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News Reports

Current Operations

• General Says Planning, Connectivity Were Keys to Afghanistan Evacuation DoD News 12 Oct 2021 -- BY Army Gen. Mark A. Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, called U.S. efforts in Afghanistan a "tactical success, but a strategic failure."

Defense Policy / Programs

• Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby Holds a Press Briefing DoD 12 Oct 2021
• DAF COVID-19 Statistics - Oct. 12, 2021 US Air Force 12 Oct 2021
• DoD Announces $14 Million in Defense Production Act Title III Agreements to Strengthen the Domestic Small Unmanned Aerial Systems Industrial Base DoD 12 Oct 2021 -- As part of the nation's effort to ensure a robust small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) industrial base for national and economic security, the Department of Defense's (DoD) Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) has made eight awards, totaling approximately $14 million through the Defense Production Act, Title III Program.
• Electromagnetic Spectrum Superiority Directorate on boarded into the ISR and Cyber Effects Operations staff US Air Force 12 Oct 2021 -- Headquarters Air Force staff officially transferred the Electromagnetic Spectrum (EMS) Superiority Directorate from strategy, integration and requirements directorate to the intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and cyber effects operations directorate Oct. 1.
• U.S. Navy and JMSDF Helicopter Squadrons Conduct Bi-lateral Exercises US Navy 12 Oct 2021 -- Aircrews from the "Warlords" of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 51 and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) "Mighty 59" of Air Development Squadron (VX) 51 conducted bi-lateral exercises, Sept. 14.
• U.S. Navy Recovers Helicopter Wreckage off the Coast of Calif. US Navy 12 Oct 2021 -- The U.S. Navy recovered the wreckage of the MH-60S Seahawk helicopter that crashed Aug. 31, approximately 60 nautical miles off the coast of San Diego while conducting routine operations with USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72).
• Philippine-U.S. exercise MTA Sama Sama kicks off with Japan, France US Navy 12 Oct 2021 -- The virtual engagement features cooperative evolutions that highlight the ability of the U.S. and the Philippines to work together towards the common goal of ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific maritime security environment.
• US Naval Institute Claims China Testing Unmanned Combat Ships at Secret Naval Base Sputnik 12 Oct 2021 -- China is testing experimental unmanned combat ships at a secret naval base off the country's northeast coast, U.S. Naval Institute (USNI) reported on Tuesday.
• 8th Chinese peacekeeping infantry battalion to South Sudan (Juba) established PLA Daily 12 Oct 2021 -- The 8th batch of Chinese peacekeeping infantry battalion to South Sudan (Juba) was established recently.
• China Coast Guard cracks down on smuggling PLA Daily 12 Oct 2021 -- The China Coast Guard (CCG) Guangdong Bureau, Guangdong Provincial Department of Public Security, together with law enforcement and market supervision departments, and the Hong Kong marine police, carried out the "Operation Clearing the Bay" from October 1 to 7. The operation aimed to crack down on illegal ships including high-powered speedboats, as well as ships providing refueling, accommodation and other services.
• While China's Intimidation of Taiwan Continues, U.S. Remains Committed to Taiwanese Self-Defense DoD News 12 Oct 2021 -- Since October 1, more than 100 Chinese military aircraft have moved provocatively through the air defense identification zones of nearby Taiwan — just over 100 miles to the east. Those military maneuvers serve only to create uncertainty in a part of the world where the U.S. wants to see stability and peace, Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby said.
• Taiwan's Army chief in U.S. for annual event: Defense minister CNA 12 Oct 2021 -- Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng (邱國正) has confirmed a report that the chief of Taiwan's Army is in the United States as part of an annual exchange program between the two sides' militaries.
• Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un Makes Commemorative Speech at Defence Development Exhibition KCNA 12 Oct 2021 -- The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un made a commemorative speech at the Defence Development Exhibition on October 11.
• North Korea's Kim vows to build 'invincible' military in face of US threats Press TV 12 Oct 2021 -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has vowed to build an "invincible" military in the face of growing threats from the United States, accusing Washington of being the "root cause" of instability on the Korean Peninsula.
• North Korea Shows Off Newly-Developed Hypersonic Missile Sputnik 12 Oct 2021 -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) first revealed the existence of hypersonic weaponry in its arsenal on 29 September, after a successful test launch of a Hwasong-8 missile using the advanced technology.
• Iran successfully fires new systems in air defense drills IRNA 12 Oct 2021 -- New domestically-developed systems were successfully fired in Modafe'an-e Aseman-e Velayat (Defenders of Skies under Guardianship of Supreme Jurisprudence) military drills in central deserts of Iran on Tuesday.
• Iran's Armed Forces smash medium-altitude targets during major drills Press TV 12 Oct 2021 -- The first day of major airpower drills by the various branches of Iran's Armed Forces sees the forces successfully laying into medium-altitude targets using completely indigenous military hardware.
• Army, IRGC air defense units launch large-scale aerial drills in central Iran Press TV 12 Oct 2021 -- Iran's Armed Forces have launched a large-scale military exercise, involving air defense units and domestically-developed military hardware, with the goal of strengthening the protection of the country's aerial borders and sensitive sites.
• Turkey Considering Upgrading F-16 Fighters as Alternative to F-35s Sputnik 12 Oct 2021 -- Turkey is considering the possibility of expanding its fleet and upgrading existing F-16 military aircraft as an alternative to purchasing the latest F-35 fighter jets from the US, after the deal was scrapped by Washington due to Ankara's purchase of the Russian S-400s, Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalyn said.
• Statement by NSC Spokesperson Emily Horne on National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan's Meeting with ROK National Security Advisory Suh Hoon The White House 12 Oct 2021
• Deputy Secretary McKeon's Meeting with Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs Linde US Dept. of State 12 Oct 2021
• Readout of President Biden's Meeting with G20 Leaders The White House 12 Oct 2021
• Statement by White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki on the Bilateral Meeting between President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. and President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya The White House 12 Oct 2021
• Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki, October 12, 2021 The White House 12 Oct 2021
• Statement by NSC Spokesperson Emily Horne on National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan's Meeting with Israeli Foreign Minister and Alternate Prime Minister Yair Lapid The White House 12 Oct 2021
• Senior State Department Officials on the Secretary's Upcoming Bilateral and Trilateral Meetings with Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid and United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan US Dept. of State 12 Oct 2021
• Department Press Briefing – October 12, 2021 US Dept. of State 12 Oct 2021

Defense Industry

• Contracts For Oct. 12, 2021

Other Conflicts

• 12 October 2021 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 12 Oct 2021
• U.S. Names Veteran Diplomat As New Coordinator For Afghan Relocation RFE/RL Gandhara 12 Oct 2021 -- The U.S. State Department says it has appointed veteran diplomat A. Elizabeth Jones as the new coordinator for efforts for Afghan relocation efforts.
• Time Running Out for Afghans to Receive Aid as Winter Sets In VOA 12 Oct 2021 -- U.N. agencies warn the window for providing humanitarian assistance for millions of needy Afghans is rapidly closing as winter approaches and access to remote, snowed-in areas will be cut off.
• How the Taliban Control Afghan Media VOA 12 Oct 2021 -- Ask almost any senior Taliban official if there is press freedom in Afghanistan, and you'll get a ready answer.
• US Affirms Need for Counterterrorism, Humanitarian Assistance in Afghanistan VOA 12 Oct 2021 -- U.S. President Joe Biden held a virtual meeting with leaders of the world's richest nations to push top priorities in Afghanistan, the White House said Tuesday, as the impoverished nation stares down a humanitarian crisis after the U.S. withdrawal and the Taliban's subsequent takeover.
• G-20 Says Afghanistan Needs Aid, But Taliban Must Not Control Funds VOA 12 Oct 2021 -- Heads of government and foreign ministers from the world's 20 leading economies — the G-20 — agreed at a video gathering Tuesday to look at ways to inject more cash into Afghanistan. The talks came after U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that the economy of the war-ravaged country, now under the control of the Taliban, is approaching humanitarian disaster.
• Taliban Takes Revenge On Former Afghan Security Forces RFE/RL Gandhara 12 Oct 2021 -- Traces of bullets and Negar's blood are still visible on the walls and doors of her family home, a daily reminder of the night gunmen came for the expecting mother, wife - and former Afghan policewoman.
• EU Pledges More Than $1 Billion In Aid As Afghan Economy Falters RFE/RL Gandhara 12 Oct 2021 -- The Taliban has held its first face-to-face talks with EU officials in Qatar as the bloc announced an expanded support package for Afghanistan and its neighbors worth about 1 billion euros ($1.15 billion) to try to contain a spiraling humanitarian crisis amid mounting international pressure on the hard-line Islamist group to respect human rights.
• West Refuses to Respond to Taliban's Request to Unfreeze Afghan Assets, Spokesman Says Sputnik 12 Oct 2021 -- Western countries remain silent in response to the request of the government formed by the Taliban to unfreeze foreign Afghan assets in Western banks, Taliban* spokesman Mohammad Naeem told Sputnik on Tuesday after the meeting in Qatar with the EU delegation.
• An Update on Management of the Department of State's Continuing Afghan Relocation and Resettlement Efforts US Dept. of State 12 Oct 2021 -- "Today, Ambassador John Bass is transitioning from his temporary position as the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts, and Ambassador A. Elizabeth Jones is succeeding him."
• Afghanistan crisis worsening as temperatures drop, warns UNHCR UN News 12 Oct 2021 -- The humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan is worsening and funding for emergency aid is urgently needed to help 20 million people there, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said on Tuesday.
• Yemeni forces make rapid advances in Marib amid clashes with Saudi mercenaries Press TV 12 Oct 2021 -- Yemeni armed forces and allied popular committees have made significant territorial gains in the strategic Ma'rib province, seizing control over large swaths of territory from the Saudi-backed mercenaries.
• Alert over spike in security operations against Libya migrants UN News 12 Oct 2021 -- Migrants and asylum seekers in Libya have been facing increasingly heavy-handed treatment from targeted security operations, that have resulted in at least one death and a steep increase in detentions.
• UN: Migrants, Asylum Seekers in Libya Subject to Abuse VOA 12 Oct 2021 -- The U.N. human rights office has condemned a recent escalation of violent, deadly attacks and abusive treatment of migrants and asylum seekers, allegedly by both Libyan state and non-state agents.
• Bangladesh: UNHCR Set to Begin Humanitarian Ops for Rohingya on Remote Island Radio Free Asia 12 Oct 2021 -- After months of negotiation, the United Nations refugee agency will begin humanitarian operations on a remote island where Bangladesh has moved almost 19,000 Rohingya and plans to relocate more than 80,000 others, a senior minister told BenarNews.
• Russia rejects Japan's claim of sovereignty over disputed islands Press TV 12 Oct 2021 -- The Kremlin has rejected a recent claim made by new Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida that Japan's sovereignty extends to a chain of islands disputed with Moscow.
• Court Awards Somalia Bulk of Indian Ocean Territory Also Claimed by Kenya VOA 12 Oct 2021 -- The International Court of Justice has drawn a maritime boundary between Kenya and Somalia after the countries failed for years to reach agreement on the issue.
• Top UN court rules in favor of Somalia in sea border dispute with Kenya Press TV 12 Oct 2021 -- The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has awarded Somalia control of most of a potentially oil- and gas-rich chunk of the Indian Ocean in a dispute over the maritime boundary with neighboring Kenya.
• Israel moves tanks to occupied Golan after Syria vows to reclaim it Press TV 12 Oct 2021 -- Israel's military has transferred its tanks to the occupied Golan Heights, a 500-square-mile area with strategic importance, in a dangerous move smacking of provocation.
• India Prepares for Long Haul on China Border Dispute VOA 12 Oct 2021 -- A deadlock in the latest round of talks between India and China on their disputed border means that tens of thousands of Indian troops will hunker down for a second winter in subzero temperatures in the Himalayan mountains.
• Deployment of S-400 by China at Ladakh Border a 'Grave Threat' for India, Warns Opposition Sputnik 12 Oct 2021 -- India signed a $5.43 billion deal with Russia in 2018 for the delivery of five columns of S-400 missiles by 2023. Indian Air Force Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari and Russian Ambassador to India Nikolay Kudashev have confirmed in recent weeks that the first batch of the missile systems would be delivered to India by the end of this year.
• Bangladesh Cracks Down on Crime at Rohingya Camps, Nets Dozens of Suspects Radio Free Asia 12 Oct 2021 -- Bangladesh police have arrested nearly 40 refugees, including many suspected of involvement with illegal weapons and drugs, since they launched a crackdown against criminality at Rohingya camps after community leader Muhib Ullah was slain last month, an official said Tuesday.
• Indian troops kill five suspected militants in Kashmir Press TV 12 Oct 2021 -- Indian government forces have killed five suspected militants in two separate gun battles across the Indian-administered Kashmir, Indian police say.
• High-Level Meetings on Ethiopia US Dept. of State 12 Oct 2021 -- "Today, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met with African Union High Representative Olusegun Obasanjo to discuss the crisis in Ethiopia."

News Reports

• Letter to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate on the Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to Significant Narcotics Traffickers Centered in Colombia The White House 12 Oct 2021
• Notice on the Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to Significant Narcotics Traffickers Centered in Colombia The White House 12 Oct 2021
• Russians Signal 'Little Progress' In Talks With Top U.S. Official RFE/RL 12 Oct 2021 -- Russian officials have signaled little progress in high-level talks with a senior visiting U.S. State Department official, saying a dispute over embassy staffing and other matters remains unresolved.
• Press release on Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov's meeting with US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 12 Oct 2021
• Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's answers to questions following his visit to Kazakhstan, Nur-Sultan, October 12, 2021 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 12 Oct 2021
• Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's remarks at the Ministerial Meeting of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), Nur-Sultan, October 12, 2021 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 12 Oct 2021
• Targeted Twice, Russian Media Lawyer Is A 'Foreign Agent' Standing Up For 'Foreign Agents' RFE/RL 12 Oct 2021 -- During the long years of his dotage, Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev was often ridiculed for the endlessly growing row of Hero of the Soviet Union stars blossoming across his chest. By the time he died in 1982, he had accumulated four of the medals.
• Full text: Xi Jinping's speech at the COP15 leaders' summit PLA Daily 12 Oct 2021 -- President Xi Jinping delivered a keynote speech Tuesday afternoon via video link at the leaders' summit of the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15).
• Chinese president attends COP15 leaders' summit PLA Daily 12 Oct 2021 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping attended and addressed the leaders' summit of the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity via video link in Beijing and called on the international community to enhance cooperation, build consensus and pool strength to build a community of all life on Earth.
• Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian's Regular Press Conference on October 12, 2021 PRC MofA 12 Oct 2021
• Hong Kong's Schools Ordered to Begin Weekly Chinese Flag-Raising Ceremonies Radio Free Asia 12 Oct 2021 -- Schoolchildren in Hong Kong from kindergarten upwards will be required to take part in regular ceremonies to raise the Chinese flag, which have included goose-stepping, saluting and reverential "etiquette" when performed in public by the People's Liberation Army (PLA).
• Hong Kong: Arrests under Security Law, a serious concern UN News 12 Oct 2021 -- The arrest of Hong Kong pro-democracy activist and woman human rights defender Chow Hang-Tung, on charges of "incitement to subversion" and being a foreign agent, is a source of "deep concern" four UN independent human rights experts said on Tuesday.
• Real Estate Debt Crisis and Energy Shortage Threaten China's Economic Growth VOA 12 Oct 2021 -- At a time when the Chinese economy is facing multiple challenges, including an energy shortage and supply chain problems that have disrupted multiple industries, an expanding crisis in the real estate sector threatens even further damage.
• U.S. reiterates commitment toward Taiwan after Sullivan-Yang meet: MOFA CNA 12 Oct 2021 -- The United States government has reaffirmed its commitment toward Taiwan in a recent briefing following a meeting between National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and senior Chinese diplomat Yang Jiechi (楊潔篪) in Switzerland earlier this month, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) official said Tuesday.
• US Cautions Beijing Over 'Pressure' Campaign vs. Taiwan VOA 12 Oct 2021 -- U.S. military officials warned Tuesday that China's unrelenting pressure campaign against Taiwan is only increasing the chances for mistakes and, perhaps, an unintended fight.
• Indian Port Operator Bans Cargo Containers From Iran RFE/RL 12 Oct 2021 -- India's biggest ports operator has announced that it will refuse containerized cargo from Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan after mid-November in a ban that is thought to stem for a major recent heroin seizure.
• Iran's steps in JCPOA talks will correspond to moves by other parties: Amir-Abdollahian Press TV 12 Oct 2021 -- Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian says Tehran will soon "finalize" its internal deliberations on the resumption of the Vienna talks aimed at reviving the 2015 multilateral nuclear deal it signed with world powers.
• Intelligence forces arrest 10 spies in southern Iran IRNA 12 Oct 2021 -- The Iranian Intelligence Ministry stated on Tuesday that the intelligence forces have detained 10 people linked to foreign intelligence services in Bushehr province, Iran.
• Iran's security forces capture 10 spies linked to regional states in Bushehr Province Press TV 12 Oct 2021 -- Iran's security forces in the southern province of Bushehr have arrested a network of 10 agents linked to the intelligence services of some regional countries allied to Western powers.
• Former Myanmar President Says Military Tried to Force His Resignation Radio Free Asia 12 Oct 2021 -- Myanmar's detained former president Win Myint testified in court Tuesday that senior military officials attempted to force him to resign, citing a false health condition on the day of the coup that saw the junta seize power, according to his lawyers.
• Convoy Ambush Kills at Least 30 Junta Soldiers in Myanmar's Sagaing Region Radio Free Asia 12 Oct 2021 -- Clashes between Myanmar's military and People's Defense Force (PDF) militias in embattled Sagaing region have left at least 30 government troops dead, PDF sources said Tuesday, while reports emerged of soldiers loyal to the junta attacking civilians and looting their possessions.
• Belarus To Close New York Consulate 'At U.S. Request' RFE/RL 12 Oct 2021 -- Belarus's consulate in New York City will close on October 21 at the request of the United States, according to a statement posted on the consulate's website.
• Brazil's president accused of 'crimes against humanity' in ICC complaint Press TV 12 Oct 2021 -- Climate activists have filed a complaint with the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, accusing him of "crimes against humanity" for his alleged role in the destruction of the Amazon.
• Macron Touts Bigger Investment in Nuclear Energy Despite France's Plans to Reduce Share by 2035 Sputnik 12 Oct 2021 -- Although France has long remained a European champion of nuclear energy, it changed its course after the 2011 disaster at Japan's Fukushima plant. Since then, Paris has been planning to reduce nuclear energy's share in the country's overall electricity generation from 75 percent to 50 percent.
• White House Congratulates Iraqi Government on Election VOA 12 Oct 2021 -- The White House extended congratulations to the Iraqi government Tuesday for its mostly peaceful election, while mentioning the certification of the results was still pending.
• EU Officials Pledge to Support Ukraine's National Energy Security VOA 12 Oct 2021 -- European Union leaders met Tuesday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, pledging to strengthen ties and support the eastern European nation, particularly on the issue of Russia and energy security.
• EU Leaders Pledge Support For Ukraine, Help In Ensuring Reliable Gas Supplies RFE/RL 12 Oct 2021 -- Top European Union officials have pledged deeper support for Ukraine and say the bloc is trying to ensure that Ukraine's natural-gas supplies go uninterrupted this winter, amid concerns about the reliability of Russian supplies.
• Kremlin-Allied Ukrainian Lawmaker Medvedchuk To Remain Under House Arrest RFE/RL 12 Oct 2021 -- A Ukrainian court on October 12 ordered pro-Russian lawmaker Viktor Medvedchuk to remain under house arrest until December after prosecutors broadened their criminal investigation into his activities.
• Cambodia's Cabinet Approves Draft Law For Charter Change Aimed at Opposition Leader Radio Free Asia 12 Oct 2021 -- Cambodia's Council of Ministers has approved a controversial draft law on a constitutional amendment to ban anyone with dual citizenship from holding top political offices, in an apparent move by strongman Prime Minister Hun Sen to prevent a key opposition leader from gaining office, analysts said.
• Indonesian Government to Dip Into State Coffers For Bloated Chinese-backed Rail Project Radio Free Asia 12 Oct 2021 -- The Indonesian president's decision to allow the government to share the cost of a financially bloated China-backed railway project could deplete state coffers and lead his nation into a debt trap, experts and an opposition lawmaker warned on Tuesday.
• Seizing On Fresh Powers, Kyrgyz President Appoints New Head Of Cabinet RFE/RL 12 Oct 2021 -- Kyrgyzstan's president has named a new cabinet chairman in an effort to jump-start the country in the midst of an economic malaise brought on partly by the pandemic.
• Power Failure: Central Asia Relies On Coal To Get Through The Winter RFE/RL 12 Oct 2021 -- With temperatures dropping below freezing in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan and snow appearing in northern Kazakhstan, officials are turning to coal as the answer to meet people's heating and electricity needs this winter.
• Egypt's Human Rights Strategy Ignores Current Abuses, Analysts Say VOA 12 Oct 2021 -- Egypt's new strategy for human rights is a "milestone" in the country's history, President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi says. But journalists and civil rights defenders are skeptical that it will lead to tangible change.