MARINES, GIOCHI DI GUERRA E INTELLIGENZA ARTIFICIALE

FOCUS – May 12, 2022. By Todd South, Defense News. While top Marine leaders watch as workers construct a state-of-the-art war-gaming center at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, war-gaming in multiple forms proliferates across the force. That’s coming to Marines of all ranks and billets through exercises large and small, board games and advance artificial intelligence options that are being adapted for future use at the unit level.

TODAY:

• AROUND THE WORLD
• DEFENSE – MILITARY – SPACE – CYBER
• HORIZONS
• RUSSIA – UKRAINE
• TECH

AROUND THE WORLD

Australia

• May 13, 2022. By Praveen Menon, Reuters. Activists at one of the world’s longest-running protests for the rights of indigenous people are not pinning their hopes for change on Australia’s May 21 general election. As Australia votes, indigenous people press call for inclusion in constitution

Australia – China

• May 13, 2022. By Reuters. A Chinese intelligence ship was tracked off Australia’s west coast within 50 nautical miles of a sensitive defence facility, Australia said on Friday, raising concern amid an election campaign about China’s assertive behaviour in the region. Australia says Chinese spy ship’s presence off west coast ‘concerning’

Belarus

• May 12, 2022. By World Nuclear News. Belarus’s Deputy Energy Minister Mikhail Mikhadyuk said that work on the second unit at the country’s first nuclear power plant is proceeding on schedule – and said that the feasibility of building a second nuclear power plant in the country is ongoing. Belarus’s 2022 plan for second unit at Ostrovets ‘on schedule’ : New Nuclear

China

• May 13, 2022. By Sari Arho Havrén, RUSI. China sees Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine through the lens of great power competition between itself and the US. Beijing’s obsession with the US explains not only its position on the Ukraine war, but also its overall strategic intent towards Europe, as well as its short- and medium-term relationship with Russia. China’s Position on the Ukraine War Mirrors its Global Pursuits

China – West 

• May 13, 2022. By Aaron Mc Nicholas, The Interpreter.

Book Review: The Avoidable War: The Dangers of a Catastrophic Conflict between the US and Xi Jinping’s China, by Kevin Rudd (Hatchette 2022) 

The rise of a strong and confident China has had more implications for Australia than perhaps any other advanced country apart from the United States, as evidenced by the ongoing public debate over the impact of China’s new bilateral security agreement with the Solomon Islands. More than any other US ally, Australia has been forced to grapple with the consequences of a souring relationship with China in fields such as trade, higher education, regional security and foreign influence in domestic politics. Former prime minister Kevin Rudd’s book can thus be described as nothing short of indispensable for Australian, as well as US, observers who seek to understand how to view this ascending presence in their neighbourhood, and how they themselves are viewed likewise. China and the West: It’s about understanding each other

Egypt

• May 12, 2022. By Hirak Jyoti Das, VIF. On 24 February 2022, Russia launched military campaign against Ukraine after months of posturing, military build-ups and breakdown of the Minsk agreement that failed to resolve the conflict between the Ukrainian government and Russian-backed separatists in the two breakaway regions i.e. Donetsk and Luhansk. Russia’s policies in Ukraine are aimed at guaranteeing the right to self-determination in Russian dominated territories; demilitarisation; regime change; placing Ukraine in the Russian sphere of influence and thwarting North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO)’s advances at any cost. Impact of Russia-Ukraine Conflict on Food Security in Egypt

Europe – Japan

• May 11, 2022. By Céline Pajon, Eva Pejsova, IFRI. The war in Ukraine has shaken the foundations of European security and of the global rules-based order. In many ways, Russia’s aggression has been a wake-up call for the EU, adding a sense of urgency to its ongoing transformation to becoming a stronger geopolitical actor, materialised by the recent publication of its Strategic Compass – its first-ever white paper for security and defence. At the same time, the crisis has prompted the world’s democracies to come together in search of solutions and accentuated the need to form a united front against the rising tide of revisionist tendencies. Among those, Japan stood out by the uncharacteristic speed and scale of its response. The Strategic Compass was adopted shortly following Russia’s invasion of Ukrainian territory; a clear signal reaffirming the need for an EU security doctrine. European defence is stepping out of a theoretical realm into an operational one, raising questions which our contributors attempt to answer. As the post-World War II liberal order is challenged, the repercussions are not limited to Europe but also reach the Indo-Pacific. We publish four policy briefs shedding light on issues of collective self-defence, EU solidarity and the evolving relationship between the EU and NATO. These issues will figure prominently on the upcoming 12th May EU-Japan Summit and are covered timely by Céline Pajon and Eva Pejsova in this policy brief. Rapprochement in Times of Crisis: War in Ukraine and the EU-Japan Partnership

Georgia – Ukraine

• May 12, 2022. By Zaal Anjaparidze, The Jamestown Foundation. The Russian war of subjugation against Ukraine has complicated Georgian-Ukrainian relations, officially described as a “strategic partnership,” in unexpected ways. While the two threatened Russian neighbors seemingly share the same regional security outlook, ongoing tensions between them have been exacerbated by Kyiv’s discontent over the scope and nature of the Georgian government’s support for Ukraine as it fights for its survival. In turn, the Ukrainian side’s rebukes have ended up pitting Georgian politicians and citizens against one another other, with the opposition and broader population largely praised by Kyiv for its firm support to Ukraine, and the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party openly criticized for what Ukrainian officials have characterized as insufficient backing born out of an overbearing fear of Russia. Mounting Georgian-Ukrainian Tensions Harm Both Sides

Hong Kong

• May 13, 2022. By HRW. The Hong Kong police should drop their baseless criminal investigations against five prominent pro-democracy advocates, Human Rights Watch said today. The cases highlight the Hong Kong government’s broadening crackdown on human rights. Hong Kong: Prominent Democracy Advocates Arrested

India – Bhutan

• May 11, 2022. By Amb VP Haran, VIF. ‘Hydropower today is an important source of our wealth. With rapid advancements in harnessing nuclear, hydrogen, fusion, solar, thermal and wind energy, hydropower may soon lose its competitive edge. We may soon become a net energy importer’. Future of Hydropower Cooperation with Bhutan

India – Japan

• May 10, 2022. By Debasis Bhattacharya, VIF. The growing and robust consolidation of India-Japan strategic partnership is regarded as transformational in shaping the trajectory of geostrategic equilibrium in Indo-Pacific with global ramifications. Over the years the bilateral relations between New Delhi and Tokyo have been enhancing exponentially thereby paving the way forward towards concerted geopolitical endeavors through cooperation in establishing peace, stability, security, and territorial integrity of countries in the proximity of Indo-Pacific. The recently concluded India-Japan 14th Annual Summit that took place in person in New Delhi between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Kishida Fumio is a huge step forward in further propelling the momentum of strategic partnership between the two countries based on the spirit of mutual trust, friendship, and shared progress. India-Japan Strategic Partnership: Growing Convergence

Iran

• May 13, 2022. By Reuters. Soaring bread prices have triggered protests in Iran in which some shops were set on fire, prompting police to arrest scores of “provocateurs”, the official IRNA news agency said on Friday. Soaring bread prices spark protests and shop fires in Iran, IRNA reports

Japan

• May 12, 2022. By World Nuclear News. There is renewed interest in nuclear power from a decarbonisation and energy security perspective, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) said while announcing progress in its 2021 Medium-Term Business Plan, which covers the period FY2021-FY2023. The company said it will continue supporting the restart of Japan’s reactors while developing small modular reactors (SMRs) and advanced reactors. Nuclear power remains key sector for MHI : Corporate

Japan – China – Taiwan

• May 13, 2022. By Mong Cheung, East Asia Forum. While the US-Japan alliance, US military bases in Japan, and its geographical proximity make Japan an important country across the Taiwan Strait, it is yet to formulate any specific plans or legislation to guide its response to a potential crisis. If the United States were to request military assistance from Japan, Tokyo might be well in chaos. Japan’s reluctant realism on Taiwan
• May 13, 2022. By Mong Cheung, The Strategist. While the US–Japan alliance, US military bases in Japan, and its geographical proximity to Taiwan make Japan an important country across the Taiwan Strait, it is yet to formulate any specific plans or legislation to guide its response to a potential crisis. If the United States were to request military assistance from Japan, Tokyo might be well in chaos. Japan’s reluctant realism on Taiwan

Lebanon

• May 13, 2022. By Reuters.  Lebanese vote on Sunday in the first election since their country’s economic collapse, a test of whether Iran-backed Hezbollah and its allies can preserve their parliamentary majority amidst soaring poverty and anger at ruling parties. Lebanon to vote in first election since financial meltdown

Pakistan

• May 11, 2022. By Sushant Sareen, VIF. After the no confidence motion that ousted Imran Khan, Parliament elected unopposed Shahbaz Sharif as 23rd prime minister of the country, bringing to an end the political uncertainty that had gripped the nation. However the country still remains mired in uncertainties and is in major flux. Join Sushant Sareen Senior Fellow, Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi and Aakriti Vinayak in this podcast as they discuss the unfolding scenario in Pakistan. Challenges ahead for the Pakistan Government

Philippines

• May 13, 2022. By Adele Webb, The Interpreter. The offspring of strongmen were the clear winners in last Monday’s Philippine national election. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr is set to follow in the footsteps of his father, the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, and expected to be sworn in as President in July. Next to him will be the new Vice President Sara Duterte, daughter of departing president Rodrigo Duterte, whose championing of a police killing spree of alleged drug addicts has attracted international notoriety. What a Marcos Jr presidency in the Philippines means for geopolitics

Russia

• May 12, 2022. By Sam Cranny-Evans, Olga Ivshina, RUSI. Corruption is endemic in Russia and is pervasive within its defence industrial sector and armed forces. Evidence from Ukraine suggests that it is costing Russian lives. Corruption in the Russian Armed Forces

Russia – Kazakhstan

• May 12, 2022. By Paul Globe, The Jamestown Foundation. A rising tide of suggestions by Russian commentators and officials that Kazakhstan is becoming Russia’s enemy has simultaneously frightened Kazakhstanis that their country may be Moscow’s next target for aggression and sparked outrage. For many in Kazakhstan, it is not their own country that has become an enemy of Russia but rather Russia has become an enemy of Kazakhstan. Such a remarkable opinion shift in that large Central Asian republic, long viewed as closer to Russia than any other, is captured by a sign carried at a recent street demonstration there. The poster read simply, “Yesterday it was Georgia. Today, it is Ukraine. Will it be Kazakhstan tomorrow?” (Ritm Yevrazii, May 11). Moscow may have hoped to intimidate Kazakhstan with Russian statements that Kazakhstan is on its way to being “a second Ukraine” (see EDM, April 5), but its provocative rhetoric has had the unintended effect of creating a self-reinforcing downward spiral in bilateral relations. Russian Suggestions That Kazakhstan Is Russia’s Enemy Frighten and Outrage Kazakhs

Russia  – WHO

• May 12, 2022. By Richard Goldberg, Iselin Brady, Foundation for Defense of Democracies. The member states of the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region overwhelmingly passed a resolution on May 10 condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with 43 votes in favor and only Russia, Belarus, and Tajikistan opposed. The vote advances the Biden administration’s efforts to isolate Russia within international organizations yet imposes no meaningful consequences on Russia for its aggression. Biden Should Press WHO to Suspend Russia

Sri Lanka

• May 13, 2022. By Uditha Jayasinghe, Alasdair Pal, Reuters. Sri Lanka’s new prime minister will begin forming a unity government on Friday, but his appointment has failed to appease anti-government protesters demanding the resignation of the president for the country’s disastrous economic crisis. Sri Lanka protesters vow to continue anti-government campaign despite new PM

Sri Lanka – China

• May 10, 2022. By Gunjan Singh, VIF. Sri Lanka a tiny island country in the Indian Ocean has become an example of what Chinese investments can achieve. In the last two decades Sri Lanka has received around 15 billion in investments from China, making it one of the largest investors in the island nation. Sri Lanka has also joined the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) launched by President Xi Jinping in 2013. The major wake up call to these investments came when Sri Lanka was unable to repay the loans and it had to lease out the Hambantota port to China for 99 years. There are reports which suggest that this can be extended by another 99 years. Such an outcome gave further strength to argument of ‘debt trap’ which accompany the Chinese loans and investments. Can Sri Lanka break the Chinese hold?

Syria

• May 13, 2022. By Reuters. A rocket attack targeting a military bus in Syria killed 10 soldiers and wounded nine more in the northwest on Friday, state news agency SANA reported, in a deadly flare-up near the frontier with rebel-held territory close to the Turkish border. Rocket attack in Syria kills 10 soldiers, state media says

Tunisia – USA

• May 12, 2022. By Shadi Hamid and Sharan Grewal, Brookings. Nine long months have passed since the start of the slow-motion coup in Tunisia, a country that, until recently, offered one of the best hopes for democratization in the Middle East. After shuttering the parliament with tanks in July, President Kais Saied has suspended the constitution and dissolved the Supreme Judicial Council. In perhaps the most disturbing move yet, Saied has also now seized control of the independent electoral commission, allowing him to consolidate his rule. How long can a slow-motion power grab persist before it is plainly irreversible? Tunisia is sliding back into authoritarianism. Here’s what the US should do

UAE – USA

• May 13, 2022. By Reuters. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan, who died on Friday, was a pro-Western moderniser whose low-key approach helped steer the United Arab Emirates through a tense era in regional politics by aligning the Gulf oil producer closer with Washington and its allies, including Israel. Modernising UAE leader Khalifa moved UAE closer to U.S.

UK 

• May 13, 2022. By World Nuclear News. The UK government has announced the launch of GBP120 million (USD146 million) in funding to support development of new nuclear energy projects, stimulate competition in the industry and unlock investment across the UK. The Future Nuclear Enabling Fund (FNEF) will help to realise the government’s ambition to approve eight new reactors by 2030. UK launches funding to encourage nuclear new build : Nuclear Policies

UK – Ukraine

• May 11, 2022. By John Kampfner, Chatham House. ‘The UK stands with Ukraine’ blares the message on the home page. ‘Find out how you can help,’ it adds. This is not a charity appeal but the UK government’s microsite proclaiming its assistance in repelling the Russian invasion. UK’s strong Ukraine support hides a less glorious past

USA 

• May 13, 2022. By Hoyu Chong  David M. Hart, ITIF. The FY 2023 budget request signals America’s commitment to sustaining bipartisan momentum for clean energy innovation. Congress should seize this opportunity to accelerate domestic clean energy industries and shape the U.S. response to climate change. Further Energizing Innovation in Fiscal Year 2023
• May 12, 2022. By Anthony H. Cordesman, CSIS. The war in Ukraine has already shown how dangerous it is for the U.S. to assume that it can rebalance its forces to one region and count on a lasting peace or detente in others. It now is all too clear that U.S. strategy must continue to focus on Europe as well as China. What is less clear is the extent to which the Ukraine War is an equal warning that the U.S. must have a truly global strategy – and one that continues to focus on other critical regions like the Middle East.  U.S. Strategy: Rebalancing Global Energy between Europe, Russia, and Asia and U.S. Security Policy in the Middle East and the Gulf
• May 12, 2022. By World Nuclear News. Oklo Inc has become the first developer to run tests at Argonne National Laboratory’s new Thermal Hydraulic Experimental Test Article (THETA) capability. The tests will support the licensing of liquid metal fast reactor designs. First tests under way at new US liquid metal facility : New Nuclear

USA – ASEAN

• May 13, 2022. By  Trevor Hunnicutt, Reuters. U.S. President Joe Biden opened a gathering of Southeast Asian leaders with a promise to spend $150 million on their infrastructure, security, pandemic preparedness and other efforts aimed at countering the influence of rival China. With China in focus, Biden makes $150 million commitment to ASEAN leaders

DEFENSE – MILITARY – SPACE – CYBER

• May 13, 2022. By Pierluigi Paganini, Security Affairs. Researchers at Secureworks Counter Threat Unit (CTU) are investigating a series of attacks conducted by the Iran-linked COBALT MIRAGE APT group. The threat actors have been active since at least June 2020 and are linked to the Iranian COBALT ILLUSION group (aka APT35, Charming Kitten, PHOSPHOROUS and TunnelVision). Iran-linked COBALT MIRAGE group uses ransomware in its operations
• May 13, 2022. By Juho Lee, Naval News. The Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) and Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced that four 230-ton Patrol Killer Medium Rocket (PKMR) patrol ships produced by HJ shipbuilding & Construction (HJSC) were launched on May 12th. The ships are expected to greatly improve the ROKN’s ability to deal with asymmetric naval threats from North Korea. HJSC Launches 4 New PKMR Boats for the ROK Navy
• May 13, 2022. By Naval News. The South Korean Navy awards ECA Group a fifth consecutive contract for the supply of a Steering and Diving Console (SNDC) in the framework of its South Korean submarine program. ECA Group provides its Steering and Diving Console to the ROK Navy Submarines
• May 13, 2022. By Benjamin Felton, Naval News. During INDO PACIFIC 2022 several contenders emerged for the Royal Australian Navy’s requirement for new Joint Support Ships (JSS). Under project SEA2200, Australia will domestically build two multipurpose auxiliary vessels, able to perform both sealift and replenishment operations, to replace HMAS Choules. New Details Emerge on Australia’s Future Joint Support Ship
• May 13, 2022. By Naval News. The 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group of the U.S. Air Force conducted the largest maritime Weapons System Evaluation Program between 7 and 15 April 2022. USAF Conducts Largest Evaluation of Maritime Weapons
• May 13, 2022. By Andrew Eversden, Breaking Defense. While the Army has hyped its foray into long-range missiles as part of its Pacific strategy, members of Congress expressed concern that the service is missing a critical element: the basing agreements with friendly nations there where the weapons would need to be effectively deployed to deter any Chinese designs on Taiwan. Lawmakers worry Army doesn’t have basing agreements for long-range fires
• May 13, 2022. By Colin Clark, Breaking Defense. Eight days before a heavily-contested federal election, Defense Minister Peter Dutton today revealed that a Chinese intelligence ship had entered Australia’s exclusive economic zone and was “hugging the coastline” near highly classified facilities, in what he called “an aggressive act.”. ‘Aggressive act’: Aussie defense minister knocks Chinese intel ship ‘hugging coastline’
• May 13, 2022. By Pradeep S Mehta, Sandra George, East Asia Forum. Emerging cooperation between India and Australia is widely understood as a response to the China challenge that is facilitated by multilateral groupings like the Quad. But the recent signing of the Australia–India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) on 2 April suggests the bilateral relationship is much more substantial. Defence cooperation hardens the India–Australia relationship
• May 13, 2022. By Trevor Taylor, RUSI. This paper seeks to address the wider issues of how and why the Ajax programme reached its current condition, and points to four early learnings. Lessons from the Ajax Programme
• May 13, 2022. By Reuters. Germany is considering supplying IRIS-T SLM medium range surface-to-air defence systems to Ukraine, a security source said on Friday. Germany considering whether to supply IRIS-T air defence system to Ukraine
• May 13, 2022. By Rahul Mishra and Peter Brian M. Wang, The Strategist. Amid debate on initiatives such as the Quad and AUKUS, Malaysia and Indonesia are looking for alternative security frameworks based on cooperative principles in line with ASEAN’s aversion to notions of collective security. Middle-power security agreements help maintain regional maritime order
• May 12, 2022. By Juliana Suess, RUSI. The US was the first state to conduct an anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons test, as far back as 1959. Since then, several countries have conducted similar tests, generating dangerous orbital debris. Episode 11: No Such Thing As A Responsible Anti-Satellite Test
• May 12, 2022. By Pierluigi Paganini, Security Affairs. Multiple cybersecurity authorities from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the U.K., and the U.S. this week released a joint advisory warning of threats targeting managed service providers (MSPs) and their customers. Five Eyes agencies warn of attacks on MSPs
• May 12, 2022. By Naval News. Australian sensor solutions provider Sentient Vision Systems has unveiled its AI-powered ViDAR surface solution at the Indo Pacific 2022 exhibition in Sydney, Australia, which aims to enable autonomous surface monitoring during day and night. Sentient unveils “ViDAR Surface” at Indo Pacific 2022
• May 12, 2022. By Naval News. Raytheon Anschütz, a business of Raytheon Technologies, has signed a contract with BAE Systems Australia’s maritime division for initial design work of an integrated navigation and bridge system for the Royal Australian Navy’s Hunter class frigate program. Raytheon to provide navigation systems to Hunter class frigates
• May  12, 2022. By Naval News. Tasmanian manufacturer, PFG, has launched its newest vessel in The Sentinel Range; an ultra-durable High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) 11-metre tactical watercraft at Indo Pacific International Maritime Exposition 2022 in Sydney. PFG unveils Sentinel 1100 watercraft at Indo Pacific 2022
• May 12, 2022. By Justin Katz, Breaking Defense. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Michael Gilday had blunt words today for two powerhouse companies that build submarines for the Navy: We need your shipyards, but not the problems that come with them. Navy’s submarine builders ‘over cost’, ‘under performing’: Top admiral
• May 12, 2022. By Theresa Hitchens, Breaking Defense. In the wake of new revelations about the Trump administration’s decision to base Space Command in Alabama, lawmakers from rival Colorado fighting to keep the HQ in their state are focusing on the complaint by military leadership that the basing review did not assess how long it would take each candidate site to become fully operational. After IG revelations, CO politicians push need for speed in basing SPACECOM HQ
• May 12, 2022. By  Courtney Albon, Defense News. A decade ago, the major launch pads at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and Kennedy Space Center in Florida were flying just three or four missions annually. Now, after a record 31 launches in 2021, they are expecting to host 67 this year, or almost one every five days. Space Force lays out ‘Range of the Future’ priorities as launches surge
• May 12, 2022. By  Gerard O’Dwyer, Defense News. Nordic governments have set about deepening regional defense cooperation against the backdrop of the very real expectation that non-aligned Sweden and Finland will announce their decisions to join NATO as soon as May 16. Finland’s top leaders press for rapid NATO membership
• May 12, 2022. By Colin Demarest, Defense News. The U.S. Army will pursue sophisticated data-sharing capabilities at this year’s Project Convergence demonstration that officials said will enable the best-positioned military asset to take immediate action, regardless national affiliation. Project Convergence 22 aims to have best-positioned force shoot first
• May 12, 2022. By Courtney Albon, Defense News. The U.S. Department of Defense may rewrite its guide for classifying space programs, a policy official told lawmakers this week. Pentagon may rethink how it determines which space programs are classified
• May 12, 2022. By Megan Eckstein, Defense News. The U.S. Marine Corps’ first unit designed to carry out new concepts of operations conducted its first exercise in the Philippines and is now preparing to start a range of experimentation and training events this year. First-of-kind Marine littoral regiment plays with new concepts, weapons
• May 12, 2022. By Todd South, Defense News. Infantry battalion experimentation in the past few years provided vital, but not conclusive, feedback for the future of the heart of the Marine Corps. There’s more to follow, but Col. Christopher Bronzi shared some takeaways at the 2022 Modern Day Marine exposition on Wednesday. Dispersed, more lethal: What Marine infantry battalion experiments have shown so far
• May 12, 2022. By Todd South, Defense News. More than a decade of finding, fixing and killing terrorist targets gave Marine Corps Special Operations Command a baptism into the world of fast-paced, worldwide joint operations. Marine Raiders tackle ‘influencing’ to disrupt adversaries before the fight
• May 10. By Nigel Cory, ITIF. On March 8, 2022, France enacted updated “sovereignty requirements” as part of a new cybersecurity certification and labeling program known as SecNumCloud. This post analyses how these restrictions breach both France and the European Union’s (EU) commitments under the World Trade Organization’s General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), especially as it relates to national treatment, most-favored-nation (MFN), and market access. It also analyzes the implications for transatlantic digital trade and cooperation, including at the Trade and Technology Council (TTC). France’s “Sovereignty Requirements” for Cybersecurity Services Violate WTO Trade Law and Undermine Transatlantic Digital Trade and Cybersecurity Cooperation

HORIZONS

• May 12, 2022. By Yu Xiang, Valdai Discussion Club. The international monetary system refers to the institutional arrangements and practices for pricing, currencies exchange, payments adjustment, etc. The world monetary system is not eternal but will evolve with environmental changes. At the end of World War II, the United States promoted the establishment of the Bretton Woods system, the core of which was the dollar as a means of valuation, trading, and value storage. In the decades between the 1971s and the 2008 financial crisis, the Bretton Woods system had experienced changes, the fixed link between the US dollar and gold was nullified, and the exchange rates of national currencies entered the nominally free-floating Jamaican system, however the US dollar, as the foundation of the international monetary system, didn’t falter. Prospects for De-Dollarisation of the World Monetary System and Settlements in National Currencies
• May 12, 2022. By Dana R. Fisher, Brookings. It’s been 30 years since the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change was finalized and opened for signatures. Since then, countries have held 27 rounds of negotiations with the goal of implementing policies that will limit the effects of climate change. Nonetheless, carbon emissions continue on their upward trajectory. My new paper draws on the lessons from societal responses to the COVID-19 pandemic to answer the question: How do we get to successful climate action? What will it take to get to successful climate action?

RUSSIA – UKRAINE

• May 13, 2022. By Robbin Laird, Breaking Defense. Last August, the Biden Administration led a disastrous exit from Afghanistan, under the justification that the US could no longer take responsibility for a war with no end point in sight. Eight months later, the same administration is ramping up engagement in the Ukraine conflict — a conflict with no realistic end point on the horizon. Three questions about ending the war in Ukraine
• May 13, 2022. By Pavel Polityuk, Tom Balmforth, Reuters. A Ukrainian court held a preliminary hearing on Friday in the first war crimes trial arising from Russia’s Feb. 24 invasion, after charging a captured Russian soldier with the murder of a 62-year-old civilian.  Ukraine begins first war crimes trial of Russian soldier
• May 13, 2022. By Jonathan Landay, Reuters. Ukrainian forces destroyed a pontoon bridge and parts of a Russian armoured column as it tried to cross a river in the Donbas region, video released by Ukraine’s military showed on Friday, and a Russian naval ship was set afire in the Black Sea. Ukrainian forces thwart Russian river crossing, hit naval ship
• May 13, 2022. By Alexander Ratz, John Irish, Reuters. Foreign ministers from the G7 group of rich nations aim to give what Germany called a “powerful sign of unity” as they meet on Friday to discuss the war in Ukraine, fears that the conflict could spill over into Moldova, and food security concerns. Germany promises G7 show of unity against Russia as ministers meet
• May 13, 2022. By Alessandra Prentice, Reuters. Five storeys below the besieged Azovstal steelworks, Ukrainian soldiers told Nataliya Babeush she had a few minutes to prepare to escape the underground bunker she called home for more than two months. “Moles in the dark”: survival and escape from the Mariupol steelworks
• May 13, 2022. By Jonathan Landay, Reuters. Ukraine said it had damaged a Russian navy logistics ship near Snake Island, a small but strategic outpost in the Black Sea, while relatives of Ukrainian soldiers holed up in Mariupol’s besieged steelworks pleaded for them to be saved. Ukraine says it damaged Russian ship, seeks evacuation of wounded Mariupol fighters
• May 12, 2022. By Marla Keenan, Stimson Center. Human Security and the Protection of Civilians are not only important but central to the Alliance’s purpose. Remarks to NATO’s Operational Policy Committee on Ukraine, Human Security, and Protection of Civilians
• May 12, 2022. By Max Bergmann, CSIS. On Monday, all eyes were on Red Square for the annual May 9 victory day celebration to see what Vladimir Putin would do. The answer was not much. Instead of mobilizing the country for total war against Ukraine or declaring some sort of Potemkin victory, Putin stayed the course. This is not because the current trajectory of Russia’s operation in Ukraine is working as planned. What has become apparent in the war in Ukraine, especially since Russia gave up its offensive against Kyiv, is that there is a gap between Russia’s grandiose geopolitical objectives and its capacity to deliver. Russia’s Coming Great Power Struggle
• May 12, 2022. By John C. K. Daly, The Jamestown Foundation. Ten weeks after Russian President Vladimir Putin began his unprovoked full-scale assault on Ukraine (launched on February 24), both combatants are beginning to experience logistical shortages, from personnel to military equipment. Accurate information is difficult to ascertain, but the Russian media is reporting that Ethiopians, prompted by rumors of lucrative military contracts to fight in Ukraine, have been lining up in front of the Russian Embassy in Addis Ababa, in the hopes of securing rich sign-on bonuses. Russia Denies Recruiting Ethiopian Volunteers for Its ‘Special Military Operation’ in Ukraine
• May 10, 2022. By Vice Admiral Satish Soni (Retd), PVSM, AVSM, NM, ADC, VIF. Join Vice Admiral Satish Soni (Retd), PVSM, AVSM, NM, ADC and Shashank Sharma for a discussion on the naval action and maritime activities in the Black Sea as part of the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, the Russian naval strategic drivers, and the lessons for other navies. Naval Aspects of the Russo – Ukraine Conflict
• May 2022. By John B. Gilliam and Ryan C. Van Wie, Brookings. Russia’s ongoing struggles during its invasion of Ukraine have led some to suggest that the Russian military lacks the capability to credibly threaten the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and its member states. However, narrowly focusing on Russia’s tactical and operational struggles, while omitting the flawed Russian strategic decisionmaking which underpinned the invasion, is a dangerous approach. While Russia’s significant losses in this war will clearly degrade its ability to conduct large scale offensive operations against NATO in the short term, it is too soon to write off the medium to long-term threat posed by Russia. Therefore, as the Russian invasion enters a new phase, it is useful to determine what lessons should and should not be derived from this conflict. Interim security insights and implications from the first two months of the Russia-Ukraine war

TECH

• May 13, 2022. By Teagan Westendorf, The Strategist. Policing agencies consider artificial intelligence a force multiplier because it can rapidly process more data than human brains and yield insights to help solve complex analytical problems. Our limited understanding of how AI algorithms make decisions and produce their insights, however, presents a significant challenge to ethically and safely implementing AI policing solutions. The use of AI by Queensland police provides a valuable opportunity to study how we can mitigate the possible negative, ethical and operational effects of this problem. AI and policing: what a Queensland case study tells us
• May 12, 2022. By Noémi També, RUSI. This Policy Brief examines how the FCA should work with its regulated populations to be more data-driven, innovative and apply risk-based supervision. Revolutionising Financial Supervision
• May 12, 2022. By Gillian Diebold, Center for Data Innovation. The Center for Data Innovation spoke with Oliver Kocsis, product manager at Novakid, a San Francisco-based startup that uses AI to power its English as a Second Language (ESL) platform. Kocsis explained how Novakid uses machine learning to deliver a customized curriculum for each student. 5 Q’s for Oliver Kocsis, Product Manager at Novakid
• May 11, 2022. By Benjamin Mueller, Center for Data Innovation. It has been four years since the GDPR, the EU’s flagship data protection law, came into force. Plenty of empirical work shows that the GDPR imposes substantial costs on Europe‘s economy. It is unsurprising, therefore, that after departing from the EU, the British government has signaled its intention to loosen some of the GDPR’s more burdensome features. The EU, by contrast, defiantly broadcasts the message that the law is working well. Unfortunately, a new study provides further evidence that the GDPR has inflicted a lasting blow to the European digital economy. More Evidence Emerges That the GDPR Has Inflicted Lasting Damage to the EU’s Digital Economy