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Category: Transport

  • MIL-Evening Report: Peter Dutton wants to deport criminal dual citizens. We already have laws for that

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luke Beck, Professor of Constitutional Law, Monash University

    Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has floated the idea of amending the Australian Constitution to allow government ministers to strip dual citizens of their Australian citizenship if they commit serious crimes related to terrorism.

    Almost immediately, Dutton’s coalition colleague and Shadow Attorney-General Michaelia Cash walked back the idea, saying the Coalition had “no plan” for a referendum.

    Dual citizens can already lose their Australian citizenship if they commit terrorism offences.

    So what does the Constitution say about the issue?

    Citizenship cessation

    Under the Australian Citizenship Act, there are three main ways an Australian citizen can cease their Australian citizenship.

    First, a dual citizen can voluntarily renounce their Australian citizenship. Some people choose to do this if they move overseas and don’t intend to return to Australia.

    Second, the government can revoke a dual citizen’s Australian citizenship if they obtained it by fraud. The logic here is that the person was never really eligible for Australian citizenship in the first place.



    Read more:
    View from The Hill: Dutton’s talk about a citizenship referendum is personal over-reach and political folly

    Third, and most seriously, a court can – if the government asks it to – strip a dual citizen of their Australian citizenship as part of the sentencing process for serious crimes such as terrorism and foreign incursions.

    In deciding whether to impose this punishment, the court must be satisfied the person’s crime was “so serious and significant that it demonstrates that the person has repudiated their allegiance to Australia”.

    In other words, dual citizen terrorists can already lose their Australian citizenship.

    What does the Constitution say?

    Federal parliament can make laws only on certain subject matters, as listed in the Constitution. One of those subject matters is “naturalisation and aliens”.

    In a 2022 case called Alexander, the High Court confirmed the naturalisation and aliens power allows the federal parliament to pass laws taking away a person’s citizenship if the person has done something that shows they had repudiated their allegiance to Australia.

    That case concerned an Australian-Turkish dual citizen who travelled to Syria to fight with the Islamic State militant group. That kind of voluntary conduct clearly repudiates allegiance to Australia.

    The High Court has made a series of rulings against government attempts to strip citizenship.
    Shutterstock

    But to be valid, a federal law must not only fall under one of the listed subject matters such as “naturalisation and aliens”, it also must not breach any limitation on the federal parliament’s power.

    An important limitation on the federal parliament’s lawmaking power is keeping federal judicial power separate from the power of the parliament and the executive. This is called the “separation of powers”.

    The separation of federal judicial power is an important constitutional concept. The idea is that it prevents the parliament or government ministers interfering in the role of the courts or usurping the role of the courts.

    Attempts at legislation

    Only courts can exercise federal judicial power. Judicial power includes things like imposing punishments on people for criminal conduct. This is where past citizenship stripping laws have run into trouble.

    The problem with the law in the Alexander case was that it allowed a government minister to take away the terrorist’s Australian citizenship, rather than a court, and even if the person had not been first convicted by a court.

    So while the High Court ruled the parliament could legislate under the aliens power, it found ministers cannot decide guilt or punishment.

    The government thought the problem with the law was simply the lack of criminal conviction. So the parliament passed a new law allowing a government minister to strip dual citizen terrorists of their Australian citizenship, but only if they had first been convicted by a court.

    But the High Court struck down that law in a 2023 case called Benbrika.



    Read more:
    Is a terrorist’s win in the High Court bad for national security? Not necessarily

    Benbrika had been convicted of terrorism offences in the courts, then a government minister made an order taking away his citizenship.

    The problem with the law, the High Court said, was that a government minister was imposing a punishment. Only courts can impose punishment under the separation of powers.

    So in response to that decision, the federal parliament passed another law. This time the new law allowed the courts to strip a dual citizen of their Australian citizenship as a punishment as part of the sentencing process for serious crimes like terrorism.

    This is the law that’s currently in place. It avoids the separation of powers issue. There is no constitutional problem with courts imposing punishment for crimes.

    So what does Peter Dutton want to do?

    Peter Dutton’s comments suggest he wants government ministers – rather than courts – to impose the punishment of removing citizenship. He hasn’t said why or what purpose this would serve, apart from “keeping our country safe”.

    The only way to allow federal ministers to impose punishments is to change the Constitution through a referendum that inserts a new provision overriding separation of powers rules.

    Given Australia’s long history of defeated referendums, such a vote is unlikely to succeed.

    That’s if it makes it out of the gate. Reported tensions within the Liberal party suggest it may not get off the ground to become official Coalition policy.

    Luke Beck is a rank and file member of the ALP. The views expressed in this piece are his own.

    – ref. Peter Dutton wants to deport criminal dual citizens. We already have laws for that – https://theconversation.com/peter-dutton-wants-to-deport-criminal-dual-citizens-we-already-have-laws-for-that-252507

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Government of Canada to make an important announcement on the Hôpital-Général de Québec Monastery

    Source: Government of Canada News

    March 18, 2025                 City of Québec, Quebec                        Parks Canada

    On behalf of the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Culture and Identity, Parks Canada, the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Member of Parliament for Québec, will make an announcement regarding the Hôpital-Général de Québec Monastery, the oldest convent in the country.

    Dating back to the 17th century, it is of vital importance to Canada’s medical, religious and social history.

     

    Please note that this advisory is subject to change without notice.

     

    The details are as follows:

     

    Date:            March 19, 2025

    Time:           1:00 p.m. EDT

    Location:     Hôpital-Général de Québec Monastery
                          260 Blvd Langelier, Québec, QC

    Members of the media who wish to attend the event must RSVP by contacting: Steve Carignan
    Office of the Member of Parliament Jean-Yves Duclos
    Member of Parliament for Québec
    Community Affairs Manager
    steve.carignan359@parl.gc.ca
    Tel.: 418-523-6666
    Cel.: 418-564-8314

                                                                                                                   -30-

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Another failed ETS auction, another indictment on the Govt’s climate credibility

    Source: Green Party

    The ETS auction’s failure today is yet another clear sign that the Government is failing us all on climate action.  

    “Yesterday, the acting Prime Minister admitted that the Government’s climate commitments were the bare minimum. Worse still, today’s ETS auction failure shows that even the market the Government is relying on doesn’t trust them to deliver,” says the Green Party’s co-leader and Climate Change spokesperson, Chlöe Swarbrick.

    “Luxon’s Government has put almost all of their climate eggs in the basket of market mechanisms like the Emissions Trading Scheme, and left a gaping hole in the basket. 

    “We must take forestry offsets out of the ETS to ensure it functions properly to actually cap emissions. We must end free allocation of credits to our largest polluters. We must price agricultural emissions – the only sector currently not priced.

    “He Ara Anamata, our Green Emissions Reduction Plan, showed how we can reduce emissions five times faster than the Government’s plan, while reducing the cost of living and improving people’s quality of life.

    “Our plan outlines an economy that supports people and the planet, instead of exploiting and exhausting both.

    “That means a Green Jobs Guarantee, planting native trees instead of pine, efficient public transport, sustainable food production, restoring our wetlands, designing our cities better, distributed and resilient renewable energy, real just transition plans led by local communities and so much more,” says Chlöe Swarbrick.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Greens call for compassionate release of Dean Wickliffe

    Source: Green Party

    The Green Party is calling for the compassionate release of Dean Wickliffe, a 77-year-old kaumātua on hunger strike at the Spring Hill Corrections Facility, after visiting him at the prison.

    “We are calling on the Minister of Corrections to urgently intervene when it comes to the safety and survival of Dean Wickliffe who is entering day nine of his hunger strike,” says the Green Party’s spokesperson for Corrections, Tamatha Paul.

    “People in prison are human beings and have rights. The Minister has a duty to ensure these rights are upheld. What we have heard from Dean is gravely concerning.

    “Mr Wickliffe is endangering his own life to bring light to the cruel treatment and abuse that happens in prison, and the cruel system we have which picks up a homeless kaumātua living in his car with his cats and puts him back in prison for no good reason. It is critical we do all we can to give Dean the support he needs so he is in a place where he feels he can end his hunger strike. Time is of the essence here.

    “The integrity of our justice system is contingent on upholding basic human rights and assisting people in prisons to be rehabilitated and reintegrated successfully into our communities. We know that this rehabilitation and support is not happening.

    “Time and time again, our prisons have failed to provide rehabilitation, failing to prevent the cycle of harm from continuing. Human beings are often degraded and humiliated within that system. We must build a justice system that holds rehabilitation at its core while upholding human rights, dignity and humanity,” says Tamatha Paul.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Fixing the Bruce – $9 billion safety package kicks off

    Source: Australian Ministers 1

    The Albanese Labor Government and Crisafulli Queensland Government are delivering on our promise to fix the Bruce Highway, with work to begin on the first set of safety upgrades in the $9 billion Bruce Highway Safety Package.

    In January, the Federal and State Governments committed $7.2 billion and $1.8 billion respectively to fix Queensland’s Bruce Highway.

    Today, we’re getting on with the job by investing an initial $300 million in early works and planning including 16 new projects between Gympie and Innisfail that include wide centre line treatments between Rungoo and Mourilyan, overtaking lanes between Ayr and Brandon and a new heavy vehicle rest area in Gin Gin as well as pavement and culvert strengthening. Construction will commence immediately.

    A further seven projects will progress preconstruction and design activities for future safety works.

    This funding builds on the existing funding already committed by the Australian and Queensland Governments to the Bruce Highway.

    Today the Albanese Government is also announcing we are providing an additional $200 million to ensure the full delivery of the Rockhampton Ring Road, taking the Commonwealth’s total contribution to almost $1.4 billion.

    The Rockhampton Ring Road is a transformative project for Central Queensland, and this additional contribution will ensure the necessary funds are available to deliver the project, which will reduce travel times, improve road safety and flood resilience and open up new travel routes to key leisure, retail and education facilities.

    On top of these announcements, the Australian and Queensland governments are getting on with delivering transport infrastructure for Central Queensland. This includes today announcing the release of Commonwealth funding to kick off work on essential projects in the region, including:

    • $38 million to kick off early works for the critical Beef Roads;
    • $188 million to get started on the Bruce Highway – Gladstone to Rockhampton Upgrades;
    • $37 million to get started on upgrading sections of the Capricorn Highway.

    Projects in the Bruce Highway early works package have been identified by investment priorities from the Bruce Highway 15-year Vision and Action Plans.

    Full details of the overall $9 billion package will be developed in consultation between the Australian and Queensland governments, and the Bruce Highway Advisory Council providing advice.

    For more information on the Bruce Highway Safety Package, visit: investment.infrastructure.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/bruce-highway-upgrade-safety-package-fact-sheet.pdf

    Quotes attributable to Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King:

    “Queenslanders deserve a long-term plan for essential infrastructure, and the Albanese Government is delivering that certainty as we build Australia’s future.

    “Enough is enough, and it’s time to fix this road which is why we’re coming together with the Queensland Government to get it done.

    “These projects are in high-risk areas north of Gympie, where conditions are poor and safety upgrades will go a long way.”

    Quotes attributable to Queensland Minister for Transport and Main Roads Brent Mickelberg:

    “Queensland deserves better than a second-class highway and that is why we are focused on delivering a safer and more reliable Bruce.

    “Additional funding from the Australian Government towards the Bruce Highway is a welcomed.

    “We are getting to work with a focus on improving wide centreline treatment, narrow bridges, flood resilience, intersection upgrades and multi-use rest areas.  

    “The Bruce Highway is the spine of Queensland’s road network and we have worked with the Australian Government to unlock funding and fast-track key safety improvements on priority sections of the highway.

    “Our newly formed Bruce Highway Advisory Council will continue to play a crucial role in advising the Queensland Government on investment priority and sequencing of key upgrades along the Bruce Highway.”

    Early Works Package – Construction $200 million:

    • Curra Interchange (eastern side) – construction of an all-vehicle rest area
    • Stratford Road – widening to improve safety
    • Chapmans Road to Stratford Road – widening in sections to improve safety
    • Brooks Road – intersection upgrade (new southbound turning lane) to improve safety
    • Barton Road – intersection widening to improve safety
    • Three Mile Creek – audio tactile line marking and culvert replacement
    • Granite Creek – construction of new heavy vehicle rest area
    • Pine Mountain Creek to Deep Creek – installation of wide centreline treatment
    • Bootooloo Road – installation of wide centreline treatment
    • Alligator Creek – pavement strengthening
    • Toomulla Intersection – pavement strengthening
    • Hencamp Creek – pavement strengthening
    • Various locations – pavement strengthening
    • Dean Road to Tully High School – installation of wide centreline treatment
    • Aldridge Road to Poppi Road – installation of wide centreline treatment
    • Various locations between Innisfail and Cairns – pavement strengthening

    Design Package – Planning $100 million:

    • Priority sections of wide centreline treatment between Torbanlea and Gin Gin
    • New heavy vehicle rest area at Gin Gin
    • Priority sections of wide centreline treatment between Etna Creek and Waverley Creek
    • Priority sections of wide centreline treatment between Marian-Hampden Road and Exmoor Road
    • Priority sections of wide centreline treatment north of Ayr to Zinc Road, Townsville
    • Priority overtaking lanes between Ayr and Brandon
    • Priority sections of wide centreline treatment between Rungoo and Mourilyan

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Hochul is a Guest on “PBS Newshour”

    Source: US State of New York

    arlier today, Governor Kathy Hochul was a guest on PBS NewsHour with Amna Nawaz to discuss how governors across the nation are responding to threats from the federal administration including DOGE, tariffs, and entitlement cuts.

    VIDEO: The interview is available to stream on YouTube here.

    AUDIO: The Governor’s interview is available in audio form here.

    A rush transcript of the Governor’s remarks is available below:

    Amna Nawaz, PBS News:  As President Donald Trump’s cost cutting agenda continues through the government, Democratic governors are now looking to recruit fired federal workers to their states. The State of New York has launched a campaign for those impacted by DOGE cuts, including billboards in New York City’s Moynihan Train Hall and in train and metro stations throughout Washington, D.C.

    Joining me now to discuss that effort and the other ways that New York is pushing back against the Trump administration is New York Governor Kathy Hochul. Governor, welcome back to the NewsHour. Thank you for joining us.

    Governor Hochul: Thank you.

    Amna Nawaz, PBS News: Let’s start with that effort then to recruit some of those fired federal workers. Have you had fired federal workers applying for those jobs? How many have you been able to hire so far?

    Governor Hochul: No, we certainly have. In fact, a couple weeks ago, I did a roundtable inviting a number of recently fired federal employees from the New York City area to come and one of them was a father of four. He’d done four tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. He worked at the VA. He was one week from ending his probation and he was dismissed and he was so upset and distraught about it.

    And I gathered others who were just really still reeling from the unexpectedness of it. They never thought this would happen to them. So, I told them we would take care of these individuals. I literally have almost 7,000 open jobs in state government. We are not back to our pre-pandemic levels, and we certainly have openings in law enforcement and education and social work, a lot of issues – we want to take care of our citizens.

    So, I think it’s a great opportunity. I was literally meeting with President Trump in the White House last week. I went to Union Station afterward and I saw our billboard that said, “DOGE may say ‘You’re fired,’ but in New York, we say, ‘You’re hired.’” And it’s been really successful. And I will give you the real numbers once we know for sure. But a lot more have applied than we expected. And I find that exciting.

    Amna Nawaz, PBS News: So tell me a little bit more about that meeting with President Trump last week, because you and the President have disagreed and clashed before, right? You’ve accused him of federal overreach. You’ve disagreed on his immigration approach, but you said it’s important to keep that dialogue open. So where can you work with this president? What did you agree on in that meeting?

    Governor Hochul: One area where we should all be able to agree on is infrastructure. Continuing important investments. Many started under the Biden Administration. But I want to make sure that we look at an asset like Penn Station in New York City, which is really the welcome mat for millions of people who come through that station, and it looks deplorable. We’ve been renovating certain parts of it, but I want to make it to be a beautiful train hall. Something that natural light comes in and that people will come through there and feel that this is a really world class experience. So, knowing that Donald Trump is a New Yorker, I appealed to his sense of understanding how important this asset is to our city and its identity. And we agreed to work on this together.

    Amna Nawaz, PBS News: What about on tariffs? Because we’ve seen publicly he has doubled down on the use of tariffs, particularly in Canada – which I know impacts your state quite a bit. You said you’ve told him that the tariffs are devastating for upstate farm and factory workers. Was he receptive to that?

    Governor Hochul: You know, he does believe that it’s short term pain for long term gain. Just that the people who are expecting prices to go down on Inauguration Day, are really in for a rude awakening. Not only did they not go down as promised, but they’re going up. And if you look at the possible impacts of $2,000 to $3,000 more a year for a family. I mean, especially in places like upstate New York, on the border with Quebec, and western New York – where I’m from – on the border of Ontario, this is not a foreign country to us. This is a natural trading partner. It’s part of a larger, broader community. So this really sent shockwaves through our state. And I wanted him to know that a lot of these people supported him. Many areas of Upstate New York did support him in the election, and now they’re just wondering what happened.

    Amna Nawaz, PBS News: Governor, on the immigration front, we know New York City has been in this administration’s crosshairs for a while. You’ve said you are not going to allow ICE to come in and take people off the streets, but the reports show that they’ve sort of already been doing that to some extent. We saw local New York reports show that during one week in February, there were 100 people arrested. Do you know how many people ICE has arrested and potentially deported from New York?

    Governor Hochul: Well, I had a conversation with the President about this a couple of times, and I said, “I am aligned with your interest in removing dangerous criminals off the streets and sending them back to where they came from.” It’s in my interest. My number one priority is public safety, and that particularly includes Venezuelan gang members who have been terrorizing parts of our city since their arrival. So this is not a bad outcome to have them removed. But we understand there’s a difference, and I explained this once again, saying, “We’re not separating families. We’re not going to allow that to happen.”

    Amna Nawaz, PBS News: But Governor, we know among the thousands of people already deported have been people who have no criminal record. Do you know how many of those people have been from New York?

    Governor Hochul: No, I don’t know how many, but I will say that we don’t cooperate in those cases. That’s why I don’t have information. We will cooperate — my State Police will cooperate — in a situation where you have a warrant, or it’s someone on a terrorism watch list; someone who’s committed crimes in their own country or here. That’s a different category from where we will not cooperate when it comes to just saying, – identifying who these people are and we’re going to take them. We’re not going to help with that.

    Amna Nawaz, PBS News: I need to ask you, too, about the Democratic Party, because it’s been a rough few weeks. You’ve seen the leader of your party in the Senate under fire from fellow Democrats, including your fellow New Yorkers, Hakeem Jeffries and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, for choosing to avoid a government shutdown and back a Republican funding bill. In your view, was that the right choice?

    Governor Hochul: I know that Senator Schumer has New York State’s best interest at heart, because he’s also not just a majority leader for the Senate, but also our state. He has delivered time and time again for New Yorkers. There can be disputes within our party. This is not unusual in a family to have disagreements on a strategy. But also at the end of the day – he and Hakeem Jeffries put out a statement together, working together to fight the Medicaid cuts. We cannot afford these cuts. So, already there’s a unity that’s restored.

    And again, going down the road, there will be more disagreements. That’s okay. But the bottom line is, who brought us to this place? Never forget it was the Republicans. And every day that we’re hitting each other, is another day that Republicans are getting away with what they’re doing. I’m going to continue to remind everybody, let’s stand together as often as we can, as loudly as we can, against what the Republicans are trying to do to undermine – not just our democracy, but our basic sense of security here. The chaos of the stock market, what you’re doing with tariffs, what you’re doing to make lives more expensive here — we have to stand up and call that out.

    Amna Nawaz, PBS News: Governor, there was clearly a divide within your party though on this one issue. Was it the right choice for Senator Schumer to vote for that bill?

    Governor Hochul: Listen, I’m focused on New York State here. I spent time in Congress, I would answer questions on federal issues when it came to that. He made a decision that he thought was best not to have the shutdown. Others disagree with that. I’m focused on making sure that New York can get through this tumultuous time, whatever happens, and agree that a shutdown would have been difficult for our state.

    Amna Nawaz, PBS News: That is New York Governor, Kathy Hochul, joining us tonight. Governor Hochul, good to see you again. Thank you again for making the time.

    Governor Hochul: Thank you.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Press Release 19 March 2025 WMO report documents spiralling weather and climate impacts

    Source: World Meteorological Organization

    “Our planet is issuing more distress signals — but this report shows that limiting long-term global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius is still possible. Leaders must step up to make it happen — seizing the benefits of cheap, clean renewables for their people and economies – – with new National climate plans due this year, ” said United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres.

    “While a single year above 1.5 °C of warming does not indicate that the long-term temperature goals of the Paris Agreement are out of reach, it is a wake-up call that we are increasing the risks to our lives, economies and to the planet,” said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo.

    The report said that long-term global warming is currently estimated to be between 1.34 and 1.41 °C compared to the 1850-1900 baseline based on a range of methods – although it noted the uncertainty ranges in global temperature statistics.

    A WMO team of international experts is examining this further in order to ensure consistent, reliable tracking of long-term global temperature changes to be aligned with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

    Regardless of the methodology used, every fraction of a degree of warming matters and increases risks and costs to society.

    The record global temperatures seen in 2023 and broken in 2024 were mainly due to the ongoing rise in greenhouse gas emissions, coupled with a shift from a cooling La Niña to warming El Niño event. Several other factors may have contributed to the unexpectedly unusual temperature jumps, including changes in the solar cycle, a massive volcanic eruption and a decrease in cooling aerosols, according to the report.

    Temperatures are just a small part of a much bigger picture.

    “Data for 2024 show that our oceans continued to warm, and sea levels continued to rise. The frozen parts of Earth’s surface, known as the cryosphere, are melting at an alarming rate: glaciers continue to retreat, and Antarctic sea ice reached its second-lowest extent ever recorded. Meanwhile, extreme weather continues to have devastating consequences around the world,” said Celeste Saulo.

    Tropical cyclones, floods, droughts, and other hazards in 2024 led to the highest number of new displacements recorded for the past 16 years, contributed to worsening food crises, and caused massive economic losses.

    “In response, WMO and the global community are intensifying efforts to strengthen early warning systems and climate services to help decision-makers and society at large be more resilient to extreme weather and climate. We are making progress but need to go further and need to go faster. Only half of all countries worldwide have adequate early warning systems. This must change,” said Celeste Saulo.

    Investment in weather, water and climate services is more important than ever to meet the challenges and build safer, more resilient communities, she stressed.

    The report is based on scientific contributions from National Meteorological and Hydrological Services, WMO Regional Climate Centres, UN partners and dozens of experts. It includes sidebars on monitoring global temperature for the Paris Agreement and understanding the temperature anomalies in 2023 and 2024. It includes supplements on climate services and on extreme weather.

    It is one of a suite of WMO scientific reports which seek to inform decision-making. It was published ahead of World Meteorological Day on 23 March, World Water Day on 22 March and World Glaciers Day on 21 March.

    Three methods for establishing an up-to-date estimate of current global warming as of 2024, compared with the IPCC AR6 method, which uses averages over the previous 10 years and is representative of warming to 2019. The best estimate resulting from each method is shown as a dark vertical line, and the uncertainty range is shown by the shaded area.

    Key Indicators

    Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide

    Atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide, as well as methane and nitrous oxide, are at the highest levels in the last 800,000 years.

    Carbon dioxide concentrations in 2023 (the last year for which consolidated global annual figures are available) were 420.0 ± 0.1 parts per million (ppm), 2.3 ppm more than 2022 and 151% of the pre-industrial level (in 1750). 420 ppm corresponds to 3,276 Gt  – or 3.276 trillion tonnes of CO₂ in the atmosphere.

    Real-time data from specific locations show that levels of these three main greenhouse gases continued to increase in 2024. Carbon dioxide remains in the atmosphere for generations, trapping heat.

    Global Mean Near-surface Temperature

    In addition to 2024 setting a new record, each of the past ten years, 2015-2024, were individually the ten warmest years on record.

    The record temperature in 2024 was boosted by a strong El Niño which peaked at the start of the year. In every month between June 2023 and December 2024, monthly average global temperatures exceeded all monthly records prior to 2023.

    Record levels of greenhouse gases were the primary driver, with the shift to El Niño playing a lesser role.

    Ocean Heat Content

    Around 90% of the energy trapped by greenhouse gases in the Earth system is stored in the ocean.

    In 2024, ocean heat content reached its highest level in the 65-year observational record. Each of the past eight years has set a new record. The rate of ocean warming over the past two decades, 2005-2024, is more than twice that in the period 1960-2005.

    Ocean warming leads to degradation of marine ecosystems, biodiversity loss, and reduction of the ocean carbon sink. It fuels tropical storms and contributes to sea-level  rise. It is irreversible on centennial to millennial time scales. Climate projections show that ocean warming will continue for at least the rest of the 21st century, even for low carbon emission scenarios.

    Ocean Acidification

    Acidification of the ocean surface is continuing, as shown by the steady decrease of global average ocean surface pH. The most intense regional decreases are in the Indian Ocean, the Southern Ocean, the eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean, the northern tropical Pacific, and some regions in the Atlantic Ocean.

    The effects of ocean acidification on habitat area, biodiversity and ecosystems have already been clearly observed, and food production from shellfish aquaculture and fisheries has been hit as have coral reefs.

    Projections show that ocean acidification will continue to increase in the 21st century, at rates dependent on future emissions. Changes in deep-ocean pH are irreversible on centennial to millennial time scales.

    Annual global ocean heat content down to 2000 m depth for the period 1960–2024, in zettajoules (1021 J). The shaded area indicates the 2-sigma uncertainty range on each estimate.

    Global Mean Sea Level

    In 2024, global mean sea level was the highest since the start of the satellite record in 1993 and the rate of increase from 2015-2024 was double that from 1993–2002, increasing from 2.1 mm per year to 4.7 mm per year.

    Sea level rise has cascading damaging impacts on coastal ecosystems and infrastructure, with further impacts from flooding and saltwater contamination of groundwater.

    Glacier Mass Balance

    The period 2022-2024 represents the most negative three-year glacier mass balance on record. Seven of the ten most negative mass balance years since 1950 have occurred since 2016.

    Exceptionally negative mass balances were experienced in Norway, Sweden, Svalbard, and the tropical Andes.

    Glacier retreat increases short-term hazards, harms economies and ecosystems and long-term water security.

    Sea-ice Extent

    The 18 lowest Arctic sea-ice minimum extents in the satellite record all occurred in the past 18 years. The annual minimum and maximum of Antarctic sea-ice extent were each the 2nd lowest in the observed record from 1979.

    The minimum daily extent of sea-ice in the Arctic in 2024 was 4.28 million km2, the 7th lowest extent in the 46-year satellite record. In Antarctica, the minimum daily extent tied for the 2nd lowest minimum in the satellite era and marked the 3rd consecutive year that minimum Antarctic sea-ice extent dropped below 2 million km2. These are the three lowest Antarctic ice minima in the satellite record.

    Extreme events and impacts

    Extreme weather events in 2024 led to the highest number of new annual displacements since 2008, and destroyed homes, critical infrastructure, forests, farmland and biodiversity.

    The compounded effect of various shocks, such as intensifying conflict, drought and high domestic food prices drove worsening food crises in 18 countries globally by mid-2024.

    Tropical cyclones were responsible for many of the highest-impact events of 2024. These included Typhoon Yagi in Viet Nam, the Philippines and southern China.

    In the United States, Hurricanes Helene and Milton in October both made landfall on the west coast of Florida as major hurricanes, with economic losses of tens of billions of dollars. Over 200 deaths were associated with the exceptional rainfall and flooding from Helene, the most in a mainland United States hurricane since Katrina in 2005.

    Tropical Cyclone Chido caused casualties and economic losses in the French Indian Ocean island of Mayotte, Mozambique and Malawi. It displaced around 100,000 people in Mozambique.

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Climate change: Paris Agreement goals still within reach, says UN chief

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI b

    Climate and Environment

    The effects of human-driven climate change surged to alarming levels in 2024, with some consequences likely to be irreversible for centuries – if not millennia – according to a new report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). 

    The latest State of the Global Climate report confirms 2024 as the hottest year since records began 175 years ago, with a global mean temperature of 1.55°C above pre-industrial levels – surpassing the critical warming threshold of 1.5°C for the first time.  

    While a single year above 1.5°C doesn’t break the Paris Agreement‘s long-term goals (a long-term average below 1.5°C), it is a stark warning of the urgent need for emissions reduction.

    Multiple climate indicators also set new records. Atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations are at their highest in 800,000 years, and the oceans continue to warm at unprecedented rates.  

    Glaciers and sea ice are rapidly melting, contributing to a rise in global sea levels that threatens coastal ecosystems and infrastructure worldwide.

    Furthermore, tropical cyclones, floods, droughts, and other hazards last year led to the highest number of new displacements recorded in 16 years, contributing to worsening food crises, and fuelling massive economic losses.  

    Leveraging renewables and early warning systems

    Despite these alarming trends, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said that the Paris Agreement goals are still achievable and called on world leaders to step up their efforts in response to the mounting crisis.

    “Our planet is issuing more distress signals – but this report shows that limiting long-term global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius is still possible. Leaders must step up to make it happen –seizing the benefits of cheap, clean renewables for their people and economies – with new national climate plans due this year’’, he urged.

    WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo called the report findings a “wake-up call” to the increasing level of deadly risk facing human life, economies and the planet.

    “WMO and the global community are intensifying efforts to strengthen early warning systems and climate services to help decision-makers and society at large be more resilient to extreme weather and climate. We are making progress but need to go further and need to go faster”, she said.  

    Irreversible changes

    The report explains that the record-breaking global temperatures in 2023 and 2024 were primarily driven by increasing greenhouse gas emissions, amplified by the transition from La Niña to El Niño.  

    Other factors that might have contributed include solar cycle variation, volcanic activity and changes in ocean circulation.

    Scientists also underscore the urgency of taking action, outlining some already irreversible changes – including the rate of sea level rise – that has doubled since satellite measurements began.

    Projections show that ocean warming, which reached its highest level on record, will continue over the rest of the 21st century and beyond, even if the world were to significantly reduce emissions. Similarly, ocean acidification will continue to increase for the rest of this century, at rates dependent on future emissions.

    Other key findings

    • Globally, each of the past ten years were individually the ten warmest years on record.
    • Each of the past eight years has set a new record for ocean heat content.
    • The 18 lowest Arctic sea-ice extents on record were all in the past 18 years.
    • The three lowest Antarctic ice extents were in the past three years.
    • The largest three-year loss of glacier mass on record occurred in the past three years.
    • In 2024, ocean heat content reached its highest level in the 65-year observational record.
    • Tropical cyclones were responsible for many of the highest-impact events of 2024. These included Typhoon Yagi in Viet Nam, the Philippines and southern China.  

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Nominations open for 2025 Resilient Australia Awards

    Source: Government of Australia Capital Territory

    As part of ACT Government’s ‘One Government, One Voice’ program, we are transitioning this website across to our . You can access everything you need through this website while it’s happening.

    Released 19/03/2025

    Do you know of an ACT initiative making the community safer, more connected, and better prepared for disasters and emergencies? Now is your chance to have these efforts recognised by nominating for a 2025 ACT Resilient Australia Award.

    Submissions are open in categories for business, community, government, local government, schools, mental health and wellbeing, and photography.

    “This is such a great opportunity to acknowledge the vital, collaborative, and proactive efforts in the community to build a safer, more resilient Canberra – one that can withstand the impact of emergencies and recover even stronger,” Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services, Dr Marisa Paterson said.

    “As we face the growing challenges posed by climate change, it is crucial that we continue to work together to enhance our disaster resilience. These awards provide the perfect opportunity to celebrate the dedication and innovation demonstrated by Canberrans,” she said.

    Professor Marta Yebra, Director of the ANU Bushfire Research Centre of Excellence, was among three ACT winners of last year’s Resilient Australia Awards. Her photograph, Generations in Resilience, was a powerful visual reminder of the enduring strength found in familial love and support during times of adversity.

    “Disasters remind us how vulnerable we all are, but especially our elders, whose resilience is deeply tied to the support and love they receive. My photo captured a deeply personal moment, holding my father’s hand during an emergency trip to Spain, uncertain if I would see him again,” Professor Yebra said.

    “Aging comes with many challenges, and in moments of crisis, being connected and surrounded by care can make all the difference.

    “Building resilience to disasters is not just about response and recovery, it’s about proactive preparation and empowering communities with the right knowledge and tools. Moments of crisis reveal the strength of our connections, and initiatives like the Resilient Australia Awards help showcase the incredible ways individuals and communities come together to support one another in adversity. That is why I love so much being part of the award ceremony.”

    Established in 2000, the awards recognise outstanding contributions in each state and territory across multiple sectors and disciplines. The awards endorse a wide range of initiatives, with past projects cantered around risk assessment and mitigation, planning and preparation, and response and recovery.

    Winners from each state and territory are considered for the national awards. The Resilient Australia Awards is proudly sponsored by the Australian Government in partnership with states and territories and managed by the Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience.

    Nominations close Tuesday, 3 June 2025. For more information and to make your submission, visit www.aidr.org.au/raa.

    – Statement ends –

    Marisa Paterson, MLA | Media Releases

    «ACT Government Media Releases | «Minister Media Releases

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China makes progress in advancing sustainable development, human rights protection

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    China has made significant progress in pursuing sustainable development and human rights protection in recent years, experts said at a side event during the 58th session of the UN Human Rights Council on Monday.

    The event, titled “The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Human Rights Protection,” was co-hosted by the China Society for Human Rights Studies and the China Foundation for Human Rights Development.

    Sun Meng, a professor at the Human Rights Institute of China University of Political Science and Law, emphasized China’s commitment to a path that integrates sustainable development with human rights protection.

    She added that China has always adhered to the development concept of innovation, coordination, greenness, openness and sharing, as well as the people-oriented development principle, and fully implemented the idea of human rights protection.

    Zhou Shaoqing, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, stated that one of the reasons behind the rise of ideologies and movements that severely impact social cohesion and even political stability worldwide is the extreme disparity in wealth and the high inequality of economic and social rights.

    He emphasized that China addresses this issue through relevant policies and legislation to ensure economic and social equality, with a particular focus on promoting equal development for ethnic minority regions and remote regions. China’s systematic policy framework, development priorities, and the goal of “common prosperity” provide valuable references for addressing global governance inequality, he added.

    Tang Yingxia, deputy director of Nankai University’s Human Rights Center, stated that human rights, climate change, and sustainable development are closely interconnected, and this intrinsic link calls for active measures at the national level.

    She highlighted that China is addressing climate change by proposing and implementing its dual carbon goals to protect environmental rights. Furthermore, China has adopted relevant measures at various levels and achieved remarkable success in the development of a low-carbon economy.

    Da Lu, an associate professor from China’s Southwest University of Political Science and Law, noted that there are still many challenges ahead in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. He called on the international community to adhere to the principles of consultation, joint construction and sharing, promote the building of a more just and reasonable international order, and inject more positive impetus into global development. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Road blocked, SH2, Whakamārama

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Police are responding to a crash involving four vehicles on State Highway 2 near Francis Road, Whakamārama.

    Emergency services were alerted around 12:20pm.

    It appears six people were involved, with one person in a moderate to serious condition, and the others with minor to moderate injuries.

    The road is closed near Francis Road as we work at the scene and diversions are in place, motorists are advised to expect delays.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Police switch onto offenders after burglary

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Two burglars face charges after failing to flee from Police with their lights off in Ōrewa.

    The pair had been travelling north after earlier allegedly committing a burglary at a Birkenhead store on the North Shore.

    Just after 4am, a Police unit observed a suspicious vehicle on Hibiscus Coast Highway.

    “On seeing the patrol vehicle, the car’s headlights were quickly turned off,” Inspector Mike Rickards, relieving Waitematā North Area Commander says.

    “Ironically, this attracted our staff’s attention even further and the vehicle was signalled to stop.”

    The vehicle fled but was not pursued.

    Inspector Rickards says traffic cameras were used to track the vehicle into the Pūhoi area.

    “Eagle had already deployed into the area, and with spikes successfully deployed on Fowler Access Road there was nowhere to go for the pair.”

    After the vehicle came to a stop, both men ran into nearby bushland.

    “Eagle directed our staff on the ground to the two men’s location and they were both arrested,” Inspector Rickards says.

    Inside the vehicle was a range of new equipment which was suspected to be stolen.

    North Shore Police have since confirmed a burglary had taken place in Birkenhead roughly half an hour prior to the vehicle being seen in Ōrewa.

    “A retail store on Mokoia Road was burgled at around 3.30am and was in the process of being reported when our staff were dealing with this pair.

    “The Tactical Crime Unit has now charged them with burglary and are in the fortunate position of being able to return the stolen property.”

    Those arrested are two men, aged 35 and 40, who will appear in the North Shore District Court.

    ENDS.

    Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Injured man dies in hospital after incident, Melville

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Attributable to Detective Senior Sergeant Scott Neilson,

    A man located in a critical condition after an incident in Hamilton over the weekend has died in hospital.

    Emergency services were called to Beatty Street, Melville at around 4.30am on Saturday 15 March. Upon arrival, a 26-year-old man was located deceased at the scene.

    A second man located in critical condition and transported to hospital died today, Wednesday 19 March.

    Our thoughts are with the families of the two deceased during this difficult time, and continue to offer them support.

    Police continue to make enquiries into this incident and continue to ask anyone with information of CCTV footage to contact us.

    A 41-year-old man has been remanded in custody and is due to reappear in the High Court at Hamilton on 1 April.

    Further charges are being considered.

    You can provide information to Police online at 105.police.govt.nz, clicking “Update Report” or by calling 105.

    Please use the reference number 250315/0371.

    You can also provide information anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Klobuchar Statement on Illegal Firing of Federal Trade Commissioners

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn)
    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), the only Democratic Senator on both the Judiciary and Commerce Committees, released the following statement on the illegal firing of Federal Trade Commissioners Rebecca Kelly Slaughter and Alvaro Bedoya.
    “This is outrageous. President Trump’s dismissal of Commissioners Slaughter and Bedoya is not only illegal but also hurts consumers by undermining an independent agency that Congress established to protect consumers from fraud, scams, and monopoly power. The Federal Trade Commission has carried out this mission in a bipartisan way for more than 110 years—including returning more than $330 million to consumers last year and taking on hidden fees—but today President Trump has threatened that critical work. Illegally gutting the Commission will empower fraudsters and monopolists, and consumers will pay the price.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: PHOTOS: Capito Makes Stops in Morgantown and Bridgeport

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito
    MORGANTOWN/BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a leader on the Senate Appropriations Committee, made stops in Morgantown, W.Va. and Bridgeport, W.Va. During the visits, Senator Capito met with education and city leaders to receive updates on projects that will expand educational opportunities and contribute to economic growth.
    First, Senator Capito traveled to Morgantown, W.Va. to celebrate and announce the progress made for renovations at WVU’s School of Dentistry. The renovations, which Senator Capito supported through the Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) process, improved the educational needs and care of patients provided by WVU Medicine. About 82% of dentists practicing in the state of West Virginia are graduates from WVU’s School of Dentistry.
    “As West Virginia’s only dental school, WVU plays a critical role in training the next generation of dentists and expanding access to oral health care across our state,” Senator Capito said. “That’s why I was proud to support these renovations through the Congressionally Directed Spending process—because investing in this program means investing in the health and well-being of West Virginians. I was proud to celebrate these renovations at WVU today, and I look forward to seeing all the great work that will come from this facility in the years ahead.”
    “As the state’s flagship, land-grant university, and the only dental school in West Virginia, the WVU School of Dentistry is committed to providing excellence in student-centered education and patient-centered care. This renovation and modernization initiative will ensure we are able to meet the current and future needs of those entrusted to our care by transforming and improving access to oral healthcare across West Virginia,” Dr. Stephen Pachuta, Dean of the WVU School of Dentistry, said.
    In the afternoon, Senator Capito traveled to Bridgeport, W.Va. where she met with Bridgeport Mayor Andy Lang, as well as leadership from the Benedum Airport Authority and the City of Bridgeport, to discuss progress made on the new Airport Terminal Project at the North Central West Virginia Airport. The group also discussed the impact this project will have on both the aviation and tourism industries in the region and across the state.
    “I was glad to have the opportunity to sit down with leaders from the City of Bridgeport and the Benedum Airport Authority to discuss the exciting progress made on the new terminal at North Central West Virginia Airport. This project is a game-changer for our state’s aviation and tourism industries, improving connectivity, attracting new businesses, and making travel more efficient for residents and visitors alike. I’m proud to support investments like this that drive economic growth and open new opportunities for West Virginians,” Senator Capito said.
    Photos from today’s visits are below:

    U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) delivers remarks at the West Virginia University (WVU) School of Dentistry in Morgantown, W.Va. on Tuesday, March 18, 2025.

    U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) tours the West Virginia University (WVU) School of Dentistry in Morgantown, W.Va. on Tuesday, March 18, 2025.

    U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) meets with leadership from the Benedum Airport Authority and the City of Bridgeport to learn more about the progress made on a new terminal project at the North Central West Virginia Airport in Bridgeport, W.Va. on Tuesday, March 18, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Putin makes self-serving concession to Ukraine as Trump tries unsuccessfully to become a statesman

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By James Horncastle, Assistant Professor and Edward and Emily McWhinney Professor in International Relations, Simon Fraser University

    Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to a proposal by United States President Donald Trump for Russia and Ukraine to stop attacking each other’s energy infrastructure for 30 days, according to statements by both the White House and the Kremlin.

    Yet within hours of a Trump-Putin phone call about the U.S. ceasefire proposal, Russia was reportedly attacking Ukrainian energy facilities again, leading Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy to accuse Putin of effectively rejecting the terms.

    The deal falls short of an unconditional 30-day ceasefire proposed by U.S. and Ukrainian officials earlier this month.

    In fact, Trump’s latest phone call with Putin seemingly didn’t amount to any substantive changes, except for Russia’s agreement to refrain from targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure — a concession that might actually benefit Russia.

    The winter, when Ukraine is most vulnerable to Russian attacks on its energy infrastructure, is almost done. Russia’s dependence on energy exports to support its war effort, however, remains constant, and any Ukrainian attacks on Russian energy facilities will be framed as a breach by Russian authorities.

    Russia exploiting Trump’s desire for peace at any cost will probably be an ongoing trend.

    Given the earlier proposal was highly vague, this leads to one conclusion. Russia is playing for time to maximize its negotiating position.

    Trump’s goal

    The U.S. is playing an important role in peace negotiations. Under former president Joe Biden, this was due to the fact that the U.S. provided Ukraine with arms and moral support.

    Like most aspects of American policy, however, Trump dramatically pivoted, even attacking Zelenskyy in an infamous White House meeting in February. Now Trump is seeking a ceasefire, no matter what form it takes, to build a reputation as a statesman and distract Americans from domestic policy issues.



    Read more:
    What the U.S. ceasefire proposal means for Ukraine, Russia, Europe – and Donald Trump

    This development places Zelenskyy in a political bind. The U.S. in the past provided most of the military aid to Ukraine and the relationship between the Ukrainian leader and Trump is acrimonious.

    As such, even if Zelenskyy doesn’t agree with American ceasefire proposals, he must give the appearance of agreement or risk permanently alienating the mercurial Trump. Putin, in the meantime, will exploit any Ukrainian-American tensions.

    Current military situation

    The first year of the current phase of the Ukraine-Russia war was marked by mobility as both Russia and Ukraine made considerable advances and counteroffensives.

    Since the start of 2023, however, the conflict is increasingly defined as a war of attrition and a stalemate.

    Many analysts argue that such a war favours Russia. Wars of attrition are defined by slow, grinding advances whereby large casualties are a necessary byproduct for success. Given Russia’s material and personnel advantages, it can afford to suffer higher casualties.

    For the past several months, Russian forces have been making slow, steady advances against Ukrainian positions. Russia has suffered significant casualties in these advances, and they may not be sustainable over the long term.

    Putin is gambling that Ukraine’s and the international community’s will to fight will be broken by the time this is an issue. Trump’s push for a ceasefire at any cost suggests Putin may have a point.

    Any immediate ceasefire agreement between Russia and Ukraine would leave Ukraine occupying Russian soil in the Kursk region, which Russia cannot accept.

    Russia’s immediate goal

    Ukraine’s 2024 incursion into the Kursk region provided the country and its people with a necessary respite from the war of attrition. Ukrainian forces, attacking an under-defended and unprepared part of the Russian front line, made significant advances into Russia.

    Ukraine’s ability to maintain territory around Kursk has also proven to be an embarrassment for Putin and the Russian establishment.

    Putin recently said Russian forces encircled Ukrainian forces in the salient, although Ukraine denies it. Regardless of the statement’s validity, it speaks to the importance both parties attach to the battle.

    Russia’s reputation

    This issue highlights a particular problem for the Russian leadership. Russia has done its utmost to frame its so-called “special military operation” in Ukraine as a success. An example is Russia’s formal annexation of four Ukrainian areas in 2022, despite not actually possessing the territory at the time.

    Any perception of the invasion of Ukraine as a failure is a non-starter for a Russian government concerned about its domestic standing.

    Ukraine possessing Russian territory, however, leads to questions in Russia about the war’s success. Ukraine, in exchange for relinquishing any Russian territory it seized during the war, would undoubtedly seek the return of Ukrainian territory.

    Russia has not even achieved its minimal goals of seizing the four Ukrainian regions it’s officially annexed. Therefore, it’s unlikely Putin would ever agree to the exchange of the territory it has actually already seized in exchange for the Kursk salient.

    Putin is following the Russian playbook of negotiating from strength. So long as Ukraine maintains Kursk, Russia will not negotiate in good faith.

    While Kursk is the most prominent area of Russia concern, there are other conditions that will become important in the future as Putin seeks to improve Russia’s negotiating position.

    It’s a lesson that Trump will soon learn, despite any and all efforts he or his administration make to frame things positively.

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

    – ref. Putin makes self-serving concession to Ukraine as Trump tries unsuccessfully to become a statesman – https://theconversation.com/putin-makes-self-serving-concession-to-ukraine-as-trump-tries-unsuccessfully-to-become-a-statesman-252368

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Massacre at 2 am – Israel resumes indiscriminate attacks against Gaza, killing 400+ people

    Israel says President Donald Trump green lit a scorched-earth bombing of Gaza that wiped out entire families and killed dozens of infants and other children.

    By Abubaker Abed in Deil Al-Balah, Gaza, and Jeremy Scahill of Drop Site News

    The US-backed Israeli government resumed its intense genocidal attacks on Gaza early yesterday morning, unleashing a massive wave of indiscriminate military strikes across the Strip and killing more than 410 people, including scores of children and women, according to local health officials.

    The massacre resulted in one of the largest single-day death tolls of the past 17 months, and also killed several members of Gaza’s government and a member of Hamas’s political bureau.

    The Trump administration said it was briefed ahead of the strikes, which began at approximately 2 am local time, and that the US fully supported Israel’s attacks.

    “The sky was filled with drones, quadcopters, helicopters, F-16 and F-35 warplanes. The firing from the tanks and vehicles didn’t stop,” said Abubaker Abed, a contributing journalist for Drop Site News who reports from Deir al-Balah, Gaza.

    “I didn’t sleep last night. I had a pang in my heart that something awful would happen. At 2 am, I tried to close my eyes. Once it happened, four explosions shook my home. The sky turned red and became heavily shrouded with plumes of smoke.”

    Abubaker said Israel’s attacks began with four strikes in Deir al-Balah.

    “Mothers’ wails and children’s screams echoed painfully in my ears. They struck a house near us. I didn’t know who to call. I couldn’t feel my knees. I was shivering with fear, and my family were harshly awakened,” he said.

    ‘My mother couldn’t breathe’
    “My mother couldn’t take a breath. My father searched around for me. We gathered in the middle of our home, knowing our end may be near. That’s the same feeling we have had for the 16 months of intense bombings and attacks.

    “The nightmare has chased us again.”

    The Israeli attacks pummeled cities across Gaza — from Rafah and Khan Younis in the south to Deir al-Balah in the center, and Gaza City in the north, where Israel carried out some of the heaviest bombing in areas already reduced to an apocalyptic landscape.

    Since the “ceasefire” took effect in January, more than half a million Palestinians returned to the north and many of them have been living in makeshift shelters or on the rubble of their former homes.

    Hospitals that already suffer from catastrophic damage from 16 months of relentless Israeli attacks and a dire lack of medical supplies struggled to handle the influx of wounded people, and local authorities issued an emergency call for blood donations.

    Late Tuesday morning, Dr Abdul-Qader Weshah, a senior emergency doctor at Al-Awda Hospital in Al-Nuseirat camp in central Gaza, described the situation.

    “We’ve just received another influx of injuries following a nearby strike. We’ve dealt with them. We are just preparing ourselves for more casualties as more bombings are expected to happen,” he told Drop Site News.

    ‘Horrified . . . awoke to screams’
    “Since the morning, we were horrified and awoke to the screams and pain of people. We’ve been treating many people, children and women in particular.”

    Weshah said they have had to transfer some of the wounded to other hospitals because of a lack of medical supplies.

    “We don’t have the means. Gaza’s hospitals are devoid of everything. Here at the hospital, we lack everything, including basic necessities like disinfectants and gauze. We don’t have enough beds for the casualties.

    We don’t have the capacity to treat the wounded. X-ray devices, magnetic resonance imaging, and simple things like stitches are not available. The hospital is in an unprecedented state of chaos.

    “The number of medical crews is not enough. Overwhelmed with injuries, we’re horrified and we don’t know why we are speaking to the world.

    “We’re working with less than the bare minimum in our hands. We need doctors, devices and supplies, and circumstances to do our job.”

    Al-Shifa hospital director Muhammad Abu Salmiya told Al Jazeera Arabic: “Every minute, a wounded person dies due to a lack of resources.”

    The Indonesia Hospital morgue in Beit Lahia, Gaza on March 18, 2025. Image: Abdalhkem Abu Riash/Anadolu

    Rising death toll
    Dr Zaher Al-Wahidi, the Director of the Information Unit at the Ministry of Health in Gaza, told Drop Site Tuesday afternoon that 174 children and 89 women were killed in the Israeli attacks. [Editors: Latest figures are 404 killed, including many children, and the toll is expected to rise as many are still buried beneath rubble.]

    Local health officials and witnesses said that the death toll was expected to rise dramatically because dozens of people are believed to be buried under the rubble of the structures where they were sleeping when the bombing began.

    “We can hear the voices of the victims under the rubble, but we can’t save them,” said a medical official at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City.

    Video posted on social media by Palestinians inside Gaza portrayed unspeakable scenes of the lifeless bodies of infants and small children killed in the bombings.

    Zinh Dahdooh, a dental student from Gaza City, posted an audio recording she said was of her neighbours screaming as their shelter was bombed, trapping them in the destruction.

    “Tonight, they bombed our neighbors,” she wrote on the social media site X. “They kept screaming until they died, and no ambulance came for them. How long are we supposed to live in this fear? How long!”

    According to local health officials, many strikes hit buildings or homes housing multiple generations of families.

    ‘Wiped out six families’
    “Israel in its strikes has wiped out at least six families. One in my hometown. The others are from Khan Younis, Rafah, and Gaza City. Some families have lost five or 10 members. Others have lost around 20,” Abubaker reported.

    “We talk about families killed from the children to the old. The Gharghoon family was bombed today in Rafah. The strikes have killed the father and his two daughters. Their mom and grandparents along with their uncles and aunts were also murdered, erasing the entire family from the civil registry.

    “We are talking about the erasure of entire families. Among Israel’s attacks in Deir al-Balah, Israel bombed the homes of the Mesmeh, Daher, and Sloot families.

    “More than 10 people, including seven women, from the Sloot family were killed, wiping them out entirely. The same has happened to the Abu-Teer, Barhoom, and other families.

    “This is extermination by design. This is genocide.”

    On Tuesday, Palestinian Islamic Jihad confirmed that “Abu Hamza,” the spokesman of its military wing, Al Quds Brigades, had been killed along with his wife and other family members.

    A hellish scene
     Israeli officials said they had been given a “green light” by President Donald Trump to resume heavy bombing of Gaza because of Hamas’s refusal to obey Trump’s directive to release all Israeli captives immediately.

    “All those who seek to terrorise not just Israel but also the United States of America, will see a price to pay,” White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said on Fox News.

    “All hell will break loose.”

    Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a statement asserting that “Israel will, from now on, act against Hamas with increasing military strength”.

    Israeli media reported that the decision to resume heavy strikes against Gaza was made a week ago and was not in response to any imminent threat posed by Hamas.

    Israel, which has repeatedly violated the ceasefire that went into effect January 19, has sought to create new terms in a transparent effort to justify blowing up the deal entirely.

    “This is unconscionable,” said Muhannad Hadi, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

    “A cease-fire must be reinstated immediately. People in Gaza have endured unimaginable suffering.”

    Compounding the crisis in Gaza’s hospitals, Israel recently began blocking the entry of international medical workers to the Strip at unprecedented rates as part of a sweeping new policy that severely limits the number of aid organisations Israel will permit to operate in Gaza.

    Plumes of smoke from central Gaza just as Israel began its heavy bombing on Monday night. Image: Abubaker Abed/Drop Site News

    Editor’s note: Due to the ongoing Israeli attacks, Abubaker Abed relayed his reporting and eyewitness account to Jeremy Scahill by phone and text messages. This article is republished from Drop Site News under Creative Commons.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: March 18th, 2025 Heinrich Introduces Legislation to Reverse Chaos & Damage Created by Trump & Musk at the VA, Reinstate Veterans Fired by DOGE & Protect Veteran Benefits

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee, introduced the Putting Veteran’s First Act, legislation that reverses the chaos and damage created at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) by Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and the “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE).
    Veterans make up 30 percent of the federal workforce with approximately 640,000 veterans working in federal agencies. This week, a leaked internal memo revealed the Trump administration’s plans to cut more than 80,000 of VA employees, to include at least 20,000 veterans, who make up 25 percent of the VA’s workforce.
    The Trump administration’s recent mass terminations of VA employees, which include a substantive number of veterans and military spouses. The firings come at a time of staffing shortages and increased demand for services, such as urgently needed mental health care to reduce the veteran suicide rate.
    Last month, Heinrich demanded that VA Secretary Doug Collins immediately reinstate the more than 1,000 VA employees terminated, including employees providing mental health support on the Veterans Crisis Line.
    The Putting Veterans First Act reinstates all veterans, military spouses, survivors, veteran caregivers, and members of the Guard and Reserves who worked in the federal government and were illegally fired, demoted, or suspended by Trump, Musk, or DOGE. The legislation protects veteran benefits, prohibits DOGE from accessing or altering veterans’ private data, and increases oversight of the VA claims backlog.
    “Veterans serve our country on the battlefield abroad and in civil service at home, making up 30 percent of our federal workforce. Their service deserves respect, not illegal terminations, demotions, and suspensions from a chainsaw-wielding, unelected billionaire. I’m proud to support this bill to show veterans, military spouses, veteran caregivers, and Guard and Reserve members the respect they are owed,” said Heinrich.
    Specifically, the Putting Veterans First Act will:
    Reinstate members of the veteran and military community indiscriminately fired by Trump, Musk, or DOGE working as federal employees;
    Protect the quality of VA care, benefits, and employment;
    Protect veterans’ data from DOGE and unelected billionaires;
    Determine the financial impact of DOGE’s reckless cancellation of contracts at the VA;
    Provide critical mental health care for former and current civil servants; and,
    Provide employment assistance for members of the veteran and military community fired from the federal government in Trump and Musk’s mass terminations.
    The Putting Veterans First Act is led by U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.). Alongside Heinrich, the legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ark.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Catherin Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.).
    A section by-section of the bill is here.
    Last month, Heinrich and U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) demanded that VA Secretary Doug Collins immediately secure veterans’ personal information provided by the VA or other agencies to Elon Musk and his “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE). This call followed Musk’s takeover of the U.S. Treasury’s payment system, which includes private information of veterans and their families, and reports of DOGE employees accessing VA computer systems at the Department’s headquarters in Washington, D.C.
    Heinrich also demanded answers from President Trump’s administration about Elon Musk and his “Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)” gaining access to veterans’ VA medical records.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Cassidy: The National Debt is Crushing the American Dream

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) penned an op-ed in The Hill highlighting the need for Congress to address the national debt and put an end to runaway spending moving the American Dream further out of reach for many families.
    “Interest payments now consume 18 percent of federal spending. The $882 billion spent on interest exceeds the defense budget. Historian Niall Ferguson has called this a hallmark of national decline. By 2054, debt service will claim one-third of revenue, surpassing Social Security. If we don’t change course, Medicare, Social Security and debt service will eventually consume all federal revenue,” wrote Dr. Cassidy.
    “During the Biden administration, inflation and high interest rates crushed working families. Most Americans don’t have lobbyists advocating for them. Instead, they elected President Trump and a Republican Congress to bring relief. That means staying committed to fiscal conservatism. Congress must listen and act,” continued Dr. Cassidy. 
    The op-ed follows Dr. Cassidy’s vote to pass a six-month funding bill that cuts government spending.
    “Republicans don’t want to take away benefits Americans rely on. We support lower taxes. We can extend the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in a way maintains benefits, keeps taxes lower and keeps the American Dream alive. Let’s seize that opportunity,” Dr. Cassidy concluded.
    Read the full op-ed here or excepts below.
    The National Debt is Crushing the American Dream
    There are competing priorities in the reconciliation bill before Congress. Some want to make the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act permanent. Others want to reduce our $36 trillion national debt and prevent it from reaching $65 trillion by 2034. The goal should be economic growth — not just measured by the S&P 500, but by middle-class families’ ability to afford groceries, buy a home, purchase a car and live the American Dream.
    To achieve that end, we must address spending and debt. Out-of-control expenditures and rising debt fuel inflation, pushing Treasury yields higher. This ripples through the economy, making loans tied to 10-year Treasuries more expensive. If debt climbs from $36 trillion to $65 trillion, as some proposals allow, it will pump more money into the economy, driving up inflation and the cost of financing that debt.
    President Trump understands this. His efforts to cut spending, increase revenue in creative ways and balance the budget show his awareness of the problem. But extending the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act without adjustments would make a balanced budget impossible.
    ….
    Republicans don’t want to take away benefits Americans rely on. We support lower taxes. We can extend the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in a way maintains benefits, keeps taxes lower and keeps the American Dream alive. Let’s seize that opportunity.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Queensland Media Club address, Q&A

    Source: Australian Treasurer

    Jack McKay:

    Treasurer, thank you very much for that address. We’ll now turn to the question and answer segment of today’s event and we’ll turn to the press gallery very soon. But, Treasurer, I just want to ask you. Obviously this Budget is being delivered with an election around the corner. You cited some statistics there in your speech and you’re certainly making the case that the economy is rebounding, but do you really think people feel better off now compared to 3 years ago when the Albanese government came to power?

    Jim Chalmers:

    First of all, there’s no question that the Australian economy has turned a corner. We see that in all of the ways I ran through in the speech. But what I’ve always done and what I’ve done again today is to acknowledge that a lot of people are still doing it tough. We know that there’s not always a direct correlation between the progress we’re making in the national aggregate data and how people are feeling and faring in the economy. And that’s where our cost‑of‑living help is so important. The cost‑of‑living help that we’re rolling out in all of those different ways. Tax cuts for every taxpayer, energy bill, relief for every household, cheaper early childhood education, cheaper medicines, Fee‑Free TAFE, rent assistance, getting wages moving again, getting inflation down.

    All of this is about not just recognising that people are under pressure, but actually doing something about it. And again, that comes to the core of the contest in this election year. Now, both the major parties in the parliament acknowledge that people are under pressure, but only our side of the parliament has been prepared to do anything about it. Our political opponents at every turn tried to prevent people from getting those tax cuts and getting that cost‑of‑living help. And because of that, Australians would be thousands of dollars worse off if Peter Dutton had his way on the cost‑of‑living help and on the tax cuts and on wages. I think, as Angus Taylor rightly pointed out the other day when he said that the best predictor of future performance is past performance, that should send a shiver up the spine of every Australian, because the past performance of the Liberal and National parties under Peter Dutton is to come after Medicare, come after wages and vote against cost‑of‑living help.

    McKay:

    You talk to voters, though. Do you think they feel better when you speak to them?

    Chalmers:

    I think I said in response to your first question, Jack, I acknowledge that when the national economic data in aggregate is turning Australia’s way, and it has been in very encouraging, very welcome ways, that doesn’t always immediately translate to how people are feeling or faring in the economy. I think I’ve acknowledged that throughout, certainly today, on multiple occasions. What really matters, once you acknowledge that cost‑of‑living pressure, is to be prepared to do something about it. That’s why our cost‑of‑living help is so important. It’s been meaningful, it’s been substantial, it’s been responsible, and without it, Australians would have been worse off. And that’s what Peter Dutton wanted.

    Journalist:

    Okay, Treasurer, thank you. We’ll now go to the back of the room and I believe Tim Arvier from Channel Nine has the first question.

    Journalist:

    Thank you, Jack. And thank you, Treasurer, and thank you for your kind words about the media club earlier. Can I respond by saying here on Table 21, we wish you all the best with delivering the Budget, because as journos, we empathise with people given sudden and unexpected deadlines. My question, though, is about the Olympics. The federal government’s…

    Chalmers:

    I knew your question was going to be about the Olympics.

    Journalist:

    How did you guess?

    The federal government’s committed $2.5 billion for the Brisbane Live Arena. Will you reconsider that if the Crisafulli government tries to move the location of Brisbane Live Arena? And will you rule out any further funding in the budget or down the line for the Olympics?

    Chalmers:

    First of all, unless something’s happened this morning, my understanding is we haven’t been asked to reconsider the commitment that we’ve made to the arena. I work really closely with Anika, with Catherine King, with Anthony Chisholm, with the whole Cabinet, the whole ministry, to find billions of dollars to contribute to the Olympics, because we think the Olympics are going to be amazing for this part of Australia and for Australia more broadly. We’re very enthusiastically investing not just the 2 and a half big ones for the arena, but also almost another billion dollars for the small venues, too. And that shows a willingness and an enthusiasm on our part to invest in the Olympics.

    I know that there’s a lot of speculation, there’s a lot of conjecture around what the next steps might be. When it comes to the review and the decisions that the state government may or may not make, I see no point really engaging in those kinds of hypotheticals. I see that you report on this very frequently on my TV, and I don’t doubt your sources or your intentions, but what we’ll do is we’ll see what the state government comes out with. Our preference, our intention is to stick to that $3.5 billion that we are providing to the Olympics. And as far as I know, we haven’t been asked to do anything different.

    Journalist:

    So, that decision about that funding you’ll make that when you see the plans come out, is that correct?

    Chalmers:

    It strikes me as a hypothetical that we see, obviously, daily reporting from yourself and others about what may or may not be decided by the state government following the review when they release it. What we do is we work closely with state governments right around Australia, of both political persuasions. We know that there’s a big opportunity to make these Olympics amazing. We’re contributing billions of dollars to that end, and we haven’t been asked to consider any different kinds of plans. If and when that happens, we’ll consider it then.

    Journalist:

    Myself and Sarah Elks here from The Australian have both reported there’s a proposal from the Review Board to move Brisbane live to the GoPrint site at the Gabba. If that happens, will you reconsider your funding?

    Chalmers:

    I think, as I’ve tried to say, probably half a dozen ways. Now, Tim, I’ve seen your reports. I don’t doubt your professionalism or your journalism or Sarah’s. That would be mad to do that, especially here. But we haven’t been approached about any different plans from the state government. We’ll consider that if and when it happens.

    Journalist:

    And just very quickly to finish. Have you been approached by the state government for any further funding? Have they asked you for any more money?

    Chalmers:

    I haven’t.

    Journalist:

    All right, who’s next?

    Journalist:

    G’day, Jack. Treasurer, Harry Clark from Sky News.

    I’m interested to hear a bit more of a breakdown of that $1.2 billion in federal money to recover from Cyclone Alfred. There were a lot of high winds. There was nowhere near the rain that was forecast. There’s a lot of erosion on the Gold Coast and some trees are shredding and some landed on some buildings. But we didn’t see suburbs underwater. And there were no prevailing reports of crops being flattened, unlike up in North Queensland with that big dump of rain they just had. The Bruce Highway Bridge got washed away. Where’s that $1.2 billion being spent? And how does that figure compare to what you’re putting into the recovery in North Queensland?

    Chalmers:

    Thanks, Harry. First of all, we’re still assessing the damage, but I can’t wait for another 2 or 3 or 4 weeks or a couple of months before I put it in the budget. I’ve got to put a number in the Budget a week from today. So we make a sensible provision for the recovery and rebuilding communities. It’s a combination of the hardship payments and the allowance in the social security system with the asks that we get from the state governments and local governments to rebuild local infrastructure, you’d be aware you covered it, I suspect most of you did. On those tables up the back, there’s a whole range of different ways that the Commonwealth and the States work together to rebuild communities. Some of it’s automatic, some of it comes from priority lists provided by the states. We’ve made our best estimate that we can at this point to provision responsibly for those sorts of costs.

    This isn’t the first time we’ve done it, as your question rightly alludes to the fact that we’ve also had the provision for a number of natural disasters in recent times, including what we saw in North Queensland and Far North Queensland not that long ago. There’s about $13.5 billion now provisioned in the budget over the forward estimates for these kinds of purposes.

    If you’ll forgive me one more point about the contrast at the election. You will hear my opposite number and occasionally the Leader of the Opposition sometimes talk about wasteful spending and they use a big number. And the big number that they use includes the money that we have provisioned for natural disasters. They think natural disaster funding, billions of dollars we’re providing in Queensland, NSW and elsewhere is wasteful spending. We take a different view. We will be there for Australians as they rebuild. I understand that your question was based on we didn’t get the worst case scenario, but we still got a lot of substantial damage. We still had people without power for a long time. We’ve had damage to local infrastructure. The damage to our farmers and our producers is still being assessed. So we’ve made a sensible provision because of all of that.

    Journalist:

    Hello, Treasurer. Sarah Elks from The Australian newspaper.

    Chalmers:

    You’ve got to quote Tim in your question because he quoted you in his.

    Journalist:

    I agree with him about sudden and unpredictable deadlines. They’re the bane of every Treasurer and journalist’s existence.

    I wanted to ask about the Albanese government’s previous promise about bringing electricity prices down from 2022 levels. Unfortunately, that did not occur. Can you now make a guarantee that power prices for consumers will come down or will at least remain stable in a second term of an Albanese Labor government?

    Chalmers:

    Well, a couple of things about that, a couple of important points there. And I appreciate your question. First of all, if you look at the inflation numbers for the last year to the end of 2024, what we saw that electricity prices were down a little over 25. Yes, you want to think that that is all the rebate, most of that is the rebate, but they still would have gone down a bit over 1.5 per cent absent the rebate. So in the last year, what we saw was some pretty encouraging outcomes when it came to electricity prices. When it comes to the rebate. I want to shout out Steven and Grace as well for the way that we work together to take some of the edge off electricity bills. We understood that that was a big part of cost‑of‑living pressures. We worked together very effectively in ways that I’m very grateful for, to take some of the edge off those electricity prices.

    We know, as I suspect your question is referring to, we’ve had the default market offer released in recent days, and in some parts of Australia, we are expecting some price pressures. As the independent experts said at the time, that is primarily about the unreliability of the legacy parts of the energy network. What we need to do is we need to make sure that we are introducing cheaper, cleaner, more reliable energy into the system over time, because that’s the only way, over the longer term, that you get that downward pressure on prices.

    The third point I’d make is that if you want lower electricity prices, the dumbest thing that you would do would be commit to nuclear reactors in 15 or 20 years’ time, because that leaves the old unreliable parts of the system in place for longer. It’s the most expensive form of new energy and it will push up electricity prices as well as introduce a whole bunch of uncertainty. Now, to finish on the point you made about the 2022 levels, which I suspect is why you’ve asked for the microphone back, the number that you’re referring to, which we all used on a number of occasions, was a forecast in 2021 about an outcome in 2025. And I think for a lot of the reasons that I’ve run through in my speech today, but also particular to the energy market, there’s been a lot of uncertainty, a lot of volatility between 2021 and 2025. Our responsibility is to first of all understand and accept electricity price is a big part of the pressure on families, on households, on pensioners, to do what we can in the near term, which we have with our energy rebates, and in the longer term with our cleaner and cheaper, more reliable energy. And in that, I would happily stack up our plan against this nuclear insanity any day.

    Journalist:

    And just a follow up, well foreshadowed, given that decision from the AER last week or this week, that power prices or the price cap is due to rise. It sounds like you’re not keen to make another guarantee in the way that you did in the past.

    Will there be further electricity bill relief for consumers in the Budget next Tuesday? You can just give us a little hint. We won’t tell anybody.

    Chalmers:

    I think, as I’ve made pretty clear on a number of occasions now, there are hints in the first 3 budgets. For the government’s fourth budget, I’m obviously not going to commit to another round of energy bill rebates here with you in Brisbane a week out from the Budget. But what I can say is that there will be more cost‑of‑living help in the budget. The form of that will be made clear to you over the course of the next week or so, because we understand that people are still under pressure despite this quite remarkable progress that we’re making together in our economy. So there’ll be cost‑of‑living help. It will be meaningful and substantial and it will be responsible, it will be affordable. We can’t do everything that we would like to do because of the fiscal and other constraints that we have. And there’s always a premium on responsibility, but especially now. But there’ll be cost‑of‑living help. The form of that, you’ll have to tune in a week from now.

    Journalist:

    You won’t guarantee power rebates in the next budget just yet.

    Chalmers:

    I’m not going to do that today, Jack. And I’ll give you the same answer I just gave Sarah. There’ll be cost‑of‑living help in the budget. The form of that will be made clear to people over the course of the next week.

    Journalist:

    Would you like the states, you just spoke about that $1,000 rebate earlier, would you like the states to do more heavy lifting on that front and put more rebates in their budget?

    Chalmers:

    Look, I don’t give the states free advice about the pressures on their budgets or what they might do. I think what I’ve tried to do in couching it in the positive – I’m a positive fellow – is to acknowledge what Steven and Grace did in the former cabinet here in Queensland. I get asked from time to time to have a shot at these guys about the spending in their budget, and I refuse to do that because I think Australians need and deserve help with the cost of living. I think it’s all hands on deck when it comes to that important task. We’ve been prepared to play our part. Steven and the colleagues were prepared to play their part and that’s because we recognise people are under pressure now. There are limits to that. There are fiscal limits to that. We want to make sure that we’re part of the solution when it comes to inflation, not part of the problem. And we’ve demonstrated an ability to do that. I’ll leave the decisions for the state colleagues that they will make around their own cabinet tables.

    Journalist:

    Treasurer, Chris Burns from the Courier Mail. And this is really on the back of Tim’s questions. I feel we need to go back to the Olympics here. You’ve made your position very clear about the amount of funding the government’s willing to put up. However, obviously we’re up in the air waiting for review findings to come out. Would you consider putting more funding in if it was used for generational infrastructure? And the second part of that question is too is it makes it very hard to give an informed answer to that. Why haven’t you been able to see the GIICA Reviews reports yet?

    Chalmers:

    What was the last part of your question again?

    Journalist:

    Let me rephrase that properly, thank you. Why hasn’t the state government briefed you on the findings of a game authority’s final report?

    Chalmers:

    It’s a question for them. I don’t know the answer to that. Anika might have a deeper insight into that or Catherine, we’ll wait for the government to engage us. We’ve indicated a willingness and enthusiasm to work closely with the former government and the current government to deliver an amazing Olympics. When it comes to the first part of your question, I mean the $3.5 billion that we’ve put on the table, it’s hard to find $3.5 billion. There’s not a lot of spare cash lying around. We found $3.5 billion and we did that because the infrastructure that we want to build is generational. It is legacy infrastructure. We don’t want to see a dollar of that 3 and a half go to anything that doesn’t make a lasting contribution to South East Queensland and the Australian community more broadly. We put a lot of work into that commitment. We didn’t just pull that number out of a hat. We did a heap of work. We discussed it a bunch of times around the table at the Expenditure Review Committee and the Cabinet. Again, Anika and Catherine have done most of the work on this with me playing a supportive role. But that’s because we believe in these investments. We believe there’ll be a generational dividend to them.

    Journalist:

    Would you like to see that review soon? They’ve been sitting on for a while.

    Chalmers:

    Ideally, I think we’ve made it really clear, if the state government is contemplating a change in direction, it would be good if they made that clear. We’ve not been approached to change the way that we’re going at it. We’ve put $3.5 billion on the table for good reasons. We’re big believers in the Olympics. We think it’s going to be amazing and we want to get cracking.

    Journalist:

    Can I just follow on from that, though, you say you didn’t pull that $3.5 billion out of a hat. How then are you going to take into account inflation, construction costs? Given the fact that the Olympics are years away, wouldn’t you then account for more money along the way?

    Chalmers:

    Yes, that’s a pretty common feature of budgeting for big infrastructure projects. One of the reasons why there’s a lot of pressure on our budgets collectively is because we have seen a blowout in costs. We try to provision for that and allow for that as responsibly as we can, but that’s not unique to Olympics infrastructure. A lot of the projects we’re building, which have long lead times and long build times, we’ve unfortunately seen a blowout in cost. We try to adapt to that. We try to make room for that and provision for that in our budgets. And that’s the case with the Olympics infrastructure, too.

    Journalist:

    Hi, Treasurer. Joe Hinchliffe from The Guardian. We’re looking at a forecast of a string of deficits as far as the eye can see. With all due respect, how can you prosecute the argument that the Albanese government is a responsible economic manager?

    Chalmers:

    We delivered the first 2 surpluses in almost 2 decades. Our predecessors promised a surplus in their first year and every year thereafter, and went precisely none for 9. We have helped engineer a $200 billion turnaround in the budget, a $200 billion improvement in the budget in nominal terms. That’s the biggest that has ever happened. Even this year, where we will be printing next week, a deficit, that deficit is very substantially smaller than what we inherited when we came to office. And we’ve been able to do all of that, to make all of that progress in the budget at the same time as we provided this cost‑of‑living help invested in the future, invested in the resilience of our economy and one of the dividends of that. We don’t see those 2 surpluses or the smaller deficits as an end in themselves. We see it as a way to avoid interest costs. We see it as a way to make room for other priorities so that we can fund cost‑of‑living help or natural disaster recovery and the like. But we’ve paid down, I think, more than $170 billion in Liberal debt since we came to office. We’ve only been here not even a full term yet, and that’s saving us tens of billions of dollars in debt interest, which we can invest in strengthening Medicare or providing cost‑of‑living help and the like. I think any objective observer of the progress we’ve made in the budget over the last couple of years would recognise and would acknowledge that the way that we’ve managed the budget over the course of the last couple of years has been very responsible in comparison with our predecessors, but responsible in terms of the overall progress that we’ve been able to make.

    Journalist:

    Treasurer, on the back of Harry’s question, before just touching on heavy storms up north, obviously Queensland’s faced 2 disasters recently, but in the Townsville region there are still residents in suburbs impacted by the heavy flooding, loss of clothes, furniture, who do not qualify for Commonwealth funding. What would you say to claims by Coalition MPs that there is a double standard between how the government responded to Tropical Cyclone Alfred compared to funding arrangements for the Townsville region? Is this an example or a case of a South East being preferred to the regions?

    Chalmers:

    No, I don’t believe so. We’ve provided and we are providing very substantial assistance and funding in North Queensland and Far North Queensland. We understand the very serious damage that’s been done up north and we consider the questions around eligibility, the questions around support, the questions about recovery funding and rebuilding communities to be the same whether they happen in Cairns or Townsville or Brisbane or the Gold Coast or in the Northern Rivers in NSW. If there are instances where that support should have been provided and hasn’t, obviously I’m prepared to take that up with the relevant colleagues.

    Journalist:

    Any more?

    Journalist:

    Yes, another one here. Mr Treasurer, you’ve spoken about the global picture and talking about tariffs from the US on aluminium and steel and some of the comments you’ve made on them. Given those tariffs, what value does the US‑Australia Free Trade Agreement still hold? And are you preparing and how are you preparing for the prospect of future tariffs, perhaps in agriculture and other sectors?

    Chalmers:

    First of all, our colleague Don Farrell, the Trade Minister, has been engaging with his counterpart, I think this morning on some of these important questions. Obviously there is more discussion to be had between now and the next deadline and we will make Australia’s case. And a really important part of Australia’s case is the fact that the US enjoys tariff‑free access to our markets because of that Free Trade Agreement. Now, when I engage with my counterpart, when Don does, Penny does, Richard does, the PM does and others – one of the things that we point out is that this has been for a very long time a relationship of mutual economic benefit and the Free Trade Agreement has been part of that. The Americans run a big trade surplus with us. They enjoy tariff free access to our markets. We have a substantial amount of the critical minerals that they’re after. They build the future of their own economy. So we’ve got a compelling story to tell and a good case to make when it comes to these tariffs.

    As I’ve said today, the PM said the other day and other colleagues have said in between, a very disappointing decision from the US not to exempt us on steel and aluminium. The wrong decision, wrong‑headed for all of the reasons that we have made clear. And we will continue to engage between now and the next deadline and after that as well, to make sure that we get the best deal that we can for our workers, our businesses, our industries and our economy.

    Journalist:

    We’ve got time for a couple more. Any more in the back table there, Treasurer?

    Journalist:

    The former Queensland government knew that their hiked coal royalties regime would most likely have an impact on GST and the GST share that Queensland would get. Should they have had a contingency plan in place for this redistribution that we’ve seen announced this week?

    Chalmers:

    First of all, everybody knows that royalty collection has an impact on the calculation made independently and at arm’s length by the Commonwealth. That’s not some kind of revelation. That’s how the system works. What happens is the Commonwealth Grants Commission at arm’s length from the federal government, for good reason, independent from the government, undertakes about 12 months’ worth of consultation with the states and territories. They do multiple rounds of that consultation and people know that when other sources of income go up substantially, then that has implications for the formula. I think everybody has known that for some time now.

    The current Queensland government were clearly expecting that reduction because they booked a big part of it in their mid‑year update and they said at the time that they thought that there were further downside risks to that. And part of the reason for that is because in the relevant period coal royalties went up, I think $8.8 billion from memory. So, none of that is a surprise. And again, I say the same thing I said yesterday when asked about this. You know, it’s not unusual for state treasurers and state governments to want more money from the Commonwealth or from the GST carve, that is states wanting more money from the Commonwealth is a story as old as federation. I continue to deal with Treasurer Janetzki and his colleagues in a respectful way. I understand they’ve got a view about this. But it’s an independent process at arm’s length and it takes into consideration all of the things it’s been taken into consideration for some time, including royalty payments in areas like coal.

    McKay:

    We’ve got time for one more question.

    Journalist:

    We had a few unexpected guests earlier today and they were asking you when will Labor stop approving new coal and gas projects? You want to win a couple of seats from the greens in Brisbane, Griffith and Brisbane. When will Labor stop approving new coal and gas projects?

    Chalmers:

    Well, I don’t think it’s a good idea to reward that kind of behaviour by asking their questions for them. That’s the first point.

    Journalist:

    It’s still a relevant policy question. It’s not like those people were the first people to ask you that question.

    Chalmers:

    I understand. What we have done and what we will continue to do is to make the best decisions that we can for our environment and for our economy, making sure that we balance all of the relevant considerations, environmental considerations, impact on communities, impact on the national economy and what we have shown. And here I tip my lid to Tanya Plibersek and the colleagues. They have been approving heaps of renewable energy projects, I think a record amount of renewable energy projects from memory. What we’re trying to do is to strike the right balance, recognising that we can make ourselves an indispensable part of the global net zero economy at the same time as we leverage some of our traditional strengths. There is a role, for example, for gas in the energy transformation. We’ve been upfront about that as well. We’ll continue to strike the right balance. I know that there’s a range of views at one end and at the other end we are a responsible middle of the road government which takes decisions based on evidence. We approve projects where we can, where they satisfy all of those criteria that I ran through.

    Journalist:

    Treasurer, I’ll just finish up with this one. Federal Labor has gone backwards in terms of the number of seats it holds in Queensland in the last 2 elections. Do you think federal Labor would do better if it had a leader from Queensland?

    Chalmers:

    I think that’s a bit embarrassing to put Anika on the spot like that. No, I think we’re going to put our best foot forward in Queensland and one of the reasons for that is because I genuinely believe that Anthony Albanese has that kind of practical pragmatism that Queenslanders appreciate. Queenslanders are practical people. They’re pragmatic, they’re problem solvers, they’re middle of the road, they’re not especially ideological. I think that’s a description that applies equally to the Prime Minister.

    Given you’ve given me this opportunity, the Prime Minister really enthusiastically believes in the future of our state. He believes in its contribution to the national economy and the nation more broadly. And one of the ways that he has demonstrated that commitment to us is the way that he has promoted and given positions of influence to Queenslanders in our government. We’ve got 4 front benchers. You mentioned unkindly that our numbers were not exactly thick on the ground here in Queensland. But of the people that have been elected from Queensland into the Albanese government – we’ve got 3 Ministers in the cabinet, we’ve got another Minister, we’ve got the speaker of the House, we’ve got a couple of great backbenchers, we’ve got an envoy in Nita Green. We’re short on numbers, but we’re not short on influence. When the time comes for the election campaign and when people are asking, we’re asking for Queenslanders for their vote, I think that they can rest assured that Queensland has a big say in our government, a big say in our policy agenda, a big say around our cabinet table and in all the decision making forums of our government. That’s because Prime Minister Albanese deeply believes in our state, our people, and its potential.

    Journalist:

    So, you don’t have aspirations to become leader one day yourself?

    Chalmers:

    No.

    Journalist:

    All right. Well, thank you very much, Treasurer, for your time today. That brings us to the conclusion of our lunch. Please join me in thanking the Treasurer.

    Chalmers:

    Thanks, Jack. Thanks, everyone.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: New electronic system to support pharmacy efficiency

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Associate Health Minister David Seymour says he welcomes Medsafe’s decision to approve an electronic controlled drug register for use in New Zealand pharmacies, allowing pharmacies to replace their physical paper-based register.
    “The register, developed by Kiwi brand Toniq Limited, is the first of its kind to be approved in New Zealand for pharmacies, increasing efficiency in pharmacies by allowing pharmacists to focus on patients instead of administrative tasks like manual record-keeping,” Mr Seymour says. 
    “I have seen first-hand the role pharmacists play in the healthcare system. They are the customer facing arm of the pharmaceutical industry and are integral to medicines access. They dispense medications, educate patients, and advise doctors. I’m pleased to be making life easier for them so they can focus on patients.
    “I’m excited to see New Zealand embrace innovative technology like this, and I look forward to seeing how it can help ease our pharmacists’ workloads.”
    Pharmacies are required to keep detailed records of any controlled drugs in stock, such as opioids and medicinal cannabis, given the higher level of risk they pose. Currently, these are recorded in physical paper-based registers and can take considerable work to maintain. 
    “Electronic systems like this are the future of pharmacy, and it’s fantastic to see New Zealand adopting them, especially involving a Kiwi brand,” says Mr Seymour.
    “The register integrates with the Toniq dispensing system, helping maintain accurate oversight of the number and type of drugs in storage, and simplifies recording requirements through its automated processes. 
    “Toniq has been testing the registers, with Medsafe oversight, at a controlled trial in pharmacies. The register proved well equipped to handle users’ requirements and received good feedback from participating pharmacists. 
    “Pharmacists who are interested in exploring other options for electronic registers should keep an eye on this space. Medsafe is currently assessing the abilities of other vendors and will look to make more options available if they meet their standards.  
    “It’s great to see pharmacists gaining access to a resource that can help manage their administrative duties. I know these tasks can be time-consuming, and given our already stretched health system, I want to make sure they are able to focus on only the most vital tasks.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Speech by Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina, President and Chairman of the Boards of Directors African Development Bank Group, at the High-Level Conference on…

    Source: African Development Bank Group

    [PROTOCOLS]

    Your Excellencies,

    Honourable Ministers,

    Distinguished delegates,

    Ladies and Gentlemen,

    Good morning.

    I am delighted to join you all today at this high-level conference, focusing on smallholder farmers.

    On behalf of the African Development Bank Group, I wish to convey our profound gratitude to our host, His Excellency President William Ruto, his government and the people of Kenya for their generous support for hosting this High-Level Conference in Nairobi.

    I would have joined you for the sessions at this high-level conference yesterday, but I had a very important engagement at the State House, Kenya. It was such a great honour, yesterday for His Excellency President William Ruto to confer on me the Chief of the Order of the Golden Heart (C.G.H), Kenya’s highest national honour and distinction.

    I wish to express my deepest gratitude once again to President Ruto for this exceptional honour, given only to 19 Heads of State and Government and global leaders since 1963.

    I am especially delighted that the conferment of this honour was given the same day that farmers and agribusinesses of Africa are gathered right here at the High-level conference on ‘Scaling Financing for Smallholder Farmers”.

    As you know, I am a great supporter of African farmers and agribusinesses. So, I wish to ask that you all join me in thanking President Ruto for this great honour.

    Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

    I wish to commend our partners, the Pan African Farmers’ Organization (PAFO) and all the partner organizations that have worked tirelessly with our teams from the African Development Bank to organize this high-level conference.

    We meet here in Nairobi to reposition and expand opportunities for Africa’s smallholder farmers who contribute over 80% of the continent’s food production.

    I will be speaking to you today on: “Progress Since Dakar 2 Feed Africa Summit: a portrait of success in building coalitions for supporting smallholder farmers to transform African economies”.

    Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

    Africa will be the epicentre of feeding the world, since 65% of the uncultivated arable land left in the world is in Africa. Therefore, what Africa does with its agriculture will determine the future of food in the world.

    It is with this goal of unleashing the potential of Africa to feed itself, and to do so with pride, that the African Development Bank, in partnership with the Government of Senegal and the African Union, organized the Feed Africa Summit (or Dakar 2) in 2023.

    The theme of the Summit was on Achieving Food Sovereignty and Resilience. Attended by 34 heads of state and government, Dakar 2 showed the political commitment of governments towards ensuring food security and food sovereignty in Africa.

    Many of you were there!

    At the heart of Dakar 2 were 41 Presidential Boardrooms that launched Country Food and Agriculture Delivery Compacts outlining national production targets, enabling policies, smallholder farmers’ support, rural infrastructure development, and innovative financing solutions.

    Dakar 2 gave us a renewed sense of purpose and marked a turning point in Africa’s pursuit of food security through the power of partnerships and cooperation.

    Dakar 2 showed us the power of partnerships. At the Dakar 2 Feed Africa Summit, development partners committed $30 billion to support the Compacts, with the African Development Bank Group pledging $10 billion.

    In less than a year after the Dakar 2 Feed Africa summit, financial commitments from development partners from around the world increased to $72 billion.

    This is unprecedented in the history of agriculture in Africa.

    Since then, the African Development Bank has made tremendous progress in our combined continental quest to Feed Africa, approving 77 operations valued at $3.9 billion to support the implementation of Compacts in 32 countries.

    This year, the African Development Bank plans to approve an additional $1.72 billion in project investments and policy-based operations.

    Central to the Compacts is the Bank’s flagship initiative, the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) which aims to double food production by providing proven technologies to more than 40 million smallholder farmers by 2025.

    The TAAT platform has delivered heat-tolerant wheat varieties, drought-tolerant maize varieties, and high-yield rice varieties, as well as capacity building, training and other related services to 25 million farmers across the continent.

    Our efforts with partners have increased Africa’s crop production by an estimated 120 million tonnes of additional food. A total of $1.7 billion in investments has been influenced by TAAT’s climate-smart technologies – and about 247 million Africans have better nutrition today, due to TAAT.

    TAAT is also a key driver of the African Development Bank’s $1.5 billion African Emergency Food Production Facility approved in 2022 to avert a looming food crisis following global geopolitical tensions. The facility is a continental initiative to support 20 million smallholder farmers in 35 countries to access certified seeds and fertilizer to produce 38 million metric tons of food.

    As of December 2024, the African Emergency Food Production Facility had delivered 459,000 tons of seed, distributed 2.8 million tonnes of fertilizer to 12.3 million farmers. It has supported the production of 37.6 million metric tons of additional food in Africa. are on course to meeting and even surpassing the target we set just about two years ago.

    Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

    We are working hard to connect farmers to market off-takers, and to accelerate the processing and value addition to food and agricultural commodities. We are doing this through the development and roll out of Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones.

    The African Development Bank has committed $934.51 million to the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones, which has been matched with co-financing from our partners amounting to $938.27 million. Currently, we have 27 ongoing Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones projects across 11 countries.

    However, despite lots of progress being made, one area that continues to remain a challenge for farmers, especially smallholder farmers, and small and medium sized agribusinesses, is lack of access to finance.

    There exists an annual financing deficit of $75 billion for farmers and small and medium enterprises. Data from 35 lenders found a perception of higher risks and lower returns by commercial banks to lending to agriculture-linked small and medium enterprises.

    Therefore, we must find efficient ways to “de-risk” lending to farmers and small and medium enterprises. This can be achieved by absorbing incremental risk and thereby increasing lenders’ risk appetite and by leveraging outside private sector finance into the agricultural sector.

    The three major investment channels deployed effectively by the African Development Bank in addressing these challenges include: (1) the Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA), (2) the African Fertilizer Financing Mechanism, and (3) the Inputs Supplier Risk Sharing Program.

    First: as of February 2025, the Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa program had approved $2.52 billion in financing for over 24,000 of Africa’s women-led businesses. This has been achieved through partnerships with the Africa Guarantee Fund which now works with over 185 financial institutions across 44 African countries.

    Second: The African Fertilizer Financing Mechanism has implemented trade credit guarantee projects in 8 countries, including Tanzania, Nigeria, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Uganda and Mozambique. The $17.1 million trade credit guarantee was leveraged by 4.7 times, including 13 times leverage in Tanzania. It has enabled the distribution of 125,193 metric tons of fertilizer worth $62.8 million, which benefited 776,971 smallholder farmers during the 2019–2024 seasons. These projects also facilitated access to finance for over 126 hub agro-based enterprises involved in fertilizer distribution, with women beneficiaries representing 36% of the African Fertilizer Financing Mechanism projects. 

    And the third channel is the African Development Bank’s new $600 million Inputs Supplier Risk Sharing Program. This is to support the development of more robust agricultural inputs market systems through de-risking of the inputs supply ecosystem. This is focusing on Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana and Zambia. Initially this will be undertaken through the deployment of a risk sharing mechanism, backed by the Bank’s Partial Credit Guarantee instrument, to attract private sector, and donor resources for the development of a sustainable agricultural-inputs market system.

    Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

    In addition, the African Development Bank is working with Mastercard and other partners on developing the “Mobilizing Access to the Digital Economy,” or the MADE Alliance Africa. The Bank’s first phase commitment includes $300 million to the MADE Alliance Africa’s initial five years of programming. By doing so, the African Development Bank aims to bring 3 million farmers in Kenya, Tanzania and Nigeria into the digital economy.

    I am pleased to inform you that we will be consulting with our Board of Directors of the African Development Bank to establish a $500 million facility to unlock $10 billion of financing for smallholder farmers, as well as small and medium sized agribusiness enterprises.           

    This will include the use of trade credit guarantees, first loss coverage, blended finance, and origination incentives that defray the high transaction costs of serving enterprises, as well as technical assistance.

    Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

    From Dakar 2 Feed Africa summit to Nairobi ‘Scaling up finance for farmers” conference today, we stand on the threshold of making history by pushing the boundaries of innovation and building extensive collaborative alliances to accelerate action towards bridging the financing gap facing smallholder farmers and small and medium sized agribusinesses.

    The African Development Bank remains fully committed to collaborating with the Pan African Farmers’ Organization and its subsidiary farmers’ organizations, as well as development partners and financial institutions, to fully unlock financing for smallholder farmers and small and medium sized agribusiness enterprises.

    Together, let us expand access to finance at scale for farmers and small and medium sized agribusinesses.

    Together, let us provide strong policy support for farmers.

    Africa must never abandon its farmers.

    Together, let us unleash the potential of agriculture in Africa.

    Let us make Africa the breadbasket of the world.

    And together, let us feed Africa, with pride!

    Thank you very much.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI: Purpose Investments Inc. Announces March 2025 Distributions

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, March 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Purpose Investments Inc. (“Purpose”) is pleased to announce distributions for the month of March 2025 for its open-end exchange-traded funds and closed-end funds (“the Funds”).

    The ex-distribution date for all Open-End Funds is March 27, 2025. The ex-distribution date for all closed-end funds is March 31, 2025.

    Open-End Funds Ticker Symbol Distribution per share/unit Record Date Payable Date Distribution Frequency
    Apple (AAPL) Yield Shares Purpose ETF – ETF Units APLY $0.1667 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Canadian Financial Income Fund – ETF Series BNC $0.1225¹ 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Global Bond Fund – ETF Units BND $0.0840 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Berkshire Hathaway (BRK) Yield Shares Purpose ETF – ETF Units BRKY $0.1000 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Bitcoin Yield ETF – ETF Units BTCY $0.0850 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Bitcoin Yield ETF – ETF Non-Currency Hedged Units BTCY.B $0.0970 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Bitcoin Yield ETF – ETF USD Units BTCY.U US $0.0815 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Credit Opportunities Fund – ETF Units CROP $0.0875 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Credit Opportunities Fund – ETF USD Units CROP.U US $0.0975 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Ether Yield – ETF Units ETHY $0.0405 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Ether Yield ETF – ETF Non-Currency Hedged Units ETHY.B $0.0500 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Ether Yield ETF – ETF Units Non-Currency Hedged USD Units ETHY.U US $0.0395 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Global Flexible Credit Fund – ETF Units FLX $0.0461 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Global Flexible Credit Fund – Non-Currency Hedged – ETF Units FLX.B $0.0551 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Global Flexible Credit Fund – Non-Currency Hedged USD – ETF Units FLX.U US $0.0385 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Global Bond Class – ETF Units IGB $0.0860¹ 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Microsoft (MSFT) Yield Shares Purpose ETF – ETF units MSFY $0.1100 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Active Balanced Fund – ETF Units PABF $0.1650 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Quarterly
    Purpose Active Conservative Fund – ETF Units PACF $0.1900 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Quarterly
    Purpose Active Growth Fund – ETF Units PAGF $0.1550 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Quarterly
    Purpose Enhanced Premium Yield Fund – ETF Series PAYF $0.1375¹ 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Total Return Bond Fund – ETF Series PBD $0.0590¹ 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Core Dividend Fund – ETF Series PDF $0.1050¹ 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Enhanced Dividend Fund – ETF Series PDIV $0.0950¹ 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Real Estate Income Fund – ETF Series PHR $0.0720¹ 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose International Tactical Hedged Equity Fund – ETF Series PHW $0.1500 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Quarterly
    Purpose International Dividend Fund – ETF Series PID $0.0780 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Monthly Income Fund – ETF Series PIN $0.0830¹ 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Multi-Asset Income Fund – ETF Units PINC $0.0840 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Diversified Real Asset Fund – ETF Series PRA $0.2100 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Quarterly
    Purpose Conservative Income Fund – ETF Series PRP $0.0600¹ 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Premium Yield Fund – ETF Series PYF $0.1100¹ 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Premium Yield Fund Non-Currency Hedged – ETF Series PYF.B $0.1230¹ 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Premium Yield Fund Non-Currency Hedged – ETF USD Series PYF.U US $0.1200¹ 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Core Equity Income Fund – ETF Series RDE $0.0875¹ 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Emerging Markets Dividend Fund – ETF Units REM $0.0950 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Canadian Preferred Share Fund – ETF Units RPS $0.0950 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose US Preferred Share Fund – ETF Series RPU $0.0940 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose US Preferred Share Fund Non-Currency Hedged – ETF Units2 RPU.B / RPU.U $0.0940 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Strategic Yield Fund – ETF Units SYLD $0.0970 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    AMD (AMD) Yield Shares Purpose ETF – ETF Series YAMD $0.2000¹ 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Amazon (AMZN) Yield Shares Purpose ETF- ETF Units YAMZ $0.4000 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Alphabet (GOOGL) Yield Shares Purpose ETF – ETF Units YGOG $0.2500 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    META (META) Yield Shares Purpose ETF – ETF Series YMET $0.1600¹ 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    NVIDIA (NVDA) Yield Shares Purpose ETF – ETF Units YNVD $0.7500 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Tesla (TSLA) Yield Shares Purpose ETF – ETF Units YTSL $0.5500 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Costco (COST) Yield Shares Purpose ETF – ETF Series YCST $0.1000¹ 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Palantir (PLTR) Yield Shares Purpose ETF – ETF Series YPLT $0.2500¹ 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    UnitedHealth Group (UHN) Yield Shares Purpose ETF – ETF Series YUNH $0.1100¹ 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Coinbase (COIN) Yield Shares Purpose ETF – ETF Series YCON $0.3000¹ 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Netflix (NFLX) Yield Shares Purpose ETF – ETF Series YNET $0.1100¹ 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Broadcom (AVGO) Yield Shares Purpose ETF – ETF Series YAVG $0.1500¹ 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Tech Innovators Yield Shares Purpose ETF – ETF Series YMAG $0.2000¹ 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Closed-End Funds Ticker Symbol Distribution
    per share/unit    		 Record Date Payable Date Distribution Frequency
    Big Banc Split Corp, Class A BNK $0.1200¹ 03/31/2025 04/14/2025 Monthly
    Big Banc Split Corp, Class A BNK.PR.A $0.0700¹ 03/31/2025 04/14/2025 Monthly


    Estimated March 2025 Distributions for Purpose USD Cash Management Fund, Purpose Cash Management Fund, Purpose High Interest Savings Fund, and Purpose US Cash Fund

    The March 2025 distribution rates for Purpose USD Cash Management Fund, Purpose Cash Management Fund, Purpose High Interest Savings Fund, and Purpose US Cash Fund are estimated to be as follows:

    Fund Name Ticker Symbol Estimated Distribution per unit Record Date Payable Date Distribution Frequency
    Purpose USD Cash Management Fund – ETF Units MNU.U US $0.3440 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose Cash Management Fund – ETF Units MNY $0.2657 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose High Interest Savings Fund – ETF Units PSA $0.1105 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly
    Purpose US Cash Fund – ETF Units PSU.U US $0.3374 03/27/2025 04/02/2025 Monthly

    Purpose expects to issue a press release on or about March 26, 2025, which will provide the final distribution rate for Purpose USD Cash Management Fund, Purpose Cash Management Fund, Purpose High Interest Savings Fund, and Purpose US Cash Fund. The ex-distribution date will be March 27, 2025.

    (1) Dividend is designated as an “eligible” Canadian dividend for purposes of the Income Tax Act (Canada) and any similar provincial and territorial legislation.
    (2) Purpose US Preferred Share Fund Non-Currency Hedged – ETF Units have both a CAD and USD purchase option. Distribution per unit is declared in CAD; however, the USD purchase option (RPU.U) distribution will be made in the USD equivalent. Conversion into USD will use the end-of-day foreign exchange rate prevailing on the ex-distribution date.

    About Purpose Investments Inc.

    Purpose Investments is an asset management company with more than $22 billion in assets under management. Purpose Investments has an unrelenting focus on client-centric innovation and offers a range of managed and quantitative investment products. Purpose Investments is led by well-known entrepreneur Som Seif and is a division of Purpose Unlimited, an independent technology-driven financial services company.

    For further information, please email us at info@purposeinvest.com

    Media inquiries:
    Keera Hart
    keera.hart@kaiserpartners.com
    905-580-1257

    Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees, and expenses may all be associated with investment fund investments. Please read the prospectus and other disclosure documents before investing. Investment funds are not covered by the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government deposit insurer. There can be no assurance that the full amount of your investment in a fund will be returned to you. If the securities are purchased or sold on a stock exchange, you may pay more or receive less than the current net asset value. Investment funds are not guaranteed; their values change frequently, and past performance may not be repeated.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Canada Supports Tree-Planting Activities in Gatineau and Across Quebec

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    News release

    March 18, 2025                                      Gatineau, Quebec                                Natural Resources Canada

    Today, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, along with the Honourable Steven Guilbeault,  Minister of Canadian Culture and Identity, Parks Canada and Quebec Lieutenant, announced more than $16 million in funding for four tree-planting projects that will bring environmental, health and social benefits to both urban and rural communities across the province of Quebec.

    The City of Gatineau and the City of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu are receiving funding for urban tree-planting projects that will plant new trees on public lands, helping to capture carbon, increase biodiversity and cool areas vulnerable to extreme heat.

    With the funding announced today, the City of Gatineau will:

    • increase its urban tree canopy to 30 percent by planting 80,000 new trees in all the city’s communities over the next six years;
    • establish urban forests that will help improve air and soil quality, support biodiversity and contribute to the health and well-being of citizens; and
    • create five new jobs in the region, as well as long-term contracts for forest maintenance over the years. 

    The City of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu will carry out its own tree-planting project that will:

    • plant 70,000 new trees and increase its urban tree canopy to 20 percent, with the longer-term goal of 30-percent tree cover;
    • beautify the city by planting trees and establishing micro-forests along roadways, riverbanks and in existing forests; and
    • sequester carbon while increasing the city’s resilience to the effects of climate change.

    Two more federally funded projects across the province will contribute toward reforestation and afforestation in rural areas of Quebec:

    • Harpur Farm LTD is receiving funds to plant 251,000 trees in western Quebec, afforesting more than 208 acres of marginal lands and reforesting 41 acres in degraded woodlands.  In collaboration with Nature Conservancy Canada, this project will expand the critical Plaisance–Tremblant ecological corridor, to allow wildlife to move freely north–south and will establish multi-species forests with edible forest products such as nuts, acorns, fruit and maple syrup.
    • Pepinière Forestière Tshitassinu is receiving funds to develop a 100-percent automated, Indigenous-led tree nursery in Mashteuiatsh, Lac-Saint Jean, that will be able to produce more than 10 million seedlings per year. The proponent will set up 30 state-of-the-art greenhouses to produce seedlings to reforest the boreal forest.

    These projects are being supported in part by Canada’s 2 Billion Trees (2BT) program. This program is dedicated to working with governments and organizations across the country to support the expansion of Canada’s forests while creating sustainable jobs in communities. 

    Quotes

    “Trees are essential to our lives: they clean the air we breathe, they make the outdoors even more enjoyable, they provide new habitats for wildlife, and they help us adapt to a changing climate. The Government of Canada is pleased to be supporting municipalities and private organizations in Quebec in their efforts to increase urban green spaces and forests. By planting the right tree in the right place, we are creating a greener, healthier and more-resilient Canada for generations to come.”

    The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson
    Minister of Energy and Natural Resources 

    “Trees are one of the most effective ways to fight climate change and tackle biodiversity loss. We’re helping communities across the country become greener and more sustainable. In the cities of Gatineau and Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, this means planting tens of thousands of new trees — reducing pollution, improving air quality and combating urban heat islands, especially during extreme heat. This initiative will increase the urban tree canopy by over 20 percent in both cities and increase the quality of life for families. With over $12 billion invested in conservation and climate solutions since 2015, our government is building a greener, more sustainable future for generations to come.”

     

    The Honourable Steven Guilbeault
    Minister of Canadian Culture and Identity, Parks Canada and Quebec Lieutenant

    “Thanks to this investment from the federal government, Gatineau is taking another step toward implementing its Urban Forestry Plan and building a more sustainable city to reduce vulnerability to climate change. Planting 80,000 new trees is more than just an environmental initiative — it’s a concrete commitment to enhancing the quality of life for our residents by creating cooler, more attractive and accessible neighborhood’s and public spaces. With this vision, the city of Gatineau is accelerating the balance between urban development and the preservation of natural spaces.”

    Maude Marquis-Bissonnette
    Mayor, City of Gatineau

    “Valuable to our community, this funding allows us to increase our efforts to green our territory, one of the main objectives of our Tree Policy. As a City, we are working to provide a greener, more resilient and sustainable environment for our citizens in a context where climate change is already having a real impact. This support is a new incentive in achieving these collective goals, whose impacts will be felt quickly and well beyond our generation.”

    Andrée Bouchard
    Mayor, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu

    “Harpur Farms is a multi-generational family forestry business. We strongly believe that ‘great societies are those where people plant trees in whose shade they will never sit’. It is our privilege to work with a partner who shares the same long-term view.”

    Jordan Harpur
    President, Harpur Farms Ltd. 

    “First Nations want to play an active role in forest industry activities — especially in land management, forest reforestation and the production of forest seedlings to be planted on our Nitassinan (Territory) — and, above all, to leave an incredible legacy to our future generations.”

    Ricardo Arias
    President and Founder, Pepinière Forestière Tshitassinu

    Quick facts

    • The Government of Canada is contributing $2.7 million toward the City of Gatineau’s urban tree-planting project. The project is expected to plant 80,000 trees throughout the city by March 31, 2031.

    • The City of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu received $2 million in funding from Canada’s 2BT program to plant 70,000 trees by March 31, 2031.

    • Harpur Farm LTD received $1.9 million from Canada’s 2BT program to plant 251,000 trees on 208.5 acres of marginal lands and 41.9 acres in degraded woodlands. 

    • Canada’s 2BT program is funding $10 million to Pepinière Forestière Tshitassinu to build a fully automated Indigenous-led forest nursery. 

    • These projects are being supported by Canada’s 2 Billion Trees program. 2BT is part of the Government of Canada’s broader approach to nature-based climate solutions. The program is dedicated to working together with provinces, territories, local communities, non-and for-profit organizations and Indigenous Peoples across the country to ensure that the benefits of tree planting will endure for generations.

    • 2BT engages with applicants to understand their plans for preparing sites, how they are selecting species and how they plan to monitor after planting. Funding recipients report every year, and the program has a long-term monitoring plan to monitor the progress and the health of the trees. By ensuring the initial job is done well, nature can then thrive, maintaining the long-term health of forested sites. 

    • As of September 2024, the Government of Canada has secured or is negotiating agreements with partners to plant over 716 million trees.

    Associated links

    Contacts

    Natural Resources Canada
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    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Dozens of surfers fell ill after swimming in seas that turned into a ‘bacterial smoothie’ of sea foam. What was in it?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ipek Kurtböke, Associate Professor in Microbiology, University of the Sunshine Coast

    Anthony Rowland

    Two windswept beaches 80km south of Adelaide have been closed to the public after locals reported “more than 100” surfers fell ill on the weekend. Their symptoms included “a sore throat, dry cough and irritated eyes” or blurred vision. Dead sea dragons, fish and octopuses have also washed up on the beaches.

    Water samples have been taken for testing and health authorities suspect toxins from an algal bloom may be to blame.

    But the “mysterious foam” in the water is a health hazard in its own right.

    My research shows people should not go in the sea when it is foaming. These bacterial smoothies can contain more harmful pathogens than a sewage treatment plant – and you wouldn’t go swimming in sewage.

    Beware of sea foam

    Sea foam doesn’t look dangerous. But looks can be deceiving. This foam is likely to contain a mixture of many different types of microbes and pollutants.

    On beaches with lots of sea foam, people should avoid all contact with the water – and definitely avoid surfing or breathing in the contaminated water droplets in the air.

    I have been studying sea foams since 2003. In 2021, my PhD student Luke Wright and I published research on our discovery of infectious disease-causing microbes in the sea foams of the Sunshine Coast in Queensland.

    Named Nocardiae, these microbes are filamentous bacteria that can cause foaming in wastewater treatment plants, particularly when there’s a high load of fats, oils and greases. We now know the bacteria can cause foaming in the sea too.

    We detected 32 strains of Nocardiae in samples of sea foam from beaches at Noosa and south to Caloundra.

    Some of these species were new to science. So we named them Nocardia australiensis and Nocardia spumea (“spumea” meaning froth or foam).

    Nocardiae bacteria are known to cause skin, lung and central nervous system infections in both humans and animals. But the infection usually only takes hold in people with weakened immune systems. The bacteria can cause abscesses in the brain, lungs and liver.

    The incubation time can range between one and six months, depending on the strain of bacteria and the health status of the person involved.

    This means it will take some time for people to get infected and show symptoms. Long-term medical monitoring is required to detect the condition, as it can be masked by other disease-causing microbes such as the infectious agent that causes tuberculosis.

    Where is the sea foam coming from?

    During heavy winds, microbial spores from the soil can end up on the surface of the ocean.

    If the water is polluted with floating fats and grease as well as asphaltene, motor oil and hydrocarbons, these spores soon form bacterial colonies or biofilms that go forth and multiply.

    That’s because these microbes use pollution as a food source. Seawater is increasingly polluted by runoff from farmland or hard surfaces such as roads. Everything washed into the stormwater drains out to sea. During heavy storms accidental overflow from sewage systems can also occur, as Rockhampton has experienced in the past.

    Algae is another food source for these microbes, as they can crack open algae cells to access the nutritious oils inside. Sea foams have been observed in northern France during algal blooms.

    Warm water makes matters worse, as the warmth increases the survival rate for Nocardiae. In our laboratory on the Sunshine Coast, we were able to replicate a foaming event. We found foaming started at water temperatures of 24°C and above.

    What can be done about it?

    Reducing stormwater pollution will reduce the growth of sea foams. Any potential incident of infections of these surfers can raise awareness of the problem.

    But sea foam can also be found in pristine environments such as national parks, where it is mostly due to oils leached from trees. We proved this fact at Noosa National Park.

    In my experience on the Sunshine Coast, the council and other local authorities have been very receptive to advice on how to fix the problem. They have supported our research and also completed major upgrades at sewage treatment plants over the last 20 years.

    Once there’s an outbreak in the environment it is very difficult to control. That’s because ocean is an open system, as opposed to the closed system of a sewage treatment plant, where operators can use special chemicals or mechanical equipment to break the foam down. In open sea it’s impossible. So we just have to wait for it to go away.

    In this case, teams of researchers from different disciplines should come together to explore the issue. Microbiologists, marine scientists, meteorologists and chemists should team up to find out what’s going on. Ocean currents should be followed to determine where the pollutants end up.

    Sea foam is a global issue

    Earlier this month Tropical Cyclone Alfred whipped up sea foam all the way along the coast from South East Queensland to northern New South Wales. I was horrified to see footage of people playing in the thick, sticky sea foam, blissfully unaware of the dangers.

    But the problem is not confined to Australia, sea foam can be found at polluted beaches all over the world. Examples include India and Turkey.

    I have been telling this story ever since I first observed it on the Sunshine Coast in 2003. Every time there’s a major sea foam event, the media is interested. But research support is also needed in the gaps in between. We scientists need to monitor the shorelines continuously.

    As long as humanity continues to produce pollution, the problem will increase. It will also worsen as the world warms, because sea foams like it hot.

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

    – ref. Dozens of surfers fell ill after swimming in seas that turned into a ‘bacterial smoothie’ of sea foam. What was in it? – https://theconversation.com/dozens-of-surfers-fell-ill-after-swimming-in-seas-that-turned-into-a-bacterial-smoothie-of-sea-foam-what-was-in-it-252506

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Sand-sized fossils hold secrets to the history of climate change

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yuhao Dai, Research Fellow in Earth Sciences, Australian National University

    N-2-s/Shutterstock

    Between 18,000 and 11,000 years ago, the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere suddenly shot up. This caused rapid global warming, the mass melting of glaciers, and the end of the last ice age.

    Much of this sudden influx of atmospheric CO₂ came from the Southern Ocean around Antarctica, highlighting the key role this body of water plays in regulating the global climate.

    However, we have a poor understanding of how and why CO₂ release from this region changed during periods such as the end of the last ice age. But our new study, published in Nature Communications, reveals how much CO₂ was released to the atmosphere from the polar Southern Ocean during this period – and what factors were responsible.

    We reached these conclusions by examining the chemistry of sand-sized fossils, called foraminifera, from the seafloor south of Tasmania.

    Tiny shells preserved in mud

    Foraminifera are tiny single-celled organisms, either floating in the ocean surface or living on the seabed. Most of them build shells made of calcium carbonate to protect themselves. After death, these foraminifera shells are preserved in the mud on the seabed.

    Newer generations of foraminifera shells stack over older ones, like adding new pages to a book. Over time, these foraminifera shells form a book on the seabed that can be dated back to millions of years ago.

    Even more fascinating, trace amounts of elements in the seawater are incorporated into the calcium carbonate shells of foraminifera. In some foraminifera species, the amount of these elements is sensitive to the environment they live in.

    For example, the amount of boron in a species called Cibicidoides wuellerstorfi is sensitive to carbonate ion concentrations, and the amount of cadmium in another species (Hoeglundina elegans) is sensitive to phosphate concentrations.

    By looking at trace elements in these foraminifera shells found in the sequence of mud on the seabed, we can decipher mysteries about the past seawater condition in the book left by foraminifera on the seabed.

    In some species of foraminifera, such as Cibicidoides wuellerstorfi (pictured here), the trace amount of elements found in their shells is sensitive to their environment.
    Le Coze, François/WoRMS, CC BY-SA

    A giant metal straw

    How do scientists do this? First we go out to the ocean to collect mud.

    In this process, a giant metal straw is dropped to the seabed and then raised to our research ships, fully filled with mud. We take these mud samples back to our lab. There, we slice them into pieces and examine them separately.

    This allows us to extract information from each page of the book in chronological order. Foraminifera shells are washed out of the mud, and specific shells are picked out under a microscope, cleaned, and finally analysed for their chemical composition.

    Foraminifera have lived almost everywhere in the ocean for millions of years. Based on their chemical composition, scientists have reconstructed a continuous record of seawater temperature during the past 66 million years in great detail.

    Among a few places in the ocean where you cannot find foraminifera is the polar Southern Ocean. Although some foraminifera live there, seawater in this region is often too corrosive for their shells to preserve on the seabed. The lack of foraminifera in the polar Southern Ocean brings a huge challenge for scientists eager to understand past changes in CO₂ exchanges between the ocean and the atmosphere.

    Among a few places in the ocean where you cannot find foraminifera is the polar Southern Ocean.
    Mathias Berlin/Shutterstock

    From Antarctica to Tasmania

    We decided to tackle the problem using mud on the seabed 3,300 metres below the surface just south of Tasmania.

    Seawater at that depth near Tasmania is ideal for studying the chemistry of the polar Southern Ocean. That’s because seawater from the polar Southern Ocean sinks to the bottom of the ocean, moves northwards, and eventually occupies the seabed south of Tasmania.

    Seawater chemistry – including concentrations of carbon, phosphate and oxygen – does change along its way at the bottom of the ocean.

    These changes are, however, generally proportional to each other. So if all these concentrations are known for seawater at depth near Tasmania, we can work out their concentrations in the polar Southern Ocean.

    Fortunately, there were plenty of foraminifera shells in the mud for all these reconstructions at the site we examined near Tasmania.

    Reconstructing ancient chemical concentrations

    Using the chemistry of foraminifera, we reconstructed changes in concentrations of carbonate ion (which is largely related to carbon), phosphate and oxygen at the bottom of the ocean near Tasmania during the end of the last ice age roughly 20,000–10,000 years ago. This period is known as the last deglaciation.

    Based on these reconstructions, we calculated the amount of CO₂ released from the polar Southern Ocean during the last deglaciation. Some of this CO₂ came from biological processes – changes in the amount of carbon used by microscopic organisms living near the ocean surface. The rest was from physical processes – CO₂ molecules escaping from seawater directly to the air.

    We found that biological processes were more important for CO₂ releases during the earlier stages of the deglaciation, while the physical processes contributed more during the later stages.

    From the polar Southern Ocean, seawater sinks to the bottom of the ocean and moves northwards to reach the seabed south of Tasmania.
    Steve Todd/Shutterstock

    So why is this important?

    Scientists use climate models to predict future climate and to reproduce past atmospheric CO₂ changes.

    Our results provide testing targets for climate models to reproduce.

    Better reproduction of past changes will improve climate model design for predicting future changes.

    This will help us understand how future changes in the polar Southern Ocean can affect atmospheric CO₂, contributing to making effective plans to mitigate CO₂ emissions.

    Yuhao Dai receives funding from the Australian Research Council Special Research Initiative, Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic Science.

    – ref. Sand-sized fossils hold secrets to the history of climate change – https://theconversation.com/sand-sized-fossils-hold-secrets-to-the-history-of-climate-change-250928

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI: WuBlockchain Talks with BitMart Founder Sheldon: From Bitcoin in College to 7 Years of Entrepreneurship and U.S. Regulations

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Mahe, Seychelles, March 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Celebrating BitMart’s 7th anniversary, Wu Blockchain—one of the cryptocurrency industry’s leading media platforms—conducted an exclusive interview with BitMart founder Sheldon. The interview provides an in-depth retrospective on Sheldon’s journey from discovering Bitcoin as a college student to founding and scaling BitMart into a global digital asset exchange. It also explores the exchange’s evolution over the past seven years, key industry trends, and insights into the regulatory landscape shaping the future of crypto trading.

    The full interview is presented below.

    Sheldon, founder of BitMart, first encountered Bitcoin as a college sophomore in 2013 after reading about an ASIC mining breakthrough. That summer, he attended a Bitcoin conference in Hangzhou, meeting industry figures like CZ, Star Xu, Mo Buyi, and James Gong.

    After earning his master’s degree in 2017, he founded BitMart, which later secured investment from Fenbushi Capital in 2020. In 2024, BitMart launched its in-house derivatives system. With a CCO in place from day one, the exchange has maintained a relatively light regulatory burden.

    BitMart’s user retention hinges on data asset appreciation and interactive services. While Bitcoin’s downside risk appears limited, the broader crypto market remains sluggish. If political leadership shifts in four years, stricter regulations could follow.

    Encountering Bitcoin in Sophomore Year: Thought It Was Really Cool

    Colin: Sheldon, this year marks the 7th anniversary of BitMart. Congratulations on your continued growth and overcoming numerous challenges along the way. Could you start by briefly introducing your background, including your educational experience and your story before entering the crypto space?

    Sheldon: Recently, our platform celebrated its 7th anniversary. The company has actually been established for over 7 years, with about 9 months spent in preparation before our official launch on March 15, 2018, coinciding with the date of 3.15.

    Let me briefly introduce my past experiences. I studied computer science at Hangzhou Dianzi University. This background allowed me to come into contact with blockchain early on, given the close relationship between computer science and blockchain. I first encountered Bitcoin in early 2013 while I was a sophomore, filled with interest in new technologies and eager to explore cutting-edge innovations.

    At that time, I was still using Renren, a social media platform, where I operated my own small site on a platform called “Renren Xiaozhan,” writing code and collecting interesting news in the tech field to share. One day, I came across a news article about Brooklyn, New York, mentioning two young people who improved ASIC mining algorithms, increasing Bitcoin mining speeds by hundreds of times. This news piqued my interest, and I began to delve deeper into Bitcoin.

    At first, I was extremely excited, but to be honest, I only understood computers and programming and had no knowledge of finance. I considered Bitcoin to be a revolutionary technology that could change the world. From the perspective of financial freedom, it made global transfers free and convenient, which was an attractive concept for me at that time. Young people always pursue freedom, and I thought Bitcoin was really cool.

    2013 Hangzhou Bitcoin Conference: Met CZ, Star, and Others

    Colin: So, did you mine back then?

    Sheldon: Yes! While I was still studying, I tried mining using my own computer. The industry was still small back then, and I often met people at offline events. For instance, during the summer of 2013, I attended a Bitcoin conference in Hangzhou and met people like CZ, Star Xu from OK, Jame Gong, Mo Buyi, and Nick Chong. Everyone participated out of enthusiasm for blockchain, and there was quite a bit of interaction, which allowed me to meet many future industry partners.

    Colin: Did you continue to explore the industry after that?

    Sheldon: During college, I did some blockchain development and even created my own coin, which was quite well-known in 2013. Afterwards, I chose to focus on my studies and went to Stevens Institute of Technology in New Jersey, USA, to pursue a master’s degree in computer science. While academically returning to the traditional computer field, I continued to follow developments in blockchain.

    Overall, Bitcoin indeed inspired me, especially the financial innovations it brought. What truly deepened my understanding of this industry was in 2016, when a fellow alumnus from my university, who had gone to the US before me and was working at SAP in Seattle, became the group leader of our overseas alumni association. We often chatted and exchanged views on blockchain and Bitcoin. During those years, I also attempted algorithmic trading and discussed related issues with him.

    Sheldon: Later, I read the Ethereum white paper, and after finishing it, I felt invigorated. At that time, Ethereum’s vision was to build a “world computer,” putting computation and storage entirely on-chain. This model was more intuitive compared to Bitcoin, with a grander vision and broader imaginative space, along with richer practical application scenarios.

    Colin: Was this in 2015?

    Sheldon: It was in the second half of 2016, just before Ethereum’s explosive growth. After reading its white paper, I felt it was a completely new world. Unlike Bitcoin’s philosophy, Ethereum could support smart contracts and had greater extensibility, which elevated my understanding of blockchain to another dimension.

    Subsequently, I and some classmates began to try coding and created some small applications on Ethereum. At the same time, I also participated in the cryptocurrency trading frenzy, accumulating some initial capital in the market. I experienced two bull market cycles and made some profits, but compared to those early players fully devoted to the industry, my capital accumulation was not that large.

    2017: The Opportunity and Preparation for BitMart’s Establishment

    In 2017, after graduating with my master’s degree, the market was particularly favorable for cryptocurrencies. I began considering my next direction and ultimately decided to start a business with some friends I met in 2013. Our idea was to establish a trading platform, so we began preparations in September 2017 and officially launched on March 15 of the following year. During those 8 to 9 months, we faced many challenges, including team building and fundraising. The entire process was quite tortuous, but we managed to launch the exchange right at the end of the bull market.

    Since then, BitMart Exchange has officially entered a fast-paced development track. The seven years have been both long and filled with challenges. Joining the crypto space was actually a coincidence, but fundamentally, it was driven by my interest in technology and the intriguing nature of blockchain. On the other hand, my understanding of traditional finance was limited, while blockchain offered a brand-new financial paradigm that could potentially disrupt the traditional financial system from a technical standpoint. Therefore, I ultimately decided to immerse myself in this industry and have persevered ever since.

    Colin: What was your strategy when you first started the exchange? Did you have a clear direction at that time?

    Sheldon: Our initial idea was quite simple. On one hand, the crypto market was in a rapid development phase, and on the other hand, competition in the exchange industry was not as fierce as it is now, with a high demand for listing coins. From the perspective of market demand, we believed there was significant potential for growth in exchange operations.

    Additionally, we identified three core areas in the industry: exchanges, mining, and chips. Ultimately, we chose exchanges as our entrepreneurial direction since the other two fields were not our areas of expertise.

    Our competitive strategy has actually remained largely unchanged from that time to now. The core value of an exchange lies in providing a trading venue, liquidity, and quality trading assets, so we decided from the outset to adopt a rich listing strategy. However, in 2017, the industry infrastructure was still underdeveloped, and optimizing product richness, liquidity, and technical foundation was much more challenging than it is today.

    At that time, there was a severe shortage of talent in the entire industry. There were almost no real blockchain practitioners, and most of the talent had to be cultivated or solutions had to be explored independently, making technical difficulties relatively high. However, we consistently adhered to our competitive strategy, which has continued to this day.

    Our team had a strong global presence, which led to BitMart being highly regarded worldwide. When the exchange launched, it garnered significant attention, and the subsequent user structure remained consistent across the globe.

    2017-2021: BitMart’s Journey from Startup to Rapid Development

    Colin: If you were to divide BitMart’s 7 to 8 years of development into different phases, how would you define these phases? What are their characteristics?

    Sheldon: I believe that BitMart’s development phases are closely linked to changes in the company’s organizational structure, talent framework, and business scale. If we were to categorize the phases, I believe the company is currently in the fourth phase.

    The first phase includes the years 2017 to 2019, during which BitMart was in its startup stage as a company. At that time, our team was small, and our business level and market share were still in the early stages of development.

    The bear market in 2019 and the market slump in early 2020 were significant tests for the team. The entire industry was extremely cold at that time, leading us to undergo a wave of personnel adjustments, with many early core members choosing to leave due to the changing market environment. I believe that during that phase, every exchange faced immense survival pressure. It was the most challenging period.

    Following that, from 2020 to 2021, we entered the second phase, which was a rapid development phase. In early 2020, Fenbushi Capital invested in our equity, which, although not a large amount, was highly significant for us.

    In 2020, we upgraded the team comprehensively, and the organizational structure underwent a major adjustment. Many key core members joined at that time and have remained with the company, becoming the backbone of today’s organization, taking on crucial management roles. This organizational adjustment laid the foundation for BitMart’s rapid growth thereafter.

    Sheldon: In 2020 and 2021, with the optimization of our talent structure, we also welcomed a bull market. During those two years, asset issuance was exceptionally frantic, and DeFi summer drove the expansion of the entire crypto industry’s asset scale, also creating numerous opportunities for the appreciation of emerging assets. This industry trend directly propelled the business growth of BitMart Exchange.

    Especially in mid-2021, our performance data reached an extraordinarily exaggerated growth level, with monthly trading volume increasing by 100 times compared to 2020. In terms of user growth, the number of retail traders and app downloads surged, and we briefly entered the top 20 of the Apple Store, even surpassing PayPal at one point. During that time, BitMart’s daily downloads reached hundreds of thousands, with daily registrations peaking in the tens of thousands, rapidly increasing our market share. It can be said that at that time, our exchange business ranked at least in the top five globally.

    Our success primarily relied on a rich asset issuance strategy and the user-friendliness of our platform products.

    2022-2023: Strengthening Risk Control and Security Investments

    Sheldon: We define the years 2022 and 2023 as the “consolidation phase” of development. The main focus of our investment has been on products, research and development, security, and risk control. We have conducted another round of upgrades and optimizations for our internal management processes, product research systems, operational SOPs, and team structure.

    The years 2017 to 2019 were led by the first generation of BitMart’s management team, while 2020 to 2021 saw the introduction of the second generation of core leadership. In 2022 to 2023, we welcomed the third generation of core leadership, gradually moving towards a professional managerial approach, bringing in many key personnel from traditional finance industries and other leading exchanges. At the same time, we also undertook large-scale upgrades and iterations of our technical systems, optimizing the exchange’s infrastructure.

    Moreover, the construction of our risk control and security systems has also been further strengthened, with substantial investment in security facilities. To some extent, we view the bear market as an opportunity to focus on internal optimization and enhance overall stability and risk resistance.

    2024: Launching an In-house Developed Derivatives System

    Sheldon: I believe that the period from 2024 to 2025 will be the fourth development stage for BitMart, marking a new growth phase. The core growth areas during this phase will primarily focus on contracts and derivatives business.

    In 2024, we officially launched a brand-new an in-house developed derivatives system, which is a fully in-memory trading clearing and settlement system that greatly enhances trading efficiency and performance. In terms of derivatives products, this system has nearly bridged the gap between us and first-tier exchanges. The launch of this complete clearing and settlement system has made the expansion of our derivatives business much smoother. Over the past year, the growth rate of derivatives trading has been rapid, becoming a new growth engine for the company.

    Additionally, to accommodate this growth, we have also made adjustments and optimizations to our fourth-generation leadership team, further introducing new core management. This evolution of organizational structure is actually an inevitable trend, as it is difficult to advance the company to the next stage without adapting the organizational structure to changes in business models.

    BitMart’s Core Strategy for Compliant Development

    Colin: I remember you have always emphasized compliance. Compared to other trading platforms, your strategy seems somewhat different. How did you formulate your compliance strategy back then?

    Sheldon: Yes, BitMart established a CCO (Chief Compliance Officer) from the very beginning. Our core executive team also includes someone specifically responsible for legal affairs. In the early stages, we conducted in-depth analyses of the compliance environment for business development and formulated a comprehensive compliance operation plan, closely cooperating with law firms to ensure our business operations were legal and compliant. Thus, we have a relatively light historical burden.

    Sheldon: I believe that the founders of each exchange have different personalities and decision-making styles. As entrepreneurs, the most important thing is to clearly understand what you truly want, what you have, and what you are willing to give up.

    Some exchanges choose an extremely aggressive growth model, willing to take compliance risks in pursuit of excess returns. We, on the other hand, clearly chose a more stable development path from the outset, unwilling to take unnecessary legal risks. This reflects the differing considerations of various entrepreneurs regarding risk and return; each exchange will have its unique considerations.

    Future Market Expansion Directions: Focus on Asia and Europe

    Colin: Has your user base changed? You just mentioned the derivatives business, and in certain markets, you clearly cannot conduct derivatives trading. Has there been any adjustment in the geographic distribution of your users?

    Sheldon: Our derivatives business was relatively small before 2024. Compared to derivatives trading, spot trading has relatively lenient regulatory requirements, so we have remained in a relatively controllable state regarding regulatory pressure.

    From 2021 to 2024, there has been a noticeable change in our user distribution, shifting from primarily North American users to being dominated by Asian and European markets. Currently, our derivatives trading remains mainly concentrated in the Asian market, where user activity and trading demand are still the highest.

    Core Value of Retaining Users Lies in “Appreciation of Data Assets” and “Interactive Services”

    Colin: So, how is your overall revenue and profitability situation now? How has the company performed in terms of revenue?

    Sheldon: Overall, the situation is quite good. Our ability to list coins has always been strong. If you conduct market research, you will find that we are consistently one of the exchanges with the most and fastest listings in the industry. Our accelerated listing strategy has kept our overall revenue at a relatively stable high level, especially in terms of revenue from spot trading fees, where we have always maintained a leading position.

    In 2023, we explicitly proposed a strategy for diversifying our “revenue pillars,” expanding from solely spot revenue to include derivatives revenue. In 2024, the growth of derivatives trading significantly boosted our overall revenue. This has also led to some expansion within our team, though we still maintain streamlined operations. Currently, the company has nearly 500 employees, more than doubling in size compared to 2021.

    Colin: Will there be any new changes in the company’s strategy this year?

    Sheldon: Yes, BitMart’s core strategy has been evolving, but there is a core vision and mission that has never changed. Over the past five years, during every annual and quarterly meeting, we have repeatedly emphasized our vision—to become the infrastructure of the future Web3 world.

    Colin: You mentioned the vision that the company has consistently adhered to. If you were to summarize the core values of BitMart’s development over the years or the most important aspects of corporate culture, how would you define them?

    Sheldon: From a user-facing perspective, we have always aimed to provide a free trading venue, offering users the opportunity for asset selection, and creating an open, free, and trustworthy Web3 platform. Therefore, our products and trading tools are always designed from the user’s needs, striving to meet user demands as much as possible in terms of trading experience and asset support. This philosophy has enabled BitMart to maintain a high user retention rate and continuously expand its market.

    Colin: What kind of values do you advocate in terms of the company’s internal culture?

    Sheldon: The core values of our internal culture can be summarized in five keywords: trust, reliability, simplicity, efficiency, and persistence.

    These values permeate the company’s daily communication, strategy formulation, and business execution processes. Whether in team collaboration or decision-making in response to market changes, we consistently adhere to these five core principles.

    From the revenue strategy perspective, we are promoting the expansion from spot income to derivatives income to achieve diversified growth. From a long-term strategic viewpoint, this year we also formulated a “decentralized wallet strategy.” In the third quarter of 2025, we plan to launch our own decentralized wallet and integrate it with existing CEX wallets.

    For exchanges, the core value of retaining users lies in the “appreciation of data assets” and “interactive services.” The wallet strategy is extremely important to us as it is not merely a storage tool but also serves as the gateway for users to enter the Web3 world. Based on this entry point, we can establish a complete asset appreciation system and provide services such as asset management and information interaction. This aligns with the core direction of our long-term vision and mission.

    Colin: Is it necessary to develop a wallet in-house? For instance, acquiring existing on-chain products or wallets might also be a good choice, much like Binance acquiring Trust Wallet back in the day?

    Sheldon: Indeed, acquisition is a feasible option, but we have already built substantial technical expertise in this area. Our asset management framework also collaborates with some third-party custodians, such as Copper, Fireblocks, and Cobo. However, our internal team has accumulated significant experience in wallet technology over a long period. The year 2025 is a suitable time, so we decided to develop it in-house rather than pursue an acquisition directly.

    The Trend of Integration Between CEX and DEX

    Colin: Your strategy is also an issue that all CEXs must face. Just like in 2017 when Binance capitalized on the altcoin market boom, today CEXs may face challenges from DEX and on-chain economies. Do you think this challenge will fundamentally impact CEXs?

    Sheldon: I believe that CEX and DEX each have their distinct advantages, and the user groups they serve differ significantly. Currently, it is unlikely that the product forms of the two will fully merge in the short term, but in the medium to long term, CEX and DEX will gradually converge, borrowing from and integrating with each other’s technologies.

    For example, many DEXs rely on decentralized backends for clearing and settlement, but the front-end presentation and interaction still use centralized methods. Similarly, CEXs are beginning to integrate decentralized self-custody wallets into their internal centralized wallets, enhancing users’ control over their assets.

    I think that in the future, both CEX and DEX will continue to grow in market size and ultimately form a state of integration. DEXs have clear advantages in terms of transparency, self-custody, and censorship resistance, while CEXs still dominate in high-frequency trading, high liquidity, and support for complex trading strategies. Therefore, neither will completely replace the other; instead, they will continually move closer in their respective areas of expertise, forming a complementary relationship.

    Colin: Do you think the market space for CEX will become smaller? On one hand, it faces competition from DEX, and on the other, local compliance exchanges are also developing rapidly.

    Sheldon: This question needs to be analyzed separately. In terms of absolute market value, the market size of CEXs will continue to grow over the next 5 to 10 years. However, in terms of market share, the outlook may not be as optimistic.

    Currently, regulation on DEX is relatively lenient. For instance, the withdrawal of lawsuits against DEX-driven protocols like Uniswap has provided many opportunities for DEX to grow. Therefore, the market share of DEX may continue to rise.

    However, the growth of CEXs still relies on the overall expansion of assets in the crypto industry. Especially with the trend of digital financial assets, the advent of the AI era will generate a large number of new data assets, significantly increasing their application and interaction frequency. Overall, the market size of the industry (especially for CEX exchanges) will continue to grow and is unlikely to stagnate at least in the next 5 to 10 years.

    Nonetheless, changes in market share may suggest that more emerging entrepreneurs will find greater opportunities in DEX or other DeFi areas.

    Bitcoin Market Prediction: Long-Term Target of $1 Million, Short-Term Influenced by Federal Reserve Policies

    Colin: You have a lot of observations about the US market, and we’ve discussed the current market state. How do you see the upcoming market trend? What impact might adjustments in US policies have on the market? The US government is indeed loosening regulations and providing greater support to the industry, but at the same time, macro factors like rising inflation may have some influence on the market. How do you view the future market trends? From the company’s perspective, you must also assess these factors, as they will directly impact future investments and growth planning. Additionally, how do you view the opportunities that changes in the US regulatory environment may bring to the industry?

    Sheldon: From the perspective of the secondary market, Bitcoin has gradually decoupled from other asset classes, but it still remains highly correlated with US macroeconomic policies. Therefore, in the long term, most people’s view is consistent—Bitcoin will eventually rise to $1 million. However, in the short term, Bitcoin’s price movements are still largely dependent on the Federal Reserve’s interest rate cut policies, the inflow of funds for Bitcoin spot ETFs, and any potential national Bitcoin reserve plans.

    Currently, the downside potential for Bitcoin seems limited, and while market liquidity is somewhat constrained, Bitcoin’s fundamentals remain solid. However, aside from Bitcoin, the market situation for other crypto assets is relatively bleak. The market currently lacks new capital influx, and there are no truly valuable “trust-level” protocols or applications emerging from the product side. Therefore, in terms of value creation and liquidity, the entire market remains in a sluggish state.

    This recent market surge’s funding primarily comes from traditional financial institutions and the inflow of US ETFs. Bitcoin’s ultimate destination is to be held by banks and a few compliant custodians, rather than flowing into DEXs or unregulated entities as it did in the past. Thus, the overall leverage in the market has significantly decreased. In previous bull markets, offshore exchanges or unregulated entities had very high leverage, leading to market over-expansion, while the deleveraging process frequently resulted in liquidation waves, creating massive volatility. However, in this round, the leverage spillover effect is relatively weak; even though Bitcoin’s turnover rate is high, the proportion of retail holdings has significantly decreased. Consequently, the entire secondary market, especially the altcoin market, remains in a relatively challenging phase.

    Sheldon: From the perspective of the US policy environment, the potential return of Trump could bring certain opportunities to the market. In the past, the US government’s regulatory model was primarily enforcement-driven, as the crypto industry has long lacked clear legal foundations. Enforcement mainly relied on securities laws and anti-money laundering regulations. Furthermore, multiple agencies (SEC, CFTC, DOJ, etc.) have regulated the crypto industry under a traditional financial framework, with a very tough stance. This multi-agency regulatory model has led to a significant outflow of domestic companies, causing market funds to remain in a prolonged wait-and-see state.

    Trump’s election, while not immediately resulting in new legislation, could positively influence the regulatory attitude. From the legislative process perspective, after a bill is proposed in the House, it needs to be reviewed by the Senate, followed by multiple rounds of amendments. Therefore, forming a stable regulatory framework will take a long time. However, the Trump administration’s attitude might bring short-term positive impacts on the market, especially for institutional investors who are currently hesitant, as this could serve as an important incentive, releasing suppressed market capital and the energy for product innovation.

    Currently, enforcement agencies maintain a strong crackdown on illegal activities and financial crimes in the crypto industry. However, in terms of securities regulation, especially regarding innovative businesses involving crypto assets, such as tokenization and DeFi compliance, there is a possibility of greater policy leniency. Overall, the trend suggests that the future US crypto industry will gain a more stable policy environment to a certain extent, rather than being in a high-pressure and uncertain state as in the past few years.

    Colin: But are you concerned that US policies may undergo drastic changes with party shifts? For instance, two or four years down the line, if Congress changes, could there be a significant reversal in policy direction?

    Sheldon: That possibility does exist, and it can even be said to be highly likely. This four-year period is better described as a postponement of enforcement rather than a cessation. For example, several crypto-related companies were prosecuted right before the election last year, and some significant fines and settlements were also finalized during Biden’s term. If political parties change again in four years, the likelihood of stricter regulatory policies remains high. 

    About BitMart
    BitMart is the premier global digital asset trading platform. With millions of users worldwide and ranked among the top crypto exchanges on CoinGecko, it currently offers 1,700+ trading pairs with competitive trading fees. Constantly evolving and growing, BitMart is interested in crypto’s potential to drive innovation and promote financial inclusion. New users can register here to unlock an $8,000+ welcome bonus.

    Disclaimer:
    Use of BitMart services is entirely at your own risk. All crypto investments, including earnings, are highly speculative in nature and involve substantial risk of loss. Past, hypothetical, or simulated performance is not necessarily indicative of future results.

    The value of digital currencies can go up or down and there can be a substantial risk in buying, selling, holding, or trading digital currencies. You should carefully consider whether trading or holding digital currencies is suitable for you based on your personal investment objectives, financial circumstances, and risk tolerance. BitMart does not provide any investment, legal, or tax advice.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: 6 creative community galleries to check out

    Source: Auckland Council

    If Auckland was an artwork, it would be a vast tapestry woven with the colourful threads of the many cultures that make up its diverse population. There are heaps of ways for art lovers to explore the creative fabric of Tāmaki Makaurau, including public artworks and art trails, galleries and community centres.

    While Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki is the epicentre of the city’s art scene, further afield there are community art galleries that showcase the vibrant work of artists from all fields and walks of life. The directors and curators from six local galleries share what makes their gallery.

    20 Hastings Road, Mairangi Bay

    Mairangi Arts Centre has an extensive workshop programme, including the popular pottery classes.

    What to expect: “Tucked away in the middle of Mairangi Bay, Mairangi Arts Centre (MAC) is a hidden gem, often overlooked by those passing by,” says Clint Taniguchi, general manager at MAC. “It holds a special place in the community as one of Auckland’s oldest art centres, boasting a rich legacy deeply intertwined with the local residents.

    “Mairangi Bay itself has a village atmosphere, and MAC plays a vital role in this close-knit community, fostering strong connections with local schools, organisations and businesses. It’s always heartwarming to hear from families who fondly remember taking art classes here as children, and who are now bringing their own children to experience the same joy of creative exploration.

    “There are three galleries: the Main Gallery, the smaller Hewson Gallery, and the MAC Artspace which is dedicated to exhibitions by our members. We also have four art studios, including a Clay Studio.”

    Get involved: Mairangi Arts Centre offers more than 60 classes and workshops throughout the year for children, youth and adults. Classes range from clay handbuilding and wheel throwing, to comic book illustration and painting classes.

    Something unexpected: Outside the facilities is Mairangi Arts Garden, a community-driven space dedicated to enriching native biodiversity.

    Don’t miss: “We will be participating in Auckland’s World Of Cultures festival with our exhibition and event Culture and Beyond. Following that, we will have a Pop Up! Cash n’ Carry exhibition in conjunction with an Open Day event in our garden. In May, we look forward to hosting exhibitions by the Korean Photography Association of New Zealand and an art collective, Dreamworks.”

    35 Uxbridge Road, Howick

    UXBRIDGE has an extensive kids’ arts programme with special events in the school holidays.

    What to expect: “We combine a number of wonderful facilities: art studios, workshops, theatre, art gallery, dance studio and a number of spaces for community hire,” explains director Paul Brobbel. “The building has an interesting history. Uxbridge began as Presbyterian church in the early 1900s and became an art centre in 1981. The church architecture (now the theatre) is the centre of Uxbridge’s identity. In 2016, a redevelopment merged the older architecture with the addition of modern offices, studios and a cafe.”

    Get involved: Uxbridge hosts a range of adult and children’s classes and workshops including its well-known painting, pottery and jewellery classes, plus popular new offerings such as bonsai and kintsugi workshops.

    Something unexpected: “Visit on a Saturday and you’ll see one of Auckland’s busiest places for art buzzing with dancing, workshops, children’s art and an amazing cafe. We’re in the heart of Howick with beautiful views of Hauraki Gulf and just minutes from the beach.”

    Don’t miss: “April sees our popular school holiday programme return with several workshops each day (some full-day options). We also have children’s films playing in the theatre. Our next term of classes also has some exciting workshops such as the return of pounamu carving and a new meditative drawing workshop, as well as Sculpting for Beginners with Shona Lyon.”

    Lopdell Precinct, 418 Titirangi Road, Titirangi

    The Upstairs Gallery on level one of Lopdell Precinct showcases artists such as Pusi Urale.

    What to expect: “We pride ourselves as being a gallery that supports local emerging talent, and our goal is to be a launching pad for future artists,” says co-director Carlos Vano. “We create an environment that’s welcoming but also provides a platform for artists to hone their skills of presentation to the community. We physically have a small gallery, so when people visit I like to tell them about other facilities in Lopdell Precinct such as the Don Binney artworks on permanent display in the hallway, Te Uru gallery next door, and the rooftop which has beautiful views of Manukau Harbour. There are also photos and information on the history of Lopdell House so visitors can learn more about the building itself.”

    Something unexpected: “We started with visual arts but soon found a need for expansion. We now hold movies, workshops, performance arts events, music gigs, pop-ups and artist talks. We are open to all groups and individuals that approach us.”

    Don’t miss: “We have a group show in April called Aspire which asks artists what your aspirations are? What would you like to happen with your future? We also have two solo shows in late April and May from Paola King-Borrero and Ahsin Ahsin.”

    420 Titirangi Road, Titirangi,

    Te Uru features several gallery spaces and is Auckland’s second largest art gallery.

    What to expect: “We are a beautiful six-storey building nestled at the foothills of the Waitākere Ranges,” says Te Uru director Adrienne Schierning. “We have six different gallery spaces, a purpose-built education space and a gallery shop. We’re open seven days a week, so visiting us is a great day out – perhaps on your way to one of the stunning west coast beaches or for a walk through Waitākere Ranges Regional Park. Entry to the gallery is free at all times.”

    Get involved: Te Uru offers after-school classes and holiday programmes for kids as well as creative kids’ birthday parties. There are also adult classes in a range of media (including Renaissance drawing and botanical watercolours) and one-off weekend workshops for adults such as raranga harakeke (flax weaving). Upcoming adults’ weekend workshops include an eco-paint and pastel making in April and a life drawing in May.

    Something unexpected: “People are often surprised by how big the gallery is and the architecture of the space. We are Tāmaki Makaurau’s second largest gallery. Often people don’t expect to see such an impressive facility in Titirangi. The architecture of the building is an artwork in its own right. Te Uru opened ten years ago and was designed by Mitchell Stout Dodd architects, and they won the New Zealand Architecture Award for Public Architecture for their work on Te Uru. The building has two impressive staircases at either end, and throughout it has a wonderful sense of openness and light. You get views of the bush and the harbour. Although you are inside a sturdy modern building you feel a connection to nature.”

    Don’t miss: “Photosynthesisers: Women and the lens is a huge survey of 41 women artists including queer, trans women and fa’afafine from Aotearoa and Australia. Soft Spot is an exhibition of three artists from Aotearoa – Ming Ranginui, Claudia Kogachi and Erica von Zon. We will be opening Pauline Yearbury: Life in Forms on 3 May which is really exciting, and we also have Maungrongo Te Kawa exhibiting until 22 June.”

    2 Mt Lebanon Lane, Henderson

    Corban Estate Arts Centre in Henderson is the site of a former winery.

    What to expect: Luana Walker, kaiwhakahaere/director at Corban Estate, says, “We’ve got everything an arts lover could want: Galleries, artist studios, classrooms, heritage spaces for hire, a performing arts theatre, a historic homestead and even a glass-casting workroom.

    Plus a café for when creativity requires caffeine. Corban Estate has a rich past, from its days as a working winery to its transformation into a thriving arts hub. There’s a sense of history woven into the walls, and you can feel the creative energy of those who’ve passed through.

    “But my absolute favourite moment is seeing children spill out of our classroom spaces at the end of a workshop, clutching their freshly made creations with pure excitement,

    paint-covered hands, big smiles, and the kind of joy that reminds you why art matters.”

    Get involved: “If you can make it, paint it, cast it, carve it or sketch it, we probably teach it! Our workshops range from printmaking, abstract painting, contemporary embroidery, graffiti workshops, wet felting, sculpture and glass casting. Basically, if you can make a mess doing it, we probably run a class for it.”

    Something unexpected: “Corban Estate was once a fully operational winery, complete with a cellar and a theatrette. If walls could talk, these ones would have some fascinating fermentation tales to tell!

    “People are also often surprised by the sheer scale of the place. It’s not just a gallery, it’s a sprawling creative hub filled with studios, workrooms, performance spaces and a whole lot of artistic energy. It’s a place where history and innovation collide, proving that creativity, much like a good wine, only gets better with time.”

    Don’t miss: “Kids Arts Festival – Celebrating Colour is happening on 5 April, bringing a vibrant explosion of creativity for all ages. From 1-24 April we’re featuring Rainbow Machine, a mobile artwork and part of the Auckland Council Public Art Collection.

    “There’s also The Great Snake Search, a free holiday trail winding through the estate in honour of the Year of the Snake, and Dragon Boat Festival Family Day, a cultural celebration full of storytelling, craft, and connection.”

    5/46 Fair Mall, Ōtara

    Fresh Gallery Ōtara holds scheduled monthly exhibitions of contemporary Pacific art.

    What to expect: Fresh Gallery Ōtara is an art space showcasing contemporary Pasifika artists and exhibitions relevant to the gallery’s location and its communities. The exhibitions change every six to seven weeks, offering fresh and diverse works throughout the year.

    Everything apart from the permanent furniture changes regularly. Fresh Gallery was established in 2006 as a partnership between Manukau City Council and the Ōtara community. The gallery’s program includes emerging solo artists, local school groups and collaborative group exhibitions, showcasing a variety of artistic voices and perspectives.

    Get involved: Fresh Gallery regularly holds workshops that are of interest to the local community such as a recent virtual reality and mixed media workshop held by Shivani Karan. Check out Fresh Gallery’s Facebook page for upcoming events. The public programs run alongside our exhibitions, providing opportunities for the community to engage with artists, learn more about their work and participate in creative discussions and activities.

    Something unexpected: Fresh Gallery is located next to the Ōtara Flea Market and every Saturday the town centre area is packed with people and stalls.

    Don’t miss: In April, Fresh Gallery Ōtara has an exhibition by Sean Hill, titled Sequencergy, running until 12 April. In May, the gallery will present an exhibition by Marie Mapa until May 24.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Marshals, Partner VI Agencies Arrest, Return Murder Suspect to St. Thomas to Face Charges

    Source: US Marshals Service

    St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands – A murder suspect is back in custody in St. Thomas thanks to the efforts of the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) in the District of the Virgin Islands, the USMS Florida Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force (FCRFTF), the Virgin Islands Police Department, the USMS Foreign Field Office Jamaica and the British Virgin Islands Department of Immigration.

    Demare A. Encarnacion, 32, is alleged to have participated in the early morning Oct. 13, 2024, shooting death of Cecil Scatliffe in the area of Kronprindsens Gade.

    Encarnacion was charged by arrest warrant Oct. 17, 2024, with first-degree murder, use of a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence, possession of an unlicensed firearm within 1,000 feet of a school.

    FCRFTF investigators developed information in December 2024 that Encarnacion was in Tortola, British Virgin Islands. He was apprehended in Tortola earlier today and returned to the USVI by BVI Immigration officers.

    “As the enforcement arm of the U.S. Courts, the U.S. Marshals’ commitment to partnerships with federal, local and international law enforcement agencies to track down violent fugitives is unwavering,” said Acting U.S. Marshal for the District of the Virgin Islands, Kwesi Howard. “Although we cannot arrest our way out of problems, we can help bring closure to families who are affected by crimes of violence.”

    The mission of the FCRFTF is to locate and apprehend fugitives, with priority given to fugitives wanted for violent crime.  Founded July 1, 2008, the task force is supported by eight federal and 101 state and local agencies and operates within the southern, northern and middle districts of Florida, as well as the District of the U.S. Virgin Islands. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Supervisory Official Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division Delivers Remarks Following Verdict in San Antonio Human Smuggling Case

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    Thank you U.S. Attorney Leachman for the Western District of Texas, Craig Laraby, Special Agent in Charge of HSI’s San Antonio Field Office, and everyone for being here. My name is Matthew Galeotti, and I am the Acting Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.

    Today is a momentous day in the Department’s relentless fight against the leaders, organizers, and key facilitators of human smuggling networks – thanks to the work of our partners in the Western District of Texas and at ICE-HSI.

    As Attorney General Pamela Bondi has announced, the Department is committed to the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations. To help meet this goal, the Department is laser-focused on dismantling human smuggling networks. Working with our U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and law enforcement partners, the Criminal Division is on the front lines of that fight.

    You have already heard from U.S. Attorney Leachman on the extraordinary work in this case, but let me take a moment to recognize the victims and the extraordinary efforts of the prosecution team that bring us all here today.

    As you heard, in June 2022, 64 aliens, from Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico were loaded into a tractor-trailer without functioning air conditioning by members of an alien smuggling organization for the three-hour drive from Laredo to San Antonio, ultimately leading to the deaths of 53 people, including children and one pregnant woman. Eleven others were hospitalized.

    Today, two of the people responsible, Felipe Orduna-Torres and Armando Gonzalez-Ortega, were held accountable for this tragedy by a United States jury. In total, eight members of this alien smuggling organization have now been convicted for their roles in this horrific event. This investigation and prosecution are the direct result of the hard work of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas and the dedicated special agents of Homeland Security Investigations, in close coordination with Joint Task Force Alpha and the Criminal Division.

    The crimes committed — and the tragedy caused — by this type of pernicious alien smuggling organization epitomize why the Attorney General is elevating Joint Task Force Alpha to be run directly out of her Office. The goal is to eliminate the scourge of human smuggling.

    Joint Task Force Alpha’s mission is to target and prosecute the leaders and organizers of transnational criminal organizations engaged in human smuggling and human trafficking throughout the Americas.

    Since its creation, Joint Task Force Alpha has tirelessly pursued significant smuggling indictments and extradition efforts across the country. In just the past seven weeks, the Department has charged more than 760 defendants involved in human smuggling.

    And we’re not done – not even by a long shot.

    In fact, we are continuing to prosecute those responsible for this mass casualty alien smuggling event.

    Just yesterday, Rigoberto Miranda-Orozco made his first court appearance here in the Western District of Texas after his extradition from Guatemala. His detention hearing is on Thursday. This Joint Task Force Alpha case will be prosecuted by trial attorneys from the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant United States Attorneys from the Western District of Texas.

    Miranda-Orozco was indicted and has been charged for allegedly conspiring with other smugglers to facilitate the travel of four aliens from Guatemala through Mexico, and ultimately, to the United States. He allegedly charged the aliens, or their families and friends, approximately $12,000 to $15,000 for the journey. The indictment alleges that three of these aliens passed away in the tractor-trailer in June 2022, and the fourth suffered serious bodily injury. For his actions, Miranda-Orozco is charged with six counts related to migrant smuggling resulting in death or serious bodily injury and he faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.

    This extradition sends the message that the Department of Justice will pursue human smugglers who violate U.S. law no matter where they are.

    I want to express my deep appreciation to our key law enforcement partners who built this investigation: HSI San Antonio and the HSI Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C., along with U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center; U.S. Border Patrol; ATF; the San Antonio Police Department; and the Palestine Police Department. I would also like to thank our Criminal Division trial attorneys from the Office of International Affairs and resident legal advisors from the Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT) who provided significant assistance in coordinating with our foreign partners.

    I also want to thank our foreign law enforcement partners, especially Guatemalan law enforcement, for their assistance with this investigation and extradition.

    As I mentioned, the Department is vigorously prosecuting human smugglers to the fullest extent of the law.

    The Department of Justice has been working with members of Congress to advance a proposal to increase the sentencing guidelines in such cases to accurately account for the full scope of harm that can result from human smuggling.

    People around the country may not be familiar with the prevalence and seriousness of human smuggling cases. This case exemplifies why we all must pay attention. Human smuggling is dehumanizing, dangerous and it can be deadly. Smuggling victims are often subject to rape, kidnapping, extortion, exploitation and more. It will not stand.

    Our resolve in tackling these crimes will not waver. Joint Task Force Alpha, along with our partners, will continue to pursue the leaders and organizers of human smuggling and trafficking networks wherever they operate, with an enhanced focus on alien smuggling and trafficking by cartels and transnational criminal organizations.

    MIL Security OSI –