NewzIntel.com

    • Checkout Page
    • Contact Us
    • Default Redirect Page
    • Frontpage
    • Home-2
    • Home-3
    • Lost Password
    • Member Login
    • Member LogOut
    • Member TOS Page
    • My Account
    • NewzIntel Alert Control-Panel
    • NewzIntel Latest Reports
    • Post Views Counter
    • Privacy Policy
    • Public Individual Page
    • Register
    • Subscription Plan
    • Thank You Page

Category: Vehicles

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Scott Peters’ Statement on President Trump’s Self-Dealing

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Scott Peters (52nd District of California)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Scott Peters released the following statement on the Trump Administration’s troubling self-dealing:

    “While President Trump and Elon Musk get richer, Americans will suffer from their cuts to health care, food assistance, national parks, and so much more,” said Rep. Peters. “I will continue to hold the Trump Administration accountable for any attempt to enrich themselves or give special treatment to allies not available to ordinary Americans.”

    See below for how President Trump is using the Presidency to benefit himself and his allies at the expense of the American people.

    Last week, you saw President Trump shoot a car commercial at the White House to benefit Elon Musk, his top donor and a current government employee. “Coincidentally,” Elon donated $100M to the President on the same day.

    Trump touts Musk’s cars from the White House, Musk promises $100 million contribution to Trump – on the very same day.

    President Trump continues to send the message to politicians that he will forgive corruption as serious as fraud and bribery in exchange for loyalty.

    It Pays to Be a Friend of Donald Trump

    While Americans are concerned about high prices from tariffs, loss of government services, and attacks on veterans, the people who have the President’s ear are paying $5 million for a dinner.

    People Are Paying Millions to Dine With Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago

    $TRUMP coin is a perfect vessel for this corruption. You can get away with committing fraud if you have tens of millions to invest in the President’s meme coin. Remember when Jimmy Carter had to sell his peanut farm before taking office…

    A crypto mogul who invested millions into Trump coins is getting a reprieve on civil fraud charges

    Binance founder Changpeng Zhao is learning from Justin Sun’s example. If he is willing and able to enrich the president’s family, he may be in line for a pardon from Trump.

    Trump Family Has Held Deal Talks With Binance

    President Trump is sending a clear message that he is more than willing to fire any government official who tries to prevent his corruption.

    Justice Dept. Official Says She Was Fired After Opposing Restoring Mel Gibson’s Gun Rights

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    March 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: VIDEO: Rep. Stansbury Fights for New Mexicans, Food Assistance Programs

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

    Food Assistance Programs
    Critically important programs at risk in Trump Administration

    ALBUQUERQUE — Rep. Melanie Stansbury (NM-01) kept fighting on Friday against President Trump and Elon Musk’s unlawful and harmful systematic dismantling of critical federal government food assistance programs during a press conference at the Roadrunner Food Bank.    

    Watch the video here.   

    “Hunger is a policy choice,” said Rep. Melanie Stansbury (NM-01). “There is no reason why any family, any child, any senior, any veteran in the United States should be hungry. There is plenty of food in this country. We are a wealthy country with a multitude of agriculture and food, and we have the ability to take care of our people. The decision to cut vital life-saving programs is a decision to let people go hungry in this country. We know that the policy choices that both the Trump administration and Congress under GOP leadership are making to let millions of Americans go hungry—that is a choice that they are making. But we also know that there is a policy choice of abundance, that there is a policy choice that we know that works.” 

    The Congresswoman was joined by community leaders who shared insight into the real-world impacts of the current chaos in Washington, D.C.   

    “We are deeply concerned that decisions being made seem to be in a haphazard manner with no recognition of the potential long-term impact,” said Katy Anderson, Vice President of Strategy, Partnership, and Advocacy at Road Runner Food Bank. “We work with over 500 partners across the state, and some of those partners are facing the loss of much or all of the funding that they rely on to support their communities … Cuts to programs that support Americans will increase hunger in our country, and I’m going to repeat that. They will increase hunger in our country. There is no doubt.” 

    “It’s just very hard right now to think about cuts to SNAP and what that’s going to do and what we’re going to do at the food bank because we like certainty at food banks,” said Jason Riggs, Director of Advocacy and Public Policy at Road Runner Food Bank. “We got trucks to load. Our trucks cover over 360,000 miles a year. We need to know what’s going to be loaded on those trucks way ahead of time and we need the people currently across the street waiting in line to get some food from one of our distributions. We need them to know when they get there, there’s going to be food, and when they go to the grocery store, the money’s going to be on their EBT card, and they’re going to be able to feed their families.” 

    “We’re facing challenges that make it harder to do this work,” said Renee Ruybal, Chief Advancement Officer at Meals on Wheels. “The rising costs of food and fuel are already putting pressure on our ability to serve every neighbor in need. We’re also seeing federal funding changes that impact our ability to expand our operations. Last year, we had an approved project to bring our face-to-face delivery to the town of Bernalillo, to Placitas, and to Algodones. That funding was removed from the recent federal budget bill, putting that expansion on hold. If these programs face more cuts, more New Mexicans will turn to us for help, but at a time when we have fewer resources to meet that growing need. So, all of this: higher costs, federal funding cuts, and potential reductions in other food assistance programs will force us to make tough choices. 

    “If hunger is a policy choice, we made a choice together, all of us, that we were not going to tolerate hunger in our communities because our communities are built around food,” said Jill Dixon, Executive Director at The Food Depot. “Every celebration, every lamentation in our communities happens with food at the table. The Food Depot stands for nutritious food being on the table for every single person in our community, and so do my food bank friends. We all should stand for that. It is a fundamental human right to have food at the table. And America has enough food to feed everyone within its borders.” 

    “Agri-Cultura is the largest cooperative here in New Mexico,” said Helga Garcia-Garza, Executive Director of Agri-Cultura Network and La Cosecha CSA. “We’re small-scale farmers and ranchers that many years ago, in 2009, we developed our mission out of a theory that we wanted to keep production local. We wanted to make it accessible to communities that otherwise would not receive organic produce and keep building capacity, keep having an impact on community health, wealth, and well being. So these programs, the ripple effect not only within the farmers but what we’ve been doing for years and years collectively together in state policy work to change procurement practices for that local investment and with that long-term vision of New Mexico becoming a sustainable regenerative food state.” 

    Impacts on New Mexicans if Trump cuts essential programs:  

    • In New Mexico, 487,113 people receive SNAP monthly.
    • 1 in 5 New Mexico children face hunger and food insecurity. 

     ### 

    MIL OSI USA News –

    March 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pressley, Clarke, Van Hollen Lead Letter to the Administration Demanding Reinstatement of TPS for Haiti

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)

    Text of the Letter (PDF)

    WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Congresswoman Yvette Clarke (NY-09), and Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) led 62 of their colleagues in the House and 23 of their colleagues in the Senate in a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem demanding the Trump Administration redesignate and extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti, which the administration recently canceled on questionable legal authority:

    In the letter, the lawmakers wrote, “The July 1, 2024 Federal Register notice extending Haiti’s TPS cited ‘grave insecurity, gang violence, socio-economic collapse, and environmental disasters’ as an ongoing crisis warranting protection. However, your February 2025 notice asserts that the 18-month period lacked justification. This decision ignores the overwhelming evidence that Haiti remains an unsafe place for anyone to return to. These conditions cited on the July 1, 2024 Federal Register Notice have worsened. Armed groups now control over 90% of Port-au-Prince, terrorizing civilians with widespread kidnappings, sexual violence, and indiscriminate killings. The UN reports that at least 5,601 people were killed in Haiti last year as a result of gang violence, over 1,000 more than the total killings for 2023. As of September 2024, nearly half the population of the country— 5.5 million Haitians—require urgent humanitarian aid, with 1.6 million facing ‘catastrophic’ food insecurity. Gang sieges and arson attacks have internally displaced over 1,041,000 people.”

    The CROWN Act passed the House of Representatives in 2019 and 2022 but was blocked in the Senate.

    The Members continued, “The decision to rescind Haiti’s TPS designation is not a thoughtful policy in the best interest of the United States. During his 2024 presidential campaign, Donald Trump explicitly singled out Haitian TPS recipients in rallies and interviews. This rhetoric mirrored his 2017 termination of Haiti’s TPS designation, which a federal court blocked for violating the Administrative Procedure Act and failing to consider country conditions. The administration’s current vacatur revives this legally dubious playbook, seeking to destabilize the lives of Haitian immigrants through shortened protections and heightened uncertainty.”

    “We request that you extend and redesignate Haiti for TPS for the statutory maximum of 18 months. Failure to extend and redesignate TPS would violate the INA’s requirement for data-driven decisions and abandon over 500,000 Haitians to a warzone the U.S. government has explicitly deemed unsafe. Congress intended TPS to be both a humanitarian tool and a pragmatic response to unstable conditions abroad. While DHS has discretion, that authority must be exercised with diligence, transparency, and fidelity to the law,” they wrote, before requesting responses to a series of questions regarding the legal basis and humanitarian and national interest considerations that led to the administration’s questionable decision to cancel Haiti’s TPS designation.

    House Signers (64): Pressley, Clarke, Adams, Amo, Beatty, Beyer, Carson, Casar, Castor, Cherfilus-McCormick, Chu, Clark, Davis (Danny), Frost, Garcia (Jesus), Garcia (Sylvia), Goldman, Hayes, Hernandez, Jackson (Jonathan), Jacobs, Jayapal, Jeffries, Johnson (Henry), Latimer, Lee, Lofgren, Lynch, Magaziner, McClellan, McGovern, McIver, Meeks, Meng, Mfume, Moulton, Norton, Ocasio-Cortez, Omar, Pallone, Pingree, Pocan, Quigley, Ramirez, Raskin, Scanlon, Schakowsky, Scott (Bobby), Sewell, Soto, Suozzi, Swalwell, Thanedar, Thompson (Bennie), Tlaib, Tonko, Trahan, Vargas, Veasey, Velazquez, Wasserman Schultz, Waters, Watson Coleman, Wilson (Frederica)

    Senate Signers (24): Van Hollen, Blumenthal, Booker, Coons, Cortez Masto, Duckworth, Durbin, Gillibrand, Heinrich, Hirono, Kaine, Kim (Andy), Klobuchar, Markey, Padilla, Reed, Sanders, Schumer, Shaheen, Warner, Warnock, Warren, Welch, Whitehouse

    This letter has been endorsed by more than 100 organizations, including: UndocuBlack Network, African Communities Together, Black Alliance for Just Immigration, Center for Gender & Refugee Studies, Church World Service, Communities United for Status & Protection (CUSP), FWD.us, Del Camino Jesuit Border Ministries, East Bay Sanctuary Covenant, Family Action Network Movement, Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project, Florida Immigrant Coalition, Haitian Bridge Alliance, Hispanics in Philanthropy, Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, Immigrant Defenders Law Center (ImmDef), Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, Immigrant Legal Resource Center, Muslim Advocates, National Employment Law Project, National Partnership for New Americans, Nigerian Center, Presente.org, Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada, Quixote Center, Refugees International, Services, Immigrant Rights and Education Network (SIREN), The Advocates for Human Rights, The Border Network for Human Rights, United African Organization, Wind of the Spirit Immigrant Resource Center, Witness at the Border, Baker Interfaith Friends Refugees International, Louisiana Organization for Refugees and Immigrants, TPS-DED AAC, Haitian Support Center, Faith In Texas, Center for Law and Social Policy, Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project (ASAP), Just Neighbors, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC, Immigration Hub, New York Immigration Coalition, Human Rights First, Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti, Oasis Legal Services, Immigrants Rising, Houston Immigration Legal Services Collaborative, National Immigrant Justice Center, Borderlands Resource Initiative, Alianza Americas, Community Solutions, NH Conference, United Church of Christ Immigrant & Refugee Support Group, Immigrants Act Now, Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice, National Bar Association, Gainesville Interfaith Alliance for Immigrant Justice, Interfaith Alliance for Immigrant Justice, Cameroon Advocacy Network, Louisiana Organization for Refugees and Immigrants – LORI, Women Watch Afrika, International Refugee Assistance Project, Sanctuary for Families, Minnesota Freedom Fund, scaleLIT, Win Without War, Urban Mom Collective National Black Mom Coalition, We Are All America, Westside Justice Center, Freedom for Immigrants, Partners In Health, Service Employees International Union, SEIU, Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area (LSSNCA), Adhikaar for Human Rights and Social Justice, EqualHealth’s Campaign Against Racism,  Immigration Center for Women and Children, Advocates for Basic Legal Equality (ABLE), Refugee Advocacy Lab, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, CASA, Immigration Law & Justice Network, Immigrant ARC, National Immigration Project, The Sidewalk School, TPS-DED AAC, Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice, United African Organization, United We Dream, Urban Mom Collective National Black Mom Coalition, We Are All America, Westside Justice Center, Win Without War, Wind of the Spirit Immigrant Resource Center, Witness at the Border, Women Watch Afrika, Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights, Working Families United, Hope Border Institute, Washington Office on Latin America, La Raza Community Resource Center (SF), Mujeres Unidas y Activas, Center for Engagement and Advocacy in the Americas, Services, Immigrant Rights and Education Network (SIREN), Alianza Americas, The Episcopal Church, MomsRising, Community Action Board of Santa Cruz County, Inc. (CAB), Asian Law Caucus, and the Central American Resource Center (CARECEN-LA).

    The text of the letter can be read here.

    As Representative for the Massachusetts 7th Congressional District, Congresswoman Pressley serves as Co-Chair for the House Haiti Caucus and represents one of the largest Haitian diaspora communities in the country, with approximately 46,000 Haitians and Haitian-Americans living across the state and over half in the Boston metropolitan area. Additionally, Massachusetts is home to more than 4,700 Haitians with Temporary Protected Status.

    • On February 20, 2025, Rep. Pressley and her Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs issued a statement condemning the Trump Administration’s decision to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti.
    • On November 14, 2024, Rep. Pressley and her Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs issued a statement condemning violence in Haiti and calling on the Biden Administration to halt all deportations to Haiti.
    • On September 25, 2024, Rep. Pressley and her Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs issued a statement condemning the false and dangerous lies about Haitian, Latino, and Asian immigrants.
    • On September 20, 2024, Rep. Pressley and her Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs joined colleagues and advocates at a press conference to stand in solidarity with Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio and across America, and to demand accountability for the harmful and false narratives perpetuated by Republicans.
    • On June 28, 2024, Rep. Pressley issued a statement applauding the Biden-Harris Administration’s extension and redesignation of Haiti for Temporary Protected Status (TPS). 
    • On April 23, 2024, Rep. Pressley, alongside Co-Chairs Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09) and Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), led a group of 50 lawmakers urging the Biden Administration to redesignate Haiti for Temporary Protected Status (TPS), pause on deportations back to Haiti, extend humanitarian parole to any Haitians currently detained in Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s detention centers, end detention of Haitian migrants intercepted at sea, and provide additional humanitarian assistance for Haiti.
    • On April 18, 2024, Rep. Pressley and Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs led a letter to House Ways and Means Committee leadership emphasizing support for the early renewal of the Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement (HOPE) and the Haiti Economic Lift Program (HELP) Acts, commonly known as HOPE/HELP. 
    • On April 12, 2024, Rep. Pressley joined Haitian-led activists, organizations, and a directly impacted person in Haiti for a press call urging federal action to address the worsening humanitarian crisis in Haiti.
    • On March 27, 2024, Rep. Pressley joined Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and her colleagues on the Massachusetts congressional delegation in urging the Biden Administration to expedite visa processing for Haitians, particularly  for relatives of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents.
    • On March 18, Rep. Pressley, Senator Markey, and the House Haiti Caucus led 67 lawmakers on a letter urging the Biden Administration to extend TPS for Haiti and halt deportations.
    • On March 12, 2024, Rep. Pressley and Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Cherfilus McCormick and Yvette Clarke issued a statement on the resignation of Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry.
    • On March 6, 2024, Rep. Pressley issued a statement on the recent jailbreak and State of Emergency in Haiti.
    • On December 8, 2023, Rep. Pressley and Congresswoman Yvette Clarke urged the U.S. Department of State to withdraw U.S. support for an armed foreign intervention in Haiti and encourage negotiations for a Haitian-led democratic political transition.
    • On December 6, 2022, Rep. Pressley issued a statement applauding the Biden Administration’s extension and re-designation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti.
    • On December 1, 2022, Rep. Pressley, Rep. Cori Bush, and Rep. Mondaire Jones led 14 of their colleagues on a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas urging the Department to extend and redesignate Haiti for Temporary Protected Status (TPS).
    • In September 2022, Rep. Pressley and Rep. Velázquez led 54 of their colleagues on a letter calling on the Biden Administration to immediately halt deportations to Haiti and provide humanitarian parole protections for those seeking asylum. The lawmakers’ letter followed the Administration’s resumption of deportation flights to Haiti as thousands of Haitian migrants continue to await an opportunity to make an asylum claim at the border. 
    • In September 2022, Rep. Pressley joined her colleagues on the House Oversight Committee in demanding answers regarding the inhumane treatment of migrants in Del Rio, Texas, by Border Patrol agents on horseback and pushing to Biden Administration to end the ongoing use and weaponization of Title 42.
    • On August 17, 2022, Rep. Pressley, along with Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Val Demings, Yvette Clarke, and Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), called on President Biden to appoint a new Special Envoy to Haiti, a position that has remained unfilled since September 2021.
    • On July 7, 2022, Rep. Pressley and Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Andy Levin (MI-09), Val Demings (FL-10) and Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09) released a statement marking the one-year anniversary of the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse.
    • On May 31, 2022, Rep. Pressley and Reverend Dieufort Fleurissaint, chair of Haitian Americans United, published an op-ed in the Bay State Banner in which they called on the Biden administration to withdraw support for de facto ruler of Haiti, Ariel Henry, and instead support an inclusive, civil society-led process to restore stability and democracy on the island. 
    • In April 2022, she joined her colleagues at a press conference reaffirming her support for President Biden’s decision to end Title 42. Full video of her remarks at the press conference is available here. Rep. Pressley applauded the Biden Administration’s end of Title 42 in a statement in April 2022.
    • On May 26, 2022, Rep. Pressley, along with with Representatives Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Andy Levin (MI-09), Jim McGovern (MA-02), and Frederica Wilson (FL-24), led a letter to United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Power urging her to act to ensure food security in Haiti.
    • On March 16, 2022, Rep. Pressley and Rep. Mondaire Jones called on Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky to fully end Title 42, cease deportations of people to Haiti and affirm their legal and fundamental human right to seek asylum.
    • On February 16, 2022, Rep. Pressley joined Congresswoman Cori Bush (MO-01), Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), and 100 House and Senate colleagues in urging President Biden to reverse inhumane immigration policies – such as Title 42, originally introduced under the Trump Administration – that continue to disproportionately harm Black migrants.
    • On February 14, 2022, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), alongside Representatives Judy Chu (CA-27) and Nydia Velázquez (NY-07), led 33 other House Democrats on a letter to Rochelle Walensky, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, demanding answers about the agency’s justification for treating asylum seekers as a unique public health threat, how these expulsions are being coordinated, how asylum seekers being returned to dangerous situations are being cared for, and more.
    • On February 14, 2022, Reps. Pressley, Judy Chu (CA-27), and Nydia Velázquez (NY-07) led 33 other House Democrats on a letter to CDC Director Walensky demanding answers about the agency’s justification for treating asylum seekers as a unique public health threat, how these expulsions are being coordinated, how asylum seekers being returned to dangerous situations are being cared for, and more. Days later, Rep. Pressley once again called on the Biden Administration to reverse the Title 42 Order and other anti-Black immigration policies.
    • On January 12, 2022, Rep. Pressley and Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09), Andy Levin (MI-09), and Val Demings (FL-10) released a statement on the 12-year anniversary of the catastrophic 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12, 2010.
    • On November 21, 2021, Rep. Pressley and Senator Elizabeth Warren led the Massachusetts congressional delegation on a letter to the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) calling on them to coordinate with the government agencies of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to assist newly arrived families from Haiti. 
    • On October 18, 2021, Rep. Pressley, and Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Val Demings (FL-10), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), and Andy Levin (MI-09) issued a statement following the kidnapping of American and Canadian missionaries in Haiti.
    • On October 18, 2021, Rep. Pressley issued a statement on the civil rights complaint filed by Haitian families demanding a federal investigation into the heinous actions perpetrated by federal officials at the border.
    • On October 22, 2021, Rep. Pressley, along with Oversight Chairwoman Carolyn B. Maloney, Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), and Reps. Rashida Tlaib (MI-13), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), sent a letter to Troy A. Miller, the Acting Administrator of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), demanding a briefing and answers regarding press reports of the inhumane treatment of migrants in Del Rio, Texas, by Border Patrol agents on horseback. 
    • On September 17, 2021, Rep. Pressley and Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07) led 52 of their colleagues calling on the Biden Administration to immediately halt deportations to Haiti and take urgent action to address the concerns of the Haitian Diaspora after a 7.2 magnitude earthquake devastated Haiti.
    • On August 14, 2021, Rep. Pressley Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Andy Levin (MI-09) and Val Demings (FL-10) and Mondaire Jones (NY-17) released a statement regarding the recent earthquake in Haiti.
    • On July 14, 2021, Rep. Pressley and Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Andy Levin (MI-09) and Val Demings (FL-10) sent a letter to U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas calling on him to take a series of steps to support the Haitian diaspora amid ongoing political turmoil in Haiti.
    • In July 2021, the Reps. Pressley, Clarke, Demings and Levin issued a statement condemning the assassination of President Moïse and calling for swift and decisive action to bring political stability and peace to Haiti and the Haitian people.
    • In May 2021, on Haitian Flag Day, Reps. Pressley, Levin, Clarke and Demings announced the formation of the House Haiti Caucus, a Congressional caucus dedicated to pursuing a just foreign policy that puts the needs and aspirations of the Haitian people first.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    March 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Dr. Joyce Statement on Action to Overturn Harmful Biden Car Ban

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman John Joyce (PA-13)

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13) released the following statement regarding his intention to introduce legislation, pursuant to the Congressional Review Act, to overturn the Biden Administration’s December 2024 decision to allow California to ban the sale of all new internal combustion vehicles:

    “The Biden Administration’s 11th hour decision to approve a de facto nationwide ban on the sale of gas-powered automobiles and hybrids is exactly why the Congressional Review Act exists,” said Congressman John Joyce, M.D.  “I have been fighting this battle to protect consumer freedom since 2022 – and I look forward to working with Chairman Guthrie and Chairman Capito to put an end to this impractical and unworkable mandate once and for all.”

    Background:

    • In December of 2024, the Biden Administration provided a waiver approving California’s EV mandate. 
    • Due to California’s unique status in the Clean Air Act, sixteen other states, including Pennsylvania, have adopted California’s previous standards, affecting nearly 40% of the automobile market.
    • In the 117th Congress, Dr. Joyce led a letter to the Biden Administration with 168 cosigners relaying disapproval of California’s regulation.
    • In the 118th Congress, Dr. Joyce led H.R. 1435, the Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act, legislation to block electric vehicle mandates and protect consumer choice.
    • This Congress, Dr. Joyce reintroduced the Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act to protect choice for American consumers.
    • This month, at an Energy and Commerce Committee Energy Subcommittee hearing, Dr. Joyce challenged the validity of California’s waiver from the Environmental Protection Agency for their sweeping Electric Vehicle mandate and raised concerns about the lack of Congressional review or oversight.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    March 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia Joins Colleagues to Reintroduce Bicameral Resolution Affirming Support for the Equal Rights Amendment

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (TX-29)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (D-TX-29) was proud to join Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (D-MA-07) and Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), along with Congresswomen Madeleine Dean (D-PA-04), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA-37), Jennifer McClellan (D-VA-04), and Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI), in reintroducing their bicameral resolution to overcome a significant obstacle to the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). This resolution would remove an arbitrary deadline set by Congress in 1972, affirming the ERA as the 28th Amendment of the Constitution of the United States, prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex.

    “When I was 27, I represented my state at the National Women’s Conference in Houston—and I still have the ERA pin I wore that day. I’ve kept it all these years because the fight isn’t over. Two years ago, I went to Seneca Falls and met with the next generation of activists. Let me tell you—they are just as committed, just as fearless, as I was back then. And like me, they’re still waiting for this country to guarantee women the same constitutional protections as men,” said Congresswoman Garcia. “Those fighting against the ERA are the same ones who fear powerful women—the ones who pay us less, promote us less, and try to silence us. It’s long overdue to make the ERA the 28th Amendment of the Constitution. I stand today for justice, for fairness, and for future generations of women and girls who deserve fairness, justice, and equality of opportunities.”

    “For centuries, women – particularly women of color and LGBTQ+ folks – have been treated as less than – less deserving of pay, less protected by law, less free to show up as our authentic selves in a world that constantly pushes us down,” said Congresswoman Pressley. “By enshrining the ERA into law, we are taking the necessary step to center our most vulnerable and marginalized communities, close the gender wage gap, combat sex discrimination, reduce gender-based violence, ensure freedom over our bodies, and more. The time is now to affirm gender equality once and for all.”

    “The state of Alaska ratified the ERA and amended the State Constitution in 1972, and that is a legacy I am proud to continue advocating for at the federal level,” said Senator Murkowski. “It is past time for the equal rights of women to be guaranteed in the United States Constitution, and I will continue to advocate for the passage of this resolution until that is achieved.”

    “I am proud that Hawaii was the first state to ratify the ERA, but we must finally amend the Constitution to ensure that the next generation of women are guaranteed equal rights,” said Senator Hirono. “With the reintroduction of this resolution, we reaffirm our commitment to fighting for equal opportunity and equal rights for all. It has been over a century-long fight to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment, and we won’t stop until gender equity is enshrined in the Constitution.”

    “Women throughout history have fought tirelessly against sexism and inequality, refusing to accept a world that denied them their full rights. Their courage paved the way for progress—but the fight is far from over. We are grateful for the leadership of Senator Lisa Murkowski, Senator Mazie Hirono, and Rep. Ayanna Pressley in reintroducing this important resolution, recognizing the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment. This Women’s History Month we renew our commitment to the pursuit of true gender equality. The women who came before us didn’t give up, neither will we,” said Zakiya Thomas, President & CEO, ERA Coalition.

    “The Equal Rights Amendment is a short yet powerful declaration — ‘Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex,’” said Congresswoman Dean. “Words matter—and we must be explicit in our Constitution to ensure that equality is a reality for every person in our nation. I’m grateful for Congresswoman Pressley’s leadership in this century-long fight and in the enduring legacy of Congresswoman Shirley Chislom and others before us. We must expand the mission of the 19th Amendment and fulfill the promise of the ERA.”

    “There is no deadline for equal rights,” said Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove. “The United States Congress and the required number of states have ratified the Equal Rights Amendment, which is over 100 years in the making. An arbitrary deadline will not stop progress on equal rights. Now is the time for Congress to pass this resolution to ensure that we enshrine equal protections for our mothers, sisters, daughters, and grandmothers who have championed this cause.”

    “Generations of women, especially women of color, have relentlessly fought for equal rights in a system that has long denied them fairness under the law — and that fight is far from over,” said Congresswoman McClellan. “I led the fight in Virginia to make our Commonwealth the final state needed to ratify the ERA, taking a stand on the right side of history. Now, we must finish the job by enshrining gender equality in the Constitution once and for all.”

    The Equal Rights Amendment was first introduced 100 years ago to codify gender equality. Since 1923, the constitutional amendment was introduced in every session of Congress until it passed in 1972 in both the House and Senate. Congress then placed an arbitrary seven-year deadline on the ratification process before extending the deadline to 1982, but only 35 ratified the ERA before the arbitrary deadline.  However, with the recent ratifications of the ERA by Nevada in 2017, Illinois in 2018 and Virginia in 2020, the 38 states needed for certification of the ERA to be become the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution has now been reached.

    Ratifying the ERA, which states, “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State on account of sex”, would affirm women’s equality in our Constitution, enshrining the principle of women’s equality and an explicit prohibition against sex discrimination in the nation’s foundational document.

    As the 28th Amendment, the ERA would serve as a new tool—for Congress, for federal agencies, and in the courts—to advance equality in the fields of workforce and pay, pregnancy discrimination, sexual harassment and violence, reproductive autonomy, and protections for LGBTQ+ individuals. Enshrining this protection in our Constitution also ensures enduring protections for all Americans across the country.

    It would also signal to the courts that they should apply a more rigorous level of review to laws and government policies that discriminate on the basis of sex, making it more likely for them to be struck down.

    Congresswoman Garcia has been a co-lead on this resolution since she first entered Congress in 2019.

    Text of the resolution is available here.

    See the Congresswoman’s tweet here.

    On Equal Pay Day, I joined my colleagues in reintroducing a resolution to remove the arbitrary deadline on the Equal Rights Amendment. The fight for constitutional gender equality has gone on long enough. It’s time to make the ERA the 28th Amendment. ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/r8R80EXLBI

    — Rep. Sylvia Garcia (@RepSylviaGarcia) March 25, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

    March 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: On Equal Pay Day, Kamlager-Dove, Pressley, Murkowski, Colleagues Reintroduce Bicameral Resolution Affirming Support for the Equal Rights Amendment

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager California (37th District)

    With the 38-State Threshold for Ratification Met, Resolution Takes Critical Step Toward Enshrining Gender Equality in Constitution

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today on Equal Pay Day, Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37) joined Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) and Congresswomen Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), and Jennifer McClellan (VA-04) in reintroducing their bicameral resolution to overcome a significant obstacle to the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). This resolution would remove an arbitrary deadline set by Congress in 1972, affirming the ERA as the 28th Amendment of the Constitution of the United States, prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex.

    “There is no deadline for equal rights,” said Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove. “The United States Congress and the required number of states have ratified the Equal Rights Amendment, which is over 100 years in the making. An arbitrary deadline will not stop progress on equal rights. Now is the time for Congress to pass this resolution to ensure that we enshrine equal protections for our mothers, sisters, daughters, and grandmothers who have championed this cause.”

    “For centuries, women – particularly women of color and LGBTQ+ folks – have been treated as less than – less deserving of pay, less protected by law, less free to show up as our authentic selves in a world that constantly pushes us down,” said Rep. Pressley. “By enshrining the ERA into law, we are taking the necessary step to center our most vulnerable and marginalized communities, close the gender wage gap, combat sex discrimination, reduce gender-based violence, ensure freedom over our bodies, and more. The time is now to affirm gender equality once and for all.”

    “The state of Alaska ratified the ERA and amended the State Constitution in 1972, and that is a legacy I am proud to continue advocating for at the federal level,” said Senator Murkowski. “It is past time for the equal rights of women to be guaranteed in the United States Constitution, and I will continue to advocate for the passage of this resolution until that is achieved.”

    “I am proud that Hawaii was the first state to ratify the ERA, but we must finally amend the Constitution to ensure that the next generation of women are guaranteed equal rights,” said Senator Hirono. “With the reintroduction of this resolution, we reaffirm our commitment to fighting for equal opportunity and equal rights for all. It has been over a century-long fight to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment, and we won’t stop until gender equity is enshrined in the Constitution.”

    “Women throughout history have fought tirelessly against sexism and inequality, refusing to accept a world that denied them their full rights. Their courage paved the way for progress—but the fight is far from over. We are grateful for the leadership of Senator Lisa Murkowski, Senator Mazie Hirono, and Rep. Ayanna Pressley in reintroducing this important resolution, recognizing the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment. This Women’s History Month we renew our commitment to the pursuit of true gender equality. The women who came before us didn’t give up, neither will we,” said Zakiya Thomas, President & CEO, ERA Coalition.

    “The Equal Rights Amendment is a short yet powerful declaration — ‘Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex,’” Congresswoman Dean said. “Words matter—and we must be explicit in our Constitution to ensure that equality is a reality for every person in our nation. I’m grateful for Congresswoman Pressley’s leadership in this century-long fight and in the enduring legacy of Congresswoman Shirley Chislom and others before us. We must expand the mission of the 19th Amendment and fulfill the promise of the ERA.”

    “When I was 27, I represented my state at the National Women’s Conference in Houston—and I still have the ERA pin I wore that day. I’ve kept it all these years because the fight isn’t over. Two years ago, I went to Seneca Falls and met with the next generation of activists. Let me tell you—they are just as committed, just as fearless, as I was back then. And like me, they’re still waiting for this country to guarantee women the same constitutional protections as men,” said Congresswoman Garcia. “Those fighting against the ERA are the same ones who fear powerful women—the ones who pay us less, promote us less, and try to silence us. It’s long overdue to make the ERA the 28th Amendment of the Constitution. I stand today for justice, for fairness, and for future generations of women and girls who deserve fairness, justice, and equality of opportunities.”

    “Generations of women, especially women of color, have relentlessly fought for equal rights in a system that has long denied them fairness under the law — and that fight is far from over,” said Rep. McClellan. “I led the fight in Virginia to make our Commonwealth the final state needed to ratify the ERA, taking a stand on the right side of history. Now, we must finish the job by enshrining gender equality in the Constitution once and for all.”

    The Equal Rights Amendment was first introduced 100 years ago to codify gender equality. Since 1923, the constitutional amendment was introduced in every session of Congress until it passed in 1972 in both the House and Senate. Congress then placed an arbitrary seven-year deadline on the ratification process before extending the deadline to 1982, but only 35 ratified the ERA before the arbitrary deadline.  However, with the recent ratifications of the ERA by Nevada in 2017, Illinois in 2018 and Virginia in 2020, the 38 states needed for certification of the ERA to be become the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution has now been reached.

    Ratifying the ERA, which states, “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State on account of sex”, would affirm women’s equality in our Constitution, enshrining the principle of women’s equality and an explicit prohibition against sex discrimination in the nation’s foundational document.

    As the 28th Amendment, the ERA would serve as a new tool—for Congress, for federal agencies, and in the courts—to advance equality in the fields of workforce and pay, pregnancy discrimination, sexual harassment and violence, reproductive autonomy, and protections for LGBTQ+ individuals. Enshrining this protection in our Constitution also ensures enduring protections for all Americans across the country.

    It would also signal to the courts that they should apply a more rigorous level of review to laws and government policies that discriminate on the basis of sex, making it more likely for them to be struck down.

    Text of the resolution is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    March 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: March 26, 2025 Rep. Mullin Reacts to President Trump’s Unlawful Attempt to Restrict Voting Rights Today, Rep. Kevin Mullin, Co-Chair of the Taskforce on Strengthening Democracy, released the following statement in response to President Trump’s executive order that makes it harder for Americans to vote: “President Trump just signed a dangerous executive order that would… Read More

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Kevin Mullin California (15th District)

    Today, Rep. Kevin Mullin, Co-Chair of the Taskforce on Strengthening Democracy, released the following statement in response to President Trump’s executive order that makes it harder for Americans to vote:

    “President Trump just signed a dangerous executive order that would block millions of Americans from voting in future elections and would particularly affect our military members, their families, and married women. This illegal voter suppression tactic is another costly and reckless attempt to undermine free and fair democratic processes while leaving hard-working Americans footing the bill. Make no mistake, Trump’s action is an unlawful attempt to maintain unfettered power so he can continue strangling our democracy. The President wants to spend over $3 billion in taxpayer money on unnecessary voting restrictions, while handing over Americans’ personal information to an unelected billionaire, Elon Musk.

    Trump’s order also infringes on the authority of states and localities to administer their elections. At its core, this order is an unnecessary and unlawful political maneuver designed to hand Trump’s extreme Republican party electoral victories for decades to come. Trump’s actions are distracting us from other threats to election integrity from overseas adversaries—threats he has consistently ignored or dismissed.

    We cannot stand by idly while Trump threatens to delay elections and disenfranchise voters. I am outraged at this blatant and unlawful assault on our democracy, and confident that it will be struck down in court.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    March 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: 43 officials, 5 entities penalized for bridge collapse

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    Authorities in Northwest China’s Shaanxi province have held five entities and 43 public officials accountable for negligence and dereliction of duty in connection with a highway bridge collapse that left 62 people dead or missing in July last year.
    The collapse occurred on July 19, when flash floods caused by heavy rainfall swept away part of a bridge in Zhashui county in Shangluo, Shaanxi province. The disaster sent 25 vehicles plunging into the river below, causing direct economic losses estimated at 157.51 million yuan ($21.68 million).
    Following the incident, an investigation team led by the Ministry of Emergency Management and composed of experts in bridge engineering, water resources, transportation, meteorology and geology was formed in accordance with the emergency laws. The probe examined the performance of local governments and relevant departments to determine their responsibilities.
    Investigators found that the collapse was caused by a combination of mountain and basin-wide floods that carried large amounts of floating debris, including tree trunks, which clogged the bridge piers. The pressure of the water and debris exceeded the piers’ bearing capacity, ultimately causing the foundation to fail.
    The assessment also revealed serious flaws in the construction, management, design and supervision of expressway bridges, as well as inadequate river-related oversight. Investigators identified illegal subcontracting, non-compliant construction practices and falsified supervision and testing records as key issues.
    The Shaanxi Provincial Department of Transportation, the Shaanxi Provincial Department of Water Resources, the Shangluo and Zhashui governments, and Shaanxi Transportation Holding Group were the entities held accountable.
    Of the 43 individuals penalized, 38 received disciplinary and administrative punishments within the Communist Party of China, while three were given warnings or admonishments. Two others were arrested on suspicion of criminal activity, along with one individual from a construction consulting firm.
    Authorities have since proposed a series of preventive measures, including strengthening responsibility for major safety risks, improving disaster prevention and mitigation capabilities on expressways, enhancing oversight of river-related infrastructure and enforcing a lifelong accountability system for expressway construction quality.

    MIL OSI China News –

    March 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: Improved connectivity drives growth in Xizang

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    A view of the Lhasa-Nyingchi Highway in the Xizang autonomous region on Sept 3. [Photo/Xinhua]
    The Xizang autonomous region’s modern transportation network, spanning more than 120,000 kilometers of highways along with expanding rail and air links, is driving economic growth, social progress and deeper integration with the rest of China.
    By the end of last year, Xizang’s total road mileage had reached 124,900 km — nearly double the figure in 2012 — marking a significant milestone in the region’s transportation infrastructure, according to the regional transportation authority.
    Rural connectivity also saw major progress, with 309 rural road projects completed last year. The projects added 17 townships to the paved road network, raising the township connectivity rate to about 98 percent. The total rural road mileage reached 94,800 km, said Dawa Ngodrub, deputy head of the region’s transportation department.
    Dawa Ngodrub recalled the region’s past, saying that 70 years ago, Xizang, known as the “roof of the world”, was a place where high mountains and large rivers posed formidable barriers.
    “In the plateau’s pastoral areas, people relied on primitive and ancient transportation methods like post roads, cableways and rafts. Material exchange was a labor-intensive affair, mainly relying on people and livestock carrying goods,” he said, adding that it was a major bottleneck restricting regional development.
    Xizang ended its long-standing isolation in 1954 with the simultaneous opening of the 4,360-km Sichuan-Xizang and Qinghai-Xizang highways, marking its first highway access. On July 1, 2006, the full operation of the Qinghai-Xizang Railway ended the region’s railway-less past. Since then, an expanding network of roads, railways and air routes has driven Xizang’s socioeconomic transformation.
    Following the Qinghai-Xizang Railway’s inauguration, the Lhasa-Shigatse Railway, an extension of it, started operations in 2014 and was upgraded to high-speed service in 2021, reducing travel time between the two cities from eight to nine hours by car to two hours and 20 minutes by train.
    The Lhasa-Nyingchi Railway, Xizang’s first electrified railway, entered service in June 2021. Major cities such as Lhasa, Lhokha, Nagchu, Shigatse and Nyingchi are now connected by main railway lines, with the region’s railway operation mileage expected to reach 1,187 km by the end of last year, data from the department showed.
    The impact of these transportation advancements is deeply felt at the grassroots level. Lhatse, a 31-year-old forklift driver from Shigatse working at the Lhasa West Freight Station of the Qinghai-Xizang Railway, is a prime example.
    He started working as a loader in 2012, and as freight volume grew following the 2014 opening of the Lhasa-Shigatse Railway, he learned new skills and earned a forklift operation qualification certificate.
    With a stable monthly income of more than 10,000 yuan ($1,376), he encouraged his brother and uncle to join the industry. The railway has not only boosted his career, but also improved his family life.
    “This year, I bought a car,” he said proudly.
    Lhatse also praised the improved transportation network.
    “Before, poor transportation meant my family couldn’t visit me,” he said. “Now, with the train from Shigatse to Lhasa taking just over two hours, they visit annually and even tour the Potala Palace before heading home.”
    The railway has also helped migrant workers like him balance farming and work, with more than 100 fellow villagers now working as loaders at the Lhasa station.
    In Changkar village, Dingri county, Kunga has also benefited from the improvements.
    “The journey from our village to Shigatse, once 10 hours by car, is now less than four hours, and the trip from Dingri county to Lhasa, which took six days by truck two or three decades ago, now takes just eight hours,” said Kunga.
    Better roads have also revolutionized access to medical services.
    “In the past, serious illnesses often meant a long and risky trip to Shigatse or Lhasa, and some poor families had to rely on local remedies,” he said. “Now, reaching a hospital is much easier, and living standards have improved.”
    With improved access to railways, the region has seen growth in the tourism and logistics industries.
    According to China Railway Qinghai-Xizang Group, by February this year, the Qinghai-Xizang Railway had transported more than 38.75 million passenger trips in and out of Xizang and 925.63 million metric tons of goods.
    The Lhasa-Shigatse Railway has seen 15.47 million passenger trips and has carried 58.284 million metric tons of goods, while the Lhasa-Nyingchi Railway has facilitated 3.69 million passenger trips and hauled 11.37 million metric tons of goods.
    This year, Xizang will expand investment in transportation, enhance logistics efficiency and reduce costs, aiming to further promote high-quality growth, said Dawa Ngodrub, deputy head of the region’s transportation department.

    MIL OSI China News –

    March 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: Chery launches new cars in Czech Republic

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    This photo taken on March 26, 2025 shows a vehicle during a launch event of Chery in Prague, the Czech Republic. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Chinese automaker Chery has officially launched four new models of its OMODA 5 and JAECOO 7 in the Czech market.

    Attending the launch event Wednesday in the Czech capital were more than 700 people including officials, representatives of trade associations, automobile dealers and Chery’s business partners.

    Calling sustainable development and green transition a global consensus, Chinese Ambassador to the Czech Republic Feng Biao told the audience that in the field of new energy vehicles, China is willing to engage in mutually beneficial cooperation with the Czech Republic and share technological expertise, making joint efforts to combat climate change and contributing to global sustainable development.

    Cooperation between Chinese and Czech businesses would help advance economic and trade relations between the two countries, improving the well-being of the two peoples, Feng added.

    Shen Zaoshi, deputy general manager of Chery’s European Union region, told Xinhua that Chery has conducted extensive market research to ensure the new models launched would meet local consumers’ demands.

    Noting that the Czech automotive market is relatively mature with consumers with strong purchasing power, Shen said that Chery, with its technological and product advantages, would provide local consumers with more options.

    According to the company, Chery will collaborate with its local partner Grand Automotive Central Europe to establish a sales and service network, with about 30 sales outlets to be set up in the Czech Republic by the end of 2025.

    MIL OSI China News –

    March 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Serious crash: SH2, Maungatāwhiri

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Police are in attendance at a serious crash on State Highway 2 near Maungatāwhiri this evening.

    Two vehicles are involved in the crash, which has occurred near the Maramarua Golf Club.

    It was first reported to Police at 4.24pm.

    Two people are in a critical condition, with a third person in a serious condition.

    Those in critical condition are due to be airlifted to hospital.

    State Highway 2 is currently closed in both directions.

    Diversions are due to be put in place, but we advise motorists to expect delays and to take an alternative route if at all possible.

    The Serious Crash Unit is being deployed to examine the scene.

    ENDS.

    Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    March 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: Suspect arrested, charged in connection with Tesla arson attack in US

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    A Las Vegas resident has been arrested and charged in connection with a violent Tesla arson attack in the Nevada city earlier this month, authorities said on Thursday.

    Paul Hyon Kim, 36, was charged by criminal complaint with one count of unlawful possession of an unregistered firearm and one count of arson, said the U.S. Department of Justice in a statement.

    Kim was arrested by Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officers on Wednesday and remains in federal custody. The Las Vegas resident made his initial appearance on Thursday in U.S. District Court in Las Vegas to face federal charges related to an arson at a Tesla collision business, according to the statement.

    “Today’s federal charges demonstrate our strong partnerships and collaboration with law enforcement partners and the joint pursuit to end domestic terrorism,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Sue Fahami for the District of Nevada in the statement.

    According to allegations in the complaint, on March 18, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department patrol officers responded to an emergency call about a person setting vehicles on fire and hearing gunshots at a Tesla collision business. During the investigation, it was determined that Molotov cocktails and a .30 caliber AR-style firearm were used to damage and destroy five Tesla vehicles, and graffiti was sprayed to write “Resist” on the front of the building.

    If convicted, Kim faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison for the unlawful possession of an unregistered firearm charge, and a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison up to a maximum of 20 years in prison for the arson charge, the statement added.

    Kim’s attack at the Tesla service center in Las Vegas was the latest of its kind to target Tesla cars, dealerships and charging stations across the nation in protest of the company’s CEO Elon Musk’s role in the Department of Government Efficiency.

    “Has there ever been such a level of coordinated violence against a peaceful company?” Elon Musk wrote in a post on socia media X last week, adding that “I understand not wanting to buy a product, but this is extreme arson and destruction.”

    Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump spoke in a show of support for Musk, describing violence against Tesla as domestic terrorism. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi also described attacks on Tesla as “nothing short of domestic terrorism” and announced charges against three individuals responsible for the violent destruction of Tesla properties.

    “Let this be a warning: if you join this wave of domestic terrorism against Tesla properties, the Department of Justice will put you behind bars,” Bondi noted in a statement.

    MIL OSI China News –

    March 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: Israeli airstrike kills Hamas spokesperson in N Gaza

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    This photo taken on March 24, 2025 shows rubble of buildings damaged by an Israeli shelling in the Shuja’iyya neighborhood, east of Gaza City. [Photo/Xinhua]

    The Israeli military confirmed on Thursday that it killed Hamas spokesperson Abdul Latif al-Qanou in an overnight airstrike in northern Gaza.

    In a statement, the military described al-Qanou as “one of Hamas’ key inciters,” accusing him of using media platforms for propaganda, psychological terror, and spreading false information about Hamas’ activities both within and outside Gaza.

    Earlier on Thursday, Hamas said al-Qanou was killed in an airstrike on his tent in Jabalia, northern Gaza. Several other individuals were reportedly injured in the strike, according to Hamas-run Al-Aqsa television, citing health officials.

    Hamas vowed that the killing of its spokesperson would only strengthen its resistance efforts.

    Al-Qanou died when an Israeli missile struck his tent in Jabalia refugee camp at dawn on Thursday. His death is the latest in a series of high-profile Hamas figures targeted by Israel as part of its ongoing assassination campaign.

    Israeli airstrikes resumed on March 18 after the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, which had been in effect since Jan. 19, collapsed.

    Following the breakdown of the truce, Israeli forces launched ground operations across southern, northern, and central Gaza. The death toll from this latest escalation has exceeded 855, according to Gaza-based health authorities.

    MIL OSI China News –

    March 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: Investigation report released for deadly bridge collapse in NW China

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    A bridge collapse in northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, which left 62 people dead or missing, was caused by mountain torrents and regional flooding, according to an investigation report released on Thursday.
    The incident occurred on July 19, 2024 involving a highway bridge in Zhashui County in the city of Shangluo, causing 25 vehicles to plunge into the river below, according to the report approved by an investigation and evaluation team comprising departments such as the Ministry of Emergency Management.
    The disaster was triggered by mountain torrents and regional flooding, which caused large floating debris, such as timber, to accumulate at the bridge piers, the report said. The combined pressure from the flowing water and the debris exceeded the piers’ load-bearing capacity, leading to the breakage of the bridge piers and collapse of the entire bridge structure, according to the report.
    The collapse has also exposed issues related to the construction management, design, construction, supervision, and river regulation of highway bridges, the report said.
    The bridge collapse resulted in direct economic losses of approximately 158 million yuan (about 22 million U.S. dollars), according to the report.
    It added that the provincial disciplinary inspection and supervisory commission, in accordance with laws and regulations, held those responsible for the disaster accountable.

    MIL OSI China News –

    March 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: XPENG flying car completes trial flight in Hunan

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    A drone photo taken on March 27, 2025 shows the air module of XPENG’s flying car AEROHT conducting a flight demonstration at Liuye Lake Tourist Resort in Changde City, central China’s Hunan Province. [Photo/Xinhua]

    The “Land Aircraft Carrier,” a flying car developed by Chinese electric vehicle maker XPENG, completed a public trial flight Thursday in Changde City, central China’s Hunan Province.

    The air module of the flying car performed a trans-lake flight. Flying to a height of 40 meters, it landed at the original location safely after circling over Liuye Lake, a scenic spot in Changde.

    “This flying car can be used for both sightseeing and rescue purposes,” said Zhao Deli, founder of XPENG’s flying car affiliate Huitian.

    This flying car consists of a ground module and an air module. The ground module is an electric vehicle while the air module is known as electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL).

    Last year, a test flight was carried out in Lujiazui, Shanghai. The product has received nearly 5,000 orders.

    The ground module of XPENG’s flying car AEROHT is pictured at Liuye Lake Tourist Resort in Changde City, central China’s Hunan Province, March 27, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

    March 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: Trump’s sweeping auto tariffs trigger strong global backlash

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    People test-drive a vehicle during a media preview of the 2024 Los Angeles Auto Show in Los Angeles, California, the United States, on Nov. 21, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    U.S. President Donald Trump has announced sweeping 25 percent tariffs on imported automobiles and certain automobile parts, a move that has sparked strong reactions from major trading partners and industry leaders worldwide.

    The announcement has drawn immediate backlash from American auto dealers and industry analysts, who warn that the tariffs will significantly drive up car prices and hurt consumers already facing rising costs.

    Cody Lusk, president and CEO of the American International Automobile Dealers Association, issued a statement cautioning that the tariffs would burden American families.

    “For auto dealers and their customers, already reeling from rising vehicle and parts prices, as well as high interest rates and insurance costs, these new tariffs pose an additional and unwelcome challenge to affordability,” Lusk said. “Tariffs can play an important role in balancing trade relationships and ensuring national security. But increasing barriers to trade also puts added pressure on the wallets of American families.”

    Industry experts echo these concerns. Kenneth Kim, senior economist at KPMG, estimated in a research note that new vehicle prices could increase by several thousand U.S. dollars, with some reaching hikes of 10,000 dollars or more.

    John Murphy, senior vice president at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, warned that the tariffs would harm rather than help the U.S. auto industry.

    “The tariffs announced today will harm — not help — the U.S. auto industry, endanger many American jobs, and lead to a hollowing out of auto manufacturing in the United States,” Murphy said.

    Beyond the United States, global responses to the tariffs have been swift and firm. In Canada, Prime Minister Mark Carney condemned the measure, calling it “a direct attack” on Canadian workers. During his election campaign, Carney had vowed that his government would explore possible retaliatory measures.

    Previously, Carney had announced a “strategic response fund” worth 2 billion Canadian dollars (1.4 billion U.S. dollars) to bolster domestic manufacturing and counteract the impact of the tariffs. He emphasized the need to strengthen Canada’s auto sector by reducing reliance on cross-border supply chains.

    Auto parts often cross the border multiple times, and the added costs of tariffs and counter-tariffs would quickly snowball. Carney called that a “huge vulnerability” and promised to build an “all-in-Canada” manufacturing network to build more car parts domestically, limiting how often they cross the border during production.

    In Europe, the reaction was similarly critical. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed deep regret over the U.S. decision, emphasizing the importance of transatlantic trade.

    “The automotive industry is a driver of innovation, competitiveness and high-quality jobs, with deeply integrated supply chains on both sides of the Atlantic,” von der Leyen said in a statement. She added that tariffs “are bad for businesses, worse for consumers” in both the United States and the EU.

    She added that the EU would assess the implications of the U.S. decision while continuing to seek negotiated solutions.

    Germany’s automotive industry issued a strong rebuke, with Hildegard Muller, president of the German Association of the Automotive Industry, warning that the tariffs would disrupt global supply chains and damage trade relations.

    “These additional tariffs will not only impact European manufacturers but also have direct consequences for the U.S. economy itself. The fallout from such measures threatens growth and prosperity on both sides of the Atlantic,” Muller stated, calling for immediate U.S.-EU negotiations to establish a fair trade agreement.

    Britain has also raised concerns about the potential fallout. British Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves warned that escalating trade tensions would harm both economies.

    “Trade wars are no good for anyone. It will end up with higher prices for consumers, pushing up inflation after we’ve worked so hard to get a grip of inflation, and at the same time, will make it harder for British companies to export,” Reeves told local media on Thursday. “We are looking to secure a better trading relationship with the United States,” she added, noting that further discussions would take place later in the week.

    British industry leaders echoed her concerns. Mike Hawes, CEO of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, described the tariffs as “disappointing” and urged the United States and Britain to seek a constructive resolution.

    “Rather than imposing additional tariffs, we should explore ways in which opportunities for both British and American manufacturers can be created as part of a mutually beneficial relationship, benefitting consumers and creating jobs and growth across the Atlantic,” Hawes said, emphasizing the importance of maintaining strong trade ties.

    Japan, a key supplier of automobiles to the United States, is also bracing for economic repercussions. According to the Japan Research Institute, automobile production in the country is expected to decline by 4.3 percent annually due to reduced U.S. sales, while overall industrial production could drop by 0.6 percent as a result of the expanded tariffs.

    Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba stated that Japan would consider all options to counter the impact of the tariffs.

    “We are strongly urging the United States not to apply the 25 percent tariff to Japan,” Ishiba said, highlighting Japan’s contributions to the U.S. economy through investment and job creation. He also questioned the fairness of applying a uniform tariff to all countries.

    As the global backlash mounts, tensions between the United States and its key trading partners are intensifying, raising the stakes for future trade negotiations and economic stability.

    MIL OSI China News –

    March 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: Boao forum sends reassuring message to unstable, uncertain world

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    This photo shows the opening ceremony of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference 2025 in Boao, south China’s Hainan Province, March 27, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    As crises flare across global hotspots — from geopolitical conflicts to rising protectionism — a strikingly different scene unfolded in the coastal town of Boao in southern Chinese province of Hainan.

    Amid the tranquility of the small town, the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) annual conference opened with a timely theme: “Asia in the Changing World: Towards a Shared Future,” offering a rare space for cooperation and dialogue in an increasingly fractured world.

    “Our world is experiencing far greater instability and uncertainty,” Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang said at the conference’s opening ceremony on Thursday morning.

    Ding, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, called for strengthening mutual trust, enhancing win-win cooperation, promoting economic globalization and safeguarding the free trade system.

    Since Tuesday, when the BFA annual conference began its panels and sub-forums, the world has witnessed a series of escalating crises.

    U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to impose 25 percent tariffs on all vehicles and auto parts imported into the United States, a move seen as expanding trade protectionism. In the Middle East, Yemen’s Houthi group launched fresh attacks on a U.S. aircraft carrier in the Red Sea and “military targets” in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv. Meanwhile, in East Asia, deadly wildfires engulfed parts of the Republic of Korea (ROK), claiming lives and causing damage.

    Against this backdrop, Boao became more than just a venue for speeches; it became a space for confronting common challenges. Participants delved into issues that transcend borders, from building an open global economy and accelerating modernization in the Global South to addressing the climate crisis, demographic shifts, and the implications of artificial intelligence (AI).

    Asian economic integration

    Addressing the opening ceremony, Ding said that significant progress has been made in building an Asian community with a shared future over the past decade.

    He added that regional economic integration has been strengthened, and Asia’s share in the global economy is steadily rising.

    Highlighting the profound global transformations and the rise of unilateralism and protectionism, BFA Chairman and former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon described the “Asian miracle” as, to a large extent, a product of globalization, free trade, and open regionalism.

    Ban Ki-moon, chairman of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) and former UN secretary-general, speaks at the opening ceremony of the BFA Annual Conference 2025 in Boao, south China’s Hainan Province, March 27, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Asian economic integration, many speakers noted, is gaining momentum, with regional frameworks like the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) serving as a cornerstone for deepening economic ties.

    The RCEP has emerged as an important anchor for global free trade, said Kuang Xianming, deputy head of the China Institute for Reform and Development, adding that the world’s largest free trade agreement keeps opening up regional markets and advancing regional liberalization.

    The RCEP includes 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its five free trade agreement partners, namely China, Japan, the ROK, Australia, and New Zealand.

    Signs of growing cooperation were also seen in a recent high-level economic dialogue between China and Japan, which reached 20 consensus points on collaboration in areas such as green development, environmental protection, and elderly care services, among others.

    Meanwhile, a BFA report identified China and ASEAN as the most appealing economies in Asia. It noted that the inward and outward foreign direct investment dependence of Asian economies on the region itself reached 49.15 percent in 2023, underscoring the region’s growing economic interdependence.

    Answers for an uncertain world

    For many participants, the BFA annual conference was more than just an event for Asia. It served as a reminder that, amid global turbulence, platforms for dialogue and trust-building still exist and still matter.

    The Global South, whose economies contribute 80 percent to world economic growth, took center stage at the meeting.

    South-South cooperation today is greener, smarter, and more inclusive, said Xiaojun Grace Wang, Trust Fund Director of UN Office for South-South Cooperation, calling on the Global South nations to seize this era’s opportunities by enhancing collaboration on digital and data-driven solutions for sustainable development.

    Climate change and the governance of emerging technologies also dominated conversations.

    Helena Mcleod, deputy director general and head of the Green Growth Planning & Implementation Division at the Global Green Growth Institute, speaks at a panel discussion themed on “Addressing Climate Change: Issues and Solutions” during the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference 2025 in Boao, south China’s Hainan Province, March 26, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Helena McLeod, deputy director general and head of the Green Growth Planning & Implementation Division at the Global Green Growth Institute, underscored the vital role of legislation in accelerating the global green transition. “The legislative approaches have to be addressed, and that includes the carbon pricing and pollution control policies.”

    On AI, experts have warned of the risks of unregulated development. “If countries fail to anticipate and manage the risks of AI, they may find themselves inadequately prepared when challenges arise,” said Zeng Yi, a researcher with the Institute of Automation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

    China’s reform and opening up continue to draw global attention. Since launching the drive in 1978, the country has transformed from an impoverished nation into a market-oriented economic powerhouse, driving high-quality development and creating opportunities shared with the rest of the world.

    Its GDP grew by 5 percent year on year in 2024, ranking among the world’s fastest-growing major economies while continuing to contribute about 30 percent to global economic growth.

    A panel discussion themed on “AI: How to Strike a Balance between Application and Governance” is held during the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference 2025 in Boao, south China’s Hainan Province, March 26, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    China’s resolve to deepen reform and opening up, Ban noted, has bolstered confidence in inclusive globalization and an open world economy, injected fresh impetus into a strong and balanced global recovery, and created new opportunities for international cooperation.

    “Opening up is a distinct hallmark of Chinese modernization,” Ding said, adding that the country will steadily expand institutional opening up, further improve market access for foreign investors, and expand trials to open sectors such as telecommunications, medical services, and education.

    “We warmly welcome businesses from all countries to invest and operate in China, participate in the process of Chinese modernization, and share in China’s development opportunities,” he added.

    MIL OSI China News –

    March 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: Flower festival teams tradition with technology

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    With spring arriving in Shanghai and vibrant flowers blooming across the city, the annual Huazhao Festival held in the city’s Yuyuan is attracting visitors in traditional Chinese culture in a modern, dynamic way.

    The flower festival, held the second month of the lunar calendar to celebrate the flower goddess’ birthday, boasts a history of over 2,000 years. According to ancient beliefs, the flower goddess controls human reproduction, and celebrating her birthday has become a custom to bring prosperity.

    Running until the end of April, this year’s festival integrates traditional culture with modern technology, offering visitors a feast for the eyes and ears. Colorful light shows, parades of performers dressed as the flower goddess, and dance and musical performances are taking place at landmarks within Yuyuan, including its Central Plaza, Gold Plaza and Jiuqu (Zigzag) Bridge areas.

    Decorated with floral elements, the ancient architecture and sets are transformed into stages. With advanced projection technology, the dynamic lights jump to the beat of music on building roofs and laser beams flash across the fog on the lotus pond, creating a vibrant atmosphere.

    The music for the light show was tailor-made for Yuyuan by a French musical team, presenting a unique blend of East and West influences, tradition and modernity.

    Against the architectural backdrop, dance and music performances feature guofeng, a Chinese style that uses traditional cultural elements. The dance performance in the Central Plaza is a reproduction of a famed painting depicting ladies with floral headdresses in the Tang Dynasty (618-907), and the folk music duet in the Gold Plaza blends ancient Chinese music with modern melodies, drawing large crowds.

    In addition to the innovative technologies and eye-catching shows, a slew of interactive activities are offered during the festival, particularly targeting young audiences. Working with the makeup team of Xiaohongshu (RedNote), a popular Chinese lifestyle platform, the festival includes a market offering visitors immersive experiences such as traditional makeup, fragrance sachet-making, flower hair-pinning, hair braiding, an arrow toss and poetry writing.

    “We are bringing some of our beauty bloggers and vloggers to the market to share their experiences. There are many visitors from home and abroad and we want to demonstrate our Chinese traditions and culture,” says Xu Tongru from the makeup team at Xiaohongshu.

    Wang Qiru, a 33-year-old makeup artist and popular makeup vlogger on the platform, was invited to the market to meet her followers and offer visitors to experience a popular makeup style from the Tang Dynasty. Becoming a makeup artist specializing in restoring ancient makeup styles in 2022, she hopes to help more audiences learn about this art form.

    “Most of my clients are 20 to 35 years old, and I have seen more people paying attention to our traditional culture recently. Although it is easy to gain interest and basic knowledge of traditional culture, such as hanfu and makeup, it takes a lot of time and effort if you go deep into it,” says Wang, noting that abundant knowledge of ancient Chinese history and culture is necessary for doing such classic makeup.

    Zhang Ruiqi, a 19-year-old university student in Shanghai, is one of Wang’s followers. Dressed up and doing makeup at Wang’s booth, she says she has been fond of ancient Chinese makeup since she was younger.

    “I find it interesting to dig into history by restoring ancient makeup styles. At first, my interest in traditional clothing was triggered by costume dramas but when I learned about real hanfu, I felt more fascinated. It’s worth studying,” she says with a smile.

    Foreign visitors at Yuyuan share Zhang’s perspective despite knowing little about the festival before attending. Gerald Mohnl, a 57-year-old Austrian, gained a “nice” experience at Yuyuan on his last day of a business trip to China. Making his first visit to the country and Shanghai, he was impressed by the electric vehicles and described the city as “very clean and super modern”.

    “We went through Yuyuan, which was a really nice experience. There are a lot of traditional buildings here. Chinese culture is interesting and totally different from our culture. It is very comfortable with friendly people,” he says.

    Susan Willis, an Australian nurse on her first visit to Shanghai, was about to finish her 10-day trip and was impressed by the buildings at Yuyuan.

    “The architecture is lovely, traditional and classic. Shanghai is an innovative and spectacular city,” she says, adding that she knew little about Chinese culture and felt she learned a lot.

    MIL OSI China News –

    March 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Morwell welcomes new Heavy Tanker to their fleet

    Source:

    Back L to R: Jeremy Martin, Jai Maher, Aaron Yates, Captain Wayne Draper, ACFO Bryan Russell, Michael Franchetto, Bayley Charalambous. Front L to R: Lynne O’Callaghan, Narelle Douthie, Jarod Rodway

    Morwell Fire Brigade has officially welcomed the arrival of their new Heavy Tanker through the station doors which is set to boost their firefighting capabilities to serve their local community.

    Brigade members gathered at the fire station on Thursday, 27 March to celebrate the new addition to their fleet, where CFA Assistant Chief Fire Officer Bryan Russell had the honour of handing over the keys.

    Morwell Captain Wayne Draper said the brigade is excited to use the new tanker which will put them in a better position to protect the community because of the increased water capacity of 4000L.

    “The new tanker has been great for morale since coming into the station. It’s very user friendly and will be a great benefit to us,” Wayne said.

    “The extra 1,000 litres of water will go a long way out on the fireground.

    “It is also now a lot more comfortable for members to ride in the cab, and the simplicity of the layout has been easier for our volunteers to navigate.

    “Over the last few months, we’ve put a lot of work into adjusting to a completely different truck, as this one is a lot bigger than what we’ve had previously.

    “I’ve been really proud of how well our members have embraced the challenge. We’ve had eight drivers and operators do more than 15 hours of training each to become accredited and they are keen to put their training into practice.”

    CFA Assistant Chief Fire Officer Bryan Russell said the new tanker will not just be an asset for response but also for the safety of the members.

    “It has some fantastic enhancements, with updated crew protection systems and burn over protection, plus full equipment stowage,” Bryan said.

    “The new features also aim to reduce crew fatigue and improve safety and ergonomics including easy to read electric monitors and electric rewind hose systems.”

    “Environmentally, we’re reducing impacts through use of recyclable building materials and higher levels of emission controls.”

    The Heavy Tanker’s 4×4 capability and automatic transmission will also help crews access fires in difficult terrain.

    The new vehicle was funded through the Victorian Government’s CFA Capability Funding package and is one of 48 new tankers being rolled out to CFA fire brigades across Victoria to ensure volunteer firefighters are well-equipped to protect their communities.

    Morwell Fire Brigade has a strong membership of 78, with 31 of them operational, and a strong female presence of six operational, six auxiliary and 14 junior members. The brigade has a large response area in the Latrobe Valley area of Gippsland and averages 310 callouts a year.

    • Captain Wayne Draper and Assistant Chief Fire Officer Bryan Russell
    • Credit: Uniform Photography
    Submitted by CFA media

    MIL OSI News –

    March 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Australia: CFA celebrates 80 years at new Beaufort Fire Station

    Source:

    Beaufort Fire Brigade was officially handed the keys to their new station and Heavy Tanker today in an event that celebrated the past and present.

    The Volunteer Brigade movement has been around in Victoria for more than 170 years, but on April 2, CFA will celebrate its 80th anniversary since it was formed following the findings of the 1939 Black Friday disaster.

    Beaufort Captain Tony Neville said the brigade, in its 151 year, were thrilled to be operating out the new state of the art station and using the new Heavy Tanker.

    “Everything flows better,” Tony said.

    “All our trucks are all on the one bay, we used to have separate sheds and had to move cars around to get to equipment.

    “I think it may have also helped with recruitment with five new volunteers waiting to do their General Fire Fighting training.”

    The new station includes essential amenities such as a motor room with three drive-through bays, offices, workshops, operational areas, meeting rooms, change rooms for both male and female volunteers, as well as unisex ambulant facilities. Externally the station provides a car park, and a six-bay storage shed.  

    To mark the occasion a Willy’s Truck and running cart were on display to show how far CFA has evolved in the last 80 years.

    CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan said there was no better place to mark CFA’s 80th anniversary than with one of the oldest brigades in Victoria.

    “This brigade has been there since CFA’s inception and it is just wonderful to be celebrating here surrounded by the history of this long running brigade,” Jason said.

    “This new facility marks the beginning of a new part of this brigade’s history and one that will only improve the service CFA provides for their local areas.”

    Beaufort Fire Brigade respond to more than 100 call outs every year, attending bushfires, structural fires, motor vehicle accidents and heavy vehicle incidents, as well as supporting emergency response efforts of surrounding brigades. 

    • Some of the former Beaufort Fire Brigade Captains including Mike Cody, Colin Gerrard, Ron Brown, David Gerrard, Victor Denham, Jeff Torney and Neville Broadbent (from L to R)
    • CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan, Minister for Emergency Services Vicki Ward, Former Beaufort Captain David Gerrard AFSM, Robyn Gerrard and Deputy Chief Officer Brett Boatman
    • Minister for Emergency Services Vicki Ward and Ripon MP Martha Haylett
    • CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan, CFA Board Chair Jo Plummer, Beaufort Captain Tony Neville, Minister for Emergency Services Vicki Ward, Assistant Chief Fire Officer Steve Alcock and Ripon MP Martha Haylett
    Submitted by CFA media

    MIL OSI News –

    March 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Maintenance works coming for State Highway 1 Kilbirnie/Miramar

    Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

    State Highway 1 between the airport and Kilbirnie Crescent/Hamilton Road will see road maintenance work underway next month.

    Roxanne Hilliard, Wellington Alliance Manager, says the stretch of road is the next in line to be worked on as part of the state highway summer maintenance season.

    “This is a key link to the airport and to the Miramar Peninsula. Cobham Drive and Calabar Road carry 20,000 to 30,000 vehicles daily. The highway is well-used, and it is crucial it is kept safe and reliable for the public.”

    Road crews will be resurfacing sections of the highway at night between 9 pm and 4:30 am from Tuesday, 8 April, to Wednesday, 16 April.

    Work will be carried out on Calabar Road, at the Cobham Drive/Troy Street roundabout, the southbound lanes of Cobham Drive near Evans Bay Parade, and at the Kilbirnie Crescent/Hamilton Road intersection.

    Hilliard says these sections of State Highway 1 need to be worked on.

    “People frequently ask why we are working on a road that appears to be fine. The fact is, like servicing your car, the best time to do maintenance is before major damage occurs.”

    “A road may still look like it is in good condition when we resurface it, but what we are doing is fixing it before bigger and more expensive problems arise,” Ms. Hilliard says.

    She says that because it is a well-used route, people traveling between the Wellington CBD and Miramar will experience delays while the work is completed. Stop/Go traffic management and directional closures will be used as needed.

    “Unfortunately, we cannot do this type of work without affecting traffic. Completing it at night is the least disruptive option.”

    “There are fewer vehicles on the road at night, and the work is timed outside of peak operating times for Wellington Airport. However, if you have a late evening flight, please allow extra time to get to and from the airport,” Ms. Hilliard says.

    These works are weather-dependent and may be rescheduled in case of bad weather. Road resurfacing requires dry and warm weather conditions to be effective.

    Works schedule and detour maps

    • Tuesday, 8 April. 9 pm – 4:30 am.
      • SH1 Calabar Road near the Broadway/Stewart Duff Drive roundabout.
      • Stop/Go traffic management and 30 km/h temporary speed limit.
    • Wednesday, 9 April. 9 pm – 4:30 am.
      • Cobham Drive/Troy Street roundabout
      • Altered lane layout. Traffic can travel as normal
    • Thursday, 10 April, and Sunday, 13 April. 9 pm – 4:30 am.
      • SH1 Cobham Drive/Troy Street roundabout resurfacing
      • Northbound traffic detour via Troy Street, Rongotai Road, and Evans Bay Parade
    • Monday, 14 April. 9 pm – 4:30 am.
      • SH1 Cobham Drive resurfacing near Evans Bay Parade
      • Northbound  traffic detour via Troy Street, Rongotai Road, and Evans Bay Parade
    • Tuesday, 15 April. 9 pm – 4:30 am.
      • SH1 Cobham Drive resurfacing near Kilbirnie Crescent/Hamilton Road
      • Northbound detour via Evans Bay Parade, Rongotai Road, Crawford Road, and Wellington Road
    • Wednesday, 16 April. 9 pm – 4:30 am.
      • SH1 Cobham Drive resurfacing near Kilbirnie Crescent/Hamilton Road
      • Southbound detour via Wellington Road, Crawford Road, Rongotai Road, and Evans Bay Parade

    View larger SH1 Cobham Drive detour route [PDF, 130 KB]

    View larger SH1 Kilbirnie Crescent / Hamilton Road detour route [PDF, 119 KB]

    More information

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    March 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Road blocked, Hataitai

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Motorists are advised of a crash in Hataitai which has blocked the road.

    It happened about 2:20pm on Wellington Road between Walmer Street and Moxham Ave, and involved more than one vehicle.

    One car is currently on its roof, and as such, motorists are asked to take the diversion via Crawford Road, Rongotai Road, and Kilbirnie Crescent.

    Any injuries are yet to be determined.

    ENDS

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    March 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla Rated Second-Most Effective U.S. Senator in 118th Congress

    US Senate News:

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

    Padilla Rated Second-Most Effective U.S. Senator in 118th Congress

    ICYMI: SacBee: How effective are California’s senators and representatives? New survey rates them

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — In case you missed it, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) was rated as the second-most effective U.S. Senator in the 118th Congress by a nonpartisan report from the Center for Effective Lawmaking.

    “My top priority in the Senate is fighting on behalf of the people of California and delivering results for our state,” said Senator Padilla. “I will continue working to deliver solutions that advance California’s leadership in combating the climate crisis and improve our resiliency to natural disasters, and I will keep standing up for working families across the state.”

    The Sacramento Bee recently highlighted the report, noting that Senator Padilla sponsored 92 bills last Congress and reporting that nine passed the Senate and two became law. It also discusses three more of his bills that became law through larger legislative vehicles. The article specifically features his bipartisan Fusion Energy Act, which will accelerate the development of commercial fusion energy, as well as his bipartisan Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience Act, which establishes a permanent Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience within the Economic Development Administration (EDA) to support the short- and long-term economic recovery efforts of communities impacted by natural disasters.

    Key Article Excerpts:

    • Sen. Alex Padilla and Rep. Doris Matsui ranked among the most effective members of the last Congress, a new survey found Tuesday.
    • The study rated Padilla the Senate’s second most effective Democrat last year.
    • Also becoming law was the Fusion Energy Act of 2024, which wound up in budget legislation. The act is designed to allow the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to have regulatory authority over commercial fusion energy systems for certain purposes.
    • “The fact that both of these sponsored bills were referred to committees where he sat presumably provided him with opportunities to ensure that these measures were incorporated into other bills that were likely to advance further in the legislative process,” the report said. 

    Full text of the article is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    March 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: Europe pushes back as Trump slaps tariffs on imported cars

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday turned his earlier threat into action by signing an executive order imposing 25 percent tariffs on all imported vehicles.

    Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, gives a press statement on EU countermeasures to U.S. tariffs in Strasbourg, France, March 12, 2025. (European Union/Handout via Xinhua)

    The move has sparked a wave of criticism across Europe, prompting political leaders, experts, and industry representatives to call for countermeasures. They have also urged the strengthening of trade ties with other partners to help offset the impact of rising tariffs.

    WIDESPREAD OPPOSITION

    Emphasizing the importance of the transatlantic partnership and free trade as pillars of prosperity for both Europe and the United States, Hildegard Mueller, president of the German Association of Automotive Industry, described Trump’s decision as “a disastrous signal for free and rules-based trade.”

    Mueller’s remarks echo the widespread criticism and mounting tensions in transatlantic relations, which were further inflamed by Europe’s strong backlash on Thursday.

    Starting April 2, the previously low tariffs on car imports between the two allies will no longer apply, with rates set to rise sharply. The move follows Trump’s claim that the European Union’s trade surplus with the United States — especially in the automotive sector — is excessive.

    French President Emmanuel Macron called the additional tariffs both economically and geopolitically misguided. He also questioned the timing of the move, pointing to the irony that longstanding U.S. allies were the first to be targeted. “There is a kind of paradox in seeing the United States’ main allies being the first to be taxed,” he said.

    Jose Lopez-Tafall, director general of the Spanish Association of Automobile and Truck Manufacturers, described the tariffs as “clearly negative,” warning that they pave the way for “an economic confrontation” between both sides.

    “The new U.S. administration is adopting an increasingly confrontational approach toward its trading partners,” said Sonali Chowdhry, a trade expert at the German Institute for Economic Research. She noted that the new auto tariffs target a highly globalized industry and are certain to disrupt complex international supply chains.

    The Czech Automotive Industry Association also voiced its “serious concern” over the disruption the duties could cause to the economies of European manufacturers and suppliers, warning that the tariffs threaten their global competitiveness.

    TARIFFS THREATEN BOTH SIDES OF THE ATLANTIC

    Experts widely agree that the rising tariffs will inflict economic damage on both Europe and the United States. The resulting surge in costs is expected to be passed directly on to U.S. consumers, fueling inflation, while also dampening European exports and leading to potential job losses across the continent. Moreover, many U.S.-built vehicles depend heavily on components sourced from Europe.

    “A trade war has no winners,” said Dirk Jandura, president of the Federation of German Wholesale, Foreign Trade and Services. The trade body had previously projected a 2.7 percent decline in German foreign trade in 2025. “We will now revise this forecast significantly downward,” Jandura added.

    The impact of the tariffs is expected to hit German carmakers particularly hard, as a substantial share of their exports is destined for the U.S. market.

    According to Germany’s Federal Statistical Office, around 3.4 million new German vehicles were exported in 2024, with the United States accounting for 13.1 percent of the total.

    The United Kingdom is also likely to be heavily affected, as the United States is its second-largest market for car exports after the European Union. British Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said talks would be held between the two countries to forge a better trade relationship. “Trade wars are no good for anyone, and Britain does not want to escalate this conflict,” Reeves said.

    An Italian study by Marco Simoni, a political economist at Rome’s LUISS University, forecasts that the U.S. economy could contract by 2-3 percent due to the tariffs. The study also predicts that the unemployment rate could rise by three percentage points between 2025 and 2032, while inflation may increase by 4 percent over the next two years.

    RETALIATORY MEASURES ON THE WAY

    European Commission spokesperson Olof Gill warned on Thursday that the EU is preparing “robust” and “well-calibrated” countermeasures.

    “We have this announcement on cars. Next week, we understand that a new suite of measures from the U.S., what they’re calling their reciprocal tariffs, will come into force. We regret all of these, but we are preparing for all of these,” Gill said.

    German Economics Minister Robert Habeck noted that the U.S. tariffs were “not a surprise,” adding that the European Commission had coordinated closely with EU member states in anticipation of such moves. “We will not back down to the U.S.,” he emphasized.

    French Finance Minister Eric Lombard said the EU’s only viable response is to impose higher tariffs on U.S. goods. A list of targeted American products is currently being finalized and is expected to take effect in mid-April.

    Bernd Lange, chair of the European Parliament’s Trade Committee, suggested that retaliatory measures could include targeting major U.S. tech companies such as Google, Amazon, and Netflix, which maintain extensive customer bases and market influence in Europe. He proposed that digital services should be considered for additional tariffs.

    This stance echoes recent remarks by Dirk Jandura, who issued a statement titled “Foreign Trade Demands Tough Countermeasures.” In it, he urged the EU to respond decisively to what he called Washington’s unilateral and rule-breaking actions.

    He also emphasized the importance of addressing the dominant position held by American digital corporations in the European market.

    EXPANDING PARTNERSHIPS BEYOND U.S.

    Beyond retaliatory measures against the United States, experts have called for deeper cooperation with other trade partners to help offset the negative impact of rising tariffs.

    Sonali Chowdhry argued that the EU’s long-term economic growth and resilience will depend on strengthening trade both within the European single market and with other free trade partners, in order to diversify export destinations.

    “It is beneficial for us to move more decisively toward regions where cooperation is possible. One example is China,” said Ferdinand Dudenhoeffer, a prominent German automotive expert and director of the Center for Automotive Research (CAR).

    He suggested that the automotive sector should place greater emphasis on international platforms such as the upcoming Shanghai Auto Show.

    Speaking to Xinhua, Mario Boselli, chairman of the Italy China Council Foundation, said that Trump’s return to the White House, combined with a lack of cohesion within the EU, could further disrupt global economic and trade dynamics. These shifts, he suggested, may prompt Europe to reassess its external economic strategy, with deeper cooperation with China representing “a highly strategic choice.”

    MIL OSI China News –

    March 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Banking: [Interview] How Does a Used Galaxy Device Become a Key Part of a New One? Inside Samsung’s Circular Battery Supply Chain

    Source: Samsung

    What if a used smartphone could become part of a brand-new device?
     
    Previously confined to the imagination, this idea is now a reality with Samsung Electronics’ Circular Battery Supply Chain — an initiative that recovers and reuses key materials from the batteries of used Galaxy smartphones. The Galaxy S25 marks the first time this closed-loop battery recycling system has been applied to Samsung’s flagship lineup.
     
    Samsung Newsroom spoke with Youngmin Kim from the Circular Economy Lab in the Global Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) Office and Sangcheul Lee from the Battery Group in the Mobile eXperience (MX) Business at Samsung Electronics to learn more about the development and impact of this project.
     
    ▲ (From left) Sangcheul Lee and Youngmin Kim
     
     
    Used Galaxy Devices Reborn as Valuable Resources
    Each year, approximately 200 tons of waste battery material were collected at Samsung’s production facilities in Vietnam. Countries with proper recycling infrastructure can repurpose used batteries for applications like electric vehicle batteries. Vietnam, however, lacked the means to do so. Recognizing the need for a sustainable solution, the company decided to address the issue.
     
    “Samsung’s Vietnam facilities are among those that generate the highest volume of waste batteries, including defective units from the manufacturing process and batteries recovered from a factory that repairs Galaxy phones traded in from the United States,” said Youngmin Kim. “Our goal was to create a system that would allow us to recycle these resources and reintegrate them into our products.”
     
    ▲ Youngmin Kim explains the Circular Battery Supply Chain while showcasing cobalt and cathode materials.
     
    To develop an efficient recycling process for Vietnam’s waste batteries, Samsung partnered with multiple companies to build an optimized resource circularity system that connected cobalt extraction plants with battery production lines in neighboring countries.
     
    “For the Galaxy S24 series, we sourced recycled cobalt externally,” he explained. “However, with the Galaxy S25, we implemented a fully closed-loop recycling system that extracts cobalt directly from discarded Galaxy batteries.”
     
    The collected waste batteries are processed into high-purity cobalt, then shipped to the battery production line where it is integrated into Galaxy S25 batteries. This process transforms electronic waste from used Galaxy devices into a valuable resource, supporting Samsung’s vision for a sustainable circular economy.
     
    ▲ Samsung’s Circular Battery Supply Chain in action
     
    More specifically, the Circular Battery Supply Chain begins with collecting used Galaxy smartphones, followed by dismantling and discharging their batteries. These batteries are then shredded and processed into a fine powder known as “black mass.” This material is subsequently refined to extract cobalt — which is used to produce cathode materials, a key component of the Galaxy S25 battery.
     
     
    The Endless Recyclability of Cobalt
    Cobalt is essential for maintaining the stability and performance of lithium-ion batteries in smartphones. While lithium carries electrons within the battery, cobalt facilitates lithium’s movement to ensure optimal battery operation.
     
    ▲ Cobalt ore samples
     
    “Cobalt does not degrade with battery use, meaning it can theoretically be recycled indefinitely,” said Lee. “Recycled cobalt and newly mined cobalt are virtually identical — so much so that the difference is indistinguishable in the manufacturing process.”
     
    In essence, Galaxy devices containing cobalt can be recycled and repurposed regardless of their manufacturing date.
     

     
    ▲ Samsung’s Circular Battery Supply Chain on display at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2025 in Barcelona
     
    “The key to extracting high-purity cobalt lies in technology,” said Kim. “Through our Circular Battery Supply Chain, we have successfully recovered and utilized over 90% of the cobalt from the discarded batteries that have been collected.”
     
    Half of the cobalt used in the Galaxy S25 batteries comes from recycled sources — a strong testament to Samsung’s environmental strategy and commitment to reducing its environmental impact while maintaining premium product quality.
     
     
    The Road to a Reliable and Efficient Circular Supply Chain
    Nonetheless, establishing the Circular Battery Supply Chain was no easy feat as the batteries were required to meet stringent global safety and environmental regulations.
     
    ▲ Sangcheul Lee explains the certification management process.
     
    “We had to engage with numerous partner companies, navigating complex and rigorous procedures,” recalled Lee. “To prevent fire hazards during transport, the batteries had to be crushed and obtaining the necessary certifications to comply with relevant environmental regulations took considerable time.”
     
    “With constantly evolving regulations and Samsung’s exceptionally high internal standards, we underwent multiple rounds of reviews and certifications,” he added. “Despite the challenges, we persisted as a team and successfully implemented the system in the Galaxy S25.”
     
     
    Samsung’s Evolving Vision for a Circular Economy
    “I felt a great sense of pride when our Circular Battery Supply Chain was showcased at the recent Galaxy Unpacked event,” said Lee, reflecting on the achievement. “I hope to continue developing sustainable batteries by expanding our recycling efforts to include lithium and other materials.”
     
    “With the Galaxy S25, we’ve also reached another significant milestone in resource circularity — wafer trays discarded after semiconductor manufacturing have been repurposed into a plastic used in the side and volume keys,” shared Kim. “We are working on various projects to expand resource circularity across other product lines as well, and we hope our users will continue to join us on our journey.”
     
    Samsung has successfully established a closed-loop battery recycling system through the Circular Battery Supply Chain — turning a vision launched under its 2022 environmental strategy into reality with the Galaxy S25. This milestone has sparked growing anticipation for the next innovations that will emerge from Samsung’s pursuit of a more sustainable future.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

    March 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Man charged over Lindisfarne incident

    Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

    Man charged over Lindisfarne incident

    Friday, 28 March 2025 – 11:05 am.

    A man has been charged with multiple offences following an incident on the East Derwent Highway at Lindisfarne yesterday.
    Police were called about 3.10pm Thursday 27 March after reports a driver was holding what appeared to be a small firearm out the window of a black BMW while travelling on the highway toward Geilston Bay.
    The vehicle was intercepted by police a short time later on the Brooker Highway at Goodwood and the driver was taken into custody without incident.
    Police located a plastic toy firearm within the vehicle.
    The 31-year-old Clarendon Vale man was arrested and charged with aggravated assault, and multiple traffic and drug-related offences and will appear in the Hobart Magistrates Court at a later date.Police would like to thank members of the public for their vigilance in reporting the matter.
    Anyone who witnessed the incident, or the vehicle travelling dangerously over the Bowen Bridge yesterday afternoon should contact police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers anonymously on 1800 333 000 or online at crimestopperstas.com.au

    MIL OSI News –

    March 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Government backs next wave of semiconductor start-ups to scale up growth

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2

    Press release

    Government backs next wave of semiconductor start-ups to scale up growth

    Third cohort of semiconductor start-ups backed by government to drive economic growth.

    Third group of startups selected to bring new semiconductor products to market

    • A third cohort of innovative UK semiconductor businesses are chosen to join ChipStart, to continue driving economic growth and creating high-skilled jobs under the Plan for Change
    • These semiconductor startups are developing technologies that will have a direct impact on everyday life – from improving energy efficiency in devices to advancing smart automation and connectivity
    • The newly renewed scheme will build on the success of an initial two cohorts, which are on track to raise over £40 million in private investment

    New wave of semiconductor start-ups will join ChipStart, a government-backed incubator programme driving our Plan for Change by helping companies scale up, create jobs, and boost growth.

    ChipStart provides technical expertise and commercial support to help UK-based semiconductor innovators grow and create high-skilled jobs. Companies from the first two cohorts are already on track to raise over £40 million in private investment.

    Semiconductors are a cornerstone of the UK’s tech economy, with the sector already worth £10 billion and projected to grow up to £17 billion by 2030. They power the technology we rely on daily, from smartphones and medical devices to electric cars and cutting-edge AI. They control the flow of electricity in electronic systems and as demand for smarter, more efficient tech grows, the UK is well placed to lead, backed by a world-class innovation ecosystem and a thriving entrepreneurial environment. The UK is the number one country in Europe for venture capital investment, has the lowest corporation tax in the G7, and benefits from a highly skilled workforce and leading academic institutions.

    ChipStart – delivered by SiliconCatalyst.UK, leading global start-up accelerator – has successfully helped early-stage semiconductor companies turn their ideas into real-world products by providing expert mentorship, industry connections, and access to cutting-edge design tools.

    As part of our Plan for Change, and the wider Industrial Strategy we are supporting these high-potential companies to reinforce the UK’s position as a global leader in entrepreneurship, creating the conditions for the next generation of world-changing technologies to thrive and driving growth in communities across the UK.

    Science Minister, Lord Vallance said:

    The UK’s semiconductor industry is vibrant with innovation, and this third cohort shows just how much potential we have with many exciting start-ups.

    This sector holds incredible promise, and with the right partnerships, it will lead us into a future of greater economic growth and technological advancement – a key pillar of our Plan for Change.

    This announcement builds on the UK’s growing momentum in semiconductors, following Vishay Intertechnology’s plans to invest £250 million in the UK’s largest semiconductor factory. Announced by the Chancellor during a visit to South Wales yesterday, this investment will strengthen the UK’s domestic semiconductor supply chain – critical for industries like automotive, renewable energy, and defence. With South Wales emerging as a key semiconductor cluster, this investment underscores the UK’s competitive advantage in advanced chip manufacturing.

    From the successful second cohort, Qontrol, a University of Bristol spin-out, is developing technology that could transform the internet as we know it. Their precision control systems for photonics – the use of light to process data – could lead to faster, more reliable internet connections, helping to bring high-speed connectivity to rural communities and build the networks needed for next-generation digital services.

    This year’s cohort – backed by £1.1 million of government funding – includes RX-Watt, a company pioneering battery-free sensors that can be wirelessly powered using safe microwave signals. Their technology could save industries time and money where they depend on monitoring products and goods in real-time – helping manufacturers prevent costly equipment failures and ensuring critical goods like vaccines are stored at the right temperature throughout the supply chain.

    Companies from the first two ChipStart cohorts are already on track to raise over £40 million in private investment, proving the strength of UK semiconductor start-ups and the impressive return on investment associated with government backing.

    Another example from the second cohort is KuasaSemi, a Cornwall-based company, is revolutionising the design of semiconductors used in electric vehicles and renewable energy. By developing advanced computer tools to work with new types of materials, they are enabling the creation of faster, more efficient power devices. This means electric cars could charge faster, run longer, and perform better – helping to accelerate the shift to greener, more sustainable energy solutions.

    Sean Redmond, Silicon Catalyst UK said:

    We have been delighted with the high quality of new semiconductor startup applications we received for our third cohort of ChipStart from across the UK semiconductor clusters. Our now proven incubation process, that provides no cost design tools and chip manufacturing, will help these competitively selected companies attract the right private investment at the right time, launching them onto the global semiconductor stage.

    With the help of our experienced semiconductor executive advisors, which includes co-founders of Arm, we can help these young companies make great decisions and build the next generation of UK semiconductor unicorns. The next ten years of semiconductors will be a race to a £2 trillion industry. These new UK scale-ups will be in pole position to win that race.

    Wave Photonics, another successful company from the first cohort, is pioneering design technology to accelerate the development and mass production of integrated photonics – circuits that use light instead of electricity. These innovations are paving the way for energy-efficient AI communications, next-generation healthcare sensors, quantum technologies, and more.

    James Lee, co-founder of Wave Photonics said:

    ChipStart was fantastic preparation for raising and deploying our seed round to deploy our new approach to photonics design for quantum technologies, sensing and datacentre applications.

    As well as training and connection to mentors, ChipStart helps you directly plug into the UK semiconductor ecosystem and learn from the successes of the previous generation of UK semiconductor startups.

    Notes to editors

    Full list of the winning cohort.

    1. Chipletti
    2. Ethicronics
    3. Kahu
    4. Kelvin Quantum
    5. Unnamed from the University of Glasgow
    6. Prospectral 
    7. Quantopticon
    8. RxWatt
    9. SiDesign
    10. Smith Optical

    DSIT media enquiries

    Email press@dsit.gov.uk

    Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 6pm 020 7215 3000

    Share this page

    The following links open in a new tab

    • Share on Facebook (opens in new tab)
    • Share on Twitter (opens in new tab)

    Updates to this page

    Published 28 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    March 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Offers Relief to Oklahoma Businesses, Nonprofits and Residents Affected by Spring Storms

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the availability of low‑interest federal disaster loans to Oklahoma businesses, nonprofits and residents who sustained physical damages and economic losses from the severe storms, tornadoes and straight-line winds occurring from March 3-4. The SBA issued a disaster declaration in response to a request received from Gov. Kevin Stitt on March 21.

    The disaster declaration covers the counties of Coal, Garvin, Hughes, Johnston, McClain, Murray, Pontotoc, Pottawatomie and Seminole.

    Businesses and nonprofits are eligible to apply for business physical disaster loans and may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.

    Homeowners and renters are eligible to apply for home and personal property loans and may borrow up to $100,000 to replace or repair personal property, such as clothing, furniture, cars, and appliances. Homeowners may apply for up to $500,000 to replace or repair their primary residence.

    Applicants may be eligible for a loan increase of up to 20% of their physical damages, as verified by the SBA, for mitigation purposes. Eligible mitigation improvements include insulating pipes, walls and attics, weather stripping doors and windows, and installing storm windows to help protect property and occupants from future disasters.

    SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to eligible small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations impacted by financial losses directly related to this disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for aquaculture enterprises.

    EIDLs are for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the small business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. They may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster.

    Beginning Monday, March 31, individuals can connect directly with SBA specialists to apply for disaster loans and learn about the full range of programs available to rebuild and move forward in their recovery journey. Walk-ins are accepted, but you can schedule an in-person appointment in advance at appointment.sba.gov.

    “When disasters strike, SBA’s Disaster Loan Outreach Centers play a vital role in helping small businesses and their communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “At these centers, SBA specialists assist business owners and residents with disaster loan applications and provide information on the full range of recovery programs available.”

    The DLOC hours of operations are listed below.

    PONTOTOC COUNTY
    Disaster Loan Outreach Center
    Ada Arts and Heritage Center
    400 S. Rennie Ave.
    Ada, OK  74820

    Opens 9 a.m. Monday, March 31

    Mondays – Fridays, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.

    Interest rates are as low as 4% for small businesses, 3.625% for nonprofits and 2.75% for homeowners and renters with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not begin to accrue, and payments are not due, until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    To apply online, visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

    The deadline to return physical damage applications is May 27. The deadline to return economic injury applications is Dec. 26.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

    The U.S. Small Business Administration makes the American dream of business ownership a reality. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    March 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to 65 Months in Federal Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON –Derek Gaines, 37, of Severn, Maryland, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 65 months in federal prison for selling thousands of fentanyl pills and cocaine to a confidential informant working for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).

                The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

                Gaines pleaded guilty on December 5, 2024, to unlawful distribution of 40 or more grams of fentanyl. In addition to the 65-month prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Dabney L. Friedrich ordered Gaines to serve four years of supervised release.

                According to court documents, on April 4, 2024, an ATF confidential informant (CI) contacted Gaines. Gaines asked the CI if they wanted “the two” (two ounces of cocaine) and the blues (fentanyl pills), or just the blues. The CI stated that they wanted both. At 4:11 p.m., the CI texted Gaines to meet them on the 1600 block Maryland Avenue NE. Prior to the controlled purchase, law enforcement agents provided $5,000 to the CI. At the arranged meeting place, at 5:09 p.m., a dark-colored Chevrolet pulled alongside the CI’s vehicle. Gaines exited the Chevrolet and entered the front passenger seat of the CI’s vehicle and exchanged the cocaine and five baggies of fentanyl pills to the CI for $4,000. A DEA analysis showed that the suspected cocaine was in fact determined to be 55.78 grams of the drug. The five plastic baggies contained 502 blue M/30 fentanyl pills that weighed 59.2 grams, including packaging.

                On June 4, 2024, the CI texted Gaines and asked for another transaction at the same location. On June 6, 2024, ATF agents provided $7,500 to the CI. At 5:34 p.m., a gray Volkswagen Passat pulled up alongside the CI’s vehicle. Gaines exchanged the suspected cocaine and fentanyl pills for $6,500. Following the controlled purchase, the CI met with ATF agents and turned over the suspected narcotics. A DEA analysis of the suspected cocaine determined that the substance was in fact cocaine with a net weight of 56.44 grams. An analysis of the blue pills determined them to be fentanyl with a net weight of 106.69 grams.

                On July 23, 2024, Gaines sold 2,000 blue M/30 fentanyl pills to the CI for $8,000 at the same Maryland Ave. location.

                Law enforcement arrested Gaines on August 29, 2024, in Severn, Maryland.

                This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Washington Field Division, with valuable assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory V. Cole.     

    23cr452

    MIL Security OSI –

    March 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cantwell Decries Trump Auto Tariffs Expected to Spike Vehicle Prices By $5,000 to $15,000

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell

    03.27.25

    Cantwell Decries Trump Auto Tariffs Expected to Spike Vehicle Prices By $5,000 to $15,000

    Trump declared today that he’ll impose a 25% tax on imported vehicles & some auto parts starting 4/2; Cantwell: “The Constitution gave Congress this power to set duties and to regulate foreign commerce… It’s time for Congress to reassert that authority”

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, delivered a speech on the Senate floor excoriating President Donald Trump’s announcement that he’ll impose a 25% tariff on all imported vehicles starting on April 2.

    “We’re going to see the price of cars go up, and the fact that the American public can’t afford grocery costs, health care costs, or housing costs – we certainly don’t need to add in auto costs,” Sen. Cantwell said. “I’m pretty sure it’s a good deal for Elon Musk and Tesla. Don’t know that it’s such a good deal for everybody else.”

    “The framers of the Constitution gave Congress this power to set duties and to regulate foreign commerce. Congress. Commerce, Article One, Section Eight, could not be clearer. It’s time for Congress to reassert that authority. We need checks and balances now more than ever. We need to invest in innovation. We need to invest in skilling and training a workforce. We need to invest in modernizing infrastructure and equipment at our factories, and we need to open foreign markets for exports,” she continued. “American business does not need an endless trade war that creates chaos and raises prices on our consumers.” 

    Following Trump’s announcement today, several Wall Street analysts reported that Tesla – the company owned by Elon Musk – stood to benefit the most, with one analyst calling the company the “clear structural winner” of the new tariff. The “Detroit Big Three” – General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis (formerly Chrysler) – stand to take the hardest hit.

    The tariffs could also impact West Coast ports who import automobiles, such as the Port of Vancouver, Wash., which is the largest gateway for Subaru imports in the country. In 2023, 98,000 Subarus came through the Port of Vancouver.

    Last week, Sen. Cantwell joined the Washington Council of International Trade for a Q&A session on the whiplash caused by the administration’s chaotic tariff policies – and how they particularly harm the Pacific Northwest, which is among the most trade-dependent regions in the country. Sen. Cantwell said that the current administration’s approach to trade focuses on punitive tariffs, even with America’s largest trading partners and closest allies, as opposed to innovation and alliance-building. That ethos is fundamentally at odds with how the Pacific Northwest has historically built its trade-oriented economy.

    READ MORE:

    CNBC: Wall Street analysts say Elon Musk is the clear auto tariff winner: ‘Tesla wins, Detroit bleeds’

    KOMO Seattle: Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell says Congress should intervene before a trade war expands.

    The Columbian: Record number of Subarus came through Port of Vancouver in 2023

    In Washington state, two out of every five jobs are tied to trade and trade-related industries. More information on how President Trump’s tariffs on goods from Mexico, Canada, and China will affect consumers and businesses in the State of Washington can be found HERE. Nationwide:

    • A 25% tariff on Canada and Mexico would add an estimated $144 billion a year to the cost of manufacturing in the United States.
    • Tariffs on Canada and Mexico could increase U.S. car prices by as much as $15,000.
    • According to the Yale Budget Lab, Trump’s proposed tariffs would result in the highest U.S. effective tariff rate in more than 80 years, and depending on the level of retaliation by other trading partners, will result in increased costs of between $1,600 and $2,000 per household. According to their analysis, food, clothing, cars, and electronics will all see above-average price increases.

    Sen. Cantwell has remained a steadfast supporter of increased trade to grow the economy and keep prices in check in the State of Washington and nationwide. Sen. Cantwell was the leading voice in negotiations to end India’s 20% retaliatory tariff on American apples, which was imposed in response to tariffs on steel and aluminum and devastated Washington state’s apple exports. India had once been the second-largest export market for American apples, but after President Trump imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum in his first term, India imposed retaliatory tariffs in response and U.S. apple exports plummeted. The impact on Washington apple growers was severe: Apple exports from the state dropped from $120 million in 2017 to less than $1 million by 2023.  In September 2023, following several years of Sen. Cantwell’s advocacy, India ended its retaliatory tariffs on apples and pulse crops which was welcome news to the state’s more than 1,400 apple growers and the 68,000-plus workers they support.

    For the past two months, President Trump has been sowing economic chaos across the country with unpredictable and ever-changing tariff announcements. His back-and-forth announcements and actions, which have whipsawed American businesses and consumers, as well as close neighbors and allies, include:

    • On January 31 — citing punishment for failing to crack down on fentanyl trafficking — the Trump administration announced plans to impose a 25% tax on many goods imported into the U.S. from Canada and Mexico and a 10% tax on goods imported from China, then abruptly postponed those tariffs.
    • Last month, he doubled down, announcing an additional 25% tax on all steel and aluminum imports.
    • At 12:01 a.m. ET on March 4, President Trump’s long-promised 25% tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada and 10% tariff increase on goods from China took effect, causing stock prices in the United States to plummet.
    • Then, on March 5, he announced that automobiles from Canada and Mexico would be exempt from his tariffs for one month.
    • The morning of March 6, he announced that he would suspend the tariffs for some products from Mexico. Then, later that same afternoon, he announced he was suspending most new tariffs on products from both Mexico and Canada until April 2.
    • On March 11, Trump threatened to double tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum – increasing them to 50% – before reversing himself later the same day.
    • On March 13, he threatened 200% tariffs on alcoholic products from the European Union, including all wine and Champagne.
    • Today, he announced plans to impose a 25% tax on all imported sedans, SUVs, crossovers, minivans, cargo vans, and light trucks, as well as some auto parts, beginning on April 2.

    Video of Sen. Cantwell’s speech is HERE; audio is HERE; and a transcript is HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    March 28, 2025
←Previous Page
1 … 309 310 311 312 313 … 532
Next Page→
NewzIntel.com

NewzIntel.com

MIL Open Source Intelligence

  • Blog
  • About
  • FAQs
  • Authors
  • Events
  • Shop
  • Patterns
  • Themes

Twenty Twenty-Five

Designed with WordPress