NewzIntel.com

Category: Natural Disasters

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Sobyanin: Overpass over SZKh near Novozavodskaya Street to be completed in 2026

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    The construction of the overpass across the main route of the North-West Chord (NWCH) towards Rublevskoye Highway is planned to be completed in 2026. This was reported by Sergei Sobyanin in his telegram channel.

    The 155-meter-long overpass is being built as part of the Targeted Investment Program. It will provide an exit from the residential and public areas of the Mnevnikovskaya floodplain to the main route of the North-West Chord.

    “Thanks to the overpass and the new bridge across the Moskva River in line with Novozavodskaya Street, we will be able to create an additional exit to the SZH and a new route to the Filevsky Park area, to the National Space Center and the Khrunichev site of the Technopolis Moscow SEZ,” wrote Sergei Sobyanin.

    According to the architects’ idea, the artificial structure will harmoniously fit into the surrounding floodplain development: the same lighting masts as in the neighboring blocks will be installed on the overpass. The V-shaped supports with smooth rounding were developed individually for each span, while maintaining a uniform style.

    Currently, the construction readiness of the overpass is 70 percent.

    Development of the Mnevnikovskaya floodplain area

    Today Mnevnikovskaya floodplain— one of the largest development centers of the city. It is planned to build about three million square meters of real estate here. The construction of a modern urban area with residential areas, educational facilities, sports centers, a surf park and numerous green recreation areas is underway.

    One of the largest sports clusters in Moscow, with an area of about 500 thousand square meters, is being created on the territory of the Mnevnikovskaya floodplain. It will include an ice palace, the Alexander Ovechkin International Hockey Academy, a training center for the Russian national football team, a multifunctional building with a curling arena, as well as the CSKA basketball club and a rowing base with the necessary infrastructure.

    Currently, over 200 thousand square meters of various real estate have been put into operation, including residential buildings, an educational complex for 925 students, an ice palace and other facilities.

    Large-scale work continues creation of a modern transport infrastructure. In 2021, two stations of the Big Circle Line of the metro were opened in the Mnevnikovskaya floodplain: Mnevniki and Terekhovo. The reconstruction of Nizhnie Mnevniki Street (North-West Chord) was carried out with the construction of bridges across the Moskva River and locks. In December 2024, a bridge was opened across the Moskva River in line with Myasishchev Street, which connected the Filevskaya and Mnevnikovskaya floodplains, as well as an underground pedestrian crossing in the area of the junction with Myasishchev Street.

    A project to develop the local street and road network is currently being implemented, within the framework of which streets will appear to provide access to residential areas under construction, sports facilities and metro stations. They are also building a road bridge across the Moskva River in line with Novozavodskaya Street, an overpass across the main route of the SZH towards Rublevskoye Highway, two bicycle and pedestrian bridges across the Moskva River to Ostrovnaya Street (Krylatskoye district) and towards Fili Park. In addition, they will make two pedestrian crossings, including one overground (across the SZH in the area of the Moskvoretsky Arboretum) and one underground (in the area of the Moskvoretsky Natural and Historical Park). The plans include the reconstruction of the embankments of the Moskva River with a total length of about seven kilometers.

    In total, they plan to build 17 kilometers of roads on the territory of the Mnevnikovskaya floodplain.

    Four pedestrian bridges will be built in Moscow by the end of 2027The new bridge in the Mnevnikovskaya floodplain will have spectacular arches — Sergei SobyaninSergei Sobyanin opened a unique ice palace in the Mnevnikovskaya floodplainConstruction of the International Hockey Academy continues in the Mnevnikovskaya floodplain

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    https: //vv.mos.ru/mayor/tkhemes/12371050/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Christine Lagarde: European Parliament plenary debate on the European Central Bank Annual Report

    Source: Bank for International Settlements

    It is a great pleasure to take part in this plenary session and discuss your draft resolution on the ECB’s Annual Report.

    At the ECB, we are deeply committed to transparency and accountability, particularly in how we communicate with the public and their elected representatives in the European Parliament. In fact, in the last parliamentary term we interacted with this Parliament even more frequently than in previous terms.1

    At the same time, we greatly value the opportunity to hear the Parliament’s views. Your resolution and debate are an important pillar of the ECB’s accountability framework and a key channel for you to share your views with us – and we listen. For instance, next week will mark ten years since the ECB started publishing the accounts of the Governing Council’s monetary policy meetings2, a major step in enhancing our monetary policy communication and one that this Parliament had called for.

    This year’s draft resolution covers key issues that are central to the ECB’s mandate and the future of the euro area, including our response to inflation, the digital euro and the ECB’s role in supporting the EU’s broader economic policies. It also reflects the dynamic challenges we face in Europe today, and I look forward to hearing your thoughts on all of these issues and having a constructive dialogue with you.

    But let me first start by outlining our view on the current economic situation in the euro area and our monetary policy stance. I will then address the broader economic challenges we are facing and their implications for monetary policy.

    The euro area economy and the ECB’s monetary policy

    The euro area economy grew modestly in 2024. While output stagnated in the fourth quarter, it was still 0.9% higher than at the end of 2023. Surveys indicate that manufacturing continues to contract while services activity is expanding. Consumer confidence is fragile and, despite rising real incomes, households are hesitant to spend more.

    Nevertheless, the conditions for a recovery remain in place. A solid job market and higher incomes should strengthen consumer confidence and allow spending to rise. More affordable credit should boost consumption and investment over time. Exports should also support the recovery as global demand rises, although this is conditional on developments in international trade policies.

    Inflation stood at 2.5% in January and has recently developed broadly in line with staff projections. Core inflation has remained at 2.7% in recent months, reflecting a sideways movement in both services and goods inflation. Wage growth is moderating as expected, although it remains elevated, while profits are partially buffering the impact of wage increases on inflation.

    Inflation is set to return to our 2% medium-term target in the course of this year, with risks on both the upside and the downside. Greater friction in global trade would make the euro area inflation outlook more uncertain.

    In total, the ECB has lowered interest rates by 125 basis points since last June, and the deposit facility rate – the rate through which we steer the monetary policy stance – now stands at 2.75%. At our last meeting in January, we decided to lower our key interest rates by 25 basis points, based on an updated assessment of the inflation outlook, the dynamics of underlying inflation and the strength of monetary policy transmission. In particular, the disinflation process in the euro area is well on track. Most measures of underlying inflation suggest that inflation will settle at around our target on a sustained basis. And while financing conditions continue to be tight, our recent interest rate cuts are gradually making borrowing less expensive.

    We are determined to ensure that inflation stabilises sustainably at our 2% medium-term target. We will follow a data-dependent and meeting-by-meeting approach to determining the appropriate monetary policy stance. We are not pre-committing to a particular rate path.

    A challenging economic environment for monetary policy

    Let me now turn to the broader economic environment and its implications for monetary policy.

    Europe has faced a series of unprecedented challenges in recent years, each with its own far-reaching impact. From the COVID-19 pandemic to surging energy prices and the geopolitical upheaval caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, we have navigated our way through a storm of supply shocks. As we look ahead, the frequency of these shocks is likely to remain high.

    While we have weathered these crises, the past few years have also revealed missed opportunities and underinvestment in areas such as the digital transformation and the green transition – and the uncertainty surrounding trade and economic policy continues to weigh on consumption and investment.3 As a result, and as highlighted in reports by Enrico Letta and Mario Draghi, Europe finds itself lagging behind international competitors in productivity and growth.

    In a world driven by shifting global dynamics and rapid technological change, Europe must strike a delicate balance between achieving strategic autonomy and preserving its openness to the global economy. As President Ursula von der Leyen and I highlighted in a recent article, Europe’s response to these challenges must be bold and strategic. While the outlook may seem daunting, the prospects are more promising than they might appear.4

    One of Europe’s first priorities should be to deepen the Internal Market. By removing remaining barriers within the Single Market – barriers that effectively function like tariffs – we can unlock economies of scale, encourage innovation and reduce costs for consumers and producers alike. We are already home to a wealth of ideas and innovators. Our challenge is to transform these ideas into technologies that fuel economic growth. To do so, we need to reduce administrative burdens and foster an innovation-friendly environment.

    Another critical area is enhancing Europe’s autonomy in payments, which form the backbone of our economy and our single currency. At present, a few foreign providers dominate Europe’s payments landscape, leaving us vulnerable to external pressures. As we face an increasingly digital future, we must prepare the ground for a digital euro. This will ensure the resilience and public good nature of our payment systems. It will also provide a platform for private innovation in digital payments.

    With substantial savings at its disposal, Europe must channel more resources into private investment and scale up financing to support its innovators. A genuine capital markets union designed for citizens and businesses alike will be instrumental here.

    More broadly, investment must be the cornerstone of Europe’s economic transformation. The focus must be on investing in physical and digital infrastructure, research and development, and green technologies. These are not optional but essential investments required to drive productivity and guarantee Europe’s competitiveness on the global stage. Moreover, they will address our energy dependence and help us meet our climate goals – both pressing imperatives.

    In this regard, we welcome the European Commission’s Competitiveness Compass as a concrete roadmap for action, which will also support the ECB in maintaining price stability by reducing Europe’s susceptibility to supply shocks.

    That said, the ECB is not standing idle. We are committed to learning from the experiences of recent years. As part of the ongoing assessment of our monetary policy strategy, we are preparing for the risk of an increasingly volatile future. We are taking stock of a changed inflation environment and economic context. We are also focusing on the implications for monetary policy, our experiences with our evolving policy toolkit, our reaction function and how to better deal with risk and uncertainty in policy setting and communications. While the ECB continuously evaluates and adapts its economic models – a topic raised in your resolution – assessing new analytical needs will be one component of this assessment.

    Conclusion

    Let me conclude.

    The challenges facing Europe are immense, but solutions are within our reach. Our opportunity lies in more Europe.

    As Konrad Adenauer said 70 years ago, “European unity was the dream of a few. It became the hope for many. Today it is a necessity for all of us.” This sentiment rings true today more than ever.

    To jointly tackle Europe’s challenges, I am counting on the Parliament’s commitment. Within its mandate, the ECB will play its part. Ever since the introduction of the euro, the ECB has continuously adapted to changing economic environments to fulfil its mandate. We remain fully committed to delivering on this mandate. We are equally committed to maintaining our active and meaningful dialogue with the Parliament.

    Thank you for your attention. 

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Police locate person sought following incident in Clutha area

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Today Police have located the person sought in relation to alleged firearms offending in the Clutha area.

    Police have engaged in dialogue with the person, who is believed to be alone, at a rural Clutha property.

    The situation is contained and there is currently no risk to the public.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: International Monetary Fund (IMF) Staff Completes 2025 Article IV Consultation with Morocco

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

    RABAT, Morocco, February 11, 2025/APO Group/ —

    • Economic growth is accelerating thanks to strong domestic demand, amid a new investment cycle in many sectors.
    • Tax reforms have allowed the fiscal deficit in 2024 to be lower than expected while also funding spending measures. Going forward, saving part of the revenue windfall would help strengthen the fiscal buffers. The current monetary policy stance is appropriate and should remain data dependent.
    • Structural reforms should focus on strengthening job creation, including by better targeting active labor market polices, consolidating programs to support small and medium firms, and removing regulatory distortions that hinder firms’ growth.

    An International Monetary Fund (IMF) staff team led by Roberto Cardarelli conducted discussions with the Moroccan authorities in Rabat on the 2025 Article IV Consultation from January 27 to February 7. At the conclusion of the visit, Mr. Cardarelli issued the following statement:

    “Economic activity is expected to have grown by 3.2 percent in 2024 and to accelerate to 3.9 percent in 2025, as agricultural output rebounds after the recent droughts and the nonagricultural sector continues to expand at a robust pace amid strong domestic demand. Higher growth is expected to increase the current account deficit towards its estimated medium-term norm of around 3 percent, while inflation is expected to stabilize at around 2 percent. The risks to the outlook are broadly balanced, with significant uncertainty regarding the economic impact of geopolitical tensions and changing climate conditions.

    “With inflation expectations anchored around 2 percent and little signs of demand pressures, the current broadly neutral monetary policy stance is appropriate, and staff agrees with Bank Al-Maghrib that future changes of policy rates should remain data dependent. With inflation back to around 2 percent, Bank Al-Maghrib should continue its preparation to adopt an inflation-targeting framework.”

    “Recent reforms to the tax system and tax administration have helped expand the tax base while lowering the tax burden. As a result, tax revenues in 2024 have been greater than expected. With only a small part of the additional tax revenues being saved, the central government’s deficit for the year was 4.1 percent of GDP compared to the 4.3 announced in the 2024 Budget. While the 2025 Budget confirms the gradual pace of fiscal adjustment projected last year, higher-than-expected revenues should be used to accelerate the pace of debt reduction to levels closer to pre-pandemic. In addition, continuing to finance structural reforms may require further efforts to expand the tax base and rationalize spending, including by reducing transfers to state-owned enterprises as part of the ongoing reform of the sector and expanding the use of the Unified Social Registry to all social programs.

    “Staff welcomes the ongoing reform of the Organic Budget Law that should introduce a new fiscal rule based on a medium-term debt anchor. Good progress has been made in the Medium-Term fiscal framework to include an assessment of the risk from climate change. Staff encourages the authorities to build on this progress by adding more information on the impact of new policy measures and a quantification of the risks from the increased reliance on public-private partnership (PPP) projects.

     “Stronger job creation requires a novel approach to active labor market policies, focusing on labor displaced from the agricultural sector due to the sequence of droughts. A special focus should be placed on encouraging the growth of small and medium size enterprises (SME)  and favoring their integration into sectoral value chains. Staff welcomes the progress in the operationalization of the Mohammed VI Investment Fund that should help SMEs access equity financing. Measures that may encourage the development of a more buoyant private sector include strengthening the support for SMEs under the new Charter of Investment, strengthening regional investment centers so they can better help SMEs access the financial and technical resources needed for their growth, and reviewing the labor code, tax system, and regulatory and governance frameworks so as remove the distortion that incentivize firms to remain small or informal. It will also be necessary that the ongoing SOE reform effectively pursues market neutrality between public and private sector firms.

    “The IMF team held discussions with senior officials of the government of Morocco, Bank Al-Maghrib, and representatives of the public and private sectors. The team thanks the Moroccan authorities and other stakeholders for their hospitality and candid and productive discussions.”

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI China: Traditional folk dance as cultural link

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    Drawn by the rhythmic beats of drums and spirited shouts, Thanita Raemee, a 20-year-old Thai exchange student, navigated through winding streets and bustling alleys until she arrived at the dynamic training grounds of the Ximen Women’s Yingge Dance Team.

    Founded in 1952, this pioneering all-female team is the first of its kind in the Chaoshan region of south China’s Guangdong Province, with members ranging from teenagers to nearly 80-year-olds. Performers come from all walks of life — spirited young girls, agile middle-aged men, and even food delivery workers dancing between shifts.

    The Yingge dance, or “dance to the hero’s song,” is a form of folk dance popular in south China’s Guangdong Province. Dating back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), this traditional dance is often performed during traditional Chinese festivals. As a dynamic blend of theater, dance, and martial arts, it was listed among the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage in 2006.

    Once a traditional folk performance, Yingge dance saw a recent surge in popularity. Videos of its energetic routines have flooded social media, earning it the title of the “ultimate Chinese New Year atmosphere booster.”

    While men’s Yingge performances are inspired by the legendary “Water Margin,” one of the four great classical novels in Chinese literature, the women’s routines often draw from the tales of legendary Chinese heroines like Mu Guiying and Hua Mulan.

    Thanita watched in awe as the dancers moved in perfect unison, their forms embodying both strength and grace.

    “Incredible! How do they stay so synchronized? Compared to traditional Thai dance, this feels much more powerful and rhythmic — it’s exhilarating!” she exclaimed.

    “Most of our members are under 20, balancing their studies and work. They train purely out of passion,” said the team’s coach Wu Yanhua, who left her job as a kindergarten teacher to focus on the team’s revival in 2011.

    That passion was evident in every interaction. “My teammates take turns helping me with childcare. Yingge dance is part of my life — I even dream about it,” said a team member Zhou Yixiang while gently rocking her five-month-old baby in a stroller.

    Six-year-old Huang Kexin eagerly demonstrated snake-dance moves she had just learned, hopping and twirling with a delightful burst of playful energy. Meanwhile, 11-year-old Lin Yahan patiently taught Thanita how to grip the Yingge hammer properly, while her twin sister nodded in encouragement.

    During the recently concluded Spring Festival holiday, homestay tourism flourished across China. Shantou, a key city in Chaoshan known for its rich New Year traditions, saw bookings soar 13 times from last year. Lion dance, Yingge dance and other traditional performances have become festival favorites.

    Thanita has family roots in Chaoshan — her father is an overseas Chinese descendant. For her, Yingge dance serves as a bridge between Chinese and Thai cultures. In fact, many in Thailand are already familiar with the dance.

    In early 2023, a Thai Yingge team’s electrifying performance at a shopping mall in Thailand went viral, and later that year, the Yingge cultural exchange group from Thailand visited Chaoshan to engage with local dancers.

    This year, Yingge dance teams from Shantou have also been invited to perform on multiple overseas stages for the Spring Festival celebrations.

    Organized by the Department of Culture and Tourism of Guangdong Province, the 25-member Yingge team toured Germany and France from Jan. 28 to Feb. 4. They performed in cities like Hanau, Frankfurt, Paris, and Lyon, sharing the vibrant charm of Yingge dance.

    Studying international Chinese education at Shantou University, Thanita deeply admires the dedication and enthusiasm of Yingge performers.

    “One of my goals in coming to China was to explore the traditions my ancestors once lived by. Yingge has expanded my understanding of Chaoshan and Chinese culture while revealing the cultural ties between China and Thailand,” she said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Secretary-General on the situation in Gaza

    Source: United Nations – English

    e must avoid at all costs the resumption of hostilities in Gaza that would lead to an immense tragedy.
     
    I appeal to Hamas to proceed with the planned liberation of hostages next Saturday.
     
    Both sides must fully abide by their commitments in the cease-fire agreement and resume serious negotiations in Doha for the second phase.
     
    António Guterres
     

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Yuri Trutnev visited industrial enterprises of Komsomolsk-on-Amur

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Yuri Trutnev visited industrial enterprises of Komsomolsk-on-Amur

    February 11, 2025

    Yuri Trutnev visited industrial enterprises of Komsomolsk-on-Amur

    February 11, 2025

    Yuri Trutnev visited industrial enterprises of Komsomolsk-on-Amur

    February 11, 2025

    Previous news Next news

    Yuri Trutnev visited industrial enterprises of Komsomolsk-on-Amur

    As part of his working visit to Khabarovsk Krai, Deputy Prime Minister and Presidential Plenipotentiary Representative in the Far Eastern Federal District Yuri Trutnev visited the enterprises of PJSC UAC in Komsomolsk-on-Amur – the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aviation Plant named after Yuri Gagarin (KnAAZ) and the production center of PJSC Yakovlev, where the Superjet-100 is assembled, and also visited the investment site for the production of the Baikal aircraft and got acquainted with the work of the Amur Shipbuilding Plant of USC. The Deputy Prime Minister was accompanied on his trip by the Governor of Khabarovsk Krai Dmitry Demeshin.

    At KnAAZ, Yuri Trutnev inspected a new titanium alloy processing shop, an assembly line, including a final assembly shop for Su-35S and Su-57 aircraft, and the construction of new flight test station facilities. The implementation of the project to build facilities and new industrial capacities at KnAAZ are necessary to increase the serial production of fifth-generation aircraft. The Deputy Prime Minister was shown areas where work is being carried out within the framework of cooperation: on the import-substituting Superjet-100 and MS-21.

    In the technocomplex of the production center of PAO Yakovlev, Yuri Trutnev was shown the first line in Russia for the production of doors for the import-substituted version of the Superjet – previously, these units were manufactured abroad. Doors manufactured on the new line meet the most modern aviation safety standards. A specialization center for the production of doors for other Russian civil aircraft is being created on the basis of the technocomplex.

    In the final assembly shop, the director of the production center Andrey Soynov spoke about the current work and prospects of the enterprise. The center, which employs more than 1 thousand people, is preparing for the serial production of fully import-substituted Superjet-100 aircraft. The production modernization program provides for the expansion of the final assembly shop to organize a straight-through conveyor and the construction of a new hangar for the flight test station. The production capacity of the updated enterprise will be at least 20 Superjet-100 aircraft per year.

    “The supply of domestic aircraft for air transportation in the Far East is our priority task. We, like no one else, understand the need to connect the cities of our region. The Yakovlev company has already concluded an agreement on the supply of Superjets to the Aurora airline, and we will make every effort to fulfill this order,” Andrey Soynov emphasized.

    As part of his trip to Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Yuri Trutnev visited an investment site being created for a comprehensive center for the development of regional and unmanned aviation production and the production of the Baikal light multipurpose aircraft. The construction of a production building for the assembly of the Baikal aircraft with the necessary engineering infrastructure is being carried out on the advanced development area in close proximity to the Dzyomgi airfield and the facilities of the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC). Work on the site is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2025. Construction of facilities for the production of the Baikal light aircraft began in January 2024. The project is being implemented on the instructions of President of the country Vladimir Putin and as part of the long-term development plan for Komsomolsk-on-Amur, the activities of which are included in the city’s master plan. Currently, the zero cycle work on the formation of the land plot is being completed, and the pouring of foundations continues. The total area of buildings and structures will be almost 10.4 thousand square meters. m. The complex will produce up to 20 aircraft per year. 80 jobs will be created.

    The developer of the Baikal aircraft is the Ural Works of Civil Aviation (UZGA). The aircraft will be manufactured by UZGA subsidiary Spetsaviatekhnika LLC, a resident of the Khabarovsk priority development area. It is planned that Baikal will be equipped with a domestic VK-800 engine. This aircraft is being created to improve the transport accessibility of remote regions of Russia and to develop local air routes. The key parameters of the aircraft were determined in accordance with the requirements of regional airlines: 2 tons of payload, flight range of 1.5 thousand km, cruising speed of 300 km/h.

    Yuri Trutnev also got acquainted with the work of the Amur Shipyard of USC, one of the largest shipbuilding enterprises in the Far East. During the inspection, the Deputy Prime Minister visited the slipway shop. The management of the enterprise reported on the orders under construction and prospective orders. The Deputy Prime Minister got acquainted with the progress of construction of the new dock-pontoon “Amurets” of project 65911, which is being built for the plant’s own needs as part of the USC dock program.

    The dock-pontoon was laid down in June 2023. Its main purpose is to ensure the removal of factory orders from the workshop and their transfer to the outfitting pier. The company has completed a large amount of work on the construction. On the dock-pontoon, the hull of which is currently being assembled on an open slipway, the assembly joints of the first three blocks have been thoroughly welded and presented to the register, and all assembly work on the fourth has been completed. In March, when the average daily temperature rises to normal, welding work on the dock-pontoon will resume, and the docking of the order hull will continue.

    The plant’s production program includes the construction of a floating transport dock for the transfer of plant orders to the outfitting base in Vladivostok and the reconstruction of the dockside unit of the plant’s outfitting complex. This will allow the enterprise to build a promising line of ships and vessels of greater width and tonnage than is currently possible, and to transport orders to the delivery base in Primorye using its own resources.

    Yuri Trutnev discussed with the General Director of the Amur Shipyard of USC Mikhail Borovsky the issues of the enterprise’s workload in terms of placing orders on the Amur Shipyard’s slipways for the development and maintenance of the oil and gas shelf – supply vessels and ice-class rescue vessels. The plant already has experience in building such orders: in 2018 and 2020, the plant built and handed over to the customer (OOO Gazprom Flot) two supply vessels for work with semi-submersible floating units. The built vessels belong to the highest class of automation and are capable of performing a wide range of tasks – from transporting goods and people to eliminating the consequences of natural disasters and extinguishing fires.

    At the commissioning base of the Amur Shipyard of USC, work is underway to prepare for testing the multifunctional emergency rescue vessel with a capacity of 7 MW, the Kerch Strait, which is being built to operate in high latitudes and has a sufficient margin of safety for sailing in freezing non-Arctic seas.

    “I always come to Komsomolsk-on-Amur with pleasure, because it is a working city. This is a city that protects our country. In this city, wonderful fighters are created, ships are built. We see how the work of the Amur Shipyard has changed. Previously, the enterprise had unresolved issues. And now, when the CEO reports that the enterprise is fully paying off its debts, that it is fully loaded with orders, this is, of course, great. This is good for Khabarovsk Krai, and for Komsomolsk-on-Amur, and for our entire country. The aircraft plant is fully loaded. Much remains to be done for small and large aviation. Work is going well on the Superjet-100 and fighters. We do not forget that we have debts to people for the construction of social facilities in Komsomolsk-on-Amur. And work in this direction will be accelerated. Now I have given a number of instructions and expect that the pace of work will be increased. The administration made a number of mistakes, including in the selection of contractors, but these miscalculations are of no interest to anyone. The main thing is that people get what they expect. We are trying to do this,” Yuri Trutnev summed up the results of his trip to Komsomolsk-on-Amur.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General on the situation in Gaza

    Source: United Nations

    We must avoid at all costs the resumption of hostilities in Gaza that would lead to an immense tragedy.
     
    I appeal to Hamas to proceed with the planned liberation of hostages next Saturday.
     
    Both sides must fully abide by their commitments in the cease-fire agreement and resume serious negotiations in Doha for the second phase.
     
    António Guterres
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: NTES crews deployed to QLD to assist with flood emergency

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    NT Emergency Service deployed 6 volunteers and 1 staff member to Queensland early Sunday, to assist with the current flood emergency unfolding in the far north.

    The region has been impacted by extreme rainfall, resulting in extensive flooding that is expected to continue for several days. Relief and recovery efforts will continue for weeks due to the extent of the flooding and damage across the region.

    The Queensland Government formally requested assistance from all jurisdictions throughout Australia on Tuesday afternoon, promoting a response from NTES who have arranged for a contingent to fly to Townsville commencing on Sunday.

    The team, consisting of volunteers and staff from Darwin, Palmerston, Nhulunbuy and Katherine will assist with relief and recovery tasks such as debris removal, community engagement, flood boat resupply and evacuation centre operations. 

    NT Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner, Andrew Warton, said the NT volunteers were highly trained and up for the task of helping their colleagues at QLD State Emergency Service.

    “Our dedicated volunteers and staff members are more than happy to step up and assist during this critical time,” he said.

    “Given the scale of the flooding emergency, the QLD SES has requested additional capacity to aid in the response efforts. Our first team of six will assist with a range of tasks that they’re well prepared and experienced in delivering”

    “While flooding is not uncommon in North Queensland, the vastness of this event and impact it has had on so many communities in the region is extremely challenging and has exhausted QLD SES resources – out thoughts are with all of those impacted and the selfless volunteers on the front line.”

    This deployment highlights the dedication and core values of NTES. Many of these individuals put their personal lives on hold to assist communities, as well as others in need during times of crisis.

    The recent formation of the NT Fire and Emergency Services, which combines the NT Fire and Rescue Service, NT Emergency Service, and Bushfires NT into one agency, enhances our ability to respond to emergencies while prioritising community resilience.

    Media contact:

    Rickie Abraham

    89239803

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murray, Merkley, Heinrich Lead Western Senators in Letter to Interior Secretary, Acting Agriculture Secretary: Trump’s Illegal Funding Cuts Threaten Wildfire Mitigation Efforts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, joined Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee that funds the Department of the Interior and Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service, and Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, and other Western U.S. Senators in sounding the alarm over reports the Bureau of Land Management issued stop work orders to small businesses and organizations across America related to the removal of hazardous fuels in our public lands and rumors of forthcoming stop work orders at the United States Forest Service. Delaying these treatments even for a short period can mean missing out on the right seasonal and weather conditions for safely treating hazardous fuels. 

    The senators’ letter—addressed to recently confirmed Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Acting Agriculture Secretary Gary Washington—follows President Donald Trump’s illegal executive orders cutting federal funds to mitigate and fight wildfires and comes as communities nationwide prepare for wildfire season.

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

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

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

    The letter was also signed by U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Adam Schiff (D-CA), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

    Full text of the letter is HERE and below:

    Dear Secretary Burgum and Acting Secretary Washington,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Ends the Procurement and Forced Use of Paper Straws

    Source: The White House

    ENDING THE FORCED USE OF PAPER STRAWS: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order to end the procurement and forced use of paper straws.

    • The Federal government is directed to stop purchasing paper straws and ensure they are no longer provided within Federal buildings.
    • The Order requires the development of a National Strategy to End the Use of Paper Straws within 45 days to alleviate the forced use of paper straws nationwide.

    BRINGING BACK COMMON SENSE: The irrational campaign against plastic straws has forced Americans to use nonfunctional paper straws. This ends under President Trump.

    • Cities and states across America have banned paper straws, caving to pressure from woke activists who prioritize symbolism over science.
    • Paper straws use chemicals that may carry risks to human health – including “forever chemical” PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) which are known to be highly water soluble and can bleed from the straw into a drink.
      • A study found that while PFAS were found in paper straws, no measurable PFAS were found in plastic straws. 
    • Paper straws are more expensive than plastic straws, and often force users to use multiple straws.
    • Paper straws are not the eco-friendly alternative they claim to be – studies have shown that producing paper straws can have a larger carbon footprint and require more water than plastic straws.
    • Paper straws often come individually wrapped in plastic, undermining the environmental argument for their use.

    PROMOTING A CLEAN AND HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT: President Trump has made it a top priority to promote a clean and healthy environment for the American people.

    • President Trump’s policies are promoting economic growth, while still maintaining standards that allow Americans to have among the cleanest air and water in the world.
    • This marks a sharp contrast from the previous Administration, which wasted American taxpayer dollars on virtue signaling instead of implementing effective solutions.
      • For instance, the Biden Administration spent billions on electric vehicle charging stations, yet only eight were completed.
    • Meanwhile, President Trump’s commonsense approach to environmental conservation has demonstrated his true commitment to preserving America’s natural resources.
    • President Trump has championed improved forest management in order to prevent forest fires that are devastating communities and ecosystems across the country.
    • By pausing the expansion of windmills, President Trump recognized their detrimental environmental impact, particularly on wildlife, often outweighs their benefits.
    • President Trump signed the Save Our Seas Act to preserve and protect our beautiful waters and oceans from being littered with garbage.  
    • President Trump is committed to securing American energy independence, recognizing that America’s domestic supply of clean coal and natural gas not only strengthens national security but also provides some of the cleanest energy in the world.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Byelections show Labor is in trouble in Victoria – but how much will Peter Dutton benefit?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Strangio, Emeritus Professor of Politics, Monash University

    Is history repeating itself in Labor’s fortress state of Victoria?

    At the 1990 federal election, Bob Hawke’s Labor government had a near-death experience when it lost nine seats in Victoria. A furious Hawke laid the blame squarely at the feet of John Cain’s state Labor government, which was listing badly in its third term due especially to a series of financial calamities.

    Less than six months later, a broken Cain, one of Victoria’s great reformist premiers, resigned. His successor was Joan Kirner, the state’s first woman leader. Despite battling gamely, she was unable to avert a landslide Labor defeat in 1992.

    Wind forward to the present and there are some eerily similar dynamics. Anthony Albanese’s government will shortly head to the polls at a time when Jacinta Allan’s ageing Labor administration is in deep political strife in a state groaning under mountainous public debt.

    Labor decline

    Saturday’s twin byelection results highlight state Labor’s parlous position. In the inner urban seat of Prahran, the ALP was so accepting of its lack of competitiveness that it didn’t field a candidate.

    The Liberal Party achieved a modest primary vote swing of 4.8%, which was enough to snatch the decade-long held Greens seat.

    In the outer western suburban seat of Werribee, Labor’s primary vote collapsed by more than 16%. But the Liberal Party only increased its first vote by a relatively paltry 3.7%. To put that in perspective, the Victorian Socialists enjoyed an equivalent lift in support.

    Inevitably, much ink is being spilt trying to divine what these byelection results portend for the Albanese government. In short, whether the unpopularity of the Allan government threatens to unseat federal Labor and open the door to a Peter Dutton prime ministership.

    State stronghold

    Victoria has been a citadel for the ALP, both state and federal, for decades. John Howard’s dubbing of the state as the “Massachusetts of Australia” has become almost cliched so often it is invoked by journalists as a shorthand way of describing Victoria’s predisposition for left-of-centre voting behaviour. It is a label first ascribed to Victoria in the 19th century showing how long it has been known for its progressive political temperament. It is a trait coiled in the state’s political DNA.

    Following the 2022 federal election, the Coalition held only 11 out of 39 seats in Victoria. The Liberals were nearly banished entirely from metropolitan Melbourne, where they now hold just two electorates, Deakin and Menzies (the fringe outer suburban seats of Casey and La Trobe are classified by the AEC as rural and provincial respectively).

    To compound matters, boundary redistributions have since wiped out the Liberals’ margin in Deakin and turned Menzies into a notional Labor seat. All of this means that the federal Coalition must perform substantially better in Victoria, and specifically Melbourne, if its to have a viable path to power.

    State Labor’s political doldrums have offered some hope to Dutton, who is targeting four seats in Victoria, and at a stretch, five: Aston, Chisholm, Goldstein (held by the Teal, Zoe Daniel), McEwen and Dunkley. Notably, only three of those seats – Aston, McEwen and Dunkley – are outer suburban. And the latter is considered the least likely to fall.

    Dutton’s pitch to the suburbs

    Nonetheless, the outer suburbs are a key to Dutton’s election strategy. It’s where he is seeking a major realignment of Australia’s electoral politics by pillaging traditional Labor working class and lower middle class voters.

    This strategy isn’t unprecedented. The so-called “battler” vote was a component, albeit exaggerated, of John Howard’s formula for electoral success as he reoriented the Liberal Party towards conservative populism. Dutton is aggressively doubling down on that pivot.

    The Werribee result, however, can hardly be construed as a harbinger of Liberals storming the ramparts of the outer suburbs. The party’s primary vote in the byelection was only 29%, indicating voters in such areas, which are characterised by breakneck growth and a tsunami of demographic change, are still wary of the local Liberals.

    That scepticism is understandable. For years now, the Victorian Liberal party has been deeply dysfunctional. It has been consumed by ideological and personal feuds, out of sync with the state’s progressive attitudes, low on talent, and seemingly habituated to reposing in opposition rather than presenting as a serious alternative government.

    But, even allowing for such Victorian specific factors (and it is far from the only under-performing Liberal division across the country – think of South Australia and Western Australia), the Werribee result suggests Dutton’s outer suburban focus will not easily yield sizeable dividends, and certainly not in one electoral cycle. It will be a slow burn at best.

    In the meantime, if the Liberals are to win government, they will need to make up ground in inner and middle metropolitan electorates, including Teal-held seats, to which Dutton is far less attuned.

    Major party disenchantment

    What Saturday’s byelections mostly underscored is the dissatisfaction with all of the established parties, including the Greens, whose vote flat-lined in both Prahran and Werribee.

    The disenchantment was expressed in the approximate one third of votes that went to a melange of other parties or independent candidates. This is consistent with the trend that so dramatically materialised at the 2022 federal election when a fractious public voted along increasingly fragmented lines.

    Rather than any party enjoying a grand sweep of the outer suburbs or elsewhere, that is what we can expect at the impending federal election: volatility and unpredictability which is confirmed as the new normal.

    In the past, Paul Strangio received funding from the Australian Research Council.

    – ref. Byelections show Labor is in trouble in Victoria – but how much will Peter Dutton benefit? – https://theconversation.com/byelections-show-labor-is-in-trouble-in-victoria-but-how-much-will-peter-dutton-benefit-249479

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Explainer: what does it actually mean to ‘firm’ renewables?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peta Ashworth, Professor and Director, Curtin Institute for Energy Transition, Curtin University

    Large power grids are among the most complicated machines humans have ever devised. Different generators produce power at various times and at various costs. A generator might fail and another fills the gap. Demand soars in the evenings and on hot days. In Australia, eastern and southern states trade power across borders. Meanwhile, Western Australia has two grids and the Northern Territory has several.

    But these complicated machines are undergoing major change, as we shift from large fossil fuel plants to cleaner forms of power. Wind and sun are now the cheapest way to produce electricity. These renewable sources will soon overtake coal and gas – they’re already averaging 40% of power flowing through the national grid.

    Solar and wind are often called “variable” renewable energy sources. Variable, here, refers to the fact the sun doesn’t always shine and the wind doesn’t always blow. On sunny, windy days we get lots of cheap power. But on still nights, we might get little.

    This is where “firming” comes in. To firm renewables is to convert this cheap but variable source of power into what we really want: a reliable supply of electricity, there when we need it. Big battery projects are one way to do it. But there are others.

    Solar and wind are often called ‘variable’ renewable energy sources.
    Damitha Jayawardena/Shutterstock

    How does firming work?

    Storage is the best known way to firm renewables. As floods of cheap power come in, you can store it for later use.

    Storage can be performed by grid-scale batteries, where the power is stored directly. But it can also be done by pumped hydro, where water is pumped uphill when power is cheap and plentiful and run back downhill, through turbines, when power is harder to source.

    Firming can also be done by virtual power plants – aggregated fleets of smaller batteries in homes and electric vehicles.

    Gas peaking plants are another way of firming renewables. In the future, gas plants will go from being a mainstay to the equivalent of a backup generator, fired up only when needed.

    Generally, energy storage facilities offer either short- or long-term firming. As more renewable power enters Australia’s grids, we will need both. This is because they offer different levels of storage and response times.

    Short term can be as short as seconds to a few hours. Batteries are a common way to provide short-term firming, because they can ramp up very quickly to tackle sudden fluctuations in supply or demand. These fast-response systems help stabilise the grid by smoothing out spikes caused by changing weather.

    Long-term firming can be for hours, days or even weeks. This includes large-scale battery storage or back-up generators such as gas plants. Long-term options are crucial to maintain power supply during extended periods of low renewable generation, such as still, cold days and nights in winter.

    Firming turns cheap solar and wind into reliable, stable power.
    Taras Vyshnya/Shutterstock

    How are we tracking with firming renewables?

    In recent years, large-scale battery announcements have ramped up. Almost 8 gigawatts of battery capacity is now in progress or anticipated to start construction shortly. But the pipeline of future projects is much larger: 75 gigawatts of firming will be required.

    While renewable power is cheap, to make it useful and reliable in addition to storage, we need transmission lines to connect large renewable zones to cities and towns. All this adds extra costs.

    As the level of renewables in our power grids inches higher, firming costs increase. This is especially true when a grid goes from 95% to 100% renewables, when there’s a sudden jump in cost.

    This is why experts have argued for keeping a few gas peaking plants. While they are not emission-free, they are flexible and can start up much more rapidly than coal. They will likely play a key role in firming the grid during renewable droughts and extreme demand – an estimated 5% of the year. That sounds small, but they will be essential.

    Eventually, gas peaking plants could switch to hydrogen, if the fuel becomes cost effective. This would cut emissions further.

    Firming – at home?

    Homes with batteries can also help firm the network by joining a virtual power plant. These networks of batteries can be digitally coordinated to function as a single power plant, helping stabilise the grid.

    If a home owner signs up to a virtual power plant program, they hand over some control in return for income. Technologies such as this can support grid stability by charging or discharging in response to supply fluctuations.

    These networks are a flexible energy resource. They can inject power to the grid instantly if there’s a sudden drop in solar or wind generation. They can also soak up surplus energy.

    These aren’t hypothetical. Several are running or in development in Australia, such as the AGL virtual power plant in South Australia, SolarHub in New South Wales and the new ARENA-funded Project Jupiter in Western Australia, which will commence soon.

    Is firming helping?

    Firming technologies are already helping in high-renewable grids overseas. Big batteries now allow California’s grid to absorb more renewables, by soaking up daytime solar and releasing it at evening peak.

    Power from renewables such as solar need to be firmed to maximise use in the grid.
    The Desert Photo/Shutterstock

    We’re seeing the benefits of firming locally, too.

    On January 20 this year, a heatwave in Western Australia triggered a new record for peak electricity demand – 4.4 gigawatts – in the state’s main electricity network, the South West Interconnected System.

    In response, recently built battery storage at Kwinana, Collie, and Cunderdin stored excess power and discharged it at peak times.

    The next day, dense clouds swept in, slashing solar output and reducing peak demand. In response, gas generators increased output to firm the grid.

    Firming technologies are already playing a vital role in keeping our electricity supply stable, reliable and resilient – and it’s just the start.

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

    – ref. Explainer: what does it actually mean to ‘firm’ renewables? – https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-does-it-actually-mean-to-firm-renewables-248134

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Parliamentary statement on antisemitism

    Source: New South Wales Premiere

    A holy synagogue defiled by a hateful swastika.

    A childcare centre deliberately set on fire. 

    Nazi slogans – copied from the darkest pages of history – spraypainted across Jewish cars and Jewish property.   

    To a person, these have been cowardly acts, conducted under the cover of darkness, designed to bully and intimidate and threaten the Jewish people of our great state.

    But we are here today, as a parliament, as representatives of this open and tolerant state, to say in an unambiguous way that this campaign of hatred will fail.

    It will fail – because the Jewish community is strong.

    It will fail – because our Jewish friends have an entire state behind them – with the laws and the resources and the solidarity needed to destroy the poison of antisemitism wherever it takes root.

    Mr Speaker, the Jewish people of New South Wales are proud, but they are understandably exhausted.

    As one parent told the media earlier this month: “I’m just tired. I want it to stop. I am sick of waking up to find out something else has happened.”

    Some of the stories we are hearing will break your heart.

    Of schoolkids – who are now afraid to wear their uniforms in public as they walk down the street to their local school.

    Or of parents – who have started driving their kids everywhere – so they don’t have to risk a trip on the bus or the train. 

    We will not be a state where someone feels like they have to remove their yarmulke just to walk down the street.

    Where people are made to hide their heritage – because of the ignorance, the bigotry, the racism of other people – people they’ve never met before.

    Mr Speaker, that has never been New South Wales. 

    And today – and in coming sessions of parliament – we will introduce new and stronger laws that target this kind of antisemitism and racial hatred.

    These laws we hope will send the clearest possible message.

    These are serious crimes.

    And if you’re going to commit these acts – if you are thinking about spreading racial hatred on our streets –you will face these full penalties.

    These changes include:

    • A new offence targeting the display of Nazi symbols on or near a synagogue.
    • An act to create an aggravated offence for graffiti on a place of worship.
    • Laws designed to stop people from harassing other people, or intimidating other people from recognising their religion and worshipping at religious buildings.

    We’re also backing these laws in as well, Mr Speaker, with more funding for the Hate Crime Unit in the NSW Police.

    More training and support for local councils. 

    We believe they’re strong laws, that will be a genuine deterrent, and we want to put resources behind them.

    And send a message that if you’re going to get involved in this kind of bastardry: the police will track you down – they will find you – and you will be punished. 

    Mr Speaker, one public act of antisemitism is too many.

    A summer of rolling hatred is obviously intolerable.

    Operation Shelter, stood up by the NSW Police, has arrested 173 people – with over 460 charges.

    Strike Force Pearl is now targeting vandalism and arson, and we’ve doubled the number of detectives on the case.

    But we do recognise that no one in this place will be judged by the laws we pass, or the taskforces that are established.

    We’ll be judged by the crimes that are stopped – and the feeling of safety that can return to our community as a result.

    I know David Ossip is here today as President of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies. I’d like to acknowledge his guidance and support as well as his personal strength and leadership throughout these very difficult times.  

    Mr Speaker, for as long as modern Australia has existed, Jewish people have made their home in this state.

    In 1788, there were eight Jews on the First Fleet.

    They were victims of poverty in East London, like later Jewish migrants who were fleeing pogroms in Eastern Europe, and those who settled here after the great evil of the Shoah.

    For generations of Jewish people, Australia has offered a promise.

    And that promise has been very simple.

    Despite centuries of horrifying violence – Australia would be different.

    Australia would be safe.

    This would be a country that accepts and celebrates these ancient people – a place where this community could live and prosper in peace.

    In the 1860s, a Rabbi travelled here from Jerusalem, Rabbi Jacob Levi Saphir, and he was amazed at what he found: “The Jews live in safety and take their share in all good things of the country.

    “In this land, they have learnt that the Jews are good people, and hatred towards them has entirely disappeared.”

    This is in 1860, Mr Speaker.

    I think it’s important we observe that the vast, vast majority of Australians of different ethnicities, nationalities, faiths, religions celebrate and love our Jewish friends and fellow citizens.

    We work together – we often send our kids to the same schools – we live side by side.

    In a democratic country like Australia there will be debate about foreign policy issues, wars, conflicts, rights.

    And of course that includes the Middle East.

    I have to say Mr Speaker, I’ve found that most Australians – regardless of their race, religion or perspective – want, would argue for, and indeed many pray for, Israeli and Palestinian children to live in peace in that holy land – and an end to all wars.

    We must, however, make it absolutely clear that nothing that happens overseas, in any context can ever be used as a pretext for hate, antisemitism or division here in Australia.

    People have come from around the world – from different races and religions – because we are a peaceful, tolerant country that has been free of this kind of racial or religious division and ancient hatreds.

    And we can’t bend on this principle. 

    No one is entitled to bring their bigotry to our country – and we won’t tolerate it.

    In New South Wales – we will never harbour the poison of antisemitism.

    Antisemitism is a particularly sinister, shape shifting in form, and the bigotry is widespread. 

    So often – what has begun as hate speech against the Jewish people has led to violence, it has led to persecution, it’s led to murder, and it’s led to genocide.

    That is the reason we’re here today.

    As a state – as a community – as a Parliament – as friends and neighbours – so that we can root out this kind of behaviour – and end this shameful chapter of the history of the state.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hassan, Shaheen Help Reintroduce Bipartisan SHRED Act to Keep Ski Fees Local, Support New Hampshire Recreation Management

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Maggie Hassan

    (Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) helped reintroduce the Ski Hill Resources for Economic Development (SHRED) Act, led by U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO) and John Barrasso (R-WY). The bipartisan bill would fuel investment in outdoor recreation in mountain communities by enabling National Forests like the White Mountain National Forest to retain a portion of the annual fees paid by ski areas operating within their boundaries. 

    “During the winter, New Hampshire’s stunning White Mountains and impressive ski slopes attract Granite State residents and tourists alike – making it a key pillar of our outdoor recreation economy,” said Shaheen. “This bipartisan bill will reinvest ski fees to improve ski areas and support overall recreation in the White Mountain National Forest. I’ll continue supporting commonsense investments in our recreation economy to benefit local communities and preserve our landscapes for generations to come.”    

    “New Hampshire’s ski resorts are cornerstones of our winter tourism industry and our state’s economy,” said Hassan. “The SHRED Act is a commonsense, bipartisan bill that will help strengthen our local communities by ensuring that ski fees are invested in maintaining and improving the places that make New Hampshire a premier destination for winter sports. This legislation will benefit both our local communities and the millions of visitors who come to experience the Granite State’s natural beauty.” 

    In exchange for using some of America’s most stunning forestlands, the 124 ski areas operating on Forest Service lands across the country pay fees to the Forest Service that average over $40 million annually. The SHRED Act would establish a framework for local National Forests to retain a portion of ski fees to offset increased recreational use and support local ski permit and program administration. The SHRED Act also provides the Forest Service with flexibility to direct resources where they are needed the most.  

    Specifically, the SHRED Act would invest in the Granite State by:  

    • Keeping Ski Fees Local: By establishing a Ski Area Fee Retention Account to retain the fees that ski areas pay to the Forest Service. For National Forests that generate ski fees, 80 percent of those fees are available for authorized uses at the local National Forest. The remaining 20 percent of those fees would be available to assist any National Forests with winter or broad recreation needs.   
    • Supporting Winter Recreation: In each forest, 75 percent of the retained funds are directly available to support the Forest Service Ski Area Program and permitting needs, process proposals for ski area improvement projects, provide information for visitors and prepare for wildfire. Any excess funds can be directed to other National Forests with winter or broad recreation needs. 
    • Addressing Broad Recreation Needs: In each forest, 25 percent of the retained funds are available to support a broad set of year-round local recreation management and community needs, including special use permit administration, visitor services, trailhead improvements, facility maintenance, search and rescue activities, avalanche information and education, habitat restoration at recreation sites and affordable workforce housing. This set-aside would dramatically increase some Forest Service unit’s budgets to meet the growing visitation and demand for outdoor recreation.  

    Shaheen and Hassan have long led efforts in Congress that support and invest in New Hampshire’s tourism and travel industries that fuel local economies across the state. Shaheen led her bipartisan Outdoor Recreation Jobs and Economic Impact Act into law to require the federal government to measure the impact of the outdoor recreation on the economy. In November 2024, Shaheen applauded the release of an annual report showing a $1.2 trillion economic contribution by the outdoor recreation sector in 2023, including adding $3.9 billion to New Hampshire’s economy. In New Hampshire, outdoor recreation accounts for 3.4% of gross domestic product (GDP) and employs 32,000 people, which is a 2.9% increase in jobs. 

    Shaheen and Hassan led efforts to help secure full funding and permanent authorization for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), which has helped protect more than 2.5 million acres of land and supported tens of thousands of state and local outdoor recreation projects throughout the nation. In 2020, the Senators helped lead the Great American Outdoors Act into law to permanently fund the LWCF and provide mandatory funding for deferred maintenance on public lands.   

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: At CFPB Headquarters, Warren Sounds Alarm on Elon Musk’s Attack against Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren

    February 10, 2025

    “Donald Trump ran his campaign on lowering costs for working families…now he and his co-president, Elon Musk, have tried to shut down the agency that has delivered $21 billion to hardworking families.”

    “Congress built [the CFPB], and no one other than Congress — not Donald Trump, not Elon Musk, no one – can fire the financial cops.”

    Video of Remarks

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs (BHUA), delivered remarks at the headquarters of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) in defense of the agency. The rally comes in response to billionaire Elon Musk and Project 2025 architect Russ Vought attempting to shut down the CFPB. 

    Transcript: Rally to Defend the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
    February 10, 2025 
    As Delivered

    Senator Elizabeth Warren: I am so glad to be here with you today. My name is Elizabeth Warren, and I’m here with you to fight for our Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. 

    The CFPB is the cop on the beat, and that cop is the one that caught the crooks and, so far, has made them give back $21 billion. 

    That cop is the one that put that $21 billion right back into the hands of the American people who got cheated.  

    That cop is the one who has worked, day by day, to get your money back when some slimeball decided they could cheat you and there wouldn’t be anything you can do about it.

    Now, the CFPB is the little agency that has fought for us, and we’re here today to fight for the CFPB. Let’s give a huge cheer for the CFPB!  

    Donald Trump ran his campaign on lowering costs for working families. Yeah, now, he and his co-president, Elon Musk, have tried to shut down the agency that has delivered $21 billion to hardworking families. $21 billion to people who got cheated—and Trump and Musk want to just take that agency away.   

    Donald Trump and Elon Musk have told the financial cops at the CFPB to stand down. Now, think about this – I want you to think about this for a minute – no matter how big the scam, no matter how bold the trap, they have said just stand by and let the Wall Street boys take your money.  

    Well, we are here to fight back! We want our financial cops back on the beat! 

    This is a fight – and I want you to watch who this fight is between – this is a fight between millions of hardworking people, who just don’t want to get cheated, and a handful of billionaires like Elon Musk who want the chance to cheat them. 

    So here’s how we have to think about this: for every person who wants to buy a home without getting scammed, this fight is your fight.

    For every family that doesn’t want to get put out on the street in an illegal foreclosure, this is your fight.

    For every student who wants to borrow money to go to school without getting defrauded, this is your fight.

    For every member of our military who doesn’t want to get trapped by some sleazy payday lender – say it with me: this is your fight. 

    For every person who borrows money to buy a car and doesn’t want to get trapped in the fine print, this is your fight.

    For every American who doesn’t want to see Wall Street crash our economy again, this is your fight.  

    And for every American who doesn’t want some weird Elon Musk suck-up searching through your personal, private data, this is your fight.

    Your fight, my fight, our fight—and we will win this fight!

    Because, understand this – this fight is about more than one little agency.

    This fight is about more than just our financial rules and regulations.

    This fight is about more than just Democrat versus Republican politics. 

    This fight is about hardworking people versus the billionaires who want to squeeze more and more and more money out of them. And now, now is our time to put a stop to this!

    Look, these damn billionaires are making their moves right out in the open. Look at Elon. Please. No, just look. He invested $288 million to buy an election for Donald Trump. And now he is right here to collect on that investment.  

    Elon Musk owns “X,” which has been losing money like crazy. So Elon has a plan for a new payment platform called “X Money”. Elon wants X Money to touch every part of your financial life. 

    But Elon has got a problem: the financial cops. The CFPB is there to make sure that Elon’s new project can’t scam you or steal your sensitive personal data. So Elon’s solution? Get rid of the cops. Kill the CFPB. 

    This is like a bank robber trying to fire the cops and turn off the alarms just before he strolls into the lobby.

    We are here to fight back!  

    So I’ve got to ask: are you ready to stand up to the scammers?

    Are you ready to push back against the fraudsters?

    Are you ready to say no to Elon Musk?

    Look, after the 2008 financial crash and the big bank bailout, Congress created the CFPB to protect people from getting swindled.  

    Congress built it, and no one other than Congress — not Donald Trump, not Elon Musk, no one can fire the financial cops. 

    We are fighting back, and understand this: there is power in fighting back. Real power. We, the people, not Elon Musk, we the people have the real power in this country—and we are going to use that power.  

    So here it is: are you ready to fight for the little agency that fights for us? Are you ready to fight the billionaires who are trying to take over this country? Are you ready to say no to Elon Musk? 

    We will fight it out in Congress. We will fight it out in the courts. We will fight it out all across this country—and I promise you, we will win.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Fire trail upgrades for NSW opal fields

    Source: New South Wales Government 2

    Headline: Fire trail upgrades for NSW opal fields

    Published: 11 February 2025

    Released by: Minister for Lands and Property

    Northwest communities around the Lightning Ridge opal fields are now better protected from bushfires following the Minns Labor Government’s completion of more than $1.35 million in fire trail upgrades and other protection works.

    At Lightning Ridge, a network of 34 fire trails spanning approximately 28 kilometres has been established through upgrades to existing access tracks on a Crown land reserve managed by the Lightning Ridge Area Opal Reserve.

    A further 6 fire trails at Grawin covering about 6.7 kilometres, and 13 fire trails at Glengarry covering about 17 kilometres upgrades were also undertaken.

    Work included hazard reduction burns, the removal of excess vegetation, and improving fire trails to meet Rural Fire Service standards. Upgrades involved grading, drainage improvements to prevent erosion, and compacted gravel surfacing of some trails for year-round access. Turning and passing bays were also installed to support firefighting efforts. 

    Separately, Crown Lands and the Rural Fire Service collaborated on a $34,500 project to install and fence a 110,000-litre water supply tank to support firefighting at Grawin and surrounds.

    These critical upgrades undertaken by Crown Lands, with the support of the Soil Conservation Service, Rural Fire Service, Lightning Ridge Area Opal Reserve land manager, Walgett Shire Council, and community members will improve emergency access and help safeguard residents, businesses, and the local environment from the threat of bushfires.

    Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper said:

    “These critical fire trail upgrades enable firefighters to do their job battling bushfires.

    They are imperative to improving emergency access to help keep communities protected against bushfires.

    There are over 1,180 fires trails on Crown land across NSW covering over 2,120 kilometres and over 660 hectares of bushfire asset protection zones, with Crown Lands delivering projects each year to help guard against bushfires.”

    Member for Barwon Roy Butler said:

    “Following the recent bushfires in the Lightning Ridge area and the massive effort from firefighters to contain it, this is incredibly welcome news from the NSW Government, and I hope this work continues throughout NSW.

    Firefighters rely on a network of roads, trails, and tracks to prevent, manage, and contain bushfires. Maintaining NSW’s fire trails by removing excess fuel loads is critical to keeping firefighters safe and helping them reduce the risk and impact of fires on people, property, and the environment.

    Reducing fuel loads also significantly reduces the severity and impact of bushfires and assists emergency services in controlling and managing them.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Europe vows to defend interests amid new US tariff threats

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Flags of the European Union fly outside the Berlaymont Building, the European Commission headquarters, in Brussels, Belgium, Jan. 29, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    The European Commission on Monday rejected the rationale for new U.S. tariffs on European exports, vowing to protect businesses, workers, and consumers across the bloc.

    The statement came after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to impose 25-percent tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports, reigniting fears of a transatlantic trade war.

    European Union (EU) leaders swiftly condemned the proposed tariffs, which are expected to be formally announced later on Monday. The Commission said there is “no justification” for the U.S. measures, calling them unlawful and economically harmful, particularly given the deeply integrated EU-U.S. supply and production chains.

    With European leaders signaling their readiness to retaliate, concerns are growing that the looming trade dispute could strain economic ties and disrupt global markets.

    Tariffs could backfire

    The European Commission, the EU’s executive body, strongly criticized the proposed tariffs, warning they would ultimately hurt U.S. businesses and consumers.

    “Tariffs are essentially taxes,” it said in a statement, emphasizing that the move would increase costs for American companies, drive inflation, heighten economic uncertainty, and disrupt global market integration. Given the deep interdependence between European and American industries, the EU warned that such measures would be counterproductive, effectively imposing taxes on U.S. citizens as well.

    European officials fear a repeat of 2018, when Trump’s previous steel and aluminum tariffs triggered swift EU retaliation. At the time, Brussels imposed countermeasures on U.S. goods such as whiskey, motorcycles, and orange juice.

    With the formal announcement of the new U.S. tariffs expected later on Monday, European leaders are bracing for another escalation in trade tensions.

    EU weighs retaliation

    France was among the first to respond to Trump’s tariff threat, with Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot warning on Monday that the EU would retaliate if the proposed tariffs take effect.

    “There is no hesitation when it comes to defending our interests,” Barrot told French television TF1, recalling how the EU countered similar tariffs in 2018 and vowing to take the same approach if necessary.

    Germany, Europe’s largest economy, is also preparing for action. A spokesperson for the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action stated that while the EU and Germany are working to prevent the tariffs, they stand ready to implement countermeasures if needed.

    During a televised debate on Sunday ahead of upcoming elections, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz warned that the EU could “act within an hour” if Trump proceeds with tariffs on European goods.

    Industry leaders are also pushing for a firm response. Gunnar Groebler, president of the German Steel Association, urged the EU to react in a “united, strategic, and swift manner” to counter the tariff threat. “The U.S. is the largest buyer of European steel, importing around 1 million tonnes of mostly special steels from Germany alone each year,” he noted.

    A lose-lose scenario

    French President Emmanuel Macron cautioned that tariffs on EU goods would not be in the interests of the United States.

    “If Washington imposes tariffs across multiple sectors, it will drive up the cost of goods and fuel inflation in the United States,” Macron said, pointing out that European savings play a crucial role in financing the U.S. economy.

    Economic experts share Macron’s concerns. Paul Johnson, director of the London-based Institute for Fiscal Studies, warned that Trump’s planned tariffs could push up interest rates worldwide, having ripple effects on global monetary policy.

    “It is going to create additional inflation, at the very least, in the United States, and that will have knock-on effects globally, particularly on interest rates,” Johnson explained.

    Ferdinand Dudenhoeffer, a German automotive expert, argued that Trump is leveraging economic power to siphon off jobs and prosperity from other countries through his tariff policies. “He knows no friends or enemies. Even U.S. car manufacturers GM and Ford would suffer considerably from tariffs on cars from Canada and Mexico,” he said.

    Dudenhoeffer noted that U.S. net vehicle imports totaled 5.6 million units in 2024. “Trump might ask how many jobs could be created if all these vehicles were produced domestically,” he said.

    Despite the growing alarm, some analysts hold that the impact of Trump’s tariffs may be limited. Christian Helmenstein, chief economist of the Federation of Austrian Industries, described Trump’s plan as an “unfriendly pinprick” but not a severe blow.

    He told the Austrian newspaper Kurier that the U.S. imports about a quarter of its steel needs, with much of it coming from Canada, Brazil, Mexico, and South Korea rather than Europe.

    But Harald Oberhofer, an economist at the Austrian Institute of Economic Research, described Trump’s tariff plans as “an economically high-risk game.”

    He pointed out that the United States was Austria’s largest export growth market last year amid weak overall exports and a trade war could further weaken Austria’s already fragile economy, which is projected to grow by just 0.6 percent this year.

    As Trump moves closer to making his tariff announcement official, European leaders are making their stance clear: if the U.S. imposes new trade barriers, the EU stands ready to defend its economic interests with countermeasures.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Israel orders military readiness

    Source: China State Council Information Office

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER: LOCAL COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS CAUGHT IN CROSSFIRE OF FUNDING FREEZE CHAOS; STANDING AT SCHENECTADY’S HOMETOWN HEALTH CENTER, SENATOR DEMANDS ANSWERS ON HHS BLACKOUTS TO PROTECT HEALTHCARE…

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer
    Community Health Centers Across U.S. Are Facing Unexplained Payment Portal Shutdowns, In Other States Forcing Closures & Halting Treatment In Other States – And Healthcare Leaders Fear NY Could Be Next 
    Schumer Says NY-ers Need Answers, CHCs Cannot Operate On Uncertainty; And With CHC Funding Cliff Next Month If Congress Doesn’t Act 2.4+ Million NY-er’s Could Be Left High And Dry On Healthcare
    Schumer: We Can’t Let Funding Freeze Chaos & Confusion Turn Into A Catastrophe For NY’s Community Health Centers
    Standing at Schenectady’s Hometown Health Centers Dental Clinic, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer demanded immediate answers from the HHS amid funding delays and recurring portal shutdowns in the fallout of Trump’s funding freeze fiasco. Community Health Centers (CHCs), which uniquely rely on federal funding, are now closing and even laying off staff across the country as a result of these unexplained disruptions, and Schumer said we need these payment systems fixed now to ensure doctors can continue vital healthcare services.
    The senator is also sounding the alarm on the looming expiration of CHC’s main federal funding program next month if Congress doesn’t act, which was set to be extended last year, until Elon Musk sunk the bipartisan spending agreement. Schumer said with DOGE and the Trump Administration’s indiscriminate cutting, CHCs are at serious risk of the chopping block, but he is leading the charge to protect this lifeline for 110,000+ in the Capital Region and millions across America.
    “Amid Trump’s funding freeze fiasco, Community Health Centers in the Capital Region have been caught in the crossfire. Repeated shutdowns of HHS websites, missed payments, and now we are seeing CHCs across the countries have to layoff staff or close because they are not getting the funding they need,” said Senator Schumer. “Community Health Centers are the backbone of healthcare for Upstate NY. That is especially true here in the Capital Region with Hometown Health Center in Schenectady, Whitney Young in Albany, and Hudson Headwaters in Glens Falls and throughout the Adirondacks. That’s why I’m calling on HHS to take immediate action to ensure CHCs receive the funds and answers they deserve. Doctors cannot provide healthcare with uncertainty and instability.”
    Schumer added, “With CHCs facing a looming funding cliff next month, at a time when DOGE is cutting indiscriminately, there is serious concern that chaos and confusion could turn to catastrophe for NY’s Community Health Centers. We need to make protecting this lifeline for millions a top priority and immediate action to provide answers and fixes for the current problems. And I will be leading the charge to ensure DOGE keep their hands off our healthcare.”
    Schumer explained CHCs like Hometown Health Centers in Schenectady, Whitney Young in Albany, and Hudson Headwaters in Warren County and throughout the Adirondacks uniquely rely on federal funding, but that if these blackouts continue it could result in disaster for NY like we are seeing in other parts of the country. Schenectady’s Hometown Health Center receives nearly $290,000 a month in federal funding; that’s over $3.5 million a year. Federal funding makes up 17% of its total operating budget, and delays or cuts would have serious impacts on their bottom line and care.
    According to CHCANYS, CHCs provide healthcare to 110,000+ people in the Capital Region and over 2.4 million New Yorkers. Community Health Centers in New York and across the country are worried because, following the funding freeze fiasco, many CHCs cannot access federal funds. Trump signed an executive order cutting off funding for some healthcare services, and although that memo was later rescinded, CHCs are confused about what services they can provide without fear that their funding will be cut off.
    Some Community Health Centers across the country have been forced to lay off staff or even halt operations, and NY healthcare leaders are worried NY could be next if the situation does not improve, and Schumer said that cannot happen.
    Schumer said that if blackouts continue and federal funding is not renewed for CHCs next month in the government funding agreement it would leave many Americans with limited access to affordable healthcare. Last year, Schumer and colleagues negotiated a bipartisan healthcare deal that would reauthorize CHC funding, but Congressional Republicans walked away following pressure from Elon Musk. Schumer said he will be leading Senate Democrats to fight to protect funding for CHCs and Medicaid and called on his colleagues across the aisle to return to their bipartisan agreement to protect Community Health Centers across the country. 
    Schumer explained the HHS and Medicaid portal shutdowns are part of larger confusion surrounding President Trump’s executive order freezing all federal funding. Recurring portal shutdowns continue to jeopardize reimbursements and healthcare access for nearly 7 million New Yorkers on Medicaid, including 210,000+ people in the Capital Region. Last week, Elon Musk and his “DOGE” gained access to the payment system creating further uncertainty about the status of payments. CHCs are concerned about their ability to pay staff and rent without reliable access to the portal. Schumer is leading the charge for answers on the payment portal shutdowns and demanding reassurance from the administration that Community Health Centers will receive the payments they are owed and need to continue providing healthcare. 
    A copy of Schumer’s original letter with Senator Wyden to HHS can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy, Blumenthal, Colleagues Introduce SECURE Firearm Storage Act To Reduce Gun Violence From Stolen Firearms

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

    February 10, 2025

    WASHINGTON–U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) introduced bicameral legislation aimed at reducing gun violence by preventing the theft of firearms from federally-licensed gun dealers (FFLs). The Safety Enhancements for Communities Using Reasonable and Effective (SECURE) Firearm Storage Act would address the problem of “smash and grab” gun store burglaries by requiring all firearms to be securely stored when a federally-licensed gun dealer is not open for business. Additionally, the bill would authorize the Attorney General to review and put forth additional security measures to reduce the risk of theft, and require a new section on the FFL application for an applicant to describe security plans before a license can be approved.
    “Every day, we see the consequences of stolen guns being used in crimes that devastate families and communities across this country. Gun dealers need to take simple steps to secure their inventory, just like any other business that sells dangerous products. It’s about basic responsibility—if you’re selling deadly weapons in your store, you should have to lock them up when you close.” said Murphy.
    “Thousands of guns disappear each year during gun store burglaries – posing a serious public safety threat when these firearms show up again in the wrong hands. Responsible gun storage requirements for gun retailers are critical to preventing senseless and unnecessary deaths in our communities. I am proud to support the SECURE Firearm Storage Act, which strengthens sensible safety standards and would save countless lives, and I will continue to fight to put an end to the scourge of gun violence,” said Blumenthal.
    Gun thefts from FFLs are a significant problem across the country.  In 2023, FFLs reported 13,301 guns to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) as lost through burglaries, larceny, robberies, or simply missing from inventory. These guns frequently end up being used in crime; one study found that between 2012 and 2018, nearly 14,800 guns recovered in crimes had been reported as lost or stolen from gun dealers.
    Thefts of guns from FFLs can be deterred by reasonable security measures, and FFLs that fail to take such measures have been the targets of recent burglaries. For example, last September, multiple suspects allegedly broke into a gun store in Springfield, Maryland, and stole 14 guns. Last May, a 14-year-old was arrested and charged with 16 counts of firearm theft stemming from a FFL burglary in New Castle, Delaware. Last February, two suspects allegedly burglarized a store in Virginia, taking six handguns. Such thefts could be deterred or prevented if FFLs ensured that their guns were stored securely.
    U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), and Ed Markey (D-Mass.) also cosponsored the legislation.
    The legislation has been endorsed by Brady United Against Gun Violence, Everytown for Gun Safety, and GIFFORDS.
    To decrease the loss or theft of guns from FFLs, the SECURE Firearm Storage Act would take several commonsense measures to reduce firearm loss by:
    Requiring FFLs, when their premises are closed, to secure all firearms in their inventory either by fastening them to an anchored steel rod or storing them in a locked safe or gun cabinet;
    Requiring FFLs to store all paper records of firearms transactions in a secure location so the records can be preserved in case they are needed for crime gun tracing investigations;
    Authorizing the Attorney General to prescribe regulations with additional security requirements relating to alarm and security cameras, site hardening on FFL premises, and security of electronic records;
    Ensuring that an FFL that fails to follow these security requirements would face a civil penalty for the first violation; possible FFL license suspension for the second violation; and possible license revocation upon a third violation; and,
    Adding a new section to the FFL application for applicants to describe how they will comply with these security requirements, and directing the Attorney General to ensure that an applicant’s plan will be compliant before approving a license application.  
    Full text of the legislation is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Improving resilience on State Highway 1 in Marlborough – stage 2 works brought forward

    Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

    New resilience work recently got underway on State Highway 1 in Marlborough, south of Blenheim at Dashwood.

    • The start date for the second stage of this work has now been brought forward to start on Monday, 17 February to help avoid the upcoming grape harvest, says NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA).

    During this time one lane of the highway will remain open under stop/go traffic management 24/7 and a 30 km/h temporary speed limit. 

    • Work is expected to continue until 9 April 2025, but NZTA is aiming to have an end to stop/go traffic management by early March.

    The work involves raising the height of the road to minimise future flooding and complete drainage improvements.

    Wayne Oldfield, Marlborough System Manager, says the 500-metre section of state highway between Awatere Valley Road and the Awatere Bridge is prone to flooding.

    “Making these improvements and increasing the highway’s resilience will help keep the road open in bad weather, and ensure people, products, and places remain connected on this busy arterial route.”

    “It means the transport network will be stronger and better prepared for any future disruption,” Mr Oldfield says.

    The work on the three-lane section of the state highway will be carried out in stages.

    Stage 1 will see the start of new drainage works alongside the highway. During Stage 2, one lane of the highway will remain open under a stop/go traffic management 24/7 and a 30 km/h temporary speed limit.  For Stage 3, two lanes will be open under a 30 km/h temporary speed limit.

    Keeping the road open while work is done is particularly important given the Marlborough grape harvest will soon be underway.

    Mr Oldfield says the work is funded by the Crown Resilience Programme.

    “The fund is about covering the cost of resilience improvements on the state highway network and minimising damage from future weather events.”

    “Marlborough residents know only too well how big an impact floods can have. In previous years, heavy rainfall has resulted in the closure of this stretch of the highway. Investments like this can make a big difference,” Mr Oldfield says.

    Other resilience works recently completed in Marlborough include State Highway 6 Rai Saddle and State Highway 63 at the Wash Bridge.

    Works Schedule overall

    Stage 1 – Early February to 9 April

    • Drainage works undertaken in the swale alongside the highway.
    • Northbound passing lane will be closed during the work activities.

    Stage 2 – 17 February to early March (amended from our first notice of this work)

    • Stop/Go temporary traffic management in place from 24/7 – No work on Sundays.
    • A temporary speed limit of 30 km/h will be in place at the site 24/7.
    • Expect delays of up to 10 minutes.
    • This work is subject to weather and unforeseen circumstances.

    Stage 3 – Early to late March

    • State Highway 1 reopened to two lanes
    • A temporary speed limit of 30 km/h will be in place at the site 24/7.

    More Information

    • The Crown Resilience Programme (previously the Transport Resilience Fund) is a $419 million investment package of resilience improvement activities that will reduce the impact of severe weather events on our national roading networks. This will ensure a more resilient and efficient network now and into the future. The total crown resilience programme comprises $279 million for activities on State Highways, and $140 million for activities on Local Roads.
    • This seven-year programme aims to advance proactive resilience improvements on the roading network to minimise the future damage caused to New Zealand roads by weather events, which have been increasing in frequency and severity.
    • Crown Resilience Programme

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Local News – Waimate waste incinerator plan fails 11 February 2025

    Source: Zero Waste Network

    The Waimate incinerator project will not proceed as planned. The sale and purchase agreement for the land has lapsed, and the landowner has said the incinerator does not meet its plans for future growth. The incinerator “Project Kea” by South Island Resource Recovery Ltd has been opposed by the Zero Waste Network and community group Why Waste Waimate for the past three and a half years.

    “We are thrilled that this project is not going ahead. The community of Waimate and local iwi, Te Rūnanga o Waihao, have worked tirelessly to ensure that this toxic project never sees the light of day,” said Dorte Wray, General Manager of the Zero Waste Network.

    “This incinerator project has no social license to operate. It would never get resource consent under normal conditions given its widespread air pollution and climate impacts. The project was included on the Fast Track list meaning that community concerns, human health and environmental considerations would all have been disregarded in favour of the company’s claimed economic benefits.”

    “The Zero Waste Network does not support waste incineration because it locks us into the production of waste. Incinerators require huge capital investment that would be better spent building the waste minimisation infrastructure we need to actually solve our waste crisis and build in the reuse of valuable materials. Incinerators are the old ‘business-as-usual’ linear model of take-make-waste. They are not a realistic solution to the real challenges we face.”

    “The use of the term ‘waste-to-energy’ is almost always an industry sales pitch for burning rubbish, and it represents some of the dirtiest forms of power on earth. A recent UK investigation revealed their so-called ‘waste to energy’ plants that were worse than coal fired power plants.”

    “We pay our deep respects to all of the community of Waimate, to the people of Waihao marae, and to our allies in the movement for a zero waste, zero carbon Aotearoa NZ. We say ‘regenerate, don’t incinerate!’”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Jury Finds Cousins Guilty of 2021 Mayfair Mansions Murder

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

              WASHINGTON – A Superior Court jury today found Deangelo Glover, 33, and Ronnie Wallace, 48, both of Washington, D.C., guilty of murder and other charges related to the January 19, 2021, murder of Tyrone Wright, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

               Wallace was found guilty of one count of first-degree murder while armed and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence for Wright’s murder, plus one count of assault with intent to kill while armed for shooting a second victim, one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and one count of carrying a pistol without a license.

               Glover was found guilty of one count of second-degree murder, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and one count of carrying a pistol without a license. Superior Court Judge Jason Park scheduled sentencing for May 2, 2025.

               According to the government’s evidence, on Tuesday January 19, 2021, in a parking lot in front of 3804 Hayes Street NE within the Mayfair Mansions Apartment complex, Ronnie Wallace shot the decedent, Tyrone Wright on belief that Mr. Wright was one of the persons responsible for his brother Marcus Wallace’s murder. In the process, a bystander was shot a single time in the leg. Within moments of Wallace’s initial shots, his cousin and co-defendant Deangelo Glover, ran out of an adjacent building and shot Mr. Wright repeatedly ending his life.

               This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrea Coronado and Matthew Covert.

    MIL Security OSI –

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

    US Senate News:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Dear Secretary Burgum and Acting Secretary Washington, 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lee, Hageman Introduce Legislation to Protect Firearm Manufacturers and Dealers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Utah Mike Lee

    WASHINGTON – Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) has introduced the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act Jurisdiction Act, which protects law-abiding American firearm manufacturers and sellers by creating an independent basis for removing frivolous lawsuits against them to federal court, especially those predicated on illegal use of their products by unrelated third parties. Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-WY) introduced the House version of the bill. It is co-sponsored by Sens. Josh Hawley (R-MO), Ted Budd (R-NC), Rick Scott (R-FL), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN).   

    “We cannot allow law-abiding Americans to lose their Second Amendment rights through unjust attacks on those who legally make and sell firearms,” said Senator Lee. “This legislation will save businesses from frivolous lawsuits and forum-shopping by amending the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, defending the right of all Americans to keep and bear arms.”

    “Anti-Second Amendment activists have long used lawfare as a weapon to attack our constitutional rights,” said Rep. Hageman. “Throughout my time in Congress, I’ve consistently defended law-abiding gunowners. This legislation reinforces my commitment by ensuring radical gun-control advocates cannot hurt firearm manufactures by filing politically motivated cases in state courts.”

    BACKGROUND

    Enacted in 2005, the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act provides a defense for gun manufacturers and dealers to use against frivolous suits when their products are legally manufactured and sold, but later used to commit crimes. However, because the PLCAA does not contain an independent basis for removal to federal court, state courts must look to the federal question jurisdiction statute (28 U.S.C. 1331) triggering the “well-pled complaint rule.” The “well-pled complaint rule” requires that the statutory basis for removal under 28U.S.C. 1331 be found on the face of the complaint filed by plaintiffs. Any answer or defense raised by the defendant is an insufficient basis for removal to federal court. This contrasts with the broader requirement of only a federal ingredient in either the claim or defense for Article III jurisdiction under the Constitution. State Attorneys General and plaintiffs have become creative in ensuring that complaints filed in state court do not trigger the well-pled complaint rule’s requirements for removal to federal court under the PLCAA. This necessitates adding an independent basis for removal of lawsuits against defendants who qualify for PLCAA protections.

    The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act Jurisdiction Act adds a provision to the PLCAA stating that cases filed in state court which meet the requirements for protection under the PLCAA can be removed to federal court so that gun manufacturers and dealers can qualify for the liability protections created by Congress. This legislation would further the PLCAA’s goal of ending abusive, frivolous litigation by reducing forum shopping and other attempts to weaponize our legal system against the firearms industry. 

    You can read the one-pager by clicking HERE. 

    You can read the bill text by clicking HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: NTES launches new custom response vessel

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The NT Emergency Service (NTES) has enhanced its marine capability with the addition of a new purpose-built response vessel.

    Officially handed over to NTES late last year, the vessel is now operational following fit out and will serve as the primary response vessel for evacuations, cargo transport, and flood rescues in the northern region. It replaces a 25-year-old vessel, which had reached the end of its service life.

    Built by local company Custom Works, the vessel was designed as an ‘in between’ option between the 5.3-meter primary flood rescue boats and the larger 6.2-meter landing crafts. The new asset is versatile and capable of transporting cargo and small ATVs. It is lighter than the larger landing craft, offering greater manoeuvrability.

    The new vessel significantly improves NTES’ response capabilities, particularly in the evacuation of people stranded in flooded communities. Additionally, it enhances the capacity to deliver supplies and cargo compared with the old boat, which only carried four people and minimal cargo. The new vessel has the capacity to carry up to 10 people or 800 kg of vital supplies, crucial for maintaining sustainability in remote communities during emergencies.

    Commissioner of NT Fire and Emergency Services, Andrew Warton, says the new vessel, will improve operational capacity during the high-risk weather season in the Top End.

    “Our NTES volunteers respond to a wide range of incidents, from flood evacuations and rescues at river crossings to assisting NT Police with inland river or dam searches and providing marine flood rescue training,”

    “Having a purpose-built asset that is tailored to our unique Northern Territory terrain is vital for handling the severe weather we face, especially in remote areas.”

    “Our crew is very pleased with the high-quality work of Custom Works. They’ve delivered a vessel that will exceed our operational requirements during the Wet Season.”

    The recent formation of the NT Fire and Emergency Services, which combines the NT Fire and Rescue Service, NT Emergency Service, and Bushfires NT into one agency, enhances our ability to respond to emergencies while prioritising community resilience.

    Media contact:

    Rickie Abraham

    89239803

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Airservices Australia announces first round of Uncrewed Aircraft Systems Service Suppliers

    Source: Airservices Australia

    Airservices Australia has announced the first round of Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) Service Suppliers (USS) to connect to the new Flight Information Management System (FIMS), the data-sharing platform that will enable drones and other uncrewed aircraft to be seamlessly incorporated into Australian airspace. 

    Following a Request for Proposal in late 2024 seeking specialist USS technology providers to collaborate with Airservices, Australian owned and operated AvSoft and Yarra Drones, along with United States based OneSky, have been selected to participate in the first round of technical integration with the FIMS.  

    The FIMS will be at the core of Australia’s Uncrewed Aircraft Systems Traffic Management (UTM) ecosystem. It will enable Airservices to share flight information between air traffic control, traditional aircraft, and uncrewed airspace users. 

    With over 60 million drones predicted to be utilising Australian airspace by 2043, delivering the UTM ecosystem through cross government and industry collaboration will ensure a safe, efficient and harmonised airspace for both uncrewed and conventional aircraft.  

    In the lead up to Airservices’ FIMS going live in late 2025 and beyond, these partnerships will also play a critical role in collectively delivering cutting edge, digital UTM solutions for drone operators as industry providers integrate their platforms with the FIMS.  

    Supported by Airservices’ strategic partner Frequentis Australasia and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), the USS onboarding and integration process involves working together on end-to-end testing of FIMS capabilities, assuring technical and regulatory requirements and empowering the burgeoning uncrewed industry to thrive.  

    Airservices Australia Head of Transformation Uncrewed Services Integration, Luke Gumley, said this was a major milestone in developing the UTM ecosystem in Australia. 

    “We’re thrilled to be supporting the first cohort of UAS Service Suppliers and extend a warm welcome to OneSky, AvSoft and Yarra Drones as the expertise and experience they bring to the table is invaluable,” Luke said. 

    “We look forward to partnering with more USS through future onboarding rounds next year, which will benefit from the preliminary work we do with the first cohort. 

    “The forward leaning policy and regulatory frameworks, coupled with the collaboration between Airservices and industry in delivering open market UTM services connected to FIMS, positions Australia as a leader in enabling safe and sustainable growth of the drone and emerging aviation industries.” 

    For further information on Airservices’ work to support Australia’s UTM ecosystem visit our website. 

    About Airservices
    Airservices Australia is a government-owned organisation responsible for safely and efficiently managing air traffic in 11 per cent of the world’s airspace, as well as the provision of aviation rescue fire fighting services at Australia’s busiest airports. We are regulated by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority and work closely with our customers and industry to support the long-term growth of the aviation industry.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Homestead Felon Pleads Guilty to Possessing Machinegun, Trafficking Drugs, and Other Offenses While on Federal Supervised Release for Prior Conviction; Plea Agreement Calls for Sentence of 35 Years in Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A former resident of Homestead, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal narcotics and firearms laws and agreed that later this year he will be sentenced to 35 years in prison, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    Erik Addison, 28, pleaded guilty to four counts before United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan, including possession with intent to distribute a quantity of fentanyl, possession of a machinegun, possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

    In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on May 8, 2023, law enforcement in Pittsburgh attempted to stop a vehicle driven by Addison when he fled police and then abandoned and ran from the vehicle. Addison was pursued, detained, and arrested, with a police video camera recording the defendant in possession of a firearm later determined to be a Glock 19 9mm pistol equipped with a machinegun conversion device, commonly referred to as a Glock switch, intended to convert a weapon into a fully automatic machinegun. Investigators also recovered from Addison two cell phones, more than $3,200 in cash, and car keys.

    A search of the vehicle registered to Addison revealed a black bag containing 28 bricks of fentanyl, a 31 round 9mm Glock magazine, and Addison’s state ID card. The suspected fentanyl was confirmed, by laboratory testing, to consist of fentanyl as well as a mixture of heroin and fentanyl. Addison’s cell phone contained extensive evidence of Addison’s drug trafficking and knowledge of Glock switches, including entries in which he described having such firearms. At the time of the offenses to which Addison pleaded guilty, he was serving a term of supervised release following his conviction for a prior federal firearms offense in 2021. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.

    In addition to the federal charges, Addison is also facing charges in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas stemming from his conduct on May 8, 2023. On October 2, 2023, while detained at the Allegheny County Jail awaiting trial on his state and federal charges, Addison was found in possession of ABD-Butanica, a synthetic cannabinoid and Schedule I controlled substance.

    “Erik Addison’s blatant disregard for the law by possessing a dangerous firearm in connection with illegal fentanyl trafficking while on federal supervised release for a prior conviction and then, possessing another controlled substance while incarcerated on those charges, demonstrates the need to have dangerous criminals like him off of our streets,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Rivetti. “Today’s plea is a testament to the good work of our law enforcement partners in helping to bring violent traffickers such as Addison to justice.”

    “Armed with fentanyl, heroin, and a pistol converted into a dangerous machinegun via an illegal ‘switch,’ this defendant was a deadly threat to his neighborhood,” said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Philadelphia Field Division. “Stopping criminals from endangering our communities with illegal firearms is a top ATF priority. We thank our local partners for their diligence and courage in this apprehension, as well as the United States Attorney’s Office’s support as we work to make our communities safer.”

    “We are grateful to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their efforts in moving this case to a resolution,” said Allegheny County Police Superintendent Christopher Kearns. “These violent incidents leave a lasting impact throughout our community, and only strengthen our commitment to work with our local and federal partners to keep dangerous, illegal weapons off our streets.”

    Judge Ranjan scheduled sentencing for May 29, 2025. As to the most serious offense, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, the law provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years of imprisonment with a maximum possible sentence of life, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Douglas C. Maloney and Brendan T. Conway are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

    The investigation and prosecution of Addison was the result of a collaborative effort between the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Allegheny County Police Department, and Edgewood Borough Police Department.

    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.

    MIL Security OSI –

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

    US Senate News:

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

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

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

    MIL OSI USA News –