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News Reports

Current Operations

• U.S. strike in the vicinity of Suluk, Syria, Oct. 22, 2021 CENTCOM 22 Oct 2021 -- Statement, attributable to U.S. Army Maj. John Rigsbee, a U.S. Central Command Spokesperson:

Defense Policy / Programs

• Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III Holds a Press Conference at NATO Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium DoD 22 Oct 2021
• Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III's Participation in the NATO Defense Ministerial DoD 22 Oct 2021
• DoD Releases Report on Defense Spending by State in Fiscal Year 2020 DoD 22 Oct 2021 -- Today, the Department of Defense's Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation (formerly the Office of Economic Adjustment) released its Fiscal Year 2020 Defense Spending by State report to help states and communities better understand the components of defense spending on procurement and personnel.
• 405th AFSB moves thousands of vehicles, equipment pieces from north to south of the Alps Army News 22 Oct 2021 -- In line with the 405th Army Field Support Brigade commander's number one priority to regionally align the brigade's four battalions and prepare for future Army Prepositioned Stock-2 operations in Poland, about 2,000 vehicles, containers and equipment pieces have been moved from north of the Alps to south of the Alps in the last three weeks.
• Pentagon Confirms Failed Test for Hypersonic Weapons Development, Initiated Review Sputnik 22 Oct 2021 -- The US Department of Defense had an unsuccessful test related to its hypersonic weapons development after a missile booster failed to work, a Pentagon spokesperson told Sputnik.
• The Air Force partners with Twelve, proves it's possible to make jet fuel out of thin air US Air Force 22 Oct 2021 -- What if you could access fuel from anywhere on the planet, at any time, no tanker required? The Air Force thinks it's possible with ground-breaking carbon transformation technology.
• The Race Is On: NRL Argon Fluoride Laser to Advance Fusion Energy US Navy 22 Oct 2021 -- U.S. Naval Research Laboratory experts race toward sustainable clean energy with advances in fusion energy. Steve Obenschain, Ph.D., a research physicist at NRL, said nuclear fusion would be a valuable addition to clean energy sources because it can provide baseload electrical power when the sun does not shine and the wind does not blow. The baseload is the minimum level of demand on an electrical grid over a span of time, for example, one week.
• U.S. Navy, German Navy Sail At Sea Together, Meet Ashore US Navy 22 Oct 2021 -- Independence-variant littoral combat ships USS Jackson (LCS 6) and USS Tulsa (LCS 16) sailed with Germany Navy frigate FGS Bayern (F 217) in the Philippine Sea, and Tulsa hosted Bayern crewmembers for ship tours while moored at Naval Base Guam, Oct. 18 & 21.
• MCSC Begins Fielding Amphibious Robot System for Littoral Missions US Navy 22 Oct 2021 -- In September, Marine Corps Systems Command began fielding an amphibious, unmanned robot system to support littoral operations globally.
• U.S. Sixth Fleet Participates in Italy's Mare Aperto Exercise US Navy 22 Oct 2021 -- The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78), U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon aircraft from Commander, Task Force 67, and the Henry J. Kaiser-class fleet replenishment oiler USNS Kanawha (T-AO 196) recently participated in the Italian-led multilateral maritime exercise Mare Aperto in the Tyrrhenian Sea.
• Tashkent Says No Need to Deploy US Troops in Uzbekistan Sputnik 22 Oct 2021 -- Uzbekistan believes there is no need to deploy the United States military in the country, and Washington knows about it, Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov said on Friday.
• NATO's New Focus Reflects China's Rise VOA 22 Oct 2021 -- China wasn't on the agenda at this week's NATO defense ministers meeting, but by the time the gathering concluded, the secretary-general had said the military alliance needs to respond to the challenges presented by China's rise.
• NATO Leaders Stress Unity at Conclusion of Defense Ministerial DoD News 22 Oct 2021 -- Both Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stressed alliance unity at the end of the defense ministerial meeting in Brussels today.
• Press conference by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg following the second day of the Meeting of NATO Ministers of Defence NATO 22 Oct 2021
• NATO Allies take the lead on the development of NATO's Innovation Fund NATO 22 Oct 2021 -- On Friday (22 October 2021), at a signing ceremony hosted by NATO's Secretary General, Defence Ministers from 17 Allied countries* agreed to take the lead on the development of NATO's first Innovation Fund.
• NATO releases first-ever strategy for Artificial Intelligence NATO 22 Oct 2021 -- The strategy outlines how AI can be applied to defence and security in a protected and ethical way.
• Summary of the NATO Artificial Intelligence Strategy NATO 22 Oct 2021
• Secretary General reaffirms NATO's commitment to counter terrorism at a meeting of Defence Ministers from the Global Coalition against ISIS NATO 22 Oct 2021 -- Today (22 October 2021), NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg joined an in-person meeting of Defence Ministers from framework nations of the Global Coalition against ISIS, chaired by the United States, in Brussels.
• NATO releases new Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security NATO 22 Oct 2021 -- On Thursday (21 October 2021), NATO Defence Ministers endorsed NATO's 2021-2025 Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (WPS).
• Austin Says U.S. Supports EU Common Defense Plans That Strengthen NATO RFE/RL 22 Oct 2021 -- U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has welcomed plans for a more capable European defense saying it complements the NATO alliance.
• NATO Defense Ministers Agree on First AI Strategy Sputnik 22 Oct 2021 -- The Western bloc is wrapping up a two-day defence minister-level conference at its headquarters in Brussels, with the talks constituting the first in-person discussions since the collapse of the US and NATO-backed government and security forces of Afghanistan in mid-August.
• Reports: 16 Dead After Explosion At Russian Gunpowder Facility RFE/RL 22 Oct 2021 -- A fire caused by an explosion at a gunpowder workshop has killed at least 16 people in Russia's Ryazan region.
• Moscow says NATO's anti-Russia strategy proved decision to cut ties was right Press TV 22 Oct 2021 -- The Russian government says NATO's recent adoption of a new anti-Russia strategy proved that Moscow made the right decision in cutting ties with the military alliance.
• NATO New Defenсe Plan Shows Russia's Decision to Stop Dialogue Was Correct, Kremlin Says Sputnik 22 Oct 2021 -- NATO's new defence plan shows that Russia's decision to stop official dialogue with the alliance was correct, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday.
• Normal Diplomatic Discussions With NATO Impossible in Light of Bloc's Moves, Russia Says Sputnik 22 Oct 2021 -- On Monday, Russia suspended the operation of NATO's information office in Moscow, and its own permanent mission to the alliance, over the bloc's move to revoke the accreditation of employees of the Russian mission to NATO. From now on, the alliance is instructed to turn to Russia's ambassador to Belgium if it has "any urgent matters" to discuss.
• Putin: Ukraine's Western-Backed Military Development A Threat To Russia RFE/RL 22 Oct 2021 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Ukraine's military development with Western support represents a genuine threat to Moscow.
• Chinese, Russian warships circle around Japan; base of US provocations within reach Global Times 22 Oct 2021 -- The Chinese-Russian joint naval flotilla that transited the Tsugaru Strait days ago has since sailed along the east side of Japan's main island to its south, almost making a circle around the island country, in a move Chinese experts said on Friday can bring balance to regional stability at a time when the US, Japan and other Western forces have been colluding to destabilize the Asia-Pacific region.
• China, Argentina vow to deepen military cooperation PLA Daily 22 Oct 2021 -- Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister General Wei Fenghe held talks with Argentina's Defense Minister Jorge Taiana via video link on Thursday.
• China's first peacekeeping helicopter contingent to Abyei returns home PLA Daily 22 Oct 2021 -- On the morning of October 19, Beijing time, the first batch of 43 peacekeepers from China's first peacekeeping helicopter contingent to Abyei, Sudan successfully returned home after completing 26 months of continuous peacekeeping missions overseas.
• US Defense Secretary: US Will Continue to Help Taiwan Defend Itself VOA 22 Oct 2021 -- U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Friday while the country remains committed to its "one China" policy, it will continue to help Taiwan defend itself.
• Pentagon chief reiterates US 'commitment' to defend Chinese Taipei Press TV 22 Oct 2021 -- The Pentagon's chief says the United States will continue to help Chinese Taipei with resources and capabilities, including potent military hardware, even though it acknowledges China's sovereignty over the self-ruled island.
• Pentagon Chief Claims US Committed to One China Policy, But Will Help Taiwan to Defend Itself Sputnik 22 Oct 2021 -- This comes after China earlier in the day urged the international community to call on the United States to stop dragging Taiwan into a war.
• Biden affirms U.S. would defend Taiwan if China attacks CNA 22 Oct 2021 -- The United States would come to Taiwan's defense in the event of an attack by China, U.S. President Joe Biden said Thursday during a CNN town hall in Baltimore.
• Biden says US would come to Taipei's defense Press TV 22 Oct 2021 -- US President Joe Biden says the United States would come to Taipei's defense, claiming it had a commitment to defend the self-ruled island China asserts sovereignty over.
• French Armed Forces Minister Urges NATO Not to 'Be Afraid' of EU Defence Integration Sputnik 22 Oct 2021 -- After the abrupt US and NATO withdrawal from Afghanistan and the concerns it triggered within the EU, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in September that the bloc needed to "step up to the next level" and beef up its ability to confront security threats and global crises.
• Ministry of Defence signs contract worth 423 Cr with US for procurement of Arms for Indian Navy India PIB 22 Oct 2021 -- The Ministry of Defence has signed a contract on 21 October 2021 with the US Government under Foreign Military Sale (FMS) for procurement of MK 54 Torpedo and Expendable (Chaff and Flares) for the Indian Navy at a cost of ₹ 423 Crores.
• High-Speed Expendable Aerial Target ABHYAS successfully flight-tested by DRDO India PIB 22 Oct 2021 -- ABHYAS - the High-speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT) was successfully flight-tested today by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur off the coast of Bay of Bengal in Odisha.
• India Inches Closer to Developing Hypersonic Weapons: US Congressional Report Sputnik 22 Oct 2021 -- After successfully demonstrating an anti-satellite missile in 2019, Narendra Modi's government also approved the development of the surface-to-surface "Shaurya" hypersonic missile last year, amid border tensions with China on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh.
• India Boosts Anti-Submarine Warfare Capacity as it Buys Torpedoes for P-8 Spy Jet From US Sputnik 22 Oct 2021 -- The US government allowed its firms to supply torpedoes and air-launched Harpoon anti-ship missiles to India for a combined cost of $155 million in April last year. Earlier this week, Boeing delivered the 11th P-8 long-range maritime reconnaissance anti-submarine aircraft to the Indian Navy.
• US to Send Three Island-Class Patrol Boats to Ukraine in November - Ambassador Sputnik 22 Oct 2021 -- The US will send to Ukraine three Island-class patrol boats in November, Ukrainian Ambassador to Washington Oksana Markarova said on Friday.
• New Patrol Boat handed over to PNG to enhance Pacific Security Australia DOD 22 Oct 2021 -- Papua New Guinea has received the third of four Guardian-class Patrol Boats delivered through the Pacific Maritime Security Program; at a handover ceremony in Henderson, Western Australia.
• Confirmation Backlog Leaves Biden's State Department Badly Understaffed VOA 22 Oct 2021 -- Nine months after taking office, President Joe Biden has seen only 20 of his appointments to the State Department confirmed by the Senate, with nearly half of the 167 American ambassadorships empty and dozens of key policy positions staffed by unconfirmed officials serving in an "acting" role.
• Deputy Secretary Sherman's meeting with Argentine Secretary for Strategic Affairs Béliz US Dept. of State 22 Oct 2021
• Readout of President Joseph R. Biden, Jr.'s Call with President Emmanuel Macron of France The White House 22 Oct 2021
• Secretary Blinken's Call with Cabo Verdean Prime Minister Correia e Silva US Dept. of State 22 Oct 2021
• Readout of National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan's Meeting with Secretary for Strategic Affairs Gustavo Beliz of Argentina The White House 22 Oct 2021
• Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki, October 22, 2021 The White House 22 Oct 2021
• Department Press Briefing – October 22, 2021 US Dept. of State 22 Oct 2021

Defense Industry

• Contracts For Oct. 22, 2021

Other Conflicts

• 22 October 2021 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 22 Oct 2021
• HRW: Afghan Hazaras, Ex-Civil Servants Targeted By 'Collective Punishment,' Land-Grabbing RFE/RL Gandhara 22 Oct 2021 -- Human Rights Watch (HRW) accuses the Taliban of forcibly displacing hundreds of families across Afghanistan, mainly as a form of "collective punishment" against ethnic Shi'ite Hazaras and people associated with the former government.
• Afghan Women Tell UN To Demand Conditions From Taliban Before Awarding Assembly Seat RFE/RL Gandhara 22 Oct 2021 -- A group of prominent Afghan women has urged the United Nations to pressure the Taliban to uphold its promises on women's rights before deciding who should fill the country's seat at the world body.
• Taliban Wages Deadly Crackdown On Afghan Salafists As War With IS-K Intensifies RFE/RL Gandhara 22 Oct 2021 -- Hakimullah, a resident of Afghanistan's eastern province of Nangarhar, says he is routinely subjected to violence and discrimination because of his faith.
• Iranian, Turkish FMs voice concern over surge in Daesh terror attacks in Afghanistan Press TV 22 Oct 2021 -- Iranian and Turkish foreign ministers have voiced concern over a surge in Daesh's terrorist attacks on worshippers in Afghanistan, which killed scores of worshippers during Friday prayers this month.
• Vietnam land-filling on disputed reef in Spratlys, imagery shows Radio Free Asia 22 Oct 2021 -- Vietnam appears to be doing new construction and land-filling on a remote reef it occupies in the disputed South China Sea, commercial satellite imagery shows.
• Philippines steps up diplomatic protests to Beijing over South China Sea Radio Free Asia 22 Oct 2021 -- More than 70 percent of diplomatic protests by the Philippines government against Chinese activities in the South China Sea in the last five years were filed this year alone, the nation's foreign ministry says, hinting at a tougher stance in Manila's dealings with China.
• Sana'a says Security Council ignores Saudi war crimes, Yemeni people's rights to defend themselves Press TV 22 Oct 2021 -- The Yemeni Foreign Ministry has denounced the UN Security Council's pro-Riyadh statement for ignoring the Saudi war crimes against the Yemeni people.
• 'Big disappointment' over lack of Syria constitution agreement UN News 22 Oct 2021 -- The process of drafting a new constitution for Syria has been "a big disappointment" UN Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen concluded on Friday. Following the end of discussions in Geneva, a consensus on how to move forward was not achieved, he added.
• Pleas For Peace Cut Through Serbs' Challenge To Bosnian Unity RFE/RL 22 Oct 2021 -- The graffiti, stenciled in Latin and Cyrillic scripts to appeal to Bosniaks, Serbs, and Croats, appeared on walls in the Bosnian capital this week: "I am for peace" and "Peace, peace, peace."
• Ethiopian Government Airstrike Hits Tigray Regional Capital VOA 22 Oct 2021 -- Ethiopian forces carried out an airstrike Friday on the city of Mekelle, their fifth on the Tigray regional capital since Monday.
• Greece Considers Turkey's Threats 'Unacceptable, Provocative', Reports Say Sputnik 22 Oct 2021 -- Greece will continue to exercise its sovereign rights in the Mediterranean despite Turkey's "unacceptable and provocative" threats, directed against the country and Cyprus, the Kathimerini newspaper reported on Friday, citing a Greek diplomatic source.
• Nigeria Separatist Leader Pleads Not Guilty to Charges at Start of Trial VOA 22 Oct 2021 -- Nigerian separatist Nnamdi Kanu has pleaded not guilty to charges brought against him by authorities. The leader of secessionist group The Indigenous People of Biafra, or IPOB, was captured in Kenya in June and repatriated to Nigeria to face trial.
• Rohingya Refugees Killed in Pre-Dawn Attack at Bangladesh Camp Radio Free Asia 22 Oct 2021 -- Less than a month after the killing of an internationally known Rohingya activist, dozens of masked assailants killed six refugees at a madrassa in southeastern Bangladesh, in the deadliest armed attack at the camps in recent memory, police and witnesses said Friday.
• Still Dangerous, Boko Haram Hanging On in West Africa VOA 22 Oct 2021 -- The United States is monitoring reports militants aligned with Boko Haram are taking over communities in north-central Nigeria, part of what appears to be an attempted revival by the al-Qaida-linked terror group.

News Reports

• Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's statement and answers to media questions following talks with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Plurinational State of Bolivia Rogelio Mayta, Moscow, October 22, 2021 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 22 Oct 2021
• The Week In Russia: The COVID Surge And The Sakharov Prize RFE/RL 22 Oct 2021 -- Coronavirus cases and deaths hit new highs, prompting lockdowns and changing the Kremlin's tone as President Vladimir Putin urged Russians to get vaccinated. Putin's imprisoned foe Aleksei Navalny won the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought and Moscow's relations with the West got a little bit colder.
• Steam Leak Forces Russian Nuclear Reactor Offline RFE/RL 22 Oct 2021 -- A reactor at a nuclear power plant in Russia's southwestern Rostov region was taken offline after the detection of a steam leak, but the operator said radiation levels were normal.
• 'Sword Of Damocles': With First Legal Charges, Russia's 'Foreign Agent' Law Bares Its Teeth RFE/RL 22 Oct 2021 -- Pyotr Manyakhin, a Novosibirsk-based journalist with the investigative-journalism outlet Proyekt, was designated a "foreign agent" by the Russian government in July. He recently filed his first obligatory financial accounting, a 45-page report that he says cost him considerable time and aggravation.
• Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin's Regular Press Conference on October 22, 2021 PRC MofA 22 Oct 2021
• Hong Kong SIM Registration Law Raises Privacy Concerns VOA 22 Oct 2021 -- A new Hong Kong telecommunications law requiring users to register their mobile SIM cards using their legal names could further stoke fear in a city already grappling with the national security law, experts say.
• UN members condemn China over treatment of Uyghurs in Xinjiang Radio Free Asia 22 Oct 2021 -- More than 40 Western-led countries criticized China's widely reported atrocities against the Uyghurs in a statement issued at the United Nations, calling on Beijing to immediately allow independent observers into the Xinjiang region.
• Death of detained Uyghur imam underscores harsh conditions in Xinjiang re-education camps Radio Free Asia 22 Oct 2021 -- A Uyghur imam who survived 15 years in prison for separatism in northwestern China's Xinjiang only to die during a two-year stint in an internment camp, raises questions of torture and highlights the abusive nature of the camp system that has drawn accusations of genocide, said Uyghurs with knowledge of the case.
• China's Reach Into Africa's Digital Sector Worries Experts VOA 22 Oct 2021 -- Chinese companies like Huawei and the Transsion group are responsible for much of the digital infrastructure and smartphones used in Africa. Chinese phones built in Africa come with already installed apps for mobile money transfer services that increase the reach of Chinese tech companies. But while many Africans may find the availability of such technology useful, the trend worries some experts on data management.
• Evergrande reportedly averts offshore bond default in the offing Global Times 22 Oct 2021 -- Evergrande has readied funds for a last-minute dollar bond interest payment, media reports said on Friday, fending the debt-laden Chinese property giant off a default on its offshore bond.
• China Proposes Plan to Block Private Investment in Media VOA 22 Oct 2021 -- A proposal to ban private investment in Chinese news outlets has been viewed by critics as a further attempt by Beijing to control all sectors of the media.
• US Senator Warns Beijing: Do Not Take Taiwan for Next Hong Kong VOA 22 Oct 2021 -- A U.S. senator who sits on the Armed Services Committee is warning a violent, military takeover of Taiwan by Beijing would markedly change the world order, and he is calling on world leaders to support democratic Taiwan.
• Biden Does Not Want to See Cross-Strait Issues Between China, Taiwan Come to Blows - Psaki Sputnik 22 Oct 2021 -- US President Joe Biden does not want to see cross-Strait issues between China and Taiwan come to blows, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters on Friday.
• 'Defend Taiwan' can hardly be seen as a slip of the tongue, but Biden has yet to say how or dare to 'stand against 1.4b Chinese' Global Times 22 Oct 2021 -- The US would come to Taiwan's defense if the island faces a Chinese mainland "incursion," US President Joe Biden confirmed on Thursday. The strongest comments from the 78-year-old leader were believed as challenging Chinese mainland's redline and also deviating from Washington's "strategic ambiguity" on the Taiwan question.
• China urges US to abide by 'One China' policy, says won't compromise on core interests Press TV 22 Oct 2021 -- China has called on the United States to strictly abide by the "One China" principle when handling issues related to Chinese Taipei, stressing that Beijing would not compromise on its core interests.
• US Should Stop Dragging Taiwan Into War, China Says Sputnik 22 Oct 2021 -- The international community should call on the United States to stop dragging Taiwan into a war, China's Ambassador to the United Nations Zhang Jun said.
• Resolution 'misused' by Beijing to block Taiwan at U.N.: U.S. official CNA 22 Oct 2021 -- Beijing has inaccurately interpreted a United Nations resolution adopted in 1971 to exclude Taiwan from playing a role in the international organization and its affiliates, an official with the United States Department of State said Thursday.
• French Lawmakers Reach Out to Taiwan Despite Risk of Angering Beijing VOA 22 Oct 2021 -- A visit by a group of French senators to Taiwan earlier this month is just the latest sign that European countries are willing to engage with the East Asian democracy even at the risk of angering China, according to regional experts.
• UN Expert Warns of Worsening Hunger Crisis in North Korea VOA 22 Oct 2021 -- The U.N.'s independent human rights expert on North Korea warned Friday that the country is facing a worsening hunger crisis due to COVID-19, and children, the elderly and prisoners may be at particular risk of starvation.
• Myanmar's shadow government to file with ICC over hundreds of junta rights abuses Radio Free Asia 22 Oct 2021 -- Myanmar's shadow National Unity Government (NUG) said Friday that it had documented more than 400 serious human rights abuses nationwide in the nearly nine months since the military seized power and intends to seek justice for the victims through both domestic and international courts.
• Myanmar authorities re-arrest more than 100 political prisoners after amnesty Radio Free Asia 22 Oct 2021 -- Authorities in Myanmar have re-arrested at least 110 political prisoners freed earlier this week—some within hours of their release—suggesting that the amnesty was only a bid by the junta to appease the international community amid criticism of its rule, observers said Thursday.
• UN Envoy Calls for Myanmar Junta Chief to Step Down VOA 22 Oct 2021 -- The U.N. special envoy for Myanmar called Friday for that country's military leader to step down and return power seized in a February 1 coup to the democratically elected government.
• Conditions worsen for stranded migrants along Belarus-EU border UN News 22 Oct 2021 -- At least eight people have died along the border between Belarus and the European Union, where multiple groups of asylum-seekers, refugees and migrants have been stranded for weeks in increasingly dire conditions.
• EU Leaders Green-Light Sanctions On Belarus Over Illegal Migration RFE/RL 22 Oct 2021 -- European Union leaders have backed new sanctions on Belarus to pressure authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka to halt the flow of illegal migrants that the bloc says amounts to a hybrid attack.
• At Least Four Killed As Violence Erupts At Protest By Pakistani Religious Party RFE/RL Gandhara 22 Oct 2021 -- At least two Pakistani police officers and two protesters were killed in clashes that erupted between security forces and supporters of the banned Islamist Tehrik-e Labaik Pakistan (TLP) party in the eastern city of Lahore on October 22, a police spokesman and witnesses said.
• Tensions High In Islamabad Ahead Of March By Hard-Line Religious Party RFE/RL Gandhara 22 Oct 2021 -- Pakistani police have blocked major arteries leading to the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi and deployed heavy contingents of officers as the authorities brace for a march organized by the banned Tehrik-e Labaik Pakistan (TLP) party.
• Pakistan Kept On Terrorism Financing Watchlist Despite Progress RFE/RL Gandhara 22 Oct 2021 -- A global money-laundering watchdog has called on Pakistan to "continue to make progress as soon as possible " to address the one remaining recommendation that is preventing the country from being removed from a so-called gray list of terrorism financing.
• Foreign Secretary travels to India to strengthen economic and tech ties, October 2021 UK FCDO 22 Oct 2021 -- Liz Truss announces technology and infrastructure tie-ups with India to boost both economies and help developing countries grow in a clean and sustainable way.
• Uzbek President's New Promises Ring Hollow In His Bid For A Second Term RFE/RL 22 Oct 2021 -- There were a lot high expectations when Shavkat Mirziyoev became the president of Uzbekistan in 2016, replacing the autocratic Islam Karimov.
• Kosovo Expels Two Russian Diplomats RFE/RL 22 Oct 2021 -- Kosovo has ordered the expulsion of two Russian diplomats, accusing Moscow of "destabilizing" activities.
• Moldova Declares Energy Emergency Over Gas Shortage RFE/RL 22 Oct 2021 -- Moldova's parliament has voted to approve a 30-day state of emergency in the energy sector to try to ease gas shortages after the government failed to agree on a new energy deal with Russia's Gazprom.
• Montenegro Ex-Intelligence Chief Investigated Over Wiretapping Of Prosecutor RFE/RL 22 Oct 2021 -- Montenegro's prosecutors have released the former head of the National Security Agency (ANB) from custody after interrogating him over the illegal wiretapping of the Special State Prosecutor's Office.
• EU Will Not Fund 'Barbed Wire and Walls' on Borders, Von Der Leyen Says Sputnik 22 Oct 2021 -- The European Union will not fund creating fences or walls at external borders of member states, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Friday.
• The United States Applauds the OAS Resolution Condemning the Undemocratic Electoral Process and Repression in Nicaragua US Dept. of State 22 Oct 2021 -- This week's resounding vote at the Organization of American States (OAS) underscores that member states emphatically condemn President Ortega and Vice President Murillo's undemocratic electoral process and ongoing repression.
• Czech Republic Trapped in Surreal Game of Thrones VOA 22 Oct 2021 -- Presidential ill health, police raids and corruption allegations, some involving caretaker Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, have thrown the Czech Republic into a surreal political crisis.
• Jamaica Arrests Man in Connection With Haitian President's Killing VOA 22 Oct 2021 -- Jamaican police have arrested a suspect in the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise, a Jamaican police source told VOA on Friday.