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Monday, July 3, 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:  

In the Americas

State Department Finds Inadequate Planning in Afghanistan Withdrawal.  The U.S. State Department on Friday released a report on the 2021 U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, which contributed to the sudden collapse of the Afghan government and an airlift of remaining US citizens and Afghans who had helped the U.S. during the war. The report does not lay blame on particular individuals for the chaos of the withdrawal, but does blame both the Trump and Biden administrations for “undermining the viability of the Afghan government” and having “insufficient senior-level consideration of worst-case scenarios and how quickly those might follow.”  The report revealed that there were several key issues during the withdrawal that “inhibited” crisis management, including unfilled senior positions, unclear leadership on planning efforts in the U.S. and within Afghanistan, and a shortage of diplomats in Kabul.  For the Biden administration, the report noted that officials were unclear as to whether Afghan forces could hold Kabul almost up until the withdrawal, and they also reportedly feared fully planning for an evacuation might actually trigger it.  Regarding the Trump administration, the report faulted it for failing to properly address the “significant backlog” for visas for at-risk Afghans.  In sum, the report says the U.S. State Department needs to plan better for “worst-case scenarios” and bolster its crisis preparation and planning capabilities.  Notably, critics are calling for the full declassification of the report.  New York Times Politico Washington Post

War Time Russia is a Spy-Recruiting Opportunity, Says CIA Director.  CIA Director William Burns said on Saturday that disaffection in Russia with the Ukraine war has created an unprecedented opportunity to recruit Russian spies.  He noted that the recent Wagner Group mutiny — which he emphasized the U.S. was not involved in — underscored the “corrosive” impact of the conflict in Ukraine on Russia, noting that the mercenary group’s head Yevgeny Prigozhin “preceded his actions with a scathing indictment of the Kremlin’s mendacious rationale for the invasion of Ukraine and of the Russian military leadership’s conduct of the war.”  Burns said such “disaffection with the war” will continue to underscore state propaganda and the Russian government’s repression and that his agency will not let the  “once-in-a-generation” opportunity created by this go to waste.  Burns’ remarks echo other CIA officials' comments about accelerated recruitment activities in Russia following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.  Burns mentioned a recent CIA Telegram campaign that shows Russians how to contact the CIA securely on the dark web as part of these efforts, claiming that it garnered 2.5 million views in the first week after it was posted.  CNN NPR Reuters RFE/RL South China Morning Post

CIA Director Calls for De-Risking from China, Says Decoupling ‘Foolish.’  CIA Director William Burns on Saturday also said that a full on economic decoupling from China would be a foolish approach for US policymakers. That said, he added, a policy in which the US “sensibly de-risk[s] and diversif[ies] by securing resilient supply chains” is a sensible path forward. He noted that China is the only nation “with both the intent to reshape the international order and, increasingly, the economic, diplomatic, military and technological power to do so,” thus necessitating the shift away from Beijing.   Reuters South China Morning Post  

Brazil’s Bolsonaro Deemed Ineligible to Run for Office Until 2030.  Brazil’s federal electoral court (TSE) on Friday voted to bar former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro from running for public office until 2030 over his conduct in Brazil’s election last year.  Four out of the seven justices charged Bolsonaro with abuse of power and misuse of the media during the election, which the court said pushed his supporters to challenge election results, in which Bolsonaro’s rival Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva narrowly won.  Bolsonaro rejects wrongdoing, saying “I have not attacked the voting system; I just showed its possible flaws.”  He has said he will appeal the decision to the Supreme Court.  Reuters Washington Post

Russia Resumes Commercial Flights to Cuba.  Russia’s Rossiya Airlines resumed flights to Cuba on Saturday after having been suspended since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year.  Western countries have shut out Russian airlines from their airspaces since the start of the conflict.  The resumption of flights to Cuba came after Russian Deputy Prime Minister for tourism, sports, culture and communications Dmitry Chernyshenko announced in May that flights to Cuba will start again, avoiding the airspace of “unfriendly” countries.  Reuters

Yellen to Visit Beijing this Week.  U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is set to visit China this week as part of U.S. efforts to manage relations with China.  The Treasury Department said on Sunday that Yellen will travel to Beijing from June 6th to 9th, adding that she will focus her trip on emphasizing the importance of engagement between Washington and Beijing.  China’s Finance Ministry confirmed her travel plans on Monday morning.  Sources say Yellen is expected to meet Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, representatives from top U.S. firms in China, and other senior officials. The trip comes just weeks after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s trip to Beijing in June.  Al Jazeera 

King Charles and Biden to Meet at Windsor Castle.  A Buckingham Palace spokesperson announced on Sunday that Britain’s King Charles will meet with U.S. President Joe Biden at Windsor Castle on July 10.  The White House simultaneously announced that Biden will travel to Europe on Friday.  His trip will include a stop in Britain to meet with King Charles and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, as well as visits to Lithuania and Finland.  Reuters

Ukraine Seeking Latin American Support.  Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told Spanish media that Kyiv hopes to use Spain’s rotating EU Presidency to “gain influence” in Latin America.  Zelensky said that while Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has supported Ukraine, several unnamed Latin American countries haven’t, including by blocking Sanchez’s invitation for Zelensky to participate in an upcoming EU-Latin American summit.  Zelensky said he wants Latin American partners to “not only join [Ukraine’s] peace formula, but to stand against war.”  Reuters 

Western Europe

France Rocked by Protests.  Violence in France appeared to ease after nearly a week of protests across numerous cities.  Protests began following the police shooting of a young man in the Paris suburb of Nanterre.  So far over 2000 people have been arrested and more than 300 police officers were injured across the country.  French officials deployed more than 45,000 police, armored vehicles, helicopters and specialized units to try and quell the violence.   Rioters have torched vehicles, looted businesses, and attacked police stations and town halls, including the home of the mayor of a Paris suburb.  The shooting of the teenager, identified only as Nahel M and who was of North African descent, has inflamed concerns about police brutality and racism.  French President Emmanuel Macron attended a special security meeting on Sunday.  Macron is expected to meet with Parliament on Monday, and with local mayors on Tuesday. Nahel’s grandmother pleaded on Sunday for the violence to end.  Politico Reuters France 24

Central and Eastern Europe

Russian Air Strikes Target Kyiv, Shelling Kills Civilians Across Ukraine.  Ukraine reports that Russia launched drones at missiles at Kyiv early Sunday morning, marking the first such attack on the Ukrainian capital in 12 days.  Ukraine’s air force said the city’s air defenses shot down eight Iranian-made Shahed drones and three cruise missiles in the attack.  Kyiv regional officials said that falling debris damaged three private homes and injured one person in the assault.  Separately, Ukrainian officials reported that Russian shelling in the eastern Donetsk region killed three civilians and wounded 17 others, and Russian rocket attacks on the southern Kherson region injured another five people on Friday.  Al Jazeera Reuters New York Times

Ukraine Reports Progress Amid Fierce Fighting as Counteroffensive Continues.  Ukrainian officials report continued fierce fighting in eastern and southern Ukraine as the counteroffensive continues.  The Ukrainian General Staff said Ukrainian troops are moving towards Bakhmut and that Russian forces are attempting attacks towards Lyman, Avdiivksy and Maryinsky in the east.  Ukrainian Deputy Ukrainian Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said Sunday that the situation is “quite complicated” and “hot everywhere,” though she said Ukrainian forces had taken another 10.9 square miles in southern Ukraine over the past week.  She also said that Russian forces have begun to attack the Svatove area in northeastern Ukraine.  General Oleksander Tarnavskiy, who oversees the southern front, claims that Ukrainian forces have been “systematically destroying the enemy” with several hundred reported Russian deaths within the past 24 hours.  This comes as a top NATO military official said that Ukraine’s military is ‘right to be cautious’ with the counteroffensive.  Admiral Rob Bauer, a Dutch officer who is the chairman of NATOs’ military committee said that Ukraine’s military is facing serious challenges from landmines and other prepared obstacles, and that they should not be pressured into moving faster than the situation allows.  Bauer, echoing recent comments by US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley, said to expect Ukraine’s counteroffensive to remain difficult and that people should not think it will be an “easy walkover.”  Al Jazeera Reuters Reuters Deutsche Welle CNN

Russia's Medvedev says Moscow Determined to Prevent Ukraine from Joining NATO.  Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev says that the Ukraine war is likely to last for decades and may be destined to become a frozen war.  Medvedev, who is now deputy head of Russia’s security council, said in an article in Russian media that tensions between Russian and the West are “much worse” than during the Cuban missile crisis of 1962.  Medvedev added that Russia is still committed to stopping Ukraine from joining NATO and asserted that Moscow will achieve that goal.  He cited NATO’s rule about not admitting countries who are embroiled in a conflict as justification for Moscow freezing the conflict, given what he called the “existential” threat to Russia of Ukrainian NATO membership.  Medvedev has been one of the most outspoken supporters of Russia’s war in Ukraine.  Reuters

Russia Has Created New Surveillance Tools to Monitor Internal Dissent. The NY Times is out with new analysis that examines Russia’s increased use of digital surveillance tools to monitor internal dissent to the Ukraine war.  The report says that Moscow has amassed an arsenal of new and novel tools to track individuals, including some activity across encrypted apps like WhatsApp and Signal, and the ability to monitor and access people’s online accounts.  The report cites setbacks in Ukraine and internal political pressure on Vladimir Putin as factors in prompting Russia to play catch up to other autocratic regimes like China, who for years were technologically ahead of Russia in digital surveillance.  New York Times 

Poland Calls for NATO Nuclear Deployment.  Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Friday that Warsaw wants to join NATO’s Nuclear Sharing program, inferring that he wants Poland to host nuclear weapons, in response to Russia’s decision to deploy tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus.  He said Poland wants to join as it will not “sit idly by while [Russian President Vladimir] Putin escalates all sorts of threats.  NATO’s nuclear sharing program is part of the alliance’s nuclear deterrence where non-nuclear members host the nuclear weapons of allies.  Germany, Belgium, Italy, Turkey and the Netherlands currently participate.  Poland has previously expressed interest in joining in October 2022 amid Russian nuclear threats.  Kyiv Independent 

Russian Personnel Withdrawing From Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.  Ukraine’s military intelligence directorate (GUR) claims that Russia is reducing its presence at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.  The GUR reports that representatives from Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom have left the plant, Ukrainian staff at the facility have been told to relocate by Monday, preferably to Crimea, and that there are fewer Russian troops at the plant and the nearby town of Enerhodar.  The GUR added that staff remaining at the plant have been instructed to “blame Ukraine in case of any emergencies.”  Ukraine has in recent days warned that Russia is planning a “terrorist attack” at the plant involving a radiation leak.  Ukrainian intelligence previously said Russia has approved a plan to blow up the plant and has mined much of the facility.  Reuters The Guardian

Poland to Increase Security Along Belarus Border.  Poland announced on Sunday that it will send 500 police to strengthen its border with Belarus, adding to the 5,000 border guards and 2,000 soldiers already stationed at the border.  The Polish Border Guard stated that 187 people have tried to cross the border illegally into Poland from Belarus on Saturday with numbers steadily growing.  Deputy Minister Coordinator of Special Services Stanislaw Zaryn stated that the increase in crossings is in response to the transfer of Wagner mercenaries from Ukraine into Belarus, which has triggered fears in Poland and other eastern NATO members that their presence will cause greater instability in the region.  Reuters CNN

Zelensky Orders Strengthening of Ukraine’s Northern Defenses Amid Wagner Relocation to Belarus.  Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky ordered Ukraine’s military to bolster its northern defenses.  While he did not state a reason for the order, it followed the exile of Wagner group head Yevgeny Prigozhin to Belarus, where Wagner units are reportedly setting up a new base.  The commander of Ukraine’s northern forces, General Serhiy Naev, said there is no imminent “direct threat of offensive actions from Belarus and Russia” in northern Ukraine, but defenses are being strengthened to counter potential threats.  There has been concern that Wagner forces might launch attacks into Ukraine from Belarus, though the mercenary organization has reportedly been told it will no longer fight in Ukraine. Reuters 

Russia’s Lavrov Says No Reason To Extend Black Sea Grain Deal.  Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday that Moscow no longer sees a reason to extend the black sea grain deal due to outrageous actions by the west over the agreement.  Russia has threatened to withdraw from the deal claiming that West has not amended the agreement to consider Russian demands, including facilitating Russian food, and the fertilizer exports, resuming exports of agricultural equipment to Russia, and reconnecting Russian Agricultural Bank to the global swift banking payment system.  Moscow says there has been no progress on any of these demands.  Lavrov told reporters the attack on the Togliatti-Odesa ammonia pipeline, which Moscow and Kyiv blame each other for, was one of the last grievances that pushed Russia to decide not to extend the deal. Lavrov added that without the deal, Russia will still export grain to “the poorest countries at our own expense, free of charge.”  Most of these countries are likely in Africa, which imported billions in grains from both Russia and Ukraine.  Reuters 

Russian President Vladimir Putin, India’s PM Modi discuss Ukraine War.  Russian Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed the situation in Ukraine along with Russia’s handling of the Wagner groups mutiny during a phone call on Friday. The Indian government has continued to urge for diplomacy and dialogue in regard to the Ukrainian invasion, but it has not condemned Russia. President Putin and Prime Minister Modi are still scheduled to appear together for a virtual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization this Tuesday. Reuters Jerusalem Post

Moldova Airport Shooting Kills Two.  A gunman killed two security officers and injured a civilian at Moldova’s main international airport on Friday.  Authorities arrested the shooter, a Tajik man, and said he attacked after being denied entry to the airport, adding that he seized a weapon from a border police official.  Reuters 

Asia and Oceania

Japan Reports Russian Warships Near Taiwan, Okinawa.  Japan’s Defense Ministry announced on Friday that it had spotted two Russian Steregushchy-class frigates 70km (40 miles) southwest off the island of Yonaguni, in Okinawa Prefecture on Tuesday morning. The vessels reportedly sailed back and forth between Yonaguni and Taiwan and were last spotted on Friday between Miyako and Okinawa. Taiwan has reported similar activity, with Taiwan’s defense ministry reporting two Russian frigates off its eastern coast on Tuesday.  Reuters 

U.S. Flies B-52 Bomber in South Korea.  A U.S. B-52 strategic bomber took part in a military exercise between U.S. and South Korean forces on Friday.  The South Korean defense ministry said the drill also included U.S. F-16 and F-15 fighter jets, as well as South Korean F-35 and KF-16 jets.  The inclusion of the bomber is part of a series of moves — including the recent port call of a U.S. nuclear-powered cruise-missile submarine in Busan, and the planned visit by a nuclear-armed submarine to South Korea — to deter North Korea.  They also fulfill a U.S.-South Korea deal, in which Seoul recommitted to not developing its own nuclear weapons in exchange for the U.S. offering South Korea a larger role in consultations on potential U.S. nuclear response to a North Korean attack, as well as promising to deploy strategic nuclear assets to the region.  Associated Press

China’s Defense Minister Meets Head of Russian Navy.  China’s defense ministry said on Monday that Chinese defense minister Li Shangfu met with the head of the Russian navy, Admiral Nikolai Yemenov, in Beijing.  The ministry said that Li told Yevmenov that he hopes the Chinese and Russian navies can strengthen communications and conduct regular joint exercises and patrols.  Reuters

China and Vietnam Agree on Code of Conduct for Parts of South China Sea. China and Vietnam agreed on Friday to cooperate on establishing an “effective code of conduct in the South China Sea” and “low sensitivity” marine areas.  Ships from both sides have recently had encounters in disputed areas of the contested waterway.  The pledge came at the end of Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s visit to China, during which both sides affirmed ties and took steps to deepen economic cooperation on connectivity, cross-border infrastructure, minerals, supply chains and other business and investment areas.  The pledge also followed moves by Vietnam to bolster ties with the U.S., seen in U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s meeting with Vietnam Chairman of External Relations on Thursday, as well as the recent visit by a U.S. aircraft carrier to Vietnam’s central port of Danang.  South China Morning Post 

Middle East and Northern Africa

Israel Launches Large-Scale Operation into Jenin.  Israeli forces targeted militants in the West Bank on Monday in a large-scale operation that included drones and hundreds of troops. Palestinian officials say that at least eight people were killed and dozens were wounded in the operation.  Jenin residents say that Israel launched at least 10 air attacks on the city overnight and that a convoy of armored trucks entered the refugee camp where they reportedly remained on Monday.  Several homes and roads were damaged in the attack.  The operation, which some analysts say resembles the large Israeli military operations conducted during the Palestinian uprisings from two decades ago, come amid heightened tension and violence between the two sides.  Al Jazeera Associated Press Washington Post 

Israel to Buy $3 Billion Worth of F-35 Jets from Lockheed Martin.  Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant announced the approval of a $3 billion purchase of 25 F-35 stealth fighter jets, manufactured by Lockheed-Martin.  The deal will be financed through the defense aid package Israel receives from the U.S. The additional 25 F-35 fighter jets will increase Israel’s air force to 75 F-35 fighter jets, making Israel the only Middle Eastern country to have the world’s most advanced fighter jet.  Reuters Al Jazeera

Syria Reportedly Repels Israeli Air Strike.  The Syrian government announced that it successfully repelled Israeli missile strikes across several locations, including over the capital of Beirut on Sunday.  The Syrian government reported only some material damage in the vicinity of the city of Homs.  The Israeli military stated that its warplanes struck several targets including a Syrian air defense battery, from which an anti-aircraft missile was reportedly launched towards Israeli territory.  Reuters Al Jazeera

Iran Not Sending Ambassador to Sweden Over Koran Incident.  The Iranian government has decided to not send an ambassador to Sweden after a recent protest at a Stockholm mosque that included a Koran burning.  Iran’s foreign ministry did not say how long it will refrain from sending an ambassador to Sweden over the protest, though it did summon Sweden’s charge d'affaires to protest the incident.  There has been widespread anger across the Muslim world over the protest, with several states calling for measures to prevent the desecration of the Koran.  Reuters BBC 

Sub Saharan Africa

UN Security Council Votes to End Mali Peacekeeping Mission.  The UN security council on Friday voted unanimously to end its decade long peacekeeping mission in Mali after the country's ruling military Junta demanded the force to leave.  The council adopted a French drafted resolution for the withdrawal to be completed by the end of this year.  The resolution also permits the operation, known as MINUSMA, to respond to threats against civilians and deliver humanitarian aid “within its immediate vicinity” until the end of September.  Malian officials say they “will be vigilant in ensuring compliance “with the withdrawal agreement, adding that Mali is still willing to cooperate with the UN and other partners. The US has accused Russia’s Wagner group of playing a role in Mali’s call for the departure of MINUSMA, with White House national security spokesperson John Kirby saying that Wagner “helped engineer “the withdrawal to advance its interests,” citing the fact that Malian officials reportedly worked with Wagner mercenaries to tell the UN that the force needed to leave. Russia maintains that Mali made a “sovereign decision “and affirmed Moscow will support Mali in its desire to take full responsibility for its security.  Reuters 

Germany Preparing for Expedited Troop Withdrawal in Mali.  Germany’s Defense Ministry says it is preparing for a faster than previously planned withdrawal of its troops from Mali, following a UN Security Council vote to withdraw the UN peacekeeping force in Mali by December 31, 2023.  Germany, which has around 1,000 troops in Mali, was originally set to withdraw its forces by May of 2024 but will now work on a quicker timeline with the UN pullout.  Berlin’s troops are mostly centered around Mali’s northern town of Gao with the main objective being to gather reconnaissance for MINUSMA.  Reuters Al Jazeera

Cyber and Tech

CISA Announces Turnover in Election Security Leadership.  CISA announced Friday that its top election security official, Kim Wyman, will leave her post at the end of July.  Wyman served in her position since October 2021, and has previously warned about the threats of misinformation and disinformation, as well as threats against election workers. CISA said Wyman will take a private sector job after leaving the agency.  Cait Conley, a senior adviser to CISA director Jen Easterly, will assume “additional responsibilities” for election security programs.  Conley previously served as executive director of the Defending Digital Democracy Project at Harvard University’s Belfer Center, where she “led the development and implementation of strategies, tools and recommendations for election administrators and election infrastructure providers.”  In her new role, Conley will oversee CISA’s initiatives for election security, including collaboration with state and local elections officials.  StateScoop Associated Press

Chinese Foreign Ministry Says U.S. Coerces Allies into New Chip-Related Restrictions.  The Chinese Foreign Ministry accused the U.S. of “coercing” allies into adopting further restrictions on technology exports in the wake of the Netherlands decision to require the Dutch company, ASML, to apply for licenses to send its advanced lithography equipment overseas.  A Foreign Ministry spokesperson said the action undermines “market rules and international trade,” adding that “China will pay close attention to relevant developments and resolutely safeguard its legitimate rights and interests.”  Despite a series of official Chinese appeals and warnings to the Netherlands, the most recent export restriction was not a surprise since ASML had warned since March of probable expanded controls on advanced chip-making equipment.  South China Morning Post

French President Ties Social Media to Riots, Asks for Removal of ‘Sensitive’ Content.  French President Emmanuel Macron has charged social media platforms such as TikTok and Snapchat with helping to incite the riots that have spread across the country in the wake of a policeman’s fatal shooting of a 17-year-old youth. Macron said social media played a “considerable role” in promoting the waves of violent protest and said the government would work with online platforms to remove inflammatory content and identify users who “exacerbate the violence.”  Macron said that he anticipates social media outlets will act with “a spirit of responsibility.  A French official noted that the name and address of the accused police officer had been circulated on social media.  Bloomberg

Russian Authorities Begin Dismantling of Prigozhin Social Media Assets.  Agents of Russia’s Federal Security Services (FSB) are examining materials seized from the St. Petersburg headquarters of the Wagner Group to build evidence against the organization’s chief and founder, Yevgeny Prigozhin.  The law enforcement moves coincide with the launch of a Kremlin recruiting campaign on social media networks to attract hackers and mercenaries from the private military company.  Russian officials across St. Petersburg have seized computers and servers at the Patriot Media Group, a component of Prigozhin’s communications arm that once included the Internet Research Agency.  The day after Wagner’s attempted rebellion Russian authorities blocked the group’s social-media channels and Wagner-sponsored social media outlets that once trumpeted Moscow viewpoints went silent.  Prigozhin’s YaRUS social media network reported last week that it was suspending operations and seeking new investors.  The Wall Street Journal has verified the raid on the Patriot Media Group and its possible sale to a pro-government outlet.  Wall Street Journal

Dublin Airport Authority Confirms MOVEit Breach of Staff Payroll Data.  The Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) confirmed that a breach of the MOVEit file transfer tool used by a third-party service provider led to the compromise of Dublin airport staff payroll information.  The Sunday Times reported that nearly 2,000 Dublin airport staff were affected by the cyberattack as well as agencies and companies in Britain.  The Irish airport authority said it is offering support, advice and assistance to employees impacted by this criminal cyberattack."  Reuters

Business Leaders Warn Europe Against Strangling AI Development.  Over 150 business executives signed an open letter to EU leaders on Friday calling on the bloc to review its regulations on artificial intelligence, warning that current controls will stifle AI development in Europe and make European companies fall behind competitors.  The letter warns that “Rigid compliance” with the controls is ineffective as little is known about actual AI risks, adding that such measures could force companies to move abroad, which could lead to a “critical productivity gap between the two sides of the Atlantic,” referring to the result of the US potentially having stronger AI development.  The letter does acknowledge concern about AI impacts and the need to “properly train these models and ensure their safe use.”  However, instead of the EU’s current restriction regime, to look more fully at AI, the letter calls for a regulatory body of experts who can regularly adapt rules to new AI developments to allow flexibility to risks as they emerge.  The letter also calls for transatlantic standards.  Associated Press 

Egypt Gets China-Funded Satellites.  Egypt has received two China-funded prototypes for the new MisrSat-2 satellite.  The satellites will be assembled and tested at a research center, which was also financed by China, with the goal of launching the satellite from China in October.  China pledged $74 million for the satellites and another $68 million for the assembly and testing facility.  Beijing said the satellite project — the latest Chinese effort to boost space cooperation with Africa — will help Egypt become the first African nation with the capability to assemble, integrate and test satellites.  South China Morning Post

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