Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Update: air strikes against Daesh UK MOD 30 Jan 2021 -- The RAF are continuing to take the fight to Daesh in Iraq and Syria.
• Taliban Claims Car Bombing That Killed At Least 14 Afghan Troops RFE/RL Gandhara 30 Jan 2021 -- The Taliban has claimed responsibility for a car bombing in eastern Afghanistan that officials say killed at least 14 soldiers when it targeted a military base in Nangarhar.
• Suicide Bomber Kills 8 Afghan Soldiers in Nangarhar Province Sputnik 30 Jan 2021 -- The Vietnamese authorities have approved the use of the AstraZeneca/Oxford University vaccine against COVID-19, the government news portal reported on Saturday.

Defense Policy / Programs

• USS Donald Cook Conducts Underway Replenishment in the Black Sea US Navy 30 Jan 2021 -- The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) conducted an underway replenishment (UNREP) with the Henry J. Kaiser-class fleet replenishment oiler USNS Laramie (T-AO 203) in the Black Sea, Jan. 29.
• US B-52 Bombers Return to Indo-Pacific After 3 Years for 'Deterrence' Missions Sputnik 30 Jan 2021 -- Four US B-52 Stratofortress bombers have returned to a base in Guam after a three-year absence, aiming to conduct deterrence missions in the Indo-Pacific region, the Andersen Air Force Base said in a press release.
• U.S. Africa Command leaders visit DRC AFRICOM 30 Jan 2021 -- U.S. Africa Command's Deputy to the Commander for Civil-Military Engagement, Ambassador Andrew Young, and Director of Intelligence, Rear Adm. Heidi Berg, visited the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to demonstrate support for the Congolese commitment to enhancing military professionalism and welcome the countries' re-established security cooperation relationship, Jan. 27-30.
• China Launches Second Multi-Role Warship for Pakistan's Navy Sputnik 30 Jan 2021 -- A Chinese military expert has described the Type 054A frigate as having world-class stealth capability.

Defense Industry

Other Conflicts

• US Military Slams Chinese Military Activities in Pacific, Says US Forces Faced No Threat Sputnik 30 Jan 2021 -- A team of medics from the UK's Emergency Medical Team (EMT) is deploying to Eswatini in southern Africa to provide support and specialist expertise in hospitals that are battling the coronavirus pandemic.
• US protests to China in own backyard as Biden pivots to Asia Press TV 30 Jan 2021 -- The US military has protested to Chinese military activities in the South China Sea as leading policy outlet Politico says the new Biden government is reorienting foreign policy priorities to China and Asia from the Middle East.
• The Joint Forces Command of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen: Interception. Destruction of A Bomb-Laden (UAV) in Yemeni Airspace Launched by Terrorist, Iran-Backed Houthi Militia SPA 30 Jan 2021 -- Statement by the Official Spokesman of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen Brigadier General Turki Al-Malki: "Joint Coalition forces intercepted and destroyed this evening (Saturday) a bomb-laden UAV in Yemeni airspace, which was launched by the terrorist, Iran-backed Houthi militia toward the Kingdom to deliberately and systematically target civilians and civilian objects."
• Saudi-Led Coalition Reportedly Destroys Drone Fired by Houthis Towards Kingdom Sputnik 30 Jan 2021 -- Earlier this month, the former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo said that the State Department would add Yemen's Houthi movement to its list of terrorist organisations.
• Iraq's popular forces repel Daesh attack on Jurf al-Sakhar Press TV 30 Jan 2021 -- Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), better known as Hashd al-Sha'abi, have thwarted an attack launched by the remnants of the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group on Jurf al-Sakhar region in the central Babil province.
• UN must act to stop Israeli settler attacks, raids by troops: Palestinian Authority Press TV 30 Jan 2021 -- The Palestinian Authority has called on the United Nations and the UN Security Council to protect Palestinians in the occupied West Bank against increasing attacks by Israeli troops and settlers.
• Interview: De Waal Sees 'Tricky Game' To Stabilize Armenian-Azerbaijani Peace RFE/RL 30 Jan 2021 -- It's been nearly three months since a Russian-brokered peace agreement was signed on November 10, bringing an end to the war between Azerbaijan and Armenian forces over Azerbaijan's breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region.
• Russia, Turkey set up joint peacekeeping center in Nagorno-Karabakh Press TV 30 Jan 2021 -- Russia and Turkey have opened a joint center to monitor a ceasefire in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, under a truce that ended six weeks of fighting between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the disputed south Caucasus territory.
• Turkish-Russian Center Begins Monitoring Nagorno-Karabakh Truce RFE/RL 30 Jan 2021 -- A joint Turkish and Russian observation center to monitor a cease-fire between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh region started operations after an opening ceremony with senior defense officials in attendance on January 30.
• Hunger Grips Thousands Displaced by Inter-Communal Violence in Darfur VOA 30 Jan 2021 -- The World Food Program is scaling up food assistance to tens of thousands of people displaced by intercommunal violence in Sudan's explosive Darfur region.

News Reports

• Russian billionaire reveals 'secret' Black Sea palace belongs to him Press TV 30 Jan 2021 -- Russian billionaire Arkady Rotenberg says he is the owner of a luxurious Black Sea mansion that came under the spotlight last week, after opposition figure Alexey Nalvalny alleged it was owned by President Vladimir Putin.
• Kremlin Insider Says He's Owner Of 'Putin Palace' At Center Of Corruption Scandal RFE/RL 30 Jan 2021 -- A childhood friend of President Vladimir Putin and one of Russia's wealthiest oligarchs has said in an interview that he owns the lavish Black Sea mansion spotlighted in a recent anti-corruption video describing it as "a palace for Putin."
• Businessman Arkady Rotenberg Reveals He's Beneficiary of 'Palace' in Southern Russia Sputnik 30 Jan 2021 -- Russian businessman Arkady Rotenberg told the Mash Telegram channel on Saturday that the highly publicised "palace" located near the Black Sea resort of Gelendzhik in Russia actually belongs to him.
• Russian Police Warn Against Taking Part In Protests Called For By Navalny RFE/RL 30 Jan 2021 -- Russian police have issued a strong warning against participating in protests that opposition leader Aleksei Navalny has called for on January 31.
• Russian Interior Ministry Cautions Citizens Against Participating in Sunday Protests Sputnik 30 Jan 2021 -- The Russian Interior Ministry on Saturday called on citizens to refrain from participating in unauthorised protests scheduled for 31 January, reminding that disturbers of law and order will be liable to prosecution.
• China will no longer recognize UK-issued BNO passport People's Daily 30 Jan 2021 -- China will no longer recognize the so-called British National Overseas (BNO) passport as a travel document and ID document from Jan. 31, and reserves the right to take further actions, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told a regular news briefing Friday.
• Hong Kong Bar Association new chair's remarks "arrogant": spokesperson People's Daily 30 Jan 2021 -- The recent remarks made by Paul Harris, the new chair of the Hong Kong Bar Association, show astounding arrogance and ignorance and reveal vicious intentions, a mainland spokesperson said Friday.
• Resolution passed to evaluate changing national emblem CNA 30 Jan 2021 -- Taiwan's Legislative Yuan on Friday passed a resolution instructing the Ministry of the Interior to evaluate the possibility of changing the Republic of China's (Taiwan) national emblem, which is based on the party emblem of the opposition Kuomintang (KMT).
• U.S. must 'impose costs' for China's threats to Taiwan: official CNA 30 Jan 2021 -- The United States must be prepared to "impose costs" on China for its bellicosity and threats toward Taiwan, as well its actions in Hong Kong and Xinjiang, U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said on Friday.
• South Korea angrily rejects it planned to build nuclear facility Press TV 30 Jan 2021 -- South Korea planned to "secretly" build a nuclear power plant across the border in North Korea, a report says, drawing an angry rebuttal from Seoul.
• Iran Says Nuclear Deal 'Nonnegotiable,' Rejects Adding Participants RFE/RL 30 Jan 2021 -- Iran's Foreign Ministry has rejected any new negotiations or changes to the participants in Tehran's nuclear deal with world powers.
• Myanmar's Military Promises to Abide by and Protect Constitution VOA 30 Jan 2021 -- Myanmar's military said Saturday it will abide by and protect the country's constitution.
• Lebanese leaders denounce violent anti-lockdown protests in Tripoli Press TV 30 Jan 2021 -- Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab and President Michel Aoun have condemned violence and clashes in the northern city of Tripoli between security forces and demonstrators angered by a strict coronavirus lockdown that has exacerbated a chronic economic crisis.
• Armenia's Other Frontier: Plan To Revive Old Soviet Railway To Azerbaijan's Naxcivan Brings Potential, Concerns RFE/RL 30 Jan 2021 -- Just an hour south of the Armenian capital, Yerevan, the country's main north-south highway heads east and cuts through a roundabout in the center of Yeraskh, a dusty, threadbare village of several hundred people.
• Serbian President Sends Lieutenant To Washington As Belgrade Seeks Tighter U.S. Relations RFE/RL 30 Jan 2021 -- The massive new residence of the Serbian ambassador in the Embassy Row area of Washington is more than an upgrade for its young inhabitant and his family.
• Uganda's Opposition, International Observers Continue to Question Election Results VOA 30 Jan 2021 -- The fallout from this month's hotly contested Uganda election is shaking the nation and drawing international rebuke.