Auditors: Over 1 million F-35 spare parts lost by DoD and Lockheed

More than 1 million F-35 spare parts worth at least $85 million have gone missing over at least the last five years, according to a new Government Accountability Office report criticizing the program’s supply tracking.

Auditors said that because the government doesn’t have its own system tracking those parts, officials may not truly know how many spare parts are actually in the global spares pool, where they are, or their total value.

As a result, “the full quantity and value of these [lost] spare parts may be significantly higher” than the 1 million tally determined by the main contractor, Lockheed Martin, the document reads.

And disagreements between Defense Department offices and the main F-35 contractor, Lockheed Martin, over how to categorize missing parts are holding up the government’s effort to create its own reliable system to keep track of the parts, the GAO report states.

In short, the F-35 program can’t know whether contractors are properly managing spares, according to auditors, who have tracked losses going to back to 2018.

In a statement to Defense News, Lockheed Martin said the tally of spare parts listed as lost in the report cover the last two decades of the program.

Lockheed Martin said it is working with the F-35 Joint Program Office and the Defense Contract Management Agency to make sure they have the documentation needed to support disposing of components that staff judged to be “excess, obsolete or unserviceable.”

“Lockheed Martin manages F-35 spare part inventory in compliance with contract requirements,” the company told Defense News. “We continue to partner with the Joint Program Office to increase insight into spare part availability and support fleet readiness.”

The F-35′s program office said in an email to Defense News that it also agreed with GAO’s recommendations on ways to improve tracking of spare parts — but said “we know where the vast majority of F-35 spare parts are in the global supply chain.”

The Defense Department office pointed to the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement rules that said programs should strive to have their recorded inventories accurate about 95% of the time, and said the F-35 program exceeds that goal.

“At this time, our error rate is around 1%,” the program office said. “While this is considered much better than the government goal of 5%, we will continue to work with the services and our industry partners to improve spare parts accountability and drive readiness for our warfighters.”

The JPO also said that F-35 spare parts are now being tracked through a non-government system, but that it is working with industry to move the data to a government system.

The international F-35 program, which includes the United States and other nations such as the United Kingdom, Norway, Italy, Canada, Israel, Japan and South Korea, has what GAO called a “unique” system for managing its spare parts. All participants in the program worldwide have access to a global pool of spare parts — everything from engines, tires, landing gear and support equipment down to bolts and screws — that the Defense Department owns until a part is installed on a fighter.

https://www.navytimes.com/air/2023/05/30/auditors-over-1-million-f-35-spare-parts-lost-by-dod-and-lockheed/

>>18931045

nope US and west still last

FBI reopens case against Julian Assange despite hopes of release

United States law enforcement authorities are seeking to gather new evidence about Julian Assange in an apparent effort to bolster their case against the WikiLeaks founder, even as hopes rise among his supporters that a diplomatic breakthrough could soon see him released from prison.

The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age can reveal that agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) last week sought to interview acclaimed novelist Andrew O’Hagan at his home in London about his time working as a ghostwriter on Assange’s autobiography over a decade ago.

O’Hagan, who wrote a well-known and often scathing essay about the breakdown of his working relationship with Assange, said he would not agree to an FBI interview because he opposes any attempt to punish him for publishing classified material.

The revelation of the interview request came as an unwelcome surprise to Assange’s lawyers, who did not previously believe there was an active investigation under way into Assange given it has been three years since US prosecutors issued an indictment against him.

Assange’s Australian lawyer Stephen Kenny said: “It appears they are continuing to try to investigate, which I find unusual given the amount of time that has passed since the investigation began.

“I would think it is of some concern because we have been working to try to secure an arrangement that would see Julian come home. It would be very unusual if the FBI was trying to gather evidence that could help clear his name.”

Kenny said he was not aware of any other recent attempts by US authorities to interview witnesses about Assange.

Assange’s UK-brd lawyer Jennifer Robinson said last month his legal team was open to a David Hicks-style plea deal if required in order to secure his release from London’s high-security Belmarsh Prison and avoid a possible lengthy jail time in the US.

Assange’s brother Gabriel Shipton said it appeared US prosecutors were trying to prepare a new indictment or a superseding indictment against Assange.

“It shows they understand how weak the charges against Julian are and are trying to strengthen them,” he said.

London Metropolitan Police’s counterterrorism command delivered a letter to O’Hagan last week saying FBI officers in Washington, DC, wanted to speak to him.

“The FBI would like to discuss your experiences with Assange/ WikiLeaks as referenced in The Unauthorised Autobiography of Julian Assange and Ghosting,” the letter said, referring to the titles of the Assange autobiography and a 2014 essay by O’Hagan in The London Review of Books.

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/fbi-restarts-julian-assange-probe-despite-hopes-of-release-20230531-p5dcoe.html

Utah GOP Rep. Stewart announces resignation

The conservative lawmaker, who has served since 2013, pointed to his wife's ongoing health issues as motivating his decision to leave office.

Utah Republican Rep. Chris Stewart on Wednesday announced that he will resign from his position in the House but did not specify when he would leave the lower chamber.

The conservative lawmaker, who has served since 2013, pointed to his wife's ongoing health issues as motivating his decision to leave office.

"It has been one of the great honors of my life to serve the good people of Utah in Congress. My wife and I have made so many dear friends and memories throughout our journey," Stewart said, according to The Hill. "I can say with pride that I have been an effective leader for my beloved home state, and I’m honored to have played an important role in guiding our nation through some troubled times."

"But my wife’s health concerns have made it necessary that I retire from Congress after an orderly transition can be ensured," he concluded. "My family and I have been very blessed by this experience. Thank you to all those who have supported and sacrificed to help us. The fight goes on. God bless all of you, and God bless our nation."

His successor will be decided via special election. The 2nd Congressional District that Stewart represents includes the state's entire western border and roughly half of its southern frontier. The region is reliably Republican.

Stewart's departure is unlikely to upset the narrow Republican majority in the chamber given that Democratic Rhode Island Rep. David Cicilline is planning to leave Congress on June 1 to assume leadership of the Rhode Island Foundation, per The Hill.

https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/utah-gop-rep-stewart-announces-resignation

Time to ditch the dollar – Cuban president

With US dominance broken, the BRICS nations can build a fairer world, Miguel Diaz-Canel told RT

Giving up the US dollar will free developing countries from Washington’s “sanctions, blackmail, aggression, and slander,” Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel told RT in an exclusive interview due to air on Thursday.

The dollar’s status as the world’s reserve currency enables the US to pursue an “aggressive hegemonistic policy of building walls, imposing punitive sanctions, blackmail, aggression and slander,” Diaz-Canel said. Against this policy – which has seen Cuba embargoed for six decades by the US – Diaz-Canel added that “BRICS provides a brilliant alternative for economic integration, especially for developing economies.”

Since it was first coined in 2001, BRICS has grown from an acronym for five emerging economies – Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa – into an informal alliance that has overtaken the US-led G7 bloc in its share of global GDP, has its own development bank, and counts Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Argentina among 19 prospective members.

Amid calls for a common BRICS currency to settle trade bills, members of the group have begun to conduct more bilateral trade in their own currencies, eschewing the US dollar.

“I believe that we need to recognize the leading role of Russia in shaping this multipolar world,” Diaz-Canel said, stating that continued “de-dollarization” will lead to “more inclusive and more mutually beneficial trade” for those who reject the US’ “lies and empty promises.”

Although Cuba is not a member of the BRICS group, the island nation has been a close partner of Russia since the days of the Soviet Union, and trade between Moscow and Havana tripled last year to $452 million. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko visited Cuba last week, where he announced that Russian firms were planning more investment in the country’s tourism sector.

“It is at times like this that we get friends from other countries supporting us with real actions and under conditions that are not harmful to our independence,” Diaz-Canel told RT.

https://www.rt.com/news/577195-cuba-president-interview-brics/

Balkans: NATO holds 30-nation Adriatic Strike ground support drills in Slovenia

From May 29 to June 9, 2023, the Republic of Slovenia hosts the multinational exercise Adriatic Strike 2023 for the eleventh consecutive time. The Slovenian Armed Forces and 29 other NATO and Partner Nations are going through realistic simulated Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) training supported by air assets from several participants.

***

The Slovenian Armed Forces and 29 other NATO and Partner Nations are going through realistic simulated Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) training. JTAC training will be supported by helicopters, jets and propeller aircraft and unmanned aerial systems. Archive imagery from previous Adriatic Strike exercises courtesy Slovenian Armed Forces.

The exercises includes some 800 participants, 400 of them from Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Norway, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom and United States of America.

JTAC training are supported by helicopters, jets and propeller aircraft and unmanned aerial systems. Cerklje ob Krki and Brnik Air Bases host several aircraft, while others fly out of their home bases to conduct Close Air Support….

***

The basic mission of JTACs is to provide the commander in the field with advice on the use of air and other types of fire support (sea-based, mortar, artillery). JTACs advise the commander on the proper use of fire support and control the operations once conducted….

https://antibellum679354512.wordpress.com/2023/05/31/balkans-nato-holds-30-nation-adriatic-strike-ground-support-drills-in-slovenia/

FBI Director Wray Admits FD-1023 Biden Bribe Document Exists; Offers Private Viewing to Comer and Grassley; Comer Warns of Contempt if Document Not Given to Congress

A day after FBI Director Christopher Wray was threatened with contempt of Congress charges after blowing off the May 30 deadline to turn over to Congress a subpoenaed FD-1023 FBI document alleging Joe Biden’s involvement in a $5 million bribery scheme with a foreign national when he was vice president, Wray finally acknowledged the existence of the document and offered a private viewing to Rep. James Comer (R-KY) and Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA).

Comer released a statement with Grassley after the tow lawmakers spoke with Wray by phone Wednesday afternoon, saying that he is still demanding the FBI produce the document (and related docs) to the House Oversight Committee that he chairs and will begin contempt of Congress proceedings if Wray does not turn over the documents.

The battle over the documents has lasted about a month since a whistleblower came forward with allegations the FBI was sitting on credible charges by a source that Biden made favorable foreign policy decisions as vice president in exchange for a $5 million bribe from a foreign national.

Joint statement by Comer and Grassley:

Comer & Grassley to Wray: Provide the Unclassified Documents or Face Contempt

WASHINGTON—House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) and Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) today issued the following statements after their discussion with FBI Director Christopher Wray about producing to Congress the unclassified, FBI-generated record alleging a criminal scheme involving then-Vice President Joe Biden and a foreign national.

“Today, FBI Director Wray confirmed the existence of the FD-1023 form alleging then-Vice President Biden engaged in a criminal bribery scheme with a foreign national. However, Director Wray did not commit to producing the documents subpoenaed by the House Oversight Committee. While Director Wray – after a month of refusing to even acknowledge that the form existed – has offered to allow us to see the documents in person at FBI headquarters, we have been clear that anything short of producing these documents to the House Oversight Committee is not in compliance with the subpoena. If the FBI fails to hand over the FD-1023 form as required by the subpoena, the House Oversight Committee will begin contempt of Congress proceedings,” said Chairman Comer.

“While the FBI has apparently leaked classified information to the news media in recent weeks, jeopardizing its own human sources, it continues to treat Congress like second class citizens by refusing to provide a specific unclassified record. Director Wray confirmed what my whistleblowers have told me pursuant to legally protected disclosures: the FBI-generated document is real, but the bureau has yet to provide it to Congress in defiance of a legitimate congressional subpoena. This failure comes with consequences,” Senator Grassley said.

Comer and the Oversight Committee also tweeted similar statements.

FBI Director Wray has confirmed the existence of the FD-1023 form alleging then-Vice President Biden engaged in a criminal bribery scheme with a foreign national. He’s allowing this unclassified record to be reviewed at the FBI but hasn’t produced it to committee. If the FBI fails to hand over the FD-1023 form as required by the subpoena, @RepJamesComer will begin contempt of Congress proceedings.”

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2023/05/fbi-director-wray-admits-fd-1023-biden-bribe/

That 70s Show actor actor Danny Masterson found guilty in rape retrial

Actor Danny Masterson has been found guilty of raping two women between 2001 and 2003 in a retrial.

WARNING: This story contains graphic content that some readers may find disturbing.

The jury of seven women and five men deliberated for more than a week before reaching a verdict on two of three charges.

Jurors were given the case last week, after prosecutors finally finished their rebuttal following all-day closing arguments.

Jury unable to reach verdict in 2022

In 2022, a jury was unable to reach a verdict in the case against the actor involving rape allegations by three women, and Los Angeles Judge Charlaine Olmedo declared a mistrial.

This week, prosecutors said in their closing argument on Tuesday that Masterson had drugged the women in order to assault them, then relied on his status as a prominent member in the Church of Scientology to avoid consequences for decades.

"You don't want to have sex? You don't have a choice," Deputy District Attorney Ariel Anson told the jury.

"The defendant makes that choice for these victims. And he does it, over and over and over again."

After the closing arguments, Masterson's attorney, Philip Cohen, made a motion for a mistrial, one of several that he made during the three-week trial, because of the prosecution's mention of drugging, which was not part of the charges.

Judge Olmedo rejected the motion, and said the prosecution was acting within the bounds of her pre-trial decision by allowing them to assert that the women were drugged.

In the 2022 trial, Masterson, 47, pleaded not guilty to raping three women at his home between 2001 and 2003.

During the defence's closing, Mr Cohen told jurors the women's accounts were so full of inconsistencies, there was more than enough reasonable doubt for jurors to acquit Masterson.

He emphasised the lack of any physical evidence of drugging, with the investigation that led to Masterson's arrest coming 15 years after the alleged rapes.

"Miss Anson presented a case as if she was arguing a drugging case," Mr Cohen said. "Maybe it's because there is no evidence of force or violence."

Scientology played an outsized role during the trial. Masterson is a member, and all three women are former members.

Prosecutors said the institution protected him, and helped convince the women that they were not raped, and could not go to authorities to report a fellow Scientologist in good standing. The church denied having any such policy.

Masterson played the roles of Steven Hyde in That '70s Show, Milo Foster in Men at Work and Jameson "Rooster" Bennett in The Ranch.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-06-01/danny-masterson-retrial/102361304

Higher rents will help reduce rental stress by encouraging people to 'economise' on housing, RBA governor says

Reserve Bank governor Philip Lowe says there is no immediate fix for people struggling in Australia's rental markets.

Key points:

RBA governor Philip Lowe say extremely high population growth is exacerbating the housing crisis

He says higher interest rates will force people to economise on housing

Mr Lowe says policymakers need to increase Australia's capital stock in line with population growth

He says rental vacancies are near record lows in large parts of the country, and extremely strong population growth is making the problem worse.

He says an increase in housing supply is needed, but higher interest rates will help to alleviate some rental pressures in the short term by forcing people to "economise" on their housing.

"The way that this ends up fixing itself, unfortunately, is through higher housing prices and higher rents," Dr Lowe said.

"Because as rents go up people decide not to move out of home, or you don't have that home office, you [get] a flatmate.

"The increase in supply can't happen immediately, but higher prices do lead people to economise on housing.

"That's the price mechanism at work. We need more people on average to live in each dwelling, and prices do that," he said.

Rent, inflation, and the housing crisis

Dr Lowe made those comments during a Senate Estimates hearing in Canberra on Wednesday.

Liberal senator Dean Smith had asked the governor if he was concerned about rising rents and their impact on inflation.

He mentioned how the RBA had recently warned that the outlook for rent inflation had strengthened, given the strength in recent data and the upward revisions to population growth.

Dr Lowe said the RBA was lifting interest rates to dampen inflation, and inflation was coming down in important areas of the economy, but higher rates were unfortunately driving rents higher, and that was feeding inflation in other areas of the economy.

He said it was a problem because rents were the "single largest" component of the consumer price index (CPI), and the RBA expected growth in rents to be about 10 per cent this year and to remain elevated for some time.

"It's very tough," Dr Lowe said.

"Some people are experiencing bigger increases in rent than that, so it's really hurting some people."

When it comes to the rental crisis itself, Dr Lowe said the underlying issue had to do with supply and demand in the rental market.

He said the problem was being exacerbated by the extremely high level of population growth in Australia at the moment.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-05-31/philip-lowe-says-higher-interest-rates-will-bring-rents-down/102414220

Rothschild's bitch in Aus mockingly pushes globohomo policy

>>18931338

If the people commit a crime then try and cover it up they are arrested taken into custody then have to prove they should be released!

The ruling/elite class not so much

>>18931340