Category: Aviation

MIL-OSI Australia: 2HD Breakfast, Paul King

Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development

RICHARD KING: I did mention I received a– hang on, where is it now. Yep, the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government in our neck of the woods this morning. It’s an announcement about funding for a new Cessnock bypass and Muswellbrook bypass. In fact, the Minister is on the line now. Good morning, Minister.

CATHERINE KING: Good morning Richard, how are you?

RICHARD KING: Good, thank you. We had a little bit of confusion there. We’ve had phone calls and text messages flying all over the place. But yeah, welcome back to our area. And look, I mentioned earlier when I said I was hopefully going to be speaking to you this morning. I get a lot of calls from people early in the morning heading up to the mines, et cetera, working in the Hunter Valley. I know– in fact, my son who’s an engineer is working on the Singleton bypass. But you’ve got some good news re a couple more bypasses that are going to be happening as well. Can you tell us about that?

CATHERINE KING: Yeah. It’s actually three weeks ago I was up having a look at the progress on the Singleton bypass, and it’s really coming along well. But today we’re announcing– because that work is going so well, it’s meant that we’ve been able to bring the funding forward for starting the work early on the Muswellbrook bypass. That’s a really important 9.3 kilometres of road. It’ll take about 13,000 to 20,000 cars per day out of the main streets of Muswellbrook. That early money that we’re bringing forward means they can start doing some of the early work to get the site all ready for construction.

So, that’s one of the announcements we’re making today. And of course, just making sure that we continue to plan for the future given the growth that we’re seeing throughout the Hunter, given people have discovered the secret of what a beautiful part of the world it is, and are wanting to move here. We’re seeing increasing numbers of housing development, and that’s also meant that for Cessnock, that has meant that trying to get some congestion out of there is going to be important. So, we’re putting in $5 million today to kick start the planning process to look at a future bypass for the town of Cessnock.

RICHARD KING: We keep hearing about major infrastructure projects. They’re a huge blowout. Just re: Singleton, is that on track sort of budget-wise and time scale-wise, Minister?

CATHERINE KING: Absolutely, as far as I understand it. Obviously, the people delivering the projects are the New South Wales Government. I was on site with Jenny Aitchison on the day three weeks ago, and that project is looking very good. As far as I’m aware, there haven’t been cost blow-outs on that project, which is great to hear. It was great to see some of the workers out there. Obviously, it’s a really important project for the region, and good to see that progress is being made.

RICHARD KING: And look, while we’re talking about infrastructure projects, the extension of the M1, I mean, every time we have holidays or long weekends and even Friday afternoons, the people heading south, either up to Port Stephens or further north, there’s always a bottleneck here. We’ve had the widening of– in fact, it’s right in front of where I am at Sandgate. That widening process has been going on for a long time. I believe that should be finished next year. But the M1 extension, I think that’s a couple of years away at this stage, am I…

CATHERINE KING: [Talks over] Yeah. Well one of one the issues we’ve obviously had– and you can see it all around, is there’s a huge amount of road construction happening at the moment, and that means that there’s been some capacity constraints in terms of these projects. So, trying to make sure we sequence them in a way that keeps fabulous construction workforce working, but also then doesn’t mean that we just don’t have the resources to be able to deliver these projects. So, you can see from whether it’s Hexham, Raymond Terrace, the Singleton bypass, now being able to bring forward the Muswellbrook bypass and start the work to plan the Cessnock bypass and then other projects that are on the schedule for delivery with New South Wales. Really, we’ve got to make sure that we keep that capacity and pipeline of projects going, but we also don’t stretch the system to such an extent that then costs flow out, or we have to import workers from elsewhere.

RICHARD KING: 8:09 on Tuesday, my guest, the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government – you’re wearing a number of hats here – Catherine King. Look, a hot topic at the moment, the financial situation of Newcastle Airport. I don’t know how much of this comes under your umbrella, but I know there was a fair amount of federal money that’s gone into the extension of the runway there. Under construction at the moment is the new international airport, but people are concerned about the liability for ratepayers of both Newcastle and Port Stephens, who jointly own the councils, jointly own those airports. How much oversight do you have on what’s happening at Newcastle Airport Minister?

CATHERINE KING: Well, I don’t have a great deal of oversight into the financials of the airport. Obviously, it is run and managed by the two local councils, and so I don’t have line of sight of the management of the airport. We’ve certainly put grant money in for upgrading the infrastructure, which then enables an expansion of the airport, which then also enables you to have more passengers coming in if you have international flights coming in, and that obviously increases the capacity of the airport for revenue. But they are questions that you’d really need to direct to the local government area.

RICHARD KING: Yeah, it’s a very hot topic. The Lord Mayor of Newcastle, who I spoke to yesterday, has requested an inquiry into that. So, we’ll then no doubt hear more from the New South Wales Government on that particular one.

Another hot issue is obviously the budget which will be out next week. Jim Chalmers, our Treasurer, announced it will be a deficit budget next week after we’ve had a number of surpluses, and deficit budgets, I think, are predicted for the next decade. Will that have much of an impact on all these major infrastructure projects, Minister?

CATHERINE KING: Well, we’ve got a $125 billion infrastructure pipeline that is built into the budget over the next decade. And so when projects come off, new projects come on. So that’s sort of sat and is pretty stable. We’ve increased in fact the budget from the Commonwealth for infrastructure funding. So I don’t anticipate that we’ll see– we’ll see some good news– we will see good news for new infrastructure projects in the budget. But let’s wait till budget night to see what all of the broader figures are. Obviously, I think what the Treasurer, Jim, was indicating that, you know, it would be no surprise to people that we have an event like Cyclone Alfred, that there is some impact on the budget in relation to that, whether it be in terms of claims for fixing roads, rail and but also the significant economic loss many of the businesses and individuals have experienced up there as well. That will, of course, have an impact, as every single disaster does each time on the budget, and he was just reporting that.

RICHARD KING: Peter Dutton yesterday has called for the deregistration of the CFMEU following these fresh allegations of violence, particularly directed at women and the influence of organised crime and corruption within the CFMEU. And he’s calling for legislation changes, et cetera. I know Murray Watt said it’s reckless. Do you have a view on this?

CATHERINE KING: Yeah, I do. I mean, a couple of things. I mean, the first thing, none of us tolerate this sort of activity in any workplace. It’s criminal activity. And we need to make sure that every– you know, from an infrastructure point of view, I want to make sure every assurance that every single dollar of taxpayer money is going to pay workers properly to make sure we actually deliver that infrastructure. And so, I’ve sought assurances from the states and territories that they’ve got the right processes in place to check that all the time.

But in terms of the call from Peter Dutton yesterday, I mean, this is a bloke who has failed to clean up, you know, this– deal with these issues when they were last in government. Now thinks that deregistration– which basically means the union will still operate, they just won’t be registered and they won’t have any oversight. So, what we’ve done is put it into administration so that the people who we were concerned about have no part in running the organisation. You’ll see with deregistration, they will be back in pretty quickly. It means the union still can go to Fair Work Australia, the unions still exist. It just won’t be registered and it won’t have that regulatory oversight. So I’m not sure how that’s actually going to clean up or fix it.

And then secondly, you know, we have already very strong laws in place that allow the sorts of things– you know, again, we’ve gone and looked to America to see what the Americans can tell us. We’re Australia and we know pretty much what our laws say. We’ve already got really strong laws that allow us to go after– you know, the criminal syndicates that are behind some of these activities. The issue is we’ve got to back in the administrator to actually do the job properly. Some of this stuff has come to light because it is in administration. And there is– you know, thorough audits and investigations being undertaken. And, you know, I welcome that the Victorian Government’s now, you know, increased money for the taskforce or increased the focus of the taskforce to try and deal with these issues. But you know, let’s be clear, none of us have any tolerance for this. We’re working our way through how we actually fix this and that will take some time.

RICHARD KING: Appreciate your time this morning, Minister, and enjoy your time in the Hunter Valley I’m sure you will.

CATHERINE KING: [Laughs] I always do. Thank you so much.

RICHARD KING: Good on you. Thank you. Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, that’s a mouthful. Catherine King on 2HD.

MIL OSI News –

March 19, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: U.S. Files Civil Forfeiture Complaint Against Aircraft Used by Nicolás Maduro Moros in Violation of U.S. Sanctions and Export Control Laws

Source: US State of California

Note: View the forfeiture complaint.

The United States today filed a civil forfeiture complaint in the Southern District of Florida against a Dassault Falcon 900 EX aircraft, bearing tail number T7-ESPRT, which was smuggled from the United States under false pretenses and operated for the benefit of Nicolás Maduro Moros (Maduro) and his representatives in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (the Maduro Regime) in violation of U.S. sanctions and export control laws. The aircraft was seized last year in the Dominican Republic at the request of the United States.

Today’s filing alleges that the Dassault Falcon 900 EX aircraft was purchased and maintained in violation of U.S. sanctions against Maduro and the Maduro Regime. According to the complaint, the aircraft is forfeitable based on violations of U.S. law, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and money laundering violations.

Since 2014, the United States has imposed sanctions against targeted individuals, entities, and sectors in Venezuela to address the increasing political oppression and corruption in Venezuela by the Maduro Regime. On March 8, 2015, the President found that the situation in Venezuela constituted an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States and declared a national emergency pursuant to IEEPA to deal with that threat. See Executive Order (E.O.) 13692.

In 2017, 2018, and 2019, President Trump took additional steps regarding the national emergency declared in E.O. 13692. On Aug. 5, 2019, the President issued E.O. 13884 “in light of the continued usurpation of power by Nicolás Maduro and persons affiliated with him, as well as human rights abuses, including arbitrary or unlawful arrest and detention of Venezuelan citizens, interference with freedom of expression, including for members of the media, and ongoing attempts to undermine Interim President Juan Guaidó and the Venezuelan National Assembly’s exercise of legitimate authority in Venezuela.”

E.O. 13884 prohibits the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the order, including the Government of Venezuela and the Maduro Regime; the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person; and, any transaction that evades or avoids, has the purpose of evading or avoiding, causes a violation of, or attempts to violate any of the prohibitions set forth in the order.

The complaint alleges that on or about Jan. 23, 2023, a company purportedly based in the Caribbean island country of St. Vincent and the Grenadines (Foreign Company 1) entered into a contract to purchase the Dassault Falcon 900 EX aircraft from a company in Florida for $13,250,000. The complaint further alleges that the individual in charge of purchasing the aircraft purportedly on behalf of Foreign Company 1 was a Venezuelan national (Foreign Principal 1), who concealed the fact that he was representing or associated with the Maduro Regime.

The complaint further alleges that Foreign Company 1 merely acted as a nominee owner of the Dassault Falcon 900 EX aircraft as it was formed shortly before the purchase, in June 2022, and was struck from the register of St. Vincent companies for failure to pay annual fees two years later, in May 2024.

The complaint further alleges that funds used to purchase the Dassault Falcon 900EX aircraft were sent via multiple wire transfers from different countries, including Malaysia, using both U.S. dollars and euros, and that Foreign Company 1 used an email address with a “.ae” domain from the United Arab Emirates to correspond with the Florida-based seller even though Foreign Company 1’s representatives allegedly had Spanish names and some of the emails contained the phrase “Enviado desde mi iPhone,” or Spanish for “Sent from my iPhone.”

The complaint further alleges that the Dassault Falcon 900 EX aircraft was flown from the United States to St. Vincent on or about April 3, 2023, and approximately five hours later, it departed for Caracas, Venezuela, piloted by two members of the Venezuelan Presidential Honor Guard, and accompanied by a second aircraft that operates out of a Venezuelan military base.

The complaint further alleges that, since May 2023, the Dassault Falcon 900 EX aircraft has flown to and from Venezuela at least 21 times and Maduro has been seen traveling with the aircraft on official visits to other countries, including for a December 2023 prisoner exchange with the United States.

As alleged, in March 2024, the Dassault Falcon 900 EX aircraft was flown to the Dominican Republic for service and maintenance where Foreign Company 1 held itself out to be the owner, concealing from the Dominican-based jet maintenance company that the aircraft had been purchased and operated for benefit of the Maduro Regime.

The complaint further alleges that on at least two occasions in May 2024, Foreign Principal 1, purportedly acting on behalf of Foreign Company 1, and other Venezuelan individuals, including military personnel, attempted to retrieve the Dassault Falcon aircraft from the Dominican Republic.

Following the attempts by the Venezuelan individuals to retrieve the Dassault Falcon 900 EX aircraft, the U.S. government obtained a seizure warrant and requested that the Dominican Republic seize, detain, and transfer the Dassault Falcon aircraft. Pursuant to U.S. request, the aircraft was transported back to the United States on Sept. 2, 2024. That same day, the Maduro Regime issued a statement admitting the Dassault Falcon aircraft “has been used by” Maduro.

A second Dassault Falcon aircraft identified by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) as blocked property of Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PdVSA), the sanctioned Venezuelan state-owned oil and natural-gas company, and illegally serviced and maintained in violation of U.S. sanctions, also was seized in the Dominican Republic at the request of the United States government on Feb. 6, 2025.

The Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security Miami Field Office is investigating the case, along with the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Santo Domingo.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Paster and Jorge Delgado for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Ahmed Almudallal of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are handling the matter.

The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and HSI El Dorado Task Force Miami provided significant assistance in working with authorities in the Dominican Republic. The United States thanks the Dominican Republic for its assistance in this matter.

MIL OSI USA News –

March 19, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: EIB Global helps improve air traffic control system in Serbia and Montenegro
Source: European Investment Bank
- The EU bank is investing €25 million to make the air navigation system in Serbia and Montenegro safer and more efficient.
- The loan will help to develop and implement cutting-edge software in line with the highest standards of the Single European Sky initiative.
- As one of its leading supporters, EIB Global has invested €6.6 billion so far in the transport sector in the Western Balkans, helping to make transport networks in the region safer and more sustainable.
The European Investment Bank (EIB Global) will provide a €25 million loan to upgrade the air navigation control system in Serbia and Montenegro. State-of-the-art equipment and software will enable SMATSA, the air navigation service provider in both countries, to implement the highest operational and safety standards, ensuring interoperability and optimising flight routes. The project aims to make air traffic management over Serbia and Montenegro more efficient, improving safety and delivering environmental benefits to European air travel.

The investment will be used to develop a new software solution for air traffic management in line with the requirements set out by Eurocontrol (the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation) and the Digital European Sky strategy, contributing to digitalisation and automation. This initiative will enable SMATSA – which currently manages around 9% of all European flights – to keep abreast of the latest technologies, while also improving the connections between its control centers in Belgrade, Podgorica, Tivat, Batajnica, Kraljevo and Niš. In this way, the project will help reduce operational costs, shorten flight times, minimise delays and CO₂ emissions, while improving connectivity within the Western Balkans and with the EU.

Co-financed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), this project is part of the European Commission’s Economic and Investment Plan aimed at fostering connectivity and regional integration. As one of its leading supporters, EIB Global has invested €6.6 billion in total in the transport sector in the Western Balkans, helping to create safer and more sustainable transport networks in the region.
MIL OSI Europe News –
March 19, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Files Civil Forfeiture Complaint Against Aircraft Used by Nicolás Maduro Moros in Violation of U.S. Sanctions and Export Control Laws

Source: United States Attorneys General

Note: View the forfeiture complaint.

The United States today filed a civil forfeiture complaint in the Southern District of Florida against a Dassault Falcon 900 EX aircraft, bearing tail number T7-ESPRT, which was smuggled from the United States under false pretenses and operated for the benefit of Nicolás Maduro Moros (Maduro) and his representatives in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (the Maduro Regime) in violation of U.S. sanctions and export control laws. The aircraft was seized last year in the Dominican Republic at the request of the United States.

Today’s filing alleges that the Dassault Falcon 900 EX aircraft was purchased and maintained in violation of U.S. sanctions against Maduro and the Maduro Regime. According to the complaint, the aircraft is forfeitable based on violations of U.S. law, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and money laundering violations.

Since 2014, the United States has imposed sanctions against targeted individuals, entities, and sectors in Venezuela to address the increasing political oppression and corruption in Venezuela by the Maduro Regime. On March 8, 2015, the President found that the situation in Venezuela constituted an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States and declared a national emergency pursuant to IEEPA to deal with that threat. See Executive Order (E.O.) 13692.

In 2017, 2018, and 2019, President Trump took additional steps regarding the national emergency declared in E.O. 13692. On Aug. 5, 2019, the President issued E.O. 13884 “in light of the continued usurpation of power by Nicolás Maduro and persons affiliated with him, as well as human rights abuses, including arbitrary or unlawful arrest and detention of Venezuelan citizens, interference with freedom of expression, including for members of the media, and ongoing attempts to undermine Interim President Juan Guaidó and the Venezuelan National Assembly’s exercise of legitimate authority in Venezuela.”

E.O. 13884 prohibits the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the order, including the Government of Venezuela and the Maduro Regime; the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person; and, any transaction that evades or avoids, has the purpose of evading or avoiding, causes a violation of, or attempts to violate any of the prohibitions set forth in the order.

The complaint alleges that on or about Jan. 23, 2023, a company purportedly based in the Caribbean island country of St. Vincent and the Grenadines (Foreign Company 1) entered into a contract to purchase the Dassault Falcon 900 EX aircraft from a company in Florida for $13,250,000. The complaint further alleges that the individual in charge of purchasing the aircraft purportedly on behalf of Foreign Company 1 was a Venezuelan national (Foreign Principal 1), who concealed the fact that he was representing or associated with the Maduro Regime.

The complaint further alleges that Foreign Company 1 merely acted as a nominee owner of the Dassault Falcon 900 EX aircraft as it was formed shortly before the purchase, in June 2022, and was struck from the register of St. Vincent companies for failure to pay annual fees two years later, in May 2024.

The complaint further alleges that funds used to purchase the Dassault Falcon 900EX aircraft were sent via multiple wire transfers from different countries, including Malaysia, using both U.S. dollars and euros, and that Foreign Company 1 used an email address with a “.ae” domain from the United Arab Emirates to correspond with the Florida-based seller even though Foreign Company 1’s representatives allegedly had Spanish names and some of the emails contained the phrase “Enviado desde mi iPhone,” or Spanish for “Sent from my iPhone.”

The complaint further alleges that the Dassault Falcon 900 EX aircraft was flown from the United States to St. Vincent on or about April 3, 2023, and approximately five hours later, it departed for Caracas, Venezuela, piloted by two members of the Venezuelan Presidential Honor Guard, and accompanied by a second aircraft that operates out of a Venezuelan military base.

The complaint further alleges that, since May 2023, the Dassault Falcon 900 EX aircraft has flown to and from Venezuela at least 21 times and Maduro has been seen traveling with the aircraft on official visits to other countries, including for a December 2023 prisoner exchange with the United States.

As alleged, in March 2024, the Dassault Falcon 900 EX aircraft was flown to the Dominican Republic for service and maintenance where Foreign Company 1 held itself out to be the owner, concealing from the Dominican-based jet maintenance company that the aircraft had been purchased and operated for benefit of the Maduro Regime.

The complaint further alleges that on at least two occasions in May 2024, Foreign Principal 1, purportedly acting on behalf of Foreign Company 1, and other Venezuelan individuals, including military personnel, attempted to retrieve the Dassault Falcon aircraft from the Dominican Republic.

Following the attempts by the Venezuelan individuals to retrieve the Dassault Falcon 900 EX aircraft, the U.S. government obtained a seizure warrant and requested that the Dominican Republic seize, detain, and transfer the Dassault Falcon aircraft. Pursuant to U.S. request, the aircraft was transported back to the United States on Sept. 2, 2024. That same day, the Maduro Regime issued a statement admitting the Dassault Falcon aircraft “has been used by” Maduro.

A second Dassault Falcon aircraft identified by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) as blocked property of Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PdVSA), the sanctioned Venezuelan state-owned oil and natural-gas company, and illegally serviced and maintained in violation of U.S. sanctions, also was seized in the Dominican Republic at the request of the United States government on Feb. 6, 2025.

The Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security Miami Field Office is investigating the case, along with the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Santo Domingo.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Paster and Jorge Delgado for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Ahmed Almudallal of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are handling the matter.

The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and HSI El Dorado Task Force Miami provided significant assistance in working with authorities in the Dominican Republic. The United States thanks the Dominican Republic for its assistance in this matter.

MIL Security OSI –

March 19, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Risk posed by the operation of an illegal airport in occupied Cyprus and the need for aviation security measures – E-002776/2024(ASW)
Source: European Parliament
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issues recommendations (Conflict Zone Information Bulletins — CZIBs) for areas where an armed conflict can pose a significant security risk to EU civil aviation. Before issuing a CZIB, the Agency shall obtain the agreement of the Commission and consult the Member States.

The risk to aviation posed by the operational activities of Ercan airport, as described by the Honourable Member, do not fall within the scope of EASA recommendations resulting from armed conflict.

Eurocontrol is the designated Network manager under the Single European Sky Regulation in accordance with Commission Implementing Decision 2019/709 of 6 May 2019[1] and its membership as intergovernmental organisation also includes Türkiye.

Eurocontrol is continuously monitoring and coordinating air traffic management on a pan-European basis, including in the region in question.

Data from the Network manager show that traffic to and from Türkiye, which is the only traffic possible for this airport, has remained stable for some time.

[1] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2019/709/oj/eng
Last updated: 18 March 2025
MIL OSI Europe News –
March 19, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: NASA Invites Media to View Wildland Fire Technology Flight Test

Source: NASA

NASA will conduct a live flight test of aircraft performing simulated wildland fire response operations using a newly developed airspace management system at 9 a.m. PDT on Tuesday, March 25, in Salinas, California.
NASA’s new portable airspace management system, part of the agency’s Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Response Operations (ACERO) project, aims to significantly expand the window of time crews have to respond to wildland fires. The system provides the air traffic awareness needed to safely send aircraft – including drones and remotely piloted helicopters – into wildland fire operations, even during low-visibility conditions. Current aerial firefighting operations are limited to times when pilots have clear visibility, which lowers the risk of flying into the surrounding terrain or colliding with other aircraft. This restriction grounds most aircraft at night and during periods of heavy smoke.
During this inaugural flight test, researchers will use the airspace management system to coordinate the flight operations of two small drones, an electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, and a remotely piloted aircraft that will have a backup pilot aboard. The drones and aircraft will execute examples of critical tasks for wildland fire management, including weather data sharing, simulated aerial ignition flights, and communications relay.
Media interested in viewing the ACERO flight testing must RSVP by 4 p.m. Friday, March 21, to the NASA Ames Office of Communications by email at: arc-dl-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov or by phone at 650-604-4789. NASA will release additional details, including address and arrival logistics, to media credentialed for the event. A copy of NASA’s media accreditation policy is online.
NASA’s ACERO researchers will use data from the flight test to refine the airspace management system. The project aims to eventually provide this technology to wildland fire crews for use in the field, helping to save lives and property. This project is managed at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley.
For more information on ACERO, visit:
https://go.nasa.gov/4bYEzsD
-end-
Rob MargettaHeadquarters, Washington202-358-1600robert.j.margetta@nasa.gov
Hillary SmithAmes Research Center, Silicon Valley650-604-4789hillary.smith@nasa.gov

MIL OSI USA News –

March 19, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Delegation of competences in the area of immigration and border control to Catalonia – E-001003/2025
Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-001003/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Dolors Montserrat (PPE), Juan Ignacio Zoido Álvarez (PPE)

The agreement between the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) and the Junts per Catalunya party on the delegation of competences in the area of immigration to Catalonia provides that the community is to play a role in monitoring the security of ports, airports and ‘critical areas’, as well as in the management of residence permits for migrants and the issuing of documents for foreigners.

Immigration policy is a shared competence between the European Union and the Member States, governed by the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and the Schengen Acquis, with binding rules such as the Visa Code, the Dublin Regulation and the Return Directive.

1.How will the Commission ensure that the transfer of competences to Catalonia is carried out in accordance with the EU’s legal framework and the correct application of EU law?

2.Does the Commission consider that administrative fragmentation in border control, the granting of visas or the management of residence permits could jeopardise security and migration control within the Schengen area?

3.How would the European Union collaborate with the regional government in the context of the police coordination efforts carried out in Europol or Frontex?

Submitted: 7.3.2025
Last updated: 18 March 2025
MIL OSI Europe News –
March 19, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: INDIAN AND FRENCH NAVIES SET FOR THE 23rd EDITION OF BILATERAL NAVAL EXERCISE – VARUNA 2025

Source: Government of India

Posted On: 18 MAR 2025 6:36PM by PIB Delhi

The 23rd edition of the bilateral naval exercise VARUNA, a testament to the enduring maritime partnership between India and France, is set to take place from 19 to 22 Mar 25. Since its inception in 2001, VARUNA has evolved into a cornerstone of cooperation, showcasing the two nations’ commitment to enhancing naval interoperability and operational synergy. This year’s edition promises an exhilarating array of maritime exercises and complex manoeuvres across the sub-surface, surface, and air domains. The joint participation of the aircraft carriers Vikrant and Charles de Gaulle, alongside their fighter aircraft, destroyers, frigates, and an Indian Scorpene-class submarine, highlights the collaborative strength of both Navies.

VARUNA 2025 will feature advanced air defence drills and fighter exercises, including mock air-to-air combat between the French Rafale-M and Indian MiG-29K, designed to refine tactical and operational capabilities. Anti-submarine warfare exercises will provide rigorous training in underwater domain awareness, while surface warfare operations will demonstrate synchronised manoeuvres and engagements by the Indian and French fleets. Maritime patrol aircraft will enhance situational awareness, and replenishment-at-sea exercises will fortify logistical cooperation. This collaboration underscores the shared vision of safeguarding a free, open, and secure maritime environment.

By fostering the exchange of best practices and mutual understanding, the exercise reaffirms the ability of both nations to operate seamlessly in even the most complex maritime scenarios. VARUNA 2025 stands as a powerful reminder of the deep bonds uniting the Indian and French Navies in their pursuit of maritime peace and security.

*****

VM/SPS

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MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

March 19, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Hoeven: BlueHalo Partnerships Link Area’s Counter-Drone, Hypersonic Missile Testing & Space Operations
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for North Dakota John Hoeven
03.18.25

Senator Outlines Efforts to Build Project ULTRA, Grand Forks into Proving Ground for Counter-UAS Tech

EMERADO, N.D. – Senator John Hoeven and representatives from BlueHalo today announced that the company is expanding its operations to the Grand Forks region, tying into a range of operations critical to the future of the nation’s defense, like counter-drone, while laying the groundwork to also connect with the region’s growing space operations. Specifically, BlueHalo:

Has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with GrandSKY to install its VigilantHalo system in support of Project ULTRA at the unmanned aerial systems (UAS) technology park.

Project ULTRA is an effort to make Grand Forks the proving ground for developing the technology needed to protect U.S. military installations and service members against the malicious use of UAS.

VigilantHalo will significantly enhance Project ULTRA’s ability to track unmanned aircraft by providing a seamless link between the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) unfiltered radar data feed, the state’s Vantis network and other sensor systems.

Will provide on-site support for the Sky Range program, which is operated by the Test Resource Management Center (TRMC) at GrandSKY.

BlueHalo will be supporting the use of its PANTHER phased array antenna, which is the technology used to convert Grand Forks’ Global Hawks into Range Hawks, enabling them to track hypersonic missiles and other airborne and space-based threats, while communicating with satellites.

The company will also partner with the University of North Dakota (UND) on further development of phased array technology.

Continues working to adapt its phased array antenna for spaced-based platforms, including the low-Earth orbit mission at Grand Forks Air Force Base.

The STAPS Project is funded under the $8.3 million Hoeven secured in Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 to partner BlueHalo with Bismarck State College.

This effort seeks to miniaturize and enhance the phase array antenna so it can be packaged and launched on satellites.

This would allow for additional tracking data in hypersonic missile testing, with the potential for future applications such as tracking adversary missiles.

“Partnerships are the foundation on which North Dakota’s UAS ecosystem is built, and these initiatives being undertaken by BlueHalo are adding new capabilities and opportunities to link the many exciting operations going on in the Grand Forks region,” said Senator Hoeven. “Importantly, BlueHalo is bringing the VigilantHalo system to GrandSKY at the same time as we are establishing access to the unfiltered FAA radar data feed, giving private companies a unique advantage as they work to develop counter-UAS technologies under Project ULTRA. Combined with the company’s support for the Sky Range hypersonic missile testing and the potential to bring their phased array technology to our satellite mission, today’s announcement ties together North Dakota’s role in some of the most critical missions for the future of our nation’s defense.”

“North Dakota is a hub for national security research, development, and operations–from drones to hypersonic missiles to total airspace command and control,” said Trip Ferguson, BlueHalo Chief Operating Officer. “The state’s unique blend of leaders like Senator Hoeven who understand these urgent priorities with organizations like GrandSKY who are leaning forward to bring solutions to the table is creating an environment of rapid innovation. BlueHalo is already hard at work here to develop and transition solutions to the frontlines. We’re excited to expand these efforts alongside partners who share the same focus and commitment to the mission.”

“This agreement with BlueHalo allows GrandSKY to further expand its capabilities in BVLOS operations, and the integration of VigilantHalo as a ground-based sense-and-avoid system strengthens the safety and efficiency of uncrewed flights,” GrandSKY President Tom Swoyer Jr. said. “This collaboration addresses the critical challenges of integrating UAS into the national airspace system while also integrating counter-UAS capabilities which are becoming increasingly critical to national security.”

Installing VigilantHalo at GrandSKY

VigilantHalo is an advanced command and control system capable of combining multiple feeds from radars and sensors, enabling:

More robust UAS traffic management, detect and avoid capabilities and beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) unmanned flights.

Companies that partner with GrandSKY under Project ULTRA a unique set of capabilities as they develop UAS and counter-UAS technologies.

The new system supports Hoeven’s efforts to increase the size and scope of Project ULTRA to develop new tools and methods for the U.S. to counter the malicious use of drone technology. To this end, the senator continues working to secured an increase contract ceiling for Project ULTRA, which would enable it to serve as a bridge between an existing Department of Defense contracting vehicle and new counter-UAS capabilities being developed in the private sector.
MIL OSI USA News –
March 19, 2025
MIL-OSI: NVIDIA Blackwell Accelerates Computer-Aided Engineering Software by Orders of Magnitude for Real-Time Digital Twins

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

SAN JOSE, Calif., March 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — GTC — NVIDIA today announced that leading computer-aided engineering (CAE) software vendors, including Ansys, Altair, Cadence, Siemens and Synopsys, are accelerating their simulation tools by up to 50x with the NVIDIA Blackwell platform.

With such accelerated software, along with NVIDIA CUDA-X™ libraries and blueprints to further optimize performance, industries such as automotive, aerospace, energy, manufacturing and life sciences can significantly reduce product development time, cut costs and increase design accuracy while maintaining energy efficiency.

“CUDA-accelerated physical simulation on NVIDIA Blackwell has enhanced real-time digital twins and is reimagining the entire engineering process,” said Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of NVIDIA. “The day is coming when virtually all products will be created and brought to life as a digital twin long before it is realized physically.”

Ecosystem Support for NVIDIA Blackwell
Software providers can help their customers develop digital twins with real-time interactivity and now accelerate them with NVIDIA Blackwell technologies.

The growing ecosystem integrating Blackwell into its software includes Altair, Ansys, BeyondMath, Cadence, COMSOL, ENGYS, Flexcompute, Hexagon, Luminary Cloud, M-Star, NAVASTO, an Autodesk company, Neural Concept, nTop, Rescale, Siemens, Simscale, Synopsys and Volcano Platforms.

Cadence is using NVIDIA Grace Blackwell-accelerated systems to help solve one of computational fluid dynamics’ biggest challenges — the simulation of an entire aircraft during takeoff and landing. Using the Cadence Fidelity CFD solver, Cadence successfully ran multibillion cell simulations on a single NVIDIA GB200 NVL72 server in under 24 hours, which would have previously required a CPU cluster with hundreds of thousands of cores and several days to complete.

This breakthrough will help the aerospace industry move toward designing safer, more efficient aircrafts while reducing the amount of expensive wind-tunnel testing required, speeding time to market.

Anirudh Devgan, president and CEO of Cadence, said, “NVIDIA Blackwell’s acceleration of the Cadence.AI portfolio delivers increased productivity and quality of results for intelligent system design — reducing engineering tasks that took hours to minutes and unlocking simulations not possible before. Our collaboration with NVIDIA drives innovation across semiconductors, data centers, physical AI and sciences.”

Sassine Ghazi, president and CEO of Synopsys, said, “At GTC, we’re unveiling the latest performance results observed across our leading portfolio when optimizing Synopsys solutions for NVIDIA Blackwell to accelerate computationally intensive chip design workflows. Synopsys technology is mission-critical to the productivity and capabilities of engineering teams, from silicon to systems. By harnessing the power of NVIDIA accelerated computing, we can help customers unlock new levels of performance and deliver their innovations even faster.”

Ajei Gopal, president and CEO of Ansys, said, “The close collaboration between Ansys and NVIDIA is accelerating innovation at an unprecedented pace. By harnessing the computational performance of NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs, we at Ansys are empowering engineers at Volvo Cars to tackle the most complex computational fluid dynamics challenges with exceptional speed and accuracy — enabling more optimization studies and delivering more performant vehicles.”

James Scapa, founder and CEO of Altair, said, “The NVIDIA Blackwell platform’s computing power, combined with Altair’s cutting-edge simulation tools, gives users transformative capabilities. This combination makes GPU-based simulations up to 1.6x faster compared with the previous generation, helping engineers rapidly solve design challenges and giving industries the power to create safer, more sustainable products through real-time digital twins and physics-informed AI.”

Roland Busch, president and CEO of Siemens, said, “The combination of NVIDIA’s groundbreaking Blackwell architecture with Siemens’ physics-based digital twins will enable engineers to drastically reduce development times and costs through using photo-realistic, interactive digital twins. This collaboration will allow us to help customers like BMW innovate faster, optimize processes and achieve remarkable levels of efficiency in design and manufacturing.”

Rescale CAE Hub With NVIDIA Blackwell
Rescale’s newly launched CAE Hub enables customers to streamline their access to NVIDIA technologies and CUDA^®-accelerated software developed by leading independent software vendors. Rescale CAE Hub provides flexible, high-performance computing and AI technologies in the cloud powered by NVIDIA GPUs and NVIDIA DGX™ Cloud.

Boom Supersonic, the company building the world’s fastest airliner, will use the NVIDIA Omniverse Blueprint for real-time digital twins and Blackwell-accelerated CFD solvers on Rescale CAE Hub to design and optimize its new supersonic passenger jet.

The company’s product development cycle, which is almost entirely simulation-driven, will use the Rescale platform accelerated by Blackwell GPUs to test different flight conditions and refine requirements in a continuous loop with simulation.

The adoption of the Rescale CAE Hub powered by Blackwell GPUs expands Boom Supersonic’s collaboration with NVIDIA. Through the NVIDIA PhysicsNeMo™ framework and the Rescale AI Physics platform, Boom Supersonic can unlock 4x more design explorations for its supersonic airliner, speeding iteration to improve performance and time to market.

NVIDIA Omniverse Blueprint Now Broadly Accessible for Enterprises
The NVIDIA Omniverse Blueprint for real-time digital twins, now generally available, is also part of the Rescale CAE Hub. The blueprint brings together NVIDIA CUDA-X libraries, NVIDIA PhysicsNeMo AI and the NVIDIA Omniverse™ platform — and is also adding the first NVIDIA NIM™ microservice for external aerodynamics, the study of how air moves around objects.

Learn more by watching the NVIDIA GTC keynote and register for sessions from NVIDIA and industry leaders at the show, which runs through March 21.

About NVIDIA
NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA) is the world leader in accelerated computing.

For further information, contact:
Steve Gartner
NVIDIA Corporation
+1-513-479-4060
sgartner@nvidia.com

Certain statements in this press release including, but not limited to, statements as to: the benefits, impact, availability, and performance of NVIDIA’s products, services, and technologies; third parties adopting or offering NVIDIA’s products and technologies and the benefits and impact thereof; the day coming when products will be created and brought to life as a digital twin long before it is realized physically; and real-time digital twins revolutionizing the physical industries are forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause results to be materially different than expectations. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include: global economic conditions; our reliance on third parties to manufacture, assemble, package and test our products; the impact of technological development and competition; development of new products and technologies or enhancements to our existing product and technologies; market acceptance of our products or our partners’ products; design, manufacturing or software defects; changes in consumer preferences or demands; changes in industry standards and interfaces; unexpected loss of performance of our products or technologies when integrated into systems; as well as other factors detailed from time to time in the most recent reports NVIDIA files with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, including, but not limited to, its annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. Copies of reports filed with the SEC are posted on the company’s website and are available from NVIDIA without charge. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and speak only as of the date hereof, and, except as required by law, NVIDIA disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect future events or circumstances.

© 2025 NVIDIA Corporation. All rights reserved. NVIDIA, the NVIDIA logo, CUDA, CUDA-X, DGX, NVIDIA NIM, PhysicsNeMo, and NVIDIA Omniverse are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of NVIDIA Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries. Other company and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated. Features, pricing, availability, and specifications are subject to change without notice.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9d8b1936-99e9-4170-9a34-5f1f25a1e88e

The MIL Network –

March 19, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: IAM Union Discusses Impacts on Aerospace Workers Amidst Tariff Uncertainty

Source: US GOIAM Union

The IAM Union is closely monitoring the impacts of ever-changing tariff policy on all IAM members, including aerospace workers who rely on heavily integrated supply chains, especially between the United States and Canada.

IAM International Affairs Director Peter Greenberg was recently featured on an expert panel webinar hosted by the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA).

Greenberg noted that the IAM represents more than 100,000 aerospace workers in both the U.S. and Canada. Aircraft and their components are often manufactured and shipped across the border several times for assembly by highly-skilled IAM members. A tariff war between the two nations puts that relationship at risk.

WATCH: The Tariff Landscape — What We Know Now

“The supply chains in North America have become so integrated in aerospace that it would be very difficult for manufacturers to move to solely U.S.-based suppliers, or solely Canadian suppliers,” he said. “There is a deep well of aerospace skills, particularly in the U.S. and Canada, that allow companies to take advantage of economies of scale. The complexity of this supply chain is really hard to overstate.”

Safety could also come under the spotlight, Greenberg added.

“The supply chain and the established certification procedures that result in a safe aviation operating environment can’t just be replicated,” he said. “Replacing existing pieces of the supply chain from scratch would be time-consuming and expensive and probably also have a negative safety impact.”

The IAM Union has consistently called for the strategic use of tariffs against bad actors, like China, that ignore trade rules and labor standards.

“Canada is not an adversary—it is one of our closest allies and largest trading partners,” IAM International President Brian Bryant and Canadian General Vice President David Chartrand recently said. “IAM members demand a trade strategy that puts workers first, fosters long-term economic growth, and strengthens our manufacturing base on both sides of the border.”

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MIL OSI USA News –

March 19, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: Violence Triggers Record Displacements in Port-au-Prince: Over 60,000 People in a Month

Source: International Organization for Migration (IOM)

Port-au-Prince, 18 March 2025 – In just one month, intense violence has forced nearly 60,000 people to flee—yet another record in Haiti’s worsening humanitarian situation. For years, gang violence, displacement, and instability have gripped Port-au-Prince and large parts of the country, each wave of attacks deepening the suffering of already vulnerable communities. However, in the last two months, the security situation has sharply deteriorated even further in the capital, with escalating attacks on civilians, eroding the few remaining gang-free areas, and forcing repeated and record displacements. The Port-au-Prince airport remains closed and the capital under siege.

Escalating violence has heavily impacted communities in several neighborhoods of the capital, including Delmas, Carrefour-Feuilles, Martissant, Fort National, Pétion-Ville, and Tabarre, forcing thousands to flee for safety. Most of the displaced have sought refuge in 48 displacement sites, including 12 newly established ones, while others have taken shelter with already overstretched host families.

“This alarming surge in displacements underscores the relentless cycle of violence devastating Haiti’s capital, we have never observed a such large number of people moving in this short time” said Grégoire Goodstein, IOM’s Chief in Haiti. “Families are being uprooted time and again, forced to leave everything behind as they flee for safety. Many of those displaced were already living in precarious conditions after previous displacements.”

Overall, more than 1 million people are displaced across the country, a number that has tripled in the past year. Yet, as suffering reaches new extremes, Haiti’s crisis continues to struggle for the world’s attention. Resources are stretched thin, and humanitarian needs far exceed the current response capacity. Additionally, insecurity keeps growing. Support for the Haitian National Police must be enhanced to provide them with the necessary resources and capabilities to restore stability and security.

“People fleeing violence need immediate protection, food, water, and shelter. The situation is worsening by the day, and without additional support, we risk seeing an even greater humanitarian catastrophe unfold,” emphasized Goodstein.

IOM continues to provide life-saving assistance to displaced communities in Haiti. Last month alone, over 16,000 people were reached with clean water and hygiene support, while 3,700 people benefited from emergency shelter, hygiene kits, medical care and psychosocial support. IOM teams remain on the ground, engaging with affected families, assessing urgent needs, and delivering aid throughout the country.

From emergency relief to long-term recovery, IOM is committed to providing relief and support for displaced Haitians, ensuring they receive the aid they need to survive and rebuild. However, significant challenges persist. Resources are overstretched, and humanitarian access is increasingly constrained due to insecurity, leaving thousands without adequate protection and essential services.

Note to Editor 

A detailed analysis of displacements in Haiti is available here.

For more information please contact:

In Haiti: Antoine Lemonnier, alemonnier@iom.int

In Panama: Jorge Gallo, jgallo@iom.int

In Geneva: Daniela Rovina, drovina@iom.int

MIL OSI United Nations News –

March 19, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: The UK has closed its flagship sustainable farming scheme, choosing short-term cuts over long-term security

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Emma Burnett, Honorary Research Associate, TABLE, University of Oxford

EMJAY SMITH / shutterstock

The UK government’s decision to abruptly close all applications for its flagship nature-friendly farming scheme has shocked many of the country’s farmers and environmentalists.

The sustainable farming incentive (SFI) is one of a series of schemes which pays farmers in England to nurture the soil and wildlife and improve water quality. It is far from perfect.

People have criticised its complexity and lack of clarity, its financial viability or its impact on how farms operate and how this would change the balance between producing food and reaching environmental goals.

It’s too early to tell if these critics were correct, but the SFI certainly provided some stability for British farmers after EU farm subsidies ended post-Brexit. It seemed poised to make some positive impact.

The government says a revised version will be announced in the coming months, but it will be hard to regain the trust of farmers. The decision to close the scheme for now throws a stark light on a broader issue: the tendency to prioritise immediate financial needs over the long-term health of both the farming sector and the environment.

This is a classic example of what economists call “future discounting”, and it’s a dangerous game to play when it comes to vital services.

Essentially, future discounting means we value things more in the present than we do in the future. If you are promised £100 today, or £110 in two months, which would you take? Sometimes there’s no right or wrong answer – do what you think is right for you with that £100. But sometimes… well, sometimes there is a right answer.

The value of now, the value of the future

The SFI scheme offers vital support for sustainable practices that, while crucial, often require upfront investment. This includes cover cropping, for example, where a crop is grown simply to cover a field rather than to be harvested.

Cover cropping can help rejuvenate soils and is good for insects, but there are costs attached to purchasing the seeds, sowing them, and missing out on income by not growing a commodity crop.

Other investment examples might involve creating grassland or ponds and ditches to hold back rainwater and prevent floods. These things have an immediate impact on farm output and activities, but with an eye to longer-term benefit.

Investment in soil health might lower yields in the short run, but should pay off in the long run.
William Edge / shutterstock

The sudden closure of the scheme creates an immediate financial vacuum for those who missed the (unannounced) window. Thankfully, farmers with existing agreements will continue within the scheme, and applications that had been submitted prior to the sudden closure will still be assessed.

However, even for those who are currently enrolled, this about-face instils fear that support will be withdrawn in the years to come – long before something like an expanded woodland has come to fruition.

The government says that it has run out of money for the current budget cycle. Rather than celebrating the fact that so many farmers want to be involved, want to do adopt better farming practices and act as custodians of nature, it instead panicked and shut people out.

Too much demand for a nature-friendly future, not enough cold hard cash. And now we can see how the discounting works – the perceived urgency of cashflow today overshadows the long-term benefits of healthy soil, thriving biodiversity, and a resilient ecosystem.

There are specific actions that SFIs are meant to support, including soil health, water quality, biodiversity and pest management. Each of these requires investment to manage, and to rectify when things go wrong (see the huge fines for water companies).

For example, it is easier to address issues of water quality by supporting better land use – reduced agri-chemicals, more grassland, tree cover, and so on – than to treat poor water quality downstream.

But farmers operate both within tight financial margins and on long time-scales. They need security of income to plan land use, including whether they can afford to implement alternative strategies. But they do want to. That’s why there’s been so much demand for SFIs.

A false economy

Sympathy could be rustled up for the government, trying to manage complex budgets in a complicated time. But it has made one misstep after another in relation to both food and farming (farmer protests over inheritance tax, for instance) and the environment (such as the planned Heathrow airport expansion)).

So while immediate fiscal prudence is important, ignoring the long-term consequences of environmental degradation is a false economy. We have a responsibility to value the future as much as the present. Failing to do so will have serious consequences for our environment, our food security, and the well-being of future generations.

Rather than discounting futures, we should be doing the opposite – negative futures discounting. It sounds upside-down, but it boils down to this: we should value the future more, not less.

In particular, we should be focused on nurturing good farming and environmental protection. These should take centre stage as mission critical things that we need, and not just for now, but always.

The sustainable farming incentive shutdown is another chance to reflect on the fact that farming and environmental sustainability are not luxuries, but necessities. We cannot afford to continually discount the future, sacrificing the future of farming and the environment for the sake of short-term finance. It’s time to re-evaluate our priorities.

Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 40,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

Emma Burnett has previously received funding from sankalpa. She also works as a sustainability researcher for a whisky company.

– ref. The UK has closed its flagship sustainable farming scheme, choosing short-term cuts over long-term security – https://theconversation.com/the-uk-has-closed-its-flagship-sustainable-farming-scheme-choosing-short-term-cuts-over-long-term-security-252326

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

March 19, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Bashneft organized a round table on the contribution of oil workers to the Victory in the Great Patriotic War

Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

Source: Rosneft – Rosneft – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

In honor of the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, ANK Bashneft (part of Rosneft) organized a round table with the participation of historians, industry veterans and schoolchildren from the Movement of the First. The goal of the patriotic action is to preserve the historical memory of the feat of the Soviet people in the fight against the Nazi invaders.

During the discussion, the participants talked about the labor feat of Bashkir oil workers during the Great Patriotic War. Schoolchildren were able to ask questions to veterans and historians and learn about the key role of fuel and lubricants from Bashkiria in the victory of the Red Army in the legendary battles of Stalingrad and the Kursk Bulge.

Bashkiria was one of the most significant centers of the fuel and energy complex of the country during the war. From July 1941 to May 1942, the People’s Commissariat of the Oil Industry of the USSR was located in Ufa. During the war, new fields and deposits were discovered in the republic, and the capacity of oil refineries was significantly increased.

In the period 1941-1945, Bashkiria accounted for 4.5% of the all-Union oil production – 5.1 million tons, as well as 6.5% of the production of aviation and automobile gasoline – 1.3 million tons. In addition, other oil products were produced in the amount of more than 1 million tons.

During the war, Bashkir oil workers not only successfully developed the Ishimbay and Tuymazinskoye fields, but also discovered new ones. Among them were the Pokrovskoye, Kinzebulatovskoye, Salikhovskoye fields, as well as Devonian oil deposits, which allowed for a sharp increase in oil production at Bashkir fields. Bashkiria became the key center of the Volga-Ural oil province, which was called the “Second Baku”.

Industry veterans told the young participants about the amazing labor feats of Bashkir oil workers of those years, who, in the difficult conditions of war, achieved great results and did everything in the name of the common Victory.

Separately, during the discussion, attention was drawn to the work of women in oil fields and oil refineries in Bashkiria during the Great Patriotic War. For example, during the war, the training center of the Ufa Oil Refinery trained about 800 workers, 470 of whom were women. Shifts of 12 hours could be extended to four in a row.

Bashkir oil workers were repeatedly awarded the Challenge Red Banner of the State Defense Committee (GKO). In 1946, the Red Banners of the GKO as a symbol of labor glory were transferred for eternal storage to the No. 1 Tuymazaneft Trust and the Ufa Oil Refinery.

The round table paid special attention to the issues of preserving historical truth and forming spiritual and patriotic values in the younger generation. At the end of the discussion, it was decided to hold such meetings regularly.

Reference:

ANK Bashneft is one of the oldest enterprises in the country’s oil and gas industry, operating in the extraction and processing of oil and gas. The company’s key assets are located in the Republic of Bashkortostan. Oil and gas exploration and production are also carried out in the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Yugra, Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Orenburg Region, Perm Krai and the Republic of Tatarstan.

Department of Information and Advertising of PJSC NK Rosneft March 18, 2025

Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

MIL OSI Russia News –

March 19, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Government of Yukon launches new tourism dashboard
Source: Government of Canada regional news

Government of Yukon launches new tourism dashboard
jlutz
March 17, 2025 – 9:48 am

The Government of Yukon announces the launch of a new online service that provides a window into the territory’s active tourism sector.

Informed by direct feedback from tourism stakeholders, the Yukon Tourism Indicators Dashboard is a new source for sharing Yukon tourism data. The dashboard highlights visitor numbers, spending patterns and seasonal trends to help inform decision making and industry plans.

The new dashboard features data about border crossings, airport arrivals, hotel and short-term rental indicators, employment rates, restaurant and retail sales, business counts and consumer confidence. Data sources are updated weekly or monthly and the dashboard is also easily expandable as new datasets become available.

For more information and to use the dashboard, people can visit yukon.ca/access-yukon-tourism-indicators-dashboard.

Tourism is a key driver of the Yukon’s economy and having reliable data at our fingertips allows us to support the sector more effectively. This new dashboard makes it easy to track tourism activity and identify opportunities for sustainable development. Tourism operators, communities and stakeholders are encouraged to explore the dashboard and use the insights to help shape their strategies and investments.

Minister of Tourism and Culture John Streicker

The Yukon Tourism Advisory Board (YTAB) is thrilled with the launch of the Yukon Tourism Indicators Dashboard. The YTAB’s approach is to make recommendations to the Minister that are market-driven, research-based and industry-led. The collection and reporting of reliable data through the Yukon Tourism Indicators Dashboard will support timely, informed decision making that supports the priorities of Yukon tourism businesses, communities, First Nations and all Yukoners.

Yukon Tourism Advisory Board Chair Denny Kobayashi

Quick facts
- Data on the dashboard comes from a variety of Yukon government sources as well as Statistics Canada, Destination Canada and other providers. The dashboard includes historical data going back as far as 30 years.
- This service absorbs and improves upon the previous Yukon Sustainable Tourism Dashboard and replaces the old method of publishing quarterly reports. Reports from previous years have been added to the Government of Yukon’s Open Data platform.
Media contact

Laura Seeley
Cabinet Communications
867-332-7627
laura.seeley@yukon.ca

Alicia Debreceni
Communications, Tourism and Culture
867-3323670
alicia.debreceni@yukon.ca

News release #:

25-116

Related information:

Yukon Tourism Development Strategy: Sustainable Tourism. Our Path. Our Future.

MIL OSI Canada News –
March 19, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: From Disaster Recovery to Saving Cultural Heritage: IAEA Boosts Assistance to Countries in Non-Destructive Testing

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

Non-destructive testing encompasses a variety of techniques that leverage the interactions of matter with radiation, sound, magnetic fields, electrical currents, and testing agents to inspect materials without damaging them. The most used methods include industrial radiography, ultrasonic testing, liquid penetrant inspection and magnetic particle inspection.

Using gamma or X rays, industrial radiography plays a critical role in creating images that can reveal the safety and quality of civil engineering structures, as bridges, tunnels, dams and buildings are subject to deterioration from environmental stress, including extreme events like earthquakes. NDT is used extensively to inspect aircraft structures, turbine blades and pressure vessels.

As NDT allows experts to inspect objects without harming them, it also contributes significantly to the field of cultural heritage. NDT techniques enable experts to analyse the internal structures of priceless artifacts, sculptures, and historical structures without causing damage, which aids in restoration and conservation efforts.

Meet the Scientists at #ICARST2025

Innovations and latest developments in NDT techniques will be prominently featured at the upcoming International Conference on Applications of Radiation Science and Technology, which will gather hundreds of experts from radiation-related physics, chemistry, materials science, biology, and engineering fields in Vienna from 7 to 11 April 2025. The conference will be livestreamed.

Following on from previous conferences in 2017 and 2022, #ICARST2025 will showcase how radiation sciences have contributed to industrial growth and economic development by providing versatile tools and processes to produce high quality products in a clean and efficient manner. Participants will discuss how these technologies help achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

“At a side event on Enhancing Global Collaboration in NDT for Disaster Recovery Enhancement, we will highlight the importance of strong international stakeholder networks in our NDT emergency response plan,” said Hannah Affum, an Industrial Technologist at the IAEA. “We will also sign Practical Arrangements with the International Committee for Non-Destructive Testing (ICDNT) for the promotion of increased use of NDT in industry, civil engineering, and cultural heritage.”

MIL Security OSI –

March 19, 2025
MIL-OSI: Pivotal Appoints Marjorie Dickman to its Board of Directors

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

PALO ALTO, March 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Pivotal, the market leader in light electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, today announced the appointment of Marjorie Dickman to its board of directors. A global government affairs and geopolitical expert, Ms. Dickman is consistently recognized among the nation’s top public policy executives and top women in technology. For decades, she has led corporate strategies that navigate complex regulatory landscapes in the U.S. and abroad – creating opportunities, managing risk and growing market share.

“We are thrilled to welcome Marjorie to Pivotal’s Board of Directors. Her wisdom of U.S. and global government affairs and her deep business acumen in the emerging tech and transportation sectors are invaluable to our growth,” said Ken Karklin, Chief Executive Officer, Pivotal. “This is an exciting time for Pivotal. Our aircraft offer a new way to experience flight, and our aero architecture is ready for public safety and defense use cases.”

“I am excited to join the board and delighted that my extensive experience in tech and transportation innovation aligns with Pivotal’s mission,” said Marjorie Dickman. “I am especially pleased that my regulatory expertise in navigating global market access and competition can be an asset for Pivotal’s growth in the eVTOL market.”

About Marjorie Dickman
Ms. Dickman is a highly seasoned government affairs expert and attorney, based in Washington, D.C.

She built her career leading government engagement and communication strategies for multinational technology companies – with a focus on rapidly evolving sectors like AI, automated and connected vehicles, cybersecurity, data privacy, Internet of Things (transport, energy, manufacturing), and secure communications for defense and first responders. Her track record of success building trusted government relationships, influencing public policy, and navigating regulatory and legal frameworks has earned numerous accolades. Examples include “Tech Titan” Policy Influencer, Global HERoes Role Model, and Most Powerful Women in Tech.

As BlackBerry’s first Chief Government Affairs and Public Policy Officer and direct report to the CEO/Executive Chairman, Ms. Dickman opened the company’s Washington, D.C. office in 2020. She built BlackBerry’s Global Government Affairs and Public Policy organization from the ground up, including the company’s Government Relations and Technical Standards teams operating in the U.S., Canada, EMEA, the UK, LATAM, and APJ.

Prior to BlackBerry, Ms. Dickman led a highly successful 16-year career at Intel Corporation – most recently launching and leading global government affairs for two of Intel’s most ‘disruptive’ businesses: Automated Driving and the Internet of Things – where she managed teams across the U.S., EMEA, China and Japan. Prior to Intel, she practiced law at a prominent Washington firm, specializing in telecom regulation and M&A.

Ms. Dickman has been appointed to the Boards of the Eno Center for Transportation, Consumer Technology Association (CES), U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Technology Engagement Center and Cybersecurity Leadership Council, No. Virginia Technology Council, and George Mason University’s College of Engineering and Computing. She is an honors graduate of Georgetown University Law Center (J.D.) and Duke University (A.B., Public Policy).

About Pivotal
Pivotal designs, develops, and manufactures light eVTOL aircraft. An industry pioneer, Pivotal is renowned for the BlackFly, the first light eVTOL to be commercially available and delivered to customers in the United States. In October 2023, Pivotal introduced its next generation production aircraft, the Helix, and in January 2024 began sales of the Helix. The company’s distinctive tilt-aircraft architecture and scalable technology platform have been under continuous improvement for well over a decade, and today, Pivotal has the most mature technology in the light eVTOL category. Efficient, compact, and simple, Pivotal vehicles are designed for a wide range of consumer, public safety, and defense applications. The company is headquartered in Palo Alto, CA. For videos and more information, visit https://pivotal.aero.

Media Contact:
Heidi Groshelle
press@pivotal.aero

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7fd7ffc9-f2e7-429c-b5b0-55ff0a50da3d

The MIL Network –

March 19, 2025
MIL-OSI: RTI at Aerospace TechWeek 2025: Advancing Next-Generation Aviation and Defense Technology
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

SUNNYVALE, Calif., March 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Real-Time Innovations (RTI), the infrastructure software company for smart-world systems, will exhibit at Aerospace TechWeek 2025, held April 2-3 in Munich, Germany. At booth #K24, RTI will showcase Connext^®, the proven software framework that powers secure, high-performance data exchange across avionics systems, unmanned platforms, and multi-domain defense networks. Schedule a meeting with the RTI team here.

As military aircraft and defense platforms advance, seamless connectivity, interoperability, and mission-critical reliability are more essential than ever. Designed with open architecture principles, Connext supports FACE™, MOSA, SOSA, and Multi-Domain Operations (MDO) requirements—enabling real-time situational awareness, AI-driven decision-making, and scalable connectivity for airborne operations.

In addition to the booth, RTI experts will present at the following speaking sessions:

Session 1:
- Panel Discussion: “Advancing Military Air Traffic Management through Enhanced Connectivity” with EUROCAE
- When: 11:55 AM, April 2 | Connectivity Track
- Speaker: Thijs Brouwer, Senior Field Application Engineer, RTI
Session 2:
- Presentation: Real-Time Mission Systems and Advanced Communications in Avionics
- When: 2:00 PM, April 2 | Avionics Track
- Speaker: Andre Odermatt, Principal Application Engineer, A&D, RTI
Event Details
What: RTI at Aerospace TechWeek Europe 2025, Booth #K24
When: April 2-3, 2025
Where: MOC – Event Center Messe München, Munich, Germany

About RTI

Real-Time Innovations (RTI) is the infrastructure software company for smart-world systems. RTI Connext^® is the world’s leading software framework for intelligent distributed systems. Uniquely, Connext users can build systems that combine advanced sensing, fast control, and AI algorithms.

With 2,000 customer designs, RTI excels at getting customers to production. RTI software runs over 300 autonomous vehicle programs, supports dozens of automotive ADAS and software-defined architectures, controls the largest power plants in North America, integrates over 500 major defense programs, drives a new generation of MedTech systems and robotics, and underlies Canada’s air traffic control and NASA’s launch control systems.

RTI runs a smarter world.

RTI is the market leader in products compliant with the Data Distribution Service (DDS™) standard. RTI is privately held and headquartered in Silicon Valley with regional offices in Colorado, Spain, and Singapore.

Download a free trial of the latest, fully-functional Connext software today: www.rti.com/downloads

The MIL Network –
March 19, 2025
MIL-OSI: Captivision Appoints Ric Clark to Board of Directors

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

MIAMI, March 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Captivision Inc. (“Captivision” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: CAPT), a pioneering manufacturer and global LED solution provider, today announced the appointment of Richard “Ric” Clark to its Board of Directors, effective immediately. Mr. Clark will serve as Chair of the Company’s Compensation Committee and also join the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, bringing decades of executive leadership and corporate governance expertise to the Company.

Mr. Clark has nearly four decades of real estate, M&A and capital markets experience. He is founder of Burnside Investments, a private investment company, co-founder of WatermanClark, a real estate investment partnership, and a board member of public and private companies in industries including retail, sports and entertainment. Previously, he spent three decades at Brookfield Corp. and its predecessors, serving in various leadership roles, including Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Brookfield Property Group, Brookfield Property Partners and Brookfield Office Properties. Under his leadership, Brookfield’s real estate group grew its assets under management from $5 billion to more than $200 billion and expanded globally across the property spectrum.

“We are delighted to welcome Ric to Captivision’s Board of Directors,” said Gary Garrabrant, Chairman and CEO of Captivision. “Ric brings an unparalleled experience building and leading one of the world’s largest and most respected real estate companies. His accomplishments as an entrepreneur are equally distinguished as well as his relationships with decision makers globally.”

Mr. Clark holds a Bachelor of Science from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

About Captivision

Captivision is a pioneering manufacturer of media glass, combining IT building material and architectural glass. The product has a boundless array of applications including entertainment media, information media, cultural and artistic content as well as marketing use cases. Captivision can transform any glass façade into a transparent media screen with real time live stream capability. Captivision is fast becoming a solution provider across the LED product spectrum.

Captivision’s media glass and solutions have been implemented in hundreds of locations globally across sports stadiums, entertainment venues, casinos and hotels, convention centers, office and retail properties and airports. Learn more at http://www.captivision.com/.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements relating to expectations for future financial performance, business strategies, or expectations for the Company’s respective businesses. These statements are based on the beliefs and assumptions of the management of the Company. Although the Company believes that its plans, intentions and expectations reflected in or suggested by these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that it will achieve or realize these plans, intentions or expectations. These statements constitute projections, forecasts, and forward-looking statements, and are not guarantees of performance. Such statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. When used in this press release, words such as “believe”, “can”, “continue”, “expect”, “forecast”, “may”, “plan”, “project”, “should”, “will” or the negative of such terms, and similar expressions, may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking.

The risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: (1) the ability to raise financing in the future and to comply with restrictive covenants related to indebtedness; (2) the ability to realize the benefits expected from the business combination and the Company’s strategic direction; (3) the significant market adoption, demand and opportunities in the construction and digital out of home media industries for the Company’s products; (4) the ability to maintain the listing of the Company’s ordinary shares and warrants on Nasdaq; (5) the ability of the Company to remain competitive in the fourth generation architectural media glass industry in the face of future technological innovations; (6) the ability of the Company to execute its international expansion strategy; (7) the ability of the Company to protect its intellectual property rights; (8) the profitability of the Company’s larger projects, which are subject to protracted sales cycles; (9) whether the raw materials, components, finished goods, and services used by the Company to manufacture its products will continue to be available and will not be subject to significant price increases; (10) the IT, vertical real estate, and large format wallscape modified regulatory restrictions or building codes; (11) the ability of the Company’s manufacturing facilities to meet their projected manufacturing costs and production capacity; (12) the future financial performance of the Company; (13) the emergence of new technologies and the response of the Company’s customer base to those technologies; (14) the ability of the Company to retain or recruit, or to effect changes required in, its officers, key employees, or directors; (15) the ability of the Company to comply with laws and regulations applicable to its business; and (16) other risks and uncertainties set forth under the section of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 20-F entitled “Risk Factors.”

These forward-looking statements are based on information available as of the date of this press release and the Company’s management team’s current expectations, forecasts, and assumptions, and involve a number of judgments, known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside the control of the Company and its directors, officers, and affiliates. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company management team’s views as of any subsequent date. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update, add or to otherwise correct any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect events or circumstances after the date they were made, whether as a result of new information, future events, inaccuracies that become apparent after the date hereof or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.

Media Contact:
Gateway Group
Zach Kadletz
+1 949-574-3860
CAPT@gateway-grp.com

Investor Contact:
Gateway Group
Ralf Esper
+1 949-574-3860
CAPT@gateway-grp.com

The MIL Network –

March 19, 2025
MIL-OSI: Nasdaq to Convene Texas Business Leaders to Honor the Legacy of Ross Perot Jr.

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

DALLAS, March 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, Nasdaq will convene top leaders across the Texas economy to celebrate the legacy of Ross Perot Jr. and to discuss strategies for the state’s continued economic prosperity. The event will showcase Perot’s role in driving Texas’ economic success and emphasize the vibrant innovation ecosystem that has been developed under Governor Greg Abbott’s tenure.

“Ross Perot Jr. has been a steadfast advocate for the entrepreneurship and investment that have reshaped the Texas economy. From leading trailblazing developments such as the expansive AllianceTexas project to being a co-founder of Perot Systems, Ross has been a bedrock of the Texas business community and a major contributor to the state’s phenomenal success,” said Adena Friedman, Chair and CEO of Nasdaq. “His dedication to fostering growth through investments in innovative companies and his decades of philanthropic work embody the values Nasdaq is proud to recognize through this award. We thank Ross for his remarkable contributions and Governor Abbott for his tireless leadership in building an economic ecosystem that has become a global epicenter for growth and innovation.”

The convening will also feature a keynote speech by Governor Abbott, who will underscore the historic achievement of the “Texas Miracle,” the state’s tremendous economic growth over the past 20 years. Texas’ success is deeply rooted in its culture of risk-taking, hard work, and entrepreneurial spirit—evolving from a legacy of resource-driven wealth into a diversified, business-friendly economy. With forward-thinking investments in infrastructure and education, and a strong, growing population, Texas continues to lead nationally in job creation, business expansion, and economic dynamism.

“Visionaries like Ross Perot Jr. prove that Texas is the blueprint for American success,” said Governor Greg Abbott. “I’ve known Ross for many years and am proud to call him a great friend. He is a true Texas pioneer whose work in real estate, oil and gas, aviation, and economic development created hundreds of good-paying jobs for hardworking Texans. Entrepreneurs like Ross know that they live in a state where they can cast a vision and achieve it. By continuing to work together, Texas will remain the beacon of economic opportunity and prosperity for generations.”

To celebrate the economic miracle that has positioned Texas as a national and global powerhouse, Nasdaq will present Ross Perot, Jr., Chairman and CEO of Hillwood and the Perot Company, the inaugural Nasdaq Lifetime Achievement Award. The award recognizes Mr. Perot’s unparalleled contributions to the Texas economy and his lasting impact on innovation, technology, economic prosperity, and community development.

In 1989, Mr. Perot spearheaded the development of Fort Worth Alliance Airport, the nation’s first industrial airport, through a groundbreaking public-private partnership. This project became the cornerstone of AllianceTexas, a 27,000-acre master-planned, mixed-use community in North Texas. Today, AllianceTexas serves as a global leader in logistics and innovation, anchored by the AllianceTexas Mobility Innovation Zone, an integrated ecosystem for surface and air mobility technology to scale and commercialize. Since its inception, AllianceTexas has generated more than $120 billion in regional economic impact.

Mr. Perot also co-founded Perot Systems Corporation in 1998 with his late father, where he served in various leadership roles, including CEO, Chairman of the Board, and member of its Board of Directors. The company revolutionized the use of information technology in industries like healthcare and was acquired by Dell Inc. in 2009. Following the acquisition, Mr. Perot served on Dell’s Board of Directors until 2013. Through Perot Jain, his venture capital firm, Mr. Perot continues to invest in innovative companies that redefine industries and drive technological progress.

As an aviation enthusiast and a former fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force, Mr. Perot chaired the U.S. Air Force Memorial Foundation, leading a 14-year effort to construct the United States Air Force Memorial in Washington, D.C. In addition to his business and philanthropic achievements, Mr. Perot holds several key leadership roles. He serves as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and is a board member of the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) and the Hoover Institution. He also holds Board Member Emeritus positions with Vanderbilt University and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.

About Nasdaq
Nasdaq (Nasdaq: NDAQ) is a leading global technology company serving corporate clients, investment managers, banks, brokers, and exchange operators as they navigate and interact with the global capital markets and the broader financial system. We aspire to deliver world-leading platforms that improve the liquidity, transparency, and integrity of the global economy. Our diverse offering of data, analytics, software, exchange capabilities, and client-centric services enables clients to optimize and execute their business vision with confidence. To learn more about the company, technology solutions, and career opportunities, visit us on LinkedIn, on X @Nasdaq, or at www.nasdaq.com.

About Ross Perot, Jr. and Hillwood
Ross Perot Jr. is Chairman of The Perot Companies, overseeing family interests in real estate, oil and gas, and financial investments, and of Hillwood, a global real estate firm he founded in 1988. He developed Fort Worth Alliance Airport, the nation’s first industrial airport, anchoring a 27,000-acre mixed-use community generating over $120 billion in economic impact. Perot co-founded and served on the boards of Perot Systems and Dell. Currently, he is Vice Chairman of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and serves on the boards of the Hoover Institution and the American Enterprise Institute.

Media Relations Contact:
David Lurie
+1.914.538.0533
David.Lurie@Nasdaq.com

Michelle Mendiola
+1.646.634.8350
Michelle.Mendiola@Nasdaq.com

The MIL Network –

March 19, 2025
MIL-OSI China: 6 killed in aircraft crash off Roatan Island

Source: China State Council Information Office 3

Honduran National Police officers and rescue teams from the Honduran government work in rescue operations after a small plane crashed into the sea, on Roatan island, Honduras, on March 17, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

At least six people were killed after a small plane lost control and crashed on Monday evening upon taking off from Roatan Island in northern Honduras, said Octavio Pineda, minister of Infrastructure and Transportation of Honduras.

The plane carried 18 people, including 15 passengers and three crew members, said the official.

The aircraft lost power upon takeoff and fell into the sea some 1 km from the side of the airstrip, Miroslava Cerpas, the presidential commissioner of the National 911 Emergency System of Honduras told Xinhua.

The aircraft of the Lanhsa company was carrying out a local flight from the Juan Manuel Galvez International Airport in Roatan to the city of La Ceiba.

MIL OSI China News –

March 19, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Israel launches airstrikes across Gaza

Source: China State Council Information Office

The Israeli army conducted on Tuesday intense airstrikes on the northern and central Gaza Strip, marking the most violent escalation since the ceasefire, according to local sources and eyewitnesses.

Palestinian medical and security sources told Xinhua that Israeli warplanes launched raids of unprecedented scale, triggering successive explosions in several areas of northern and central Gaza.

The sources said that the Israeli army has killed over 200 Palestinians in the coastal enclave.

In an initial statement, the Palestinian Civil Defense said that Israeli aircraft targeted homes, mosques, schools and shelters, resulting in significant casualties.

“Our crews are facing great difficulties due to the size and number of targets being struck simultaneously,” the civil defense added.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced early Tuesday that Netanyahu and the country’s Defense Minister Israel Katz had ordered the military to “operate against Hamas with increasingly powerful military force.”

According to the statement, the move followed what it described as Hamas’s “repeated refusal to release hostages” and rejection of proposals presented by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and other mediators.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) was conducting “extensive strikes” on Hamas targets, it said.

The statement added that the strikes are being carried out under an operational plan presented by the IDF over the weekend and approved by the political leadership.

Katz warned in a separate statement that if Hamas does not release all hostages, “the gates of hell will open in Gaza,” and Hamas will encounter the Israeli military “with an intensity they have never known before.”

Israel’s state-owned Army Radio said that the move indicated the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which took effect on Jan. 19, “has collapsed.”

MIL OSI China News –

March 19, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Long, unplanned stay in space will have taken a toll on minds and bodies of stranded astronauts

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Craig Jackson, Professor of Occupational Health Psychology, Birmingham City University

US astronauts Sunni Williams and Barry Wilmore have been stranded in low earth orbit onboard the International Space Station for nine months. They are now finally due to return to Earth. Their planned return from their one week mission was abandoned due to concerns with the return vehicle, the Boeing Starliner-1, and this resulted in them being in space for 290 days.

Wilmore and Williams do not hold the record for the longest stay in orbit, which belongs to cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov, who spent 437 continuous days on the Soviet Mir space station. Nine other US astronauts have spent more than 200 days each in orbit during a single spaceflight – but Wilmore and Williams do hold the record for the longest unplanned spaceflight among US astronauts. Could the unplanned nature of their extended trip produce effects not seen in other planned long-term spaceflights?

The risks and hazards of space flight are well understood by Nasa and referred to as “RIDGE” – short for Radiation, Isolation and confinement, Distance from Earth, Gravity effects and hostile Environments. Aerospace medicine takes such issues seriously.

Some physical effects include blood clots and pooling, reductions in bone density, poor digestion, lower nutrient absorption, musculoskeletal atrophy (muscle and bone loss), and poorer cardiovascular function due to reduced blood pumping in zero gravity. Other impacts include changes to the eyeballs due to the pooling of fluids, pooled cerebrospinal fluid around the skull area, and a semi-permanent feeling of congestion.

The reduced sense of smell may be a blessing, as many space capsules develop an unpleasant smell. Physical effects from fluids can be improved, but not entirely negated, by cuff compression (a fabric sleeve that compresses an area of the body) to relieve pain and swelling. Musculoskeletal atrophy can be reduced with the help of an aerobic treadmill and resistive exercises to help maintain the muscles and cardiovascular function.

Exposure to radiation is a serious concern, and longer exposures can increase the likelihood of astronauts developing some cancers later in life. The health of Wilmore and Williams will be monitored for many years to come.

While stranded, Wilmore and Williams will have been providing vital data to help measure the impacts of prolonged stays – every bladder and bowel movement they had will have been weighed and checked for any signs of illness and to monitor changes brought about by their unplanned extension.

On their return to Earth, they will require gentle physiotherapy to regain muscle function and strength, and for cardiovascular rehabilitation, paced carefully due to the physical fatigue and limitations they will suffer for a few weeks. Dizzy spells, reduced muscle function, and visual disturbances will be common and even walking will take some practice. Their skin will be “baby soft” after nine months of not having their clothes rub against their bodies.

Of more interest may be the psychological challenges they face, from their concerns over the “near miss” by not returning to Earth in the vehicle they arrived in because Nasa decided it was too risky, through to having to live in confined quarters with others for so long, with a lack of privacy, and enforced companionship.

Confinement in restricted space, isolation and prolonged separation from family means it is more likely that behavioural problems or psychiatric conditions may develop.

Problem solving mentality

Behaviour in others that was initially a minor annoyance can quickly become serious sources of stress and irritation during enforced confinement. Astronauts are selected and screened based on temperament, personality, aptitude and their ability to cope when things go wrong. A problem solving mentality and a will to live, coupled with an ability to follow commands and maintain order in the most difficult of circumstances are what makes astronauts better than most of us.

They are trained to cope under any situation, such as crash-landings in deserts, or technical failures on board the spacecraft. But despite excellent training, human fallibility and failings will emerge given time.

Astronaut training also instils the importance of resilience, despite the most trying circumstances, and they will have been trained to keep their fears and anxieties hidden for the benefit of the mission. It might only be after their return that Wilmore and Williams may express their relief. Depression and anxiety can be common after returning to Earth according to others who have been there, with Buzz Aldrin admitting it happened to him and others in his 1973 autobiography Return to Earth.

Keeping busy will have helped keep worries away.
Nasa

They may have experienced feelings of abandonment and questioned why they could not be rescued sooner, or may have developed an understandable lack of trust in technology, and a lack of faith in their fellow mission crew members. They will no doubt have missed important dates with their families, experienced homesickness and possibly even questioned if they could last until rescued.

Video-link contact with family will have kept them going but will have also been painful and difficult at the same time. Knowing that their families are worried about them, yet equally unable to do anything about it must have been particularly difficult. Although keeping themselves busy as a distraction will have helped, there would have been downtime when their worries must have been almost overwhelming.

Sleep disturbances and the inability to get regular sleep to allow their brains to rest will have led to cumulative fatigue – both physical and mental. Some astronauts struggle to ever get used to sleeping in space – resulting in lack of performance in the sufferer.

Being stranded on the ISS and unable to get back home while being able to see home fly by with every rotation of the Earth presents a unique form of frustration. One positive effect reported by many astronauts is the “overview effect” where a sense of peace and oneness with the planet is experienced when viewing the Earth from a whole new perspective. The overview effect seems to have a permanent impact, staying with astronauts for the rest of their lives.

A complication in understanding any psychological effects of spaceflight is that many astronauts hope to continue their careers and have more missions, and therefore may not be honest about any negatives they experienced. With Nasa planning missions to Mars at some point in the future, the unique experiences of Wilmore and Williams will be useful to behavioural scientists planning such future missions and trying to understand the best psychological characteristics for selecting astronauts for long term spaceflights.

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

– ref. Long, unplanned stay in space will have taken a toll on minds and bodies of stranded astronauts – https://theconversation.com/long-unplanned-stay-in-space-will-have-taken-a-toll-on-minds-and-bodies-of-stranded-astronauts-252528

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

March 19, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: UConn Study of Hashtag – #childhoodcancer – Shows Families Leading the Conversation

Source: US State of Connecticut

Fourteen minutes ago, the nonprofit advocacy group Children’s Cancer Cause posted on the social media app X that members were on Capitol Hill asking Congress for funding to fight #childhoodcancer.

Three days ago, a special education teacher from Texas posted about a young girl, Caitlyn, who twice survived #childhoodcancer, along with a difficult bone marrow transplant. She included a link to the girl’s GoFundMe account.

Seventeen hours ago, the chairman and CEO of a cancer response team sought prayers for Kellan, who’s in a battle with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia and by virtue of his courage is heralded a “#childhoodcancer warrior.”

These are just three posts from a search of the hashtag on X (formerly Twitter) in late February, a snapshot of the thousands – many, many thousands – shared on the app over the years. A new study from UConn researchers looked at 1,000 posts from October to December 2022 to understand who’s leading the conversation about childhood cancer and what they’re saying.

“We found the largest number of tweets on childhood cancer were not from health care professionals, like oncologists. They were not from nonprofit organizations, like American Cancer Society. They were from individuals – parents, caregivers, and family members. These were the people actually doing the most in terms of raising awareness,” says Sherry Pagoto, allied health sciences professor and director of the UConn Center for mHealth & Social Media.

Pagoto and human development and family sciences professor Keith Bellizzi, along with four students from the high school, undergrad, and graduate levels, recently published, “A Content Analysis of #Childhoodcancer Chatter on X,” in the Journal of Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology.

They found that “educational” tweets and ones that discussed “science” accounted for a combined 28.1% of posts about childhood cancer. Next came “fundraising” with 21.2% of tweets – Twitter did not become X until mid-2023, after the study. “Advocacy” was most prominent in 20.2% of tweets, and “motivational” posts comprised 17.5%.

“Cancer disrupts lives, bringing uncertainty and hardship to individuals and their families,” Bellizzi says. “These findings highlight how different stakeholders may reclaim a sense of control in a situation that often feels uncontrollable. By turning to social media, they are not just sharing stories, they are actively shaping the conversation, raising funds, spreading awareness, and building a supportive community.”

The study says a total of 3,217 tweets were captured from that three-month period in late 2022 by searching on the hashtag, so researchers pared down the total and randomly selected 1,000 to review. They came from 454 unique accounts.

We can study all these different sources of data, but social media gives us a unique form of data by showing us how patients, caregivers, and health care professionals talk about health in their natural environment. &#8212 Professor Sherry Pagoto

Among those accounts, researchers found that family members of children with cancer accounted for most of the content on childhood cancer, making up 41.5% of the tweets that were reviewed. Nonprofit organizations were next at 38.6%, followed by health professionals at 8.7%, academic and/or medical centers at 4.2%, and for-profit companies at 3.5%.

“We can study human behavior in a lot of ways,” Pagoto says. “We can do surveys. We can do focus groups. We can take blood samples. We can study all these different sources of data, but social media gives us a unique form of data by showing us how patients, caregivers, and health care professionals talk about health in their natural environment.”

Cameron Cordaway ’23 (CLAS), who majored in physiology and neurobiology and worked on the study her last year at UConn, says she wasn’t surprised to find individuals sharing their stories, sometimes in great detail, on social media.

After all, sharing experiences with others in a digital way is second nature for her generation, she says.

“When I got into dental school, the first thing I did was text my whole family and post it on social media,” Cordaway says of her acceptance to the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, where she’ll begin studies this fall. “For my generation, our whole lives are on social media. It’s second nature when something happens in your life to tell people on your phone in some way.”

She continues, “Something as heavy as a cancer diagnosis, while it might not be the first thing you would post in public, people definitely would use social media to communicate, inform, and educate about it. It’s also a good way to let people know, ‘Hey, this is what’s going on with me. This is why I haven’t reached out or why I haven’t been as present.’”

Pagoto says she and Bellizzi conceived the project after noticing that a father chronicling his young son’s cancer journey on Twitter had become a trending topic on the site.

“It really enraptured Twitter users for months, as people watched from afar as this father shared his family’s journey through his child’s cancer treatment,” Pagoto says, explaining that got her thinking about how social media was being used among those thinking about, dealing with, and focused on childhood cancer.

(Amanda Alamsyah / Adobe Stock)

She and Bellizzi turned to digital natives like Cordaway, Cindy Pan ’24 MPH, clinical psychology grad student Jessica Foy, and Andie Napolitano ’28 (CAHNR) who was a high school junior when she worked on the project.

Napolitano, who was a student at Amity Regional High School in Woodbridge, says the school offers a science research program that allows young teens in their sophomore year to start working with university-based researchers.

That year she worked with a professor from the University of New Haven, she says. The last two years of high school, though, were spent with Pagoto and Bellizzi.

She says she liked the idea of a research project dealing with social media and wanted to use the experience to test drive UConn as a potential for her undergraduate work. A bonus was that like the other students, she could be part of the project from start to finish.

Pagoto notes that many research studies take many years to complete, thus students see only a small piece during the year or two they’re on board.

Since tweets are in the public domain and searching Twitter back then was easy, data collection was almost effortless, and the four students could quickly get to work analyzing the tweets.

That’s the fun stuff, they say.

“I have an interest in social media research because people spend so much time on it and so many think it’s a bad thing and that only misinformation spreads online,” Napolitano says.

Doing a project that looks at its benefits especially appealed to her.

Pagato says that in addition to X, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok also get heavy use from people using the platforms to talk about their other physical issues and even mental health problems.

“There are influencers with Tourette syndrome, depression, cancer, and any condition you can imagine, and, yes, while there is misinformation on social media, there’s also community on social media and these influencers are sharing their experiences and garnering support,” she explains.

“It’s a little like, ‘Here’s my experience. I have this diagnosis, and this is what my life is like,’” she continues. “Health influencers on social media destigmatize many disorders that have been hiding in the shadows, particularly mental health disorders.”

Those with similar diagnoses, she says, can learn from others about what to expect, how to cope with side effects, how to find clinical trials, and what questions to ask.

“Patients have a lot to say about their experience. They’re the ones who must live with the disease. Their voices matter. I wonder if that’s what draws them to social media – to be heard. Oftentimes, we’ll hear in studies that patients don’t feel heard by their doctors. They may not even feel heard by their family members,” Pagoto says.

Napolitano agrees.

“In today’s mainstream media environment, for a lot of reasons, stories don’t get heard. Social media is a way for people to make themselves be heard,” she says.

And that includes the mother of a son treated for neuroblastoma in 1999 who posted four hours ago in a conversation about bringing a newborn into a crowded airport that she had to protect her young son from viral exposures the first eight years of his life: “This is what having a child w/ #childhoodcancer or a #survivor with vulnerable health is like.”

MIL OSI USA News –

March 19, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK aviation flying high with new tech funding for security
Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

Press release

UK aviation flying high with new tech funding for security

Funding will strengthen UK’s security standards and ensure passengers can continue to fly with ease of mind.
new funding to develop smart airport technology will enable the UK to stay ahead of potential security threats and reduce delays at airports

pioneering projects will solve complex aviation security challenges and will support jobs and skills across the country

with the aerospace and air transport sector worth £20 billion to the UK economy, investment will bolster economic growth and deliver on the government’s Plan for Change

Passengers are set to benefit from smoother journeys thanks to funding for smart airport technology, announced today (18 March 2025) by the Department for Transport (DfT).

Six successful British tech companies will receive a share of £450,000 to develop the smart screening technology of the future, enhancing UK security and reducing delays at airports.

Based across the country – from Tewkesbury to Cambridge and Nottingham – each of the companies will develop scanning equipment to improve threat detection and reduce the number of false alarms and manual checks, speeding up screening processes and reducing inconvenience to passengers.

With the sector worth £20 billion to the UK economy, continued investment will ensure the long-term future of aviation, keeping the UK competitive internationally.

The programme will also build local jobs and skills that will kickstart economic growth across the country and break down barriers to opportunity.

Alongside grant funding, the programme will provide tailored business support workshops delivered by experts at the Connected Places Catapult in collaboration with the department. These workshops will provide advice and mentoring on issues ranging from technical matters, corporate finance, regulation, trial design, customer needs and more.

Aviation Minister, Mike Kane, said:

Safety is our top priority and this funding will strengthen the UK’s already rigorous security standards, bolster our competitiveness internationally and ensure that passengers can continue to fly with ease of mind.

As part of our Plan for Change, we are turbocharging investment in the aviation sector and going further and faster with expansion plans to kickstart economic growth and deliver high-skilled jobs across the country.

Connected Places Catapult is the delivery partner for the programme and has already successfully led a number of schemes for the department, including the Transport Research and Innovation Grants (TRIG) programme, which aims to drive scientific and technological progress across UK transport.

Erika Lewis, Chief Executive Officer at Connected Places Catapult, said:

Making transport efficient, inclusive and safe is a key priority for Connected Places Catapult. By supporting innovators with ideas to further strengthen security at airports, not only are we helping to improve the passenger experience, but we are also supporting companies to develop and scale here in the UK.

Sam Pollock, Iconal Director, said:

DfT’s HADeS innovation grant funding is a great example of government working with SMEs such as ourselves to accelerate the development of cutting edge technologies, supporting the UK’s world class aviation security industry.

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Published 18 March 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
March 19, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: About three thousand students from Moscow colleges underwent advanced training at Rudnev

Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

Almost three thousand students from Moscow colleges have undergone in-depth training in in-demand industrial specialties in the innovative educational space “Rudnevo”. At the unique site, students can practice their skills in conditions as close to real ones as possible. This was reported by Anastasia Rakova, Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Social Development.

“Our goal is to train specialists in Moscow colleges who will be able to perform real tasks immediately after completing their studies. To do this, together with our partner employers, we are replacing outdated equipment, updating educational programs and creating new sites for practical training of students. The flagship center “Rudnevo”, opened in October last year, has become an important part of this work. The site conditions are as close as possible to production. Moreover, it is located in an industrial park where operating enterprises are located. During the operation of the center, almost three thousand students have been trained here, and this is only the beginning. Students from several colleges at once can practice practical skills here,” noted Anastasia Rakova.

The flagship center for practical training of Moscow colleges “Rudnevo” is a high-tech educational and production complex, which is part of the special economic zone “Technopolis Moscow”. On an area of more than nine thousand square meters there are 21 workshops and laboratories equipped with modern equipment.

Students can develop skills needed for work in such areas as mechanical engineering, electronics, industrial automation, aviation industry and unmanned aircraft systems. The unique educational platform allows for practical classes to be held simultaneously for students from several colleges.

Putin and Sobyanin opened an innovative practical platform in Rudnev

The center has all the conditions for studying: each student has their own work place, and a coworking space is equipped for group projects. The territory has a canteen with free hot meals for students on a budget form of education and a cafe where dishes are prepared by students of the capital’s food colleges.

Practical classes are conducted by 42 masters of industrial training from Moscow colleges and 40 specialists from industrial enterprises. Large companies are participating in the development of training programs, in particular the capital’s machine-building plants Avangard and Skorost, the joint-stock company Kronshtad, the developer and manufacturer of unmanned aerial vehicles and software for their autonomy Gaskar and many other organizations.

The center also cooperates with the country’s leading engineering universities, including the Moscow State Technological University “Stankin” and the Moscow State Technical University named after N.E. Bauman. This allows students to obtain relevant knowledge and skills that meet the requirements of the modern labor market.

Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/151445073/

MIL OSI Russia News –

March 19, 2025

MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: STEPS TO CURB CYBER CRIME

Source: Government of India

Ministry of Home Affairs

STEPS TO CURB CYBER CRIME

Posted On: 18 MAR 2025 3:27PM by PIB Delhi

The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) compiles and publishes the statistical data on crimes in its publication “Crime in India”. The latest published report is for the year 2022. As per the data published by the NCRB, State/UT wise details of cases registered under cyber crimes and fraud for cyber crimes (involving communication devices as medium/target) during the period from 2018 to 2022 are at the Annexure-I & II.

‘Police’ and ‘Public Order’ are State subjects as per the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India. The States/UTs are primarily responsible for the prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of crimes including cyber crime and setting up of hi-tech cyber cell through their Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs). The Central Government supplements the initiatives of the States/UTs through advisories and financial assistance under various schemes for capacity building of their LEAs.

To strengthen the mechanism to deal with cyber crimes in a comprehensive and coordinated manner, the Central Government has taken steps which, inter-alia, include the following:

The Ministry of Home Affairs has set up the ‘Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre’ (I4C) as an attached office to deal with all types of cyber crimes in the country, in a coordinated and comprehensive manner.
The ‘National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal’ (NCRP) (https://cybercrime.gov.in) has been launched, as a part of the I4C, to enable public to report incidents pertaining to all types of cyber crimes, with special focus on cyber crimes against women and children. Cyber crime incidents reported on this portal, their conversion into FIRs and subsequent action thereon are handled by the State/UT Law Enforcement Agencies concerned as per the provisions of the law.
The ‘Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System’, under I4C, has been launched in year 2021 for immediate reporting of financial frauds and to stop siphoning off funds by the fraudsters. So far, financial amount of more than Rs. 4,386 Crore has been saved in more than 13.36 lakh complaints. A toll-free Helpline number ‘1930’ has been operationalized to get assistance in lodging online cyber complaints.
The state of the art ‘National Cyber Forensic Laboratory (Investigation)’ has been established, as a part of the I4C, at New Delhi to provide early stage cyber forensic assistance to Investigating Officers (IOs) of State/UT Police. So far, National Cyber Forensics Laboratory (Investigation) has provided its services to State/UT LEAs in around 11,835 cases pertaining to cyber crimes.
A State of the Art Centre, Cyber Fraud Mitigation Centre (CFMC) has been established at I4C where representatives of major banks, Financial Intermediaries, Payment Aggregators, Telecom Service Providers, IT Intermediaries and representatives of States/UTs Law Enforcement Agency are working together for immediate action and seamless cooperation to tackle cybercrime.
The Central Government has launched a comprehensive awareness programme on digital arrest scams which, inter-alia, include; newspaper advertisement, announcement in Delhi Metros, use of social media influencers to create special posts, campaign through Prasar Bharti and electronic media, special programme on Aakashvani and participated in Raahgiri Function at Connaught Place, New Delhi on 27.11.2024.
The Hon’ble Prime Minister spoke about digital arrests during the episode “Mann Ki Baat” on 27.10.2024 and apprised the citizens of India.
I4C in collaboration with the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has launched a caller tune campaign for raising awareness about cybercrime and promoting the Cyber Crime Helpline Number 1930 & NCRP. The caller tune is also being broadcasts in regional languages, delivered 7-8 times a day by Telecom Service Providers (TSPs).
I4C proactively identify and blocked more than 3,962 Skype IDs and 83,668 Whatsapp accounts used for Digital Arrest.
The Central Government has published a Press Release on Alert against incidents of ‘Blackmail’ and ‘Digital Arrest’ by Cyber Criminals Impersonating State/UT Police, NCB, CBI, RBI and other Law Enforcement Agencies.
Till 28.02.2025, more than 7.81 lakhs SIM cards and 2,08,469 IMEIs as reported by Police authorities have been blocked by Government of India.
Seven Joint Cyber Coordination Teams (JCCTs) have been constituted for Mewat, Jamtara, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Chandigarh, Vishakhapatnam, and Guwahati under I4C covering the whole country based upon cyber crime hotspots/ areas having multi jurisdictional issues by on boarding States/UTs to enhance the coordination framework among the Law Enforcement Agencies of the States/UTs. Seven workshops were organized for JCCTs at Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Guwahati, Vishakhapatnam, Lucknow, Ranchi and Chandigarh.
Samanvaya Platform has been made operational to serve as an Management Information System(MIS) platform, data repository and a coordination platform for LEAs for cybercrime data sharing and

analytics. It provides analytics based interstate linkages of crimes and criminals, involved in cybercrime complaints in various States/UTs. The module ‘Pratibimb’ maps locations of criminals and crime infrastructure on a map to give visibility to jurisdictional officers. The module also facilitates seeking and receiving of techno-legal assistance by Law Enforcement Agencies from I4C and other SMEs. It has lead to arrest of 6,046 accused, 17,185 linkages and 36,296 Cyber Investigation assistance request.

Ministry of Home Affairs has provided central assistance under ‘Assistance to States for Modernization of Police’ Scheme to the State Governments for the acquisition of latest weaponry, training gadgets, advanced communication/forensic equipment, Cyber Policing equipment etc. The State Governments formulate State Action Plans (SAPs) as per their strategic priorities and requirements including combating cyber crimes.
The Ministry of External Affairs also holds bilateral cyber dialogue with various countries from time to time. The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), Ministry of Home Affairs, being a nodal agency for cyber crime in the country is actively participate in such cyber dialogues.
The National Central Bureau (NCB) in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) acted as effective interface between Indian LEAs and foreign LEAs and facilitates regular exchange of information through INTERPOL channels. Recently BHARATPOL portal has been launched to further streamline the communication between NCB, CBI and Indian LEAs in the matters of international assistance and coordination.
The CBI is nodal agency for G-7 24/7 network. G7 24/7 is secure channel for making data preservation requests in cases related to cyber crime.
To spread awareness on cyber crime, the Central Government has taken steps which, inter-alia, include; dissemination of messages through SMS, I4C social media account i.e. X (formerly Twitter) (@CyberDost), Facebook(CyberDostI4C), Instagram (cyberDostI4C), Telegram(cyberdosti4c), Radio campaign, caller tune, engaged MyGov for publicity in multiple mediums, organizing Cyber Safety and Security Awareness weeks in association with States/UTs, publishing of Handbook for Adolescents/Students, newspaper advertisement on digital arrest scam, announcement in Delhi metros on digital arrest and other modus operandi of cyber criminals, use of social media influencers to create special posts on digital arrest, digital displays on railway stations and airports across, etc.

Annexure-I

State/UT-wise Cases Registered(CR) under Cyber Crimes during 2020-2022

SL	State/UT	2020	2021	2022
1	Andhra Pradesh	1899	1875	2341
2	Arunachal Pradesh	30	47	14
3	Assam	3530	4846	1733
4	Bihar	1512	1413	1621
5	Chhattisgarh	297	352	439
6	Goa	40	36	90
7	Gujarat	1283	1536	1417
8	Haryana	656	622	681
9	Himachal Pradesh	98	70	77
10	Jharkhand	1204	953	967
11	Karnataka	10741	8136	12556
12	Kerala	426	626	773
13	Madhya Pradesh	699	589	826
14	Maharashtra	5496	5562	8249
15	Manipur	79	67	18
16	Meghalaya	142	107	75
17	Mizoram	13	30	1
18	Nagaland	8	8	4
19	Odisha	1931	2037	1983
20	Punjab	378	551	697
21	Rajasthan	1354	1504	1833
22	Sikkim	0	0	26
23	Tamil Nadu	782	1076	2082
24	Telangana	5024	10303	15297
25	Tripura	34	24	30
26	Uttar Pradesh	11097	8829	10117
27	Uttarakhand	243	718	559
28	West Bengal	712	513	401
	TOTAL STATE(S)	49708	52430	64907
29	A&N Islands	5	8	28
30	Chandigarh	17	15	27
31	D&N Haveli and Daman & Diu	3	5	5
32	Delhi	168	356	685
33	Jammu & Kashmir	120	154	173
34	Ladakh	1	5	3
35	Lakshadweep	3	1	1
36	Puducherry	10	0	64
	TOTAL UT(S)	327	544	986
	TOTAL (ALL INDIA)	50035	52974	65893

Source: ‘Crime in India’ published by NCRB.

ANNEXURE-II

State/UT-wise Cases Registered (CR) under Fraud for Cyber Crimes during Year 2020-2022

SL	State/UT	2020	2021	2022
1	Andhra Pradesh	764	952	984
2	Arunachal Pradesh	3	2	0
3	Assam	58	82	16
4	Bihar	1294	1373	1441
5	Chhattisgarh	71	67	42
6	Goa	1	1	11
7	Gujarat	205	208	108
8	Haryana	36	52	44
9	Himachal Pradesh	1	6	9
10	Jharkhand	83	79	98
11	Karnataka	0	6	0
12	Kerala	6	16	26
13	Madhya Pradesh	69	89	180
14	Maharashtra	2032	1678	2202
15	Manipur	0	0	0
16	Meghalaya	10	0	0
17	Mizoram	0	0	0
18	Nagaland	0	0	0
19	Odisha	1079	1205	957
20	Punjab	16	29	61
21	Rajasthan	332	371	292
22	Sikkim	0	0	0
23	Tamil Nadu	5	107	251
24	Telangana	3316	7003	9581
25	Tripura	0	0	0
26	Uttar Pradesh	837	614	766
27	Uttarakhand	1	0	31
28	West Bengal	145	40	30
	TOTAL STATE(S)	10364	13980	17130
29	A&N Islands	0	0	0
30	Chandigarh	0	0	2
31	D&N Haveli and Daman & Diu	0	0	0
32	Delhi	31	19	331
33	Jammu & Kashmir	0	8	7
34	Ladakh	0	0	0
35	Lakshadweep	0	0	0
36	Puducherry	0	0	0
	TOTAL UT(S)	31	27	340
	TOTAL (ALL INDIA)	10395	14007	17470

Source: ‘Crime in India’ published by NCRB.

This was stated by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs Shri Bandi Sanjay Kumar in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha.

*****

RK/VV/ASH/RR/PR/PS

(Release ID: 2112244)

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

March 19, 2025

MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CE meets Dongguan official

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Chief Executive John Lee today met Secretary of the CPC Dongguan Municipal Committee Wei Hao to discuss deepening Hong Kong’s co-operation with Dongguan and promoting the Greater Bay Area’s high-quality development.

Welcoming Mr Wei and his delegation, Mr Lee stressed that Hong Kong and Dongguan enjoy close geographical and cultural ties, and have long maintained close co-operation in areas such as economics, trade, and shipping.

He outlined that Hong Kong will give full play to its advantages as a bridge between the Mainland and the world, and its dual roles in helping Mainland firms to go global while attracting foreign investment, in order to assist Dongguan enterprises as they seek to expand internationally.

The Chief Executive also mentioned the successful collaboration between the two cities in operating the Hong Kong International Airport Dongguan Logistics Park, in Dongguan, under the “sea-air intermodal cargo-transshipment” mode.

Combining Hong Kong’s strengths in aviation and logistics with Dongguan’s land and manpower resources, the project aims to create a model of successful co-operation within the bay area. Mr Lee emphasised that it will enhance logistics connectivity within the bay area and boost the international competitiveness of the area’s manufacturing and import-export industries.

The Chief Executive expressed confidence that Hong Kong and Dongguan will leverage their complementary advantages and pursue greater co-operation, thereby contributing to world-class development in the bay area.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

March 19, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CE meets Secretary of CPC Dongguan Municipal Committee (with photo)

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

CE meets Secretary of CPC Dongguan Municipal Committee (with photo)
Mr Lee welcomed Mr Wei and his delegation to Hong Kong. Mr Lee noted that Hong Kong and Dongguan enjoy close geographical and cultural ties, and the two cities have long maintained close co-operation in various areas, including economics, trade, and shipping. As Dongguan is a renowned global manufacturing hub, Hong Kong will continue to give full play to its advantages as a bridge between the Mainland and the world, as well as its dual roles in going global and attracting foreign investment, offering services to assist Dongguan enterprises in expanding and developing international markets.

Mr Lee highlighted the successful collaboration between Hong Kong and Dongguan in operating the logistics park in Dongguan under the “sea-air intermodal cargo-transshipment” mode. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and the Dongguan Municipal Government are jointly advancing the development of the Hong Kong International Airport Dongguan Logistics Park as a permanent facility, as well as expanding its scope and capacity. Combining Hong Kong’s strengths in aviation and logistics with Dongguan’s advantages in land and manpower resources, the project aims to create a model of successful co-operation within the GBA. This initiative will further enhance the logistics connectivity within the GBA and boost the international competitiveness of the GBA’s manufacturing and import-export industries.

Mr Lee expressed confidence that Hong Kong and Dongguan will continue to leverage their complementary advantages and promote co-operation between the two places at a higher level, making greater contributions to the development of a world-class bay area.
Issued at HKT 17:30

NNNN

Categories24-7, Asia Pacific, Hong Kong, Hong Kong Government special administrative region, MIL OSI

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

March 19, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: President Lai meets Commander-in-Chief of US Veterans of Foreign Wars Alfred Lipphardt

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

Details
2025-02-17
President Lai meets former United States Deputy National Security Advisor Matthew Pottinger
On the morning of February 17, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation led by former United States Deputy National Security Advisor Matthew Pottinger. In remarks, President Lai thanked the delegation for demonstrating staunch support for Taiwan through their visit. The president pointed out that increased cooperation between authoritarian regimes is posing risks and challenges to the geopolitical landscape and regional security. He emphasized that only by bolstering our defense capabilities can we demonstrate effective deterrence and maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and around the world. The president stated that moving forward, Taiwan will continue to enhance its self-defense capabilities. He also expressed hope of strengthening the Taiwan-US partnership and jointly building secure and resilient non-red supply chains so as to ensure that Taiwan, the US, and democratic partners around the world maintain a technological lead. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I am delighted to welcome our good friends Mr. Pottinger and retired US Rear Admiral Mr. Mark Montgomery to Taiwan once again. Last June, Mr. Pottinger and Mr. Ivan Kanapathy came to Taiwan to launch their new book The Boiling Moat. During that visit, they also visited the Presidential Office. We held an extensive exchange of views on Taiwan-US relations and regional affairs right here in the Taiwan Heritage Room. Now, as we meet again eight months later, I am pleased to learn that Mr. Kanapathy is now serving on the White House National Security Council. The Mandarin translation of The Boiling Moat is also due to be released in Taiwan very soon. This book offers insightful observations from US experts regarding US-China-Taiwan relations and valuable advice for the strengthening of Taiwan’s national defense, security, and overall resilience. I am sure that Taiwanese readers will benefit greatly from it. I understand that this is Mr. Montgomery’s fourth visit to Taiwan and that he has long paid close attention to Taiwan-related issues. I look forward to an in-depth discussion with our two friends on the future direction of Taiwan-US relations and cooperation. Increased cooperation between authoritarian regimes is posing risks and challenges to the geopolitical landscape and regional security. One notion we all share is peace through strength. That is, only by bolstering our defense capabilities and fortifying our defenses can we demonstrate effective deterrence and maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and around the world. Moving forward, Taiwan will continue to enhance its self-defense capabilities. We also hope to strengthen the Taiwan-US partnership in such fields as security, trade and the economy, and energy. In addition, we will advance cooperation in critical and innovative technologies and jointly build secure and resilient non-red supply chains. This will ensure that Taiwan, the US, and democratic partners around the world maintain a technological lead. We believe that closer Taiwan-US exchanges and cooperation not only benefit national security and development but also align with the common economic interests of Taiwan and the US. I want to thank Mr. Pottinger and Mr. Montgomery once again for visiting and for continuing to advance Taiwan-US exchanges, demonstrating staunch support for Taiwan. Let us continue to work together to deepen Taiwan-US relations. I wish you a smooth and fruitful visit. Mr. Pottinger then delivered remarks, first congratulating President Lai on his one-year election anniversary and on the state of the economy, which, he added, is doing quite well. Mentioning President Lai’s recent statement pledging to increase Taiwan’s defense budget to above 3 percent of GDP, Mr. Pottinger said he thinks that the benchmark is equal to what the US spends on its defense and that it is a good starting point for both countries to build deterrence. Echoing the president’s earlier remarks, Mr. Pottinger said that peace through strength is the right path for the US and for Taiwan right now at a moment when autocratic, aggressive governments are on the march. He then paraphrased the words of former US President George Washington in his first inaugural address, saying that the best way to keep the peace is to be prepared at all times for war, which captures the meaning of peace through strength. In closing, he said he looks forward to exchanging views with President Lai.

Details
2024-12-26
President Lai presides over second meeting of Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience Committee
On the afternoon of December 26, President Lai Ching-te presided over the second meeting of the Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience Committee. President Lai stated that the committee’s goal is to enhance overall resilience in terms of national defense, economic livelihoods, disaster prevention, and democracy through five key areas: civilian force training and utilization, strategic material preparation and critical supply distribution, energy and critical infrastructure operations and maintenance, social welfare, medical care, and evacuation facility readiness, and information, transportation, and financial network protection. That morning, he said, was the first time that central and local government officials, as well as civilian observers, gathered at the Presidential Office to conduct cross-disciplinary tabletop exercises, demonstrating cooperation between central and local governments to jointly enhance social resilience. President Lai also announced that the existing Wan An and Min An Exercises, which are air raid drills and disaster response drills, respectively, beginning from next year will be combined into the 2025 Urban Resilience Exercises, the nomenclature of which matches up with that of similar exercises carried out overseas. The exercises, he said, will strengthen the defensive mechanisms of the non-military sector, and verify the ability of civil defense and disaster preparedness systems to protect our nation’s people. The president emphasized that combining government and private-sector forces is the only way to strengthen Taiwan’s overall defense capabilities, jointly consolidate global democratic resilience, and maintain regional peace and stability. A translation of President Lai’s opening statement follows: Today, we are convening the second meeting of the Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience Committee, implementing the conclusions reached at the last meeting, conducting tabletop exercises, and verifying the preparedness of government agencies to address extreme situations. Looking back over the past year, circumstances at home and abroad have changed rapidly. Authoritarian states around the world continue to converge, threatening the rules-based international order, and they now present a collective challenge to the peace and stability of the entire first island chain. To address threats, whether natural disasters or ambitions for authoritarian expansion, we believe that as long as the government and all of society are prepared, we can respond. With determination, there is no need to worry. With confidence, our people can rest assured. This is the goal of whole-of-society defense resilience. Of course, these preparations are not easy. Taiwan’s society must race against time, and work together to build capabilities to respond to major disasters and threats, and deter enemy encroachment. Therefore, the goal of this committee is to formulate action plans through the five key areas: civilian force training and utilization, strategic material preparation and critical supply distribution, energy and critical infrastructure operations and maintenance, social welfare, medical care, and evacuation facility readiness, and information, transportation, and financial network protection, thereby verifying central and local government capacities to respond in times of disaster, and enhance overall resilience in terms of national defense, economic livelihoods, disaster prevention, and democracy. This morning at the Presidential Office, we conducted the first-ever cross-disciplinary tabletop exercises involving central and local government officials as well as civilian observers. Participating teams from central government departments were all led by deputy ministers, Tainan City Deputy Mayor Yeh Tse-shan (葉澤山) led a team, and Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che (黃偉哲) also came to participate, demonstrating cooperation between central and local governments to jointly enhance social resilience. The exercises were based on Taiwan’s mature disaster prevention and relief system’s response to comprehensive threats. We had scenarios, but no scripts, so the participating units did not prepare notes in advance, but reacted on the spot. When presented with a problem, they proposed countermeasures, which is closer to a real crisis situation. To address the continued threat of authoritarian expansion to regional stability and order, in the first scenario we simulated that a high-intensity gray-zone operation occurred; for the second scenario, we simulated a state of being on the verge of conflict. The most important core objectives of the exercises were to ensure that people could carry on their daily lives and that society could function normally. I would like to thank our three deputy conveners for serving as exercise commanders, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) and Minister without Portfolio of the Executive Yuan Chi Lien-cheng (季連成) for serving as deputy exercise commanders, and Deputy Secretary-General to the President Chang Tun-han (張惇涵) as well as National Security Council Deputy Secretary-General Lin Fei-fan (林飛帆) for serving as chief officials. I also want to thank all our advisors, committee members, and colleagues from government agencies at both the central and local levels for coming together to complete tabletop exercises aimed at testing out components of the five key areas. After conducting numerous exercises in the past, many government agencies improved their emergency response capabilities, and I want to recognize those achievements. However, I also want to emphasize that we must identify problems in our current systems, and then make improvements. Whether it be the central or the local level, we cannot just talk about the good things and sweep the unpleasant things under the rug. We have to rigorously ascertain numbers and make sure just how accurate the sources of our information are, because it is always a good thing when we discover problems in our exercises, and find places where improvements are needed. This means that our testing has achieved its purpose, and that there is much room for progress and improvement. I also want to report to you all that, over the past few years, due to the global pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, countries throughout the world have been bolstering their defense resilience. NATO and the European Union, for example, have both adopted guidelines aimed at strengthening whole-of-society resilience. This shows that Taiwan is not a special case. The task of whole-of-society defense resilience is being addressed throughout the world. Taiwan’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its whole-of-society defense resilience is something the international community at large is wanting to see. This month I visited the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, and the Republic of Palau, all of which are Pacific allies of Taiwan, and I made transit stops in the United States islands of Hawaii and Guam. Friends in each of these places expressed firm support for Taiwan and repeatedly said they hope for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. We must continue taking action to respond to the international community’s support. Taiwan must have the capability to defend its own security. As president, I want to take this opportunity to emphasize to the international community that Taiwan is determined to defend regional peace and stability. We will accelerate the pace of efforts to build a more resilient Taiwan. I therefore wish to announce that our existing Wan An and Min An Exercises, which are air raid drills and disaster response drills, respectively, beginning from next year will be combined, and we will hold the 2025 Urban Resilience Exercises. This new nomenclature matches up with that of similar exercises carried out overseas, making it easier for others to understand the efforts that Taiwan is putting forth. In addition, the 2025 Urban Resilience Exercises will feature absolutely no reliance on military support, and will have a design that takes the latest international experiences into account. These resilience exercises will be distinct from the Han Kuang military exercises, and yet complementary at the same time. In other words, whole-of-society defense resilience must particularly strengthen the defensive mechanisms of the non-military sector, and must verify the ability of civil defense and disaster preparedness systems to protect our nation’s people. I want to emphasize once again that the more resilient we make Taiwan, like-minded nations around the world will be more willing to coordinate with us in responding to various challenges together. I realize that to defend democracy, we must gather together every bit of strength we have. The task of promoting whole-of-society defense resilience is a massive undertaking. The public sector must adopt a more open-minded attitude and be willing to tap into private-sector human resources, because combining government and private-sector forces is the only way to jointly respond to challenges arising under extreme conditions, and is the only way to strengthen Taiwan’s overall defense capabilities, jointly consolidate global democratic resilience, and maintain regional peace and stability. In just a few moments, Minister Liu will deliver a report on the progress of certain items listed in the first committee meeting, and Deputy Secretary-General Lin will deliver a report on the outcomes of the tabletop exercises held this morning. Next, let us engage in open discussions and examine and verify each component of the tabletop exercises, so that together we can improve whole-of-society defense resilience, make Taiwan more secure, and make the region more stable. Thank you. After listening to the report on the progress of certain items listed in the first committee meeting and the report on the outcomes of the tabletop exercises, President Lai exchanged views with the committee members regarding the content of the reports.123

Details
2024-11-30
Presidential Office thanks Biden administration for announcing its 18th military sale to Taiwan
On November 29 (US EST), the United States government announced that it had notified Congress of the sale to Taiwan of two military packages: a US$320 million sale of spare parts and support for F-16 aircraft and Active Electronically Scanned Array radar spare parts and support; and a US$65 million sale of Improved Mobile Subscriber Equipment Follow-on Support and related equipment. Presidential Office Spokesperson Karen Kuo (郭雅慧) stated that the Presidential Office is sincerely grateful to the US government for its unwavering commitment to continue to strengthen the cooperative partnership between Taiwan and the US and support Taiwan in enhancing self-defense capabilities in accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances. Spokesperson Kuo stated that this marks the 18th military sale to Taiwan announced during the Biden administration since 2021, emphasizing that the deepening Taiwan-US security partnership is a critical cornerstone for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. The spokesperson said that in the face of mounting security challenges in the region, Taiwan will continue to enhance self-defense capabilities and work alongside like-minded countries to jointly defend the values of freedom and democracy and ensure the peace and stability of the Indo-Pacific region.

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2024-10-26
Presidential Office thanks Biden administration for announcing its 17th military sale to Taiwan
On October 25 (US EST), the United States government announced that it had notified Congress of the US$1.988 billion sale to Taiwan of three military packages, including the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System as well as L-band and non-L-band radar turnkey systems. Presidential Office Spokesperson Karen Kuo (郭雅慧) on October 26 stated that strengthening Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities is the foundation for maintaining regional stability. The spokesperson said that the Presidential Office is grateful to the US government for continuing to provide Taiwan with the weaponry it needs in accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances. Spokesperson Kuo stated that this marks the 17th military sale to Taiwan announced during the Biden administration since 2021, as well as the largest single military sale since President Biden took office, demonstrating the unwavering commitment of the US government to the security of Taiwan. She emphasized that Taiwan will continue to strengthen its self-defense capabilities as it works to maintain the rules-based international order, ensuring the peace, stability, and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region.

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2024-09-26
President Lai presides over first meeting of Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience Committee
On the afternoon of September 26, President Lai Ching-te presided over the first meeting of the Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience Committee. As the committee’s convener, the president presented committee members with their letters of appointment, and explained that in order to build up our whole-of-society defense resilience, we will actively engage in comprehensive preparation to make our nation stronger and our people more confident. The president stated that we will enhance Taiwan’s response capabilities and expand cooperation between the public and private sectors. He stated that he looks forward to working together with everyone to establish a platform through which we can communicate and coordinate on our national resilience strategy, fostering a national consensus, and strengthening resilience throughout Taiwan in national defense, economic livelihoods, disaster prevention, and democracy. President Lai stated that a more resilient Taiwan will contribute more to global democracy, peace, and prosperity. He emphasized that as our society becomes better prepared, our nation grows more secure; and as Taiwan shows more determination to defend itself, the international community will feel more at ease. He expressed hope that we will engage in wide-ranging discussions and build a fortress of unity, making Taiwan a cornerstone for ensuring regional stability and democratic sustainability. A translation of President Lai’s opening statement follows: In order to consolidate forces from various sectors to strategize on national development, at the end of my first month in office, I announced that the Presidential Office will establish three committees in response to three major global issues: climate change, health promotion, and social resilience. Last month we convened the first meetings for two of those committees – the National Climate Change Committee and the Healthy Taiwan Promotion Committee. Today, we are convening the first meeting for the Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience Committee. I want to thank our three deputy conveners and all advisors and committee members for their joint commitment. I also want to thank our fellow citizens and friends for following the committee’s proceedings online. Climate change, large-scale natural disasters, and the threat to democracy posed by expanding authoritarianism are all challenges not just for Taiwan, but for the entire world. The operations and goals of these three committees are interrelated, and they are closely connected by the issue of national resilience. We intend to build up a more resilient Taiwan, proactively deal with challenges, and bring Taiwan into deeper cooperation with the international community. When former President Tsai Ing-wen was in office, the government took stock of resources in the public and private sectors in order to lay a solid foundation on which to build up our social resilience. Now, we will continue forward, from stocktaking to validation. This will entail three principles for whole-of-society defense resilience. The first principle is “preparedness through vigilance.” We will actively engage in comprehensive preparation to make our nation stronger and our people more confident. That way, in a disaster or emergency, the government and the public can quickly leverage their respective strengths and maintain the normal operation of society. The second principle is “enhanced response, fearlessness in action.” We will expand the training and utilization of civilian forces, enhance our strategic material preparation and critical supply distribution, and reinforce the operations and maintenance of energy and critical infrastructure. We will also improve the readiness of our social welfare, medical care, and evacuation facilities, and ensure the protection of information, transportation, and financial networks. All of this will enhance Taiwan’s response capabilities. The third principle is “orderly execution, methodical action.” At all levels of government, from central to local, we will conduct extensive validation and drilling, and we will expand connections with civil society groups and societal forces so that we can all work together, in a systematic and professional manner, to identify problems, propose solutions, and follow through with implementation. This is how we will resolve problems. The work involved in whole-of-society defense resilience is diverse and complex. Accordingly, this committee needs members from the public and private sectors who can work together in coordination. The members must be guided by practical experience, have interdisciplinary expertise, span different generations, and constitute a balance between the genders. These were the factors we took into consideration when we invited representatives from industry, government agencies, academia, and research institutions to serve as the four advisors and 23 members who make up this committee. Of the total committee membership, 67.7 percent are not government officials, and 32.3 percent are women. First, I want to thank the committee advisors who have taken on that important responsibility. With us today we have Master Jing Yao (淨耀) of the Buddhist Association of the Republic of China; Huoh Shoou-yeh (霍守業), chairman of the Institute for National Defense and Security Research; and Lin Ming-hsiung (林敏雄), chairman of Chuan Lian Enterprise Co. I thank each of you for your participation, and look forward to seeing you provide the committee with broadly considered, professional views on such matters as civilian force preparedness, strategic frameworks, and supply distribution. I also want to introduce committee members who are here today. We have with us Wang Pao-tzong (王寶宗), chairman of the Holy Glory Temple; Chen Hsin-liang (陳信良), general secretary of the General Assembly Executive Committee of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan; and Yen Po-wen (顏博文), CEO of the Tzu Chi Charity Foundation. I thank you all for your commitment and for giving us all the opportunity to learn how religious groups engage in disaster preparedness and relief efforts. Let me also thank James Liao (廖英熙), president of the National Defense Education Association; Enoch Wu (吳怡農), founder of the Forward Alliance; Hsiau Ya-wen (蕭雅文), honorary chairperson of the Taiwan Development Association for Disaster Medical Team; Liu Wen (劉文), chairperson of the Kuma Civil Defense Education Association; and Tseng Po-yu (曾柏瑜), consultant at Doublethink Lab. You have all been long involved in civil defense education, emergency medicine, and other fields, so I am quite confident that you will help the committee to better understand civilian force training and utilization. Let me also introduce Tu Wen-ling (杜文苓), distinguished professor in the Department of Public Administration at National Chengchi University, and Hsiao Hsu-chun (蕭旭君), associate professor of Computer Science and Information Engineering at National Taiwan University. I thank both of you for generously contributing your expertise to make Taiwan’s energy and critical infrastructure operations more robust. Also, I want to thank Wu Jong-shinn (吳宗信), director general of the Taiwan Space Agency; Kenny Huang (黃勝雄), chairman of the Taiwan Network Information Center; and Dai Chen-yu (戴辰宇), board member of the Association of Hackers in Taiwan. Your involvement will contribute immensely to the protection of information, transportation, and financial networks in Taiwan. Among our committee members we have the following six government representatives: Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄); Minister of Economic Affairs Kuo Jyh-huei (郭智輝), who could not attend today’s meeting; Minister of Transportation and Communications Chen Shih-kai (陳世凱); Minister of Agriculture Chen Junne-jih (陳駿季); Minister of Health and Welfare Chiu Tai-yuan (邱泰源); and Minister of Ocean Affairs Council Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲). The committee has two executive secretaries, namely Chi Lien-cheng (季連成), minister without portfolio of the Executive Yuan, and Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳). In addition, one member who will be joining us shortly is Bob Hung (洪偉淦), general manager of Trend Micro Taiwan. I also want to introduce one advisor and three committee members who could not attend today. They are, respectively, Robert Tsao (曹興誠), founder of United Microelectronics Corporation; Kuo Chia-yo (郭家佑), president of the Taiwan Digital Diplomacy Association; Liu Yu-hsi (劉玉晳), associate professor in the Department of Communications Management at Shih-Hsin University; and Tina Lin (林雅芳), managing director of sales and operations at Google Taiwan. I also thank them for participating in this committee’s operations and for contributing their valuable advice at today’s proceedings in written form. Last Saturday marked the 25th anniversary of the major earthquake that struck Taiwan on September 21, 1999. For the past 25 years, we have worked continuously to improve Taiwan’s disaster preparedness and relief capabilities. Today, our purpose in building up whole-of-society defense resilience is to enable each and every individual to realize, when an emergency arises, where to best make a contribution and how to protect themselves, contribute to society, or deter an approaching enemy. We want to enable all our citizens to feel utterly confident in the continuity and future of Taiwan’s society. Today, in this first meeting of the committee, the National Security Council (NSC) will brief us on the topic of “Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience: Planning and Challenges.” The NSC will familiarize all of us here, as well as our citizens and friends watching online, with the concepts and operations involved in whole-of-society defense resilience, the associated challenges and goals, and the progress we have made toward achieving our tasks. I have said before that a sudden natural disaster is like an acute cold, while climate change is more like a chronic disease. What whole-of-society defense resilience addresses is both the chronic and the acute. In addition to national disasters and emergencies, Taiwan has also been dealing for a long time with the challenges of gray-zone aggression and cognitive warfare. Located in the first island chain, Taiwan stands on the frontline of the democratic world. As such, we have always endeavored to safeguard regional peace and stability. I firmly believe that a more resilient Taiwan will contribute more to global democracy, peace, and prosperity. I also believe that when Taiwan is properly prepared and shows determination, our like-minded partners from around the world will be more willing to help Taiwan, jointly respond to all kinds of challenges, and work in concert to mitigate risks. As the people of Taiwan become more united, our nation grows more stable. As our society becomes better prepared, our nation grows more secure. And as Taiwan shows more determination to defend itself, the international community will feel more at ease. And so, I want to thank all of you once again for taking on the major task of enhancing our whole-of-society defense resilience. I look forward to working together with everyone, as we continue to observe global conditions, to establish a platform through which we can communicate and coordinate on our national resilience strategy, thereby fostering a nationwide consensus and strengthening resilience throughout Taiwan in national defense, economic livelihoods, disaster prevention, and democracy. Moving forward, let us engage in wide-ranging discussions, build a fortress of unity, and further empower our whole-of-society defense resilience, making Taiwan a cornerstone for ensuring regional stability and democratic sustainability. Thank you. Following his statement, President Lai presented letters of appointment to the committee members and heard a report from NSC Deputy Secretary-General Hsu Szu-chien (徐斯儉) on the topic of “Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience: Planning and Challenges.” Afterward, President Lai exchanged views with the committee members regarding the content of the report and the Rules of Procedure for Meetings of the Office of the President Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience Committee.

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2025-03-13
President Lai holds press conference following high-level national security meeting
On the afternoon of March 13, President Lai Ching-te convened a high-level national security meeting, following which he held a press conference. In remarks, President Lai introduced 17 major strategies to respond to five major national security and united front threats Taiwan now faces: China’s threat to national sovereignty, its threats from infiltration and espionage activities targeting Taiwan’s military, its threats aimed at obscuring the national identity of the people of Taiwan, its threats from united front infiltration into Taiwanese society through cross-strait exchanges, and its threats from using “integrated development” to attract Taiwanese businesspeople and youth. President Lai emphasized that in the face of increasingly severe threats, the government will not stop doing its utmost to ensure that our national sovereignty is not infringed upon, and expressed hope that all citizens unite in solidarity to resist being divided. The president also expressed hope that citizens work together to increase media literacy, organize and participate in civic education activities, promptly expose concerted united front efforts, and refuse to participate in any activities that sacrifice national interests. As long as every citizen plays their part toward our nation’s goals for prosperity and security, he said, and as long as we work together, nothing can defeat us. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: At many venues recently, a number of citizens have expressed similar concerns to me. They have noticed cases in which members of the military, both active-duty and retired, have been bought out by China, sold intelligence, or even organized armed forces with plans to harm their own nation and its citizens. They have noticed cases in which entertainers willingly followed instructions from Beijing to claim that their country is not a country, all for the sake of personal career interests. They have noticed how messaging used by Chinese state media to stir up internal opposition in Taiwan is always quickly spread by specific channels. There have even been individuals making careers out of helping Chinese state media record united front content, spreading a message that democracy is useless and promoting skepticism toward the United States and the military to sow division and opposition. Many people worry that our country, as well as our hard-won freedom and democracy and the prosperity and progress we achieved together, are being washed away bit by bit due to these united front tactics. In an analysis of China’s united front, renowned strategic scholar Kerry K. Gershaneck expressed that China plans to divide and conquer us through subversion, infiltration, and acquisition of media, and by launching media warfare, psychological warfare, and legal warfare. What they are trying to do is to sow seeds of discord in our society, keep us occupied with internal conflicts, and cause us to ignore the real threat from outside. China’s ambition over the past several decades to annex Taiwan and stamp out the Republic of China has not changed for even a day. It continues to pursue political and military intimidation, and its united front infiltration of Taiwan’s society grows ever more serious. In 2005, China promulgated its so-called “Anti-Secession Law,” which makes using military force to annex Taiwan a national undertaking. Last June, China issued a 22-point set of “guidelines for punishing Taiwan independence separatists,” which regards all those who do not accept that “Taiwan is part of the People’s Republic of China” as targets for punishment, creating excuses to harm the people of Taiwan. China has also recently been distorting United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758, showing in all aspects China’s increasingly urgent threat against Taiwan’s sovereignty. Lately, China has been taking advantage of democratic Taiwan’s freedom, diversity, and openness to recruit gangs, the media, commentators, political parties, and even active-duty and retired members of the armed forces and police to carry out actions to divide, destroy, and subvert us from within. A report from the National Security Bureau indicates that 64 persons were charged last year with suspicion of spying for China, which was three times the number of persons charged for the same offense in 2021. Among them, the Unionist Party, Rehabilitation Alliance Party, and Republic of China Taiwan Military Government formed treasonous organizations to deploy armed forces for China. In a democratic and free society, such cases are appalling. But this is something that actually exists within Taiwan’s society today. China also actively plots ways to infiltrate and spy on our military. Last year, 28 active-duty and 15 retired members of the armed forces were charged with suspicion of involvement in spying for China, respectively comprising 43 percent and 23 percent of all of such cases – 66 percent in total. We are also alert to the fact that China has recently used widespread issuance of Chinese passports to entice Taiwanese citizens to apply for the Residence Permit for Taiwan Residents, permanent residency, or the Resident Identity Card, in an attempt to muddle Taiwanese people’s sense of national identity. China also views cross-strait exchanges as a channel for its united front against Taiwan, marking enemies in Taiwan internally, creating internal divisions, and weakening our sense of who the enemy really is. It intends to weaken public authority and create the illusion that China is “governing” Taiwan, thereby expanding its influence within Taiwan. We are also aware that China has continued to expand its strategy of integrated development with Taiwan. It employs various methods to demand and coerce Taiwanese businesses to increase their investments in China, entice Taiwanese youth to develop their careers in China, and unscrupulously seeks to poach Taiwan’s talent and steal key technologies. Such methods impact our economic security and greatly increase the risk of our young people heading to China. By its actions, China already satisfies the definition of a “foreign hostile force” as provided in the Anti-Infiltration Act. We have no choice but to take even more proactive measures, which is my purpose in convening this high-level national security meeting today. It is time we adopt proper preventive measures, enhance our democratic resilience and national security, and protect our cherished free and democratic way of life. Next, I will be giving a detailed account of the five major national security and united front threats Taiwan now faces and the 17 major strategies we have prepared in response. I. Responding to China’s threats to our national sovereignty We have a nation insofar as we have sovereignty, and we have the Republic of China insofar as we have Taiwan. Just as I said during my inaugural address last May, and in my National Day address last October: The moment when Taiwan’s first democratically elected president took the oath of office in 1996 sent a message to the international community, that Taiwan is a sovereign, independent, democratic nation. Among people here and in the international community, some call this land the Republic of China, some call it Taiwan, and some, the Republic of China Taiwan. The Republic of China and the People’s Republic of China are not subordinate to each other, and Taiwan resists any annexation or encroachment upon our sovereignty. The future of the Republic of China Taiwan must be decided by its 23 million people. This is the status quo that we must maintain. The broadest consensus in Taiwanese society is that we must defend our sovereignty, uphold our free and democratic way of life, and resolutely oppose annexation of Taiwan by China. (1) I request that the National Security Council (NSC), the Ministry of National Defense (MND), and the administrative team do their utmost to promote the Four Pillars of Peace action plan to demonstrate the people’s broad consensus and firm resolve, consistent across the entirety of our nation, to oppose annexation of Taiwan by China. (2) I request that the NSC and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs draft an action plan that will, through collaboration with our friends and allies, convey to the world our national will and broad social consensus in opposing annexation of Taiwan by China and in countering China’s efforts to erase Taiwan from the international community and downgrade Taiwan’s sovereignty. II. Responding to China’s threats from infiltration and espionage activities targeting our military (1) Comprehensively review and amend our Law of Military Trial to restore the military trial system, allowing military judges to return to the frontline and collaborate with prosecutorial, investigative, and judicial authorities in the handling of criminal cases in which active-duty military personnel are suspected of involvement in such military crimes as sedition, aiding the enemy, leaking confidential information, dereliction of duty, or disobedience. In the future, criminal cases involving active-duty military personnel who are suspected of violating the Criminal Code of the Armed Forces will be tried by a military court. (2) Implement supporting reforms, including the establishment of a personnel management act for military judges and separate organization acts for military courts and military prosecutors’ offices. Once planning and discussion are completed, the MND will fully explain to and communicate with the public to ensure that the restoration of the military trial system gains the trust and full support of society. (3) To deter the various types of controversial rhetoric and behavior exhibited by active-duty as well as retired military personnel that severely damage the morale of our national military, the MND must discuss and propose an addition to the Criminal Code of the Armed Forces on penalties for expressions of loyalty to the enemy as well as revise the regulations for military personnel and their families receiving retirement benefits, so as to uphold military discipline. III. Responding to China’s threats aimed at obscuring the national identity of the people of Taiwan (1) I request that the Ministry of the Interior (MOI), Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), and other relevant agencies, wherever necessary, carry out inspections and management of the documents involving identification that Taiwanese citizens apply for in China, including: passports, ID cards, permanent residence certificates, and residence certificates, especially when the applicants are military personnel, civil servants, or public school educators, who have an obligation of loyalty to Taiwan. This will be done to strictly prevent and deter united front operations, which are performed by China under the guise of “integrated development,” that attempt to distort our people’s national identity. (2) With respect to naturalization and integration of individuals from China, Hong Kong, and Macau into Taiwanese society, more national security considerations must be taken into account while also attending to Taiwan’s social development and individual rights: Chinese nationals applying for permanent residency in Taiwan must, in accordance with the law of Taiwan, relinquish their existing household registration and passport and may not hold dual identity status. As for the systems in place to process individuals from Hong Kong or Macau applying for residency or permanent residency in Taiwan, there will be additional provisions for long-term residency to meet practical needs. IV. Responding to China’s threats from united front infiltration into Taiwanese society through cross-strait exchanges (1) There are increasing risks involved with travel to China. (From January 1, 2024 to today, the MAC has received reports of 71 Taiwanese nationals who went missing, were detained, interrogated, or imprisoned in China; the number of unreported people who have been subjected to such treatment may be several times that. Of those, three elderly I-Kuan Tao members were detained in China in December of last year and have not yet been released.) In light of this, relevant agencies must raise public awareness of those risks, continue enhancing public communication, and implement various registration systems to reduce the potential for accidents and the risks associated with traveling to China. (2) Implement a disclosure system for exchanges with China involving public officials at all levels of the central and local government. This includes everyone from administrative officials to elected representatives, from legislators to village and neighborhood chiefs, all of whom should make the information related to such exchanges both public and transparent so that they can be accountable to the people. The MOI should also establish a disclosure system for exchanges with China involving public welfare organizations, such as religious groups, in order to prevent China’s interference and united front activities at their outset. (3) Manage the risks associated with individuals from China engaging in exchanges with Taiwan: Review and approval of Chinese individuals coming to Taiwan should be limited to normal cross-strait exchanges and official interactions under the principles of parity and dignity, and relevant factors such as changes in the cross-strait situation should be taken into consideration. Strict restrictions should be placed on Chinese individuals who have histories with the united front coming to Taiwan, and Chinese individuals should be prohibited from coming to Taiwan to conduct activities related in any way to the united front. (4) Political interference from China and the resulting risks to national security should be avoided in cross-strait exchanges. This includes the review and management of religious, cultural, academic, and education exchanges, which should in principle be depoliticized and de-risked so as to simplify people-to-people exchanges and promote healthy and orderly exchanges. (5) To deter the united front tactics of a cultural nature employed by Chinese nationals to undermine Taiwan’s sovereignty, the Executive Yuan must formulate a solution to make our local cultural industries more competitive, including enhanced support and incentives for our film, television, and cultural and creative industries to boost their strengths in democratic cultural creation, raise international competitiveness, and encourage research in Taiwan’s own history and culture. (6) Strengthen guidance and management for entertainers developing their careers in China. The competent authorities should provide entertainers with guidelines on conduct while working in China, and make clear the scope of investigation and response to conduct that endangers national dignity. This will help prevent China from pressuring Taiwanese entertainers to make statements or act in ways that endanger national dignity. (7) The relevant authorities must adopt proactive, effective measures to prevent China from engaging in cognitive warfare against Taiwan or endangering cybersecurity through the internet, applications, AI, and other such tools. (8) To implement these measures, each competent authority must run a comprehensive review of the relevant administrative ordinances, measures, and interpretations, and complete the relevant regulations for legal enforcement. Should there be any shortcomings, the legal framework for national security should be strengthened and amendments to the National Security Act, Anti-Infiltration Act, Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area, Laws and Regulations Regarding Hong Kong & Macao Affairs, or Cyber Security Management Act should be proposed. Communication with the public should also be increased so that implementation can happen as soon as possible. V. Responding to threats from China using “integrated development” to attract Taiwanese businesspeople and youth (1) I request that the NSC and administrative agencies work together to carry out strategic structural adjustments to the economic and trade relations between Taiwan and China based on the strategies of putting Taiwan first and expanding our global presence while staying rooted in Taiwan. In addition, they should carry out necessary, orderly adjustments to the flow of talent, goods, money, and skills involved in cross-strait economic and trade relations based on the principle of strengthening Taiwan’s foundations to better manage risk. This will help boost economic security and give us more power to respond to China’s economic and trade united front and economic coercion against Taiwan. (2) I request that the Ministry of Education, MAC, Ministry of Economic Affairs, and other relevant agencies work together to comprehensively strengthen young students’ literacy education on China and deepen their understanding of cross-strait exchanges. I also request these agencies to widely publicize mechanisms for employment and entrepreneurship for Taiwan’s youth and provide ample information and assistance so that young students have more confidence in the nation’s future and more actively invest in building up and developing Taiwan. My fellow citizens, this year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. History tells us that any authoritarian act of aggression or annexation will ultimately end in failure. The only way we can safeguard freedom and prevail against authoritarian aggression is through solidarity. As we face increasingly severe threats, the government will not stop doing its utmost to ensure that our national sovereignty is not infringed upon, and to ensure that the freedom, democracy, and way of life of Taiwan’s 23 million people continues on as normal. But relying solely on the power of the government is not enough. What we need even more is for all citizens to stay vigilant and take action. Every citizen stands on the frontline of the defense of democracy and freedom. Here is what we can do together: First, we can increase our media literacy, and refrain from spreading and passing on united front messaging from the Chinese state. Second, we can organize and participate in civic education activities to increase our knowledge about united front operations and build up whole-of-society defense resilience. Third, we can promptly expose concerted united front efforts so that all malicious attempts are difficult to carry out. Fourth, we must refuse to participate in any activities that sacrifice national interests. The vigilance and action of every citizen forms the strongest line of defense against united front infiltration. Only through solidarity can we resist being divided. As long as every citizen plays their part toward our nation’s goals for prosperity and security, and as long as we work together, nothing can defeat us.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

March 18, 2025

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