Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Statement by NSC Spokesperson Emily Horne on National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan's Call with National Security Advisor Hamdullah Mohib of Afghanistan The White House 22 Jan 2021
• Utah National Guard broadens COVID-19 support across Utah Army News 22 Jan 2021 -- The Utah National Guard, in cooperation with the Utah Department of Health, has expanded its support of the COVID-19 mission to provide vaccinations and monoclonal antibody infusions to patients living in long-term care facilities throughout Utah.
• Maryland National Guard assisting with vaccinations Army News 22 Jan 2021 -- Maryland National Guard Mobile Vaccination Support Teams are working hard supporting COVID-19 vaccination efforts around the state.
• Michigan National Guard assists with COVID-19 vaccinations Army News 22 Jan 2021 -- The Michigan National Guard teamed with the Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department in Lake Ann to vaccinate hundreds of residents with the COVID-19 vaccine this week.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Day One Message to the Force From Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III DoD 22 Jan 2021
• Lawmakers Confirm Biden's Choice for Secretary of Defense VOA 22 Jan 2021 -- U.S. President Joe Biden got a boost Friday, with lawmakers giving final approval to his secretary of defense, who becomes only the second Cabinet member to be confirmed as the administration seeks to push back against key adversaries.
• Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin's Call with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg DoD 22 Jan 2021
• Readout of President Joseph R. Biden Jr.'s Telephone Call to Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III DoD 22 Jan 2021
• New Defense Secretary Arrives at Pentagon, Convenes COVID Meeting DoD News 22 Jan 2021 -- Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III arrived at the Pentagon today and hit the ground running, greeting the senior staff and then immediately heading into meetings on combating the coronavirus.
• U.S. Congress approves waiver for Biden's Pentagon chief nominee People's Daily 22 Jan 2021 -- The U.S. Congress on Thursday approved a waiver for Lloyd Austin, a retired four-star general, to serve as President Joe Biden's defense secretary.
• USS Freedom Completes Trilateral Exercise With El Salvador, Guatemala US Navy 22 Jan 2021 -- The Freedom-class littoral combat ship USS Freedom (LCS 1) executed a passing exercise (PASSEX) with its naval counterparts from El Salvador and Guatemala, Jan. 21.
• NAVFAC Southeast awards contract for SOF facility at NAS Key West US Navy 22 Jan 2021 -- NAVFAC Southeast awards contract, Jan. 15, for construction of a Special Operations Forces Watercraft Maintenance Facility at NAS Key West.
• Space Force Exists to Deal With Threats in Space Domain, Vice Chairman Says DoD News 22 Jan 2021 -- Threats by Russia and China to deny U.S. access and capability in space make the Space Force critical to national security, said the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
• NATO Secretary General and the Georgian President discussed strengthening partnership NATO 22 Jan 2021 -- In a meeting at NATO Headquarters on Friday (22 January 2021), NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg thanked Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili for the close political partnership and strong practical cooperation it has with NATO. He expressed hope that this bond is further strengthened and encouraged Georgia to continue making progress with its reforms.
• NATO Secretary General discusses security issues with Turkish Foreign Minister NATO 22 Jan 2021 -- Today (22 January 2021), NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg met with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu at NATO Headquarters. They discussed a range of issues, including the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean, Afghanistan and Libya.
• Russia Welcomes U.S. Call To Extend New START Nuclear Treaty But Wants Details RFE/RL 22 Jan 2021 -- Russia has welcomed U.S. President Joe Biden's proposal to extend the New START arms control treaty, but said it needs to see concrete proposals from the American side.
• Kremlin Welcomes US Political Will to Extend New START Sputnik 22 Jan 2021 -- The Kremlin welcomes Washington's political will to extend the New START deal, but believes that everything depends on the details of the proposal that are still unclear, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday.
• Moscow Welcomes US Plan to Extend Nuclear Arms Treaty VOA 22 Jan 2021 -- Russia has welcomed the Biden administration's announcement it is seeking a five-year extension of the New START arms control treaty, set to expire February 5, though the Kremlin says it will await to see the details.
• Chinese peacekeepers to South Sudan perform patrol and armed escort tasks PLA Daily 22 Jan 2021 -- The 7th Chinese peacekeeping infantry battalion to South Sudan completed this year's first short-distance patrol task from Juba to Mongalla, deployed by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and the Sector Juba on January 20, local time, providing armed escort for UN military observers at the same time.
• India to send military team for S-400 training in Russia despite US sanction threats Press TV 22 Jan 2021 -- India is set to send a team of military specialists to Russia, where they will receive training on the S-400 air defense system, which New Delhi plans to purchase from Moscow despite US threats of sanctions.
• Successful Flight Test of Smart Anti Airfield Weapon India PIB 22 Jan 2021 -- In yet another milestone, DRDO successfully conducted captive and release trial of indigenously developed Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon (SAAW) from Hawk-I of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) off the Odisha coast on 21 January 2021.
• North Korea's new resilient deterrent worries US: Report Press TV 22 Jan 2021 -- North Korea's latest unveiling of submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) has been described by US experts as an indication that Pyongyang is inching closer to a genuinely powerful missile.
• Guterres hails entry into force of treaty banning nuclear weapons UN News 22 Jan 2021 -- The first multilateral nuclear disarmament treaty in more than two decades, came into force just after midnight on Friday, hailed by the UN Secretary-General as "an important step towards a world free of nuclear weapons".
• International Treaty To Ban Nuclear Weapons Enters Into Force RFE/RL 22 Jan 2021 -- An international treaty banning nuclear weapons has come into force, but what the accord will actually achieve remains in doubt since nuclear powers are staying away from it.
• Treaty on Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons Goes Into Effect VOA 22 Jan 2021 -- United Nations Secretary General António Guterres and The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement welcomed the entry into force Friday of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), the first nuclear disarmament instrument in more than two decades.
• Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki and National Economic Director Brian Deese The White House 22 Jan 2021
• Statement by NSC Spokesperson Emily Horne on National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan's Call National Security Advisor Suh Hoon of the Republic of Korea The White House 22 Jan 2021

Defense Industry

• Contracts For Jan. 22, 2021

Other Conflicts

• 22 January 2021 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 22 Jan 2021
• China Passes Law Allowing Coastguard to Use Force Against Foreign Vessels Radio Free Asia 22 Jan 2021 -- China passed a new law Friday granting the China Coast Guard (CCG) more leeway in asserting the nation's claims in the contested South China Sea and authorizing the use of force against foreign vessels.
• Japan Becomes Latest Nation to Contest Beijing's Claims in the South China Sea Radio Free Asia 22 Jan 2021 -- Japan has joined a growing list of countries that are challenging China's maritime claims in the South China Sea.
• North Korean Trade Officials Scramble to Import Chinese Construction Materials Radio Free Asia 22 Jan 2021 -- Trading companies in North Korea are attempting to restart trade with China to secure construction materials as Pyongyang prepares to invest heavily in its tourism industry, sources in China told RFA.
• North Korea Directs Companies to Eliminate 'Import Disease' and Pursue Self-Reliance Radio Free Asia 22 Jan 2021 -- North Korea has instructed state-run factories and organizations to be more self-sufficient and shake off what it calls the "import disease" that has made production during the COVID-19 pandemic nearly impossible, local government officials told RFA.
• UN Mediator Deplores Slow Pace of Syrian Constitutional Talks VOA 22 Jan 2021 -- Syria's warring parties are gearing up for another round of U.N.-mediated peace talks next week aimed at drafting a new constitution as a preamble to U.N.-supervised elections in Syria.
• Experts: Israel Likely to Continue Attacking Iranian Targets in Eastern Syria VOA 22 Jan 2021 -- Israel is likely to continue its air campaign against Iranian forces and allied militias in Syria, particularly in the eastern part of the country, according to some experts.
• Syrian air defense units intercept, destroy Israeli missiles over Hama Press TV 22 Jan 2021 -- Syrian air defenses have thwarted another Israeli aggression against the war-ravaged Arab country, and shot down a large number of "hostile" missiles in the skies over the western-central province of Hama.
• Iraq PM orders major security changes in capital after bloodshed Press TV 22 Jan 2021 -- A day after deadly bombings that rocked the heart of Baghdad, Iraq's prime minister has expelled four senior security officials as part of a set of structural changes to the capital's security apparatus, pledging the nation that his government will not allow a repeat of such attacks.
• Iraq pledges 'earth-shattering response' after Baghdad blasts Press TV 22 Jan 2021 -- Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi promises a crushing response after a twin blast, that has reportedly been claimed by the Takfiri terror group of Daesh, targeted a busy square in Baghdad claiming at least 32 people.
• Iraqi Prime Minister Fires 4 Senior Security Officials Following Baghdad Terror Attacks Sputnik 22 Jan 2021 -- Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi has dismissed four high-ranking security officials, including the country's federal police head, following the twin terrorist attacks in the capital of Baghdad, Yehia Rasool, a spokesperson for the Iraqi commander-in-chief, said.
• Israeli Army Says It Has Downed Drone Launched From Lebanon Sputnik 22 Jan 2021 -- The traditionally tense relations between Israel and Lebanon worsened last year in the wake of an alleged Israeli drone attack in Beirut against a Hezbollah media office.
• Sudan: 250 killed, over 100,000 displaced as violence surges in Darfur UN News 22 Jan 2021 -- A sharp uptick in intercommunal violence in Sudan's Darfur region has forced more than 100,000 people to flee their homes in search of safety, including many into neighbouring Chad, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) reported on Friday.
• Surging Inter-Ethnic Violence in Sudan's Darfur Region Leaves Hundreds Dead, Injured VOA 22 Jan 2021 -- The U.N. Human Rights Office is calling for increased security in Sudan's volatile Darfur region, where a recent surge in inter-communal violence has resulted in hundreds of deaths and injuries, and mass displacement.
• South Sudanese Still Face Threat from Unexploded Mines, Munitions VOA 22 Jan 2021 -- Many South Sudanese have been returning home to farm the land and live their lives after United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) workers spent years clearing huge portions of the country that were littered with unexploded ordnance. Still, officials warn the work is far from over.
• Mali in transition: UN peacekeeping chief takes stock of political and security developments UN News 22 Jan 2021 -- Against the backdrop of a rapidly deteriorating security situation in Mali and the wider Sahel region, the UN peacekeeping chief concluded a visit to the restive northwest African nation on Thursday.
• Karen People Cut Off From Help in Myanmar After Fighting Drives Them From Their Homes Radio Free Asia 22 Jan 2021 -- Around 1,000 ethnic Karen villagers have been cut off from help in Myanmar's Kayin state by renewed fighting between government troops and rebel forces, with relief groups now unable to reach them with badly needed food, blankets, and medical supplies, sources say.
• Former Bosnian Army Commander Sentenced For War Crimes RFE/RL 22 Jan 2021 -- A former Bosnian Army commander has been sentenced to 10 years in prison on January 22 for failing to stop killings and torture carried out by Islamist volunteer fighters who joined his troops during Bosnia's 1992-1995 war.
• Analysis: Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan Resolve A 30-Year Dispute Over Caspian Field RFE/RL 22 Jan 2021 -- After nearly 30 years of talks, arguments, and threats, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan have agreed to jointly develop a disputed hydrocarbon field that lies in the Caspian Sea about midway between the two countries.

News Reports

• Impeachment Charge Against Trump to Be Sent to Senate Monday VOA 22 Jan 2021 -- U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Monday will send an article of impeachment against Donald Trump to the Senate, Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Friday, beginning a trial at which the former president could be convicted of inciting an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
• White House Focuses on Fight Against Domestic Terrorism VOA 22 Jan 2021 -- Fears that an untold number of Americans are being radicalized is prompting the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden to take a closer look at efforts to counter domestic extremism and at whether enough is being done.
• Gangster Disciples Leaders Sentenced to Prison US Dept. of Justice 22 Jan 2021 -- Two leaders of the national gang the Gangster Disciples were sentenced today for a racketeering conspiracy involving murder.
• Status of Avian Influenza in the country India PIB 22 Jan 2021 -- Till 22ndJanuary, 2021 outbreaks of Avian Influenza (Bird flu) have been confirmed in 9 States (Kerala, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab) for poultry birds and in 12 States (Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab) for Crow/Migratory/ Wild birds.
• The Week In Russia: 'No. 2 Politician, No. 1 Headache' RFE/RL 22 Jan 2021 -- The United States got a new president this week, but it's hard to escape the impression that Russia's political world has also seen a big change in less than seven days, a shift that will shape the future in unknown ways.
• Ahead Of Protests, Russia Cracks Down On Navalny's Allies -- And TikTok RFE/RL 22 Jan 2021 -- TikTok is flooded with messages of support for Aleksei Navalny. Pop stars and influencers are speaking out in his defense. And allies of the Russian opposition leader are using seemingly any platform imaginable to promote a singular cause: street demonstrations calling for his release from jail.
• Navalny Associate Sobol Fined For Calling On Public To Protest In Support Of Kremlin Critic RFE/RL 22 Jan 2021 -- A court in Moscow has fined Lyubov Sobol, a lawyer at opposition politician Aleksei Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation, for calling on the public to hold rallies to protest the Kremlin critic's detention.
• Navalny's Lawyers Say Court Ignored Russian Law In Decision To 'Illegally' Detain Kremlin Critic RFE/RL 22 Jan 2021 -- Lawyers of jailed Kremlin critic Aleksei Navalny say their client's pretrial detention is illegal as several procedural regulations were violated while processing the case.
• As Protests Near, Russian Officials Show No Signs Of Easing Up On Navalny, Associates RFE/RL 22 Jan 2021 -- Russian officials are showing no signs of letting up in efforts to preempt planned nationwide street protests this weekend in support of Aleksei Navalny, vowing to "immediately suppress" any unsanctioned events and threatening jail time for demonstrators after rounding up several of the Kremlin critic's allies for calling people to take to the streets.
• EU MPs demand halt of Nord Stream 2 to pressure Russia Press TV 22 Jan 2021 -- EU legislators have reacted to Russia's arrest of blogger Alexei Navalny by passing a resolution demanding a halt to the completion of the Moscow-led Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline that carries Russian natural gas to Europe.
• Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying's Regular Press Conference on January 22, 2021 PRC MofA 22 Jan 2021
• China calls for courage and wisdom to put Sino-U.S. relations back on the right track People's Daily 22 Jan 2021 -- The United States and China are expected to show courage and wisdom, listen to each other, face up to each other, respect each other, and engage in dialogue and cooperation in order to "heal and recover" bilateral relations, a spokesperson said on Thursday.
• Will Biden Reverse Trump's China Policies? VOA 22 Jan 2021 -- China is gearing up to deal with a new U.S. administration after a particularly difficult year during which it suffered a series of diplomatic setbacks owing to COVID-19, trade war and human rights issues. A question being widely asked is whether Chinese President Xi Jinping will get along better with President Joe Biden than he did with former President Donald Trump.
• Xi stresses strict Party governance for 14th Five-Year Plan period PLA Daily 22 Jan 2021 -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, has stressed the importance of leveraging the guiding and safeguarding roles of strict Party governance in every respect to ensure the development goals and tasks of the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) are fulfilled.
• In Defending Democracy Activists, Hong Kong Lawyers Navigate New Legal Terrain VOA 22 Jan 2021 -- The aftermath of the 12 Hong Kong activists who fled the city and were detained in Mainland China continued last week, with the release of Hong Kong lawyer Daniel Wong Kwok-tung after 40 hours in police custody.
• Hong Kong Broadcaster Terminates Contract of Hard-Hitting TV Anchor Radio Free Asia 22 Jan 2021 -- Hong Kong government broadcaster RTHK has terminated the permanent civil service contract and benefits of a journalist known for her hard-hitting questions of government officials, the staff union said.
• Sanctions, Global Censure Should Follow US Labeling of Xinjiang Abuses as 'Genocide': Experts Radio Free Asia 22 Jan 2021 -- The U.S. designation of China's repression of ethnic Uyghurs in its northwestern Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) as genocide must be followed with stronger economic sanctions and a concerted international effort to push Beijing to reverse course, according to a group of experts.
• China's Energy Flows Strained by COVID, Record Cold Radio Free Asia 22 Jan 2021 -- China's struggles with energy shortages and the effects of extreme weather are raising questions about conflicts in government policies.
• US blocking Iran's payment of UN membership dues: Zarif Press TV 22 Jan 2021 -- Iran's foreign minister says the government has allocated funds for the payment of its dues to the UN, but Washington is preventing Tehran from paying its contributions.
• Minsk Court Upholds Extension Of Belarusian Opposition Figure Kalesnikava's Pretrial Detention RFE/RL 22 Jan 2021 -- A court in Minsk has upheld an extension of the pretrial detention of Belarusian opposition figure Maryya Kalesnikava, who faces national-security charges after she urged people to protest against a disputed presidential election.
• China Seen as Pressing Advantage in Myanmar with High-Level Visit, Deals VOA 22 Jan 2021 -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi helped cinch Beijing's hold on Myanmar with a visit last week that saw the two countries agree to push ahead with a major transportation project and lock in a five-year trade and economic pact, analysts say.
• Thailand Rejects New Technical Report on Large-Scale Lao Mekong Mainstream Dam Radio Free Asia 22 Jan 2021 -- Thailand has rejected a new technical report on Laos' Sanakham dam project, one of nine large-scale Mekong River mainstream dams integral to Vientiane's controversial economic strategy of becoming the "Battery of Southeast Asia."
• Laos' Golden Triangle SEZ in 2-Week Lockdown After Chinese Worker Tests Positive for COVID-19 Radio Free Asia 22 Jan 2021 -- Lao authorities have placed the northwestern Bokeo province's Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone, a casino entertainment district that caters mainly to Chinese tourists, under a two-week lockdown after a Chinese worker tested positive for the coronavirus, officials told RFA's Lao Service.
• Central African Republic Begins 15-Day State of Emergency VOA 22 Jan 2021 -- A 15-day nationwide state of emergency began in the Central African Republic at midnight Thursday in response to rebel-inspired violence over last month's disputed reelection of President Faustin-Archange Touadera.
• Role Reversal for US and Post-Brexit Britain VOA 22 Jan 2021 -- Well-placed geographically and politically between America and Europe, Britain has long marketed itself as the diplomatic bridge linking the two continents.