Mark Rutte, the Netherlands’ outgoing prime minister, will be NATO’s 14th secretary general after the alliance’s ambassadors approved his appointment during a recent meeting in Brussels, Belgium. His journey to become NATO chief has met numerous obstacles, but an Associated Press report cites observers who say the Dutch statesman’s diplomatic skills helped secure his bid....
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Category: Policy Updates
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Report: Japan’s Planned Consultative Body to Protect Critical Infrastructure From Cyberthreats
Japan will create a consultative body to spearhead collaborative efforts to prevent cyberattacks and resolve their impact. Citing unnamed government sources, The Japan News reported that the planned cyber organization would be patterned after the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative program. Tokyo envisions the body functioning like the JCDC in the...
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US Sanctions Sudanese Paramilitary Group Leaders Over Expanding War
The United States has imposed sanctions on leaders of the Sudanese paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces. On Wednesday, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control designated Ali Yagoub Gibril and Osman Mohamed Hamid Mohamed of the RSF pursuant to Executive Order 14098. The EO authorizes the government to seize assets of persons and...
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Swedish Parliament to Deliberate on Defense Cooperation Agreement With US; Pal Jonson Quoted
The Swedish government has submitted the country’s Defense Cooperation Agreement with the United States to the Riksdag for parliamentary approval. The DCA bill seeks to facilitate U.S. military presence in the country and supplement Sweden’s recent NATO accession to strengthen Swedish defense, Stockholm said in a statement. The country’s security policy has fundamentally changed because...
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Finland Moving Military Equipment Out of Russia’s Reach
Finland has been long planning to store some of its military equipment and defense capabilities out of Russia’s reach, according to Finnish officials. Jarmo Lindberg, a member of the parliament and formerly chief of defense, told Breaking Defense on Monday that the decision to store war materials in Norway and Sweden was prompted by Moscow’s...
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Lithuania Defense Minister Invites US Defense Contractors to Invest in the Country
Lithuania’s Minister of National Defence Laurynas Kasciunas has invited American defense companies to invest in his country. During a recent meeting with William LaPlante, U.S. undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, Kasciunas mentioned Rheinmetall’s plan to build an ammunition factory in Lithuania and added that he hopes other defense companies will follow suit. “We...
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US to Revoke Licenses for Firearm Exports to High-Risk Countries; Gina Raimondo Quoted
The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security will cancel all existing licenses for firearms exports to nongovernment end users in countries identified by the Department of State as high-risk destinations. The move is part of changes to the agency’s licensing policy for exports of firearms, ammunition and related components, which are expected...
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Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan to Receive US Security, Humanitarian Assistance Under New Law
President Joe Biden has signed a bill into law providing seven federal agencies with additional funding to deliver assistance to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. The legislation also authorizes the president to transfer defense articles and services from the Department of Defense to foreign countries or international organizations and enables the implementation of sanctions against foreign...
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Treasury Designates Companies, Individuals Supporting Iranian Cyberattacks on US Entities; Brian Nelson Quoted
The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control has imposed sanctions on two companies and four individuals linked to Iran-backed cyber operations that targeted a dozen U.S. companies and government entities. The designated companies and individuals are Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Cyber Electronic Command front company Mehrsam Andisheh Saz Nik; IRGC-CEC-affiliated cyber...
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US Navy Open to Shipbuilding Projects With Foreign Partners; Carlos Del Toro Quoted
The U.S. Navy is keen on pursuing opportunities to engage foreign shipbuilders to manufacture some components for American warships, Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro said at a Stimson Center event in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday. To stress the possibility of such a partnership, Del Toro cited as an example the aircraft industry wherein one project...