What's going on in the World Today 100816

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USA
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EUROPE
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RUSSIA
Russia: SCO Antiterrorism Drills Begin August 16, 2010

Law enforcement agencies and special services of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states will begin antiterrorism drills in southern Russia’s Saratov region on Aug. 16, RIA Novosti reported. Russian, Kyrgyz and Kazakh law enforcement agencies and special services will participate in an international operational and strategic exercise of SCO member states, held in two stages from Aug. 16-28, the regional governor’s press service said. The states will first conduct coordinated operational and investigative activities against a hypothetical terrorist group, then a counterterrorism operation will be conducted on a mass facility, the press service said.

IRAN
Iran: Militants Halt Fight During Ramadan August 16, 2010

Eastern Kurdistan Defense Forces (HRK) have postponed activities against the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Iran and eastern Kurdistan during Ramadan, provided they are not attacked, Rojhelat reported Aug. 16, citing a press release. The HRK said Kurds are allowed to defend themselves under the U.N. Charter, Article 51.

Iran: Construction Of Enrichment Plant Begins March 2011 August 16, 2010

Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization chief, Ali Akbar Salehi, said late Aug. 15 that Tehran will start construction on another uranium enrichment plant by March 2011, Press TV reported Aug. 16. Ten locations have been studied for enrichment facilities; that search has ended, he said.

Iran: Nuclear Equipment Imported From 23 Countries August 16, 2010

Iran imported nuclear reactor equipment from 23 countries in the second quarter of 2010 totaling $3.6 billion, ISNA reported on Aug. 16. The imports were 20 percent of Iran’s overall imports and included nuclear reactors, steam and warm water boilers, machinery and mechanical devices. Iran received a nuclear reactor from Germany, reactor devices from Switzerland and Russia, and it purchased steam boilers and other pieces of equipment from Britain, France, China, Japan, the UAE, Belgium, South Korea, Turkey, Finland, India, Spain, Italy, Bahrain, Ukraine, Ireland, Denmark, Sweden, Slovakia, Singapore and Austria.

India: Negotiations Ongoing For Iranian Gas August 15, 2010

India is currently conducting negotiations with Tehran on purchasing Iranian natural gas, according to Indian Ambassador to Iran Sanjay Singh, Mehr news agency reported Aug. 15. Singh said India’s economic growth has reached 8.6 percent, and that over the next ten years, the country will need 4.3 times more energy. He said Iran has been selling oil to India for decades and the two countries are cooperating in the petrochemical sector.

Iran: News Website Blocked By Government August 15, 2010

The website of Shahr News Agency, based in the Tehran municipality, has been blocked because it was not permitted to operate as a news organization, Fars News Agency reported Aug. 15, citing a statement from Shahr acting head Hamed Rezai. Rezai said the agency had sought a permit through the Ministry of Culture’s press affairs department two and a half years ago, but no permit had been issued. Rezai denied rumors that the agency had been shut down for reports it had written on the Iranian Cabinet.

IRAQ
Iraq: Al-Iraqiya Breaks Off Talks August 16, 2010

Iraq’s al-Iraqiya list has broken off negotiations intended to facilitate the formation of a new government, Reuters reported Aug. 16, citing a spokeswoman for Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

Iraq: U.S. Forces To Stay Until 2020 - Army Chief August 16, 2010

Iraqi army chief of staff Lt. Gen. Babaker Zebari said that even though Iraqi military has the ability to maintain internal security, the U.S. military still controls air force and naval bases which it will turn over to the Iraqi army in a series of stages that will last until 2020, AKnews reported Aug. 16. Zebari also said Iraqi forces need U.S. assistance protecting the border.


ISRAEL
Israel: 20 F-35I Jets To Be Purchased August 15, 2010

Israel will purchase 20 F-35I jets from the United States, AP reported Aug. 15, citing unnamed sources within the Israeli Defense Ministry. The sources said Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak authorized the $4 billion purchase of the jets along with spare parts and services, but the details of the deal have not been made public. Barak said Aug. 15 that the plane will guarantee that Israel maintains aerial superiority. The purchase will be funded through U.S. military aid to Israel.


AFGHANISTAN
Afghanistan: Oil Field Located August 16, 2010

Afghanistan discovered an oil field containing an estimated 1.8 billion barrels of crude oil, local media outlet Outlook Afghanistan stated on Aug. 16, Xinhua reported. The oil field was discovered by Afghan geologists working with international geologists in Afghanistan’s northern provinces of Balkh and Sheberghan, according to Jawad Omar, spokesman for the Ministry for Mines and Industries.

Afghanistan, U.S.: Spring Security Transfer Planned August 16, 2010

Afghan forces could soon assume primary responsibility for security in less violent areas of the country given the faster-than-expected training progress that will free up NATO troops for operations elsewhere, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates stated on Aug. 16, The LA Times reported. The United States can be on a transition path in more places around the country, Gates said, adding that success with the Afghan army bodes well for some transitions taking place by spring or early summer, with a drawing down of U.S. troops by July 2011. The pace will depend on the conditions on the ground, Gates said.

Afghanistan: Police Seize 17,000 Kilograms Of Explosives August 15, 2010

Afghan police seized 17,000 kilograms of explosives from a vehicle in Kandahar province and arrested four people in connection with the arms cache, Afghan Islamic Press reported Aug. 15. The provincial customs department issued a statement saying the explosives were concealed in paint containers and were being transported to the capital of Kandahar from Quetta, Pakistan, in a Mazda-type vehicle. Kandahar officials said the explosives seizure was the largest of its type.

SOUTH OF THE BORDER
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MISC

China will test its new the Dong Feng 21D anti-ship ballistic missile, according to the country’s state media, Chosun reported Aug. 16. Internet China National Radio said the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation will soon test-fire a weapon under an important state weapons project. A photo of a Dong Feng 21C medium-range ballistic missile accompanied the report.

South Korea, U.S.: War Games Launched August 16, 2010

South Korea and the United States launched a new round of war games on Aug. 16 involving tens of thousands of troops, AFP reported. The “Ulchi Freedom Guardian” drills involve an estimated 30,000 U.S. troops and 56,000 South Korean troops, a spokesman for South Korea’s defense ministry stated.