[rebelmouse-image 60323886 expand=1 dam=1 alt="OSR banner" site_id=26883708 is_animated_gif="false" original_size="1000x220" crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//assets.rbl.ms/60323886/origin.png%22%2C%20%22thumbnails%22%3A%20%7B%22origin%22%3A%20%22https%3A//assets.rbl.ms/60323886/origin.png%22%2C%20%22700x1245%22%3A%20%22https%3A//rebelmouse.thecipherbrief.com/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy82MDMyMzg4Ni9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTgwNzYxNDQ4OX0.1gEV77I0VNIGhfMuzIWULyPcbwHRsD2wYLxm6pOF4pA/image.png%3Fwidth%3D700%26height%3D1245%26coordinates%3D438%252C0%252C438%252C0%22%2C%20%221000x750%22%3A%20%22https%3A//rebelmouse.thecipherbrief.com/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy82MDMyMzg4Ni9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTgwNzYxNDQ4OX0.1gEV77I0VNIGhfMuzIWULyPcbwHRsD2wYLxm6pOF4pA/image.png%3Fwidth%3D1000%26height%3D750%26coordinates%3D353%252C0%252C353%252C0%22%2C%20%221200x400%22%3A%20%22https%3A//rebelmouse.thecipherbrief.com/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy82MDMyMzg4Ni9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTgwNzYxNDQ4OX0.1gEV77I0VNIGhfMuzIWULyPcbwHRsD2wYLxm6pOF4pA/image.png%3Fwidth%3D1200%26height%3D400%26coordinates%3D170%252C0%252C170%252C0%22%2C%20%22210x%22%3A%20%22https%3A//rebelmouse.thecipherbrief.com/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy82MDMyMzg4Ni9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTgwNzYxNDQ4OX0.1gEV77I0VNIGhfMuzIWULyPcbwHRsD2wYLxm6pOF4pA/image.png%3Fwidth%3D210%22%2C%20%221200x600%22%3A%20%22https%3A//rebelmouse.thecipherbrief.com/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy82MDMyMzg4Ni9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTgwNzYxNDQ4OX0.1gEV77I0VNIGhfMuzIWULyPcbwHRsD2wYLxm6pOF4pA/image.png%3Fwidth%3D1200%26height%3D600%26coordinates%3D280%252C0%252C280%252C0%22%2C%20%221200x800%22%3A%20%22https%3A//rebelmouse.thecipherbrief.com/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy82MDMyMzg4Ni9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTgwNzYxNDQ4OX0.1gEV77I0VNIGhfMuzIWULyPcbwHRsD2wYLxm6pOF4pA/image.png%3Fwidth%3D1200%26height%3D800%26coordinates%3D335%252C0%252C335%252C0%22%2C%20%22300x300%22%3A%20%22https%3A//rebelmouse.thecipherbrief.com/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy82MDMyMzg4Ni9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTgwNzYxNDQ4OX0.1gEV77I0VNIGhfMuzIWULyPcbwHRsD2wYLxm6pOF4pA/image.png%3Fwidth%3D300%26height%3D300%26coordinates%3D390%252C0%252C390%252C0%22%2C%20%22600x300%22%3A%20%22https%3A//rebelmouse.thecipherbrief.com/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy82MDMyMzg4Ni9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTgwNzYxNDQ4OX0.1gEV77I0VNIGhfMuzIWULyPcbwHRsD2wYLxm6pOF4pA/image.png%3Fwidth%3D600%26height%3D300%26coordinates%3D280%252C0%252C280%252C0%22%2C%20%22600x%22%3A%20%22https%3A//rebelmouse.thecipherbrief.com/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy82MDMyMzg4Ni9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTgwNzYxNDQ4OX0.1gEV77I0VNIGhfMuzIWULyPcbwHRsD2wYLxm6pOF4pA/image.png%3Fwidth%3D600%22%2C%20%22600x400%22%3A%20%22https%3A//rebelmouse.thecipherbrief.com/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy82MDMyMzg4Ni9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTgwNzYxNDQ4OX0.1gEV77I0VNIGhfMuzIWULyPcbwHRsD2wYLxm6pOF4pA/image.png%3Fwidth%3D600%26height%3D400%26coordinates%3D335%252C0%252C335%252C0%22%2C%20%2235x35%22%3A%20%22https%3A//rebelmouse.thecipherbrief.com/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy82MDMyMzg4Ni9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTgwNzYxNDQ4OX0.1gEV77I0VNIGhfMuzIWULyPcbwHRsD2wYLxm6pOF4pA/image.png%3Fwidth%3D35%26height%3D35%22%2C%20%22750x1000%22%3A%20%22https%3A//rebelmouse.thecipherbrief.com/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy82MDMyMzg4Ni9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTgwNzYxNDQ4OX0.1gEV77I0VNIGhfMuzIWULyPcbwHRsD2wYLxm6pOF4pA/image.png%3Fwidth%3D750%26height%3D1000%26coordinates%3D417%252C0%252C418%252C0%22%2C%20%22600x600%22%3A%20%22https%3A//rebelmouse.thecipherbrief.com/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy82MDMyMzg4Ni9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTgwNzYxNDQ4OX0.1gEV77I0VNIGhfMuzIWULyPcbwHRsD2wYLxm6pOF4pA/image.png%3Fwidth%3D600%26height%3D600%26coordinates%3D390%252C0%252C390%252C0%22%2C%20%22980x%22%3A%20%22https%3A//rebelmouse.thecipherbrief.com/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy82MDMyMzg4Ni9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTgwNzYxNDQ4OX0.1gEV77I0VNIGhfMuzIWULyPcbwHRsD2wYLxm6pOF4pA/image.png%3Fwidth%3D980%22%2C%20%22600x200%22%3A%20%22https%3A//rebelmouse.thecipherbrief.com/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy82MDMyMzg4Ni9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTgwNzYxNDQ4OX0.1gEV77I0VNIGhfMuzIWULyPcbwHRsD2wYLxm6pOF4pA/image.png%3Fwidth%3D600%26height%3D200%26coordinates%3D170%252C0%252C170%252C0%22%2C%20%221245x700%22%3A%20%22https%3A//rebelmouse.thecipherbrief.com/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy82MDMyMzg4Ni9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTgwNzYxNDQ4OX0.1gEV77I0VNIGhfMuzIWULyPcbwHRsD2wYLxm6pOF4pA/image.png%3Fwidth%3D1245%26height%3D700%26coordinates%3D304%252C0%252C304%252C0%22%2C%20%221500x2000%22%3A%20%22https%3A//rebelmouse.thecipherbrief.com/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy82MDMyMzg4Ni9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTgwNzYxNDQ4OX0.1gEV77I0VNIGhfMuzIWULyPcbwHRsD2wYLxm6pOF4pA/image.png%3Fwidth%3D1500%26height%3D2000%26coordinates%3D417%252C0%252C418%252C0%22%2C%20%22300x%22%3A%20%22https%3A//rebelmouse.thecipherbrief.com/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy82MDMyMzg4Ni9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTgwNzYxNDQ4OX0.1gEV77I0VNIGhfMuzIWULyPcbwHRsD2wYLxm6pOF4pA/image.png%3Fwidth%3D300%22%2C%20%222000x1500%22%3A%20%22https%3A//rebelmouse.thecipherbrief.com/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy82MDMyMzg4Ni9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTgwNzYxNDQ4OX0.1gEV77I0VNIGhfMuzIWULyPcbwHRsD2wYLxm6pOF4pA/image.png%3Fwidth%3D2000%26height%3D1500%26coordinates%3D353%252C0%252C353%252C0%22%7D%2C%20%22manual_image_crops%22%3A%20%7B%229x16%22%3A%20%7B%22sizes%22%3A%20%5B%22700x1245%22%5D%2C%20%22top%22%3A%200%2C%20%22height%22%3A%20220%2C%20%22width%22%3A%20124%2C%20%22left%22%3A%20438%7D%2C%20%22600x300%22%3A%20%7B%22sizes%22%3A%20%5B%22600x300%22%5D%2C%20%22top%22%3A%200%2C%20%22height%22%3A%20220%2C%20%22width%22%3A%20440%2C%20%22left%22%3A%20280%7D%2C%20%223x1%22%3A%20%7B%22sizes%22%3A%20%5B%221200x400%22%2C%20%22600x200%22%5D%2C%20%22top%22%3A%200%2C%20%22height%22%3A%20220%2C%20%22width%22%3A%20660%2C%20%22left%22%3A%20170%7D%2C%20%223x2%22%3A%20%7B%22sizes%22%3A%20%5B%221200x800%22%2C%20%22600x400%22%5D%2C%20%22top%22%3A%200%2C%20%22height%22%3A%20220%2C%20%22width%22%3A%20330%2C%20%22left%22%3A%20335%7D%2C%20%221x1%22%3A%20%7B%22sizes%22%3A%20%5B%22600x600%22%2C%20%22300x300%22%5D%2C%20%22top%22%3A%200%2C%20%22height%22%3A%20220%2C%20%22width%22%3A%20220%2C%20%22left%22%3A%20390%7D%2C%20%223x4%22%3A%20%7B%22sizes%22%3A%20%5B%221500x2000%22%2C%20%22750x1000%22%5D%2C%20%22top%22%3A%200%2C%20%22height%22%3A%20220%2C%20%22width%22%3A%20165%2C%20%22left%22%3A%20417%7D%2C%20%2216x9%22%3A%20%7B%22sizes%22%3A%20%5B%221245x700%22%5D%2C%20%22top%22%3A%200%2C%20%22height%22%3A%20220%2C%20%22width%22%3A%20392%2C%20%22left%22%3A%20304%7D%2C%20%224x3%22%3A%20%7B%22sizes%22%3A%20%5B%222000x1500%22%2C%20%221000x750%22%5D%2C%20%22top%22%3A%200%2C%20%22height%22%3A%20220%2C%20%22width%22%3A%20294%2C%20%22left%22%3A%20353%7D%2C%20%222x1%22%3A%20%7B%22sizes%22%3A%20%5B%221200x600%22%2C%20%22600x300%22%5D%2C%20%22top%22%3A%200%2C%20%22height%22%3A%20220%2C%20%22width%22%3A%20440%2C%20%22left%22%3A%20280%7D%7D%7D" caption="" photo_credit="" title=""]

6:00 PM ET, Tuesday, August 22, 2023

The Cipher Brief curates open source information from around the world that impacts national security. Here's a look at today's headlines, broken down by region of the world:  

The Americas

Central American Parliament Expels Taiwan in Favor of China.  The Central American Parliament, also known as Parlacen, voted to expel Taiwan after more than two decades as a parliamentary observer and replace it with China whose influence in the region has grown steadily and marginalized Taipei. Taiwan’s foreign ministry said that it decided to withdraw from the Parlacen in the interest of upholding its “national dignity”. Additionally, the ministry condemned what it called Chinese efforts to suppress Taiwan’s international participation. In its decision, Parlacen cited the United Nations’ 1971 expulsion of Taiwan saying that this decision deemed Taiwan to be a “province of mainland China, which disqualifies it from participating as an independent country”. China’s Taiwan Affairs Office referred to Taiwan’s expulsion as the “correct decision”. This comes as Beijing has expanded its influence in Central America with the majority of its member states having cut off diplomatic relations with Taiwan in recent years. The only Parlacen member that still recognizes Taiwan is Central America’s most populous state, Guatemala. U.S. Senators Tim Kaine and Marco Rubio, who lead a Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, condemned the Parlacen decision.  Reuters South China Morning Post

U.S. Removes Chinese Firms from Blacklist.  The U.S. Department of Commerce announced it is removing 27 Chinese entities from its unverified list (UVL).  The U.S. adds companies to the list if it cannot complete on-site visits to verify if the entity can be trusted with sensitive U.S. technology exports.  Named companies are subject to trade restrictions and checks.  The Chinese entities removed from the UVL include universities, technology companies, optoelectronic firms, and testing institutions.  A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said the changes to the list showed it is “possible for the two sides to resolve specific concerns through communication on the basis of mutual respect.”  The U.S. Commerce Department said the removal “demonstrates the concrete benefit companies receive when they or a host government cooperates” with checks.  Reuters South China Morning Post

China Confirms U.S. Commerce Secretary Visit.  China’s commerce ministry confirmed on Tuesday that U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo will visit China next week.  China said last week that it welcomes Raimondo’s visit.  U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Raimondo’s trip will deliver a message that the U.S. does not seek decoupling from China and wants to sustain an economic relationship with China but will act to protect its national security.  Reuters South China Morning Post

Brazil’s Lula Plays Down BRICS as a Rival to G7 and G20.  Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said on Tuesday that BRICS is not meant to rival the U.S. and other Group of Seven (G7) wealthy economies.  Speaking at a BRICS summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, Lula’s comments diverge from the vision of some of the grouping’s members who want the bloc to become a counterweight to the West.  Lula said the bloc is just meant to “organize” members of the Global South.  The leaders of Brazil, India and China are attending the South African-hosted summit, along with representatives from several countries seeking to join BRICS.  Russia is being represented by its foreign minister due to the International Criminal Court arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin.  Reuters

Western Europe

German Foreign Minister Affirms Kyiv’s Strikes Into Russia.  German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Tuesday defended Ukraine’s drone attacks on Moscow as being in accordance with international law. Ukraine has repeatedly targeted the Russian capital since Russia invaded in February of 2022.  When asked about the drone strikes, Baerbock said: “Russia attacked Ukraine, therefore Ukraine has a legal right to defend its country,” and that “Ukraine is defending itself within the boundaries of international law”.  These statements come as Russian officials said Tuesday that two more drones aimed at Moscow were downed by Russian air defenses, marking the fifth consecutive night of attempted attacks in the capital region.  Barron’s

Central and Eastern Europe

Western Military Leaders Urge Kyiv to Concentrate their Combat Power.  American and other Western officials have said that Ukraine’s struggling counteroffensive has been unable to break through Russian defenses in large part because it has too many troops in the wrong places.  According to U.S. officials, the main goal of the counteroffensive has been to sever Russian supply lines in the south but instead of focusing on that, Ukraine divided troops and firepower roughly equally between the eastern and southern fronts.  American military planners have advised Ukraine to concentrate on the front driving towards Melitopol and punching through Russian minefields and other defenses even if there is a greater loss of troops and equipment.  Reportedly, the Ukrainian military might be seriously considering the advice from its Western partners.  A teleconference between Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley and his British counterpart Adm. Sir Tony Radakin, the most senior U.S. military commander in Europe, and Ukraine’s most senior military commander Gen. Valeriy Zaluzhnyi was held on August 10 to discuss the issue. According to two officials briefed on the call, the Western officials urged Gen. Zaluzhnyi to refocus towards the main southern front, which Gen. Zaluzhnyi agreed with.  The report on the meeting comes as Ukraine has penetrated at least one layer of Russian defenses in the south.  New York Times

Ukraine Says it Enters Strategic Village of Robotyne.  Ukraine said on Tuesday that its forces have entered the strategic southeastern village of Robotyne.  Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said Ukrainian troops in the town are still coming under fire from Russian forces but are now organizing the evacuation of civilians from the area.  Robotyne is six miles south of the frontline in the Zaporizhzhia region and is on the road to the key Russian-occupied rail hub Tokmak.  Analysts say further Ukrainian progress southward in the area will be significant for its southern counteroffensive.  Maliar separately said that despite recent reports and assessments that Ukraine’s counteroffensive is moving too slow, she highlighted that “despite everything, we’re moving forward” even while being at a military disadvantage to Russia.  Reuters Institute for the Study of War

Russian Media Outlets Claim Russian General Suorvikin Dismissed.  Prominent Russian journalist Alexei Venediktov claims that General Sergei Surovikin has been removed as head of Russia’s aerospace forces by official decree.  There was no official confirmation of Venediktov’s claim.  RBC media outlet later said Suorvikin “is currently on short-term leave” and is being transferred to another position in Russia’s Ministry of Defense, citing its own sources.  Suorvikin has not been seen since the Wagner Group uprising in June when he appeared in a video during the rebellion calling for Wagner fighters to stand down.  After the attempted mutiny, several foreign media outlets have suggested that Surovikin, who once led Russian military operations in Ukraine, was being investigated for potentially being complicit with the Wagner uprising.  Reuters

Asia and Oceania

Chinese Military Academies See Record Enrollment Amid Rise in Youth Unemployment.  China’s military academies have seen up to 17,000 new high school graduates join this year, marking the highest enrollment intake since 2017.  The People’s Liberation Army (PLA)’s official newspaper said 2,000 more recruits joined compared to last year.  The record enrollment comes as the jobless rate for young people also soars, with one in five people aged 16 to 24 and moving in urban areas unemployed in June.  Data shows over 135,000 high school graduates applied for initial testing.  South China Morning Post

Thai Parliament Elects New Prime Minister.  Thailand’s parliament selected Srettha Thavisin of the Pheu Thai Party as the new Prime Minister, ending months of political deadlock after elections in May.  The Pheu Thai government will lead a coalition that includes some pro-military parties.  The popular progressive Move Forward party won the elections, but Pheu Thai and others blocked its candidate from forming a government, in part due to its plan to reform the country’s royal defamation laws.  Thavisin’s election came the same day that Pheu Thai’s founder and former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra returned to Thailand after over 15 years in self-imposed exile.  The former premier, who was deposed by a military coup, was jailed upon arrival due to various criminal cases against him, but observers say he has likely struck a deal that will see him serve a short prison sentence.  Associated Press BBC Nikkei Asia

Indonesia to Purchase 24 F-15 Fighter Jets from Boeing.  Indonesia has signed a memorandum of understanding with Boeing to purchase 24 F-15EX fighter jets.  Indonesia’s Defense Ministry did not disclose the value of the deal.  The MoU follows similar deals signed by Indonesia for French company Dassault Aviation’s Rafale and Mirage fighter jets as part of efforts to modernize its aging military air fleet.  Nikkei Asia

UN Says Over 200 Former Afghan Military Officials Killed Since Taliban Takeover.  The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) reports that over 200 former Afghan military personnel and government officials have been killed since the Taliban takeover.  The report says nearly half of the alleged extrajudicial killings occurred in the first four months after the Taliban’s return to power and continued through 2022.  More widely, the report documents 800 cases of serious human rights violations, including arbitrary arrests, torture and forced disappearances.  The findings contrast the general amnesty the Taliban announced for those affiliated with the former Afghan government, which UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk said amounts to a “betrayal of the people’s trust.”  A Taliban spokesperson called the accusations “politically motivated” and suggested that those killed may have been targeted for personal vendettas and other individual crimes.  The spokesperson reiterated that the Taliban observes general amnesty for “all former regime officials.”  Al Jazeera

China’s Police Ties With Fiji Demonstrate Beijing’s Limitations in the Pacific.  The Washington Post is out with a report on China’s police cooperation with Fiji, which Beijing hoped would serve as a framework for security ties across the Pacific.  China’s police work with Fiji was founded on a secretive memorandum of understanding on police cooperation signed with the government of then-Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama in 2011.  According to Fijian police and locals, the agreement facilitated people-to-people police exchanges and the transfer of high-tech equipment, but also allowed Chinese officers to conduct arrests and extrajudicial deportations.  The MoU soured Fijians’ opinion of China, with many saying Beijing overreached with its security presence in the South Pacific nation.  Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka scrapped the MoU in January, saying that the deal risked “treading on people’s personal rights.”  The move was a setback to China, showing that Pacific nations may draw a line to security cooperation with Beijing and still favor Western partners.  China has had some success with others in the region, such as the Solomon Islands, but the Fiji case shows there is still strong competition with the U.S., Australia and New Zealand.  Washington Post 

Middle East and Northern Africa

U.S. Says Deal to Free U.S. Citizens in Iran Underway.  White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said Tuesday that the United States believes an understanding that Iran will eventually release five U.S. citizens remains on track but did not offer a concrete timeline. On August 10, Iran moved four imprisoned U.S. citizens into house arrest where a fifth was already being held. This marks the first step of a deal in which $6 billion of frozen Iranian funds in South Korea would be released. More specifically, Sullivan told reporters in a call that “we believe that things are proceeding according to the understanding that we've reached with Iran. I don't have an exact timetable for you because there's steps that need to yet unfold. But we believe that that remains on track”. Reuters

UN Reports More Than 200 Palestinians, Almost 30 Israelis Killed So Far This Year.  Tor Wennesland, UN special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, told the UN Security Council that over 200 Palestinians and nearly 30 Israelis have been killed so far this year in the occupied West Bank and Israel.  He said the deaths have already surpassed last year’s entire death toll and mark the highest number of fatalities since 2005.  He blamed the escalating violence on despair amongst Palestinians about the future and a lack of progress towards achieving an independent state.  He also cited Israel’s demolition of Palestinian homes, expansion of settlements and operations by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank, attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinian villagers, and Palestinian “militant activity” as factors encouraging hostilities.  Al Jazeera

Sub Saharan Africa

African Union Suspends Niger.  The African Union (AU) suspended Niger from all activities on Tuesday over the country’s military coup.  The AU Peace and Security Council released a communique acknowledging ECOWAS’s decision to activate a standby force for a potential military intervention into Niger and asked the AU Commission to assess the impacts of such an action.  The council also asked the AU Commission to start preparing targeted sanctions and “the application of individual punitive measures' ' against junta leaders and their supporters.  ECOWAS maintains it does not want to deploy troops into Niger but has not ruled out using force to restore the country’s democracy.  Al Jazeera Reuters

France Denies Report it Requested to Use Algerian Airspace for Niger Operation.  The French army on Tuesday denied allegations that it sought permission to use Algerian airspace for a military operation into Niger.  The denial came after Algerian state radio reported that the alleged request was denied, noting that Algeria favors diplomacy over foreign military action to resolve the Niger crisis.  ECOWAS has not ruled out the use of force to restore Niger’s democracy, but Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has voiced concerns that “a military intervention could ignite the whole Sahel region.”  France reportedly had around 1,500 troops stationed in Niger before the coup.  Reuters

Sudanese Warring Factions Fighting Over Khartoum Military Base.  Military factions in Sudan fought for the third day over an army base in the capital of Khartoum according to eyewitnesses. Both the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have struggled for advantage in the more than four month war. These reports come after the RSF circulated a video of its soldiers claiming to have entered the military base and to have captured tanks. The army has said that its forces have managed to drive them out. If the Sudanese army were to lose control of this base, the last stronghold in the capital would be the army headquarters in the middle of the city. Outside of the capital, battles have centered around Nyala, the capital of South Darfur and one of the country’s largest hubs. Additionally, the U.N. has reported that between August 11 and 17, at least 60 people have been killed and 50,000 have fled their homes.  Reuters

Chad Rebel Group Threatens Military Government.  Tuesday, a Chadian rebel group threatened to stand up to the country’s military led government after another rebel group announced an end to a 2021 ceasefire. Tensions have risen on Chad’s northern border with Libya. After Chadian President and military officer Idriss Deby was killed in a northern offensive in 2021, his son Mahamat Idriss Deby seized power, pledged to restore peace, pardoned hundreds of imprisoned rebels, and encouraged peace talks. Last year, more than 30 militant factions signed a peace pact with Chad’s transitional authorities. However, the most powerful group, the Libya based Front for Change and Concord (FACT) refused. In a setback for Deby, another group vowed to use “all necessary means” to restore democracy to Chad. Conflict in Chad could destabilize the longtime Western ally in its fight against Islamist militants waging an insurgency across the Sahel region.  Reuters

Cyber and Tech

Iran Displays New Drone with Attack, Surveillance Capabilities.  A drone said to be capable of reaching Israel was unveiled Tuesday by the Iranian Defense Ministry.  The Mohajer-10 drone, which reportedly resembles the U.S. MQ-9 Reaper, was displayed at the Defense Industry Day in Tehran.  According to an Iranian news agency, the Mohajer-10 can stay airborne for 24 hours and can reach heights of 24,000 feet carrying a weapons payload of 660 pounds.  The drone also can be equipped with surveillance equipment and cameras.  Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi was present as the drone was displayed and told state television, “today, we can firmly introduce Iran as an advanced and technological nation to the world.”  State television also carried a video of the drone taking off from a runway.  Israel did not respond to requests for comment on the drone development.  Associated Press Reuters Al Jazeera

Russian, Indian Moon Missions Highlight Global Race for Lunar Resources.  The scheduled attempt on Wednesday by an Indian spacecraft to land on the moon’s south pole, and last Sunday’s crash of a Russian lunar lander in the same area, highlight a surge in the global competition to conduct scientific research and deep space exploration.  The Indian and Russian missions are but two of a number of national and private-sector space projects, several of which are focused on the south pole where hints of water have been detected.  The keen interest in the possible presence of water on the lunar surface is explained by its potential consumption by crews or its use in cooling equipment.  Csaba Palotai, a planetary sciences professor at the Florida Institute of Technology, explained that “water is the key for many aspects of living on the moon,” adding that “the suspicion is that there’s lots of it—that’s why we’re going through these missions to verify how much, exactly, there is.”  The U.S. plans to deploy landers to the moon’s south pole through a collaborative program that will transport NASA devices on spacecraft developed and launched by private companies.  Houston-based Intuitive Machines has reserved a six-day period starting in November during which SpaceX would launch its Nova-C lunar lander carrying several NASA and commercial payloads.  Astrobotic Technology, a Pittsburgh-based company also participating in NASA’s lander program, plans a 2024 mission to deliver a NASA rover to the south pole to measure water resources.  An earlier Japanese mission by the ispace company to the northern hemisphere of the moon failed when the lander ran out of fuel.  Problems with slowing descents to the moon’s surface resulted in the failure of two lunar landing missions in 2019, the first by the Beresheet spacecraft, a privately-funded Israeli mission. Later that year, the predecessor to the current Indian mission — Chandrayaan-2 — also hit the lunar surface after a problem with its braking thrusters.  As Dan Hendrickson, an Astrobotic vice president, explained, “You have to build a propulsion system that can carefully, with one-sixth the gravity, touch down softly.  It’s an enormously challenging task.”  Wall Street Journal Reuters

Federal Agencies Issue Recommendations for Government-Wide Quantum Preparations.  Three Federal agencies – CISA, NSA, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) – on Monday released a “quantum factsheet” urging all government agencies “to begin early planning for migration to post-quantum cryptographic (PQC) standards” through the development of tailored organizational quantum-readiness roadmaps.  Among other actions called for in the factsheet, the replacement or updating of popular public-key encryption algorithms will be essential.  In addition, organizations should begin developing inventories of quantum-vulnerable technology.  It is also recommended that organizations review supply chains to clarify their dependencies on quantum-vulnerable technologies.  CISA Director Jen Easterly said all organizations, but critical infrastructure in particular, need to prepare now for “migration to post-quantum cryptography.”  NSA’s cybersecurity chief, Rob Joyce, noted that the transition to the quantum era is a long-term and intensive effort requiring “extensive collaboration between government and industry. The key is to be on this journey today and not wait until the last minute.”  The factsheet guidance was issued as NIST continues work on the first set of post-quantum cryptographic standards that will be published in 2024.  Washington Post CISA

Ukrainian Hackers Claim Emails of Russian Duma Member Show Bribes, Sanctions Evasion.  A Ukrainian group called Cyber Resistance claims to have hacked the email of a senior Russian politician, leaking what it says are documents that prove the Russian official’s involvement in money laundering and efforts to evade sanctions.  Emails attributed to Alexander Babakov, a deputy chairman of Russia’s Duma, were examined by InformNapalm, an organization of researchers and journalists from 10 countries, which reported that Babakov used government contacts to launder money.  Another incident the group revealed is an alleged bribe Babakov accepted to approve illegal construction on a nature reserve and a national park.  The leaked documents also indicate that Babakov used contacts in Africa and Asia “to minimize Western sanctions,” according to InformNapalm.  The 11 GB leak of purported emails by Cyber Resistance included scans of Babakov’s passport, tax documents, and medical records.  Babakov has close Kremlin ties and at one time led Rodina, a Russian nationalist political party.  He was sanctioned by the U.S. in 2017, following on 2014 sanctions by the EU, Canada, and Switzerland.  The Record

Supply Chain Attack Targets Organizations in Hong Kong, Other Asian Locations.  Legitimate software loaded on about 100 computers in Hong Kong and elsewhere in Asia has been targeted in a suspected supply chain attack, according to Symantec threat analysts.  Although no threat group has been linked to the attack, Symantec noted that “Korplug” backdoor malware was used in all the attempted intrusions.  Korplug has been employed by a number of state-sponsored hackers based in China.  Symantec calls the group carrying out the campaign, Carderbee, and noted that the deployed malware was “signed with a legitimate Microsoft certificate.”  Symantec said the campaign highlights the persistent problem of illicit Microsoft signatures, which makes it more difficult for security software to root out malware.  The group deployed legitimate Cobra DocGuard software used in encryption and decryption processes to carry out the attacks.  Symantec analysts said Cobra DocGuard software was installed on 2,000 computers but malicious activity was only observed on around 100 devices, indicating that the threat actors attempted to selectively compromise only high-value targets.  On the targeted computers, Carderbee used the DocGuard software updater to deploy a range of malware strains, including PlugX.  The Record CyberScoop BleepingComputer

Read deeply-experienced, expert-driven national security news, analysis and opinion in The Cipher Brief