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 5 (Xinhua) — Chinese Vice President Han Zheng met with members of the U.S. delegation attending the China-U.S. Track Two High-Level Dialogue in Beijing on Thursday.
Han Zheng said that China-US relations are one of the most important bilateral relations in the modern world. Currently, China-US relations are experiencing an important historical moment, he added.
Mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation between China and the United States are beneficial not only to the two countries but also to world peace and development, the Chinese vice president said.
China hopes that the China-US high-level Track II dialogue can bring together the constructive ideas of visionaries from both countries, improve the knowledge and understanding of China in various circles of the US public, and jointly promote the stable, healthy and sustainable development of China-US relations, Han Zheng said.
The US delegation, for its part, noted that the dialogue contributes to better mutual understanding between the parties and provides more useful ideas for the development of interstate relations.
Members of the US delegation said the two countries should strengthen dialogue and cooperation in areas such as trade and investment. –0–
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
TAIYUAN, June 5 (Xinhua) — Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang inspected preparations for China’s national college entrance examination, known as the gaokao, and work on advancing energy sector reform in north China’s Shanxi Province from June 3 to 4, stressing the need to maintain fairness and ensure safety in the gaokao.
Visiting the Shanxi Provincial Entrance Examination Administration Center and a middle school examination center in Taiyuan City, Ding Xuexiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, said that the gaokao is of key significance to the national economy and people’s well-being, directly affecting the interests of millions of families. He called for upholding the vital principle of fairness and justice in the reform of the college entrance examination and admissions system and the organization of the gaokao.
In addition, the Chinese vice premier stressed the importance of strict security for examination questions, taking measures against cheating, and providing comprehensive support to students.
Ding Xuexiang also visited the Shanxi Institute of Applied Science and Technology, calling on the school to adapt to the new situation of the country’s industrial modernization, train highly qualified personnel required for socio-economic development, and increase employment support for graduates. –0–
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, June 5 (Xinhua) — Dialogue and cooperation are the only right choice for China and the United States, Chinese President Xi Jinping said Thursday.
As Xi Jinping noted during a telephone conversation with US President Donald Trump, in order to correct the course of the “big ship” of China-US relations, both sides need to set the right direction and eliminate all kinds of obstacles, including acts of sabotage, which is of particular importance.
The Chinese leader also called on the parties to effectively use the established mechanism for trade and economic consultations, adhere to equality, respect each other’s concerns and achieve mutual benefit, stressing that China is sincere but at the same time principled in this regard. –0–
Cairo: Following two days of high-level dialogue and expert analysis, the inaugural IMF MENA Economic Annual Research Conference co-organized by the International Monetary Fund (IMF)and the American University in Cairo, concluded with a strong call for coordinated, evidence-based policy responses to the region’s old and new pressing economic challenges. Held on May 18–19, 2025, the conference served as a critical platform for advancing rigorous research tailored to the realities of the Middle East and North Africa. It brought together global policymakers, academics, government officials and thought leaders to bridge the discussion on global economic issues with regional realities. The event marked a first-of-its-kind collaboration between the IMF and a leading university in the region, reflecting a shared commitment to deepening the link between academic research and policy development.
Jihad Azour, Director of the IMF’s Middle East and Central Asia Department, noted that trade tensions and increasing uncertainty affecting the global economy, alongside ongoing regional conflicts and climate risks, are creating new layers of complexities for MENA policymakers. Azour called for building a regional platform for dialogue and exchange of ideas that connects MENA to world-class research centers to provide reliable analysis and develop workable and innovative policy responses to old and new economic issues facing the region. “We are deeply grateful to President Ahmad Dallal and AUC for their commitment to fostering dialogue, research, and policy innovation in the region.”
AUC President Ahmad Dallal highlighted the event’s role as a vital platform in fostering collaboration between governments, academia and the private sector. “This is about generating ideas that are globally informed but deeply rooted in the realities of our region,” he noted. Dallal affirmed that this type of multi‑stakeholder engagement is at the heart of AUC’s mission and reflects the University’s commitment to research, education, and open dialogue as drivers of stability, resilience, and inclusive growth.
Under the theme “Steering Macroeconomic and Structural Policies in a Shifting Global Economic Landscape,” discussions centered on four pivotal issues shaping the future of the MENA region and the global economy:
Fiscal Policy: With public debt at historic highs, experts stressed the importance of rebuilding fiscal buffers while tackling social inequalities, aging populations, and climate pressures. Proposals included reforms in fiscal frameworks and measures to mobilize revenues including through multinational taxation and more progressive tax systems.
Monetary Policy: Participants reflected on the lessons of recent inflationary shocks, emphasizing the need for more preemptive and well communicated policy responses to global shocks and sector-specific disruptions—particularly for emerging markets.
Industrial Policy: Speakers examined the renewed interest in industrial policy as a tool to drive inclusive growth, innovation, and climate resilience. The discussion highlighted the need to balance vertical strategies with horizontal reforms that promote private investment, trade integration, and productivity.
Green Transition and AI: The intersection of climate action and digital transformation sparked debate about their potential to reshape labor markets. Recommendations included investing in human capital, developing targeted safety nets, and aligning policy tools to support job creation in low-emission sectors.
Throughout the sessions, there was a clear consensus that the MENA region’s economic resilience depends on institutional reforms, cross-border cooperation, and investment in skills and innovation. Participants also underscored the importance of embedding policy in local realities—an approach that both the IMF and AUC pledged to champion moving forward.
In addition to prominent global and regional academics, as well as economists and government officials from across the region, and representatives of international and regional organizations, the conference brought together policymakers, including Rania El Mashat, minister of planning, economic development and international cooperation, Egypt; Youssef Boutros-Ghali, member of the Specialized Council for Economic Development, Egypt; Mahmoud Mohieldin, United Nations special envoy on financing the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda; and Martin Galstyan, governor of the Central Bank of Armenia.
As Nigel Clarke, IMF Deputy Managing Director concluded, “This conference is a milestone demonstrating the IMF’s commitment to deepening engagement with the research and academic community, as we strive to ensure that the IMF support is not only responsive to the needs of member countries, but also built on rigorous tested analytics and importantly, it’s aligned with local realities. Through this kind of multi-stakeholder dialogue, we aim to better understand how all our expertise and resources can be directed towards the most pressing challenges of the region.”
Visit the conference website for more details and to rewatch Day 1 and Day 2 of the discussions.
Founded in 1919, The American University in Cairo (AUC) is a leading English-language, American-accredited institution of higher education and center of the intellectual, social, and cultural life of the Arab world. It is a vital bridge between East and West, linking Egypt and the region to the world through scholarly research, partnerships with academic and research institutions and study abroad programs.
The University offers 39 undergraduate, 52 master’s and two PhD programs rooted in a liberal arts education that encourages students to think critically and find creative solutions to conflicts and challenges facing both the region and the world.
An independent, nonprofit, politically non-partisan, non-sectarian and equal opportunity institution, AUC is fully accredited in Egypt and the United States.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Xinhua | 05. 06. 2025
Keywords: China-USA
Source: Xinhua
Flash: Xi Jinping and D. Trump agreed that the teams of the two countries will continue to implement the consensus reached at the talks in Geneva Flash: Xi Jinping and D. Trump agreed that the teams of the two countries will continue to implement the consensus reached at the talks in Geneva
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Xinhua | 05. 06. 2025
Keywords: China-USA
Source: Xinhua
Flash: Xi Jinping Calls on China and the US to Make Effective Use of the Established Trade and Economic Consultation Mechanism, Adhere to Equality, Respect Each Other’s Concerns, and Seek Win-Win Results Flash: Xi Jinping Calls on China and the US to Make Effective Use of the Established Trade and Economic Consultation Mechanism, Adhere to Equality, Respect Each Other’s Concerns, and Seek Win-Win Results
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Christoph Bluth, Professor of International Relations and Security, University of Bradford
The new South Korean president, Lee Jae-myung, calls himself a foreign policy “pragmatist”. He says he is driven by South Korea’s national interest, rather than ideology, and has spoken of his desire to improve relations with China and North Korea.
Under the former president, Yoon Suk Yeol, South Korea’s relationship with these countries came under increasing strain. Yoon adopted a confrontational stance toward North Korea, and openly sided with Washington in its rivalry with Beijing. Lee’s vision may bring his government into conflict with the Trump administration.
On the campaign trail, Lee sought to dispel doubts about his commitment to the longstanding military alliance between the US and South Korea. He repeatedly described Seoul’s relationship with Washington as the “basic axis of our diplomacy”.
But he signalled that there would be some rebalancing of relations under his leadership, stressing that South Korea should not rely solely on the US. This reflects the fundamental belief of liberal politicians in South Korea. While acknowledging the importance of ties with the US, they want a more balanced relationship with other regional powers like China.
Lee says closer relations with China will occur within the framework of South Korea’s alliance with the US. But, with Washington and Beijing battling for global influence, this is still likely to become a major point of tension with the US. The Trump administration has taken a hawkish approach towards China and wants its allies to do the same.
Lee, for his part, has stated that South Korea should not be forced to choose between the US and China, saying: “We should not put all our eggs in one basket”. And he has signalled that his government will resist efforts by Washington to draw South Korea into any conflict with China over Taiwan or territorial disputes in the South China Sea.
The Lee government clearly has a delicate balancing act ahead when it comes to the two superpowers. Trump has previously criticised the amount South Korea pays for the US forces stationed on its soil, while recent reports suggest he is considering the withdrawal of about 4,500 US troops from the country.
Relations with Pyongyang
Another of Lee’s pressing foreign policy issues is how to deal with the North Korean threat. Yoon’s government avoided dialogue with the North and encouraged the spread of outside information across the border.
Over the past decade, in response to North Korea’s improved nuclear and missile capabilities, public opinion in South Korea has shifted in favour of developing an independent nuclear weapons programme.
This is not a strategy the Lee government will pursue. The Democratic party, of which Lee is a member, has historically advocated a policy of engagement and peaceful coexistence with North Korea.
From 1998 to 2008, and then again from 2017 to 2022, liberal governments in South Korea pursued a so-called “sunshine policy” towards the North. The goal was to reduce tension through engagement, with the ultimate goal being to create the conditions for unification.
In his inaugural address on June 4, Lee said his government would deal with North Korean aggression with “strong deterrence” – referring to the military alliance with the US. But he also elaborated on the need to again reopen channels of communication with North Korea to deliver peace through talks and cooperation. He added: “Peace is always cheaper than war”.
In a signal of his intent for renewed engagement with the North, Lee has nominated the former unification minister, Lee Jong-seok, as chief of the National Intelligence Service. Lee Jong-seok was the architect of South Korea’s policy towards the North between 2003 and 2008, during the presidency of Roh Moo-hyun.
However, the geopolitical landscape has changed in recent years. In January 2024, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un declared South Korea an “enemy” nation and said the North would no longer be working toward reunification. North Korea has since then stopped any contact with the South and has ceased any economic collaboration.
South Korea’s sunshine policy had seen the development of projects such as the Kaesong Industrial Complex, which involved South Korean businesses establishing factories in North Korea and employing North Korean workers.
North Korea is a foreign policy issue in which the Trump administration and the Lee government may pursue similar objectives. Trump has also signalled that he is seeking to renew dialogue with North Korea, and has hinted at the possibility of future summits to discuss a nuclear agreement.
Trump’s first term saw him become the first US president to meet with a North Korean leader while in office, though he ultimately made no progress in restraining North Korea’s nuclear programme.
Kim is very unlikely to be responsive to efforts by either country to engage in dialogue. North Korea has forged a close partnership with Russia in recent years, which has even seen it send troops to fight against Ukraine, and no longer considers engagement with the US or South Korea necessary.
It is instead banking on making significant advances in military technology. Russian assistance has reportedly already contributed to improvements in North Korea’s missile guidance systems, while Russia has also supplied North Korea with advanced air defence systems.
The new Lee government faces a very challenging international environment. The North Korean threat is growing, the US security guarantee is weakening, and it will have to resist Trump’s attempts to draw South Korea into a regional military network to contain China. How it meets all of these challenges will become clear in the months and years ahead.
Christoph Bluth received funding from the Korea Foundation and the Academy of Korean Studies
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Speech
OSCE Secretary General’s presentation of the 2026 Programme Outline: UK statement
Ambassador Holland thanks Secretary General Sinirlioğlu for his presentation of the 2026 Programme Outline and reiterates the UK’s strong support for agreement of a 2025 and 2026 Unified Budget.
Thank you, Secretary General, for your presentation this afternoon. Let me also thank the Fund Managers and teams responsible for developing the 2026 Programme Outline, which clearly sets out both the challenges facing the OSCE and the continued importance of this organisation’s work.
The United Kingdom is fully aware that the wider context for the OSCE’s work in 2026 will remain extremely challenging. A foremost priority of the organisation must be to continue to support Ukraine and to address the impacts of Russia’s war of aggression, which has violated the fundamental principles of both the OSCE and the United Nations. When Russia finally agrees to stop the fighting, we must be ready to pivot and contribute to Ukraine’s sustainable recovery and a just and lasting peace in Ukraine and across the region.
In this context the UK appreciates that agreeing a Unified Budget for 2026 will not be an easy task. We deeply regret that participating States have been unable to agree a budget for this organisation since 2021, and we recognise that an extended period without a Unified Budget or Post Table has impacted the organisation’s ability to respond flexibly to emerging requirements. We sincerely appreciate the efforts of all OSCE staff and structures in delivering against their mandates under the most difficult of circumstances. It is vital that we – as participating States – engage constructively to find solutions to ensure the OSCE is adequately resourced and able to function effectively.
Secretary General, we will provide further comments on the detail of the Programme Outline during the PrepComm sessions and through future discussions on the 2026 Unified Budget Proposal. But I would like to reiterate the UK’s fundamental position that we support all parts of this organisation being adequately funded, and we are ready to engage constructively with proposals which would put the OSCE on a more sustainable financial footing which takes account of global financial realities. As set out in the Programme Outline summary, it is important that the organisation’s core activity can be delivered through the Unified Budget to ensure sustainability and predictability.
Mr Chair, I would like to reiterate that the UK will remain strongly committed to supporting a positive outcome on OSCE finances. I encourage all colleagues to see the bigger picture at a difficult time for the organisation. I wish Switzerland well in developing the incoming Chair’s perception paper, and thank Finland for guiding participating States through the process this year. We strongly encourage all participating States to work constructively towards the agreement of both a 2025 and 2026 Unified Budget.
Source: State University Higher School of Economics – State University Higher School of Economics –
Difficult geography
The Middle East is a dynamically developing region, which includes almost two dozen countries. But when it comes to the most promising projects for economic cooperation, the countries of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) are most often mentioned. There are six of them – Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and the UAE.
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.
Forfeiture Action is the Latest Disruption of an Indicted North Korean Official’s Efforts to Generate Revenue for North Korea and its Weapons Program Through Illegal IT Worker Schemes and Cryptocurrency Theft
The Department of Justice filed a civil forfeiture complaint today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia alleging that North Korean information technology (IT) workers obtained illegal employment and amassed millions in cryptocurrency for the benefit of the North Korean government, all as a means of evading U.S. sanctions placed on North Korea. The funds were initially restrained in connection with an April 2023 indictment against Sim Hyon Sop (Sim), a North Korean Foreign Trade Bank (FTB) representative who was allegedly conspiring with the IT workers. While the North Koreans were attempting to launder those ill-gotten gains, the U.S. government was able to freeze and seize over $7.74 million tied to the scheme.
“This forfeiture action highlights, once again, the North Korean government’s exploitation of the cryptocurrency ecosystem to fund its illicit priorities,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Department will use every legal tool at its disposal to safeguard the cryptocurrency ecosystem and deny North Korea its ill-gotten gains in violation of U.S. sanctions.”
“For years, North Korea has exploited global remote IT contracting and cryptocurrency ecosystems to evade U.S. sanctions and bankroll its weapons programs,” said Sue J. Bai, Head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Today’s multimillion-dollar forfeiture action reflects the Department’s strategic focus on disrupting these illicit revenue schemes. We will continue to use every legal tool available to cut off the financial lifelines that sustain the DPRK and its destabilizing agenda.”
“Crime may pay in other countries but that’s not how it works here,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro for the District of Columbia. “Any adversary who thinks they can benefit, financially, from executing a criminal scheme – whether directly or through the use of surrogates – had better rethink this ‘get rich quick’ strategy. It doesn’t work for the average citizen, and it certainly does not have a more positive outcome for foreign entities. Sanctions are in place against North Korea for a reason, and we will diligently investigate and prosecute anyone who tries to evade them. We will halt your progress, strike back, and take hold of any proceeds you obtained illegally.”
“The FBI’s investigation has revealed a massive campaign by North Korean IT workers to defraud U.S. businesses by obtaining employment using the stolen identities of American citizens, all so the North Korean government can evade U.S. sanctions and generate revenue for its authoritarian regime,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI Counterintelligence Division. “Today’s action shows the FBI will do everything in our power to protect Americans from being victimized by the North Korean government, and we ask all U.S. companies that employ remote workers to remain vigilant to this new and sophisticated threat.”
According to the complaint, the North Korean government uses illegally obtained cryptocurrency as a means of generating revenue for its priorities. This illegally obtained cryptocurrency is allegedly generated, in part, through remote work done by North Korean IT workers deployed around the globe, including in the People’s Republic of China and the Russian Federation (Russia). Those IT workers have generated revenue for North Korea via their jobs at, among other places, blockchain development companies. To obtain employment, these North Korean IT workers allegedly bypassed security and due diligence checks using fraudulent (or fraudulently obtained) identification documents and other obfuscation strategies. These tactics hid the North Koreans’ true location and identities, causing unwitting employers to hire them and pay them a salary, often in stablecoins, such as USDC and USDT.
To send their illegally obtained cryptocurrency back to North Korea, the IT workers allegedly transferred the cryptocurrency using money laundering techniques. These techniques included: (1) setting up accounts with fictitious identities; (2) moving funds in a series of small amounts; (3) moving funds to other blockchains or converting funds to other forms of virtual currency (i.e., “chain hopping” and “token swapping,” respectively); (4) purchasing non-fungible tokens as a store of value and means of hiding illicit funds; (5) using U.S.-based online accounts to legitimize activity; and (6) commingling their fraud proceeds to hide the origin of the funds. After laundering these funds, the North Korean IT workers allegedly sent them back to the North Korean government, at times via Sim and Kim Sang Man (Kim). Kim is a North Korean national who is the chief executive officer of “Chinyong,” also known as “Jinyong IT Cooperation Company.” Chinyong is subordinate to North Korea’s Ministry of Defense (formerly known as the Ministry of the Peoples’ Armed Forces), which the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) added to its list of Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) on June 1, 2017.
Chinyong employs delegations of North Korean IT workers that operate in, among other countries, Russia and Laos. Kim allegedly acts as an intermediary between the North Korean IT workers and North Korea’s FTB by sending funds from the North Korean IT workers to Sim.
On April 24, 2023, OFAC added Sim to its SDN list. On May 23, 2023, OFAC added Chinyong and Kim to its SDN list.
Today’s forfeiture action follows the Department’s announcement of two federal indictments charging Sim for allegedly conspiring (1) with North Korean IT workers to generate revenue through illegal employment at companies in the United States and abroad; and (2) with over-the-counter cryptocurrency traders to use stolen funds to buy goods for North Korea. The forfeiture action also follows on successful actions to disrupt North Korean revenue generation taken by the Department in May 2024, August 2024, December 2024, and January 2025. Those actions, which are part of the Department-wide DPRK RevGen: Domestic Enabler Initiative launched in March 2024 by the National Security Division and the FBI’s Cyber and Counterintelligence Divisions, targeted U.S. persons facilitating remote IT work and their North Korean co-conspirators.
The FBI Chicago Field Office and FBI’s Virtual Assets Unit are investigating the cases associated with this complaint.
Senior Counsel Jessica Peck of the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, Trial Attorney Gregory J. Nicosia, Jr. of the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section, Trial Attorney Emma Ellenrieder of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Tortorice and Rick Blaylock for the District of Columbia are handling the prosecutions and forfeiture action. Significant assistance was provided by former FBI Supervisory Special Agent Chris Wong.
The FBI, in conjunction with the State and Treasury Departments, issued a May 2022 advisory to alert the international community, private sector, and public about the North Korea IT worker threat. Updated guidance was issued in October 2023 by the United States and the Republic of Korea (South Korea), and in May 2024 by the FBI, which include indicators consistent with the North Korea IT worker fraud and the use of U.S.-based laptop farms. In January 2025, the FBI issued additional guidance regarding extortion and theft of sensitive company data by North Korean IT workers, along with recommended mitigations.
Forfeiture Action is the Latest Disruption of an Indicted North Korean Official’s Efforts to Generate Revenue for North Korea and its Weapons Program Through Illegal IT Worker Schemes and Cryptocurrency Theft
The Department of Justice filed a civil forfeiture complaint today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia alleging that North Korean information technology (IT) workers obtained illegal employment and amassed millions in cryptocurrency for the benefit of the North Korean government, all as a means of evading U.S. sanctions placed on North Korea. The funds were initially restrained in connection with an April 2023 indictment against Sim Hyon Sop (Sim), a North Korean Foreign Trade Bank (FTB) representative who was allegedly conspiring with the IT workers. While the North Koreans were attempting to launder those ill-gotten gains, the U.S. government was able to freeze and seize over $7.74 million tied to the scheme.
“This forfeiture action highlights, once again, the North Korean government’s exploitation of the cryptocurrency ecosystem to fund its illicit priorities,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Department will use every legal tool at its disposal to safeguard the cryptocurrency ecosystem and deny North Korea its ill-gotten gains in violation of U.S. sanctions.”
“For years, North Korea has exploited global remote IT contracting and cryptocurrency ecosystems to evade U.S. sanctions and bankroll its weapons programs,” said Sue J. Bai, Head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Today’s multimillion-dollar forfeiture action reflects the Department’s strategic focus on disrupting these illicit revenue schemes. We will continue to use every legal tool available to cut off the financial lifelines that sustain the DPRK and its destabilizing agenda.”
“Crime may pay in other countries but that’s not how it works here,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro for the District of Columbia. “Any adversary who thinks they can benefit, financially, from executing a criminal scheme – whether directly or through the use of surrogates – had better rethink this ‘get rich quick’ strategy. It doesn’t work for the average citizen, and it certainly does not have a more positive outcome for foreign entities. Sanctions are in place against North Korea for a reason, and we will diligently investigate and prosecute anyone who tries to evade them. We will halt your progress, strike back, and take hold of any proceeds you obtained illegally.”
“The FBI’s investigation has revealed a massive campaign by North Korean IT workers to defraud U.S. businesses by obtaining employment using the stolen identities of American citizens, all so the North Korean government can evade U.S. sanctions and generate revenue for its authoritarian regime,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI Counterintelligence Division. “Today’s action shows the FBI will do everything in our power to protect Americans from being victimized by the North Korean government, and we ask all U.S. companies that employ remote workers to remain vigilant to this new and sophisticated threat.”
According to the complaint, the North Korean government uses illegally obtained cryptocurrency as a means of generating revenue for its priorities. This illegally obtained cryptocurrency is allegedly generated, in part, through remote work done by North Korean IT workers deployed around the globe, including in the People’s Republic of China and the Russian Federation (Russia). Those IT workers have generated revenue for North Korea via their jobs at, among other places, blockchain development companies. To obtain employment, these North Korean IT workers allegedly bypassed security and due diligence checks using fraudulent (or fraudulently obtained) identification documents and other obfuscation strategies. These tactics hid the North Koreans’ true location and identities, causing unwitting employers to hire them and pay them a salary, often in stablecoins, such as USDC and USDT.
To send their illegally obtained cryptocurrency back to North Korea, the IT workers allegedly transferred the cryptocurrency using money laundering techniques. These techniques included: (1) setting up accounts with fictitious identities; (2) moving funds in a series of small amounts; (3) moving funds to other blockchains or converting funds to other forms of virtual currency (i.e., “chain hopping” and “token swapping,” respectively); (4) purchasing non-fungible tokens as a store of value and means of hiding illicit funds; (5) using U.S.-based online accounts to legitimize activity; and (6) commingling their fraud proceeds to hide the origin of the funds. After laundering these funds, the North Korean IT workers allegedly sent them back to the North Korean government, at times via Sim and Kim Sang Man (Kim). Kim is a North Korean national who is the chief executive officer of “Chinyong,” also known as “Jinyong IT Cooperation Company.” Chinyong is subordinate to North Korea’s Ministry of Defense (formerly known as the Ministry of the Peoples’ Armed Forces), which the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) added to its list of Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) on June 1, 2017.
Chinyong employs delegations of North Korean IT workers that operate in, among other countries, Russia and Laos. Kim allegedly acts as an intermediary between the North Korean IT workers and North Korea’s FTB by sending funds from the North Korean IT workers to Sim.
On April 24, 2023, OFAC added Sim to its SDN list. On May 23, 2023, OFAC added Chinyong and Kim to its SDN list.
Today’s forfeiture action follows the Department’s announcement of two federal indictments charging Sim for allegedly conspiring (1) with North Korean IT workers to generate revenue through illegal employment at companies in the United States and abroad; and (2) with over-the-counter cryptocurrency traders to use stolen funds to buy goods for North Korea. The forfeiture action also follows on successful actions to disrupt North Korean revenue generation taken by the Department in May 2024, August 2024, December 2024, and January 2025. Those actions, which are part of the Department-wide DPRK RevGen: Domestic Enabler Initiative launched in March 2024 by the National Security Division and the FBI’s Cyber and Counterintelligence Divisions, targeted U.S. persons facilitating remote IT work and their North Korean co-conspirators.
The FBI Chicago Field Office and FBI’s Virtual Assets Unit are investigating the cases associated with this complaint.
Senior Counsel Jessica Peck of the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, Trial Attorney Gregory J. Nicosia, Jr. of the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section, Trial Attorney Emma Ellenrieder of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Tortorice and Rick Blaylock for the District of Columbia are handling the prosecutions and forfeiture action. Significant assistance was provided by former FBI Supervisory Special Agent Chris Wong.
The FBI, in conjunction with the State and Treasury Departments, issued a May 2022 advisory to alert the international community, private sector, and public about the North Korea IT worker threat. Updated guidance was issued in October 2023 by the United States and the Republic of Korea (South Korea), and in May 2024 by the FBI, which include indicators consistent with the North Korea IT worker fraud and the use of U.S.-based laptop farms. In January 2025, the FBI issued additional guidance regarding extortion and theft of sensitive company data by North Korean IT workers, along with recommended mitigations.
Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Benjamin Jensen, Professor of Strategic Studies at the Marine Corps University School of Advanced Warfighting; Scholar-in-Residence, American University School of International Service
A series of blasts at airbases deep inside Russia on June 1, 2025, came as a rude awakening to Moscow’s military strategists. The Ukrainian strike at the heart Russia’s strategic bombing capability could also upend the traditionalrules of war: It provides smaller military a blueprint for countering a larger nation’s ability to launch airstrikes from deep behind the front lines.
Ukraine’s Operation Spider Web involved 117 remote-controlled drones that were smuggled into Russia over an 18-month period and launched toward parked aircraft by operators miles away.
The raid destroyed or degraded more than 40 Tu-95, Tu-160 and Tu-22 M3 strategic bombers, as well as an A-50 airborne-early-warning jet, according to officials in Kyiv. That would represent roughly one-third of Russia’s long-range strike fleet and about US$7 billion in hardware. Even if satellite imagery ultimately pares back those numbers, the scale of the damage is hard to miss.
The logic behind the strike is even harder to ignore.
Traditional modern military campaigns revolve around depth. Warring nations try to build combat power in relatively safe “rear areas” — logistics hubs that are often hundreds if not thousands of miles from the front line. These are the places where new military units form and long-range bombers, like those destroyed in Ukraine’s June 1 operation, reside.
Since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the Kremlin has leaned heavily on its deep-rear bomber bases — some over 2,000 miles from the front in Ukraine. It has paired this tactic with launching waves of Iranian-designed Shahed attack drones to keep Ukrainian cities under nightly threat.
The Russian theory of victory is brutally simple: coercive airpower. If missiles and one-way drones fall on Kyiv often enough, civilian morale in Ukraine will crack, even as the advance of Russian ground forces get bogged down on the front line.
For Kyiv’s military planners, destroying launch platforms undercuts that theory far more cheaply than the only other alternative: intercepting every cruise missile in flight, which to date has achieved an 80% success rate but relies heavily on Western-donated equipment coming increasingly in short supply.
Airfield vulnerability
Airfields have always been critical targets in modern warfare, the logic being that grounded bombers and fighters are more vulnerable and easier to hit.
In the North African desert during World War II, the United Kingdom’s Special Air Service used jeep raids and delayed-action explosives to knock out an estimated 367 enemy aircraft spread across North Africa — firepower the Luftwaffe never regenerated. That same year, German paratroopers seized the airstrips on Crete, denying the British Royal Air Force a forward base and tipping an entire island campaign.
A generation later in Vietnam, Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army assault teams armed with satchel charges and mortars repeatedly penetrated U.S. perimeters at Phan Rang, Da Nang and Bien Hoa, burning fighters on the ramp and forcing the diversion of thousands of American soldiers to base security.
The underlying playbook of hitting aircraft on the ground remains effective because it imposes cascading costs. Every runway cratered and every bomber torched obliges the military hit to pour money into ways to frustrate such attacks, be it hardened shelters or the dispersal of squadrons across multiple bases. Such air attacks also divert fighters from the front lines to serve as guards.
U.S. soldiers look at wreckage of an Air Force B-57 Canberra bomber after Viet Cong mortars destroyed 21 planes at Bien Hoa airbase in 1964. AP Photo
A new age of drone warfare
In Operation Spider Web, Ukraine has sought to repeat that strategy while also leveraging surprise to achieve psychological shock and dislocation.
But the Ukraine operation taps into a uniquely 21st-century aspect of warfare.
The advent of unmanned drone warfare has increasingly seen military practitioners talk of “air littorals” — military speak for the slice of atmosphere that sits above ground forces yet below the altitude where high-performance fighters and bombers traditionally roam.
Drones thrive in this region, where they bypass most infantry weapons and fly too low for traditional radar-guided defenses to track reliably, despite being able to incapacitate targets like fuel trucks or strategic bombers.
By smuggling small launch teams of drones within a few miles of each runway, Kyiv created pop-up launchpads deep into Russia and were able to catch the enemy off guard and unprepared.
The economic benefits of Ukraine’s approach are stark. Whereas a drone, a lithium-battery and a warhead cost well under $3,000, a Russian Tu-160 bomber costs in the region of $250 million.
The impact on Russia
Ukraine’s Operation Spider Web will have immediate and costly consequences for Russia, even if the strikes end up being less destructive than Kyiv currently claims.
Surviving bombers will need to be relocated. Protecting bases from repeat attacks will mean erecting earthen revetments, installing radar-guided 30 mm cannons and electronic-warfare jammers to cover possible attack vectors. This all costs money. Even more importantly, the operation will divert trained soldiers and technicians who might otherwise rotate to the front line in support of the coming summer offensive.
Russian MiG-31bm fighter jets, a Tu-160 strategic bomber and an Il-78 aerial refueling tanker fly over Moscow during a rehearsal for the WWII Victory Parade on May 4, 2022. Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP via Getty Images
Losing as many as a dozen Tu-95 and Tu-160 aircraft, which double as nuclear-capable bombers, would be strategically embarrassing and may prod the Kremlin to rethink the frequency of long-range air patrols.
Beyond the physical and financial damage to Russia’s fleet, Ukraine’s operation also comes with a potent psychological effect. It signals that Ukraine, more than three years into a war aimed at grinding down morale, is able to launch sophisticated operations deep into Russian territory.
Ukraine’s security service operation unfolded in patient, granular steps: 18 months of smuggling disassembled drones and batteries across borders inside innocuous cargo, weeks of quietly reassembling kits, and meticulous scouting of camera angles to ensure that launch trucks would be indistinguishable from normal warehouse traffic on commercial satellite imagery.
Operators drove those trucks to presurveyed firing points and then deployed the drones at treetop height.
Because each of the drones was a one-way weapon, a dozen pilots could work in parallel either close to the launch site or remotely, steering live-video feeds toward parked bombers. Videos of the strike suggest multiple near-simultaneous impacts across wide swaths of runway — enough to swamp any ad hoc small-arms response from perimeter guards.
A new front line?
For Ukraine, the episode demonstrates a repeatable method for striking deep, well-defended assets. The same playbook can, in principle, be adapted to missile storage depots and, more importantly, factories across Russia mass-producing Shahed attack drones.
Kyiv has needed to find a way to counter the waves of drones and ballistic missile strikes that in recent months have produced more damage than Russian cruise missiles. The Center for Strategic and International Studies’ Firepower Strike Tracker has shown that Shaheds are now the most frequent and most cost-effective air weapon in Russia’s campaign.
But the implications of Operation Spider Web go far beyond the Russia-Ukraine conflict by undermining the old idea that rear areas are safe. Comparatively inexpensive drones, launched from inside Russia’s own territory, wiped out aircraft that cost billions and underpin Moscow’s long-range strike and nuclear signaling. That’s a strategy than can be easily replicated by other attackers against other countries.
Anyone who can smuggle, hide and pilot small drones can sabotage an adversary’s ability to generate air attacks.
Air forces that rely on large, fixed bases must either harden, disperse or accept that their runway is a new front line.
Benjamin Jensen does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –
The Polytechnic University together with the KORUS Consulting Group of Companies held a course aimed at developing digital competencies in students. It is dedicated to the domestic low-code technology 1C:Enterprise.Element, designed for developing applications, portals and web-cabinets. The user-friendly interface of the platform helps to start with simple tasks and over time master more complex IT solutions 1C.
SPbPU, within the framework of the federal program “Digital Departments”, provides students with the opportunity to undergo professional retraining in the field of information technology.
During the training, the program participants became familiar with the functionality of the new domestic low-code platform “1C:Enterprise.Element”. It includes a visual interface designer, built-in analytics and allows you to quickly bring digital products to market.
The course is available for undergraduate, specialist and master’s students of SPbPU, as well as for students of partner universities of the Digital Departments project. During their studies, they developed B2B and B2C solutions – from online showcases to front offices and personal accounts.
“KORUS Consulting” together with Polytechnic University help students to enter the professional community of 1C. The best students of the course will go on industrial practice in the 1C department of “KORUS Consulting” and use the acquired knowledge in real projects.
The tracks of the Digital Departments program can be easily combined with the main education due to the flexible schedule and online format. Our courses cover key areas such as IT solutions development, project management and business process analytics. It is especially valuable that practicing experts and leading integrators of 1C IT solutions participate in the project – this makes the training truly applied, – said Anton Ambrazhey, Senior Researcher of the International Academic Competence Center “Intellectual Enterprise Technologies” of the SPbPU PIS “Digital Engineering”.
“1C:Enterprise.Element” is a great starting point for students who want to enter the IT sphere. Thanks to the availability of the platform, you can start with easier tasks and gradually move on to large-scale projects. We also support students in the implementation of course, diploma and competition works. It is important for me to be part of the process that helps young professionals take their first steps in the profession, – noted Pavel Korolev, technical architect of the 1C department of the KORUS Consulting Group, author and teacher of the course.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: 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 5 (Xinhua) — Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping signed an order to publish regulations on the construction of military facilities.
The new document, which will come into force on August 1, focuses on servicing the preparation for and conduct of combat operations and is adapted to the new leadership and command system, as well as the new logistics model.
In addition, it standardizes the fundamental principles, management system, operating mechanisms and work procedures of military facility construction in a scientifically sound manner.
The regulations consist of 11 chapters and 63 articles. –0–
Luxembourg’s fundamentals remain strong and economic recovery is projected to slowly gain pace amidst external headwinds. Downside risks prevail in the short term.
Surprising on the upside, the fiscal balance improved to a surplus of 1 percent of GDP in 2024, boosted by one-off revenues. Given structurally high revenue volatility, prudent fiscal policy should be based on a more efficient use of fiscal space.
The financial sector is resilient, with well-capitalized and liquid banks. While the risks are manageable, the housing market, and other pockets of vulnerabilities should continue to be closely monitored.
Washington, DC: On May 30, 2025, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded the 2025 Article IV Consultation[1] with Luxembourg, and considered and endorsed the staff appraisal without a meeting on a lapse-of-time basis.[2]
Luxembourg’s fundamentals remain strong, but its economic performance has been lackluster. Public debt is low and the 2024 FSAP found the financial sector sound and well-diversified. After contracting by 0.7 percent in 2023, GDP growth turned positive at 1 percent in 2024, mainly driven by public consumption. Private domestic demand though remained lackluster amidst tight financial conditions and a lack of confidence in the real estate sector. The labor market is cooling, following a sizeable increase in labor costs in past years. While the headline fiscal deficit showed a large improvement from one-off revenues, the underlying structural deficit has widened, reflecting a shift from temporary to permanent support. Financial conditions remain tight, and the financial cycle has not yet decisively turned. Despite some deterioration in asset quality, the financial sector remains resilient overall.
An economic recovery is projected to slowly gain pace amidst external headwinds. Growth is projected to increase to 1.6 percent in 2025 and accelerate in 2026–27 supported by improved confidence and a gradual recovery in external demand. The unwinding of labor hoarding and lingering uncertainty would weigh on job creation and unemployment is likely to rise in the near term, before slowly declining to its historical average. Inflation is projected to decline to about 2 percent in 2025 and stay at that level over the medium term. Downside risks prevail in the short term, with headwinds from weaker external demand and tighter and/or more volatile financial conditions triggered by trade policy uncertainty, geopolitical tensions, and possibly higher interest rates for longer. Risks to growth are more balanced over the medium term, but fiscal risks are assessed to be high.
Luxembourg’s recent economic performance has been lackluster and a projected recovery faces headwinds. Anchored in strong economic fundamentals, the economy is expected to gradually recover from a protracted slowdown. Yet, the global situation is fluid, and there are risks of setbacks stemming from weaker external demand and higher financial market volatility, alongside domestic challenges in the real estate sector and the labor market. Moreover, productivity has been declining, and Luxembourg faces fiscal pressures and risks. While Luxembourg’s current external position is assessed to be substantially stronger than the level implied by medium-term fundamentals, the assessment is subject to several limitations. The country’s specific economic features—a small open economy with a global financial center and a large share of cross-border workers —make the external position subject to significant volatility. This, together with the long-term challenges due to aging costs, call for more prudent policies while incentivizing private sector investment.
Prudent fiscal policy calls for a more efficient use of fiscal space. For 2025, a less expansionary fiscal stance would have been welcome, given low fiscal multipliers and the need to make room for more private sector-led growth. There is scope for reviewing the effectiveness and targeting of current measures, while preserving possible savings from revenue overperformance or budget execution. The authorities’ medium-term expenditure path is broadly appropriate to accommodate future spending pressures, but should be underpinned by measures, which will require containing the growth of the wage bill, enhancing spending efficiency, and avoiding any further erosion of the tax base.
There is scope for increasing revenue resilience. Luxembourg’s revenue performance depends to a large extent on a concentrated and volatile revenue base. Tax reforms should thus aim at diversifying revenue sources. This will help reduce volatility and uncertainty of fiscal receipts.
Fiscal policies should be better anchored in a medium-term perspective. The public consultations on pension reform are welcome, as there is a need for early reforms, including reducing the generosity of benefits—the highest in Europe, increasing both the effective and statutory retirement ages, and a well-calibrated increase in contributions to minimize the negative impact on the labor market. Strengthening the medium-term fiscal framework would enhance policy predictability. The planned implementation of a national fiscal rule is welcome and should combine a debt anchor with a net spending ceiling that consider revenue uncertainty and allow appropriate flexibility. Additional reforms of the budgeting framework and strengthening of the fiscal council are necessary to make the new framework more effective.
Risks in the financial sector, while manageable, should continue to be closely monitored. The financial sector appears broadly resilient. However, persistent solvency and liquidity risks in the corporate sector—especially in real estate—and the potential impact of rising financial market volatility warrant close monitoring. The authorities should continue ensuring adequate provisioning, collateral valuation, and loss absorption capacity. At the same time, continued oversight of the large nonbank financial sector—notably pockets of liquidity mismatches and leverage—and a better understanding of the intermediation role of the OFI sector should be prioritized.
Macroprudential policy should remain agile. The current CCyB level is appropriate. Should the recovery firm up, the authorities should strengthen releasable capital buffers and address still elevated household indebtedness by introducing income-based measures in line with FSAP recommendations. In the event of continued credit pressure, some loosening of the CCyB could be envisaged. Capitalizing on the commendable progress in implementing the 2024 FSAP recommendations in the supervision of banks and investment funds, the authorities should strengthen the macroprudential policy framework.
Structural reforms are needed to boost private sector-led growth and sustain living standards. Wage indexation has become a key constraint on competitiveness, and more labor market flexibility is called for. The authorities should also aim at boosting productivity and containing the cost of living by streamlining the regulatory and administrative burden, removing barriers to entry in some sectors, and addressing housing and infrastructure supply bottlenecks. Efforts should continue to capitalize on the country’s comparative advantages in AI adoption and financial sector development while minimizing potential costs of the transition. Recent measures to enhance technology diffusion and ongoing upskilling programs are welcome.
Sources: Luxembourg authorities; IMF staff estimates and projections.
1/ Contribution to GDP growth.
2/ Including a reclassification of investment companies from financial to non-financial institutions in 2015.
[1] Under Article IV of the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, the IMF holds bilateral discussions with members, usually every year. A staff team visits the country, collects economic and financial information, and discusses with officials the country’s economic developments and policies. On return to headquarters, the staff prepare a report, which forms the basis for discussion by the Executive Board.
[2] Under the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, publication of documents that pertain to member countries is voluntary and requires the member consent. The staff report will be shortly published on the www.imf.org/luxembourg page.
[3] At the conclusion of the discussion, the Managing Director, as Chairman of the Board, summarizes the views of Executive Directors, and this summary is transmitted to the country’s authorities. An explanation of any qualifiers used in summings up can be found here: http://www.IMF.org/external/np/sec/misc/qualifiers.htm.
End-of-Mission press releases include statements of IMF staff teams that convey preliminary findings after a visit to a country. 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. This mission will not result in a Board discussion.
The IMF mission held productive discussions with the Lebanese authorities on a comprehensive economic reform program. Discussions are expected to continue, both from IMF headquarters and through follow-up missions.
Bank restructuring remains a critical priority to restore the health of the banking sector, move away from the cash-based economy, restart credit to the private-sector, and protect depositors to the maximum extent possible.
Given Lebanon’s substantial reconstruction needs, limited fiscal space, and lack of capacity to borrow, the country will require significant support from external partners on highly concessional terms.
BEIRUT, Lebanon: At the authorities’ request, an International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission led by Ernesto Ramirez Rigo visited Lebanon from May 28 to June 5, 2025, to initiate discussions on policies and a reform program that could be supported by an IMF arrangement.
At the conclusion of the mission, Mr. Ramirez Rigo issued the following statement:
“The IMF mission held productive discussions with the Lebanese authorities on a comprehensive economic reform program aimed at restoring macroeconomic sustainability and supporting financing for reconstruction. These initial discussions covered several reform areas, including (i) restoring the viability of the banking sector and protecting depositors to the maximum extent possible, (ii) achieving fiscal and debt sustainability, while enhancing social safety nets and rebuilding institutional capacity, (iii) establishing credible monetary and exchange rate policy frameworks, (iv) strengthening governance and transparency, (v) enhancing the Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) regime, and (vi) reforming state-owned enterprises.
It was agreed that the rehabilitation of the banking system remains a critical priority to rebuild confidence in banks, move away from the current cash-based economy, and restart credit to the private-sector, which is necessary for growth. The authorities have made some progress recently, including the amendment of the Bank Secrecy Law and submission of a new bank resolution law to Parliament. The next step is for Parliament to approve this legislation, which will establish powers to underpin the recovery of orderly banking intermediation, while safeguarding the public interest. The mission also engaged with the authorities on their emerging bank restructuring and deposit recovery strategy. More work in close cooperation with the authorities will be needed to ensure this strategy is aligned with international standards and debt sustainability requirements.
“The mission also discussed the 2026 Budget and the development of a medium-term fiscal framework. For the 2026 Budget, given the limited fiscal space and available financing, it is critical that any additional expenditures be fully offset by corresponding revenue efforts, including by strengthening enforcement and compliance in tax and customs administration. An ambitious medium-term revenue mobilization and expenditure rationalization strategy along with improved fiscal transparency and public financial management is needed to strengthen public finances and create space for increased social protection and capital expenditures. The medium-term fiscal framework should also support the restructuring of Eurobonds to restore debt sustainability. Given Lebanon’s substantial reconstruction needs, the authorities’ reform efforts will require significant support from external partners, preferably on highly concessional terms. Enhanced support to Lebanon is also needed to help the country shoulder the continued burden of hosting a large refugee population.
“Building on these key reform pillars, discussions on formulating a comprehensive reform program are expected to continue, both from IMF headquarters and through follow-up missions. The mission reaffirmed the Fund’s commitment to supporting Lebanon during this challenging period, consistent with its mandate and policies.
“The mission thanks the Lebanese authorities and all stakeholders for their cooperation and constructive engagement.”
Two Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4 aircraft were scrambled for the fourth time in seven days, from the 22nd Tactical Air Base, Malbork, Poland, to intercept unknown aircraft leaving Kaliningrad and close to NATO air space.
RAF Typhoons were scrambled on three separate occasions to intercept and identify a Russian Ilyushin Il-20M, as it left Kaliningrad air space. The Ilyushin Il-20M known by its NATO code name COOT-A, is a Communication and Electronic signals intelligence surveillance-reconnaissance aircraft.
On the fourth occasion NATO scrambled RAF Typhoons to intercept and identify a pair of Russian FLANKER H, transiting closer to NATO air space.
Aircrew from No. II (Army Co-operation) Squadron, part of 140 Expeditionary Air Wing (EAW), are currently conducting Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) as part of NATO enhanced Air Policing (eAP) when they were scrambled.
“Today was the fourth time in seven days that NATO have scrambled RAF assets stationed at Malbork, Poland. Today’s mission was to intercept and identify the unknown aircraft departing Kaliningrad air space. It was not communicating, nor did it file a flight plan which is required under international law. Once intercepted we escorted the aircraft to protect civilian air traffic in the immediate area, before handing it over to another pair of NATO aircraft.”
An EAW spokesperson.
Op Chessman is the UK contingent delivering the NATO eAP mission. RAF personnel are currently deployed at Malbork Airbase and are under the command of 140 EAW. The operation sees personnel from across the RAF deployed to Malbork alongside NATOs newest member Sweden.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
TIANJIN, June 5 (Xinhua) — In the industrial city of Tianjin, north China, employees of startup Tianjin Battery Technology are refurbishing failed electric vehicle batteries with a combination of skilled technicians and automated systems.
The development illustrates the huge business opportunity opening up in China as authorities in the world’s largest electric vehicle market aim to turn waste batteries from a pollution problem into a key asset in its “green revolution.”
A startup at the forefront of the country’s sustainable development economy is targeting this rapidly growing sector.
This market segment is poised for significant growth as China continues to lead the world in the production and sale of new energy vehicles. In addition, the growing number of end-of-life batteries is increasing demand for green solutions.
By the end of 2024, there were 31.4 million new electric vehicles in the country, or about 9 percent of the country’s total car fleet. Following the government-initiated trade-in campaign, consumer interest in upgrading their cars has increased dramatically, which in turn has further expanded the recycling market.
China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has required passenger car manufacturers to provide an eight-year or 120,000-km warranty on key components such as batteries since 2016.
Market forecasts indicate that the volume of discarded batteries in China will reach 1.04 million tons in 2025, and this figure could rise to 3.5 million tons by 2030.
UNLOCKING POTENTIAL
Ma Yuwei, 40, works as a production materials control manager in the engineering equipment department at Tianjin Battery Technology. He supervises the dismantling of battery packs and modules. In his opinion, these seemingly “disused” batteries are a treasure trove.
The firm reuses some of the dismantled components to repair used cars. Crushing the batteries produces copper and aluminum, and the black powder is processed into lithium carbonate suitable for use in batteries.
“In our words, we need to squeeze every last drop of juice out of failed batteries,” he notes.
With nearly 20 years of experience and the significant growth potential in the digital electronics and battery manufacturing industries, he accepted the offer to take on this position three years ago.
Tianjin Battery Technology’s battery processing capacity has reached 10,000 tons per year, achieving a lithium recovery rate of over 90 percent.
“China relies heavily on imported lithium, cobalt and nickel,” said Ke Yanchun of newly established state-owned China Resources Recycling Group Co., Ltd.
“The recycling of used batteries effectively reduces the country’s high dependence on imported resources in the production of vehicles using new energy sources,” he emphasized.
TECHNOLOGICAL ORIENTATION
China’s battery recycling sector suffers from small, unregulated workshops. Industry leaders are using technological innovation to improve efficiency and restructure the production chain.
China’s major EV battery maker GEM, which is listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, uses a flexible, intelligent dismantling system for precise detection and sorting. Its recycling innovations include high- and low-temperature catalytic activation and ultra-precise lithium extraction, achieving lithium recovery rates of over 90 percent.
The company has also developed a digital lifecycle management system for batteries to track them from recycling to disposal, supporting its dual-track business model.
The company has built a circular economy industrial park in the Shenshan Special Cooperation Zone, which is just 1 km from the production lines of BYD, the country’s leading electric vehicle maker.
GEM currently operates more than 140 battery recycling stations across the country and cooperates with more than 750 vehicle and battery manufacturers and operators worldwide. In the first quarter of this year, the company recycled 10,800 tons of batteries, up 37 percent year-on-year.
At Tianjin Battery Technology, Ma Yuwei and his colleagues have improved battery dismantling efficiency by 75 percent using modified tools. Using techniques such as cutting and welding, they have transformed standard tools to meet the complex requirements of battery dismantling.
“This simple innovation had a significant impact,” the manager noted.
EXPANSION ABROAD
As China’s share of the global EV market continues to grow, battery recycling companies are also expanding their international presence to comply with local environmental regulations.
CATL, the world’s largest battery maker, plans to establish a battery recycling facility in Europe, with the renovation of its Hungarian plant scheduled for completion in 2026. The initiative is part of the company’s efforts to address environmental issues in battery production and recycling.
GEM has established 7 battery recycling centers, including in the Republic of Korea and Indonesia.
Gotion High-tech in Hefei, capital of Anhui Province, east China, and Envision Greenwise in Hong Kong have signed a strategic cooperation agreement and plan to jointly build 100 battery recycling and after-sales service centers around the world.
In addition, Jiaxing-based Huayou Recycling, located in east China’s Zhejiang Province, has entered into a strategic partnership with SUEZ Group, one of Europe’s largest environmental services corporations, to explore the French battery recycling market. -0-
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, June 5 (Xinhua) — Uzbek tourist Mirakbar Usmanov was recently given a tax refund of over 500 yuan on his purchase of a mobile phone and other goods at a shopping mall in Urumqi, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. This is the first time that Xinjiang has implemented a tax refund model for foreign tourists upon purchase rather than upon exiting the country, the Urumqi Evening newspaper reported.
As of the end of May 2025, 23 retail outlets in Xinjiang have been approved to provide value-added tax (VAT) refund services to foreign visitors upon purchase, according to local tax authorities.
In April of this year, the Chinese authorities announced a set of measures to further optimize the relevant policy. Thanks to the innovation, money can now be returned instantly after making a purchase, whereas previously it was only possible upon leaving the country.
After presenting his passport, filling out a foreign buyers refund application form and pre-authorizing his credit card at the aforementioned shopping center, Mirakbar Usmanov paid for his purchases with his card and received his refund immediately.
Under the new measures, the minimum purchase amount for tax refund has been lowered. Now, overseas travelers can apply for tax refunds by spending at least 200 yuan (about $27.83) at the same store in one day, provided they meet other requirements, according to a notice jointly released by the Ministry of Commerce and five other departments.
The circular also outlines measures to increase the number of tax refund points, expand the supply of goods and improve the quality of services provided. Thus, the opening of such points in large shopping areas, pedestrian streets, tourist sites, resort areas, cultural centers, airports, passenger transportation points and hotels is encouraged.
In addition, the range of products offered is expected to expand, especially branded products, consumer goods popular in the country, smart devices, intangible cultural heritage products, handicrafts and other products.
According to observations by Xinjiang shopping mall operators, smartphones, smart home appliances, drones, branded watches, shoes, clothes and space vehicles are the most popular purchase choices among foreign tourists visiting Xinjiang.
According to industry experts, Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang, may well become the first choice for Central Asians looking to visit China for shopping, due to its geographical proximity and the ongoing implementation of the exit tax refund policy.
Let us recall that Xinjiang borders eight countries, including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
According to statistics, from May 1 to May 21, the inbound foreign passenger flow at Urumqi Tianshan Airport increased by 75.7 percent year-on-year and exceeded 8,900 person-times, accounting for about 14.47 percent of the country’s total. Broken down by country, the largest share was from citizens of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Russia, Tajikistan and other countries. -0-
Every year, massive data breaches harm the public. The targets are email service providers, retailers and government agencies that store information about people. Each breach includes sensitive personal information such as credit and debit card numbers, home addresses and account usernames and passwords from hundreds of thousands – and sometimes millions – of people.
When National Public Data, a company that does online background checks, was breached in 2024, criminals gained the names, addresses, dates of birth and national identification numbers such as Social Security numbers of 170 million people in the U.S., U.K. and Canada. The same year, hackers who targeted Ticketmaster stole the financial information and personal data of more than 560 million customers.
As a criminologist who researches cybercrime, I study the ways that hackers and cybercriminals steal and use people’s personal information. Understanding the people involved helps us to better recognize the ways that hacking and data breaches are intertwined. In so-called stolen data markets, hackers sell personal information they illegally obtain to others, who then use the data to engage in fraud and theft for profit.
The quantity problem
Every piece of personal data captured in a data breach – a passport number, Social Security number or login for a shopping service – has inherent value. Offenders can use the information in different ways. They can assume someone else’s identity, make a fraudulent purchase or steal services such as streaming media or music.
The quantity of information, whether Social Security numbers or credit card details, that can be stolen through data breaches is more than any one group of criminals can efficiently process, validate or use in a reasonable amount of time. The same is true for the millions of email account usernames and passwords, or access to streaming services that data breaches can expose.
This quantity problem has enabled the sale of information, including personal financial data, as part of the larger cybercrime online economy.
eg: In headline of the following chart, U.S. doesn’t need periods.
The sale of data, also known as carding, references the misuse of stolen credit card numbers or identity details. These illicit data markets began in the mid-1990s through the use of credit card number generators used by hackers. They shared programs that randomly generated credit card numbers and details and then checked to see whether the fake account details matched active cards that could then be used for fraudulent transactions.
As more financial services were created and banks allowed customers to access their accounts through the internet, it became easier for hackers and cybercriminals to steal personal information through data breaches and phishing. Phishing involves sending convincing emails or SMS text messages to people to trick them into giving up sensitive information such as logins and passwords, often by clicking a false link that seems legitimate.
One of the first phishing schemes targeted America Online users to get their account information to use their internet service at no charge.
Selling stolen data online
The large amount of information criminals were able to steal from such schemes led to more vendors offering stolen data to others through different online platforms.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, offenders used Internet Relay Chat, or IRC channels, to sell data. IRC was effectively like modern instant messaging systems, letting people communicate in real time through specialized software. Criminals used these channels to sell data and hacking services in an efficient place.
In the early 2000s, vendors transitioned to web forums where individuals advertised their services to other users. Forums quickly gained popularity and became successful businesses with vendors selling stolen credit cards, malware and related goods and services to misuse personal information and enable fraud.
One of the more prominent forums from this time was ShadowCrew, which formed in 2002 and operated until being taken down by a joint law enforcement operation in 2004. Their members trafficked over 1.7 million credit cards in less than three years.
Forums continue to be popular, though vendors transitioned to running their own web-based shops on the open internet and dark web, which is an encrypted portion of the web that can be accessed only through specialized browsers like TOR, starting in the early 2010s. These shops have their own web addresses and distinct branding to attract customers, and they work in the same way as other e-commerce stores. More recently, vendors of stolen data have also begun to operate on messaging platforms such as Telegram and Signal to quickly connect with customers.
Cybercriminals and customers
Many of the people who supply and operate the markets appear to be cybercriminals from Eastern Europe and Russia who steal data and then sell it to others. Markets have also been observed in Vietnam and other parts of the world, though they do not get the same visibility in the global cybersecurity landscape.
Stolen data is usually available in individual lots, such as a person’s credit or debit card and all the information associated with the account. These pieces are individually priced, with costs differing depending on the type of card, the victim’s location and the amount of data available related to the affected account.
Vendors frequently offer discounts and promotions to buyers to attract customers and keep them loyal. This is often done with credit or debit cards that are about to expire.
Some vendors also offer distinct products such as credit reports, Social Security numbers and login details for different paid services. The price for pieces of information varies. A recent analysis found credit card data sold for US$50 on average, while Walmart logins sold for $9. However, the pricing can vary widely across vendors and markets.
Illicit payments
Vendors typically accept payment through cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin that are difficult for law enforcement to trace.
Bitcoin is often used as payment for elicit information because it’s difficult to trace. AP Photo/Charles Krupa
Once payment is received, the vendor releases the data to the customer. Customers take on a great deal of the risk in this market because they cannot go to the police or a market regulator to complain about a fraudulent sale.
Vendors may send customers dead accounts that are unable to be used or give no data at all. Such scams are common in a market where buyers can depend only on signals of vendor trust to increase the odds that the data they purchase will be delivered, and if it is, that it pays off. If the data they buy is functional, they can use it to make fraudulent purchases or financial transactions for profit.
The rate of return can be exceptional. An offender who buys 100 cards for $500 can recoup costs if only 20 of those cards are active and can be used to make an average purchase of $30. The result is that data breaches are likely to continue as long as there is demand for illicit, profitable data.
This article is part of a series on data privacy that explores who collects your data, what and how they collect, who sells and buys your data, what they all do with it, and what you can do about it.
Thomas Holt does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –
On June 5, Vladimir Stroyev, Rector of the State University of Management, took part in a press conference dedicated to the IV season of the educational and tourist project “University Shifts” to be held from June to September 2025.
Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation Olga Petrova spoke about further plans for the development of the project:
“Next year, we are planning a closer integration of shifts with national projects and an expansion of participation opportunities for children from Russian territories, because they also want to join universities.”
The Deputy Minister also stressed the importance of involving university students as camp counselors, as this contributes to a deeper understanding of what has happened and is happening in new territories.
Rector of the State University of Management Vladimir Stroev noted the changes that have occurred over the years in the mood of the shift participants:
“We are proud that our university has been participating in the project from the very beginning. Thanks to Olga Petrova, who comes to visit every shift, the “Movement of the First” and the “Knowledge” society, with whom we have been closely cooperating for a long time and implementing joint thematic projects. It all started out difficult. In 2022, the guys came with different moods, we had to work a lot with them psychologically. Last year, the participants already had a different atmosphere, the complexity of interaction of the first years was gone. These are already our citizens who are interested in the history of their country.”
Vladimir Stroyev also recalled that in 2025, the State University of Management will hold three shifts: cultural and educational, educational, where students will learn about the university’s educational programs, and entrepreneurial.
The press conference was also attended by Deputy Director of the Department for Integration of the National Education System and International Cooperation of the Ministry of Education of Russia Pavel Belokon, Deputy Chairperson of the Board of the All-Russian Public-State Movement of Children and Youth “Movement of the First” Sonya Pogosyan, Deputy General Director of the Russian Society “Knowledge” Irina Karikh and Vice-Rector for Work with Students of the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia named after Patrice Lumumba Mikhail Katsarsky.
Let us recall that “University Shifts” is a project that helps schoolchildren and students see the structure of universities from the inside and get acquainted with the educational program and opportunities of higher education institutions. In 2025, about 90 universities from all over the country are waiting for the guys.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: Rosneft – Rosneft – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
June 5 is World Environment Day, its goal is to draw attention to measures to protect ecosystems. In Russia, this date coincides with Ecologist Day.
Rosneft implements large-scale events and projects aimed at preserving a favorable environment. In 2024, the Company’s “green” investments amounted to 74 billion rubles and exceeded the previous year’s level by 16%. In total, over the past three years, this figure amounted to almost 200 billion rubles.
The key components of the Company’s long-term environmental agenda are reflected in the strategy “Rosneft-2030: Reliable Energy and Global Energy Transition”. The priorities of the Company and its subsidiaries include the implementation of programs for land reclamation, including “historical heritage”, increasing the reliability of pipelines, preserving water resources and biological diversity in the regions of presence.
Thus, Samotlorneftegaz completed the implementation of a large-scale program for the reclamation of “historical heritage” lands in 2024 – the total area of restored lands exceeded 2.2 thousand hectares. The company carried out about 85% of all reclamation work using its own eco-service. During the project, new technologies were developed and unique experience was gained, which is in demand by other enterprises.
Rosneft pays great attention to reforestation activities, thereby contributing to the sustainable development of ecosystems, the preservation of biodiversity, and the fight against climate change. The Company, together with the Government of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, is implementing a comprehensive forest climate project aimed at unlocking the climate-regulating potential of the region’s forests and promoting sustainable development. In 2024, the Company and its subsidiaries in the regions of presence planted almost 11 million seedlings and trees of various species.
Rosneft is actively implementing the principles of a closed-loop economy (circular economy). Improving the efficiency of waste management processes is one of the priority goals of the Company’s strategy until 2030. The Company’s production enterprises are successfully implementing waste-free technologies that make it possible to obtain artificial soil from drill cuttings – an environmentally friendly building material.
In addition, the enterprises of the Samara group of the Company handed over almost 300 tons of spent catalyst for recycling. More than 8 thousand tons of non-ferrous and ferrous metal were sent for recycling by the Achinsk Oil Refinery, Saratov Oil Refinery, Syzran Oil Refinery, Kuibyshevsky Oil Refinery, Novokuibyshevsky Oil Refinery, RN-Vankor and Bashneft enterprises.
The Kuibyshev Oil Refinery, Novokuibyshevsk Oil Refinery, RN-Vankor and Bashneft enterprises also sent about 4.5 thousand tons of waste oils and emulsions, etc. for recycling.
Biodiversity conservation is another significant area of Rosneft’s environmental activities. The company has been holding annual events to replenish Russia’s aquatic bioresources for over 10 years. In 2024, Rosneft enterprises released over 21.7 million young fish into the country’s water bodies.
Volunteers of the Company, its subsidiaries and design institutes also actively participate in various environmental initiatives, promote the development of a culture of rational and responsible consumption of natural resources. Employees with children take part in events for greening and improvement of urban areas and natural recreational zones, cleaning of coastlines as part of federal environmental campaigns such as “Green Spring”, “Garden of Memory”, “Water of Russia”, “Clean Shores” and others.
For over 15 years, Samotlorneftegaz volunteers have been holding clean-up days to clean the shoreline of Lake Kymyl-Emtor as part of the All-Russian campaign “Water of Russia”.
Samara oil workers help the employees of the Botanical Garden of Samara University to clear the territory of dead wood and leaves, to purchase rare plant species and plant seedlings, and also to restore and improve springs in the region. In 2024, volunteers of the Samara region collected more than 30 cubic meters of garbage from the coastal areas of the Volga and Sok rivers. Volunteers of the Novokuibyshevsk Petrochemical Company collected 930 kg of household waste during an environmental run.
In 2024, RN-Nyaganneftegaz oil workers collected about 3 tons of household waste from the coastline of the Nyagan-Yugan River.
Earlier, on the eve of Victory Day, employees of Rosneft enterprises organized the cleaning of parks, memorial complexes and monuments dedicated to the feat of the Soviet people during the Great Patriotic War.
The Company’s enterprises make a significant contribution to the conservation of natural resources – they organize campaigns to collect used batteries, plastic and waste paper for their further recycling. In 2024, Rosneft employees handed over over 1,100 kg of used batteries, uninterruptible power supplies and disposable batteries for recycling, transferred over 7 tons of plastic for recycling and collected about 180 tons of waste paper.
Rosneft volunteers also actively promote environmental education of young people and conduct environmental quests, master classes, quizzes and eco-lessons for schoolchildren. For example, Orenburgneft implemented the Eco-School project in 2024 and, together with students from the region’s schools, collected more than 10 tons of waste paper, more than 70 kg of batteries and more than 17 kg of plastic caps.
For 14 years now, the company has been holding annual environmental safety competitions, which help to raise the level of environmental culture and serve as an incentive for subsidiaries to build up their competencies and improve their work in this area.
The successful environmental activities of Rosneft subsidiaries have received high public praise. In 2024, the Company’s plants – Syzran Oil Refinery, Novokuibyshevsky Oil Refinery, Kuibyshevsky Oil Refinery – received the highest awards of the All-Russian competition “Leader of Environmental Activities in Russia”.
Department of Information and Advertising of PJSC NK Rosneft June 5, 2025
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the country’s energy infrastructure has suffered approximately $20 billion in damage, causing widespread power outages and insufficient heat supply – with the cities of Kharkiv and Mykolaiv alone accounting for over $630 million in losses, according to UNDP.
While emergency efforts have focused on rebuilding existing capacity and fossil fuel capacity replacements, this approach can overlook the need for more resilient and sustainable local energy solutions. In addition to the need to rebuild energy infrastructure and meet ambitious 2030 renewable energy targets in place in national energy and climate laws, Ukraine aims to move to a system that balances centralized and decentralized systems, across heat, electricity and energy demand.
In this context, Ukrainian cities will play an important role in the country’s sustainable and resilient reconstruction that is aligned with the energy transition, as well as with European standards and regulations.
Meeting with Ukraine’s Ambassador to the United Nations and other International Organizations in Geneva, H.E. Yevhenii Tsymbaliuk, UNECE Executive Secretary Tatiana Molcean reiterated UNECE’s steadfast commitment to help the government address these issues, building on strong cooperation on urban development and energy policy. Looking ahead to the Ukraine Recovery Conference to be held in Rome in July, she underscored solidarity and ongoing support for Ukraine’s sustainable and resilient recovery across UNECE’s areas of expertise.
Local action for Ukraine’s green energy recovery
Support to urban reconstruction planning has been a core dimension of UNECE’s support to Ukraine’s recovery since the start of the war. Through the UN4UkrainianCities initiative, UNECE has mobilized international partners to support the development of concept master plans and pilot projects in the cities of Kharkiv and Mykolaiv, and has supported the government to draft new housing legislation, including the State Housing Policy Strategy, as well as to strengthen capacities for the Urban Planning Cadastre.
To this end, UNECE, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the Autonomous Region of Bolzano in Italy jointly organized an international study trip to strengthen the capacities of the cities of Kharkiv and Mykolaiv, among other 2 municipalities, for integrated urban energy planning focused on decentralized and renewable local energy and modern district heating systems.
This study visit is facilitated by the UNEP programme “Unlocking greener and more resilient energy in Ukrainian cities”, supported by the Italian Development Co-operation (AICS), and by UNECE’s UN4UkrainianCities initiative. Additional support to the study visit is provided by the NOI Technopark in Bolzano, Alperia (Bolzano, Italy), and EURAC Research.
Officials from Kharkiv and Mykolaiv will benefit from the guidance of international experts, and site visits to state-of-the-art local, renewable and decentralized energy installations.
Mobilizing partnerships meet financing needs on the ground
At the Hamburg Sustainability Conference this week, the City Council of Bucha, home to 73,000 people and located 30km from Kyiv, presented a project for the construction of a decentralised city energy system. Supported by UNECE, this provided an opportunity to present the project seeking €145 million from potential investors and financiers in staged investment through Public-Private Partnerships.
Developed in response to energy capacity losses during the war, the distributed energy system aims to provide a reliable uninterruptible power supply of over 112 MW through a clean, flexible and autonomous system comprising generation facilities and grid connection infrastructure. This would include power plants for households and critical infrastructure, power for the city’s industrial cluster, and energy storage systems. The project would in addition create an estimated 120 jobs.
Continued support for sustainable recovery
In Geneva, the Executive Secretary also recalled UNECE’s broader, multisectoral support to the government of Ukraine in implementing the National Recovery Plan, including through: the PIERS methodology to assess sustainability of infrastructure projects, facilitating Public-Private Partnerships and other investment; the Platform for Action on the Green Recovery of Ukraine; the Inter-agency Coordination Group on Environmental Assessments for Ukraine; harnessing Innovation for Sustainable Development; support for water-related and other environmental challenges, leveraging UNECE Multilateral Environmental Agreements; and applying the UN Framework Classification for Resources (UNFC) to support the sustainable management of Ukraine’s critical raw materials.
More good news for India’s economy. Following the news of India becoming the fourth-largest economy, at more than $4 trillion, the numbers for the fourth quarter of FY25 are out. At 7.4 per cent, the growth numbers have exceeded the market expectations, leaving many pleasantly surprised.
We finished the third quarter at 6.4 per cent, the second quarter at 5.6 per cent, and the first quarter at 6.5 per cent. Interestingly, in FY24, the GDP grew at 9.5 per cent in Q3 and 8.4 per cent in Q4. So, what happened?
We must factor in the external factors at play here. In FY25, the first quarter, between April and June, was lost to the national elections. Business activity was largely muted, cash flows were restricted, and new orders were delayed. Nothing unusual, for elections of this magnitude and importance do leave the businesses on the precautionary backfoot.
The second quarter, between July and September, was about getting used to a new avatar of the Narendra Modi Government. People were sceptical, given an unusual alliance in the Centre. However, it was soon visible to everyone that things were not going to change. The Lok Sabha numbers had not dented PM Modi’s socio-economic pursuits, and the show was to go on, uninterrupted.
Whatever little doubts that remained were decimated on the morning of October 8, 2024. The flip in numbers, within twenty minutes, around 10:00 AM, sealed the political fate of the Congress. The Bharatiya Janata Party had triumphed expectations and predictions, and became the first party to register a third consecutive win (with complete five-year terms). The Haryana victory set up the third quarter for an economic resurgence.
By the beginning of the fourth quarter, the BJP was in the driver’s seat. Maharashtra had been won with a thumping majority, and the party was eyeing Delhi next. The Budget came with the good news of a tax cut, enabling zero income tax for citizens with Rs. 12.75 Lakh annual income (standard deduction included).
The larger message behind the fourth quarter numbers must be acknowledged. Political stability is directly proportional to growth numbers. While elections are an unavoidable occurrence in the trajectory of our democracy, the idea of ‘One Nation, One Election’, must be discussed with greater vigour. The continuity offered by the Narendra Modi government, in its third term, has also given the economy a critical thrust.
From here, it’s a journey of a few years until we become the third-largest economy on the planet, trailing China and the United States of America. The evolution of our economy will add to our geopolitical heft, inevitably. As the largest free market in the world, with over a billion people, consumerism and the growing middle class offers enough nudge for the MSMEs and other aspiring entrepreneurs to embrace manufacturing.
The tax cuts will also kick in next year, ushering in at least Rs. 1 Lakh Crore more into the economy. This will soon reflect in automobile sales numbers, tourism revenue, and other indirect taxes, as the spending goes up. The mere fact that the Modi Government was able to introduce these tax cuts is a testament to their stupendous fiscal management in the last eleven years.
The other message is that of self-reliance. While the pandemic, Russia-Ukraine war, and the global supply chains crisis have put the manufacturing ambition into a hyperdrive mode, we can do more. India Stack and UPI are a stunning example of how self-reliance can propel success in other sectors, like the service economy. Close to 1,868 Crore UPI transactions in May 2025 further showcase the resolve of the Indian market.
However, it’s now time to go big on hardware. The ongoing ‘Operation Sindoor’ proves how warfare is evolving, and why we should not rely on external players, especially China, for critical components. This is where our focus must be. The services industry has sustained the aspiring Indian middle class for almost three decades. It’s now time for manufacturing to take over.
As we grow to become a ten trillion dollar economy by 2035, the nature of employment will evolve as well. Artificial Intelligence applications, offered at throwaway prices, are making several jobs redundant. The cycle of time moves, as it did when computers replaced typewriters, but no reason for India to be disheartened. Our economy evolved well with computers, it’ll do so with AI and hardware as well.
The 7.4 per cent growth number has a message for India: keep the hustle going. Do not be afraid to evolve with the times, and while the ten trillion mark is a decade away, start preparing for it today. On the policy front, we must begin pondering ideas that allow us to minimise disruption (One Nation, One Election). On the innovation front, let’s get people to start aspiring for jobs that involve not sitting before a computer, but manufacturing one.
This is India’s decade. The rise is inevitable and indispensable for the world.
(Tushar Gupta is a Delhi-based journalist and a political commentator)
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 5 (Xinhua) — China’s labor market has seen moderate and steady development momentum this year thanks to comprehensive efforts including a series of employment protection policies, said Chen Yongjia, an official with the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security.
Employment support plans have been systematically formulated to expand opportunities in key sectors, leading industries, urban and rural grassroots, and micro, small and medium enterprises, he said during the latest edition of the China Economic Roundtable, a multimedia discussion program hosted by Xinhua News Agency.
According to him, a comprehensive package of policy measures has been implemented, which includes increasing the limit of lending for maintaining and expanding jobs, expanding the coverage of subsidies for creating new jobs, continuing measures such as the return of funds for employment stabilization and subsidies for upgrading skills, to maximize the potential of the policy.
As for training in needs-oriented skills, large-scale vocational training has been organized to continuously improve the qualification level of the economically active population, he noted.
China is also focusing on targeted support to ensure full employment for key groups. It has released a new package of 17 measures to promote employment for young people and provide strong unemployment protection for target groups, the official added.
Chen Yongjia assured that China will promptly take additional measures to expand employment, thereby providing a reliable foundation for strengthening the fundamental foundations of economic development and social stability.
Official data shows that the number of Chinese college graduates is likely to reach 12.22 million in 2025, up 430,000 from last year.
China’s labor market has remained generally stable in recent weeks, with the average survey unemployment rate in China’s cities and towns falling from 5.2 percent in March to 5.1 percent in April, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. -0-
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, June 5 (Xinhua) — China’s economy continues to grow steadily after a positive start in the first quarter of 2025, said Ding Lin, an official with the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).
Speaking on the latest edition of the all-media discussion program “China Economic Roundtable” organized by Xinhua News Agency, Ding Lin noted that despite the difficult external environment, China’s economy has withstood the pressure. Notably, industrial production, the service sector, domestic demand and exports have shown faster growth rates.
Highlighting China’s high innovation activity, Ding Lin said the country’s high-tech manufacturing sector recorded 10 percent growth in April, nearly 4 percentage points higher than the growth rate of overall industrial output.
Ding Lin also noted the accelerated development of industries such as unmanned aerial vehicles, new energy vehicles, artificial intelligence and humanoid robots.
“In general, as measures to stimulate economic growth are quickly implemented, their effect will continue to manifest itself, contributing to the high-quality development of the country’s economy,” he concluded.
Let us recall that according to the results of the first quarter of 2025, China’s GDP grew by 5.4 percent year-on-year. -0-
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, June 5 (Xinhua) — In 2024, Chinese courts completed 219,000 cases related to environmental management and ecology as first instance courts, including 4,168 public environmental lawsuits and 246 cases on compensation for ecological damage, the Supreme People’s Court (SPC) said Thursday.
The courts ordered the liable parties to pay compensation totaling 9.6 billion yuan (about $1.34 billion), according to the annual report of the Supreme People’s Council of China.
These figures indicate the country’s increasing legal efforts to combat environmental pollution and degradation, as well as strict enforcement of laws on environmental protection and pollution prevention and control.
From 2019 to 2023, China’s courts at various levels handled more than 1.03 million cases in the field of environmental management and ecology as courts of first instance, an increase of 18.9 percent over the previous five-year period.
Meanwhile, China has been making significant progress in specializing its handling of cases in this area, establishing 2,424 specialized courts to handle such cases by the end of 2024, staffing them with more than 16,000 judges and assistants. -0-
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
CHANGCHUN, June 5 (Xinhua) — The first meeting of the Joint Commission for the Implementation of the Agreement between the Governments of China and Russia on the Establishment of the “Land of Big Cats” Transboundary Nature Reserve was held in Changchun, capital of northeast China’s Jilin Province, on Wednesday. The two sides held an in-depth exchange of views on cross-border cooperation in environmental protection, aiming to further integrate the resources and strengths of the two countries in the cross-border protection of tigers and leopards and establish a more effective cooperation mechanism.
The joint commission includes, on the Chinese side, the Department of International Cooperation of the State Forestry and Grassland Administration of the People’s Republic of China, the administration of the National Park of Manchurian Tigers and Far Eastern Leopards, as well as the relevant departments for nature conservation on the Russian side.
Working mechanisms such as regular meetings, exchange of information and joint law enforcement will be established.
At the meeting, an official from the State Forestry and Grassland Administration of China emphasized that in the future, the work of the joint commission will focus on such aspects as strengthening joint monitoring and data exchange, promoting the construction of transboundary ecological corridors, conducting a tough fight against crimes such as transboundary poaching, deepening cooperation in scientific research, holding environmental education events, etc.
Representatives of the Russian side stated that the Russian side will fully support the work of the joint commission, actively implement various areas of cooperation and jointly protect the home of tigers and leopards.
Let us recall that the Manchurian Tiger and Far Eastern Leopard National Park was officially established in 2021. According to the latest data, about 70 Manchurian tigers and about 80 Far Eastern leopards currently live in this park. -0-
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
SEOUL, June 5 (Xinhua) — South Korea’s National Assembly on Thursday passed bills to appoint special prosecutors and investigate allegations of a coup against ousted President Yun Seok-yul and scandals involving first lady Kim Geon-hee.
Of the 198 National Assembly lawmakers present at the plenary session, 194 supported the bills, three voted against and one abstained.
Under the bills, new President Lee Jae-myung must appoint an independent prosecutor for each case from two recommended candidates.
The special investigation will focus on allegations of sedition against Yun Seok-yul, who was removed from office in April after martial law was declared last December.
Former President Kim Geun-hee’s wife will be investigated for allegedly manipulating stock prices, receiving luxury handbags, interfering with the nomination of candidates for the 2022 by-elections and the 2024 parliamentary elections, and rigging opinion polls during the 2022 presidential election. –0–
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Kyiv, June 5 /Xinhua/ — Ukraine on Thursday destroyed the Iskander operational-tactical missile system installations on the territory of the Russian Federation, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) reported on Telegram.
The operation was carried out by units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in cooperation with the Security Service of Ukraine and other components of the defense forces. They launched a missile strike on the 26th missile brigade of the Russian troops. –0–
