Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• First group of US occupation forces leaves Iraq: Cmdr. Press TV 21 Nov 2020 -- The spokesman for the Iraqi Joint Operations Command has announced the withdrawal of the first batch of US troops from the Arab country based on an agreement reached between the Baghdad and Washington.
• Afghanistan: UN chief underscores need to end violence following deadly rocket attacks UN News 21 Nov 2020 -- The UN Secretary-General has condemned rocket attacks in Afghanistan's capital, Kabul, on Saturday which killed at least eight civilians and wounded many more.
• Pompeo Meets With Afghan, Taliban Negotiators in Qatar VOA 21 Nov 2020 -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Saturday that the United States would "sit on the side and help where we can" as he met in Qatar with Afghan government negotiators amid signs of progress to reach a peace agreement with the Taliban.
• Afghan Government Blames Taliban For Deadly Rocket Attacks In Kabul RFE/RL Gandhara 21 Nov 2020 -- Afghanistan's government has blamed the Taliban for about two dozen rockets that hit residential areas of Kabul during the morning rush hour on November 21, killing at least eight people and wounding about a dozen more.
• Kabul hit by multiple deadly blasts; rocket lands at Iranian Embassy Press TV 21 Nov 2020 -- Multiple blasts have rocked the densely populated parts of Kabul and left a number of civilian casualties, with one hitting the Iranian Embassy in the Afghan capital.
• Pompeo Meets With Taliban, Afghan Negotiators To Press Cease-Fire RFE/RL Gandhara 21 Nov 2020 -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called on Taliban leaders to swiftly negotiate a permanent cease-fire in Afghanistan after a meeting on November 21 in Qatar.
• Senior Taliban Members Meet With US State Secretary in Doha, Spokesman Said Sputnik 21 Nov 2020 -- Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the chief of the Taliban political office, and Shaykh Mawlawi Abdulhakeem, the head of the movement's team that negotiates with the Afghan government, met with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Doha on Saturday, a group spokesman, Mohammad Naeem, said.
• Secretary Pompeo's Meeting with the Taliban US Dept. of State 21 Nov 2020
• Secretary Pompeo's Meeting with Islamic Republic of Afghanistan's Negotiating Team US Dept. of State 21 Nov 2020

Defense Policy / Programs

• U.S. warship transits through Taiwan Strait CNA 21 Nov 2020 -- The USS Barry, an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Saturday, the 11th time this year that such passage has been carried out by an American warship.
• 40th Combat Aviation Brigade returns to Camp Roberts for pre-mobilization training Army News 21 Nov 2020 -- The California Army National Guard's 40th Combat Aviation Brigade showed up in force at Camp Roberts for pre-deployment training over three weeks in November.
• Assault vehicles, drones assist border control troops in Tibet Global Times 21 Nov 2020 -- China's new-generation off-road assault vehicles, intelligent equipment have been commissioned to the People's Liberation Army (PLA) border defense troops stationed in Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region as cold weather descends on the region and border tensions remain high.
• General location of missing F-16 flight data recorder confirmed CNA 21 Nov 2020 -- The general location of the flight data recorder of a missing Taiwanese F-16 fighter jet was confirmed and salvage operations will begin once weather conditions permit, Taiwan's military said Saturday.
• Riding Off Success of New Satellite, Iran Official Calls for Creation of Permanent Space-Based Radar Sputnik 21 Nov 2020 -- Tehran achieved a major breakthrough with its space programme in April, launching the Noor-1 (lit. 'Light-1') military satellite into orbit. US Chief of Space Operations Gen. Jay Raymond derided the spacecraft as a mere "tumbling webcam in space". However, in July, Iran released detailed satellite images of the largest US base in the Middle East.
• Venezuela's Maduro announces mass production of indigenous drones, aircraft Press TV 21 Nov 2020 -- President Nicolas Maduro says Venezuela has launched the mass production of domestically-developed multifunctional drones and multipurpose light aircraft, as part of a move aimed at enhancing national security in the Latin American nation.
• Secretary Pompeo's Meeting with Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Al Thani US Dept. of State 21 Nov 2020
• Secretary Pompeo's Meeting with Qatari Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani US Dept. of State 21 Nov 2020
• Secretary Pompeo's Meeting with Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates US Dept. of State 21 Nov 2020

Defense Industry

Other Conflicts

• Yemeni army soldiers, allied fighters wrest control over major base in Ma'rib Press TV 21 Nov 2020 -- Yemeni army troops, backed by allied fighters from Popular Committees, have taken full control of a sprawling military base in the country's central province of Ma'rib, following fierce armed clashes with Saudi-sponsored militiamen loyal to Yemen's former President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi.
• High-Ranking Russian Delegation Visits Yerevan, Baku RFE/RL 21 Nov 2020 -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu met in Yerevan with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian on November 21 to discuss the implementation of a Russian-brokered truce in the war over Nagorno-Karabakh.
• India Summons Pakistani Diplomat Over Kashmir Gun Battle RFE/RL Gandhara 21 Nov 2020 -- India on November 21 summoned a senior Pakistani diplomat over what New Delhi says was a foiled attack by a Pakistani-based militant group earlier in the week in the frontier area of the divided region of Kashmir. Pakistan has denied any connection to the attack.
• NATO Secretary General marks the 25th anniversary of the Dayton Peace Agreement and underscores the importance of continued partnership with Bosnia-Herzegovina NATO 21 Nov 2020 -- Today (21 November 2020), NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg highlighted NATO's long standing efforts in support to Bosnia-Herzegovina's security and regional stability. "25 years ago, the Dayton Peace Agreement brought an end to nearly four years of brutal war in Bosnia-Herzegovina," Secretary General Stoltenberg said. "The presence of NATO troops played a central role in bringing the warring parties to the negotiating table; once the agreement was signed, NATO forces oversaw its implementation; and we have remained on the ground ever since to help maintain peace and security in the Western Balkans," he added.
• EU Urges Reforms In Bosnia On 25th Anniversary Of Dayton Peace Accords RFE/RL 21 Nov 2020 -- European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell used the 25th anniversary of the peace agreement that ended the war in Bosnia to urge Bosnia's political leaders to overcome ethnic divisions and prepare their nation to join the EU.
• Tibetan Government Leader Makes Historic White House Visit VOA 21 Nov 2020 -- The head of the Tibetan government in exile visited the White House on Friday, the first such meeting in 60 years and one that could draw the ire of Beijing.
• President of Self-Declared Tibetan Government Makes 'Historic' First White House Visit in 60 Years Sputnik 21 Nov 2020 -- Amid the ongoing US-China trade war and the relentless opposition from the Trump administration toward the Communist Party of China, the White House has accused Beijing of infringing on the rights of self-administrating and autonomous regions within China.
• Turkey Extends Geological Exploration in Disputed East Med Area Until 29 November, Navy Says Sputnik 21 Nov 2020 -- The Oruc Reis, a Turkish research vessel will continue its seismic exploration in the disputed area of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, near the Greek islands of Rhodes and Kastellorizo, until 29 November, the navy's Office of Navigation, Hydrography and Oceanography said on Saturday.
• Ethiopian Military Has Taken Control of Adigrat Town From Tigray Forces, Gov't Says Sputnik 21 Nov 2020 -- The fighting in Ethiopia's north erupted in early November, when the federal government accused the ruling party in the rebel Tigray region of attacking a local military base. The government has launched an offensive in the region in response.
• Appointment of AU envoys for Ethiopia's Tigray crisis an 'initiative for peace': UN chief UN News 21 Nov 2020 -- UN Secretary-General António Guterres has welcomed the African Union's (AU) appointment of three high-level envoys to help resolve the conflict in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, calling it an "initiative for peace."
• AU Appoints 3 Envoys to Help Resolve Ethiopian Conflict VOA 21 Nov 2020 -- The African Union has named three high-level envoys to mediate a peaceful resolution of armed conflict in the Tigray region of Ethiopia.

News Reports

• Russia slaps sanctions on 25 British citizens Press TV 21 Nov 2020 -- Russia has slapped sanctions on 25 nationals of the United Kingdom in retaliation for British bans targeting the same number of Russian officials introduced some four months ago.
• Russia Sanctions 25 British Citizens In Tit-For-Tat Move RFE/RL 21 Nov 2020 -- Russia has sanctioned 25 British citizens in response to punitive measures taken by London nearly five months ago against the same number of Russians for human rights violations.
• New Bills Threaten To Further Sideline Russia's Embattled Opposition RFE/RL 21 Nov 2020 -- Russia's opposition has long played a cat-and-mouse game with the state, using seemingly any and all legal means at its disposal to skirt increasingly restrictive laws on public assembly and protest.
• US Optimistic Economic Sanctions Hurting Chinese Company in Cambodia VOA 21 Nov 2020 -- The U.S. Treasury Department says the economic sanctions imposed under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act on a Chinese development company operating in Cambodia and its Cambodian liaison are an "effective and appropriate tool" for improving human rights and democracy.
• China pushes for multilateralism, vaccine cooperation and WTO reforms at G20 Global Times 21 Nov 2020 -- China reiterated its determination to safeguard multilateralism and support WTO reforms during the Group of 20 (G20) summit's opening ceremony, while vowing to strengthen teamwork with overseas countries, such as in COVID-19 vaccine research and production, to combat the pandemic crisis.
• Remarks by the Spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in the United States on the Joint Statement on Hong Kong by the Five Eyes Alliance Countries Global Times 21 Nov 2020 -- "The Foreign Ministers of Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, and the Secretary of State of the United States issued a joint statement on Hong Kong, making irresponsible comments about the decision of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress on the eligibility of the Legislative Council members of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region."
• HK police detain 3 people for sponsoring secessionists, hampering national security Global Times 21 Nov 2020 -- The national security department of Hong Kong police on Saturday arrested three people accused of crowdfunding and sponsoring secessionist activities.
• Central gov't condemns foreign meddling in Hong Kong affairs People's Daily 21 Nov 2020 -- A Chinese central government spokesperson on Friday strongly condemned a statement by the so-called "Five Eyes" intelligence alliance for its unreasonable demand on reinstating the disqualified Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Legislative Council (LegCo) members.
• U.S. lawmakers disappointed with exclusion of Taiwan from WHA CNA 21 Nov 2020 -- Several U.S. lawmakers across party lines on Friday expressed disappointment with Taiwan's exclusion from the annual World Health Assembly (WHA), the decision-making body of the World Trade Organization (WHO), and they urged the WHO to allow Taipei meaningful participation in the organization's activities.
• U.S., Taiwan to enter talks on tech cooperation CNA 21 Nov 2020 -- U.S. Under Secretary of State Keith Krach announced Friday that the United States and Taiwan will kick off talks on technology cooperation after both sides wrapped up an economic partnership dialogue that day, according to Taiwan's Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs Chen Chern-chyi (陳正祺), who led a delegation to the meeting.
• U.S.-Taiwan dialogue prioritizes cooperation in semiconductor sector CNA 21 Nov 2020 -- The first U.S.-Taiwan Economic Prosperity Partnership (EPP) Dialogue has identified the semiconductor industry as the two countries' top priority in economic cooperation, according to Minister without Portfolio John Deng (鄧振中) on Saturday.
• US, Taiwan Boost Economic Cooperation VOA 21 Nov 2020 -- The United States and Taiwan signed a five-year agreement Friday in Washington to create an annual U.S.-Taiwan Economic Prosperity Partnership Dialogue to increase bilateral cooperation.
• Kim Jong-un's Affluent Nephew Vanished After Interacting With CIA Men, Media Says Sputnik 21 Nov 2020 -- When Kim Jong-un's nephew reportedly arrived in the Netherlands accompanied by a CIA officer, the people who were waiting for him at the airport never saw him enter through the gate.
• Kim Jong-Boom! Nuclear Watchdog Suspects North Korea of Expanding Activities at Secret Facility Sputnik 21 Nov 2020 -- North Korea is thought to have an arsenal of as many as 40 nuclear weapons, as well as the means to deliver them to cities across the continental United States, the nation's main possible foe. Pyongyang carried out its first nuclear test in 2006, four years after being listed in US President George W. Bush's 'Axis of Evil'.
• Iran's reaction to E3's statement on Iran-IAEA cooperation ISNA 21 Nov 2020 -- Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh has condemned the irresponsible stances held by Britain, Germany, and France (the E3) in their statement on Iran's cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
• Pompeo: All options remain on the table against Iran Press TV 21 Nov 2020 -- US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has repeated Washington's threats against Iran, saying all options remain on the table against the Islamic republic.
• Tehran Dismisses NYT Report on Contact With Biden Team Over Iran Nuclear Deal as 'Yellow Journalism' Sputnik 21 Nov 2020 -- On 18 November the US Treasury Department targeted the Islamic Republic of Iran with new sanctions, with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo insisting that undoing the Trump administration's anti-Tehran restrictions would be "a dangerous choice", as Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has been projected the winner of the 2020 elections.
• This Week in Iran Policy US Dept. of State 21 Nov 2020
• US extends sanctions waiver for Iraq to import Iranian gas Press TV 21 Nov 2020 -- The United States has granted Iraq a shortened 45-day sanctions waiver to import gas from neighboring Iran.
• Huge Crowd Attends Funeral Of Controversial Pakistani Cleric RFE/RL Gandhara 21 Nov 2020 -- Thousands of mourners gathered in the Pakistani city of Lahore on November 21 for the funeral of a hard-line Islamic cleric accused of terrorizing the country's religious minorities for years, inciting riots, and advocating the destruction of European nations in order to fight what he had deemed to be blasphemy.
• Boris Johnson beats hasty retreat over controversial devolution remarks Press TV 21 Nov 2020 -- Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, has stepped back from his controversial comments on Scottish devolution, and now claims he supports the idea in principle.
• Georgian Dream Wins 'Overwhelming Majority' After Runoff Elections Boycotted By Opposition RFE/RL 21 Nov 2020 -- Georgia's ruling Georgian Dream party will hold a wide majority in parliament after sweeping second-round elections on November 21 that were boycotted by the opposition, preliminary results showed.
• Panama Court Orders Retrial of Ex-President on Charges of Espionage Sputnik 21 Nov 2020 -- An appeals court in Panama has ordered a retrial of former President Ricardo Martinelli for accusations of spying on political rivals during his presidency, the country's prosecutor said.
• Thailand's 'Bad Student' Pro-Democracy Protesters Slam Government as 'Dinosaurs' VOA 21 Nov 2020 -- Thailand's "Bad Students" pro-democracy group took over a downtown Bangkok intersection Saturday night, deriding the country's royalist government as "dinosaurs" as a kingdom bitterly divided by age, politics and attitudes toward the monarchy lurches deeper into crisis.
• Mexico agreed to nab cartel leader to secure release of ex-minister: Report Press TV 21 Nov 2020 -- Mexico reportedly struck a deal with the US to arrest a high-level cartel leader in return for a move by Washington to drop drug trafficking charges against a Mexican ex-defense minister and release him.