NewzIntel.com

Category: China

  • MIL-OSI China: All 67 victims recovered from DC helicopter-plane collision

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Crews search at the wreckage site of a fatal midair collision between an American Airlines plane and a military helicopter in the Potomac River near the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Arlington, Virginia, the United States, Feb. 1, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    The remains of all 67 individuals who died in the helicopter and passenger plane midair collision in Washington, D.C. last week have been recovered by rescue teams, U.S. media reported Tuesday.

    Sixty-six of the remains have been positively identified, the ABC News cited the Unified Command as saying.

    The Unified Command said its crews are still working to clear wreckage, including large pieces of the plane, from the Potomac River, and large lifts will continue through Tuesday evening. Unloading is expected when “environmental and tidal conditions allow” on Wednesday.

    It added that operations will then shift to recovering wreckage from the Black Hawk helicopter.

    A passenger jet carrying 64 on board collided Wednesday night with an Army helicopter while landing at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, with both aircraft falling into the freezing Potomac River. Three U.S. Army soldiers were onboard the helicopter.

    This is the deadliest air accident in Washington, D.C. since 1982.

    An investigation into the accident is underway, led by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Thailand to cut power, fuel supply, internet at Thai-Myanmar border

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Thailand will cut electricity, fuel supply, and internet services to five areas in Myanmar along the Thai-Myanmar border starting on Wednesday morning, Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai announced on Tuesday.

    Phumtham, who also serves as the defense minister, made the announcement after chairing a meeting of the National Security Council on Tuesday afternoon.

    Speaking to reporters, he said that online fraud has caused serious harm to Thai citizens and become a national security issue. The Thai government’s investigation found that these five connection points are linked to online scam activities.

    “Starting from 9 a.m. on Wednesday, electricity, fuel supply, and internet services will be cut off to Myanmar-based power distributors at all five connection points,” he said, adding that Thai authorities have notified their Myanmar counterparts of the decision.

    According to Thai media reports, the five affected supply points are located within Myanmar’s border regions, including Myawaddy in Shan State.

    Thailand first approved electricity exports to Myanmar in 1992 and 1994, with power supplied by the Provincial Electricity Authority. Under the agreements, Thailand reserves the right to unilaterally terminate electricity supply if the recipient violates regulations, without bearing liability for compensation.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Sweden’s worst mass shooting in history kills 10 at school

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    This is a screenshot captured from the video of the Swedish government’s press conference held on the evening of Feb. 4, 2025. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson is speaking to the press. [Photo/Xinhua]

    The school shooting in central Sweden’s Orebro is the worst mass shooting in the country’s history, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said at a press conference late Tuesday.

    Swedish police confirmed on Tuesday evening that around ten people were killed in the shooting, which took place at noon at Risbergska Skolan, an education center, in Orebro. The shooter suspect is among the deceased, according to the police.

    While investigation and further search are ongoing, authorities said the exact number of the victims remained unclear. However, initial findings indicate that the suspect acted alone, and police have ruled out terrorism as a motive.

    Kristersson urged the public to refrain from speculation, emphasizing that authorities must be given space to conduct their investigation.

    “The Swedish public wants to know the reasons, but will have to wait for the answers,” said Swedish Minister of Justice Gunnar Strommer at the press conference. “With time, the picture will clear up.”

    King Carl XVI Gustaf expressed his condolences in a statement, describing the day as a “black day” for Sweden. He extended his sympathies to the families and friends of the victims and the injured, and expressed appreciation for the efforts of police, rescue and healthcare workers.

    Risbergska Skolan mainly serves adults over the age of 20, while also offering primary and secondary school courses and Swedish language classes for immigrants. The city of Orebro is located about 200 km west of Stockholm.

    Speaking to Swedish Radio (SR), local school security specialist Lena Ljungdahl said that while armed violence in schools has been extremely rare in Sweden, violence has escalated outside the educational institutions, including multiple shootings near schools in recent years.

    “I have expected this. Schools are not an isolated place. What happens outside will sooner or later happen inside schools,” Ljungdahl said.

    Mats Knutson, a political analyst of SR, highlighted that the shooting occurred amid years of escalating armed violence in Sweden, with the past few months witnessing an unprecedented number of explosions.

    Sweden is now in a crisis situation, and it is the government’s responsibility to unify the nation, Knutson said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Thailand approves high-speed rail project to link Laos, China

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Thailand’s cabinet on Tuesday approved the second phase of the high-speed rail project that will connect the Southeast Asian country with China through Laos, with completion expected in 2030.

    Spanning five stations, the 357-km second phase of the railway will extend an under-construction segment linking the Thai capital Bangkok and Nakhon Ratchasima province to Nong Khai at the border with Laos, said Thai government spokesman Jirayu Houngsub.

    The second phase also includes the construction of a logistics hub in the northeastern Nong Khai province, which will facilitate freight movement between Thailand’s 1-meter gauge railway and the 1.435-meter standard gauge used in the China-Laos Railway, offering a one-stop service for cargo transfer, Jirayu said in a statement.

    Following the cabinet approval, the project will proceed, taking into account the opinions of relevant agencies and complying with legal and regulatory requirements, with construction of the second phase set to begin in fiscal year 2025, the spokesperson said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China assumes UN Security Council rotating presidency for February

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    While assuming the rotating presidency of the United Nations Security Council for February, China will work on the priorities of reaffirming member states’ commitment to multilateralism and enhancing global governance, Fu Cong, China’s permanent representative to the United Nations, said Monday.

    As the world enters a very turbulent period and the number of conflicts worldwide hits a new high since the Cold War, there is an increasing call in the international community, among the Global South in particular, for reforming and improving the global governance system, he said.

    “At the Security Council, solidarity and cooperation are replaced by division and confrontation. Very often, the Council has been unable to do anything in the face of major security crises. This situation cannot continue,” Fu told a press briefing on the program of work of the Security Council for the month.

    Under its initiative, China will chair a Security Council high-level open debate, scheduled for Feb. 18, on the theme of “Practicing Multilateralism, Reforming and Improving Global Governance.”

    “As we mark the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations this year, the debate aims to encourage countries to revisit the original aspirations of the UN, reaffirm their commitment to multilateralism and the important role of the United Nations, including the Security Council, and to explore ways to reform and improve the global governance,” the envoy said.

    Regarding global and regional issues, Fu said that the 15-member body will continue to focus on the Middle East and strive to find lasting political solutions.

    “It is necessary for the Security Council to pay close attention to the ceasefire in Gaza and take timely actions to ensure that the relevant agreement is fully and effectively implemented and that humanitarian access remains open and unhindered,” he told reporters. “China will urge the Council to closely follow the challenges confronting UNRWA (UN relief agency for Palestinians).”

    In the meantime, the political and security situation in some parts of Africa is extremely volatile. There are huge challenges in terms of peacekeeping and peace-building, as well as humanitarian assistance, Fu said.

    “The Security Council and the wider international community must maintain and increase their attention and support for Africa,” he said. “As the president, China will work with other Council members to promote dialogue and consultation and seek political solutions to African issues.”

    The Security Council is composed of five permanent members — China, the United States, Britain, France, and Russia — and 10 non-permanent members. The presidency of the council rotates among its 15 member states based on the English-language alphabetical order of the countries’ names on a monthly basis.

    China last held the rotating Security Council presidency in November 2023.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China sees travel surge as Spring Festival holiday concludes

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    Passengers are seen at the waiting hall of Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station in Shanghai, east China, Feb. 4, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    BEIJING, Feb. 4 — With the Spring Festival holiday drawing to an end, China’s highways, railways and airports are seeing a surge of people returning from family reunions and festival celebrations.

    Passengers are seen at the waiting hall of Beijing South Railway Station in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 4, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Passengers are seen at the waiting hall of Beijing South Railway Station in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 4, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A drone photo taken on Feb. 4, 2025 shows vehicles driving into a ferry at Yantai Port in east China’s Shandong Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A drone photo taken on Feb. 4, 2025 shows vehicles at a toll gate of Hefei-Nanjing expressway in Quanjiao County, Chuzhou City of east China’s Anhui Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A police officer offers help at Fuyang West Railway Station in Fuyang City, east China’s Anhui Province, Feb. 4, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A drone photo taken on Feb. 4, 2025 shows vehicles on an expressway in Chaohu City, east China’s Anhui Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Passengers wait for the train at Hangzhou East Railway Station in Hangzhou, east China’s Zhejiang Province, Feb. 4, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Passengers arrive at Harbin Railway Station in Harbin, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, Feb. 4, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Passengers are seen at the waiting hall of Hangzhou East Railway Station in Hangzhou, east China’s Zhejiang Province, Feb. 4, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Passengers check in at Daozhou Railway Station in Yongzhou, central China’s Hunan Province, Feb. 4, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Passengers prepare to board the train at Handan Railway Station in Handan, north China’s Hebei Province, Feb. 4, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Passengers check in at Shijiazhuang Railway Station in Shijiazhuang, north China’s Hebei Province, Feb. 4, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Passengers prepare to board the train at Tengzhou East Railway Station in Zaozhuang City, east China’s Shandong Province, Feb. 4, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Woodblock prints add to holiday’s traditional flavor

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    Xu Jiahui, a national inheritor of Liangping woodblock New Year painting, colors a woodblock print at his workshop in Chongqing’s Liangping district on Jan 14. HUANG WEI/XINHUA

    As Wen Li attached her handmade Liangping woodblock print featuring door gods — an item of national intangible cultural heritage — to her front door, she knew this Spring Festival would be unforgettable for her family.

    Wen, 32, from Yihe, a village in Panlong township of Liangping district, Chongqing, recently took part in a celebration activity in the district, for which she had personally crafted a woodblock print.

    “When every household in our village hangs up traditional well-wishing Chinese couplets and woodblock prints on their doors, I can feel that the New Year is in the air,” she said.

    According to the local cultural and tourism commission, over 50,000 copies of woodblock prints and couplets were distributed in 33 townships in Liangping at themed events.

    The local government has also collaborated with multiple platforms to enhance the festive atmosphere, with the prints being offered as gifts at several local shopping malls.

    On Jan 10, over 1,000 students completed a massive Liangping woodblock New Year painting spanning approximately 1,000 square meters on the playground of Chongqing Liangping Vocational Education Center.

    Under the guidance of Xu Jiahui, a national inheritor of Liangping woodblock New Year painting, the students completed the art work, titled Generals as Door Gods.

    Woodblock paintings have been well received in many places. From January to February, Liangping woodblock New Year painting exhibitions are taking place in multiple districts of the municipality, as well as in Xiong’an New Area and Handan in Hebei province. In Beijing, the paintings are currently being exhibited at the China Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum, local authorities said.

    The custom of New Year paintings is one of the important traditional activities to celebrate Spring Festival.

    Woodblock printing was invented in the Song Dynasty (960-1279). As this art form developed and became more and more popular among Chinese people, its content and functions also increased.

    On Dec 4, the Spring Festival and the social practices associated with the celebration of the traditional Chinese New Year, were added to UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Liangping woodblock New Year paintings played a role in the application process, local authorities said.

    In May 2006, the art form of Liangping woodblock New Year painting was included in the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage items.

    “I believe our intangible cultural heritage should be presented in its good old traditional form,” said Xu, who is 59, and has dedicated 48 years to studying the craft.

    Situated in northeastern Chongqing, Liangping is renowned for its rich intangible cultural heritage, boasting five national-level, 26 municipal-level, and 124 county-level items.

    Recognized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism for its unique Spring Festival customs, folk culture and art heritage, Liangping is particularly celebrated for its woodblock New Year paintings and bamboo curtains, both of which hold national geographical indication trademarks.

    Building on this cultural legacy, the district has established five primary and secondary schools dedicated to preserving traditional Chinese culture and art. Additionally, it has developed 13 city-level experimental bases for intangible heritage inheritance, and offered over 120 special interest classes, engaging more than 10,000 students in the vibrant traditions of Liangping.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s box office refreshes Spring Festival holiday record

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    People walk into a cinema in Shenyang, northeast China’s Liaoning Province, Feb. 3, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    China’s box office revenue for the 2025 Spring Festival holiday has reached 8.02 billion yuan (about 112 million U.S. dollars) as of Monday, setting a new record for the same period in the country’s film industry history, according to data from the China Film Administration.

    Meanwhile, China’s 2025 total box office, including real-time presales, has surpassed 10 billion yuan, ranking first globally.

    The daily box office has exceeded 1 billion yuan for six consecutive days since Jan. 29, when six films targeting the holiday season were released.

    “The films span various genres, including martial arts, mythology, comedy, and action, catering to the preferences of audiences across different age groups,” said Huangfu Yichuan, a research fellow at the China Film Art Research Center.

    The number of moviegoers also hit a new record, laying a stronger foundation for both the audience base and market growth of China’s film industry, said Rao Shuguang, president of the China Film Critics Association.

    The films on the top of the box office chart were all domestic productions. Leading the pack was the animated fantasy “Ne Zha 2,” the sequel to the 2019 hit “Ne Zha.” “Ne Zha 2” has earned over 3.8 billion yuan since its screening.

    Trailing behind was “Detective Chinatown 1900,” a thriller comedy and part of the successful Detective Chinatown franchise, which has raked in nearly 2 billion yuan.

    “Creation of the Gods II: Demon Force” came in third and has grossed over 900 million yuan.

    “The historic high box office of the Spring Festival holiday reflects the high-quality development in domestic films and highlights the strong recognition of Chinese traditional culture among audiences,” said Rao.

    “It also indicates vibrant consumption during the holiday as well as the consumers’ confidence in domestic productions,” he added. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Guizhou eyes outsourcing sector role

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    A scene in The War of the Rohirrim. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

    As Warner Bros’ animated film The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim debuts globally, a company from Guizhou province has left its mark, having contributed keyframe animation, coloring and cinematography to the movie.

    At the helm is Xu Chenyin, manager of Junzi Qianxing Technology Media. Xu, who was a former animation professional in Japan, runs the company in Guiyang, the provincial capital. He also serves as a member of the Guizhou Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.

    During the provincial legislative session in January, Xu submitted a proposal on promoting the development of Guizhou’s service outsourcing industry.

    “Guizhou has the potential to attract high-value outsourcing projects such as digital services and creative design,” he said. “With the increasing specialization of international labor, developed countries are outsourcing non-core services to regions with lower costs and higher efficiency.”

    Guiyang has already seen growth in the industry. According to local authorities, service outsourcing execution in the city grew 16.58 percent year-on-year in 2024, with offshore outsourcing surging 59.18 percent and domestic outsourcing increasing 12.67 percent.

    Beyond direct benefits, Xu said he believes that service outsourcing can accelerate industrial upgrades.

    However, he also pointed out a major challenge: a shortage of skilled talent.

    “In today’s decentralized production landscape, geographical barriers are no longer an issue in joining the global industry. The real challenge lies in addressing the talent gap.”

    This year, Xu recommended “partnering with universities, research institutes and enterprises to optimize academic programs based on market demands, introduce globally recognized certification courses and strengthen practical training”.

    He also suggested launching targeted recruitment initiatives in fields such as big data, artificial intelligence and business negotiations while offering competitive incentives.

    Xu highlighted the collaboration between Guizhou’s big data and service outsourcing sectors.

    “In animation, for example, big data offers a wealth of image, audio and video resources that serve as valuable references for production,” Xu said.

    One key example is rendering – the process of converting 3D scenes into 2D images. This resource-intensive animation step often demands costly hardware.

    “Cloud computing resources, developed through its data industry, offer a cost-effective solution. Cloud rendering platforms reduce production cycles and costs,” Xu explained.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Cultural vibes eagerly embraced by holiday travelers

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    Residents watch a dragon dance performance in Xinghua, Jiangsu province, on Sunday during Spring Festival celebrations. Various events, including folk activities and intangible cultural heritage displays, have been held across China to celebrate Spring Festival. [Zhou Shegen / XINHUA]

    Surrounded by crowds and patting the head of a fish-shaped lantern for good luck, 27-year-old Tian Jialiang immersed himself in the rich, festive vibes of Spring Festival in Zhanqi village of Shexian, Anhui province.

    Tian, who is a native of Nanchang in the neighboring province of Jiangxi, was on a four-day self-driving tour to Huangshan, Anhui, with four friends.

    “Spring Festival is one of the most important traditional holidays to the Chinese people. We came here for the village’s strong new year atmosphere and celebrations, where the performers mimic fishes’ movements to bring good luck and fortune. I think it is the essence of the festival,” Tian said.

    Spring Festival, which was added to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list in December, has seen people’s passion skyrocket for tourism destinations highlighting cultural vibes or folk customs.

    This year’s Spring Festival fell on Jan 29, the first day of the first month of the Chinese calendar, and marked the beginning of the Year of the Snake. People in China enjoyed an eight-day break, from Jan 28 to Tuesday.

    Reports from travel agencies showed that cultural tourism destinations were in vogue during the holiday.

    Travel portal Qunar said that cities with festive celebrations or folk customs, including Huangshan in Anhui, Chaozhou and Shantou in Guangdong province, and Quanzhou in Fujian province, were among the most sought-after destinations by its users during the holiday. These places are well known for folk events, including fish-shaped lantern shows, lion dances and hairpin flowers.

    Huangshan saw its hotel room bookings double year-on-year during the holiday.

    Another travel portal, Fliggy, said travelers have shown an increasing interest in immersive tourism events featuring Chinese cultural elements, including visiting temple fairs, wearing traditional Chinese hanfu attire for photo shoots, and appreciating lantern shows. It said that sales of tourism products related to folk custom performances grew 36 percent year-on-year on its platform.

    Liu Gengshuo, 30, who is from the northeastern province of Jilin, booked photo-shooting services featuring traditional hanfu clothing for his wife in Datong, Shanxi province, for the Spring Festival holiday.

    “It has long been our wish to embrace Chinese New Year in Datong, a city that enjoys a long-standing history and is home to much historical architecture, including temples,” Liu said. “The city is filled with a festive atmosphere and beautiful decorations. We will come again for another visit.”

    Qi Chunguang, vice-president of online travel agency Tuniu, said the addition of Spring Festival to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list has greatly increased people’s enthusiasm for traditional Chinese culture, and this turned places with intangible cultural events into hot tourism destinations over the holiday period.

    Some history and culture museums have also been popular, Qi said.

    “People have shown great demand and interest in high-quality travels, as they wish to explore the destination’s cultural and social practices with immersive events. I think the trend will keep the tourism industry developing this year,” he said.

    Chinese travelers also showed strong consumption power and a desire for overseas tourism destinations during the Spring Festival holiday. Figures from Fliggy showed that international cruise bookings surged 229 percent at its platform for the holiday period, and overseas destinations such as the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions, as well as countries in Southeast Asia, were top choices for people from the Chinese mainland.

    Cai Muzi, an analyst at travel portal Qunar, said that Thailand continues to rank near the top of Chinese people’s favorite overseas destinations because of the shorter travel hours, visa-free policy, milder climate and cheaper travel costs.

    According to Qunar, Chinese travelers set foot in more than 2,100 cities worldwide during the holiday, with the number increasing 50 percent year-on-year. In addition to Southeast Asian countries and regions, destinations in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, ranging from Hungary and Norway to Saudi Arabia and Egypt, saw an increase in tourism visits by Chinese.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: S. Korea’s court holds 5th hearing of Yoon’s impeachment trial

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    South Korea’s constitutional court on Tuesday held the fifth hearing of impeachment trial on President Yoon Suk-yeol, with the arrested president being present for the third time.

    Yoon presented himself at the courtroom in central Seoul at about 2:00 p.m. local time (0500 GMT) after attending the third and fourth hearings last month.

    During the fifth hearing, Yoon said that “nothing really happened” on the night of Dec. 3 last year when he declared an emergency martial law, denying allegations that he ordered martial law troops to drag lawmakers out of the hall of the National Assembly that revoked the martial law hours later.

    Throughout the midnight hours, military helicopters landed at the National Assembly and hundreds of armed special forces troops broke into the parliamentary building, TV footage showed.

    Under the constitution, a president is required to report the martial law imposition to the National Assembly, the sole body with the right to repeal martial law.

    Yoon claimed that he intended to appeal to people in the form of martial law and lift it when the parliament voted against it, but he noted that such intention was shared only with former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, not with other cabinet members.

    According to the prosecution’s indictment, Yoon urged military commanders over phone to push martial law troops into the parliamentary chamber, where the lawmakers gathered to lift the martial law, by “firing guns” and “using axes” to break the door open.

    Lee Jin-woo, former chief of the Capital Defense Command accused of his involvement in the martial law imposition, refused to testify during the hearing, saying he was restricted in testimony as his own criminal case was underway.

    Lee only admitted that he talked with Yoon on the phone on the night of the martial law declaration.

    Yeo In-hyung, former head of the Defense Counterintelligence Command, also refused to testify that he had received orders from the former defense minister to arrest and detain politicians, including chiefs of the ruling People Power Party and the main opposition Democratic Party.

    Officially confirming Yoon’s direct order to arrest the politicians, Hong Jang-won, former first deputy director of the National Intelligence Service, said in the hearing that Yoon gave him orders to help the defense counterintelligence command “round up all” of the politicians.

    Hong told lawmakers last month that he was given the orders over phone around 20 minutes after the martial law declaration.

    Yoon testified that his instructions to assist the defense counterintelligence command had nothing to do with the martial law imposition.

    Next hearings were scheduled to be held on Feb. 6, 11 and 13.

    The motion to impeach Yoon was passed through the National Assembly on Dec. 14 last year and was delivered to the constitutional court to deliberate it for up to 180 days, during which Yoon’s presidential power is suspended.

    Yoon was apprehended in the presidential office on Jan. 15, becoming the country’s first sitting president to be arrested.

    Yoon, who was named as a suspected ringleader of insurrection, was indicted under detention on Jan. 26, becoming the country’s first incumbent president to be put on trial in custody.

    The South Korean president was accused of conspiring with the former defense minister, who had already been indicted under detention, to declare unconstitutional, illegal martial law and dispatch armed forces into the National Assembly.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hickenlooper, Bennet, Colleagues Call on Trump Admin to Address the Illegal Effort to Dismantle USAID

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Hickenlooper – Colorado

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper, Michael Bennet, and Tim Kaine, along with 35 of their Senate colleagues, sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressing their deep concern regarding the illegal attempt by Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) officials to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

    “We are deeply concerned by reports of not only growing chaos and dysfunction at the Department of State, but the Administration’s brazen and illegal attempts to destroy the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID),” wrote the senators. “Mass personnel furloughs of dubious legality and abrupt, blanket stop-work orders without regard to relevant appropriations laws are causing immediate harm to U.S. national security, placing U.S. citizens at risk, disrupting life-saving work and breaking the U.S. government’s contractual obligations to private sector partners.”

    The senators continued: “The Administration’s failure to consult with Congress prior to taking these steps violates the law and impedes Congress’s constitutional duty to conduct oversight of funding, personnel and the nation’s foreign policy.”

    USAID is a critical pillar of U.S. national security strategy, providing lifesaving aid and development support around the world.

    This week, USAID workers were denied access to the agency’s headquarters and the White House threatened to close the agency and move it under the State Department without the necessary congressional approval. The administration has also furloughed thousands of senior career civil servants, including two top security officials who had denied DOGE officials access to classified documents and systems without the proper clearances.

    In their letter, the senators called on Secretary Rubio to address the dysfunction created by these illegal actions and clarify the status of the funding that’s been legally approved by Congress.

    Full text of the letter available HERE and below.

    Dear Secretary Rubio:

    The effective administration of U.S. foreign assistance is critical to advancing core U.S. national security priorities, including countering the influence of China, Russia and Iran. As you acknowledged at your confirmation hearing, pushing back on China in particular is a top bipartisan priority.

    As such, we are deeply concerned by reports of not only growing chaos and dysfunction at the Department of State, but the Administration’s brazen and illegal attempts to destroy the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Mass personnel furloughs of dubious legality and abrupt, blanket stop-work orders without regard to relevant appropriations laws are causing immediate harm to U.S. national security, placing U.S. citizens at risk, disrupting life-saving work and breaking the U.S. government’s contractual obligations to private sector partners.

    The Administration’s failure to consult with Congress prior to taking these steps violates the law and impedes Congress’s constitutional duty to conduct oversight of funding, personnel and the nation’s foreign policy. The Administration’s failure to expend funds appropriated on a bipartisan basis by Congress would violate the Impoundment Control Act.

    Foreign assistance is critical to supporting U.S. strategic interests around the world. Foreign assistance protects U.S. national security, advances U.S. values, and ensures the U.S. is the partner of choice for everything from defense procurement to cutting edge scientific research. China, Russia and Iran are already moving rapidly to exploit the vacuum and instability left by the U.S.’s sudden global retreat.

    Every Administration has the right to review and adjust ongoing assistance programming. However, attempting to arbitrarily turn off core functions of a critical U.S. national security agency, without Congressional consideration or any metric-based review and absent legal authority to do so, is unprecedented and deeply disturbing.

    We request immediate clarification on the following:

    Status of USAID:

    • Confirmation of your understanding that any effort to abolish USAID or merge USAID into the Department of State absent Congressional consultation and approval is illegal.
    • Confirmation of your understanding that adversaries such as China, Russia and Iran are quickly moving into the vacuum left by suspended USAID programs.
    • The Department of State’s assessment of Mr. Elon Musk’s financial ties to China and the impact of these ties to the decision-making process of Mr. Musk and his employees.
    • Confirmation that neither you nor any member of your leadership team are taking direction from Mr. Musk with regards to the work of the Department of State or USAID, personnel or financial decisions for either agency, or any other matters relevant to U.S. national security.
    • Confirmation of the names and employment status of individuals directed by Mr. Musk to engage with USAID staff, the qualifications of these individuals, and the level of their security clearances – if any.

    Personnel:

    • Confirmation of your understanding that any unauthorized access by or disclosure of classified information to individuals without appropriate security clearance could be considered a criminal offense.
    • The legal authority and rationale under which, on January 28, more than 50 senior career civil and foreign service USAID officials were placed on administrative leave. This move was not only unprecedented, but also inconsistent with the Office of Personnel Management’s own guidelines for the use of administrative leave.
    • The legal authority under which, on January 28, approximately 390 USAID Institutional Support Contractors (ISCs) were given stop-work orders, and clarification of which Administration official directed the implementation of this termination.
    • Whether any Department of State career civil and foreign service or contractors have been placed on administrative leave or removed from their roles as a result of or relating to the assistance freeze or any directives from the Office of Foreign Assistance.
    • Clarification of which Administration official directed the implementation of this mass furlough.
    • Clarification of whether these individuals were directed to be terminated without cause.
    • Confirmation that personnel will not face retaliation or retribution for performing their duties under the previous Administration’s policy direction.
    • Under what authorities and by which official’s directive career civil service, foreign service, and Personal Services Contractors (PSC), and those under other hiring authorities have been removed from their roles or limited in their ability to execute their work.
    • Confirmation that further career civil service, foreign service and USAID contractors will not be removed from their roles without cause or receive stop work orders.
    • Whether, upon full resumption of legally mandated foreign assistance activities, the Administration intends to re-hire contractors who have been removed from their roles.
    • Any additional guidance provided to State and USAID staff regarding the foreign assistance freeze, including confirmation of whether direct hires, contractors, or implementing organizations have been directed not to speak publicly about the foreign assistance freeze.
    • Public identification of the individual currently serving as the Director or Acting Director of the State Department’s Office of Foreign Assistance and as Acting Deputy Administrator of USAID, and the dates upon which this individual was appointed to each position.
    • Confirmation of your understanding that the State Department’s Director of Foreign Assistance has no authority to issue personnel directives for USAID.

    Resumption of Foreign Assistance:

    • The specific process and anticipated timeframe for activities to receive exemptions or waivers, as referenced in your January 28, 2025 directive to State and USAID staff.
    • The mechanisms and metrics established for this waiver process.
    • The timeline for full resumption of legally mandated foreign assistance activities.
    • Clarification of what risk assessment or analysis of potential risk to U.S. national security interests were conducted prior to the decision to freeze foreign assistance activities.
    • Confirmation of the Department of State’s obligation to comply with U.S. contract law and your responsibility as Secretary of State ensure the Department honors its commitments to contracting partners.

    We welcome your urgent attention to these questions. We and our staff stand ready to work with you to ensure U.S. foreign assistance funding continues to be deployed effectively to protect American citizens, at home and abroad.

    Respectfully,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: PLA Air Force conducts routine patrol over Huangyan Dao

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    A spokesperson for the Chinese military on Tuesday said that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is on high alert for any destabilizing military activities in the South China Sea.
    On the same day, the Air Force of the PLA Southern Theater Command conducted a routine patrol in the airspace of China’s Huangyan Dao. During the patrol, the Philippines has been colluding with countries outside the region to organize the so-called “joint patrols” to deliberately undermine peace and stability in the South China Sea, according to Li Jianjian, spokesperson for the PLA Southern Theater Command.
    Li said the Air Force will remain on high alert to resolutely defend China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.
    “Any military activities that disrupt the South China Sea are fully under control,” said the spokesperson.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Spring Festival boosts travel, consumption

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    People walk past a movie poster at a cinema in Shenyang, northeast China’s Liaoning Province, Feb. 4, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    As China wraps up its 8-day Spring Festival holiday celebrating the start of the Year of the Snake, the world’s second-largest economy has witnessed shopping and travel booms ignited by hundreds of millions of Chinese people’s family reunions.
    This year’s holiday, from Jan. 28 to Feb. 4, marks the second consecutive year that people in China have experienced an extended public holiday. People flocked to tourist destinations, enjoyed cultural experiences and indulged in holiday shopping.
    With a string of holiday-targeted domestic blockbusters bringing numerous moviegoers to cinemas across China, the country’s film industry proved to be one of the biggest winners during this Spring Festival consumption spree.
    From Jan. 29 to Feb. 3, the daily box office exceeded 1 billion yuan (nearly 140 million U.S. dollars) for six consecutive days, bringing China’s box office revenue for the 2025 Spring Festival holiday to 8.02 billion yuan, a new record for the same period in the country’s film industry history.
    Meanwhile, according to data from the China Film Administration, China’s total box office in 2025, including real-time presales, has surpassed 10 billion yuan, ranking it first globally.
    Notably, the films on the top of the box office chart were all domestic productions, with “Ne Zha 2,” the animated sequel to the 2019 hit, earning over 3.8 billion yuan.
    While cinema boomed during the holiday, so did travel and leisure activities across China. Many chose to explore the country’s natural beauty and cultural heritage in person.
    In China’s top ski destination, Altay Prefecture, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the period from Jan. 28 to 31 saw 191,900 visitors, generating 225 million yuan in tourism revenue.
    Skiing has definitely become the most popular activity in Altay during the holiday, with a record number of skiers — over 10,000 — visiting the Jiangjunshan ski resort on Feb. 2, marking a 23 percent increase from the previous year.
    Situated at 45 to 47 degrees north latitude, Altay enjoys 170 to 180 days of snowfall annually. In mountainous areas, snow depths average 1 to 2 meters. The terrain is ideal for skiing due to vertical drops of over 1,000 meters.
    “The resort offers many terrain parks and creative features suitable for all levels, making it a great place for everyone to enjoy and challenge themselves,” said Zhang Zhujun, a snowboarding enthusiast at the resort.
    Far to the south, the picturesque Yangshuo County, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, draws large numbers of domestic and international visitors with its unique natural scenery and rich cultural activities. From Jan. 28 to 30, the county welcomed an estimated 410,600 tourists, generating tourism revenue of 589 million yuan.
    Lhasa, the capital city of southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region, has also seen a surge in visitors. From Jan. 28 to Feb. 3, the city received 1.95 million tourists, up by 20.6 percent year on year, grossing a total tourism revenue of nearly 1.76 billion yuan, a 14.75 percent year-on-year rise, according to Lhasa’s municipal bureau of culture and tourism.
    Travel booking platforms echoed the overall trend, with data from Fliggy, a leading online travel agency, showing a surge in bookings, especially from cities like Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou. International travel orders increased significantly, with international cruise bookings up more than sixfold compared to the previous year.
    Shanghai Airport Group reported that passenger traffic on Sunday hit a new all-time high of 404,000 people, with Pudong airport seeing 259,000 passengers and Hongqiao airport 145,000.
    As the holiday drew to a close, airports and transportation hubs in Shanghai braced for the return of travelers, with heightened coordination of metro, bus and taxi services to ensure smooth transportation, said the group.
    On Monday, the China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. reported a historic milestone as the country’s railways transported 16.45 million passengers, marking the highest single-day passenger traffic in the history of the Spring Festival travel rush.
    On Tuesday, the last day of the holiday, the national railway system is expected to carry 16.9 million passengers, further highlighting the peak in travel activity as hundreds of millions of people return to their destinations after family reunions.
    Consumption was another standout trend, with an increasing number of people seeking to experience China’s rich heritage, motivated by the inscription of the Spring Festival on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December 2024.
    According to data from the Ministry of Commerce, sales at major retail and catering enterprises across China during the first four days of the holiday increased by 5.4 percent compared to the same period last year.
    Spring Festival has boosted Chinese consumers’ appetite for imported food and drinks, such as lobsters, cherries and wines. “Due to rising demand in the Spring Festival, our company’s import has increased by nearly 50 percent in the past month,” said Yang Xinyu from a Guangzhou-based international supply chain company.
    Since January, the customs authority of Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport has handled imported aquatic animals, such as lobsters and mud crabs, with a total value of over 14.3 million yuan, a year-on-year surge of 31.8 percent.
    Meituan, one of China’s leading e-commerce platforms for services, reported a staggering 300 percent year-on-year increase in online reservations for Chinese Lunar New Year’s Eve dinners. Additionally, group-buying orders for “intangible cultural heritage”-themed packages have surged by over 12 times since January year on year, reflecting growing consumer interest in cultural experiences.
    Experts noted that this holiday season saw a shift in consumer behavior, particularly among younger generations and families. “Young families are increasingly becoming the driving force of consumption, with a trend toward diversified, high-quality and culturally rich experiences,” said Sun Jiashan, an associate researcher from the Central Academy of Culture and Tourism Administration.
    Data from Meituan Travel echoed Sun’s observation that young people increasingly chose to celebrate the Spring Festival in smaller cities, immersing themselves in intangible cultural heritage and historical landmarks.
    The increase in cultural tourism and consumption, from heritage experiences to blockbuster films, indicates a growing demand for traditional and contemporary cultural activities.
    “This trend has also raised higher demands for the supply of cultural and tourism products and services, prompting the introduction of new business models and formats that better align with contemporary cultural consumption patterns,” said Sun, highlighting the potential of China’s consumer market and the economy’s internal driving forces.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Alphabet reports Q4 revenue with 12% growth

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Alphabet Inc., Google’s parent company, on Tuesday reported its 2024 fourth-quarter revenues at 96.5 billion U.S. dollars, up 12 percent from the same period of 2023.

    Google Services revenues increased 10 percent to 84.1 billion dollars, reflecting the strong momentum across Google Search & other and YouTube ads, according to the company’s financial report.

    Google Cloud revenues increased 30 percent to 12.0 billion dollars led by growth in Google Cloud Platform (GCP) across core GCP products, AI Infrastructure, and Generative AI Solutions, the company said.

    Its total operating income increased 31 percent and operating margin expanded by 5 percentage points to 32 percent. Net income increased 28 percent to 26.5 billion dollars and EPS increased 31 percent to 2.15 dollars.

    The company generated about 350.02 billion dollars in revenue during the fiscal year, representing a growth of 14 percent. Its yearly net income was 100.12 billion dollars, up from 73.80 billion dollars in 2023.

    “Q4 was a strong quarter driven by our leadership in AI and momentum across the business. We are building, testing, and launching products and models faster than ever, and making significant progress in compute and driving efficiencies,” said Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet and Google.

    “Cloud and YouTube exited 2024 at an annual revenue run rate of $110 billion. Our results show the power of our differentiated full-stack approach to AI innovation and the continued strength of our core businesses. We are confident about the opportunities ahead, and to accelerate our progress, we expect to invest approximately $75 billion in capital expenditures in 2025,” he added.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Estee Lauder to cut up to 7,000 jobs as sales slide

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Estee Lauder, the U.S. multinational cosmetics company manufacturing and marketing makeup, skincare, perfume and hair care products, may trim as many as 7,000 jobs by fiscal 2026, more than 11 percent of its workforce, after it lost money in its most recent quarter as reported a 6 percent sales slump.

    “The New York-based company behind such brands as MAC, La Mer and Aveda tempered its profit outlook as the economies of China and Korea slow, in addition to global geopolitical uncertainty,” reported The Associated Press on Tuesday.

    Estee Lauder expects to book restructuring and other charges related to the job cuts of between 1.2 billion U.S. dollars and 1.6 billion dollars, before taxes.

    As of June 30, 2024, Estee Lauder had roughly 62,000 employees worldwide, according to the company’s latest annual filing.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China announces export controls on items related to tungsten, tellurium, bismuth, molybdenum, indium

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    China on Tuesday announced export controls on items related to tungsten, tellurium, bismuth, molybdenum and indium, according to a statement jointly issued by the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) and the General Administration of Customs.

    The policy comes into effect on Tuesday, according to the statement.

    In response to media inquiries, an MOC spokesperson said the move is a common international practice.

    As a major global producer and exporter of tungsten and other items, China has long been committed to fulfilling non-proliferation and other international obligations, and imposed export controls on specific items according to laws and based on the need to safeguard national security and interests, the spokesperson said.

    The decision to include these items on the export control list reflects China’s holistic approach to balancing development and security, according to the spokesperson.

    This move not only serves to better protect China’s national security and interests, but also enables the country to better fulfill non-proliferation and other international obligations, the spokesperson said, adding that it also safeguards the security and stability of global industrial and supply chains.

    Exports that comply with relevant regulations will be permitted, according to the spokesperson.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Diverse celebrations held in Paris, London to celebrate Chinese New Year

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    Diverse celebrations held in Paris, London to celebrate Chinese New Year

    Updated: February 5, 2025 07:38 Xinhua

    People in both Paris and London have enjoyed various celebrations of the Chinese New Year held in landmarks of the two countries over the weekend.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Fireworks in celebration of Spring Festival illuminate sky in Macao

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    Fireworks in celebration of Spring Festival illuminate sky in Macao

    Updated: February 5, 2025 08:18 Xinhua
    Fireworks in celebration of the Spring Festival illuminate the sky in Macao, south China, Feb. 4, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Fireworks in celebration of the Spring Festival illuminate the sky in Macao, south China, Feb. 4, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Fireworks in celebration of the Spring Festival illuminate the sky in Macao, south China, Feb. 4, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Fireworks in celebration of the Spring Festival illuminate the sky in Macao, south China, Feb. 4, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Fireworks in celebration of the Spring Festival illuminate the sky in Macao, south China, Feb. 4, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Are Investment Tax Breaks Effective? Australian Evidence

    Source: Reserve Bank of Australia

    Tags

    asset quality, balance sheet, banking, banknotes, bonds, business, business cycle, capital, cash rate, central clearing, China, climate change, commercial property, commodities, consumption, COVID-19, credit, cryptocurrency, currency, digital currency, debt, education, emerging markets, exchange rate, export, fees, finance, financial markets, financial stability, First Nations, fiscal policy, forecasting, funding, global economy, global financial crisis, history, households, housing, income and wealth, inflation, insolvency, insurance, interest rates, international, investment, labour market, lending standards, liquidity, machine learning, macroprudential policy, mining, modelling, monetary policy, money, open economy, payments, productivity, rba survey, regulation, resources sector, retail, risk and uncertainty, saving, securities, services sector, technology, terms of trade, trade, wages

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Tourist destinations in China attract visitors with ice and snow activities

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    Tourist destinations in China attract visitors with ice and snow activities

    Updated: February 5, 2025 07:17 Xinhua
    An aerial drone photo taken on Jan. 31, 2025 shows people visiting Harbin Ice-Snow World in Harbin, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province. During the Spring Festival holiday, many tourist destinations in China have attracted visitors with ice and snow activities. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A tourist plays the ice-decorated piano on the Central Street in Harbin, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, Jan. 30, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial drone photo taken on Jan. 31, 2025 shows people visiting Harbin Ice-Snow World in Harbin, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial drone photo taken on Jan. 31, 2025 shows people visiting Harbin Ice-Snow World in Harbin, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    People ski at Lake Songhua Resort in Jilin City, northeast China’s Jilin Province, Jan. 29, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    People ski at Qiangrengu ski resort in Wenchuan County, Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China’s Sichuan Province, Jan. 31, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    People visit the Central Street in Harbin, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, Jan. 30, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A tourist skis at Jiangjunshan International Ski Resort in Altay, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Jan. 28, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    This photo taken on Feb. 3, 2025 shows the ice and snow festival at Longtan Park in Dongcheng District in Beijing, capital of China. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A child has fun at a snow resort in north China’s Tianjin, Feb. 4, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Skiers pose for a group photo at Jiangjunshan International Ski Resort in Altay, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Jan. 28, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial drone photo taken on Jan. 31, 2025 shows people skiing at Qiangrengu ski resort in Wenchuan County, Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China’s Sichuan Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    People visit a snow town scenic spot in Zunhua City, north China’s Hebei Province, Feb. 4, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    People visit a scenic spot in Tangshan, north China’s Hebei Province, Jan. 29, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial drone photo taken on Feb. 3, 2025 shows people skiing at a ski resort in Huai’an City, east China’s Jiangsu Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    People visit Lake Songhua Resort in Jilin City, northeast China’s Jilin Province, Jan. 29, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s sci-tech museums draw over 3 mln visits during Spring Festival holiday

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    BEIJING, Feb. 4 — China’s sci-tech museums have received more than 3 million visits during the 2025 Spring Festival holiday, according to the China Science and Technology Museum (CSTM) on Tuesday.

    The Beijing-based CSTM said that it has guided the public to explore the scientific elements of Spring Festival customs. During the holiday, the museum welcomed more than 150,000 visits, of whom over 90 percent came from outside the capital city.

    Sci-tech museums across the country have launched various Spring Festival-themed science exhibitions, integrating Chinese zodiac culture, intangible cultural heritage techniques and cutting-edge technologies.

    East China’s Fujian Science and Technology Museum is holding an exhibition on the “wisdom of the snake,” allowing visitors to learn about snake biology. In another sci-tech museum in south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, a humanoid robot interacts with audiences, showcasing the latest progress in China’s robotics technology.

    The CSTM said that it will lead the country’s sci-tech museums to continue innovating forms of science popularization in 2025.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Superseding Indictment Charges Chinese National in Relation to Alleged Plan to Steal Proprietary AI Technology

    Source: US State of California

    Note: View the superseding indictment here. 

    A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment today charging Linwei Ding, also known as Leon Ding, 38, with seven counts of economic espionage and seven counts of theft of trade secrets in connection with an alleged plan to steal from Google LLC (Google) proprietary information related to AI technology.

    Ding was initially indicted in March 2024 on four counts of theft of trade secrets. The superseding indictment returned today describes seven categories of trade secrets stolen by Ding and charges Ding with seven counts of economic espionage and seven counts of theft of trade secrets.

    According to the superseding indictment, Google hired Ding as a software engineer in 2019. Between approximately May 2022 and May 2023, Ding uploaded more than 1,000 unique files containing Google confidential information from Google’s network to his personal Google Cloud account, including the trade secrets alleged in the superseding indictment.

    While Ding was employed by Google, he secretly affiliated himself with two People’s Republic of China (PRC)-based technology companies. Around June 2022, Ding was in discussions to be the Chief Technology Officer for an early-stage technology company based in the PRC.  By May 2023, Ding had founded his own technology company focused on AI and machine learning in the PRC and was acting as the company’s CEO. 

    The superseding indictment alleges that Ding intended to benefit the PRC government by stealing trade secrets from Google. Ding allegedly stole technology relating to the hardware infrastructure and software platform that allows Google’s supercomputing data center to train and serve large AI models. The trade secrets contain detailed information about the architecture and functionality of Google’s Tensor Processing Unit (TPU) chips and systems and Google’s Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) systems, the software that allows the chips to communicate and execute tasks, and the software that orchestrates thousands of chips into a supercomputer capable of training and executing cutting-edge AI workloads. The trade secrets also pertain to Google’s custom-designed SmartNIC, a type of network interface card used to enhance Google’s GPU, high performance, and cloud networking products.  

    As alleged, Ding circulated a PowerPoint presentation to employees of his technology company citing PRC national policies encouraging the development of the domestic AI industry. He also created a PowerPoint presentation containing an application to a PRC talent program based in Shanghai. The superseding indictment describes how PRC-sponsored talent programs incentivize individuals engaged in research and development outside the PRC to transmit that knowledge and research to the PRC in exchange for salaries, research funds, lab space, or other incentives. Ding’s application for the talent program stated that his company’s product “will help China to have computing power infrastructure capabilities that are on par with the international level.”

    If convicted, Ding faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine for each trade-secret count and 15 years in prison and $5,000,000 fine for each economic-espionage count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The FBI is investigating the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey Boome and Molly K. Priedeman for the Northern District of California and Trial Attorneys Stephen Marzen and Yifei Zheng of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.

    Today’s action was coordinated through the Justice and Commerce Departments’ Disruptive Technology Strike Force. The Disruptive Technology Strike Force is an interagency law enforcement strike force co-led by the Departments of Justice and Commerce designed to target illicit actors, protect supply chains, and prevent critical technology from being acquired by authoritarian regimes and hostile nation-states.

    A superseding indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Lee Introduces Resolution Affirming USA Creation and Protection of the Panama Canal

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Utah Mike Lee

    WASHINGTON – Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) has introduced a resolution recognizing the great American achievement of creating the Panama Canal, the vital importance of the Canal in trade, national security, and geopolitics, and the necessity to ensure the neutrality of the Canal from interference by global adversaries like China. The resolution is co-sponsored by Sens. Rick Scott (R-FL), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN).

    RESOLUTION

    Expressing the vital importance of the Panama Canal to the United States.

    Whereas early efforts of the Colombian government and French investors to construct a canal across Panama were unsuccessful and resulted in bankruptcy by 1889;

    Whereas, as a condition of United States Government support for Panama’s independence from Colombia, including the positioning of United States troops in the then-territory of Panama, the United States was to be assured access to construct and control a canal in perpetuity, an agreement that culminated in the Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty, signed at Washington November 18, 1903;

    Whereas the Panama Canal was never initiated, engineered, or built by the Panamanian government;

    Whereas the United States Government funded, pioneered, and built the Panama Canal over a 10-year period from 1904 to 1914, at a cost of $375,000,000 and 10,000 lives, and raised the canal above sea level through construction of a lock system;

    Whereas, historically, the Panama Canal has been distinct from the sovereign territory of Panama;

    Whereas the Panama Canal serves as a vital connection between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, connecting the east and west coasts of the United States and providing passage for more than 14,000 vessels in 2023;

    Whereas approximately 72 percent of vessels traveling through the Panama Canal are traveling to or from United States ports;

    Whereas, without the Panama Canal, vessels would have to pass through the notoriously dangerous Cape Horn, extending transit by nearly 8,000 miles;

    Whereas, in 1977, President Carter surrendered United States control over the Panama Canal in a series of trea- ties with Panama known as the ‘‘Torrijos-Carter Trea- ties’’;

    Whereas one of those treaties, the Treaty Concerning the Permanent Neutrality and Operation of the Panama Canal, signed at Washington September 7, 1977, otherwise known as the ‘‘Neutrality Treaty’’, reserved the right of the United States to use armed force to defend the permanent neutrality of the Panama Canal;

    Whereas, for nearly a decade, the People’s Republic of China has steadily increased its footprint in the Panama Canal;

    Whereas, in 2016, Panama ceded control of Margarita Island, the Panama Canal’s largest Atlantic port, to the People’s Republic of China-affiliated Landbridge Group in a $900,000,000 agreement;

    Whereas, in 2018, Panama entered into a $1,400,000,000 agreement for the China Communications Construction Company and the China Harbor Engineering Company to construct the fourth bridge across the Panama Canal;

    Whereas CK Hutchison Holdings, based in Hong Kong, manages two of the Panama Canal’s five ports, including the Balboa port along the Pacific and Cristobal port along the Atlantic;

    Whereas the rapid acceleration of Chinese influence in the Panama Canal poses a high risk of intelligence-gathering and surveillance by the People’s Republic of China;

    Whereas Chinese law requires the assets of civilian firms to be made available to support the armed forces of the People’s Republic of China;

    Whereas the Panama Canal would serve as a logistics point between the east and west coasts of the United States in the event of a conflict involving United States Armed Forces, cementing its value to homeland and hemispheric defense;

    Whereas the ability of the People’s Republic of China to control major entry and exit points of the Panama Canal would provide the People’s Republic of China with a significant military advantage relevant to United States Armed Forces in the event of a conflict:

    Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate—

    (1) recognizes the ingenuity and labor of Americans that made the Panama Canal possible for future generations, with special regard for those Americans who lost their lives in pursuit of the Panama Canal project;

    (2) expresses that the Panama Canal is vital to United States regional security, hemispheric hegemony, and economic interests;

    (3) assesses that a pattern of Chinese-backed investment in port infrastructure and canal operations in Panama constitutes a violation of the Neutrality Treaty; and

    (4) urges the Trump administration to ensure that the canal remains neutral and to take all appropriate measures to enforce the Neutrality Treaty.

    The text of the resolution may be found HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Interview with Sabra Lane, AM on ABC Radio

    Source: Minister for Trade

    Sabra Lane: The US-China trade war is escalating, with Beijing imposing retaliatory tariffs and restrictions on critical mineral exports. Where does Australia stand? Senator Don Farrell is Australia’s Trade and Tourism Minister and Special Minister of State. Minister, thanks for joining the program.

    Minister for Trade: Nice to be with you, Sabra.

    Sabra Lane: China has announced retaliatory action to Mr. Trump’s tariffs. They’re both Australia’s friends, but only one is an ally. Does the government back Mr Trump?

    Minister for Trade: We want to have a cool, calm and collected approach to this issue. We believe that we have a very strong argument to defend free and fair trade, and that’s the argument that we put to the Chinese Government. And at the end of last year, the last of the products that had been subject to those impediments, namely crayfish, were sent back into China. When the opportunity arises, I’ll be putting exactly the same argument to my American counterpart that we support free and fair trade and it’s in the best interests of both our countries to continue to do that.

    Sabra Lane: Some say it’s shakedown diplomacy. You argue, and the government says, Australia is prepared, but a slowdown in China could affect Australia. How hard could this be?

    Minister for Trade: Well, it’s always possible that higher tariffs on Chinese products going into the United States will have an impact on the Australian economy. As I say, what Australia needs to do is to push issues that are in our national interest. We’re an island. We rely on trade to produce our prosperity. It’s been very successful in recent years. We’ve had record trade. One thing that this government has managed to do is to diversify our trading relationship. So, we now have new free trade agreements with the with the United Kingdom, with India. In fact, in the last few days, India made us a fresh offer to extend our free trade agreement. We’ve negotiated a new free trade agreement with the United Arab Emirates. So, all around the world, we’re looking to diversify our trading relationship so that we’re not simply reliant on one or two countries to provide for our prosperity. We’re looking for a much broader relationship and we’ve been successful in that.

    Sabra Lane: Mr. Trump’s choice of Commerce Minister Howard Lutnick has not been confirmed just yet. Have you spoken with him yet or when do you expect to meet with him to discuss trade?

    Minister for Trade: No, I haven’t spoken with him yet, Sabra, but I have approached the person who will be his Chief of Staff. We’ve indicated that we are very keen to talk. under their system until you get approved by the Senate, you’re not in a position to discuss with other countries. But we’ve made it very clear, and the message that’s come back from Mr Lutnick is that he is very happy to talk with us as soon as he’s legally able to do that. And I hope to be, if not the first person or first overseas minister to speak with him, to be one of the first. And when we get that opportunity, we will push our argument in our national interests that we believe in free and fair trade. That there is no reason for the American Government to impose tariffs on Australia.

    Sabra Lane: We avoided them last time round on steel and aluminium. Are you confident that we can do that again?

    Minister for Trade: What I’m confident about, Sabra, is that we will push the issues that are in our national interest. One of the points I’ll be making to Mr Lutnick is that since President Trump was last in the White House, American sales to Australia have virtually doubled. So, free trade has been very good for the American businesses in Australia. Of course, it’s been good for us because we have increased our trade with the United States. But right at the moment, the balance is very much in the United States’ favour. We buy almost twice as much from the United States as we sell to them. So, I pose this question; why would you impose a tariff on a country where you’ve got a surplus? And, of course, that was the argument that former Prime Minister Turnbull used with Mr Trump last time. So, I think we’ve got a very strong argument. In Singapore mid-last year, we signed another trade agreement with the United States, the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework. So, we’ve been building strong relations with the United States over the last few years. And I think we have a very, very good and strong argument. And I want to do, I want to present that argument to the United States and ask for their serious consideration about what further action they might take.

    Sabra Lane: We have heard this morning with your Special Minister of State hat on, the group Advance is sending out material right now to voters that the Electoral Commission ruled at the last election was misleading. The group says it’s legal right now because it’s being sent before the writs have been issued. Do our laws need tightening to stop this kind of misleading material being sent all the time?

    Minister for Trade: Well, we’ve got laws to deal with the issue of truth in advertising in the electoral context.

    Sabra Lane: Well, this is getting through right now.

    Minister for Trade: Well, those laws haven’t yet passed. We’ve got legislation before the Parliament that’s coming on this Thursday. They’re trying to put downward pressure on the cost of Australian elections. We want every ordinary Australian to be able to participate in the electoral process. And as you saw earlier in the week, Sabra, there’s massive amounts of money going into the Australian electoral system. We want to stop that.

    Sabra Lane: Have you got to deal with the Coalition to get this passed?

    Minister for Trade: Well, I’m talking to everybody, Sabra, as I have been for the last couple of years. And I’m hopeful that this Senate, this week will see the merit in putting downward pressure on the amount of money that’s being spent in Australian elections. It’s interesting over the break, President Biden himself warned that we can’t have a situation where the billionaire oligarchs simply determine who gets into the Australian Parliament. Ordinary Australians, people like you and me, Sabra, have to be able to participate in the electoral process without having billionaire sponsors determining who will and won’t get into the Parliament. So, I’m hopeful that all the discussions I’ve had and I’ve, you know, met with all of the serious players in this space and I’m hopeful that the arguments that we’re presenting for putting downward pressure on the cost of Australian elections will be successful.

    Sabra Lane: Minister, thanks for joining us this morning.

    Minister for Trade: Nice talking with you, Sabra.

    Sabra Lane: That’s Don Farrell, the Minister for Trade and Tourism and the Special Minister of State.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Superseding Indictment Charges Chinese National in Relation to Alleged Plan to Steal Proprietary AI Technology

    Source: United States Attorneys General 12

    Note: View the superseding indictment here. 

    A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment today charging Linwei Ding, also known as Leon Ding, 38, with seven counts of economic espionage and seven counts of theft of trade secrets in connection with an alleged plan to steal from Google LLC (Google) proprietary information related to AI technology.

    Ding was initially indicted in March 2024 on four counts of theft of trade secrets. The superseding indictment returned today describes seven categories of trade secrets stolen by Ding and charges Ding with seven counts of economic espionage and seven counts of theft of trade secrets.

    According to the superseding indictment, Google hired Ding as a software engineer in 2019. Between approximately May 2022 and May 2023, Ding uploaded more than 1,000 unique files containing Google confidential information from Google’s network to his personal Google Cloud account, including the trade secrets alleged in the superseding indictment.

    While Ding was employed by Google, he secretly affiliated himself with two People’s Republic of China (PRC)-based technology companies. Around June 2022, Ding was in discussions to be the Chief Technology Officer for an early-stage technology company based in the PRC.  By May 2023, Ding had founded his own technology company focused on AI and machine learning in the PRC and was acting as the company’s CEO. 

    The superseding indictment alleges that Ding intended to benefit the PRC government by stealing trade secrets from Google. Ding allegedly stole technology relating to the hardware infrastructure and software platform that allows Google’s supercomputing data center to train and serve large AI models. The trade secrets contain detailed information about the architecture and functionality of Google’s Tensor Processing Unit (TPU) chips and systems and Google’s Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) systems, the software that allows the chips to communicate and execute tasks, and the software that orchestrates thousands of chips into a supercomputer capable of training and executing cutting-edge AI workloads. The trade secrets also pertain to Google’s custom-designed SmartNIC, a type of network interface card used to enhance Google’s GPU, high performance, and cloud networking products.  

    As alleged, Ding circulated a PowerPoint presentation to employees of his technology company citing PRC national policies encouraging the development of the domestic AI industry. He also created a PowerPoint presentation containing an application to a PRC talent program based in Shanghai. The superseding indictment describes how PRC-sponsored talent programs incentivize individuals engaged in research and development outside the PRC to transmit that knowledge and research to the PRC in exchange for salaries, research funds, lab space, or other incentives. Ding’s application for the talent program stated that his company’s product “will help China to have computing power infrastructure capabilities that are on par with the international level.”

    If convicted, Ding faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine for each trade-secret count and 15 years in prison and $5,000,000 fine for each economic-espionage count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The FBI is investigating the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey Boome and Molly K. Priedeman for the Northern District of California and Trial Attorneys Stephen Marzen and Yifei Zheng of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.

    Today’s action was coordinated through the Justice and Commerce Departments’ Disruptive Technology Strike Force. The Disruptive Technology Strike Force is an interagency law enforcement strike force co-led by the Departments of Justice and Commerce designed to target illicit actors, protect supply chains, and prevent critical technology from being acquired by authoritarian regimes and hostile nation-states.

    A superseding indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn: Border and Fentanyl Crises Must be Addressed in Tandem

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn

    WASHINGTON – Today in the Senate Judiciary Committee, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) discussed with Sheriff Don Barnes of Orange County Sheriff’s Department (California), who also serves as Major County Sheriffs of America’s Vice President responsible for Homeland Security, the ways the border and fentanyl crises are interconnected and how an all-of-the-above approach is necessary to prevent more American loss of life due to the deadly drug. Excerpts are below, and video can be found here.

    CORNYN: “Having visited with a number of families in Texas—its various school districts—I’ve come to believe that this requires a layered approach. Maybe starting at the kitchen table, with awareness of our children to the threat because none of them take these counterfeit drugs knowingly, at least, knowing that it will take their lives, that it contains contaminated fentanyl.”

    “It’s going to require all of us, from parents, families, to school districts and local law enforcement, state and federal law enforcement, and border security.”

    “Do you believe that with improved border security, we can begin to stop some of the flow of the illicit drugs coming across the border, including fentanyl?”

    BARNES: “Senator, what you described is a very complex system, almost a supply chain that starts in China, using transit going to Mexico—the pill presses.”

    “The border, obviously, is going to be the most significant issue, as we shut down the border and the pathway for illicit fentanyl to make its way back into the United States.”

    “The vast majority of the large quantities coming across has been, in my experience, are being conducted by Mexican nationals.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Dr Yang Jun,

    Source: Australian Government – Minister of Foreign Affairs

    Today marks one year since Australian citizen, Dr Yang Jun, received a suspended death sentence in Beijing.

    The past year, and the five years of detention before his sentencing, have been a difficult and dark time for Dr Yang. Throughout, he has demonstrated his inner strength and remarkable resilience.

    Today, my thoughts are with Dr Yang, his family and his many loved ones.

    The Australian Government has made clear to China that we remain appalled by Dr Yang’s suspended death sentence. We hold serious concerns about Dr Yang’s health and conditions. We continue to press to ensure his needs are met and he receives appropriate medical care.

    Dr Yang is entitled to basic standards of justice, procedural fairness and humane treatment, in accordance with international norms and China’s legal obligations.

    In his communication with the Government, Dr Yang has made clear he knows he has the support of his country. We want to see him reunited with his family. The Government will continue to advocate for Dr Yang at every opportunity.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: “Brazen and Illegal” — King, Colleagues Raise Alarm Over Trump Administration’s Attempt to Dismantle Critical National Security Agency

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) and 36 of his colleagues have contacted Secretary of State Marco Rubio, expressing their deep concern regarding the growing chaos at the U.S. Department of State and the Trump Administration’s attempt to abolish the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). In a letter to Secretary Rubio, the Senators highlighted that USAID is a critical pillar of U.S. national security strategy, providing lifesaving aid and development support around the world to help ensure stability. By law, USAID is an independent agency and cannot be dismantled without approval from Congress.

    Yesterday, personnel at USAID were not permitted to enter the agency’s headquarters, and Elon Musk announced that President Donald Trump agreed to close the agency and move it under the State Department — despite no legal authority to do so. The Trump Administration has also furloughed thousands of senior career civil servants, including two top security officials who denied Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency access to classified documents and systems.

    “…We are deeply concerned by reports of not only growing chaos and dysfunction at the Department of State, but the Administration’s brazen and illegal attempts to destroy the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Mass personnel furloughs of dubious legality and abrupt, blanket stop-work orders without regard to relevant appropriations laws are causing immediate harm to U.S. national security, placing U.S. citizens at risk, disrupting life-saving work and breaking the U.S. government’s contractual obligations to private sector partners,” wrote the senators.

    The senators continued, “The Administration’s failure to consult with Congress prior to taking these steps violates the law and impedes Congress’s constitutional duty to conduct oversight of funding, personnel and the nation’s foreign policy. The Administration’s failure to expend funds appropriated on a bipartisan basis by Congress would violate the Impoundment Control Act.”

    “Foreign assistance is critical to supporting U.S. strategic interests around the world. Foreign assistance protects U.S. national security, advances U.S. values, and ensures the U.S. is the partner of choice for everything from defense procurement to cutting edge scientific research. China, Russia and Iran are already moving rapidly to exploit the vacuum and instability left by the U.S.’s sudden global retreat,” wrote the senators.

    They continued, “Every Administration has the right to review and adjust ongoing assistance programming. However, attempting to arbitrarily turn off core functions of a critical U.S. national security agency, without Congressional consideration or any metric-based review and absent legal authority to do so, is unprecedented and deeply disturbing.”

    The letter is signed by U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Gary Peters (D-MI), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Jack Reed (D-RI), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Mark Warner (D-VA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Chris Coons (D-DE), and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI).

    The full text of the letter is available here and below.

    +++

    Dear Secretary Rubio:

    The effective administration of U.S. foreign assistance is critical to advancing core U.S. national security priorities, including countering the influence of China, Russia and Iran. As you acknowledged at your confirmation hearing, pushing back on China in particular is a top bipartisan priority. 

    As such, we are deeply concerned by reports of not only growing chaos and dysfunction at the Department of State, but the Administration’s brazen and illegal attempts to destroy the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Mass personnel furloughs of dubious legality and abrupt, blanket stop-work orders without regard to relevant appropriations laws are causing immediate harm to U.S. national security, placing U.S. citizens at risk, disrupting life-saving work and breaking the U.S. government’s contractual obligations to private sector partners.

    The Administration’s failure to consult with Congress prior to taking these steps violates the law and impedes Congress’s constitutional duty to conduct oversight of funding, personnel and the nation’s foreign policy. The Administration’s failure to expend funds appropriated on a bipartisan basis by Congress would violate the Impoundment Control Act.

    Foreign assistance is critical to supporting U.S. strategic interests around the world. Foreign assistance protects U.S. national security, advances U.S. values, and ensures the U.S. is the partner of choice for everything from defense procurement to cutting edge scientific research. China, Russia and Iran are already moving rapidly to exploit the vacuum and instability left by the U.S.’s sudden global retreat.

    Every Administration has the right to review and adjust ongoing assistance programming. However, attempting to arbitrarily turn off core functions of a critical U.S. national security agency, without Congressional consideration or any metric-based review and absent legal authority to do so, is unprecedented and deeply disturbing.

    We request immediate clarification on the following:

    Status of USAID:

    1. Confirmation of your understanding that any effort to abolish USAID or merge USAID into the Department of State absent Congressional consultation and approval is illegal.
    2. Confirmation of your understanding that adversaries such as China, Russia and Iran are quickly moving into the vacuum left by suspended USAID programs. 
    3. The Department of State’s assessment of Mr. Elon Musk’s financial ties to China and the impact of these ties to the decision-making process of Mr. Musk and his employees.
    4. Confirmation that neither you nor any member of your leadership team are taking direction from Mr. Musk with regards to the work of the Department of State or USAID, personnel or financial decisions for either agency, or any other matters relevant to U.S. national security. 
    5. Confirmation of the names and employment status of individuals directed by Mr. Musk to engage with USAID staff, the qualifications of these individuals, and the level of their security clearances – if any.

    Personnel:

    1. Confirmation of your understanding that any unauthorized access by or disclosure of classified information to individuals without appropriate security clearance could be considered a criminal offense.
    2. The legal authority and rationale under which, on January 28, more than 50 senior career civil and foreign service USAID officials were placed on administrative leave. This move was not only unprecedented, but also inconsistent with the Office of Personnel Management’s own guidelines for the use of administrative leave.
    3. The legal authority under which, on January 28, approximately 390 USAID Institutional Support Contractors (ISCs) were given stop-work orders, and clarification of which Administration official directed the implementation of this termination.
    4. Whether any Department of State career civil and foreign service or contractors have been placed on administrative leave or removed from their roles as a result of or relating to the assistance freeze or any directives from the Office of Foreign Assistance.
    5. Clarification of which Administration official directed the implementation of this mass furlough.
    6. Clarification of whether these individuals were directed to be terminated without cause.
    7. Confirmation that personnel will not face retaliation or retribution for performing their duties under the previous Administration’s policy direction.
    8. Under what authorities and by which official’s directive career civil service, foreign service, and Personal Services Contractors (PSC), and those under other hiring authorities have been removed from their roles or limited in their ability to execute their work.
    9. Confirmation that further career civil service, foreign service and USAID contractors will not be removed from their roles without cause or receive stop work orders.
    10. Whether, upon full resumption of legally mandated foreign assistance activities, the Administration intends to re-hire contractors who have been removed from their roles.
    11. Any additional guidance provided to State and USAID staff regarding the foreign assistance freeze, including confirmation of whether direct hires, contractors, or implementing organizations have been directed not to speak publicly about the foreign assistance freeze.
    12. Public identification of the individual currently serving as the Director or Acting Director of the State Department’s Office of Foreign Assistance and as Acting Deputy Administrator of USAID, and the dates upon which this individual was appointed to each position.
    13. Confirmation of your understanding that the State Department’s Director of Foreign Assistance has no authority to issue personnel directives for USAID.

    Resumption of Foreign Assistance:

    1. The specific process and anticipated timeframe for activities to receive exemptions or waivers, as referenced in your January 28, 2025 directive to State and USAID staff.
    2. The mechanisms and metrics established for this waiver process.
    3. The timeline for full resumption of legally mandated foreign assistance activities.
    4. Clarification of what risk assessment or analysis of potential risk to U.S. national security interests were conducted prior to the decision to freeze foreign assistance activities.
    5. Confirmation of the Department of State’s obligation to comply with U.S. contract law and your responsibility as Secretary of State ensure the Department honors its commitments to contracting partners.

    We welcome your urgent attention to these questions. We and our staff stand ready to work with you to ensure U.S. foreign assistance funding continues to be deployed effectively to protect American citizens, at home and abroad.

    Respectfully,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Statement from Senate Intel Vice Chair Warner on the FBI

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, released the following statement:

    “Earlier today, my office finally received a copy of the order that was sent on Friday by the acting head of the Department of Justice to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, ordering that several of the most experienced and senior officials at the Bureau be terminated.

    “We need to be clear about why this matters. I am going to start by sharing a little bit about some of the individuals who were fired, and how they served our country.

    “At a time when we are facing threats to the homeland from ISIS and ISIS-inspired terrorists, the president fired the Assistant Director of the Counterterrorism Division. Bobby Wells began his career as an FBI special agent in 2003, and there are Americans who are alive today because he helped catch terrorists before they had a chance to carry out their plans to attack inside the United States.

    “While more than 100,000 Americans die every year due to drug overdoses, the president fired the Assistant Director of the FBI’s the Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch, which, among other myriad responsibilities, puts criminal organizations and drug traffickers behind bars. Michael Nordwall began his career with the FBI as a special agent in 2002, and he has worked at field offices in Phoenix, Tampa, Denver, Pittsburgh, as well as at FBI headquarters, investigating some of the most dangerous criminals in the United States and making sure that they face justice.

    “As we face espionage and counterintelligence threats from China, Russia, and other adversaries, the president fired the Assistant Director of the FBI’s Intelligence Branch. Ryan Young joined the FBI as a special agent in 2001, working counterintelligence cases out of Miami. In 2014, he moved to counterterrorism and established the Syria-Iraq Task Force to counter the threat from the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, and has also worked in Dallas and Los Angeles, managing crises and counterterrorism investigations.

    “While new technologies are transforming crimefighting and our national security, the president fired the Assistant Director of the Science and Technology Branch. Jacqueline Maguire joined the FBI as a special agent in 2000. Among her other notable achievements, she was the lead agent for the investigation of the five hijackers of American Airlines Flight 77 after the 9/11 terror attacks.

    “As the FBI builds a workforce to manage the threats of today and tomorrow and keep adversaries like China from penetrating our secrets, the president fired the Assistant Director of the Human Resources Branch. Timothy Dunham joined the FBI as a special agent in 2002, and has overseen matters relating to counterterrorism, counterintelligence, and transnational organized crime.

    “The president fired the head of the Miami field office, which oversees crimefighting in nine busy counties in South Florida, including the president’s home in Palm Beach County, as well as extraterritorial violations of American citizens in Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. Jeffrey Veltri joined the FBI as a special agent in 2002, working on matters from health care fraud to terrorism. He also deployed to Iraq, where he supported the prosecution of Saddam Hussein.

    “In the memo, the acting director of the FBI was also ordered to fire the head of the Washington Field Office, one of the most important field positions in the entire FBI, with jurisdiction over federal crimes in and around Washington, D.C. David Sundberg joined the FBI in 2002 as a special agent, and, among other stops in a distinguished career, served as a leader on the FBI’s elite Hostage Rescue Team.

    “These are people who have served our country, protected Americans, and put criminals behind bars. Now they have been pushed out simply for doing their jobs.

    “As we deal with a myriad of threats – to our homeland, to our cyber networks, to our economic competitiveness – this blatant abuse of power is making us all less safe.”

    MIL OSI USA News –