Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Amnesty Calls For 'Full' Probe Into U.S. Kabul Drone Strike RFE/RL Gandhara 18 Sep 2021 -- Amnesty International has called the U.S. military's admission that an air strike in Kabul days before its military pullout killed 10 innocent civilians a "positive first step," but said the United States must now commit to a "full, transparent, and impartial" investigation into the incident.

Defense Policy / Programs

• USS Wyoming Successfully Tests Trident II D5LE Missiles US Navy 18 Sep 2021 -- The U.S. Navy conducted a scheduled, two-missile test flight of unarmed life-extended Trident II (D5LE) missiles from USS Wyoming (SSBN-742), an Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine, on the Eastern Test Range off the coast of Cape Canaveral, Florida, Sept. 17.
• Dusting Off Its Forever Wars, Australia Names US Its 'Forever Partner' In Indo-Pacific VOA 18 Sep 2021 -- This week's nuclear submarine deal between the United States and Australia threatens to become divisive in Australia, where some critics already are saying it risks Australian security rather than enhances it in the face of China's militarization of the South China Sea.
• PLA conducts joint patrol and drills in southwest of Taiwan Island PLA Daily 18 Sep 2021 -- On September 17, the Chinese PLA Eastern Theater Command (ETC) sent its naval and air forces, including warships, airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft and bombers, to conduct the combined cordon and patrol, as well as realistic combat drills in the sea area and airspace to the southwest of the Taiwan Island, said Army Senior Colonel Shi Yi, spokesperson for the PLA Eastern Theater Command, in a written statement released on Saturday.
• U.S. Navy ship sails through Taiwan Strait, 9th transit so far this year CNA 18 Sep 2021 -- A U.S. Navy ship sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Friday, marking the ninth time an American military vessel has transited through the strait after President Joe Biden took office in January.
• Taiwan had full 'grasp' of China's military drill near SW coast: MND CNA 18 Sep 2021 -- Taiwan had a "thorough grasp" of China's military exercise in waters off the island's southwestern coast Friday, according to the country's Ministry of National Defense (MND).

Defense Industry

Other Conflicts

• At Least Three Killed, More Than 20 Wounded In Afghan Blasts RFE/RL Gandhara 18 Sep 2021 -- Reports from Afghanistan say three explosions have killed at least three people and wounded 19 others in the capital of the eastern province of Nangarhar, in what was described as the country's first deadly attack since the Taliban gained control of most of the war-torn country more than a month ago.
• Afghan Secondary Schools Reopen, With Girls Excluded RFE/RL Gandhara 18 Sep 2021 -- Afghan girls were excluded from returning to secondary school on September 18, after Afghanistan's new Taliban rulers ordered only boys and male teachers to return to the classroom.
• Departure of Qatar Airways Flight from Kabul US Dept. of State 18 Sep 2021 -- We can confirm that a Qatar Airways charter flight departed from Kabul yesterday with 28 U.S. citizens and 7 lawful permanent residents on board.
• Pakistan PM Stresses Inclusivity in Government in Talks With Taliban VOA 18 Sep 2021 -- Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan says he has opened a dialogue with Afghanistan's Taliban to try to persuade them to form an "inclusive" government in Kabul to ensure peace and stability in the war-torn country.
• Taliban Close Women's Affairs Ministry in Kabul VOA 18 Sep 2021 -- Afghanistan's new Taliban rulers apparently have closed the government's ministry of women's affairs and replaced it with a ministry aimed at promoting morality and averting wrongdoing.
• UK statement on the political crisis in Somalia UK FCDO 18 Sep 2021 -- Vicky Ford, Minister for Africa, has issued a statement about the escalating political crisis in Somalia

News Reports

• Russian Social Media Swamped With Video Evidence Of Ballot-Box Stuffing RFE/RL 18 Sep 2021 -- Even though the Russian authorities no longer allow the public to see the live video feeds from polling stations as the country votes, many videos from polling stations across the country have emerged that seem to show flagrant ballot-box stuffing.
• Fraud Allegations Mar Second Day Of Russian Elections, As Opposition Smart Voting App Suffers New Blow RFE/RL 18 Sep 2021 -- Allegations of widespread election fraud marred the second of three days of Russia's polls on September 18 as jailed opposition politician Aleksei Navalny's Smart Voting bot disappeared from the popular messaging app Telegram following similar moves by Apple and Google.
• When It Comes To Election Fraud, Not All Russian Regions Are Created Equal RFE/RL 18 Sep 2021 -- Russia has never held a post-Soviet election that met recognized democratic standards. But that does not mean that the fraud has been evenly spread across the country.
• Telegram Messenger Blocks Navalny's Bot During Vote RFE/RL 18 Sep 2021 -- Popular messaging app Telegram has suspended all chat bots used in the Russian elections campaign, in another blow to jailed opposition politician Aleksei Navalny's Smart Voting initiative after Apple and Google removed the election-guide app from their stores.
• US-China Influence Rivalry Moves Into Beijing's Backyard VOA 18 Sep 2021 -- As China spreads its influence across Asia with its Belt and Road infrastructure projects, the United States is striking back with a major development project right in China's backyard: Mongolia.
• PLA conducts combat exercise near Taiwan as US warship sails through the Straits Global Times 18 Sep 2021 -- The People's Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Theater Command on Saturday said it has dispatched naval and air forces to conduct joint patrols and combat exercises in the waters and airspace southwest of Taiwan after a US warship transited the Taiwan Straits to provoke China concerning its sovereignty over the island again on Friday.
• "Taiwan independence" separatists will be held accountable: spokesperson People's Daily 18 Sep 2021 -- A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Friday slammed separatists seeking "Taiwan independence," such as Joseph Wu, an official with Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authority, noting that they will eventually be held accountable for their words and actions.
• DPP warned against seeking "Taiwan independence" by relying on external forces People's Daily 18 Sep 2021 -- The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authority's attempt to rely on external forces to seek "Taiwan independence" is doomed to fail, a Chinese mainland spokesperson said Friday.
• SCO members studying use of local currencies in settlement Global Times 18 Sep 2021 -- Members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) are studying using local currency settlement while exchanging experience in financial areas, a move that experts said will be helpful to fend off US dollar hegemony.
• Primary To Find Candidate To Oppose Hungary's Orban Gets Off To Rocky Start RFE/RL 18 Sep 2021 -- A multiday primary election to find a candidate to challenge Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban got under way on September 18 but was suspended due to a system crash.