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Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Taliban Kill 9 Afghan Security Force Members, Capture Others VOA 09 Apr 2021 -- Officials in Afghanistan said Friday that Taliban insurgents killed at least nine security force members and captured more than 13 others in an attack in western Herat province, next to the border with Iran.
• Coast Guard, Navy Seize Illicit Drugs in Third Fleet Waters US Navy 09 Apr 2021 -- The joint U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Navy team seized over 1,500 kilograms of cocaine while operating in U.S. Third Fleet waters, April 7.

Defense Policy / Programs

• President's FY 2022 Discretionary Funding Request for the Department of Defense DoD 09 Apr 2021 -- The Biden-Harris Administration today submitted to Congress the President's priorities for fiscal year 2022 discretionary spending. The funding request, totaling $715 billion, invests in the core foundations of our country's strength and advances key Department of Defense priorities to defend the Nation, innovate and modernize the Department, build resilience and readiness, take care of its people, and succeed through teamwork.
• Biden ups Pentagon budget despite party opposition Press TV 09 Apr 2021 -- The administration of US President Joe Biden is reportedly planning to increase the Pentagon's budget despite opposition from progressive Democrats favoring steep cuts to the military spending.
• US, Salvadoran armies renew training opportunities in Central America Army News 09 Apr 2021 -- U.S. Army South, on behalf of the Army's chief of staff, conducted virtual staff talks with the Salvadoran Army April 7 to promote readiness-focused bilateral efforts that enhance interoperability, contribute to the readiness of the total force, and improve U.S. Army and partner nation land forces capabilities, to address current and future strategic, operational and tactical security challenges.
• April 9, 2021 Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby Holds a Press Briefing DoD 09 Apr 2021
• Honorable Robert O. Work, Vice Chair, National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence, and Marine Corps Lieutenant General Michael S. Groen, Director, Joint Artificial Intelligence Center Hold a Press Briefing on Artificial Intelligence DoD 09 Apr 2021
• Austin Orders Immediate Changes to Combat Extremism in Military DoD News 09 Apr 2021 -- Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III has ordered some immediate changes to better combat extremism, Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby said today.
• DAF releases Acquisition Biennial Report US Air Force 09 Apr 2021 -- The Department of the Air Force released its Fiscal Year 2019/2020 Acquisition Biennial Report April 9, emphasizing how the Department is embracing digital acquisition to field systems faster and smarter.
• Artificial Intelligence Key to Maintaining Military, Economic Advantages, Say Leaders DoD News 09 Apr 2021 -- Officials today discussed the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence's recent report and the progress for the adoption and implementation of AI across the Defense Department.
• Pentagon Plan Targets Extremism in the Ranks VOA 09 Apr 2021 -- Alarmed by the rising threat from domestic extremism, the U.S. military is taking action in the hopes of preventing anyone espousing extremist ideologies from continuing to serve, while also making it tougher for extremist groups to target and recruit soon-to-be military veterans.
• Secretary of Defense Austin Announces Immediate Actions to Counter Extremism in the Military and the Establishment of the Countering Extremism Working Group DoD 09 Apr 2021 -- Today, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III issued a memorandum announcing the Immediate Actions to Counter Extremism in the Department and the Establishment of the Countering Extremism Working Group (CEWG).
• US mulling over deploying warships to Black Sea amid tensions with Russia: Report Press TV 09 Apr 2021 -- Washington is mulling over deploying warships to the Black Sea in coming weeks amid tensions with Moscow, according to a media report, despite repeated warnings against the same by latter.
• Hawaii F-22s complete DFE operations out of MCAS Iwakuni US Air Force 09 Apr 2021 -- A contingent of Air National Guard and active-duty Airmen based out of Hawaii were deployed to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan to conduct Dynamic Force Employment operations, March 12 – April 5.
• Deputy Secretary General highlights young people's stake in NATO's future at Atlantic Forum Spring Conference NATO 09 Apr 2021 -- Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană stressed the important contributions young people make to NATO in an address to the Atlantic Forum's online Spring Conference on Friday (9 April 2021). Young professionals, he said, play a crucial role in shaping NATO's future, and in standing up for the Alliance's values of freedom, democracy, and the rule of law.
• Russia: US military provoking tensions in Arctic Press TV 09 Apr 2021 -- Russia says its activities in the Arctic do not pose a threat to any country, and that the United States military is escalating tensions in the resource-rich region by conducting provocations.
• Russia sends warships to Black Sea amid US buildup in Ukraine Press TV 09 Apr 2021 -- Russia is sending more than 10 navy vessels, including landing boats and artillery warships, from the Caspian Sea to the Black Sea to take part in naval drills near the country's borders with Ukraine, Interfax reports.
• China Rolls Out One More Stealth Destroyer That 'Dwarfs' US' Zumwalt-Class Ship, Report Says Sputnik 09 Apr 2021 -- The warship is capable of performing anti-submarine and anti-ship roles, and can serve as an escort to the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy's burgeoning aircraft carrier fleet.
• Congress Party Accuses Modi Gov't of Compromising India's Security, Kickbacks in Rafale Deal Sputnik 09 Apr 2021 -- French publication Mediapart had recently published a series of investigative reports claiming that jet manufacturer Dassault Aviation had paid 1 million Euros to an Indian middleman as part of the high-profile Rafale fighter jet deal to supply 36 aircraft from France to India.
• S. Korea to deploy 120 KF-21 fighter jets by 2032: Moon ARIRANG 09 Apr 2021 -- South Korea plans to deploy 120 homegrown fighter jets by the year 2032. President Moon Jae-in announced the plan Friday during a rollout ceremony for the prototype of its first indigenous fighter jet, the KF-21.
• Photos: South Korea Unveils First New KF-21 'Boramae' Stealth Fighter Sputnik 09 Apr 2021 -- A mixture of high cost and low reliability have led a number of nations to seek their own indigenous alternatives to the US' F-35 stealth fighter, including US partners like South Korea and Japan that have also agreed to buy some of the jets.
• India complains to US over sailing of warship in economic zone Press TV 09 Apr 2021 -- India says it has complained to the US navy about the unauthorized sailing of an American warship in the country's exclusive economic zone.
• The President's FY 2022 Discretionary Funding Request US Dept. of State 09 Apr 2021 -- The Biden-Harris Administration today submitted to Congress the President's priorities for fiscal year 2022 discretionary spending. The President's 2022 discretionary request includes $63.5 billion for International Programs, a $6.8 billion or 12 percent increase from the 2021 enacted level. Within this total, the discretionary request includes $58.4 billion for the Department of State and USAID, an increase of $5.4 billion or 10 percent.
• Secretary Blinken Call with Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Al-Thani US Dept. of State 09 Apr 2021
• Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki and Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, April 9, 2021 The White House 09 Apr 2021
• Secretary Blinken's Call with French Foreign Minister Le Drian US Dept. of State 09 Apr 2021
• Secretary Blinken's Call with German Foreign Minister Maas US Dept. of State 09 Apr 2021
• Department Press Briefing – April 9, 2021 US Dept. of State 09 Apr 2021
• Background Press Call by Administration Officials on the President's Discretionary Funding Request for Fiscal Year 2022 The White House 09 Apr 2021

Defense Industry

• Contracts For April 9, 2021

Other Conflicts

• China Turning South China Sea Supply Ships into Mobile Surveillance Bases Radio Free Asia 09 Apr 2021 -- China is upgrading two of its civilian South China Sea supply ships with new high-tech surveillance equipment to help the vessels track ships from the United States, Vietnam, and other foreign countries, new Chinese government procurement documents show.
• US, Philippines Concerned Over Chinese Military Activities in South China Sea Sputnik 09 Apr 2021 -- US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has held a phone conversation with his Philippine counterpart, Teodoro Locsin Jr., during which they expressed concern over the activities of Chinese military vessels in the South China Sea, the US Department of State said.
• Yemeni forces launch drone attack on Saudi airport Press TV 09 Apr 2021 -- Yemen's army and popular committees have carried out a drone attack on Abha International Airport in southwestern Saudi Arabia in retaliation for Saudi-led strikes on their country.
• 'No Cease-fire' in Myanmar's Ethnic Minority States, According to Humanitarian Group VOA 09 Apr 2021 -- Ethnic groups in Myanmar's Kayin State and elsewhere are reportedly still experiencing waves of attacks from the country's military, the Tatmadaw, after the February coup, despite the junta's declaration of a one-month cease-fire on March 31.
• Russia Needs to Answer Questions Regarding Military Buildup Near Ukraine DoD News 09 Apr 2021 -- After numerous questions about a Russian buildup in Crimea and along the eastern border of Russia with Ukraine, Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby finally got a bit exasperated and told Pentagon reporters that "these are great questions to put to [Defense Minister Sergey] Shoygu in Moscow."
• US, Allies Question Moscow's Motives Near Ukraine VOA 09 Apr 2021 -- The United States is accusing Russia of hiding the true intent of its military buildup along the border with Ukraine following consultations with allies about heightening tensions in the region.
• U.S. "increasingly concerned" by Russian military buildup along Ukraine border People's Daily 09 Apr 2021 -- The White House said on Thursday that the United States is "increasingly concerned" by Russian troop movements on its border with Ukraine, noting Russia now has more troops along the border than any time since 2014.
• Kyiv's Western Backers Call On Russia To Calm Tensions In Eastern Ukraine RFE/RL 09 Apr 2021 -- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed with the French and German foreign ministers the need for Russia to stop its military buildup in the occupied Crimean Peninsula and near Ukraine's borders, its "provocations" in eastern Ukraine, and its "inflammatory rhetoric," according to the State Department.
• Israel says will not cooperate with ICC war crimes probe Press TV 09 Apr 2021 -- Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel will tell the International Criminal Court that it will not cooperate with its investigation into possible war crimes in the occupied Palestinian territories.
• China in New Push Against Dalai Lama Photos in Kardze Radio Free Asia 09 Apr 2021 -- Chinese authorities in Sichuan's Kardze prefecture are launching a new drive against display by Tibetans of photos of the Dalai Lama, threatening cut-offs of state aid for anyone found in possession of the banned images, Tibetan sources say.
• Armenia Accuses Azerbaijan Of Breaking Truce Deal Over Prisoners' Release RFE/RL 09 Apr 2021 -- Armenia has accused Azerbaijan of violating a key term of the Russian-brokered cease-fire deal that ended last fall's fighting over the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region, alleging that Baku is reneging on a pledge to free Armenian soldiers and civilians captured during the conflict.
• Watchdog Calls On Russia To End Information 'Black Hole' In Nagorno-Karabakh RFE/RL 09 Apr 2021 -- Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is calling on Russia to stop denying entry to foreign reporters in the South Caucasus disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh, and is urging the United Nations and Council of Europe to ensure respect for the right to the freedom to inform.
• Indian Security Forces Wipe Out al-Qaeda's Kashmir Unit Including Chief Commander Sputnik 09 Apr 2021 -- Fifty al-Qaeda-linked Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind terrorists have been killed since the group's inception in July 2017. In July 2017, the outfit was established after Zakir Rashid Bhatt had announced his separation from the pro-Pakistan terrorist group Hizb-ul-mujahideēn (HM) to establish Sharia law in the region.
• Nigerian Authorities Blame Separatist Group for Massive Jailbreak VOA 09 Apr 2021 -- Nigerian authorities are still searching for at least 1,800 inmates who escaped this week during a prison break in southeastern Imo state. Officials have blamed a regional separatist group, but the group denies responsibility as tensions from the Biafran civil war 50 years ago resurface in the country.
• UN Makes Further Cuts in Food Rations for South Sudan Refugees, Displaced VOA 09 Apr 2021 -- The U.N.'s World Food Program (WFP) says it has been forced to further reduce rations for refugees and displaced people in South Sudan because of a lack of funding. It says 700,000 people this month will see rations drop to just half the recommended daily amount.
• UN rights office urges protection, investigation, after latest clashes in West Darfur UN News 09 Apr 2021 -- The UN human rights office, OHCHR, has urged authorities in Sudan to protect citizens "without discrimination" in the wake of the latest resurgence of deadly violence in West Darfur.
• UN Criticizes Sudanese Authorities' Failure to Stop West Darfur Violence VOA 09 Apr 2021 -- The U.N. human rights office is urging Sudanese authorities to speed up the deployment of security forces to West Darfur, in an effort to protect civilians from ethnic and tribal clashes in the region.
• Kenya Refugee Supporters Welcome Suspension of Camp Closures VOA 09 Apr 2021 -- Refugees in Kenya and their supporters are hailing a Kenyan court's decision to temporarily halt a government effort to close two camps in the country.
• Southern Africa Leaders Offer Military Support to Fight Insurgents in Troubled Mozambique VOA 09 Apr 2021 -- Botswana's president says southern African leaders have offered military support to Mozambique's troubled Cabo Delgado province to help stop a violent Islamist insurgency. However, it was not clear if the offer includes troops that would directly engage the insurgents or just military aid.

News Reports

• US Intelligence Warns of Fractured Societies, Likelihood for Conflict VOA 09 Apr 2021 -- The world, already struggling with a global pandemic and challenges to long-standing systems and institutions, is unlikely to get much relief in the next 20 years, according to a new report from U.S. intelligence analysts.
• U.S. Intel Report Predicts Russia Will Be Declining But 'Disruptive Power' Over Next Two Decades RFE/RL 09 Apr 2021 -- Russia will likely remain a “disruptive power” for the next two decades, but its global influence may decline in the face of numerous political, economic, and societal headwinds, according to a U.S. intelligence report released on April 8.
• Prosecutors Signal Widening of Investigation into US Capitol Insurrection VOA 09 Apr 2021 -- Federal prosecutors late Thursday disclosed fresh details about the far-right Oath Keepers militia group's role in the January 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of former President Donald Trump, signaling a widening investigation that could result in charges against additional defendants.
• The Week In Russia: The Sound Of Rattling Sabers RFE/RL 09 Apr 2021 -- Military movements and bellicose talk on state TV raise concerns about the Kremlin's intentions regarding Ukraine again, seven years after the seizure of Crimea and the start of a war in the Donbas. Meanwhile, the condition of Russia's most prominent prisoner, Aleksei Navalny, causes growing concern.
• 'No Medical Help': Navalny's Plight Spotlights 'Very Serious Problem' Of Health Care In Russia's Prisons RFE/RL 09 Apr 2021 -- "I have trouble breathing. I can't catch my breath and have trouble understanding things," said businessman Boris Shpigel, who is suspected of bribing the former governor of Russia's Penza region, at a court hearing on April 6. "I'm in great pain…. My stomach hurts and I can't catch my breath."
• Pro-Navalny Rally Participant Gets Over Three Years In Russian Prison RFE/RL 09 Apr 2021 -- A court in Moscow has sentenced a man to 3 1/2 years in prison on a criminal charge of attacking a police officer during January 31 rallies in support of opposition politician Aleksei Navalny.
• Telephone conversation with President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan President of Russia 09 Apr 2021 -- President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with President of the Republic of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
• Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian's Regular Press Conference on April 9, 2021 PRC MofA 09 Apr 2021
• China Sanctions Intensify, Escalating Trade Risks Radio Free Asia 09 Apr 2021 -- Western trade and investment interests in China are facing new threats as sanctions trigger retaliation, heightening tensions over human rights, national security and territorial control.
• China's Propaganda Against Foreign Media Increases VOA 09 Apr 2021 -- China's propaganda machine has ramped up in the past week, targeting two foreign journalists with verbal and online attacks over their coverage of Uyghur Muslims in China's Xinjiang region.
• Hong Kong Warns Countries, Groups Not to 'Harbor' Political Refugees Radio Free Asia 09 Apr 2021 -- Hong Kong's government on Friday hit out at "countries who harbor criminals," after exiled former pro-democracy lawmaker Nathan Law said he had been granted political asylum by the United Kingdom.
• Over 2,500 arrested over Hong Kong's social unrest involve in judicial proceedings People's Daily 09 Apr 2021 -- The Department of Justice of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government Thursday said that of the 10,242 people arrested between June 9, 2019 and Feb. 28, 2021 over the social unrest in Hong Kong, 2,521 have been or are undergoing judicial proceedings.
• China's Sentencing of High-Level Uyghur Officials to Death Stuns Critics, Who Demand Evidence Radio Free Asia 09 Apr 2021 -- China's recent sentencing of two high-level Uyghur officials to death has stunned critics who have questioned the legality of the decision given the lack of evidence against them and say the move shows that even Uyghurs loyal to the Communist Party cannot escape persecution in Xinjiang.
• Turkish Court Rejects China's Request to Extradite Uyghur Religious Teacher Radio Free Asia 09 Apr 2021 -- A court in the Turkey has rejected a request by Beijing to extradite Uyghur religious teacher Abduqadir Yapchan to China to face "terrorism" charges, his lawyer said, ending years of detention and legal limbo under the threat of harsh Chinese punishment.
• 11 PLA warplanes enter Taiwan's ADIZ: Defense Ministry CNA 09 Apr 2021 -- Chinese military aircraft entered Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ) on Friday for a seventh consecutive day, a continuation of maneuvers that Taiwan sees as provocations.
• Interview: "People in Taiwan Are Much More Vigilant" Radio Free Asia 09 Apr 2021 -- Huang Jie, a municipal councilor in the southern Taiwanese port of Kaohsiung since 2018, was subjected to a bid to unseat her earlier this year, after she spoke out against a draconian crackdown on political opposition and peaceful dissent in Hong Kong, which China has held up as a model under which it wants to take control of Taiwan.
• US Makes 'Unofficial' Contacts With Taiwan More Official in Snub to China Sputnik 09 Apr 2021 -- Washington's 42-year diplomatic policy of officially recognising Beijing as the sole authority over both mainland China and Taiwan was weakened under the former US president, Donald Trump, and has come under immediate renewed attack by his successor, Joe Biden.
• New Guidelines for U.S. Government Interactions with Taiwan Counterparts US Dept. of State 09 Apr 2021 -- The Department of State has issued new guidelines for U.S. government interaction with Taiwan counterparts to encourage U.S. government engagement with Taiwan that reflects our deepening unofficial relationship.
• US Issues New Guidelines for Government Interactions with Taiwanese Counterparts VOA 09 Apr 2021 -- The State Department has issued new guidelines for U.S. government interactions with its Taiwanese counterparts to encourage closer contacts and deepen the unofficial relationship between the two democracies, amid increasing Chinese aggression in the region.
• Bolton: North Korea Unlikely to Denuclearize Under Kim VOA 09 Apr 2021 -- North Korea has not made a strategic decision to give up nuclear weapons and the prospects for efforts to achieve denuclearization through diplomacy remain dim, said John Bolton, former President Donald Trump's national security adviser.
• Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un Makes Concluding Speech at Sixth Conference of Cell Secretaries of Workers' Party of Korea KCNA 09 Apr 2021 -- The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), made an important concluding speech "On the Important Tasks for Strengthening Party Cells at Present" at the Sixth Conference of Cell Secretaries of the Workers' Party of Korea on April 8, the third day of the Sixth Conference of Cell Secretaries of the WPK.
• Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un Makes Closing Address at Sixth Conference of Cell Secretaries of Workers' Party of Korea KCNA 09 Apr 2021 -- The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un made a closing address at the Sixth Conference of Cell Secretaries of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK).
• 6th Conference of Cell Secretaries of Workers' Party of Korea Closes KCNA 09 Apr 2021 -- The 6th Conference of Cell Secretaries of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), which is of great significance in the implementation of the decisions of the historic 8th Congress of the WPK and the organizational and ideological strengthening of the whole Party, closed on April 8 after successfully attaining its goal amid high political enthusiasm of the participants.
• Briefing With Senior State Department Official On Recent U.S. Engagement in Vienna Regarding the JCPOA US Dept. of State 09 Apr 2021
• 'Constructive' Iran Nuclear Talks Adjourn In Vienna, With Meetings To Resume Next Week RFE/RL 09 Apr 2021 -- Diplomats and negotiators have wrapped up four days of talks in Vienna aimed at reviving the hobbled 2015 agreement to limit Iran's nuclear activities, saying this week's meetings were "constructive" and provided "positive momentum."
• Iran not to halt nuclear activities until bans fully lifted: Araghchi IRNA 09 Apr 2021 -- Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for political affairs Abbas Araghchi says Tehran will not stop any of its nuclear-related activities until Washington lifts the whole sanctions and returns to the 2015 nuclear deal.
• As Vienna talks end, Zarif stresses Iran's 'logical path' to saving JCPOA Press TV 09 Apr 2021 -- As the latest round of talks on the 2015 nuclear deal ends in Vienna, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says Iran has offered a "logical path" towards the revival of the agreement, through which the US would remove the sanctions imposed by its ex-administration on Iran in their entirety — without any distinction — before Tehran does its part.
• Iran vows to 'definitely' respond to attack on merchant ship in Red Sea Press TV 09 Apr 2021 -- The senior spokesman of the Iranian Armed Forces says the country will "definitely" respond to a recent attack on one of its merchant ships in the strategic Red Sea.
• Iran releases South Korean ship considering backgrounds: FM spox IRNA 09 Apr 2021 -- Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that the Islamic Republic released a South Korean oil tanker following an investigation, which led to a decision that the ship and its captain have not had bad record.
• Iranian prosecutor ordered release of South Korean oil tanker, captain Press TV 09 Apr 2021 -- Iran has released a South Korean oil tanker, the Iranian Foreign Ministry says, more than three months after the ship was detained for environmental pollution.
• Iran Releases South Korean Tanker Seized Amid Suspected Dispute Over Frozen Funds RFE/RL 09 Apr 2021 -- Iran has released a South Korean oil tanker it seized three months ago amid a dispute over billions of dollars in funds frozen due to U.S. sanctions.
• Myanmar Junta Kills Scores of Protesters in Bago, Decrees Death Penalty for 19 in Yangon Radio Free Asia 09 Apr 2021 -- Myanmar security forces mowed down more than 60 people with rifle grenades and machine guns as they cleared barricades built by anti-junta protesters in the central Myanmar city of Bago on Friday, leaving piles of bodies in pagodas and on school grounds of the ancient city, witnesses said.
• UK Offers Shelter to Deposed Myanmar Ambassador After Junta Loyalists Seize Embassy Radio Free Asia 09 Apr 2021 -- The British government has offered shelter to Myanmar's former ambassador in London, after he was ousted by diplomats loyal to the military junta that seized control of the country's embassy this week, British foreign affairs officials said.
• Myanmar Envoy Appeals for No-Fly Zone, Arms Embargo VOA 09 Apr 2021 -- Myanmar's U.N. envoy, who was appointed by the democratically elected government, appealed to the international community Friday to protect civilians from the country's military with a no-fly zone, arms embargo and targeted sanctions.
• US Special Envoy: Restoring Democracy in Myanmar Will Ease Bangladesh's Rohingya Burden Radio Free Asia 09 Apr 2021 -- Democracy must be restored in Myanmar to ease the Rohingya refugee burden on Bangladesh, U.S. special envoy John Kerry said Friday during a lightning visit to the South Asian nation to drum up support for a Washington-hosted climate summit.
• Foreign Investors Reassess Ties With Myanmar VOA 09 Apr 2021 -- As recently as last year, Myanmar was being touted as an attractive destination for international investors, even in the face of bad publicity over the government's handling of the crisis in Rakhine State, where almost 1 million Rohingya residents had been massacred or driven into exile.
• Prime Minister's statement on the death of His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh Gov.UK 09 Apr 2021 -- Prime Minister Boris Johnson's statement on the death of His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
• Belarus Lawmakers Approve Amendments That Severely Restrict Civil Rights, Media RFE/RL 09 Apr 2021 -- MINSK -- Belarusian lawmakers have approved several amendments to legislation that severely restricts civil rights and the free flow of information amid a crackdown on protests challenging the official results of a presidential election that handed authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka his sixth consecutive term.
• Well-Known Belarusian Rights Activist Remains In Detention, Faces Criminal Charge RFE/RL 09 Apr 2021 -- Well-known human rights activist Tatsyana Hatsura-Yavorskaya, one of the founders of the Belarusian civil rights group Zvyano (Chain), is being held in a detention center on an unspecified charge.
• Russians, American Reach ISS Aboard Spacecraft 'Gagarin' RFE/RL 09 Apr 2021 -- A Russian spacecraft carrying two Russians and an American has docked with the International Space Station (ISS) after a flight honoring the anniversary of Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin becoming the first human to reach space 60 years ago next week.
• No Plans To Swap Volatile Vorukh Exclave For Kyrgyz Land, Tajik President Tells Residents RFE/RL 09 Apr 2021 -- Tajik President Emomali Rahmon has assured residents of the country's volatile Vorukh exclave within Kyrgyzstan that it will not be part of any land swap between the neighboring countries as they seek a solution to halt border disputes that frequently turn violent.
• Uzbek President Lambasts Regional Governors For 'Lack Of Leadership' RFE/RL 09 Apr 2021 -- Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoev has criticized regional governors for what he calls a "lack of leadership" and a "failure" to coordinate efforts to support small- and medium-sized businesses in recent years.