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Defense Policy / Programs
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News Reports

Current Operations

• U.S. Central Command conducts ninth humanitarian airdrop into Gaza CENTCOM 13 Mar 2024 -- U.S. Central Command conducted the ninth air drop of humanitarian assistance into Northern Gaza on March 13, 2024, at 1:17 p.m. (Gaza time) to provide essential relief to civilians affected by the ongoing conflict.
• March 13 Red Sea Update CENTCOM 13 Mar 2024 -- Between 2:00 a.m. and 4:50 p.m. (Sanaa time) on March 13, Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists fired one anti-ship ballistic missile from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen into the Gulf of Aden. The missile did not impact any vessels and there were no injuries or damage reported.
• US, UK hit Yemeni airport after attack on US bulk carrier Press TV 13 Mar 2024 -- US and British warplanes have launched extensive attacks on a key airport in western Yemen amid efforts by the two countries to force Yemen to stop its pro-Palestine activity in regional waters.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Kunsan AB Airmen, allies complete Cobra Gold 24 US Air Force 13 Mar 2024 -- Airmen assigned to 80th Fighter and Fighter Generation Squadron and F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft concluded participation in Joint Exercise Cobra Gold 2024 at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, March 8. The 43rd iteration of the exercise brought together service members from seven nations from Feb. 26 to March 9 to enhance regional peace and stability.
• 26th MEU(SOC) and BATARG to Return Home After an 8 Month Deployment USMC News Release 13 Mar 2024 -- Marines and Sailors assigned to the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) will return home in several waves beginning Mar. 16, 2024, after successfully completing an extended eight-month deployment embarked aboard the amphibious warships of the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group (BATARG) in U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa/6th Fleet and U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/5th Fleet areas of operations.
• Laboon Sailors Provide Assistance to Distressed Mariners US Navy 13 Mar 2024 -- Crew members from the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Laboon (DDG 58) provided assistance to three mariners on a disabled vessel in the international waters of the Gulf of Aden, March 11.
• Justified Accord 2024 ends with a bang in Kenya Army News 13 Mar 2024 -- Multinational soldiers moved swiftly through the concealment of smoke grenades, avoiding simulated improvised explosive devices, while carrying out their mission to arrest two high-value targets holed up inside a mock village overrun by a violent extremist organization. A firefight ensued with multiple exchanges between forces carrying weapons affixed with blank-fire adapters.
• Army Hotel Manager in South Korea Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Steal Government Property and Commit Bribery US Dept. of Justice 13 Mar 2024 -- A U.S. citizen who served as U.S. Army hotel manager in South Korea pleaded guilty yesterday to a conspiracy involving the theft of government property and influencing the award of hotel contracts in exchange for bribes from a South Korean company.
• Space Force Chief Says Shift to Warfighting Posture Continues Despite Slight Budgetary Decrease DoD News 13 Mar 2024 -- During fiscal year 2025, the Space Force will continue to invest in areas key to obtaining a warfighting posture despite a proposed 2% downturn in next year's budget, according to the agency's chief of space operations.
• Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III's Call With Japanese Minister of Defense Kihara Minoru DoD 13 Mar 2024
• Brussels Gripped By 'We're Hiring' Fever As Top EU, NATO Posts Up For Grabs RFE/RL 13 Mar 2024 -- This year features a merry-go-round of high-level positions in the upper echelons of the European Union, as well as NATO, and Brussels is awash with rumors as to who will taking up the posts.
• Interview to Dmitry Kiselev President of Russia 13 Mar 2024 -- Vladimir Putin answered questions from Dmitry Kiselev.
• Russia Ready With Nuclear Response If Sovereignty Threatened, Putin Warns RFE/RL 13 Mar 2024 -- President Vladimir Putin, speaking two days before the start of an election he is expected to easily win, has issued his latest of many warnings that Russia is ready to use nuclear weapons if its sovereignty is threatened, saying he hopes Washington will not do anything to trigger such a conflict.
• Putin names Russia's most important and powerful weapon ISNA 13 Mar 2024 -- National unity and patriotism have helped Moscow prevail against the West, the president has said.
• Russia 'ready' for nuclear war: Putin warns West Press TV 13 Mar 2024 -- President Vladimir Putin has warned the Western countries that Russia is "fully prepared" for a nuclear war, emphasizing that any deployment of United States troops to Ukraine would be regarded as a substantial escalation of the ongoing military operation.
• Corvette Gremyashchy, Pacific Fleet, carries out artillery live-fire drills in Peter the Great Bay Russia MoD 13 Mar 2024-- The corvette Gremyashchy of the Pacific Fleet is conducting scheduled exercises with artillery live-fire in the Peter the Great Bay.
• Active phase of the Sea Security Belt-2024 International Naval Exercise takes place in the Gulf of Oman Russia MoD 13 Mar 2024-- The Pacific Fleet's detachment of ships, made of the guards missile cruiser Varyag and frigate Marshal Shaposhnikov, practised joint tactical manoeuvres and underwent signal drills with crews of the Iranian and Chinese navies within the framework of the Sea Security Belt-2024 International Naval Exercise.
• White House announces 300 bln USD in weapons aid to Ukraine People's Daily 13 Mar 2024 -- The White House announced Tuesday that it will provide Ukraine with another package of security assistance worth 300 billion U.S. dollars, funding made possible by cost savings in the Pentagon's contracts with domestic weapons manufacturers.
• Chinese international purchasing agency for military equipment has agency qualification revoked for serious risk of information leakage Global Times 13 Mar 2024 -- A Chinese international purchasing agency has had its purchasing agency qualification revoked for serious risk of information leakage due to the company's internal mismanagement and poor practices around managing sensitive data, the Equipment Development Department (EDD) of China's Central Military Commission (CMC) announced in a statement on Tuesday.
• Iran's arms exports grow by up to 5 times: Defense minister IRNA 13 Mar 2024 -- Iran has significantly increased its arms exports over the past years as the country has gained self-sufficiency in the defense industry, Defense Minister Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Ashtiani said.
• Iran makes headway in drone production, says export of defense equipment up by 5 times Press TV 13 Mar 2024 -- Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Mohammad-Reza Ashtiani says the country's export of military equipment has witnessed a significant rise over the past years.
• New IRGC warships participate in Iran-China-Russia naval drill IRNA 13 Mar 2024 -- The new warships of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) have participated in a joint naval drill in the Indian Ocean.
• IRGC deploys new warships in combined drills in northern Indian Ocean Press TV 13 Mar 2024 -- Three homegrown warships, recently added to Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) naval fleet, have taken part in a combined naval exercise at the northern tip of the Indian Ocean, and conducted major maritime maneuvers.
• Iran, Russia, China kick off joint naval drills ISNA 13 Mar 2024 -- Naval forces of Iran, Russia and China have started a joint exercise in the Sea of Oman amid heightened tensions in the region over the Israeli campaign of death and destruction in the besieged Gaza Strip.
• LAUNCH OF 'AGRAY' AND 'AKSHAY' FIFTH AND SIXTH SHIP OF ASW SWC (GRSE) PROJECT ON 13 MAR 24 AT M/S GRSE KOLKATA India PIB 13 Mar 2024 -- 'Agray' and 'Akshay', the 5th and 6th ships of 08 x ASW Shallow Water Craft (SWC) Project being built by M/S GRSE for Indian Navy, were launched on 13 Mar 24 at M/S GRSE, Kolkata
• 12th edition of India-Italy Military Cooperation Group Meeting concludes in New Delhi India PIB 13 Mar 2024 -- The 12th edition of India-Italy Military Cooperation Group (MCG) Meeting was held on 12-13 Mar 24 in New Delhi
• MoD inks contract with AVNL for 693 Armament Upgrades of Infantry Combat Vehicle BMP2 to BMP2M India PIB 13 Mar 2024 -- The Ministry of Defence, on March 13, 2024, signed a contract with Armoured Vehicles Nigam Limited (AVNL) for the procurement of 693 Armament Upgrades of Infantry Combat Vehicle BMP2 to BMP2M
• MoD signs contracts worth Rs 8073 Cr with HAL for acquisition of 34 Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) Dhruv Mk III for Indian Army & Indian Coast Guard India PIB 13 Mar 2024 -- Consequent upon approval of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), the Ministry of Defence signed two contracts for a combined value of Rs 8073
• 10th India-Italy Joint Defence Committee meeting held in New Delhi India PIB 13 Mar 2024 -- Defence Secretary Shri Giridhar Aramane and Italian Secretary General of Defence & National Armament Director Lt Gen Luciano Portolano co-chaired the 10th India-Italy Joint Defence Committee (JDC) meeting in New Delhi on March 13, 2024
• India-made fighter jet crashes, pilot safe People's Daily 13 Mar 2024 -- An indigenously made light combat aircraft (LCA) "Tejas" belonging to the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed in the western state of Rajasthan on Tuesday during a training, confirmed an official source.
• Keynote Speech by Gitanas Nausėda, President of the Republic of Lithuania, at the General Opening of the Paris Defense and Strategy Forum President of the Republic of Lithuania 13 Mar 2024
• The President in France: We need to produce ammunition and armaments in larger quantities and at higher speeds President of the Republic of Lithuania 13 Mar 2024
• The President in Paris: Our common goal is strengthening the defense industry and Ukraine's victory President of the Republic of Lithuania 13 Mar 2024 -- President Gitanas Nausėda is paying a working visit to Paris. On Tuesday, the Lithuanian leader met with French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss support for Ukraine, European security, strengthening the defense industry, and bilateral cooperation.
• The Danish Government proposes to fast-track key investments in defence and security Danish Ministry of Defence 13 Mar 2024 -- The Danish Government proposes to increase the defence expenditure in the years 2024-2028 by DKK 40.5 billion in order to fast-track key investments in military capabilities and strengthen military support to Ukraine. Moreover, the government proposes a new model for conscription that entails 11 months service, up to 5.000 yearly conscripts, and full gender equality.
• The British anti-air and anti-missile Sky Sabre system will stay in Poland for longer Poland - Ministry of National Defence 13 Mar 2024 -- On March 13th, at the Land Forces Training Area in Orzysz the Polish Minister of National Defence - Władysław Kosiniak - Kamysz and his British counterpart - Grant Schapps were discussing the development of bilateral cooperation, the situation in Ukraine and the security of NATO's eastern flank.
• A look at the Defence news 4 - 10 March Netherlands Ministry of Defence 13 Mar 2024
• Remarks by President Biden, President Andrzej Duda, and Prime Minister Donald Tusk of Poland Before Bilateral Meeting The White House 13 Mar 2024
• Press Gaggle by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre En Route Milwaukee, WI The White House 13 Mar 2024
• United States: Remarks by High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell at the start of the meeting with Secretary of State Antony Blinken European External Action Service (EEAS) 13 Mar 2024
• US: High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell met with Secretary of State Antony Blinken European External Action Service (EEAS) 13 Mar 2024 -- High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington on Wednesday. They discussed ways to further strengthen the partnership between the EU and US at a crucial moment for global diplomacy.
• Secretary Antony J. Blinken And European Union High Representative Josep Borrell Before Their Meeting US Dept. of State 13 Mar 2024
• Deputy Secretary Campbell's Meeting with Liechtenstein Foreign Minister Hasler US Dept. of State 13 Mar 2024
• Secretary Blinken's Meeting with European Union High Representative Borrell US Dept. of State 13 Mar 2024
• Secretary Blinken's Remarks to the Press US Dept. of State 13 Mar 2024
• Secretary Blinken's Call with President Ruto US Dept. of State 13 Mar 2024
• Secretary Blinken's Call with Czech Foreign Minister Lipavský US Dept. of State 13 Mar 2024

Defense Industry

• Contracts For March 13, 2024

Other Conflicts

Ukraine Conflict News



Operation Iron Swords / Operation Al-Aqsa Flood

• 13 March 2024 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 13 Mar 2024
• PM Netanyahu Meets with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte Israel - Prime Minister 13 Mar 2024
• Mar. 12: 'Axis of Resistance' operations against Israeli occupation Press TV 13 Mar 2024
• Palestinian teenager killed by Israeli sniper in West Bank; 3 others die in Israeli raids Press TV 13 Mar 2024 -- At least four Palestinians have been killed during overnight raids across the West Bank, amid surging violence and attacks by Israeli forces since the war broke out in the besieged Gaza Strip in early October last year.
• First aid consignment via Cyprus corridor departs for Gaza People's Daily 13 Mar 2024 -- The first consignment of aid through the Cyprus-based corridor left on Tuesday morning for Gaza, with more aid expected to be shipped soon, Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides announced.
• UN: Israeli Strike on Gaza Food Distribution Center Kills 1, Injures 22 VOA 13 Mar 2024 -- The head of the United Nations agency that assists Palestinian refugees said Wednesday that an Israeli military strike killed one staffer and injured 22 others at a food distribution center in the southern Gaza Strip.
• Gaza: Number of children killed higher than from four years of world conflict UN News 13 Mar 2024 -- Amid reports of fresh Israeli airstrikes in Gaza overnight into Wednesday, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) said that more children have been killed there in recent months than in four years of conflict worldwide.
• Gaza: 'The population is literally besieged', UNRWA deputy chief UN News 13 Mar 2024 -- In an exclusive interview, Natalie Boucly, the Deputy Commissioner-General of the UN agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA), describes the desperate scenes she witnessed in Gaza, during a recent mission to the occupied Palestinian territory.
• UNRWA Situation Report #89 on the situation in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem - All information from 10-11 March 2024, is valid as of 11 March 2024 at 22:30 UNRWA 13 Mar 2024
• At least one UNRWA staff killed when Israeli forces hit UNRWA centre used for food and lifesaving supplies UNRWA 13 Mar 2024 -- At least one UNRWA staff member was killed and another 22 were injured when Israeli Forces hit a food distribution centre in the eastern part of Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip.
• Gaza war kills more children than in 4 years of worldwide wars: UNRWA ISNA 13 Mar 2024 -- More children have been reported killed in the war on Gaza than in four years of conflict around the world, the head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees UNRWA confirmed on Tuesday.
• UNRWA statement on Gaza aid supplies attests to 'international community's failure': Hamas Press TV 13 Mar 2024 -- The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has rejected a statement by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) about aid supplies to the Gaza Strip, saying it is a declaration of the international community's failure.
• Joint Statement on Advancing a Maritime Corridor to Deliver Humanitarian Assistance to Gaza Ministerial Consultations US Dept. of State 13 Mar 2024 -- The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United States of America, the Republic of Cyprus, the European Commission, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar on Ministerial Consultations to Advance a Maritime Corridor to Deliver Humanitarian Assistance to Gaza.
• Blinken Urges Israel: Prioritize Civilian Protection as 'Job Number One' VOA 13 Mar 2024 -- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday that Israel must make the welfare of Palestinian civilians "job number one" in its conduct of the war against Hamas in Gaza.
• 'Continued genocide in Gaza most unprecedented disaster of century' IRNA 13 Mar 2024 -- The continuation of the genocide in the Gaza Strip has sounded the alarm for the most unprecedented disaster of the century, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian says.
• UAE warns Tel Aviv to close land bridge if Gaza aid stopped IRNA 13 Mar 2024 -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has issued a "stern warning" to the Israeli regime, threatening to stop the secret land trade bridge which provides Tel Aviv with crucial food supplies and other material if humanitarian aid does not enter Gaza.
• West must stop 'hypocrisy,' end Israel atrocities in Gaza: Malaysia PM Press TV 13 Mar 2024 -- Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim says he told German Chancellor Olaf Scholz that the West needs to end "hypocrisy" and take steps against Israel's atrocities in the Gaza Strip.
• Israel using 'starvation as a war arm' in Gaza, warns top EU official at UNSC Press TV 13 Mar 2024 -- European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has voiced deep concern over the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, saying the Israeli regime is using starvation as a weapon of war in the besieged territory.
• Major humanitarian push as 150 tonnes of UK aid enter Gaza UK FCDO 13 Mar 2024 -- Around 150 tonnes of UK aid, including more than 13,000 blankets and 840 family-sized tents, have entered Gaza today.
• Gaza's government says Cyprus aid route deeply inadequate Press TV 13 Mar 2024 -- The government in Gaza says the maritime aid delivery from Cyprus falls short of meeting the substantial needs of the territory's about 2.4 million residents.
• Palestinians denounce Israeli field executions in occupied West Bank Press TV 13 Mar 2024 -- The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates says the executions across the occupied territories are further proof that Israel wants to escalate tensions during the holy month of Ramadan.
• Palestinian resistance targets Zionist towns near Gaza IRNA 13 Mar 2024 -- The Palestinian resistance has rained down rockets on several areas of the occupied territories in retaliation against the ongoing attacks by the Zionist regime in Gaza during the holy month of Ramadan.
• Hamas calls for breaking siege of Al-Aqsa Mosque IRNA 13 Mar 2024 -- The Palestinian resistance movement, Hamas, has issued a statement urging Palestinians to break a siege imposed by the Israeli regime, which prevents the entry of the Palestinian people into the Al-Aqsa Mosque in al-Quds city.
• Commander of al-Qassam Brigades martyred in Israeli drone attack IRNA 13 Mar 2024 -- One of the commanders of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades Hadi Ali Mohammad Mostafa was martyred in southern Lebanon as a result of a drone attack by the Israeli regime.
• Hamas rejects Al-Arabiya report on ceasefire IRNA 13 Mar 2024 -- The Palestinian resistance movement, Hamas has categorically denied a report of Al-Arabiya network that the movement had agreed to an international proposal on the Gaza ceasefire.
• '80,000 Israeli settlers flee out of fear of Hezbollah strikes' IRNA 13 Mar 2024 -- General Tamir Hayman, the former head of the Israeli military intelligence has acknowledged that some 80,000 settlers fled from the northern occupied Palestinian territories amid fear of strikes by Lebanon's Hezbollah resistance movement.
• Nasrallah discusses ceasefire negotiations with Hamas Leadership ISNA 13 Mar 2024 -- Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah received a leadership delegation from the Hamas movement led by Dr. Khalil Al-Hayya, Deputy Chairman of Hamas in Gaza.
• Nasrallah: Israeli army exhausted, will lose war even if it invades Rafah Press TV 13 Mar 2024 -- The leader of Lebanon's Hezbollah resistance movement says the Israeli army, which is waging a genocidal war against the Gaza Strip, is in a state of exhaustion.
• Lebanon: Israel must be prevented from 'dragging entire region into war' Press TV 13 Mar 2024 -- Lebanon has warned that Israel seeks to expand the current war to the entire region.

Other Conflicts

• Diplomacy and national leadership crucial in preventing war, Security Council hears UN News 13 Mar 2024 -- The UN's top political affairs official on Wednesday stressed the urgent need for better prevention measures to save lives and boost development, amid a surge in armed conflicts worldwide and the unprecedented humanitarian crises they bring.
• With internal displacement at a record high, aid chief backs action call UN News 13 Mar 2024 -- The number of internally displaced people around the world is at a record high - well over 70 million - it's a global crisis that needs collaborative solutions from the humanitarian community, the UN's emergency relief chief said on Wednesday.
• Amid Spike in Armed Conflict-Related Deaths, Inclusive Prevention Strategies Involving Women, Addressing Root Causes Crucial for International Peace, Security Council Hears UN Security Council 13 Mar 2024 -- Amidst an upsurge in armed conflict around the world — with the highest number of conflict-related deaths in 30 years — the Security Council heard today of the urgent need to promote inclusive prevention strategies that address the root causes of conflict during its first-ever open debate on empowering all actors, particularly women, to engage in that task.
• We can do more to empower women as agents of peace: UK statement at the UN Security Council UK FCDO 13 Mar 2024 -- Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the UN Security Council meeting on conflict prevention.
• Experts: Philippines, US should revisit treaty to include China's 'gray-zone' tactics Radio Free Asia 13 Mar 2024 -- The Philippines and United States need to revisit their longtime mutual defense pact to address Beijing's increasing use of so-called gray-zone activities - or acts of aggression short of an armed attack - in the disputed South China Sea, experts said.
• Syria: Statement by the High Representative on the 13th anniversary of the beginning of the conflict European External Action Service (EEAS) 13 Mar 2024 -- Today marks thirteen years since peaceful protests began throughout Syria and were brutally repressed by the Assad regime, provoking a conflict which continues to this day.
• Indiscriminate shelling kills mothers, children in Myanmar Radio Free Asia 13 Mar 2024 -- An artillery attack in northern Myanmar killed five civilians, residents told Radio Free Asia on Wednesday. The victims included two women in their 30s and three children in Kachin state's Bhamo township.
• UN and partners seek $852.4m to support Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi hosts UNHCR 13 Mar 2024 -- UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, with other humanitarian partners, today called on the international community to redouble efforts to protect and assist Rohingya refugees and their host communities. Bangladesh is generously hosting nearly a million Rohingya refugees, most of whom fled Myanmar seven years ago.
• Carl Skau: People of Myanmar need more from the international community as situation deteriorates WFP 13 Mar 2024 -- The humanitarian situation in Myanmar is rapidly deteriorating. Conflict is intensifying and humanitarian access is increasingly restricted, while funding is falling short. More than 2.7 million people are displaced and one in every four is at risk of acute food insecurity.
• 2024 Rohingya Joint Response Plan: UK statement UK FCDO 13 Mar 2024 -- On 13 March the UK announced a further £5.2 million to support Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, at the launch of the 2024 Joint Response Plan for the Rohingya humanitarian crisis in Geneva.
• EU provides an initial humanitarian aid of €70 million for Africa's Great Lakes region European Commission 13 Mar 2024 -- As the Great Lakes region of Africa is suffering from major humanitarian crises caused by conflict, violence and natural disasters, the Commission is announcing new humanitarian aid worth almost €70 million.
• Resolving border issue 'in common interest' of China and India: Chinese FM Global Times 13 Mar 2024 -- Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said Wednesday that it is in the common interest of China and India to resolve the border issue as soon as possible, responding to a question related to claims by Indian officials that stationing of so many troops on the border is not in the common interest of both sides.
• U.S. Imposes Sanctions On 3 Individuals For Organizing Republika Srpska Day RFE/RL 13 Mar 2024 -- The U.S. Treasury Department on March 13 unveiled sanctions against three individuals in Republika Srpska for undermining the peace and stability of Bosnia-Herzegovina by helping to organize an "unconstitutional" celebration of Bosnian Serb identity.
• Designating Officials for Undermining the Dayton Peace Agreement US Dept. of State 13 Mar 2024 -- The United States is today designating three individuals who facilitated the Republika Srpska's unconstitutional commemoration of Republika Srpska Day on January 9, thus supporting Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik's efforts to undermine the territorial integrity, peace, and stability of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
• Treasury Targets Republika Srpska Officials for Activity Undermining the Dayton Peace Agreement US Treasury 13 Mar 2024 -- Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is designating three individuals who have contributed to Specially Designated National (SDN) and Republika Srpska (RS) President Milorad Dodik's (Dodik) efforts to undermine the peace and stability of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) by organizing and executing the commemoration of "Republika Srpska Day" (RS Day) on January 9, 2024, an activity determined to be unconstitutional in BiH. These individuals facilitated Dodik's efforts to undermine the Dayton Peace Agreement (DPA) and the authority of the BiH Constitutional Court and the High Representative.
• Promoting Accountability for Corruption that Fuels South Sudan's Conflict US Dept. of State 13 Mar 2024 -- Nearly thirteen years after declaring its independence, South Sudan remains a precariously fragile state beset by insecurity and poverty.
• Nigeria Orders Creation of Police Base in Remote Community After Mass Kidnappings VOA 13 Mar 2024 -- Police in Nigeria have ordered the creation of a new base for officers and the deployment of special forces in a remote village in northwest Kaduna state, where nearly 300 students were abducted by armed bandits on March 7.

News Reports

• JN.1 variant of COVID-19 now the dominant strain in China: CDC Global Times 13 Mar 2024 -- The JN.1 variant of the COVID-19 virus has become the dominant strain in China, according to an update released by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC) on Monday.
• Briefing by Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, Moscow, March 13, 2024 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 13 Mar 2024
• Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's opening remarks at the meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Alexander Gorchakov Public Diplomacy Fund, Moscow, March 13, 2024 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 13 Mar 2024
• Lithuania Says Hammer Attack On Navalny Aide 'Likely' Organized By Russia RFE/RL 13 Mar 2024 -- Lithuania said an attack in Vilnius on Leonid Volkov, a former close aide to late Russian opposition leader Aleksei Navalny, "likely" organized by Moscow as part of a series of provocations in the Baltic country aimed at intimidating President Vladimir Putin's opponents abroad.
• Navalny's Widow Calls Putin A 'Gangster' Unworthy To Be Recognized As President RFE/RL 13 Mar 2024 -- Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of Russian opposition politician Aleksei Navalny, said President Vladimir Putin is a "gangster" and Western governments should not recognize him as the legitimate leader of Russia after his inevitable reelection in the presidential vote that begins on March 15.
• Chinese security authority warns of espionage traps in online dating and job hunting Global Times 13 Mar 2024 -- Are they your like-minded "online friends"? Intimate "lovers"? Caring "friends"? Helpful "good Samaritans"? Or perhaps, these are all just sweet "traps" set by espionage forces, Chinese Ministry of State Security warned the public in its latest article published on Wednesday.
• Experts stress significance of national security education to avoid spy traps Global Times 13 Mar 2024 -- With espionage activities targeting China and its people, such tactics are also becoming more diverse. Chinese experts believe we should further promote national security education in more methods to prevent some people from falling into traps set by spy forces.
• China moves swiftly to carry out growth tasks set at two sessions, in show of institutional advantage Global Times 13 Mar 2024 -- China's State Council, the country's cabinet, has called on all departments and localities to take concrete measures to carry out key development tasks outlined at the just-concluded two sessions, as central government agencies and local governments across the country also moved swiftly to map out plans to meet various targets.
• Are They Part of China's 'Gang of Three' or Just Xi's Minions? VOA 13 Mar 2024 -- As China's biggest political meeting of the year wrapped up Monday, analysts highlighted how power in the world's second-largest economy continues to consolidate under leader Xi Jinping. Some were also discussing two other prominent politicians — Premier Li Qiang and Xi's Chief of Staff, Cai Qi — and the role they play in Xi's China.
• Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin's Regular Press Conference on March 13, 2024 PRC MofA 13 Mar 2024
• TikTok ban bill passes US House Radio Free Asia 13 Mar 2024 -- The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday passed new legislation that could force TikTok's Chinese parent company to divest in the social media app to prevent it being banned in America.
• Hong Kong sees fall in academic freedom amid ongoing crackdown Radio Free Asia 13 Mar 2024 -- Academic freedom in Hong Kong continues to fall in the wake of a draconian national security law imposed by Beijing in the summer of 2020, amid a shift away from the study of politically sensitive topics in higher education, according to a recent report.
• China ramps up efforts to stabilize real estate market amid adjustments Global Times 13 Mar 2024 -- China is actively taking measures to stabilize its real estate market, the National Financial Regulatory Administration (NFRA) said on Wednesday, as it emphasized the need to promote a virtuous cycle between the financial sector and the housing market.
• China In Eurasia Briefing: Chinese-Made Surveillance Equipment Used At Romanian Military Sites RFE/RL 13 Mar 2024
• Officials from central government, HKSAR refute Western media reports on Article 23 Global Times 13 Mar 2024 -- Officials from the central and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) governments have refuted Western media reports on Article 23 legislation by writing letters to media outlets such as the Washington Post and Bloomberg, pointing out their misleading reporting on the matter.
• China releases full text of government work report People's Daily 13 Mar 2024 -- The Report on the Work of the Government was released in full via Xinhua News Agency on Tuesday.
• Maintaining cross-strait status quo most important task: Lai CNA 13 Mar 2024 -- Vice president and president-elect Lai Ching-te (賴清德) said Wednesday during a meeting with a visiting delegation of scholars from Washington DC that his most important political task was to maintain the status quo in the Taiwan Strait.
• Minister apologizes for evidence collection lapse in Kinmen boat deaths CNA 13 Mar 2024 -- Ocean Affairs Council (OAC) Minister Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲) apologized Wednesday for the Coast Guard's shortcomings in evidence collection during a fatal boat chase off Taiwan-held Kinmen last month, which left two Chinese nationals dead and subsequently heightened tensions across the Taiwan Strait.
• Philippine port expansion would help Taiwan in cross-strait conflict: Experts CNA 13 Mar 2024 -- A United States-funded project to expand a Philippine civilian port facing a strategically crucial channel could assist U.S. allies in the Pacific, including Taiwan, in the event of a conflict with China, military experts have said.
• 14 Chinese warplanes enter Taiwan's ADIZ: Defense ministry CNA 13 Mar 2024 -- Fourteen Chinese military aircraft were detected in Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ) Wednesday morning, including nine that crossed the Taiwan Strait median line or its extension, according to the Ministry of National Defense (MND).
• Mainland warns of further measures if DPP continues to evade and stall in handling fatal fishing boat incident Global Times 13 Mar 2024 -- If the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities continue to evade the issue and stall in solving the problem, we will take further measures, and all consequences will be borne by Taiwan authorities, a Chinese mainland spokesperson warned on Wednesday, a month after a brutal expulsion of a mainland fishing boat by the Taiwan coast guard caused the deaths of two mainland fishermen on February 14.
• Mainland slams those creating information cocoons in Taiwan People's Daily 13 Mar 2024 -- A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Wednesday said that those creating information cocoons on the island of Taiwan and smearing the mainland are truly frightening.
• DPP slammed for dodging responsibility in handling fatal boat incident People's Daily 13 Mar 2024 -- A mainland spokesperson on Wednesday condemned Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities for evading their responsibilities in the handling of a fatal boat incident.
• PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan Mar. 13, 2024 ROC MND 13 Mar 2024
• Resistance to bring Zionists to their knees: Supreme Leader ISNA 13 Mar 2024 -- At a meeting with Quran reciters on the first day of Ramadan in Iran, the country's Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei stated that the resistance is "standing strong" in the face of Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip and would ultimately bring Zionists to their knees.
• Raisi administration plans to inaugurate 2 power plants: AEOI chief IRNA 13 Mar 2024 -- Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Mohammad Eslami has emphasized that the construction of each power plant requires seven years and that he hopes two 1000-megawatt power plants would be inaugurated by 2029 concurrent with the end of the Raisi administration.
• Iran's oil output hits 3.2 mn bpd in February: EIA IRNA 13 Mar 2024 -- The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) has announced in its latest report that Iran produced 3.2 million barrels of oil per day (b/d) in February 2024, stabilizing its third place in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
• Iran's Inflation Taking Bite Out Of Traditional Persian New Year Meals RFE/RL 13 Mar 2024 -- Iranians, already hit hard by declining living standards, are seeing steep price increases for essential goods as the Persian New Year, Norouz, approaches.
• Biden extends nat'l emergency against Iran in show of animosity IRNA 13 Mar 2024 -- US President Joe Biden on Tuesday extended the state of national emergency related to Iran for another year, a move that shows the continued American hostility toward the Islamic Republic.
• MFA statement on launch of procedure to recall ambassadors Poland - Ministry of Foreign Affairs 13 Mar 2024 -- On 13 March, Minister of Foreign Affairs Radosław Sikorski decided to terminate the mission of more than 50 ambassadors and to withdraw a dozen or so candidates who had been entered for approval by the Ministry's former senior officials.
• Haitian Politicians Busy Negotiating Representation on Transitional Presidential Council VOA 13 Mar 2024 -- Haiti's opposition and civil society groups are busy negotiating who will represent them on the transitional council to govern violence-plagued Haiti.
• Haitian Leaders Working to Select Members of New Transitional Council VOA 13 Mar 2024 -- Haitian leaders are rushing to meet a U.S.-imposed deadline to name the seven members of a transitional council that will take power as Prime Minister Ariel Henry steps down.
• Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with President of Kenya William Ruto Prime Minister of Canada 13 Mar 2024
• World News in Brief: $850 million plan to support Rohingya refugees, child rights, Haiti aid update UN News 13 Mar 2024 -- To address the ongoing Rohingya humanitarian crisis affecting 1.3 million people in Bangladesh, UN humanitarian agencies on Wednesday launched a $852.4 million appeal supporting refugees and the communities hosting them.