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Defense Policy / Programs

• US Air Force awards F-15EX engine contract US Air Force 29 Oct 2021 -- The United States Air Force awarded a $1,579,662,187 contract to General Electric, GE Edison Works, Cincinnati, Oct. 29, for the purchase of 29 engines — installs and spares — in support of the production of 12 F-15EX Eagle II aircraft.
• Secretary of the Navy Awards Battle "E" to USS Barry US Navy 29 Oct 2021 -- The Arleigh Burke-Class guided-missile destroyer USS Barry (DDG 52) was awarded the Battle Effectiveness ("E") Award during a visit from the Secretary of the Navy, Oct. 26.
• Navy, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Hold Strategic Dialogue US Navy 29 Oct 2021 -- Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Operations, Plans and Strategy, Vice Adm. Bill Merz co-hosted a strategic dialogue with his Japanese counterpart, Rear Adm. OMACHI Katushi, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Director General of Operations and Plans Department, here in the Pentagon, Oct. 27.
• Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III U.S. Southern Command Change of Command Ceremony Remarks (As Delivered) DoD 29 Oct 2021
• Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III's Meeting With Colombian Minister of National Defense Diego Molano DoD 29 Oct 2021
• DOD Supports Administration's Climate Change Ambitions DoD News 29 Oct 2021 -- The Defense Department is actively working with the whole-of-government to tackle the climate crisis, as underscored by two recently released documents that highlight the impact of climate change on national security.
• U.S., Slovak Defense Officials Discuss Bilateral Cooperation DoD News 29 Oct 2021 -- Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and the Slovak Defense Minister Jaroslav Nad' discussed relations between the two NATO allies and the best way ahead for their bilateral partnership.
• Austin Emphasizes Importance of Working With Partners in Central, South America DoD News 29 Oct 2021 -- U.S. Southern Command's work is vital to American security, American interests and American values. When there's instability or a crisis nearby, it can echo here at home, the secretary of defense said.
• Ministry of Natl Defense questions US nuclear submarine collision PLA Daily 29 Oct 2021 -- The Chinese military urged the United States to provide a "thorough and satisfying" explanation for the recent nuclear submarine collision in the South China Sea, the Ministry of National Defense said on Thursday.
• Navy Hypersonic Rocket Motor Moves Closer to Flight Testing US Navy 29 Oct 2021 -- The Navy Strategic Systems Programs (SSP) successfully conducted a second test of the First Stage Solid Rocket Motor (SRM) on October 28, 2021, in Promontory, Utah, as part of the development of the Navy's Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) offensive hypersonic strike capability and the Army's Long Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW). The offensive weapon systems will enable precise and timely strike capability against deep inland targets in contested environments.
• USS Green Bay (LPD 20) Conducts Operations in South China Sea, Throughout Indo-Pacific US Navy 29 Oct 2021 -- The forward-deployed amphibious transport dock ship USS Green Bay (LPD 20) continues operations this fall in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific.
• USS Hershel "Woody" Williams Arrives in Seychelles US Navy 29 Oct 2021 -- The Expeditionary Sea Base USS Hershel "Woody" Williams (ESB-4) arrived in Port Victoria, Seychelles for a scheduled port visit, Oct. 29, 2021.
• U.S. Sixth Fleet, and Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO Staffs begin Operations in the Mediterranean and Black Seas US Navy 29 Oct 2021 -- U.S. Sixth Fleet (SIXTHFLT), and Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO (STRIKFORNATO) staff embarked SIXTHFLT command and control ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20), Oct. 29, 2021.
• Japan, U.S. form Surface Action Group in South China Sea US Navy 29 Oct 2021 -- Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) Murasame-class destroyer JS Yudachi (DD 103) and Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Jackson (LCS 6) operated bilaterally in the South China Sea.
• NATO Deputy Secretary General visits the Swiss Confederation NATO 29 Oct 2021 -- On 28-29 October 2021, the NATO Deputy Secretary General, Mr. Mircea Geoană, travelled to the Swiss Confederation.
• China-Russia joint naval drill enhances capability to counter threats, securing regional peace: spokesperson People's Daily 29 Oct 2021 -- The joint Chinese-Russian naval drill has enhanced the ability of both sides to counter security threats at sea and maintain regional security and peace, a Chinese military spokesperson told a press conference on Thursday.
• 15th India-Israel Joint Working Group meeting in Tel Aviv India PIB 29 Oct 2021 -- India-Israel Joint Working Group (JWG) on Bilateral Defence Cooperation has agreed to form a Task Force to formulate a comprehensive Ten-Year Roadmap to identify new areas of cooperation.
• DRDO & IAF jointly flight test Long-Range Bomb successfully India PIB 29 Oct 2021 -- Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Air Force (IAF) team jointly flight tested indigenously developed Long-Range Bomb (LRB) successfully from an aerial platform on October 29, 2021.
• LAUNCHING CEREMONY OF TUSHIL - P1135.6 FOLLOW ON FRIGATE (EX-RUSSIA) India PIB 29 Oct 2021 -- The 7th Indian Navy Frigate of P1135.6 class was launched on 28 Oct 2021 at Yantar Shipyard, Kaliningrad, Russia in presence of Shri D Bala Venkatesh Varma, Ambassador of India (Moscow) and senior dignitaries of the Russian Federation and officials of the Indian Navy. During the ceremony, the ship was formally named as 'Tushil' by Smt Datla Vidya Varma. Tushil is a Sanskrit word meaning Protector Shield.
• New era in fleet maintenance Australia DOD 29 Oct 2021 -- A call for tenders has been issued for a capability life-cycle manager (CLCM) to maintain Navy's Hobart-class destroyers.
• Australia: France's display of anger in submarine row partially related to domestic politics Press TV 29 Oct 2021 -- Australia's defense minister says French President Emmanuel Macron is playing to domestic political sensibilities by expressing sustained outrage in a recent submarine row with Canberra.
• Biden Acknowledges AUKUS Deal Rollout Was 'Clumsy' VOA 29 Oct 2021 -- U.S. President Joe Biden launched his whirlwind European diplomatic tour on a conciliatory note, saying Friday that the rollout of a security deal between the United States, Britain and Australia that cut out longtime ally France was "clumsy."
• Remarks by President Biden and President Macron of the French Republic Before Bilateral Meeting The White House 29 Oct 2021
• United States-France Joint Statement The White House 29 Oct 2021
• Remarks by President Biden Before Meeting with Prime Minister Draghi of the Italian Republic The White House 29 Oct 2021
• Readout of President Biden's Meeting with Prime Minister Mario Draghi of Italy The White House 29 Oct 2021
• Readout of President Biden's Meeting with President Sergio Mattarella of Italy The White House 29 Oct 2021
• Readout of President Biden's Meeting with Secretary of State Cardinal Parolin of the Holy See The White House 29 Oct 2021
• Briefing with Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Jose W. Fernandez And Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs Senior Bureau Official Matt Murray On the Recent Indo-Pacific Business Forum US Dept. of State 29 Oct 2021

Defense Industry

• Contracts For Oct. 29, 2021

Other Conflicts

• 29 October 2021 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 29 Oct 2021
• Taliban Takeover Spurs Central Asian Diplomatic Activity VOA 29 Oct 2021 -- Central Asian republics are stepping up their diplomatic activity in the face of the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, seeking to balance fears of increased extremist activity in the region against the risk of an economic collapse that could send refugees flooding across their borders.
• Rights Group Says Taliban Imposing Harsher 'Vice' Rules Than Publicly Announced RFE/RL Gandhara 29 Oct 2021 -- Human Rights Watch (HRW) says Taliban officials in Afghanistan's provinces are imposing even stricter rules than those announced by the group's leaders in Kabul, while often ignoring the meager rights protections they themselves had set out.
• Taliban Imposing 'Charity' Taxes On Farmers Who Need Aid RFE/RL Gandhara 29 Oct 2021 -- War, drought, and COVID have devastated farmers across Afghanistan. Now, Afghan farmers who've lost money trying to grow crops over the past year say the Taliban is dealing them another crippling blow.
• Taliban pushing to unlock billions in Afghan central bank reserves abroad Press TV 29 Oct 2021 -- The Taliban government in Afghanistan is pressing for the release of billions of dollars in Afghan central bank reserves overseas, which have been frozen since the group's takeover of the country.
• Turkish forces shell Syrian villages amid massive military buildup Press TV 29 Oct 2021 -- Turkish military forces have shelled two villages in Syria's northwestern province of Aleppo, only a few days after Ankara dispatched military and logistical equipment to northern amid mass protests against the presence of Turkish troops in the conflict-plagued Arab country.
• Ukraine's Zelenskiy Defends Drone Strike On Russia-Backed Separatists RFE/RL 29 Oct 2021 -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has defended the use of a Turkish-supplied armed drone to strike Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine, saying the military acted in self-defense and did not violate any agreements.
• The need for Mali's transitional authorities to deliver a timely return to constitutional rule UK FCDO 29 Oct 2021 -- Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the Security Council briefing on Mali.
• With crisis deepening in Mali, UN top envoy says 'all is not lost' UN News 29 Oct 2021 -- The UN Special Representative for Mali told the Security Council on Friday that despite collective efforts, "the reality is that the security situation has deteriorated and the crisis is deepening", across the northwest African nation.
• Cameroon Frustrated Over Lack of Progress on Separatist Crisis VOA 29 Oct 2021 -- New violence has wracked northwestern Cameroon, where the military said it killed some 40 separatist fighters over the past two weeks. The Catholic Church said some of those killed were civilians, and witnesses said many houses were burned to the ground.

News Reports

• Dutch National Faces Charges for Participation in Terror Financing Ring US Dept. of Justice 29 Oct 2021 -- After more than seven years of extradition proceedings in the Netherlands, a Dutch woman brought by the FBI to the United States yesterday made her initial appearance today in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia to face charges stemming from her alleged participation in a terrorist financing ring in support of the Somalia-based terrorist group al-Shabaab.
• ODNI Releases Declassified Assessment on COVID-19 Origins Director of National Intelligence 29 Oct 2021 -- The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) today issued its declassified assessment on the origins of COVID-19.
• WFP: Climate Change Risks Creating Global Tsunami of Hunger VOA 29 Oct 2021 -- The World Food Program says that without consolidated global action to stop the acceleration of climate change, the world faces a crisis of acute hunger.
• A Message to the Congress on the Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Sudan The White House 29 Oct 2021
• Notice on the Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Sudan The White House 29 Oct 2021
• US Urges Sudanese Military Leaders to Refrain From Violence During Protests VOA 29 Oct 2021 -- The United States urged the military leaders of Sudan's coup to refrain from "any and all violence" against peaceful protesters who are planning major demonstrations on Saturday.
• Ahead of Sudan protests, UN chief asks military to 'show restraint' UN News 29 Oct 2021 -- With mass civil protests against this week's military coup planned for Saturday in Sudan, the UN Secretary-General has a simple message: "I urge the military to show restraint, and not to create any more victims."
• UN Security Council demands restoration of civilian-led transitional gov't in Sudan People's Daily 29 Oct 2021 -- The Security Council on Thursday demanded the release of detained civilian leaders and the restoration of the civilian-led transitional government in Sudan.
• Sudan braces for mass protests, ousted PM 'offered chance to return' Press TV 29 Oct 2021 -- Anti-coup protesters in Sudan have planned mass demonstrations, and the coup leader has said the ousted prime minister has been offered a chance to return to power.
• US special envoy says met with Sudan's military chief one day before coup Press TV 29 Oct 2021 -- A senior US envoy says he met with Sudan's military leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan the day before the country's military seized power from a transitional government in an apparent coup d'état.
• Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova's reply to a media question about the functioning of Russian and US diplomatic missions Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 29 Oct 2021
• Moldova, Russia's Gazprom Extend Gas Contract After Dispute RFE/RL 29 Oct 2021 -- The Moldovan government and Russia's state-controlled Gazprom say they have agreed to extend a contract for Russian natural gas supplies from November 1, for a period of five years.
• EU Says Russia 'Weaponizing' Gas Against Moldova RFE/RL 29 Oct 2021 -- The European Union's top diplomat has said that Russia is weaponizing its natural-gas supply to bully Moldova, one of Europe's poorest nations, as a gas dispute between Moscow and Chisinau continues.
• The Week In Russia: 'Values' And The Virus RFE/RL 29 Oct 2021 -- As Russia's COVID crisis raged on, prompting lockdowns, paid holidays, and a mix of pleas and pressure for the populace to get vaccinated, President Vladimir Putin took aim at the West again. Meanwhile, the clampdown on Kremlin opponents, independent media, and civil society continued.
• Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov' video address to participants of the XVI Union of the Baltic Cities General Conference, Moscow, October 29, 2021 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 29 Oct 2021
• Moscow: US Demands That 55 More Russian Diplomats, Workers Leave Country Sputnik 29 Oct 2021 -- Washington demands that 55 more Russian diplomats and administrative and technical workers of the Russian embassy and consulates leave the United States in the coming months, the situation on the diplomatic "front" will worsen as a result, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.
• Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin's Regular Press Conference on October 29, 2021 PRC MofA 29 Oct 2021
• Uyghurs and Tibetans find little to celebrate in China's 50 years in the UN Radio Free Asia 29 Oct 2021 -- China's 50th anniversary of membership in the United Nations, celebrated this week with a speech by President Xi Jinping claiming that Beijing had "blazed a path in human rights development," has generated more despair than hope for Tibetans and Uyghurs on the receiving end of Chinese policies, advocates said.
• Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Tibet: Dialogue with UN Human Rights UK FCDO 29 Oct 2021 -- UK Statement at the Interactive Dialogue with Assistant Secretary General for Human Rights Ilze Brands Kehris
• US lawmakers vote to tighten restrictions on Huawei, ZTE Press TV 29 Oct 2021 -- The US Senate has voted unanimously to approve legislation to prevent companies such as Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd or ZTE Corp. from receiving new equipment licenses from US regulators.
• The US should provide a fair, just business environment for Chinese companies: FM Global Times 29 Oct 2021 -- The US should provide a fair, just, and non-discriminatory business environment for companies from various countries, including Chinese companies, to operate in the country, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Thursday, in responding to the FBI's raid to the Florida offices of the Chinese POS terminal maker PAX Global Technology.
• China Attempts to Block Cultural Events in Germany, Italy VOA 29 Oct 2021 -- Efforts by Chinese diplomats to stop cultural events deemed critical of the government in Beijing have met with mixed results in Europe, succeeding in Germany but being rebuffed by a city government in Italy.
• China tells regional satellite broadcasters to stop 'star-chasing' Radio Free Asia 29 Oct 2021 -- China's media regulators are clamping down on some of the country's most popular satellite TV channels, warning them not to air too many star-studded entertainment shows, while calling for more content lauding the achievements of the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) under Xi Jinping, state media reported on Friday.
• America is 'deepening' its ties with Chinese Taipei: US diplomat Press TV 29 Oct 2021 -- A top US diplomat has said the United States is "deepening" its ties with Chinese Taipei, despite China's warning to Washington against interfering in Taipei's affairs.
• Defying China, US signals military assistance to Taipei Press TV 29 Oct 2021 -- The United States says it is committed to assisting Chinese Taipei to defend itself in the face of a potential Chinese attack, in a move which China views a blatant instance of interference in its internal affairs.
• 'Think Twice': Taiwanese Foreign Minister Warns Countries About Being Too Dependent On China RFE/RL 29 Oct 2021 -- For countries in Europe and around the world that find themselves increasingly tied to China economically and politically, Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu has a simple warning: "They should think twice."
• US Reaffirms Taiwan Commitment VOA 29 Oct 2021 -- The top U.S. diplomat to Taiwan said Friday the United States has a commitment to help the self-ruled island provide for its self-defense as tensions intensify between Taiwan and mainland China.
• As Lithuania faces China intimidation, EU leaders vow to push back CNA 29 Oct 2021 -- Senior EU leaders have described a punitive Chinese campaign against Lithuania as unjustified, stating that a proposed Vilnius Taiwan representative office does not breach the bloc's One China policy.
• In debut press event, U.S. envoy reaffirms commitment to Taiwan CNA 29 Oct 2021 -- The de facto American ambassador to Taiwan has reaffirmed Washington's commitment to help Taipei defend itself, but offered few details on hot button bilateral issues in her first press conference since assuming office this summer.
• Secessionist's distorted claims a cover-up for plotting independence: Taiwan Affairs Office Global Times 29 Oct 2021 -- The Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council on Friday responded to accusations made by secessionist Chiu Tai-san in the island of Taiwan, saying it was another attempt to sell the "two country" theory and confuse black with white, with the aim of deceiving the Taiwan people and misleading the international community.
• Chinese PLA on high alert to safeguard national sovereignty: military spokesperson People's Daily 29 Oct 2021 -- The Chinese military is fully committed to its missions and responsibilities and remains on high alert to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, a military spokesperson said Thursday.
• Tsai's CNN interview exposes her stubborn "Taiwan independence" effort: mainland spokesperson People's Daily 29 Oct 2021 -- A recent interview with Tsai Ing-wen has once again exposed her and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authority's bigotry in seeking "Taiwan independence," a mainland spokesperson said Thursday.
• Taiwan's DPP authority slammed for lies, deception People's Daily 29 Oct 2021 -- A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Friday slammed the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authority in Taiwan for misleading people of the island and deceiving the international community.
• China's NPC opposes Czech senate's invitation to Taiwan official People's Daily 29 Oct 2021 -- The National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, on Thursday said it firmly opposes the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic inviting the head of the foreign affairs department of the Taiwan authorities to visit the country.
• Spokesman condemns new US sanctions on Iranian entities IRNA 29 Oct 2021 -- Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh condemned the US Treasury's latest sanctions on real and legal Iranian entities.
• Designation of Six Targets Involved in Iran's Destabilizing Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Activities US Dept. of State 29 Oct 2021 -- The United States will use every appropriate tool to counter Iran's malign influence and activities, including its proliferation of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV).
• Treasury Sanctions Network and Individuals in Connection with Iran's Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Program US Treasury 29 Oct 2021 -- Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated members of a network of companies and individuals that have provided critical support to the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) programs of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its expeditionary unit, the IRGC Qods Force (IRGC-QF).
• US Sanctions Individuals, Firms for Supporting Iran's Drone Program VOA 29 Oct 2021 -- The U.S. Treasury Department has sanctioned individuals and companies allegedly associated with a network of companies linked to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
• Countdown for resumption of JCPOA talks; reactions in US IRNA 29 Oct 2021 -- New administration in Tehran has declared a date for resuming of talks with the P4+1 group on the revival of the 2015 nuclear deal; so, the ball is now in the court of the Democrat administration in the US to show readiness for making concessions in order to revitalize diplomacy.
• Biden pursuing Trump's failed sanctions policy proves US unreliable: Iran Press TV 29 Oct 2021 -- Iran says the US Treasury Department's latest move to impose a fresh round of sanctions on Iranian natural and legal persons contradicts Washington's claim of seeking to return to the nuclear deal of 2015 and proves the White House is by no means reliable.
• Biden Set For G20 Summit, Meetings With Allies On Iran Nuclear Program RFE/RL 29 Oct 2021 -- U.S. President Joe Biden on October 29 opened a dense five-day European trip at the Vatican, where he and Pope Francis had an unusually long meeting during which they were set to discuss the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, and global poverty.
• Iran Hit With Yet Another Cyberattack Likely Conducted By Foreign Country RFE/RL 29 Oct 2021 -- Analysts say a cyberattack earlier this week that disrupted the sale of subsidized fuel in Iran appears to be the latest in a series of cyberstrikes between Tehran and its rivals.
• Myanmar's junta hands down long jail term to Suu Kyi's aide Press TV 29 Oct 2021 -- A junta-appointed court in Myanmar has handed down a 20-year jail sentence to Win Htein, a close aide to the country's ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
• Aide to Myanmar's Suu Kyi Sentenced to 20 Years for Treason VOA 29 Oct 2021 -- Myanmar media and family members said Friday a long-time colleague and fellow party member of the country's ousted leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, has been found guilty of treason and was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
• U.S. Says Belarus Forces Closure Of Embassy Aid Office RFE/RL 29 Oct 2021 -- The U.S. Embassy in Minsk said on October 29 that Belarusian authorities were "forcing the closure" of its humanitarian and outreach programs that have benefited thousands of people in the authoritarian country.
• Belarus Blocks Three News Sites In Latest Crackdown On 'Extremist' Media RFE/RL 29 Oct 2021 -- Belarusian authorities have blocked access to Germany's state-backed international broadcaster Deutsche Welle and Current Time, the Russian-language network run by RFE/RL in cooperation with VOA, amid an intensifying crackdown on the media and civil society following last year's disputed presidential election.
• Pakistan Beefs Up Security As Banned Islamist Group Resumes March On Capital RFE/RL Gandhara 29 Oct 2021 -- Paramilitary troops were deployed in the central Pakistani province of Punjab on October 29 to confront thousands of supporters of a banned Islamist party on a protest march toward the capital despite warnings from the government.
• Thousands of Islamists Travel Toward Pakistani Capital for Protest VOA 29 Oct 2021 -- Thousands of protesters from a banned Islamist group traveled toward Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, Friday in a bid to get their leader released from prison and force the government to expel the French ambassador.
• UK warns could board more French boats in fishing dispute Press TV 29 Oct 2021 -- The UK has warned France over the seizure of a British scallop dredger in French territorial waters, saying London could order the boarding of more French vessels in retaliation for the move.
• Europe Minister summons French Ambassador UK FCDO 29 Oct 2021 -- French Ambassador to the UK summoned to FCDO over threats made against the UK and Channel Islands
• Electricity transfer deal reached among Lebanon, Syria, Jordan Press TV 29 Oct 2021 -- A deal has been reached between Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan to help transfer electricity to Lebanon, which is suffering from acute energy and economic crises.
• Georgian PM Says Hunger-Striking Saakashvili Has 'Right To Commit Suicide' RFE/RL 29 Oct 2021 -- Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said jailed former President Mikheil Saakashvili, who has been on a hunger strike for almost a month, has a "right to commit suicide" amid concerns about his deteriorating health.