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☆ So Much for the Embargo on Iran’s Missiles
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-22 | by ( The Editorial Board | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Speaking in Tel Aviv on Oct. 22, 2023, a bipartisan delegation of U.S. senators detailed how the elimination of islamic terrorist organization, Hamas, would lead to a more stable future in the region—not just for the Jewish people, but Palestinians too. Images: AP/Reuters Composite: Mark KellyHere’s the contradiction of current U.S. Iran policy in a nutshell: While the Pentagon deploys a Thaad missile-defense system to the Middle East to protect U.S. bases from the volley of missiles fired by Iranian proxies, the Biden Administration has let the international embargo on Iran’s missile program lapse. Oct. 18 was Transition Day under the Iran nuclear deal, and with it passed the U.N. missile and drone sanctions. Iran’s terrorist proxies and foreign clients such as Vladimir Putin send their regards.

Persons: Mark Kelly Here’s, Biden, Vladimir Putin Organizations: Reuters, Pentagon, Biden Administration, Iran’s Locations: Tel Aviv, U.S, Iran

☆ U.S. Sends More Missile Defense Systems to Middle East
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-22 | by ( Andrés R. Martínez | More About Andrés R. Martínez | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

The U.S. military said it would send more missile defense systems to the Middle East in response to “escalations” from Iran and its allies, who have threatened a broader war in the region. The deployment comes as Israel continues to signal intentions to invade Gaza after Hamas’s deadly incursion earlier this month. The United States is sending a Thaad battery and additional Patriot battalions, two of its most powerful weapons against missiles, to the region, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III said in a statement on Saturday. Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier will now be “redirected” to the Central Command’s area of responsibility, the statement said, a region that encompasses much of the Middle East, including Israel and Lebanon. Iran and its allies have sharpened their language against Israel and the United States in the past two weeks, threatening to open new fronts in the war if the United States becomes more involved.

Persons: Defense Lloyd J, Austin III, Dwight D, Biden Organizations: U.S, Defense, Eisenhower, Israel, U.S . Navy, Pentagon, United Locations: ”, Iran, Israel, Gaza, United States, Lebanon, Congress, U.S, Yemen, Iranian

[1/2] Iraqi students gather during a protest in support of Palestinians in Gaza as the conflict between Israel and Hamas continues, in Baghdad, Iraq, October 18, 2023. REUTERS/Ahmed Saad/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Oct 22 (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department said on Sunday U.S. citizens should not travel to Iraq after recent attacks on American troops and personnel in the region. The travel advisory says, "Do not travel to Iraq due to terrorism, kidnapping, armed conflict, civil unrest, and Mission Iraq’s limited capacity to provide support to U.S. There has been a spike in attacks against U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria since the conflict between Israel and Hamas militants in Gaza broke out. "Because of security concerns, U.S. government personnel in Baghdad are instructed not to use Baghdad International Airport," the State Department said on Sunday.

Persons: Ahmed Saad, Antony Blinken, Lloyd Austin, Kanishka Singh, Josie Kao Organizations: Hamas, REUTERS, Rights, U.S . State Department, Sunday U.S, U.S, Embassy, Consulate, State Department, United, Area Defense, Pentagon, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel, Baghdad, Iraq, U.S, Syria, Iranian, Yemen, Embassy Baghdad, Erbil, Iran, Washington, United States

☆ Fearing China, South Korea targets firms building Taiwan navy submarines
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Ju-Min Park | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +10 min

SI Innotec, which was fined in August 2022, and Park, who received a suspended prison sentence, deny wrongdoing and have appealed. The equipment was not designed solely for military purposes and did not involve sensitive technology, SI Innotec told Reuters. SI Innotec said the contract, at CSBC's request, listed the equipment's primary use as for wind power generation. "The accused were fully aware that the subject equipment would be used to manufacture a military submarine", the court ruled. It was at this point that Seoul's foreign ministry told DAPA it disapproved of the deal, one of them said.

Persons: Tsai Ing, Narwhal, Carlos Garcia Rawlins, Park Mal, sik, China's, DAPA, Moon Jae, Taiwan's, Innotec, SI Innotec, Moo, sik —, —, Yang Hyang, Yang, KHNT's, KHNT, Cho Hyeon Gyu, 1,343.1000, Ben Blanchard, Faith Hung, Tian, Katerina Ang, Josh Smith Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, Administration, Keumha Naval Technology, South, Police, Foreign Ministry, Democratic Progressive Party, Indigenous Defense, South Korean, Foreign Trade, SI, Thomson Locations: Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Rights SEOUL, Beijing, Seoul, U.S, China, South Korea, Park, Taipei, Netherlands, Pacific, Beijing . U.S, Changwon, Korea

☆ South Korea Hosts Japan, China as US Allies Try to Reassure Beijing
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( Sept. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

A senior South Korean government official said China has been proactive in seeking trilateral cooperation and arranging meetings since relations soured between Seoul and Beijing in 2017 over the deployment of a U.S. THAAD anti-missile system in South Korea. Japan and South Korea have an interest in avoiding conflicts and maintaining a stable security relationship with China, and Beijing's assistance in slowing down, if not halting, North Korea's extensive nuclear development program, he added. Tuesday's meeting involve South Korean Deputy Foreign Minister Chung Byung-won, Japanese Senior Deputy Foreign Minister Takehiro Funakoshi, and Nong Rong, China's assistant minister of foreign affairs. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told a briefing on Monday that China, Japan and South Korea are close neighbours and important cooperative partners, and strengthening trilateral cooperation serves their common interests. The trilateral summits have traditionally involved China's prime minister, but South Korea is also pushing for a separate visit by President Xi Jinping.

Persons: Josh Smith, Hyonhee Shin, Yoon Suk Yeol, Fumio Kishida, Joe Biden, Tong Zhao, Zhao, Chung Byung, Takehiro Funakoshi, Nong Rong, Wang Wenbin, Xi Jinping, Hyonhee, Liz Lee, Gerry Doyle Organizations: South Korean, Carnegie Endowment, International Peace Locations: Hyonhee Shin SEOUL, South Korea, China, Japan, Washington, Seoul, Tokyo, Korea, Beijing, U.S, United States

Those talks were suspended amid legal, diplomatic, and trade disputes between Seoul and Tokyo over issues dating to Japan's 1910-1945 occupation of Korea. A senior South Korean government official said China has been proactive in seeking trilateral cooperation and arranging meetings since relations soured between Seoul and Beijing in 2017 over the deployment of a U.S. THAAD anti-missile system in South Korea. Tuesday's meeting involve South Korean Deputy Foreign Minister Chung Byung-won, Japanese Senior Deputy Foreign Minister Takehiro Funakoshi, and Nong Rong, China's assistant minister of foreign affairs. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told a briefing on Monday that China, Japan and South Korea are close neighbours and important cooperative partners, and strengthening trilateral cooperation serves their common interests. The trilateral summits have traditionally involved China's prime minister, but South Korea is also pushing for a separate visit by President Xi Jinping.

Persons: Park Jin, Japan Takehiro Funakoshi, Foreign Affairs of China Nong Rong, Jung Byung, Yoon Suk Yeol, Fumio Kishida, Joe Biden, Tong Zhao, Zhao, Chung Byung, Takehiro Funakoshi, Nong Rong, Wang Wenbin, Xi Jinping, Josh Smith, Hyonhee, Liz Lee, Gerry Doyle Organizations: South Korean Foreign, Foreign Affairs, Japan, Foreign Affairs of, Political Affairs, South Korean, Carnegie Endowment, International Peace, Thomson Locations: Foreign Affairs of China Nong, SEOUL, South Korea, China, Japan, Washington, Seoul, Tokyo, Korea, Beijing, U.S, United States

☆ Biden Presses Ahead With Effort to Broker Israeli-Saudi Rapprochement
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-29 | by ( Peter Baker | More About Peter Baker | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Saudi Arabia, like Israel, worries about Iranian hostility. The Saudis also want access to sophisticated American weapons, including the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense antiballistic missile defense system, known as THAAD. And they want Israel to take steps to preserve the possibility of a two-state solution to resolve the long-running conflict with the Palestinians. It was not entirely clear what conditions to which Israel would have to agree, but Mr. Friedman floated ideas like a permanent commitment not to annex the West Bank and limits on future settlements. The negotiations come at a time of friction between the United States and Israel as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pushes through legislation to curb judicial authority in defiance of Mr. Biden and hundreds of thousands of protesters in the streets.

Persons: Thomas L, Friedman, Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Mr Organizations: New York Times, NATO, Defense, West Bank Locations: United States, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Yemen, China, Iran

☆ The America That Americans Forget
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( Sarah A. Topol | Glenna Gordon | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

Each base is under the control of a different commander, who sets different regulations on who can come inside and how. During my time on the island, I visited all of the large bases run by different branches or subservices — Andersen Air Force Base, Naval Base Guam and Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz. Leevin T. Camacho, Guam’s outgoing attorney general, took me through Andersen Air Force Base to visit his family’s land. Naval Base Guam was significantly easier to get onto, paradoxically because unescorted visitors were not allowed at all. “I’m not ashamed to say I think of it once in a while,” Roy had told me.

Persons: —, Blaz, T, Camacho, Andersen, muttered, Roy, “ I’m, ” Roy, “, ” Organizations: — Andersen Air Force Base, Naval Base, Marine Corps Base, Army, Air Force, Guam National Armed Guard, Andersen Air Force Base, Naval Base Guam Locations: Guam, Naval Base Guam, United States, Korean

Hypersonic missiles are those that can travel at a speed beyond Mach 5, or five times the speed of sound. Iran unveils its first hypersonic missile 06:13 - Source: CNNIsrael’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant was quick to dismiss the potential threat posed to his country. Uzi Rubin, founder and former director of the Israel Missile Defense Organization at the Israeli defense ministry has no reason to believe the missile is not real and functional. Has Iran made it to the A-list among countries that can produce hypersonic missiles? Israel has several missile defense systems.

Persons: Jerusalem CNN — It’s, ”, Amir Ali Hajizadeh, Yoav Gallant, ” Iran’s, Uzi Rubin, it’s, Alex Vatanka, Iran’s, John Krzyzaniak, ’, “, Rubin, Israel doesn’t, we’d Organizations: Jerusalem CNN, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Aerospace, CNN Israel’s, Israel Missile Defense Organization, CNN, Iran, ”, Middle East Institute, Wisconsin, Control, ISIS, United Arab Emirates, Patriot, Area Defense, UAE, Patriots, Iran’s Locations: Abu Dhabi, Jerusalem, Tehran, Tel Aviv, Israel, Iran, Washington ,, United States, Washington , DC, Syria, Iraq, Kurdish, East, Gaza, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Ukraine, Yemen, Gulf, Islamic Republic, Persian

☆ A 1960s-era cannon is 'kicking ass' against Russia's drones, but the country that makes ammo for it won't send more to Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Benjamin Brimelow | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

But Switzerland, where Gepard ammo is made, is not allowing more of that ammo to be sent to Ukraine. The Gepard SPAAGA German Gepard anti-aircraft tank during an exercise near Munster in June 2007. German defense company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann built 570 Gepards between 1963 and 1980 — 420 for the German Bundeswehr, 95 for the Dutch army, and 55 for the Belgian army. Kay Nietfeld/picture alliance via Getty ImagesAfter being criticized for its reluctance to send heavy weaponry to Ukraine, the German government promised some 50 Gepards to Ukraine in April 2022. In February, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced that German firm Rheinmetall would restart ammo production for the Gepard.

☆ Credit Suisse upgrades Lockheed Martin, says earnings growth is poised to accelerate
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Hakyung Kim | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Lockheed Martin can return to growth this year as the outlook for the defense sector strengthens, providing a "meaningful" opportunity for earnings to surprise to the upside, according to Credit Suisse. Deuschle also raised his target price to $510 from $427, which implies shares could rise 11% from the stock's closing price on Monday. Lower volumes of its anti-missile system THAAD also could weigh on growth as could the possibility of reduced defense department budgets. Still, Credit Suisse anticipates a growth could be more bullish than what the company's latest guidance suggests, given its backlog and the possibility of supply chain improvements. Deuschle said that based on past earnings data patterns, the company's 11% backlog growth in 2022 foreshadows revenue growth in 2023.

"We had such a hard time, and I would rather have more Chinese people come than the government restricting their entry so I can do business." "Tour bus operators who have had their vehicles idly parked for over three years are now gearing up for (bus) inspections," said Thai Tour Bus Association President Wasuchet Sophonsatien. Thailand, Japan, the United States, South Korea, Australia, Macao, Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan were the most-searched destinations. Yue Hua Entertainment Korea, which manages Tempest, did not respond to a request for comment. "The pandemic outbreak on the mainland is still vigorous and needs time to recover, while domestic consumption remains weak on the mainland."

☆ U.S. forces launch space unit in South Korea amid North's growing threats
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Hyonhee Shin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Forces Korea launched a new space forces unit on Wednesday as the allies ramp up efforts to better counter North Korea's evolving nuclear and missile threats. The U.S. Space Forces Korea is the second overseas space component of the U.S. Space Force and is tasked with monitoring, detecting and tracking incoming missiles, as well as bolstering the military's overall space capability. South Korea's air force also set up its own space unit this month to bolster its space power and operation capability together with the U.S. Space Force. Beijing has warned Seoul against joining a U.S.-led global missile shield, and criticised the THAAD U.S. missile defence system installed in South Korea. Seoul's defence ministry said the creation of the U.S. space component had nothing to do with South Korea's participation in existing missile defence programmes.

☆ Tencent: China resumes streaming South Korean content after six-year suspension
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( Story Reuters | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

A Chinese streaming platform has resumed distributing South Korean content after suspending it for nearly six years, South Korean officials said on Tuesday, in what Seoul called a sign of Beijing’s readiness to improve ties. A South Korean presidential official linked the timing of the gesture to a recent summit between South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Chinese President Xi Jinping met with South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol in Bali, Indonesia, November 15, 2022. Relations between South Korea and China have been frayed in recent years following the installation in South Korea of the THAAD system in 2017 to better counter North Korea’s evolving missile threats. China had argued that THAAD’s powerful radar could peer into its airspace, and reacted by sharply cutting trade and cultural imports with South Korea, in a major blow to bilateral ties.

☆ China resumes streaming South Korean content after six-year suspension
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Printed Chinese and South Korean flags are seen in this illustration, July 21, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/IllustrationSEOUL, Nov 22 (Reuters) - A Chinese streaming platform has resumed distributing South Korean content after suspending it for nearly six years, South Korean officials said on Tuesday, in what Seoul called a sign of Beijing's readiness to improve ties. A South Korean presidential official linked the timing of the gesture to a recent summit between South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Relations between South Korea and China have been frayed in recent years following the installation in South Korea of the THAAD system in 2017 to better counter North Korea's evolving missile threats. China had argued that THAAD's powerful radar could peer into its airspace, and reactd by sharply cutting trade and cultural imports with South Korea, in a major blow to bilateral ties.

Flags of United Arab Emirates and Israel flutter during Israel's National Day ceremony at Expo 2020 Dubai, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, January 31, 2022. REUTERS/Christopher Pike/DUBAI/NEW YORK, Sept 22 (Reuters) - Israel has agreed to sell an advanced air defence system to the United Arab Emirates, two sources familiar with the matter said, in the first such known deal between them since they forged ties in 2020. The deal reinforces how, for some Arab states, resolving the decades-long Israel-Palestinian conflict has now been overshadowed by national priorities, such as security and the economy. President Isaac Herzog, visiting the UAE in January when an intercepted strike took place, said Israel supported the UAE's security needs. Israel and the UAE this year signed a free trade deal; Israel's first with an Arab state.

☆ U.S. to resupply Saudi and UAE missile defense systems
▼ + stars: | 2022-08-02 | by ( Mike Stone | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Aug 2 (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department approved the potential sale of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile interceptors to the United Arab Emirates and Patriot missile interceptors to Saudi Arabia in separate deals worth as much as $5.3 billion, the Pentagon said on Tuesday. The potential deals, which would resupply key missile defense systems for the two countries, came just weeks after President Joe Biden's July trip to the region. read moreDespite approval by the State Department, notification to the U.S. Congress of the deals does not indicate that a contract has been signed or that negotiations have concluded. The U.S. State Department approved the potential sale of 300 MIM-104E Guidance Enhanced Missile-Tactical Ballistic Missiles (GEM-T) for the Patriot missile defense system as well as support equipment, spares and technical support to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Pentagon said. Separately the State Department approved the potential sale of 96 THAAD missile defense system interceptors and support equipment to the United Arab Emirates along with spares and technical support, the Pentagon said.

Persons: Joe Biden's, Biden, Lockheed Martin, Mike Stone, Ismail Shakil, Jonathan Oatis, Josie Kao Organizations: U.S . State Department, Area Defense, United Arab Emirates, Patriot, Pentagon, State Department, U.S, Congress, Tactical Ballistic Missiles, Raytheon Technologies, United, Thomson Locations: Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Washington, Ottawa

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