• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• VOA Exclusive: Iraq Foreign Minister Says Deal Imminent on Withdrawal of US 'Fighting Forces' VOA 22 Jul 2021 -- A top Iraqi delegation in Washington is expected to reach an agreement with the Biden administration Friday on the withdrawal of American combat forces in Iraq, Fuad Hussein, the Iraqi foreign minister, told VOA.
• Taliban Claims It Has Control Over 90 Percent Of Afghan Border Crossings RFE/RL Gandhara 22 Jul 2021 -- The Taliban controls 90 percent of Afghanistan's borders, a spokesman for the group told Russian media on July 22 as militants continue to make territorial advances across the war-torn country while U.S.-led foreign forces near the completion of their pullout.
• Report: Afghan Ministry Says 100 Civilians Killed In Kandahar Raids RFE/RL Gandhara 22 Jul 2021 -- Afghanistan's Interior Ministry has accused Taliban fighters of raiding homes and killing at least 100 civilians in attacks in the southern Kandahar Province, near the border with Pakistan.
• Afghan, Pakistani Officials Lash Out As Tensions, Insecurity Mount RFE/RL Gandhara 22 Jul 2021 -- A war of words between Pakistan and Afghanistan has escalated dramatically on social media and reverberated up the political ranks, threatening a diplomatic breakdown and highlighting security concerns in the region.
• Despite Taliban Advances, Central Asia Eyes Trade Ties With South Asia RFE/RL Gandhara 22 Jul 2021 -- Central Asia has long advertised itself as the crossroads of the Eurasian continent - a region that, with development, could be an important transit hub for shipping goods from east to west and from north to south.
• Taliban now control about half of Afghan district centers: U.S. general People's Daily 22 Jul 2021 -- Afghan Taliban militants now control about half of the war-torn country's 419 district centers, a top U.S. general said on Wednesday.
• Taliban militants claim to control '90 percent' of Afghanistan's borders Press TV 22 Jul 2021 -- A spokesman for the Taliban claims that the militant group has seized control of 90 percent of Afghanistan's borders, following their offensives across the conflict-ridden country amid withdrawal of American forces.
• Taliban seem to have 'strategic momentum' in Afghanistan: Top US general Press TV 22 Jul 2021 -- America's top military general says the Taliban appear to have "strategic momentum" in their sweeping offensives across Afghanistan, as the militants continue to gain more ground in the war-ravaged country.
• Trend Lines in Afghanistan 'Troubling' Amid Taliban Advances, CIA Chief Says Sputnik 22 Jul 2021 -- CIA Director William Burns in an interview with NPR said he is troubled by the advances the Taliban* movement is making in Afghanistan.
• Taliban Claim Control of Some 90% of Afghanistan's Border Areas Sputnik 22 Jul 2021 -- The Taliban* controls approximately 90% of Afghanistan's border with neighbouring countries, Zabiullah Mujahid, the movement's spokesman, told Sputnik on Thursday.
• Taliban Has Seized Almost Full Control of Tajik Border, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Says Sputnik 22 Jul 2021 -- On Thursday, Andrey Rudenko said that Afghanistan's northern provinces are rapidly turning into a new hotspot as a result of the hasty withdrawal of US troops.
• US Airstrikes Target Taliban, Military Equipment in Afghanistan VOA 22 Jul 2021 -- The United States has launched about a "half-dozen" airstrikes across Afghanistan in the past 30 days, part of an effort to support Afghan security forces attempting to hold the Taliban at bay.
• Calls Grow for Emergency Visas for Afghans Working With US Media VOA 22 Jul 2021 -- A coalition of more than two dozen U.S. news outlets and press freedom organizations is calling on the U.S. government to help protect Afghans who worked with foreign media and may face risks from the Taliban as a result.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby Holds an Off-Camera Press Briefing DoD 22 Jul 2021
• DOD, Navy Confront Climate Change Challenges in Southern Virginia DoD News 22 Jul 2021 -- The Navy and Defense Department have efforts underway to mitigate the challenges posed by climate change in one of the most military-dense regions of the country.
• U.S., Ivoirian special operations forces sharpen skills to counter violent extremists AFRICOM 22 Jul 2021 -- Special Operations Command Africa forces concluded Joint Combined Exercise Training with Côte d'Ivoire Forces Speciales Ivoirennes in Abidjan and Yamoussoukro, Côte d'Ivoire, July 9, 2021.
• NORAD, US Northern Command lead third Global Information Dominance Experiment US Air Force 22 Jul 2021 -- The third in a series of Global Information Dominance Experiments, which took place July 8-15, was designed to enable cross-combatant command collaboration to generate globally-integrated effects using artificial intelligence enabled information.
• MARMC DEIs Assist NNSY with USS San Francisco Diesel Testing US Navy 22 Jul 2021 -- Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center's Diesel Engine Inspectors assist Norfolk Navy Shipyard Diesel Shop with completing diesel generator testing for the USS San Francisco (SSN 711) Moored Training Ship (MTS) Conversion Project.
• U.S. Navy and JMSDF Strengthen Ties through Mine Warfare Exercise 2JA US Navy 22 Jul 2021 -- Mine warfare forces from the U.S. Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) commenced Mine Warfare Exercise (MIWEX) 2JA 2021 off the coast of northern Japan, July 19.
• NAVSUP Fleet Logistics Center Bahrain Conducts Continuity of Operations Exercise US Navy 22 Jul 2021 -- Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) Fleet Logistics Center (FLC) Bahrain conducted a Continuity of Operations (COOP) tabletop exercise (TTX) onboard Naval Support Activity Bahrain, July 21.
• CNATTU North Island celebrates India's acceptance of two MH-60R helicopters US Navy 22 Jul 2021 -- Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training Unit North Island (CNATTU NI) celebrated India's acceptance of two MH-60R helicopters during a morning ceremony on Naval Air Station North Island July 16.
• U.S. and Indian Navies Hold Ceremony to Commemorate India's First MH-60R US Navy 22 Jul 2021 -- The U.S. and Indian navies celebrated a historic milestone when two MH-60R Seahawk helicopters were inducted into the Indian Naval Fleet during a ceremony at Naval Air Station North Island, July 16.
• DOD to Modernize Intelligence Information Apparatus With 'Back to Basics' Approach DoD News 22 Jul 2021 -- The Defense Department's information technology capacity provides intelligence information to leaders and warfighters to give them a decision-making advantage.
• Readout of the U.S.-Iraq Military Technical Talks, as Part of the U.S.-Iraq Strategic Dialogue DoD 22 Jul 2021
• US Training of Foreign Militaries to Continue Despite Haiti Assassination VOA 22 Jul 2021 -- The United States will not reconsider the type of training it provides to foreign military members despite finding that seven of the 25 individuals arrested in the assassination of Haiti's president were at one time trained by the U.S.
• NATO welcomes stronger cooperation with the Republic of Korea NATO 22 Jul 2021 -- NATO officials welcomed Mr. Kyung-Hyup Kim, Chairman of the Intelligence Committee of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea, to NATO Headquarters on Thursday (22 July 2021) for talks on common security challenges and NATO's partnership with Seoul.
• Defense Ministry: Russia's Su-27 Escorts Germany's FGR.4 Typhoon Over Baltic Sea Sputnik 22 Jul 2021 -- Russian fighter Su-27 was scrambled to intercept the FGR.4 Typhoon fighter of the German Air Force and to escorted over the Baltic Sea, preventing it from reaching the Russian border, the Russian Defense Ministry's National Defense Control Center (NDCC) said on Thursday.
• New PLA Air Force bomber set to be 'best in world' PLA Daily 22 Jul 2021 -- The next-generation bomber of the People's Liberation Army Air Force, one of the Chinese military's most anticipated aircraft, will be world-class in terms of technology and capability, according to a well-informed observer.
• PLA Central Theater Command sends more troops for disaster relief in Henan PLA Daily 22 Jul 2021 -- Following the important instructions by Chinese President Xi Jinping and the overall deployments of China's Central Military Commission (CMC), the PLA Central Theater Command had dispatched more than 8,800 troops, including troops from the PLA and the PAP units stationed in Henan Province, along with 485 vehicles and vessels, to engage in disaster relief in over 30 places of Henan in parallel as of 12:00 a.m. on July 22, making utmost efforts to protect local people's life and property safety.
• Chinese armed forces deploy over 16,000 members to Henan PLA Daily 22 Jul 2021 -- The Chinese armed forces had deployed more than 6,000 officers and soldiers as well as over 10,000 militiamen in Central China's Henan province as of Thursday afternoon to take part in disaster relief efforts in the flood-stricken province.
• INDIAN NAVY EXERCISES WITH ROYAL NAVY CARRIER STRIKE GROUP India PIB 22 Jul 2021 -- Indian Navy participated in a two-day bilateral Passage Exercise (PASSEX) with Royal Navy Carrier Strike Group (CSG)-21 led by HMS Queen Elizabeth in the Bay of Bengal from 21 to 22 Jul 21. The bilateral Maritime Exercise was designed to hone the ability of the two navies to operate together in the maritime domain.
• Defense official says Iran self-sufficient in manufacturing drones, hails Russia as strategic partner Press TV 22 Jul 2021 -- Iran's deputy defense minister says the country has reached self-sufficiency in the production of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) as he hails military ties with Russia as a strategic partner.
• £195m contract signed for 13 additional RAF Protectors UK MOD 22 Jul 2021 -- A £195 million contract for a further 13 cutting-edge Protector aircraft has been signed. Defence Minister Jeremy Quin announced the new contract during a visit to GKN Aerospace (GKNA), who are manufacturing key parts of aircraft on the Isle of Wight.
• Brisbane makes history Australia DOD 22 Jul 2021 -- Navy destroyer HMAS Brisbane has made history as the first Hobart-class warship to participate in Exercise Talisman Sabre.
• Tajikistan Holds Massive Combat-Readiness Check Amid Rising Instability In Neighboring Afghanistan RFE/RL 22 Jul 2021 -- Tajikistan says it has put its entire armed forces on high alert for a combat-readiness check and relocated thousands of troops to the border with Afghanistan amid increasing security concerns in Central Asia over the Taliban's territorial gains in the northern part of the war-torn country.
• Deputy Secretary Sherman's Meeting with Republic of Korea Foreign Minister Chung US Dept. of State 22 Jul 2021
• Deputy Secretary Sherman's Meeting with Republic of Korea President Moon US Dept. of State 22 Jul 2021
• Deputy Secretary Sherman's Meeting with Republic of Korea Minister of Unification Lee and Republic of Korea Vice Minister of Unification Choi US Dept. of State 22 Jul 2021
• Secretary Blinken's Call with Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi US Dept. of State 22 Jul 2021
• Remarks by President Biden After Marine One Arrival The White House 22 Jul 2021
• Remarks by President Biden Before Air Force One Departure The White House 22 Jul 2021
• Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki and Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, July 22, 2021 The White House 22 Jul 2021
• Secretary Blinken's Call with Haitian Prime Minister Henry US Dept. of State 22 Jul 2021
• Secretary Blinken's Meeting with Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Al-Thani US Dept. of State 22 Jul 2021
• Secretary Antony J. Blinken And Qatari Minister of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani Before Their Meeting US Dept. of State 22 Jul 2021
• Department Press Briefing – July 22, 2021 US Dept. of State 22 Jul 2021

Defense Industry

• Contracts For July 22, 2021

Other Conflicts

• 22 July 2021 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 22 Jul 2021
• Is UN Peacekeeping Losing its Appeal? VOA 22 Jul 2021 -- Almost 65 years after then-Canadian Prime Minister Lester Pearson won the Nobel Peace Prize for initiating the first U.N. peacekeeping mission, his country – which long prided itself on its role in subsequent missions -- has only a few dozen remaining peacekeepers deployed around the world.
• Syria says to spare no effort to defend its sovereignty after new Israeli raid Press TV 22 Jul 2021 -- Reacting to Israel's new airstrikes, Syria says it will spare no effort to defend its sovereignty in the face of Israeli acts of aggression.
• Iraqi politicians slam Turkey's interventionist remarks, vow strong response Press TV 22 Jul 2021 -- A number of Iraqi politicians and lawmakers have reacted to recent interventionist remarks by Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu during his recent visit to the city of Sirnak in southeastern Turkey, vowing strong response to any infringement of the Iraqi sovereignty and territorial integrity.
• Foreign Ministry Statement on the interstate claim brought by Russia against Ukraine with the European Court of Human Rights Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 22 Jul 2021
• Russia Files Case Against Ukraine At European Court Over MH17, Alleged Rights Abuses RFE/RL 22 Jul 2021 -- Russia has filed a complaint against Ukraine with the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) saying Kyiv is responsible for the 2014 crash of a Malaysian airliner and civilian deaths and human rights abuses in Russia and Ukraine.
• Attacks by Tigrayan forces displace over 54,000 in Ethiopia's Afar region Press TV 22 Jul 2021 -- A widening conflict in northern Ethiopia has forced thousands of people, after months-long conflict between rebels and government forces spread from the Tigray region to neighboring Afar state.
• Tigray: As famine looms, first WFP humanitarian flight arrives UN News 22 Jul 2021 -- Lifesaving assistance arrived for the beleaguered Tigray region of Ethiopia on Thursday as the first UN World Food Programme (WFP) plane carrying humanitarian workers touched down in the capital Mekelle.
• Cyprus appeals to UNSC to stop Turkish-Cypriot plan to partially open resort Press TV 22 Jul 2021 -- Cyprus has called on the United Nations Security Council to force Turkish-Cypriot authorities in the north to abandon plans to partially reopen an abandoned resort on the divided Mediterranean island.
• China's President Xi Jinping Makes Unannounced Visit to Tibetan Capital Lhasa Radio Free Asia 22 Jul 2021 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping made a visit Thursday to Tibet's regional capital Lhasa, strolling in the city's Barkor area and greeting passersby in an unannounced trip not covered by Chinese state-controlled media, RFA's Tibetan Service reported today in an exclusive story.
• Russian Jailed For Fighting Azerbaijani Forces In Nagorno-Karabakh RFE/RL 22 Jul 2021 -- A court in Baku has sentenced a Russian citizen to 10 years in prison on charges of fighting on the Armenian side against Azerbaijan's armed forces in the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region last year.
• Aliyev Again Proposes Peace Agreement to Armenia Based on Respecting Territorial Integrity Sputnik 22 Jul 2021 -- Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has once again proposed a peace agreement to Armenia that will be based on respecting each other's territorial integrity and include delimitation of national borders.
• Supporting the stability and security of Bosnia and Herzegovina through the Office of the High Representative UK FCDO 22 Jul 2021 -- Explanation of Vote on the Security Council draft resolution on Bosnia and Herzegovina

News Reports

• Nine Individuals Charged in Superseding Indictment with Conspiring to Act as Illegal Agents of the People's Republic of China US Dept. of Justice 22 Jul 2021 -- PRC Prosecutor Allegedly Traveled to the United States, Directed Stalking of U.S. Residents, and Obstructed Criminal Investigation
• 9 Indicted in US for Being Illegal Agents of China VOA 22 Jul 2021 -- Nine people have been indicted on charges of operating in the United States as illegal agents of China.
• CIA picks Bin Laden hunter to head 'Havana syndrome' task force as more diplomats fall ill Press TV 22 Jul 2021 -- The CIA has picked a US veteran officer who took the lead in the decade-long hunt for Osama Bin Laden to investigate the so-called "Havana syndrome" afflicting US spies and diplomats overseas.
• Israeli spyware Pegasus used to capture Dubai ruler's missing daughter Princess Latifa: Report Press TV 22 Jul 2021 -- An investigation has revealed that Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed al-Maktoum – also known as Princess Latifa – who was running away from her father, the ruler of Dubai, when her escape was thwarted after a dramatic raid of her yacht in 2018, was captured using the Israeli phone hacking spyware Pegasus.
• French President Emmanuel Macron Changes His Phone and Number Amid Pegasus Spyware Scandal Sputnik 22 Jul 2021 -- The president's phone was on a list of 50,000 possible targets of the spyware program that was developed for state espionage on terrorists and criminals. According to a large-scale media investigation, some governments purportedly used the Israeli-made spy tool to wiretap human rights activists, journalists, and even foreign politicians.
• Merkel Urges to Restrict Spyware Sales to Countries With 'No Oversight' After Pegasus Scandal Sputnik 22 Jul 2021 -- A major report, published by various media platforms and rights groups on Sunday, said that a spyware programme, made by an Israeli cyber company had been used to hack the phones of political leaders, journalists, and activists across the globe.
• Phones of Two Dubai Princesses Reportedly Hacked by Pegasus Spyware Sputnik 22 Jul 2021 -- Last Sunday, several prominent media outlets and rights groups released a report that revealed how an Israeli cyber company's spyware programme had been used to hack the phone numbers of journalists, rights activists, and even political leaders across the world.
• Merkel Defends Russian Gas Pipeline Deal Without More US Sanctions VOA 22 Jul 2021 -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday defended a compromise agreement with the United States to permit completion of the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline to transport fuel from Russia to Germany without the further imposition of American sanctions.
• US, Germany strike deal on Russian Nord Stream 2 pipeline Press TV 22 Jul 2021 -- The United States and Germany have reached an agreement on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline which will allow completion of the $11 billion project.
• Briefing by Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, Moscow, July 22, 2021 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 22 Jul 2021
• Russian Court Fines Facebook, Twitter, Telegram For Not Deleting 'Banned' Content RFE/RL 22 Jul 2021 -- A Russian court has fined U.S. social-media giants Facebook and Twitter and messaging app Telegram again for failing to delete content Moscow deems illegal.
• Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's opening remarks during a meeting with UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir O. Pedersen, Moscow, July 22, 2021 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 22 Jul 2021
• Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian's Regular Press Conference on July 22, 2021 PRC MofA 22 Jul 2021
• China confirms visit from No. 2 US diplomat, demands no interference in its internal affairs Global Times 22 Jul 2021 -- Late Wednesday night, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced that the US Deputy Secretary of State, Wendy Sherman, will visit North China's Tianjin from July 25 to 26, a visit arranged after the US proposal to exchange views on China-US relations.
• CIA May Deploy China Specialists to Better Compete With Beijing, Director Says Sputnik 22 Jul 2021 -- The US is exploring the possibility of forward-deploying China specialists in order to compete more effectively with Beijing, CIA Director William Burns said in an interview with NPR.
• Hong Kong Police Arrest Five Over 'Seditious' Sheep in Childrens' Books Radio Free Asia 22 Jul 2021 -- National security police in Hong Kong on Thursday said they had arrested five members of a speech therapists' union over a series of children's books depicting "seditious" sheep, that the authorities said showed support for the 2019 protest movement and "incited hatred" towards the city's government.
• Iran formally opens oil terminal outside Strait of Hormuz Press TV 22 Jul 2021 -- Iran has formally inaugurated its new crude oil export terminal on the Sea of Oman, a project hailed by President Hassan Rouhani as a historic achievement which could prove vital in the country's energy future.
• Iran Opens Oil Export Terminal Bypassing Strait Of Hormuz RFE/RL 22 Jul 2021 -- Iran says it has opened its first oil export terminal in the Gulf of Oman to allow Tehran to avoid using the strategic Strait of Hormuz shipping route that has long been a focus of regional tensions.
• Iran Internet Services Disrupted Amid Weeklong Water-Shortage Protests RFE/RL 22 Jul 2021 -- Severe disruptions of Internet services are being reported in Iran a week into protests over water shortages that has seen at least three people killed.
• International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance members' statement on the crisis in Myanmar UK FCDO 22 Jul 2021 -- Fourteen countries stand in solidarity with victims of attacks by the Myanmar security forces and condemn attacks on places of worship.
• Lukashenka Vows To Keep Up 'Sweep' Against Belarus Media, Activists RFE/RL 22 Jul 2021 -- Belarusian strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka on July 22 pledged to keep up his accelerated "sweep" against activists, media, and other elements of civil society as the country approaches the one-year mark since a disputed presidential election that sparked unprecedented protests.
• Northern Ireland protocol clash risks 'inevitable' UK-EU trade war: Officials warn Press TV 22 Jul 2021 -- Officials are warning of a trade war between the United Kingdom and the European Union if the UK refuses to back down on its new demands for post-Brexit rules on Northern Ireland.
• EU President Refuses to Negotiate With UK in Northern Ireland Brexit Row Sputnik 22 Jul 2021 -- The ostensible aim of the contentious Northern Ireland Protocol is to preserve portions of the 1999 Good Friday Agreement that guarantee free movement across the island of Ireland, while preventing goods from the UK goods being sneaked into the bloc unregulated across the land border
• Joint Statement by Secretary Janet L. Yellen and Secretary Antony J. Blinken Commending the United Kingdom's Anti-Corruption Sanctions US Treasury 22 Jul 2021 -- The United States welcomes the United Kingdom's announcement today to impose further sanctions under its Global Anti-Corruption Sanctions (GACS) regime, which is designed to fight corruption and illicit finance.
• New UK sanctions against individuals involved in corruption around the world UK FCDO 22 Jul 2021 -- Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has announced further sanctions on individuals under the UK's Global Anti-Corruption sanctions regime.
• Statement by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. on Continuing Crackdown in Cuba The White House 22 Jul 2021
• Treasury Sanctions Cuban Minister of Defense and Special Forces Brigade for Abuses Against Protestors US Treasury 22 Jul 2021 -- Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned one Cuban individual and one Cuban entity pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13818, which builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act and targets perpetrators of serious human rights abuse and corruption around the world.
• Biden Condemns Cuba for Crackdown on Freedom Protesters VOA 22 Jul 2021 -- U.S. President Joe Biden assailed the Cuban government Thursday for its crackdown on freedom protesters on the island nation and imposed sanctions on the head of the Cuban military and the internal security division that led the attacks on demonstrators.
• US sanctions Cuba: Biden says 'this is just the beginning' Press TV 22 Jul 2021 -- The United States has imposed sanctions against a Cuban official and a government entity over alleged human rights abuses in the country.
• US Sanctions Cuban Minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces, Interior Ministry Special Brigade Sputnik 22 Jul 2021 -- The United States has imposed sanctions on Cuba's Minister of Revolutionary Armed Forces and on the Interior Ministry's special brigade, the US Treasury announced on Thursday.
• US 'weaving Walt Disney narrative of protests' to justify intervention: Cuba Press TV 22 Jul 2021 -- Cuba says the United States is weaving "a Walt Disney narrative" of the recent anti-government protests in the Caribbean country, accusing Washington of seeking to justify a military intervention.
• Cuba Rejects US 'Slanderous' Sanctions, Foreign Minister Says Sputnik 22 Jul 2021 -- Cuba condemns new US sanctions against Cuban Interior Ministry and army, as well as Washington's pressure on European and Latin American countries to turn them against Havana, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said on Thursday.
• Colombia police detain dozens in renewed protests Press TV 22 Jul 2021 -- Police in Colombia have detained 70 people in new anti-government protests that drew thousands of people to the streets across the South American country and left dozens of people wounded.
• Several Suspects in Custody in Plot to Assassinate Madagascar's President VOA 22 Jul 2021 -- Authorities in Madagascar have arrested several people they believe were part of a plot to kill President Andry Rajoelina.
• Madagascar President Survives Reported Assassination Attempt Sputnik 22 Jul 2021 -- Several foreigners, including two Frenchmen, have been detained in connection with the foiled assassination attempt, AFP reported on Thursday.
• 'Moment of Truth' Approaching for Crisis-Wracked Lebanon VOA 22 Jul 2021 -- The little girl wearing a red Mickey and Minnie Mouse tee-shirt was firm. "The rulers of this country are all trash," she pronounced with indignation, and "they should resign; it would be better if someone from any other country came to rule us," she told the host of a talk show on Lebanon's MTV channel.
• Strikes In Kazakhstan's Restive Zhanaozen Widen Amid Wage, Conditions Complaints RFE/RL 22 Jul 2021 -- Workers at another company in the southwestern Kazakh town of Zhanaozen have launched a strike, demanding a salary increase amid a series of labor issues in the restive town.
• Government receives 27 proposals from private entities for undertaking various space activities in India India PIB 22 Jul 2021 -- Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh today said that 27 proposals from private entities were received so far for undertaking various space activities in India.
• U.S. Lawmakers Say White House 'Seems' To Be Preventing Congress From Meeting Zelenskiy RFE/RL 22 Jul 2021 -- A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers has called on the administration of Joe Biden to reschedule a visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in order to allow Congress an opportunity to meet the head of state, saying the White House appears to be "play[ing] politics."