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Defense Policy / Programs

• Readout of U.S.-India 2+2 Intersessional Dialogue DoD 26 Sep 2023
• DOD Establishes Munitions Campus Pilot to Lower Barriers for Emerging Industry DoD 26 Sep 2023 -- The Department of Defense's Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Resilience, through its Manufacturing Capability Expansion and Investment Prioritization (MCEIP) office, has launched a munitions campus pilot project to support multiple emerging domestic businesses through a shared facility that will reduce cost and lower barriers to entry.
• DoD Releases Report on Defense Spending by State in Fiscal Year 2022 DoD 26 Sep 2023 -- Today, the Department of Defense Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation released its Fiscal Year 2022 Defense Spending by State report to help states and communities better understand how Defense procurement, personnel spending and grants impact their economies. Fiscal Year 2022 is the first year to incorporate DoD grant awards, which were reported to USAspending.gov.
• Key Official Says Shutdown Would Damage National Defense DoD News 26 Sep 2023 -- The Chinese army is not facing a shutdown nor is Russia shutting down its efforts to conquer Ukraine, and the U.S. Congress must take steps to avoid a government shutdown, Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks said.
• Extreme Republican Shutdown Would Force Troops to Work Without Getting Paid and Undermine Our National Security The White House 26 Sep 2023
• Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III Holds On-The-Record, Off-Camera With Traveling Press in Djibouti DoD 26 Sep 2023
• U.S. and Albania Strengthen Defense Ties With Key Bilateral Consultation in Tirana DoD 26 Sep 2023 -- Spencer Boyer, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for European and NATO Policy, and Gelardina Prodani, the Secretary General of the Albanian Ministry of Defense, jointly chaired the U.S.-Albania Bilateral Defense Consultations on Sep. 21, 2023. The event was inaugurated with remarks from Albanian Defense Minister Niko Peleshi.
• Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III Meeting on Red Hill Defueling, Closure and Health Response Plan DoD 26 Sep 2023
• Kadena AB generates airpower in ACE exercise US Air Force 26 Sep 2023 -- The U.S. Air Force's ability to rapidly generate airpower at a moment's notice was put to the test at Kadena Air Base, when the 18th Wing conducted a no-notice agile combat employment exercise Sept. 22.
• Emerging Technologies Integrated Test Force takes delivery of first eVTOL aircraft US Air Force 26 Sep 2023 -- Joby Aviation, Inc. officially delivered its first experimental electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft to the Air Force during a ceremony held at Edwards Air Force Base, Sept. 25. The ceremony showcased the unique multi-party collaboration between private industry, AFWERX, the 412th Test Wing and NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center.
• SECNAV Del Toro Calls for a New, Bold Maritime Statecraft in Era of Intense Strategic Competition US Navy Press Release 26 Sep 2023 -- Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro today called for a "new maritime statecraft" to prevail in an era of intense strategic competition, during remarks at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, Sept. 26.
• SECNAV Delivers Remarks at Harvard Kennedy School US Navy 26 Sep 2023
• Austin Praises US-Kenya Defense Ties VOA 26 Sep 2023 -- U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Tuesday praised what he called the "strong relationship" between U.S. and Kenyan forces as he met with troops from the two countries at Camp Simba in Manda Bay, Kenya.
• There is "no urgency" to ratify Sweden's NATO accession: Hungarian PM People's Daily 26 Sep 2023 -- Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Monday there is "no urgency" to ratify Sweden's accession to NATO, and called for "respect" from the Nordic country.
• Erdogan says Turkey will back Sweden's NATO bid if US fulfills promise of selling F-16 jets Press TV 26 Sep 2023 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Turkey will accept Sweden's NATO accession if the United States keeps its promise of selling F-16 fighter jets.
• Defence Ministry Extended Board session takes place in Moscow Russia MoD 26 Sep 2023 -- Today, the National Centre for State Defence Control has hosted the Defence Ministry Extended Board session chaired by Defence Minister General of the Army Sergei Shoigu.
• Russia: US Abrams tanks, ATACMS won't change battlefield situation for Ukraine Press TV 26 Sep 2023 -- Russia says US Abrams tanks will "burn" in Ukraine, stressing that these tanks and ATACMS long-range missiles will not help Kiev to change the situation on the battlefield.
• Abrams' Achilles Heel: How Russia Will Deal With American Tanks in Ukraine Sputnik 26 Sep 2023 -- Ukrainian officials announced on Monday that the first batch of the 31 promised M1 Abrams main battle tanks had arrived in the country. What tools does Russia have at its disposal to dispatch with the American-made armor? Sputnik did some digging to find out.
• US Reconnaissance Flights Near Crimea Tripled Since Start of Year Sputnik 26 Sep 2023 -- On Friday, the Russian Defense Ministry said that a missile strike on Sevastopol damaged the historic building of the headquarters of the Russian Black Sea Fleet.
• Rustem Umerov held a telephone conversation with the Minister of National Defence of Poland Mariusz Blaszczak Ukraine MOD 26 Sep 2023
• Ukraine receives U.S. Abrams battle tanks People's Daily 26 Sep 2023 -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed Monday that his country has received U.S. Abrams battle tanks.
• Germany's Baerbock Admits Berlin Providing Ukraine With Outdated Military Equipment Sputnik 26 Sep 2023 -- German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock admitted on Monday that Germany had on several occasions supplied Kiev with outdated or almost non-functional military equipment.
• Taiwan military to get its first female Political Warfare Bureau chief CNA 26 Sep 2023 -- Taiwan's military will soon welcome the first female chief of its Political Warfare Bureau following the promotion of Lt. Gen. Chen Yu-lin (陳育琳) to head the agency, a military source told CNA on Monday.
• Signallers dial it up on the run Australia DOD 26 Sep 2023 -- 144th Signal Squadron was bolstered with support from 8th Signal Regiment to provide the full scope of communications and information technology capabilities to 9th Brigade on Exercise Rhino Run at Cultana Training Area, SA.
• China vows to oppose 'wanton expansion' of military alliances Press TV 26 Sep 2023 -- China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi has vowed that his country will stand against the "wanton expansion" of military alliances, amid reports on the US-led NATO's plan to open a liaison office in the Asia-Pacific.
• India's defense minister inducts first C-295 aircraft into air force People's Daily 26 Sep 2023 -- India's Defense Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday formally inducted the first C-295 transport aircraft into the Indian Air Force (IAF) at the Hindon airbase in north India, officials said.
• Iran a 'trailblazer' in drone technology whose power extends beyond region: IRGC general Press TV 26 Sep 2023 -- A top commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has praised Iran's military capabilities and cutting-edge defense technology, saying the country has become a "trailblazer" in the field of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
• Secretary-General's remarks at the High-level Meeting Commemorating the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons UN Secretary-General 26 Sep 2023
• Swiss Parliament OKs Decommissioning 25 Leopard 2 Tanks to Sell Them to Germany - Reports Sputnik 26 Sep 2023 -- Both houses of the Swiss parliament have approved the decommissioning of 25 Leopard 2 tanks to later sell them to Germany, the Swiss broadcaster reported on Tuesday.
• Pevkur: Germany's role in regional security has increased Estonia MoD 26 Sep 2023 -- Minister of Defence of Estonia Hanno Pevkur today in Tallinn met with the Minister of Defence of Germany Boris Pistorius, to discuss security in the Baltic Sea region and Europe more broadly, as well as the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine.
• First of 76 Patria 8x8 Armoured Modular Vehicles (AMV) XP is already in Slovakia Ministry of Defence of The Slovak Republic 26 Sep 2023 -- Today, the first of 76 Patria 8x8 Armoured Modular Vehicles (AMV) XP, which has been delivered to Slovakia to be finalised by SVK defence firms, was introduced at the First Slovak Armed Forces Patria 8x8 AMV XP Presentation Event, in the presence of Defence Minister Martin Sklenár, Deputy Defence Minister Marian Majer, Chief of Defence Gen Daniel Zmeko, and other representatives of the MOD and the Slovak Armed Forces.
• U.S.-Chile Political-Military Dialogue US Dept. of State 26 Sep 2023 -- Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs Jessica Lewis hosted this year's U.S.-Chile Political-Military Dialogue at the U.S. Department of State on September 26.
• Venezuela: Exxon-Mobil turning Guyana into US military base Press TV 26 Sep 2023 -- Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro accused Guyana on Monday of allowing Exxon Mobile to take over a long-disputed border region rich in oil.
• Secretary Blinken's Meeting with the Republic of the Marshall Islands Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Ading, the Federated States of Micronesia President Simina, and Palau President Whipps US Dept. of State 26 Sep 2023
• Secretary Antony J. Blinken, Federated States of Micronesia President Wesley Simina, Palau President Surangel Whipps, Jr., and Republic of the Marshall Islands Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Jack Ading Before Their Meeting US Dept. of State 26 Sep 2023
• Secretary Blinken's Meeting with South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Pandor US Dept. of State 26 Sep 2023
• Secretary Antony J. Blinken And South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor Before Their Meeting US Dept. of State 26 Sep 2023
• Press Gaggle by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre en Route Wayne County, Michigan The White House 26 Sep 2023

Defense Industry

• Contracts For Sept. 26, 2023

Other Conflicts

Ukraine Conflict News
• 26 September 2023 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 26 Sep 2023
• UN Security Council Takes Aim at 'Gender Apartheid' in Afghanistan VOA 26 Sep 2023 -- Members of the United Nations Security Council, except Russia and China, on Tuesday issued a resounding condemnation of the Taliban's relentless persecution of women in Afghanistan, calling on all member states to take urgent action to hold the country's leadership accountable.
• Engagement key to reform of Taliban decrees restricting women's rights UN News 26 Sep 2023 -- The international community must continue to engage with Taliban leaders in Afghanistan despite deep disagreement with their approach to women's rights and inclusive governance, the UN Special Representative for the country told the Security Council on Tuesday.
• The UK is unwavering in our commitment to provide aid to the people of Afghanistan: UK statement at the UN Security Council UK FCDO 26 Sep 2023 -- Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the Security Council meeting on Afghanistan.
• Philippines Removes China's Floating Barrier at South China Sea Lagoon VOA 26 Sep 2023 -- The Philippine coast guard said it removed a Chinese floating barrier that blocked access to a disputed South China Sea lagoon.
• Hyping 'removal of Chinese floating barrier' near Huangyan Island not beneficial to Philippines: experts Global Times 26 Sep 2023 -- The Philippines said it has removed the "floating barrier" China deployed near Huangyan Dao (Huangyan Island) in the South China Sea, a claim questioned by experts who on Tuesday also said that such hype does not fit the national interest of the Philippines, but that of the US.
• Ansarullah: Saudi-led coalition continues to violate Yemen truce Press TV 26 Sep 2023 -- Yemen's Ansarullah resistance movement says Saudi Arabia and its allies continue to violate the terms of a UN-brokered truce, stressing that 12 Yemeni soldiers got killed in one month along border areas.
• Beijing Warns Philippines Against Provocations in Disputed Waters of South China Sea Sputnik 26 Sep 2023 -- China advises the Philippines to avoid any provocations in the disputed areas of the South China Sea, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Tuesday.
• Pakistan Claims Capture of 4 Islamic State Operatives VOA 26 Sep 2023 -- Authorities in northwestern Pakistan said Tuesday that a counterterrorism operation resulted in the arrest of four regional Islamic State-affiliated operatives.
• UN Obligated to Hold US Accountable for Stealing Syria's Oil - Syrian Foreign Ministry Sputnik 26 Sep 2023 -- The United Nations have an obligation to hold the United States accountable for plundering Syria's oil resources which amount to losses of $115 billion for Damascus, Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Bassam Sabbah stressed on Tuesday.
• Charity Urges Court to Force Australia to Repatriate Detainees in Syrian Refugee Camp VOA 26 Sep 2023 -- Australia's decision not to repatriate more than 30 women and children from a detention camp in northeast Syria is facing a legal challenge. The women are the wives and widows of Islamic State fighters and have been held in custody for the past four years.
• UN: Myanmar Military Ups Airstrikes, Mass Killings to Subjugate Population VOA 26 Sep 2023 -- Volker Türk, the U.N. high commissioner for human rights, is calling for international action to bring an end to the increasingly brutal, repressive regime of Myanmar's military, which toppled the country's democratically elected government February 1, 2021.
• Sudanese army, paramilitary forces exchange violent artillery shelling around army's general command People's Daily 26 Sep 2023 -- The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on Monday exchanged violent artillery bombardment in the vicinity of the army's General Command, according to eyewitnesses.
• Secretary Blinken's Call with Azerbaijani President Aliyev US Dept. of State 26 Sep 2023
• Explosion Kills Scores in Nagorno-Karabakh VOA 26 Sep 2023 -- Separatist authorities in Nagorno-Karabakh say at least 68 people are dead following an explosion that rocked a fuel depot as thousands fled the region and headed to Armenia.
• Statement by National Security Council Spokesperson Adrienne Watson on Explosion at Fuel Depot in Nagorno-Karabakh The White House 26 Sep 2023
• Statement by Spokesperson for President of the European Council Charles Michel on Armenia-Azerbaijan normalisation - 26 September 2023 EC/CEU 26 Sep 2023
• Nagorno-Karabakh: EU provides €5 million in humanitarian aid European Commission 26 Sep 2023 -- The EU is boosting its humanitarian funding with €5 million in response to the increasing needs resulting from the Nagorno-Karabakh crisis.
• Russia: Armenian PM Pashinyan 'succumbed to Western influence' Press TV 26 Sep 2023 -- The Russian foreign ministry says Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's latest remarks on distancing his country from its alliance with Moscow are aimed at shifting blame for his failures onto Moscow while submitting to Western pressure was behind the "severe" defeat in Karabakh.
• Armenian prime minister urges active communication with Iran during 'difficult period for region' Press TV 26 Sep 2023 -- Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has stressed the need for "active communication" between his country and Iran under the existing difficult regional conditions.
• Armenia Says 28,000 Arrive From Nagorno-Karabakh, Reports 125 Deaths In Explosion RFE/RL 26 Sep 2023 -- More than 28,000 people have arrived in Armenia from Nagorno-Karabakh, the government in Yerevan said on September 26 amid a massive exodus that followed an Azerbaijani offensive that gave Baku complete control of the mountainous region.
• UNHCR ready to provide further humanitarian assistance for those fleeing to Armenia UNHCR 26 Sep 2023 -- UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is deeply concerned about the increasing number of refugees fleeing into Armenia in recent days.
• UNHCR increasingly concerned for refugees fleeing Karabakh region UN News 26 Sep 2023 -- The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) raised concerns on Tuesday over the movement of a large number of civilians to Armenia as a result of the recent hostilities in the region.
• Who Was Behind The Deadly Attack At The Orthodox Monastery In Kosovo? RFE/RL 26 Sep 2023 -- Kosovar officials continued on September 26 to pull back the curtain on an alleged plot to destabilize the country, sharing video evidence purporting to show a fugitive Serb politician among dozens of gunmen in a deadly siege at a monastery in northern Kosovo two days earlier.
• Video Released By Kosovo Allegedly Shows Ethnic Serb Politician Participating In Monastery Attack RFE/RL 26 Sep 2023 -- Kosovar authorities have released a video they said implicates a top ethnic Serb businessman in an attack on an Orthodox monastery that left four people dead, including a police officer.
• Palestinian president receives first Saudi ambassador in Israel-occupied West Bank Press TV 26 Sep 2023 -- Saudi Arabia's newly appointed envoy to Palestine has presented his credentials to President Mahmoud Abbas during his visit to the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
• Returning Tibetans see a changing homeland Radio Free Asia 26 Sep 2023 -- On his first visit back to the Tibetan Plateau in nearly a decade, Sengmo was surprised to hear his youngest nieces and nephews converse in Chinese rather than their native tongue.

News Reports

• General Debate ends with UN focused on challenges ahead UN News 26 Sep 2023 -- The General Assembly's annual debate concluded on Tuesday, with global leaders stating that while the United Nations faces institutional challenges, it remains the paramount platform for crafting collective solutions to humanity's challenges.
• Syrian minister denounces 'American chaos', says States must respect the UN Charter UN News 26 Sep 2023 -- In remarks on Tuesday to the UN General Assembly, Syrian Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Bassam Sabbagh underscored the need to build a multipolar world order that achieves sustainable development for all and balance in international relations, including through reforming institutions such as the Security Council.
• Security Council's 'west-led irrational structure' must be reformed, DPRK tells UN UN News 26 Sep 2023 -- The "west-led irrational structure" of the UN Security Council must be reformed to prevent the "high-handedness and arbitrariness" of forces within the body, including the United States, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) told the General Assembly on Tuesday.
• A 'club of elites' will not realise the multilateral future we need, Holy See tells UN Assembly UN News 26 Sep 2023 -- The international community must maintain the universality of global multilateral forums and not turn them into "clubs reserved for a few elites...where some are tolerated" if they stay to themselves, a senior Holy See official told the UN General Assembly on Tuesday.
• More than just a few countries should set the agenda, Indian Minister says at UN UN News 26 Sep 2023 -- The days when a few nations set the global agenda and "expected others to fall in line" are over, India's foreign minister told the UN General Assembly on Tuesday.
• Five Bulgarians Charged With Spying For Russia Remanded In Custody By London Court RFE/RL 26 Sep 2023 -- Five Bulgarian nationals charged in the U.K. with spying for Russia appeared in a London court on September 26 and were remanded in custody until their next hearing in mid-October.
• Third U.S.-Colombia Counternarcotics Working Group (CNWG) Joint Statement US Dept. of State 26 Sep 2023 -- The text of the following statement was released by the Government of the United States of America and the Government of Colombia, on the occasion of the Third Meeting of the U.S.-Colombia Counternarcotics Working Group.
• United States Sanctions Sinaloa Cartel Fentanyl Traffickers and Colombian Clan del Golfo Leader US Dept. of State 26 Sep 2023 -- The United States is leading global efforts to stop the illicit manufacture and trafficking of fentanyl, a leading cause of death of people age 18 to 49 in the United States. Today, we are taking action to target transnational criminals responsible for a significant portion of the illicit fentanyl, cocaine, and other deadly drugs trafficked into the United States.
• Treasury Targets Sinaloa Cartel Fentanyl Trafficking Operations and a Colombian Cartel Leader US Treasury 26 Sep 2023 -- Today, the Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned 10 individuals, including several Sinaloa Cartel affiliates and fugitives, pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 14059. Those sanctioned today operate under the Los Chapitos faction of Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel. Responsible for a significant portion of the illicit fentanyl and other deadly drugs trafficked into the United States, the Sinaloa Cartel is one of the world's most damaging transnational criminal organizations. Additionally, OFAC sanctioned the leader of the Clan del Golfo, one of Colombia's largest criminal enterprises that controls most of the country's cocaine cultivation, production, and transportation routes.
• Russia places ICC president on Wanted list People's Daily 26 Sep 2023 -- The Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs has placed President of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Piotr Hofmanski on the country's wanted list, local media reported Monday.
• Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's remarks and answers to media questions at a joint news conference with Minister for Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad of the Republic of Tunisia Nabil Ammar following talks, Moscow, September 26, 2023 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 26 Sep 2023
• It is not a good use of time for the Security Council to prejudge the outcome of Nord Stream investigations: UK statement at the Security Council UK FCDO 26 Sep 2023 -- Statement by UK Political Coordinator Fergus Eckersley at the UN Security Council meeting on threats to international peace and security.
• Russian Court Rejects Navalny's Appeal Against His 19-Year Prison Term RFE/RL 26 Sep 2023 -- A Russian court has rejected Kremlin critic Aleksei Navalny's appeal against a decision to imprison him on extremism charges for almost two decades.
• Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin's Regular Press Conference on September 26, 2023 PRC MofA 26 Sep 2023
• China releases a white paper on its proposals, actions on building 'a global community of shared future' Global Times 26 Sep 2023 -- The Chinese government released a white paper on Tuesday to introduce the theoretical base, practice and development of a global community of shared future, as by presenting China's vision of the course of human development, it counters the hegemonic thinking of certain countries that seek supremacy.
• China, EU push forward relations; talks enhance communication Global Times 26 Sep 2023 -- While wrapping up a "productive" high-level trade dialogue, China and the EU, two of the world's largest economic powers, have made a noticeable step forward in their pragmatic ties, including announcing concrete working mechanisms in different sectors to enhance communications, which has sent a positive signal of cementing relations amid rising geopolitical tensions and a sluggish world economy.
• China, EU conduct 'productive talks' during high-level dialogue, agree to set up financial working group Global Times 26 Sep 2023 -- China and EU have concluded productive talks during the 10th High-level Economic and Trade Dialogue through candid and pragmatic discussions addressing investment, trade, industrial and supply chain issues as well as financial cooperation, with the two sides reaching consensus on them, China's Ministry of Commerce said on Tuesday.
• China, Japan, S.Korea cooperation serves common interests of all: FM Global Times 26 Sep 2023 -- High-level officials from China, Japan and South Korea have carried out in-depth discussions on working for the steady resumption of trilateral cooperation and agreed to hold a foreign ministers' meeting in the coming months, as well as maintain communication on holding a leaders' meeting at the earliest opportunity convenient to all three countries, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin briefed on Tuesday.
• China willing to play a constructive role in ensuring success of APEC meeting: Chinese Foreign Minister Global Times 26 Sep 2023 -- When asked whether the Chinese leader would attend the upcoming APEC meeting in the US later this year, the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told at a press conference on Tuesday that as the world's largest developing country and an important member of APEC, China is willing to meet the expectations of the international community and play a constructive role in ensuring the success of this year's meeting.
• Solomon Islands to undoubtedly become a 'magnet' for investments from China: first Chinese Ambassador to the Solomon Islands Global Times 26 Sep 2023 -- Over the last four years, China-Solomon Islands cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has achieved fruitful results, bringing profound benefits to both nations. In a recent interview with the Global Times, the first Chinese Ambassador to the Solomon Islands expressed confidence in the future cooperation between China and the Solomon Islands.
• Nepalese PM's visit to China set to further enhance relations Global Times 26 Sep 2023 -- Nepal adheres to the one-China policy and will never allow any activities that are detrimental to China's interests, said Nepalese Foreign Minister Narayan Prasad Saud in Beijing on Sunday.
• 10 years on, Belt and Road goals shift with China's ambitions Radio Free Asia 26 Sep 2023 -- A decade ago, amid much fanfare, Chinese President Xi Jinping launched the Belt and Road program, a grand plan to build a global infrastructure and supply chains that would connect China to the rest of the world in a modern and many-pronged Silk Road - and hypothetically benefit everyone involved.
• DHS Announces Three Additional PRC-Based Companies as a Result of Forced Labor Enforcement DHS 26 Sep 2023 -- Today, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced new enforcement actions to eliminate the use of forced labor practices in the U.S. supply chain and promote accountability for the ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity against Uyghurs and other religious and ethnic minority groups in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.
• US blacklists three more firms for Uyghur slave labor Radio Free Asia 26 Sep 2023 -- The United States on Tuesday blacklisted three more companies located in China's Xinjiang region due to their use of forced Uyghur labor, banning American companies from importing their goods.
• US Bans 3 Chinese Manufacturers Over Suspicions They Used Forced Uyghur Labor VOA 26 Sep 2023 -- Three Chinese textile manufacturers have been banned from exporting their goods to the United States over suspicions they may be using forced labor in their production lines.
• Issuance of an Addendum to the Xinjiang Supply Chain Business Advisory US Dept. of State 26 Sep 2023 -- The Department of State, together with the Department of the Treasury, Department of Commerce, Department of Homeland Security, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, and the Department of Labor, issued an Addendum to the 2021 Updated Xinjiang Supply Chain Business Advisory to call attention to the People's Republic of China's (PRC) ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang and the evidence of widespread use of forced labor there.
• Rights experts warn against forced separation of Uyghur children in China UN News 26 Sep 2023 -- Forced separations and language policies for Uyghur and other minority Muslim children at State-run boarding schools in China's Xinjiang region carry the risk of forced assimilation, three UN independent human rights experts said on Tuesday.
• China opposes US sanctions against Chinese entities with alleged involvement in Iran's devt of military aircraft: MOFCOM Global Times 26 Sep 2023 -- China firmly opposes sanctions imposed by the US against certain Chinese entities and individuals with alleged involvement in Iran's development of drones and military aircraft, and it will take the necessary measures to resolutely defend its legitimate rights and interests, a spokesperson for China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said on Tuesday.
• Chinese FM spokesperson confirms China's commitment to carbon neutrality, following IEA's push for net zero achievement Global Times 26 Sep 2023 -- China is undergoing a wide-ranging and profound transformation in its economy and society to achieve the goal of peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and carbon neutrality before 2060, a spokesperson from Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Tuesday, in response to International Energy Agency (IEA)'s pushing for China to achieve carbon neutrality ten years earlier than its target.
• PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan Sep. 26, 2023 ROC MND 26 Sep 2023
• Best way to prevent war is to prepare for one, Lai tells students CNA 26 Sep 2023 -- Taiwan can prevent war by preparing for one, Lai Ching-te (賴清德), the ruling Democratic Progressive Party's presidential nominee, said in Taichung on Monday while rejecting the idea of a peace agreement to achieve peace.
• Taiwan rolls out new Moderna vaccine amid warnings of new COVID outbreak CNA 26 Sep 2023 -- Taiwan's Centers for Disease Control (CDC) started to roll out Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine against the Omicron subvariant XBB.1.5 Tuesday, urging people to get the shots as it warned of another outbreak in the near future.
• Koreas trade barbs at UN as the North threatens nuclear war Radio Free Asia 26 Sep 2023 -- The two Koreas traded barbs at the United Nations General Assembly Tuesday, with the North threatening a potential nuclear catastrophe in the Korean Peninsula and the South asserting that its military exercises with the U.S. will continue to take place.
• Seoul warns of N Korean regime termination, if nuclear weapons used Radio Free Asia 25 Sep 2023 -- South Korea warned that it would seek to terminate the Kim Jong Un regime should nuclear weapons be used in practice, calling Pyongyang's nuclear intimidation a "grave challenge" to the international community.
• S Korean court rules anti-Pyongyang leaflets ban 'unconstitutional' Radio Free Asia 26 Sep 2023 -- South Korea's Constitutional Court has overturned the law barring the dissemination of anti-Pyongyang leaflets into North Korea, a decision that is likely to irk North Korea, which perceives such leaflets as a significant threat to the Kim Jong Un regime.
• Korean Peninsula on 'brink of nuclear war,' North Korean envoy warns Press TV 26 Sep 2023 -- North Korea's ambassador to the United Nations, Kim Song, has warned that there is an "imminent danger of nuclear war breakout" on the Korean Peninsula.
• North Koreans in Russia received scant medical care during pandemic Radio Free Asia 26 Sep 2023 -- North Korean workers in Russia who contracted serious diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic were unable to receive proper medical treatment, nor were they able to return to North Korea, according to an internal document seen by Radio Free Asia.
• Telephone conversation with President of Iran Ebrahim Raisi President of Russia 26 Sep 2023 -- Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ebrahim Raisi at the Iranian side's initiative.
• Raeisi, Putin discuss Iran-Russia relations, censure foreign meddling in regional affairs Press TV 26 Sep 2023 -- Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, have discussed the expansion of Tehran-Moscow ties and the latest developments in the region, stressing the necessity of preventing foreign interference in regional issues.
• Excessive demands by US, European parties stalled JCPOA revival talks: Iran FM Press TV 26 Sep 2023 -- Iran's foreign minister says "excessive demands" by the United States and the three European signatories to the 2015 nuclear agreement have stalled multilateral negotiations to revive the US-abandoned deal.
• Myanmar reshuffle of generals suggests 'instability,' experts say Radio Free Asia 26 Sep 2023 -- Myanmar's junta has officially sacked two high-ranking generals for alleged bribery and corruption as part of a reshuffle experts said indicates growing instability and disunity within military ranks.
• Myanmar junta extends sentences of 63 protesting prisoners Radio Free Asia 26 Sep 2023 -- Myanmar's junta authorities extended the prison sentences of 63 political prisoners for taking part in a protest in Ayeyarwady's Pathein Prison, a prisoner rights group said Tuesday.
• Myanmar: 'Inhumanity in its vilest form' continues, warns Türk UN News 26 Sep 2023 -- The UN human rights chief on Tuesday presented another grim assessment of the situation in Myanmar, detailing escalating horrors inflicted by the military on civilians in the country.
• Human Rights Council Hears that States Must Prioritise the Participation of Youth in Climate and Environmental Processes, and that the People of Myanmar Are Enduring Flagrant Human Rights Violations UNOHCHR 26 Sep 2023
• Indian opposition lawmaker lashes out at Canada, calls it CIA puppet People's Daily 26 Sep 2023 -- Indian lawmaker belonging to the main opposition party the Indian National Congress (INC), Ravneet Singh Bittu, has lashed out at Canada amid the ongoing diplomatic row between the two countries, calling it a "puppet" of the U.S. intelligence agency CIA.
• Israeli Cabinet Member Visits Saudi Arabia VOA 26 Sep 2023 -- Israel's tourism minister, Haim Katz, traveled to Saudi Arabia Tuesday, marking what's described by Israel as the first time an official diplomatic visit of an Israeli cabinet member to Saudi Arabia has taken place.
• Will A Nazarbaev Relative Stand Trial Over Kazakhstan's 'Bloody January'? RFE/RL 26 Sep 2023 -- In the aftermath of the worst unrest in Kazakhstan's 30 years of independence, it became clear that bloodshed on the streets was accompanied by a power struggle at the very highest levels of government.
• Niger demands 'negotiated framework' for France withdrawal Press TV 26 Sep 2023 -- Niger's military government has demanded a "negotiated framework" for the French troop planned pull-out from the West African country.
• Foreign Assistance Programs and Events in Gabon US Dept. of State 26 Sep 2023 -- The U.S. government is pausing certain foreign assistance programs benefiting the government of Gabon while we evaluate the unconstitutional intervention by members of the country's military.
• Clean energy growth is keeping the climate goals alive, IEA says Radio Free Asia 26 Sep 2023 -- Significant growth in clean energy technologies, like solar panels and electric vehicles, has helped keep viable the target to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, the International Energy Agency said in a new report on Tuesday. However, it warned that China and advanced economies must intensify their climate commitments to reach the goal on time.
• OSCE Reinforced Permanent Council, September 2023: Foreign Secretary's statement UK FCDO 26 Sep 2023 -- Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the Security Council meeting on Afghanistan.
• World News in Brief: Crisis deepens for Mali's children, human rights updates from Brazil, Montenegro UN News 26 Sep 2023 -- In Mali, one million children under five are at risk of malnutrition amid polio and measles outbreaks, increased armed violence and displacement, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) said on Tuesday.
• Hanoi Faces Balancing Act With China as Vietnam-US Ties Tighten VOA 26 Sep 2023 -- The elevation of the U.S.-Vietnam relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership shows an increasing level of shared interests between the two countries. But the enhanced ties do not mean Hanoi is drifting away from Beijing, its traditional partner, analysts say.
• Bangladeshi Police Accused of Filing False Cases as Election Nears VOA 26 Sep 2023 -- As Bangladesh moves toward the next national elections — likely to be held in January — opposition political parties are accusing the country's security forces of an escalation in repression.