NewzIntel.com

Category: Natural Disasters

  • MIL-OSI China: 600-year-old dragon kiln keeps tradition alive in China’s pottery capital

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

    In the heart of China’s pottery capital Yixing in the eastern province of Jiangsu, the ancient ritual of firing the 600-year-old Qianshu Dragon Kiln persists, a testament to enduring craftsmanship despite modern alternatives.

    This photo taken on May 22, 2025 shows teapots at a workshop in Yixing, east China’s Jiangsu Province. (Xinhua/He Leijing)

    For more than 40 hours, workers meticulously fed firewood into the kiln, driving temperatures above 1,000 degrees Celsius. The climax comes with the opening of the kiln, revealing thousands of ceramic pieces like “blind boxes,” a major local event.

    Nestled amidst the rustic village houses of Dingshu Township in Yixing, the Qianshu Dragon Kiln is unmistakable — a long, black-tiled roof structure snaking up a slope, sheltering an earthen core built from rammed yellow soil.

    Dating back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), this kiln holds a unique status as the only one in Jiangsu still firing ceramics using traditional wood-burning methods. Measuring 43.4 meters long with a distinct north-south orientation, it comprises a head, a body and a tail, capable of holding roughly 8,000 ceramic pieces per firing.

    At precisely 9:58 a.m. on the Dragon Boat Festival, which fell on Saturday, the centuries-old Qianshu Dragon Kiln unveiled its latest treasures amid thunderous drums and undulating dragon dances. Over a thousand spectators gathered as a kiln master meticulously inspected each fireproof sagger container, his experienced hands assessing the integrity of every ceramic piece emerging from the dragon’s belly.

    Kiln firing remains the key to good ceramics. In southern China, the most popular kiln type is the dragon kiln, named for its dragon-like shape as it slopes along hillsides. Dating back thousands of years, the distinctive and efficient dragon kilns have played an indispensable role in China’s ceramic history.

    The dragon kiln was instrumental in forging Yixing’s reputation as the nation’s “pottery capital.” Recognized for its historical significance, the Qianshu Dragon Kiln was listed as a major historical and cultural site protected at the national level in 2006.

    “Originally, the dragon kilns fired daily necessities. Now, they primarily fire purple clay products, which is an invaluable cultural treasure here,” said Wu Xiaoyang, a local kiln master with over 50 years of experience.

    According to Wu, the purple clay from Huanglong Mountain in Dingshu is truly unique in China. Also known as “five-colored earth,” the surface layer of this clay appears reddish, while deeper layers take on a purplish hue. Remarkably, even the same clay can exhibit different colors when fired at the same temperature.

    Also in 2006, Yixing’s purple clay pottery-making techniques gained national intangible cultural heritage status. Evidence of this deep-rooted craft is visible throughout the area, with numerous family workshops advertising their ceramics and purple clay teapots.

    The Qianshu Dragon Kiln now stands as the last of its kind, mostly producing miscellaneous wares like tea caddies and other decorative or functional objects, with limited teapot firings, according to Yin Qiuxia, a local artisan who runs a family workshop. She’s been making purple clay teapots for 16 years.

    “Traditional dragon kilns symbolize Yixing’s ceramic artistry,” said Fan Weiqun, a national-level intangible cultural heritage inheritor. A fourth-generation purple clay artisan, Fan works from a studio adjoining the Dasheng Art Museum — which showcases his family’s legacy. “Dasheng” was the pseudonym of Fan Guangshan (1847-1902), a master potter whose teapots became so coveted that “a thousand taels of gold couldn’t buy one.” His son Fan Qinren (1875-1941) inherited the name, elevating its prestige with award-winning works exhibited across Europe and North America.

    “While kiln technology has evolved, dragon kiln firing preserves traditional techniques and aesthetics. This ceremonial aspect helps the younger generation understand intangible heritage,” Fan said. Honored as a master of arts and crafts in Jiangsu, the craftsman has also trained his daughter into a skilled purple clay potter.

    Contrasting sharply with the ancient kiln, most family workshops in Yixing now utilize electric kilns, where calibrated heat ensures uniform finishes without ash imperfections, Yin noted. Estimates suggest these modern kilns significantly reduce emissions compared with traditional wood firing — cutting annual carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 40,000 tonnes, sulfur dioxide by 131 tonnes, and nitrogen oxides by 114 tonnes.

    “For everyday ceramic work, electric kilns offer better temperature control, stability and higher efficiency, which is particularly suitable for young learners like us,” said Fan Qianwen, Fan Weiqun’s daughter. From childhood, she apprenticed at her father’s clay workbench, absorbing the artistry of Yixing’s purple clay pottery tradition through years of immersion in this renowned ceramic family.

    “The dragon kiln primarily serves to preserve traditional techniques, representing our cultural inheritance. For the youth, it’s also a psychological cultural landmark, signifying our roots,” she said.

    Despite the dominance of electric kilns, the ancient Qianshu Dragon Kiln is fired during special traditional Chinese festivals, accompanied by public opening ceremonies. These events have attracted crowds of local residents and tourists, with online livestreams garnering millions of views in recent years.

    When Fan Qianwen first turned to short videos and livestreaming in 2019, her father resisted. “He saw it as a break from our craft’s heritage,” she recalled. But the effort paid off. Sales figures that once took a decade of toil to achieve can now be reached in a mere two to three years — all by plugging Yixing’s time-honored purple clay teapots into the digital age.

    The “ancient craft meets algorithm” formula has proven successful for local artisans. Dingshu has established China’s first dedicated purple clay industry livestreaming base on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok. The hub now hosts over 8,000 businesses and employs 55,000 workers, with sales of purple clay products surging over the past two years, underscoring the sector’s rapid digital transformation.

    Yin began livestreaming her purple clay teapot-making process three years ago. In her studio, cameras now capture what was once a trade secret: the rhythmic kneading, sculpting and polishing of purple clay.

    “This is our way to authentically showcase traditional craftsmanship to collectors and enthusiasts,” she said. “Ultimately, it’s about preserving the purple clay culture.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Joining the Dots: Exploring Australia’s Economic Links With the World Economy

    Source: Airservices Australia

    Introduction

    I’d like to begin by acknowledging the Traditional Owners of the land on which we meet today, the Yuggera and Turrbal people of Meanjin and pay my respects to Elders past and present.

    And thank you to the Economic Society of Australia [Queensland Branch] for giving me this opportunity to talk to all of you.

    I’m sure many are familiar with the Lenin quote ‘There are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen’. It certainly feels like the last few months fit into the latter category. The broad-based nature of the proposed US tariffs, retaliation from major partners and other policy shifts all have the potential to structurally alter the world economy. As recently discussed by our Deputy Governor Andrew Hauser, what happens overseas matters for the Australian economy and is therefore a key factor in monetary policy settings.

    In the recently released Statement on Monetary Policy (SMP) we outlined our thinking on how recent developments will influence the Australian economy. To help us understand the implications for Australia, we have developed a framework that captures the key transmission channels and combined this with a set of alternative scenarios that flex key assumptions and judgements. Together they underpin our thinking about how this environment will flow through the global economy and how Australia is exposed. The key transmission channels we have identified are:

    • Trade flows between countries are likely to realign, and over time multinational businesses could start moving production to different countries.
    • Households and businesses in the countries that apply tariffs are likely to change what they consume, as some products become relatively more expensive, and as prices change more generally.
    • Until it’s clearer where policy will settle, businesses and households are likely to become (understandably) more cautious, and potentially delay major decisions such as capital investment.
    • Fiscal and monetary policy can respond, potentially helping to offset adverse impacts.
    • Financial markets will respond by repricing all assets including equities, bonds, commodity prices and exchange rates. These moves impact financial conditions, which further impact firms’ and households’ decisions.

    I will now discuss these channels in more detail, including how they are embodied in the scenarios in the May SMP.

    Tariff policy and global trade flows

    Economic theory and evidence suggest that higher global tariffs will put a drag on the global economy. This is true in both the short and long run, though here I’ll focus on the short run as that is what is most relevant for monetary policy.

    For the country imposing them, tariffs are a tax on imports. In the short term, this makes imported goods more expensive and pushes up domestic prices, to the extent the tariff is not offset by lower profit margins in overseas producers and exchange rate adjustments. Higher import prices will mean less imports and shifts in demand towards locally produced products. But it takes time for domestic businesses to invest and expand, and for some products (such as raw materials) it may not be possible for domestic production to fill the gap. This means prices are likely to remain higher in the near term, which will reduce households’ purchasing power and therefore drag on business incentives to invest.

    Collectively, domestic demand in the tariff-imposing country falls, all else equal. If households expect the tariffs to have a sustained effect on economic growth, and so their future incomes, they may also cut back further on spending today. For the countries that are subject to higher tariffs, they will weigh on export demand and in turn their broader economic conditions. Domestic stimulus may offset some of these effects; in the May SMP our baseline scenario assumes that China will support its economy through expansionary fiscal policy. But for both sets of countries, any net weakening in demand growth will spill over to their trading partners.

    Overall weaker global growth would put near-term downward pressure on the prices of globally traded goods. For countries that are not imposing higher tariffs, such as Australia, this could flow into import prices, making products cheaper and lowering inflation. In the current episode, this ‘trade diversion’ channel could be amplified by the nature of the changes, in particular the US authorities’ focus on China. As a lynchpin of the global manufacturing supply chain, Chinese goods represent a large share of imports for many countries (including Australia). With the US market harder to access, Chinese producers could lower their prices and try to redirect their products to other markets.

    But working in the other direction, the broad-based nature of the increase in tariffs and increased use of non-tariff barriers such as export bans could create a new bout of supply chain disruptions. By increasing the cost of intermediate inputs that cross borders, such as commodities, machinery and equipment and components, tariffs could potentially lift the cost of production globally. This could push up consumer prices in all countries, particularly for more complex products, such as cars, whose components are sourced from a wide range of countries.

    Our current baseline scenario assumes that, overall, the weaker global growth environment will moderately dampen prices for tradable goods, all other things equal. That is, we expect weaker demand to outweigh the inflationary impact of any supply chain disruptions. We will be monitoring global trade flows and inflation data closely in the coming months to assess whether this judgement is correct.

    Uncertainty’s drag on economic activity

    Aside from the effects of changes to global trade that I’ve talked about so far, the unpredictability of where tariffs will settle and changes to other policy settings has the potential to create significant uncertainty, both around the nature of the policies themselves as well as their impact. And there is ample research showing that higher uncertainty can lead to declines in investment, output and employment.

    Typically, higher uncertainty leads firms to delay decisions that are costly to reverse, like investment and hiring. This makes sense intuitively, because there is value in waiting to see how things are playing out before making a decision that is (at least partially) non-reversable – something often referred to as ‘real options’ value. These ideas are borne out in the historical data. Research suggests that the negative impacts of higher policy uncertainty – including trade policy – are largest for businesses, as they typically pull back on investment. Some studies find higher uncertainty also has a measurable impact on household consumption, but this is typically more modest.

    Uncertainty is a bit of a slippery concept and there are lots of different ways of trying to measure it, but the graph below shows two (Graph 1). One – the global economic policy uncertainty index – is based on the number of news articles that talk about policy uncertainty. The other – the VIX – is a measure capturing how uncertain markets are about near-term equity prices. Both show a sharp rise in uncertainty recently, though the VIX index has declined in recent weeks.

    If we see businesses and households respond as they have in the past, then the current level of uncertainty will weigh materially on global activity. But the unpredictability and unprecedented nature of the current situation makes it hard to be precise on the size of the impact. In the SMP we have tackled this by using alternative scenarios that capture smaller and larger responses to uncertainty. The baseline scenario assumes a relatively modest drag, the trade peace scenario no significant drag, and the trade war scenario a substantial pull back in activity. Going forward we will be monitoring carefully which assumption is closest to how things unfold.

    Financial markets’ response

    This brings us neatly to financial markets. Movements in global asset prices after the United States announced its tariffs on April 2 capture how financial market participants initially evaluated their likely impact, and these movements broadly aligned with the channels I’ve already discussed. Equity prices declined sharply – particularly in the United States – at least in part reflecting expectations for the direct impact of the tariffs and the indirect impact via slower economic growth on company earnings. Expectations of lower future growth also meant that expectations for future central bank policy rates declined, which flowed through to bond yields (Graph 2).

    At the same time, increased uncertainty and risk led investors to require larger risk premia to hold risky assets. This was reflected in increased spreads on corporate bonds, and some increases in equity risk premia that put further downward pressure on equity prices (Graph 3). In other words, investors wanted more compensation for holding riskier assets.

    Some of these movements unwound in the following weeks after pauses in implementation of some tariffs. As of 30 May, financial market participants appear to be pricing in some downside risk to global growth, but they are no longer pricing in a material economic downturn. Consistent with this, expectations for central bank rate cuts have also been pared back.

    Still, there remains a risk that further changes to tariffs or other policy settings, or actual economic outcomes prompt financial markets to downgrade the outlook, which leads risky asset prices to fall sharply. If this were to occur, it would lead to a more sustained tightening in financial conditions, which would make it more expensive for businesses in particular to borrow or raise funds for investment. This outcome is embodied in the trade war downside scenario we presented in the May SMP and is a significant amplifier of the initial shock generated by the sharp hike in tariffs.

    Exchange rates

    One financial market that deserves some deeper discussion is the exchange rate. When the outlook for global growth weakens, the Australian dollar typically depreciates (falls in value) as investors expect our economy to be buffeted by the global headwinds and the RBA to respond with cuts to the cash rate. This makes our exports cheaper in foreign currency terms, which offsets some of the effect of weaker global demand.

    An additional driver of the Australian dollar in times of uncertainty is its status as a ‘risk-sensitive’ currency. When global investors are worried, they tend to focus on reducing risk exposure, moving their capital to low-risk assets in countries like the United States, Switzerland and Japan. This means the Australian dollar tends to lose value against these currencies, over and above the depreciation linked to weaker growth and expected cuts in the cash rate. This dynamic partly explains the movements during the global financial crisis (GFC) when the Australian dollar declined very sharply, even though the Australian economy was much less exposed to the global downturn (Graph 4).

    While the initial response of the Australian dollar during the current episode was in line with historical experience, the recent recovery against the US dollar in particular has been more unusual (Graph 5). The exchange rate has been volatile over recent months, but on a trade weighted basis is overall little changed in response to global events. It has appreciated against the US dollar (and therefore also the Chinese renminbi and other currencies pegged to the US dollar) but depreciated against most other major currencies.

    This appears to reflect some offsetting factors. Concerns about the growth outlook and related ‘risk-off’ dynamics contributed to the Australian dollar’s depreciation relative to several other currencies. But at the same time some investors have reduced their exposure to US assets, leading to broad US dollar weakness.

    The weakness in the US dollar during a period of heightened risk is in contrast with many previous episodes, though it’s too early to know whether this dynamic will continue. The return of the trade weighted index to its pre-shock value means that, on average, the price of our exports in foreign currency terms hasn’t changed. But the relative move of capital towards Australian assets compared to the United States reflects an increase in capital inflows, which could support domestic investment activity. We’ll be monitoring how these channels play out over time.

    The economy’s exposure to the current episode

    Trade flows linkages

    As previously outlined, when global conditions deteriorate and uncertainty increases Australia’s exports typically benefit from the currency depreciating, as this improves competitiveness. Although this channel may be less pronounced than in other episodes, Australia’s exporters are relatively well-placed to weather the storm.

    The fundamentals underpinning our exports make it likely that in volume terms at least they’ll be less impacted than other countries. Higher US tariffs on Australian exports are unlikely to have a material direct impact as Australian exports to the United States only account for around 1.5 per cent of Australian GDP, a low share compared with other countries (Graph 6).

    Furthermore, the structure and composition of Australia’s exports will potentially provide an additional buffer to export volumes. Resources make up 75 per cent of Australian good exports, and despite the exposure of China and other resource intensive countries to the tariff shock, we might expect export volumes to remain resilient in the short run.

    This is because Australia’s resource export volumes are less sensitive to movements in global demand than other exports as we are a relatively low-cost producer of bulk commodities like iron ore. You can see this on this chart, where most Australian iron ore miners sit on the lower left end of the production cost curve (Graph 7). Short-run declines in commodity prices tend to lead to reduced volumes from other higher cost producers, while Australian producers feel the impact via lower prices and so earnings.

    So far, the current episode has not seen a sharp correction in Australia’s key commodity prices, underpinned by a relatively positive outlook for China. This view assumes that the Chinese authorities will support their economy through fiscal stimulus and is embodied in our baseline scenario, with the downside trade war scenario encapsulating a correction. If this were to occur the income flows from commodity exports would fall significantly.

    By contrast, trade in services, which comprise around 20 per cent of Australian exports to the world, are more responsive to changes in global demand and the exchange rate. We can see this in the below chart, which shows historically how movements of services export volumes have correlated with changes in the real exchange rate, a measure of competitiveness (Graph 8). In the years following the GFC, the appreciation and depreciation in the exchange rate contributed to a decline and then strong rebound in services export volumes.

    Trade in services tends to react more strongly because some exported services tend to be easier to substitute and more discretionary. Travel services, for example tourism, are a key Australian export that might be affected by recent developments. Weaker global growth is likely to dampen demand, but any exchange rate depreciation will make Australia a more attractive destination. Simultaneously, travel service imports (i.e. outward tourism) may decline if the Australian dollar depreciates; holidaying overseas will become more expensive than taking a trip locally.

    Uncertainty dampener on households and businesses

    While key parts of Australia’s export volumes may be relatively resilient to global demand conditions and uncertainty, domestic demand is unlikely to be completely insulated. As discussed earlier, greater uncertainty about the future can lead households and businesses to save instead of spending and investing, and this is likely to be the case for Australian households and businesses too. And increased borrowing costs and risk premia in global financial markets are likely to spill into domestic markets, further weighing on activity.

    Previous research by RBA economist Angus Moore found exactly this. Higher global uncertainty has a large negative effect on Australian business investment, while the negative effect on consumption is more modest (Graph 9). Though the magnitude of these effects is itself very uncertain, this does suggest that global uncertainty may weigh substantially on domestic activity if uncertainty remains elevated. As with all of the other channels, we explore different assumptions for the size of this channel in the scenarios in the May SMP.

    Putting it all together for policy

    So how will the current unpredictable and uncertain global environment transmit through to the Australian economy? The short answer is we can’t be completely sure. The framework I have outlined identifies what we think are the key transmission channels, and we have used scenarios to simulate different alternatives. Within this range, the baseline forecast is for recent global developments to contribute to slower economic growth in Australia and a slightly weaker labour market. We also anticipate that, overall, the price of tradable goods will be slightly dampened. Together, these two outcomes mean that inflation is forecast to be a little lower than at the February SMP, settling around the midpoint of the 2–3 per cent target range.

    This forecast is based on several judgements, and assumptions about the potency of the transmission channels I have discussed today. These include how tariff policies evolve, how fiscal and monetary authorities around the world respond, whether trade diversion reduces the price of imports or global supply chains become heavily disrupted, and how much uncertainty weighs on economic activity.

    By using the framework and scenarios together we have anchored our thinking and cut through some of the uncertainty about the outlook. These were provided to the Monetary Policy Board to help inform their decision-making; taking all the information into account and considering the risks to the outlook, they decided to cut the cash rate by 25 basis points.

    What will happen from here? Going forward, the RBA will continue to monitor domestic and international outcomes and global policy developments. Benchmarking these against the scenarios in the May SMP will help us identify the scenario that best reflects current conditions and the outlook, enabling the Board to adjust policy settings accordingly.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Outstanding New Zealanders honoured

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has congratulated the 2025 recipients of King’s Birthday Honours.

    “Every person on this list has made New Zealand a better place. 

    “Locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally they are the proof that individual actions build a strong and thriving country.

    “I am inordinately proud that twice every year, we can easily find dozens of outstanding citizens to honour this way, and I would like to thank all of the New Zealanders on this list for their service and achievements.

    “To our new Dames and Knights, carry your Honour with the pride with which it was given,” Mr Luxon says.

    Appointed as Dames Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit are Ranjna Patel, Emeritus Distinguished Professor Alison Stewart, and Catriona Williams.

    “Dame Ranjna Patel has made a lasting impact across New Zealand in her service to ethnic communities, health and family violence prevention. She founded Mana for Mums for young Māori and Pacific women in South Auckland, co-founded a multi-cultural community centre, and co-founded Tāmaki Health, which has grown to become New Zealand’s largest privately owned primary healthcare group. In doing so, Dame Ranjna has helped hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders,” says Mr Luxon.

    “Dame Alison Stewart is an internationally renowned plant scientist with a 40-year career focused on sustainable plant protection, soil biology and plant biotechnology. She reinforces New Zealand’s stellar reputation in science and is an example of how our science community will continue to lead the world,” Mr Luxon says.

    “Dame Catriona Williams’ legacy in spinal cord injury goes back more than 20 years. This remarkable woman has been the founder and driving force behind the CatWalk Spinal Cord Injury Trust since its establishment in 2005. She has inspired countless people by her example of courage and determination in the face of adversity. Dame Catriona dedicates her time to engage with people who have experienced a spinal cord injury and are new to life in a wheelchair,” says Mr Luxon. 

    This year’s Knights Companion are The Honourable Mark Cooper, Brendan Lindsay, and Ewan Smith.

    “Sir Mark Cooper’s service to the judiciary is distinguished and longstanding. He became President of the Court of Appeal after being a Court of Appeal Judge from 2014 and a High Court Judge from 2004.  Sir Mark was Chairperson of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Building Failure caused by the Canterbury Earthquakes and his detailed findings and recommendations avoided delay to the Canterbury rebuild and provided a sense of resolution to the community at a time it was critical,” Mr Luxon says.

    “Businessman and philanthropist Sir Brendan Lindsay built a global brand producing sustainable and recyclable storage products stamped ‘Made in New Zealand’. Sistema was sold to an American firm in 2016, with the buyer committing in writing to keep production in New Zealand for 20 years. That business acumen has created a philanthropic legacy that has helped countless charities including Pet Refuge, Starship National Air Ambulance Service, New Zealand Riding for the Disabled and Assistance Dogs New Zealand Trust,” Mr Luxon says.

    “Sir Ewan Smith is legendary in the Cook Islands. The founder of Air Rarotonga, he has grown the business to become the largest private sector employer in the Cook Islands. However, it is his passion and loyalty to his people that distinguishes him further. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he ensured no Air Rarotonga employee was made redundant, and the airline maintained essential cargo and medevac services throughout the Cooks. Everyone including himself was placed on a minimum wage and he provided mentorship, counselling and budget advice to staff. Sir Ewan exemplifies what it is to be a good employer and an outstanding citizen.

    “I would like to congratulate all 188 recipients of this year’s King’s Birthday Honours. We are proud of you, and we celebrate the example you set for others,” Mr Luxon says.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: More to the case following traffic stop

    Source: New Zealand Police

    Night shift staff pursued a lead that led to a great catch for Mt Wellington Police this morning.

    At around 3.20am, units were patrolling near Penrose Road when they stopped a vehicle.

    “Once stopped the officers noticed a strong smell of cannabis coming from inside,” Auckland City East Area Prevention Manager, Inspector Rachel Dolheguy says.

    “A search of the vehicle was invoked and resulted in a guitar case containing an unloaded military style pump action shotgun was located in the boot.”

    Also found were four shotgun shells, a small amount of cannabis and cannabis paraphernalia.

    “This was great proactive police work by our officers, which has resulted in a high-powered weapon being removed from our community,” Inspector Dolheguy says.

    A 34-year-old male will appear in the Auckland District Court this morning charged with possessing a firearm and possessing cannabis.

    ENDS.

    Amanda Wieneke/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NEW REPORT: Trump’s Mass Firings at NIOSH Spokane Research Lab Put Americans at Risk, Jeopardize Progress to Keep Workers Safe on the Job

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    ICYMI: Senator Murray Presses Secretary Kennedy on Decimation of NIOSH and Mass Firings at NIOSH Spokane Research Laboratory

    ***NEW REPORT with testimonials from Spokane employees HERE***

    Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, released a new report on how President Trump and Elon Musk’s decimation of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), including their effective shuttering of the NIOSH Spokane Research Laboratory, will jeopardize on-the-job safety for firefighters, miners, agricultural workers, commercial fishermen, in Washington state and across the country. The report details the work that was done at the NIOSH Spokane Research laboratory, the Spokane Mining Research Division in particular, and outlines how the Trump administration’s mass firings across NIOSH will jeopardize the pipeline to train the next generation of workplace safety and health professionals, including those studying at Gonzaga University in Spokane and University of Washington in Seattle. Senator Murray’s report features testimonials from Washington state residents, including employees at NIOSH who were recently fired through no fault of their own.

    The release of the report comes as the Trump administration’s large-scale reduction in force (RIF) for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which includes NIOSH, has been put on hold by a U.S. District Court judge in San Francisco, who ruled that the administration violated separation of powers principles with its agency restructuring.

    “The Trump administration’s unfathomable decision to gut NIOSH and fire nearly every person at the Spokane Research Lab is a devastating and shortsighted move that puts workers everywhere at risk,” Senator Murray said upon releasing the report. “In Spokane alone, President Trump abruptly fired nearly a hundred people working to protect those in high-risk professions including mining, firefighting, health care and emergency medicine, and the maritime industry—bringing their research to a screeching halt and creating a ticking time bomb for disasters in the workplace.”

    “These thoughtless firings don’t just risk Americans’ health and safety in the workplace today, but threaten decades of progress toward preventing workplace hazards,” Senator Murray continued. “Researchers in Spokane who have dedicated their careers to protecting workers across the country are being kicked to the curb because Donald Trump and his conspiracy theorist Health Secretary don’t have a clue what NIOSH does and don’t care to learn—no one should be treated like this. We need answers and accountability. I’m going to keep fighting to hold the Trump administration to account and shine a bright spotlight on how this administration is hurting people and communities like Spokane and forcing critical, lifesaving research to go to waste.”

    Senator Murray has been a leading voice in Congress against RFK Jr.’s destruction of HHS and America’s health infrastructure, raising the alarm over HHS’ unilateral reorganization plan and slamming the closure of the HHS Region 10 office in Seattle and the NIOSH Spokane Research Laboratory. Senator Murray has sent oversight letters and hosted numerous press conferences and events to lay out how the administration’s reckless gutting of HHS is risking Americans health and safety and will set our country back decades, and lifting up the voices of HHS employees who were fired for no reason and through no fault of their own.

    The full report is available HERE and below:

    Report: Mass Firings in Spokane and Beyond: How Gutting the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Harms Workers

    This report is part of a series detailing the harm President Trump and Elon Musk’s reckless and devastating attacks on the federal workforce are causing on the ground in Washington state. The Trump administration’s mass firings and harmful actions have real consequences for Washington’s residents, their communities, and for the entire United States.

    This report focuses on the mass firings of employees at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), effectively shuttering the NIOSH Spokane Research Laboratory. These Reductions in Force (RIFs) will lead to increased health and safety risks for firefighters, miners, agricultural workers, commercial fishermen, and so many others. No one should have to worry about whether they will come home safe from their job or not come home at all – NIOSH is vital to keeping workers safe. 

    The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is Dedicated to Keeping Workers Safe Across America

    NIOSH is the only government agency statutorily authorized to conduct workplace health and safety research. In April 2025, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. terminated about 900 of NIOSH’s approximately 1,100 employees, effectively shuttering the agency. Among these firings, the Trump administration eliminated 90 scientific positions at the Spokane Research Laboratory. In addition to NIOSH’s Spokane location, the agency also conducts research at campuses in Cincinnati, Ohio; Morgantown, West Virginia; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Due to recent outcry over these firings, the Trump administration has recently agreed to bring back around 300 NIOSH workers, but primarily in West Virginia and Ohio, leaving the Spokane Research Laboratory’s programming and research work shuttered.

    By firing and then only bringing back a small portion of NIOSH workers, and almost none from Spokane, the Trump administration is jeopardizing decades of progress in improving worker health and safety. Over the course of NIOSH’s history, worker deaths, injuries, and illnesses in America have gone down—on average, from about 38 worker deaths a day in 1970 to 15 a day in 2023, and from 10.9 incidents of worker injury and illness per 100 workers in 1972 to 2.4 per 100 in 2023. However, workplace hazards still kill and disable approximately 125,000 workers each year—5,190 from traumatic injuries and an estimated 120,000 from occupational diseases. Workplace injuries and illnesses cost businesses between $174 billion and $348 billion a year, which is still likely an underestimate given underreporting of workplace injuries.

    Kyle Zimmer, recently retired from International Union of Operating Engineers Local 478 and current Chair of the Mine Safety Health Research Advisory Committee stated, “Losing these researchers will result in the loss of safety for every worker in the United States. This research turns into standards that become guidelines that every safety professional uses throughout the country in every industry, from health care, to auto body shops, to mining and firefighting. Once your workforce really understands what you are doing, that is when you get results and changes in workplace safety culture.”

    NIOSH’s $362.8 million budget represents only 0.2% of the discretionary portion of the HHS budget. NIOSH’s lifesaving research has also saved more than $1 billion annually. For example, NIOSH research supporting improved protective equipment for firefighters is associated with an estimated $71 million in annual savings in medical and productivity losses.NIOSH work produces a tremendous return on investment, and the Trump administration’s firings have huge costs both for worker safety and the nation.

    Tristan Victoroff, a union steward and epidemiologist in the NIOSH Western States Divisions, pointed out: “The 900 people fired from NIOSH are scientists, mainly. We are industrial safety scientists, epidemiologists, engineers…. The goal is to work with industry to protect workers’ health and safety and find solutions to the problems. We do research and development. It’s not duplicative. [The Occupational Safety and Health Administration] doesn’t do this. They don’t have the capacity or the mandate. All of these cuts are supposedly to save costs. What costs are we going to tolerate? What are the costs of increased workers’ compensation claims? What are the costs of disabling injuries and chronic diseases from workplace exposures? What is the cost to a family of losing a parent to a workplace accident?”

    The NIOSH Spokane Research Laboratory is Critical to Keeping Workers Safe

    NIOSH was created by Congress to address and prevent work-related injury and illness and was created in the same statute that authorized the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in the Department of Labor. While OSHA sets and enforces safety standards, NIOSH is required to conduct or fund research, experiments, and demonstrations on occupational safety and health; produce criteria identifying toxic substances including setting exposure levels that are safe for various periods of employment, and publish annually a list of all known toxic substances and the concentrations at which such toxicity is known to occur; disseminate information about occupational safety to employers and employees; conduct education programs about occupational safety; and contract with state personnel to provide compliance assistance for employers.

    In Washington state, NIOSH conducts research to understand and promote safe job conditions and develop science-based products and interventions that support worker health, safety, and well-being, prevent future occupational injuries and deaths, and train new generations of health and safety professionals. This work is done through the Spokane Research Laboratory (which houses the Spokane Mining Research Division and the Western States Division) and the Region 10 Northwest Center for Occupational Health and Safety Education and Research Center.

    Tristan Victoroff, a union steward and epidemiologist in the NIOSH Western States Divisions, explained: “The NIOSH Spokane Research Laboratory in Washington State is the only NIOSH facility west of the Mississippi. Its two divisions— the Western States Division and the Spokane Mining Research Division — conduct safety research for natural resource industries across the western U.S. and Alaska, including commercial fishing, wildland firefighting, oil and gas extraction, and mining. They’re working directly with naval shipyards to assess exposures from new technology for corrosion control. They track commercial fishing deaths nationwide. They have major research efforts in high wall safety, rockfall and slope stability, and seismic monitoring using advanced fiber optic technology, to name just a few examples. This work is not duplicative, and it’s not wasteful. If we’re expanding domestic energy, mineral, and seafood production, we need to protect the people doing that work. These workers deserve to come home safe and be healthy enough to work again tomorrow. Cutting this research does not keep us competitive — it puts workers in danger.”

    The Spokane Mining Research Division Keeps Washington Miners Safe on the Job

    The Spokane Mining Research Division (SMRD) is part of the NIOSH Mining Program, which aims to eliminate mining fatalities and injuries. Since 1990, total injuries in mining have significantly decreased, reflecting safer practices industry-wide, strongly linked to NIOSH’s research and prevention programs. SMRD partners with labor, mining associations, equipment manufacturers, and mine operators to study worker health and safety problems in the field. Washington’s mining industry is vital to the state’s economy, supporting 18,845 jobs, directly and indirectly, and providing $4.07 billion in economic benefits to the state.

    SMRD also conducts laboratory research at the Spokane, WA facility, where highly specialized scientists in unique laboratories develop products and interventions that offer solutions to mining challenges.Scientists in Spokane have been doing innovative laboratory work to:

    • Simulate ground stresses to test rock samples to determine the strength of the environment and whether bolts, steel, mesh or shotcrete are needed to support the mining efforts and keep workers safe on the job.
    • Simulate mining conditions and tasks to study health effects, such as heat and stress;
    • Examine field samples to understand miners’ exposure to respiratory and other health hazards; and more.

    Dr. Art Miller, a research engineer who retired from SMRD after 34 years, explains: “No one else in the world is doing this time-sensitive, cutting-edge research that will make workers safer. We conduct research in a lot of different ways. Our lab is a unique environment of cutting-edge technology and brain power aimed at improving worker health and safety. Discontinuing our work would be a huge loss to the future health and safety of workers. Workplace safety is dynamic, and our work is never going to be done. NIOSH is small relative to the federal government but it’s a well-run entity. Why would we want to get rid of something like that?”

    Spokane Research Laboratory’s SMRD also runs the Miner Health Program, created in 2016 to collaborate with the mining community to improve workers’ physical and mental health.Prevention of opioid misuse is just one of many examples of the collaborative work being produced by the Miner Health Program. The mining industry has been hit particularly hard by drug overdoses. Work-related pain and injury increase workers’ chances of being prescribed an opioid and subsequent risks of worker prescription opioid misuse, long-term opioid use, and opioid use disorder (OUD). These overdoses and especially deaths related to opioid use have had a significant impact on mine workers, their families, and communities. This program is now archived on the CDC website, indicating that this program is no longer operating.

    In Fall 2024, Spokane’s SMRD experts launched a new guide, Implementing Effective Workplace Solutions to Prevent Opioid Use Disorder: A Resource Guide for the Mining Industry. This guide provides a model for planning and implementing prevention efforts to normalize conversations about OUD, reduce stigma, and break down barriers to treatment and recovery. Losing this Miner Health Program focused on preventing OUD will lead to increased overdoses and preventable deaths in the mining community.

    The impact of the Trump administration’s cuts to NIOSH are already being felt in the mining industry. NIOSH is the only federal agency that can test and supply approved and certified respirators and personal dust monitors to keep miners safe on the job. The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) at the U.S. Department of Labor announced a temporary enforcement pause of mine operators’ respiratory protection programs. Given that NIOSH’s National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory has been effectively eliminated, the “Lowering Miners’ Exposure to Respirable Crystalline Silica and Improving Respiratory Protection,” (“Silica Rule”), is now paused until at least August 2025.Without NIOSH, the Silica Rule cannot go into effect and workers will continue to be exposed to extremely harmful silica dust that results in the debilitating and often fatal condition of silicosis.

    These respirators are not just used in mining; they are used across industries. As explained by Tristan Victoroff, union steward and epidemiologist in the NIOSH Western States Divisions: “There will be no NIOSH-certified respirators, if there’s no NIOSH. NIOSH certifies all the respiratory protection equipment used in healthcare — and not just the N95 masks we’ve all become familiar with in recent years. That includes reusable respirators that filter oils and vapors… even supplied air systems. NIOSH is the only organization in the country equipped to perform all the required testing — more than 150 test procedures — to certify respirators that protect firefighters, miners, shipyard workers — anyone who needs respiratory protection on the job. In fact, any employer in general industry — from construction to manufacturing — if they have an OSHA-approved respiratory protection program, they must use NIOSH-certified equipment. Only NIOSH can certify that equipment to meet those standards. Rebuilding these labs somewhere else would take years, and there’s no guarantee we could replicate the expertise and facilities we currently have at NIOSH. NIOSH also monitors products on the market to spot counterfeits. Without that oversight, fake and substandard products will increasingly flood the market. That’s not theoretical. NIOSH recently found that every counterfeit product it purchased off the open market failed to meet established standards. These products were not fully protective. Workers using those products on the job could be exposed to dangerous particulates or chemicals. If these labs shut down, it will put workers at risk and stifle innovation in protective technology. Workers won’t know which products they can trust. The NIOSH certification is essential.”

    The Western States Division of NIOSH Conducts Critical Research Focusing on Hazards in the Western States

    Workers in the Western U.S. face hazards and issues unique to their industries and environment, including commercial fishing, agriculture, and firefighting. Many of these occupations include climate extremes, working at altitude, long distance commutes, remote locations, and wildland forest fires. NIOSH’s Western States Division (WSD)employs a diverse group of public health and safety scientists with expertise in industrial hygiene, epidemiology, engineering, occupational medicine and health communication, working together to reduce and eliminate workplace injuries, illnesses, and fatalities. WSD is headquartered at the Spokane Research Laboratory, but also has staff at offices in Denver, Colorado, and Anchorage, Alaska. WSD in Spokane focused on health and safety research for several industries, including commercial fishing, firefighting and wildfires, maritime, and emergency medical services.

    Commercial Fishing. NIOSH’s work has decreased the number of fatalities in the commercial fishing industry in Washington, which is recognized as one of the most hazardous work settings. Many operations are characterized by strenuous labor, long work hours, harsh weather, and moving decks with hazardous machinery and equipment. This industry generates nearly $46 billion and more than 170,000 jobs. The annual number of fatalities has declined over the past two decades because of the prevention work carried out by NIOSH.For 30 years, WSD has operated the Commercial Fishing Safety Program, working in Washington, Oregon, Alaska, and the Gulf Coast in Southeastern states to keep fishermen safe from vessel disasters, falls overboard, onboard hazards, and more. WSD operates maintains the Commercial Fishing Incident Database, which tracks commercial fishing fatalities and provides statistics by region, fishery, type of vessel, and type of incident.This is the only national source for details of commercial fishing fatalities; neither the Bureau of Labor Statistics nor the U.S. Coast Guard report this type of information. Collecting this data is crucial for reducing the number of injuries and fatalities among the nation’s fishermen. Through NIOSH-funded research, WSD has developed solutions to prevent winch entanglements on commercial fishing boats, reducing loss of limb accidents. This critical research has come to a standstill with the Administration putting these scientists on administrative leave and scheduling them to be fired as of June 2, 2025.

    Outdoor Workers and Wildfires. Washington is one of the five states with the highest average annual burned acreage in the U.S., and the state is home to over 8,500 firefighters. Washington’s firefightersput themselves at enormous risk to keep Washington residents safe. Wildfire smoke is also dangerous to outdoor workers like the state’s 8,280 farmworkers whose jobs have been made safer through the work of NIOSH. For example, NIOSH scientists were instrumental in developing Washington’s Wildfire Smoke Rule, put in place January 15, 2024, which protects the health of workers who are exposed to the small particles contained in wildfire smoke. NIOSH recently developed a comprehensive hazard assessment on exposure to wildland fire smoke among outdoor workers. If NIOSH is eliminated, this document might never be finalized, and necessary revisions to the Washington Wildfire Smoke Rule may not happen, threatening firefighters, farmworkers, and other outdoor workers.

    NIOSH Provides Valuable Resources to Employers to Help Them Keep Workers Safe

    NIOSH’s Health Hazard Evaluation (HHE) Program has provided 11 technical assistance evaluations to businesses and industry in Washington over the last 20 years. The HHE program was established with the passage of the 1970 Occupational Safety and Health Act. The HHE program includes evaluations of occupational exposure to illicit drugs in toxicology laboratories, health effects in commercial airline employees associated with new, mandatory uniforms, transmission of tuberculosis to zoo employees working with Asian elephants, and respiratory effects following acute exposure to chlorine gas at a metal recycling facility. These evaluations and publications are at no cost to industry or the public, and recommendations from these reports are used to establish health and safety protocols throughout the state.

    WSD conducts research to evaluate toxic exposures associated with removal and application of marine coatings on vessels at the U.S. Navy’s Trident Retrofit Facility near Bangor, WA, and at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, as part of the Center for Maritime Safety and Health Studies. Moreover, WSD evaluates exposures from rehabilitation of hydroelectric turbines, such as the Little Goose Dam on the Snake River in Southeast Washington.A timely WSD project involves assessing mental and physical health issues in emergency medical service (EMS) responders in Tribal communities in the Puget Sound area. The Trump administration RIFs have effectively shut down each of these programs.

    NIOSH Trains the Next Generation of Occupational and Safety Health Professionals

    Congress passed the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 to require funding for research, information, education, and training in the field of occupational safety and health. NIOSH funds 18 Education and Research Centers (ERCs), which provide high-quality interdisciplinary graduate and post-graduate training in occupational safety and health disciplines.The Northwest Center for Occupational Health and Safety Education and Research (NWCOHS) at the University of Washington is an ERC, housed in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, bringing together faculty from the UW Schools of Public Health, Nursing and Medicine. The program, funded continuously since 1977, has an annual budget of $1.8 million and serves four states (Washington, Alaska, Idaho, and Oregon), preparing students for careers in occupational medicine, nursing, health services research, industrial hygiene and more. Funding supports an average of 20 graduate students per year, and continuing education for an average of 1,000 occupational health and safety professionals per year.

    As Lawrence Sloan, Chief Executive Officer of the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA), a membership organization for occupational and environmental health and safety professionals says, “NIOSH’s work is foundational in protecting American workers. Without adequate support for these programs, achieving the goal of a healthier American workforce will be challenging. Specifically, for AIHA, our members will be disadvantaged by the inability to leverage research on various worker populations to advance our understanding of the profession. Additionally, the absence of funding for Education & Research Centers (ERCs) will significantly impact our pipeline of future talent and hinder the funding of academic research studies that benefit the American worker.”

    NIOSH engineers have worked with Gonzaga University’s Mechanical Engineering Department to guide student senior design projects for the past 15 years. Many of these projects were entered into national American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) competitions, with several teams winning awards and presenting at national ASME conventions. This collaboration has led to increased scientists seeking positions supporting mining safety and health, both in Spokane and around the country, creating a pipeline of the next generation of professionals ensuring workplace safety and health.

    NIOSH Protects Firefighters in Washington State and Nationwide

    As a nationally-based program, the NIOSH Center for Firefighter Safety, Health, and Well-Being supports all 50 states to protect firefighters and to identify and prevent new and emerging hazards in the fire service earlier and faster. NIOSH-funded research has:

    1. Increased our understanding of the 200-plus carcinogenic chemicals involved in byproducts of combustion, leading to better respiratory protection standards;
    2. Identified the presence of PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as “forever chemicals,” in firefighter foam and turnout gear and how these impact cancer risk levels;
    3. Created and provided for continuous enrollment in the National Firefighter Registry for Cancer, the largest effort ever undertaken to understand and reduce the risk of cancer among U.S. firefighters; and
    4. Provided for the development of the Firefighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program, which conducts independent investigations of firefighter line-of-duty deaths and recommends prevention methods.

    After being shutdown in April 2025, the registration portal of the National Firefighter Registry for Cancer is now operational, following the questioning of HHS Secretary Kennedy by members of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pension Committee on May 14, 2025.

    Spokane Firefighters Union Local 29 is very worried about the cuts to NIOSH and has called for the continuation of NIOSH-funded research, specifically the study on how high heat affects firefighters’ cognitive abilities, using the highly technical and sophisticated labs in the SMRD. Much of this research is conducted in partnership with Washington State University, where researchers have expertise in the impacts of sleep, fatigue, circadian rhythm, and heat on the ability to be safe at work. These grants to WSU were some of the first to be terminated by HHS.

    Conclusion: The Time is Now to Return NIOSH Spokane Scientists to their Jobs

    NIOSH Spokane Research Laboratory scientists were set to be fired on June 2, 2025, but on May 22, 2025, a U.S. District Court judge ordered a preliminary injunction prohibiting the Trump administration from carrying out its RIFs. However, if the RIFs legally continue, President Trump and HHS Secretary Kennedy will eliminate the NIOSH Spokane office. Without the Congressionally-mandated occupational health and safety research conducted by NIOSH scientists, Washington workers, as well as workers across the country, in commercial fishing, mining, firefighting, manufacturing, and other industries will experience preventable and potentially fatal injuries. Through NIOSH-funded research, Spokane Research Laboratory scientists promote evidence-based safety protocols that are implemented through strong industry collaborations that create productive workplaces that contribute to Washington’s and America’s economic prosperity. President Trump and HHS Secretary Kennedy need to bring back the Spokane Research Laboratory scientists now and fully fund NIOSH research to maintain the promise of healthier and safer workplaces, communities, and families.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gov. Pillen Address to Lawmakers: Positive, Lasting Impact Serves Nebraskans Well

    Source: US State of Nebraska

    . Pillen Address to Lawmakers:  

    Positive, Lasting Impact Serves Nebraskans Well

    LINCOLN, NE – Today, Governor Jim Pillen shared with members of the 109th Nebraska Legislature the headline he felt best summarized this session: Positive, lasting impact serves Nebraskans well. During his sine die, or end-of-session address, the Governor hit on multiple areas of achievement, including passage of the overwhelming majority of his own priority bills.

    On two occasions during his speech, Gov. Pillen gave recognition to special guests in attendance. Members of the Nebraska State Patrol, friends of Trooper Kyle McAcy, were applauded for their service to the state. They were on scene the day Trooper McAcy died while assisting motorists in a snowstorm.

    The second recognition was of WWII veteran Wayne Davy of Columbus. The former Marine was there to represent the many veterans who have been honored with special medallions as part of a program involving the Nebraska Department of Veterans Affairs (NDVA). Gov. Pillen has worked with the agency to present the medals to veterans, signifying the 80th anniversary since the end of the war.

    Below are some of the legislative highlights from the 2025 session including those that align with his four priority areas – kids, taxes, agriculture and values:

    Passage of one of the most historically conservative and fiscally responsible state budgets, accomplished by cutting wasteful spending and putting idle pillowcase money to work while also maintaining investments in education, property tax relief, and the safety of the state.

    Gov. Pillen signed the following bills into law that protect our kids from online distractions and harm and to give parents more control over kids’ use of social media.

    • LB140 – Requires public school boards to adopt policies for restricting cell phone use bell to bell

    • LB383 – Creates the Parental Rights in Social Media Act, requiring parental consent for creation of social media accounts for minors and establishes criminal penalties for AI-generated child pornography

    • LB504 – As part of the Age-Appropriate Online Design Code Act, online services are required to protect user data, implement design features that reduce harm resulting from compulsive use and it gives parents access to their child’s privacy and account settings 

    Gov. Pillen signed the following bill into law to review and recommend changes to Nebraska’s TEEOSA school funding formula to help keep property taxes under control.

    • LB303 – Creates the 18-member School Finance Review Commission, which will evaluate the current TEEOSA formula governing Nebraska school funding

    • LB261 – Increases property tax relief by $105 million in 2026 and $170 million in 2027

     Gov. Pillen signed the following bills into law designed to grow agriculture and the economy.

    • LB246 – Bans lab-grown meat from being manufactured, distributed, or sold in Nebraska
    • LB317 – Merges the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources with the Nebraska Department of Environment & Energy to create the Nebraska Department of Water, Energy and Environment

    • LB650 – Eliminates or adjusts sales tax exemptions and provides and changes sunset dates for a variety of tax incentives

    • LB526 – Preserves needed electrical service to homes, businesses and other Nebraska customers by establishing requirements for cryptocurrency mining operations 

    Gov. Pillen signed the following bills into law that defend conservative Nebraska values.

    • LB89 – The Stand With Women Act protects girls and women by prohibiting biological males from joining female sports teams
    • LB645 – Puts an additional $1,000 in teachers’ pockets annually, stabilizes contribution rates to the School Employees Retirement System and increases survivor benefits through the Nebraska State Patrol Retirement System

    • LB346 – “Cleans out the closets” by ending or reassigning the duties of over 40 different boards, commission, committees or councils

    • LB 644 – Creates the Foreign Adversary & Terrorist Agent Registration Act and the Crush Transnational Repression in Nebraska Act to establish registration and reporting requirements for certain foreign entities 

    In addition to the legislative achievements outlined above, Gov. Pillen made several new appointments to key state agencies including Department of Labor Commissioner Katie Thurber, Nebraska State Patrol Superintendent Bryan Waugh, and Department of Water, Energy and Environment Director Jesse Bradley.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: In her memoir, Jacinda Ardern shows a ‘different kind of power’ is possible – but also has its limits

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Grant Duncan, Teaching Fellow in Politics and International Relations, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau

    Getty Images

    Imagine getting a positive pregnancy test and then – just a few days later – learning you’ll be prime minister. In hindsight, being willing and able to deal with the unexpected would become the hallmark of former New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern’s political career.

    She had always stood out as a leader, but her tumultuous political journey followed none of the predictable pathways. Readers of her memoir will relive what this was like, from her feelings about motherhood through to meeting world leaders.

    Review: A Different Kind of Power – Jacinda Ardern (Penguin Random House)

    The title of her book promises more than just that, however. Many people hope for a different kind of leader, but what personal qualities or strengths do such leaders need? More generally, can the personal qualities that contribute to great leadership be learned and applied by others?

    The answer seems to be a qualified yes. Since leaving office, Ardern has become something of a global influencer. But as her career pivots towards celebrity appearances and international agencies, her memoir also serves as a leadership manifesto – especially for women, or aspirants of any gender, who suffer self-doubt.

    The limits of empathy

    In her formative years, working as an assistant to Labour leader Helen Clark, Ardern relates how she let political opponents get under her skin. Was she “too thin-skinned” for politics? She soon learned “you could be sensitive and survive”. Better still, she could use her sensitivity as a strength.

    But “it is different for women in the public eye”, she writes. Derogatory terms were used against her, such as the “show pony” epithet coined by a senior woman journalist. There were questions about whether she had “substance”. These things could undermine people’s belief in her competence – perhaps even her own self-belief.

    What she did about this is instructive. Lashing out at jibes and cartoon images would make her look “humourless and too sensitive”. The “trick” was to respond in a way that would “take the story nowhere”. She became adept at that, deflecting comments aimed at putting her down.

    This also meant being a feminist but not using feminism as her ideological platform. Other than admonishing a TV presenter that it was “unacceptable” for him to ask whether a sitting prime minister could take maternity leave, she generally let others do the outrage and avoided becoming an even bigger target for culture warriors.

    But A Different Kind of Power asks the question: different from what? Ardern’s political career has been a challenge, if not a rebuke, to leaders who indulge in egotistical, competitive, always-be-winning behaviour. Need one even mention Donald Trump?

    Instead, Ardern offers kindness and empathy. The approach showed its true strength in the days following the terrorist atrocity in Christchurch in 2019. At a time when anti-immigrant and Islamophobic sentiments were growing, Ardern embraced the victims. “They are us”, she declared. Emotions that could have generated a cycle of blame were guided by her towards sharing of grief and aroha.

    Like any political virtue, though, empathy has limitations: it touches those whose suffering commands our attention, but it is partial. Effective social policy also requires an impartial administration and redistribution of resources. Leaders must ensure public goods are delivered equitably to those in need, which calls for rational planning.

    And sometimes a national emergency may call for actions that feel unfair or insensitive to some.

    Pandemic politics

    COVID-19 was that emergency. It created deep uncertainty for governments, and there was no “kind” pathway forward. The Ardern government did an exemplary job, saving many lives, and the Labour Party was rewarded at the 2020 election with an unprecedented 50% of the party vote. But Ardern’s retelling of that time is surprisingly brief, especially given her pivotal role.

    She put herself daily at the centre of it all, patiently explaining the public health responses. During this battle with a virus, however, she couldn’t inoculate against the political consequences and shifts in public opinion.

    As the pandemic wore on, many New Zealanders whose businesses had been shut down, who had been isolated in their homes, who had difficulty returning home from abroad or who’d been ostracised for not getting vaccinated, weren’t feeling much empathy or kindness from their government. And they felt they were being silenced. This sentiment grew far beyond the activists who had made themselves heard on parliament grounds in early 2022.

    Ardern refused to meet with those protestors. “How could I send a message that if you disagree with something, you can illegally occupy the grounds of parliament and then have your demands met?”

    But she (or a senior minister) could have heard their demands and explained why they couldn’t be met. Her refusal to listen left the field open to veteran populist Winston Peters, who exploited the opportunity, launching his campaign to return to parliament – in which he now sits and Ardern doesn’t.

    While vaccine mandates were a key concern for protestors, it’s disappointing that, to this day, Ardern blames the dissenters, as if they were “not us” – kicked out of the “team of five million”. She attributes the dissent solely to their “mistrust”. Refusing to listen – not just to protestors, but to deeper shifts in public opinion – would cost Labour dearly.

    Induced by the pandemic fiscal stimulus, inflation peaked at 7.3% in June 2022. By that time, two switches had occurred: the National Party was ahead in polls and a majority were saying the country was heading in the wrong direction. In January 2023, then, Ardern resigned as prime minister. She believed, probably correctly, that it would be “good for my party and perhaps it would be good for the election”.

    Power and parenthood: Jacinda Ardern with her partner Clarke Gayford and their baby daughter, 2018.
    Getty Images

    The toll of leadership

    But she also reveals in her memoir that a cancer scare influenced the decision – a false alarm, but a sign perhaps that the job was taking its toll. Her leaving could “take the heat out of the politics”, she reasoned. And anyway, she was tired, stressed and losing her patience.

    The leadership change to Chris Hipkins – and a devastating cyclone – boosted Labour’s polling for a while. But their 1,443,545 party votes in 2020 fell to 767,540 in the October 2023 election.

    Hundreds of thousands of voters had turned their backs on the Labour Party, and the COVID response wasn’t solely to blame. There were also controversial or failed policies – such as restructuring water services, a proposed unemployment insurance scheme, and Māori co-governance initiatives – that were ruthlessly exploited by the political opposition. These were all initiated under Ardern, although unmentioned in her memoir.

    Her book is more about subjective self-doubt and empathy. She doesn’t critically examine her own policies. Nor does she express empathy for those who felt disadvantaged or excluded by them – granting as always that emergency measures had been necessary. And, as she heads further into an international career, there’s no expression of empathy for those who now need it most, be they children in Gaza or refugees in South Sudan.

    It’s disappointing Ardern doesn’t define key words: empathy, leadership or power, for example. There are different ways to understand them, and definitions carry assumptions. But she’s not addressing academics or political analysts. Her audience is primarily American – a much larger and more lucrative market than her home country. With the Democrats struggling to find direction and leadership after last year’s losses, Ardern – who poses no threat to anyone’s political ambitions there – offers some inspiration.

    Some may fault it for avoiding those harder questions about her time at the top, but Ardern’s memoir interweaves an authentically retold personal story with high political drama. It tells of one woman’s struggle with morning sickness, childbirth, breastfeeding and motherhood, even while taking on extraordinary public responsibilities and media exposure. It’s still amazing how she managed to do all that.

    I was a personal acquaintance of Jacinda, when she was a list MP in Auckland Central.

    – ref. In her memoir, Jacinda Ardern shows a ‘different kind of power’ is possible – but also has its limits – https://theconversation.com/in-her-memoir-jacinda-ardern-shows-a-different-kind-of-power-is-possible-but-also-has-its-limits-257944

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Can ASEAN build a sustainable data centre future? Malaysian legal lessons may offer a wake-up call

    Source: The Conversation – Indonesia – By Professor Dr. Nuarrual Hilal Md Dahlan, School of Law, Universiti Utara Malaysia

    Southeast Asia is embracing a digital revolution. With the meteoric rise of artificial intelligence, e-commerce, and cloud computing, the region is now home to some of the most ambitious data centre developments in the world.

    But while digital technology is transforming Southeast Asia’s economy, ASEAN’s legal and regulatory systems remain stuck in the pre-digital era.

    This raises a critical question: Can ASEAN truly build a sustainable, resilient data centre industry without modernising its laws?

    Malaysia: Digital ambition vs outdated laws

    Malaysia offers a vivid case in point. In 2024, Malaysia attracted more than US$23.3 billion in data centre investments from Microsoft, Google, and Amazon Web Services.

    These investments are seen as driving Malaysia’s modern digital economy. This new development is set to place Malaysia firmly in place as Southeast Asia’s tech hub.
    However, while the infrastructure may be cutting-edge, the laws behind it are far from ready.

    Here where the problems lie:

    1. Malaysia’s National Land Code (Revised 2020)–which governs zoning, land use planning, land administration and registration, was drafted in a time when the concept of data centres didn’t even exist – The law gives state and land authorities greater power than the planning authority over conditions and restrictions.

    2. The Town and Country Planning Act 1976 (Act 172) gives local planning authorities wide control, even over the technical professional agencies such as the Department of Environment, Department of Public Works, Department of Irrigation and Drainage and Department of Mineral and Geoscience creating approval bottlenecks and confusion for developers. Bypassing the process can result in fines or demolition.

    This law needs a revision to better reflect today’s planning priorities and public needs. Today, investors may encounter regulatory challenges in Johor, as evidenced by the state’s recent rejection of nearly 30% of data centre applications to conserve water and electricity.

    3. Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA), as required under the Environmental Quality Act 1974 (Act 127), are critical for large-scale developments, including data centres which have potential environmental impact. While enforcement is generally consistent, challenges can arise in ensuring compliance across all projects due to weak oversight and different standards or interpretations from one state to another in Malaysia.

    4. Data centres must also meet 1974 and 1984 rules on street, drainage, building and fire safety to be sustainable and operationally safe. Ongoing commitments to modernise these regulations cater to the evolving needs of contemporary infrastructure, public needs and national aspirations.

    5. The Planning Guidelines for Data Centres introduced in 2024 to address the environmental shortcomings, provide clearer direction on land use, energy, and water requirements– but they remain advisory and are not legally binding.

    Worse still, it cannot overcome the country’s dual governance structure, where federal and state authorities often work in silos—especially on administrative matters—due to how powers are divided under the Federal Constitution. The conflicting legal environment has caused uncertainty for investors, bottlenecks for regulators and developers, and extra economic costs.

    For the public, this can mean slower progress in building digital infrastructure, which affects internet speed, access to services, and job opportunities in the tech industry.

    Similar issues across ASEAN

    Other ASEAN countries face similar problems. Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines struggle with fragmented regulations, outdated zoning laws, and weak environmental oversight.

    This concern is highlighted in the ASEAN Digital Masterplan 2025, which warns that without legal and regulatory reform, ASEAN could fall behind in the global digital race. Similarly, the ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint 2025 calls for predictable, transparent, and harmonised regulations to attract infrastructure investments. Yet progress has been glacial.

    The ASEAN Smart Cities Framework also calls for more sustainable digital infrastructure. It urges member states to break down bureaucratic silos by adopting cross-sector governance models.

    The ASEAN Environmental Rights Framework is starting to promote environmental fairness in infrastructure planning—including data centres.

    But these regional policies will only work if member states are fully committed to enforcing them. Without this, they remain aspirational rather than actionable.

    Singapore has enforced sustainability through its Code for Environmental Sustainability of Buildings, adapting cooling systems to tropical climates.

    Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi uses the Estidama Pearl Rating System, ensuring high energy and water efficiency in all large-scale developments.

    These examples show that sustainable data centres are possible—but only with clear rules, strong enforcement, and cooperation across all levels of government.

    A strategic move for ASEAN

    So, what can ASEAN do?

    First, ASEAN should align its laws on land administration, planning, environment, and construction to make it easier for data systems to connect across borders and attract international investment. This would help ASEAN move closer to the goals set in the ASEAN Digital Masterplan 2025 and the ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint.

    Second, countries like Malaysia and Indonesia need better coordination between federal/central, state and local governments to accelerate land approvals and give investors more clarity.

    Third, ASEAN could create shared sustainability standards for data centres, linking them to its land use planning and environmental rights goals and aligning them with global ESG benchmarks.

    Data centres are fast becoming the beating heart of ASEAN’s digital economy. But this heart cannot be supported by legal frameworks that belong to a bygone era. If ASEAN wants a truly sustainable digital future, it needs laws that balance growth, environmental concerns, and public interests.

    If ASEAN learns from Malaysia’s experience, it could become a global model for smart, sustainable digital infrastructure. But ignoring these lessons could lead to long-term costs—for its people, investors, and the environment.

    Professor Dr. Nuarrual Hilal Md Dahlan tidak bekerja, menjadi konsultan, memiliki saham, atau menerima dana dari perusahaan atau organisasi mana pun yang akan mengambil untung dari artikel ini, dan telah mengungkapkan bahwa ia tidak memiliki afiliasi selain yang telah disebut di atas.

    – ref. Can ASEAN build a sustainable data centre future? Malaysian legal lessons may offer a wake-up call – https://theconversation.com/can-asean-build-a-sustainable-data-centre-future-malaysian-legal-lessons-may-offer-a-wake-up-call-256263

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: National Weather Service Partial Rehire Plan Isn’t Good Enough, Says Cantwell

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell

    06.02.25

    National Weather Service Partial Rehire Plan Isn’t Good Enough, Says Cantwell

    NWS lost over 560 employees under Trump firings, creating unprecedented forecasting interruptions; today’s approval of 126 new hires represents less than 1/4 of that total; Months before the current crisis, Cantwell called for an exemption and accurately predicted the current situation

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, released this statement following the Trump administration’s announcement of a plan to partially undo the damage done by their indiscriminate firings, resignations, and attrition plaguing the National Weather Service (NWS) workforce.

    “The Trump Administration is trying to put a flimsy band-aid over their massive cut to the National Weather Service,” said Sen. Cantwell. “Hiring back less than a quarter of the people they fired isn’t good enough with hurricane and wildfire seasons bearing down. The administration should immediately end its hiring freeze for the National Weather Service, along with other critical safety roles throughout NOAA, including weather researchers and maritime professionals that weather forecasters and fisheries managers depend on.”

    This dangerous decision to leave critical jobs unfilled comes as the National Interagency Fire Center, a partnership which includes NWS, released its Fire Maps for the next four months predicting above normal significant fire potential across the Northwest, and the National Weather Service predicts an above-normal hurricane season, which began yesterday.

    Just last Thursday, Sen. Cantwell sent a letter demanding that the Trump Administration immediately exempt the NWS from its current federal hiring freeze so that citizens and communities will not be left to fend for themselves without adequate warnings as both hurricane season and wildfire season rapidly approach.

    Today’s action by the administration lifted the hiring freeze on 126 positions across four roles – meteorologists, hydrologists, physical scientists, and electronic technicians. However, many other important roles remain subject to the freeze, including credentialed mariners needed to safety operate NOAA research vessels, weather scientists, and weather satellite technicians. NOAA vessels and satellites are crucial to maintaining forecast and weather infrastructure needed for meteorologists to issue quality and timely forecasts. These firings also impact our economy, with a number of commercial fishing surveys cancelled this year, including for Alaska pollock and salmon. Elimination of surveys will take catch from fishing families, which will result in job loss and increased cost for consumers that want access to high quality American seafood at their local markets and restaurants.

    Multiple recent reports have documented the impacts of the hiring freeze. The Washington Post reports that “Some…forecasting teams are so critically understaffed that the agency is offering to pay moving expenses for any staff willing to transfer to those offices, according to notices recently sent to employees…” And the New York Times found that “The National Weather Service is preparing for the probability that fewer forecast updates will be fine-tuned by specialists, among other cutbacks, because of ‘severe shortages’ of meteorologists and other employees, according to an internal agency document.” These reports make clear that action must be taken immediately to avoid a catastrophic gap in capacity in the face of a future storm or wildfire.

    In February, Sen. Cantwell sent Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick a letter warning of the likelihood of this exact situation.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: In her memoir, Jacinda Ardern shows a ‘different kind of power’ is possible – but also has its limits

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Grant Duncan, Teaching Fellow in Politics and International Relations, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau

    Getty Images

    Imagine getting a positive pregnancy test and then – just a few days later – learning you’ll be prime minister. In hindsight, being willing and able to deal with the unexpected would become the hallmark of former New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern’s political career.

    She had always stood out as a leader, but her tumultuous political journey followed none of the predictable pathways. Readers of her memoir will relive what this was like, from her feelings about motherhood through to meeting world leaders.

    Review: A Different Kind of Power – Jacinda Ardern (Penguin Random House)

    The title of her book promises more than just that, however. Many people hope for a different kind of leader, but what personal qualities or strengths do such leaders need? More generally, can the personal qualities that contribute to great leadership be learned and applied by others?

    The answer seems to be a qualified yes. Since leaving office, Ardern has become something of a global influencer. But as her career pivots towards celebrity appearances and international agencies, her memoir also serves as a leadership manifesto – especially for women, or aspirants of any gender, who suffer self-doubt.

    The limits of empathy

    In her formative years, working as an assistant to Labour leader Helen Clark, Ardern relates how she let political opponents get under her skin. Was she “too thin-skinned” for politics? She soon learned “you could be sensitive and survive”. Better still, she could use her sensitivity as a strength.

    But “it is different for women in the public eye”, she writes. Derogatory terms were used against her, such as the “show pony” epithet coined by a senior woman journalist. There were questions about whether she had “substance”. These things could undermine people’s belief in her competence – perhaps even her own self-belief.

    What she did about this is instructive. Lashing out at jibes and cartoon images would make her look “humourless and too sensitive”. The “trick” was to respond in a way that would “take the story nowhere”. She became adept at that, deflecting comments aimed at putting her down.

    This also meant being a feminist but not using feminism as her ideological platform. Other than admonishing a TV presenter that it was “unacceptable” for him to ask whether a sitting prime minister could take maternity leave, she generally let others do the outrage and avoided becoming an even bigger target for culture warriors.

    But A Different Kind of Power asks the question: different from what? Ardern’s political career has been a challenge, if not a rebuke, to leaders who indulge in egotistical, competitive, always-be-winning behaviour. Need one even mention Donald Trump?

    Instead, Ardern offers kindness and empathy. The approach showed its true strength in the days following the terrorist atrocity in Christchurch in 2019. At a time when anti-immigrant and Islamophobic sentiments were growing, Ardern embraced the victims. “They are us”, she declared. Emotions that could have generated a cycle of blame were guided by her towards sharing of grief and aroha.

    Like any political virtue, though, empathy has limitations: it touches those whose suffering commands our attention, but it is partial. Effective social policy also requires an impartial administration and redistribution of resources. Leaders must ensure public goods are delivered equitably to those in need, which calls for rational planning.

    And sometimes a national emergency may call for actions that feel unfair or insensitive to some.

    Pandemic politics

    COVID-19 was that emergency. It created deep uncertainty for governments, and there was no “kind” pathway forward. The Ardern government did an exemplary job, saving many lives, and the Labour Party was rewarded at the 2020 election with an unprecedented 50% of the party vote. But Ardern’s retelling of that time is surprisingly brief, especially given her pivotal role.

    She put herself daily at the centre of it all, patiently explaining the public health responses. During this battle with a virus, however, she couldn’t inoculate against the political consequences and shifts in public opinion.

    As the pandemic wore on, many New Zealanders whose businesses had been shut down, who had been isolated in their homes, who had difficulty returning home from abroad or who’d been ostracised for not getting vaccinated, weren’t feeling much empathy or kindness from their government. And they felt they were being silenced. This sentiment grew far beyond the activists who had made themselves heard on parliament grounds in early 2022.

    Ardern refused to meet with those protestors. “How could I send a message that if you disagree with something, you can illegally occupy the grounds of parliament and then have your demands met?”

    But she (or a senior minister) could have heard their demands and explained why they couldn’t be met. Her refusal to listen left the field open to veteran populist Winston Peters, who exploited the opportunity, launching his campaign to return to parliament – in which he now sits and Ardern doesn’t.

    While vaccine mandates were a key concern for protestors, it’s disappointing that, to this day, Ardern blames the dissenters, as if they were “not us” – kicked out of the “team of five million”. She attributes the dissent solely to their “mistrust”. Refusing to listen – not just to protestors, but to deeper shifts in public opinion – would cost Labour dearly.

    Induced by the pandemic fiscal stimulus, inflation peaked at 7.3% in June 2022. By that time, two switches had occurred: the National Party was ahead in polls and a majority were saying the country was heading in the wrong direction. In January 2023, then, Ardern resigned as prime minister. She believed, probably correctly, that it would be “good for my party and perhaps it would be good for the election”.

    Power and parenthood: Jacinda Ardern with her partner Clarke Gayford and their baby daughter, 2018.
    Getty Images

    The toll of leadership

    But she also reveals in her memoir that a cancer scare influenced the decision – a false alarm, but a sign perhaps that the job was taking its toll. Her leaving could “take the heat out of the politics”, she reasoned. And anyway, she was tired, stressed and losing her patience.

    The leadership change to Chris Hipkins – and a devastating cyclone – boosted Labour’s polling for a while. But their 1,443,545 party votes in 2020 fell to 767,540 in the October 2023 election.

    Hundreds of thousands of voters had turned their backs on the Labour Party, and the COVID response wasn’t solely to blame. There were also controversial or failed policies – such as restructuring water services, a proposed unemployment insurance scheme, and Māori co-governance initiatives – that were ruthlessly exploited by the political opposition. These were all initiated under Ardern, although unmentioned in her memoir.

    Her book is more about subjective self-doubt and empathy. She doesn’t critically examine her own policies. Nor does she express empathy for those who felt disadvantaged or excluded by them – granting as always that emergency measures had been necessary. And, as she heads further into an international career, there’s no expression of empathy for those who now need it most, be they children in Gaza or refugees in South Sudan.

    It’s disappointing Ardern doesn’t define key words: empathy, leadership or power, for example. There are different ways to understand them, and definitions carry assumptions. But she’s not addressing academics or political analysts. Her audience is primarily American – a much larger and more lucrative market than her home country. With the Democrats struggling to find direction and leadership after last year’s losses, Ardern – who poses no threat to anyone’s political ambitions there – offers some inspiration.

    Some may fault it for avoiding those harder questions about her time at the top, but Ardern’s memoir interweaves an authentically retold personal story with high political drama. It tells of one woman’s struggle with morning sickness, childbirth, breastfeeding and motherhood, even while taking on huge public responsibilities and media exposure. It’s still amazing how she managed to do all that.

    I was a personal acquaintance of Jacinda, when she was a list MP in Auckland Central.

    – ref. In her memoir, Jacinda Ardern shows a ‘different kind of power’ is possible – but also has its limits – https://theconversation.com/in-her-memoir-jacinda-ardern-shows-a-different-kind-of-power-is-possible-but-also-has-its-limits-257944

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Five-Time Convicted Felon Sentenced to Prison for Possessing a Firearm and Ammunition as a Restricted Person

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Michael Anthony Rangel, 43, of Ogden, Utah, was sentenced today to 84 months’ imprisonment after a federal jury found him guilty of unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon.

    In addition to the sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Howard C. Nielson, Jr. sentenced Rangel to three years’ supervised release.

    According to evidence presented at trial, and statements made at Rangel’s sentencing hearing, in July 2022, during a traffic stop, Rangel, knowing he was a convicted felon and restricted from possessing a firearm and ammunition, possessed a stolen Taurus PT111 G2 pistol. The firearm and associated ammunition were seized by law enforcement.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti of the District of Utah made the announcement.

    The case was investigated by Ogden Metro Gang Task Force.

    Special Assistant United States Attorney Branden B. Miles and Assistant United States Attorney Luisa Gough of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Coalinga Gang Member Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine Distribution and Firearms Trafficking

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Juan Carlos Ruiz Jr., aka “Goer”, 26, of Coalinga, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for distributing methamphetamine and firearms trafficking, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

    According to court documents, Ruiz distributed more than 4 kilograms of methamphetamine and sold 19 firearms over several occasions. Ruiz is also a felon and documented Bulldog gang member.

    Ruiz joins several other co-defendants that have now been sentenced to prison.

    • On March 31, 2025, Javier Alfonso Lopez Lopez was sentenced to four years in prison for conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine.
    • On Jan. 6, 2025, Sostenes Quintero Lopez was sentenced to over 10 years in prison for manufacturing and distributing methamphetamine.
    • On June 24, 2024, Angel Sanchez was sentenced to 14 years in prison for distributing methamphetamine and firearms trafficking with Ruiz, who is his cousin.
    • On Sept. 25, 2023, Alma Sanchez was sentenced to over 16 years in prison for distributing methamphetamine to Ruiz, who is her son.

    This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Coalinga Police Department, Tulare County Sheriff’s Office, Tulare County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Unit (HIDTA), and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Antonio J. Pataca prosecuted the case.

    This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Several Defendants Sentenced to Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

          LITTLE ROCK—Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced today that eight defendants have been sentenced by United States District Judge Lee P. Rudofsky to federal prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. Each of the defendants previously pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.

          On August 1, 2023, Jaylen Ester, aka Sumo; Adrian Perry; Miguel Thompson; James Chenault, aka LJ; Saundra Lunsford; Carma Brown; April Reyes; and Briana McElroy were indicted by a federal grand jury in a 13-count indictment. All defendants were indicted on Count 1, conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.

          The defendants each pled guilty to Count 1 of the Indictment and Judge Rudofsky sentenced each of them to federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system.      

    Defendant

    Age  

    City/State

    Sentencing Date

    Sentence
    Adrian Perry

    39

    England, Arkansas

    6-2-2025

    180 months,

    5 years’ supervised release
     

     

     

     

     
    Briana McElroy

    34

    Dardanelle, Arkansas

    4-15-2025

    60 months, 

    4 years’ supervised release
     

     

     

     

     
    Miguel Thompson

    42

    Russellville, Arkansas

    4-15-2025

    197 months,

    5 years’ supervised release
     

     

     

     

     
    Jaylen Ester aka Sumo

    31

    North Little Rock, Arkansas

    1-16-2025

    192 months, 

    5 years’ supervised release
     

     

     

     

     
    April Reyes

    41

    Russellville, Arkansas

    12-16-2024

    60 months,

    4 years’ supervised release
     

     

     

     

     
    Saundra Lunsford

    30

    Russellville, Arkansas

    12-10-2024

    60 months, 

    4 years’ supervised release
     

     

     

     

     
    James Chenault aka LJ

    42

    Russellville, Arkansas

    11-4-2024

    210 months, 

    5 years’ supervised release
     

     

     

     

     
    Carma Brown

    38

    Russellville, Arkansas

    10-22-2024

    41 months, 

    4 years’ supervised release

          Multiple defendants had significant criminal histories, and defendants Perry, Thompson, Chenault are classified as career offenders. Perry’s criminal history includes convictions for possession of cocaine with purpose to deliver and possession of marijuana with intent to deliver. The criminal history for Ester includes convictions for residential burglary and robbery. During Ester’s sentencing, the United States presented evidence to the court of his arrest for terroristic act, felon in possession of a firearm, and aggravated assault in an incident where Ester shot at an occupied residence with children present.

          Thompson’s criminal history includes four convictions for delivery of marijuana, three convictions for possession with intent to deliver marijuana, intimidating a witness, delivery of methamphetamine, three convictions for possession with intent to deliver oxycodone, and terroristic act. Chenault’s criminal history includes three convictions for delivery of marijuana, battery and domestic battery, escape, possession of methamphetamine and cocaine with intent to deliver, and four convictions for delivery of cocaine or methamphetamine, aggravated assault, and possession of firearms by certain persons.

          “Because fentanyl is so deadly and because it is being sent to our country by foreign adversaries ostensibly to result in the deaths of many Americans, our office will continue to regard the distribution of fentanyl as a violent crime which commands our office’s full attention,” said Ross. “Protecting our citizens from violent crime is the basic responsibility of law enforcement and so prosecuting those involved with distributing deadly drugs is part of the core mission at the Department of Justice. If you are involved in distributing the poisons of fentanyl and methamphetamine, we will not concern ourselves with trying to empathize with you as to why you made such despicable decisions; rather, we will commit to fully prosecuting you and seeking to keep you away from our communities through incarceration.”

          Through an investigation, law enforcement officers learned that from 2020 through approximately December 2022, the defendants were distributing fentanyl for redistribution in the River Valley and central Arkansas areas.

          In November 2021, information was received that Ester travelled to and from Little Rock and Russellville trafficking fentanyl from his girlfriend’s apartment. During surveillance of the girlfriend’s apartment, law enforcement officers observed the girlfriend leave in their vehicle. At this time law enforcement officers knocked on the door and Ester opened it and then attempted to shut the door, but law enforcement officers prevented the door from closing. Law enforcement officers observed children and Ester, a parolee who has a search waiver on file and felony warrants, inside the apartment. During a search of the apartment, law enforcement officers located fentanyl, marijuana, and close to $3,000 in cash. Law enforcement also recovered a bag of fentanyl tablets Ester’s girlfriend discarded, which Ester admitted was intended for distribution. Ester admitted obtaining thousands of fentanyl tablets and hundreds of pounds of marijuana for distribution.

          On December 22, 2021, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop in which Perry, who had warrants, was a passenger. During a search of the vehicle, law enforcement officers located a can of Coke in the center console that contained 13 fentanyl pills. During a search of Perry’s person, law enforcement officers located $3,262.00.

          In May 2022, law enforcement recovered fentanyl tablets and marijuana during an incident involving Chenault, and during the execution of a search warrant at Chenault and Lunsford’s residence located 142 whole fentanyl pills and ten partial fentanyl pills, over 300 grams of marijuana, and over 5 grams of methamphetamine. In July 2022, law enforcement recovered over 1,000 fentanyl tablets and cocaine from Thompson and McElroy after a traffic stop and search of Thompson’s residence. In August 2022, law enforcement recovered fentanyl tablets, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia from Reyes’s residence. In November 2022, law enforcement conducted multiple controlled purchases of fentanyl from Brown. On November 22, 2022, law enforcement officers conducted a home visit at Thompson’s residence and recovered methamphetamine, marijuana, and fentanyl.

          “Sending career criminals like this to prison is another example of our commitment to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to protect our communities from those who spread fentanyl poison in our neighborhoods,” said ATF New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson. “Bringing our expertise and resources to target individuals and organizations that plague our communities with drug trafficking is a top priority for ATF. The sentence imposed today sends a message to the community that drug traffickers will be held accountable.”

          “The Russellville Police Department is proud to have played a role in the successful prosecution of those responsible for distributing these deadly drugs in our community,” said David Ewing, Chief of Police, Russellville Police Department. “This outcome reflects our ongoing commitment to working alongside our federal partners to combat the fentanyl crisis and protect the safety and well-being of our citizens.”

          “I’m so proud of the dedicated people I have working with me in the Fifth Judicial Drug Task Force. Their cooperation with other local law enforcement in Pope County is so important in aggressively addressing criminal activity in our county – primarily drug sales and trafficking,” said Jeff Phillips, Fifth Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney. “I also want to thank the federal authorities in partnering with us to make a difference in our community.”

          The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Fifth Judicial Drug Task Force, and the Russellville Police Department.

    # # #

    Additional information about the office of the

    United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at

    https://www.justice.gov/edar

    X (formerly known as Twitter):

    @USAO_EDAR 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fentanyl distributor linked to three fatal overdoses imprisoned for 27 years

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HOUSTON – A 33-year-old Houston resident has been ordered to federal prison following his convictions for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Fredrick Douglass Shelton pleaded guilty Feb. 13.  

    U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Hoyt has now ordered Shelton to serve 324 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court recognized the families of the deceased and commented on the disturbing fact that after the deaths, Shelton continued to sell fentanyl with a verbal warning to customers that the drugs are strong. In handing down the sentence, Judge Hoyt noted Shelton’s history of drug dealing and conduct during this offense which made him question whether there is anywhere Shelton could be safely housed.

    “The defendant’s conduct in this case vividly illustrates his utter disregard for human life and the safety of others,” said Ganjei. “Not only was his fentanyl trafficking linked to three overdose deaths, but he also left a 10-month-old baby alone, surrounded by guns and drugs (including fentanyl), while he was out dealing. With today’s sentencing—made possible by collaboration with our partners—this dangerous individual is now off the street for decades to come, and Houstonians are safer for it.”

    The investigation began following evidence linking three fatal fentanyl overdoses to Shelton. He had sold large quantities of highly potent fentanyl to numerous individuals in the Houston area.  

    As Shelton left his residence to conduct yet another drug transaction, law enforcement conducted a search at his residence. They found large amounts of fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, narcotics packaging equipment and firearms strewn throughout the residence in a disorderly fashion, including on counters, scales and the floor. 

    Authorities also discovered Shelton had left his 10-month-old child in the residence alone and exposed to the narcotics. 

    Shelton will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

    The FBI Houston Field Office and Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation with the assistance of the Montgomery County Narcotics Enforcement Team and sheriff’s offices in Montgomery and Harris Counties. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage. 

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Stuart Tallichet prosecuted the case. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Google’s SynthID is the latest tool for catching AI-made content. What is AI ‘watermarking’ and does it work?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By T.J. Thomson, Senior Lecturer in Visual Communication & Digital Media, RMIT University

    HomeArt/Shutterstock

    Last month, Google announced SynthID Detector, a new tool to detect AI-generated content. Google claims it can identify AI-generated content in text, image, video or audio.

    But there are some caveats. One of them is that the tool is currently only available to “early testers” through a waitlist.

    The main catch is that SynthID primarily works for content that’s been generated using a Google AI service – such as Gemini for text, Veo for video, Imagen for images, or Lyria for audio.

    If you try to use Google’s AI detector tool to see if something you’ve generated using ChatGPT is flagged, it won’t work.

    That’s because, strictly speaking, the tool can’t detect the presence of AI-generated content or distinguish it from other kinds of content. Instead, it detects the presence of a “watermark” that Google’s AI products (and a couple of others) embed in their output through the use of SynthID.

    A watermark is a special machine-readable element embedded in an image, video, sound or text. Digital watermarks have been used to ensure that information about the origins or authorship of content travels with it. They have been used to assert authorship in creative works and address misinformation challenges in the media.

    SynthID embeds watermarks in the output from AI models. The watermarks are not visible to readers or audiences, but can be used by other tools to identify content that was made or edited using an AI model with SynthID on board.

    SynthID is among the latest of many such efforts. But how effective are they?

    There’s no unified AI detection system

    Several AI companies, including Meta, have developed their own watermarking tools and detectors, similar to SynthID. But these are “model specific” solutions, not universal ones.

    This means users have to juggle multiple tools to verify content. Despite researchers calling for a unified system, and major players like Google seeking to have their tool adopted by others, the landscape remains fragmented.

    A parallel effort focuses on metadata – encoded information about the origin, authorship and edit history of media. For example, the Content Credentials inspect tool allows users to verify media by checking the edit history attached to the content.

    However, metadata can be easily stripped when content is uploaded to social media or converted into a different file format. This is particularly problematic if someone has deliberately tried to obscure the origin and authorship of a piece of content.

    There are detectors that rely on forensic cues, such as visual inconsistencies or lighting anomalies. While some of these tools are automated, many depend on human judgement and common sense methods, like counting the number of fingers in AI-generated images. These methods may become redundant as AI model performance improves.

    Logical inconsistencies, such as extra fingers, are some of the visual ‘tells’ of the current era of AI-generated imagery.
    T J Thomson, CC BY-NC

    How effective are AI detection tools?

    Overall, AI detection tools can vary dramatically in their effectiveness. Some work better when the content is entirely AI-generated, such as when an entire essay has been generated from scratch by a chatbot.

    The situation becomes murkier when AI is used to edit or transform human-created content. In such cases, AI detectors can get it badly wrong. They can fail to detect AI or flag human-created content as AI-generated.

    AI detection tools don’t often explain how they arrived at their decision, which adds to the confusion. When used for plagiarism detection in university assessment, they are considered an “ethical minefield” and are known to discriminate against non-native English speakers.



    Read more:
    Can you spot the AI impostors? We found AI faces can look more real than actual humans

    Where AI detection tools can help

    A wide variety of use cases exist for AI detection tools. Take insurance claims, for example. Knowing whether the image a client shares depicts what it claims to depict can help insurers know how to respond.

    Journalists and fact checkers might draw on AI detectors, in addition to their other approaches, when trying to decide if potentially newsworthy information ought to be shared further.

    Employers and job applicants alike increasingly need to assess whether the person on the other side of the recruiting process is genuine or an AI fake.

    Users of dating apps need to know whether the profile of the person they’ve met online represents a real romantic prospect, or an AI avatar, perhaps fronting a romance scam.

    If you’re an emergency responder deciding whether to send help to a call, confidently knowing whether the caller is human or AI can save resources and lives.

    Where to from here?

    As these examples show, the challenges of authenticity are now happening in real time, and static tools like watermarking are unlikely to be enough. AI detectors that work on audio and video in real time are a pressing area of development.

    Whatever the scenario, it is unlikely that judgements about authenticity can ever be fully delegated to a single tool.

    Understanding the way such tools work, including their limitations, is an important first step. Triangulating these with other information and your own contextual knowledge will remain essential.

    T.J. Thomson receives funding from the Australian Research Council. He is an affiliated researcher with the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making & Society.

    Elif Buse Doyuran receives funding from the Australian Research Council. She is a research fellow at the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision Making and Society.

    Jean Burgess receives funding from the Australian Research Council including the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society (ADM+S), and from the Canadian Social Sciences and Humanities Council.

    – ref. Google’s SynthID is the latest tool for catching AI-made content. What is AI ‘watermarking’ and does it work? – https://theconversation.com/googles-synthid-is-the-latest-tool-for-catching-ai-made-content-what-is-ai-watermarking-and-does-it-work-257637

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: Ukraine, Russia make modest progress in Istanbul peace talks, agree on largest prisoner swap

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

    Ukrainian and Russian delegations made modest but concrete progress in renewed peace talks in Istanbul on Monday, raising cautious hopes for a potential easing of hostilities through expanded humanitarian measures, including the largest prisoner exchange since the onset of the conflict.

    The second round of peace talks between Ukraine and Russia is held in Istanbul, Türkiye, June 2, 2025. Ukrainian and Russian delegations resumed peace negotiations on Monday in Istanbul, aiming to bring an end to the ongoing conflict, television footage showed. (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Türkiye/Handout via Xinhua)

    The roughly 90-minute session marked the second round of direct talks between the two sides in recent weeks. Turkish officials described the outcome as “cautiously optimistic.”

    “The talks did not end negatively,” Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oncu Keceli said, characterising the tone as constructive despite persistent divisions over the broader conflict.

    AGREEMENTS ON HUMANITARIAN MEASURES

    Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who chaired the negotiations, said on the social media platform X that the delegations built on previously agreed points, including measures related to humanitarian exchanges.

    “There is an agreement on new categories and an increased number of prisoner swaps,” Fidan said.

    Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, leading Kiev’s delegation, proposed a 30-day unconditional ceasefire, the return of displaced children and young soldiers, and the release of prisoners. Umerov called for “real efforts to end the war,” and suggested holding a third round of talks between June 20 and 30, as part of a broader push toward a possible leaders’ summit.

    Russia’s delegation, led by Presidential Aide Vladimir Medinsky, confirmed agreement on what he described as the largest prisoner exchange since the conflict began. “All severely wounded and seriously ill soldiers will be exchanged, along with all captured servicemen under the age of 25,” he said.

    Medinsky added that Moscow would return the bodies of 6,000 Ukrainian soldiers and proposed a two- to three-day ceasefire in specific front-line areas to enable body recovery. He also confirmed that discussions on the return of displaced Ukrainian children were underway, with Kiev submitting a list of 339 names. “We will work on this,” he said.

    Medinsky noted that a preliminary meeting with Umerov had helped set the stage for Monday’s negotiations.

    INTERNATIONAL REACTIONS

    The United Nations (UN) welcomed the progress on humanitarian issues. “We obviously welcome any agreement that will bring the exchange of prisoners or remains,” said UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.

    Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hailed the meeting as a “significant achievement,” saying the number of prisoners exchanged had surpassed 1,000, with some bodies returned outside formal channels. Erdogan also said Türkiye was prepared to host a high-level summit involving Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and potentially U.S. President Donald Trump.

    Russian media, citing unnamed sources, reported that the next round of talks was likely to be held again in Istanbul.

    TALKS SHADOWED BY ESCALATING AIRSTRIKES

    The renewed negotiations come amid a backdrop of intensified military actions. Ukrainian officials said more than 40 Russian warplanes were damaged or destroyed in a drone strike on Sunday that targeted air bases deep inside Russian territory, including in the Arctic, Siberia, and Far East regions.

    Vasyl Malyuk, head of Ukraine’s Security Service, described the operation, which hit sites in three time zones simultaneously, as “a major slap in the face to Russia’s military power.” Ukrainian officials claimed nearly a third of Moscow’s strategic bomber fleet was either destroyed or rendered inoperable.

    The Russian Defense Ministry accused the “Kiev regime” of launching first-person-view drone attacks on multiple airfields. It said airstrips in the Ivanovo, Ryazan, and Amur regions were targeted, but that the strikes were repelled. Fires at airfields in the Murmansk and Irkutsk regions were extinguished, with no casualties reported.

    In Washington, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that Trump believes the conflict in Ukraine “needs to come to an end.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Flag-raising ceremony cancelled

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Owing to the thunderstorm warning, the flag-raising ceremony to be conducted at Golden Bauhinia Square, Wan Chai at 8am today (June 3) will be cancelled.

    If the thunderstorm warning is cancelled and weather conditions permit by then, the flag-raising ceremony may be resumed without further notice.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Update: Muriwai sudden death

    Source: New Zealand Police

    Police can now provide a brief update into a sudden death in Muriwai earlier this morning.

    A person’s body was located after a car fire was reported on Jack Butt Lane.

    Police can now advise enquiries are being made on behalf of the Coroner in this matter.

    ENDS.

    Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Call for information – Vehicle fire – Alice Springs

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Police are calling for information in relation to a vehicle fire that occurred in Alice Springs on Saturday evening.

    Around 8:20pm, the Joint Emergency Services Communication Centre received multiple reports of a vehicle fire on Barrett Drive. It is alleged that two females and a male were involved in an altercation before one of the females set the vehicle alight.

    NT Police and NT Fire and Rescue Service attended the scene and the fire was extinguished.

    The three allegedly involved in the altercation are assisting police with their enquiries.

    Investigations remain ongoing.

    Police urge anyone with information in relation to the incident to make contact on 131 444. Please quote reference number P25147814. Anonymous reports can be made through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via https://crimestoppersnt.com.au/.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Stansbury Fights to Secure Millions for New Mexico

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Melanie Stansbury (N.M.-01)

    $158.45 million in federal Community Project Funding (CPF) requests will support essential local projects

    WASHINGTON D.C. — As the U.S. House of Representatives begins marking up appropriations bills in the House this week, Representative Melanie Stansbury (NM-01) submitted 15 Congressionally funded community projects, totaling $158,450,000 for communities across New Mexico in the upcoming 2026 budget process. Since coming to office, Rep. Stansbury has secured CPF funding for 37 projects focused on tackling New Mexico’s biggest challenges in public safety, housing, healthcare, education, protecting our lands and waters, and investing in our future.   

    “I came to Congress to support the needs of New Mexico using every tool available,” said Rep. Melanie Stansbury (NM-01). “As the Administration targets funding and resources our communities depend on, Community Project Funding is one of the most powerful tools we have to deliver investments necessary to support lasting and generational change for communities across our state. These 15 projects will help deliver vital healthcare and behavioral health services in rural communities, help seniors and families experiencing homelessness, help tackle the fentanyl crisis and public safety issues, protect our cultural heritage, and deliver water to communities across the state.  I am proud to work with the state, local, and tribal leaders who are working every day to address these needs on the ground.” 

    After more than a decade, Congress resumed congressionally directed spending for community projects four years ago.  Since then, Rep. Stansbury has secured millions in funding for fire, emergency, and public safety services, housing and food assistance, healthcare and behavioral health programs, economic development, and youth and education programs across the state.  Past submissions for Fiscal Year 2022,Fiscal Year 2023, and Fiscal Year 2024 budgets are available online. Last year, Rep. Stansbury submitted $104 million in CPF requests to support New Mexico, but Republicans stripped FY25 Community Project Funding from their Continuing Resolution.

    This year Rep. Stansbury submitted 15 projects to the House Appropriations Committee for consideration, pending approval through the Congressional budget and appropriations process. Projects this year were restricted to a limited number of federal programs, and only state, local, and Tribal governments and eligible entities are permitted to receive funding. The House Appropriations Committee will consider these requests alongside other submissions as part of the FY 2026 appropriations process, which begins with Appropriations Committee markups this week.

    Once the Appropriations Committee approves projects, they will be subject to passage in both Chambers of Congress before being signed into law. This process will likely extend into fall, with the Fiscal Year 2016 beginning on October 1. 

    A summary of the 15 projects submitted by Rep Stansbury is provided below: 

    Investing in Public Safety Across the State 

    Lincoln County, Regional Wildfire Mitigation Public Safety and Training Complex – $3,000,000 
    Funding will support building a new Regional Public Safety and Training Center to help address wildfires and boost the region’s ability to hire, train, certify, and retain firefighters.

    Fort Sumner, Fire and Rescue Fire Station – $ 1,300,000  
    Funding will support building a new fire station in Fort Sumner to serve the community on the West side of the Pecos River, allowing timely emergency response and a new community hub in the Sunny Side subdivision.

    State Police Department, Technical Capabilities Improvements – $1,650,000  
    Funding will enable NM State Police to improve wireless and other technical capabilities statewide. This includes improving 5G technologies, cellular routers, and Automated License Plate Readers, increasing real-time situational awareness and allowing for more informed and rapid decision-making for first responders. 

    Albuquerque Police Department, Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) Mobile Lab Vehicle – $800,000  
    Funding will enable the City of Albuquerque to add a new CSI Mobile Lab vehicle to update its current fleet and help meet expanded public safety needs across the Albuquerque metro area. 

    Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, Public Safety Vehicles – $1,000,000  
    Funding will support BCSO’s replacement of an aging fleet of vehicles to enhance operations and reduce maintenance costs to meet public safety needs across the Bernalillo County area.   

    Addressing Rural Healthcare and Behavioral Health Needs 

    Valencia County, Acute Care Hospital – $8,000,000  
    Funding will support construction of a state-of-the-art acute care hospital in Los Lunas, designed to meet the healthcare needs of the growing rural communities of Valencia County. This hospital will be a critical lifeline for local residents increasing access to both emergency and inpatient care.  

    Sandoval County, Behavioral Health Clinic – $8,000,000  
    Funding will support the construction of a comprehensive behavioral health and resource center in the Town of Bernalillo, in partnership with a broad set of local, tribal, and county stakeholders to address community needs related to addiction, housing, mental health and family services. This center will serve a large number of rural and remote communities across Sandoval County, providing a first-of-its-kind regional hub for urgent and ongoing medical and behavioral health needs.  

      

    Addressing Homelessness, Housing Insecurity, and Supporting Vulnerable Families 

    Bernalillo County, Affordable Housing – $2,000,000  
    Funding will provide housing for low- and moderate-income families in Downtown Albuquerque and Bernalillo County. This project will provide safe and stable temporary housing for seniors and families in need of housing support.   

    Albuquerque, Transitional Housing for Families – $1,000,000  
    Funding will support the purchase and rehabilitation of transitional housing for vulnerable families experiencing crisis. This project will help families grow out of emergency and short-term shelters and into longer term housing while they continue to get back on their feet. 

    Albuquerque, Senior Stability Shelter – $1,700,000  
    Funding will support building a new permanent shelter for seniors who are experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity in Albuquerque. This project will provide safe and stable permanent housing in a vulnerable part of the city.   

    Protecting Our Water Infrastructure

    Middle Rio Grande Pueblos, Rio Grande Pueblo Irrigation Infrastructure – $82,700,000   
    Funding will provide long-overdue support for improving acequia and irrigation infrastructure for the six middle Rio Grande Pueblos and addressing deferred maintenance, repairs, and upgrades needed for improvements in agricultural irrigation on Pueblo lands.

    City of Santa Rosa, Drinking Water Pipelines Project – $4,000,000  
    Funding will support construction of a major project for improving drinking water supplies in the City of Santa Rosa and replacing aging infrastructure impacting drinking water pipelines.  

    Town of Bernalillo, Wastewater Project – $20,000,000  
    Funding will support the rehabilitation of the Town of Bernalillo’s aging wastewater treatment plant, extending the service life of its infrastructure and future growth in the community to protect water supplies.   

    Village of Corrales, Wastewater Treatment Facility – $20,000,000  
    Funding will help install a treatment facility and expand wastewater collection across the Village of Corrales to protect local groundwater from septic system contamination, conserve water resources by recycling treated wastewater, and supporting long-term sustainability.  

    Protecting our Cultural Heritage and Historic Buildings 

    Estancia and East Mountains, Estancia Town Hall Renovation – $3,300,000 
    Funding will support planning and capital improvement repairs of the historic Estancia Community Center. The community center serves as a vital hub, offering access to essential services, educational programs, and support for generations of New Mexicans. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: GAZA – Dozens of Palestinians massacred at US-Israel backed food distribution sites- MSF

    Source: Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF)

    Jerusalem: Dozens of Palestinians were killed and hundreds more injured yesterday, 1 June, as they waited for food at the newly created Gaza Humanitarian Foundation distribution centres in Rafah and close to the Netzarim Corridor, according to the Ministry of Health.

    Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) teams joined the mass casualty response in Nasser hospital, Khan Younis. Patients told MSF they were shot from all sides by drones, helicopters, boats, tanks and Israeli soldiers on the ground.

    “Today’s events have shown once again that this new system of aid delivery is dehumanising, dangerous and severely ineffective. It has resulted in deaths and injuries of civilians that could have been prevented. Humanitarian aid must be provided only by humanitarian organisations who have the competence and determination to do it safely and effectively,” states Claire Manera, MSF emergency coordinator.

    MSF teams at Nasser hospital treated patients with serious injuries today. Some patients in critical condition are still undergoing surgery. But with the blood banks almost empty, medical staff themselves have had to donate blood.

    “The hospital corridors were filled with patients, but unlike what I have witnessed before, where most of the patients were women and children, today it was mainly men. They lay in their beds in the hallways because the rooms are already packed with injured people. They had visible gunshot wounds in their limbs, and their clothes were soaked with blood,” says Nour Alsaqa, MSF communications officer. “They looked shattered and distraught after trying to secure food for their children, returning instead injured and empty handed. Outside, there was shouting, sirens, a constant rush of new arrivals to the emergency room. Amid the chaos, we received confirmation that a colleague’s brother had been killed while attempting to collect aid from the distribution centre,” she adds. Mansour Sami Abdi, a father of four, described the chaos: “People fought over five pallets. They told us to take food—then they fired from every direction. I ran 200 metres before realising I’d been shot. This isn’t aid. It’s a lie. Are we supposed to go get food for our kids and die?”

    “I was shot at 3:10am. As we were trapped, I bled constantly until 5:00am. There were many other men with me. One of them tried to get me out. He was shot in the head and died on my chest. We had gone there for nothing but food — just to survive, like everyone else,” says Mohammad Daghmeh, 24, a displaced person in Al-Qarara, Khan Younis.

    This is the second time this new system of aid distribution has led to bloodshed. On 27 May, the first afternoon of distribution in Rafah, Israeli forces shot dozens of people as wholly insufficient amounts of basic lifesaving supplies were distributed amid chaos.

    As a result of the total siege that was imposed by the Israeli authorities on 2 March, 100 per cent of Gaza is now at risk of famine, according to the United Nations. Since 19 May, the few hundred food trucks brought in – an insufficient fraction of what is needed – have spread despair among the 2 million plus people who have been largely deprived of food, water, and medication for three months now. Totally or partially blocking humanitarian aid to enter Gaza has aggravated the situation of all Gazans.

    MSF reinforces that, along with displacement orders and bombing campaigns that kill civilians, weaponising aid in this manner may constitute crimes against humanity. Only a lasting ceasefire and the immediate opening of Gaza’s borders for humanitarian aid – including food, medical supplies, fuel and equipment – can ease this man-made catastrophe.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: First Ministers’ statement on building a strong Canadian economy and advancing major projects

    Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister

    “Today, Canada’s First Ministers met in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, to build a stronger, more competitive, and more resilient Canadian economy. This marks the first time that a First Ministers’ Meeting has taken place in Saskatchewan in over 40 years.

    “First Ministers expressed their deep concern regarding the wildfire situations across Canada, including in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta, and pledged to continue to provide assistance and support to impacted provinces, territories, and Indigenous communities.

    “First Ministers discussed the federal government’s plan to remove trade barriers and advance major projects of national interest, including by tabling their One Canadian Economy legislation, so Canada can be stronger at home and abroad.

    “First Ministers agreed to work together to accelerate major projects in support of building a strong, resilient, and united Canada. As a first step, First Ministers discussed projects of national interest which fit the following criteria, subject to consultation with Indigenous Peoples whose rights may be affected:

    • Strengthen Canada’s autonomy, resilience, and security.
    • Offer undeniable benefits to Canada and support economic growth.
    • Have a high likelihood of successful execution.
    • Are a high priority for Indigenous leaders.
    • Have clean growth potential, such as the use of clean technologies and sustainable practices.

    “First Ministers also agreed to continue the discussion on projects of national interest, working with provincial and territorial governments.

    “This is a first step in implementing a broader set of reforms to overhaul the project assessment process. A significantly improved, streamlined project assessment process is necessary for Canada to grow its economy to become the strongest in the G7 and a global energy superpower.

    “First Ministers are committed to immediately begin to address project approval and permitting efficiency and timelines for all projects. Premiers welcomed the Prime Minister’s commitment to ensuring all federal assessment decisions are rendered within two years, beginning with projects of national interest. First Ministers also agreed to work toward efficiently and effectively implementing ‘one project, one review’ with the goal of a single assessment for all projects, in a manner that respects federal, provincial, and territorial jurisdiction, enhancing co-ordination activities on permitting and eliminating duplication. This will help kickstart economic growth and ensure that projects get built in a timely manner. First Ministers pledged to fulfil the Crown’s duty to consult with Indigenous Peoples and discussed ways to strengthen Indigenous ownership and partnerships to provide Indigenous communities with generational economic opportunities.

    “Nation-building infrastructure and corridors, such as highways, railways, ports, airports, pipelines, nuclear projects, clean and conventional energy projects, and electricity transmission systems, are crucial for driving Canadian productivity growth, energy security, and economic competitiveness. First Ministers agreed that Canada must work urgently to get Canadian natural resources and commodities to domestic and international markets, such as critical minerals and decarbonized Canadian oil and gas by pipelines, supported by the private sector, that provide access to diversified global markets, including Asia and Europe. First Ministers also agreed to build cleaner and more affordable electricity systems to reduce emissions and increase reliability toward achieving net zero by 2050. In order to generate economic and social benefits, this work must be done by bringing together the right conditions, including Indigenous equity and participation, and deferring to provincial and territorial environmental assessments, where applicable.

    “First Ministers also discussed needed investments in dual-use infrastructure in Northern and Arctic communities that will address Canada’s Arctic sovereignty and security goals, meet local community needs, advance national energy independence, and unlock the North’s economic potential. Indigenous equity and participation will be pivotal to the success of these projects. Premiers acknowledged the federal commitment to move quickly to improve Canada’s defence capabilities and meet international spending targets.

    “Through recent federal, provincial, and territorial efforts and actions led by the Committee on Internal Trade and the Forum of Labour Market Ministers, significant progress has been made toward removing internal trade barriers and further facilitating the movement of goods, services, and workers across the country. Recognizing there is more work to do, First Ministers committed to unlock multilateral, economy-wide mutual recognition and labour mobility, while respecting Québec’s specificity. First Ministers directed the Committee on Internal Trade to rapidly conclude a comprehensive Mutual Recognition Agreement covering consumer goods, in alignment with the Committee on Internal Trade discussions, with implementation by December 2025. In addition, they directed their Ministers of Transport to work together to rapidly expand the trucking pilot. They also agreed to a 30-day service standard for pan-Canadian credential recognition.

    “First Ministers also stressed the importance of creating a new economic and security relationship with the United States to remove the unjustified American tariffs – including longstanding unjustified duties on softwood lumber – and create a more stable and predictable trade environment. They underscored they all have a role to play to achieve this.

    “The federal government committed to working urgently to remove Chinese tariffs on Canadian agriculture and seafood products. First Ministers emphasized the critical importance of regular and ongoing engagement with China at the highest level to improve the overall trade relationship. In the face of ongoing tariffs, they also discussed opportunities to diversify trade and broaden market access for Canadian exporters.

    “First Ministers emphasized the importance of joint efforts to maintain safe and secure communities, including by enhancing the criminal justice system through meaningful and urgent bail and sentencing reforms supporting law enforcement, addressing delays in the criminal justice process, and reviewing risk assessment for sentencing and release of repeat sex offenders and individuals charged with intimate partner violence and gender-based violence crimes. First Ministers recognized the devastating impact the toxic illegal drug supply is having on Canadian communities and committed to dismantling the illicit drug trade, including fentanyl and its precursors. First Ministers directed federal-provincial-territorial Attorneys General and Ministers of Justice and Public Safety to bring forward an action plan to promote safe and vibrant communities for consideration at a future meeting.

    “First Ministers agreed to continue to work collaboratively and address the priorities of all Canadians in every region of the country. To that end, they will meet regularly to drive action on shared priorities vital to Canada’s security and economic resilience.”

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Key West Firefighter Charged with Possession of a Destructive Device and a Short-Barreled Rifle (DOJ)

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    lass=”text-align-justify”>MIAMI – A former Key West firefighter made his initial appearance in federal court today to face an indictment charging him with the possession of a destructive device and possession of a short-barreled rifle.

    According to the indictment, on March 14, Vincent Michael Vega, 38, was in possession of a combination of parts used in converting a device into a destructive device, i.e. an explosive bomb or similar device. Vega was also in possession of a modified semi-automatic rifle, which had a barrel of less than 16 inches. The firearms were not registered to Vega in the National Firearm Registration and Transfer Record, as required under federal law.

    U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and acting Special Agent in Charge Gordon Mallory of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division, made the announcement. 

    ATF Miami is investigating the case. 

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Hannah is prosecuting the case.  

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

    You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls.

    Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-10023.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Construction begins on new Metcalfe Fire Station

    Source:

    Metcalfe FIre Brigade Captain Graeme Smith and Mary-Anne Thomas MP

    Construction is officially underway on a new fire station for Metcalfe Fire Brigade, marking a major milestone for the local community.

    CFA Acting Deputy Chief Officer for North West Region Gavin Wright joined brigade members on-site for a ceremonial sod turn on Sunday 2 June, commemorating the start of the project.

    The new station, to be built on Malmsbury-Metcalfe Road, will replace the brigade’s current facility located nearby.

    Metcalfe Fire Brigade Captain Graeme Smith said the upgraded station will better support the brigade’s operations for years to come.

    “We’ve been working with the community and pushing for this project, so to see it finally happening is just fantastic,” Graeme said.

    “Our hope is that it’ll also serve as a staging area for any large-scale incidents in the region.
    It’s not just an asset for the brigade — it’ll benefit the entire community.”

    Graeme added the new station is also expected to boost recruitment.

    “When it’s completed, we think it’ll be a real drawcard for new members,” he said.

    “We’ll be able to offer state-of-the-art facilities and a great environment to be a part of.”

    The new fit-for-purpose station will include a motor room with two reverse-in bays, operational areas, dedicated storage, a multipurpose room, and external car parking. It will also feature separate turnout areas and private change facilities to support both male and female volunteers.

    Acting Deputy Chief Officer Gavin Wright said the new design reflects CFA’s commitment to volunteer safety, inclusivity, and sustainability.

    “Sustainability features such as solar panels, rainwater recycling, EV charging readiness, and water-sensitive landscaping have all been incorporated,” he said.

    “This facility is built not just for today, but for the future needs of the brigade and the broader community.”

    Established in 1885, Metcalfe Fire Brigade currently has 54 members (17 women and 36 men), 29 operational firefighters, and two tankers. The brigade responds to an average of 20 incidents a year across Mount Alexander Shire.

    Construction is expected to be completed by early 2026.

    Submitted by CFA Media

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Ukrainian President announces completion of second round of peace talks with Russia

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    KYIV, June 2 (Xinhua) — Delegations from Ukraine and Russia have completed the second round of peace talks in Istanbul, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday, Interfax-Ukraine reported.

    Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, who led the Ukrainian delegation, made a statement to the press later Monday, Ukrinform reported. He noted that the meeting had discussed issues such as a ceasefire, the release of prisoners, the return of Ukrainian children, and negotiations between the presidents of Ukraine and Russia.

    According to R. Umerov, the parties reached agreements only on the exchange of prisoners.

    The first round of peace talks between Ukraine and Russia since 2022 took place in Istanbul on May 16. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: 3 dead, 7 missing after Xizang landslide /more details/

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    LHASA, June 2 (Xinhua) — Three people were killed, two were injured and seven are missing after a landslide occurred in southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region on Sunday evening, local authorities said Monday.

    The landslide occurred at around 9:30 p.m. on Sunday in Muta Township, Dengchen County, Chamdo City.

    The condition of the victims is stable and they were taken to hospital.

    The search and rescue operation involves about 500 rescuers, medical workers and firefighters, as well as sniffer dogs. The work is being carried out with the support of ambulance crews, excavators, as well as telecommunications and power supply facilities.

    The Chamdo City Government has allocated 5 million yuan (about 696,000 US dollars) to provide emergency aid to those affected by the disaster.

    According to experts from the water management and natural resources departments, the volume of landslides was about 200 thousand cubic meters, and a risk of a repeat landslide was identified.

    China’s Ministry of Emergency Management has issued a Level 4 disaster response alert and dispatched a task force to assist local rescue teams. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Russia has handed over a two-part memorandum to Ukraine — head of the Russian delegation

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    Moscow, June 2 (Xinhua) — Russia handed over a memorandum consisting of two parts to the Ukrainian side during talks with Ukraine in Istanbul, head of the Russian delegation Vladimir Medinsky told reporters in Istanbul, Russian media reported.

    “The first is how to achieve a real long-term peace. And the second part is what steps to take to make a full-fledged ceasefire possible. Moreover, there is even some variability in the second part,” V. Medinsky told journalists after the negotiations.

    According to him, the Ukrainian side took the memorandum into consideration.

    Russia, as V. Medinsky reported, offered Ukraine a ceasefire for 2-3 days on certain sections of the front. This should allow the bodies of the dead to be collected.

    Russia and Ukraine will exchange seriously ill and wounded people according to the “all for all” formula, while Russia will unilaterally transfer 6,000 frozen bodies of Ukrainian servicemen to Ukraine.

    Russia and Ukraine are organizing medical commissions for the exchange of seriously wounded soldiers; these exchanges will be regular, V. Medinsky announced.

    The topic of children who have lost contact with their parents was discussed at the talks. The head of the Russian delegation demonstrated a list of 339 names of children handed over by Ukraine, assuring that the Russian Federation would consider each situation without exception on this list. At the same time, V. Medinsky noted that recently the Russian side returned 101 children to Ukraine, and the Ukrainian side – 22. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Peace talks between Ukraine and Russia in Istanbul yield positive results

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    ISTANBUL, June 2 (Xinhua) — The latest round of peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, held in Istanbul on Monday with the mediation of Turkey, ended with certain positive changes, especially in the humanitarian sphere.

    Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Oncu Keceli confirmed that the talks, which took place behind closed doors, “did not end negatively.”

    Following the meeting, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, who headed the Ukrainian delegation, stated at a press conference that during the negotiations the parties had achieved concrete humanitarian results.

    R. Umerov said that Ukraine presented its agenda to Russia, proposing a 30-day unconditional ceasefire, as well as the release of prisoners and the return of young servicemen and children.

    Russian presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, who headed the Russian delegation, for his part announced that Russia would return 6,000 bodies of its fallen servicemen to Ukraine.

    According to V. Medinsky, Russia and Ukraine agreed to exchange all seriously wounded and servicemen aged 18-25. In addition, Russia proposed declaring a ceasefire with Ukraine for two to three days in certain sections of the front, he added.

    The previous round of direct talks between the two countries took place in Istanbul on May 16, the first time the two sides met in person since March 2022. During that round, an agreement was reached on a 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner exchange, the largest exchange since the conflict began. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Ukraine received a memorandum from Russia on the terms of the ceasefire — the head of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    Kyiv, June 2 /Xinhua/ — During the peace talks held in Istanbul on Monday, Ukraine received a memorandum from the Russian Federation on the terms of a ceasefire. This was announced at a press conference in Istanbul by Ukrainian Defense Minister and head of the Ukrainian delegation Rustem Umerov, as reported by the Interfax-Ukraine agency.

    R. Umerov noted that official Kyiv will have a week to study the received document. After that, the parties will be able to coordinate further steps.

    At the same time, the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Serhiy Kyslytsya, who was also part of the Ukrainian delegation, stated that during the peace talks, the Russian Federation again rejected Kyiv’s proposal for an unconditional ceasefire. The parties only agreed to continue discussing this issue.

    S. Kyslytsya added that Russia also once again spoke out against the presence of US representatives at the meeting with the Ukrainian side in Istanbul.

    Earlier on Monday, the second round of peace talks between Ukraine and Russia since 2022 took place in Istanbul. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Statement by IOM Spokesperson on the Devastating Floods in Nigeria

    Source: International Organization for Migration (IOM)

    Geneva/Abuja, 2 June 2025 – The international Organization for Migration (IOM) is deeply saddened by the devastating floods that struck Niger State, in Nigeria’s North-Central Region, on the night of 29 May 2025.  

    According to latest data from IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix, more than 3,000 people have reportedly been affected, with at least 153 lives lost and 11 reported injuries. The floods have destroyed homes, farmlands, water sources, essential infrastructure and health facilities, leaving families without shelter, food, clean water and access to critical health services. 

    IOM is working in close coordination with the Federal and State Governments, through the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), to support response efforts. IOM has deployed a team of enumerators to assess the damage and identify urgent needs. 

    Together with government authorities and local and international partners, IOM is mobilizing urgent assistance to provide life-saving support to those affected. 

    IOM extends its deepest condolences to the families of the victims and to all those impacted by this heartbreaking disaster. 

    For More information, please contact IOM Media Center. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –