Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Two U.S. warships sail through Taiwan Strait CNA 28 Aug 2022 -- Two U.S. warships sailed through international waters in the Taiwan Strait early Sunday to show Washington's "commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific," the 7th Fleet under the U.S. Pacific Command said in a statement.
• US Navy warships enter Taiwan Strait amid tension with China Press TV 28 Aug 2022 -- Two US Navy warships have entered the Taiwan Strait in what is America's first such naval transit since a controversial visit by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to the self-declared island increased tension.
• US' old warships sailing through Taiwan Straits can't deter PLA at all, only confirms US' hostility toward China's reunification Global Times 28 Aug 2022 -- The US on Sunday, more than 20 days after the PLA's massive military drills encircled Taiwan island to respond to the provocative visit by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to the island, sent two Ticonderoga-class cruisers to sail through Taiwan Straits, with the PLA announcing that the entire passage of the US warships have been monitored and everything is under control.
• PLA on high alert over two US warships through the Taiwan Straits, ready to thwart any provocation: spokesperson Global Times 28 Aug 2022 -- The PLA Eastern Theater Command is monitoring the entire passage of the USS Antietam and USS Chancellorsville through the Taiwan Straits and has everything under control. Troops remain on high alert, ready to thwart any provocation: spokesperson
• PLA Eastern Theater Command spokesperson remarks on US warships' transit through Taiwan Strait PLA Daily 28 Aug 2022 -- The USS Antietam and the USS Chancellorsville, two US guided-missile cruisers, sailed through the Taiwan Strait on August 28 and hyped it up publicly. The Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) conducted security tracking and monitoring of the US warships' passage in the whole course, and had all movements of the two US warships under control, said Senior Colonel Shi Yi, spokesperson for the PLA Eastern Theater Command, in a written statement released on Sunday.
• China Puts Military on Alert After US Warships Sail Through Taiwan Strait Sputnik 28 Aug 2022 -- Beijing has reportedly slammed the US Navy's "freedom of navigation" missions in the Taiwan Strait as provocations, which the Chinese government claims ride roughshod over China's territorial integrity.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Special Briefing via Telephone with Lt. Gen. Alexus G. Grynkewich AFCENT Commander US Dept. of State 28 Aug 2022
• US to develop laser weapons to target Russian, Chinese hypersonic missiles Press TV 28 Aug 2022 -- Chief of US Naval Operations Admiral Mike Gilday has announced the Navy's efforts to develop so-called directed energy systems as a possible defense against hypersonic missiles already in the arsenal of Chinese and Russian militaries.
• US-Japan Firing Exercise Begins in Kyushu, Reports Say Sputnik 28 Aug 2022 -- A joint US-Japan military exercise with firing training kicked off on Sunday in the Kumamoto prefecture in the Kyushu island, Japanese media reported.
• Statement on Russian obstruction of the nuclear treaty conference Australia MFA 28 Aug 2022 -- The Australian Government is deeply disappointed that the tenth Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) did not reach a consensus outcome, despite the urgency of the international security environment.
• U.S. Says Non-Proliferation Treaty Strong Despite Russia's 'Cynical Obstructionism' RFE/RL 28 Aug 2022 -- The United States said the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) remains strong despite Russia's "cynical obstructionism" after Moscow blocked the adoption of the final document of a monthlong review of the UN pact, complaining it was "blatantly political in nature."
• Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Remains Strong Despite Russian Obstructionism US Dept. of State 28 Aug 2022 -- After weeks of intensive but productive negotiations, the Russian Federation alone decided to block consensus on a final document at the conclusion of the Tenth Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
• YU-20 tanker aircraft already deployed for China-Russia joint aerial strategic patrol: PLA Air Force spokesperson Global Times 28 Aug 2022 -- New generation military aircraft such as the YU-20 aerial tanker and J-16 fighter jets have been deployed in the China-Russia joint aerial strategic patrol, said Senior Colonel Shen Jinke, a spokesperson for the PLA Air Force, in response to a question from the Global Times concerning the YU-20's flight path at a press conference for the PLA Air Force's open day event in Changchun, Northeast China's Jilin Province on Sunday.
• British undersea mine-hunter drones go to Ukraine Press TV 28 Aug 2022 -- The United Kingdom will provide Ukraine with underwater drones to help detect and clear Russian mines in off-shore waters.
• UK to Reportedly Run Out of Arms and Funds for Ukraine by End of 2022 Sputnik 28 Aug 2022 -- Whoever the incoming prime minister might be, they face a tough choice between stopping to help Kiev or drawing more from the already stressed budget amid Brits' financial woes, The Times said citing anonymous sources.
• German Foreign Minister Says Berlin Wants to 'Help' Ukraine, But Is Out of Weapons Sputnik 28 Aug 2022 -- Germany holds fourth place in the list of military hardware donors to Ukraine with around $1.7 billion spent. Like other western countries, Berlin claims to be helping end the conflict, but the Kremlin has repeatedly pointed out that weapon shipments only embolden Kiev to ignore any diplomatic solution.
• Iran unveils 4 new defense achievements IRNA 28 Aug 2022 -- Iran's Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics unveiled four new achievements at the Defense Industry Week exhibition.
• Iranian Military Unveils New Precision Drone and Point Defense System Sputnik 28 Aug 2022 -- The Islamic Republic previously revealed its advanced tech capabilities in major military drills that featured 150 new drones. The exercises were held amid Joe Biden's visit to the Middle East last month.
• Qatar Gets First Batch of Eurofighter Typhoon Aircraft From UK - Reports Sputnik 28 Aug 2022 -- The first shipment of 24 Eurofighter Typhoon combat aircraft has arrived in Qatar from the United Kingdom, the Qatar News Agency (QNA) reports.

Defense Industry

Other Conflicts

Ukraine Conflict News
• EU's Borrell: Taliban Rulers Show No Signs Of Moderation In Afghanistan RFE/RL Gandhara 28 Aug 2022 -- The Taliban rulers of Afghanistan have shown no signs of moderation since taking over the country a year ago and the situation for people in the country remains "dire," the EU's top diplomat said in an analysis on the European Commission website.
• Taliban Claim US Drones Use Pakistan Airspace to Invade Afghanistan VOA 28 Aug 2022 -- The Taliban defense minister Sunday directly accused neighboring Pakistan of allowing the United States to use its airspace for drone attacks against Afghanistan.
• Taliban Claims Pakistan Allowed U.S. Drones To Use Its Airspace RFE/RL Gandhara 28 Aug 2022 -- The Taliban's defense minister has claimed that Pakistan allowed U.S. drones to use its airspace to access Afghanistan, a charge Pakistan recently denied following a U.S. air strike in Kabul.
• Taliban call US drone flights over Afghanistan 'act of aggression', warn of consequences Press TV 28 Aug 2022 -- Afghanistan's Taliban have condemned as an "act of aggression" the overflights conducted by US drones in the country's skies, warning of consequences if Washington fails to stop such flights.
• Taliban accuse Pakistan of allowing deadly US drones to use its airspace Press TV 28 Aug 2022 -- Taliban's acting Defense Minister Mullah Yaqoob says that Pakistan is allowing deadly US drones to use its airspace to enter Afghanistan.
• Taliban Urges Pakistan to Stop Letting US Drones Violate Afghanistan's Airspace Sputnik 28 Aug 2022 -- Local media reports increased drone activity in Afghanistan's Helmand and Kandahar provinces over the past few days. It is reported that the US has stepped up efforts to target Al-Qaeda and ISIS-K in the landlocked nation, which has been under Taliban control since August 2021.
• Israeli airstrike destroys missile depot in central Syria People's Daily 28 Aug 2022 -- Israel's Thursday missile strike in central Syria destroyed a major weapon depot containing Iranian-developed missiles, a war monitor reported on Saturday.
• Iran backs political dialogue, peaceful solutions to stop clashes in Libya: Foreign Ministry Press TV 28 Aug 2022 -- Iran says it supports political dialogue and peaceful solutions as the best means to end the ongoing bloody fighting across Libya's capital, stressing the importance of stopping the clashes as soon as possible.
• How Dbeibeh and Bashagha's Rivalry Risks Regressing Libya to Civil War Era Sputnik 28 Aug 2022 -- Around 32 people have died and another 159 have been injured in the Libyan capital Tripoli amid protests which erupted on August 26 between the supporters of the head of the Government of National Unity Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh and Prime Minister-designate Fathi Bashagha.
• Death Toll From Tripoli Clashes Reaches 32, Number of Injured at 159 Sputnik 28 Aug 2022 -- The death toll from the clashes between rival groups vying for power in the Libyan capital of Tripoli increased to 32 people, while the number of injured reached 159 people, the country's health ministry said on Sunday.
• FCDO Ministerial statement on violence in Tripoli, Libya UK FCDO 28 Aug 2022 -- FCDO Minister of State Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon comments on the violence in Tripoli, Libya, on Saturday 27 August.
• 12 killed, 87 injured in Libya's Tripoli clashes: ministry People's Daily 28 Aug 2022 -- Twelves people were killed and 87 others injured in the ongoing clashes in the Libyan capital Tripoli, the country's Health Ministry said on Saturday.
• Death toll hits as deadly clashes continue in Libya Press TV 28 Aug 2022 -- The death toll from deadly clashes between rival governments' supporters in Libya's capital has climbed to 23, sparking fears that the country could submerge deeper into yet another cycle of incessant violence.
• Turkish F-16s Were Reportedly 'Radar Locked' by Greek S-300 in Crete During Routine Flight Sputnik 28 Aug 2022 -- The Turkish security sources called out the hypocrisy of some of the NATO member-states who opposed Ankara's purchase of S-400 missile systems from Russia, but do not criticize Greece's use of Russian S-300 systems to target Turkish jets.
• No: 270, 28 August 2022, Press Release Regarding the Agreement Between Kosovo and Serbia on Border Crossings With ID Cards Republic of Turkey Ministry of Foreign Affairs 28 Aug 2022
• Al-Shabab Militants Issue New Threats Against Kenya VOA 28 Aug 2022 -- Somali-based, al-Qaida-affiliated Islamist militant group al-Shabab has issued a new threat against neighboring Kenya. The group said it will continue its attacks in that country as long as Kenyan troops are in Somalia.

News Reports

• US spy agency threaten Turkish businessmen over Russia trade Press TV 28 Aug 2022 -- Local offices of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in Turkey have "openly" threatened Turkish businessmen for trading with Russia while snooping into their real estate deals over concerns about possible evasion of US-led sanctions against Moscow, local news outlets reported.
• Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's interview with Zvezda television channel for a documentary covering the Non-Aligned Movement, Moscow, August 28, 2022 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 28 Aug 2022
• EU Ministers Reportedly Set To Back Suspension Of 2007 Visa-Facilitation Deal With Moscow RFE/RL 28 Aug 2022 -- European Union ministers are set this week to support the suspension of a 2007 agreement with Moscow that gave preferential treatment to visa requests by Russians, the Financial Times reports, citing anonymous officials involved with the talks.
• US paints Russia, China as rivals with new ambassadorial post for Arctic, brings conflicts to peaceful North Pole Global Times 28 Aug 2022 -- Eyeing the intensifying geopolitical wrestling with Russia in the Arctic as global warming has accelerated ice melt, making the place strategically important for increasing military and civilian presence, the US plans to create a position of the ambassador-at-large for the Arctic as the US-led military alliance NATO hyped Russia and China's interests in the region.
• China's State Council assigns task forces to major economic provinces to oversee local pro-stabilization policy implementation Global Times 29 Aug 2022 -- The State Council, China's cabinet, has assigned task forces to some major economic provinces to oversee local implementation of wide-ranging policies to stabilize the economy, as the country is tuning up regional economic powerhouses to fuel growth momentum through a flurry of targeted measures.
• Taiwanese Defense Ministry Says China Deployed 8 Ships and 23 Planes Near Island Sputnik 28 Aug 2022 -- Eight ships of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), as well as 23 planes, have been detected near Taiwan, the defense ministry said on Sunday.
• Army fires warning flares at Chinese drone spotted in Kinmen CNA 28 Aug 2022 -- Taiwan's army has fired warning flares after a Chinese drone was spotted over a small island in Kinmen County, rekindling the debate about how the military should deal with intrusions by drones in Taiwan's airspace.
• China trip was made to help Taiwanese people: KMT vice chair CNA 28 Aug 2022 -- Opposition Kuomintang (KMT) Vice Chairman Andrew Hsia (夏立言) said his recently concluded 17-day trip to China was aimed at looking after the needs of Taiwanese people based in the country, following his return to Taiwan Saturday.
• President Kim Il Sung's Immortal Feats in Development of Juche-oriented Naval Force KCNA 28 Aug 2022 -- President Kim Il Sung 's immortal feats in the development of the Juche-oriented naval force were recorded in the course of proud victory covered by the Navy of the Korean People's Army.
• Iran will respond to US after expert summing up IRNA 28 Aug 2022 -- Spokesman of Iran's Foreign Ministry Nasser Kanaani said here on Sunday that Iran will give the US response at the earliest time after summing up expert meetings.
• 'Iran's review of US response to EU nuclear deal text underway, will conclude by weekend' Press TV 28 Aug 2022 -- An expert review of the response that Iran has received from the United States to Tehran's amendments to the EU nuclear deal text is underway, and will conclude by the weekend.
• Mossad Chief to Reportedly Visit US as Israel Looks to Kill New Iran Nuclear Deal Sputnik 28 Aug 2022 -- Tel Aviv has historically opposed the Iran nuclear deal, claiming that it allows Tehran to arm its "proxy" groups without preventing it from developing nuclear weapons, which Iran says it has no intention of developing.
• Statement by PM Yair Lapid to the Foreign Media Israel - Prime Minister 28 Aug 2022
• In Myanmar, Vietnamese firms learn the political risks of backing the junta Radio Free Asia 28 Aug 2022 -- Vietnamese firms are confronting political risk from overseas investments as the price of doing business with Myanmar's brutal military regime, a less predictable partner than the authoritarians they are accustomed to.
• Monsoon Flooding In Pakistan Leaves More Than 1,000 Dead RFE/RL Gandhara 28 Aug 2022 -- More than 1,000 people have died as a result of monsoon flooding in Pakistan since June, officials said on August 28.
• Death toll rises to 1,000 as torrential rains wreak havoc in Pakistan People's Daily 28 Aug 2022 -- The death toll in separate accidents caused by heavy rains across Pakistan has surged to 1,000 since the start of monsoon season on June 14, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said on Saturday night.
• Imran Khan Vows to Hold Rallies in Face of Floods and War as Ex-Pakistani PM Faces Contempt Charges Sputnik 28 Aug 2022 -- Pakistan's former prime minister Imran Khan, who continues to hold massive rallies across the country, is facing allegations ranging from foreign funding to treason in different courts. In April, Khan was ousted from power in a parliamentary no-confidence vote, a process he considers part of a US conspiracy.