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News Reports

Current Operations

• Joint Statement on the Small Group of the Global Coalition to Defeat Daesh/ISIS US Dept. of State 05 Dec 2023 -- The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United States of America and the Italian Republic on the occasion of the Small Group of the Global Coalition to Defeat Daesh/ISIS.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Statement from President Joe Biden on Lift of Senator Tuberville's Blockade on Military Appointments The White House 05 Dec 2023
• Statement From Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III on the Senate's Confirmation of 425 General and Flag Officers DoD 05 Dec 2023 -- "While this day is long overdue, I welcome the Senate's confirmation of 425 of our highly qualified general and flag officers, who will at last be able to serve in critical positions to our national security."
• Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder Holds a Press Briefing DoD 05 Dec 2023
• Next Generation Squad Weapons tested by Rangers, Infantry Soldiers Army News 05 Dec 2023 -- Screaming Eagle Division Soldiers at Fort Knox just completed training and testing the Army's 6.8mm family of Next Generation Squad Weapon-Rifle, NGSW-Automatic Rifle and the NGSW-Fire Control systems.
• DOD Awards $23.4 Million to Expand Domestic Capability to Upcycle Scrap Material into High-Grade Metal DoD 05 Dec 2023 -- The Department of Defense today announced award of $23.4 million via the Defense Production Act Investment (DPAI) Program to 6k Additive, LLC to expand capability to upcycle waste and scrap material for conversion into higher grade metals for use in defense and commercial supply chains.
• Statement from Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III on the Tragic Crash Off the Coast of Japan DoD 05 Dec 2023
• Assistant Secretary of Defense Christopher P. Maier Addresses Crucial Role of Irregular Warfare at the Semi-Annual Irregular Warfare Forum DoD 05 Dec 2023 -- Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict, Christopher P. Maier, delivered a keynote address at the semi-annual Irregular Warfare (IW) Forum.
• DOD Seeks to Quell Violent Extremism in Africa's Sahel Region DoD News 05 Dec 2023 -- Security in Africa's Sahel region has steadily declined over the last decade, Celeste Wallander, assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs, told the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
• Recovery Operations Begin Following Osprey Mishap in Japan DoD News 05 Dec 2023 -- Following last week's CV-22A Osprey mishap off the shore of Yakushima Island, Japan, a search and rescue operation had been ongoing for any possible survivors. That operation has now transitioned to a search and recovery operation. At the same time, Air Force Special Operations Command has released the names of the eight deceased service members.
• Official Says 2023 Was 'Most Transformative' for DOD in Indo-Pacific DoD News 05 Dec 2023 -- This has been the most transformative year for U.S. force posture in the Indo-Pacific in a generation, Ely Ratner, assistant defense secretary for Indo-Pacific security affairs said today.
• AFSOC Aircraft Mishap Releases US Air Force 05 Dec 2023 -- UPDATE 7, December 5, 2023 0900CST: After days of intensive, 24/7 search and rescue operations for eight Airmen following the CV-22 mishap off the shore of Yakushima Island, Japan, the U.S. military transitioned search and rescue operations to search and recovery operations.
• Sri Lanka Joins Combined Maritime Forces in Middle East as 39th Member US Navy 05 Dec 2023 -- Combined Maritime Forces welcomed Sri Lanka, Nov. 20th, as the 39th member of the world's largest maritime security partnership.
• USS Thomas Hudner Arrives in Souda Bay, Greece US Navy 05 Dec 2023 -- The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Thomas Hudner (DDG 116), a part of the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group (CSG), arrived in Souda Bay, Greece, for a regularly scheduled port visit November 30, 2023.
• USS Normandy Arrives in Piraeus, Greece US Navy 05 Dec 2023 -- USS Normandy (CG 60), a part of the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group (GRFCSG), arrived in Piraeus, Greece, for a regularly scheduled port visit December 3, 2023.
• CNO Franchetti Speaks at 2023 Reagan National Defense Forum US Navy 05 Dec 2023
• U.S. Signs Defense Cooperation Agreement with Sweden US Dept. of State 05 Dec 2023 -- On December 5, the United States and Sweden signed a Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA). This agreement, signed by Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson, will empower our two countries to expand our close security partnership, enhance our cooperation in multilateral security operations, and strengthen transatlantic security together.
• Agreement on defense cooperation between Sweden and the United States of America (pdf 218 kB)
• Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III Meeting With Swedish Minister of Defence Pål Jonson DoD 05 Dec 2023
• Data on interceptions of aircraft completed near the Baltic States' borders on November 27-December 3, 2023 Lithuania MND 05 Dec 2023 -- On November 27-December 3 NATO Air Policing Mission Detachment fighter aircraft were scrambled once to intercept aircraft of the Russian Federation violating flight rules in international airspace over the Baltic Sea.
• Destroyer Admiral Tributs (Pacific Fleet) passes through Singapore Strait to enter South China Sea Russia MoD 05 Dec 2023 -- The destroyer Admiral Tributs (Pacific Fleet) has passed through the Singapore Strait and entered the waters of the South China Sea as part of its tasks in the Asia-Pacific region.
• Ukraine's Zelenskiy Cancels Speech To U.S. Senators To Urge Passage Of Military Aid RFE/RL 05 Dec 2023 -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy canceled an address to U.S. senators on December 5 as debate heated up on President Joe Biden's nearly $106 billion request for funding for the wars in Ukraine and Israel.
• Zelenskyy Cancels Scheduled Meeting with US Lawmakers VOA 05 Dec 2023 -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy canceled a meeting with members of the U.S. Senate on Tuesday. He was expected to ask for continued military support amid the ongoing Russian invasion.
• China Holds Naval Drills in South China Sea From December 5-6 Sputnik 05 Dec 2023 -- The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) is holding a military exercise in the South China Sea from December 5-6, the China Maritime Safety Administration announced on Tuesday.
• US, Japan, Australia hold first joint command post drill 'with China in mind' Global Times 05 Dec 2023 -- Japan, the US and Australia recently launched their first trilateral command post drill that aims to boost the defense of Japan "with China in mind," a move Chinese experts said on Tuesday reflects the three countries' groundless, dangerous obsession in hyping the "China threat" theory.
• Chinese warships dock at Cambodia's Ream naval base for 'training' Radio Free Asia 05 Dec 2023 -- Several Chinese warships have arrived at Ream naval base in Cambodia "in preparation for training" the Cambodian Navy, according to a Cambodian official, a rare move accompanied by a Chinese general's visit to Phnom Penh that is expected to further bolster ties between two countries.
• Tsai attends groundbreaking at new aerospace and drone facility CNA 05 Dec 2023 -- President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) attended a groundbreaking ceremony for an aerospace and drone facility in Chiayi County Tuesday, with the site expected to boost Taiwan's asymmetric combat power, according to Tsai.
• Two new Chinese satellites no danger to Taiwan: Defense ministry CNA 05 Dec 2023 -- The rockets used by China to send satellites into space on two consecutive days posed no threat to Taiwan, according to Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND).
• A significant step forward in the Pacific Australia DOD 05 Dec 2023 -- Australia is participating in Exercise Yama Sakura (YS85) for the first time, enhancing interoperability and mutual defence capability with Japan and the United States.
• New howitzer game-changer for artillery units Australia DOD 05 Dec 2023 -- 155mm shells blasted from the eight-metre-long barrel of an AS9 Huntsman self-propelled howitzer shaking the ground at Port Wakefield, South Australia, as soldiers from the Joint Proof and Experimental Unit (JPEU) collected data from behind shielding.
• Plans underway for women to head Sri Lanka's military forces: state minister People's Daily 05 Dec 2023 -- Sri Lanka's State Minister of Defense Premitha Bandara Tennakoon said on Monday that the government is planning to enable women to head the army, navy and air force in the South Asian country.
• Indian Coast Guard Offshore Patrol Vessel Sajag makes port call at Dammam, Saudi Arabia India PIB 05 Dec 2023 -- Indian Coast Guard Ship Sajag, an Offshore Patrol Vessel, made port call at King Abdul Aziz Port, AD Dammam, Saudi Arabia on 05 Dec 2023 on a three day visit
• Secretary Antony J. Blinken At the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition 2023 Tribute Celebration US Dept. of State 05 Dec 2023
• Readout of National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan's Meeting with Prime Minister Andrew Holness of Jamaica The White House 05 Dec 2023
• Letter to the Speaker of the House and President of the Senate on an Agreement with the Republic of the Marshall Islands The White House 05 Dec 2023
• Letter to the Speaker of the House and President of the Senate on an Agreement with the Federated States of Micronesia The White House 05 Dec 2023
• Press Gaggle by Principal Deputy Press Secretary Olivia Dalton En Route Boston, MA The White House 05 Dec 2023
• Acting Deputy Secretary Nuland's Meeting with German State Secretary Bagger US Dept. of State 05 Dec 2023

Defense Industry

• Contracts For Dec. 5, 2023

Other Conflicts

Ukraine Conflict News
• 5 December 2023 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 05 Dec 2023

Operation Iron Swords / Operation Al-Aqsa Flood

• Press Briefing by IDF Spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari December 5th, 20:15 Israel Defense Forces 05 Dec 2023
• PM call with Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel: 5 December 2023 Gov.UK 05 Dec 2023
• Israeli Forces Advance on Khan Younis in Southern Gaza VOA 05 Dec 2023 -- Israel said its forces advanced Tuesday on the heart of Khan Younis, southern Gaza's largest city, with fierce fighting against Hamas militants even as international aid organizations expressed concern that Palestinians seeking refuge in the region do not have a haven from the war.
• Gaza Health Ministry warns of 'massacre' at Kamal Adwan Hospital IRNA 05 Dec 2023 -- The director general of Gaza's Health Ministry has voiced concerns that the same massacres that happened in the al-Shifa and Indonesia hospitals at the hands of the Zionist regime would also happen in the Kamal Adwan Hospital.
• Dozens killed in Israeli strike on Gaza school as more hospitals encircled Press TV 05 Dec 2023 -- Israeli air strikes have killed at least 30 Palestinians sheltering at a school, run by the United Nations Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) in Khan Yunis on the 60th day of the Israeli genocidal war on the Gaza Strip.
• Desperation intensifies in Gaza amid uncertainty of 'safe zones' UN News 05 Dec 2023 -- The situation for Gazans is "getting worse by the hour", the UN health agency WHO said on Tuesday, after some of the heaviest Israeli shelling in the enclave since Hamas militants massacred some 1,200 people in southern Israel and took around 240 hostages on 7 October.
• Statement by the World Food Programme on growing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza WFP 05 Dec 2023 -- The resumption of hostilities in Gaza will only intensify the catastrophic hunger crisis that already threatens to overwhelm the civilian population.
• UN says impossible to create 'safe zones' in Gaza IRNA 05 Dec 2023 -- The United Nations has warned that it is virtually impossible to establish so-called safe zones for civilians inside the Gaza Strip as the Israeli regime expands its bombing campaign across the besieged Palestinian territory.
• 'No safe zones' as Israelis intensify bombings on Gaza: UN Press TV 05 Dec 2023 -- UN officials have sounded the alarm once more, saying there are "no safe zones in Gaza" while the situation is getting worse by the hour.
• Gaza 'hellish scenario': UN says aid delivery grinds to halt as Israeli war rages Press TV 05 Dec 2023 -- UN Humanitarian Coordinator has warned of a "hellish scenario" unfolding as the flow of aid in Gaza has come to a grinding halt, as a humanitarian crisis is unfolding in the besieged territory.
• UN chief alarmed by resumption of hostilities in Gaza People's Daily 05 Dec 2023 -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is alarmed by the resumption of hostilities between Israel and Palestinians after a short pause, said his spokesman on Monday.
• Announcement of Visa Restriction Policy to Promote Peace, Security, and Stability in the West Bank US Dept. of State 05 Dec 2023 -- The United States has consistently opposed actions that undermine stability in the West Bank, including attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians, and Palestinian attacks against Israelis.
• Washington Slaps New Visa Restrictions on Extremist Israeli Settlers VOA 05 Dec 2023 -- The United States on Tuesday announced new visa restrictions on "individuals involved in undermining peace, security or stability in the occupied West Bank," acting on U.S. President Joe Biden's criticism of attacks on Palestinians by extremist Israeli settlers in the volatile region.
• Readout of National Security Advisor to the Vice President Phil Gordon's Trip to Israel The White House 05 Dec 2023
• Palestinian president refuses Israel's plans to occupy parts of Gaza People's Daily 05 Dec 2023 -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas stressed on Monday that he rejects Israel's plans to "separate, occupy, cut off or isolate any part of the Gaza Strip," which is "an integral part of the Palestinian state," according to a statement by the official Palestinian News Agency (WAFA).
• Amirabdollahian: US cannot decide for Palestinian people about post-war Gaza IRNA 05 Dec 2023 -- Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said that today Hamas is at the peak of popularity in the Palestinian territories, and stressed that neither the US nor Israel are capable of destroying the resistance and making decisions for the people of Gaza and Palestine.
• Iran rejects 'baseless' allegations by Israel, US, UK IRNA 05 Dec 2023 -- Iran has strongly rejected the "baseless" allegations by the Zionist regime, the US, and the UK against Tehran over its role in the current situation in West Asia.
• Iran refutes UK accusations of involvement in attacks on vessels in Red Sea IRNA 05 Dec 2023 -- Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Nasser Kanaani has ruled out the baseless allegations leveled by the British government saying that Iran had nothing to do with the Yemeni army attacks in the Red Sea.
• Iran rejects UK accusations of involvement in Yemeni attacks on Israeli ships in Red Sea Press TV 05 Dec 2023 -- Iran has dismissed accusations by the British government of involvement in a series of Yemeni attacks in the Red Sea, stressing that the resistance groups in the region do not receive orders from Tehran on how to respond to the Israeli regime's war crimes.
• Iran to US, Israel: You can't eliminate Palestinian resistance from Gaza Press TV 05 Dec 2023 -- Iran's foreign minister has advised the United States and the Israeli regime against trying to eliminate the Palestinian resistance from the Gaza Strip.
• President Raeisi: Genocide of Palestinians will spell end of Israeli regime Press TV 05 Dec 2023 -- Iran's President Ebrahim Raeisi says the Israeli regime's killing of innocent Palestinian women and children will spell the end of the occupying entity.
• "Israel mustn't get away with its crimes" Presidency of The Republic of Turkey 05 Dec 2023 -- Addressing the 44th Summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council, President Erdoğan said: "The loss of lives of 17 thousand innocent Palestinians, most of them children and women, is a crime against humanity, a war crime. Israel mustn't get away with the crimes it has committed."
• Statement by Human Rights Commissioner Luise Amtsberg prior to her visit to Israel, the Palestinian territories and Jordan Germany Federal Foreign Office 05 Dec 2023
• Israel expanding offensive in southern Gaza ignites worries Global Times 05 Dec 2023 -- Given Israel's military has been pushing its operations deeper into southern Gaza, intensifying its airstrikes and even reportedly considering flooding Gaza tunnels with seawater to drive out Hamas fighters, some Chinese experts raised concerns over the worsening humanitarian crisis. They described the offensive as reflecting Israel's determination of expanding its ground operations in Gaza despite mounting pressure from the international community.
• Persian Gulf leaders, Erdogan call for end to Israel's 'blatant aggression' in Gaza Press TV 05 Dec 2023 -- Leaders of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan have jointly condemned Israel's "blatant aggression" against the Palestinian people.
• France announces sanctions on Hamas chief in Gaza amid Israeli genocide Press TV 05 Dec 2023 -- France has imposed sanctions against a senior official with the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas, amid Israel's devastating war waged on the blockaded Gaza Strip.
• Russia Sends Over 288 Tonnes of Humanitarian Aid for Gaza Residents Sputnik 05 Dec 2023 -- The Russian Emergencies Ministry has delivered more than 288 tonnes of humanitarian aid to residents of the Gaza Strip since the start of hostilities on October 7, Director of the Information Policy Department of the Emergencies Ministry Roman Okhotenko said on Monday.
• Injured Palestinians in Tunisian hospitals to receive necessary care: president People's Daily 05 Dec 2023 -- Tunisian President Kais Saied said on Monday that all the injured Palestinians admitted to Tunisian hospitals will receive necessary treatment and return in good health to their homeland, according to the Tunisian presidency.
• Zionist regime kills 260 Palestinians in West Bank in 59 days IRNA 05 Dec 2023 -- Some 260 Palestinians have been martyred by the Zionist forces in the West Bank since the onset of a Zionist aggression against Palestine 59 days ago.
• Israeli forces kill 5 Palestinian men in raids across occupied West Bank Press TV 05 Dec 2023 -- Israeli forces have killed five Palestinian young men during violent raids across the occupied West Bank amid the regime's genocidal war on the besieged Gaza Strip.
• Hamas says killed 10 Israeli soldiers in Khan Yunis in southern Gaza Press TV 05 Dec 2023 -- The military wing of the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas says its fighters have killed ten Israeli soldiers in the southern Gaza Strip, as the occupying regime continues its brutal assault on the besieged territory.
• Military positions of Zionist regime under fire of Lebanon's Hezbollah IRNA 05 Dec 2023 -- Lebanese Hezbollah announced in several separate statements about the targeting of four military positions of the Zionist regime army in the north of occupied Palestine.
• Palestinians suffering 'intolerable': Red Cross chief Press TV 05 Dec 2023 -- "The level of human suffering is intolerable, " says Red Cross President Mirjana Spoljaric as Israel has resumed its air and ground strikes on Gaza in full force.
• Yemen: Statement by the Spokesperson on Houthi attacks in the Red Sea European External Action Service (EEAS) 05 Dec 2023 -- The European Union strongly condemns the missile and drone attacks by the Houthis against commercial ships on Sunday 3 December in the Red Sea. These repeated attacks endanger international navigation and the lives of members of different crews.
• Yemen adopts law that criminalizes recognition of Israeli regime IRNA 05 Dec 2023 -- Chairman of the Supreme Political Council in Yemen Mahdi Al-Mashat has said that Yemen adopted law that criminalizes recognition of the Zionist regime and normalizing ties with it.

Other Conflicts

• Renewable energy boosts safety of UN peacekeepers UN News 05 Dec 2023 -- The transition to renewable energy at UN peacekeeping missions helps to ensure the safety and security of uniformed personnel serving in the field, a senior official said on Tuesday.
• African women on the frontline of peacekeeping UN News 05 Dec 2023 -- For over a year, a group of United Nations peacekeepers from Ghana led by Captain Esinam Baah regularly patrolled the "blue line" or the demarcation line between Lebanon and Israel, and visited neighbourhoods in the area, checking in with local families and making sure they were safe.
• Afghan Insurgent Groups Step Up Attacks, Political Campaign Against Taliban VOA 05 Dec 2023 -- Two Afghan insurgent groups, made up mainly of former government and military officials, claim to have killed at least 50 Taliban officials and soldiers during November.
• Pakistan Official: US Did Not Oppose Deportation of Afghans in Country Illegally VOA 05 Dec 2023 -- Pakistani officials said Tuesday that the United States did not object to Islamabad's deportation of Afghan nationals who are illegally residing in the country but requested the process be slowed down during winter.
• Taliban's Abusive Education Policies Harm Boys as Well as Girls in Afghanistan, Rights Group Says VOA 05 Dec 2023 -- The Taliban's "abusive" educational policies are harming boys as well as girls in Afghanistan, according to a Human Rights Watch report published Wednesday.
• China seeks a more 'inclusive' Taliban Radio Free Asia 05 Dec 2023 -- Beijing has urged Afghanistan's Taliban government to adopt more "inclusive" and "moderate" policies in order to receive full diplomatic recognition, which Beijing said "will come naturally" with time.
• Nobel Laureate Malala Calls Out Taliban For Making 'Girlhood Illegal' In Afghanistan RFE/RL 05 Dec 2023 -- Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai decried Afghanistan's Taliban rulers in a speech on December 5 and called on the international community to make gender apartheid a crime against humanity.
• WFP pauses food distributions in northern areas of Yemen WFP 05 Dec 2023 -- The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) announces the pause of General Food Distributions (GFD) in areas of Yemen under the Sana'a Based Authorities' (SBA) control, driven by limited funding and the absence of an agreement with the authorities on a smaller programme that matches available resources to the neediest families.
• Pakistan Blast Injures 7, Including Children VOA 05 Dec 2023 -- A roadside blast caused by a remote-controlled improvised explosive device, or IED, wounded seven people Tuesday, including four children in Peshawar, the capital of Pakistan's northern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
• Myanmar militia arrests and shoots villagers near India border Radio Free Asia 05 Dec 2023 -- Junta-backed Pyu Saw Htee militia members shot four villagers on the Myanmar-India border, locals told Radio Free Asia.
• Fresh violence kills 13 in India's Manipur People's Daily 05 Dec 2023 -- Fresh violence in the northeastern state of Manipur Monday killed 13 people, multiple local media reports said.
• High Representative/Vice-President Borrell meets with the Vice-President of Libyan Presidential Council Mousa Al-Koni European External Action Service (EEAS) 05 Dec 2023 -- On 5 December, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the Commission, Josep Borrell, met in Brussels with Mousa Al-Koni, Vice President of the Presidential Council of Libya. The discussion focused on how to enhance the ongoing cooperation between the European Union and Libya on key areas, including improving migration governance and management, as well as regional cooperation between Libya and the Sahel.
• UN Says Gender-Based Violence in DRC is Increasing VOA 05 Dec 2023 -- The United Nations humanitarian agency, OCHA, says it is working with other humanitarian agencies to help mitigate and respond to increasing incidents of gender-based violence in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
• Decrease In Naxalite Activities India PIB 05 Dec 2023 -- As per Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India, subjects of Police and Public Order are with the State Governments

News Reports

• FBI Director Warns Against Weakening US Surveillance Capabilities VOA 05 Dec 2023 -- A top U.S. law enforcement official is warning lawmakers that a failure to renew key surveillance authorities would amount to "unilateral disarmament" in the face of growing threats from terrorism as well as countries like China and Iran.
• Pretrial Hearing Set for Former US Diplomat Accused of Spying for Cuba VOA 05 Dec 2023 -- A pretrial hearing for former U.S. diplomat Manuel Rocha is set for Wednesday.
• Putin To Make Rare Trip Abroad With Visit To Middle East RFE/RL 05 Dec 2023 -- In a rare trip abroad as an international arrest warrant hangs over him, Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates on December 6 before heading home for a meeting with Iran's president the next day.
• Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's opening remarks during the meeting of Foreign Ministers of Caspian Littoral States, Moscow, December 5, 2023 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 05 Dec 2023
• Press release on Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's meeting with Foreign Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 05 Dec 2023
• Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's opening remarks at a meeting with Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov, Moscow, December 5, 2023 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 05 Dec 2023
• Russian Defense Procurement Network Added To U.S. Sanctions Designations RFE/RL 05 Dec 2023 -- The United States on December 5 imposed fresh sanctions targeting a defense procurement network that the U.S. Treasury Department said is led by a Belgium-based businessman and involves numerous Cyprus-based companies as well as businesses in Sweden, Hong Kong, and the Netherlands.
• Targeting Procurement Network for Russia's Military Sector US Dept. of State 05 Dec 2023 -- The Department of the Treasury today sanctioned a network of nine entities and five individuals supporting the Russian military and related materiel sector.
• Treasury Targets Russian Defense Procurement Network US Treasury 05 Dec 2023 -- Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is targeting a network led by Belgium-based Hans De Geetere that is involved in procuring electronics with military applications for Russian end-users. The network consists of nine entities and five individuals based in Russia, Belgium, Cyprus, Sweden, Hong Kong, and the Netherlands.
• U.S. Department of State Announces Reward Offer for Information Leading to the Arrest and/or Conviction of Russian National Accused of Sanctions Evasion US Dept. of State 05 Dec 2023 -- Today, the State Department is announcing a reward offer under the Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program (TOCRP) of up to $7 million for Russian national Artem Aleksandrovich Uss, for information leading to his arrest and/or conviction for conspiring to participate in or attempting to participate in transnational organized crime.
• Russian, Iranian Foreign Ministers Sign Document on Actions Against Sanctions Sputnik 05 Dec 2023 -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amir Abdollahian, have signed a document on actions against sanctions, Sputnik correspondent reported on Tuesday.
• Prosecutor Seeks Almost 20 Years In Prison For Former Russian Minister Abyzov RFE/RL 05 Dec 2023 -- The prosecutor at the high-profile trial of former Russian Minister for Open Government Affairs Mikhail Abyzov has asked a Moscow court to convict the defendant on corruption charges and sentence him to almost two decades in prison.
• Private rocket start-up Galactic Energy sends 2 satellites into twilight orbit Global Times 05 Dec 2023 -- Beijing-based private carrier rocket developer Galactic Energy said it had completed its most recent launch mission on Tuesday, sending two satellites into the twilight orbit, the company's first such launch.
• China Introduces Daily Health Checks in Schools as Respiratory Diseases Spike Sputnik 05 Dec 2023 -- The Chinese Education Ministry announced on Tuesday that it had ordered the introduction of an epidemiological monitoring system in schools and kindergartens to conduct daily health checks amid a surge in seasonal respiratory diseases among children.
• Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin's Regular Press Conference on December 5, 2023 PRC MofA 05 Dec 2023
• China to unswervingly promote and protect human rights: Wang Yi Global Times 05 Dec 2023 -- China will unswervingly promote and protect human rights, actively participate in global human rights governance, implement the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), and strive for greater development in the cause of human rights worldwide, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi stated on Tuesday.
• EU, China Hold Summit in Beijing Amid Deepening Rift VOA 05 Dec 2023 -- Officials from the European Union and China will hold their first in-person summit since 2019 this week, with leaders from both sides expecting to exchange views on strategic and global economic issues.
• China-EU Summit opportunity to stabilize ties, forge consensus Global Times 05 Dec 2023 -- It is in the fundamental interest of both sides if China-EU relations can stabilize and improve, which requires both sides to explore aspects of cooperation, manage divergences and promote exchanges, Chinese experts said on Tuesday, ahead of the China-EU summit to be held in Beijing, the first face-to-face China-EU summit in the post-COVID period.
• Hong Kong Watchdog Targets Two for Anti-Election Posts VOA 05 Dec 2023 -- Hong Kong's anti-corruption body Tuesday charged 38-year-old programmer Man Wing-fung with inciting people not to vote, which was made illegal in 2021 as part of authorities' efforts to crack down on critics.
• UN rights chief slammed for not acknowledging Uyghurs on genocide convention anniversary Radio Free Asia 05 Dec 2023 -- On the 75th anniversary of the U.N. convention on genocide, the international body's human rights chief called on the global community to hold perpetrators accountable, but was slammed for failing to condemn the situation facing Uyghurs in northwestern China.
• China rebukes Moody's 'biased' credit outlook cut, saying concerns over growth prospects 'unnecessary' Global Times 05 Dec 2023 -- China on Tuesday firmly pushed back against a decision by US ratings agency Moody's to affirm China's credit ratings but cut its outlook from stable to negative, stressing that China's economy remains resilient, it has the capabilities to deepen reforms to tackle risks and challenges, and concerns over China's growth prospects are unnecessary.
• Ratings agency cuts China's credit outlook Radio Free Asia 05 Dec 2023 -- Financially strapped local governments and state-owned enterprises pose a risk to China's future economic growth, the ratings agency Moody's said today in a report downgrading the country's credit outlook from stable to negative.
• Moody's Changes Outlook for China's Debt to 'Negative' VOA 05 Dec 2023 -- As worries mount about unsustainable levels of debt in the Chinese economy, a major ratings firm on Tuesday announced that it has changed its outlook for China's sovereign debt to negative.
• China's Credit Outlook 'Negative' as World's Second-Largest Economy Slows, Moody Says Sputnik 05 Dec 2023 -- Credit rating agency Moody's downgraded its outlook for the Chinese government's credit on Tuesday, the first time it was rated as "negative" since 2017.
• China's big six state-owned banks hold talks with property developers regarding financing demand Global Times 05 Dec 2023 -- China's big six state-owned banks have held talks with real estate companies regarding financing demand amid sluggish sales, according to National Business Daily on Monday.
• 'Unless Chow Ting surrenders, she will be hunted for life,' HKSAR CE John Lee says Global Times 05 Dec 2023 -- Unless anti-government figure Chow Ting surrenders and turns herself in, otherwise she will be hunted for life, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government CE John Lee said on Tuesday, emphasizing that the Hong Kong police will fully pursue any criminal who endangers national security.
• Chinese interference 'looms large' over Taiwan's presidential poll Radio Free Asia 05 Dec 2023 -- The shadow of Chinese interference 'looms large' over democratic Taiwan, according to the island's foreign minister, whose warning came amid reports that the Chinese Communist Party is wooing district-level politicians in a bid to wield influence in the run-up to presidential elections in January.
• PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan Dec. 5, 2023 ROC MND 05 Dec 2023
• Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un Makes Important Speech at 5th National Conference of Mothers KCNA 05 Dec 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, on December 4 made an important speech at the 5th National Conference of Mothers "On Duty of Mothers for Their Families and Society":
• Iran, Russia sign joint statement to counter US sanctions IRNA 05 Dec 2023 -- The foreign ministers of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Russian Federation have signed a joint statement at the conclusion of the annual summit of foreign ministers of the Caspian Sea littoral states.
• Iran, Russia FMs sign key declaration on countering unilateral sanctions Press TV 05 Dec 2023 -- Iran and Russia have signed an agreement to make joint efforts to counter unilateral sanctions imposed on the two countries.
• Declaration by the Russian Federation and the Islamic Republic of Iran on the Ways and Means to Counter, Mitigate and Redress the Adverse Impacts of Unilateral Coercive Measures Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 05 Dec 2023
• Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's opening remarks at a meeting with Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, Moscow, December 5, 2023 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 05 Dec 2023
• Concerns For Health Of Iranian Political Prisoner Rise Amid Hunger Strike RFE/RL 05 Dec 2023 -- Iranian political prisoners Sepideh Gholian and Mahboubeh Rezaei, incarcerated in Tehran's notorious Evin prison, have warned about the deteriorating health of fellow inmate Zahra Sarv, who has been on a hunger strike since early December to protest against the harsh treatment and injustices she has faced since her arrest in October 2021.
• Tsikhanouskaya Calls On U.S. To Support Belarusian Opposition, Tighten Sanctions On Lukashenka RFE/RL 05 Dec 2023 -- Exiled Belarusian opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya has called on U.S. lawmakers to materially support the Belarusian democracy movement abroad and tighten sanctions on authoritarian leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka amid a push for a clear U.S. strategy for her country.
• U.S. Targets Belarusian Red Cross Official, Regime's 'Revenue Generators' With Sanctions RFE/RL 05 Dec 2023 -- The United States on December 5 imposed fresh sanctions targeting several entities and individuals that the U.S. Treasury Department says are revenue generators for the regime of Belarusian authoritarian leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka.
• Taking Additional Sweeping Actions Against the Belarusian Regime US Dept. of State 05 Dec 2023 -- The United States is today designating 19 individuals and entities that generate revenue for the Lukashenka regime, operate in the Belarusian defense sector, and facilitate Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.
• Treasury Targets Belarusian Revenue Generators for Lukashenka, Human Rights Abuses, and Cogs in Russia's War Machine US Treasury 05 Dec 2023 -- Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is designating 11 entities and seven individuals pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 14038 and one individual pursuant to E.O. 14024. This action increases the pressure on Alyaksandr Lukashenka's (Lukashenka) authoritarian regime for its brutal suppression of Belarus's democratic civil society, corrupt financial enrichment of the Lukashenka family, and complicity in Russia's unjustified war against Ukraine.
• Transcript of Special Briefing on the State Visit of the President of Kenya to India (December 05, 2023) India MEA 05 Dec 2023
• Transcript of Press Statements on the visit of Minister of Hajj and Umrah of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia India MEA 05 Dec 2023
• Leader of Pakistan Ethnic Rights Group Detained VOA 05 Dec 2023 -- The leader of a Pakistan ethnic group has been detained after authorities said armed men in his vehicle opened fire on police.
• Israeli PM's corruption trial resumes in Jerusalem People's Daily 05 Dec 2023 -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's corruption trial resumed on Monday in Jerusalem after more than a two-month pause amid the Israel-Hamas conflict.
• Caspian summit: Iran FM calls on international organizations to bring Israel to justice for Gaza genocide Press TV 05 Dec 2023 -- Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian has called for an urgent halt to Israel's ongoing aggression on the Gaza Strip, demanding active role by international organizations to bring the occupying regime to justice for its genocidal war on the besieged territory.
• Papua New Guinea, Australia to sign security agreement this week Radio Free Asia 05 Dec 2023 -- Papua New Guinea and Australia will sign a broad security cooperation agreement this week that includes an Australian police presence in the Pacific island country that suffers frequent ethnic conflicts.
• Former Deputy PM Of North Macedonia Barred From Entering U.S. Over Corruption RFE/RL 05 Dec 2023 -- The former deputy prime minister of North Macedonia, Kocho Angjushev, Kocho Angjushev has been barred from entering the United States for what the U.S. State Department said was his "involvement in significant corruption."
• Designation of North Macedonia Public Official Kocho Angjushev for Significant Corruption US Dept. of State 05 Dec 2023 -- The United States is designating Kocho Angjushev, a former Deputy Prime Minister of North Macedonia, as generally ineligible for entry into the United States, due to his involvement in significant corruption.
• Kyrgyz, Tajik Officials Say More Disputed Segments Of Border Agreed Upon RFE/RL 05 Dec 2023 -- Officials from Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan say the two countries agreed on another 24 kilometers of the border between the two former Soviet republics after special talks on the issue were held over the past week.
• World News in Brief: WFP 'pauses' north Yemen food aid, human rights and sport, Myanmar latest UN News 05 Dec 2023 -- The UN World Food Programme (WFP) said on Tuesday that it was compelled to pause the distribution of food aid to needy families in northern areas of Yemen under the control of authorities in and around the capital, Sana'a.
• Micronesia's Former President Seeks Renewal of US Aid Agreement VOA 05 Dec 2023 -- David Panuelo, former president of the Federated States of Micronesia or FSM, has been in Washington lobbying lawmakers to approve legislation that he says Micronesia needs to counter Beijing's political and economic pressure across the region.
• Nigerian Press Advocates Hail ECOWAS Court Ruling on Media Laws VOA 05 Dec 2023 -- Nigerian press freedom advocates are praising a recent ruling from the court of West African bloc ECOWAS that ordered Nigerian authorities to review sections of the country's Press Act.