What the Taliban really want from the world, in their own words

https://www.npr.org/2021/12/15/1064001076/taliban-afghanistan-girls-education-womens-rights

Afghanistan: Inside the Taliban's Emirate

https://www.france24.com/en/tv-shows/reporters/20211216-afghanistan-inside-the-taliban-s-emirate

Examining the Taliban’s Words, Thoughts and Deeds, Part II: Hostage Diplomacy

https://thediplomat.com/2021/12/examining-the-talibans-words-thoughts-and-deeds-part-ii-hostage-diplomacy/

Afghanistan’s health care system on the brink of collapse

https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-coronavirus-pandemic-business-health-united-nations-e0af78275ef9665c0b26fb7f5d6b4391

Pakistani Taliban emir says his group “is a branch of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan”

https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2021/12/pakistani-taliban-emir-says-his-group-is-a-branch-of-the-islamic-emirate-of-afghanistan.php

Iran says UN can’t see images from cameras at nuclear site until sanctions end

https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog-december-16-2021/

Ukraine, Canada, U.K., Sweden Set Deadline For Settlement With Iran Over Downing Of Airliner

https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-airliner-downed-settlement-deadline/31612801.html

Iran’s Drive to Modernize Navy Faces Latest in String of Setbacks

https://news.usni.org/2021/12/16/irans-drive-to-modernize-navy-faces-latest-in-string-of-setbacks

Kurdish forces find mass grave of ‘ISIS victims’ in Iraq

https://english.alarabiya.net/News/middle-east/2021/12/16/Kurdish-forces-find-mass-grave-of-ISIS-victims-in-Iraq

How a Night Stalker pilot survived being shot down in Iraq and teamed up with Delta Force to go after the shooter

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/how-a-night-stalker-pilot-survived-being-shot-down-in-iraq-and-teamed-up-with-delta-force-to-go-after-the-shooter/ar-AARSnwe

US Navy rescues drug smugglers from burning ship off Oman

https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-iran-fires-dubai-united-arab-emirates-1c314642b8fdbb1a97b92cba2ec739f3

Arab Coalition intercepts two Houthi missiles targeting Abha in Saudi Arabia

https://english.alarabiya.net/News/gulf/2021/12/16/Arab-Coalition-intercepts-two-Houthi-missiles-targeting-Abha-in-Saudi-Arabia

U.S. and allies shoot down drone near U.S. base in Syria

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/us-military-shoots-drone-us-base-syria-rcna8954

British Typhoon Fighter Downed A Drone Over Syria For Its First Air-To-Air Kill

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/43547/british-typhoon-fighter-downed-a-drone-over-syria-for-its-first-air-to-air-kill

Drone attacks on US in Syria are designed to harass America into leaving - analysis

https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/drone-attacks-on-us-in-syria-are-designed-to-harass-america-into-leaving-688872

Arab Israeli, Gazan worker spied on Iron Dome batteries for Hamas, Shin Bet says

https://www.timesofisrael.com/arab-israeli-gazan-worker-spied-on-iron-dome-batteries-for-hamas-shin-bet-says/

Armed groups deploy around key sites in Libya’s Tripoli

https://english.alarabiya.net/News/north-africa/2021/12/16/Armed-groups-deploy-around-key-sites-in-Libya-s-Tripoli

Leaving Timbuktu: What next as France redeploys in northern Mali?

https://www.france24.com/en/tv-shows/the-debate/20211215-leaving-timbuktu-what-next-as-france-redeploys-in-northern-mali

Europe Builds Up Mali Force as France Draws Down Troops

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2021/12/16/europe-builds-mali-force/

U.S. alarmed by potential deployment of Russia-backed group in Mali -State Department

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-alarmed-by-potential-deployment-russia-backed-group-mali-state-department-2021-12-15/

Russia could invade us ‘in the blink of an eye,’ Ukrainian foreign minister warns

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/12/16/russia-could-invade-ukraine-in-the-blink-of-an-eye-ukrainian-foreign-minister.html

Vladimir Putin Wants to Wipe Ukraine From the Map, Ambassador Warns

https://www.newsweek.com/vladimir-putin-accept-half-way-victory-ukraine-russia-ambassador-warns-vadym-prystaiko-1659612

The Ukraine Mess: How We Got Here And How To Deal With Putin’s Threats

https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelkrepon/2021/12/16/the-ukraine-mess-how-we-got-here-and-how-to-deal-with-putins-threats/

EU hopes to avoid Ukraine war with talks, sanctions threat

https://apnews.com/article/business-russia-france-ukraine-germany-56b82497fc5c992df96a92851536f603

British Military Assistance to Ukraine – what’s involved?

https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/british-military-assistance-to-ukraine-whats-involved/

With Russia Poised to Invade, Joe Biden's Caution Frustrates Ukraine

https://www.newsweek.com/russia-poised-invade-joe-biden-caution-frustrates-ukraine-1659255

Do Russian Military Officers Have A Morale Problem? Some Say Yes.

https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-military-officers-morale-problem/31612793.html

Russia: Always Look On The Bright Side of Strife

https://www.strategypage.com/qnd/russia/articles/20211216.aspx

Russia and China’s Dangerous Decline

https://www.wsj.com/articles/russia-and-china-dangerous-population-decline-indo-pacific-pivot-research-development-taiwan-ukraine-11639497466

Russian Politician Calls for Kidnapping of U.S. Congressman on Live TV

https://www.thedailybeast.com/russian-politician-aleksei-zhuravlyov-calls-for-kidnapping-of-us-congressman-ruben-gallego-on-live-tv?ref=home

EU leaders worried about Russia military buildup, some say Nord Stream 2 should be included in sanctions

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/eu-leaders-worried-about-russia-military-buildup-some-say-nord-stream-2-should-be-included-in-sanctions/vi-AARSytX

Baltic leaders urge EU to consider new Russia sanctions amid ‘series of attacks’

https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20211216-baltic-leaders-urge-eu-to-consider-new-russia-sanctions-amid-series-of-attacks

Serbia plans helicopter shopping spree, including Cypriot Mi-35s

https://www.flightglobal.com/helicopters/serbia-plans-helicopter-shopping-spree-including-cypriot-mi-35s/146866.article

Saab Receives Further Order on Heavyweight Torpedo System

https://navalpost.com/saab-torpedo-62/

Germany expels Russian diplomats after court declares 2019 killing 'state terrorism'

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2021/12/15/German-expels-two-Russian-diplomats-2019-killing-state-terrorism/9041639609645/

The end of the MAWS programme

https://www.scramble.nl/military-news/the-end-of-the-maws-programme

France wants to transform its ‘beautiful’ army for high-intensity warfare

https://breakingdefense.com/2021/12/france-wants-to-transform-its-beautiful-army-for-high-intensity-warfare/

France may offer Barracuda class submarines to India

https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/naval-news/naval-news-archive/2021/december/11123-france-may-offer-barracuda-class-submarines-to-india.html

U.S. Air Force’s First European-Based F-35s Have Arrived In England

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/43532/u-s-air-forces-first-european-based-f-35s-have-arrived-in-england

“Complex Combination” Of Institutional Weaknesses Allowed Ajax-Related Hearing Injuries

https://www.overtdefense.com/2021/12/16/complex-combination-of-institutional-weaknesses-allowed-ajax-related-hearing-injuries/

A future with ‘killer robots? Global treaty hopes dim as nations meet in Geneva

https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3159889/future-killer-robots-global-treaty-hopes-dim-nations-meet-geneva

Remaining U.S., Canadian missionaries kidnapped in Haiti have been released

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/12/16/haiti-missionaries-released/

Pentagon Worries About Chinese Buildup Near India

https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/12/15/pentagon-india-china-border-buildup/

China and Russia pledge to step up efforts to build independent trade network to reduce reliance on US-led financial system

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3159941/china-and-russia-pledge-step-efforts-build-independent-trade

U.S. blacklists 34 Chinese entities, citing human rights abuses and 'brain-control weaponry'

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/u-s-blacklists-34-chinese-entities-citing-human-rights-abuses-and-brain-control-weaponry/ar-AARSWvs

China Holds Nuclear, Chemical, Biological Warfare Exercises

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2021/12/16/china-nuclear-chemical-biological-exercise/

UK independent body: China committed genocide in Xinjiang

https://apnews.com/article/europe-religion-china-genocides-xi-jinping-9f20b0f7a77b1071ad32c81241678f3b

Taiwan Plans to Equip its Soldiers With Powered Exoskeleton Suits for Future Missions

https://thedebrief.org/taiwan-plans-to-equip-its-soldiers-with-powered-exoskeleton-suits-for-future-missions/

Analysis: N.Korea after 10 years of Kim Jong Un - better armed but more isolated than ever

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/nkorea-after-10-years-kim-jong-un-better-armed-more-isolated-than-ever-2021-12-15/

Report on North Korea’s Nuclear Weapons, Missile Programs

https://news.usni.org/2021/12/16/report-on-north-koreas-nuclear-weapons-missile-programs-2

A Declaration to End the Korean War: Why Now?

https://www.19fortyfive.com/2021/12/a-declaration-to-end-the-korean-war-why-now/

Latest Details on South Korea’s Arsenal Ship Project

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2021/12/latest-details-on-south-koreas-arsenal-ship-project/

South Korea deploys new SPAAG system

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/weapons-headlines/latest/south-korea-deploys-new-spaag-system