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Defense Policy / Programs

• Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby Holds a Press Briefing DoD 10 Jan 2022
• DOD Awards Contracts to Purchase COVID-19 Antigen Over-the-Counter Test Kits in Support of POTUS' 500 Million Free At-Home COVID-19 Tests DoD 10 Jan 2022 -- This weekend, the Department of Defense (DoD), in coordination with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), awarded contracts to Atlantic Trading, LLC (Austin, Texas) and Medea Inc. (Pleasanton, California), purchasing a combined total of 27 million over-the-counter COVID-19 test kits. This effort supports the president's plan to deliver 500 million free at-home COVID-19 tests to the nation in response to the Omicron variant.
• Pentagon Moves to Health Protection Condition Charlie DoD News 10 Jan 2022 -- Due to recent increases in COVID-19 positivity case numbers, the Defense Department headquarters has moved to Health Protection Condition Charlie, Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby said during a briefing today.
• Rights experts condemn 'unrelenting human rights violations' at Guantánamo Bay UN News 10 Jan 2022 -- A group of independent human rights experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council has condemned the continued operation of the Guantánamo Bay detention facility in Cuba as a site of "unparalleled notoriety" and "a stain on the US Government's commitment to the rule of law".
• DOD Launches New University Consortium for Cybersecurity DoD News 10 Jan 2022 -- Senior cyber leaders from across the Defense Department, and beyond, recently gathered at Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, to mark the establishment of a new effort.
• Idaho ANG A-10, Marine F-35 pilots train together US Air Force 10 Jan 2022 -- The Idaho Air National Guard welcomed U.S. Marines from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 225, who fly the F-35B Lightning II, to Gowen Field Jan. 7-9.
• NATO 'prepared for the worst' amid tensions with Russia, says alliance chief Press TV 10 Jan 2022 -- NATO has warned Moscow to brace for conflict with the US-led military alliance if it does not abandon its "belligerent foreign policy" and cooperate with the West amid soaring tensions.
• Denmark Set to Send 4 Fighter Jets, Frigate to Baltic States Sputnik 10 Jan 2022 -- Copenhagen is planning to send four F-16 interceptors and a frigate to the Baltic States to support NATO, which sees the threat of a real military conflict in Europe, Danish Defense Minister Trine Bramsen said on Monday.
• Sweden Does Not Intend to Join NATO, Change Foreign Policy Direction Sputnik 10 Jan 2022 -- Sweden has no plans to change its foreign policy and become a member of NATO, but will continue its partnership with the military alliance, Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said on Monday.
• 'We'll Never Compromise' on NATO Open-Door Membership Policy, Stoltenberg Says Ahead of Russia Talks Sputnik 10 Jan 2022 -- Earlier, Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said that forthcoming talks between Russia and the US on strategic stability should generally be about the impossibility of Ukraine joining NATO.
• NATO-Ukraine Commission meets at the start of "an important week for European security" NATO 10 Jan 2022 -- Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, Olga Stefanishyna, to NATO Headquarters on Monday (10 January 2022) for a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission, focused on Russia's continued military build-up.
• US, Russia Hold 'Frank and Forthright' First Day of Talks Amid Ukraine Tensions VOA 10 Jan 2022 -- The U.S. and Russia have launched "frank and forthright" discussions aimed at de-escalating tensions between the two powers as Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to station an estimated 100,000 troops along the Ukrainian border, the White House said Monday.
• Russian deputy FM: No progress made on Ukraine's NATO membership in US talks Press TV 10 Jan 2022 -- Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov says there has been no substantial progress with regard to the ban on Ukraine's membership in NATO during talks with his American counterpart.
• US threatens Russia with 'financial sanctions' and other 'costs' over Ukraine after Geneva talks Press TV 10 Jan 2022 -- The US State Department has said the US and Russia have a better understanding of each other's concerns following a meeting between the two sides in the Swiss city of Geneva, but again threatened Moscow with "financial sanctions" and other "costs" if it launches any military action in neighboring Ukraine.
• US, Russia Hold 'Frank and Forthright' First Day of Talks Amid Ukraine Tensions VOA 10 Jan 2022 -- The U.S. and Russia have launched "frank and forthright" discussions aimed at de-escalating tensions between the two powers as Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to station an estimated 100,000 troops along the Ukrainian border, the White House said Monday.
• US, Russia hold high-stake talks on Ukraine as NATO warns of 'severe costs' if Ukraine attacked Press TV 10 Jan 2022 -- Top US and Russian officials have held high-stake talks aimed at easing tensions over Ukraine amid warnings by NATO that Russia would face "severe costs" if it launched an attack on its former Soviet neighbor.
• What Will Russia's Putin Settle For in Ukraine Talks? VOA 10 Jan 2022 -- Western policymakers remain as puzzled now as their counterparts were on the eve of the Cold War 40 years ago about Russia's geopolitical intentions.
• NATO Must Reject Military Buildup of Its Eastern Members, Russia Says After Security Talks Sputnik 10 Jan 2022 -- Senior Russian diplomats led by Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov met with their US counterparts in Geneva, Switzerland on Monday to discuss a pair of Russian security proposals laid out in mid-December outlining ways to considerably ease tensions between Moscow and the Western bloc.
• Deputy Secretary Sherman's Participation in an Extraordinary Session of the Strategic Stability Dialogue with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov US Dept. of State 10 Jan 2022
• Briefing with Deputy Secretary Wendy R. Sherman on the U.S.-Russia Strategic Stability Dialogue US Dept. of State 10 Jan 2022
• US-Russia talks, 10 January 2022: FCDO statement UK FCDO 10 Jan 2022 -- A spokesperson gave a Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office statement on the US-Russia talks held in Geneva on 10 January 2022.
• PLA Navy's 2nd Type 055 large destroyer holds New Year drills, 'forms operational capability' Global Times 10 Jan 2022 -- The Lhasa, the second Type 055 10,000 ton-class large destroyer of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, has been holding intensive maritime drills since the start of 2022, with experts saying on Monday that the warship has formed operational capability and is expected to join important missions this year.
• Taiwan showcases new warships in display of deterrence to China Radio Free Asia 10 Jan 2022 -- Taiwan has showcased some of its indigenous-built warships at an event designed to send a message of deterrence to China, local officials and analysts said.
• US, Partners Condemn North Korea Missile Launch VOA 10 Jan 2022 -- The United States and five allies issued a united condemnation Monday of North Korea's January 5 ballistic missile launch.
• North Korea Launches Another Missile, in Second Test of New Year VOA 10 Jan 2022 -- North Korea launched another suspected ballistic missile, South Korea and Japan reported Tuesday, in what is Pyongyang's second major weapons test of the new year.
• North Korea Fires Unidentified Projectile Toward East Sea in Latest Launch - South Korean JCS Sputnik 10 Jan 2022 -- North Korea has maintained a unilateral moratorium on testing long-range ballistic missiles since April 2018, but tested a variety of other shorter-range weapons it says aren't barred by United Nations resolutions.
• Statement by NSC Spokesperson Emily Horne on National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan's Call with Ibrahim Kalin, Spokesperson and Chief Advisor to the President of Turkey The White House 10 Jan 2022
• Readout of Vice President Kamala Harris's Call with President Alejandro Giammattei of Guatemala The White House 10 Jan 2022
• Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki, January 10, 2022 The White House 10 Jan 2022
• Department Press Briefing – January 10, 2022 US Dept. of State 10 Jan 2022

Defense Industry

• Contracts For Jan. 10, 2022

Other Conflicts

• 10 January 2022 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 10 Jan 2022
• Preserve right of asylum, UN refugee agency urges EU Council presidencies UN News 10 Jan 2022 -- Amid record global displacement, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, on Monday urged European countries to prioritize the better protection of people fleeing war, conflict and persecution.
• Taliban Promise Safety for Resistance Leaders Including Ahmad Massoud as They Meet in Tehran Sputnik 10 Jan 2022 -- Ahmad Shah Massoud Jr, ethnic Tajik and son of legendary military commander Ahmad Shah Massoud, arrived in Iran last November to meet the Afghan resistance forces' leader and former Afghan cabinet minister Ismail Khan. Massoud was the last leader to leave Afghanistan after leading the anti-Taliban resistance for a few weeks.
• Taliban Claims It Has Met With Resistance Leaders In Tehran RFE/RL Gandhara 10 Jan 2022 -- The Taliban-led government in Afghanistan says a delegation led by acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi has met with resistance leaders Ahmad Massud and Ismail Khan in Iran.
• Taliban Religious Police Erect Banners Ordering Women To Wear Islamic Hijab RFE/RL Gandhara 10 Jan 2022 -- The Taliban's religious police have erected banners in Kabul that order women to wear the Islamic hijab.
• Iran Hosts Crucial Meeting Involving Afghan Rivals VOA 10 Jan 2022 -- Afghanistan's Taliban confirmed Monday their senior delegates met in neighboring Iran with self-exiled key Afghan opposition leaders to urge them to end resistance to the Islamist group's nascent rule and assure them of security if they return home.
• Iran FM: Yemen's future must be determined by nation itself through intra-Yemeni talks Press TV 10 Jan 2022 -- Iran's foreign minister says the future outlook of the war-torn Yemen must be determined by the country's own people through talks among all Yemeni groups.
• Top Yemeni official warns Saudi-led coalition against any 'uncalculated stupidity' in Hudaydah Press TV 10 Jan 2022 -- A top Yemeni army official has warned that any attack by the Saudi Arabia against the ports of Hudaydah would have serious consequences in the region as it would push Sana'a to adopt a new military strategy that would target the aggressors and their supporters.
• Report: Pakistani Taliban's spokesman killed in Afghanistan Press TV 10 Jan 2022 -- The Pakistani Taliban's spokesman has reportedly been killed in Afghanistan after spending some eight years on the run from the Pakistani army's crackdown on the group.
• Bangladesh: Second fire in a week tears through vast Rohingya refugee camp UN News 10 Jan 2022 -- Teams from UN migration agency IOM were mobilized on Sunday after fire swept through a refugee camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, home to thousands of Rohingya who have fled violence in neighbouring Myanmar.
• China destroys second revered Tibetan statue in Sichuan Radio Free Asia 10 Jan 2022 -- RFA has verified the destruction of a second Buddhist statue revered by Tibetans since late last month in western China's Sichuan province, part of an campaign the ethnic minority says is targeting its religion and traditions.
• Scores of civilians dead, UN chief condemns 'appalling' attacks in Nigeria UN News 10 Jan 2022 -- The Secretary-General, António Guterres, strongly condemned on Monday the "appalling" attacks perpetrated over the weekend in Nigeria's Zamfara State in which scores of civilians were killed.
• Readout of President Biden's Call with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia The White House 10 Jan 2022
• Background Press Call by a Senior Administration Official on Ethiopia The White House 10 Jan 2022
• Guterres calls for end to conflict in Ethiopia after deadly attacks UN News 10 Jan 2022 -- The Secretary-General, António Guterres, said on Monday he was deeply saddened by reports that more than 50 civilians were killed and injured in an airstrike in northern Ethiopia, last Friday.
• Aid Agencies Cease Operations in Tigray Area Hit by Deadly Strike VOA 10 Jan 2022 -- Aid agencies have ceased operations in a northwest area of Ethiopia's Tigray region, near the border with Eritrea, after an air strike there late Friday killed scores of civilians displaced by the conflict.
• Biden Voices Concerns About Ethiopia Fighting in Call to Prime Minister VOA 10 Jan 2022 -- U.S. President Joe Biden spoke with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Monday, expressing his concern about ongoing hostilities in the country and recent airstrikes that killed dozens of civilians in the Tigray region.
• Secretary Blinken's Call with Brazilian Foreign Minister França US Dept. of State 10 Jan 2022

News Reports

• US Cyber Officials Bracing for 'Log4j' Vulnerability Fallout VOA 10 Jan 2022 -- U.S. cybersecurity officials are still sounding an alarm about the so-called Log4j software vulnerability more than a month after it was first discovered, warning some criminals and nation state adversaries may be waiting to make use of their newfound access to critical systems.
• Session of CSTO Collective Security Council President of Russia 10 Jan 2022 -- Vladimir Putin took part in an emergency session of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation Collective Security Council.
• Kazakhstan's President Describes Protests as Coup Attempt VOA 10 Jan 2022 -- Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said Monday that his country had weathered an attempted coup coordinated by what he called "a single center" after the most violent unrest since the former Soviet Republic gained independence.
• Kazakh President Says Week Of Deadly Unrest Was 'Attempted Coup,' Without Citing Evidence RFE/RL 10 Jan 2022 -- Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev has blamed "a single center" for trying to seize power in the oil-rich Central Asian state in recent unrest as a Russian-led military alliance met for talks to update the situation around a wave of deadly public unrest sparked by a fuel price hike last week that shook the region.
• Foreign Militants From Afghanistan, Mideast Countries Took Part in Kazakhstan Riots, Tokayev Says Sputnik 10 Jan 2022 -- The Kazakh President believes that aggression against his country was intended to form a "zone of controlled chaos" with subsequent seizure of power.
• Kazakhstan Has Weathered an Attempted Coup D'Etat, President Tokayev Says at CSTO Summit Sputnik 10 Jan 2022 -- Speaking at an extraordinary session of the CSTO Collective Security Council, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said on Monday that the recent unrest in the Central Asian country had been prepared for a long time.
• 'Hybrid Terrorist Attack' Carried Out in Kazakhstan With Aim of Coup, State Secretary Says Sputnik 10 Jan 2022 -- The State Secretary of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Erlan Karin, says that the unrest in Kazakhstan was a "hybrid terrorist" attack carried out with the participation of both internal and external forces and aimed at overthrowing the government.
• Putin says Russia-led alliance will foil foreign plots to stoke unrest in Kazakhstan Press TV 10 Jan 2022 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin says the recent protests in Kazakhstan was stoked by virulent internal and external forces, insisting that the Russia-led military alliance would not permit them to destabilize the country.
• 'Gross Misuse': UN Helmets Worn By Kazakh Troops During Crackdown RFE/RL 10 Jan 2022 -- Photos of soldiers in Almaty wearing UN peacekeeping helmets spark confusion, and a response from the United Nations.
• CSTO Peacekeepers to Leave Kazakhstan at First Request, Once Situation Stabilizes, Ministry Says Sputnik 10 Jan 2022 -- The peacekeeping contingent of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) sent to Kazakhstan to help protect vital facilities amid mass riots will leave the country once the situation stabilizes, the Kazakh Foreign Ministry informs.
• Firm support from China to Kazakhstan to end violence and unrest: Chinese FM to counterpart Global Times 10 Jan 2022 -- China firmly supports Kazakhstan's move to end violence in the country and safeguard security, and is willing to jointly oppose interference and infiltration by any external forces, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said during a phone call with Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi on Monday.
• China firmly supports Kazakhstan in maintaining stability, stopping violence: FM People's Daily 10 Jan 2022 -- As a permanent comprehensive strategic partner of Kazakhstan, China is willing to firmly support Kazakhstan in maintaining stability and stopping violence at this critical moment concerning Kazakhstan's future, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Monday.
• Danish Military Intelligence Head in Custody Over Leak of Classified Information, Reports Say Sputnik 10 Jan 2022 -- The head of the Danish Defence Intelligence Service (DDIS), Lars Findsen, has been put under arrest on a court order following allegation that the agency violated privacy laws and withheld information, Danish state-owned broadcaster TV 2 reported on Monday.
• Will The Crisis In Kazakhstan Affect Putin's Plans For Ukraine? RFE/RL 10 Jan 2022 -- Russia's military intervention in Kazakhstan to support the country's embattled regime was an effort by Moscow to help head off a popular revolt attempting to unseat a friendly autocrat in a neighboring country.
• Putin: No More Color Revolutions VOA 10 Jan 2022 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin said Monday he will not allow governments allied with Moscow to be toppled in so-called "color revolutions," a reference to the series of popular uprisings that have shaken former Soviet republics.
• Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin's Regular Press Conference on January 10, 2022 PRC MofA 10 Jan 2022
• PRC Sanctions on U.S. Officials US Dept. of State 10 Jan 2022 -- The People's Republic of China's (PRC) sanctions last month on four U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) commissioners, including Chair Nadine Maenza, Vice Chair Nury Turkel, and Commissioners Anurima Bhargava and James W. Carr, constitute yet another PRC affront against universal rights. The PRC has previously sanctioned three other current or former USCIRF commissioners, in addition to dozens of current or former U.S. officials and organizations promoting democracy and respect for human rights around the world - all of which are without merit. We remain undeterred by these actions, and we stand in solidarity with USCIRF and its staff. The United States is committed to defending human rights around the world and will continue to use all diplomatic and economic tools to promote accountability.
• HK separatist Edward Leung reportedly to be released early next week; 'to receive more severe punishment if violates law again' Global Times 10 Jan 2022 -- Jailed Hong Kong separatist Edward Leung will reportedly be released early on January 19 for good behavior. Among social concerns as to whether he would continue to conduct separatist activities, damaging the hard-earned stability of Hong Kong, observers noted that the only and best way for him is to abide by the law and social discipline, otherwise he would receive more severe punishment.
• Armed police chief of staff in Xinjiang takes command of PLA HK Garrison, to 'focus on countering terrorism' Global Times 10 Jan 2022 -- Chinese People's Armed Police Force (PAP) Major General Peng Jingtang has been named the new commander of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Garrison in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to help safeguard the stability and prosperity of the city, as he is the first Garrison commander hailing from the Armed Police Force - and the first to have experience in fighting terrorism in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
• China appoints new commander of PLA HK Garrison PLA Daily 10 Jan 2022 -- Major General Peng Jingtang, former deputy chief of staff of the People's Armed Police Force (PAP), has been appointed as the commander of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Hong Kong Garrison, according to the news released by Colonel Wu Tao, spokesperson for the PLA Hong Kong Garrison, on January 9.
• China appoints chief of Xinjiang's Armed Police Force to Hong Kong Radio Free Asia 10 Jan 2022 -- China has chosen an official who led antiterrorism special forces in its far-western Xinjiang region as the new commander of the People's Liberation Army's garrison in Hong Kong, sparking concerns that Beijing will crackdown even harder on the region.
• Iran's clear-cut proposals on negotiating table IRNA 10 Jan 2022 -- Negotiating teams from Iran, the European Union, and the P4+1 (Britain, France, Russia, China plus Germany) hold consecutive and long meetings in Vienna, Austria, to discuss the revival of the 2015 nuclear deal and removal of anti-Iran sanctions in an atmosphere that the Iranian delegation put forward clear-cut suggestions; then, the ball is on other sides' court to show seriousness in dealing with Tehran's propositions.
• Intensive sanctions removal talks between Iran, P4+1 delegates underway in Vienna Press TV 10 Jan 2022 -- Iran and the five remaining parties to the 2015 deal have continued intensive diplomatic talks in the Austrian capital aimed at securing the removal of all sanctions that the United States imposed on Tehran following the former's unilateral withdrawal from the agreement three years after its conclusion.
• Iran to Hold New Round of Talks With Saudi Arabia in Iraq, Foreign Ministry Says Sputnik 10 Jan 2022 -- Iran and Saudi Arabia will soon hold the fifth round of negotiations in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad to resolve existing differences between the countries, the spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Saeed Khatibzadeh, said on Monday.
• S.Korea obliged to pay its debts regardless of JCPOA: Khatibzadeh ISNA 10 Jan 2022 -- Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh stressed that Tehran is seeking to reach a stable and reliable agreement and there is no agreement without two components on the negotiating team's agenda.
• Myanmar military court sentences Aung San Suu Kyi to another 4 years in jail Radio Free Asia 10 Jan 2022 -- A military court sentenced deposed Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi to four years in prison Monday for the illegal possession of walkie-talkies and breaking Covid-19 rules, raising to six years the jail time imposed on her in closed-door proceedings, sources familiar with the trial said.
• Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi Sentenced to Another 4 Years in Prison, Reports Say Sputnik 10 Jan 2022 -- Former Myanmar State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi has been sentenced to another four years in prison, CNN reported on Monday, citing a source.
• Myanmar Court Sentences Suu Kyi on 'Walkie-Talkies,' COVID-19 Violations VOA 10 Jan 2022 -- Myanmar's ousted de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been convicted and sentenced to four years in prison for illegally importing and possessing portable two-way radios and violating coronavirus rules.
• Cambodia PM Hun Sen's visit to Myanmar benefits junta, not people: Analysts Radio Free Asia 10 Jan 2022 -- Hun Sen's visit to Myanmar will do little to help the country's people amid an ongoing political crisis that has led to hundreds of civilian deaths and thousands of arrests, analysts said Monday.
• Analyst: ASEAN Must Not Allow Burmese Junta Officials to Attend Meetings Radio Free Asia 10 Jan 2022 -- ASEAN's commitment to retain its integrity in the face of Cambodia's dalliance with the Burmese junta will be tested at an upcoming in-person meeting of the bloc's foreign ministers, analysts said Monday.
• Bark But Little Bite? Sanctions Don't Appear To Put Brakes On Trade Between EU And Belarus RFE/RL 10 Jan 2022 -- While Lithuania is one of the harshest critics of hard-line leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka, the small Baltic state continues to cash in on trade with Belarus -- along with other EU nations and companies, despite several rounds of Western sanctions.
• Norwegian Fertilizer Producer To Phase Out Belarusian Potash Imports Due To Sanctions RFE/RL 10 Jan 2022 -- Norwegian chemical firm Yara International has announced it is gradually reducing its imports of potash fertilizer from Belarus as a result of international sanctions on the regime of authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka.
• Kremlin-Allied Ukrainian Lawmaker Medvedchuk's House Arrest Extended RFE/RL 10 Jan 2022 -- A Kyiv court has extended the house arrest of Kremlin-friendly tycoon and politician Viktor Medvedchuk, who is being held under suspicion of treason.
• UN top envoy: Resurgence of coups d'état, consequence of being 'completely out of step' UN News 10 Jan 2022 -- After a recent wave of attempts and coups d'état in Central African Republic, Mali, Sudan and Guinea, The UN Special Representative for the region told the Security Council on Monday this resurgence, particularly in West Africa, "is often the consequence of political practices that are completely out of step with the aspirations of the populations."
• UN initiates talks to resolve post-coup crisis in Sudan Press TV 10 Jan 2022 -- The UN special representative in Sudan says consultations are to start aimed at salvaging a fragile democratic transition and resolving a political crisis triggered by the 2021 military coup.
• US Announces More Sanctions on Nicaraguan Officials VOA 10 Jan 2022 -- The U.S. and European Union on Monday announced sanctions on six Nicaraguan officials for what the Biden administration called "fraudulent national elections orchestrated by their regime in November, further consolidating their control of power to the detriment of the Nicaraguan people."
• Holding Accountable Nicaraguan Agents of Repression US Dept. of State 10 Jan 2022 -- In concert with democracies in the international community, the United States will continue to call out the Ortega-Murillo regime's ongoing abuses and will deploy diplomatic and economic tools to support the restoration of democracy and respect for human rights in Nicaragua. To that end, the Department of State is taking steps to impose visa restrictions on 116 individuals complicit in undermining democracy in Nicaragua, including mayors, prosecutors, university administrators, as well as police, prison, and military officials.
• Treasury Sanctions Six Nicaraguan Officials Ahead of Ortega-Murillo Sham Inauguration US Treasury 10 Jan 2022 -- Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated six officials of the Government of Nicaragua pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13851. President Daniel Ortega and Vice President Rosario Murillo are scheduled to be inaugurated today following fraudulent national elections orchestrated by their regime in November, further consolidating their control of power to the detriment of the Nicaraguan people.
• On Ortega's inauguration day, US, EU hit Nicaraguan officials with sanctions Press TV 10 Jan 2022 -- The United States and the European Union have imposed new sanctions on a number of Nicaraguan officials over what they claimed to be "sham elections" in the Latin American country.
• US Sanctions 116 Ortega Admin Figures for 'Undermining' Nicaragua's Democracy on Inauguration Day Sputnik 10 Jan 2022 -- The Biden administration announced on Monday it had levied sanctions against scores of Nicaraguan officials, calling it a defense of democracy and human rights in the country. Washington rejected the Central American nation's recent elections because incumbent President Daniel Ortega, a socialist, won.
• UK statement on Nicaragua: Presidential inauguration UK FCDO 10 Jan 2022 -- FCDO Minister Ford has made a statement on Nicaragua in light of the Presidential inauguration on 10 January 2022.
• Bulgaria Wants 'Real Results' On 2017 Treaty Before Lifting Veto On Skopje's EU Membership Talks RFE/RL 10 Jan 2022 -- Bulgaria's President Rumen Radev said on January 10 that officials in Sofia want "real results" from Skopje toward the conditions of a 2017 treaty on good relations before they drop their opposition to North Macedonia's European Union membership talks.
• Mali Closes Borders After ECOWAS Sanctions for Delayed Polls VOA 10 Jan 2022 -- Mali's military government on Monday responded to West African sanctions by closing its borders and withdrawing ambassadors from nations imposing the penalties. Regional bloc ECOWAS imposed the new sanctions Sunday, after Mali's military leaders postponed promised February elections.
• ECOWAS Action on Mali US Dept. of State 10 Jan 2022 -- The United States commends the strong actions taken by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in defense of democracy and stability in Mali following its Extraordinary Summit on January 9, 2022.
• Building social cohesion, good governance and open, inclusive societies in West Africa and the Sahel. UK FCDO 10 Jan 2022 -- Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the Security Council meeting on the peace consolidation in West Africa.
• Somali Leaders Urged to Implement New Elections Agreement VOA 10 Jan 2022 -- Somali leaders have agreed to conclude the long-delayed parliamentary and presidential elections by February 25. Somalia's international partners on Monday welcomed the deal but a political stand-off between the president and prime minister has some Somalis still skeptical.