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Defense Policy / Programs

• Pentagon awards $7.8 billion F-35 contract modification to Lockheed Martin Press TV 30 Dec 2022 -- The US Defense Department has awarded a $7.8 billion contract modification for F-35 aircraft to Lockheed Martin Corp.
• US Reportedly Mulling Sending Bradley Fighting Vehicles to Ukraine in Future Aid Package Sputnik 30 Dec 2022 -- The United States is considering including Bradley Fighting Vehicles in a future US military assistance package for Ukraine, Bloomberg reported on Thursday.
• UK Sends Counter Explosive Ordnance Equipment to Ukraine: Defense Ministry Sputnik 30 Dec 2022 -- The United Kingdom has delivered over 1,000 metal detectors and 100 bomb demining kits to Ukraine as a part of the latest military aid package in 2022, the country's defense ministry said on Friday.
• UK military support for Ukraine continues with delivery of counter explosive ordnance equipment UK MOD 30 Dec 2022 -- Hundreds of metal detectors and bomb de-arming kits have been donated to help clear minefields and unexploded ordnance as part of the latest package.
• Tsai visits Penghu military sites following record nearby PLA activity CNA 30 Dec 2022 -- President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Friday visited several military bases on the island county of Penghu in the wake of record Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) activity in the vicinity of Taiwan.
• Chinese military slams US arms sales to Taiwan PLA Daily 30 Dec 2022 -- "China has always been firmly opposed to the US arms sales to China's Taiwan region. The US's move is a serious violation of the one-China principle and the provisions in the three China-US joint communiqués, especially the August 17 Joint Communique of 1982," said Senior Colonel Tan Kefei, spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense, in a statement released on Friday.
• China to US: Stop selling arms to Taiwan Press TV 30 Dec 2022 -- China has called on the US to stop holding talks with military officials from Taiwan and to refrain from selling weapons to the self-ruled island.
• Chinese Foreign Ministry Urges US to Stop Arms Sales to Taiwan Sputnik 30 Dec 2022 -- The United States should stop the sale of arms to Taiwan and cut military ties with the island, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Friday.
• Funding bill giving loan to Taiwan to buy arms signed into law CNA 30 Dec 2022 -- United States President Joe Biden on Thursday signed into law a U.S. government funding bill for 2023 that includes provisions to authorize US$2 billion in loans to Taiwan to buy weapons from the U.S.
• North Korea Launches Three Short-Range Ballistic Missiles Toward Sea of Japan - S. Korean Military Sputnik 30 Dec 2022 -- The launch comes days after five drones purported to be from North Korea violated South Korea's airspace and prompted Seoul to undertake precautionary military drills. South Korean aircraft had failed to intercept the drones.
• North Korea Ends 2022 With 1 More Missile Launch VOA 30 Dec 2022 -- North Korea capped off its record year of missile tests by sending three more ballistic missiles into the sea off its east coast Saturday, according to South Korea's military.
• Indian Coast Guard Concludes Maiden Contract for 10 Multicopter (VTOL) Drones India PIB 30 Dec 2022 -- In a major boost to Marine Surveillance and Interdiction capabilities, the Indian Coast Guard has concluded maiden contract for 10 multicopter (VTOL) drones in consonance with Government of India's policy of embracing Drone Technology.
• World recognizes India as military power to be reckoned with, says Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh during Tirthdanam Mahotasva in Kerala India PIB 30 Dec 2022 -- Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh said that the World today recognizes India as military power to be reckoned with, due to the Government's pitching in for 'Self-reliant India" which is based on ''Prosperity through industry" preaching of Shri Narayan Guru of Sivgiri Mutt.
• Successful beaching operation of personnel carrier & tanks in Zolfaqar-1401 IRNA 30 Dec 2022 -- The Spokesman of Iranian Army's 'Zolfaqar-1401' war games announced the successful implementation of the beaching operation with tanks and armored personnel carriers.
• Zulfaqar 1401 drills: Iran Army units exercise coastal defense in Sea of Oman Press TV 30 Dec 2022 -- Various units of Iran's Navy exercised defending the country's southern coasts early on Friday to mark the start of Zulfaqar 1400 military drills in the Sea of Oman.
• Top General terms power of Iran's armed forces as devastating IRNA 30 Dec 2022 -- Commander of Khatam-al Anbiya Central Headquarters, Major General Gholamali Rashid, sating that the combined power of Iran's armed forces is devastating against the enemy, warned that any country that cooperates with the Zionist regime to threaten Iran's national security, will be targeted by Iran's armed forces.
• Commander: Air defense units fully prepared to safeguard Iran IRNA 30 Dec 2022 -- Commander of Southern Iran Air Defense Region said on Thursday that Air Defense Units are fully prepared to safeguard the country's entire borders around the clock.

Defense Industry

• Contracts For Dec. 30, 2022

Other Conflicts

Ukraine Conflict News
• The Azadi Briefing: Taliban's NGO Ban Could Put Millions Of Afghans At Risk RFE/RL 30 Dec 2022
• Security Remains at Top of China's Afghanistan Policy VOA 30 Dec 2022 -- Security concerns continue to dominate China's policy toward Afghanistan more than a year after the United States and NATO pulled out of the Central Asian country.
• Taliban's Reversion to Sharia-Based Public Punishments Dominated VOA 30 Dec 2022 -- The Taliban have consolidated power and overseen an enormous improvement in security across Afghanistan this year. At the same time, the Islamist rulers have failed to gain formal international recognition and sanctions relief by refusing to remove restrictions on women's freedoms to public life and education.
• Taliban Hold Firm to Ban on Afghan Female Aid Workers VOA 30 Dec 2022 -- The Taliban leadership in Afghanistan remained unmoved Friday by relentless global calls to remove a ban on women humanitarian workers, insisting their Islamic law or Shariah-based governance mandates it.
• UN committed to delivering aid to Afghanistan despite Taliban bans on women Press TV 30 Dec 2022 -- The United Nations and its partners have reaffirmed their commitment to delivering aid and services to Afghanistan despite the de-facto Taliban government's decision barring women from working in humanitarian NGOs.
• Chinese aircraft carrier nears US territory of Guam Radio Free Asia 30 Dec 2022 -- The Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning made a rare approach to the U.S. island territory of Guam in what a Chinese newspaper interpreted as a warning to the U.S. over Taiwan.
• In act of piracy, Saudi Arabia seizes 4 fuel ships bound for Yemen's Hudaydah Press TV 30 Dec 2022 -- The Yemen Petroleum Company (YPC) says the Saudi-led coalition has confiscated 4 fuel ships and prevented them from reaching the Red Sea port of Hudaydah, a lifeline for millions of Yemenis which has been tightly controlled by Saudi Arabia.
• Ten workers killed in militant attack near oil field in Syria's Dayr al-Zawr Press TV 30 Dec 2022 -- Nearly a dozen workers were killed in Syria's northeastern province of Dayr al-Zawr after militants attacked three buses transporting the workers in an oil-rich area controlled by the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
• 46 Malaysia-Bound Rohingya Refugees Make It to Thailand VOA 30 Dec 2022 -- Following reports over the past weeks of dozens of Rohingya refugees being feared drowned after having jumped into the sea from their boats, it appears now that at least 46 have made it to Thailand this week.
• Bosnian Prosecutor Indicts Almost 20 For War Crimes RFE/RL 30 Dec 2022 -- The Prosecutor-General's Office of Bosnia-Herzegovina has indicted more than a dozen people for crimes against the civilian population and against prisoners of war committed during the violent breakup of Yugoslavia.
• Fighting Between M23 & Rival Groups Reportedly Breaks Out in Eastern DR Congo Sputnik 30 Dec 2022 -- Last week, M23 rebels started to pull out from previously-seized territories in the eastern part of Democratic Republic of the Congo, manifesting support of the peace process organized by the East African Community (EAC). However, stability and peace are yet to be established in the region.
• Eritrea Withdrawing Troops From Ethiopia's Rebel Region of Tigray - Reports Sputnik 30 Dec 2022 -- Eritrean troops are leaving major cities in Ethiopia's northern region of Tigray, ruled by the rebel Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), Western media reported on Friday, citing sources.
• Eritrean Forces Begin Withdrawal as Ethiopia, Tigray Peace Agreement Holds VOA 30 Dec 2022 -- Witnesses in the towns of Axum and Shire, in Ethiopia's Tigray region, say some Eritrean forces withdrew Friday. It is unclear when the Eritrean troops will completely withdraw to their borders.

News Reports

• New Regulatory Asset Structure of Russian National Wealth Fund Approved Sputnik 30 Dec 2022 -- A new regulatory asset structure of the Russian National Wealth Fund (NWF) that completely excludes the possibility of investing in US dollars has been approved, the Russian Finance Ministry said on Friday.
• New Year greetings to foreign heads of state and government President of Russia 30 Dec 2022 -- Vladimir Putin sent Christmas and New Year greetings to foreign heads of state and government.
• Russia-China talks President of Russia 30 Dec 2022 -- Vladimir Putin met with President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping, via videoconference.
• Putin speaks to Xi, calls for deepening military cooperation with China Press TV 30 Dec 2022 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has told his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping that Moscow is keen to ramp up its military cooperation with Beijing as part of joint efforts to counter Western interventions in the region.
• Putin Says Russia-China Trade Will Grow by 25% by End of 2022 Despite Intimidation by West Sputnik 30 Dec 2022 -- Despite the intimidation by some Western countries, trade between Russia and China will grow by about 25% by the end of 2022, and the $200 billion level will be reached ahead of schedule, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday.
• Xi addresses 2023 New Year gathering of China's top political advisory body Global Times 30 Dec 2022 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday addressed a gathering organized by the country's top political advisory body to ring in the year of 2023.Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday addressed a gathering organized by the country's top political advisory body to ring in the year of 2023.
• Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin's Regular Press Conference on December 30, 2022 PRC MofA 30 Dec 2022
• China appoints Qin Gang as new foreign minister Global Times 30 Dec 2022 -- Qin Gang, incumbent Chinese Ambassador to the US, was appointed as the new Chinese foreign minister, according to a decision made by the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee on Friday.
• China Launches WTO Dispute Over US Chip Export Controls VOA 30 Dec 2022 -- Capping a year of increasing tension between Washington and Beijing over advanced chips used in everything from smartphones to weapons of mass destruction, China has initiated a trade dispute at the World Trade Organization (WTO) against the United States for imposing wide-ranging semiconductor export controls on China.
• President Xi Jinping Had a Virtual Meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin PRC MofA 30 Dec 2022 -- On the afternoon of 30 December, President Xi Jinping had a virtual meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing.
• Xi, Putin meet via video link; bilateral ties show 'solid foundation to withstand tests' Global Times 30 Dec 2022 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday met with Russian President Vladimir Putin via video link. The two leaders discussed bilateral relations as well as regional and other issues.
• Marcos' visit to usher in new 'golden age' for China-Philippines friendship: Chinese Foreign Ministry Global Times 30 Dec 2022 -- At the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Philippines President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. will pay a state visit to China from January 3 to 5, 2023, Hua Chunying, spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, announced on Friday. Marcos will be the first foreign head of state received by the Chinese side in 2023, showing the importance attached to China-Philippines relations, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.
• Hong Kong committee can bar foreign lawyers from national security cases: Beijing Radio Free Asia 30 Dec 2022 -- China on Friday issued a ruling giving top officials in the Hong Kong government the power to bar foreign lawyers from representing clients in "national security" cases, paving the way for officials to block the appointment of media mogul Jimmy Lai's British defense barrister.
• Great Feat for Development of DPRK's Revolutionary Armed Forces KCNA 30 Dec 2022 -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) is now fully demonstrating its dignity and absolute strength as a world military power as it has been guided by the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un , the peerlessly brilliant commander who is opening up the heyday of bolstering the military muscle with his outstanding military idea and energetic leadership, matchless courage and grit.
• Kim Jong Un, Supreme Commander of DPRK Armed Forces KCNA 30 Dec 2022 -- December 30 is a significant day when the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un assumed the supreme commandership of the armed forces of the DPRK.
• Catering to North Korea's elite, department stores stock up on fake luxury goods Radio Free Asia 30 Dec 2022 -- Department stores in Pyongyang are stocking up on counterfeit luxury goods imported from China to sell at high prices to North Korea's wealthy elite in the run-up to holidays at the start of the new year, sources inside the country with knowledge of the situation said.
• 4th-day Sitting of 6th Plenum of 8th C.C., WPK KCNA 30 Dec 2022 -- The 6th Enlarged Plenary Meeting of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) confirming the development policy for the new year 2023 is continuing its work.
• Iranians Mark End Of Mourning Period For Killed Protesters With Fresh Demonstrations RFE/RL 30 Dec 2022 -- Iranian protesters staged fresh demonstrations in several cities to mark the end of the 40-day mourning period for 10 protesters killed by security forces in unrest triggered by the death in September of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini while in police custody.
• Iran Threatens 'Hostile' Western Media Over Protest Coverage VOA 30 Dec 2022 -- A spokesperson for Iran's Revolutionary Guard threatened a "regretful response" to Western media outlets — including Voice of America — over their coverage of the mass protests.
• Iran raps hostile provisions in US 2023 National Defense Authorization Act Press TV 30 Dec 2022 -- Tehran has denounced the hostile provisions in the US National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2023, saying the decision attests to Washington's meddlesome policies against the Islamic Republic and is in line with attempts to spread Iranophobia.
• Iran condemns anti-Iranian provisions of US 2023 NDAA IRNA 30 Dec 2022 -- Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani has condemned the anti-Iranian provisions of the United States 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) by saying that some baseless claims raised in the document regarding the regional activities of the Islamic Republic of Iran are in line with the destructive and destabilizing role of the US in the Persian Gulf and West Asia regions.
• Myanmar: Statement by the Spokesperson on the final sentencing of President Win Myint and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi European External Action Service (EEAS) 30 Dec 2022 -- This Friday, a military-controlled court in Myanmar delivered its final verdicts against detained President Win Myint and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, concluding a series of purely politically motivated trials conducted in the course of the past thirteen months. These trials were carried forward with no respect for due legal procedure or necessary judicial guarantees and are a clear attempt to exclude democratically elected leaders from political life. Win Myint and Aung San Suu Kyi face a total of 12 and 33 years' imprisonment respectively, including 3 years of hard labour, representing another blatant violation of human rights in Myanmar.
• Aung San Suu Kyi sentenced to a further 7 years Radio Free Asia 30 Dec 2022 -- A junta court in Myanmar has sentenced the country's deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi to another seven years in prison on five counts of alleged corruption, bringing the total number of years she must serve in detention to 33, sources close to Naypyidaw Prison Court told RFA Friday.
• Myanmar's Ousted Leader Aung San Suu Kyi Sentenced to Another 7 Years in Prison, Reports Say Sputnik 30 Dec 2022 -- A court in Myanmar's capital, Naypyidaw, on Friday sentenced the country's ousted leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, and former President Win Myint to seven years in prison each on five corruption charges, Myanmar's news portal reported, citing the court.
• UN rights chief on Myanmar refugees and a future of 'kindness, empathy and unity' UN News 30 Dec 2022 -- Days after the latest sea rescue of Rohingya refugees by Indonesian fishing crews, UN human rights chief Volker Türk appealed on Friday for greater regional protections.
• Analysts: As 2023 ASEAN chair, Indonesia must dial up pressure on Myanmar junta Radio Free Asia 30 Dec 2022 -- Much is expected from next year's ASEAN chair Indonesia, especially in resolving the post-coup crisis in Myanmar, but analysts say that little will change unless Jakarta spearheads a hardline stance against the Burmese junta.
• Myanmar's junta ignored condemnation of its rule in 2022 Radio Free Asia 30 Dec 2022 -- The people of Myanmar suffered as the anti-junta armed resistance took on the military in 2022. It was a year in which not only democracy and human rights eroded in the aftermath of the February 2021 coup, but also one that saw an acute loss of civilian lives and destruction of private property. But widespread condemnation of the junta's policies largely fell on deaf ears, as the military regime continued to rule with impunity. These were some of the most significant political developments in Myanmar this year:
• Netanyahu's new hardline Israeli gov't sworn in People's Daily 30 Dec 2022 -- Benjamin Netanyahu, the longest-serving Israeli leader, returned to power on Thursday as the country's prime minister at the helm of an extreme-right coalition.
• Two senior Vietnamese leaders dismissed amid COVID-19 scandals Radio Free Asia 30 Dec 2022 -- Vietnam's Communist Party dismissed two senior leaders from its Central Committee today amid a wave of scandals linked to the country's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Under Investigation Abroad, Chinese Gene Giant Expands In Serbia RFE/RL 30 Dec 2022 -- China's BGI Group - the world's largest genetic-research company - is grappling with U.S. sanctions and facing investigations in Europe over its alleged links to the Chinese military. But the corporation has received a warm welcome in Serbia.
• New Year Cheer In Short Supply In Turkmenistan As People Ordered To Tone Down Celebrations RFE/RL 30 Dec 2022 -- Turkmen authorities have a reputation for organizing lavish concerts and events during New Year's festivities, one of the most popular celebrations in the country.
• Five Stories To Watch In Central Asia In 2023 RFE/RL 30 Dec 2022 -- From crackdowns on protesters to deadly border clashes and the fallout from Russia's war in Ukraine, 2022 was a memorable year in Central Asia for all the wrong reasons.
• Montenegro's Parliament OKs Prime Minister-Designate After Disputed Change In Presidential Powers RFE/RL 30 Dec 2022 -- The Montenegrin parliament has narrowly chose veteran politician Moidrag Lekic as prime minister-designate in a vote backed by the parliamentary majority led by the pro-Russian Democratic Front.
• So Long, Farewell: Venezuelan Opposition Puts End to Interim Government Led by Juan Guaido Sputnik 30 Dec 2022 -- In 2019, the US-backed Juan Guaidó declared that the reelection of Nicolás Maduro was illegitimate and declared himself the interim President of Venezuela. His regime was backed by dozens of Western Countries but never got the support of the Venezuelan people.
• Bolivian Court Orders Opposition Governor's Detention for 4 Months, Reports Say Sputnik 30 Dec 2022 -- A Bolivian court has ordered pre-trial detention of Luis Fernando Camacho, opposition governor of the province of Santa Cruz, in a coup d'état case for four months, Bolivian media reported on Friday.
• Newly Formed Border Guards Replace Armed Forces on Hungarian-Serbian Border - Ministry Sputnik 30 Dec 2022 -- Newly formed border guards have replaced armed forces to guard Hungary's southern border with Serbia and help prevent illegal migration, the Hungarian Defense Ministry said on Thursday.
• Lao prime minister resigns amid soaring inflation, criticism over mining concessions Radio Free Asia 30 Dec 2022 -- Lao Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh resigned on Friday for health reasons, retiring after serving in the position for less than two years amid a tanking economy, with soaring inflation and a sharp drop in the value of the currency, the kip.
• Uganda Police Arrest Dozens of Bobi Wine Supporters VOA 30 Dec 2022 -- Ugandan police fired tear gas and arrested more than 30 opposition supporters attending a Friday prayer rally organized by musician-turned-politician Bobi Wine. Police say the meeting was illegal as organizers failed to inform the chief of police before holding it.
• Exiled Former Botswana President Khama Faces Arrest VOA 30 Dec 2022 -- A Botswana court has issued an arrest warrant for former President Ian Khama, who is facing 14 charges ranging from unlawful possession of firearms to money laundering.