge (LHD 3), Norfolk, Virginia
    USS Boxer (LHD 4), San Diego, California
    USS Bataan (LHD 5), Norfolk, Virginia
    USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7), Norfolk, Virginia
    USS Makin Island (LHD 8), San Diego, California  

    MIL Security OSI –

    March 7, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: What is the World Health Organization and why does it matter?

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    By Eileen Travers

    21 January 2025 Health

    When the plague, cholera and yellow fever rippled deadly waves across a newly industrialised and interconnected world in the mid-19th century, taking a global approach to health became an imperative. Doctors, scientists, presidents and prime ministers urgently convened the International Sanitary Conference in Paris in 1851, a precursor to what is now the largest of its kind: the World Health Organization, known as WHO.

    From laboratories to battlefields, the United Nations specialised health agency has been dedicated to the wellbeing of all people since 1948. It is guided by science and supported by its 194 member nations, including the United States, a co-founder that on Monday announced plans to withdraw.

    What has WHO done for the world? The short answer is – a lot. The UN agency currently works with its membership and on the health frontlines in more than 150 locations and has achieved many public health milestones.

    © WHO/Neil Nuia

    WHO and partners provide COVID-19 and other vaccines to remote communities, including in Kuvamiti in the Solomon Islands. (file)

    Here’s what you need to know about the planet’s biggest health body:

    Tackling emergencies

    Amid crises, conflict, the continuing threat of disease outbreaks and climate change, WHO has responded, from wars in Gaza, Sudan and Ukraine to ensuring lifesaving vaccines and medical supplies arrive in remote or dangerous areas.

    With healthcare facing unprecedented risks, WHO documented in 2023 over 1,200 attacks affecting workers, patients, hospitals, clinics and ambulances across 19 countries and territories, resulting in over 700 deaths and nearly 1,200 injuries.

    Indeed, WHO teams often go where others do not. They routinely evacuate injured patients and provide lifesaving equipment, supplies and services in conflict or disaster-ravaged areas.

    Watch below as WHO teams helped to unroll a multi-agency polio vaccination campaign in war-torn besieged Gaza in September 2024, when the fast-spreading virus reappeared 25 years after it had been eradicated:

    Tracking and addressing health crises

    Every day and through the night, teams of WHO experts sift through thousands of pieces of information, including scientific papers and disease surveillance reports, scanning for signals of disease outbreaks or other public health threats, from avian flu to COVID-19.

    WHO mobilises to prevent, detect and respond to infectious disease outbreaks while also strengthening access to essential health services.

    That includes bolstering hospital capacity to do everything from delivering new babies to treating war injuries and training healthcare workers.

    © WHO/Ploy Phutpheng

    A laboratory scientist works at a WHO collaborating research centre in Thailand. (file)

    Eliminating diseases around the world

    A wide range of diseases and conditions are ripe for elimination given the right public health policies, including neglected infectious and vector-borne diseases, sexually transmitted infections, diseases passed from mother to child and those that vaccines can prevent.

    The UN health agency supplies essential medicines and medical equipment while working to enable – and where possible, strengthen – laboratory capacity to diagnose diseases.

    In 2024, WHO Member States achieved several milestones in tackling these major global health challenges. Seven countries (Brazil, Chad, India, Jordan, Pakistan, Timor-Leste, and Viet Nam) eliminated a range of tropical diseases, including leprosy and trachoma.

    Mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis have been eliminated in Belize, Jamaica and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Namibia reached a key milestone towards elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and hepatitis B.

    WHO has also played a key role over the past seven decades, including in eradicating smallpox in 1980, achieving the near eradication of polio and providing lifesaving assistance in Gaza during the recent war.

    © WHO/Sebastian Meyer

    A WHO mobile clinic provides services in Duhok, Iraq. (file)

    AI and digital health

    WHO is embracing new frontiers, including artificial intelligence (AI), in digital health.

    As the influence of emerging AI technologies continues to grow, WHO is working to ensure its safety and effectiveness for health.

    That includes new guidance published last October listing key regulatory considerations on such issues as harnessing the potential of AI to treat or detect conditions like cancer or tuberculosis while minimising risks like unethical data collection, cybersecurity threats and amplifying biases or misinformation.

    WHO/Blink Media/Juliana Tan

    In Singapore, digital devices help patients reach their healthcare providers. (file)

    Taking on deadly climate-related health crisis

    The climate-related health crisis affects at least 3.5 billion people – nearly half of the global population.

    Extreme heat, weather events and air pollution caused millions of deaths in 2023, putting enormous pressure on health systems and the working population, from current wildfires burning across the US west coast to deadly flash floods in Indonesia.

    WHO/J.D.Kannah

    An Ebola virus survivor in the Democratic Republic of Congo has his eyes checked at a WHO-supported eye clinic in North Kivu. (file)

    Part of WHO’s response has been to protect health from the wide range of impacts of climate change, which includes assessing vulnerabilities and developing plans.

    The UN agency has also worked on implementing response systems for key risks, such as extreme heat and infectious disease and supporting resilience and adaptation in health-determining sectors such as water and food.

    What’s WHO working on now?

    WHO is leading efforts for a global treaty take a further, deeper step to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness and response, much along the lines of the founders of the 1851 International Sanitary Conference.

    The UN agency is also currently working to achieve its “triple billion targets”.

    Set in 2019, the targets are that by 2025, one billion more people will be benefitting from universal health coverage, one billion more people will be better protected from health emergencies and one billion more people will be enjoying better health and wellbeing.

    Who leads WHO?

    The leadership is truly international.

    Based in Geneva, the UN agency is headed by Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

    The current approved biennium programme budget for 2024-2025 is $6.83 billion, coming from member assessments, alongside voluntary contributions.

    WHO’s decision-making body, the World Health Assembly, is made up of its member nations, which meet annually to agree on WHO priorities and policies.

    Members make decisions on health goals and strategies that will guide their own public health work and the work of the WHO Secretariat to move the world towards better health and wellbeing for all. That includes implementing reform measures that have made WHO more effective.

    Learn more about WHO here and in our latest video below:

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

    March 7, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Multistate coalition secures court order blocking Trump administration from freezing federal funds

    Source: Washington State News

    PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A federal judge today blocked the Trump administration from abruptly freezing trillions of dollars in federal funds to the states, a move he said had resulted in “catastrophic consequences” across the country, hitting particularly hard on vulnerable populations.

    The order came in a lawsuit filed by 23 states’ attorneys general, including Washington Attorney General Nick Brown.

    Judge John J. McConnell of the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island granted the preliminary injunction, concluding the states had demonstrated a high likelihood of success on their claims that the funding freeze policy is unlawful, explaining that the president cannot put himself above Congress.
     
    “This is an important victory,” Brown said today. “The judge made clear this was a ham-handed, arbitrary, capricious, and fact-free attempt to circumvent the U.S. Constitution.”
     
    The judge rejected the administration’s argument that the funding freeze was needed because of unspecified claims of widespread fraud.
     
    “It is difficult to perceive any rationality in this decision — let alone thoughtful consideration of practical consequences — when these funding pauses endanger the States’ ability to provide vital services, including but not limited to public safety, health care, education, childcare, and transportation infrastructure,” the judge wrote.
     
    The states submitted a myriad of examples to show how their residents were impacted when federal funds were abruptly cut off. The Trump administration, the judge wrote, “presented no answer, no evidence, and no counter to the States’ extensive evidence.”
     
    The administration’s funding freeze policy came through an array of actions, including a Jan. 27 memorandum from the Office of Management and Budget, that illegally withheld trillions of dollars in federal funds for states and community-based organizations, creating immediate chaos and uncertainty for millions in urban and rural areas who rely on state programs that receive these federal funds.
     
    The court also required the administration to provide evidence of their compliance with regard to unfreezing Federal Emergency Management Agency funds by March 14 and to alert all agencies about the court’s order.
     
    The lawsuit is led by the attorneys general of California, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island. Joining the lawsuit are the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    March 7, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: INTERPOL General Assembly provides roadmap for Organization’s future

    Source: Interpol (news and events)

    24 October 2013

    CARTAGENA DE INDIAS, Colombia – The 82nd session of the INTERPOL General Assembly closed today with strong foundations in place for the Organization’s future to better support all 190 member countries in tackling transnational crime and terrorism.

    Mick O’Connell, INTERPOL’s Director of Operational Support, gives an update on the activities of the Organization’s Integrated Border Management Task Force.

    Delegates attending the General Assembly meeting. 

    Ralph Market, INTERPOL’s Assistant Director for Strategic Partnerships and Development, briefs the General Assembly on plans for new public-private initiatives.

    A number of Resolutions were passed, along with cooperation agreements with other organizations.

    Delegates attending the General Assembly meeting. 

    Eugene Kaspersky, CEO of Kasperky Lab, addresses delegates on the subject of international police and private companies in the age of cybercrime.

    Igor Shunevich, Belarus’s Minister of Internal Affairs (left) and INTERPOL Secretary General Ronald K. Noble sign an agreement for an INTERPOL team to support security for the 2014 Ice Hockey World Championship.

    Minister Shunevich (right) and Mr Noble discuss how the INTERPOL team can detect potential threats of terrorism, hooliganism and serious crime, and secure Belarus’s borders during the Ice Hockey Championship.

    The General Assembly endorsed INTERPOL’s new e-extradition initiative which will significantly speed up and facilitate extradition requests through the Organization’s secure communications channels.

    Rwanda was chosen as the host country for the 84th session of the INTERPOL General Assembly in 2015.

    Every year, a technology exhibition allows private sector companies to showcase their latest innovations to the global police community. This year’s participants were recognized in a special ceremony.

    Colombia became the 64th member country to recognize the INTERPOL Travel Document.

    Colombia hands over the INTERPOL flag to Monaco, the hosts of next year’s General Assembly meeting.

    INTERPOL President Mireille Ballestrazzi delivers her closing remarks.

    Monaco will host the 83rd General Assembly exactly 100 years after it held the first International Criminal Police Congress in 1914, where the idea of INTERPOL was born.

    Secretary General Noble thanks Giuliano Zaccardelli, INTERPOL’s Director of Strategic Planning.

    ‘Dios y Patria’ was written by Dutch police officers as a testimony to Erazo’s dedication to the police and as an inspiration to all those around the world who fight against crime and terrorism.

    Colombian police officer Sergeant Luis Erazo Maya (left) was held hostage by the FARC for almost 12 years. A book launched at the 82nd session of the INTERPOL General Assembly tells his story.

    Luiz Fernando Corrêa, Rio 2016 Security Director (left) and INTERPOL Secretary General Ronald K. Noble sign an agreement for the world police body to provide additional support to Brazilian authorities for the upcoming Games.

    The General Assembly is INTERPOL’s supreme governing body. It meets once a year and takes all major decisions affecting policy, resources, working methods, finances and activities.

    INTERPOL President, Mireille Ballestrazzi, speaking at the press conference.

    Some 630 police chiefs and senior law enforcement officials attended the event in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia.

    A total of 144 countries were represented at the conference. 

    Delegates attending the General Assembly meeting. 

    Delegates attending the General Assembly meeting. 

    Among the topics discussed were illicit goods, counterfeiting and pharmaceutical crime.

    Delegates attending the General Assembly meeting. 

    With the four-day (21-24 October) conference coming just one month after the Westgate shopping centre attacks in Nairobi, Kenya, senior police officials discussed the Organization’s priorities and strategic roadmap for the next three years, focusing on policing needs in the field addressing threats ranging from terrorism to cybercrime.

    INTERPOL’s new e-extradition initiative, a technical platform which will significantly speed up and facilitate extradition requests through the world police body’s secure communications channels, was strongly endorsed as a ground-breaking initiative by delegates.

    “The resolutions adopted by this General Assembly will develop and further strengthen the partnerships between INTERPOL and other international organizations,” said INTERPOL President Mireille Ballestrazzi.

    “The various discussions and debates during the past four days reflect the collective experience of member countries and the INTERPOL General Secretariat, and will enable us all to continue to develop initiatives to enhance the safety of all citizens throughout the world,” concluded the President.

    A key decision by delegates was the endorsement of a resolution for extrabudgetary resources to be identified in order to provide long-term financial assistance towards INTERPOL’s activities and operational support to all member countries in combating transnational crime and terrorism.

    INTERPOL Secretary General Ronald K. Noble said the decisions taken by the General Assembly paved the way for the Organization to plan for its future and provide additional assistance to member countries.

    “As the world’s largest police organization we must ensure that all of our 190 member countries can count on our support whenever and wherever needed,” said Secretary General Noble.

    “Many of the decisions taken during this General Assembly will provide us with an even stronger framework to address the various transnational crime challenges facing the global law enforcement community,” concluded the INTERPOL Chief.

    Strengthening relationships between police and prosecutorial authorities was also an important element during the conference, with the approval of a Memorandum of Understanding between INTERPOL and Eurojust.

    At the conclusion of the conference Juan Carlos Pinzón Bueno, Minister of National Defence, announced Colombia’s recognition of the INTERPOL Travel Document (ITD) thereby significantly speeding up the ability for INTERPOL officials to respond to any calls for assistance or support. To date, 64 INTERPOL member countries have officially recognized the ITD.

    The 83rd INTERPOL General Assembly will be held in Monaco, 100 years after the country hosted the first International Criminal Police Congress in 1914, where the idea of INTERPOL was born.

    MIL Security OSI –

    March 7, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Countries unite to identify illegal fishing vessel via INTERPOL

    Source: Interpol (news and events)

    LYON, France – A joint effort by New Zealand, Australia and Norway to find a vessel suspected of illegal fishing has led to the publication of an INTERPOL Purple Notice to assist in identifying its location.

    An INTERPOL Purple Notice has been issued to find a vessel suspected of illegal fishing. Pictured is ‘Thunder’ as Wuhan N 4 in Singapore, October 2012.

    Thunder as Wuhan N 4 – bow view – Singapore October 2012

    Circulated to all 190 INTERPOL member countries the Notice, requested by New Zealand supported by the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) and the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries, also seeks information about the individuals and networks which own, operate and profit from the suspected illegal activities of the vessel, currently believed to be called ‘Thunder’.

    During the past two years, the vessel has operated under at least three different names and under several flags, in order to avoid detection of illegal fishing activities.

    In July 2012, Mongolian registration papers for a vessel called ‘Wuhan 4’ were issued; however in August 2012 the vessel was sighted in the North Indian Ocean under the name ‘Kuko’. In October 2012, the vessel was spotted at a Singapore shipyard under the name ‘Wuhan N 4’ and under a Mongolian flag.

    In April 2013, the same vessel requested access to a port in Malaysia under the name ‘Wuhan 4’ but when inspected a few days later in Indonesia, it was using the name ‘Thunder’ and with the Nigerian flag.

    “Thunder has been operating under a number of names and flags over several years and we believe this is being done to avoid been caught violating international laws and conventions,” said Gary Orr, Manager, Operational Coordination with New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industries.

    “Fisheries crime is not constrained by borders and is commonly carried out by transnational organized networks. Norway is deeply concerned about its global effects. We need an international, coordinated response to effectively tackle these networks, and I welcome the good cooperation we have established with Australia and New Zealand via INTERPOL,” said Norway’s Minister of Fisheries, Elisabeth Aspaker.

    AFMA’s Fisheries Operations General Manager Peter Venslovas said illegal fishing activities seriously undermine the sustainability of fisheries: “Ongoing cooperation between countries across the globe to combat illegal fishing is having a real impact and making it harder for these operators to make a profit.”

    It is possible that the owners of ‘Thunder’ have earned more than USD 60 million from its illegal fishing activities since it was blacklisted by the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) in February 2006.

    The vessel is currently believed to be operating in the Southern Ocean around Antarctica where it may be fishing illegally for Patagonian toothfish, also known as Chilean Sea Bass, a highly sought after protected species.

    This is the third INTERPOL Purple Notice issued in connection with illegal fishing activities, with the first published in September this year at the request of Norwegian authorities for a vessel named ‘Snake’.

    INTERPOL’s Purple Notices are used to seek or provide information on modi operandi, objects, devices and concealment methods used by criminals.

    MIL Security OSI –

    March 7, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Investment scam: Aucklander guilty of money laundering

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    A man has been found guilty of money laundering almost $2 million obtained from two Kiwi victims of a term deposit scam.

    This week, a jury found the 61-year-old Auckland man guilty on two counts of money laundering offences.

    In late 2022, two unsuspecting Kiwis were approached by offshore fraudsters advertising a fictious investment company.

    Ultimately, they both ‘invested’ a total of nearly $2m into the fictious company, with funds being transferred into a New Zealand-based account.

    This account had been set up by Carel Johannes Viljoen.

    Detective Senior Sergeant Craig Bolton, who oversees the Auckland City Financial Crime Unit, says Viljoen had been contacted separately by the offshore offenders.

    “Our investigation found Viljoen opened a New Zealand-based bank account to facilitate his offending.

    “An agreement was struck that money would be transferred to specific accounts in exchange for a fee.”

    Viljoen pocketed a total of $61,581 from both transactions. Following the Police investigation, this money has since been returned.

    Money laundering is not a victimless crime, Detective Senior Sergeant Bolton says.

    “This should serve as a wake-up call for any Kiwi that might be approached in these circumstances.

    “You should be extremely wary if someone approaches you wanting to do a deal where you receive and move money to different bank accounts, in exchange for a fee.

    “Money laundering is a criminal offence which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of seven years.”

    The Auckland Financial Crime Unit continues to investigate other instances of money laundering relating to term deposit scams, with other cases due before the court this year.

    “I’d like to pay special mention to the detailed work carried out by Detective James Priestley in this case,” Detective Senior Sergeant Bolton says.

    “We are extremely pleased with the outcome in this case.”

    Viljoen will be sentenced in June.

    ENDS.

    Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    March 7, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Senator Marshall Joins Fox Business to Discuss Tariffs, President Trump’s Joint Address Before Congress, and DOGE

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall
    Washington – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) joined Charles Payne with Fox Business today to discuss President Donald Trump’s tariffs strategy, the President’s address before Congress, and the actions taken by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
    [embedded content]
    You may click HERE or on the image above to watch Senator Marshall’s full Fox Business interview.
    On President Trump’s Tariffs Strategy
    “First and foremost, my farmers and ranchers are patriots. There’s not a county in Kansas that has not been impacted by fentanyl poisoning, and that’s why they’re willing to stand beside President Trump and secure our borders, and that Canada and Mexico can do more than just that.
    “Beyond that, though, there are so many more levers that President Trump can pull. We’ve been through this with him before. In Trump 1.0, he did these tariffs on China, and like he just said, he went out and gave us $28 billion of those tariffs. But then he gave us China phase one – record sales in the commodities as well.
    “And then he went on in that Presidency, and he gave us trade agreements, really good trade agreements for agriculture, with Mexico, with Canada, with South Korea, and Japan. There are opportunities out there.
    “And lastly, the other two levers he can pull if he gives us year-round E15, that could replace two-thirds of our export market for corn. And lastly, he can give us the certainty of a 5-year Farm Bill. So, there’s other things he can do besides just the tariffs. Don’t look at the tariffs in them in and of themselves.”
    On the President’s Address Before a Joint Session of Congress
    “I think the President has given us hope. For the first time in five years, since I found out what COVID was and Joe Biden became President, for the first time, America has hope again. We’re bullish on America, that we can leave this world better than we found it, that we can go to places that we never thought we could go to, not just going to Mars. There are so many more things, instead of our country contracting…
    “I think we walked out of there excited, [I’m] disappointed that my colleagues across the aisle couldn’t stand. They couldn’t stand for the First Lady. They couldn’t stand for a young boy that had survived brain cancer and was deputized into the Secret Service, and the other families as well.”
    On DOGE’s Impact So Far
    “I told Elon today he’s not going fast enough. And I think I got a little laugh out of him. I’ve gotten to know Elon a little bit better over the last four or five years. I think the first thing I want to let Americans know is he’s a patriot now too. That’s kind of my theme of the day. He’s a patriot, that he’s all in, he’s doing a great job.
    “The big misconception I think people see out there is that Elon is not in there doing the work. He’s an advisor. There are DOGE employees who went through the federal government employment process like everybody else, and they’re just in there, shining a flashlight on the fraud, waste, abuse, and incompetence…
    “He’s had a great success in the past. I think there’s an opportunity to curb 10, 15, 20% of this federal government. And you know what would really help our farmers, is if the federal government to stop borrowing money and get our interest rates down. That’s what would really help my farmers.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

    March 7, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Update over appeal into ongoing investigation

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Police have had a positive response from the public over an appeal released on 6 March as part of an ongoing investigation.

    The appeal was over an incident of a sensitive nature that occurred in Auckland City last year.

    Detective Senior Sergeant Kathy Bostock, of Auckland City CIB, says Police are no longer seeking further nominations from the public.

    “I would like to thank the community for their prompt response to our appeal and for their assistance in our enquiries, which remain ongoing,” she says.

    ENDS.

    Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    March 7, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Hunters urged to be extra sure this Roar

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    With the main deer hunting season – the Roar – about to go into full swing, New Zealand’s firearms regulator is reminding hunters everywhere of the need to identify their target beyond all doubt.

    Te Tari Pūreke – Firearms Safety Authority, in co-ordination with members of the Recreational Firearms User Group, is running a hunter safety advertising campaign prompting hunters everywhere to “be extra sure this Roar”.

    Te Tari Pureke Director of Partnerships and Communities, Mike McIlraith, says while the campaign offers a number of simple actions related to hunter safety, the core message responds to the risk of mis-identifying a target.

    “We want all hunters to have a great Roar and for everyone to come home safely,” he says. “Hunting deer whether for food or sport is an activity enjoyed by many, but we know firearms can be unforgiving.

    “That’s why we are urging hunters to be 100 percent sure they have identified their target. If they have any doubts, then don’t shoot. Hunters shouldn’t feel pressured to take the shot – no meat or no trophy is better than no mate!”

    Mike McIlraith says hunters are lucky to be hunting in a time of high deer numbers in many parts of New Zealand, with lots of opportunities for deer. This means hunters don’t need to be in a rush to shoot the first deer they see, they should take their time, and wait until they see the whole animal.

    “Keeping themselves and others in their hunting area safe takes more than luck,” says Mike McIlraith. “We’ve boiled it down to three key reminders for hunters this year – make a plan for your hunt and stick to it; always treat every firearm as loaded; and identify your target beyond all doubt.

    “Whether they are using optical or thermal imaging devices, they must follow Firearms Safety Rule 4 and identify their target beyond all doubt before firing. That’s what we mean when we say, be extra sure this Roar.”

    ENDS.

    Notes for Editors:

    The Recreational Firearms Users Working Group was formed to help align the important messaging of the various stakeholder groups involved in recreational hunting in New Zealand.

    This group consists of Department of Conservation, Federated Farmers of New Zealand, Fish & Game NZ, Game Animal Council, Mountain Safety Council, NZ Deerstalkers Association and Te Tari Pūreke.

    The Roar is the name given to the time of year when hunters target Red Deer stags which are at their most vocal attracting mates.

    Other great resources can be found on:

    Te Tari Pūreke has a ‘Roar safety’ webpage

    The Mountain Safety Council website – Big Game hunting section

    The Game Animal Council of New Zealand – ‘Hunter Safety’ page

    New Zealand Deerstalkers Association

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    March 7, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Joins Coalition Defending the Integrity of the National Labor Relations Board

    Source: US State of California

    OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today joined a coalition of 22 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief opposing a legal challenge in YAPP USA Automotive Systems Inc. v. National Labor Relation Board that, if successful, would severely limit the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)’s ability to carry out its responsibility of protecting American workers’ right to unionize. YAPP’s lawsuit seeks to stop the NLRB from addressing allegations that YAPP engaged in unfair labor practices prohibited by federal law, arguing the NLRB’s structure and administrative proceedings are unconstitutional. In today’s amicus brief, the attorneys general are urging the court to deny YAPP’s request for an injunction, which would hamstring the NLRB’s ability to protect workers’ right to collectively bargain for better wages and improved working conditions.    

    “The right to organize and collectively bargain is a cornerstone of a thriving democracy, and the NLRB remains essential in defending these rights for all Americans,” said Attorney General Bonta. “That’s why I’m standing with my fellow attorneys general in urging the Court to deny YAPP’s request for an injunction. The Board must be allowed to fully carry out its duty to continue providing strong protections for millions of workers nationwide.” 

    The NLRB is the federal agency responsible for administering the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), which guarantees American workers the right to unionize, bargain for better wages and working conditions, and engage in activities like strikes and pickets. Under the law, the NLRB investigates violations of labor laws, adjudicates unfair labor practice disputes and certifies the results of union elections. The Board is also responsible for administering the NLRA uniformly across the country.

    To protect the NLRB from political pressure by the President, NLRB board members are appointed by the President and confirmed by Congress for staggered five-year terms. Board members do not serve at the pleasure of the President. Federal law provides that Board members can only be removed by the President “upon notice and hearing, for neglect of duty or malfeasance in office, but for no other cause.” The agency’s administrative law judges have similar protections from arbitrary removal. In its lawsuit, YAPP’s argues that these removal protections are unconstitutional and that the court should prevent the NLRB from conducting any proceedings while they remain in effect. The Trump administration has declined to defend the constitutionality of the removal protections. 

    In today’s brief, the attorneys general explain the removal protections are constitutional, that YAPP’s is not entitled to relief, and that pausing the NLRB’s operations would seriously harm the public that relies on the Board’s administration of the NLRA. Collective bargaining helps workers obtain better wages, benefits and working conditions. Unions also help nonmembers by creating competition for workers that boosts wages. The NLRA also benefits the broader economy by decreasing inequality and stabilizing labor-management relations. 

    Attorney General Bonta remains steadfast in his commitment to protecting workers’ rights and preserving the NLRB. Just last week, the Attorney General filed a brief in support of a challenge to President Trump’s unlawful attempt to remove NLRB member Gwynne Wilcox in the middle of her five-year term. In the brief, the Attorney General, alongside a coalition of attorneys general, urged the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to grant Wilcox’s motion for summary judgement and to order the defendants in that case to allow her to continue performing her responsibilities as an NLRB member.

    Attorney General Bonta joins the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin in submitting this brief. 

    A copy of the brief can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    March 7, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Ezipay Coin Presale Goes Live, Starting the Next Phase in Making Digital Payments More Accessible

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, March 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ezipay Coin, a unique digital currency built on innovative blockchain technology, has officially launched its presale, offering early investors the opportunity to be part of the future of digital payments. EziPay Coin is part of the greater EziPay ecosystem, that aims to redefine the way of handling payments, rewards, and investments. With strategic partnerships and a vision to create a more connected financial ecosystem, Ezipay Coin is poised to transform the way transactions are conducted across the globe.

    Speaking to the media, Sumit Sharma, CTO of EziPay Coin, said, “As a safe, flexible, and easy-to-use cryptocurrency, EziPay Coin aims to transform digital payments. EziPay Coin wants to make cryptocurrency acceptance more universal, being used in normal life while facilitating borderless, quick, safe transactions.”

    Borderless Transactions
    EziPay Coin makes digital currencies useful for everyone by focusing on openness, sustainability, and accessibility. By eliminating excessive costs and sluggish processing times while remaining connected with conventional cross-border payments, EziPay Coin presents a quick, safe, and reasonably priced option for trade and global remittances

    Some of the key features of EziPay Coin include:

    • Non-Custodial Wallet: Full control over digital assets.
    • Integrated Ecosystem: Works seamlessly within the EziPay app.
    • Low Transaction Costs: Ideal for microtransactions and global remittances.
    • Future Blockchain Development: A scalable and feature-rich blockchain is in progress.
    • User-Centric Design: Intuitive and easy to use.
    • Practical Utility: Designed for everyday transactions.
    • Dedicated Blockchain: Ensures security and scalability.
    • Seamless Integration: Works effortlessly within the EziPay app.
    • Transparent and Secure: Built on blockchain technology.
    • Expanding Ecosystem: Future integrations in healthcare, fintech, and agritech.

    About EziPay Ecosystem
    EziPay Coin is a part of the greater EziPay Ecosystem, which ensures that cryptocurrency has a real-world utility. It aims to make digital payments accessible, borderless, quick, and safe for everyone.

    Some of the features of the EziPay Ecosystem include:

    • Reward & Loyalty Programs: Use EziPay Coin across platforms like EziPay Global Digital Bank, EziPay Ghana, EziPay Francophone, and EziPay Sierra Leone to earn rewards and access financial services.
    • Gaming Platform: Redeem EziPay Coin for free top-ups and bonuses on Ezivote, India’s fastest-growing political-based gaming app.
    • Digital Learning: Get certified on Iripash using EziPay Coin.
    • App Development: Use EziPay Coin to develop applications and projects in the crypto space.

    By providing an all-in-one solution for payments, rewards, and investments, the EziPay Ecosystem with EziPay Coin is positioned to make digital currencies accessible to everyone.

    To take part in the presale of EzPay Coin, visit: https://www.ezipaycoin.com/

    About Ezipay Coin
    Ezipay Coin is a next-generation cryptocurrency designed to provide secure, efficient, and borderless digital transactions. Backed by leading industry partners, it aims to bridge the gap between traditional finance and blockchain-powered solutions.

    Join the conversation on:
    X: https://x.com/EzipayCoin
    Telegram: https://t.me/ezipaycoin

    Media Contact
    Company Name: EziPay Coin
    Contact Person: Amit Gaur
    Email: info@ezipaycoin.com
    Website: https://www.ezipaycoin.com/

    Disclaimer: This press release is provided by EziPay Coin. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice. Investing in crypto and mining related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector–including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining–complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed. Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d74790f1-f33a-4217-9868-0f60dff3505a

    The MIL Network –

    March 7, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: ASM International N.V. publishes Annual Report 2024

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Almere, The Netherlands
    March 6, 2025, 5.45 p.m. CET

    ASM International N.V. (Euronext Amsterdam: ASM) today publishes its Annual Report 2024
    ASM’s Annual Report 2024 is available in ESEF reporting package and as a PDF file on the company’s website www.asm.com. 
    ASM publishes the Annual Report in accordance with European Single Electronic Format (ESEF) reporting requirements with the format of the report being Extensible Hypertext Markup Language (xHTML). In line with the ESEF requirements, the primary consolidated financial statements have been labelled with XBRL tags.
    ASM will hold its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on May 12, 2025. The AGM agenda with all related documents will be available in due time.

    About ASM International
    ASM International N.V., headquartered in Almere, the Netherlands, and its subsidiaries design and manufacture equipment and process solutions to produce semiconductor devices for wafer processing, and have facilities in the United States, Europe, and Asia. ASM International’s common stock trades on the Euronext Amsterdam Stock Exchange (symbol ASM). For more information, visit ASM’s website at www.asm.com.
    Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: All matters discussed in this press release, except for any historical data, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. These include, but are not limited to, economic conditions and trends in the semiconductor industry generally and the timing of the industry cycles specifically, currency fluctuations, corporate transactions, financing and liquidity matters, the success of restructurings, the timing of significant orders, market acceptance of new products, competitive factors, litigation involving intellectual property, shareholders or other issues, commercial and economic disruption due to natural disasters, terrorist activity, armed conflict or political instability, changes in import/export regulations, epidemics and other risks indicated in the Company’s reports and financial statements. The Company assumes no obligation nor intends to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect future developments or circumstances.
    This press release contains inside information within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the EU Market Abuse Regulation.

    Contact

    Investor and media relations

    Victor Bareño
    T: +31 88 100 8500
    E: investor.relations@asm.com

    		  

    Investor relations

    Valentina Fantigrossi
    T: +31 88 100 8502
    E: investor.relations@asm.com

    The MIL Network –

    March 7, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Secures Preliminary Injunction Against Trump Administration Blocking Harmful Federal Funding Freeze

    Source: US State of California

    If allowed to go into effect, the federal funding freeze would have threatened hundreds of billions of dollars in California annually, including vital public safety, healthcare, childcare, and infrastructure funding, and other essential services

    OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today secured a decision by the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island preventing the Trump Administration from implementing a sweeping federal funding freeze while litigation continues. The Court finds that the states are likely to succeed in their claims that the Trump Administration violated the Administrative Procedure Act by freezing funds in contravention of underlying appropriations statutes and that their actions were arbitrary and capricious. The Court specifically notes that the Trump Administration has failed to rebut the harms that the states have presented, including to the states’ most vulnerable residents. These include the potential impacts to services that increase workplace health and safety, water quality, critical transportation infrastructure, and law enforcement and public safety, as well as programs such as Head Start, education services for students with disabilities, and research projects at state universities. Attorney General Bonta led a coalition of 23 attorneys general in filing a lawsuit to block the funding freeze last month. 

    “Last month, the Trump Administration chaotically implemented a sweeping federal funding freeze, halting access to billions of dollars in funds lawfully appropriated by Congress. In doing so, it willfully ignored the immediate devastation a freeze would have on the health, safety, and wellbeing of communities and businesses across the country,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Staff in my office worked overnight to ready a lawsuit challenging this illegal freeze and have continued to fight for these critical funds. Today’s decision is an important victory for the rule of law and for the many programs throughout our state that rely on federal funding to carry out their mission. But the fight is not over, and we will continue to work to secure a permanent decision blocking this radical freeze.”

    BACKGROUND 

    Last month, a coalition of 23 attorneys general, led by the attorneys general of California, New York, Rhode Island, Illinois, and Massachusetts, sued the Trump Administration over its attempt to freeze up to $3 trillion in vital federal funding. The U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island quickly granted the attorneys general’s request for a temporary restraining order, blocking the freeze’s implementation until further order from the court. Soon after, the attorneys general filed motions for enforcement and a preliminary injunction to stop the illegal freeze and preserve federal funding that families, communities, and states rely on. The court granted the motion for enforcement, ordering the Administration to immediately comply with the temporary restraining order and stop unlawfully freezing federal funds. 

    In just this fiscal year, California is expected to receive $168 billion in federal funding – 34% of the state’s budget – not including funding for the state’s public college and university system. This includes $107.5 billion in funding for California’s Medicaid programs, which serve approximately 14.5 million Californians, including 5 million children and 2.3 million seniors and people with disabilities. Additionally, over 9,000 full-time equivalent state employee positions are federally funded.

    Attorney General Bonta is joined by the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, North Carolina, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin in securing the preliminary injunction.   

    A copy of the preliminary injunction is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    March 7, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Climate change: La Niña fades, as global heat keeps rising

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI b

    6 March 2025 Climate and Environment

    The weak but significant La Niña weather event that began in December is likely to be brief, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has announced. 

    La Niña, a natural climate phenomenon, results in cooler Pacific Ocean temperatures and influences weather conditions worldwide. The latest forecasts from WMO indicate sea surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific are expected to return to normal.  

    The agency says that there is a 60 per cent chance conditions will shift back to what scientists call an ENSO-neutral temperature range during March-May 2025, increasing to 70 per cent for April-June 2025.  

    ENSO (El Niño-Southern Oscillation)-neutral simply means the ocean is neither unusually warm (El Niño) nor unusually cool (La Niña). Likewise, the probability of El Niño developing is very low during this period, the agency said.  

    According to WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo, El Niño and La Niña associated forecasts are critical for early warnings and taking preemptive action.  

    “These forecasts translate into millions of dollars’ worth in economic savings for key sectors like agriculture, energy and transport, and have saved thousands of lives over the years by enabling disaster risk preparedness”.

    La Niña, with its large-scale cooling of ocean surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific, changes wind, pressure, and rainfall. Typically, it brings climate impacts opposite to El Niño, especially in tropical regions.  

    For instance, during El Niño, Australia often experiences drought, whereas La Niña can bring increased rainfall and flooding. In contrast, parts of South America may experience drought during La Niña but wetter conditions during El Niño.

    Bringing the heat

    Notably, these natural climate events are currently occurring alongside human-caused climate change, which is warming the planet and causing more extreme weather. According to WMO, January 2025 was the warmest January on record, despite the cooler La Niña conditions.

    The agency looks at ENSO but also issues regular Global Seasonal Climate Updates (GSCU) that provide a more comprehensive climate outlook based on other key patterns such as those in the Atlantic and Arctic. These updates also track sea temperatures, global and regional temperature and rainfall changes.

    With most maritime regions set to be warmer than normal, except in the eastern Pacific, WMO forecasts above-average temperatures across nearly all land areas worldwide during the upcoming season.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

    March 7, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Unlock More Profits with BexBack: 100% Deposit Bonus, 100x Leverage, and $50 New User Reward

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SINGAPORE, March 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — With Bitcoin’s price fluctuating below $100,000, many analysts predict a prolonged period of high volatility in the crypto market. Holding spot positions may struggle to generate short-term profits in such conditions. As a result, 100x leverage futures trading has become the preferred tool for seasoned investors looking to maximize potential gains in this volatile market. BexBack Exchange is ramping up its efforts to offer traders unmatched promotional packages. The platform now offers a 100% deposit bonus, a $50 welcome bonus for new users, and up to 100x leverage on cryptocurrency trading—all with No KYC requirements—providing excellent opportunities for investors.

    What Is 100x Leverage and How Does It Work?

    Simply put, 100x leverage allows you to open larger trading positions with less capital. For example:

    Suppose the Bitcoin price is $100,000 that day, and you open a long contract with 1 BTC. After using 100x leverage, the transaction amount is equivalent to 100 BTC.

    One day later, if the price rises to $105,000, your profit will be (105,000 – 100,000) * 100 BTC / 100,000 = 5 BTC, a yield of up to 500%.

    With BexBack’s deposit bonus

    BexBack offers a 100% deposit bonus. If the initial investment is 2 BTC, the profit will increase to 10 BTC, and the return on investment will double to 1000%.

    Note: Although leveraged trading can magnify profits, you also need to be wary of liquidation risks.

    How Does the 100% Deposit Bonus Work?
    The deposit bonus from BexBack cannot be directly withdrawn but can be used to open larger positions and increase potential profits. Additionally, during significant market fluctuations, the bonus can serve as extra margin, effectively reducing the risk of liquidation.

    About BexBack?

    BexBack is a leading cryptocurrency derivatives platform that offers 100x leverage on BTC, ETH, ADA, SOL, XRP, and 50 other major cryptocurrencies for futures contracts.. It is headquartered in Singapore with offices in Hong Kong, Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Argentina. It holds a US MSB (Money Services Business) license and is trusted by more than 500,000 traders worldwide. Accepts users from the United States, Canada, and Europe. There are no deposit fees, and traders can get the most thoughtful service, including 24/7 customer support.

    Why recommend BexBack?

    No KYC Required: Start trading immediately without complex identity verification.

    100% Deposit Bonus: Double your funds, double your profits.

    High-Leverage Trading: Offers up to 100x leverage, maximizing investors’ capital efficiency.

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    Take Action Now—Don’t Miss Another Opportunity!

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    Sign up on BexBack now, claim your exclusive bonus and start accumulating more BTC today!

    Website: www.bexback.com

    Contact: business@bexback.com

    Contact:
    Amanda
    business@bexback.com

    Disclaimer: This content is provided by BexBack. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice. Investing in crypto and mining related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector–including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining–complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed. Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release.

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/00ac4535-e3ca-4334-bdce-ac33f4a1e348

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a5ce6730-6fb5-4dde-a009-9efae0b63c57

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3ca93fb1-0583-4cdf-9cc3-8efc74fbcf01

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8280afdb-96a3-4c40-af77-85f38a38b58f

    The MIL Network –

    March 7, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Secretary-General of ASEAN presides over the Closing Ceremony of the Cambodia-ASEAN Business Summit 2025

    Source: ASEAN

    Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, this evening delivered closing remarks at the Closing Ceremony of the Cambodia-ASEAN Business Summit 2025, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, held under the theme “Accelerating ASEAN’s Connectivity: People, Infrastructure, and Trade.”  In his remarks, SG Dr. Kao highlighted the importance of building ASEAN’s future prosperity through robust infrastructure and regional connectivity, trade and investment, as well as investing in human capital.

    Download the full remarks here.

    The post Secretary-General of ASEAN presides over the Closing Ceremony of the Cambodia-ASEAN Business Summit 2025 appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.

    MIL OSI Economics –

    March 7, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Secretary-General of ASEAN Attends Gala Dinner of the Cambodia-ASEAN Business Summit 2025

    Source: ASEAN

    Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, this evening attended the Gala Dinner of the Cambodia-ASEAN Business Summit 2025, held at Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra. Participants in the Gala Dinner were prominent government officials, business leaders, industry experts, and key stakeholders, who gathered together to celebrate and strengthen economic ties within the region. Hosted by H.E. Dr. Say Sam Al, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction of Cambodia, the Gala Dinner underscored the importance of fostering regional collaboration and driving sustainable economic growth across ASEAN.

    The post Secretary-General of ASEAN Attends Gala Dinner of the Cambodia-ASEAN Business Summit 2025 appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.

    MIL OSI Economics –

    March 7, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Nuclear safeguards: AUKUS statement to the IAEA Board of Governors, March 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Speech

    Nuclear safeguards: AUKUS statement to the IAEA Board of Governors, March 2025

    UK Ambassador Corinne Kitsell’s statement on behalf of Australia, the UK and the US to the International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors meeting on IAEA safeguards and AUKUS

    Chair, 

    I take the floor on behalf of Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States to respond to disinformation about Australia’s acquisition of a naval nuclear propulsion capability through the AUKUS partnership. We are once again compelled to invoke our Right of Reply to address remarks that purposefully mischaracterise AUKUS and attempt to undermine the independence, integrity, and authority of the IAEA.  

    I reiterate that this item has not been adopted as a standing agenda item by this Board and has never enjoyed consensus support, despite one member state’s introduction every Board. This repeated attempt to add an agenda item distracts from other pressing concerns requiring the Board’s attention and falsely implies an active compliance problem where none exists. AUKUS partners will provide an update on Australia’s acquisition of conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines under ‘Any Other Business’, consistent with our practice of providing updates to every regular meeting of the Board since 2021. 

    Director General Grossi has repeatedly expressed his satisfaction with AUKUS partners’ engagement and transparency and has upheld his commitment to update the Board on naval nuclear propulsion, including through his report published last November. Ever since the initial announcement of the partnership, the AUKUS partners have continued to engage consistently, openly, and transparently with Member States and the Secretariat on genuine questions. 

    Chair, 

    Under this item, the Board has repeatedly heard unsubstantiated claims that ignore or misrepresent the information we have provided in good faith, and assertions that disregard the statements made by the Director General. I would like to remind the Board that: 

    With regards to an intergovernmental dialogue, the IAEA has the clear authority under its Statute, and extensive precedent, to negotiate directly and in-confidence with individual Member States on the establishment and application of safeguards and verification arrangements. Interference would politicise the IAEA’s independence, its mandate and technical authority, and establish a deeply harmful precedent. 

    I also want to underline that the transfer of high enriched uranium from a nuclear-weapon State to a non-nuclear-weapon State does not run counter to the NPT or its spirit. The transfer of nuclear material at any enrichment level among States Parties is not prohibited by the NPT, provided the transfer is carried out in a manner consistent with any relevant safeguards obligations. Australia’s conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarine program will be subject to a robust package of verification measures, consistent with its longstanding non-proliferation obligations. 

    Naval nuclear propulsion was indeed foreseen by the drafters of the NPT. Article 14 of the IAEA’s model Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement – on which Australia’s CSA is based – is the specific provision to support the right of states to use nuclear material in a non-proscribed military activity, including for naval nuclear propulsion, within the legal framework for safeguards implementation. 

    As we have regularly stated, under Australia’s Article 14 arrangement, the IAEA will maintain oversight of nuclear material and meet its technical safeguards objectives throughout the submarines’ lifecycle. Once the Article 14 arrangement is agreed between Australia and the IAEA Secretariat, the Director General will transmit it to the Board for ‘appropriate action’. To suggest that the Board will somehow be bypassed is false. 

    With regards to the AUKUS Naval Nuclear Propulsion Agreement, I want to underline that it reaffirms, and is consistent with, the parties’ existing non-proliferation obligations, including under the NPT. The Agreement obliges the UK and US to ensure that Australia can provide the IAEA with other information and access necessary to fulfil Australia’s obligations under its safeguards agreements with the IAEA and the future Article 14 arrangement. 

    Chair, 

    Our three countries – along with the majority of the Board – continue to oppose any proposal for this item to be a standing agenda item or any efforts that undermine and politicise the technical mandate of the IAEA. We appreciate that colleagues continue to reject deliberate attempts to undermine the Agency’s independence and integrity. 

    We will continue to engage in good faith with Member States on genuine questions. Consistent with our approach to maintaining open and transparent engagement, we will provide an update to the Board under ‘Any Other Business’ and welcome the Director General’s continued commitment to provide updates on naval nuclear propulsion, as and when he deems appropriate. 

    Thank you, Chair.

    Updates to this page

    Published 6 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    March 7, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Keen demand for housing: Govt

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The Government said today that it disagrees with an observation made in a report by S&P that there is an oversupply of residential properties in Hong Kong.

    In a statement responding to media enquiries on the S&P report issued yesterday on Hong Kong’s banks and property market, the Government pointed out that housing demand is currently keen, as the vacancy rate of private flats was 4.5% at end-2024, on par with the long-term average of the previous 20 years, while flat rentals sustained a solid increase.

    The Government said the residential property market should see stable development this year, as the city benefits from the general downtrend in interest rates, continued economic growth and talent arriving in Hong Kong.

    It also reiterated that it will continue to closely monitor market developments and strive to maintain the steady development of the residential property market in a prudent and pragmatic manner.

    Notwithstanding the uncertainties in the global macroeconomic environment, the banking sector’s credit quality and risks remain manageable, the Government stressed.

    Property lending for the Hong Kong banking system amounted to $3.4 trillion at the end of last year, accounting for about one-third of the total loans. Among property-related lending, 56% were residential mortgage loans, while 44% were loans for local property development and investment.

    Observing the fact that the overall delinquency ratio of residential mortgage loans was only 0.12% as of end-January 2025, while the delinquency ratio of residential mortgage loans in negative equity remained stable at 0.15% as of end-2024, the Government remarked that the vast majority of mortgage borrowers are able to repay their loans on time. Moreover, under the Monetary Authority’s countercyclical macroprudential measures, Hong Kong’s property market has remained stable, with an average loan-to-value ratio of 60% and a low debt-servicing ratio of around 40%.

    Following the US Federal Reserve’s interest rate cuts, major banks in Hong Kong have lowered their best lending rates by a total of 0.625% over the past year, resulting in lower mortgage rates. Residential property prices in Hong Kong have shown signs of stabilising in recent months.

    The report by S&P yesterday also expects Hong Kong’s property prices to stabilise in 2025, the Government noted.

    Separately, for local property development and investment loans, the Government said it agrees with S&P’s view that Hong Kong banks are able to manage the strains arising from the commercial real estate sector.

    As for the small and medium-sized banks mentioned in S&P’s report, the Government said those banks have been taking appropriate credit risk mitigation measures, such as collateralisation, in accordance with the Monetary Authority’s guidelines. Banks in Hong Kong also have strong capital positions and good profitability to withstand the extreme scenario of large volatility in property prices.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    March 7, 2025
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