Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Afghan Vice President Takes Charge Of Capital Amid Rise In Crime RFE/RL 17 Oct 2020 -- Afghan Vice President Amrullah Saleh has been put in charge of the security situation in the capital amid a rise in crime that has caused an outcry among residents.

Defense Policy / Programs

• DOD, HHS Name Partners to Administer COVID-19 Vaccines in Long-Term Care Facilities DoD News 17 Oct 2020 -- As part of the Operation Warp Speed effort — a partnership between the Defense Department and the Department of Health and Human Services — long-term care facilities across the U.S. will be able to sign up to have one of two major U.S. pharmacy companies come to their facilities and administer COVID-19 vaccines to residents at no charge.
• Joint training makes Australia's F-35 mission fully operational US Air Force 17 Oct 2020 -- Luke Air Force Base is fulfilling Secretary of Defense Mark Esper's national defense priority of strengthening alliances and partnerships by training alongside the Royal Australian Air Force.
• McCain Joins Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group US Navy 17 Oct 2020 -- The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain (DDG 56) has teamed up with the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific.
• US rejects Putin's proposal on New START extension Global Times 17 Oct 2020 -- The White House on Friday rejected Russian President Vladimir Putin's proposal earlier in the day to extend the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) for at least one year without conditions.
• U.S. Rejects Putin's Proposal On Nuclear Disarmament Treaty As 'Nonstarter' RFE/RL 17 Oct 2020 -- The United States says Russian President Vladimir Putin's proposal to extend the New START nuclear disarmament treaty without freezing nuclear warheads is a "nonstarter."
• Russia to Respond to US Deployment of Missiles in Asia-Pacific Region, Ambassador Says Sputnik 17 Oct 2020 -- Moscow will adequately respond to Washington's deployment of intermediate and short-range missiles in the Asia-Pacific region (APAC), Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov said.
• Tehran Declares Arms Embargo Lifted, Iran Free to Procure, Export Arms as Sees Fit Sputnik 17 Oct 2020 -- In 2015, Iran signed the JCPOA with China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany and the European Union, requiring Iran to scale back its nuclear program and severely downgrade its uranium reserves in exchange for sanctions relief, including lifting the arms embargo five years after the deal's adoption.
• 'Tough' for China to make amphibious landing in Taiwan: U.S. official CNA 17 Oct 2020 -- A top official from the White House said on Friday that it would be "tough" for China to carry out an invasion of Taiwan through an amphibious landing operation.
• China may try to restrict Taiwan's air access to outlying islands: expert CNA 17 Oct 2020 -- A retired Taiwan Air Force general warned Saturday that an incident on Thursday, in which Hong Kong turned back a Taiwan military-chartered supply plane en route to the Dongsha Islands, may have been the first move in a broader campaign by China to restrict air access to Taiwan's outlying territories.
• US Condemns Turkey for Testing Russian-Made S-400 Missile VOA 17 Oct 2020 -- The United States has condemned Turkey for testing a highly advanced Russian air defense system on Friday, disregarding U.S. warnings.

Defense Industry

Other Conflicts

• Philippines: Lifting of Moratorium Won't Hinder Sea Exploration Projects With China Radio Free Asia 17 Oct 2020 -- A Philippine decision to lift a moratorium on energy exploration in the South China Sea was a unilateral move but Chinese firms could still participate with Manila in extracting oil and gas resources in the disputed waterway, the country's energy secretary said Friday.
• Iraq's Hashd Sha'abi fighters, govt. forces foiling Daesh infiltration bids on Syria border: Military official Press TV 17 Oct 2020 -- A high-ranking Iraqi military official says fighters from Popular Mobilization Units, better known by the Arabic word Hashd al-Sha'abi, alongside national security forces are effectively thwarting infiltration attempts of the Daesh Takfiri terrorists on the western border with Syria.
• Azerbaijan, Armenia agree on new ceasefire in Karabakh conflict Press TV 17 Oct 2020 -- Azerbaijan Republic and Armenia announce a temporary "humanitarian ceasefire" in their conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh disputed region, starting from midnight local time (8pm GMT).
• Armenia, Azerbaijan ramp up fighting Press TV 17 Oct 2020 -- Armenia and Azerbaijan have ramped up fighting over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh, hitting higher-profile targets and widening the battlefield to major cities.
• Death, destruction after missiles hit Azerbaijan's second city of Ganja Press TV 17 Oct 2020 -- A missile strike has leveled a row of homes in Azerbaijan's second largest city of Ganja, killing at least 13 and injuring more than 40 people in their sleep in a sharp escalation of the conflict over Karabakh.
• Armenia, Azerbaijan Agree On New Cease-Fire In Nagorno-Karabakh Fighting RFE/RL 17 Oct 2020 -- Armenia and Azerbaijan say they have agreed on a new cease-fire to stop the escalating fighting over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.
• Ankara Accuses Armenia of Committing War Crimes by Shelling Azerbaijani Cities Sputnik 17 Oct 2020 -- Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu called shelling of Azerbaijani cities by Armenia amid the escalation of tension in conflict-torn Nagorno-Karabakh region war crimes, adding that those responsible will be held accountable.
• Azerbaijan, Armenia Agree to Cease-Fire Beginning Sunday VOA 17 Oct 2020 -- Azerbaijan and Armenia announced Saturday that they had agreed to a new cease-fire beginning at midnight, the second attempt in a week to temper almost three weeks of fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh.
• Schools in Northern Cameroon Close as Boko Haram Steps Up Attacks VOA 17 Oct 2020 -- Cameroon says it has again closed more than 60 schools on its northern border with Nigeria to protect children and teaching staff from increasing Boko Haram attacks. Many people have fled the region and are now displaced.

News Reports

• France Reels From Latest Terror Attack VOA 17 Oct 2020 -- France is reeling from its latest terrorist attack — the gruesome decapitation of Paris-area teacher Samuel Paty days after he showed his class controversial cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad. Media identify the suspect as Abdoulakh A., an 18-year-old immigrant born in Moscow and of Chechen origin. Authorities say they shot him minutes after the attack.
• Macron condemns "Islamic terrorist attack" in Paris suburb Global Times 17 Oct 2020 -- Condemning the "Islamic terrorist attack" that took the life of a teacher in Paris northwest suburbs, French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday evening called on the French to stand together and pledged quick and firm action by the government to combat terrorism.
• French Police Say Ethnic Chechen From Moscow Responsible For Teacher's Beheading RFE/RL 17 Oct 2020 -- A French official has identified an 18-year-old ethnic Chechen man from Moscow as the attacker who beheaded a schoolteacher in a Paris suburb and who was shot and killed by police shortly after.
• Giuliani contacted Russian agents to get information on Biden: Report Press TV 17 Oct 2020 -- US President Donald Trump's personal attorney has contacted Russian agents to obtain intelligence to help him win the 2020 presidential election.
• Amended national flag, emblem law further prohibits defamatory actions Global Times 17 Oct 2020 -- China decided to amend the National Flag Law and the National Emblem Law on Saturday to further prohibit acts that impair the dignity of the national flag and the national emblem.
• Experts warn of risks to shipping on the Indian Ocean following India's close contact with island of Taiwan Global Times 17 Oct 2020 -- The Chinese Embassy to India lodged strong representation and firm opposition over an Indian media interview advocating "Taiwan independence," which Chinese experts said was India's latest move intended to use the Taiwan question as a bargaining chip in border negotiations with China.
• Iraq Seizes Truckloads Of Drugs Smuggled from Iran Radio Farda 17 Oct 2020 -- Iraqi military intelligence officials announced on Thursday that they confiscated 19 trucks loaded with hundreds of thousands of medicines smuggled from the country's western neighbor, Iran.
• Lawyers In Belarus Face Disbarment, Arrest Just For Representing Opponents Of Lukashenka RFE/RL 17 Oct 2020 -- Hundreds of people have been detained by police in Belarus since postelection protests swept the country - and lawyers now find themselves on the defensive.
• Smaller Crowds March In Belarusian Capital; At Least 30 Reported Detained RFE/RL 17 Oct 2020 -- Dozens of women marched through Minsk's streets in the latest effort to pressure the Belarusian government and Alyaksandr Lukashenka to step aside or call new elections.
• Sarkozy charged with 'criminal conspiracy' over Libya bribes Press TV 17 Oct 2020 -- Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has been indicted for accepting cash funds for his 2007 election campaign from longtime Libyan ruler Muammar Qaddafi, who was toppled in 2011 after a Western military intervention, with Sarkozy being the driving force behind the move that led to his downfall.
• Pakistani Opposition Vows To Topple Khan As Prime Minister RFE/RL 17 Oct 2020 -- Opposition leaders in Pakistan have vowed to topple the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan within weeks.
• Erdogan Announces Discovery of 85Bln Tonnes of Additional Gas in Black Sea Sputnik 17 Oct 2020 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the discovery of additional reserves of natural gas in the Black Sea, bringing the total volume of the discovery to 405 billion cubic tonnes.
• Police crackdown prompts more protests in Thailand Press TV 17 Oct 2020 -- Tens of thousands of people have once again taken to the streets of Thailand's Bangkok and other cities in the country, a day after police used brutal tactics to crack down on protesters in the capital.
• Thousands in Thailand Continue Protests in Defiance of Crackdown VOA 17 Oct 2020 -- Thousands of protesters were in the streets of Bangkok, Thailand, again Saturday in defiance of a government crackdown as they continue to push for the ouster of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha.
• Nigerian army threatens action as protests continue against police brutality Press TV 17 Oct 2020 -- The Nigerian military has issued a warning as protests sweep across the West African country over years of recurring police brutality.
• New Zealand's Jacinda Ardern Wins 2nd Term by Landslide VOA 17 Oct 2020 -- New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's party Saturday won the country's general election in a landslide, achieving an absolute majority and securing her a second term.