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Category: Aviation

  • MIL-OSI USA: On Senate Floor, Shaheen Blasts Trump Administration’s Reckless Firing of FAA Personnel Critical to Aviation Safety

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen

    (Washington, DC) – On the Senate floor, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) raised concerns for public safety after the Trump Administration recklessly decided to fire hundreds of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) personnel critical to aviation safety. This week’s decision will further strain the system at a time when incidents and near-misses are at a high. Last week, Shaheen and U.S. Senator John Hoeven (R-ND) sent a bipartisan letter calling on Acting Administrator of the FAA, Chris Rochelau to urgently work with Congress to address air safety workforce staffing shortages. You can watch her remarks in full here. 

    Key Quotes:

    • “Many towers and facilities are operating buildings and on equipment that’s five, ten, even fifteen years old and when something goes wrong, they need to know there’s someone on call to fix things because lives literally depend on it. Americans need to know that the skies are secure and that their safety is a top priority.” 
    • “I think we should do everything we can to make government run efficiently and effectively. But indiscriminately freezing hiring across the board [and] pushing out thousands of civil servants makes that problem worse, not better.” 
    • “I don’t think people elected Donald Trump to dismantle this country’s air traffic control system. I think they elected him because they wanted to see inflation go down, they wanted to see their grocery prices reduced, they wanted to see help with rental costs, mortgage rates, with energy costs, and what have we seen in the weeks since Donald Trump got inaugurated? No effort to address any of those things.” 

    Full Remarks as Delivered:

    I come to the floor today to call attention to the Trump Administration’s unconscionable disregard for air safety. 

    Last month, here in Washington, we saw the deadliest commercial aviation event on U.S. soil in over 23 years.

    And while this loss of life was horrifying, it was unfortunately not unimaginable. 

    In recent years, near misses at airports across the country have increased, and the incident at DCA illustrated just how quickly these dangerous situations can take a turn for the worst. 

    Several times last year, runway incidents were narrowly avoided, due in no small part to the heroic actions of certified professional air traffic controllers who staff our towers. 

    These controllers are hardworking Americans.

    They often log six-day weeks and ten-hour days—and that’s on a good week.

    So even before this week’s misguided and, frankly, stupid—I mean, I have to say, I think it’s a stupid decision to lay off hundreds of FAA workers and air traffic controllers who have been overworked and understaffed.

    And this is not a new problem.

    We’ve known about it for years. 

    For years in Congress, we’ve been sounding the alarm about the need to invest in our air traffic control workforce.  

    In last year’s FAA reauthorization bill, we worked in a bipartisan fashion to address this issue—to support our air traffic control workforce so they can do their vital, often lifesaving jobs effectively.

    By partnering with the National Air Traffic Control Union and the FAA, we successfully adopted a new staffing method, model, staffing model, in the reauthorization bill, and they’ve been making good progress, but of course we have more work to do.

    It’s important to acknowledge that any response to the tragedy at Reagan National Airport must include a commitment to reinforce all parts of our aviation safety workforce. 

    Controllers would be the first ones to tell you that they don’t work in a vacuum. 

    The equipment they use is maintained by hundreds of dedicated support personnel who go through years of highly specialized training.

    Many towers and facilities operate in buildings and on equipment that’s five, ten, even fifteen years old, and when something goes wrong, they need to know that there’s someone on call to fix things because lives literally depend on it.

    Americans need to know that the skies are secure and that their safety is a top priority. 

    Sadly, I can’t say that the actions we’re seeing from this administration does any of that. 

    Secretary Duffy said he wants to surge air traffic controller hiring.  
     

    I agree with him on that. 

    We can and we should hire more air traffic controllers, but not at the expense of the rest of FAA’s workforce. 

    We can hire any number of air traffic controllers tomorrow, but without the dedicated support staff that make their work possible, it wouldn’t matter. 

    So how is the Administration responding to the American people’s distress over increasingly frequent close calls and, indeed crashes, sadly, like the one we saw in Toronto this week?

    Well, over the weekend this administration fired nearly 400 FAA employees, some of them in my state of New Hampshire. 

    We heard an outpouring of concern over the weekend from controllers, pilots, airlines and passengers who want to know that they’re going to be safe when they fly.

    I’m sure the Administration must be hearing this too.

    But when asked about the impact of the irresponsible and reckless effort, this is what Secretary Duffy had to say, he said and I quote, “zero critical safety personnel were let go.”

    Well, so I’m not sure I understand this. 

    We’re telling the American people that if a communications system goes down while the plane is approaching the runway, the person who knows how to get it back up and running isn’t critical?

    That if the power goes out at an en-route facility while 747s are flying overhead, the eighteen fired maintenance personnel who know how to turn the lights back on won’t be necessary?

    That the staffers who develop innovative safety and flight procedures every time there is an incident, to make sure your plane takes off on time and arrives safely, are fair game to be fired?

    Because we just lost 13 of them. 

    And to anyone who’s worried about our national security, good news: According to this administration, the FAA employees working on a classified radar system to detect cruise missiles, aren’t all that important either, and they also were fired.

    So I’m going to say that again because this administration thinks that the civil servants at the FAA’s National Airspace System Defense Program are apparently not critical to our safety. 

    None of this makes me or my constituents sleep better at night, but I bet you it makes our enemies happy. 

    The Administration has tried to defend this by saying that everyone who [they] fired was probationary.

    They’d like you to believe that these are all brand-new employees. 

    Sort of the philosophy that the last one in, is the first one out. 

    But that’s not how the system works, and it sure as heck isn’t how you keep Americans safe. 

    In fact, employees who were promoted based on stellar performance within the last year, many of them who have been with the FAA for ten or fifteen years, are also labeled as probationary employees when they start their new positions.

    So in fact, the Administration just fired some of the people with the most experience, not the least.

    And this speaks to what is a bigger problem. 

    Time and again, we’re seeing this happen with so-called “government efficiency,” in quotes, experts. 

    Listen, like most of us in this chamber, I think we should do everything we can to make government run efficiently and effectively, but indiscriminately freezing hiring across the board, pushing out thousands of civil servants, makes that problem worse, not better. 

    Last week, hundreds of employees at the National Nuclear Security Administration were fired without warning. 

    This week, the Administration is scrambling to try and hire most of them back because they didn’t realize they oversee our nuclear stockpile.

    And the Department of Energy fired more than a thousand employees, including three-quarters of the State and Community Energy Program’s office.

    Now, I don’t know if the people who are making these decisions in the Administration even know what that office does.

    But I can tell you that in New Hampshire we depend on them because they help keep weatherization programs up and running, they support emergency operations in the wake of disasters.

    And with folks in New Hampshire dealing with some of the highest home heating costs, who are worried about how they’re going to keep themselves warm this winter, and states around the country still recovering from floods and fires and winter storms, I can’t imagine why anybody would think that it’s a good idea to get rid of the people who are helping make sure those programs operate. 

    And then on Monday, we found out that dozens of USDA employees, so the Department of Agriculture, who have been working to prevent bird flu, were fired. 

    And then the White House realized what they had done, they panicked and they tried to bring them back. 

    Now that’s on top of all of the people around the globe who have been monitoring the bird flu potential epidemic—who have already been fired with the closure of the U.S. Agency for International Development.

    And just this afternoon, we heard that nearly 500 employees at the National Institute of Standards and Technology would be fired, including almost 60 percent of the CHIPS office.

    So the effort that we stood up, that this Congress stood up, to try and make sure we could compete with China, with Taiwan in the production of semiconductors, which are included in almost everything we use from our cell phones to our refrigerators to our cars, 60 percent of those people are now gone.

    So who’s going to provide that effort that we need in order to compete with China? 

    These are the staff that make sure our high-tech semiconductor manufacturing industry stays competitive. 

    Example after example shows that the firings that Elon Musk has taken credit for have not been thought through. 

    Either he’s doing it deliberately in an effort to undermine the United States or he’s doing it because he’s so ignorant he has no idea what any of these people do or what their operations do.

    Either way, it’s inexcusable. 

    I heard from a constituent this week who works, who worked, past tense, for the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department for 24 years, and she just took a job as a wildlife biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service last year. 

    Her job focused on implementing the Pittman-Robinson Wildlife Restoration Act. 

    As my colleagues on both sides of the aisle know, this involves conserving bird and wildlife habitat, hunter education and shooting ranges. 

    Its funds come not from taxpayer dollars, but from excise taxes on firearms, ammunition and archery equipment.

    And yet, her job was terminated under the guise of government efficiency. 

    She has a mortgage; she has kids in college who need health care coverage, but her main ask to me was to help put a stop to these firings and to simply help her get her job back because like most of our public servants, she cares about the mission of her work.

    Over and over, we’re seeing this administration take out irresponsible, reckless initiatives with devastating consequences for critical positions without taking a second to think through or learn about what those positions do. 

    And when things inevitably break as a result, they don’t own up to their mistakes. 

    Instead, they try to convince you that keeping the lights on at control towers or inspecting airplane engines, making plans to manage some of the busiest airspace in the country really isn’t critical to your safety. 

    Well, I don’t believe that and I don’t think you should either. 

    For the sake of the American people, we can and we must do better.

    I don’t think people elected Donald Trump to dismantle this country’s air traffic control system. 

    I think they elected him because they wanted to see inflation go down, they wanted to see their grocery prices reduced, they wanted to see help with rental costs, with mortgage rates, with energy costs and what have we seen in the weeks since Donald Trump got inaugurated?

    No effort to address any of those things. 

    All we’ve seen is an effort at retribution against his perceived enemies, at firing and undermining of services and programs within the government to serve the American people. 

    For the sake of our citizens, we must do better. 

    I’m calling on this administration to right this wrong as quickly as possible, before it’s too late. 

    I yield the floor.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: SH3 Rukuhia rebuild is flying ahead

    Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

    From Monday 24 February, both lanes of a short section of State Highway 3 (SH3) between Rukuhia Road and Narrows Road near Hamilton airport will be rebuilt and closed to southbound traffic for approximately 4 weeks.

    The rebuild work involves digging out the existing road layers and replacing them layer by layer. The road is then surfaced, swept and line marked. 

    The work will be completed 1 lane at a time. The lane not being worked on will be open to northbound traffic at all times. A 24/7 southbound detour will be in place for light vehicles via Raynes Road and State Highway 21 Airport Road, to re-join SH3, adding approximately 7 minutes to journeys between Hamilton and Te Awamutu.  

    The intersection of SH21 Airport Road and Raynes Road will be under stop/go between 7.30am and 6.00pm each weekday. 

    Any residents travelling southbound will be required to use the detour route to travel north to access their properties. We will make sure that Rukuhia Road will remain open at all times, but it will be left turn in and left turn out only. Once 1 lane is completed, work will switch to the other lane meaning that northbound traffic will stay on SH3 at all times. 

    HPMV’s, overweight and over dimension vehicles will be stacked and allowed through the worksite with the buses, however up to 30 minute delays should be expected.  

    If you are heading to the airport to catch a flight, you may want to leave a few minutes earlier as there will be additional travel time related to this worksite as well as the works at Ōhaupō Village, which are still underway. 

    These works form part of the government’s $2.07 billion investment into road and drainage renewal and maintenance across 2024-27 via the State Highway Pothole Prevention fund.  

    NZTA thanks road users for their patience.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: CN25 tests partner nations fifth-generation capability

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    This year’s main focus is the relationship of the U.S. Air Force, joint services, Japan Air Self Defense Force and Royal Australian Air Force fifth-generation aircraft and strengthening the interoperability of allies. 

    “Cope North 25 is an opportunity for the USAF, RAAF and JASDF to integrate at a level of training that you can’t accomplish anywhere else,” said U.S. Air Force Capt. Bobby Evans, 134th Fighter Squadron electronic combat pilot. “The airspace here is unrestrictive, and the amount of time we are able to spend tackling problems together is a fantastic experience.”

    CN25 marks the first year where there are F-35A Lightning IIs from all three participating nations with the U.S. Marine Corps bringing in the F-35B Lightning II. 

    The F-35A Lightning II is the coalition forces’ latest 5th generation aircraft. This specific aircraft was designed to operate with its ability to survive in a contested environment, with its advanced avionics, situational awareness, aerodynamic performance and reduced vulnerability for the United States and partner nations. 

    “The number one goal of Cope North is the integration of the F-35 tactics between the three nations, Japan, Australia and the United States,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Charles Schuck, 3rd Wing commander. “We all use the F-35, so you would think that one airplane means that we do everything the same, but that’s an assumption we have to validate.” He went on to explain that each country operates in a unique way, which is why trilateral integration exercises such as CN25 are vital. 

    With a few days left of CN25, JASDF, RAAF, USAF and other joint nations continue to sharpen aerial warfighting integration, strengthening joint integration and partnership for a free and open Indo-Pacific. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Interview – ABC Afternoon Briefing with Patricia Karvelas

    Source: Australian Ministers for Education

    PATRICIA KARVELAS: To discuss this, and there’s a whole lot more, let’s bring in our panel, Early Childhood Education Minister Anne Aly and Shadow Immigration Minister Dan Tehan. Welcome to both of you.

    MINISTER ANNE ALY: Thank you.

    DAN TEHAN: Thanks, Patricia.

    KARVELAS: We’re going to start on that. Dan, was that just a thought bubble? Because it’s unconstitutional, it’s been tested in the High Court.

    TEHAN: No, it wasn’t. I think there is a real frustration with how the system is currently working at the moment and how the courts are clogged up, how appeal after appeal is used. And I think what the Leader of the Opposition was expressing was that frustration that at some stage we are going to have a look at this.

    Now, the High Court obviously made a decision last year. So, you know, there does need to be a discussion around these issues because it would be good if we had clear rules and clear guidelines and clear laws as to how we can make sure that those people who do come to Australia do and know and understand our values and especially our laws.

    KARVELAS: But after you become a citizen shouldn’t you be dealt with by the law, and the law should deal with if you have a particular view, which, you know, is hate speech, isn’t that the law that should be dealing with it rather than just kicking people out?

    TEHAN: Well, I think what – you know, what we do need to look at is that a lot of these people have dual citizenship. And so we need to look and see, okay, if you’ve got dual citizenship and you breach your trust that the Australian people have given in you with regards to your Australian citizenship, well, if you’re a dual citizen, do you have the right to keep your Australian citizenship?

    KARVELAS: The High Court thinks yes.

    TEHAN: Well, the High Court made a decision last year. Now, obviously we can have a look at the way that they made that and the laws around that and see whether we do need to have a conversation around whether we need to change some of the laws around this and see whether if people do come here – and especially if they are dual citizens – whether we can act.

    KARVELAS: Anne Aly?

    ALY: I’m a bit – I’m a bit angry that this conversation about antisemitism has been conveniently turned into a conversation about immigration as if somehow the two are connected. I think that’s a very deliberate political ploy by Peter Dutton, who, I might add, has said that he wants to re-introduce the “golden ticket” visa, which can be bought by people with money and that we know brought in people from organised crime gangs and people of, frankly, unworthy character into Australia.

    So I would like to see us talking about the substantive issue here about hatred and the growth of hatred and the spread of hatred in our society. And when we have those conversations, not have those conversations hijacked by another conversation about immigration as if it’s only immigrants that are responsible for spreading hatred in this country. That’s what really disturbs me here, Patricia.

    KARVELAS: Anne Aly makes a point about the fact antisemitism is a lot wider than anyone who may have come to this country more recently. It is clearly a big problem. Isn’t that what you really want to deal with?

    TEHAN: Well, we have been dealing with that, and we have been appealing to the government now for a very long period of time to deal with that and deal with it right across this nation. So I don’t think you can say that all of a sudden we’ve just made this about immigration. This is an issue which the Leader of the Opposition has led the nation on in trying to rid this country of antisemitism. And it is about ridding it right across our nation, whether it be Australian citizens, whether it be dual citizens, whether it be those who are here as guests of our nation. And I don’t think that we can say all of a sudden that this has just had a narrow focus to it, because his leadership on this issue has been inspiring and outstanding. And so to just try and narrow cast it like that is completely and utterly wrong.

    KARVELAS: But Peter Dutton even questioned why a male nurse – this male nurse got citizenship. I understand that actually happened when the Morrison government was in power.

    TEHAN: Well, what Peter Dutton has said is that we do need to look as to how this has happened. And there will be –

    KARVELAS: But it did happen under –

    TEHAN: Yeah, yeah. There are incidences where this will have happened under Labor, under Liberal. But what we do need to do is look at it and say, okay, where is the system failing? How are we getting people coming into our country with these views when they’re required to take a citizenship pledge, we should be looking, okay, what do we do to try and fix this system. And that’s the point that he’s trying to make, because there is a frustration.

    KARVELAS: Anne Aly?

    ALY: I want – I just want to make this point. When you say, Dan, people coming into this country with these views, what if people are coming into this country as children – and I’m the Minister for Early Childhood, I see a lot of children, and let me tell you, they don’t – they’re not born with hate. They’re not born hating, right? People who are coming to this country may not be necessarily coming with those views. They may form those views because of this country, right?

    So what are we doing more broadly in this country to ensure that we have a society that is cohesive and that is harmonious and that we don’t tolerate hatred? When we talk about that, we talk about the concrete steps that our government has done to ensure that – the doxing laws, the hate speech laws, standing up against racism in all its forms and expressing our contempt for hatred.

    You know, I think it’s a very simplistic view to say that migrants come into Australia with a particular view and therefore that the whole situation that we’re talking about here around the increase of hatred is somehow linked to immigration.

    TEHAN: But that’s not what we’re saying. We’re saying –

    ALY: But it’s exactly what you just said.

    TEHAN: We’re saying that is one component of it. We’ve also called for a proper National Cabinet meeting to address this issue, so it can be –

    KARVELAS: Well, there was. There was one.

    TEHAN: Yes, but it was one which wasn’t done with all the chief ministers, all the leaders there, you know, everyone coming to Canberra – a proper serious discussion as to how we address this.

    KARVELAS: I have to bring our viewers on Afternoon Briefing here on the ABC News channel some breaking news: a Chinese fighter aircraft has released flares in front of an Australian military plane during what Defence describes as an unsafe and unprofessional interaction in the South China Sea this week. Officials have revealed the encounter occurred on Tuesday during daylight hours with the Peoples Liberation Army J-16 coming within 30 metres of the RAAF P-8 Poseidon. Defence says no personnel were injured and there was no damage to the P-8, but it has lodged formal objections with the PLA, both in Canberra and Beijing. So that’s just breaking news.

    I am aware – and I always think, to be fair, you would just be hearing perhaps that news too. But just quick thoughts from you both. Obviously Defence has sent a pretty strong signal here that this is unacceptable.

    TEHAN: And let’s see what sort of signal now the Prime Minister sends, because that’s what I think the Australian people will be waiting for and wanting to hear, what sort of strong signal and strong message now the Prime Minister sends. So, as we’ve seen, this is not the first time that this has occurred. So I think we will all watch with great interest to see how the Prime Minister responds to this, this act by the Chinese military.

    KARVELAS: Anne Aly?

    ALY: My first thought, of course, is relief that nobody was hurt and nobody was injured, Patricia. That’s my first – my first reaction to this news.

    KARVELAS: Do you expect the Prime Minister will have strong words?

    ALY: Absolutely. Absolutely. This is a pretty serious issue, and I absolutely expect that the Prime Minister will stand up for the Australian people, as he always has done.

    KARVELAS: Now, there is another piece of breaking news, which is that your child care bill has just passed.

    ALY: Yes.

    KARVELAS: You know this?

    ALY: Yes.

    KARVELAS: Okay, what can you tell us?

    ALY: So this is a great bill. It is good policy –

    KARVELAS: This is the three day –

    ALY: This is the Three Day Guarantee, 72 hours a fortnight for every child. What it basically does, Patricia, is it replaces the activity test, and parents out there who have tried to access subsidised care will know that they have to pass an activity test in order to be eligible to subsidise that care. It means that every child in Australia can now access those really transformative benefits of early childhood education and care. And it is good policy. It was recommended by the PC Review, a number of reviews, and has strong, strong support from across the sector. It’s a good day today for Australian children.

    KARVELAS: It didn’t have to pass now, though, did it? I mean, it really could have happened after the election. Was it a political – is it a political play –

    ALY: Well, no.

    KARVELAS: – so you can talk about this at the election and say, “We got this through,” because it doesn’t start till next year, right?

    ALY: That’s right. But, you know, it’s something that had strong support from the sector and it was a recommendation by the PC Review. You know, this is us taking action on things that we know are good policy, part of our reform package in early childhood education and care, getting to that place of a universal system that benefits every child.

    KARVELAS: Dan Tehan, you are actually a former Education Minister so you are across these portfolios. I understand at the end the Liberals were not in favour of this change. But actually it is true that there has been a lot of research to say that this change should happen to get children to have the right to have these three days compulsory. Why didn’t you see it that way?

    TEHAN: So just a question before, Patricia, I answer that question. So, are we talking about it just passing the House? Or –

    KARVELAS: I think it just passed the House –

    ALY: It passed the Senate – it’s in the Senate at the moment. So, I know – but it did pass the House earlier.

    KARVELAS: It’s going back to – yeah.

    TEHAN: Yeah, so it’s – just so your viewers are clear of where we’re at, it’s passed the House. It hasn’t passed the Senate, and it’s actually going to a Senate review which, as I understand it, will report in March. So this legislation –

    ALY: I think they’re actually voting on it in the Senate.

    KARVELAS: Yeah, my understanding is it’s passed the Parliament. But either way –

    TEHAN: Right, okay.

    KARVELAS: – I’ll let you continue with the broad political point.

    ALY: Last I saw was they were voting on it.

    TEHAN: So they are going to now go ahead? So this is sort of –

    KARVELAS: So, you can still apparently do the inquiry even if the Bill’s passed.

    TEHAN: Right, okay. All right. Well, there’s obviously been a change in the approach that the government’s taking as we’re speaking.

    KARVELAS: Let me take you to first principles.

    TEHAN: Yes, let’s go back to the Bill itself. We obviously wanted it to go to an inquiry. And the main concerns that we have with this Bill is that the actions that it’s taking, especially with regards to the activity test, without expanding the number of places, and especially the number of places in regional and rural areas, will basically mean for those people who are working or wanting to work, trying to get access to child care will become harder. And so that is one of the concerns that we have.

    The second concern is that what we’ve seen with regards to costs under this government when it comes to child care is we’ve seen the costs go up by over 20 per cent. We’ve seen out-of-pocket expenses go up by over 10 per cent and nothing around this is addressing that issue, which obviously, with cost of living the number one issue, is of deep concern to us. So for those reasons and others is why we think that this Bill should have gone to a committee.

    KARVELAS: Anne Aly?

    ALY: Well, those figures are just wrong, Dan. The cost has come down. Out-of-pocket costs for families across Australia have come down. And in terms of access, yes, we know that access is one of those key areas of reform. That’s why we have a $1 billion Building Early Education Fund targeting those seats, those areas where there is no child – early childhood education or where there is little access to early childhood education and care.

    So, you know, you’re talking to a government that’s able to chew gum and walk at the same time. We’re very well aware of all the key pieces of reform that are necessary in early childhood education and care, and only our government has that vision to ensure that every child has access and every child has access to quality, affordable early learning.

    KARVELAS: I have to ask –

    TEHAN: Anne, I was just going to say, your track record, sadly, doesn’t show that to be the case. So – and the problem here is that what we’re going to see is basically working people having to compete with new entrants now, and that’s going to cause even more trouble for you.

    KARVELAS: Now, Dan Tehan, I just have to ask you, just to you before we say goodbye – we’ve had a great conversation; it might be the last day of the Parliament of this term. We don’t know. But it’s –

    ALY: Don’t know.

    KARVELAS: Well, you don’t know. We don’t know. So, it’s rather – we’re all on the edge of our seats. But I do have to ask you about – you’re a former Trade Minister as well. You’ve had a few hats, so you’re very helpful here. Was Australia so desperate to hang on to our tariff exemption with the US that we agreed to unofficial quotas?

    TEHAN: No. No.

    KARVELAS: Well, hang on a minute. That’s been reported that that’s what we agreed to. That’s what the US Government thinks.

    TEHAN: So the arrangement was very clear. We were given an exemption, and obviously the US said to us that we wouldn’t want to see you exploit that exemption. And we had no intention of trying to exploit that exemption. The majority of our aluminium exports actually go into Asia, and that’s been a longstanding market for us.

    KARVELAS: But did we agree to these, essentially, quotas that we didn’t publicise?

    TEHAN: No, there was no – no, there was no quotas that weren’t publicised. So –

    KARVELAS: But it was agreed to then?

    TEHAN: Well, the idea – well, after the exemption, what the US wanted to make sure was all of a sudden our exports didn’t go from 10 per cent to 90 per cent. And obviously given that we were given an exemption we said that of course we’re going to make sure that that isn’t exploited, and it was never going to be exploited because the majority of our aluminium goes into our markets in the – in Asia.

    KARVELAS: So that agreement, shouldn’t we know – shouldn’t we have known about it? Shouldn’t you have told the public? Because we didn’t know about it till now.

    TEHAN: Well, it’s – there was no official agreement to tell the public about. I mean, the key thing here and the key thing that I would say to the Albanese Labor government is we worked very hard to be able to put an exemption in place which meant that our aluminium smelters here continued to be profitable and continued to be able to export aluminium into Asia, into the US.

    KARVELAS: Okay.

    TEHAN: My hope is that this government will be able to do exactly the same thing.

    KARVELAS: Anne Aly?

    ALY: Well, I think we’ve already proven as a government that we have the capacity, and we do the necessary actions to rebuild our international standing and rebuild our standing in terms of trade as well as diplomatic efforts, and I think the Australian people can be confident that this is a government that can, you know, deal with these issues. And in a transparent way.

    TEHAN: And we hope so, yes.

    KARVELAS: Well, the country hopes so. Thank you to both of you.

    TEHAN: Pleasure.

    KARVELAS: It’s been a good discussion.

    ALY: Thanks, Patricia.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: As Regional Tensions Escalate, M23 Rebel Group Advances Further in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Top UN Officials Urge Warring Parties to Restart Negotiations

    Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

    Amid rising regional tensions and the continuous advance of the 23 March Movement, or M23, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, senior UN officials told the Security Council today that the warring parties must return to the negotiating table and seriously work towards peace, while also welcoming regional efforts to resolve the conflict.

    Bintou Keita, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), noted that this session is taking place in a context marked by the election of a new President of the African Union.  Reporting that M23’s advance has continued to make progress in North and South Kivu, she said that, in two weeks, the Congo River Alliance has established a parallel administration in Goma.  On 16 February, M23 took control of Kavumu airport and Bukavu, also seizing the town of Kamanyola two days later.

    Since the taking of Goma, the Movement has prevented MONUSCO’s resupply of the troops of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Mission, and it has taken control of all roads entering and leaving the area.  Noting that MONUSCOS’s facilities — which shelter civilians seeking refuge — are under pressure and pointing to deteriorating health and hygiene conditions, she added:  “This is being used to amplify anti-MONUSCO sentiments”.  Highlighting recorded searches by M23 of hospitals and homes for soldiers and civilians that oppose the group, she also noted the increased vulnerability of girls and women to conflict-related sexual violence. 

    Further welcoming the conclusion of the joint summit of the East African Community and SADC on 8 February in the United Republic of Tanzania — which insisted on the resumption of direct negotiations and dialogue in the context of the Luanda and Nairobi processes — she added:  “It is crucial that what has been achieved won’t be lost.”

    “At the end of January, we witnessed history repeating itself worryingly,” said Huang Xia, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region, pointing to M23’s continuous advancement to strategic areas.  Stressing that the risk of regional conflagration is more real today than ever before, he called on States to prevent the undoing of efforts over the past decade.  He said that the joint summit of southern and East African leaders marks “a key step in emergence of a regional approach” for a consensus-based crisis resolution and called for merging of the Luanda and Nairobi processes.

    Highlighting the 14 February meeting of Heads of State of the African Union Peace and Security Council, he stressed that women and girls must be included in peace mechanisms.  “As catastrophic as a situation may appear today, it may grow worse,” he warned, calling for resumed dialogue and revitalization of the Addis Ababa Framework Agreement on Peace, Security and Cooperation.  Underscoring the need for a regional oversight mechanism, he added:  “It is today time to gather around the negotiation table and to candidly discuss the root causes of the conflict.”

    …

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: NZ Tourism and Law – Startling New Zealand travel warning after launch of new tourism campaign

    Source: Carter Capner Law

    As New Zealand launches a major tourism campaign targeted at Aussies with the slogan “Everyone must go”, a leading Australian travel compensation lawyer has warned travellers to “go at your own risk”.

    Director of Carter Capner Law and former national president of the Australian Lawyers Alliance Peter Carter has revealed that unlike Australia and most other developed nations, travellers to New Zealand cannot access compensation for injury or death due to the fault of someone else.

    Victims cannot hold wrongdoers accountable for injuries they encounter anywhere in New Zealand as a result of recklessness or negligence, and court claims for damages against people responsible for injuries or their insurers are prohibited.

    Mr Carter said the country has been a “legal liability free zone” since the protections were removed in the 1970s.

    “As Australians we naturally assume that because at-fault motorists, workplaces and business enterprises carry insurance and can be pursued for losses resulting from major injuries – it would be the same across the ditch.

    “But in New Zealand, careless drivers and businesses are immune from liability for the injuries they cause other people.

    “This applies to everyone and includes road accidents, recreational injuries, domestic aircraft accidents and all other situations,” he explained.

    “You have no right to compensation and no avenue to take legal action, even if you are flattened on a pedestrian crossing by a 10 tonne truck.”

    He said one woman from Queensland who suffered serious spinal injuries when a speeding car crossed on to the wrong side of the road collided with her head-on, “fought the New Zealand legal system for eight years and lost.”

    “Australia’s health system will cover you for some medical expenses on your return but you are on your own if you can’t return to full time work.”

    Mr Carter urged all travellers to New Zealand to have travel insurance but said “this stops when you set foot on the tarmac” in Australia. The only way to protect against loss of earning capacity from a NZ road accident is to take out income protection insurance before you travel.

    He said the absence of accountability in New Zealand means there is no economic incentive – like potential insurance premium hikes or lawsuits – to prevent accidents.

    “There is no safety culture and this means road and other accident rates are much higher than Australia, so Australians must visit New Zealand with that knowledge,” he said.

    About Peter Carter:

    Peter Carter is one of the most experienced lawyers in the Australasian region in the fields of aviation, tourism and travel compensation. He is a former national president of the Australian Lawyers Alliance, and was previously a director of the Civil Justice Foundation of Australia. Peter has also held the roles of Queensland president of the Aviation Law Association of Australia and New Zealand, and governor on the board of the American Association for Justice.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Expanding Next-Generation Battery Innovation Company

    Source: US State of New York

    Governor Kathy Hochul and Senator Charles Schumer today announced that BAE Systems is investing $65 million to expand operations in the Village of Endicott, Broome County. The company will add a total of 150,000 square-feet to its existing site to make way for the addition of a new battery production line and lab space, and new office space. As a result of the expansion, the company has committed to creating up to 134 good-paying jobs onsite. BAE Systems is a global defense, aerospace and security company with approximately 93,500 employees worldwide. The BAE Systems facility in Endicott designs, develops and produces a broad portfolio of safety-critical electronic systems from flight and engine controls to power and energy management systems. The company has been operational at the Huron Campus site since 2011.

    “BAE Systems’ decision to further expand its business represents yet another win for New York State and for the Southern Tier, which is laser focused on becoming a global hub for next-generation battery innovation efforts,” Governor Hochul said. “Since taking office, I have remained committed to bringing jobs back to Upstate New York. This incredibly successful company chose to grow its operations here, spurring top-quality, good-paying job creation in the region because they have seen firsthand how hardworking New Yorkers are.”

    Senator Charles Schumer said,“BAE Systems is adding 130+ good-paying jobs right here in the Southern Tier to make sure the next generation of America’s batteries are stamped ‘Made in Upstate NY.’ This $65 million expansion to add a new battery production line, research lab, and office helps show how we can bring this supply chain back from overseas, with the Southern Tier leading the way to make sure the future of battery manufacturing is manufactured in Broome County, not Beijing. BAE Systems is a vital part of the Southern Tier economy, with a world-class workforce of over 1200 people, and selecting this area for their major battery production expansion is no accident. I’m proud of the millions in federal support I’ve delivered – via the American Rescue Plan and my bipartisan CHIPS & Science Act – to the region to make it a global center for battery research and set the stage for today’s announcement. Today BAE is helping add another loop to establish this region as a core of manufacturing and innovation for America’s battery belt.”

    The project involves the expansion of BAE Systems battery production line, including the purchase and installation of machinery and equipment to efficiently produce an energy storage system for electric/hybrid electric aircraft. This facility will include an automated state-of-the-art production line, an engineering lab, and an aftermarket center, and is expected to be fully complete in 2027.

    Empire State Development is assisting the project with up to $8.5 million in performance-based Excelsior Jobs Tax Credit Program in exchange for the job creation commitments. Broome County is also providing assistance for the project.

    BAE Systems Senior Director Jim Garceau said, “This facility expansion reinforces our commitment to the Southern Tier and builds on New York State’s vision to create a regional hub for battery innovation. With this investment, we will enhance our capabilities to address the emerging needs of the next-generation hybrid/electric aircraft.”

    Bolstering Next-Generation Battery Innovation
    Governor Hochul and Senator Schumer were instrumental in the company’s decision having worked closely with company officials to ensure that the project would move ahead in New York’s Southern Tier region which is laser-focused on supporting next-generation energy efforts – a top priority for the governor and senator.

    In January 2024, the Governor and Senator announced that the U.S. National Science Foundation had designated the New Energy New York (NENY) Storage Engine as a Regional Innovation Engine (NSF Engine), which was created by the Senator’s bipartisan CHIPS & Science Law. The NENY Storage Engine, anchored at Binghamton University in the Southern Tier Region, will receive up to $15 million in federal funding for two years and up to $160 million over 10 years to establish a hub that will accelerate innovation, technology translation and the creation of a skilled workforce to grow the capacity of the domestic battery industry. Through Empire State Development, New York State will match up to 20 percent for the first five years of the project as well as provide support through established programs. The NENY Storage Engine was chosen for its diverse, cross-sector coalition that will build a leading ecosystem driving battery technology innovation, workforce development and manufacturing to support U.S. national security and global competitiveness.

    Schumer has long fought to secure federal investment to boost the Southern Tier’s battery manufacturing and R&D. In 2021, Schumer created the Build Back Better Regional Challenge in the American Rescue Plan that he led to passage as Majority Leader. The senator personally advocated for the selection of the Binghamton University-led New Energy New York’s (NENY) battery hub proposal, helping deliver a $63.7 million federal investment with a $50 million funding match from New York State. In 2023, Schumer also delivered the prestigious federal Tech Hub designation, also created by his bipartisan CHIPS & Science Law for the Binghamton University-led NENY proposal.

    Empire State Development President, CEO & Commissioner Hope Knight said, “Governor Hochul’s strategic and laser-focused support for next-generation clean energy companies accelerates this cutting-edge industry’s growing presence in New York State. BAE Systems’ expansion will create top-quality jobs and opportunities in the Southern Tier, furthering the region’s leadership in battery technology innovation.”

    New York State’s Climate Agenda
    New York State’s climate agenda calls for an affordable and just transition to a clean energy economy that creates family-sustaining jobs, promotes economic growth through green investments, and directs a minimum of 35 percent of the benefits to disadvantaged communities. New York is advancing a suite of efforts to achieve an emissions-free economy by 2050, including in the energy, buildings, transportation, and waste sectors.

    New York Power Authority President and CEO Justin E. Driscoll said, “BAE Systems has been a major driver of economic growth in Broome County, and I congratulate them on their new $65 million expansion. Thanks to strategic investments from Governor Hochul and Senator Schumer, New York has become a testbed for battery storage innovation, and NYPA will continue to support firms like BAE Systems developing cutting-edge technology and spurring economic growth with low-cost power.”

    New York State Energy Research and Development Authority President and CEO Doreen M. Harris said, “With this investment in next generation battery technology at their Broome County location, BAE Systems is supporting local jobs and strengthening the state’s clean energy supply chains, ensuring New York continues to lead the way in innovation and clean tech economic opportunity. The expansion will also advance clean transportation in the aviation industry and support NYSERDA’s efforts in research, development, and demonstration of new technologies in the energy storage sector.”

    State Senator Lea Webb said, “It’s exciting to see BAE Systems expand its next-generation battery innovation operations right here in the Southern Tier, bringing up to 134 new jobs to the Village of Endicott, ” said State Senator Lea Webb. “This investment strengthens our region’s role as a leader in clean energy technology and advanced manufacturing. I want to thank Governor Hochul for her commitment to growing our local economy and everyone who made this expansion possible. This investment not only creates new opportunities for workers but also reinforces New York’s leadership in the future of sustainable energy solutions.”

    Assemblymember Donna Lupardo said, “Years of hard work and dedication have made our area a designated hub for battery innovation and manufacturing. BAE’s expansion to include a new battery production line will further establish our community as a leader in clean-energy technology. Their work on electric/hybrid bus and aircraft battery systems are game changers for the industry and for our local workforce. I’d like to thank BAE Systems for their continued investment in our community, and the Governor and Empire State Development for their ongoing support of this important work.”

    Broome County Executive Jason Garnar said, “BAE Systems’ expansion in Endicott is another major win for Broome County, reinforcing our region’s role as leader in next-generation battery innovation while creating even more job opportunities for our community. Thank you to Governor Hochul for her continued commitment to economic growth in the Southern Tier and to BAE Systems for choosing to expand here in Broome County.”

    Village of Endicott Mayor Nick Burlingame said, “BAE Systems’ decision to expand its operations in Endicott is a testament to the strength of our community, our workforce, and our region’s commitment to innovation. This investment not only reinforces Endicott’s legacy as a hub for cutting-edge technology but also brings new opportunities for local families and businesses. We are proud to support BAE Systems as they continue to grow and shape the future of clean energy and battery innovation right here in our village. We look forward to the jobs, economic impact, and advancements this expansion will bring to Endicott.”

    For additional information about BAE Systems, visit: https://jobs.baesystems.com/global/en/.

    Accelerating Economic Development in the Southern Tier
    Today’s announcement advances the Southern Tier Strategic Plan and complements “Southern Tier Soaring” strategy by facilitating economic growth and community development. These regionally designed plans focus on attracting a talented workforce, growing business and driving next-generation innovation. More information is available here.

    About Empire State Development
    Empire State Development is New York’s chief economic development agency, and promotes business growth, job creation, and greater economic opportunity throughout the state. With offices in each of the state’s 10 regions, ESD oversees the Regional Economic Development Councils, supports broadband equity through the ConnectALL office, and is growing the workforce of tomorrow through the Office of Strategic Workforce Development.

    The agency engages with emerging and next generation industries like clean energy and semiconductor manufacturing looking to grow in New York State, operates a network of assistance centers to help small businesses grow and succeed, and promotes the state’s world class tourism destinations through I LOVE NY. For more information, please visit esd.ny.gov, and connect with ESD on LinkedIn, Facebook and X, formerly known as Twitter.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: The continued advance into DRC of M23 and the Rwandan Defence Forces is a breach of the UN charter: UK statement at the UN Security Council

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Democratic Republic of the Congo.

    I will make three points.

    First, we express our deep concern at the continued advance into DRC of the M23 and Rwandan Defence Forces. 

    This is an unacceptable violation of DRC’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and a breach of the UN Charter.

    The occupation of Bukavu is a serious escalation which heightens the risk of a wider regional conflict.

    The United Kingdom is clear that there needs to be an immediate cessation of hostilities and a return to dialogue via African-led peace processes. 

    There can be no military solution. As my Foreign Secretary has said, Rwanda must withdraw its troops.

    The UK is actively considering next steps, alongside international partners, including the possibility of a review of all UK support to Rwanda.

    Second, urgent action is needed to halt the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation. 

    The M23 and Rwandan Defence Forces’ takeover of Goma has displaced close to one million people in North and South Kivu.

    Hundreds of thousands are now in desperate need of lifesaving support. 

    Civilians, particularly women and girls, are at increased risk of violence, including sexual violence.

    We have seen harrowing reports, including of 165 women raped and many burned alive at Goma Muzenze Prison earlier this month.

    The parties to the conflict must adhere to their obligations under international humanitarian law. 

    And humanitarian access, especially via Goma airport, should urgently be restored.

    Third, MONUSCO’s freedom of movement is essential to support the protection of civilians and facilitate aid delivery. 

    Restrictions by the M23 and Rwandan Defence Forces are unacceptable.

    The parties must respect MONUSCO’s mandate, as authorised by this Council.

    The UK strongly condemns all attacks on UN peacekeepers and recalls that attacks on MONUSCO could be grounds for UN sanctions.

    President, to conclude, the UK welcomes regional efforts to secure a lasting solution to this conflict. 

    We welcome the contribution of the recent joint EAC and SADC summit and the AU PSC summit.

    We urge DRC and Rwanda to engage in good faith in existing peace processes. 

    We need to see the rapid implementation of the actions agreed at the summits, supported by urgent action by this Council.

    Updates to this page

    Published 19 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The success of the Delta Flight 4819 rescue effort highlights the need for co-ordinated responses

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Jack L. Rozdilsky, Associate Professor of Disaster and Emergency Management, York University, Canada

    The day after the Delta Flight 4819 crash on Feb. 17 at Toronto Pearson International Airport, the damaged aircraft remained on the runway as the crash investigation ramped up.

    Whether it was due to luck, skill, heroism or aircraft design, the evacuation of passengers took place quickly and everyone aboard the ill-fated flight were able to exit the plane and make it on to the tarmac.

    Post-accident investigations will provide more details about what contributed to the accident, and the strengths and weaknesses of the emergency response. But one point is already obvious: the positive outcome speaks to the importance of the institutions and expertise that keep our aviation system safe overall.

    The response

    The response to Delta Flight 4819 air crash was an example of just how important inter-agency collaboration is in emergency response.

    Within minutes of the crash, not only were the airport’s firefighters on the scene to douse any flames and assist with the rescue of passengers, but other agencies were already providing aid. Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services sent six vehicles to the airport as part of the mutual aid effort.

    The news conference following the accident involving Delta Flight 4819 at Toronto Pearson Airport.

    Ornge, Ontario’s air ambulance system, also sent multiple units to the scene to help transport injured passengers to hospitals, aiding Peel Region paramedics who were also triaging passengers.

    Multiple agencies collaborated to save lives. This collaboration in emergency response isn’t developed on the fly, but instead follows a highly choreographed and practised set of plans.

    Both the airport and partner agencies maintain air crash emergency response plans that lay out the details of how help will be requested, where aid will arrive and how to scale up the response as needed.

    Preparation facilitates response

    A primary reason the air crash response worked so well was preparation. An important component of preparation at airports is regularly testing response plans and operations with specialized full-scale mock disaster exercises.

    In these exercises, airport response personnel work through scenarios that simulate emergencies. Real emergency equipment is tested, volunteer victims participate in search-and-rescue scenarios and theatrical make-up is even used to simulate injuries.

    These exercises serve multiple purposes, including increasing familiarity with the plan for responders and creating real challenges that will help to find any potential weaknesses in the plan before a real event.

    Practice saves lives

    Another less desirable way responses can be improved is for an actual disaster to happen. Actual air crash disasters force plans to be activated, require response actions to be taken, and — ideally — foster adaptive learning through hard-won experience.

    According to data from the Aviation Safety Network, there have been 23 aircraft accidents at or near Pearson Airport since 1939. As a testament to safety at Pearson, no casualties occurred in 18 of those 23 accidents.

    One past significant Pearson crash with no casualties is especially relevant to revisit now. In August 2005, Air France Flight 358 rolled off the runway during landing and caught fire.

    All 309 people on board evacuated and survived. An organizational analysis of the 2005 accident highlighted that the crash investigation report “praised the seamless tracking of events and communication between the parties involved” in response.

    Twenty years later, and Pearson CEO Deborah Flint said the crew, airport emergency workers and first responders mounted a “textbook response” to the Delta incident.

    An investigation begins

    While the immediate response may have been over fairly quickly after passengers were successfully evacuated, the mutual aid and collaboration between agencies will continue in the months ahead.

    The Transportation Safety Board (TSB) has already launched an investigation into the incident. The cockpit voice and flight data recorders have been retrieved from the wreckage, a key aspect in what will be a slow and methodical investigation.

    The integrity of the investigation depends on strong institutions and trust in experts. In the context of air crashes, lessons learned from these investigations are critical to improving airline procedures for maintaining safety, creating better regulation to avoid accidents in the first place and ensuring emergency systems are well prepared.

    Safety in aviation

    According to the most recent TSB data, the 2023 overall air transportation accident rate of 2.8 per 100,000 aircraft movements is among the lowest recorded by the federal agency since it began measuring in 2004.

    Within the first 24 hours after the Delta crash, a pivot from the emergency response phase to the investigation phase took place.

    It’s far too early to speculate on what the ultimate cause of the accident may have been. While learning about what contributed to the crash of Delta Flight 4819 is important, we can also seek comfort in the fact that air travel in Canada continues to be a safe activity for passengers.

    Jack L. Rozdilsky receives support for research communication and public scholarship from York University. He also has received research support from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.


    – ref. The success of the Delta Flight 4819 rescue effort highlights the need for co-ordinated responses – https://theconversation.com/the-success-of-the-delta-flight-4819-rescue-effort-highlights-the-need-for-co-ordinated-responses-250211

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New Orleans Man Guilty of Commodity Exchange Act Violation

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS, LA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced today that MICHAEL BRIAN DEPETRILLO, (“DEPETRILLO”), age 43, from New Orleans, pled guilty on February 18, 2025 to violating the Commodity Exchange Act, in violation of Title 7, United States Code, Section 13(a). DEPETRILLO faces up to ten (10) years imprisonment, up to three (3) years of supervised release, up to a $1,000,000.00 fine, plus the amount of any proceeds, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.

    According to court documents, DEPETRILLO was not properly registered as a Commodity Pool Operator (“CPO”) or an Associated Person (“AP”) of a CPO with the United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”). DEPETRILLO, through various companies including, Meteor, LLC; NOLA FX Capital Management, LLC; ELC Enterprise Solutions, LLC; and Argosapolis, LLC, acted as a CPO and AP of a CPO and embezzled client funds in violation of federal law.     DEPETRILLO, while acting as an AP of unregistered CPOs, represented to victim investors that their funds would be pooled and invested in the NOLA FX FUND, that, in turn, would be used to trade foreign currency pairs on a leveraged, margined, or financed basis (“retail forex”).

    DEPETRILLO told investors that pooling their funds would be beneficial to them.  DEPETRILLO further represented, to certain investors, that either METEOR or NOLA FX CAPITAL managed the NOLA FX FUND.  In at least one representation, however, DEPETRILLO identified “NOLA FX Capital,” not the NOLA FX FUND, as the pooled investment vehicle.  DEPETRILLO lured investors by claiming he was investing their funds by trading in the foreign currency exchange, gold futures options, stocks, and cryptocurrency.  Instead of trading as promised, DEPETRILLO misappropriated pool funds.  DEPETRILLO then used these misappropriated pool funds to pay approximately $3,700,000 in “returns” to prior investors; approximately $575,000 on his own personal investments; approximately $425,000 on rent; approximately $200,000 on private air travel; and approximately $300,000 on online gambling, among other personal expenses.  To conceal DEPETRILLO’s misappropriation, he created and issued fictitious account statements in the names NOLA FX FUND and NOLA FX CAPITAL.  The fictitious account statements purported to show that: (1) DEPETRILLO had traded forex using pool participant funds, and (2) the NOLA FX FUND and NOLA FX CAPITAL had achieved significant trading returns for pool participants because of his profitable forex trading.  In fact, DEPETRILLO never deposited pool participant funds into trading accounts belonging to NOLA FX FUND or NOLA FX CAPITAL, and he never achieved the trading returns represented on the false account statements.  DEPETRILLO also did not set up the forex pool in the manner required by the regulations, did not receive pool participant funds in the name of the forex pool, and commingled pool participant funds with his own funds.  DEPETRILLO took in approximately $9.2 million in investor funds from approximately 55 victim investors during a seven-year period.

    Sentencing in this matter is scheduled for May 25, 2025, before United States District Judge Jay C. Zainey.

    The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”).  The FBI is seeking information that may help identify potential victims of DEPETRILLO’s fraudulent scheme.  FBI encourages the public to report any information to http://fbi.gov/depetrillovictims.

    The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Kathryn McHugh of the Financial Crimes Unit and Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Canadian flight attendants are pushing for fair ground pay amid union negotiations

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Kenneth Haggett, Master’s Student, Women and Gender Studies, Saint Mary’s University

    Canadian flight attendants and their union, CUPE’s airline division, have faced chronic workplace issues for the past four decades. Notably, their union has been pushing the federal government and airlines for equitable pay since 2022.

    A key development came in June 2024 when Conservative MP Lianne Rood proposed Bill C-409 to the House of Commons, which would compensate attendants for training and ground time, which includes tasks like aircraft preparation, boarding, deplaning and safety demonstrations.

    However, the Conservative Party of Canada did not consult with CUPE’s airline division in tabling Bill C-409, and CUPE has expressed their uncertainty regarding the Conservative Party’s support.

    In October 2024, NDP MP Bonita Zarrillo tabled Bill C-415, which goes further by requiring attendants to be paid for all hours worked at their full rate of pay. CUPE and the NDP Party have collaborated to push for this bill.

    The issue of unpaid ground time first gained media attention in May 2022 but has been a long-standing concern among flight attendants.

    Industry labour issues

    Flight attendants in Canada work approximately 35 uncompensated hours per month, according to CUPE Airline Division President Wesley Lesosky.

    Attendants are only paid while the aircraft is in the air, meaning ground tasks and delays are unpaid. Flight attendants may work a 10- to 12-hour shift, but only be paid for six to eight hours.

    In the past, attendants were compensated well enough to cover ground duties, but stagnant wages and the current cost-of-living crisis in Canada have left attendants poorly compensated.

    Though the union primarily focuses on organizational inequities resulting in unpaid ground time, flight delays are a major cause of such extended, unpaid hours by prolonging attendants’ duty time.

    While some negotiations have been reported between airlines and the union, such as Air Transat and Air Canada, few deals have been made, leaving flight attendants uncompensated for ground duties.

    Unions mobilize against unpaid ground time

    To call public attention to the issue, the union staged demonstrations in April 2023 and May 2024.

    While the union has sought to avoid taking strike measures — likely due to non-strike provisions in collective agreements — it could legally take job action after March 31 if negotiations fail. Union members could then vote to strike.

    CUPE’s airline division began to renegotiate union agreements with Air Canada in mid-December, ahead of the March 2025 contract expiration. The union’s primary focus is to make better bargains with employers surrounding unpaid ground time. Ideally, new agreements would compensate flight attendants for all hours worked, not simply time spent in the air.

    A Feb. 3 update from the union reveals that, while negotiations are steadily progressing, the process remains lengthy and complex. To strengthen its position, the union has commissioned legal and research professionals to aid in the negotiation of benefits, pensions, wage increases and scheduling changes, among others.

    As sociologists focusing on labour relations, we conducted a literature review on historical trends within the Canadian airline industry, digging deeper into structural issues leading to unpaid ground time.

    Our research has found that the neoliberal shifts of the 1980s are a major determinant of attendants’ deteriorating working conditions. Over time, rising corporate austerity has placed attendants’ wages on the back burner.

    Structural roots of unpaid ground time

    The issue of unpaid ground time is not an isolated issue in the airline industry, but a byproduct of broader economic and labour trends.

    Our findings highlight how neoliberal economic policies — particularly the wave of deregulation and privatization in the 1980s — have strengthened corporate power while weakening unions’ bargaining capacity.

    Founded in 1948, Canada’s first flight attendant union, the Canadian Air Line Flight Attendants’ Association (CALFAA), focused on addressing attendants’ health, safety and wage concerns.

    But with the neoliberal push to deregulate and privatize the industry, CALFAA’s challenges were amplified. In response, CALFAA voted to merge with CUPE — Canada’s leading union — to extend their influence, becoming CUPE’s airline division.

    Yet the growing emphasis on corporate profit continues to erode union power to secure and maintain fair pay and equitable workplace standards. Bargaining processes have become increasingly difficult, with arbitrators often favouring corporate interests.

    State-imposed anti-strike provisions from previous years have curtailed unions’ ability to strike against unfair conditions. Successful airline lobbying has also threatened workplace safety, as indicated in a 2015 case of pilot duty time.

    As airlines continue to compete in a “race to the bottom” to minimize expenses and maximize profit, flight attendants continue to face unpaid labour issues. Federally supported through bailouts and bankruptcy protections, airlines have been pandered to at the expense of airline workers.

    A lack of state and corporate response to the issue at hand indicates the prioritization of austerity over Canadian flight attendants’ financial well-being. Without meaningful policy changes, key issues like unpaid ground time will remain chronically neglected.

    Looking ahead

    Though unpaid ground time is presented as the major issue within the workplace, the extensive, unpaid labour required of flight attendants can lead to poorer mental health, chronic fatigue and other health concerns that pose risks due to their impact on attendants’ ability to perform safety duties.

    With contract negotiations underway, CUPE’s airline division has an opportunity to push for better working conditions and pay structures that reflect all hours worked.

    Canadian airlines must address the issue of unpaid labour and, ultimately, implement more equitable workplace standards for flight attendants.

    Whether airlines and the federal government will indeed act on these demands remains to be seen. Yet the growing pressure from unions and political figures suggests the fight for fair pay is far from over.

    Lauren Cormier, an undergraduate student in sociology at Trent University, co-authored this article.

    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. Canadian flight attendants are pushing for fair ground pay amid union negotiations – https://theconversation.com/canadian-flight-attendants-are-pushing-for-fair-ground-pay-amid-union-negotiations-238959

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Security: California Man Who Molested Teen on Flight Sentenced to Two Years in Prison

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

    Seattle – A 42-year-old Los Angeles County, California man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to two years in prison for abusive sexual contact aboard an aircraft enroute to Seattle from Burbank, California, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Justin Baker was arrested March 14, 2024, when the Alaska Airlines plane arrived at SEA.  Baker has been in custody since the jury returned its guilty verdict on October 23, 2024.  At sentencing U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour imposed the maximum sentence allowed by law saying, “I was particularly struck by the candor of the victim and her bravery in testifying.”

    “This was a calculated and predatory sexual assault on an 18-year-old girl,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Miller. “Mr. Baker underestimated the victim’s strength in testifying, as well as the commitment we have in the Western District of Washington to hold these aircraft offenders accountable.”

    According to records filed in the case and testimony at trial, Baker was in the middle seat, with the victim seated to his right next to the wall of the plane. Baker learned the victim was preparing to go to college and was just 18 years old. According to testimony at trial, Baker showed the teen sexually explicit text messages he had on his phone and then draped his jacket over his lap as well as her lower body. The victim attempted to move away from Baker and closer to the wall. He reached under the jacket and groped her leg. Despite the victim saying “No” and moving away when he first tried to touch her, he continued to grope her genitals over her clothing. Then he reached into her top and groped her breast

    Ultimately, the victim got out of her seat to contact the flight crew. As she tried to pass by Baker, he groped her buttocks and pulled her back down into her seat. Ultimately the victim was able to leave and report the assault.

    Speaking in court today, Assistant United States Attorney Grace Zoller said Baker, “treated the victim like an object… He dehumanized her.”

    The victim shared how the assault has “shattered the trajectory of her life.” She told the court about anxiety around airports and flying, and how her family and loved ones “have watched me change in ways I have never imagined.” Her goal she said is to “hold Baker accountable.”

    Judge Coughenour said he was imposing the maximum two-year sentence because of the “seriousness of the crime, the harm to the victim and the danger (Baker) poses to the community.”

    When released from prison, Baker will be on five years of federal supervision and will be required to register as a sex offender.

    The case was investigated by the FBI and the Port of Seattle Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kristine Foerster and Grace Zoller.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: International Day for Commemorating Air Crash Victims and their Families 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    AAIB remembers all those affected by air accidents

    Thursday, 20th February 2025 is the International Day Commemorating Air Crash Victims and Their Families.

    Recent events in the USA, South Korea, Brazil and Kazakhstan remind us of the impact these events have on the loved ones of those involved.

    Our dedicated team remains committed to conducting thorough and independent investigations, working to improve aviation safety and prevent future accidents.

    We acknowledge the profound impact these events have on families and will continue to ensure they are treated with respect and are kept informed throughout our investigation process.

    Updates to this page

    Published 19 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: NUWC Division, Keyport embraces wartime readiness culture

    Source: United States Navy

    Led by NUWC Division, Keyport wartime readiness director Troy Kelley and chief logistician Wendy Kierpiec, the WRAT is focused on ensuring the command’s ability to anticipate and respond to warfighter needs across the entire spectrum of operations, from peacetime to active conflict. Its goal is to achieve initial operational capability for wartime readiness by Sept. 30, 2025.

    The team includes senior command leaders, technical experts from each department, and advisory and ad-hoc members with specialized subject matter expertise. Its work is part of a broader effort to shift the Navy’s focus from peacetime efficiency to wartime effectiveness, driven by the need to counter the growing potential for military and economic challenges from China between now and 2027, a period known as the “Davidson window.”

    This period takes its name from Adm. Phil Davidson, former commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, who warned, in testimony to Congress four years ago, about the potential for China to take action against Taiwan by 2027.

    Kelley elaborated on the need to adopt a posture of wartime effectiveness.

    “Everything we [currently] do is about return on investment: How can we produce more with less and be the most efficient organization out there,” said Kelley. “When you get into a time of conflict, that measure flips the opposite way. Effectiveness becomes your measure.”

    To drive this shift, the WRAT has been developing wartime response plans, identifying and addressing readiness gaps, improving command communication, and establishing a crisis response center to coordinate and respond to wartime-related activities.

    Kierpiec, who developed the command’s wartime concept of operations and crisis response posture, emphasized the importance of being prepared for any scenario and the need for a flexible, adaptable response plan.

    “We haven’t had to tackle in so many decades, and since the end of the Cold War, we’ve downsized a lot of our military resources,” said Kierpiec. “As a result, we’re building the airplane as we’re flying it—we’re still figuring things out and developing our plans and processes in real time, which can be difficult, but it’s also an opportunity for us to be innovative and adaptable in our approach.”

    Kierpiec stressed the need to prepare for various wartime scenarios, including communication disruptions, damage or destruction to military assets, and contested environments where commercial transportation and shipping may be restricted, necessitating the use of other means to deploy personnel. She added that these challenges would likely be particularly pronounced in the context of a war in the Indo-Pacific Command area of operation, given its distance from Keyport.

    “We’ve got approximately 7,000 nautical miles between Keyport and the Straits of Taiwan,” said Kierpiec. “How do we overcome that from a logistics perspective? What’s the communication flow? Who would we be getting direction and orders from? How can we still provide our expertise to support the problem from stateside? Or should we be sending someone out there, and how do we get them out there? Do we have to get them on a military transport aircraft? Are they prepared to go in theater?”

    These are among the many questions the WRAT has been actively working to address through planning, exercises and drills.

    Held monthly in the CRC, the drills use realistic wartime scenarios to assess and refine the team’s communication strategies, response times and logistical capabilities. To simulate real-world conditions, they are unannounced and involve the use of secure communication channels and classified networks.

    Common scenarios include responding to an attack on a naval vessel, providing emergency repairs to a damaged ship, and supporting a large-scale military operation in a contested or degraded environment.

    Each of the command’s departments is represented during these drills, with key personnel assuming the roles of watch stander, battle watch captain and assistant battle watch captain. The watch stander monitors and reports on the command’s crisis response efforts, while the battle watch captain oversees the crisis response and provides strategic guidance, and the assistant battle watch captain supports the battle watch captain as needed.

    The team must work together to assess the situation, develop a response plan and allocate resources as needed. It is evaluated on its ability to collaborate, make decisions quickly and decisively, and communicate effectively both internally and with higher headquarters.

    Jeff Kistler, head of NUWC Division, Keyport’s Information Technology Support Services Branch, and Amy Abbott, the command’s emergency management officer, have been instrumental in establishing and maintaining the CRC. Kistler oversees its IT infrastructure, while Abbott manages its operational and procedural aspects.

    “We’ve spent hundreds of hours developing things that make us as lethal and prepared as possible,” said Abbott. “We’ve spent a lot of time really pulling apart the nuts and bolts of our processes. We’ve developed standard operating procedures, directives and desk guides, and we’ve developed them in such a way that anybody could walk in, sit at a departmental desk, open the book from page one and know what they’re doing without guidance.”

    Kistler stressed the CRC’s vital role in enabling the command to quickly respond to and support naval operations in real-world scenarios.

    “If we’re in a wartime scenario and there are casualties out in the fleet, we may be called upon to help get that ship back into the fight,” said Kistler. “[Providing that type of support] takes a lot of knowledge of what Keyport does, and that’s the kind of expertise that our personnel in the room collectively bring to the table.”

    Effective communication is crucial in such situations, and to this end, Kistler is tasked with ensuring the command’s communication systems are robust and reliable. This involves developing redundant communication paths, planning for continuity of operations in the event of disruptions or outages, and identifying and mitigating single points of failure in the CRC’s command and control systems.

    A key aspect of wartime readiness is the ability to anticipate ways in which one may need to pivot and redirect resources to address emerging priorities and gaps.

    “To support wartime efforts, we need to be able to pivot and change the way we conduct our business, prioritize our business and increase the tempo of our operations,” said Bryan Duffey, head of NUWC Division, Keyport’s Enterprise Systems Engineering Division and WRAT team lead for his division’s parent unit, the Fleet Readiness Department. “We need to be able to redirect resources to reinforce priority areas, increase op tempo areas, or leverage other technical capabilities and skills to fill emerging gaps.

    Duffey is responsible for ensuring his department is prepared to support the fleet during wartime. In the event of a conflict, this support would involve providing expeditionary repair capabilities and technical expertise for ship and submarine maintenance and repair.

    Among Kierpiec’s top priorities is identifying and addressing NUWC Division, Keyport’s readiness gaps and pivot points. The latter are capabilities the command has today that might need to be expanded or accelerated to support the warfighter.

    One pivot point of particular interest is NUWC Division, Keyport’s additive manufacturing capability.

    “We have a pretty a robust infrastructure in place for that,” said Kierpiec. “How would we respond to a request to do additive manufacturing for potentially a different customer? Maybe we get asked to make helicopter blades because [another customer] cannot for some reason. How could we rise to that occasion?”

    Wartime readiness gaps often stem from the challenges of operating in a contested or denied environment. These can include disruptions to communications and logistics, limited access to transportation and the need for rapid technical support to address emerging fleet requirements.

    According to program analyst Havalah Noble, WRAT team co-lead for the Unmanned and Theater Undersea Warfare Systems Department, the command is on track to meet its wartime readiness goals.

    “I feel like Keyport is ready and we will meet the NAVSEA and Navy goals of the Davidson window of 2027,” said Noble. “We’re perpetuating a culture of readiness now and there is urgency and dedication and vigilance in the practice, and it is important that we continue to do this work.”

    Command policy officer Melissa Berry, who oversees policy for the WRAT, agrees.

    “I think the clarity coming down from the Chief of Naval Operations and from NAVSEA on what we’re trying to accomplish, has really resonated with the team and provided a sense of urgency,” Berry said. “I am optimistic that come 2027, we will be in a strong place.”

    But the real goal of the 2027 target is not to get ready for war, but to make war unnecessary.

    “We want to demonstrate that our Navy is prepared to fight a war in 2027, but obviously our goal is to not have to do that,” said Jack Smith, lead exercise planner for the Naval Sea Systems Command’s Warfighting Readiness Directorate and a WRAT team lead for the Undersea Weapons Department. “We want to demonstrate the strength and the capability, so that potential enemies decide that 2027 is not when they want to fight a war.”

    Abbott emphasized the importance of wartime preparedness not just at work, but also at home.

    “We need to be thinking not only about how we support our warfighters who are out there on the water, but also how we support our brothers, our sisters, our husbands, our wives and other family members out there,” said Abbott. “This means being prepared at home, having discussions with our families, and having a plan in place, so that we can take care of our loved ones and be the best asset we can be for our warfighters in a time of crisis.”

    Abbott recommends having an emergency kit, establishing local emergency contacts, drafting powers of attorney for children’s care, and planning for how to manage everyday responsibilities such as school schedules and childcare in the event of a crisis.

    For additional resources and guidance on emergency preparedness, visit Ready.gov.

    Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Keyport is headquartered in the state of Washington on the Puget Sound, about 10 miles west of Seattle. To provide ready support to Fleet operational forces at all major Navy homeports in the Pacific, NUWC Division, Keyport maintains detachments in San Diego, California and Honolulu, Hawaii, and remote operating sites in Guam; Japan; Hawthorne, Nevada; and Portsmouth, Virginia. At NUWC Division, Keyport, our diverse and highly skilled team of engineers, scientists, technicians, administrative professionals and industrial craftsmen work tirelessly to develop, maintain and sustain undersea warfare superiority for the United States.

    Are you ready to join one of the largest and most dynamic employers in Kitsap County? We are continually hiring engineers, scientists and other STEM professionals—as well as talented experts in business, finance, logistics and support roles—so if you are eager to be at the forefront of undersea research and development, we want you on our team. Explore our exciting job opportunities at nuwckeyport.usajobs.gov and take the first step toward building your career at NUWC Division, Keyport.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: MEF Unveils NaaS Network APIs for an AI-Driven Economy and Application-Led Connectivity

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LOS ANGELES, Feb. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — MEF a global industry association of enterprises and network, cloud, security, and technology providers accelerating enterprise digital transformation, today announced its NaaS Network APIs. As applications increasingly rely on APIs to optimize quality of experience, MEF – working with GSMA, CAMARA and its members – is enabling an AI-driven economy where applications can dynamically request and adjust network performance on demand.

    These capabilities will be demonstrated at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2025, March 3-6 in Barcelona, Spain, as part of the GSMA Open Gateway Showcase. MEF, along with industry leaders Colt and Orange will present a Quality on Demand (QoD) demonstration leveraging open-source CAMARA APIs to enable real-time, automated network interactions.

    Traditionally, network performance was managed manually or through static configurations, limiting adaptability. As enterprises increasingly rely on AI, real-time analytics, and immersive technologies, networks must evolve to meet shifting demands. MEF’s NaaS Network APIs, in combination with GSMA Open Gateway and CAMARA APIs, enable applications to intelligently adjust network resources on demand—paving the way for a new era of adaptive, automated connectivity.

    “NaaS Network APIs are a significant step forward in MEF’s API strategy, enabling new opportunities for AI enabled applications, real-time automation, and secure service delivery across wired and wireless networks,” said Pascal Menezes, CTO, MEF. “By integrating open-source CAMARA APIs with MEF standards, enterprises and developers can dynamically program the network, ensuring that edge-native applications—from autonomous vehicles to AI-powered real time analytics—operate with reliable performance and security. This is a major milestone in advancing NaaS with AI, automation, and cybersecurity at its core.”

    At MWC 2025’s GSMA Open Gateway Showcase, the QoD demonstration with MEF, Colt, and Orange will highlight how edge-native applications can seamlessly interact with both mobile and fixed-line networks to dynamically provision resources. The demo features a converged approach to network quality, with Orange’s 5G Quality on Demand capability optimizing mobile network performance, and Colt’s On-Demand NaaS platform ensuring dynamic service quality across the core backbone network. By leveraging CAMARA APIs, MEF standards and software defined networking, the application intelligently provisions and adjusts network resources in real time, enabling adaptive, cross-domain connectivity for a wide range of use cases, including AI, cloud gaming, tele-robotics, and Industry 4.0 applications.

    Henry Calvert, Head of Networks, GSMA, said: “Through this showcase MEF, Colt and Orange are bringing to life the benefits that open QoD APIs can deliver. By integrating QoD APIs, enterprise developers can enhance a whole range of digital services from online gaming and entertainment streaming through to powering smart mobility, beyond line of sight aviation and industry 4.0. However, for these services to gain strong adoption around the world, it’s vital that the mobile ecosystem unifies behind a common approach, as we’re seeing here, through the GSMA Open Gateway and CAMARA initiative.”

    Mirko Voltolini, VP Technology and Innovation, Colt Technology Services, said, “Our technology demonstration with MEF and Orange is a powerful example of collaboration driving innovation and pushing boundaries. It paves the way for a more integrated and effortless service experience for our customers as we embrace the Digital AI Era.” 

    Emmanuel Rochas, CEO Orange Wholesale International, said, “Combining MEF APIs and CAMARA APIs unleashes the potential of Fixed and Mobile network convergence, enabling any application to seamlessly and transparently switch between the two networks.
    This ‘Quality on Demand’ use case applies to SD-WAN design for businesses, supports many other use cases where managing quality is required in order to deliver the right level of service. This project reinforces our commitment to providing our customers with a seamless user experience across our networks, in a federated approach with our peers.  Our NaaS offering, Click, is a key part of this approach and is already embraced by our customers.”

    Experience MEF’s NaaS Network APIs in action at MWC 2025 in the GSMA Open Gateway Showcase to see how innovative network APIs are shaping the future of AI, automation, and edge-native applications. For more information about MEF visit www.mef.net.

    About MEF
    MEF is a global consortium of enterprises and service, cloud, cybersecurity, and technology providers collaborating to accelerate enterprise digital transformation. It delivers standards-based frameworks, services, technologies, APIs, and certification programs to enable Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) across an automated ecosystem. MEF is the defining authority for certified Lifecycle Service Orchestration (LSO) business and operational APIs and Carrier Ethernet, SASE, SD-WAN, Zero Trust, and Security Service Edge (SSE) technologies and services. MEF’s Global NaaS Event (GNE) convenes industry leaders building and delivering the next generation of NaaS solutions. For more information about MEF, visit MEF.net and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter. 

    Media Contact:
    Melissa Power
    MEF
    pr@mef.net

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Lufthansa plans own ground services at Munich Airport

    Source: Lufthansa Group

    Lufthansa plans to handle part of the flights of Lufthansa Group Airlines at Munich Airport itself later this year. A potential 100% acquisition of Swissport Losch GmbH & Co. KG at the Munich location from the current shareholders, Swissport Cargo Services Deutschland GmbH and Losch Airport Service München GmbH, could further enhance operational stability and reliability for Lufthansa Group Airlines’ customers.

    The acquisition is particularly subject to the granting of a license, the commercial agreement, and the approval of the relevant antitrust authorities. With this strategic letter of intent, Lufthansa is underscoring its commitment to the Munich location. As part of the planned takeover, Lufthansa intendeds to retain the jobs of the employees at Swissport Losch GmbH & Co. KG and to offer them long-term prospects. As part of the planned transaction, the existing shareholders will continue to provide advice on the development of self-handling.  

    “Securing jobs at Munich Airport and further developing the travel experience for our customers are of great importance to Lufthansa. Swissport Losch is a strong company with a long-standing partnership with Lufthansa. The company has outstanding employees who are characterized above all by their professionalism, commitment and service quality,” says Jens Ritter, CEO Lufthansa Airlines and Hub Manager Munich. 

    “The future of Swissport Losch and its employees in Munich is very important to us. We are pleased that we can offer our employees a secure future with this perspective,” says Marc Losch, CEO LOSCH Airport Service. 

    “We are proud to support Lufthansa in the transition to their self-handling setup on the basis of our long-term partnership with the Lufthansa Group at Munich Airport. Our global expertise, particularly at major aviation hubs, will contribute to the operational stability and the takeover of Swissport Losch by Lufthansa provides exciting prospects for Munich’s talented ground service professionals,” says Warwick Brady, President & CEO of Swissport International. 

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Civilians at breaking point in eastern DR Congo warns top aid official, in call to resume talks

    Source: United Nations 2

    Peace and Security

    As the Security Council prepared to gather on Wednesday to debate the international community’s response to the growing emergency in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the UN’s top aid official there urged all warring parties to allow lifesaving relief supplies to reach the most vulnerable.

    “The rapid and uninterrupted expansion of the conflict, particularly in South Kivu province, continues to inflict a heavy toll on the civilian population,” said UN humanitarian coordinator for DRC, Bruno Lemarquis. “The population can no longer continue to pay such a heavy price for a conflict that continues to spread and now threatens the stability of the entire region.”

    The veteran aid official’s appeal came as yet more vulnerable people reportedly fled combat zones amid advancing and heavily armed Rwanda-backed M23 rebels. On Sunday the opposition fighters took control of Bukavu – the second major eastern DRC city to fall, in a matter of weeks.

    “It is imperative to put an end to the confrontations” and resume dialogue, Mr. Lemarquis insisted, as he echoed concerns stressed by the UN Secretary-General that the continuing M23 offensive threatens regional stability.

    For aid teams who remain committed to helping vulnerable and hard-to-reach communities impacted by the fighting, Mr. Lemarquis signalled that the most urgent priorities include reopening airports for humanitarian flights in Goma – capital of North Kivu and Kavumu in South Kivu, both now controlled by M23.

    ‘Tense’ situation in Bukavu

    The security situation in Bukavu remains tense, according to the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, which also reported that commercial boats have resumed services on Lake Kivu between Bukavu and Goma.

    Humanitarian partners have also reported widespread looting in various part of Bukavu over the weekend, including a UN World Food Programme warehouse containing 7,000 tonnes of supplies.

    “Several churches and collective centres in Bukavu are reportedly hosting displaced people,” OCHA noted in an update, adding that humanitarian assessment activities resumed on Tuesday “and will continue tomorrow as conditions permit”.

    In addition to the urgent need for humanitarian supply flights, the UN aid coordinator urged respect for international law regarding the rights of internally displaced people (IDPs). Just last week, relief agencies expressed concern at a 72-hour ultimatum issued by M23 representatives to IDPs in Goma who were told to go back to their villages.

    “Any return can only take place on a voluntary basis, under safe, dignified and sustainable conditions, in accordance with international principles,” Mr. Lemarquis explained.

    Neutrality at core of mission

    The UN aid coordinator also insisted that relief teams’ “sole mission” was to provide vital assistance and protection to the most vulnerable, “wherever they may be…This action is guided by the humanitarian principles of neutrality, impartiality, humanity, and independence, without taking sides or engaging in political considerations.”

    The DRC emergency is one of the most complex humanitarian crises in the world; it follows decades of clashes between the Congolese armed forces and various non-State armed groups, widespread human rights violations and sexual violence.

    Humanitarian needs are staggering and not just in eastern DRC, according to the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, which noted that seven million people within the country are displaced and more than one million have sought asylum beyond the country’s borders.

    Most of these refugees are hosted by Angola, Burundi, the Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda, Tanzania and Zambia. At the same time, the DRC – a country seven times the size of Germany – also hosts more than half a million refugees and asylum-seekers.

    This latest crisis in DRC’s east has already uprooted hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people in a matter of weeks. Between 10 and 15,000 people have now crossed into neighbouring Burundi in a matter of days.

    “UNHCR urgently calls for increased support to assist refugees and prevent further suffering,” it said in an online appeal. “We also urge an immediate end to hostilities in eastern DRC to prevent more displacement and civilian harm.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI: Gevo to Report Fourth Quarter 2024 Financial Results on March 6, 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ENGLEWOOD, Colo., Feb. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Gevo, Inc. (NASDAQ: GEVO) announced today that it will host a conference call on March 6, 2025, at 4:30 p.m. ET (2:30 p.m. MT) to report its financial results for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2024.

    To participate in the live call, please register through the following event weblink:
    https://register.vevent.com/register/BIfe02700a31384d12946e60bf35964cb8

    After registering, participants will be provided with a dial-in number and pin.

    To listen to the conference call (audio only), please register through the following event weblink: https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/h9wkbjf5

    A webcast replay will be available two hours after the conference call ends on March 6, 2025. The archived webcast will be available in the Investor Relations section of Gevo’s website at www.gevo.com.

    About Gevo
    Gevo is a next-generation diversified energy company committed to fueling America’s future with cost-effective, drop-in fuels that contribute to energy security, abate carbon, and strengthen rural communities to drive economic growth. Gevo’s innovative technology can be used to make a variety of renewable products, including sustainable aviation fuel (“SAF”), motor fuels, chemicals, and other materials that provide U.S.-made solutions. By investing in the backbone of rural America, Gevo’s business model includes developing, financing, and operating production facilities that create jobs and revitalize communities. Gevo owns and operates one of the largest dairy-based renewable natural gas (“RNG”) facilities in the United States, turning by-products into clean, reliable energy. We also operate an ethanol plant with an adjacent carbon capture and sequestration (“CCS”) facility, further solidifying America’s leadership in energy innovation. Additionally, Gevo owns the world’s first production facility for specialty alcohol-to-jet (“ATJ”) fuels and chemicals. Gevo’s market-driven “pay for performance” approach regarding carbon and other sustainability attributes, helps ensure value is delivered to our local economy. Through its Verity subsidiary, Gevo provides transparency, accountability, and efficiency in tracking, measuring and verifying various attributes throughout the supply chain. By strengthening rural economies, Gevo is working to secure a self-sufficient future and to make sure value is brought to the market.

    For more information, see www.gevo.com.

    PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACT
    Heather Manuel
    VP of Stakeholder Engagement & Partnerships
    PR@gevo.com

    INVESTOR CONTACT
    Eric Frey, PhD
    VP of Corporate Development
    IR@gevo.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Selects New Round of Student-Led Aviation Research Awards

    Source: NASA

    NASA has selected two new university student teams to participate in real-world aviation research challenges meant to transform the skies above our communities.
    The research awards were made through NASA’s University Student Research Challenge (USRC), which provides students with opportunities to contribute to NASA’s flight research goals.
    This round is notable for including USRC’s first-ever award to a community college: Cerritos Community College.

    steven holz
    NASA Project Manager

    “We’re trying to tap into the community college talent pool to bring new students to the table for aeronautics,” said Steven Holz, who manages the USRC award process. “Innovation comes from everywhere, and people with different viewpoints, educational backgrounds, and experiences like those in our community colleges are also interested in aeronautics and looking to make a difference.”
    Real World Research Awards
    Through USRC, students interact with real-world aspects of the research ecosystem both in and out of the laboratory. They will manage their own research projects, utilize state-of-the-art technology, and work alongside accomplished aeronautical researchers. Students are expected to make unique contributions to NASA’s research priorities.
    USRC provides more than just experience in technical research.
    Each team of students selected receives a USRC grant from NASA – and is tasked with the additional challenge of raising funds from the public through student-led crowdfunding. The process helps students develop skills in entrepreneurship and public communication.
    The new university teams and research topics are:
    Cerritos Community College
    “Project F.I.R.E. (Fire Intervention Retardant Expeller)” will explore how to mitigate wildfires by using environmentally friendly fire-retardant pellets dropped from drones. Cerritos Community College’s team includes lead Angel Ortega Barrera as well as Larisa Mayoral, Paola Mayoral Jimenez, Jenny Rodriguez, Logan Stahl, and Juan Villa, with faculty mentor Janet McLarty-Schroeder. This team also successfully participated with the same research topic in in NASA’s Gateway to Blue Skies competition, which aims to expand engagement between the NASA’s University Innovation project and universities, industry, and government partners.
    Colorado School of Mines
    The project “Design and Prototyping of a 9-phase Dual-Rotor Motor for Supersonic Electric Turbofan” will work on a scaled-down prototype for an electric turbofan for supersonic aircraft. The Colorado School of Mines team includes lead Mahzad Gholamian as well as Garret Reader, Mykola Mazur, and Mirali Seyedrezaei, with faculty mentor Omid Beik.
    Complete details on USRC awardees and solicitations, such as what to include in a proposal and how to submit it, are available on the NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate solicitation page.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Sets Briefings for Next International Space Station Crew Missions

    Source: NASA

    NASA and its partners will discuss the upcoming Expedition 73 mission aboard the International Space Station during a pair of news conferences on Monday, Feb. 24, from the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
    Mission leadership will participate in an overview news conference at 2 p.m. EST live on NASA+, covering preparations for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 launch in March and the agency’s crew member rotation launch on Soyuz in April. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media.
    NASA also will host a crew news conference at 4 p.m. and provide coverage on NASA+, followed by individual crew member interviews beginning at 5 p.m. This is the final media opportunity with Crew-10 before the crew members travel to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for launch.
    The Crew-10 mission, targeted to launch Wednesday, March 12, will carry NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov to the orbiting laboratory.
    NASA astronaut Jonny Kim, scheduled to launch to the space station on the Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft no earlier than April 8, also will participate in the crew briefing and interviews. Kim will be available again on Tuesday, March 18, for limited virtual interviews prior to launch. NASA will provide additional details on that opportunity when available.
    For the Crew-10 mission, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft will launch from Launch Complex 39A at NASA Kennedy. The three-person crew of Soyuz MS-27, including Kim and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky, will launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
    United States-based media seeking to attend in person must contact the NASA Johnson newsroom no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 21, at 281-483-5111 or at jsccommu@mail.nasa.gov. U.S. and international media interested in participating by phone must contact NASA Johnson by 9:45 a.m. the day of the event.
    U.S. and international media seeking remote interviews with the crew must submit requests to the NASA Johnson newsroom by 5 p.m. on Feb. 21. A copy of NASA’s media accreditation policy is available online.
    Briefing participants include (all times Eastern and subject to change based on real-time operations):
    2 p.m.: Expedition 73 Overview News Conference

    Ken Bowersox, associate administrator, Space Operations Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington

    Steve Stich, manager, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, NASA Kennedy
    Bill Spetch, operations integration manager, NASA’s International Space Station Program, NASA Johnson
    William Gerstenmaier, vice president, Build & Flight Reliability, SpaceX
    Mayumi Matsuura, vice president and director general, Human Spaceflight Technology Directorate, JAXA

    4 p.m.: Expedition 73 Crew News Conference

    Jonny Kim, Soyuz MS-27 flight engineer, NASA
    Anne McClain, Crew-10 spacecraft commander, NASA
    Nichole Ayers, Crew-10 pilot, NASA
    Takuya Onishi, Crew-10 mission specialist, JAXA
    Kirill Peskov, Crew-10 mission specialist, Roscosmos

    5 p.m.: Crew Individual Interview Opportunities

    Crew-10 members and Kim available for a limited number of interviews

    Kim is making his first spaceflight after selection as part of the 2017 NASA astronaut class. A native of Los Angeles, Kim is a U.S. Navy lieutenant commander and dual designated naval aviator and flight surgeon. Kim also served as an enlisted Navy SEAL. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from the University of San Diego and a medical degree from Harvard Medical School in Boston. He completed his internship with the Harvard Affiliated Emergency Medicine Residency at Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. After completing the initial astronaut candidate training, Kim supported mission and crew operations in various roles, including the Expedition 65 lead operations officer, T-38 operations liaison, and space station capcom chief engineer. Follow @jonnykimusa on X and @jonnykimusa on Instagram.
    Selected by NASA as an astronaut in 2013, this will be McClain’s second spaceflight. A colonel in the U.S. Army, she earned her bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, and holds master’s degrees in Aerospace Engineering, International Security, and Strategic Studies. The Spokane, Washington, native was an instructor pilot in the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopter and is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School in Patuxent River, Maryland. McClain has more than 2,300 flight hours in 24 rotary and fixed-wing aircraft, including more than 800 in combat, and was a member of the U.S. Women’s National Rugby Team. On her first spaceflight, McClain spent 204 days as a flight engineer during Expeditions 58 and 59, and completed two spacewalks, totaling 13 hours and 8 minutes. Since then, she has served in various roles, including branch chief and space station assistant to the chief of NASA’s Astronaut Office. Follow @astroannimal on X and @astro_annimal on Instagram.
    The Crew-10 mission will be the first spaceflight for Ayers, who was selected as a NASA astronaut in 2021. Ayers is a major in the U.S. Air Force and the first member of NASA’s 2021 astronaut class named to a crew. The Colorado native graduated from the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs with a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and a minor in Russian, where she was a member of the academy’s varsity volleyball team. She later earned a master’s in Computational and Applied Mathematics from Rice University in Houston. Ayers served as an instructor pilot and mission commander in the T-38 ADAIR and F-22 Raptor, leading multinational and multiservice missions worldwide. She has more than 1,400 total flight hours, including more than 200 in combat. Follow @astro_ayers on X and @astro_ayers on Instagram.
    With 113 days in space, this mission also will mark Onishi’s second trip to the space station. After being selected as an astronaut by JAXA in 2009, he flew as a flight engineer for Expeditions 48 and 49, becoming the first Japanese astronaut to robotically capture the Cygnus spacecraft. He also constructed a new experimental environment aboard Kibo, the station’s Japanese experiment module. After his first spaceflight, Onishi became certified as a JAXA flight director, leading the team responsible for operating Kibo from JAXA Mission Control in Tsukuba, Japan. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics from the University of Tokyo, and was a pilot for All Nippon Airways, flying more than 3,700 flight hours in the Boeing 767. Follow astro_onishi on X.
    The Crew-10 mission will also be Peskov’s first spaceflight. Before his selection as a cosmonaut in 2018, he earned a degree in Engineering from the Ulyanovsk Civil Aviation School and was a co-pilot on the Boeing 757 and 767 aircraft for airlines Nordwind and Ikar. Assigned as a test cosmonaut in 2020, he has additional experience in skydiving, zero-gravity training, scuba diving, and wilderness survival.
    Learn more about how NASA innovates for the benefit of humanity through NASA’s Commercial Crew Program at:
    https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew
    -end-
    Joshua Finch / Jimi RussellHeadquarters, Washington202-358-1100joshua.a.finch@nasa.gov / james.j.russell@nasa.gov
    Kenna Pell / Sandra JonesJohnson Space Center, Houston281-483-5111kenna.m.pell@nasa.gov / sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya & Maharashtra CM, Sh. Devendra Fadnavis Undertakes ‘Jai Shivaji Jai Bharat’ Padyatra on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s Jayanti in Pune, Maharashtra

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Union Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya & Maharashtra CM, Sh. Devendra Fadnavis Undertakes ‘Jai Shivaji Jai Bharat’ Padyatra on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s Jayanti in Pune, Maharashtra

    Over 20,000 MY Bharat Youth Volunteers Join Padyatra to Celebrate Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s Glorious Heritage

    Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s life teaches us that true leadership is about selfless service and unwavering dedication to the nation: Dr. Mandaviya

    Padyatras Held Simultaneously Across All 36 Districts of Maharashtra to Honour Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj

    Posted On: 19 FEB 2025 4:00PM by PIB Delhi

    Union Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports and Labour & Employment, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya and Maharashtra Chief Minister Shri Devendra Fadnavis led the grand ‘Jai Shivaji Jai Bharat’ Padyatra on the historic occasion of the 395th Jayanti of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Pune, Maharashtra today. They were joined by over 20,000 MY Bharat Youth Volunteers, showcasing immense enthusiasm and reverence for Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s legacy.

    Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs & Sports, Smt. Raksha Khadse, Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Shri Murlidhar Mohol, along with several State Ministers, MPs, MLAs, and MLCs, also participated in the grand padyatra, making it a remarkable tribute to the visionary Maratha leader.

    Addressing the gathering, Union Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports and Labour & Employment, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya urged the youth to draw strength from the legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. He emphasized that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s principles of Swabhiman (self-respect) and Samman (honour) continue to guide India’s youth in building a self-reliant and prosperous nation. Expressing gratitude for India’s rich heritage, he highlighted that leaders like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj have shaped the nation’s values and inspired generations with their courage, leadership, and unwavering commitment to the motherland. “Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s life teaches us that true leadership is about selfless service and unwavering dedication to the nation,” he stated.

    Dr. Mandaviya spoke about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s visionary governance, his efficient administration, and his deep respect for all sections of society. Taking inspiration from these ideals, he emphasized that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is working to strengthen the nation through progressive policies focused on good governance, social welfare, and economic growth. He highlighted the government’s commitment to empowering youth, fostering innovation, and instilling national pride—principles that align with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s vision of a resilient and self-reliant society. He urged the youth to take responsibility, as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj did in his time, and contribute to making India a Viksit Bharat. “The youth are not just the future, they are the present force that will drive India towards greatness,” he remarked.

    Dr. Mandaviya further emphasized that India’s youth have the potential to be the driving force of national progress. He encouraged them to embrace qualities such as determination, integrity, and a sense of duty towards the country. Just as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj envisioned a strong and self-sufficient nation, today’s youth must work towards innovation, social harmony, and inclusive development. “By following Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s ideals, we can build a nation that stands tall with pride, resilience, and unity,” he affirmed. 

    Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri Devendra Fadnavis, highlighted the global reverence for Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, noting that his birth anniversary is celebrated not only in India but across 20 countries. He emphasized Shivaji Maharaj’s visionary leadership in governance, taxation, welfare policies, defense, and naval management. He also acknowledged Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s efforts in nominating 12 forts associated with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj for UNESCO World Heritage status, expressing confidence in their forthcoming approval. He called upon the youth to uphold the principles of Shivaji Maharaj and contribute to nation-building.

    Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs & Sports, Smt. Raksha Khadse, in her address, highlighted the enduring legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj as a beacon of bravery, wisdom, and justice. She emphasized that his leadership and unwavering commitment to Swarajya continue to inspire the nation to uphold unity and righteousness. Reflecting on Maharashtra’s deep-rooted connection with Shivaji Maharaj’s ideals, she stated that just as he led a revolution by mobilizing the youth, the vision of a Viksit Bharat can be realized by uniting the young generation. Reaffirming Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s belief in the power of youth to shape the nation’s future, she called upon everyone to pledge their commitment to building a developed India guided by the principles of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

    Before commencing the grand ‘Jai Shivaji Jai Bharat’ Padyatra, the esteemed guests participated in the “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” initiative by planting a sapling, symbolizing their commitment to environmental sustainability and reverence for nature. Following this meaningful gesture, they led the grand procession, paying tribute to the legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

    Covering a 4 km route, the Padyatra started from COEP College and made halts at AISSPMS College Pune (at the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj), Rani Laxmibai Chowk, and Goodluck Chowk, before concluding at Fergusson College.

    At each halting point, Maharashtra’s vibrant culture was on full display, with youth performing traditional dances and songs. The traditional sport of Mallakhamba was also showcased, reflecting the state’s rich heritage. Adding to the grandeur, Dhol Nagada performances welcomed the Padyatra at every stop, keeping the padyatra energized throughout the journey.

    The ‘Jai Shivaji Jai Bharat’ Padyatra in Pune, Maharashtra, marked the sixth in a series of 24 padyatras planned across the country to commemorate 75 years of the Constitution and celebrate India’s rich cultural heritage and diversity. This grand event witnessed the enthusiastic participation of over 20,000 youth in Pune alone. Additionally, simultaneous padyatras were held in all 36 districts of Maharashtra, with each district seeing the active involvement of around 3,000 participants, collectively paying tribute to the enduring legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Greece financing from EIB Group totals €2.2 billion in 2024 with focus on energy supply, business growth and disaster preparedness

    Source: European Investment Bank

    EIB

    • EIB Group’s fresh financing in Greece last year amounted to €2.2 billion
    • Focus last year on energy supply, business growth and disaster management
    • Latest annual results bring EIB Group support in Greece over past five years to €14.5 billion

    The European Investment Bank (EIB) Group’s new financing in Greece amounted to €2.2 billion last year, with major support to bolster energy supplies, strengthen businesses and protect against environmental disasters in the country.

    The total for 2024 included €2.03 billion from the EIB and portfolio guarantees of €152 million from the European Investment Fund (EIF), which focuses on innovative and technology-driven small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as well as Small Mid-Caps in Europe.

    Top operations included loans of €390 million to natural-gas supplier DEPA Commercial to build solar parks, €150 million to power provider HEDNO to upgrade the grid, loans and guarantees of €550 million to domestic banks to expand financing for SMEs and Mid-Caps and €220 million to the government to bolster disaster management.

    Kostis Hatzidakis, Minister of Finance of the Hellenic Republic noted: “Greece’s relationship with the European Investment Bank is long-standing and strong. This was reaffirmed in 2024, with new financing reaching €2.2 billion. These funds will be used for investments in renewable energy sources, upgrades to the electricity grid, support for SMEs, and the purchase of firefighting aircraft and rescue equipment. The EIB was a valuable ally when Greece was cut off from the markets. It will remain a partner, but with a new approach. Going forward, priorities will focus on energy interconnections, research and technology, climate adaptation, and defense investments, as outlined in the EIB’s Strategic Roadmap”.

    “Our work in Greece is a testament to the transformative power of strategic financing,” said EIB Vice-President Yannis Tsakiris. “In 2024, we reinforced our commitment to the country by supporting clean energy, climate resilience and critical infrastructure while strengthening SMEs, innovation, job creation and social cohesion.”

    The latest annual results bring total EIB Group financing in Greece over the past five years to €14.5 billion. The yearly average in the country since 2000 is almost €2.9 billion, which reflects an unusually high sum of almost €5 billion in 2021 as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

    The EIB Group’s support last year was almost 1% of Greece’s gross domestic product (GDP), the third-highest level among European Union countries behind only Croatia and Estonia. That means that EIB Group financing in Greece last year averaged €631 per inhabitant, making the country one of the biggest beneficiaries based on the size of the population and the economy. The funding is projected to catalyse investments in Greece of up to €6.6 billion – about 2.5% of its GDP.

    Energy supply

    The €390 million EIB loan to DEPA Commercial is for new photovoltaic (PV) parks in the regions of western Macedonia, Thessaly and central Greece. The sites will add approximately 800 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy – enough to power 278,000 households for a year.

    Also in the area of clean energy, the EIB last year provided a €195 million loan to supplier PPC Renewables to develop 580 MW of solar plants and 175 MW of battery storage. The moves will boost renewables capacity, grid stability and energy security.

    The €150 million EIB credit to HEDNO covers upgrades to Greece’s electricity-distribution network, improving grid reliability and facilitating integration of renewables.

    The EIB last year also took part in the creation of an EU “Decarbonisation Fund” for Greece that will channel €1.6 billion in revenue from the European emissions-trading system into sustainable energy and development projects on Greek islands. These include grid interconnections with the mainland and the phase-out of local power plants.

    Business boost

    The EIB last year allocated a total €702 million to strengthen SMEs and Mid-Caps in Greece. The support – 28% of the total – took the form of intermediated loans and guarantees.

    Top operations included €300 million guarantees to Eurobank and National Bank of Greece covering €600 million new loans to Mid-Caps. In addition, the EIB provided a €250 million loan to the National Bank of Greece to bolster green investments by Greek SMEs and Mid-Caps. The credit raised total EIB support for such investments in Greece to €1 billion.

    The EIF also showed its agility in supporting vital investments for both debt and equity. It signed €152m with several of Greece’s financial institutions for capped portfolio guarantees. They are expected to mobilise up to €1,8bn in financing for small and medium-sized enterprises, while making the Greek economy greener, and supporting innovation and the country’s digital transition.

    The EIF also signed a new €200 million equity mandate to support innovative companies in Life Sciences & Healthcare and Sustainability & Social Impact by improving their access to vital financing. Funded by Cohesion policy and national resources of the Hellenic Republic, the mandate will cover a financing gap in these sectors, supporting investments from pre-seed to growth stages based on market needs.

    Disaster protection

    The €220 million EIB loan last year to the Greek government is to buy fire trucks, rescue vehicles and aircraft needed to fight to natural disasters such as wildfires and floods, both of which have caused extensive damage in Greece in recent years. The credit also covers upgrades to essential disaster-management services.

    The financing forms part of a European climate-adaptation plan by the EIB Group and brings its total support for Greek civil protection and disaster preparedness to €595 million.

    EIB Advisory

    There were also key technical assistance projects delivered from EIB Advisory, a highlight being an agreement with the Athens Water Supply and Sewerage Company (EYDAP) to back its €2 billion, 10-year investment programme to ensure the Greek capital has a more resilient water supply and supporting investments in lignite-dependent regions such as Western Macedonia and Megalopolis in the Peloponnese, facilitating their transition to a future of clean energy.

    In December 2024, the continuation of advisory support by EIB advisors from the PASSA team to the Greek administration was approved. This support aims to ensure the smooth implementation of sustainable development and Just Transition projects financed by the EU.

    Background information

    EIB

    The European Investment Bank (ElB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. Built around eight core priorities, , we finance investments that contribute to EU policy objectives by bolstering climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, cohesion, agriculture and bioeconomy, social infrastructure, important investments outside the EU, and the Capital Markets Union.  

    The EIB Group, which also includes the European Investment Fund (EIF), signed nearly €89 billion in new financing for over 900 high-impact projects in 2024, boosting Europe’s competitiveness and security.  

    All projects financed by the EIB Group are in line with the Paris Climate Agreement, as pledged in our Climate Bank Roadmap. Almost 60% of the EIB Group’s annual financing supports projects directly contributing to climate change mitigation, adaptation, and a healthier environment.  

    Fostering market integration and mobilising investment, the Group supported a record of over €100 billion in new investment for Europe’s energy security in 2024 and mobilised €110 billion in growth capital for startups, scale-ups and European pioneers

    Approximately half of the EIB’s financing within the European Union is directed towards cohesion regions, where per capita income is lower than the EU average.

    Greece financing from EIB Group totals €2.2 billion in 2024 with focus on energy supply, business growth and disaster preparedness
    Greece financing from EIB Group totals €2.2 billion in 2024 with focus on energy supply, business growth and disaster preparedness
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    Greece financing from EIB Group totals €2.2 billion in 2024 with focus on energy supply, business growth and disaster preparedness
    Greece financing from EIB Group totals €2.2 billion in 2024 with focus on energy supply, business growth and disaster preparedness
    ©EIB
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    Greece financing from EIB Group totals €2.2 billion in 2024 with focus on energy supply, business growth and disaster preparedness
    Greece financing from EIB Group totals €2.2 billion in 2024 with focus on energy supply, business growth and disaster preparedness
    ©EIB
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    Greece financing from EIB Group totals €2.2 billion in 2024 with focus on energy supply, business growth and disaster preparedness
    Greece financing from EIB Group totals €2.2 billion in 2024 with focus on energy supply, business growth and disaster preparedness
    ©EIB
    Download original
    Greece financing from EIB Group totals €2.2 billion in 2024 with focus on energy supply, business growth and disaster preparedness
    Greece financing from EIB Group totals €2.2 billion in 2024 with focus on energy supply, business growth and disaster preparedness
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New members appointed to Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    DPTAC has an important role to play in our ambition to have an inclusive transport network allowing disabled people to travel easily and with dignity.

    • Transport Minister appoints new members to committee
    • membership will help remove barriers to transport accessibility, supporting the government’s inclusivity goals
    • the new appointees bring experience in disability academia, policy and transport accessibility

    Local Transport Minister Simon Lightwood has today (19 February 2025) announced the appointment of 13 new members to the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC).

    The independent committee provides advice to the Department for Transport (DfT) on the transport needs of disabled people – particularly on ministerial policy priorities and areas they think need urgent attention.

    Their works helps DfT stand by its ambition to ensure transport is accessible for all, including keeping it at the heart of bus and rail reform, as well as the establishment of the Passenger Standards Authority.

    Local Transport Minister, Simon Lightwood, said: 

    We are clear in our ambition to have an inclusive transport network so disabled people can travel easily confidently and with dignity. DPTAC has a key role in ensuring we develop policy that delivers this.

    This unique committee has membership with broad understanding of the barriers faced by disabled people and it ensures those issues are understood right from the start of policy development.

    The new members of DPTAC are:

    • Damian Joseph Bridgeman – prominent leader in public policy, disability advocacy, and corporate governance
    • Mark Cutter – Chair of Northern’s Accessibility User Group (NAUG) and the Rail Accessibility and Inclusion Forum for the North (RAIFN)
    • Carly Danesh Jones – autism advocate who has previously held advisory roles with Heathrow Airport and East Midlands Rail
    • Mary Doyle – coach who advises multinational companies on inclusivity and accessibility policy 
    • Paul Finnegan – Chief Executive of suicide prevention charity Lighthouse
    • Dr Miro Griffiths – disability scholar at the University of Leeds
    • Prof Mari Martiskainen – Professor of Energy and Society at Science Policy Research Unit within the University of Sussex
    • Rachael Mole – consultant and advisor within accessibility and people management
    • Ruth Murran – english and drama teacher with life-long experience of global travel
    • Maral Nozratzadeh – postgraduate researcher at the University of Leeds School of Law
    • David Sindall – previously Head of Disability and Inclusion for the Association of Train Operating Companies for 12 years
    • Zamila Skingsley– former Cabinet Office Director
    • Edward Trewhella – Chief Executive at Driving Mobility

    DPTAC has helped to inform DfT’s work to improve transport accessibility, including the Access For All programme which has made over 260 train stations accessible, as well as the Aviation Accessibility Task and Finish Group that was launched by DfT in November 2024.

    It has also helped inform bus and coach policy, including the Public Service Vehicles (Accessible Information) Regulations 2023 that require operators of local bus and coach services to provide information on the route, direction of travel and each upcoming stop.

    DPTAC chair, Matthew Campbell-Hill, said:

    I am delighted to welcome our new DPTAC members, who bring a wealth of diverse experiences and expertise.

    Their insights will be invaluable as we work together to remove barriers and improve accessibility across our transport network. By harnessing this collective knowledge, we can drive meaningful change and ensure that transport truly works for everyone.

    Existing member Sue Sharp, the former Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Society for Blind Children, has also been appointed the group’s Deputy Chair.

    Those appointed to DPTAC serve terms of 2 to 3 years.

    Under the Transport Act 1985, DPTAC’s membership should have between 10 and 20 members, excluding its chair. These appointments bring DPTACs membership to a total of 17.

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    Published 19 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: African ministers hold strategic dialogue on visa-free movement to propel regional integration agenda for Africa’s Transformation

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, February 19, 2025/APO Group/ —

    On the sidelines of the 38th African Union Summit, African leaders discussed obstacles to the continent’s economic integration, underscoring visa-free movement to reduce illegal migration and strengthen official travel channels. 

    The high-level dialogue, convened by the African Development Bank Group and the African Union Commission alongside the AU Summit, brought together trade ministers and business leaders who pointed to Rwanda’s experience as evidence that open borders enhance, rather than compromise, security. 

    African Development Bank Group Vice President for Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery Nnenna Nwabufo expressed the Bank’s continued commitment to supporting the acceleration of visa-free movement across the continent.  

    “We do it for its promise to transform Africa and to create prosperity,” she noted. “In fact, the goals of our new Ten‑Year Strategy (2024–2033) are designed around seizing Africa’s opportunities for a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and integrated continent.” 

    In his keynote address, Albert Muchanga, Commissioner for Economic Development, Trade, Tourism, Industry and Minerals at the African Union Commission, outlined four priority areas to open up the continent.  

    They include liberalizing the movement of categories of people critical for trade in goods and services, implementing the Strategic Framework on Key Actions to Achieve Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development in Africa, advancing to the next stage of African economic integration, particularly the African Common market, as envisaged under the 1991 Abuja Treaty, and establishing the appropriate facilitation measures, whether soft or hard infrastructure, to facilitate free movement of persons. 

    Commissioner Muchanga stressed the need to make more progress on some continental projects, such as the trans-African highways (Cairo to Cape and Dakar to Mombasa), to facilitate free movement of persons. 

    Presenting the “State of play in visa-free movement in Africa,” which featured findings from the latest edition of the AfricaVisa Openness Index, AVOI, Principal Regional Integration Coordinator at the African Development Bank’s Regional Integration Coordination Office, Ometere Omoluabi-Davies, highlighted the progress made by some countries regarding opening up their borders for Africans. 

    The presentation reported that 39 African countries have improved their scores since 2016, indicating that visa openness across Africa is at its highest level since the inception of the index. Despite this inspiring trajectory, it was observed that there is still much room for progress to facilitate the unrestricted mobility of Africans within the continent. 

    Rwanda Minister of Trade and Industry Prudence Sebahizi shared his country’s experience and economic gains from implementing a visa-free regime.  

    “Rwanda does not agree with the usual excuse of security threats that accompany visa-free discussions because what is important is to invest in the systems, security, governance, monitoring,” he declared. 

    “In the end, people who travel for tourism and business will always use the official channels such as the borders and airports. This means the policy itself cannot contribute to security concerns but rather solve the issue of smuggling and illegal migration.” 

    The event featured roundtable discussions in which Africa’s policymakers and business leaders shared insights on implementing visa-free movement across the continent. With a resounding call to action, African Union’s Youth Envoy, Chido Mpemba, emphasized that the interconnectedness of young people through social media and the internet enables experience sharing and cross-border collaboration. She noted that this was critical for building the social and cultural integration needed to create a shared African identity. 

    The session concluded with a joint announcement of the 2025 Visa-Free Roadshow by Dr. Joy Kategekwa, Director of the Regional Integration Coordination Office of the African Development Bank Group, and Dr. Sabelo Mbokazi, Head of Employment, Labor and Migration Division of the African Union Commission. 

    This roadshow aims to sustain advocacy and mobilize action for visa openness and free movement within Africa’s broader regional integration agenda to deliver better results for all Africans. 

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Security: COMLOG WESTPAC Holds Awards Ceremony, Feb. 13, 2025 [Image 2 of 11]

    Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)

    Issued by: on

    SINGAPORE (Feb. 13, 2025) Rear Adm. Todd F. Cimicata, left, Commander, Logistics Group Western Pacific/Task Force 73 (COMLOG WESTPAC), places the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal onto Lt. Nathanael Brown, assigned to Commander, Fleet Air Western Pacific, during an awards ceremony on Sembawang Naval Installation, Feb. 13, 2025. COMLOG WESTPAC supports deployed surface units and aircraft carriers, along with regional Allies and partners, to facilitate patrols in the South China Sea, participation in naval exercises and responses to natural disasters. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Moises Sandoval/Released)

    Date Taken: 02.12.2025
    Date Posted: 02.19.2025 02:09
    Photo ID: 8875936
    VIRIN: 250213-N-ED646-1064
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    This work, COMLOG WESTPAC Holds Awards Ceremony, Feb. 13, 2025 [Image 11 of 11], by PO2 Moises Sandoval, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: COMLOG WESTPAC Holds Awards Ceremony, Feb. 13, 2025 [Image 5 of 11]

    Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)

    Issued by: on

    SINGAPORE (Feb. 13, 2025) Rear Adm. Todd F. Cimicata, left, Commander, Logistics Group Western Pacific/Task Force 73 (COMLOG WESTPAC), presents the award of the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal to Lt. Cmdr. Max Cutchen, assigned to COMLOG WESTPAC, during an awards ceremony on Sembawang Naval Installation, Feb. 13, 2025. COMLOG WESTPAC supports deployed surface units and aircraft carriers, along with regional Allies and partners, to facilitate patrols in the South China Sea, participation in naval exercises and responses to natural disasters. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Moises Sandoval/Released)

    Date Taken: 02.12.2025
    Date Posted: 02.19.2025 02:09
    Photo ID: 8875946
    VIRIN: 250213-N-ED646-1102
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    This work, COMLOG WESTPAC Holds Awards Ceremony, Feb. 13, 2025 [Image 11 of 11], by PO2 Moises Sandoval, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: COMLOG WESTPAC Holds Awards Ceremony, Feb. 13, 2025 [Image 9 of 11]

    Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)

    Issued by: on

    SINGAPORE (Feb. 13, 2025) Rear Adm. Todd F. Cimicata, left, Commander, Logistics Group Western Pacific/Task Force 73 (COMLOG WESTPAC), presents the award of the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal to Lt. Jacob Jones, assigned to COMLOG WESTPAC, during an awards ceremony on Sembawang Naval Installation, Feb. 13, 2025. COMLOG WESTPAC supports deployed surface units and aircraft carriers, along with regional Allies and partners, to facilitate patrols in the South China Sea, participation in naval exercises and responses to natural disasters. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Moises Sandoval/Released)

    Date Taken: 02.12.2025
    Date Posted: 02.19.2025 02:09
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  • MIL-OSI Economics: Asian Development Blog: Get Moving: Smarter Logistics Can Boost Efficiency and Cut Costs in South Asia

    Source: Asia Development Bank

    Enhancing multimodal transport, standardization, and digital integration can improve efficiency, reduce costs, and strengthen manufacturing in India, Bangladesh, and Nepal’s logistics sectors.

    The logistics sectors of India, Bangladesh, and Nepal face remarkably similar constraints that are central to their governments’ plans to expand the industries that rely heavily on logistics. 

    In each country, roads – the most heavily used form of transport – are overburdened, leading to a variety of problems, including slow and unpredictable delivery times. A lack of standardization in warehousing facilities means time is wasted on unpacking and repacking pallets to fit shelving racks following different standards.

    Insufficient multimodal infrastructure means that cargo cannot easily move between trains, trucks, and ships. These hindrances affect both economies and the environment alike, in that an inefficient logistics sector is a cost borne by both consumers, in the form of higher product prices, and the environment, in the form of added emissions from idling vehicles.

    India, for its part, has made the most progress in recent years toward alleviating logistics inefficiencies in the service of its broader economy, particularly in manufacturing. 

    India’s logistics sector, once plagued by inefficiencies, is undergoing a positive transformation. With a market size of approximately $200 billion, India transports 4.6 billion tons of freight annually. 

    The sector is projected to double in size by 2030, driven by aggressive expansion in road, rail, shipping and air freight. Recent improvements in road infrastructure, dedicated freight corridors and use of technological advancements in the logistics supply chain have set the stage for a more efficient logistics network. 

    India’s logistics sector now includes all key components needed for a modern economy, such as seamless transport across different modes (road, rail, air, and sea), efficient customs processing for domestic and international trade, and better management of ports, airports, and land borders. 

    From that and other significant policy reforms, India’s manufacturing sector has been on a steady growth trajectory, underpinned by significant policy and infrastructural reforms including in its logistics sector. India continues to experience rapid growth in its Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI). 

    The latest Manufacturing PMI for December 2024 remains firmly within the expansionary zone, fueled by new business gains and robust demand. According to the RBI’s Industrial Outlook Survey, manufacturing firms anticipate further enhancements in Q4 FY25 and Q1 FY26. 

    India’s export landscape has also undergone substantial growth, with merchandise and services exports increasing significantly over the past two decades. Goods exports rose from $48.5 billion in 2000 to $467.5 billion in 2022. 

    Despite the recent very large outlays in infrastructure and policy reforms, India’s logistics sector is still confronted by several challenges also faced by Nepal and Bangladesh, where heavy investment in infrastructure is also still needed. 

    The transformation of the logistics sector is pivotal in fostering regional integration and economic development across South Asia.

    Like India, the logistics sectors of Bangladesh and Nepal need greater consolidation for regulatory bodies in the logistics sector, overarching standardization, and better institutional coordination. In Bangladesh, congestion in external trade is an additional complication.

    The development of the logistics sector has a profound impact on economic competitiveness and the environment. Improved logistics efficiency enhances supply chain resilience, reduces transaction costs, and boosts export competitiveness. 

    The integration of digital technologies and standardized processes facilitates smoother movement of goods, which is crucial for manufacturing growth and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

    Logistics sector reforms are also expected to create substantial employment opportunities, both in urban and rural areas. The increased demand for skilled logistics workers, driven by private sector investments and process efficiency, will contribute to job creation. 

    Additionally, the digitization and automation of logistics processes will generate new types of employment, aligning with the evolving needs of the sector.

    Historically, Bangladesh has not fared well in the competitiveness and logistics rankings. For example, in the 2019 World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Index, Bangladesh ranked 105th out of 141 countries, lagging other Asian nations such as India (68), Viet Nam (67), and Indonesia (50). Bangladesh ranked 88th of 139 in World Bank’s 2023 Logistics Performance Index, while India ranked 38th globally, up from 44th in 2019. 

    Bangladesh heavily relies on road-based cargo movement, with railways accounting for only about 4% of passenger and freight transport. Given the country’s dense population, expanding the road network poses significant challenges. 

    Therefore, shifting to rail transport and upgrading the rail network, including gauge conversion, could significantly enhance the logistics sector, improving efficiency in cargo evacuation and greener movement of goods. 

    Further, development of a multi-modal logistics park will be essential to facilitate freight aggregation and distribution, multimodal freight transport, integrated storage and warehousing, technology support, and value-added services. All of this contributes to a reduction in transit time and a streamlining of export processes. 

    Problems in Nepal are much more fundamental and revolve around basic infrastructure such as roads. Nepal, with its unique geographical challenges, can benefit from India’s experience in logistics sector reforms. Nepal should adopt a strategic approach to infrastructure development, focusing on improving road and rail connectivity to facilitate the movement of goods. 

    They also need to establish institutional arrangements for logistics planning at the national and local levels. Nepal can also leverage digitization and process reforms to enhance the efficiency and reliability of its logistics network. Logistics sector development is critical for paving the way for the economic diversification that Bangladesh and Nepal need as they transition away from least developed country status. 

    The transformation of the logistics sector is pivotal in fostering regional integration and economic development across South Asia.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cantwell Votes NO On Advancing Lutnick for Commerce Secretary; Slams His Enthusiasm for Inflationary Tariffs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell

    02.18.25

    Cantwell Votes NO On Advancing Lutnick for Commerce Secretary; Slams His Enthusiasm for Inflationary Tariffs

    In speech on Senate floor, Cantwell says Trump’s pick to lead the Dept. of Commerce will rubber-stamp tariffs, slow domestic chip manufacturing, and hang NOAA out to dry; Cantwell also stresses: “Now is not the time to cut FAA staffing”

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, voted against confirming Howard Lutnick, President Donald Trump’s nominee to serve as Secretary of the Department of Commerce.

    In a speech delivered on the Senate floor, Sen. Cantwell urged her colleagues to follow suit.

    The next Secretary of Commerce will have to deal with a wide-ranging, growing list of issues, from trade and exports […], expanding broadband, weather forecasting, patent issues, export controls on A.I., and figuring out some of the most thorny issues related to how we move our country forward, generally, in commerce. So it’s fair to say that if the Commerce Secretary doesn’t get it right, the American people and our American economy pay the price. Unfortunately, I believe that Howard Lutnick, the President’s nominee, isn’t the right person for this job at this point in time,” Sen. Cantwell said.

    The Senate ultimately confirmed Lutnick 51-45.

    Earlier this month, Sen. Cantwell also voted against advancing Lutnick out of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and to the full Senate for consideration. At the time, she expressed her concerns with Lutnick’s support for President Trump’s proposed tariffs. She also pointed to Lutnick’s failure to commit to fully allocating the funds approved by Congress under the Cantwell-led CHIPS & Science Act, as well as his waffling on whether he’d protect NOAA – including NOAA’s crucial missions and functions, and the workforce delivering those services to the American people. Sen. Cantwell had previously questioned Lutnick on these topics in a committee hearing the week prior – video of that hearing is HERE.

    Sen. Cantwell on FAA and Aviation Safety:

    “I would just say this: now is not the time to cut FAA staffing,” Sen. Cantwell said on the Senate floor today. “It is critically clear to me that we need these air traffic controllers, and so we have to make these investments. We should be working together, right now, on aviation. The most important thing? Let’s work together for the benefit of the flying public to come up with the best solutions that we can implement in aviation safety. Taking a broad brush and just cutting people out of the FAA — when oftentimes they’re the people that are helping you get that safety — is not what we should be doing right now.”

    During her tenure as chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Sen. Cantwell sounded the alarm about the staffing shortage of air traffic controllers, need for more FAA safety inspectors, a series of aviation incidents and near-misses on and around runways, and the midair blowout of a door plug in January 2024. Last year, the Committee’s Aviation Subcommittee also highlighted FAA’s shortage of at least 800 airway transportation systems specialists – commonly known as technicians –  during a December 2024 hearing on “Air Traffic Control Systems, Personnel, and Safety”. Dave Spero, president of the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists (PASS), the union representing FAA technicians, testified about the importance of closing the shortage and boosting this segment of the FAA workforce in order to keep FAA’s air traffic control systems and equipment safely running.

    She led the passage of the FAA Reauthorization Act, signed into law in May 2024, which boosts controller staffing, ensuring a five-year commitment to maximum hiring and training to close the current staffing gap. The law requires upgraded safety technologies – giving controllers better visibility into runway traffic – to be installed at every large and medium airport nationwide. The law also includes stricter safety standards for aircraft operators and plane manufacturers, as well as provisions to put more FAA safety inspectors on factory floors.

    On Feb. 6, Sen. Cantwell sent a letter to Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy calling on him to ensure that Elon Musk stays out of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), citing Musk’s clear conflicts of interest.

    Sen. Cantwell on Tariffs:

    “In my conversations with Mr. Lutnick and before his Commerce Committee hearing, he made it very clear that he intends to be very enthusiastic about the President’s plans for tariffs,” Sen. Cantwell said today. “My constituents want to see inflation come down, and they want us to lower costs, not increase them. Now that President Trump is teasing out even more tariffs in the coming days on autos, pharmaceuticals,  and semiconductors, it’s going to drive up costs for consumers […] We can’t afford inflation. We want prices to come down. Whether that’s on housing, or whether that’s on pharmaceuticals, or whether that’s on food prices, we know that tariffs can increase prices.”

    Earlier this month, Sen. Cantwell delivered a major speech on the Senate floor arguing that the president’s arbitrary tariffs would threaten domestic job creation and economic growth in an Information Age. She outlined a strategy focused on building coalitions, growing exports, and establishing principles to support innovation in the Information Age – video of that speech is HERE.

    In Washington state, two out of every five jobs are tied to trade and trade-related industries.  Combined, the state imported $1.21 billion worth of steel and aluminum last year – and the major industries and employers in Washington that rely on steel and aluminum include aerospace, shipbuilding, utilities, and electronics. When President Trump imposed steel tariffs in 2018, our trading partners immediately responded by imposing tariffs of their own on Washington products, especially agriculture, including cherries, apples, pears, and potatoes. Nationally, across all industries, the steel and aluminum tariffs resulted in a decrease in production worth about $3.4 billion per year, according to an ITC report.  More information on how President Trump’s proposed tariffs on goods from Mexico, Canada, and China would affect consumers and businesses in the State of Washington can be found HERE.

    Sen. Cantwell has remained a steadfast supporter of free trade to grow the economy in the State of Washington and nationwide. Sen. Cantwell was the leading voice in negotiations to end India’s 20% retaliatory tariff on American apples, which was imposed in response to tariffs on steel and aluminum and devastated Washington state’s apple exports. India had once been the second-largest export market for American apples, but after President Trump imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum in his first term, India imposed retaliatory tariffs in response and U.S. apple exports plummeted. The impact on Washington apple growers was severe: Apple exports from the state dropped from $120 million in 2017 to less than $1 million by 2023.  In September 2023, following several years of Sen. Cantwell’s advocacy, India ended its retaliatory tariffs on apples and pulse crops which was welcome news to the state’s more than 1,400 apple growers and the 68,000-plus workers they support.

    Sen. Cantwell on Semiconductor Manufacturing:

    “We learned during the chips crisis that even the cost of a used car went up $2,000. That’s because chips were at a shortage — car industries, trucking industries couldn’t even get enough chips to make and ship cars, and then the consequence was even used cars went up $2,000. So we don’t want to recreate that again,” Sen. Cantwell said today. “We want a Commerce Secretary who is going to fight for the CHIPS & Science investment that’s already been made in the electronic manufacturing process in the United States and keep the semiconductor industry right here. But unfortunately, Mr. Lutnick, before the Committee, would not commit to standing by the commitments of the term sheets the Department of Commerce has already signed.”

    Sen. Cantwell was the main architect and key negotiator of the CHIPS & Science Act. In her position as Commerce chair, she was instrumental in securing the science R&D funding authorizations in the 11th hour of negotiations. A key component of the legislation is the Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs (Tech Hubs) program that was authored by Sen. Cantwell to strengthen U.S. economic and national security with investments in regions across the country. Earlier this month, the American Aerospace Materials Manufacturing Center (AAMMC) in Spokane was awarded $48 million from the program to establish the first-of-its-kind testbed facility in the United States focused on developing advanced thermoplastic materials – new types of lightweight, heat-moldable, and recyclable materials that can replace metal in aircraft parts. The AAMMC will serve as the nation’s hub for creating and testing these innovative materials that are essential for more rapidly building fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly aircraft. 

    Sen. Cantwell on NOAA:

    “When asked for the record, ‘Should NOAA be dismantled, as called for in Project 2025?’, Mr. Lutnick would only say he’ll figure it out once he’s confirmed,” Sen. Cantwell said today. “We needed a bigger commitment to NOAA. NOAA already supplies a big, important aspect of what we deal with, with weather forecasting, tracking extreme weather, hurricanes, wildfires, managing our fisheries, operating ships that conduct important charting for national security. Mr. Lutnick gave very tepid support for NOAA.”

    Project 2025 calls for NOAA to be “dismantled and many of its functions eliminated,” calling it part of the “climate change alarm industry.” NOAA provides critical services to the Nation including weather forecasts, extreme storm tracking and monitoring, tools to enable communities to adapt to sea level rise and climate change, supporting fisheries management, and conserving marine mammals and other protected species.

    Sen. Cantwell is a champion of NOAA and helped secure $3.3 billion in NOAA investments in the Inflation Reduction Act to help communities prepare for and adapt to climate change, boost science needed to understand changing weather and climate patterns, and invest in advanced computer technologies that are critical for extreme weather prediction and emergency response. Her Fire Ready Nation Act, bipartisan legislation to strengthen NOAA’s ability to help forecast, prevent, and fight wildfires, passed the Commerce committee unanimously earlier this month and now heads to the full Senate for consideration.

    Video of Sen. Cantwell’s speech on the Senate floor today is available HERE, and transcript HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: ‘A peaceful, prosperous, democratic Pacific’

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Good Evening
     
    Let us begin by acknowledging Professor David Capie and the PIPSA team for convening this important conference over the next few days. Whenever the Pacific Islands region comes together, we have a precious opportunity to share perspectives and learn from each other. That is especially true in our region, where distances between us are large. 
     
    We acknowledge, too, members of the Diplomatic Corps, Parliamentary colleagues, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen.
     
    New Zealand’s place in the world
    New Zealand, as a country, has a myriad of influences. We have enduringly strong connections – for reasons of history, migration and foreign policy alignment – to our traditional partners of Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. 
     
    First and foremost, among these is Australia, New Zealand’s one formal ally, and our closest and most likeminded partner. We cooperate extremely closely with Australia, in the Pacific and around the world. 
     
    We are increasingly integrated socially, economically and strategically into Asia, with large and increasing Asian communities here in New Zealand and ever closer diplomatic relationships in South, South East, and North East Asia.
     
    At the same time, the starting point for understanding how New Zealand views the Pacific is the following, very simple statement: New Zealand is a Pacific Island country, linked by geography, history, culture, politics, demography and indeed DNA. 
     
    Fully 1.3 million New Zealanders, or about one-in-four of us are in full or part Polynesian, Melanesian or Micronesian, with either Māori heritage or relatives or ancestors from other Pacific islands. 
     
    Auckland is home to more Polynesians than any other city. Around the same number of Samoans and Tongans live in New Zealand as do in Samoa and Tonga. Vastly more Cook Islanders, Niueans and Tokelauans live in New Zealand than back in their homelands.
     
    The original discovery and settlement of the Pacific Islands, including New Zealand, is one of the most remarkable stories of exploration in human history. The late New Zealand historian Michael King compared it to space exploration as both were voyages into the unknown. 
     
    But Pacific navigation is arguably even more remarkable because the canoes that set out from the Asian landmass knew not where they would land, nor when, nor indeed if they would find any new territory. 
     
    But find land they did, as they forged new identities and societies on atolls and islands that today stand as a testament to their imagination, endurance and the resilience to overcome formidable challenges of distance, geography, demography, and resource scarcity. 
     
    Last year, we had the enormous privilege of visiting almost all of those island nations spread across our vast Blue Continent. So, this evening we’d like to share some reflections about the Pacific, within the context of New Zealand’s Foreign Policy Reset. 
     
    We note, too, your conference theme, which raises the question of whether the Pacific Islands are a zone of peace or ocean of discontent. In 1520, the great Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan named this massive body of water the Pacific, due to its calmness – Pacific meaning peaceful. Ironically, it didn’t end that way for him, or some of his crew, so your conference theme holds both historical justification and appeal.
     
    An active, engaged Pacific policy
    When we again took on the role of New Zealand Foreign Minister in November 2023, we were determined to put the Pacific at the forefront of an energetic, engaged and active New Zealand foreign policy once more. This lay behind our decision to undertake the most ambitious, intensive year of Pacific diplomacy in New Zealand history. 
     
    Never before has a New Zealand political leader tried to spend time in all 18 member countries of the Pacific Islands Forum in a single year. But try we did: meeting the many diverse peoples scattered across this vast, beautiful blue continent. 
     
    As often as we were able, we took Parliamentary colleagues from across the spectrum of New Zealand’s political parties to reinforce that our friendship is bipartisan, enduring and long-term. 
     
    The purpose of all these discussions was to take the pulse of the region. As a democratic country operating in a democratic region, New Zealand is driven in our Pacific policy by three foundational questions focused on our region’s people: 

    Is what New Zealand is doing in the region reflective of what the people of the Pacific Islands want and need? 
    Are we effectively supporting the prosperity and security of Pacific Island peoples?; and 
    Are we undertaking and explaining this work in a way which maintains New Zealanders’ support for our objectives in the region? 

     
    When describing our observations of last year’s travel, an obvious starting point is the unimaginable vastness of our region. It is a massive ocean, covering over 30 percent of the Earth’s surface.
     
    While in the Marshall Islands, Micronesia and Palau, we learned of the logistical difficulties they faced in getting to last year’s Pacific Islands Forum in Tonga. We decided on the spot to offer the use of one of our 757 aircraft to take Micronesian leaders to and from Nuku’alofa. We have also announced, over the past year, significant investment in digital connectivity in the Pacific, alongside such partners as the Australia, Taiwan, United States and Japan. 
     
    Connecting all members of the Pacific family is vital given the huge, isolating physical distances between us. But because we believe that all Pacific voices are important and that talanoa – coming together for dialogue – must be regular and meaningful, we were happy to facilitate their coming together in Nuku’alofa. 
     
    Why? Because Pacific regionalism sits at the core of our Pacific approach, with the Pacific Islands Forum at its centre. We are a region with challenging issues that can polarise us, such as deep seabed mining and how best to manage strategic competition. The Forum plays a critical role in helping us to form a cohesive approach, resolve differences, bolster regional development and security, and use our collective voice to hold bigger countries to account.
     
    The Blue Continent’s challenges
    We have also reflected on how the Blue Pacific Continent and its peoples face a multitude of challenges. Our region is faced with the sharpest strategic competition it has confronted since World War 2 ended almost eighty years ago. As we face external pushes into our region to coerce, cajole and constrain, we must stand together as a region – always remembering that we are strongest when we act collectively to confront security and strategic challenges. 
     
    Climate change is a great threat facing the Pacific and we are at the global forefront of disaster risk exposure. Our ambition is that all Pacific peoples remain resilient to the impacts of climate change and other disasters and that New Zealand can support building resilience in practical ways. 
     
    Fisheries are vital to the economies, livelihoods, food security, and social and cultural wellbeing of many Pacific Island countries and is a crucial source of government revenue. But they face several complex interrelated and transboundary issues, such as illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and the management of migratory fish species. 
     
    After years of volatility, the long-term growth trajectory risks settling well below pre-COVID averages for Pacific Island countries. Increasing investment, building fiscal and climate resilience, and improving the access to finance and greater regional connectivity will be key to improving long-run growth prospects in the Pacific.  
     
    Answering to the people
    One truism that runs through our three stints as Foreign Minister is this: there are no votes in it. Struggling New Zealand taxpayers and their families find it difficult to understand why their government is handing out multi-million-dollar aid grants overseas.
     
    Foreign policy practitioners and academics may focus intently on our obligations to New Zealand’s development partners and the way we conduct our relations with them. But the bottom line is that we are accountable first and foremost to the New Zealand taxpayer. 
    During our three tenures as Foreign Minister, we have demonstrated a staunch commitment to a well-resourced New Zealand development programme with a predominant focus on the Pacific. 
     
    Few New Zealand Governments have gone to the wire to significantly lift the size of our international development programme as a proportion of New Zealand’s Gross National Income. One was Norman Kirk’s Government in the 1970s. Two others were during my two previous terms as Foreign Minister. 
     
    In short, we have been determined to use all of our influence and all of our negotiating power to get the best possible New Zealand development programme for the Pacific. 
     
    And while times are very tough here at home right now, we will continue to advocate with our Cabinet colleagues and the New Zealand people for the importance of an active Pacific policy and a properly-resourced international agenda – whether in defence, foreign policy, or development. That’s what is right for New Zealand and it’s what is in the best interests of the Pacific.
     
    We will never apologise for directly connecting New Zealand’s security and prosperity to the security and prosperity of the region and world around us. 
    The Coalition Government’s Foreign Policy Reset established a new strategic direction for New Zealand, including for our international development programme, with an emphasis on sustaining our deep focus on the Pacific. 
     
    As part of ensuring our accountability to the New Zealand taxpayer, last year the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade undertook a review of our development programme to gauge alignment with government priorities and assess its overall impact and efficiency. A report on the review’s findings is being released today.
     
    The review found that while our development is generally aligned with Government priorities, some reshaping and streamlining is required. In short, we will achieve more impact by doing fewer, bigger, projects better. This work is already under way.
     
    Our predominant focus remains on the Pacific, where we will be working with partners including the United States, Australia, Japan and in Europe to more intensively leverage greater support for the region. We will maintain the high tempo of political engagement across the Pacific to ensure alignment between our programme and New Zealand and partner priorities. And we will work more strategically with Pacific Governments to strengthen their systems, so they can better deliver the services their people need.
     
    Greater development funding is being devoted to South East Asia to meet our ambition for closer relations overall with this important region. We have also increased humanitarian funding in response to the scale of need regionally and globally. And we have reduced multilateral funding, to focus on those partners who make the most concrete impact.
     
    We see this work of reshaping our development programme as part of meeting our obligation to the New Zealand taxpayers whose continuing support underpins its social licence.
     
    Friendship, challenges and dialogue
    Over the decades, our Pacific-oriented foreign policy has been defined as much by our actions as our words. We are there in times of need, whether in response to natural disasters, helping with budget support during fiscal emergencies, spurring economic development, or helping to resolve conflicts. 
     
    Our 2018 Pacific Reset emphasised that exhibiting friendship in all our engagements was the cornerstone of our Pacific foreign policy orientation. What does friendship in that context mean? 
     
    It means we are honest, empathetic, trustful and respectful through frequent engagement. And it means having frank and open conversations with our Pacific counterparts.
     
    Over the past year, we have consistently stressed that we see all states as equal, whatever their size. We are guided by the mutual respect and trust that has grown over time between New Zealand and other Pacific Island countries. A second theme that has run through all our public engagements is just how important diplomacy is in our troubled world. 
     
    New Zealand has faced two isolated challenges in the past twelve months in our relations with the Pacific. In these two very different cases, our accountability to our taxpayers and our fidelity to promoting the interests of Pacific peoples throughout the region require that we explain openly what has taken place. 
     
    Of the 18 Pacific Islands Forum member countries, the only one we did not spend time in during the past year was Kiribati. That was not for a lack of trying. 
     
    For more than a year we respected Kiribati’s preference to avoid outside engagement. But with over $100 million of development assistance committed to Kiribati over the past three years, we had to review the status of existing projects and understand Kiribati’s ongoing development needs. After all, we all have to negotiate with our Ministers of Finance. 
     
    This requirement was urgent given our own budget cycle and the need to make decisions about how future development spending is allocated in Micronesian countries and across the region for the next three years. 
     
    So, we were pleased when a visit to Kiribati was finally scheduled for January 2025. We began organising our cross-party Parliamentary group to visit Tarawa. Then, with about a week to go, we were told President Maamau, who is also my counterpart as Kiribati’s Foreign Affairs Minister, would no longer meet with our delegation. 
    We made public our regret and concern, as well as our consequent decision to review our development programme to Kiribati. We are accountable to the worker in Kaitaia, the builder in Gore, and the farmer in the Waikato for the spending of taxpayer money, and we felt it important to express our concerns openly and transparently. 
     
    At the same time, we have a long-standing relationship with the Kiribati people, which has overcome previous challenges. We will weather this one too. 
     
    We have made clear that we are still working towards meaningful dialogue with Kiribati’s President and Foreign Minister, whether in Kiribati, New Zealand or elsewhere in the region. We are taking positive steps towards that goal in coming weeks. 
     
    The second isolated challenge we have faced has been developments in our relationship with the Cook Islands Government. Unlike the people of Samoa, the people of the Cook Islands have never opted for their country to be fully independent from New Zealand – though they are of course always free to choose to do so. 
     
    Rather, they have opted since 1965 to be in free association with New Zealand. This means that New Zealand is bound constitutionally to the Cook Islands by sharing the King of New Zealand as a head of state, a common, single citizenship and passport, as well as by shared values and interests. 
     
    Over the past 60 years, New Zealand has taken very seriously its obligations and commitments to the Cook Islands people. Every year we deliver for the Cook Islands people in areas as broad as health and education, economic development, defence and security, good governance, resources and environment, and culture and heritage.
     
    The Cook Islands, in exercising self-government, is supported by New Zealand funding and provision of expertise. As long as the Cook Islands remain tied to New Zealand constitutionally, we have an expectation that the Government of the Cook Islands will not seek benefits only available to fully independent states – such as separate passports and citizenship, or membership of the United Nations or the Commonwealth – or pursue policies that are significantly at variance with New Zealand’s interests. 
     
    We also have an expectation that New Zealand will be fully and meaningfully consulted on all major international actions that the Cook Islands contemplates that affect our interests.
     
    These are not unreasonable expectations. And they are not new. For example, our Prime Ministers, Norman Kirk in 1973, David Lange in 1986 and Helen Clark in 2001 all expressed these expectations formally. 
     
    To use but one example: in 2001, Helen Clark stated that Cook Islanders retained New Zealand citizenship “on the basis that there will continue to be a mutually acceptable standard of values in Cook Islands’ laws and policies”. She again repeated our longstanding position that if full independence from New Zealand was what the Cook Islands people wanted, then they were free to opt for it at any time.
     
    These have been well-established and previously settled understandings between us, although there have been periodic attempts by Cook Islands Prime Ministers to test the boundaries of this constitutional pact. 
     
    But our free association relationship in its current form has endured because the overwhelming majority of Cook Islands people have wanted to maintain their New Zealand citizenship and passport and the rights it affords them to the same opportunities and privileges as all other New Zealanders, including in health and education. The wishes of the Cook Islands people are paramount here.
     
    Our explicit advice to Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown and his officials since he first raised the issue with us in July 2024 was that if he proceeded with trying to implement a separate Cook Islands citizenship and passport system then the people of the Cook Islands would risk losing their New Zealand citizenship and passport – an outcome we know is opposed by the vast majority of Cook Islanders.
     
    There is also the matter of the Cook Islands Government’s decision to enter into a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) and a number of other agreements with China last week without any meaningful consultation with New Zealand or its own people over either the architecture or details of those deals. 
     
    New Zealand and the Cook Islands people remain, as of this evening, in the dark over all but one the agreements signed by China and the Cooks last week. 
     
    Given this lack of consultation, the New Zealand Government, once it has seen the text of all of the agreements that were signed, will need to undertake its own careful analysis of how they impact our vital national interests. Only then will we be able to fully gauge the deals’ impact on the relationship between New Zealand and the Cook Islands. 
     
    While the connection between the people of the Cook Islands and New Zealand remains resolutely strong, we currently face challenges in the government-to-government relationship. 
     
    But this state of affairs – disagreements and debates between the leaders of New Zealand and the Cook Islands – has been a periodic feature of our 60 years of free association. We have always found a way through, guided by the wisdom and wishes of the Cook Islands people. 
     
    As then US President Franklin Roosevelt said in 1945, “We shall strive for perfection. We shall not achieve it immediately – but we still shall strive. We may make mistakes – but they must never be mistakes which result from faintness of heart or abandonment of moral principle”.
     
    During 2025, as we celebrate 60 years of free association, we are going to need to reset the government-to-government relationship. We will also need to find a way, as we did in 1973 and 2001, to formally re-state the mutual responsibilities and obligations that we have for one another and the overall parameters and constraints of the free association model.
     
    Resetting and formally re-stating the parameters of the relationship is not a small task. But it is one which we are confident we can meet – powered by the history of goodwill and common bonds between New Zealand and the Cook Islands people.
     
    Another issue on which the region has devoted significant attention over the past year has been New Caledonia – which is, geographically, New Zealand’s closest neighbour. Uncertainty and discord there is obviously something that prompts concern and discussion right around our region. 
     
    From the moment of the unrest onwards, New Zealand has been very clear that everyone – no matter their view on New Caledonia’s political status – should agree that violence is not the answer. 
     
    The focus must be on dialogue – and finding a new pathway forward on the important issues facing New Caledonia. We had the benefit – working closely with authorities in Paris and Nouméa – to have had a productive visit to New Caledonia in December. 
     
    We went there to listen and to learn, and to engage with a very wide range of New Caledonians of all backgrounds. Hearing New Caledonians voice their hopes and dreams for economic development led us to the view that there may be lessons from New Zealand’s own experiences that might be of value. 
     
    We hope lessons from New Zealand’s own economic development as a multi-ethnic Pacific Island country can be shared with New Caledonians, who might be able to adapt them to their unique context.
     
    Conclusions
    When we reflect on the past year, it is impossible not to be optimistic about this region’s future. As we travelled to places as diverse as Suva, Pohnpei, Alofi, Port Vila, Nauru and Apia, we were struck also by a profound commonality. 
     
    Pacific Islanders scattered around our vast, beautiful region all want a brighter, more prosperous and more secure future for their children and for future generations. 
     
    As a founding member of the Pacific Islands Forum, and as a Pacific and Polynesian country itself, New Zealand has always been at the forefront of efforts to bring about that future. 
     
    Over the past year, we have done our very best to deliver, through words and actions, on New Zealand’s commitment to contribute to a brighter future for all Pacific peoples. This very important work – involving discussion, debate and, yes, sometimes disagreement – will continue.
     
    The Pacific Islands region is a profoundly democratic one. People from every village, town or city in every Pacific Island country have a direct say in how their affairs are run. Just this year, people in six Pacific Islands Forum countries – Australia, the Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, New Caledonia, Tonga and Vanuatu – are heading to the polls to cast ballots which will help determine the future direction of their countries. 
     
    And so it is Pacific peoples’ hopes and aspirations which must drive political leaders and policy makers. Our policies must be responsive and accountable to the perspectives of those we represent. 
     
    And no matter the future we face, or the challenges we encounter, we will always be members of the same Pacific family. We inhabit the most vast and breathtaking ocean continent in the world. And as family, we will always find a way forward, together, towards the secure and prosperous future that our people deserve.
     
    Thank you. Kia kaha. Go well. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –