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Category: Russian Federation

  • MIL-OSI USA: WATCH: Padilla Slams Trump Administration for Terrorizing Los Angeles Communities Through ICE Raids, Deploying National Guard

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    WATCH: Padilla Slams Trump Administration for Terrorizing Los Angeles Communities Through ICE Raids, Deploying National Guard

    Padilla: California is “the fourth-largest economy in the world, not despite our immigrant population, but because of our immigrant population, who contribute so much as [a] workforce, as consumers, as entrepreneurs. That’s something to be respected, not insulted.”

    “Our nation is better than this. Look to California as a way forward.”

    Watch the full interview here.

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — In case you missed it, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, joined MSNBC’s “The Weekend: Primetime” to condemn the Trump Administration’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids across Los Angeles and President Trump’s ensuing unprecedented deployment of nearly 2,000 members of California’s National Guard to the region.

    Senator Padilla slammed President Trump for manufacturing a cruel crisis to scapegoat immigrants and distract from Republicans’ harmful budget bill that will cut critical services that millions of Americans depend on to give tax cuts to the ultra-wealthy. He also blasted the Trump Administration for their hypocrisy in calling the largely peaceful Los Angeles protests an “insurrection” as President Trump and Republicans refuse to use that word to describe the January 6th Capitol insurrection. Padilla encouraged Californians to continue peacefully protesting the Trump Administration’s inhumane immigration enforcement.

    Key Excerpts:

    On Trump demonizing immigrants to distract from Republicans’ harmful budget bill:

    • “The Senate Republicans are on the verge of passing what House Republicans just passed in this bill that threatens to cut Medicaid, cut the social safety net for so many, and underwrite tax breaks for billionaires. So to distract from that, it never fails. This is [Trump’s] classic playbook. He’s not brokering peace between Russia and Ukraine. His tariff war has gone horribly wrong. So when all else fails, he demonizes immigrants again.”
    • “If we were having a serious, substantive policy conversation, I think there is room to discuss increased funding for our immigration system, not just smarter enforcement at the border, utilizing technology, focusing on ports of entry, but also for all the people who have pending cases, whether it’s an asylum case, whether it’s anything else, there is a need for more immigration judges and hearing officers and counsel, those sorts of things. And let’s reduce the backlog. But what the Trump Administration is doing is exactly the opposite, shifting it to complete enforcement and aggressive, extreme, cruel enforcement for that matter, while the backlogs continue to grow because they’ve shifted resources away from those services and those programs.”
    • “By and large, this supposedly Big Beautiful Bill, which is anything but, is nothing but increasing funding for … immigration enforcement, gutting so many other critical areas of the budget that working families across the country depend on, all to underwrite tax breaks for the most wealthy in America, including somebody like Elon Musk. You know, Donald Trump didn’t like the headlines he was getting because of his fallout with Elon Musk, and so again, what happens? He stages a crisis, manufactures a cruel crisis to try to change the news of the day.”

    On Trump’s hypocrisy in his response compared to January 6:

    • “The other thing he wants is for people to, yes, maybe get out of hand, so that he has the justification to escalate and increase the use of force. Look what happened in his first term. Look what happened on January 6. You’ve got to call out the hypocrisy. He did not once say “insurrectionist” for the people who stormed the Capitol and attacked police officers, but one protester who gets a little bit out of hand in Los Angeles and all of a sudden, he’s going to bring in the Marines? That’s beyond hypocritical.”
    • “If it’s one thing that the Team Trump does have going for it, is they are masters of misinformation and disinformation. What’s happening in Los Angeles is not an insurrection. What happened on January 6 at the nation’s Capitol was an insurrection. So intellectual dishonesty is nothing new for J.D. Vance, or Donald Trump, or anybody in the White House right now. They should know better.”

    On the cruelty of Trump’s ICE raids and the importance of peaceful protests:

    • “These raids are not new. Obviously, we’ve been seeing them around the country for a few months, but increasingly with extremism and cruelty. And that’s what people in Los Angeles are responding to. Again, as others have said, you want to focus on violent and dangerous criminals? Great, there’s no disagreement there. But when you’re going after kids that are depending on lifesaving treatment, when you’re going after people in the workplace, in houses of worship, children in schools — that’s a whole thing altogether. So in a diverse community like Los Angeles, there’s going to be a lot of people who are passionate about defending fundamental rights and due process and to speak up when they see that not being respected.”
    • “So for all the people in Los Angeles, I do say protest. Protest peacefully, but protest because Donald Trump wants one of two things. He wants people … to be quiet, to suck it up, and ignore what’s happening, let him do whatever he wants. That’s not in our DNA.”

    On immigrants’ integral role in driving California’s economic success:

    • “We are not just the most populous state in the nation, we’re the most diverse state in the nation, home to more immigrants than any state in the nation, both mostly documented, some undocumented. But remember, folks, this is also the largest economy of any state in the nation, by far. The fourth-largest economy in the world, not despite our immigrant population, but because of our immigrant population, who contribute so much as [a] workforce, as consumers, as entrepreneurs. That’s something to be respected, not insulted.”

    On his personal story growing up as the son of immigrants from Mexico and fighting against anti-immigrant actions:

    • “You can’t help but take this personal because you can relate to the story, because you can relate to the sacrifice, because you can relate to that journey — not just me, my brother, my sister, my parents, and our family, but everybody, frankly, in the community where and how I grew up, which is indicative of millions of families across the country. You know, my parents came in pursuit of the American Dream, as so many have over generations, and my parents found it. My dad as a short order cook for 40 years, my mom cleaning houses. And to think that in one generation, someone like me can grow up in public schools in Los Angeles, go on to college, and one day represent our state in the United States Senate.”
    • “But there’s a reason why I left my engineering degree behind in 1994. It’s because of the rhetoric I saw back then in California, very different than the California we see today. Governor Pete Wilson, at the time, standing for re-election, down in the polls, turns to anti-immigrant rhetoric to try to seek re-election and divide the people. And it was because of … that Proposition 187 that people like my parents, finally took the steps to become citizens, as opposed to just being long-term permanent residents, but also my generation choosing to get involved in government and politics and change the trajectory of our state. California is very different today, but it is just so heartbreaking and offensive that the rhetoric continues to this day, even more so, because it’s not just coming out of the governor’s office in California back then, not now, but out of the Oval Office. Our nation is better than this. Look to California as a way forward.”

    On Trump’s mismanagement of the protests in Los Angeles:

    • “Law enforcement on the ground knows the community, and the community knows LAPD and the Sheriff’s Department. This is just a reminder that what happens when you don’t know what you’re doing as President United States, when you send in DHS, when you send in the National Guard, and they don’t know the community, they don’t have the rapport and the trust of the community, things get out of hand. And then the federal officials are in the position of having to call in LAPD to help them bring the temperature down in a situation, or the sheriff’s office in parts of the county outside the city of Los Angeles. It’s pointing out the weaknesses and the inability, the inexperience, and irresponsibility, frankly, of the Trump Administration.”

    Video of the full interview is available here.

    Senator Padilla also joined Los Angeles outlets KTLA and KNX tonight to discuss the fear and chaos the Trump Administration is stoking in Los Angeles and across California. On Friday, Padilla issued a statement condemning the Los Angeles ICE raids.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Iran to Present Israel’s Strategic Documents Soon – Minister

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    TEHRAN, June 9 (Xinhua) — Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib announced Sunday that the country has received a “valuable collection” of strategic, operational and scientific data and documents from Israel, which he said will be made public soon.

    In an interview with Iran’s state news agency IRIB, Khatib called the acquisition a “great intelligence achievement” for his ministry.

    He said the documents cover Israel’s nuclear program as well as its relations with the United States, Europe and other countries, stressing that some of the intelligence files could enhance Iran’s offensive capabilities.

    He refrained from detailing the methods used to transfer the documents to Iran, saying the methods were as important as the documents themselves and would remain protected.

    E. Khatib added that a “complex, large-scale, comprehensive and lengthy” operation was developed and carried out to obtain them.

    IRIB said in a statement on Saturday that the blackout was necessary to ensure the safe transfer of the documents, noting that the volume of data was so large that it took weeks to study it. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China’s Foreign Trade Grew 2.5 Pct in Jan-May 2025 /detailed version-1/

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    BEIJING, June 9 (Xinhua) — China’s total import and export of goods in yuan terms rose 2.5 percent year on year to 17.94 trillion yuan (about 2.5 trillion U.S. dollars) in the first five months of this year, official data showed Monday.

    The growth rate was 0.1 percentage points higher than the level recorded in the first four months of 2025, according to data from the General Administration of Customs of China.

    In January-May this year, China’s exports grew 7.2 percent year-on-year to 10.67 trillion yuan, while imports fell 3.8 percent to 7.27 trillion yuan.

    In May alone, the country’s foreign trade volume in yuan terms grew by 2.7 percent year-on-year.

    In particular, exports of goods grew by 6.3 percent year-on-year, while imports fell by 2.1 percent, the agency’s data showed. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Lychee harvest season begins in Maoming, Guangdong Province

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    MAOMIN, Guangdong Province, June 7 (Xinhua) — The lychee harvest season has begun in Maoming City, south China’s Guangdong Province, which has long been known for growing the fruit.

    In 2024, the city’s lychee production volume reached 502,100 tons.

    MAOMIN, Guangdong Province, June 7 (Xinhua) — The lychee harvest season has begun in Maoming City, south China’s Guangdong Province, which has long been famous for growing the fruit.

    In 2024, the city’s lychee production volume reached 502,100 tons.

    MAOMIN, Guangdong Province, June 7 (Xinhua) — The lychee harvest season has begun in Maoming City, south China’s Guangdong Province, which has long been famous for growing the fruit.

    In 2024, the city’s lychee production volume reached 502,100 tons.

    MAOMIN, Guangdong Province, June 7 (Xinhua) — The lychee harvest season has begun in Maoming City, south China’s Guangdong Province, which has long been famous for growing the fruit.

    In 2024, the city’s lychee production volume reached 502,100 tons.

    MAOMIN, Guangdong Province, June 7 (Xinhua) — The lychee harvest season has begun in Maoming City, south China’s Guangdong Province, which has long been famous for growing the fruit.

    In 2024, the city’s lychee production volume reached 502,100 tons.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Protesters Clash With National Guard in Los Angeles

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    LOS ANGELES, June 9 (Xinhua) — More than 200 protesters clashed with National Guard troops in downtown Los Angeles on Sunday during fresh demonstrations against immigration enforcement raids that took place across California over the weekend.

    Xinhua reporters at the scene saw National Guard troops, along with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Homeland Security officials, repeatedly use tear gas and smoke bombs to disperse the crowd. Several protesters and journalists were injured in the clashes.

    “We want to protest peacefully. But the Trump administration just sent soldiers to fight against us. Is it really necessary?” one protester told Xinhua.

    Shortly after the clashes, California Governor Gavin Newsom called on protesters to remain calm.

    “California! Don’t give Donald Trump what he wants. Speak up. Keep the peace. Keep calm,” Newsom wrote in an online post. “Be non-violent and respect the law enforcement officers who are doing everything they can to keep the peace.”

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: 15 killed in Malaysia road accident

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    KUALA LUMPUR, June 9 (Xinhua) — At least 15 people were killed when a bus carrying students collided with a multi-purpose vehicle on the East-West Highway in Malaysia’s Perak state early Monday, authorities said.

    The clash, which was reported at 1:10 p.m. local time, left 48 people injured, 13 of whom were found dead at the scene, civil defense forces said in a statement.

    Two more victims died in hospital, Malaysia’s Bernama news agency reported.

    Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim expressed condolences to the families of all those killed in the plane crash and instructed the Ministry of Higher Education to coordinate the provision of appropriate assistance to the families of the victims. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Can Israel still claim self-defence to justify its Gaza war? Here’s what the law says

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Donald Rothwell, Professor of International Law, Australian National University

    On October 7 2023, more than 1,000 Hamas militants stormed into southern Israel and went on a killing spree, murdering 1,200 men, women and children and abducting another 250 people to take back to Gaza. It was the deadliest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust.

    That day, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the country, “Israel is at war”. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) immediately began a military campaign to secure the release of the hostages and defeat Hamas. Since that day, more than 54,000 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children.

    Israel has maintained its response is justified under international law, as every nation has “an inherent right to defend itself”, as Netanyahu stated in early 2024.

    This is based on the right to self-defence in international law, which is outlined in Article 51 of the 1945 United Nations Charter as follows:

    Nothing in the present Charter shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective self-defence if an armed attack occurs against a Member of the United Nations[…]

    At the start of the war, many nations agreed Israel had a right to defend itself, but how it did so mattered. This would ensure its actions were consistent with international humanitarian law.

    However, 20 months after the October 7 attacks, fundamental legal issues have arisen around whether this self-defence justification still holds.

    Can Israel exercise self-defence ad infinitum? Or is it now waging a war of aggression against Palestine?

    Self-defence in the law

    Self-defence has a long history in international law.

    The modern principles of self-defence were outlined in diplomatic exchanges over an 1837 incident involving an American ship, The Caroline, after it was destroyed by British forces in Canada. Both sides agreed that an exercise of self-defence would have required the British to demonstrate their conduct was not “unreasonable or excessive”.

    The concept of self-defence was also extensively relied on by the Allies in the second world war in response to German and Japanese aggression.

    Self-defence was originally framed in the law as a right to respond to a state-based attack. However, this scope has broadened in recent decades to encompass attacks from non-state actors, such as al-Qaeda following the September 11 2001 terror attacks.

    Israel is a legitimate, recognised state in the global community and a member of the United Nations. Its right to self-defence will always remain intact when it faces attacks from its neighbours or non-state actors, such as Hamas, Hezbollah or the Houthi rebels in Yemen.

    However, the right of self-defence is not unlimited. It is constrained by the principles of necessity and proportionality.

    The necessity test was met in the current war due to the extreme violence of the Hamas attack on October 7 and the taking of hostages. These were actions that could not be ignored and demanded a response, due to the threat Israel continued to face.

    The proportionality test was also met, initially. Israel’s military operation after the attack was strategic in nature, focused on the return of the hostages and the destruction of Hamas to eliminate the immediate threat the group posed.

    The legal question now is whether Israel is still legitimately exercising self-defence in response to the October 7 attacks.

    This is a live issue, especially given comments by Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz on May 30 that Hamas would be “annihilated” unless a proposed ceasefire deal was accepted.

    These comments and Israel’s ongoing conduct throughout the war raise the question of whether proportionality is still being met.

    A test of proportionality

    The importance of proportionality in self-defence has been endorsed in recent years by the International Court of Justice.

    Under international law, proportionality remains relevant throughout a conflict, not just in the initial response to an attack.

    While the law allows a war to continue until an aggressor surrenders, it does not legitimise the complete destruction of the territory where an aggressor is fighting.

    The principle of proportionality also provides protections for civilians. Military actions are to be directed at the foreign forces who launched the attack, not civilians.

    While Israel has targeted Hamas fighters in its attacks, including those who orchestrated the October 7 attacks, these actions have caused significant collateral deaths of Palestinian civilians.

    Therefore, taken overall, the ongoing, 20-month military assault against Hamas, with its high numbers of civilian casualties, credible reports of famine and devastation of Gazan towns and cities, suggests Israel’s exercise of self-defence has become disproportionate.

    The principle of proportionality is also part of international humanitarian law. However, Israel’s actions on this front are a separate legal issue that has been the subject of investigation by the International Criminal Court.

    My aim here is to solely assess the legal question of proportionality in self-defence and international law.

    Is rescuing hostages in self-defence?

    Israel could separately argue it is exercising legitimate self-defence to rescue the remaining hostages held by Hamas.

    However, rescuing nationals as an exercise of self-defence is legally controversial. Israel set a precedent in 1976 when the military rescued 103 Jewish hostages from Entebbe, Uganda, after their aircraft had been hijacked.

    In current international law, there are very few other examples in which this interpretation of self-defence has been adopted – and no international consensus on its use.

    In Gaza, the size, scale and duration of Israel’s war goes far beyond a hostage rescue operation. Its aim is also to eliminate Hamas.

    Given this, rescuing hostages as an act of self-defence is arguably not a suitable justification for Israel’s ongoing military operations.

    An act of aggression?

    If Israel can no longer rely on self-defence to justify its Gaza military campaign, how would its actions be characterised under international law?

    Israel could claim it is undertaking a security operation as an occupying power.

    While the International Court of Justice said in an advisory opinion last year that Israel was engaged in an illegal occupation of Gaza, the court expressly made clear it was not addressing the circumstances that had evolved since October 7.

    Israel is indeed continuing to act as an occupying power, even though it has not physically reoccupied all of Gaza. This is irrelevant given the effective control it exercises over the territory.

    However, the scale of the IDF’s operations constitute an armed conflict and well exceed the limited military operations to restore security as an occupying power.

    Absent any other legitimate basis for Israel’s current conduct in Gaza, there is a strong argument that what is occurring is an act of aggression. The UN Charter and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court prohibit acts of aggression not otherwise justified under international law.

    These include invasions or attacks by the armed forces of a state, military occupations, bombardments and blockades. All of this has occurred – and continues to occur – in Gaza.

    The international community has rightly condemned Russia’s invasion as an act of aggression in Ukraine. Will it now do the same with Israel’s conduct in Gaza?

    Donald Rothwell receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

    – ref. Can Israel still claim self-defence to justify its Gaza war? Here’s what the law says – https://theconversation.com/can-israel-still-claim-self-defence-to-justify-its-gaza-war-heres-what-the-law-says-257822

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Jobs at US’s Largest Port Halved Amid Tariff Controversy – Media

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    LOS ANGELES, June 8 (Xinhua) — The number of jobs at the Port of Los Angeles, the largest and busiest port in the United States, has been cut in half due to President Donald Trump’s tariffs that have crippled trade with the Asia-Pacific region, local media reported Saturday.

    Over the last 25 shifts, only 733 jobs were available for the 1,575 dockworkers seeking work, the Los Angeles Times reported, citing Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka, adding that the port handled 25 percent less cargo than projected for May.

    “They haven’t been laid off, but they’re working a lot less than they were before,” Seroka said. “We’ve actually seen a decline in work since the tariffs were put in place, in May,” he added.

    J. Seroka attributed the job losses to the decrease in the volume of cargo passing through the port.

    The Port of Los Angeles has been the largest container port in the United States every year since 2000. In California alone, nearly 1 million jobs are tied to trade through the port. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Republic of Latvia: Staff Concluding Statement of the 2025 Article IV Mission

    Source: IMF – News in Russian

    June 8, 2025

    A Concluding Statement describes the preliminary findings of IMF staff at the end of an official staff visit (or ‘mission’), in most cases to a member country. Missions are undertaken as part of regular (usually annual) consultations under Article IV of the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, in the context of a request to use IMF resources (borrow from the IMF), as part of discussions of staff monitored programs, or as part of other staff monitoring of economic developments.

    The authorities have consented to the publication of this statement. The views expressed in this statement are those of the IMF staff and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF’s Executive Board. Based on the preliminary findings of this mission, staff will prepare a report that, subject to management approval, will be presented to the IMF Executive Board for discussion and decision.

    Washington, DC – June 9, 2025

    Latvia’s economy is navigating a complex global environment while addressing structural challenges at home. Geoeconomic fragmentation, geopolitical tensions, higher trade barriers and trade policy uncertainty, and labor and skills shortages are adding to challenges to productivity growth. Meanwhile, Latvia faces significant medium- and long-term spending pressures driven by population aging, defense needs, and investments for energy security. To address these spending needs, staff recommends the mobilization of additional revenue and the acceleration of structural fiscal reforms. Improving pension adequacy requires strengthening the second and third pillars of the pension system. The authorities should continue to monitor risks in the financial sector, including banks’ exposure to the commercial real estate sector, and reassess the solidarity contribution on banks. To strengthen resilience and growth—which will also support public finances—the authorities should consider measures to boost productivity. These include increasing the quantity and quality of corporate investment (e.g., by improving firms’ access to finance), supporting the reallocation of labor and capital toward higher value-added products and services, and enhancing digital technology adoption in traditional sectors.

    Outlook and Risks

    Growth is projected to rebound in 2025. Real GDP growth is projected to recover to about 1 percent in 2025, underpinned mainly by higher public investment, but also a recovery in private consumption and a gradual recovery of external demand. Headline inflation is projected to increase to about 3 percent in 2025, reflecting higher energy prices in the early months of 2025 and higher food prices, and core inflation is expected to moderate but remain above headline reflecting persistent services inflation.

    Risks to the outlook are tilted to the downside. Rising geopolitical tensions, and higher tariffs and trade policy uncertainty may dampen the recovery. Although direct trade and financial exposures to the United States are small, weaker demand in key European trading partners and lower consumer and business confidence could affect economic and financial stability through financial contagion. Other downside risks to growth include a further slowdown of growth in Latvia’s trading partners, delays in the absorption of EU funds, new increases in global energy and food prices, and an increase in electricity prices. At the same time, a strong economic recovery in Latvia’s main trading partners, a boost in confidence from improved security, a faster-than-expected disbursement of EU funds, and a swift implementation of structural reforms may contribute to higher-than-expected economic growth. Latvia has a strong track record, solid commitment to fiscal discipline, and strong fiscal institutions. Despite that, the fiscal balance is subject to downside risks from higher spending in defense, contingent liabilities with state-owned enterprisesthat could be in excess of the Fiscal Safety Reserve, and higher capital expenditure with large infrastructure projects.

    Fiscal Policy: Addressing Public Spending Pressures

    The moderately expansionary budget in 2025 is appropriate, given the currently negative output gap. The headline fiscal deficit is projected to increase to about 3 percent of GDP in 2025, because of higher defense and investment spending needs. At the same time, the 2025 budget includes tax reforms to simplify the personal income tax that will generate minimal revenue gains.

    Latvia’s government faces significant medium- and long-term spending pressures.These include rising costs for pensions and health care, increased defense spending, and investments for energy security. The government has recently committed to increasing defense spending to 5 percent of GDP from 2026 onwards. In the absence of measures to raise fiscal revenues and reprioritize government spending, Latvia’s structural fiscal deficit (including one-off expenses) is projected to average about 3 percent of GDP in the medium-term. This would raise public debt close to 50 percent of GDP in 2030, eroding fiscal space and limiting the authorities’ ability to address large adverse shocks in the future.

    Going forward, the authorities should proactively preserve fiscal buffers. Staff estimates that bringing public debt to its pre-Covid level of 40 percent of GDP in 2030 requires a fiscal consolidation of about ½ percent of GDP per year between 2026 and 2030.

    The government should therefore mobilize additional revenue. Revenue measures could include (i) strengthening tax compliance; (ii) broadening the bases of corporate and personal income taxes (e.g., by reducing the shadow economy); (iii) continuing to improve VAT collection efficiency through further narrowing the compliance gap; (iv) reducing tax exemptions and fossil fuel subsidies; and (v) raising property tax revenue. The government should also consider improving the efficiency of public spending by further improving procurement, eradicating rent-seeking activities, simplifying regulation, reducing bureaucracy, and increasing the efficiency of public administration and public investment management.

    The government should adopt measures to support medium- and long-term pressures arising from higher spending with pensions. The government needs a comprehensive approach to improve pension adequacy while ensuring the financial balance of the pension system. This may include pursuing active labor market policies to increase labor force participation, incentivizing pensioners to work, and linking the retirement ages to future life expectancy gains. The authorities should also strengthen pension adequacy by increasing the contribution rates and the returns to the mandatory defined contribution pension pillar and strengthening incentives for higher voluntary savings for retirement through a more flexible and accessible system design.

    Financial Policies: Countering Risks and Building Resilience in the Financial Sector

    The authorities should monitor loan exposure to commercial real estate (CRE) and reassess the solidarity contribution on banks. If remaining in place for long, the solidarity contribution could distort bank lending toward less productive uses such as real estate and reduce lending to corporates. This is because banks can spread the increased tax costs over the full term of a mortgage, unlike for corporate loans which have shorter maturities. Considering structural changes in the office CRE segment globally, and given that loans to the CRE sector are around 31 percent of banks’ total corporate loan portfolio, CRE developments should be closely monitored.

    The macroprudential policy stance remains broadly appropriate. The implementation of a positive neutral countercyclical capital buffer requirement, which will be raised to 1 percent in June 2025, helps build up releasable macroprudential buffers. However, the looser debt-to-income and debt service-to-income limits implemented in 2024 to promote loans for the purchase of energy-efficient housing should be reconsidered. Latvia has made further progress in strengthening its AML/CFT framework.

    Structural Reforms: Policies to Boost Investment and Productivity

    Latvia’s low productivity growth is driven by sluggish capital accumulation and an inefficient allocation of productive resources. The low capital stock results from inadequate investment in part driven by financial constraints and low risk-adjusted expected returns. Structural bottlenecks like costly and lengthy insolvency processes (despite improvements) or limited occupational and regional mobility of the labor force have hindered the flow of resources from low- to high-productivity firms. Boosting productivity would help to increase the tax base and sustainably lift incomes, while preserving Latvia’s external competitiveness.

    Corporate reforms can improve capital allocation and enhance access to finance. Insolvency reforms with a focus on micro companies and timely initiation of insolvency cases that facilitate the exit of firms that are not economically viable could help to reallocate resources to more viable businesses. Initiatives to develop the capital market could help improve the access to finance by smaller firms. Expanding venture capital and equity financing would improve access to finance, therefore boosting opportunities for startups and allowing young firms to scale up. All these reforms will be more successful if combined with deepening the EU’s single market, which will allow Latvia’s firms to leverage economies of scale and greatly improve access to capital markets.

    Addressing labor and skills shortages would sustain investment and productivity growth in Latvia. High-quality education and training systems, and targeted upskilling and reskilling measures are key to reducing the labor and skills shortages, improving competitiveness, and boosting productivity. The facilitation of skilled migration and the use of targeted active labor market policies will also help to enhance participation in the labor market.

    Product and service market reforms can enhance competition and productivity. The regulatory framework could be improved by reducing the use of retail price regulation, streamlining spatial planning and construction regulations, and further simplifying administrative procedures and digitalization efforts in the construction sector.

    The authorities should enhance support for innovation, technology adoption, and digital transformation, as well as strengthen energy security. Despite a modest rise in the past decade, Latvia’s R&D spending as a share of GDP remains among the lowest in Europe, hampering innovation and productivity growth. The authorities should accelerate the digital transformation by centralizing the governance of digital platforms and systems in the public sector, expanding digital training to public employees, promoting digitalization in businesses and in the education sector, and enhancing the broadband infrastructure. Finally, Latvia should continue to enhance its energy security by increasing the share of renewable energy, including biomass, and improving interconnections to other European power grids.

    An IMF team conducted meetings in Riga during May 26–June 6, 2025. The mission was led by Mr. Luis Brandao-Marques and includes Gianluigi Ferrucci, Bingjie Hu, and Keyra Primus (all EUR). Carlos Acosta and Anjum Rosha (all LEG) participated virtually in meetings. Gundars Davidsons (OED) participated in the meetings. The mission would like to thank the authorities for their open collaboration, generous availability, and the candid and constructive discussions.

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Boris Balabanov

    Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2025/06/06/mcs060925-Latvia-Staff-Concluding-Statement-2025-Article-IV-Mission

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Greens call for safe passage of Madleen and Government to sanction Israel

    Source: Green Party

    The Green Party is calling for the safe passage of the Madleen, a civilian aid vessel on course to Gaza, following the Freedom Flotilla being seized by the Israeli Military and urging the New Zealand Government to sanction Israel for its illegal occupation of Palestine. 

    “The Green Party is calling for the safe passage of the Madleen and for the New Zealand Government to step up and sanction Israel for its violent occupation of Palestine and continued disregard for international law,” says Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson.

    “The Madleen was trying to get much-needed humanitarian aid into Gaza, and has been intercepted by the Israeli Military in international waters. This seizure blatantly violates international law and defies the International Court of Justice’s binding orders requiring unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza.

    “Weaponising critical humanitarian aid must stop. Shooting at innocent people lining up for kai must stop. Aotearoa New Zealand cannot remain a bystander to the slaughter of innocent people in Gaza.

    “I was on a peace flotilla for Gaza almost ten years ago and it pains me to still see the need for one all these years later. 

    “If we stand for human rights and peace and justice, our Parliament must act. The New Zealand Government must sanction Israel and can do so by supporting Chlöe Swarbrick’s Member’s Bill. All we need is the support of six Government MPs to make this happen.

    “In September, Aotearoa joined 123 UN Member States to support a resolution calling for sanctions against those responsible for Israel’s ‘unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including in relation to settler violence.’

    “Our Government has since done nothing to fulfil that commitment. Our Unlawful Occupation of Palestine Sanctions Bill starts that very basic process.

    “The Green Party stands with the Madleen and will continue to fight for the people of Palestine,” says Marama Davidson.

    NOTES TO EDITORS:

    • In 2016, Marama Davidson was a part of the Women’s Boat to Gaza which brought awareness to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and highlighted the crucial role of women in keeping their communities afloat, particularly in post-conflict situations.
    • Standing Order 288 outlines the process for Member’s Bills to bypass the member’s bill ballot (colloquially known as the ‘biscuit tin’), with the support of 61 non-executive members. With 55 Opposition members now officially in support of Swarbrick’s Unlawful Occupation of Palestine Sanctions Bill, the support of just 6 Government MPs are necessary to get the Bill onto the floor of Parliament.
    • On 10th December 2024, Swarbrick wrote to all Members of Parliament asking their support for the Bill to bypass the ballot, and later asked the Prime Minister in the House if there would be any Government policy or position preventing MPs from exercising their democratic right to support the Bill bypassing the ballot. He said that he would have a “good look at the Bill”.
    • In the tenth emergency session of the United Nations General Assembly on 18 September 2024, NZ joined 123 other member states in supporting United Nations General Assembly Resolution ES-10/24 “Advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on the legal consequences arising from Israel’s policies and practices in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and from the illegality of Israel’s continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory”.
    • This resolution affirmed the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice regarding Israel’s actions and presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, called upon all states to comply with their obligations under international law, and, amongst other actions, called upon all States to implement sanctions, including travel bans and asset freezes, against natural and legal persons engaged in the maintenance of Israel’s unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including in relation to settler violence.
    • This Bill implements a sanctions framework, duplicating the Russia Sanctions Act, to allow sanctions to be imposed by the Government against Israel in response to Israel’s unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
    • The Bill implements some initial sanctions against Israeli Ministers, Israeli MPs who have supported the occupation, and military leadership, as well as sanctions on assets and services relating to arms and assets and services that are of economic or strategic importance to Israel.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Russia shoots down 131 Ukrainian drones in 24 hours

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

    Russian air defenses shot down 131 Ukrainian drones in the last 24 hours, including 73 devices outside the air defense zone, the Defense Ministry said on Sunday.

    The ministry further said that the drones were destroyed over the Tula, Bryansk, Kaluga, Oryol, Belgorod, Kursk, and Moscow regions as well as Crimea.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: NSU Faculty of Information Technology graduates developed a system for monitoring the condition of water intake wells

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –

    Graduates Faculty of Information Technology (FIT) NSU developed a system for monitoring the condition of water intake wells — a hardware and software complex that allows real-time monitoring of key parameters of their operation. The complex includes sensors installed on wells, a server platform for collecting and analyzing data, as well as a user interface — a web version and a mobile application on Android. The development has already been implemented and is used by employees of OJSC Suzunskoye ZhKH in the Novosibirsk Region, where the system collects data on the water level and electricity consumption of pumping equipment at wells.

    The idea for the project emerged two years ago, when the task of developing a comprehensive monitoring system was announced at a meeting of the technical council of the State Institution of the Novosibirsk Region “Project Directorate of the Ministry of Housing and Public Utilities of the Novosibirsk Region”. This initiative was picked up by Alexey Fage, a graduate of the NSU Institute of Information Technologies and a candidate of technical sciences. Over the next year, he studied the requirements of potential users and technical solutions for completing the tasks. Subsequently, the team was joined by Alexander Vlasov, a graduate of the NSU Institute of Information Technologies and a candidate of technical sciences, and Efim Pashko, a third-year student of the NSU Institute of Information Technologies at that time. Alexey managed the project and also developed software for the hardware part of the project, responsible for recording sensor readings at the well. Efim, under the guidance of his scientific advisor Alexander Vlasov, worked on the server part and the user interface, including the web version and mobile application. The development is Efim’s diploma project. This example clearly demonstrates how graduates of the Faculty of Information Technology of NSU continue to actively participate in the life of their university, offering students relevant and interesting projects that can grow into significant developments.

    There are various water well monitoring systems on the Russian market, but the system under review has no complete analogues on the open market. Existing approaches can be divided into 2 types. Thus, the first type collects data on well parameters and automatically sends them to a remote server. However, such solutions are usually part of larger, universal industrial automation systems. For example, these can be water well control systems with a load distribution function. These complex systems are usually much more expensive and often require the customer to independently organize and maintain the server infrastructure. Another approach is represented by simpler systems, where a sensor is installed on the well, which collects data on the internal memory. In this case, manual intervention is required to unload and analyze the data – the operator must come to the site with a laptop, which is extremely inconvenient for remote wells.

    — We are trying to create a specialized, but at the same time extremely easy-to-use system, which can be described as “install and forget”. It is designed with a wide range of consumers in mind, who only need to know how to use a smartphone. In essence, this is a regular user service in the modern sense, — explained Efim Pashko.

    The monitoring system consists of three parts. The first is the one installed directly on the well. These are sensors and a single-board computer that collects readings from the sensors and sends them to the server. The second is the server part, which receives, saves and processes all data coming from the sensors. In the future, the server part will also include a data analysis module. The third part is access to this data, which is carried out either through a computer (web browser) or through a phone (mobile application).

    Currently, a pilot project for the implementation of this system is being implemented with OJSC Suzunskoye ZhKH in the Novosibirsk Region. The developers are collecting feedback from users in order to further refine and improve the system. Thus, with the help of sensors, it is monitored whether the dynamic water level in the well (the water level in the well during pump operation) corresponds to the passport, since operation with a low level can lead to premature failure of the well. The system also records problems with the power supply, for example, phase imbalance – a violation of the uniform distribution of voltage between the phases, which can result in damage to electrical equipment.

    Thus, continuous monitoring of well parameters contributes to a more accurate assessment of the condition of the equipment and the water intake as a whole, which has a positive impact on maintenance planning and operational strategy.

    The relevance of the development is also due to new regulatory requirements. Thus, in May, a new decree of the Government of the Russian Federation was issued, according to which legal entities – owners of wells – must monitor their condition, since in the case of operating wells with a water level below the permissible level, this can not only lead to equipment failure, but also adversely affect the condition of the aquifer and harm the environment. The monitoring system allows you to promptly record the occurrence of such situations and take measures to eliminate them. In addition, the availability of objective data collected by the system reduces the likelihood of conflicts between operating organizations and regulatory authorities (for example, the Ministry of Natural Resources) – due to increased transparency and accountability of actions.

    Currently, the system collects water level data and electrical energy indicators (voltage, current, reactive and active power). However, the hardware is quite versatile, so it allows you to include additional sensors and expand the range of collected data, for example, add parameters such as water temperature, water flow at the well outlet, pressure in the main line, etc. Also, in the future, the developers plan to expand the functionality of the system, in particular, automate the compilation of reports and improve the data processing module using artificial intelligence technologies.

    — Of course, the mathematical method that we are currently using allows us to analyze data quite deeply, but machine learning opens up new horizons. After completing my bachelor’s degree, I will apply for a master’s degree in a field related to machine learning and will continue working on this project. It is quite possible that I will find a new technology that can be applied, — added Efim.

    This solution was recently presented to the Minister of Housing and Public Utilities and Energy of the Novosibirsk Region. The system interested the Minister, who confirmed the relevance of its implementation. Work is currently underway on a feasibility study for subsequent presentation to the Governor of the Novosibirsk Region.

    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 –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The Story of a Foreign Son-in-Law and His Love for Pizza in Huangshan City

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    American-turned-“Chinese son-in-law” Adrian Brill left a teaching job in Chengdu to become a pizza maker in the quiet village of Nanxingan, nestled at the foot of the Huangshan Mountains in Anhui Province. In 2017, he and his wife moved to her hometown of Huangshan City. “This is a chance to build the life I’ve always wanted, which is to live in greater harmony with nature, community, and personal well-being,” he said.

    “Chinese Son-in-Law” Adrien Makes Pizza with Fermented Maotofu Bean Curd (Source: Screenshot from video)

    In 2021, Adrien gained attention for sharing his home-style and rustic cuisine on social media and opened a local pizzeria. “I didn’t choose the restaurant business, the business chose me,” he says. His signature pizzas are two types that combine unique Anhui flavors: the savory Chinese snapper and the fermented tofu (maotofu). “It’s not just food, it’s a cultural exchange. My family is half American and half Chinese, and the most beautiful thing is what’s born between the two cultures,” he says. Today, Adrien is not only a chef but also a mentor to the neighborhood’s youth, giving him a sense of belonging to different identities that lie at the intersection of Chinese and Western food cultures.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Astana hosts China-Central Asia Symposium on Public Administration and Dialogue on People-to-People Exchanges – 2025

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    On May 30 local time, the Symposium on Public Administration and Dialogue on People-to-People Exchanges between China and Central Asian Countries – 2025 was held in Astana (Republic of Kazakhstan).

    In the photo: Deputy Director of the CPC Central Committee’s Propaganda Department Hu Heping delivers a speech.

    Hu Heping noted that China is comprehensively promoting the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese modernization, and the Central Asian countries are also tirelessly seeking a path of development and revival with their own national characteristics. And on this path of modernization, China and the Central Asian countries are fellow travelers and good partners. The parties need to raise the level of cooperation within the framework of the joint construction of the “One Belt, One Road” (hereinafter referred to as OBOR), support each other in choosing a development path that meets national realities, promote the construction of a more equitable international order, and strengthen international humanitarian exchanges and cooperation.

    In the photo: Director General of the China International Civil Aviation Authority (CICG) Du Zhanyuan delivers a speech.

    Du Zhanyuan said that China and the five Central Asian countries are developing countries. Their exchanges and cooperation in many areas such as public administration have deep historical roots, a solid foundation of public opinion and a wide range of practical needs. Looking to the future, the two sides should focus on issues such as modernization, poverty alleviation and environmental protection, continue to promote ideological convergence and exchanges on the China-Central Asia concept, and strengthen the cultural foundation of the China-Central Asia community with a shared future through mutual enrichment of ideas.

    Pictured: Chinese Ambassador to Kazakhstan Han Chunlin delivers a speech.

    In the photo: Executive Secretary of the Amanat Party of Kazakhstan Daulet Karibek gives a speech.

    In the photo: Secretary General of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) Kairat Sarybay delivers a speech.

    In the photo: Vice Minister of Culture and Information of Kazakhstan Yevgeny Kochetov gives a speech.

    In the photo: Secretary General of the China-Central Asia format Sun Weidong delivers a video address.

    During the symposium, guests from China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and other countries held in-depth exchanges of views on the topic of the event. Jiang Yonggang, Director of the Europe and Asia Broadcasting Center (Renmin Huabao Publishing House) under the Foreign Languages Publication and Distribution Administration of the People’s Republic of China, acted as the host of the event.

    In the photo: guests give speeches

    In the photo: sites of four thematic sections

    In the photo: the event site

    On May 29 local time, a presentation of the Kazakh edition of the 4-volume collection “Xi Jinping on State Governance” was also held in Astana under the auspices of the PRC Foreign Language Publication and Dissemination Office and the National Ethnic Affairs Committee of the PRC. Du Zhanyuan delivered a speech at the ceremony.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Beijing boosts China travel popularity by streamlining inbound tourism services

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    Climb the Great Wall of China to admire the majestic scenery; stroll along the central axis of Beijing and immerse yourself in the ancient Chinese civilization; stroll along the Liangmahe River embankment with an international atmosphere to enjoy the city’s nightlife charm… More than 270 tour operators from over 40 countries and regions around the world recently gathered in Beijing to “discover Beijing” for 48 hours and fully experience the dynamics and energy of China travel.

    “This is my first visit to Beijing and China, everything here pleasantly surprises me!” exclaims Anya from Munich, filming what she saw on her mobile phone. She told reporters that she was very impressed by climbing the Great Wall of China, listening to the Kunqu opera and tasting Peking duck. “I am so glad that I came here. Next year I hope to visit China with my family to discover even more interesting things,” she said.

    From June 1 to 2, the Beijing Cultural and Tourism Administration invited tour operators from the United States, Britain, France, Italy and other countries to get acquainted with new tourism products, locations and services in the capital of the PRC.

    As China continues to optimize its entry policy and expand the list of countries whose citizens can enter China without a visa, “China travel” is becoming increasingly popular, and “China shopping” is becoming a new fashion trend. Since the beginning of this year, Beijing’s inbound tourism has shown accelerated growth, with the number of tourists and their consumption rates increasing sharply. Data show that Beijing received 1.46 million foreign tourists from January to April this year, up 57.1% year-on-year.

    The 2025 Beijing Inbound Tourism Development Conference focuses on topics such as transportation, payment, accommodation, shopping, entertainment and technology, and introduces overseas tour operators to services and innovative products aimed at facilitating inbound tourism.

    According to the information provided, Beijing will continuously expand its tourism products such as world heritage tours, hutong tours, night city tours and other specialized and immersive tourism products. Ten themed inbound tourism routes will be launched to enrich the diversity of tourism products and meet the needs of different markets and tourist groups.

    “Some American tourists are not familiar with China, and the new measures taken by Beijing will help them travel around the city more conveniently,” said Justin Lipsky from the United States. “I like to visit places like the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Drum Tower and Wangfujing Street, where you can experience the unique history and culture of Beijing. I will also recommend these places to tourists from the United States.”

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Xi, Myanmar leader exchange congratulations on 75th anniv of diplomatic ties

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

    Chinese President Xi Jinping and Myanmar leader Min Aung Hlaing on Sunday exchanged congratulations on the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

    In his message, Xi said that over the past 75 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties, the “Paukphaw” (fraternal) friendship between China and Myanmar has stood the test of time and grown even stronger.

    Upholding the jointly advocated Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and the Bandung Spirit, the two countries have been committed to good neighborliness, deepened mutually beneficial cooperation, and firmly supported each other on issues regarding their respective core interests and major concerns, setting a fine example of friendly exchange between countries, he said.

    Xi recalled his meeting with Min Aung Hlaing in Russia in May, when the two leaders reached important consensus on building the China-Myanmar community with a shared future.

    China attaches great importance to the development of its ties with Myanmar and stands ready to work with Myanmar to take the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties as an opportunity to accelerate high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, jointly implement the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative and push for solid progress in building the China-Myanmar community with a shared future, so as to deliver more benefits to the two peoples, Xi stressed.

    For his part, Min Aung Hlaing said that Xi’s historic visit to Myanmar in 2020 opened a new chapter in building the Myanmar-China community with a shared future.

    After a powerful earthquake struck Myanmar earlier this year, the Chinese government and people offered humanitarian assistance promptly, fully demonstrating the deep friendship between our two peoples in standing together through thick and thin and helping each other in times of difficulties, he said.

    Min Aung Hlaing hailed his meeting with Xi in Moscow as fruitful, as they reached important consensus on deepening strategic cooperation. He also expressed gratitude to China for its firm support of Myanmar’s efforts to achieve peace and stability, national reconciliation and economic development.

    The Myanmar leader said he looks forward to accelerating cooperation with China across various fields and forging a stronger, more resilient and mutually beneficial partnership.

    Also on Sunday, Chinese Premier Li Qiang exchanged congratulations with Min Aung Hlaing.

    Li said that over the past 75 years, thanks to joint efforts from both sides, significant progress has been made in friendly exchanges and practical cooperation in various fields.

    Li voiced his readiness to work with Min Aung Hlaing to deepen the comprehensive strategic cooperation between the two countries and advance solid progress in building the China-Myanmar community with a shared future, so as to inject new momentum into respective development.

    Under the guidance of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, steady growth has been achieved in Myanmar-China relations, said Min Aung Hlaing, voicing willingness to work with China to jointly build the community with a shared future so as to better benefit the two peoples.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Body of Hamas commander M. Sinwar recovered from Gaza tunnel – IDF

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    JERUSALEM, June 8 (Xinhua) — The Israeli military said Sunday it has recovered the body of Hamas military chief Mohammed Sinwar from a tunnel in the southern Gaza Strip and brought it to the Jewish state.

    The identification procedure confirmed that “the body of Mohammed Sinwar was found in an underground tunnel beneath the European Hospital in Khan Yunis,” the Israeli army said in a statement.

    M. Sinwar and Muhammad Shabana, the commander of the Hamas brigade in Rafah, were killed in a tunnel on May 13 by the Israeli military and the General Security Service (Shin Bet), the statement said.

    The bodies were found in the area during an operation that began on June 4 and was accompanied by intense airstrikes. The Israeli military added that the operation was still ongoing.

    “During the search along the underground tunnel route, several items belonging to M. Sinwar and M. Shabana were found, as well as additional intelligence data. These were handed over for further investigation,” the statement said. No further details were given.

    During the operation, other bodies were also found, and the identities of those killed are currently being established, the Israeli Armed Forces added.

    In late May, the Israeli army said for the first time that Sinwar had been killed in an airstrike. At least six people were killed and 40 wounded in the attack, according to Gaza health officials. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Plane crashes in US, many people injured

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    NEW YORK, June 8 (Xinhua) — A plane carrying at least 16 people crashed in Coffee County, Tennessee, in the central U.S. on Sunday afternoon. The victims were taken to hospital with serious injuries.

    The Tennessee Highway Patrol said on social media that preliminary reports indicated there were between 16 and 20 people on board. Several of the injured were airlifted to nearby hospitals, while the remaining passengers were being treated at the scene. Rescue efforts are ongoing. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Can Israel still claim self-defence to justify its Gaza war? Here’s what the law says

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Donald Rothwell, Professor of International Law, Australian National University

    On October 7 2023, more than 1,000 Hamas militants stormed into southern Israel and went on a killing spree, murdering 1,200 men, women and children and abducting another 250 people to take back to Gaza. It was the deadliest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust.

    That day, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the country, “Israel is at war”. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) immediately began a military campaign to secure the release of the hostages and defeat Hamas. Since that day, more than 54,000 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children.

    Israel has maintained its response is justified under international law, as every nation has “an inherent right to defend itself”, as Netanyahu stated in early 2024.

    This is based on the right to self-defence in international law, which is outlined in Article 51 of the 1945 United Nations Charter as follows:

    Nothing in the present Charter shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective self-defence if an armed attack occurs against a Member of the United Nations[…]

    At the start of the war, many nations agreed Israel had a right to defend itself, but how it did so mattered. This would ensure its actions were consistent with international humanitarian law.

    However, 20 months after the October 7 attacks, fundamental legal issues have arisen around whether this self-defence justification still holds.

    Can Israel exercise self-defence ad infinitum? Or is it now waging a war of aggression against Palestine?

    Self-defence in the law

    Self-defence has a long history in international law.

    The modern principles of self-defence were outlined in diplomatic exchanges over an 1837 incident involving an American ship, The Caroline, after it was destroyed by British forces in Canada. Both sides agreed that an exercise of self-defence would have required the British to demonstrate their conduct was not “unreasonable or excessive”.

    The concept of self-defence was also extensively relied on by the Allies in the second world war in response to German and Japanese aggression.

    Self-defence was originally framed in the law as a right to respond to a state-based attack. However, this scope has broadened in recent decades to encompass attacks from non-state actors, such as al-Qaeda following the September 11 2001 terror attacks.

    Israel is a legitimate, recognised state in the global community and a member of the United Nations. Its right to self-defence will always remain intact when it faces attacks from its neighbours or non-state actors, such as Hamas, Hezbollah or the Houthi rebels in Yemen.

    However, the right of self-defence is not unlimited. It is constrained by the principles of necessity and proportionality.

    The necessity test was met in the current war due to the extreme violence of the Hamas attack on October 7 and the taking of hostages. These were actions that could not be ignored and demanded a response, due to the threat Israel continued to face.

    The proportionality test was also met, initially. Israel’s military operation after the attack was strategic in nature, focused on the return of the hostages and the destruction of Hamas to eliminate the immediate threat the group posed.

    The legal question now is whether Israel is still legitimately exercising self-defence in response to the October 7 attacks.

    This is a live issue, especially given comments by Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz on May 30 that Hamas would be “annihilated” unless a proposed ceasefire deal was accepted.

    These comments and Israel’s ongoing conduct throughout the war raise the question of whether proportionality is still being met.

    A test of proportionality

    The importance of proportionality in self-defence has been endorsed in recent years by the International Court of Justice.

    Under international law, proportionality remains relevant throughout a conflict, not just in the initial response to an attack.

    While the law allows a war to continue until an aggressor surrenders, it does not legitimise the complete destruction of the territory where an aggressor is fighting.

    The principle of proportionality also provides protections for civilians. Military actions are to be directed at the foreign forces who launched the attack, not civilians.

    While Israel has targeted Hamas fighters in its attacks, including those who orchestrated the October 7 attacks, these actions have caused significant collateral deaths of Palestinian civilians.

    Therefore, taken overall, the ongoing, 20-month military assault against Hamas, with its high numbers of civilian casualties, credible reports of famine and devastation of Gazan towns and cities, suggests Israel’s exercise of self-defence has become disproportionate.

    The principle of proportionality is also part of international humanitarian law. However, Israel’s actions on this front are a separate legal issue that has been the subject of investigation by the International Criminal Court.

    My aim here is to solely assess the legal question of proportionality in self-defence and international law.

    Is rescuing hostages in self-defence?

    Israel could separately argue it is exercising legitimate self-defence to rescue the remaining hostages held by Hamas.

    However, rescuing nationals as an exercise of self-defence is legally controversial. Israel set a precedent in 1976 when the military rescued 103 Jewish hostages from Entebbe, Uganda, after their aircraft had been hijacked.

    In current international law, there are very few other examples in which this interpretation of self-defence has been adopted – and no international consensus on its use.

    In Gaza, the size, scale and duration of Israel’s war goes far beyond a hostage rescue operation. Its aim is also to eliminate Hamas.

    Given this, rescuing hostages as an act of self-defence is arguably not a suitable justification for Israel’s ongoing military operations.

    An act of aggression?

    If Israel can no longer rely on self-defence to justify its Gaza military campaign, how would its actions be characterised under international law?

    Israel could claim it is undertaking a security operation as an occupying power.

    While the International Court of Justice said in an advisory opinion last year that Israel was engaged in an illegal occupation of Gaza, the court expressly made clear it was not addressing the circumstances that had evolved since October 7.

    Israel is indeed continuing to act as an occupying power, even though it has not physically reoccupied all of Gaza. This is irrelevant given the effective control it exercises over the territory.

    However, the scale of the IDF’s operations constitute an armed conflict and well exceed the limited military operations to restore security as an occupying power.

    Absent any other legitimate basis for Israel’s current conduct in Gaza, there is a strong argument that what is occurring is an act of aggression. The UN Charter and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court prohibit acts of aggression not otherwise justified under international law.

    These include invasions or attacks by the armed forces of a state, military occupations, bombardments and blockades. All of this has occurred – and continues to occur – in Gaza.

    The international community has rightly condemned Russia’s invasion as an act of aggression in Ukraine. Will it now do the same with Israel’s conduct in Gaza?

    Donald Rothwell receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

    – ref. Can Israel still claim self-defence to justify its Gaza war? Here’s what the law says – https://theconversation.com/can-israel-still-claim-self-defence-to-justify-its-gaza-war-heres-what-the-law-says-257822

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Myanmar leader says he is ready to work with China to build a Myanmar-China community of shared destiny

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    NAYPYI TAW, Myanmar, June 8 (Xinhua) — A ceremony to mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Myanmar was held in Myanmar’s capital Naypyitaw on Sunday.

    Speaking at the ceremony, Myanmar leader Min Aung Hlaing said Myanmar is willing to stand hand in hand with China, remain firmly committed to strengthening the fraternal friendship between the two countries, and consistently promote the building of a Myanmar-China community with a shared future.

    Min Aung Hlaing noted that the two countries have historically developed traditional fraternal relations of good-neighborliness and friendship.

    Over the 75 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Myanmar and China, the friendly ties between the governments, peoples and all walks of life of the two countries have continued to develop steadily, and cooperation in key areas such as investment and trade has continuously achieved remarkable progress, the Myanmar leader noted.

    According to Min Aung Hlaing, both countries have consistently adhered to the five principles of peaceful coexistence, setting a model for modern international relations.

    Myanmar will continue to firmly adhere to the one-China principle and highly appreciates China’s Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative and Global Civilization Initiative.

    Min Aung Hlaing also expressed gratitude for China’s strong support for peace, national reconciliation, socio-economic development of Myanmar, as well as for the valuable assistance provided to it in the aftermath of the earthquake.

    Chinese Ambassador to Myanmar Ma Jia, for her part, said that China and Myanmar are connected by shared mountains and rivers, and their friendly relations go back thousands of years.

    The ambassador stated that since the establishment of diplomatic relations, China-Myanmar ties have been as strong as a rock. The future and destiny of the two countries are inextricably linked, and the two countries continue to write new chapters in the history of fraternal friendship in various fields, Ma Jia added.

    The diplomat stressed that China will continue to adhere to the principles of a friendly, secure and prosperous neighborhood, goodwill, sincerity, mutual benefit, inclusiveness and common destiny.

    Ma Jia assured that China will continue to strengthen strategic mutual trust, deepen development integration, maintain regional stability and expand exchanges with Myanmar.

    In addition, China will continue to support Myanmar in its post-earthquake recovery and promote the deepening and practical realization of the China-Myanmar community of shared future, the ambassador added. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Thailand, Cambodia reach deal on troop redeployment to ease border tensions

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    BANGKOK/PHNOM PENH, June 8 (Xinhua) — Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to redeploy troops to ease tensions after a brief clash earlier in the border area, Thai Prime Minister Phetongthan Shinawatra said Sunday.

    As the Prime Minister reported on the social network X, her talks with the Cambodian government had produced a positive result. Both sides agreed to change the deployment of troops in the conflict areas to ease tensions.

    The Prime Minister assured that Thailand and Cambodia will hold discussions at all levels to return interstate relations to normal as soon as possible.

    In a separate statement, Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Phumtham Vechayachai confirmed that Thai and Cambodian military units had completed their redeployment to positions agreed upon in 2024.

    Phumtham Vechayachai noted that continuous coordination at all levels has helped ease tensions and both countries are seeking to reduce conflict and avoid confrontation.

    Meanwhile, Cambodian Senate (upper house of parliament) Chairman Hun Sen said on Sunday evening that adjusting the military’s deployment in areas of conflict with Thailand was necessary to prevent large-scale violent clashes.

    “Adjusting the deployment of military units in potential conflict zones based on mutual understanding between the command of the armed forces of Cambodia and Thailand is essential to prevent large-scale clashes involving violence,” the post on his official social media page reads.

    “The people of Cambodia and Thailand sincerely desire lasting peace and do not want to see war,” he said. “Efforts to find a solution through dialogue have been made at all levels, from the government to the frontline commanders, and are now bearing fruit.”

    Cambodian and Thai troops briefly exchanged fire in a disputed border area on May 28, leaving a Cambodian soldier dead. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: US National Guard troops arrive in Los Angeles to quell protests against mass detentions of migrants

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    LOS ANGELES, June 8 (Xinhua) — The U.S. National Guard began arriving in Los Angeles on Sunday under orders from President Donald Trump to quell protests that erupted after federal immigration enforcement agencies launched a mass detention of illegal immigrants.

    Trump announced the deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops after two days of clashes between protesters and federal law enforcement, sparked by the actions of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) throughout Los Angeles. The operations resulted in more than 100 arrests, after which angry protesters clashed with law enforcement, using tear gas, flash bangs and throwing rocks.

    White House press secretary Caroline Leavitt said the National Guard was deployed to “combat lawlessness” that emerged after ICE conducted a “routine deportation operation.”

    California Governor Gavin Newsom condemned the federal measures as “deliberately provocative” and warned they could further escalate tensions. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China’s Marine Economy Development Index Up 2.3% in 2024

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    HAIKOU, June 8 (Xinhua) — China’s marine economic development index, a key indicator of the country’s progress in the sector, increased 2.3 percent year on year to 125.2 in 2024, showing robust development of the maritime sector.

    The index was released by China’s Ministry of Natural Resources on Sunday to mark World Oceans Day.

    Data show that in 2024, China’s maritime sector structure was further optimized and technological innovation capability was improved. The sub-index of marine economy optimization and upgrading in 2024 was 131, up 1.8 percent year on year.

    The ministry’s statistics also show that the added value of emerging marine industries grew 7.2 percent year-on-year in 2024. Marine-related companies raised 11.4 billion yuan (US$1.58 billion) in IPOs, accounting for 17 percent of the total funding for all IPO companies in China, indicating strong capital market activity in the maritime sector. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: US nuclear deal proposal ‘insincere’ without sanctions relief: Iranian parliament speaker

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    TEHRAN, June 8 (Xinhua) — The recent U.S. proposal to strike a deal with Tehran on Iran’s nuclear program is “contradictory and insincere” as it does not mention lifting sanctions on Iran, Iranian Majlis (parliament) Chairman Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Sunday.

    Speaking at an open session of the country’s main legislative body in Tehran, M.B. Ghalibaf criticized the American proposal conveyed to Iran via Oman in late May during ongoing indirect talks between Tehran and Washington.

    He said Iran remains willing to take steps to demonstrate the peaceful nature of its nuclear program, in line with a law passed in 2020 to counter U.S. sanctions. In return, he said, Iran expects restrictions to be lifted, guarantees of economic benefits and the right to enrich uranium domestically.

    “The fact that the US proposal does not even mention lifting sanctions clearly shows that Washington’s approach to negotiations on the Iranian nuclear program is contradictory and insincere,” M. B. Ghalibaf stated.

    Iran’s parliament speaker also called on US President Donald Trump to reconsider his position if he is truly committed to a deal, urging him to stop following what M.B. Ghalibaf called the “failed ideas” of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

    Since April, Iran and the United States, brokered by Oman, have held five rounds of proximity talks aimed at curbing Tehran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. Washington recently demanded that Iran completely halt uranium enrichment, a condition Tehran has repeatedly rejected. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Rwanda quits ECOCAS and accuses DRC of manipulation

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    Kigali, June 8 (Xinhua) — Rwanda on Saturday announced its withdrawal from the Economic Community of Central African States (ECOCAC), accusing its neighbor the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) of “instrumentalizing” the bloc with the support of some of its member states.

    This statement was made following the 26th ECOCAS summit, which took place in the capital of Equatorial Guinea, Malabo, and was attended by Rwandan Prime Minister Edouard Ngirente.

    As Rwanda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation stated, the purpose of ECOCAS was clearly distorted at the summit, as “Rwanda’s right to assume the rotating chairmanship of the bloc… was deliberately ignored in order to impose a dictate on the DRC.”

    The statement also condemned the “illegal exclusion of Rwanda” from the 22nd ECOCAS summit, which was held in 2023 in the DRC capital Kinshasa under the DRC presidency. Rwanda criticized ECOCAS for “failing to enforce its own rules.”

    “Rwanda condemns the violation of its rights,” the statement said. “Therefore, Rwanda sees no reason to remain a member of an organization whose current functioning is contrary to its founding principles and the original purposes for which it was created.”

    Early Sunday morning, the DRC presidency issued a press release stating that due to the current security situation in the east of the country, ECOCAS leaders confirmed that “the DRC is under aggression from Rwanda” and called on it to withdraw its troops from DRC territory.

    Regarding the rotating presidency of ECOCAS, the summit participants recommended that Equatorial Guinea continue to chair the bloc, while the transfer of powers to Rwanda be postponed until the dispute between it and the DRC is resolved.

    ECOCAS has not yet commented on the decision to withdraw announced by the Rwandan authorities.

    Rwanda’s decision comes amid heightened tensions between it and the DRC over the conflict in eastern DRC.

    The DRC accuses Rwanda of supporting the rebel group Movement of March 23 (M23) fighting in eastern DRC. Rwanda has denied the charge. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Massive fire breaks out at Kabul clothing market

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    KABUL, June 8 (Xinhua) — A massive fire broke out at a second-hand clothing market in the Afghan capital Kabul on Sunday morning, local TV channel Ariana News reported.

    As the TV channel noted, citing one of the market’s traders, the fire broke out at around 9:00 a.m. local time in the area of the 5th police district in the western part of the capital, and the fire engulfed around 200 stores.

    Law enforcement officials reported that despite strong winds, firefighters managed to contain the fire.

    Thick black smoke was visible from several kilometers away, causing concern among residents of Kabul. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.

    The blaze is the second major fire in Afghanistan in three weeks. On May 16, a fire at a market in the northern Kunduz province damaged several shops. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Ocean-friendly changes on Chinese island bring double benefits – ecological and economic

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    HANGZHOU, June 8 (Xinhua) — On a beach in Taizhou, east China’s Zhejiang Province, 68-year-old Wang Zhongfu bends down to pick up discarded plastic bottles and torn fishing nets.

    Wang Zhongfu is one of thousands of participants in the Blue Circle marine plastic recycling program, which launched in 2020 and uses blockchain and the Internet of Things to track the full life cycle of marine plastic waste, from collection to remanufacturing and resale.

    The Blue Circle program, developed by the Zhejiang Provincial Bureau of Ecology and Environment and Zhejiang Lanjing Technology Co., Ltd., is the largest of its kind in the country.

    In 2023, the program won the United Nations /UN/ Champions of the Earth 2023 Award for Entrepreneurial Vision for its efforts to combat marine plastic pollution. According to the UN Environment Programme, the award is the UN’s highest environmental honour.

    “We are reducing the amount of plastic waste in the ocean and helping people earn extra income from collecting trash,” said Kong Chen, who runs the Blue Circle plastic waste collection station, known as Little Blue Home, located on Dachen Island, about 29 nautical miles off the coast of Taizhou. He noted that the station has removed more than 20 tons of marine waste in 2024.

    Blue Circle pays 0.20 yuan (almost 3 US cents) for each plastic bottle collected, a price several times higher than the market average, in an effort to supplement the incomes of many local residents.

    “This initiative motivates people to participate in environmental protection and increase their income. People who fish can consciously collect plastic waste while working in the sea,” said Kong Chen, noting that participants like Wang Zhongfu can earn about 1,000 yuan a month this way.

    People can trace the path of recycled plastic by scanning QR codes on products such as car parts, suitcases and phone cases made from certified ocean-bound plastic. Plastic waste is cleaned and processed into pellets for industrial use at Veolia Huafei Polymer Technology /Zhejiang/ Co., Ltd.’s plant in Anji County, Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province.

    “Since 2022, we have recycled tens of millions of plastic bottles collected through the Blue Circle program,” said Fu Xianwei, the company’s chief operating officer. He added that certified marine plastic pellets can sell for more than 1.3 times the price of regular recycled plastic, and products made from these pellets have higher added value.

    “Once fishermen make a profit and businesses are motivated, marine plastic waste management enters a virtuous cycle,” said Ye Zongsen, an official with the Jiaojiang District branch of Taizhou City’s Ecology and Environment Bureau.

    The initiative has expanded to all coastal areas of Zhejiang, and to date, about 1,360 residents, 10,000 vessels and seven recycling companies have joined in. In Zhejiang alone, the program has collected 15,000 tons of marine waste, including more than 2,900 tons of plastic waste. It has also expanded to seven other provinces, including China’s southernmost island province of Hainan.

    Dachen Island in Jiaojiang District is a model of green development. Dozens of wind turbines on the island’s mountain ridge generate an average of 60 million kWh of electricity per year, five times the island’s consumption, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 45,000 tons.

    Excess electricity is sent to the mainland via undersea power cables, according to Jiang Weijian, director of the Dachen power station of State Grid Zhejiang Power Co.

    Green energy has led to many changes, including all-electric buses, electric oxygen and ice production in fisheries, and the gradual introduction of electric stoves in guest houses on the island.

    In addition, thanks to Dachen’s low-carbon solid waste treatment plant and sewage treatment plant, the proportion of high-quality water in coastal areas has reached 98%.

    As the island’s environment improves, tourism is booming. Last year, Dachen welcomed 200,000 tourists and earned 170 million yuan in revenue.

    “As the situation improves, our hotel business is booming,” said Dachen resident Kong Qinglei, who opened his business on the island in 2020. In 2024, his revenue exceeded 1 million yuan.

    The island also benefits from its marine resources. The island, famous for its pink salmon plantations, has 14 pink salmon farms, and its output reached 10,005 tons last year, worth more than 1.1 billion yuan. The fishing industry has created jobs for nearly 300 people.

    Local authorities are currently encouraging the development of the sea travel and souvenir industry. Some guest house owners are even combining their business with yellow croaker farming.

    The island is also a pioneer in trading “blue carbon” and forest carbon. “The funds were channeled into a common prosperity fund to protect the marine environment, as well as for the island’s marine farmers and residents,” said Yang Haifei, a spokesman for the island’s administration. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Hainan launches South China Sea Tsunami Early Warning Center

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    HAIKOU, June 8 (Xinhua) — The South China Sea Tsunami Early Warning Center began operation in south China’s Hainan Province on Sunday, aiming to provide early warning services on marine disasters to countries in the region.

    The center, headquartered in the coastal city of Sanya during its trial operation, was set up by the National Marine Environment Forecasting Center and the Hainan Provincial Ocean Administration. It aims to develop a comprehensive multi-functional early warning system for tsunamis, marine heat waves, harmful algal blooms and other natural disasters.

    The Centre also aims to become a platform for international cooperation in the field of marine forecasting and warning.

    In addition, on the same day, the National Deep-Sea Testing Site was launched in Sanya to support deep-sea fundamental scientific research, original deep-sea technological innovation and the development of related industries.

    The SCS region is prone to tsunamis and other marine hazards due to its complex tectonic background, including active fault lines and frequent underwater earthquakes in nearby areas. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: CPC Delegation Visits Brazil

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    BRASILIA, June 8 (Xinhua) — At the invitation of the Brazilian Workers’ Party (BWP), a delegation of the Communist Party of China led by Wu Hansheng, director of the Social Work Department of the CPC Central Committee, visited Brazil from Friday to Saturday.

    During the visit, Wu Hansheng attended the 8th Theoretical Seminar of the CPC and the PTB and met with Executive Secretary of the General Secretariat of the President of Brazil Kelly Mafort. Wu Hansheng expounded Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and exchanged views with Mafort on bilateral relations, inter-party cooperation, social governance and the international situation.

    The Brazilian side highly appreciated the ties between the two countries and the two parties, expressing its willingness to cooperate with China to implement the important consensus reached by the heads of state of the two countries, deepen practical cooperation in various fields, and promote the building of a Brazil-China community with a shared future. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: New Zealand’s foreign policy stance on Palestine lacks transparency

    COMMENTARY: By John Hobbs

    It is difficult to understand what sits behind the New Zealand government’s unwillingness to sanction, or threaten to sanction, the Israeli government for its genocide against the Palestinian people.

    The United Nations, human rights groups, legal experts and now genocide experts have all agreed it really is “genocide” which is being committed by the state of Israel against the civilian population of Gaza.

    It is hard to argue with the conclusion genocide is happening, given the tragic images being portrayed across social and increasingly mainstream media.

    Prime Minister Netanyahu has presented Israel’s assault on Gaza war as pitting “the sons of light” against “the sons of darkness”. And promised the victory of Judeo-Christian civilisation against barbarism.

    A real encouragement to his military there should be no-holds barred in exercising indiscriminate destruction over the people of Gaza.

    Given this background, one wonders what the nature of the advice being provided by New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to the minister entails?

    Does the ministry fail to see the destruction and brutal killing of a huge proportion of the civilian people of Gaza? And if they see it, are they saying as much to the minister?

    Cloak of ‘diplomatic language’
    Or is the advice so nuanced in the cloak of “diplomatic language” it effectively says nothing and is crafted in a way which gives the minister ultimate freedom to make his own political choices.

    The advice of the officials becomes a reflection of what the minister is looking for — namely, a foreign policy approach that gives him enough freedom to support the Israeli government and at the same time be in step with its closest ally, the United States.

    The problem is there is no transparency around the decision-making process, so it is impossible to tell how decisions are being made.

    I placed an Official Information Act request with the Minister of Foreign Affairs in January 2024 seeking advice received by the minister on New Zealand’s obligations under the Genocide Convention.

    The request was refused because while the advice did exist, it fell outside the timeline indicated by my request.

    It was emphasised if I were to put in a further request for the advice, it was unlikely to be released.

    They then advised releasing the information would be likely to prejudice the security or defence of New Zealand and the international relations of the government of New Zealand, and withholding it was necessary to maintain legal professional privilege.

    Public interest vital
    It is hard to imagine how the release of such information might prejudice the security or defence of New Zealand or that the legal issues could override the public interest.

    It could not be more important for New Zealanders to understand the basis for New Zealand’s foreign policy choices.

    New Zealand is a contracting party to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. Under the convention, “genocide, whether committed in time of peace or in time of war, is a crime under international law which they [the contracting parties] undertake to prevent and punish”.

    Furthermore: The Contracting Parties undertake to enact, in accordance with their respective Constitutions, the necessary legislation to give effect to the provisions of the present Convention, and, in particular, to provide effective penalties for persons guilty of genocide. (Article 5).

    Accordingly, New Zealand must play an active part in its prevention and put in place effective penalties. Chlöe Swarbrick’s private member’s Bill to impose sanctions is one mechanism to do this.

    In response to its two-month blockade of food, water and medical supplies to Gaza, and international pressure, Israel has agreed to allow a trickle of food to enter Gaza.

    However, this is only a tiny fraction of what is needed to avert famine. Understandably, Israel’s response has been criticised by most of the international community, including New Zealand.

    Carefully worded statement
    In a carefully worded statement, signed by a collective of European countries, together with New Zealand and Australia, it is requested that Israel allow a full resumption of aid into Gaza, an immediate return to ceasefire and a return of the hostages.

    Radio New Zealand interviewed the Foreign Minister Winston Peters to better understand the New Zealand position.

    Peters reiterated his previous statements, expressing Israel’s actions of withholding food as “intolerable” but when asked about putting in place concrete sanctions he stated any such action was a “long, long way off”, without explaining why.

    New Zealand must be clear about its foreign policy position, not hide behind diplomatic and insincere rhetoric and exercise courage by sanctioning Israel as it has done with Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.

    As a minimum, it must honour its responsibilities under the Convention on Genocide and, not least, to offer hope and support for the utterly powerless and vulnerable Palestinian people before it is too late.

    John Hobbs is a doctoral candidate at the National Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies (NCPACS) at the University of Otago. This article was first published by the Otago Daily Times and is republished with the author’s permission.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –