Category: Russian Federation

MIL-OSI Russia: Ecological disaster in Anapa: GUU volunteers talk about the difficult situation on the coast

Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –

A group of student volunteers from the State University of Management traveled to Anapa to help eliminate the consequences of the fuel oil spill from the wrecked tankers.

Let us recall that in January, volunteers from the Moscow city branch of VSKS went on a similar trip to the Black Sea. Our heroes today do not have such professional skills and extensive experience, which is why it was all the more interesting to talk to them.

The following people helped to eliminate the consequences of the disaster: – Svetlana Savina, 4th year student majoring in Sociology; – Angelina Kolesnikova, 4th year student majoring in Sociology; – Nikita Seregin, 3rd year student majoring in Ecology and Nature Management; – Daria Siraeva, 1st year student majoring in Human Resources Management; – Artem Sikhimbaev, 2nd year student majoring in Global Economy.

— How did you find out about the opportunity to go to Anapa, how did you get there?

Nikita Seregin: Initially, there was a form that was sent out by our Department of Youth Policy and Educational Work. I was interested, I filled it out, and later the Department contacted me, we agreed on dates and went.

— Was there any training before the trip?

Svetlana Savina: We were offered to take trainings and courses before the trip to Dobro.rf, but we did not take them. There was a short excursion in Anapa itself, but without any special details.

— How did you get there, how did Anapa greet you?

Artem Sikhimbaev: It so happened that our train arrived in Anapa after the volunteer bus had left for the beach. And since we had some free time, and the coast greeted us with unprecedentedly cold weather for this time of year (the locals said that this had not happened for 10 years), I decided to rent a car and go to Krasnodar. We drove around there, saw the city, and immediately returned.

— What was the scope of work in general? What exactly did you personally do?

Angelina Kolesnikova: There are people there who clean up the fuel oil. This is what we were supposed to do initially. But we decided to self-organize and go to work at the headquarters. There you can go to the bird wash, to the hospital where they are looked after and fed, or directly to the headquarters, where there is an administration, a kitchen, a warehouse, and a utility room. Specifically, I was the administrator, I sat at the computer, answered phone calls, coordinated people, recorded arriving and departing volunteers, and determined the areas of their work.

Nikita Seregin: I initially worked in a warehouse, then I was sent to wash birds, but most of all I worked in the hospital, where we helped feed the birds, gave them medicine, changed diapers.

Darya Siraeva: I also worked in a warehouse, conducted inventory, accepted deliveries, and issued essential supplies. I tried working at the wash station – I washed two birds. And I also managed to try myself in the hospital, where we fed the birds and gave them medicine.

Svetlana Savin: I tried to gain as much different experience as possible. I washed birds, worked in a hospital, worked in the administration for a day, and went to the beach to clean up fuel oil. It was difficult to deal with fuel oil. Not physically, but because of its properties. Large frozen fractions were simply collected in bags. And the smaller ones had to be sifted through a mesh, but the fuel oil passes through it. It is impossible to take it with your fingers, it crumbles right away. The work is difficult, since you do not see the results right away. With birds, the situation is different, there the result is immediately noticeable. One day I washed two birds, took them to the hospital. Unfortunately, one soon died, but with the second one I saw how it was getting better. But the problem is that the cured birds are taken away far away and released, and they return to their usual habitats and again end up in fuel oil. Dolphins, dogs, and the entire ecosystem also suffer. And it can only get worse in the summer when the fuel oil melts, so you need to get rid of it as soon as possible.

Angelina Kolesnikova: We went to the central beach of Anapa and the sand there seemed to be clean. But when you start collecting shells, you can see that they are covered in fuel oil.

Artem Sikhimbaev: Considering that I had a rented car, I was put to work as a volunteer car driver, which gave me an incredible boost and understanding of what was happening. I visited all the headquarters of Anapa, drove bird catchers to the beach, drove caught birds from different points on the beach to rehabilitation centers. When the car rental ended, I moved on to washing. It consists of two stages. The first is beak treatment: they carefully cleaned it from fuel oil with cotton swabs. Then the beak was fixed in a closed position so that the birds did not clean themselves and did not pollute the beak again. The second stage of washing is quite simple – in a basin with cleaning agents. Volunteers came up with their own life hacks – they washed with fish oil and starch, which wash off fuel oil better. To understand, a standard wash of one bird took about two hours, and with starch and fish oil – about 40 minutes. Two people wash the bird: one holds it, the other washes it. I did both. I also worked in a rehab center. I was engaged in forced feeding using a tube. Inserting a tube correctly is also a certain skill. And you need to know what to give to whom, in what dosage. Therefore, when I was taught, I myself then taught seven more volunteers how to insert a tube correctly. But experience is still needed, each bird must have its own approach, each has its own character and habits. I managed to work in a warehouse and as a coordinator, I knew everyone and everyone knew me. In fact, I only did not catch birds and did not sift sand on the beach.

— Are there many other volunteers in Anapa?

Angelina Kolesnikova: Yes, a lot. But the problem is that they don’t come for long. We were only on the job for five days. And every time people have to be retrained. Once, during the night shift, there was a storm, and they brought us 120 birds at once. The management asked us to call everyone in a row, but the night shift is from 00:00 to 8:00, everyone is sleeping. The birds are dying, and you can’t do anything.

— Tell us about your daily routine.

Angelina Kolesnikova: I got up for the morning shift at 6 am, had breakfast at 7, then worked until lunch at 1 pm, and the shift ended at 4 pm. I took light and night shifts constantly.

Svetlana Savin: I worked 16 hours a day because I took two shifts. There were three of them: morning, evening and night, from 8:00 to 00:00.

Artem Sikhimbaev: I came in the morning and left when work was finished. You know, when it’s 00:00 and you still have 30 birds to wash, are you going to leave? Of course not. Once I came home at 5:30 in the morning. Thanks to that, I met people who have been working there for a long time, the so-called “legends” who don’t back down and go to the end, regardless of time and their desires.

— What was the most difficult thing?

Angelina Kolesnikova: Stress, psychological pressure. I almost never went near the birds because I understood that I wouldn’t be able to work with them.

Darya Siraeva: I agree that the hardest thing is to see this whole picture of the catastrophe, these poor birds, who are brought in all covered in oil. I felt very, very sorry for them.

Svetlana Savin: I recorded dying birds. They are also given names. People come to me and say, for example, “The cutie has died.” My birds, which I named, washed, and took to the hospital, also died. That was the hardest thing. In addition, you can bring equipment to the beach and speed up the process, but you can’t help with birds with equipment, people still have to do everything.

Angelina Kolesnikova: Besides, at the sea there is fresh air and the smell of fuel oil is almost not felt, but in the hospital with birds it is a closed room and it smells strongly.

Nikita Seregin: The hardest job was probably at the car wash. Because it’s dangerous to your health, you can get burned by fuel oil. Birds sometimes bit you. But otherwise, it wasn’t that hard physically. Although I wasn’t on the beach, many of my expectations about the work were confirmed. It wasn’t too labor-intensive, I can’t say that I was very tired during the trip, I could have easily stayed there for another week. And the hardest thing was to directly observe the environmental disaster. I’ve been participating in the volunteer movement for about a year and a half, but this is my first experience of participating in an event of this scale.

Artem Sikhimbaev: I can’t say that I experienced difficulties. I was simply obsessed with the idea of understanding the system, making my contribution, and somehow improving the processes.

— It is clear that the trip was difficult morally. But can you point out anything pleasant?

Svetlana Savin: It’s nice to watch the recovery process. When yesterday you were forcibly feeding a bird, and today it’s already eating on its own, you’re like: “Oh, you’re such a clever girl!”

Angelina Kolesnikova: Among the positive aspects, I can point out the people who work there. For example, Olesya, who trained us. She came for a couple of days the first time, and then took a vacation and came for a month. That is, some people realize how much human capital is lacking, and are ready to sacrifice their time and money to come and help. The heads of headquarters are all such caring people, with whom it is very pleasant to work. The main motivation for the work is compassion for the birds.

Nikita Seregin: In general, all the volunteers who were there were very responsive, friendly, ready to help, to give advice. This is encouraging, it smooths out a difficult situation. If I recall something else positive, then our day of arrival was free from work, and we went to the alpaca park, fed the animals, walked around Anapa and went to Krasnodar.

Artem Sikhimbaev: The most wonderful thing is that like-minded people with very different social ranks are in one place and doing one important thing. It brings people together and warms the soul. It is impossible to describe in words, it is simply harmony. I think that everyone should go.

— Can you somehow indicate the quantitative results of your work, name some figures?

Svetlana Savin: It’s hard to say. I looked after about 100 birds, that’s the number I can name.

Nikita Seregin: I washed and fed about 30 birds. For me, it was an important experience from a professional point of view, I am studying ecology. It was interesting and useful to look at the situation from the point of view of an ecologist.

Artem Sikhimbaev: I brought about 15 birds from the beach and washed about the same number. I fed at least twice as many. The main result of the work is probably not in the numbers. I learned a lot about this man-made disaster, understood a lot, learned a lot in such a short time. I talked to veterinarians and other specialists who worked there from the very first days. Since I managed to work on almost the entire chain of work with birds, I proposed several ideas for modernizing the system. For example, adding fish oil to the feed, because it helps get rid of fuel oil. And the problem of high bird mortality is that we cannot remove fuel oil from the gastrointestinal tract. Previously, nothing could be done about it. I hope that all of us were able to help at least a little.

Svetlana Savin: It seems to me that we need to introduce more volunteer activities at the State University of Management. This is useful from the point of view of management experience. We understand how the work of large groups of people is organized, we see the flaws of the system. For a management university, volunteering is a very good base. I had an existential crisis there, I am still thinking about the meaning of life. So the experience is bright and useful.

Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 03/21/2025

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.

MIL OSI Russia News –

March 22, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Rosneft planted almost 11 million trees in 2024

Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

Source: Rosneft – Rosneft – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

In 2024, employees of Rosneft and its subsidiaries planted over 10.7 million tree seedlings of various species, which is almost 30% more than the year before. The total area of forest plantations is comparable to the territory of more than 4.5 thousand football fields.

Over the past four years, the Company’s enterprises have planted a total of approximately 37 million tree seedlings and saplings, making a significant contribution to the conservation of nature and biological diversity in the Russian Federation.

March 21 marks the International Day of Forests, which was established by the UN General Assembly to draw attention to the issues of rational use of these natural resources and their importance for our planet.

Preservation of the environment for future generations is an integral part of the corporate culture and social policy of the Company. Rosneft implements a number of large-scale environmental programs and is a leader in minimizing the impact on the environment and improving the environmental friendliness of production. The Company’s approaches to afforestation and reforestation are presented in the public position “Preserve the Planet for the Benefit of Current and Future Generations: Sustainable Forest Management”.

In 2024, more than 30 subsidiaries planted seedlings in various regions of the country, including: in the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug – Yugra, Yamalo-Nenets and Nenets Autonomous Okrugs, the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Krasnoyarsk and Stavropol Krais, Tyumen, Saratov, Samara, Sakhalin Oblasts, as well as in Bashkiria and the city of Moscow. The work was carried out both as part of reforestation work and voluntary campaigns – “Green Spring”, “Forest Planting Day”, “Save the Forest” and the International Campaign “Garden of Memory”, dedicated to the memory of those killed in the Great Patriotic War.

The largest contribution to forest restoration in 2024 was made by RN-Yuganskneftegaz, RN-Purneftegaz, East Siberian Oil and Gas Company, Bashneft, RN-Vankor and Samotlorneftegaz.

Employees of RN-Yuganskneftegaz, Rosneft’s largest oil-producing asset, planted more than 4.8 million coniferous seedlings during the 2024 growing season. This is 41% more than last year. The green area was about 1,300 hectares.

Over the past three years, the RN-Purneftegaz company has planted more than 1.2 million pine seedlings on an area of 340 hectares in Yamal.

The East Siberian Oil and Gas Company has completed reforestation work in the Achinsk and Karatuz forestries of the Krasnoyarsk Territory. The oil workers planted 940 thousand forest seedlings on an area of 300 hectares. The forestry territories grew by 820 thousand Siberian spruce seedlings, 70 thousand Siberian cedar pine seedlings and almost 50 thousand Scots pine seedlings.

In 2024, Bashneft planted 748 thousand trees on an area of over 200 hectares. This is 45% more than the same indicator last year. The plantings took place in the Republic of Bashkortostan, the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug – Yugra and the Nenets Autonomous Okrug. Employees of the Company’s enterprises and their family members participate in various environmental campaigns: Green Spring, Forest Planting Day, Save the Forest, hold clean-up days and clean up the coastal zones of rivers, reservoirs and springs, support the Green Office project, and help botanical gardens and zoos.

RN-Vankor planted about 400 thousand pine seedlings on an area of 182 hectares in the Krasnoyarsk Territory. During the growing season, the seedlings were transported to forestries in special containers that protect future trees from damage and root drying. Pine was chosen for reforestation as one of the forest-forming species – these trees are among the most resistant to winds and adverse conditions, and their root system strengthens the soil. Pines grow quickly and are capable of creating significant forest areas in a short time, which become a habitat for many species of animals and birds, which is of great importance for restoring the natural balance of the taiga.

In 2024, Samotlorneftegaz employees planted more than 390 thousand pine seedlings on more than 107 hectares. Large-scale work to restore coniferous forests began in 2008. Over 17 years, the district’s forest fund has increased by 2 million trees, which is more than 700 hectares.

The group’s companies not only plant trees, but also help equip forestry with modern equipment. Thus, in 2024, Samotlorneftegaz transferred domestically produced snow and swamp-going vehicles to forestry in the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Yugra. The self-propelled equipment is adapted to work in harsh climatic conditions and will be used for fire patrols, reforestation work, and year-round sanitary control of the forest fund. With the financial support of the enterprise, the material and technical equipment of the aviation and ground forest protection base, which is engaged in the protection and reproduction of the district’s forests, has been improved.

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

MIL OSI Russia News –

March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: President Lai meets Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

Details
2025-03-20
President Lai attends AmCham Taiwan 2025 Hsieh Nien Fan
On the evening of March 20, President Lai Ching-te attended the annual Hsieh Nien Fan (謝年飯) banquet hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Taiwan (AmCham Taiwan). In remarks, President Lai pointed out that the United States is now a major source of investment in Taiwan, adding that last year US investment accounted for 11.5 percent of total foreign investment in Taiwan. The president also pointed out that the US has become Taiwan’s largest investment destination, as Taiwan’s direct and indirect investment in the US accounted for more than 40 percent of its total outbound investment last year. President Lai expressed hope that AmCham will continue to offer support in quickly resolving the issue of double taxation, further enhancing the mutually beneficial Taiwan-US economic and trade partnership. He also emphasized that one essential element for our economic prosperity is maintaining security and stability, both regionally and globally. The president expressed his belief that, so long as we coordinate our efforts, we can achieve more in our respective defense industries and build non-red supply chains, advancing peace, stability, and prosperity. A transcript of President Lai’s remarks follows: I’m delighted to be here tonight. I want to wish everyone and their families a happy, healthy, and prosperous year ahead. For many years now, AmCham has acted as a bridge between Taiwan and the US. It not only advocates for Taiwan to various sectors in the US, but also offers advice for the development of Taiwan’s industries. So tonight, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all our friends from the American business community. The 2025 Business Climate Survey, published by AmCham this January, demonstrates the confidence foreign businesses have in the Taiwan market. We are happy to see that over 80 percent of survey respondents reported stable or increased revenue last year, and around 80 percent expressed confidence in Taiwan’s economic prospects for the coming year. Moreover, 90 percent of businesses surveyed are planning to maintain or expand their investments in Taiwan. The positive developments in Taiwan made by our American friends here tonight, their outlook for the future, and their confidence in Taiwan, are further proof of Taiwan’s ideal environment for investment. The US is now a major source of investment in Taiwan. Last year, US investment accounted for 11.5 percent of total foreign investment in Taiwan. In 2023, Entegris opened a new manufacturing facility in Kaohsiung and Micron launched a new facility in Taichung. Last year, Google further solidified Taiwan as its biggest R&D hub outside of the US by opening a new office here. AMD, Nvidia, and major cloud computing companies from the US have also been choosing Taiwan to expand their presence. Over the past several years, the US has also become Taiwan’s largest investment destination. Taiwan’s direct and indirect investment in the US accounted for more than 40 percent of our total outbound investment last year. Four years ago, TSMC’s [Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company] investment in facilities in Arizona became the biggest FDI [foreign direct investment] in a greenfield project in US history. And this month, TSMC announced it would expand that investment, breaking another record and highlighting the enduring prosperity shared by Taiwan and the US. In addition to TSMC, Taiwan’s GlobalWafers has built a 12-inch silicon wafer factory in Texas, the biggest in the US. This will be followed by many other industries. These companies are confidently expanding their global presence across the Pacific and eastward into the Americas. The US is moving to reindustrialize its manufacturing industry and consolidate high-tech leadership, as it moves to become a global AI hub. In these efforts, Taiwan is an indispensable partner for the US. While the US is a leader in chip design, Taiwan’s semiconductor manufacturing plays an irreplaceable part in the supply chain. Adapting to the changing geopolitical landscape and the coming era of smart technology, Taiwan will continue to promote its Five Trusted Industry Sectors of semiconductors, AI, military, next-gen communications, and security and surveillance. This will drive the next stage in our economic development. A great time to invest in Taiwan is now. We will continue to better connect relevant government agencies and align with international standards to foster a friendlier investment environment. And I am confident that Taiwanese and American companies can leverage their respective high-tech expertise and invest in each other, boosting growth in industrial innovation and development for both our economies. At the same time, we hope to continue deepening Taiwan-US trade relations. Last year, Taiwan was the seventh largest trading partner of the US, up one spot from the previous year, and bilateral trade grew by 24.2 percent. Taiwan is going to expand procurement from the US of industrial and agricultural products, as well as natural gas. I am very happy to welcome Governor [Mike] Dunleavy of Alaska, who has specially come all the way to Taiwan. Alaska is a source of high-quality natural gas, and its relatively short distance from Taiwan facilitates transportation. So we are very interested in buying Alaskan natural gas because it can meet our needs and ensure our energy security. We hope that AmCham will continue to offer support in quickly resolving the issue of double taxation and removing tax barriers to bilateral investment and trade, further enhancing the mutually beneficial Taiwan-US economic and trade partnership. One essential element for our economic prosperity is maintaining security and stability, both regionally and globally. So we are grateful for the joint leaders’ statement issued by [US] President [Donald] Trump and Japan’s Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru, in which they expressed their solid support for maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. As we face growing authoritarianism, Taiwan will continue to uphold our values of freedom and democracy and will be a responsible actor in regional and global security. Currently, Taiwan’s defense budget stands at about 2.5 percent of GDP. Going forward, the government will prioritize special budget allocations to ensure that our defense budget exceeds 3 percent of GDP. At the same time, we will continue to reform national defense, further enhancing Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities. And we will advance our cooperation with the US and other democracies in upholding regional stability and prosperity. We also welcome continued Taiwan-US cooperation in the defense sector. I believe that, so long as we coordinate our efforts, we can achieve more in our respective defense industries and build non-red supply chains, advancing peace, stability, and prosperity. In closing, I look forward to seeing even greater achievements from Taiwan-US economic and trade cooperation. Thank you. After remarks, President Lai, AmCham Chairperson Dan Silver, American Institute in Taiwan Taipei Office Director Raymond Greene, and Governor Dunleavy raised their glasses in recognition of the strong Taiwan-US friendship.

Details
2025-03-18
President Lai meets Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs
On the afternoon of March 18, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation led by Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs. In remarks, President Lai said that Taiwan and Arizona enjoy close economic and trade relations, and expressed hope that through our joint efforts, Arizona will become a shining example for Taiwan-United States high-tech collaboration and the creation of non-red supply chains. The president indicated that the next goal for Taiwan and the US is the signing of an agreement for the avoidance of double taxation, which would provide greater incentives for Taiwanese businesses to invest in the US, facilitate the establishment of more comprehensive industry clusters, and generate more job opportunities, representing a win-win outcome for Taiwan-US relations. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I warmly welcome you all to the Presidential Office. Governor Hobbs previously visited Taiwan after taking office in 2023. Her leading a delegation to Taiwan once again demonstrates Arizona’s continued friendship and the importance Arizona attaches to Taiwan. For this, I express my sincerest gratitude, and I welcome you again. In recent years, ties between Taiwan and Arizona have continued to expand and progress. For example, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC)’s investment in Arizona is the largest greenfield investment in US history. This month, TSMC announced that it would increase its investment in the US by US$100 billion. It plans to build more semiconductor fabrication and research and development facilities in greater Phoenix, transforming the area into a US semiconductor hub. Due to our close industrial engagement, we now have more than 30,000 Taiwanese living in Arizona. I would like to thank Governor Hobbs for taking care of Taiwanese businesses and people. I believe that through our joint efforts, Arizona will become a shining example for Taiwan-US high-tech collaboration and the creation of non-red supply chains. Taiwan and Arizona also enjoy close economic and trade relations. Taiwan is Arizona’s eighth largest export market and fifth largest source of imports. Last December, the first agreement under the Taiwan-US Initiative on 21st-Century Trade officially came into effect. I believe this will help further deepen our trade and economic ties. At present, the next goal for Taiwan and the US is the signing of an agreement for the avoidance of double taxation. I hope that we can work together to achieve this goal as soon as possible. This would provide greater incentives for Taiwanese businesses to invest in the US, facilitate the establishment of more comprehensive local industry clusters, and generate more job opportunities, representing a win-win outcome. With Governor Hobbs’s support, we look forward to continuing to advance Taiwan-US relations and promoting further cooperation and exchanges between Taiwan and Arizona across all domains. I understand that during this visit, you have visited many important companies and exchanged opinions with government agencies on how to strengthen bilateral relations. These efforts all go toward building an even more solid foundation for future Taiwan-US cooperation. Once again, I thank you all for supporting Taiwan and welcome you to visit us often in the future. Governor Hobbs then delivered remarks, stating that under President Lai’s leadership, Taiwan continues to thrive as a global hub for technology, innovation, and advanced manufacturing. She said that she is proud to be back in Taiwan alongside her secretary of commerce, Sandra Watson, as part of a diplomatic and economic delegation from Arizona. Since arriving, she said, they’ve hit the ground running, meeting with key partners, businesses, and leaders, noting that the takeaway from their meetings has been incredibly positive, and that they underscore the strong and enduring partnership between Arizona and Taiwan. Adding that our partnership that is built on shared values, mutual cultural appreciation, and commitment to innovation and economic growth, Governor Hobbs indicated that Arizona and Taiwan’s partnership extends back decades, as Taiwanese fighter pilots have been training at Luke Air Force Base in Phoenix since 1996. She said that we have built a strong base of collaboration across many areas, including technology, workforce, and cultural exchange, and that Arizona is even slated to get its own Din Tai Fung (鼎泰豐), which she expressed she is very thrilled about. Governor Hobbs went on to say that Arizona’s relationship with Taiwan is anchored by its ongoing partnership with TSMC and many Taiwan-based companies in semiconductor and other industries, and that TSMC’s US$165 billion investment in Arizona will help power development of the world’s most advanced technology, such as AI, and promises to cement an unbreakable bond between our two economies. She stated that as governor, she can say with confidence that her administration is fully committed to strengthening this relationship in every way possible, because when Arizona and Taiwan succeed, we all succeed. Lastly, Governor Hobbs once again expressed gratitude to President Lai and the people of Taiwan for their warm hospitality. She then invited President Lai to Arizona to continue their productive conversations and further strengthen ties between our people and our economies, adding that she knows there is no limit to what we can achieve together, and that she is looking forward to what is to come. The delegation was accompanied to the Presidential Office by American Institute in Taiwan Taipei Office Director Raymond Greene.

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2025-03-18
President Lai meets delegation led by Minister of Foreign Affairs Denzil Douglas of Saint Christopher and Nevis
On the afternoon of March 18, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation led by Minister of Foreign Affairs Denzil Douglas of the Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis. In remarks, President Lai thanked St. Kitts and Nevis for speaking up for Taiwan at major international venues and supporting Taiwan’s international participation. The president expressed hope that our two countries continue to achieve remarkable results through cooperation in such fields as education and training, agricultural development, women’s empowerment, and environmental sustainability, and create even greater well-being for our peoples. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I welcome Minister Douglas and our esteemed guests to Taiwan. Last June, Minister Douglas accompanied Prime Minister Terrance Drew and his wife on their trip to Taiwan. I am delighted to be able to meet and exchange views with Minister Douglas again less than one year later. Your presence fully demonstrates the profound bond between Taiwan and St. Kitts and Nevis. I look forward to the further deepening of our partnership through our exchanges during this visit. Although our two nations are separated by a great distance, we share such universal values as democracy, freedom, and respect for human rights. We also continue to achieve remarkable results through cooperation in such fields as education and training, agricultural development, women’s empowerment, and environmental sustainability. Given that Prime Minister Drew, Minister Douglas, and I all share medical backgrounds, we deeply understand the importance of people’s health. I thus look forward to St. Kitts and Nevis’s climate-smart JNF General Hospital commencing operations as soon as possible thanks to our cooperation. The provision of even higher-quality public health and medical services will yield benefits for many more people. I also believe that by having Taiwan share its experiences in renewable energy and energy-saving technologies, our two countries will jointly drive green industrial transformation and stimulate sustainable development together. I would like to take this opportunity to thank St. Kitts and Nevis for actively speaking up for Taiwan and supporting Taiwan’s participation at such major international venues and organizations as the United Nations General Assembly, the World Health Organization, and the International Civil Aviation Organization. In the future, Taiwan will continue to make critical contributions to the international community. With the support of Minister Douglas and our guests, I look forward to our two countries backing each other on the global stage and continuing to build an even stronger foundation for bilateral cooperation. Let us work together to address the various challenges we face and create even greater well-being for our peoples. Minister Douglas then delivered remarks, first conveying greetings from Prime Minister Drew to President Lai, the government, and the people of Taiwan. He then stated that over the last 41 years since the dawn of their nationhood, the Republic of China Taiwan has steadfastly walked beside St. Kitts and Nevis as a strong and immovable partner. As we reflect on four decades of our journey together, he said, we recognize the unswerving and unwavering spirit that has guided both our nations through trials and challenges. The minister then acknowledged the generous support of Taiwan’s government that has helped St. Kitts and Nevis in its own economic and social development. He went on to say that Taiwan’s partnership with St. Kitts and Nevis has been instrumental in helping them achieve the goals of their sustainable island state agenda. Whether in enhancing food security through the diversification of their agricultural sector, fostering clean energy solutions through the solar PV farm, or advancing healthcare through assistance in building their smart hospital, he said, Taiwan has been a steadfast partner in shaping a much more resilient and sustainable future for the people of their federation. In the spirit of reciprocity and solidarity, Minister Douglas said, St. Kitts and Nevis continues to leverage opportunities on the global stage to request incessantly that Taiwan be given its rightful place in international organizations, where it can make a meaningful contribution to resolving the world’s most critical issues. Minister Douglas indicated that the global challenges we face today demand collective action, and that Taiwan has the innovation, the technology, the knowledge, and the expertise to make a tremendous positive impact on some of the world’s most urgent issues. He said that St. Kitts and Nevis will never grow weary in their own support, but shall continue to sound the clarion call of “let Taiwan in,” as well as advocate for peace to be maintained in the Taiwan Strait. To close, Minister Douglas expressed gratitude for the warm hospitality bestowed upon him and his delegation by Taiwan’s government, remarking that the engagements they had thus far were pregnant with promise, and that they are confident in witnessing a fruitful outcome as we work together to build a prosperous and sustainable future for our peoples. The delegation also included Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Kaye Bass, Permanent Secretary of Economic Development and Investment Adina Richards, and Director in the Ministry of International Trade Sean Lawrence. The delegation was accompanied to the Presidential Office by St. Kitts and Nevis Ambassador Donya L. Francis.

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2025-03-18
President Lai meets 2025 Yushan Forum participants
On the afternoon of March 18, President Lai Ching-te met with participants in the 2025 Yushan Forum. In remarks, President Lai thanked the guests for gathering here in Taiwan and discussing ways to enhance regional cooperation, demonstrating that our democratic allies and friends are standing together as we take on the challenges of a new world and a new era. The president reiterated that Taiwan will continue to engage with the world, and we welcome the world to come closer to Taiwan. He stated that Taiwan will continue to work with international partners to deepen cooperation, exchanges, and partnership in various domains and resist the expansion of authoritarianism. Together, the president emphasized, we can pursue regional peace and security and realize a new vision for a free and open, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I would like to begin by thanking Anders Fogh Rasmussen, former prime minister of Denmark and chairman of the Alliance of Democracies Foundation, for inviting then-President Tsai Ing-wen to address the Copenhagen Democracy Summit via video over five consecutive years since 2020, and for inviting myself to give remarks via video last year. Those opportunities allowed Taiwan to share with the world our motivation for, and our work toward, safeguarding freedom and democracy. I would also like to thank Mr. Janez Janša, former prime minister of the Republic of Slovenia, who has visited Taiwan many times already, for actively elevating the cordial ties between Taiwan and Slovenia during his term as prime minister, helping expand friendship for Taiwan throughout Europe. Today’s guests have traveled a long way to show their strong backing for Taiwan. For this, I express my deepest gratitude. Yesterday was my first time attending the Yushan Forum as president. I saw political leaders and representatives gather here in Taiwan and discuss ways to enhance regional cooperation. The event demonstrated that our democratic allies and friends are standing together as we take on the challenges of a new world and a new era. It was truly moving. As I stated at the opening ceremony, Taiwan will continue to engage with the world, and we welcome the world to come closer to Taiwan. Our government will help guide Taiwanese small- and medium-sized enterprises as they expand into the international market and extend Taiwan’s economic power. I hope that during this visit, our guests will be able to explore more opportunities for cooperation in such fields as AI, smart healthcare, and advanced technologies, and join hands in contributing to the prosperity and development of our democratic allies and friends. Taiwan will continue to work with international partners, building upon the shared values of freedom and democracy, to deepen cooperation, exchanges, and partnership in various domains and resist the expansion of authoritarianism. Together, we can pursue regional peace and security and realize a new vision for a free and open, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific. And I hope, with the assistance of our guests here today, that we can further strengthen the ties between Taiwan and Europe so that we can all take up the work of maintaining global peace and stability. Once again, I welcome our guests to Taiwan. I look forward to hearing your thoughts in a few moments. I also hope you will visit Taiwan often in the future and continue to experience our vibrant democratic society and culture. Chairman Rasmussen then delivered remarks, saying that it is a great pleasure to be back here in Taipei after meeting with President Lai in 2023. He then thanked President Lai for the Taiwanese hospitality on behalf of the Yushan Forum international visitors and participants, who represent four continents and very different political parties but who are united by one thing – the commitment to democracy. Chairman Rasmussen mentioned that over the past few days, they have met with members of the government, legislature, and civil society in Taiwan. He said that he is more convinced than ever that in a very uncertain world, Taiwan continues to stand as a beacon of democracy, from which people in Europe and in the rest of the world have a lot to learn. Over the past eight years, he has been proud to step up his engagement with Taiwan, he said, as he has always subscribed to the view that freedom must advance everywhere, or else it is in decline everywhere. Chairman Rasmussen noted that they have many interests in making sure Taiwan remains free and that we must always stand up for freedom when it is under assault by a dictator. This is why Ukraine’s fight is also everyone’s fight, he explained. He then praised Taiwan for all of the support it has given to Ukraine since Russia’s invasion and honored the two Taiwanese volunteer soldiers who gave their lives for freedom in Ukraine. Chairman Rasmussen remarked that Taiwan is a strong feature of the Copenhagen Democracy Summit that he convenes each year. His foundation, the Alliance of Democracies, has even been sanctioned by the Chinese government due to its support of Taiwan, he said, which is something he takes as a badge of honor. He added that this year’s Copenhagen Democracy Summit in May will be no different, as they plan to focus on the new world order, urgent measures to strengthen Europe’s military, and the situation in Ukraine. But as the United States pulls back from the transatlantic alliance and Europe focuses more on its own defense, he said, Europe should not retreat from the world. He added that to ensure European security, we need more Europe in the Indo-Pacific, and that is why he has been making the argument for more political and economic cooperation with Taiwan. Chairman Rasmussen praised President Lai’s recent decision to increase Taiwan’s national defense budget to more than 3 percent of GDP, adding that it is important that each nation does what it can for its own defense. The chairman once again thanked President Lai for meeting with them today and for the opportunity to visit Taiwan, a beacon of democracy and liberty in Asia. Also in attendance at the meeting were Chairman of the Czech Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Security Pavel Fischer; Member of the National Security Advisory Board to India’s National Security Council Anshuman Tripathi; former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland Anna Fotyga; former Minister of Health of Canada Tony Clement; and former Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania and current Secretary General of the Polish-based Community of Democracies Mantas Adomėnas.

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2025-03-17
President Lai meets Japan-ROC Diet Members’ Consultative Council Chairman Furuya Keiji
On the afternoon of March 17, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation led by Japanese House of Representatives Member and Japan-ROC Diet Members’ Consultative Council Chairman Furuya Keiji. In remarks, President Lai thanked the Consultative Council for doing its utmost to strengthen the relationship between Taiwan and Japan. He also stated that Taiwan and Japan are both part of the first island chain’s key line of defense, and in addition to continuing to bolster its economic strength and enhance its self-defense capabilities, Taiwan will work together with Japan and other like-minded countries to promote regional and global democracy, peace, and prosperity. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I would like to extend a warm welcome to Chairman Furuya, who is visiting us once again. I am also delighted to meet House of Councillors Member Yamamoto Junzo and House of Representatives Member Hiranuma Shojiro today. Although the Japanese Diet is currently in session, our distinguished guests overcame many hurdles and organized a delegation to attend the 2025 Yushan Forum and deliver speeches, providing valuable insights into issues of mutual concern in the Indo-Pacific region and demonstrating the support for Taiwan in the Diet. Here, I would like to express my deepest gratitude. During the Yushan Forum, it was especially inspiring when Chairman Furuya spoke Taiwanese when he emphasized that “if Taiwan has a problem, then Japan has a problem.” Over the past few years under Chairman Furuya’s leadership, the Consultative Council has done its utmost to strengthen the relationship between Taiwan and Japan. In addition to passing resolutions every year supporting Taiwan’s participation in the World Health Organization and Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), the council has established four internal research groups regarding the CPTPP, exchanges for women legislators, encouraging local-level exchanges, and the Taiwan Relations Act, using an issue-oriented approach to deepen Taiwan-Japan relations. Thanks to the Consultative Council’s long-term assistance and promotional efforts, the Japanese Ministry of Justice has announced that beginning this May, members of the Taiwanese overseas community in Japan included in the country’s family registry system may list “Taiwan” in the field designating their nationality or region of origin. This demonstrates the friendly relations between Taiwan and Japan, and the Taiwanese people will always remember the council’s continued concrete actions in support of Taiwan. In his remarks at the Yushan Forum today, Chairman Furuya mentioned that there are many areas in which Taiwan and Japan can engage in industrial cooperation. We can continue to deepen our partnership in semiconductors, energy, AI, unmanned aerial vehicles, and other areas related to economic security and supply chain resilience, all of which have significant room for cooperation, creating win-win situations for both Taiwan and Japan. As authoritarianism consolidates, democratic nations must come closer in solidarity. Taiwan and Japan are both part of the first island chain’s key line of defense. In addition to bolstering our economic strength and enhancing our self-defense capabilities, Taiwan will also work with Japan and other like-minded countries to promote regional and global democracy, peace, and prosperity. All of our distinguished guests are good friends of Taiwan, and are very familiar with Taiwan. I hope to continue working together with you all to carry Taiwan-Japan relations to an even higher level. Chairman Furuya then delivered remarks, first thanking President Lai for taking time out of his busy schedule to see them. He then noted that Japan, Taiwan, and quite a few other nations around the world changed leaders last year, and conditions around the world are becoming increasingly unstable. One cannot see what the world will be like a few years from now, he said, which is why he is counting so heavily on the strong leadership of President Lai. Chairman Furuya said that, in addition to collaboration in foreign affairs and security matters, economic cooperation between Taiwan and Japan is also very important. He mentioned new technologies, and said he had spoken quite a bit on the topic that very morning at the Yushan Forum. The clearest example, he said, is the establishment by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company of a wafer plant in Japan’s Kumamoto Prefecture, which has sparked robust economic activity. He added that cooperation addressing such matters as cyberattacks and supply chain resilience is also very important. Chairman Furuya noted that President Lai had mentioned in his remarks that beginning from May, Taiwanese overseas community members in Japan will be able to list “Taiwan” on their family registers. The chairman expressed his view that this is not a foreign affairs issue, but rather a human rights issue for the Taiwanese people, and an excellent way to show respect for Taiwan. He further noted President Lai’s mentioning of the four research groups that the Consultative Council has established, and said that these groups will ramp up their work. He also expressed hope that Taiwan and Japan will work together to address challenges that face both countries, such as issues pertaining to democracy and peace in the Taiwan Strait, so that they can together push for international peace and stability. Chairman Furuya stated that reciprocal visits by Taiwanese and Japanese people reached an all-time high last year. He said that in the future, in addition to further promoting local exchanges between the two countries, he also hopes that Japanese middle school and high school students planning to go on overseas study trips will choose Taiwan as their destination, because he feels that any student who visits Taiwan will become a fan of this place. Also in attendance was Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association Taipei Office Chief Representative Katayama Kazuyuki.

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2025-03-13
President Lai holds press conference following high-level national security meeting
On the afternoon of March 13, President Lai Ching-te convened a high-level national security meeting, following which he held a press conference. In remarks, President Lai introduced 17 major strategies to respond to five major national security and united front threats Taiwan now faces: China’s threat to national sovereignty, its threats from infiltration and espionage activities targeting Taiwan’s military, its threats aimed at obscuring the national identity of the people of Taiwan, its threats from united front infiltration into Taiwanese society through cross-strait exchanges, and its threats from using “integrated development” to attract Taiwanese businesspeople and youth. President Lai emphasized that in the face of increasingly severe threats, the government will not stop doing its utmost to ensure that our national sovereignty is not infringed upon, and expressed hope that all citizens unite in solidarity to resist being divided. The president also expressed hope that citizens work together to increase media literacy, organize and participate in civic education activities, promptly expose concerted united front efforts, and refuse to participate in any activities that sacrifice national interests. As long as every citizen plays their part toward our nation’s goals for prosperity and security, he said, and as long as we work together, nothing can defeat us. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: At many venues recently, a number of citizens have expressed similar concerns to me. They have noticed cases in which members of the military, both active-duty and retired, have been bought out by China, sold intelligence, or even organized armed forces with plans to harm their own nation and its citizens. They have noticed cases in which entertainers willingly followed instructions from Beijing to claim that their country is not a country, all for the sake of personal career interests. They have noticed how messaging used by Chinese state media to stir up internal opposition in Taiwan is always quickly spread by specific channels. There have even been individuals making careers out of helping Chinese state media record united front content, spreading a message that democracy is useless and promoting skepticism toward the United States and the military to sow division and opposition. Many people worry that our country, as well as our hard-won freedom and democracy and the prosperity and progress we achieved together, are being washed away bit by bit due to these united front tactics. In an analysis of China’s united front, renowned strategic scholar Kerry K. Gershaneck expressed that China plans to divide and conquer us through subversion, infiltration, and acquisition of media, and by launching media warfare, psychological warfare, and legal warfare. What they are trying to do is to sow seeds of discord in our society, keep us occupied with internal conflicts, and cause us to ignore the real threat from outside. China’s ambition over the past several decades to annex Taiwan and stamp out the Republic of China has not changed for even a day. It continues to pursue political and military intimidation, and its united front infiltration of Taiwan’s society grows ever more serious. In 2005, China promulgated its so-called “Anti-Secession Law,” which makes using military force to annex Taiwan a national undertaking. Last June, China issued a 22-point set of “guidelines for punishing Taiwan independence separatists,” which regards all those who do not accept that “Taiwan is part of the People’s Republic of China” as targets for punishment, creating excuses to harm the people of Taiwan. China has also recently been distorting United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758, showing in all aspects China’s increasingly urgent threat against Taiwan’s sovereignty. Lately, China has been taking advantage of democratic Taiwan’s freedom, diversity, and openness to recruit gangs, the media, commentators, political parties, and even active-duty and retired members of the armed forces and police to carry out actions to divide, destroy, and subvert us from within. A report from the National Security Bureau indicates that 64 persons were charged last year with suspicion of spying for China, which was three times the number of persons charged for the same offense in 2021. Among them, the Unionist Party, Rehabilitation Alliance Party, and Republic of China Taiwan Military Government formed treasonous organizations to deploy armed forces for China. In a democratic and free society, such cases are appalling. But this is something that actually exists within Taiwan’s society today. China also actively plots ways to infiltrate and spy on our military. Last year, 28 active-duty and 15 retired members of the armed forces were charged with suspicion of involvement in spying for China, respectively comprising 43 percent and 23 percent of all of such cases – 66 percent in total. We are also alert to the fact that China has recently used widespread issuance of Chinese passports to entice Taiwanese citizens to apply for the Residence Permit for Taiwan Residents, permanent residency, or the Resident Identity Card, in an attempt to muddle Taiwanese people’s sense of national identity. China also views cross-strait exchanges as a channel for its united front against Taiwan, marking enemies in Taiwan internally, creating internal divisions, and weakening our sense of who the enemy really is. It intends to weaken public authority and create the illusion that China is “governing” Taiwan, thereby expanding its influence within Taiwan. We are also aware that China has continued to expand its strategy of integrated development with Taiwan. It employs various methods to demand and coerce Taiwanese businesses to increase their investments in China, entice Taiwanese youth to develop their careers in China, and unscrupulously seeks to poach Taiwan’s talent and steal key technologies. Such methods impact our economic security and greatly increase the risk of our young people heading to China. By its actions, China already satisfies the definition of a “foreign hostile force” as provided in the Anti-Infiltration Act. We have no choice but to take even more proactive measures, which is my purpose in convening this high-level national security meeting today. It is time we adopt proper preventive measures, enhance our democratic resilience and national security, and protect our cherished free and democratic way of life. Next, I will be giving a detailed account of the five major national security and united front threats Taiwan now faces and the 17 major strategies we have prepared in response. I. Responding to China’s threats to our national sovereignty We have a nation insofar as we have sovereignty, and we have the Republic of China insofar as we have Taiwan. Just as I said during my inaugural address last May, and in my National Day address last October: The moment when Taiwan’s first democratically elected president took the oath of office in 1996 sent a message to the international community, that Taiwan is a sovereign, independent, democratic nation. Among people here and in the international community, some call this land the Republic of China, some call it Taiwan, and some, the Republic of China Taiwan. The Republic of China and the People’s Republic of China are not subordinate to each other, and Taiwan resists any annexation or encroachment upon our sovereignty. The future of the Republic of China Taiwan must be decided by its 23 million people. This is the status quo that we must maintain. The broadest consensus in Taiwanese society is that we must defend our sovereignty, uphold our free and democratic way of life, and resolutely oppose annexation of Taiwan by China. (1) I request that the National Security Council (NSC), the Ministry of National Defense (MND), and the administrative team do their utmost to promote the Four Pillars of Peace action plan to demonstrate the people’s broad consensus and firm resolve, consistent across the entirety of our nation, to oppose annexation of Taiwan by China. (2) I request that the NSC and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs draft an action plan that will, through collaboration with our friends and allies, convey to the world our national will and broad social consensus in opposing annexation of Taiwan by China and in countering China’s efforts to erase Taiwan from the international community and downgrade Taiwan’s sovereignty. II. Responding to China’s threats from infiltration and espionage activities targeting our military (1) Comprehensively review and amend our Law of Military Trial to restore the military trial system, allowing military judges to return to the frontline and collaborate with prosecutorial, investigative, and judicial authorities in the handling of criminal cases in which active-duty military personnel are suspected of involvement in such military crimes as sedition, aiding the enemy, leaking confidential information, dereliction of duty, or disobedience. In the future, criminal cases involving active-duty military personnel who are suspected of violating the Criminal Code of the Armed Forces will be tried by a military court. (2) Implement supporting reforms, including the establishment of a personnel management act for military judges and separate organization acts for military courts and military prosecutors’ offices. Once planning and discussion are completed, the MND will fully explain to and communicate with the public to ensure that the restoration of the military trial system gains the trust and full support of society. (3) To deter the various types of controversial rhetoric and behavior exhibited by active-duty as well as retired military personnel that severely damage the morale of our national military, the MND must discuss and propose an addition to the Criminal Code of the Armed Forces on penalties for expressions of loyalty to the enemy as well as revise the regulations for military personnel and their families receiving retirement benefits, so as to uphold military discipline. III. Responding to China’s threats aimed at obscuring the national identity of the people of Taiwan (1) I request that the Ministry of the Interior (MOI), Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), and other relevant agencies, wherever necessary, carry out inspections and management of the documents involving identification that Taiwanese citizens apply for in China, including: passports, ID cards, permanent residence certificates, and residence certificates, especially when the applicants are military personnel, civil servants, or public school educators, who have an obligation of loyalty to Taiwan. This will be done to strictly prevent and deter united front operations, which are performed by China under the guise of “integrated development,” that attempt to distort our people’s national identity. (2) With respect to naturalization and integration of individuals from China, Hong Kong, and Macau into Taiwanese society, more national security considerations must be taken into account while also attending to Taiwan’s social development and individual rights: Chinese nationals applying for permanent residency in Taiwan must, in accordance with the law of Taiwan, relinquish their existing household registration and passport and may not hold dual identity status. As for the systems in place to process individuals from Hong Kong or Macau applying for residency or permanent residency in Taiwan, there will be additional provisions for long-term residency to meet practical needs. IV. Responding to China’s threats from united front infiltration into Taiwanese society through cross-strait exchanges (1) There are increasing risks involved with travel to China. (From January 1, 2024 to today, the MAC has received reports of 71 Taiwanese nationals who went missing, were detained, interrogated, or imprisoned in China; the number of unreported people who have been subjected to such treatment may be several times that. Of those, three elderly I-Kuan Tao members were detained in China in December of last year and have not yet been released.) In light of this, relevant agencies must raise public awareness of those risks, continue enhancing public communication, and implement various registration systems to reduce the potential for accidents and the risks associated with traveling to China. (2) Implement a disclosure system for exchanges with China involving public officials at all levels of the central and local government. This includes everyone from administrative officials to elected representatives, from legislators to village and neighborhood chiefs, all of whom should make the information related to such exchanges both public and transparent so that they can be accountable to the people. The MOI should also establish a disclosure system for exchanges with China involving public welfare organizations, such as religious groups, in order to prevent China’s interference and united front activities at their outset. (3) Manage the risks associated with individuals from China engaging in exchanges with Taiwan: Review and approval of Chinese individuals coming to Taiwan should be limited to normal cross-strait exchanges and official interactions under the principles of parity and dignity, and relevant factors such as changes in the cross-strait situation should be taken into consideration. Strict restrictions should be placed on Chinese individuals who have histories with the united front coming to Taiwan, and Chinese individuals should be prohibited from coming to Taiwan to conduct activities related in any way to the united front. (4) Political interference from China and the resulting risks to national security should be avoided in cross-strait exchanges. This includes the review and management of religious, cultural, academic, and education exchanges, which should in principle be depoliticized and de-risked so as to simplify people-to-people exchanges and promote healthy and orderly exchanges. (5) To deter the united front tactics of a cultural nature employed by Chinese nationals to undermine Taiwan’s sovereignty, the Executive Yuan must formulate a solution to make our local cultural industries more competitive, including enhanced support and incentives for our film, television, and cultural and creative industries to boost their strengths in democratic cultural creation, raise international competitiveness, and encourage research in Taiwan’s own history and culture. (6) Strengthen guidance and management for entertainers developing their careers in China. The competent authorities should provide entertainers with guidelines on conduct while working in China, and make clear the scope of investigation and response to conduct that endangers national dignity. This will help prevent China from pressuring Taiwanese entertainers to make statements or act in ways that endanger national dignity. (7) The relevant authorities must adopt proactive, effective measures to prevent China from engaging in cognitive warfare against Taiwan or endangering cybersecurity through the internet, applications, AI, and other such tools. (8) To implement these measures, each competent authority must run a comprehensive review of the relevant administrative ordinances, measures, and interpretations, and complete the relevant regulations for legal enforcement. Should there be any shortcomings, the legal framework for national security should be strengthened and amendments to the National Security Act, Anti-Infiltration Act, Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area, Laws and Regulations Regarding Hong Kong & Macao Affairs, or Cyber Security Management Act should be proposed. Communication with the public should also be increased so that implementation can happen as soon as possible. V. Responding to threats from China using “integrated development” to attract Taiwanese businesspeople and youth (1) I request that the NSC and administrative agencies work together to carry out strategic structural adjustments to the economic and trade relations between Taiwan and China based on the strategies of putting Taiwan first and expanding our global presence while staying rooted in Taiwan. In addition, they should carry out necessary, orderly adjustments to the flow of talent, goods, money, and skills involved in cross-strait economic and trade relations based on the principle of strengthening Taiwan’s foundations to better manage risk. This will help boost economic security and give us more power to respond to China’s economic and trade united front and economic coercion against Taiwan. (2) I request that the Ministry of Education, MAC, Ministry of Economic Affairs, and other relevant agencies work together to comprehensively strengthen young students’ literacy education on China and deepen their understanding of cross-strait exchanges. I also request these agencies to widely publicize mechanisms for employment and entrepreneurship for Taiwan’s youth and provide ample information and assistance so that young students have more confidence in the nation’s future and more actively invest in building up and developing Taiwan. My fellow citizens, this year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. History tells us that any authoritarian act of aggression or annexation will ultimately end in failure. The only way we can safeguard freedom and prevail against authoritarian aggression is through solidarity. As we face increasingly severe threats, the government will not stop doing its utmost to ensure that our national sovereignty is not infringed upon, and to ensure that the freedom, democracy, and way of life of Taiwan’s 23 million people continues on as normal. But relying solely on the power of the government is not enough. What we need even more is for all citizens to stay vigilant and take action. Every citizen stands on the frontline of the defense of democracy and freedom. Here is what we can do together: First, we can increase our media literacy, and refrain from spreading and passing on united front messaging from the Chinese state. Second, we can organize and participate in civic education activities to increase our knowledge about united front operations and build up whole-of-society defense resilience. Third, we can promptly expose concerted united front efforts so that all malicious attempts are difficult to carry out. Fourth, we must refuse to participate in any activities that sacrifice national interests. The vigilance and action of every citizen forms the strongest line of defense against united front infiltration. Only through solidarity can we resist being divided. As long as every citizen plays their part toward our nation’s goals for prosperity and security, and as long as we work together, nothing can defeat us.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Student design bureaus of Russia unite on a single portal

Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –

The Department for Coordination of Activities of Educational Organizations of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation announces the launch of a single portal for student design bureaus (SDB).

The Interuniversity Student Design Bureau in collaboration with OOO TMH Engineering also functions at the State University of Management. Moreover, the bureau’s project, developed under the supervision of Vladimir Filatov, Director of the Center for Management of Engineering Projects at the State University of Management, became the winner of the All-Russian competition “My Country – My Russia” in the nomination “My Pedagogical Initiative”.

Today, about 700 SKBs have been created in Russian universities. Patented inventions have been created in 213 of them. More than 107 thousand people are involved in their work: students of secondary vocational and higher education, schoolchildren, master’s students, postgraduates, young scientists, engineers and workers (up to 35 years old).

Main areas of work: artificial and industrial intelligence, robotics, 3D printing and prototyping, aircraft modeling, radio electronics, machine tool manufacturing, instrument making, programming and piloting of unmanned aerial vehicles, information technology.

The portal hosts specialized competitions and has a feedback form.

Welcome to studkb.rf and to the Telegram channel https://t.me/studkb

Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 03/21/2025

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

MIL OSI Russia News –

March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: How not to regret the choice you made

Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

A “good” solution also comes at a price

Even if we are satisfied with the final quality of the decision we made, we can look at the “price” we had to pay for it. According to Dmitry Leontiev, the author of the existential-activity theory of choice, the price of choice consists of the loss of rejected opportunities and the inevitable or probable undesirable consequences of the choice. For example, if a person has built a successful career as an academic musician and actively tours around the world, then when assessing the quality of this decision, it is important to take into account not only satisfaction with the chosen profession, but also what had to be sacrificed for it (for example, the dream of becoming a dentist, having free weekends for many years, quality sleep and, say, good relations with the family – if the family does not support the person’s lifestyle). From this we can conclude that no choice is completely “good” or “bad”: any of our decisions is associated with certain costs, and the perception of the choice as more or less suitable depends on how ready we are for these costs.

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

MIL OSI Russia News –

March 21, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: How will the history-making new Olympics boss shape sports worldwide, and in Australia?

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Baka, Honorary Professor, School of Kinesiology, Western University, London, Canada; Adjunct Fellow, Olympic Scholar and Co-Director of the Olympic and Paralympic Research Centre, Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University

In a surprisingly emphatic result, 41-year-old Kirsty Coventry, Zimbabwe’s Sport Minister, was selected as the new president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) at its 144th session in Greece.

Coventry is the first woman, the first African, and the youngest person ever to take on the role.

So how did she rise to this position, and what should sports in Australia and globally expect?

Unpacking the votes

Coventry comes well-credentialed as a five-time Olympic swimmer, representing Zimbabwe from 2000 to 2016 and winning seven medals, two of them gold.

An IOC member since 2013, Coventry was initially an athlete-elected member.

She has taken on various IOC roles, including most recently on the Coordination Committee for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Although Coventry was one of the three favourites, along with Sebastian Coe from the United Kingdom and Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr from Spain (son of the previous IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch), she won the vote in a landslide on the first ballot, securing 49 votes of the 97.

Having obtained the required 50% majority, no further rounds were held.

So begins a new dawn for the IOC’s now extremely powerful inaugural woman leader, who will face several challenges.

How did she win?

Foremost, Coventry had longstanding president Thomas Bach’s informal endorsement and support.

Bach no doubt had a huge sway over the voting members, many of whom were elected to the IOC during his 12-year reign.

Bach’s appointment as Honorary President for Life from June this year means he will still have a powerful role and be able to mentor and influence Coventry.

A lack of transparent voting for the position means we cannot know who voted for whom. Some will presume the new president garnered the majority of votes from women and African delegates, but such an observation can only be speculative.

With women comprising 43% of IOC members, it is a reasonable assumption this cohort provided a strong support base.

Several candidates proposed quite significant (and in some cases radical) changes, suggesting a vote for Coventry was a nod to keeping the status quo.

Or was it just time to break the hold of male presidents?

The 2024 Paris Olympics were the first games with equal 50-50 men-women participation. The IOC membership has also changed over the past few decades, with growing representation of women. As a result, its long-held reputation as an “old boys’ club” is slowly shifting.

Coventry triumphed despite previous doubts about her domestic political ties, and a limited change agenda that seemed to be mainly a legacy choice for Bach.

In this context, Bach might continue to exert his influence.

Global challenges for the new president

As Olympic Agenda 2020+5 draws to its end, the new president will have the opportunity to set a future-focused strategy.

There are plenty of areas she will need to consider in taking the reins. Here are our top ten:

1. Safeguarding athletes. The provision of safe spaces for sport is an area of global concern as the incidents of athlete harm are brought to light.

2. Environmental, sustainability and global warming issues, such as lack of snow for the winter games, venue rationale, spending on mega events, and lack of bidders for future games.

3. The impact of AI and digital transformation on all aspects of sport, from athlete performance and officiating to governance and management.

4. Bidding processes for future host cities.

5. Transgender athletes and diversity, equity and inclusion considerations.

6. The (Australian-initiated) proposal for the pharmaceutical free-for-all Enhanced Games.

7. Sponsorship changes – longtime sponsors Toyota and Panasonic have dropped out but others have come in, with some from China.

8. Relations with Russia and the United States

9. Athlete advocacy – perhaps giving the athletes more of the financial windfall the Olympics generate.

10. Addition of new sports and culling or dropping existing less popular ones.

Read more:
Cricket? Lacrosse? Netball? The new sports that might make it to the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games

What about Australia?

Coventry comes from an impressive swimming background, and this could work to Australia’s advantage.

Although she will step down from her role on the Coordination Committee for the Brisbane Olympics and Paralympics to handle other pressing presidential duties, she will no doubt retain a close link to the third Australian Olympic host city.

The Australian Olympic Commission was quick to congratulate her on her ascension to the IOC presidency.

Coventry knows AOC President Ian Chesterman, a fellow IOC member, so we can expect a close, friendly working relationship between them.

With the Brisbane games only seven years away, the new IOC president will certainly have a strong vested interest in Australia and aspects of the Olympic and Paralympic movement in this part of the world.

Tracy Taylor is on the Olympic Studies Centre Grant Award committee.

Richard Baka and Rob Hess do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. How will the history-making new Olympics boss shape sports worldwide, and in Australia? – https://theconversation.com/how-will-the-history-making-new-olympics-boss-shape-sports-worldwide-and-in-australia-252623

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Trump says US to sign rare earth minerals deal with Ukraine

Source: China State Council Information Office 3

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he will sign a rare earth minerals deal with Ukraine “very shortly.”

“We are doing good work with Ukraine and Russia. And one of the things we are doing is signing a deal very shortly with respect to rare earth with Ukraine,” the president said.

Trump made the remarks shortly after he signed an executive order to invoke emergency powers to “dramatically increase production of critical minerals and rare earths.”

“We’re also signing agreements in various locations to unlock rare earths and minerals and lots of other things all over the world, but in particular Ukraine,” Trump said.

He said last month that he asked Ukraine to provide the United States rare earth worth 500 billion U.S. dollars.

“I told them [Ukraine] that I want the equivalent like $500B worth of rare earth. And they’ve essentially agreed to do that so at least we don’t feel stupid,” Trump said in an interview with Fox News at the time.

Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky were scheduled to sign a deal at the end of February in Washington that would grant Washington access to Ukraine’s mineral deposits.

However, the deal remained unsigned after Zelensky’s meeting in the Oval Office with Trump and his deputy JD Vance turned into a heated exchange.

MIL OSI China News –

March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Kremlin says Russia, US to hold talks Monday

Source: China State Council Information Office 3

The next round of Russia-U.S. talks on Ukraine will be held on Monday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said Thursday.

The Russian delegation will be led by Grigory Karasin, chairman of the committee on international affairs in Russia’s upper house, and Sergey Beseda, adviser to the head of Russia’s Federal Security Service, Ushakov said.

Ushakov said he had a phone call with U.S. National Security Advisor Michael Waltz on Wednesday, during which they discussed organizing a meeting of expert groups, mainly to explore the prospects for possible implementation of the Black Sea initiative.

The Kremlin said Tuesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump agreed to begin talks to further work out specific details of an agreement regarding the safety of navigation in the Black Sea.

MIL OSI China News –

March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Klobuchar, Grassley, Durbin, Colleagues Press Administration on U.S. Support for Recovering Abducted Ukrainian Children

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn)
Senators request any support that has been halted resume immediately
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA), and Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D-IL) led a bipartisan group of their colleagues in calling for the State Department to continue supporting efforts to investigate Russia’s abduction and deportation of Ukrainian children.
In a letter to Secretary Marco Rubio, the Senators wrote “to convey serious concerns over reports that the State Department has terminated a contract with a university-based research team that is working to find Ukrainian children abducted by the Russian government.” The Humanitarian Research Lab at the Yale School of Public Health has stated that it was recently notified that government funding for the Lab’s work on the war in Ukraine has been “discontinued.” That work reportedly includes the Conflict Observatory program’s open source research tracing Russia’s forcible deportation of Ukrainian children.
The Senators continued: “If, in fact, State Department funding for this program has been terminated, we request that you provide information regarding the decision-making procedure and justification, and immediately resume U.S. support for this critical work. In addition, we ask that you identify officials who can provide Congress with a briefing on U.S. support for Ukrainian war crimes investigations more generally.” The State Department has supported U.S. participation in the U.S.-EU-UK Atrocity Crimes Advisory Group for Ukraine, which helps to advance the Ukrainian government’s investigations and prosecutions. Ukraine has opened more than 140,000 war crimes cases in total since Russia’s February 2022 invasion.
The Senators concluded by underscoring that “it must remain the policy of the United States to pursue accountability for the Russian Federation’s atrocities in Ukraine.”
In addition to Klobuchar, Grassley, and Durbin, the letter was signed by Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Chris Coons (D-DE).
In 2023, Klobuchar introduced a bipartisan resolution condemning Russia’s abduction of Ukrainian children after reports indicated that Russia had kidnapped thousands of children from their families in Ukraine, relocating them to reeducation camps in Russia and forcing them to be raised by Russian families.
The full text of the letter is available here and below.
Dear Secretary Rubio:
We write to convey serious concerns over reports that the State Department has terminated a contract with a university-based research team that is working to find Ukrainian children abducted by the Russian government.
The Humanitarian Research Lab at the Yale School of Public Health stated that it was recently notified that government funding for the Lab’s work on the war in Ukraine has been “discontinued.” That work reportedly includes the Conflict Observatory program’s open source research tracing Russia’s forcible deportation of Ukrainian children.
Such cases of Russian child abduction now number more than 19,500, according to the Ukrainian initiative Bring Kids Back UA, and the total may be higher. In December 2024, the Yale research team published the most comprehensive public report to date on the subject. The report concluded that the Russian government “has engaged in the systematic, intentional, and widespread coerced adoption and fostering of children from Ukraine.” It detailed an operation initiated by President Putin and subordinate officials to “Russify” those children, and documented 314 individual cases. The Lab has transferred dossiers on each of these cases to Ukrainian authorities, but reportedly has been unable to transfer the evidence to European Union law enforcement officials due to the cancellation of its funding.
The State Department has had an important role in holding Russian officials accountable and supporting Ukrainian efforts to recover abducted children. In August 2024, for example, the Department imposed sanctions on two entities and 11 individuals involved in deporting Ukrainian children “to camps promoting indoctrination in Russia and Russia-occupied Crimea.” The Department has also supported U.S. participation in the U.S.-EU-UK Atrocity Crimes Advisory Group for Ukraine (ACA), which helps to advance the Ukrainian government’s investigations and prosecutions. Ukraine has opened more than 140,000 war crimes cases in total since Russia’s February 2022 invasion, but there are reports that U.S. programs supporting Ukraine’s Prosecutor General’s Office have been suspended.
We request that you provide immediate clarification regarding the status and future of the State Department’s partnership with Yale’s Humanitarian Research Lab, including with respect to maintenance of the Lab’s data. If, in fact, State Department funding for this program has been terminated, we request that you provide information regarding the decision-making procedure and justification, and immediately resume U.S. support for this critical work. In addition, we ask that you identify officials who can provide Congress with a briefing on U.S. support for Ukrainian war crimes investigations more generally, including U.S. participation in the ACA and assistance to Ukrainian prosecutors.
We underscore that it must remain the policy of the United States to pursue accountability for the Russian Federation’s atrocities in Ukraine.
Thank you for your attention to this issue, and we look forward to your reply.

MIL OSI USA News –

March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Kremlin says Russia, US to hold talks Monday in Riyadh

Source: China State Council Information Office

The next round of Russia-U.S. talks on Ukraine will be held on Monday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said Thursday.

The Russian delegation will be led by Grigory Karasin, chairman of the committee on international affairs in Russia’s upper house, and Sergey Beseda, adviser to the head of Russia’s Federal Security Service, Ushakov said.

Ushakov said he had a phone call with U.S. National Security Advisor Michael Waltz on Wednesday, during which they discussed organizing a meeting of expert groups, mainly to explore the prospects for possible implementation of the Black Sea initiative.

The Kremlin said Tuesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump agreed to begin talks to further work out specific details of an agreement regarding the safety of navigation in the Black Sea.

MIL OSI China News –

March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Two Eastern European Organized Crime Leaders Convicted Of Murder-For-Hire Targeting U.S.-Based Journalist On Behalf Of The Iranian Government

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

The Iranian Government Hired Polad Omarov and Rafat Amirov to Kill Masih Alinejad in Exchange for $500,000

Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Leslie R. Backschies, the Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today that a jury returned guilty verdicts against RAFAT AMIROV, a/k/a “Farkhaddin Mirzoev,” a/k/a “Pᴎᴍ,” a/k/a “Rome,” and POLAD OMAROV, a/k/a “Araz Aliyev,” a/k/a “Polad Qaqa,” a/k/a “Haci Qaqa,” on all five counts in the Superseding Indictment, which included murder-for-hire and attempted murder in aid of racketeering charges, in a trial before U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon. AMIROV and OMAROV are scheduled to be sentenced on September 17, 2025.

Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “For years, the Government of Iran has attempted to silence an outspoken Iranian journalist, author, activist and critic of their regime through any means necessary, including harassment, violence, intimidation, and even attempted murder. Chillingly, the plot to murder this Iranian dissident culminated over 6,000 miles from Iran, on U.S. soil, right here in New York, when a hitman with an AK-47 camped outside her home to kill her. I commend the career prosecutors of this Office and our law enforcement partners at the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division for their tireless work in bringing these defendants to justice. This verdict should send a clear message around the world: if you target U.S. citizens, we will find you, no matter where you are, and bring you to justice.”

FBI Assistant Director in Charge Leslie R. Backschies said: “The convictions of Rafat Amirov and Polad Omarov send a clear message to all foreign governments who violate our laws and attempt to commit violence against Americans — they and their proxies will face justice for any attempt to silence Americans on U.S. soil. The Iranian government’s shameless conduct and attempt to violate our laws and assassinate a critic of their human rights atrocities will not be tolerated. The FBI is determined to disrupt any effort by foreign governments to use violence to repress our citizens’ freedoms, here or abroad.”

As reflected in the Superseding Indictment and the evidence presented at trial:

AMIROV and OMAROV were high-ranking members of an Azeri faction of the Russian Mob (the “Organization”) who worked with other members of the Organization to attempt to kill Masih Alinejad on instructions from high-ranking members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (“IRGC”). Alinejad has previously been the target of plots by the Government of Iran to intimidate, harass, and kidnap her for her work as a journalist, author, and human rights activist who has publicized the Government of Iran’s human rights abuses around the world. As recently as 2020 and 2021, Iranian intelligence officials and assets plotted to kidnap Alinejad from within the U.S. for rendition to Iran in an effort to silence her criticism of the Iranian regime.

After these brazen efforts to kidnap Alinejad from the U.S. failed, the IRGC turned to AMIROV and OMAROV to locate, surveil, and murder her. Beginning in approximately July 2022, AMIROV sent targeting information—which he had received directly from IRGC officials in Iran—about Alinejad to OMAROV. In turn, OMAROV communicated this information to Khalid Mehdiyev, another member of the Organization who had been residing in Yonkers, New York, so that Mehdiyev could surveil Alinejad and murder her. In turn, Mehdiyev sent photographs and videos of Alinejad’s residence to OMAROV, who shared these materials with AMIROV and the IRGC officials who orchestrated the plot in Iran. AMIROV and OMAROV then arranged for a $30,000 cash payment to Mehdiyev, who used a portion of this payment to buy an AK-47 style assault rifle, two magazines, and at least 66 rounds of ammunition; as Mehdiyev boasted in electronic communications, a “war machine” he could use to kill Alinejad.

In late July 2022, Mehdiyev repeatedly traveled to Alinejad’s neighborhood to surveil her. Mehdiyev sent reports of his surveillance to OMAROV, who passed them to AMIROV. On July 24, 2022, Mehdiyev reported to OMAROV from Alinejad’s residence that he was “at the crime scene.” On July 27, 2022, OMAROV told AMIROV that Mehdiyev was ready to kill Alinejad, writing “this matter will be over today. I told them to make a birthday present for me. I pressured them, they will sleep there this night.” On July 28, 2022, Mehdiyev sent OMAROV a video taken from inside the car that Mehdiyev was driving with the assault rifle and a message reading “we are ready.” AMIROV sent an image of the interior of Alinejad’s home to OMAROV to be forwarded to Mehdiyev, writing “this is the house where she stays.” As OMAROV continued to update AMIROV about Mehdiyev’s readiness, AMIROV cautioned OMAROV “let him keep the car clean.” When Mehdiyev subsequently drove from where he was surveilling the residence, he was stopped after a traffic violation and, during a subsequent search of the vehicle, police officers found the assault rifle, 66 rounds of ammunition, approximately $1,100 in cash, and a black ski mask.

After Mehdiyev was arrested and placed into custody, OMAROV contacted Mehdiyev’s mother and threatened to kill her and her other son if she did not locate Mehdiyev.

* * *

AMIROV, 46, of Iran; OMAROV, 40, of the country of Georgia, were convicted on five counts: murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison (Count One); conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison (Count Two); conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison (Count Three); attempted murder in aid of racketeering, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison (Count Four); and possession and use of a firearm in connection with the attempted murder, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison (Count Five).

Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and its New York Field Office Counterintelligence-Cyber Division and the New York FBI Iran Threat Task Force. Mr. Podolsky also thanked the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”) and the NYPD Intelligence Bureau, as well as the Department of Justice’s National Security Division and the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, for their assistance. Mr. Podolsky also thanked the authorities in the Czech Republic.

This case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael D. Lockard, Jacob H. Gutwillig, and Matthew J.C. Hellman are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from paralegal specialist Owen Foley and Trial Attorneys Christopher Rigali and Leslie Esbrook of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.

MIL Security OSI –

March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Enforcement of the Ottawa Convention in the light of ongoing hybrid warfare – E-000136/2025(ASW)
Source: European Parliament

All EU Member States are party to the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention[1] since 2013. The EU’s position on the Convention was last comprehensively agreed in the Council conclusions of 27 May 2024[2]. The Convention contains provisions on withdrawal but not on suspension[3].

The common security and defence policy is part of the EU’s common foreign and security policy (CFSP) and thus falls under the responsibility of the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. The High Representative conducts and develops the CFSP as mandated by the Council.

Although security and defence policy is not directly under the Commission’s remit, furthering cooperation in matters related to security and defence is one of the top priorities for the newly established Commission.

A Commissioner for Defence and Space has been tasked to ensure that when it comes to defence industry, Europe spends more, spends better and spends European.

To this end, the Commissioner for Defence and Space, together with the High Representative, will present the Paper on the future of European defence to frame a new approach to defence and defence industry, and identify investment needs. As such, the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention goes beyond the scope of the prospective White Paper.

The rising and complex nature of threats facing Europe, notably the ongoing Russia’s war against Ukraine, have pointed to the need for Europe to take the next step on defence with a view to preparing for the most extreme military contingencies. For this, the EU and its Member States step up work on defence readiness to prepare for the challenges ahead.

This includes closing critical capability gaps, ramping up European defence production, and mobilising additional funding for defence.
- [1] Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction, Oslo, 18 September 1997, https://legal.un.org/avl/ha/cpusptam/cpusptam.html
- [2] Council conclusions on an EU position on strengthening the ban against anti-personnel mines in view of the Fifth Review Conference of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, Brussels, 27 May 20204, (9442/24).
- [3] General rules on suspension of an international treaty are contained in the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties of 1969.
MIL OSI Europe News –
March 21, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Antarctic bases are hotbeds of stress and violence. Space stations could face the same challenges

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rebecca Kaiser, PhD Candidate, School of Social Sciences, University of Tasmania

The South African National Antarctic Expedition research base, SANAE IV, at Vesleskarvet, Queen Maud Land, Antarctica.
Dr Ross Hofmeyr/Wikimedia, CC BY-SA

Earlier this week, reports emerged that a scientist at South Africa’s SANAE IV Antarctic research base had accused a colleague of physical assault.

We research Antarctic governance and crime in isolated, confined and extreme environments such as Antarctic and space stations. Rebecca specifically investigates how station cultures evolve in isolation and what factors significantly influence conflict – and what can be done to improve safety in these environments.

What happened on SANAE IV?

SANAE IV is located on the edge of a steep cliff in Vesleskarvet in east Antarctica. The alleged assault stemmed from a dispute over a task the team leader wanted the team to do. In an email published by the South African Sunday Times, the alleged victim said the alleged attacker had also:

threatened to kill [name withheld], creating an environment of fear and intimidation. I remain deeply concerned about my own safety, constantly wondering if I might become the next victim.

Psychologists are now in touch with the research team. They aren’t due to leave the extremely isolated and remote base until December.

This latest incident fits within a broader pattern of crime and misconduct in Antarctica. Research stations on the icy continent are often portrayed as hubs of scientific cooperation. But history has shown they can also become pressure cookers of psychological strain and violence.

Multiple cases of misconduct

There have been multiple cases of misconduct in Antarctica over the years.

In 1959, a scientist at Russia’s Vostok Station allegedly attacked his colleague with an ice axe after losing a game of chess. In 2018, another Russian research station became the site of a stabbing. The alleged cause? Spoiled book endings.

In 1984, the leader of Argentina’s Almirante Brown Station set fire to the facility after being ordered to stay through the winter. This resulted in the station’s evacuation.

The 2000 death of an astrophysicist at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station was a suspected murder.

And recent investigations into sexual harassment at multiple Antarctic stations highlight ongoing safety concerns.

Drivers of conflict

Research suggests several psychological and social factors contribute to conflict in remote locations such as Antarctica. These include prolonged isolation, extreme environmental conditions, and the necessity of constant close contact.

In combination, these factors can amplify even minor frustrations. And over time, the lack of external social support, the monotony of daily routines, and the psychological weight of confinement can lead to heightened emotional responses and conflict.

Without structured outlets for stress relief and effective de-escalation mechanisms (such as gyms, libraries, or quiet spaces where mediation between people can happen), tensions can reach breaking points.

Power dynamics also play a crucial role. With limited external oversight, leadership structures and informal hierarchies take on an outsized influence. Those in positions of authority have significant control over how disputes are resolved. This has the potential to exacerbate tensions rather than reducing them.

The process for reporting and responding to incidents in these kinds of environments also remains inconsistent. There’s a lack of policing, and traditional justice systems are also largely absent. Many stations rely on administrative action and internal conflict resolution mechanisms, rather than legal enforcement.

But these mechanisms can be biased or inadequate. In turn, this can leave victims of harassment or violence with few options. It can also lead to more conflict.

Read more:
Antarctic stations are plagued by sexual harassment – it’s time for things to change

From Antarctica to space

As Antarctica and space become more accessible for research and commercial ventures, proactive approaches to crime and conflict prevention in these remote and extreme environments is vital.

The psychological and social challenges observed in Antarctic stations provide a valuable model for understanding potential conflicts in long-duration space missions. Lessons learned from incidents in Antarctica can inform astronaut selection, training, and onboard conflict resolution strategies.

A key area requiring refinement is psychological screening for personnel.

Current screening methods may not fully account for how individuals will react to the social shift that takes place in a remote environment. This includes the altering of attitudes, personal priorities and tolerances.

More advanced stress tolerance assessments and social adaptability training could improve candidate selection. It could also reduce the likelihood of conflicts escalating to violence.

It’s also vital that we gain a better understanding of the unique conflict dynamics that evolve in these equally unique environments.

Research can help. So too can thorough investigations of incidents, such as the one that allegedly occurred at SANAE IV.

This knowledge can be used to recognise early signs of potential conflicts. It can also be integrated into case study-based training modules for expeditioners prior to their deployment. These training modules should include role-playing scenarios, crisis intervention techniques, and integrating the lived experiences of past expeditioners.

This would better equip personnel to navigate interpersonal challenges.

Going to extremes

The recent alleged events at SANAE IV are indicative of a broader pattern of human behaviour in extreme environments.

If we are to successfully expand scientific exploration and habitation in these settings, we must acknowledge the realities of human conflict and develop strategies to ensure the safety and wellbeing of those who live and work in these challenging conditions.

Studying crime and conflict in environments such as Antarctica is not just about understanding the past. It’s about safeguarding the future of exploration – whether on Earth’s harshest frontier or in the depths of space.

Hanne E F Nielsen receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the Dutch Research Council.

Rebecca Kaiser does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Antarctic bases are hotbeds of stress and violence. Space stations could face the same challenges – https://theconversation.com/antarctic-bases-are-hotbeds-of-stress-and-violence-space-stations-could-face-the-same-challenges-252720

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: President calls for Europe to increase its collective deterrent

Source: France-Diplomatie – Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development

Published on March 20, 2025

Statement by M. Emmanuel Macron, President of the Republic, in Berlin (excerpts) (March 18, 2025)

Check against delivery)

Thank you very much, Chancellor, cher Olaf. (…)

I’d like to return to a few points – first of all, to congratulate you on the Bundestag’s historic vote, which is good news for Germany and good news for Europe. It’s good news because it will enable us to do more for defence and investments, and we need that. Secondly, to get back to the issue of Ukraine, we’re continuing to support the Ukrainian army in its war of resistance against the Russian aggression, and we’re right to be doing so. We’re also in the process of raising funding that we’re fully committed to. I’m thinking of the European share of the G7 loan, and the €18 billion of revenues from frozen Russian assets to finance military support in particular. And it’s important to continue lending support at this time, when Russia has been stepping up the conflicts in recent days and again in recent hours, and continue standing by the Ukrainian people and their defence.

You’re aware of what our position is. We were upholding peace, I would say, before the first day, because both of us did everything together in February 2022 to prevent a further operation after the annexation of Crimea and the initial, partial annexation of the Donbas that followed the operations of 2014. And so we’ve always been on the side of peace. In this regard, we mustn’t give in to any sort of inversion of values or discourse. That’s the historic role of Germany and France together and of Europe as a whole alongside the Ukrainians. The latest discussions are a step in the right direction, and indeed we want a solid, lasting settlement for Ukraine and for security in Europe.

And in this regard, thanks to the work with the United Kingdom and Germany we have, I believe, done some useful work to persuade President Zelenskyy, and I believe he made a very good decision to have the courage to take a peace initiative with President Trump by agreeing to a 30-day ceasefire. The Chancellor has reported on the discussions we had before that conference. The first stages are being put in place, but the goal must remain the same: to have a measurable, verifiable ceasefire that is fully complied with, and to begin detailed, full peace talks that will allow for a solid, lasting peace and the guarantees that go with it. That’s still our aim. And obviously it’s inconceivable without the Ukrainians being around the table. That’s what we’ve also steadfastly argued for.

In addition to Ukraine, on defence, tomorrow the Commission will present its White Paper, and there again our shared desire is to speed up the implementation of the plan we validated at the Council a few days ago, roll out the speediest and most efficient processes in order to have joint programmes, and basically continue defending ourselves, defending ourselves better, increasing our collective deterrence capabilities, and doing so by developing more equipment and capabilities in Europe – which means joint research, joint programmes, more simplicity and more speed. But this European added value which tends towards the strategic autonomy we both uphold is absolutely critical for us. It’s what we launched together in March 2022 with the so-called Versailles agenda, following the Russian aggression.

We’re now in the implementation and action phase for issues of defence, production, joint procurement, simplification, standardization, and the release of available funding by the European Investment Bank and our national budgetary capabilities. On the issue of the economy – and the one doesn’t go without the other, because there’s no strategic autonomy in terms of defence and security unless Europe is also strongly competitive –, together we built in Meseberg a road map which is strategic for us, which remains totally valid as the Chancellor pointed out, which also, to a great extent, inspired the Commission’s guidelines, and which is also being rolled out, precisely with necessary reforms for simplification. And in this regard, the decisions at the end of February are a step in the right direction: regulatory simplification, lightening the burden, support for industry, clean tech, artificial intelligence, defending the plans for the automotive industry and for steel presented in recent days to our European manufacturers, and for the chemical industry of course, which all go in the same direction, which are support measures in the face of the world’s deregulation, measures of simplification, measures for greater competitiveness.

In addition to simplification, strengthening the single market, defence policies and safeguarding clauses, we obviously built a historic agreement in Meseberg on the union of capital markets, with the desire in fact for European savings to fully finance major European innovation and investment projects. On each of these points we’re working together.

And the Chancellor’s been very comprehensive – I don’t want to paraphrase him here – but I wanted to come back to these few points before this summit, which will essentially be about Ukraine, the implementation of our defence strategy and competitiveness. So we’ll meet again the day after tomorrow to continue this work, and certainly in the coming days and weeks, to continue not only this work for Europe but also this joint action alongside Ukraine for the sovereignty of our Ukrainian friends and the defence and security of all us Europeans. (…)./.

MIL OSI Europe News –

March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Dmitry Patrushev: 40 fishing vessels built under the “keel quota” program have been delivered to customers

Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

March 20, 2025

Dmitry Patrushev held a meeting within the framework of incident No. 42 “Fishing vessels”.

Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev held a meeting within the framework of incident No. 42 “Fishing vessels”. It was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Federal Agency for Fisheries, other interested departments, the United Shipbuilding Corporation, shipyards and the industry business community.

“Since October, shipyards have delivered 9 vessels to investors within the first stage of the investment quota program. Thus, at the moment, 40 vessels have been delivered to customers within both stages: 23 fishing vessels and 17 crab vessels. According to the forecast of the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade, another 12 should be delivered by the end of the year,” said Dmitry Patrushev.

The construction of new modern vessels allows us to reduce costs in the fishery, which, of course, affects the reduction of the cost of manufactured products and, potentially, the selling prices.

Among the 40 transferred fishing vessels are four trawlers. Since the beginning of the year, the trawler Mekhanik Sizov, built in 2023, has already caught more than 18 thousand tons of fish. In general, the productivity of such vessels is 2.5 times higher than that of the previous generation. The equipment on board is designed for catching and processing 60 thousand tons of aquatic bioresources annually, and various types of products are also produced – minced meat and surimi.

Also among the leaders in terms of production volumes are the vessels Mechanic Maslak and Kapitan Vdovichenko, built in 2022, and Kapitan Martynov, launched in 2024.

The Deputy Prime Minister stressed that the ships, the construction of which is planned to be completed in 2025, must be handed over to customers on time. It is important to ensure proper control here.

In addition, Dmitry Patrushev instructed the Ministry of Natural Resources, together with the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the United Shipbuilding Corporation, to monitor the implementation of the construction schedule for the research expedition vessel Ivan Frolov, which will be used by Roshydromet for the purpose of research by Russian scientists in Antarctica.

The event also touched upon the issue of terminating and amending investment agreements and further securing the released shares of quotas for the extraction of aquatic bioresources.

Following the discussion, Dmitry Patrushev instructed to continue monthly monitoring of the situation with the construction of vessels at the Rosrybolovstvo site.

Incident No. 42 “Fishing vessels” was created to coordinate work on completing the construction of fishing vessels as part of the implementation of the mechanism for providing quotas for the extraction (catch) of aquatic bioresources for investment purposes.

When working in the incident format, a special project management system is used, which is deployed on the basis of the Government Coordination Center. It allows for prompt coordination of the actions of participants and monitoring of project implementation in real time.

The “keel quota” mechanism is aimed at stimulating the development of the domestic fishing fleet.

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

MIL OSI Russia News –

March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Marat Khusnullin: More than 1.8 thousand bridges and overpasses were put into operation under the national project “Safe High-Quality Roads”

Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

March 20, 2025

Bridge over the Shuya River on the Petrozavodsk – Suoyarvi highway, Republic of Karelia.

Modern and high-quality artificial structures ensure unimpeded passage through water obstacles, railways and difficult terrain, minimizing the risk of emergency situations and reducing travel time. Over the six years of implementing the national project “Safe High-Quality Roads” in Russia, more than 1.8 thousand bridges and overpasses have been commissioned. This was reported by Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin.

“During the entire implementation of the national project “Safe High-Quality Roads”, we have carried out large-scale work to update and develop bridges and overpasses. Their reliability and durability play a key role in the safety and comfort of drivers and passengers. In total, 1,823 artificial structures with a total length of more than 138 thousand running meters have been updated in the regions. This is a whole range of works – from the construction of new crossings to the modernization and major repairs of existing facilities. Since this year, we have been continuing important work on some of the most complex elements of road construction within the framework of the new national project “Infrastructure for Life”, – said Marat Khusnullin.

Large-scale work on the construction and renovation of artificial structures on the country’s roads brought tangible results in 2024. This trend will continue in the new year thanks to the new national project.

“In 2024, significant progress was made in the construction, reconstruction and repair of artificial structures thanks to the national project “Safe High-Quality Roads”. We commissioned 680 bridge structures with a total length of 52 thousand linear meters. These figures are the result of the enormous work of hundreds of road workers across the country. Thanks to their coordinated work, the accessibility of territories and socially significant facilities for citizens is increased, and the economic potential of the regions is strengthened. Based on the successes of previous years, in 2025, under the national project “Infrastructure for Life”, we plan to commission more than 500 bridges and overpasses, which will be another step towards creating a modern and safe road network,” said Igor Kostyuchenko, Deputy Head of the Federal Road Agency.

Thus, in 2024, the reconstruction of the bridge across the Shuya River on the Petrozavodsk-Suoyarvi highway, which connects the Prionezhsky, Pryazhinsky districts and the Suoyarvi district, was completed in the Republic of Karelia.

Another significant facility reconstructed in 2024 under the national project was the Argamachensky Bridge across the Yelchik River in Yelets, Lipetsk Region. It connects Argamachenskaya and 9 Dekabrya Streets, and also links the city with a densely populated suburb, the Krasninskaya Highway, and the bypass road.

In the Sovetsky district of Volgograd, construction of an overpass at the intersection of the Novy Rogachik – Volgograd highway and the Gornopolyansky – Kanalnaya railway section has been completed. The total length of the facility is 1.2 km. Thanks to the construction of the overpass junction in the village of Novy Rogachik, Volgograd residents are now provided with unimpeded access to the federal highway A-260 in conditions of intensive freight train traffic.

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

MIL OSI Russia News –

March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Dmitry Chernyshenko congratulated the Moscow Aviation Institute on its 95th anniversary

Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

March 20, 2025

Dmitry Chernyshenko congratulated the Moscow Aviation Institute on its 95th anniversary.

The Deputy Prime Minister noted the rich history of the university and its outstanding graduates. Among them are one of the founders of Russian cosmonautics Mikhail Reshetnev, helicopter designer Sergei Mikheev, physicist Sergei Kapitsa and many others.

“The Moscow Aviation Institute makes an important contribution to the development of the research and development sphere and successfully works to achieve technological leadership – the national goal set by our President Vladimir Putin. The university is one of the universities participating in the Priority 2030 program of the Youth and Children national project, and an advanced engineering school has been created there. I am sure that MAI will have many more new achievements and victories in the future,” said Dmitry Chernyshenko.

The Deputy Prime Minister also noted that, by decree of the head of state, the Moscow Aviation Institute is participating in a pilot project to improve the higher education system.

“Today, almost 20 thousand students study at the university. More than 40% of them are in specialties related to such important areas as aviation and rocket and space technology. I wish them interesting studies, further professional development and work for the benefit of our entire country,” added Dmitry Chernyshenko.

MAI students participate in the creation of breakthrough technologies. For example, they are involved in the design of unmanned aircraft systems and their components. Students participate in the development of manufacturing and certification technologies for composite structures, as well as methods for computational and experimental research, which make it possible to significantly reduce the time and cost of their testing.

The advanced engineering school of the Moscow Aviation Institute is working on projects that are important for the industry. Thus, specialists from the Moscow Aviation Institute have developed a series of electric motors for small and medium-sized drones. In addition, an engine for heavy vehicles weighing up to 120 kg has already passed flight tests.

In addition, within the framework of the Decade of Science and Technology announced by President Vladimir Putin, MAI employees are implementing media projects to popularize science and engineering activities and are developing a program of popular science tourism.

In honor of the 95th anniversary of the university’s foundation, thematic events will be held. In March, there will be a gala evening and exhibition “MAI in Faces” on Rozhdestvensky Boulevard, and in May, a technology festival.

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

MIL OSI Russia News –

March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: HSE Representatives Elected to New Moscow Public Chamber

Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

On March 19, the Moscow City Duma approved 15 members of the 5th convocation of the Moscow Public Chamber, nominated by public organizations of the capital. The 5th convocation includes the Vice-Rector, Professor of the National Research University Higher School of Economics Alexey Koshel and Research Professor at the Faculty of Social Sciences Oksana Gaman-GolutvinaThey had previously worked in the IV convocation of the chamber.

Alexey Koshel

Vice-Rector, Professor of the National Research University Higher School of Economics

— In order to maintain a dialogue between city residents, representatives of NGOs and institutions of social and economic development of Moscow, it is necessary to constantly develop the level of expertise in the development of city projects and formats for representing public opinion in decision-making aimed at the development of the capital.

I am inspired by the opportunity to combine the expertise of leading research centers of the National Research University Higher School of Economics with the experience of the Public Chamber of Moscow in supporting and implementing civil initiatives to solve a key task – creating a reliable legal and instrumental basis for protecting the interests of Muscovites who participate in public discussions and propose their project solutions for the development of the city. I am grateful to the Mayor of Moscow and the deputies of the Moscow City Duma for their trust and the opportunity to continue working in this direction.

The Public Chamber of the City of Moscow is an independent collegial and advisory body, a link between residents of the capital, non-profit organizations and the authorities for discussing the city’s pressing problems. The Chamber organizes public control, attracts citizens and NGOs to participate in city management, supports and implements civil initiatives and makes recommendations to the Moscow Government.

Over the 3 years of work of the IV convocation, the capital’s Public Chamber held over a thousand events – large-scale forums, thematic round tables, meetings, public discussions, photo exhibitions and cultural events, in which more than 500 thousand people took part.

March 20

“Vyshka” in Telegram

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

MIL OSI Russia News –

March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Turkey: a favourable international climate is spurring Erdoğan’s crackdown on democracy

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Massimo D’Angelo, Research Associate in the Institute for Diplomacy and International Affairs, Loughborough University

The Turkish judiciary has finally succeeded in sidelining Istanbul’s mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu, at the fourth attempt. On the morning of March 19, the 53-year-old posted a video on social media announcing that police had arrived at his home to arrest him on charges of corruption, aiding a terrorist organisation and organised crime.

“Hundreds of police are at my door”, he said in a voice message. “This immoral and tyrannical approach will undoubtedly be overturned by the will and resilience of our people”.

Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has consistently excelled at positioning himself on the international stage, adeptly seizing opportunities left by others and turning them to his advantage. He has demonstrated this once again by orchestrating the arrest of İmamoğlu, his main political rival.

With global events bolstering his leverage over the west, Erdoğan is well placed to act with impunity, knowing that his strategic importance will likely shield him from serious repercussions.

The judiciary’s first attempt to remove İmamoğlu through legal means came in 2019, shortly after he won the Istanbul mayoral election by a narrow margin (around 13,000 votes). Erdoğan’s ruling Justice and Development party (AKP) contested the results, citing irregularities.

Under intense pressure from the government, the Supreme Electoral Council annulled the vote and ordered a rerun. İmamoğlu not only retained, but significantly increased his lead. He secured victory over the AKP’s candidate, Binali Yıldırım, by more than 800,000 votes.

Then, in 2022, İmamoğlu was sentenced to two years in prison for having called two public officials “fools” three years earlier. Ultimately, he was not arrested. But the sentence severely undermined his presidential ambitions, prompting him to forgo running for the presidency the following year.

The third attempt occurred just days ago, when the government revoked the validity of İmamoğlu’s academic degree on bureaucratic grounds. Turkey’s political future looks to be entering a new and more precarious phase.

İmamoğlu was born in Akçaabat, a district of Trabzon province on north-east Turkey’s Black Sea coast. He graduated in economics at Istanbul University and worked as a construction entrepreneur before entering politics.

He is married with three children and, like Erdoğan, is passionate about football. In his youth, he was both a footballer and the managing director of his hometown’s football club, Trabzonspor.

In 2024, İmamoğlu was reelected as mayor of Istanbul. Over the past six years, he has become a highly prominent political figure and, given the city’s size and his broad popularity, he has often been regarded as a natural candidate for the Turkish presidency.

Many expected him to run as the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) candidate in the 2023 presidential election. But the party chose its leader, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, instead.

This decision was partly driven by internal power struggles between the party’s old guard and newer leadership. However, the insult lawsuit against İmamoğlu alarmed many within the CHP, who feared that a potential arrest during the campaign would plunge the contest into chaos.

Kılıçdaroğlu is less popular than İmamoğlu, and is from an older generation of opposition politicians who have repeatedly failed to challenge Erdoğan effectively. He ultimately lost to Erdoğan in the second round of voting.

Despite state-led media campaigns to discredit İmamoğlu, his popularity has continued to rise. As a leading CHP figure, he was the frontrunner in the party’s primaries scheduled for March 23, ahead of the 2028 presidential elections. The arrest of İmamoğlu is widely seen as Erdoğan’s latest attempt to obstruct his candidacy.

A pattern of political suppression

Along with İmamoğlu, Turkish authorities have detained 87 people as part of an investigation into alleged terrorism and organised crime in Istanbul.

Prosecutors accuse İmamoğlu of leading a criminal organisation, engaging in bribery, extortion and bid rigging. The inquiry also links him to financial misconduct and alleged ties with the Kurdistan Workers’ party (PKK), which the Turkish state categorises as a terrorist organisation.

This is not the first time prominent political leaders in Turkey have been arrested on such charges. İmamoğlu’s case closely mirrors that of Selahattin Demirtaş, a Kurdish politician and former co-chair of the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic party (HDP), who has been imprisoned since November 2016.

Demirtaş, who was arrested during Erdoğan’s crackdown on political opposition after an attempted coup in 2016, was charged with “terrorist propaganda” and “undermining state unity”. In elections the previous year, his presidential campaign had gained widespread support, allowing the HDP to surpass Turkey’s 10% electoral threshold for entering parliament for the first time.

Despite international calls for his release, including rulings from the European Court of Human Rights, Demirtaş remains incarcerated. In 2024, he was sentenced to a total of 42 years. Much like İmamoğlu today, his continued detention is widely regarded as politically motivated.

In their influential work, How Democracies Die, Harvard professors Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt argue that the willingness to curtail civil liberties, such as controlling the media and suppressing dissent, is typical of populist leaders determined to tighten their grip on power.

This latest crackdown is yet another episode in the continued erosion of democratic space in Turkey. However, Erdoğan currently operates in an unusually favourable global climate, with multiple strategic negotiations placing him centre stage.

Although he has not hesitated to sideline rivals in the past, this environment has shifted further in his favour. The US president, Donald Trump, has rarely opposed such actions or condemned the suppression of political rights in other countries. On several occasions, Trump has even demonstrated his willingness to subject the US justice system and his opponents to his own will.

The EU, distracted by internal conflicts and the Russian threat, also appears keen to keep Turkey onside. Turkey has Nato’s second-largest army and a Black Sea coastline, and is seeking to assume a key role in Europe’s security following Washington’s pivot away from the region. Across the Middle East, democracy often serves more as a bargaining chip than a genuine priority.

Erdoğan has recently launched a “new Kurdish process”, aimed at reconciling with the PKK. This makes İmamoğlu’s arrest all the more surprising. The move may be intended to distance Kurdish voters from the CHP.

Some citizens have attempted to protest the arrest despite a government ban on public gatherings. It remains to be seen how resilient the Turkish people will prove. Ultimately, Erdoğan’s success depends on the opposition’s ability to unite against him.

Massimo D’Angelo does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Turkey: a favourable international climate is spurring Erdoğan’s crackdown on democracy – https://theconversation.com/turkey-a-favourable-international-climate-is-spurring-erdogans-crackdown-on-democracy-252694

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Can books be bad for you? Only if you’re a ‘bad reader’ like Don Quixote

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Karen Attar, Research Fellow in Institute of English Studies, School of Advanced Study, University of London

An illustration from an edition of Don Quixote where the eponymous protagonist goes mad from reading. Wikimedia, CC BY

Books as a backdrop in a portrait or an interview lend gravitas. They stand for literacy, for education, for a way to open the mind, develop the imagination and get on in life. But not all books are considered to convey such benefits.

Opinions about which books are worthy and which are not have dogged fiction. Which are frivolous nonsense, sure to pollute the mind, and which are worthy intellectual pursuits? Also, are there books which are just too dangerous to read?

Is Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye sure to influence unwanted behaviour? Are there those who can read a book like Niccolò Machiavelli’s The Prince and not see it as real advice of how any immoral act is justified if they lead to power and glory?

In short, are there bad books, or are there just bad readers?

The theme of bad books versus bad readers runs through my recent publication Books, Reading and Libraries in Fiction, which I wrote with Institute of English Studies Reader Andrew Nash. It starts with Don Quixote (1605), which is considered the first modern novel in Europe and an enduring classic of world literature.

By the beginning of the 17th century, medieval chivalric romances about knights riding around the countryside seeking adventures and saving damsels in distress were distinctly old-fashioned. Don Quixote did not realise that. He spent all his time reading such romances, neglecting all other duties, to the extent that he went mad.

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Believing the stories implicitly, he set off in search of knightly adventures. Don Quixote is the quintessential bad reader who takes fiction literally and who focuses on the activity of fighting instead of the metaphorical value of striving for good against evil. It’s the uncritical way children may read, but not the way we expect adults to.

It is because he was a man that Don Quixote had the purchasing power to surround himself with books (there were no public libraries in those days) and travel around. So, it has more often been women who have typically been portrayed as poor readers, over-identifying with the heroines of novels, reading books that are bad for them, or reading when they should be doing something else.

The Female Quixote, a little-known novel by Charlotte Lennox (1752), draws consciously on Don Quixote as heroine Arabella expects life to reflect the French novels she has read. At the end a doctor must explain to her the difference between fiction and reality. The reader of The Female Quixote is expected to have a lot more sense and distance than the reader within the novel. They are supposed to learn from Arabella’s silliness.

Jane Austen, who we know loved reading novels, has most to say about relegating fiction to its place. She does it famously in a gentle, high-spirited way through her heroine in Northanger Abbey (1817), Catherine Morland. This young woman gorges on sensational gothic romances and this fiction starts to seep into her perception of reality.

On one particularly stormy gothic night in a strange country house, she finds a roll of paper in a drawer. “What is it?” she thinks. Her candle goes out and she tosses and turns until early morning, her imagination leading her to terrifying conclusions. In the cold light of morning, she discovers that the paper is only an old laundry bill.

The worst case of “bad reading” in our book occurred in a 1855 novella Faust by Russian novelist Ivan Turgenev. The story deals with a young woman whose mother had banned the reading of fiction. The young male narrator introduces her to the first part of Goethe’s drama Faust. Overwhelmed by the emotions it arouses, unequipped to deal with them from any former contact with imaginative literature, the heroine falls ill and dies.

Like her fictitious predecessors, she over-identifies with fiction. In her case she suffers because, had she read fiction when she was younger, she would have been more robust now. Typically in fiction of the past, fortunate women had wise men to guide them and their reading. Vera in Turgenev’s tale is rather unfortunate in her guide’s lack of discrimination.

Does it mean that Faust, considered by many the pinnacle of German literature, is a “bad” book? No. Neither are gothic romances. We know from her letters that Jane Austen devoured novels, and that she liked Ann Radcliffe, one of the most prominent Gothic writers. Also, medieval chivalric romances can be inspiring.

The challenge for characters in fiction, as for us, is to read with distance and discernment. It helps to start young, unlike Turgenev’s Vera. We must read to understand and follow worthy principles, rather than blindly imitating the behaviour of characters in novels. But most of all, we must read all sorts of fiction. And then we shall be reading thoughtfully, wisely and well.

Karen Attar does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Can books be bad for you? Only if you’re a ‘bad reader’ like Don Quixote – https://theconversation.com/can-books-be-bad-for-you-only-if-youre-a-bad-reader-like-don-quixote-252428

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Luján Joins Push to Save Task Force Combating Threats to Election Officials

US Senate News:

Source: US Senator for New Mexico Ben Ray Luján
Senators to Attorney General: “In this challenging environment for election officials, it is essential to our democracy that they can continue to rely on [DOJ] to uphold the law”
Santa Fe, N.M. — U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) joined Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, and Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and more than two dozenDemocratic Senators in urging Attorney General Pam Bondi to continue the essential work of the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Election Threats Task Force, which directs the Department’s efforts to protect election officials from rising threats and acts of violence.
The Senators’ letter comes as the Trump Administration has significantly rolled back the federal government’s capacity to fight against foreign and domestic election security threats. On Attorney General Bondi’s first day in office, she disbanded the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Foreign Influence Task Force, hindering efforts to address secret influence campaigns waged by China, Russia, and other foreign adversaries. Additionally, the Administration has fired or put on leave dozens of officials responsible for combating foreign election interference at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and has reportedly frozen all of CISA’s ongoing election security work. The Administration has also defunded CISA’s nationwide program to train local officials and monitor threats through the Elections Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center.
“Given the recent disturbing personnel and policy decisions at the Department and the lack of transparency about the future of the Task Force, we request an immediate update on the status and activities of the Task Force, as well as what resources will be provided to ensure its important work continues so that election officials of both parties can safely administer our elections,” wrote the Senators.
“Recent surveys have found that one in three election officials reported facing threats, harassment, and abuse. Similarly, 48 percent of local election officials know of someone who has left their job because of fear for their safety—a troubling loss of institutional knowledge needed for the smooth running of elections. Election workers continue to fear for their safety, so it is critical that the work of the Task Force continues to deter and counter these threats. In this challenging environment for election officials, it is essential to our democracy that they can continue to rely on the Department to uphold the law,” continued the Senators.
In addition to Senators Luján, Padilla, and Durbin, the letter was also signed by Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Angus King (I-Maine), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).
Full text of the letter is available here and below:
Dear Attorney General Bondi:
We write to strongly urge you to continue the critical law enforcement work of the Department of Justice’s Election Threats Task Force, which protects election officials from ongoing threats and acts of violence. Given the recent disturbing personnel and policy decisions at the Department and the lack of transparency about the future of the Task Force, we request an immediate update on the status and activities of the Task Force, as well as what resources will be provided to ensure its important work continues so that election officials of both parties can safely administer our elections.
The Task Force was established in the wake of the 2020 election cycle when election officials across the political spectrum began facing unprecedented threats of violence intended to thwart the peaceful transfer of power that is the hallmark of our democracy. In close collaboration with state and local law enforcement, the Task Force has assessed thousands of complaints of suspected threats of violence and investigated and prosecuted violent offenders. Over the years, these threats have not only continued but escalated. The Task Force has investigated fentanyl-laced letters, bomb threats, and swatting incidents—serving as a legacy of the 2020 election and impacting the ways election officials interact with voters in their communities.
Recent surveys have found that one in three election officials reported facing threats, harassment, and abuse. Similarly, 48 percent of local election officials know of someone who has left their job because of fear for their safety—a troubling loss of institutional knowledge needed for the smooth running of elections. Election workers continue to fear for their safety, so it is critical that the work of the Task Force continues to deter and counter these threats. In this challenging environment for election officials, it is essential to our democracy that they can continue to rely on the Department to uphold the law.
Moreover, the federal government’s ability to fight election interference has been greatly hampered in the early weeks of this Administration. Dozens of officials at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), who are responsible for combatting foreign election interference, have been fired or put on leave. CISA has also reportedly frozen all of its ongoing election security work, including defunding its nationwide program to train local officials and monitor threats through the “Elections Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center.” Additionally, on your first day in office, you signed a directive disbanding the FBI’s Foreign Influence Task Force, which was aimed at responding to secret influence campaigns waged by China, Russia, and other foreign adversaries.
We request a response on the status and future plans of the Election Threats Task Force, the extent of resources and personnel dedicated to its work, and how it plans to incorporate related work previously led by CISA and the Foreign Influence Task Force by March 31, 2025.
Sincerely,

MIL OSI USA News –

March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Canada’s Africa strategy is a landmark moment for Canada-Africa relations, but still needs work

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By David J Hornsby, Professor of International Affairs and the Vice-Provost and Associate Vice-President (Academic), Carleton University

For the first time in its history, Canada has unveiled a comprehensive Africa strategy, marking a significant milestone in the Canadian approach to engaging with the African continent.

Launched on March 6 by Liberal MP Rob Oliphant, the parliamentary secretary to the foreign affairs minister, the strategy represents a crucial step towards a more coherent and intentional relationship with Africa.

This development is worthy of praise for several reasons.

The strategy’s strengths

First, it demonstrates Canada’s recognition of Africa’s growing importance on the global stage. It acknowledges the need for Canada to work closely with African states and organizations in multilateral forums such as the United Nations, the G20 and the Francophonie.

It also positions Canada not only as a partner in enhancing Africa’s voice in global affairs, but also as an ally in advancing the Canadian government’s strategic interests abroad.

The strategy’s development process was remarkably inclusive, with more than 600 stakeholder submissions. This consultative approach not only ensured a diverse range of perspectives, but also promotes accountability in the strategy’s implementation.

Finally, the initiative’s broad scope is commendable. By intentionally crafting the strategy to encompass a wide array of African partners — from the African Union to diaspora groups in Canada — the government has created a framework that allows various African nations and organizations to see themselves reflected in the partnership.

Remaining questions

However, as with any significant policy development, there are areas for improvement and questions to be addressed. These include:

Resource allocation: While the strategy sets ambitious goals, it’s unclear how these will be achieved without new funding.

Although the argument can be made that the government has the option to reconfigure existing funding to align with broader policy shifts, that would leave major gaps in current development programming. The government must provide more specific details about funding and, just as importantly, metrics for implementation.

Competitive landscape: The strategy doesn’t fully acknowledge Canada’s current position in Africa. While it identifies increased competition from familiar players like China, the European Union and Russia, as well as a growing array of competitors like Brazil, Turkey and the Gulf states, it doesn’t confront the degree to which, relatively speaking, Canada has lost ground.

This needs to be acknowledged alongside Canada’s residual reputational strength, rooted in a history of supporting democratic transitions for African nations — particularly during the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa, but also during numerous peacekeeping engagements.

Read more:
Brian Mulroney’s tough stand against apartheid is one of his most important legacies

Investments in developmental projects related to education and health in Africa have led to Canada garnering a reputation as a constructive and responsive collaborator on African issues. That said, Canada’s reputation in terms of mining and other extractive activities on the continent is an unhelpful counterpoint.

Canada must strongly position itself as a state that can be trusted to champion African issues while forging partnerships based on mutual interest and respect in the fast-changing global competitive environment.

Innovation and education: Despite the strategy’s mention of engaging youth and diaspora communities, it’s unclear on how to do this. A crucial way to connect with youth in particular is to enhance education connections and expand the links between universities and science and technological innovation institutions in Canada and African states.

Dual degrees, funded collaborative research projects, student exchanges and scholarships are all tried-and-tested mechanisms to foster cross-cultural understandings that bind societies together.

A sustainable Canada-Africa strategy must see educational and scientific partnerships, training and knowledge circulation as cornerstones for success.

It would be a missed opportunity if the government fails to use this blueprint to leverage Canada’s extensive educational and scientific assets to generate innovative ideas that support the strategy’s implementation. This approach could also create opportunities for Canadian and African youth to build a strong foundation for a lasting and meaningful Canada-Africa relationship in the future.

Read more:
Why international students could be a critical factor in bolstering Canada’s economic resilience

Ethical considerations: The strategy doesn’t adequately address issues related to the mining sector and the need for more ethical practices.

Given Canada is touted as a mining superpower in Africa, a clear commitment to supporting human rights-centred and community development-oriented mining practices would go a long way to sustaining Canada’s interest in the extractive sector in Africa. This would also enhance its overall reputation on the continent.

Furthermore, the ethics of Canada’s immigration regime and the often punitive approach to giving out temporary visas to African travellers is starkly missing from the strategy.

It’s critical in terms of Canada’s future engagements and relations with African nations to recognize the current system is broken and considered overly intrusive by Africans. If Canada is serious about learning from Africa and forming equitable partnerships based on mutual respect, it cannot mete out indignities at the border.

High-level commitment: The launch of the strategy by a parliamentary secretary, rather than the foreign affairs minister or the prime minister, raises questions about the perceived importance of this strategy at the highest levels of government.

The launch was diplomatically underwhelming, with no invitations extended to the Canadian media or the African diplomatic community in Canada. This created the impression that the government was either already distancing itself from the strategy, or was anxious to manage expectations.

Given that the launch of the strategy coincided with the Independence day of Ghana, one of the first African countries that Canada established official diplomatic relations with, the Canadian government should have seized on this historic moment to send a strong diplomatic message to the African continent.

Substantial starting point

Despite these concerns, the Africa strategy represents a significant and promising starting point.

It provides a coherent, multidimensional and multi-purpose framework for Canada’s engagement with Africa. It synthesizes ongoing initiatives, sets intentions for future collaborations and seeks to move beyond paternalistic motivations to build an enhanced Canada-Africa relationship based on trust and respect.

The strategy is realistic not only about Canada’s own limitations and needs, but also about the complexities of building partnerships with a large and diverse continent. It highlights humanitarian and security priorities while also emphasizing economic and political opportunities in Africa. The combination of humanitarian concerns with strategic interests signals a shift toward a more balanced and consistent approach towards the continent.

Read more:
Why Canada must seize the moment and launch its long-awaited Africa strategy

As we move forward, the Canadian government must address the strategy’s shortcomings and provide more concrete plans for its implementation.

Nonetheless, this moment deserves recognition. Canada has taken an important first step towards a more strategic, intentional and mutually beneficial relationship with Africa. It’s now up to policymakers, businesses, the academic community and civil society to build upon this foundation and turn this strategy into tangible, positive outcomes for both Canada and its African partners.

David Black receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

Thomas Kwasi Tieku receives funding from Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

David J Hornsby and Edward Akuffo do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Canada’s Africa strategy is a landmark moment for Canada-Africa relations, but still needs work – https://theconversation.com/canadas-africa-strategy-is-a-landmark-moment-for-canada-africa-relations-but-still-needs-work-252367

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

March 21, 2025

MIL-OSI: Monolithic Power Systems Updates First Quarter 2025 Financial Guidance

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

KIRKLAND, Wash., March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Monolithic Power Systems, Inc. (“MPS”) (Nasdaq: MPWR), a fabless global company that provides high-performance, semiconductor-based power electronics solutions, today announced updates to its financial guidance for the three months ending March 31, 2025.

The following table presents the updated financial guidance for the three months ending March 31, 2025:

	Previously Announced on February 6, 2025	Updated as of March 20, 2025
Revenue	$610.0 million to $630.0 million	$630.0 million to $640.0 million
GAAP operating expenses	$180.2 million to $186.2 million	$184.9 million to $190.9 million
Non-GAAP (1) operating expenses	$126.9 million to $130.9 million	$131.6 million to $135.6 million

As previously announced, on March 20, 2025, MPS will host an Analyst Day at 9:00 am Pacific Time. During the course of the event, management will discuss MPS’s corporate strategy, business and product updates, and financial metrics. The webcast of the event can be accessed, free of charge, at https://mpsic.zoom.us/j/98462171986 (meeting ID: 984-6217-1986). In addition, MPS will provide more information on the first quarter financial results and second quarter guidance in our earnings release and webinar at the end of April 2025 / beginning of May 2025.

(1) Projected non-GAAP operating expenses exclude the effect of stock-based compensation and related expenses. These non-GAAP financial measures are not prepared in accordance with GAAP and should not be considered as a substitute for, or superior to, measures of financial performance prepared in accordance with GAAP. A schedule reconciling non-GAAP financial measures is included at the end of this press release. MPS utilizes both GAAP and non-GAAP financial measures to assess what it believes to be its core operating performance and to evaluate and manage its internal business and assist in making financial operating decisions. MPS believes that the inclusion of non-GAAP financial measures, together with GAAP measures, provides investors with an alternative presentation useful to investors’ understanding of MPS’s core operating results and trends. Additionally, MPS believes that the inclusion of non-GAAP measures, together with GAAP measures, provides investors with an additional dimension of comparability to similar companies. However, investors should be aware that non-GAAP financial measures utilized by other companies are not likely to be comparable in most cases to the non-GAAP financial measures used by MPS. See the GAAP to non-GAAP reconciliations in the tables set forth below.

Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains, and statements that will be made during the live webcast will contain, forward-looking statements, as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, among other things, (i) updated first quarter of 2025 financial guidance, (ii) our 2025 three-year financial goals, (iii) our outlook for the first quarter of 2025 and the near-term, medium-term and long-term prospects of MPS, including our ability to adapt to changing market conditions, performance against our business plan, our ability to grow despite the various challenges facing our business, our industry and the global economic environment, revenue growth in certain of our market segments, potential new business segments, our continued investment in research and development (“R&D”), expected revenue growth, customers’ acceptance of our new product offerings, the prospects of our new product development, our expectations regarding market and industry segment trends and prospects, and our projected expansion of capacity and the impact it may have on our business, (iv) market trends, market growth projections, anticipated market drivers and our ability to penetrate new and existing markets, (v) the seasonality of our business, (vi) our ability to reduce our expenses, and (vii) statements regarding the assumptions underlying or relating to any statement described in (i)-(vii) above. These forward-looking statements are not historical facts or guarantees of future performance or events, are based on current expectations, estimates, beliefs, assumptions, goals, and objectives, and involve significant known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from the results expressed by these statements. Readers of this press release and listeners to the accompanying conference call are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Factors that could cause actual results to differ include, but are not limited to, continued uncertainties in the global economy, including due to the Russia-Ukraine and Middle East conflicts, inflation, consumer sentiment and other factors; adverse events arising from orders or regulations of governmental entities, including such orders or regulations that impact our customers or suppliers, and adoption of new or amended accounting standards; adverse changes in laws and government regulations such as tariffs on imports of foreign goods, export regulations and export classifications, and tax laws or the interpretation of same, including in foreign countries where MPS has offices or operations; the effect of export controls, trade and economic sanctions regulations and other regulatory or contractual limitations on our ability to sell or develop our products in certain foreign markets, particularly in China; our ability to obtain governmental licenses and approvals for international trading activities or technology transfers, including export licenses; acceptance of, or demand for, our products, in particular the new products launched recently, being different than expected; our ability to increase market share in our targeted markets; difficulty in predicting or budgeting for future customer demand and channel inventories, expenses and financial contingencies (including as a result of any continuing impact from the Russia-Ukraine and Middle East conflicts); our ability to efficiently and effectively develop new products and receive a return on our R&D expense investment; our ability to attract new customers and retain existing customers; our ability to meet customer demand for our products due to constraints on our third-party suppliers’ ability to manufacture sufficient quantities of our products or otherwise; our ability to expand manufacturing capacity to support future growth; adverse changes in production and testing efficiency of our products; any political, cultural, military, regulatory, economic, foreign exchange and operational changes in China, where a significant portion of our manufacturing capacity comes from; any market disruptions or interruptions in our schedule of new product development releases; our ability to manage our inventory levels; adequate supply of our products from our third-party manufacturing partners; adverse changes or developments in the semiconductor industry generally, which is cyclical in nature, and our ability to adjust our operations to address such changes or developments; the ongoing consolidation of companies in the semiconductor industry; competition generally and the increasingly competitive nature of our industry; our ability to realize the anticipated benefits of companies and products that MPS acquires, and our ability to effectively and efficiently integrate these acquired companies and products into our operations; the risks, uncertainties and costs of litigation in which MPS is involved; the outcome of any upcoming trials, hearings, motions and appeals; the adverse impact on our financial performance if its tax and litigation provisions are inadequate; our ability to effectively manage our growth and attract and retain qualified personnel; the effect of epidemics and pandemics on the global economy and on our business; the risks associated with the financial market, economy and geopolitical uncertainties, including the collapse of certain banks in the U.S. and elsewhere and the Russia-Ukraine and Middle East conflicts; and other important risk factors identified under the caption “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in our Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) filings, including, but not limited to, our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 3, 2025. MPS assumes no obligation to update the information in this press release or in the accompanying webinar.

About Monolithic Power Systems
Monolithic Power Systems, Inc. (“MPS”) is a fabless global company that provides high-performance, semiconductor-based power electronics solutions. MPS’s mission is to reduce energy and material consumption to improve all aspects of quality of life. Founded in 1997 by our CEO Michael Hsing, MPS has three core strengths: deep system-level knowledge, strong semiconductor expertise, and innovative proprietary technologies in the areas of semiconductor processes, system integration, and packaging. These combined advantages enable MPS to deliver reliable, compact, and monolithic solutions that are highly energy-efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally responsible while providing a consistent return on investment to our stockholders. MPS can be contacted through its website at www.monolithicpower.com or its support offices around the world.

Monolithic Power Systems, MPS, and the MPS logo are registered trademarks of Monolithic Power Systems, Inc. in the U.S. and trademarked in certain other countries.

Contact:
Bernie Blegen
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Monolithic Power Systems, Inc.
408-826-0777
MPSInvestor.Relations@monolithicpower.com

UPDATED 2025 FIRST QUARTER OUTLOOK
RECONCILIATION OF OPERATING EXPENSES TO NON-GAAP OPERATING EXPENSES
(Unaudited, in thousands)

	Three Months Ending March 31, 2025
	Previously announced on February 6, 2025						Updated as of March 20, 2025
	Low			High			Low			High
Operating expenses	$	180,200		$	186,200		$	184,900		$	190,900
Adjustments to reconcile operating expenses to non-GAAP operating expenses:
Stock-based compensation and other expenses		(53,300	)		(55,300	)		(53,300	)		(55,300	)
Non-GAAP operating expenses	$	126,900		$	130,900		$	131,600		$	135,600

The MIL Network –

March 21, 2025

MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK TRA readies itself for more new remedies
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Press release

UK TRA readies itself for more new remedies

The TRA has this week initiated the last review of all 43 measures carried over to the UK following the country’s departure from the European Union.
The Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) has this week initiated the last review of all 43 measures carried over to the UK following the country’s departure from the European Union.

This major achievement has been completed ahead of schedule and means the review of all relevant EU trade measures are now either complete or underway.

The TRA’s expert and analytical focus now fully shifts to defending UK industry against new and emerging unfair international trading practices and supporting the government with the pressures of a rapidly changing and complex global trade environment.

In reviewing the EU’s transitioned measures, the TRA has recommended to the UK government, on the basis of evidence, what trade remedy measures the UK should maintain unchanged, which measures should be revoked (because no UK industry was affected) and which measures should be amended to better protect the UK’s economic interests.

Since the TRA began its programme to review the transitioned measures in 2020:

3 trade measures on alloy wheels, stainless steel bars and rods and Category 2 steel products have been revoked completely;

12 trade measures covering such industries as e-bikes, biodiesel, tyres, ceramic tiles and glass fibre have been amended to suit the UK’s need better; and

14 trade remedy measures have been maintained as they were when the UK was part of the EU, as the trading conditions were assessed as not significantly changed for products such as certain steel products and rainbow trout to warrant a new tariff.

TRA Chair Nick Baird said:

“I’m immensely proud of the TRA for initiating all measures transitioned from the EU ahead of schedule. We’re now seeing more new cases being brought by UK industry to combat unfair trading practices. As we look to the future, we stand ready to take applications from the UK government or UK industry to respond to real global trading pressures now faced by UK businesses”

The TRA’s 140-strong expert team is also dedicating its specialist investigative, legal, and analytical capability to reviewing existing trade measures that are due to end or expire, including the safeguard measure on steel imports, or anti-dumping and countervailing measures on imports of biodiesel.

Since being established as an arms-length body of the Department of Business and Trade in 2021, the TRA has matured to:

now deliver a range of trade injury investigations to bring it alongside its more established trade remedy authority counterparts – such as the US, Canada, New Zealand or Australian administrations who have been undertaking trade defence for significantly longer than the UK’s trade body,

and position its capacity and capabilities to offer a broader remit of trade defence options to the Government, while remaining within the legal powers that the TRA was granted as part of the Trade Act 2021.

The TRA ensures it is defending UK trade from unfair international trading practices and has so far defended British producers across over £21 billion or more than 3% of all UK imports.

Any UK producer that believes that they are being harmed by unfair overseas trading practices can contact the TRA’s contact@traderemedies.gov.uk for informal guidance and support on how to complete an application and follow our processes, as well as answers for more general queries about our work.

Notes to Editors

The TRA is the UK’s independent body for investigating and recommending trade remedies. It is an Arm’s Length Body of the Department for Business & Trade

The anti-dumping measure on imports of ammonium nitrate from Russia is the final trade remedy measure transitioned from the EU to be reviewed, with 29 transition reviews having been completed and 14 now underway.

UK industries concerned about imports have been able to submit applications for a new trade remedy measure since January 2021. These applications are considered by the TRA to see if there are grounds for an investigation.

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Published 20 March 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Bringing dry numbers to life: the head of Mosstat presented representatives of the State University of Management with gratitude for popularizing statistics

Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –

On March 20, 2025, a presentation of projects by 2nd and 3rd year students of the State University of Management of the educational program “Business Analytics and Forecasting” was held at the Office of the Federal State Statistics Service for Moscow and the Moscow Region (Mosstat) and the presentation of gratitude from the head of Mosstat Leonid Kalimullin.

The presentation featured two projects aimed at popularizing statistics and developing the Mosstat brand.

The project “Visualization of agricultural statistics data by municipalities of the Moscow region” attracted great interest. Mosstat employees who attended the presentation were interested in the dashboard that resulted from the work.

“Work on the dashboard inspired us with its dynamism – we literally “brought to life” dry numbers, turning them into interactive graphs and maps, which caused genuine delight. After the presentation, we felt proud of the result. We not only proved the value of the idea, but also felt how our analytics can really change the approach to managing the agro-industrial complex in the region,” commented second-year student Venera Chorbadzhyan.

No one was left indifferent by the statistical board game developed by students, which will help them acquire not only knowledge in the field of statistics, but also teach them to communicate with others and work in a team.

“Developing the game gave us the opportunity to show schoolchildren the diversity and greatness of statistics, making this product interesting and exciting, to convince them that statistics are not just boring numbers, but the result of research and events. The uniqueness of the project lies in the original idea of a game with statistics. It has different levels of difficulty, which allows people with different levels of knowledge and training to play. The game allows you to develop statistics skills in a game form, which makes the learning process more interesting and faster,” 3rd-year students of the Business Analytics and Forecasting program commented on their work.

Following the speeches, the head of the Federal State Statistics Service for Moscow and the Moscow Region, Leonid Kalimullin, presented official thanks to the staff and students of the State University of Management.

Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 03/20/2025

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.

MIL OSI Russia News –

March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Press Release – IMF and the Statistical Community Release New Global Standards for Macroeconomic Statistics

Source: IMF – News in Russian

March 20, 2025

Washington, DC: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has released the seventh edition of the Integrated Balance of Payments and International Investment Position Manual (BPM7, the Manual) (https://www.imf.org/-/media/Files/Data/Statistics/BPM6/draft-bpm7-wcv.ashx). This new edition provides updated global standards for compiling external sector statistics, including balance of payments and integrated international investment position. It highlights key changes in the global economy, such as the increasing economic interconnectedness, digitalization, and innovations in financial markets since the time of the last update of the manual in 2009.

The launch of BPM7 marks the culmination of several years of work by the IMF Statistics Department in consultation with the IMF Committee on Balance of Payments Statistics (BOPCOM), with support from the global balance of payments (BOP) community of statisticians and users. BPM7 serves as a key framework for member countries, guiding the preparation of internationally comparable statistics and the production of high-quality data that reflects economic realities.

The release of BPM7 coincides with the release of the updated System of National Accounts, 2025 (2025 SNA) which was adopted by the United Nations Statistical Commission on March 5, 2025 (https://unstats.un.org/unsd/nationalaccount/sna2025.asp). The Government Finance Statistics Manual 2014 and Monetary and Financial Statistics Manual and Compilation Guide 2016 will also be revised in the near term to maintain their harmonization with the two updated standards. This uniform set of statistical methodologies ensures policymakers can make well-informed, data-driven decisions.

Countries are encouraged to implement both standards by 2029–2030. The IMF will support implementation of the updated BPM7 by providing additional guidance and technical assistance.

The white cover (pre-edited) version of BPM7 is available electronically in English, with publication in other languages—Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, and Spanish—expected to be completed following the release of the final version.

IMF Communications Department

MEDIA RELATIONS

PRESS OFFICER: Rahim Kanani

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

@IMFSpokesperson

https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2025/03/20/pr25072-imf-and-statistical-community-release-new-global-standards-for-macroeconomic-stats

MIL OSI

MIL OSI Russia News –

March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI: Radware Named as a Strong Performer in Analyst Report for Web Application Firewall Solutions

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

MAHWAH, N.J., March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Radware^® (NASDAQ: RDWR), a global leader in application security and delivery solutions for multi-cloud environments, has been named a Strong Performer in The Forrester Wave: Web Application Firewall Solutions, Q1 2025. Radware was among the 10 top web application firewall (WAF) vendors included in the market overview.

The report noted that Radware had the highest scores possible across six criteria, including detection models, roadmap, and pricing flexibility and transparency. According to the report: “Radware stands out for its investments in AI and automation – the recently released AI SOC Xpert tool summarizes incidents and recommends mitigations in a clear, bulleted narrative.”

“We are honored to be recognized as a Strong Performer in The Forrester Wave for Web Application Firewall Solutions,” said Sharon Trachtman, chief marketing officer at Radware. “Radware is leveraging the latest advancements in GenAI to help customers protect their brands and significantly reduce the time, effort, and costs of managing increasingly sophisticated application security incidents. We are committed to pushing the boundaries in delivering state-of-the-art application protection.”

Radware’s WAF is part of the company’s Cloud Application Protection Service, a single platform and unified portal that also includes industry-leading bot detection and management, API protection, client-side protection, and application-layer DDoS protection. Combining end-to-end automation, AI-powered algorithms, behavioral-based detection, and 24/7 managed services, the comprehensive solution defends against 150+ known attack vectors. This includes the OWASP’s Top 10 Web Application Security Risks, Top 10 API Security Vulnerabilities, and Top 21 Automated Threats to Web Applications.

Radware has been recognized by numerous industry analysts for its application and network security solutions. This includes Aite-Novarica Group, Gartner, KuppingerCole, and QKS Group.

Forrester
Forrester does not endorse any company, product, brand, or service included in its research publications and does not advise any person to select the products or services of any company or brand based on the ratings included in such publications. Information is based on the best available resources. Opinions reflect judgment at the time and are subject to change. For more information, read about Forrester’s objectivity here.

About Radware
Radware^® (NASDAQ: RDWR) is a global leader in application security and delivery solutions for multi-cloud environments. The company’s cloud application, infrastructure, and API security solutions use AI-driven algorithms for precise, hands-free, real-time protection from the most sophisticated web, application, and DDoS attacks, API abuse, and bad bots. Enterprises and carriers worldwide rely on Radware’s solutions to address evolving cybersecurity challenges and protect their brands and business operations while reducing costs. For more information, please visit the Radware website.

Radware encourages you to join our community and follow us on: Facebook, LinkedIn, Radware Blog, X and YouTube.

©2025 Radware Ltd. All rights reserved. Any Radware products and solutions mentioned in this press release are protected by trademarks, patents, and pending patent applications of Radware in the U.S. and other countries. For more details, please see: https://www.radware.com/LegalNotice/. All other trademarks and names are property of their respective owners.

Radware believes the information in this document is accurate in all material respects as of its publication date. However, the information is provided without any express, statutory, or implied warranties and is subject to change without notice.

The contents of any website or hyperlinks mentioned in this press release are for informational purposes and the contents thereof are not part of this press release.

Safe Harbor Statement
This press release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any statements made herein that are not statements of historical fact, including statements about Radware’s plans, outlook, beliefs, or opinions, are forward-looking statements. Generally, forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “estimates,” “plans,” and similar expressions or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “should,” “would,” “may,” and “could.” For example, when we say in this press release that we are committed to pushing the boundaries in delivering state-of-the-art application protection, we are using forward-looking statements. Because such statements deal with future events, they are subject to various risks and uncertainties, and actual results, expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, could differ materially from Radware’s current forecasts and estimates. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to: the impact of global economic conditions, including as a result of the state of war declared in Israel in October 2023 and instability in the Middle East, the war in Ukraine, and the tensions between China and Taiwan; our dependence on independent distributors to sell our products; our ability to manage our anticipated growth effectively; a shortage of components or manufacturing capacity could cause a delay in our ability to fulfill orders or increase our manufacturing costs; our business may be affected by sanctions, export controls, and similar measures, targeting Russia and other countries and territories, as well as other responses to Russia’s military conflict in Ukraine, including indefinite suspension of operations in Russia and dealings with Russian entities by many multi-national businesses across a variety of industries; the ability of vendors to provide our hardware platforms and components for the manufacture of our products; our ability to attract, train, and retain highly qualified personnel; intense competition in the market for cyber security and application delivery solutions and in our industry in general, and changes in the competitive landscape; our ability to develop new solutions and enhance existing solutions; the impact to our reputation and business in the event of real or perceived shortcomings, defects, or vulnerabilities in our solutions, if our end-users experience security breaches, if our information technology systems and data, or those of our service providers and other contractors, are compromised by cyber-attackers or other malicious actors or by a critical system failure; outages, interruptions, or delays in hosting services; the risks associated with our global operations, such as difficulties and costs of staffing and managing foreign operations, compliance costs arising from host country laws or regulations, partial or total expropriation, export duties and quotas, local tax exposure, economic or political instability, including as a result of insurrection, war, natural disasters, and major environmental, climate, or public health concerns, such as the COVID-19 pandemic; our net losses in the past two years and possibility we may incur losses in the future; a slowdown in the growth of the cyber security and application delivery solutions market or in the development of the market for our cloud-based solutions; long sales cycles for our solutions; risks and uncertainties relating to acquisitions or other investments; risks associated with doing business in countries with a history of corruption or with foreign governments; changes in foreign currency exchange rates; risks associated with undetected defects or errors in our products; our ability to protect our proprietary technology; intellectual property infringement claims made by third parties; laws, regulations, and industry standards affecting our business; compliance with open source and third-party licenses; and other factors and risks over which we may have little or no control. This list is intended to identify only certain of the principal factors that could cause actual results to differ. For a more detailed description of the risks and uncertainties affecting Radware, refer to Radware’s Annual Report on Form 20-F, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the other risk factors discussed from time to time by Radware in reports filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and, except as required by applicable law, Radware undertakes no commitment to revise or update any forward-looking statement in order to reflect events or circumstances after the date any such statement is made. Radware’s public filings are available from the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov or may be obtained on Radware’s website at www.radware.com.

The MIL Network –

March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: 03/20/2025, 15-10 the values of the lower limit of the repo price corridor, the transfer rate and the range of interest rate risk assessment of the OZON security (OZON-adr) were changed.

Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –

03/20/2025

15:10

In accordance with the Methodology for determining the risk parameters of the stock market and deposit market of Moscow Exchange PJSC by NCO NCC (JSC), on March 20, 2025, 15-10 (Moscow time), the values of the lower limit of the repo price corridor with settlement code Y0/Y1Dt (up to -20.0%), the transfer rate and the range of interest rate risk assessment (up to -4.15 rubles, equivalent to a rate of 59.18%) of the OZON security (OZON-adr) were changed.

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.

Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

HTTPS: //VVV. MEEX.K.M.M.

MIL OSI Russia News –

March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: 03/20/2025, 15-22 (Moscow time) the values of the upper limit of the price corridor and the range of market risk assessment for the security RU000A103W42 (IADOM 1P10) were changed.

Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –

03/20/2025

15:22

In accordance with the Methodology for determining the risk parameters of the stock market and deposit market of Moscow Exchange PJSC by NCO NCC (JSC) on 20.03.2025, 15-22 (Moscow time), the values of the upper limit of the price corridor (up to 75.37) and the range of market risk assessment (up to 478.0 rubles, equivalent to a rate of 23.75%) of the security RU000A103W42 (IADOM 1P10) were changed.

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.

Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

HTTPS: //VVV. MOEX.K.MO/N78689

MIL OSI Russia News –

March 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: 03/20/2025, 15-25 the values of the lower limit of the repo price corridor, the transfer rate and the range of interest rate risk assessment of the OZON security (OZON-adr) were changed.

Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –

03/20/2025

15:25

In accordance with the Methodology for determining the risk parameters of the stock market and deposit market of Moscow Exchange PJSC by NCO NCC (JSC), on March 20, 2025, 15-25 (Moscow time), the values of the lower limit of the repo price corridor with the settlement code Y0/Y1Dt (up to -20.0%), the transfer rate and the range of interest rate risk assessment (up to -5.43 rubles, equivalent to a rate of 70.77%) of the OZON security (OZON-adr) were changed.

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.

Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

HTTPS: //VVV. MEEX.K.M.M.

MIL OSI Russia News –

March 21, 2025

Category: Russian Federation

A “good” solution also comes at a price

Unpacking the votes

How did she win?

Global challenges for the new president

What about Australia?

What happened on SANAE IV?

Multiple cases of misconduct

Drivers of conflict

From Antarctica to space

Going to extremes

A pattern of political suppression

The strategy’s strengths

Remaining questions

Substantial starting point

UK TRA readies itself for more new remedies

Notes to Editors

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IMF Communications Department

MEDIA RELATIONS