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News Reports

Current Operations

• Secretary Blinken's Call with Afghan President Ghani US Dept. of State 03 Aug 2021
• Afghanistan: UN mission demands end to fighting as Taliban advance UN News 03 Aug 2021 -- The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) on Tuesday called for an immediate end to fighting in urban areas, as the Taliban continues a ground assault in the south of the country.
• Blinken, Ghani, Confirm US Commitment to Afghanistan in Call VOA 03 Aug 2021 -- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken underscored the American commitment to Afghanistan Tuesday during a call with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani.
• Car Bomb Targets Afghan Defense Minister's House in Kabul VOA 03 Aug 2021 -- A powerful explosion rocked the heart of the Afghan capital late Tuesday, followed by gunfire inside Kabul's heavily fortified green zone.
• Taliban Demanding 'Lion's Share of Power,' US Special Rep for Afghan Reconciliation Says Sputnik 03 Aug 2021 -- Taliban negotiators have publicly expressed support
• Afghanistan, NATO Discuss Further Cooperation After Troop Withdrawal, Foreign Ministry Says Sputnik 03 Aug 2021 -- Afghan Foreign Minister Mohammad Haneef Atmar has met with NATO's Senior Civilian Representative for Afghanistan Stefano Pontecorvo to discuss further cooperation after the international troop's withdrawal, the Afghan Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.
• UN Calls for Ceasefire as 40 Afghan Civilians Killed in One Day's Fighting in Lashkagah Sputnik 03 Aug 2021 -- The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) on Tuesday said that 40 civilians were killed and 118 injured over the past day only as the Taliban* and the Afghan government fight for the control of the city of Lashkagah.
• Taliban Presence in Northern Afghanistan Reduces Daesh Threat to Central Asia, Russian Diplomat Says Sputnik 03 Aug 2021 -- The presence of the Taliban* movement in Afghanistan's north will suppress the growth of threat from the Daesh* terrorist group to Central Asian countries, Russia's special presidential representative for Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, said on Tuesday.
• Fighting rages between Taliban, Afghan forces over Lashkargah Press TV 03 Aug 2021 -- Fighting continues between Afghan government forces and Taliban militants, who have pushed deeper into Lashkargah, the capital of Helmand Province.
• UN Issues Plea As Civilian Deaths Mount In Afghan Battle For Big Cities RFE/RL Gandhara 03 Aug 2021 -- The United Nations has warned of a "catastrophic" impact and urged Afghanistan's warring sides to better protect civilians caught up in the intensifying conflict, the focus of which has shifted in recent weeks from mostly rural areas to major battles for control of three large cities.
• Afghan Civilians Caught In Cross Fire As Taliban Seizes Parts Of Major City RFE/RL Gandhara 03 Aug 2021 -- Fighting raged on the streets of a major Afghan provincial capital on August 3 as the United Nations warned of the "catastrophic" impact on civilians caught up in the intensifying conflict between the Taliban and Afghan army.
• Interview: Khalilzad Urges Political Deal Between Warring Afghan Sides To Prevent 'Protracted Conflict' RFE/RL Gandhara 03 Aug 2021 -- U.S. special envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad has called on the country's warring parties to reach a political settlement amid a blistering Taliban offensive across the war-torn nation.
• Afghan army urges civilians to evacuate city besieged by Taliban ahead of military offensive Press TV 03 Aug 2021 -- A senior Afghan commander charged with defending the capital of Helmand Province, Lashkar Gah, from advancing Taliban militants has urged civilians to evacuate the besieged southern city as soon as possible ahead of a planned army offensive to repel the militants.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby Holds a Press Briefing With Pentagon Police Chief Woody Kusse DoD 03 Aug 2021
• Air Force update for COVID-19 US Air Force 03 Aug 2021
• USS Hershel "Woody" Williams visit in Liberia highlights shared vision for regional security AFRICOM 03 Aug 2021 -- The Expeditionary Sea Base USS Hershel "Woody" Williams (ESB 4) arrived in Monrovia, Liberia, for a scheduled port visit July 28. The visit also kicks off the U.S. Embassy in Liberia's year-long observance of the 175th year of the Republic of Liberia.
• DOD Official Says U.S. Faces Climate Change Crisis DoD News 03 Aug 2021 -- Climate change absolutely affects national security, said the senior climate advisor to the secretary of defense.
• Southcom Commander Nominee: U.S. Must Remain 'Partner of Choice' in Western Hemisphere DoD News 03 Aug 2021 -- The nominee for the commander post at U.S. Southern Command told Congress she would build upon her predecessor's efforts and work diligently with U.S. partners to ensure Southcom fully accounts for the defense challenges and opportunities in Central and South America and the Caribbean.
• 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing trains for modern island hopping campaign USMC News 03 Aug 2021 -- Marines and Sailors with 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing participate in an island hopping campaign as part of advanced naval base training during Exercise Summer Fury 21. With assets positioned across the West Coast, both on land and at sea, 3rd MAW tested components of expeditionary advanced base operations in preparation for future maritime conflicts in the Indo-Pacific region.
• Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group Departs on Deployment US Navy 03 Aug 2021 -- The Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group (CVCSG), led by Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 1, deployed from San Diego, Aug. 2, in support of global maritime security operations.
• U.S. Navy Kicks Off Large-Scale Exercise 2021 US Navy 03 Aug 2021 -- Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, U.S. Pacific Fleet, and U.S. Naval Forces Europe commenced Large-Scale Exercise 2021 in the USFF, PACFLT, and NAVEUR areas of responsibility, today.
• Leaders Tackle Cyber Capabilities, Expeditionary Warfare on Day Two of SAS 2021 US Navy 03 Aug 2021 -- Military and government leaders in the cyber community discussed the threat environment facing each service and current challenges of defending key network systems from adversaries.
• Space Command, Navy Share Commonalities in Keeping Open Lines of Communication DoD News 03 Aug 2021 -- The oceans are big, but space is even bigger, the commander of U.S. Space Command said. Still, the Navy and Space Command share a lot in terms of what they do, and there's opportunity for both to leverage off of each other to increase their effectiveness in carrying out their missions.
• NATO donates over US$70 million in supplies, equipment to Afghan National Defence and Security Forces so far in 2021 NATO 03 Aug 2021 -- NATO is stepping up deliveries of military equipment to Afghanistan as the Alliance withdraws its forces from the country.
• Russia Works on Cutting-Edge Long-Range Hypersonic Missile Kh-95, Military Says Sputnik 03 Aug 2021 -- Russia is developing the latest Kh-95 long-range hypersonic airborne missile, Colonel General Vladimir Zarudnitsky, the chief of the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, said on Tuesday.
• China's latest high mobility tactical vehicle enters mass production Global Times 03 Aug 2021 -- China's latest, third-generation high mobility tactical vehicle has entered mass production, which will meet the needs of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) not only for off-road personnel assault carriers, but also utility mobile platforms for multiple types of weapons including howitzer and rocket, experts said on Tuesday.
• Iran denies rumors about military forces entering foreign ships in Persian Gulf Press TV 03 Aug 2021 -- The Iranian Foreign Ministry has dismissed rumors about the entry of the country's military forces into foreign ships passing in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, warning against such false reports propagated by the Western and Zionist media.
• Iran Boasts Capability to Carry Out 'Every Type of Drone Operation' Sputnik 03 Aug 2021 -- Despite its status as a regional, rather than a global power, the Islamic Republic has successfully developed and fielded a world-class collection of drones, with its designs ranging from small, slow-moving reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to multirole tactical systems and long-range jet-powered suicide drones.
• Georgia - Javelin Missiles DSCA 03 Aug 2021 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Georgia of Javelin Missiles and related equipment for an estimated
  cost of $30 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today.
• Greece - F-16 Sustainment Materiel and Services DSCA 03 Aug 2021 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Greece of F-16 Sustainment Materiel and Services and related equipment for an estimated cost of $270 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today.
• Secretary Blinken's Meeting with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi US Dept. of State 03 Aug 2021
• Secretary Antony J. Blinken And Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi Before Their Meeting US Dept. of State 03 Aug 2021
• Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman's Meeting with Israeli National Security Advisor-designate Dr. Eyal Hulata and Senior Foreign Policy Advisor Shimrit Meir US Dept. of State 03 Aug 2021
• Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki, August 3, 2021 The White House 03 Aug 2021
• Department Press Briefing – August 4, 2021 US Dept. of State 03 Aug 2021

Defense Industry

• Contracts For Aug. 3, 2021

Other Conflicts

• 3 August 2021 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 03 Aug 2021
• 700-plus healthcare workers and patients killed in attacks on facilities: WHO UN News 03 Aug 2021 -- More than 700 healthcare workers and patients have died, and more than 2,000 have been injured in attacks on health facilities since December 2017, according to a three year analysis by the World Health Organization (WHO) released on Tuesday.
• Germany sends frigate to contested South China Sea on Indo-Pacific mission Press TV 03 Aug 2021 -- Germany has deployed a frigate to the contested South China Sea for the first time since 2002, becoming the latest US ally to engage in such provocative deployments to the Chinese-claimed waters.
• 'Yemeni forces advance on new fronts in Bayda, liberate Al-Qanza hilltop' Press TV 03 Aug 2021 -- Yemen's armed forces and allied popular committees are advancing on new fronts in Bayda Province against Daesh and al-Qaeda mercenaries backed by the Saudi-led coalition.
• Syria strikes down spy drone near Aleppo Press TV 03 Aug 2021 -- The Syrian military's air defense units have brought down a spy drone in the countryside of the northwestern city of Aleppo.
• Islamic State Group Smuggling Boys to Desert Training Camps VOA 03 Aug 2021 -- More than two years after the collapse of its self-declared caliphate, the Islamic State terror group appears to be trying to rebuild its army in the eastern Syrian desert on the backs of boys and teenagers, many smuggled out of the displaced persons camps that dot Syria's northeast.
• UN chief underlines commitment to justice for Yazidis in Iraq UN News 03 Aug 2021 -- Secretary-General António Guterres has urged the Iraqi authorities to swiftly implement a new law to assist Yazidi survivors of ISIL atrocities, the UN said on Tuesday in a statement marking seven years since the extremist group brutally targeted the religious minority and other communities.
• Iraq: Put torture prevention laws into practice, urges Bachelet UN News 03 Aug 2021 -- Although laws in Iraq criminalize torture and set out procedural safeguards to prevent it, a new report released on Tuesday by the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) and UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), makes clear that the practice continues in jails throughout the country.
• UN Report: Torture Widespread in Iraqi Detention Centers VOA 03 Aug 2021 -- The United Nations accused the government of Iraq of the widespread torture of detainees held in the country's detention centers. A U.N. report covers conditions in the centers from July 1, 2019 to April 30, 2021.
• Iran warns against false propaganda about security, ships' incidents IRNA 03 Aug 2021 -- Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh here on Tuesday reacted to certain news about a series of security incidents for the ships in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman and warned that any false propagation serves certain political intentions.
• Statement by the acting NATO Spokesperson on the Mercer Street vessel attack NATO 03 Aug 2021 -- We join Allies in strongly condemning the recent fatal attack on the MV Mercer Street off the coast of Oman, and express our condolences to Romania and the United Kingdom for the losses they have suffered.
• NATO, EU Join Criticism Of Iran After Deadly Tanker Attack RFE/RL 03 Aug 2021 -- NATO and the European Union have added to Western criticism of Iran over a purported drone attack on a merchant ship in the Arabian Sea that killed two crewmen last week, urging Tehran to respect its international obligations.
• Militants kill 16 hostages in DR Congo's restive east Press TV 03 Aug 2021 -- Militants in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have killed at least 16 civilian hostages, military and local sources say.
• Dozens of bodies found in river between Ethiopia's Tigray, Sudan Press TV 03 Aug 2021 -- Over the past week, local authorities in Sudan's Kassala Province have found around 50 bodies floating in the Tekeze River, which runs between Ethiopia's Tigray region and Sudan, a Sudanese official says.
• Cameroon Says Hundreds Boko Haram Fighters Surrendering After Abubakar Shekau's Death VOA 03 Aug 2021 -- Authorities in Cameroon say there are seeing an increase in the number of Boko Haram militants surrendering at a disarmament center on the northern border with Nigeria. Officials say there have been hundreds of defections from the terrorist group since May, when Abubakar Shekau, leader of the Islamist group, was declared killed.

News Reports

• Leader of Transnational Money-Laundering Network Pleads Guilty to Aiding Drug-Trafficking Organizations, While Co-Conspirator is Sentenced US Dept. of Justice 03 Aug 2021 -- A Chinese national and naturalized U.S. citizen pleaded guilty yesterday to his involvement in a conspiracy to launder at least $30 million in drug proceeds on behalf of foreign drug-trafficking organizations. Another Chinese national was sentenced to seven years in prison today for his role in the same conspiracy.
• Russia expels second Estonian diplomat amid espionage dispute Press TV 03 Aug 2021 -- Russia has expelled a second Estonian diplomat in a tit-for-tat move following the expulsion of a Russian diplomat from the Western-aligned country on spying allegations last month.
• Russian Foreign Ministry Expels Estonian Embassy Staffer Sputnik 03 Aug 2021 -- The Russian Foreign Ministry summoned Estonian ambassador Margus Laidre to express protest over the recent expulsion of a Russian diplomat and to announce that a staffer of the Estonian embassy has to leave the country within seven days.
• US asks that 24 Russian diplomats leave by September Press TV 03 Aug 2021 -- The Russian ambassador to the United States says Washington has called for the "expulsion" of 24 Russian diplomats by September.
• Poll Says Nearly Half Of Russians See 'Foreign Agent' Law As Pressure Tool RFE/RL 03 Aug 2021 -- Forty percent of Russians consider the country's controversial "foreign agents" law a tool for authorities to pressure nongovernmental organizations, according to new research by the Levada Center, a Moscow-based pollster.
• Russian Opposition Politician Lev Shlosberg Barred From Elections RFE/RL 03 Aug 2021 -- Russian opposition politician Lev Shlosberg of the Yabloko party and his colleague Nikolai Kuzmin have been barred from running in upcoming elections for the Pskov regional parliament.
• PTU hijacks Hong Kong's education sector: Carrie Lam People's Daily 03 Aug 2021 -- Carrie Lam, chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), said Monday that the Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union (PTU) has hijacked the education sector in Hong Kong and she supports the Education Bureau of the HKSAR government in cutting working relations with it.
• Hong Kong Independent Media Group Will Relocate to Singapore Radio Free Asia 03 Aug 2021 -- An independent news website has announced it will relocate from Hong Kong to Singapore in the wake of a crackdown on political opposition and press freedom under a national security law imposed on the city by Beijing.
• FM deplores US', EU' wanton comments on Macao court's decision to dismiss appeals by three candidate teams Global Times 03 Aug 2021 -- Chinese Foreign Ministry deplored and rejected the wanton comments by the US and the European Union (EU) on the Macao Court of Final Appeal's decision to dismiss appeals by three candidate teams and to uphold the decision of the Electoral Affairs Commission for the Legislative Assembly Election to exclude their candidate lists from the upcoming election.
• Scholar's Turn From 'Two-Faced' Uyghur to 'Parrot' of Party Line Draws Sympathy and Scorn Radio Free Asia 03 Aug 2021 -- In 2018, a noted Uyghur professor of literature and culture was arrested and fired from her university job for publishing pointed criticism of China's policies towards Muslim residents of Xinjiang. This year, she is part of an official propaganda campaign defending and supporting practices she once argued against.
• Scant Change in China's Disaster Response From Tangshan to Zhengzhou Radio Free Asia 03 Aug 2021 -- Forty-five years after a massive earthquake devastated the northern city of Tangshan, survivors say the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP)'s disaster response still scores poorly compared with the praise heaped on the People's Liberation Army (PLA) in state-run media.
• North Korea demands sanctions relief to resume talks with US: Seoul Press TV 03 Aug 2021 -- North Korea has called for relief from international sanctions as a precondition to resuming denuclearization talks with the United States, South Korean officials say.
• Buyers Reject North Korean Banknotes Featuring Kim Il Sung Sold as Souvenirs in China Radio Free Asia 03 Aug 2021 -- North Korean banknotes bearing founder Kim Il Sung's image displayed by street vendors in Chinese cities near the countries' shared border are finding no buyers, with both Chinese and North Korean passersby calling them worthless, sources in China said.
• Kim Jong-un in Good Health Despite Appearing With Mystery Band-Aid on Head - South Korean Spy Agency Sputnik 03 Aug 2021 -- South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) believes that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has no health issues, despite the fact that he appeared in public with a patch on the back of his head a few days ago, the Yonhap news agency reported on Tuesday.
• Kim Jong-un Requested Restoration of Inter-Korean Hotline, South Korean Spy Agency Says Sputnik 03 Aug 2021 -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was the one who suggested reopening cross-border communication lines between Seoul and Pyongyang that were cut off by North Korea last summer, the South Korean National Intelligence Service (NIS) said Tuesday.
• North Korea Orders Military Officials to Host 'Soldiers' Day' Dog Meat Feast Radio Free Asia 03 Aug 2021 -- North Korea has ordered its armed forces to hold a day of appreciation for the country's soldiers, complete with a feast of dog meat believed to boost their stamina, with military officials made to foot the bill, sources in the military told RFA.
• Iran's Raisi Inaugurated Vowing To Fight 'Tyrannical' U.S. Sanctions RFE/RL 03 Aug 2021 -- Ultraconservative Ebrahim Raisi was credentialed by Iran's supreme leader on August 3 in a two-step inauguration process that will fully usher in the controversial former prosecutor's hard-line administration over the next two days.
• Endorsed by Ayatollah Khamenei, Ebrahim Raeisi becomes Iran's 8th president Press TV 03 Aug 2021 -- Ebrahim Raeisi is now officially the 8th president of the Islamic Republic of Iran after his mandate was endorsed by Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei at a ceremony in Tehran, weeks after the ex-Judiciary chief won the country's 13th presidential election by a landslide.
• Supreme Leader endorses President-elect Ebrahim Raisi's decree IRNA 03 Aug 2021 -- Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei on Tuesday endorsed the decree of Ebrahim Raisi as the next President of Iran.
• Leader: The new President must be with the people in the true sense of the word IRNA 03 Aug 2021 -- The Endorsement Ceremony for the 13th President of the Islamic Republic of Iran was held in Imam Khomeini's Hussainiyah on Tuesday, August 3, 2021, in the presence of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution and a number of the country's officials. The President-elect was appointed the President of Iran by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution.
• Leader: Nation's election turnout, firm answer to enemies' conspiracies IRNA 03 Aug 2021 -- Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said here on Tuesday that Iran's enemies had been hatching plots against the Islamic Republic for quite a time by propagating election-boycott but the nation gave them a strong answer by their participation.
• Leader: Today, our dear homeland needs competent, wise, brave management IRNA 03 Aug 2021 -- Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said Iran is ready to take leaps towards progress in all areas and is longing for receiving services (from officials).
• Iran presidential election symbol of religious democracy: Raisi IRNA 03 Aug 2021 -- Ebrahim Raisi, the new President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, said on Tuesday that the June 18 presidential election was a symbol of religious democracy during which the Iranians showcased a glorious turnout.
• Iran cenbank launches legal action against Bahrain over confiscated funds Press TV 03 Aug 2021 -- The central Bank of Iran (CBI) has announced it has started taking legal action against a court ruling in Bahrain to confiscate funds belonging to the CBI and other Iranian banks under allegations of money laundering.
• Two New Deaths in Custody Bring Total to 32 Since Myanmar Coup Radio Free Asia 03 Aug 2021 -- Two more people have died under suspicious circumstances while undergoing interrogation by security forces in Myanmar, bringing to 32 the total number of such deaths since the military seized power in a coup d'état six months ago.
• US: ASEAN Needs to Act Now on Myanmar Radio Free Asia 03 Aug 2021 -- The United States has said it is imperative for ASEAN to speed up its plan for initiating dialogue and reducing violence in Myanmar, now that the Burmese junta leader has appointed himself prime minister and announced that elections will not take place until 2023.
• Belarusian Opposition Leader Tsikhanouskaya Says She Knows She 'Can Disappear At Any Moment' RFE/RL 03 Aug 2021 -- Belarusian opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya has said that she understands she "can disappear at any moment" as a result of her resistance to strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka, but that the movement against his rule will "continue without me."
• Ukrainian Police Open Murder Case After Finding Missing Belarusian Activist 'Hanged' RFE/RL 03 Aug 2021 -- Ukrainian police said on August 3 that they have launched a murder case after finding missing Belarusian activist Vital Shyshou dead in a park near his home in Kyiv.
• IOC Launches Probe Into Attempt To Force Belarusian Athlete To Go Home RFE/RL 03 Aug 2021 -- The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has launched a formal investigation into Belarusian officials' alleged attempt to force sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya home from the Tokyo Games, sparking her appeal to the international community for protection.
• Lithuania Approves 'Use Of Force' To Keep Migrants Out At Belarusian Border RFE/RL 03 Aug 2021 -- Authorities in EU member Lithuania say their border guards have been ordered to turn back migrants attempting to illegally enter the country as a crisis continues amid a surge in crossings from neighboring Belarus.
• Families still struggling one year after Beirut explosion: UNICEF UN News 03 Aug 2021 -- A year after the devastating explosions in Lebanon's capital, Beirut, a staggering 98 per cent of families are still in need, according to a survey published on Tuesday by the UN Children's Fund, UNICEF.
• Donors' Conference Aims to Boost Lebanese a Year After Beirut Blast VOA 03 Aug 2021 -- France hopes to secure more than $350 million in humanitarian aid for Lebanon's crisis-battered population at a donors' conference it co-hosts with the United Nations Wednesday — marking the year anniversary of Beirut's deadly port blast. International pressure is growing for Lebanon's fractious parties to unify and push through reforms.
• Economic Fallout of Beirut Blast Plunges Millions into Poverty VOA 03 Aug 2021 -- The World Food Program says it plans to scale up food and cash assistance for 1.4 million people in Lebanon suffering from the economic effects of last year's Beirut port explosion.
• Another Kyrgyz Ex-PM Detained Amid Growing Kumtor Mine Investigation RFE/RL 03 Aug 2021 -- Former Kyrgyz Prime Minister Temir Sariev has been arrested as part of a widening investigation into alleged corruption during the development of the Kumtor gold-mine project.
• Haiti Electoral Council Chief Vows to Hold Elections Despite Setbacks VOA 03 Aug 2021 -- Haiti will hold elections this year despite setbacks, Provisional Electoral Council (KEP) President Guirlande Mesadieu told VOA Creole.