Af/Pak & Other News (5/15/2021)

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Afghan government and Taliban meet, discuss speeding up peace talks

https://thehill.com/policy/international/553682-afghan-government-and-taliban-meet-discuss-speeding-up-peace-talks?rl=1



US Hands Kandahar Airfield Over to Afghan Army, Withdrawal 6% to 12% Complete

https://coffeeordie.com/us-kandahar-withdrawal/









Iran reveals its strategy advising Hamas on war against Israel

https://www.jpost.com/arab-israeli-conflict/iran-reveals-its-strategy-advising-hamas-on-war-against-israel-668265









Iraqi cleric Sadr mobilises thousands at Baghdad pro-Palestinian rally

https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20210515-iraqi-cleric-sadr-mobilises-thousands-at-baghdad-pro-palestinian-rally



Pro-Iranian groups in Iraq prepare Israeli flags to step on

https://www.jpost.com/arab-israeli-conflict/pro-iranian-groups-in-iraq-prepare-israeli-flags-to-step-on-668245









Syria’s Surprising Solar Boom: Sunlight Powers the Night in Rebel Idlib

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/15/world/middleeast/syria-solar-power-idlib.html









Hezbollah member killed after trying to cross into Israel from Lebanon

https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/jordanian-protestors-passed-police-barrier-on-way-to-israel-border-668187



Hamas Attacks Israel With Kamikaze Drones, Claims Hit On Chemical Plant

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidhambling/2021/05/14/hamas-throws-kamikaze-drones-into-attacks-on-israel-claims-hit-on-chemical-plant/



Israel Faces Rockets from Gaza, Lebanon, Syria as Conflict Threatens to Spread

https://www.newsweek.com/israel-faces-rockets-gaza-lebanon-syria-conflict-threatens-spread-1591725



Israeli Airstrike Destroys Building In Gaza City Containing AP, Al Jazeera News Bureaus

https://www.newsweek.com/israeli-airstrike-gaza-city-ap-al-jazeera-offices-1591807



Media demand Israel explain destruction of news offices

https://apnews.com/article/israel-middle-east-israel-palestinian-conflict-media-business-050b1cc02293d702cfbe7db59b6ecbf4



Israel Argues Tower It Bombed Housing Reporters 'Not a Media Center' but Hamas HQ

https://www.newsweek.com/israel-tower-bombed-reporters-not-media-center-hamas-hq-1591865



DIARY: Shouts, a hurried evacuation, and then the bombs came

https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-evacuations-27d7ad6c70fabe0ad34e37013a364ca4



Israel bombs Hamas Gaza chief’s home as fighting enters seventh day

https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-bombs-hamas-gaza-chiefs-home-fighting-enters-seventh-day-2021-05-15/



Heads of Hamas rocket manufacturing network in Gaza assassinated

https://www.israeldefense.co.il/en/node/49859



The Hamas ‘Metro’ tunnel network: Secret, sprawling and in Israeli crosshairs

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/the-hamas-metro-tunnel-network-secret-sprawling-and-in-israeli-crosshairs/ar-BB1gK7KX



Israel Misinformation on Ground Attack Before Tunnel Bombing

https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2021/05/israel-misinformation-on-ground-attack-before-tunnel-bombing.html



What is the current Israel-Gaza crisis about and where is it heading?

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/14/what-is-the-current-israel-gaza-crisis-about-and-where-is-it-heading









UN boss: Foreign fighters still in Libya in breach of ceasefire

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/5/15/un-chief-foreign-fighters-in-libya-are-violating-ceasefire




Cameroon Air Force is falling apart

https://www.africanmilitaryblog.com/2021/05/cameroon-air-force-is-falling-apart









Novel Capabilities: Ukraine’s Vilkha MRL

https://www.oryxspioenkop.com/2021/05/novel-capabilities-ukraines-vilkha-mrl.html



Russia Is Upgrading Its Supersonic Su-34 ‘Hellduck’ Bombers

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/russia-upgrading-its-supersonic-su-34-%E2%80%98hellduck%E2%80%99-bombers-185252



Russia launches crackdown on media over 'foreign agent' designation

https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20210514-russia-launches-crackdown-on-media-over-foreign-agent-designation



Russian Show 'Fake News' Wages Lone Battle Against The Kremlin's TV Propaganda

https://www.npr.org/2021/05/15/996795292/russian-show-fake-news-wages-lone-battle-against-the-kremlins-tv-propaganda



Russia chose a 36-year-old patriotic film star to send to space, sparking a race with Tom Cruise to be first to shoot a movie in orbit

https://www.yahoo.com/news/russia-chose-36-old-patriotic-102508012.html



Russia's Defense Minister Wants to Clone 3000-Year-Old Scythian Army

https://interestingengineering.com/russian-defense-minister-hints-at-cloning-3000-year-old-scythian-army





Belarus officer sentenced for leaking document on crackdown

https://apnews.com/article/europe-belarus-government-and-politics-81903bfe7920484b78b37ca57d0038c3




Georgia plans to buy mobile anti-air missile defence systems from Rafael by end of the year

http://alert5.com/2021/05/15/georgia-plans-to-buy-mobile-anti-air-missile-defence-systems-from-rafael-by-end-of-the-year/




Germany expects ‘wave’ of new Eurotank partners after September conference

https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2021/05/14/germany-expects-wave-of-new-eurotank-partners-after-september-conference/




Thales-led Team Demos Hydrogen Fuel Cell Powered Surveillance Drone

https://www.defenseworld.net/news/29578/Thales_led_Team_Demos_Hydrogen_Fuel_Cell_Powered_Surveillance_Drone









New Variant Of China's Yuan Class Submarine, Possible Type-039C

http://www.hisutton.com/Type-039C-Yuan-Class-Submarine.html



China Converges Onward

https://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htinf/articles/20210515.aspx



'Nihao Mars': China's Zhurong rover touches down on Red Planet

https://phys.org/news/2021-05-nihao-mars-china-zhurong-rover.html





Myanmar army battles anti-coup rebels as armed resistance grows

https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/myanmar-army-battles-anti-coup-rebels-northwestern-town-2021-05-15/





Japan’s Upgraded SH-60K Maritime Helicopter Takes First Flight

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2021/05/japans-upgraded-sh-60k-maritime-helicopter-takes-first-flight/





This Australian company is helping countries across the world counter drone threats

https://www.sbs.com.au/news/this-australian-company-is-helping-countries-across-the-world-counter-drone-threats



China threatens to inflict 'economic carnage' on Australia for spending big on defence - and warns our gas exports could soon be banned

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9573027/China-threatens-Australia-economic-carnage-big-defence-spending.html





Two BlackSky satellites lost on Rocket Lab launch failure

https://spaceflightnow.com/2021/05/15/two-blacksky-satellites-lost-on-rocket-lab-launch-failure/










New video taken from USS Omaha shows spherical UFO splash into ocean off San Diego: Ex-fighter pilot says airmen saw unknown aircraft off Virginia coast EVERY DAY for years calling them a 'worrying security threat' ahead of Pentagon report

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9580733/US-Navy-pilots-saw-UFOs-coast-Virginia-frequently-got-used-them.html



Former Navy pilot says flight crews observed UFOs off Atlantic Coast "every day for at least a couple years"

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ufo-military-intelligence-60-minutes-2021-05-14/



Pentagon Confirms Leaked Video Showing “Transmedium” UFO is Authentic

https://thedebrief.org/pentagon-confirms-leaked-video-showing-transmedium-ufo-is-authentic/



The Ticking Clock of Disclosure

https://medium.com/on-the-trail-of-the-saucers/the-ticking-clock-of-disclosure-8f4210b0f98b



Even if You Think Discussing Aliens Is Ridiculous, Just Hear Me Out

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/13/opinion/ufos-aliens-space.html



Soldiers Arrested for Illegally Selling Weapons Used in Mass Shooting

https://sofrep.com/news/soldiers-arrested-for-illegally-selling-weapons-used-in-mass-shooting/



Former Army Green Beret jailed for 15 years for spying for Russia

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/former-army-green-beret-jailed-for-15-years-for-spying-for-russia/ar-BB1gKhwq



Ohio State Researcher Sentenced to Prison for Concealing Ties to Chinese Spy Program

https://freebeacon.com/national-security/ohio-state-researcher-sentenced-to-prison-for-concealing-ties-to-chinese-spy-program/



Colonial Pipeline paid a $5M ransom – but will that only invite other malware hacks?: 'If the payments stop, the attacks will stop'

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/05/15/colonial-pipeline-cyberattack-ransomware-payouts-banned/5097768001/



Unclear when Boeing will deliver new Air Force One planes, says Air Force general

https://www.defensenews.com/air/2021/05/14/unclear-when-boeing-will-deliver-new-air-force-one-planes-air-force-three-star-says/



Hypersonic flight: A new fuel for jets and missiles is on the cards

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJzGxnuQzOM



America’s Maoist Maritime Strategy To Beat China in a War

https://www.19fortyfive.com/2021/05/americas-maoist-maritime-strategy-to-beat-china-in-a-war/



GE’s new fighter engine just blew away existing jet technology

https://www.sandboxx.us/blog/ges-new-fighter-engine-just-blew-away-existing-jet-technology/



General Atomics MQ-1C Gray Eagle controlled via tablet on ground

https://www.flightglobal.com/military-uavs/general-atomics-mq-1c-gray-eagle-controlled-via-tablet-on-ground/143761.article



A-10 Warthog Pilots Are Using The Digital Combat Simulator Video Game To Train In VR

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/40620/a-10-warthog-pilots-are-using-the-digital-combat-simulator-video-game-to-train-in-vr



USAF reveals new name for its arsenal plane program ahead of first live-fire test

https://defbrief.com/2021/05/15/usaf-reveals-new-name-for-its-arsenal-plane-program-ahead-of-first-live-fire-test/



New Details Emerge About The Secretive Program That Aims To Replace The F-22

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/40621/new-details-emerge-about-secretive-program-that-aims-to-replace-f-22