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Defense Policy / Programs

• Readout of Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Sasha Baker's Meeting With Estonian Ministry of Defense Permanent Secretary Kusti Salm DoD 15 Jun 2023
• DOD Enters Agreement to Expand Domestic Manufacturing and Strengthen U.S. Cobalt Supply Chains DoD 15 Jun 2023 -- The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Industrial Base Policy (OASD(IBP)), through its Manufacturing Capability Expansion and Investment Prioritization (MCEIP) office entered an agreement with Jervois Mining USA, a subsidiary of Jervois Global Limited, to conduct feasibility studies to expand cobalt extraction in Idaho.
• Tailoring U.S. Outreach to Indo-Pacific Allies, Partners DoD News 15 Jun 2023 -- The Indo-Pacific is a vast complicated region with nations of varying capabilities, capacities and needs, and U.S. strategy in the region must be equally varied, said Lindsey W. Ford, deputy assistant secretary of defense for South and Southeast Asia.
• DOD Committed to Ethical Use of Artificial Intelligence DoD News 15 Jun 2023 -- The Defense Department is prioritizing ethical considerations and collaboration in its approach to developing and fielding military applications of artificial intelligence, a top Pentagon technology official said today.
• DAF leaders convene at CORONA South 2023 US Air Force 15 Jun 2023 -- Department of the Air Force leaders congregated for CORONA South 2023 at MacDill Air Force Base, June 12-15. Members in attendance included the Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force JoAnne Bass and approximately 90 general officers representing each area of responsibility and functional area of operations.
• 182nd Airlift Wing leads C-130 Hercules operations at NATO's Air Defender 2023 US Air Force 15 Jun 2023 -- The largest NATO multinational air forces redeployment exercise in history began at Wunstorf Air Base, June 12, with the Illinois Air National Guard's 182nd Airlift Wing leading the C-130 Hercules aircraft operations.
• USS Charleston (LCS 18) Returns From 26-Month Deployment US Navy 15 Jun 2023 -- Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Charleston (LCS 18) returned to her homeport of Naval Base San Diego, June 14, 2023, following a 26-month rotational deployment.
• BALTOPS 23: A Testbed for New Technology US Navy 15 Jun 2023 -- As in previous years, U.S. Sixth Fleet is partnering with the U.S. Naval research enterprise to bring the latest advancements in emerging unmanned technologies to conduct mine countermeasures (MCM) operations. To forward these efforts, Sailors and Marines are experimenting and integrating with Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs), Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), and Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs).
  
• Readout of Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Dr. Colin Kahl Meetings in the Republic of Korea DoD 15 Jun 2023
• Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III's Meeting in Brussels With Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant DoD 15 Jun 2023
• Utah Guard, Ghana Train Together at African Lion Exercise Army News 15 Jun 2023 -- Utah National Guard Soldiers from the Homeland Response Force - Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Task Force traveled overseas to train with Ghana Armed Forces as part of Exercise African Lion 2023 May 31-June 14.
• Oregon Army Guard Conducts Tank Gunnery with Moroccan Army Army News 15 Jun 2023 -- More than two dozen Oregon Army National Guard Soldiers assigned to the 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team's 3-116th Combined Arms Battalion conducted tank gunnery training with members of the Royal Moroccan Army in the Tan Tan Training Area, June 8-10 during Exercise African Lion 2023.
• New Jersey Guard's 44th IBCT Demonstrates Combat Readiness Army News 15 Jun 2023 -- It's hot and humid, and there are critters everywhere. "The Box" at the Joint Readiness Training Center is where Soldiers are battle-tested in a high-stress, multi-domain setting against a near-peer opposing force, becoming deployment-ready.
• NATO strong and united against Russia's imperialist ambitions Republic of Poland 15 Jun 2023 -- Today, we held the 13th meeting of the Contact Group, which was assembled by the US with a broader membership than just NATO Allies. The task of this group is to coordinate support for Ukraine. We may be pleased that Poland's role in supporting Ukraine is appreciated by our Allies. At the same time, I think that it is our achievement that among the countries supporting Ukraine we share a belief that the Russian empire is evil" said Deputy Prime Minister Mariusz Blaszczak after meetings with NATO Allies.
• NATO set to boost troops on high alert People's Daily 15 Jun 2023 -- NATO is set to boost the number of troops on high alert and increase ammunition production, its secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday.
• Biden Administration 'Hopeful' Sweden Will Be Admitted to NATO VOA 15 Jun 2023 -- The Biden administration says it remains "hopeful" about Sweden's application to join the NATO security alliance, despite tepid words from NATO's main holdout, Turkey.
• NATO: Press remarks by High Representative Josep Borrell upon arrival at the Defence Ministerial Meeting European External Action Service (EEAS) 15 Jun 2023
• Four more Allies join NATO's Multinational Ammunition Warehousing Initiative NATO 15 Jun 2023 -- Bulgaria, Denmark, Germany and Luxembourg joined NATO's Multinational Ammunition Warehousing Initiative (MAWI) on Thursday (15 June 2023). MAWI plays a key role for enabling the pre-positioning of adequate munition stockpiles in support of NATO's multinational battlegroups on the Alliance's eastern flank.
• Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Mark A. Milley Hold Press Conference Following Ukraine Defense Contact Group Meeting, Brussels, Belgium DoD 15 Jun 2023
• Opening Remarks by Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III at the 13th Ukraine Defense Contact Group (As Delivered) DoD 15 Jun 2023
• Nations Step Up With New Ukraine Military Assistance DoD News 15 Jun 2023 -- Germany and Poland committed to sustaining Ukraine's new Leopard tanks, and the Netherlands and Denmark shared progress made on their plans to train pilots on fourth-generation fighter aircraft, including F-16s, said the U.S. secretary of defense.
• Austin Urges Nations to Continue Ukraine Support for Long Haul DoD News 15 Jun 2023 -- Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III thanked the 50 nations that have provided Ukraine with training and equipment. That support will need to continue for the long haul as "Ukraine's fight is a marathon, not a sprint," he said.
• US urges allies to 'dig deep' with arms in Ukraine's fight against Russia Press TV 15 Jun 2023 -- The United States has called on its allies to "dig deep" and provide more weapons and ammunition to Ukraine as Kiev faces a tough fight in its counteroffensive against Russian forces.
• Latest in Ukraine: NATO Discusses More Military Support for Ukraine VOA 15 Jun 2023 -- NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Thursday the war in Ukraine demonstrates the need to stand with Ukraine and continue to provide support.
• NATO Secretary General: we must ensure Ukraine can defend itself now and in the future NATO 15 Jun 2023 -- Opening a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission on Thursday (15 June 2023), Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that Allies must continue to increase the delivery of military equipment to Ukraine as it fights to regain territory from Russian occupying forces.
• NATO Secretary General: Defence Ministers will focus on support to Ukraine, bolstering deterrence and defence NATO 15 Jun 2023 -- Arriving at the start of a two-day meeting of NATO Defence Ministers on Thursday (15 June 2023), Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that Allies would discuss how to sustain and step up support to Ukraine, and work to further bolster the Alliance's deterrence and defence.
• Stoltenberg urges NATO allies to arm Ukraine for offensive, as ministers discuss ties with Kiev Press TV 15 Jun 2023 -- NATO Security General Jens Stoltenberg has urged the member states to arm Ukraine for an offensive against Russia, after reassuring that there is no consensus for the country to join the military alliance while it is at war with Russia.
• EU Parliament Calls on NATO Allies to Invite Ukraine to Join Alliance Sputnik 15 Jun 2023 -- The European Parliament on Thursday adopted a resolution calling on NATO allies to pave the way for a membership invitation for Ukraine at the upcoming summit.
• Minister Sklenár at NATO HQ in Brussels: "Our support for Ukraine is an investment in our own defence and security" Ministry of Defence of The Slovak Republic 15 Jun 2023 -- At the two-day NATO Defence Ministerial in Brussels, Defence Minister Martin Sklenár has been taking part today in a number of bilateral and multilateral meetings, with a particular focus on supporting Ukraine in the fight against Russia's unprecedented aggression and deepening defence industrial cooperation between Slovakia, Czechia and Ukraine.
• Training of Ukrainian F-16 pilots to start in the coming months Netherlands Ministry of Defence 15 Jun 2023 -- According to a letter sent today by Netherlands Minister of Defence Kajsa Ollongren to the House of Representatives, the Netherlands and a number of other European countries are working to ensure that the training of Ukrainian pilots to fly the F-16 can start as soon as possible. To this end, a training centre is being set up in an eastern European NATO member state. Furthermore, the Netherlands is again contributing to the strengthening of Ukraine's air defence.
• NATO Secretary General Says 'Too Early' for Bloc to Decide on F-16 Delivery to Ukraine Sputnik 15 Jun 2023 -- NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday that the time had not yet come for the alliance to make a decision on the timing of the delivery of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine.
• UK joins international partners in delivering air defence equipment to Ukraine UK MOD 15 Jun 2023 -- A major new fund will deliver hundreds of vital air defence missiles, the result of a partnership between Denmark, the Netherlands, the UK and the USA.
• Joint statement by Denmark, the Netherlands, the UK, and the USA UK MOD 15 Jun 2023 -- A statement on delivering high priority air defence equipment to Ukraine.
• War in Ukraine - Military support for Ukraine Germany - Federal Government 15 Jun 2023 -- Germany provides support for Ukraine by supplying equipment and weapons, these come from supplies of the Federal Arms Forces and from deliveries from industry financed from the Federal Government's funds for security capacity building. An overview.
• Defence Minister Anita Anand participates in 13th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group Canada 15 Jun 2023 -- Today, the Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of National Defence, participated in the 13th Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) meeting in Brussels, hosted by United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III. The meeting brought together representatives from approximately 50 countries, who gathered to discuss the provision of military aid to Ukraine.
• Norway and Denmark cooperate on new donations to Ukraine Government of Norway 15 Jun 2023 -- Norway and Denmark agree to donate an additional 9,000 rounds of artillery to Ukraine. Norway provides the shells, while Denmark donates fuzes and propellant charges.
• Japan, US Discussing Supply of 155mm Shells for Ukraine's Counteroffensive - Reports Sputnik 15 Jun 2023 -- Japan is considering supplying 155mm artillery shells to the United States under a 2016 deal that allows the two countries to trade ammunition as part of their security alliance, US media reported on Thursday, citing sources.
• Rheinmetall Unable to Supply Leopard Tanks to Ukraine in 2023 Sputnik 15 Jun 2023 -- In recent days, Russia has published numerous photos showing destroyed Ukrainian IFVs and tanks - including German-made Leopards - which Kiev's forces lost amid their much-hyped counteroffensive.
• US aircraft carrier enters South China Sea in show of strength while Chinese naval ship visits Southeast Asian countries for friendship Global Times 15 Jun 2023 -- A US Navy aircraft carrier group is reportedly operating in the South China Sea in an obvious demonstration of US strength that aims to raise tensions in the region against China, while a Chinese naval training ship is on a goodwill tour of building the peace and friendship in Southeast Asia.
• Army resumes training on Ajax UK MOD 15 Jun 2023 -- Units of the British Field Army have restarted training on the Ajax vehicles this week, highlighting continued progress in the programme.
• Trilateral National Security Advisors Statement on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's Missile Launches The White House 15 Jun 2023
• North Korea ballistic missile launches: FCDO statement UK FCDO 15 Jun 2023 -- A Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office spokesperson statement on North Korea's ballistic missile launches on 15 June.
• North Korea fires two ballistic missiles amid joint South Korea-US drills Press TV 15 Jun 2023 -- North Korea has launched two short-range ballistic missiles as several thousand South Korean and US troops hold joint live-fire exercises in the Korean Peninsula.
• North Korea Fires 2 Short-Range Ballistic Missiles Towards Sea of Japan - Seoul Sputnik 15 Jun 2023 -- North Korea has fired two ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan from the Sunan region, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said on Thursday.
• South Korea Says North Korea Launched 2 Ballistic Missiles VOA 15 Jun 2023 -- North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles off its east coast on Thursday, South Korea's military said, in what Pyongyang had warned would be an "inevitable" response to live fire drills that Seoul's forces had conducted earlier in the day with U.S. troops.
• Spokesperson for DPRK Ministry of National Defence Issues Strong Warning KCNA 15 Jun 2023 -- A spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defence of the DPRK issued the following strong warning through the Korean Central News Agency on Thursday as regards the fact that the U.S. and south Korea are staging anti-DPRK hostile military drills for days on end:
• Aatmanirbhar Bharat: MoD signs Rs 500 crore contract to strengthen Indian Army's communication system India PIB 15 Jun 2023 -- Giving a further boost to indigenous manufacturing of defence equipment and incentivize the private sector to engage in realizing the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat, Ministry of Defence inked a contract on June 15, 2023 in New Delhi with ICOMM Tele Limited, Hyderabad for the procurement of 1,035 numbers of 5/7.5 Ton Radio Relay Communication equipment containers.
• Pevkur: The rapid military readiness of the Joint Expeditionary Force is crucial for the defence of Estonia Estonia MoD 15 Jun 2023 -- Minister of Defence Hanno Pevkur participated in the meeting of Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) defence ministers in Amsterdam, where the ministers took part in a table-top exercise to practice the role of the Joint Expeditionary Force role in peacetime crisis escalation and the transition to supporting NATO activities with a focus on the North Sea and the Baltic region.
• Defence explains award process for new submarines Netherlands Ministry of Defence 15 Jun 2023 -- In order to acquire four new submarines, the Netherlands Ministry of Defence (MoD) has asked three candidate shipyards to submit tenders. The candidate yards are Naval Group, Saab Kockums and ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems. They are required to submit their tenders by 28 July 2023 at the latest. Netherlands State Secretary for Defence Christophe van der Maat today sent a letter to the House of Representatives in which he explained the process that is in place for the provisional award decision.
• New security deal grants US 'unimpeded' access to Papua New Guinea bases Press TV 15 Jun 2023 -- A recently inked defense agreement has granted the US military an "unimpeded access" to Papua New Guinea (PNG) military bases, as part of Washington's push to increase its military footprints in the Pacific to counter the influence of China.
• US Criticizes Afghanistan, Russia, Others in Human Trafficking Report VOA 15 Jun 2023 -- The U.S. government has released its annual report surveying human trafficking around the world, and Afghanistan, China and Russia are among the countries noted as trouble spots.
• Secretary Antony J. Blinken at the Release of the 2023 Trafficking in Persons Report US Dept. of State 15 Jun 2023
• US Shores Up Indo-Pacific Allies, Partners Ahead of Blinken's Beijing Trip VOA 15 Jun 2023 -- White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan is on an Asian diplomatic blitz this week, participating in a trilateral meeting with his counterparts from Japan and South Korea on Thursday.
• Readout of National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan's Meeting with the National Security Advisors of Japan and the Republic of Korea The White House 15 Jun 2023
• Secretary Antony J. Blinken And Maldivian Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid Before Their Meeting US Dept. of State 15 Jun 2023
• Deputy Secretary Sherman's Call with Singaporean Foreign Minister Balakrishnan US Dept. of State 15 Jun 2023
• Secretary Blinken's Meeting with Foreign Minister Shahid US Dept. of State 15 Jun 2023
• Readout of National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan's Travel to India The White House 15 Jun 2023

Defense Industry

• Contracts For June 15, 2023

Other Conflicts

Ukraine Conflict News
• Fresh Attacks Put Spotlight On Afghanistan's Northeast As IS-K Stomping, Recruiting Ground RFE/RL 15 Jun 2023 -- Targeted attacks in Afghanistan's northeastern Badakhshan Province have left residents fearful of leaving their homes and the Taliban scrambling to maintain its authority as the Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K) extremist group makes clear that it has not gone away.
• Syrian Kurds Launch New Attempt to Prosecute Captured IS Foreign Fighters VOA 15 Jun 2023 -- U.S. allies in northeastern Syria are intent on prosecuting hundreds of Islamic State foreign fighters for war crimes despite a lack of support from the international community.
• UN chief insists on solidarity with people of Syria, with 'no time to spare' UN News 15 Jun 2023 -- As donors gathered in Brussels at an international pledging conference for Syria organized by the European Union on Thursday, UN chief António Guterres highlighted the immense suffering of the Syrian people, which he said "defies description".
• Syria: Press remarks by High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell at Brussels VII Conference on Syria European External Action Service (EEAS) 15 Jun 2023
• Syria: Opening speech by High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell at the Ministerial session of the VII. Brussels conference on the future of Syria and the region European External Action Service (EEAS) 15 Jun 2023 -- Welcome to the 7th Brussels Conference on the Future of Syria and of the Region. I am pleased to see so many friends from the region, from Europe and beyond, and also from the UN family, which has come in strength, as always.
• Syria and the region: International community mobilises €5.6 billion during the 7th Brussels Conference European Commission 15 Jun 2023 -- During the 7th Brussels Conference on 'Supporting the future of Syria and the Region' on 15 June, the international community pledged €5.6 billion for 2023 and beyond, including €4.6 billion for 2023 and €1 billion for 2024 and beyond.
• The United States Announces $920 Million in Additional Humanitarian Assistance for Syria US Dept. of State 15 Jun 2023 -- Today, Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights Uzra Zeya announced $920 million in additional U.S. humanitarian assistance for Syria at the Brussels VII Conference on "Supporting the Future of Syria and the Region."
• Backgrounder: Canada announces funding for humanitarian and development assistance for those affected by conflict in Syria Canada 15 Jun 2023
• Over one million children newly displaced in two months as Sudan faces escalating conflict UNICEF 15 Jun 2023 -- More than one million children have now been displaced by two months of conflict in Sudan. Across Sudan, UNICEF has received credible reports that over 330 children have been killed, and over 1,900 have been injured, as of 6 June and many more are at grave risk. Access is constrained for the most basic lifesaving services, leaving over 13 million children in dire need of humanitarian assistance - water, health, nutrition and protection.
• UN in Sudan condemns killing of West Darfur governor, raises alarm over 'vortex of hate speech' UN News 15 Jun 2023 -- The UN Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS) said on Thursday it was "appalled and deeply shocked" at the killing of the Governor of West Darfur, calling for a halt to the spiralling violence and for those responsible to be brought to justice.
• Aid Organization Warns of Looming Food Crisis in Sudan VOA 15 Jun 2023 -- A catastrophic food crisis looms in Sudan if fighting doesn't stop, said Freydoun Borhani, team leader with aid organization Mercy Corps in Gedaref state, on the Ethiopian border.
• Condemning Atrocities in Darfur US Dept. of State 15 Jun 2023 -- The United States condemns in the strongest terms the ongoing human rights violations and abuses and horrific violence in Sudan, especially reports of widespread sexual violence and killings based on ethnicity in West Darfur by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied militias.
• West Darfur governor 'brutally' killed as fighting spreads in Sudan Press TV 15 Jun 2023 -- West Darfur state governor has been killed after publicly blaming the deaths of civilians on Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) as the conflict spreads in the African nation.
• Comment by Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on intensified terrorist attacks against the Serbs in Kosovo Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 15 Jun 2023
• Kurti Says Kosovo Tightened Border Controls After Three Kosovar Police 'Kidnapped' RFE/RL 15 Jun 2023 -- Prime Minister Albin Kurti said on June 15 that Kosovo was still allowing Serb vehicles to cross its border but only after tightened controls following what Pristina said was the "kidnapping" of three of its police officers by Serbian forces in the predominantly ethnic Serb northern part of Kosovo -- a region where tensions have been running high for weeks over the installation of ethnic Albanian mayors.
• Ministers Gather in Uganda to Look for Solutions to East Africa's Refugee Crisis VOA 15 Jun 2023 -- Calls for countries in the East and Horn of Africa to address the needs of the millions of displaced people in the region came Tuesday at the start of a four-day ministerial conference being held by the Inter-governmental authority (IGAD) in the Ugandan capital.
• DR Congo: Armed group attacks displace nearly 1 million since January UN News 15 Jun 2023 -- Escalating violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has displaced nearly one million people since January, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Thursday.

News Reports

• Air National Guardsman Indicted for Unlawful Disclosure of Classified National Defense Information US Dept. of Justice 15 Jun 2023 -- A member of the U.S. Air National Guard (USANG) stationed in Massachusetts was indicted today by a federal grand jury in Boston for allegedly retaining and transmitting classified national defense information on a social media platform beginning in or around 2022 and continuing until his arrest in April.
• Reports Say CIA Warned Ukraine Not To Sabotage Nord Stream Pipeline Prior To Blasts RFE/RL 15 Jun 2023 -- The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency reportedly warned Ukraine not to sabotage the Nord Stream undersea gas pipelines last year after receiving a tip from the Netherlands' intelligence agency that a plot was under way.
• The Trump Documents Case: What You Need to Know VOA 15 Jun 2023 -- With former President Donald Trump currently the leading candidate for his party's presidential nomination in 2024, his indictment last week on charges of mishandling classified documents stands to dominate the American political conversation for months to come.
• How Trump's Handling of Classified Materials Compares to Biden, Pence, Clinton VOA 15 Jun 2023 -- Following the indictment of Donald Trump in connection with his alleged mishandling of classified documents, the former president and his supporters contend that he is the target of a politically weaponized justice system. They claim that the Department of Justice has ignored similar alleged crimes committed by his rivals, including President Joe Biden and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
• Australia Blocks Plan for New Russian Embassy on National Security Grounds VOA 15 Jun 2023 -- Australia is blocking Russia's plans to build a new embassy near the Australian Federal Parliament, citing unspecified national security concerns. There has been no response so far from Russia's diplomatic staff. Australia has imposed broad sanctions on Russia and sent military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine since Russia's invasion of its neighbor.
• 'Cost Of War': Czech President Says Russians In West Should Be 'Monitored' RFE/RL 15 Jun 2023 -- Czech President Petr Pavel said security services should monitor Russians living in the West, calling it "simply the cost" of the Kremlin's war against Ukraine, but a spokeswoman for the president clarified that he did not mean creating internment camps or any type of persecution.
• Foreign National Sentenced for International Cocaine Trafficking Conspiracy US Dept. of Justice 15 Jun 2023 -- A Mexican national was sentenced today in the District of Columbia to 13 years in prison for conspiring to distribute cocaine for importation into the United States.
• US Uses New Law to Target Gun Trafficking to Mexico VOA 15 Jun 2023 -- A new law that imposes harsher penalties on gun trafficking is giving U.S. prosecutors a powerful tool to combat the illicit flow of weapons from the United States to drug cartels in Mexico.
• Russian National Arrested and Charged with Conspiring to Commit LockBit Ransomware Attacks Against U.S. and Foreign Businesses US Dept. of Justice 15 Jun 2023 -- The Justice Department today announced charges against a Russian national for his involvement in deploying numerous LockBit ransomware and other cyberattacks against victim computer systems in the United States, Asia, Europe, and Africa.
• Briefing by Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, St Petersburg, June 15, 2023 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 15 Jun 2023
• Opening of new sections of M-4 Highway in Rostov Region and Krasnodar Territory President of Russia 15 Jun 2023 -- Vladimir Putin took part, via videoconference, in the opening ceremony of a motorway bypassing the town of Aksai in the Rostov Region and a remote lateral road to the west of the city of Krasnodar in the Krasnodar Territory.
• Russia-Algeria talks President of Russia 15 Jun 2023 -- Vladimir Putin held talks in the Kremlin with President of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria Abdelmadjid Tebboune, who is in Russia on a state visit.
• The President of Russia and the President of Algeria made statements for the press President of Russia 15 Jun 2023 -- Following Russian-Algerian talks, Vladimir Putin and Abdelmadjid Tebboune made statements for the mass media.
• Press release on demarche to the Embassy of Canada in Russia in connection with Ottawa's decision to confiscate a Russian-owned An-124 aircraft Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 15 Jun 2023
• India and China in tit-for-tat row over journalists Radio Free Asia 15 Jun 2023 -- In a slow-motion blow-up that has been underway since March, a diplomatic row between China and India over journalist visas has prompted each side to minimize the other's media presence in their territories.
• Banned protest anthem 'Glory to Hong Kong' pulled from global streaming services Radio Free Asia 15 Jun 2023 -- which may be subject to a court injunction -- was taken down by its distributor.
• Palestinian leader supports China's Uyghur policies in joint statement Radio Free Asia 15 Jun 2023 -- During his visit this week to China, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas voiced support for China's policies in the far western region of Xinjiang, where the United Nations has found credible patterns of torture and ill treatment against the mostly Muslim Uyghurs living there.
• US Warns of Miscalculation With China Amid Growing Tensions VOA 15 Jun 2023 -- The United States is enhancing engagement with China as it sees the potential for miscalculation with its top competitor growing, U.S. officials said.
• Premier Li to visit Germany, France in first overseas trip Global Times 15 Jun 2023 -- At the invitation of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the French government, Chinese Premier Li Qiang will pay an official visit to Germany and hold the seventh China-Germany inter-governmental consultation, and pay an official visit to France and attend the Summit for a New Global Financing Pact from June 18 to 23, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin announced on Thursday.
• EU Urges Release of Jailed Hong Kong Newspaper Founder Lai VOA 15 Jun 2023 -- The European Parliament passed a resolution Thursday calling for the immediate release of Apple Daily newspaper founder Jimmy Lai, as well as the repeal of Hong Kong's national security law, which has been used to target pro-democracy activists and China critics such as Lai.
• US plays down chance of breakthrough from Blinken's China visit Press TV 15 Jun 2023 -- The United States has played down chances of any breakthrough from the first trip by a US Secretary of State to China in five years after China called on Washington to stop meddling in its affairs ahead of Antony Blinken's visit to Beijing next week.
• China ready to work with world to push greater fairness, inclusiveness in global human rights governance: Xi Global Times 15 Jun 2023 -- China on Wednesday held a Forum on Global Human Rights Governance, with more than 300 scholars, officials and experts of the United Nations and nongovernmental organizations from nearly 100 countries sharing their views on how to promote human rights development amid the increasing threat of geopolitical conflicts.
• Share of Chinese yuan in Russian households' savings set to top 45%: VTB deputy CEO Global Times 15 Jun 2023 -- Savings of Russian in the Chinese yuan will increase by a factor of two and reach 88 billion yuan ($12.3 billion) this year and the share of the Chinese currency in Russian households' currency saving is estimated to be above 45 percent by the end of 2024, deputy CEO of VTB Bank Anatoly Pechatnikov said on Wednesday, according to a TASS report.
• China sees surge in lithium reserves in 2022 People's Daily 15 Jun 2023 -- China recorded a 57-percent increase year on year in its lithium reserves in 2022, official data showed Wednesday.
• Cross-Strait relations facing critical choices: mainland spokesperson People's Daily 15 Jun 2023 -- A mainland spokesperson on Wednesday said that relations across the Taiwan Strait are facing the choices between the paths of peace and war and between the prospects of prosperity and recession.
• DPP unjustified in impeding cross-Strait exchanges: spokesperson People's Daily 15 Jun 2023 -- A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Wednesday lashed out at Taiwan's mainland-affairs authority for prohibiting civil groups on the island from co-hosting the upcoming 15th Straits Forum and limiting Taiwan people's engagement in cross-Strait exchanges.
• PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan Jun. 15, 2023 ROC MND 15 Jun 2023
• US imposes fresh sanctions on North Korea despite Treasury warning Press TV 15 Jun 2023 -- The United States has imposed fresh punitive measures on North Korea, targeting the country's missile program despite a recent warning from the Treasury that sanctions are pushing many countries to seek alternatives to the dollar for settlements.
• Designation of Two DPRK Individuals Supporting the DPRK's Unlawful Weapons of Mass Destruction and Missile Programs US Dept. of State 15 Jun 2023 -- "Today, the United States is designating two Beijing-based Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) nationals connected to the DPRK's weapons of mass destruction (WMD) procurement. The DPRK's development of its missile programs directly threatens regional and international security, and the United States will continue to take action to curtail activities in support of those programs."
• Treasury Targets Procurement Agents Who Supply Prohibited Components for DPRK Missile Development US Treasury 15 Jun 2023 -- Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned two Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) nationals involved in the procurement of equipment and materials that support the DPRK ballistic missile program. The DPRK continues to utilize a network of representatives in foreign countries, including the People's Republic of China (PRC) and Iran, to illicitly import restricted components necessary to conduct research and development of its unlawful weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and ballistic missile programs, in violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions.
• Rights Activists Say China Neglecting North Korean Refugees VOA 15 Jun 2023 -- Human rights activists and former officials are accusing Beijing of violating both Chinese and international laws, putting thousands of North Korean refugees in imminent danger.
• Iran, Cuba sign 6 major cooperation deals Press TV 15 Jun 2023 -- Iran and Cuba have signed six agreements to expand economic, political and judicial cooperation between the two allied countries.
• EP Plenary: Speech by High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell on EU citizens detained in Iran European External Action Service (EEAS) 15 Jun 2023 -- Speech delivered by Commissioner for Energy, Kadri Simson, on behalf of High-Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell
• Group Says Iranian Students 'Severely' Beaten During Protest Over Dress Code RFE/RL 15 Jun 2023 -- The Iranian Student Guild Councils says several students protesting against the dress code at Tehran's Art University were beaten by school security agents, leaving some in "critical" condition.
• Iran urges sanctions-busting cooperation among independent countries Press TV 15 Jun 2023 -- Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi has laid emphasis on the need for the existence of cooperation among independent countries towards neutralization of the predicaments that they commonly face, including Western sanctions.
• US Denies Interim Deal on Iran's Nuclear Program VOA 15 Jun 2023 -- The United States said Wednesday that reports of an interim nuclear deal with Iran "are false and misleading."
• Pakistan's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs meets EU's High Representative /Vice President Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs 15 Jun 2023 -- The Minister of State for the Foreign Affairs of Pakistan, Hina Rabbani Khar met the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission (HR/VP), Josep Borrell in Strasbourg on 13 June 2023.
• Transcript of the Media Briefing by the Spokesperson Thursday 15 June 2023 Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs 15 Jun 2023
• Secretary-General's opening remarks to journalists at a press conference on Climate UN Secretary-General 15 Jun 2023
• South African Police Receive Chinese Training VOA 15 Jun 2023 -- South Africa's police minister, Bheki Cele, and a delegation of senior police officials recently returned from a visit to China, where they discussed strengthening law enforcement collaboration.
• Bulgarian President Signs Decree Firing Controversial Prosecutor-General RFE/RL 15 Jun 2023 -- Bulgarian President Rumen Radev fired Prosecutor-General Ivan Geshev on June 15, halfway through his seven-year term amid growing domestic and Western frustration with his failure to tackle endemic corruption.
• Nearly 3 million children need support in Haiti - highest number on record UNICEF 15 Jun 2023 -- Nearly 3 million children - the highest number on record - need humanitarian support in Haiti, where they face staggering levels of violence that have exacerbated hunger and malnutrition in a country already mired in poverty and a resurgence of cholera.
• Almost 3 million children 'desperately need protection and support' in Haiti UN News 15 Jun 2023 -- Nearly three million children, the highest number on record, need humanitarian support in Haiti, where they face staggering levels of violence that have exacerbated hunger and malnutrition in a country already mired in poverty and a resurgence of deadly cholera.