Question for written answer E-002478/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Lefteris Nikolaou-Alavanos (NI)
The recent use of the Acropolis by a sports company for advertisement purposes constitutes another outrageous expression of the commercialisation of cultural heritage.
This is not the first time that archaeological sites have been exploited by business groups – there have been dozens of examples already. In fact, a few days later, there was another instance in the Old Palace of Corfu.
This practice is the result of an EU policy that has been implemented over time by successive governments, including the current Nea Dimokratia Government.
With the ‘Creative Europe’ programme, the EU aims to enable the cultural and creative sectors to ‘expand their entrepreneurial potential’ in the context of the European single market, ‘recognising the economic value of these sectors, including their wider contribution to growth and competitiveness’.
This approach based on the commercialisation of cultural heritage is accompanied by the minimisation of state funding for the protection and promotion of cultural heritage and by the pursuit of private sources of revenue, as well as the capitalisation of cultural heritage to boost the profits of other sectors of the economy.
How does the Commission view the fact that, on the basis of its approach, which is supported and implemented by national governments, it has transformed cultural heritage sites into an opportunity for profit and competition, commercialising both their content and access to it?
The Commission has contacted the Slovenian authorities about the Hospitality Act to seek clarifications on whether the draft law includes obligations for online service providers which would constitute technical regulations subject to the notification procedure established by the Single Market Transparency Directive[1] (EU) 2015/1535 (SMTD).
In its communication, the Commission reminded the Slovenian authorities that should the above-mentioned draft provide for any technical regulations as defined in Article 1 of SMTD, these technical regulations have to be notified to the Commission according to Article 5(1) of that directive.
According to the case-law of the Court of Justice of the EU (Case C-194/94, ‘CIA Security International’), the failure to fulfil the notification obligation under Directive (EU) 2015/1535 constitutes a substantial procedural defect in the adoption of the technical regulation concerned, which implies that any interested individual could challenge the legality of the technical regulation before a national court and ask for its inapplicability.
Article 15 of the Services Directive[2] lists several requirements, like quantitative or territorial restrictions, that Member States must notify to the Commission before or after their adoption.
At the time of issuing this reply, no notification under the Services Directive has been received. The Commission will examine the compliance of the Slovenian measures at issue with the Services Directive, notably when they are notified by the Slovenian authorities, and take the appropriate measures.
Question for written answer E-002497/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Marie Toussaint (Verts/ALE)
On 4 June 2025, France announced that it was making educational guidance a national priority. This reflects a growing awareness in several Member States: that students’ course choices, especially at the end of lower secondary, are based on social factors rather being an informed decision.
In several European education systems, the guidance process ends up limiting opportunities of access, going against the principles of lifelong guidance defined in the Council Resolution of 21 November 2008, which promotes a person-centred, ongoing and inclusive approach.
Careers guidance should give everyone a better understanding of their skills, talents, interests and aspirations, based on the principles of self-identity and social justice.
1.What specific action does the Commission intend to take to support the development of policies for guidance that is focused on students choosing their preferred course rather than being forced into an undesired option?
2.Does the Commission intend to promote a common quality framework for guidance services that ensures they have trained professionals to provide the services, have suitable pedagogical tools at their disposal and offer students a personalised follow-up?
3.Under the European Semester framework, does the Commission intend to explicitly encourage Member States to close the gap in access to educational pathways by developing guidance mechanisms?
The report[1] in question originates from a working group (WG) acting under the facilities of the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF), which gathers national experts and cannot be considered as endorsed by the STECF. A disclaimer states that ‘this report does not necessarily reflect the view of the STECF and the European Commission and in no way anticipates the Commission’s future policy in this area’. Such a report has to undergo the scientific peer-review process conducted by STECF, which then leads to the actual STECF opinion[2].
STECF reviewed the WG report’s conclusions and validated certain but not all figures provided by the national experts.
STECF presented figures on the loss of fishing days (-16%) and landings (-20%) as a total for the fleets of Germany, Ireland, Spain and France but stated that ‘the reduction in effort and landings cannot be considered as a final outcome of the analysis’, as they can result from ‘other effects that could have an effect on the socioeconomic impact of the closures (e.g. fleet size, costs, markets or fishing opportunities).’
The statement ‘any long-term solution will need to safeguard vulnerable ecosystems and the communities that have sustainably fished these waters’ comes from the WG’s report and has not been validated by STECF.
The STECF opinion remains inconclusive on the quantification of the socioeconomic impacts of the vulnerable marine ecosystem closures on the fleets at local level. More work is therefore necessary to quantify these impacts and the Commission is reflecting on the best way forward.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Gregory W Meeks (5th District of New York)
Washington, D.C. — Representatives Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Michael McCaul, Chairman Emeritus of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, today introduced a bipartisan resolution condemning Russia’s abduction and forcible transfer of Ukrainian children and calling for their return before a peace agreement is finalized.
“Putin is a war criminal and, under his watch, the Russian military has cruelly abducted and illegally deported tens of thousands of Ukrainian children from their homeland,”said Ranking Member Meeks. “These atrocities are not isolated incidents; they are the direct result of Putin’s war of choice. The United States has a responsibility to condemn these unconscionable acts by Russia and to demand the immediate return of each and every one of the children Russia has taken.”
“Since the beginning of Putin’s war of aggression, Russia has abducted at least 19,500 Ukrainian children from their homeland — with some estimates putting the true number as high as 200,000. These children have been stripped of their national identity, adopted into Russian families, or indoctrinated as soldiers for the Kremlin. As a father, I can’t imagine the pain their families have experienced. Russia’s mass-scale child abduction is nothing short of evil; the United States must demonstrate moral leadership by demanding every child be returned to his or her family in Ukraine before true peace can be achieved,” said Chair Emeritus McCaul.
Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) introduced the resolution in the Senate.
Background:
Ukrainian authorities have received at least 19,546 confirmed reports of unlawful deportations and forced transfers of Ukrainian children to Russia, Belarus, or Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory. The abductions aim to erase the children’s Ukrainian names, language, and identity. As of April 16, Ukraine and its partners have only managed to return 1,274 abducted children.
The State Department’s 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report found Russia recruits or uses child soldiers, has a state-sponsored policy or pattern of human trafficking and is among the worst hubs for human trafficking in the world.
Home Newsroom AG Labrador Secures $24 Million for Idaho in Purdue Opioid Settlement
BOISE — Attorney General Raúl Labrador announced today that all 55 attorneys general, representing all eligible states and U.S. territories, agreed to a $7.4 billion settlement with Purdue Pharma and its owners, the Sackler family. The Sackler family has also informed the attorneys general of its plan to proceed with the settlement, which would resolve litigation against Purdue and the Sackler family for their role in creating and worsening the opioid crisis across the country. Idaho stands to receive up to $24 million over the next 15 years. “The companies responsible for driving the opioid crisis in our country are finally being held to account,” said Attorney General Labrador. “While these settlements cannot repair the broken lives and families, hopefully we can prevent the wreckage of future addiction with targeted investments in drug treatment and prevention efforts in Idaho.” Under the Sacklers’ ownership, Purdue manufactured and aggressively marketed opioid products for decades, fueling the largest drug crisis in the nation’s history. The settlement ends the Sacklers’ control of Purdue and their ability to sell opioids in the United States. Communities across the country will directly receive funds over the next 15 years to support addiction treatment, prevention, and recovery. This settlement in principle is the nation’s largest settlement to date with individuals responsible for the opioid crisis. Most of the settlement funds will be distributed in the first three years. The Sacklers will pay $1.5 billion and Purdue will pay roughly $900 million in the first payment, followed by $500 million after one year, an additional $500 million after two years, and $400 million after three years. Like prior opioid settlements, the settlement with Purdue and the Sacklers will involve resolution of legal claims by state and local governments. The local government sign-on and voting solicitation process for this settlement will be contingent on bankruptcy court approval. A hearing is scheduled on that matter in the coming days. Not including the Purdue and Sackler settlement, Attorney General Labrador has previously secured settlements totaling nearly $32 million in funds specifically for Idaho from companies that helped fuel the opioid epidemic, including Allergan, Kroger, Mylan, Teva Pharmaceutical, CVS Pharmacy, Walgreens, and Walmart. Since taking office in 2023, Attorney General Labrador has obtained over $161 million in consumer protection settlements against companies for deceptive marketing and harmful products. Attorney General Labrador is joined in securing this settlement by the attorneys general of Alabama, Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, U.S. Virgin Islands, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Source: United States Department of Justice (National Center for Disaster Fraud)
Greenbelt, Maryland – Today, U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentenced Newton Ofioritse Jemide, 47, a Nigerian national extradited from France, to 41 months in federal prison for his role in a scheme to fraudulently obtain federal benefits. Jemide will also serve three years of supervised release, pay $520,431.83 of restitution, and a forfeiture money judgment was entered against him in the amount of $311,036.64. Jemide executed his part of the criminal scheme from Nigeria where he resided when he committed the offense.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the plea with Joseph V. Cuffari, Inspector General for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS); Acting Special Agent in Charge Colleen Lawlor, Social Security Administration (SSA) Office of Inspector General – Philadelphia Field Division; and Special Agent in Charge William McCool, U.S. Secret Service – Washington Field Office.
As a result of the conspiracy, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provided emergency benefits and compensation for damages to victims affected by declared national emergency disasters, such as hurricanes and wildfires. Among other benefits, an individual in an affected area was immediately eligible for Critical Needs Assistance (CNA) to purchase life-saving or life-sustaining materials. Victims could decide how to receive assistance payments, including deposits on pre-paid debit cards.
According to his guilty plea, in 2016 and 2017, Jemide and others from Nigeria directed co-conspirators living in the United States to purchase hundreds of Green Dot Debit Cards. Co-conspirators living in Nigeria then registered the cards with Green Dot using stolen personal information from identity theft victims around the United States. Jemide and his co-conspirators used an encrypted messaging application and other means to communicate.
In 2017, following Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria — and the California wildfires — Jemide and other co-conspirators from Nigeria used stolen personal information to apply online for FEMA and CNA benefits. FEMA dispersed $500 per claim on the Green Dot Debit Cards that the co-conspirators purchased for a total of at least $8 million.
In addition to filing false disaster-assistance claims with FEMA, Jemide and co-conspirators also submitted false online claims for Social Security benefits, IRS tax refunds, and other government benefits using stolen identities of multiple individuals, including names, addresses, Social Security Numbers (SSN), and other personal identifiers.
As a result of fraudulent submissions, FEMA and other federal agencies deposited benefits onto the Green Dot Debit Cards. The funds were deposited on the debit cards using multiple stolen identities, including identities different from the identities used to register the cards. Jemide and select co-conspirators informed other co-conspirators when the fraudulent funds became available on the debit cards and gave them information to cash out the funds from the cards in exchange for a commission. Additionally, the co-conspirators took steps to conceal their identities by enlisting others to make purchases and withdrawals; utilizing multiple store and bank locations and methods of withdrawal; and making money orders payable to other individuals and/or corporate entities.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended DHS OIG, SSA OIG, and the USSS for their work in the investigation and thanked the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the U.S. Marshals Service for their valuable assistance in securing the extradition of Jemide to the United States. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Wright and Darren Gardner who are prosecuting the federal case.
Oslo, 1 July 2025 – DNO ASA, the Norwegian oil and gas operator, today announced that the Financial Supervisory Authority of Norway on 1 July 2025 approved the prospectus prepared in connection with the listing on the Oslo Stock Exchange of the Company’s 8.5 percent USD 600 million senior unsecured callable bonds issued on 27 March 2025 with maturity in March 2030 (ISIN: NO0013511113). Trading in the bonds is expected to commence shortly.
The prospectus dated 1 July 2025 is available on the Company’s website www.dno.no.
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For further information, please contact: Media: media@dno.no Investors: investor.relations@dno.no
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DNO ASA is a Norwegian oil and gas operator active in the Middle East, the North Sea and West Africa. Founded in 1971 and listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange, the Company holds stakes in onshore and offshore licenses at various stages of exploration, development and production in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, Norway, the United Kingdom, Côte d’Ivoire and Yemen. More information is available at www.dno.no.
This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.
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This release does not constitute any offer or solicitation to sell or purchase any securities.
The release may not be released, published or distributed in the United States of America or any other jurisdiction where release, publication or distribution would be prohibited or require any registration or filing acts or similar.
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev held a working meeting with Kirill Levin, CEO and Chairman of the Management Board of JSC Rosgeologia. The meeting discussed the progress of the implementation of the roadmap for fulfilling the instructions of the President of Russia to ensure financial stabilization of the Rosgeologia holding company.
Dmitry Patrushev drew attention to the need for unconditional fulfillment of all obligations under the program “Reproduction and Use of Natural Resources” and the project “Geology: Revival of a Legend”, as well as under commercial contracts with subsoil users.
Also during the meeting, Dmitry Patrushev and Kirill Levin discussed the work plan for preparing an updated strategy for the organization’s development until 2030.
JSC Rosgeologia is the largest geological holding company in the country, fulfilling the state order for the reproduction of the mineral resource base of the Russian Federation. Its structure includes more than 40 enterprises carrying out a full range of geological exploration work, including prospecting for solid minerals, parametric drilling and seismic exploration for hydrocarbon raw materials, and marine research.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, on Tuesday outlined India’s remarkable economic transformation over the past eleven years, crediting bold policy reforms, robust governance, and far-reaching social welfare measures for propelling the country from the world’s eleventh largest economy in 2014 to the fourth largest today.
Addressing the 77th Foundation Day of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, Puri noted that India’s GDP has more than doubled, from USD 2.1 trillion in 2014 to USD 4.3 trillion in 2025. He said India has recently surpassed Japan and is on track to overtake Germany by 2030 to become the world’s third-largest economy.
Reflecting on a decade of extensive welfare programmes, the Minister highlighted that over 27 crore citizens have been lifted out of multidimensional poverty, nearly four crore homes have been sanctioned under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, and more than 15 crore rural households now have access to piped drinking water through the Jal Jeevan Mission. Health coverage under Ayushman Bharat now benefits over 70 crore people, providing ₹5 lakh insurance per family each year.
Puri also underscored India’s ability to attract foreign investment, citing USD 748 billion in foreign direct investment inflows between 2014 and 2025—an increase of 143% over the previous decade—and the rise in source countries from 89 to 112. Landmark economic measures such as the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, Production-Linked Incentive schemes, Goods and Services Tax, and Direct Benefit Transfers, along with the removal of over 25,000 compliances and 1,400 outdated laws, have further strengthened India’s business environment.
The Minister pointed to significant improvements in tax administration, with the number of annual income tax returns filed more than doubling from 3.6 crore in FY 2013–14 to 8.5 crore in FY 2024–25. He noted that 95% of these returns are now processed within 30 days, helping ensure that every tax rupee translates into social benefits such as LPG connections for households, medicines for the underprivileged, rural electrification, pensions for senior citizens, and jobs for the youth.
Highlighting the resilience of India’s banking sector, Puri said gross non-performing assets of scheduled commercial banks have fallen from 14.58% in FY 2017–18 to below 3% in FY 2024–25. He also noted that India’s digital economy continues to expand rapidly, with the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) handling nearly 50% of the world’s real-time digital transactions and serving over 500 million active users. India’s fintech adoption now stands at 87%, compared to a global average of 67%, driven by widespread access to digital identity and mobile connectivity.
Among flagship initiatives, the Minister lauded the success of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, which has delivered more than 16.5 crore LPG connections since 2014. This has empowered women, improved health by reducing indoor air pollution, and enhanced public welfare. The Oil & Gas sector’s robust growth was reflected in the doubling of the market capitalization of Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) to ₹8.79 lakh crore since 2014.
Looking ahead, Puri urged chartered accountants to embrace new technologies such as artificial intelligence and advanced analytics to automate routine tasks and focus on delivering strategic insights. “Embracing AI is no longer optional—it is essential for staying competitive and innovative in today’s evolving financial world,” he said.
Puri called on the ICAI community to uphold the values of transparency, efficiency, and accountability as India advances towards its goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047. “On this special day, remember that your profession has the power to protect and sustain our economy. Your dedication is vital for building Viksit Bharat,” he said.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, July 1 (Xinhua) — With the support of the motherland, the strong guarantee of the “one country, two systems” policy, the dedication of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) government and the concerted efforts of all walks of life, Hong Kong enjoys broad prospects and a promising future, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Tuesday.
The diplomat made the statement at a regular briefing, noting that over the past five years since the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region was adopted and put into effect, the local legal system has been improved, the stability and cohesion of Hong Kong society has been strengthened, and the rights and freedoms enjoyed by the people of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in accordance with the law have been more fully protected.
As Mao Ning pointed out, the groundless and malicious denigration of the “one country, two systems” policy by some Western politicians and anti-China organizations, as well as their slander regarding the implementation of the rule of law in Hong Kong, completely expose their malicious intent to undermine stability in the metropolis.
The spokesperson emphasized that Hong Kong has achieved high-quality development based on its high level of security, with its gross regional product growing for nine consecutive quarters. Hong Kong has entered the top three international financial centers in the world and regained its place in the top three in the global competitiveness ranking.
As the world’s third-largest recipient of foreign direct investment, Hong Kong has led the world in IPO funding since the start of this year, retained its top spot in air cargo volume, ranked fourth in the International Shipping Center Development Index, and is among the top 10 in talent competitiveness. As Mao Ning noted, increasing investment in the SAR has become a priority choice for many foreign chambers of commerce.
The data shows that Hong Kong’s economy is highly resilient and viable, and that the city’s international attractiveness is only growing, she added.
“Today marks the 28th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to the bosom of the motherland. We believe that with the firm support of the motherland, the reliable guarantees of the ‘one country, two systems’ policy, the dedication of the HKSAR administration and the concerted efforts of all walks of life, Hong Kong will enjoy broad prospects and a promising future,” Mao Ning concluded. –0–
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
NEW YORK, July 1 (Xinhua) — The U.S. Senate narrowly passed Tuesday its own version of the Donald Trump administration’s tax and spending bill, also known as the “one, big, beautiful bill,” which is expected to increase the U.S. budget deficit by $3.3 trillion by 2034.
The Republican-controlled Senate approved the bill with 51 votes in favor after a lengthy vote that began Monday morning. Fifty lawmakers voted against.
Over the past few days, senators have been reading and debating the 940-page bill, which was introduced on June 27. –0–
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Sakhalin Region will traditionally be one of the participants in the Far East Street exhibition, which will be held from September 3 to 9 as part of the tenth, anniversary Eastern Economic Forum – 2025 in Vladivostok. The exhibition is organized by the Roscongress Foundation with the support of the Office of the Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of Russia in the Far Eastern Federal District. The only island region in the country will present information about its main investment and social projects, history and culture, and will also talk about the development of unmanned aviation.
“Sakhalin Oblast is one of the leading regions in the Far East in terms of attracting investment. In the national investment climate rating, Sakhalin Oblast ranks first in the Far Eastern Federal District and fourth in the country. There is growth in the manufacturing industry, coal industry, and construction. Entrepreneurs can take advantage of the benefits of the priority development area, free port, and preferential regime on the Kuril Islands. The region is actively developing scientific and technologically. An international-level campus is being created on the instructions of the President. An engineering school and an electrical engineering laboratory are operating, the first stage of the Oil and Gas Industrial Park has been launched, and a research and production center for the development of unmanned systems has been created. This and much more allows us to create new production facilities, attract new personnel, and train young specialists. Thanks to the master plan, the urban environment of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk is changing. I am sure that the region has something to show and be proud of,” emphasized Deputy Prime Minister and Presidential Plenipotentiary Representative in the Far Eastern Federal District Yuri Trutnev.
The main pavilion of the Sakhalin Region on the “Far East Street” will be made in the form of waves. This year it will be decorated with installations on the theme of logistics: a hydrogen train, a UAV, an airplane and the port of Korsakov. Next to it there will be an investor’s pavilion in the form of a scallop shell.
“The Eastern Economic Forum has long been an important platform for the Sakhalin Region to develop the region’s economy. Over the past five years, we have signed more than 60 agreements here, which will create 5.7 thousand jobs, and launch key projects in energy, transport, and education. Among them are the modernization of the electric grid complex, the development of hydrogen energy, the continuation of gasification of the region, the modernization of port infrastructure, the construction of clinics, and the development of science as part of the construction of the SakhalinTech campus. It is important for us that Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands become increasingly attractive for living, and that comfort for residents and visitors to the region grows. And we will consistently continue this work in the future,” said Sakhalin Region Governor Valery Limarenko.
An installation dedicated to the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War will be placed inside the pavilion. The exhibition “Roads of Victory” will tell about the Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk operation and the landing on Shumshu. It is planned to show a film about the expedition to the island, videos about reconstructions of battles in the Kholmsky and Smirnykhovsky districts.
“On the instructions of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, we are creating a memorial complex on Shumshu Island dedicated to the Kuril landing operation. Shumshu is one of the islands of the Kuril chain. In fact, World War II ended there. The Kwantung Army was defeated. Our soldiers defeated the superior forces of the enemy, demonstrated mass heroism, landed in the water with full equipment and attacked tanks and firing points that were on the heights. This is one of the most significant pages in our history,” concluded Yuri Trutnev.
In the Tourism zone, new programs will be presented: military-historical tours “Battle for Shumshu” and “Liberation of the South of Sakhalin”, seasonal offers for winter and summer recreation, as well as gastronomic tours and the “Far East – Land of Adventure” project.
The Sakhalin – Showcase of Russia zone will showcase key projects of the master plan for the first belt of the agglomeration, as well as the main areas of development of the region: medicine, science and education, logistics, culture, and the urban environment.
The results of the decade of work of the Sakhalin Region Development Corporation will be presented in a separate zone. With the help of multimedia technologies, the exposition will present the results of the organization’s work over 10 years, including the initiatives of the Merci Agro Sakhalin livestock complex, the Gorizont residential complex, the Uyun territory development project, the agropark and the oil service park.
The UAV and BEK zone will tell about how the island region strives to become a leader in Russia in the implementation of unmanned aircraft systems. This topic will be dedicated to a separate exposition aimed at promoting Sakhalin’s achievements in this area.
In 2025, Sakhalin Oblast plans to hold three international forums – Wings of Sakhalin, Energy of Sakhalin and Islands of Sustainable Development: Climate Aspect – at a new venue – the Pushisty drone port. The Sakhalin Expo exposition will be dedicated to the development of congress and exhibition activities in the region.
Next to the main pavilion there will be a stand “Made in Sakhalin”. The exposition will present regional brands – clothes, jewelry, souvenirs, gastronomic products, health products, and achievements of the film industry and computer graphics will also be demonstrated. The pavilion’s design will include works by Sakhalin photographers and musicians, as well as various murals, including an image of the Aniva lighthouse – the unofficial symbol of the region.
The art object “Happy Motherhood” will also be exhibited, symbolizing family values. 2025 has been declared the Year of Happy Motherhood on the islands. The regional government’s social block is paying special attention to solving the demographic issue and creating conditions under which women can successfully combine motherhood with professional activity, without sacrificing either their career or family.
This year, the cultural program of the Sakhalin Region is aimed at popularizing the work of local authors and musicians. Songs by Sakhalin composer and poet Georgy Zobov will be presented, performed by artists of the Variety Academy, accompanied by the dance studio “Aritmiya” and the group Dreambox. The duet “Vishnya” will present a combination of electronic music, songs and ethnic music. The ensemble of the Variety Academy of Larisa Dolina will perform cover versions of famous hits of the Russian variety art. Stilt walkers of the theater studio 2233 will also perform for the guests.
In addition, the regional delegation will present a series of unique performances called “Sea Meditation”. For three days, Sakhalin artist Konstantin Kolupaev will create paintings dedicated to the beauty and power of nature on a huge canvas using unique techniques. Spectators will be able to watch the master at work.
As part of the sports program, Sakhalin Oblast plans to organize an interactive platform using VR glasses, where you can try alpine skiing, ski jumping or parachuting. There will be a chess platform called “Beat the Champion.”
The 10th Eastern Economic Forum will be held on September 3–6 at the campus of the Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok. During these days, the exhibition will be available to forum participants, and on September 7, 8, and 9, it will be open to everyone. The EEF is organized by the Roscongress Foundation.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Mikhail Mishustin congratulated the Honored Artist of Russia, Academician of the Russian Academy of Arts on his 70th birthday.
The telegram states, in particular:
“For many years you have been implementing large-scale projects, preserving monuments of national and world culture, developing the famous Museums of the Moscow Kremlin, recreating Orthodox shrines and churches.
Today, thanks to your professionalism, scientific research, and painstaking work, hundreds of thousands of people are discovering the true beauty of ancient Russian architecture, admiring the Ivan the Great Bell Tower, the Archangel and Assumption Cathedrals, the Faceted Chamber, and the majestic Donskoy Stavropegic Monastery.
I wish you success, health, prosperity and all the best.”
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Since the start of the third season of the All-Russian competition “Far East – Land of Adventures”, 95 films have been submitted to the jury. This was reported by the initiator of the project, Deputy Prime Minister – Plenipotentiary Representative of the President in the Far Eastern Federal District Yuri Trutnev.
“This year we are holding the “Far East – Land of Adventures” competition for the third time. Films about travels throughout the Far East and beyond are submitted for the jury’s evaluation. Each of them is made with love for our country, tells about the beautiful places and amazing discoveries made by the author of the film, as well as about the trials that befell the traveler. The jury will have to make a difficult choice and determine which travels will be the winners in the nominations,” said Yuri Trutnev.
Most of the works were filmed about travels in the Far Eastern regions. The leaders in the number of films were Sakhalin Region and Khabarovsk Krai – 39 and 30 respectively. In addition, six films about Amur Region and Kamchatka Krai were admitted to the jury’s assessment, five participants sent video works about Primorsky Krai, three – about Zabaikalsky Krai, two films – about the Republic of Buryatia, one film each – about hiking in Yakutia and Chukotka. The Arctic is represented by two films about a trip to Krasnoyarsk Krai.
Most of the films were shot by residents of the Far Eastern regions. But there are already three participants from Sevastopol, Krasnodar Krai and Kemerovo Oblast.
The most popular nomination is “Hiking Trip”: 62 films from participants have been received so far. In second and third place are “Winter Journey” (17 videos) and “Water Journey” (14 videos). In the “Arctic Journey” nomination, there are only two videos so far.
The third season of the All-Russian competition for the best trip to the Far East “The Far East – Land of Adventure” started on May 1, 2025. To take part in it, you need to make a short film up to 8 minutes long about your trip to the Far East or the Arctic and send it to the jury for evaluation by January 15, 2026 via the website puteshestvendv.rf. The trip must be completed no earlier than May 1, 2023 and no later than January 15, 2026. The competition is held in several nominations – “Walking Trip”, “Water Trip”, “Winter Trip”, as well as in the new nomination “Arctic Trip”. The main prize for the best video is 3 million rubles.
Not only experienced travelers, but also amateurs and children accompanied by adults can take part in the competition. Among the winners of the first and second seasons were both professional films created using special equipment and videos shot on a regular phone.
The competition is held with the support of the Office of the Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of Russia in the Far Eastern Federal District, the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East, JSC Far East and Arctic Development Corporation and the NGO Social Initiatives Development Fund.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
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Highlights:
Secretary-General / Financing for Development
Deputy Secretary-General
Occupied Palestinian Territory
Syria
Humanitarian Syria
Sudan
Sudan Humanitarian
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Haiti
Briefing
———————————
SECRETARY-GENERAL/ FINANCING FOR DEVELOPMENT
This morning, in Sevilla, Spain, the Secretary-General had a closed meeting with the Heads of the Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs). He then had a bilateral meeting with Juan Manuel Moreno Bonilla, President of the regional government of Andalusia and the First Vice-President of the European Committee of the Regions.
The Secretary-General left Sevilla in the afternoon. We expect to announce his next travel in the coming days.
DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL
The Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, was also present at the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4) in Sevilla, where she delivered remarks at the High-Level session of the International Business Forum. She called for a shift from international assistance to investments in sustainable development and underscored the private sector’s role in delivering impact at scale.
She also participated in a G20-Spain high-level special event on debt sustainability in developing countries alongside Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, and she highlighted the need to break the cycle of debt and welcomed the growing attention from policymakers.
This evening, she will travel to Vienna to address the 68th session of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, organized by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA).
During her time, there she will meet with Member States, senior government officials and the UN system. She will then return to Seville on Thursday for the closing of FFD4.
OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY
Turning to the situation in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli military operations have further intensified in northern Gaza since the issuance of the displacement order on Sunday by the Israeli authorities. In the time since that directive was announced, our partners on the ground say that at least 1,500 families have been displaced from North Gaza, as well as eastern parts of Gaza governorate, towards the central and western parts of Gaza governorate.
Over the past 48 hours, five school buildings sheltering displaced families in North Gaza were reportedly hit, with deaths and injuries reported. Initial assessments by partners indicate that many families who fled from the schools that were hit have returned to North Gaza, largely due to the lack of alternatives and limited shelter space elsewhere.
Healthcare also continues to come under attack. The World Health Organization says that in central Gaza yesterday, a tent sheltering displaced people in the courtyard of Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al Balah was reportedly hit, injuring five people. The agency added that the hospital’s internal medicine department also sustained some damage, and its oxygen supply line was affected.
Since October 2023, WHO has documented 734 attacks on healthcare in Gaza. WHO reiterated its call for the protection of civilians and healthcare facilities. OCHA reiterates that under international humanitarian law, civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected, not targeted.
Regarding aid operations on the ground, OCHA tells us that movement restrictions remain a major challenge, preventing partners from predictably and sustainably providing critical services and assistance.
Full Highlights:
https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/ossg/noon-briefing-highlight?date%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=01+July+2025
Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
———————————
Highlights:
Secretary-General / Financing for Development
Deputy Secretary-General
Occupied Palestinian Territory
Syria
Humanitarian Syria
Sudan
Sudan Humanitarian
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Haiti
Briefing
———————————
SECRETARY-GENERAL/ FINANCING FOR DEVELOPMENT
This morning, in Sevilla, Spain, the Secretary-General had a closed meeting with the Heads of the Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs). He then had a bilateral meeting with Juan Manuel Moreno Bonilla, President of the regional government of Andalusia and the First Vice-President of the European Committee of the Regions.
The Secretary-General left Sevilla in the afternoon. We expect to announce his next travel in the coming days.
DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL
The Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, was also present at the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4) in Sevilla, where she delivered remarks at the High-Level session of the International Business Forum. She called for a shift from international assistance to investments in sustainable development and underscored the private sector’s role in delivering impact at scale.
She also participated in a G20-Spain high-level special event on debt sustainability in developing countries alongside Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, and she highlighted the need to break the cycle of debt and welcomed the growing attention from policymakers.
This evening, she will travel to Vienna to address the 68th session of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, organized by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA).
During her time, there she will meet with Member States, senior government officials and the UN system. She will then return to Seville on Thursday for the closing of FFD4.
OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY
Turning to the situation in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli military operations have further intensified in northern Gaza since the issuance of the displacement order on Sunday by the Israeli authorities. In the time since that directive was announced, our partners on the ground say that at least 1,500 families have been displaced from North Gaza, as well as eastern parts of Gaza governorate, towards the central and western parts of Gaza governorate.
Over the past 48 hours, five school buildings sheltering displaced families in North Gaza were reportedly hit, with deaths and injuries reported. Initial assessments by partners indicate that many families who fled from the schools that were hit have returned to North Gaza, largely due to the lack of alternatives and limited shelter space elsewhere.
Healthcare also continues to come under attack. The World Health Organization says that in central Gaza yesterday, a tent sheltering displaced people in the courtyard of Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al Balah was reportedly hit, injuring five people. The agency added that the hospital’s internal medicine department also sustained some damage, and its oxygen supply line was affected.
Since October 2023, WHO has documented 734 attacks on healthcare in Gaza. WHO reiterated its call for the protection of civilians and healthcare facilities. OCHA reiterates that under international humanitarian law, civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected, not targeted.
Regarding aid operations on the ground, OCHA tells us that movement restrictions remain a major challenge, preventing partners from predictably and sustainably providing critical services and assistance.
Full Highlights:
https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/ossg/noon-briefing-highlight?date%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=01+July+2025
NEW YORK, July 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM), operator of regulated markets for over 12,000 U.S. and international securities, today launched the OTCID™ Basic Market, a major structural upgrade that redefines the baseline for disclosure in the over-the-counter (OTC) equities space.
With the elimination of the Pink CurrentMarket, the new OTCID™ Basic Market introduces a more transparent framework for companies that choose to engage with U.S. investors through consistent, ongoing reporting.
The move reflects OTC Markets Group’s broader strategy to enhance market clarity, reduce investor uncertainty, and offer compliant companies a more defined pathway to grow their presence in U.S. public markets.
Companies trading on the OTCID™ Basic Market are now required to meet specific disclosure benchmarks, including timely quarterly and annual financials, management certifications, and updated company profile information. These foundational requirements ensure that investors, brokers, regulators, and data providers can rely on timely, accurate information from issuers of securities.
“We’re supporting companies that choose to connect with the market and commit to timely, consistent, ongoing disclosure, as the best public companies understand that their data drives market quality” said Cromwell Coulson, President and CEO of OTC Markets Group. “When companies provide reliable information, that data flows directly into investor screens and broker-dealer machines, enhancing transparency, improving price discovery, and driving better outcomes across the market.”
1237 securities from the US and key international markets, including Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, Japan and Hong Kong have already taken the necessary steps to meet OTCID requirements, reinforcing their commitment to timely disclosure and direct engagement with U.S. investors.
For many, OTCID is a strategic entry point, not a final destination. Investor-focused issuers continue to move up the market. Since January, 61 companies, including Bayer AG and OMV AG, have qualified for the OTCQX® Best Market, underscoring growing demand among issuers for higher visibility, stronger governance, and deeper, digital engagement with U.S. investors.
Companies that fail to meet the new OTCID’s requirements have been downgraded to either the Pink Limited™ Market or the Expert Restricted Market. Pink Limited™ Market serves as a warning to investors, flagging securities with limited to no issuer involvement, including companies with limited, outdated, or inconsistent disclosures. The Expert Market continues to include securities that fail to meet even the most basic public disclosure requirements under SEC Rule 15c2-11. Quotes in Expert Market securities are not available to retail investors.
By setting sharper distinctions between active and inactive issuers, OTC Markets Group is delivering on its mission to foster informed investment decisions and build a more efficient public market.
About OTC Markets Group Inc. OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM) operates regulated markets for trading 12,000 U.S. and international securities. Our data-driven disclosure standards form the foundation of our public markets: OTCQX® Best Market, OTCQB® Venture Market, OTCID™ Basic Market and Pink Limited™ Market. Our OTC Link® Alternative Trading Systems (ATSs) provide critical market infrastructure that broker-dealers rely on to facilitate trading. Our innovative model offers companies more efficient access to the U.S. financial markets.
OTC Link ATS, OTC Link ECN, OTC Link NQB, and MOON ATS™ are each SEC regulated ATS, operated by OTC Link LLC, a FINRA and SEC registered broker-dealer, member SIPC. To learn more about how we create better informed and more efficient markets, visit www.otcmarkets.com.
SANTIAGO, Chile, July 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — You are cordially invited to participate in Banco Santander Chile’s (NYSE: BSAC) conference call-webcast on Tuesday August 5, 2025, at 11.00 AM (ET time) where we will discuss 2Q 2025 financial results. The Bank’s Officers participating in the conference call are: Patricia Pérez, CFO, Cristian Vicuña, Chief Strategy Officer & Head of IR and Andrés Sansone, Chief Economist. A question and answer session will follow the presentation.
The Management Commentary report will be published on July 31, 2025, before the market opens. The quiet period begins on July 17.
Banco Santander Chile is one of the companies with the highest risk classifications in Latin America with an A2 rating from Moody’s, A- from Standard and Poor’s, A+ from Japan Credit Rating Agency, AA- from HR Ratings and A from KBRA. All our ratings as of the date of this report have a Stable Outlook.
As of March 31, 2025, the bank had total assets of Ch$67,059,423 million (US$70,284 million), total gross loans (including those owed by banks) at amortized cost of Ch$41,098,666 million (US$43,075 million), total deposits of Ch$30,607,715 million (US$32,080 million), and bank owners’ equity of Ch$4,400,233 million (US$4,612 million). The BIS capital ratio was 16.9%, with a core capital ratio of 10.7%. As of March 31, 2025, Santander Chile employed 8,712 people and had 237 branches throughout Chile.
Home » Latest News » Play! Memorial Park tennis courts back in use after revamp
Just as Wimbledon is underway, we have now completed a fantastic revamp of the tennis courts in Herne Bay Memorial Park.
Four of the eight courts have been completely resurfaced, with the other four thoroughly cleaned and resprayed. All eight now sport the classic tennis blue and green colours.
In addition, they all have new posts and nets, and one of the courts has pickleball line markings as well as tennis markings.
These courts will remain free of charge to use and no booking is required.
Cabinet member for open spaces, Cllr Mel Dawkins (pictured left, above), joined Lord Mayor Cllr Keji Moses and Heron ward councillor David Thomas for an inspection and the chance to hit a few shots.
Cllr Dawkins said: “The courts look absolutely ‘ace’ and we are sure they are going to prove to be a ‘smash’ in the town.
“It’s a job really well done and thanks go to the council officers who have run this project and our contractor ETC Sports Surfaces for such professional work.”
The revamp cost £70,000 and was paid for using section 106 planning contributions from developers.
We are also keen to develop a ‘Friends of…’ group for the courts to encourage activity and help to report any issues.
Anyone interested in getting involved should email Leisure Development Officer Giles Seaford at giles.seaford@canterbury.gov.uk.
On July 1, 2025 the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, Maxim Ryzhenkov, held a meeting with the Minister of International Relations of the Republic of Botswana, Phenyo Butale, who is paying an official visit to Belarus.
This is the first visit by the head of Botswana’s foreign ministry to our country in the history of Belarusian-Botswana relations.
During the meeting, the parties discussed ways to strengthen political and interministerial dialogue, expand mutual trade, cooperation in the fields of agriculture and food security, healthcare, education, and the formation of a legal framework.
The parties reaffirmed their commitment to coordinate on all aspects of the bilateral and international agenda.
The ministers agreed on practical steps to intensify cooperation and confirmed their mutual interest in holding a series of bilateral events in 2025–2026.
Following the negotiations, a joint statement was signed by the foreign ministers of Belarus and Botswana, expressing their intention to strengthen multifaceted cooperation.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus.
The thriving, lively rural town of Totota, Bong County will never be the same, according to women beneficiaries of the Totota Peace Hut. “This town is growing and changing in terms of mentoring and improving the attitude, skills, and public-speaking confidence of women so we can reach to that height we all aspire to acquire in life,” said Annie G. Saah, 53, member of the peace hut and Chairlady of the One Voice Group.
“Our peace hut in Totota has helped in improving the lives of women and young girls. Through this peace hut, women and girls have gained valuable skills in literacy, computer training, group and individual farming, village savings and loan scheme as well as conflict resolution and mediation outreach at household and community-levels, and I am one such example. I have my individual potatoes garden, my house-side bag garden together with a group farm. We use the proceeds for our children’s tuition and other family needs,” added Annie G. Saah.
Annie, Miatta Borbor, and nearly 50 other women meet at the peace hut on a weekly basis to support one another in peacebuilding, literacy, computer skills, petty business management, and small-scale farming. “Thanks to UN Women, Plan International, Orange Foundation, and the Peacebuilding Fund for their support in giving women the skills they need to become marketable and active contributors not just to our families but also to the community of Totota,” said Miatta Borbor, a member of One Voice Group at the peace hut.
True to Annie and Miatta’s words on the empowerment of women, in November 2024, during an indoor programme at Totota Peace Hut in Bong County, visiting Peacebuilding Commission Chair and Sweden’s Ambassador to the UN in New York, Amb. Nicola Clase and delegation witnessed a life-changing moment. Three formerly illiterate women – Mary Sheriff, Gbentelo Kennedy, and Oretha Jallah – proudly demonstrated their peace hut-acquired literacy skills by writing their names and telephone numbers on paper to the admiration of the visitors. The audience applauded them for their literacy achievements. Ma Mary Sandiman, Chairlady of Totota Peace Hut, emphasized the need to continue the peace hut: “This peace hut must continue here so more women can learn to read and write and to enhance women’s unity so women themselves can drive the change they need.”
The vegetable gardens, small businesses, the conflict mediation roles, and the computer training have all had tremendous impact on women beneficiaries by enabling them to earn money, support their households, participate in public and community discussions, and enhance peaceful co-existence among people. Rev Fahnlon A. Mulbah, Coordinator of the Orange Digital Center (ODC) within the Totota Peace Hut, underscored the life-improving results of the peace hut and the ODC on young women. “Computer literacy is a globally required skills area especially for women and girls to earn income and advertise their work on phone and on a computer.” He disclosed that Grace Pope, a resident of Totota, acquired digital skills in the application of cell phone for business and started advertizing and doing Orange Mobile Money, and then relocated to Monrovia where she’s living and working.
The empowerment and results-oriented achievements at the Totota Peace Hut was made possible through the seamless collaboration among UN Women, Plan International, Government of Liberia, Orange Foundation, and other partners with funding from the UN Peacebuilding Fund. Each organization lent its own comparative advantage, garnered resources, and provided backstopping and technical inputs to make the peace hut functional and effective.
Peace huts across Liberia have become a useful model for driving rural women’s collective empowerment. According to UN Women, the women of Liberia gained national and international acclaim as champions of peace through their mass action campaign that pressured warring factions to agree to a peace settlement in 2003. As part of this effort, the women, under the banner “Liberian Women Mass Action for Peace”, launched the Peace Hut model in 2004 to provide a space for community women to discuss issues of peace, including ongoing community and domestic violence. Since then, the Peace Huts have evolved into a multi-faceted platform that promotes gender equality and the empowerment of women especially in rural communities.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UN Women – Africa.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Almaty, July 1 (Xinhua) — In an exclusive article for DKnews.kz, Chinese Consul General in Almaty Jiang Wei shared her views on the historic 2nd China-Central Asia Summit in Astana, where the leaders of the six countries opened a new page in centuries-old cooperation. She stressed that Kazakhstan continues to play a key role in deepening Central Asia’s strategic partnership with China.
As the Consul General noted, an unprecedented level of political mutual trust has been achieved between the parties. According to her, after establishing diplomatic relations, China and the Central Asian countries have built a comprehensive strategic partnership, secured it with numerous documents within the framework of the Belt and Road initiative, and are promoting the concept of a community with a common destiny both at the bilateral and regional levels.
The Astana Declaration became a symbol of political unity, the diplomat said, adding that in it the parties confirmed their readiness to support each other on key issues, and the declaration itself became a powerful expression of political consensus and a signal of stability in conditions of global uncertainty.
Jiang Wei also stressed that China and Central Asian countries have achieved impressive results in practical cooperation. “The summit announced that 2025-2026 will be the Years of High-Quality Development of China-Central Asia Cooperation, focusing on six priority areas, such as unimpeded trade, industrial investment, connectivity, green resource management, agricultural modernization, and facilitating people-to-people exchanges,” the consul general noted.
Speaking about the Action Plan for the high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road signed by the heads of six states, she noted that this is the first time that China has signed such a document with all the countries in the border region at once.
“The summit also decided to establish a poverty alleviation center, an educational exchange and cooperation center, a desertification control center, and a platform to create favorable conditions for trade within the China-Central Asia format. These initiatives are aimed at improving the well-being of the Central Asian population, training highly qualified specialists, managing water and natural resources, and promoting high-quality economic development. All this clearly demonstrates the deep meaning of the slogan “promoting joint modernization through high-quality development,” Jiang Wei emphasized.
The Consul General said that the summit demonstrated a new level of good-neighborliness and friendship. Speaking about the Treaty on Eternal Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation signed by the six parties, a document that legally enshrines the principle of eternal friendship between peoples, she said: “This agreement has become a new milestone in the history of Chinese-Central Asian relations, opening the way for cooperation for decades to come.”
“More than 100 agreements on sister cities were signed, which forms a solid humanitarian basis for people’s diplomacy. These “bridges of friendship” contribute to the expansion of cultural and humanitarian interaction. The parties also agreed to intensify cooperation in such areas as parliamentary and inter-party ties, contacts between women and youth, the work of the media, analytical centers and public organizations,” the consul general added. “All this will become a new impetus for the dialogue of civilizations and a continuation of the thousand-year tradition of friendship between peoples,” she emphasized.
In addition, as the diplomat reported, following the summit, more than 60 bilateral agreements were signed, covering such areas as trade, investment, science and technology, customs regulation, tourism, and the media. These agreements, in her opinion, will give a powerful impetus to further deepening ties between the parties in the “golden period.” –0–
Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –
On July 1, 2025, a joint meeting of the commissions of the State Council of the Russian Federation in the areas of “Personnel”, “Youth and Children”, “Family” was held at the site of the State University of Management to consider the draft Strategy for the Development of Education in the Russian Federation until 2036.
The moderator of the meeting, Russian journalist and TV presenter Ernest Matskyavichyus, introduced the main participants in the discussion and reported that more than 1,000 experts worked on the text of the Education Development Strategy, many of whom are present at the meeting.
The Chairman of the Commission of the State Council of the Russian Federation on “Personnel”, Governor of the Kaluga Region, and graduate of the State University of Management Vladislav Shapsha noted in his welcoming speech that the education system should be flexible and adaptive, integrated into the real sector of the economy and continuous.
“Today, a situation has arisen where one specialty is no longer enough for an educated person; at least two are needed to always be prepared for the changing situation on the labor market. Qualified specialists of a new type must think innovatively and be able to solve problems in the context of rapid digital transformation and global competition. The key tasks now are: synchronizing education with the labor market, overcoming imbalances in personnel training and forming a system of advanced training, since in the future the situation will change even faster, and artificial intelligence can sharply reduce employment in many areas of labor activity,” warned Vladislav Shapsha.
The Chairman of the State Council of Russia Commission on “Youth and Children”, Governor of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug Dmitry Artyukhov expressed pleasure at the representative meeting on such a comprehensive topic.
“Education is a vital area that concerns absolutely everyone: teachers, parents, and millions of children and young people across the country. We have done serious work on the Education Development Strategy on the instructions of the President. Now it is time to move on to action – to focus on implementing our plans. Together, we are laying the foundation for the future of Russian education. This is a vital state task, because it is education that solves key problems for the country: it provides knowledge and skills, trains personnel for the economy, and most importantly, brings up a new generation of Russians,” said Dmitry Artyukhov.
The Chairman of the State Council of Russia’s Commission on the “Family” Direction, Head of the Republic of Mordovia Artem Zdunov drew the attention of those gathered to the fact that the document under discussion will determine the development vectors not only of education itself, but also through it of the entire country as a whole.
“I will note two key priorities of the Strategy. The first is the further implementation of high-quality education regardless of the place of residence and social status of the family. Much has already been done for this: new schools and kindergartens have been built, major repairs have been carried out, and institutions have been equipped with modern equipment. The second priority is that the education system should be built on the basis of traditional Russian values, including a strong family. Efforts in this direction should be systemic and continuous, starting from kindergarten to university. The cult of large families should be spread everywhere, similar to how this year we widely celebrate the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War – information should be broadcast from TV screens, from the Internet, from billboards on city streets and in educational institutions,” said Artem Zdunov.
Deputy Minister of Education of the Russian Federation Irina Shvartsman said that a public opinion poll was conducted to prepare the draft Strategy for the Development of Education, which affected 338 thousand people. The structure of the Strategy was developed by 15 working groups, including representatives of all departments, the Presidential Administration, the Russian Academy of Education and other experts.
“The strategy does not hide the problems, it is designed to identify and eliminate them. These are the problems of a shortage of personnel and wages, dilapidated buildings, bureaucratic burden on teachers, and the ideological gap between teachers and students. One of the main values in the education system should be a person. The rights of children and teachers should be equally protected. And to achieve humanitarian and scientific-technical leadership of Russia in the world, it is necessary not only to train qualified specialists, but also to work systematically in the direction of patriotic education,” said Irina Shvartsman.
Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation Dmitry Afanasyev noted that for the first time in Russia a single document on issues of education development is appearing.
“In response to current challenges, the Ministry of Education and Science proposes to create a new list of specialties that meet the country’s strategic objectives, reboot and update state programs such as “Priority 2030” and “Advanced Engineering Schools”, and continue to build new university campuses. In addition, it is necessary to strengthen the influence of domestic education abroad, develop online forms of education, and promote the Russian language as the language of international communication. In this area, the Strategy still requires revision,” Dmitry Afanasyev said.
Rector of the State University of Management Vladimir Stroyev noted the significant number of GUU graduates at a meeting of the State Council commissions and spoke about the work of the university.
“The need to change the education system is obvious, but its conservatism can also have its advantages. Until the 1990s, GUU was not a management university, but an engineering and economics university. And we managed to preserve elements of the previous system. Starting in 2022, we are actively reviving the system of training industry managers who understand and know the production base well. For this purpose, GUU is implementing a system of seamless project-based learning. The structure of the university includes the Pre-University – a budget school where, in addition to studying general subjects, students begin to get used to practice-oriented learning. GUU is probably the only university in the country where project-based learning is practiced in 100% of areas of education, starting from the 1st year, which by the end of the study leads to a high level of graduate employment. In addition, we do not forget about the meanings – we are a leading university in the field of educational work, we support student families, and we encourage employees to have children. Our task is not only to raise a competent manager, but also to educate him as a responsible citizen who works for the benefit of the state and society,” said Vladimir Stroyev.
In addition, the rector of the State University of Management introduced the meeting participants to the scientific and technical achievements of the university, in particular, to the system of work of the inter-university design bureau, and invited those interested to take a tour of the university.
The meeting was also attended by: Deputy Head of the Secretariat of the Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Government Antony Shvindt, Director of the Department of Personnel Policy of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation Alexey Svistunov, Deputy Governor of the Kaluga Region Tatyana Leonova, Deputy Head of the Federal Service for Supervision in Education and Science Evgeny Semchenko and many other experts.
Summing up the panel discussion, the Chairman of the State Council of the Russian Federation Commission on Personnel Vladislav Shapsha particularly highlighted the topic raised by many speakers about the key role of education within the Education Development Strategy. “You can teach a lot, but if a person does not have a moral core, then his technical skills can be harmful. The Russian person has always been spiritual. You cannot understand Russia with your mind, you cannot measure it with a common yardstick…”, Vladislav Valerievich concluded the meeting of the State Council commissions with a quote from a poem by Fyodor Tyutchev.
After the end of the panel discussion, the participants of the meeting of the State Council commissions were given a tour of the State University of Management, as promised by the rector. In addition to the experts, the moderator of the discussion, Ernest Matskyavichyus, did not miss this opportunity.
The guests were shown the new workshop of the student design bureau “Innovative Solutions”, the Engineering Project Management Center and the Media Center of the State University of Management. Antoniy Shvindt paid special attention to the scientific and technical developments of the State University of Management. Aleksey Svistunov appreciated the comfort and equipment of the premises. Ernest Matskyavichyus, naturally, was most interested in the studios, and Tatyana Leonova even proposed a project for a series of short educational videos on the topic of management science.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jane Steventon, Course Leader, BA (Hons) Screenwriting; Deputy Course Leader & Senior Lecturer, BA (Hons) Film Production, University of Portsmouth
Take a soupçon of identity crisis, a pinch of perfectionism, a scoop of burnout and mix thoroughly with a large measure of fraternal grief and sear over a hot grill and voilà! You have The Bear, a perfectly blended drama about a chef on the edge, driven by relentless ambition and exacting standards as he turns his family’s humble sandwich shop into a fine-dining restaurant.
This intoxicating family drama was eaten up by critics and audiences alike in 2022, its first season garnering a rare perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, the subsequent two reaching scores of 99% and 89% respectively. It’s certainly a hard act to follow for season four.
The first ten minutes of The Bear’s pilot episode thrillingly defined what was to come in high-octane style and scene-setting detail. The first season delivered a clever mix of authentic dialogue and setting, relatable family dysfunction and dynamic production style.
Showstopping scenes of stressful kitchen heat were served up alongside a delectable range of new and established talent in the form of Jeremy Allen White (Carmy), Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Richie), Ayo Edebiri (Sydney) and Oliver Platt (Cicero/Uncle Jimmy).
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In charge is showrunner Christopher Storer, who came up with the concept after being inspired by his friend’s father Chris Zucchero, the owner of Chicago sandwich joint Mr Beef.
With his professional chef sister also serving as a consultant, Storer succeeded in creating a deliciously authentic and intensely real drama. Buoyed along the way by 21 Emmys and five Golden Globes, Storer also watched his cast ascend, the tortured-soul performance of White garnering particular praise.
Testing the parameters of a long-running show, Storer focused in on the entire cast of characters and their backstories, a successful tactic used by shows such as Orange is the New Black to keep the drama – largely confined to a kitchen set – fresh.
Pulling in Hollywood die-hards Oliver Platt and Jamie Lee Curtis for familial tough-love roles further enriched the mix, often using a non-chronological timeframe to go back to moments of family turbulence and tension. This made for three-dimensional characters and enabled evolution around difficult themes such as the aftermath of suicide and generational trauma.
The Bear has come a long way in three seasons, starting with a spit and sawdust establishment serving up the lunchtime beef sandwiches for its working customers.
Carmy’s experience and longing for the high-end restaurant of his dreams hurtled forward in season two, as he sent his core crew off in different directions to hone their skills and help form his vision. A restaurant trying to win success but plagued with challenges, there were exhausting familial tensions embedded in every episode of season three.
Several themes play out in The Bear: love, family, loyalty, community and purpose. The relationship between Carmy and cousin Richie (not a real cousin, but a term of endearment) is key to linking past and future. Richie provides some of the highlights of comedy and pathos as he spits truth bombs, most frequently at talented sous-chef Syd.
It is Syd who follows Carmy’s aspirations for gastronomic perfection but can’t abide the lack of order or the intense highs and lows that inevitably go hand in hand with his talent. And this is one central question to consider for the latest series: just how long will the audience remain loyal to Carmy and his endless quest for artistry in a high-failure rate industry?
It’s all in the sauce
Storer begins season four with a ghost. Carmy and his dead brother Mikey (Jon Berthal) banter in a seven-minute scene, with Carmy ultimately confiding the dream of a restaurant as Mikey watches him make tomato sauce (“too much garlic”). The tomatoes resonate: Mikey left behind money hidden in tomato cans that ended up saving Carmy’s sanity and his dream of a proper restaurant.
Just as oranges represent death to Frances Ford Coppola, Storer uses tomatoes to underscore themes; here they symbolise familial loyalty and history, a solid base to a meal, a core ingredient. Mikey was one of the core ingredients in Carmy’s life, and now he’s gone.
Carmy awakens to a rerun of Groundhog Day on late-night TV and fittingly, we too are back – same dish, now more seasoned and enriched with its core ingredients and ready to serve up a big bowlful of family, love, ambition, strife and grief.
The episode furthers the theme of loyalty as the restaurant receives The Tribune’s review – the cliffhanger of the season three finale. Naturally, Storer doesn’t let up – the food critic highlights “dissonance” and Carmy is back in emotional chaos, with Syd urging him to lighten up and lose the misery.
In truth, this series could do with adding some more humour in the mix; the teasing and frivolous banter of season one has got somewhat lost in the seasons that followed.
Storer ramps up the tension, setting several ticking clocks in place: chiefly Uncle Jimmy’s notice period for the business to turn a profit is literally installed on a digital clock in the kitchen. Then Syd’s headhunter calls, offering her desired autonomy and an exit strategy from the chaos.
And Carmy raises the stakes with an intention to gain a Michelin star. Thus a heroic journey is set in place for the whole cast, with future battles both internal and external laid out.
There’s too much going on at this feast and the feeling of being stuffed full of story is tangible by the end of the first episode. Still, with a season lining up more emotional turbulence steered by White, more celebrity cameos (Brie Larson and Rob Reiner are lined up) and the excellent cinematography and performances that we have come to expect, Storer stirs his secret sauce.
The Bear still offers an entertaining and enticing proposition, bingeable and mostly satisfying.
Jane Steventon does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Samantha Abbott, Doctoral Researcher, Department of Sport Science, Nottingham Trent University
England’s Beth Mead cheering on podium after win v Germany in the Women European Championship Final 2022photographyjp/Shutterstock
Think back to the last time you had a cold or the flu. Now imagine stepping onto the pitch for a European Cup final, while battling through those symptoms. For elite athletes, illness can strike at the worst possible time – and it could hit women harder.
Research suggests that female athletes are more susceptible to cold and flu-like illnesses than their male counterparts. For England women’s national football team, the Lionesses, this risk only increases before a major tournament like the Euros.
Close contact, shared kit, disrupted sleep and travel all add up to a perfect storm for infection. But targeted nutritional strategies, alongside good sleep and hand hygiene, can offer a crucial line of defence.
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1. Fuel first: energy matters for immunity
Before anything else, players need to eat enough. Energy supports both performance and immune function. In fact, female athletes who didn’t meet their energy needs in the run-up to the 2016 Olympics were four times more likely to report cold or flu symptoms.
This is especially relevant in women’s football, where low energy and carbohydrate intake has been documented among professional players and recreational players too. Regular meals and snacks that include carbohydrate-rich foods like oats, bread and pasta, especially around training, are essential to meet energy demands and support immune health.
2. Eat the rainbow
Athletes are often encouraged to go beyond the public’s five-a-day fruit and veg target, aiming instead for eight to ten portions daily. Why? Because colourful plant foods are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds: all vital for immunity.
Each colour offers unique benefits. For instance, red fruits and vegetables, such as tomatoes, contain lycopene, a powerful antioxidant. Orange produce like carrots get their colour from beta-carotene, which is converted by the body into vitamin A – a key vitamin for immune health.
Vitamin C has long been linked with reducing the risk and severity of cold and flu symptoms. One Cochrane review found that regular vitamin C intake halved the risk of illness in physically active people.
However, more isn’t always better. Long-term use of high-dose vitamin C supplements could blunt training adaptations – the structural and functional changes the body undergoes in response to repeated exercise – because of its anti-inflammatory effects. That’s why vitamin C is most effective when used strategically, such as during high-risk periods like travel or intense competition. Good food sources include oranges, kiwis, blackcurrants, red and yellow peppers, broccoli and even potatoes.
Probiotics, found in fermented foods like kefir and kimchi or in supplement form, have been shown to reduce the duration and severity of respiratory illnesses in athletes. Prebiotics have similarly shown promise. In one study, a 24-week prebiotic intervention in elite rugby players reduced the duration of cold and flu symptoms by over two days.
In the build-up to the Euros, including probiotic-rich foods in their diet or taking a daily prebiotic and probiotic supplement may help players stay healthy and return to training faster if they do get ill.
5. Zinc lozenges: first aid for a sore throat
If cold-like symptoms do appear, zinc lozenges can offer fast-acting relief. Zinc has antiviral, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. When zinc is delivered as a lozenge, it acts directly in the throat, where many infections begin. Taken within 24 hours of symptoms starting, zinc lozenges could shorten illness duration by a third.
But caution is key. Long-term use of high-dose zinc supplements can actually suppress immune function. Zinc lozenges should only be used short-term at symptom onset, not as a daily supplement.
Staying match-ready during major tournaments means more than just tactical drills and fitness. Nutrition is a powerful ally in illness prevention, especially for women’s teams like the Lionesses. From fuelling adequately to supporting gut health and knowing when to supplement, these nutritional strategies can make the difference between sitting on the bench and bringing a trophy home.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Headline: Jasper Sleet: North Korean remote IT workers’ evolving tactics to infiltrate organizations
Since 2024, Microsoft Threat Intelligence has observed remote information technology (IT) workers deployed by North Korea leveraging AI to improve the scale and sophistication of their operations, steal data, and generate revenue for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). Among the changes noted in the North Korean remote IT worker tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) include the use of AI tools to replace images in stolen employment and identity documents and enhance North Korean IT worker photos to make them appear more professional. We’ve also observed that they’ve been utilizing voice-changing software.
North Korea has deployed thousands of remote IT workers to assume jobs in software and web development as part of a revenue generation scheme for the North Korean government. These highly skilled workers are most often located in North Korea, China, and Russia, and use tools such as virtual private networks (VPNs) and remote monitoring and management (RMM) tools together with witting accomplices to conceal their locations and identities.
Historically, North Korea’s fraudulent remote worker scheme has focused on targeting United States (US) companies in the technology, critical manufacturing, and transportation sectors. However, we’ve observed North Korean remote workers evolving to broaden their scope to target various industries globally that offer technology-related roles. Since 2020, the US government and cybersecurity community have identified thousands of North Korean workers infiltrating companies across various industries.
Organizations can protect themselves from this threat by implementing stricter pre-employment vetting measures and creating policies to block unapproved IT management tools. For example, when evaluating potential employees, employers and recruiters should ensure that the candidates’ social media and professional accounts are unique and verify their contact information and digital footprint. Organizations should also be particularly cautious with staffing company employees, check for consistency in resumes, and use video calls to confirm a worker’s identity.
Microsoft Threat Intelligence tracks North Korean IT remote worker activity as Jasper Sleet (formerly known as Storm-0287). We also track several other North Korean activity clusters that pursue fraudulent employment using similar techniques and tools, including Storm-1877 and Moonstone Sleet. To disrupt this activity and protect our customers, we’ve suspended 3,000 known Microsoft consumer accounts (Outlook/Hotmail) created by North Korean IT workers. We have also implemented several detections to alert our customers of this activity through Microsoft Entra ID Protection and Microsoft Defender XDR as noted at the end of this blog. As with any observed nation-state threat actor activity, Microsoft has directly notified targeted or compromised customers, providing them with important information needed to secure their environments. As we continue to observe more attempts by threat actors to leverage AI, not only do we report on them, but we also have principles in place to take action against them.
This blog provides additional information on the North Korean remote IT worker operations we published previously, including Jasper Sleet’s usual TTPs to secure employment, such as using fraudulent identities and facilitators. We also provide recent observations regarding their use of AI tools. Finally, we share detailed guidance on how to investigate, monitor, and remediate possible North Korean remote IT worker activity, as well as detections and hunting capabilities to surface this threat.
From North Korea to the world: The remote IT workforce
Since at least early 2020, Microsoft has tracked a global operation conducted by North Korea in which skilled IT workers apply for remote job opportunities to generate revenue and support state interests. These workers present themselves as foreign (non-North Korean) or domestic-based teleworkers and use a variety of fraudulent means to bypass employment verification controls.
North Korea’s fraudulent remote worker scheme has since evolved, establishing itself as a well-developed operation that has allowed North Korean remote workers to infiltrate technology-related roles across various industries. In some cases, victim organizations have even reported that remote IT workers were some of their most talented employees. Historically, this operation has focused on applying for IT, software development, and administrator positions in the technology sector. Such positions provide North Korean threat actors access to highly sensitive information to conduct information theft and extortion, among other operations.
North Korean IT workers are a multifaceted threat because not only do they generate revenue for the North Korean regime, which violates international sanctions, they also use their access to steal sensitive intellectual property, source code, or trade secrets. In some cases, these North Korean workers even extort their employer into paying them in exchange for not publicly disclosing the company’s data.
Between 2020 and 2022, the US government found that over 300 US companies in multiple industries, including several Fortune 500 companies, had unknowingly employed these workers, indicating the magnitude of this threat. The workers also attempted to gain access to information at two government agencies. Since then, the cybersecurity community has continued to detect thousands of North Korean workers. On January 3, 2025, the Justice Department released an indictment identifying two North Korean nationals and three facilitators responsible for conducting fraudulent work between 2018 and 2024. The indicted individuals generated a revenue of at least US$866,255 from only ten of the at least 64 infiltrated US companies.
North Korean threat actors are evolving across the threat landscape to incorporate more sophisticated tactics and tools to conduct malicious employment-related activity, including the use of custom and AI-enabled software.
Tactics and techniques
The tactics and techniques employed by North Korean remote IT workers involve a sophisticated ecosystem of crafting fake personas, performing remote work, and securing payments. North Korean IT workers apply for remote roles, in various sectors, at organizations across the globe.
They create, rent, or procure stolen identities that match the geo-location of their target organizations (for example, they would establish a US-based identity to apply for roles at US-based companies), create email accounts and social media profiles, and establish legitimacy through fake portfolios and profiles on developer platforms like GitHub and LinkedIn. Additionally, they leverage AI tools to enhance their operations, including image creation and voice-changing software. Facilitators play a crucial role in validating fraudulent identities and managing logistics, such as forwarding company hardware and creating accounts on freelance job websites. To evade detection, these workers use VPNs, virtual private servers (VPSs), and proxy services as well as RMM tools to connect to a device housed at a facilitator’s laptop farm located in the country of the job.
Figure 1. The North Korean IT worker ecosystem
Crafting fake personas and profiles
The North Korean remote IT worker fraud scheme begins with the procurement of identities for the workers. These identities, which can be stolen or “rented” from witting individuals, include names, national identification numbers, and dates of birth. The workers might also leverage services that generate fraudulent identities, complete with seemingly legitimate documentation, to fabricate their personas. They then create email accounts and social media pages they use to apply for jobs, often indirectly through staffing or contracting companies. They also apply for freelance opportunities through freelancer sites as an additional avenue for revenue generation. Notably, they often use the same names/profiles repeatedly rather than creating unique personas for each successful infiltration.
Additionally, the North Korean IT workers have used fake profiles on LinkedIn to communicate with recruiters and apply for jobs.
Figure 2. An example of a North Korean IT worker LinkedIn profile that has since been taken down.
The workers tailor their fake resumes and profiles to match the requirements for specific remote IT positions, thus increasing their chances of getting selected. Over time, we’ve observed these fake resumes and employee documents noticeably improving in quality, now appearing more polished and lacking grammatical errors facilitated by AI.
After creating their fake personas, the North Korean IT workers then attempt to establish legitimacy by creating digital footprints for these fake personas. They typically leverage communication, networking, and developer platforms, (for example, GitHub) to showcase their supposed portfolio of previous work samples:
Figure 3. Example profile used by a North Korean IT worker that has since been taken down.
Using AI to improve operations
Microsoft Threat intelligence has observed North Korean remote IT workers leveraging AI to improve the quantity and quality of their operations. For example, in October 2024, we found a public repository containing actual and AI-enhanced images of suspected North Korean IT workers:
Figure 4. Photos of potential North Korean IT workers
The repository also contained the resumes and email accounts used by the said workers, along with the following tools and resources they can use to secure employment and to do their work:
VPS and VPN accounts, along with specific VPS IP addresses
Playbooks on conducting identity theft and creating and bidding jobs on freelancer websites
Wallet information and suspected payments made to facilitators
LinkedIn, GitHub, Upwork, TeamViewer, Telegram, and Skype accounts
Tracking sheet of work performed, and payments received by the IT workers
Image creation
Based on our review of the repository mentioned previously, North Korean IT workers appear to conduct identity theft and then use AI tools like Faceswap to move their pictures over to the stolen employment and identity documents. The attackers also use these AI tools to take pictures of the workers and move them to more professional looking settings. The workers then use these AI-generated pictures on one or more resumes or profiles when applying for jobs.
Figure 5. Use of AI apps to modify photos used for North Korean IT workers’ resumes and profilesFigure 6. Examples of resumes for North Korean IT workers. These two resumes use different versions of the same photo.
Communications
Microsoft Threat Intelligence has observed that North Korean IT workers are also experimenting with other AI technologies such as voice-changing software. While we haven’t observed threat actors using combined AI voice and video products as a tactic first hand, we do recognize that combining these technologies could allow future threat actor campaigns to trick interviewers into thinking they aren’t communicating with a North Korean IT worker. If successful, this tactic could allow the North Korean IT workers to do interviews directly and no longer rely on facilitators standing in for them on interviews or selling them account access.
Facilitators for initial access
North Korean Remote IT workers require assistance from a witting facilitator to help find jobs, pass the employment verification process, and once hired, successfully work remotely. We’ve observed Jasper Sleet advertising job opportunities for facilitator roles under the guise of partnering with a remote job candidate to help secure an IT role in a competitive market:
Figure 7. Example of a job opportunity for a facilitator role
The IT workers may have the facilitators assist in creating accounts on remote and freelance job websites. They might also ask the facilitator to perform the following tasks as their relationship builds:
Create a bank account for the North Korean IT worker, or lend their (the facilitator’s) own account to the worker
Purchase mobile phone numbers or SIM cards
During the employment verification process, the witting accomplice helps the North Korean IT workers validate the latter’s fraudulent identities using online background check service providers. The documents submitted by the workers include fake or stolen drivers’ licenses, social security cards, passports, and permanent resident identification cards. Workers train using interview scripts, which include a justification for why the employee must work remotely.
Once hired, the remote workers direct company laptops and hardware to be sent to the address of the accomplice. The accomplice then either runs a laptop farm that provides the laptops with an internet connection at the geo-location of the role or forwards the items internationally. For hardware that remain in the country of the role, the accomplice signs into the computers and installs software that enables the workers to connect remotely. Remote IT workers might also access devices remotely using IP-based KVM devices, like PiKVM or TinyPilot.
Defense evasion and persistence
To conceal their physical location as well as maintain persistence and blend into the target organization’s environment, the workers typically use VPNs (particularly Astrill VPN), VPSs, proxy services, and RMM tools. Microsoft Threat Intelligence has observed the persistent use of JumpConnect, TinyPilot, Rust Desk, TeamViewer, AnyViewer, and Anydesk. When an in-person presence or face-to-face meeting is required, for example to confirm banking information or attend a meeting, the workers have been known to pay accomplices to stand in for them. When possible, however, the workers eliminate all face-to-face contact, offering fraudulent excuses for why they are not on camera during video teleconferencing calls or speaking.
Attribution
Microsoft Threat Intelligence uses the name Jasper Sleet (formerly known as Storm-0287) to represent activity associated with North Korean’s remote IT worker program. These workers are primarily focused on revenue generation, use remote access tools, and likely fall under a particular leadership structure in North Korea. We also track several other North Korean activity clusters that pursue fraudulent employment using similar techniques and tools, including Storm-1877 and Moonstone Sleet.
How Microsoft disrupts North Korean remote IT worker operations with machine learning
Microsoft has successfully scaled analyst tradecraft to accelerate the identification and disruption of North Korean IT workers in customer environments by developing a custom machine learning solution. This has been achieved by leveraging Microsoft’s existing threat intelligence and weak signals generated by monitoring for many of the red flags listed in this blog, among others. For example, this solution uses impossible time travel risk detections, most commonly between a Western nation and China or Russia. The machine learning workflow uses these features to surface suspect accounts most likely to be North Korean IT workers for assessment by Microsoft Threat Intelligence analysts.
Once Microsoft Threat Intelligence reviews and confirms that an account is indeed associated with a North Korean IT worker, customers are then notified with a Microsoft Entra ID Protection risk detection warning of a risky sign-in based on Microsoft’s threat intelligence. Microsoft Defender XDR customers also receive the alert Sign-in activity by a suspected North Korean entity in the Microsoft Defender portal.
Defending against North Korean remote IT worker infiltration
Defending against the threats from North Korean remote IT workers involves a threefold strategy:
Ensuring a proper vetting approach is in place for freelance workers and vendors
Monitoring for anomalous user activity
Responding to suspected Jasper Sleet signals in close coordination with your insider risk team
Investigate
How can you identify a North Korean remote IT worker in the hiring process?
To protect your organization against a potential North Korean insider threat, it is important for your organization to prioritize a process for verifying employees to identify potential risks. The following can be used to assess potential employees:
Confirm the potential employee has a digital footprint and look for signs of authenticity. This includes a real phone number (not VoIP), a residential address, and social media accounts. Ensure the potential employee’s social media/professional accounts are not highly similar to the accounts of other individuals. In addition, check that the contact phone number listed on the potential employee’s account is unique and not also used by other accounts.
Scrutinize resumes and background checks for consistency of names, addresses, and dates. Consider contacting references by phone or video-teleconference rather than email only.
Exercise greater scrutiny for employees of staffing companies, since this is the easiest avenue for North Korean workers to infiltrate target companies.
Search whether a potential employee is employed at multiple companies using the same persona.
Ensure the potential employee is seen on camera during multiple video telecommunication sessions. If the potential employee reports video and/or microphone issues that prohibit participation, this should be considered a red flag.
During video verification, request individuals to physically hold driver’s licenses, passports, or identity documents up to camera.
Keep records, including recordings of video interviews, of all interactions with potential employees.
Require notarized proof of identity.
Monitor
How can your organization prevent falling victim to the North Korean remote IT worker technique?
To prevent the risks associated with North Korean insider threats, it’s vital to monitor for activity typically associated with this fraudulent scheme.
Monitor for identifiable characteristics of North Korean remote workers
Microsoft has identified the following characteristics of a North Korean remote worker. Note that not all the criteria are necessarily required, and further, a positive identification of a remote worker doesn’t guarantee that the worker is North Korean.
The employee lists a Chinese phone number on social media accounts that is used by other accounts.
The worker’s work-issued laptop authenticates from an IP address of a known North Korean IT worker laptop farm, or from foreign—most commonly Chinese or Russian—IP addresses even though the worker is supposed to have a different work location.
The worker is employed at multiple companies using the same persona. Employees of staffing companies require heightened scrutiny, given this is the easiest way for North Korean workers to infiltrate target companies.
Once a laptop is issued to the worker, RMM software is immediately downloaded onto it and used in combination with a VPN.
The worker has never been seen on camera during a video telecommunication session or is only seen a few times. The worker may also report video and/or microphone issues that prohibit participation from the start.
The worker’s online activity doesn’t align with routine co-worker hours, with limited engagement across approved communication platforms.
Monitor for activity associated with Jasper Sleet access
If RMM tools are used in your environment, enforce security settings where possible, to implement MFA:
If an unapproved installation is discovered, reset passwords for accounts used to install the RMM services. If a system-level account was used to install the software, further investigation may be warranted.
Monitor for impossible travel—for example, a supposedly US-based employee signing in from China or Russia.
Monitor for use of public VPNs such as Astrill. For example, IP addresses associated with VPNs known to be used by Jasper Sleet can be added to Sentinel watchlists. Or, Microsoft Defender for Identity can integrate with your VPN solution to provide more information about user activity, such as extra detection for abnormal VPN connections.
Monitor for signals of insider threats in your environment. Microsoft Purview Insider Risk Management can help identify potentially malicious or inadvertent insider risks.
Monitor for consistent user activity outside of typical working hours.
Remediate
What are the next steps if you positively identify a North Korean remote IT worker employed at your company?
Because Jasper Sleet activity follows legitimate job offers and authorized access, Microsoft recommends approaching confirmed or suspected Jasper Sleet intrusions with an insider risk approach using your organization’s insider risk response plan or incident response provider like Microsoft Incident Response. Some steps might include:
Restrict response efforts to a small, trusted insider risk working group, trained in operational security (OPSEC) to avoid tipping off subjects and potential collaborators.
Rapidly evaluate the subject’s proximity to critical assets, such as:
Leadership or sensitive teams
Direct reports or vendor staff the subject has influence over
Suppliers or vendors
People/non-people accounts, production/pre-production environments, shared accounts, security groups, third-party accounts, security groups, distribution groups, data clusters, and more
Conduct preliminary link analysis to:
Detect relationships with potential collaborators, supporters, or other potential aliases operated by the same actor
Identify shared indicators (for example, shared IP addresses, behavioral overlap)
Avoid premature action that might alert other Jasper Sleet operators
Conduct a risk-based prioritization of efforts, informed by:
Placement and access to critical assets (not necessarily where you identified them)
Stakeholder insight from potentially impacted business units
Business impact considerations of containment (which might support additional collection/analysis) or mitigation (for example, eviction)
Conduct open-source intelligence (OSINT) collection and analysis to:
Determine if the identity associated with the threat actor is associated with a real person. For example, North Korean IT workers have leveraged stolen identities of real US persons to facilitate their fraud. Conduct OSINT on all available personally identifiable information (PII) provided by the actor (name, date of birth, SSN, home of record, phone number, emergency contact, and others) and determine if these items are linked to additional North Korean actors, and/or real persons’ identities.
Gather all known external accounts operated by the alias/persona (for example, LinkedIn, GitHub, freelance working sites, bug bounty programs).
Perform analysis on account images using open-source tools such as FaceForensics++ to determine prevalence of AI-generated content. Detection opportunities within video and imagery include:
Temporal consistency issues: Rapid movements cause noticeable artifacts in video deepfakes as the tracking system struggles to maintain accurate landmark positioning.
Occlusion handling: When objects pass over the AI-generated content such as the face, deepfake systems tend to fail at properly reconstructing the partially obscured face.
Lighting adaptation: Changes in lighting conditions might reveal inconsistencies in the rendering of the face
Audio-visual synchronization: Slight delays between lip movements and speech are detectable under careful observation
Exaggerated facial expressions.
Duplicative or improperly placed appendages.
Pixelation or tearing at edges of face, eyes, ears, and glasses.
Engage counterintelligence or insider risk/threat teams to:
Understand tradecraft and likely next steps
Gain national-level threat context, if applicable
Make incremental, risk-based investigative and response decisions with the support of your insider threat working group and your insider threat stakeholder group; one providing tactical feedback and the other providing risk tolerance feedback.
Preserve evidence and document findings.
Share lessons learned and increase awareness.
Educate employees on the risks associated with insider threats and provide regular security training for employees to recognize and respond to threats, including a section on the unique threat posed by North Korean IT workers.
After an insider risk response to Jasper Sleet, it might be necessary to also conduct a thorough forensic investigation of all systems that the employee had access to for indicators of persistence, such as RMM tools or system/resource modifications.
For additional resources, refer to CISA’s Insider Threat Mitigation Guide. If you suspect your organization is being targeted by nation-state cyber activity, report it to the appropriate national authority. For US-based organizations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) recommends reporting North Korean remote IT worker activity to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).
Microsoft Defender XDR detections
Microsoft Defender XDR customers can refer to the list of applicable detections below. Microsoft Defender XDR coordinates detection, prevention, investigation, and response across endpoints, identities, email, apps to provide integrated protection against attacks like the threat discussed in this blog.
Customers with provisioned access can also use Microsoft Security Copilot in Microsoft Defender to investigate and respond to incidents, hunt for threats, and protect their organization with relevant threat intelligence.
Microsoft Defender XDR
Alerts with the following titles in the security center can indicate threat activity on your network:
Sign-in activity by a suspected North Korean entity
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
Alerts with the following titles in the security center can indicate Jasper Sleet RMM activity on your network. These alerts, however, can be triggered by unrelated threat activity.
Suspicious usage of remote management software
Suspicious connection to remote access software
Microsoft Defender for Identity
Alerts with the following titles in the security center can indicate atypical identity access on your network. These alerts, however, can be triggered by unrelated threat activity.
Atypical travel
Suspicious behavior: Impossible travel activity
Microsoft EntraID Protection
Microsoft Entra ID Protection risk detections inform Entra ID user risk events and can indicate associated threat activity, including unusual user activity consistent with known patterns identified by Microsoft Threat Intelligence research. Note, however, that these alerts can be also triggered by unrelated threat activity.
Microsoft Entra threat intelligence (sign-in): (RiskEventType: investigationsThreatIntelligence)
Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps
Alerts with the following titles in the security center can indicate atypical identity access on your network. These alerts, however, can be triggered by unrelated threat activity.
Impossible travel activity
Microsoft Security Copilot
Security Copilot customers can use the standalone experience to create their own prompts or run the following pre-built promptbooks to automate incident response or investigation tasks related to this threat:
Incident investigation
Microsoft User analysis
Threat actor profile
Note that some promptbooks require access to plugins for Microsoft products such as Microsoft Defender XDR or Microsoft Sentinel.
Hunting queries
Microsoft Defender XDR
Because organizations might have legitimate and frequent uses for RMM software, we recommend using the Microsoft Defender XDR advanced hunting queries available on GitHub to locate RMM software that hasn’t been endorsed by your organization for further investigation. In some cases, these results might include benign activity from legitimate users. Regardless of use case, all newly installed RMM instances should be scrutinized and investigated.
If any queries have high fidelity for discovering unsanctioned RMM instances in your environment, and don’t detect benign activity, you can create a custom detection rule from the advanced hunting query in the Microsoft Defender portal.
Microsoft Sentinel
The alert Insider Risk Sensitive Data Access Outside Organizational Geo-locationjoins Azure Information Protection logs (InformationProtectionLogs_CL) with Microsoft Entra ID sign-in logs (SigninLogs) to provide a correlation of sensitive data access by geo-location. Results include:
User principal name
Label name
Activity
City
State
Country/Region
Time generated
The recommended configuration is to include (or exclude) sign-in geo-locations (city, state, country and/or region) for trusted organizational locations. There is an option for configuration of correlations against Microsoft Sentinel watchlists. Accessing sensitive data from a new or unauthorized geo-location warrants further review.
References
Acknowledgments
For more information on North Korean remote IT worker operations, we recommend reviewing DTEX’s in-depth analysis in the report Exposing DPRK’s Cyber Syndicate and IT Workforce.
Learn more
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For the latest security research from the Microsoft Threat Intelligence community, check out the Microsoft Threat Intelligence Blog.
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It may be summer, but some Plymouth residents will be able to apply for free energy installations that will make their homes cosier without costing a penny or the earth.
People on a low income, those on certain benefits or live in a certain postcode could be eligible for the grant under the Warm Homes Local Grant.
The grant is designed to give more people who rent or own homes the chance to have more energy efficient measures installed. This could include:
wall, loft and underfloor insulation
air source heat pumps
smart controls
solar panels.
Plymouth City Council has been allocated £2.5 million and is working with Plymouth Energy Community (PEC) to deliver the improvements. Since starting in 2013, PEC has helped over 37,000 households with energy advice or energy efficiency measures.
Councillor Chris Penberthy, Cabinet Member for Housing, said: “Thousands of private homes need to have more energy efficient measures but the upfront cost of installing them is simply beyond the reach of many people.
“This is an incredible opportunity for people to get free measures installed, save them thousands of pounds for years to come – and help the environment at the same time.”
A decision has been signed to allocate £2.5m from the Warm Homes Local Grant into the capital programme. This enables the Council to fully fund retrofit measures for eligible residents. This funding is expected to pay for over 200 homes to have new measures installed.
Justin Bear, Retrofit Lead at Plymouth Energy Community, added: “Helping people improve the comfort and energy efficiency of their homes is core to what PEC do so we’re delighted to partner with the Council on this scheme.”
“Retrofitting our homes improves people’s health, and also ensures people are more secure in being able to pay their winter bills.”
To be eligible, your home must:
be privately owned (either by you or your landlord)
have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) of D, E, F or G – if you do not know your home’s EPC, you can find it out when you apply
Your household income must usually be £36,000 a year or less. If you earn more, you might still be eligible if you live in a certain postcode area or
someone in your household is getting certain benefits.
People can Apply for the Warm Homes: Local Grant to improve a home – GOV.UK to see if they are eligible. Their home will be surveyed to assess the installation of the most appropriate measures. If you have a landlord, they may need to pay for some of the improvements.
An ARU graduation ceremony at Chelmsford Cathedral
July will see approximately 6,000 Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) students across the East of England cross the stage to graduate, ready to take the next step in their careers.
Ceremonies begin at the Cambridge Corn Exchange from Monday, July 7 until Wednesday, July 9. In addition to students formally receiving their degrees, an honorary doctorate will be bestowed on Nadia Edwards-Dashti, entrepreneur, author, equity and inclusion thought-leader, and co-founder of London-based Harrington Starr, a global leader in FinTech recruitment.
Peterborough Cathedral will host the first ever set of graduations for ARU Peterborough students at 2pm on Friday, 11 July.
On Monday, 14 July, graduation ceremonies take place in Essex, with 21 ceremonies to be held at Chelmsford Cathedral across the week.
On Thursday, 17 July, ARU will bestow the award of Honorary Doctor of Business Administration on alumnus Vice Admiral Andrew Kyte, the Royal Navy’s Chief of Defence Logistics and Support.
Many of the 6,000 students due to attend graduation ceremonies this month will go on to take up vital roles in public service, including careers as doctors and police officers.
“Graduation is always a fantastic occasion, not only for our students and their families, but also our staff who have worked with them for several years to help them to earn their degree.
“My warmest congratulations to all our graduates, we are extremely proud of them and they will always be part of our ARU community.”
Professor Roderick Watkins, Vice Chancellor of Anglia Ruskin University (ARU)
Law Enforcement Actions Across 16 States Result in Charges, Arrest, and Seizures of 29 Financial Accounts, 21 Fraudulent Websites, and Approximately 200 Computers
The Justice Department announced today coordinated actions against the Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea (DPRK) government’s schemes to fund its regime through remote information technology (IT) work for U.S. companies. These actions include two indictments, an arrest, searches of 29 known or suspected “laptop farms” across 16 states, and the seizure of 29 financial accounts used to launder illicit funds and 21 fraudulent websites.
According to court documents, the schemes involve North Korean individuals fraudulently obtaining employment with U.S. companies as remote IT workers, using stolen and fake identities. The North Korean actors were assisted by individuals in the United States, China, United Arab Emirates, and Taiwan, and successfully obtained employment with more than 100 U.S. companies.
As alleged in court documents, certain U.S.-based individuals enabled one of the schemes by creating front companies and fraudulent websites to promote the bona fides of the remote IT workers, and hosted laptop farms where the remote North Korean IT workers could remote access into U.S. victim company-provided laptop computers. Once employed, the North Korean IT workers received regular salary payments, and they gained access to, and in some cases stole, sensitive employer information such as export controlled U.S. military technology and virtual currency. In another scheme, North Korean IT workers used false or fraudulently obtained identities to gain employment with an Atlanta, Georgia-based blockchain research and development company and stole virtual currency worth approximately over $900,000.
“These schemes target and steal from U.S. companies and are designed to evade sanctions and fund the North Korean regime’s illicit programs, including its weapons programs,” said Assistant Attorney General John A. Eisenberg of the Department’s National Security Division. “The Justice Department, along with our law enforcement, private sector, and international partners, will persistently pursue and dismantle these cyber-enabled revenue generation networks.”
“North Korean IT workers defraud American companies and steal the identities of private citizens, all in support of the North Korean regime,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of FBI’s Cyber Division. “That is why the FBI and our partners continue to work together to disrupt infrastructure, seize revenue, indict overseas IT workers, and arrest their enablers in the United States. Let the actions announced today serve as a warning: if you host laptop farms for the benefit of North Korean actors, law enforcement will be waiting for you.”
“North Korea remains intent on funding its weapons programs by defrauding U.S. companies and exploiting American victims of identity theft, but the FBI is equally intent on disrupting this massive campaign and bringing its perpetrators to justice,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI Counterintelligence Division. “North Korean IT workers posing as U.S. citizens fraudulently obtained employment with American businesses so they could funnel hundreds of millions of dollars to North Korea’s authoritarian regime. The FBI will do everything in our power to defend the homeland and protect Americans from being victimized by the North Korean government, and we ask all U.S. companies that employ remote workers to remain vigilant to this sophisticated threat.”
Zhenxing Wang, et al. Indictment, Seizure Warrants, and Arrest – District of Massachusetts
Today, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts and the National Security Division announced the arrest of U.S. national Zhenxing “Danny” Wang of New Jersey pursuant to a five-count indictment. The indictment describes a multi-year fraud scheme by Wang and his co-conspirators to obtain remote IT work with U.S. companies that generated more than $5 million in revenue. The indictment also charges Chinese nationals Jing Bin Huang (靖斌 黄), Baoyu Zhou (周宝玉), Tong Yuze (佟雨泽), Yongzhe Xu (徐勇哲 andيونجزهي أكسو), Ziyou Yuan (زيو) and Zhenbang Zhou (周震邦), and Taiwanese nationals Mengting Liu (劉 孟婷) and Enchia Liu (刘恩) for their roles in the scheme.
“The threat posed by DPRK operatives is both real and immediate. Thousands of North Korean cyber operatives have been trained and deployed by the regime to blend into the global digital workforce and systematically target U.S. companies,” said U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley for the District of Massachusetts. “We will continue to work relentlessly to protect U.S. businesses and ensure they are not inadvertently fueling the DPRK’s unlawful and dangerous ambitions.”
According to the indictment, from approximately 2021 until October 2024, the defendants and other co-conspirators compromised the identities of more than 80 U.S. persons to obtain remote jobs at more than 100 U.S. companies, including many Fortune 500 companies, and caused U.S. victim companies to incur legal fees, computer network remediation costs, and other damages and losses of at least $3 million. Overseas IT workers were assisted by Kejia Wang, Zhenxing Wang, and at least four other identified U.S. facilitators. Kejia Wang, for example, communicated with overseas co-conspirators and IT workers, and traveled to Shenyang and Dandong, China, including in 2023, to meet with them about the scheme. To deceive U.S. companies into believing the IT workers were located in the United States, Kejia Wang, Zhenxing Wang, and the other U.S. facilitators received and/or hosted laptops belonging to U.S. companies at their residences, and enabled overseas IT workers to access the laptops remotely by, among other things, connecting the laptops to hardware devices designed to allow for remote access (referred to as keyboard-video-mouse or “KVM” switches).
Kejia Wang and Zhenxing Wang also created shell companies with corresponding websites and financial accounts, including Hopana Tech LLC, Tony WKJ LLC, and Independent Lab LLC, to make it appear as though the overseas IT workers were affiliated with legitimate U.S. businesses. Kejia Wang and Zhenxing Wang established these and other financial accounts to receive money from victimized U.S. companies, much of which was subsequently transferred to overseas co‑conspirators. In exchange for their services, Kejia Wang, Zhenxing Wang, and the four other U.S. facilitators received a total of at least $696,000 from the IT workers.
IT workers employed under this scheme also gained access to sensitive employer data and source code, including International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) data from a California-based defense contractor that develops artificial intelligence-powered equipment and technologies. Specifically, between on or about Jan. 19, 2024, and on or about April 2, 2024, an overseas co-conspirator remotely accessed without authorization the company’s laptop and computer files containing technical data and other information. The stolen data included information marked as being controlled under the ITAR.
Simultaneously with today’s announcement, the FBI and Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) seized 17 web domains used in furtherance of the charged scheme and further seized 29 financial accounts, holding tens of thousands of dollars in funds, used to launder revenue for the North Korean regime through the remote IT work scheme.
Previously, in October 2024, as part of this investigation, federal law enforcement executed searches at eight locations across three states that resulted in the recovery of more than 70 laptops and remote access devices, such as KVMs. Simultaneously with that action, the FBI seized four web domains associated with Kejia Wang’s and Zhenxing Wang’s shell companies used to facilitate North Korean IT work.
The FBI Las Vegas Field Office, DCIS San Diego Resident Agency, and Homeland Security Investigations San Diego Field Office are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Casey for the District of Massachusetts and Trial Attorney Gregory J. Nicosia, Jr. of the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section are prosecuting the case, with significant assistance from Legal Assistants Daniel Boucher and Margaret Coppes. Valuable assistance was also provided by Mark A. Murphy of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the District of New Jersey, Eastern District of New York, and Southern District of California.
Kim Kwang Jin et al. Indictment – Northern District of Georgia
Today, the Northern District of Georgia unsealed a five-count wire fraud and money laundering indictment charging four North Korean nationals, Kim Kwang Jin (김관진), Kang Tae Bok (강태복), Jong Pong Ju (정봉주) and Chang Nam Il (창남일), with a scheme to steal virtual currency from two companies, valued at over $900,000 at the time of the thefts, and to launder proceeds of those thefts. The defendants remain at large and wanted by the FBI.
“The defendants used fake and stolen personal identities to conceal their North Korean nationality, pose as remote IT workers, and exploit their victims’ trust to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg for the Northern District of Georgia. “This indictment highlights the unique threat North Korea poses to companies that hire remote IT workers and underscores our resolve to prosecute any actor, in the United States or abroad, who steals from Georgia businesses.”
According to the indictment, the defendants traveled to the United Arab Emirates on North Korean travel documents and worked as a co-located team. In approximately December 2020 and May 2021, respectively, Kim Kwang Jin (using victim P.S.’s stolen identity) and Jong Pong Ju (using the alias “Bryan Cho”) were hired by a blockchain research and development company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, and a virtual token company based in Serbia. Both defendants concealed their North Korean identities from their employers by providing false identification documents containing a mix of stolen and fraudulent identity information. Neither company would have hired Kim Kwang Jin and Jong Pong Ju had they known that they were North Korean citizens. Later, on a recommendation from Jong Pong Ju, the Serbian company hired “Peter Xiao,” who in fact was Chang Nam Il.
After gaining their employers’ trust, Kim Kwang Jin and Jong Pong Ju were assigned projects that provided them access to their employers’ virtual currency assets. In February 2022, Jong Pong Ju used that access to steal virtual currency worth approximately $175,000 at the time of the theft, sending it to a virtual currency address he controlled. In March 2022, Kim Kwang Jin stole virtual currency worth approximately $740,000 at the time of theft by modifying the source code of two of his employer’s smart contracts, then sending it to a virtual currency address he controlled.
To launder the funds after the thefts, Kim Kwang Jin and Jong Pong Ju “mixed” the stolen funds using the virtual currency mixer Tornado Cash and then transferred the funds to virtual currency exchange accounts controlled by defendants Kang Tae Bok and Chang Nam Il but held in the name of aliases. These accounts were opened using fraudulent Malaysian identification documents.
The FBI Atlanta Field Office is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samir Kaushal and Alex Sistla for the Northern District of Georgia and Trial Attorney Jacques Singer-Emery of the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section are prosecuting the case.
21 Searches of Known or Suspected U.S.-based Laptop Farms – Multi-District
Between June 10 and June 17, 2025, the FBI executed searches of 21 premises across 14 states hosting known and suspected laptop farms. These actions, coordinated by the FBI Denver Field Office, related to investigations of North Korean remote IT worker schemes being conducted by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices of the District of Colorado, Eastern District of Missouri, and Northern District of Texas. In total, the FBI seized approximately 137 laptops.
Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the District of Connecticut, the Eastern District of Michigan, the Eastern District of Wisconsin, the Middle District of Florida, the Northern District of Georgia, the Northern District of Illinois, the Northern District of Indiana, the District of Oregon, the Southern District of Florida, the Southern District of Ohio, the Western District of New York, and the Western District of Pennsylvania.
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The Department’s actions to combat these schemes are the latest in a series of law enforcement actions under a joint National Security Division and FBI Cyber and Counterintelligence Divisions effort, the DPRK RevGen: Domestic Enabler Initiative. This effort prioritizes targeting and disrupting the DPRK’s illicit revenue generation schemes and its U.S.-based enablers. The Department previously announced other actions pursuant to the initiative, including in January 2025 and prior, as well as the filing of a civil forfeiture complaint in early June 2025 for over $7.74 million tied to an illegal employment scheme.
As the FBI has described in Public Service Announcements published in May 2024 and January 2025, North Korean remote IT workers posing as legitimate remote IT workers have committed data extortion and exfiltrated the proprietary and sensitive data from U.S. companies. DPRK IT worker schemes typically involve the use of stolen identities, alias emails, social media, online cross-border payment platforms, and online job site accounts, as well as false websites, proxy computers, and witting and unwitting third parties located in the U.S. and elsewhere.
Other public advisories about the threats, red flag indicators, and potential mitigation measures for these schemes include a May 2022 advisory released by the FBI, Department of the Treasury, and Department of State; a July 2023 advisory from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence; and guidance issued in October 2023 by the United States and the Republic of Korea (South Korea). As described the May 2022 advisory, North Korean IT workers have been known individually to earn up to $300,000 annually, generating hundreds of millions of dollars collectively each year, on behalf of designated entities, such as the North Korean Ministry of Defense and others directly involved in the DPRK’s weapons programs.
The U.S. Department of State has offered potential rewards for up to $5 million in support of international efforts to disrupt the DPRK’s illicit financial activities, including for cybercrimes, money laundering, and sanctions evasion.
The details in the above-described court documents are merely allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.