COVID-19 - Daily News

14 October 2021 Military News

Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

New US Military Report Mentions Hijacking Attempt at Kabul Airport VOA 14 Oct 2021 -- A new report released by the U.S. military this week revealed that amid chaos at the Kabul airport in August, there was an attempt to hijack a commercial evacuation plane.

Defense Policy / Programs

USS Hershel "Woody" Williams, First ESB to Complete Voyage Repair in South Africa AFRICOM 14 Oct 2021 -- USS Hershel "Woody" Williams is the first Expeditionary Sea Base to complete a voyage repair availability in South Africa, Oct. 11, 2021.
Readout of Deputy Secretary of Defense Dr. Kathleen H. Hicks' Meeting with European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and European Commission Vice-President Josep Borrell DoD 14 Oct 2021
CNO Gilday Media Conference Call with Indian Media US Navy 14 Oct 2021
US submarine collision raises red flag on maritime security People's Daily 14 Oct 2021 -- US nuclear submarines are really making a splash these days. First, they elbowed aside their French counterparts in an extravagant submarine deal that America had secretly signed with Australia, a "stab in the back" so hurtful that it prompted France to recall its ambassadors.
US Army Seeks to Fire a PrSM 499 Kilometers in Max Range Test of Lockheed Martin-Made Weapon Sputnik 14 Oct 2021 -- The US Army's Long Range Precision Fires Cross-Functional team and Program Executive Office Missiles and Space group are charged with running the service's Precision Strike Missile, or PrSM, program. The long-range precision-strike missile initiative is geared toward replacing the Cold War-era Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS).
US Army Has Conducted Long-Range Precision Missile Test That Exceeds Maximum Threshold Sputnik 14 Oct 2021 -- The US Army conducted a test flight of a new long-range precision missile that exceeded maximum threshold, Lockheed Martin said on Thursday.
Full-Scale US-Thai Military Drills to Be Conducted Next Year, US Military Says Sputnik 14 Oct 2021 -- The US hopes that Thai-American international military drills Cobra Gold, the largest joint annual exercises in Southeast Asia, will be held full-scale in 2022 after being downgraded due to the pandemic, head of US Indo-Pacific Command Admiral John Aquilino said in an interview with the Bangkok Post newspaper on Thursday.
Marine Corps F-35B Conduct First Landing Aboard JS Izumo USMC News 14 Oct 2021 -- At the request of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 242 successfully conducted the first ever landing of two F-35B Lightning II aircraft aboard the Japanese Ship Izumo on Oct. 3.

UK Military Might Observe Renewed Full-Scale Balikatan Drills in Philippines Radio Free Asia 14 Oct 2021 -- The United Kingdom may be participating as an observer as the Philippines and United States look to resume full-scale joint military exercises next year after they were disrupted by the COVID-19 outbreak, senior Filipino and American military officials indicated Thursday.

Secretary Blinken's Meeting with Greek Foreign Minister Dendias US Dept. of State 14 Oct 2021
Joint Statement on Third United States – Greece Strategic Dialogue US Dept. of State 14 Oct 2021 -- The Governments of the United States and Greece held the third United States – Greece Strategic Dialogue in Washington, DC on October 14, 2021. Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Dendias and U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken launched the Strategic Dialogue, which included high-level interagency representation from both countries.
US, Greece Enhance Ties, With China, Turkey in Background VOA 14 Oct 2021 -- The United States and Greece upgraded an existing Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement on Thursday, a move seen as elevating bilateral ties in defense and overall relations.
Signing of Protocol of Amendment to the Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement with Greece US Dept. of State 14 Oct 2021 -- Alongside Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias, today I signed an amendment to the U.S.-Greece Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement (MDCA).
Secretary Antony J. Blinken with Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias for the U.S.-Greece Strategic Dialogue and Signing of the Renewal of the U.S.-Greece Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement US Dept. of State 14 Oct 2021

Lavrov: Russia's allies against stationing of US forces in Central Asia Press TV 14 Oct 2021 -- Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says all of Russia's Central Asian allies and neighbors are opposed to the deployment of US or NATO troops on their soil against the backdrop of the Taliban takeover of neighboring Afghanistan.

Russia, China kick off joint naval drills in Sea of Japan Press TV 14 Oct 2021 -- Russia and China have commenced four-day joint naval drills in the Sea of Japan with the participation of several warships and at least a dozen military aircraft, the Russian military says.
China, Russia hold joint naval drill in Sea of Japan, display 'higher level of trust, capability' Global Times 14 Oct 2021 -- With China's advanced Type 055, a 10,000 ton-class large destroyer, for the first time joining an exercise with a foreign navy, China and Russia on Thursday kicked off a joint naval drill in the Sea of Japan, in a move that Chinese experts said not only displays the two sides' high level of strategic mutual trust, but also will enhance their capability to jointly deal with maritime security threats and safeguard regional peace and stability, at a time when Western countries are building antagonistic regional security organizations like the Quad and AUKUS.
From A Secret Base in Tajikistan, China's War On Terror Adjusts To A New Reality RFE/RL 14 Oct 2021 -- In a remote stretch of land near the Wakhan Corridor not far from Tajikistan's mountainous border with northeastern Afghanistan, China's regional ambitions are adjusting to a new reality on the ground.
China Builds New Missile-Armed Heavy Drone Capable of Evading Enemy Air Defences Sputnik 14 Oct 2021 -- The People's Republic has poured hundreds of billions of dollars into the defence industry in recent years, making steady progress in the creation of a host of advanced drones, missile systems, aircraft, warships, and other weapons amid US moves to 'pivot to Asia' and beef up its own military footprint in the Asia-Pacific region.

Moscow: Nuland Informed AUKUS Threatens to Undermine Security Architecture in Asia-Pacific Sputnik 14 Oct 2021 -- US Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland was informed that the AUKUS alliance treaty threatens to undermine security architecture in Asia-Pacific, the Russian Foreign Ministry's spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, said on Thursday.
Chinese ambassador slams AUKUS pact as "textbook case" of nuclear proliferation People's Daily 14 Oct 2021 -- The AUKUS pact among the United States, Britain and Australia, which will enable Australia to build nuclear-powered submarines with technology provided by the United States and Britain, is a "textbook case" of nuclear proliferation based on the Cold War mentality and narrow-minded geopolitical calculation, a Chinese diplomat said Wednesday.
Ambassador Li Song remarks on nuclear submarine cooperation of AUKUS PLA Daily 14 Oct 2021 -- The Permanent Mission of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations Office at Geneva and other International Organizations in Switzerland hosted a press conference via video link on October 13.
ASEAN members bicker over AUKUS Global Times 14 Oct 2021 -- The new tripartite defense alliance AUKUS, formed with the intention of intimidating China, will strain ASEAN's unity and integration as regional countries are divided over the pact, experts said Wednesday, noting that if it sparks an arms race, it threatens to destabilize the region.

Indian Army Contingent Departs for 17th Edition of Indo-US Joint Military Exercise "Ex Yudh Abhyas 2021" at Joint Base Elmendorf – Richardson, Alaska (USA) India PIB 14 Oct 2021 -- As part of the ongoing Indo-US Defence Cooperation, the Joint Military Training Exercise "Ex Yudh Abhyas 2021" will be conducted at Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson, Alaska (USA) from 15 to 29 October 2021.

Top Iran, Pakistan military officials discuss enhanced naval cooperation, key security issues Press TV 14 Oct 2021 -- Top Iranian and Pakistani military officials have discussed possible ways to improve cooperation in various fields, particularly naval security, among a wide range of other topics.

North Korea Forces New Military Officers to Volunteer for Harsh Front-Line Duty Radio Free Asia 14 Oct 2021 -- North Korea is "encouraging" newly graduated military officers to take up harsh assignments on the front lines in yet another example of forcing less privileged people to "volunteer" for unpleasant duties, sources in the country told RFA.

Three aircrew safe after helicopter ditched in the Philippine Sea Australia DOD 14 Oct 2021 -- Three crewmembers of a Royal Australian Navy MH-60R Seahawk helicopter are safe after ditching their helicopter in the Philippine Sea during a routine flight overnight.

Election of the United States to the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) US Dept. of State 14 Oct 2021 -- Since the earliest days of this Administration, President Biden has made clear that our foreign policy would be grounded in America's most cherished democratic values: defending freedom, championing opportunity, upholding human rights and fundamental freedoms, respecting the rule of law, and treating everyone with dignity.
US to Return to Controversial UN Human Rights Council VOA 14 Oct 2021 -- The United States is set to return to the United Nations Human Rights Council in January, after the former Trump administration withdrew from the controversial body in 2018.

Secretary Blinken's Call with Bruneian Foreign Minister II Erywan US Dept. of State 14 Oct 2021
U.S. Special Envoy Feltman Speaks with Sudanese Prime Minister Hamdok and Sovereign Council Chairman Abdelfattah al-Burhan US Dept. of State 14 Oct 2021
Secretary Blinken's Meeting with HRVP Borrell US Dept. of State 14 Oct 2021
Secretary Antony J. Blinken Remarks at Top of Meeting with European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and European Commission Vice-President Josep Borrell US Dept. of State 14 Oct 2021
Secretary Blinken's Meeting with Israeli Foreign Minister and Alternate Prime Minister Yair Lapid and UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed US Dept. of State 14 Oct 2021
Background Press Call by Senior Administration Officials on President Biden's Meeting with President Kenyatta of the Republic of Kenya The White House 14 Oct 2021
Secretary Blinken's Meeting with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud US Dept. of State 14 Oct 2021
Secretary Antony J. Blinken And Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud Before Their Meeting US Dept. of State 14 Oct 2021
Remarks by President Biden and President Kenyatta of the Republic of Kenya Before Bilateral Meeting The White House 14 Oct 2021
Statement by NSC Spokesperson Emily Horne on National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan's Meeting with Brazilian Secretary for Strategic Affairs Admiral Flávio Rocha The White House 14 Oct 2021
Readout of President Biden's Meeting with President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya The White House 14 Oct 2021
Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki, October 14, 2021 The White House 14 Oct 2021
Department Press Briefing – October 14, 2021 US Dept. of State 14 Oct 2021

Defense Industry

Contracts For Oct. 14, 2021
U.S. Army Breaks New Ground as Lockheed Martin's PrSM Completes Record-Setting Flight Lockheed Martin 14 Oct 2021 -- Lockheed Martin's (NYSE: LMT) Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) completed its longest flight to date, exceeding maximum threshold, with the U.S. Army yesterday at Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB), California. This marks the fifth consecutive successful flight test for the missile.

Other Conflicts

14 October 2021 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 14 Oct 2021

Turkey Presses Taliban for Female Education and Inclusive Afghan Government VOA 14 Oct 2021 -- Turkey hosted leaders of Afghanistan's Taliban government for the first time Thursday, repeating its advice to the Islamist group on the need to form an inclusive government in the war-torn South Asian nation and to ensure Afghan female participation in education as well as public life.
Taliban: China is Ready to Invest Billions in Afghanistan VOA 14 Oct 2021 -- China wants to invest billions of dollars in Afghanistan if the Taliban guarantee security for their workers and their assets. This, according to the Taliban's acting Deputy Minister of Information and Culture Zabihullah Mujahid, who also said his government is ready to deliver.
Pakistan Suspends Flights to Kabul Over 'Inappropriate' Taliban Behavior VOA 14 Oct 2021 -- Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Thursday suspended flights to Afghanistan's capital, Kabul, over what the state-run carrier alleged was "heavy-handed" interference by the neighboring country's ruling Taliban.
More Afghans who worked with NATO being resettled in Allied countries NATO 14 Oct 2021 -- On Tuesday (12 October 2021), seven Afghan citizens arrived in Luxembourg to start a new life.
Taliban Foreign Minister Arrives In Turkey For Talks With Turkish FM RFE/RL Gandhara 14 Oct 2021 -- A Taliban delegation led by acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi arrived in Turkey on October 14 for talks with Turkish officials, including Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.
Taliban Police Chief Killed In Bomb Attack In Eastern Afghanistan RFE/RL Gandhara 14 Oct 2021 -- A Taliban police chief has been killed and 11 people wounded in a bomb blast in Asadabad, the capital of Kunar Province, in eastern Afghanistan, local authorities say.
Russia expects Taliban govt. to deal with Daesh in Afghanistan on its own Press TV 14 Oct 2021 -- Russia has expressed concern about the activities of Daesh in Afghanistan and says it expects the Taliban to deal with the Takfiri terrorist group without external support.

After six years of war, the people of Yemen are still suffering from the world's worst humanitarian crisis UK FCDO 14 Oct 2021 -- Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the Security Council briefing on Yemen.
Yemeni forces close in on Ma'rib as powerful tribe agrees to hold back Press TV 14 Oct 2021 -- Forces with Yemen's Ansarullah movement, which controls the country's government from the capital Sana'a, have continued to advance on the strategic city of Ma'rib, with local reports saying that some leaders of the powerful Murad tribe have agreed to refrain from fighting the resistance forces, who seem destined to take the remaining areas.
Yemen: Dialogue and compromise 'only way forward' UN News 14 Oct 2021 -- A comprehensive negotiated political settlement is needed to end the violence in Yemen "once and for all", UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg told the Security Council on Thursday.

Israeli warplanes attack Syria's Homs for 2nd time in a week, kill 1 soldier Press TV 14 Oct 2021 -- The Israeli regime carries out another aerial assault against the central Syrian province of Homs in less than a week, killing one soldier and wounding three others.

Will US Drawdown in Iraq Reboot Islamic State Militants? VOA 14 Oct 2021 -- In Mosul's Old City, the rule of the Islamic State group is not a distant memory of horrors long past. On every block are reminders: bombed out houses, piles of rubble and families toiling daily, just to survive.

India Dismisses Chinese Objections to Leaders' Visit to Disputed State VOA 14 Oct 2021 -- Days after talks to resolve a 17-month military standoff between India and China stalled, the Asian rivals are involved in a new war of words over a recent visit by the Indian vice president to Arunachal Pradesh, a state in eastern India claimed by China.
Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh presides over breakthrough blast of main tube of Sela Main Tunnel via video conferencing India PIB 14 Oct 2021 -- Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh presided over breakthrough blast of main tube of Sela Tunnel via video conferencing and flagged-off ‘India @75 Motorcycle Expedition’ at an event organised by Border Roads Organisation (BRO) in New Delhi on October 14, 2021
India Completes Excavation Work at Strategic All-Weather Sela Tunnel on China Border Sputnik 14 Oct 2021 -- Beijing has never recognised New Delhi's sovereignty over the state of Arunachal Pradesh, a mountainous state located in the eastern section of the India-China border. Indian media reported recently that around 200 Chinese troops "intruded" into Arunachal Pradesh before some of them were "briefly detained" by the Indian Army and sent back.

Turkey boosts drone sales to Africa in a move set to stoke tensions Press TV 14 Oct 2021 -- Turkey has increased its export of combat drones to Morocco and Ethiopia in a move set to anger Egypt and Sudan, Egyptian security sources say.

Colombia's peace process is an example for the world UK FCDO 14 Oct 2021 -- Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the Security Council briefing on Colombia
Colombians cling tenaciously to peace gains, Security Council hears UN News 14 Oct 2021 -- Five years after an historic Peace Agreement was reached in Colombia, the process continues to show the benefits of ending the conflict through negotiation and keeping victims at the heart of the discussion moving forward.

Facebook Objects to Releasing Private Posts About Myanmar's Rohingya Campaign VOA 14 Oct 2021 -- Facebook was used to spread disinformation about the Rohingya, the Muslim ethnic minority in Myanmar, and in 2018 the company began to delete posts, accounts and other content it determined were part of a campaign to incite violence.

Armenia Accuses Azerbaijan Of Serious Human Rights Violations At UN Court RFE/RL 14 Oct 2021 -- Armenia accused Azerbaijan of serious human rights violations as the two Caucasus nations who fought a six-week war last year faced off at the UN court in The Hague on October 14.

China's Land Management Policies in Tibet 'Unsustainable': Report Radio Free Asia 14 Oct 2021 -- Chinese policies aimed at mitigating climate change on the Tibetan plateau are destroying traditional Tibetan approaches to managing the land, and serve only to further government efforts to move nomads from their grazing grounds, according to a report released this week.

Nigeria says Daesh leader Abu Musab al-Barnawi is dead Press TV 14 Oct 2021 -- Nigeria's top military commander has announced the death of Abu Musab al-Barnawi, the head of the West African branch of the Daesh terrorist group.

Somalia Marks Anniversary of Deadliest Terror Attack VOA 14 Oct 2021 -- On October 14, 2017, a truck bomb exploded at a busy intersection in Mogadishu, killing 587 people and almost 1,000 more. Four years later, the scars of the attack are still seen and felt in the Somali capital.

News Reports

Sinaloa Cartel Money Launderer Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison US Dept. of Justice 14 Oct 2021 -- A money launderer for the Sinaloa Cartel was sentenced yesterday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California to 10 years in prison and a $50,000 fine for laundering approximately $15 million from the sale of methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin that were smuggled into the United States by the Sinaloa Cartel.
Rhode Island Man Sentenced to Over 33 Years in Federal Prison for Leadership Role in International Drug Trafficking Organization US Dept. of Justice 14 Oct 2021 -- A Rhode Island man was sentenced today to 400 months in prison for his role in an international fentanyl distribution conspiracy.

Norway Police Treating Kongsberg Bow Shooting as Terror Attack Sputnik 14 Oct 2021 -- The deadly archery attack in the Norwegian town of Kongsberg appears to be a terrorist act but it does not change the national threat picture, the Norwegian Police Security Service said on Thursday.
Norway Police: Bow and Arrow Attack Appears to Be Act of Terror VOA 14 Oct 2021 -- Police in Norway Thursday said a bow-and-arrow attack that claimed the lives of five people in the town of Kongsberg appears to be an act of terror.

At Least 6 Killed as Deadly Gunfire Shatters Beirut Protest VOA 14 Oct 2021 -- At least six people were killed and 20 others were wounded Thursday as gunfire erupted in Lebanon's capital amid protests against a judge investigating last year's deadly port blast.
Beirut Violence Over Blast Probe Is Ugly Reminder of Sectarian Civil War VOA 14 Oct 2021 -- At least five people were killed and 16 wounded as shots were fired during a protest by Iran-backed Hezbollah supporters against Tarek Bitar, the judge investigating the 2020 Beirut Port blast. Explosions were also heard Thursday as tensions over the politically charged case push Lebanon into another crisis. The Lebanese army is searching for the gunmen.
Six killed, dozens injured as armed groups shoot protesters from rooftops in Beirut Press TV 14 Oct 2021 -- At least six people have been killed and 60 others injured in Beirut, where armed groups shot from rooftops at Hezbollah supporters, who had gathered to protest against the judge investigating last year's catastrophic port explosion.
UN calls for end to violence in Lebanon following deadly Beirut clashes UN News 14 Oct 2021 -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday called for an immediate end to violence in Lebanon following deadly sectarian violence in the capital, Beirut, surrounding the on-going investigation into the August 2020 blasts in the port area.

Briefing by Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on the sidelines of the third Eurasian Women's Forum, St Petersburg, October 14, 2021 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 14 Oct 2021
Navalny Urges Associates Who Have Fled Russia To Continue Anti-Corruption Work From Abroad RFE/RL 14 Oct 2021 -- Imprisoned Kremlin critic Aleksei Navalny says his supporters who have left Russia in the face of growing repression can continue their efforts to oppose the Russian government from abroad.
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's statement and answers to media questions following a meeting of the CIS Council of Foreign Ministers, Minsk, October 14, 2021 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 14 Oct 2021
Deputy Secretary Sherman's Meeting with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Overchuk US Dept. of State 14 Oct 2021

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian's Regular Press Conference on October 14, 2021 PRC MofA 14 Oct 2021
Hong Kong Continues to Hemorrhage People Amid Ever-Widening Political Controls Radio Free Asia 14 Oct 2021 -- Tens of thousands of people have left Hong Kong in recent weeks amid a citywide crackdown on dissent, a new emphasis on patriotic propaganda in the education system and the jailing or disqualification of most of its political opposition.
China Smears Uyghur Woman Who Testified About Forced Sterilization Radio Free Asia 14 Oct 2021 -- Chinese officials have denounced a former Uyghur internment camp detainee who was forcibly sterilized about three years ago and has spoken publicly about her ordeal, as part of an ongoing smear campaign to discredit those who have exposed abuses against the mostly Muslim minority group.
Chinese Leader Calls For 'Self-Reliance' Amid Ongoing Energy Crisis Radio Free Asia 14 Oct 2021 -- China's leaders have vowed to keep the lights on and production lines running in crucial sectors of industry, as northern parts of the country braced for colder weather amid a severe coal shortage and power rationing by local governments.
Microsoft to Shut Down LinkedIn in China Over Censorship Concerns VOA 14 Oct 2021 -- Microsoft will close LinkedIn in China later this year, the company announced Thursday.

US in no position to point figures over Taiwan question: Chinese FM Global Times 14 Oct 2021 -- Taiwan island is China's territory and the US is in no position to point fingers over the Taiwan question, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said, slamming US Defense Department Spokesperson John Kirby's statement on recent military exercises conducted by the Chinese People's Liberation Army near the island of Taiwan.
As China targets 'separatists,' Taiwan defense chief warns: Bullets don't discriminate CNA 14 Oct 2021 -- Taiwan's defense chief has warned war would have no regard for political affiliation, after China claimed recent People's Liberation Army (PLA) exercises were targeted only at those seeking independence.
Taipei 'won't start war with China but will defend itself full on if attacked' Press TV 14 Oct 2021 -- Chinese Taipei has ruled out the possibility of starting a war with China but stressed it will defend itself "full on" if attacked, as tensions between the two sides continue to escalate after a record number of Chinese fighter jets flew into the self-ruled island's self-designated air defense zone.
Defense Minister: Taiwan 'Absolutely Will Not Start a War' With China Sputnik 14 Oct 2021 -- Tensions between China and Taiwan - the latter officially known as the Republic of China - have remained at an all-time high following a series of flyby operations conducted by Chinese forces that saw aircraft cross into the island nation's air defense identification zone.
Spokesperson slams Taiwan DPP's "de-Sinicization" history-distorting textbook People's Daily 14 Oct 2021 -- A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Wednesday slammed attempts by Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authority to push forward a revised middle school history textbook that takes a de-Sinicization approach and contains "Taiwan independence" content.
DPP authority slammed for touting false "two states" theory People's Daily 14 Oct 2021 -- A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Wednesday slammed the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authority in Taiwan for making remarks touting the so-called "two states" theory.

Press release on Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's telephone conversation with Foreign Minister of Iran Hossein Amir-Abdollahian Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 14 Oct 2021
Visiting EU Diplomats In Talks With U.S., Iranian Officials To Prepare Return To Nuclear Talks RFE/RL 14 Oct 2021 -- In a push to resume talks to revive the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, the European Union's envoy charged with coordinating the negotiations met with Iranian officials in Tehran on October 14, as the bloc's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell was in Washington to discuss the matter with his U.S. counterpart.
In Tehran, EU envoy discusses removal of sanctions on Iran Press TV 14 Oct 2021 -- Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Baqeri-Kani has met with EU deputy foreign policy chief Enrique Mora, who is on a visit to Tehran to discuss, among other things, the future of Vienna talks to remove Washington's anti-Iran sanctions.
Russia criticizes EU pessimism over talks in Vienna to remove anti-Iran sanctions Press TV 14 Oct 2021 -- The Russian ambassador to international organizations in Vienna says his country believes, unlike the European Union, there are no reasons to be pessimistic about the fate of the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement, whose revival depends on a removal of all anti-Iran sanctions.
U.S., Israel Mull Options On Iran Amid Ongoing Efforts To Restart Nuclear Talks RFE/RL 14 Oct 2021 -- The United States and Israel say they are exploring a Plan B for dealing with Iran if Tehran does not return in good faith to negotiations to salvage the 2015 nuclear deal.

ASEAN Emergency Meeting to Discuss Barring Myanmar Junta Chief From Summit Radio Free Asia 14 Oct 2021 -- Southeast Asian foreign ministers will hold an emergency meeting Friday to discuss barring the Burmese junta chief from an upcoming ASEAN summit, Indonesia's ambassador to the regional bloc said Thursday.
Junta Troops Torch Church, Homes in Myanmar's Chin State Radio Free Asia 14 Oct 2021 -- Troops loyal to Myanmar's junta have torched an entire village—including a Baptist church and a dozen other buildings—in the country's embattled Chin state, residents said Thursday, prompting condemnation from a local human rights group which called the act a "war crime" under international law.

Paris Threatens Retaliation in an Explosive Anglo-French Fishing Dispute VOA 14 Oct 2021 -- France has threatened to retaliate against Britain in yet another post-Brexit dispute, this time over fishing rights in what the British call the English Channel and the French refer to as La Manche, the narrow arm of the Atlantic Ocean separating England's southern coast from the northern shores of France.

Chile's opp. launches impeachment against president after Pandora Papers leak Press TV 14 Oct 2021 -- Chilean opposition lawmakers have launched impeachment proceedings against President Sebastian Pinera over possible irregularities in the sale of a mining company revealed in the so-called Pandora Papers.

Uzbek Election Eyed as Indicator of Nation's Future VOA 14 Oct 2021 -- The outcome of Uzbekistan's October 24 presidential election is not in doubt, but that doesn't mean no one is paying attention.

NEWSLETTER

Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list