cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/36121809

The Columbia-class ships are to replace the Ohio-class submarines.

The contract will support the scheduled repair and maintenance of nuclear attack submarines at the main government shipyards of the U.S. Navy.

The United States Navy (USN) has announced the award of contracts for 25 companies totaling $1.1 billion, with the potential to grow to $1.9 billion if suppliers exercise contractual options.

The contract covers discrete, non-discrete and other production work to support the START state shipyards in carrying out repairs, maintenance and modernization of nuclear attack submarines, where maintenance of the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) is planned.

Work will be carried out in varying proportions at four major shipyards: Norfolk, Virginia (35%); Bremerton, Washington (25%); Kittery, Maine (20%); and Pearl Harbor, Hawaii (20%).

The operation is expected to be completed by August.

The US Congress, on the initiative of Congressman Seth Moulton, passed an amendment prohibiting the Pentagon from purchasing missile defense systems from private space companies, primarily SpaceX. Moulton motivated this by the fact that it is dangerous to trust private structures to play a role in the nuclear decision chain. At the same time, he criticizes the very idea of effective missile defense, believing that it undermines the concept of mutually assured destruction, supposedly ensuring strategic stability.

In support of his position, he mentioned non-existent Russian nuclear weapons in space, stating that they could destroy American space interceptors such as those in the Golden Dome project. This concept, in his opinion, will increase the risk of nuclear escalation, as US adversaries will feel threatened by their nuclear deterrence.

At the same time, Moulton supports the creation of space anti-satellite weapons in the United States, referring to alleged violations of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty by Russia and China. Thus, his position is contradictory: he blocks the development of missile defense, but approves offensive weapons in space.

ICE raided a Hyundai plant in Georgia last Thursday, arresting over 450 workers, with over 300 of them being Korean citizens. Democracy Now reports the perspective of Meredyth Yoon of Asian Americans Advancing Justice: "'The circumstances of the raid were just absolutely abusive, not only in their scope and just the sheer size of it, but the way that the folks at the Hyundai plant were treated by law enforcement'... Witnesses describe heavily armed federal agents who threatened and even tear-gassed workers. 'It is disturbing to see hundreds of people arrested, shackled at their waist and ankles, and loaded into buses and taken to an abusive detention center.'"

An ICE spokesperson claimed this was not an "operation where agents went into the premises, rounded up folks and put them on buses. This has been a multimonth criminal investigation." A coalition of Southern immigrant groups said in a statement, "Hundreds of people abducted in the raids are now at the Folkston ICE Processing Center (FIPC) located in Charlton County. FIPC has a well-documented history of inhumane conditions and violations found by federal inspectors."

While reports indicate that Hyundai may have itself been abusive toward its workers, ICE and the federal régime are clearly most interested in continuing what Tim Shorrock calls "political warfare" against immigrants and workers. Shorrock, a long-time labor reporter and union organizer, continues, "I think American and Korean unions should be standing in solidarity against this kind of raid... it affects all workers, Korean, Latino, everybody."

(Taken from an email sent to me by Never Again Action.)

The federal régime has authorized DHS and ICE to commence the obnoxiously named "Operation Patriot 2.0" in Massachusetts. This is the latest in the escalation between the president and Boston mayor Michelle Wu, whose defense of her city's sanctuary laws (A.K.A. her refusal to assist ICE in separating families) has drawn the [neo]fascists' ire.

Acting ICE director Todd Lyons is making his message clear: ICE intends to "flood the zone, especially in sanctuary cities." Wu and her administration are preparing for the possibility of national guard deployment, and working with community members to "ensure people know what's happening and that this is not something that is needed or wanted or legally sound."

(Taken from an email sent to me by Never Again Action.)

In short: it's horrific.

The people of Illinois don't want the feds there. The Governor, the Mayor, and a number of other civil society groups have spoken out in opposition to Trump's invasion and occupation plans.

And yet here they are, camped out at the Great Lakes Naval base, likely to be in the city for a month, terrorizing residents, bashing in windows and separating families. The presence of federal agents and national guard have led to an increase in arrests, from a vendor selling flowers, to folks just waiting at a bus stop.

The Supreme Court's recent ruling that racial profiling is now explicitly acceptable, as well as Trump's focus on 'Democrat-run' cities makes clear that the flimsy pretext of fighting crime isn't worthy of comment. This is about punishing political opponents and engaging in ethnic cleansing, a grotesque centerpiece to the [neo]fascist onslaught that threatens us all.

Action items: Neighbors can report ICE activity by calling the Illinois Family Support Network Hotline at 855-435-7693.
Neighbors can also share video of ICE agents and the National Guard in Chicago with a coalition of newsrooms, including Block Club Chicago, at tinyurl.com/chicagojournalists and [email protected]. Video won't be shared publicly without your permission.

(Taken from an email sent to me by Never Again Action. Emphasis original.)

The assault on our rights continues.

This week, SCOTUS lifted a restraining order halting federal authorities from stopping people in 48% [indigenous] Los Angeles based on their racial appearance, accent, or occupation. Nothing to see here, move along, or they'll arrest you, too. There have been 5,210 arrests in L.A. since June, and counting, as the numbers are sure to rise with this nod from the highest court in the land.

We can hold onto the hope that this is a preliminary decision lifting a temporary, local injunction. As the federal occupations of D.C. and L.A. continue, and as this [neo]fascist train rolls on into Chicago and other places, there are sure to be more lawsuits and more injunctions.

The question is whether SCOTUS has any interest in deterring the ongoing violation of due process and constitutional liberties perpetrated by ICE and other federal agencies.

(Taken from an email sent to me by Never Again Action.)

The renaming simply eliminates the lie that the U.S. killing machine defends all the people of the U.S. and that all U.S. wars are defensive wars. This lie aims to deceive the U.S. population. Most of the world is not deceived.

By calling the Pentagon the Department of War instead of the Department of Defense, the Trump crew helps clarify the Pentagon’s real purpose.

The Department of War wages aggressive wars to protect and expand the private property, wealth and profits of a tiny group of extremely rich capitalists and bankers who make up the [neo]imperialist ruling class. These superrich people count on the U.S. military to help them exploit the labor of billions of workers and farmers worldwide and pillage the natural resources of the Earth.

When workers and oppressed peoples struggle to increase their earnings or nations struggle for sovereignty over the land they live in, the Department of War kills them. It represses these struggles. Hundreds of thousands of U.S. troops also died or were wounded in wars the U.S. started.

The Department of War also provides profits for the military-industrial complex. That is, it guarantees profits to capitalists who own weapons corporations. This year the budget for the Department of War alone is more than $1 trillion — a new record, all taken from taxes that mainly workers pay. The budget’s increase, taken with bipartisan support in Congress, is transferred to the already superrich. Last year’s increase could easily fund the services cut from health care and education.

No workers from the U.S. should risk their own lives or kill other people to serve the interests of this filthy rich ruling class. Not in West Asia, the South China Sea, Korea or Eastern Europe. Or in Africa. Or in the Caribbean against the Venezuelans. Or in Washington, D.C., Los Angeles or Chicago against migrants, Black people and other workers.

Whether MAGA or old-school Republicans or Democrats are in charge, the working class needs to resist the Department of War. The troops inside the military should resist the illegal orders from the White House.

Let’s take the name change a step further and make the “Department of W.A.R. ” stand for the “Department of Weapons’ profits, Aggression and Repression.” And let anyone shocked by the name change absorb the lesson of what the U.S. Armed Forces really are: instruments of aggression and repression to gain superprofits for a tiny few unspeakably wealthy rulers.

(Emphasis original.)

Conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot on Wednesday at an event at Utah Valley University.

“What we know currently is that Charlie Kirk was about 20 minutes into his presentation when we heard shots fired from a nearby building and to the best of our knowledge he was hit and taken with his security team away from the premises, and the courtyard was cleared,” a UVU spokeswoman said.

The university said at least one shot was fired at Kirk, the 31-year-old co-founder of Turning Point USA and head of multiple related political organizations.

A vocal supporter of President Donald Trump, Kirk promoted the president’s false claims that the 2020 election was stolen in favor of Joe Biden, and his group reportedly worked with the Trump campaign during the 2024 cycle.

“We must all pray for Charlie Kirk, who has been shot,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.

“A great guy from top to bottom. GOD BLESS HIM!” Trump wrote.

FBI Director Kash Patel said, “We are closely monitoring reports of the tragic shooting involving Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University.”

“Our thoughts are with Charlie, his loved ones, and everyone affected. Agents will be on the scene quickly and the FBI stands in full support of the ongoing response,” Patel said.

Shortly before the news of the shooting broke, Kirk’s official X account tweeted a bout the event at the university.

“WE. ARE. SO. BACK,” Kirk wrote. “Utah Valley University is FIRED UP and READY for the first stop back on the American Comeback Tour.”