ED: During a trip early in 2024, I had the pleasure of visiting the Australian Army Museum Bandiana, and I highly recommend it as a must-visit destination for history enthusiasts. This museum offers a fascinating and comprehensive insight into Australia’s rich military heritage. With its cutting-edge displays and expertly curated exhibits, it provides a unique focus on the history and evolution of the Army’s Logistic Corps, highlighting their vital role in military operations. From historical artifacts to engaging multimedia presentations, the museum offers an immersive experience that showcases the ingenuity, resilience, and dedication of the men and women who have served. Whether you’re passionate about military history or simply curious about Australia’s past, this museum is an exceptional place to explore and learn.
Located in Wodonga, Victoria open every THURSDAY to SATURDAY from 10am to 3pm unless stated below.
The Museum is closed on the following days; Good Friday, ANZAC Day, from Christmas Day to New Years Day (inclusive)
Merchants Lead the Way
On December 29, 2024, Tehran’s historic Grand Bazaar, usually a bustling centre of trade and commerce, became the focal point of a major strike. Merchants and shopkeepers, grappling with surging inflation and a collapsing rial, shuttered their shops and called on others to join them. By the next day, protests had spread across the city, with workers from diverse sectors demanding higher wages, better pensions, and improved working conditions.
The strike began among shoe sellers in the 15th Khordad area and quickly rippled through the bazaar’s interconnected network of tradespeople, each bearing the brunt of Iran’s worsening economic conditions.
Voices of Protest
Protesters chanted slogans like, “Don’t be afraid, close up,” and “Brave merchants, support, support,” urging solidarity among their peers. A fabric merchant explained the dire situation, citing the skyrocketing cost of raw materials and the dramatic devaluation of the rial as reasons for his participation.
Their grievances were amplified by the currency’s sharp decline. On the open market, the rial has plummeted to over 810,000 per US dollar, exacerbating the financial strain on merchants who now face exorbitant costs to import goods.
A Collapsing Economy
Iran’s economic turmoil is rooted in a complex web of sanctions, geopolitical tensions, and internal mismanagement. U.S.-led sanctions targeting the country’s nuclear program and its support for militant groups have heavily restricted economic growth. Compounding the problem, Iran’s involvement in arms transfers to Russia has drawn further international criticism, isolating it from global markets.
Meanwhile, energy shortages have led to widespread blackouts and school closures, underscoring the depth of the crisis. Workshops across the country have shuttered their doors, while others struggle to sell goods in a shrinking market.
Unrest Beyond the Bazaar
The strike at the Grand Bazaar ignited similar actions in other commercial centres, including Abbasabad Market and Baghe Sepahsalar. Hamidreza Rastgar, head of Tehran’s Chamber of Guilds, acknowledged the growing unrest among manufacturers, signalling the strike’s potential to trigger broader disruptions.
Government on Edge
Iranian security forces have responded with heightened vigilance, deploying personnel to monitor and contain demonstrations. Although no immediate violence has been reported, the heavy police presence reflects the government’s anxiety over protests in such an economically and historically significant area.
A Turning Point?
The Grand Bazaar protests highlight a critical moment in Iran’s ongoing economic struggle. What began as localized discontent has evolved into a nationwide call for change, with merchants and workers from diverse backgrounds uniting against shared hardships. As inflation soars and the rial weakens further, the voices from the bazaar may become a rallying cry for broader reform.
As 2024 comes to a close, we’re reflecting on the incredible achievements of the Royal Australian Air Force. From supporting our Pacific neighbours to working with international partners and responding to crises at home, our people have been there when it mattered most. Watch our 2024 Year in Review and see how Air Force has made a difference this year.
“Your past doesn’t define you—it teaches you. Every experience is a lesson, not a life sentence.”
In Stay Loose, Adrian Hodges delivers a candid reflection on three decades of service in the Australian Army, from navigating the dangers of war to the challenges beyond the battlefield.
Adrian chronicles both the highs and lows. From his battalion’s deployment to Somalia’s famine-stricken chaos—Australia’s first major overseas operation since the Vietnam War—to participating in the nation’s first lethal firefight in decades, he offers harrowing frontline insights. His memoir covers a military exchange in Malaysia, as well as service in Afghanistan and Iraq, providing an intimate view of the physical and psychological tolls faced by soldiers.
But this memoir isn’t just about combat. Adrian reflects on his struggles after leaving the Army, battling uncertainty and searching for direction. His post-military career led him to work as a court recorder on several high-profile legal cases, including the investigation into the Black Hawk helicopter crash that claimed 18 military lives. He also recounts backpacking through North Africa and the Middle East, contrasting his military service with personal discovery.
Eventually re-enlisting, Adrian’s return to operations and military exchanges weaves themes of brotherhood, resilience, and the strength found in family. Now a private military contractor in the UAE, he explores how his past shaped his future.
Stay Loose is a deeply personal journey of finding humour and catharsis in extraordinary circumstances, proving that past experiences offer lessons, not life sentences.
About the Author – Adrian Hodges
Adrian Hodges was born in 1970 and has been involved in the defence industry for more than thirty-five years. His first military mission was to war-ravaged Somalia, on the Horn of Africa, with his last to Iraq. An Australian by birth, Adrian is now based in the Middle East, where he works as a military contractor for the Presidential Guard, an elite military unit of the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces.
LIST PRICE: AU$ 34.99 / NZ$ 39.99
PRICE MAY VARY BY RETAILER
Publisher : Big Sky Publishing (2 April 2025)
Language : English
Paperback : 312 pages
ISBN-10 : 1923300180
ISBN-13 : 978-1923300187
Available from: Amazon.com.au – booktopia – Dymocks – Mightyape – The Nile – QBD books
ED: The following video was sent to me by Bob Buick, with the following quote with which I agree;“Me being me, a pragmatist, of the commonsense group I cannot discover evidence of “CLIMATE CHANGE” but can of “GLOBAL WARMING” that is not CO2 cause but plant evolution that will continue until the demise of EARTH!”
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Liberty Energy CEO Wright is an MIT and Berkeley trained engineer running a big fracking company. He’s also an investor in next-gen technology, including Tim Latimer’s Fervo Energy, which aims to frack hot rocks to provide geothermal energy. To make the world a better place, you need more reliable, affordable, secure, energy,” Chris Wright, CEO of Liberty Energy, told Forbes, 10 days before President-elect Donald Trump announced he would nominate him as the next secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy. And that’s true, he says, even if the world has to rely on fossil fuels to get there.
In a decisive response to escalating threats in the Middle East, US Central Command (Centcom) launched airstrikes targeting Houthi-controlled facilities in Yemen on Tuesday. The strikes, which spanned coastal Yemen and the capital, Sanaa, focused on a command node and facilities used for manufacturing and storing weapons. According to a Centcom statement, radar positions and one-way aerial drones were also destroyed in operations that included additional strikes on Monday.
The offensive marks a significant development in a year-long US-led campaign aimed at curbing attacks by the Iranian-backed Houthis on commercial and military vessels in regional waters. These ongoing assaults have disrupted global shipping and strained US allies whose economies depend heavily on maritime revenue.
A Year of Rising Hostilities
The Houthis, who have controlled much of Yemen for over a decade, have amplified their maritime campaign in recent months. Their operations, initially framed as resistance to Israel’s military actions in Gaza, have since expanded into direct attacks on Israeli targets. While many of these strikes were intercepted, some reached civilian areas, sending millions of Israelis to bomb shelters and prompting a strong retaliatory stance from the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The American airstrikes align with a broader strategy to counter the Houthis’ influence. Israel, a key US ally, has concurrently launched its own aerial operations against Houthi positions following missile and drone attacks that threaten its security. Both nations aim to diminish the Houthis’ ability to project power beyond Yemen’s borders.
Regional Implications
The Houthis’ rise to prominence has altered the dynamics of Middle Eastern geopolitics. Once an obscure rebel faction from Yemen’s northern mountains, the group now positions itself as a leading force in an international resistance movement against the West. This narrative has gained traction as Iranian-backed groups like Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza face increasing setbacks due to Israeli military campaigns.
Experts note that while a year of US, British, and Israeli strikes has degraded the Houthis’ military capabilities, their resolve remains unshaken. The group’s ability to adapt and persist has bolstered its regional standing, particularly among populations sympathetic to its anti-Western rhetoric.
US-Israel Coordination
The Biden administration’s decision to intensify airstrikes underscores the growing urgency of stabilizing the region. Military analysts believe that the coordinated US-Israel campaign could mitigate the Houthis’ capacity for external aggression. However, the operations also risk exacerbating Yemen’s humanitarian crisis, with millions already facing famine and displacement due to the ongoing civil war.
In Washington, officials emphasize that these actions are necessary to protect global shipping lanes and support allies in the region. “Our commitment to maintaining freedom of navigation and regional stability is unwavering,” a Pentagon spokesperson stated.
As the conflict escalates, the interplay between military action and diplomacy will likely shape the next chapter of this complex geopolitical saga. With tensions high and the stakes even higher, the international community watches closely, hoping for a resolution that brings lasting peace to the region.
Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) and Special Operations Forces (SSO) have conducted extensive drone strikes targeting critical Russian facilities, causing significant damage, fires, and disruptions. The strikes, which demonstrate the increasing capabilities of Ukraine’s unmanned aerial systems, focused on the Ryazan oil refinery and Bryansk’s Kremniy plant, both integral to Russia’s military operations.
The Ryazan oil refinery, a major supplier of fuel for Russia’s military, faced a devastating assault.
The refinery, which processes 17 million tons of oil annually, saw fires erupt in at least three storage tanks.
The flames quickly spread to the workshop housing the hydrotreating unit used to produce diesel fuel and aviation kerosene.
Local residents reported hearing over 50 explosions, with footage of the massive blaze circulating on social media.
The attack has likely disrupted the production of critical fuels needed for Russian military vehicles and aircraft, further straining logistics in the ongoing conflict.
The Kremniy plant in Bryansk, a facility essential to Russia’s missile production, was another key target.
The plant manufactures microelectronics for systems including Topol-M missile complexes, Bulava ballistic missiles, and S-300/S-400 anti-aircraft systems.
Videos captured the plant engulfed in flames, with thick smoke billowing into the sky.
Reports indicate that significant damage to the facility will impact Russia’s ability to maintain and deploy advanced weaponry.
The strikes extended beyond Ryazan and Bryansk, with UAV activity reported in Moscow and Saratov regions.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin confirmed that air defences intercepted multiple drones, preventing further damage in the capital.
In Saratov, residents reported hearing approximately seven explosions, indicating an active response from Russian air defences.
In response to the strikes, Russia activated the “Carpet” plan, halting operations at several airports.
Domodedovo and Zhukovsky international airports in Moscow temporarily suspended flights.
Airports in Kazan, Samara, Penza, Saratov, and Nizhnekamsk also faced significant operational restrictions.
The disruptions underscore the growing reach of Ukraine’s drone capabilities, as the attacks forced Russia to redirect resources to protect critical infrastructure.
These strikes mark a significant escalation in Ukraine’s ability to target Russia’s war machine deep within its territory. By hitting facilities vital to fuel production and missile manufacturing, Ukraine aims to weaken Russia’s operational capacity on the battlefield.
As Russia grapples with the aftermath, the strikes signal a shift in the conflict, with drones playing a pivotal role in altering the strategic landscape.
On Friday evening, December 27, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed in his daily address that several North Korean soldiers captured in Ukraine had succumbed to their injuries. Zelensky criticized the Russian government for providing these troops with “minimal protection,” highlighting the grim realities of their deployment.
“Our soldiers managed to capture them,” Zelensky stated. “But they were very seriously wounded and could not be saved.” He went on to condemn what he described as “the madness of which dictatorships are capable,” referencing the decision to send soldiers to die “in battles in Europe.”
North Korean Troops in Kursk
According to Ukrainian intelligence, approximately 12,000 North Korean troops, including around 500 officers and three generals, have been stationed in Russia’s Kursk region. This development has raised serious concerns about the escalating internationalisation of the conflict in Ukraine, as well as the treatment and role of foreign soldiers sent to support Russia’s war efforts.
U.S. Response: “Expendable Troops”
The White House has also weighed in on the situation. John Kirby, spokesperson for the National Security Council, commented on reports of North Korean troop casualties, noting that more than a thousand North Korean soldiers had died in “hopeless” assaults in the Kursk region. Kirby condemned the apparent disregard for these soldiers’ lives, asserting that “Russian and North Korean military leaders viewed them as expendable troops.”
The U.S. government has characterized this deployment as a further indicator of the growing desperation and moral bankruptcy of the Kremlin’s strategy in Ukraine. Kirby’s remarks underscore the international community’s concern about Russia’s increasing reliance on foreign manpower, particularly from nations like North Korea that are already under heavy scrutiny for human rights violations.
Geopolitical Implications
The revelation of North Korean involvement in the conflict adds a troubling layer to the ongoing war in Ukraine. Analysts suggest that Pyongyang’s decision to send troops may be tied to a deeper strategic alliance with Moscow, potentially involving arms deals or economic support. Meanwhile, the deployment of North Korean soldiers raises ethical and humanitarian questions, particularly given their apparent use as “cannon fodder” in high-risk operations.
Global Reaction
The involvement of North Korean troops has sparked widespread condemnation from Western nations and human rights organizations. Observers fear that the participation of these soldiers will further complicate efforts to achieve a peaceful resolution to the conflict. The incident also highlights the broader consequences of authoritarian regimes collaborating in conflicts beyond their borders.
As the war in Ukraine drags on, the deployment of foreign troops—and their subsequent treatment—serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of geopolitical ambitions. The deaths of these North Korean soldiers, unprotected and used in perilous missions, underscore the lengths to which some regimes will go to achieve their objectives. For Ukraine and its allies, the challenge now lies in addressing these developments while continuing to defend against aggression.
ED: Be sure to click on the link within this document and read the newspaper articles of the day.
Not 2010, BUT 1828 at a blistering 53.9 °C
Back before man-made climate change was frying Australia, when CO2 was around 300ppm, the continent savoured an ideal pre-industrial climate……. RIGHT?
This is the kind of climate we are spending $10bn per annum to get back too…. Right again?
We are told today’s climate has more records and more extremes than times gone by, but the few records we have from the early 1800’s are eye-popping.
Things were not just hotter, but so wildly hot it burst thermometers.
The earliest temperature records we have show that Australia was a land of shocking heatwaves and droughts, except for when it was bitterly cold or raging in flood.
In other words, nothing has changed, except possibly things might not be quite so hot now!
Silliggy (Lance Pidgeon) has been researching records from early explorers and from newspapers.
What he’s uncovered is fascinating! It’s as if history is being erased!
For all that we hear about recent record-breaking climate extremes, records that are equally extreme, and sometimes even more so, are ignored.
In January 1896 a savage blast “like a furnace” stretched across Australia from east to west and lasted for weeks.
The death toll reached 437 people in the eastern states.
Newspaper reports showed that in Bourke the heat approached 120°F (48.9°C) on three days.
As reported at the time, the government felt the situation was so serious that to save lives and ease the suffering of its citizens they added cheaper train services:
What I found most interesting about this was the skill, dedication and length of meteorological data taken in the 1800′s. When our climate is “the most important moral challenge” why is it there is so little interest in our longest and oldest data?
Who knew that one of the most meticulous and detailed temperature records in the world from the 1800′s comes from Adelaide, largely thanks to Sir Charles Todd.
The West Terrace site in Adelaide was one of the best in the world at the time and provides accurate historic temperatures from “Australia’s first permanent weather bureau at Adelaide in 1856″.
Rainfall records even appear to go as far back as 1839. Lance Pidgeon went delving into the National Archives and was surprised at what he found.
The media are in overdrive, making out that “the extreme heat is the new normal” in Australia.
The Great Australian Heatwave of January 2013 didn’t push the mercury above 50C at any weather station in Australia, yet it’s been 50C (122F) and hotter in many inland towns across Australia over the past century.
See how many are in the late 1800′s and early to mid 1900′s.
You can’t blame those high records on man-made global warming!
The United States maintains air superiority with its two operational fifth-generation stealth fighters, the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II. China, however, is determined to match that prowess. The People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) is advancing its stealth capabilities with the J-35 and J-20 fifth-generation fighters, both designed to evade radar and challenge U.S. dominance.
A Public Debut for the J-35
The J-35 recently captured global attention with its first public display at the Zhuhai Air Show. During a five-minute flight demonstration, the aircraft impressed observers with its agility and speed. These qualities highlight China’s ambition to produce a fighter capable of rivalling the F-35 and even the F-22.
Attendees also examined a J-35 mock-up up close, fuelling speculation that the aircraft could provide the PLAAF with parity or superiority in aerial combat within the Indo-Pacific region. Military analysts see the J-35 as a testament to China’s commitment to modernizing its air force and countering Western dominance.
Carl Schuster, a military analyst and former director of operations at the U.S. Pacific Command’s joint intelligence centre, remarked, “The message [from China’s military] is that they are equal to the U.S. and the rest of the West. U.S. forces have enjoyed air supremacy in every post-World War II conflict. China’s growing air power challenges that now-traditional Western advantage.”
Similarities to the F-35
Critics note that the J-35’s design bears a striking resemblance to the F-35 Lightning II, raising suspicions of cyber-espionage. Past Chinese cyber operations allegedly targeted sensitive data on the F-35, which may have informed the development of the J-35’s avionics and other systems. This resemblance underscores concerns about intellectual property theft in the defence sector.
J-35 Specifications
The J-35 is a medium-sized stealth fighter equipped with features standard to fifth-generation aircraft. These include a twin-engine layout, twin divert-less supersonic intakes, and a single ventral internal weapons bay. Its stealth attributes—such as edge alignment, serrated panelling, smooth external surfaces, and radar-absorbing materials—reflect state-of-the-art design principles.
The aircraft is expected to use the WS-19 engine, a new powerplant distinct from the WS-15 engines of the J-20 Mighty Dragon. The WS-19 promises super cruise capability, thrust vectoring, and speeds exceeding Mach 2. Additionally, the J-35 features an electro-optic/infrared sensor and a wide-angle holographic heads-up display in its cockpit.
Implications for Naval Warfare
The J-35 and J-20 are anticipated to carry advanced weaponry, potentially including anti-ship and air-to-surface capabilities. These features could pose a significant threat to U.S. Navy carrier strike groups. While developing two stealth fighters simultaneously may strain resources and inflate costs, the PLAAF appears committed to maintaining production momentum for both aircraft.
Aerial Combat Prospects
Though the J-35 may not achieve the same level of stealth as the F-35 or F-22, it could still excel in specific scenarios. For instance, it may outperform Taiwanese fighters and older fourth-generation jets like the PLAAF’s J-10 Vigorous Dragon. The real test will be its performance in combat against the world’s premier fifth-generation aircraft.
China’s dual stealth fighter initiative signals its determination to challenge U.S. air supremacy. As the J-35 edges closer to operational deployment, the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific could shift, raising new questions about the future of aerial warfare.
