NewzIntel.com

Category: Transport

  • MIL-OSI Canada: The Canadian Space Agency remembers Marc Garneau

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    June 4, 2025 – Longueuil, Quebec

    Former Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Marc Garneau has passed away at the age of 76.

    Garneau was one of the original six Canadian astronauts selected in December 1983. He launched aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger on October 5, 1984, as a payload specialist, making history as the first Canadian in space. He flew twice more, on Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1996 and 2000. 

    Following his astronaut career, Garneau was appointed President of the Canadian Space Agency, and was later elected to Parliament, where he served as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Transport. His decades of unwavering service – as a naval engineer, astronaut and Parliamentarian – is an inspiration to all Canadians.  He embodied the very essence of public service.

    Among the awards and honours he has received are the Order of Canada, 1984; The F.W. (Casey) Baldwin Award, Canadian Aeronautics and Space Institute, 1985; NASA Exceptional Service Medal, 1997; Chancellor, Carleton University, 2003; Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, 2002; and several honorary doctorates. 

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Kelly Statement on Trump Administration’s Recissions Package: ‘Needlessly Cruel and Evil’

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Robin Kelly IL

    WASHINGTON – The White House released its recissions package, requesting Congress to cancel $9.4 billion already appropriated by Congress. The package advances President Donald Trump’s agenda to codify DOGE’s spending cuts, slash foreign aid, cut funding from major public broadcasting entities and rolls back a Biden-era guidance requiring hospitals to provide emergency abortion care.

    U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly (IL-02) released the following statement condemning the recissions package:

    “President Trump’s recissions package is needlessly cruel and evil. He is stealing money – money that has already been designated by Congress – from Sesame Street to Main Street, hurting everyday Americans to give tax breaks to the well-off and well-connected. For years, I’ve heard my Republican colleagues spout about Congress’s constitutional power of the purse, but now, they’d consider cancelling $9.4 billion that we have already appropriated to programs like PBS, NPR, and USAID.

    “The President also continues to threaten the lives of women by rescinding guidance that reaffirmed hospitals’ obligation under law to provide lifesaving abortion care to patients experiencing a medical emergency. While the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act is still the law of the land, this is, again, a cruel and evil decision by the Trump administration. Rescinding this guidance will delay necessary emergency abortion care, endangering the lives of patients.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Government continues to respond to Royal Commission into Abuse in Care

    Source: New Zealand Government

    The Government has outlined its ongoing response to the Royal Commission into Historical Abuse in State Care and in the Care of Faith-based Institutions.

    “We are committed to continuing to respond to the Royal Commission of Inquiry with respect and dignity. To maintain transparency with our response, the Government’s released its Response Plan which lays out what work has already been completed and what work is still underway,” Lead Coordination Minister Erica Stanford says.

    The Royal Commission made 95 recommendations in its 2021 redress report, and 138 in its final report in 2024. Of these 233 recommendations overall, 207 are addressed to the Crown, of these, 85 have been either accepted, partially accepted or we have accepted the intent. 

    Since the release of the Royal Commission’s Final report in July 2024:

    • The Government acknowledged that torture occurred at Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital Child and Adolescent Unit (Lake Alice) and introduced two pathways for redress which are now underway;
    • An end-of-life payment of $20,000 was made available for Lake Alice survivors along with work to address inequities in the reimbursement of legal fees;
    • Public Apologies were made by the Prime Minister and Government agency Chief Executives on 12 November 2024;
    • A $32 million investment as part of the apology to increase capacity in current redress and claims systems from approximately 1350 to 1550 claims per year
    • Progression of the Responding to Abuse in Care Legislation Amendment Bill which supports the Crown response to a range of recommendations
    • a $2 million dual purpose survivor-focused fund for local authorities, non-governmental organisations and community groups;
    • Commitment to a national day of reflection on the one-year anniversary of the public apology, 12 November 2025;
    • Budget 2025 investment of $533 million over four years, for redress improvements including increasing average payments and increasing the number of claims paid each year;
    • Budget 2025 investment of $188 million over four years to improve the safety of children, young people and vulnerable people. 

    “We know the Crown’s response will be ongoing given the number and complexity of recommendations. The Royal Commission estimated it could take up to 15 years. 

    “While we can never fully make redress for or right the harm survivors experienced, the Government remains committed to engaging with the Royal Commission’s report and recommendations in good faith and with careful consideration,” Ms Stanford says.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Motorists urged to drive to the conditions ahead of long weekend

    Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

    Motorists urged to drive to the conditions ahead of long weekend

    Thursday, 5 June 2025 – 12:08 pm.

    Tasmania Police is urging motorists to slow down and drive to the conditions this coming long weekend.
    With more traffic expected on the roads across the weekend, motorists can expect to also see police. 
    Acting Inspector Martin Parker from Western Road Policing Services said police across the state would be conducting a range of high-visibility and covert patrols.
    “With winter now upon us, and rain forecast for the long weekend, motorists should ensure their vehicles are roadworthy, drive to the conditions and allow extra time for their journeys,” he said.
    “We will have a presence in both urban and rural areas, where the potential combination of unfamiliar roads, unpredictable weather and increased traffic can pose significant risks.
    “We want everyone to enjoy their long weekend, but we also want them to return home safely. That is why police and the community need to continue to work together – road safety is a joint effort.
    “Please, plan your journey, take regular breaks, and avoid any risky behaviours. We are asking people to consistently make good decisions, whether you are driving a vehicle, bicycle, or attempting to walk across a road.  Bad choices can lead to serious consequences.”
    Anyone who witnesses dangerous driving behaviour should contact Tasmania Police on 131 444, or 000 in case of an emergency.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Statement by Prime Minister Carney on the passing of the Honourable Marc Garneau

    Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister

    “Today, I join Canadians in mourning the passing of the Honourable Marc Garneau – Canadian naval officer, astronaut, and public servant of exceptional distinction.

    “Marc made history as the first Canadian in space, inspiring a generation with his courage and intellect. He was named a Companion of the Order of Canada – our highest civilian honour. After a decorated career in the Royal Canadian Navy and at the helm of the Canadian Space Agency, he brought that same dedication and duty to public life.

    “As a Member of Parliament, Minister of Transport, and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marc strived to build a stronger and safer Canada – always guided by deep and abiding purpose. He believed in progress, in science, in integrity, and in humility. Marc brought leadership, focus, and quiet strength to every file – be it strengthening aviation security in conflict zones or negotiating the release of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor.

    “To those who worked alongside him, Marc was a trusted colleague and friend. To Canadians, he was a symbol of national pride and possibility.

    “I extend my deepest condolences to his family, friends, colleagues, and to all Canadians who looked to him for inspiration. Marc leaves an extraordinary legacy of public service, excellence, and Canadian values.”

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth, Warren, Blunt Rochester Condemn RFK for Making it Harder for Pregnant Women and Children to Receive COVID-19 Vaccines, Putting Their Health at Risk

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth

    June 04, 2025

    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), joined by U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), today condemned U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. for announcing changes to the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) recommended vaccine schedule that would dramatically limit access to COVID-19 vaccines for millions of pregnant women and children, needlessly endangering their health. In their letter, the Senators slam the decision as anti-science and politically motivated, criticizing Secretary Kennedy for failing to provide scientific justification for the policy change and for confirming their longstanding concerns that he would enact unscientific, anti-vax policies as HHS Secretary—despite all his clamoring before Senate committees that he would not restrict vaccine access.

    “Your politically driven, anti-science decision—made suddenly and behind closed doors, without input from the public or scientific and medical communities—flies in the face of your commitment to ‘not…take away anybody’s vaccines’ and will lead to an untold number of preventable illness and death of Americans,” wrote the Senators.

    “Enabled by President Trump and fueled by decades of anti-vaccine skepticism, you appear to be establishing a roadmap by which the United States’ government can implement unscientific, anti-vaccination policies,” the lawmakers continued. “By sowing distrust, creating chaos and justifying your actions with misinformation, you are laying the groundwork to undermine access to other safe, effective vaccines, including for those that prevent diseases like whooping cough, measles and more.”

    The full text of the letter is available on Senator Duckworth’s website and below:

    Dear Secretary Kennedy:

    We write to express our extreme concern regarding the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS’) recent policy changes to dramatically curtail access to the COVID-19 vaccine for those Americans who would choose to receive it. We are particularly alarmed by your May 27, 2025 announcement on X—along with Drs. Marty Makary and Jay Bhattacharya, Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), respectively—that the COVID-19 vaccine will no longer be included under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) recommended routine immunization schedule for healthy pregnant women.

    We are also concerned that the CDC changed its recommendation for administering the COVID-19 vaccine for healthy children and adolescents from routine to using “shared clinical decision-making” between clinicians and families. As of the writing of this letter, the CDC has updated the immunization schedule for adults, removing the previous recommendation for pregnant women. The unjustified announcement “blindsided” senior officials at the CDC and were designed to “further erode public trust in the [agency].” By side-stepping the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ (ACIP’s) open and transparent deliberation of the evidence, you have thrown into question coverage of vaccines under Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance for millions of Americans. Your politically driven, anti-science decision—made suddenly and behind closed doors, without input from the public or scientific and medical communities—flies in the face of your commitment to “not…take away anybody’s vaccines” and will lead to an untold number of preventable illness and death of Americans. We therefore strongly urge you to reverse this position until there is a thorough, transparent consideration of the body of evidence regarding the COVID-19 vaccine’s public health benefit.

    Political Motivations Threaten COVID-19 Vaccine Access for Millions of Americans

    The ACIP’s vaccine recommendations, as adopted by the CDC, form the basis of no-cost access to the vaccines for millions of Americans. For example, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as amended, requires that most commercial health insurance plans and Medicaid Alternative Benefit Plans cover ACIP-recommended vaccines for a given individual with no cost sharing. In addition, for the Vaccines for Children Program, authorized by the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, ACIP determines which vaccines are provided at no cost to children who are uninsured, underinsured, Medicaid-eligible, Medicaid-enrolled or American Indian or Alaska Native. States must also cover ACIP-recommended vaccines and their administration for children enrolled in separate State Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) programs without enrollee cost-sharing.

    More recently, the Inflation Reduction Act expanded no-cost coverage of ACIP-recommended vaccines and vaccine administration without cost-sharing to adults under Medicare Part D, Medicaid and CHIP. The uncertainty and confusion caused by your politically driven actions may lead to many insurers deciding to drop coverage of the COVID-19 vaccine for millions of people. Without insurance coverage, individuals who wish to receive the COVID-19 vaccine will be forced to pay up to $200 or more out-of-pocket—an insurmountable cost for many families, especially amid cost-of-living crisis exacerbated by the current administration’s policies.

    Politically Driven, Anti-Vaccination Decision-Making Circumvents Scientific Input

    You appeared to make this policy change without consulting the FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) and prior to the next scheduled public meeting of the ACIP, the members of which are leading vaccine experts tasked with developing vaccine recommendations. You did so even though the ACIP had independently been considering updating COVID-19 vaccine recommendations to take into account the risk levels of different populations and was expected to vote on those recommendations when it was next scheduled to meet on June 25-27, 2025.

    Your announcement is a striking departure from the transparent and evidence-informed manner by which vaccine approvals and recommendations are formulated by HHS. For decades, scientists have weighed in on vaccine recommendations through a strenuous process. Following a decision from FDA experts about whether to approve a new vaccine based on clinical trial evidence and other data, ACIP “weighs extensive evidence about safety, effectiveness and other data to determine the best recommendation for who should receive the vaccine, when and how often.” The CDC director may choose to adopt, reject or modify these recommendations, though rejection or modification of such recommendations is rare. In the past quarter century, the CDC director has acted only twice to expand access beyond the ACIP’s recommendation, both times in response to extraordinary circumstances—in 2002 for the smallpox vaccine in connection with a vaccination campaign to address potential bioterrorism attacks, and in 2021 for the COVID-19 vaccine for front-line workers during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in an unprecedented and deeply troubling abuse of your authority, you did not wait to hear ACIP’s expertise, and you exploited a key vacancy at CDC to set these recommendations yourself. According to the Washington Post, this is “the first time an HHS secretary has unilaterally altered an existing recommendation from the advisory committee and the CDC.”

    Your decision represents a significant public health threat that will endanger millions of Americans. Pregnant women are at higher risk of serious illness and hospitalization if infected with COVID-19, and the virus raises the risk of having a cesarean birth, preeclampsia or eclampsia and blood clots. COVID-19 infection during pregnancy has also been shown to result in higher risk of lower birthweight babies, preterm birth and stillbirth. Babies born to women who were not vaccinated against COVID-19 are at higher risk of needing intensive care. That is why the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) strongly recommend women who are pregnant, breastfeeding or planning to get pregnant get the COVID-19 vaccine. According to ACOG and SMFM, the COVID-19 vaccine has been demonstrated repeatedly to be safe and protective for such individuals. Because this vaccine is so protective and safe for this population, ACOG further recommends eliminating barriers to receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. This is likely why the CDC stated in its “Interim Clinical Considerations for Use of COVID-19 Vaccines in the United States,” updated on May 12, 2025:

    “COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for everyone ages 6 months and older in the United States…Vaccination is especially important for people at highest risk of severe COVID-19, including people ages 65 years and older; people with underlying medical conditions, including immune compromise; people living in long-term care facilities; and pregnant women to protect themselves and their infants.” (emphasis added)

    After birth, infants under 6 months of age are at the same high level of risk of hospitalization due to COVID-19 as adults ages 65 to 74, and the only means of protecting these infants from COVID-19 is through maternal vaccination. An analysis of HHS data by the American Academy of Pediatrics found that 11,199 children were admitted to the hospital with COVID-19 during the 2024-2025 respiratory virus season, 7,746 of whom were younger than 5 years old. And 41 percent of children ages 6 months to 17 years old hospitalized with COVID-19 from October 2022 to April 2024 did not have a known underlying condition, meaning that “healthy” children are also at risk of severe disease.

    Establishing an Anti-Vaccination Policy Roadmap

    Enabled by President Trump and fueled by decades of anti-vaccine skepticism, you appear to be establishing a roadmap by which the United States’ government can implement unscientific, anti-vaccination policies. By sowing distrust, creating chaos and justifying your actions with misinformation, you are laying the groundwork to undermine access to other safe, effective vaccines, including for those that prevent diseases, such as pertussis (whooping cough), measles, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), chickenpox, shingles, hepatitis A, as well as cancer caused by hepatitis B and human papilloma virus.

    The May 27, 2025 video announcement is just one action in a series of anti-vaccination, anti-science efforts you have led since becoming HHS Secretary. For example, while the ACIP made recommendations for meningococcal and RSV vaccines months ago, you have failed to adopt the recommendations. Further, even though the United States is experiencing the worst outbreak of measles in 25 years, you have downplayed the harm of one of the world’s most contagious diseases and made false claims that the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine has not been “safety tested.” This undermining of trust in vaccines has led to multiple preventable hospitalizations and deaths. Indeed, President Trump’s nominee to serve as your deputy at HHS expressed unqualified support for your recommendation “encourag[ing] parents to take the measles vaccine,” while saying nothing about vaccinating children against the disease. And the Trump administration clawed back over $11 billion in pandemic-era funding, which has hampered the ability of public health departments across the country to contain the measles outbreak.

    Moreover, on May 20, 2025, Dr. Vinay Prasad, Director of the FDA Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research and Commissioner Makary published an opinion piece in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), outlining a new FDA approval framework that creates significant barriers for approval of annual COVID-19 vaccines for millions of Americans. This announcement indicated that the annual COVID-19 vaccine will generally be approved without a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial (RCT) only for people ages 65 and older and for those who have medical conditions that leave them at higher risk for severe COVID-19. The framework says nothing about the eligibly of healthy people at higher risk of being infected with COVID-19, such as healthcare professionals. This means that, unlike in most other countries, the annual vaccine will not be available to healthy individuals older than 6 months of age and under the age of 65 without an RCT. This change in the approval process will take away Americans’ freedom to choose to get the annual vaccine and put them and their loved ones at risk.

    Further, placebo-controlled trials for vaccines when a proven intervention exists are widely considered by the medical and research community to be unethical. Ethical guidance advises, “Extreme care must be taken to avoid abuse of [the option to conduct placebo-controlled trials when a proven intervention exists]”; the FDA and HHS have guidance accordingly restricting placebo-controlled trials to certain situations. There is no question that the existing safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines are such “proven interventions,” and withholding their use in new placebo-controlled trials would constitute a grave ethical violation.

    Your new approval process for the annual COVID-19 vaccine will significantly delay access to updated FDA-approved vaccines, jeopardizing the health and lives of the American people. Typically, vaccines, such as the annually updated flu shot, are approved after exhibiting immunogenicity data or other laboratory testing data comparable to previous vaccine versions, which themselves have provided robust safety and efficacy data. A multi-year study and lengthy approval process, which is generally considered by experts to be unnecessary, particularly for annually updated vaccines. The significant hurdles associated with FDA’s new RCT requirement could discourage vaccine manufacturers and researchers from developing new, innovative products that could prevent cancer, HIV and other diseases and ultimately save lives. Dr. Peter Hotez from the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston stated requiring RCTs for future vaccine development “would basically be a recipe for paralysis.”

    Indeed, the day after your announcement, Moderna withdrew an application for its new combined flu and COVID-19 vaccine, despite the new vaccine outperforming existing COVID-19 and flu vaccines. It also comes on the heels of the FDA delaying its approval of Novavax’s protein-based COVID-19 vaccine, missing its own April 1, 2025 deadline. When the FDA finally approved the vaccine, it did so for only a narrow population (adults 65 and older and those between ages 21-64 with an underlying medical condition). In a highly unusual step, FDA is also requiring that Novavax conduct a placebo-controlled RCT for less vulnerable populations.

    Given the suddenness of your May 27, 2025 announcement and its lack of detail or scientific justification, we respectfully request you provide written responses to the following questions no later than June 18, 2025:

    1. Despite “a commitment to gold-standard science,” you failed to provide an appropriate, detailed explanation for your change in the COVID-19 vaccination recommendations.

    1. What specific studies, scientific or clinical data did you consult as the basis for removing the COVID-19 vaccine from the CDC’s recommended vaccine schedule for pregnant women and children? Please provide citations for the research articles or publications you considered.
    2. Did you consult with any scientific or professional organizations, such as those representing obstetricians, pediatricians, family physicians, virologists, immunologists, epidemiologists or other relevant experts, in developing this new policy? Please provide the names of such stakeholders.
    3. Did you decide not to follow any recommendations from the scientific and medical communities? Why not?
    4. Did you submit a memo that explains the rationale and scientific justification for your decision? Please provide a copy of such memo, along with any attachments and communications related to it.

    2. Your directive implementing the new CDC recommendations suggests that the decision was made “[b]ased on a review of the recommendation of the FDA and the NIH.”

    1. Please list all individuals who carried out this review and their qualifications to weigh in on such decisions, such as their formal scientific and/or medical training, previously held professional positions or appointments, etc.
    2. Please provide a copy of the recommendation made by the NIH.
    3. Why were the CDC and ACIP apparently excluded from the process through which you imposed the new CDC recommendations?
    4. Given the former acting CDC director’s nomination to be CDC director, who is currently responsible for finalizing CDC recommendations?

    3. Why did you fail to consult the ACIP before changing the CDC’s COVID-19 vaccine recommendation for children and pregnant women, particularly before the ACIP’s next public meeting?

    4. The ACIP is scheduled to meet in June 2025 to discuss COVID-19 vaccine recommendations.

    1. Do you commit to allowing the ACIP to move forward with its meeting in June 2025? If so, when will the meeting be publicly noticed in the Federal Register?
    2. Do you commit to not altering the anticipated agenda that includes the discussion of the COVID-19 vaccine?
    3. Do you expect the ACIP’s future COVID-19 vaccine recommendations to be influenced by your decision to publish the new vaccine approval framework?
    4. If the ACIP issues a COVID-19 vaccine recommendation that differs from your May 27 announcement, will you commit to listening to the experts and consider adopting that recommendation?

    5. Why did you fail to consult the VRBPAC before granting a narrow approval for the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine?

    6. What role did you play in the decision to publish the new FDA framework outlined in the May 20, 2025 NEJM opinion piece, and in determining its content?

    7. Why did the FDA release this framework in an opinion piece, rather than formally publishing a regulation or guideline written by career vaccine experts?

    8. Does FDA plan to release a regulation, rule or formal guidance that formalizes the framework described in the NEJM article?

    1. If so, when will this policy be released?
    2. Will this policy be developed with the input of vaccine experts, providers, pharmacies, patient advocacy groups and/or other stakeholders?
    3. How will you and Commissioner Makary ensure vaccine experts, providers, pharmacies, patient advocacy groups and/or other stakeholders may provide input or feedback on the framework?

    9. Does the FDA’s new framework apply to initial doses (i.e., primary series) of new formulations of COVID-19 vaccines?

    1. Will this impact parents’ choices to vaccinate their children against COVID-19?
    2. Will you commit to preserving the current COVID-19 vaccine approval standards for the primary vaccine series?

    10. Given the ethical and recruitment challenges clinical trial sponsors may face because of new RCT requirements, how will FDA ensure the public has access to safe and effective vaccines if companies are unable to complete these trials in a timely manner?

    11. Figure 2 of the May 20, 2025 NEJM opinion piece listed pregnancy and recent pregnancy as underlying medical conditions that put an individual at risk of severe COVID-19.

    1. If the CDC is no longer recommending pregnant women get the COVID-19 vaccine, will such individuals still be eligible for the vaccine?
    2. If so, will they be able to get the vaccine at no cost?
    3. If there will be cost-sharing, what will be the cost-sharing policy for the vaccine, and who will make such decisions?

    12. Is the list in Figure 2 of the NEJM piece an exhaustive list for what medical conditions will be considered putting an individual at risk for severe COVID-19 disease?

    13. How do the conditions in the list align with the fact that the only high-risk condition now stated on the CDC immunization schedule for COVID-19 is “moderately or severely immunocompromised”?

    14. Do you believe that parents should have the right to vaccinate their children against COVID-19? If not, why not?

    15. Do you expect the current version of the COVID-19 vaccine to remain available in the primary vaccine series for individuals under 65 without underlying medical conditions?

    16. Will healthcare workers under age 65 who do not have a condition that predisposes them to severe COVID-19 and hospitalization be able to obtain a COVID-19 vaccine?

    17. Do you believe that young, healthy adults should be able to receive a COVID-19 vaccine to reduce the risk of getting Long COVID or of transmitting the virus to individuals with a higher risk of severe infection?

    1. If so, how will the FDA’s new framework preserve this choice?
    2. Why does the FDA’s new vaccine approval framework fail to consider a broad range of potential benefits of booster shots, such as reduced risk of Long COVID-19 and a shorter duration of illness?

    18. Has the FDA communicated with pharmacies about whether they plan to restrict COVID-19 vaccine access in response to the new vaccine approval framework?

    1. If so, will pharmacies require patients to verify they have health conditions putting them at a higher risk of severe COVID-19 to receive the vaccine?
    2. What will be an acceptable means of verification?

    19. What information did you provide health insurers (including Medicaid and Medicare) regarding their requirements for coverage of the COVID-19 vaccine going forward?

    1. Do you expect insurers to drop or alter coverage of the COVID-19 vaccine for children and pregnant women due to the altered CDC recommendation?
    2. If so, was that taken into consideration when formulating the recommendation?

    20. Have you communicated with the vaccine manufacturers to ensure there will be enough supply of the vaccine for the upcoming respiratory illness season? What steps are you taking to ensure supply chains will not be disrupted?

    21. Do you have any plans to change FDA approval frameworks or the CDC immunization schedule for any other vaccines? If so, which ones?

    Your anti-vaccine, anti-science stance has taken priority over the public health and well-being of the American people. We urge you to save lives by reversing course and making evidence-based policy in an open, transparent and clear manner.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Files Amicus Brief in Support of Michigan’s Conversion Therapy Ban for Minors

    Source: US State of California

    OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta yesterday, as part of a multistate coalition of 20 attorneys general, filed an amicus brief in the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals in support of the state of Michigan in Catholic Charities v. Whitmer, a lawsuit challenging Michigan’s ban on licensed health care providers offering conversion therapy for minors. Conversion therapy is a cruel, harmful, and ineffective practice that aims to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. In their brief, the attorneys general underscore the harms of conversion therapy, arguing that it falls below the standard of care for mental health practitioners, is not a safe or effective treatment for any condition, and puts minors at risk of serious harms including increased risks of suicide and depression.

    “California is proud to support the State of Michigan in protecting our youth from scientifically discredited practices that put their health, safety, and well-being at risk,” said Attorney General Bonta. “No child should ever be subjected to harmful, non-evidence-based practices for simply being who they are.”

    Enacted in February 2024, Michigan’s ban on conversion therapy for minors applies to mental health professionals, including physicians, psychologists, and professional counselors. The overwhelming medical consensus is that conversion therapy is inconsistent with the standard of care because it is ineffective and increases the risk of suicide and lifelong mental illness. In 2012, California became the first state to enact legislation – SB 1172 – banning conversion therapy on anyone under 18 years of age. Additionally, over 25 states have laws prohibiting or restricting the practice of conversion therapy for minors by licensed health care professionals.

    In the amicus brief, the coalition asserts that:

    • The First Amendment does not shield dangerous and ineffective mental health practices from regulation, nor does it allow licensed providers to operate below a certain standard of care.
    • Such bans are consistent with states’ long history of establishing and regulating professional standards of care.
    • Striking down such a ban would likely create profound unintended consequences for states’ authority to regulate professional practices within their borders as they have throughout most of the nation’s history.

    In filing the amicus brief, Attorney General Bonta joins the attorneys generals of Washington, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin.

    A copy of the amicus brief can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s homegrown 9-valent HPV vaccine expected to boost immunization coverage

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

    A nurse shows human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines developed by Chinese researchers at the provincial Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital in Wuhan, central China’s Hubei province, May 18, 2020. [Photo/Xinhua]

    China’s drug regulator has approved the country’s first domestically developed 9-valent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, ending over a decade of foreign dominance in the market.

    The vaccine, Cecolin 9, has been included on a list of approved medical products that was made public by the National Medical Products Administration on Wednesday.

    “The approval of Cecolin 9 not only offers more vaccination options for eligible women in China, but is also expected to improve vaccine accessibility and coverage, reducing the risk of cervical cancer further,” said Zhang Jun, dean of the School of Public Health at Xiamen University and a leading member of the vaccine development team.

    HPV vaccines are commonly used to prevent cervical cancer in women, as well as genital cancers and warts in both men and women.

    Cecolin 9, which targets nine HPV strains, was developed by Xiamen University, the Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory and Xiamen Innovax Biotech Co., Ltd., marking a breakthrough in China’s ability to produce high-valency HPV vaccines independently.

    China is now the second country — after the United States — capable of supplying 9-valent HPV vaccines.

    Compared to bivalent HPV vaccines, which are effective against two high-risk genotypes (HPV 16 and 18), 9-valent HPV vaccines protect against an additional five high-risk genotypes (HPV 31, 33, 45, 52 and 58) and two low-risk genotypes (HPV 6 and 11), and provide better protection against cervical cancer.

    Over 18 years of research, scientists overcame major technical challenges in producing virus-like particles (VLPs) from multiple HPV types using an E. coli platform, and completed crucial clinical trial validation processes.

    Five related clinical trials have been conducted across China since 2019, and the vaccine has demonstrated a favorable safety profile and a strong immune response, comparable to those of similar international products.

    Statistics show that globally, approximately 700,000 cancer cases each year are associated with HPV, including an estimated 530,000 cases of cervical cancer. Vaccination is up to 94 percent effective in preventing HPV infection.

    In 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched a global strategy to accelerate the elimination of cervical cancer, aiming for 90 percent of girls to be fully vaccinated against HPV by the age of 15 by 2030.

    In alignment with the WHO strategy, China’s National Health Commission launched a cervical cancer elimination action plan for the 2022-2030 period, urging the expansion of HPV vaccination coverage nationwide.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese mainland police pursue 20 suspects involved in cyber attacks initiated by Taiwan organization

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

    The police in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou put 20 suspects on a wanted list on Thursday, accusing them of participating in cyber attacks launched by an organization of Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party authorities.

    The notice issued by the public security bureau of Guangzhou’s Tianhe District also provided details of cyber attacks carried out by Taiwan’s “Information, Communications and Electronic Force Command (ICEFCOM).”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China launches renovation of 5,679 old urban residential compounds in first four months

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

    This photo taken on March 15, 2024 shows the construction site of a residential complex under an urban renewal project in Jing’an District of east China’s Shanghai. [Photo/Xinhua]

    China initiated renovation of 5,679 old urban residential compounds in the first four months of 2025, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development said on Wednesday.

    The country aims to renovate 25,000 such residential compounds this year, as part of its ongoing efforts to transform cities into more resilient and intelligent areas that are desirable to live in.

    From 2019 to 2024, China renovated a total of 280,000 old residential compounds, benefiting over 120 million people.

    During this period — 360,000 km of aging pipelines were renovated or upgraded, 3.87 million parking lots were added, and 78,000 public service facilities, such as elderly care and childcare centers, were constructed.

    The ministry said it will keep working to enhance living environments and upgrade community facilities to better meet the daily needs of residents and ensure their safety.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China accelerates express delivery green packaging amid e-commerce boom

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

    China is ramping up efforts to green its booming express delivery sector, as a newly amended regulation took effect during the bustling mid-year online shopping festival.

    The revised regulation concerning the courier sector came into force on June 1, and for the first time introduced a dedicated chapter on packaging. It stipulates that packaging should minimize resource use, avoid excessive wrapping and prevent environmental pollution.

    Experts hailed the move as a milestone in the industry’s push for sustainable and high-quality development.

    China, the world’s largest express delivery market, handled over 175 billion parcels in 2024, a 21.5-percent increase from the previous year.

    This vibrant growth has led to a surge in packaging waste, making sustainable practices a critical priority, said Ding Hongtao, director of legal affair department at the China Express Association.

    The green initiative has already been felt at the manufacturing level. In Pinghu, east China’s Zhejiang Province, a local packaging company now uses 100 percent recycled cardboard to produce corrugated paper. In its factory, waste boxes are shredded, filtered, refined and pressed into new paperboard.

    “For every tonne of corrugated paper, we use about 1.1 tonnes of recycled boxes,” said Hu Zhonghua, general manager of Jingxing Packaging Materials Co., Ltd. “Even the leftover scraps from box production are cycled back into the paper mill, forming a closed-loop system.”

    Elsewhere, similar innovations are driving progress. In east China’s Anhui Province, Anhui Huayi Packaging Co., Ltd. has industrialized fully biodegradable adhesive tape after five years of research, and now produces up to 600 million square meters annually. In Hangzhou, Zhejiang, a logistics center of supply chain technology company Shunxinhui has replaced single-use plastic wrap with reusable strapping, thereby avoiding the use of 300 tonnes of plastics on average each year.

    “China is forming a green supply chain for express packaging,” said Liu Jianguo, professor at Tsinghua University in Beijing. Data showed that 248 types of packaging products from more than 100 companies have now been certified as green products in the country.

    In addition to greener materials, couriers have begun to use packaging more efficiently.

    At JD Logistics’ industrial park in Hangzhou, home appliances and furniture are now shipped in their original manufacturer packaging, bypassing the need for secondary wrapping.

    “By strengthening coordination with suppliers, the share of direct shipments to customers without repackaging has risen from about 5 percent a few years ago to 25 percent last year. And we expect the ratio to hit 40 percent this year,” said Gao Jiaqi, head of the industrial park. In 2024 alone, JD Logistics eliminated over 1 billion pieces of secondary packaging.

    Green practices are also gaining traction among consumers. At a mail service station at Zhejiang University, students and faculty members routinely deposit used boxes into designated recycling bins after collecting their packages.

    These boxes are sorted and reused for outbound shipments. Currently, 90 percent of boxes used at the station are recycled, significantly reducing the carbon footprint.

    Moreover, a digital screen at the station displays real-time data, converting environmental actions like recycling and walking into carbon credits — thus fostering a green digital ecosystem through incentives. Following the launch of the system, green awareness among customers has continuously increased, said Chang Xuelian, a staff member of the company managing the system.

    Thanks to concerted efforts, green packaging governance in the express delivery sector has been expanded to the entire chain — from production to consumption and recycling.

    Moving forward, the State Post Bureau pledged to speed up the implementation of packaging standards and supportive policies, while fostering innovation in products, technologies and business models, in a bid to expedite the green transition of China’s fast-growing delivery industry. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: E-commerce opens broader markets for Xizang specialties

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

    Tibetan specialties are being sold via livestreaming at the 5th China Xizang Tourism and Culture Expo in Lhasa, capital of southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region, June 18, 2023. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorje)

    In southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region, a county perched at an altitude of 3,800 meters is embracing the digital era through livestreaming.

    Tashi Lhamo, a 34-year-old resident of Qonggyai County, held up her phone and greeted her audience: “I just got back from the farm. Please give me lots of likes today.” With ease, she promoted local products to her livestream viewers, a scene that has become increasingly common in this once-isolated highland.

    Thanks to the completion of a large-scale telecom network upgrade, internet coverage has become increasingly more stable, prompting many villagers to jump on the e-commerce bandwagon. A simple smartphone now connects the area with the outside world.

    As the county’s most popular influencer, Tashi Lhamo has around 4 million followers across Chinese video-sharing platforms. Through her livestreams, she helps villagers sell local specialties like butter and tsamba — the most popular staple food in Xizang — to customers nationwide, generating an annual income of more than 1 million yuan (about 139,109 U.S. dollars).

    Across Xizang, e-commerce is gaining momentum as the regional government seeks to promote high-quality development of the sector through measures including supportive policies, online vouchers, e-commerce bases and livestreaming competitions.

    According to the regional commerce department, from January to April this year, Xizang’s online retail sales reached 10.84 billion yuan, up 36.7 percent year-on-year. Of that total, livestreaming accounted for 3.36 billion yuan, a 41.8 percent increase, while online sales of agricultural products hit 320 million yuan, up 17.5 percent from the same period last year.

    In the regional capital of Lhasa, local wool products are rolling off the production lines at a factory run by Xizang Holy Trust Industry Co., Ltd.

    “In the past, most of our orders came from offline channels. Now, by leveraging Xizang’s rich wool resources, we have developed an integrated model: e-commerce orders drive on-demand production, cooperatives facilitate procurement, and herders adjust livestock breeding and wool harvesting based on market demand,” said Lhapa Trinley, board chairman of the company.

    Today, through various online platforms, the company’s products, such as scarves, clothing and rugs, are sold across China. Semi-processed materials like washed wool, cashmere and yak wool are even exported to countries including Nepal and India.

    Beyond agricultural and pastoral goods, cultural products such as Tibetan incense and traditional accessories are also gaining popularity, introducing Tibetan culture to wider audiences.

    “E-commerce means that Xizang’s products are no longer niche,” said Li Yanping, head of the e-commerce division at the regional commerce department, adding that the region plans to improve rural logistics and support more e-commerce talent to further expand the reach of its specialties. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Enjoy Dark Mofo and stay safe

    Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

    Enjoy Dark Mofo and stay safe

    Thursday, 5 June 2025 – 11:24 am.

    As thousands of people descend on Hobart for the Dark Mofo festival, Tasmania Police is urging pedestrians and motorists to prioritise safety, particularly during the darker hours of the event.
    Tasmania’s popular Dark Mofo winter festival is back with a full program of events in Hobart including the opening night of the Winter Feast, on Castray Esplanade, on Thursday.
    There will be road closures and traffic disruptions across the Hobart CBD during the two-week festival, with further information available at www.darkmofo.net.au/info/road-closures
    While it is an amazing time of the year for locals, and our interstate and international visitors, police are urging everyone to enjoy it safely and responsibly.
    “Pedestrians are among our most vulnerable road users, especially during busy events such as Dark Mofo,” Hobart Police Inspector John Toohey said.
    “This year already, three pedestrians have died on Tasmanian roads, with a further 14 seriously injured.
    “We’re asking everyone to stay alert, avoid distractions such as phones or headphones, and only cross at designated crossings.
    “With many festival events taking place at night and in low-light conditions, we’re hoping to see responsible behaviour, that is, people looking out for each other, obeying traffic signals and being visible in the dark.”
    Supporting Inspector Toohey, Tasmania Police State Road Safety Co-ordinator Inspector Justin Lawson urged motorists and pedestrians to take extra care in Hobart’s city and waterfront precincts.
    “Our message is, we are just as excited as you that Dark Mofo is back,” Inspector Lawson said.
    “And while savouring all that is on offer in our city, please be mindful of each other’s safety on our streets and footpaths.
    “With thousands anticipated to move between different venues, there will be a marked increase in pedestrian and vehicle traffic.
    “Please cross the road only when safe and if driving, be alert to festival-goers on foot.”

    CAPTION: Tasmania Police officers (from left) Constable Scott Hill, Constable Erin McNamara, Constable Tess Allanby and Constable Aaron Eaton urge locals and visitors to Hobart to enjoy the Dark Mofo festival safely. Picture: Tasmania Police

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: The pursuit of eternal youth goes back centuries. Modern cosmetic surgery is turning it into a reality – for rich people

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Margaret Gibson, Associate Professor of Sociology, Griffith University

    The Conversation, CC BY-SA

    Kris Jenner’s “new” face sparked myriad headlines about how she can look so good at 69 years old. While she’s not confirmed what sort of procedures she’s undergone, speculation abounds.

    As a US reality TV personality, socialite and Kardashian matriarch, Jenner has long curated her on-screen identity. Her fame and fortune are intimately tied to a multinational cosmetics industry that has, for centuries, bartered in the illusion of timeless beauty.

    The pursuit of cosmetic enhancement can be traced back as far as Ancient Egypt, reminding us the desire to look younger is hardly new.

    But while many women try in vain to battle the ageing process, Jenner is an example of someone who’s actually succeeded, at least visually. What does that mean for the rest of us?

    Decades of surgeries

    Modern cosmetic plastic surgery has its roots in compassion. It was developed to help disfigured first world war soldiers rebuild their faces and identities.

    But this origin story has been sidelined. Today, aesthetic procedures are overwhelmingly pursued by women and marketed as lifestyle enhancements rather than medical interventions.

    Advancements in reconstructive surgery were made after both world wars with treatments on wounded soldiers.
    AFP/Getty Images

    Plastic surgery, once considered extreme or shameful, began to gain popularity in the 1960s, and is now widespread.

    Hollywood has long played a role in shaping these standards. During its Golden Age, stars like Marilyn Monroe and John Wayne are reported to have undergone cosmetic surgeries – rhinoplasty (nose jobs), chin implants, facelifts – to preserve their screen personas.

    Even before Instagram, before-and-after images were a cultural obsession, often used to shame or expose.

    From taboo to trend

    The digital age has further normalised cosmetic enhancements, with social media influencers and celebrities promoting procedures alongside beauty products.

    It’s estimated Jenner spent upwards of US$130,000 (around A$200,000) on cosmetic interventions, resulting in a look that some media outlets suggest places her in her 30s.

    There’s been similar speculation about Lindsay Lohan, Christina Aguilera and Anne Hathaway, though none of the women have confirmed anything themselves.

    On Jenner, social media users are split. Some offer aspirational praise (“If I had the money, I’d get it all done!”), while others criticise her rejection of “ageing gracefully”.

    Today, celebrities increasingly control the narrative. Jenner has embraced her past cosmetic transformations, sharing them openly on social media and in interviews. The taboo is evolving.

    Yet many stars, including Courtney Cox, Ariana Grande, and Mickey Rourke, have spoken openly about regrets and the psychological toll of these procedures. Even with agency, the pressure remains immense.

    Youth as a cultural ideal

    This obsession with agelessness reflects a deeper societal discomfort with visible ageing, particularly in women.

    Celebrities, with access to elite medical professionals and procedures, seem to cheat time.

    Yet the outcome of is often disorienting: when Jenner appears younger than her children, the generational lines blur.

    This erasure of age difference entrenches youth as an end in itself. It also destabilises how we perceive kinship and mortality.

    Supermodel Bella Hadid has said she regrets getting a rhinoplasty as a teenager. Of Palestinian descent, she said “I wish I’d kept the nose of my ancestors”.

    In my own research, I’ve argued cosmetic enhancement is tied to a cultural denial of death.

    The ageing isn’t the problem – it’s our refusal to accept it.

    The desperate clinging to youth reflects a collective resistance to change. Celebrity culture and consumer capitalism exploit this vulnerability, making age a problem to be solved rather than a life stage to be honoured.

    We should mourn our ageing, not erase it. In another world, we could witness it, share it, and celebrate its quiet, powerful beauty.

    So what about us?

    But that’s not the world many live in, and the pressure extends beyond Hollywood.

    With filters, apps, and social media platforms, ordinary people also curate and enhance their images, playing their part in a fantasy of perfection.

    A recent study looked at the way young Australians use selfie editing tools. It found the widespread use of such apps have a significant effect on the body image of young people.



    Read more:
    ‘Perfect bodies and perfect lives’: how selfie-editing tools are distorting how young people see themselves

    The line between self-care and self-deception has never been blurrier. We all want to present the best version of ourselves, even if reality slips into illusion.

    So while women have long tried to outrun visible ageing, whether that be through anti-wrinkle creams or more invasive means, Jenner is an example of something relatively rare: a woman who’s actually managed to do it.

    In doing so, she and her celebrity counterparts set a new youthful beauty standard in what ageing should (or shouldn’t) look like.

    And while that standard may be felt by a variety of women, few will be able to achieve it.

    Extremely wealthy beauty moguls like Kris Jenner can afford elite treatments, while most people face growing financial pressure and a cost-of-living crisis. The divide isn’t just aesthetic – it’s economic.

    Beauty, in this context, is both a product and a privilege.

    And of course, judgement of women’s appearances remains a powerful force for discrediting their political, social, and moral worth. For every bit of praise there is for Jenner’s “youthful” appearance, there are videos claiming she’s “ruined her face” and questioning of whether she should spend so much money on such a cause.

    As long as gender inequality persists and beauty remains a currency of value, the pressure to conform will endure.

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

    – ref. The pursuit of eternal youth goes back centuries. Modern cosmetic surgery is turning it into a reality – for rich people – https://theconversation.com/the-pursuit-of-eternal-youth-goes-back-centuries-modern-cosmetic-surgery-is-turning-it-into-a-reality-for-rich-people-257969

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: One year ago, Australia scrapped a key equity in STEM program. Where are we now?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Maria Vieira, Lecturer, Education Futures, University of South Australia

    ThisIsEngineering/Pexels

    In June 2024, the Australian government ended the Women in STEM Ambassador program. The decision followed a report that urged a broader, intersectional approach to diversity in the fields of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM).

    For six years, under the leadership of astrophysicist Lisa Harvey-Smith, the program contributed to research, tools and resources aimed at breaking down structural barriers that limit women’s and girls’ participation in STEM education and careers.

    At the time, the move to scrap it was framed as a step toward more inclusive progress.

    Does that reasoning still hold one year later? As diversity and inclusion efforts face global cutbacks, it’s more important than ever to reflect on where Australia is heading. Are we truly building a more equitable STEM future?

    Why diversity in STEM matters

    Structural barriers have long limited participation in STEM for women, people of colour, First Nations communities, people with disabilities, and those in low socioeconomic groups.

    Such barriers include stereotypes and bias, a lack of role models, limited flexible work arrangements, and inadequate parental leave and childcare support.

    If we achieved equity in STEM, everyone – including entire groups who have been systemically excluded in the past – would have equal access to opportunities, resources and recognition.

    For a young Aboriginal woman studying engineering in a regional town, it would mean the same chance to apply for internships at top firms as peers who live in cities. She would have the same access to well-equipped labs and mentoring programs, and an equal likelihood of being nominated for academic awards or leadership roles.

    Improving diversity in STEM is also critical to Australia’s capacity for innovation, particularly as we face global challenges such as climate change, disruption from artificial intelligence, and geopolitical instability.

    Diverse STEM teams are more likely to approach problems from multiple perspectives. They embody democratic values, driving innovation and strengthening resilience in the face of complex issues.

    Yet, despite decades of gender-focused programs, meaningful progress has been limited. STEM Equity Monitor 2024 data show that while the number of women in STEM has increased, only 37% of university STEM enrolments are women. When it comes to STEM jobs in Australia, only 15% are occupied by women.

    If not an ambassador, then what?

    The lack of diversity in STEM is driven by systemic barriers such as persistent stereotypes, a shortage of diverse role models, and unequal access to opportunities.

    An independent report released in February 2024 recommended looking at diversity in a more inclusive way.

    Instead of focusing only on women in STEM, it suggested we consider how different aspects of a person’s identity – such as their gender, race, or background – can combine and affect their experience.

    This means some people may face additional challenges. For example, a migrant woman of colour in STEM might deal with more obstacles than a white woman in the same field, because of the way her different identities overlap.

    So … where are we now?

    While adopting this view is commendable, the practical changes that have happened over the past year raise important questions about whether Australia is truly moving toward a more inclusive STEM landscape.

    In August 2024, the government announced a $38 million boost to STEM programs, aligning with recommendations from the independent report. Two long-standing programs were closed, while seven other initiatives received additional funding.

    However, many of the funded programs still leave major gaps.

    For instance, one of the few initiatives targeting school-aged students, the National Youth Science Forum, is mostly limited to Years 11 and 12. Yet we know that girls’ disengagement from STEM begins as early as primary school.

    Similarly, while the Superstars of STEM initiative continues to receive investment, its focus remains on “inspiring” students through role models.

    Inspiration alone is not enough. We need a sustained, systemic approach that changes attitudes and builds structures to support and retain diverse students throughout their STEM journey.

    A key tool may have been left underfunded

    Of all the initiatives announced, the STEM Equity Monitor received the smallest share of funding, despite being the key tool for tracking Australia’s progress on diversity in STEM.

    The 2024 report still relies on some data last updated in 2022, reflecting a lack of commitment to maintaining a consistent, annual pulse on equity outcomes. Moreover, the monitor doesn’t provide intersectional analysis, limiting its ability to inform targeted, evidence-based actions.

    In principle, it still makes sense to shift Australia’s strategy on diversity in STEM towards a more intersectional and systemic approach. However, the practical steps taken so far don’t seem to align with that vision. Funding decisions, program closures, and limited investment in data and accountability tools suggest a disconnect between intent and implementation.

    Without clear action plans, inclusive design – which ensures STEM initiatives genuinely serve people of all backgrounds – and robust monitoring, there is a risk the new direction will be symbolic rather than transformative.

    Maria Vieira has previously received funding from the Women in STEM and Entrepreneurship Round 3 Grant from the Australian Government.

    – ref. One year ago, Australia scrapped a key equity in STEM program. Where are we now? – https://theconversation.com/one-year-ago-australia-scrapped-a-key-equity-in-stem-program-where-are-we-now-257977

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hawley Chairs Missouri District Judge Nominations Hearing  

    US Senate News:

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

    Wednesday, June 04, 2025

    Today, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) chaired the Judiciary Committee nominations hearing featuring the four Missourians President Trump has tapped to serve as district judges for Missouri–his first tranche of judicial nominees. 
    The nominees are:
    Maria A. Lanahan, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Missouri
    Cristian M. Stevens, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Missouri
    Joshua M. Divine, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern and Western Districts of Missouri
    Zachary M. Bluestone, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Missouri
    These individuals would fill judicial positions that have been vacant throughout the Biden Administration. Since the beginning of the year, Senator Hawley has worked closely with the Trump White House to ensure that appointments to Missouri vacancies are prioritized.

    Meet the 4 outstanding Missourians Trump tapped as his FIRST judicial nominees: Josh Divine, Maria Lanahan, Zachary Bluestone & Cris Stevens
    We’ve waited four long years for these judges. We WILL get them confirmed. And they will be a great credit to Missouri pic.twitter.com/OuC5mqAT1g
    — Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) June 4, 2025

    Senator Hawley also had a memorable exchange on Title IX protections with Whitney D. Hermandorfer, nominated to be United States Circuit Judge for the Sixth Circuit. Senator Hawley highlighted her record of defending legislation to safeguard women’s sports and opportunities from men who identify as women. 
    “I want to thank you for going to battle for our daughters, for going to battle for the women you played sports with, for standing up for this landmark legislation,”Senator Hawley said. 
    “When it comes to the litigation that you carried out on behalf of Tennessee … I think you did a great service, not just to Tennessee but for the nation,” Senator Hawley added. 
    Watch the full committee hearing here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: CORRECTION: Coast Guard responds to vessel fire offshore Adak, Alaska

    Source: United States Coast Guard

    News Release

    		  

    U.S. Coast Guard 17th District Alaska
    Contact: 17th District Public Affairs
    Office: (907) 463-2065
    After Hours: (907) 463-2065
    17th District online newsroom

     

    06/04/2025 08:37 PM EDT

    Corrections: Updated vehicle numbers are 3,048 total vehicles, with 70 being fully electric vehicles and 681 being partial hybrid electric vehicles.  Vessel is Liberian-flagged and U.K.-managed The crew evacuated aboard a life boat, not life raft Zodiac Maritime is the vessel’s manager, not parent company KODIAK, Alaska — The Coast Guard is responding to a vessel fire approximately 300 miles south of Adak, Wednesday.   Watchstanders at the Seventeenth Coast Guard District command center received a distress alert Tuesday at approximately 3:15 p.m. reporting a fire aboard the cargo ship Morning Midas, a 600-foot Liberian-flagged and U.K. managed cargo vessel with 22 crew members and reportedly carrying several thousand vehicles. Watchstanders immediately issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast requesting assistance from vessels in the vicinity of the Morning Midas. Three good Samaritan vessels responded to the incident.  Watchstanders also diverted the crew of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Munro (WMSL 755) to the area, directed the launch of a C-130J Super Hercules aircrew from Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak, and positioned an MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter aircrew in Adak. All 22 crew members aboard the Morning Midas evacuated the ship aboard a life boat and were subsequently rescued by the crew of motor vessel Cosco Hellas, one of the good Samaritan vessels on scene, with no reported injuries. The status of the fire is currently unknown, but smoke is still emanating from the vessel. “As the search and rescue portion of our response concludes, our crews are working closely with the vessel’s manager, Zodiac Maritime, to determine the disposition of the vessel,” said Rear Admiral Megan Dean, commander of the Coast Guard’s Seventeenth District. “We are grateful for the selfless actions of the three nearby vessels who assisted in the response and the crew of motor vessel Cosco Hellas, who helped save 22 lives.” The Morning Midas is estimated to have approximately 350 metric tons of gas fuel and 1,530 metric tons of very low sulfur fuel oil (VLSFO) onboard. They are also reportedly carrying a total of 3,048 vehicles, with 70 being fully electric vehicles and 681 being partial hybrid electric vehicles. This is based on reports to the Coast Guard and is subject to change pending the development of any new information.  The Coast Guard is working with the Morning Midas’s manager Zodiac Maritime to coordinate recovery efforts of the vessel. Zodiac Maritime can be contacted via email at media@navigateresponse.com or by phone at 44-207-283-9915 or 65-6222-6375.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Facing Extreme Hurricane & Wildfire Seasons, Cantwell Slams Admin’s Erosion of Weather Forecasting: “NOAA Has Been Transparent That They Can’t Keep Up”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell
    06.04.25
    Facing Extreme Hurricane & Wildfire Seasons, Cantwell Slams Admin’s Erosion of Weather Forecasting: “NOAA Has Been Transparent That They Can’t Keep Up”
    Meteorologists from WA, OK and FL sound the alarm on laying off 100s of National Weather Service employees, creating unprecedented staffing shortages; Earlier today, Trump’s Commerce Secretary misled a Senate subcommittee that NOAA was “fully staffed” heading into hurricane & wildfire season
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, joined renowned meteorologists from across the country for a virtual presser to sound the alarm on cuts to the National Weather Service (NWS) as the United States heads into peak hurricane and wildfire season – and call on the Trump Administration to restore the agency to full capacity.
    “We have already seen these impacts from the Administration failing to heed these warnings. For at least a half a century, the National Weather Service has provided forecasts for 24 hours a day, seven days a week — until now. At least eight weather forecasting offices no longer have a meteorologist to cover overnight shifts. They are planning on eliminating the NOAA buoy program. You can’t map a hurricane if you don’t have the buoy information,” Sen. Cantwell said. “NOAA has been transparent that they can’t keep up. They have said that they can’t keep the lights on in a number of forecast offices. The Department of Commerce needs to be clear to the American people that the staffing shortages will impact our ability to compute that science [and] get those wildfire crews and emergency response where they need to go.”
    “We’re already a handful of days into the 2025 hurricane season. But the National Weather Service and NOAA are dealing with their own storm right now in the form of short staffing and budget cuts,” said Brian LaMarre, former Meteorologist in Charge in the Tampa Bay area. “There are eight [NWS offices] that are below a certain number of employees that work at that particular office, and that means that they can’t work 24/7 operations. That’s never before happened in my career.”
    “For the first time in 35 years, I have real concerns due to the staffing situation,” said Alan Gerard, a 35-year meteorologist with the NWS and the National Severe Storms Laboratory in Norman, OK. “And the very fact that some offices aren’t able to operate 24/7 and that the administration has authorized these hires during a hiring freeze, tells you that there’s recognition that there’s serious shortages.”
    “I find it frankly shameful that we even have to have this sort of discussion,” said Jeff Renner, retired meteorologist of 39 years at KING 5 in Seattle. “More people such as you and I now utilize weather apps such as I have on my telephone, yet there is a lack of fundamental appreciation that most of those forecasts, if not all of them, stem from National Weather Service forecasts.”
    Video of today’s virtual press conference is available HERE; a transcript is HERE.
    Over the past several months, the NWS lost over 560 employees due to layoffs and retirements spurred by the Trump Administration. On Monday, they announced they’d hire 126 – amounting to “a flimsy band-aid,” Sen. Cantwell said.
    This dangerous decision to leave critical jobs unfilled comes as the National Interagency Fire Center, a partnership which includes NWS, released its Fire Maps for the next four months predicting above normal significant fire potential across the West, in Hawaii, the coasts of North and South Carolina, and parts of Texas and Florida. The National Weather Service predicts an above-normal hurricane season, which began June 1.  Last year, according to the National Centers for Environmental Information, there were 27 weather disaster events that cost over $1 billion each and resulted in 568 deaths.
    Earlier this week, the acting head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) baffled his staff when he stated that he did not know that the United States had a hurricane season.
    And earlier today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick testified in a Senate hearing and claimed, falsely, that NOAA is “fully staffed” heading into the summer.
    Lutnick was plainly incorrect:
    National Hurricane Center in Miami has at least five vacancies.
    At least eight NWS weather forecasting offices no longer have enough meteorologists to cover overnight shifts.
    30 of the 122 weather forecast offices don’t currently have a meteorologist-in-charge, their most experienced weather expert. Some of these vacancies are in major metropolitan areas such as New York City, Cleveland, Houston, and hurricane-prone Tampa.
    Since mid-March, at least 10 weather forecast offices have suspended or limited their weather balloon launches needed for daily forecasts.
    NOAA is short more than 90 staffers whose job is maintaining Doppler radar and automated airport weather sensors operational across the nation.
    Last Thursday, Sen. Cantwell sent a letter demanding that the Trump Administration immediately exempt the NWS from its current federal hiring freeze so that citizens and communities will not be left to fend for themselves without adequate warnings as both hurricane season and wildfire season rapidly approach.
    Monday’s action by the administration lifted the hiring freeze on 126 positions across four roles – meteorologists, hydrologists, physical scientists, and electronic technicians. However, many other important roles remain subject to the freeze, including credentialed mariners needed to safety operate NOAA research vessels, weather scientists, and weather satellite technicians. NOAA vessels and satellites are crucial to maintaining forecast and weather infrastructure needed for meteorologists to issue quality and timely forecasts. These firings also impact our economy, with a number of commercial fishing surveys cancelled this year, including for Alaska pollock and salmon. Elimination of surveys will take catch from fishing families, which will result in job loss and increased cost for consumers who want access to high-quality American seafood at their local markets and restaurants.
    Multiple recent reports have documented the impacts of the hiring freeze. The Washington Post reports that “Some…forecasting teams are so critically understaffed that the agency is offering to pay moving expenses for any staff willing to transfer to those offices, according to notices recently sent to employees…” And the New York Times found that “The National Weather Service is preparing for the probability that fewer forecast updates will be fine-tuned by specialists, among other cutbacks, because of ‘severe shortages’ of meteorologists and other employees, according to an internal agency document.” These reports make clear that action must be taken immediately to avoid a catastrophic gap in capacity in the face of a future storm or wildfire.
    In February, Sen. Cantwell sent Lutnick a letter warning of the likelihood of this exact situation.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The secret to Ukraine’s battlefield successes against Russia – it knows wars are never won in the past

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Matthew Sussex, Associate Professor (Adj), Griffith Asia Institute; and Fellow, Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University

    The iconoclastic American general Douglas Macarthur once said that “wars are never won in the past”.

    That sentiment certainly seemed to ring true following Ukraine’s recent audacious attack on Russia’s strategic bomber fleet, using small, cheap drones housed in wooden pods and transported near Russian airfields in trucks.

    The synchronised operation targeted Russian Air Force planes as far away as Irkutsk – more than 5,000 kilometres from Ukraine. Early reports suggest around a third of Russia’s long-range bombers were either destroyed or badly damaged. Russian military bloggers have put the estimated losses lower, but agree the attack was catastrophic for the Russian Air Force, which has struggled to adapt to Ukrainian tactics.

    This particular attack was reportedly 18 months in the making. To keep it secret was an extraordinary feat. Notably, Kyiv did not inform the United States that the attack was in the offing. The Ukrainians judged – perhaps understandably – that sharing intelligence on their plans could have alerted the Kremlin in relatively short order.

    Ukraine’s success once again demonstrates that its armed forces and intelligence services are the modern masters of battlefield innovation and operational security.

    Finding new solutions

    Western military planners have been carefully studying Ukraine’s successes ever since its forces managed to blunt Russia’s initial onslaught deep into its territory in early 2022, and then launched a stunning counteroffensive that drove the Russian invaders back towards their original starting positions.

    There have been other lessons, too, about how the apparently weak can stand up to the strong. These include:

    • attacks on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s vanity project, the Kerch Bridge, linking the Russian mainland to occupied Crimea (the last assault occurred just days ago)

    • the relentless targeting of Russia’s oil and gas infrastructure with drones

    • attacks against targets in Moscow to remind the Russian populace about the war, and

    • its incursion into the Kursk region, which saw Ukrainian forces capture around 1,000 square kilometres of Russian territory.

    On each occasion, Western defence analysts have questioned the wisdom of Kyiv’s moves.

    Why invade Russia using your best troops when Moscow’s forces continue laying waste to cities in Ukraine?

    Why hit Russia’s energy infrastructure if it doesn’t markedly impede the battlefield mobility of Russian forces?

    And why attack symbolic targets like bridges when it could provoke Putin into dangerous “escalation”?

    The answer to this is the key to effective innovation during wartime. Ukraine’s defence and security planners have interpreted their missions – and their best possible outcomes – far more accurately than conventional wisdom would have thought.

    Above all, they have focused on winning the war they are in, rather than those of the past. This means:

    • using technological advancements to force the Russians to change their tactics

    • shaping the information environment to promote their narratives and keep vital Western aid flowing, and

    • deploying surprise attacks not just as ways to boost public morale, but also to impose disproportionate costs on the Russian state.

    The impact of Ukraine’s drone attack

    In doing so, Ukraine has had an eye for strategic effects. As the smaller nation reliant on international support, this has been the only logical choice.

    Putin has been prepared to commit a virtually inexhaustible supply of expendable cannon fodder to continue his country’s war ad infinitum. Russia has typically won its wars this way – by attrition – albeit at a tremendous human and material cost.

    That said, Ukraine’s most recent surprise attack does not change the overall contours of the war. The only person with the ability to end it is Putin himself.

    That’s why Ukraine is putting as much pressure as possible on his regime, as well as domestic and international perceptions of it. It is key to Ukraine’s theory of victory.

    This is also why the latest drone attack is so significant. Russia needs its long-range bomber fleet, not just to fire conventional cruise missiles at Ukrainian civilian and infrastructure targets, but as aerial delivery systems for its strategic nuclear arsenal.

    The destruction of even a small portion of Russia’s deterrence capability has the potential to affect its nuclear strategy. It has increasingly relied on this strategy to threaten the West.

    A second impact of the attack is psychological. The drone attacks are more likely to enrage Putin than bring him to the bargaining table. However, they reinforce to the Russian military that there are few places – even on its own soil – that its air force can act with operational impunity.

    The surprise attacks also provide a shot in the arm domestically, reminding Ukrainians they remain very much in the fight.

    Finally, the drone attacks send a signal to Western leaders. US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, for instance, have gone to great lengths to tell the world that Ukraine is weak and has “no cards”. This action shows Kyiv does indeed have some powerful cards to play.

    That may, of course, backfire: after all, Trump is acutely sensitive to being made to look a fool. He may look unkindly at resuming military aid to Ukraine after being shown up for saying Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky would be forced to capitulate without US support.

    But Trump’s own hubris has already done that for him. His regular claims that a peace deal is just weeks away have gone beyond wishful thinking and are now monotonous.

    Unsurprisingly, Trump’s reluctance to put anything approaching serious pressure on Putin has merely incentivised the Russian leader to string the process along.

    Indeed, Putin’s insistence on a maximalist victory, requiring Ukrainian demobilisation and disarmament without any security guarantees for Kyiv, is not diplomacy at all. It is merely the reiteration of the same unworkable demands he has made since even before Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.

    However, Ukraine’s ability to smuggle drones undetected onto an opponent’s territory, and then unleash them all together, will pose headaches for Ukraine’s friends, as well as its enemies.

    That’s because it makes domestic intelligence and policing part of any effective defence posture. It is a contingency democracies will have to plan for, just as much as authoritarian regimes, who are also learning from Ukraine’s lessons.

    In other words, while the attack has shown up Russia’s domestic security services for failing to uncover the plan, Western security elites, as well as authoritarian ones, will now be wondering whether their own security apparatuses would be up to the job.

    The drone strikes will also likely lead to questions about how useful it is to invest in high-end and extraordinarily expensive weapons systems when they can be vulnerable. The Security Service of Ukraine estimates the damage cost Russia US$7 billion (A$10.9 billion). Ukraine’s drones, by comparison, cost a couple of thousand dollars each.

    At the very least, coming up with a suitable response to those challenges will require significant thought and effort. But as Ukraine has repeatedly shown us, you can’t win wars in the past.

    Matthew Sussex has received funding from the Australian Research Council, the Atlantic Council, the Fulbright Foundation, the Carnegie Foundation, the Lowy Institute and various Australian government departments and agencies.

    – ref. The secret to Ukraine’s battlefield successes against Russia – it knows wars are never won in the past – https://theconversation.com/the-secret-to-ukraines-battlefield-successes-against-russia-it-knows-wars-are-never-won-in-the-past-258172

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Getting away with it … sort of. How a dictator and a fugitive Nazi advanced international human rights law

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Olivera Simic, Associate Professor in Law, Griffith University

    Pinochet and Rauff? They were alike. Each had two faces. One gentle, the other hard. They were joined.

    And they both got away with it … Sort of.

    Philippe Sands loves to tell stories. A master of historical non-fiction, he has become known for his unique blend of deeply personal, legal and historical narratives, which weave together incredible coincidences with moving stories of human courage in the face of mass atrocities and horror.

    Sands is a leading practitioner of international law, a professor at University College London, an author, a playwright, and the recipient of numerous literary awards. He is also someone whose family was murdered in the vortex of the Holocaust in Ukraine.

    With his previous two books, East West Street: On the Origins of Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity (2016) and The Ratline: Love, Lies and Justice on the Trail of a Nazi Fugitive (2020), he demonstrated his unique skill in presenting complex legal cases to avid readers.

    His latest book, 38 Londres Street: On Impunity, Pinochet in England and a Nazi in Patagonia, rounds out the trilogy.

    If it weren’t based on facts, one might think it was a brilliantly crafted thriller.

    Review: 38 Londres Street: On Impunity, Pinochet in England and a Nazi in Patagonia – Philippe Sands (Weidenfeld & Nicolson)

    38 Londres Street weaves together several narratives, but at its heart is the story of the legal attempts to end impunity for two accused criminals. One is Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet. The other is Walther Rauff, a former SS officer who fled to South America and allegedly worked with Pinochet’s Secret Intelligence Service.

    Sands brings these two men into a single narrative to highlight the legal struggle against impunity for mass atrocities, though he never loses sight of the victims and their human stories of suffering, courage and persistence.

    These were people whose lives were abruptly and violently taken. Sands includes many of their names and tragic fates in his book. He informs his readers that the Cementerio Sara Braun in Punta Arenas, Chile, has a memorial bearing the names of Pinochet’s many victims. He clearly wants these individuals never to be forgotten.

    Universal jurisdiction and the Pinochet precedent

    The building at 38 Londres Street in Santiago was once a site of pain. At this secret interrogation centre, one of many across Santiago and the rest of Chile, Pinochet’s agents imprisoned, tortured, executed and disappeared tens of thousands of people deemed leftists, socialists, communists or “other undesirables”.

    Pinochet came to power on September 11, 1973, overthrowing the democratically elected socialist government of President Salvador Allende in a military coup. He would rule Chile with an iron fist until 1990.

    Chile’s youth became the targets of his murderous regime. Sands notes that most victims were between 21 and 30 years old. The majority of them were workers; the rest mainly comprised academics, professionals and students. The atrocities were committed with impunity.

    Like all dictators, Pinochet believed himself untouchable. But in October 1998, while visiting the UK, he was arrested in London. Spanish judge Baltasar Garzón was seeking Pinochet’s extradition to Spain in order to try him for human rights abuses.

    Garzón was acting under the then-controversial legal principle of universal jurisdiction, which allows courts in one country to prosecute grave human rights violations committed outside its borders, regardless of the nationality of the accused.

    Never before had a former head of state of one country been arrested by, and in another, for committing international crimes.

    Sands would become involved in one of the most famous cases in international law since the Nuremberg trials more than 50 years earlier. Pinochet’s lawyers offered him an opportunity to participate in the case, arguing for the former dictator’s immunity as a former head of state. His wife threatened to divorce him if he accepted.

    He declined the offer. Instead, Sands represented Human Rights Watch when the Pinochet case was considered by the Law Lords.

    Pinochet had been indicted for crimes against humanity and genocide. At issue was the question of whether Pinochet, as a former head of state, had immunity before the English courts for acts committed in another country while he was in office. Should there be a legal protection for former dictators?

    The proceedings in London were novel and remarkable, writes Sands, because this was an open legal question when Pinochet was arrested. His arrest raised an unprecedented issue: was there an exception to the rule of immunity for a former head of state when a crime in international law was involved? And did the exception apply before a national court, rather than an international one?


    Many believed Pinochet’s immunity should be lifted and extradition proceedings should go ahead, so that he could answer for the deaths of Spanish nationals and others. If that did not happen, it was argued, the travesty of justice would signal that any dictator could get away with genocide. As Sands writes, immunity and impunity often go hand in hand.

    In this landmark case, Pinochet was stripped of the immunity from prosecution he had enjoyed as a former president. He was ordered to stand trial on charges of human rights abuses.

    For the next 16 months, he remained in the UK, awaiting extradition to Spain. But it never happened. The initial judgement on immunity was quashed, due to concerns about possible bias of one of the judges. The case returned to square one. New hearings took place.

    In January 2000, the UK eventually decided not to proceed with extradition, claiming that Pinochet was too ill to stand trial and that “it would not be fair”. He was allowed to return to Chile as a free man, thanks to medical doctors rather than lawyers.

    Political leaders in Europe generally welcomed the ruling. Margaret Thatcher, former British prime minister and Pinochet’s longstanding ally, was adamant that the lengthy legal wrangle had been a waste of public money. Seemingly agitated, she said in front of the cameras:

    Senator Pinochet was a staunch friend of Britain throughout the Falklands War. His reward from this government was to be held prisoner for 16 months. In the meantime, his health has been broken, his reputation tarnished, and vast funds of public money have been squandered on a political vendetta.

    Subsequent attempts to prosecute Pinochet in Chile were unsuccessful. He died in 2006 at the age of 91, without ever being tried for the human rights abuses that occurred while he was in power. Retributive justice, in the end, was not served. But Pinochet’s case opened the gates for efforts to bring other former and serving heads of state to justice.

    Today, the 38 Londres Street serves as a place of national memory where visitors can walk through its halls and learn about its dark past.

    The Nazi who invented the gas chambers

    Running parallel with Pinochet’s story is that of Nazi fugitive Walther Rauff.

    Rauff invented the mobile gas chambers that were precursors to the gas chambers in Nazi concentration camps. At the end of the second world war, he escaped to South America, settling in Chile. Germany made numerous attempts to have Rauff extradited to face charges, but the Chilean government refused these demands. He spent his days in the backwaters of Patagonia, running a king-crab cannery business.

    Sands travels to Patagonia and meets people who remember Rauff, whose identity seems to have been common knowledge among his neighbours and co-workers: “everyone knew rumours and stories of his past”; they knew about “the gas vans” and that he “once killed many people”. But no one seemed to be bothered. They describe Rauff as “cultivated and kind”. To many of Sands’ interlocutors, the stories about Rauff “were long ago and far away”.

    While dealing with the failed attempts for his extradition, Rauff put his energies into “harvesting crabs, making sure the tins were packed tight, [and] managing the workers”. He continued to do so, enjoying the company of his dog Bobby, when Pinochet became Chile’s new leader.

    Pinochet was an old friend. Sands records that the two men met in the 1950s in Quito, Ecuador, where Rauff was staying, having fled an Italian prison camp at the end of the war. The men shared a contempt for communism and an affinity for German culture. Pinochet encouraged Rauff to move to Chile.

    Rauff delighted in Pinochet’s murderous regime. Sands tell us that Pinochet used Rauff’s “expertise” to help with the murder and disappearance of thousands of people. But the controversy over whether Rauff worked for the Chilean military, becoming “chief advisor” to its intelligence services, or perhaps even its “head”, remains unresolved. Definitive and provable evidence about the assistance Rauff may have given to Pinochet was never obtained.

    Holding dictators to account

    One of the many coincidences Sands stumbles upon is that Rauff lived in Punta Arenas in southern Chile on a street called “Jugoslavija”, named after the country where I was born, which disintegrated in the 1990s in a brutal civil war marked by mass atrocities and genocide.

    Former Yugoslavian and Serbian president Slobodan Milošević would become the first-ever serving head of state to be charged with international crimes and extradited to an international court.

    Milošević was extradited to The Hague in 2001 after he was indicted for war crimes committed in Kosovo and Croatia, and for genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina following an order from the Serbian government. His trial is widely hailed as a landmark moment in the development of international criminal law, though he died in his cell before his trial ended, dying “innocent” like his counterparts Pinochet and Rauff.

    Slobodan Milošević in The Hague, July 2001.
    Robert Goddyn, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY

    In 38 Londres Street, Sands brings to light the behind-the-scenes struggles to hold Pinochet and Rauff accountable. The book explores the intricacies and politics of international law. Despite its bitter ending, Pinochet’s case remains one of the most far reaching and important in the field of human rights. It caused other countries to reflect on their own legal immunities.

    As a researcher and academic, I found the book significant because it also offers insight into what it takes to conduct such expansive archival and qualitative research. Over several years, “in between work and life”, Sands travels to different corners of the globe and speaks to informants from all walks of life, including descendants of the perpetrators. He visits the sites of the events he recounts, most of them places marked by pain. He seeks to see and feel a past that still lingers.

    His method requires stamina, passion and unwavering diligence. His strong commitment to neutrality, decency and impartiality makes him stand out not only as a highly skilled writer, but a survivor who continues to unpack and share the legacy of the Holocaust. There is much to respect and learn from in Sands’ account, not least about the intricacies of writing a compelling story.

    Holding dictators to account is hard. Pinochet and Rauff deprived victims of the retributive justice they needed and deserved. Yet justice and reparations have many different meanings. They can be symbolic too, and still profoundly meaningful to victims. As one of the survivors of Pinochet’s regime replied to Sands when asked whether he believed his case was one of total impunity: “Not quite total […] Dawson [an island detention camp] has been recognised as a site of national memory, a protected monument, and that means something.”

    Pinochet and Rauff were never convicted, but they were not free. Pinochet spent years under house arrest, bitter and devastated, unable to walk the streets. Rauff lived in constant fear of being arrested and extradited. They were both haunted. This, after all, may have brought some satisfaction to the victims.

    Sands was once asked: “Do you believe in justice?” He replied: “Sort of.” Sands comes to understand that justice is “uneven in its delivery”. He has learned “to tamper expectations”. Maybe we all need to learn that skill from him too. Ultimately, justice remains a work-in-progress, just like the process of learning from a dark past.

    Olivera Simic 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. Getting away with it … sort of. How a dictator and a fugitive Nazi advanced international human rights law – https://theconversation.com/getting-away-with-it-sort-of-how-a-dictator-and-a-fugitive-nazi-advanced-international-human-rights-law-257241

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley Recognizes C-SPAN’s Decades of Senate Coverage, Discusses Need for Public Access Across All Platforms

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley

    WASHINGTON – In a speech on the Senate floor, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) celebrated the 39th anniversary of C-SPAN 2’s first Senate broadcast on June 2, 1986. Earlier today, Grassley and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) introduced a bipartisan resolution to celebrate C-SPAN’s historic coverage and urge all television providers, including streaming services, to carry the network.

    [embedded content]

    VIDEO

    Today is the 39th year celebration of the United States Senate being covered by C-SPAN 2. 

    I’ve come to the floor countless times since my first term in the United States Senate. beginning in 1981. It’s a privilege to represent Iowans and my home state here in the greatest deliberative body in the world.

    For more than four decades, and counting, I’ve joined my colleagues here in this chamber to debate public policy, shed light on wrongdoing and celebrate historic milestones.

    I’ve cast votes on behalf of Iowans, giving my assent or dissent to nominations and legislation on matters both foreign [and] domestic, on issues from A to Z.

    For a period of time – spanning more than 27 years – I held the longest voting streak in Senate history. My 8,927 consecutive roll call votes ended in November of 2020, when I was quarantined for exposure to COVID-19.

    My good friend from Maine, Senator Susan Collins, now holds the baton, as she continues her unbroken voting streak since she was sworn into office in 1997.

    During the 116th Congress and now the 119th Congress, I’m honored to serve as Senate President pro tem. From this leadership position, I open the Senate daily, lead the Pledge of Allegiance and often take the opportunity to deliver brief remarks during what we call Morning Business.

    Since 1986, every minute of the people’s business conducted here in the Senate chamber has been made available live to the public, from memorable moments – including televising 16 Supreme Court nomination debates and three presidential impeachment trials – to subjects that are often very mundane.

    Thanks to C-SPAN 2, this public service allows our constituents to see the swearing-in of newly elected members, watch all-night sessions during vote-a-ramas and tune in to history being made.

    Speaking of the historic moments, it was 39 years ago today, [on] June 2, when C-SPAN 2 started its gavel-to-gavel coverage of the United States Senate. 

    That was seven years after C-SPAN started broadcasting live coverage of the U.S. House of Representatives in 1979. At that time, I was a member of the House and appreciated C-SPAN’s mission to foster civic engagement and let the sunshine in on the people’s business.

    So, today, I wish C-SPAN 2 a happy birthday and thank those who are dedicated to its mission to bring the people’s business to the people of our country. C-SPAN does not receive one penny of taxpayer dollars. It is funded primarily from satellite and cable providers.

    Senator Klobuchar of Minnesota and I have introduced a bipartisan resolution to recognize C-SPAN 2 and the public service it provides the American people through its live, nonpartisan coverage. Our resolution calls for television providers, including streaming services, to make C-SPAN public affairs programming available to all Americans in real time on all platforms. 

    For [the] tens of millions of Americans who have cut the cord and get their content from streaming services, they should not be cut off from the civic content made available by C-SPAN.

    C-SPAN gives our constituents a front row seat to the legislative branch, providing unfiltered access to debates and deliberations that impact their lives and their livelihoods.

    C-SPAN 2 has recorded more than 43,830 hours of Senate sessions that span the spectrum of political views, policy debates and personal testimony, including more than 169,000 speeches.

    It has documented more than 23,439 roll call votes, providing a live testimonial of Senate decision-making. Its coverage helps hold elected officials accountable to our constituents who are able to see every roll call vote, as it actually happens.

    And it just so happens, on C-SPAN 2’s inaugural day on June 2, 1986, I took my turn as presiding officer during the Senate session.

    I also delivered remarks to introduce a bill on human rights and free speech issues that involved protestors outside of the then-Soviet embassy here in Washington, D.C. Thanks to C-SPAN, Americans can watch history unfold before their very eyes.

    As an advocate for civic engagement and transparency, I applaud C-SPAN’s commitment to chronicling democracy in action here in the Congress.

    In fact, for more than 20 years, I’ve pushed to allow cameras into the federal courthouses, including the Supreme Court, to foster a better understanding of the federal judiciary and its role in our system of checks and balances and in resolving legal disputes.

    Keeping C-SPAN’s cameras rolling here in Congress keeps lawmakers accountable to our constituents by providing a valuable conduit for civic engagement and civic education. As James Madison wrote in 1822, after he had been President six years before, some 35 years after he helped write the Constitution:

    “A popular Government, without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a Farce or Tragedy; or perhaps both. Knowle[d]ge will for ever govern ignorance: and a people who mean to be their own Governours, must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives.”

    C-SPAN helps arm Americans with knowledge in real time in a refreshing, nonpartisan lens. In this era of civic discord and polarization, C-SPAN serves the public interest, not a partisan agenda. 

    I encourage my colleagues to support our bipartisan resolution that Sen. Klobuchar and I have introduced.

    And I’ll finish with another James Madison [quote], as he noted: an engaged and educated citizenry is necessary to advance the public good and secure the longevity of our republic.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley, Republican Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Bolster Violent Crime Laws

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley

    WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) today led 10 Republican colleagues in introducing legislation to strengthen violent crime statutes and help prevent future crime. The Combating Violent and Dangerous Crime Act would resolve conflicting court decisions by clarifying penalties for violent offenses like carjacking, robbery and kidnapping.

    “Under the Biden-Harris administration, our nation saw a massive spike in violent crime. As the Trump administration works to clean up the previous administration’s mess, Congress has a duty to resolve any legal ambiguities that may weaken our ability to hold criminals fully accountable,” Grassley said. “Our bill includes several modest, but meaningful, reforms to tamp down on future crime and ensure justice is served.”

    The Combating Violent and Dangerous Crime Act addresses ambiguity and conflicting applications of existing law by clarifying congressional intent. Among other provisions, the bill would:

    • Resolve conflicting circuit court decisions that have resulted in a higher burden to charge violent offenses;
    • Clarify that an attempt or conspiracy to commit an offence involving physical force meets the legal definition of a violent crime;
    • Increase the statutory maximum penalty for carjacking and remove a duplicative intent requirement needed to charge a carjacking offense;
    • Clarify that attempted bank robbery and conspiracy to commit bank robbery are punishable under the current bank robbery statute;
    • Outlaw the marketing of candy-flavored drugs to minors; and
    • Establish a new category of violent kidnapping offences, allowing for greater penalties for violent kidnapping.

    Grassley is joined by Sens. John Boozman (R-Ark.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho).

    Read the full bill text HERE. Read the section-by-section HERE.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reed Hammers Lutnick for Creating Waste, Inefficiency & Needless Bureaucratic Gridlock at Commerce

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

    WATCH: Sen. Reed warns Lutnick’s micromanagement and short-staffing of NOAA could leave states vulnerable to future disasters

    WASHINGTON, DC – In his partisan zeal to root out so-called waste, redundancy, and abuse, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick is generating unprecedented bureaucratic waste and delays that are hampering the U.S. Department of Commerce’s mission, particularly at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).  Whistleblowers within the agency have come forward in the press to sound the alarm that Secretary Lutnick is causing bureaucratic gridlock and hindering the agency’s ability to assist local communities with preparations for extreme weather events.

    “Staff shortages and new layers of bureaucracy are suffocating NOAA and threatening its ability to accurately predict extreme weather events, ensure U.S. ports stay open and safeguard the nation’s commercial and recreational fisheries, say current and former agency officials,” according to E&E News by Politico.

    Things have gotten so bad at Commerce that even President Trump’s staunch ally U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) has sounded the alarm.  Noting that NOAA has 5,700 contracts set to expire this year, Senator Cruz reported at a Congressional hearing last month that Secretary Lutnick typically reviews about two dozen contracts a week — at that pace, only 1,248 contracts would be reviewed in a year, and many of them require immediate attention and action.

    E&E News by Politico reported: “These contracts include everything from post-hurricane flood assessment to janitorial services,” Cruz said. He added that a data center at Texas A&M University was shut down for days, “depriving Texas emergency and water managers of critical drought forecasts that help them manage reservoirs and track storm surge data and hurricane forecasts in real time.”

    The report notes: “The coil around NOAA squeezes in two ways, they say. The first is personnel. More than 1,000 NOAA employees have left the agency since the start of the Trump administration, and the empty desks have led to staffing issues in key weather service offices — just as hurricane season approaches… The second issue is the slow pace of approval for outside contracts and grants… But fewer than 20 percent of outstanding grants have been approved, and more than 1,000 are in the queue with more added every day, according to a current NOAA official who was granted anonymity to speak without fear of reprisal.”

    Today, at a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies hearing, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) grilled Secretary Lutnick about the growing backlog of contracts that are still awaiting his sign off and how his inefficient and insufficient micromanagement tactics have slowed down the vital work of NOAA just as hurricane season is getting underway.

    “We’ve all been talking about bottlenecks, in fact, in the Department and elsewhere throughout the government. In fact, last month, Senator Cruz warned about the growing backlog of contracts awaiting approval at the Department of Commerce.  He warned that NOAA alone has 5,700 contracts set to expire this year. And it’s been reported in the press that you are insisting on personally reviewing every commerce contract over $100,000,” Reed asked.

    Secretary Lutnick admitted: “That is true.”

    Reed responded: “Well, that seems to be something that is not particularly efficient. And that results in the 5,700 contracts just in NOAA. So again, if you can’t find reliable support to do those reviews, I think you’re wasting your time, frankly.”

    To achieve costs savings and efficiently achieve its diverse missions, NOAA operations rely on a significant number of contractors.  While every Administration carefully reviews each contract to ensure it is an effective use of taxpayer dollars, what sets the Trump Administration apart is its own inefficiency and bureaucratic bottleneck that slows the reviews down to the point where the work in the contract either can’t be done or is approved at the last second and could raise costs in the long run.

    This is not a red state or blue state issue.  In addition to Senators Cruz and Reed, several other Senators – including Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Dan Sullivan (R-AK) — have raised concerns in recent months about missing or delayed funding, according to Politico.

    During the hearing, Reed pressed Lutnick about when the backlog of contract reviews would be completed and Lutnick, surprisingly, claimed there are no more NOAA contracts he needs to review:

    SEN. REED: Well, let’s go ahead and get those 5,700 contracts done. This weekend?

    SEC. LUTNICK: There are not, under any circumstances, any contracts in there. There are none.

    SEN. REED: How about this weekend?

    SEC. LUTNICK: None. 

    SEN. REED: Can you get it done this weekend? Work overtime with the gang and get it done?

    SEC. LUTNICK: There are no contracts waiting for me, and if there were, I’ll be there all night tonight, making sure they get turned out with my team, teaching my team how to do it.

    Noting that the Trump Administration has proposed drastic cuts to NOAA, slashing the agency’s annual budget from the current level of $6.1 billion down to $4.5 billion next year, and eliminating NOAA’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, Reed quoted longtime NOAA researcher Craig McLean, who served as NOAA’s top scientist during the first Trump Administration, and warned that the drastic cuts Secretary Lutnick is backing would “take us back to the 1950s in terms of our scientific footing and the American people” if enacted.

    Lutnick’s claim that the National Weather Service budget would remain unimpacted is undermined by steep cuts to other areas of NOAA, such as technology, research, and satellites that would grossly undercut the agency’s climate, weather, and ocean capabilities.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: New CBO Report Shows Trump’s Bill Would Slash Healthcare Coverage from 16 Million Americans & Raise Costs For Millions More

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, after the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released a new analysis showing 16 million people will lose coverage from the Republican reconciliation plan, including their failure to extend premium tax credits that Americans use to buy affordable health insurance, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) issued the following statement:

    “The Republican-plan would rip health care away from working people in order to fund a bigger tax windfall for the ultra-wealthy.

    “Republicans continue to try to mislead the American people about their true intentions, but this CBO report makes it very clear that under the Republican plan, 16 million Americans will lose their health care and health costs will go up for millions more. 

    “The America people aren’t fooled by misleading Republican sales pitches and gravity-defying claims that you can somehow slash hundreds of billions of dollars from Medicaid and not reduce care or services for a single person.  They can see Republicans are trying to effectively dismantle the Affordable Care Act.  The CBO report is clear: Republicans are trying to rip people’s health care away through a variety of tactics, including increased bureaucratic red tape and higher out-of-pocket costs.

    “Republicans should halt this foolish, big ugly bill and start working with Democrats on a bipartisan, fiscally responsible package that includes targeted tax cuts for the middle-class, not just the wealthy few, and strengthens Medicaid instead of slashing hundreds of billions of health dollars.”

    The CBO was established in 1974 under the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act to give Congress independent, objective budgetary and economic analyses.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: The Government of Canada outlines 2025 measures to protect Southern Resident killer whales

    Source: Government of Canada News

    The Government of Canada recognizes that Southern Resident killer whales continue to face imminent threats to their survival and recovery, and that protecting these iconic marine mammals requires comprehensive and immediate action. The 2025 management measures focus on addressing the three primary threats to Southern Resident killer whales: acoustic and physical disturbance; prey availability and accessibility; and contaminants.

    1. Acoustic and physical disturbances from vessels

    Approach distance

    Vessels must stay at least 400 metres away and must not impede the path of all killer whales year-round in Southern British Columbia coastal waters between Campbell River to just north of Ucluelet. Commercial whale-watching and ecotourism companies who receive an authorization from the Minister of Transport and Internal Trade will be able to view non-Southern Resident killer whales (such as transient (Biggs) killer whales) from 200 metres, given their expertise in identifying different types of killer whales.

    If a vessel finds itself within 400 metres of a killer whale, they are asked to turn off fish finders and echo sounders and put the engine in neutral when safe to do so to allow animals to pass.

    If a vessel is within 1,000 metres of a killer whale, they are asked to reduce speed to less than seven knots when safe to do so to lessen engine noise and vessel wake.

    To address imminent threats to Southern Resident killer whale survival and the Government of Canada’s commitment to develop longer-term actions for the recovery of Southern Resident killer whales, Fisheries and Oceans Canada proposes to increase the approach distance to 1,000 metres for Southern Resident killer whales through amendments to the Marine Mammal Regulations under the Fisheries Act. The process for amending the Marine Mammal Regulations remains ongoing. The exact scope and implementation of any regulatory measures will be informed by future consultations with directly affected First Nations, Wildlife Management Boards, stakeholders, and other affected parties upon publication of the draft regulation in the Canada Gazette, Part 1. The consultations are intended to seek feedback on the scope of these measures and identify and mitigate, to the extent possible, potential impacts.

    Speed restricted zones

    The 2025 measures continue the mandatory speed restricted zones near Swiftsure Bank, co-developed with the Pacheedaht First Nation.

    • From June 1 until November 30, 2025, all vessels must slow down to a maximum of 10 knots over ground in two speed restricted zones near Swiftsure Bank. The first area is in the Protected Fisheries Management Area 121-1 and the second speed restricted zone is located near the mouth of the Nitinat River from Carmanah Point to Longitude 125 degrees west.
    • Exemptions are in place for the following:
      • vessels in distress or providing assistance to a vessel or person in distress
      • vessels avoiding immediate or unforeseen danger
      • government or law enforcement on official business
      • permitted research if the research requires higher speed; and
      • a sailing vessel proceeding under sail and not being propelled by machinery
    • While the mandatory speed restricted zones and the voluntary slowdowns coordinated by the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority’s Enhancing Cetacean and Habitat Observation (ECHO) Program both cover known foraging areas at or near Swiftsure Bank, they are separate measures from each other and take place in different locations. The ECHO Program slowdown at Swiftsure Bank is a voluntary ship slowdown which takes effect across 23 nautical miles in both the outbound and inbound lanes at Swiftsure Bank.

    Vessel restricted zones (Formerly Interim sanctuary zones)

    Formerly known as Interim Sanctuary Zones, Vessel Restricted Zones create spaces of refuge for the whales. The location of these zones is based on scientific and Indigenous knowledge of historically important foraging areas for Southern Resident killer whales.

    • From June 1 until November 30, 2025, no vessel traffic or fishing activity is allowed in vessel restricted zones off the southwest coast of South Pender Island and the southeast end of Saturna Island. Exceptions will be allowed for emergency situations and vessels engaged in Indigenous food, social, and ceremonial fisheries.
    • To ensure the safety of those operating human-powered vessels, a 20-metre corridor next to shore will allow kayakers and other paddlers to transit through these zones. If a killer whale is in the sanctuary at the time, paddlers must remain 400 metres away from the whales.

    Voluntary speed reduction zone

    In 2025, Transport Canada is continuing with a voluntary speed reduction zone in Tumbo Channel, in effect once again from June 1 to November 30, 2025. When travelling through this area, it is recommended that vessels reduce their speed to 10 knots, when safe to do so.

    2. Prey availability

    Chinook, chum and coho salmon are an essential part of the Southern Resident killer whale diet. Last year’s process developed and consulted on salmon fisheries management measures for both 2024 and 2025, which were announced on June 3, 2024.

    To address the limited availability of prey, Fisheries and Oceans Canada is continuing a combination of fishing restrictions in key foraging areas within their critical habitat, along with voluntary measures coastwide. These measures will reduce disturbance and competition for salmon between fish harvesters and killer whales. Opportunities will be available for non-salmon related recreational and commercial fisheries, for Indigenous food, social and ceremonial harvest as well as Treaty-defined fishing access.

    For 2025, the following measures will help protect the whales’ access to salmon and minimize disturbance in key foraging areas:

    • Area-based closures in Southern Resident killer whale key foraging areas for recreational and commercial salmon fisheries:
      • around the Strait of Juan de Fuca (portions of Subareas 20-4 and 20-5) in effect from August 1 until October 31
      • Swiftsure Bank (portions of Subareas 20-1, 21-0, 121-1 and 121-2) in effect from July 15 until October 31
      • around the mouth of the Fraser River (a portion of Subarea 29-3) from August 1 to September 30
    • The Southern Gulf Islands area-based closures (Subarea 18-9 and portions of 18-2, 18-4 and 18-5) will be in effect as early as May 1, based on confirmed presence of Southern Resident killer whales. These closures will be in place until November 30, 2025.
    • All fishers are encouraged to temporarily cease fishing activities (e.g., do not haul in gear where appropriate) when killer whales are within 1,000 metres. This voluntary measure is in place year-round throughout Canadian Pacific waters.

    To address the ongoing imminent threats to Southern Resident killer whale survival and recovery, proposed adjustments to the Southern Resident killer whale commercial and recreational salmon fishing closures are being considered and consulted on for 2025 and or 2026 under the Fisheries Act to address the threat of reduced prey availability. The exact scope and implementation of any regulatory measures will be informed by consultations with directly affected First Nations, Wildlife Management Boards, industry stakeholders, and other affected parties. The consultations are intended to seek feedback on the scope of these measures and identify and mitigate, to the extent possible, potential impacts.

     

    Enhancing Cetacean Habitat and Observation Program (ECHO)

    For the ninth year in a row, the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority-led Enhancing Cetacean and Habitat Observation (ECHO) Program will coordinate large-scale threat reduction measures to support the recovery of endangered southern resident killer whales. These measures will include a ship slowdown in Haro Strait, Boundary Pass and Swiftsure Bank, and a route alteration in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Full details of the ECHO Program’s voluntary measures, including dates, target slowdown speeds and location coordinates, are available on the ECHO Program’s website (www.portvancouver.com/echo).

    3. Contaminants

    Considering the persistence of many contaminants in the environment, the Government of Canada and its partners continue to progress on long-term actions to support Southern Resident killer whale recovery in the following areas:

    The Government of Canada has also developed and updated the online Pollutants Affecting Whales and their Prey Inventory Tool, which maps estimates of pollutant releases within the habitats of Southern Resident killer whales and their primary prey, Chinook salmon. This tool will help model the impacts of additional mitigation measures and controls.

    To better understand the threat of contaminants and to provide input into government action, the Government of Canada leads a technical working group focused on contaminants in the environment. This group is comprised of key partners from all orders of government, academia and non-governmental organizations and:

    • has identified priority contaminants of concern;
    • has provided recommendations for the long-term actions to support Southern Resident killer whale recovery; and
    • conducts important monitoring and research, to identify contaminant exposures to Southern Resident killer whales, their habitat and their prey.

    In addition, the group continues to recommend and develop environmental quality guidelines for the protection of Southern Resident killer whales and their prey and compares them with monitoring data to identify areas of potential risk for further action.

    Compliance with management measures depends on public awareness. The Government of Canada continues to collaborate with educational organizations, environmental groups, Indigenous partners, and government bodies to raise awareness of the Southern Resident killer whale protection measures through public education and outreach efforts. For further information, please see Whales and contaminants – Canada.ca and how Canada is reducing the threat of contaminants to Southern Resident Killer Whales – Canada.ca.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Seven exceptional students score Space Scholarships

    Source: Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE)

    During their 3-month internship programme at JPL they’ll work alongside scientists and engineers who are part of world-leading NASA missions.

    Their experience at JPL will not only support their studies, it will also provide real-world skills to start exciting careers in New Zealand’s fast-growing space industry.

    The students received their scholarships at a ceremony in Parliament today.

    Congratulations to:

    • Asif Rasha (Auckland University of Technology)
    • Felix Goddard (University of Canterbury)
    • Jack Patterson (University of Canterbury)
    • Mark Bishop (Victoria University of Wellington)
    • Shivam Desai (University of Auckland)
    • Sofie Claridge (Victoria University of Wellington)
    • Taran John (Victoria University of Wellington).

    Space and advanced aviation are growing sectors in New Zealand, and the New Zealand Space Scholarships support the development of a workforce that is skilled, innovative, and meets the capability and capacity needs of the space and advanced aviation sectors.

    Read more about the students and what they’ll be working on:

    New Zealand Space Scholarship

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI: SPEC Resumes Global Collaboration with Companies on U.S. BIS Entity List

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    GAINESVILLE, Va., June 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Standard Performance Evaluation Corp. (SPEC), the trusted leader in computing benchmarks, announced today that SPEC International Standards Group (ISG) successfully advocated that the United States clarify export policies to allow companies on the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) Entity List to participate in creating standards. SPEC ISG invites the return of member companies excluded from collaborating due to policy reasons, bringing together the strength of industry, academia, and research from all over the world to cooperate on future computing energy efficiency standards.

    A few years ago, in order to ensure the safe application of 5G technology, the US government stipulated that US agencies should not cooperate with companies on the BIS Entity List. This ban was never intended to restrict the development of global standards. However, due to the overly strict definition of the term “standard” in the original exemption clause of BIS, the SPEC SERT suite was classified as a restricted technology, which prevented SPEC (an international standards organization with 12 Chinese member companies) from continuing to develop standards with its members on the Entity List.

    Harmonized standards are best suited to consistent design and regulatory requirements, resulting in significant cost reduction for manufacturers to meet additional benchmark requirements worldwide.

    SPEC President David Reiner said: “Restricting companies on the Entity List from participating in the development of energy efficiency benchmarks risks dividing the global standards process, negating the primary goal of standardization. Through years of hard work, in collaboration with other international organizations, we are pleased to have successfully promoted changes to U.S. policies to remove the unintended restrictions on the development of international standardized benchmarks.”

    SPEC successfully advocated changes to U.S. rules

    In 2020, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s BIS changed its rules to allow U.S. companies to work in standards organizations to ensure U.S. proposals take full account of international standards that underlie product development and interoperability. While this was an important milestone, the change did not allow SPEC to invite Entity List businesses that were among its former members to re-join, nor to invite other entities on the Entity List to join. In response, SPEC took a series of actions to advocate for the revision of relevant U.S. laws and to promote international technology exchanges and innovation. As part of these efforts, SPEC created the International Standards Group (ISG), specifically designed to comply with the updated BIS requirements and provide a clear separation between SPEC’s international standards work and other SPEC projects.

    As a result of SPEC’s successful efforts, BIS improved regulations in late 2022. Under the final regulations, organizations on the BIS Entity List are no longer restricted from licensing, obtaining updates, or participating in the development of the SPEC SERT Suite within the SPEC ISG. These standards development activities related to the implementation, promulgation, or maintenance of the ISO/IEC 21836:2020 standard qualify for the BIS updated standards-related activities exemption. As a result, BIS listed entities are now able to obtain SPEC SERT Suite licenses, updates, and membership status in the SPEC ISG Server Efficiency Committee.

    The return of excluded members is critical because it will enable SPEC to continue to promote effective global standardized benchmarks and apply them to government energy efficiency regulations. The successful adoption of SPEC SERT suites by government regulations such as China National Institute of Standardization, EU Lot9 Ecodesign, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and the U.S. EPA Energy Star is critical to SPEC’s efforts to promote sustainable technology development around the world. For example, computer servers that are ENERGY STAR certified are, on average, about 38% more energy efficient than standard servers. This means that if all computer servers sold in the United States were ENERGY STAR certified, end users would save more than $4 billion per year.

    The next-generation energy efficiency rating tool is currently under development by the SPEC ISG Server Committee, which includes representatives from Ampere, AMD, Dell, HPE, IBM, Intel, IEIT, Microsoft, Nvidia, and the University of Würzburg. The SERT 3 Suite utilizes the SPECpower Committee’s innovative modular architecture, allowing streamlined integration of the latest versions of the Chauffeur benchmark harness and the PTDaemon Interface, which are also utilized by other SPEC benchmarks. This modular design reduces the time required for developing future workloads, adding new architectures, and supporting new power analyzers and temperature sensors.

    Klaus-Dieter Lange, Chair of SPEC ISG, said: “We are pleased that SPEC was able to successfully work with the U.S. Department of Commerce to find a solution to this critical issue. We welcome the world’s innovative companies to join in the development of the next-generation SPEC SERT Suite, which will enable governments and businesses to more effectively achieve sustainable development and carbon emission reduction goals.”

    About SPEC
    SPEC is a non-profit organization that establishes, maintains and endorses standardized benchmarks and tools to evaluate performance for the newest generation of computing systems. Its membership comprises more than 120 leading computer hardware and software vendors, educational institutions, research organizations and government agencies worldwide.

    Media contact:
    Brigit Valencia
    360.597.4516
    brigit@compel-pr.com

    Images available upon request.

    SPEC® and SERT® are trademarks of the Standard Performance Evaluation Corporation. All other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their registered owners.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hickenlooper Statement on New Budget Estimate for Republicans’ Plan to Gut Medicaid, Increase National Debt

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Colorado John Hickenlooper

    Republicans’ House-passed bill would strip health insurance from 16 million Americans, raise national debt by $2.4 trillion according to CBO 

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper released the following statement on the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office’s (CBO) latest estimate for how the cuts to Medicaid and other crucial services included in the House-passed Republican budget will kick millions of Americans off their health insurance and increase the national debt.

    “Kicking even more kids and their families off their health insurance to pay for big tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy? That’s exactly what another CBO report shows the Republicans’ extreme plan does.

    “Even the President’s friends are saying this is a horrible bill.”

    This latest CBO estimate reflects the last-minute Republican changes to their budget that in total would result in 16 million Americans losing health insurance and increase our national debt by $2.4 trillion.   

    Nearly 80 million Americans are enrolled in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) nationally. Medicaid covers the care for over 60% of all nursing home residents.

    The Republican budget proposal calls for extreme Medicaid cuts of more than $700 billion, which would take away people’s health benefits; make it harder for them to see their health care providers; and prevent seniors from getting nursing home care.

    The Senate now must consider the House-passed budget. Hickenlooper has already voted against the Republican budget resolution on the Senate floor twice and offered amendments to prevent cuts to Medicaid. He will vote against the proposal again when it comes to the Senate.

    CBO is a nonpartisan entity that offers impartial analysis on the costs and impacts of proposed legislation to Congress.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Teen faces multiple charges of motor vehicle stealing

    Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

    Teen faces multiple charges of motor vehicle stealing

    Thursday, 5 June 2025 – 9:56 am.

    Detectives investigating a series of thefts, reckless driving and property damage across Tasmania’s south have this week charged a 15-year-old boy with multiple offences, including 12 counts of stealing a motor vehicle.
    Members of Bridgewater CIB arrested and charged the teenager on Tuesday (June 3) following a search of his home at Herdsmans Cove.
    During the search of the property, police allege a number of electronic devices were found and which appear to show the boy had used them to post illegal activities online and to social media.
    Following police interview, the boy has been charged with multiple offences including motor vehicle stealing, hooning, driving while not the holder of a driver’s licence, unlawfully setting fire to property, and stealing.
    Police investigations continue.
    Anyone who may have information about illegal youth activities involving theft and the unlawful use of motor vehicles should contact police on 131 444 or contact Crime Stoppers anonymously on 1800 333 000 or online at crimestopperstas.com.au

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: In with the old: architects, planners, builders and academics unite in push for reuse over redevelopment

    Source:

    05 June 2025

    UniSA’s Enterprise Hub is a state-of-the-art enterprise and innovation facility within an original heritage building

    Architects, builders, academics and regulators are calling for a major shift in Australia’s building policies, claiming these are based on a narrow view of environmental costs and false economies that downplay the real costs of new builds – and the environment is paying the price.

    The consortium comprises representatives across Australia’s property sector, including developers, architects, industry bodies, environmental and heritage consultants, government and researchers. The group gathered last month at Hames Sharley architects’ Adelaide office, to work through the challenges holding back the sustainable re-use of buildings and agree on a framework to progress building adaptation for housing and other purposes.

    A total of 24 recommendations were developed, including:  

    • Adapting and reusing existing buildings must be the first option before considering redevelopment – across housing, community and commercial functions.
    • Government should lead by adapting building policies to prioritise sufficiency and adaptive building reuse, and should lead through its own accommodation choices.
    • A database of vacant precincts, buildings and land must be established to identify opportunities for adaptive reuse and redirect investment.
    • Building policy must change to recognise embodied carbon saved by reuse rather than demolition and rebuild – and better balance this with the energy efficiencies of new builds.
    • Economic incentives such as tax relief and reduced charges are vital to recognise the environmental savings from reusing existing buildings and make adaptive reuse viable.

    The University of South Australia co-hosted the workshop in partnership with Hames Sharley, also involving the City of Adelaide and University of Adelaide.

    Professor David Ness, from UniSA’s Centre for Sustainable Infrastructure and Resource Management (SIRM) and co-founder of World Sufficiency Lab, Paris, has long advocated for recognising the environmental savings resulting from adaptive reuse of buildings,

    He points out that “while new builds are lauded for their energy efficiencies, large amounts of carbon are ‘embodied’ in their materials and construction while they consume excessive water and other natural resources. This can be greatly reduced by adapting vacant and underutilised existing buildings, which otherwise go to waste.”

    “The building industry represents around a third of global carbon emissions, yet we’re seeing more and bigger builds by default. This seems far out of step with EU countries such as France and Denmark, where attention is focussed on making better use of existing space.

    “It’s therefore critical that our policy settings prioritise building retention, retrofit and reuse ‑ instead of new builds.”

    Hames Sharley Associate Director and Head of its National Sustainability Forum, Yaara Plaves, says bringing key stakeholders together is vital to address cross-sector issues.

    “In any field where complex, systemic challenges resist straightforward solutions, siloed expertise creates blind spots and biases,” Plaves says. “Addressing these through a community of practice model that brings participants together cultivates learning and mutual trust – and is essential to bring about sustainable, demonstratable solutions.”  

    Supported by the Australian-French Association for Research and Innovation (AFRAN), the workshop involved sharing learnings from France’s innovative policies and initiatives, including the concept of ‘Sufficiency’ which is now enshrined in French Energy Law and reflected in more holistic policies on carbon mitigation.

    The recommendations will be shared with South Australian policy makers, and a bilateral partnership with France explored through a proposed Adelaide University-based ‘Australian Sufficiency Lab’, which would become a national centre for sufficiency and adaptive reuse across multiple sectors.

    The recommendations were developed by representatives from the below entities:

    ARUP

    Future Urban

    RPS Engineering

    ARCHI

    Greenaway Consulting

    Renewal SA

    Australian Institute of Architects

    Heritage South Australia

    Sarah Constructions

    Built Australia

    Hames Sharley

    SA Dept of Infrastructure & Transport

    City of Adelaide

    Lendlease

    State Planning Commission

    Cohen Group

    Les Moore Projects

    University of Adelaide

    FORUM

    Pelligra

    University of South Australia

    Participant quotes:

    Professor Jane Burry, Chair, Architecture and Civil Engineering, University of Adelaide: “The session provided a great springboard to go forward.”

    Les Moore, Les Moore Projects: “With the right ‘can-do’ mindset we can achieve extraordinary outcomes.”

    About Hames Sharley:

    Hames Sharley is a research-led design practice with a large community of designers and collaborators. We identify knowledge gaps and, through our practice-based research, we hunt for answers to influence a better built environment. Our research projects are broad and include areas such as understanding the impact of noise in ICU and designing for sensory comfort in workplace settings. 

    About UniSA:

    The University of South Australia and the University of Adelaide are joining forces to become Australia’s new major university – Adelaide University. Building on the strengths, legacies and resources of two leading universities, Adelaide University will deliver globally relevant research at scale, innovative, industry-informed teaching and an outstanding student experience. Adelaide University will open its doors in January 2026. Find out more on the Adelaide University website.

     

    Media contacts:

    Interviews: Professor David Ness M: +61 401 122 651 E: david.ness@unisa.edu.au

    Megan Andrews M: +61 434 819 275 E: megan.andrews@unisa.edu.au

    MIL OSI News –