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News Reports

Current Operations

• US Cyber Teams Are on the Hunt in Lithuania VOA 12 Sep 2023 -- For at least the second time this year, U.S. cyber forces have come to the aid of a Baltic ally, as concerns linger about potential cyberattacks from Russia and other Western adversaries.

Defense Policy / Programs

• DOD Releases 2023 Cyber Strategy Summary DoD 12 Sep 2023 -- Today, the Department of Defense (DOD) released an unclassified summary of its classified 2023 Cyber Strategy.
• DOD's Cyber Strategy Emphasizes Building Partner Capacity DoD News 12 Sep 2023 -- In May, the Defense Department released to Congress the classified version of the 2023 Cyber Strategy. Today, the department made public an unclassified summary of that strategy which reveals a new emphasis on helping U.S. partners and allies build their own cyber capacity.
• Offense is the New Defense in Pentagon's Revamped Cyber Strategy VOA 12 Sep 2023 -- Pentagon military planners will no longer be holding back when it comes to deploying forces and capabilities to defend the United States and its allies in cyberspace.
• Pentagon Press Secretary Brigadier General Pat Ryder and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Cyber Policy Mieke Eoyang Hold a Press Briefing DoD 12 Sep 2023
• DoD Enters Agreement to Expand Domestic Lithium Mining for U.S. Battery Supply Chains DoD 12 Sep 2023 -- The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Industrial Base Policy, through its Manufacturing Capability Expansion and Investment Prioritization (MCEIP) office, entered an agreement with Albemarle Corporation to support the expansion of domestic mining and production of lithium.
• Department of Defense Enters an Agreement to Strengthen the U.S. Supply Chain for Nickel Production DoD 12 Sep 2023 -- The Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Resilience, through its Manufacturing Capability Expansion and Investment Prioritization (MCEIP) office, entered an agreement with Talon Nickel (USA), LLC (Talon) to increase the domestic production of nickel.
• Austin Remains Engaged With Lawmakers on Risks Posed by Senate Hold on Nominations DoD News 12 Sep 2023 -- Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III remains engaged with Congress in underscoring the ongoing risks to national security posed by the blanket hold on Senate confirmations for hundreds of military nominees, Department of Defense Press Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said today.
• Super Garuda Shield: U.S., Partners Train in Indo-Pacific DoD News 12 Sep 2023 -- Just weeks after completing the largest ever Talisman Sabre in Australia, U.S. and partner forces are back in the field for another large-scale exercise designed to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific.
• US Air Force, RAF leaders sign Combined Vision Statement on Agile Combat Employment US Air Force 12 Sep 2023 -- In a landmark event poised to reshape the future of air combat operations, U.S. Air Force Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations Lt. Gen. Jim Slife and Royal Air Force's Air and Space Commander Air Marshal Harv Smyth came together to sign a Combined Vision Statement on Agile Combat Employment Sept. 12 in National Harbor, Maryland, during the Air and Space Forces Association 2023 Air, Space and Cyber Conference.
• Healy highlights Reserve readiness, unit integration at Air, Space and Cyber Conference US Air Force 12 Sep 2023 -- Lt. Gen. John Healy focused his remarks on Reserve readiness and integration during a panel that opened the Air and Space Forces Association's Air, Space and Cyber Conference in National Harbor, Sept. 11.
• AETC commander advocates for empowered Airmen, mission command focused training during AFA US Air Force 12 Sep 2023 -- Lt. Gen. Brian S. Robinson, commander of Air Education and Training Command, shared his perspective on developing 21st-century Airmen and Guardians who are ready for the future fight during an Air and Space Force Association's Air, Space and Cyber Conference panel in National Harbor, Sept. 11.
• Pacific Air Forces commander releases PACAF Strategy 2030: Evolving Airpower US Air Force 12 Sep 2023 -- Gen. Ken Wilsbach, Pacific Air Forces commander, released "PACAF Strategy 2030: Evolving Airpower" during a briefing at the Air and Space Force Association's Air, Space and Cyber Conference, Sept. 11.
• U.S., Canadian Naval Forces Participate in Exercise Noble Wolverine US Navy 12 Sep 2023 -- The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ralph Johnson (DDG 114) is operating alongside the Royal Canadian Navy's HMCS Ottawa (FFH 341) as part of the exercise Noble Wolverine in the South China Sea.
• Brown provides update on Air Force's effort to 'accelerate change' to meet global security challenges US Air Force 12 Sep 2023 -- Emphasizing themes that are now familiar, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr. said in a Sept. 12 speech to an influential audience that the service must continue to change to meet the challenges of today's complex security environment or "risk losing the certainty with which we have defended our national interests for decades."
• Allvin stresses need to modernize, transform Air Force during Senate confirmation hearing US Air Force 12 Sep 2023 -- Gen. David W. Allvin told a Senate committee Tuesday that, if confirmed as the next Air Force Chief of Staff, he will press hard to follow through on modernizing and reshaping the service to meet current and emerging threats, conceding that the effort will require tough choices.
• Report: US set to approve supply of longer-range missiles packed with cluster bombs to Ukraine Press TV 12 Sep 2023 -- The United States is reportedly set to approve arming Ukraine with longer-range missiles that are packed with cluster bombs, despite widespread concerns that they can cause indiscriminate casualties among civilians.
• Large PLA naval task force joins force with Shandong carrier group in West Pacific Global Times 12 Sep 2023 -- A large naval task force of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) reportedly entered the West Pacific on Monday in a likely move to join forces with the aircraft carrier Shandong in the region and form what observers said on Tuesday could be an unprecedentedly large carrier group.
• Taiwan releases first defense paper since Russian invasion of Ukraine CNA 12 Sep 2023 -- Taiwan's military on Tuesday released its first national defense report since the Russian invasion of Ukraine which stated that the nation's armed forces are learning from the war in Europe, and are boosting the country's asymmetrical warfare capabilities and adopting a whole-of-society approach in preparation for a potential cross-strait war.
• Invest more in R&D for India to move with world's pace: Raksha Mantri to domestic defence manufacturers at North Tech Symposium in Jammu India PIB 12 Sep 2023 -- Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh has called upon the domestic defence manufacturers to invest more in Research & Development (R&D) for India to keep up pace with the continuously-evolving world
• Raksha Mantri dedicates to the nation 90 BRO infrastructure projects, built at a cost of over Rs 2,900 crore, across 11 States/Union Territories India PIB 12 Sep 2023 -- Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh has dedicated to the nation 90 infrastructure projects of Border Roads Organisation (BRO), worth over Rs 2,900 crore, spread across 11 States/Union Territories
• General Sir Jim Hockenhull, Strategic Command DSEI 2023 Keynote UK MOD 12 Sep 2023 -- General Sir Jim Hockenhull, Commander, Strategic Command, delivered his keynote speech at Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) 2023.
• Defence Minister James Cartlidge DSEI 2023 Keynote Speech UK MOD 12 Sep 2023 -- Minister for Defence Procurement, James Cartlidge delivers his keynote speech at Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) 2023 at ExCel London.
• General Sir Patrick Sanders DSEI 2023 Keynote Speech UK MOD 12 Sep 2023 -- General Sir Patrick Sanders, Chief of the General Staff, delivered his keynote speech at Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) 2023.
• Defence Minister James Cartlidge formally opens DSEI 2023 UK MOD 12 Sep 2023 -- Minister for Defence Procurement, James Cartlidge officially opened Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) 2023 at ExCel London.
• Norway and German mark production start of world leading submarine design Government of Norway 12 Sep 2023 -- "Norway and Germany are now setting a new standard for allied cooperation by becoming the first countries to build and operate identical submarines. Today we marked the opening of the world's most modern production facility for conventional submarines, and production start of the world's most modern conventional submarine, the 212CD, said Minister of Defence Bjørn Arild Gram (Centre Party) from Norway."
• Norway and Germany signed a new declaration of intent agreed to enhance the bilateral co-operation in the area of security and defence Government of Norway 12 Sep 2023 -- September 12th 2023 Defence ministers Gram (Norway) and Pistorius (Germany) signed an agreement to deepen and broaden the cooperation between the countries.
• Eleventh Meeting of States Parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions - EU Statement European External Action Service (EEAS) 12 Sep 2023

Defense Industry

• Contracts For Sept. 12, 2023
• Northrop Grumman's B-21 Raider Continues Progression to Flight Test Northrop Grumman 12 Sep 2023 -- The U.S. Air Force announced today the B-21 Raider has commenced engine runs as part of its ground test program at Northrop Grumman's Palmdale, California, facility.
• Subcontractor Sentenced to Pay Nearly $9 Million in a Criminal Fine and Restitution for Rigging Bids and Defrauding the U.S. Military US Dept. of Justice 12 Sep 2023 -- J&J Korea Inc. (J&J Korea), a company based in the Republic of Korea (South Korea), was sentenced today by a federal judge in Austin, Texas, to pay nearly $9 million dollars in a criminal fine and restitution for rigging bids and committing fraud in connection with subcontract work at U.S. military installations in South Korea.

Other Conflicts

Ukraine Conflict News
• 12 September 2023 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 12 Sep 2023
• HRC54 - Item 2 - EU Statement European External Action Service (EEAS) 12 Sep 2023 -- "Regarding the situations in Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Nicaragua and Sudan we would like to refer to our statements during the respective interactive dialogues."
• US Maintains Taliban Engagement, Names Obstacles to Normalization VOA 12 Sep 2023 -- The Taliban's quest for normalization of relations with the international community, which includes relief from terrorism sanctions and the release of Afghan financial assets, faces significant obstacles due to the regime's oppressive policies toward women, ongoing security threats, and the group's failure to form an inclusive government, according to a top U.S. official.
• Afghanistan: Human rights 'in a state of collapse', warns Türk UN News 12 Sep 2023 -- The "shocking" and "cruel" oppression of Afghan women and girls by the Taliban against the backdrop of a severe humanitarian crisis has put the country's future in jeopardy, UN rights chief Volker Türk warned on Tuesday.
• Hundreds Arrested In New Pakistani Crackdown On Afghan Refugees RFE/RL 12 Sep 2023 -- Police in the southern Pakistani province of Sindh have arrested more than 250 Afghan refugees and migrants as part of a new crackdown aimed at repatriating undocumented Afghans.
• High Commissioner Tells the Human Rights Council that Human Rights in Afghanistan Are in a State of Collapse, and that He Is Saddened by the Continued and Widespread Deterioration of Human Rights in Nicaragua OHCHR 12 Sep 2023 -- The Human Rights Council this morning held an interactive dialogue with the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the report of his Office on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, and an interactive dialogue with the High Commissioner on his report on the human rights situation in Nicaragua.
• UN says human rights in Afghanistan in 'state of collapse' Press TV 12 Sep 2023 -- The United Nations rights chief warns about a systematic assault on the freedom of Afghanistan's people, saying that human rights in the country are in a state of collapse.
• HRC54 - Interactive Dialogue on the report of OHCHR on Afghanistan - EU Statement European External Action Service (EEAS) 12 Sep 2023
• UN HRC54: High Commissioner's report on Afghanistan UK FCDO 12 Sep 2023 -- Interactive Dialogue on the High Commissioner's report on Afghanistan, as delivered by UK Human Rights Ambassador, Rita French.
• Saudis, Taliban Follow Different Paths on Women's Work, Education VOA 12 Sep 2023 -- Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia are known for their Shariah-based legal systems and authoritarian ways of governance. But the two Islamist governments are on divergent paths regarding women's work and education.
• ASEAN Remains Divided Over China's Assertiveness in South China Sea VOA 12 Sep 2023 -- The topic of China's increasing assertive activities in the South China Sea, from harassing vessels and building structures to introducing a new map with sweeping territorial claims, was prominent at the annual ASEAN Summit in Jakarta last week.
• Yemen among world's worst for 'contamination' by explosives: Red Cross Press TV 12 Sep 2023 -- The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) says Yemen has one of the world's highest rates of contamination with landmines and other deadly explosives.
• Marked increase in fighting and a rapidly plummeting economy require urgent Syrian and international responses, UN Syria Commission of Inquiry warns OHCHR 12 Sep 2023 -- Despite diplomatic efforts to stabilize the situation in Syria, including through its re-admission to the League of Arab States, Syrians suffered from escalating fighting and unrest along multiple frontlines, extremely severe economic deterioration and persistent human rights violations and abuses, the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria warned in its latest report today.
• Syria: Urgent response needed to uptick in fighting, economic crisis UN News 12 Sep 2023 -- The "dire needs" of Syrians have been systematically ignored during more than 12 years of brutal conflict in the country, the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria warned on Tuesday.
• Air, artillery strikes have killed over 450 civilians in Myanmar so far this year Radio Free Asia 12 Sep 2023 -- Saw Ba Bal Sal Pho had just returned home from taking his 8-months-pregnant wife to get examined at an hospital in Bago region's Kyaukkyi township when he realized that he had left his mobile phone at the doctor's office.
• Türk: Ethnically motivated attacks leave hundreds dead in Sudan UN News 12 Sep 2023 -- Hundreds have died in ethnically motivated attacks by Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied militia in West Darfur, according to the UN's human rights chief.
• HRC54 - Interactive Dialogue on High Commissioner Oral Update on Sudan - EU Statement European External Action Service (EEAS) 12 Sep 2023
• UN HRC54: Sudan Core Group Joint Statement UK FCDO 12 Sep 2023 -- Interactive Dialogue on Oral Update of the High Commissioner on Sudan. Delivered by UK Human Rights Ambassador, Rita French, on behalf of Sudan Core Group.
• Palestinian resistance groups stage large-scale Mighty Pillar 4 drills Press TV 12 Sep 2023 -- Palestinian resistance factions have launched large-scale military exercises across the besieged Gaza Strip amid threats by the far-right Israeli administration of Benjamin Netanyahu to assassinate high-profile leaders of the groups.
• Al-Rakan Al-Shadid 4 drills kick off in Gaza IRNA 12 Sep 2023 -- Palestinian resistance groups have fired missiles to initiate their joint nationwide military exercises dubbed Al-Rakan Al-Shadid 4.
• Comment by Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Russia's humanitarian aid to Nagorno-Karabakh Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 12 Sep 2023
• Russian Humanitarian Aid Arrives In Nagorno-Karabakh After Deal On Transport Corridors RFE/RL 12 Sep 2023 -- Officials in the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh said a Russian truck carrying humanitarian aid arrived on September 12 in the region via territory controlled by Azerbaijan, the first time such a crossing has been allowed in more than three decades.
• Ongoing disruption to Lachin corridor and humanitarian consequences: UK statement at the OSCE UK FCDO 12 Sep 2023 -- Ambassador Neil Holland expresses concern regarding disruption to the Lachin Corridor and urges all parties to allow the ICRC access along all available routes.
• Dodik Tries To Bar Bosnia's International Envoy From Meetings In Republika Srpska's Presidency RFE/RL 12 Sep 2023 -- Freshly indicted Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik has tried to banish Bosnia-Herzegovina's international overseer from official meetings in the presidential headquarters in Banja Luka of the majority-Serb entity that along with a Bosniak and Croat federation makes up Bosnia.
• Russia used its veto alone to end Security Council measures aimed at supporting peace in Mali: UK statement at the UN General Assembly UK FCDO 12 Sep 2023 -- Statement by UK Political Coordinator Fergus Eckersley at the UN General Assembly.

News Reports

• Designating Hizballah Operatives and Financial Facilitators in South America and Lebanon US Dept. of State 12 Sep 2023 -- The United States is today designating key Hizballah operatives and financiers operating a network in South America and Lebanon that generates revenue for Hizballah's terrorist activities and provides cover for its presence in Latin America.
• Treasury Designates Hizballah Operatives and Financial Facilitators in South America and Lebanon US Treasury 12 Sep 2023 -- Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), in coordination with the Drug Enforcement Administration,designated key Hizballah operatives and financial facilitators in South America and Lebanon. This action includes Amer Mohamed Akil Rada, who in addition to his role as a senior Hizballah operative, was one of the operational members of Hizballah who carried out the terrorist attack against the Asociacion Mutual Israelita Argentina (AMIA) in Argentina in 1994 that killed 85 people. Amer and his associates manage a commercial enterprise for Hizballah, including charcoal exports to Lebanon. This action targets seven key individuals and entities in this network that generates revenue for Hizballah's terrorist activities and enables the terrorist group's presence and nefarious activities in Latin America.
• Leader of International Money Laundering Network Sentenced for Laundering Millions of Dollars in Drug Proceeds US Dept. of Justice 12 Sep 2023 -- A foreign national was sentenced today to 10 years in prison and ordered to forfeit $6 million for conspiracy to commit money laundering after laundering millions of dollars of drug proceeds on behalf of international drug trafficking organizations.
• US-Mexico border, 'world's deadliest' overland migration route: IOM UN News 12 Sep 2023 -- The United States-Mexico border is the world's deadliest land route for migrants, with at least 686 deaths and disappearances last year, the UN migration agency (IOM) said on Tuesday.
• Statement from President Biden on FDA and CDC Actions on Updated COVID-⁠19 Vaccines The White House 12 Sep 2023
• Press release on the outcomes of the G20 summit Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 12 Sep 2023
• Meeting with Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing President of Russia 12 Sep 2023 -- Vladimir Putin met with Vice Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China Zhang Guoqing.
• Meeting with Vice President of Laos Pany Yathotou President of Russia 12 Sep 2023 -- Vladimir Putin met with Vice President of the Lao People's Democratic Republic Pany Yathotou on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum.
• Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's answer to a question from Izvestia on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum, Vladivostok, September 12, 2023 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 12 Sep 2023
• Meeting on development of Far Eastern cities President of Russia 12 Sep 2023 -- On the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum, Vladimir Putin held, via video link, another meeting to discuss the implementation of a programme to develop Far Eastern cities.
• Development of the Far East an absolute priority for Russia: Putin at EEF Global Times 12 Sep 2023 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing Tuesday on the sidelines of the 8th Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) in Vladivostok, Russia, in which Russian president said that with the joint efforts of both Russia and China, the bilateral relationship has entered its best period in history, with smooth development in various fields such as trade and economy, the Xinhua News Agency reported. The development of the Far East has become a new growth point for Russia-China cooperation, said the Russian president.
• Putin: Merging Siberian and Far East Pipelines to Transform Energy Landscape Sputnik 12 Sep 2023 -- Merging the "Power of Siberia" and "Sakhalin-Khabarovsk-Vladivostok" gas pipelines into a unified system will solve a historical challenge for Russia and enable the integration of the gas transportation networks of the country's western and eastern regions, President Vladimir Putin said at a plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum.
• Putin on Freezing $300 Bln Russian Gold Reserves Due to Sanctions: We Earned Twice As Much Sputnik 12 Sep 2023 -- The 8th Eastern Economic Forum is taking place on the campus of the Far Eastern Federal University from September 10-13.
• Russian Nationalist Putin Critic Girkin's Pretrial Detention Extended RFE/RL 12 Sep 2023 -- A court in Moscow has extended the pretrial detention of Igor Girkin, once a leader of Russian-backed separatists in Ukraine's east, who was arrested in July and charged with public calls for extremism after criticizing President Vladimir Putin for "badly" handling the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
• Putin Suggests Former Top Aide Fled Russia Due To Financial Irregularities At State Company RFE/RL 12 Sep 2023 -- President Vladimir Putin suggested that Anatoly Chubais, a former top government official who fled after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, may have left due to financial irregularities at the state-run corporation he oversaw.
• Contacts of UK Spy Suspect Recount Curious Encounters VOA 12 Sep 2023 -- Two U.K.-based activists have described troubling interactions with a researcher in the British parliament who was arrested on suspicion of spying for Beijing.
• Britain Rejects Calls to Label China a 'Threat' After Suspicions of Spying VOA 12 Sep 2023 -- The British government has rejected calls to officially label China a threat to its interests. Several lawmakers have called for a tougher line from the government after it was revealed that a researcher in the British parliament was arrested on suspicion of spying for Beijing.
• UK's 'Chinese spy' farce exposes undercurrents of anti-China force, chaotic views on Beijing Global Times 12 Sep 2023 -- The "Chinese spy" farce continues in the UK. Some MPs were "furious" and voiced concerns in a latest parliament debate over the allegations against a British parliamentary researcher who was reportedly arrested on the suspicion of spying for China, putting much more pressure on the Sunak administration that has been trying to seek a delicate balance regarding UK's China relations.
• Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning's Regular Press Conference on September 12, 2023 PRC MofA 12 Sep 2023
• 'Washington and Wall Street are two different countries' Radio Free Asia 12 Sep 2023 -- Millions of Americans have unwittingly invested retirement funds into China's military, and U.S. investors are often directly financing human rights abuses in the world's second-largest economy, a former U.S. official, lawmakers and a financial activist told the House Select Committee on China at a hearing in New York on Tuesday.
• Hong Kong police question relatives of exiled lawmaker Ted Hui Radio Free Asia 12 Sep 2023 -- Hong Kong police on Tuesday questioned three relatives of former pro-democracy lawmaker Ted Hui, one of eight overseas activists wanted under a security law, local media reported.
• China's economy remains strongly resilient; what has collapsed is 'Chinese collapse' theory: Foreign Ministry Global Times 12 Sep 2023 -- China's economy has not collapsed, but on the contrary, hype that it has done so has repeatedly proven to be false, said Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning on Tuesday, defying Western smears that China's economy is facing difficulties and slowing down.
• New document to facilitate integrated devt across Taiwan Straits outlines future blueprint of Taiwan island: experts Global Times 12 Sep 2023 -- The State Council, China's cabinet, released a new document on Tuesday that outlines supporting measures to develop East China's Fujian Province into the first home for Taiwan compatriots and enterprises in the Chinese mainland.
• China's top political advisor urges uniting compatriots at home, abroad for national reunification People's Daily 12 Sep 2023 -- China's top political advisor Wang Huning has called for efforts to forge unity and solidarity among Chinese at home and abroad, firmly oppose "Taiwan independence," and promote the reunification of the motherland.
• PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan Sep. 12, 2023 ROC MND 12 Sep 2023
• Kim Jong-un visits Russia, to meet Putin Global Times 12 Sep 2023 -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has left Pyongyang to visit Russia, the country's official news agency disclosed on Tuesday. Chinese experts believe Kim's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin is primarily to strengthen the bilateral relationship and offset impact of Western isolation against the two countries.
• North Korean leader arrives in Russia for talks with Putin Press TV 12 Sep 2023 -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has arrived in Russia for a meeting with President Vladimir Putin that will involve discussing "sensitive" subjects, according to the Kremlin spokesman.
• North Korea's Kim Arrives In Russia Ahead Of Expected Meeting With Putin RFE/RL 12 Sep 2023 -- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has arrived in Russia ahead of an expected meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who U.S. officials say may be seeking weaponry and ammunition to bolster Russia's war in Ukraine.
• Kim Jong Un Says Visit to Russia 'Clear Manifestation' of Prioritizing Ties - State Media Sputnik 12 Sep 2023 -- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has said his visit to Russia is a "clear manifestation" of the North Korean leadership of "prioritizing the strategic importance" of the Moscow-Pyongyang relations, state media reported Wednesday.
• North Korea's Kim in Russia Amid US Warnings Against Arms Deal VOA 12 Sep 2023 -- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arrived in Russia Tuesday where he is expected to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Russia's far east amid warnings from the U.S. and South Korea against a potential arms transfer.
• EU Statement at IAEA Board of Governors on the application of safeguards in the Democratic People Republic of Korea, as delivered on 12 September 2023 European External Action Service (EEAS) 12 Sep 2023
• China, N Korea to Deepen Cooperation in All Areas - Chinese Foreign Ministry Sputnik 12 Sep 2023 -- China and North Korea are working to "deepen exchanges and cooperation across the board," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said on Tuesday, without commenting on the possibility of Chinese President Xi Jinping's and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's meeting in the near future.
• UN Rights Rapporteur 'Extremely Concerned' About Forced Repatriation Amid North Korea's Border Reopening VOA 12 Sep 2023 -- A U.N. human rights official says that while the reopening of North Korea's borders is a welcome development as Pyongyang eases its COVID-19 controls, there are also concerns, including 'the imminent risk' of forced repatriation of North Koreans detained in other countries.
• Kim Jong Un blasts premier for typhoon lack of preparedness Radio Free Asia 12 Sep 2023 -- Calling him a "mental under-wit," Kim Jong Un blasted North Korea's premier, Kim Tok Hun, last month for flooding caused by the failure of a dike during Typhoon Khanun, sources in the country told Radio Free Asia.
• Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un Leaves Pyongyang to Visit Russian Federation KCNA 12 Sep 2023 -- Kim Jong Un , general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), left here by his train on Sunday afternoon to visit the Russian Federation.
• US Pledges to Police Use of Iranian Funds Unfrozen in Prisoner Swap VOA 12 Sep 2023 -- The United States said Tuesday it will vigilantly watch how Iran spends $6 billion in funds unfrozen as part of a prisoner swap deal, after Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said it is up to Iran to decide how the money is used.
• Tehran Names Five Iranians For Looming Prisoner Swap With U.S.,Says Americans 'In Full Health' RFE/RL 12 Sep 2023 -- Iranian officials have identified five individuals in U.S. custody whom Tehran would like handed over as part of a possible 10-person, $6 billion prisoner swap initially said to have been mapped out last month between the longtime foes.
• US State Dept. confirms sanctions waiver for transferring Iranian funds IRNA 12 Sep 2023 -- US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller has confirmed that his country has waived sanctions to allow the transfer of Iranian funds -- approximately $6 billion -- blocked in South Korea to banks in Qatar.
• Iran UN Mission confirms imminent release of Iranian nationals in prisoner swap deal with US IRNA 12 Sep 2023 -- Iran's Permanent Mission to the United Nations has confirmed the release of five Iranian nationals detained in the United States in exchange for the release of five Americans held in the Islamic Republic.
• Raeisi: Iran has authority on released funds, spends 'wherever' it needs Press TV 12 Sep 2023 -- President Ebrahim Raeisi has underscored Iran's full authority on its recently-released assets, saying it is the Islamic Republic that decides how to spend the funds and that the money will be spent "wherever we need it."
• Iran's mission to UN identifies five Iranians to be released in prisoner swap deal with US Press TV 12 Sep 2023 -- Iran's permanent mission to the United Nations has confirmed that five Iranians detained illegally in the United States on charges of circumventing US sanctions will soon be released as part a prisoner swap deal between Tehran and Washington.
• Judiciary Spox: Swedish national under arrest in Iran IRNA 12 Sep 2023 -- Iran's Judiciary Spokesman Masoud Setayeshi has said that a Swedish national is under arrest in Iran for committing crimes.
• Iran's Judiciary Confirms Detention Of Swedish EU Diplomat RFE/RL 12 Sep 2023 -- Iran's judiciary on September 12 confirmed the detention of a Swedish diplomat working for the European Union a week after Stockholm and Brussels revealed the latest known case of a foreign national being held by Tehran amid political tensions with the West.
• Iran parliament committee briefed on IRGC Navy achievements IRNA 12 Sep 2023 -- Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy Rear Admiral Ali Reza Tangsiri has briefed the Iranian Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee on the achievements of his force.
• Iran: Speech by High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell in the EP Plenary on the situation one year after the death of Mahsa Amini European External Action Service (EEAS) 12 Sep 2023
• EU Statement at IAEA Board of Governors on verification and monitoring in the Islamic Republic of Iran in light of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231 (2015), as delivered on 12 September 2023 European External Action Service (EEAS) 12 Sep 2023
• Iran ready for talks based on 'September document': FM IRNA 12 Sep 2023 -- Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian says the Islamic Republic is ready to resume negotiations with world powers aimed at removing the sanctions against the country based on the "September document."
• Amir-Abdollahian says Iran 'ready' to negotiate last year's draft agreement on JCPOA revival Press TV 12 Sep 2023 -- Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian has expressed the Islamic Republic's readiness to negotiate last year's draft agreement aimed at salvaging the 2015 nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and removing illegal US sanctions.
• Father Of Mahsa Amini Summoned By Iranian Authorities, Warned Not To Commemorate Anniversary RFE/RL 12 Sep 2023 -- Amjad Amini, the father of Mahsa Amini, the female student whose death in Iranian morality-police custody nearly a year ago sparked massive protests, was summoned by intelligence officials on September 11 and interrogated for an hour, RFE/RL's Radio Farda has learned.
• Iranian Government Targets Student Associations To Quell Support For Protests RFE/RL 12 Sep 2023 -- Iran's government is threatening to shut down several university student associations as part of a sweeping crackdown on dissent within academic circles less than a week ahead of the anniversary of the protests sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody in September 2022.
• Iran says holding indirect nuclear talks with U.S. possible People's Daily 12 Sep 2023 -- Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani said on Monday holding indirect talks with the United States through mediators on the revival of a 2015 nuclear deal and the removal of sanctions against Iran is possible.
• FM: Iraq will stand committed to its security agreement with Iran Press TV 12 Sep 2023 -- Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein has reassured Iran that his country remains committed to its security agreement with the Islamic Republic regarding the expulsion of anti-Iran terrorist groups from the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region.
• Transcript of Special Briefing on the State Visit of Crown Prince & Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia to India (11 September 2023) India MEA 12 Sep 2023
• 3 ASEAN nations to boycott defense meeting hosted by Myanmar junta Radio Free Asia 12 Sep 2023 -- Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines are boycotting a major regional defense conference this week because it will be held in Myanmar and chaired by the military junta, local media reports said.
• Out of many, one - Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock travels to the United States Germany Federal Foreign Office 12 Sep 2023 -- Whether town twinning, school exchanges, business cooperation or joint training for fighter pilots, there is no country with which we Europeans have closer relations than with the United States.
• Foreign Minister Baerbock prior to her departure for the United States of America Germany Federal Foreign Office 12 Sep 2023
• Malaysia's Prime Minister Accused of Placing Political Power Ahead of Principles VOA 12 Sep 2023 -- Between bites during his lunch of chicken with white rice, Sam Chin, age 46, frowned and said: "Now that Anwar is in power, he'll do almost anything to keep it."
• Flooding leaves thousands dead, missing in eastern Libya after dams collapse Press TV 12 Sep 2023 -- At least 2,000 people have been killed and thousands more are missing after a devastating flood hit the city of Derna in eastern Libya, resulting in the collapse of two dams, authorities say.
• Libya: Humanitarian response ramps up as floods of 'epic proportions' leave thousands dead UN News 12 Sep 2023 -- UN agencies and partners are responding to the disaster unfolding in eastern Libya after extreme rainfall caused devastating flooding and loss of life over the weekend, humanitarians told reporters in Geneva on Tuesday.
• Deadly Floods in Libya Leave 10,000 Missing VOA 12 Sep 2023 -- Some 10,000 people were reported missing and more than 2,000 were confirmed dead in Libya's eastern city of Derna after severe flooding reduced entire neighborhoods to muddy rubble.
• Libyan Officials Say Floods Kill at Least 2,000 After Storm Daniel VOA 12 Sep 2023 -- Officials in eastern Libya say at least 2,000 people are dead and several thousand others missing after two dams collapsed in the eastern coastal city of Derna, sweeping away large chunks of the city and leaving outlying regions under water. The dams collapsed under pressure from Storm Daniel, which wreaked havoc across eastern Libya Sunday.
• "We have never deviated from our ideal of providing our nation with a constitution they deserve" Presidency of The Republic of Turkey 12 Sep 2023 -- Speaking at a symposium on a new constitution, President Erdoğan said: "We will never stop working until we provide our nation with a new constitution, which is an element of our goal of the Century of Türkiye."
• 24 million more people could face emergency levels of hunger this year: WFP UN News 12 Sep 2023 -- The UN World Food Programme (WFP) said on Tuesday that a historic funding shortfall was forcing it to "drastically" cut rations in most of its operations, potentially pushing an additional 24 million people to the brink of starvation over the next 12 months.
• New WFP analysis shows every 1% cut in food assistance pushes 400,000 people into emergency hunger WFP 12 Sep 2023 -- Today, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) issued a stark warning for global food security, estimating that every one percent cut in food assistance risks pushing more than 400,000 people towards the brink of starvation.
• HRC54 - Interactive Dialogue following the report by the OHCHR on Nicaragua - EU Statement European External Action Service (EEAS) 12 Sep 2023
• UN HRC54: UK Statement on High Commissioner's Nicaragua report UK FCDO 12 Sep 2023 -- Interactive Dialogue on the report of the High Commissioner on Nicaragua, as delivered by UK Human Rights Ambassador, Rita French.
• Death Toll Surges Above 2,900 in Aftermath of Morocco Earthquake VOA 12 Sep 2023 -- The death toll in Morocco has now risen to 2,900 after a 6.8-magnitude earthquake shook the High Atlas Mountains southwest of Marrakech on Friday. More than 5,500 people have reported injuries, more than twice the previous tally. Many survivors complain of a lack of aid from Morocco's government.
• UAE Reverses Visa Ban on Nigeria, Signs Billion-Dollar Investment Deal, President Says VOA 12 Sep 2023 -- Nigerians are praising the lifting of a visa ban by the United Arab Emirates following a meeting in Abu Dhabi this week between President Bola Tinubu and United Arab Emirates President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
• Can African Union's Permanent Membership in G20 Bring About Real Change? VOA 12 Sep 2023 -- In a historic move, the African Union has secured a permanent place in the Group of 20, also known as the G20, a development that could have major implications for Africa's role in global geopolitics.