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Defense Policy / Programs

• DAF COVID-19 Statistics - Feb. 8, 2022 US Air Force 08 Feb 2022
• United States Releases Updated List of Critical and Emerging Technologies US Dept. of State 08 Feb 2022 -- The White House has released an updated list of Critical and Emerging Technologies ("CET List"), which will serve to inform a forthcoming strategy on U.S. technological competitiveness and national security.
• Deputy CIO for Information Enterprise Danielle Metz and DoD Chief Software Officer Jason Weiss Hold a Media Briefing on the DOD Software Modernization Strategy DoD 08 Feb 2022 -- Ms. Danielle Metz, Deputy CIO for Information Enterprise and Mr. Jason Weiss, DoD Chief Software Officer
• DOD Releases Software Modernization Strategy DoD News 08 Feb 2022 -- Defense Department officials briefed the news media on the department's Software Modernization Strategy, which was signed by Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen H. Hicks last week.
• Strengthening, Empowering the Acquisition Workforce Through Modernization DoD News 08 Feb 2022 -- As the Defense Department embraces a paradigm shift in current and future work environments, Pentagon leaders remain focused on cultivating human capital through new approaches to training, talent development and recruitment.
• Increasing Production Is Important for Hypersonics, Defense Official Says DoD News 08 Feb 2022 -- The Defense Department is working hard on developing both hypersonic offensive and defensive capabilities. But in the immediate future, one of the most important areas to be developed is increasing the capacity at which such systems can be produced, said Gillian Bussey, director of the Joint Hypersonics Transition Office.
• Artificial Intelligence, Autonomy Will Play Crucial Role in Warfare, General Says DoD News 08 Feb 2022 -- The use of autonomy and artificial intelligence will play an increasingly vital role in military operations in such places as the Middle East, where U.S. forces no longer have a sizeable military presence, an Army general said.
• U.S. Needs More Icebreakers for Arctic DoD News 08 Feb 2022 -- It's true that ice is melting in the Arctic, but this doesn't mean the U.S. no longer needs icebreaker ships to operate in the region. And right now, the U.S. needs more than what it currently has.
• Military Personnel Chiefs Discuss People Issues Before HASC Panel DoD News 08 Feb 2022 -- The U.S. military's No. 1 priority remains its people: service members, civilians, families and veterans, the five services' personnel chiefs told a House Armed Services Committee military personnel panel today.
• US Navy investigates leak of F-35 crash video Radio Free Asia 08 Feb 2022 -- The U.S. Navy is investigating the "unauthorized leak" of an official video showing the crash of an F-35C fighter jet on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier in the South China Sea last month, the Pentagon says.
• ACC's Agile Combat Employment just got more AGILE US Air Force 08 Feb 2022 -- Air Combat Command has made significant progress on a number of Agile Combat Employment initiatives, including the creation of an agile battle lab.
• USNS John Lewis Conducts Builder's Trials US Navy 08 Feb 2022 -- USNS John Lewis (T-AO 205), the Navy's lead ship of its new class of fleet replenishment oilers, conducted initial Builder's Trials and returned to port, Feb. 4.
• ABECSG's Air Wing of the Future Strengthens Joint Force during Indo-Pacific Exercise US Navy 08 Feb 2022 -- The USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group (ABECSG) participated in Exercise Noble Fusion, a joint and combined naval expeditionary exercise including multiple elements of the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force, alongside the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific, Feb. 3-7.
• USS Jason Dunham Visits Egypt US Navy 08 Feb 2022 -- Guided-missile destroyer USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109) completed a three-day port visit to Berenice, Egypt, Feb. 7.
• CNO Speaks with Media in Norfolk Aboard USS Mason US Navy 08 Feb 2022
• Statement by NSC Spokesperson Emily Horne on National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan's Call with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg The White House 08 Feb 2022
• NATO Deputy Secretary General to mark anniversary of NATO's enhanced Forward Presence in Lithuania NATO 08 Feb 2022 -- NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană began an official visit to Lithuania on Tuesday (8 February 2022) to mark the fifth anniversary of NATO's enhanced Forward Presence in the eastern part of the Alliance.
• Denmark Enhances Combat Readiness to Support NATO Amid Ukraine Tensions Sputnik 08 Feb 2022 -- The Danish government decided to enhance the combat readiness of the armed forces to support the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) amid increasing tensions with Russia over Ukraine, the Danish Ministry of Defence said on Tuesday.
• China Opposes NATO Expansion, Says It Does Not Help Global Security Sputnik 08 Feb 2022 -- President Xi Jinping previously signed a joint statement with Russian President Vladimir Putin, in which they urged the alliance to abandon "the ideologised approaches of the Cold War" and stop further expansion of the bloc.
• Regional security not guaranteed by strengthening or expanding military bloc: Chinese Mission to the EU responds to NATO remarks Global Times 08 Feb 2022 -- Regional security should not be guaranteed by strengthening or expanding a military bloc, the spokesperson of the Chinese Mission to the EU said in response to a question concerning the remarks by NATO Secretary General on China-Russia joint statement.
• Baltic States, Poland Increasingly Alarmed by Revanchist Russia VOA 08 Feb 2022 -- The former communist countries of eastern Europe are growing increasingly nervous about what they see as a revanchist Russia, with their governments carefully watching the Ukraine crisis for clues to where else Russian leader Vladimir Putin could stir trouble.
• Six Russian Warships Sailing From Mediterranean To Black Sea For Drills RFE/RL 08 Feb 2022 -- Russia says six warships from its navy are heading to the Black Sea from the Mediterranean to take part in military maneuvers amid heightened tensions with the West over Moscow's troop buildup on its border with Ukraine, which has raised fears of a possible invasion of the former Soviet republic.
• Russian warships transiting Black Sea straits for massive naval drills Press TV 08 Feb 2022 -- A Russian naval task force is reportedly heading from the Mediterranean to the Black Sea for maritime drills, amid a surge of tensions between Russia and the West over Ukraine.
• U.S. announces sale of Patriot missiles support deal to Taiwan CNA 08 Feb 2022 -- The United States government announced on Monday that it has approved the sale to Taiwan of equipment and services aimed at improving the island's missile defense system for an estimated cost of US$100 million.
• Taiwan thanks U.S. for approval of Patriot missile support package CNA 08 Feb 2022 -- Taiwan has thanked the United States after the Department of State approved the possible sale of equipment and services to Taiwan in support of its Patriot missiles program, a deal expected to be worth US$100 million.
• China vows to take powerful measures against US' latest arms sale to Taiwan island Global Times 08 Feb 2022 -- China on Tuesday vowed to take countermeasures after the US announced a plan to sell $100 million worth of Patriot missile upgrades to the island of Taiwan, which would be the first US arms sale to the island in 2022 and the second under the Biden administration.
• China condemns US weapons deal with Taipei, warns of counteract Press TV 08 Feb 2022 -- China has condemned the $100 million US arms sale to Chinese Taipei, warning that it "seriously" undermines peace and stability in the region.
• China Says US Should Cancel $100 Mln Deal on Weapons Supply to Taiwan Sputnik 08 Feb 2022 -- The US should cancel a $100 million deal on weapons supply to Taiwan, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian said on Tuesday, adding that China will take necessary actions to protect its sovereignty,
• Amberley hosts Japan Air Self-Defense Force Australia DOD 08 Feb 2022 -- RAAF Base Amberley is hosting a number of Japan Air Self-Defense Force aircraft, which are using the base to load and deliver humanitarian assistance and disaster relief supplies to the Kingdom of Tonga following the underwater volcano eruption.
• Australia's hasty nuclear submarine plan to be outpaced by China's development: experts Global Times 08 Feb 2022 -- In an attempt to contain China, Australian Defense Minister recently said that Australia could get the first nuclear submarine under the framework of AUKUS before 2038. However, Chinese military experts said on Tuesday that this delivery schedule is too hasty and China's rapid development during this period will outpace the Australian one.
• Iran's IRGC to Unveil New Domestically Developed Strategic Missile Sputnik 08 Feb 2022 -- The Islamic Republic has been actively upgrading and developing its defence industry in light of international sanctions that have long prevented the country from buying weapons abroad. The nation's missile programme has sparked numerous protests in the West, with Tehran, however, refusing to slash it, and insisting on its right to defend itself.
• UK considering sending fighter jets, warships to southeastern Europe Press TV 08 Feb 2022 -- Prime Minister Boris Johnson says Britain is considering deploying fighter jets and warships to Southeastern Europe, amid growing tensions between Moscow and the West over Ukraine.
• London Considers Deploying Fighters and Royal Navy to Protect Southeastern Europe Sputnik 08 Feb 2022 -- The UK is considering deploying Typhoon fighters and Royal Navy warships to protect southeastern Europe and reinforce the British battlegroup in Estonia, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said.
• Defence Secretary and Polish counterpart reaffirm commitment to European security UK MOD 08 Feb 2022 -- Ben Wallace met with Mariusz Błaszczak in London to discuss the NATO response to the unfolding crisis on Ukraine's border with Russia.
• UK Reportedly Losing Billions as It Struggles to Decommission Old Nuclear Submarines Sputnik 08 Feb 2022 -- The original estimates of spending needed to decommission these submarines were calculated based on less strict environmental standards and were also written for a larger defence budget.
• Jordan - Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (GMLRS) Alternate Warhead (AW) Unitary Rocket Pods DSCA 08 Feb 2022 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Jordan of Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (GMLRS) Alternate Warhead (AW) Unitary Rocket Pods and related equipment for an estimated cost of $70 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today.
• Secretary Blinken's Call with African Union Commission Chairperson Faki US Dept. of State 08 Feb 2022
• Secretary Antony J. Blinken Remarks to the Press En Route Melbourne, Australia US Dept. of State 08 Feb 2022
• Secretary Blinken's Call with Turkish Foreign Minister Cavusoglu US Dept. of State 08 Feb 2022
• Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jen Psaki, February 8, 2022 The White House 08 Feb 2022
• Department Press Briefing – February 8, 2022 US Dept. of State 08 Feb 2022

Defense Industry

• Contracts For Feb. 8, 2022

Other Conflicts

• 8 February 2022 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 08 Feb 2022
• Press release on the UN Security Council meeting on preventing the humanitarian and unintended consequences of sanctions Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 08 Feb 2022
• Taliban Delegation In Switzerland Seeking International Aid At Closed-Door Conference RFE/RL Gandhara 08 Feb 2022 -- A Taliban delegation is in Geneva for talks on humanitarian aid as representatives of Afghanistan's Taliban-led government take part in their second international aid conference this year hosted by a European country.
• Displacement, humanitarian needs surging inside Afghanistan and across region UN News 08 Feb 2022 -- Conflict last year had forced more than 700,000 Afghans to leave their homes and added to the 5.5 million people already displaced over past years, the UN migration agency said on Tuesday.
• US Steps Up Military Support to UAE After Yemen Houthi Attacks VOA 08 Feb 2022 -- The U.S. military is stepping up support to the United Arab Emirates after a series of missile and drone attacks launched by Yemen's Houthi rebels. U.S. General Frank McKenzie, head of the U.S. Central Command overseeing American forces in the Middle East, has been in the UAE to bolster defenses. Analysts say the attacks on the Gulf nation could hurt its reputation as a stable business and tourist hub with tough security.
• US military will work with the UAE to counter drone attacks: CENTCOM chief Press TV 08 Feb 2022 -- The US military commander for the West Asia region has revealed plans to boost the United Arab Emirates missile systems to fight neighboring countries.
• US to Deploy F-22 Jets in UAE, Move a Guided Missile Destroyer to Help Ward Off Threat From Houthis Sputnik 08 Feb 2022 -- The UAE is part of a Saudi Arabia-led military coalition which has waged a campaign against the Houthi militia in Yemen at the request by then-President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi. Riyadh and its allies have accused Iran of arming the Houthis, whereas Tehran says its support to the group is only political.
• IDF Claims Damascus Airstrikes in Response to Anti-Air Missile Fired Toward Israel Sputnik 08 Feb 2022 -- A Sputnik correspondent in Damascus, Syria, reported explosions over the city early on Wednesday morning. According to Syrian state media, air defense systems were engaging incoming projectiles.
• France's Macron Claims Progress in Ukraine-Russia Crisis, but Kyiv Remains Skeptical VOA 08 Feb 2022 -- French President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday there is an opportunity for further negotiations to de-escalate the crisis on the Ukraine-Russian border, after talks with his Ukrainian counterpart, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, in Kyiv.
• Macron Sees A Path Forward In Ukraine Crisis, But Says It May Take Months RFE/RL 08 Feb 2022 -- French President Emmanuel Macron has indicated that - while resolving the standoff over Moscow's troop buildup near the border with Ukraine could take months - there is room for progress after he held talks with both the Russian and Ukrainian leaders.
• Macron Says Talks With Putin Helped Avoid Further Escalation on Ukraine Issue Sputnik 08 Feb 2022 -- The French president arrived in Moscow on Monday to meet his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in order to discuss Russia-EU and Russia-NATO relations amid the crisis in Ukraine.
• Macron: Resolution of Ukraine crisis may 'take time' as security guarantee row persists Press TV 08 Feb 2022 -- French President Emmanuel Macron says the resolution of the Ukraine crisis may take months, after he held talks with Moscow and Kiev over the escalating tensions between the two sides.
• Macron: It Could Take Months to Resolve Ukraine Crisis VOA 08 Feb 2022 -- French President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday it could take months to resolve the crisis stemming from Russia massing 130,000 troops along its border with Ukraine.
• If Russia invades Ukraine, Nord Stream 2 will be suspended: Biden Press TV 08 Feb 2022 -- US President Joe Biden has said that a Russian invasion of Ukraine would lead to the suspension of the Nord Stream 2 project in northern Europe.
• Biden reaffirms Nord Stream 2 won't advance if Russia invades Ukraine People's Daily 08 Feb 2022 -- U.S. President Joe Biden reaffirmed Monday that a joint gas pipeline project between Germany and Russia won't advance if Russia invades Ukraine, stopping short of explaining how it will be achieved if Germany has reservations for that decision as a deterrence against Moscow.
• NGO: International community must start talks for 3rd-country Rohingya resettlement Radio Free Asia 08 Feb 2022 -- Bangladesh should boost security in Rohingya camps, allow refugees to work and pursue education, and begin cooperation with the international community to resettle the stateless minority from Myanmar in a third country, a U.K.-based NGO said in a report released Tuesday.
• Junta omits key stakeholders from Myanmar Union Day peace talks Radio Free Asia 08 Feb 2022 -- The Myanmar military junta invited ethnic armies to a ceremony celebrating a key date in the country's founding, but important stakeholders have been barred from attending and observers say the move will do little to further a long-stalled peace process.
• Pakistani Taliban Allegedly 'Training' Baloch Militants in Terrorist Camps Along Afghanistan Border Sputnik 08 Feb 2022 -- Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief of the Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa paid a visit to Balochistan province on Tuesday, days after two deadly terrorist strikes at different military bases killed nine soldiers. The terrorist raids on 2 February have been claimed by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA).
• China firmly supports Argentina's legitimate claim of sovereignty over the Malvinas Islands Global Times 08 Feb 2022 -- Both the Chinese Foreign Ministry and the Chinese Embassy in the UK have stated that China's position on the issue of the Malvinas Islands is consistent, and that China firmly supports Argentina's legitimate claim to exercise full sovereignty over the Malvinas Islands.
• China Steps Up Pressure on UK to Relinquish Control Over Falklands, Citing UN Charter Sputnik 08 Feb 2022 -- The spat between China and the UK erupted after Beijing announced support for Buenos Aires' territorial claim over Britain's Falkland Islands. The South American country signed agreements to allow China-funded development projects under the Belt and Road Initiative on 6 February.
• UN chief 'encouraged' by engagement between Israeli and Palestinian officials UN News 08 Feb 2022 -- UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Tuesday that he is encouraged by the recent engagement between senior Israeli and Palestinian officials.
• Promoting Sustainable Peace and Responsive Governance in Somalia US Dept. of State 08 Feb 2022 -- The best path toward sustainable peace in Somalia is through the rapid conclusion of credible elections. The United States has repeatedly expressed concern over the delays and procedural irregularities in Somalia's electoral process and the broader implications of those irregularities for the country's democracy and stability.
• Mali's PM Accuses France of 'De Facto Partition'; Says Operation Barkhane Helped Terrorists Regroup Sputnik 08 Feb 2022 -- Malian Prime Minister Choguel Kokalla Maïga has renewed his accusation that the French intervention in his country helped terrorist groups in the north to regroup, further deepening the row between Mali and its former colonial ruler.
• Mali's Prime Minister Accuses France, Europe of Seeking to Divide Country VOA 08 Feb 2022 -- Mali's interim prime minister has accused France of using its military mission there against Islamist militants to divide the African country.
• UN rights office warns of risk of further attacks on displaced camps in DR Congo UN News 08 Feb 2022 -- Authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) must ensure civilian protection in the wake of recent deadly raids on camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs), the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said on Tuesday.
• UN Warns of More Ethnic Violence in Eastern DRC VOA 08 Feb 2022 -- The U.N. human rights office says it fears heightened tension between Hema herders and Lendu farmers in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo may erupt into more violence following last week's deadly attacks.

News Reports

• Two Arrested for Alleged Conspiracy to Launder $4.5 Billion in Stolen Cryptocurrency US Dept. of Justice 08 Feb 2022 -- Two individuals were arrested this morning in Manhattan for an alleged conspiracy to launder cryptocurrency that was stolen during the 2016 hack of Bitfinex, a virtual currency exchange, presently valued at approximately $4.5 billion. Thus far, law enforcement has seized over $3.6 billion in cryptocurrency linked to that hack.
• Cameroon Culls Birds, Erects Barrier Against Bird Flu Outbreak VOA 08 Feb 2022 -- Cameroonian authorities have erected sanitary barriers around poultry farms in the western city of Bafoussam after an outbreak of the highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu. Authorities say a "huge" number of birds have died while farmers say they've been forced to cull thousands of chickens.
• News conference following Russian-French talks President of Russia 08 Feb 2022 -- President of Russia Vladimir Putin:
• Statement by Amb. Alexander Lukashevich, Permanent Representative Of The Russian Federation To The OSCE, At The High-Level Inauguration Meeting Of The Renewed OSCE European Security Dialogue, Vienna, February 8, 2022 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 08 Feb 2022
• Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian's Regular Press Conference on February 8, 2022 PRC MofA 08 Feb 2022
• 'Iron Brothers': Pakistan's Khan Joins World Leaders In Capitalizing On In-Person Diplomacy At Olympics RFE/RL Gandhara 08 Feb 2022 -- After not holding in-person meetings with foreign leaders for two years due to the coronavirus pandemic, Chinese President Xi Jinping engaged in a flurry of face-to-face diplomacy on the sidelines of the Winter Olympics as China looked to project its rising global status.
• Media Freedom Coalition Statement on Closure of Media Outlets in Hong Kong US Dept. of State 08 Feb 2022 -- "The undersigned members of the Media Freedom Coalition express their deep concern at the Hong Kong and mainland Chinese authorities' attacks on freedom of the press and their suppression of independent local media in Hong Kong."
• No one should use press freedom as a shield to undermine natl security in HK: central govt authority Global Times 08 Feb 2022 -- Any attempt to interfere with Hong Kong affairs and exert pressure in the name of press freedom is doomed to failure and the historical trend of Hong Kong's transition from chaos to prosperity is irreversible, the Office of the Commissioner of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in Hong Kong said on Tuesday, in response to a statement from the so-called media freedom coalition, which slandered Hong Kong's press freedom and smeared the HKSAR government's law enforcement activities.
• China opposes U.S. bill with negative China content: spokesperson People's Daily 08 Feb 2022 -- China voiced firm opposition on Monday to a U.S. bill containing negative content related to China, urging the U.S. side to view China's development and China-U.S. relations in an objective and rational way.
• Movement to Lower Taiwan's Voting Age to 18 Gains Momentum VOA 08 Feb 2022 -- At age 18, Taiwanese can live independently, get married, stand trial as an adult, and even get called up to serve in the military — but they cannot vote in presidential and legislative elections. A quarter of a century after democratization, Taiwan's national voting age has remained at 20 despite years of discussion and slow changes designed to enfranchise 18-year-olds.
• UN's North Korean human rights official to visit Seoul next week Radio Free Asia 08 Feb 2022 -- A U.N. official will return to South Korea for the seventh time next week to collect data on right abuses north of the 38th parallel in preparation for an annual report.
• North Korea's ambitious 10,000-home construction project already behind schedule Radio Free Asia 08 Feb 2022 -- North Korea has not met leader Kim Jong Un's ambitious plan to build 10,000 homes in the capital Pyongyang by the end of 2021, leaving many residents there in a state of housing limbo, sources in the country told RFA.
• Report on State Budget at 6th Session of 14th Supreme People's Assembly of DPRK KCNA 08 Feb 2022 -- Deputy Ko Jong Bom, minister of Finance, made a report on the fulfillment of the state budget for Juche 110 (2021) and on the state budget for Juche 111 (2022) at the 6th Session of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK.
• Report on Cabinet's Work Made to 6th Session of 14th SPA KCNA 08 Feb 2022 -- Deputy Kim Tok Hun, premier of the DPRK Cabinet, made a report on the work of the Cabinet at the 6th session of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly (SPA).
• 6th Session of 14th Supreme People's Assembly of DPRK Held KCNA 08 Feb 2022 -- The 6th Session of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) took place at the Mansudae Assembly Hall from Feb. 6 to 7.
• AEOI chief: Iran atomic scientists break US monopoly, indigenize electron accelerators IRNA 08 Feb 2022 -- Vice President and Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Mohammad Eslami announced that the Iranian scientists have domestically manufactured electron accelerators.
• Shamkhani: Sustainable economic benefits from JCPOA like illusion without effective lifting of sanctions IRNA 08 Feb 2022 -- Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani said on Tuesday that "without effective lifting of sanctions, sustainable economic benefits from JCPOA are like an illusion".
• Western side should make serious, effective decisions on removal of sanctions in Vienna talks: Iran FM ISNA 08 Feb 2022 -- Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and member of China's State Council and the country's Foreign Minister Wang Yi, in a telephone conversation, have exchanged views on bilateral ties, the process of the nuclear negotiations in Vienna and international developments.
• Iran won't leave its economy to JCPOA's fate: President Raisi ISNA 08 Feb 2022 -- Referring to the United States' violation of its promise in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Iranian President stated, "If the sanctions are lifted, the ground is ready for an agreement, and Iran has shown that it is living up to its commitments".
• Iran, P4+1 group of countries resume sanctions removal talks in Vienna after short break Press TV 08 Feb 2022 -- The eighth round of talks between senior representatives of Iran and the P4+1 group of countries on the revival of the 2015 deal has resumed in the Austrian capital of Vienna after a 10-day break.
• Iran Talks To Resume In Vienna As Tehran Demands Canceling Of U.S. Sanctions RFE/RL 08 Feb 2022 -- Talks to revive a landmark nuclear agreement between world powers and Iran are set to resume in Vienna on February 8 amid warnings from Tehran that the removal of U.S. sanctions was the "red line" to put the deal back on track.
• Iran urges 'serious' decision by West, 'meaningful' US departure from failed policies Press TV 08 Feb 2022 -- Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian says the Western signatories of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), must make an effective and serious decision to remove the entire anti-Iran sanctions that violate the landmark agreement.
• Indian Space Agency Successfully Decommissions Communication Satellite to Avoid Collision Sputnik 08 Feb 2022 -- Space debris has become a real concern for space exploration agencies worldwide. According to estimates, there are 7,200 artificial satellites in total orbiting Earth and 27,000 pieces of man-made debris caught in orbit.
• Midterm Test for Modi as India's Most Populous State Prepares for Polls VOA 08 Feb 2022 -- In the narrow lanes and courtyards of village homes in a lush sugarcane growing belt in India's Uttar Pradesh state, there are animated debates over which party should govern the country's most populous state.
• US intervention: Washington calls for urgent political reform after top legal body dissolved Press TV 08 Feb 2022 -- The United States has expressed its concern about Tunisian President Kais Saied's decision to dissolve the country's main legal watchdog, the Supreme Judicial Council, and to stop judges from having access to their offices.
• Severe drought threatens 13 million with hunger in Horn of Africa UN News 08 Feb 2022 -- An estimated 13 million people are waking up severely hungry every day in the Horn of Africa, as the region grapples with a major drought caused by the driest conditions since 1981, the World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Tuesday.
• Horn of Africa Facing Climate-induced Emergency VOA 08 Feb 2022 -- The UN children's fund, UNICEF, warns the Horn of Africa is facing a climate-induced emergency and says the international community must act now to prevent a catastrophic loss of life and livelihoods.