Source: United States Navy
BODØ, Norway — Eleven Allied nations kick off exercise At Sea Demonstration (ASD) / Formidable Shield (FS) 25, led by U.S. 6th Fleet and executed by Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO (STRIKFORNATO), in the North and Norwegian Seas and North Atlantic Ocean, May 3, 2025.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Gregory F. Treverton, Professor of Practice in International Relations, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences
The removal of Mike Waltz as President Donald Trump’s national security adviser – formally the assistant to the president for national security affairs – raises the question of just what that position entails and also what it means that Marco Rubio will now act as secretary of state and national security adviser.
The National Security Act of 1947 created the National Security Council to advise the president on matters of national security. It’s also tasked with integrating domestic, foreign and military policies.
But the national security adviser position is neither enshrined in law nor accountable to Congress.
I’m an economist and international relations scholar who has worked with three national security advisers − Zbigniew Brzezinski, Samuel “Sandy” Berger and Susan Rice.
I’ve seen the job up close. The core of the national security adviser’s role is managing the national security decision-making process, as decisions on issues from Ukraine to Gaza to nuclear proliferation are made. It’s a coordinating role.
National security advisers set the timing and flow of policy analysis and recommendations to the National Security Council committees − first, the principals committee, which brings together the Cabinet secretaries with national security responsibilities from the State Department, Department of Defense, the CIA and others.
While the principals committee typically rarely meets and virtually never with the president in the chair, not so the deputies committee. That committee brings together the Nos. 2 and 3 in the same departments.
In my most recent stint in Washington as chair of the National Intelligence Council in the Obama administration, the deputies committee met almost every day, sometimes more than once. Its formal role is to tee up issues for decision by the principals and the president.
National security advisers have the advantage of proximity to the president, with an office footsteps from the Oval, as it is known in Washington lingo. They also manage a relatively lean staff.
In my time on the National Security Council staff in the Carter administration, it was perhaps 150 all told, including the watch officers in the White House Situation Room. In the Biden administration it was on the order of 350 staff.
For us National Security Council staffers, if we disagreed with our counterparts at the State Department or the Defense Department, we could let the principals decide. We knew that we could get to Brzezinski faster, for example, than they could get to their Cabinet secretaries.
In Washington, proximity is opportunity. And, not surprisingly, national security advisers since McGeorge Bundy in the John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson administrations have become central figures in the foreign policy arena. The have had to manage the balance between seeking to influence the president and remaining an honest broker.
As Berger put it, “You have to be perceived by your colleagues as an honest representative of their viewpoint, or the system breaks down.”
National security advisers have managed the tension in their roles in different ways. And two models of those roles have emerged.
Henry Kissinger, who served Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, was a powerful strategist driving presidential policy, often bypassing traditional channels. He, like Secretary of State Marco Rubio will do, served a dual role from 1973 to 1975 as national security adviser and secretary of state. Condoleezza Rice, the national security adviser who served George W. Bush, also later became secretary of state.
Brent Scowcroft, who served both Ford and President George H. W. Bush, is the exemplar of the other model − an “honest broker” ensuring a fair, collegial policy process. He was the consummate insider: low-key, meticulous about process and influencing through quiet proximity. The Bush administration he served was also, as described by a friend, as collegial as the men’s locker room of an upscale country club. Still, while I never had the chance to work with him, he is my standard for the role of national security adviser.
Waltz served too briefly to evaluate his record. It’s ironic that what seems to have done him in was the Signalgate scandal, in which Waltz added a journalist to a Signal group chat in which government officials discussed details about a planned U.S. military strike in Yemen.
That was an example of Waltz’s coordinating role, bringing most of the relevant policy officials together to discuss an important issue. The purpose was right, but the means was extremely unwise.
Historically, the worst crisis of the National Security Council system ensued when it sought to conduct operations, not just organize them. That was the case in the Iran-Contra affair of the Reagan administration.
Robert McFarlane took over as national security adviser in October 1983. A former Marine officer and deputy national security adviser, he was conscientious to a fault: In one meeting while he was consulting during the transition from President George H. W. Bush to President Bill Clinton, we asked him about work hours. He replied: “They’re not bad. I’m out of here by eight most nights, earlier on Sunday.”
He was done in by Iran-Contra, a clandestine effort run by the National Security Council to trade arms to Iran − then under a U.S. arms embargo − in hopes of freeing American hostages, with proceeds diverted to fund the Nicaraguan Contras, despite a congressional ban on funding them. He pleaded guilty in 1988 to withholding information from Congress.
It’s a telling lesson for Rubio and other Waltz successors as the national security adviser of the dangers of moving from honest broker and quiet advocate to operator − especially if the operation is contrary to public U.S. policy and perhaps against the law.
This story is part of a series of profiles of Cabinet and high-level administration positions.
Gregory F. Treverton does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. National security advisers manage decision-making as advocates or honest brokers – https://theconversation.com/national-security-advisers-manage-decision-making-as-advocates-or-honest-brokers-255760
Source: Government of Canada News
Ottawa, ON – Today, Veterans Affairs Canada and the Department of National Defence issued the following statement:
“Over the course of eight grueling months from September 1944 to May 1945, the First Canadian Army played a major role in liberating the Netherlands from German occupation.
“Town by town, canal by canal, Canadian soldiers pressed forward against a fierce and determined enemy. From the Battle of the Scheldt, to the Rhineland Campaign, to the push north to liberate the Netherlands, those who fought to free the Dutch people achieved and sacrificed much in their efforts to bring peace to Europe.
“Private Léo Major became a legendary figure for his actions in April 1945. In a single night, and with the help of Dutch resistance fighters, he liberated the town of Zwolle without the need for large-scale Allied assaults. For his extraordinary gallantry, Major was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal.
“In the 80 years since the liberation of the Netherlands, Canada has worked within the rules-based international order to live up to the legacy of bravery, commitment and sacrifice demonstrated by Private Major and soldiers like him. Our commitment to upholding global peace and stability has been unwavering, with active participation in international peace support missions, humanitarian efforts, and consistent advocacy for human rights and diplomacy in conflict resolution.
“Today, we remember the more than 7,600 Canadians who died in the 8 dreadful months it took to liberate the Netherlands. In their memory, and in honour of all those who served in this vital operation, we pledge to always stand up for peace, prosperity, and a safe and just world for all.”
The Liberation of the Netherlands – Veterans Affairs Canada
80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War – Veterans Affairs Canada
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)
Gilead Admits to Paying Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars to High Prescribers of Gilead’s HIV Drugs to Serve as Speakers at Programs and to Holding Programs at Luxury Restaurants
Jay Clayton, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; Naomi Gruchacz, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”); Christopher M. Silvestro, the Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Field Office of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (“DCIS”), the law enforcement arm of the Department of Defense’s Office of Inspector General (“DOD-OIG”); and Christopher G. Raia, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today that the U.S. has settled a civil fraud lawsuit against GILEAD SCIENCES, INC (“GILEAD”), a large pharmaceutical manufacturer, that, among other things, develops, manufactures, and sells drugs for the treatment of infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS. The settlement resolves claims that GILEAD offered and paid kickbacks in the form of honoraria payments, meals, and travel expenses to healthcare practitioners who spoke at or attended Gilead speaker events to induce them to prescribe Stribild®, Genvoya®, Complera®, Odefsey®, Descovy®, and Biktarvy® (the “Gilead HIV Drugs”) in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute (“AKS”) and thereby caused false claims for the Gilead HIV Drugs to be submitted to and paid by federal healthcare programs in violation of the False Claims Act.
Under the settlement, which was approved yesterday by U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer, GILEAD agreed to pay a total sum of $202 million, of which $176,927,889.28 will be paid to the U.S. and the remainder will be paid to various states. As part of the settlement, GILEAD also made extensive factual admissions regarding its conduct.
U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton said: “For years, Gilead unlawfully sought to increase sales of its HIV drugs, by using its speaker programs to funnel kickbacks to doctors. As alleged, Gilead spent tens of millions of dollars on these programs, including over $20 million in speaking fees and millions more in exorbitant meals, alcohol and travel, all in an effort to induce doctors to prescribe Gilead’s HIV drugs and drive up sales. With this settlement, Gilead has taken responsibility for its conduct and agreed to pay a significant financial penalty. The message is clear, companies that illegally drain taxpayer dollars from federal healthcare programs will be held accountable.”
HHS-OIG Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz said: “This impactful settlement is the result of collaborative work by law enforcement partners, revealing Gilead’s unlawful practice of providing kickbacks to physicians under the guise of its HIV educational speaker programs. Violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute, which in this case involved expensive HIV medications, can inappropriately influence physicians’ decision-making and divert the monies of taxpayer-funded federal healthcare programs.”
DCIS Acting Special Agent in Charge Christopher M. Silvestro: “This settlement is the result of the partnership among law enforcement and the Department of Justice to aggressively investigate and hold accountable companies and their employees who value greed over healthcare. Protecting TRICARE, the healthcare system for Service members and their families, and investigating kickback schemes are priorities for DCIS.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia said: “This settlement ensures Gilead is held accountable for their illicit use of perks and kickbacks to entice doctors to prescribe the company’s medicine. These types of schemes are not victimless – illegal kickbacks directly affect taxpayer funded healthcare programs. The FBI will continue to investigate and stop healthcare companies attempting to benefit from deceitful and illegal practices.”
As alleged in the Complaint filed in Manhattan federal court:
The Gilead HIV Drugs are antiretroviral drugs (i.e., drugs that act against retroviruses such as HIV) used for the treatment of HIV. These drugs are very expensive—Medicare typically paid well in excess of a thousand dollars for a one-month supply of Complera®, and significantly more for many of the other Gilead HIV Drugs.
As part of its marketing efforts and to increase sales, Gilead conducted events known as “HIV Speaker Programs” at which a healthcare provider involved in the treatment of HIV was engaged to present a slide deck (prepared by Gilead) and facilitate discussion about one of the drugs or a topic concerning HIV (an “HIV Disease State Topic”) to other healthcare providers involved in the treatment of HIV (“Attendees”). Gilead’s HIV Speaker Programs were often held in the evening at restaurants (“HIV Dinner Programs”).
From January 2011 to November 2017 (the “Relevant Time Period”), Gilead conducted HIV Speaker Programs in order to promote and increase the sales of the Gilead HIV Drugs. The HIV Speaker Programs were supposed to be educational in nature and the cost of any meals provided was supposed to be modest. But in practice, during the Relevant Time Period, Gilead’s HIV Speaker Programs provided kickbacks to healthcare providers by: holding HIV Dinner Programs at high-end restaurants that were wholly inappropriate for educational events; allowing Attendees to attend HIV Dinner Programs on the exact same topic again and again and, thereby, obtain free lavish meals for events that held minimal educational value for them; and paying for HIV Speakers to travel to speak at desirable destinations—at times at the HIV Speaker’s request. Further, Gilead’s compliance program failed to prevent these improper practices, even though Gilead knew that it had to comply with the AKS and the company’s own data should have put Gilead on notice of many of these abuses.
Many healthcare providers who received these improper kickbacks then prescribed the Gilead HIV Drugs. As a result, federal healthcare programs paid millions of dollars in reimbursements for tainted prescriptions.
As part of the settlement, GILEAD admitted and accepted responsibility for certain conduct alleged by the U.S., including the following:
In connection with the filing of the lawsuit and settlement, the Government joined a private whistleblower lawsuit that had been filed under seal pursuant to the False Claims Act.
* * *
Mr. Clayton thanked the New York Medicaid Fraud Control Unit for their extensive collaboration in the investigation and resolution of this case, and also praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI, HHS-OIG and DCIS.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Frauds Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob M. Bergman, Allison M. Rovner, Rebecca S. Tinio, and Lucas Issacharoff are in charge of the case.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Chris Vagasky, Meteorologist and Research Program Manager, University of Wisconsin-Madison
The National Hurricane Center’s forecasts in 2024 were its most accurate on record, from its one-day forecasts, as tropical cyclones neared the coast, to its forecasts five days into the future, when storms were only beginning to come together.
Thanks to federally funded research, forecasts of tropical cyclone tracks today are up to 75% more accurate than they were in 1990. A National Hurricane Center forecast three days out today is about as accurate as a one-day forecast in 2002, giving people in the storm’s path more time to prepare and reducing the size of evacuations.
Accuracy will be crucial again in 2025, as meteorologists predict another active Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to Nov. 30.
Yet, cuts in staffing and threats to funding at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration – which includes the National Hurricane Center and National Weather Service – are diminishing operations that forecasters rely on.
I am a meteorologist who studies lightning in hurricanes and helps train other meteorologists to monitor and forecast tropical cyclones. Here are three of the essential components of weather forecasting that have been targeted for cuts to funding and staff at NOAA.
To understand how a hurricane is likely to behave, forecasters need to know what’s going on in the atmosphere far from the Atlantic and Gulf coasts.
Hurricanes are steered by the winds around them. Wind patterns detected today over the Rocky Mountains and Great Plains – places like Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska and South Dakota – give forecasters clues to the winds that will be likely along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts in the days ahead.
Satellites can’t take direct measurements, so to measure these winds, scientists rely on weather balloons. That data is essential both for forecasts and to calibrate the complicated formulas forecasters use to make estimates from satellite data.
However, in early 2025, the Trump administration terminated or suspended weather balloon launches at more than a dozen locations.
That move and other cuts and threatened cuts at NOAA have raised red flags for forecasters across the country and around the world.
Forecasters everywhere, from TV to private companies, rely on NOAA’s data to do their jobs. Much of that data would be extremely expensive if not impossible to replicate.
Under normal circumstances, weather balloons are released from around 900 locations around the world at 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Eastern time every day. While the loss of just 12 of these profiles may not seem significant, small amounts of missing data can lead to big forecast errors. This is an example of chaos theory, more popularly known as the butterfly effect.
The balloons carry a small instrument called a radiosonde, which records data as it rises from the surface of the Earth to around 120,000 feet above ground. The radiosonde acts like an all-in-one weather station, beaming back details of the temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and direction, and air pressure every 15 feet through its flight.
Together, all these measurements help meteorologists interpret the atmosphere overhead and feed into computer models used to help forecast weather around the country, including hurricanes.
For more than 80 years, scientists have been flying planes into hurricanes to measure each storm’s strength and help forecast its path and potential for damage.
Known as “Hurricane Hunters,” these crews from the U.S. Air Force Reserve and NOAA routinely conduct reconnaissance missions throughout hurricane season using a variety of instruments. Similar to weather balloons, these flights are making measurements that satellites can’t.
Hurricane Hunters use Doppler radar to gauge how the wind is blowing and LiDAR to measure temperature and humidity changes. They drop probes to measure the ocean temperature down several hundred feet to tell how much warm water might be there to fuel the storm.
They also release 20 to 30 dropsondes, measuring devices with parachutes. As the dropsondes fall through the storm, they transmit data about the temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction and air pressure every 15 feet or so from the plane to the ocean.
Dropsondes from Hurricane Hunter flights are the only way to directly measure what is occurring inside the storm. Although satellites and radars can see inside hurricanes, these are indirect measurements that do not have the fine-scale resolution of dropsonde data.
That data tells National Hurricane Center forecasters how intense the storm is and whether the atmosphere around the storm is favorable for strengthening. Dropsonde data also helps computer models forecast the track and intensity of storms days into the future.
Two NOAA Hurricane Hunter flight directors were laid off in February 2025, leaving only six when 10 are preferred. Directors are the flight meteorologists aboard each flight who oversee operations and ensure the planes stay away from the most dangerous conditions.
Having fewer directors limits the number of flights that can be sent out during busy times when Hurricane Hunters are monitoring multiple storms. And that would limit the accurate data the National Hurricane Center would have for forecasting storms.
Weather satellites that monitor tropical storms from space provide continuous views of each storm’s track and intensity changes. The equipment on these satellites and software used to analyze it make increasingly accurate hurricane forecasts possible. Much of that equipment is developed by federally funded researchers.
For example, the Cooperative Institutes in Wisconsin and Colorado have developed software and methods that help meteorologists better understand the current state of tropical cyclones and forecast future intensity when aircraft reconnaissance isn’t immediately available.
Forecasting rapid intensification is one of the great challenges for hurricane scientists. It’s the dangerous shift when a tropical cyclone’s wind speeds jump by at least 35 mph (56 kilometers per hour) in 24 hours.
For example, in 2018, Hurricane Michael’s rapid intensification caught the Florida Panhandle by surprise. The Category 5 storm caused billions of dollars in damage across the region, including at Tyndall Air Force Base, where several F-22 Stealth Fighters were still in hangars.
Under the federal budget proposal details released so far, including a draft of agencies’ budget plans marked up by Trump’s Office of Management and Budget, known as the passback, there is no funding for Cooperative Institutes. There is also no funding for aircraft recapitalization. A 2022 NOAA plan sought to purchase up to six new aircraft that would be used by Hurricane Hunters.
The passback budget also cut funding for some technology from future satellites, including lightning mappers that are used in hurricane intensity forecasting and to warn airplanes of risks.
Tropical storms and hurricanes can have devastating effects, as Hurricanes Helene and Milton reminded the country in 2024. These storms, while well forecast, resulted in billions of dollars of damage and hundreds of fatalities.
The U.S. has been facing more intense storms, and the coastal population and value of property in harm’s way are growing. As five former directors of the National Weather Service wrote in an open letter, cutting funding and staff from NOAA’s work that is improving forecasting and warnings ultimately threatens to leave more lives at risk.
Chris Vagasky is a member of the American Meteorological Society and National Weather Association.
– ref. Hurricane forecasts are more accurate than ever – NOAA funding cuts could change that, with a busy storm season coming – https://theconversation.com/hurricane-forecasts-are-more-accurate-than-ever-noaa-funding-cuts-could-change-that-with-a-busy-storm-season-coming-255369
Source: US Army (video statements)
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Source: United States AFRICOM
Gallery contains 3 images
U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Michael Langley, commander of U.S. Africa Command, traveled to Côte d’Ivoire, April 24-25, to meet with Ivorian leaders and deliver remarks at the opening ceremony of Flintlock 25, the command’s annual combined special operations exercise.
At the opening ceremony, General Langley highlighted the importance of joint exercises like Flintlock in enhancing the readiness and lethality of participating forces. He emphasized that this increased capability is crucial for deterring terror organizations and other malign actors operating from Africa.
Later, Langley and U.S. Ambassador Jessica Davis Ba met with Côte d’Ivoire’s Minister of Defence Téné Birahima Ouattara and Chief of Defence Staff Lt. Gen. Lassina Doumbia. The leaders discussed security cooperation opportunities to counter transnational threats and emphasized Côte d’Ivoire’s role as a security leader in the region.
AFRICOM is one of seven U.S. geographic combatant commands, responsible for military engagement across 53 African nations. Working with partners and allies, the command counters malign actors and transnational threats, responds to crises, strengthens African security forces, and supports U.S. government efforts in Africa to advance U.S. national interests and promote regional security, stability, and prosperity.
Source: People’s Republic of China – Ministry of National Defense
BEIJING, May 5 — At the invitation of the defense ministries of Russia and Belarus, the Guard of Honor of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) will dispatch contingents to respectively participate in the military parades held in Moscow of Russia and Minsk of Belarus on May 9 to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War.
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Source: United States of America – The White House (video statements)
Air Force One
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
TEHRAN, May 5 (Xinhua) — Iranian Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh has warned that Iran will strike the interests, bases and troops of the United States and Israel “wherever they are and whenever it deems necessary” if either country starts a war against the Islamic Republic.
He made the remarks in an interview with Iran’s IRIB news agency published on Sunday, in response to a recent threat from US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who warned that Iran would “pay a price” for its “support for the Houthis.”
The Iranian minister noted that Iran has a large arsenal of missiles at its bases and will not hesitate to use them against regional targets if a war is forced on the country.
“If such a war is unleashed by the United States or Israel, the Islamic Republic of Iran will strike their interests, bases and troops wherever they are and whenever it deems it necessary,” said A. Nasirzadeh.
He went on to criticize the “contradictory” behavior of the United States, which declares its openness to negotiations while at the same time threatening Iran through various channels.
A. Nasirzadeh said that Yemen is an independent country and makes its own decisions, advising the US to refrain from creating crises in the West Asian region. –0–
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Participants of the memorial event
A memorial event dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War was held at SPbGASU.
Our university greeted the participants of the celebration with the sounds of wartime music. The veterans shared their memories.
Zoya Ivanovna Kruglova taught French at LISI (SPbGASU) for 41 years and headed the trade union. When the war began, Zoya Ivanovna lived in Vyshny Volochok and went to first grade. “My father was at war, my brother was at war, my sister also volunteered for the front. My mother and I were left alone. As the Germans approached, we had to evacuate – first 20 kilometers to the village of Golovkino, then to another village where my father’s sister lived. There I went to second grade. It was three kilometers to school… Then we returned to Volochok.
I remember Victory Day very well. It was a clear sunny day. I got up, my neighbor was running and saying – the war is over, victory! At school, the teacher told everyone to go to the city center, there would be a celebration there. We were very happy that the war was over. We danced, we danced.”
Alexander Matveevich Maslennikov first entered the walls of our university 75 years ago, in 1950, as a student. He had A’s in all subjects. During his studies, he received only one B, and that was because he was ill. Then – postgraduate studies, defending a candidate’s and doctoral dissertation. Andrei Matveevich was one of the first in our country to introduce the matrix form of calculation of building structures and the finite element method into the educational process, he headed the department of structural mechanics of our university for 25 years, and was vice-rector for science.
At the beginning of the war, Aleksandr Matveyevich was 14 years old. At 15, he went to work and worked on a ship of the Belsk River Shipping Company in Bashkiria throughout the war. Aleksandr Matveyevich jokes that his job title suited his last name very well – he was an oiler in the engine room. Aleksandr Matveyevich celebrated Victory Day in the firebox of a steamboat boiler.
“There were three people on watch in the engine rooms. The mechanic was the main one. I was the oiler. And the third was the stoker. It was dark to go back to the city, we had to spend the night somewhere. It was cold in the steamer itself. We cleared the boiler firebox of ash, threw in rags – one of our materials that we used to clean the mechanisms so that they would work smoothly. And we spent the night right in the firebox. Suddenly the whistle blew. They were shouting – victory, victory! They announced that we had won, the war was over.”
Marina Malyutina’s performance
Marina Malyutina, Vice-Rector for Youth Policy, spoke about our university’s contribution to the Victory. More than 950 students, postgraduates, teachers, employees and graduates of LISI went to the active army, to hospitals, medical battalions, and air defense units. Teachers and professors designed and supervised the construction of pillboxes, bunkers, and other defensive structures outside the city, camouflaged military facilities and architectural monuments. It was largely due to their efforts that not a single monument was destroyed during the 900 days of the siege. From March 1942 to August 1944, the institute’s staff was evacuated, where scientific research continued and the educational process did not stop. In 1945, the Leningrad Civil Engineering Institute was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor. Many teachers, employees and students were awarded medals “For the Defense of Leningrad”.
Marina Viktorovna is sure that the memory of the war is a powerful factor in uniting people and forming national unity. “The exploits of previous generations are a moral guideline that inspires us to new achievements and hard work. We at SPbGASU will continue to preserve and increase the memory of the generation of victors and their legacy, educate highly qualified civil engineers and architects who will strengthen the sovereignty of our country with their work.”
The Chairman of the Regional Public Organization “Association of Veterans of the Special Military Operation “Defenders of the Motherland”” Georgy Zhuravlev spoke to the participants of the memorial event. He spoke about the exploits of his family members during the Great Patriotic War and noted: through the stories of his loved ones, he understood what fascism brings to this world, so he went to the SVO. He took part in military operations near Kharkov, was seriously wounded, and was awarded the Order of Courage. Georgy Zhuravlev emphasized: now, when our country is facing new challenges, we are obliged to win the war against the new Nazism.
The participants of the solemn ceremony observed a minute of silence in memory of the fallen defenders of the Motherland and laid flowers at the memorial plaques on the balustrade of the main building of the university. A concert prepared by the Student Leisure and Creativity Center “Kirpich” took place in the assembly hall.
An exhibition entitled “Faces of Victory” opened on the lower balustrade, dedicated to the teachers, students, and graduates of our university who fought during the Great Patriotic War or worked in the rear, performing the most important tasks for the country.
Aleksandr Vasilyevich Prygunov (1907–1943) – Hero of the Soviet Union, graduate of the Institute of Municipal Construction Engineers (as our university was then called) in 1936. From the end of 1941, he commanded a sapper platoon on the Karelian Front. From May 1943, he took command of a sapper company, which distinguished itself in equipping three bypasses and restoring two bridges across the Lisenok River in the Gaivoronsky District of the Kursk Region, ensuring the timely passage of all divisional cargo.
In the autumn of 1943, the brigade was tasked with forcing the Dnieper with assault troops. On the night of September 27, 1943, the company’s grenadiers ferried the first assault troops across the Dnieper, quickly set up a ferry crossing and began delivering artillery, ammunition and soldiers. The enemy opened fierce artillery and mortar fire on the crossing. Most of the boats were damaged, but Senior Lieutenant Prygunov, organizing repairs to the watercraft, and his soldiers continued to selflessly work on the crossing and the two surviving boats. Fierce fighting continued for two days. Despite the losses suffered and the lack of ferry equipment, Prygunov’s sapper company, under enemy fire, transported 17 artillery pieces, 117 boxes of ammunition, 557 soldiers and officers, as well as a large amount of other military equipment across the Dnieper in two nights. On September 29, 1943, A. V. Prygunov was mortally wounded by a shell fragment in the chest.
For exemplary performance of combat missions, Senior Lieutenant A. V. Prygunov was posthumously awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union.
Ivan Ivanovich Solomakhin (1908–1989) is a graduate of the Leningrad Institute of Municipal Construction (another name for our university). In early 1943, Solomakhin’s battalion took part in Operation Iskra on the Leningrad and Volkhov Fronts to break through the blockade, and in the summer in the battles for the Sinyavin Heights. During battles with his battalion of sappers, using cold weapons, he was able to capture the “Devil’s Height,” which had been fought for over a year. As a result of the surprise attack, several hundred fascists were killed and 120 were captured. The engineering battalion lost 16 people killed and 26 wounded. He was awarded seven orders and three medals. A passage in the Kirovsky District of St. Petersburg is named after Ivan Solomakhin.
In addition, the exhibition “The University During the War Years”, prepared by the historical and information center of SPbGASU, is open in the university museum (room 213). Anyone can visit it.
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 India
Posted On: 05 MAY 2025 1:57PM by PIB Delhi
In line with India’s commitment towards regional cooperation, INS Sharda arrived at Maafilaafushi Atoll, Maldives, for a Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) exercise planned from 04 to 10 May 25. This deployment is a testament to the strong defence and maritime cooperation between India and the Maldives. It aligns with India’s “MAHASAGAR” (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) vision, emphasising collaborative efforts to ensure peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indian Ocean Region.
This HADR exercise aims to enhance interoperability between the Indian Navy and the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF). It will focus on actions like Disaster Response Coordination, Search and Rescue Operations, Medical Assistance, Logistical Support, Joint Drills, Training Sessions, and Community Engagement following a major natural disaster.
Through such collaborative efforts, India and the Maldives continue strengthening their partnership and ensuring readiness to respond effectively to natural disasters and other humanitarian challenges.
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VM/SKS
(Release ID: 2126999) Visitor Counter : 80
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra
It took an election win, but Anthony Albanese on Monday finally received that much-awaited phone call from US President Donald Trump.
The conversation was “warm and positive,” the prime minister told a news conference, thanking the president for “reaching out”.
“I won’t go into all of the personal comments that he made, but he was very generous in his personal warmth and praise towards myself. He was fully aware of the [election] outcome and he expressed the desire to continue to work with me in the future.”
While they talked about tariffs (as well as AUKUS), the detailed engagement on that sensitive matter was left for later.
Trump, as they say, loves a winner.
When asked earlier in Washington about the Australian election, Trump said he was “very friendly” with Albanese.
“I don’t know anything about the election other than the man that won, he’s very good, he’s a friend of mine,” the president said. Albanese had been “very, very nice to me, very respectful to me.
“I have no idea who the other person is that ran against him.” There’s more than a touch of irony in this, given all the effort by the government and his other opponents to paint Peter Dutton as “Trump-lite”.
The prime minister is likely to meet Trump soon, perhaps in June. Albanese has been invited to the G7 meeting in Canada. Trump may or may not be there but a meeting could be arranged around this.
On the tariff front, the government is readying to defend the local film industry, after Trump announced a 100% tariff on all movies going into the United States.
Arts Minister Tony Burke said: “Nobody should be under any doubt that we will be standing up unequivocally for the rights of the Australian screen industry.”
Albanese announced his first overseas visit would be to Indonesia. This will be a particularly important visit, given the significance of the bilateral relationship and the recent Russian request (which Indonesia rejected) to base planes in Papua.
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto congratulated Albanese on his win in a call on Sunday.
In the call, Albanese asked the president to host his first overseas visit, and the president said it would be “a great honour” to do so.
Meanwhile, in the next few days Labor’s factions will be jostling over the spoils of victory. The factions work out broadly the membership of the frontbench, but Albanese, given he has massive authority with the huge win, will be able to impose his will in this process where he wants to do so. The prime minister allocates the portfolios.
Although there will be changes, Labor sources are expecting substantial continuity between the old and new ministries, especially at the higher level.
Albanese has previously confirmed top cabinet members, notably Treasurer Jim Chalmers, Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Defence Minister Marles, Finance Minister Katy Gallagher and Trade Minister Don Farrell, will remain in their present ministries.
Most interest is in whether Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek is moved. Albanese would not say, when asked during the campaign, whether she would remain in environment although he confirmed she would stay in cabinet. Albanese and Plibersek have had a poor relationship over decades. She had expected to become education minister after the last election and was shocked to be given the environment portfolio/
Albanese told his news conference “I want Labor to be the natural party of government”.
What goes around comes around. Outgoing NSW Liberal senator Hollie Hughes, who blamed shadow treasurer
Angus Taylor for her loss of preselection because he endorsed the candidate who beat her, has unleashed on Taylor’s leadership aspirations.
Hughes told the ABC on Monday she would not support Taylor to be the next leader.
She said the opposition’s economic narrative “was just completely non-existent. I’m not quite sure what [Taylor has] been doing for three years.
“There was no tax plan, I think the economic team has significantly let down the parliamentary team, it’s let down our membership, it’s let down our supporters and it’s let down people in Australia broadly – the fact they had nothing to sell, nothing to say, and clearly had not done the work that was required.”
She said deputy leader Sussan Ley had done “a fantastic job over the past three years and I’m hopeful that she will definitely still be part of our leadership.”
Four names are in the mix for the successor to Peter Dutton, who lost his seat of Dickson in Saturday’s rout. They are Taylor, Ley, immigration spokesman Dan Tehan and defence spokesman Andrew Hastie. None has yet declared their candidature.
Hastie told The West Australian at the weekend, “I certainly want to be able to drive change within the party itself and what that looks like will be up to my colleagues to determine”.
Michelle Grattan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. View from The Hill: a budding Trump-Albanese bromance? – https://theconversation.com/view-from-the-hill-a-budding-trump-albanese-bromance-255619
Source: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe – OSCE
Headline: Enhancing Military Transparency: International Seminar on the Vienna Document 2011 was held in Almaty as part of Confidence and Security-Building Measures
Enhancing Military Transparency: International Seminar on the Vienna Document 2011 was held in Almaty as part of Confidence and Security-Building Measures | OSCE
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Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
GAZA, May 5 (Xinhua) — Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip killed at least 20 Palestinians, including women and children, on Sunday, local authorities said, amid intensified ground and air operations, continued shelling and drone attacks on residential areas.
At least 11 people, including seven women and three children, were killed in an airstrike on a tent housing displaced families in the al-Mawasi area west of Khan Yunis, Mahmoud Basal, a spokesman for the Palestinian Civil Defense in Gaza, told Xinhua. Four more people from the same family were killed earlier in the day in the same area.
In another area of Khan Yunis, a woman was killed and others were wounded as a result of shelling of a residential building in the Al-Amal area. Another strike on a tent near Abasan al-Kabira killed a young man and wounded several others, Basal said.
In central Gaza, one woman was killed and several people were wounded when a drone struck the home of the Abu Huwaishel family in the Nuseirat refugee camp. Northern Gaza was also hit, with one man killed, his wife and others wounded in a drone strike on Al-Nakheel Street in the At-Tuffah neighborhood of Gaza City.
According to M. Basal, rescuers have recovered the body of another victim of the attack on the school in Beit Hanoun.
Eyewitnesses reported continued Israeli bombing and helicopter gunship attacks on residential buildings in both the northern and southern parts of the enclave. Artillery and air strikes also hit homes in the Shujaiya and At-Tuffah neighborhoods. –0–
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joanne Wallis, Professor of International Security, University of Adelaide
The re-election of the Albanese Labor government by such a wide margin should not mean “business as usual” for Australia’s security policy.
The global uncertainty instigated by US President Donald Trump means Australia’s security landscape is very different today from when Labor was first elected in 2022, or even when its Defence Strategic Review was released in 2023.
As we argue in our recent book, the Albanese government faces increasingly difficult questions.
How can we maintain our crucial security alliance with the US while deepening partnerships with other countries that have reservations about US policy?
And, given Trump’s recent actions, how much can we continue to rely on the United States and what are the potential costs of the alliance?
With a massive parliamentary majority, the new government has an opportunity for bold thinking on national security. This is not the time for Australia to keep its head down – we need to face the rapidly changing world with our heads held high.
We do not advocate Australia step away from the US alliance. We are also realistic that decades of defence procurement mean Australia is heavily reliant on US defence materiel (and its subsequent sustainment) for our security.
The deep interoperability between the Australian Defence Force and the US military is something alliance sceptics too readily gloss over: much Australian military capability cannot function without ongoing American support.
At the same time, many alliance advocates underestimate the impact of the new challenges we face. Some assumed a continuity between the first and second Trump administrations. However, we are not convinced the lessons learned from Trump 1.0 are still valid.
A key difference between Trump 1.0 and 2.0 is the effect of his move away from respecting international law.
For example, the US has voted with Russia against UN Security Council resolutions condemning the Ukraine war, withdrawn from the Paris Climate Agreement and World Health Organization, and damaged relations with NATO allies, among many other actions.
As a middle power, Australia has long relied on the “rules-based order” to advance its foreign and strategic policy interests.
Even if “normal transmission” resumes under a new US president in 2029, we are concerned the Trump administration’s structural changes to the international order will not easily be wound back. American soft power has been decimated by cuts to the US State Department, USAID and international broadcasting services. This will also not be rebuilt quickly.
A second difference is there are few “adults left in the room” in the Trump administration.
The advisers who kept Trump in check during his first administration have been replaced by loyalists less likely to push back against his ideas and impulses. This includes his long-held grievance that allies have been exploiting the US.
The Albanese government needs to think more deeply about how to hedge against dependence on the US. This means investing in relations with other partners, especially in Asia and the Pacific, and working with them to promote the laws, rules and norms that maintain stability and predictability in global affairs.
We are also concerned that many in the national security community base their policy recommendations on the assumption that war between the US and China is inevitable, and such a conflict could draw in Australia as America’s ally.
Rather, the Trump administration’s preference for “deals” opens the possibility the US and China might come to an arrangement that will affect US presence and leadership in our region.
Australia may not be prepared for this. The new government must engage in more open discussion about how we would maintain our security if the US does pull back from the region or makes decisions Australians don’t support.
As a start, we need to consider how Australia can better pursue self-reliance within the alliance structure. We need a range of strategic options in the future that don’t rely on an outdated image of the US as a reliable partner.
This debate should be guided by what we call “pragmatic idealism”.
Rather than accepting the way things are, the government and members of the national security community need to re-imagine how things can be.
We argue the Albanese government should draw confidence from its thumping electoral win to articulate a politics of hope, opportunity and possibility for our future security. This needs to drown out the cynicism, passive acceptance and learned helplessness that often characterises Australian national security debates.
We are conscious that being “idealistic” is often dismissed as impractical, naïve “wishful thinking”. But the new government needs to demonstrate to Australians it has the courage to face the diverse, interlinked and complex security challenges we face – potentially on our own. These extend to issues such as cyber attacks, transnational crime and climate change.
As a first step, the Albanese government urgently needs to commission an integrated National Security Strategy that considers all the tools of statecraft Australia can use to respond to these challenges.
This means engaging more with partners in Southeast Asia and the Pacific. In particular, Australia should consider investing more heavily in information programs and public diplomacy as the US withdraws from this arena.
The government must also engage better with the public and be more transparent about its security options and decisions.
On AUKUS, for instance, the government must build its “social licence” from the public to sustain such a massive deal across generations. Australians need to be better informed about – and consulted on – the decisions they will ultimately pay for.
This also includes being upfront with Australians about the need for greater defence spending in a tumultuous world.
It is understandably tempting for the new Albanese government to continue a “small target” approach when it comes to the US. This has meant minimising domestic debate about the alliance that could undermine support for AUKUS and avoid risking the ire of a thin-skinned Trump.
But the government needs the courage to ask difficult questions and imagine different futures.
Joanne Wallis receives funding from the Australian Research Council, the Australian Department of Defence, and the government of South Australia. She is a Senior Nonresident Fellow of the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C.
Rebecca Strating receives funding from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
– ref. After its landslide win, Labor should have courage and confidence on security – and our alliance with the US – https://theconversation.com/after-its-landslide-win-labor-should-have-courage-and-confidence-on-security-and-our-alliance-with-the-us-255598
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jim Costa Representing 16th District of California
WASHINGTON – Congressman Jim Costa (CA-21) took to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives to pay tribute to the lives and service of two Central Valley heroes – Marine Lance Corporal Marcelino M. Gamino and U.S. Army veteran Guadalupe Castillo.
In a heartfelt address, Costa honored Lance Corporal Marcelino M. Gamino, a proud son of Fresno sadly passed away while serving his country. At just 28 years old, Gamino served as a combat engineer with the 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division. His bravery and dedication are a testament to the values of service and sacrifice that define the San Joaquin Valley.
REMARKS as delivered:
Mr. Speaker… I rise today to honor the life of Lance Corporal Marcelino M. Gamino, a proud Marine of Fresno, California, who gave his life in service to our nation. He answered the call to serve in May 2022, quickly rising to the rank of Lance Corporal by August 2024.
At just 28 years old, Marcelino served with distinction as a combat engineer in the 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division. His commitment took him across the world, deploying to Darwin, Australia, as part of the Marine Rotational Force.
His service was marked by distinction, earning him the National Defense Service Medal and the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon. We mourn his tragic loss, and our hearts are with his family and fellow Marines. His courage and service will never be forgotten. Semper Fi!
Costa also recognized Guadalupe Castillo, who answered the call to serve his country at just 18 years old. A U.S. Army World War II veteran, he fought in some of the most pivotal battles in history, including the Battle of the Bulge, D-Day at Omaha Beach, and the Liberation of France. At 100 years old, Mr. Castillo left behind a remarkable legacy of courage, service, and devotion to his community and country. Castilllo sadly passed away on Easter Sunday.
REMARKS as delivered:
Mr. Speaker… I rise to honor the incredible life of Guadalupe Castillo, a true American hero of Fresno, California.
At just 18, he entered the U.S. Army and faced some of history’s fiercest battles: the Battle of the Bulge, D-Day at Omaha Beach, and the Liberation of France from tyranny. His courage and sacrifice helped shape the course of history. But his service didn’t end on the battlefield.
After his service, he devoted 20 years to helping fellow veterans through the VA, inspiring his son Manuel to follow in his footsteps. I had the honor of meeting Mr. Castillo shortly before he passed away on Easter Sunday.
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
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, May 4 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday called for all-out efforts to search for and rescue people in the water and treat all those injured after two sightseeing boats sank in southwest China’s Guizhou Province.
The incident occurred on the Liuchong River in Qianxi County City at around 4:40 p.m. on May 4, leaving three people dead and 14 missing. A total of 60 people were hospitalized.
Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, gave important instructions, calling for maximum efforts to carry out search and rescue work, properly handle issues related to the dead and provide support to their families.
Stressing that several emergency incidents have occurred in various regions of the country in quick succession recently, resulting in deaths and injuries, the Chinese President called on local authorities and relevant departments to learn lessons from these tragedies, resolutely eradicate carelessness and strengthen the responsibility of all parties involved.
Xi Jinping stressed the importance of strengthening security measures in tourist attractions, major public facilities, residential areas and passenger return routes during the International Labor Day holiday to curb the tendency of frequent serious accidents.
In turn, Li Qiang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee and Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China, ordered that all efforts be directed to the search and rescue of missing persons, as well as to providing medical assistance to the injured. He stressed that, given the approaching end of the May Day holidays, local authorities must conduct comprehensive safety checks and eliminate potential risks at key facilities and in key areas in order to prevent and minimize the occurrence of various serious incidents.
In accordance with the important instructions of Xi Jinping and the orders of Li Qiang, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China Zhang Guoqing led a team of responsible persons to the scene to lead the search and rescue work and eliminate the consequences of the incident. –0–
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Xinhua | 05. 05. 2025
Keywords: offensive expansion,reservists call-up,chief of general staff,idf,urgent,begins,israel,gaza,offensive expansion,reservists call-up notices,eyal zamir,gaza strip,tens of thousands,chief,of israel,declared
JERUSALEM, May 4 (Xinhua) — Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of General Staff Eyal Zamir said Sunday that “tens of thousands” of draft notices have been issued to reservists to expand the offensive in the Gaza Strip. –0–
Source: Xinhua
Breaking: Israel begins mass call-up of reservists to expand Gaza offensive – IDF Chief of Staff Breaking: Israel begins mass call-up of reservists to expand Gaza offensive – IDF Chief of Staff
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
JERUSALEM, May 4 (Xinhua) — Israel’s military has begun issuing “tens of thousands” of draft notices to reservists to expand its offensive in the Gaza Strip, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said Sunday during a visit to a naval base, vowing to step up pressure on the Palestinian Hamas movement to free hostages.
“This week we are issuing tens of thousands of draft notices to our reservists to strengthen and expand operations in Gaza,” said E. Zamir. “We are increasing the pressure to bring our hostages home and defeat Hamas.”
He added that as part of the expanded offensive, the army would operate in “additional territories” of the enclave and destroy “all military infrastructure.”
E. Zamir said that reservists will also be sent to other areas, including the northern border with Lebanon and Syria, as well as the occupied West Bank.
Earlier over the weekend, Israeli forces struck more than 100 targets in the Gaza Strip, including militant cells, underground infrastructure and military camps, the IDF said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his coalition partners have vowed to continue the war until Hamas is completely defeated, despite growing pressure from the Israeli public for a ceasefire to free the 59 hostages Israel says are still being held in the Gaza Strip.
In March, Israel ended a two-month truce with Hamas and resumed air and ground fighting. More than 52,000 Palestinians have been killed since the Israeli offensive began in October 2023, according to Gaza health authorities. –0–
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joanne Wallis, Professor of International Security, University of Adelaide
The re-election of the Albanese Labor government by such a wide margin should not mean “business as usual” for Australia’s security policy.
The global uncertainty instigated by US President Donald Trump means Australia’s security landscape is very different today from when Labor was first elected in 2022, or even when its Defence Strategic Review was released in 2023.
As we argue in our recent book, the Albanese government faces increasingly difficult questions.
How can we maintain our critical security alliance with the US while deepening partnerships with other countries that have reservations about US policy?
And, given Trump’s recent actions, how much can we continue to rely on the United States and what are the potential costs of the alliance?
With a massive parliamentary majority, the new government has an opportunity for bold thinking on national security. This is not the time for Australia to keep its head down – we need to face the rapidly changing world with our heads held high.
We do not advocate Australia step away from the US alliance. We are also realistic that decades of defence procurement mean Australia is heavily reliant on US defence materiel (and its subsequent sustainment) for our security.
The deep interoperability between the Australian Defence Force and the US military is something alliance sceptics too readily gloss over: much Australian military capability cannot function without ongoing American support.
At the same time, many alliance advocates underestimate the impact of the new challenges we face. Some assumed a continuity between the first and second Trump administrations. However, we are not convinced the lessons learned from Trump 1.0 are still valid.
A key difference between Trump 1.0 and 2.0 is the effect of his move away from respecting international law.
For example, the US has voted with Russia against UN Security Council resolutions condemning the Ukraine war, withdrawn from the Paris Climate Agreement and World Health Organization, and damaged relations with NATO allies, among many other actions.
As a middle power, Australia has long relied on the “rules-based order” to advance its foreign and strategic policy interests.
Even if “normal transmission” resumes under a new US president in 2029, we are concerned the Trump administration’s structural changes to the international order will not easily be wound back. American soft power has been decimated by cuts to the US State Department, USAID and international broadcasting services. This will also not be rebuilt quickly.
A second difference is there are few “adults left in the room” in the Trump administration.
The advisers who kept Trump in check during his first administration have been replaced by loyalists less likely to push back against his ideas and impulses. This includes his long-held grievance that allies have been exploiting the US.
The Albanese government needs to think more deeply about how to hedge against dependence on the US. This means investing in relations with other partners, especially in Asia and the Pacific, and working with them to promote the laws, rules and norms that maintain stability and predictability in global affairs.
We are also concerned that many in the national security community base their policy recommendations on the assumption that war between the US and China is inevitable, and such a conflict could draw in Australia as America’s ally.
Rather, the Trump administration’s preference for “deals” opens the possibility the US and China might come to an arrangement that will affect US presence and leadership in our region.
Australia may not be prepared for this. The new government must engage in more open discussion about how we would maintain our security if the US does pull back from the region or makes decisions Australians don’t support.
As a start, we need to consider how Australia can better pursue self-reliance within the alliance structure. We need a range of strategic options in the future that don’t rely on an outdated image of the US as a reliable partner.
This debate should be guided by what we call “pragmatic idealism”.
Rather than accepting the way things are, the government and members of the national security community need to re-imagine how things can be.
We argue the Albanese government should draw confidence from its thumping electoral win to articulate a politics of hope, opportunity and possibility for our future security. This needs to drown out the cynicism, passive acceptance and learned helplessness that often characterises Australian national security debates.
We are conscious that being “idealistic” is often dismissed as impractical, naïve “wishful thinking”. But the new government needs to demonstrate to Australians it has the courage to face the diverse, interlinked and complex security challenges we face – potentially on our own. These extend to issues such as cyber attacks, transnational crime and climate change.
As a first step, the Albanese government urgently needs to commission an integrated National Security Strategy that considers all the tools of statecraft Australia can use to respond to these challenges.
This means engaging more with partners in Southeast Asia and the Pacific. In particular, Australia should consider investing more heavily in information programs and public diplomacy as the US withdraws from this arena.
The government must also engage better with the public and be more transparent about its security options and decisions.
On AUKUS, for instance, the government must build its “social licence” from the public to sustain such a massive deal across generations. Australians need to be better informed about – and consulted on – the decisions they will ultimately pay for.
This also includes being upfront with Australians about the need for greater defence spending in a tumultuous world.
It is understandably tempting for the new Albanese government to continue a “small target” when it comes to the US. This has meant minimising domestic debate about the alliance that could undermine support for AUKUS and avoid risking the ire of a thin-skinned Trump.
But the government needs the courage to ask difficult questions and imagine different futures.
Joanne Wallis receives funding from the Australian Research Council, the Australian Department of Defence, and the government of South Australia. She is a Senior Nonresident Fellow of the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C.
Rebecca Strating receives funding from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
– ref. Australia can no longer take a ‘business as usual’ approach to the US. On security, it’s time for courage and confidence – https://theconversation.com/australia-can-no-longer-take-a-business-as-usual-approach-to-the-us-on-security-its-time-for-courage-and-confidence-255598
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Nearly 40,000 peace-seeking Japanese participated in a rally in a park in Tokyo on Constitution Memorial Day on Saturday, calling for honoring the country’s pacifist constitution and opposition to war and arms expansion.
Many Japanese lawmakers, scholars and citizens were invited to speak at the rally, with many participants holding banners and placards such as “Oppose arms expansion” and “Love the Constitution and safeguard world peace!” to express their firm support for the concept of peace.
The current Constitution of Japan was enacted in 1947 and is known as the pacifist postwar constitution, in which Article 9 renounces war and bans the country from maintaining land, sea and air forces, as well as other war potential.
For decades, Article 9 has been a fundamental constraint on Japan’s military endeavors. However, in recent years, the Japanese government has taken steps such as lifting the ban on collective self-defense and updating three security and defense-related documents, which have caused grave concern among the public.
Senior officials from opposition parties called for not allowing the Diet, the country’s parliament, to propose constitutional amendments, while underscoring the need to protect peace, lives, livelihoods and human rights by utilizing the current constitution.
Tomoko Tamura, head of the Japanese Communist Party, pointed out in her speech that the Japanese government’s series of actions have essentially incorporated the Self-Defense Forces into the U.S. military command system, adding that Japan should promote peace diplomacy in East Asia free from war concerns in accordance with the Constitution and build a broader framework for dialogue and cooperation.
Ex-Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry official Shigeaki Koga said the world is undergoing profound changes and Japan should adhere to the spirit of peace embodied in its constitution. He stressed that Japan should break away from its dependence on certain countries and rebuild diplomatic relations based on people-to-people exchanges and understanding, noting that only through dialogue can confrontation be resolved and peace maintained.
Emeritus Manabu Sato of the University of Tokyo criticized the current Japanese government’s military expansion policy as being contrary to the spirit of the Constitution and questioned the huge defense expenditure. He believes that war-renouncing Article 9 has brought long-term peace to Japan after the war, and the government should give priority to using resources for education, people’s welfare and the improvement of social structure.
The rally attracted a large number of young people and families. A mother who brought her children to the rally told Xinhua: “I hope my children can grow up in an environment free from the threat of war. As a parent, I have the responsibility to pass on this concept.”
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Yemen’s Houthi group on Sunday claimed responsibility for a missile attack near Ben Gurion Airport in central Israel in the morning.
“We targeted Ben Gurion Airport, using a hypersonic ballistic missile that successfully hit its target,” Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said in a statement aired live on Houthi-run al-Masirah TV.
“American and Israeli defense systems failed to intercept the missile,” he said.
Sarea warned international airlines against sending flights to the Israeli airport, declaring it “no longer safe for air navigation.”
In the statement, Sarea noted the group also launched a drone attack Saturday night aimed at a “vital target” in the city of Ashkelon, southern Israel.
He stressed that the Houthi group would launch more attacks against Israel until “the war against the Gaza Strip stops, and the humanitarian aid is allowed back into the Palestinian enclave.”
On Sunday, the Israel Defense Forces said on the social media platform X that sirens sounded across central Israel after a projectile was fired from Yemen. The attack prompted millions of residents to flee to shelters and safe rooms in the morning hours.
Israel’s Magen David Adom emergency service reported that a man sustained moderate-to-light injuries in his limbs during the incident, while two women and another man suffered light injuries.
According to a video released by the Israeli police, the explosion caused by the Houthi missile left a crater measuring several meters in depth and width in the vicinity of Ben Gurion Airport. Israel’s Airports Authority said takeoffs and landings were suspended for about an hour before operations resumed.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz threatened to retaliate strongly shortly after the attack, warning in a statement, “Whoever strikes us will be struck sevenfold,” without elaborating.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to convene a security assessment meeting to discuss the attack, his office said.
Senior security officials told Israel’s state-owned Kan TV News that following the Houthi strike near Tel Aviv, Israel intends to respond with force, adding that Israel had refrained from attacking the Houthis at the request of its ally, the United States, which has been leading intense airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen since mid-March. “After the strike on Ben Gurion Airport, we no longer consider ourselves under any limitations,” an unnamed Israeli official said.
Yemen has conducted a series of missile and drone launches toward Israel over the weekend, most of them intercepted. However, Israeli and American missile defense systems failed to intercept the missile fired at Ben Gurion, the busiest airport in the country.
Several international airlines canceled or diverted flights following the incident. Air Europa, SWISS, Lufthansa, ITA Airways, and Brussels Airlines have canceled all inbound and outbound flights to and from Israel.
The Houthis have intensified missile and drone launches toward Israel in recent weeks, amid renewed U.S. airstrikes on their positions in Yemen.
The Houthi forces, who control much of northern Yemen, have been targeting Israel since November 2023 in what they describe as an act of solidarity with Palestinians amid the war in Gaza. The group has repeatedly said it would halt its attacks if the U.S. hostilities cease and Israel ends its military campaign and blockade against Gaza.
Source: China State Council Information Office
Chinese President Xi Jinping watches the military parade during the commemoration activities to mark the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 3, 2015. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang)
In the stately Conference Building at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City, a 65-inch-tall resplendent bronze vessel gleams under soft light, its cloisonne enamel blazing in vibrant Chinese red.
The “Zun of Peace,” presented by Chinese President Xi Jinping in September 2015 as a special gift for the United Nations’ 70th anniversary, is not merely a delicate artifact. It embodies the aspiration and conviction of the Chinese people to seek peace, development, cooperation and win-win outcomes, Xi said at its unveiling.
A decade later, as the top Chinese leader travels to Moscow to celebrate the 80th anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic War, his presence both carries the weight of history and reaffirms a vision of the future.
Leading a nation always aspiring for peace and harmony in its long history and further strengthened by its battles against militarism, imperialism and fascism in its recent past, Xi commands a unique insight into the value of peace, and has steadfastly championed the building of a peaceful world, a cause of great urgency given the tensions and conflicts on the global landscape today.
Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) attends a presentation ceremony on which the Chinese government gives the “Zun of Peace” to the United Nations as a gift in New York, the United States, Sept. 27, 2015. (Xinhua/Li Tao)
ASPIRATION FOR PEACE
Xi sees history as a mirror from which humanity should draw lessons to avoid repeating past calamities.
This year marks the 80th anniversary of victory in what is commonly known in China as the World Anti-Fascist War or, more globally, as World War II. Almost every part of the world was involved, and more than 100 million were killed or wounded in what was described as the most destructive conflict in human history.
The bravery and tremendous sacrifice of the Chinese people played a decisive role in defeating Fascist Japan and offered strategic support to the Allies on the European and Pacific battlefields.
“History has told us to stay on high alert against war, which, like a demon and nightmare, would bring disaster and pain to the people,” Xi once said. “History has also told us to preserve peace with great care, as peace, like air and sunshine, is hardly noticed when people are benefiting from it, but none of us can live without it.”
This historical observation features prominently in Xi’s unrelenting pursuit of peace. He has repeatedly reiterated China’s commitment to peaceful development, pledging that China will never seek hegemony, expansion or any sphere of influence, no matter how strong it may grow.
During a 2014 visit to France, Xi reshaped Napoleon’s metaphor of China as a “sleeping lion” that would shake the world upon awakening. “Now China the lion has awakened. But it is a peaceful, amicable and civilized lion,” Xi said when illustrating the peaceful dimension of the Chinese Dream.
Xi’s philosophy stems from the millennia-old Chinese culture. An avid reader of traditional Chinese classics, he once expounded how ancient Chinese wisdom views war and peace by quoting “The Art of War,” a Chinese classic written more than 2,000 years ago.
The book’s key message “is that every effort should be made to prevent a war and great caution must be exercised when it comes to fighting a war,” Xi said when delivering a keynote speech in the UN Office at Geneva in 2017.
Xi’s view on prudence in warfare is also reflected in his exchanges with foreign leaders and officials.
“It has long been known that the real experts on military affairs do not want to employ military means to solve issues,” he quoted a Chinese aphorism when meeting with then U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis in Beijing in 2018.
Chinese President Xi Jinping straightens the ribbon on a flower basket during a ceremony to present flower baskets to fallen heroes at Tian’anmen Square in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 30, 2024. (Xinhua/Wang Ye)
A clear manifestation of Xi’s reflection is to cherish history and honor heroes. “A nation of hope cannot be without heroes,” Xi once said. Every year since 2014, Xi has paid tribute to China’s fallen heroes on Martyrs’ Day, which falls on Sept. 30, a day ahead of the country’s National Day.
In 2015, when China celebrated the 70th anniversary of its victory in World War II, Xi presented medals to Chinese veterans and representatives from Russia and other countries who assisted Chinese soldiers on the battlefields.
Nikolai Chuikov, the grandson of Soviet General Marshal Vasily Chuikov, was among those who received a peace medal from Xi. “Of all the honors I have won, I hold the highest regard for the peace medal,” he said.
Chinese President Xi Jinping (R, front) shakes hands with a Russian veteran in Moscow, Russia, on May 8, 2015. (Xinhua/Zhang Duo)
TORCH OF MULTILATERALISM
Under Xi’s leadership, China has adhered to an independent foreign policy of peace, played an active role in UN peacekeeping missions, and solidified its friendships and partnerships with countries worldwide.
As hegemonism and protectionism once again rear their ugly heads, the world is gripped by an increasingly intricate array of challenges and uncertainties. In Xi’s eyes, the only way out is to practice true multilateralism. He once compared multilateralism to a torch that can light up humanity’s way forward.
The Chinese president has consistently urged the international community to safeguard the UN-centered international system forged in the aftermath of World War II and anchored by international law.
“We must promote multilateralism, the core essence of which is that international affairs should be decided through consultation among all countries, rather than by one country or a few countries,” he said.
This photo taken on Jan. 2, 2025 shows the 46th fleet of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy during a counter-terrorism and anti-piracy exercise.The fleet traveled over 160,000 nautical miles during its 339-day voyage, escorting ships during missions in the Gulf of Aden and the waters off Somalia. (Xinhua/Zhang Dayu)
Xi, a staunch champion of true multilateralism, has guided China over the years in taking a proactive and constructive role in addressing regional and global hot-button issues.
To end the Ukraine crisis at an early date, Xi has put forward a four-point proposal, emphasizing that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries should be respected; the purposes and principles of the UN Charter observed; the legitimate security concerns of all countries given due regard; and all efforts conducive to the peaceful settlement of the crisis supported.
Under Xi’s leadership, China has conducted shuttle diplomacy and mediation efforts to promote peace talks and initiated the “Friends of Peace” group with Brazil and other Global South countries on the Ukraine crisis at the United Nations.
Regarding the Middle East, the Chinese president has promoted peace and stability in the volatile region. With China’s mediation, Saudi Arabia and Iran agreed in March 2023 to restore diplomatic relations after a seven-year hiatus. In the lead-up to the negotiations, Xi talked separately with the leaders of both countries.
During a phone call with Xi soon after the breakthrough was achieved, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud applauded China’s increasingly important and constructive role in regional and international affairs.
In face of the gathering gloom of conflict on the horizon, Xi has championed a transformative approach to collective security. In May 2014, he articulated a vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security for Asia. Eight years later, he presented the Global Security Initiative to the world.
“We, as humanity, are living in an indivisible security community,” he said, advocating dialogue over confrontation, partnership over alliance, and win-win outcomes over zero-sum approaches.
“GOLDEN KEY” OF DEVELOPMENT
Lasting world peace remains one of humanity’s greatest aspirations. For Xi, peace and development are inseparable. He once observed that the tree of peace does not grow on barren land, and the fruit of development is not produced amid flames of war.
In view of the interlocked relations, Xi insists that the “golden key” to a secure and stable future is to advance sustainable development.
Since assuming China’s presidency, Xi has positioned development as a pillar of his vision of building a better future for humankind. The initiatives he has proposed in this regard, notably the Belt and Road Initiative and the Global Development Initiative, serve as bridges to foster common development through broader collaboration.
China has provided development aid to over 160 countries, and Belt and Road cooperation has involved more than 150 countries. Under the Global Development Initiative, China has mobilized nearly 20 billion U.S. dollars of development funds and launched more than 1,100 projects, fueling growth and modernization drives in many countries, particularly developing ones.
An aerial drone photo taken on March 4, 2024 shows trains running on the Lagos Rail Mass Transit Blue Line in Lagos, Nigeria. Undertaken by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation in July 2010 and completed in Dec. 2022, the first phase of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit Blue Line corridor spans 13 km and covers five stations. (Xinhua/Han Xu)
“China is sharing its development experience with other countries through its development initiatives, which have helped to promote common development,” said Straton Habyarimana, a Rwandan economic analyst.
“Since these initiatives are people-centered, they address key challenges such as food insecurity and poverty” and have helped ease tensions among countries, he added.
UPDATE OF WORLD ORDER
Nestled by the Huangpu River in Shanghai, the New Development Bank was founded by five BRICS countries in 2014 to provide financing support for member countries to bolster transport infrastructure, clean energy and digital infrastructure.
When Xi visited the bank a few days ago, he saw more than a mere financial institution. He described it as a “pioneering initiative for the unity and self-improvement of the Global South,” underscoring an enduring commitment to building a more just and equitable international order.
This aerial photo taken on June 17, 2022 shows the headquarters building of the New Development Bank in east China’s Shanghai. (Xinhua/Fang Zhe)
BRICS countries stand at the forefront of the Global South. Xi has personally pushed for the BRICS’ historic expansion in 2023 to create stronger unity among the Global South. The expansion, he said, would further strengthen the forces for world peace and development.
Developing countries remain underrepresented in the global governance system, which the West has long dominated. China maintains that only when the rise of emerging markets and developing countries is reflected in the global governance system will global development be more balanced and global peace more firmly based.
During the 2022 Group of 20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia, Xi vocally supported the African Union in joining the leading multilateral mechanism, making China the earliest and most vocal champion for amplifying Africa’s voice in global governance.
Chinese President Xi Jinping walks to the venue of the 17th summit of the Group of 20 in Bali, Indonesia, Nov. 15, 2022. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)
In recent years, Xi has proposed the Belt and Road Initiative, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative as key global public goods to create a more just and equitable global governance system.
Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who received the “Zun of Peace” from the Chinese president on behalf of the United Nations 10 years ago, said China’s initiatives to promote global peace and development are inseparable from Xi’s foresight.
“China is playing an increasingly important role on the world stage, and Xi has demonstrated proactive and crucial leadership,” Ban said. “He always believes that China can only do well when the world is doing well, and when China does well, the world will get even better.”
In Xi’s own words, “every increase of China’s strength is an increase of the prospects of world peace.”
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
A Chinese defense spokesperson on Sunday condemned the illegal entry of a Japanese civilian aircraft into the airspace over Diaoyu Dao, reiterating that this territory is an inherent part of China and warning Japan to stop provocative actions that could destabilize bilateral relations.
In response to questions from the media, Zhang Xiaogang, a spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense, rejected claims by the Japanese side that a Chinese ship-borne helicopter had violated Japanese airspace, calling the accusation “irresponsible” and a distortion of facts.
“Diaoyu Dao and its affiliated islands are China’s inherent territory,” Zhang said. “The Japanese civilian aircraft’s unauthorized entry into Chinese airspace over Diaoyu Dao constituted a serious infringement of China’s territorial sovereignty.”
According to Zhang, the China Coast Guard took necessary control measures to warn and expel the Japanese aircraft — actions which he said were entirely legitimate and lawful.
Zhang urged Japan to strictly restrain its nationals and avoid further complicating the situation in the airspace and waters around these islands. He also called on Japan to refrain from actions that could “create instability and insecurity, and harm the broader development of China-Japan relations.”
“China will continue to take effective measures to firmly safeguard national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests,” he added.
By Teuila Fuatai, RNZ Pacific senior journalist
Nauru’s ambition to commercially mine the seabed is likely at risk following President Donald Trump’s executive order last month aimed at fast-tracking ocean mining, anti-deep sea mining advocates warn.
The order also increases instability in the Pacific region because it effectively circumvents long-standing international sea laws and processes by providing an alternative path to mine the seabed, advocates say.
Titled Unleashing America’s Offshore Critical Minerals and Resources, the order was signed by Trump on April 25. It directs the US science and environmental agency to expedite permits for companies to mine the ocean floor in US and international waters.
It has been condemned by legal and environmental experts around the world, particularly after Canadian mining group The Metals Company announced last Tuesday it had applied to commercially mine in international waters through the US process.
The Metals Company has so far been unsuccessful in gaining a commercial mining licence through the International Seabed Authority (ISA).
Currently, the largest area in international waters being explored for commercial deep sea mining is the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, located in the central Pacific Ocean. The vast area sits between Hawai’i, Kiribati and Mexico, and spans 4.5 million sq km.
The area is of high commercial interest because it has an abundance of polymetallic nodules that contain valuable metals like cobalt, nickel, manganese and copper, which are used to make products such as smartphones and electric batteries. The minerals are also used in weapons manufacturing.
Benefits ‘for humankind as a whole’
Under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the Clarion-Clipperton Zone falls under the jurisdiction of the ISA, which was established in 1994. That legislation states that any benefits from minerals extracted in its jurisdiction must be for “humankind as a whole”.
Nauru — alongside Tonga, Kiribati and the Cook Islands — has interests in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone after being allocated blocks of the area through UNCLOS. They are known as sponsor states.
In total, there are 19 sponsor states in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone.
Nauru and The Metals Company
Since 2011, Nauru has partnered with The Metals Company to explore and assess its block in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone for commercial mining activity.
It has done this through an ISA exploration licence.
At the same time, the ISA, which counts all Pacific nations among its 169-strong membership, has also been developing a commercial mining code. That process began in 2014 and is ongoing.
The process has been criticised by The Metals Company as effectively blocking it and Nauru’s commercial mining interests.
Both have sought to advance their respective interests in different ways.
In 2021, Nauru took the unprecedented step of utilising a “two-year” notification period to initiate an exploitation licencing process under the ISA, even though a commercial seabed mining code was still being developed.
An ISA commercial mining code, once finalised, is expected to provide the legal and technical regulations for exploitation of the seabed.
In the absence of a code
However, according to international law, in the absence of a code, should a plan for exploitation be submitted to the ISA, the body is required to provisionally accept it within two years of its submission.
While Nauru ultimately delayed enforcing the two-year rule, it remains the only state to ever invoke it under the ISA. It has also stated that it is “comfortable with being a leader on these issues”.
To date, the ISA has not issued a licence for exploitation of the seabed.
Meanwhile, The Metals Company has emphasised the economic potential of deep sea mining and its readiness to begin commercial activities. It has also highlighted the potential value of minerals sitting on the seabed in Nauru’s block in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone.
“[The block represents] 22 percent of The Metals Company’s estimated resource in the [Clarion-Clipperton Zone and] . . . is ranked as having the largest underdeveloped nickel deposit in the world,” the company states on its website.
Its announcement on Tuesday revealed it had filed three applications for mining activity in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone under the US pathway. One application is for a commercial mining permit. Two are for exploration permits.
The announcement added further fuel to warnings from anti-deep sea mining advocates that The Metals Company is pivoting away from Nauru and arrangements under the ISA.
Last year, the company stated it intended to submit a plan for commercial mining to the ISA on June 27 so it could begin exploitation operations by 2026.
This date appears to have been usurped by developments under Trump, with the company saying on Tuesday that its US permit application “advances [the company’s] timeline ahead” of that date.
The Trump factor
Trump’s recent executive order is critical to this because it specifically directs relevant US government agencies to reactivate the country’s own deep sea mining licence process that had largely been unused over the past 40 years.
That legislation, the Deep Sea Hard Mineral Resources Act, states the US can grant mining permits in international waters. It was implemented in 1980 as a temporary framework while the US worked towards ratifying the UNCLOS Treaty. Since then, only four exploration licences have been issued under the legislation.
To date, the US is yet to ratify UNCLOS.
At face value, the Deep Sea Hard Mineral Resources Act offers an alternative licensing route to commercial seabed activity in the high seas to the ISA. However, any cross-over between jurisdictions and authorities remains untested.
Now, The Metals Company appears to be operating under both in the same area of international waters — the Clarion-Clipperton Zone.
Deep Sea Conservation Coalition’s Pacific regional coordinator Phil McCabe said it was unclear what would happen to Nauru.
“This announcement really appears to put Nauru as a partner of the company out in the cold,” McCabe said.
No Pacific benefit mechanism
“If The Metals Company moves through the US process, it appears that there is no mechanism or no need for any benefit to go to the Pacific Island sponsoring states because they sponsor through the ISA, not the US,” he said.
McCabe, who is based in Aotearoa New Zealand, highlighted extensive investment The Metals Company had poured into the Nauru block over more than 10 years.
He said it was in the company’s financial interests to begin commercial mining as soon as possible.
“If The Metals Company was going to submit an application through the US law, it would have to have a good measure of environmental data on the area that it wants to mine, and the only area that it has that data [for] is the Nauru block,” McCabe said.
He also pointed out that the size of the Nauru block The Metals Company had worked on in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone was the same as a block it wanted to commercially mine through US legislation.
Both are exactly 25,160 sq km, McCabe said.
RNZ Pacific asked The Metals Company to clarify whether its US application applied to Nauru and Tonga’s blocks. The company said it would “be able to confirm details of the blocks in the coming weeks”.
It also said it intended to retain its exploration contracts through the ISA that were sponsored by Nauru and Tonga, respectively.
Pacific Ocean a ‘new frontier’
Pacific Network on Globalisation (PANG) associate Maureen Penjueli had similar observations to McCabe regarding the potential impacts of Trump’s executive order.
Trump’s order, and The Metals Company ongoing insistence to commercially mine the ocean, was directly related to escalating geopolitical competition, she told RNZ Pacific.
“There are a handful of minerals that are quite critical for all kinds of weapons development, from tankers to armour like nuclear weapons, submarines, aircraft,” she said.
Currently, the supply and processing of minerals in that market, which includes iron, lithium, copper, cobalt and graphite, is dominated by China.
Between 40 and 90 percent of the world’s rare earth minerals are processed by China, Penjueli said. The variation is due to differences between individual minerals.
As a result, both Europe and the US are heavily dependent on China for these minerals, which according to Penjueli, has massive implications.
“On land, you will see the US Department of Defense really trying to seek alternative [mineral] sources,” Penjueli said.
“Now, it’s extended to minerals in the seabed, both within [a country’s exclusive economic zone], but also in areas beyond national jurisdictions, such as the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, which is here in the Pacific. That is around the geopolitical [competition] . . . and the US versus China positioning.”
Notably, Trump’s executive order on the US seabed mining licence process highlights the country’s reliance on overseas mineral supply, particularly regarding security and defence implications.
He said the US wanted to advance its leadership in seabed mineral development by “strengthening partnerships with allies and industry to counter China’s growing influence over seabed mineral resources”.
The Metals Company and the US
She believed The Metals Company had become increasingly focused on security and defence needs.
Initially, the company had framed commercial deep sea mining as essential for the world’s transition to green energies, she said. It had used that language when referring to its relationships with Pacific states like Nauru, Penjueli said.
However, the company had also begun pitching US policy makers under the Biden administration over the need to acquire critical minerals from the seabed to meet US security and defence needs, she said.
Since Trump’s re-election, it had also made a series of public announcements praising US government decisions that prioritised deep sea mining development for defence and security purposes.
In a press release on Trump’s executive order, The Metals Company chief executive Gerard Barron said the company had enough knowledge to manage the environmental risks of deep sea mining.
“Over the last decade, we’ve invested over half a billion dollars to understand and responsibly develop the nodule resource in our contract areas,” Barron said.
“We built the world’s largest environmental dataset on the [Clarion-Clipperton Zone], carefully designed and tested an off-shore collection system that minimises the environmental impacts and followed every step required by the International Seabed Authority.
“What we need is a regulator with a robust regulatory regime, and who is willing to give our application a fair hearing. That’s why we’ve formally initiated the process of applying for licenses and permits under the existing US seabed mining code,” Barron said.
ISA influenced by opposition faction
The Metals Company directed RNZ Pacific to a statement on its website in response to an interview request.
The statement, signed by Barron, said the ISA was being influenced by a faction of states aligned with environmental NGOs that opposed the deep sea mining industry.
Barron also disputed any contraventions of international law under the US regime, and said the country has had “a fully developed regulatory regime” for commercial seabed mining since 1989.
“The ISA has neither the mining code nor the willingness to engage with their commercial contractors,” Barron said. “In full compliance with international law, we are committed to delivering benefits to our developing state partners.”
‘It’s an America-first move’
Despite Barron’s observations, Penjueli and McCabe believed The Metals Company and the US were side-stepping international law, placing Pacific nations at risk.
McCabe said Pacific nations benefitted from UNCLOS, which gives rights over vast oceanic territories.
“It’s an America-first move,” said McCabe who believes the actions of The Minerals Company and the US are also a contravention of international law.
There are also significant concerns that Trump’s executive order has effectively triggered a race to mine the Pacific seabed for minerals that will be destined for military purposes like weapons systems manufacturing, Penjueli said.
Unlike UNCLOS, the US deep sea mining legislation does not stipulate that minerals from international waters must be used for peaceful purposes.
Deep Sea Conservation Coalition’s Duncan Currie believes this is another tricky legal point for Nauru and other sponsor states in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone.
Potentially contravene international law
For example, should Nauru enter a commercial mining arrangement with The Metals Company and the US under US mining legislation, any royalties that may eventuate could potentially contravene international law, Currie said.
First, the process would be outside the ISA framework, he said.
Second, UNCLOS states that any benefits from seabed mining in international waters must benefit all of “humankind”.
Therefore, Currie said, royalties earned in a process that cannot be scrutinised by the ISA likely did not meet that stipulation.
Third, he said, if the extracted minerals were used for military purposes — which was a focus of Trump’s executive order — then it likely violates the principle that the seabed should only be exploited for peaceful purposes.
“There really are a host of very difficult legal issues that arise,” he added.
The road ahead
Now more than ever, anti-deep sea mining advocates believe a moratorium on the practice is necessary.
Penjueli, echoing Currie’s concerns, said there was too much uncertainty with two potential avenues to commercial mining.
“The moratorium call is quite urgent at this point,” she said.
“We simply don’t know what [these developments] mean right now. What are the implications if The Metals Company decides to dump its Pacific state sponsored partners? What does it mean for the legal tenements that they hold in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone?”
In that instance, Nauru, which has spearheaded the push for commercial seabed mining alongside The Metals Company, may be particularly exposed.
Currently, more than 30 countries have declared support for a moratorium on deep sea mining. Among them are Fiji, Federated States of Micronesia, New Caledonia, Palau, Samoa, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and Tuvalu.
On the other hand, Nauru, Kiribati, Tonga, and the Cook Islands all support deep sea mining.
Australia has not explicitly called for a moratorium on the practice, but it has also refrained from supporting it.
New Zealand supported a moratorium on deep sea mining under the previous Labour government. The current government is reportedly reconsidering this stance.
RNZ Pacific contacted the Nauru government for comment but did not receive a response.
This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.
Source: People’s Republic of China – Ministry of National Defense
By Yang Yuan, Zhang Boyu and Zeng Xuetong
BEIJING, Apr. 8 — Recently, the 23rd Chinese peacekeeping multi-role engineering company to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) dispatched an explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) team to help the South Korean peacekeeping troops neutralize expired high explosive ammunition, thereby eliminating security risks in the UNIFIL camps.
The continuing tension in southern Lebanon exacerbates the already acute challenge faced by the UNIFIL troop-contributing countries in the disposal of expired ammunition. Recently, the Chinese EOD team was assigned by the Combat Engineering Division of the UNIFIL Operations Department to destroy 277.2 kilograms of expired COMP-C4 explosives.
Prior to the operation, the Chinese peacekeepers conducted an overall security assessment of the blasting site under the control of the UNIFIL. During the process, all steps, including the movement, placement and detonation of the explosives, were conducted in strict accordance with the UN standard operating procedures. After the successful destruction of the expired high explosive ammunition, the South Korean peacekeeping troops expressed their heartfelt thanks to the Chinese EOD team.
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Source: People’s Republic of China – Ministry of National Defense
BEIJING, April 30 (Xinhua) — The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theater Command conducted routine patrols in the South China Sea on Tuesday, a spokesperson said.
Tian Junli, the command’s spokesperson, said the Philippines has repeatedly provoked incidents at sea and colluded with non-regional countries to stage so-called “joint patrols.”
He stated that the Southern Theater Command’s naval and air forces maintained close tracking and monitoring of these activities throughout the process.
Tian emphasized that troops of the Southern Theater Command remain on high alert, vowing to resolutely safeguard China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and uphold peace and stability in the South China Sea.
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Source: People’s Republic of China – Ministry of National Defense
BEIJING, April 30 — On April 30, the China Coast Guard (CCG) conducted law enforcement patrols in the territorial waters of China’s Huangyan Dao (Island) and its surrounding areas.
Since April, the CCG has continuously strengthened law enforcement patrols in the territorial waters of China’s Huangyan Dao and its surrounding areas, and conducted operations of tracking, monitoring, warning, intercepting and expelling illegal vessels in accordance with laws and regulations, which have further intensified the control over relevant waters and resolutely safeguarded China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.
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