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News Reports

Current Operations

• U.S. Government Still Working to Evacuate Afghans DoD News 25 Oct 2021 -- The U.S. government is still working to continue the flow of American citizens and special immigrant visa holders out of Afghanistan, Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby said today.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby Holds a Press Briefing DoD 25 Oct 2021
• USS Alabama Completes 100th Patrol US Navy 25 Oct 2021 -- Alabama joined a select group, alongside USS Alaska (SSBN 732) and USS Henry M. Jackson (SSBN 730), as the third Ohio-class ballistic-missile submarine to reach this milestone.
• F-15EX undergoes first operational test mission at Nellis AFB US Air Force 25 Oct 2021 -- The F-15EX Eagle ll is undergoing its first-ever operational test mission paired with F-15Cs and F-15Es at Nellis Air Force Base Oct. 18-25.
• JMSDF, U.S. Navy conduct bilateral operations in South China Sea US Navy 25 Oct 2021 -- The Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group and JS Kaga (DDH 184) are conducting maritime security operations and exercises.
• AFRL, industry launch revolutionary spacecraft technology US Air Force 25 Oct 2021 -- The Air Force Research Laboratory has partnered with ThermAvant Technologies and Maxar Technologies to develop and deploy the next generation of spacecraft thermal control technology.
• Joint Force Commander Visits NATO Headquarters Sarajevo at Camp Butmir NATO 25 Oct 2021 -- Admiral Robert P. Burke, Commander Allied Joint Force Command Naples, conducted a half-day visit to NATO Headquarters Sarajevo, at Camp Butmir in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) on Monday (25 October 2021).
• Secretary General welcomes NATO's close cooperation with Finland NATO 25 Oct 2021 -- NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and ambassadors of the North Atlantic Council met with Finnish President Sauli Niinistö in Helsinki on Monday (25 October 2021) at the start of a three-day visit to Finland and Sweden.
• Secretary General: NATO, Finland and Sweden share the same security interests NATO 25 Oct 2021 -- NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg visited Finland with ambassadors of the North Atlantic Council on Monday (25 October 2021), underlining the close partnership between NATO and Finland.
• Chinese border troops in Xinjiang get new all-terrain vehicle for winter logistics support Global Times 25 Oct 2021 -- The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Xinjiang Military Command has received a new type of all-terrain vehicle, which is expected to ensure logistics support to plateau border defense troops as winter draws close and as China-India border tensions again risk rising after the latest military talks failed to reach an agreement due to unrealistic Indian demands.
• Chinese legislators adjust national defense mobilization laws amid tense China-US ties Global Times 25 Oct 2021 -- Chinese legislators passed a decision to temporarily adjust the application of relevant statutory provisions during the reform of the national defense mobilization system, which expert said is not only an important part of China's military reform, but a necessary move given the increasingly tense military environment China faces, especially the strained China-US ties.
• China, Vietnam Coast Guards carry out 2nd joint patrol in Beibu Gulf this year PLA Daily 25 Oct 2021 -- The members of the China Coast Guard (CCG) and the Vietnam Coast Guard have recently conducted their second joint patrol in the Beibu Gulf within the year, in an effort to deepen the friendly relations between the China-Vietnam coast guards, promote bilateral practical cooperation in maritime law enforcement, and jointly maintain the order of maritime operations in the Beibu Gulf.
• Chinese, Russian warships tackle Japanese close-in recon, 'display confidence' in 1st joint sea patrol Global Times 25 Oct 2021 -- A Chinese-Russian naval flotilla tackled external challenges, including close-in reconnaissance by Japanese forces, during the fleets' first joint sea patrol over the past week.
• PLA conducts 1st underwater port demolition test providing data for future combat Global Times 25 Oct 2021 -- In the first of its kind in China, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) recently conducted an underwater explosion test which simulated an attack on a hostile high-piled wharf.
• Mine hunters put to the test Australia DOD 25 Oct 2021 -- The Port of Fremantle and its Indian Ocean accesses have been blocked by an adversary's offensive mining tactics. This is the scenario Exercise Dugong 2021 participants face over the coming weeks.
• France launches 'cutting-edge' military satellite into space Press TV 25 Oct 2021 -- France has launched a "state-of-the-art satellite" into orbit, designed to integrate all of the country's forces deployed across the globe.
• UK and Greece agree closer collaboration, October 2021 UK FCDO 25 Oct 2021 -- Foreign Secretary Liz Truss signed the UK-Greece Strategic Bilateral Framework with Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias.
• Secretary Blinken's Call with Norwegian Foreign Minister Huitfeldt US Dept. of State 25 Oct 2021
• Deputy Secretary Sherman's Meeting with Latvian Foreign Minister Rinkevics US Dept. of State 25 Oct 2021
• Remarks by President Biden Before Air Force One Departure The White House 25 Oct 2021
• Press Gaggle by Principal Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre En Route Newark, NJ The White House 25 Oct 2021
• Department Press Briefing – October 25, 2021 US Dept. of State 25 Oct 2021

Defense Industry

• Contracts For Oct. 25, 2021

Other Conflicts

• 25 October 2021 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 25 Oct 2021
• Afghanistan on 'countdown to catastrophe' without urgent humanitarian relief UN News 25 Oct 2021 -- The combined shocks of drought, conflict, COVID-19 and an economic crisis in Afghanistan, have left more than half the population facing a record level of acute hunger, according to a new UN assessment published on Monday.
• UN Warns That More Than Half Of Afghans Face 'Acute' Food Shortages RFE/RL Gandhara 25 Oct 2021 -- Almost 23 million Afghans will suffer "acute food insecurity" this winter due to the combined impacts of drought, conflict, the coronavirus pandemic, and an economic crisis exacerbated by turmoil after the Taliban took power in the country, two UN agencies warned on October 25.
• UN Says Nearly 23 Million Afghans Face Acute Hunger VOA 25 Oct 2021 -- United Nations agencies warned Monday humanitarian needs in Afghanistan have grown to unprecedented levels and more than half of the conflict-torn country's population, a record 22.8 million people, will "face acute food insecurity" from November.
• 'On a countdown to catastrophe': UN sounds alarm on Afghanistan's food crisis Press TV 25 Oct 2021 -- Millions of people in crisis-stricken Afghanistan are on the brink of starvation with the onset of winter, the UN World Food Program (WFP) has warned.
• IS-K Attacks On Afghan Shi'a Are Crimes Against Humanity, Says HRW RFE/RL Gandhara 25 Oct 2021 -- Human Rights Watch (HRW) has warned that the attacks against Afghanistan's Shi'ite minority perpetrated by an affiliate of the Islamic State group amount to crimes against humanity.
• Chinese State Councilor Wang Yi to meet Afghan Taliban in Qatar in first high-level meeting with Afghan interim govt Global Times 25 Oct 2021 -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi will meet a delegation of the Afghan Taliban interim government in Qatar to exchange views on the situation in Afghanistan and other topics of concern for both sides. It is a continuation of communication between the two sides since their meeting in North China's Tianjin in July, Chinese Foreign Ministry announced on Monday.
• China's Foreign Minister To Meet With Taliban During Visit To Qatar RFE/RL Gandhara 25 Oct 2021 -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will meet with Taliban representatives during a visit to Qatar, in their latest high-level talks since the withdrawal of U.S.-led international forces in August.
• China's 'bullying' in S. China Sea helped advance US-Vietnam ties, says former envoy Radio Free Asia 25 Oct 2021 -- The disputed South China Sea features prominently in the relationship between Vietnam and the United States, and bullying by China of it neighbor helped deepen relations, the former U.S. ambassador to Hanoi has revealed.
• Bangladesh police suspect link in killing of Rohingya leader, six other refugees Radio Free Asia 25 Oct 2021 -- Police suspect that the people who killed a Rohingya leader and six refugees in separate attacks at camps in southeastern Bangladesh belong to the same group, authorities said Monday but declined to name it, although victims' relatives blamed Rohingya rebels.
• Notice on the Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to The Democratic Republic of the Congo The White House 25 Oct 2021
• Letter to Congress on the Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to The Democratic Republic of the Congo The White House 25 Oct 2021

News Reports

• Former Air War College Professor Pleads Guilty to Making False Statements About Relationship with Government Official in China US Dept. of Justice 25 Oct 2021 -- A civilian professor at the Air War College on Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama, pleaded guilty to making false statements to a federal agent.
• The United States Condemns Actions Against Sudan's Civilian-led Transitional Government US Dept. of State 25 Oct 2021 -- "The United States strongly condemns the actions of the Sudanese military forces."
• Troika Statement on Military Takeover in Sudan US Dept. of State 25 Oct 2021 -- The text of the following statement was released by the Troika: Governments of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, and Norway.
• Sudanese Protesters Take to Streets After General Declares State of Emergency VOA 25 Oct 2021 -- Sudanese protesters demonstrated into the night Monday after the military seized power in an apparent coup.
• Sudan's Coup Shakes Up Tenuous National and Regional Stability VOA 25 Oct 2021 -- Monday's military coup in Sudan crippled the nation's leadership and could have sweeping regional implications, including inflaming already bitter disputes among Sudan's neighbors, analysts say.
• Sudan General Declares State of Emergency in Coup Attempt VOA 25 Oct 2021 -- Sudan's military seized power in an apparent coup Monday, with a top general declaring a nationwide state of emergency and announcing the end of a joint civilian-military council that ran the country for the past two years.
• International Community Condemns Apparent Military Coup in Sudan VOA 25 Oct 2021 -- United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for the "immediate" release of Sudan's detained leaders following an apparent military coup.
• UN chief condemns 'ongoing military coup' in Sudan UN News 25 Oct 2021 -- UN Secretary-General, António Guterres on Monday condemned the "ongoing military coup" in Sudan, saying Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and all other officials, "must be released immediately." In a statement, he called for the "immediate reconstitution" of the Government, which is due to guide Sudan through to democratic elections.
• Sudan's opposition coalition calls for civil disobedience as African Union urges talks Press TV 25 Oct 2021 -- Sudan's main opposition coalition has called for civil disobedience and protests across the country against the backdrop of the military's dissolving of the transitional government in what was denounced as a "coup."
• Military coup feared as Sudanese forces detain PM Hamdok Press TV 25 Oct 2021 -- Military forces in Sudan have detained Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok after besieging his house early on Monday, triggering fears of a potential coup d'état .
• Microsoft Says Russia-Backed Group Behind SolarWinds Hack Targets Technology Supply Chain RFE/RL 25 Oct 2021 -- Microsoft says the Russia-backed hacking group behind last year's massive SolarWinds cyberattacks on U.S. government agencies and other institutions continues to target the global technology supply chain.
• Microsoft Discloses New Russian Hacking Effort VOA 25 Oct 2021 -- The U.S. technology giant Microsoft says that the same Russia-backed hackers responsible for the 2020 SolarWinds breach of corporate computer systems is continuing to attack global technology systems, this time targeting cloud service resellers.
• German Court Sentences Islamic State Member to 10 Years in Prison VOA 25 Oct 2021 -- A German woman received a 10-year prison sentence Monday for allowing a young Yazidi girl, who was being kept as a slave in Iraq by the woman and her husband, to die of thirst in the hot sun.
• Daesh claims responsibility for Saturday's bomb attack in Uganda Press TV 25 Oct 2021 -- Daesh terrorist group has claimed responsibility for Saturday's bomb attack in Uganda's capital Kampala, which killed at least one person and injured three others.
• Parts of Russia's Space Agency Off Limits in New Security Order VOA 25 Oct 2021 -- Journalists who cover Russia's space program say they may adopt a more cautious approach to their reporting after several aspects of Roscosmos were effectively declared off limits.
• U.S. Official Tells Europe Not To Waive Nord Stream 2 Pipeline Approval Process RFE/RL 25 Oct 2021 -- A senior U.S. state department official has warned Europe against bowing to Russian pressure and waiving the lengthy process needed to approve Nord Stream 2, a controversial Baltic Sea natural gas pipeline to Germany.
• Full text: Xi's speech at the conference marking the 50th Anniversary of the Restoration Of the Lawful Seat of the People's Republic of China in the United Nations PLA Daily 25 Oct 2021
• Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin's Regular Press Conference on October 25, 2021 PRC MofA 25 Oct 2021
• US and Allies Blast China's Trade Policies in WTO Forum VOA 25 Oct 2021 -- The United States and a number of its closest allies have used a periodic review of China's trade policy by the World Trade Organization to vent their anger at Beijing's unwillingness to conform with rules meant to establish a level playing field for all participants in the global exchange of goods and services.
• International rights group will leave Hong Kong amid crackdown on dissent Radio Free Asia 25 Oct 2021 -- London-based rights group Amnesty International has announced it will shut down its offices in Hong Kong by the end of the year, amid an ongoing crackdown on dissent under a draconian national security law imposed on the city by the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
• Amnesty International to Close Hong Kong Offices VOA 25 Oct 2021 -- Amnesty International says it is shutting down its two offices in Hong Kong by the end of the year because of the effect of the national security law that Beijing imposed on the city.
• In China-US Space Race, Beijing Uses Space Diplomacy VOA 25 Oct 2021 -- China's is extending its space program to other countries in ways that its superpower rival, the United States, finds hard to match and that stand to isolate the U.S. on earth, experts say.
• Taiwan's foreign minister departs for rare European trip CNA 25 Oct 2021 -- Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) departed Taiwan late Sunday to visit the Slovak Republic and Czech Republic in a rare public trip to countries with which Taiwan has no official diplomatic relations.
• 'One-China principle' only route for Taiwan island to attend international events Global Times 25 Oct 2021 -- As the Chinese mainland celebrated on Mondaythe 50th anniversary of the restoration of the People's Republic of China's (PRC's) lawful seat in the United Nations (UN), Taiwan secessionist authorities and the US have used the occasion to hype the topic of "seeking international space" for the island of Taiwan to challenge the widely recognized "one-China principle" and provoke the PRC on the issue of sovereignty.
• China urges US to stop sending wrong signals to 'Taiwan independence' forces Press TV 25 Oct 2021 -- China has urged the United States to stop sending wrong signals in any form to the so-called "independence" forces of the Chinese Taipei after Washington said it attempts to enable the self-ruled island to take part meaningfully at the United Nations.
• North Korean leader Kim Jong Un builds luxury villas over grandfather's old home Radio Free Asia 25 Oct 2021 -- A new luxury apartment complex built over the former residence of North Korea's founder Kim Il Sung is seen by citizens as an example of third-generation leader Kim Jong Un trying to erase parts of his grandfather's legacy, sources in the country told RFA.
• Iran expanding enrichment activity: IAEA Press TV 25 Oct 2021 -- Iran has injected uranium hexafluoride gas enriched up to 20 percent purity level into a centrifuge at its Natanz nuclear facility, the United Nations' nuclear watchdog reports.
• U.S. Iran Envoy Warns Tehran May Be Delaying Talks To Advance Nuclear Program RFE/RL 25 Oct 2021 -- The top U.S. envoy on Iran says talks to revive the moribund the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers are at a "critical phase," warning that Iran may be engaging in delaying tactics to advance its nuclear program.
• Statement by NSC Spokesperson Emily Horne on National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan's Meeting with Burmese NUG Representatives The White House 25 Oct 2021
• More than 30 journalists still held in Myanmar following prisoner release Radio Free Asia 26 Oct 2021 -- More than 30 journalists arrested in Myanmar for reporting on the Feb. 1 military coup that overthrew the country's elected civilian government are still being held in custody following prisoner amnesties that many had hoped would see them freed, sources in the country say.
• Germany, Poland Bolster Borders Amid Migrant Surge From Belarus RFE/RL 25 Oct 2021 -- Poland has announced plans to increase the number of soldiers and guards at its border with Belarus to 10,000 to help stem the flow of illegal migrants the European Union has accused Minsk of facilitating in retaliation for sanctions against Belarus leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka.
• Human rights situation in Belarus: joint statement UK FCDO 25 Oct 2021 -- On behalf of 46 countries, the Lithuanian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Rytis Paulauskas gave a cross-regional statement at Third Committee.
• France's Far-Right Zemmour Shakes Up Presidential Race, But Likely to Macron's Favor VOA 25 Oct 2021 -- The followers of French television talk-show provocateur Eric Zemmour like to compare him to America's former President Donald Trump, believing he is the man to shake up France.
• Pakistan Releases Hundreds Of Protesters Detained During Violent Clashes With Police RFE/RL Gandhara 25 Oct 2021 -- Pakistani authorities say they have released hundreds of activists of a radical Islamist party who had been arrested during deadly clashes with police at the weekend.
• Turkey's Erdogan withdraws threat of expelling 10 Western ambassadors Press TV 25 Oct 2021 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has backed down from his earlier threat of expelling 10 Western ambassadors over their joint call on Ankara for the release of Osman Kavala, a civil society leader.
• Turkish lira drops to historic low amid Ankara's tensions with West Press TV 25 Oct 2021 -- Turkey's national currency lira has plunged to a new record low following President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's comments amid rising tensions between Ankara and the West.
• Uzbekistan Presidential Election US Dept. of State 25 Oct 2021 -- "The United States supports the people of Uzbekistan for exercising their right to vote in the presidential elections on October 24."
• EU Disburses 600 Million Euros In Assistance To Ukraine RFE/RL 25 Oct 2021 -- The European Union has disbursed 600 million euros ($696 million) in macro-financial assistance to Ukraine as part of a program to limit the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• ASEAN set to open summit, but Burmese junta threatens to skip it Radio Free Asia 25 Oct 2021 -- ASEAN begins a summit this week amid uncertainty over Myanmar's participation after the regional bloc barred the Burmese junta chief from attending and Naypyidaw threatened to skip the meeting.
• Elections in Iraq US Dept. of State 25 Oct 2021 -- "The United States welcomes the UN Security Council's Press Statement on Iraq's October 10 election."
• Lebanese army says has referred case of recent Beirut violence to military prosecution Press TV 25 Oct 2021 -- The Lebanese army says an investigation into a killing spree targeting Hezbollah supporters in Beirut last week has been finished and those detained were referred to the General Military Prosecution.
• Pressure For Reforms Increases After Uzbek President's Overwhelming Election Win RFE/RL 25 Oct 2021 -- The preliminary results of Uzbekistan's presidential election have been announced and, to no one's surprise, incumbent President Shavkat Mirziyoev has won another five-year term in office.
• Vietnam rail debt to China comes due, but trains don't run Radio Free Asia 25 Oct 2021 -- Debt owed by Vietnam to China for construction of a rail line in the capital Hanoi is now due for repayment, but the project remains behind schedule and trains are still unable to run, government sources say.
• Moldova Buys Gas From Poland Amid Gas Shortage RFE/RL 25 Oct 2021 -- Moldova's government says it has bought a million cubic meters of natural gas from Poland after Chisinau failed to agree on a new energy deal with traditional supplier Russia.