NewzIntel.com

Category: Natural Disasters

  • MIL-Evening Report: Australia-US rift over sanctions on Israeli ministers further complicates Albanese-Trump expected talks

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

    Australia, together with the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand and Norway, has imposed sanctions on two ministers in the Israeli government for “inciting violence against Palestinians in the West Bank”.

    Australia and the other countries were immediately condemned by the United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who called for them to be lifted.

    The move comes as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese prepares to leave on Friday for the G7 in Canada, where he is expected to meet UN President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the conference.

    Australia’s signing up for the sanctions is just another complication for the anticipated meeting. The Australian government is under pressure from the US administration to significantly boost its defence spending. Meanwhile, Australia is seeking a deal to get some exemption from the Trump tariffs.

    The sanctions are on National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

    They include bans on travel to Australia, a freeze on any assets they might have here, and a prohibition on anyone in Australia directly or indirectly making assets available to them.

    Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the two ministers “have been the most extremist and hard line of an extremist settler enterprise which is both unlawful and violent”.

    The Israeli ministers are accused of major violations of human rights, including escalating physical violence and abuse by Israeli settlers. A few days ago they marched through Jerusalem’s Muslim Quarter with a group that chanted “death to Arabs”.

    In a social media post, Rubio said the sanctions “do not advance US-led efforts to achieve a ceasefire, bring all hostages home, and end the war”.

    “We reject any notion of equivalence: Hamas is a terrorist organization that committed unspeakable atrocities, continues to hold innocent civilians hostage, and prevents the people of Gaza from living in peace. We remind our partners not to forget who the real enemy is.”

    Urging the reversal of the sanctions, Rubio said the US “stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Israel”.

    Asked whether he was concerned the sanctions would damage Australia’s relations with the US, Albanese told reporters he was not: “Australia makes its own decisions based upon the assessments that we make”. He pointed out the action was in concert with the Five Eyes countries of Canada, the UK and new Zealand.

    Shadow Foreign Minister Michaelia Cash  said sanctioning  democratically elected officials of a key ally was “very serious”.

    “Labor should be clear who initiated this process, on what basis they have done so and who made the decision”, Cash said. The government should also say what, if any, engagement it had had with the US on the matter, she said.

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

    – ref. Australia-US rift over sanctions on Israeli ministers further complicates Albanese-Trump expected talks – https://theconversation.com/australia-us-rift-over-sanctions-on-israeli-ministers-further-complicates-albanese-trump-expected-talks-258691

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: What are the ‘less lethal’ weapons being used in Los Angeles?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samara McPhedran, Principal Research Fellow, Griffith University

    After United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested multiple people on alleged immigration violations, protests broke out in Los Angeles.

    In response, police and military personnel have been deployed around the greater LA area.

    Authorities have been using “less lethal” weapons against crowds of civilians, but these weapons can still cause serious harm.

    Footage of an Australian news reporter being shot by a rubber bullet fired by police – who appeared to deliberately target her – has been beamed around the world. And headlines this morning told of an ABC camera operator hit in the chest with a “less lethal” round.

    This has provoked debate about police and military use of force.



    Read more:
    In Trump’s America, the shooting of a journalist is not a one-off. Press freedom itself is under attack

    What are ‘less lethal’ weapons?

    As the term suggests, less lethal (also called non lethal or less-than-lethal) weapons are items that are less likely to result in death when compared with alternatives such as firearms.

    Less lethal weapons include weapons such as:

    • pepper spray
    • tear gas
    • tasers
    • batons
    • water cannons
    • acoustic weapons
    • bean-bag rounds
    • rubber bullets.

    They are designed and used to incapacitate people and disperse or control crowds.

    They are meant to have temporary and reversible effects that minimise the likelihood of fatalities or permanent injury as well as undesired damage to property, facilities, material and the environment.

    Fatalities can still occur but this does not necessarily mean the weapon itself caused those.

    In Australia in 2023, for example, 95-year-old aged care resident Clare Nowland was tasered, fell backwards, hit her head and died from her head injury.

    In 2012, responding to a mistaken report about an armed robbery, police physically restrained, tasered and pepper sprayed 21-year-old Roberto Curti multiple times. He died but his exact cause of death (and whether the use of less lethal weapons played a causal role) was not clear.

    Do these weapons work to quell unrest?

    The impetus for police and military use of less lethal force came about, in part, from backlash following the use of lethal force in situations where it was seen as a gross overreaction.

    One example was the 1960 Sharpeville massacre in South Africa, when police officers in a black township opened fire on an anti-apartheid protest, killing 69 civilians.

    In theory, less lethal force is meant to provide a graduated level of response to events such as riots or protests, where the use of lethal force would be disproportionate and counter-productive.

    It is sometimes described as the “next step” to use after de-escalation techniques (like negotiation or verbal commands) have failed.

    Less lethal weapons can be used when some degree of force is considered necessary to restore order, neutralise a threat, or avoid full-blown conflict.

    How well this works in practice is a different story.

    There can be unintended consequences and use of less lethal force can be seen as an act of aggression by a government against its people, heightening existing tensions.

    The availability of less lethal weapons may also change perceptions of risk and encourage the use of force in situations where it would otherwise be avoided. This in turn can provoke further escalation, conflict and distrust of authorities.

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

    – ref. What are the ‘less lethal’ weapons being used in Los Angeles? – https://theconversation.com/what-are-the-less-lethal-weapons-being-used-in-los-angeles-258687

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Labor’s win at the 2025 federal election was the biggest since 1943, with its largest swings in the cities

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne

    We now have the (almost!) final results from the 2025 federal election – with only Bradfield still to be completely resolved.

    Labor won 94 of the 150 House of Representatives seats (up 17 from 77 of 151 in 2022), the Coalition 43 (down 15) and all Others 13 (down three). It also won 62.7% of seats, its highest seat share since 1943, when it won 49 of 75 seats (65.3% of seats).

    Since the beginning of the two-party system in 1910, the 28.7% of seats for the Coalition is the lowest ever seat share for the Liberal and National parties combined, or their predecessors. The Coalition had won 23 of the 75 seats in 1943, its previous worst result (30.7% of seats).

    The Poll Bludger said on Wednesday the Liberals could lodge a court challenge to their 26-vote loss in Bradfield to Teal Nicolette Boele within 40 days of the official declaration of the poll (return of the writs).

    Owing to the possibility of a challenge in Bradfield, the Australian Electoral Commission does not want to disturb the ballot papers, which would be required for a Labor vs Liberal two-party count in Bradfield. A two-party count may not be completed until after the courts rule on any Liberal challenge.

    This article has two-party votes and swings nationally, in metropolitan and non-metropolitan seats and in every state and territory. I will report the current AEC figures, but the Bradfield issue means they will overstate Labor slightly nationally, in metropolitan seats and in New South Wales.

    Labor won the national two-party vote against the Coalition by 55.28–44.72, a 3.1% swing to Labor since the 2022 election. This is also Labor’s biggest two-party share since 1943, when they won by an estimated 58.2–41.8. Since the 2019 election, which the Coalition won by 51.5–48.5, Labor has had a swing to it of 6.8%.

    The last time either major party won a higher seat share than Labor at this election was in 1996, when the Coalition won 94 of the 148 seats (63.5% of seats) on a national two-party vote of 53.6–46.4. The last time a major party exceeded Labor’s two-party share at this election was in 1975, when the Coalition won by 55.7–44.3.

    Swing to Labor was bigger in cities

    The AEC has breakdowns for metropolitan and non-metropolitan seats. Metropolitan seats include seats in the six state capitals, Canberra and Darwin. In these seats, Labor won the two-party vote by 60.7–39.3, a 4.1% swing to Labor. In non-metropolitan seats, the Coalition won the two-party by 52.3–47.7, a 1.8% swing to Labor.

    In 2019, Labor won the two-party vote in metropolitan seats by 52.1–47.9, so the two-election swing to Labor in those seats was 8.6%. The Coalition won the two-party vote in non-metropolitan seats by 56.8–43.2, so the two-election swing to Labor was 4.5%.

    In April 2022, I wrote that Labor could do better in future elections because Australia’s big cities have a large share of the overall population. At this election, voters in metropolitan seats made up 58.3% of all voters. The Coalition will need to do much better in the cities to win future elections.

    In all the mainland states, the swing to Labor in the cities exceeded the swing in the regions. In global elections in the last ten years, support for left-wing parties has held up better in cities than elsewhere.

    Tasmania was the big exception to this rule. In non-metropolitan Tasmanian seats, Labor won the two-party vote by 59.0–41.0, an 11.8% swing to Labor. In metropolitan seats, Labor won by 70.1–29.9, a 4.7% swing to Labor.

    State and territory results

    The table below shows the number of seats in a state or territory and nationally, the number won by Labor, the Labor percent of the seats, the number of Labor gains, the Labor two-party vote share, the two-party swing to Labor since 2022, the number of Other seats, the change in Other seats and the number of Coalition seats.

    I have ignored redistributions, with Labor gains calculated as the number of seats Labor won in 2025 minus the number it won in 2022. Labor gained Aston at an April 2023 byelection, then held it at this election. As it was not won by Labor in 2022, it counts as a Labor gain.

    In Queensland, Labor gained seven seats, five from the Liberal National Party (including Peter Dutton’s Dickson) and two from the Greens. But these gains came from a low base, as Labor won just five of 30 Queensland seats in 2022. Queensland remains the only state where the Coalition won the two-party vote (by 50.6–49.4) and won a majority of the seats.

    In NSW, Teal independent-held North Sydney was abolished in the redistribution, but Teal Boele gained Bradfield from the Liberals, and the Nationals lost Calare to former Nationals MP turned independent Andrew Gee. Labor also gained two seats from the Liberals.

    In Victoria, Labor-held Higgins was abolished, but Labor gained three seats from the Liberals and one from the Greens (Adam Bandt’s Melbourne). The Coalition gained its one seat when Liberal Tim Wilson narrowly defeated Teal Zoe Daniel in Goldstein.

    In Western Australia, Bullwinkel was created as a notional Labor seat, and Labor held it. Labor also gained Moore from the Liberals. In South Australia and Tasmania, Labor gained three seats from the Liberals. Tasmania’s 9.0% swing to Labor was the biggest of any state or territory.

    Before the election, it was expected Victoria would be a drag on Labor owing to the unpopularity of the state Labor government. Labor took 71% of Victoria’s seats and had a 1.5% two-party swing to it.

    However, relative to the national swing, Victoria was poor for Labor, and it was only ahead of WA and the Northern Territory in swing terms at this election. In 2022, there was a huge 10.6% swing to Labor in WA, so Victoria’s two-election swing to Labor was much lower than anywhere else except the NT.

    The ACT’s two-party swing of 5.5% to Labor followed a 5.3% swing in 2022. With two senators, a quota for election is one-third or 33.3%. If the ACT’s two senators keep going to the left, it will be difficult for the Coalition to avoid a hostile Senate even if they win elections for the House.

    Other election results and a Morgan poll

    In the previous parliament, the 16 Others included four Greens, but the 13 Others at this election include only one Green. This will make the Others more right-wing than in the last parliament.

    Turnout at this election was 90.7% of enrolled voters, up 0.9% since 2022. But the informal rate rose 0.4% to 5.6%. The informal rate was 13% or higher in five western Sydney seats.

    A large share of non-English speakers, confusion with NSW’s optional preferential voting system at state elections and long candidate lists all contributed to the high informal vote rate at this election.

    A national Morgan poll, conducted May 5 to June 1 from a sample of 5,128, gave Labor a 58.5–41.5 lead, from primary votes of 37% Labor, 31% Coalition, 11.5% Greens, 6% One Nation and 14.5% for all Others. Labor led in all states including Queensland, the only state the Coalition won at the election.

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

    – ref. Labor’s win at the 2025 federal election was the biggest since 1943, with its largest swings in the cities – https://theconversation.com/labors-win-at-the-2025-federal-election-was-the-biggest-since-1943-with-its-largest-swings-in-the-cities-258402

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Some economists have called for a radical ‘global wealth tax’ on billionaires. How would that work?

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Venkat Narayanan, Senior Lecturer – Accounting and Tax, RMIT University

    Rudy Balasko/Shutterstock

    Earlier this year, I attended a housing conference in Sydney. The event’s opening address centred on the way Australia seems to be becoming like 18th-century England – a country where inheritance largely determines one’s opportunities in life.

    There has been a lot of media coverage of economic inequities in Australian society. Our tax system has been partly blamed for this problem. The case for long-term, visionary tax reform has never been stronger. And one area of tax reform could be a wealth tax.

    First, let’s be clear about one thing. Unlike the superannuation tax reforms currently being debated for those with more than A$3 million in superannuation, the wealth tax we’re talking about would apply to a very different cohort: billionaires.

    A recent article in the Financial Times re-examined a proposal to impose such a tax on the world’s highest-net-worth individuals. It also pointed out these efforts would need to be globally coordinated.

    Such taxes could collect significant sums of money for governments. It’s previously been estimated a billionaire tax could raise US$250 billion (more than A$380 billion) globally if just 2% of the net worth of the world’s billionaires was taxed each year.

    The case for a wealth tax

    Inequality is on the rise and the argument for a wealth tax can’t be ignored – not least here at home. According to the Australia Institute, the wealth of Australia’s richest 200 people has soared as a percentage of our national gross domestic product (GDP) – from 8.4% in 2004 to 23.7% in 2024.

    If that sounds dramatic, the picture is far worse in the United States. So, what would a wealth tax look like in Australia (noting that in reality a globally coordinated effort would be needed)?

    The starting point for this is understanding of why high-net-worth individuals seemingly pay very low taxes.

    High net worth, low tax rate

    Income taxes only take into account any amounts that are received in the hands of the taxpayer – whether that is a company, a person or a trust.

    Most high-net-worth individuals do not receive much income directly but “store” their wealth in companies and other corporate structures.

    In Australia, the maximum applicable tax rate for companies is 30%. Note that the highest tax rate in Australia for individuals is 45% plus the 2% medicare levy, effectively 47%.

    Assets such as real estate may also be held by companies or trusts, and the increase in value of these assets is not taxed until they are sold (through capital gains tax).

    Even then, those gains may not be paid out directly to the high-net-worth individual who owns these entities.

    Unrealised gains

    So, how do we tax wealth that is sitting in various businesses (company structures) or other entities, but isn’t taxed at present because the “income” or “gains” from these are not taxable in the hands of the wealthy individuals who own them?

    This goes into the murky area of taxation of unrealised gains. Here, we need to tread very carefully. But we also need to recognise that we already do this, albeit rather subtly, and most of us are not billionaires.

    In your rates notice from your local council, for example, the increase in value of your residence or investment property is used to calculate your rates.

    The real difficulty, to carry on with this example, is that your residence or investment property is typically held in your name and so the tax can be directly levied on you.

    A luxury residence in Miami Beach, Florida, owned by Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon. The US is home to the most billionaires of any country in the world.
    Felix Mizioznikov/Shutterstock

    Making tax unavoidable

    As we’ve already explained, the bulk of the assets or net worth of wealthy individuals is not directly attributable to them. Does this mean we should give up altogether?

    Not quite. UNSW professor Chris Evans has pointed out that while we may not be able to effectively tax all the net worth of the wealthy, there are some things we can tax and they can’t avoid it.

    An obvious example is real estate. You can pack your bags and bank accounts and move to a low-tax country, but you can’t move your mansion overlooking Sydney Harbour.

    Real estate, both residential and commercial, provides one clear way in which we could implement a partial wealth tax. This method (which also has fewer valuation issues than value stored in a company in the form of retained profits) also counters the argument that the wealthy will simply move to other jurisdictions that won’t tax them.

    There is plenty of academic research looking at various wealth tax initiatives in other countries. We should learn from these, including the experience in Switzerland and Sweden.

    In Sweden, for instance, research found the behavioural effects of wealth taxation were less pronounced than those of income taxation, but the system had so many loopholes that evasion was an option for some people.

    Change faces headwinds

    In a very uncertain world that features ongoing wars and an unpredictable US president, any change that seeks to address issues of inequity is going to be met with resistance by those who hold power.

    Some billionaires in the US, however, have expressed their support for being taxed more in a letter signed by heirs to the Disney and Rockefeller fortunes. That offers some hope, and suggests the discussion about wealth taxes should not be relegated to the “too hard” basket.

    Some steps towards taxing the uber-rich would be better than the status quo.

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

    – ref. Some economists have called for a radical ‘global wealth tax’ on billionaires. How would that work? – https://theconversation.com/some-economists-have-called-for-a-radical-global-wealth-tax-on-billionaires-how-would-that-work-257632

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: WICKER, HYDE-SMITH DEMAND AN END TO BIDEN-ERA FLOOD INSURANCE PREMIUMS

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Mississippi Roger Wicker

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) have joined colleagues in demanding the Federal Emergency Management Agency end Risk Rating 2.0, the Biden-era flood insurance policy that has caused premiums to skyrocket and thousands of homeowners to abandon their policies.

    Wicker and Hyde-Smith signed a letter, led by U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-La.), that calls for halting further Risk Rating 2.0 premium increases and demanding greater transparency from FEMA.  The lawmakers have long questioned the pricing methodology used by FEMA in setting Risk Rating 2.0 premiums, which have increased for an estimated 84 percent of Mississippi flood insurance policyholders.

    “Since the Biden Administration’s rollout of Risk Rating 2.0, premiums under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) increased in every state.  By FEMA’s own estimates, 77 percent of all NFIP policies now pay more than under the old system,” the Senators wrote.

    “The lack of transparency surrounding Risk Rating 2.0 is beyond troubling.  FEMA has never allowed for meaningful public comment nor has it published the underlying data or assumptions used to justify the steep premium increases and refuses to disclose its actuarial model.  Without transparency, communities cannot plan mitigation projects, lenders cannot accurately underwrite mortgages, and citizens cannot appeal punitive rate increases.  Worse still, rising costs encourage policy lapses—shifting risk back to taxpayers when disasters strike,” the Senators continued.

    “Time is of the essence.  Each month that Risk Rating 2.0 continues unchecked, more families are forced to abandon their insurance coverage, neighborhoods face economic strain, and entire communities risk collapse after the next disaster.  We respectfully urge you to act now—before further harm is done—to protect vulnerable Americans, preserve homeownership, and ensure the NFIP fulfills its mission as Congress intended,” the Senators concluded.

    The letter sent to FEMA Acting Administrator David Richardson was also signed by U.S. Senators John Kennedy (R-La.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Jim Justice (R-W.Va.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), and John Cornyn (R-Texas).

    Read the full letter here or below.

    Dear Acting Administrator Richardson,

     

    We write to draw your urgent attention to the increasingly untenable flood insurance premiums paid by American homeowners as a result of the Biden-era policy, Risk Rating 2.0, administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).  We respectfully ask for your leadership to halt further premium increases under Risk Rating 2.0 and implement much needed transparency from FEMA.

     

    On January 20, 2021, President Biden issued Executive Order (EO) 13990, directing every federal agency to target and modify Trump-era regulations under the auspice of combating climate change.  A few months later, Biden signed EO 14030, requiring agencies to integrate up-to-date flood risk considerations into federal actions.  Collectively, both of these EOs laid the groundwork for FEMA’s implementation of a new rating system known as Risk Rating 2.0, which was enacted on October 1, 2021.

     

    Since the Biden Administration’s rollout of Risk Rating 2.0, premiums under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) increased in every state.  By FEMA’s own estimates, 77 percent of all NFIP policies now pay more than under the old system.  According to a 2023 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, premiums on primary residences under Risk Rating 2.0 are subject to a maximum 18 percent increase each year until such premiums reflect “the full risk loss of the insured property,” as determined by FEMA.

     

    Families in the following Republican states are especially hard-hit.

     

    Louisiana:

    • It is estimated that 80% of Louisiana NFIP policyholders experienced monthly premium increases in 2025 as a result of Risk Rating 2.0.
    • In 2023 alone, the average flood insurance premium in our state jumped by 234%, forcing more than 52,000 Louisianans—many of them seniors on fixed incomes—out of the program.
    • Coastal parishes, which depend on flood insurance to secure mortgages and rebuild after storms, are now facing premiums that exceed 2% of median household income—a threshold that federal guidance deems “cost prohibitive.”

     

    West Virginia:

    • It is estimated that 83% of West Virginia NFIP policyholders experienced monthly premium increases in 2025 as a result of Risk Rating 2.0.
    • As of August 2023 (the latest available FEMA data), Risk Rating 2.0 would increase annual NFIP premiums for homeowners in West Virginia by ~176%
    • Over the last 12 months, ~600 West Virginians have left the NFIP as a result of premium increases.

     

    Texas:

    • It is estimated that 86% of Texas NFIP policyholders experienced monthly premium increases in 2025 as a result of Risk Rating 2.0.
    • As of August 2023 (the latest available FEMA data), Risk Rating 2.0 would increase annual NFIP premiums for homeowners in Texas by ~53%.
    • Over the last 12 months, ~26,300 Texans have left the NFIP as a result of premium increases.

     

    Alabama:

    • It is estimated that 79% of Alabama NFIP policyholders experienced monthly premium increases in 2025 as a result of Risk Rating 2.0.
    • As of August 2023 (the latest available FEMA data), Risk Rating 2.0 would increase annual NFIP premiums for homeowners in Alabama by ~106%.
    • Over the last 12 months, ~1,200 Alabamians have left the NFIP as a result of premium increases.

     

    Mississippi:

    • It is estimated that 84% of Mississippi NFIP policyholders experienced monthly premium increases in 2025 as a result of Risk Rating 2.0.
    • As of August 2023 (the latest available FEMA data), Risk Rating 2.0 would increase annual NFIP premiums for homeowners in Mississippi by ~103%.
    • Over the last 12 months, ~2,200 Mississippians have left the NFIP as a result of premium increases.

     

    Rural and low-income homeowners, along with high-risk coastal areas, are being priced out at far higher rates than urban or wealthier communities.  In ten states, full risk NFIP premiums today exceed 2 percent of median household income.  This undermines home values, depresses property tax revenues, and ultimately inflates federal disaster assistance costs when uninsured homeowners cannot rebuild.

     

    The lack of transparency surrounding Risk Rating 2.0 is beyond troubling. FEMA has never allowed for meaningful public comment nor has it published the underlying data or assumptions used to justify the steep premium increases and refuses to disclose its actuarial model.  Without transparency, communities cannot plan mitigation projects, lenders cannot accurately underwrite mortgages, and citizens cannot appeal punitive rate increases.  Worse still, rising costs encourage policy lapses—shifting risk back to taxpayers when disasters strike.

     

    The President has long championed policies that reduce federal overreach and protect everyday Americans from burdensome costs.  To limit the damage caused by this harmful Biden era policy, we urge you to:

     

    1. Direct FEMA to terminate the Risk Rating 2.0 pricing methodology.
    2. Require FEMA to publish all actuarial inputs and outputs of future flood insurance premium increases exceeding the 5% statutory minimum so stakeholders can verify fairness and accuracy.
    3. Restore targeted affordability measures for coastal, low income, and historically underinsured communities—ensuring NFIP remains accessible to those who need it most.

     

    Time is of the essence.  Each month that Risk Rating 2.0 continues unchecked, more families are forced to abandon their insurance coverage, neighborhoods face economic strain, and entire communities risk collapse after the next disaster.  We respectfully urge you to act now—before further harm is done—to protect vulnerable Americans, preserve homeownership, and ensure the NFIP fulfills its mission as Congress intended.

     

    Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: WATCH: Padilla Slams Trump’s Unprecedented Mobilization of Marines and National Guard in LA, Pushes for Permanent DACA Protections

    US Senate News:

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

    WATCH: Padilla Slams Trump’s Unprecedented Mobilization of Marines and National Guard in LA, Pushes for Permanent DACA Protections

    WATCH: Padilla: “Immigrants are not political pawns for his agenda. Just as servicemembers … are not political pawns for his agenda.”

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, spoke on the Senate floor to condemn President Trump’s move to federalize the California National Guard and mobilize U.S. Marine Corps elements, sending 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 active-duty Marines to Los Angeles. Padilla delivered remarks ahead of the 13th anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, pushing for permanent protections for Dreamers rather than indiscriminate Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids.

    Padilla called out President Trump for trying to scapegoat immigrants to distract from Republicans’ unpopular billionaire-first budget bill, which would deliver tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy at the expense of working families. As part of this manufactured crisis, Trump has caused a chaotic escalation of the conflict in Los Angeles while ignoring fundamental due process rights.

    • “Time and time again, we’ve seen one of the most frequently called plays out of the Trump playbook. When everything else is going wrong, shift the narrative, scapegoat immigrants, blame immigrants for whatever your failure is at the moment.”
    • “Well today, between his failing trade wars that are raising the cost of living on working families across the country, to his losses in federal court and delays in Congress on their efforts to give billionaires even bigger tax breaks, and even the embarrassing breakup recently with his former BBFF, billionaire best friend forever, Elon Musk, it’s safe to say that Donald Trump is grasping for anything he can do to change the narrative, to distract us of the damage that his political agenda is going on.”
    • “In order to distract the country from his failures and his efforts to ‘flood the zone,’ Donald Trump is expanding his deportation agenda far beyond the focus and targeting of violent and dangerous criminals that he claimed would be the strategy.”
    • “He’s so desperate to show quick results that he’s even throwing due process rights out the window for so many. The due process rights, by the way, that I know most of you, if not all of you, should agree are paramount, foundational to our democracy.”

    Padilla emphasized that the Trump Administration’s cruel immigration enforcement in Los Angeles is deeply personal for him, and that he would keep fighting against Trump’s mass deportation agenda and demonizing of immigrant communities.

    • “It’s personal for me not just because Los Angeles is home — I was born and raised in Los Angeles — but as a proud son of immigrants, I know the true story of the vast majority of immigrants and immigrant families in Los Angeles, throughout California and throughout the country.”
    • “But instead of honoring those contributions … Donald Trump is manufacturing a crisis to once again, not just distract us, but divide us. And just as he’s always done, he’s using immigrants to do it.”
    • “So I can’t help but speak up and remind us, immigrants are not political pawns for his agenda. Just as servicemembers — women and men — are not political pawns for his agenda.”

    As the nation approaches the 13th anniversary of the DACA program, Padilla pushed his Republican colleagues to finally pass permanent protections for DACA recipients, including over 160,000 in California alone. He highlighted that most Dreamers have been contributing to our communities and economy for years, and underlined that if DACA ended, it could cost the country nearly $650 billion while potentially cutting over 400,000 workers.

    • “As we should be celebrating the 13th anniversary of DACA this week, hundreds of thousands of DACA recipients and Dreamers are actually now worried that they are at risk, at further risk. That they could be next as President Trump struggles to find enough violent criminals to detain and deport to meet a campaign promise. Since he can’t get his numbers there, he’ll look elsewhere. So I want to take this moment to make very clear: Dreamers are our neighbors. Dreamers are our loved ones.”
    • “These are young people who are Americans in every sense of the word, except for one important piece of paperwork. … Yet because of Congressional Republicans’ refusal to act, Dreamers live at a minimum in a constant state of uncertainty, but oftentimes in a constant state of fear. They deserve better. Mr. President, they deserve permanent protections.”
    • “If through the President or through Republicans’ actions in Congress, you were to take away work authorization for hundreds of thousands of DACA recipients, that’s reducing our workforce at a time when we’re trying to grow the workforce and grow the economy.”
    • “I’m talking about Dreamers who work as teachers, as caregivers, as nurses and doctors, as construction workers, as food service workers, and so many other key industries for our economy. And they’re hardworking community members who pay taxes just like the rest of us and just want a chance to work hard and raise a family in the country that they love. They deserve peace of mind, the piece of mind to know that they are safe here at home.”

    Padilla concluded by pushing his colleagues to pass the DREAM Act to finally provide permanent protections for Dreamers who have long contributed to our economy and communities, yet are forced to live in uncertainty.

    • “For my Republican colleagues who may be caught up in the heat of the moment and trapped in this anti-immigrant rhetoric in our current political climate on the right, I’ll say this: Dreamers make our communities better. Dreamers make our economy stronger. And Dreamers make our nation stronger.”
    • “The DREAM Act is a commonsense bill that has enjoyed bipartisan support. So I urge you to join me in supporting the DREAM Act now and giving these young people the certainty and the protections that they deserve, and strengthen our nation in the process.”

    Video of Padilla’s full remarks is available here.

    Senator Padilla has been outspoken in calling out the Los Angeles ICE raids and Trump’s misguided mobilization of the National Guard and U.S. Marine Corps. Earlier today, Padilla and U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) demanded answers regarding the Trump Administration’s decision to deploy approximately 700 Marines to Los Angeles. Padilla also spoke on the Senate floor today to blast President Trump for manufacturing a crisis by launching indiscriminate ICE raids across Los Angeles and deploying the National Guard and active-duty servicemembers to the region. Yesterday, Padilla, Schiff, and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) demanded answers from top Trump Administration officials regarding the arrest and detention of David Huerta, President of Service Employees International Union (SEIU) California and SEIU-United Service Workers West. Padilla has joined national and local TV and radio broadcasts in the past few days to condemn the Trump Administration’s cruel immigration enforcement in Los Angeles and across the country.

    Senator Padilla is a leading voice in Congress for immigration reform. To commemorate the 12th anniversary of DACA, Padilla joined immigration advocates, DACA recipients, and other lawmakers to urge Congress to pass a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers and call on former President Biden to protect Dreamers and long-term undocumented communities through executive action. He previously joined his Senate colleagues and directly impacted immigrant youth leaders for a press conference calling on Republicans in Congress to work with Democrats to pass permanent protections for DACA recipients after the 5th Circuit’s 2022 ruling left these recipients in limbo.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Stock damage to stopbanks puts community at risk

    Source: Environment Canterbury Regional Council

    Date:

    With the winter months here, we’re urging landowners to keep stock off stopbanks in wet conditions.

    Stopbanks are our primary defence against river flooding in many areas of our region, protecting communities and preventing property and infrastructure damage.

    The structural integrity of a stopbank is vital to its function, and livestock trampling and overgrazing can cause significant damage and lessen protection against floodwaters, particularly in wet conditions. 

    “Our stopbanks play an essential role in keeping us safe, managing river flows and minimising flood risks to prevent widespread damage, distress and even loss of life,” Rivers Manager David Aires said.

    “It’s crucial stopbanks can do the job they are designed to do.”

    Stock access weakens stopbanks

    Animals can make ruts in the stopbank, particularly when it’s wet, or reduce grass cover through overgrazing. This creates weak spots that allow water to enter the stopbank, which may lead to the complete failure of the asset. 

    While we do permit some light grazing of sheep on stopbanks and adjacent land when conditions are suitable, we encourage landowners to keep their stopbanks free of all stock for the remainder of winter or when conditions are wet, and to let us know of any damage, so we can rectify. 

    “We appreciate that most farmers and lifestyle block owners are aware of their responsibilities when it comes to protecting our stopbanks and are doing the right thing,” David said. 

    “We want to ensure we get the message out to the few that are allowing this damage to occur so we can protect these vital community assets moving forward.” 

    What to do if you see damaged stopbanks

    Stopbanks are one of the most important tools in Environment Canterbury’s flood protection toolkit, and we manage and maintain over 600 kilometres of them across the region.

    No matter how well they are constructed and maintained, they are only as strong as the weakest link and vulnerable to damage from numerous sources. Landowners can be held responsible for damage and asked to pay for repairs under the Flood Protection and Drainage Bylaw.

    “These stopbanks not only protect property and production worth billions of dollars but also ensure the safety of thousands of people,” David said.

    If you see a damaged stopbank, please report it to us as soon as possible. You can call our customer advisory team on

    0800 324 636 or email floodbylaw@ecan.govt.nz

    Learn more about flood protection

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Newsom’s Address to California: Democracy at a Crossroads

    Source: US State of California Governor

    Jun 10, 2025

    What you need to know: In an address delivered to nearly 40 million Californians and Americans nationwide tonight, Governor Gavin Newsom condemned President Trump’s unlawful militarization of Los Angeles and warned that the President’s actions mark a dangerous inflection point for the nation.

    LOS ANGELES — In an address delivered to nearly 40 million Californians and Americans nationwide tonight, Governor Gavin Newsom condemned President Trump’s unlawful militarization of Los Angeles and warned that the President’s actions mark a dangerous inflection point for the nation.

    “What we’re witnessing is not law enforcement — it’s authoritarianism,” Governor Newsom said to Californians. “What Donald Trump wants most is your fealty. Your silence. To be complicit in this moment. Do not give in to him.”

    Governor Newsom recounted recent federal raids in Latino neighborhoods, the unlawful commandeering of 4,000 California National Guard members, and the deployment of over 700 active-duty Marines to the streets of an American city — all done without consultation with state or local officials. “Trump is pulling a military dragnet across Los Angeles,” Newsom said. “It’s weakness masquerading as strength.”

    Calling this a moment of national reckoning, the Governor urged Americans to take peaceful action. “The most important office in a democracy is not President or Governor — it’s citizen.”

    Watch and read the entire speech here:

    Governor Newsom’s Address to California: Democracy at a Crossroads

    I want to say a few words about the events of the last few days. 

    This past weekend, federal agents conducted large-scale workplace raids in and around Los Angeles. 

    Those raids continue as I speak.

    California is no stranger to immigration enforcement. 

    But instead of focusing on undocumented immigrants with serious criminal records and people with final deportation orders – a strategy both parties have long supported – this administration is pushing mass deportations.

    Indiscriminately targeting hardworking immigrant families, regardless of their roots or risk.

    What’s happening right now is very different than anything we’ve seen before. 

    On Saturday morning, when federal agents jumped out of an unmarked van near a Home Depot parking lot, they began grabbing people. 

    A deliberate targeting of a heavily Latino suburb.

    A similar scene also played out when a clothing company was raided downtown.

    In other actions: a US citizen, 9 months pregnant – arrested. A four-year-old girl – taken.

    Families separated. Friends disappearing.  

    In response, everyday Angelinos came out to exercise their Constitutional right to free speech and assembly

    To protest their government’s actions. 

    In turn, the State of California and the City and County of Los Angeles sent our police officers to help keep the peace, and with some exceptions, they were successful.

    Like many states, California is no stranger to this sort of civil unrest. We manage it regularly … and with our own law enforcement.

    But this, again, was different. 

    What then ensued was the use of tear gas. Flash-bang grenades. Rubber bullets. 

    Federal agents, detaining people and undermining their due process rights.

    Donald Trump, without consulting with California’s law enforcement leaders, commandeered 2,000 of our state’s National Guard members to deploy on our streets. 

    Illegally, and for no reason.

    This brazen abuse of power by a sitting President inflamed a combustible situation … putting our people, our officers, and the National Guard at risk. 

    That’s when the downward spiral began. He doubled down on his dangerous National Guard deployment by fanning the flames even harder.

    And the President did it on purpose.

    As the news spread throughout LA, anxiety for family and friends ramped up. Protests started again. 

    By night, several dozen lawbreakers became violent and destructive. They vandalized property. They tried to assault police officers. 

    Many of you have seen video clips of cars burning on cable news.  

    If you incite violence or destroy our communities, you are going to be held accountable. 

    That kind of criminal behavior will not be tolerated. Full stop. 

    Already, more than 370 people have been arrested. And we’re reviewing tapes to build additional cases, and people will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

    Again, thanks to our law enforcement officers and the majority of Angelenos who protested peacefully, this situation was winding down and was concentrated in just a few square blocks downtown.

    But that’s not what Donald Trump wanted. 

    He again chose escalation; he chose more force.

    He chose theatrics over public safety – he federalized another 2,000 Guard members. 

    He deployed more than 700 active U.S. Marines. 

    These are men and women trained in foreign combat, not domestic law enforcement. 

    We honor their service. We honor their bravery. But we do not want our streets militarized by our own Armed Forces. Not in L.A. Not in California. Not anywhere.

    We’re seeing unmarked cars in school parking lots. Kids, afraid to attend their own graduation. 

    Trump is pulling a military dragnet across LA, well beyond his stated intent to just go after violent and serious criminals.

    His agents are arresting dishwashers, gardeners, day laborers and seamstresses – That’s just weakness. Weakness, masquerading as strength.

    Donald Trump’s government isn’t protecting our communities – they are traumatizing our communities. And that seems to be the point. 

    California will keep fighting on behalf of our people – all of our people – including in the courts. 

    Yesterday, we filed a legal challenge to President Trump’s reckless deployment of American troops to a major American city.

    Today, we sought an emergency court order to stop the use of the American military to engage in law enforcement activities across Los Angeles.

    If some of us can be snatched off the streets without a warrant, based only on suspicion or skin color, then none of us are safe. 

    Authoritarian regimes begin by targeting people who are least able to defend themselves. But they do not stop there.

    Trump and his loyalists thrive on division because it allows them to take more power and exert even more control. 

    By the way, Trump – he’s not opposed to lawlessness and violence, as long as it serves HIM. 

    What more evidence do we need than January 6th?

    I ask everyone to take the time to reflect on this perilous moment.

    A president who wants to be bound by no law or constitution.

    Perpetrating a unified assault on American traditions.

    This is a President who, in just over 140 days, has fired government watchdogs that could hold him accountable for corruption and fraud.

    He’s declared a war on culture, on history, on science – on knowledge itself. Databases, quite literally vanishing.

    He’s delegitimizing news organizations and assaulting the First Amendment.

    At the threat of defunding them, he’s dictating what universities can teach.

    Targeting law firms and the judicial branch that are the foundation of an orderly, civil society.

    Calling for a sitting Governor to be arrested for no other reason than – to use his words – “for getting elected.”

    And we all know, this Saturday, he’s ordering our American heroes – the United States military – forcing them to put on a vulgar display to celebrate his birthday, just as other failed dictators have done in the past.

    Look, this isn’t just about protests in LA. 

    When Donald Trump sought blanket authority to commandeer the National Guard, he made that order apply to every state in this nation.

    This is about all of us. This is about you.

    California may be first – but it clearly won’t end here. Other states are next.

    Democracy is next.

    Democracy is under assault right before our eyes – the moment we’ve feared has arrived. 

    He’s taking a wrecking ball to our founding fathers’ historic project.

    Three independent, coequal branches of government. 

    There are no longer any checks and balances. Congress is nowhere to be found. Speaker Johnson has completely abdicated that responsibility.

    The rule of law has increasingly given way to the rule of Don.

    The founding fathers did not live and die to see this moment.

    It’s time for all of us to stand up. 

    Justice Brandeis said it best: in a democracy, the most important office is not president, it’s certainly not governor. The most important office is office of citizen.

    At this moment, we must all stand up and be held to a higher level of accountability. 

    If you exercise your First Amendment rights, please do so peacefully. 

    I know many of you are feeling deep anxiety, stress, and fear.

    But I want you to know that YOU are the antidote to that fear and anxiety.

    What Donald Trump wants most is your fealty. Your silence. To be complicit in this moment.

    Do NOT give in to him.

    Press releases

    Recent news

    Jun 10, 2025

    News LOS ANGELES – Governor Newsom and Attorney General Bonta are standing up all states by filing a lawsuit and request to block President Trump and the Department of Defense’s illegal militarization of Los Angeles and the takeover of a California National Guard (Cal…

    Jun 10, 2025

    News “Turning the military against American citizens” What you need to know:  Standing up for American citizens and the Nation’s foundational ban on martial law in peacetime, California Governor Newsom and Attorney General Bonta are requesting the court step in to…

    Jun 9, 2025

    News What you need to know: California is surging mutual aid resources to support law enforcement as they clean up the actions caused by President Trump. LOS ANGELES – Moving quickly to support local response to federal actions that have caused unrest in Los Angeles,…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: EveningReport Podcast: State of Israel Goes Rogue – Attacks UN Peacekeepers

    Source: EveningReport.nz (Video Podcasts)

    A View from Afar – In this episode of A View From Afar political scientist Paul Buchanan and host Selwyn Manning analyse how the state of Israel has gone rogue, attacking United Nations peacekeepers in southern Lebanon.

    At this juncture it is clear this is an intentional attack. Over the past week Israel Defense Force troops have repeatedly attacked UN peacekeepers who were authorised and deployed to the region by the United Nations Security Council.

    Also last week; the Government of Israel issued a statement notifying the United Nations Secretary General that he was now banned from Israel and was persona non grata.

    Within a day of that statement, IDF troops had fired on UN peacekeeping positions in Southern Lebanon. Since then, the IDF has continued operations that threaten the UN’s presence.

    And Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has now issued a directive to the UN peacekeeping force to withdraw from the area north of its borders in Southern Lebanon.

    Also, despite the United States Biden Administration cautioning Israel on its attacks on UN personnel, overnight New Zealand time, the United States has deployed 100 US troops on the ground in Israel to operate missile defence systems.

    Paul and Selwyn consider:

    * Why Israel has begun to attack United Nations peacekeepers in the region?

    * Why has the United States deepened its involvement in Israel’s so-called defence?

    * What of Hezbollah, Hamas; are their attacks on Israel a defence or an attacking offensive?

    * What of Iran, what is its position and will it engage in a full-scale war with Israel and what are the consequences should it do so?

    INTERACTION WHILE LIVE:

    Paul and Selwyn encourage their live audience to interact while they are live with questions and comments.

    To interact during the live recording of this podcast, go to Youtube.com/c/EveningReport/

    Remember to subscribe to the channel.

    For the on-demand audience, you can also keep the conversation going on this debate by clicking on one of the social media channels below:

    Youtube.com/c/EveningReport/

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3feU3ZedRlA

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: EveningReport Conflict Expansion and Opportunism Within a Lame-Duck Window

    Source: EveningReport.nz (Video Podcasts)

    In this episode of A View From Afar political scientist Paul Buchanan and host Selwyn Manning analyse how conflicts are expanding, arguably with warring sides taking an opportunity to take as much territory, while a ‘Lame-Duck Window’ exists in the United States.

    For example;

    In Syria, opposition-baked forces have taken Aleppo city and other strategic centres in an attempt to remove Syria’s authoritarian leader Assad. Assad’s forces are resisting on the ground while Russian air forces attacked the opposition force’s positions. Israel announced it may strike Syria government munitions sites in a move to ensure opposition forces do not take possession of such weaponry.

    Meanwhile, fighting has intensified on the Ukraine-Russia frontlines after:

    North Korea deployed a 10,000-strong assistance force to the Kursk region;

    Outgoing US President Joe Biden authorised Ukraine to fire ATTACM missiles deep into Russia;

    Ukraine indeed fired ATTACMs into the Russian motherland and has increased its drone attacks on military targets in cities once regarded as safe from attack.

    Also, and significantly, Russia fired into Dnipro City in Ukraine a hypersonic “experimental” Medium-Range-Ballistic-Missile – and followed up with the biggest barrage of drone and missile strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure since the conflict began.

    So-called “red-lines” have been crossed and all sides appear determined to take as much territory as possible before US President-Elect Donald Trump is sworn into office in January.

    Paul and Selwyn assess what we can expect to witness in the next two months, how other state actors are being drawn into conflict, and what objectives are driving warring sides at flashpoints around the world.

    Live Audience: Remember, we welcome your comments and questions. And also remember to Subscribe. Thank you!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIj7s28cdz8

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: McMahon Admits to Warren That Education Secretary Lacks Legal Authority to Dismantle the Education Department

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren

    June 10, 2025

     Warren gains key concessions from Secretary McMahon in a private meeting.

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) met with Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. Senator Warren also delivered over 1,000 letters to McMahon that the senator had received from people in all 50 states who are worried about the Secretary’s efforts to dismantle the Department of Education (ED).

    “My job as a U.S. Senator is to conduct oversight and hold officials’ feet to the fire when they are actively harming the American people. I was able to secure important commitments from Education Secretary McMahon, which will make a real difference for people with student loans,” said Senator Warren. “But at a time when President Trump and Republicans in Congress are trying to make it more expensive for students from working-class families to get ahead, I will not stop fighting to ensure that every student has access to affordable, quality education in America.”

    During the meeting, Secretary McMahon revealed four key pieces of information to Senator Warren:

    • Secretary McMahon conceded that she has no statutory authority to move the responsibilities of the Department of Education to other agencies without Congress passing legislation first. This comes as the Trump administration tries to abolish the Department by shifting its responsibilities to the Small Business Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services, among other agencies that are ill-equipped to take on the Department of Education’s responsibilities. “McMahon didn’t just say she didn’t have the intention to do it—she said that she is legally barred from doing it,” said Senator Warren. “I asked her about the legal authority she would have to transfer any part of the functions of the Department of Education somewhere else, for example, to the SBA, and she said, ‘I can’t do that. That is the job of Congress.’ There was no ambiguity in her answer.” 
    • Secretary McMahon confirmed that she does not intend to restart Social Security offsets for people with defaulted student loans. McMahon told Senator Warren that she personally decided to pause the seizure of Social Security benefits after the Trump administration had announced that it would start forced Social Security collections.“The Education Secretary has assured me that the pause that is currently in place will stay in place and if there is to be any change in that, she would get in touch with me directly before we go there,” said Senator Warren.
    • Secretary McMahon stated that she intends to soon restore the income-driven repayment (IDR) payment count tracker to studentaid.gov, allowing borrowers to track their progress towards receiving debt relief, after taking down the tracker earlier in the Trump administration.
    • Secretary McMahon admitted that she recommended cuts to the Pell Grant program because of the program’s budgetary shortfall, but that it was ultimately up to Congress to fund the Pell program. “McMahon purported to be a supporter of Pell and said that she thought these changes were necessary for fiscal responsibility,” said Senator Warren. “The idea that the Republicans want to cut Pell further, I can already say categorically, is a really bad idea and it’s going to mean that we’re going to lose some number of young people who want to get an education and who ultimately benefit this country when they get an education.”

    Secretary McMahon also committed to responding in writing to Senator Warren’s June 4, 2025 letter containing 66 questions regarding her policies as Education Secretary. Last month, Senator Warren invited Secretary McMahon to a public forum Warren held on May 14, 2025 on higher education affordability. Secretary McMahon refused the invitation in a May 12 letter and instead agreed to a meeting with Senator Warren. 

    Senator Warren launched the Save Our Schools campaign in a coordinated effort to fight back against President Trump’s attempts to abolish the Department of Education:

    • On June 9, 2025, Senator Warren led her colleagues in pushing the Acting Inspector General of ED to open an investigation into new information obtained by her office revealing that DOGE may have gained access to two FSA internal systems, in addition to sensitive borrower data.
    • On May 20, 2025, Senator Warren and 27 other senators pushed for full funding for the Office of Federal Student Aid.
    • On May 20, 2025, Senator Warren and 27 other senators pushed for full funding to the Office of Federal Student Aid.
    • On May 14, 2025, Senator Warren led a Senate forum entitled “Stealing the American Dream: How Trump and Republicans Are Raising Education Costs for Families,” highlighting the consequences of Secretary Linda McMahon’s reckless dismantling of the Department of Education (ED) and President Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” for working- and middle-class students and borrowers.
    • On May 13, 2025, Senator Warren agreed to meet with Education Secretary Linda McMahon and promised to bring questions and stories from Americans across the country to highlight how the Trump administration’s attacks on education are hurting American families.
    • On May 6, 2025, Senator Elizabeth Warren highlighted the consequences of President Trump and Secretary Linda McMahon’s reckless dismantling of the Department of Education for American families in a Senate forum.
    • On April 24, 2025, Senator Warren launched a new investigation into the harms of President Trump’s attacks on the Department of Education, seeking information on the impact of the Trump administration’s actions from the members of twelve leading organizations representing schools, parents, teachers, students, borrowers, and researchers.
    • On April 10, 2025, following a request led by Senator Warren, the Department of Education’s Acting Inspector General agreed to open an investigation into the Trump administration’s attempts to dismantle the Department of Education.
    • On April 2, 2025, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Mazie Hirono, along with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, sent a letter to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon regarding the Department of Government Efficiency’s proposed plan to replace the Department of Education’s federal student aid call centers with generative artificial intelligence chatbots.
    • On April 2, 2025, Senator Elizabeth Warren launched the Save Our Schools campaign to fight back against the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle the Department of Education (ED) and highlight the consequences for every student and public school in America.
    • On March 27, 2025, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) led a letter to Acting Department of Education Inspector General (IG) René Rocque requesting that the IG conduct an investigation of the Trump Administration’s attempts to dismantle the Department of Education.
    • On March 20, 2025, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders led a letter to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon regarding the Trump Administration’s decision to slash the capacity of Federal Student Aid to handle student aid complaints.
    • On February 24, 2025, in a response to Senator Warren, Secretary McMahon gave her first public admission that she “wholeheartedly” agreed with Trump’s plans to abolish the Department of Education.
    • On February 11, 2025, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Andy Kim sent Linda McMahon, Secretary-Designate for the U.S. Department of Education, a 12-page letter with 65 questions on McMahon’s policy views in advance of her nomination hearing.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: June 10th, 2025 Heinrich Presses USDA Secretary on Threats to Public Health and Safety Following DOGE Actions

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich
    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member on the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins on the harmful impacts of the “Department of Government Efficiency’s” (DOGE) actions on the United States Forest Service (USFS). The letter stresses the USFS’ operational failures that are occurring due to new layers of red tape required by DOGE, such as accumulating garbage at recreational sites and a lack of firefighting equipment in preparation of wildfires.
    “I write to express deep concern regarding the devastating impact of the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) actions at the United States Forest Service (USFS). New layers of red tape installed by DOGE have created dysfunction, confusion, and uncertainty at the agency,” Heinrich began. “Elon Musk and DOGE promised to make government more efficient and to root out waste. Instead, their actions have made the agency less efficient, and as a result, critical supplies are missing and garbage is piling up across the National Forest System.” 
    USFS manages more than 30,000 recreation sites around the country. Recreation on the National Forest System draws in 160 million visitors annually, which contributes over $13 billion to the economy and supports more than 160,000 jobs. As a result of President Trump’s Executive Order 14222, DOGE is now required to approve new or extended contracts at the Forest Service, even for routine activities or critical supplies.
    Heinrich continued, “Contracts for janitorial services that previously received approval in mere days are now reportedly taking a month or longer to complete. The delay has led to garbage piling up at recreation sites and toilets going uncleaned or unemptied. The threat to public health and safety from contracting delays is not limited to custodial services. The additional levels of review mandated by DOGE have also reportedly slowed down or halted wildfire preparedness efforts, including the acquisition of firefighting equipment and helicopters.”
    “Despite your assurances, it is clear that massive staff reductions, coupled with operational delays at USFS, have left the agency ill-prepared to meet the many challenges brought on by the summer months,” Heinrich pressed, citing Rollins’ recent comments at an event with Secretary Burgum, where she expressed that her agency is taking the fire season very seriously, and that federal wildland firefighters are ready to respond. 
    Heinrich concluded the letter by requesting detailed answers from Rollins on the Forest Service’s current contracting and procurement procedures, including approval timelines, personnel involved, and the status or justification for contract modifications, terminations, or denials related to firefighting and support services.
    Read the full letter here and below:
    Dear Secretary Rollins:
    I write to express deep concern regarding the devastating impact of the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) actions at the United States Forest Service (USFS). New layers of red tape installed by DOGE have created dysfunction, confusion, and uncertainty at the agency. Elon Musk and DOGE promised to make government more efficient and to root out waste. Instead, their actions have made the agency less efficient, and as a result, critical supplies are missing and garbage is piling up across the National Forest System.
    As you know, USFS manages more than 30,000 recreation sites around the country where Americans hike, bike, picnic, camp, fish, and engage in other recreational activities. Nearly 160 million people visit the National Forest System annually. A visit to our public lands not only improves visitors’ physical and mental health, but also provides access to cultural and heritage opportunities that build community and a sense of national pride. The economic benefits associated with the National Forest System are equally as pronounced. Outdoor recreation on the Nation Forest System alone contributes over $13 billion to the economy and supports more than 160,000 jobs. Despite the clear benefits of a fully-functioning USFS, DOGE has undermined the agency at every turn and prevented USFS from carrying out its core responsibilities.
    According to a recent report, USFS has suffered significant operational failings since DOGE personnel arrived at the agency. New processes instituted by DOGE have led to lengthy approval times for contracts, significantly diminishing the agency’s ability to meet basic functions and needs. Contracts for janitorial services that previously received approval in mere days are now reportedly taking a month or longer to complete. The delay has led to garbage piling up at recreation sites and toilets going uncleaned or unemptied.
    The threat to public health and safety from contracting delays is not limited to custodial services. The additional levels of review mandated by DOGE have also reportedly slowed down or halted wildfire preparedness efforts, including the acquisition of firefighting equipment and helicopters. Firefighting operations are extremely equipment intensive and must often set up in remote locations. Operational flexibility and contracting speed are therefore critical to successful firefighting efforts and public safety.
    You appeared with Secretary Burgum at an event last month and said, “[w]e are taking this fire season very seriously, and our federal wildland firefighters are prepared to respond.” Despite your assurances, it is clear that massive staff reductions, coupled with operational delays at USFS, have left the agency ill-prepared to meet the many challenges brought on by the summer months.
    In light of these concerns, I request responses to the following questions by June 24, 2025:
    1. According to recent reporting, the process for getting new procurements or contracts approved has changed several times. Please describe in detail the process for getting new procurements approved at the agency. In responding to this question, please include the following:
    a. The amount of time typically needed to receive approval.
    b. How many personnel are required to approve procurements or contracts related to routine equipment replacement or maintenance.
    c. Whether the approval chain includes the General Services Administration or other personnel outside the Forest Service.
    2. Please describe in detail the process for getting modifications to existing contracts approved.
    a. The amount of time typically needed to receive approval.
    b. How many personnel are required to approve procurements or contracts related to routine equipment replacement or maintenance.
    c. Whether the approval chain includes the General Services Administration or other personnel outside the Forest Service.
    3. In February 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order (EO) 14222 establishing requirements for new and existing contracts.9 Please provide the following information:           
    a. The EO states, “[e]ach Agency Head, in consultation with the agency’s DOGE Team Lead, shall conduct a comprehensive review of each agency’s contracting policies, procedures, and personnel.  Each Agency Head shall complete this process within 30 days of the date of this order and shall not issue or approve new contracting officer warrants during the review period, unless the Agency Head determines such approval is necessary.” Have you completed this process? Did you determine any contract approvals were necessary during the review period?                b. The EO states, “[f]ollowing the review specified in subsection (c) of this section, and prior to entering into new contracts, each Agency Head shall, in consultation with the agency’s DOGE Team Lead, issue guidance on signing new contracts or modifying existing contracts to promote Government efficiency and the policies of my Administration. The Agency Head may approve new contracts prior to the issuance of such guidance on a case-by-case basis.” Did you approve any new contracts or modifications prior to the issuance of guidance? 
    4. Please provide a list of all Department contracts for goods and services DOGE has identified for termination or renegotiation. In responding to this question, please provide the following information:
    a. A description of each contract DOGE has identified for termination or renegotiation and the current status.
    b. DOGE’s justification for terminating or renegotiating the contract.
    5. Since January 20, 2025, has the Department terminated or recompeted any contract for goods and services? If so, please provide the following information for each contract terminated or recompeted:
    a. A description of the contract terminated or recompeted.
    b. The reason the Department terminated or recompeted the contract.
    6. Since January 20, 2025, has the Department entered into any new contracts for goods and services? If so, please provide detailed information.
    7. Since January 20, 2025, has the agency received any complaints from staff about lengthy times to get janitorial services contracts approved or awarded? If so, please explain.
    8. DOGE reportedly denied funding to continue using smoke detection devices called “sniffers.” The agency also reportedly got rid of support for a platform used by firefighters to acquire equipment and track critical supplies.10 Are these reports accurate? If so, please explain your rationale.
    9. Is DOGE approval required each time contracted fire aviation assets are mobilized for water or fireretardant drops?
    10. Is DOGE approval required for each contract for locally-owned equipment that the Forest Service can mobilize through individual contracts with farmers and ranchers, such as bulldozers and backhoes?
    11. Is DOGE approval required for fire camp contractors, such as caterers, medical personnel, or providers of portable toilets and showers?
    Thank you for your attention to this important matter. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact my staff at (202) 224-4971.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Fiji coup culture and political meddling in media education given airing

    Pacific Media Watch

    Taieri MP Ingrid Leary reflected on her years in Fiji as a television journalist and media educator at a Fiji Centre function in Auckland celebrating Fourth Estate values and independence at the weekend.

    It was a reunion with former journalism professor David Robie — they had worked together as a team at the University of the South Pacific amid media and political controversy leading up to the George Speight coup in May 2000.

    Leary, a former British Council executive director and lawyer, was the guest speaker at a gathering of human rights activists, development advocates, academics and journalists hosted at the Whānau Community Centre and Hub, the umbrella base for the Fiji Centre, Auckland Rotuman Fellowship, Asia Pacific Media Network and other groups.

    She said she was delighted to meet “special people in David’s life” and to be speaking to a diverse group sharing “similar values of courage, freedom of expression, truth and tino rangatiratanga”.

    “I want to start this talanoa on Friday, 19 May 2000 — 13 years almost to the day of the first recognised military coup in Fiji in 1987 — when failed businessman George Speight tore off his balaclava to reveal his identity.

    She pointed out that there had actually been another “coup” 100 years earlier by Ratu Cakobau.

    “Speight had seized Parliament holding the elected government at gunpoint, including the politician mother, Lavinia Padarath, of one of my best friends — Anna Padarath.

    Hostage-taking report
    “Within minutes, the news of the hostage-taking was flashed on Radio Fiji’s 10 am bulletin by a student journalist on secondment there — Tamani Nair. He was a student of David Robie’s.”

    Nair had been dispatched to Parliament to find out what was happening and reported from a cassava patch.

    “Fiji TV was trashed . . . and transmission pulled for 48 hours.

    “The university shut down — including the student radio facilities, and journalism programme website — to avoid a similar fate, but the journalism school was able to keep broadcasting and publishing via a parallel website set up at the University of Technology Sydney.

    “The pictures were harrowing, showing street protests turning violent and the barbaric behaviour of Speight’s henchmen towards dissenters.

    “Thus began three months of heroic journalism by David’s student team — including through a period of martial law that began 10 days later and saw some of the most restrictive levels of censorship ever experienced in the South Pacific.”

    Leary paid tribute to some of the “brave satire” produced by senior Fiji Times reporters filling the newspaper with “non-news” (such as about haircuts, drinking kava) as an act of defiance.

    “My friend Anna Padarath returned from doing her masters in law in Australia on a scholarship to be closer to her Mum, whose hostage days within Parliament Grounds stretched into weeks and then months.

    Whanau Community Centre and Hub co-founder Nik Naidu speaking at the Asia Pacific Media Network event at the weekend. Image: Khairiah A. Rahman/APMN

    Invisible consequences
    “Anna would never return to her studies — one of the many invisible consequences of this profoundly destructive era in Fiji’s complex history.

    “Happily, she did go on to carve an incredible career as a women’s rights advocate.”

    “Meanwhile David’s so-called ‘barefoot student journalists’ — who snuck into Parliament the back way by bushtrack — were having their stories read and broadcast globally.

    “And those too shaken to even put their hands to keyboards on Day 1 emerged as journalism leaders who would go on to win prizes for their coverage.”

    Speight was sentenced to life in prison, but was pardoned in 2024.

    Taieri MP Ingrid Leary speaking at the Whānau Community Centre and Hub. Image: Nik Naidu/APMN

    Leary said that was just one chapter in the remarkable career of David Robie who had been an editor, news director, foreign news editor and freelance writer with a number of different agencies and news organisations — including Agence France-Presse, Rand Daily Mail, The Auckland Star, Insight Magazine, and New Outlook Magazine — “a family member to some, friend to many, mentor to most”.

    Reflecting on working with Dr Robie at USP, which she joined as television lecturer from Fiji Television, she said:

    “At the time, being a younger person, I thought he was a little bit crazy, because he was communicating with people all around the world when digital media was in its infancy in Fiji, always on email, always getting up on online platforms, and I didn’t appreciate the power of online media at the time.

    “And it was incredible to watch.”

    Ahead of his time
    She said he was an innovator and ahead of his time.

    Dr Robie viewed journalism as a tool for empowerment, aiming to provide communities with the information they needed to make informed decisions.

    “We all know that David has been a champion of social justice and for decolonisation, and for the values of an independent Fourth Estate.”

    She said she appreciated the freedom to develop independent media as an educator, adding that one of her highlights was producing the groundbreaking 1999 documentary Maire about Maire Bopp Du Pont, who was a Tahitian student journalist at USP and advocate for the Pacific community living with HIV/AIDs.

    She became a nuclear-free Pacific campaigner in Pape’ete and was also founding chief executive of  the Pacific Islands AIDS Foundation (PIAF).

    Leary presented Dr Robie with a “speaking stick” carved from an apricot tree branch by the husband of a Labour stalwart based in Cromwell — the event doubled as his 80th birthday.

    In response, Dr Robie said the occasion was a “golden opportunity” to thank many people who had encouraged and supported him over many years.

    Massive upheaval
    “We must have done something right,” he said about USP, “because in 2000, the year of George Speight’s coup, our students covered the massive upheaval which made headlines around the world when Mahendra Chaudhry’s Labour-led coalition government was held at gunpoint for 56 days.

    “The students courageously covered the coup with their website Pacific Journalism Online and their newspaper Wansolwara — “One Ocean”.  They won six Ossie Awards – unprecedented for a single university — in Australia that year and a standing ovation.”

    He said there was a video on YouTube of their exploits called Frontline Reporters and one of the students, Christine Gounder, wrote an article for a Commonwealth Press Union magazine entitled, “From trainees to professionals. And all it took was a coup”.

    Dr Robie said this Fiji experience was still one of the most standout experiences he had had as a journalist and educator.

    Along with similar coverage of the 1997 Sandline mercenary crisis by his students at the University of Papua New Guinea.

    He made some comments about the 1985 Rainbow Warrior voyage to Rongelap in the Marshall islands and the subsequent bombing by French secret agents in Auckland.

    But he added “you can read all about this adventure in my new book” being published in a few weeks.

    Taieri MP Ingrid Leary (right) with Dr David Robie and his wife Del Abcede at the Fiji Centre function. Image: Camille Nakhid

    Biggest 21st century crisis
    Dr Robie said the profession of journalism, truth telling and holding power to account, was vitally important to a healthy democracy.

    Although media did not succeed in telling people what to think, it did play a vital role in what to think about. However, the media world was undergoing massive change and fragmentation.

    “And public trust is declining in the face of fake news and disinformation,” he said

    “I think we are at a crossroads in society, both locally and globally. Both journalism and democracy are under an unprecedented threat in my lifetime.

    “When more than 230 journalists can be killed in 19 months in Gaza and there is barely a bleep from the global community, there is something savagely wrong.

    “The Gazan journalists won the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize collectively last year with the judges saying, “As humanity, we have a huge debt to their courage and commitment to freedom of expression.”

    “The carnage and genocide in Gaza is deeply disturbing, especially the failure of the world to act decisively to stop it. The fact that Israel can kill with impunity at least 54,000 people, mostly women and children, destroy hospitals and starve people to death and crush a people’s right to live is deeply shocking.

    “This is the biggest crisis of the 21st century. We see this relentless slaughter go on livestreamed day after day and yet our media and politicians behave as if this is just ‘normal’. It is shameful, horrendous. Have we lost our humanity?

    “Gaza has been our test. And we have failed.”

    Dr Robie praised the support of his wife, social justice activist Del Abcede, and family members.

    Other speakers included Whānau Hub co-founder Nik Naidu, one of the anti-coup Coalition for Democracy in Fiji (CDF) stalwarts; the Heritage New Zealand’s Antony Phillips; and Multimedia Investments and Evening Report director Selwyn Manning.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Jacaranda, black locust and London plane: common street trees show surprising resilience to growing heat in Australia

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Manuel Esperon-Rodriguez, Senior Lecturer in Ecology, Western Sydney University

    Kokkai Ng/Getty Images

    As Australian cities heat up and dry out, street trees are emerging as frontline defenders of urban liveability.

    Street trees make city life more bearable during heatwaves. They also improve human health and wellbeing, filter pollutants and support biodiversity.

    But as climate change intensifies droughts and dials up more extreme heat, can urban forests survive in a hotter, drier future?

    To find out, we studied how ten of Australia’s most common non-native street trees grow and tolerate drought across seven cities. The familiar species we chose are the well-loved jacaranda and widely planted London plane tree as well as box elder, European nettle tree, honey locust, sweetgum, southern magnolia, callery pear, black locust and Chinese elm.

    Unexpectedly, our new research shows several species tolerate drought better than predicted, including jacaranda and London plane. Some even put on growth spurts during droughts of unprecedented duration and heat. But others showed greater sensitivity than we had anticipated, including honey locust and black locust.

    As cities plan for a hotter future, our research will help urban planners choose the toughest, most resilient street trees.

    Penrith street trees faced the hottest conditions.
    Author provided

    What did we do?

    Street trees cool cities both through their shade and by giving off water through transpiration. These effects can lower local temperatures by several degrees, which helps offset the extra heat trapped by roads, rooftops and hard surfaces.

    But the trees we rely on for cooling are vulnerable to mounting pressures from climate change. Drought, heatwaves and limited soil and water availability in cities can all threaten tree health, growth and survival.

    To test how these species were coping, we chose over 570 street trees in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney, as well as Mildura in regional Victoria, Mandurah south of Perth and Parramatta and Penrith in Western Sydney.

    We extracted small cores of wood from the trunk, in a process that leaves the tree alive and largely unaffected. The oldest tree we sampled was a 70-year-old southern magnolia in Sydney.

    Growth rings in these cores let us reconstruct their growth histories and assess how they responded both to long-term climate patterns and extreme events such as the Black Summer of 2019–20 and the Millennium Drought from 1997–2009.

    How resilient are these trees?

    What we found was both reassuring and surprising.

    Across all seven cities, the fastest average growth for all species was recorded in Mildura in northern Victoria. Overall, the slowest growth was found in the warmest location – Penrith.

    Some species behaved predictably. The black locust grew faster in cooler, wetter cities such as Melbourne, as expected, while honey locust and Chinese elms grew more slowly in hotter cities.

    But others defied expectations. Species such as London plane and southern magnolia showed consistent growth trends across cities despite the difference in heat, while others varied depending on local conditions.

    Crucially, the growth records showed many street trees responded positively to wetter conditions during the warmest months, most likely due to the longer growing season and increased access to water.

    Surprisingly, species such as box elder and Callery pear actually increased their growth during the very hot periods over the Black Summer of 2019–20 as well as during wetter La Niña periods in 2021–22. This suggests these species have adapted to warm urban environments – or that care and watering was provided.

    Jacarandas have become popular street trees in warmer cities.
    Snowscat/Unsplash, CC BY-NC-ND

    What happened during drought?

    During drought, street trees generally demonstrated strong resistance. This means they maintained their growth during dry periods.

    But their resilience – measured by their ability to bounce back to pre-drought growth rates – was often limited, especially in drier cities.

    While many street trees can withstand short-term stress, this suggests repeated or prolonged droughts can still take a toll on their long-term health.

    Interestingly, species identified as vulnerable in climate models did not always show greater sensitivity to drought or climate extremes in our real-world study.

    Why? Local conditions and species-level characteristics such as leaf size, wood density and water use strategy may play a significant role in determining which individual trees will thrive as the climate changes.

    We also know care provided by council staff or local residents is extremely useful. When trees are irrigated during stressful conditions, they can help get the tree through tough times.

    Why no eucalypts?

    During their growing season each year, many northern hemisphere trees produce growth rings. These rings make it possible to reliably reconstruct their growth histories using our methods.

    But most eucalypts don’t form clear annual growth rings. This is why we didn’t include spotted gums and other common eucalypts seen on city streets.

    Eucalypts tend to grow whenever conditions are favourable rather than being constrained by a strict annual cycle. Only a few native species reliably produce datable annual rings, such as snow gums and alpine ash. This is because they live in cold, high elevation areas, where winter consistently limits growth each year. These conditions aren’t found in any major Australian city.

    What does this mean for city planners?

    Our research shows that species selection matters a great deal.

    Some street trees such as jacarandas, London plane and the European nettle tree can thrive even under extreme heat and drought, while honey locust and Chinese elms are more sensitive to local conditions.

    Authorities can maximise the benefits of urban forests and reduce tree decline or loss by choosing resilient species and matching them to the specific climate of each city or neighbourhood.

    As climate extremes become more common, even resilient species may face new challenges.

    Planting and maintaining diverse, climate-adapted urban forests will help ensure our cities remain liveable, healthy, and green in the decades to come.

    Mark G Tjoelker receives funding from The Australian Research Council.

    Manuel Esperon-Rodriguez, Matthew Brookhouse, and Sally Power 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. Jacaranda, black locust and London plane: common street trees show surprising resilience to growing heat in Australia – https://theconversation.com/jacaranda-black-locust-and-london-plane-common-street-trees-show-surprising-resilience-to-growing-heat-in-australia-257247

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: The ASX is shrinking – a plan to get more companies to float does not go far enough

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Humphery-Jenner, Associate Professor of Finance, UNSW Sydney

    Whenever a high-profile company lists on the Australian stock market it attracts much excitement. Employees and founders enjoy some financial gains and investors get a chance to invest in a potentially exciting stock.

    For these reasons, fast-food chain Guzman Y Gomez was one of the biggest financial events of 2024. It undertook an initial public offering which meant for the first time, its
    shares were available to the public and started being traded on the stock exchange.

    However, such public offerings have become rare with many companies remaining private instead of listing on the market.

    Indeed, the number of businesses in Australia listed on the stock exchange is declining. This has been described as the worst public offering drought “since the global financial crisis”.

    The number of initial public offerings since 2000

    In response, on Monday, the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) announced measures to encourage more listings by streamlining the initial public offering process.

    How do companies list on the stock exchange?

    Firms undertake an initial public offering by filing documents with ASIC. These includes a “prospectus”, which details the information investors might need to evaluate whether to buy shares.

    ASIC reviews the documentation and then decides if changes are necessary or whether to let the business list.

    Typically, this requires the business to use an investment bank to manage the process and a law firm to prepare the documentation. The business will also engage an underwriter to evaluate the offering and ensure it raises enough capital. All these services cost money.

    When they are trading, the business must comply with additional regulations imposed by ASIC and the Australian Securities Exchange. These include meeting corporate governance, continuous disclosure and other operating requirements.

    Why should a business lists its shares?

    There are many potential gains for a business and the public to list on the stock exchange.

    Companies can encourage employees by paying them with shares in the business. This gives workers buy-in to the company they help to build. This is much easier when it is listed because employees can identify the value of that incentive and sell shares when they choose.

    Being listed can also help raise capital. Having shares listed helps the business raise money to expand. In a direct sense, initial public offerings do this by enabling the firm to sell shares directly to the public rather than being restricted to the subset of investors who can invest in unlisted stocks.

    In an indirect sense, being publicly listed forces businesses to comply with even more stringent disclosure rules. This can give lenders and investors more confidence in the firm.

    Further, because the shares are now readily traded in the market, they can now be more easily used to acquire, or merge with, another company.

    What does ASIC intend to do?

    The commission believes one of the biggest barriers to listing on the market is the initial documentation and administrative requirements. They believe if they can slash red tape there will be more listings.

    The goal is to help them get their documents in order from the beginning, to reduce the potential number of changes that may be needed. ASIC believes it will make the process cheaper and quicker, and enable firms to better time the initial public offerings for periods of strong demand.

    The fast track process would only be open to businesses with a market capitalisation of at least A$100 million and firms that had no ASX escrow requirement.

    An escrow is a financial and legal agreement designed to protect buyers and sellers in a transaction. An independent third party holds payment for a fee, until everyone fulfils their transaction responsibilities.

    What else could ASIC do?

    ASIC’s plan to reduce red tape will help but there are other barriers to businesses listing on the sharemarket. These include:

    • share structures and control: founders are often psychologically invested in their companies and prefer to retain control over the business they built after listing.

    This is part of the reason “dual-class” share structures exist in the United States. These give some shareholders supernormal voting rights, enabling them to retain control. Singapore and Hong Kong also offer dual class structures.

    Australia doesn’t have a dual-class system, but enabling such structures could make the market more attractive

    • disclosure and expense: the initial public offering process is expensive. ASIC’s plan does partly address this, but only for larger businesses, which ironically have greater financial resources to pay the service providers.

    • governance requirements: the ASX imposes corporate governance requirements on businesses that publicly list on the market. These requirements take a one-size-fits-all to factors such as who should be on the board of directors. These requirements appear to cost extra with an unclear financial gain. And the ASX’s rules appear not to be evidence-backed.

    • escrows: ASIC’s fast track process is only available if the firm does not have to satisfy an escrow requirement. An escrow requirement typically applies when an early investor, or a founder, is involved. This is to stop such people from opportunistically selling shares at an inflated process, which then nosedives. It is not clear why ASIC excluded such businesses from fast track review. Smaller companies are some of the most likely to be subject to escrow. So they are the most likely to benefit from reducing the cost-barriers to listing.

    ASIC has tried to reduce red tape for larger businesses, but the changes don’t go far enough and more work is necessary to address the underlying factors that cause firms to stay private for longer.

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

    – ref. The ASX is shrinking – a plan to get more companies to float does not go far enough – https://theconversation.com/the-asx-is-shrinking-a-plan-to-get-more-companies-to-float-does-not-go-far-enough-258557

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reps. LaMalfa, Matsui, Kim Introduce Bill to Keep Homeownership Costs Down

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Doug LaMalfa 1st District of California

    Washington, D.C.— Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale), with Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA) and Congresswoman Young Kim (R-CA), introduced the bipartisan Keeping Homeownership Costs Down Act (H.R. 3800) to help reduce housing costs by directing the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to resume issuing exemption letters, while court-mandated Endangered Species Act (ESA) reviews take place, that keep homeowners from having to purchase expensive flood insurance if their properties are unlikely to flood.

    “California families are already struggling with the rising cost of housing and requiring them to purchase expensive flood insurance when their home is unlikely to flood adds another financial burden to homeownership,” said Rep. LaMalfa. “Following a court ruling in 2019, FEMA stopped issuing exemptions while it was forced to conduct additional and duplicative environmental reviews of this practice.  This is ridiculous.  My common sense, bipartisan bill helps make owning a home more affordable by requiring FEMA to restart issuing flood insurance purchase exemptions right away while environmental reviews take place.

    “In Northern California, we have long had to balance lifesaving flood protection measures with our critical need for additional housing,” said Rep. Matsui. “The Keeping Homeownership Costs Down Act is a commonsense fix that restores a tool in building affordable houses in our region. By ensuring FEMA can continue issuing LOMR-Fs, we prevent families from being priced out of homeownership while upholding key environmental protections.”

    Background:

    • CLOMR-F and LOMR-F letters allow FEMA to revise flood maps for properties that have been elevated above flood zones, removing the federal requirement to purchase flood insurance.
    • FEMA stopped issuing these letters in six counties in 2020, expanding the pause to 32 counties in 2023, after a lawsuit required the agency to consult with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service under the ESA on these letters.
    • California builds fewer than 80,000 homes per year despite needing around 180,000 annually to meet demand. Rising construction costs and mandatory flood insurance contribute to high housing prices.
    • Developers already go through ESA compliance when seeking permits to build housing projects. Requiring FEMA to conduct separate ESA reviews for LOMR-F and CLOMR-F letters add regulatory duplication without improving environmental protections.
    • The Keeping Homeownership Costs Down Act directs FEMA to issue the letters, as appropriate, until the ESA consultation process is completed, helping lower housing costs and avoid unnecessary delays.

    Congressman Doug LaMalfa is Chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus and a lifelong farmer representing California’s First Congressional District, including Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Shasta, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama and Yuba Counties.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: 690 years of CFA service celebrated at Christmas Hills

    Source:

    Fred Kober receiving his 60-year medal of service from Captain Michael Scroggie and MC Peter Mildenhall

    Christmas Hills Fire Brigade members and their families gathered at Panton Hill Hotel on 4 June to celebrate the end of a long fire season, and to acknowledge a number of members who between them have accumulated 690 years of service.

    Sixty members and their guests enjoyed dinner at the Panton Hill Hotel while the presentations were made. A special slide show celebrating the rich history of the brigade also featured throughout the evening.

    “This was an important event because one of our still operational members, Fred Kober, celebrated 60 years of service with our brigade,” Captain Michael Scroggie said.

    “Fred joined us as a 16-year-old and has undertaken many roles over the years including captain, and has maintained his skills and fitness and still regularly turns out at local incidents,” he said.

    Not only did Fred receive a 60-year service medal but also a National Emergency clasp for his role as part of a District 14 strike team during the Black Summer fires of 2019-20. This clasp is in addition to his medal awarded for his service in the Black Saturday fires of 2009 which had a strong impact on the Christmas Hills community.

    Acting Commander Matt Baber also presented Pete Rae and John Roberts with National Emergency Medals for their service in the Black Summer fires. He also presented service awards to more than 30 other members of the brigade.

    This included four five-year certificates of service, five 10-year medals, nine 15-year medals (these were members who joined in the aftermath of the Black Saturday fires), four 25-year medals, two 30-year medals, one 35-year medal, two 40-year medals, two 45-year medals, a 50-year medal, and Fred’s 60-year medal.

    Michael Scroggie paid particular tribute to two active members who received 45-year medals.

    “Di Simmons and Robyn Adams have provided outstanding service to the brigade as active firefighters, but more particularly as members of the Brigade Management Team over the past 40 years or so,” he said. 

    “They have performed nearly all the BMT roles over extended periods of time, from captain in Di’s case to all levels of lieutenant roles, secretary/treasurer, training, OHS and comms. I don’t think there has a been a time in the past 40 years when one or the other or both haven’t been on the BMT.”

    Nillumbik Group Officer Matt Knight also paid tribute to Di and Robyn’s leadership and support at the group and district level as well and noted their strong role in the mentoring of women firefighters and leaders across CFA.

    Their previous professional lives as lecturers and researchers into fire science and environmental studies at Deakin was also instrumental in the development of the brigade mantra ‘Red truck green heart’ which underlies our approach to fire management and suppression in Christmas Hills.

    “While we took this opportunity to thank them for their enormous contribution to the effectiveness of our brigade up until now,” said Michael Scroggie, “we are further grateful that Dianne and Robyn will continue as active firefighters at Christmas Hills and in management roles at Nillumbik Group”.

    • Di Simmons and Robyn Adams receiving their 45 Year medals
    • Many of the members who received service awards
    Submitted by Peter Mildenhall

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: US criticises allies as NZ bans two top far-right Israeli ministers

    RNZ News

    The United States has denounced sanctions by Britain and allies — including New Zealand and Australia — against Israeli far-right ministers, saying they should focus instead on the Palestinian armed group Hamas.

    New Zealand has banned two Israeli politicians from travelling to the country because of comments about the war in Gaza that Foreign Minister Winston Peters says “actively undermine peace and security”.

    New Zealand joins Australia, Canada, the UK and Norway in imposing the sanctions on Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

    Peters said they were targeted towards two individuals, rather than the Israeli government.

    “Our action today is not against the Israeli people, who suffered immeasurably on October 7 [2023] and who have continued to suffer through Hamas’ ongoing refusal to release all hostages.

    “Nor is it designed to sanction the wider Israeli government.”

    The two ministers were “using their leadership positions to actively undermine peace and security and remove prospects for a two-state solution”, Peters said.

    ‘Severely and deliberately undermined’ peace
    “Ministers Smotrich and Ben-Gvir have severely and deliberately undermined that by personally advocating for the annexation of Palestinian land and the expansion of illegal settlements, while inciting violence and forced displacement.”

    The sanctions were consistent with New Zealand’s approach to other foreign policy issues, he said.

    Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir (left) and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich . . . sanctioned by Australia, Canada, the UK and Norway because they have “incited extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights. These actions are not acceptable,” says British Foreign Minister David Lammy. Image: TRT screenshot APR

    “New Zealand has also targeted travel bans on politicians and military leaders advocating violence or undermining democracy in other countries in the past, including Russia, Belarus and Myanmar.”

    New Zealand had been a long-standing supporter of a two-state solution, Peters said, which the international community was also overwhelmingly in favour of.

    “New Zealand’s consistent and historic position has been that Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories are a violation of international law. Settlements and associated violence undermine the prospects for a viable two-state solution,” he said.

    “The crisis in Gaza has made returning to a meaningful political process all the more urgent. New Zealand will continue to advocate for an end to the current conflict and an urgent restart of the Middle East Peace Process.”

    ‘Outrageous’, says Israel
    Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said the move was “outrageous” and the government would hold a special meeting early next week to decide how to respond to the “unacceptable decision”.

    His comments were made while attending the inauguration of a new Israeli settlement on Palestinian land.

    Peters is currently in Europe for the sixth Pacific-France Summit hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron in Nice.

    US State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce told reporters: “We find that extremely unhelpful. It will do nothing to get us closer to a ceasefire in Gaza.”

    Britain, Canada, Norway, New Zealand and Australia “should focus on the real culprit, which is Hamas”, she said of the sanctions.

    “We remain concerned about any step that would further isolate Israel from the international community.”

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hawley, Welch Introduce Legislation to Increase Federal Minimum Wage to $15 Per Hour

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo)

    Tuesday, June 10, 2025

    Today, U.S. Senators Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) introduced the Higher Wages for American Workers Act, which would increase the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour and allow the federal minimum wage to increase with inflation in subsequent years. When adjusted for inflation, the current federal minimum wage is lower than at any point since the 1940s. Meanwhile, the cost of housing, healthcare, and education has skyrocketed, leaving millions of full-time workers struggling to make ends meet.

    “For decades, working Americans have seen their wages flatline. One major culprit of this is the failure of the federal minimum wage to keep up with the economic reality facing hardworking Americans every day. This bipartisan legislation would ensure that workers across America benefit from higher wages,” Senator Hawley said.  

    “We’re in the midst of a severe affordability crisis, with families in red and blue states alike struggling to afford necessities like housing and groceries. A stagnant federal minimum wage only adds fuel to the fire. Every hardworking American deserves a living wage that helps put a roof over their head and food on the table–$7.25 an hour doesn’t even come close,” said Senator Welch. “Times have changed, and working families deserve a wage that reflects today’s financial reality. I’m proud to lead this bipartisan effort to raise the minimum wage nationwide to help more folks make ends meet,” Senator Welch added.
     
    If signed into law this year, the Higher Wages for American Workers Act would:

    • Increase the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour starting in January 2026.
    • Allow the federal minimum wage to increase with inflation in subsequent years.

    Read the full bill text here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • World Bank pegs India’s growth at 6.3 pc for FY26, country remains fastest growing economy

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The World Bank on Tuesday kept India’s economic growth projection at 6.3 per cent for FY 2025-26, as the country remains the fastest growing economy globally.

    “In the next two fiscal years, starting in FY2026/27, growth is expected to recover to 6.6 per cent a year, on average, partly supported by robust services activity contributing to a pickup in exports,” said the World Bank in its ‘Global Economic Prospects’ report.

    In India, growth moderated in FY2024/25 (April 2024 to March 2025), partly reflecting a deceleration in industrial output growth.

    “However, growth in construction and services activity remained steady, and agricultural output recovered from severe drought conditions, supported by resilient demand in rural areas,” said the World Bank.

    Meanwhile, heightened trade tensions and policy uncertainty are expected to drive global growth down this year to its slowest pace since 2008 outside of outright global recessions.

    The turmoil has resulted in growth forecasts being cut in nearly 70 per cent of all economies — across all regions and income groups.

    “Global growth is projected to slow to 2.3 per cent in 2025, nearly half a percentage point lower than the rate that had been expected at the start of the year,” said the World Bank.

    “A global recession is not expected. Nevertheless, if forecasts for the next two years materialise, average global growth in the first seven years of the 2020s will be the slowest of any decade since the 1960s,” it added.

    “Outside of Asia, the developing world is becoming a development-free zone,” said Indermit Gill, the World Bank Group’s Chief Economist and Senior Vice President for Development Economics.

    “It has been advertising itself for more than a decade. Growth in developing economies has ratcheted down for three decades—from 6 per cent annually in the 2000s to 5 per cent in the 2010s—to less than 4 per cent in the 2020s,” he noted.

    That tracks the trajectory of growth in global trade, which has fallen from an average of 5 per cent in the 2000s to about 4.5 per cent in the 2010s — to less than 3 per cent in the 2020s. Investment growth has also slowed, but debt has climbed to record levels.

    The report argued that in the face of rising trade barriers, developing economies should seek to liberalise more broadly by pursuing strategic trade and investment partnerships with other economies and diversifying trade, including through regional agreements.

    Given limited government resources and rising development needs, policymakers should focus on mobilising domestic revenues, prioritising fiscal spending for the most vulnerable households, and strengthening fiscal frameworks, the report said.

    (IANS)

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Newstead Brigade Annual Awards night

    Source:

    Newstead Captain awarded CFA Outstanding Service Medal

    On 24 May 2025 Newstead Fire Brigade held its Annual Awards night.

    It was a great night attended by about 70 people, including most of the brigade’s operational and support members and their families.

    Well known to almost everyone in Newstead, Captain Doug Richardson has been an integral part of the Newstead brigade for more than 45 years and has been the Captain for almost 40 of those years; a feat not matched by many.

    He has seen significant change in the brigade not only in membership, but equipment, buildings, vehicles, tactics and techniques during his many years of service.  Not only that, but he has also seen his fair share of major fires, road accidents, grass fires, floods and anything else you can think of that CFA attends.

    This year, Doug was awarded the CFA Outstanding Service Medal, CFA’s highest award apart from valor awards. It’s a fitting tribute to a man who has dedicated so many years to the protection of life and property in Newstead and surrounding districts.

    This year, the brigade also instituted its own awards to recognise the special efforts of some of the members.

    Firefighter Scott Chaney was awarded the inaugural Rookie of the Year award in recognition of his enthusiasm and commitment to developing his firefighting skills since joining the brigade. 

    Firefighter Chris Simmins was awarded the Captain’s Award and was also presented with the Simmins Family Memorial Plaque in honour of his family being the driving force behind the brigade’s support of the Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal for more than 10 years.

    The ‘Russell Hodges’ Memorial Shield for Brigade Member of the Year, was awarded to Firefighter Ron Archer. This award is in recognition of our late friend Russell Hodges who passed away suddenly two years ago. During his time in the brigade, Russell became a highly valued member who was always around and could always be relied upon for just about anything. Ron is one of our most reliable members, always on hand when the pager goes off and doing sterling work in running the Newstead Community Market.

    CFA service awards were presented to 13 brigade members ranging from 10 years, up to 45 years of service, including three CFA Life Members. Notably, four members of the former ladies’ auxiliary – Bev Richardson, Joan Sartori, Lorraine Burgess and Carmel Longmire – were recognised for their unwavering support of the brigade by receiving their 45-year service medals.

    Also presented on the night was some long overdue National Medals. The National Medal recognises prolonged exposure to hazardous circumstances in the service of the community. This year 17 members of the brigade were presented with this honour, including Don Hepburn who was recognised for his 45+ years of service to the Newstead community.

    All in all, a great night was had by all who attended with some coming from interstate to share in the event.

    On behalf of the members of the Newstead Fire Brigade we would like to congratulate Doug Richardson and all the members who received awards and on behalf of the community, thank you for your service to Newstead and surrounding districts.

    • CFA Service Award Recipients
    • National Medal Recipients
    • CFA Life Members Service Award recipients
    • Brigade Award Winners
    Submitted by Hilton Hazeltine

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kennedy announces $2.4 million for flood mitigation in Jefferson, Bossier Parishes

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)
    WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced $2,390,437 in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grants for Louisiana flood mitigation.
    “Floods have brought untold pain and suffering to the people of Louisiana, and our communities are working hard to avert future flooding. This $2.4 million will help Jefferson and Bossier Parishes floodproof their communities and prevent costly damage in the years ahead,” said Kennedy.
    The FEMA aid will fund the following:
    $1,202,160 to Jefferson Parish for the elevation of four flood-prone structures. 
    $1,128,189 for Bossier Parish to reduce flooding in the Lucky Estates subdivision by improving drainage with new culverts, storm drainpipes and barriers, along with road work, excavation and landscaping. 
    $60,088 to Jefferson Parish for management costs associated with structure elevation.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Waco Man Federally Indicted After Allegedly Shooting Police K9 with Machine Gun

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    WACO, Texas – A federal grand jury in Waco returned an indictment today charging a Waco man with one count of possession of an unregistered firearm.

    According to court documents, Darrin King allegedly fled from Waco Police officers, who were dispatched to a civil disturbance involving a firearm on May 28. A police K9 was deployed in pursuit of King, who allegedly produced a firearm and fired multiple shots at the dog, striking the K9 twice in the neck and once in the chest. King was subsequently taken into custody and the firearm was recovered. The firearm was allegedly equipped with a machinegun conversion device (MCD), also known as a “Glock switch,” allowing the firearm to fire as a fully automatic weapon. MCDs are defined as machineguns under the National Firearms Act, even when not installed.

    The injured K9 survived his life-threatening injuries but, due to the extent of the injuries, will be medically retired.

    King faces up to 10 years in prison, if convicted. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    U.S. Attorney Justin Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Waco Police Department are investigating the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Blanton is prosecuting the case.

    An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Saying yes to more housing

    Source: New Zealand Government

    City-shaping changes are coming to New Zealand’s largest city, ensuring that Auckland can fully harness the economic growth benefits of the new City Rail Link, RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Auckland Minister Simeon Brown say.
    The Resource Management (Consenting and Other System Changes) Amendment Bill (the Bill) has been reported back to Parliament today by the Environment Committee, containing significant changes to enable housing growth in our largest cities.
    “After many months, Auckland Council and the Government have reached agreement to free up more land for housing, particularly around City Rail Link (CRL) stations. These are some of the most significant changes to the shape of Auckland since the Auckland Unitary Plan,” Mr Bishop says.
    “It doesn’t make sense that we have single story houses on quarter acre sections a stone’s throw away from stations that, in a year or so, will see trains every few minutes. 
    “The Government and the Council are investing billions in CRL and have a shared vision for stations that become hubs for public transport, mixed use development and new housing.
    “Successive Governments and Councils have failed to grasp this opportunity for economic growth in New Zealand’s largest city. This is how modern, growing cities all around the world operate, and now it’s Auckland’s turn.”
    “Today’s announcements are a result of Auckland Council and the Government working together to deliver a plan for more housing that works for Auckland.  The Bill now has the effect of abolishing the Medium Density Residential Standards (MDRS) in Auckland while requiring more housing density around key public transport corridors – a common sense solution for Auckland,” Auckland Minister Simeon Brown says.
    “Auckland must grow to fully meet its potential as a world-leading city. The one sized-fits-all approach of the MDRS was not appropriate for Auckland. Today’s announcement will ensure our city grows where it makes the most sense and maximise on the significant investment made in the City Rail Link.”
    “I want to thank Auckland Council, particularly Mayor Brown and Councillor Richard Hills, for their pragmatic approach to solving these complex challenges over many months,” Mr Bishop says.
    “Mayor Brown has previously described this situation as “RMA gymnastics” and he is right, but I am confident that these arrangements align with our shared vison of density and development in places that work for Aucklanders.”   
    Removing ability to opt-out of the MDRS
    “The Bill as introduced provided councils with the flexibility to opt out of the MDRS, if they could show they had provided for 30 years of housing growth in their district and unitary plans,” Mr Bishop says.
    “Councils have been going through plan changes for years in order to incorporate the MDRS. Most councils have already substantially completed their plan changes through this process, with just three (Auckland, Christchurch and Waimakariri) yet to finish.
    “Th practical reality is that if councils did vote to “opt out” of the MDRS, they would have to pass a new plan change to do so, and due to the length of time this typically takes under the RMA, by the time this was complete, the Government’s new planning system is expected to be in place.
    “Fundamentally, it would have achieved nothing, but cost ratepayers a lot. “The Government has therefore taken the pragmatic view that it would be sensible to remove the ability for councils to opt out of the MDRS and to work on bespoke legislative solutions for Auckland and Christchurch instead.”
    New plan change for Auckland 
    “Auckland’s intensification plan change, PC78, has been underway since 2022. Progress has been slow for many reasons, including the Auckland floods. The intensification plan change process does not allow Auckland to “downzone” certain areas due to natural hazard risk – only to “upzone” them – and the Council wrote to the government asking them to fix this problem,” Mr Bishop says.
    “The Government has therefore agreed to change the Bill to allow Auckland to withdraw PC78. However, the government is determined to unlock housing capacity in Auckland and fix our housing crisis and has taken steps to ensure this is achieved.
    “Earlier in the year I directed Auckland Council to bring forward decisions on the parts of PC78 that relate to the city centre, requiring final decisions to be made by the end of May. Auckland Council met this requirement, finalising this part of PC78 on 22 May 2025. 
    “These decisions made by the council are a step forward in increasing development capacity in Auckland’s CBD, but there is more work to be done.
    “The Bill as reported back from the committee now allows Auckland Council to remove the remaining parts of PC78, but requires them to process a new plan change urgently. This plan change must be notified by 10 October this year, and must enable housing capacity equal to or greater than that enabled by PC78.
    “As I’ve indicated, the Government is keen to see greater density around public transport, particularly City Rail Link stations. The Bill therefore now also requires Auckland to allow for greater density around the key CRL stations of Maungawhau (Mount Eden), Kingsland, and Morningside.
    “Auckland Council must enable within a walkable distance from these stations heights and densities reflective of the higher demand for housing and business in these areas. This requirement goes further than the existing requirements under the NPS-UD, and I expect heights and densities that ensure we make the most of the opportunities offered by this transformational transport project.
    “The government is also considering whether further amendments to the Bill to fully maximise development opportunities around other CRL stations as necessary, and I will have more to say in due course.”
    30 years of growth for Christchurch 
    “Christchurch City Council also requires a bespoke solution, as they have made a number of decisions on their plan change to implement the MDRS and NPS-UD, known as PC14, but have yet to complete it,” Mr Bishop says. 
    “Last week I released my decisions on the recommendations from the Council on parts of PC14. These decisions will enable a greater level of development in and around Christchurch City’s urban centres.
    “Christchurch City Council is currently required to finalise the MDRS components of PC14 by December 2025. The Bill will allow Christchurch to withdraw the MDRS parts of PC14 provided they allow for 30 years of housing growth at the same time. Assessment of that target will be made by me based on advice from officials.”
    Additional changes 
    “In addition to these changes, the Environment Select Committee has recommended a suite of changes to improve the workability of the Bill and help unlock growth in infrastructure and energy, farming and the primary sector,” Mr Bishop says.
    The Resource Management (Consenting and Other System Changes) Amendment Bill will have its second reading in the coming weeks and is expected to pass into law in mid-2025.”
    Note to Editors: 
    Waimakariri District Council were much further progressed in their plan change than Auckland and Christchurch, and are expected to make decisions on their plan change on 30 June, before the Bill’s expected third reading.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Need for a permanent ceasefire and the escalation of violence in the West Bank – E-000985/2025(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    The European Council in March 2025[1] deplored the breakdown of the ceasefire in Gaza, and called for an immediate return to the full implementation of the ceasefire-hostage release agreement.

    It stressed the need for a ceasefire leading to the release of all hostages and a permanent end to hostilities. Joint statements by the High Representative/Vice-President, the Commissioner for the Mediterranean and the Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management on the importance of lifting the blockade on humanitarian aid into Gaza were issued on 12 April 2025[2] and 7 May 2025[3].

    The EU has been consistently calling for the immediate resumption of humanitarian aid at scale into Gaza and encouraged all similar appeals.

    The EU remains committed to a comprehensive, just and lasting peace based on the two-state solution in accordance with the international law and relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions.

    The EU continues its efforts promoting a political process through the Global Alliance for the implementation of the two-state solution. The EU also continues to support the Palestinian Authority[4] to address its most pressing needs, build institutional capacities, and implement its reform agenda.

    At the EU-Palestine High-Level Political Dialogue, which took place on 14 April 2025 in Luxembourg, the Commission proposed a multiannual Comprehensive Support Programme[5] worth up to EUR 1.6 billion, to foster Palestinian recovery and resilience for 2025-2027.

    It is structured around three pillars: 1) Support to services for Palestinian people (EUR 620 million in grants of direct assistance); 2) Support to recovery and stabilisation of the West Bank and in Gaza (EUR 576 million in grants, including EUR 82 million per year for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East); and 3) Support for the private sector (up to EUR 400 million of European Investment Bank in loans).

    • [1] https://www.consilium.europa.eu/media/viyhc2m4/20250320-european-council-conclusions-en.pdf.
    • [2] https://north-africa-middle-east-gulf.ec.europa.eu/news/joint-statement-high-representative-kallas-and-commissioners-suica-and-lahbib-humanitarian-situation-2025-04-12_en.
    • [3] https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/de/statement_25_1155.
    • [4] This designation shall not be construed as recognition of a State of Palestine and is without prejudice to the individual positions of the Member States on this issue.
    • [5] https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_25_1055.
    Last updated: 10 June 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Center in Stillwater to Relocate

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced today the relocation of its Stillwater Disaster Loan Outreach Center (DLOC) from the City of Stillwater Community Center to the Meridian Technology Center beginning Thursday, June 12 at 8:00 a.m.

    SBA opened the DLOC to provide personalized assistance to Stillwater residents, small businesses and private nonprofit organizations affected by wildfires and straight-line winds occurring March 14-21.

    “When disasters strike, SBA’s Disaster Loan Outreach Centers perform an important role by assisting small businesses and their communities,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the U.S. Small Business Administration. “At these centers, our SBA specialists help business owners and residents apply for disaster loans and learn about the full range of programs available to support their recovery.”

    Walk-ins are accepted, but you can schedule an in-person appointment in advance at appointment.sba.gov. The City of Stillwater Community Center DLOC will permanently close Wednesday, June 11 at close of business. The Meridian Technology Center DLOC will open Thursday, June 12 with the location and hours of operation as indicated below.

    PAYNE COUNTY

    Disaster Loan Outreach Center
    Meridian Technology Center
    Rooms 127 and 129
    1414 South Sangre Rd.
    Stillwater, OK  74074

    Mondays – Fridays, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
    Opens Thursday, June 12 at 8:00 a.m.

    The following DLOC locations are also open and continue to serve survivors:

    CREEK COUNTY

    LINCOLN COUNTY

    Disaster Loan Outreach Center
    First Baptist Church of Mannford
    105 Greenwood Ave.
    Mannford, OK  74044

    Mondays – Tuesdays, 
    9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

    Wednesdays, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

    Thursdays – Fridays, 
    9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

    Disaster Loan Outreach Center
    Carney High School
    203 Carney St.
    Carney, OK  74832

    Mondays – Fridays, 
    9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

     

     

     

    LOGAN COUNTY

    PAWNEE COUNTY

    Disaster Loan Outreach Center
    Logan County Courthouse Annex
    (Across the street north of the 
    courthouse in the old 
    Girl Scout room)
    312 E. Harrison Ave.
    Guthrie, OK  73044

    Mondays – Fridays, 
    9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

    Disaster Loan Outreach Center
    First Baptist Church Cleveland
    201 W. Crestview Rd.
    Cleveland, OK  74020|

    Mondays – Fridays, 
    8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

    Businesses and nonprofits are eligible to apply for business physical disaster loans and may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.

    Homeowners and renters are eligible to apply for home and personal property loans and may borrow up to $100,000 to replace or repair personal property, such as clothing, furniture, cars, and appliances. Homeowners may apply for up to $500,000 to replace or repair their primary residence.

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

    The SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and private nonprofit organizations impacted by financial losses directly related to these disasters. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.

    EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster.

    Interest rates are as low as 4% for small businesses, 3.62% for nonprofits, and 2.75% for homeowners and renters with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not begin to accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA determines eligibility and sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

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

    The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is July 22, 2025. The deadline to return economic injury applications is Feb. 23, 2026.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoyer Highlights Trump Administration’s Cruelty Toward Veterans During Appropriations Markup

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steny H Hoyer (MD-05)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05), Ranking Member of the Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) Appropriations Subcommittee, delivered opening remarks at the House Appropriations Full Committee Markup of the FY26 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Bill and Subcommittee Allocations. Below is a video and transcript of his remarks:

    Click here to watch a full video of his remarks.

    “Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, unfortunately, this bill has been a bipartisan bill. As a matter of fact, many of the bills that we did do, in the past, have been bipartisan bills. And very frankly, in that respect, I think they were better bills. Not only that, but I think they were more likely to be adopted, not only by the Senate, but by the Congress and signed by the president. These bills are not going to go anywhere, and they’re not going to be passed.

    “And there is a disturbing discrepancy, Mr. Chairman, between how this administration praises our veterans and military families, and how it actually treats them. Earlier this year, I met with a veteran from my district, Albert Ostering, who works in cybersecurity. He served in the Air Force back in the 90s. He later spent six years as a federal contractor for the Department of Defense and then eight years as a civilian employee with the Marine Corps, tasked with supporting critical cyber security missions. In 2023, he got [a] promotion to work at [the] Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. He helped defend America and our allies from cyber-attacks and hacking operations perpetrated by foreign adversaries like Russia.

    “The job wasn’t easy. Albert often spent Christmas and other holidays apart from his family while on assignments abroad. In that job, throughout his career, however, Albert consistently, consistently exceeded expectations and received outstanding reviews from his superiors. He excelled under both Republican and Democratic administrations. He told me, and I quote him, ‘Not once would I ask is this a Republican mission or a Democratic mission. It’s an American mission. It’s what we need to do.’ That was his premise and his action.

    “On February 14th – Valentine’s Day, this year, Albert received an email that he had been terminated for performance issues. That was a lie. That was a ruse. That was a made-up reason for removing him for no cause. Neither he nor his supervisor had been warned in advance. A decade of service, health care for his family, his entire livelihood, all brought to an end with a single email. The rhetoric that we use for veterans was not displayed in that action toward that veteran. Is that really how we want to treat our veterans?

    “Sadly, Albert’s story, as so many of you know, is not unique. I’m sure every one of you has heard from somebody in your district about how they received a summarily dismissal without cause, without reason, and without notice. That number will surely grow, given the veterans represent some 30% of our federal workers whom the Trump Administration has deemed ‘villains.’ You know the quote from Mr. Vought, who heads up OMB. He wanted them to be perceived as villains. Every one of our federal employees. How sad.

    “Trump’s plan to fire 80,000 – to fire 80,000 VA employees – and privatize medical services for our vets will only increase costs, diminish the quality of care, and reduce access to vital programs. That’s why, Mr. Chairman, thousands of veterans took to the National Mall last week to protest this administration. These were not my words. These were not Democratic words. These were people who had fought for our country, displayed valor in battle, committed to America’s freedom and democracy, summarily told, ‘We don’t need you anymore.’ Frankly, they don’t want a parade. They want their country to honor its commitment to them, just as they honored their commitment to their country.

    “This bill is another example, Mr. Chairman, of our government falling short of our sacred duty to care for our veterans and military families. It advances the Trump Administration’s VA overhaul. However, it hurts our military readiness and the quality of life of our servicemen, members and military families by underfunding military construction. Therefore, I must oppose this bill and urge a No Vote in each and every member who cares deeply about serving our veterans and our country.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Slams Trump Administration’s Request to Rescind Over $9 Billion in Federally Appropriated Funds

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) tonight took to the Senate floor to slam the Trump Administration’s reckless request to rescind $9.4 billion in Fiscal Years (FY) 2024 and 2025 Congressionally-appropriated funds, which provide vital support to Americans through public broadcasting and radio networks and promote U.S. global leadership.  
    In his remarks, Senator Welch emphasized how rescinding these funds will put American lives at risk, damage security alliances and global partnerships, and erode Congress’s constitutional authority over appropriations. 
    “The President likes to talk about his historic mandate. He did win—it was 2 million votes out of 152 million cast. It was a small margin of victory, the smallest by a Republican presidential candidate since the 1900s. My point here is not so much the size of the ‘mandate.’ Whatever the ‘mandate,’ a President should embrace the responsibility that he or she has to the entire country, and that includes folks who didn’t vote for him,” said Senator Welch.  
    “I do not believe even those who did were voting to risk their lives and their children’s lives by cutting funds to stop the spread of Ebola, or measles, or West Nile virus. This wasn’t a mandate to shut down programs to defend democracy where it’s under assault. This was not a vote to withdraw from UNICEF. This was not a vote, necessarily, to turn our back on the world’s refugees, including in particular, Afghan refugees who saved lives of our men and women in uniform.” 
    Senator Welch concluded: “Of course, Article I gives to the Congress the power to tax and the power to spend. And it is absolutely essential we do that carefully and wisely because our constituents are the ones who are going to pay the bill through taxes we assess, and they are the ones who are going to receive the benefits through appropriations we make. But to abdicate that power—which is essentially what this rescission would accommodate for the executive—is to turn over that power to the President. And it’s not just a matter of it being this President—it’s any President. In order for us to meet our responsibilities, we have to adhere to our constitutional responsibility under Article I. We are the ones who are subject to the will of the people—in the House every two years, in the Senate every six years—to account for how we tax and how we spend. Let’s not dodge by delegating that power to the executive.” 
    Watch Senator Welch’s full speech below: 
    The following programs would be eliminated or drastically reduced if the Trump Administration’s request for recissions are approved: 
    A cut of $1.1B for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. 
    A cut of $500 million for Global Health Programs, for activities to protect child and maternal health, combat HIV/AIDS, and other infectious diseases.  
    A cut of $800 million for assistance for refugees, like those fleeing genocide in Darfur and Burma. 
    A cut of $83 million for programs to support democracy, through organizations like the International Republican Institute, the National Democratic Institute, and Freedom House, which have always received strong bipartisan support.  
    A cut of $1.65 billion for the Economic Support Fund, which funds economic assistance for Jordan, Egypt, Indonesia, Lebanon, and scores of other programs that combat corruption, transnational money laundering and terrorist financing, human and wildlife trafficking, and that build markets for U.S. exports.     
    A cut of $460 million for assistance for Georgia, Armenia, Macedonia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and the other former Soviet Republics.  
    A cut of $496 million for international disaster assistance that provides life-saving aid for victims of natural and man-made disasters, from earthquakes and hurricanes to armed conflicts. 
    A cut of $202 million for specialized agencies, including for the United States’ contribution to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). 
    Senator Welch has been a leading voice in pushing back against the Trump Administration’s unlawful efforts to dismantle vital programs and terminate billions of dollars in life-saving aid. Following the so-called “Department of Government Efficiency,” or DOGE’s, unlawful firings of over 5,500 U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) employees, Senator Welch demanded answers from the State Department on DOGE’s actions that directly violate funds appropriated by Congress through the Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) Department of State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Act.   
    In April, Senator Welch spoke on the Senate Floor on how President Trump’s January 20th Executive Order suspending admission to the United States for Afghan refugees has left vulnerable families stranded and abandoned thousands who face persecution. In his remarks, the Senator urged Congress to expedite the resettlement of Afghan refugees, many of whom worked with, and for, the U.S. government, our diplomats, and our intelligence officers.   
    Learn more about Senator Welch’s work by visiting his website or by following him on social media.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth, Durbin Join Van Hollen, Klobuchar and Colleagues in Pressing Administration for Answers on Cancelled Protected Status for Afghans Living in U.S.

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
    June 10, 2025
    Decision could endanger thousands of Afghans, including many who supported U.S. efforts during the war in Afghanistan
    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and U.S. Representative Glenn Ivey (D-MD-04) in leading 96 of their colleagues in pressing for answers from the Department of Homeland Security and Department of State around the decision to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghan nationals living in the United States. The lawmakers’ letter, sent to Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, notes the devastating impact of this decision, including on the many Afghans who supported the U.S. military during the war in Afghanistan and who face significant danger upon their return.
    “We write with deep concern about the Department of Homeland Security’s termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghanistan, which is scheduled to take effect on July 14, 2025. This decision is devastating for resettled Afghan nationals in the United States who have fled widespread violence, economic instability, challenging humanitarian conditions, and human rights abuses in their home country. Many of these Afghans fearlessly served as strong allies to the United States military during the war in Afghanistan, and we cannot blatantly disregard their service. We respectfully ask that you redesignate Afghanistan for TPS to ensure Afghan nationals in the U.S. are not forced to return to devastating humanitarian, civic, and economic conditions,” the lawmakers wrote.
    They go on to note, “The Secretary of Homeland Security ‘may designate a foreign country for TPS due to conditions in the country that temporarily prevent the country’s nationals from returning safely, or in certain circumstances, where the country is unable to handle the return of its nationals adequately.’  This is why, following the withdrawal of American troops and the return of the Taliban to power in Afghanistan, in May 2022 the U.S. designated Afghanistan for TPS.”
    “The grave conditions that forced Afghan nationals to flee and seek refuge in the U.S. following the return of the Taliban to power remain. Because of this harsh reality, forcing Afghan nationals in the U.S. to return to Afghanistan would be reckless and inhumane, and would threaten the safety and well-being of thousands of individuals and families, especially women and girls,” they stress.
    The lawmakers close the letter urging the Administration to reverse course and seeking the following information:
    Any reports that credibly determine that conditions have improved in Afghanistan since 2023. 
    Details on how the Administration made the determination that “there are recipients who have been under investigation for fraud and threatening our public safety and national security” and how widespread these allegations of fraud and threats are.
    A description the collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security and Department of State to reach the determination that Afghanistan no longer meets the conditions for designation for TPS.
    Any reports that indicate the Taliban is no longer a threat to Afghan nationals that assisted the United States military during the war in Afghanistan.
    The steps being taken to ensure that Afghan nationals who previously had TPS will not be sent back to persecution or torture in Afghanistan
    Duckworth has been an outspoken leader in calling for the protection of our Afghan allies who’ve aided the United States during the war in Afghanistan. During July of 2021, after learning of and encountering problems with the efficiency of employment verification for applicants in the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program, Duckworth wrote to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin asking them to take immediate action to fix the problem. By the fall, DoD responded to Duckworth’s request to confirm they have taken steps to in line with her suggestions to improve the process through Project Rabbit, a program designed to simplify the employment verification process for Afghan employees who have applied for a SIV.
    In addition to Duckworth and Durbin, U.S. Senators Van Hollen (D-MD), Klobuchar (D-MN) and U.S. Representative Ivey (D-MD-04), the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Alsobrooks (D-MD), Baldwin (D-WI), Blumenthal (D-CT), Booker (D-NJ), Coons (D-DE), Cortez Masto (D-NV), Fetterman (D-PA), Gillibrand (D-NY), Heinrich (D-NM), Hirono (D-HI), Kaine (D-VA), Kelly (D-AZ), Kim (D-NJ), King (I-ME), Markey (D-MA), Padilla (D-CA), Reed (D-RI), Rosen (D-NV), Sanders (I-VT), Schiff (D-CA), Smith (D-MN), Warner (D-VA), Warnock (D-GA), Welch (D-VT) and Wyden (D-OR) and U.S. Representatives Gabe Amo (D-RI-01), Ansari (D-AZ-03), Balint (D-VT-At-Large), Bell (D-MO-01), Beyer (D-VA-08), Budzinski (D-IL-13), Carbajal (D-CA-24), Carter (D-LA-07), Casten (D-IL-06), Castro (D-TX-20), Chu (D-CA-28), Clarke (D-NY-09), Cleaver (D-MO-05), Courtney (D-CT-02), Dean (D-PA-04), DeGette (D-CO-01), DelBene (D-WA-01), Elfreth (D-MD-03), Evans (D-PA-03), Fields (D-LA-06), Garcia (D-CA-42), García (D-IL-04), Garcia (D-TX-29), Goldman (D-NY-10), Gomez (D-CA-34), Gonzalez (D-TX-34), Gottheimer (D-NJ-05), Hayes (D-CT-05), Jackson (D-IL-01), Jayapal (D-WA-07), Johnson (D-GA-04), Johnson (D-TX-32), Kaptur (D-OH-09), Keating (D-MA-09, Kelly (D-IL-02), Kennedy (D-NY-26), Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08), Landsman (D-OH-01), Larson (D-CT-01), Latimer (D-NY-16), Levin (D-CA-49), Lieu (D-CA-36), Lofgren (D-CA-18), Lynch (D-MA-08), McClain Delaney (D-MD-06), McClellan (D-VA-04), McCollum (D-MN-04), McGovern (D-MA-02), Meeks (D-NY-05), Mfume (D-MD-07), Moulton (D-MA-06), Norton (D-DC-At-Large), Olszewski (D-MD-02), Pallone (D-NJ-06), Panetta (D-CA-19), Peters (D-CA-50), Raskin (D-MD-08), Sánchez (D-CA-38), Scanlon (D-PA-05), Schakowsky (D-IL-09), Sherman (D-CA-32), Sorensen (D-IL-17), Subramanyam (D-VA-10), Swalwell (D-CA-14), Titus (D-NV-01), Tlaib (D-MI-12), Tokuda (D-HI-02), Tonko (D-NY-20), Vargas (D-CA-52), Veasey (D-TX-33) and Watson Coleman (D-NJ-12).
    The full text of the letter is available on Senator Duckworth’s website and below.
    Dear Secretary Noem and Secretary Rubio:
    We write with deep concern about the Department of Homeland Security’s termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghanistan, which is scheduled to take effect on July 14, 2025. This decision is devastating for resettled Afghan nationals in the United States who have fled widespread violence, economic instability, challenging humanitarian conditions, and human rights abuses in their home country. Many of these Afghans fearlessly served as strong allies to the United States military during the war in Afghanistan, and we cannot blatantly disregard their service. We respectfully ask that you redesignate Afghanistan for TPS to ensure Afghan nationals in the U.S. are not forced to return to devastating humanitarian, civic, and economic conditions.
    The Secretary of Homeland Security “may designate a foreign country for TPS due to conditions in the country that temporarily prevent the country’s nationals from returning safely, or in certain circumstances, where the country is unable to handle the return of its nationals adequately.” This is why, following the withdrawal of American troops and the return of the Taliban to power in Afghanistan, in May 2022 the U.S. designated Afghanistan for TPS. In September 2023, the U.S. extended and redesignated TPS for Afghanistan. The Administration’s decision to terminate TPS for Afghanistan negatively impacts approximately 9,000 Afghan nationals.
    In your announcement, you state that “there are notable improvements in the security and economic situation such that requiring the return of Afghan nationals to Afghanistan does not pose a threat to their personal safety due to armed conflict or extraordinary and temporary conditions.” But you also concede that threats of violence and terrorism, as well as humanitarian concerns, remain. The Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), the Afghan affiliate of the Islamic State (ISIS), continues to launch attacks against ethnic and religious minorities and against the Taliban, leading to innocent civilian casualties. If Afghan nationals are forced to return to Afghanistan, they will be caught in the crossfire between the Taliban and ISKP. According to Human Rights Watch, in 2024, Taliban authorities intensified their crackdown on human rights, especially against women and girls. Women and girls are banned from attending secondary school or university and are unable to move freely. The Taliban also continues to detain and torture journalists, curtailing free speech and media. The 2023 U.S. State Department Human Rights Report covering Afghanistan found that women’s rights rapidly declined and restrictions on freedom of expression increased. The horrific human rights conditions in Afghanistan are unsafe for Afghan nationals to return to and returning would put their personal safety at immediate risk.
    We are also deeply concerned about the State Department Human Rights Report finding that widespread arbitrary and unlawful killings against officials associated with the pre-August 2021 government have occurred. Afghan nationals who assisted the U.S. military should not be put in harm’s way because they supported the U.S. in its fight against the Taliban. This would be a betrayal of those who bravely served alongside our servicemembers for nearly two decades.
    Afghan civilians still face devastating humanitarian and economic conditions. Over half of the population in Afghanistan needs urgent humanitarian assistance. Human Rights Watch reports that in 2024, 12.4 million people were facing food insecurity and 2.9 million were at emergency levels of hunger. The World Bank also found that in Afghanistan, as of May 2025, “per capita income has stagnated, while poverty and food insecurity remain pressing challenges, exacerbated by high unemployment and restrictions on women’s economic participation.” 
    The grave conditions that forced Afghan nationals to flee and seek refuge in the U.S. following the return of the Taliban to power remain. Because of this harsh reality, forcing Afghan nationals in the U.S. to return to Afghanistan would be reckless and inhumane, and would threaten the safety and well-being of thousands of individuals and families, especially women and girls.
    In August 2021, Americans welcomed Afghan nationals at Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia with open arms, and we refuse to turn our backs on them now. We strongly urge you to reconsider your decision to terminate TPS for Afghanistan and ask that you respond to the following requests no later than two weeks of receipt of this letter:
    Please provide any reports that credibly determine that conditions have improved in Afghanistan since 2023.
    The TPS termination announcement stated that “there are recipients who have been under investigation for fraud and threatening our public safety and national security.” Please provide additional details on how the Administration made this determination and how widespread these allegations of fraud and threats are.
    Describe the collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security and Department of State to reach the determination that Afghanistan no longer meets the conditions for designation for TPS.
    Please provide any reports that indicate the Taliban is no longer a threat to Afghan nationals that assisted the United States military during the war in Afghanistan.
    What steps are you taking to ensure that Afghan nationals who previously had TPS will not be sent back to persecution or torture in Afghanistan?
    Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter and we hope to receive your responses soon.
    Sincerely,
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth at Unite for Veterans Rally: “Veterans Keep This Nation Strong, and We Deserve Better than Trump”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
    June 10, 2025
    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – At today’s “Unite for Veterans” rally on the National Mall, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) delivered impassioned remarks slamming Donald Trump for using our nation’s heroes as political pawns, firing them by the thousands and making it harder for them to access the quality care and benefits they’ve earned. In her speech, the Senator drew from her personal experience serving in the military to call on her fellow Veterans to continue their lifelong mission of keeping this nation strong by pushing back against Trump’s cruel, anti-Veteran agenda. Photos of the event can be found on Duckworth’s website, and video of Duckworth’s remarks can be found in the rally’s livestream.
    Key Quotes:
    “America is what it is today because of the blood our brothers and sisters shed in combat zones. Our children grow up with the rights they deserve because of the sweat that’s poured down our faces, everywhere from the dust of Fallujah to the jungles of Vietnam. Our sacrifices were the currency we paid to defend America’s freedoms. And even as I stand here on titanium legs, with my wheelchair by my side, I wouldn’t take back those sacrifices for a second. Because America is worth it. As flawed as she may be, she is worth it.”
    “We’re here because we refuse to see the democracy that we fought so hard for get dismantled. Because we refuse to let the health care that our buddies earned be gutted. And because we refuse to let thousands of Veterans who chose to continue serving this nation as federal workers be fired for no apparent reason…It’s a middle finger to our heroes. It’s a slap in the face to the sacrifices they’ve made. It’s bullshit, frankly…We’ve come together this afternoon because even if we’re no longer wearing the uniform, we are always wearing the flag on our shoulder, facing forward. We’re here because we’re not afraid to call out wrongs that need to be righted—or to call out wannabe kings that need a history lesson.”
    “Personally, I’m tired of a guy who was never brave enough to serve claiming that the America that some of our buddies died for isn’t already great. And it pisses me off that a man who cried “bone spurs” when his nation need him the most—a five-time-draft-dodging coward who calls fallen servicemembers “suckers and losers”—it pisses me off that that guy would use our heroes as political pawns to get elected, then screw them over so badly once he took office. If you’re pissed off too…if you think Veterans deserve better than to be fired by the thousand…if you think our buddies deserve more than to have their health care ripped away because Trump wants to put another dollar in a rich guy’s pocket…Well then I need you by my side.”
    Senator Duckworth’s remarks as prepared can be found below:
    Hello everyone!
    First off, let me say a huge thank you to everyone who made this afternoon possible.
    I’m honored to get the chance not only to speak today in my capacity as a Senator, but also to listen, as one of you, as a Veteran.
    Because I may currently be a Member of Congress, but in my heart, first and foremost, I will always be an Army grunt. And I’m damn proud of that.
    I’m here today because I love this nation. I know the same is true for all of you.
    But I’m also here because I’m sick of politicians promising to look out for Veterans when they’re on the campaign trail, then abandoning them when they take office. I’m sick of military families being treated like props.
    And I’m sick of people in power wrapping themselves in the flag with their left hand, then with the other, signing off on orders that sell out our heroes to line their own pockets. You deserve better. You’ve earned better.
    After all, since the first shots rang out at Lexington and Concord…Since the Tuskegee Airmen took to the skies to defend a nation that still wouldn’t let them sit at the same lunch counter as their white peers…Since our warriors landed on the beaches of Normandy, on this very day, 81 years ago…Those who’ve worn the uniform have defied the odds to define America at its best.
    America is what it is today because of the blood our brothers and sisters shed in combat zones.
    Our children grow up with the rights they deserve because of the sweat that’s poured down our faces, everywhere from the dust of Fallujah to the jungles of Vietnam. Our sacrifices were the currency we paid to defend America’s freedoms.
    And even as I stand here on titanium legs, with my wheelchair by my side, I wouldn’t take back those sacrifices for a second.
    Because America is worth it. As flawed as she may be, she is worth it.
    I know some of us here hung up our uniforms long ago. But looking out at you all, I see a group who recognizes that in this perilous moment for our country, our mission today is not too different than what it was when we served: To protect our democracy. To defend our freedoms. To keep our nation as strong as she should be.
    That is why each of you took off work… travelled from every pocket of this country… and showed up in this heat today. Not because it was easy—it’s never easy. But because we love this country enough to try to shape it for the better, even when the road ahead is hazy. Even when the task ahead is daunting.
    We’ve come together this afternoon because even if we’re no longer wearing the uniform, we are always wearing the flag on our shoulder, facing forward. We’re here because we’re not afraid to call out wrongs that need to be righted—or to call out wannabe kings that need a history lesson.
    We’re here because we refuse to see the democracy that we fought so hard for get dismantled. Because we refuse to let the health care that our buddies earned be gutted. And because we refuse to let thousands of Veterans who chose to continue serving this nation as federal workers be fired for no apparent reason.
    Employees who include folks working at the Veterans Crisis Line, for God’s sake…The Veterans working there are doing some of the toughest work imaginable to support our heroes in their absolute darkest hour.
    These are the people this Administration has kicked to the curb over the past few months. That should tell you everything you need to know about how the guys in power actually feel about our Vets.
    Let’s be clear: The only reason they’re doing all this is to try to find enough loose change behind the couch cushions so that they can give even bigger tax breaks to the rich guys they pal around with on the golf course.
    Let me say that another way: They care more about making sure billionaires can buy yet another private jet than ensuring our Veterans have access to the benefits and care they’ve earned. They care more about stroking Donald Trump’s ego to the tune of a 30-million-dollar birthday parade than spending that money to provide child care for military families. Or to save Veterans’ jobs. Or to better their health care.
    So let’s call this what it is: It’s a middle finger to our heroes. It’s a slap in the face to the sacrifices they’ve made. It’s bullshit, frankly. And every one of us who has served should feel insulted. I certainly do. I’d bet some of you do, too.
    But the important thing now is to channel our outrage into action.
    A couple months after my Black Hawk was shot down in Iraq, a U.S. Senator named Dick Durbin walked into my Walter Reed hospital room and gave me his phone number, saying to call him any time if I or any of the other patients around me needed some help.
    He…well, I’m not sure he thought I would take his words quite so literally. I called him…a lot. I called him way, way too much. I was the highest-ranked amputee on the ward at the time, so I felt responsible for the men and women around me.
    So I kept on ringing up a United States Senator to help me help these folks get their pay… get their benefits… even to help get that one elevator in the hospital working better. At that point, I was so early in my recovery that I could barely sit up for 15 minutes at a time. But when Dick looked at me, he saw past the wounds…saw past the wheelchair.
    He saw a Soldier in search of her next mission. Recognizing long before I did that just because I could no longer fly Black Hawks for the Army didn’t mean that I couldn’t find a new way to serve my nation.
    And he said the words that changed my life. He told me that I could best help the Veterans around me by running for Congress myself.
    I thought he was nuts. But it turns out, he was right. So all these years later, I’m asking each of you to take on a new mission, too.
    Because personally, I’m tired of a guy who was never brave enough to serve claiming that the America that some of our buddies died for isn’t already great.
    And it pisses me off that a man who cried “bone spurs” when his nation need him the most—a five-time-draft-dodging coward who calls fallen servicemembers “suckers and losers”—it pisses me off that that guy would use our heroes as political pawns to get elected, then screw them over so badly once he took office.
    If you’re pissed off too…if you think Veterans deserve better than to be fired by the thousand…if you think our buddies deserve more than to have their health care ripped away because Trump wants to put another dollar in a rich guy’s pocket…Well then I need you by my side.
    I need you to think of today not just as a singular moment, but as the start of our new collective mission: A mission to stand up for the buddies we served with. To do right by the warriors who came before us.
    And to look out for all those men and women still serving.
    Those young Soldiers and Sailors, those Marines and Airmen and Coasties, who are ready to sacrifice everything at the drop of a hat if the drums of war start beating again like they did for many of us when we were still in uniform.
    Look, I get how in this moment, it’d be easy to feel defeated…to want to tune out rather than turn on the news. But now more than ever, we can’t let ourselves become disengaged. Because there’s too much at stake to get discouraged. The reality is, there will always be people in big fancy buildings who try to use their power to only look out for themselves.
    But there are three things I know: First, the power of the people is always greater than the people in power. Second, those of us here today have never been too scared to take on a tough mission, especially when it means protecting the democracy we’ve fought so long to defend. And third, we Veterans sure as hell would never leave a comrade behind—whether that was one of our buddies on the battlefield or, now, one of the folks getting fired or left without care from the VA.
    So if we want tomorrow to be better than yesterday, we have to come together. We have to recognize that our voices do still matter. Then we’ve got to use those voices to speak out. Even if—especially when—anyone tries to silence us.
    Because we Veterans have always been the ones helping keep this nation as strong as she should be. This moment is no exception.
    And along the way, you have my word that I’ll be right there with you. That I am one of you. And that I will always live by the Soldier’s Creed: never, ever leaving you behind.
    It’s an honor to call myself part of this team—and to have you as my partners on the front lines.
    Thank you.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –