NewzIntel.com

Category: Transport

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Interview – Afternoon Briefing with Patricia Karvelas

    Source: Australian Executive Government Ministers

    PATRICIA KARVELAS, HOST: To discuss this and more, let’s bring in one of our regulars, Early Childhood Education Minister Anne Aly, who’s also been promoted in the latest reshuffle. Welcome.

    MINISTER ANNE ALY: Thank you so much, Patricia. Great to be with you.

    KARVELAS: We’re going to start there because that’s the big talking point around the world. A bit of clarification from Marco Rubio. Does that sound like a better plan that the US would redevelop Gaza?

    ALY: Well, look, I want to start by first of all, Patricia, if I may, acknowledging the significant pain and distress that this caused to Palestinians across the world, particularly as they’re preparing to return to their homeland. You know, certainly I think there is, there needs to be a concerted effort across the world to rebuild Gaza. And in fact, when I was at the conference in Jordan last year, that was on the table already, the countries that were represented there were talking about psychosocial recovery and rebuilding Gaza – what happens in rebuilding Gaza. So, I think, you know, it will take significant effort from right around the world for rebuilding Gaza. But in terms of, you know, the position that this government has around a two-state solution, inherent in that two-state solution is a self-determination for Palestinian people and the right of return.

    KARVELAS: So, that means that you would never accept Gazans being pushed off or Palestinians being pushed off that land in Gaza.

    ALY: I think the response that we’ve had from across the world to President Trump’s statement yesterday makes it very clear that it is widely accepted that Palestinians have a right of return to their homeland.

    KARVELAS: But you mentioned, which I thought was really interesting. You often say interesting things, Minister —

    ALY: I do, do I?

    KARVELAS: You do, that you want to acknowledge the hurt and the concern because there was.

    ALY: There was right, it was, yeah.

    KARVELAS: Just talk to me about that concern.

    ALY: So, I think, you know, like just even talking to Palestinians in the community and to the community more broadly here in Australia, there was a real sense of shock and a real sense of, yeah, real concern that, you know, this could mean that there would basically an eradication of a Palestinian state when we’ve long held the principle of a two-state solution with a right of return and self-determination for Palestinian people. And I think, you know, if I were a Palestinian person preparing to return to my homeland, one of the things that we want to make sure of in Australia and you know, this government has done that consistently in the votes that we’ve done in the UN and the actions that we’ve taken is to ensure that this current ceasefire is sustainable and long-lasting and that there is an enduring peace for both Palestinians and Israelis.

    KARVELAS: So, given how strong your comments have been about the Palestinians right to return, there has been a criticism that the Prime Minister could have used stronger words. Other foreign leaders who are also allies of the United States have used stronger words. Do you understand that frustration?

    ALY: Look, I listened to the Prime Minister yesterday and I think he was quite correct in reiterating that we have a long-standing position that we’re not changing, which is a two-state solution. And I think, you know, anybody could listen to that and recognise what the Prime Minister is saying is that we believe in the right and we support the right of Palestine and Palestinians and Gazans to exist in their homeland.

    KARVELAS: And now you’re kind of, you know, being pretty empathetic about how people heard that and their ongoing concerns. Is it important that the government makes that clear? Because I saw all those concerns too.

    ALY: Yeah. And I think, I think, you know, we have made it clear, I think —

    KARVELAS: I feel like you’re making it clearer.

    ALY: Well, I think the actions that we’ve taken that the Foreign Minister, Penny Wong, has taken, the votes that we’ve had in the United Nations, have sent a very clear message that we stand for human rights and that we stand for justice and that we stand for a two-state solution and an everlasting peace.

    KARVELAS: I just want to move to some other issues because there are lots of issues in our country.

    ALY: So many.

    KARVELAS: There are. The Australian Federal Police has just spoken in a committee hearing. They have not given any detail as to, basically there’s no answers on when they briefed the Prime Minister on this caravan attack. Shouldn’t the Prime Minister just say it, or the Opposition says, call an inquiry?

    ALY: Well, I think what we need to do here is take the lead from the law enforcement agencies because in an investigation, it’s the law enforcement agencies that take the lead. And we have to, we absolutely have to respect the integrity of the law enforcement agencies and support them to do their work. As you know, Patricia, I’ve got a husband in law enforcement. I know exactly what he can and can’t tell me. Most of the time he can’t tell me anything. Like we do not talk about the investigations that he is undertaking in any capacity. So, when the law enforcement agencies say that we did not want this information out there because it is an ongoing investigation and could compromise the investigation, we need to respect that.

    KARVELAS: But telling the Prime Minister is a different thing.

    ALY: Well, I think, you know, I don’t think it’s here nor there. I’ve not had a single person say to me, hey, I want to know when the Prime Minister found out. So, I think it’s a little bit of a Canberra bubble —

    KARVELAS: Oh, a Canberra story.

    ALY: Yeah.

    KARVELAS: Ok. I don’t want to just labour on that because there are other things Labor did break with your policy, which is a national platform to oppose mandatory sentencing. Former Labor Senator Kim Carr has criticised the party and said, this is profoundly disappointing. What’s your response to that?

    ALY: Okay, so I’ve got a bit of a different response, Patricia, because I know the impact of hate crimes personally and as a member of a community that has been the target of hate crimes. That to me, hate crimes are some of the most heinous crimes. When you target an individual or a group because of who they are, because of their identity, whether it’s religious, racial, gender, sexual, whatever, to me, that’s one of the most heinous and cowardly crimes that you can commit. So, I want to see, I want to see us get tough on hate crimes. I support being tough on hate crimes and I think what we’ve seen recently, the escalation in the kinds of hate crimes that we’ve seen, warrants this kind of action by the Government.

    KARVELAS: So, you want. Instead of – because I know some people in the party are concerned, you want the mandatory sentences.

    ALY: I want to see us to be tough on hate crimes. And you know, I’ve been there. I know, I know the impact that it has. So, I want us to get tough on hate crimes and I know that right now Jewish Australians are the victims of a lot of hate crimes as well. And I want —

    KARVELAS: The Law Council says it’s bad policy.

    ALY: Well, people will have their different opinions. I will also say, though, that, you know, we know laws don’t change behaviour. The prevention of hate crimes and vilification in all its forms is a responsibility for every single person. It’s about societal change as well.

    KARVELAS: Okay, let’s get to some of your issues before we say goodbye. Child care is obviously one of the areas that you focus on. The government has decided to put this bill, which would mean three days of care without activity testing, where you get the rebate, essentially, through the Parliament. Do you expect it to pass in the next fortnight?

    ALY: I do. I hope it will pass [the House]. I know that there is widespread support for this from the sector. It is a recommendation of the PC Review. And you know what? It’s just good policy. It’s good policy that when you have people in a partnership, one works full time, one might work two days a week in casual, and they’re not eligible for subsidised care. It has locked out children from early childhood education and care and locked out families from being able to access the childcare subsidy. It’s good policy. It has good support, and I do, and I look forward to seeing it pass.

    KARVELAS: But it doesn’t have to pass. It doesn’t even start till next year. So, is it a wedge to try and get the Coalition to actively vote against it?

    ALY: Well, I don’t know what the Coalition’s position is —

    KARVELAS: They think that you should have to be earning or, you know, working or studying to get the activity test.

    ALY: Well, the thing is, you can be working or studying to get the activity test but still might not meet the activity test. And the other thing is the activity test, when it was introduced in 2018 by the Liberals, it was supposed to be to increase workforce participation. It did none of that. Instead, it locked out some of the most vulnerable children from early childhood education and care. We’re fixing that. We’re making sure that every child has access to opportunity because there should be no barriers to opportunity.

    KARVELAS: Anne Aly, always a pleasure to speak to you. Thanks for joining us.

    ALY: You too. Thanks so much, Patricia.
     

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: First paramedics in training for 2025 join NSW Ambulance

    Source: New South Wales Premiere

    Published: 7 February 2025

    Released by: Minister for Health

    NSW Ambulance has today welcomed 91 paramedics in training who were officially inducted into the service in a ceremony held at the State Operations Centre in Sydney, providing a further boost to frontline health services across the state.

    This marks the first induction ceremony of the year, with this cohort part of a Post Employment Tertiary Pathway (PETP) course. The paramedics in training are employed by NSW Ambulance while they complete a degree in paramedicine at university.

    They have just completed a comprehensive 12-week induction program at the NSW Ambulance Education Centre and begin their on-road training as paramedic students from tomorrow.

    The PETP course is facilitated over four years and provides an alternate pathway for people with no prior medical experience to become a paramedic with NSW Ambulance. Once these paramedics in training have completed their degree qualification, they can apply to be registered paramedics.

    Natalie Saridakis, formerly an emergency medical call-taker with NSW Ambulance, is one of 19 paramedic students who have joined this class after working in NSW Ambulance Control Centres.

    Brad Carr also starts his career as a paramedic student today, following in the footsteps of his paramedic father Dominic, who works as an educator for NSW Ambulance.

    Starting tomorrow, the paramedics in training will initially be posted across metropolitan and regional locations in NSW for the on-road training component of their course and will return to the NSW Ambulance Education Centre and their university regularly for additional training over the four-year course.

    Quotes attributable to Minister for Health, Ryan Park:

    “I’m thrilled to welcome 91 new paramedic students into the NSW Ambulance service, boosting frontline health services and playing a critical role in the health and wellbeing of the community.

    “By aspiring to join the paramedic ranks, these paramedics in training will become part of a legacy of service and dedication. The work they do not only changes lives but will uphold the values and standards of a profession that is deeply respected and admired.”

    Quotes attributable to NSW Ambulance Chief Executive Dr Dominic Morgan:

    “These paramedic students join an incredible team that is united by a shared commitment to provide emergency medical care and comfort to members of our community when it matters most.

    “Paramedics are not only healthcare providers but also trusted and respected individuals in our community.”

    Quotes attributable to Natalie Saridakis:

    “For many years I was a carer for my mum, having frequent contact with the local paramedics.

    “I was always impressed by their compassion and kindness that it really inspired me to join NSW Ambulance.

    “I started out as an emergency medical call-taker which was a great start, but right now I am so excited to begin this new chapter.”

    Quotes attributable to Brad Carr:

    “I am proud to continue a family legacy in becoming a paramedic.

    “My father has had a lengthy career, and I am looking forward to forging my own path.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Klobuchar, Sanders, Colleagues Call on Administration to End Harmful Freeze on Health Communications and Funding

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn)

    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Ranking Member Bernie Sanders (I-VT) led a group of 34 Senators calling on Acting Secretary of Health and Human Services Dorothy Fink to end the unprecedented freeze on all external communications and funding.

    This freeze has disrupted clinical trials, prevented the National Institutes of Health and other agencies from engaging with patient groups and scientific advisory committees, and delayed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), the nation’s premier publication for disseminating public health updates, for the first time in over 60 years. The political interference in public health agencies is unprecedented, unacceptable, and a threat to public health.

    “We write to express our deep concern over the Administration’s recent decision to freeze external communications and suspend federal health funding at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS),” wrote the Senators. “The abrupt order has already disrupted patient care, public health oversight, halted medical research funding, and obstructed critical regulatory processes.”

    “This political interference in public health agencies is unprecedented and unacceptable. … The American people depend on HHS agencies to provide accurate, real-time information about disease outbreaks, medical research, and regulatory decisions. We urge you to immediately reverse this harmful decision,” the Senators continued.

    Klobuchar and Sanders were joined by Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Coons (D-DE), Tammy Duckworth (D-MI), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Angus King (I-ME), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Patty Murray (D-WA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

    The full text of the letter is available here and below:

    Dear Acting Secretary Fink:

    We write to express our deep concern over the Administration’s recent decision to freeze external communications and suspend federal health funding at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The abrupt order has already disrupted patient care, public health oversight, halted medical research funding, and obstructed critical regulatory processes.

    On January 22, all 13 HHS operating divisions – including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) were told to immediately “pause” all external communications and grant disbursements until at least February 1, with no clear plan for restoration. This directive prohibits agencies from issuing public health advisories, publishing scientific reports, updating websites, announcing regulatory decisions, or conducting outreach to patient groups – unless such activity is explicitly approved by politically appointed leadership.

    With the Administration’s own deadline having passed, it remains unclear when these restrictions will be lifted. While limited exceptions exist for critical health, safety, or national security concerns, the freeze has already severely impeded essential public health and biomedical research functions.

    The CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), the nation’s premier publication for disseminating public health updates, was abruptly delayed for the first time in over 60 years, limiting reporting on the H5N1 bird flu outbreak and other emerging infectious disease threats. The MMWR often includes clinical recommendations for doctors, such as guidance on how to treat diseases that are currently circulating in the United States – and delaying the MMWR means that doctors may not have all the latest information they need to keep their patients healthy.

    At the NIH, new clinical trials have been delayed and external peer-review grant processes have faced disruptions. NIH study sections – which legally must review grant applications before funding can be disbursed – were initially canceled, creating uncertainty about when federal research funds will be awarded. Despite efforts by the Administration to provide clarity, it remains unclear whether the full peer-review process has resumed and how long grant funding decisions will continue to be delayed. This uncertainty has placed billions in federal research funds in limbo, directly threatening ongoing medical studies and academic research programs.

    The freeze has also blocked NIH from engaging with patient groups on ways to recruit participants into ongoing clinical trials. This means that patients with rare diseases, cancer, and other serious conditions who rely on clinical trials for treatments may be prevented from enrolling, directly jeopardizing their access to life-saving care.

    This political interference in public health agencies is unprecedented and unacceptable. While it is not unusual for a new administration to conduct brief reviews of existing programs, no past transition has implemented a blanket freeze of this magnitude.

    Accordingly, we request an immediate and detailed response to the following questions by Monday, February 10:

    1. Provide a full accounting of all scientific reports, disease surveillance updates, grant decisions, public health advisories, events, calls, research reviews, reports, issue briefs, inspections, surveys, and postings that have been postponed or cancelled since noon on January 20.
    2. Which of the postponed or cancelled items will be rescheduled or published, and by what date?
    3. Has the pause affected communications between HHS and other federal Departments or state agencies, such as the Department of Agriculture. If so, in what capacity?
    4. Can you confirm that all external communications, including those listed above in your answer to the first question, have already resumed or will resume by February 10? If not, please provide a detailed explanation for any continued delay.
    5. Has the communications and funding freeze affected the department’s ability to respond promptly to public health threats and ongoing outbreaks? If so, in what ways?
    6. Given that we are at the height of virus season, how has this pause affected the department’s ability to fulfill its core mission of protecting public health?

    The American people depend on HHS agencies to provide accurate, real-time information about disease outbreaks, medical research, and regulatory decisions. We urge you to immediately reverse this harmful decision.

    Thank you for your prompt attention to this request. We look forward to your response and to working with the Department to protect public health and ensure Americans can get the care they need.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Misleading and false election ads are legal in Australia. We need national truth in political advertising laws

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yee-Fui Ng, Associate Professor, Faculty of Law, Monash University

    An ad falsely depicting independent candidate Alex Dyson as a Greens member. ABC News/Supplied

    The highly pertinent case of a little-known independent candidate in the Victorian seat of Wannon has exposed a gaping hole in Australia’s electoral laws, which allow for misleading political advertisements in the lead-up to an election campaign. It’s all entirely legal and is already being exploited to try to shape the outcome of the coming federal election.

    Conservative activist group Advance Australia has widely distributed digitally altered flyers attacking independent Alex Dyson, who is challenging senior frontbencher Dan Tehan.

    It’s part of a campaign to damage Dyson’s electoral prospects after he helped slash the Liberal Party’s margin in the seat at the last election to less than 4%.

    The material depicts Dyson ripping open his shirt in a “Superman” pose, to reveal a t-shirt bearing the official Greens party logo.

    Dyson is not a Greens candidate. So why are the ads permissible? And what does it tell us about the urgent need for truth in political advertising laws to prohibit material that lies to voters?

    Why are misleading ads allowed?

    Section 329 of the Electoral Act prohibits the publication of material likely to mislead or deceive an elector in casting their vote.

    But in a narrow interpretation by the Electoral Commission, the ban only applies after an election has been called by the prime minister.

    That means the Wannon ad, and maybe countless others like them from across the political spectrum, could be distributed for months without repercussion.

    Advance Australia has form when it comes to misleading material.

    At the 2022 election, it displayed placards that falsely depicted independents David Pocock and Zali Steggall as Greens candidates.

    In that case, the Electoral Commission ruled that because the corflutes were deployed during the campaign proper, they breached the electoral laws.

    It is absurd and dangerous to democracy to have a law that only bans ads that mislead voters in casting their vote during the official election period, and allows them to proliferate unchecked at other times.

    It should not be permissible to lie to voters just because of a technicality. In an era of permanent campaigning, voters can be influenced by political messages received well before a campaign officially starts.

    Furthermore, there is little justification for allowing political parties to mislead while banning corporations from engaging in misleading and deceptive conduct. If consumers and shareholders are protected from fraudulent and dishonest claims, why not electors, who have the solemn task of deciding who runs the country?

    How can the electoral laws be fixed?

    There are available remedies to the problem, starting with reforming the Electoral Act. It should be clearly specified that the provision on misleading electors applies to any material calculated to affect the result of an election, regardless of when it is distributed.

    Broader truth in political advertising provisions should also be introduced. This would cover a wider range of factually misleading ads beyond the existing narrow ambit of misleading a voter in the casting of their vote.

    If the Electoral Commission determines the material is false or misleading to a material extent, it would order a withdrawal and a retraction.

    Importantly, the laws would be confined to false or misleading statements of fact. Parties and other political players would still be free to express their opinions. Freedom of speech would not be impeded.

    Parliamentary stalemate

    The Albanese government has taken tentative steps to fix the problem. Truth in advertising laws introduced to parliament last year would have forced Advance Australia to retract and correct its dishonest flyers in Wannon.

    However, the bill was pulled due to a lack of support.

    Any doubters on the opposition benches should look to the experience in South Australia and the ACT, which have both enacted truth in advertising laws.

    My research has shown these laws operate effectively in both jurisdictions.

    What’s at stake

    Spreading political lies has the potential to cause harm on multiple fronts.

    The first is the damage to the candidate or political party in terms of their reputation and electoral prospects.

    The second danger is to the integrity of the electoral process if lies cause people to switch their votes to such an extent that it changes election outcomes.

    The spread of disinformation has become prevalent in an era of “fake news” and “alternative facts”, exacerbated by the rise of social media.

    In 2024, the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report ranked misinformation and disinformation as the most severe risk facing the world over the next two years.

    False information can alter elections, affect voting participation, silence minorities, and polarise the electorate. It is time to reform our electoral laws to mitigate the significant dangers to our democratic system.

    Yee-Fui Ng received funding from the Susan McKinnon Foundation on a project regarding the operation and effectiveness of truth in political advertising laws.

    – ref. Misleading and false election ads are legal in Australia. We need national truth in political advertising laws – https://theconversation.com/misleading-and-false-election-ads-are-legal-in-australia-we-need-national-truth-in-political-advertising-laws-249279

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Rebels are continuing their march in eastern Congo – what is their long-term goal?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amani Kasherwa, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work, The University of Queensland

    In late January, a rebel group that has long caused mayhem in the sprawling African nation of Democratic Republic of Congo took control of Goma, a major city of about 2 million people on the border with Rwanda in the country’s east.

    Nearly 3,000 people were killed in one of the deadliest weeks in the history of this mineral-rich country. The dead include 100 female prisoners who were reportedly raped by male inmates at a prison and then burned alive.

    As someone born and raised in the region, I’ve witnessed first-hand the devastating impact of this protracted war on communities. I’ve been in contact with residents in Goma, who have described unprecedented chaos – looting, criminality and a breakdown of essential services. One resident said:

    I’m feeling unsafe in my own house. Last night live bullets penetrated my kitchen, and thank God none of us were there at the time.

    More violence may lay ahead. The M23 rebel group, backed by neighbouring Rwanda, is marching south towards Bukavu, another major city, the provincial capital of South Kivu.

    Though unlikely, it has vowed to topple the government of President Felix Tshisekedi in the capital, Kinshasa, some 2,600 kilometres away.

    Tshisekedi has ruled out entering into dialogue with the rebel group, saying his government would not be “humiliated or crushed”.

    What is M23?

    Founded in 2012, M23 claims to protect the Tutsi ethnic minority group in Congo from discrimination, but it has recently begun pursuing broader political and economic ambitions. It is believed to have about 6,500 fighters, supported by another 4,000 troops from Rwanda.

    Last year, the group was restructured to include other Rwanda-backed militias and politicians in the region. Together, they formed the River Congo Alliance, led by Corneille Nangaa, the former head of Congo’s electoral body. It now appears the group has “longer-term objectives in holding and potentially expanding their territorial control”, one analyst says.

    A military court has issued an arrest warrant for Nangaa this week, alleging he is behind massacres in eastern Congo.

    Congo has one of the richest reserves of critical minerals in the world, including cobalt, copper, coltan, uranium and gold. M23’s advances have given it control over many lucrative mines and supply lines to Rwanda.

    In May 2024, M23 seized the mine in Rubaya, one of the world’s largest coltan reserves, which generates more than US$800,000 (A$1.2 million) in revenue a month.

    As of this week, M23 has also gained control over mining sites in North and South Kivu regions, where children and young people are forced to work in life-threatening conditions. Others have been recruited as child soldiers.

    Potential for a regional conflict

    The current situation echoes the tumult caused in 2012 when M23 briefly seized Goma. Back then, the international community reacted more diligently, suspending around US$200 million (A$318 million) in aid to Rwanda. US President Barack Obama personally called Rwandan President Paul Kagame, urging him to stop supporting the rebel group.

    In contrast, the current offensive has been met with a less coordinated international response.

    The resurgence of M23 has been largely attributed to the failure of regional peace talks, notably the Luanda and Nairobi peace processes.

    Rwanda has leveraged the legacy of the 1994 genocide to secure a continuous flow of Western aid, enabling its involvement in proxy wars in the Congo with little to no repercussions.

    Its involvement in supporting M23 is well documented, with evidence from reports by UN expert groups showing the group is receiving weapons, troops and logistical aid from the country.

    Uganda is also believed to be supporting the rebels, while Burundi is backing the Congolese government.

    This has many worried the current fighting could spiral into a regional conflict.

    What the world can do

    The ongoing crisis in Congo has been catastrophic for the local population, with more than 6.9 million people internally displaced and 1.1 million people fleeing to neighbouring countries.

    The crisis has disproportionately affected women and children. It has caused shortages of water, electricity and food supplies and the collapse of medical care, particularly for newborns and critically ill patients. There are also concerns about a new Ebola outbreak in the region.

    Rebel bombings, some launched from Rwanda, have targeted refugee camps, schools and hospitals. According to the UN and human rights groups, M23 is responsible for a massacre in the village of Kishishe, resulting in scores of killings and mass rapes.

    The international community has long ignored this region, providing only a bare minimum of aid to help the millions in need.

    An immediate ceasefire and massive influx of humanitarian aid are urgently needed. But a lasting peace will remain elusive if the main actors don’t address the root causes of the conflict and work towards sustainable, structural solutions that go beyond military interventions.

    In the past, Amani Kasherwa received funding from the Open Society Foundation for his academic research on the role of youth organisations in the peacebuilding process in the African Great Lakes Region (including DR Congo and Burundi).

    – ref. Rebels are continuing their march in eastern Congo – what is their long-term goal? – https://theconversation.com/rebels-are-continuing-their-march-in-eastern-congo-what-is-their-long-term-goal-248672

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Issues Statement Ahead of Hearing on President Trump’s Birthright Citizenship Executive Order

    Source: US State of California

    Thursday, February 6, 2025

    Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov

    OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued a statement ahead of a hearing on the state’s motion for a preliminary injunction in its challenge to President Trump’s unconstitutional executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship.

    “Within hours of taking office, President Trump showed his blatant disregard for the limits of his authority under the law,” said Attorney General Bonta. “With his astonishing executive order to end birthright citizenship, the President is attempting to override the Fourteenth Amendment and unilaterally amend the U.S. Constitution. We’re in court to make the case for a preliminary injunction to prevent this order from taking effect while litigation proceeds. As the People’s Attorney, I am committed to ensuring the full rights of American-born children are upheld and respected.” 

    Background

    In January 2025, Attorney General Bonta co-led a coalition of 18 state attorneys general and the City and County of San Francisco in filing a lawsuit seeking to block the Trump Administration’s unprecedented executive order, arguing that it violates the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution; violates Section 1401 of the Immigration and Nationality Act; and upends more than 125 years of Supreme Court precedent.

    President Trump’s executive order, titled “Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship,” attempts to declare that birthright citizenship does not extend to any child born in the United States whose mother is unlawfully present or lawfully present on a temporary basis and whose father is neither a U.S. citizen nor a lawful permanent resident. On this basis, all federal agencies were directed to treat these children as ineligible for any privilege, right, or benefit that is reserved by law to individuals that are U.S. citizens.

    If allowed to stand, the executive order would strip tens of thousands of children born each year, including an estimated 24,500 in California, of their ability to fully and fairly be a part of American society as rightful citizens, with all its benefits and privileges. These children would lose their most basic rights and be forced to live under the threat of deportation. They would also lose their right to work, vote, serve on juries, and run for certain offices. 

    This executive order would also result in cuts to federal funding, directly harming California and other states who rely on such funding to provide essential services to the most vulnerable children living within their borders. This includes services like basic healthcare access for low-income children, foster care services for neglected and abused kids, and early interventions for infants, toddlers, and students with disabilities. In addition, states would be required — on little notice and at considerable expense — to immediately begin modifying their operation and administration of these benefits programs to account for this change by February 19, when the order goes into effect.

    The states’ motion for a preliminary injunction will be heard at 7 AM PT / 10 AM ET tomorrow, Friday, February 7, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. A link to the states’ reply in support of their motion for a preliminary injunction can be found here.

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy, Blumenthal, 37 Colleagues Reintroduce Right To Contraception Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

    February 06, 2025

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), joined 37 of their Senate colleagues in reintroducing the Right to Contraception Act, legislation that would create a statutory right to obtain and use contraceptives. The bill would also help ensure health care providers have a right to provide contraceptives and share information about this essential care. Companion legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by U.S. Representative Lizzie Fletcher (D-Texas).

    In July 2022, the Right to Contraception Act passed the House with a vote of 220-195. That same month, Republicans blocked an attempt in the U.S. Senate to pass the bill by unanimous consent. They did the same in June 2023. In June 2024, Republicans blocked Senate Democrats’ attempt to pass the bill on the floor.

    U.S. Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) also cosponsored the legislation.

    The Right to Contraception Act is endorsed by Power to Decide, National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association, National Women’s Law Center, Guttmacher Institute, Reproductive Freedom for All (formerly NARAL Pro-Choice America), Population Connection Action Fund, Americans for Contraception, Advocates for Youth, National Partnership for Women & Families, American Public Health Association, American Humanist Association, National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health , Center for Biological Diversity, Ibis Reproductive Health, Physicians for Reproductive Health, Upstream USA, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, National Health Law Program, SIECUS: Sex Ed for Social Change, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice, Reproductive Health Access Project, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Upstream USA, In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda, Center for American Progress, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum, All* Above All, and Center for Reproductive Rights.

    Full text of the legislation is available HERE.

    Last year, Murphy released statements after Senate Republicans blocked the Reproductive Freedom for Women Act, the Right to Contraception Act and the Right to IVF Act.

    In March, Murphy co-sponsored legislation to protect IVF access and other assisted reproductive technology, but passage was blocked by Senate Republicans. That month, Murphy also submitted an amicus brief calling on the Supreme Court to affirm the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA) requires hospitals to provide emergency stabilizing care, including abortion care.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Lummis and Rep. Maloy Introduce Resolution to Block Rule Authorizing USFS Overreach

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wyoming Cynthia Lummis

    Washington, D.C.—  Today, Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) and Rep. Celeste Maloy (R-UT) introduced a Congressional Review Act resolution to block the U.S. Forest Service’s (USFS) Criminal Prohibitions Rule. The rule grants Forest Service law enforcement authority to enforce state laws on National Forest lands. Additionally, the rule incorporates state traffic laws into the federal code. It went into effect on December 26, 2024.

    “The Forest Service’s so-called criminal prohibition rule usurps local law enforcement and creates jurisdictional ambiguity,” said Senator Lummis. “This is mission creep, not good governance, and I have grave constitutional concerns about this rule. I am proud to join my colleagues in filing this resolution to return power to state and local law enforcement agencies.” 

    “Congress created the Forest Service to manage production and watersheds — not to enforce state and local laws,” said Rep. Maloy. “The criminal prohibition rule is yet another example of agency overreach as it encroaches on the law enforcement authority of our Sheriffs and creates jurisdictional challenges. It must be stopped.”

    The Western States Sheriffs’ Association, representing over 1,200 Sheriffs and 18 states west of the Mississippi, condemned this USFS rule in a letter last December saying it is “wrought with legal and constitutional hurdles.” You can read that letter here.

    Read the text of the resolution here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: WATCH: Senator Reverend Warnock Highlights Trump Administration Nominee’s Threat to Georgian’s Pocketbooks in Hour-Long Floor Speech

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia

    WATCH: Senator Reverend Warnock Highlights Trump Administration Nominee’s Threat to Georgian’s Pocketbooks in Hour-Long Floor Speech

    Senator Reverend Warnock delivered a nearly hour-long Senate floor speech opposing Russell Vought’s nomination to lead the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

    The speech follows the recent federal funding freeze, orchestrated by Vought and the OMB, which has impacted federal funding and programs for everything from seniors to law enforcement to child care to veterans

    Senator Reverend Warnock also used the speech to highlight personal stories from Georgians who have been impacted by the Trump Administration’s continued efforts to gut the federal government

    Senator Reverend Warnock: “My state has been plagued by chaos, by confusion that has harmed Georgia families and Georgia workers and organizations serving their communities. We are witnessing, right now, a careless and heartless assault on federal investments and a freeze of government funding that has already been appropriated by Congress”

    Watch Senator Reverend Warnock’s speech HERE

    Washington, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) delivered a nearly hour-long speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate highlighting his opposition to Russell Vought’s nomination to be head of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

    “I rise today in strong opposition to the nomination of Russell Vought to be the head of the Office of Management and Budget. His leadership will only continue the disruption that is hurting Georgians in every corner of my state, even as I speak,” said Senator Reverend Warnock.

    During his floor speech, which was the longest of his tenure in the Senate, Senator Warnock addressed the continued efforts by the Trump Administration to gut the federal government from within. He also addressed the impacts of the Trump Administration’s federal funding freeze which has affected federal programs across Georgia and threatened services that support our veterans, law enforcement, seniors, schools, and our health system. The careless freeze is the brainchild of Russell Vought, the nominee to be the Director of the Office of Management and Budget.

    “If you want to get a sense of who President Trump is looking out for, look at who he’s surrounding himself with. On that stage when he was inaugurated, you saw them, some of the richest people in the world. They were the ones who had proximity. Well, proximity matters. You can tell a whole lot about the character of a person’s public service based on the people who can get close to them. The folks who get to speak into their ear. If you want to know who Donald Trump is working for, look at who he’s surrounding himself with. The likes of Elon Musk, the billionaire, the richest man in the world who is now telling the rest of us that we need to tighten our belts. How quaint,” said Senator Reverend Warnock.

    “Look, I will work with anyone who is able to have a serious bipartisan conversation about how to best utilize government resources and taxpayer dollars. Working across the aisle to get good things done for Georgia has been a cornerstone of my service in the Senate over the past four years. I’m listed as one of the most bipartisan senators in the Senate. I have worked with Republicans many, many times. But right now, the playbook is obvious. Cut programs that you rely on and give the richest of the rich the money. Robin Hood in reverse. Steal from the poor, give to the rich,” Senator Reverend Warnock added.

    Watch Senator Warnock’s full speech HERE.

    Below are key excerpts from Senator Warnock’s speech:

    “Mr. President,

    “I rise today in strong opposition to the nomination of Russell Vought to be the head of the Office of Management and Budget. His leadership will only continue the disruption that is hurting Georgians in every corner of my state, even as I speak.

    “Over the past two and a half weeks, my state has been plagued by chaos, by confusion that has harmed Georgia families and Georgia workers and organizations serving their communities. We are witnessing right now a careless and heartless assault on federal investments and a freeze of government funding that has already been appropriated by Congress. To help Georgia seniors, veterans, students, and so many more.”

    “I dare say that the people of Georgia who elected me, and the people of Georgia who elected Donald Trump, did not vote for this. But just as we warned, his dangerous plans are playing out in real-time. This is exactly what they said they were going to do. Some didn’t believe them. Even after they attempted to gaslight the American people into thinking otherwise, here we are in no time flat.”

    […]

    “This stunt that was pulled a few days ago is a disaster for communities who want well-funded law enforcement, thriving businesses, safe roads and bridges, and as they attack federal workers, attack the government, they’re trying to convince you that the government is some third entity outside of us — some third entity outside of us? No, this is by the people, for the people, of the people.

    “This is the highest of our aspirations, what we’re trying to achieve together. As we witness this assault, it is hitting Democrats and Republicans. Blue states and red states. As the people’s voices are being squeezed out of their democracy.

    “Just last week, without even being confirmed, Vought orchestrated the effort to freeze federal spending, as if this money is his money rather than our money, the people’s money, throwing programs from infrastructure upgrades, to Medicaid, to free school lunches, to support for homeless veterans into chaos. How dare you take funds that are needed by the veterans of Georgia and all across this state? Those who fight for us should not have to fight with us to get what they deserve.”

    […]

    “My constituents were deeply shaken by last week’s federal funding freeze. I received thousands of calls and e-mails from folks afraid of the freeze’s unknown harm to their community. So, let’s peel back the curtain even more on what happened over the last few days. The Trump Administration froze trillions of dollars of government spending to enact massive and disruptive funding cuts. These cuts are being orchestrated in part by Russell Vought and in partnership with the world’s richest man, Elon Musk — Elon Musk, the co-president.

    “This unelected, unvetted bureaucrat who by my best guess appears to think that the livelihood of Georgians and Americans is some kind of start-up he can tear apart. So, if you want to get a sense of who President Trump is looking out for, look at who he’s surrounding himself with. On that stage when he was inaugurated, you saw them, some of the richest people in the world. They were the ones who had proximity. Well, proximity matters. You can tell a whole lot about the character of a person’s public service based on the people who can get close to them. The folks who get to speak into their ear.

    “If you want to know who Donald Trump is working for, look at who he’s surrounding himself with. The likes of Elon Musk, the billionaire, the richest man in the world who is now telling the rest of us that we need to tighten our belts. How quaint.

    “President Trump isn’t serving you, he’s serving them. He’s serving those in our country who are well off and who don’t play by the rules and putting at risk basic programs that help folks send their kids to school, keep food affordable, and lower their energy bills.”

    […]

    “So when Elon Musk and his billionaire buddies go looking for spending cuts and they’re focused on cutting government waste, they start by targeting the working class. He said he couldn’t cut taxes for billionaires because they are the job creators. What about the folks who work on the job day to day? What about the folks who clean hospitals? Who mop floors? Who pick up our garbage? Why is it that those at the top deserve so much more than those working at the bottom? Those in the middle? Hardworking Americans who play by the rules?”

    […]

    “Look, I will work with anyone who is able to have a serious bipartisan conversation about how to best utilize government resources and taxpayer dollars. Working across the aisle to get good things done for Georgia has been a cornerstone of my service in the Senate over the past four years. I’m listed as one of the most bipartisan senators in the Senate. I have worked with Republicans many, many times. But right now, the playbook is obvious. Cut programs that you rely on and give the richest of the rich the money. Robin Hood in reverse. Steal from the poor, give to the rich.”

    […]

    “This is not how the most powerful government in the world ought to serve its people. The reality is, this new level of Washington’s dysfunction has real-world consequences that extend beyond Washington politicians. Georgia’s economy does not stop just because Washington is exercising a kind of chaos.”

    “While we’re trying to get our act together up here, guess what? Farmers still need crop insurance, childcare workers in community health centers still need to make payroll, our roads and our bridges, and pipes still need repairs. When federal investments are put in limbo, the stability of our states and local communities are also put in jeopardy. And let me be clear, the trump administration has demonstrated that it will try this again and again and again, and when they do, the business community will suffer and Georgians will be out of their jobs, unless we stand up and say no.

    “If this federal funding freeze continues, as Russell Vought hopes, the impact will be felt hardest by those who can least afford it. It’s easy in all the blusters of the beltway who is actually bearing the brunt of Donald Trump’s actions. Delays and freezing are not just inconvenient, they create instability, and they cost the jobs of our friends, our families, and our neighbors.

    “So, it’s up to us in this moment to stand up. I am listening to the people who sent me to represent them. I’m thinking about those who do the work every single day. It is our job to respond to the call and the urgency of this moment. History will not treat us kindly if we are silent at a time like this.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Collaboration the key to fuel reduction efforts at Cornish Hill

    Source: Victoria Country Fire Authority

    Midway through last year, the CFA West Region Community Safety Team was approached by the Friends of Cornish Hill in Daylesford, to look at the growth of gorse and other woody weeds in the reserve.

    CFA Vegetation Management Officer Kay Richardson attended with Forest Fire Management Victoria (FFMVic) and local CFA Captain Glenn Webster. Since that first meeting, collaborative efforts between FFMVic, the CFA Community Safety Team, and the Friends of Cornish Hill (FOCH) resulted in notable improvements in vegetation management and track maintenance.

    It has also offered significant opportunities to include the surrounding community in fire risk awareness discussions and shared responsibility.

    The FOCH ran a ‘Backing onto bush’ session in late November 2024 which was attended by 36 community members plus agency staff including Hepburn Shire, FFMVic, CFA and Landcare. 

    The day aimed to engage the community and highlight the fire risks they faced and what they could do to manage those risks as individuals and as a community. By the end of the session, the group was galvanised to assist the agencies to manage the fuel load on Cornish Hill as one way of preparing for fire.

    FFMVic has completed grooming and grading the tracks on Cornish Hill. This work has not only improved accessibility but has also enhanced safety for maintenance teams and the local community.

    Cath Matthews, Regional Vegetation Management Coordinator, expressed her gratitude to Midlands FFMVic for their work.

    “A big thanks to Midlands FFMVic for undertaking the mulching of the gorse-infested tracks through Cornish Hill. This will now greatly facilitate access for brigades, enabling quicker suppression if a fire starts in the reserve,” Cath said.

    Efforts to address invasive gorse, blackberry, and broom are ongoing, with the following key activities underway:

    • CFA is preparing to treat a block of woody weeds near the north-east corner of the hill.
    • The FOCH has engaged the ‘Gorsinator’ to remove old, hard-to-access gorse from the north-west corner.

    The progress achieved has been well-received by the community and stakeholders. At the FOCH Annual General Meeting, members expressed their encouragement with the rapid pace of work. Cath Matthews also highlighted the broader impact of these efforts.

    “This work has strengthened relationships between the many stakeholders involved, and hopefully we can build on this to ensure continued reduction of fire risk within this reserve and with the community.”

    The FOCH is now preparing funding applications to sustain the work that has been achieved.

    Submitted by Jude Atkinson

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Are eggs good or bad for our health?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lauren Ball, Professor of Community Health and Wellbeing, The University of Queensland

    Nik/Unsplash

    You might have heard that eating too many eggs will cause high cholesterol levels, leading to poor health.

    Researchers have examined the science behind this myth again, and again, and again – largely debunking the claim.

    A new study suggests that, among older adults, eating eggs supports heart health and even reduces the risk of premature death.

    Let’s unpack the details.

    What was the study?

    Researchers examined data from a large, ongoing study that is following older adults and tracking their health (the ASPREE study).

    In their analysis of more than 8,000 people, they examined the foods people usually eat and then looked at how many participants died over a six-year period and from what causes, using medical records and official reports.

    Researchers collected information on their diet through a food questionnaire, which included a question about how frequently participants ate eggs in the past year:

    • never/infrequently (rarely or never, 1–2 times per month)
    • weekly (1–6 times per week)
    • daily (daily or several times per day).

    Overall, people who consumed eggs 1–6 times per week had the lowest risk of death during the study period (29% lower for heart disease deaths and 17% lower for overall deaths) compared to those who rarely or never ate eggs.

    Eating eggs daily did not increase the risk of death either.

    How reputable is the study?

    The research was published in a peer-reviewed journal, meaning this work has been examined by other researchers and is considered reputable and defensible.

    Study participants reported their egg intake on an questionnaire.
    Sincerely Media/unsplash

    In the analysis, factors such as socioeconomic, demographic, health-related and clinical factors, and overall dietary quality were “adjusted” for, as these factors can play a role in disease and the risk of early death.

    Researchers received funding from a variety of national funding grants in the United States and Australia, with no links to commercial sources.

    What are the limitations of this study?

    Due to the type of study, it only explored egg consumption patterns, which participants self-reported. The researchers didn’t collect data about the type of egg (for example, chicken or quail), how it was prepared, or how many eggs are consumed when eaten.

    This analysis specifically looked for an association or link between egg consumption and death. Additional analyses are needed to understand how egg consumption may affect other aspects of health and wellbeing.

    Lastly, the population sample of older adults were relatively healthy, limiting how much findings can be applied to older adults with special needs or medical conditions.

    The study didn’t look at the type of eggs or serving sizes.
    Jakub Kapusnak/Unsplash

    What is ASPREE?

    ASPREE (ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly) is an ongoing, large, randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trial involving more 19,000 participants in Australia and the US. This means some people in the trial were given an intervention and others weren’t but neither the participants nor the researchers knew who received the “placebo”, or dummy treatment.

    ASPREE started in 2010 to investigate whether low-dose aspirin (100 micrograms daily) could help prolong older adults’ health and lifespan, specifically by preventing heart disease and stroke. The first findings were published in 2018.

    One of the fundamental conclusions of the ASPREE trial was there was no benefit from taking aspirin to prevent cardiovascular disease (heart disease or stroke).

    ASPREE is still ongoing as a longitudinal study, which means it provides information on other aspects of healthy living and long-term outcomes in older adults – in this case, the link between egg intake and the chance of death.

    Why the focus on eggs?

    Eggs are a good source of protein, and contain B vitamins, folate, unsaturated fatty acids, fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K), choline, and minerals.

    The fuss over eggs comes down to their cholesterol content and how it relates to heart disease risk. A large egg yolk contains approximately 275 mg of cholesterol — near the recommended daily limit of cholesterol intake.

    In the past, medical professionals warned that eating cholesterol-rich foods such as eggs could raise blood cholesterol and increase heart disease risk.

    But newer research shows the body doesn’t absorb dietary cholesterol well, so dietary cholesterol doesn’t have a major effect on blood cholesterol levels.

    Rather, foods such as saturated and trans fats play a major role in cholesterol levels.

    The body doesn’t absorb the cholesterol from eggs very well.
    Nichiiro/Unsplash

    Given these changing recommendations over time, and the nuances of nutrition science, it’s understandable that research on eggs continues.

    What does this mean for me?

    Whether you prefer boiled, scrambled, poached, baked or fried, eggs provide a satisfying source of protein and other key nutrients.

    While the science is still out, there’s no reason to limit egg intake unless specifically advised by a recognised health professional such as an accredited practising dietitian. As always, moderation is key.

    Lauren Ball receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council, Queensland Health and Mater Misericordia. She is a Director of Dietitians Australia, a Director of Food Standards Australia and New Zealand, a Director of the Darling Downs and West Moreton Primary Health Network and an Associate Member of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences.

    Karly Bartim is a member of Dietitians Australia and the Australian Association of Gerontology and is an Accredited Practising Dietitian.

    – ref. Are eggs good or bad for our health? – https://theconversation.com/are-eggs-good-or-bad-for-our-health-249168

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Firearms and ammunition seized following a Porirua traffic stop

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Attributable to Detective Sergeant Vincent Smylie:

    A man is before the courts following a vehicle stop which led to the discovery of two firearms and shotgun ammunition.

    Around 4pm on Tuesday 4 February, Police conducted a vehicle stop in Cannons Creek, after seeing a person of interest in the passenger seat of a vehicle.

    The 34-year-old man was arrested in relation to a warrant to arrest.

    The day after, Wednesday 5 February, Police conducted a search warrant at his house nearby, leading to the discovery of two firearms, shotgun ammunition, and gang insignia that had allegedly been displayed in an earlier incident in January.

    He is due to reappear in Porirua District Court on Friday 21 February, facing charges of prohibited display of gang insignia in a public place, burglary, male assaults female, intentional damage, speaks threateningly, and unlawful possession of ammunition. Further charges relating to the two firearms are being considered.

    Police are glad to have been able to pull two more unlawfully possessed firearms off the street, as they have the ability to cause serious harm in our community.

    “We will continue to target offenders who show little regard for the community, including violent offenders, and those who unlawfully possess firearms,” Detective Sergeant Smylie said.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Maintenance work ahead on SH1 through Rangitikei

    Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

    Road users travelling through the Rangitikei district are advised to expect some minor delays on State Highway 1 in the coming weeks due to planned maintenance and resilience works.

    The Manawatū-Whanganui 2024/25 renewals season is nearing completion, with less than 2 months left.

    Some crucial work on SH1 is still to be completed, with crews scheduled to be at different sites over the coming weeks.

    The timing and location of these scheduled works has been specifically chosen to minimise disruption for travellers.

    • Utiku: From Monday 10 February, tree felling works will be taking place off the state highway near Utiku. Work to remove the trees will take place over 4 days, with crews working from 7am til 7pm. Temporary traffic management will be in place, with an occasional stop/stop (stopping traffic flow completely) while trees are removed alongside the highway. Motorists can expect delays of up to 10 minutes.
    • Taihape: Preseal repair works are taking place between Manu Road and Rauma Road, just south of Taihape, from Monday 10 February to Friday 14 February. Crews will be working from 8am til 5pm. Stop/go temporary traffic management and a reduced speed limit of 30km/h will be in place, with delays of up to 15 minutes expected. Following these works, crews will return to complete resealing works before the end of this renewals season. This will be communicated closer to the time. 

    Once these works are complete, further road maintenance is planned later in the month for SH1 near Mangaweka and Bulls. 

    • North of Bulls: From Monday 17 February – Friday 28 February, planned road maintenance work will take place on SH1 near the intersection with Wellington Road. Crews will be working from 6am til 6pm each day. Stop/go temporary traffic management and a reduced speed limit will be in place, with delays of 5 minutes expected.
    • Bulls: From Wednesday 19 February, crews plan to complete a 3-week road rebuild on the passing lane north of Watson St, Bulls. This road renewal work will take place each day, with crews working from 6am til 6pm each day. The first week of work involves contraflow  (allowing both directions of travel) and the remaining 2 weeks of work involves stop/go temporary traffic management, with delays of 5 minutes expected.
    • Mangaweka: Road rebuild works are planned for the passing lane near Mangaweka, from Thursday 20 February to Thursday 20 March.  These renewal works will be completed under contraflow so minimal disruption is expected for road users.

    NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi acknowledges State Highway 1 has seen a lot of construction activity over the past few months during the renewals season and we really appreciate people’s patience during this work to increase the resilience of the network.

    The upcoming works are weather dependent and may be postponed or rescheduled at short notice. Changes in programming will be communicated on our online channels such as NZTA’s Journey Planner.

    Journey Planner(external link)

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Auckland overnight motorway closures 7–17 February 2025

    Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

    NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi advises of the following closures for motorway improvements. Work delayed by bad weather will be completed at the next available date, prior to Friday, 14 February 2025.

    Please note this traffic bulletin is updated every Friday.

    Daily updated closure information(external link)

    Unless otherwise stated, closures start at 9pm and finish at 5am. Traffic management may be in place before the advertised closure times for the mainline.

    NORTHERN MOTORWAY (SH1)

    • Onewa Road northbound off-ramp, 9-13 February
    • Stafford Road northbound off-ramp, 9-13 February
    • Curran Street northbound on-ramp, 9-13 February

    CENTRAL MOTORWAY JUNCTION (CMJ)

    • SH1 southbound to SH16 eastbound (Port) link, 12 February (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
    • SH1 southbound to SH16 westbound link, 13 February (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
    • Northbound lanes between Symonds Street off-ramp and Fanshawe Street on-ramp, 10-11 February (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
      • Wellington Street northbound on-ramp, 10-11 February
      • SH1 northbound to SH16 westbound link, 10-11 February (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
    • Westbound lanes between Stanely Street off-ramp and Newtown Road on-ramp, 10-11 February (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
      • SH16 (Port) westbound to SH1 northbound link, 10-11 February (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
      • SH16 (Port) westbound to SH1 southbound link, 10-11 February (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
      • Wellesley Street East (SH1) westbound on-ramp, 10-11 February
    • SH16 eastbound to SH1 northbound link, 10-11 February (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
    • Westbound lanes between Stanley Street off-ramp and Great North Road on-ramp, 13 February (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
      • SH16 (Port) westbound to SH1 northbound link, 13 February (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
      • SH16 (Port) westbound to SH1 southbound link, 13 February (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
      • Wellesley Street East (SH1) westbound on-ramp, 13 February
      • Hobson Street westbound on-ramp, 13 February
      • Newton Road westbound on-ramp, 13 February
      • St Lukes Road westbound on-ramp, 13 February
      • SH16 westbound to SH20 southbound link, 13 February (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
    • SH1 northbound to SH16 westbound link, 13 February (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
    • Eastbound lanes between Wellesley Street East (SH1) off-ramp and Alten Road on-ramp, 12 February (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
    • Eastbound lanes between Wellesley Street East (SH16) off-ramp and Alten Road on-ramp, 12 February (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
    • Grafton Road eastbound on-ramp, 12 February
    • Westbound lanes between Stanley Street off-ramp and Grafton Road on-ramp, 11-13 February
    • Westbound lanes between Quay Street/Tamaki Drive and Parnell Rise, approx. 9:00pm 7 February to 5:00am 10 February (24/7)
    • Westbound lanes between Quay Street/Tamaki Drive and Parnell Rise, approx. 9:00pm 14 February to 5:00am 17 February (24/7)

    SOUTHERN MOTORWAY (SH1)

    • Southbound lanes between Papakura off-ramp and Drury/SH22 on-ramp, 9 February
      • Papakura (Loop) southbound on-ramp, 9 February
      • Papakura (Diamond) southbound on-ramp, 9 February
    • Southbound lanes between Papakura off-ramp and Ramarama on-ramp, 10-13 February
      • Papakura (Loop) southbound on-ramp, 10-13 February
      • Papakura (Diamond) southbound on-ramp, 10-13 February
      • Drury/SH22 southbound on-ramp, 10-13 February
    • Northbound lanes between Drury/SH22 off-ramp and Papakura on-ramp, 9-13 February
      • Drury/SH22 northbound on-ramp, 9-13 February
    • Bombay southbound off-ramp, 9-13 February
    • Bombay northbound on-ramp, 9-13 February
    • Bombay northbound off-ramp, 9-13 February
    • Southbound lanes between Hampton Downs off-ramp and Hampton Downs on-ramp, 9-13 February
    • Northbound lanes between Hampton Downs off-ramp and Hampton Downs on-ramp, 9-13 February
      • Dragway Road northbound off-ramp, 9-13 February
      • Hampton Downs northbound on-ramp, 9-13 February

    NORTHWESTERN MOTORWAY (SH16)

    • SH16 eastbound link to SH20 southbound (Waterview southbound tunnel closed), 10-11 February
      • Great North Road eastbound off ramp (Waterview southbound tunnel closed), 10-11 February
    • Westbound link to SH20 southbound (Waterview southbound tunnel closed), 10-11 February
    • Eastbound lanes between Great North Road off-ramp and Alten Road, 12 February (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
      • Great North Road eastbound on-ramp, 12 February
      • St Lukes Road eastbound on-ramp, 12 February
      • SH16 eastbound to SH1 northbound link, 12 February (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
      • SH16 eastbound to SH16 (Port) link, 12 February (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
      • SH16 eastbound to SH1 southbound link, 12 February (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)

    UPPER HARBOUR MOTORWAY (SH18)

    • None planned

    SOUTHWESTERN MOTORWAY (SH20)

    • Southbound lanes between Maioro Street off-ramp and Hillsborough Road on-ramp, 10-11 February (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
      • Maioro Street southbound on-ramp, 10-11 February
      • Dominion Road southbound on-ramp, 10-11 February
    • Northbound lanes between Maioro Street off-ramp and Great North Road on-ramp (Waterview northbound tunnel closed), 12-13 February
      • SH20 Northbound to SH16 Eastbound Link, 12-13 February
      • SH20 Northbound to SH16 Westbound Link, 12-13 February
      • Maioro Street northbound on-ramp, 12-13 February
    • Southbound lanes between Massey Road off-ramp and Puhinui Road on-ramp, 9 February (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
      • Massey Road southbound on-ramp, 9 February

    GEORGE BOLT MEMORIAL DRIVE (SH20A)

    • None planned

    PUHINUI ROAD (SH20B)

    • None planned

    STATE HIGHWAY 22 (SH22)

    • None planned

    STATE HIGHWAY 2 (SH2)

    • None planned

    Please follow the signposted detours. NZ Transport Agency thanks you for your co-operation during these essential improvements and maintenance.

    Current overnight closure information(external link)  

    Auckland roads and public transport(external link)

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Panasonic in Numbers: 100% Marine Biodegradable Molding Material

    Source: Panasonic

    Headline: Panasonic in Numbers: 100% Marine Biodegradable Molding Material

    Growing concern over environmental impact, including marine plastic pollution, depletion of petroleum resources, and global warming, has led to a global effort to reduce the use of traditional plastic resins.Today, 80% of all plastic waste is discarded and expectations are that by 2050, the amount of plastic in our oceans will outweigh the fish*.Following years of R&D, Panasonic HD has developed a 100% marine biodegradable molding material based on plant-derived resins that is comparable in strength to polypropylene.Certified as a “Marine Biodegradable & Biobased Plastics” by the Japan Bioplastics Association, Panasonic HD plans to commercialize this material by 2027, leveraging its unique properties for household appliance casings, automotive parts, consumer goods, and beverage and food containers, among other applications.
    * http://www.jbpaweb.net/gp/index.html

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Further measles case in Victoria

    Source: Government of Victoria 3

    Key messages

    • A new case of measles has been reported in Victoria, with the total number of cases linked to travel in Vietnam since December 2024 now standing at eight. Growing outbreaks continue to be reported internationally including in Vietnam and Thailand.
    • Measles is a highly infectious viral illness that can spread from person-to-person and potentially lead to serious health complications.
    • This most recent case was infectious on VietJet Air flight VJC81/ VJ81 from Ho Chi Minh City to Melbourne, while at Melbourne Airport, and at Sunshine Hospital and The Royal Children’s Hospital.
    • Anyone who develops symptoms of measles should seek medical care. Wear a mask and call ahead to make sure you can be isolated from others.
    • People who have attended the listed exposure sites during the specified dates and times should monitor for symptoms of measles and follow the instructions below.
    • Healthcare professionals should be alert for measles in patients with fever and rash, particularly those who have recently returned from overseas or attended a listed exposure site during the specified period.
    • Suspected cases should be tested, advised to isolate, and notified to the Department of Health immediately by calling 1300 651 160.
    • All Victorians are eligible to receive the free measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine if born during or after 1966 and do not have documentation of having received two doses of measles-containing vaccine. Clinicians should vaccinate all individuals who are unsure of their vaccination history, regardless of Medicare status.
    • There is no need to check measles serology prior to vaccination.
    • Anyone planning overseas travel should make sure they have received appropriate travel vaccinations, including the MMR vaccine. This is especially important for anyone planning on travelling to South-East Asia, including Vietnam.

    What is the issue?

    A new case of measles has been identified in Victoria, after travel overseas to South-East Asia where there is an ongoing and large international outbreak. There have now been 17 cases of measles identified in Victoria in the last 12 months.

    Measles is a highly infectious viral illness that can lead to uncommon but serious complications, such as pneumonia and brain inflammation (encephalitis).

    There is currently a large measles outbreak in Vietnam. Vietnam’s Ministry of Health reported over 38,364 suspected measles cases for 2024, including 13 deaths. At the present time, any overseas travel could lead to exposure to measles, with outbreaks also reported in areas outside of Southeast Asia including India, Africa, Europe and the UK, the Middle East, and the USA.

    Active public exposures sites in Victoria for recent cases are listed in the table below.

    Date Time Location Monitor for onset of symptoms up to
    Sunday 26 January 2025 Arrival 12:45am

    VietJet Air flight VJC81/ VJ81

    Departure: Ho Chi Minh City

    Arrival: Melbourne

    		 Thursday 13 February 2025
    Sunday 26 January 2025 12:45am to 3:30am Melbourne Airport, VIC 3005 Thursday 13 February 2025
    Tuesday 28 January 08:15am to 10:50pm

    Sunshine Hospital Paediatric Emergency Department

    176 Furlong Rd, St Albans VIC 3021

    		 Saturday 15 February 2025
    Friday 31 January 9:00am to 1:50pm

    Sunshine Hospital Paediatric Emergency Department

    176 Furlong Rd, St Albans VIC 3021

    		 Tuesday 18 February 2025
    Monday 3 February 2025 5:55pm to 11:30pm

    The Royal Children’s Hospital Emergency Department

    50 Flemington Rd, Parkville VIC 3052

    		 Friday 21 February 2025
    Monday 3 February 2025 11:10pm to 00:00am (midnight)

    The Royal Children’s Hospital

    Sugar Glider Ward

    50 Flemington Rd, Parkville VIC 3052

    		 Friday 21 February 2025
    Tuesday 4 February 00:01am to 1:30pm

    The Royal Children’s Hospital

    Sugar Glider Ward

    50 Flemington Rd, Parkville VIC 3052

    		 Saturday 22 February 2025
    Wednesday 5 February 9:55am to 11:15am

    The Royal Children’s Hospital Emergency Department

    50 Flemington Rd, Parkville VIC 3052

    		 Sunday 23 February 2025

    Anyone who has attended a listed exposure site during the specified times above should monitor for symptoms and seek medical care if symptoms develop for up to 18 days after the exposure. Anyone who presents with signs and symptoms compatible with measles should be tested and notified to the Department of Health immediately. There should be an especially high level of suspicion if they have travelled overseas or visited any the sites listed above and are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated for measles.

    Who is at risk?

    Anyone born during or since 1966 who does not have documented evidence of having received two doses of a measles-containing vaccine, or does not have documented evidence of immunity, is at risk of measles.

    Unvaccinated infants are at particularly high risk of contracting measles.

    Young infants, pregnant women and people with a weakened immune system are at increased risk of serious complications from measles.

    Symptoms and transmission

    Symptoms of measles include fever, cough, sore or red eyes (conjunctivitis), runny nose, and feeling generally unwell, followed by a red maculopapular rash. The rash usually starts on the face before spreading down the body. Symptoms can develop between 7 to 18 days after exposure.

    Initial symptoms of measles may be similar to those of COVID-19 and influenza. If a symptomatic person tests negative for COVID-19 and/or influenza but develops a rash, they should be advised to continue isolating and be tested for measles.

    People with measles are potentially infectious from 24 hours prior to the onset of initial symptoms until 4 days after the rash appears. Measles is highly infectious and can spread through airborne droplets or contact with nose or throat secretions, as well as contaminated surfaces and objects. The measles virus can stay in the environment for up to 2 hours.

    Figures: Examples of a typical measles rash.

    Recommendations

    For the general public

    • Anyone who has attended a listed exposure site during the specified date and time should monitor for symptoms and seek medical care if symptoms develop for up to 18 days after the exposure.
    • Symptoms of measles can initially resemble a cold or flu and include fever, cough, sore or red eyes (conjunctivitis), runny nose, and feeling generally unwell, followed by a red rash. The rash usually starts on the face before spreading down the body.
    • Anyone who develops symptoms of measles should seek medical care. Call the health service beforehand to advise that you may have been exposed to measles and wear a mask.
    • The measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine provides safe and effective protection against measles. The MMR vaccine is available for free:
      • on the National Immunisation Program, routinely given at 12 months and 18 months of age.
      • for anyone born during or after 1966 who have not already received two doses of measles-containing vaccine, are unsure of their vaccination status, or do not have evidence of immunity to measles.
      • for young infants aged 6 to 12 months prior to overseas travel to countries where measles is endemic or where outbreaks of measles are occurring. If an infant receives an early dose of MMR vaccine prior to travel, they should still receive routine doses at 12 months and 18 months of age as per the National Immunisation Program schedule.
    • For further information, speak to your immunisation provider.
    • Anyone planning overseas travel should make sure they have received appropriate travel vaccinations.

    For health professionals

    • Anyone who is not fully vaccinated for measles may be eligible to receive the MMR vaccine if they present within 72 hours (3 days) of exposure. Anyone who is immunocompromised or pregnant and not fully vaccinated for measles may be eligible to receive normal human immunoglobulin (NHIG) if they present up to 144 hours (6 days) after close exposure to a measles case.
    • Clinicians are advised to be alert for measles in patients presenting with compatible illness, particularly those with overseas travel or who attended a listed exposure site during the specified dates and times or who are not fully vaccinated against measles.
    • Anyone who presents with signs and symptoms compatible with measles should be tested and notified to the Department of Health immediately. There should be an especially high level of suspicion if they have travelled overseas or visited any sites listed above and are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated for measles.
    • Suspected cases should be tested, isolated, and notified to the Department of Health immediately by calling 1300 651 160 and connecting to the relevant Local Public Health Unit.
    • Discuss the need for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing using nose and throat swabs with the Local Public Health Unit (PCR testing for measles does not attract a Medicare rebate).
    • Take blood samples for measles serology in all suspected cases.
    • Minimise the risk of measles transmission within your practice/department:
      • avoid keeping patients with fever and rash in shared waiting areas (send to a separate room).
      • if measles is suspected, give the patient a single use, fitted mask and isolate under airborne precautions until a measles diagnosis can be excluded.
      • leave all rooms that were used to assess the suspected case vacant for at least 30 minutes after the consultation.
    • Offer MMR vaccine to people born during or after 1966 who do not have documented evidence of receiving two doses of a measles-containing vaccine or documented evidence of immunity. Serology is not required before vaccinating. People who are not Medicare eligible can also receive the free MMR vaccine. Refer to the Australian Immunisation Handbook – MeaslesExternal Link for further guidance on immunisation.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Foreign visitors experience China’s mobile payment environment

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Tourists from France enjoy a soup dumpling at Yuyuan Garden Mall in Shanghai, east China, Jan. 21, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Foreign visitors in China experienced a smoother, more convenient travel environment during this year’s Spring Festival, thanks to improvements to the country’s mobile payment systems.

    The latest data from the People’s Bank of China shows that the volume of transactions made by international tourists during the Chinese New Year holiday, which ran from Jan. 28 to Feb. 4 this year, surged significantly from last year. The total number of cross-border transactions processed by China UnionPay and NetsUnion Clearing Corporation increased 124.54 percent, and the total transaction value grew 90.49 percent.

    This jump in payment activity reflects not only the growing appeal of China as a travel destination but also the seamless integration of mobile payment systems for foreign visitors.

    In cities like Shanghai, foreign tourists can now use international credit cards or mobile payment apps such as Alipay for shopping, dining and sightseeing, which allowed tourists to enjoy the cultural experiences on offer fully during the Chinese New Year.

    German tourist Carla Uhrmacher, who visited the famous Yuyuan Garden in the eastern Chinese metropolis of Shanghai, was impressed by the ease with which she could use her mobile payment app to buy traditional Chinese crafts and souvenirs. “Whether using Visa or Mastercard, or mobile payment systems, it’s all very seamless,” she noted, highlighting how accessible these payment methods are for international visitors.

    This Spring Festival saw an increase in payment transactions and a significant rise in the number of foreign visitors to China. Inbound arrivals during this year’s Spring Festival hit a record high, with a 150 percent year-on-year leap reported, Lin Jian, a spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry, told a press conference on Wednesday, citing data from third-party platforms.

    While popular destinations such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou continued to attract large numbers of foreign travelers during the holiday, cities like Suzhou, Xi’an, Chengdu and Xiamen emerged as new favorites for international tourists using mobile payment services, Alipay data shows.

    This surge in international visitors can be largely attributed to China’s ongoing efforts to enhance its payment services for foreigners. The country has made it easier for international travelers to use their foreign credit cards by allowing them to link these cards directly to popular Chinese mobile payment platforms like Alipay and WeChat Pay.

    An increasing number of international e-wallets are now also supported for use in China. Alipay, for example, now allows users to link 13 different overseas e-wallets from countries like the Philippines, Thailand and Singapore.

    Though cashless payment services have improved significantly, foreign tourists can also take advantage of a network of nearly 70,000 bank branches, 320,000 ATMs, and currency exchange facilities across the country.

    This year’s Spring Festival also saw a notable increase in foreigner spending, particularly in cities like Beijing, where tourists from various countries flocked to shopping areas such as Qianmen Street to purchase souvenirs, local teas and trendy clothing.

    This spending boom is backed by figures, with the number of transactions made by foreign visitors on WeChat increasing 134 percent compared to last year’s Spring Festival, and with the total spent via Alipay rising 150 percent during the first five days of the holiday. These figures reflect not only the convenience of mobile payments but also the growing enthusiasm of foreign tourists to purchase Chinese goods and immerse themselves in local culture.

    An increasingly open China is becoming an even more attractive destination for international tourists as Chinese New Year is celebrated globally, and as payment services continue to improve, analysts in China have noted. And these improved payment experiences will make China travel even smoother and more enjoyable for international visitors.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Duty-free sales enjoy Spring Festival boost

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    This aerial photo taken on April 4, 2023 shows the Haikou International Duty-Free Shopping Complex in Haikou, south China’s Hainan Province. [Photo/Xinhua]

    During the Spring Festival holiday spanning from Jan 28 through Tuesday, Haikou Customs recorded transactions totaling 2.09 billion yuan ($287 million) in duty-free shopping, with 240,500 travelers departing from Hainan province engaging in duty-free purchases, averaging 8,706 yuan per person, surpassing last year’s figure of 8,358 yuan.

    Noteworthy was the achievement of 1.44 billion yuan in duty-free sales in Sanya. From Saturday to Tuesday, duty-free sales in the city exceeded 200 million yuan for four consecutive days. As of Wednesday, duty-free sales in Sanya had risen by 18.1 percent year-on-year, with shopping and foot traffic increasing by 21.9 percent and 13.8 percent, respectively, setting a new high.

    “There are many more brands than the last time I visited, and the products are very comprehensive. I also used government consumption vouchers,” said a tourist surnamed Zhang from Beijing, at Sanya International Duty Free City on Tuesday, as she took advantage of her vacation to buy the coat and skincare products she had been eyeing.

    Throughout this year’s Spring Festival holiday, the diverse tourism resources across Hainan attracted visitors from outside the island, propelling duty-free consumption.

    Sanya International Duty Free City organized a range of events that capitalized on this momentum by blending intangible cultural heritage with duty-free offerings. “We established five major intangible cultural heritage experiential zones featuring calligraphy, sugar painting, lacquer fans, rubbings and paper-cutting, which were warmly received by tourists, especially families,” said Fu Bing, the mall’s event planner.

    Collaborating with over 900 brands and offering 45 major duty-free product categories, Sanya International Duty Free City introduced promotions like gifts with purchases, multiple membership reward points and exclusive Chinese New Year Zodiac products for the Year of the Snake, complemented by government consumption vouchers and subsidies for digital product purchases.

    To attract consumers, Sanya and Haikou distributed over 67 million yuan in offshore duty-free shopping vouchers, which can be stacked with in-store discounts.

    At Global Premium Duty Free Plaza in Haikou, products are available starting from a minimum of 70 percent off. Liu Jia, assistant to general manager of the plaza, said that foot traffic increased by around 55 percent compared to the eight days prior to the Spring Festival holiday, leading to a significant boost in sales performance and marking a prosperous start of the year in terms of sales.

    A salesperson from a fragrance and cosmetics brand at Haikou International Duty-Free City said that all items are discounted to a minimum of 20 percent off for every three items purchased. A tourist surnamed Chen from Guangdong province bought a bottle of concentrated repair essence, saying, “The original price was 3,920 yuan. After the discount, it was only 2,548 yuan. Such a good deal.”

    At the Haikou Xinhai Ro-Ro Passenger Terminal hub, adjacent to Haikou International Duty Free City, a steady stream of tourists queue at the port channel’s off-island duty-free pickup point.

    “We have dispatched personnel to duty-free shopping malls to promote and educate on offshore duty-free policies and shopping procedures, fully supporting duty-free sales,” said Wang Yang, head of the duty-free product supervision department at Haikou Port Customs.

    Huang Jing, deputy head of the duty-free supervision department at Sanya Customs, said, “To address difficulties faced by travelers due to changes in off-island information for pickup and verification, we have developed a passenger rebooking information comparison system and an off-island duty-free verification application mini-program, enabling passengers to self-enter rebooking information, providing convenience to many travelers.”

    Guo Jianmeng, director of the port supervision division of Haikou Customs, emphasized the commitment to exploring innovative pathways for intelligent supervision of offshore duty-free in Hainan Free Trade Port, aiming to boost the consumer market’s vitality and contribute to the development of offshore duty-free industries, aligning with Hainan’s vision of becoming an international tourism consumption center.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: 3rd supply chain expo to be held in July

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    This photo shows the smart vehicle exhibition area at the second China International Supply Chain Expo (CISCE) in Beijing, capital of China, Nov. 28, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    The third China International Supply Chain Expo will be held in Beijing from July 16 to 20 this year, the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) said on Thursday.

    With a total exhibition area of 120,000 square meters, the expo features six major exhibition areas — namely advanced manufacturing, clean energy, smart vehicles, digital technology, healthy living and green agriculture.

    To date, nearly 200 companies have signed up to participate, the CCPIT revealed.

    As the world’s first national-level exhibition focusing on supply chains, the expo is an internationally shared public product. First held in 2023, the expo has contributed to building more secure, stable, open and inclusive global industrial and supply chains, according to the CCPIT.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Amazon posts net income, revenue growth in Q4 results

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    Amazon.com, Inc. on Thursday announced its financial results for the fourth quarter ending Dec. 31, 2024, with net sales of 187.8 billion U.S. dollars, up 10 percent year on year.

    The company’s net income increased to 20.0 billion dollars in the fourth quarter, or 1.86 dollars per diluted share, compared with 10.6 billion dollars, or 1.00 dollars per diluted share, in the fourth quarter of 2023.

    Its net income increased to 59.2 billion dollars in the full year of 2024, or 5.53 dollars per diluted share, compared with 30.4 billion dollars, or 2.90 dollars per diluted share, in 2023.

    Amazon’s net sales increased 11 percent to 638.0 billion dollars in 2024, compared with 574.8 billion dollars in 2023.

    The company’s operating cash flow increased 36 percent to 115.9 billion dollars for the trailing 12 months, compared with 84.9 billion dollars for the trailing 12 months ending Dec. 31, 2023.

    Its free cash flow increased to 38.2 billion dollars for the trailing 12 months, compared with 36.8 billion dollars for the trailing 12 months ending Dec. 31, 2023.

    “The holiday shopping season was the most successful yet for Amazon,” said Andy Jassy, president and CEO of Amazon.

    The introduction of new Trainium2 artificial intelligence chip, the foundation models in Amazon Nova, and the next edition of Amazon SageMaker are among the most remarkable innovation delivered across Amazon’s businesses, he said, adding that these are substantial enablers in the emerging technology environment.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: France, Japan, U.S. Partner in Multi-Large Deck Event in Philippine Sea

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    PHILIPPINE SEA   –  

    U.S. forces will participate in Exercise Pacific Steller 2025, a multi-large deck event (MLDE) hosted by the French Navy in the Philippine Sea beginning Feb. 8. The exercise will involve ships from the U.S. Navy’s Vinson Carrier Strike Group (VINCSG), the French Carrier Strike Group, and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.

    This MLDE is designed to advance coordination and cooperation between French, Japanese and U.S. maritime forces while simultaneously demonstrating capabilities in multi-domain operations, promoting a shared dedication to regional stability, and highlighting the U.S. Navy’s enduring power projection capability.

    “Pacific Steller 2025 allows us to practice seamless integration with our French and Japanese allies in a multi-domain environment,” said Rear Adm. Michael Wosje, commander, Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 1. “Coordinated operations between USS Carl Vinson, FS Charles De Gaulle, and JS Kaga strengthen our alliances and deter our adversaries. Together, we seek to maintain an open and inclusive Indo-Pacific, free of all forms of coercion, and we’re excited to work alongside our allies and partners who share that vision.”

    The U.S.-France alliance is built on a legacy of shared interests, values, and a commitment to freedom and human rights.

    “It is a great opportunity for the French Carrier Strike Group to cooperate with our partners in the Indo-Pacific during the whole deployment. While France is a resident nation of the Indo-Pacific, it has not deployed its CSG to this part of the world for a long time,” said Rear Adm. Jacques Mallard, commander, French CSG. “Since January 14, the aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle, based in Toulon more than 6000 miles from here, is sailing in a different area. There is no doubt that PACIFIC STELLER will ramp up to a new level of interoperability for our three navies and represents a challenge that we are more than eager to take up alongside Japanese and US partners.”

    The most recent MLDE in the Indo-Pacific occurred in August 2024 between the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) and the Italian Navy aircraft carrier ITS Cavour (CVH 550). The event marked the first MLDE conducted between the U.S. and Italian navies in the Indo-Pacific region.

    “Our routine integration aims to showcase our partnership and demonstrate our ability to work together with our French and Japanese allies,” said Capt. Matthew Thomas, commanding officer of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70). “Pacific Steller 2025 is one of many exercises with the goal to enhance the maritime security of the Indo-Pacific region. As the flagship of CSG-1, Carl Vinson stands ready and looks forward to participating alongside Charles De Gaulle and Kaga.”

    MLDEs are conducted in a manner that is consistent with international law and with due regard to the safety of navigation and the rights and interests of other states.

    Participating large-deck ships include the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), the French carrier FS Charles De Gaulle, and Japan’s Izumo-class multi-functional destroyer JS Kaga (DDH-184).

    CSG-1 consists of Carl Vinson, embarked staffs of CSG-1 and Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) one, Carrier Air Wing 2 (CVW) 2, the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Princeton (CG 59), and Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Sterett (DDG 104) and USS William P. Lawrence (DDG 110).

    CVW-2 is composed of nine squadrons flying the F-35C Lightning II, F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, EA-18G Growler, E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, CMV-22 Osprey and MH-60R/S Seahawks.

    French Carrier Strike Group consists of Charles De Gaulle, its embarked French Strike Force staff and carrier air wing, an air-defense destroyer, multi-mission frigates, a supply ship, an attack submarine, and a detachment of Atlantique 2 maritime patrol aircraft.

    The French carrier air wing flies the Rafale Marine (F4) fighter aircraft, E-2C Hawkeye, and Dauphin, Caiman Marine, and Panther helicopters.

    The French Carrier Strike Group is currently engaged in Mission CLEMENCEAU 25, sailing alongside its allies and strategic partners to promote a free, open and stable Indo-Pacific space for the benefit of French populations, interests, and those of their regional partners, within the framework of international law.

    The Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations. U.S. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

    For more news from CSG-1 and Carl Vinson visit: https://www.dvidshub.net/unit/CSG1, https://www.dvidshub.net/unit/CVN70

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: As New Evidence Shows Trump’s Treasury Officials Misled on DOGE Access to Sensitive Payment Systems, Reed Demands Specific Answers & an End to DOGE Coverup

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

    WASHINGTON, DC – New evidence indicates Elon Musk’s lieutenants from the so-called “Department of Government Efficiency” (“DOGE”) were in fact more involved with attempting to access and suspend payments through the U.S. Treasury Department’s highly sensitive payment processing system.

    The New York Times reported on recently uncovered e mails from senior Treasury officials, noting: “emails reviewed by The New York Times show that the Treasury’s chief of staff originally pushed for Tom Krause, a software executive affiliated with Mr. Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency, to receive access to the closely held payment system so that the Treasury could freeze U.S. Agency for International Development payments.

    “In a Jan. 24 email to a small group of Treasury officials, the chief of staff, Dan Katz, wrote that Mr. Krause and his team needed access to the system so they could pause U.S.A.I.D. payments and comply with Mr. Trump’s Jan. 20 executive order to halt foreign aid.”

    Senator Reed and other lawmakers have been seeking answers about how, why, and whether Mr. Musk’s DOGE operatives gained access to highly sensitive personal data and payment information for millions of Americans and businesses.

    After sending a letter to new Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on February 3 and receiving evasive answers and suspect assurances from Treasury on February 4, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) Subcommittee, which oversees funding for Treasury, fired off a follow up letter seeking more specific answers to determine exactly who from DOGE has been given access to what Treasury payment and information technology (IT) and what kind of vetting process those people have undergone.

    Reed is particularly alarmed that Treasury officials equivocated in their response that members of DOGE “currently . . . will have read-only access to the coded data” of Treasury’s payment systems. Reed wants to know if anyone from DOGE previously had more access.

    Senator Reed is also seeking to determine what level of access has been granted to Tom Krause, who is currently a big tech CEO and now serves as Elon Musk’s DOGE commander inside the Treasury Department. Does he have access beyond read-only?  While Mr. Krause was apparently granted some type of security clearance, Reed wants to know whether he received any actual vetting and whether other members of DOGE have a similar clearance? 

    Senator Reed is also seeking to determine exactly what permissions DOGE employees have to review Americans’ most sensitive data, such as tax information.  While DOGE employees have access that is “similar” to the permissions provided to others with a need to review this data, such as auditors, that necessarily means that there are “differences,” too, which could have grave consequences for the privacy of all Americans.

    Finally, Senator Reed is seeking information about DOGE attempts to block authorized spending to institutions that are politically disfavored by Trump and Elon Musk.  While Treasury asserts that no payments were “delayed or re-routed,” new reporting indicates that Treasury did, in fact, attempt to block payments.

    Full text of the letter follows:

    February 5, 2025

    The Honorable Scott Bessent, Secretary

    U.S. Department of the Treasury

    1500 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

    Washington, DC 20220

    Dear Secretary Bessent: 

    Thank you for the prompt response from your staff to my letter, dated February 3, 2025, regarding access to U.S. Treasury Department payment systems by surrogates of Elon Musk.  Regrettably, the letter did not address many of the specific questions I asked, and in fact, it raised additional issues that the Department should address.

    Therefore, I respectfully request answers to several follow-up questions by February 10, 2025:

     

    1.         The response letter states that “currently, Treasury staff members working with Tom Krause, a Treasury employee, will have read-only access to the coded data of the Fiscal Service’s payment systems.” 

    a.         What access does Mr. Krause himself have to these systems?

    b.         Did the access that you initially granted to Mr. Krause or these staff members include permissions beyond “read-only” or access to data with identifiable fields? 

    c.         Are you evaluating whether to provide Mr. Krause and these staff members with additional permissions beyond “read-only” and access to coded data?

    d.         How many Treasury staff members are working with Mr. Krause on this matter?

    2.         The response letter states that “the review at the Fiscal Service has not caused payments for obligations such as Social Security and Medicare to be delayed or re-routed.” 

    a.         Did Tom Krause, or any Treasury staff members working with him, ever attempt to delay or re-route any payments or inquire with career Treasury staff about how to do so?

    b.         Can you commit that Treasury will not delay or re-route any statutorily directed payments?

    3.         The response letter states that “Mr. Krause is subject to the same security obligations and ethical requirements [as other government employees], including a Top Secret security clearance.” 

    a.         Was his clearance granted through the customary practices used for veteran, career Treasury staff members?

    b.         Is his clearance at the level that is customary for the Fiscal Assistant Secretary, which I understand to be TS/SCI with a counterintelligence-scope polygraph?

    4.         For the Treasury staff members working with Mr. Krause who currently have “read-only” access:

    a.         Do they all have security clearances and if so, were these clearances granted through the customary practices used for veteran, career Treasury staff members?

    b.         Are any of them foreign nationals?

    c.         Are any of them designed as a “special government employee” and if so, how many have this designation?

    5.         Have Mr. Krause and the Treasury staff members working with him submitted financial disclosure forms to the Office of Government Ethics?

    Thank you for your attention to this matter, and I look forward to your prompt reply.

    Sincerely,

    -end-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: February 6th, 2025 Heinrich Delivers Floor Remarks Opposing OMB Nominee Russell Vought, Highlights Vought’s Plans to Harm New Mexicans & Intensify Trump’s Chaos

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich

    Heinrich uplifts New Mexicans’ concerns, sheds light on local impact of Vought’s dangerous plans

    VIDEO

    WASHINGTON – This evening, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) delivered remarks on the Senate floor amplifying the voices of New Mexicans opposing the nomination of Russell Vought to lead the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Mr. Vought is the lead architect of the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, the policy blueprint for Donald Trump’s harmful agenda to throw the government into chaos and harm working families.

    “Today, I say to the thousands of New Mexicans who have asked me to oppose Mr. Vought’s nomination: I agree with you,” said Heinrich. “Mr. Vought is not fit to lead the OMB. We should reject this dangerously unfit nominee before he dismantles the services New Mexicans rely on. We should reject him before he unilaterally overrides the laws that Americans’ elected representatives have passed. We cannot standby and allow Mr. Vought, Elon Musk, or this President to disregard the safety and security of the American people. The law is on our side.”

    VIDEO: U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) delivers remarks on the Senator floor opposing the nomination of Project 2025 architect Russell Vought to lead the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), February 6, 2025.

    During his speech, Heinrich amplified the concerns of New Mexicans who have written or called into his office expressing concern over Trump’s harmful actions. Heinrich additionally recited alarming statements recently made by Vought that emphasize his dangerous plans, “In a private speech last year at his far-right Center for Renewing America think tank, Mr. Vought stated that he would like to put career civil servants ‘in trauma.’ Mr. Vought said, ‘We want the bureaucrats to be traumatically affected. When they wake up in the morning, we want them to not want to go to work because they are increasingly viewed as the villains.”’

    Heinrich also emphasized the unlawfulness of Vought’s intentions and the Trump administration’s actions by citing rulings handed down from two federal courts that issued temporary restraining orders on Trump’s directives.

    Heinrich concluded by encouraging New Mexicans—and all Americans—to use their voices to call on Republicans in charge of the Senate, House, and White House to put an end to this chaos, “To all Americans wondering what can be done right now: keep using your voices. Call your Members of Congress. Call your Senators. Call the White House. Call the Treasury Department. Comment on your Republican Representatives’ social media channels. Write op-eds in your local newspaper. Make sure Republicans know that ‘We the People’ are paying attention. That we will hold them accountable for following the law and upholding our Constitution. And make sure to let your lawmakers know when you support the work they’re doing, so that they continue to do it. And let federal civil servants know that you support them, and that you want them to keep doing their jobs and doing them well.”

    Heinrich is leading Senate Democrats in sounding the alarm on Elon Musk and Donald Trump’s destructive actions that are wreaking havoc on Americans, weakening our economy, and threatening the livelihoods of New Mexicans.

    Last week on the Senate floor, Heinrich delivered the longest speech of his career, where he slammed President Trump’s unlawful unilateral blockade of all federal grant funding. In his remarks, Heinrich uplifted stories from New Mexicans on how Trump’s federal funding freeze endangered New Mexicans and threatened communities across the state. Find the video of Heinrich sharing letters from New Mexicans on the Senate floor here.

    Since Trump took office in 2025, Heinrich has:

    • Introduced a resolution condemning Trump’s pardons of people found guilty of assaulting police officers on January 6.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER DEMANDS ANSWERS: NEW YORK’S MEDICAID PORTAL JUST TEMPORARILY SHUT DOWN AGAIN FOLLOWING TRUMP’S FUNDING FREEZE FIASCO LAST WEEK; SENATOR CALLS FOR FULL INVESTIGATION TO PROTECT NEARLY 7 MILLION…

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer

    This Morning The Medicaid Portal And All U.S. Department Of Health & Human Services Websites Were Inoperable, Affecting Payments For Approximately 7 Million New Yorkers & Blocking New Yorkers From Receiving Reimbursements For Health Care Expenses

    Today’s Shutdown Marks Second Time In Two Weeks NY Has Been Locked Out Of Payments With No Explanation; Following Trump’s Illegal Federal Funding Freeze, Schumer Says Enough Is Enough And NY-ers Deserve Answers On What Is Happening With Their Healthcare Coverage

    Schumer: Continued Medicaid Portal Shutdowns – And Fed Funding Freeze – Create Panic, Confusion & Unnecessary Frustration

    After access to NY’s Medicaid portal was rendered inoperable once again this morning for the second time following Trump’s funding freeze fiasco, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer today demanded answers from the Trump administration’s U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to explain why the federal platform responsible for disbursing Medicaid funds for NY and other state’s was shutdown. Despite OMB saying Medicaid would not be impacted by the freeze, every state across the country reported the payment system shutting down, temporarily jeopardizing payments needed for our doctors, rural clinics, community health centers, and hospitals and creating major concerns for the millions of New Yorkers who rely on this system.

    Schumer said the unexplained shutdowns of the Medicaid portal demands a full investigation and immediate answers to ensure health care services can have the confidence they need to continue vital healthcare services.

    “Following Trump’s funding freeze chaos, out of the blue and seemingly due to callousness and incompetence, the Medicaid Portal was inexplicably offline yet again today for the second time. Nearly 7 million New Yorkers were once again potentially left high and dry on healthcare. The repeated nationwide shutdown of the Medicaid payment system caused panic, confusion, and unnecessary frustration, especially following last week’s unexplained shutdown,” said Senator Schumer. “The federal government legally owes federal funding for New York State’s Medicaid program to provide reimbursement for health care costs for millions of fellow New Yorkers. Without it doctors and hospitals in New York can’t provide the care they need. The White House refused to clarify how their illegal federal funding freeze would impact Medicaid recipients and the shutdown of the portal both last week and today only intensifies people’s deep worry. I’m demanding HHS work with Congress to swiftly and transparently determine what caused the portal shutdown and how the administration can ensure a disruption like this doesn’t happen again. New Yorkers deserve nothing less.”

    Schumer said the Medicaid portal shutdown is part of larger confusion surrounding President Trump’s executive order freezing all federal funding. Though the White House said the Medicaid program would “continue without pause,” Medicaid portals across the country temporarily stopped working. Though the portal was later restored, it again became inoperable for a few hours this morning. Schumer explained that continued shutdowns put reimbursement payments for millions of New Yorkers at risk and demanded answers to ensure a shutdown will not happen again.

    Medicaid enrollment by region can be found below:

    Region

    Medicaid Enrollment

    NYC

    4,036,284

    Long Island

    679,724

    Capital Region

    214,632

    Western New York

    371,481

    Rochester-Finger Lakes

    304,234

    Central New York

    201,047

    Southern Tier

    181,450

    Hudson Valley

    678,375

    North Country

    106,160

    Mohawk Valley

    178,001

    Schumer and Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Wyden letter to Acting Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Dorothy Fink sent prior to this morning’s shutdown can be found below:

    Dear Acting Secretary Dorothy Fink:

    We are writing to gain insight into the unlawful shutdown of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Payment Management Services (PMS) portal. As you know, the PMS portal, in addition to being the platform for hundreds of other transactions between states and HHS, serves as an interface between state Medicaid agencies and the federal government for drawing down federal funds to cover care provided to Medicaid beneficiaries in each state. As the health insurance program serving 80 million Americans, Medicaid is a key lifeline for communities across this country. The unexplained shutdown of the Medicaid portal raised questions about the continuity of care for beneficiaries and the financial stability of the providers and health centers that provide essential health care services.

    The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) memo (M-25-13) released on January 27 instructed federal agencies to temporarily pause grant, loan, and other financial assistance programs in response to President Trump’s Executive Orders directed at freezing federal funding. Alongside the memo, OMB circulated a spreadsheet of around 2,600 federal programs, including the “Medical Assistance Program” (i.e., Medicaid), and requested federal agencies submit information on whether they complied with the executive orders. During a White House briefing on the OMB memo, Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, refused to clarify whether Medicaid was specifically implicated by the funding freeze, instead stating that she will “check back on that.” Following confusion and uncertainty about which programs were affected by the freeze, OMB released clarifications to the initial memo on January 28, stating “mandatory programs like Medicaid and SNAP will continue without pause.”

    Despite this, all 56 state and territorial Medicaid programs were locked out of the PMS portal for hours, unable to access funding. Shortly after the OMB memo was circulated, the PMS portal had a red banner warning of “PAYMENT DELAYS.” It stated that “due to the Executive Orders regarding potentially unallowable grant payments,” PMS was taking additional steps to process payments that “will result in delays and/or rejections of payment.” Upon restoration of the PMS portal, some states are reporting slow and inefficient portal service, creating difficulties for providers across the country. Additionally, a red banner remains on the PMS portal, warning of truncated hours of operation – 5:00am – 4:00pm ET – “until a further notice.”

    The lack of clarity on the cause of the portal shutdown creates concern that state partners cannot rely on the PMS portal. We request that HHS work to determine and disclose the cause of the portal shutdown and make necessary improvements to prevent future disruptions in the distribution of Medicaid funding.

    Specifically, we request that you please provide answers to the following questions:

    1. Since Medicaid is exempt from the Executive Order on freezing federal funding according to a clarifying OMB memo, why were state Medicaid offices locked out of the HHS PMS portal for hours after posting of the initial OMB memo on the funding freeze?
    2. Since Medicaid is exempt from the funding freeze, what is the reason for the PMS portal’s truncated hours of operation? When will the PMS portal return to normal operating hours to ensure continuity of care for Medicaid beneficiaries?
    3. What is HHS doing to restore normal operating speed and functioning to the PMS portal to support the reimbursement process?
    4. The unexplained freeze to the PMS portal has worried state Medicaid programs that there will be delays and rejections in reimbursement claims. What is HHS doing to assure state Medicaid programs that, due to Medicaid’s exemption from the funding freeze, there will not be increases in delays or rejections of claims?
    5. How is HHS working to analyze the amount of time that each state Medicaid program was locked out of the PMS portal?
    6. How is HHS working to quickly process reimbursement claims that required prioritization during the period that state Medicaid programs were locked out of the PMS portal?
    7. How will HHS better interpret and coordinate implementation of Executive Orders to prevent another unnecessary freeze to the PMS portal?
    8. The White House has responded that the portal shutdown was due to an “outage.” If this is the case, what is HHS doing to support technical operations to prevent future shutdowns and slowdowns of the portal? What was the cause of the technical outage?

    Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. We request a response in 30 days, by March 3, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta and Coalition of 14 Attorneys General Release Statement on DOGE Access to Sensitive Personal Information

    Source: US State of California

    Thursday, February 6, 2025

    Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov

    OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today joined a coalition of 14 attorneys general in releasing the following statement in response to the U.S. Department of the Treasury granting Elon Musk and his so-called “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) staffers access to sensitive payment systems containing Americans’ personally identifiable information:

    “In the past week, the U.S. Department of the Treasury has given Elon Musk access to Americans’ personal private information, state bank account data, and other information that is some of our country’s most sensitive data.

    “As the richest man in the world, Elon Musk is not used to being told ‘no,’ but in our country, no one is above the law. The President does not have the power to give away our private information to anyone he chooses, and he cannot cut federal payments approved by Congress. 

    “This level of access for unauthorized individuals is unlawful, unprecedented, and unacceptable. DOGE has no authority to access this information, which they explicitly sought in order to block critical payments that millions of Americans rely on – payments that support health care, childcare, and other essential programs. 

    “In defense of our Constitution, our right to privacy, and the essential funding that individuals and communities nationwide are counting on, we will be filing a lawsuit to stop this injustice.”

    Joining Attorney General Bonta in releasing this statement are the attorneys general of New York, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, Rhode Island, and Vermont. 

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Taking the ‘forever’ out of ‘forever chemicals’: we worked out how to destroy the PFAS in batteries

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jens Blotevogel, Principal Research Scientist and Team Leader for Remediation Technologies, CSIRO

    Mino Surkala, Shutterstock

    Lithium-ion batteries are part of everyday life. They power small rechargeable devices such as mobile phones and laptops. They enable electric vehicles. And larger versions store excess renewable energy for later use, supporting the clean energy transition.

    Australia produces more than 3,000 tonnes of lithium-ion battery waste a year. Managing this waste is a technical, economic and social challenge. Opportunities exist for recycling and creating a circular economy for batteries. But they come with risk.

    That’s because lithium-ion batteries contain manufactured chemicals such as PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. The chemicals carry the lithium – along with electricity – through the battery. If released into the environment, they can linger for decades and likely longer. This is why they’ve been dubbed “forever chemicals”.

    Recently, scientists identified a new type of PFAS known as bis-FASIs (short for bis-perfluoroalkyl sulfonimides) in lithium-ion batteries and in the environment. Bis-FASIs have since been detected in soils and waters worldwide. They are toxic – just one drop in an Olympic-size swimming pool can harm the nervous system of animals. Scientists don’t know much about possible effects on humans yet.

    Bis-FASIs in lithium-ion batteries present a major obstacle to recycling or disposing of batteries safely. Fortunately, we may have come up with a way to fix this.

    There’s value in our battery wastes

    Currently, Australia only recycles about 10% of its battery waste. The rest is sent to landfill.

    But landfill sites could leak eventually. That means disposal of battery waste in landfill may lead to soil and groundwater contamination.

    We can’t throw away lithium-ion batteries in household rubbish because they can catch fire.

    So once batteries reach the end of useful life, we must handle them in a way that protects the environment and human health.

    What’s more, there’s real value in battery waste. Lithium-ion batteries contain lots of valuable metals that are worth recycling. Lithium, cobalt, copper and nickel are critical and finite metal resources that are in high demand. The recoverable metal value from one tonne of lithium-ion battery waste is between A$3,000 and $14,000.

    As more lithium-ion batteries explode in flames, waste chiefs say change is necessary (7.30)

    What does this mean for recycling of batteries?

    Battery recycling in Australia begins with collection, sorting, discharging and dismantling, before the metal is recovered.

    Metal recovery can be done via mechanical, high-temperature, chemical or biological methods. But this may inadvertently release bis-FASI, threatening recycling workers and the environment.

    Pyrometallurgy is the most common technique for recycling lithium-ion batteries. This involves incinerating the batteries to recover the metals. Bis-FASIs are incinerated at the same time.

    Yet PFAS chemicals are stable and can withstand high temperatures. The exact temperature needed to destroy PFAS is the biggest unknown in lithium-ion battery recycling.

    Determining this temperature was the focus of our research.

    The solution is hot – very hot!

    We teamed up with chemistry professor Anthony Rappé at Colorado State University in the United States. We wanted to work out the temperature at which bis-FASIs can be effectively incinerated.

    But figuring this out is tricky, not only because of the danger of working with high temperatures.

    The inside of incinerators is a hot mess. Molecules get torn apart. Some recombine to form larger molecules, and others interact with ashes produced during the burning process. This could produce toxic new substances, which then exit through a smokestack into the air outside.

    We don’t want PFAS going out through the smokestack.
    HJBC, Shutterstock

    To make matters worse, it’s not possible to measure all the substances that bis-FASIs break down into, because many of them are unknown.

    To help, we applied the science of quantum mechanics and solved the problem on a computer without ever going into the lab. The computer can accurately simulate the behaviour of any molecules, including bis-FASIs.

    We found that at 600°C, bis-FASI molecules start to separate into smaller fragments. But these fragments are still PFAS chemicals and could be more harmful than their parent chemicals.

    As a consequence, the absence of bis-FASIs in stack exhaust is not enough to deem the process safe. Much higher temperatures of 1,000°C and above are needed to break down bis-FASIs completely into harmless products. This is likely to be much higher than temperatures currently used, although that varies between facilities.

    Based on these findings, we built an innovative model that guides recyclers on how to destroy bis-FASIs during metal recovery by using sufficiently high temperatures.

    How do we avoid future risks?

    We are now collaborating with operators of high-temperature metal recovery and incineration plants to use our model to destroy PFAS in batteries.

    Recycling plants will have to use much higher temperatures to avoid problematic fumes and this will require more energy and financial investment.

    After our new guidance is implemented, we will test the recovered metals, solid residues, and exhausts to ensure they are free from PFAS.

    While we can tackle the PFAS problem now, it remains an expensive undertaking. Metal recovery processes must be upgraded to safely destroy bis-FASIs. Ultimately, consumers are likely to foot the bill.

    However, sending lithium-ion battery waste to landfill will damage the environment and be more expensive in the long run. Landfilling of bis-FASI-containing waste should therefore be avoided.

    Clearly, the battery recycling rate must improve. This is where everyday people can help. In the future, manufacturers should avoid using forever chemicals in batteries altogether. Development of safer alternatives is a key focus of ongoing research into sustainable battery design.

    Jens Blotevogel receives funding from the United States Department of Defense’s Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program.

    Naomi Boxall receives funding from the Australian Government under the National Environmental Science Program.

    – ref. Taking the ‘forever’ out of ‘forever chemicals’: we worked out how to destroy the PFAS in batteries – https://theconversation.com/taking-the-forever-out-of-forever-chemicals-we-worked-out-how-to-destroy-the-pfas-in-batteries-242769

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: What is botulism? How this ‘nerve-paralysing illness’ can be linked to dodgy botox

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Thomas Jeffries, Senior Lecturer in Microbiology, Western Sydney University

    Tijana Simic/Shutterstock

    The news last week that three people in Sydney were hospitalised with botulism after receiving botox injections has raised questions about the regulation of the cosmetic injectables industry.

    The three women allegedly received injections of unregulated anti-wrinkle products from the same provider at a Western Sydney home in January.

    The provider, who is not a registered health practitioner, is allegedly also linked to a case of botulism that occurred following a botox injection in Victoria in 2024.

    The provider has been banned from performing cosmetic procedures in New South Wales and Victoria while the incidents are investigated. Meanwhile, health authorities in both states have issued warnings about the practitioner.

    So, what exactly is botulism? And how can it be linked to botox?

    Botox and botulism

    Botox, or botulinum toxin, is a drug made from a toxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum.

    The botox toxin is a neurotoxin, which means it prevents the functioning of cells in the central nervous system. Specifically, it blocks the messages your nerves send to your muscles telling them to contract. In this way it can temporarily reduce wrinkles.

    While botox is best known for its cosmetic applications, it can also be used in the treatment of certain medical conditions, such as chronic migraines and muscle spasms.

    The toxin is used in a highly diluted form in botox injections. Notwithstanding the possibility of side effects (such as temporary pain and swelling at the injection site), botox is generally considered safe when conducted by licensed health practitioners.

    Botulism is likewise caused by a toxin produced by the bacteria C. botulinum.

    Instances of botulism linked to botox injections in the past have been attributed to counterfeit or mishandled product. Mishandling might include contamination from the toxin source in the diluted product, leading to a higher dose of the toxin, or improper refrigeration. Poor injection technique can also be a factor.

    When the botulinum toxin is not handled properly, the toxin can enter the bloodstream. This is how botulism occurs.

    Botulism can also be a food-borne illness

    C. botulinum can form spores and survive in tough conditions, meaning it can withstand many food preparation techniques.

    People who consume homemade preserved foods such as vegetables, particularly those that are not cooked during preparation, can be at a higher risk of food-borne botulism. Lower levels of salt and acid, as is the case with mild fermentation, can also increase the risk of the toxin being present.

    Botulism can be picked up from food.
    Dale Jackson/Pexels

    C. botulinum can also survive in soil and water. In this way, botulism can also be caused by bacteria from the environment. This can present as wound infections, or intestinal infection with C. botulinum in infants specifically.

    Intravenous drug users are at a higher risk of wound-borne botulism, while infants tend to suffer from gastrointestinal botulism because their gut microbiomes are still developing.

    It’s extremely rare

    Botulism is very unusual, with generally only about one case reported annually in Australia.

    However it’s very serious. It’s commonly referred to as a nerve-paralysing illness.

    Symptoms can develop within a few hours to several days after exposure to the toxin, and include drooping eyelids, difficulty breathing, facial weakness, blurred vision, difficulty swallowing and slurred speech. In infants it can cause floppy limbs and a weak cry.

    It’s treated by supporting breathing if necessary, and urgently administering a botox antitoxin, which binds to the toxin, preventing it from attaching to nerve cells in the body.

    Usually patients recover, although in some cases they may need to be in hospital for months, and sometimes symptoms such as fatigue and trouble breathing can last years.

    Botulism is fatal in 5–10% of cases.

    Botulism is a serious illness.
    Jason Grant/Shutterstock

    Is there anything people can do to stay safe?

    The cosmetic injectables industry is estimated to be worth A$4.1 billion in Australia and forecast to grow by almost 20% annually until 2030. These recent incidents in NSW and Victoria highlight the need for stronger regulation in this booming industry.

    If you’re considering a cosmetic botox injection, make sure it’s administered by a trusted professional, ideally someone registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency.

    Asking your practitioner about the injectable they’re using, and ensuring the specific product is registered with the Therapeutic Goods Administration, can further limit any risk associated with botox procedures.

    If you make your own preserved foods, careful food production techniques and hygiene, as well as the addition of fermentation, acid, salt or heat treatment can limit the risk of food-borne botulism.

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

    – ref. What is botulism? How this ‘nerve-paralysing illness’ can be linked to dodgy botox – https://theconversation.com/what-is-botulism-how-this-nerve-paralysing-illness-can-be-linked-to-dodgy-botox-248765

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: SH30/Wharenui Road intersection upgrade starting

    Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

    NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) advises work begins Monday (10 February) to upgrade and install traffic lights at the intersection of State Highway 30 (SH30) Te Ngae Road and Wharenui Road.

    NZTA advises Rotorua drivers that, as part of this work, a short section of Wharenui Road, between SH30 Te Ngae Road and Reeve Road/Glenfield Road, will be closed to through-traffic.

    This closure will be in place from Monday 10 February, not Monday 3 February as earlier stated, until the project is completed in May this year.

    Access for residents, pedestrians and cyclists will be maintained. A detour will be in place for other traffic.

    Temporary footpaths and pedestrian access will be available and clearly signposted.

    Residents, service providers, and visitors will be able to take vehicles into the closed section of Wharenui Road from the Reeve/Glenfield intersection.

    All other traffic will need to use Brent Road or Coulter Road to access eastern Wharenui Road, Reeve Road and Glenfield Road, and any connected roads.

    While this work is underway a temporary speed limit of 30km/h will be in place on SH30 Te Ngae Road through the work zone.

    More information about additional traffic management will be shared as construction progresses.

    View larger map [PDF, 104 KB]

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Two charged after police seize homemade firearms, drugs

    Source: Tasmania Police

    Two charged after police seize homemade firearms, drugs

    Friday, 7 February 2025 – 1:31 pm.

    Two people have been charged after police seized two homemade firearms, drugs, and stolen property during a targeted search at Kings Meadows.
    Members of Northern Drugs and Firearms Unit executed a search warrant at the residential address on Thursday 6 February, following reports of an aggravated assault the night prior.
    A man was reportedly inside a vehicle when a person known to him approached the vehicle while in possession of a firearm.
    Nobody was physically injured and the firearm was not discharged.
    As part of their investigations, police searched the Kings Meadows residence and located and seized a loaded homemade .22 pistol fitted with a silencer, a loaded homemade .22 pen gun, ammunition, quantities of methylamphetamine, MDMA, cocaine and prescription medication as well as a motorcycle and box trailer believed to have been stolen.
    A 39 year old Youngtown man was arrested and charged with multiple firearms offences, aggravated assault, unlawful possession of property, motor vehicle stealing and minor drug offences.
    He was detained to appear in the Launceston Magistrates Court today.
    A 24 year old Ravenswood woman was also arrested and charged with firearms offences, aggravated assault and minor drug offences.
    She will appear in the Launceston Magistrates Court in April.
    Detective Acting Inspector Jason Jones said homemade firearms were not only illegal, but dangerous and Tasmania Police remained committed to removing them from the community.
    “We encourage anyone in possession of illegal or homemade firearms to hand them over to police. Tasmania has a permanent firearms amnesty – this allows people with unregistered, unwanted firearms to hand them in without fear of prosecution. There are no penalties associated with surrendering firearms during an amnesty regardless of how they may have come into people’s possession,” he said.
    Anyone with information about illegal or homemade firearms should  contact police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers anonymously by calling 1800 333 000 or online via crimestopperstas.com.au.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sens. Murray, Sullivan, Rep. Strickland Introduce Bipartisan Flight 293 Remembrance Act—New Legislation to Provide Support, Recognition to Families of Servicemembers Missing Not In Action

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    New bipartisan legislation led by Murray would provide overdue recognition and assistance to families of servicemembers lost in non-combat military plane crashes, including those who perished in tragic 1963 Flight 293 from McChord Air Force Base to Elmendorf Air Force Base

    ICYMI from KIRO 7: 61 years after Flight 293 disappeared, podcast raises new questions and interest

    Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member and former chair of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, and Dan Sullivan (R-AK), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, introduced the Flight 293 Remembrance Act—new legislation that would provide overdue recognition and support to families of the hundreds of servicemembers whose lives have been tragically lost in non-combat military plane crashes. Companion legislation in the House has been introduced by U.S. Representative Marilyn Strickland (D, WA-10), a member of the House Armed Services Committee.

    The legislation was inspired by the infamous Flight 293, which left McChord Air Force Base in Washington state on June 3rd, 1963, en route to Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska with 101 people on board—58 members of the military, 22 family members and a Seattle-based flight crew of six—and disappeared two and a half hours after leaving the tarmac. As pointed out for many years by Tonja Anderson-Dell of the group Honored Bound, whose grandfather disappeared in a military crash in Alaska in 1952, the Flight 293 families—like her own family and so many others—have felt left behind and excluded.

    Since World War II, hundreds of military personnel have been classified as “Missing Not In Action” (M-NIA) following non-combat plane crashes—and unlike the families of those classified as “Missing in Action” (MIA), who receive regular updates from the Department of Defense (DoD) and invitations to remembrance events, M-NIA families have long been left unsupported and excluded from these resources. The lack of a formal recognition system for M-NIA servicemembers has resulted in these families being denied the public acknowledgment, memorials, and support services they deserve. The bipartisan Flight 293 Remembrance Act seeks to correct these disparities by ensuring that the sacrifices of M-NIA servicemembers are properly recognized, their families receive essential support, and they are included in remembrance efforts.

    “For far too long, the U.S. government has treated the families of servicemembers who went missing in non-combat plane crashes differently—denying them the communication, acknowledgement, and public support that other families of missing servicemembers receive,” said Senator Murray. “It’s long past time to fix this and at least provide federal recognition for families who lost loved ones in tragic accidents like Flight 293. Our legislation would ensure that the service of our fallen heroes is commemorated and that their families receive the recognition and assistance they deserve—I’ll be working hard to get this commonsense bipartisan solution across the finish line.”

    “Our brave men and women in uniform encounter risks to their lives when carrying out their day-to-day duties for our country, even when not in combat or in a warzone,” said Senator Sullivan. “American service members killed in these kinds of non-combat circumstances, like the tragic crash of Flight 293 in 1963, deserve to have their service and sacrifice recognized and honored by a grateful nation. I’m glad to join Senator Murray in introducing legislation to ensure all service members who’ve laid down their lives for our country are properly remembered and included in memorial activities, and to provide solace and support for the families and loved ones they left behind.”

    “This bill will help families get the recognition and assistance they need when their loved one is lost in a tragic, non-combat plane crash,” said Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland (D, WA-10).

    “The Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) is honored to support the Flight 293 Remembrance Act and thanks Senators Murray and Sullivan for introducing this significant legislation, which seeks to recognize families of service members lost or missing from non-combat military plane crashes,” said Bonnie Carroll, TAPS President and Founder. “Ensuring these families the same level of commemoration and support as the families of those Missing in Action will help provide much needed resources and closure for these surviving families, while honoring the service and sacrifice of their loved ones.” 

    Specifically, the Flight 293 Remembrance Act would mandate that the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) create a publicly accessible database documenting all non-combat military plane crashes, ensuring the preservation of the names, ranks, and service details of those who perished in these incidents. It also directs the DoD to enhance resources for families of military personnel who have been classified as “Missing Not in Action,” ensuring they are informed of available support services and connected to peer support networks. Furthermore, the bill requires the DoD to submit regular reports to Congress, evaluating the effectiveness of these efforts, gathering family feedback, and making recommendations for improving support. A one-pager with additional details on the legislation can be found HERE.

    The legislation is endorsed by the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), National Military Family Association (NMFA), and Tragedy Assistance Program For Survivors (TAPS).

    The full text of the legislation can be found HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –