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Travel South Global Week kicks off

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By News Desk

travel south global summit

Travel South USA’s (TSUSA) second annual Global Week kicks off this week in Atlanta at the Grand Hyatt Buckhead. Travel South Global Week is designed to gather state tourism office staff, destination marketing professionals and media vendors for three days to focus on the region’s global competitiveness and strategies to increase market share.

The program includes three components: Global Summit presentations, Travel South USA Board of Directors Meeting and State Workshop Roundtables, and the Domestic & Global Innovation Challenge.

Global Summit is designed as a master class for destinations to address the recovery of global markets to the South. Curated industry experts share insights on the ever-evolving international markets, specific to the South, outlining the plans and activations that will allow the Southern region to gain more market share. This year features an incredible lineup of speakers, including Adam Sacks, Tourism Economics; Erin Francis-Cummings, Destination Analysts; Carroll Rheem, iolite group; Amanda Hills, MMGY/Hills Balfour UK; Martin Stoll, Sparkloft Media; Maureen Lachant, Visit USA Committee France; and Global Partner representatives from Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, the Nordic Region, The Netherlands; and Brand USA.

Attendees will also have access to a series of Landscape Reports offering a boots-on-the-ground viewpoint on the industry’s current state and opportunities for recovery, specifically for the 12 Travel South USA states. TSUSA commissioned best-in-class agencies to address the factors affecting travel in depth. These white-paper reports include a brief look at the country’s economic conditions, the availability of long-haul flights, our global gateways and connectivity to the South, governmental restrictions on travel, border controls, insurance issues, consumer behaviors, consumer sentiment, tour operators’ business models and shifts in products, as well as the shakeup and evolution of media players.

Travel South USA’s Board of Directors meeting and State Workshop Roundtables engage state travel directors and their staffs as we work collaboratively to establish the tourism industry as the leading sector of the Southern USA’s economy, and make it a top-tier global destination through our marketing, sales and strategic partnerships. The staff workshop and listening sessions will be facilitated by Trever Cartwright, Partner, Coraggio Group.

“I am so appreciative of the expertise the Coraggio Group brings to our discussions,” shared Liz Bittner, President & CEO, Travel South USA. “In May 2020, we started a five-year strategic-planning process, which was a calculated risk during the pandemic. We are continuing to monitor, adapt and continuously improve our process and increase the value proposition for the Southern travel industry.”

Finally, during Global Week, the state tourism offices also will have the opportunity to hear presentations from 15 media vendors selected by a taskforce, offering unique and innovative regional proposals. This new Ultimate Innovation Challenge is designed to bring out the very best ideas in creativity, innovation and measurement to inspire travel and visitation to and within the 12 member states. This builds off the 15-year success of the Ultimate Ad Challenge, which has had more than $11.8 million in ad revenue.

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Global Summit Charts 
Inbound Travel to the South

ATLANTA — The Southern international inbound travel community gathered April 18–19 in Atlanta for Travel South USA’s 2022 Global Summit, an annual conference that addresses foreign travel into the region. More than 160 delegates from 12 Southern state travel offices and dozens of convention and visitors bureaus met to collaboratively reignite travel marketing efforts aimed at visitors from Canada, Mexico and Latin America, Europe, Australia and other foreign destinations.

On the heels of a global travel collapse due to COVID-19, research authority Adam Sacks with Tourism Economics projected inbound travel to the U.S. would recover in 2022 to 62% of pre-pandemic levels, increase to 85 percent of former levels in 2023 and recover entirely in 2024. In 2019, the record year prior to the pandemic, international travelers accounted for more than 79 million visits to the United States.

  “Our five-year plan for inbound travel marketing completed in late 2020 is more vital than ever due to the interruption of the past two years,” said Travel South USA president and CEO Liz Bittner. “We are branding our authentic Southern sites and experiences for travelers across the globe to restore travel to our region. Only we can deliver the Americana appeal of the South to the world’s visitors.  

travel south global summit

  “It’s important to remember that, prior to the pandemic, had we been able to entice every foreign visitor who came to the South to stay an additional day, the net result would have been an additional billion dollars to our regional economy,” said Bittner. “The Southern travel industry is depending on us to create the branding that will make that happen.”

In addition to a research panel moderated by Travel South USA board member Doug Bourgeois of Louisiana that included Sacks’ travel recovery presentation, board member Mike Mangeot of Kentucky moderated a panel discussion on navigating the new tourism landscape that featured travel officials from the U.K., Germany and France.   The afternoon program featured briefings from six foreign field representatives for Travel South USA on its sales programs from markets like Latin America, the Netherlands and New Zealand.

Travel South USA is creating the framework for a new Global Ready Network that will identify destinations in each state that meet necessary criteria to accommodate inbound visitation. Bittner expects to have that program off the ground and operating before the Travel South International Showcase being held November 27–30 in Louisville, Kentucky.

  “International visitation requires professionals familiar with the needs of foreign travelers,” said Bittner. “Louisville understands those needs, and we’ll have Global Ready Network up and running for International Showcase. Our program in Louisville features events at internationally known venues like the Frazier History Museum, the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience and the Muhammad Ali Center. And we have a closing luncheon hosted by West Virginia Tourism that will introduce that state’s authentic appeal before we send dozens of international buyers off on site-inspection trips across the South.”

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Alabama Tourism Department

The official site for industry professionals, industry calendar.

Jan. 13 – Jan. 17 | Nashville, TN

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Mar. 20 – Mar. 23 | Little Rock, AK

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India hosts 1st Voice of Global South summit

KYODO NEWS

India on Thursday hosted its first summit of developing countries from Asia, Africa and South America, bringing together the perspectives and priorities of issues shared by what is collectively called the Global South.

In the virtual two-day summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that as India holds the presidency of the Group of 20 major economies this year, it is natural that the aim of the country remains to amplify the voice of the Global South.

travel south global summit

Modi said it is clear that global growth in the 21st century will come from developing countries as advanced economies are slowing down.

"I think that if we work together, we can set the global agenda," he told the Voice of Global South summit. "As the eight-decade old model of global governance slowly changes, we should try to shape the emerging order."

Modi said the Global South collectively has the largest stake in the future as three quarters of humanity reside there and each of the countries should have an equal voice.

The Indian leader emphasized that the world is in a state of crisis and it is difficult to predict how long this state of instability will last.

"Most of the global challenges have not been created by the Global South. But they affect us more," he said, referring to the impacts made by COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, terrorism and even the war in Ukraine.

"I am confident that together the Global South can produce new and creative ideas," he said. "These ideas can form the basis of our voice in the G-20 and other forums."

Also attending the summit were the leaders of Bangladesh, Mongolia, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Papua New Guinea, Mozambique, Senegal and Guyana.

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We cannot wait for you to join us as part of our main campus experience for The Global Leadership Summit August 3-4, 2023! This page will have the information you need to make this GLS one to remember!

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From our Main Campus you are experiencing the Summit in our auditorium where our ministry and marketplace speakers will share their insights to help you gain new perspectives, shift your mindset, and stir wonder to help you cast a vision of calling and purpose. Between sessions you can enjoy complimentary water, coffee, and Pepsi products, or visit our local café to purchase a beverage.

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From o’hare airport.

  • Take exit to I-294 North
  • Immediately take exit to I-90 (Northwest Tollway to Rockford)
  • Go west on I-90
  • Exit Barrington Road North
  • Turn right on Algonquin Road
  • Go east on Algonquin Road for 1/4 mile
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(40 minute drive, considering traffic)

From Midway Airport

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(70 minute drive, considering traffic)

Willow Creek Community Church 67 East Algonquin Road South Barrington, IL 60010

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A carry-on breakfast will be available for the first 350 guests. Busses will run from 7 – 9:30 a.m. and 3 – 5 p.m. both days. One bus will be on campus 7 a.m. – 5 p.m.

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These hotels offer special rates to our guests. reduced rates are available by mentioning the global leadership summit when booking your stay ., holiday inn / schaumburg $119 / night*.

Holiday Inn by IHG – Chicago Northwest Schaumburg 1998 North Roselle Road Schaumburg, IL 60195 847-885-0101

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Homewood Suites by Hilton 815 American Lane Schaumburg, IL 60173 847-605-0400

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Chicago Marriott Northwest $149 / night*

Chicago Marriott Northwest 4800 Hoffman Blvd Hoffman Estates, IL 60192 847-645-9500

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Comfort Inn Hoffman Est. $99 / night*

Comfort Inn Hoffman Estates 2075 Barrington Road Hoffman Estates, IL 60169 847-884-6400

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G Adventures Announces 2024 GX Community Tourism Summit to Take Place in India

G Adventures , the world's largest privately owned small-group adventure travel company, has just announced the imminent return of last year’s GX Community Tourism Summit in 2024, to be hosted in conjunction with its non-profit partner, Planeterra, in the vibrant destination of India .

After seeing how incredibly successful its inaugural event was in Cusco, Peru in 2023, G Adventures and Planeterra will once again invite an assortment of agents, suppliers, media members and travelers to assemble in-destination to experience firsthand the profound impact that community tourism can have on local people in a destination, as well as on travelers themselves.   

Scheduled to run from September 24 to 29, 2024, the second GX Summit will also reprise the incorporation of the Change Makers agent event, which brings together “agents of change” from all around the globe. The summit itself will wrap up with full-day World Community Tourism celebration on September 27, 2024, coinciding with World Tourism Day.

The Change Makers campaign signup is already live and submissions will be accepted through May 31, 2024. The initiative incentivizes advisors to work toward altering people’s lives through travel by booking trips with G Adventures. Advisors who succeed in securing a place at the Change Makers conference will witness firsthand how their efforts directly benefit the communities their clients visit during a six-day exploration of India. 

In concert with the non-profit Planeterra, G Adventures selected India as the host country for its 2024 GX Community Tourism Summit because of its colorful culture, wealth of tourism offerings, warm hospitality and the limitless opportunities to launch more community tourism projects intended to spread wealth within the country.

Bruce Poon Tip, founder of both G Adventures and Planeterra, called India an obvious choice of venue for the event, given the type of experience that the GX Summit provides to participants. 

“Last year we hosted our first GX Summit in Peru, and I was mind blown by the feedback we received following the event,” he said. “There was no question we had to repeat this experience. The feedback from attendees was so encouraging, people came back energized about the power of community tourism to make a real difference to people in the places we visit.” 

He continued, “India is an electrifying location, and one that really needs tourism’s support. It’s not fully bounced back since the pandemic, so I’m excited to host our guests and to be able to encourage more people to travel to India the right way at the same time. There’s no better feeling for me than seeing all our communities come together over one shared experience. We learn a lot, but we also have a lot of fun.”

The GX Summit itinerary will guide attendees on an immersive six-day journey across such destinations as Delhi, Jaipur and Agra, highlighting aspects of community tourism in each location. The culminant World Community Tourism Day Summit on September 27 will convene advisors, suppliers, media and travelers together to listen to inspiring speakers discuss the transformative potential of community tourism.

Agents interested in attending can find more information on the Change Makers campaign on the G Adventures website or contact their regional global purpose specialist. Further details on GX and the World Community Tourism Day program will be unveiled in the coming months.

The 2023 GX Community Tourism Summit event, hosted by G Adventures and Planeterra.

Russia Looks to India to Fill Tourism Void

Peden Doma Bhutia , Skift

September 28th, 2022 at 7:30 AM EDT

Tourism to Russia has taken an enormous hit since the country's invasion of Ukraine. An economy hurt by sanctions doesn't help in its pitch to travelers either. But Russia sees opportunities with India's outbound travelers.

Peden Doma Bhutia

As Russia engages in the worst fighting in Europe since World War II with Ukraine, tourism is one of the worst hit sectors for the country, especially at a time when destinations are charting their way towards recovery post the Covid crisis.

Travel to and from Russia continues to be hit by sanctions , as a result the destination is aggressively wooing travelers from what it deems as more “friendly countries” and India seems to be high on the list.

At the recently-held Outbound Travel Mart (OTM) in Mumbai, one of the largest travel trade events in India, the Russian contingent descended in full force as it made a strong bid to sell the destination to Indian travelers.

Representatives from the city of Moscow City Tourism Committee and Saint Petersburg Convention Bureau addressed the media and spoke about the “abundant tourism opportunities” that the destinations offer for Indian travelers.

Strangely, Russia, a very important tourist destination, does not have a national tourism organization with their office in India, noted Mahendra Vakharia, managing director of India-based Pathfinders Holidays.

However Vakharia noted that St. Petersburg Tourism and Moscow City Tourism Committee have individually done more than their bit since the last few months and have been aggressively engaging with the travel trade through roadshows, presentations, seminars and workshops.

Russia also plans to launch electronic visa for 52 countries , including India — a resolution that had been passed in 2020, but had been stalled due to the Covid restrictions.

What’s more, Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed a visa-free entry between Russia and India this month, during his meeting with the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Uzbekistan.

The easing of visa regulations would certainly be an incentive, especially as the wait for visas keeps getting longer for Indian passport holders, with the waiting time for a U.S. visa appointment going up to two years.

Calling Russia a popular destination for all types of Indian travelers — leisure, groups, students as well as meetings, incentives, conferences and events, Pathfinders Holidays’ Vakharia noted that enquiries have been pouring in from Indian travelers. “The inclination is there to travel, but the uncertainty of war is holding them back.”

While St. Petersburg noted a drop of 72 percent in tourism during the pandemic, Kuzenskaya Julia, deputy chairperson of the city’s committee for tourism development, said they’ve noted that Indians are increasingly keen to visit the destination.

“We are working to unlock the full tourism potential of Russia to help increase footfalls from India. Our main focus is on group tourism as well as the meetings, incentives, conferences and events sector,” Julia said while speaking in Mumbai.

And even as Russia continues its offensive against Ukraine, Julia assured that tourists are under no threat in the country and that “everything is peaceful.”

Asian destinations would be a huge area of focus for the tourism boards as these markets provide huge potential to improve Russia’s tourism numbers.

In 2021, inbound travel from India to Moscow recovered by 40 percent compared to 2019, according to the Federal Agency for Tourism.

Outside nations in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Turkey, Germany and India are reportedly the top three key markets for inbound arrivals into Moscow, according to Alina Arutyunova, deputy chairperson of Moscow city tourism committee.

Encouraging individual tourists from India to visit Moscow, Arutyunova said this is the right time for Russia and India to strengthen their ties.

“In Moscow, things are normal, it is safe for tourists. In fact, travel to Russia is safe,” she said, adding that the city received 50,000 Indian tourists in 2021, while the tourism receipts from India for the first half of 2022 has been 13,300 tourists. 

Skift India Report

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Tags: asia monthly , coronavirus recovery , india outbound , moscow , Russia war , Ukraine War , visa

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2024 TFCS Summit Agenda

2024 Trade Facilitation Cargo Security Summit with the world and an arrow.

Philadelphia Marriott Downtown 1200 Filbert Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107 March 26-28

Monday, march 25, 2024, 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm.

Pre-Function Foyer, Level 4

Registration Onsite Pre-Check-in

6:00 pm – 8:00 pm.

Salons A-F, Level 5  

Networking Session

Opening remarks.

Matthew Davies, Acting Director of Field Operations, Baltimore Field Office, CBP

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

7:00 am – 4:00 pm, registration onsite check-in.

Foyer, Level 5  

Room 501, Level 5

ACE Helpdesk

(appointments and walk-ins)

8:00 am – 8:15 am

Salons G-L, Level 5  

Presentation of Colors/National Anthem

CBP Philadelphia Honor Guard

8:15 am – 8:20 am

Salons G-L, Level 5

Welcome Address

Susan Thomas , Executive Director, Cargo and Conveyance Security (CCS), Office of Field Operations, CBP

8:20 am – 8:30 am

Troy A. Miller , Acting Commissioner, CBP

8:30 am – 9:45 am

The strategy to combat illicit opioids - cross border impacts.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 75% of all drug overdose deaths involved an opioid. The White House has announced a whole-of-government approach to save lives by disrupting the trafficking of illicit fentanyl and its precursors into American communities. Attendees will hear from Law Enforcement community experts that will discuss what each agency is doing to fight this battle.

Adam W. Cohen , Deputy Director, Office of National Drug Control Policy, Executive Office of the President

Josie Abrego , National Program Manager, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

Jeremiah A. Daley , Executive Director, Liberty Mid-Atlantic HIDTA

Joseph Draganac , Director, Fentanyl Campaign Directorate, OFO, CBP

Sean F. McStravick , Assistant Inspector in Charge, Contraband Interdiction and Investigations, United States Postal Service

9:45 am – 9:55 am

Foyer, Level 5

9:55 am – 11:10 am

Artificial intelligence (ai) and innovation.

The panelists will discuss their experiences working with AI (including Generative AI), the AI Executive Order, proof of concepts underway, challenges/opportunities, and the value to our 24/7 mission as we forge the path for more accessible, secure, and scalable AI.

Sanjeev “Sonny” Bhagowalia , Assistant Commissioner, Office of Information Technology (OIT), and Chief Information Officer (CIO), CBP

Sunil Madhugiri , Chief Technology Officer, OIT, CBP

James W. McNeely , Section Chief, Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, DHS

Thomas J. Mills , Executive Director, Cargo Systems Program Directorate, OIT, CBP

Michael P. Weissman , Acting Chief Data Officer, Office of the Chief Information Officer, DHS

11:10 am – 11:20 am

11:20 am – 12:30 pm.

Salons A-F, Level 5

Luncheon Keynote

Keynote Speaker:  Don Graves , Deputy Secretary, Department of Commerce

12:30 pm – 12:45 pm

12:45 pm – 1:15 pm, conversation with a "trade guy".

Renowned trade podcaster sits down with the executive assistant commissioner of trade, AnnMarie Highsmith, to share his experience working with international businesses and the trade community.

William Alan Reinsch , Senior Adviser and Scholl Chair in International Business, Center for Strategic & International Studies, The Trade Guys podcast

1:15 pm – 2:30 pm

Ushering in a new era for gbi.

Join us for an informative session on CBP's Global Business Identifier (GBI) Test. We'll discuss how CBP is working to facilitate supply chain traceability using identifiers, the expanded scope of the GBI Test, and new opportunities for participation.

Valarie Neuhart , Deputy Executive Director, Office of Trade Relations (OTR), CBP

Erik Ekwurzel , Senior Vice President & Head of Product and Operations, Public Sector, Dun and Bradstreet (D&B)

Angela Fernandez , Senior Vice President, Market Development, GS1 US

Brandon Lord , Executive Director, Trade Policy & Programs, Office of Trade (OT), CBP

John E. Verbeten , Deputy Director for Import Operations Enforcement, Office of Import Operations, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

Stephan Wolf , Chief Executive Officer, Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF)

2:30 pm – 2:40 pm

2:40 pm – 3:50 pm, tackling forced labor in global trade and u.s. supply chains.

This panel includes expert members from the departments and agencies in the Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force to discuss the latest policy developments, national priorities, and operational issues as they relate to combating the importation of goods produced with forced labor.

John P. Leonard , Deputy Executive Assistant Commissioner, OT, CBP

Eric Choy , Executive Director, Trade Remedy Law Enforcement, OT, CBP

Marcia Eugenio , Director, Office of Child Labor, Forced Labor and Human Trafficking, Bureau of International Labor Affairs, U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)

Cardell Morant , Director, Center for Countering Human Trafficking (CCHT), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)

Dr. Laura Murphy , Policy Advisor, Policy Office, DHS

Kelly Fay Rodriguez , Special Representative for International Labor Affairs, U.S. Department of State (DOS)

3:50 pm – 4:00 pm

4:00 pm – 5:00 pm, cbp leadership townhall.

Hear firsthand from CBP senior leaders on their office priorities in support of CBP’s trade vision and strategy.

James McCament , Acting Chief Operating Officer, Office of the Commissioner, CBP

James L. Collins , Assistant Commissioner, Office of International Affairs (INA), CBP

Matthew Davies , Acting Director of Field Operations, Baltimore Field Office, CBP

AnnMarie Highsmith , Executive Assistant Commissioner, OT, CBP

Diane J. Sabatino , Acting Executive Assistant Commissioner, OFO, CBP

Wrap-Up | Look Ahead

Felicia Pullam , Executive Director, OTR, CBP

Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Registration Desk, Level 5

8:00 am – 5:00 pm

Franklin 11-12, Level 4  

Centers One-on-One Discussions (by appointment only)

Descriptions and speakers listed below.

8:00 am – 9:20 am

Franklin 1-2, Level 4  

Salon G & K-L, Level 5

Franklin 5-6, Level 4

Franklin 3-4, Level 4

Salon H, Level 5

Breakout Sessions -  Descriptions and speakers listed below.

A CTPAT Discussion on Combatting Fentanyl and Other Synthetic Drugs

Continuing Education for Licensed Customs Brokers: What's in Store for 2024

Environmental and Natural Resource Enforcement Strategy

Maintaining your ctpat account, supply chain resiliency, 9:20 am – 9:35 am, 9:35 am – 10:55 am.

Salon G & K-L, Level 5  

Franklin 1-2, Level 4

Franklin 8, Level 4

Franklin 9-10, Level 4

ACE 2.0 Progress and Next Steps

Ctpat supply chain security case studies and best practices, de minimis and e-commerce: know your supply chain, demo: trade violation reporting (tvr) overview and e-allegations filing procedures, export modernization and automation, how cbp supports the trade community.

Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) Applicability Reviews: Lessons Learned and Best Practices

10:55 am – 11:10 am

11:10 am – 12:30 pm, continuing education for licensed customs brokers: what’s in store for 2024, ctpat e-commerce strategies, demo: enforce and protect act (eapa) overview and filing procedures, green trade: the global outlook, supply chain threats, what can the national commodity specialist division (ncsd) do for you, 12:45 pm – 2:05 pm.

Keynote Speaker: Alejandro Mayorkas , Secretary, DHS

2:05 pm – 3:25 pm

DEMO: Trade Violation Reporting (TVR) Overview and e-Allegations Filing6

3:25 pm – 3:40 pm 6

3:40 pm – 5:00 pm, a ctpat discussion on combating fentanyl and other synthetic drugs.

DEMO: Enforce and Protect Act (EAPA) Overview and Filing

Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) Applicability Reviews: Lessons Learned and Best Practices

Thursday, march 28, 2024, 7:00 am – 11:00 am, 8:00 am – 12:30 pm, a global ctpat partnership forum.

DEMO: Enforce and Protect Act (EAPA) Overview and Filing Procedure>

Breakout Session Descriptions and Speakers

CBP will provide a briefing on the fentanyl smuggling problem specific to U.S. international supply chains, including images and a video of what CBP Officers are currently encountering at the U.S. ports of entry.  Smuggling methods will also be discussed, as well as methods that key stakeholders can take to ensure their supply chains remain drug free and stop the preventable drug overdose problem the U.S. is currently experiencing.

Nicholas Amitrano , Branch Chief, Manifest & Conveyance Security Division, CCS, OFO, CBP

George Rudy , Acting Branch Chief, Mission Support & Training Branch, CTPAT, OFO, CBP

Michael Smith , Supervisory Supply Chain Security Specialist, CTPAT, OFO, CBP

Brandon Hayes , Senior Chemist, Laboratory and Scientific Services (LSS), Operations Support (OS)

Salons G& K-L, Level 5

In this workshop, the panelists will discuss the origins, history, methodology and best practices of CTPAT’s international engagement efforts and its current plans on modernization as we move towards the future.  Additionally, the panelists will discuss the current initiatives and challenges that CTPAT/CBP faces within Mexico and how that may impact trade in the years to come.

Susan Thomas , Executive Director, CCS, OFO, CBP

Carl Shane Campbell , Deputy Executive Director, CCS, OFO, CBP

James L. Collins, Assistant Commissioner, Office of International Affairs (INA), CBP

Erik Moncayo , International President, World BASC Organization Inc.

Robert Perez , Chief Executive Officer, P4 Partners LLC

This panel will discuss CBP’s progress moving along the acquisition program lifecycle, budget outlook, and technology tests.

Vincent Annunziato , Director, Business Transformation & Innovation, OT, CBP

James Byram , Executive Director, Trade Transformation Office, OT, CBP

CBP and members of the broker community will answer your questions about the upcoming education requirement for customs brokers.  The panel will preview the months ahead and describe the accreditation process, how to find out about future education opportunities, and recordkeeping for the credits you obtain. The panelists also want to hear your ideas for communicating the new requirements and reaching as many brokers as possible.

Brian Barber , Vice President, U.S. Brokerage Operations and Government Affairs, Willson International Inc.

Shari McCann , Director, Commercial Operations, Revenue and Entry (CORE) Division, Trade Policy and Programs, OT, CBP

Elena Ryan , Special Advisor, Broker Continuing Education, Trade Policy and Programs, OT, CBP

Franklin 5-6 & Franklin 9-10, Level 4 (Reference times listed above)

This workshop will provide an update on the work the CTPAT program and Trade partners have completed in further exploration of the potential opportunities for e-commerce based entities to participate in the program. Content will focus on the strategic plans for incorporation of risk segmentation strategies based on CTPAT verified minimum security requirements, shipment data integrities and alignment of machine verifiable Trade entity confirmations. Collectively, these processes are envisioned to enhance the receipt of program benefits to the CTPAT partnership and greatly assist CBP in effectively addressing the rise in e-commerce volumes and the ever-expanding scope of enforcement threats being experienced as Global Trade evolves and modernizes.

Bryant Van Buskirk , Director, Los Angeles CTPAT Field Office, CTPAT, OFO, CBP

Catherine Saluccio , Supervisory Supply Chain Security Specialist, CTPAT, OFO, CBP

This session will provide an in-depth overview of real-life smuggling incidents and the security best practices that trade partners implemented to detect and mitigate these security breach attempts in their supply chains.

Cristobal Hernandez , Director, Houston CTPAT Field Office, CTPAT, OFO, CBP 

Mark Isaacson , Director, Buffalo CTPAT Field Office, CTPAT, OFO, CBP

Raymond Monzon , Supervisory Supply Chain Security Specialist, CTPAT, OFO, CBP

Peter Touhy , Director, Miami CTPAT Field Office, CTPAT, OFO, CBP

This panel will provide insight on how bad actors are attempting to exploit the De Minimis administrative exemption and how knowledge of who your partners are is crucial.  It will provide guidance on what to look out for, trends, methods, and routes, and how the trade community can be vigilant in the challenges associated with de minimis and e-commerce as a whole and within their organization.

Christopher Mabelitini , Director, Intellectual Property Rights & E-Commerce Division, Trade Policy and Programs, OT, CBP

Manuel A. Garza , Assistant Director, Anti-Smuggling, National Targeting Center, OFO, CBP

James Moore , Program Manager, CCS, OFO, CBP

Andrew Renna , Assistant Port Director, Cargo Operations, OFO, CBP

Gain insight into the key features of EAPA, by participating in this live demonstration. The demo includes the process and requirements for filing an EAPA allegation.  Attendees will increase their understanding of EAPA and how to navigate this legal framework for protecting domestic industries.

Victoria Cho , Director, Enforcement Operations Division, Trade Remedy Law Enforcement Directorate (TRLED), OT, CBP

Marisa A. Hill , Supervisory International Trade Analyst, Operations Reporting and Outreach Branch, Enforcement Operations Division, TRLED, OT, CBP

Patricia Tran , International Trade Analyst, EAPA Investigations 2, TRLED, OT, CBP

Increase your knowledge about the TVR tool by participating in this live demonstration. Receive guidance on how to file an e-Allegation and gain the knowledge and skills to effectively report commercial trade violations.

Panelist:                

Craig A. Callies , Supervisory International Trade Analyst, Civil Enforcement Division, Enforcement Policy Branch, OT, CBP

Franklin 5-6 & Franklin 3-4, Level 4 (Reference times listed above)

Environmental and natural resources enforcement is an integral part of the trade mission. A renewed and enhanced focus has been placed on this mission with the convergence of environmental and natural resources crimes with other serious crimes such as drug trafficking, money laundering, and forced labor. Continual collaboration with partners and experts throughout the world is crucial to combat the dangers these illicit activities and associated products pose to U.S. national and economic security, biodiversity, and the environment. Through greater information sharing, the federal government can improve risk analysis and targeting.  This panel will feature viewpoints from multiple agencies strategic plans for enforcement, the need for interagency collaboration to meet mission needs and how the Trade can help.

Moderator: 

Virginia McPherson , Acting Director, Civil Enforcement Division, OT, CBP

Bryan Landry , Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Office of Law Enforcement, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries

Luke Hall-Jordan , Supervisory Environmental Policy Analyst, Phasedown Implementation Branch, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Daniel Treadway , Acting Branch Chief, Strategic Enforcement Branch, Office of Trade, CBP

Franklin 3-4 & Franklin 5-6, Level 4 (Reference times listed above)

Panelists will provide an overview of collaborative efforts in leveraging data availability in the export environment and discuss opportunities to enhance export facilitation while balancing enforcement needs. 

Bradford Slutsky , Director, Cargo Security and Controls, CCS, OFO, CBP

Dave Corn , Executive Vice President, Comstock & Theakston, Inc.

Thomas J. Pagano , Branch Chief, Outbound Enforcement Policy, Cargo Security and Controls Division, CCS, OFO, CBP

Peter Russell , Management and Program Analyst, Outbound Enforcement and Policy, OFO, CBP

Omari Wooden , Assistant Division Chief, Data User and Respondent Outreach, Economic Management Division, U.S. Census Bureau

To match the urgency of climate change and environmental degradation and speed the transition to a global green economy, government and industry alike are implementing ambitious initiatives aimed at reducing carbon, pollution and waste in international supply chains. Simultaneously, trade entities must navigate a rapidly evolving landscape of regulatory and legislative developments, financial/accounting and reporting standards, and certification schemes when looking to advance environmental resilience.  What does this mean for Customs and global trade more broadly? This panel will feature multi-sector perspectives on supply chain sustainability, circular economy, border decarbonization mechanisms, and global coordination and standardization efforts. Opportunities for collaboration and partnership related to CBP’s Green Trade Strategy will also be highlighted.

Moderator:  

Lea-Ann Bigelow , Director, Green Trade, OT, CBP

Jason Bernstein , Director, Global Affairs (International Trade and Supply Chain), American Chemistry Council

Daniel Purtell , Group Innovation Director, BSI Group

Peter Young , Minister-Counsellor & Deputy Head of Section – Trade & Agriculture, Delegation of the European Union to the United States

The desired outcome of this panel is for the attendees to learn about the different port operations in CBP. Field office leadership will provide an overview and update on their ports, discuss future endeavors, and address areas of concern in trade operations. The panel will also cover CTPAT’s Trade Compliance program, discussing membership benefits and the process to join the program.

Katharine Dervin , Supervisory Supply Chain Security Specialist, Trade Compliance, CTPAT, OFO, CBP

Chadi Kiami , Acting Assistant Director, Trade, Boston Field Office, OFO, CBP

Elva Muñeton , Assistant Director, Trade, Los Angeles Field Office, OFO, CBP

Dora Murphy , Assistant Director, Trade, San Francisco/Portland Field Office, OFO, CBP

Sharon Swiatek , Assistant Director, Trade, Buffalo Field Office, OFO, CBP

This breakout session will provide attendees with critical information to ensure a company’s CTPAT account remains in good standing. The session will provide an overview of the responsibilities of a CTPAT member and their obligations to report security breaches, and other CBP violations, and those of U.S. law.  In addition, partners will be informed of the procedures required should a company’s CTPAT account falls out of good standing.   

Juan Gallardo , Supply Chain Security Specialist, CTPAT, OFO, CBP

Juan Pimentel , Chief, Operations & Enforcement Branch, CTPAT, OFO, CBP

Ashley Reece , Supply Chain Security Specialist, CTPAT, OFO, CBP

Resilient supply chains are critical to our national and economic security. Learn how government and industry are partnering to bolster U.S. supply chain resiliency by planning for, preventing, and mitigating the impacts of supply chain disruptions caused by cyber-attacks.

Tasha Reid Hippolyte , Ph.D., Deputy Assistant Secretary, Trade and Economic Competitiveness, Office of Strategy, Policy, and Plans, DHS

Daniel Donahue , Special Agent, Cyber Crimes Center, HSI, DHS

Sanith Kimchrea , Acting Branch Chief, Trade Modernization, OT, CBP

Brian Sale , Branch Chief, Manifest & Conveyance Security Division, CCS, OFO, CBP

Bryan Smith , Supply Chain Security Specialist, Newark-CTPAT Field Office, OFO, CBP

This panel will provide insights into how supply chains have evolved, and the impacts imposed by technology advancements and world events.

James Mandryck , Deputy Assistant Commissioner, Office of Intelligence (OI), CBP

Brian B. Andersen , Special Agent, Global Trade Investigations Division, HSI, DHS

Suzette Kelly , Acting Director, Agriculture Programs & Trade Liaison, OFO, CBP

Jeanette J. McMillian , Assistant Director for the Supply Chain and Cyber Directorate, National Counterintelligence and Security Center

Jasun Moy , International Trade Specialist, Office of Supply Chain Services, Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration

Mathew Wesmiller , Supply Chain Risk Management Subject Matter Expert, U.S. Coast Guard Counterintelligence

Franklin 9-10, Level 4 & Salon G & K-L, Level 5 (Reference times listed above)

This panel will provide CBP lessons learned from processing applicability reviews for UFLPA and share best practices for submissions.

Brian M. Hoxie , Director, Forced Labor Division, Trade Remedy Law Enforcement Directorate, OT, CBP

Carrie Azurin , Acting Associate Executive Director, Trade Regulatory Audit, OT, CBP

Robert Bekalarski , Assistant Center Director, Industrial and Manufacturing Materials Center, CBP

Heather C. Litman , Partner, Grunfeld, Desiderio, Lebowitz, Silverman & Klestadt (GDLSK), LLP

Ann Marie Paul , Acting Director, Trade Operations Division, CCS, OFO, CBP

Franklin 3-4, Level 4 & Salon H, Level 5 (Reference times listed above)

The panel, which will include CBP and members of the Trade, will discuss the process, best practices, and benefits of the NCSD Binding Rulings Program. The panel will also preview this year’s NCSD Webinar Program which will focus on Green Trade.

Evan Conceicao , Branch Chief, National Commodity Specialist Division, OT, CBP

Liana Alvarez , National Import Specialist, National Commodity Specialist Division, OT, CBP

Maribeth Dedmon , Director, Global Customs Compliance, Dollar General Corporation

Richard F. DiDonna , Advisor, International Trade Practice, Wiley Rein LLP

Mark Nackman , Branch Chief, National Commodity Specialist Division, OT, CBP

Kimberly Wachtel , National Import Specialist, National Commodity Specialist Division, OT, CBP

Centers of Excellence and Expertise One-on-One Session

Franklin 11-12, Level 4

The Center representatives will be on-site to have one-on-one discussions with registered Summit attendees, by appointment only.  

Agriculture & Prepared Products Center of Excellence and Expertise

Lori Whitehurst , (A) Center Director, Office of Field Operations, CBP

Apparel, Footwear & Textiles Center of Excellence and Expertise

Linda Birck , (A) Center Director, Office of Field Operations, CBP

Automotive & Aerospace Center of Excellence and Expertise

Serina J. Baker-Hill , Center Director, Office of Field Operations, CBP

Base Metals Center of Excellence and Expertise

Michael Dean , Assistant Director, Office of Field Operations, CBP

Jeremy Jackson , Supervisory Import Specialist, Base Metals Center of Excellence and Expertise, CBP

Consumer Products & Mass Merchandising Center of Excellence and Expertise

Robert Lynch , Assistant Center Director, Office of Field Operations, CBP

Electronics Center of Excellence and Expertise

Alan Aprea , Center Director, Office of Field Operations, CBP

Industrial & Manufacturing Materials Center of Excellence and Expertise

Bob Bekalarski , (A) Center Director, Office of Field Operations, CBP

Machinery Center of Excellence and Expertise

Juan J. Porras , Center Director, Office of Field Operations, CBP

Petroleum, Natural Gas & Minerals Center of Excellence and Expertise

David McGurk , Center Director, Office of Field Operations, CBP

Pharmaceuticals, Health & Chemicals Center of Excellence and Expertise

Anthony Orosz , Assistant Center Director, Office of Field Operations, CBP

Russia-Ukraine War Moscow Says It Shot Down Two Ukrainian Missiles Over Russian Cities

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  • Zaporizhzhia Riding a local bus. Diego Ibarra Sanchez for The New York Times
  • Odesa A Ukrainian soldier on a break from duty with his son. Emile Ducke for The New York Times
  • Zaporizhzhia Waiting to collect humanitarian aid. Diego Ibarra Sanchez for The New York Times
  • Zaporizhzhia A farmer and his son repairing a pickup for Ukraine's military. Diego Ibarra Sanchez for The New York Times
  • Zaporizhzhia Relaxing on the bank of the Dnipro River. Diego Ibarra Sanchez for The New York Times
  • Zaporizhzhia region Treating an injured Ukrainian serviceman. Reuters
  • Zaporizhzhia region Medics helping an injured Ukrainian serviceman. Kateryna Klochko/Associated Press
  • Kyiv region Ukrainian soldiers on a German-made anti-aircraft vehicle. Sergei Supinsky/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
  • Donetsk region Ukrainian soldiers at the front line. Tyler Hicks/The New York Times
  • Odesa Cleaning up at the damaged Transfiguration Cathedral. Jae C. Hong/Associated Press

At least nine people were injured when one missile was downed, Russia says.

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Moscow said it downed two Ukrainian missiles over southwestern Russia on Friday, including one that fell and exploded in a city center, suggesting that Ukraine is stepping up its attacks inside Russia just as its counteroffensive on the battlefield enters a more intense phase.

The incidents appeared to be rare instances of Ukraine using missiles to attack targets inside Russia, a sign of a more aggressive campaign to expand a war that until now has brought death and destruction almost exclusively to Ukrainian territory.

Video and photographs circulated by Russian state media and local outlets showed the aftermath of a blast in the port city of Taganrog, on the Sea of Azov, roughly 30 miles from the Russian-controlled border with Ukraine and less than 100 miles from the front line. Nine people were hospitalized with light to moderate injuries, and no one was killed, according to the regional governor, Vasily Golubev. Images from the scene showed piles of rubble and blown-out windows and garage doors.

Mr. Golubev said the blast was caused by a downed missile that hit near an art museum and a cafe. The Russian Defense Ministry said the explosion was caused by one of two Soviet-era missiles fired into Russian territory by Ukraine and shot down by Russian air defenses.

Ukraine did not claim responsibility for the missile attacks, but officials did not deny Kyiv had launched them either. A top Ukrainian security official, Oleksiy Danilov, cast blame for the blast in Taganrog on the Russian air defense system.

“The events in Taganrog are nothing more than completely illiterate actions of the operators of Russian air defense systems,” Mr. Danilov said. His statement seemed to deliberately echo the Kremlin denial that it was responsible for a missile strike at a historic cathedral in Odesa last Sunday. The Russians blamed the destruction on “illiterate actions of Ukrainian defense forces.”

Russia’s Defense Ministry said a second missile was shot down over the city of Azov, about 10 miles from the eastern coast of the sea and 25 miles southeast of Taganrog. The debris from that missile fell in a deserted area, the ministry said. The ministry claimed that both missiles were fired by a Soviet-era S-200 air-defense system that had been converted for attacks against targets on the ground.

Dmitri S. Peskov, the Kremlin’s spokesman, said that President Vladimir V. Putin was briefed on the incidents at his summit with African leaders in St. Petersburg, Russia .

Earlier Friday, Russia’s Defense Ministry said it had shot down a drone aimed at the Moscow region ; several recent strikes in Moscow were orchestrated by Ukraine using Ukrainian-made drones, according to senior Ukrainian officials.

While Ukraine has sought repeatedly to launch attacks inside Russia, missile strikes on Russian territory have been rare — in part because Ukraine has pledged not to use the long-range weapons provided by Western allies to hit targets in Russia, a condition the Western powers have insisted on before supplying the weapons.

Meanwhile, air attacks on Ukraine continued. On Friday evening, air-raid alerts were issued for the entire country, and blasts were reported in the Zaporizhzhia and Dnipro regions. Shortly afterward, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that a high-rise and a security service building had been hit in the city of Dnipro, blaming “Russian missile terror.”

— Anton Troianovski and Marc Santora

With its grinding gains, Ukraine is aiming for a better shot at Russian targets.

Ukrainian officials have cautioned that their drive toward the Sea of Azov, a key objective of their counteroffensive, will require a bloody slog through extensive minefields and fortified trenches, likely under heavy artillery fire along roads lined with Russian armor and machine guns. But Kyiv has a more immediate goal.

That is to penetrate deep enough into occupied territory to bring more Russian military targets within range of Ukraine’s gradually expanding arsenal, further disrupting Moscow’s supply lines and its ability to parry Ukrainian advances.

“The main task we face now, in addition to moving forward, is, of course, to weaken the enemy’s ability to defend itself,” Hanna Malyar, the deputy minister of defense, said on Ukrainian national television. “And in fact, this is what we are doing now.”

The Ukrainian military claims to be destroying dozens of Russian weapons depots every week while constantly searching for command posts, air defense systems and concentrations of troops to hit.

It is not possible to independently assess Ukraine’s success in degrading Russian forces and logistical operations. But this month, Col. Serhii Baranov of the Ukrainian military’s general staff, claimed that Ukrainian rockets and artillery had been responsible for the vast majority of Russian losses of soldiers and equipment.

Brig. Gen. Oleksandr Tarnavsky, the commander of Ukraine’s military fighting in Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia, compared the counteroffensive to a boxing match, saying that Ukraine intends to strike with longer range weapons to “hold the opponent at arm’s length” in order to avoid close combat.

Last year, after the United States supplied longer-range rocket systems known as HIMARS to Kyiv, Russia was forced to move more of its logistical operations and bases out of the 50-mile range of the rockets, closer to the coast of the Sea of Azov.

Before Ukraine launched its counteroffensive two months ago, its frontline positions were between 60 and 90 miles from the coast, just out of the reach of HIMARS, truck-mounted launchers that fire satellite-guided rockets .

That means that every mile that Ukraine gains in its current assault, the closer it gets to Russian targets along the coast.

Though the HIMARS are mobile — the name stands for High Mobility Artillery Rocket System — Ukrainian forces have a limited number, and prefer to keep them some distance from the front line. And over time, the Russians have shown an ability to adapt to HIMARS strikes, dispersing their supplies, as well as jamming the weapon’s GPS guidance.

The Ukrainians must first consolidate their gains and show they can hold newly reclaimed territory, often in the face of Russian aerial and artillery bombardment, in order to significantly change the dynamic on the battlefield, analysts say.

HIMARS and other newly supplied Western weapons are far more powerful than the long-range drones that Ukraine has turned to strike Russian supply routes far from the front. One route runs through Crimea, which Russia has illegally occupied since 2014. The only land route from Russia to Crimea is the Kerch Bridge, which has come under attack twice during the war, with Moscow blaming Ukraine each time.

Ukraine has also attacked the major roads connecting Crimea to the southern Ukrainian mainland.

Moscow’s other main supply route runs from western Russia through the occupied territories of eastern Ukraine, where Kyiv’s forces are also attempting to advance near the occupied city of Bakhmut.

— Marc Santora reporting from Kyiv, Ukraine

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Brazil declines to extradite an accused Russian spy the U.S. might want for a prisoner swap with Russia.

Brazil has denied the U.S. government’s extradition request for an accused Russian spy in Brazilian custody, weakening hopes that he could be used in a potential prisoner swap between the United States and Russia for either or both of two Americans being held in Russia on espionage charges that Washington considers bogus.

Brazil said it denied the U.S. request because it was still investigating the case and had already begun processing a Russian request for the extradition of the accused spy, Sergey Cherkasov, though it also appeared unlikely that Brazil would ultimately send him to Russia.

“At the moment, the citizen in question will remain in detention in Brazil,” Brazil’s justice minister, Flávio Dino, said on Twitter .

The United States has been seeking ways to free the two Americans being held in Russia. One is Evan Gershkovich , a reporter for The Wall Street Journal who has been detained in Russia for four months. The other is Paul Whelan, who was detained in 2018 and is now serving a 16-year prison sentence. The United States considers both “wrongfully detained,” meaning the equivalent of political prisoners.

Brazil has held Mr. Cherkasov, 37, for more than a year on charges of using falsified documents. In March, the U.S. Justice Department formally accused him of spying in the United States, lodging charges that include acting as a foreign agent and visa fraud. The U.S. authorities have sought his extradition since.

Before those accusations, Russia had sought Mr. Cherkasov’s extradition from Brazil, saying that he was actually a criminal drug trafficker. Brazilian authorities preliminarily approved Russia’s request, pending Brazil’s broader investigation into accusations of espionage.

Mr. Dino, Brazil’s justice minister, said on Thursday that the decision to deny the U.S. request was based on international treaties and Brazilian law.

Mr. Cherkasov’s extradition to any country would require the approval of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who has sought to keep Brazil neutral in the war in Ukraine.

Mr. Cherkasov lived in Brazil from 2012 to 2018, posing as a Brazilian named Victor Muller Ferreira, according to both the U.S. and Brazilian authorities. In 2018, he moved to the United States and attended Johns Hopkins University.

He then secured an internship at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, which is investigating potential Russian war crimes in Ukraine. But when he arrived at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport in April last year to begin the job, immigration authorities tipped off by Dutch intelligence sent him back to Brazil, where he was arrested and sentenced to 15 years in prison on fraud charges.

Separately this week, a Brazilian court reduced Mr. Cherkasov’s prison sentence for fraud to five years, saying it was more appropriate based on his current conviction. He would face harsher consequences if convicted of espionage.

The U.S. Embassy in Brazil declined to comment on whether U.S. officials saw Mr. Cherkasov as a potential candidate to swap for either or both of the two Americans . If extradited to the United States, he would become perhaps the only accused Russian spy in U.S. custody. Analysts have seen him as a potential chip in such negotiations .

— Jack Nicas and Paulo Motoryn Reporting from Rio de Janeiro and Brasília

A Ukrainian fencer penalized for refusing a Russian handshake is guaranteed a spot in the Paris Olympics.

Olga Kharlan, a four-time Olympic fencing medalist who was disqualified from the world fencing championships in Milan on Thursday after refusing to shake hands with her Russian opponent, will be guaranteed a spot at the Summer Olympics in Paris next year under a “unique exception," the International Olympic Committee president said on Friday.

She will also be permitted to compete in the world championship’s team competition, the International Fencing Federation announced on Friday.

The earlier decision to disqualify Ms. Kharlan, 32, removed her from a key ranking event for Olympic qualification. She won the gold medal in the team saber competition at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

On Thursday, when Ms. Kharlan defeated Anna Smirnova, a Russian fencer competing under neutral status, the Russian extended her hand to Ms. Kharlan, who extended her saber instead. A fencing bout is over only once the two fencers have saluted each other and shaken hands — and Ms. Kharlan was disqualified for not complying.

The fencing federation’s interim president, Emmanuel Katsiadakis, said in a statement that the decision to allow Ms. Kharlan to compete in the championship’s team event “sends a message of sensitivity and understanding to our members and all sports federations, as the world faces tremendous challenges.”

Ms. Kharlan said in a statement on Friday that she was thankful for the decision.

“The most important thing for an athlete is to be able to compete, for my family, my team, my country and all the people who support me,” she said. “During these difficult few days, I appreciate all the support I’ve had from around the world.”

The International Olympic Committee’s president, Thomas Bach, wrote in a personal letter to Ms. Kharlan on Friday that it was “admirable how you are managing this incredibly difficult situation, and I would like to express my full support to you.”

“As a fellow fencer, it is impossible for me to imagine how you feel at this moment,” he wrote, citing “the war against your country, the suffering of people in Ukraine,” and “the difficult inner conflicts you and many of your fellow Ukrainian athletes may have, and then the events which unfolded yesterday.”

Mr. Bach added that the committee would “continue to stand in full solidarity with Ukrainian athletes and the Olympic community of Ukraine.”

The exchange between the two athletes may portend further tension in the run-up to the Paris Games. The I.O.C. did not invite Russia and Belarus to compete in Paris as nations, but it is still possible for athletes from both to participate in qualifying events as neutral athletes so long as they meet certain requirements, such as not having shown public support for the invasion.

Because of an editing error, an earlier version of this article said Ukrainian officials have threatened to boycott the Paris Summer Games if Russians are allowed to compete for their country. But as the article states, the International Olympic Committee did not formally invite Russia, or its close ally Belarus, to compete in Paris as nations, so their athletes could compete only as neutral individuals, and Ukraine withdrew its boycott threat this week.

How we handle corrections

— Gaya Gupta

Ukraine reclaims a southern village, but a brutal fight still lies ahead.

The Ukrainian military said on Friday that it was “consolidating” gains after President Volodymyr Zelensky declared that Ukraine had retaken one southern village in a renewed push into Russian-occupied territory.

The village, Staromaiorske, had been under Russian occupation since the early months of the war and was reclaimed by Ukrainian troops under heavy fire from Russian aircraft and artillery. The fighting for the village, effectively a ruin, offers a small window into the brutal battles that lie ahead as Ukraine’s troops try to break through multiple layers of Russian defensive positions that stretch around 20 miles deep in some areas.

“The battle for this village was difficult and long,” Ukraine’s 35th Brigade, which took part in the battle, said in a statement . “Every centimeter of liberation is the price of superhuman effort.”

The exact state of the fighting is hard to gauge. Russian forces do not allow independent journalists to work in occupied territory, and the Ukrainian military has curtailed news media access for safety reasons and to maintain operational security.

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But Ukraine’s claim that it had retaken Staromaiorske was supported by videos verified by The New York Times that show Ukrainian troops inside the village. In one, soldiers walk through an apocalyptic scene of destroyed homes and charred armored vehicles. A dead soldier lies in the grass, weapons by his side. Satellite images show that the homes were intact as of early June.

Kyiv is committing more reserves and Western military equipment to its two-month-old counteroffensive as its fighters attempt to drive forward along two main lines of attack on the southern front. Their ultimate aim is to sever the so-called land bridge between western Russia and Russian-occupied Crimea that has been a crucial logistical route for Moscow’s war effort.

One of those thrusts is in the direction of the occupied port city of Berdiansk, from which Ukraine hopes to reach the Sea of Azov. The Ukrainian claim that it retook Staromaiorske puts its forces one step closer in their march to the sea, though they have yet to break through Russia’s main defensive lines.

Where Ukraine is mounting its counteroffensive

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Ukraine’s three

major fronts

Main effort,

Staromaiorske

ZAPORIZHZHIA

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Less than five miles to the south is Russian-occupied Staromlynivka. That village is on high ground, which gives Russian forces a defensive advantage and could be the next major test of the Ukrainian offensive.

The second main thrust south is in the direction of Melitopol, a city known as the gateway to Crimea because of its location at the crossroads of two major highways and a crucial rail line.

Ukrainian forces have pushed at least six miles deep in this direction south of the town of Orikhiv, in the Zaporizhzhia region. There, around the village of Robotyne, occupation officials and Russian military bloggers have been reporting intense battles.

Analysts for the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based research group, cited videos released on social media that suggest “Ukrainian forces made additional advances east of Robotyne.” But the group wrote in its latest daily analysis on Thursday that it could not confirm the advances.

The Kremlin has repeatedly sought to cast the offensive as a failure and continued to maintain that it was thwarting Ukraine’s attacks. Kyiv has remained largely silent on where else its troops may be advancing and the losses they are suffering.

Two Ukrainian service members get a break from the fighting to say ‘I do.’

The groom could not wait to kiss the bride.

He kissed her when she walked down the aisle, and during the ceremony. He kissed her after his vows, after hers, and again when they finally said “I do.”

Maksym Merezhko, 43, and the bride, Yuliia Dluzhynska, 39, both serve in Ukraine’s military and had traveled to Kyiv the night before from the eastern Donetsk region. They had no time to lose.

After a three-day honeymoon in the Carpathian Mountains , Ms. Dluzhynska said, “We will go to war.”

The celebration was provided free of charge by Zemliachky, roughly translated as “Women Compatriots,” a charity group that provides uniforms, boots and other essentials to female soldiers but, because of demand, recently started to organize their weddings. The couple had been officially married days before, signing a marriage license in a stuffy room in Sloviansk. But they wanted a true celebration.

“It takes a lot of time to organize a wedding, and when you are on the front line, you don’t have that free time,” said Kseniia Drahaniuk, Zemliachky’s co-founder.

Everything is donated — the dress, venue, photography, flowers, hair, makeup, rings, cake, lingerie and the honeymoon, too — saving couples significant expense and the stress of planning.

On the day of her wedding, earlier this month, Ms. Dluzhynska picked out white peonies for her bouquet before heading to a brightly lit salon.

Wearing a camouflage windbreaker and sipping a “NonStop Military Edition” energy drink, she emanated composure as two women pinned her blond hair into an updo.

“He has never seen me like this,” Ms. Dluzhynska said of the groom. “It is his dream to see me in a dress with makeup on.”

Asked what she loved most about her soon-to-be husband, she melted.

“Everything,” she said, her eyes welling, sending the beauticians into a tizzy of touch-ups.

They met three years ago through a dating website and were soon planning a life together. But when Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Mr. Merezhko rejoined the military to fight. About a month later, Ms. Dluzhynska followed, as a medic, to be near him.

“She left everything and went to war with me,” he said.

At the wedding ceremony, in an event space with a roof deck overlooking Kyiv, cloth azaleas formed a white arch. Thirteen white chairs were arranged in neat rows, though the only guests were Zemliachky volunteers.

Ukrainian music played until the bride started down the aisle in a white, off-the-shoulder gown. Then John Legend’s “All of Me” came on — and the kisses followed.

In his vows, Mr. Merezhko drew laughs describing how he had worn dirty shorts to their first meeting.

Her vows were shorter, under a minute, and barely audible.

“When you said: ‘I want to grow old with you,’ I realized that this is great love and this is the man I asked God for,” she whispered, through tears.

Even on their special day, the war was not far from their minds.

The ceremony ended with a cry of “Slava Ukraini” — Glory to Ukraine! The cake was decorated like a Ukrainian flag. The champagne, a 2021 vintage from the ravaged eastern city of Bakhmut.

“We will live,” Mr. Merezhko said, beaming after the ceremony. “We will have children, then grandchildren, and we will babysit the grandchildren. I will teach my grandchildren to fish and plant potatoes.”

After their honeymoon, they would head to Donetsk, back toward the front line. Ms. Dluzhynska had a simpler wish for their future. “The main thing is to survive,” she said.

Stanislav Kozliuk and Daria Mitiuk contributed reporting.

— Cassandra Vinograd reporting from Kyiv, Ukraine

Russia says it intercepted a drone near Moscow, blaming Ukraine.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said early Friday that it had shot down a drone aimed at the Moscow region, saying that Ukraine was behind the latest such attack near the Russian capital.

The strike, which could not be independently confirmed, would be the second attempted drone attack in the capital region in less than a week. On Monday, an intercepted drone attack in central Moscow that Russia also blamed on Ukraine damaged at least two nonresidential buildings. Ukraine did not comment on the claims.

The Russian Defense Ministry said that Friday’s attempted strike caused no casualties or damage. President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia is in St. Petersburg, about 400 miles away, hosting African leaders at a summit.

Several drone attacks of differing magnitudes have targeted Moscow since May, bringing the conflict home to people who had largely been sheltered from the effects of the war being waged by Mr. Putin hundreds of miles away. Kyiv has largely taken an ambiguous position on drone attacks within Russia’s borders.

Within the past year or so, a brazen drone assault hit military air bases deep inside Russia; a drone hit an oil facility near an airfield in the Russian province of Kursk. And in May, drones exploded over the Kremlin , an assault that U.S. officials said was most likely carried out by one of Kyiv’s special military or intelligence units.

Analysts note that Russia is vulnerable to such strikes in part because of its size, but also because its air defense radars are designed to detect aircraft and missiles bigger than drones. Apart from creating a sense of vulnerability in Russia, Ukrainian drone attacks could serve to test Moscow’s air defense systems and identify potential weaknesses that could be exploited in other attacks.

Moscow said the strike on Monday was intercepted near an avenue running through one of the city’s most upscale parts, and close to a building housing the Russian National Defense Management Center. Videos verified by The New York Times showed damage in at least two locations near the Moskva River in the southern part of the city.

Russia has regularly attacked Ukrainian cities with missiles and drones, hitting the port city of Odesa multiple times over the past week in an effort to block the country from shipping its grain.

— Victoria Kim

Putin presses his charm offensive with African leaders for a second day.

President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia was set to wrap up a two-day summit with African leaders in St. Petersburg on Friday, redoubling his efforts to cast Moscow as a dependable international partner with pledges of food aid, at the end of a week that began with a Russian attack on a Danube River port to further impair Ukraine’s food export routes.

Mr. Putin told the leaders gathered for the conference, whose countries are among the most vulnerable to food insecurity, that Western nations, not Russia, were to blame for the collapse of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, the deal that had allowed Ukrainian grain to be shipped in the midst of war.

On Friday, he repeated his oft-stated — and misleading — contention that Russia was interested in negotiations to end the war, but that Ukraine and the West refuse to engage. Ukraine says it won’t make any territorial concessions, while the Kremlin has already declared four Ukrainian regions it partly controls to be part of Russia.

“We, of course, agree with you that all contradictions must be decided in the course of negotiations,” Mr. Putin said in a televised round-table discussion with African leaders. “But the problem is that they are refusing to negotiate with us.”

The summit was attended by 17 African leaders, the Russian state news agency Tass reported , a fraction of the 45 who attended the previous Russia-Africa summit in 2019. A Kremlin adviser had said earlier this week that 21 leaders were expected to attend. Mr. Putin is set on Friday to again address the conference’s plenary session and hold bilateral meetings with the leaders, according to Tass.

In his speech on Thursday, Mr. Putin said Russia would deliver 25,000 to 50,000 tons of free grain each to Burkina Faso, the Central African Republic, Eritrea, Mali, Somalia and Zimbabwe in the next three to four months. The promise appeared aimed at tempering criticism that Russia had imperiled the global food supply by pulling out last week from the grain deal, then bombarding Ukrainian ports and other infrastructure used to transport food.

The promise of aid was largely bestowed on nations that had aligned with Moscow. Of the six countries, only Somalia voted against Russia in support of a United Nations resolution that called for an end to the war in Ukraine. In Mali and the Central African Republic, Russia’s Wagner mercenary group has propped up authoritarian governments.

President Azali Assoumani of Comoros, the current chairman of the African Union, said at the summit that rising food prices caused by the “Ukraine crisis” were jeopardizing “a large number of lives,” according to the Russian translation of his remarks. He called for both Russian and Ukrainian grain exports to be facilitated.

Mr. Putin interrupted his courting of African leaders on Thursday to speak to Russian state television about the most recent attack by Ukrainian forces, who, according to U.S. officials, launched the main thrust of their counteroffensive this week. He said Ukrainian troops had been pushed back with heavy losses.

— Victoria Kim and Anton Troianovski

Unverified photographs of Prigozhin surface as African leaders convene in St. Petersburg.

Unverified photographs began circulating on social media Thursday suggesting that Yevgeny V. Prigozhin, the Russian mercenary boss who led a short-lived mutiny in June, was meeting with African officials in St. Petersburg, where some of the continent’s top leaders have converged for a summit with President Vladimir V. Putin.

The whereabouts and status of Mr. Prigozhin, a caterer turned warlord, have been the subject of continuing questions since he tried to topple the Russian defense leadership last month, posing the biggest security threat to Mr. Putin’s government in decades.

Questions also have persisted about what will become of Mr. Prigozhin’s operations in Africa , where his Wagner forces are active in a number of countries, including the Central African Republic and Mali.

The unverified images suggested not only that Mr. Prigozhin was moving freely in Russia but that he also had access to figures attending a major diplomatic event, suggesting the Kremlin may be endeavoring to harness his contacts and political good will in Africa despite the mutiny.

The first photograph that appeared to connect Mr. Prigozhin to the summit surfaced on a Facebook account registered in the name of Dmitri Sytyi , a Russian national on whom the U.S. Treasury has imposed sanctions and described as an employee of Mr. Prigozhin in the Central African Republic. Neither the account nor the photograph could be independently verified.

The photograph shows Mr. Prigozhin shaking hands with a man described in news media reports as a top official from the Central African Republic. They are standing beside what appeared to be an elevator in the Trezzini Palace, a luxury hotel in St. Petersburg long associated with Mr. Prigozhin.

The hotel is about 40 minutes by car from the conference venue for the Russia-Africa summit, suggesting that Mr. Prigozhin may have been meeting with attendees one-on-one outside the confines of the event rather than attending it. In the photograph, the African official appears to be wearing the multicolored lanyard from the summit.

Another photograph appeared on a Telegram channel associated with Wagner later in the day, showing Mr. Prigozhin dressed in the same white button-down shirt and bluejeans, meeting with an executive from an African media conglomerate known for espousing pro-Kremlin views.

The location of the meeting was unknown. In the image, Mr. Prigozhin is standing in front of a large map of Africa. A Telegram channel associated with Wagner described the photograph as a meeting with the director of Afrique Média, a television channel based in Cameroon that has a partnership with the Russian state television network RT.

Afrique Média did not respond to a request for comment.

A video appeared on Russian social media last week that apparently showed Mr. Prigozhin addressing his Wagner forces in Belarus, where the Kremlin said the mercenary boss would be moving as part of a deal he struck with Mr. Putin to stop the mutiny.

In the days since then, however, Mr. Prigozhin has been spotted in Russia, raising questions about whether he indeed will retreat into an agreed-upon exile in Belarus, the neighboring nation closely allied with Moscow.

— Paul Sonne

Their effort to rally South America behind Ukraine nearly got them killed.

Héctor Abad Faciolince grew up in what had been one of the most violent cities on earth. Since Colombia won its independence more than 200 years ago, it has weathered political unrest, military crackdowns and violent drug cartels.

His own father, who had accused the military of sponsoring death squads, was assassinated in 1987 by paramilitary forces that had turned his hometown, Medellín, into a war zone.

But his own brush with death came half a world away.

At the end of a trip last month that he and two fellow Colombians hoped could aid their quixotic quest to build support in South America for Ukraine’s battle against Russia, a missile tore through a crowded restaurant where they’d just raised their glasses for a toast. At least 13 people were killed, including their guide, the Ukrainian writer Victoria Amelina .

“I could only think: they killed us,” Mr. Abad said. “That was the last thing I could think of.”

Nearly a year and a half since Russia invaded Ukraine, much of South America has largely avoided picking sides in the war. Longstanding views that a multipolar, less-Western global order is in their best interests have prompted governments to oppose the fighting but reject attempts to isolate Russia diplomatically, impose economic sanctions or supply weapons to Ukraine.

And many average citizens, polls suggest, view the war as something too distant to care about, a proxy war between global powers doing what they’ve always done: impose their wills on smaller countries.

Opposition to such widespread apathy put Mr. Abad and two fellow Colombians — Catalina Gómez Ángel, a journalist, and Sergio Jaramillo, a former defense minister who led the government’s peace agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia — unwittingly in the line of fire.

— Gabriela Sá Pessoa

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