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Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
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Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• USCENTCOM Destroys Houthi Terrorists' Anti-Ship Missiles CENTCOM 18 Jan 2024 -- As part of ongoing multi-national efforts to protect freedom of navigation and prevent attacks on maritime vessels in the Red Sea, on Jan. 18 U.S. Central Command forces conducted strikes on two Houthi anti-ship missiles that were aimed into the Southern Red Sea and were prepared to launch.
• U.S. Conducts Defensive Strikes on Houthi Missiles DoD News 18 Jan 2024 -- This morning, U.S. Central Command forces conducted defensive strikes on two Houthi antiship missiles that were aimed into the southern Red Sea, said Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh, who spoke today at a news conference at the Pentagon.
• Third Houthi Terrorists Attack on Commercial Shipping Vessel in Three Days CENTCOM 18 Jan 2024 -- On Jan. 18 at approximately 9 p.m. (Sanaa time), Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists launched two anti-ship ballistic missiles at M/V Chem Ranger, a Marshall Island-flagged, U.S.-Owned, Greek-operated tanker ship.
• US launches 4th round of missile strikes on Yemen in a week Press TV 18 Jan 2024 -- The US military has launched new strikes on Yemen, marking the fourth time in a week that it has illegally bombed the war-torn country.
• US Launches New Round of Strikes on Houthi Positions in Yemen - Reports Sputnik 18 Jan 2024 -- The United States has launched new strikes on the Houthi positions in Yemen, CBS reported citing a US official.
• US, UK launch 4th round of airstrikes on Yemen: Report IRNA 18 Jan 2024 -- The United States and Britain have launched a new round of airstrikes on Yemen, which a Yemeni military source describes as an attempt to break the naval blockade imposed on ships heading to the ports of Israeli occupied Palestinian territories.
• US, UK warplanes keep pounding Yemeni cities: Sources IRNA 18 Jan 2024 -- The US and Britain have reportedly kept targeting different Yemeni cities and regions under the pretext of the Arab country's actions against Israeli or Israeli bound ships in the Red Sea.
• Yemen, CENTCOM confirm attack on US ship in Gulf of Aden IRNA 18 Jan 2024 -- The Yemeni armed forces confirmed a recent attack on an American ship in the Gulf of Aden with missiles, warning that it would never hesitate to attack the source of threats in the water off the Arab country's coast.
• U.S., Britain carry out new round of strikes against Houthi sites in Yemen -- Houthi TV People's Daily 18 Jan 2024 -- The United States and Britain bombed Houthi sites in northern Yemen before dawn on Thursday, Houthi-run al-Masirah TV said.
• US launches 4th round of missile strikes on Yemen in a week Press TV 18 Jan 2024 -- The US military has launched new strikes on Yemen, marking the fourth time in a week that it has illegally bombed the war-torn country.
• Iraqi resistance fighters attack US military base in northeast Syria: Report Press TV 18 Jan 2024 -- Iraqi resistance fighters have reportedly launched drone strikes on a military facility occupied by US forces near the northeastern Syrian city of Qamishli on the Turkish border.
• Illegal Drugs Seized by CMF French-led Combined Task Force 150 in Arabian Sea US Navy 18 Jan 2024 -- A U.S. Coast Guard cutter operating under the French-led Combined Task Force 150 of the Combined Maritime Forces seized about $8.1 million worth of illegal drugs from a vessel in the Arabian Sea, Jan. 16.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh Holds a Press Briefing DoD 18 Jan 2024
• Pentagon Official Says DOD, Ukraine Defense Funding Are Important to U.S. Security DoD News 18 Jan 2024 -- As Congress continues deliberations on the fiscal 2024 budget, the Defense Department is operating under a continuing resolution, said Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh at a press conference today.
• USEUCOM hosts Finnish military official to spur closer bilateral relations EUCOM 18 Jan 2024 -- The U.S. and Finland signed a Defense Cooperation Agreement in December 2023 to enhance opportunities for the two militaries to collaborate and train together while bolstering NATO's interoperability.
• U.S., Republic of Korea, Japan Navies Conduct Trilateral Exercise US Navy 18 Jan 2024 -- United States (U.S.) and The Republic of Korea (ROK) navies and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) executed a trilateral-naval exercise, Jan. 15 to Jan. 17, 2024, south of Jeju Island (international waters near the Korean Peninsula and Japan).
• Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group Returns from Historic Deployment US Navy 18 Jan 2024 -- USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) returned to its homeport of Naval Station Norfolk, January 17, 2024, following an 8-month deployment.
• Dr. John F. Plumb, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy, Holds an Off-Camera, On-the-Record Press Briefing DoD 18 Jan 2024
• Space Policy Official Details Approach to Maintaining U.S. Edge DoD News 18 Jan 2024 -- The Defense Department is laser focused on deterring aggression through critical investments and sound decisions that will shape U.S. and allied space capabilities for years to come, the Pentagon's top space policy official said.
• Iraq's prime minister wants immediate withdrawal of US forces Press TV 18 Jan 2024 -- Prime Minister Mohammad Shia al-Sudani says Iraq wants the immediate withdrawal of the US-led foreign forces from his country due to their destabilizing activities.
• NATO Chiefs of Defence discuss deterrence and defence priorities NATO 18 Jan 2024 -- From 17 to 18 January 2024, the NATO Military Committee in Chiefs of Defence Session took place at NATO Headquarters in Brussels.
• Biggest war exercises of NATO to begin next week Press TV 18 Jan 2024 -- The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is going to launch its largest military drill since the Cold War next week with about 90,000 personnel set to take part in the months-long combat exercises.
• Russian Defence Minister General of Army Sergei Shoigu inspects fulfilment of state defence orders in Moscow region Russia MoD 18 Jan 2024 -- Russian Defence Minister General of the Army Sergei Shoigu inspects the fulfilment of state defence orders at the State Machine-Building Design Bureau Raduga named after. A. Ya. Bereznyak in Moscow region.
• Ukraine warns of ammo shortage as Russia announces capture of village Press TV 18 Jan 2024 -- Ukraine has warned its US-led Western allies that the Kiev forces were running out of ammunition, while Russian troops have made fresh military advancements on the war front.
• World Lacks Defense Industry Resources for Ukraine to Wage War Against Russia - Zelensky Sputnik 18 Jan 2024 -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Wednesday that the world's defense industry lacks enough resources for Ukraine to withstand a war against the Russian army, adding that Kiev is facing a shortage of drones and shells.
• Volodymyr Zelenskyy discussed the launch of the artillery coalition with Emmanuel Macron President of Ukraine 18 Jan 2024
• 'Artillery Coalition' For Ukraine Gathers In Paris As France Pledges 78 Howitzers For Kyiv RFE/RL 18 Jan 2024 -- An "artillery coalition" for Ukraine is being launched in France on January 18 by 23 nations as the war-wracked country struggles to ensure continued deliveries of heavy weapons and ammunition to stave off Russia's nearly two-year all-out invasion.
• French Senators Say Ukraine's Battlefield Position Worsening Amid Excessive Use of Munitions Sputnik 18 Jan 2024 -- A group of French senators have drafted a report in which they said Ukraine's position on the battlefield is deteriorating while the supply of munitions from France could not keep up with the pace of their use by Ukrainian troops.
• INDIAN NAVY'S MISSION DEPLOYED PLATFORM RESPONDS TO A MARITIME INCIDENT IN THE GULF OF ADEN India PIB 18 Jan 2024 -- INS Visakhapatnam, mission deployed in Gulf of Aden for anti-piracy operations, swiftly responded to a distress call by Marshall Island flagged MV Genco Picardy following a drone attack at 2311 hrs on 17 Jan 24
• North Korea tests 'underwater nuclear system' to counter foes Radio Free Asia 18 Jan 2024 -- North Korea said Friday it had carried out a test of an "underwater nuclear system," showcasing its latest nuclear capabilities, underscoring the growing security challenges on the Korean peninsula.
• Readout of Acting Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Sasha Baker's Meeting With Australian Secretary of the Department of Defence Greg Moriarty DoD 18 Jan 2024
• Iran's armed forces launch specialized joint air defense exercises Press TV 18 Jan 2024 -- Iranian armed forces have launched specialized joint air defense exercises in the country's southwest, south and southeast regions.
• The first partial agreement secures new drones to the Arc-tic and North Atlantic region Danish Ministry of Defence 18 Jan 2024 -- New long endurance drones will secure surveillance and assertion of sovereignty in the Arctic and North Atlantic. This has been decided by the parties in the first partial agreement under the Defence Agreement in coordination with the Faroe Islands and Greenland.
• Broad majority agrees to spend approximately DKK 16 billion on more military equipment and personnel in the first partial agreement under the Defence Agreement Danish Ministry of Defence 18 Jan 2024 -- The Government and a broad majority of the Danish Parliament have agreed on a first partial agreement under the Defence Agreement from June 2023. The partial agreement invests approx. DKK 16 billion in more military equipment and strengthened recruitment and retention of employees.
• Stepping away from pacifism, Japan to buy 400 Tomahawk missiles from US Press TV 18 Jan 2024 -- Japan has signed a deal with the United States to buy 400 long-range Tomahawk missiles as the country ramps up its military capacity.
• Acting Deputy Secretary Nuland's Meeting with Nigerian National Security Advisor Ribadu US Dept. of State 18 Jan 2024
• Assistant Secretary for African Affairs Molly Phee Previewing the Secretary's Trip to Cabo Verde, Cote d'Ivoire, Nigeria, and Angola US Dept. of State 18 Jan 2024
• Blinken Heading to Africa Next Week on Four-Nation Tour VOA 18 Jan 2024 -- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, and Angola next week, the State Department announced, his fourth trip to the African continent.
• Readout of National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan's Meeting with Nigerian National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu The White House 18 Jan 2024
• Remarks by President Biden Before Marine One Departure The White House 18 Jan 2024
• Press Gaggle by Principal Deputy Press Secretary Olivia Dalton and NSC Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby En Route Morrisville, NC The White House 18 Jan 2024
• Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and NSC Coordinator For Strategic Communications John Kirby The White House 18 Jan 2024

Defense Industry

• Contracts For Jan. 18, 2024

Other Conflicts

Ukraine Conflict News


• 18 January 2024 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 18 Jan 2024

Operation Iron Swords / Operation Al-Aqsa Flood

• Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III's Call With Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant DoD 18 Jan 2024
• Statement by PM Netanyahu Israel - Prime Minister 18 Jan 2024
• Israeli minister calls for occupation of Gaza, 'encouraging' Palestinians to leave Press TV 18 Jan 2024 -- Far-right Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has reiterated his call for "encouraging" Palestinians to leave the Gaza Strip, saying the regime's occupation of the besieged enclave is the only way to restore security to Israel.
• Israeli strikes on Rafah kill 19 Palestinians, including children Press TV 18 Jan 2024 -- At least 19 Palestinians, including small children, have been killed in the latest Israeli airstrikes on the southern city of Rafah, as the regime continues its brutal war against the besieged Gaza Strip.
• Israeli strikes on Rafah kill 16 Palestinians, including children Press TV 18 Jan 2024 -- At least 16 Palestinians, including small children, have been killed in the latest Israeli airstrikes on the southern city of Rafah, as the regime continues its brutal war against the besieged Gaza Strip.
• Statement by UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Ted Chaiban upon conclusion of his visit to the Gaza Strip UNICEF 18 Jan 2024
• Gaza aid obstacles continue to delay vital relief UN News 18 Jan 2024 -- Medicines for Israeli hostages were reportedly allowed into Gaza for the first time on Thursday along with a consignment of relief supplies for Palestinians, under an agreement brokered by Qatar and France.
• UNRWA Situation Report #65 on the situation in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem (All information from 14-15 January 2024, is valid as of 15 January 2024 at 22:30) UNRWA 18 Jan 2024
• Nothing justifies what Israel has done in Gaza: UN expert Press TV 18 Jan 2024 -- A United Nations human rights expert underscores multiple instances of breach of the international law by the Israeli regime, which has brought the Gaza Strip under more than three months of a genocidal war.
• WHO reports nearly 600 Israeli attacks on medical targets across Gaza Press TV 18 Jan 2024 -- The World Health Organization (WHO) says the Israeli regime has staged nearly 600 attacks against medical targets across the Gaza Strip, which the regime has brought under an unrelenting genocidal war.
• UN paints bleak post-war future for Gaza Press TV 18 Jan 2024 -- The United Nations has warned about a bleak post-war future for the Gaza Strip, which has endured more than three months of a ferocious and genocidal Israeli military onslaught.
• White House Dismisses Netanyahu's Opposition to Palestinian Statehood VOA 18 Jan 2024 -- The Biden administration appears unswayed from its emerging vision for a postwar Gaza Strip despite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's rejection Thursday of a key element of that plan — the establishment of a Palestinian state.
• US, UK cannot hold regional security hostage for Netanyahu's sake: Iran FM Press TV 18 Jan 2024 -- The United States and Britain cannot hold the security of the region hostage for the benefit of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, says Iran's foreign minister.
• Indonesia Sends Hospital Ship With Aid for Gaza VOA 18 Jan 2024 -- Indonesian Thursday dispatched a hospital ship with humanitarian supplies for Palestinians in Gaza.
• Palestinian resistance rocket attack on Zionist settlements IRNA 18 Jan 2024 -- News sources reported on Thursday night about the rocket attack of the Palestinian resistance on the Zionist settlements bordering Gaza.
• Iran condemns US decision to blacklist Yemen's Ansarullah IRNA 18 Jan 2024 -- Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani has condemned the United States' decision to put Yemen's Ansarullah movement back on its so-called list of terrorist organizations, saying the move is in line with the US support for the Israeli regime's genocidal war in the Gaza Strip.
• Al-Houthi: Yemen's Ansarullah to 'keep hitting' ships headed to occupied territories Press TV 18 Jan 2024 -- Leader of Yemen's resistance movement Ansarullah Abdul-Malik al-Houthi says attacks on ships bound for Israeli ports will continue despite recent airstrikes on the Yemeni territory by US and UK warplanes.
• US propping up 'terrorist' Israel by blacklisting Yemen's Ansarullah: Tehran Press TV 18 Jan 2024 -- Tehran has denounced Washington's "provocative" blacklisting of Yemen's Ansarullah resistance movement, saying the move is in line with the United States' support for the "terrorist" Israeli regime.
• Houthis Attack US Ship Chem Ranger in Gulf of Aden Sputnik 18 Jan 2024 -- Yemen's Ansar Allah movement, also known as the Houthis, has attacked a US ship, the Marshall Islands-flagged chemical tanker Chem Ranger, in the Gulf of Aden with naval missiles, "resulting in direct hits," Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said Thursday.
• Yemen's Houthis Claim New Attack on US Ship in Arabian Sea - Reports Sputnik 18 Jan 2024 -- The Shiite movement Ansar Allah (Houthis) ruling in northern Yemen said they attacked a US ship off the Yemeni coast near the town of al-Mukalla. It marks the third attack on US ships since the launch of strikes on Houthi positions in Yemen a week ago, the Al Jazeera broadcaster reported Thursday, citing a Houthi military source.
• US Says Houthis Launched Missiles at American-Owned Tanker VOA 18 Jan 2024 -- Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists launched two anti-ship ballistic missiles at a U.S.-owned ship in the Gulf of Aden, the U.S. Central Command said in a statement late Thursday.
• Yemen's Houthis claim fresh missile attack on U.S. ship in Gulf of Aden People's Daily 18 Jan 2024 -- Yemen's Houthi group on Wednesday claimed responsibility for launching a missile attack on a U.S. ship in the Gulf of Aden.
• Yemen's Houthis say Washington redesignation for political purposes People's Daily 18 Jan 2024 -- Yemen's Houthi group on Wednesday said that re-classifying the group as "terrorists" by the United States came for political purposes.
• U.S. re-designates Houthis as terrorist organization People's Daily 18 Jan 2024 -- The United States re-designated the Houthi militant group as a terrorist organization on Wednesday, once again labeling it a so-called Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT).
• ICRC welcomes the agreement to deliver medication to the hostages and medical facilities in Gaza ICRC 18 Jan 2024 -- From the onset of the events of 7 October 2023, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has been calling for the unconditional release of the hostages as a priority, while also pressing for access to them and the ability to provide medical care.

Other Conflicts

• Press Statement on the 8th PH-China Bilateral Consultation Mechanism on the South China Sea Philippines DFA 18 Jan 2024 -- The Philippines and China convened the 8th Bilateral Consultation Mechanism on the South China Sea in Shanghai on 17 January 2024. This is pursuant to the agreement reached between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and President Xi Jinping in San Francisco last November 2023 to ease and manage tensions in the South China Sea. This was followed by a phone call between Philippine Secretary for Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in December 2023.
• China, Philippines hold new round of bilateral consultation meeting, agree on improving sea-related communication Global Times 18 Jan 2024 -- China and the Philippines held the eighth meeting of the China-Philippines Bilateral Consultation Mechanism (BCM) on the South China Sea in Shanghai on Wednesday amid rising tensions, and the two sides agreed on improving the sea-related communication mechanism and handling maritime emergencies, especially the situation on the Ren'ai Jiao (also known as Ren'ai Reef).
• Press release on humanitarian aid to Afghanistan Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 18 Jan 2024
• Women's rights key for Afghanistan's economic recovery UN News 18 Jan 2024 -- Economic recovery in Afghanistan hinges on international support for boosting productivity and reinstating women's rights, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) said in a new report released on Thursday.
• Russian Forces Organize Air Patrols Along Separation Zone Between Israel, Syria Sputnik 18 Jan 2024 -- The military aviation of the Russian aerospace forces have conducted air patrols along the separation zone between armed forces of Israel and Syria, Vadim Kulit, the deputy head of the Russian Defense Ministry's Center for Reconciliation of Opposing Sides in Syria, said on Thursday.
• Eleven People Killed in Jordanian Airstrike on Southern Syria - Source Sputnik 18 Jan 2024 -- Eleven people, including women and children, were killed in a Jordanian airstrike on the province of As Suwayda in southern Syria, a local source told Sputnik on Thursday.
• No: 10, 18 January 2024, Press Release Regarding the Latest Incidents in our Region Republic of Turkey Ministry of Foreign Affairs 18 Jan 2024
• Iran's territorial integrity a 'red line': Foreign Ministry IRNA 18 Jan 2024 -- Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has condemned Pakistan's cross-border drone attack as "unacceptable", reiterating that the country's territorial integrity is "a red line."
• Iran says will not tolerate 'any Israeli operation from any country' Press TV 18 Jan 2024 -- Iran says it will not tolerate any operation against the Iranian nation and government by the Israeli regime from any country.
• Iran calls on 'brotherly' Pakistan to check terrorist bases on its soil Press TV 18 Jan 2024 -- Iran has addressed "the friendly and brotherly government of Pakistan" after a tiff over Islamabad's drone attack on an Iranian village near their border, calling on the neighboring state to prevent the establishment of "terrorist bases" on its soil.
• Comment by Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on tensions between Iran and Pakistan Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 18 Jan 2024
• US, China Call on Pakistan, Iran to Avoid Escalation VOA 18 Jan 2024 -- Tensions between Pakistan and Iran have reached a boiling point following reciprocal airstrikes across their shared border, leaving civilians dead and raising fears of further escalation. The situation has drawn the attention of the United States and China, with both calling for no further escalation in violence.
• Operation Marg Bar Sarmachar Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs 18 Jan 2024 -- This morning Pakistan undertook a series of highly coordinated and specifically targeted precision military strikes against terrorist hideouts in Siestan-o-Baluchistan province of Iran. A number of terrorists were killed during the Intelligence-based operation - codenamed *'Marg Bar Sarmachar'*.
• 'War-Like': Cross-Border Strikes A Major Escalation In Long-Running Iran-Pakistan Row RFE/RL 18 Jan 2024 -- Iran and Pakistan have been battling insurgencies in a large swathe of desolate territory along their 900-kilometer-long shared border for decades.
• Pakistan used 3 drones in Iran border attack: Local official IRNA 18 Jan 2024 -- An Iranian local security official has said that Pakistan's attack on a border point in southeastern Iran was carried out with three drones.
• Transcript of the Press Briefing by the Spokesperson on Thursday 18th January 2024 Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs 18 Jan 2024
• Pakistan Launches Strikes on Iran's Saravan Region, Sistan, Balochistan Provinces - Reports Sputnik 18 Jan 2024 -- The sounds of explosions were heard in several areas of Saravan County in Iran's southeastern province of Sistan and Balochistan, which borders Pakistan, said Alireza Marhamati, the province's deputy governor for security and law enforcement.
• Tehran condemns Pakistan attack on border point with Iran IRNA 18 Jan 2024 -- The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman has condemned Pakistan's attack on a border point in southeastern Iran.
• Number of the killed after Pakistan attack rises to 9 IRNA 18 Jan 2024 -- Number of those who were killed after Pakistan's Thursday missile attack on a border village in southeastern Iran reached 9.
• Iran summons Pakistan chargé d'affaires to protest missile attack on Saravan IRNA 18 Jan 2024 -- Iranian Foreign Ministry has summoned Pakistan's chargé d'affaires to protest against the missile attack from the neighboring country to a southeastern Iranian village near Saravan on Thursday.
• Iran condemns Pakistan's border attack, summons Pakistani chargé d'affaires Press TV 18 Jan 2024 -- Iran has condemned Pakistan's attack on the southeastern Iranian province of Sistan and Baluchestan and summoned the Pakistani chargé d'affaires in protest against the incident.
• Iran Tries To Allay Fears Of Rising Tensions Following Pakistan Cross-Border Attacks RFE/RL 18 Jan 2024 -- Iran has condemned what it called a "disproportionate and unacceptable" attack by Pakistan on its territory, which came in response to an Iranian strike, raising fears of escalating military exchanges between the two neighbors.
• Pakistan Launches Retaliatory Strikes Against 'Terrorist Hideouts' in Iran VOA 18 Jan 2024 -- Pakistan said Thursday that its military carried out strikes against "terrorist hideouts" in neighboring Iran two days after Tehran bombed what it said were "Iranian terrorists" sheltering on Pakistani soil.
• Seven killed in Pakistan attack on southeastern Iran IRNA 18 Jan 2024 -- Seven people who did not have Iranian nationality were killed during Pakistan's missile attack on the southeastern Iranian city early on Thursday, a provincial security official announced.
• Several explosions heard in southeastern Iran: Report IRNA 18 Jan 2024 -- Several explosions have been heard in the vicinity of Saravan, a city in the southeastern Iranian province of Sistan-Baluchestan near the border with Pakistan, a provincial security official announced on Thursday.
• Nine non-Iranian nationals killed in explosions in Iran's southeast Press TV 18 Jan 2024 -- Nine non-Iranian nationals have been killed in several explosions in the country's southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan.
• UK National Dies From Iranian Strikes in Iraq's Erbil - Foreign Ministry Sputnik 18 Jan 2024 -- A dual UK-Iraqi national died during the Iranian strikes on the Iraqi Kurdistan region earlier this week, the UK Foreign Office said in a statement following a meeting between UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian in Davos.
• Arakan Army wins control of 2 major junta camps in Rakhine state Radio Free Asia 18 Jan 2024 -- Nearly 300 junta troops surrendered to the Arakan Army this week as the ethnic rebel group took control of a major Myanmar military encampment in northern Rakhine state, residents told Radio Free Asia.
• Myanmar's army is forcing residents to join pro-junta militias Radio Free Asia 18 Jan 2024 -- Myanmar's military is pressuring residents in the southwestern Bago region to join pro-junta militias, offering them incentives such as money and rice, forcing them to pay fines if they refuse and even threatening to destroy their villages if they don't comply, RFA Burmese has learned.
• Residents flee Myanmar's delta as junta steps up recruitment efforts Radio Free Asia 18 Jan 2024 -- Villagers in southwest Myanmar are fleeing from forced military recruitment, locals told Radio Free Asia on Thursday. With the country's regime forces increasing the quota of recruits per village, some have begun hiding to avoid service.
• Nearly 30 years following the end of the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, war victims remain neglected OSCE 18 Jan 2024 -- Joint Op-Ed by Bojana Urumova, Head of Council of Europe Office in Sarajevo, Johann Sattler, Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brian Aggeler, Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH, and Ingrid Macdonald, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Bosnian High Court Finds Republika Srpska's Jail Terms For Defamation Unconstitutional RFE/RL 18 Jan 2024 -- The Constitutional Court of Bosnia-Herzegovina ruled on January 18 that recently added provisions of the Criminal Code of Republika Srpska criminalizing defamation in the majority Serb entity "are not unconstitutional" but at the same time said prison sentences in the controversial new law are unconstitutional.

News Reports

• Chinese drones may pose security risks, US agencies warn Radio Free Asia 18 Jan 2024 -- Chinese-made drones could pose a national security risk to the United States due to laws in China that force companies to provide authorities access to user data, two U.S. agencies say in a new memo.
• The Framework to Counter Foreign State Information Manipulation US Dept. of State 18 Jan 2024 -- Foreign information manipulation and interference is a national security threat to the United States as well as to its allies and partners. Today, the U.S. Department of State is announcing an important new tool for addressing this problem: The Framework to Counter Foreign State Information Manipulation.
• US Launches Effort to Combat Foreign Information Manipulation VOA 18 Jan 2024 -- The United States announced Thursday an initiative to combat efforts by authoritarian governments to manipulate information, distort debates on important topics and undermine democratic institutions.
• Chinese Researcher Submitted COVID Virus Sequence 2 Weeks Before China Made Data Public VOA 18 Jan 2024 -- A Chinese researcher uploaded a genome sequence of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 to a U.S. government database two weeks before the Chinese government shared the virus' sequence with the world, according to documents made public Wednesday by a U.S. congressional committee.
• Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's statement and answers to media questions during a news conference on Russia's foreign policy performance in 2023, Moscow, January 18, 2024 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 18 Jan 2024
• U.S. Imposes Sanctions On U.A.E. Shipping Firm For Violating Russian Oil Price Cap RFE/RL 18 Jan 2024 -- The U.S. Treasury Department on January 18 issued new Russian-related sanctions targeting a United Arab Emirates shipping company and 18 vessels that the department said have shipped Russian seaborne oil priced above the $60-per-barrel cap set by a U.S.-led international coalition.
• Designating Violator of Price Cap Policy on Russian Oil US Dept. of State 18 Jan 2024 -- The United States is taking additional action today to enforce the Price Cap Coalition's policies, designating the shipping company Hennesea Holdings Limited, whose fleet includes the HS Atlantica, a vessel that was blocked last year after it transported Russian crude oil priced above the cap while using a U.S.-based service provider.
• Treasury Targets Price Cap Violation-Linked Shipping Company US Treasury 18 Jan 2024 -- Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is taking its first oil price cap enforcement action of 2024, targeting a shipping company linked to a price cap violation.
• US sanctions target UAE shipping firm for Russia oil price cap 'violations' Press TV 18 Jan 2024 -- The United States has imposed sanctions against a shipping company based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for violating the $60-per-barrel price cap on Russian crude oil exports.
• Tsahkna: we are terminating the legal assistance agreement with Russia Estonia MFA 18 Jan 2024 -- At its session today 18 January, the government decided to terminate the legal assistance agreement between Estonia and Russia. Draft law will be submitted to the Riigikogu.
• Prosecutor Seeks Almost Five Years In Prison For Russian Nationalist Putin Critic Girkin RFE/RL 18 Jan 2024 -- The prosecution has asked a court in Moscow to convict and sentence Igor Girkin (aka Strelkov), once a leader of Russian-backed separatists in Ukraine's east, to almost five years in prison on a charge of making public calls for extremist activities.
• Eight Men In Russia's Bashkortostan Handed Jail Terms Amid Unprecedented Rallies RFE/RL 18 Jan 2024 -- A court in Ufa, the capital of Russia's Republic of Bashkortostan, has sentenced eight men to up to 14 days in jail for taking part in an unprecedented rally earlier this week to support the former leader of the banned Bashqort movement, Fail Alsynov, who has criticized Russia's full-scale aggression against Ukraine.
• Russia's Oil Exports Up by 500,000 Bpd in December Sputnik 18 Jan 2024 -- The International Energy Agency (IEA) believes that Russia in December increased exports of oil and petroleum products month-on-month by 500,000 barrels per day to 7.8 million barrels per day, while its revenue fell to a six-month low of $14.4 billion, according to a fresh IEA report published on Thursday.
• Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning's Regular Press Conference on January 18, 2024 PRC MofA 18 Jan 2024
• Wang Yi starts trip to LatAm after 'new year visits' in Africa Global Times 18 Jan 2024 -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi kicks off his trips to Brazil and Jamaica on Thursday following his first overseas tour in 2024 to four African countries which started from January 13, a tradition that began in 1991.
• Nearly Half of Journalists Jailed in China Are Uyghurs, Report Says VOA 18 Jan 2024 -- Nearly half of the 44 journalists imprisoned in China in 2023 were Uyghurs, according to a report released Thursday.
• China's ruling party takes direct control of country's universities Radio Free Asia 18 Jan 2024 -- The Chinese Communist Party is taking a direct role in the running of universities across the country amid ongoing mergers of embedded party committees with presidents' offices, Radio Free Asia has learned.
• China always supports Africa in accelerating its independent development and promote upgrading of bilateral cooperation: Chinese top diplomat Wang Yi Global Times 18 Jan 2024 -- China will always stand firmly with Africa, support Africa in accelerating its independent development, and promote the upgrading of China-Africa cooperation, to deliver more benefits from China-Africa cooperation to Togo and other African countries, China's top diplomat Wang Yi said while meeting with Togolese President Faure Gnassingbe.
• China, Philippines hold new round of bilateral consultation meeting, agree on improving sea-related communication Global Times 18 Jan 2024 -- China and the Philippines held the eighth meeting of the China-Philippines Bilateral Consultation Mechanism (BCM) on the South China Sea in Shanghai on Wednesday amid rising tensions, and the two sides agreed on improving the sea-related communication mechanism and handling maritime emergencies, especially the situation on the Ren'ai Jiao.
• Xi makes important speech at study session on promoting high-quality development of financial sector People's Daily 18 Jan 2024 -- A study session on promoting high-quality financial development, attended by provincial and ministerial-level leading officials, was opened at the Party School of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee (the National Academy of Governance) on the morning of Jan. 16. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), made an important speech at the opening ceremony. Xi noted that the path for financial development with Chinese characteristics not only follows the way for the development of modern finance, but also has distinctive features that suit China's national conditions, and thus it is different in nature from the mode of Western financial development. We should have more confidence and continue to explore and improve our work in the financial sector, so that this path will become wider and wider.
• Dreary Economic Data Suggests Struggles Ahead for China VOA 18 Jan 2024 -- A flurry of economic indicators released by the Chinese government on Wednesday paints a picture of an economy that is still struggling to find its footing in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, even though it exceeded the modest growth target set by the central government.
• China releases naming guidelines for social organizations People's Daily 18 Jan 2024 -- China has unveiled regulations to manage the names of social organizations, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs. They are the first comprehensive guidelines for the naming of such entities and are set to take effect on May 1, 2024.
• Over 1,900 criminal rings busted as China intensifies crackdown on gang crimes People's Daily 18 Jan 2024 -- More than 1,900 criminal organizations involved in gang crimes were busted in 2023 as China intensified its fight against organized crime, the Ministry of Public Security said Wednesday.
• Taiwan Faces Foreign Policy Dilemma as China Turns Up Diplomatic Pressure VOA 18 Jan 2024 -- China has increased diplomatic pressure on Taiwan since the ruling Democratic Progressive Party won a third consecutive presidential term last Saturday, poaching a diplomatic ally from Taiwan and criticizing countries that congratulated the island's president-elect.
• PLA warplanes, warships spotted in nighttime patrols around Taiwan island Global Times 18 Jan 2024 -- Recent nighttime exercises and patrols by the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) around the island of Taiwan are routine and aim to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity from "Taiwan independence" secessionists and external interference forces, Chinese mainland experts said on Thursday, amid foreign media hype over the "first large-scale military activity" after the island's regional election.
• PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan Jan. 18, 2024 ROC MND 18 Jan 2024
• Only 3% of Taiwanese see themselves as primarily Chinese: US survey Radio Free Asia 18 Jan 2024 -- Only 3% of adults in Taiwan see themselves as primarily Chinese, despite Beijing insisting that Taiwan is a Chinese province and should be reunified with the mainland, a new survey has found.
• Only 3% of Taiwanese consider themselves Chinese: U.S. report CNA 18 Jan 2024 -- More than two-thirds of Taiwanese people see themselves as primarily Taiwanese, while only a small number consider themselves primarily Chinese, according to a research report released by the United States Pew Research Center on Tuesday.
• Seeking to restore diplomatic ties with China right choice independently made by Nauru: spokesperson People's Daily 18 Jan 2024 -- Seeking to restore diplomatic relations with China is the collective decision of the Nauru cabinet and a right choice independently made by Nauru as a sovereign country, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday.
• Press release on Foreign Minister of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea Choe Son-hui's official visit to the Russian Federation Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 18 Jan 2024
• Analysts: Pyongyang Tries To Create Seoul-Tokyo Friction to Harm US Relations VOA 18 Jan 2024 -- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is trying to create friction between Tokyo and Seoul, South Korea, and undermine their trilateral relations with the United States as security cooperation among them deepens, analysts said.
• Exporter Sentenced to Prison for Shipping Heavy Equipment to Iran in Violation of U.S. Sanctions US Dept. of Justice 18 Jan 2024 -- A Virginia man was sentenced yesterday to 24 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for criminal conduct in connection with a scheme to unlawfully export heavy equipment from the United States to Iran by routing the shipments though the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
• Stockholm Says Swedish-Iranian Man Detained in Iran RFE/RL 18 Jan 2024 -- Iranian authorities arrested a Swedish-Iranian man in his 60s last year, Stockholm said on January 18, as tensions between the two countries continue to build.
• Transcript of Weekly Media Briefing by the Official Spokesperson (January 18, 2024) India MEA 18 Jan 2024
• Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia, His Highness Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, called on the Caretaker Prime Minister, Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar Pakistan - Prime Miinister's Office 18 Jan 2024
• Transcript of the Press Briefing by the Spokesperson on Thursday 18th January 2024 Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs 18 Jan 2024
• Council of Europe and Georgian authorities launch new Action Plan for 2024-2027 Council of Europe 18 Jan 2024 -- Council of Europe Deputy Secretary General Bjørn Berge and the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, Lasha Darsalia, have jointly launched the Council of Europe Action Plan for Georgia 2024-2027 in Tbilisi. Building on the work of previous years, the new Action Plan aims to support the country's efforts to honour its obligations as a Council of Europe member State.
• Kyrgyzstan's Lucrative Reexport Of Vehicles Getting The Squeeze From Russia RFE/RL 18 Jan 2024 -- Businessman Yasir Hakimov is engaged in a trade that has become very fashionable in his home city of Bishkek the past two years - reexporting cars from third countries to vehicle-hungry, sanctions-struck Russia.
• Recent Actions Against Independent Media in the Kyrgyz Republic US Dept. of State 18 Jan 2024 -- The United States is deeply concerned by reports of recent actions taken by the government of the Kyrgyz Republic against independent media outlets and journalists.
• UN aid official urges increased support for Niger UN News 18 Jan 2024 -- A senior UN humanitarian official on Thursday called on the international community to step up support for communities in need in Niger, warning that limited funding and access challenges have put lives at risk.
• World News in Brief: Iran-Pakistan airstrikes, Sudan war crimes probe, AI and healthcare, human rights in global finance UN News 18 Jan 2024 -- The UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Thursday said he was "deeply concerned" over tit for tat airstrikes carried out by Iran and Pakistan.