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Defense Policy / Programs

• Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh Holds a Press Briefing DoD 05 Apr 2023
• Virginia National Guard, Tajikistan conduct SPP exchange CENTCOM 05 Apr 2023 -- Virginia National Guard Soldiers shared infantry tactics and how to counter unmanned air systems with the Republic of Tajikistan March 7-11 in an information exchange as part of the Defense Department's State Partnership Program. Virginia and Tajikistan have been partners under the program since 2003.
• Multinational Exercise Defender 23 Kicks Off This Month in Europe DoD News 05 Apr 2023 -- Nearly 9,000 American troops are expected to participate in the Defender 23 exercise which kicks off April 22, the deputy Pentagon press secretary said today.
• Arctic Heating Up Literally and as Scene of Strategic Competition DoD News 05 Apr 2023 -- The Arctic is heating up, both literally and figuratively, and the United States and its allies are working together to address both aspects of this.
• DOD Official Describes How Capabilities Are Generated for Warfighters DoD News 05 Apr 2023 -- Taking joint warfighting concepts and translating them into the capabilities that are needed for the future in a highly contested fight is a key focus, said Heidi Shyu, undersecretary of defense for research and engineering, who spoke today on a panel at the Sea-Air-Space summit at National Harbor, Maryland.
• Regional Centers Central to Security Cooperation, Agency Director Says DoD News 05 Apr 2023 -- The Defense Security Cooperation Agency might be best known as a key player in the U.S. military's foreign military sales program. But the agency also has a role as executive agent for six regional security centers which are important to national security, said DSCA's director.
• 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit conducts Ssang Yong 2023 USMC News 05 Apr 2023 -- The Alliance between the United States and Republic of Korea has endured the test of time for 70 years. From unforgiving conditions of Inchon and sub-zero temperatures of the Chosin Reservoir to brutal combat in the jungles of Vietnam, the U.S.-ROK Alliance has been forged through shared struggles of war and a common vision of freedom. Fast forward to present day, the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit and Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group celebrate this Alliance through executing Ssang Yong 2023.
• USS Nitze Returns from Deployment US Navy 05 Apr 2023 -- The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Nitze (DDG 94) returned to its homeport of Naval Station Norfolk, April 5, following an eight-month deployment to the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of operation.
• Commander, Office of Naval Intelligence, Delivers Remarks at Sea Air Space US Navy 05 Apr 2023
• NATO Foreign Ministers wrap up meetings with focus on China and support to Ukraine NATO 05 Apr 2023 -- NATO foreign ministers wrapped up two days of discussions in Brussels on Wednesday (5 April 2023) with a meeting with Indo-Pacific partners - Australia, Japan, New Zealand and the Republic of Korea - and the European Union.
• Secretary General welcomes Indo-Pacific partner countries to NATO HQ NATO 05 Apr 2023 -- NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan Yoshimasa Hayashi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of New Zealand Nanaia Mahuta, Vice Foreign Minister of the Republic of Korea Do Hoon Lee, and Deputy Ambassador of Australia to NATO David Dutton to NATO Headquarters on Wednesday (5 April 2023).
• NATO: Press remarks by High Representative Josep Borrell upon arrival at Ministerial Meeting in Brussels European External Action Service (EEAS) 05 Apr 2023 -- Check against delivery!
• Government issued a decree on the North Atlantic Treaty Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland 05 Apr 2023 -- The Government plenary session issued a decree on the North Atlantic Treaty on 5 April. The North Atlantic Treaty is the founding treaty of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
• Finland becomes NATO member as Russia warns of "counter-measures" People's Daily 05 Apr 2023 -- Finland on Tuesday formally became the 31st member state of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), ending its military non-alignment in the fastest accession procedure in record time. Meanwhile, Russia said it could be forced to take "counter-measures."
• Russia vows countermeasures against Finland's NATO membership People's Daily 05 Apr 2023 -- Russia will respond with "military-technical and other measures" to address the national security threats arising from Finland's accession to NATO, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.
• Finland's NATO entry to increase risk of conflict in Europe: Russia Press TV 05 Apr 2023 -- Russia has denounced as "a dangerous historic mistake" Finland's membership in the NATO, saying the move would weaken security in Northern Europe and increase the risk of conflict.
• Strengthening Sweden's military defence and preparations for NATO membership Government Offices of Sweden 05 Apr 2023 -- Today the Government has presented investment proposals that will be included in its Spring Amending Budget.
• NATO countries agree on Sweden's membership: Stoltenberg Press TV 05 Apr 2023 -- The Israeli regime's forces stage a second attack against the Palestinian worshippers at the al-Aqsa Mosque's compound, less than 24 hours after storming the site, and either rounding up or forcibly removing hundreds of people from there.
• Sweden Needs to Take Several Additional Steps for NATO Membership: Cavusoglu Sputnik 05 Apr 2023 -- Sweden has to take a number of additional steps for NATO membership, the current ones are insufficient, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Wednesday.
• Russian Diplomat Not Ruling Out New START Doomed, Says Chances of Its Restoration Small Sputnik 05 Apr 2023 -- It is not excluded that the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) is doomed, with the chances of the agreement's restoration being little, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said on Wednesday.
• US Still Plans to Deliver Abrams to Ukraine by Year End, Training Yet to Begin Sputnik 05 Apr 2023 -- The United States still plans on delivering Abrams tanks to Ukraine before the end of the year, although training has yet to begin, Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said on Wednesday.
• Czech Foreign Minister Says Ukraine's Accession to NATO Will Not Solve All Problems Sputnik 05 Apr 2023 -- The Czech Republic supports Ukraine's intention to join NATO, however, this step itself will not solve all its problems, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said on Wednesday.
• Ukraine to discuss NATO accession prospects in Brussels: FM People's Daily 05 Apr 2023 -- Ukraine will discuss the prospects of joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) at the NATO-Ukraine Commission meeting in Brussels, Belgium, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Tuesday.
• China sails new aircraft carrier into West Pacific: Taiwan CNA 06 Apr 2023 -- China sailed its newest aircraft carrier, the Shandong (山東艦), through waters south of Taiwan into the West Pacific Ocean for a long-range exercise on Wednesday, according to Taiwan's military, less than a day before President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) is scheduled to meet United States House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California.
• PLA Navy's aircraft carrier Shandong sails past Taiwan island, starts 1st far sea drill in West Pacific Global Times 05 Apr 2023 -- The aircraft carrier Shandong of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy reportedly started its first exercise in the West Pacific on Wednesday after sailing past the island of Taiwan, breaking the first island chain, with analysts saying that the voyage shows the PLA Navy's second aircraft carrier is fully ready for far sea operations and safeguarding China's national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
• Defence Secretary & Vice Minister of Defense for International Affairs of Japan co-chair 7th India-Japan Defence Policy Dialogue in New Delhi India PIB 05 Apr 2023 -- The 7th India-Japan Defence Policy Dialogue, co-chaired by Defence Secretary Shri Giridhar Aramane and Vice Minister of Defense for International Affairs Mr Oka Masami, was held in New Delhi on April 05, 2023.
• UK Flagship Aircraft Carrier to Be Deployed in Mediterranean to 'Deter' Russia: Reports Sputnik 05 Apr 2023 -- UK aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth will be deployed in the Mediterranean Sea this year to demonstrate the country's naval power and deter "Russian aggression," a British daily reported on Wednesday.
• New Long-Range Air Defence System for the Finnish Defence Forces Finnish MoD 05 Apr 2023 -- The Ministry of Defence has authorised the Finnish Defence Forces to procure the David's Sling system as the next long-range air defence system of Finland. Rafael Advanced Defense Systems (Israel) will deliver the system. The value of the procurement without value added tax is approximately 316 million euros.
• US Pulls Philippines Into NATO's Geopolitical Confrontation Versus China Sputnik 05 Apr 2023 -- In April, US military units could be deployed to new Philippine-owned bases. An expanded US military presence in the Philippines would allow the US to respond to the situation around Taiwan from the south. The US threatens peace and stability in the South China Sea, which China finds unacceptable.
• U.S.-Philippines 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue Announcement US Dept. of State 05 Apr 2023 -- On April 11, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III will welcome Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique A. Manalo and Officer in Charge of the Department of National Defense Carlito Galvez to Washington, D.C. for a U.S.-Philippines 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue.
• Secretary Blinken's Meeting with New Zealand Foreign Minister Mahuta US Dept. of State 05 Apr 2023
• Secretary Antony J. Blinken And New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta Before Their Meeting US Dept. of State 05 Apr 2023
• Secretary Blinken's Call with UN Secretary-General Guterres US Dept. of State 05 Apr 2023
• Special Online Briefing with Brian E. Nelson, Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence US Dept. of State 05 Apr 2023

Defense Industry

• Contracts For April 5, 2023

Other Conflicts

Ukraine Conflict News


• 5 April 2023 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 05 Apr 2023
• UN Demands Taliban Reverse Ban on Afghan Female Staff VOA 05 Apr 2023 -- The United Nations said Wednesday that it will not comply with a Taliban decree banning Afghan women from working for the organization and called on them to revoke it.
• 'Not A Problem But A Disaster': Afghan Canal A Test For Taliban Ties In Water-Stressed Central Asia RFE/RL 05 Apr 2023 -- When the Taliban returned to power in 2021 in a lightning military insurrection that toppled Afghanistan's internationally recognized government, the country immediately fell into diplomatic isolation.
• UN In Talks With Taliban To Clarify Ban On Afghan Women Workers RFE/RL 05 Apr 2023 -- The United Nations has ordered its 3,300 employees in Afghanistan not to report to their offices for the next two days as the UN mission in the war-torn country seeks further clarification after Taliban rulers appeared to extend a ban on Afghan women working in UN offices.
• Taliban's decision to ban Afghan women from working with the United Nations will cost children's lives UNICEF 05 Apr 2023 -- "Afghanistan is home to one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. More than 28 million people, including over 15 million children, need humanitarian and protection assistance this year—a staggering increase of 4 million people over 2022. Hunger and disease are lurking. And the economy is in tatters.
• Top officials strongly condemn Taliban ban on Afghan women working for UN UN News 05 Apr 2023 -- A Taliban edict banning Afghan women from working for the UN mission and agencies inside the country, has been strongly condemned by both the UN chief and his deputy.
• Manila, Kuala Lumpur to negotiate with Beijing in South China Sea Radio Free Asia 05 Apr 2023 -- Malaysia and the Philippines have said that they're willing to discuss oil and gas exploration with China in the South China Sea, a move that analysts say may cause friction within ASEAN as the Southeast Asian bloc wants to accelerate negotiations for a Code of Conduct in order to avoid conflict.
• Iran welcomes US declaration of support for peace process in Yemen IRNA 05 Apr 2023 -- The spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry has welcomed the United States' declaration of support for the peace process in Yemen, saying it is good that the US envoy talks about peace in Yemen.
• Yemeni FM berates Biden for faking 'concern', says US complicit in war, siege Press TV 05 Apr 2023 -- Yemen's foreign minister says the United States is bent on whitewashing its complicity in the Saudi-led aggression against the impoverished Arab country by pretending to be concerned about achieving peace there.
• Iran says 'pleased' with US talk of peace process in Yemen Press TV 05 Apr 2023 -- Iran has welcomed a fresh call by the United States to help end the Yemen conflict, saying it is "pleased" with Washington's talk of the peace process in the war-torn country.
• What Is Behind Israel's Increased Strikes in Syria? VOA 05 Apr 2023 -- Israel has increased its air raids in Syria, targeting positions belonging to the Syrian government and Iranian forces. In recent days, suspected Israeli airstrikes hit such targets in four different occasions.
• Syria: Israeli aggressive policies threaten region with all-out escalation Press TV 05 Apr 2023 -- Amid the Israeli regime's back-to-back attacks against Syria, the Arab country warns that the occupying regime's aggressive policies threaten the region with all-out escalation and a new phase of instability.
• Israeli forces trigger 2nd flare-up at al-Aqsa in less than 24 hours Press TV 05 Apr 2023 -- The Israeli regime's forces stage a second attack against the Palestinian worshippers at the al-Aqsa Mosque's compound, less than 24 hours after storming the site, and either rounding up or forcibly removing hundreds of people from there.
• Israel's Military Aircraft Striking Targets in Gaza Strip Sputnik 05 Apr 2023 -- Israeli military aircraft are striking targets in the Gaza Strip after nine rockets had been fired at Israel from the region.
• Israel-Palestine: UN calls for restraint following violence at Al-Aqsa mosque UN News 05 Apr 2023 -- UN Middle East envoy Tor Wennesland on Wednesday appealed for Israeli and Palestinian leaders to exercise restraint following the latest violence surrounding a holy site in Jerusalem.
• Chinese authorities in Tibet go after relatives of self-immolating protestors Radio Free Asia 05 Apr 2023 -- Chinese authorities are harassing and discriminating against relatives of Tibetans who protested against Chinese rule by setting their bodies alight going back to 2008, two sources in Tibet told Radio Free Asia.

News Reports

• Criminal Marketplace Disrupted in International Cyber Operation US Dept. of Justice 05 Apr 2023 -- The Justice Department announced today a coordinated international operation against Genesis Market, a criminal online marketplace that advertised and sold packages of account access credentials - such as usernames and passwords for email, bank accounts, and social media - that had been stolen from malware-infected computers around the world.
• 'One Of The World's Largest' Cybercrime Markets, Believed To Be Located In Russia, Shut Down RFE/RL 05 Apr 2023 -- International police have shut down what they called "one of the world's largest" online markets dealing in millions of stolen identities and account details, Europol and U.S. officials said on April 5.
• Sanctioning Illicit Darknet Marketplace US Dept. of State 05 Apr 2023 -- Today, the United States designated Genesis Market, a hacking group that is also one of the world's largest illicit marketplaces for stolen device credentials and related sensitive information.
• Treasury Sanctions Illicit Marketplace Genesis Market US Treasury 05 Apr 2023 -- Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took action to designate Genesis Market, one of the world's largest illicit marketplaces, for its part in the theft and sale of device credentials and related sensitive information. Genesis Market gains unauthorized access to victim devices and offers stolen data, including usernames and passwords, for sale. This action was coordinated with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and international partners from a dozen countries, who are taking law enforcement actions against Genesis Market users across multiple jurisdictions and seizing the website domains associated with Genesis Market.
• Briefing by Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, Moscow, April 5, 2023 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 05 Apr 2023
• Vladimir Putin received letters of credence from 17 foreign ambassadors President of Russia 05 Apr 2023 -- The President received letters of credence from 17 newly-appointed ambassadors of foreign states. As per tradition, the ceremony took place in the Alexander Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace.
• Putin raps US, EU envoys at Kremlin ceremomy, blames West for degraded ties Press TV 05 Apr 2023 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday berated ambassadors of the United States and the European Union at a ceremony in Kremlin, blaming their countries for a dramatic deterioration in relations with Moscow.
• Russia, US in 'Hot Phase of War' but Relations Should be Maintained, Russia's Top Diplomat Says Sputnik 05 Apr 2023 -- Russia is in the "hot phase of war" with the United States but It is necessary to maintain relations, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday, adding that Russia still hopes that the United States will listen to the voice of reason and resume dialogue.
• Russia, US have passed Cold War stage, in 'hot conflict phase' now: Diplomat Press TV 05 Apr 2023 -- Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov says certain manifestations of hybrid war used by the United States and its allies against Moscow are completely unprecedented and did not exist during the Cold War.
• Russia Accuses US, EU of Lying About Sanctions Not Hampering Food Exports Sputnik 05 Apr 2023 -- Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin has accused the United States, the European Union and the United Kingdom of falsely claiming that sanctions they have imposed over the Ukrainian conflict do not curb Russian exports of food and fertilizers.
• Statement by the Delegation of the Russian Federation at the General Debate 2023 Session of the UN Disarmament Commission, New York, 4 April 2023 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 05 Apr 2023
• Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's answers to questions from the Moscow. Kremlin. Putin television programme, April 5, 2023 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 05 Apr 2023
• Federal Court Orders Forfeiture of $826K in Funds Used in Attempt to Export Dual-Use High Precision Jig Grinder to Russia US Dept. of Justice 05 Apr 2023 -- An investigation into the attempted smuggling of a dual-use export-controlled item to Russia in violation of United States export laws and regulations has resulted in the forfeiture of approximately $826,000.
• Blinken Has 'No Doubt' U.S. Journalist Was Wrongfully Detained; Putin Refers To 'Deep Crisis' In Relations RFE/RL 05 Apr 2023 -- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says he has "no doubt" Russia has wrongfully detained a U.S. correspondent for The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), but that a formal determination must go through a process before a decision is announced.
• Exclusive: Leaked Files Show China And Russia Sharing Tactics On Internet Control, Censorship RFE/RL 05 Apr 2023 -- Years before Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin declared a "no-limits" partnership and the Kremlin launched a wide-ranging censorship campaign following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Beijing and Moscow were sharing methods and tactics for monitoring dissent and controlling the Internet.
• Demolition of Kashgar's Khan Bazaar creates uncertain future for Uyghur shop owners Radio Free Asia 05 Apr 2023 -- Qasimjan Abdurehim remembers Kashgar's centuries-old Khan Bazaar as a thriving marketplace where Uyghur merchants traded fabrics and modern-day tourists strolled along the pedestrian street that ran down the middle of it.
• China 'unilaterally' appoints new Catholic bishop in Shanghai, Vatican says Radio Free Asia 05 Apr 2023 -- The ruling Chinese Communist Party has appointed a new bishop of Shanghai without approval from the Vatican, in what critics say is a breach of a controversial agreement on the appointment of bishops signed in September 2018.
• Rare Earths Behemoth China Mulls Ban on Export of Key Magnet Tech to US Sputnik 05 Apr 2023 -- The Asian nation controls the overwhelming majority of the rare earth mining, refining and manufacturing capacity in the world, with these resources used in a wide array of civilian and military applications. US legislators have sought to shore up domestic rare earths production after realizing that Beijing could unplug Washington from its supply.
• China carries out successful rocket vertical landing at sea Global Times 05 Apr 2023 -- China recently carried out a successful rocket vertical landing test at sea, with developers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) saying Thursday that the technology would lay the foundation for future applications including a recyclable near-space experiment platform as well as the development of space travel.
• Macron's visit signals enhanced China-France economic cooperation instead of 'decoupling' Global Times 05 Apr 2023 -- China and France are expected to eye further economic cooperation in fields such as aviation, nuclear power and new energy, and will inject more certainty into global economic recovery through enhancing the China-EU relationship, experts said amid the ongoing visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to China.
• France's Macron arrives in China, with Ukraine, trade on agenda Press TV 05 Apr 2023 -- French President Emmanuel Macron has arrived in China for a three-day state visit, during which he aims to dissuade Beijing from supporting Russia's offensive against Ukraine.
• France, EU leaders begin China visit with China-France, China-EU ties in focus Global Times 05 Apr 2023 -- French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Beijing on Wednesday, embarking on a three-day visit of "restarting exchanges and advancing cooperation," officials and experts said. Macron landed in China shortly ahead of EU chief Ursula von der Leyen as the two European leaders eye balancing economic ties with China and aiming to find some common ground for the yearlong Ukraine crisis that has dragged the EU into an unprecedented security dilemma not seen ever since WWII.
• US House Speaker McCarthy Praises Taiwan Leader as 'Great Friend to America' VOA 05 Apr 2023 -- U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy met Wednesday with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen in California, calling her "a great friend to America."
• Taiwan's leader praises US ties: 'We are not alone' Radio Free Asia 05 Apr 2023 -- Bucking increasingly bellicose threats from Beijing, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen met with a bipartisan congressional delegation led by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy just outside of Los Angeles on Wednesday, declaring "we are not isolated, and we are not alone."
• PLA vows to safeguard sovereignty ahead of Tsai-McCarthy meet Global Times 05 Apr 2023 -- Ahead of a planned meeting between Taiwan regional leader Tsai Ing-wen and US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California on Wednesday, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Theater Command vowed to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, with multiple land, naval, air exercises focusing on amphibious landing missions underway.
• PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan April 5, 2023 ROC MND 05 Apr 2023
• The Ministry of National Defense issues a press release that "The formation of the CCP aircraft carrier, Shandong, and vessels passed through the Bashi Channel" (April 5, 2023) ROC MND 05 Apr 2023
• China Launches Patrols Near Taiwan Ahead of Meeting Between McCarthy, Tsai Sputnik 05 Apr 2023 -- China has launched military patrols in two areas of the Taiwan Strait ahead of the meeting between US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in Los Angeles during her transit trip to the United States, the Chinese Maritime Safety Administration in the province of Fujian said on Wednesday.
• Top House Foreign Affairs Lawmaker to Visit Taiwan Thursday VOA 05 Apr 2023 -- Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen's talks this week with members of Congress will continue following Speaker Kevin McCarthy's historic meeting with the head of the self-governing island Wednesday in California.
• Chinese Embassy Warns US Lawmakers Against Meeting With Taiwanese President VOA 05 Apr 2023 -- U.S. lawmakers Wednesday dismissed a warning from the Chinese Embassy that they should not meet with Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen, who is visiting California.
• Shanghai Party chief meets Ma Ying-jeou, 'peace, cooperation the common voice across Straits' Global Times 05 Apr 2023 -- Chen Jining, the secretary of the Shanghai Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China, met with former chairperson of the Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) party Ma Ying-jeou on Wednesday.
• Virginia governor to visit Taiwan in late April CNA 05 Apr 2023 -- Virgina Governor Glenn Youngkin will visit Taiwan later in April as part of a wider tour to Asia, his office said in a press release Tuesday.
• Tsai met with members of Congress in New York: Presidential office CNA 05 Apr 2023 -- President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) met with Hakeem Jeffries, the top Democrat in the House of Representatives, and had a breakfast meeting with U.S. senators while in New York last week before heading to Central America.
• China's latest drills attempt to eliminate 'median line:' Expert CNA 06 Apr 2023 -- China's announced maneuvers east of the median line in the Taiwan Strait are intended to underscore the fact that China no longer accepts the previously tacit agreement on the median line between the two sides and reassert its territorial claim over Taiwan, an expert said Wednesday.
• Taiwan monitoring Chinese drill ahead of Tsai-McCarthy meeting CNA 06 Apr 2023 -- Taiwan's military is closely watching a Chinese drill in the Taiwan Strait that began Wednesday morning, less than a day before President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) was scheduled to meet United States House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California.
• China firmly opposes U.S. arrangement for Tsai Ing-wen's "transit" trip People's Daily 05 Apr 2023 -- China firmly opposes the U.S. arrangement for Tsai Ing-wen's "transit" trip to the United States and a meeting between her and U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, the third highest-ranking official of the U.S. government, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Tuesday.
• Canada's Probe of Alleged Chinese Interference Gets Mixed Reviews VOA 05 Apr 2023 -- Canadians are almost evenly divided on whether Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is sincere about probing an alleged Chinese scheme to ensure Trudeau's re-election in 2019 and 2021 while taking care to make sure his government remained hobbled with a minority in Parliament.
• Seoul Prioritizes Pyongyang's Human Rights Abuses Amid Growing Nuclear Tensions VOA 05 Apr 2023 -- South Korea has issued an unprecedented report on North Korea's treatment of its own citizens, signaling Seoul no longer believes that silence on the rights abuses will ease the way for progress on negotiating an end to Pyongyang's burgeoning nuclear and missile programs.
• Class sizes in North Korea are shrinking as more women become breadwinners Radio Free Asia 05 Apr 2023 -- As students filed into their elementary classrooms this week across North Korea for the start of the school year, entering class sizes in cities were noticeably smaller, a reflection of the declining birthrate in the country as more women become breadwinners to support their families, sources in the country said.
• After Years of Restraint, North Korean Propagandists Take Aim at US VOA 05 Apr 2023 -- Since 2022, North Korea has launched missiles at an unprecedented pace, as it rapidly expands a nuclear arsenal meant to threaten the United States and its allies. But during that buildup, Pyongyang has been less willing to lob rhetorical bombs at Washington.
• Iranian Interior Minister Denies Reports of Drone Attack on Defense Ministry's Complex Sputnik 05 Apr 2023 -- Iranian Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi said on Wednesday he could not confirm information about a drone attack against a complex of the country's defense ministry in the city of Isfahan, adding that further verification is needed.
• Iran says reports on drone attack in Isfahan need verification IRNA 05 Apr 2023 -- Iran's interior minister Ahmad Vahidi has said that media reports on a suspected drone attack on defense facilities near the central city of Isfahan are raw and need to be verified.
• Iran, Russia agree on completion of Rasht-Astara Railway in May ISNA 05 Apr 2023 -- Iran's negotiations with Russia for financing completion of Rasht-Astara Railway will be finalized in May, Abbas Khatibi, deputy at Construction and Development of Transpiration Infrastructures Company informed.
• Iranian, Saudi FMs to hold meeting in Beijing ISNA 05 Apr 2023 -- The Foreign Ministers of Iran and Saudi Arabia will hold a meeting on Thursday in Beijing, according to Asharq Al-Awsat Newspaper.
• Saudi Arabian, Iranian top diplomats to meet in Beijing; may discuss 'detailed arrangements' for resuming ties Global Times 05 Apr 2023 -- The top diplomats of Saudi Arabia and Iran will reportedly meet in Beijing on Thursday. Experts believe the three sides will discuss detailed arrangements following the Saudi-Iran agreement reached last month brokered by China. They noted that in the long run, Beijing will continue to play a vital role in the future for two sides to solve some long-standing and complex problems before they can establish mutual trust.
• IRGC warns Israel of 'decisive' response as martyred officer is laid to rest Press TV 05 Apr 2023 -- A high-ranking commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) on Wednesday warned the Israeli regime of a "strong and decisive" response as one of the Iranian military advisors who lost his life in an Israeli air raid on Damascus last week was laid to rest.
• The Farda Briefing: Iran Grapples With Hijab Crisis RFE/RL 05 Apr 2023
• Iran's reaction to politically-motivated human rights resolution against Islamic Republic ISNA 05 Apr 2023 -- Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani has reacted to the politically-motivated human rights resolution against the Islamic Republic of Iran at the 52nd meeting of the UN Human Rights Council.
• Iran says ICJ ruling "historic defeat" for U.S. People's Daily 05 Apr 2023 -- Iran said on Tuesday the recent ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against U.S. freezing of Iran's assets was a "historic defeat" for Washington.
• Transcript of the Media Briefing by the Spokesperson on Wednesday 05 April 2023 Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs 05 Apr 2023
• India Pushes Trade in Local Currency VOA 05 Apr 2023 -- India is taking steps to promote the use of its own currency for international trade as part of a push to boost its exports in countries that are grappling with a shortage of dollars or hit with Western sanctions.
• Meeting with President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko President of Russia 05 Apr 2023 -- Vladimir Putin held a meeting with President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko in the Kremlin.
• Man Detained in Belarus for Broadcasts of Military Aircraft Flights Near Minsk Sputnik 05 Apr 2023 -- Belarusian law enforcement has detained a man who had been broadcasting online flights of military aircraft from the Machulishchy military airfield near Minsk for administrators of a Telegram channel deemed extremist in the republic, Belarusian media reported on Tuesday.
• South Africa Ends Electricity State of Disaster VOA 05 Apr 2023 -- The South African government on Wednesday terminated the national state of disaster announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa in early February. The declaration was intended to deal with the worst electricity crisis in the country's history.
• Top Syrian, Tunisian diplomats discuss restoration of ties, re-opening of embassies Press TV 05 Apr 2023 -- Top diplomats of Syria and Tunisia have pledged to enhance the level of diplomatic representation amid a new wave of enhancement of ties between Syria and its Arab neighbors.
• Influx of Chinese nationals means tough competition for merchants in Laos Radio Free Asia 05 Apr 2023 -- An influx of Chinese investors and business owners to Laos in recent years is crowding out Lao entrepreneurs, who say the visitors have an unfair advantage in capital and are taking away their clientele.
• Bulgaria's Borisov Urges All-Party Talks On Forming Government To End Political Stalemate RFE/RL 05 Apr 2023 -- The leader of Bulgaria's center-right GERB party, coming off a narrow victory in snap parliamentary elections, has invited all other parties that gained seats in parliament to join talks on forming a government.
• PM Of Bosnia's Muslim-Croat Entity Sentenced To Four Years For Corruption RFE/RL 05 Apr 2023 -- A court in Sarajevo has sentenced Fadil Novalic, the prime minister of the Bosniak-Croat Federation -- one of Bosnia-Herzegovina's two entities -- to four years in prison after finding him guilty of corruption in a case regarding the purchase and importing of Chinese ventilators during the coronavirus pandemic.
• Combating Systemic Corruption in Haiti US Dept. of State 05 Apr 2023 -- Today, the United States is taking action to support the people of Haiti and respond to the ongoing instability in the country by imposing visa restrictions and financial sanctions on former President of the Haitian Chamber of Deputies Gary Bodeau for his involvement in corruption.
• Treasury Sanctions Former President of Haiti's Chamber of Deputies US Treasury 05 Apr 2023 -- Today, the Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned the former President of the Haitian Chamber of Deputies Gary Bodeau (Bodeau), pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13818, for his extensive involvement in corruption in Haiti. E.O. 13818 builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act and targets perpetrators of serious human rights abuse and corruption around the world.
• Public Designations of Mikheil Chinchaladze, Levan Murusidze, Irakli Shengelia, and Valerian Tsertsvadze, Due to Involvement in Significant Corruption US Dept. of State 05 Apr 2023 -- Today, the U.S. Department of State is publicly designating Mikheil Chinchaladze, Levan Murusidze, Irakli Shengelia, and Valerian Tsertsvadze under Section 7031(c) visa restriction authorities, due to their involvement in significant corruption.
• Somalia: $2.6 billion appeal to aid millions still on the brink of famine UN News 05 Apr 2023 -- The UN's Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia, Adam Abdelmoula, made a passionate appeal for sustained support for the country's most vulnerable on Wednesday, where climate shocks and protracted conflict have created one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world.
• Rights expert denounces interference in Beirut explosion probe UN News 05 Apr 2023 -- Judges investigating the deadly August 2020 explosion at the port in Lebanon's capital, Beirut, must be free to do their job in peace, a UN independent human rights expert said on Wednesday.
• Thailand's Shinawatra Bets on Family Name, Cash Handouts to 'Take Back Our Democracy' VOA 05 Apr 2023 -- Paetongtarn Shinawatra confirmed her bid for prime minister on Wednesday, pledging to increase daily wages and give a cash handout to all Thais if elected, as Thailand's most famous political family fights a May 14 poll seen as critical if pro-democracy parties are to regain power from a military that has dug into politics.
• Namibia Appoints Female Justices to Supreme Court VOA 05 Apr 2023 -- Gender equality activists in Namibia have welcomed the first ever appointment of female justices to the country's supreme court.