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News Reports

Current Operations

• China Offers to Host Afghan Peace Talks VOA 18 May 2021 -- China has renewed diplomatic efforts to help facilitate a negotiated end to the conflict in Afghanistan, saying it is ready to hold peace negotiations between warring Afghans.
• China offers to host intra-Afghan talks amid spike in violence in Afghanistan Press TV 18 May 2021 -- China has offered to host talks between Afghanistan's rival factions as part of efforts to end the two-decade-long war and a recent surge of violence that has claimed the lives of hundreds in recent weeks across the country.
• US Withdrawal From Afghanistan Up to 20% Complete, CENTCOM Says Sputnik 18 May 2021 -- The United States' military withdrawal from Afghanistan is up to 20 percent complete, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Monday.
• Key NATO allies twice as likely to die in Afghanistan as US forces: report People's Daily 18 May 2021 -- Troops from the United Kingdom and Canada are twice as likely to be killed in Afghanistan as compared to their US counterparts, while the UK has also provided more economic and humanitarian assistance to the country than the US, the Guardian reported on a study published on Wednesday.
• Update on withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan May 18, 2021 CENTCOM 18 May 2021 -- U.S. Central Command provides the following update on the orderly and responsible withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan, as of 10 a.m. on May 17, 2021.
• Afghanistan Retrograde Continues, Vaccine Mission Winding Down DoD News 18 May 2021 -- Afghanistan, Gaza, COVID-19 and social media were among the subjects that Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby addressed during a news conference today.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Pakistani Held For 16 Years At Guantanamo Prison Approved For Release RFE/RL Gandhara 18 May 2021 -- A 73-year-old man from Pakistan has been notified that he has been approved for release from the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, after more than 16 years in custody on suspicion of helping facilitate two of the conspirators in the 9/11 terrorist attacks, his lawyer said.
• Pentagon Press Secretary Conducts On-Camera Press Briefing DoD 18 May 2021
• Military Committee Enthusiastically Welcomes NATO 2030 Proposals DoD News 18 May 2021 -- Royal Air Force Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach touted NATO's ability to adapt and evolve to stay effective and relevant as a deterrent force.
• Air Force update for COVID-19 US Air Force 18 May 2021
• DOD Awards $56 Million Contract to Rhino Health, Inc. to Increase Domestic Production Capacity of Nitrile Gloves DoD 18 May 2021 -- On May 18, 2021, the Department of Defense (DOD), on behalf of and in coordination with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), awarded a $56 million contract to Rhino Health, Inc. to increase domestic production of nitrile gloves.
• US Military's 6000-troop secret force with operations in US and abroad exposed Press TV 18 May 2021 -- The US military is operating a 60,000-strong secret army without any Congressional oversight, spending at least $900 million on it annually, thus violating many US laws, as well as the Geneva Conventions.
• AFRICOM commander presides over CJTF-HOA change of command, engages with partners during East Africa trip AFRICOM 18 May 2021 -- U.S. Army Gen. Stephen Townsend, commander, U.S. Africa Command, traveled to Djibouti and Somalia to preside over the Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) change of command ceremony and to engage with partners in the region, May 14-18.
• Devil Raiders enable Exercise African Lion 21 with critical airfield surveys AFRICOM 18 May 2021 -- Air Mobility Command deployed two airfield survey teams from the 621st Contingency Response Wing to the Kingdom of Morocco April 17-27 to conduct airfield surveys in preparation for Exercise African Lion 21.
• Readout of Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Dr. Colin Kahl's Call With Canadian Deputy Minister of National Defence Jody Thomas DoD 18 May 2021
• Military Committee Enthusiastically Welcomes NATO 2030 Proposals DoD News 18 May 2021 -- Royal Air Force Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach touted NATO's ability to adapt and evolve to stay effective and relevant as a deterrent force.
• Lockheed Martin Opens F-16 Combat Fighter Production Line for Foreign Sales Sputnik 18 May 2021 -- Lockheed Martin has opened a production line in the state of South Carolina to build new F-16 combat fighter jets to meet a renewed demand from United States' allies, the US Air Force announced on Tuesday.
• Air Force opens new F-16 production line for foreign military sales US Air Force 18 May 2021 -- To support the growing demand for new F-16 Fighting Falcon from partner nations, the U.S. Air Force has teamed with Lockheed Martin Corp. to open a new production line to build the F-16 Block 70/72 fighter aircraft at the company's facility in Greenville, South Carolina.
• Navy declares initial operational capability for Joint Precision Approach and Landing System US Navy 18 May 2021 -- The U.S. Navy declared initial operational capability for the Joint Precision Approach and Landing System (JPALS) on May 4, signaling the system's ready to provide precision approach and landing capabilities to tactical carrier aircraft at sea in support of naval aviation operations worldwide.
• Exercise Phoenix Express 2021 Holds Opening Ceremony in Tunisia US Navy 18 May 2021 -- Maritime forces from Europe, North Africa, and the United States began the 16th iteration of the multinational maritime exercise Phoenix Express 2021 (PE21) with an opening ceremony held at the National Center for Cartography and Remote Sensing Amphitheater in El Aouina, Tunisia, May 18, 2021.
• 7th Fleet Destroyer transits Taiwan Strait US Navy 18 May 2021 -- The Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Curtis Wilbur (DDG 54) conducted a routine Taiwan Strait transit May 18 (local time) in accordance with international law. The ship's transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the U.S. commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. The United States military will continue to fly, sail, and operate anywhere international law allows.
• USS Carter Hall Arrives in Naval Station Rota, Spain US Navy 18 May 2021 -- The Harpers Ferry-class dock landing ship USS Carter Hall (LSD 50), operating as part of the Iwo Jima Amphibious Readiness Group (IWOARG), arrived at Naval Station (NAVSTA) Rota, Spain, May 17, 2021 after its multi-week exercise conducted with the Portuguese Navy and Marine Corps.
• Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III's Phone Call With Israeli Minister of Defense Benjamin "Benny" Gantz DoD 18 May 2021
• General Says U.S.-South Korea Alliance 'Ironclad' DoD News 18 May 2021 -- The South Korea-U.S. alliance remains the cornerstone of stability and security in Northeast Asia. That partnership continues to grow through economic cooperation, mitigating threats to regional stability and fulfilling commitments to allies and partners in the region, the general nominated to lead the United Nations Command/Combined Forces Command/U.S. Forces Korea said.
• Top US Diplomat Against Militarizing Arctic VOA 18 May 2021 -- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged the global community Tuesday to avoid militarizing the Arctic region, one day after Russia warned the West against making territorial claims in the area.
• Blinken Warns Of Militarization Of Arctic Ahead Of Key Meetings In Europe RFE/RL 18 May 2021 -- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, on a diplomatic tour that includes his first face-to-face talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, has warned that Washington is concerned over a military buildup in the Arctic, a region gaining in strategic importance among the world's superpowers.
• Deputy Secretary General welcomes Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister to NATO Headquarters NATO 18 May 2021 -- NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoana held talks on Tuesday (18 May 2021) with Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, Olha Stefanishyna. They addressed Ukraine's reform efforts and the security situation in and around Ukraine.
• Secretary General underscores Montenegro's contributions to NATO NATO 18 May 2021 -- Today (18 May 2021), NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg met with President Milo Đukanović of Montenegro at NATO Headquarters. They exchanged views on the security situation in the Western Balkans and preparations for next month's NATO Summit.
• NATO Secretary General: Summit to future-proof Alliance NATO 18 May 2021 -- NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Tuesday (18 May 2021) told allied defence chiefs that the NATO Summit in June ''will be a unique opportunity to future-proof our Alliance, reinvigorate the transatlantic bond and demonstrate our commitment to transatlantic solidarity. Not just in words, but in deeds''.
• Chinese warships cross Miyako Strait 'for escort tasks, not response to 4-country exercise' Global Times 18 May 2021 -- A group of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy warships crossed the Miyako Strait on Sunday, forming a routine escort task force heading toward the Gulf of Aden and waters off Somalia, instead of a response to the joint military drill by Japanese, US, French and Australian troops as some Japanese media reports had speculated, analysts said on Tuesday.
• Unmasking China's Maritime Militia Radio Free Asia 18 May 2021 -- China has long denied that it uses maritime militia forces to assert its maritime and territorial claims in South China Sea, often describing the Chinese vessels clustered around disputed reefs and islets as just fishing boats.
• Lombrum Joint Initiative - Contract Award Australia DOD 18 May 2021 -- Australia and Papua New Guinea's (PNG) security partnership has reached an important milestone with the Lombrum Joint Initiative main works contract being awarded to Clough Australia Pty Ltd.
• Secretary Antony J. Blinken and Iceland Foreign Minister Gudlaugur Thor Thordarson Before Their Meeting US Dept. of State 18 May 2021
• Secretary Antony J. Blinken and Icelandic Foreign Minister Gudlaugur Thor Thordarson at a Joint Press Availability US Dept. of State 18 May 2021
• Secretary Blinken's Meeting with Icelandic Prime Minister Jakobsdottir US Dept. of State 18 May 2021
• Secretary Blinken's Meeting with Icelandic President Johannesson US Dept. of State 18 May 2021
• Secretary Blinken's Call with Moroccan Foreign Minister Bourita US Dept. of State 18 May 2021
• Secretary Blinken's Call with Bahraini Foreign Minister Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid al-Zayani US Dept. of State 18 May 2021
• Readout of Jake Sullivan's Bilateral Meeting with UK National Security Advisor Stephen Lovegrove The White House 18 May 2021
• Secretary Blinken's Call with German Foreign Minister Maas US Dept. of State 18 May 2021
• Press Gaggle by Press Secretary Jen Psaki Aboard Air Force One En Route Detroit, MI The White House 18 May 2021

Defense Industry

• Contracts For May 18, 2021
• ADSB Awarded AED3.5 Billion Contract with UAE Navy to Build Falaj 3-class Offshore Patrol Vessels ADSB 18 May 2021 -- ADSB, the regional leader in the new build, repair, maintenance, refit and conversion of naval and commercial vessels, was today awarded an AED3.5 billion contract by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and UAE Navy, to build four Falaj 3-class Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs).

Other Conflicts

• 18 May 2021 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 18 May 2021
• Philippine Leader: South China Sea Patrols Will 'Firmly Assert What is Ours' Radio Free Asia 18 May 2021 -- The Philippines will maintain patrols in contested waters of the South China Sea, President Rodrigo Duterte said Tuesday, as he barred members of his cabinet from speaking publicly about maritime frictions between Manila and Beijing.
• Libya war criminals must be prosecuted in timely fashion: ICC Press TV 18 May 2021 -- The International Criminal Court (ICC) says peace will not be achieved in Libya unless individuals suspected of crimes against humanity in the country are brought to justice in "a timely fashion."
• The Rise Of The New Pakistani Taliban RFE/RL Gandhara 18 May 2021 -- Riven internally, debilitated by the death of successive leaders, and forced from its strongholds, the armed group Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) was seen as a largely spent force.
• Ukraine Denounces Russia's Persecution Of Crimean Tatars RFE/RL 18 May 2021 -- Ukrainian officials have marked the 77th anniversary of the Crimean Tatars' Stalin-era deportations from Crimea to Central Asia by denouncing what they called their ongoing persecution by Russia.
• UN urges greater aid access for Gaza, 'intensification of mediation efforts' to end Israel-Palestine violence UN News 18 May 2021 -- The international community must do "all it can" to de-escalate the violence in Gaza and Israel which has left hundreds dead and injured, said the UN's political affairs chief on Tuesday, calling on all those involved in the fighting to allow for the "intensification of mediation efforts", which can also help stem a growing humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.
• Israeli-Palestinian Cross-Border Attacks Continue as Diplomatic Efforts Intensify VOA 18 May 2021 -- Israel launched more airstrikes Tuesday on the Gaza Strip, while Palestinian militants fired rockets into Israel, killing two Thai workers in a packaging plant and wounding seven more people in a continuing wave of violence that has stretched for more than a week.
• Israel-Palestinian Strife Exacts Grim Toll in Gaza VOA 18 May 2021 -- U.N. agencies said conditions in Gaza continue to deteriorate nine days into the Israeli-Palestinian crisis. In Gaza, 200 people reportedly have been killed and more than 6,000 injured. Twenty people have been killed in the West Bank, and Palestinian rocket attacks into populated areas of Israel reportedly have killed 10 people and injured 800.
• Peace Partner Jordan Threatens to Expel Israeli Ambassador VOA 18 May 2021 -- Jordan's Prime Minister Bisher al-Khasawneh says his country may expel the Israeli ambassador after parliament issued the call due to escalating violence between Israelis and Palestinians. King Abdullah II is conducting intense diplomacy to try to stop the dangerous escalation amid concerns, observers suggest, should the crisis prompt another wave of Palestinian refugees into Jordan. In talks with his Jordanian counterpart, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that "both Israelis and Palestinians equally deserve to live in safety and security."
• Hamas-Israel Confrontation Sees Notable Differences from Past Fights VOA 18 May 2021 -- The Palestinian Hamas movement threatened Tuesday to redouble its rocket assault on Tel Aviv as Israel maintained its pounding of Gaza with airstrikes, dashing the hopes of US, Egyptian and Qatari mediators to pull off a ceasefire to end a confrontation that has seen both warring sides cross lines observed in previous duels.
• Israel, Palestinian Militants Carry Out Cross-Border Attacks VOA 18 May 2021 -- Israel carried out airstrikes early Tuesday in the Gaza Strip, while Palestinian militants fired rockets into Israel, continuing a wave of violence between the two sides that has stretched on for more than a week.
• 208 dead, at least 1,500 injured in week of Israeli-Palestinian hostilities: UN People's Daily 18 May 2021 -- UN humanitarians said Monday that 208 people were killed and at least 1,500 injured in a week of Israeli-Palestinian hostilities.
• US arms supplies to Israel add fuel to fire of conflict in Gaza: China Press TV 18 May 2021 -- China has decried the United States' support for the ongoing Israeli aggression against Palestinians, saying Washington is only adding fuel to the fire of the conflict by providing arms to the Tel Aviv regime.
• Battle against Israel spreads throughout entire occupied territories Press TV 18 May 2021 -- The battle against the Israeli regime's escalated atrocities against Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank has spread throughout the borders that used to demarcate Palestine before the regime's 1948 invasion.
• 52,000 displaced in Gaza due to Israeli aggression: UN agency Press TV 18 May 2021 -- The United Nations (UN)'s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says the Israeli regime's ongoing onslaught on the besieged Gaza Strip has left more than 52,000 Palestinians displaced and nearly 450 buildings destroyed or badly damaged in the coastal enclave.
• Israel keeps up relentless bombing of Gaza; Palestinians respond with volley of rockets Press TV 18 May 2021 -- The Israeli military has launched a new series of heavy airstrikes at several locations across the Gaza Strip, while Palestinian resistance groups fired barrages of rockets at the southern part of the occupied territories, as diplomatic efforts for a ceasefire grow.
• Israeli military fires shells at southern Lebanon Press TV 18 May 2021 -- Israel has fired artillery shells at Lebanon, after rockets were fired from the country toward the occupied Palestinian territories.
• China Cuts Hours for Tibetan Buddhists at Lhasa's Jokhang Temple, Citing COVID Concerns Radio Free Asia 18 May 2021 -- Chinese authorities in Tibet's regional capital Lhasa have sharply cut visiting hours for Buddhist devotees at the city's Jokhang temple, a major pilgrimage site, citing COVID-19 concerns but leaving the temple complex open longer for tourists, according to a public notice this week.
• U.S. Voices Concern After Military Movements Near Armenia-Azerbaijan Border RFE/RL 18 May 2021 -- White House national-security adviser Jake Sullivan has phoned the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan to express concern over recent tensions between the two countries, the White House has said in a statement.
• Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan Agree To Joint Security Controls Along Disputed Border RFE/RL 18 May 2021 -- Kyrgyz and Tajik officials have agreed to jointly control law and order along a disputed segment of the border to ease tensions following deadly clashes late last month.
• Czech President Apologizes For 1999 NATO Bombing Of Yugoslavia RFE/RL 18 May 2021 -- Czech President Milos Zeman has apologized over the 1999 NATO bombing of former Yugoslavia, in which his country took part while he was prime minister.
• UN Refugee Agency Raises $340M to Assist Rohingya in Bangladesh Radio Free Asia 18 May 2021 -- International donors have pledged U.S. $340 million of nearly $1 billion being sought by the United Nations refugee agency this year to support Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, the UNHCR chief said on Tuesday.
• The United States Announces New Assistance to Respond to the Rohingya Humanitarian Crisis US Dept. of State 18 May 2021 -- At the launch of the 2021 Joint Response Plan for the Rohingya Humanitarian Crisis, the United States announced nearly $155 million in new assistance to sustain critical efforts to support Rohingya refugees and host communities in Bangladesh and internally displaced Rohingya and other affected people in Burma.
• US Announces Increase in Aid to Rohingya VOA 18 May 2021 -- The United States says it is providing new assistance to Myanmar's Rohingya Muslim minority, many of whom have fled violence for neighboring Bangladesh or have been internally displaced.
• UK Statement: Launch of Rohingya Joint Response Plan in Bangladesh UK FCDO 18 May 2021 -- The UK's Ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Simon Manley, delivered this statement during the launch of the Rohingya Joint Response Plan in Bangladesh on 18 May 2021.
• UN launches response plan to 'safeguard the well-being and dignity' of Rohingya in Bangladesh UN News 18 May 2021 -- Under the leadership of the Government of Bangladesh, the Organization for Migration (IOM) and UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) launched a $943 million plan on Tuesday to "safeguard the well-being and dignity" of Rohingya refugees in the country and their host communities.
• Calls for Solutions Grow at UN Pledging Conference for Rohingya Refugees VOA 18 May 2021 -- At the launch of this year's Rohingya refugee donor's conference, Bangladesh led a chorus of growing voices calling for durable solutions to resolve the ongoing crisis.
• Ensuring sustainable solutions to address root causes of conflict in the Sahel region UK FCDO 18 May 2021 -- Statement by Ambassador James Roscoe at the Security Council briefing on the G5 Sahel
• Fresh attacks, dire conditions plague Africa's Sahel, Security Council hears UN News 18 May 2021 -- Despite a deteriorating security situation and the reverberating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, regional troops deployed to combat terrorists in Africa's Sahel region have scaled up the tempo of their operations in recent months, efforts that must be matched by a spirit of solidarity among their global partners, the senior UN peacekeeping official told the Security Council on Tuesday.

News Reports

• Top House Republican Opposes New Probe of January 6 Attack on US Capitol VOA 18 May 2021 -- The leader of Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives said Tuesday he opposes creation of a commission to investigate the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of former President Donald Trump.
• SVR Chief Denies Russia Was Behind Solarwinds Cyberattack RFE/RL 18 May 2021 -- The head of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) has denied that his agency was behind the SolarWinds cyberattack, which was blamed on Moscow by both U.S. and British intelligence officials and resulted in U.S. sanctions against Russia.
• Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISIS and Attempting to Commit an Attack at a Toledo-Area Synagogue US Dept. of Justice 18 May 2021 -- Damon M. Joseph, aka Abdullah Ali Yusuf, 23, of Holland, Ohio, pleaded guilty today to attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, aka ISIS, and attempting to commit a hate crime, for planning an attack on a synagogue in the Toledo, Ohio area.
• North Macedonia Declares Russian Diplomat Persona Non Grata RFE/RL 18 May 2021 -- North Macedonia has declared a Russian diplomat persona non grata and communicated the decision to Moscow earlier this week.
• Russian Lawmakers Back More Restrictive Civil Society Legislation RFE/RL 18 May 2021 -- Russian lawmakers gave preliminary backing to new legislation that human rights groups says is part of authorities' efforts to "annihilate any shred of visible dissent" in the country.
• Russian Court Takes Minutes To Reject Navalny Lawsuit Over Failure To Probe His Poisoning RFE/RL 18 May 2021 -- A military court in Moscow has upheld a lower court's decision to reject a lawsuit filed by jailed Russian opposition politician Aleksei Navalny against the Main Military Investigative Directorate (GVSU) over its refusal to launch a probe into his poisoning in Siberia with a chemical nerve agent in August.
• Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian's Regular Press Conference on May 18, 2021 PRC MofA 18 May 2021
• US Values Dictate Diplomatic Boycott of Beijing Winter Olympics Amid Rights Abuses: Pelosi Radio Free Asia 18 May 2021 -- The U.S. is obliged by its values to boycott the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing if China fails to address reports of genocide in its Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR), as well as rights abuses in Tibet and Hong Kong, House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Tuesday.
• China slams US over joint statement with EU that takes aim at Beijing Global Times 18 May 2021 -- The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Tuesday urged the US to stop forming small cliques targeting China, saying such twisted and narrow-minded mentality is not befitting of a global power.
• Freezing Jimmy Lai's assets reinforces HK's financial hub status: Carrie Lam Global Times 18 May 2021 -- Freezing the assets of Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai out of national security concerns will hopefully reinforce the city's status as the Asian financial hub, instead of raising concerns over the city's protection of personal property, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam said on Tuesday.
• Chinese Agriculture Mogul Sun Dawu Could Face 25 Years in Jail: Lawyers Radio Free Asia 18 May 2021 -- Authorities in China are pushing for a jail term of 25 years for outspoken billionaire Sun Dawu, who is currently detained on suspicion of a slew of charges including "picking quarrels and stirring up trouble," a charge often used to target peaceful critics of the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
• Pro-Democracy Activists Remanded Following Guilty Plea Over 2019 Protests VOA 18 May 2021 -- Six Hong Kong pro-democracy advocates have been remanded to custody after pleading guilty to their involvement in protests dating to October 2019.
• US Should Lead Diplomatic Boycott of Beijing Winter Olympics Amid Rights Abuses: Experts Radio Free Asia 18 May 2021 -- The U.S. should coordinate a push for a diplomatic boycott the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing if China fails to address reports of genocide in its Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR), as well as rights abuses in Tibet and Hong Kong, experts told lawmakers Tuesday.
• Tianhe core module finishes in-orbit performance checks, ready for docking with cargo spacecraft Global Times 18 May 2021 -- The Tianhe core module cabin, the first section for China's space station project, has completed in-orbit performance checks with all systems in good condition.
• 100 Days In, Kazakhs Continue Protests For Release Of Relatives In Xinjiang RFE/RL 18 May 2021 -- Rallies in Kazakhstan's largest city, Almaty, by demonstrators demanding their relatives be released from prisons and so-called reeducation camps in China's northwestern region of Xinjiang have entered the 100th day.
• Hong Kong office suspends Taiwan operations CNA 18 May 2021 -- The Hong Kong Economic, Trade and Cultural Office (HKETCO) in Taiwan has suspended its operations, starting from Tuesday, according to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government.
• Hong Kong Closes Its Trade Office in Democratic Taiwan Radio Free Asia 18 May 2021 -- Authorities in Hong Kong have shut down the city's representative office on the democratic island of Taiwan, saying the move isn't linked to the recent surge of COVID-19 cases there.
• Officials Scared After Sister of North Korean Leader Has Their Colleagues Executed Radio Free Asia 18 May 2021 -- Government officials in North Korea are living in fear after a series of executions of their colleagues on the orders of leader Kim Jong Un's powerful sister, Kim Yo Jong, two officials told RFA.
• South Korea's Moon to promote North Korea diplomacy at summit with US's Biden Press TV 18 May 2021 -- Two days ahead of a summit with US President Joe Biden, South Korean President Moon Jae-in seeks to use the opportunity of his visit to Washington to revive long-stalled talks with North Korea and urge the White House to take the issue more seriously.
• Parliament stresses Iran's demand for '100%, real' removal of US sanctions Press TV 18 May 2021 -- Amid the diplomatic process in Vienna on a potential revival of the 2015 nuclear accord, Iran's Parliament (Majlis) has stressed the country's "definitive" demand for a "real removal" of the sanctions imposed on the Islamic Republic by the United States, followed by a "meticulous verification" of such a termination of the bans.
• Who Are The Early Contenders For Iran's Looming Presidential Vote? RFE/RL 18 May 2021 -- With the application deadline expired and a month to go before Iran's election of a new president, two names are emerging as the likely top contenders to succeed President Hassan Rohani.
• Spotlight on heavyweights in Iran's presidential race as vetting begins People's Daily 18 May 2021 -- Iran's Constitutional Council, which supervises elections in the country, on Sunday started the process of vetting the large number of registered presidential hopefuls, of whom a few number would qualify, with heavyweights already in the spotlight.
• People in Myanmar border town flee to hills as military steps up attacks Press TV 18 May 2021 -- The residents of a town in northwestern Myanmar have been hiding in jungles, remote villages, and valleys as the military advances into the town after days of fierce battles with local fighters.
• Thousands of Chin Civilians Flee Besieged Town After Myanmar Attacks Radio Free Asia 18 May 2021 -- Thousands of Chin civilians have fled into the jungles of western Myanmar to evade airstrikes by the junta, while a rebel army in the country's northeast near China attacked army tankers carrying jet fuel in a bid to thwart more aerial assaults, sources in the border regions said Tuesday.
• Independent News Site In Belarus Raided As Crackdown Escalates RFE/RL 18 May 2021 -- Financial police in Belarus have launched a probe against the country's largest independent online media outlet, Tut.by, in what the United States, human rights groups, and media freedom watchdogs denounced as the Belarusian authorities' latest move in their crackdown on the country's pro-democracy movement and free media.
• Lukashenka Signs Law Allowing Belarusian Police To Use Firearms Against Demonstrators RFE/RL 18 May 2021 -- Belarus's authoritarian leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka has signed into law legislation that allows police and security forces to shoot at demonstrators.
• US Condemns Turkish President's Remarks About Jewish People Sputnik 18 May 2021 -- The United States condemns Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's remarks against the Jewish people, US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement.
• Turkish President Erdogan's Anti-Semitic Remarks US Dept. of State 18 May 2021 -- The United States strongly condemns President Erdogan's recent anti-Semitic comments regarding the Jewish people and finds them reprehensible.
• Turkish Interior Minister Says There Was Attempt to Attack Military Base in Diyarbakir Sputnik 18 May 2021 -- According to Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu, the attempted attack on the military facility in Diyarbakir did not result in any casualties.
• DUP leader-designate Edwin Poots attacks Northern Ireland Protocol Press TV 18 May 2021 -- The man elected to succeed Arlene Foster as leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has launched a blistering attack on the Northern Ireland Protocol, promising to "inflict damage" on it.
• Ukrainian Lawmakers Sack Health Minister Over Pandemic Response RFE/RL 18 May 2021 -- Ukraine's parliament has voted to dismiss Health Minister Maksym Stepanov over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, and approved the resignations of the economy and infrastructure ministers.
• Uzbek Opposition Party Denied Registration As Presidential Poll Nears RFE/RL 18 May 2021 -- An Uzbek opposition politician says his party has begun a new signature drive to get registered for an autumn presidential election after its first attempt was rejected.
• Africa Financing Summit in Paris Ends With Calls for Funding, Vaccines VOA 18 May 2021 -- A Paris summit on supporting African nations hard-hit by COVID-19's fallout wrapped up Tuesday with sweeping calls for massive financial and vaccination support for Africa — and a broader sea change in relations between donor nations and the continent.
• US Ambassador to UN Pledges Partnership Ahead of Key Africa Meeting VOA 18 May 2021 -- U.N. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, a longtime Africa specialist, laid out the Biden administration's policies on Africa ahead of a U.N. Security Council meeting Wednesday on the topic.
• Sudan's Ruling Council Removes First Female Chief Justice, Accepts Attorney General's Resignation VOA 18 May 2021 -- Sudan's ruling Sovereign Council removed Chief Justice Neimat Abdallah Mohamed Khair from the bench and accepted the resignation of Attorney General Taj Al Sir Al Hibir late on Monday, without offering an explanation for either decision.
• Uproar Forces Malawi Parliament to Confirm Anti-Corruption Chief VOA 18 May 2021 -- Malawi lawmakers have taken a sudden U-turn and confirmed Martha Chizuma as the first woman to head the country's anti-corruption bureau or ACB. Lawmakers had rejected Chizuma for the post last week, raising accusations that the opposition scuttled the process for fear of being prosecuted for corruption during their time in power.