Category: housing

MIL-OSI China: Tech hub unveils measures to boost innovation

Source: China State Council Information Office

The exhibition area of humanoid robots is pictured at the third Global Digital Trade Expo in Hangzhou, east China’s Zhejiang Province, Sept. 25, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

The eastern Chinese tech city of Hangzhou, home to e-commerce giant Alibaba and rising AI star DeepSeek, has announced a series of measures to further elevate its status as a high-level innovation hub.

The measures are aimed at enhancing high-level innovation platforms, promoting the technology transfer and application, and strengthening the role of enterprises as the main drivers of technological innovation, Lou Xiuhua, head of the municipal bureau of science and technology, said at a press conference.

Among the measures is a partnership plan, which encourages collaboration between tech innovation platforms, universities, enterprises and industrial chains.

The city will accelerate its construction of facilities and foundational projects such as large-scale models and computing power infrastructure. More computing power vouchers will also be allocated, Lou said.

Computing power vouchers are a government subsidy tool designed to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) access more computing resources at lower costs, aiming to promote innovative applications of AI technologies and digital transformation.

Additionally, Hangzhou will launch an “AI+” initiative to promote the integration and application of AI across industries. It will also introduce a reform related to the application of technological achievements, encouraging universities and research institutions to license their technological fruits to SMEs under a “use first, pay later” model.

Hangzhou, the capital of the economic powerhouse province of Zhejiang, has developed itself as an important hub in the internet and tech industries, driving advancements in e-commerce, AI and digital transformation.

MIL OSI China News –

February 11, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Equipment upgrade, consumer goods trade-in programs deliver fruitful results

Source: China State Council Information Office

Customers apply for subsidies under the trade-in program for consumer goods in Hangzhou City, east China’s Zhejiang Province, Oct. 31, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

China’s large-scale equipment upgrade and consumer goods trade-in programs yielded fruitful results last year, driving strong growth in both investment and consumption, official data showed on Monday.

The programs, which kicked off last March, drove equipment purchases and investment up by 15.7 percent in 2024, contributing 67.6 percent to overall investment growth, and boosted sales of bulk durable consumer goods by over 1.3 trillion yuan (about 181 billion U.S. dollars), according to the National Development and Reform Commission.

Equipment upgrades and sales of green products have saved energy equivalent to approximately 28 million tonnes of standard coal, and reduced carbon dioxide emissions by about 73 million tonnes, the commission noted.

In 2024, over 37 million consumers purchased more than 62 million eligible home appliances, with total sales reaching 270 billion yuan. Items at the highest level of energy efficiency accounted for over 90 percent of the total sales revenue.

In the auto sector, more than 6.8 million vehicles were traded in for new ones, driving sales by 920 billion yuan. Over 60 percent of consumers opted for new energy vehicles.

To maintain this momentum, China last month announced a raft of measures to expand the scope of its consumer goods trade-in program, including new subsidies for electronic product trade-ins, as well as an increased number of categories on its trade-in list for eligible home appliances.

MIL OSI China News –

February 11, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Israel orders military readiness

Source: China State Council Information Office

Relatives of a released hostage hug each other when a helicopter carrying the hostage arrives at a medical center in Ramat Gan, Israel, on Feb. 8, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

Israel has ordered the military to prepare for “any possible scenario in the Gaza Strip” after Hamas announced Monday that the handover of hostages scheduled for Saturday would be postponed until further notice.

In a statement issued by his office, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz denounced Hamas’ announcement as “a complete violation of the Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal.”

Katz said he had ordered the Israel Defense Forces to “prepare at the highest level of readiness for any possible scenario in Gaza and to defend the communities near the enclave.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is convening a situation assessment meeting with ministers and security officials, Israel’s Ynet news site reported, citing the Prime Minister’s Office.

Earlier on Monday, Abu Obeida, spokesman for the Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, said in a statement that during the past three weeks, the resistance leadership has monitored Israel’s failures to abide by the terms of the ceasefire agreement.

The failures included delaying the return of displaced people to northern Gaza and targeting them with shelling and gunfire, as well as not bringing in relief supplies in all their forms as agreed upon, the statement added, stressing the resistance has implemented all its obligations.

Accordingly, the handover of the hostages will be postponed until further notice and until Israel ensures adherence to the deal and compensates for the past weeks retroactively, it noted. “We affirm our commitment to the terms of the agreement as long as the occupation commits to them,” said the spokesman.

Displaced Palestinians who take their way home from the southern Gaza Strip to the north, are seen near the Netzarim Corridor in the central Gaza Strip, on Feb. 9, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

Meanwhile, Israel’s Hostages, Missing Persons, and Returnees Directorate, a government body, said in a statement that Israel “insists on the full implementation of the agreement as written and views any violation with the utmost seriousness.”

These developments came hours after an Israeli delegation returned from Qatar, where indirect talks were held regarding the next phase of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.

Under the current ceasefire, which took effect on Jan. 19 after 15 months of war, 21 hostages — 16 Israelis and five Thais — were released from Gaza in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian detainees freed from Israeli jails. During the first phase of the agreement, which spans six weeks, 33 Israeli hostages and about 2,000 Palestinian detainees are expected to be released.

MIL OSI China News –

February 11, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Address to Public Service Leaders

Source: New Zealand Government

Good afternoon everyone and thank you all for making the time to be here.
I wanted to speak to you early in my tenure as your new Minister for the Public Service because I have a message for you: I’m here to support you in your efforts to deliver the best service possible for the employer we have in common. The taxpayer.
I’m very happy to have the public service portfolio and I want to acknowledge your hard work and commitment during what has been a challenging past year for many, as ministries and departments have been right-sizing.
We know it is the right thing to do, to run a ruler over everything we do to make sure we are delivering our best, but it’s never easy telling someone a programme they’ve worked on for several years won’t be proceeding, or that their role no longer exists. I know. I have had to do it.
It’s not something the government has done lightly but it is something that absolutely needed to be done.
In the six years from 2017 to 2023, the number of people employed in the core public service* grew 34 percent, to 63,117 full-time equivalent employees. Total salary costs for this core public service workforce grew a staggering 72 percent, to about $6.1 billion a year, over the same period.
We simply do not have sufficient taxpayers to support that kind of growth. We do not have sufficient economic growth to support that level of public spending.
And, as I said before, taxpayers pay our wages, and it is the New Zealand taxpayers that we serve. They want to know we are spending their money in ways that are timely and cost-effective.
New challenges, new solutions
We live in a fast-changing world that constantly throws up new challenges. Governments and the public service are always under pressure to find new solutions and new ways of working.
I don’t need to tell you the business of government is complex and challenging and, at times, messy.
And when you are knee-deep trying to deliver priorities and the myriad daily challenges that come with the job, it’s not easy looking ahead.
I know you’ve heard all this before. But my point is this: the more complex and challenging it gets, the more simple we need to keep it.
Serving the public must always be our top priority, regardless of how tough the operating environment is. We should never lose sight of this simple objective.
Setting the highest standards
It almost goes without saying that the public service must set the highest standards.
For me, that means doing the basics well and sticking to core business. It means being competent at what you do, upholding political neutrality and delivering free and frank advice, being efficient with taxpayers’ money, being corruption-free and – above all – delivering results for the people we serve.
Keeping it simple is also being efficient and respectful with the use of taxpayers’ money. Taxpayers trust us to use their resources wisely, and we can not, in the fog of daily pressures and challenges, lose sight of that.
Here’s a simple question I would urge you and your staff to ask themselves: if this was my money, would I spend it this way? This is the simple question that I ask myself when I am making funding decisions. It’s what I need you to do and to enforce.
Think of the sharemilker up at the crack of dawn every day whatever the weather. Think of the aged care worker doing their best to give our elderly the care and respect they deserve in their twilight years. Think of the bus driver. The taxi driver. The truck driver.
All these people want – and deserve – to know that their money is being spent in a way that delivers the services they need in the best way possible. They want results. They don’t want flow charts, frameworks, roadmaps, or bubble diagrams.
They are inherently practical people who want to know that you are helping make their country wealthier, and safer. They want you to treat their taxpayers’ dollars as though it came out of your bank account.
Not doing so can harm the reputation of the government, an agency and the public service. Building trust and confidence, as you know, is a slow and laborious task over many years. But it can be destroyed with one seemingly innocuous act.
Free and frank
To that end, I cannot state clearly enough how important it is that you provide free and frank advice.
Public servants who speak truth to power by telling Ministers their pet policy ideas are crazy and unworkable don’t get far. But neither do public servants who nod along and promise to deliver the undeliverable. That is a betrayal of the responsibilities of a public servant and it results in policy disaster.
Ministers do want free and frank advice. Tell us how we can implement our priorities and policies. Tell us how we can improve our policies. Tell us how we can improve outcomes for individuals, families and communities. Tell us when intervention is necessary. And tell us when to stop or change a policy.
And remember that Ministers, just like senior public servants, have a way of coming back!
The best public servants know how to use analysis to persuade. They know how to reconcile the vision with realism. And they know how to square the hole. I’ve worked with some fine public servants … some of you here.
Public Service Act
One area of opportunity I want to touch on is the Public Service Act. I think it’s too prescriptive. It’s not allowing the public service to be as innovative as it could be.
I intend to look at tightening what the Act says around chief executive responsibilities. The way I see it is that your responsibilities have become too diffuse and roles have become confused. Instead of telling you that you have to comply with certain named laws brought in by a previous government, why not just require you to implement the law. Laws change. Standards should not.
Coming back into government, it seems to me that you are getting weighed down with things that don’t have much to do with your core responsibilities and where everything becomes a priority.
Your core role is to serve the government of the day and focus on the basics, and the Act should reflect this.
I’d like to hear your thoughts on this. What changes can we make to the Act that will help you do your job better? What are the barriers to you doing your job? What can we change that will allow you to drive innovation and improve service delivery. You are better placed than me and other ministers, so I look forward to any suggestions you have.
I know the Prime Minister and Minister Willis have asked you to be bold and take a few risks. I’d like to reinforce that. Freedom to fail (hopefully in a small way) can give us freedom to succeed.
Innovation isn’t just a nice-to-have – it’s a must. We are facing complex challenges that require immediate action. It’s not just being open to new ways of doing things, we need to be doing it. As Benjamin Franklin said, ‘well done is better than well said.’ That’s the culture I’d like to see in the public service.
Open to new ideas
I can assure you the Government is open to new ideas. My only condition is that it leads to better outcomes for the public. That’s tangible results.
And the language you use needs to be fit for the person who is your customer. As a lawyer in private practice, I learned to explain legal terminology in everyday language.
If I talked to customers about the ‘mens rea’ and the ‘actus reus’ required for an offence to have been committed, I would have shown them I know some ‘legal’ Latin, and they might have been impressed. But really, I would just be showing them that I did not understand the first rule of communication -which is to be understood.
You and your staff need to think about your customers. When you are talking to or writing to your customers, think how it sounds to them.
Is it gobbledygook?
Is it a word salad?
Is it arrogant and lacking in empathy?
Is it inherently distancing you from the people who are paying your salary?
My suggestion is to leave the acronyms at the door.
Keep your superior language skills for those who will appreciate them.
Be appropriate. And remember… it’s no use if you can understand you, but your audience can not. Speak to people as you would like to be spoken to and show respect. And, no matter what, be genuine.
Digitising government
As you know, I am also the Minister for Digitising Government. It’s a portfolio that goes hand in glove with the public service.
The use of data and Artificial Intelligence is the big opportunity of our time. We stand at the cusp of a digital revolution that has the power to transform the way our government serves New Zealanders.
If done right, the digitisation of our public service will be game changing, and I am committed to ensuring this happens.
Online portals, mobile applications and AI-enabled interfaces will ensure people and businesses can access important government services and information, anytime and from anywhere.
Data-driven AI technologies will allow government agencies to tailor services to meet the specific needs of individuals, communities and businesses.
New Zealanders already interact with AI-powered services daily. They expect government agencies will be analysing data to gain insights into customer behaviour, preferences and needs.
I’d like to see the public service embrace the potential of AI.
I look forward to seeing a centralised, AI-powered data platform that enables real-time sharing of insights and collaboration between agencies like health, education and housing. It will be able to identify connections that may not be immediately obvious.
Data dashboards and predictive analytics will provide the insight and evidence Ministers need to make better decisions and timely interventions to improve outcomes.
In modernising our public service for the benefit of New Zealanders, think about how we can, in digital procurement, help Kiwi businesses deliver. Other countries are looking to how they can use procurement as a way to deliver better and more cost effective results by emphasising their own industrial or technology base. When it makes sense, we should too.
Say Yes
The work you do is vital. New Zealanders depend on it, and on our ability to drive the change required.
We have to deliver results. There simply is no other option. New Zealanders need us and expect us to get on with the job now, and I back you to support the government to do what is required.
As the Prime Minister has made clear, a culture of saying No is not acceptable. Your challenge is to inspire your staff, your team, to say “Yes”.
Yes to the licence.
Yes to the permit.
Yes to considering trialling AI tutors for kids.
Yes to delivering a government app that provides the sort of service that the commercial world delivers.
And Yes to treating our customers like customers.
New Zealanders should be treated as though they are valued customers with options. That’s what we need to deliver. Treat the taxpayer with dignity and the level of respect that you like to receive.
I know you are up for the challenge. But performance is non-negotiable.
I know how hard you work. And you are doing some great work. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t take opportunities to reset and ensure our focus is on what matters most – delivering better, more timely results for New Zealanders.
I’m excited to be your Minister, and I’m excited at the prospect of what we can achieve together. And I have full confidence in each of you as leaders of our public service.
As we move forward together, let’s remember who we serve and how our work impacts the lives of New Zealanders.
With hard work, innovation, courage and a shared sense of purpose, we have the power to create a public service that is not only effective, but transformative.
I look forward to working with Sir Brian and you to drive the change that is required.
Thank you.

** The core Public Service are departments and departmental agencies only. It excludes the wider public sector, such as defence personnel, police, teachers and public healthcare workers.

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

February 11, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: USS O’Kane returns home after seven-month deployment to 5th and 7th Fleet

Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

SAN DIEGO, Calif. –

O’Kane departed San Diego with the ABECSG, July 17, 2024, and remained in U.S. 5th Fleet following the departure of ABECSG who returned to their homeport in December 2024.

“I am incredibly proud of the exemplary work this team has invested in themselves and their equipment over the past few months,” said Cmdr. Rich Ray, commanding officer, O’Kane. “We are proud of the work we accomplished this deployment, and we are looking forward to continuing that success into the next challenge.”

Following the departure of the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) and the Arleigh Burke-class guided-class missile destroyers USS Frank E. Petersen, Jr. (DDG 121), USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112) and USS Spruance (DDG 111) from U.S. 5th Fleet, O’Kane and the USS Stockdale (DDG 106) remained in the U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) area of responsibility to support global maritime security operations.

O’Kane and Stockdale successfully escorted U.S. flagged and crewed merchant vessels in the Gulf of Aden. During the escort, the destroyers worked alongside other U.S. Central Command forces in successfully repelling multiple Iranian-backed Houthi attacks during transits of the Bab el-Mandeb strait. During the transit, the destroyers were attacked by one-way attack un-crewed Aerial systems, anti-ship ballistic missiles and anti-ship cruise missiles which were successfully engaged and defeated. The vessels were not damaged, and no personnel were hurt. The ships were well prepared, supported, and the well-trained Sailors successfully defended the ship.

Throughout deployment, O’Kane successfully completed 75 flight quarters, including 84 rotary-wing landings, 26 rotary-wing refueling evolutions, and nine vertical replenishments. In addition, O’Kane conducted 24 replenishments-at-sea, and 22 mooring evolutions.

Additionally, O’Kane visited Karachi, Pakistan to promote the diplomatic relationship between the United States and Pakistan. Following the port visit, O’Kane conducted a maritime exercise to build interoperability with the Pakistan Navy.

ABECSG initially deployed to the Indo-Pacific region to support regional security and stability, and to reassure our allies and partners of the U.S. Navy’s unwavering commitment, highlighted by the first-ever U.S.-Italy multi-large deck event with the Italian Navy’s ITS Cavour Carrier Strike Group held in the Indo-Pacific on Aug. 9, 2024.

The strike group was ordered to the USCENTCOM area of responsibility to bolster U.S. military force posture in the Middle East, deter regional escalation, degrade Houthi capabilities, defend U.S. forces, and again sailed alongside our Italian allies and other partners to promote security, stability and prosperity. Assigned destroyers of the ABECSG, to include O’Kane, were essential to providing a layer of defense to U.S. forces and ensure the safe passage of commercial vessels and partner nations transiting in international waterways like the Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden.

As an integral part of U.S. Pacific Fleet, Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet operates naval forces in the Indo-Pacific and provides the realistic and relevant training to ensure the readiness necessary to execute the U.S. Navy’s timeless role across the full spectrum of military operations. U.S. 3rd Fleet works together with our allies and partners to advance freedom of navigation, the rule of law, and other principles that underpin security for the Indo-Pacific region.

MIL Security OSI –

February 11, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Do men and women agree on how easy it is for each other to find a job or a date?

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Whyte, Deputy Director – Behavioural Economics, Society and Technology (BEST) Research Group. Chief-Investigator – ARC ITTC Centre for Behavioural Inisghts for Technology Adoption (BITA).), Queensland University of Technology

The Conversation, DenPhotos/Shutterstock, Mehaniq/Shutterstock

Typically, you don’t have to write a cover letter before attending a candlelit dinner. But there are some eerie emotional parallels between finding a job and finding a date.

Both can require you to put yourself “out there” in uncomfortable ways, brace yourself for repeated rejection and grapple with heartache.

On the flip side, success in either pursuit can significantly boost your confidence and sense of wellbeing – especially if it feels like a good fit.

This raises the question: do Australians really believe they have equal access to the labour and dating markets?

Our study, published in the journal Evolutionary Psychology, examined this question in depth, shining a light on how these beliefs are linked, and where they differ.

Whether Australians’ perceptions of job and dating market access are completely accurate or not, they can certainly have a big impact on the choices we make and the way we behave in both our personal and professional lives.

Finding a job versus finding a date

We surveyed more than 1,000 online daters aged between 18 and 81. Our sample only included participants who described their sexual orientation as heterosexual and who identified as either male or female.

Our study looked at people’s beliefs about how easy it was to find a job or find a date.
Arthur Bargan/Shutterstock

It’s important to understand that we were looking specifically at people’s perceptions of their access to these markets.

That is, we looked at what men and women believed about their own (and the opposite sex’s) ability to find a job or find a date.

We also examined what both sexes believed about women’s economic dependence on men.

On average, we found women think it’s easier for men to find a decently paying job. Women also think they’re less economically dependent on male partners than men think women are.

Both sexes agree it’s easier for women to find a date than men. But men think they have it much worse off on this metric than women think they do.

Where beliefs diverge

These perceptions begin to vary significantly with factors such as age, education, number of children and political orientation.

There are some big differences in how women perceive women’s economic dependence and ease of dating access at different stages of life.

Middle-aged men and women (aged 35 to 55 years) share similar perspectives on women’s economic dependence. This contrasts with younger and older women, who believe women are significantly less economically dependent on men.

Women believe they have an easier time finding a date as they age from 18 to 35 years old. This perception then declines sharply from 40 to 75 years or older.

These patterns align with evolutionary theories, suggesting that access to resources and shifting household dynamics at different life stages influence how men and women view the labour and dating markets.

Shifting beliefs about access at different age levels may reflect changing household dynamics.
aijiro/Shutterstock

Intertwined ‘markets’

Importantly, we found that perceptions of labour and dating market access are intrinsically linked, and they tend to reflect broader economic conditions.

For instance, men in high-income areas think they have better job and dating opportunities, while those in areas with greater gender income disparities see women as more economically dependent.

On the flipside, women in higher-income areas think they are less economically dependent. And those in areas with lower gender gaps in income perceive women’s dating access to be greater.

This interplay of beliefs is also reflected in participants’ own dating preferences. Women who believe they are more economically dependent on men tend to seek a long-term male partner with greater earning potential than them.

On the other hand, men who expect to earn more than their ideal partner think it’s easier for men to find a date.

Beliefs about how easy it is to find a job and find a date are linked.
Drazen Zigic/Shutterstock

Why does this all matter?

Economic growth is the way economists and politicians measure increases in our standard of living. It is primarily driven by consumption.

That’s everyday Australians buying their morning coffees at work, leg hams at Christmas time or splurging on a new cabana for the beach.

Historically, more consumers meant more consumption, which meant higher economic growth and an increased standard of living.

Many governments have recognised and acted on this link, encouraging Australians to have more children. Back in the early 2000s, for instance, the Howard government implemented the so-called “baby bonus”.

Then-Treasurer Peter Costello famously asked the nation to “Have one for mum, one for dad, and one for the country”.

It worked, sort of. Australia’s birth rates increased modestly.

Fast forward to today, and these issues are just as relevant. Dating and job market choices still have a significant impact on Australian society, both economically and socially.

Khandis R Blake receives funding from the Australian Research Council (DE210100800 and DP220101023).

Benno Torgler, Ho Fai Chan, Rachel Hall, and Stephen Whyte 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. Do men and women agree on how easy it is for each other to find a job or a date? – https://theconversation.com/do-men-and-women-agree-on-how-easy-it-is-for-each-other-to-find-a-job-or-a-date-247235

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

February 11, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: As Trump abandons the old world order, NZ must find its place in a new ‘Pax Autocratica’

Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Chris Ogden, Associate Professor in Global Studies, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau

Donald Trump is moving rapidly to change the contours of contemporary international affairs, with the old US-dominated world order breaking down into a multipolar one with many centres of power.

The shift already includes the US leaving the World Health Organization and the Paris Climate Accords, questioning the value of the United Nations, and radical cuts to the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

Such a new geopolitical age also involves an assertion of raw power, with Trump using the threat of tariffs to assert global authority and negotiating positions.

While the US is not significantly less powerful, this new era may see it wield that power in more openly self-interested and isolationist ways. As new US Secretary of State Marco Rubio put it in January, “the post-war global order is not just obsolete – it is now a weapon being used against us”.

With global democracy in retreat, the emerging international order looks to be moving in an authoritarian direction. As it does, the position of New Zealand’s vibrant democracy will come under mounting pressure.

But world orders have come and gone for millennia, reflecting the ebb and flow of global economic, political and military power. Looking back to previous eras, and how countries and cultures responded to shifting geopolitical realities, can help us understand what is happening more clearly.

An evolving world order

Previous orders have often focused on specific centres – or “poles” – of power. These include the Concert of Europe from 1814 to 1914, the bipolar world of the Cold War between the US and the Soviet Union, and the unipolar world of American dominance after the end of the Cold War and since the September 11 attacks in 2001.

Periods of single-power dominance (or hegemony) are referred to as a “pax”, from the Latin for “peace”. We have seen the Pax Romana of the Roman Empire (27 BCE to 180 AD), multiple Pax Sinicas around China (most recently the Qing Dynasty 1644 to 1912), Pax Mongolica (the Mongol Empire from 1271 to 1368) and Pax Britannica (the British Empire from 1815 to 1924).

It is the Pax Americana of the US, from 1945 to the present, that Trump seems bent on dismantling. We now live in an international order that is visibly in flux. With autocracy on the rise and the US at its vanguard, a “Pax Autocratica” is emerging.

This is accentuated by the rapid rise of Asia as the main sphere of economic and military growth, particularly China and India. The world’s two most populous countries had the world’s largest and third largest economies respectively in 2023, and the second and fourth highest levels of military spending.

The simultaneous rise of multiple power centres was already challenging the Pax Americana. Now, a new international order appears to be a certainty, with Trump openly adapting to multipolarity. Several major powers now compete for global influence, rather than any one country dominating.

China’s preference for a multipolar international order is shared by India and Russia. Without one dominant entity, it will be the political and social basis of this order, as determined by its major actors, that matters most – not who leads it.

Pax Democratica

The current (now waning) international order has been underpinned by specific social, political and economic values stemming from the national identity and historical experience of the US.

According to US political expert G. John Ikenberry, former president Woodrow Wilson’s agenda for peace after the first world war sought to “reflect distinctive American ideas and ideals”.

Woodrow imagined an order based on collective security and shared sovereignty, liberal principles of democracy and universal human rights, free trade and international law.

As its dominance and military strength increased in the 20th century, the US also provided security to other countries. Such power enabled Washington to create open global trade markets, as well as build core global institutions like the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, World Trade Organization, United Nations and NATO.

For Ikenberry, this Pax Americana (we might call it a Pax Democratica) rested on consent to the US’s “provision of security, wealth creation, and social advancement”. This was aided by the its more than 800 military bases in over 80 countries.

The democratic deficit

Trump undercuts the central tenets of this liberal world order and accelerates a slide towards authoritarianism. Like Russia, India and China, the US is also actively constraining human rights, attacking minorities and weakening its electoral system.

This democratic retreat leaves a country such as New Zealand in a global minority. If Trump targets the region or country with economic tariffs, that precariousness might increase.

On the other hand, previous world orders have not been truly hegemonic. Pax Britannica did not encompass the entire world. Nor did Pax Americana, which didn’t include China, India, the former Soviet bloc, much of the Islamic world and many developing countries.

This suggests pockets of democracy can survive within a Pax Autocratica, especially in a multipolar world which is more tolerant of political independence.

The Economist Intelligence Unit’s 2023 Democracy Index ranked New Zealand, the Nordic countries, Switzerland, Iceland and Ireland highest because their citizens

choose their political leaders in free and fair elections, enjoy civil liberties, prefer democracy over other political systems, can and do participate in politics, and have a functioning government that acts on their behalf.

It is these countries that can be at the vanguard of democratic resilience.

Chris Ogden is a Senior Research Fellow with The Foreign Policy Centre, London.

– ref. As Trump abandons the old world order, NZ must find its place in a new ‘Pax Autocratica’ – https://theconversation.com/as-trump-abandons-the-old-world-order-nz-must-find-its-place-in-a-new-pax-autocratica-249358

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

February 11, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Tribute paid to pioneer of China’s nuclear submarines

Source: China State Council Information Office 2

People across China paid great respect to Huang Xuhua, the late chief designer of the nation’s first-generation nuclear submarines, over the past days in remembrance of the renowned engineer’s contributions to the motherland.
Huang, who received the country’s highest honor, the Medal of the Republic, in September 2019 and the nation’s top science and technology award in January 2020, died on Thursday evening in Wuhan, Hubei province, at the age of 99. A funeral service for him was held on Monday at the city’s Wuchang funeral parlor.
Inside a memorial hall at the Wuhan-based Nuclear Submarine Institute of China State Shipbuilding Corp, farewell flowers were arranged in the shape of a submarine and ocean waves in front of Huang’s portrait at a farewell ceremony held on Saturday and Sunday.
Students from primary and middle schools and universities, as well as local residents and colleagues of Huang, came to the site to salute, pay their respects and say farewell to the preeminent researcher.
Many people from outside Wuhan ordered flowers from online shops and asked them to be delivered to the farewell ceremony.
In Huang’s hometown of Shanwei in Guangdong province, at Shanghai Jiao Tong University where the researcher studied, and at the PLA Naval Museum in Qingdao, Shandong province, ceremonies were held in remembrance of the submarine designer.
Many people who commented below online news reports about Huang’s passing said they were grateful to the late engineer, because what he had done had safeguarded the country and its people, and had also contributed to making China a great power in the world.
In 1958, Huang became one of China’s first researchers designated to design the nation’s own nuclear-powered submarines. Since then, his name remained classified until almost three decades later, when a magazine in Shanghai was allowed to publish a report on him, which only disclosed his surname of Huang.
From his early 30s to his passing, Huang was closely linked to China’s nuclear submarine force. He led the research and development of the nation’s first-generation nuclear submarines — the Type 09I nuclear-powered attack submarine and the Type 09II nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine. He also trained and established a group of engineers who have played central roles in building new generations of nuclear submarines.
In addition, Huang had been director of the Nuclear Submarine Institute of China State Shipbuilding Corp and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering.

MIL OSI China News –

February 11, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: IAM Union, Coalition Sue Over Elon Musk’s Unprecedented and Illegal Hack of Americans’ Private Data

Source: US GOIAM Union

WASHINGTON—A coalition of labor unions representing over 2 million workers filed a federal lawsuit today challenging a data heist carried out by Elon Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency inside three federal government departments.

Six individuals personally harmed by Musk and DOGE’s theft of their private information joined the suit filed by the AFT, the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE), the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) and the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE-IAM). Protect Democracy and Munger, Tolles & Olson are counsel to the plaintiffs.

The suit alleges the Department of Education, the Office of Personnel Management and the Department of Treasury improperly disclosed the sensitive records of millions of Americans to DOGE staff who lack appropriate security clearances and have not been properly vetted, and granted access to some of the government’s most sensitive and closely guarded data systems, in violation of the Privacy Act. DOGE employees include a 19-year-old who has previously leaked proprietary information.

The Privacy Act carefully regulates how agency records about individuals can be shared and disclosures of personal information beyond what the statute authorizes are illegal.

“Steamrolling into sensitive government record systems has led to a massive data breach that threatens to upend how these critical systems are maintained and seriously compromises the safety and security of personal identifying information for Americans all across the country,” the suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, reads. “It also violates federal law.”

Plaintiffs include veterans who receive benefit payments, current and former federal employees whose confidential employment files reside in OPM’s system, and teachers whose pathway to the classroom was reliant on student loans to pay for college tuition.

When Americans interact with the U.S. government, they often entrust federal agencies with sensitive personal information; the suit argues that bond of trust has been broken. The Education Department alone oversees the private information of 43 million student borrowers who hold $1.6 trillion in student debt. Treasury’s system contains records relating to every American who receives (among other things) a tax refund, Social Security benefit, veterans pay, or a federal salary. OPM holds exceedingly sensitive personal information for all 2.3 million federal employees.

Plaintiffs are asking the court to impose immediate relief that restores the protections of the Privacy Act. They seek injunctive and declaratory relief to ensure that improper disclosures to DOGE representatives stop immediately and that any data currently in DOGE’s possession be immediately deleted and destroyed.

Enacted in the wake of Watergate, the Privacy Act sought to restore trust in government and to address an existential threat to American democracy.

“Elon Musk and his minions are stealing Americans’ private personal and financial data in one of the biggest data hacks in U.S. history,” said AFT President Randi Weingarten. “I suspect no one who voted for Donald Trump thought he would allow Musk permission to invade their privacy. This is a breach of our fundamental freedoms. Right now, inside the Department of Education, the world’s richest man is rifling through 45 million people’s private student loan accounts and feeding the data into artificial intelligence.

“The department is effectively one of America’s biggest banks—if there was a breach of this magnitude in the private sector, it would rightly be a national scandal. Social Security numbers, financial data, home addresses, and personal demographic data about student borrowers and, in many instances, their parents, spouses or other family members are being illegally vacuumed up by Musk. This lawsuit is being filed to bring an end to his heist before he does irreversible damage to millions more American lives.”

“The federal government holds in trust vast amounts of data about American citizens, including federal employees and retirees,” said NARFE National President William “Bill” Shackelford. “Without legal guardrails in place to prevent improper use of such data, we risk disclosure to nefarious actors, and abuse by individuals within the government itself, threatening personal liberty and property. The Privacy Act provides those legal guardrails, reflecting a balance between the government’s need to utilize such data for legal purposes and its need to protect against abuse and misuse. Violating the Privacy Act infringes upon individuals’ rights that data held in trust is not misused or abused. NARFE joins this suit to ensure the administration is protecting personal data of federal employees and retirees as required by law.”

“Government agencies are not private entities that billionaires can simply buy and rummage through,” said IAM Union International President Brian Bryant. “Congressional oversight, advocacy and voting are how we make government work for us, not reckless takeovers that put the personal data of millions of Americans into the hands of unqualified, unvetted political operatives. It is up to us—the working families of America—to stand up here and now to protect our privacy and our democracy.”

“The richest person on the planet hacking into confidential and personal information is not only illegal, but also incredibly dangerous,” said NFFE-IAM National President Randy Erwin. “Musk and his DOGE operatives have no right to access extremely sensitive information of the American public, particularly federal workers who have been targeted and attacked since inauguration day. It is clear that these unauthorized actors intend to use this illegally acquired data to advance their political agenda and undermine the civil service.”

”We’re watching in real time as Trump’s cronies break the law to get access to Americans’ most sensitive and personal data,” said Kristy Parker, Counsel to the plaintiffs at Protect Democracy. “No one should be fooled into thinking they’re doing this for our benefit—to save us money or make our lives better. Their goal is to snoop on vast amounts of Americans’ data and try to use what they find to enrich themselves, reward their allies, and punish their critics.”

The full complaint can be read here.

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MIL OSI USA News –

February 11, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Johnson Joins Sen. Graham in Unveiling FY 2025 Budget Resolution to Secure the Border, Revitalize Our Military, Unleash American Energy Production, and Begin the Process of Restoring Fiscal Sanity
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Ron Johnson

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) joined U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, in releasing the text of the Senate’s fiscal year 2025 budget resolution.

The FY 2025 budget resolution will be the blueprint that unlocks the pathway for a fully paid-for reconciliation bill to secure the border, bolster our military, increase American energy independence, and begin the process of fiscal sanity.

The FY 2025 budget resolution lays the groundwork for legislation that:
- Secures our border by providing funding to:
  
  Finish the wall and upgrade technology for ground and aerial support.
  
  Increase the number of detention beds so dangerous criminals aren’t released into the United States.
  
  Increase the number of:
  
  ICE officers to conduct mass detention and removal of criminal illegal aliens; Border Patrol agents to regain operational control of the border; Assistant U.S. attorneys to prosecute violent crime, organized crime and immigration-related offenses; and immigration judges to clear the backlog in our immigration courts.
  
  Make investments in state and local law enforcement to facilitate cooperation with federal law enforcement and immigration enforcement and removal efforts.
- Revitalizes our military by providing critical funding for the Department of Defense to strengthen the U.S. military to deter conflict and ensure our nation’s security. Priorities to plus up our national defense include:
  
  Maintaining U.S. military readiness and the ability to defend U.S. interests globally.
  
  Growing the U.S. Navy and strengthening its industrial base to restore U.S. maritime dominance.
  
  Building an integrated air and missile defense to counter threats to the U.S. homeland.
  
  Continuing to overhaul and strengthen America’s nuclear defense posture.
- Facilitates energy independence by unleashing American energy production through on and offshore lease sales, and stopping the Biden Administration’s natural gas tax, also known as the methane emissions fee.
- Begins the process of restoring fiscal sanity by fully paying for the investments in our border security, national security and domestic energy production up front. Since these investments will be spent in four years, the legislation will be paid for in four years. The bill’s projected increased annual spending of $85.5 billion will be paid for by a projected $85.5 billion in reduced annual spending.
Why we need to Secure our Border, Revitalize our Military, Unleash American Energy Production and Begin the Process of Fiscal Sanity.

Text of the FY 2025 Senate budget resolution is available HERE.

View tables on the FY 2025 Senate budget resolution HERE.
MIL OSI USA News –
February 11, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: U.S. Senators to Trump: Telling CFPB to Stop Work & Stand Down Puts Consumers & Military Families at Heightened Risk of Being Ripped Off

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

WASHINGTON, DC – All Americans deserve a strong consumer watchdog to look out for their financial well-being, prevent scams, and hold offenders accountable. This is especially true for servicemembers, veterans, and their families, who are disproportionally targeted by predatory lenders and abusive mortgage, debt collection, and credit card schemes and often face greater financial risks than civilian borrowers due to the nature of their military service.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) collects, investigates, and monitors consumer complaints about financial products and services. It provides relief to consumers who have been wronged by unscrupulous financial providers. Since the agency’s inception, the CFPB has returned over $21 billion back to consumers who have fallen victim to abusive and illegal activity.

Unfortunately, the Trump Administration’s ill-advised move to shutter the CFPB and idle 2,000 of the bureau’s employees makes consumers more susceptible to predatory lending and other abusive financial practices. Moreover, the Trump Administration’s decision to stop supervision, enforcement, and litigation eliminates key Military Lending Act (MLA) and Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) protections that prevent servicemembers from being exploited, according to a leading group of U.S Senators. The financial and legal protections in these bipartisan laws—most notably a temporary reduction in interest rates on mortgages, credit cards, and auto loans—are critical to national defense and military readiness. Troops should focus on their service obligations while on active duty, rather than worrying about making ends meet at home.

After President Trump’s newly-installed acting CFPB Director Russell Vought instructed CFPB staff to suspend nearly all activities, stop supervising financial firms, and ordered employees to “stand down from performing any work task” for at least a week, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) today joined with 9 of his Senate colleagues in sounding the alarm and urging the Trump Administration to reverse the order. The Senators wrote a letter demanding the CFPB must perform its essential work supervising and investigating violations of consumer financial protection laws and taking forceful enforcement actions against scammers and payday lenders.

“This morning, in your capacity as Acting Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), you issued a directive to employees to cease all work without your express written approval. This includes investigations, supervision, enforcement, and litigation activities, as well as all stakeholder engagement and public communications. This decision leaves all Americans susceptible to predatory lending and other abusive practices, but in particular, it eliminates protections that prevent servicemembers from being exploited,” the 10 Senators wrote.

In addition to Reed, who helped write the bipartisan MLA and the law creating the Office of Servicemember Affairs at the CFPB to serve as an independent watchdog for military personnel, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Mark Warner (D-VA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), and Edward Markey (D-MA).

“Nullifying the MLA and imperiling servicemembers’ rights under the SCRA will degrade military readiness, cost taxpayers money, and tarnish servicemembers’ records. The Department of Defense (DOD) has stated that “high-cost debt can detract from mission focus, reduce productivity, and require the attention of supervisors and commanders.” Morale suffers when servicemembers and their families are trapped in cycles of debt. And taxpayers are on the hook when our servicemembers leave the military due to avoidable personal issues like financial insecurity. According to DOD, each separated servicemember costs the Pentagon more than $58,000,” the Senators continued.

“Accordingly, we request that the CFPB continue to supervise and investigate violations of the consumer financial protection laws and take forceful enforcement actions against lenders that violate the law, especially when it comes to predatory lending that harms our military readiness. We also request that the CFPB continue to make public communications to consumers, especially to servicemembers regarding the rights that they are owed under the SCRA,” the letter concluded.

Full text of the letter follows:

February 10, 2025

The Honorable Russell Vought, Director

Office of Management and Budget

725 17th St. NW

Washington, DC 20303

Dear Director Vought:

This morning, in your capacity as Acting Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), you issued a directive to employees to cease all work without your express written approval. This includes investigations, supervision, enforcement, and litigation activities, as well as all stakeholder engagement and public communications. This decision leaves all Americans susceptible to predatory lending and other abusive practices, but in particular, it eliminates protections that prevent servicemembers from being exploited.

This funding, supervision, enforcement, and communications freeze will hit military families especially hard. Without a functional CFPB, military families will be stripped of their financial protections under the bipartisan Military Lending Act (MLA) that they have earned and deserve by serving our Nation. The CFPB is the primary agency responsible for supervising and enforcing the MLA against nonbank financial companies, including payday lenders, pawnshops, and debt collectors who have charged servicemembers interest rates as high as 600% and who have threatened to derail their careers if they do not pay up.

The agency’s supervision and enforcement program has delivered concrete results for the military. The CFPB has resolved 39 cases involving harm to servicemembers and veterans, returning $363 million to victims, including six enforcement actions for violations of the MLA. Two additional MLA cases are currently pending in court, alleging that a pawn shop and an installment lender charged sky high interest rates to military families and engaged in deceptive practices to illegally harvest fees. With these cases frozen, no supervision, staff locked out, and additional enforcement off the table, unscrupulous lenders will exploit these circumstances to engage in additional predatory lending. The actions that you have taken since being installed as Acting Director betray our servicemembers and empower scammers who want to rip them off.

Further, recent CFPB research identified a long-running pattern of lenders failing to decrease servicemembers’ interest rates while on active duty as required by the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA). These failures cost servicemembers thousands of dollars per year. The CFPB’s public communications have held lenders accountable and helped servicemembers exercise their rights under Federal law.

Nullifying the MLA and imperiling servicemembers’ rights under the SCRA will degrade military readiness, cost taxpayers money, and tarnish servicemembers’ records. The Department of Defense (DOD) has stated that “high-cost debt can detract from mission focus, reduce productivity, and require the attention of supervisors and commanders.” Morale suffers when servicemembers and their families are trapped in cycles of debt. And taxpayers are on the hook when our servicemembers leave the military due to avoidable personal issues like financial insecurity. According to DOD, each separated servicemember costs the Pentagon more than $58,000.

Accordingly, we request that the CFPB continue to supervise and investigate violations of the consumer financial protection laws and take forceful enforcement actions against lenders that violate the law, especially when it comes to predatory lending that harms our military readiness. We also request that the CFPB continue to make public communications to consumers, especially to servicemembers regarding the rights that they are owed under the SCRA.

We request your commitment no later than February 12, 2025. Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

Sincerely,

MIL OSI USA News –

February 11, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Supporting farmers to ‘meat’ global food demand
Source: New Zealand Government

Minister of Agriculture Todd McClay today hosted a Lamb barbecue to mark National Lamb Day (15 February 2025) for farmers, industry representatives, MPs, and media at Parliament.

“As we celebrate National Lamb Day, parliament honours the legacy of early sector pioneers and acknowledges the hard work and resilience of our farmers, processors, and exporters — your dedication ensures that New Zealand’s red meat sector remains world leading and ready to grow,” Mr McClay says.

“Agriculture is the backbone of New Zealand’s economy, with sheep and beef farmers alone contributing over $10 billion in exports to the economy last year. This is equal to $3,300 in income for every Kiwi household.

“The sector isn’t just crucial to our goal of doubling exports by value in ten years — it also supports 76,000 jobs across New Zealand and is leading the way in sustainable farming.

The Government’s agricultural team, of Agriculture Minister Todd McClay, Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard, Rural Communities Minister Mark Patterson and Associate Minister of Agriculture Nicola Grigg, are laser focused on getting costs down and returning more value to the farm gate.

Farmers have done it tough over the last few years with significant weather events and challenging commodity prices, but as farmer confidence rises there are real signs of green shoots ahead including:
- A lift in sheepmeat prices over recent months, with December lamb prices exceeding the five-year average,
- Record high cattle prices, and
- Rising demand from key red meat markets.
“Looking ahead, we are focused on new growth opportunities for lamb and red meat, particularly in the Middle East. The recent trade agreements with the United Arab of Emirates (UAE) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) will eliminate 99 per cent of all tariffs over time.

“Kiwi farmers are the best in the world, and we are committed to supporting a future where New Zealand lamb continues to be celebrated and enjoyed on tables world-wide.”

MIL OSI New Zealand News –
February 11, 2025

MIL-OSI: F&M Bank Welcomes Peter Schork as Regional President for Toledo, Ohio & Southeast Michigan

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

ARCHBOLD, Ohio, Feb. 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — F&M Bank (“F&M”), an Archbold, Ohio-based bank owned by Farmers & Merchants Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq: FMAO) announced that Peter Schork has joined F&M as Regional President of the Toledo, Ohio, and Southeastern Michigan regions.

Lars Eller, President and CEO of F&M stated, “As a proven community banker, Peter brings a wealth of experience to F&M. His leadership, deep market knowledge, and commitment to building strong relationships will be an invaluable resource to F&M as we continue to grow and serve our communities. We look forward to the impact he will make in driving success for our customers, employees, and stakeholders.”

In his new role, Peter will oversee F&M’s presence in the Toledo, Ohio, and Birmingham, Michigan markets, including offices in Waterville, Swanton, Perrysburg, Sylvania, and Downtown Toledo, as well as F&M’s Loan Production Office in Troy and its Birmingham, Michigan location.

Peter brings over 25 years of banking and financial experience to F&M. Prior to joining the Company, he served as the Ann Arbor President for Oxford Bank and co-founded the Ann Arbor State Bank serving as its President and CEO. In addition to his community bank experience, Peter was the CFO at Catalyst Commercial Real Estate, and the President of a Michigan-based title, mortgage, and real estate company. In addition to his business experience, Peter is a proud supporter of various community organizations. Currently, he serves on the Michigan Theater Board of Trustees, is a member of the Ray and Eleanor Cross Foundation and the Kiwanis Club of Ann Arbor and is a Board Member and Treasurer for the Homeless/Unhoused Mission. Peter holds a Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) with a specialization in Finance from Eastern Michigan University.

About F&M Bank:
F&M Bank is a local independent community bank that has been serving its communities since 1897. F&M Bank provides commercial banking, retail banking and other financial services. Our locations are in Butler, Champaign, Fulton, Defiance, Hancock, Henry, Lucas, Shelby, Williams, and Wood counties in Ohio. In Northeast Indiana, we have offices located in Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Jay, Steuben and Wells counties. The Michigan footprint includes Oakland County, and we have Loan Production Offices in Troy, Michigan; Muncie, Indiana; and Perrysburg and Bryan, Ohio.

Safe harbor statement
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements by F&M, including management’s expectations and comments, may not be based on historical facts and are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21B of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Actual results could vary materially depending on risks and uncertainties inherent in general and local banking conditions, competitive factors specific to markets in which F&M and its subsidiaries operate, future interest rate levels, legislative and regulatory decisions, capital market conditions, or the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and its impacts on our credit quality and business operations, as well as its impact on general economic and financial market conditions. F&M assumes no responsibility to update this information. For more details, please refer to F&M’s SEC filing, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. Such filings can be viewed at the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov or through F&M’s website www.fm.bank.

__________________________________________

Company Contact:	Investor and Media Contact:
Lars B. Eller President and Chief Executive Officer Farmers & Merchants Bancorp, Inc. (419) 446-2501 leller@fm.bank	Andrew M. Berger Managing Director SM Berger & Company, Inc. (216) 464-6400 andrew@smberger.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e11179be-cf20-449e-9416-ca1e8ff1fd2f

The MIL Network –

February 11, 2025

MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Schiff, Western Senators Raise Alarm on Trump’s Illegal Funding Cuts Targeting Wildfire Mitigation Efforts

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

Padilla, Schiff, Western Senators Raise Alarm on Trump’s Illegal Funding Cuts Targeting Wildfire Mitigation Efforts

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff (both D-Calif.) joined Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), and 10 other Western Democratic Senators to sound the alarm over threats to the removal of hazardous fuels on U.S. public lands. The Bureau of Land Management recently issued stop work orders to small businesses and organizations across America carrying out critical hazardous fuel removal projects on high-risk federal lands. Delaying these treatments risks missing out on the right seasonal and weather conditions for safely treating hazardous fuels.

The letter follows President Donald Trump’s illegal executive orders cutting federal funds needed to mitigate and fight wildfires, despite the devastating fires that ravaged Southern California communities last month. The Senators demanded that Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Acting Agriculture Secretary Gary Washington rescind the order to stop work on essential hazardous fuels reduction efforts and any other wildland fire management and risk-reduction programs.

“Catastrophic wildfires across the United States are an ongoing national crisis and responding to them must be a national priority. These stop work orders and funding freezes jeopardize communities that depend on a robust federal response to our wildfire crisis — and also jeopardize small businesses, often in frontier and rural communities, that are contracted to do the work on the ground to reduce hazardous fuels,” wrote the Senators.

“As we’ve seen with the recent fires surrounding Los Angeles, wildfire does not distinguish between homes and trees. But we do have ways to mitigate the risk,” continued the Senators. “One of the most effective strategies to reduce that risk is to reduce the hazardous natural fuels that surround our communities. These fuels reduction projects save lives and property, reduce the danger to firefighters, and return our lands to a fire-adapted ecosystem that can better withstand the threat to human life, communities, infrastructure, and property.

The hazardous fuel reduction projects are a core component of the Wildfire Crisis Strategy, to which Congress appropriated over $3 billion from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act. These investments in fuels reduction treatments for high-risk firesheds were recommended in the nonpartisan Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission Report.

In addition to Senators Padilla, Schiff, Merkley, and Heinrich, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

Senator Padilla has long been a leader in strengthening the federal and state response to wildfires. Last week, Padilla introduced bipartisan legislation to create a national Wildfire Intelligence Center to streamline federal response and create a whole-of-government approach to combat wildfires. He also announced a package of three bipartisan bills to bolster fire resilience and proactive mitigation efforts, including the Wildfire Emergency Act, the Fire-Safe Electrical Corridors Act, and the Disaster Mitigation and Tax Parity Act, the last of which is co-led by Senator Schiff. Padilla’s legislation to strengthen FEMA’s wildfire preparedness and response efforts, the FIRE Act, became law in 2022.

Padilla previously questioned Secretary Burgum on his support for wildfire aid, securing his commitment to responding to wildfires regardless of which state they impact with all necessary resources and support possible.

Full text of the letter can be found here and below:

Dear Secretary Burgum and Acting Secretary Washington,

We are writing with great concern about reports from our constituents that the Bureau of Land Management has issued stop work orders for hazardous fuels reduction projects. We are further concerned that fuels projects overseen by the U.S. Forest Service will be next. These projects are integral to increased safety and resiliency and any delay in implementation puts those communities at greater risk. We urge you to immediately rescind these stop work orders, halt any further stop work orders or funding freezes, and instead work with the tools and funds Congress has provided to better safeguard our communities from the serious risk of catastrophic wildfire.

These projects are part of the Wildfire Crisis Strategy, funded by the Infrastructure and Investment in Jobs Act (IIJA) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Investing in fuels reduction treatments is a primary recommendation in the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission Report, a nonpartisan strategy document to tackle the myriad challenges associated with wildfire across the country. We also note with alarm that this report was removed from federal websites this week.

In 2022, the Forest Service identified high-risk firesheds across the country to be prioritized for hazardous fuels reduction work through the Wildlife Crisis Strategy and Implementation Plan. The Forest Service chose 10 high-priority landscapes with the enactment of IIJA and an additional 11 landscapes with the enactment of IRA – each of these landscapes require significant investment to reduce wildfire risk. These 21 landscapes were awarded a total of $1.73 billion to protect at-risk communities, critical infrastructure, public water sources, and adjacent Tribal lands in 10 Western states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, and Washington. The Bureau of Land Management, Forest Service, States, Tribes, local stakeholders, and small businesses have been working together over the last three years to implement fuels reduction on these landscapes.

Catastrophic wildfires across the United States are an ongoing national crisis and responding to them must be a national priority. These stop work orders and funding freezes jeopardize communities that depend on a robust federal response to our wildfire crisis – and also jeopardize small businesses, often in frontier and rural communities, that are contracted to do the work on the ground to reduce hazardous fuels.

In addition to endangering communities, the President’s Executive Orders freezing funding are flagrantly illegal. The Government Accountability Office, the Department of Justice Office of Legal Counsel (including in an opinion written by future Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, William H. Rehnquist), and the Supreme Court of the United States have all disavowed the notion of some “inherent Presidential power to impound,” as some in the Administration, as well as pending Administration nominees, have tried to argue without legal or textual basis.

Not only does the Constitution vest the power of the purse with Congress and provide no power to the President to impound funds, but there have been several bedrock fiscal statutes enacted to protect Congress’ constitutional power of the purse and prevent unlawful executive overreach, including the Antideficiency Act and the Impoundment Control Act of 1974 (ICA). The ICA prohibits any action or inaction that precludes Federal funds from being obligated or spent, either temporarily or permanently, without following the strictly circumscribed requirements of that law, which have not been honored in this instance.

As we’ve seen with the recent fires surrounding Los Angeles, wildfire does not distinguish between homes and trees. But we do have ways to mitigate the risk. One of the most effective strategies to reduce that risk is to reduce the hazardous natural fuels that surround our communities. These fuels reduction projects save lives and property, reduce the danger to firefighters, and return our lands to a fire-adapted ecosystem that can better withstand the threat to human life, communities, infrastructure, and property.

By terminating or even pausing these projects, all of the progress made at protecting these communities is at risk. We are imploring you to rescind the order to stop work on these hazardous fuels reduction efforts, as well as any other wildland fire management programs that are working to reduce risk and safeguard communities from catastrophic wildfire.

We hope to work with you to combat the scourge of catastrophic wildfire.

Sincerely,

MIL OSI USA News –

February 11, 2025
MIL-OSI USA News: Eliminating the Federal Executive Institute

Source: The White House

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 301 of title 3, United States Code, and section 4117 of title 5, United States Code, it is hereby ordered:

Section 1. Purpose and Policy. It is the policy of the United States to treat taxpayer dollars responsibly and advance unifying priorities like a stronger and safer America. Accordingly, it is the policy of my Administration to eliminate, to the greatest extent permitted by law, executive departments and agencies and programs that do not directly benefit the American people or further our Nation’s interests.

     In particular, the Federal Executive Institute, which was created by the Administration of President Lyndon B. Johnson more than 50 years ago, is a Government program purportedly designed to provide leadership training to bureaucrats. But bureaucratic leadership over the past half-century has led to Federal policies that enlarge and entrench the Washington, D.C., managerial class, a development that has not benefited the American family. The Federal Executive Institute should therefore be eliminated to refocus Government on serving taxpayers, competence, and dedication to our Constitution, rather than serving the Federal bureaucracy.

Sec. 2. Elimination of the Federal Executive Institute. (a) The Director of the Office of Personnel Management shall take all necessary steps to eliminate the Federal Executive Institute, in accordance with applicable law.

(b) All prior Presidential or other executive branch documents establishing or requiring the existence of the Federal Executive Institute, including the Presidential Memorandum of May 9, 1968, regarding the Federal Executive Institute, and any applicable provisions of Executive Order 11348 of April 20, 1967 (Providing for the Further Training of Government Employees), are hereby revoked.

Sec. 3. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i)   the authority granted by law to an executive department, agency, or the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

THE WHITE HOUSE,

    February 10, 2025.

MIL OSI USA News –

February 11, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: 10,000 more apprentices as Government slashes red tape to boost growth 
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Shorter and flexible apprenticeships and new English and maths requirements to boost skills and support employers 
Up to 10,000 more apprentices will be able to qualify per year as the government cuts red tape to boost economic growth by giving employers more flexibility over maths and English requirements.

Rules slowing down the training of workers in key industries like construction will also be changed as the government reveals plans to turbocharge growth industries with reduced bureaucracy for apprenticeships and new leadership also appointed for Skills England.

Leading employers have been calling for these changes. Businesses will now be able to decide whether adult learners over the age of 19 when they start their apprenticeship course will need to complete a level 2 English and maths qualification (equivalent to GCSE) in order to pass it. This means more learners can qualify in high demand sectors such as healthcare, social care and construction, helping to drive growth and meet government targets in key areas such as housebuilding.

This could mean as many as 10,000 more apprentices per year will be able to complete their apprenticeship, unlocking opportunity in communities all over the country and breaking the link between background and success. It does not mean that apprentices won’t be assessed on core English and maths skills relevant to their occupation, but it does mean that apprentices will be able to focus more on their paid work.

The minimum duration of an apprenticeship will be reduced to eight months, down from the current minimum of 12 months.

Secretary of State for Education, Bridget Phillipson said:  

Growing the economy and opportunity for all are fundamental Missions of our Plan for Change, and we are determined to support apprentices throughout this National Apprenticeship Week and beyond.

Businesses have been calling out for change to the apprenticeship system and these reforms show that we are listening. Our new offer of shorter apprenticeships and less red tape strikes the right balance between speed and quality, helping achieve our number one mission to grow the economy. 

Skills England will be a major driver in addressing the skills gaps needed to support employers up and down the country and I look forward to working with the new leadership.

Craig Beaumont, Executive Director, Federation of Small Businesses said:

It’s encouraging to see Government shorten the length of apprenticeships, and give employers the right to decide whether Level 2 English and Maths is needed. These flexibilities should help SME employers fill skills gaps faster.

These announcements come as the Education Secretary kicked off National Apprenticeship Week yesterday, which celebrates the achievements of apprentices around the country and the positive impact they make to communities, businesses, and the wider economy. 

The plans also follow the Prime Minister’s announcement in October, when he pledged to reform the new growth and skills offer to ensure young people are better supported.  

Three trailblazer apprenticeships in key shortage occupations will look to pioneer the new shorter apprenticeship approach, with apprentices in green energy, healthcare and film/TV production set to be able to take on these new courses.  

Changes to the minimum length of an apprenticeship will be introduced from August 2025 subject to the legislative timetable, with changes to English and maths requirements coming into effect immediately. This will be hugely beneficial to employers in sectors like construction which have an urgent need for qualified workers, helping to meet the government’s mission to build 1.5 million homes by the end of this parliament.  

The Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, has also announced that Phil Smith CBE will chair Skills England, the new nationwide body for skills, with Sir David Bell serving as Vice Chair. Tessa Griffiths and Sarah Maclean will jointly serve as CEO, while Gemma Marsh will serve as Deputy CEO.

Phil Smith is the former chair and CEO of international tech and telecoms giant Cisco. He brings extensive industry experience in digital, tech and innovation leadership and his appointment signals the seriousness of the government’s plan for growth, unlocked via a national vision for skills.  

Sir David Bell has four decades of experience in the education and skills sector and is currently Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of the University of Sunderland 

Phil Smith CBE said:

I know from my time in industry how valuable direct engagement from employers can be in shaping government policy. 

We need a dynamic skills system that can drive economic growth, and I’m excited to be involved in shaping Skills England as part of that.

Sir David Bell said:  

I look forward to working with Phil Smith, other colleagues in Skills England, and the Department for Education to help deliver economic growth and meet the nation’s skills needs. 

I know from my experience in public policy and higher education that providing the skilled workforce which Britain requires depends on industry, government and education organisations working together. I am very confident therefore that Skills England will provide the strategic oversight to make that happen.

Skills England will bring together key partners to meet the skills needs of the next decade across all regions of England. More than 700 stakeholders have already been engaged through roundtables, webinars and engagement events.

It will work with employers, national, regional and local government, providers, and unions to identify skills shortages and provide strong strategic direction for the skills system. 

One of Skills England’s first orders of business will be to identify which apprenticeships would be best served by the shorter duration approach. Skills England will prioritise key shortage occupations as per the industrial strategy, helping to boost growth under our Plan for Change.  

Euan Blair MBE, founder and CEO, Multiverse said:

This important announcement will do so much to widen and expand access to apprenticeships and should be welcomed as a move to put our skills system at the heart of the growth Mission. For years this requirement has created an artificial barrier between apprenticeships and those who could benefit from them, including young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and older workers whose roles are at risk of job displacement, while often diluting the quality and purpose of an apprenticeship. Apprenticeships are about giving as many people as possible the ability to improve their career prospects and contribute meaningfully to their employers: this move helps to underline that focus.

Sharon Blyfield, Head of Early Careers at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners GB, said:

At Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, we believe that the inclusion of functional skills as an exit for apprenticeships have often hindered many people from reaching their full potential. The announced changes will help make apprenticeships a more viable option to more people, not only new recruits but also for our current employees who missed out on these skills during their school years. These changes will enable them to successfully complete their apprenticeships without added barriers, which is brilliant news.

Alex Hall-Chen Principal Policy Advisor, Sustainability, Skills, and Employment said:

Apprenticeships are a vital tool in tackling the UK’s persistent skills shortages, and this announcement is a welcome step in removing unnecessary barriers to increasing apprenticeship numbers.

Research with IoD members clearly showed that giving employers flexibility when it comes to English and Maths qualifications for adult apprentices has the potential to unlock more apprenticeship opportunities.

Employers are well-placed to judge whether English and Maths qualifications are the most appropriate route to evidence or develop the literacy and numeracy skills needed for success in the given career path.

Chris Bailey, Starbucks UK Early Careers Manager said:

Starbucks UK welcomes the announcement around relaxing the requirements of functional skills for learners 19yrs+. Removing this significant barrier will support our commitment to enrolling more apprentices, particularly those who may have previously faced challenges with functional skills assessments. By embracing this change we can empower more of our Partners to gain valuable recognised qualifications, develop their skills, and progress within Starbucks and their careers.

Lisa Pinfield, Group Director of Performance & Development, Capita said:

Making Functional Skills requirements more flexible for apprenticeships will open doors for more adult learners, especially those from diverse backgrounds. By removing unnecessary barriers, employers can welcome a wider pool of talented apprentices who bring valuable skills and experience. This change will help businesses grow, support social mobility, and give more people the chance to succeed through apprenticeships.

Jo Rackham, Executive Director of People of the John Lewis Partnership, said:

Apprenticeships help us build and retain the skills we need to deliver brilliant service to our customers and power our growth. They’ve helped 5,000 employees, or as we’re called Partners, progress in their careers since 2017.

We welcome the relaxation in functional skills requirements. It’s an important step towards the reform needed to help more people access apprenticeships. Gaining GCSE Maths and English qualifications can be a significant barrier to starting or completing one and we believe it will help more disadvantaged people, including those who leave the care system or those with learning disabilities, make a career for themselves.

Matthew Percival, Future of Work and Skills Director, CBI said:

Apprenticeships have an important role to play in building the skills for growth. Greater flexibility on minimum length and on English and Maths requirements will help businesses to offer more workers the opportunity to add to their skills.

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Published 11 February 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
February 11, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Road safety works get underway across northern Tasmania

Source: Australian Ministers 1

Upgrades are starting this week at the Frankford Road and Chapel Road junction in Harford, to improve safety and reduce the risk of crashes.

The improvements are part of the latest $27.5 million investment by both the Australian and Tasmanian Governments under the national Road Safety Program, and are set to be completed by late May 2025.

The existing junction will be changed to a standard T-junction with widening provided for road users to pass a vehicle turning right from Chapel Road onto Frankford Road.

Under the same program, safety upgrades will also be made to the junction of Pipers River Road and Waddles Road in Karoola, and are expected to start in early March 2025.

Road users can expect some temporary traffic changes during the Harford junction upgrade including reduced speed limits and occasional lane closures during the 7:00 am to 6:00 pm working hours.

Road users are asked to allow 15 minutes extra travel time and to follow the directions of traffic controllers and signs. More information about the project and the wider Road Safety Program can be found here.

Quotes attributable to Federal Assistant Minister for Regional Development, Anthony Chisholm:

“Nothing is more important than ensuring people who travel on Australia’s regional road network get home safely each time they travel.

“That’s why we’re backing this $27.5 million investment to make the Frankford Road and Chapel Road junction safer for locals and visitors to this part of Tassie.

“Through projects such as this one, we’re working with the Tasmanian Government to help keep everyone safe on the state’s roads.”

Quotes attributable to Senator for Tasmania, Anne Urquhart:

“The Australian Government is committed to improving road safety and significantly reducing the number of road deaths and serious injuries on our roads.”

“While our government continues to prioritise road safety, I encourage all drivers to do their bit by driving to the conditions, slowing down, putting on a seatbelt, taking a break when you’re tired, and avoiding distractions.”

Quotes attributable to Tasmanian Minister for Infrastructure, Kerry Vincent:

“The upcoming junction upgrades demonstrate our commitment to improving safety for road users and reducing the number of deaths and serious injuries on our roads.

“We also look forward to starting work on the remaining junction upgrades included under the program, such as the Pipers River Road and Waddles Road junction in Karoola, which we expect to start in March this year.

“Feedback from local communities and other key stakeholders has been a key focus in identifying the improvements for each junction, and we’ve balanced that with ensuring the best road safety outcomes are achieved.”

MIL OSI News –

February 11, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Is Steve Smith set to become the best? What data says about Test cricket’s elite 10,000+ run club

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ronnie Das, Associate Professor in Data Analytics, The University of Western Australia

In the recent Border-Gavaskar series against India, Steve Smith agonisingly missed out reaching 10,000 Test runs in front of his home crowd at the Sydney Cricket Ground, falling short by just one run.

However he entered the “10K club” in style after hitting his 35th century against Sri Lanka in the series won by Australia, 2-0.

Smith is now the 15th batsman to join the exclusive club and the fourth Australian to do so, after Allan Border, Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting.

The illustrious group of players who have reached 10,000 is headed by Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar (15,921 runs) with Ponting (13,378) second and South African Jacques Kallis (13,289) third.

Among this group, Tendulkar, the West Indies’ Brian Lara and Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara were fastest to 10,000 in terms of innings batted (195), just ahead of Ponting (196). Smith was fifth fastest (205 innings).

But where does Smith sit among this group of truly elite batsmen? How does he compare to his fellow Australians? And can he eventually reach the pinnacle and overtake Tendulkar at the top of the mountain?

The challenges of modern cricket

Modern day cricket is physically, emotionally and psychologically demanding.

The physical demands, coupled with fixture congestion, make it tough on athletes’ bodies. Research also suggests psychological pressures have a heightened impact on players’ thinking, feeling and overall performances.

The evolution of lucrative Twenty20 games has also meant cricketers often play in these shorter-format leagues instead of resting between Test series.

Smith is one of many elite cricketers still playing all three formats of the sport.

While some batsmen continue to score well into their late 30s, more often than not performance declines in these twilight years of a batter’s career.

Smith turns 36 in June.

Judging the best

The 10,000 run club is the hallmark of batting excellence in Test cricket.

It is regarded as the pinnacle of a batsman’s career achievement.

Together (at the time of writing) the players in the 10K club have scored 181,947 runs, with 541 centuries and 818 half centuries.

The highest individual score belongs to Lara, who scored 400 (not out) against England in 2004.

Lara also maintained a very high strike rate (60.51) throughout his career.

A strike rate is a batsman’s run scoring efficiency per 100 balls – the higher the strike rate, the faster the batter scores. A higher strike rate puts more pressure on opposition bowlers and when a batter scores quickly, it allows more time for their team’s bowlers to take the 20 wickets required for a Test victory.

Only Ponting (a strike rate of 58.72 per 100 balls) closely matches Lara’s calibre, but England’s Joe Root (57.47) is enjoying a late-career renaissance and is closing the gap.

Compare that to the Border and Sunil Gavaskar era (late 1970s–early 1990s) when runs were not as easy to come by – these two ended their career with low (41.09 and 43.35 respectively) strike rates.

What about Smith?

In his second match, his strike rate was an exceptionally high 75.75 but, since then it has dipped to 53.58 as Smith has become a more balanced batsman.

Another way to judge a batter’s impact is their centuries per innings rate.

Smith has the highest century per innings rate (17.48%) among the 10K club.
He recently scored his 36th century, matching his modern-day peer, Root. But Root has played 72 additional innings.

In terms of overall centuries, Tendulkar leads the way having scored a staggering 51 centuries during his Test career (six more than Kallis, in second). However, Tendulkar did it over a mammoth 329 innings – 38 more than anyone else on the list.

How the Australians compare

Across generations, the four Australians have shown different styles of play in achieving the landmark.

Data shows Border was the most consistent player among them, with his average remaining relatively steady through his career, while Waugh improved his performance after a lacklustre start to his career.

Smith hit his peak at around his 75th match and Ponting around his 115th match, before their run scoring dropped.

In terms of batting positions, data suggests Smith has scored most of his runs coming in at number four. Border was most dominant coming in at four and five.

Ponting dominated as a number three batsman, while Waugh was very consistent at number five.

How far can Smith go?

Considering Smith’s age (35), current form and the physical demands of modern cricket, our findings suggest it will take him at least another three to four years to surpass Ponting.

That may be achievable but Smith’s year-long ban after the 2018 “sandpapergate saga” makes reaching Tendulkar’s mark extremely unlikely.

However, there is a chance Smith ends up with the best average in the club.

His batting average currently sits at 56.74, with only Sangakkara (57.4) higher.

Considering his current form, with four centuries in his past five Test matches, there’s every chance this modern-day great retires atop the tree in that metric at least.

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. Is Steve Smith set to become the best? What data says about Test cricket’s elite 10,000+ run club – https://theconversation.com/is-steve-smith-set-to-become-the-best-what-data-says-about-test-crickets-elite-10-000-run-club-248891

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

February 11, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: As Trump abandons the old world order, NZ must find its place in a new ‘Pax Autocratica’

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chris Ogden, Associate Professor in Global Studies, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau

Donald Trump is moving rapidly to change the contours of contemporary international affairs, with the old US-dominated world order breaking down into a multipolar one with many centres of power.

The shift already includes the US leaving the World Health Organization and the Paris Climate Accords, questioning the value of the United Nations, and radical cuts to the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

Such a new geopolitical age also involves an assertion of raw power, with Trump using the threat of tariffs to assert global authority and negotiating positions.

While the US is not significantly less powerful, this new era may see it wield that power in more openly self-interested and isolationist ways. As new US Secretary of State Marco Rubio put it in January, “the post-war global order is not just obsolete – it is now a weapon being used against us”.

With global democracy in retreat, the emerging international order looks to be moving in an authoritarian direction. As it does, the position of New Zealand’s vibrant democracy will come under mounting pressure.

But world orders have come and gone for millennia, reflecting the ebb and flow of global economic, political and military power. Looking back to previous eras, and how countries and cultures responded to shifting geopolitical realities, can help us understand what is happening more clearly.

An evolving world order

Previous orders have often focused on specific centres – or “poles” – of power. These include the Concert of Europe from 1814 to 1914, the bipolar world of the Cold War between the US and the Soviet Union, and the unipolar world of American dominance after the end of the Cold War and since the September 11 attacks in 2001.

Periods of single-power dominance (or hegemony) are referred to as a “pax”, from the Latin for “peace”. We have seen the Pax Romana of the Roman Empire (27 BCE to 180 AD), multiple Pax Sinicas around China (most recently the Qing Dynasty 1644 to 1912), Pax Mongolica (the Mongol Empire from 1271 to 1368) and Pax Britannica (the British Empire from 1815 to 1924).

It is the Pax Americana of the US, from 1945 to the present, that Trump seems bent on dismantling. We now live in an international order that is visibly in flux. With autocracy on the rise and the US at is vanguard, a “Pax Autocratica” is emerging.

This is accentuated by the rapid rise of Asia as the main sphere of economic and military growth, particularly China and India. The world’s two most populous countries had the world’s largest and third largest economies respectively in 2023, and the second and fourth highest levels of military spending.

The simultaneous rise of multiple power centres was already challenging the Pax Americana. Now, a new international order appears to be a certainty, with Trump openly adapting to multipolarity. Several major powers now compete for global influence, rather than any one country dominating.

China’s preference for a multipolar international order is shared by India and Russia. Without one dominant entity, it will be the political and social basis of this order, as determined by its major actors, that matters most – not who leads it.

Pax Democratica

The current (now waning) international order has been underpinned by specific social, political and economic values stemming from the national identity and historical experience of the US.

According to US political expert G. John Ikenberry, former president Woodrow Wilson’s agenda for peace after the first world war sought to “reflect distinctive American ideas and ideals”.

Woodrow imagined an order based on collective security and shared sovereignty, liberal principles of democracy and universal human rights, free trade and international law.

As its dominance and military strength increased in the 20th century, the US also provided security to other countries. Such power enabled Washington to create open global trade markets, as well as build core global institutions like the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, World Trade Organization, United Nations and NATO.

For Ikenberry, this Pax Americana (we might call it a Pax Democratica) rested on consent to the US’s “provision of security, wealth creation, and social advancement”. This was aided by the its more than 800 military bases in over 80 countries.

The democratic deficit

Trump undercuts the central tenets of this liberal world order and accelerates a slide towards authoritarianism. Like Russia, India and China, the US is also actively constraining human rights, attacking minorities and weakening its electoral system.

This democratic retreat leaves a country such as New Zealand in a global minority. If Trump targets the region or country with economic tariffs, that precariousness might increase.

On the other hand, previous world orders have not been truly hegemonic. Pax Britannica did not encompass the entire world. Nor did Pax Americana, which didn’t include China, India, the former Soviet bloc, much of the Islamic world and many developing countries.

This suggests pockets of democracy can survive within a Pax Autocratica, especially in a multipolar world which is more tolerant of political independence.

The Economist Intelligence Unit’s 2023 Democracy Index ranked New Zealand, the Nordic countries, Switzerland, Iceland and Ireland highest because their citizens

choose their political leaders in free and fair elections, enjoy civil liberties, prefer democracy over other political systems, can and do participate in politics, and have a functioning government that acts on their behalf.

It is these countries that can be at the vanguard of democratic resilience.

Chris Ogden is a Senior Research Fellow with The Foreign Policy Centre, London.

– ref. As Trump abandons the old world order, NZ must find its place in a new ‘Pax Autocratica’ – https://theconversation.com/as-trump-abandons-the-old-world-order-nz-must-find-its-place-in-a-new-pax-autocratica-249358

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

February 11, 2025
MIL-OSI China: China’s equipment upgrade, consumer goods trade-in programs deliver fruitful results in 2024

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

China’s equipment upgrade, consumer goods trade-in programs deliver fruitful results in 2024

BEIJING, Feb. 10 — China’s large-scale equipment upgrade and consumer goods trade-in programs yielded fruitful results last year, driving strong growth in both investment and consumption, official data showed on Monday.

The programs, which kicked off last March, drove equipment purchases and investment up by 15.7 percent in 2024, contributing 67.6 percent to overall investment growth, and boosted sales of bulk durable consumer goods by over 1.3 trillion yuan (about 181 billion U.S. dollars), according to the National Development and Reform Commission.

Equipment upgrades and sales of green products have saved energy equivalent to approximately 28 million tonnes of standard coal, and reduced carbon dioxide emissions by about 73 million tonnes, the commission noted.

In 2024, over 37 million consumers purchased more than 62 million eligible home appliances, with total sales reaching 270 billion yuan. Items at the highest level of energy efficiency accounted for over 90 percent of the total sales revenue.

In the auto sector, more than 6.8 million vehicles were traded in for new ones, driving sales by 920 billion yuan. Over 60 percent of consumers opted for new energy vehicles.

To maintain this momentum, China last month announced a raft of measures to expand the scope of its consumer goods trade-in program, including new subsidies for electronic product trade-ins, as well as an increased number of categories on its trade-in list for eligible home appliances.

MIL OSI China News –

February 11, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: South Carolina Woman Sentenced for Money Laundering in Relation to COVID-19 Relief Fraud Scheme

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Anna Marie Omar, 51, of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, was sentenced today to five years of federal probation, including six months on home detention, and ordered to pay $23,410.60 in restitution for money laundering by engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from a fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan. Omar admitted that she fraudulently obtained a $20,833 PPP loan guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).

According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 30, 2021, Omar applied for a PPP forgivable loan while living in Bluefield, West Virginia. PPP loans were available to qualifying independent contractors and self-employed individuals adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, to replace their normal income and for certain other expenses. Omar admitted that she falsely represented that she was an independent contractor, that she had earned $152,000 in gross income in that capacity during tax year 2020, that she earned that income while working for a water processing business, and that she had been in business since 2010. Omar further admitted that she obtained the COVID-19 relief money for her own personal use.

A PPP lender approved Omar’s loan application and deposited $20,833 in loan proceeds into Omar’s personal checking account on May 17, 2021. Omar admitted that she transferred $12,216.70 of the loan proceeds from her personal checking account to her personal savings account the following day.

United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police – Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), the West Virginia State Auditor’s Office (WVSAO) Public Integrity and Fraud Unit (PIFU), Homeland Security Investigations, the Horry County South Carolina Sheriff’s Office and the Myrtle Beach Police Department.

Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case.

On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-36.

###

MIL Security OSI –

February 11, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office Obtains $162,500 Settlement Compensating Victim of Fair Housing Act Discrimination

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

HONOLULU – Kenneth M. Sorenson, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Hawaii, announced a settlement of $162,500 resolving the United States’ lawsuit under the Fair Housing Act (“FHA”) against Kailua Village Condominium Association (“Kailua Village”), its Managing Agent, Associa Hawaii, the sellers of a Kailua Village condominium unit, and the sellers’ realtor.

The lawsuit alleged that the defendants discriminated against an individual with paraplegia (the “Complainant”) who attempted to purchase a condominium unit at Kailua Village, a 54-unit condominium complex in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, in or around October 2021. The Complainant was living at the condominium unit pursuant to an early occupancy agreement during the escrow period. According to the Complaint filed by the United States, the defendants unlawfully denied the Complainant’s requests for an accessible parking space, a temporary ramp to access his condominium unit, and installation of an accessible toilet at his own expense. This discrimination, as well as certain verbal harassment, allegedly caused the Complainant to withdraw from the purchase and move out of the condominium unit.

The FHA makes it unlawful to discriminate in the terms and conditions of the sale or rental of, or to otherwise make unavailable or deny, a dwelling based on the prospective buyer or renter’s disability. The FHA also mandates that reasonable accommodations in rules, policies, practices, and services be provided when necessary to afford equal housing opportunities to persons with disabilities.

The Complainant filed a discrimination complaint with the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”). HUD’s investigation determined that reasonable cause existed to believe that illegal discriminatory housing practices had occurred. The Complainant subsequently exercised his right to proceed to federal court with the dispute, thereby triggering the statutory requirement that the Department of Justice file suit on the Complainant’s behalf.

The case was resolved by two Consent Decrees approved by the federal district court in October 2024 and January 2025. Pursuant to the Consent Decrees, the defendants will pay the Complainant $162,500 in damages and are required to complete FHA training. Additionally, Kailua Village is required to adopt a Department of Justice-approved reasonable accommodation and modification policy, and for a period of two years, Kailua Village and Associa Hawaii must comply with certain recordkeeping and reporting requirements to ensure FHA compliance.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sydney Spector and Dana Barbata, in partnership with the Housing and Civil Enforcement Section of the Civil Rights Division of the United States Department of Justice, litigated the matter.

Individuals who believe they have been victims of housing discrimination may submit a report online at www.civilrights.justice.gov, or may contact the Department of Housing and Urban Development at 1-800-669-9777 or www.hud.gov.

MIL Security OSI –

February 11, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Peters and Colleagues Call for Immediate Pause on Elon Musk and DOGE’s Activities in Federal Agencies Amid Alarming Reports

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters
Published: 02.06.2025
Peters Joined More than 30 Senators in Holding the Senate Floor Overnight to Delay Vought’s Confirmation

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI), Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, helped lead a group of Senate Democrats in holding the Senate floor overnight and throughout the day to delay the confirmation of Russell Vought as the Director of the Office of Management and Budget. Peters also voted against Vought’s nomination.
“If we confirm Russell Vought to be just another one of President Trump’s cronies, the American people will pay the price. Once he’s back at OMB, he will only supercharge the Trump Administration’s effort to unlawfully cancel programs that Congress has authorized on a bipartisan basis and that Americans are counting on,” Peters said on the Senate floor.
Peters continued: “It’s not a stretch to say that Russell Vought would do everything he could to give President Trump even more power, especially when it comes to controlling the federal budget. If the President wants to block funding to blue states, Russ Vought will do it. If the President wants to defund firefighters, Russ Vought will do it. If the President wants to cancel Medicaid benefits, Russ Vought will do it. If the President wants to deny victims of a disaster assistance that they desperately need, Russ Vought, we’ve already seen, will do it. Russ Vought’s record on breaking the law and sowing chaos across government is quite frankly frightening.”

To watch a video clip of Senator Peters’ remarks, click here.
In his remarks, Peters raised concerns about Vought’s record as Director of OMB during the first Trump Administration, including multiple times that Vought broke the law by refusing to disburse funds that Congress passed into law. For example, while at OMB previously, Vought denied disaster assistance to hurricane victims in the aftermath of the storm, causing extended suffering and delaying recovery efforts. Peters argued that if confirmed, Vought will continue to block funds from going to communities that count on them, as seen with the chaotic funding freeze the Trump Administration announced last week. Peters also discussed Vought’s plans to remove qualified, nonpartisan civil servants from the federal workforce and replace them with partisan political loyalists. Removing the expert employees who provide veterans’ health care, cut Social Security checks and protect our homeland security would have devastating consequences for people in Michigan and across the country who are counting on those critical services. Peters also opposed Vought’s nomination in the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.
You can see the full video of Peters remarks on Facebook and X.

MIL OSI USA News –

February 11, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto, Western Senators Warn that Trump’s Illegal Funding Cuts Increase Risk of Devastating Wildfires

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) joined group of Western U.S. Senators to sound the alarm over reports that the Bureau of Land Management issued stop work orders to small businesses and organizations across America related to the removal of hazardous fuels on public lands. Delaying these treatments even for a short period can mean missing out on the right seasonal and weather conditions for safely treating hazardous fuels and reducing the risk of devastating fires.

Their letter follows President Donald Trump’s illegal executive orders cutting federal funds to mitigate and fight wildfires and comes as communities nationwide prepare for wildfire season.

“Catastrophic wildfires across the United States are an ongoing national crisis and responding to them must be a national priority. These stop work orders and funding freezes jeopardize communities that depend on a robust federal response to our wildfire crisis – and also jeopardize small businesses, often in frontier and rural communities, that are contracted to do the work on the ground to reduce hazardous fuels,” wrote the Senators.

“As we’ve seen with the recent fires surrounding Los Angeles, wildfire does not distinguish between homes and trees. But we do have ways to mitigate the risk,” the Senators stressed. “One of the most effective strategies to reduce that risk is to reduce the hazardous natural fuels that surround our communities. These fuels reduction projects save lives and property, reduce the danger to firefighters, and return our lands to a fire-adapted ecosystem that can better withstand the threat to human life, communities, infrastructure, and property.

“By terminating or even pausing these projects, all of the progress made at protecting these communities is at risk. We are imploring you to rescind the order to stop work on these hazardous fuels reduction efforts, as well as any other wildland fire management programs that are working to reduce risk and safeguard communities from catastrophic wildfire,” the Senators demanded.

The full text of the letter can be found here.

Senator Cortez Masto has led efforts to support Nevada firefighters and combat the wildfire crisis in the West, securing billions in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act to support wildfire risk reduction and new firefighting equipment. She recently visited the burn scar of the Davis Fire and discussed key resources she’s delivered for wildfires fuels reduction in Northern Nevada. She also ensured all federal wildland firefighters—including many working in Nevada — got a significant pay raise in 2023 and helped designate the Sierra and Elko Fronts as Wildfire Crisis Strategy Landscapes for wildfire prevention efforts.

MIL OSI USA News –

February 11, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Murkowski joins Colleagues in Calling for Quick Implementation of the Social Security Fairness Act

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Alaska Lisa Murkowski

02.06.25

Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) joined 27 colleagues in calling for the immediate implementation of the Social Security Fairness Act to provide full Social Security benefits for thousands of Alaskan public servants impacted by Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO). The Social Security Fairness Act, which fully repeals the two Social Security provisions WEP and GPO, was signed into law on January 5, 2024. Senator Murkowski co-sponsored the legislation every year since 2003, praised the long overdue passage of the law. She believes that implementation of the law now needs to be a priority for the Social Security Administration.

“The Social Security Administration’s website currently states, ‘SSA expects that it could take more than one year to adjust benefits and pay all retroactive benefits’ owed under the Social Security Fairness Act. We call for the immediate implementation of this legislation to provide prompt relief to the millions of Americans impacted by WEP and GPO,” wrote the senators.

Murkowski was joined by U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Susan Collins (R-ME), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), John Fetterman (D-PA), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Alex Padilla (D-CA), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Angus King (I-ME), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Mark Warner (D-VA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Martin Heinrich (D-NM).

Read the full letter here or below:

Dear Acting Commissioner King,

We write to you concerning the implementation of the Social Security Fairness Act (Public Law No: 118-273). This legislation passed Congress on an overwhelmingly bipartisan basis on December 21st, 2024 and was signed into law on January 5th, 2025. The Social Security Fairness Act restores full Social Security benefits for the millions of teachers, police officers, firefighters, and other public servants who are unfairly penalized by the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO).

The Social Security Administration’s website currently states, “SSA expects that it could take more than one year to adjust benefits and pay all retroactive benefits” owed under the Social Security Fairness Act. We call for the immediate implementation of this legislation to provide prompt relief to the millions of Americans impacted by WEP and GPO. In the interim, we request monthly updates and briefings regarding the status of the Social Security Administration’s progress towards implementing the Social Security Fairness Act.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this important matter. We look forward to your response.

Background

Senator Murkowski will continue to keep Alaskans updated on this issue via her website at https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/social-security-fairness-act-information.

The WEP, enacted in 1983, reduces the Social Security benefits of workers who receive pensions from a federal, state, or local government for employment not covered by Social Security. The GPO, enacted in 1977, reduces Social Security spousal benefits for spouses, widows, and widowers whose spouses receive pensions from a federal, state, or local government. Together, these provisions reduce Social Security benefits for nearly 3 million Americans – including those who worked teachers, state employees, and public safety officers. Alaska is one of the most disproportionately and negatively affected states per capita by the WEP and GPO.

The Social Security Fairness Act has been endorsed by the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations Alaska (AFL-CIO Alaska), Alaska Fire Chiefs Association (AFCA), Alaska Professional Fighters Association (APFA), National Education Association – Alaska (NEA-A), National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association Alaska (NARFE Alaska), Alaska State Employees Association (ASEA), Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), National Committee to Preserve Social Security & Strengthen Medicare (NCPSSM), Social Security Works, Strengthen Social Security Coalition, American Federation of Teachers (AFT), International Union of Police Association (IUPA), National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO), American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), National Education Association (NEA), and the Senior Citizens League.

MIL OSI USA News –

February 11, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Legislation passes to boost First Nations investment

Source: Australian Treasurer

The Albanese Labor Government has today updated the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Act 2005 (ATSI Act) to support greater investment in First Nations businesses and communities.

This reform will give Indigenous Business Australia (IBA) the ability to borrow and raise funds to pursue investment opportunities that drive First Nations economic empowerment.

It will allow IBA to pursue co‑investment and partnership opportunities with government and private entities and will deliver benefits that make a real difference to First Nations people.

This is about getting more money and more investment into more First Nations communities around the country.

It delivers on the Prime Minister’s commitment at the Garma Festival in August 2024 to boost the investment, borrowing and lending power of IBA.

Access to capital continues to be a significant barrier to First Nations economic development and empowerment, and, until now, IBA’s ability to support First Nations people has been restricted.

By modernising the ATSI Act, IBA will have the flexibility needed to structure investments and partnerships that support and promote First Nations economic self‑determination.

This will contribute to Closing the Gap Target 8, which focuses on strong economic participation.

It also forms part of broader work Treasury is undertaking to establish a First Nations Economic Partnership, to help increase employment and training opportunities, and expand access to finance and capital for First Nations businesses. We invested $16.9 million in this work in the 2024–25 MYEFO.

The amendments to the ATSI Act have been informed by extensive consultation with IBA over several years.

They will support more First Nations people to start, grow and sustain businesses, purchase homes, and invest in commercial ventures.

MIL OSI News –

February 11, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Connecticut Felon Pleads Guilty to Possessing Ammunition

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

Tip from homeowner led officers to hypothermic Yardley Davis one day after he attempted to evade arrest by hiding in the woods

BANGOR, Maine: A Connecticut man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to being a felon in possession of ammunition.

According to court records, in December 2021, a Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office deputy on routine patrol in Greenbush noted that the license plates on a car pulled over on the side of the road did not match the vehicle. The deputy pulled the vehicle over as it started to move. The vehicle’s operator, who was arrested for operating after license suspension, stated that a passenger they identified as Yardley Davis, 39, had fled when the vehicle was pulled over. The driver further stated that Davis had two guns in his possession and before fleeing had said if he was caught with them he would go to jail.

The following morning, law enforcement received a report from a nearby homeowner that they had found gloves, a black ski mask and a rope next to a barbed wire fence on their property. Davis was found in the woods following a search and flown to the hospital for treatment for hypothermia. A further search of the woods by a K9 unit led to the recovery of two 9mm handguns and 45 rounds of ammunition. A forensic analysis of the firearms by the Maine State Police Crime Laboratory revealed the presence of Davis’s DNA on both firearms. Davis is precluded from possessing firearms or ammunition due to a 2005 conviction in Connecticut Superior Court for robbery in the first degree.

Davis faces up to 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 to be followed by up to three years of supervised release. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case with assistance from the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office and the Maine State Police.

###

MIL Security OSI –

February 11, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Kaine & Colleagues Unveil Resolution to Condemn the Use of U.S. Military Assets or Personnel to Take Over Gaza

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Ron Wyden (D-OR) unveiled a resolution affirming that the Palestinian people have the right to self-determination and to express the sense of the Senate that the United States shall not deploy U.S. military assets or personnel to Gaza. The resolution rebuts President Donald Trump’s declared support for forcibly displacing millions of Palestinians. Trump did not rule out using U.S. military force to take over Gaza.

“Gaza is home to Palestinians. The U.S. cannot take it away and must not support displacing Palestinians from their land,” said Kaine. “The lessons of the last 25 years demonstrate that U.S. efforts to nation build in the region are doomed to failure. I’m introducing this resolution with my colleagues to send a clear message: now is the time to support the hope of Israelis and Palestinians living peacefully side by side—not to drag our servicemembers into another endless war in the Middle East.”

“Any proposal that the United States should take control of Gaza is outrageous,” said Durbin. “We must continue to push for a renewed focus on the future: long-term security for Israel, rebuilding Gaza, a reformed Palestinian Authority, and a two-state solution. The United States has a responsibility to push towards finding a solution that allows Israeli and Palestinian children to once and for all live together in peace and dignity. For the safety and security of our American troops, Congress must continue to push back against the President.”

“My north star has always been a two-state solution where Israelis and Palestinians can live together in peace and dignity,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “I will always support Israel, but I’m deeply disturbed by President Trump’s opposition to a two-state solution, especially the potential involvement of American troops in the Gaza Strip.”

“The creation of a Palestinian state has been long-standing U.S. policy supported by presidents of both parties. President Trump’s proposal that the U.S. should ‘take over’ control of Gaza is not only dangerous—it would violate international law. There won’t be lasting peace in the Middle East until Palestinians have equal measures of dignity, safety, and sovereignty, alongside Israel,” said Welch. “Our resolution reaffirms the path to peace and the Palestinian people’s irrefutable right to self-determination.”

“Donald Trump’s demented call for ethnic cleansing is cruel even by his debased standards,” said Wyden. “Trump’s latest pronouncement would threaten the security of Americans and all people in the Middle East by inspiring fresh legions of terrorists. I continue to support a two-state solution as the best opportunity for peace, and I vehemently oppose the deployment of U.S. troops that this twisted and dangerous scheme would require.”

Full text of the resolution is available here.

MIL OSI USA News –

February 11, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: ICE operations between Feb. 1 and Feb. 6

Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

February 10, 2025Washington, DC, United StatesEnforcement and Removal

Two federal law enforcement officers coordinate with other officials on the ground during an enhanced immigration enforcement operation near Washington, D.C. Feb. 4.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted a series of enhanced immigration enforcement operations across the nation between Feb. 1 and Feb. 7 in Baltimore, Maryland; Charleston, South Carolina; Hillsboro, Texas; Denver, Colorado; Washington, D.C. and several other cities across the nation. ICE’s routine daily operations continue, running in tandem with enhanced enforcement operations involving federal law enforcement partnerships with the FBI, the DEA, the ATF, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the U.S. Marshals Service for a whole-of-government approach.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers arrest an undocumented Guatemalan alien charged with trespassing and possessing a loaded handgun and ammunition in the Baltimore area Feb. 1. The arrest was part of a routine daily operation for Baltimore’s ICE officials, who arrested this alien after local officials declined to honor an immigration detainer.

Federal law enforcement officials conduct a pre-operational briefing in a Washington, D.C.-area parking lot Feb. 4. This enhanced immigration enforcement operation involved cooperation between U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and its federal law enforcement partners with the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Two federal law enforcement officers coordinate with other officials on the ground during an enhanced immigration enforcement operation near Washington, D.C. in the early morning hours of Feb. 4.

ICE and DEA law enforcement officials conduct a pre-dawn briefing prior to an enhanced immigration enforcement operation in a Washington, D.C. suburb on the morning of Feb. 4.

Federal law enforcement officials working with ICE and the DEA coordinate prior to beginning an enhanced immigration enforcement operation in the Washington, D.C. area before dawn Feb. 4.

Federal law enforcement officials map out tactical plans before beginning an enhanced immigration enforcement operation near Washington, D.C. Feb. 4.

ICE arrested Jesus Vazquez Daniel, a 58-year-old undocumented alien from Mexico, Feb. 2 near Hillsboro, Texas. Vazquez is wanted in Hidalgo, Mexico, for aggravated homicide for allegedly beating a homeowner to death during an attempted burglary.

ICE and the DEA arrested Raul Buitron Vidal in Philadelphia Feb. 4. Buitron is Mexican national with a history of illegal reentry and several DUI arrests in Pennsylvania.

ICE and the DEA arrested Raul Buitron Vidal in Philadelphia Feb. 4. Buitron is Mexican national with a history of illegal reentry and several DUI arrests in Pennsylvania.

ICE arrested German Ronal Del Cid Carranza, 33, during routine daily operations in Silver Spring, Maryland, Feb. 4. Del Cid, a known MS-13 member, was convicted of a weapons crime and sentenced to two years in prison in 2023.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Special Agent in Charge Tim Lenzen and ICE acting Director Caleb Vitello reviewing plans for an enhanced immigration enforcement operation at the Operations Command Center in Denver Feb. 5.

Federal law enforcement officials from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the ATF and the FBI run an enhanced immigration enforcement operation from the Operations Command Center in Denver Feb. 5.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Field Office Director Matt Elliston and FBI Special Agent in Charge William Del Bagno coordinate ahead of an enhanced enforcement operation in Baltimore Feb. 5. The operation targeted MS-13 gang members in Maryland.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Field Office Director Matt Elliston and a team of federal law enforcement officers from the FBI, the ATF and other agencies take an alleged MS-13 member into custody during an enhanced enforcement operation near Baltimore Feb. 5.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Field Office Director Matt Elliston and a group of federal law enforcement officers take an alleged MS-13 member into custody during an enhanced enforcement operation near Baltimore Feb. 5.

ICE officials arrest Tren de Aragua gang members in Charleston, South Carolina, Feb. 3 during a routine daily operation.

An ICE official arrests a Tren de Aragua gang member in Charleston, South Carolina, Feb. 3 during a routine daily operation.

An ICE official arrests a Tren de Aragua gang member in Charleston, South Carolina, Feb. 3 during a routine daily operation.

Federal law enforcement officials talk to an MS-13 member after his arrest during an enhanced enforcement operation near Baltimore Feb. 6.

Track quarterly ICE arrest, detention and removal statistics

Call 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or fill out ICE’s online tip form to report crimes and suspicious activity.

Access B-roll and images of ICE’s most current arrests and removals on ICE’s DVIDS page and ICE’s Flickr Photostream. Get breaking news, public safety information and more by following ICE on X at @ICEgov. You can also follow ICE on Facebook and follow ICE on Instagram for updates and more.

MIL OSI USA News –

February 11, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: New designs on the way for the NSW Pattern Book

Source: New South Wales Premiere

Published: 11 February 2025

Released by: Minister for Planning and Public Spaces

Thirteen highly skilled design practices have been commissioned by the Minns Labor Government to contribute additional low and mid rise designs to the NSW Pattern Book.

This is the second tranche of designs to be added to the NSW Pattern Book to make the delivery of homes in NSW faster, providing more homes for those who need them.

Six designs for terraces, semi-detached dual occupancy and manor houses or low-rise apartment buildings will be produced alongside six designs for mid-rise residential flat buildings.

Additionally, one landscape design practice has been commissioned to develop design guidance for the low-rise and mid-rise patterns, for both private and shared open spaces.

Once complete, these designs will become part of the NSW Pattern Book alongside the five winners from the professional category of the NSW Housing Pattern Book Design Competition that were announced in November last year.

The NSW Pattern Book will provide families, builders and developers with a collection of pre-approved, architecturally designed and cost-effective patterns to choose from. Those that use the designs will have access to a fast-tracked planning pathway.

Restoring choice and diversity is at the centre of the Minns Government’s housing reforms. This means building more homes that offer people at different stages of life more options.

The Pattern Book builds on the Minns Government recent reforms to the planning system to speed up the delivery of more homes, including:

·       Establishment of the Housing Delivery Authority to allow for major housing projects to be prioritised by being assessed directly by the NSW Government.

·       The largest rezoning in NSW history around transport hubs.

·       The largest ever investment in the delivery of social and affordable housing in NSW.

·       $200 million in financial incentives for councils that meet the new expectations for development applications, planning proposals and strategic planning.

·       $450 million to build new apartments for essential workers including nurses, paramedics, teachers, allied health care workers, police officers and fire fighters.

For more information on the Pattern Book please visit https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/government-architect-nsw/housing-design/nsw-housing-pattern-book.

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:

“Sydney is currently the second most expensive city in the world and has less housing diversity than it did a century ago. This means less optionality and less opportunity for our families, young people, workers and downsizers to live in NSW.

“As we see the average household change and evolve, we want to make sure there are homes to suit everyone, and this means more than just single dwellings and high-rise apartments.

“We’re not sacrificing quality for quantity as we deliver more homes, the NSW Pattern Book will have the stamp of approval from the NSW Government Architect.

“We want new homes to be built faster, but the Pattern Book will mean those homes are good quality, sustainable and cost-effective.”

MIL OSI News –

February 11, 2025

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