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Defense Policy / Programs

• CNO Speaks at the McAleese 14th Annual FY 2024 Defense Programs Conference US Navy 17 Mar 2023
• Trawling, Trafficking, Smuggling and Spoilage: East Africa's War on Illicit Maritime Trade, and How Exercise Cutlass Express 2023 is Changing the Narrative US Navy 17 Mar 2023 -- Across Africa, partner nations have joined to train and work alongside each other to combat the laundry list of maritime crime on the continent. Over the past week and a half of the exercise, the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Navy, in concert with an international team of military services and organizations, has conducted a comprehensive approach to combating these issues during exercise Cutlass Express 2023.
• Kentucky Civil Response team Hosts Multi-agency Exercise Army News 17 Mar 2023 -- If there were ever an incident at Churchill Downs requiring the specially trained chemical unit of the National Guard, thanks to training done this week, they'd be ready.
• South Korea, US to Hold Major Amphibious Drills for First Time Since 2018, Reports Say Sputnik 17 Mar 2023 -- South Korea and the United States will hold the Ssangyong amphibious exercise from March 20 to April 3, after a five-year pause, as part of their allied field drills, South Korean news agency reported, citing military officials.
• Statement from National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on the Announcement of Türkiye's Intention to send Finland's NATO Accession Protocols to Parliament The White House 17 Mar 2023
• Statement by President von der Leyen at the joint press conference with Norwegian Prime Minister Støre, NATO Secretary-General Stoltenberg and CEO Opedal European Commission 17 Mar 2023
• Statement by Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Finland and Sweden's NATO membership NATO 17 Mar 2023 -- "I welcome today's decision by Türkiye to move ahead with the ratification of Finland's membership in NATO. This will strengthen Finland's security, it will strengthen Sweden's security, and it will strengthen NATO's security. I hope that the Turkish Grand National Assembly will vote to ratify as soon as possible."
• Secretary General off the coast of Norway: NATO is stepping up protection of critical infrastructure NATO 17 Mar 2023 -- NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg visited the Troll A offshore natural gas platform off the west coast of Norway on Friday (17 March 2023), together with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Equinor CEO Anders Opedal.
• Turkish President Says He Will Back Finland's NATO Bid As Hungary Sets March Vote For Ratification RFE/RL 17 Mar 2023 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says his government will move forward with ratifying Finland's NATO application, paving the way for the country to join the military bloc.
• Finland's NATO Membership Not Complete Without Sweden: President Sputnik 17 Mar 2023 -- The start of the ratification of Finland's accession to NATO by the Turkish parliament is an important step for the country, but it will not be complete without Sweden's membership in the bloc, Finnish President Sauli Niinisto said on Friday.
• NATO Air Force Chiefs Meet at Ramstein Air Base to Discuss Defense Capabilities, Space Sputnik 17 Mar 2023 -- Air force chiefs of NATO member states have discussed joint capabilities for defense and combat operations at a bi-annual symposium at Ramstein Air Base in Germany on March 16, the alliance said on Friday.
• Erdogan: Turkiye to Start Ratification Process for Finland's NATO Bid Sputnik 17 Mar 2023 -- Finland and Sweden jointly applied to join the Western military alliance in May 2022, threatening to break with decades (and in Sweden's case centuries) of neutrality. The Nordic nations' NATO bid has been approved by most of the alliance's members, and until now has been held up by Turkiye and Hungary.
• Finland's accession to NATO: Foreign Secretary's statement on Turkey's ratification decision UK FCDO 17 Mar 2023 -- Foreign Secretary James Cleverly gave a statement on Turkey's decision to ratify Finland's accession to NATO.
• NATO Air Chiefs discuss how to further accelerate air, space power integration US Air Force 17 Mar 2023 -- Allied and partner Air Chiefs came together on Ramstein Air Base for the bi-annual NATO Air Chiefs' Symposium on March 16.
• Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov's answer to a question from Kommersant newspaper regarding the New START treaty Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 17 Mar 2023
• Russia to award pilots involved in US spy drone incident Press TV 17 Mar 2023 -- The Russian Defense Ministry says the pilots of Russian jets involved in the crash incident of a US spy drone over the Black Sea last week will be nominated for decoration.
• Shoigu Nominates Pilots Involved in MQ-9 Reaper Drone Intercept for State Awards Sputnik 17 Mar 2023 -- Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has nominated for state awards the pilots of the Su-27 fighters that prevented a violation of the borders of the special operation zone by a US MQ-9 Reaper drone, the ministry said on Friday.
• Slovakia to Provide Fighter Jets to Ukraine VOA 17 Mar 2023 -- Slovakia Friday approved a plan to provide Ukraine with MiG fighter jets.
• National Cabinet unanimously and in conformity with the Constitution votes to send the MiG-29 aircraft to Ukraine MOD - Slovak Republic 17 Mar 2023 -- Slovak Government adopted a decision to provide Ukraine with the already grounded MiG-29 fighter jets that Slovakia no longer uses. In line with the UN Charter and in view of the close and friendly relations with Ukraine, the Slovak Government, in full conformity with the Constitution, consensually decided in favour of donating said aircraft, hence saving lives of people.
• Defence Minister Jaroslav Naď signs intergovernmental agreement with Ukraine MOD - Slovak Republic 17 Mar 2023 -- Defence Minister Jaroslav Naď and Ambassador of Ukraine to Slovakia His Excellency Mr Myroslav Kastran have signed an intergovernmental agreement the subject matter of which is the donation to Kyiv of 13 MiG-29 fighter jets and two 2K12 "Kub" (NATO reporting name: SA-6 "Gainful") mobile surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems along with the engagement control system, spares, and missiles.
• Bowing to US pressure, Israel reportedly approves sale of anti-drone systems to Kiev Press TV 17 Mar 2023 -- In a first since Russia launched its military operation in Ukraine a year ago, Israel has reportedly approved the export licenses for the possible sale of anti-drone jamming systems to Kiev, bowing to US pressure.
• Russia Sanctions a Boon for Chinese Arms Sales to Africa? VOA 17 Mar 2023 -- Russia has long been the biggest exporter of arms to sub-Saharan Africa, but a new study indicates Western sanctions are making it harder for Moscow to sell weapons, opening the door for more Chinese-made arms.
• US Experts Urge More Efforts to Thwart China's Acquisition of US Military Technology VOA 17 Mar 2023 -- U.S. former officials and experts are urging greater efforts to thwart Chinese espionage, which many believe has enabled Beijing to develop a range of advanced weaponry on the back of stolen American technology.
• Taiwan issues arrest warrant for AWOL soldier found in China CNA 17 Mar 2023 -- Taiwanese prosecutors on Friday issued an arrest warrant for a soldier who went AWOL from a Kinmen County islet on March 9 only to resurface in the Chinese city of Xiamen several days later.
• Demonstration of Toughest Response Posture of DPRK's Strategic Forces KCNA 17 Mar 2023 -- Under the grave situation in which the most unstable security environment is being created in the Korean peninsula due to the frantic, provocative and aggressive large-scale war drills conducted by the U.S. and the south Korean puppet traitors against the DPRK, the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) saw to it that a launching drill of the ICBM Hwasongpho-17 was conducted on March 16.
• North Korea says 'largest ICBM' fired to warn US, South Korea over drills Press TV 17 Mar 2023 -- North Korea has named the missile that it fired during its latest launch as the country's largest intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), saying it fired the projectile as a warning to the United States and South Korea.
• Chinese, Russian, Iranian navies fire at marine targets in naval drills IRNA 17 Mar 2023 -- The navies from China, Russia and Iran have fired at marine targets during the first day of the naval security belt combined wargame 2023.
• Iran focused on combating terrorism in 1st day of naval drills: Cmdr. IRNA 17 Mar 2023 -- Commander of Iran's Army Navy Force Rear Admiral Shahram Irani has declared that the first day of the naval security belt combined war game 2023 has been focused on coordination to rescue vessels coming under terrorist raids.
• Iranian, Russian, Chinese forces intercept, shoot at aerial targets in joint naval drill Press TV 17 Mar 2023 -- Naval forces from the Islamic Republic of Iran, Russia and China have practiced shooting at aerial targets during a nighttime operation over an area in the Sea of Oman, where the three countries are carrying out large-scale maritime maneuvers involving various divisions of their military forces.
• 2023 Combination Security Belt Wargame kicks off IRNA 17 Mar 2023 -- The 2023 Combination Security Belt Wagame, including Iran, China and Russia naval forces, and observers from Kazakhstan and Pakistan began on Thursday night in the north of Indian Ocean.
• Exercise fuels excitement for first timers Australia DOD 17 Mar 2023 -- HMAS Perth joined five other nations for a French Navy-led exercise in the Bay of Bengal, exercising coordination of ships and aircraft in the maritime domain.
• Cambodia expresses concerns over tripartite AUKUS alliance People's Daily 17 Mar 2023 -- Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen on Thursday expressed concerns over the tripartite AUKUS alliance, a military pact among the United States, Britain and Australia.
• TACTICAL HELMETS FOR SIKH SOLDIERS India PIB 17 Mar 2023 -- Indian soldiers are provided the requisite protection to include Bullet Proof Jackets and Bullet Proof Helmets to operate in challenging environment. Safety of soldiers who are deployed on security duties is considered paramount. A modern day soldier needs to have all round protection from the newer and emerging threat of warfare. Sikh troops battling terrorism have been wearing Bullet Proof Patka over cloth patka while maintaining their religious identity. Tank Crew of Armoured Regiments also wear padded communication head gear.
• COASTAL SECURITY India PIB 17 Mar 2023 -- Coastal monitoring and surveillance is being carried out on real time basis by Indian Coast Guard around India's coastline through Chain of Static Sensors (CSS) consisting of 46 radar stations. These Radars have been installed since 2011 and there are no known harmful effects on environment.
• Greece - Assault Amphibious Vehicles (AAVs) DSCA 17 Mar 2023 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Greece of Assault Amphibious Vehicles (AAVs) and related equipment for an estimated cost of $268 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today.
• Mali Bolsters Military Arsenal with New Warplanes, Drones Courtesy of Russia, Turkiye Sputnik 17 Mar 2023 -- Malian-Russian military cooperation has been deepening since late 2021 given the West African nation's war on terrorists and drug traffickers, and the French troop pullout with the security crisis persisting in the country after France's ten-year military presence there.
• Nigeriens Voice Optimism, Skepticism During Blinken Visit VOA 17 Mar 2023 -- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Niger with a pledge of humanitarian assistance for displaced people and support for the country's efforts to combat violent extremism.
• Remarks by President Biden Before Marine One Departure The White House 17 Mar 2023
• Remarks by President Biden and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar of Ireland Before Bilateral Meeting The White House 17 Mar 2023
• Readout of President Joe Biden's Meeting with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar of Ireland The White House 17 Mar 2023
• Secretary Antony J. Blinken With Shaun Tandon of AFP US Dept. of State 17 Mar 2023
• Deputy Secretary Sherman's Call with Italian MFA Secretary General Guariglia US Dept. of State 17 Mar 2023
• Secretary Blinken's Call with European Union High Representative Borrell US Dept. of State 17 Mar 2023
• US: High Representative Josep Borrell spoke with Secretary of State Antony Blinken European External Action Service (EEAS) 17 Mar 2023 -- On Friday, High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell held a phone conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Their discussion focused on the upcoming High-Level meeting of the EU-facilitated dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina on Saturday in Ohrid, the situation in Ethiopia and preparations for the EU-US Energy Council next month.

Defense Industry

• Contracts For March 17, 2023

Other Conflicts

Ukraine Conflict News


• 17 March 2023 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 17 Mar 2023
• Situation in Ukraine: ICC judges issue arrest warrants against Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin and Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova ICC 17 Mar 2023 -- Today, 17 March 2023, Pre-Trial Chamber II of the International Criminal Court ("ICC" or "the Court") issued warrants of arrest for two individuals in the context of the situation in Ukraine: Mr Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin and Ms Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova.
• Statement by Prosecutor Karim A. A. Khan KC on the issuance of arrest warrants against President Vladimir Putin and Ms Maria Lvova-Belova ICC 17 Mar 2023 -- On 22 February 2023, I submitted applications to Pre-Trial Chamber II of the International Criminal Court for warrants of arrest in the context of the Situation in Ukraine.
• ICC issues arrest warrant for Putin; Kremlin calls it 'null and void' Press TV 17 Mar 2023 -- The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin on war crime accusations, while the Kremlin rejected the warrant and said the court has no jurisdiction and the decision is "null and void".
• ICC Issues Arrest Warrant For Putin For Alleged War Crimes In Ukraine RFE/RL 17 Mar 2023 -- The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin, accusing the Russian president of being responsible for the illegal deportation of children from Ukraine, which constitutes a war crime.
• Russia: International Criminal Court issues arrest warrant for Putin UN News 17 Mar 2023 -- The Pre-Trial Chamber of the UN-backed International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for President Vladimir Putin of Russia on Friday, in connection with alleged war crimes concerning the deportation and "illegal transfer" of children from occupied Ukraine, the head of the ICC said.
• ICC Issues Arrest Warrant for Putin VOA 17 Mar 2023 -- The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant Friday for Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing him of war crimes for his alleged involvement in the abduction of children from Ukraine.
• The Azadi Briefing: Afghan Refugees Complain Of Prisonlike Conditions In The U.A.E. RFE/RL 17 Mar 2023
• Funding drought forces UN food agency to cut rations in Afghanistan UN News 17 Mar 2023 -- The UN food agency in Afghanistan announced on Friday that a lack of funds has forced deep cuts to life-saving assistance in March for at least four million people.
• Press release on US policy towards Afghans who worked with the United States Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 17 Mar 2023
• Assad: War on Syria proved West acts against own claims on democracy Press TV 17 Mar 2023 -- Syrian President Bashar al-Assad says the years-long foreign-backed war in his country has proven that everything the West does runs counter to what it claims about democracy and humanitarian principles.
• Unmarked UN boats used to ferry junta officials to refugee camps, email shows Radio Free Asia 17 Mar 2023 -- Military junta officials were transported from Myanmar into Bangladesh aboard United Nations boats on which UN markings had been removed, according to an email from the UN's resident coordinator in Myanmar, a move that could put humanitarian workers at risk.
• More than 170 Myanmar refugees arrested in India's Manipur state since January Radio Free Asia 17 Mar 2023 -- Authorities in northeast India's state of Manipur have detained at least 170 refugees from villages along the border with Myanmar since the start of the year, according to the refugees and an aid group, causing others to shelter in the jungle or return home to avoid arrest.
• Libyan Army Says Forces Have Recovered Uranium Barrels Declared Missing by IAEA Sputnik 17 Mar 2023 -- Soldiers of the Libyan National Army (LNA) recovered barrels with natural uranium that had been earlier reported missing by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), LNA Moral Guidance Department chief Khaled Mahjoub said on Thursday.
• Launch of UNICEF Child Alert - Ten million children in the central Sahel need humanitarian assistance amid spiralling conflict and punishing climate UNICEF 17 Mar 2023 -- This is a summary of what was said by UNICEF spokesperson John James - to whom quoted text may be attributed - at today's press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.
• 10 million children in extreme jeopardy in central Sahel as insecurity seeps into neighbouring countries - UNICEF UNICEF 17 Mar 2023 -- Ten million children in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger are in dire need of humanitarian assistance - twice as many as in 2020 - largely due to spiralling conflict, while nearly 4 million children are at risk in neighbouring countries as hostilities between armed groups and national security forces spill across borders, according to a UNICEF child alert issued today.
• Central Sahel: Lives of 10 million children on the line as conflict rages UN News 17 Mar 2023 -- Children are increasingly caught up in armed conflict in the climate-affected, food insecure central Sahel region, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) said on Friday.
• US Announces $150Mln Humanitarian Aid for Sahel, West and Central Africa - Blinken Sputnik 17 Mar 2023 -- The United States announces $150 million in humanitarian aid for the Sahel region as well as West and Central Africa, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday.
• Western Donors Pressed to Sanction Rwanda as DRC Violence Escalates VOA 17 Mar 2023 -- Around 100,000 people in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have fled their homes following a string of recent attacks, and fighting between M23 rebels and government forces, according to the United Nations. The U.N. accuses Rwanda of backing the rebels, a claim Rwanda denies.

News Reports

• Unidentified Illness Kills Five in Tanzania, Sparks Ebola Fears VOA 17 Mar 2023 -- Health officials in Tanzania are investigating an illness that killed five people in the country's northwest with Ebola-like symptoms, raising fears that it could be the deadly virus.
• Taiwan reports first domestic H9N2 avian influenza case CNA 17 Mar 2023 -- The first domestic case of H9N2 avian influenza in Taiwan was found at a chicken farm in the outlying county of Kinmen on Thursday, leading to the culling of 4,551 chickens to prevent the spread of the disease, the Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine said Friday.
• Telephone conversation with President of Bolivia Luis Arce President of Russia 17 Mar 2023 -- Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with President of the Plurinational State of Bolivia Luis Arce, at the Bolivian side's initiative.
• Press release on personal sanctions against representatives of the armed forces, propaganda entities, the judiciary and the penitentiary system of Great Britain Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 17 Mar 2023
• Russia, Republic of the Congo to Agree on Oil Pipeline Construction, Russian Envoy Says Sputnik 17 Mar 2023 -- Russia is expected to host delegations from most African countries during the second Russia-Africa Summit, which is set to take place in Saint Petersburg, Russia in July 2023. The Republic of the Congo and Russia are planning economic and cultural exchange programs to be realized ahead of the summit.
• Press release on the visit of Secretary-General Zhang Ming of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 17 Mar 2023
• Q&A: White House 'Concerned' About Xi-Putin Meeting, 'Supports' Xi-Zelenskyy Meeting VOA 17 Mar 2023 -- The White House is rejecting Beijing's proposal for a cease-fire in Ukraine, ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping's meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Moscow next week, saying it would ratify Russia's territorial gains in Ukraine.
• China's Xi to meet Putin in Russia in 'trip for peace' in Ukraine next week Radio Free Asia 17 Mar 2023 -- Chinese leader Xi Jinping will travel to Russia next week for talks with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, Beijing and Moscow announced on Friday as the U.S. warned against "one-sided" Ukraine peace plans and the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Putin for illegally deporting Ukrainian children.
• Xi Doubles Down On Putin In A Symbolic Moscow Trip With The Ukraine War In Focus RFE/RL 17 Mar 2023 -- On March 22, 2013, Chinese leader Xi Jinping made his first foreign trip to Moscow to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and highlight the growing importance of Beijing-Moscow ties and send a signal to Washington that a geopolitical counterweight to the West was being formed.
• Chinese President To Visit Moscow On March 20-22 Following Invitation From Putin RFE/RL 17 Mar 2023 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay an official visit to Moscow from March 20 to March 22 as Beijing looks to show support for Russian President Vladimir Putin while also pushing forward a peace plan aimed at ending the conflict in Ukraine.
• Xi to Visit Putin in Russia Next Week VOA 17 Mar 2023 -- Chinese President Xi Jinging is making a state visit next week to Russia where he will meet with Russian leader Vladimir Putin from Monday to Wednesday, China and the Kremlin said Friday.
• Xi to visit Russia in a trip of 'friendship, cooperation and peace' Global Times 17 Mar 2023 -- President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to Russia from Monday to Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying announced on Friday. President Xi's upcoming visit to Russia, viewed as a trip of friendship, cooperation and peace, is expected to further promote China-Russia cooperation and contribute to global peace and development, analysts said.
• Putin, Xi to usher 'new era' in relations during Moscow visit Press TV 17 Mar 2023 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping are set to sign a new bilateral agreement ushering in a "new era" of ties in Moscow next week.
• 'Visit for peace': China's Xi heading to Russia first time since Ukraine war Press TV 17 Mar 2023 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping is scheduled to visit Russia next week at the invitation of his Russian counterpart in a move that will demonstrate growing cooperation between the two all-weather allies in the face of Western pressures.
• China releases plan on reforming Party and state institutions Global Times 17 Mar 2023 -- China on Thursday unveiled a finalized plan to set up a central commission for finance, a top-level body aimed at ensuring financial stability under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, only days after the annual meetings of the country's national legislature and political advisory body concluded.
• China ramps up sci-tech self-reliance drive with establishment of new central commission Global Times 17 Mar 2023 -- China has announced to establish a central commission that will be in charge of reviewing major national strategies for scientific and technological development, one of the most powerful changes to the country's innovation system in decades and which paves the way for the rollout of more policies to achieve core technological breakthroughs, experts said.
• Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin's Regular Press Conference on March 17, 2023 PRC MofA 17 Mar 2023
• Two in Hong Kong Arrested for Possessing 'Seditious' Children's Books VOA 17 Mar 2023 -- Two Hong Kong men have been arrested by national security police for merely possessing what the authorities say are "seditious" children's books — the latest in a slew of arrests over the past week that have caused widespread unease across the city.
• Macao's population decreases to 672,800 in 2022 People's Daily 17 Mar 2023 -- Macao's total population at the end of December 2022 decreased by 10,400 year-on-year to 672,800, the special administrative region's (SAR) statistic service said on Friday.
• Uyghur propaganda chief confirmed dead 5 days after being released from jail Radio Free Asia 17 Mar 2023 -- A former Uyghur propaganda chief who was imprisoned on separatism charges despite being a mouthpiece for Beijing has died at age 57, according to a prefectural official and an activist who runs a nonprofit human rights advocacy group.
• Chinese automakers slash prices, offer subsidies in bid to kickstart consumption Radio Free Asia 17 Mar 2023 -- Chinese automakers are selling off their stocks of vehicles -- many of them made with imported technology as part of joint ventures with top foreign brands -- at huge discounts ahead of a new set of emissions standards, Radio Free Asia has learned.
• Collapse of Silicon Valley Bank Has Chinese Startups Worried VOA 17 Mar 2023 -- The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank has caused panic not just in the U.S. tech industry but also in China, where the bank has been a key player for years among Chinese startups.
• China releases plan on reforming Party and state institutions Global Times 17 Mar 2023 -- China on Thursday unveiled a finalized plan to set up a central commission for finance, a top-level body aimed at ensuring financial stability under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, only days after the annual meetings of the country's national legislature and political advisory body concluded.
• Taiwan 'will not budge' amid Chinese pressure: Foreign minister CNA 17 Mar 2023 -- Taiwan "will not budge" in the face of China, Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) told dozens of foreign diplomats in Taipei on Friday evening, as Beijing has exerted increasing political and diplomatic pressure on Taiwan in recent years as tensions between the two sides rise.
• PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan March 17, 2023 ROC MND 17 Mar 2023
• US official visits Honduras 'to soothe DPP' out of outdated Monroe Doctrine Global Times 17 Mar 2023 -- The US Special Presidential Adviser for the Americas, Christopher Dodd, on Friday started a trip to Central America with a stop in Honduras, which is widely believed to be a move aimed at pressuring the country and soothing the secessionist Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities in the island of Taiwan.
• China's defense ministry vows to leave no room for "Taiwan independence" separatist activities People's Daily 17 Mar 2023 -- A Chinese defense spokesperson on Thursday said the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) will resolutely safeguard the country's national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and will leave no room for "Taiwan independence" separatist activities in any form.
• On Root of Escalated Tension in Korean Peninsula KCNA 17 Mar 2023 -- The following is the full text of a commentator's article "On root of the situation in the Korean Peninsula on the brink of burst" carried in Rodong Sinmun on Friday:
• No internal disagreement over Iran's foreign policy: FM Press TV 17 Mar 2023 -- Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian says official visits by top security official Ali Shamkhani to regional countries are made in the framework of a coordinated foreign policy, ensuring enemies that "there is no discord" in the Iranian diplomatic apparatus.
• Tehran-IAEA relations on right path: FM IRNA 17 Mar 2023 -- Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amira dollahian in a phone talk with High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy said Tehran-Agency relations are on the right path now.
• Yoon's Bid to Improve Japan Ties Faces Backlash from South Korean Left VOA 17 Mar 2023 -- South Korea's left-leaning opposition forces blasted the country's president, Yoon Seok Yeol, on Friday as he returned from a summit aimed at opening a new era in South Korean-Japanese relations.
• Telephone conversation with President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko President of Russia 17 Mar 2023 -- Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko.
• OSCE Media Freedom Representative denounces continued repression of media workers in Belarus, reiterates call for their immediate release OSCE 17 Mar 2023 -- The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Teresa Ribeiro, strongly condemned today the judgements in the cases against editor-in-chief Maryna Zolatava and director general Ludmila Chekina, of TUT.BY, one of the largest and most prominent Belarusian media portals.
• Belarus Hands Two More Independent Journalists Heavy Prison Sentences In Ongoing Crackdown RFE/RL 17 Mar 2023 -- A court in Belarus has handed 12-year prison sentences to two journalists from the country's largest independent news website, on charges their supporters and human rights watchdogs call politically motivated.
• Belarus Sentences Two Political Prisoners To 10 Years In Prison Each RFE/RL 17 Mar 2023 -- The Minsk City Court has sentenced two activists - Valeryya Kastsyuhova and Tatsyana Kuzina - to 10 years in prison each for participating in anti-government protests as part of an ongoing crackdown on dissent under authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka.
• US Indo-Pacific commander: China's play for Solomon Islands woke up officials Radio Free Asia 17 Mar 2023 -- The United States' relations with Pacific island countries are back on track after officials got a wake-up call from China's inroads with the Solomon Islands, U.S. Indo-Pacific commander Adm. John Aquilino told an event in Singapore.
• Foreign Secretary meets with Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs 17 Mar 2023 -- Foreign Secretary Dr. Asad Majeed Khan met China's State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang in Beijing today.
• Transcript of the Media Briefing by the Spokesperson Friday 17 March 2023 Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs 17 Mar 2023
• Former Pakistani PM Khan Asks Court To Hear Request To Stop Arrest Warrant, May Appear At Hearing RFE/RL 17 Mar 2023 -- A lawyer for Imran Khan says the former prime minister has asked a Pakistani court to hear his request on March 17 to stop a police operation to arrest him after violent clashes this week between his supporters and security forces trying to detain him at his residence in the northeastern city of Lahore.
• Pakistan Court Cancels Arrest Warrant for Ex-PM Khan Amid Swelling Legal Cases VOA 17 Mar 2023 -- A federal court in Pakistan suspended an arrest warrant Friday for the country's populist former prime minister, Imran Khan, clearing the way for him to appear before a judge on Saturday to answer charges of unlawfully selling state gifts given to him during his four-year rule.
• Minister Joly speaks with Israel's Minister of Foreign Affairs Canada 17 Mar 2023 -- The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs, yesterday held a bilateral discussion with Eli Cohen, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Israel.
• UN Human Rights Chief Calls On Kazakh Authorities To Investigate Deadly Events Of January 2022 RFE/RL 17 Mar 2023 -- UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk has called on Kazakh authorities to thoroughly investigate the violent dispersal of mass anti-government protests in January 2022 that left at least 238 people dead, including 19 law enforcement officers.
• Turkish Ruling Party Official Calls Assad's Terms for Talks With Erdogan Inappropriate Sputnik 17 Mar 2023 -- Syrian President Bashar Assad's statement about his readiness to negotiate with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan only after the withdrawal of Turkish troops from Syria is inappropriate, Orhan Miroglu, a member of the central decision-making committee of the ruling Justice and Development Party, told Sputnik.
• EU - North Macedonia Stabilisation and Association Council, 17 March 2023 EC/CEU 17 Mar 2023 -- North Macedonia and the EU met on 17 March 2023 for the 16th Stabilisation and Association Council. The meeting took place for the first time in the region in Skopje, North Macedonia.
• North Macedonia: Press statement by High Representative Josep Borrell after his meeting with President Stevo Pendarovski European External Action Service (EEAS) 17 Mar 2023
• EU-North Macedonia: Remarks by High Representative Josep Borrell at the press conference after the Stabilisation and Association Council European External Action Service (EEAS) 17 Mar 2023
• Argentina to hold general election in October People's Daily 17 Mar 2023 -- Argentina will hold the general election for the 2023-2027 presidential term on Oct. 22, the National Electoral Chamber announced Thursday.
• More than 50,000 Cambodian workers laid off amid downturn in garment sector Radio Free Asia 17 Mar 2023 -- More than 50,000 Cambodian garment workers have lost their jobs as struggling companies have made cutbacks to try to stay afloat while others have closed, Radio Free Asia has learned.
• As Montenegrins Prepare To Vote, Djukanovic Hopes To Take Them For One Last Spin RFE/RL 17 Mar 2023 -- Milo Djukanovic has a long habit of ignoring his political opponents.
• Amid Turmoil, Montenegrin President Sets June 11 For Early Parliamentary Elections RFE/RL 17 Mar 2023 -- President Milo Djukanovic has announced early parliamentary elections will be held in Montenegro on June 11, after he dissolved the national assembly on March 16 and as he heads into a weekend vote where he is seek a new five-year mandate.
• Another Group Of Karakalpak Activists Handed Prison Terms In Uzbekistan Over Protests In 2022 RFE/RL 17 Mar 2023 -- A court in Uzbekistan's southwestern city of Bukhara has sentenced another 39 Karakalpak activists accused of taking part in unsanctioned anti-government protests in the Central Asian nation's Autonomous Republic of Karakalpakstan last year.
• Additional Assistance to Respond to the Venezuela Regional Crisis US Dept. of State 17 Mar 2023 -- The United States announced today more than $140 million in additional humanitarian assistance and more than $31 million in development assistance to respond to the needs of vulnerable Venezuelans in Venezuela, Venezuelan refugees and migrants, and their generous host communities across the region.
• Burundi announces first polio outbreak in more than 30 years UN News 17 Mar 2023 -- Health authorities in Burundi on Friday said that they had detected eight samples of polio, officially declaring the landlocked African nation's first outbreak in more than 30 years.
• Zambian Officials Arrest Auditor General, Others on Corruption Charges VOA 17 Mar 2023 -- Zambian authorities have arrested the country's auditor general and 17 others at the Ministry of Finance on charges of corruption and theft of public funds. The suspects allegedly benefited from $25 million in payments for fictitious activities.
• Central African Nations Vow to Reduce Imports to Spur Job Creation VOA 17 Mar 2023 -- Leaders of Central African states meeting Friday in Cameroon announced reductions and bans on some imports to encourage local production and create jobs.