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Defense Policy / Programs
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News Reports

Current Operations

• Briefing with Acting Special Envoy for the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS John Godfrey On U.S. Participation in the Upcoming D-ISIS Ministerial US Dept. of State 29 Mar 2021
• Supply convoys for US-led military forces struck in bomb attacks across Iraq Press TV 29 Mar 2021 -- Three logistical support convoys belonging to the US-led coalition in Iraq have been targeted by explosive devices in the country's central provinces of Babil and al-Qadisiyah, as well as the southern province of Dhi Qar.
• US-Led Coalition in Iraq Targeted In Bombing Attacks, Source Says Sputnik 29 Mar 2021 -- Two logistical support convoys belonging to the US-led international coalition in Iraq were targeted by two explosive devices in the country's central and southern provinces, a local security source told Sputnik on Monday.
• Heart of Asia Conference on Afghanistan Kicks Off in Dushanbe VOA 29 Mar 2021 -- A regional ministerial conference called the Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process (HoA-IP) started Monday in Tajikistan's capital Dushanbe to try to advance the goal of ending the decades long conflict in Afghanistan.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Pentagon Press Secretary Updates Reporters on DOD Operations DoD 29 Mar 2021 -- Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby
• USS Roosevelt (DDG80) Begins Second FDNF-E Patrol US Navy 29 Mar 2021 -- The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Roosevelt (DDG 80) departed Naval Station Rota, Spain, to begin its second Forward-Deployed Naval Forces-Europe (FDNF-E) patrol, March 29, 2021.
• CJTF-HOA, Djiboutian military partner in 4-day signal exercise AFRICOM 29 Mar 2021 -- U.S. Soldiers assigned to Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) Communications Directorate, CJ-6, train alongside Armed Forces of Djibouti (FAD) during a military-to-military exchange of signal communications practices in a field exercise at Arta, Djibouti, March 15 - 18, 2021.
• DOD Awards $146.77 Million Contract to Puritan Medical Products to Increase Domestic Production Capacity of Foam Tip Swabs DoD 29 Mar 2021 -- On March 26, 2021, the Department of Defense (DOD), on behalf of and in coordination with the Department of Health and Human Services, awarded a contract with a not-to-exceed value of $146.77 million to Puritan Medical Products to increase domestic production capability of foam tip swabs used in critical COVID-19 diagnostic tests.
• Leaders Testify About DOD Installation Resiliency Efforts DoD News 29 Mar 2021 -- Each of the service's top installation managers discussed installation preparedness in the face of natural and man-made disasters.
• Military Using Alternatives to Suez Canal In Middle East DoD News 29 Mar 2021 -- Last week, the container ship "Ever Given" became lodged in the Suez Canal, the 120-mile long man-made waterway that runs through Egypt and connects the Red Sea with the Mediterranean Sea. The waterway allows commercial vessels to travel more quickly between the Far East and Europe. The route is also used by military ships, including those of the United States Navy. The blockage is not a show stopper for the U.S. military, however.
• DOD Officials Give Report on Women Peace and Security Compliance DoD News 29 Mar 2021 -- The Women Peace and Security program fits right into the Defense Department's breadbasket because "it is a tool for smart power," Air Force Brig. Gen. Rebecca J. Sonkiss, the Joint Staff's deputy director for counter threats and international cooperation said.
• Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group Conducts Joint Force Maritime Exercise with India US Navy 29 Mar 2021 -- The Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group (TRCSG) conducted simultaneous joint multi-domain operations with the Indian Navy and Air Force in the Indian Ocean March 28-29, 2021.
• Exercise Obangame Express 2021 Concludes US Navy 29 Mar 2021 -- Obangame Express 2021, the largest multinational maritime exercise in Western Africa, ended its 10th iteration with a celebratory closing ceremony in Accra, Ghana, March 27, 2021.
• Coronavirus response: NATO and Poland support to Bosnia and Herzegovina NATO 29 Mar 2021 -- On 27 March 2021, Poland delivered medical equipment and supplies including face masks, protective gloves and clothes and COVID-19 Antigen tests to Bosnia and Herzegovina in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Russia's TU-160 Bombers Carry Out Planned Flight Over Northern Europe Sputnik 29 Mar 2021 -- Two of Russia's TU-160 strategic bombers carried out a scheduled flight over the Barents Sea and the Norwegian Sea, the Russian Defence Ministry said on Monday.
• Chinese warplane firm lays out plans for new stealth fighter & next-gen aircraft Global Times 29 Mar 2021 -- A top Chinese warplane-producing company recently announced plans to make technological breakthroughs to ensure the successful development of a new, fourth-generation stealth fighter jet, and conduct test production and research on its next-generation aircraft in 2021.
• China's Shenyang Aircraft Corporation Announces Forthcoming New Stealth Fighter Sputnik 29 Mar 2021 -- Only a handful of fifth-generation aircraft are in service with air forces around the globe, and only the US has two such designs: the F-22 and F-35. However, China's FC-31 has long been expected to one day join the ranks alongside the J-20.
• PLA plateau forces commission amphibious rescue vehicle, 'useful in Galwan-like terrain' Global Times 29 Mar 2021 -- The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Xinjiang Military Command forces stationed in plateau regions recently commissioned a new type of amphibious armored vehicle for rescue missions, with analysts pointing out on Sunday that its amphibious capability means it could perform well in valley-spread high altitude border regions like Galwan Valley.
• PLA's largest near-Taiwan exercise features bombers to island's east, 'blocks foreign interventions' Global Times 29 Mar 2021 -- The warplane exercise by the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) near the island of Taiwan on Friday is not only the largest since the PLA started routine exercises in the region last year, but also a rare one that saw bombers flying to the eastern side of the island.
• Wary of Beijing, Taiwan Doubles Down on South China Sea Island VOA 29 Mar 2021 -- Taiwan's military has stepped up training of troops and added defensive weaponry on the contested South China Sea's biggest natural island to prepare for any attack by Beijing, analysts believe.
• Pilot error main cause of military plane crashes: vice defense minister CNA 29 Mar 2021 -- Most of the military plane crashes in Taiwan in recent years have resulted from pilot error, Vice Defense Minister Chang Che-ping (張哲平) said Monday, adding that better training is required to prevent aircraft accidents.
• HMAS Pirie decommissions in Darwin Australia DOD 29 Mar 2021 -- The Royal Australian Navy decommissioned Armidale Class Patrol Boat HMAS Pirie on Friday after 15 years of service.
• Statement by NSC Spokesperson Emily Horne on National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan's Call with Head of Presidential Office Andriy Yermak of Ukraine The White House 29 Mar 2021
• Secretary Blinken's Meeting with President of the UN General Assembly Volkan Bozkir US Dept. of State 29 Mar 2021
• Secretary Blinken's Meeting with UN Secretary-General Guterres US Dept. of State 29 Mar 2021
• Secretary Antony J. Blinken Before Meeting with President of the UN General Assembly Volkan Bozkir US Dept. of State 29 Mar 2021
• Secretary Antony J. Blinken Before Meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres US Dept. of State 29 Mar 2021
• Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki, March 29, 2021 The White House 29 Mar 2021

Defense Industry

• Contracts For March 29, 2021

Other Conflicts

• Rewards for Justice – Reward Offer for Information on Salim Jamil Ayyash US Dept. of State 29 Mar 2021 -- The U.S. Department of State's Rewards for Justice program is offering a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the location or identification of Salim Jamil Ayyash, a senior operative in the assassination unit of the terrorist organization Lebanese Hizballah, or information leading to preventing him from engaging in an act of international terrorism against a U.S. person or U.S. property.
• US Offers Up to $10Mln Reward for Information on Senior Hezbollah Operative Sputnik 29 Mar 2021 -- The United States has offered a reward of up to $10 million for information that would result in determining the location or identification of senior Hezbollah operative Salim Jamil Ayyash, a US State Department said in a release on Monday.
• Letter to the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate on the Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Significant Malicious Cyber-Enabled Activities The White House 29 Mar 2021
• Notice on the Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to Significant Malicious Cyber-Enabled Activities The White House 29 Mar 2021
• Philippine fighter aircraft's flybys over Chinese fishing boats in South China Sea 'risky': experts Global Times 29 Mar 2021 -- The daily flybys by Philippine fighter aircraft over Chinese fishing boats taking shelter from the weather near a Chinese reef in the South China Sea are inappropriate, and might inflame tensions and risk accidents, Chinese experts said on Sunday.
• Yemeni forces progress in Ma'rib amid concerns over Saudi-led forces using refugees as 'human shield' Press TV 29 Mar 2021 -- Yemeni armed forces, backed by fighters from Popular Committees, have made more gains in the country's strategic central province of Ma'rib, wresting control over more regions amid concerning reports that Saudi-led soldiers and their mercenaries are using refugees as "human shield" to slow the advance of Yemeni sides.
• Secretary Antony J. Blinken at the UN Security Council Briefing and Consultations on the Humanitarian Situation in Syria US Dept. of State 29 Mar 2021
• US: Syrians in Dire need of Aid Must Receive it VOA 29 Mar 2021 -- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday urged the U.N. Security Council to authorize more border crossings for the delivery of humanitarian aid into Syria, where an estimated 13.4 million people require assistance.
• 'No respite' for civilians in Syria, UN officials urge international support UN News 29 Mar 2021 -- Senior United Nations officials have called on the international community to step up funding for relief programmes supporting millions of people in Syria and the region, who depend on the life-saving assistance and livelihood support after a decade of brutal conflict.
• Syria's decade of 'death, destruction, displacement, disease, dread and despair' UN News 29 Mar 2021 -- Now is not the moment to reduce humanitarian aid to Syria, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator told the Security Council on Monday, stressing that after 10 years of conflict, more support was needed to avoid further "dramatic and widespread" deterioration.
• US-Backed Syrian Forces Launch Anti-IS Campaign in al-Hol Camp VOA 29 Mar 2021 -- U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have announced a major security operation against Islamic State (IS) cells inside al-Hol camp in northeast Syria.
• Work of 3 Checkpoints in Syria Suspended From Tuesday Amid Escalation, Russian Military Says Sputnik 29 Mar 2021 -- The work of checkpoints Seraqab and Miznaz in Idlib, as well as Abu Zeidin in Aleppo, will be suspended from Tuesday amid escalation until the situation stabilizes, Rear Adm. Alexander Karpov, deputy head of the Russian Centre for the Reconciliation of Warring Parties in Syria, said on Monday
• Canada Sanctions 2 Individuals, 4 Entities Over Crimea Rejoining Russia Sputnik 29 Mar 2021 -- Canada has imposed sanctions on two Russian executives and four entities in response to the decision of the people of Crimea to rejoin Russia, Global Affairs Canada said on Monday.
• People desert Mozambique town as Daesh claims control Press TV 29 Mar 2021 -- The entire residents of the town of Palma in northern Mozambique have abandoned their homes after the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group seized control of the area in the wake of a prolonged deadly onslaught.
• Islamic State Claims Dayslong Attack on Mozambique Town VOA 29 Mar 2021 -- Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility Monday for a dayslong attack on the northern Mozambique town of Palma that began last week and has prompted thousands of people to flee.
• Two Soldiers Killed in Armed Attack on Military Base in Ivory Coast's North, Source Confirms Sputnik 29 Mar 2021 -- A militia attacked an army base located in Ivory Coast's Kafolo region early on Monday, leaving two soldiers and two militants dead, a local source told Sputnik.
• Trial Opens in 2004 Bombing of French Base in Ivory Coast VOA 29 Mar 2021 -- A trial opened in Paris Monday over the 2004 bombing of a French military base in then war-torn Ivory Coast that killed an American soil scientist and nine French soldiers. The defendants are being tried in absentia. Nearly two decades later, the attack—and the French government's response—raises many questions.
• Attack on Transmitters Cuts Power to Nigerian City — Again VOA 29 Mar 2021 -- Residents of Nigeria's northeastern Borno state capital are struggling without electricity after suspected militants damaged two transmission towers just days after power had been restored following a previous attack.
• Letter to the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate on the Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to South Sudan The White House 29 Mar 2021
• Notice on the Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to South Sudan The White House 29 Mar 2021

News Reports

• Russia's Navalny Says Risks Solitary Confinement Over Prison Infractions RFE/RL 29 Mar 2021 -- Jailed Kremlin critic Aleksei Navalny says he fears the possibility of solitary confinement in a punishment cell after being accused of minor infractions.
• Father Of Navalny Associate Held On Criminal Charge RFE/RL 29 Mar 2021 -- The father of Ivan Zhdanov, the director of the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) of jailed Russian opposition politician Aleksei Navalny, has been detained on a charge of abuse of office.
• Another Doctor At Omsk Hospital Where Navalny Was Treated Dies RFE/RL 29 Mar 2021 -- The head of the trauma and orthopedics department at the Russian hospital where opposition politician Aleksei Navalny was treated for poisoning last summer has died.
• Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian's Regular Press Conference on March 29, 2021 PRC MofA 29 Mar 2021
• Iran-China strategic deal not targeting any third party, only boosts cooperation: Chinese FM spokesman Press TV 29 Mar 2021 -- A spokesman for China's Foreign Ministry says the recent strategic cooperation agreement signed between Iran and China is not against any third party and only means to further cement collaboration between Tehran and Beijing.
• Beijing's Retaliatory Sanctions Over Xinjiang Seen as Self-Defeating Radio Free Asia 29 Mar 2021 -- Retaliatory sanctions leveled by China against Western officials and scholars in response to U.S. and European measures over rights abuses in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) have drawn more attention to the issue and sparked accusations Beijing is merely silencing critics, experts said Monday.
• UN Human Rights Group 'Deeply Concerned' Over China's Treatment of Uyghurs VOA 29 Mar 2021 -- A group of U.N. human rights experts says it is "deeply concerned" about allegations regarding China's treatment of its Muslim Uyghur minority.
• Rights experts concerned about alleged detention, forced labour of Uyghurs in China UN News 29 Mar 2021 -- Independent UN human rights experts have urged companies to closely scrutinize their supply chains following concerns over the alleged detention and forced labour of Muslim Uyghurs in China, according to a statement issued on Monday.
• Hong Kong electoral reform plan submitted for review at Standing Committee of the top legislature Global Times 29 Mar 2021 -- Standing Committee of China's top legislative body was scheduled to discuss details of the Hong Kong electoral reform on Monday to Tuesday, and the final full version of the overhaul is expected to be unveiled on Tuesday after the top authorities listened to opinions from Hong Kong society, the Global Times learned from people familiar with the matter.
• China Orders Law Firm Linked to Hong Kong 12 to Dissolve Radio Free Asia 29 Mar 2021 -- A law firm linked to the case of 12 Hong Kong activists jailed in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong has announced it will shut down, while one of the defense attorneys who spoke out about the case has been issued with a travel ban, RFA has learned.
• Hong Kong Speedboat Detainee 'in Solitary Confinement' in Psychiatric Facility: Report Radio Free Asia 29 Mar 2021 -- A Hong Kong activist who served a seven-month jail term in southern China after trying to flee his home city along with 11 others by speedboat is being secretly held in a psychiatric hospital following his return to Hong Kong, a newspaper in the city reported.
• Chinese military planes enter Taiwan's ADIZ for 17th day in March CNA 29 Mar 2021 -- A total of 10 Chinese military aircraft entered Taiwan's southwest air defense identification zone (ADIZ) on Monday, the 17th day on which such intrusions have occurred in March alone.
• North Korea faults UNSC for 'double standard' over missile tests Press TV 29 Mar 2021 -- North Korea has slammed the UN Security Council (UNSC) for double standards and denying its right to self-defense after the body's sanctions committee censured Pyongyang's latest missile test as a violation of UN resolutions.
• N. Korea Slams 'Double Standard' UN Security Council's Stance on Pyongyang Missile Tests Sputnik 29 Mar 2021 -- The position of the UN Security Council (UNSC) on missile launches by Pyongyang is a manifestation of a policy of double standards that violates the Asian country's sovereignty and the right to self-defense, Jo Chol Su, a senior North Korean foreign ministry official, said on Monday.
• Double Standard Will Invite More Serious Consequence: Director-General of Department of International Organizations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of DPRK KCNA 29 Mar 2021 -- Jo Chol Su, director-general of the Department of International Organizations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the DPRK, released the following press statement on Sunday:
• 14 Demonstrators Killed in Myanmar Protests VOA 29 Mar 2021 -- Myanmar security forces killed 14 people Monday during demonstrations in towns across the country following the deadliest weekend since the February military coup, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP).
• Rising Child Death Toll Brings Sharp Criticism Upon Myanmar Military Radio Free Asia 29 Mar 2021 -- Myanmar's bloodiest weekend since the Feb. 1 military takeover raised the child death toll to 38 among more than 500 killed as the junta's increasingly violent suppression of anti-military protests drew a trade suspension from the United States and calls from Britain for U.N. Security Council action.
• Thai PM Promises to Respect Human Rights of People Fleeing Myanmar Violence Radio Free Asia 29 Mar 2021 -- The human rights of those fleeing military coup-hit Myanmar into Thailand will be respected, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha said Monday as local authorities confirmed that several hundred ethnic Karen refugees have entered the country following attacks by the junta.
• EU Condemns Crackdown on Myanmar Protesters, Threatens More Sanctions - Borrell Sputnik 29 Mar 2021 -- The EU foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, has condemned Myanmar's military response to the Saturday anti-junta protests that have reportedly killed dozens of people.
• Myanmar junta opens fire on anti-coup protesters amid international condemnation Press TV 29 Mar 2021 -- Myanmar security forces have opened fire on protesters in the main city of Yangon, leaving a man dead, as thousands swarmed the streets across the country after the bloodiest day since the military coup two months ago.
• Belarus Says Opposition Leader Under Investigation For 'Terrorism' RFE/RL 29 Mar 2021 -- Belarusian prosecutors opened a terrorism investigation against opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the latest move from authorities trying to quash opposition groups after months of anti-government protests.
• A treaty between the UK and EU in respect of Gibraltar: joint ministerial statement UK FCDO 29 Mar 2021 -- The UK Foreign Secretary and the Gibraltar Chief Minister gave a statement at the UK-Gibraltar Joint Ministerial Council which took place on 29 March 2021.
• Lebanon in danger of sinking 'like Titanic' if no govt. formed: Parliament speaker Press TV 29 Mar 2021 -- Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri says the crisis-stricken and cash-strapped Arab country is in "danger" and would sink "like the Titanic" if a new government was not formed within the next two months.
• Turkmen Parliament's Upper Chamber Elected First Time After Constituional Reform RFE/RL 29 Mar 2021 -- Citizens in Turkmenistan have voted in members of the parliament's upper chamber, the People's Council, for the first time since constitutional amendments in September 2020 made parliament bicameral.
• Massive Ship Blocking Suez Canal Freed VOA 29 Mar 2021 -- Officials with the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) said Monday the massive container ship that had been blocking the canal has been freed and is making its way down the waterway.